Quantifying the sorption of organic chemicals on sediments

The use of a reference compound to quantify the sorption of nonpolar organic chemicals is proposed. This is because organic carbon normalized sorption coefficients (K_OC) do appear to be dependent on the type of sediment, and are thus not generally applicable to characterize the sorption properties of chemicals. Therefore, in this paper the hypothesis that nonpolar chemicals sorb in a constant ratio, independent of the sediment, has been investigated. Evidence for this hypothesis is shown with data from the literature. This enables one to compare sorption properties of nonpolar compounds on different sediments, if the differences between the sediments are normalized with a reference chemical rather than with the organic carbon content. Sediments with an organic carbon content of less than 0.1% seem to be unsuitable, because the compounds do not sorb mainly on the organic carbon, but also on other parts of the sediment. Sorption coefficients of compounds with aqueous solubilities in the μg per liter range or octan-1-ol water partition coefficients of more than 10⁵ are strongly influenced by the experimental techniques used. For these compounds the sorption coefficients measured by different techniques are less comparable. To enable comparison of sorption coefficients of hydrophobic chemicals, the use of a chlorobenzene as a reference compound in sorption experiments is suggested.     

Prediction of ecotoxicological behaviour of chemicals: Relationship between physico-chemical properties and bioaccumulation of organic chemicals in the mussel Mytilus edulis

The analysis presented in this paper shows that water solubility as well as the n-octanol/water partition coefficient are useful indicators of the tendency of organic chemicals to bioaccumulate. It is suggested that these physico-chemical data be used as screening test for organic chemical bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms, such as the mussel $\text{Mytilus edulis}$.     

Sensitivity of schemes for ecotoxicological hazard ranking of chemicals

Data from an environmental hazard profile, including different tests on accumulation and degradation as well as Daphnia acute toxicity were used for a classification of chemicals into three categories: High hazard potential, uncertain hazard potential, and low likelyhood of environmental hazard. Giving the used evaluation factors different weights, leads to a modification in classification.     

Abandoned coal mining sites: using ecotoxicological tests to support an industrial organic sludge amendment

The different stages involved in coal mining-related activities result in a degraded landscape and sites associated with large amounts of dumped waste material. Remediation of these contaminated soils can be carried out by application of industrial organic sludge if the concerns regarding the potential negative environmental impacts of this experimental practice are properly addressed. In this context, the objective of this study was to use ecotoxicological tests to determine the quantity of organic industrial sludge that is required as a soil amendment to restore soil production while avoiding environmental impact. Chemical analysis of the solids (industrial sludge and soil) and their leachates was carried out as well as a battery of ecotoxicity tests on enzymes (hydrolytic activity), bacteria, algae, daphnids, earthworms, and higher plants, according to standardized methodologies. Solid and leachate samples of coal-contaminated soil were more toxic than those of industrial sludge towards enzyme activity, bacteria, algae, daphnids, and earthworms. In the case of the higher plants (lettuce, corn, wild cabbage, and Surinam cherry) the industrial sludge was more toxic than the coal-contaminated soil, and a soil/sludge mixture (66:34 % dry weight basis) had a stimulatory effect on the Surinam cherry biomass. The ecotoxicological assessment of the coal-contaminated soil remediation using sludge as an amendment is very important to determine application rates that could promote a stimulatory effect on agronomic species without negatively affecting the environment.     

Chemical and ecotoxicological analyses of sediments and elutriates of contaminated rivers due to e-waste recycling activities using a diverse battery of bioassays

A multi-trophic, multi-exposure phase assessment approach was applied to characterize the toxicity of sediments collected from two rivers in Guiyu, China, an e-waste recycling centre. Elutriate toxicity tests (bacterium Vibrio fischeri and microalga Selenastrum capricornutum) and whole sediment toxicity test (crustacean Heterocypris incongruens) showed that most sediments exhibited acute toxicity, due to elevated heavy metals and PAHs levels, and low pH caused by uncontrolled acid discharge. The survival rates of crustaceans were negatively (p < 0.05) correlated with total PAHs in sediments (411-1755 mg kg⁻¹); EC50s of V. fischeri on the elutriates were significantly correlated with elutriate pH (p < 0.01). Significant (p < 0.05) correlations between the induction of hepatic metallothionein in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and metal concentrations (Cu, Zn, Pb) in sediments were also observed, when fish were fed with diets containing sediment. The results showed that uncontrolled e-waste recycling activities may bring adverse effects to local aquatic ecosystem.     

