Dissolved Organic Matter Singlet Oxygen Quantum Yields: Evaluation Using Time-Resolved Singlet Oxygen Phosphorescence

Unveiling the environmental significance of acetylperoxyl radical: Reactivity quantification and kinetic modeling

Acetylperoxyl radical (CH3C(O)OO•) is among highly reactive organic radicals which are known to play crucial roles in atmospheric chemistry, aqueous chemistry and, most recently, peracetic acid (PAA)-based advanced oxidation processes. However, fundamental knowledge for its reactivity is scarce and severely hampers the understanding of relevant environmental processes. Herein, three independent experimental approaches were exploited for revelation and quantification of the reaction rates of acetylperoxyl radical. First, we developed and verified laser flash photolysis of biacetyl, ultraviolet (UV) photolysis of biacetyl, and pulse radiolysis of acetaldehyde, each as a clean source of CH3C(O)OO•. Then, using competition kinetics and selection of suitable probe and competitor compounds, the rate constants between CH3C(O)OO• and compounds of diverse structures were determined. The three experimental approaches complemented in reaction time scale and ease of operation, and provided cross-validation of the rate constants. Moreover, the formation of CH3C(O)OO• was verified by spin-trapped electron paramagnetic resonance, and potential influence of other reactive species in the systems was assessed. Overall, CH3C(O)OO• displays distinctively high reactivity and selectivity, reacting especially favorably with naphthyl and diene compounds (k ∼ 107-108 M-1 s-1) but sluggishly with N- and S-containing groups. Significantly, we demonstrated that incorporating acetylperoxyl radical-oxidation reactions significantly improved the accuracy in modeling the degradation of environmental micropollutants by UV/PAA treatment. This study is among the most comprehensive investigation for peroxyl radical reactivity to date, and establishes a robust methodology for investigating organic radical chemistry. The determined rate constants strengthen kinetic databases and improve modeling accuracy for natural and engineered systems.

Determining wavelength-dependent quantum yields of photodegradation: importance of experimental setup and reference values for actinometers

Accurate quantum yields are crucial for modeling photochemical reactions in natural and engineered treatment systems. Quantum yields are usually determined using a single representative light source such as xenon lamps to mimic sunlight or UVC light for water treatment. However, photodegradation modeling can be improved by understanding the wavelength dependence of quantum yields and the potential errors introduced by the experimental setup. In this study, we investigated the effects of experimental setup on measured quantum yields using four photoreactor systems and up to 11 different light sources. When using a calibrated spectroradiometer to measure incident irradiance on an open solution surface, apparent quantum yields were up to two times higher if light reflection and light screening were not accounted for in the experimental setup. When the experimental setup was optimized to allow for accurate irradiance measurements, quantum yields were reproducible across photoreactors. The optimized experimental setup was then used to determine quantum yields of uridine, atrazine, p-nitroanisole (PNA), sulfamethoxazole, and diclofenac across the UV spectrum. No significant wavelength dependence of quantum yields was observed for sulfamethoxazole and diclofenac, in contrast to wavelength-dependent quantum yields for uridine, atrazine, and PNA. These reference values can be used for determining wavelength-dependent quantum yields of other compounds of interest. Additionally, more accurate results can be obtained when using (1) an actinometer with similar light absorption and photoreactivity compared to that of the target chemical, (2) optically transparent actinometer solutions that can account for light reflection within reaction vessels, and (3) a quantum yield that corresponds to the spectrum of the selected light source.

Singlet oxygen generation on a superhydrophobic surface: Effect of photosensitizer coating and incident wavelength on 1O2 yields

Photochemical generation of singlet oxygen (1O2) often relies on homogenous systems; however, a dissolved photosensitizer (PS) may be unsuitable for some applications because it is difficult to recover, expensive to replenish, and hazardous to the environment. Isolation of the PS onto a solid support can overcome these limitations, but implementation faces other challenges, including agglomeration of the solid PS, physical quenching of 1O2 by the support, photooxidation of the PS, and hypoxic environments. Here, we explore a superhydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (SH-PDMS) support coated with the photosensitizer 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)-21H,23H-porphyrin (TFPP). This approach seeks to address the challenges of a heterogeneous system by using a support that exhibits low 1O2 physical quenching rates, a fluorinated PS that is chemically resistant to photooxidation, and a superhydrophobic surface that entraps a layer of air, thus preventing hypoxia. Absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy reveal the monomeric arrangement of TFPP on SH-PDMS surfaces, a surprising but favorable characteristic for a solid-phase PS on 1O2 yields. We also investigated the effect of incident wavelength on 1O2 yields for TFPP in aqueous solution and immobilized on SH-PDMS and found overall yields to be dependent on the absorption coefficient, while the yield per absorbed photon exhibited wavelength independence, in accordance with Kasha-Vavilov's rule.

