Comparative studies of aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation of methylparaben and propylparaben in activated sludge

The biodegradability of two typical parabens (methylparaben and propylparaben) in activated sludge, at initial concentrations of 1mgL^-1 or 10mgL^-1, was investigated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The results showed that microorganisms played a key role in degradation of parabens in WWTPs, especially in aerobic systems. The half-lives of methylparaben and propylparaben under aerobic conditions have been estimated to range between 15.8 and 19.8min, and benzoic acid was found to be one of the major biodegradation products. The calculated biodegradation efficiency of methylparaben and propylparaben in activated sludge under aerobic conditions was significantly higher than that observed under anaerobic (nitrate, sulfate, and Fe (III) reducing) conditions, as methylparaben and propylparaben exhibited comparatively higher persistence in anaerobic systems, with half-lives ≥43.3h and ≥8.6h, respectively. Overall, the results of this study imply that the majority of these parabens can be eliminated by aerobic biodegradation during conventional wastewater treatment processes, whereas minor removal is possible in anaerobic systems if an insufficient hydraulic retention time was maintained.

Degradation of chlorinated paraben by integrated irradiation and biological treatment process

Chlorinated paraben, namely, methyl 3, 5-dichloro-4-hydroxybenzoate (MDHB) is the by-product of chlorination disinfection of paraben and frequently detected in the aquatic environments, which exhibited higher persistence and toxicity than paraben itself. In this paper, the combined irradiation and biological treatment process was employed to investigate the removal of MDHB from aqueous solution. The results showed that the removal efficiency of MDHB and total organic carbon (TOC) by irradiation process increased with radiation dose no matter what the initial concentration of MDHB was. The maximum removal efficiency of MDHB was 100%, 91.1%, 93%, respectively, for the initial concentration of MDHB of 1 mg/L, 5 mg/L and 10 mg/L with the radiation dose of 800 Gy. However, the maximum removal efficiency of TOC among all the experimental groups was only 15.3% obtained with the initial concentration of 1 mg/L at dose of 800 Gy. The subsequent biological treatment enhanced the mineralization of MDHB. The suitable radiation dose for the subsequent biological treatment was determined to be 600 Gy. In this case the removal efficiency of TOC increased to about 70%. Compared to the single biological treatment, the integrated irradiation and biological treatment significantly increase the degradation and mineralization of MDHB. Moreover, the dechlorination efficiency reached 77.4% during the integrated irradiation and biological treatment process. In addition, eight intermediates were identified during the combined process and the possible degradation pathway was proposed.

Methylparaben removal using heterogeneous photocatalysis: effect of operational parameters and mineralization/biodegradability studies

Methylparaben (MePB) is an organic compound employed mainly in the manufacture of different personal care products. However, it has been recently listed as a potential endocrine disrupter chemical. Therefore, the main objective of this work was to evaluate the degradation of MePB in aqueous solutions using heterogeneous photocatalysis with TiO₂ and hydrogen peroxide. In this way, effects of pH and the initial concentrations of catalyst, H₂O₂, and pollutant on treatment were analyzed. A face centered, central composite design was used for determination of the influence of each parameter in the process and the conditions under which the pollutant suffers the highest rates of degradation were selected. In general, results indicate that combination TiO₂/H₂O₂/light irradiation leads to ∼90 % of substrate removal after 30 min of reaction and that hydroxyl free radicals are the main specie responsible for organic matter elimination. Finally, in terms of mineralization and biodegradability, experimental results indicated that part of the organic matter was transformed into CO₂ and water and the photo-treatment promoted an increase in samples biodegradability.

