Concentrations Of Target Compounds Research Articles

Distribution of anionic and nonionic surfactants in a sewage-impacted Mediterranean coastal lagoon: Inputs and seasonal variations

In this work we have monitored the seasonal inputs, occurrence and distribution of the world's most widely used surfactants (linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, LAS, nonylphenol polyethoxylates, NPEOs, and alcohol polyethoxylates, AEOs) in Mar Menor lagoon (SE Spain) and its main tributary (El Albujón) for the first time. Concentration of target compounds was determined in both surface waters and sediments after solid phase extraction and pressurized liquid extraction, respectively, followed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). There were significant differences in surfactant fluxes from El Albujón towards Mar Menor depending on the season and the day of the week, with maximum estimated annual inputs being detected for LAS (406kg) and their metabolites, sulfophenyl carboxylic acids (482kg). Average concentrations of surfactants in the lagoon were between 44 and 1665μg/kg in sediment, and between 0.3 and 63μg/L in water. These levels were significantly higher for samples collected near the shore than for those measured inside the lagoon itself. Overall, the occurrence and distribution of surfactants in the system could be explained due to a combination of different sources (surface and groundwater inputs, treated and untreated wastewater effluents, towns, ports, etc.) and simultaneous in-situ physicochemical and biological processes, with an special emphasis on degradation during warmer months.

삼겹살 구이로부터 발생하는 유해물질의 특성 연구

Pork belly meat is one of the most preferred food items for many Korean people. The odorants released from cooking of pork belly meat were measured by three kinds of cooking methods (Charcoal-grill (C), Electric Pan (E), and Gas burner-pan (G)). A total of 16 target compounds including carbonyl compounds, volatile organic compounds, and poly aromatic hydrocarbon were selected and analyzed for comparative purposes. Their emission concentrations were quantified using HPLC-UV, GC-MS, GC-TOF-MS, etc. The gas samples collected by Charcoal-grill cooking showed generally enhanced concentrations of most target compounds among all three kinds of cooking methods. In Charcoal-grill, concentration of benzene, formaldehyde and pyrene went up to 543, 516, and 402 ppb, respectively. It the results are compared in terms of the sum of odor intensity, the highest value (4.25) was also seen from Charcoal-grill. The results of this study confirm that the significantly reduced emission of harmful pollutants can be attained, it pork belly meat is cooked by the Gas or electric pan instead of Charcoal-grill.

Assessing single and joint toxicity of three phenylurea herbicides using Lemna minor and Vibrio fischeri bioassays

Single and joint toxicity of three substituted urea herbicides, namely monolinuron [3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea], linuron [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea] and diuron [1-(3,4 dichlorophenyl)-3,3 dimethyl urea], were studied. The duckweed Lemna minor and the luminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri were used for the toxicity assessment and they were exposed to various concentrations of the herbicides, individually and in binary mixtures. The exposure time was 7d for the duckweed and 30min for the bacterium. Estimation of EC50 values was performed by frond counting and reduction in light output for Lemna minor and Vibrio fischeri, respectively. Lemna minor was found to be much more sensitive than Vibrio fischeri to target compounds. The toxicity of the three herbicides applied solely was estimated to be in decreasing order: diuron (EC50=28.3μgL−1)≈linuron (EC50=30.5μgL−1)>monolinuron (EC50=300μgL−1) for the duckweed and linuron (EC50=8.2mgL−1)>diuron (EC50=9.2mg L−1)>monolinuron (EC50=11.2mgL−1) for the bacterium. Based on the environmental concentrations reported in the literature and EC50 values obtained from Lemna minor experiments, Risk Quotients (RQ) much higher than 1 were calculated for diuron and linuron. In Lemna minor experiments, combination of target compounds resulted to additive effects due to their same mode of phenylurea action on photosynthetic organisms. Regarding Vibrio fischeri, synergistic, additive and antagonistic effects were observed, which varied according to the concentrations of target compounds.

