Radiolytic decomposition of pesticide carbendazim in waters and wastes for environmental protection

The radiolytic degradation of widely used fungicide, carbendazim, in synthetic aqueous solutions and industrial wastewater was investigated employing γ-irradiation. The effect of the absorbed dose, initial concentration and pH of irradiated solution on the effectiveness of carbendazim decomposition were investigated. Decomposition of carbendazim in 100 μM concentration in synthetic aqueous solutions required irradiation with 600 Gy dose. The aqueous solutions of carbendazim have been irradiated in different conditions, where particular active radical species from water radiolysis predominate. The obtained data have been compared with the kinetic modeling. The reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography was used for the determination of carbendazim and its radiolytic decomposition products in irradiated solutions. The changes of toxicity of irradiated solutions were examined with different test organisms and human leukemia cells.     

The performance and degradation mechanism of sulfamethazine from wastewater using IFAS-MBR

Sulfamethazine(SMZ) is an important sulfonamide antibiotic.Although the concentration in the environment is small,it is harmful.The drug residues can be transferred,transformed or accumulated,affecting the growth of animals and plants.In this study,the integrated fixed-film activated sludge membrane bioreactor(IFAS-MB R) were constructed to investigate the performance and degradation mechanism of SMZ.The addition of SMZ had a significant impact on the removal of the chemical oxygen demand(COD) and ammonia nitrogen(NH_4^+-N).The optimal operating conditions were hydraulic retention time(HRT) at 10 h and solid retention time(SRT) at 80 d,respectively.On this basis,the effects of different SMZ concentrations on nutrient removal,degradation,and sludge characteristics were compared.The removal efficiency of SMZ increased with the increase of SMZ concentration.The maximum removal rate was as high as 87%.The SMZ dosage also had an obvious effect on sludge characteristics.As the SMZ concentration increased,the extracellular polymer substances(EPS) concentration and the membrane resistance both decreased,which were beneficial for the reduction of membrane fouling.Finally,seven kinds of SMZ biodegradation intermediates were identified,and the possible degradation pathways were speculated.The microbial community results showed that the microbial diversity and richness in the reactor decreased after adding SMZ to the influent.The relative abundance of Bacteroidetes,Actinobacteria,Saccharibacteria and Nitro spirae increased at the phylum level.Sphingobacteria and Betaproteobacteria became dominant species at the class level.The relative abundance of norankp-Saccharibacteria and Nitrospirae increased significantly,and norank-p-Saccharibacteria may be the dominant bacteria for SMZ degradation.     

ESR study of ascorbic acid irradiated with gamma-rays

The interest in application of high-energy ionizing radiation for stenlization of pharmaceutical products and foodstuffs has led a number of workers to investigate the radiation sensitivity of vitamins. Aside from its use as a vitamin, ascorbic acid (AA) or some derivatives are employed as antioxidants in foodstuffs. The effects of ionizing radiation on AA in simple solutions and in mixture of naturally occurring compounds have been extensively reported in the literature. However, the effects of ionizing radiation on solid AA were reported in few works which described rather dosimetric features of AA No reports, except one, are available describing the characteristic features of the radiolytic intermediates produced after irradiation of polycrystalline AA. Irradiation studies performed on single crystal of AA has led us to reinvestigate our previous work on the radiolytic intermediates produced in irradiated polycrystalline AA. Three radical species, rather than two, having different characteristics were decided contributing to the formation of experimental electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrum of γ-irradiated polycrystalline AA. Spectral parameters of these species were calculated after exhaustive spectrum simulation calculations based on data derived from experimental microwave saturation and dose-response studies.     