Occurrence of persistent organic pollutants in sediments and biota from Portugal versus European incidence: A critical overview

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are widespread compounds, such as organohalogenated compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and pesticides, which can be found in all types of environmental compartments. Their presence in the aquatic environment is a worldwide problem, with emphasis on sediments which act as depository and consequently as a source of hydrophobic, recalcitrant and harmful compounds. Besides, these pollutants might affect the reproduction and mortality of living organisms, diverging in their potential to bioaccumulate in tissues. The present paper aims to review the occurrence of POPs in sediments and biota from the coastal, estuarine and river areas of Portugal. The list of the studied compounds comprises organohalogenated compounds, PAHs, organometallic compounds, pesticides, sterols, fatty acids and pharmaceutical compounds. The contamination of sediments by various pollutants is presented, such as PAHs up to 7,350 ng g^?1 found in Sado estuary and polychlorinated biphenyls up to 62.2 ng g^?1 in the case of sediments collected in Ria de Aveiro. The occurrence of these persistent toxic substances in sediments demonstrates aquatic contamination from agricultural, industrial and urban discharges and the concern about the potential risks to aquatic organisms, wildlife and humans. In fact, several classes of POPs have also been found in biota, such as polychlorinated biphenyls up to 810.9 ng g^?1 in sentinel fish from the Douro River estuary and pesticides in bivalves from the Sado River estuary. The importance of further systematic research on sediments and biota is here highlighted to compare the contamination of these two reservoirs; to assess their spatial and temporal variation; and to determine other classes of POPs that were not investigated yet (e.g., industrial compounds, estrogens and many classes of pharmaceuticals).     

Prediction of ecotoxicological behaviour of chemicals: Relationship between n-octanol/water partition coefficient and bioaccumulation of organic chemicals by alga Chlorella

The bioaccumulation potential of organic chemicals by the green alga $\text{Chlorella fusca}$ was determined. A quantitative relationship was found to exist between the lipophilicity (n-octanol/water partition coefficient) of the chemicals and the bioaccumulation factor.     

Role of dissolved organic carbon in the cosorption of copper and phthalate esters onto Yellow River sediments

Although the sorption mechanism of hydrophobic organic pollutants on soils or sediments has been widely studied, the effects of coexisting heavy metals are seldom reported, especially the role of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in sorption interactions involving heavy metals. This paper investigates the sorption interactions of phthalate esters (diethyl phthalate, DEP, and di-n-butyl phthalate, DnBP) and copper on Yellow River sediment in the presence of DOC. The results indicate that the sorption hardly varies for DEP but increases up to 20% for DnBP as the copper concentration increases in a water-sediment system with extremely low concentration of DOC. The copper-induced sorption of DnBP could be due to its complexation with copper, as well as its hydrophobicity. In a water-sediment system with the addition of 6.34 mg l(-1) of commercial humic acid (HA), the sorption of DEP is decreased by up to 37%, and that of DnBP is enhanced by up to 41%, as copper is gradually added. This finding is also consistent with the results for a river water-sediment system containing 8.1 mg l(-1) natural DOC. The copper-influenced sorption of DEP and DnBP are found to be due to the binding of copper to DOC that leads to the configuration change of DOC and thus to its enhanced sorption to sediment. By using polarograph and fluorescence spectrograph techniques, the complexation competition among coexisting phthalates, copper and DOC is examined. The resulting data confirm the significant role of DOC in sorption interactions.     

超声波处理难降解有机物影响参数研究

考察了多种操作参数对多氯联苯、溴苯超声波降解的影响。结果表明,高频率、高声强、高流速、混合气体可以提高超声反应速率, 358kHz下降解速率比20kHz提高了848%, 34mL/min流速下比4 4mL/min提高了140%,参入Ar比单纯使用O2 提高83% ( +80%Ar)或66% ( +50%Ar)。然而高声强也造成了较多的能量消耗。自由基清除剂的存在则较大地降低了超声反应速率, 200mmol/LCO2- 存在时反应速率下降了79%。     

Sources of priority substances entering an urban wastewater catchment--trace organic chemicals

The implementation of new legislation such as the Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires Member States to gain a better understanding of priority substances entering surface waters. This will include inputs from wastewater treatment works as well as from other urban, industrial and agricultural sources. There is currently a lack of available data regarding the magnitude and sources of organic priority substances entering treatment works. As a consequence the concentrations of organic priority substances including PAHs, surfactants, polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), pesticides and solvents were determined in the wastewater from an urban catchment located in the UK, as part of a project undertaken for UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR). Most organic priority substances were detected in the microg/l range. Significant variations in the concentration of linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (LAS), DEHP, PBDEs and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs), in particular, were observed for the different sources. The greatest differences were evident between new and older domestic discharges. Solvent levels varied considerably reflecting use and production within the catchment. Chloroform levels were highest in domestic effluent, while trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene were detected only in commercial samples.     