Distribution and seasonal variation of estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds, N-nitrosodimethylamine, and N-nitrosodimethylamine formation potential in the Huangpu River, China

Detection of estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in drinking water has led to rising concerns. There are, however, a paucity of studies on the distribution and seasonal variation of NDMA and NDMA formation potential (NDMA-FP) in natural waters, especially in China. For EDCs, limited studies have investigated the distribution and seasonal variation of estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), technical-nonylphenols (t-NP), and bisphenol A (BPA) in Shanghai. In this study, water samples were collected from 11 sampling sites along the Huangpu River in 2012. The distribution and seasonal variation of EDCs, NDMA, and NDMA-FP were investigated. The results showed that all of the 11 sampling sites were contaminated by the target compounds. Compared with E2 and EE2, higher E1 and E3 concentrations were usually detected in the Huangpu River. The values of 17β-estradiol equivalents (EEQ) suggest a high possibility of endocrine effects on exposed organisms in the Huangpu River. NDMA-FP and t-NP were the dominant contaminants among the eight target compounds. The detection rates of the target compounds and their concentrations were both higher in dry seasons than in wet seasons. Higher concentrations of target compounds were observed in urban sampling sites near drainage outlets, and also in suburban sampling sites where intensive livestock farming and farmlands were located.

Sorption–desorption and biosorption of bisphenol A, triclosan, and 17α-ethinylestradiol to sewage sludge

To better understand the fate of microconstituents (MCs) in an activated sludge (AS) system, sorption, biosorption, and desorption studies were investigated at μg/L range for 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), bisphenol A (BPA), and triclosan (TCS). Batch experiments with activated and deactivated sludge originating from continuous flow porous pot reactors operating at solid retention times (SRTs) of 5, 10, and 15days were conducted in order to investigate the sorption kinetics and distinguish physicochemical sorption and biosorption. The effect of SRT and the biomass concentration on sorption kinetics were also studied. Selected MCs showed high sorption affinity to the non-viable biomass during the first 30min of the experiment, which was gradually reduced until equilibrium was reached. Desorption results showed two distinct stages, a very rapid desorption within 20min followed by a slow desorption stage. Biosorption study indicated that the soluble concentrations of target compounds decreased rapidly for selected MCs similar to the sorption study; however, the soluble and solid phase concentrations continued to decrease slowly during the length of the experiment which indicates the possible biodegradation of these compounds in both phases. Finally, mathematical models were applied to describe the sorption mechanism and Freundlich sorption isotherms with values of 1/n close to 1 were found to best fit the results which demonstrate that all tested concentrations result on the linear part of the Freundlich isotherm. Calculation of the Freundlich constant, KF and distribution coefficient, Kd exhibited the greater tendency of EE2 and TCS for sorption, compared to BPA. The results of this study indicated that the SRT had a clear effect on the sorption kinetics where the highest sorption rate constant was achieved for a SRT of 10days for all three target substances. This could be due to change of the morphology of the biomass from reactors operating at different SRTs.

Occurrence and distribution of selected pharmaceutical compounds on sewage-impacted section of River Acheloos, Western Greece

The occurrence of eight pharmaceutical compounds (PhCs), two metabolites and caffeine was investigated in River Acheloos, located in Western Greece, during a twelve-month monitoring period (March 2007–February 2008). Solid-phase extraction (SPE) was used for the extraction and pre-concentration of the target pollutants and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS) for the detection and quantification. Recoveries were determined between 74.0–100.4% for distilled water and 72.6–95.1% for the river water, whereas the relative standard deviation was less than 9.4% for distilled water and 8% for the river water, respectively. The limits of detection ranged between 1–40 ng L−1. Two pharmaceuticals (paracetamol and carbamazepine), caffeine and the metabolite (salicylic acid), have been detected in all the analysed samples. Maximum concentration levels determined in river samples reached 305 ng L−1 recorded for paracetamol. The concentrations of target compounds were significantly higher in the samples collected at the sampling station situated after the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of Agrinio City compared to the samples collected in upper and lower parts of the river. Seasonal variations were attributed mainly to river flow variations and removal percentages by WWTP. Risk quotient method for median environmental concentrations revealed minimal to median risk with the exception of triclosan, ibuprofen and diclofenac, which presented high risk when maximum environmental concentrations were used.

