Photodegradation of acetochlor in water and UV photoproducts identified by mass spectrometry

The sunlight photodegradation half-lives of 20 mg/L acetochlor were 151, 154 and 169 days in de-ionized water, river water and paddy water, respectively. When exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, acetochlor in aqueous solution was rapidly degraded. The half-lives were7.1, 10.1, and 11.5 min in de-ionized water, river water and paddy water, respectively. Photopreduets of acetochlor were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(GC/MS) and found at least twelve photoproducts resulted from dechlorination with subsequent hydrtrxylation and cyclization processes. The chemical structures of ten photoproducts were presumed on the basis of mass spectrum interpretation and literature data. Photoproducts are identified as 2-ethyl-6-methylaniline; N, N-diethylaniline ; 4, 8-dimethyl-2-oxo- 1,2,3,4- tetrahydroquino-line; 2-oxo-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(ethoxymethyl) acetamide; N-(ethoxymethyl)-2‘-ethyl-6‘-methylformanilide; 1-hydroxyaeetyl-2-ethoxyl-7-ethylind ole; 8-ethyl-l-ethoxymethyl-2-oxo-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroquinoline; 4, 8-dimethyl-l-ethoxymethyl-2-oxo-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroquinoline; 2-hydroxy-2‘-ethyl-6‘-methyl-N-(ethoxymethyl) acetanilide and a compound related to acetochlor. The other two photoproducts were detected by GC/MS although their chemical structure was unknown.     

Photoproducts of tetracycline and oxytetracycline involving self-sensitized oxidation in aqueous solutions: Effects of Ca2+ and Mg2+

Tetracyclines constitute one of the most important antibiotic families and represent a classic example of phototoxicity. The photoproducts of tetracyclines and their parent compounds have potentially adverse effects on natural ecosystem. In this study, the self-sensitized oxidation products of tetracycline (TC) and oxytetracycline (OTC) were determined and the effects of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺on self-sensitized degradation were investigated. The Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ in the natural water sample accounted for enhancement (pH 7.3) and inhibition (pH 9.0) of photodegradation of TC and OTC due to the formation of metal-ions complexes. The formation of Mg²⁺ complexes was unfavorable for the photodegradation of the tetracyclines at both pH values. In contrast, the Ca²⁺ complexes facilitated the attack of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) arising from self-sensitization at pH 7.3 and enhanced TC photodegradation. For the first time, self-sensitized oxidation products of TC and OTC were verified by quenching experiments and detected by LC/ESI-DAD-MS. The products had a nominal mass 14 Da higher than the parent drugs (designated M+14), which resulted from the ¹O₂ attack of the dimethylamino group on the C-4 atom of the tetracyclines. The presence of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ also affected the generation of M+14 due to the formation of metal-ions complexes with TC and OTC. The findings suggest that the metal-ion complexation has significant impact on the self-sensitized oxidation processes and the photoproducts of tetracyclines.     

2-烯丙基苯酚在液相中的光化学降解研究

以太阳光和紫外灯为光源研究了 2 烯丙基苯酚在溶液相中的光化学降解 .太阳光下 ,2 烯丙基苯酚在甲醇、正己烷、重蒸水以及不同pH的缓冲溶液中的光稳定性很强 ,但在丙酮中可以光解 ,10 4mg·L-1 的 2 烯丙基苯酚在丙酮中的光解半衰期为 36 4h .核黄素、过氧化氢、三氯化铁能加快 2 烯丙基苯酚在水溶液中的光解速率 ,其中核黄素的敏化效果最显著 .在紫外光照下 ,2 烯丙基苯酚在各种溶剂中光解迅速 ,速率遵循一级动力学方程 ;水中溶解物质对其光解有一定的抑制作用 ;在pH=9的缓冲溶液中的光解速率 >pH =7的缓冲溶液中的光解速率 >pH =4的缓冲溶液中的光解速度 ;紫外光照 2h ,2 烯丙基苯酚在甲醇中的主要光降解产物经GC MS和LC MS鉴定为 :2 ,4 ,5 三羟基苯甲醛、邻羟基苯乙酸甲酯、对烯丙基苯酚、2 甲基苯并二氢呋喃     

Effects of temperature on UV-B-induced DNA damage and photorepair in Arabidopsis thaliana

