Effect of selected scavengers on radiolytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol for environmental purposes

The effect of pH of irradiated aerated solutions and the presence of various concentrations of bicarbonate and nitrate on radiolytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol in aqueous solutions with γ-irradiation was examined using reversed phase HPLC and ion chromatography. The obtaining complete decomposition and dehalogenation of 2,4-dichlorophenol in the presence of naturally occurring inorganic scavengers may require to increase the irradiation dose in batch conditions up to 10 kGy. The presence of scavengers at different doses affects both efficiency of radiolytic degradation and its mechanism.     

Radiolysis of aqueous solutions of ethylenediaminetetraacetatocerium(III)

The effect of γ-rays on acidic and alkaline solutions of ethylenediaminetetraacetatocerium(III) has been studied both in the presence and absence of oxygen. A mechanism is proposed, in which the radiolytic degradation of the complex is due only to OH, while the radiolytic oxidation of Ce(III) EDTA to Ce(IV) by γ-rays occurs via the formation of hydrogen peroxide.     

Radiolytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in dilute aqueous solution: pH dependence

The reactions of hydroxyl radical and hydrated electron intermediates of water radiolysis were studied in the radiolytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) at pH values of 4, 6 and 8. The hydrated electron reactions are also suggested to contribute to the aromatic ring decomposition in addition to the highly effective hydroxyl radical reactions. The experimental results suggest also some contribution from the O₂^−•/HO₂^• pair to the degradation. The degradation efficiency was found to be the highest at pH 8 and the lowest at pH 6.     

Radiolyse des solutions aqueuses du complexe cerium(III)-acide triethylene tetraaminehexaacetique

Irradiation of cerium III-triethylenetetraaminehexaacetic acid (TTHA) solutions was done. The degradation of the metal chelate was determined. A radiolytic mechanism has been proposed where it has been showed that the degradation is due to the OH radical, while oxidation of trivalent cerium to tetravalent cerium is due to the hydrogen peroxide molecule.      

Radiolytic degradation of pesticide 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA)—Experimental data and kinetic modelling

The aqueous solutions of MCPA have been γ-irradiated in different conditions, where particular active radical species from water radiolysis predominate. The obtained data confirmed that largest yield of radiolytic decomposition is obtained in oxidation processes, where oxidation is carried out with hydroxyl radicals. The obtained data have been compared with kinetic modelling. A fair agreement was obtained for degradation of MCPA in different experimental conditions, including also irradiation in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, that in optimised conditions can be used to enhance the yield of decomposition. The obtained data have also shown a strong effect of the presence of large amount of chloride on yield of MCPA decomposition, which can be attributed to strong oxidation properties of chlorine radicals formed. It is also shown that MCPA can be completely decomposed in industrial wastes from various stages of MCPA production, although this is not accompanied by satisfactory reduction of toxicity of examined wastes.     

Oxidative destruction of dinitrophenols by Fenton’s reagent in the presence of inorganic salts

The influence of inorganic salts on the kinetics of oxidation of 2,4-and 2,6-dinitrophenols by Fenton’s reagent, hydrogen peroxide, in the presence of iron(II) ions was studied.     

Selective detection of underivatized 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in soil by supercritical fluid chromatography with ion mobility detection

A simplified procedure was developed for the determination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in soils. Soil samples were separated by supercritical fluid chromatography after extraction without derivatization and without the use of column chromatography for cleanup. Interferences in the chromatographic separation were eliminated by using a tunably selective ion mobility detector. An atmospheric pressure ion formed by the free acid was selectively monitored so the detector could monitor 2,4-D in the presence of other electron-capturing compounds. For a randomly chosen soil sample, the level of 2,4-D detected was estimated at 500 ppb.     

