Ah Receptor Agonists in UV-exposed Toluene Solutions of Decabromodiphenyl Ether (decaBDE) and in Soils Contaminated with Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) (9 pp)

Goal, Scope and Background The use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) as flame retardants increases the risk for emissions of other brominated compounds, such as polybrominated dibenzodioxins (PBDDs) and dibenzofurans (PBDFs). The large homology in structure of PBDD/Fs and mechanism of toxic action, i.e. the capacity to activate the Ah receptor (AhR) pathway, compared to their well-studied chlorinated analogues, justifies a raised concern to study the environmental levels and fate of these compounds. Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) is the most widely used PBDE today. Studies on photolytic debromination of decaBDE in organic solvents have shown debromination of decaBDE, as well as formation of PBDFs. However, little is known about the transformation mechanisms and there are only scarce data on photoproducts and PBDE transformation in environmentally relevant matrices. In this study, mechanism-specific dioxin bioassays were used to study photolytic formation of AhR agonists in toluene solutions of decaBDE. In addition, the influence of irradiation time and UV-light wavelength on the formation was studied. PBDE congener patterns and presence of PBDD/Fs were analysed. Further, AhR agonists were analysed in agricultural soils contaminated with PBDEs. Soils were also exposed to UV-light to study changes in AhR agonist levels. Methods Toluene solutions of decaBDE were irradiated using three different spectra of UV-light, simulating UV-A (320-400 nm), UV-AB (280-400 nm), and UV-ABC (250-400 nm). Additionally, decaBDE solutions were exposed to narrow wavelength intervals (10 nm bandwidth) with the central wavelengths 280, 290, 300, 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360 nm. AhR agonists in decaBDE solutions were analysed with two different bioassays, the chick embryo liver-cell assay for dioxins (Celcad) and the dioxin responsive, chemically activated luciferase expression assay (DR-Calux). Also, the decaBDE solutions were analysed with LRGC-LRMS to obtain PBDE congener patterns for breakdown of decaBDE, and with HRGC-HRMS, for presence of PBDD/Fs. Four soils were exposed to UV-AB light, under both dry and moist conditions. Levels of AhR agonists in soil extract fractions, before and after UV-exposure, were analysed with the DR-Calux. Results and Discussion Significant levels of photoproducts able to activate the AhR pathway, up to 31 ng bio-TEQ/ml, were formed in UV-exposed decaBDE solutions. The transformation yield of decaBDE into AhR agonists was estimated to be at the 0.1%-level, on a molar basis. The net formation was highly dependent on wavelength, with the sample irradiated at 330 nm showing the highest level of dioxin-like activity. No activity was detected in controls. PBDE analysis confirmed decaBDE degradation and a clear time-dependent pattern for debromination of PBDE congeners. AhR agonist effect in the recalcitrant fractions of the soils corresponded to the levels of chemically derived TEQs, based only on chlorinated dioxin-like compounds in an earlier study. It was concluded that no significant levels of other AhR agonists, e.g. PBDFs, were accumulated in the soil. UV-light caused changes in AhR-mediated activity in the more polar and less persistent fractions of the soils, but it is not known which compounds are responsible for this. Recommendations and Perspective . The laboratory experiments in this study show that high levels of AhR agonists can be formed as photoproducts of decaBDE and it is important to elucidate if and under which conditions this might occur in nature. However, soil analysis indicates that photoproducts of PBDE do not contribute to the accumulated levels of persistent dioxin-like compounds in agricultural soil. Still, more data is needed to fully estimate the environmental importance of PBDE photolysis and occurrence of its photoproducts in other environmental compartments. Analysis with dioxin bioassays enabled us to gather information about photoproducts formed from decaBDE even though the exact identities of these compounds were not known. Conclusion Bioassays are valuable for studying environmental transformation processes like this, where chemical analysis and subsequent toxicological evaluation requires available standard compounds and information on toxicological potency. The use of bioassays allows a rapid evaluation of toxicological relevance.     

