Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) and Other Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Public Water Systems,Private Wells,and Ambient Groundwater Wells in New Jersey Compared to Regulatory and Human-Health Benchmarks

Potential threats to drinking water and water quality continue to be a major concern in many regions of the United States. New Jersey, in particular, has been at the forefront of assessing and managing potential contamination of its drinking water supplies from hazardous substances. The purpose of the current analysis is to provide an up-to-date evaluation of the occurrence and detected concentrations of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and several other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in public water systems, private wells, and ambient groundwater wells in New Jersey based on the best available data, and to put these results into context with federal and state regulatory and human-health benchmarks. Analyses are based on the following three databases that contain water quality monitoring data for New Jersey: Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Private Well Testing Act (PWTA), and National Water Information System (NWIS). For public water systems served by groundwater in New Jersey, MTBE was detected at a concentration ≥10 μg/L, ≥20 μg/L, and ≥70 μg/L at least once in 30 (2%), 21 (1.4%), and five (0.3%) of sampled systems from 1997 to 2011, respectively. For private wells in New Jersey, MTBE was detected at a concentration ≥10 μg/L, ≥20 μg/L, and ≥70 μg/L at least once in 385 (0.5%), 183 (0.2%), and 46 (0.05%) of sampled wells from 2001 to 2011, respectively. For ambient groundwater wells in New Jersey, MTBE was detected at a concentration ≥10 μg/L, ≥20 μg/L, and ≥70 μg/L at least once in 14 (2.1%), 9 (1.3%), and 4 (0.6%) of sampled wells from 1993 to 2012, respectively. Average detected concentrations of MTBE, as well as detected concentrations at upper-end percentiles, were less than corresponding benchmarks for all three datasets. The available data show that MTBE is rarely detected in various source waters in New Jersey at a concentration that exceeds the State's health-based drinking water standard or other published benchmarks, and there is no evidence of an increasing trend in the detection frequency of MTBE. Other VOCs, such as tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), and benzene, are detected more often above corresponding regulatory or human-health benchmarks due to their higher detected concentrations in water and/or greater toxicity values. The current analysis provides useful data for evaluating the nature and extent of historical and current contamination of water supplies in New Jersey and potential opportunities for public exposures and health risks due to MTBE and other VOCs on a statewide basis. Additional forensic or forecasting analyses are required to identify the sources or timing of releases of individual contaminants at specific locations or to predict potential future water contamination in New Jersey.     

环境水样中甲基汞的前处理和分析方法技术进展研究

环境水样中的甲基汞含量很低,但极易发生生物富集,且具有挥发性和高度的脂溶性,对神经系统造成不可逆的损害.而目前中国环境水样中的甲基汞检测标准滞后,且存在较大弊端,亟需更新.本文综述了前处理技术(液液萃取、固相萃取、固相微萃取、衍生化)和仪器技术(GC、GC-MS、HPLC-ICP-MS和CVAFS)等在检测环境水样中甲基汞的应用实例,论述了各种前处理技术和仪器分析方法的特点与不足,以期在分析环境水体中甲基汞的含量和前处理技术方面提供参考,并对未来的检测手段进行了展望.     

Ti/SnO2-Sb2O5/PbO2电极的制备及降解不同污染物性能研究

采用溶胶凝胶法和电沉积法分别制备了Ti/SnO2-Sb2O5/PbO2电极的中间层和表面活性层,并通过XRD和SEM对电极的中间层和表面活性层进行了相关表征.结果表明,制得的电极表面为β型PbO2,表面形貌均匀致密.同时,采用线性伏安扫描和交流阻抗测试对电极的电化学性能进行了测试.结果表明,电解液中污染物的存在可提高电极的析氧电位,中间层的制备可以有效提高电极的催化性能.另外,通过测定电极对苯酚、靛蓝胭脂红、甲基橙3种不同类型污染物的去除率、COD去除率,研究了该电极对不同类型有机物的降解规律.结果表明,在相同条件下该电极对靛蓝胭脂红的去除速率较高且所需电压最低,降解1 h时靛蓝胭脂红去除率即达100%,甲基橙降解3 h时其COD去除率高达55%.     

A comprehensive review on biodiesel production using Moringa oleifera oil

Biodiesel has emerged as one of the most promising renewable energy to substitute existing petroleum-derived diesel fuel being used in transportation sectors. Among the various feedstocks reported for biodiesel production, Moringa oleifera oil is becoming a promising replacement for conventional diesel fuel. Therefore, this work provides a comprehensive overview of the recent progress in biodiesel production from Moringa oleifera oil. The physicochemical properties, fatty acid composition of oil and methyl esters, oil extraction methods, esterification, and transesterification process, and purification methods employed in the biodiesel production have been discussed.     

A semipermeable membrane equilibrator for halomethanes in seawater

An equilibrator for sampling the partial pressures of halomethanes in seawater was designed and built, incorporating semipermeable membrane tubing to carry the gas phase. The equilibrator was tested for its ability to equilibrate chloromethane, bromomethane, iodomethane, and CFC-11. The residence time required for these halomethanes to equilibrate in the tubing (30 to 60 s) was determined experimentally. In a laboratory test, concentrations calculated from equilibrator measurements and based on published solubility values were found to differ by 6% to 16% from concentrations measured with a purge-and-trap apparatus, but uncertainties in the solubility values are likely to contribute significantly to the differences. In a comparison at sea, no significant difference was found between the semipermeable membrane equilibrator and another, more conventional equilibrator, except a 1.3% difference for CFC-11. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using semipermeable membranes in this and related applications.     