Laccase from Coriolus hirsutus as alternate label for enzyme immunoassay

A new label—laccase from the fungus Coriolus hirsutus—was applied for solid-phaseenzyme-linked immunosorbentassays of the pesticide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Two proposed assays are based on (1) competitive binding of antibody-laccase conjugate with immobilized 2,4-D-protein conjugate and 2,4-D in tested sample, and (2) competition of 2,4-D and 2,4-D-laccase conjugate for binding with immobilized antibodies. Kinetic and concentration dependencies for these reactions were studied, and the ELISAs were optimized in accordance with the data obtained. The elaborated systems perm it the detection of 2,4-D in concentrations down to 10–20ng/mL; time of the assays is 1.5–2 h. The main advantage of the laccase label, in comparison with the widely used peroxidase one, lies in the lack of hydrogen peroxide from substrate mixture, because dissolved oxygen plays the role of oxidizer.     

Mechanism of hydroxyl radical-induced breakdown of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-d)

Oxidative transformations by the hydroxyl radical are significant in advanced oxidation processes for the breakdown of organic pollutants, yet mechanistic details of the reactions are lacking. A combination of experimental and computational methods has been employed in this study to elucidate the reactivity of the hydroxyl radical with the widely used herbicide 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid). The experimental data on the reactivity of the hydroxyl radical in the degradation of the herbicide 2,4-D were obtained from gamma-radiolysis experiments with both (18)O-labeled and unlabeled water. These were complemented by computational studies of the (.)OH attack on 2,4-D and 2,4-DCP (2,4-dichlorophenol) in the gas phase and in solution. These studies firmly established the kinetically controlled attack ipso to the ether functionality as the main reaction pathway of (.)OH and 2,4-D, followed by homolytic elimination of the ether side chain. In addition, the majority of the early intermediates in the reaction between the hydroxyl radical and 2,4-DCP, the major intermediate, were identified experimentally. While the hydroxyl radical attacks 2,4-D by (.)OH-addition/elimination on the aromatic ring, the oxidative breakdown of 2,4-DCP occurs through (.)OH addition followed by either elimination of chlorine or formation of the ensuing dichlorophenoxyl radical.     

Products of Cu(II)-catalyzed oxidation of alpha-synuclein fragments containing M1-D2 and H50 residues in the presence of hydrogen peroxide

Metal-catalyzed oxidation (MCO) of proteins is mainly a site-specific process in which one or a few amino acids at metal-binding sites on the protein are preferentially oxidized. The oxidation of proteins by MCO can lead to oxidation of amino acid residue side chains, cleavage of the peptide bonds and formation of covalent protein-protein cross-linked derivatives. In an attempt to elucidate the products of the copper(II)-catalyzed oxidation of the 29-56, M29-D30-56 and Ac-M29-D30-56 fragments of alpha-synuclein, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) methods and Cu(II)/hydrogen peroxide as a model oxidizing system were employed. The peptide solution (0.50 mM) was incubated at 37 degrees C for 24 h with metal : peptide : hydrogen peroxide 1 : 1 : 4 molar ratio in phosphate buffer, pH 7.4. Oxidation targets for all studied peptides are the histidine residues coordinated to the metal ions. For the M29-D30-56 and Ac-M29-D30-56 peptides the oxidation of the methionine residue to methionine sulfoxide and sulfone is observed. The cleavage of the peptide bond M29-D30 for the M29-D30-56 peptide was detected as metal binding residues. The fragmentations of the M29-D30-56 peptide near the Lys residues were observed supporting the participation of this (Lys) residue in the coordination of the copper(II) ions.     

Synergetic degradation of chitosan with gamma radiation and hydrogen peroxide

Chitosan samples were irradiated by ⁶⁰Co γ-rays in the presence of hydrogen peroxide with radiation dose from 10 kGy to 100 kGy. The degradation was monitored by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), revealing the existence of a synergetic effect on the degradation. Structures of the degraded products were characterized with Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible spectral (UV-vis) analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results showed that the crystallinity of chitosan decreases with degradation, and the crystalline state of water-soluble chitosan is entirely different from that of water-insoluble chitosan. An elemental analysis method was employed to investigate changes in the element content of chitosan after degradation. Mechanism of chitosan radiation degradation with and without hydrogen peroxide was also discussed.     