On the capacity of ozonation to remove antimicrobial compounds, resistant bacteria and toxicity from urban wastewater effluents

The degradation of erythromycin (ERY) and ethylparaben (EtP) in urban wastewater effluents at low concentration level during ozonation was investigated under different experimental conditions. Both substrates were rapidly eliminated within 2min at low ozone dose of 0.3mgL^-1 and the experimental data were well fitted in the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The ratio of HO- and O₃-exposure (R_ct) at the inherent pH was found to be 1.9×10^-8. The degradation of ERY and EtP was pronounced at pH 8 compared to acidic pH conditions, while the degradation rate of both substrates was found to be matrix-depended. It was also shown that both O₃- and HO-mediated pathways are involved in the degradation of EtP, whereas the saturated-rich structure of ERY renders it O₃-recalcitrant. Under the optimum O₃ dose, the BrO₃^- concentration was found to be lower than 10μgL^-1. Five and fifteen transformation products were elucidated during ERY and EtP oxidation, respectively. The root and shoot inhibition can be attributed to the oxidation products formed upon dissolved effluent organic matter transformation. Escherichia coli harbouring resistance to ERY survived ozonation better than EtP-resistant E. coli. However, neither ERY- nor EtP-resistant E. coli were detected after 15min of ozonation.

Heat-activated persulfate oxidation of methyl- and ethyl-parabens: Effect, kinetics, and mechanism

We evaluated the degradation of methylparaben (MeP) and ethylparaben (EtP), two representative parabens, using the heat-activated persulfate system in a laboratory. Both sulfate and hydroxyl radicals contributed to the removal of the two parabens. The degradations of both MeP and EtP were improved by increasing the heating temperature or persulfate dose in accordance with a pseudo-first-order reaction model. The oxidation efficiency of parabens was found to be pH-dependent; decreasing in the order pH 5.0 > 7.0 > 9.0. The presence of chloride, bicarbonate, or humic acid was found to inhibit the degradation of the two parabens to some extent because of competition for the reactive radicals, with humic acid having the most serious effect. Dealkylation of the methyl unit, decarboxylation of the carboxylic group, and subsequent hydrolysis are proposed to be involved in the degradation pathway of MeP. The results suggest that the heat-activated persulfate system might be efficiently applied in the treatment of paraben-containing water samples. This was also supported by the results of applying this system to treat a real water sample containing both MeP and EtP.

Decomposition of xenobiotics during visible light irradiation in the presence of immobilised photosensitisers: kinetics study

The objective of this work was to study the photosensitised oxidation of the xenobiotics benzylparaben (BeP) and 2,4dichlorophenol (2,4DCP) in aqueous solutions using photosensitisers immobilised into chitosan carrier particles and visible light radiation. Zn(II) phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate tetrasodium salt and Al(III) phthalocyanine chloride tetrasulfonic acid were used as photosensitisers. The major role of the singlet oxygen during photodegradation was proven by using scavengers of reactive oxygen species. The influence of initial xenobiotic concentration and temperature on degradation rate was examined. The investigations were focused on kinetics (Langmuir-Hinshelwood model) as well as activation energy determination. Moreover, the adsorption isotherms of BeP and 2,4DCP into chitosan carrier were determined using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller model.

Degradation of ethyl paraben by heat-activated persulfate oxidation: statistical evaluation of operating factors and transformation pathways

A factorial design methodology was implemented to evaluate the importance of ethyl paraben (EP) concentration (500-1500 μg/L), sodium persulfate concentration (400-500 mg/L), temperature (40-60 °C), reaction time (2-30 min), water matrix (pure water or secondary treated wastewater), and initial solution pH (3-9) on EP removal by heat-activated persulfate oxidation. All individual effects, except the solution pH, were statistically significant and so were the second-order interactions of ethyl paraben concentration with temperature or the reaction time. The influence of the water matrix was crucial, and the efficiency of the process was lower in secondary treated wastewater due to the presence of natural organic matter and inorganic salts that compete with ethyl paraben for the reactive oxygen species. Liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS) was employed to identify major transformation by-products (TBPs); 13 compounds were detected as TBPs of EP. Degradation occurred through (i) hydroxylation, (ii) dealkylation, and (iii) oligomerization reactions leading to TBPs with ether and biphenyl structures. Oligomerization reactions were found to be the dominant pathway during the first steps of the reaction. The toxicity of 500 μg/L EP in secondary treated wastewater was tested against marine bacteria Vibrio fischeri; toxicity increased during the first minutes due to the production of several TBPs, but it consistently decreased thereafter.

