Performance and mechanism of biochar@FeMg-LDH for efficient activation of persulfate for degradation of 2, 4-dichlorophenol in groundwater

Groundwater environments are complex, and traditional advanced oxidation technologies mainly based on free radicals have limitations such as poor selectivity and low interference resistance, making it difficult to efficiently degrade target pollutants in groundwater. Therefore, we developed a sludge-based biochar-supported FeMg-layered double hydroxide catalyst (BC@FeMg-LDH) for the catalytic degradation of 2, 4-dichlorophenol (2, 4-DCP) using persulfate (PDS) as an oxidant. The removal efficiency of the catalyst exceeded 95%, showing high oxidation activity in a wide pH range while being almost unaffected by reducing substances and ions in the environment. Meanwhile, under neutral conditions, the leaching of metal ions from BC@FeMg-LDH was minimal, thereby eliminating the risk of secondary pollution. According to quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, the main active species during BC@FeMg-LDH/PDS degradation of 2, 4-DCP is 1O2, indicating a non-radical reaction mechanism dominated by 1O2. Characterization techniques, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, revealed that the carbonyl (C = O) and metal hydroxyl (M-OH) groups on the material surface were the main reactive sites mediating 1O2 generation. The 1O2 generation mechanism during the reaction involved ketone-like activation of carbonyl groups on the biochar surface and complexation of hydroxyl groups on the material surface with PDS, resulting in the formation of O2·- and further generation of 1O2. 1O2 exhibited high selectivity toward electron-rich organic compounds such as 2, 4-DCP and demonstrated strong interference resistance in complex groundwater environments. Therefore, BC@FeMg-LDH holds promising applications for the remediation of organic-contaminated groundwater.

Metagenomic insights into the diversity of 2,4-dichlorophenol degraders and the cooperation patterns in a bacterial consortium

2,4-Dichlorophenol, which is largely employed in herbicides and industrial production, is frequently detected in ecosystems and poses risks to human health and environmental safety. Microbial communities are thought to perform better than individual strains in the complete degradation of organic contaminants. However, the synergistic degradation mechanisms of the microbial consortia involved in 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation are still not widely understood. In this study, a bacterial consortium named DCP-2 that is capable of degrading 2,4-dichlorophenol was obtained. Metagenomic analysis, cultivation-dependent functional verification, and co-occurrence network analysis were combined to reveal the primary 2,4-dichlorophenol degraders and the cooperation patterns in the consortium DCP-2. Metagenomic analysis showed that Pseudomonas, Achromobacter, and Pigmentiphaga were the primary degraders for the complete degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol. Thirty-nine phylogenetically diverse bacterial genera, such as Brucella, Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, Allochromatium and Bosea, were identified as keystone taxa for 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation by keystone taxa analysis of the co-occurrence networks. In addition, a stable synthetic consortium of isolates from DCP-2 was constructed, consisting of Pseudomonas sp. DD-13 and Brucella sp. FZ-1; this synthetic consortium showed superior degradation capability for 2,4-dichlorophenol in both mineral salt medium and wastewater compared with monoculture. The findings provide valuable insights into the practical bioremediation of 2,4-dichlorophenol-contaminated sites.

Insights into persulfate activation by dicyandiamide-derived carbon for 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation: Roles of nitrogen doping and defective carbon atoms

In this study, a dicyandiamide residue-derived carbon material (DWC-800) was fabricated through a two-step process involving ball-milling nitrogen (N) doping and high-temperature annealing, and then utilized for peroxodisulfate (PDS) activation in the removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP). The obtained DWC-800, with very low N content (0.52 at.%), exhibited highly efficient PDS activation, resulting in complete removal of 2,4-DCP in 60 min. This performance was superior to that of the material with high N content (15.4 at.%), which was prepared using only one-step ball-milling N doping. The N-doped process increased the defective degree of carbocatalyst, and these reactive carbon defects rather than N species greatly improved the adsorption and catalytic activity. The results of quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance demonstrated that PDS activation by DWC-800 for 2,4-DCP degradation followed a nonradical pathway, leading to the production of both singlet oxygen (1O2) and carbon-PDS* complex. Notably, electron transfer mediated by the carbon-PDS* complex played a significant role in the degradation of 2,4-DCP. Overall, this study gets new insights into the role of N doping in mediating the structural properties of the carbocatalyst and its catalytic performance, and provides a theoretical basis for the utilization of dicyandiamide waste residue for wastewater remediation.

