Degradation of nitroaromatic compounds by the UV-H2O2 process using polychromatic radiation sources

Radiometric characterisation of light sources used in analytical chemistry - A review

Light sources are an indispensable component of an overwhelmingly large number of analytical methods. Radiometric characterisation of light sources in analytical chemistry is therefore of fundamental importance. This review presents up to date knowledge on methods to characterise radiometric properties of light sources in terms of radiometric power, irradiance, brightness, luminous efficacy, luminous efficiency and emission spectra, all of which are crucial parameters for their use in analytical chemistry. Special attention is paid to radiometric characterisation of new generations of light sources with focus on miniaturised and low-cost light sources suitable for portable analytical instrumentation. Miniaturised light sources, especially new generations of solid-state light sources including solution processable quantum dot light emitting diodes (QLEDs), organic LEDs (OLEDs) as well as conventional LEDs and lasers, are radiometrically characterised through various spectrophotometric, actinometric as well as new facile radiometric methods. Although the areas of analytical use of new light sources including QLEDs, OLEDs as well as other important light sources such as deep ultraviolet (DUV) and infrared LEDs in analytical chemistry are yet to reach their potential, their radiometric characterisation opens future options for their wider deployment in analytical chemistry.

Environmental persistence, hazard, and mitigation challenges of nitroaromatic compounds

Nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) are extensively used in different industries and are synthesized in large quantity due to their heavy demand worldwide. The broad use of NACs poses a serious pollution threat. The treatment processes used for the removal of NACs are not effective and sustainable, leading to their release into the environment. The nitro group attached to benzene ring makes the compounds recalcitrant due to which they persist in the environment. Being hazardous to human as well as other living organisms, NACs are listed in the USEPA's priority pollutant group. This review provides updated information on the sources of NACs, prevalence in different environmental matrices, and recent developments in methods of their detection, with emphasis on current trends as well as future prospects. The harmful effects of NACs due to exposure through different routes are also highlighted. Further, the technologies reported for the treatment of NACs, including physico-chemical and biological methods, and the challenges faced for their effective implementation are discussed. Thus, the review discusses relevant issues in detail making suitable recommendations, which can be helpful in guiding further research in this subject.

Carbamazepine Degradation Mediated by Light in the Presence of Humic Substances-Coated Magnetite Nanoparticles

The use of iron-based nanomaterials for environmental remediation processes has recently received considerable attention. Here, we employed core-shell magnetite-humic acids nanoparticles as a heterogeneous photosensitizer and iron source in photo-Fenton reaction for the degradation of the psychiatric drug carbamazepine (CBZ). CBZ showed low photodegradation rates in the presence of the magnetic nanoparticles, whereas the addition of hydrogen peroxide at pH = 3 to the system drastically increased the abatement of the contaminant. The measured Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ profiles point to the generation of Fe³⁺ at the surface of the nanoparticles, indicating a heterogeneous oxidation of the contaminant mediated by hydroxyl radicals. Products with a higher transformation degree were observed in the photo-Fenton procedure and support the attack of the HO^• radical on the CBZ molecule. Promising results encourage the use of the nanoparticles as efficient iron sources with enhanced magnet-sensitive properties, suitable for applications in photo-Fenton treatments for the purification of wastewater.

Organic matter removal and membrane fouling mitigation during algae-rich surface water treatment by powdered activated carbon adsorption pretreatment: Enhanced by UV and UV/chlorine oxidation

