Nonylphenol in the environment: a critical review on occurrence, fate, toxicity and treatment in wastewaters

Nonylphenol is a toxic xenobiotic compound classified as an endocrine disrupter capable of interfering with the hormonal system of numerous organisms. It originates principally from the degradation of nonylphenol ethoxylates which are widely used as industrial surfactants. Nonylphenol ethoxylates reach sewage treatment works in substantial quantities where they biodegrade into several by-products including nonylphenol. Due to its physical-chemical characteristics, such as low solubility and high hydrophobicity, nonylphenol accumulates in environmental compartments that are characterised by high organic content, typically sewage sludge and river sediments, where it persists. The occurrence of nonylphenol in the environment is clearly correlated with anthropogenic activities such as wastewater treatment, landfilling and sewage sludge recycling. Nonylphenol is found often in matrices such as sewage sludge, effluents from sewage treatment works, river water and sediments, soil and groundwater. The impacts of nonylphenol in the environment include feminization of aquatic organisms, decrease in male fertility and the survival of juveniles at concentrations as low as 8.2 mug/l. Due to the harmful effects of the degradation products of nonylphenol ethoxylates in the environment, the use and production of such compounds have been banned in EU countries and strictly monitored in many other countries such as Canada and Japan. Although it has been shown that the concentration of nonylphenol in the environment is decreasing, it is still found at concentrations of 4.1 mug/l in river waters and 1 mg/kg in sediments. Nonylphenol has been referred to in the list of priority substances in the Water Frame Directive and in the 3rd draft Working Document on Sludge of the EU. Consequently there is currently a concern within some industries about the possibility of future regulations that may impose the removal of trace contaminants from contaminated effluents. The significance of upgrading sewage treatment works with advanced treatment technologies for removal of trace contaminants is discussed.     

Efficient degradation of Rhodamine B by magnetically recoverable Fe3O4-modified ternary CoFeCu-layered double hydroxides via activating peroxymonosulfate

Environment-friendly nano-catalysts capable of activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) have received increasing attention recently. Nevertheless, traditional nano-catalysts are generally well dispersed and difficult to be separated from reaction system, so it is particularly important to develop nano-catalysts with both good catalytic activity and excellent recycling efficiency. In this work, magnetically recoverable Fe₃O₄-modified ternary CoFeCu-layered double hydroxides (Fe₃O₄/CoFeCu-LDHs) was prepared by a simple co-precipitation method and initially applied to activate PMS for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method (BET), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) were applied to characterize morphology, structure, specific surface area and magnetism. In addition, the effects of several key parameters were evaluated. The Fe₃O₄/CoFeCu-LDHs exhibited high catalytic activity, and RhB degradation efficiency could reach 100% within 20 min by adding 0.2 g/L of catalyst and 1 mmol/L of PMS into 50 mg/L of RhB solution under a wide pH condition (3.0-7.0). Notably, the Fe₃O₄/CoFeCu-LDHs showed good super-paramagnetism and excellent stability, which could be effectively and quickly recovered under magnetic condition, and the degradation efficiency after ten cycles could still maintain 98.95%. Both radicals quenching tests and electron spin resonance (ESR) identified both HO? and SO₄^?? were involved and SO₄^?? played a dominant role on the RhB degradation. Finally, the chemical states of the sample's surface elements were measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the possible activation mechanism in Fe₃O₄/CoFeCu-LDHs/PMS system was proposed according to comprehensive analysis.     

臭氧-生物活性炭技术在微污染饮用水处理中的应用

通过研究国内外臭氧—生物活性炭工艺的发展现状和应用实践，指出了该项技术在应用中体现出的优越性，并提出了此项技术在应用中存在的问题，部分地介绍了提高此项技术应用水平的措施。研究表明，臭氧—生物活性炭工艺在处理微污染饮用水将会受到重视和广泛地推广应用，同时也对今后的研究方向提出了相应的观点。     

Product identification and toxicity change during oxidation of methotrexate by ferrate and permanganate in water

• Oxidation of methotrexate by high-valent metal-oxo species was first explored. • Fe(VI) presented a higher reactivity to MTX than Mn(VII) at pH 8.0. • Ketonization and cleavage of peptide bond were two initial reaction pathways. • Products of MTX were not genotoxic, neurotoxic, or endocrine-disrupting chemicals. • The less biodegradable products exhibited developmental and acute/chronic toxicity. Accompanying an annual increase in cancer incidence, the global use of anticancer drugs has remarkably increased with their worldwide environmental prevalence and ecological risks. In this study, the oxidation of methotrexate (MTX), a typical anticancer drug with ubiquitous occurrence and multi-endpoint toxicity, by ferrate(VI) (Fe(VI)) and permanganate (Mn(VII))) was investigated in water. Fe(VI) exhibited a higher reactivity with MTX (93.34 M⁻¹ s⁻¹) than Mn(VII) (3.01 M⁻¹ s⁻¹) at pH 8.0. The introduction of Cu(II) and Fe(III) at 1.0 mM improved the removal efficiency of 5.0 μM MTX by 100.0 μM Fe(VI) from 80% to 95% and 100% after 4 min, respectively. Seven oxidized products (OPs) were identified during oxidative treatments, while OP-191 and OP-205 were characterized as specific products for Fe(VI) oxidation. Initial ketonization of the L-glutamic acid moiety and cleavage of the peptide bond of MTX were proposed. Additionally, a multi-endpoint toxicity evaluation indicated no genotoxicity, neurotoxicity, or endocrine-disrupting effects of MTX and its OPs. Particularly, serious developmental toxicity in zebrafish larvae was observed in the treated MTX solutions. Based on the acute and chronic aquatic toxicity prediction, OP-190, OP-192, OP-206, and OP-208 were deemed toxic or very toxic compared to harmful MTX. Furthermore, the reduced biodegradability index from 0.15 (MTX) to −0.5 to −0.2 (OP-192, OP-206, and OP-468) indicated the formation of lower biodegradable OPs. Overall, this study suggests that Fe(VI) and Mn(VII) oxidation are promising treatments for remediating anticancer drug-contaminated water. However, the environmental risks associated with these treatments should be considered in the evaluation of water safety.     

