Montmorillonite as an adsorbent for extraction and concentration of atrazine, propazine, deethylatrazine, deisopropylatrazine and hydroxyatrazine

Evaluation of organo-vermiculites as sorbent phases for solid-phase extraction of ibuprofen from water

The study of ibuprofen (IBU) preconcentration was carried out making use of a homemade column for solid-phase extraction (SPE), using vermiculite (VT) or organo-vermiculites (OVTs) as sorbent phases. Aqueous samples (50.0 mL) percolated the column and IBU was sorbed onto the VT or OVT and then desorbed using acetonitrile. Employing this SPE system and OVT, calibration curves were generated for IBU, by spectrophotometric quantification using the α-naphthylamine method. R2 values higher than 0.9950 and LOD between 12 and 18 μg L-1 were observed, for real enrichment factors of 21 and 31, by using OVTs. The analytical protocol was applied to three water samples, which were spiked with IBU solutions to evaluate the precision and accuracy of the method. Recoveries between 77 and 110% at three different IBU concentrations and RSD lower than 18% were observed, even by using the spectrophotometric method. The protocol developed in this study demonstrated that the OVT was appropriate to work as a preconcentration phase for IBU determination in water samples.

Guidelines to Study the Adsorption of Pesticides onto Clay Minerals Aiming at a Straightforward Evaluation of Their Removal Performance

Natural and modified clay minerals have been extensively used for the adsorption/desorption of organic substances, especially pesticides, from waters and wastewater, aiming at pollution control and more efficient use of the herbicides through controlled release. While natural clay minerals efficiently remove organic cations such as paraquat and diquat, the adsorption of anionic or neutral species demands surface chemical modification with, for instance, quaternary ammonium salts containing long alkyl chains. Basic pesticides, on the other hand, are better absorbed in clay minerals modified with polycations. Kinetic studies and adsorption/desorption isotherms provide the parameters needed to evaluate the clay mineral’s adsorptive performance towards the pollutant target. However, the direct comparison of these parameters is complicated because the experimental conditions, the analytical techniques, the kinetic and isotherm models, and the numerical fitting method differ among the various studies. The free-energy-related Langmuir constant depends on the degree of site occupation; that is, it depends on the concentration window used to construct the adsorption isotherm and, consequently, on the analytical technique used to quantify the free concentrations. This paper reviews pesticides’ adsorption on natural and modified clay minerals and proposes guidelines for designing batch adsorption/desorption studies to obtain easily comparable and meaningful adsorption parameters. Articles should clearly describe the experimental conditions such as temperature, contact time, total concentration window, the solution to adsorbent ratio, the analytical technique, and its detection and quantification limits, besides the fitting models. Research should also evaluate the competitive effects of humic substances, colloidal inorganic particles, and ionic strength to emulate real-world adsorption experiments.

Stability of Atrazine–Smectite Intercalates: Density Functional Theory and Experimental Study

Atrazine (A) is one of the most applied herbicides and has a negative impact on the environment and health. Density functional theory (DFT) and experimental methods were used in the study of the immobilization of atrazine in two smectites, montmorillonite (Mt) and beidellite (Bd), as well as in their organically modified structures. Four systems were examined: A-Mt and A-Bd, as well as the structures modified by tetramethylphosphonium cation (TMP), A-TMP-Mt and A-TMP-Bd. The calculations revealed a flat arrangement of the atrazine in the interlayer space of both smectites with higher stability of beidellite structures. The presence of the TMP cation increased the fixation of atrazine in both organically modified smectites. The calculated vibrational spectra allowed a detailed analysis of the overlapping bands observed in the experimental FTIR spectra and their correct assignment. Further, selected FTIR bands unambiguously assigned to atrazine and both smectites served for the estimation of the adsorbed amount of atrazine. It was shown that the adsorption capacity of both TMP-modified smectites did not increase in comparison to the adsorption capacity of unmodified smectite samples.