Inferring the Molecular Basis for Dissolved Organic Matter Photochemical and Optical Properties

Despite the widespread use of photochemical and optical properties to characterize dissolved organic matter (DOM), a significant gap persists in our understanding of the relationship among these properties. This study infers the molecular basis for the optical and photochemical properties of DOM using a comprehensive framework and known structural moieties within DOM. Utilizing Suwannee River Fulvic Acid (SRFA) as a model DOM, carboxylated aromatics, phenols, and quinones were identified as dominant contributors to the absorbance spectra, and phenols, quinones, aldehydes, and ketones were identified as major contributors to radiative energy pathways. It was estimated that chromophores constitute ∼63% w/w of dissolved organic carbon in SRFA and ∼47% w/w of overall SRFA. Notably, estimations indicate the pool of fluorescent compounds and photosensitizing compounds in SRFA are likely distinct from each other at wavelengths below 400 nm. This perspective offers a practical tool to aid in the identification of probable chemical groups when interpreting optical and photochemical data and challenges the current "black box" thinking. Instead, DOM photochemical and optical properties can be closely estimated by assuming the DOM is composed of a mixture of individual compounds.

Reassessing the Quantum Yield and Reactivity of Triplet-State Dissolved Organic Matter via Global Kinetic Modeling

Measuring the quantum yield and reactivity of triplet-state dissolved organic matter (3DOM*) is essential for assessing the impact of DOM on aquatic photochemical processes. However, current 3DOM* quantification methods require multiple fitting steps and rely on steady-state approximations under stringent application criteria, which may introduce certain inaccuracies in the estimation of DOM photoreactivity parameters. Here, we developed a global kinetic model to simulate the reaction kinetics of the hv/DOM system using four DOM types and 2,4,6-trimethylphenol as the probe for 3DOM*. Analyses of residuals and the root-mean-square error validated the exceptional precision of the new model compared to conventional methods. 3DOM* in the global kinetic model consistently displayed a lower quantum yield and higher reactivity than those in local regression models, indicating that the generation and reactivity of 3DOM* have often been overestimated and underestimated, respectively. The global kinetic model derives parameters by simultaneously fitting probe degradation kinetics under different conditions and considers the temporally increasing concentrations of the involved reactive species. It minimizes error propagation and offers insights into the interactions of different species, thereby providing advantages in accuracy, robustness, and interpretability. This study significantly advances the understanding of 3DOM* behavior and provides a valuable kinetic model for aquatic photochemistry research.

Singlet Oxygen Quantum Yields of Pyrogenic Dissolved Organic Matter from Lab-Prepared and Wildfire Chars

Wildfires or prescribed fires release pyrogenic dissolved organic matter (pyDOM) into the environment, which can photochemically produce singlet oxygen (1O2) in sun-lit surface waters. 1O2 quantum yields (ΦΔ) are well-studied for non-pyrogenic DOM, but little is understood about the 1O2 generation from pyDOM, especially the ΦΔ values from real wildfire samples and their wavelength dependence. In this study, time-resolved 1O2 phosphorescence was used to determine the wavelength-dependent ΦΔ values for pyDOM generated from wildfire char and a series of lab-prepared chars produced by combusting oak and pine wood. Wildfire and most lab-prepared pyDOM generally had similar ΦΔ values (2.1-2.7%) at 365 nm compared to the reference Suwannee River Natural Organic Matter (SRNOM) isolate (2.4%). Interestingly, pyDOM from the highest combustion temperature char was found to possess extremely low ΦΔ values compared to SRNOM and other pyDOM at all excitation wavelengths. In addition, it was revealed that the predicted steady-state concentration of 1O2 from pyDOM was similar to that from SRNOM, indicating that the addition of pyDOM from wood chars may not strongly impact surface water photochemistry.

Insights into the Enhanced Photogeneration of Hydroxyl Radicals from Chlorinated Dissolved Organic Matter

Free available chlorine has been and is being applied in global water treatment and readily reacts with dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aquatic environments, leading to the formation of chlorinated products. Chlorination enhances the photoreactivity of DOM, but the influence of chlorinated compounds on the photogeneration of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) has remained unexplored. In this study, a range of chlorinated carboxylate-substituted phenolic model compounds were employed to assess their •OH photogeneration capabilities. These compounds demonstrated a substantial capacity for •OH production, exhibiting quantum yields of 0.1-5.9 × 10-3 through direct photolysis under 305 nm and 0.2-9.5 × 10-3 through a triplet sensitizer (4-benzoylbenzoic acid)-inducing reaction under 365 nm LED irradiation. Moreover, the chlorinated compounds exhibited higher light absorption and •OH quantum yields compared to those of their unchlorinated counterparts. The •OH photogeneration capacity of these compounds exhibited a positive correlation with their triplet state one-electron oxidation potentials. Molecular-level compositional analysis revealed that aromatic structures rich in hydroxyl and carboxyl groups (e.g., O/C > 0.5 with H/C < 1.5) within DOM serve as crucial sources of •OH, and chlorination of these compounds significantly enhances their capacity to generate •OH upon irradiation. This study provides novel insights into the enhanced photogeneration of •OH from chlorinated DOM, which is helpful for understanding the fate of trace pollutants in chlorinated waters.