Controllable synthesis of uniform flower-shaped covalent organic framework microspheres as absorbent for solid-phase extraction of trace 2,4-dichlorophenol

Controllable synthesis of micro-flower covalent organic frameworks (MFCOFs) with controllable size, monodisperse, spherical, and beautiful flower shape was realized by using 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) and p-phenylenediamine (p-PDA) as building blocks at room temperature. High-quality MFCOFs (5 - 7 μm) were synthesized by controlling the kind of solvent, amounts of monomers, catalyst content, and reaction time. The synthesized MFCOFs possessed uniform mesopores deriving from the intrinsic pores of frameworks and wide-distributed pores belonging to the gap between the petals. The MFCOFs-packed solid-phase extraction (SPE) column shows adsorption capacity of about 8.85 mg g-1 for 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP). The MFCOF-based SPE combined with the HPLC method was established for the determination of 2,4-DCP in environmental water. The linear range of this method is 20-1000 ng mL-1 (R2 > 0.9994), and limit of detection (S/N = 3) is 10.9 ng mL-1. Spiked recoveries were 94.3-98.5% with relative standard deviations lower than 2.3%.

Remediation of 2,4-dichlorophenol-contaminated soil by electrokinetic delivery of persulfate technology

2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) is difficult to degrade rapidly in the environment due to its stable chemical properties, so it was easy to lead to serious chlorophenol pollution in soil. Consequently, a remediation method which is efficient, safe, and economical is required. In this study, electrokinetic (EK) remediation was used to transfer sodium persulfate (Na2S2O8) into soil to degrade 2,4-DCP, and the effect of several factors (including the addition location of Na2S2O8, applied voltage, and running time) on the remediation efficiency was explored. The concentration of Na2S2O8, residual efficiency of 2,4-DCP and distribution characteristics of pH, and electrical conductivity were analyzed. The results showed that the cathode was the optimal position to add Na2S2O8. Under this condition, Na2S2O8 was uniformly distributed in the whole soil column through electromigration. The optimal removal efficiency of 2,4-DCP in soil by adding Na2S2O8 was approximately 26% when the voltage gradient was 1.0 V/cm and the operating time was 9 days, which was mainly due to the degradation of S2O82-.

Synergistic potency of ultrasound and solar energy towards oxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenol: a chemometrics approach

Industrial units based on chemical processes-the textile and paper industries-are major sources of chlorophenols in the environment, and chlorophenolic compounds persist within the environment for a long time with high toxicity levels. The photo-assisted Fenton's and photocatalysis processes were investigated for the degradation of chlorophenols in the present study. Response surface methodology was employed to get optimised conditions for photocatalysis and photo-Fenton process-governing factors, thus, yielding a profound removal efficiency. Under optimised conditions, with a photocatalyst dose of 0.2 g/L, oxidant concentration of 10.0 mM and pH 5.0, complete removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) was observed in 210 minutes in photocatalytic treatment. In the case of the photo-Fenton process, at an H2O2 dose of 5.0 mM and Fe2+ concentration of 0.5 mM, the organic pollutant was eliminated within 5 minutes of reaction time under acidic conditions (pH 3.0). The RSM model reported the perfect fit of experimental data with the predicted response. Among different isotherm models, the Langmuir isotherm was the best fit. The process followed pseudo-first order rate kinetics among various kinetics models. For the obtained optimised conditions, sonication and solar energy-driven processes were incorporated to study enhanced mineralisation. The solar-assisted Fenton process reported maximum mineralisation (90%) and cost-effective ($0.01/litre for 100 mg/L 2,4-DCP) treatment among different hybrid oxidation processes. The work provides insight into harnessing the naturally available solar energy, reducing the overall treatment cost and opting for a sustainable treatment method.

