Background Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is a fuel additive which is used all over the world. In recent years it has often been
found in groundwater, mainly in the USA, but also in Europe. Although MTBE seems to be a minor toxic, it affects the taste
and odour of water at concentrations of < 30 μg/L. Although MTBE is often a recalcitrant compound, it is known that many ethers
can be degraded by abiotic means. The aim of this study was to examine biotic and abiotic transformations of MTBE with respect
to the particular conditions of a contaminated site (former refinery) in Leuna, Germany.
Methods Groundwater samples from wells of a contaminated site were used for aerobic and anaerobic degradation experiments. The abiotic
degradation experiment (hydrolysis) was conducted employing an ion-exchange resin and MTBE solutions in distilled water. MTBE,
tertiary butyl formate (TBF) and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) were measured by a gas chromatograph with flame ionisation detector
(FID). Aldehydes and organic acids were respectively analysed by a gas chromatograph with electron capture detector (ECD)
and high-performance ion chromatography (HPIC).
Results and Discussion Under aerobic conditions, MTBE was degraded in laboratory experiments. Only 4 of a total of 30 anaerobic experiments exhibited
degradation, and the process was very slow. In no cases were metabolites detected, but a few degradation products (TBF, TBA
and formic acid) were found on the site, possibly due to the lower temperatures in groundwater. The abiotic degradation of
MTBE with an ion-exchange resin as a catalyst at pH 3.5 was much faster than hydrolysis in diluted hydrochloric acid (pH 1.0).
Conclusion Although the aerobic degradation of MTBE in the environment seems to be possible, the specific conditions responsible are
widely unknown. Successful aerobic degradation only seems to take place if there is a lack of other utilisable compounds.
However, MTBE is often accompanied by other fuel compounds on contaminated sites and anaerobic conditions prevail. MTBE is
often recalcitrant under anaerobic conditions, at least in the presence of other carbon sources. The abiotic hydrolysis of
MTBE seems to be of secondary importance (on site), but it might be possible to enhance it with catalysts.
Recommendation and Outlook MTBE only seems to be recalcitrant under particular conditions. In some cases, the degradation of MTBE on contaminated sites
could be supported by oxygen. Enhanced hydrolysis could also be an alternative.
- * The basis of this peer-reviewed paper is a presentation at the 9th FECS Conference on 'Chemistry and Environment', 29 August
to 1 September 2004, Bordeaux, France. 相似文献
Summary. Males of dacine tephritids, Bactrocera carambolae and B. dorsalis are strongly attracted to, and compulsively feed on methyl eugenol (ME), a potent attractant for many Bactrocera species. While ME was shown to be biotransformed into phenylpropanoids, 2-allyl-4,5-dimethoxyphenol and (E)-coniferyl alcohol, and temporarily stored in the rectal gland of male B. dorsalis prior to release during courtship at dusk, B. carambolae male produces only the latter compound along with its de novo synthesized pheromone components. Both species were also shown to have different age-related response, sensitivity and consumption
levels of ME. Here, we monitored and compared temporal changes in the accumulation profiles of these phenylpropanoids by the
two sibling species, with male rectal glands being individually excised at different time intervals from 15 minutes to 20
days after initial ME feeding and analysed quantitatively. Results are discussed in light of plant-fruit fly co-evolution
relationship. 相似文献
从纺织污水活性污泥中筛选得到一株新型聚乙烯醇(PVA)降解酶产生菌,根据形态学特征鉴定该菌属于青霉属(Penicillium sp.),实验室编号WStt02-21.这是由霉菌产生PVA降解酶的首例报道.在考察了菌株WSH02-21基本生长和产酶特性的基础上,研究了营养条件对PVA降解酶合成的影响.通过对营养条件的单因素考察和正交试验,确定了最优培养条件为PVA 40 g L-1、葡萄糖3.0 g L-1、NH4Cl 8.0 g L-1、KH2PO4 2.0 g L-1、酵母膏1.0 g L-1、:MgSO40.5 g L-1。、CaCl2 1.0 g L-1、NaCl 0.02 g L-1、FeSO4·7H2O 0.02 g L-1,初始pH 6.4.其中PVA浓度是影响Penicilliumsp.WSH02-21合成PVA降解酶的最重要因素.采用最优化条件进行验证试验,PVA降解酶酶活(4.4 U mL-1)略高于正交试验中的的最高酶活(4.3 U mL-1).图7表2参11 相似文献
The rheological behavior of biodegradable blends of starch and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) was measured as a function of temperature, shear rate, and moisture content using a capillary rheometer. An excellent correlation was found with a rheological model which was used as a means to characterize the influence of starch/PVOH content as well as a qualification of the viscosity for simulation studies. This model consisted of a power law dependence on shear rate, an Arrhenius dependence on temperature, and an exponential dependence on moisture.Paper presented at the Biodegradable Materials and Packaging Conference, September 22–23, 1993, Natick, Massachusetts.Guest Editor: Dr. Randall Shogren, USDA. 相似文献
Objective: A zero tolerance alcohol restriction law was adopted in Brazil in 2008. In order to assess the effectiveness of this intervention, the present study compares specific mortality in 2 time series: 1980–2007 and 2008–2013.
Methods: Data on mortality and population were gathered from official Brazilian Ministry of Health information systems. Segmented regression analyses were carried out separately for 3 major Brazilian capitals: Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo.
Results: In 2 cities (Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro) there were no significant changes in mortality rate trends in 2 periods, 1980 to 2007 and 2008 to 2013, where the observed rates did not differ significantly from predicted rates. In São Paulo, a decreasing trend until 2007 unexpectedly assumed higher levels after implementation of the law.
Conclusion: There is no evidence of reduced traffic-related mortality in the 3 major Brazilian capitals 5.5 years after the zero tolerance drinking and driving law was adopted. 相似文献