Fungal Anthraquinone Photoantimicrobials Challenge the Dogma of Cationic Photosensitizers

The photoantimicrobial potential of four mushroom species (i.e., Cortinarius cinnabarinus, C. holoxanthus, C. malicorius, and C. sanguineus) was explored by studying the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) via a light-modified broth microdilution assay based on the recommended protocols of the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST). The extracts were tested against Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus under blue (λ = 428 and 478 nm, H = 30 J/cm2) and green light (λ = 528 nm, H = 30 J/cm2) irradiation. Three extracts showed significant photoantimicrobial effects at concentrations below 25 μg/mL. Targeted isolation of the major pigments from C. sanguineus led to the identification of two new potent photoantimicrobials, one of them (i.e., dermocybin) being active against S. aureus and C. albicans under green light irradiation [PhotoMIC530 = 39.5 μM (12.5 μg/mL) and 2.4 μM (0.75 μg/mL), respectively] and the other one (i.e., emodin) being in addition active against E. coli in a low micromolar range [PhotoMIC428 = 11.1 μM (3 μg/mL)]. Intriguingly, dermocybin was not (photo)cytotoxic against the three tested cell lines, adding an additional level of selectivity. Since both photoantimicrobials are not charged, this discovery shifts the paradigm of cationic photosensitizers.

Phototransformation of Lignin-related Compounds in Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter Solutions

Lignin is a major terrestrial source of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and studying the phototransformation of lignin monomers and their related compounds can enhance our understanding of CDOM intramolecular interactions. Coniferyl aldehyde (Coni) and sinapaldehyde (Sina) form ground-state complexes with CDOM, with equilibrium constants of 7,800 (± 1,800) and 20,000 (± 2,000) M-1, respectively. In comparison, vanillin (Van) exhibits minimal affinity for CDOM complexation. The bimolecular reaction rate constants between singlet oxygen (1O2) and these phenolic carbonyl compounds ranged from 0.46 (± 0.02) to 1.8 (± 0.1) × 107 M-1s-1, which is approximately one order of magnitude lower than their reaction rate constants (0.51 (± 0.02)-1.25 (± 0.02) × 108 M-1s-1) with the triplet excited state of CDOM (3CDOM*). In acidic CDOM solutions (pH 5.0), 1O2, H2O2, and organic peroxyl radicals had negligible impact on the transformation. Comparing the initial transformation rate in the presence and in the absence of NaN3 or furfuryl alcohol led to an overestimation of the contribution of 1O2 to the transformation of Van, Coni, or Sina. 3CDOM* scavengers could not fully inhibit the transformation of Coni or Sina. The remaining transformation is considered to arise from either the unquenched intra-CDOM phase 3CDOM* or a fraction of Coni⊂CDOM or Sina⊂CDOM complex, which underwent intramolecular photoinduced chemical reactions.

Sunlight photolysis of SARS-CoV-2 N1 gene target in the water environment: considerations for the environmental surveillance of wastewater-impacted surface waters

Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 has been used around the world to supplement clinical testing data for situational awareness of COVID-19 disease trends. Many regions of the world lack centralized wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure, which presents additional considerations for wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2, including environmental decay of the RT-qPCR gene targets used for quantification of SARS-CoV-2 virions. Given the role of sunlight in the environmental decay of RNA, we evaluated sunlight photolysis kinetics of the N1 gene target in heat-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 with a solar simulator under laboratory conditions. Insignificant photolysis of the N1 target was observed in a photosensitizer-free matrix. Conversely, significant decay of the N1 target was observed in wastewater at a shallow depth (<1 cm). Given that sunlight irradiance is affected by several environmental factors, first-order decay rate models were used to evaluate the effect of water column depth, time of the year, and latitude on decay kinetics. Decay rate constants were found to decrease significantly with greater depth of the well-mixed water column, at high latitudes, and in the winter. Therefore, sunlight-mediated decay of the N1 gene target is likely to be minimal, and is unlikely to confound results from wastewater-based epidemiology programs utilizing wastewater-impacted surface waters.

