Combined UV-biological degradation of PAHs

The UV-photolysis of PAHs was tested in silicone oil and tetradecane. In most cases, the degradation of a pollutant provided within a mixture was lower than when provided alone due to competitive effects. With the exception of anthracene, the larger pollutants (4- and 5-rings) were always degraded first, proving that UV-treatment preferentially acts on large PAHs and thereby provides a good complement to microbial degradation. UV-photolysis was also found to be suitable for treatment of soil extract from contaminated soils. The feasibility of UV-biological treatment was demonstrated for the removal of a mixture of phenanthrene and pyrene in silicone oil. UV-irradiation of the silicone oil led to 83% pyrene removal but no phenanthrene photodegradation. Subsequent treatment of the oil in a two-phases partitioning bioreactor (TPPB) system inoculated with Pseudomonas sp. was followed by complete phenanthrene biodegradation but no further pyrene removal. Totally, the combined process allowed 92% removal of the PAH mixture. Further work should focus on characterizing the photoproducts formed and studying the influence of the solvent on the photodegradation process.     

Photolysis of a mixture of anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene at ultra-trace levels in natural water with disinfection purposes

The photodegradation of anthracene(AN) and benzo[a]pyrene(BaP),two priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs),was examined at ultra-trace levels in surface water to elucidate their behaviour under several irradiance values and types of radiation.The emitting flux and the spectrum of the lamps were found to develop a crucial role in AN and BaP degradation since removal efficiencies of the target contaminants higher than 99%were found after 15 min of irradiation under an ultraviolet C(UVC) irradiance of 0.63 mW/cm~2,corresponding to a fluence of 560.25 mJ/cm~2.On the other hand,although ultraviolet A(UVA) lamps exhibited a higher irradiance compared to that of UVC lamps,they were not efficient for degrading the target PAHs.The removal kinetic studies corroborated these findings,being the AN elimination rate in surface water higher than that in deionized water at optimal operating conditions.Disinfection potential was also measured.A rapid microbial load inactivation,in terms of total coliforms naturally contained in the water matrix studied,was evidenced within 15 min of treatment for the fluence referred.However,after 24 hr in the dark,a regrowth was observed.Additionally,photolysis products more toxic than the parent compounds were found,which were not removed even by extending the treatment time.In this regard,it can be concluded that the individual action of UVC light for removing AN and BaP with disinfection purposes is not an efficient treatment;therefore,the use of radiation in combination with other kinds of treatments is required.     

Temperature effect on photolysis decomposing of perfluorooctanoic acid

Perfluorooctanoic acid(PFOA)is recalcitrant to degrade and mineralize.Here,the effect of temperature on the photolytic decomposition of PFOA was investigated.The decomposition of PFOA was enhanced from 34% to 99% in 60 min of exposure when the temperature was increased from 25 to 85°C under UV light(201–600 nm).The limited degree of decomposition at 25°C was due to low quantum yield,which was increased by a factor of 12 at 85°C.Under the imposed conditions,the defluorination ratio increased from 8% at 25°C to 50% at85°C in 60 min.Production of perfluorinated carboxylic acids(PFCAs,C7–C5),PFCAs(C4–C3)and TFA(trifluoroacetic acid,C2)accelerated and attained a maximum within 30 to 90 min at 85°C.However,these reactions did not occur at 25°C despite extended irradiation to180 min.PFOA was decomposed in a step-wise process by surrendering one CF2unit.In each cyclical process,increased temperature enhanced the quantum yields of irradiation and reactions between water molecules and intermediates radicals.The energy consumption for removing eachμmol of PFOA was reduced from 82.5 k J at 25°C to 10.9 k J at 85°C using photolysis.Photolysis coupled with heat achieved high rates of PFOA degradation and defluorination.     

卤代苯类化合物光解速率与结构参数关系的研究

研究了5种卤代苯类化合物在水相中的光解速率,以及罗丹明B的影响。结果表明,罗丹明B不同程度地提高了它们的光解速率。HMO法计算的键级、E_HOMO,E_LUMO与光解速率常数存在良好的多元线性关系,3个结构参数对速率常数的影响可对实验现象作出解释.      