Removal of methylparaben from synthetic aqueous solutions using polyacrylonitrile beads: kinetic and equilibrium studies

The removal of methylparaben (MP), a well-known endocrine disruptor, from aqueous solutions using polyacrylonitrile (PAN) beads has been studied under batch conditions, at room temperature and at different initial MP concentrations. The kinetic and equilibrium results have been analyzed. Kinetic modeling analysis has been carried out with three different types of adsorption models: pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elovich model. Kinetic data analysis indicated that the adsorption was a second-order process. The MP adsorption by PAN was also quantitatively evaluated by using the equilibrium adsorption isotherm models of Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R), and Temkin and the applicability of the respective isotherm equations has been compared through the correlation coefficients. Adsorption data resulted well fitted by the Freundlich isotherm model. Data of MP adsorption have also been used to test different adsorption diffusion models. The diffusion rate equations inside particulate of Dumwald-Wagner and the intraparticle diffusion model have been used to calculate the diffusion rate. The actual rate-controlling step involved in the MB adsorption process was determined. The kinetic expression by Boyd gave the right indications. All together, our results indicate that PAN beads are a useful tool to remediate water bodies polluted by endocrine disruptors.

Selected secondary metabolites in Echium vulgare L. populations from nonmetalliferous and metalliferous areas

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of severe environmental conditions prevailing on metalliferous waste heaps and heavy metal-contaminated growth substrates on accumulation of selected secondary metabolites, antioxidant capacity, and heavy metal concentration in two metallicolous (MC, MZ) and one nonmetallicolous (NM) populations of Echium vulgare L. The shoots and the roots of the three studied populations were collected from their natural habitats. Additionally, the plants were cultivated on different growth substrates, i.e. a contaminated substrate obtained from the areas of growth of the MZ and MC populations and an uncontaminated one from the NM population site. Several compounds, i.e. allantoin, rutin, rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid were identified in the shoots. Moreover, rosmarinic acid, allantoin, and shikonin were measured in the roots. The adverse environmental conditions contributed to a ca. 10- and 4-fold increase in the concentration of allantoin in the roots and shoots, respectively, as well as a ca. 4-fold and ca. 3-fold increase in the level of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and shikonin, respectively, in comparison with the plants from the uncontaminated site. Similarly, a great impact of the contaminated substrate on the compounds was demonstrated in the soil experiment. Regardless of the populations, even ca. 20-fold higher levels of allantoin and shikonin were observed in plants grown on the MC and MZ substrates. In contrast, the chlorogenic acid concentration was lower in plants collected from the metalliferous areas and in all populations cultivated on the contaminated substrates in comparison with plants from the uncontaminated soil. Unambiguous results were obtained in the case of rutin, i.e. decreased accumulation in both metallicolous populations from the natural environment and increased accumulation in plants grown on the contaminated substrates. The high concentrations of heavy metals in the substrates contributed to high HM concentrations in plant tissues. However, some differences were observed between the metallicolous and nonmetallicolous populations - the accumulation of metals was lower in the shoots and higher in the roots of the NM population, compared with the MZ and MC populations.

TLC-Densitometric and RP-HPLC Methods for Simultaneous Determination of Dexamethasone and Chlorpheniramine Maleate in the Presence of Methylparaben and Propylparaben

Validated simple, sensitive, and highly selective methods are applied for the quantitative determination of dexamethasone and chlorpheniramine maleate in the presence of their reported preservatives (methylparaben and propylparaben), whether in pure forms or in pharmaceutical formulation. TLC is the first method, in which dexamethasone, chlorpheniramine maleate, methylparaben, and propylparaben are separated on silica gel TLC F254 plates using hexane-acetone-ammonia (5.5 + 4.5 + 0.5, v/v/v) as the developing phase. Separated bands are scanned at 254 nm over a concentration range of 0.1-1.7 and 0.4-2.8 μg/band, with mean ± SD recoveries of 99.12 ± 0.964 and 100.14 ± 0.962%, for dexamethasone and chlorpheniramine maleate, respectively. Reversed-phase HPLC is the second method, in which a mixture of dexamethasone and chlorpheniramine maleate, methylparaben, and propylparaben is separated on a reversed-phase silica C18 (5 μm particle size, 250 mm, 4.6 mm id) column using 0.1 M ammonium acetate buffer-acetonitrile (60 + 40, v/v, pH 3) as the mobile phase. The drugs were detected at 220 nm over a concentration range of 5-50 μg/mL, 2-90 μg/mL, 4-100 μg/mL, and 7-50 μg/mL, with mean ± SD recoveries of 100.85 ± 0.905, 99.67 ± 1.281, 100.20 ± 0.906, and 99.81 ± 0.954%, for dexamethasone, chlorpheniramine maleate, methylparaben paraben, and propylparaben, respectively. The advantages of the suggested methods over previously reported methods are the ability to detect lower concentrations of the main drugs and to show better resolution of interfering preservatives; hence, these methods could be more reliable for routine QC analyses.