Radiolytic degradation of malathion and lindane in aqueous solutions

Degradation of malathion and lindane pesticides present in an aqueous solution was investigated on a laboratory scale upon gamma-irradiation from a ⁶⁰Co source. The effects of pesticide group, presence of various additives and absorbed dose on efficiency of pesticide degradation were investigated. Gamma-irradiation was carried out in distilled water solutions (malathion and lindane) and in combination with humic solution (HS), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and HS/N₂O (lindane) over the range 0.1–2 kGy (malathion) and 5–30 kGy (lindane). Malathion was easily degraded at low absorbed doses compared to lindane in distilled water solutions. Absorbed doses required to remove 50% and 90% of initial malathion and lindane concentrations in distilled water solutions were 0.53 and 1.77 kGy (malathion) and 17.97 and 28.79 kGy (lindane), respectively. The presence of HS, N₂O and HS/N₂O additives in aqueous solutions, significantly improved the effectiveness of radiolytic degradation of lindane. Chemical analysis of the pesticides and the by-products resulted from the radiolytic degradation were made using a gas chromatography associated with mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Additionally, the final degradation products of irradiation as detected by ion chromatography (IC) were acetic acid and traces of some anions (phosphate and chloride).     

New immunosensors for 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T pesticides determination

New immunosensors for 2-(2, 4-dichlorophenoxy) acetic acid (i.e. 2,4-D) and (2, 4, 5-trichlorophenoxy) acetic acid (i.e. 2,4,5-T) pesticide determination were developed using a non commercial antibody, hydrogen peroxide transducer and horseradish peroxidase as enzyme marker. The results show the full validity of these immunosensor devices, which were optimized using a ‘competition’ separation procedure. These immunosensors were also used to test pesticide recovery in common real matrices such as field grass, maize and wheat samples, for which good results were obtained. The immunosensors developed demonstrated a good selectivity versus different kinds of pesticides and may thus be considered as suitable devices for application to real matrices (LOD?=?8.0?×?10^?11?mol?L^?1; RSD%?=?5.2 for 2,4-D and LOD?=?2.8?×?10^?9?mol?L^?1; RSD%?=?6.1 for 2,4,5-T).     

Cyclodextrins for remediation of soils contaminated with chlorinated organics

The effect of random methylated ??CD (RAMEB) on the efficiency of various remediation technologies was studied in lab-scale model-experiments applying soil and groundwater originating from a site contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE). The solubility of TCE was enhanced to tenfold in 10% solution of RAMEB compared to that in water. This solubilizing effect was utilized for remediation of the TCE contaminated soil using enhanced groundwater extraction and in situ TCE oxidation by ISCO (= in situ chemical oxidation). The effect of CD on TCE extraction from soil was studied using two technologies: ground-water extraction followed by air stripping or UV irradiation. The RAMEB-enhanced ISCO was applied directly to the water-saturated soil without water extraction or separation. The efficiency of air stripping of TCE (removal by bubbling air through the contaminated ground-water obtained by extraction) was decreased in the presence of RAMEB due to the volatility decreasing effect of complexation. The efficiency of the entire technology (extraction and air stripping together) was, however, enhanced as three times more TCE was dissolved, and more than twice as much could be removed when 5% RAMEB solution was applied instead of water. Similar results were obtained by UV irradiation. Although the complexation has a protective effect against degradation caused by irradiation, the efficiency of the technology (extraction and subsequent UV irradiation) is enhanced to approximately threefold, because more than 10 times higher TCE concentration was found in the extract using 20% RAMEB concentration. ISCO is based on Fe-catalyzed oxidation using hydrogen peroxide. The catalytic effect of RAMEB was observed only when it was applied together with Fe(II) salts. Without Fe(II) the effect of complex formation dominated. When hydrogen peroxide and FeSO₄ were applied with RAMEB, over five times enhancement in TCE removal was obtained compared to the technology based on the addition of hydrogen peroxide and Fe(II) salts without RAMEB. This effect shows that the solubilizing effect on iron catalyst is at least as much or even more important than the solubilizing effect on TCE. The ternary complex formation with ferrous/ferric ion and TCE seems to be responsible for the enhanced efficacy.     