Efficient degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol by heterogeneous electro-Fenton using bulk carbon aerogels modified in situ with FeCo-LDH as cathodes: Operational parameters and mechanism exploration

In this study, an in situ grown FeCo-Layered double hydroxide anchored to the surface of a bulk carbon aerogel (FeCo-LDH/CA) for contaminant degradation during the heterogeneous electro-Fenton (EF) process. The results exhibited that the FeCo-LDH/CA cathode achieved 100% of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP = 20 mg/L) degradation within 120 min at pH = 3, application current 20 mA, and Na2SO4 concentration 0.05 M. Moreover, the degradation efficiency was impressive in the range of pH = 2-9. The coexistence of the Fe (III)/Fe (II) and Co (III)/Co (II) as active sites on the cathode surface promoted the in-situ decomposition of H2O2 to form reactive oxygen species (ROS). •OH and O2- were confirmed to be the major degradation pollutants of ROS. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) was used to predict the reaction sites of 2,4-DCP, and its possible degradation pathways were proposed. The toxicity of intermediate products was evaluated and decreased after degradation. In addition, the eight cycle experiments and the degradation of other typical contaminants demonstrated the satisfactory stability and applicability of the synthetic cathode. This study presents the preparation of an efficient and stable EF cathode, further promoting the application of iron-based composites in wastewater treatment.

Insights into the carbon nanotubes-mediated activation of permanganate for decontamination under high salinity

Radical-based advanced oxidation process (AOPs) has attracted great interests in wastewater treatment field. However, by the traditional radical-based method, the degradation of organic pollution is greatly suppressed when radicals react with the co-existing anions in the solution. Herein, an efficient method for degrading of contaminant under high salinity conditions is discussed through a non-radical pathway. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was employed as an electron transfer medium to facilitate the electron conversion from contaminants to potassium permanganate (PM). Based the results of quenching experiments, probe experiments, and galvanic oxidation process experiments, the degradation mechanism of CNTs/PM process was demonstrated to be electron transfer, rather than reactive intermediate Mn species. As a result, typical influencing factors including salt concentration, cations, and humic acid have less of an impact on degradation during CNTs/PM processes. In addition, the CNTs/PM system exhibits superior reusability and universality of pollutants, which has the potential to be applied as a non-radical pathway for the purification of contaminant in the large-scale high salinity wastewater treatment.

Efficient degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol in water by sequential electrocatalytic reduction and oxidation with a Pd-MWCNTs/Ni-foam electrode

Our previous study indicated excellent dechlorination efficiency and phenol conversion rate in the electrocatalytic reduction of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) with a Pd-MWCNTs/Ni-foam electrode; it is deserved to investigate whether this electrode can efficiently degrade phenol in electro-Fenton oxidation (EFO) process and realize the effective mineralization of 2,4-DCP in aqueous solution. In this work, the sequential electrocatalytic reduction and oxidation of 2,4-DCP were studied after examining phenol degradation in the EFO process. The results showed that the removal efficiency of 0.31 mM phenol could reach 96.76% after 90-min degradation with the rate constant of 0.0367 min^-1, and hydroxy radicals (·OH) were the main active species in the EFO process. In the sequential electrocatalytic reduction and oxidation processes, the removal efficiencies of 2,4-DCP, phenol, and total organic carbon (TOC) reached 99.72%, 97.07%, and 61.45%, respectively. The possible degradation mechanism of 2,4-DCP was proposed through monitoring the reaction products, and the stability and reusability of the electrode were also examined. This study suggested that 2,4-DCP in wastewater can be effectively mineralized to realize its efficient degradation through the sequential electrocatalytic reduction and oxidation.

Enhanced activity of ZnS (111) by N/Cu co-doping: Accelerated degradation of organic pollutants under visible light

High-efficiency photocatalysts are of great significance for the application of photocatalytic technology in water treatment. In this study, N/Cu co-doped ZnS nanosphere photocatalyst (N/Cu-ZnS) is synthesized by a hydrothermal method for the first time. After doping, the texture of nanosphere becomes loose, the nanometer diameter is reduced, making the specific surface area of catalyst increased from 34.73 to 101.59 m²/g. The characterization results show that more ZnS (111) crystal planes are exposed by N/Cu co-doping; the calculations of density functional theory show that N/Cu co-doping can increase the catalytic activity of the ZnS (111) crystal plane, enhance the adsorption capacity of (111) crystal plane to O₂, and promote the generation of •O₂^-. The energy levels of the introduced impurities can be hybridized with the energy levels of S and Zn at the top of valence band and the bottom of conduction band, which makes the band gap narrower, thus enhancing the absorption of visible light. Compared with pure ZnS, the degradation rates of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and tetracycline (TC) by N/Cu-ZnS under visible light (>420 nm) are increased by 83.7 and 51 times, respectively. In this research, a promising photocatalyst for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in wastewater is provided.