New evidence on the formation of oxidizing species in corona discharge in contact with liquid and their reactions with organic compounds

The objective of these investigations is to understand in more detail how organic compounds in water are degraded during plasma treatment. The formation of oxidizing species (ozone (O₃), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and hydroxyl radicals (OH)) in a pulsed corona discharge in contact with liquid is investigated. The degradation of a target organic compound (methylparaben) in aqueous solution was increased when combining plasma treatment with ozonation, using the O₃ generated in the discharge. Enhanced mass transfer of O₃ obtained in this plasma+O₃ configuration leads to a six fold increase of MeP oxidation rate. The evolution of oxidants concentration during treatment of MeP solutions provides information on their consumption in reactions with MeP and its oxidation products. The correlation of MeP degradation results (MeP removal and mineralization) with O₃ consumption and the identified reaction products confirms that although O₃ plays an important role in the degradation, for the mineralization OH radicals have an essential contribution. The concentration of OH radicals is diminished in the solutions containing MeP as compared to plasma-treated water, indicating OH consumption in reactions with the target compound and its degradation products. The concentration of H₂O₂ in the liquid can be either increased or reduced in the presence of MeP, depending on its initial concentration. On the one hand, decomposition of H₂O₂ by OH or O₃ is suppressed in the presence of MeP, but on the other hand less OH radicals are available for its formation.

High-throughput exposure modeling to support prioritization of chemicals in personal care products

We demonstrate the application of a high-throughput modeling framework to estimate exposure to chemicals used in personal care products (PCPs). As a basis for estimating exposure, we use the product intake fraction (PiF), defined as the mass of chemical taken by an individual or population per mass of a given chemical used in a product. We calculated use- and disposal- stage PiFs for 518 chemicals for five PCP archetypes. Across all product archetypes the use- and disposal- stage PiFs ranged from 10(-5) to 1 and 0 to 10(-3), respectively. There is a distinction between the use-stage PiF for leave-on and wash-off products which had median PiFs of 0.5 and 0.02 across the 518 chemicals, respectively. The PiF is a function of product characteristics and physico-chemical properties and is maximized when skin permeability is high and volatility is low such that there is no competition between skin and air losses from the applied product. PCP chemical contents (i.e. concentrations) were available for 325 chemicals and were combined with PCP usage characteristics and PiF yielding intakes summed across a demonstrative set of products ranging from 10(-8)-30 mg/kg/d, with a median of 0.1 mg/kg/d. The highest intakes were associated with body lotion. Bioactive doses derived from high-throughput in vitro toxicity data were combined with the estimated PiFs to demonstrate an approach to estimate bioactive equivalent chemical content and to screen chemicals for risk.