Merits and Limitations of Radical vs. Nonradical Pathways in Persulfate-Based Advanced Oxidation Processes

Urbanization and industrialization have exerted significant adverse effects on water quality, resulting in a growing need for reliable and eco-friendly treatment technologies. Persulfate (PS)-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are emerging as viable technologies to treat challenging industrial wastewaters or remediate groundwater impacted by hazardous wastes. While the generated reactive species can degrade a variety of priority organic contaminants through radical and nonradical pathways, there is a lack of systematic and in-depth comparison of these pathways for practical implementation in different treatment scenarios. Our comparative analysis of reaction rate constants for radical vs. nonradical species indicates that radical-based AOPs may achieve high removal efficiency of organic contaminants with relatively short contact time. Nonradical AOPs feature advantages with minimal water matrix interference for complex wastewater treatments. Nonradical species (e.g., singlet oxygen, high-valent metals, and surface activated PS) preferentially react with contaminants bearing electron-donating groups, allowing enhancement of degradation efficiency of known target contaminants. For byproduct formation, analytical limitations and computational chemistry applications are also considered. Finally, we propose a holistically estimated electrical energy per order of reaction (EE/O) parameter and show significantly higher energy requirements for the nonradical pathways. Overall, these critical comparisons help prioritize basic research on PS-based AOPs and inform the merits and limitations of system-specific applications.

Wavelength trends of photoproduction of reactive transient species by chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), under steady-state polychromatic irradiation

The formation quantum yields of photochemically produced reactive intermediates (PPRIs) by irradiated CDOM (in this study, Suwannee River Natural Organic Matter and Upper Mississippi River Natural Organic Matter) decrease with increasing irradiation wavelength. In particular, the formation quantum yields of the excited triplet states of CDOM (³CDOM*) and of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) have an exponentially decreasing trend with wavelength. The ^•OH wavelength trend is different, because more effective ^•OH production occurs under UVB irradiation than foreseen by a purely exponential function. We show that the parameter-adjustable Weibull function (which adapts to both exponential and some non-exponential trends) is suitable to fit the mentioned quantum yield data, and it is very useful when CDOM irradiation is carried out under polychromatic lamps as done here. Model calculations suggest that, thanks to the ability of CDOM to also absorb visible radiation, and despite its decreasing quantum yield of ^•OH generation with increasing wavelength, CDOM would be able to trigger ^•OH photogeneration in deep waters, to a higher extent than UVB-absorbing nitrate or UVB + UVA-absorbing nitrite.

Enhanced photochemical production of reactive intermediates at the wetland soil-water interface

Photochemically produced reactive intermediates (PPRIs) formed by sunlight-irradiation of natural photosensitizers play critical roles in accelerating biogeochemical cycles on earth surface. Existing PPRI studies mostly focus on bulk phase reactions (e.g., bulk water), with PPRI processes at the environmental interfaces largely unexplored. Here, we report the wetland soil-water interface (SWI) as a widespread but previously unappreciated hotspot for PPRI productions. Massive productions of four important PPRI species (i.e., triplet-state excited organic matter (³OM*), singlet oxygen (¹O₂), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and hydroxyl radical (^•OH)) were observed at the SWI. All four PPRI species exhibited higher productions at the SWI than those in bulk water, where ^•OH production was largely elevated by up to one order of magnitude. The enhanced PPRI productions at the SWI were caused by intensified photon absorption and vibrant Fe-mediated redox processes, where the light absorption by less- or non-photoactive soil substances partially offset the enhancement on PPRI productions. Nationwide wetland investigations demonstrate that the SWI was a ubiquitous hotspot for PPRI productions. Simulations on PPRIs-mediated reactions suggest that the enhanced PPRI productions could greatly affect the kinetics and transformation pathways of nutrients and pollutants. Given that the SWI also acts a hotspot for nutrient and pollutant accumulation, incorporating the SWI enhanced PPRI productions into biogeochemical process assessments is pivotal for advancing our understandings on the element cycles and pollutant dynamics in wetlands.

New advanced oxidation progress with chemiluminescence behavior based on NaClO triggered by WS2 nanosheets

As one integral part of coping strategies for addressing water pollution, advanced oxidation progresses (AOPs) get enormous attentions in recent years. However, the complex synthesis and high cost of H₂O₂ and K₂S₂O₈ hampered their developments. Herein, a novel AOP with the chemiluminescence (CL) property based on economic NaClO and WS₂ nanosheets was proposed to achieve efficient decomposition of organic pollutants. In this AOP, WS₂ nanosheets exhibited a dual-function feature of the catalyst and energy acceptor. It demonstrated that the reaction order of WS₂ nanosheets was equal to 0.8271 and enormous singlet oxygen (¹O₂),·ClO and hydroxyl radical (·OH) were generated in rhodamine B (RhB) degradation process. Interestingly, a strong CL emission was observed and reflected the relative concentration of ¹O₂ and·OH for adjusting the oxidizing capability in WS₂ nanosheets-NaClO system. Through a series of degradation tests, RhB, methylene blue (MB), p-nitrophenol and phenol were decomposed and the degradation efficiency of over 90% was achieved. Therefore, this study not only builds a chemiluminescent AOPs to eliminate organic pollutants, but also broadens the applications of WS₂ nanomaterials and CL in environmental field.

