Soil-catalyzed oxidation of aniline

Aniline partially degraded in sterile soil to azobenzene, azoxybenzene, phenazine, form=anilide, and acetanilide. Nitrobenzene, $\text{p}$-benzoquinone, and unidentified species were possible products; substantial bound residues may also have formed. Soil-catalyzed conversion of aniline or [$\text{d}$₅]aniline seems evidenced by 6-24X more product recovery in sterile soil than in sterile water alone, a process inhibited by Na₂S₂O₄. Freundlich adsorption constants showed: azobenzene > azoxybenzene > phenazine > aniline.     

Bioaerosols from land-applied biosolids: issues and needs.

Bioaerosols are a vehicle for the dissemination of human and animal pathogens. Because of land-filling costs and the ban on ocean dumping of municipal biosolids, land application of biosolids and animal manure is increasing all over the globe. There is no doubt that the creation, generation, and disposal of human and animal wastes increases the aerosolization potential of a wide variety of microbial pathogens and related pollutants. In an attempt to address public health issues associated with the land application of municipal biosolids, the U.S. National Research Council (Washington, D.C.) published a report on this issue in 2002. This paper focuses on the current information and technology gaps related to estimating the public health risks associated with bioaerosols during the land application of biosolids.     

Studies on electrochemical recovery of silver from simulated waste water from Ag(II)/Ag(I) based mediated electrochemical oxidation process

In the Ag(II)/Ag(I) based mediated electrochemical oxidation (MEO) process, the spent waste from the electrochemical cell, which is integrated with the scrubber columns, contains high concentrations of precious silver as dissolved ions in both the anolyte and the catholyte. This work presents an electrochemical developmental study for the recovery of silver from simulated waste water from Ag(II)/Ag(I) based MEO process. Galvanostatic method of silver deposition on Ti cathode in an undivided cell was used, and the silver recovery rate kinetics of silver deposition was followed. Various experimental parameters, which have a direct bearing on the metal recovery efficiency, were optimized. These included studies with the nitric acid concentration (0.75-6M), the solution stirring rate (0-1400 rpm), the inter-electrode distance between the anode and the cathode (2-8 cm), the applied current density (29.4-88.2 mA cm(-2)), and the initial Ag(I) ion concentration (0.01-0.2M). The silver recovered by the present electrodeposition method was re-dissolved in 6M nitric acid and subjected to electrooxidation of Ag(I) to Ag(II) to ascertain its activity towards Ag(II) electrogeneration from Ag(I), which is a key factor for the efficient working of MEO process. Our studies showed that the silver metal recovered by the present electrochemical deposition method could be reused repeatedly for MEO process with no loss in its electrochemical activity. Some work on silver deposition from sulfuric acid solution of different concentrations was also done because of its promising features as the catholyte in the Ag(II) generating electrochemical cell used in MEO process, which include: (i) complete elimination of poisonous NO(x) gas liberation in the cathode compartment, (ii) reduced Ag(+) ion migration across Nafion membrane from anolyte to catholyte thereby diminished catholyte contamination, and (iii) lower cell voltage and hence lesser power consumption.