A novel BiOCl (110)/rGO/Ag3PO4 (111) heterostructure for efficient detoxification of 2,4-dichlorophenol

An effective method using nontoxic and efficient photocatalysts are crucial for wastewater treatment. Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) is considered as one of the valuable photocatalysts due to its unique layered plate like structure, however higher recombination and unsatisfied visible light absorption efficiency seriously affecting its applications. Addition of tetrahedral silver phosphate (Ag₃PO₄) which is known for its superior photocatalytic efficiency under visible light is believed to be the solution for the issue. Upon further adding of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) could form a bridging structure and enhance the activity. Considering the merits of these materials the BiOCl (110)/rGO/Ag₃PO₄ (111) heterojunction has been successfully constructed for 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) enhanced detoxification. The efficiency in degradation was found to be 94.8% by BiOCl/rGO/Ag₃PO₄ (k = 0.01879 min^-1) that was greater to that of pure Ag₃PO₄ (∼1.9 times; k = 0.00818 min^-1) and pure BiOCl (∼2.8 times; k = 0.00642 min^-1) after 60 min of visible light irradiation. The mechanism of degradation was explained through the principle of heterojunction energy-band theory. Furthermore, 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) degradation products identification was carried out by ESI/LC-MS to propose the degradation pathway. Furthermore, the phytotoxicity of the intermediate products was investigated by estimating the germination index (GI) values on Phaseolus vulgaris (P. vulgaris) at different time intervals and the GI values were found to be 10.79% and 80.17% before and after degradation respectively. Thus, our results revealed that efficient and significant toxicity reduction was observed in this photodegradation.

Degradation characteristics of crude oil by a consortium of bacteria in the existence of chlorophenol

In order to enhance the degradation effect of microorganisms on crude oil in the existence of chlorophenol compounds, oil-degrading bacteria C4 (Alcaligenes faecails), C5 (Bacillus sp.) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) degrading bacteria L3 (Bacillus marisflavi), L4 (Bacillus aquimaris) were isolated to construct a highly efficient consortium named (C4C5 + L3L4). When the compound bacteria agent combination by V_C4: V_C5: V_L3: V_L4 = 1:2:2:1, the crude oil degradation efficiency of 7 days was stable at 50.63% ~ 55.43% under different conditions. Degradation mechanism was analyzed by FTIR, GC-MS and IC technology and the following conclusions showed that in the system of adding consortium (C4C5 + L3L4), the heavy components were converted into saturated and unsaturated components. The bacterial consortium could first degrade medium and long chain alkanes into short chain hydrocarbons and then further degrade. And the dechlorination efficiency of 2,4-DCP in the degradation system reached 73.83%. The results suggested that the potential applicability and effectiveness of the selected bacteria consortium for the remediation of oil-contaminated water or soil with the existence of chlorophenol compound.

Adsorption of bisphenol A and 2,4-dichlorophenol onto cetylpyridinium chloride-modified pine sawdust: a kinetic and thermodynamic study

Using biomass wastes as adsorbents is a promising option for organic waste reclamation, but unfortunately, their adsorption capacity is usually limited, especially for hydrophobic organic pollutants. To address this issue, this work prepared cetylpyridinium chloride (a cationic surfactant)-modified pine sawdust (CPC-PS) and further demonstrated their performance for hydrophobic bisphenol A (BPA) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) adsorption. Compared to the PS, the CPC-PS improved the maximum adsorption capacity for BPA and DCP by approximately 98% and 122%, respectively. The kinetic and thermodynamic analyses showed that the BPA and DCP adsorption onto the CPC-PS fitted the pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Freundlich model. After regeneration using NaOH, the adsorption capacity of the CPC-PS for BPA still maintained 80.2% of the initial value after five cycles. Based on the experimental results, the CPC-PS was proposed to enhance the BPA and DCP adsorption through the solubilization of hemimicelles for hydrophobic organic pollutants, the π-π stacking between benzene-ring structures, and the hydrogen binding between the adsorbents and the pollutants. This work provides a viable method to use surfactant-modified pine sawdust as effective adsorbents to remove hydrophobic pollutants.

