Electrochemical oxidation of bisphenol A. Application to the removal of bisphenol A using a carbon fiber electrode

Leachate samples with a high strength of ammonium-nitrogen (NH4+-N) were collected from a local landfill site in Hong Kong. Two experiments were carried out to study (1) the inhibition of microbial activity of activated sludge by NH4+-N and (2) the chemical precipitation of NH4+-N from leachate as a preliminary treatment prior to the activated sludge process. The experimental results demonstrated that the efficiency of COD removal decreased from 97.7% to 78.1%, and the dehydrogenase activity of activated sludge decreased from 9.29 to 4.93 microg TF/mg MLSS, respectively, when the NH4+-N concentration increased from 53 to 800 mg/l. The experiment also demonstrated that the NH4+-N in the leachate can be quickly precipitated as MgNH4PO4 x 6H2O after addition of MgCl2 x 6H2O + Na2HPO4 x 12H2O. The NH4+-N concentration was reduced from 5618 to 112 mg/l within 15 min when a molar ratio of Mg2+:NH+:PO4(3-) = 1:1:1 was used. The optimum pH to reach the minimum solubility of MgNH4PO4 x 6H2O was found to be in the range of 8.5-9.0. Attention should be given to the high salinity formed in the treated leachate by using MgCl2 x 6H2O + Na2HPO4 x 12H2O, which may affect microbial activity in the following biological treatment processes. Using two other combinations of chemicals [MgO + 85%H3PO4 and Ca(H2PO4)2 x H2O + MgSO4 x 7H2O] could minimise salinity generation after precipitation, while they were less efficient for NH4+-N removal.     

Cannabis sativa L. and Brassica juncea L. grown on arsenic-contaminated industrial soil: potentiality and limitation for phytoremediation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Phytoremediation represents a natural method to remove contaminants from soil. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential of...     

The ability of Helianthus annuus L. and Brassica juncea to uptake and translocate natural uranium and 226Ra under different milieu conditions

Seedlings of Helianthus annuus L. (HA) and Brassica juncea (BJ) were used to test the effect of the pH, the presence of phosphates, and the addition of ethylene-diamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA) or citrate on the uptake and the translocation of uranium isotopes ((238)U, (235)U, and (234)U) and (226)Ra. The results indicated that the presence of phosphates generally reduces the uptake and transfer of uranium from the roots to the shoots of HA. In the case of BJ, while phosphate enhanced the retention of uranium by roots, the translocation was poorer. Likewise, for (226)Ra, the best translocation was in the absence of phosphates for both species. The addition of citrate increased the translocation of uranium for both species, but had no clear effect on the transfer of (226)Ra. The effect of EDTA was much more moderate both for uranium and for (226)Ra, and for both plant species. Only noticeable was a slightly better uptake of (226)Ra by BJ at neutral pH, although the translocation was lower.     

Heterogeneous electro-Fenton process for degradation of bisphenol A using a new graphene/cobalt ferrite hybrid catalyst

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A simple, efficient, environmentally friendly, and inexpensive synthesis route was developed to obtain a magnetic nano-hybrid (GH) based on graphene...     

Exposure of Brassica juncea (L) to arsenic species in hydroponic medium: comparative analysis in accumulation and biochemical and transcriptional alterations

Arsenic (As) contamination in the environment has attracted considerable attention worldwide. The objective of the present study was to see the comparative effect of As species As(III) and As(V) on accumulation, biochemical responses, and gene expression analysis in Brassica juncea var. Pusa Jaganath (PJn). Hydroponically grown 14-day-old seedlings of B. juncea were treated with different concentrations of As(III) and As(V). Accumulation of total As increased with increasing concentration of both As species and exposure time, mainly in roots. Reduction in seed germination, root–shoot length, chlorophyll, and protein content were observed with increasing concentration and exposure time of both As species, being more in As(III)-treated leaves. PJn variety showed that antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX)) and stress-related parameters (cysteine, proline, and malondialdehyde (MDA)) were stimulated and allows plant to tolerate both As species. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis in leaves showed significant changes in protein profile with more stringent effect with As(III) stress. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis showed regulation in expression of phytochelatin synthase (PCS), metallothionine-2 (MT-2), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione synthetase (GS) genes under both As(III) and As(V) stresses. Results suggested that accumulation and inhibition on physiological parameters differ according to the As species, while molecular and biochemical parameters showed a combinatorial type of tolerance mechanism against As(III) and As(V) stresses.     