울산만 퇴적물 내 PCDDs, PCDFs, DL-PCBs, PBDEs의 잔류수준과 분포패턴

울산만 내 퇴적물에 대하여 다이옥신/퓨란류(polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans, PCDD/Fs)와 다이옥신류 피씨비(dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, DL-PCBs), PBDEs(polybrominated diphenyl ethers)의 잔류수준을 조사하고 분포를 평가하였다. 33개 정점에서 채취한 퇴적물 중 PCDD/Fs, DL-PCBs, PBDEs는 각각 0.11~4.86(평균<TEX>${\pm}$</TEX>표준편차, <TEX>$1.81{\pm}1.04$</TEX>) pg <TEX>$WHO_{2005}$</TEX>-TEQ <TEX>$g^{-1}$</TEX> 건중량(dw), 0.06~44.2(<TEX>$4.02{\pm}7.99$</TEX>) pg <TEX>$WHO_{2005}$</TEX>-TEQ <TEX>$g^{-1}$</TEX> dw, 2.81~63.8(<TEX>$19.4{\pm}13.9$</TEX>) ng <TEX>$g^{-1}$</TEX> dw 수준으로 검출되었다. 총 다이옥신류(PCDD/Fs+DL-PCBs)에 대하여 DL-PCBs가 약 88%로 PCDD/Fs에 비해 높은 기여율을 나타내었다. 또한, 울산만 내부에 위치한 정점의 퇴적물은 외부 정점에 비해 높은 농도수준을 보였다 (p<0.05). 총 다이옥신류 중 PCDD/Fs는 고염소의 DD/Fs에서 높은 기여율을 차지하였으며, 이성질체의 분포패턴은 연소공정의 영향이 큰 공업지역 퇴적물의 특성을 나타내었다. DL-PCBs는 PCB77, -105, -118가 주요 이성질체로써, 상업용 PCB 제품과 분포특성이 유사하게 나타났다. 또한, 퇴적물 내 PBDEs 분포에서 BDE209가 주요 이성질체로 나타났으며, 이는 상업용 deca-BDE 제품의 사용량에 의한 영향으로 판단된다. We investigated the concentrations and distribution patterns of 17 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans(PCDD/Fs), 12 dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls(DL-PCBs) and 24 polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs) in sediments from Ulsan Bay in Korea. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs, DL-PCBs, and PBDEs in 33 sediment samples ranged from 0.11 to 4.86(<TEX>$1.81{\pm}1.04$</TEX>) pg <TEX>$WHO_{2005}$</TEX>-TEQ <TEX>$g^{-1}$</TEX> dry weight(dw), 0.06 to 44.2(<TEX>$4.02{\pm}7.99$</TEX>) pg <TEX>$WHO_{2005}$</TEX>-TEQ <TEX>$g^{-1}$</TEX> dw, and 2.81 to 63.8(<TEX>$19.4{\pm}13.9$</TEX>) ng <TEX>$g^{-1}$</TEX> dw, respectively. DL-PCBs had dominant contributions(mean, 88%) of total TEQ concentrations in sediment. The concentrations of target compounds in inner locations were higher than those in outer locations in Ulsan Bay (p<0.05). The dominant contribution of highly chlorinated DD/Fs in sediment was associated with combustion process from industrial complexes. Distribution pattern of DL-PCBs was similar with those of commercial PCB products. BDE209 was a dominant congener in sediment, suggesting high use amount of commercial deca-BDE product in surrounding areas.

Instrumental and bioanalytical measures of dioxin-like compounds and activities in sediments of the Pohang Area, Korea

Pohang is a mid-sized city in which Korea's largest manufacturer of steel is located. The Hyeongsan River, which runs through Pohang and empties into Yeongil Bay, is therefore expected to be affected by various municipal and industrial inputs. In order to characterize aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-mediated activities in sediments from the Pohang area, a total of eight locations along the Hyeongsan River were chosen and 16 sediment samples were collected during two sampling campaigns in 2010. Organic extracts of sediments were characterized by both quantitative chemical analyses of dioxin-like chemicals and the in vitro H4IIE-luc bioassay. Significant dioxin-like activities were observed in sediments from industrial and municipal areas, which indicates that most of the dioxin-like chemicals were associated with surrounding anthropogenic sources. In general, responses of the H4IIE-luc assay were significantly correlated with concentrations of target compounds including dioxins, furans, co-planar PCBs, and dioxin-like PAHs. A potency balance analysis indicated that instrumentally derived TCDD equivalents (TEQs) explained about 77% of the bioassay-derived TCDD equivalents (TCDD-EQs). Among the target chemicals measured, certain penta-chlorinated dioxin and furan compounds accounted for the majority of dioxin-like activities associated with sediments. Compositional analysis of target chemicals the sources of such dioxin-like activities were mainly derived from the local activities such as the iron and steel industries. Concentrations and activities of AhR agonists were similar to what was measured approximately 10years ago. Thus, while AhR agonists seem to be persistent in sediments there seem to have been no large increases in these chemicals in the Pohang area.