Novel magnetically separable tetrahedral Ag3PO4/NrGO/CuFe2O4 photocatalyst for efficient detoxification of 2,4-dichlorophenol

An effective as well as eco-friendly photodegradation methods by atoxic and easily reusable photocatalysts are essential for wastewater treatment. Silver phosphate (Ag₃PO₄) specifically in tetrahedral shape is one of the superior catalysts under visible light but its photocorrosion, poor electron transfer ability and low surface adsorption properties limits its applications. Combination of Ag₃PO₄ and nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide (NrGO) having higher in surface area, ample functional groups and hetero atom doping is expected to get over the problem. Further addition of a spinel ferrite (CuFe₂O₄) could enhance the visible light response activity and helps in easy separation of catalyst for reuse. Given the merits of Ag₃PO₄, NrGO and CuFe₂O₄ we rationally integrated a novel magnetically separable stable Ag₃PO₄/NrGO/CuFe₂O₄ photocatalyst for efficient detoxification of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP). About 95.3% degradation efficiency was achieved by Ag₃PO₄/NrGO/CuFe₂O₄ (k = 0.01978 min^-1) which was ~2.6 times higher than pure Ag₃PO₄ (k = 0.00747 min^-1) in 60 min of visible light irradiation. The Ag₃PO₄/NrGO/CuFe₂O₄ heterojunction was able to separate and recycle easily using an external magnetic field due to its strong magnetism, and after 5 recycles it showed 88.6% of degradation efficiency revealed its higher stability and recyclability. The photocatalytic mechanism of Ag₃PO₄/NrGO/CuFe₂O₄ was explained by heterojunction energy-band theory. In addition, the plausible intermediate products of 2,4-dichlorophenol were analyzed by ESI/LC-MS and proposed the pathway. Moreover, the phytotoxicity was also studied on V. radiata in which GI (germination index) was found to be 11.97% before degradation, while 80.31% of GI was observed in 60 min of degradation which revealed that more significant reduction in toxicity was attained on this photodegradation.

Competitive role of nitrogen functionalities of N doped GO and sensitizing effect of Bi2O3 QDs on TiO2 for water remediation

The promising solar irradiated photocatalyst by pairing of bismuth oxide quantum dots (BQDs) doped TiO₂ with nitrogen doped graphene oxide (NGO) nanocomposite (NGO/BQDs-TiO₂) was fabricated. It was used for degradation of organic pollutants like 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and stable dyes, i.e. Rhodamine B and Congo Red. X-ray diffraction (XRD) profile of NGO showed reduction in oxygenic functional groups and restoring of graphitic crystal structure. The characteristic diffraction peaks of TiO₂ and its composites showed crystalline anatase TiO₂. Morphological images represent spherical shaped TiO₂ evenly covered with BQDs spread on NGO sheet. The surface linkages of NO-O-Ti, C-O-Ti, Bi-O-Ti and vibrational modes are observed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman studies. BQDs and NGO modified TiO₂ results into red shifting in visible region as studied in diffused reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). NGO and BQDs in TiO₂ are linked with defect centers which reduced the recombination of free charge carriers by quenching of photoluminescence (PL) intensities. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows that no peak related to C-O in NGO/BQDs-TiO₂ is observed. This indicated that doping of nitrogen into GO has reduced some oxygen functional groups. Nitrogen functionalities in NGO and photosensitizing effect of BQDs in ternary composite have improved photocatalytic activity against organic pollutants. Intermediate byproducts during photo degradation process of 2,4-DCP were studied through high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Study of radical scavengers indicated that O₂^·- has significant role for degradation of 2,4-DCP. Our investigations propose that fabricated nanohybrid architecture has potential for degradation of environmental pollutions.

