Biodegradation of Herbicide Propanil and Its Subproduct 3,4‐Dichloroaniline in Water

The rational use of pesticides generates an impact which is normally reversed and eliminated by the environment itself. However, the indiscriminate use of pesticides makes its natural degradation rhythm difficult, prolonging their presence in the soil for a great deal of time. Aiming towards a decrease in the environmental impact of pesticides, soil microorganisms capable of degrading pesticides, such as propanil, were investigated. An Enterobacter cloacae strain, isolated from rice field soil, was exposed to the herbicide propanil alone and in a mixture containing also bentazone, clomazone, quinclorac, and 2,4‐D. This bacterium was able to eliminate 100% of the applied propanil in 28 days. Propanil degradation in the 5‐herbicide mixture was much lower than that of individual pesticide degradation. The aeration of the system helped to degrade propanil and its subproduct 3,4‐dichloroaniline much faster. LC with UV detection was used to determine the remaining concentrations of the herbicides and their subproducts.     

Sensitive Ion‐Flotation Separation of Ag(I) Traces Using 2‐(2‐Methoxyphenyl)benzimidazole before Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Determination in Water

A sensitive, reliable, and environmentally friendly method for simple separation and preconcentration of Ag(I) traces in aqueous samples is presented prior to their flame atomic absorption spectrometric determinations. At pH 7.0, Ag(I) was separated with 2‐(2‐methoxyphenyl)benzimidazole (MPBI) as a new complexing agent and floated after adding sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a foaming reagent. The floated layer was then dissolved in proper amount of concentrated nitric acid in methanol and introduced to the flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS). The effects of pH, concentration of MPBI, type and amount of surfactant as the floating agent, type and amount of eluting agent, and influence of foreign ions on the recovery of the analyte ion were investigated. Also, using a nonlinear curve fitting method, the formation constant of 1.62 × 10⁶ was obtained for Ag(I)–MPBI complex. The analytical curve was linear in the range of 1.8 × 10^?7–1.7 × 10^?6 mol/L for determination of Ag(I). The relative standard deviation (RSD; N = 10) corresponding to 0.7 × 10^?6 mol/L of Ag(I), the limit of detection (10 blanks), and the enrichment factor were obtained as 1.7%, 2.9 × 10^?8 mol/L, and 43.0, respectively. The proposed procedure was then applied successfully for determination of silver ions in different water samples.     

Simultaneous Analysis of Natural Free Estrogens and Their Conjugates in Wastewater by GC‐MS

A solid‐phase extraction (SPE)‐gas chromatography (GC)‐mass spectrometry (MS) analytical method was developed for the simultaneous analysis of natural free estrogens and their conjugates in wastewater samples. Natural free estrogens and their conjugates in wastewater were successfully separated by the oasis hydrophilic‐lipophilic balance solid phase extraction (Oasis HLB SPE) method, and the conjugates were initially enzyme hydrolyzed by β‐glucuronidase or arylsulfatase from Helix pomatia prior to derivatization. N‐methyl‐N‐(tert‐butyldimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) plus 1% tert‐butyldimetheylchlorosilane (TBDMCS) was chosen as the derivatization reagent, and the most appropriate conditions of derivatization were determined to be at 95°C for 90 min. The recovery ratios of nine target chemicals were determined by spiking them in 1 L of ultra‐purified water or the influent of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The recovery ratios of six out of nine for the analytes ranged from 73.3–114.9% with relative standard deviations (RSD) from 1.6–19.9%. The established method was successfully applied to environmental wastewater samples which were collected from one municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Osaka, Japan, for the determination of natural free estrogens and their conjugates. In the influent sample, E1, E2, E1‐3S, E3‐3S, and E1‐3G were detected at concentrations of 16.6, 9.6, 8.2, 21.9, and 3.2 ng L^–1, respectively. However, only E1 was detected at a high concentration of 44 ng L^–1 in the effluent sample, suggesting that it is the dominant natural free estrogen in the effluent.     

Oxidative Degradation of Orange II Dye in Water with Raw and Acid‐Treated ZnO,and MnO2

Commercial ZnO, MnO₂, and their acid‐treated forms were used as catalysts for oxidative degradation of Orange II dye in water. ZnO and MnO₂ were treated with 0.5, 0.75, or 1.0 N aqueous H₂SO₄. The acid treated oxides were found to be highly effective in bringing about degradation of Orange II in water. As much as 68.7% of the dye in an aqueous solution of 1 mg/L concentration could be degraded with untreated ZnO as the catalyst. The degradation increased to 79.5% with 1.0 N acid treated ZnO as the catalyst when the reaction was carried out at room temperature for 240 min. The catalytic activity was slightly affected by the solution pH in the range of 2.0–8.0. With MnO₂ as the catalyst, there was only 12.7% degradation of the dye, but this increased up to 100% when 0.5 N acid treated MnO₂ was used as the catalyst. It was found that a catalyst loading of 5.0 g/L of raw and acid‐treated ZnO and a loading of 0.5 g/L of raw and acid‐treated MnO₂ could bring about almost 100% degradation of Orange II in water in an interaction time of 240 min at room temperature.     

