Assessing the effect of different natural dissolved organic matters on the cytotoxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles with bacteria

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles(TiO_2 NPs) are among the most widely manufactured nanomaterials on a global scale. However, prudent and vigilant surveillance, incumbent upon the scientific community with the advent of new technologies, has revealed potentially undesirable effects of TiO_2 NPs on biological systems and the natural environment during their application and discharge. Such effects are likely best evaluated by first assessing the fate of the TiO_2 NPs in natural environments. In this study, the effects of terrestrial humic acid(HA) and tannic acid(TA), two major members of the collective:dissolved organic matter(DOM), on the cytotoxicity of TiO_2 NPs to Escherichia coli were investigated in the presence and absence of natural sunlight. Qualitative(transmission electron microscopy(TEM)) and quantitative(LC50) analyses were employed in this study. In addition, the production of reactive oxygen species(ROS) in the form of UOH was further assessed—as HA or TA increased the production of ROS decreased. The inhibition of bacterial viability in the light treatment groups, with respective treatment organics at concentrations of 10 ppm, was less in TA than in terrestrial HA. SAS was used to analyze the treatment effect of individual factors of light irradiation, DOM, and concentration of TiO_2 NPs.     

An assessment of the recycling potential of materials basedon environmental and economic factors; case study in South Korea

As the generation of waste home appliances increases continuously with economic growth, the importance of recycling becomes more apparent. Many home appliances we use today are recyclable, and recyclable materials from the waste home appliances can be used to create new or refurbishing products. To do that, first of all, we have to know and consider the recyclable materials' recycling potential with environmental and economic information. In this study, an evaluation method to assess recycling potential considering both the environmental and economic factors was suggested for the materials recovered from waste home appliances. Life cycle assessment (LCA) method was applied to obtain the environmental score (S_Env) and an actual value and a static economic model was used to obtain the economic score (S_Eco). The recycling potential for recyclable materials was calculated by using the S_Env and S_Eco along with weighting factors derived from an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method. With the calculated data and evaluation method for the recycling materials, this study could provide useful information for decision makers and product designers in the design for environment (DfE).     

Biofuel production,hydrogen production and water remediation by photocatalysis,biocatalysis and electrocatalysis

The energy crisis and environmental pollution have recently fostered research on efficient methods such as environmental catalysis to produce biofuel and to clean water. Environmental catalysis refers to green catalysts used to breakdown pollutants or produce chemicals without generating undesirable by-products. For example, catalysts derived from waste or inexpensive materials are promising for the circular economy. Here we review environmental photocatalysis, biocatalysis, and electrocatalysis, with focus on catalyst synthesis, structure, and applications. Common catalysts include biomass-derived materials, metal–organic frameworks, non-noble metals nanoparticles, nanocomposites and enzymes. Structure characterization is done by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller isotherm, thermogravimetry, X-ray diffraction and photoelectron spectroscopy. We found that water pollutants can be degraded with an efficiency ranging from 71.7 to 100%, notably by heterogeneous Fenton catalysis. Photocatalysis produced dihydrogen (H₂) with generation rate higher than 100 μmol h⁻¹. Dihydrogen yields ranged from 27 to 88% by methane cracking. Biodiesel production reached 48.6 to 99%.

     

Survey of carbonization facilities for municipal solid waste treatment in Japan

The operations of carbonization facilities for municipal solid waste treatment in Japan were examined. Input waste, system processes, material flows, quality of char and its utilization, fuel and chemical consumption, control of facility emissions, and trouble areas in facility operation were investigated and analyzed. Although carbonization is a technically available thermochemical conversion method for municipal solid waste treatment, problems of energy efficiency and char utilization must be solved for carbonization to be competitive. Possible solutions include (1) optimizing the composition of input waste, treatment scale, organization of unit processes, operational methods, and quality and yield of char on the basis of analysis and feedback of long-term operating data of present operating facilities and (2) securing stable char demands by linking with local industries such as thermal electric power companies, iron manufacturing plants, and cement production plants.     

