In vitro cytotoxicity of multi-wall carbon nanotubes on human cell lines

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro toxicity of two multi-wall carbon nanotubes on four different cell lines: human alveolar epithelial (A549) cells, hepatocytes (Hep 3B cells), human embryonic kidney cells, and intestinal (P407 cells) cells. The adverse effects of carbon nanoparticles were analyzed after 24 h incubation with different cell lines using the trypan blue dye exclusion method. Incubation of carbon nanotubes with different cells produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of growth of the cells. The TC₅₀ or IC₅₀ values (toxic concentration 50, i.e., concentration of particles inducing 50% cell mortality) of two nanoparticles were (1) found to be in the range 23.5–30.5 µg mL^?1, and (2) less than that of quartz (known toxic agent, 28.8–66.9 µg mL^?1), indicating the greater cytotoxic effect of carbon nanoparticles than quartz particles.     

Determination of F2-isoprostanes in cultured human lung epithelial cells after exposure to metal oxide and silica nanoparticles by high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

The environmental impact of nanotechnology has caused a great concern. Many in vitro studies showed that many types of nanoparticles were cytotoxic. However, whether these nanoparticles caused cell membrane damage was not well studied. F₂-isoprostanes are specific products of arachidonic acid peroxidation by nonenzymatic reactive oxygen species and are considered as reliable biomarkers of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. In this article, we investigated the cytotoxicity of different nanoparticles and the degree of cellular membrane damage by using F₂-isoprostanes as biomarkers after exposure to nanoparticles. The human lung epithelial cell line A549 was exposed to four silica and metal oxide nanoparticles: SiO₂ (15 nm), CeO₂ (20 nm), Fe₂O₃ (30 nm), and ZnO (70 nm). The levels of F₂-isoprostanes were determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The F₂-isoprostanes’ peak was identified by retention time and molecular ion m/z at 353. Oasis HLB cartridge was used to extract F₂-isoprostanes from cell medium. The results showed that SiO₂, CeO₂, and ZnO nanoparticles increased F₂-isoprostanes levels significantly in A549 cells. Fe₂O₃ nanoparticle also increased F₂-isoprostanes level, but was not significant. This implied that SiO₂, CeO₂, ZnO, and Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles can cause cell membrane damage due to the lipid peroxidation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the investigation of effects of cellular exposure to metal oxide and silica nanoparticles on the cellular F₂-isoprostanes levels.     

Evaluation of the toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A and some of its oxidation products using a micro-scale algal growth inhibition test

A micro-scale algal growth inhibition (μ-AGI) test using a common micro-plate based fluorometric detection was used to demonstrate the effects of humic substances (HSs) on the toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and its oxidative decomposition products 2,5-dibromo-1,4-benzoquinone (2,5-DBBQ), 2,5-dibromohydroquinone (2,5-DBHQ), 2,6-dibromobenzoquinone (2,6-DBBQ), and 2,6-dibromophenol (2,6-DBP) to Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. The EC₅₀ values were: EC_50(TBBPA) = 7 mg L^?1, EC_50(2,5-DBHQ) = 7 mg L^?1, EC_50(2,5-DBBQ) = 19 mg L^?1, EC_50(2,6-DBP) = 49 mg L^?1, and EC_50(2,6-DBBQ) = 13 mg L^?1. The toxicity of the chemicals was slightly lower in the presence of HA. The toxicity of TBBPA decomposed by a biomimetic catalytic system consisting of iron (III) 5,10,15,20-tetrakis (p-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (Fe(III)-TPPS) and KHSO₅ was also evaluated using P. subcapitata and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.     

Degradation of bisphenol A by photo-fenton processes

The photo-Fenton reactions, which could yield hydroxyl radicals via the catalytic degradation of H₂O₂ by Fe(II), were focused as one of the abiotic degradation processes of bisphenol A (BPA) in surface waters. At pH 6, in the presence of H₂O₂ only, 32% of BPA was degraded after 120?min of irradiation. However, 97% of BPA was degraded in the presence of both H₂O₂ and Fe(II). Without light irradiation, no BPA degradation was observed even in the presence of Fe(II) and H₂O₂. These results show that photo-Fenton processes are effective in the natural attenuation of BPA in surface water. In addition, the presence of humic acids (HAs), which were of more aliphatic nature, resulted in enhancing BPA degradation via the photo-Fenton processes. Therefore, HAs can be one of the important factors in enhancing the degradation of BPA in surface water via the photo-Fenton processes.     