Chlorination of parabens: reaction kinetics and transformation product identification

The reactivity and fate of parabens during chlorination were investigated in this work. Chlorination kinetics of methylparaben (MeP), ethylparaben (EtP), propylparaben (PrP), and butylparaben (BuP) were studied in the pH range of 4.0 to 11.0 at 25 ± 1 °C. Apparent rate constants (k _app) of 9.65 × 10^-3 M^-0.614·s^-1, 1.77 × 10^-2 M^-1.019·s^-1, 2.98 × 10^-2 M^-0.851·s^-1, and 1.76 × 10^-2 M^-0.860·s^-1 for MeP, EtP, PrP, and BuP, respectively, were obtained at pH 7.0. The rate constants depended on the solution pH, temperature, and NH₄⁺ concentration. The maximum k _app was obtained at pH 8.0, and the minimum value was obtained at pH 11.0. The reaction rate constants increased with increasing temperature. When NH₄⁺ was added to the solution, the reaction of parabens was inhibited due to the rapid formation of chloramines. Two main transformation products, 3-chloro-parabens and 3,5-dichloro-parabens, were identified by GC-MS and LCMS-IT-TOF, and a reaction pathway was proposed. Dichlorinated parabens accumulated in solution, which is a threat to human health and the aqueous environment.

Application of Fenton oxidation to reduce the toxicity of mixed parabens

The aims of the present work were to assess the application of a chemical process to degrade a mixture of parabens and determine the influence of a natural river water matrix on toxicity. Model effluents containing either a single compound, namely methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, benzylparaben or p-hydroxybenzoic acid, or to mimic realistic conditions a mixture of the six compounds was used. Fenton process was applied to reduce the organic charge and toxic properties of the model effluents. The efficiency of the decontamination has been investigated using a chemical as well as a toxicological approach. The potential reduction of the effluents' toxicity after Fenton treatment was evaluated by assessing (i) Vibrio fischeri luminescence inhibition, (ii) lethal effects amongst freshwater Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea), and (iii) the impact on mammalian neuronal activity using brain slices. From the environmental point of view such a broad toxicity analysis has been performed for the first time. The results indicate that Fenton reaction is an effective method for the reduction of chemical oxygen demand of a mixture of parabens and their toxicity to V. fischeri and C. fluminea. However, no important differences were found between raw and treated samples in regard to mammalian neuronal activity.

Parabens abatement from surface waters by electrochemical advanced oxidation with boron doped diamond anodes

The removal efficiency of four commonly-used parabens by electrochemical advanced oxidation with boron-doped diamond anodes in two different aqueous matrices, namely ultrapure water and surface water from the Guadiana River, has been analyzed. Response surface methodology and a factorial, composite, central, orthogonal, and rotatable (FCCOR) statistical design of experiments have been used to optimize the process. The experimental results clearly show that the initial concentration of pollutants is the factor that influences the removal efficiency in a more remarkable manner in both aqueous matrices. As a rule, as the initial concentration of parabens increases, the removal efficiency decreases. The current density also affects the removal efficiency in a statistically significant manner in both aqueous matrices. In the water river aqueous matrix, a noticeable synergistic effect on the removal efficiency has been observed, probably due to the presence of chloride ions that increase the conductivity of the solution and contribute to the generation of strong secondary oxidant species such as chlorine or HClO/ClO ^-. The use of a statistical design of experiments made it possible to determine the optimal conditions necessary to achieve total removal of the four parabens in ultrapure and river water aqueous matrices.

Removal of furan and phenolic compounds from simulated biomass hydrolysates by batch adsorption and continuous fixed-bed column adsorption methods

It has been proposed to remove all potential inhibitors and sulfuric acid in biomass hydrolysates generated from dilute-acid pretreatment of biomass, based on three steps of sugar purification process. This study focused on its first step in which furan and phenolic compounds were selectively removed from the simulated hydrolysates using activated charcoal. Batch adsorption experiments demonstrated that the affinity of activated charcoal for each component was highest in the order of vanillic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, furfural, acetic acid, sulfuric acid, and xylose. The affinity of activated charcoal for furan and phenolic compounds proved to be significantly higher than that of the other three components. Four separation strategies were conducted with a combination of batch adsorption and continuous fixed-bed column adsorption methods. It was observed that xylose loss was negligible with near complete removal of furan and phenolic compounds, when at least one fixed-bed column adsorption was implemented in the strategy.