Dechlorination of trichloroethylene by a steel converter slag amended with Fe(II)

This study aims to assess the feasibility of using slag, byproduct from iron and steel making industries, as a new reactive material for dechlorination reactions and to investigate dechlorination chemistries of the systems containing the slag and Fe(II). Initially, screening experiments were conducted to evaluate various systems containing slags with or without Fe(II). A combination of the steel converter slag and Fe(II) showed a potential to be developed as a reactive material to treat chlorinated organics. Further kinetic studies with the steel converter slag/Fe(II) systems revealed that the dechlorination capacity of the slag/Fe(II) system is comparable to that of zero-valent iron and generally higher than the cement/Fe(II) system. The slag/Fe(II) system can substantially dechlorinate trichloroethylene (TCE) in the neutral pH region, although the dechlorination rate was greatest in the pH region between 12 and 13. TCE reductions in the slag/Fe(II) system were observed to occur through reductive beta-elimination pathways that produce primarily acetylene and no chlorinated intermediates such as vinyl chloride. These results demonstrate that the steel converter slag with Fe(II) has sound characteristics for an alternative reactive medium for subsurface remediation.     

Size removal on polyester fabrics by plasma source ion implantation device

Plasma treatment was evaluated as an alternative clean desizing technology in this work. As indicated by weight loss, O2 plasma treatment efficiently removed sizing agents such as polyvintyl alcohol (PVA), polyacrylic acid esters and their mixture (MIX) on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabrics. SEM pictures of the plasma treated samples directly proved the disappearance of the sizing agents. XPS analysis showed apparent changes in chemical composition and functional groups of the PET surface after O2 plasma treatment. Carbon content decreased due to the removal of sizing agents while oxygen content increased. O2 plasma treatment also increased hydrophilic functional groups of sizing agents, which is confirmed by C1s and O1s deconvolution analyses. After O2 plasma treatment, the PET fabric was subjected to conventional desizing process at different temperatures. Except for the PET fabric sized with PVA, plasma-treated fabrics showed more efficient desizing results when compared with untreated fabrics. Furthermore, the desizing effluent from the treated fabric gave lower TOC, COD and BOD values.     

Tidal salt marsh sediment in California, USA. Part 1: occurrence and sources of organic contaminants

Surface sediment samples (0-5 cm) from five tidal marshes along the coast of California, USA were analyzed for organic pollutants to investigate their relationship to land use, current distribution within marshes, and possible sources. Among the study areas, Stege Marsh, located in San Francisco Bay, was the most contaminated. Compared to San Francisco Bay, Stege Marsh had much higher levels of organic contaminants such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), DDTs, and chlordanes. At reference marshes (Tom's Point and Walker Creek in Tomales Bay), organic contaminants in sediments were very low. While PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) were found at all of the study areas (22-13,600 ng g(-1)), measurable concentrations of PCBs were found only in the sediments from Stege Marsh (80-9,940 ng g(-1)). Combustion related (pyrogenic) high molecular weight PAHs were dominant in sediments from Stege and Carpinteria Marshes, while in sediments from Tom's Point and Walker Creek petroleum related (petrogenic) low molecular weight PAHs and alkyl-substituted PAHs were much more abundant than pyrogenic PAHs. PCB congener patterns in all of the Stege Marsh samples were the same and revealed that Aroclor 1248 was a predominant source. In all marshes, the sum of DDE and DDD accounted for more than 90% of total DDTs, indicating that DDT has degraded significantly. The ratios of p,p'-DDE to p,p'-DDD in sediments from Stege Marsh provide evidence of possible previous use of technical DDD. Chlordane ratios indicated that chlordanes have degraded slightly. Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (280-32,000 ng g(-1)) was the most abundant phthalate. The data indicates that Stege Marsh may be a source of contaminants that continue to be discharged into San Francisco Bay.     