One-pot preparation of graphene oxide magnetic nanocomposites for the removal of tetrabromobisphenol A

A simple solvothermal method was used to prepare monodisperse magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles attached onto graphene oxide (GO) sheets as adsorbents to remove tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) from an aqueous solution. These Fe₃O₄/GO (MGO) nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy. The adsorption capacity at different initial pH, contact duration, and temperature were evaluated. The kinetics of adsorption was found to fit the pseudo-second-order model perfectly. The adsorption isotherm well fitted the Langmuir model, and the theoretical maximum of adsorption capacity calculated by the Langmuir model was 27.26 mg?g^-1. The adsorption thermodynamics of TBBPA on the MGO nanocomposites was determined at 303 K, 313 K, and 323 K, respectively. The results indicated that the adsorption was spontaneous and endothermic. The MGO nanocomposites were conveniently separated from the media by an external magnetic field within several seconds, and then regenerated in 0.2 M NaOH solution. Thus, the MGO nanocomposites are a promising candidate for TBBPA removal from wastewater.     

Degradation of bisphenol A by microorganisms immobilized on polyvinyl alcohol microspheres

In this study, microorganisms （named B111） were immobilized on polyvinyl alcohol microspheres prepared by the inverse suspension crosslinked method. The biodegradation of bisphenol A （BPA） and 4-hydro- xybenzaldehyde, a degradation product of BPA, by free and immobilized B lll was investigated. The BPA degradation studies were carried out at initial BPA concentrations ranging from 25 to 150 mg·L^-1. The affinity constant Ks and maximum degradation rate Rmax were 98.3 mg·L^-1 and 19.7mg·mg^-1VSS·d^-1 for free B111, as well as 87.2mg·L^-1 and 21.1mg·mg^-1VSS·d^-1 for immobilized B 111, respectively. 16S rDNA gene sequence analyses confirmed that the dominant genera were Pseudomonas and Brevundimonas for BPA biodegradation in microorganisms B 111.     

TCP的污泥减量效果及其对出水水质的长期影响

向倒置A2/O中试系统中投加2,4,5-三氯苯酚(TCP),研究TCP对污泥的减量效果及进入处理系统后对系统出水水质长期影响。研究结果表明:与参照组相比,加药组投加TCP 2 mg/L时,污泥减量达62.5%,出水TN比参照组平均高0.8 mg/L,137 d后出水TP超过0.5 mg/L。TCP对污泥的减量效果好,需要加除磷药剂进行辅助除磷。     

A/O法处理水产品加工废水

采用A/O工艺处理水产品加工废水,处理量为500 t/d,运行两年来,效果稳定,处理结果表明:对COD、BOD5和氨氮的去除率分别为94.7%、98.1%和86.4%,出水达到GB 8978—1996《污水综合排放标准》中的一级排放标准,且该工艺具有运行费用低、处理效果好、操作管理方便等一系列优点。     

土壤和沉积物中有机质对双酚A和17α-乙炔基雌二醇的吸附行为

研究了土壤和沉积物原始样品bulk及其有机质组分(非水解性有机质NHC、碳黑BC和腐殖酸HA)对17α-乙炔基雌二醇(EE2)和双酚A(BPA)的吸附行为.所有的吸附等温线都很好地拟合了Freundlich模型,除HA和bulk外,所有的吸附等温线都为显著的非线性(n值为0.46—0.76).对于EE2和BPA的吸附非线性因子n值都存在这样的关系:HA>NHC>BC.EE2以有机碳归一化的Freundlich吸附能力(lgKOC)有BC>NHC>bulk>HA的关系,说明有机质成熟度越高,对EE2或者BPA的吸附能力越高.在土壤和沉积物有机质SOM(NHC、BC和HA)对吸附BPA和EE2的贡献上,NHC、BC和HA对沉积物和土壤对BPA总吸附贡献上要明显弱于它们对EE2的贡献.除了内分泌干扰物(EDCs)的疏水性影响EE2和BPA的吸附能力的差异外,分子大小和带电子苯环数也影响它们的吸附能力差异.     

河源城南污水处理厂尾水深度处理效果的研究

河源市城南污水处理厂利用垂直流人工湿地对该厂A2-O工艺处理的尾水进行深度处理,研究了人工湿地对尾水中TN、NH4+-N、TP、COD、BOD5的去除效果。结果表明:人工湿地对污水处理厂尾水具有较好的深度处理效果,垂直流人工湿地处理系统对尾水中TN、NH4+-N、TP、COD和BOD5平均去除率分别达到97.4%、97.8%、95.06%、91.87%和95.87%以上,其出水水质基本达GB 18918—2002《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》一级A标准,地表水Ⅲ类标准。