Degradability of hexachlorocyclohexanes in water using ferrate (VI)

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 405-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Homolková ◽  
P. Hrabák ◽  
M. Kolář ◽  
M. Černík

Regarding environmental pollution, the greatest public and scientific concern is aimed at the pollutants listed under the Stockholm Convention. These pollutants are not only persistent but also highly toxic with a high bioaccumulation potential. One of these pollutants, γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH), has been widely used in agriculture, which has resulted in wide dispersion in the environment. Remediation of this persistent and hazardous pollutant is difficult and remains unresolved. Of the many different approaches tested, to date, none has used ferrates. This is unexpected as ferrates are generally believed to be an ideal chemical reagent for water treatment due to their strong oxidation potential and the absence of harmful by-products. In this paper, the degradation/transformation of HCHs by ferrates under laboratory conditions was studied. HCH was degraded during this reaction, producing trichlorobenzenes and pentachlorocyclohexenes as by-products. A detailed investigation of pH conditions during Fe(VI) application identified pH as the main factor affecting degradation. We conclude that ferrate itself is unreactive with HCH and that high pH values, produced by K2O impurity and the reaction of ferrate with water, are responsible for HCH transformation. Finally, a comparison of Fe(VI) with Fe(0) is provided in order to suggest their environmental applicability for HCH degradation.

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 751-756
Author(s):  
A. A. Anigboro ◽  
E. Aganbi ◽  
N. J. Tonukari

Maize offal, a by-product of maize milling industry that constitutes environmental pollution is under-utilized. This study investigated the effect of solid state fermentation on maize offal using Rhizopus oligosporus under acidic and basic conditions (pH range of 3 to 9). Soluble proteins content, glucose and amylase activity of the fermented by-products were evaluated after five days’ period of fermentation. The result showed a significant increase in soluble proteins content at pH 3, glucose at pH 6 and amylase activity at pH 7 when compared with the control (P < 0.05). This showed that solid state fermentation improves the nutritional value of maize offal at different pH values. Thus, livestock feeds formulation industries could harness this process in the utilization of maize offal for poultry, other farm animal feeds and food fortification for protein enhancement thereby, preventing environmental pollution.


1997 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 179-187
Author(s):  
Clifford N. Matthews ◽  
Rose A. Pesce-Rodriguez ◽  
Shirley A. Liebman

AbstractHydrogen cyanide polymers – heterogeneous solids ranging in color from yellow to orange to brown to black – may be among the organic macromolecules most readily formed within the Solar System. The non-volatile black crust of comet Halley, for example, as well as the extensive orangebrown streaks in the atmosphere of Jupiter, might consist largely of such polymers synthesized from HCN formed by photolysis of methane and ammonia, the color observed depending on the concentration of HCN involved. Laboratory studies of these ubiquitous compounds point to the presence of polyamidine structures synthesized directly from hydrogen cyanide. These would be converted by water to polypeptides which can be further hydrolyzed to α-amino acids. Black polymers and multimers with conjugated ladder structures derived from HCN could also be formed and might well be the source of the many nitrogen heterocycles, adenine included, observed after pyrolysis. The dark brown color arising from the impacts of comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 on Jupiter might therefore be mainly caused by the presence of HCN polymers, whether originally present, deposited by the impactor or synthesized directly from HCN. Spectroscopic detection of these predicted macromolecules and their hydrolytic and pyrolytic by-products would strengthen significantly the hypothesis that cyanide polymerization is a preferred pathway for prebiotic and extraterrestrial chemistry.


2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1803) ◽  
pp. 20142782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Prazeres ◽  
Sven Uthicke ◽  
John M. Pandolfi

Large benthic foraminifera are significant contributors to sediment formation on coral reefs, yet they are vulnerable to ocean acidification. Here, we assessed the biochemical and morphological impacts of acidification on the calcification of Amphistegina lessonii and Marginopora vertebralis exposed to different pH conditions. We measured growth rates (surface area and buoyant weight) and Ca-ATPase and Mg-ATPase activities and calculated shell density using micro-computer tomography images. In A. lessonii , we detected a significant decrease in buoyant weight, a reduction in the density of inner skeletal chambers, and an increase of Ca-ATPase and Mg-ATPase activities at pH 7.6 when compared with ambient conditions of pH 8.1. By contrast, M. vertebralis showed an inhibition in Mg-ATPase activity under lowered pH, with growth rate and skeletal density remaining constant. While M. vertebralis is considered to be more sensitive than A. lessonii owing to its high-Mg-calcite skeleton, it appears to be less affected by changes in pH, based on the parameters assessed in this study. We suggest difference in biochemical pathways of calcification as the main factor influencing response to changes in pH levels, and that A. lessonii and M. vertebralis have the ability to regulate biochemical functions to cope with short-term increases in acidity.