Shift in nutrient and plankton community in eutrophic lake following introduction of a freshwater bivalve

The impact of the freshwater bivalve Corbicula leana on plankton community dynamics was examined during a cyanobacterial bloom period. Nutrient and chlorophyll concentrations, primary productivity, and phytoplankton and zooplankton communities in the experimental enclosures were measured at 2-3 day intervals. The introduction of mussels reduced net primary productivity and phytoplankton and chlorophyll. Chlorophyll decreased immediately following addition of 100 mussels and then increased over time. After 600 mussels were added, chlorophyll decreased continuously from 87to 25 microg l(-1), approaching that in the mussel-free enclosure. Simultaneously, water transparency increased and concentrations of suspended solids and total phosphorus decreased. Mussel addition caused short-term increases in nutrient concentrations, especially following high-density treatment: phytoplankton density decreased, while cell density in the mussel-free enclosure increased. Zooplankton densities in the two enclosures were similar; however, carbon biomass in the mussel enclosure increased, associated with an increase in large zooplankton. The trophic relationship between phytoplankton and zooplankton was positive in the mussel-free enclosure and negative in the mussel-treatment enclosure, possibly reflecting effects of mussels on both consumer and resource control in the plankton community. Thus, filter feeding by Corbicula affects nutrient recycling and plankton community structure in a freshwater ecosystem through direct feeding and competition for food resources.     

Effect of humic acids and sunlight on the cytotoxicity of engineered zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles to a river bacterial assemblage

The effect of a terrestrial humic acid (HA) and Suwannee River HA on the cytotoxicity of engineered zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) to natural aquatic bacterial assemblages was measured with spread plate counting. The effect of HA (10 and 40 ppm) on the cytotoxicity of ZnONPs and TiO2NPs was tested factorially in the presence and absence of natural sunlight (light irradiation (LI)). The experiment was of full factorial, completely randomized design and the results were analyzed using the General Linear Model in SAS analytical software. The method of least squares means was used to separate the means or combinations of means. We determined the mechanism of toxicity via measurements of oxidative stress and metal ions. The toxicity of ZnONPs and TiO2NPs to natural aquatic bacterial assemblages appears to be concentration dependent. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of ZnONPs and TiO2NPs appeared to be affected by HA concentration, the presence of sunlight irradiation, and the dynamic multiple interactions among these factors. With respect to light versus darkness in the control group, the data indicate that bacterial viability was inhibited more in the light exposure than in the darkness exposure. The same was true in the HA treatment groups. With respect to terrestrial versus Suwanee River HA for a given nanoparticle, in light versus darkness, bacterial viability was more inhibited in the light treatment groups containing the terrestrial HA than in those containing Suwanee River HA. Differences in the extent of reactive oxygen species formation, adsorption/binding of ZnONPs/TiO2NPs by HA, and the levels of free metal ions were speculated to account for the observed cytotoxicity. TEM images indicate the attachment and binding of the tested nanoparticles to natural bacterial assemblages. Besides the individual parameter, significant effects on bacterial viability count were also observed in the following combined treatments: HA-ZnONPs, HA-LI, ZnONPs-LI, and HA-ZnONPs-LI. The main effects of all independent variables, plus interaction effects in all cases were significant with TiO2NPs.     

In vitro cytotoxicity of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots with different surface coatings to human keratinocytes HaCaT cells

Quantum dots (QD) nanoparticles have been widely used in biomedical and electronics fields, because of their novel optical properties. Consequently it confers enormous potential for human exposure and environmental release. To increase the biocompatibility of QDs, a variety of surface coatings or functional groups are added to increase their bioactivity and water solubility. Human adult low calcium high temperature (HaCaT) cells are the epithelial cells derived from adult human skin that exhibits normal differentiation capacity and a DNA fingerprint pattern that is unaffected by long-term cultivation, transformation, or the presence of multiple chromosomal alternations. Human keratinocytes, HaCaT cells were used to systematically evaluate the cytotoxicity of biocompatible QD made of CdSe metal core and ZnS shell with three different coatings and at three different wavelengths (530, 580 and 620 nm). In terms of half- maximal inhibitory concentration, QSA-QDs with amine-polyethyleneglycol coating and QSH-QDs with amphiphilic polymer coating were not cytotoxic, while QEI-QDs with polyethylenimine coating were highly toxic to the HaCaT cells in comparison to a reference CuInS2/ZnS. QEI-QDs led to significant increase in reactive oxygen species, decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and DNA damage in HaCaT cells. The mechanisms of toxicity of QEI-530 and QEI-580 can be attributed to the combination of intracellular reactive oxygen species production and loss of MMP. The QDs toxicity can be attributed to the polyethylemimine surface coating which was highly toxic to cells in comparison with amine-polyethyleneglycol, but not due to the release of cadmium ions.