Electrochemically Fabricated Solid Phase Microextraction Fibers and Their Applications in Food, Environmental and Clinical Analysis

Background:

Designing an analytical methodology for complicated matrices, such as biological and environmental samples, is difficult since the sample preparation procedure is the most demanding step affecting the whole analytical process. Nowadays, this step has become more challenging by the legislations and environmental concerns since it is a prerequisite to eliminate or minimize the use of hazardous substances in traditional procedures by replacing with green techniques suitable for the sample matrix.

Methods:

In addition to the matrix, the nature of the analyte also influence the ease of creating green analytical techniques. Recent developments in the chemical analysis provide us new methodologies introducing microextraction techniques and among them, solid phase microextraction (SPME) has emerged as a simple, fast, low cost, reliable and portable sample preparation technique that minimizes solvent consumption.

Results:

The use of home-made fibers is popular in the last two decades since the selectivity can be tuned by changing the surface characteristics through chemical and electrochemical modifications. Latter technique is preferred since the electroactive polymers can be coated onto the fiber under controlled electrochemical conditions and the film thicknesses can be adjusted by simply changing the deposition parameters. Thermal resistance and mechanical strength can be readily increased by incorporating different dopant ions into the polymeric structure and selectivity can be tuned by inserting functional groups and nanostructures. A vast number of analytes with wide range of polarities extracted by this means can be determined with a suitable chromatographic detector coupled to the system. Therefore, the main task is to improve the physicochemical properties of the fiber along with the extraction efficiency and selectivity towards the various analytes by adjusting the electrochemical preparation conditions.

Conclusion:

This review covers the fine tuning conditions practiced in electrochemical preparation of SPME fibers and in-tube systems and their applications in environmental, food and clinical analysis.

Removal of triazine-based herbicides on specific polymeric sorbent: fixed bed column studies

The porous material containing carboxyl groups was investigated in fixed bed system for the triazine-based herbicides removal from aqueous solution. In order to obtain adsorbent capable of generating specific interactions with triazines, the poly(divinylbenzene) was synthesized in radical suspension polymerization and then was modified with maleic anhydride in Diels-Alder reaction with subsequent base hydrolysis. The introduction of carboxyl groups into polymer structure resulted in obtaining specific interactions, such as hydrogen bonds between modified poly(divinylbenzene) and triazines, therefore the selectivity and the high adsorption capacity towards terbuthylazine, propazine, atrazine and simazine was observed. The total and usable adsorptive capacities, the breakthrough and exhaustion times, the coefficients of sphericity of isoplanes, the heights of adsorption fronts and the mass exchange moving rates were calculated based on the analysis of the breakthrough curves. Results show that the best sorption parameters in dynamic conditions were achieved for terbuthylazine and propazine. For them the highest values of adsorptive capacities, the smallest heights of mass transfer fronts and their slow movement along the bed height were obtained. The use of ethanol for herbicides elution provided a high recovery degree of adsorbed substances. Reusability of investigated polymer bed was studied in three adsorption/desorption cycles.

Removal of triazine-based herbicides on specific polymeric sorbent: batch studies

The triazine-based herbicides removal from aqueous solution on specific polymeric adsorbent was studied. Poly(divinylbenzene) modified with maleic anhydride in Diels-Alder reaction was selected for the sorption experiments because molecular structures of triazine derived herbicides exhibit complementarity to the arrangement of functional groups in the polymer. The presence of carboxyl groups in adsorbent structure resulted in specific directional interactions, such as hydrogen bonds, which can intensify adsorption ability towards triazines. In the case of both atrazine and terbuthylazine the effect is more intensive, whereas in sorption of simazine and propazine the non-specific interactions have higher importance than hydrogen bonds. Specific interactions in investigated systems are between the hydrogen atom of the amino group of triazine and the carbonyl oxygen atom of the carboxyl group of the modified poly(divinylbenzene) (O…H–N). Only in the case of terbuthylazine the creation of hydrogen bonds between hydroxyl hydrogen atom of carboxylic group and nitrogen atom containing free electron pair from triazine (O–H…N) was observed. The sorption of simazine, atrazine and propazine does not depend on pH in the acidic region, whereas in the case of terbuthylazine an increase in sorption efficiency is observed while pH decreases.