Mechanistic studies of hydrogen-peroxide-mediated anthocyanin oxidation

The oxidation of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside by hydrogen peroxide was investigated in a range of solvents. The reaction products had chemical structures identical to those formed by the reaction of this compound with the alkylperoxyl radical 2,2?-azobis(2,4-dimethyl)valeronitrile. A plausible oxidation mechanism was proposed based on the obtained reaction products, and this mechanism was confirmed by HPLC–MS experiments using ¹⁸O-labeled reagents. Further, the reaction conditions were found to influence both the reaction rate and the products formed during the transformation, which validated the proposed mechanism.     

An N,N''-dialkyl-4,4''-bipyridinium-modified titanium-dioxide photocatalyst for water remediation - observation and application of supramolecular effects in photocatalytic degradation of p-donor organic compounds

The photocatalytic activity of TiO2 (Degussa P-25) modified with a 4,4'-bipyridinium monolayer (V2+-TiO2) has been compared with that of conventional TiO2-P-25 by investigating the efficiency of degradation of a series of four organic model compounds with increasing pi-donor capacity (2,4-xylidine, 2,4-dimethylphenol, hydroquinone, and dimethylhydroquinone). As far as the mechanism of the first oxidation reaction is concerned, evidence for the formation of supramolecular donor-acceptor complexes with the bipyridinium units at the semiconductor surface was obtained by comparison of the Langmuir-adsorption characteristics and the efficiencies of photodegradation of the different substrates. Furthermore, the main intermediates of the photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-xylidine were identified, and the presence of 2,4-dimethylphenol indicates that the main pathway of substrate oxidation proceeds via electron transfer from the adsorbed organic substrate to the "holes" within the valence band of the photoexcited semiconductors V2+-TiO2 and TiO2. The efficiencies of photocatalytic degradation by both V2+-TiO2 and TiO2 were limited by the trapping efficiency of the conduction band electrons by molecular oxygen.     

Deprotection of dithioacetals with 30% hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by tantalum(V) chloride–sodium iodide or niobium(V) chloride–sodium iodide

The reaction of dithioacetals with 30% hydrogen peroxide in the presence of catalytic amounts of tantalum(V) and iodide ion effectively produced carbonyl compounds in high yields. Dithioacetals also can be deprotected using the niobium(V) catalyzed oxidation of iodide ion by hydrogen peroxide under mild conditions.     

Synergistic degradation to prepare oligochitosan by γ-irradiation of chitosan solution in the presence of hydrogen peroxide

Synergistic degradation of chitosan by γ-irradiation of chitosan solution (3%) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (0.25%, 0.5% and 1%) was investigated. The efficiency of the degradation process was demonstrated by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analysis of the average molecular weight of degraded chitosan (oligochitosan). Structures of resultant oligochitosan were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results showed that oligochitosan with Mw from 5000 to 10,000 could be efficiently prepared by γ-irradiation of chitosan solution containing a small amount of hydrogen peroxide at low dose less than 10 kGy. There was almost no significant change in the main chain structure of oligochitosan; however, the obtained oligochitosans lost about 10% of amino groups and the formation of carboxyl groups could not be specified by FT-IR spectra. The morphology state of oligochitosan was essentially amorphous, which differs from that of original chitosan. The combined γ ray/H₂O₂ method is significantly efficient for scale-up manufacture of oligochitosan.     

有序介孔锰氧化物催化过氧化氢降解水中诺氟沙星

采用硬模板法制备了有序介孔氧化锰,并用过氧化氢氧化诺氟沙星的降解率及其抗菌活性变化评价了其催化活性.研究发现,有序介孔锰氧化物表现出较高的催化活性;低pH有利于提高其催化活性.与单独过氧化氢氧化过程相比,有序介孔锰氧化物的存在明显减弱了诺氟沙星的抗菌活性.叔丁醇对催化体系的抑制作用表明有序介孔锰氧化物促进了过氧化氢分解生成羟基自由基.通过对诺氟沙星在催化过程中的分解产物鉴定,提出了可能的分解途径.