Fenton-like oxidation of small aromatic acids from biomass burning in atmospheric water and in the absence of light: Identification of intermediates and reaction pathways

A previous work showed that the night period is important for the occurrence of Fenton-like oxidation of small aromatic acids from biomass burning in atmospheric waters, which originate new chromophoric compounds apparently more complex than the precursors, although the chemical transformations involved in the process are still unknown. In this work were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and by electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) the organic intermediate compounds formed during the Fenton-like oxidation of three aromatic acids from biomass burning (benzoic, 4-hydroxybenzoic and 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acids), the same compounds evaluated in the previous study, in water and in the absence of light, which in turns allows to disclose the chemical reaction pathways involved. The oxidation intermediate compounds found for benzoic acid were 2-hydroxybenzoic, 3-hydroxybenzoic, 4-hydroxybenzoic, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic, 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acids. The oxidation intermediates for 4-hydroxybenzoic acid were 3,4-hydroxybenzoic acid and hydroquinone, while for 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid were 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic and 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acids, and tetrahydroxybenzene. The results suggested that the hydroxylation of the three small aromatic acids is the main step of Fenton-like oxidation in atmospheric waters during the night, and that the occurrence of decarboxylation is also an important step during the oxidation of the 4-dihydroxybenzoic and 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acids. In addition, it is important to highlight that the compounds produced are also small aromatic compounds with potential adverse effects on the environment, besides becoming available for further chemical reactions in atmospheric waters.

UHPLC-MS/MS Determination, Pharmacokinetic, and Bioavailability Study of Taxifolin in Rat Plasma after Oral Administration of its Nanodispersion

A rapid and sensitive LC-MS/MS method based on the Triple Quad system has been developed and validated for the determination and pharmacokinetics of taxifolin and its nanodispersion in rat plasma. Taxifolin plasma samples along with butylparaben (internal standard) were pre-treated by liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate, and then separated on a SB-C18 RRHD column (150 mm × 2.1 mm × 1.8 μm) using isocratic elution with a run time of 3.0 min. The mobile phase was acetonitrile-water (90:10, v/v) containing 5 mM ammonium acetate at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. Quantification of taxifolin was performed by the electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode with negative atmospheric ionization at m/z 303.0→285.0 for taxifolin and 193.1→92.0 for I.S., respectively. The calibration curve of taxifolin showed good linearity over a concentration range of 5.0-4280 ng/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.9995. The limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 5.0 ng/mL. Intra-day, inter-day precision and accuracy (percent relative to standard deviation) were all within 8% at three concentration levels. A total recovery of taxifolin and I.S. was beyond 75%. The present LC-MS/MS method was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic studies of taxifolin after intravenous administration of taxifolin, oral administration of its physical mixture and nanodispersion. The absolute bioavailability of taxifolin was calculated as 0.75% for taxifolin nanodispersion and 0.49% for taxifolin, respectively.

Theoretical investigation on the kinetics and mechanisms of hydroxyl radical-induced transformation of parabens and its consequences for toxicity: Influence of alkyl-chain length

As emerging organic contaminants (EOCs), the ubiquitous presence of preservative parabens in water causes a serious environmental concern. Hydroxyl radical ((•)OH) is a strong oxidant that can degrade EOCs through photochemistry in surface water environments as well as in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). To better understand the degradation mechanisms, kinetics, and products toxicity of the preservative parabens in aquatic environments and AOPs, the (•)OH-initiated degradation reactions of the four parabens were investigated systematically using a computational approach. The four studied parabens with increase of alkyl-chain length were methylparaben (MPB), ethylparaben (EPB), propylparaben (PPB), and dibutylparaben (BPB). Results showed that the four parabens can be initially attacked by (•)OH through (•)OH-addition and H-abstraction routes. The (•)OH-addition route was more important for the degradation of shorter alkyl-chain parabens like MPB and EPB, while the H-abstraction route was predominant for the degradation of parabens with longer alkyl-chain for example PPB and BPB. In assessing the aquatic toxicity of parabens and their degradation products using the model calculations, the products of the (•)OH-addition route were found to be more toxic to green algae than original parabens. Although all degradation products were less toxic to daphnia and fish than corresponding parental parabens, they could be still harmful to these aquatic organisms. Furthermore, as alkyl-chain length increased, the ecotoxicity of parabens and their degradation products was found to be also increased.