Selective extraction and determination of fluoroquinolones in bovine milk samples with montmorillonite magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers and capillary electrophoresis

A sensitive and selective method for separating fluoroquinolones (FQs) from bovine milk samples was successfully developed using montmorillonite magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMMIPs) as adsorbents. MMMIPs were prepared using montmorillonite as carrier, fleroxacin (FLE) as template molecule, and Fe3O4 magnetite as magnetic component. MMMIPs possessed high adsorption capacity of 46.3 mg g(-1) for FLE. A rapid and convenient magnetic solid-phase extraction procedure coupled with capillary electrophoresis was established with MMMIPs as adsorbents for simultaneous and selective extraction of four FQs in bovine milk samples. Limits of detection ranged between 12.9 and 18.8 μg L(-1), and the RSDs were between 1.8% and 8.6%. The proposed method was successfully applied to spike bovine milk samples with recoveries of 92.7%-108.6%.

Carbon paste electrode modified with cuo-nanoparticles as a probe for square wave voltammetric determination of atrazine

BACKGROUND

Atrazine (ATZ) is a widely used herbicide in most countries because of its low cost and good selectivity. The concentration of ATZ that the EPA considers safe to consume in drinking water is 3 ppb. Therefore, recently, there have been concerns about its determination in trace levels. This compound is not electro-active, so in this research indirect electrochemical method for its detection in low levels was proposed.

OBJECTIVES

The main aim of this study is the indirect determination of ATZ in water samples by voltammetry using nano-particle modified electrode.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A nano-CuO modified carbon paste electrode (NMCPE) is constructed and its application for indirect square wave voltammetric (SWV) detection of ATZ is reported. The sensing performance mechanism of the nano-CuO modified carbon paste electrode toward atrazine is due to complexation of the analyte with Cu (II) ion. The peak current for copper (II) reduction decreases with increase in the ATZ concentration and is monitored for its determination. Instrumental and chemical parameters influencing the detection of ATZ were optimized.

RESULTS

The results revealed that decrease in peak current was proportional to ATZ concentration over the range of 5-75 ng/mL. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 2 ng/mL and 5.6 ng/mL (n = 20), respectively. The relative standard deviation (n = 10) for the determination of 10 and 50 ng/mL of ATZ solution was estimated as 4.9% and 4.2 %, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This easily fabricated electrode together with the fast and sensitive SW voltammetry was successfully applied for the determination of concentration of ATZ at trace levels, in different water samples.

Quantifying hysteresis of atrazine desorption from a sandy loam soil

Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of initial atrazine concentrations and consecutive desorption steps on the desorption characteristics of atrazine from a sandy loam soil. As initial atrazine concentration increased, the average percentage of atrazine desorption on the sandy loam soil ranged gradually from 23.1% to 38.5% after five consecutive desorption steps. The values of the Freundlich capacity parameter, k(des), derived from the initial concentration and time-dependent desorption isotherm were consistently higher than those associated with sorption. The opposite trend was observed only for the values of nonlinear parameter, n(des), from the initial concentration-dependent desorption isotherms. Atrazine hydrolysis to hydroxyatrazine and bound residue formation were mainly responsible for the observed hysteresis in its sorption and desorption isotherms. For the initial concentration-dependent desorption isotherms, as initial atrazine concentration increased, the values of hysteretic coefficients omega and lamda decreased, and eta values increased. However, the relationships between initial atrazine concentration and hysteretic coefficients were not pronounced for omega, eta, or lamda. For the time-dependent desorption isotherms, lamda and eta values increased as the atrazine desorption step proceeded. The correlation between hysteretic coefficient and desorption step was highly significant for lamda (P < 0.0001), but not for eta.