Quantitative extraction of sulfonamides in meats by supercritical methanol‐modified carbon dioxide: A foray into real‐world sampling

Optimizing operational parameters and obtaining the highest possible recovery are two of the major objectives to be attained when any extraction process is performed on a real sample in which the true analyte concentration is unknown. Sulfadiazine (SDZ), sulfamerazine (SMR), and sulfamethazine (SMZ) were extracted from real samples of chicken liver, beef liver, and pig kidney, using methanol‐modified supercritical CO₂. The optimum extraction parameters were found to be 17.237 MPa and 160°C for two of the three analytes; SMZ, on the other hand, was completely extracted at 120°C. Under these conditions of high temperature, high amounts of modifier (3.0 mL of methanol in a 10‐mL extraction vessel) and low pressure, all three sulfonamides (SAs) were shown to be quantitatively extracted from spiked samples from domestic animals which had not been given sulfonamides. Under the same conditions, meat samples of commercial origin were analyzed. These results were compared with those obtained by conventional extraction methods. Almost all the meat samples contained sulfa drug residue levels far exceeding the current tolerance levels allowed for most sulfonamides. Eighteen of thirty samples contained at least one of the three sulfonamides, and seven of these samples contained from 1.1 to 4.2 mg kg^–1 of SMZ. The SAs were quantified by HPLC with UV absorbance and amperometric detection.     

Radiation-chemical transformations of humic acid in aqueous solutions

The transformations of kinetically stable aqueous humic acid solutions saturated with Ar, N₂O, or air by the action of fast electrons at absorbed doses to 20 kGy were studied. In radiolytic and postradiation processes, humic acid was converted into insoluble compounds, whose precipitation accelerated with dose. The formation of insoluble compounds was enhanced in neutral and acidified solutions saturated with air and/or N₂O. As low-molecular-mass carboxylic acids that resulted from the radiolytic fragmentation of humic acid were accumulated in solution, the phase transformation weakened. The irradiated solutions were easy to purify by chemical coagulation.     

The role of air in the radiolytic degradation of polycarbonate

Bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC) was irradiated with Co-60 γ-rays at room temperature in presence of air or nitrogen. Changes were followed by IR and NMR spectroscopy as well as GPC, X-ray diffraction, melting temperature, DTA, and isothermal TG. The changes observed include chain scission, chain branching/cross-links, decrease in thermal stability, crystallinity and scission of the product. However, there are some differences in samples irradiated in presence of air as opposed to those irradiated in nitrogen, but many changes are similar. Air accelerates the radiolytic degradation of PC. The radiochemical yield of chain scission, G(s), increased to 0.20 from 0.13; the chain branching/cross-links are less numerous as compared to those after irradiation in nitrogen the thermal stability decreases along with the temperature of that rate of maximum mass loss, crystallinity and the melting temperature. The chemical products in both air and nitrogen irradiations are almost identical. The formation of these products could be explained by multiple pathways-free radical formation and by ring as well as side chain attack. The studies suggest that Fries' rearrangement is not an important pathway during the radiolytic degradation as compared with photodegradation.     

Identification of radiolytic products from N-nitrosodimethylamine and N-nitrosopyrrolidine by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry

The radiolytic products of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) dissolved in dichloromethane (DCM) were identified after gamma irradiation. The UV spectra of NDMA and NPYR indicated that irradiation reduced the typical peak of NDMA at 258 nm and NPYR at 260 nm.The major radiolytic components identified in irradiated NDMA were ethyl acetate and 2-dimethyl propanol. The irradiated NPYR dissolved in DCM and produced 2-butanone and 2-methyl-6-propyl piperidine as the major radiolytic components. 2-Methyl-6-propyl piperidine was the component detected in the greatest concentration in irradiated NPYR.     

The removal of chlorinated organic herbicide in water by gamma-irradiation

In this study, the radiation-induced degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) herbicide in aqueous solution was studied under various conditions as a function of irradiation dose in the absence and presence of hydrogen peroxide. The obtained data confirmed that largest yield of radiolytic degradation is obtained in oxidation processes/ionizing radiation, where oxidation is carried out with hydroxyl radicals. For complete degradation of 50?ppm 2,4-D, a required dose was lower in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The formed major toxic phenolic intermediates were 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and 4-chlorophenol (4-CP). The chemical analysis of the 2,4-D and the intermediates resulted from the radiolytic degradation were performed using a gas chromatography associated to mass spectrometry (GC?CMS) with ion trap dedector (ITD) and ion chromatography (IC). The formation of chlorophenols in addition to chloride, formaldehyde and carboxylic acids was studied as a function of absorbed dose.     