Antioxidative responses in relation to growth of mustard (Brassica juncea cv. Pusa Jaikisan) plants exposed to hexavalent chromium

Effect of hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) was seen on Brassica juncea cv. Pusa Jaikisan grown for 15 days in hydroponic culture supplemented with 0.2, 2 and 20 microM Cr. The inhibitory response of Cr6+ on growth of B. juncea was concentration and time dependent. The stimulation of plant growth, observed in response to exposure to 0.2 microM Cr6+, during initial 5 days was reversed on prolonged treatment and at higher Cr6+ concentrations (2 and 20 microM Cr6+). Despite reduction in growth, chlorophyll content increased substantially on 15 days exposure to 20 microM Cr6+. Significant increases in lipid peroxidation and tissue concentration of H2O2 occurred in plants exposed to 2 and 20 microM Cr6+. Effect of Cr6+ on antioxidative enzymes in roots and leaves was differential. SOD and CAT activities at lower levels of Cr6+ supply remained higher all through the treatment. While APX was very susceptible to excess Cr6+, GR and GST increased at elevated levels of Cr6+. The results suggested Cr6+ induced depression in plant growth of B. juncea to be a function of increased cellular accumulation of Cr despite increase in the activities of some of the antioxidative enzymes.     

聚醚砜/改性凹凸棒杂化微球对双酚A的吸附性能

以酸热、有机改性凹凸棒和聚醚砜为原料,利用液-液分离技术制备了聚醚砜/改性凹凸棒毫米级杂化微球。利用扫描电镜和比表面仪分析所制杂化微球表观特征。实验探讨了改性凹凸棒掺杂比和溶液pH对杂化微球吸附双酚A效果的影响,并深入研究了吸附动力学和热力学原理。实验结果表明：杂化微球对双酚A的吸附性能受pH影响较小;相比纯聚醚砜微球,掺杂后的杂化微球对双酚A吸附量从1.97 μmol·g-1提升到11.80 μmol·g-1;吸附过程符合准二级动力学模型和Langmuir模型。根据Langmuir模型计算可知,25 ℃时杂化微球最大吸附量为116.28 μmol·g-1。5次乙醇再生后,杂化微球对双酚A的去除效果依然保持在95%以上。杂化微球作为吸附剂在水处理中具有潜在应用价值。     

Nitrilotriacetate- and citric acid-assisted phytoextraction of cadmium by Indian mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj, Brassicaceae)

In a pot experiment the effects of nitrilotriacetate (NTA) and citric acid applications on Cd extractibility from soil as well as on its uptake and accumulation by Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) were investigated. Plants were grown in a sandy soil with added CdS at four levels ranging from 50 to 200 mg Cd kg(-1) soil. After 30 days of growth, pots were amended with NTA or citric acid at 10 and 20 mmol kg(-1). Control pots were not treated with chelates. Harvest of plants was performed immediately before and one week after chelate addition. Soil water-, NH(4)NO(3)- and EDTA-extractable Cd fractions increased constantly with both increasing soil metal application and chelate concentration. Shoot dry weights did not suffer significant reductions with increasing Cd addition to the soil except for both NTA treatments in which at 200 mg Cd kg(-1) a 30% decrease in dry matter was observed. Generally, following NTA and citric acid amendments, Cd concentration in shoots increased with soil Cd level. However, due to Cd toxicity, at the highest metal application rate both NTA treatments lowered Cd concentration in the above-ground parts. Compared to the control, at 10 mmol kg(-1) citric acid did not change Cd concentration in shoots, whereas NTA-treated plants showed an about 2-fold increase. The addition of chelates at 20 mmol kg(-1) further enhanced Cd concentration in shoots up to 718 and 560 microg g(-1) dry weight in the NTA and citrate treatments, respectively.     

Trichoderma atroviride F6 improves phytoextraction efficiency of mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Coss. var. foliosa Bailey) in Cd, Ni contaminated soils

Trichoderma atroviride F6, isolated from decaying feather and resistant to 100 mg l(-1) Cd2+ and 250 mg l(-1) Ni2+, was applied for rhizoremediation of Cd, Ni and Cd-Ni combination contaminated soils through association with Brassica juncea (L.) Coss. var. foliosa. The strain significantly alleviated the cellular toxicity of cadmium and nickel to plants. Inoculation of B. juncea (L.) Coss. var. foliosa with T. atroviride F6 resulted a 110%, 40% and 170% increase in fresh weight in Cd, Ni and Cd-Ni contaminated soils, respectively (P<0.05). The translocation factors and metal bioconcentration factors calculated for the inoculated plant were increased compared to the noninoculated plants. The results indicated that the efficiency of phytoextraction for B. juncea (L.) Coss. var. foliosa enhanced after inoculating with T. atroviride F6. The fungal treated plants grown in Cd-Ni combination contaminated soils showed higher phytoextraction efficiency than those in Cd or Ni contaminated soils. Thus, it is suggested that the fungus T. atroviride F6 endowed with organic-degrading capabilities could be exploited for fungi-assisted phytoremediation of mixed organic-metal contaminated soils.     