Contrasting Impacts of Photochemical and Microbial Processing on the Photoreactivity of Dissolved Organic Matter in an Adirondack Lake Watershed

Photochemical and microbial processing are the prevailing mechanisms that shape the composition and reactivity of dissolved organic matter (DOM); however, prior research has not comparatively evaluated the impacts of these processes on the photoproduction of reactive intermediates (RIs) from freshly sourced terrestrial DOM. We performed controlled irradiation and incubation experiments with leaf and soil samples collected from an acid-impacted lake watershed in the Adirondack Mountain region of New York to examine the effects of DOM processing on the apparent quantum yields of RIs (Φ_app,RI), including excited triplet states of DOM (³DOM*), singlet oxygen (¹O₂), and hydroxyl radicals (^•OH). Photodegradation led to net reductions in Φ_app,¹O2, Φ_app,³DOM*, and Φ_app,^•OH, whereas (photo-)biodegradation resulted in increases in Φ_app,¹O2 and Φ_app,³DOM*. Photodegradation and (photo-)biodegradation also shifted the energy distribution of ³DOM* in different directions. Multivariate statistical analyses revealed the potential relevance of photo-biodegradation in driving changes in Φ_app,¹O2 and Φ_app,³DOM* and prioritized five bulk DOM optical and redox properties that best explained the variations in Φ_app,¹O2 and Φ_app,³DOM* along the watershed terrestrial-aquatic continuum. Our findings highlight the contrasting impacts of photochemical and microbial processes on the photoreactivity of freshly sourced terrestrial DOM and invite further studies to develop a more holistic understanding of their implications for aquatic photochemistry.

La(iii)–curcumin-functionalized gold nanocomposite as a red light-activatable mitochondria-targeting PDT agent

Functionalization of La(iii)–curcumin to gold nanoparticles resulted in remarkable red-shifted UV-visible absorption and exhibited remarkable differential photodynamic ability towards cancer cells upon red-light activation.

Emerging investigator series: quantifying the impact of cloud cover on solar irradiance and environmental photodegradation

Environmental photodegradation is dependent on the solar irradiance that reaches the Earth's surface, and photodegradation half-lives of contaminants are typically estimated assuming clear sky (i.e., cloudless) conditions. In this work, the effect of cloud cover on solar irradiance was investigated. Data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which spanned 3 years of observations (10/2017 to 12/2020), were used to train two machine learning models to predict irradiance based on three inputs - day of year, time of day, and percentage of the sky that was cloudy. Results showed a non-linear relationship between cloud cover and irradiance. Solar irradiance was minimally impacted up to ≈50% cloud cover but decreased by ≈67% at 100% cloud cover. Both random forest and artificial neural network models performed well with relative root mean squared errors of 26-31%, which varied depending on the source of cloud cover data and the spectral region being modeled. Daily irradiance values for a whole year were predicted for varying cloud conditions using the machine learning models; this result was approximated using a quadratic fit of y = 1 - 0.00243x - (4.24 × 10^-5)x² where y is the fraction of clear sky irradiance expected and x is the percentage of cloud cover in the sky. In addition, the model results supported that there was no wavelength dependence for the effect of cloud cover. Therefore, decreases in both direct and indirect photodegradation rates should be proportional to the decrease in irradiance, which has a non-linear dependence on cloud cover.

High Sample Throughput LED Reactor for Facile Characterization of the Quantum Yield Spectrum of Photochemically Produced Reactive Intermediates