Absorption and fluorescence behavior of cytosine irradiated at different pH and in the presence of Cu(II) ions at neutral pH

Dilute aqueous solutions of cytosine were irradiated with⁶⁰Co -rays under N₂O saturated conditions at different pH and in the presence of Cu(II) ions at neutral pH. The base degradation decreased from neutral to acidic and basic conditions. In the presence of metal ions at neutral pH conditions there was a significant increase in the base degradation compared to that in the absence of metal ions under similar conditions. From the difference absorption spectra and fluorescence behavior of the irradiated solutions it was observed that the major radiolytic products of cytosine under different conditions are cytosine glycols, 5-hydroxycytosine, hydroxy-hydrocytosine and cytosine dimers. The yields of dimers is maximum in neutral conditions and it decreased from basic to acidic conditions. However, in the presence of Cu(II) ions formation of cytosine dimers is completely restricted and there is an increase in the yields of cytosine glycol, hydroxy-hydrocytosine and 5-hydroxycytosine. From the post-radiolytic changes in absorption and fluorescence behavior of irradiated solutions, it is revealed that some of the radiolytic products, namely cytosine glycol and hydroxy-hydrocytosine decompose to 5-hydroxycytosine and cytosine, respectively.     

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.     

Simultaneous determination of 17 sulfonamides and the potentiators ormetoprim and trimethoprim in salmon muscle by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection

A simple, robust method using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) for the simultaneous determination of 17 sulfonamides [sulfanilamide (SNL), sulfacetamide (SAA), sulfaguanidine (SGD), sulfapyridine (SPY), sulfadiazine (SDZ), sulfathiazole (STZ), sulfamerazine (SMR), sulfamethoxazole (SOZ), sulfamoxole (SXL), sulfisoxazole (SXZ), sulfamethizole (SML), sulfamethazine (SMZ), sulfamethoxypyridazine (SMP), sulfamonomethoxine (SMM), sulfachloropyridazine (SCP), sulfaquinoxaline (SQX), and sulfadimethoxine (SDM)] and 2 potentiators [ormetoprim (OMP) and trimethoprim (TMP)] in fish tissue has been developed. The analytes were extracted from homogenized fish tissue with water-acetonitrile (50 + 50). The extract was clarified by centrifugation and a portion defatted with hexane. The analytes were partitioned into chloroform and evaporated to dryness. The redissolved residue was applied to a C18 reversed-phase column with a water-acetonitrile (0.1% acetic acid) gradient. All of the compounds were completely separated and detected in <10 min at 30 degrees C using LC/MS/MS. Standard curves were linear over the range of 0.02 to 5 ng injected. The limit of detection varied from 0.1 ng/g for SMZ and OMP to 0.9 ng/g for SXL and SOZ. Recoveries varied from 100% for SDM, SOZ, and SQX and 85% for SMR, OMP, and TMP to approximately 30% for SAA. Relative standard deviations for repeat analysis varied from 4% for SMZ and SCP to 23% for SAA.     

新型抗炎镇痛剂SFZ-47及其代谢物的电喷雾离子阱质谱研究

用电喷雾离子阱质谱对警犬尿样中SFZ－47[3H-1,2-二氢－2－（4－甲基苯胺基）甲基－1－吡咯里嗪酮）及其4种代谢物进行了结构鉴定，利用质谱解析软件分析其裂解方式发现，它们在（＋）ESI－MS^2或（ )ESI－MS^3质谱中分别生成m/z122和脱吡咯里嗪酮母核的碎片，并发现葡萄苷酸型代谢物易于生成脱水（18u)和脱葡萄醛酸（176u)的碎片离子，这些特征可用于SFZ－47及结构类似物的体内生物转化研究。     