Advanced oxidation for the treatment of chlorpyrifos in aqueous solution

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate pesticide and is significant because of its extensive use, persistence in the environment, wide distribution, and its toxicity may lead to lung and central nervous system damage, developmental and autoimmune disorders and vomiting. In the present study, the irradiation of chlorpyrifos in aqueous solution by 60Co γ-rays was conducted on a laboratory scale and the removal efficiency of chlorpyrifos was investigated. The SPME–GC–ECD method was used for analysis of chlorpyrifos. Aqueous solutions of different concentrations of target compound (200–1000μgL−1) were irradiated through 30–575Gy. Gamma irradiation showed 100% degradation for a 500μgL−1 solution at an absorbed dose of 575Gy (the dose rate was 300Gyh−1). The radiolysis of chlorpyrifos was pseudo-first order (decay) with respect to dose. The dose constants determined in this study ranged from 8.2×10−3 to 2.6×10−2Gy−1, and decreased with an increase in the initial concentration of chlorpyrifos, while the radiation chemical yield (G-value) for the loss of chlorpyrifos was found to decrease with increasing absorbed dose. The effect of saturated solutions of N2 and N2O, and radical scavengers tert-butanol, iso-propanol, H2O2, NaNO3 and NaNO2 on the degradation of chlorpyrifos were also studied. The results showed that the oxidative OH was the most important in the degradation of chlorpyrifos, while the reductive radicals, aqueous electron and H, were of less importance for the degradation of chlorpyrifos. The inorganic by-products Cl−, SO42- and PO43- were quantitatively determined by IC.

Solving chromatographic challenges in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry using multivariate curve resolution–alternating least squares

Multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) analysis is proposed to solve chromatographic challenges during two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOFMS) analysis of complex samples, such as crude oil extract. In view of the fact that the MCR-ALS method is based on the fulfillment of the bilinear model assumption, three-way and four-way GC × GC-TOFMS data are preferably arranged in a column-wise superaugmented data matrix in which mass-to-charge ratios (m/z) are in its columns and the elution times in the second and first chromatographic columns are in its rows. Since m/z values are common for all measured spectra in all second-column modulations, unavoidable chromatographic challenges such as retention time shifts within and between GC × GC-TOFMS experiments are properly handled. In addition, baseline/background contributions can be modeled by adding extra components to the MCR-ALS model. Another outstanding aspect of MCR-ALS analysis is its extreme flexibility to consider all samples (standards, unknowns, and replicates) in a single superaugmented data matrix, allowing joint analysis. In this way, resolution, identification, and quantification results can be simultaneously obtained in a very fast and reliable way. The potential of MCR-ALS analysis is demonstrated in GC × GC-TOFMS analysis of a North Sea crude oil extract sample with relative errors in estimated concentrations of target compounds below 6.0 % and relative standard deviations lower than 7.0 %. The results obtained, along with reasonable values for the lack of fit of the MCR-ALS model and high values of the reversed match factor in mass spectra similarity searches, confirm the reliability of the proposed strategy for GC × GC-TOFMS data analysis.

A one-step extraction/clean-up method for determination of PCBs, PBDEs and HBCDs in environmental solid matrices

A selective pressurized liquid extraction (S-PLE) method was developed for rapid determination of 3 classes of halogenated organic contaminants in indoor dust, soil and sediment samples. The optimised method used 3 : 2 v/v n-hexane-dichloromethane for extraction of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs). Extraction was performed at 90 °C for 5 min followed by 4 min static time under 1500 psi. Good recoveries of target analytes were obtained after 3 extraction cycles. In-cell cleanup was performed using 10 g of 44% H2SO4 acid silica and 5 g of florisil (secondary fat retainer), while copper powder was used to remove elemental sulfur. The method was validated using NIST SRM2585 and SRM 1941b in addition to an in-house previously characterised soil sample. Measured concentrations of target compounds showed good agreement with the certified values with RSD < 20% indicating the good accuracy and precision of the S-PLE method. Clean extracts provided low noise levels resulting in low method detection limits (<0.03 ng g(-1)) and LOQs (<0.1 ng g(-1)). The method developed was applied successfully to real environmental samples and it provided various advantages over traditional methods including reduced solvent consumption and analysis time, minimal sample contamination and high sample throughput which can be beneficial for environmental monitoring programs dealing with large numbers of samples.