DNA damage in the form of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers(CPDs) and (6-4) photopreducts(6-4PPs) induced by UV-B radiation in Arabidopsis thaliana at different temperatures was investigated using ELISA with specific monoclonal antibodies. CPDs and 6-4PPs increased during 3 h UV-B exposure, but further exposure led to decreases. Contrary to the commonly accepted view that DNA damage induced by UV-B radiation is temperature-independent because of its photochemical nature, we found UV-B-induction of CPDs and 6-4PPs in Arabidopsis to be slower at a low than at a high temperature. Photorepair of CPDs at 24℃ was much faster than that at 0℃ and 12℃,with 50% CPDs removal during 1 h exposure to white light. Photorepair of 6-4PPs at 12℃ was very slow as compared with that at 24℃,and almost no removal of 6-4PPs was detected after 4 h exposure to white light at 0℃. There was evidence to suggest that temperaturedependent DNA damage and photorepair could have important ecological implications.     

Ah Receptor Agonists in UV-exposed Toluene Solutions of Decabromodiphenyl Ether (decaBDE) and in Soils Contaminated with Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) (9 pp)

Goal, Scope and Background The use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) as flame retardants increases the risk for emissions of other brominated compounds, such as polybrominated dibenzodioxins (PBDDs) and dibenzofurans (PBDFs). The large homology in structure of PBDD/Fs and mechanism of toxic action, i.e. the capacity to activate the Ah receptor (AhR) pathway, compared to their well-studied chlorinated analogues, justifies a raised concern to study the environmental levels and fate of these compounds. Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) is the most widely used PBDE today. Studies on photolytic debromination of decaBDE in organic solvents have shown debromination of decaBDE, as well as formation of PBDFs. However, little is known about the transformation mechanisms and there are only scarce data on photoproducts and PBDE transformation in environmentally relevant matrices. In this study, mechanism-specific dioxin bioassays were used to study photolytic formation of AhR agonists in toluene solutions of decaBDE. In addition, the influence of irradiation time and UV-light wavelength on the formation was studied. PBDE congener patterns and presence of PBDD/Fs were analysed. Further, AhR agonists were analysed in agricultural soils contaminated with PBDEs. Soils were also exposed to UV-light to study changes in AhR agonist levels. Methods Toluene solutions of decaBDE were irradiated using three different spectra of UV-light, simulating UV-A (320-400 nm), UV-AB (280-400 nm), and UV-ABC (250-400 nm). Additionally, decaBDE solutions were exposed to narrow wavelength intervals (10 nm bandwidth) with the central wavelengths 280, 290, 300, 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360 nm. AhR agonists in decaBDE solutions were analysed with two different bioassays, the chick embryo liver-cell assay for dioxins (Celcad) and the dioxin responsive, chemically activated luciferase expression assay (DR-Calux). Also, the decaBDE solutions were analysed with LRGC-LRMS to obtain PBDE congener patterns for breakdown of decaBDE, and with HRGC-HRMS, for presence of PBDD/Fs. Four soils were exposed to UV-AB light, under both dry and moist conditions. Levels of AhR agonists in soil extract fractions, before and after UV-exposure, were analysed with the DR-Calux. Results and Discussion Significant levels of photoproducts able to activate the AhR pathway, up to 31 ng bio-TEQ/ml, were formed in UV-exposed decaBDE solutions. The transformation yield of decaBDE into AhR agonists was estimated to be at the 0.1%-level, on a molar basis. The net formation was highly dependent on wavelength, with the sample irradiated at 330 nm showing the highest level of dioxin-like activity. No activity was detected in controls. PBDE analysis confirmed decaBDE degradation and a clear time-dependent pattern for debromination of PBDE congeners. AhR agonist effect in the recalcitrant fractions of the soils corresponded to the levels of chemically derived TEQs, based only on chlorinated dioxin-like compounds in an earlier study. It was concluded that no significant levels of other AhR agonists, e.g. PBDFs, were accumulated in the soil. UV-light caused changes in AhR-mediated activity in the more polar and less persistent fractions of the soils, but it is not known which compounds are responsible for this. Recommendations and Perspective . The laboratory experiments in this study show that high levels of AhR agonists can be formed as photoproducts of decaBDE and it is important to elucidate if and under which conditions this might occur in nature. However, soil analysis indicates that photoproducts of PBDE do not contribute to the accumulated levels of persistent dioxin-like compounds in agricultural soil. Still, more data is needed to fully estimate the environmental importance of PBDE photolysis and occurrence of its photoproducts in other environmental compartments. Analysis with dioxin bioassays enabled us to gather information about photoproducts formed from decaBDE even though the exact identities of these compounds were not known. Conclusion Bioassays are valuable for studying environmental transformation processes like this, where chemical analysis and subsequent toxicological evaluation requires available standard compounds and information on toxicological potency. The use of bioassays allows a rapid evaluation of toxicological relevance.     