Quantification of Aquatic Nano Particles after Different Steps of Bodensee Water Purification with Laser‐induced Breakdown Detection (LIBD)

The laser‐induced breakdown detection (LIBD) is a very sensitive method for the direct detection of colloids based on the plasma generation on single particles by a focused, pulsed laser beam and the detection of the produced shock wave or plasma light emission. For the determination of colloid sizes the light emission of single plasmas is detected by a microscope CCD‐camera system. With known mean particle diameter and breakdown probability the particle concentration can be calculated. The application of the LIBD to monitor the change of colloid concentration and size during the purification steps of drinking water at the Bodensee (Lake Constance, Germany) water purification plant is shown. The breakdown probability, correlating to colloid number density, decreases with every purification step. By addition of FeCl₃ as a precipitating agent and with an additional filtration step, not only suspended matter, but also colloids are effectively removed. After this process a remaining particle concentration of 50 ng/L and a mean particle diameter of 27 nm are found.     

Remediation of Iron,Manganese, and Organic Pollutants in Lignite‐Derived Water Using an Upflow Biological Aerated Filter

A large amount of lignite‐derived water is created during the process of refining lignite. The concentration of Fe, Mn, phenol, and some other organic pollutants of the lignite‐derived water is above the discharge permit or circulating cooling water reuse standard in China. A laboratory‐scale upflow biological aerated filter (UBAF) was developed to treat this lignite‐derived water. Three kinds of coke powders, as waste products in the coal chemical industry with 0.1–0.4 mm, 0.5–1.0 mm, and 1.0–2.0 mm in diameter, were tested as the UBAF's carrier materials. A comparative study of gas–water ratio for the UBAF is presented. The studies presented in this paper demonstrate that with coke powder diameter of 0.5–1.0 mm and gas/water ratio of 7:1, the UBAF reactor can achieve optimal removal efficiency. After the UBAF treatment, the removal efficiency of Fe, Mn, and phenol was found to be 38.4–62.5%, 56.6–74.3%, and 89.5–94.3%, respectively. The lignite‐derived water can meet the discharge permit to surface water and reuse standard for circulating cooling water after the treatment by UBAF. The coke powder, as a waste material, can be used as a support material for UBAF very well.     

Surveillance of Invasive Bacterial Pathogens and Human Enteric Viruses in Wastewater Final Effluents and Receiving Water Bodies – a Case Study from Durban,South Africa

The physico‐chemical characteristics and microbial composition of the final effluents of two municipal wastewater treatment plants in South Africa were assessed between July and September 2009. The impact of the treated final effluents on the receiving water bodies was also evaluated. The temperature across all sampling points ranged between 14 and 22°C, while pH varied from 6.9 to 7.6. High levels of turbidity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and orthophosphate (PO₄) were observed in many cases. Turbidity of the samples was in the range of 2.2–288.6 NTU. The concentrations (mg/L) of other physico‐chemical parameters are as follows: COD (9.33–289); ammonia (0.000340–45.4); nitrate (0.062–539); nitrite (0.021–22.6); PO₄ (5.3–33.2). The microbial quality of the effluents discharged from the plants did not comply with the limits set by the South African guidelines with respect to pathogens such as Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia coli, total coliform, faecal coliform, enterococci, faecal streptococci, and viral particles for effluents intended for discharge into receiving watersheds. This study revealed an undesirable impact on the physico‐chemical and microbial qualities of the receiving water bodies as a result of the discharge of inadequately treated effluents from the wastewater treatment facilities. This poses a health risk to several rural communities which rely on the receiving water bodies primarily as their sources of domestic water and recreational purposes. There is therefore a need for the intervention of appropriate regulatory agencies in South Africa to ensure compliance of treatment facilities with wastewater effluent quality standards.     

Water quality in the Dickinson Bayou watershed (Texas, Gulf of Mexico) and health issues

The Dickinson Bayou watershed (near Houston, Texas, Gulf of Mexico) provides habitat for numerous coastally influenced communities of wildlife, including scores of birds and fish. Encroaching development and impervious surfaces are altering the habitat and degrading water quality. Herein we have defined the current health of the bayou using water quality data collected between 2000 and 2006. Elevated bacteria (fecal coliform, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus) and depressed dissolved oxygen concentrations (often <3 mg l⁻¹) are the two major impairments to this ecosystem. While nutrient ratios indicate primary productivity may be nitrogen limited, concerns of eutrophication persist because the bayou has a low intrinsic flushing rate. Consistent with this is the magnitude of algal blooms (ca. 100 μg chl l⁻¹) which often occur in spring/summer. The findings of this study will assist with the understanding of the influence of urban development on small watersheds.     

Coprecipitation with Cu(II)‐4‐(2‐Pyridylazo)‐resorcinol for Separation and Preconcentration of Fe(III) and Ni(II) in Water and Food Samples

The coprecipitation method is widely used for the preconcentration of trace metal ions prior to their determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). A simple and sensitive method based on coprecipitation of Fe(III) and Ni(II) ions with Cu(II)‐4‐(2‐pyridylazo)‐resorcinol was developed. The analytical parameters including pH, amount of copper (II), amount of reagent, sample volume, etc., were examined. It was found that the metal ions studied were quantitatively coprecipitated in the pH range of 5.0–6.5. The detection limits (DL) (n = 10, 3s/b) were found to be 0.68 µg L^?1 for Fe(III) and 0.43 µg L^?1 for Ni(II) and the relative standard deviations (RSD) were ≤4.0%. The proposed method was validated by the analysis of three certified reference materials (TMDA 54.4 fortified lake water, SRM 1568a rice flour, and GBW07605 tea) and recovery tests. The method was successfully applied to sea water, lake water, and various food samples.