Simultaneous Determination of Hormonal Residues in Treated Waters Using Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

In the last years, hormone consumption has increased exponentially. Because of that, hormone compounds are considered emerging pollutants since several studies have determinted their presence in water influents and effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this study, a quantitative method for the simultaneous determination of oestrogens (estrone, 17β-estradiol, estriol, 17α-ethinylestradiol, and diethylstilbestrol), androgens (testosterone), and progestogens (norgestrel and megestrol acetate) has been developed to determine these compounds in wastewater samples. Due to the very low concentrations of target compounds in the environment, a solid phase extraction procedure has been optimized and developed to extract and preconcentrate the analytes. Determination and quantification were performed by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The method developed presents satisfactory limits of detection (between 0.15 and 9.35 ng·L−1), good recoveries (between 73 and 90% for the most of compounds), and low relative standard deviations (under 8.4%). Samples from influents and effluents of two wastewater treatment plants of Gran Canaria (Spain) were analyzed using the proposed method, finding several hormones with concentrations ranged from 5 to 300 ng·L−1.

Perylene dominates the organic contaminant profile in the Berau delta, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

The geographical distributions of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorobenzene, and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethene (4,4′-DDE) were studied in the Berau delta (East Kalimantan, Indonesia), using sediment sampling and passive water sampling with semipermeable membrane devices. High concentrations of perylene were observed in sediments (54–580ngg−1 dry weight), and water (1–680pgL−1). Perylene accounted for about 60% of the total concentrations of PAHs in the sediment. The relative abundance of the other PAHs was indicative of petrogenic sources. Concentrations of PCBs, hexachlorobenzene, and 4,4′-DDE in sediments were below or close to the detection limit (∼0.02ngg−1). The analysis of a sediment core revealed no appreciable changes in the concentration of target compounds over the past three decades. We show that sediment sampling and passive water sampling are complementary techniques, and propose to bring the results of both methods to the same concentration scale, using locally derived sediment–water partition coefficients.

Seasonal distribution, source investigation and vertical profile of phenolic endocrine disrupting compounds in Dianchi Lake, China

Phenolic endocrine disrupting compounds, including nonylphenol-di-ethoxylate (NP2EO), nonylphenol-mono-ethoxylate (NP1EO), 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), bisphenol A (BPA), 4-cumylphenol (4-CP) and 4-tert-octylphenol (4-t-OP), were investigated in water, surface sediment and sediment cores in Dianchi Lake to track their seasonal distributions, pollution sources and historical trends. The concentrations of NP2EO, NP1EO, 4-NP, BPA, 4-CP and 4-t-OP were up to 295.14, 448.48, 45.28, 530.33, 8.96 and 21.37 ng L(-1) in water, and up to 297.11, 809.63, 4.58, 166.87, 3.62 and 40.69 ng g(-1) dry weight in surface sediment, respectively. Except BPA in water, concentrations of all the other phenolic compounds in both of the matrices were higher in January than in July, 2011. The concentrations decreased significantly with an increase in distance from the sampling locations which were adjacent to the urban areas (Kunming City, Chenggong City and Jinning City). The pollution of phenolic EDCs came mainly from industry, agriculture and daily life. The relationships between the concentrations of target compounds and the six water quality parameters were evaluated. There were significant positive correlations between concentrations of phenolic compounds in water and in surface sediment. For sediment cores, three clearly separated maxima occurred in segments 0-5 cm (the late 2000s), 5-10 cm (the early and mid of 2000s) and 20-25 cm (the mid of 1980s), respectively. NP2EO, NP1EO and BPA were the three dominant compounds in the lake.