Photochemically produced reactive intermediates (PPRIs) by natural photosensitizers such as chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) play numerous key roles in aquatic biogeochemical processes. PPRI productions rely on both the intensity and the spectrum of incident sunlight. While the impacts of sunlight intensity on PPRI productions are well-studied, there remains insufficient understanding of the spectrum-dependence of PPRI productions. Here we designed a high sample throughput reactor equipped with monochromatic LED lights for systematic assessments of wavelength-dependent productions of four important PPRI species, i.e., triplet-state excited CDOM (³CDOM*), singlet oxygen (¹O₂), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and hydroxyl radical (^•OH), in CDOM solutions. The quantum yields of PPRIs followed the order: ³CDOM* > ¹O₂ ≫ H₂O₂ > ^•OH. Moreover, PPRI quantum yields decreased with the light wavelength increasing from 375 to 490 nm and sharply decreased to zero above 490 nm, while the shapes of quantum yield spectra differed among PPRI species. Simulations on PPRI productions under varying season, latitude, altitude, and cloud cover conditions show that the sunlight spectrum plays a role as equally important as intensity in determining PPRI productions and PPRI-mediated transformations of aquatic nutrients and micropollutants. Therefore, incorporating the spectrum dependence of PPRI productions will advance our understandings of PPRI-driven biogeochemical processes and pollutant dynamics under varying spatial-temporal and climatic conditions. Regarding this, the high sample throughput LED reactor sheds light on a new approach for the facile characterization of PPRI quantum yield spectrum.

Fluorophores in surface freshwaters: importance, likely structures, and possible impacts of climate change

Fluorescence spectroscopy is one of the most useful techniques currently available for the characterisation of organic matter in natural water samples, because it combines easy availability of instrumentation, high sensitivity and limited requirements for sample treatment. The main fluorophores that can be found in natural waters are usually proteins (and/or free amino acids) and humic substances (humic and fulvic acids). The identification of these fluorescent compounds in water samples helps to obtain information about, among others, biological activity in the water body, possible transport of organic matter from soil, and the phenomenon of photobleaching that decreases both the absorbance and (usually) the fluorescence of natural organic matter. Interestingly, all these phenomena can be affected by climate change, which could alter to different extents the ratio between aquagenic and pedogenic fluorophores. Several events induced by warming in natural waters (and especially lake water) could enhance algal growth, thereby also enhancing the production of aquagenic organic matter. Intense precipitation events could increase the export of pedogenic material to surface waters, while photobleaching would be enhanced in the epilimnion of lakes when summer stratification becomes longer and more stable because of higher temperatures. Interestingly, photobleaching affects humic substances to a higher extent compared to protein-like material, thus protein fluorescence signals could be more preserved in stratified waters.

Microheterogeneous Distribution of Hydroxyl Radicals in Illuminated Dissolved Organic Matter Solutions

Hydroxyl radicals (^•OH) are important reactive species that are photochemically generated through solar irradiation of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in surface waters. However, the spatial distribution within the complex three-dimensional structure of CDOM has not been examined. In this study, we used a series of hydrophobic chlorinated paraffins as chemical probes to elucidate the microheterogeneous distribution of ^•OH in illuminated CDOM solutions. The steady-state concentration of ^•OH inside the CDOM microphase is 210 ± 31-fold higher than the concentration in the aqueous phase. Our results suggest that the most photochemically generated ^•OH are confined into the CDOM microphase. Thus, illuminated CDOM behaves as a natural microreactor for ^•OH-based oxidations. By including intra-CDOM ^•OH, the quantum yield of ^•OH for CDOM solutions was estimated to be 2.2 ± 0.5 × 10^-3, which is 2 orders of magnitude greater than previously thought. The elevated concentrations of photogenerated ^•OH within the CDOM microphase may improve the understanding of hydrophobic pollutant degradation in aqueous environments. Moreover, our results also suggest that ^•OH oxidation may play more important roles in the phototransformation of CDOM than previously expected.

Factors affecting the mixed-layer concentrations of singlet oxygen in sunlit lakes

The steady-state concentration of singlet oxygen within a lake ([¹O₂]_SS) is an important parameter that can affect the environmental half-life of pollutants and environmental fate modelling. However, values of [¹O₂]_SS are often determined for the near-surface of a lake, and these values typically do not represent the average over the epilimnia of lakes. In this work, the environmental and physical factors that have the largest impact on [¹O₂]_SS within lake epilimnia were identified. It was found that the depth of the epilimnion has the largest impact on depth-averaged [¹O₂]_SS, with a factor of 8.8 decrease in [¹O₂]_SS when epilimnion depth increases from 2 m to 20 m. The next most important factors are the wavelength-dependent singlet oxygen quantum yield relationship and the latitude of the lake, causing variations in [¹O₂]_SS by factors of 3.2 and 2.5 respectively, over ranges of representative values. For a set of representative parameters, the depth-averaged value of [¹O₂]_SS within an average epilimnion depth of 9.0 m was found to be 5.8 × 10^-16 M and the near-surface value of [¹O₂]_SS was found to be 1.9 × 10^-14 M. We recommend a range of 6 × 10^-17 to 5 × 10^-15 M as being more representative of [¹O₂]_SS values within the epilimnia of lakes globally and potentially more useful for estimating pollutant lifetimes than those calculated using [¹O₂]_SS values that correspond to near-surface, summer midday values. This work advances our understanding of [¹O₂]_SS inter-lake variability in the environment, and provides estimates of [¹O₂]_SS for practitioners and researchers to assess environmental half-lives of pollutants due to reaction with singlet oxygen.