Electron-beam synthesis of fuel in the gas phase

Electron-beam synthesis of liquid fuel from gaseous alkanes was upgraded for formation of conventional and alternative fuel from biomass or pyrolysis oil. Bio-feedstock conversion algorithm includes two consecutive stages: (1) initial macromolecules' transformation to low-molecular-weight intermediates; (2) transformation of these intermediates to stable fuel in gaseous alkanes' atmosphere. Radicals originated from alkanes participate in alkylation/hydrogenation of biomass intermediates. Chemical fixation of gaseous alkanes is amplified in the presence of biomass derivatives due to suppression of gas regeneration reactions, higher molar mass of reagents and lower volatility of radiolytic intermediates.     

光谱法结合分子模拟技术研究磺胺甲恶唑与左氧氟沙星的协同作用

在模拟人体生理酸度(pH=7.4)条件下,运用荧光光谱、紫外光谱和分子模拟技术,研究了磺胺甲恶唑(SMZ)和左氧氟沙星(LVFX)的协同作用.实验结果表明,SMZ、LVFX主要通过氢键和疏水作用与人血清白蛋白(HSA)发生相互作用形成复合物,导致HSA的内源荧光发生静态猝灭.SMZ、LVFX在HSA上有相同的结合位点,即Site I位.在HSA-SMZ(或HSA-LVFX)体系中分别加入LVFX(或SMZ),其结合常数均明显减小,表明LVFX(或SMZ)的存在削弱了HSA-SMZ(或HSA-LVFX)体系的结合能力,使得LVFX(或SMZ)更多被释放,血液中游离的LVFX(或SMZ)浓度增大,SMZ与LVFX共存能够协同增强药效.     

Radiolytic unsaturation decay in polyethylene. Part I—general review and analysis with additional new work

Previously published mechanisms for radiolytic vinyl decay in polyethylene lead to first-order, second-order and modified first-order relations. Such equations are fitted using regression analysis to the results of unsaturation measurements on irradiated polyethylenes carried out by the present author (and colleagues) or made available to him by another. It is found that the modified first-order relation best represents the radiolytic decay of vinyl, vinylidene and added allyl unsaturation as triallylisocyanurate or triallylcyanurate in polyethylene at room temperature.     

Sample preparation procedure for PIXE elemental analysis on soft tissues

Neutral aqueous solutions of Nickel II-diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DTPA) were irradiated using -rays both in the presence and in the absence of oxygen. A radiolytic mechanism has been proposed and discussed. It has been suggested that the radiolytic degradation of the ligand is due to the formation of OH^* during radiolysis.     

0D/1D AgI/MoO3 Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst: Highly efficient visible-light-driven photocatalyst for sulfamethoxazole degradation

Low dimension nano photocatalysts show great potential in the field of treating contaminated water for their large surface area and size effect. In this study, a 0D/1D AgI/MoO₃ Z-scheme photocatalyst with striking photocatalytic performance was constructed successfully. The one-dimensional MoO₃ nanobelts were prepared by a simple hydrothermal method, and then it was modified by AgI nanoparticles in a handy deposition approach. When choosing sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) as the target contaminant, the rate constant value of the optimal 0D/1D AgI/MoO₃ composite could hit up to 0.13 min⁻¹, which is nearly 22.4 times and 32.5 times as that of pure MoO₃ (0.0058 min⁻¹) and AgI (0.0040 min⁻¹), respectively. A series of detailed characterizations give evidences that the charge transfer in the composite followed Z scheme mechanism. Therefore, efficient separation/transfer and the remained high redox activity of photogenerated carriers played a vital role in the sharply enhanced photocatalytic properties. The possible degradation pathways of SMZ were proposed based on the intermediates detected by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Meanwhile, the magnificent cyclic stability makes the material a promising material in the practical application.     