Uptake rate behavior of tube-type passive samplers for volatile organic compounds under controlled atmospheric conditions

A systematic laboratory research was performed to investigate the diffusive uptake of four target compounds (limonene, toluene, ethyl acetate, hexane) on axial-sampling sorbent tubes filled with Tenax TA. In a controlled atmosphere (temperature: 21.0 ± 1.8 °C; relative humidity set at different values between 5 and 80%), these passive samplers were exposed for 1, 3 and 7 days to a constant target compound concentration between 8 and 85 ppbv. Simultaneous active sampling and TD-GC-MS analysis was performed to determine VOCs concentrations. A power-law relationship between the sorbed mass on the sampler and exposure dose (11–179 ppmv min) was observed for all compounds. Compounds with a lower Tenax to air partitioning coefficient, i.e. with a lower affinity for Tenax showed a larger deviation from the expected linear relationship, assuming theoretical sampling rates on an ideal sorbent. Results showed that experimentally determined uptake rates (0.90–2.12 ng (ppmv min)−1) may be up to a factor of 2 lower than the theoretical ideal sampling rates, calculated from the molecular diffusion coefficients and the geometrical parameters of the sampler. The applicability of internal standard calibration for passive sampling was evaluated and a practical methodology is proposed with ethylbenzene-d10 as an internal standard.

The CALUX bio-assay: Analytical comparison between mouse hepatoma cell lines with a low (H1L6.1c3) and high (H1L7.5c1) number of dioxin response elements

Dioxins, furans and polychlorinated biphenyls are contaminants of high concern and as such, sensitive tools are needed to detect these persistent organic compounds in a variety of matrices. Due to the large amount of samples that need to be investigated for example for food and feed control, the CALUX bioassay (H1L6.1 clone) was developed allowing rapid and cost-efficient analysis of biological and environmental samples. Recently, a new and more sensitive clone (H1L7.5) was constructed as the third generation CALUX bioassay. This new cell line was subject of an amplification of dioxin response elements (DREs), allowing lower concentrations of target compound to be analyzed. A comparison is made between the previous, well-defined H1L6.1c3 cell line and the new H1L7.5c1 cell line: it appears that the bioassay making use of the higher number of DREs is more stable and robust, shows better repeatability and reproducibility and is; on average, 3 times more sensitive.

Degradation of Volatile Hydrocarbons Using Continuous-Flow Photocatalytic Systems with Enhanced Catalytic Surface Areas

Limited information is available on the degradation of volatile hydrocarbons determined via the use of plate-inserted photocatalytic reactors. This has led to the evaluation of surface areas of cylindrical continuous-flow photocatalytic reactors for the degradation of three selected aromatic hydrocarbons. Three types of reactors were prepared: a double cylinder-type, a single cylindrical-type without plates and a single cylindrical-type with inserted glass tubes. According to diffuse reflectance, FTIR and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spec troscopy, the surface characteristics of a coated photocatalyst were very similar to those of raw TiO 2 , thereby suggesting that the coated photocatalyst exhibited the same photocatalytic activity as the raw TiO2. The photocatalytic degradation efficiencies were significantly or slightly higher for the single cylinder-type reactor than for the double cylinder-type reactor which had a greater catalytic surface area. However, for all target compounds, the degradation efficiencies increased gradually when the number of plates was increased. Accord ingly, it was suggested that the surface area being enhanced for the plate-inserted reactor would elevate the photocatalytic degradation efficiency effectively. In addition, this study confirmed that both initial concentrations of target compounds and flow rates were impor tant parameters for the photocatalytic removal mechanism of these plate-inserted photocatalytic reactors.

Influence of inoculum density and aeration volume on biomass and bioactive compound production in bulb-type bubble bioreactor cultures of Eleutherococcus koreanum Nakai

This study deals with the effects of initial inoculum density and aeration volume on biomass and bioactive compound production in adventitious roots of Eleutherococcus koreanum Nakai in bulb-type bubble bioreactors (3-L capacity). While the fresh and dry weights of the roots increased with increasing inoculum density, the highest percentage dry weight and accumulation of total target compounds (eleutheroside B and E, chlorogenic acid, total phenolics, and flavonoids) were noted at an inoculum density of 5.0gL−1. Poor aeration volume (0.05vvm) stunted root growth, and high aeration volume (0.4vvm) caused physiological disorders. Moreover, an inoculum density of 5.0gL−1 and an aeration volume of 0.1vvm resulted in the highest concentration of total target compounds and least root death. Such optimization of culture conditions will be beneficial for the large-scale production of E. koreanum biomass and bioactive compounds.