Degradation of acetic acid with sulfate radical generated by persulfate ions photolysis

The photolysis of was studied for the removal of acetic acid in aqueous solution and compared with the H₂O₂/UV system. The radicals generated from the UV irradiation of ions yield a greater mineralization of acetic acid than the OH radicals. Acetic acid is oxidized by radicals without significant formation of intermediate by-products. Increasing system pH results in the formation of OH radicals from radicals. Maximum acetic acid degradation occurred at pH 5. The results suggest that above this pH, competitive reactions with the carbon mineralized inhibit the reaction of the solute with and also OH radicals. Scavenging effects of two naturally occurring ions were tested; in contrast to ions, the presence of Cl⁻ ions enhances the efficiency of the /UV process towards the acetate removal. It is attributed to the formation of the Cl radical and its great reactivity towards acetate.     

Photolysis of mono- through deca-chlorinated biphenyls by ultraviolet irradiation in n-hexane and quantitative structure-property relationship analysis

The photolysis of 16 polychlorinated biphenyls （PCBs） （including mono- through deca-chlorinated） in n-hexane was investigated under ultraviolet irradiation using a 500-W high-pressure mercury lamp. Photolysis of PCBs follows pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics, with photolysis rate constants ranging between 0.0011 s^-1 for PCB-52 and 0.0574 s^-1 for PCB-118. The degradation rates of PCBs by high-pressure mercury lamp irradiation were remarkably independent with respect to the degree of chlorination. Furthermore, partial least squares （PLS） models were developed to provide insight into which aspect of the molecular structure influenced PCB photolysis rate constants. It was found that the photolysis rates of PCBs increased with an increase in the net charge on the carbon atom （qc）, （ELUMO-EHOMO）^2, and the Y-axis dipole moment （μy） values, or the decrease in the energy of the second highest occupied molecular orbital （EHOMO-1）, energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital （ELUMO）, ELUMO ＋ EHOMO, ELUMO - EHOMO, most positive atomic charge （q^＋）, and the twist angle of the chlorine atom （TA） values.     

Persistence of two neonicotinoid insecticides in wastewater, and in aqueous solutions of surfactants and dissolved organic matter

Wastewater treatment plants receive organic contaminants, such as pesticides, which reach the sewage system from domestic, industrial or agricultural activities. In wastewater, which is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds, biotic or abiotic degradation of contaminants can be affected by the presence of co-solutes. The photodecomposition in natural sunlight of two neonicotinoid insecticides, thiamethoxam and thiacloprid, was investigated in wastewater, aqueous extracts of sewage sludge and in aqueous surfactant solutions, which are abundant in wastewater. Dissipation in the dark was also studied in wastewater, due to reduction of transmitted sunlight in wastewater ponds. With regard to photolysis, thiamethoxam degraded rapidly in all the aqueous solutions. Among them sewage sludge extracts slightly modified (average half-life 17.6 h), wastewater increased (13.7 h) and non-ionic surfactants led, as a family, to the highest dissipation rates (average 6.2 h), with respect to control water (18.7 h). Additionally this pesticide also underwent a slower biodegradation process in wastewater in the dark under anaerobic conditions (around 25 d). A metabolite of thiamethoxam from the biological decomposition in wastewater was identified by HPLC/MS. On the other hand thiacloprid was found to be resistant to photo- and biodecomposition and remained almost unchanged during the experimental periods in all the tested media.     

Water quality parameters controlling the photodegradation of two herbicides in surface waters of the Columbia Basin,Washington

The water quality parameters nitrate-nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon, and suspended solids were correlated with photodegradation rates of the herbicides atrazine and 2,4-D in samples collected from four sites in the Columbia River Basin, Washington, USA. Surface water samples were collected in May, July, and October 2010 and analyzed for the water quality parameters. Photolysis rates for the two herbicides in the surface water samples were then evaluated under a xenon arc lamp. Photolysis rates of atrazine and 2,4-D were similar with rate constants averaging 0.025 h⁻¹ for atrazine and 0.039 h⁻¹ for 2,4-D. Based on multiple regression analysis, nitrate-nitrogen was the primary predictor of photolysis for both atrazine and 2,4-D, with dissolved organic carbon also a predictor for some sites. However, at sites where suspended solids concentrations were elevated, photolysis rates of the two herbicides were controlled by the suspended solids concentration. The results of this research provide a basis for evaluating and predicting herbicide photolysis rates in shallow surface waters.