烯啶虫胺的水解与光解行为研究

通过室内模拟实验研究了烯啶虫胺在不同pH值和温度下的水解动态及其在水和有机溶剂中的光解特性和影响因素。结果表明：烯啶虫胺在酸性和中性条件下不易水解,而在碱性条件下水解较快。烯啶虫胺的水解速率随温度升高而增加,平均温度效应系数为2.34。烯啶虫胺水解反应的活化能和活化焓与温度之间无明显相关性,而活化熵与温度表现出较好的相关性。在不同光源照射下,烯啶虫胺在水溶液中的光解速率有显著的差异,在高压汞灯、自然光和氙灯下的光解半衰期分别为42.3 s、6.9 min和55 min;烯啶虫胺在甲醇中的光解速率大于丙酮中的光解速率;烯啶虫胺的光解速率随初始质量浓度的升高而减慢;pH值对烯啶虫胺的光解影响较小。研究结果为烯啶虫胺的环境风险评价提供了科学依据。     

除草剂绿草定-2-丁氧基乙酯的降解特性及降解机制研究

按照《化学农药环境安全评价试验准则》的规定并参考美国EPA导则,采用室内模拟试验方法,研究了绿草定-2-丁氧基乙酯在环境中的降解特性.结果表明,25℃时绿草定-2-丁氧基乙酯在pH =4、7、9缓冲溶液中的水解半衰期分别为533 d、21.8 d、＜1 d;高温、碱性条件下绿草定-2-丁氧基乙酯极易水解,其水解反应速率随反应介质pH值的增大、反应温度的升高而增大;初步确定绿草定-2-丁氧基乙酯分子在水溶液中生成的水解产物主要是绿草定.绿草定-2-丁氧基乙酯在土壤中迅速降解,酸性土壤中其降解趋势遵循一级动力学模型,中性和碱性土壤中其降解动态不能用一级动力学模型进行简单的拟合;绿草定-2-丁氧基乙酯在土壤中的降解形式主要为化学水解作用,降解生成绿草定和丁氧基乙醇;土壤pH和有机质含量是影响其土壤降解速率的主要因素,pH和有机质含量越高,其土壤降解速率越快.在人工光源氙灯条件下,绿草定-2-丁氧基乙酯在水溶液和土壤表面的光化学降解均符合一级动力学反应,不同介质对绿草定-2-丁氧基乙酯光解的影响差异显著.     

Light induced transformation of isoprothiolane on glass,soil, and plant surface

Photolysis of isoprothiolane (di-isopropyl 1,3-dithiolan-2-ylidenemalonate) was studied as a thin film on glass surface, soil surface, and plant surface. Three photoproducts, namely 1,3-dithiolan-2-ylidenepropane, 1,3-dithiolan-2-ylidenemalonic acid, and 1,3-dithiolan-2-ylidenemethane have been identified on the basis of GC-MS method. The major route of photodegradation of this compound is through the de-esterification process, followed by de-carboxylation and rearrangement. The rate of photodegradation in all cases followed first-order kinetics with a statistically significant correlation coefficient.     

Study on degradation process of famotidine hydrochloride in aqueous samples

The kinetics of famotidine (FAM) transformation under the influence of various factors, important from the environmental point of view, was investigated in aqueous solutions. The degradation processes using UV, H₂O₂, UV/H₂O₂, H₂O₂/Fe²⁺, and UV/H₂O₂/Fe²⁺ were studied. Direct photolysis and H₂O₂-assisted photolysis showed a pseudo-first-order kinetics, while the Fenton and the photo-Fenton processes fit second-order kinetics. The provided experiments proved a high resistance of FAM to direct photolysis. Its stability depends highly on the pH of the reaction solutions. The rate of FAM direct photolysis in acidic solutions was almost negligible. The reaction rate of FAM photolysis at pH 8–9 was 3.7 × 10^?3 min^?1 with DT₅₀ about 3 h 7 min. It was found that the presence of H₂O₂ in the reaction environment enhances the rate of photolysis of FAM. The observed rates of reaction were 5.1 × 10^?3 min^?1 and 3.7 × 10^?3 min^?1 in acidic and basic solutions, respectively. The used Fenton systems appeared to be the most efficient in FAM removal. The rate of reaction depends on concentration of Fe²⁺ and H₂O₂. It was observed that the presence of UV-light enhances the reaction rate by two to six times in comparison to the classical Fenton system. Additionally, FAM behavior in natural water under solar irradiation was examined. The irradiation experiments were carried out in batch experiments with simulated sunlight.     

Photodegradation of the herbicide goal

Photodegradation products of the herbicide Goal active ingredient were obtained with a xenon lamp and analyzed using direct inlet mass spectrometry, MS/MS and GC/MS. A number of products were identified and their generation pathways were established to be mainly Ar—O bond cleavage, dechlorination and photocyclisation. The latter process gives chlorinated and unchlorinated dibenzofurans some of which may be toxic.     