Determination of Benzotriazole and Benzophenone UV Filters in Sediment and Sewage Sludge

Benzophenones and benzotriazoles are widely used as ultraviolet (UV) light filters and stabilizers in cosmetics, skin creams, and body lotions and as corrosion inhibitors in building materials, automobile components, and automotive antifreeze cooling systems. Benzophenones and benzotriazoles have been reported to occur in the environment. Some of these UV filters have been reported to possess significant estrogenic activity. Despite this, very few studies have examined their occurrence and profiles in the environment. In this work, we determined five benzophenone-type UV filters and two benzotriazole-type corrosion inhibitors, namely, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (2OH-4MeO-BP), 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (2,4OH-BP), 2,2'-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (2,2'OH-4MeO-BP), 2,2',4,4'-tetrahydroxybenzophenone (2,2',4,4'OH-BP), 4-hydroxybenzophenone (4OH-BP), 1H-benzotriazole (1H-BT), and 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (5Me-1H-BT), in sediment and sewage sludge samples, using liquid-liquid extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In addition, four benzotriazole-type UV stabilizers, namely, 2-(3-t-butyl-2-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)-5-chlorobenzotriazole (UV-326), 2,4-di-t-butyl-6-(5-chloro-2H-benzotriazole-2-yl) phenol (UV-327), 2-(2H-benzotriazole-2yl)-4,6-di-t-pentylphenol (UV-328), and 2-(5-t-butyl-2-hydroxyphenyl) benzotriazole (TBHPBT) were determined by gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS). The limits of quantitation (LOQ) were in the ranges of 0.06-0.33 ng g⁻¹ dry weight (dw) and 0.1-1.65 ng g⁻¹ dw for sediment and sludge samples, respectively. Recoveries of target compounds spiked into sample matrices and passed through the entire analytical procedure ranged from 70% to 116% (RSD: 3.32-13.8%) and from 82% to 106% (RSD: 2.89-8.09%) for the compounds analyzed by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS, respectively. The methods were applied to the analysis of sediment samples from the Songhua, Saginaw, and Detroit Rivers; the sum concentrations of target compounds were 3.29-9.93, 5.81-22.5, and 190-389 ng g⁻¹ dw, respectively. Five sludge samples collected from five wastewater treatment plants in northeastern China contained the sum concentrations of target compounds in the range of 104-6370 ng g⁻¹ dw. The concentration of UV-328 in sludge was the highest (mean: 1300 ng g⁻¹ dw) among the target compounds. To our knowledge, this is the first work to report the occurrence of 2OH-4MeO-BP, 2,4OH-BP, 2,2'OH-4MeO-BP, 2,2',4,4'OH-BP, and 4OH-BP in sediment and sludge samples.

Water Column Monitoring of the Biological Effects of Produced Water from the Ekofisk Offshore Oil Installation from 2006 to 2009

The Norwegian water column monitoring program investigates the biological effects of offshore oil and gas activities in Norwegian waters. In three separate surveys in 2006, 2008, and 2009, bioaccumulation and biomarker responses were measured in mussels (Mytilus edulis) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) held in cages at known distances from the produced water (PW) discharge at the Ekofisk oil field. Identical monitoring studies performed in all three years have allowed the biological effects and bioaccumulation data to be compared, and in addition, enabled the potential environmental benefits of a PW treatment system (CTour), implemented in 2008, to be evaluated. The results of the 2009 survey showed that caged animals were exposed to low levels of PW components, with highest tissue concentrations in mussels located closest to the PW discharge. Mussels located approximately 1–2 km away demonstrated only background concentrations of target compounds. Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and alkyl phenol (AP) metabolites in the bile of caged cod were elevated at stations 200–250 m from the discharge. There was also a signal of exposure relative to discharge for the biomarkers CYP1A in fish and micronuclei in mussels. All other fish and mussel biomarkers showed no significant exposure effects in 2009. The mussel bioaccumulation data in 2009 indicated a lower exposure to the PW effluent than seen previously in 2008 and 2006, resulting in an associated general improvement in the health of the caged mussels. This was due to the reduction in overall discharge of PW components (measured as oil in water) into the area in 2009 compared to previous years as a result of the improved PW treatment system.