Optimizing the metal-support interactions at the Pd-polymer carbon nitride Mott-Schottky heterojunction interface for an enhanced electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination reaction

We reported one novel strategy via band engineering of the semiconductor support to optimize the metal-support interactions at a Mott-Schottky heterojunction interface and enhance the metal's electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination (EHDC) performance. Taking palladium-polymer carbon nitride (Pd/PCN) as a model, the band tuning of PCN by heteroatomic phosphorus (P) doping substantially boosted the EHDC of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP, one typical chlorinated organic pollutants (COPs)) on Pd, and a peak specific activity of 0.172 min^-1 cm_Pd^-2 was achieved by Pd/P-PCN-0.25 (0.25 reflected the P content, and denoted the mass ratio of the P source to PCN precursor used in P-PCN synthesis), quadrupling 0.041 min^-1 cm_Pd^-2 of Pd/C and outperforming most of the reported catalysts. The mechanism study revealed the P doping in PCN enabled the positive shift of its Fermi level, which weakened the Pd-PCN interactions and alleviated the electron excess of Pd in Pd/PCN. The P-PCN in Pd/P-PCN-0.25 with the ideal band structure evoked a Pd electronic state that maximized EHDC efficiency. Further investigation into the intermediate products of EHDC on Pd/P-PCN and the biological safety of the 2,4-DCP-contaminated water after EHDC treatment demonstrated the EHDC over our catalyst was environmental-benignity for COPs abatement.

Photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol using bio-green assisted TiO2-CeO2 nanocomposite system

In recent times, cost effective synthesis of semiconductor materials has been a subject of concern for the day to today applications. In this work, novelty has been made on the facile synthesis of metal oxides (TiO₂ and CeO₂) and nanocomposites (TiO₂-CeO₂) through sol-gel and precipitation methods of imparting lemon extract. The synthesized materials behave as the functional catalysts which has been further carried out for the photocatalytic degradation against 2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP). The materials are then valued for the structural and optical properties. The lemon extract used in synthesis has played a premier role in upgrading the charge carrier separation, bandgap, and size reduction of the composite system. Further, the CeO₂ supported TiO₂ sample acts as the better visible light catalyst, due to the prevention of aggregation and existence of line dislocation that supported to access the additional electron trap sites.

Enhanced peroxydisulfate oxidation via Cu(III) species with a Cu-MOF-derived Cu nanoparticle and 3D graphene network

The contribution of Cu(III) produced during heterogeneous peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation to pollutant removal is largely unknown. Herein, a composite catalyst is prepared with Cu-based metal organic framework (Cu-MOF) derived Cu nanoparticles decorated in a three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (3D RGO) network. The 3D RGO network overcomes the aggregation of nanosized zero-valent copper and reduces the copper consumption during the PDS activation reaction. The Cu/RGO catalyst exhibits high catalytic activity for 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) degradation in a wide pH range of 3-9, with a low Cu dosage that is only 0.075 times that of previous reports with zero-valent copper. Moreover, a high mineralization ratio (69.2 %) of 2,4-DCP is achieved within 30 min, and the Cu/RGO catalyst shows high reactivity toward aromatic compounds with hydroxyl and chlorinated groups. Unlike normal sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation, alcohols show negligible impacts on the reaction, suggesting that Cu(III), rather than SO₄^- and OH, dominates the degradation process. We believe that PDS activation by 3D Cu/RGO, with Cu(III) as the main active species, provides new insights in selective organic pollutant removal in wastewater treatment.

Enhanced electrochemical degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol with the assist of hydrochar

Effective treatment of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in wastewater is essential, as it could pose great threat to the environment. A hydrothermal biochar (hydrochar) was used to assist the electrochemical oxidation treatment of 2,4-DCP. The removal of 2,4-DCP using hydrochar in anode and cathode area with and without proton exchange membrane (PEM) under 3-9 V of electrolysis was investigated. Enhanced 2,4-DCP degradation in the anode area was achieved compared with the adsorption or electrolysis alone. The highest 2,4-DCP removal (∼76%) was obtained using the hydrochar in the anode area with PEM under 9 V. The mechanism for the 2,4-DCP removal during the electrolysis included adsorption by hydrochar and electrochemical degradation by the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by the electrode as well as the persistent free radicals (PFR) on hydrochar. The OH produced from anode was the predominant ROS contributing to the 2,4-DCP degradation under 9 V of electrolysis.