In this work, UV and UV/chlorine (UV/Cl) were employed to enhance powdered activated carbon (PAC) adsorption pretreatment prior to ultrafiltration process for algae-contaminated surface water treatment. Their performance on membrane fouling mitigation and organic pollutant rejection was systematically evaluated. A comparative experiment was conducted under varying pollution degrees of algal extracellular organic matter (EOM) contamination in surface river water. The results indicated that UV/PAC and UV/Cl/PAC pretreatment effectively enhanced the removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and UV-absorbing at 254 nm (UV₂₅₄). The characteristics of feed water after pretreatments were investigated through apparent molecular-weight (MW) distribution and fluorescence parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). In regard to membrane fouling mitigation, UV/Cl/PAC noticeably decreased reversible and irreversible fouling resistance simultaneously and UV/PAC preferred reducing reversible membrane fouling. Combined fouling modeling was operated to scrutinize the fouling mitigation mechanisms and standard pore blocking was proved to be dominant during the filtration process. Moreover, the UV/Cl and UV/Cl/PAC pretreatments were proved positive for emerging micropollutants degradation and disinfection by-products formation potential reduction. The results suggested that UV and UV/Cl are likely strategies to enhance the efficiency of PAC adsorption pretreatments prior to ultrafiltration during algae-contaminated water treatment.

Photochemical Formation of Nitrite and Nitrous Acid (HONO) upon Irradiation of Nitrophenols in Aqueous Solution and in Viscous Secondary Organic Aerosol Proxy

Irradiated nitrophenols can produce nitrite and nitrous acid (HONO) in bulk aqueous solutions and in viscous aqueous films, simulating the conditions of a high-solute-strength aqueous aerosol, with comparable quantum yields in solution and viscous films (10^-5-10^-4 in the case of 4-nitrophenol) and overall reaction yields up to 0.3 in solution. The process is particularly important for the para-nitrophenols, possibly because their less sterically hindered nitro groups can be released more easily as nitrite and HONO. The nitrophenols giving the highest photoproduction rates of nitrite and HONO (most notably, 4-nitrophenol and 2-methyl-4-nitrophenol) could significantly contribute to the occurrence of nitrite in aqueous phases in contact with the atmosphere. Interestingly, dew-water evaporation has shown potential to contribute to the gas-phase HONO levels during the morning, which accounts for the possible importance of the studied process.

Solar-driven thermo- and electrochemical degradation of nitrobenzene in wastewater: Adaptation and adoption of solar STEP concept

The STEP concept has successfully been demonstrated for driving chemical reaction by utilization of solar heat and electricity to minimize the fossil energy, meanwhile, maximize the rate of thermo- and electrochemical reactions in thermodynamics and kinetics. This pioneering investigation experimentally exhibit that the STEP concept is adapted and adopted efficiently for degradation of nitrobenzene. By employing the theoretical calculation and thermo-dependent cyclic voltammetry, the degradation potential of nitrobenzene was found to be decreased obviously, at the same time, with greatly lifting the current, while the temperature was increased. Compared with the conventional electrochemical methods, high efficiency and fast degradation rate were markedly displayed due to the co-action of thermo- and electrochemical effects and the switch of the indirect electrochemical oxidation to the direct one for oxidation of nitrobenzene. A clear conclusion on the mechanism of nitrobenzene degradation by the STEP can be schematically proposed and discussed by the combination of thermo- and electrochemistry based the analysis of the HPLC, UV-vis and degradation data. This theory and experiment provide a pilot for the treatment of nitrobenzene wastewater with high efficiency, clean operation and low carbon footprint, without any other input of energy and chemicals from solar energy.

Degradation of atrazine by UV/chlorine: Efficiency, influencing factors, and products

In this work, the degradation of atrazine by the combination of UV and chlorine (UV/chlorine) due to the formation of radicals during chlorine photolysis was systematically investigated in terms of efficiency, factors that influence the degradation kinetics, as well as oxidation products. It was found that the degradation efficiency of atrazine was enhanced by UV/chlorine compared to UV or chlorine alone. The degradation efficiency of atrazine was favorable at a lower pH, but was inhibited in the presence of natural organic matters. Meanwhile, the initial chlorine dosage, alkalinity, and chloride barely influenced the degradation efficiency under neutral pH conditions. The degradation of atrazine by UV/chlorine was inhibited in real waters (i.e., surface water and ground water) compared to in deionized water but was still more effective than UV alone. The oxidation products of atrazine resulting from de-alkylation, dechlorination-hydroxylation, alkylic-hydroxylation, alkylic-oxidation, alkylic-hydroxylation-dehydration, deamination-hydroxylation, and dechlorination-hydrogenation in UV/chlorine process were detected, which were slightly different from those formed in UV/H2O2 (commonly used UV-based advanced oxidation process). Particularly, the yields of three primary transformation products (desethyl-atrazine (DEA), desisopropyl-atrazine (DIA), and desethyl-desisopropyl-atrazine (DEIA)) were comparatively quantified in these two processes. The different trend of them formed in UV/chlorine system (DEA:DIA≈4) compared to that formed in UV/H2O2 system (DEA:DIA≈1) could be ascribed to the different reaction reactivities and mechanisms between HO• and Cl• with atrazine.