催化臭氧氧化染料溶液的研究

采用催化臭氧化技术降解染料废水,以甲基紫溶液为目标污染物,研究了过渡型金属离子的类型,Fe2+的浓度,溶液初始pH值,染料浓度和正丁醇等因素对其降解率的影响。实验结果表明:臭氧氧化甲基紫溶液的过程中,加入一定浓度的过渡型金属离子对甲基紫的去除具有促进作用;当臭氧浓度为16 mg/L,一定浓度范围内,Fe2+催化臭氧化的效果随着浓度的增加而增加,但Fe2+浓度为13 mg/L时,甲基紫的降解率下降;在酸性范围时,pH值增大其降解率会减小;染料浓度增加,甲基紫的降解率减小,但是其绝对降解值会增加;正丁醇的加入抑制氧化反应的进行,甲基紫的降解率下降,说明催化臭氧化过程中有羟基自由基产生。染料降解过程符合一级反应动力学规律。     

Increased functionality of methyl oleate using alkene metathesis

A series of alkene cross-metathesis reactions were performed using a homogeneous ruthenium-based catalyst. Using this technology, a variety of functional groups can be incorporated into the bio-based starting material, methyl oleate. Trans-stilbene, styrene, methyl cinnamate and hexen-3-ol have all been shown to give desirable products. Using this technology, aromatics, alcohols or additional esters can be incorporated into the products. For example, the cross-metathesis reaction of methyl oleate with methyl cinnamate by the second-generation Grubbs catalyst showed 70% conversion of methyl oleate into products where half of the observed products contain an aromatic group and over one-third of the products contain an α,β-unsaturated methyl ester. This promising green route is versatile, and with an appropriate selection of starting materials, it is applicable to the synthesis of polymer precursors, industrial fluids or any other application where the upgrade of natural oils is necessary.     

微波诱导鳞片石墨-H2O2催化氧化处理甲基紫废水

研究微波诱导鳞片石墨-H2O2催化氧化处理甲基紫废水工艺,探讨各种因素的协同作用及对废水脱色效果的影响,并采用SEM、EDX、XRD和FTIR对新鲜及使用6次后的鳞片石墨进行表征。结果表明,微波诱导鳞片石墨-H2O2能高效快速降解废水中的甲基紫;在50mL初始pH为3,质量浓度为10mg／L的甲基紫废水中,H2O2用量1mL／L,鳞片石墨3g／L,微波输出功率259W,微波辐射时间9min的最佳处理工艺条件下,甲基紫脱色率达到了98．80％;微波、鳞片石墨、H2O2体系对甲基紫废水降解效果明显,产生协同效应。紫外-可见光谱分析表明,废水中甲基紫结构被破坏,但仍含有少量苯环等小分子。动力学研究表明,脱色反应符合一级反应动力学规律,反应速率常数^为0．42613min^-1,反应半衰期t。为1．626min。     

Behavior of bensulfuron-methyl in an agricultural alkaline soil

A field experiment to determine the available bensulfuron-methyl (BSM) in the upper soil layer was conducted in an agricultural area in the South of Spain. To facilitate herbicide analysis, two application rates were employed, 200 g ha^?1 and 5 kg ha^?1. Samples of upper soil and soil solution were collected. Soil solution was sampled by means of metallic samplers, placed at a depth of 35 cm. In the plots receiving the lower dose ceramic suction, porous cups were also installed. Results from soil solution samples showed that the maximum BSM concentration was found after 8-10 days for the high irrigation supply (945 mm) and after 18-25 days for the lower irrigation regime (405 mm). The mathematical model FOCUSPELMO 1.1.1 was applied to interpret the data obtained in the field experiments. In general, there was a reasonable agreement between experimental and simulated data for soil samples, although the model did not acceptably predict herbicide concentrations in water soil samples. Ceramic cups sampled a higher soil water volume and more frequently than did the metallic samplers. However some variable results were attributed to preferential flow.     

Biodegradation of tribenuron methyl that is mediated by microbial acidohydrolysis at cell-soil interface

Tribenuron methyl (TBM) is a member of the sulfonylurea herbicide family and is widely used in weed control. Due to its phytotoxicity to rotating-crops, concerns on TBM-pollution to soil have been raised. In this study, experimental results indicated that microbial activity played a key role in TBM removal from polluted soil. Twenty-six bacterial strains were isolated and their degradation of TBM was evaluated. Serratia sp. strain BW30 was selected and subjected to further investigation on its degradative mechanism. TBM degradation by strain BW30 was dependent on glucose that was converted into lactic or oxalic acids. HPLC-MS analysis revealed two end-products from TBM degradation, and they were identical to the products from TBM acidohydrolysis. Based on this observation, it is proposed that microbe-mediated acidohydrolysis of TBM was involved in TBM degradation in soil, and possible application of this observation in bioremediation of TBM-polluted soil is discussed.