Comparison of ecotoxicological and physico-chemical data by use of multivariate analyses and graphical displays

Bioassays allow the appreciation of the toxicity of complex effluents, which is difficult to characterize by the sole measurement of some physico-chemical parameters. We have developed a macroinvertebrate multi-test (M.M.T.) with species characteristic of different trophic levels in order to appreciate the ecotoxicological impact of various effluents (especially landfill leachates) and chemicals on aquatic environments. Our aim was: (i) to compare the sensitivity of the macroinvertebrates among themselves and with regard to those of three standard bioassays; (ii) to characterize the effluents according to their toxicity on one hand and according to their physico-chemical composition on the other hand; (iii) to search for possible correlations between the physico-chemical composition of an effluent and its toxicity. In order to achieve these objectives we used first a combination of graphical displays of the raw data, and secondly multivariate analyses: clustering techniques and scaling (ordination) techniques (Principal Components Analysis).     

Photoelectrocatalytic degradation of recalcitrant organic pollutants using TiO2 film electrodes: an overview

Photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) technology involved applying an electrical bias to a TiO₂ film electrode, has been widely applied to the degradation of refractory organic pollutants, owing to its high degradation efficiency. This paper reviews recent developments in the PEC degradation of recalcitrant organic contaminants using a TiO₂ film electrode. The preparation and application of various TiO₂ film electrodes have been investigated, as well as the parameters that influence PEC activity such as the crystal structure, the film thickness and substrate material, the applied electrical bias, the solution pH and conductivity. The improvement of PEC activity by doping the TiO₂ film electrode with metal and non-metal ions has been discussed. The mechanism and kinetics for the PEC degradation of organic pollutants have also been highlighted.     

Sorption of organic pollutants by marine sediments: implication for the role of particulate organic matter

The objective of this study was to quantify sorption properties for kerogen/black carbon (BC)-bearing sediments. Single-solute sorption isotherms were measured for five pristine marine sediments using phenanthrene, naphthalene, 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene, and 1,4-dichlorobenzene as the sorbates. The results showed that the sorption isotherms were nonlinear and that the organic carbon normalized single point K_OC values were comparable to those reported in the literature for the purified keorgen and BC, but are much higher than the data reported for HA and kerogen/BC-containing terrestrial soils and sediments. It is likely that koergen and BC associated with these pristine marine sediments may not be encapsulated with humic acids or Fe and Mn oxides and hydroxides as often do in terrestrial soils and sediments. As a result, they may be fully accessible to sorbing molecules, exhibiting higher sorption capacities. The study suggests that competition from background HOCs and reduced accessibility when kerogen and BC are associated with terrestrial sediments may dramatically increase variability of sorption reactivities of geosorbents. Such variability may lead to large uncertainties in the prediction of sorption from the contents of kerogen and/or BC along with TOC.     

城市浅水型湖泊底泥污染物释放过程模拟试验研究

通过对城市浅水型湖泊(以宁波东钱湖为例)疏浚后上层底泥污染物释放过程模拟试验研究,分析了环境因子对底泥污染物释放特性的影响及其原因,得出了上覆水营养盐水平、水温和扰动对底泥污染物释放的影响曲线.同时,说明了湖泊内源性有机污染源对湖泊水质存在着潜在的危险性,提出了疏浚施工期间的规避措施,为城市浅水型湖泊底泥疏浚和富营养化治理提供依据.     

Environmental hazard profile of organic chemicals: An experimental method for the assessment of the behaviour of organic chemicals in the ecosphere by means of simple laboratory tests with 14C labelled chemicals

The concept of “Environmental Hazard Profile” developed at this institute has been tested with 100 ¹⁴C-labelled organic compounds. Concentration factors in activated sludge, in algae and fish were determined. The microbial degradation of the chemicals to CO₂ in activated sludge and the decomposition to CO₂ under artificial light were determined. Ranking of compounds is given in the order of falling concentration factors and accumulation in rats respectively, and decreasing rates of decomposition. Relationship between chemical structure and accumulative and degradative behaviours is demonstrated using some selected groups of chemicals, such as benzenes, phenols, biphenyls and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Correlations between the octanol/water partition coefficient, concentration factors and rates of decomposition could be established. Evaluation of test compounds was possible using hazard profiles obtained by the sum of single test results.     