Egg shell biochar-based green catalysts for the removal of organic pollutants by activating persulfate

The sulfate radical based advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs) has shown great potential in environmental remediation. In recent years, metal-free catalysts have attracted great attention due to their properties of low environmental risk and high catalytic activity. Among them, biochar-based catalysts are widely studied for their low cost by using substance existing in nature as raw material. In this work, egg shell derived biochar (ES-biochar), which was prepared by a simple one-pot pyrolysis method, has been proven to be an effective and innovative catalyst to activate persulfate for aqueous organic pollutant degradation. In addition, ES-biochar showed superior performance in the degradation reaction with removal efficiency of more than 90% in 120 min for 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), which was selected as a representative organic pollutant. Further quenching tests and electron spin resonance spectroscopy demonstrated that both free-radicals and non-radicals pathways were involved in this process, and OH dominated in free-radicals process. More importantly, this work not only proposed a novel biochar material as an efficient persulfate activator, but also provided a value-added reuse approach for egg shell in line with the concept of resource recycling and environmental sustainability.

Oxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenol in saline water by unactivated peroxymonosulfate: Mechanism, kinetics and implication for in situ chemical oxidation

Inorganic and organic pollutants present a hazard to surface and groundwater resources. Peroxymonosulfate (PMS, HSO₅^-) has received increasing attention for in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) capable of remediating contaminated sites. Considering that saline waters occur widely in natural environments, it is desirable to evaluate the effect of Cl^- on the PMS oxidation of organic compounds. In this study, 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) was used as a model pollutant. At a PMS concentration of 2.0 mM, Cl^- concentration of 50 mM, and solution pH of 7.0, 2,4-DCP was completely degraded by PMS in the presence of Cl^- (PMS/Cl^- system), while PMS alone exhibited almost no reactivity with 2,4-DCP. The degradation of 2,4-DCP was optimized at a solution pH of 8.4 and high concentrations of PMS and Cl^-. Quenching experiments and degradation pathway analyses indicated that HClO was responsible for 2,4-DCP oxidation, and HClO was mainly generated by the interaction of Cl^- with HSO₅^-, rather than SO₅^2-. Consequently, the transformation from HSO₅^- to HClO appeared under a solution pH of 10.0 and was favored in an acidic solution. Given the ambient pH and Cl^- concentrations of saline waters, a considerable amount of HClO may be produced by the interaction of PMS with Cl^- in the oxidant delivery stage of ISCO processes. Interestingly, H₂O₂ and peroxydisulfate did not exhibit reactions similar to those of PMS. This research indicated that caution must be exercised when choosing an oxidant for ISCO processes in saline waters.

Facile synthesis of graphene-based hyper-cross-linked porous carbon composite with superior adsorption capability for chlorophenols

In this work, we proposed a green and cost-effective method to prepare a graphene-based hyper-cross-linked porous carbon composite (GN/HCPC) by one-pot carbonization of hyper-cross-linked polymer (HCP) and glucose. The composite combined the advantages of graphene (GN) and hyper-cross-linked porous carbon (HCPC), leading to high specific surface area (396.93 m²/g) and large total pore volume (0.413 cm³/g). The resulting GN/HCPC composite was applied as an adsorbent to remove 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) from aqueous solutions. The influence of different solution conditions including pH, ionic strength, contact time, system temperature and concentration of humic acid was determined. The maximum adsorption capacity of GN/HCPC composite (calculated by the Langmuir model) could reach 348.43 mg/g, which represented increases of 43.6% and 13.6% over those of the as-prepared pure GN and HCPC, respectively. The Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model were found to fit well with the adsorption process. Thermodynamic experiments suggested that the adsorption proceeded spontaneously and endothermically. In addition, the GN/HCPC composite showed high adsorption performance toward other organic contaminants including tetracycline, bisphenol A and phenol. Measurement of the adsorption capability of GN/HCPC in secondary effluent revealed a slight decrease over that in pure water solution. This study demonstrated that the GN/HCPC composite can be utilized as a practical and efficient adsorbent for the removal of organic contaminants in wastewater.

Phenol hydroxylase from Pseudomonas sp. KZNSA: Purification, characterization and prediction of three-dimensional structure