Photolysis of chlortetracycline in aqueous solution: Kinetics, toxicity and products

The aqueous photodegradation of the widely used antibiotic chlortetracycline (CTC) was investigated under simulated sunlight. The quantum yield of photodegradation increased from 3.3 × 10^-4 to 8.5 × 10^-3 within the pH range of 6.0 to 9.0. The presence of Ca²⁺, Fe³⁺, and NO₃^- enhanced the photodegradation of CTC, whereas Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Zn²⁺ inhibited the degradation with the order Mn²⁺ > Zn²⁺ > Mg²⁺ at pH 7.3. The monovalent cations (Na⁺ and K⁺) had negligible effect on the photolysis of CTC. Fulvic acid (FA) decreased the photodegradation of CTC due to light screening effect. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was formed concurrently with direct photodegradation of CTC. The generation rate of H₂O₂ increased from 0.027 to 0.086 μupmol/(L.min) when the pH ranged from 6.0 to 9.0. The CTC solution was about three-fold more toxic to the Photobacterium phosphoreum bacteria after irradiation, suggesting that the photoproducts and H₂O₂ formed in the CTC solution exhibited high risk on the bacteria. By LC-ESI(+)-MS, the photoproducts of CTC were identified. The direct photodegradation of CTC was involved in hydroxylation and N-demethyl/dedismethyl processes. The main photoproducts included the iso-CTC analog containing hydroxyl groups (m/z 511.4 and 495.4), and the N-demethyl/dedismethyl products of the photoproduct m/z 495.4 (m/z 481.3 and 467.4). In addition, the photochemical dechlorination of CTC led to tetracycline (m/z 445.5).     

Photolysis of oxyfluorfen in aqueous methanol

Photolysis of oxyfluorfen, an herbicide of the nitrodiphenyl ether class, was studied in aqueous methanol under UV and sunlight. UV irradiation was carried out in a borosilicate glass photoreactor (containing 250 ppm oxyfluorfen in 50% aqueous methanol) equipped with a quartz filter and 125 watt mercury lamp (maximum output 254 nm) at 25 ± 1°C. Sunlight irradiation was conducted at 28 ± 1°C in borosilicate Erlenmeyer flasks containing 250 ppm oxyfluorfen in 50% aqueous methanol. The samples from both the irradiated conditions were withdrawn at a definite time interval and extracted to measure oxyfluorfen content by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector for rate study. The half-life values were 20 hours and 2.7 days under UV and sunlight exposure, respectively. Photolysis of oxyfluorfen yielded 13 photoproducts of which three were characterized by infrared spectrophotometer and ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The rest of the photoproducts were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and thin layer chromatography (TLC). An ionization potential 70 eV was used for electron impact-mass spectrometry (EI-MS) and methane was used as reagent gas for chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (CI-MS). Two of the photoproducts were also synthesized for comparison. The main phototransformation pathways of oxyfluorfen involved nitro reduction, dechlorination, and hydrolysis as well as nucleophiles displacement reaction.     

Modified Edman degradation applied to hemoglobin for monitoring occupational exposure to alkylating agents

A method that can be used for the monitoring of exposure to alkylating agents in the environment is presented. It is based on the quantification of alkylated N‐terminal valines in hemoglobin, using a modified Edman degradation procedure. The detection limit (GC/electron capture detector or GC/MS) is increased by two magnitudes of ten when using pentafluorophenyl isothiocyanate instead of phenyl isothiocyanate in the derivatization step. As little as one nmole N‐(—2 hydroxyethyl)valine per gram hemoglobin can be detected under practical conditions.