Distribution and ecotoxicological concerns of persistent organic pollutants in sediment from creek ecosystem

In order to study the distribution and ecotoxicological concerns of persistent organic pollutants, grab sediment samples were collected from different locations across Thane creek, India. Analyses of samples were carried out using gas chromatography (GC)–electron capture detector and GC–mass spectrometry techniques. In organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), DDT (1,1,1,-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethane), DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethylene), DDD (1-chloro-4-(2,2-dichloro-1-(4-chlorophenyl)ethyl) benzene) and α, β, and γ conformer of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), and 9 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) congeners were analyzed in surface sediment samples. Concentrations of these pollutants in grab sediment samples may indicate their current use and impact on marine ecosystem. Average concentrations of total DDT (including DDD and DDE), HCH, and Σ₉PCBs were found to be 4.9, 12.5, and 2.9 µg kg^?1(dry weight) respectively. High concentrations of OCPs and PCBs were found at discharge locations in creek compared to other locations. Location-wise distribution of OCPs and PCBs indicates their high concentrations at the waste water receiving point. Data were compared for ecotoxicological impacts based on the levels specified in the sediment quality standards of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. γ-HCH was found to have maximum potential to induce ecotoxicological impacts.     

The efficiency of two standardized procedures for extracting mutagenic chemicals from soils

A major technical limitation to monitoring the fate of mutagenic compounds in soil is the lack of an established extraction procedure. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of the blender extraction procedure for extracting benzo(a)pyrene (BAP) or 2-nitrofluorene (2NF) from a Weswood silt loam or a Bastrop clay loam soil. Extracted residues were evaluated using the Salmonella/microsome mutagenicity assay and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to quantify recovery of the two chemicals from soil. In addition, a limited study using only the mutagenicity assay was conducted to compare the efficiency of the Blender and Soxhlet extraction procedures for recovering organic mutagens from both soils amended with a wood preserving bottom sediment waste.Extracted residues were dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide to concentrations that could be detected in the bioassay. Over all treatment levels and for both soils, the extraction efficiency of the blender procedure for BAP was greater than 80% for 12 of 16 treatments as measured using both bioassay and HPLC analysis; while, for 2NF the extraction efficiency was greater than 90% for all 15 treatments as measured by HPLC, and greater than 80% for twelve of 15 treatments as measured by bioassay. These results indicate that blender extraction provided efficient recovery of the pure compounds tested. When the efficiency of the blender and Soxhlet procedure for extracting the wood-preserving bottom sediment and waste amended soil were compared, significantly greater levels of mutagenic activity were detected in the fractions extracted using the blender extraction than were detected using the Soxhlet extraction.     

Persistent organic pollutants in environment of the Pearl River Delta,China: an overview

In the Pearl River Delta of China, the rapidly developing industrial and agricultural activities, municipal development and use of chemicals caused serious environmental problems. This report summarizes the published scientific data on POPs in the environment of the Pearl River Delta, including the levels of POPs in the air, water, soil, river and estuarine sediments, the marine organisms like fish and shellfish in this region. The data preliminarily reveal the state of contamination in this region and give insight into the fate of POPs in this sub-tropical area. However, most research in this area is limited to a few kinds of POP compounds.     

Nonequilibrium transport of organic chemicals: The impact of pore-water velocity

The impact of variations in pore-water velocity on the nonequilibrium sorption and transport of organic chemicals was investigated. Miscible displacement experiments were performed with four organic chemicals (dichlorobenzene, naphthalene, tetrachloroethene and p-xylene) and three aquifer materials having low organic-carbon contents (0.02–0.1%). The results of the experiments were analyzed by using a one-dimensional advective-dispersive transport model, wherein sorption is considered instantaneous for a fraction of the sorbent and rate-limited for the remainder. An inverse relationship between the reverse sorption rate constant and the equilibrium sorption constant was evident for each of two velocities. However, there was an order-of-magnitude difference between the rate constants obtained at the two velocities. This suggests the existence of a time-scale effect, which must be accounted for when modeling the transport of organic solutes.     

Recent advances in photocatalytic remediation of emerging organic pollutants using semiconducting metal oxides: an overview

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Many untreated and partly treated wastewater from the home and commercial resources is being discharged into the aquatic environment these days, which...