Atrazine biodegradation modulated by clays and clay/humic acid complexes

The fate of pesticides in the environment is strongly related to the soil sorption processes that control not only their transfer but also their bioavailability. Cationic (Ca-bentonite) and anionic (Layered Double Hydroxide) clays behave towards the ionisable pesticide atrazine (AT) sorption with opposite tendencies: a noticeable sorption capacity for the first whereas the highly hydrophilic LDH showed no interactions with AT. These clays were modified with different humic acid (HA) contents. HA sorbed on the clay surface and increased AT interactions. The sorption effect on AT biodegradation and on its metabolite formation was studied with Pseudomonas sp. ADP. The biodegradation rate was greatly modulated by the material's sorption capacity and was clearly limited by the desorption rate. More surprisingly, it increased dramatically with LDH. Adsorption of bacterial cells on clay particles facilitates the degradation of non-sorbed chemical, and should be considered for predicting pesticide fate in the environment.

Treatment of methyl orange by calcined layered double hydroxides in aqueous solution: Adsorption property and kinetic studies

Adsorption of a weak acid dye, methyl orange (MO) by calcined layered double hydroxides (LDO) with Zn/Al molar ratio of 3:1 was investigated. In the light of so called "memory effect," LDO was found to recover their original layered structure in the presence of appropriate anions, after adsorption part of MO(-) and CO(2-)(3) (come from air) intercalated into the interlayer of LDH which had been supported by XRD and ICP. The results of adsorption experiments indicate that the maximum capacity of MO at equilibrium (Q(e)) and percentage of adsorption (eta%) with a fixed adsorbent dose of 0.5 g L(-1) were found to be 181.9 mg g(-1) and 90.95%, respectively, when MO concentration, temperature, pH and equilibrium time were 100 mg L(-1), 298 K, 6.0 and 120 min, respectively. The isotherms showed that the adsorption of MO by Zn/Al-LDO was both consistent with Langmuir and Freundlich equations. The adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature and followed pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The calculated value of E(a) was found to be 77.1 kJ mol(-1), which suggests that the process of adsorption of methyl orange is controlled by the rate of reaction rather than diffusion. The possible mechanism for MO adsorption has also been presumed. In addition, the competitive anions on adsorption and the regeneration of Zn/Al-LDO have also been investigated.

Influence of thermal treatment applied to Fe(III) polyhydroxy cation intercalated vermiculite on the adsorption of atrazine

Intercalation of vermiculite with Fe(III) polyhydroxy cations at 1:1 and 2:1 [OH-]/[Fe(III)] molar ratios increases the affinity of the clay mineral toward atrazine in comparison with potassium saturated vermiculite. The present paper describes the effects of thermal treatments applied to Fe(III) polyhydroxy cations modified vermiculite on the adsorption properties of the clay mineral. Only small changes in the textural characteristics were observed for the materials intercalated with either 1:1 or 2:1 [OH-]/[Fe(III)] molar ratios treated at 100 and 250 degrees C. In comparison with potassium saturated vermiculite, or intercalated vermiculite treated at 100 degrees C, a significant enhancement in the adsorption of atrazine was observed for the materials treated at 250 and 400 degrees C, which removed more than 95.8 and 99.5% of the herbicide initially present in a 50.0 microg L-1 aqueous solution, respectively. In comparison with potassium saturated vermiculite and intercalated vermiculite treated at 100 degrees C, a lower desorption degree of preadsorbed atrazine was observed for both intercalated materials treated at 250 and 400 degrees C. These findings suggest that the thermal treatment produced modified vermiculite materials with a high adsorption capacity and high affinity toward atrazine, with potential application in the removal of this herbicide, as well as other triazines, from aqueous medium.