Mechanistic Investigation of Enhanced Photoreactivity of Dissolved Organic Matter after Chlorination

Chlorine is commonly used in disinfection processes in wastewater treatment plants prior to discharge of the effluents into receiving waters. Effluent organic matter and humic substances constitute up to 90% of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in receiving water, which induces photogeneration of reactive species (RS) such as excited triplet state of DOM (³DOM*), singlet oxygen (¹O₂), and hydroxyl radical (^•OH). The RS plays an important role in the attenuation of trace pollutants. However, the effect of chlorine disinfection on the photoreactivity of the DOM has remained unclear. Here, we investigated the physicochemical properties and subsequent RS variation after chlorination of DOM. Solid-state ¹³C cross-polarization/magic angle-spinning NMR and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry verified that the aromaticity, electron-donating capacity (EDC), and average molecular weight of DOM decreased markedly after chlorination. It was found for the first time that the photoproduction of ³DOM*, ¹O₂, and ^•OH increased markedly after chlorination of DOM upon irradiation of simulated sunlight. The quantum yields of ³DOM*, ¹O₂, and ^•OH were positively correlated with E2/E3 (ratio of the absorbance at 254 to 365 nm) while negatively correlated with EDC before and after chlorination. These findings highlight the synergetic effect of chlorine disinfection on the photosensitization of DOM under irradiation of sunlight, which will promote the removal of trace pollutants in surface waters.

Interparticle Delivery and Detection of Volatile Singlet Oxygen at Air/Solid Interfaces

An interparticle system has been devised, allowing airborne singlet oxygen to transfer between particle surfaces. Singlet oxygen is photogenerated on a sensitizer particle, where it then travels through air to a second particle bearing an oxidizable compound-a particulate-based approach with some similarities to reactive oxygen quenching in the atmosphere. In atmospheric photochemistry, singlet oxygen is generated by natural particulate matter, but its formation and quenching between particles has until now not been determined. Determining how singlet oxygen reacts on a second surface is useful and was developed by a three-phase system (particle-air-particle) interparticulate photoreaction with tunable quenching properties. We identify singlet oxygen quenching directly by near-IR phosphorescence in the airborne state and at the air/particle interface for total quenching rate constants (k_T) of adsorbed anthracene trapping agents. The air/solid interface k_T of singlet oxygen by anthracene-coated particles was (2.8 ± 0.8) × 10⁷ g mol^-1 s^-1 for 9,10-dimethylanthracene and (2.1 ± 0.9) × 10⁷ g mol^-1 s^-1 for 9,10-anthracene dipropionate dianion, and the lifetime of airborne singlet oxygen was measured to be 550 μs. These real-time interactions and particle-induced quenching steps open up new opportunities for singlet oxygen research of atmospheric and particulate processes.

Singlet Oxygen Quantum Yields in Environmental Waters

Singlet oxygen (¹O₂) is a reactive oxygen species produced in sunlit waters via energy transfer from the triplet states of natural sensitizers. There has been an increasing interest in measuring apparent ¹O₂ quantum yields (Φ_Δ) of aquatic and atmospheric organic matter samples, driven in part by the fact that this parameter can be used for environmental fate modeling of organic contaminants and to advance our understanding of dissolved organic matter photophysics. However, the lack of reproducibility across research groups and publications remains a challenge that significantly limits the usability of literature data. In the first part of this review, we critically evaluate the experimental techniques that have been used to determine Φ_Δ values of natural organic matter, we identify and quantify sources of errors that potentially explain the large variability in the literature, and we provide general experimental recommendations for future studies. In the second part, we provide a qualitative overview of known Φ_Δ trends as a function of organic matter type, isolation and extraction procedures, bulk water chemistry parameters, molecular and spectroscopic organic matter features, chemical treatments, wavelength, season, and location. This review is supplemented with a comprehensive database of Φ_Δ values of environmental samples.

The modelling of Surface-Water photoreactions made easier: introducing the concept of 'equivalent monochromatic wavelengths'