Hybrid zeolite-based ion-exchange and sulfur oxidizing denitrification for advanced slaughterhouse wastewater treatment

The discharge of slau ghterhouse wastewater（SWW） is incre asing and its wastewater has to be treated thoroughly to avoid the eutrophication.The hybrid zeolite-based ion-exchange and sulfur autotrophic denitrification（IX-AD） process was developed to advanced treat SWW after traditional secondary biological process.Compared with traditional sulfur oxidizing denitrification（SOD）,this study found that IX-AD column showed:（1） stronger ability to resist NO₃^-pollution load,（2） low...     

Chromium transport, oxidation, and adsorption in manganese-coated sand

We examine how the processes of advection, dispersion, oxidation-reduction, and adsorption combine to affect the transport of chromium through columns packed with pyrolusite (beta-MnO2)-coated sand. We find that beta-MnO2 effectively oxidizes Cr(III) to Cr(VI) and that the extent of oxidation is sensitive to changes in pH, pore water velocity, and influent concentrations of Cr(III). Cr(III) oxidation rates, although initially high, decline well before the supply of beta-MnO2 is depleted, suggesting that a reaction product inhibits the conversion of Cr(III) to Cr(VI). Rate-limited reactions govern the weak adsorption of each chromium species, with Cr(III) adsorption varying directly with pH and Cr(VI) adsorption varying inversely with pH. The breakthrough data on chromium transport can be matched closely by calculations of a simple model that accounts for (1) advective-dispersive transport of Cr(III), Cr(VI), and dissolved oxygen, (2) first-order kinetics adsorption of the reduced and oxidized chromium species, and (3) nonlinear rate-limited oxidation of Cr(III) to Cr(VI). Our work supplements the limited database on the transport of redox-sensitive metals in porous media and provides a means for quantifying the coupled processes that contribute to this transport.     

H-酸的催化湿式氧化反应过程研究

湿式氧化（ＷＡＯ）和催化湿式氧化（ＣＷＡＯ）都能有效地处理染料中间体－－Ｈ－酸。所有的Ｈ－酸在５ｍｉｎ内均被支除和形成一些中间产物。在不同反应时间段测定了ｐＨ值及阴、阳离子和小分子有机酸等中间产物。分析表明,ｐＨ值与ＣＯＤ的去除及有机酸的产生有密切的联系,Ｈ－酸被氧化成ＮＨ４＾＋、ＳＯ４＾２－、ＨＣＯＯＨ和ＣＨ２ＣＯＯＨ。ＷＡＯ法的瓜速率慢而且氧化乙酸困难。而ＣＷＡＯ法的反应速率不但快而且能有效地     

升流式厌氧污泥床--压力式好氧接触氧化工艺处理制药废水的实践

采用升流式厌氧污泥床—压力式好氧接触氧化工艺处理锦州九洋药业有限责任公司制药废水,该工艺技术成熟、处理效率高,运行稳定可靠。结果表明处理后的出水水质可以满足排放标准的要求。     

氧化亚铁硫杆菌对亚铁离子的氧化及其动力学研究

采用9K培养基研究了氧化亚铁硫杆菌氧化Fe^2＋过程中,pH和氧化还原电位的变化规律,并对Fe^2＋的氧化过程进行动力学分析,确定了其反应级数及反应速率常数。结果表明,（1）在温度为30℃,摇床转速为150r／min的条件下,氧化亚铁硫杆菌的最佳接种量为10．0％;（2）Fe^2＋初始质量浓度在11．39～21．72g／L时,随着浓度的增大,Fe^2＋达到100％转化率需要的时间增加;（3）氧化亚铁硫杆菌对Fe^2＋的氧化可近似看作一级反应,反应速率常数为0．0527～0．0788h。     

Landfill leachate treatment methods: A review

Landfilling of municipal waste is still a major issue of the waste management system in Europe. The generated leachate must be appropriately treated before being discharged into the environment. Technologies meant for leachate treatment can be classified as follows (i) biological methods, (ii) chemical and physical methods. Here we review briefly the main processes currently used for the landfill leachates treatments.