Removal of heavy metal ions from wastewaters using dendrimer-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Dendrimer-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) for heavy metal ion removal from wastewaters were developed. Triazole dendrimers (TD) were built directly onto the carbon nanotube surface by successive click chemistry reactions affording the zero- and first-generation dendrimer-functionalized MWCNT (MWCNT-TD1 and MWCNT-TD2). The Moedritzer-Irani reaction carried out on the amino groups present on the MWCNT-TD2 sample gave the corresponding α-aminophosphonate nanosystem MWCNT-TD2P. Both MWCNT-TD2 and MWCNT-TD2P nanosystems have been characterized by physical, chemical, and morphological analyses. Their chelating abilities towards the toxic metal ions Pb²⁺, Hg²⁺, and Ni²⁺ and the harmless Ca²⁺ ion have been experimentally evaluated in the two different sets of experiments and at the salt concentrations of 1 mg/mL or 1 μg/mL by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results of these studies pointed out the interesting chelating behavior for the phosphonated nanosystem towards the Hg²⁺ ion. The complexation mode of the best chelating system MWCNT-TD2P with mercury was investigated through density functional theory (DFT) calculations, suggesting a chelation mechanism involving the two oxygen atoms of the phosphate group. The synthesized dendrimers, supported on the multi-walled carbon nanotubes, have shown the potential to be used for the selective toxic metal ion removal and recovery.     

Continuous adsorptive removal of glimepiride using multi-walled carbon nanotubes in fixed-bed column

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Water pollution by emerging pollutants such as pharmaceutical and personal care products is one of today’s biggest challenges. The presence of...     

Electrochemical analysis of trifluralin using a nanostructuring electrode with multi-walled carbon nanotubes

The electroanalytical behaviors of the endocrine-disrupting chemical trifluralin have been studied at a nanostructuring electrode. The nanostructuring electrode was fabricated by coating a uniform multi-wall carbon nanotubes/dihexadecyl hydrogen phosphate (MWNTs/DHP) film on glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The reduction peak currents of trifluralin increased remarkably and the reduction peak potential shifted positively at the nanostructuring electrode, compared with that at a bare GCE. The results showed that this nanostructuring electrode exhibited excellent enhancement effects on the electrochemical reduction of trifluralin. Consequently, a simple and sensitive electroanalytical method was developed for the determination of trifluralin. Under optimal conditions, a linear response of trifluralin was obtained in the range from 5.0 × 10⁻⁹ to 6.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹ (r = 0.998) and with a limit of detect (LOD) of 2.0 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹. The proposed procedure was successfully applied to determine trifluralin in soil samples with satisfactory results.     

Combined application of Triton X-100 and Sinorhizobium sp. Pb002 inoculum for the improvement of lead phytoextraction by Brassica juncea in EDTA amended soil

The process of EDTA-assisted lead phytoextraction from the Bovisa (Milan, Italy) brownfield soil was optimized in microcosms vegetated with Brassica juncea. An autochthonous plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), Sinorhizobium sp. Pb002, was isolated from the rhizosphere of B. juncea grown on the Pb-contaminated soil in presence of 2 mM EDTA. The strain was augmented (10(8) CFU g(-1) soil) in vegetated microcosms to stimulate B. juncea biomass production and, hence, its phytoextraction potential. Triton X-100 was also added to microcosms at 5 and 10 times the critical micelle concentration (cmc) to increase the permeability of root barriers to the EDTA-Pb complexes. Triton X-100 amendment determined an increase in Pb concentration within plant tissues. However it contextually exerted a phytotoxic effect. Sinorhizobium sp. Pb002 augmentation was crucial to plant survival in presence of both bioavailable lead and Triton X-100. The combination of the two treatments produced up to 56% increase in the efficiency of lead phytoextraction by B. juncea. The effects of these treatments on the structure of the soil bacterial community were evaluated by 16S rDNA denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE).     

Degradation of bisphenol A: a contaminant of emerging concern,using catalytic ozonation by activated carbon impregnated nanocomposite-bimetallic catalyst

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Rampant water pollution events and rising water demand caused by exponential population growth and depleting freshwater resources speak of an...     