The recent development of successful model approaches that predict the photochemical behaviour of surface waters has greatly aided in the understanding of how water environments work and will likely work in the future, from a photochemical point of view. However, the inherent multi-wavelength (polychromatic) nature of environmental photochemistry causes the relevant mathematics to be quite complex, which discourages many scientists to carry out photochemical calculations. To greatly simplify model mathematics, this paper proposes a new approach that is based on a monochromatic approximation to the polychromatic problem, introducing the concept of what is here defined as equivalent monochromatic wavelengths (EMWs). The EMW is the single wavelength that reproduces the behaviour of the polychromatic system, using a monochromatic (Lambert-Beer based) equation. The EMW approach largely simplifies calculations, getting rid of integrals and allowing for much more straightforward and manageable equations to be obtained. In particular, this work shows that: (i) the EMW approach, although approximated, entails a negligible loss in accuracy compared to the exact polychromatic treatment of photochemical reactions; (ii) in the case of direct photolysis, the quantum yield is to be replaced by an apparent photon efficiency that is not bound to be < 1 (quantum yields can actually be > 1 for chain reactions and few other cases, but this is not the point here); (iii) the monochromatic Lambert-Beer equations work in most cases once the EMW is identified, with the present exception of sunlight absorption by chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM). The latter spans a very wide wavelength range (from 300 to at least 600 nm), which makes a single-wavelength treatment more difficult. However, a relatively small modification to the monochromatic Lambert-Beer equation allows for successfully using the EMW approach, in the case of CDOM as well. The near-perfect coincidence between polychromatic and EMW-based predictions of photodegradation kinetics is here shown for the pollutants atrazine, bentazone, carbamazepine, diclofenac, diuron and ibuprofen. Extension to additional compounds requires translation of the traditional, polychromatic language into the EMW one. Hopefully, this contribution will introduce a new paradigm in the mathematical description of photochemical reactions in environmental waters. It could also become a new and simple way to treat multi-wavelength systems in general photochemistry studies, thereby completely changing the way multi-wavelength problems are dealt with.

Photochemical Characterization of Surface Waters from Lakes in the Adirondack Region of New York

The Adirondack Mountain region of New York, a historical hotspot for atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen deposition, features abundant lakes that are experiencing browning associated with recovery from acidification. Yet, much remains unknown about the photoreactivity of Adirondack lake waters. We quantified the apparent quantum yields (Φ_app,RI) of photochemically produced reactive intermediates (RIs), such as excited triplet states of dissolved organic matter (³DOM*), singlet oxygen (¹O₂), and hydroxyl radicals (^•OH), for surface waters collected from 16 representative Adirondack lakes. Φ_app,³DOM* and Φ_app,¹O2 for native Adirondack lake waters fell within ranges reported for whole waters and DOM isolates from various sources, while Φ_app,^•OH were substantially lower than those measured for other aquatic samples. Orthogonal partial least squares and multiple linear regression analyses identified the spectral slope coefficient from 290 to 400 nm (S_290-400) as the most effective predictor of Φ_app,RI among measured water chemistry parameters and bulk DOM properties. Φ_app,RI also exhibited divergent responses to controlled pH adjustment and aluminum or iron addition simulating hypothetical scenarios relevant to past and future water chemistry conditions of Adirondack lakes. This study highlights the need for continued research on changes in photoreactivity of acid-impacted aquatic ecosystems in response to browning and subsequent impacts on photochemical processes.

Singlet Oxygen Photogeneration in Coastal Seawater: Prospect of Large-Scale Modeling in Seawater Surface and Its Environmental Significance

Chromophoric-dissolved organic matter (CDOM) acts as the precursor to singlet oxygen (¹O₂) in natural waters, while water acts as the main scavenger. In this study, we showed that ¹O₂ in coastal seawater can be successfully predicted from CDOM parameters. The ¹O₂ steady-state concentration [¹O₂]_ss and photoformation rate (R¹O₂) varied by a factor of 6 across 13 sampling stations in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan, ranging from 1.2 to 8.2 × 10^-14 M and 3.32 to 22.7 × 10^-9 M s^-1, respectively. Investigation of CDOM optical properties revealed that CDOM abundance measured as the absorption coefficient at 300 nm (a₃₀₀) had the strongest correlation (r = 0.96, p < 0.001) with [¹O₂]_ss, while parameters indicative of CDOM quality (e.g., spectral slope) did not influence [¹O₂]_ss. A linear relationship between [¹O₂]_ss and a₃₀₀, normalized to a sunlight intensity of 0.91 kW/m², was derived as [¹O₂]_ss (10^-14 M) = 2.12(a₃₀₀) + 0.48. This was then used to predict [¹O₂]_ss using a₃₀₀ values from a subsequent, independent sampling exercise conducted 2 years after the first sampling. There was a good agreement (r = 0.93, p < 0.001) between the predicted values and the experimentally determined values based on a 95% prediction interval plot. Kinetic estimations using [¹O₂]_ss suggest that ¹O₂ mediates the degradation of tetrabromobisphenol A in surface seawater (t_1/2 = 0.63 days) while also contributing to the indirect photolysis of methyl mercury. The findings from this study suggest that large-scale modeling of ¹O₂ generation in surface seawater from CDOM parameters is possible with useful environmental significance for determining the fate of pollutants.