Occurrence of phthalate diesters (phthalates), p-hydroxybenzoic acid esters (parabens), bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) and their derivatives in indoor dust from Vietnam: Implications for exposure

Phthalate diesters (phthalates), esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens), and bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) are used in personal care products, food packages, household products, or pharmaceuticals. These compounds possess endocrine-disrupting potentials and have been reported to occur in the environment. Nevertheless, no previous studies have reported the occurrence of these compounds in indoor dust from Vietnam. In this study, nine phthalates, six parabens, and four BADGEs were determined in indoor dust samples collected from Hanoi, Hatinh, Hungyen, and Thaibinh, in Vietnam. Total concentrations of phthalates, parabens, and BADGEs in indoor dust ranged from 3440 to 106,000 ng/g (median: 22,600 ng/g), 40-840 ng/g (median: 123 ng/g), and 23 to 1750 ng/g (median: 184 ng/g), respectively. Based on the measured median concentration of phthalates, parabens, and BADGEs in indoor dust, we estimated human exposure doses to these compounds through indoor dust ingestion for various age groups. The exposure doses to phthalates, parabens, and BADGEs decreased with age and ranged from 19.4 to 90.4 ng/kg-bw/d, 0.113-0.528 ng/kg-bw/d, and 0.158-0.736 ng/kg-bw/d, respectively. This is the first study on the occurrence and human exposure of phthalates, parabens, and BADGEs in indoor dust from Vietnam.

Exposure of Preschool-Age Greek Children (RHEA Cohort) to Bisphenol A, Parabens, Phthalates, and Organophosphates

Phthalate esters (PEs), bisphenol A (BPA), and parabens (PBs), which are used in numerous consumer products, are known for their endocrine disrupting properties. Organophosphate chemicals (OPs), which form the basis of the majority of pesticides, are known for their neurotoxic activity in humans. All of these chemicals are associated with health problems to which children are more susceptible. Once they enter the human body, PEs, BPA, PBs, and OPs are metabolized and/or conjugated and finally excreted via urine. Hence, human exposure to these substances is examined through a determination of the urinary concentrations of their metabolites. This study assessed the exposure of Greek preschool-age children to PEs, BPA, PBs, and OPs by investigating the urinary levels of seven PEs metabolites, six PBs, BPA, and six dialkyl phosphate metabolites in five-hundred samples collected from 4-year-old children, subjects of the "RHEA" mother-child cohort in Crete, Greece. Daily intake of endocrine disruptors, calculated for 4 year old children, was lower than the corresponding daily intake for 2.5 year old children, which were determined in an earlier study of the same cohort. In some cases the daily intake levels exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) values and the EFSA Reference Doses (RfD) (e.g., for di-2-ethyl-hexyl phthalate, 3.6% and 1% of the children exceeded RfD and TDi, respectively). Exposure was linked to three main sources: PEs-BPA to plastic, PBs-diethyl phthalate to personal hygiene products, and OPs to food.

Degradation of ethylparaben under simulated sunlight using photo-Fenton

Ethylparaben (EPB) has been classified by different research groups as a potential endocrine-disrupting chemical, implying that it can potentially interfere with the normal balance of the endocrine system of living beings, which with its presence in different effluents, including drinking water, generates the need to seek methods that allow its removal from different water bodies. Advanced oxidation processes have been employed widely to remove organic compounds from different matrices. In this way, Fenton technology (process based on the reaction between ferrous ions and hydrogen peroxide) has been able to degrade different substrates, but due to the Fe(2+) requirements to carry out the reaction optimally, combination of the conventional Fenton process with visible light radiation (photo-Fenton) is an alternative used in the treatment of pollution due to the presence of chemicals. In this way, the effectiveness of photo-Fenton on EPB degradation was assessed using a face-centered central composite experimental design that allowed assessment of the effects of Fe(2+) and H2O2 initial concentrations on process. In general, results indicated that after 180 min of reaction almost all EPB was eliminated, the dissolved organic carbon in solution was reduced and the sample biodegradability index was increased.