Plant steroid hormones produced under Ni stress are involved in the regulation of metal uptake and oxidative stress in Brassica juncea L

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are involved in the amelioration of various biotic and abiotic stresses. With an aim to explore the role of BRs under heavy metal stress, plants of Brassica juncea L. were grown in pots. The plants were subjected to various concentrations of Nickel metal (0.0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 mM) and harvested on 60th day in order to observe the expression of these hormones. The isolated BRs from the leaves of Brassica plants characterized by GC-MS include 24-Epibrassinolide (24-EBL), Castasterone, Dolicholide and Typhasterole. The effect of isolated 24-EBL was studied on Ni metal uptake and antioxidative defense system in 60 d old plants of Brassica. It was observed that 24-EBL significantly increased the activities of stress ameliorating enzymes and lowered the metal uptake in plants. This is the first report in B. juncea L. plants showing the expression of BRs under metal treatments and effect of the isolated 24-EBL on metal uptake and in oxidative stress management.     

碳纳米管溶胶的制备及其去除水中异狄氏剂的研究

采用强酸表面氧化法对碳纳米管表面进行处理,促进碳纳米管在水中的分散,制备碳纳米管溶胶,用于去除水中低浓度持久性有机污染物异狄氏剂.扫描电镜观测表明,氧化后的碳纳米管团簇被分散开,碳纳米管被打断.碳纳米管溶胶对异狄氏剂的吸附性能研究表明,制备的碳纳米管溶胶对异狄氏剂吸附去除效能优于原始碳纳米管,优化的pH值为6,此时碳纳米管溶胶对18μg/L异狄氏剂去除率达到100%;水中的腐殖质提高了吸附去除效能;碳纳米管溶胶对异狄氏剂的吸附等温线呈线性,碳纳米管溶胶的吸附性能优于原始碳纳米管吸附性能.吸附去除后,溶胶态碳纳米管以0.05 mmol/L氯化铝从水中沉淀分离.     

Sorption of perfluorooctane sulfonate to carbon nanotubes in aquatic sediments

To date, sorption of organic compounds to nanomaterials has mainly been studied for the nanomaterial in its pristine state. However, sorption may be different when nanomaterials are buried in sediments. Here, we studied sorption of Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) to sediment and to sediment with 4% multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), as a function of factors affecting PFOS sorption; aqueous concentration, pH and Ca²⁺ concentration. Sorption to MWCNT in the sediment–MWCNT mixtures was assessed by subtracting the contribution of PFOS sorption to sediment-only from PFOS sorption to the total sediment–MWCNT mixture. PFOS Log K_D values ranged 0.52–1.62 L kg^?1 for sediment and 1.91–2.90 L kg^?1 for MWCNT present in the sediment. The latter values are relatively low, which is attributed to fouling of MWCNT by sediment organic matter. PFOS sorption was near-linear for sediment (Freundlich exponent of 0.92 ± 0.063) but non-linear for MWCNT (Freundlich exponent of 0.66 ± 0.03). Consequently, the impact of MWCNT on sorption in the mixture was larger at low PFOS aqueous concentration. Effects of pH and Ca²⁺ on PFOS sorption to MWCNT were statistically significant. We conclude that MWCNT fouling and PFOS concentration dependency are important factors affecting PFOS–MWCNT interactions in sediments.     

Preparation of biofilm electrode with Xanthomonas sp. and carbon nanotubes and the application to rapid biochemical oxygen demand analysis in high-salt condition

A Xanthomonas sp. was isolated from the sludge on the drain outlet of a pharmaceutical factory. Then, the bacterium and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were co-attached to an oxygen electrode for rapid analysis of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). The response current was linear with BOD values in the range 10 to 300 mg/L for standard BOD solution with a response time of 35 seconds (R = 0.9994) and 20 to 580 mg/L for pharmaceutical wastewater with a response time < or =200 seconds (R = 0.9985), which means that this modified electrode might be used for online BOD analysis of pharmaceutical wastewater. Further studies revealed that the modified electrode can be used for BOD measurement in a high-salt condition. Also, the bacterium/CNTs biofilm can maintain its activity and good performance, even after being sealed and stored at 4 degrees C for 50 days.     

Synthesis of Ni-doped anatase TiO2 single crystals loaded on wood-based activated carbon for enhanced photodegradation of triphenylmethane dyes

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this work, the Ni-doped anatase TiO2 single crystals loaded on activated carbon (Ni-T/AC) were synthesized by a sol–gel method. The chemical...