Dependence of cyano bonded phase hydrolytic stability on ligand structure and solution pH

As part of our program to develop more stable cyano (CN) high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column packings, we have evaluated hydrolytic stability as a function of ligand connectivity, chain length, and side group steric protection and the pH of the mobile phase. Three accelerated tests were used to evaluate stability: (1) A non-HPLC screening test measuring carbon loss in refluxing MeOH-100 mM KH2PO4 pH 4.5 (1:1, v/v) solution; (2) a continuous flow HPLC test measuring capacity factor maintenance in 1% trifluoroacetic acid in water (pH 1.02) at 80 degrees C; and (3) a continuous flow HPLC test measuring column efficiency maintenance in 50 mM triethylamine in water (pH 10.00) at 50 degrees C. The stability of the CN phases was found to be dependent on both ligand chemical structure and the pH of the test conditions. The starting screen test of intermediate pH was least able to differentiate the CN phases based on structure, because two different degradation mechanisms appear to offset each other (acid induced siloxane bond cleavage vs. base induced silica dissolution). A trifunctional and a sterically protected CN phase were notably stable under the acidic test conditions, but had poor stability under basic conditions. Conversely, chain extension afforded poor stability under acidic conditions, but did afford improved stability at higher pH. In total, the data indicate that good CN column stability can be achieved by using a trifunctional or a sterically protected phase in acidic mobile phases. However, as mobile phases of intermediate or higher pH are employed, shorter column lifetimes can be expected due to an accelerated dissolution of the underlying silica substrate. Materials were also compared chromatographically using a mixture of non-polar, polar, and basic analytes under reversed-phase conditions.     

Use of reversed-phase HPLC with solid-phase extraction for monitoring of radiolytic degradation of chlorophenols for environmental protection

The efficiency of radiation induced decomposition of chlorophenols depends substantially on the radiation dose used and the presence of specific scavengers in the irradiated samples. Due to the use of HPLC for decomposition control it was shown, for the first time, that the increase of radiation dose results in gradual elimination of chlorine atoms from the chlorophenols molecules. The efficiency of radiolytic degradation of phenol and chlorophenols was monitored by reversed-phase HPLC. Prior to the chromatography the products of radiolytic degradation were preconcentrated using solid-phase extraction with phenyl columns. The most difficult to decompose is the simple phenol, which is also a product of radiolysis of all chlorophenols. Doses up to 2.0 kGy have not decomposed it completely in experimental conditions used. Degradation of chlorophenols in synthetic aqueous solutions takes place at doses from 0.2 to 2.0 kGy at ppm level of substrates depending on the number of chlorine atoms in molecule, however, for river water matrix containing scavengers such as carbonates or oxygen it requires larger doses.     

Development of radiation indicators to distinguish between irradiated and non-irradiated herbal medicines using HPLC and GC-MS

The effects of high dose γ-irradiation on six herbal medicines were investigated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Herbal medicines were irradiated at 0–50 kGy with ⁶⁰Co irradiator. HPLC was used to quantify changes of major components including glycyrrhizin, cinnamic acid, poncirin, hesperidin, berberine, and amygdalin in licorice, cinnamon bark, poncirin immature fruit, citrus unshiu peel, coptis rhizome, and apricot kernel. No significant differences were found between gamma-irradiated and non-irradiated samples with regard to the amounts of glycyrrhizin, berberine, and amygdalin. However, the contents of cinnamic acid, poncirin, and hesperidin were increased after irradiation. Volatile compounds were analyzed by GC/MS. The relative proportion of ketone in licorice was diminished after irradiation. The relative amount of hydrocarbons in irradiated cinnamon bark and apricot kernel was higher than that in non-irradiated samples. Therefore, ketone in licorice and hydrocarbons in cinnamon bark and apricot kernel can be considered radiolytic markers. Three unsaturated hydrocarbons, i.e., 1,7,10-hexadecatriene, 6,9-heptadecadiene, and 8-heptadecene, were detected only in apricot kernels irradiated at 25 and 50 kGy. These three hydrocarbons could be used as radiolytic markers to distinguish between irradiated (>25 kGy) and non-irradiated apricot kernels.