Biodegradation of phenolic compounds and their metabolites in contaminated groundwater using microbial fuel cells

This is the first study demonstrating the biodegradation of phenolic compounds and their organic metabolites in contaminated groundwater using bioelectrochemical systems (BESs). The phenols were biodegraded anaerobically via 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and 4-hydroxy-3-methylbenzoic acid, which were retained by electromigration in the anode chamber. Oxygen, nitrate, iron(III), sulfate and the electrode were electron acceptors for biodegradation. Electro-active bacteria attached to the anode, producing electricity (~1.8mW/m(2)), while utilizing acetate as an electron donor. Electricity generation started concurrently with iron reduction; the anode was an electron acceptor as thermodynamically favorable as iron(III). Acetate removal was enhanced by 40% in the presence of the anode. However, enhanced removal of phenols occurred only for a short time. Field-scale application of BESs for in situ bioremediation requires an understanding of the regulation and kinetics of biodegradation pathways of the parent compounds to relevant metabolites, and the syntrophic interactions and carbon flow in the microbial community.

Influence of inorganic ions and selected emerging contaminants on the degradation of Methylparaben: A sonochemical approach

The study on the possible pathway of hydroxyl radicals mediated sonolytic degradation of paraben in water is reported. Methylparaben (MPB) which is the most utilized of paraben family is selected as a model emerging pollutant. The influence of common anions and some selected emerging contaminants that may coexist in typical water matrix on the degradation pattern is analyzed alongside. Among the anions, carbonate presents a negative influence which is attributed to the competition for OH radical. Some emerging contaminants also showed negative impact on degradation as was clear from HPLC data. The intermediates, analyzed by LC-Q-TOF-MS include hydroxylated and hydrolytic products. Three major steps (aromatic hydroxylation, hydroxylation at the ester chain and hydrolysis) are proposed to involve in the reaction of OH radical with MPB which ultimately leads to mineralization. The intensity of formation and decay of mono and dihydroxy products of MPB in the presence of additives have also been evaluated. COD analysis indicates a percentage reduction of 98% at 90 min of sonolysis and further increase in the degradation time resulted complete mineralization, which became evident from the mass spectrometric data. MTT assay revealed considerable decrease in the potential cytotoxicity.

Formation Pathways and Trade-Offs between Haloacetamides and Haloacetaldehydes during Combined Chlorination and Chloramination of Lignin Phenols and Natural Waters

In vitro bioassays have indicated that haloacetamides and haloacetaldehydes exhibit the highest cytotoxicity among DBP classes. Previous research has focused on their potential formation from the chlorination or chloramination of aliphatic compounds, particularly nonaromatic amino acids, and acetaldehyde. The present work found that acetaldehyde served as a relatively poor precursor for trichloroacetaldehyde and dichloroacetamide, generally the most prevalent of the haloacetaldehydes and haloacetamides, during chlorination or chlorination/chloramination. Using phenolic model compounds, particularly 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, as models for structures in humic substances, we found significantly higher formation of trichloroacetaldehyde and dichloroacetamide from prechlorination followed by chloramination. Evaluation of the stoichiometry of chlorine reactions with 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and several intermediates indicated that seven successive Cl[+1] transfers, faster with chlorination than chloramination, can form 2,3,5,5,6-pentachloro-6-hydroxy-cyclohexa-2-ene-1,4-dione via chlorophenol and chlorobenzoquinone intermediates. Formation of 2,3,5,5,6-pentachloro-6-hydroxy-cyclohexa-2-ene-1,4-dione may serve as a key branching point, with chloramines promoting the formation of dichloroacetamide and chlorination promoting the formation of trichloroacetaldehyde. The behavior of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid with respect to yields of dichloroacetamide and trichloroacetaldehyde during chlorination followed by chloramination was similar to the behavior observed for model humic acids and several surface waters, suggesting that phenolic structures in natural waters may serve as the predominant, and common pool of precursors for haloacetamides and haloacetaldehydes. Experiments with natural waters indicated that the branching point is reached over prechlorine exposures (100-500 mg-min/L) relevant to drinking water utilities using chlorine as a primary disinfectant and chloramines for maintenance of a distribution system residual.