Application of photo degradation for remediation of cyclic nitramine and nitroaromatic explosives

Photo degradation is a rapid and safe remediation process and advances in continuous-flow photochemistry can scale-up yields of photo degradation.

Photochemical fate of a mixture of emerging pollutants in the presence of humic substances

The photodegradation of a mixture of the emerging pollutants (EPs) clofibric acid, amoxicillin, acetamiprid, acetaminophen, carbamazepine, and caffeine was studied under irradiation with a xenon lamp. The quantum efficiencies of the EPs were determined when irradiated individually. Experiments with the mixture of the EPs showed that indirect photoprocesses attributable to interaction between EPs can either enhance the photodegradation rate by photosensitization or decrease it by quenching processes. The addition of humic substances (HS) to the solutions resulted in an increase of indirect photoprocesses with higher effects on acetaminophen and carbamazepine; this was more remarkable when a filter was used to cut off radiation in the range 280-295 nm. Experiments carried out with chemical probes indicated that the triplet excited states of HS play a major role in the photosensitization process, although the contribution of other species cannot be completely ruled out. Additionally, V. fischeri toxicity tests showed a synergistic effect produced by the mixture of EPs before irradiation. Photodegradation resulted in an enhanced toxicity of the solution at the initial steps of the process, which was associated both with synergistic effects and with the formation of toxic photodegradation by-products of clofibric acid.

Phototransformation processes of 2,4-dinitrophenol, relevant to atmospheric water droplets

This paper shows that the polychromatic quantum yield for the photolysis of 2,4-dinitrophenol (24DNP) in the wavelength interval of 300-500 nm is (8.1+/-0.4) x 10(-5) for the undissociated phenol, and (3.4+/-0.2) x 10(-5) for the phenolate. The second-order rate constants for reaction with ()OH were determined here as (1.76+/-0.05) x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) and (2.33+/-0.11) x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) for the phenol and the phenolate, respectively. By combining laboratory results and a simple modelling approach of the atmospheric aqueous phase, this work shows that the direct photolysis and the reaction with ()OH would play a comparable role in the degradation of 24DNP at pH>4. The ()OH reaction would prevail for pH<4. Both pathways would be more important than the night-time reaction with *NO(3) as removal processes for 24DNP in the atmospheric waters.

Nitration of nitrobenzene in Fenton's processes

Previous studies of nitrobenzene (NB) degradation by Fenton and photo-Fenton technologies have demonstrated the formation and accumulation of 1,3-dinitrobenzene (1,3-DNB) as a highly toxic reaction intermediate. In the present study, we analyze the conditions that favor 1,3-DNB formation during NB degradation by Fe(2+)/H(2)O(2), Fe(3+)/H(2)O(2), UV/Fe(3+)/H(2)O(2) or UV/H(2)O(2) processes. Nitration yields in Fenton, Fenton-like and photo-Fenton techniques were much higher than those observed in UV/H(2)O(2) systems. Besides, several tests showed that 1,3-DNB formation increases with the initial iron concentration and decreases as the initial H(2)O(2) concentration increases. In order to asses the key species involved in NB nitration mechanism, additional experiments were performed in the presence of NO(2)(-)or NO(3)(-). In dark systems, 1,3-DNB yield significantly increased with increasing [NO(2)(-)]_(0), while it was not affected by the presence of NO(3)(-). In contrast, 1,3-DNB yields were higher and more strongly affected by the additive concentration in UV/NO(3)(-) systems than in UV/HNO(2)/NO(2)(-) systems. Dark experiments performed at pH 1.5 in excess of HNO(2) along with UV/NO(3)(-) tests conducted in the presence of 2-propanol show that hydroxyl radicals play an important role in NB nitration since NB molecule does not react with the nitrating agents ONOOH, .NO or .NO(2). The results indicate that, in the experimental domain tested, the prevailing NB nitration pathway involves the reaction between the .OH-NB adduct and .NO(2) radicals.