2013~2014年北京市NO2时空分布研究

根据2013~2014年北京市NO₂监测数据,对比分析了全年及重污染日NO₂时空分布特征.结果表明:2013年NO₂平均浓度为56μg/m³,2014年北京市NO₂年均浓度为56.7μg/m³.年均及重污染日NO₂月均浓度均呈波浪型分布,日变化呈双峰型分布;空间分布上北部及西部山区NO₂浓度明显低于中心城区及南部地区. NO₂浓度与PM_2.5、CO、NO呈正相关关系,与O₃、OX无明显相关性;全年NO₂光解速率峰值平均在0.105/min左右,重污染日光解速率峰值平均在0.026/min左右;全年及重污染期间,氮氧化速率分别为0.142±0.061、0.190±0.036;高浓度NO₂既有利于O₃生成,又对重污染的形成起到了促进作用;重污染日特定条件下北京市NO₂的两种转化机制以转化为NO₃^-过程为主导.经计算2000~2014年北京市机动车的保有量与NO₂浓度的相关系数R为-0.84,机动车NO_x排放量对北京市NO₂浓度的变化有显著的影响.     

Kinetics and mechanisms of reactions for hydrated electron with chlorinated benzenes in aqueous solution

The reactions between chlorinated benzenes (CBzs) and hydrated electron (eaq-) were investigated by the electron beam (EB) and laser flash photolysis (LFP) experiments. Under the EB irradiation, the effects of irradiation dose, initial concentration and the number of Cl atoms on the removal efficiencies were further examined. At 10 kGy, the removal efficiencies of mono-CB, 1,3-diCB, 1,2-diCB and 1,4-diCB were 41.2%, 87.2%, 84.0%, and 84.1%, respectively. While irradiation dose was 50 kGy, the removal efficiencies increased to 47.4%, 95.8%, 95.0%, and 95.2%, respectively. Irradiation of CBzs solutions has shown that the higher the initial concentration, the lower the percentage of CBzs removal. In addition to this, the dechlorination efficiencies of 1,2-dichlorobenzene (1,2-diCB), 1,3-dichlorobenzene (1,3-diCB) and 1,4-dichlorobenzene (1,4-diCB) were much higher than that of chlorobenzene (mono-CB). The kinetics of the reactions was achieved with nanosecond LFP. The rate constants of second-order reaction between eaq- with mono-CB, 1,2-diCB, 1,3-diCB and 1,4-diCB were (5.3±0.4) × 10⁸, (4.76±0.1) × 10⁹, (1.01±0.1) × 10¹⁰ and (3.29±0.2) × 10⁹ L·mol^-1·s^-1, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to determine the optical properties of unstable CBzs anion radicals, and the main absorption peaks lied in the range of 300–550 nm. The primary reaction pathway of CBzs with eaq- was gradual dechlorination, and the major products were Cl^- and benzene (CBzs(-Cl^-)). Furthermore, biphenyl (or chlorobiphenyl) was observed during the LFP, which was probably formed by recombination of benzene radicals.     

吡啶在紫外光辐射下的生物降解

吡啶是一种难降解的含氮杂环化合物,难以用单一的生物方法使其有效降解.本研究采用气升式内循环紫外光辐射与生物膜一体化反应器,通过单独紫外辐射降解(photolysis,P)、单独生物降解(biodegradation,B)以及紫外辐射与生物同步耦合降解(photobiodegradation,P&B)3种方法对吡啶进行间歇降解和连续降解,以比较吡啶的降解规律.结果表明,间歇降解过程中,方法 P&B对吡啶的降解速率最快,其次是方法 B,而方法 P的速率最慢.初始浓度为100 mg.L-1的吡啶溶液分别采用方法 P、B和P&B进行间歇降解,其去除速率分别是:4.95、10.2和14.58 mg.(L.h)-1.根据Monod模型求解出吡啶在方法 B和方法 P&B降解下的动力学方程,其饱和常数KS从1 920.4 mg.L-1下降至1 094.1 mg.L-1.采用连续流方式对进水浓度分别为50、100和300 mg.L-1的吡啶溶液分别采用方法 P、B和P&B进行降解,其单位体积平均体积去除速率分别是:15.8(P)、23.1(B)和24.9 mg.(L.h)-1(P&B),且高于间歇降解方法.研究结果表明,紫外辐射与生物膜同步耦合,可以缓解吡啶对生物膜的抑制,并且生物仍能保持其降解吡啶的生物活性,从而提高吡啶生物降解的速率.