2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-118

The formation of Disinfection By-Products (DBPs) in drinking water results from the reaction of chlorine or other disinfectants added to the water with naturally occurring organic materials, and has raised concerns during the last decades because these compounds are harmful for human health. During the present work, the formation of different categories of DBPs was investigated in four water treatment plants (WTP) using chlorine as disinfectant, and in selected points of the distribution network of Athens, Greece, which is supplied from these four WTP, during a period of ten years. The concentrations of DBPs were generally low and the annual mean concentrations always well below the regulatory limit of the European Union (EU) for the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs). The haloacetic acids (HAAs) have not been regulated in the EU, but during this investigation they often occurred in significant levels, sometimes exceeding the levels of TTHMs, which highlights the importance of their monitoring in drinking water. Apart from THMs and HAAs, several other DBPs species were detected at much lower concentrations in the chlorinated waters: chloral hydrate, haloketones and, in a limited number of cases, haloacetonitriles.


2009 ◽  
Vol 168 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 753-759 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingling Zhang ◽  
Ping Gu ◽  
Zijie Zhong ◽  
Dong Yang ◽  
Wenjie He ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamilla M. S. Hansen ◽  
Hans-Jørgen Albrechtsen ◽  
Henrik R. Andersen

In order to identify the optimal pH range for chlorinated swimming pools, the formation of trihalomethanes, haloacetonitriles and trichloramine was investigated in the pH-range 6.5–7.5 in batch experiments. An artificial body fluid analogue was used to simulate bather load as the precursor for by-products. The chlorine-to-precursor ratio used in the batch experiments influenced the amounts of by-products formed, but regardless of the ratio the same trends in the effect of pH were observed. Trihalomethane formation was reduced by decreasing pH, but haloacetonitrile and trichloramine formation increased. To evaluate the significance of the increase and decrease of the investigated organic by-products at the different pH values, the genotoxicity was calculated based on literature values. The calculated genotoxicity was approximately at the same level in the pH range 6.8–7.5 and increased when pH was 6.7 or lower. An optimal pH range for by-products formation in swimming pools was identified at pH 7.0–7.2. In the wider pH range (pH 6.8–7.5), the effect on by-product formation was negligible. Swimming pools should never be maintained at lower pH than 6.8 since formation of both haloacetonitriles and trichloramine increase significantly below this value.


Industrialization and modernization in recent times have led to a water crisis across the world. Conventional methods of water treatment like physical, chemical and biological methods which comprise of many commonly used techniques like membrane separation, adsorption, chemical treatment etc. have been in use for many decades. However, problems like sludge disposal, high operating costs etc. have led to increased focus on Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) as alternative treatment methods. AOPs basically involve reactions relying on the high oxidation potential of the hydroxyl (OH•) free radical. They have the potential to efficiently treat various toxic, organic pollutants and complete degradation of contaminants (mineralization) of emerging concern. Many different types of homogenous as well as heterogenous AOPs have been studied viz: UV/H2O2, Fenton, Photo-Fenton, Sonolysis, Photocatalysis etc. for treatment of a wide variety of organic pollutants. Different AOPs are suitable for different types of wastewater and hence proper selection of the right technique for a particular type of pollutant is required. The inherent advantages offered by AOPs like elimination of sludge disposal problems, operability under mild conditions, ability to harness sunlight, non selective nature (ability to degrade all organic and microbial contamination) etc. have made it one of the most actively researched areas in recent times for wastewater treatment. Despite the benefits and intense research, commercial applicability of AOPs as a practical technique for treating wastewater on a large scale is still far from satisfactory. Nevertheless, positive results in lab scale and pilot plant studies make them a promising water treatment technique for the future. In the present chapter, an attempt has been made to discuss all aspects of AOPs beginning with the fundamental concepts, classification, underlying mechanism, comparison, commercialization to the latest developments in AOPs.


Industrialization and modernization in recent times have led to a water crisis across the world. Conventional methods of water treatment like physical, chemical and biological methods which comprise of many commonly used techniques like membrane separation, adsorption, chemical treatment etc. have been in use for many decades. However, problems like sludge disposal, high operating costs etc. have led to increased focus on Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) as alternative treatment methods. AOPs basically involve reactions relying on the high oxidation potential of the hydroxyl (OH•) free radical. They have the potential to efficiently treat various toxic, organic pollutants and complete degradation of contaminants (mineralization) of emerging concern. Many different types of homogenous as well as heterogenous AOPs have been studied viz: UV/H2O2, Fenton, Photo-Fenton, Sonolysis, Photocatalysis etc. for treatment of a wide variety of organic pollutants. Different AOPs are suitable for different types of wastewater and hence proper selection of the right technique for a particular type of pollutant is required. The inherent advantages offered by AOPs like elimination of sludge disposal problems, operability under mild conditions, ability to harness sunlight, non selective nature (ability to degrade all organic and microbial contamination) etc. have made it one of the most actively researched areas in recent times for wastewater treatment. Despite the benefits and intense research, commercial applicability of AOPs as a practical technique for treating wastewater on a large scale is still far from satisfactory. Nevertheless, positive results in lab scale and pilot plant studies make them a promising water treatment technique for the future. In the present chapter, an attempt has been made to discuss all aspects of AOPs beginning with the fundamental concepts, classification, underlying mechanism, comparison, commercialization to the latest developments in AOPs.


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