Photodegradation of the antibiotic sulphamethoxazole in water with UV/H2O2 advanced oxidation process

Photodegradation of the antibiotic sulphamethoxazole (SMX) in water using a medium-pressure UV lamp combined with H2O2 (UV/H2O2) was used to generate the advanced oxidation process (AOP). The photodegradation process was steadily improved with addition of H2O2 at relatively low to moderate concentrations (5 to 50 mg L(-1)). However, the addition of H2O2 to the photolysis process at higher concentrations (50 to 150 mg L(-1)) did not improve the degradation rate of SMX (in comparison with 50 mg L(-1) H2O2). Addition of H2O2 to the UV photolysis process resulted in several processes occurring concurrently as follows: (a) formation of HO* radicals which contributed to the SMX degradation, (b) decrease in the available light for direct UV photolysis of SMX, and (c) scavenging of the HO* radicals by H2O2, which was highly dominant at moderate to high concentrations of H2O2. It is clear that these factors, separately and synergistically, and possibly others such as by-product formation, affect the overall difference in SMX degradation in the AOP process at different H2O2 concentrations.

Competition kinetics using the UV/H2O2 process: a structure reactivity correlation for the rate constants of hydroxyl radicals toward nitroaromatic compounds

The rate constants for hydroxyl radical reaction toward a set of nitroaromatic substrates kS, have been measured at 25 degrees C using competition experiments in the UV/H2O2 process. For a given pair of substrates S1 and S2, the relative reactivity beta (defined as kS1/kS2) was calculated from the slope of the corresponding double logarithmic plot, i.e., of ln[S1] vs. ln[S2]. This method is more accurate and remained linear for larger conversions in comparison with the plots of ln[S1] and ln[S2] against time. The rate constants measured ranged from 0.33 to 8.6 x 10(9) M(-1)s(-1). A quantitative structure-reactivity relationship was found using the Hammett equation. Assuming sigma values to be additive, a value of -0.60 was obtained for the reaction constant rho. This value agrees with the high reactivity and the electrophilic nature of HO* radical.

Evaluation of the efficiency of photodegradation of nitroaromatics applying the UV/H2O2 technique

Photolysis of nitroaromatic compounds in aqueous solution is a very slow and inefficient process. As already observed for a variety of organic pollutants, considerably faster degradation rates of nitrobenzene (NBE), 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), and 4-nitrophenol (PNP) could be achieved, when the oxidative degradation of these compounds was initiated by hydroxyl radicals produced by UV-C photolysis of H2O2. Analysis of intermediate products formed during irradiation by HPLC and IC showed that cleavage of the aromatic ring should occur at an early stage of the oxidation process and that organic nitrogen was almost completely converted to nitrate. The optimal initial concentration of hydrogen peroxide ([H2O2]OPT) leading to the fastest oxidation rate, which depends on the initial substrate concentration ([S]0), could be evaluated using a simplified expression based on the main reactions involved in the first stages of the degradation process. Using only a minimum of kinetic and analytical information, this expression shows that the ratio R(OPT) (= [H2O2]OPT/[S]0) is related to the bimolecular rate constants for the reactions of hydroxyl radicals with substrate (kS) and H2O2 (kHP) and to the corresponding molar absorption coefficients (epsilonS, epsilonHP). Competition experiments between selected pairs of the substrates showed that their relative reactivity toward hydroxyl radicals could be correctly predicted using the same simplified approach. The results of our investigations as well as literature data support the general validity of the proposed procedure for optimizing oxidation rates of the UV/H2O2 process.