A 61.3 kDa Phenol hydroxylase (PheA) was purified and characterized from Pseudomonas sp. KZNSA (PKZNSA). Cell free extract of the isolate grown in mineral salt medium supplemented with 600 ppm phenol showed 21.58 U/mL of PheA activity with a specific activity of 7.67 U/mg of protein. The enzyme was purified to 1.6-fold with a total yield of 33.6%. The purified PheA was optimally active at pH 8 and temperature 30 °C, with ≈95% stability at pH 7.5 and temperature 30 °C after 2 h. The Lineweaver-Burk plot showed the v_max and K_m values of 4.04 µM/min and 4.03 µM, respectively, for the substrate phenol. The ES-MS data generated from the tryptic digested fragments of pure protein and PCR amplification of a ≈600 bp gene from genomic DNA of PKZNSA lead to the determination of complete amino acid and nucleotide sequence of PheA. Bioinformatics tools and homology modelling studies indicated that PheA from PKZNSA is likely a probable protein kinase UbiB (2-octaprenylphenol hydroxylase) involving Lys and Asp at positions 153 and 288 for binding and active site, respectively. Characterization and optimization of PheA activity may be useful for a better understanding of 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation by this organism and for potential industrial application of the enzyme.

Synergistic coupling Co3Fe7 alloy and CoFe2O4 spinel for highly efficient removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol by activating peroxymonosulfate

Efficient wastewater restoration depends on the robustness and capability of the catalyst to promote sophisticated decontamination technologies. In this study, Co₃Fe₇-CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) prepared by facile pyrolysis were completely characterized and used to decompose 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP). Furthermore, the catalytic performance and relevant mechanisms involved in the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) were also investigated. The optimal conditions were achieved at the catalyst loading of 0.05 g L^-1, PMS dosage of 1.26 g L^-1, and pH of 7.7 through the response surface methodology by using the Box-Behnken design model. Under optimal conditions, 97.1% efficiency of 2,4-DCP removal was obtained within 30 min. Moreover, the quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance result indicated that sulfate (SO₄^•-) and hydroxyl (HO^•) radicals were considered as the dominant reactive oxygen species, which resulted in the effective removal of 2,4-DCP in the Co₃Fe₇-CoFe₂O₄/PMS system. Moreover, Co₃Fe₇-CoFe₂O₄ showed efficient catalytic performance in continuous five runs and exhibited less metal leaching of 0.052 and 0.036 mg L^-1 for Co and Fe species, respectively. Furthermore, no considerable change was observed in the structural characteristics of the fresh and used Co₃Fe₇-CoFe₂O₄ catalytic system. The above-mentioned results indicated that the synergistic effects between Co₃Fe₇ alloy and CoFe₂O₄ spinel not only significantly improved the activity and long-term durability of the catalyst, but also accelerated the Co³⁺/Co²⁺ and Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ redox cycles. Overall, the Co₃Fe₇-CoFe₂O₄/PMS system provides a novel advanced oxidation approach to further develop multifunctional transition metal-based nanomaterials responsible for producing surface-bound radicals and enhancing the remediation of refractory pollutants in the environmental application.

2,4-Dichlorophenol induced feminization of zebrafish by down-regulating male-related genes through DNA methylation

2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) is ubiquitous in aquatic environment and has potential estrogenic effect on fish. However, the effect of 2,4-DCP on sex differentiation of zebrafish (Danio rerio) and the underlying mechanism are largely unknown. To address these questions, zebrafish larvae at 20 or 30 days post fertilization (dpf) were exposed to 2,4-DCP (0, 80 and 160 μg L^-1) with/without 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5AZA, 50 μg L^-1) for 10 days. The sex ratios and the expressions of male-related genes including amh, gata4, nr5a1a, nr5a2 and sox9a were analyzed. In addition, the DNA methylation levels of amh, nr5a2 and sox9a were examined. The results showed that 2,4-DCP exposure resulted in significant increase of female ratios both in 20-30 and 30-40 dpf groups. Correspondingly, the expressions of gata4, nr5a1a, nr5a2 and sox9a were decreased by 2,4-DCP exposure in two treatment periods. However, the transcript of amh was decreased by 2,4-DCP exposure only from 30 to 40 dpf. The DNA methylation levels of amh, nr5a2 and sox9a were increased following 2,4-DCP exposure. Moreover, the addition of 5AZA could counteract the effects including feminization, disturbance of gene expression and DNA hypermethylation caused by 2,4-DCP. These results indicated that the feminizing effect of 2,4-DCP was accomplished by regulating the expression of male-related genes through DNA methylation.

CeCu composite oxide for chlorophenol effective removal by heterogeneous catalytic wet peroxide oxidation

CeCu solid solution oxide catalysts were prepared by the complex method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). And its activity in the catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in water was investigated. The results showed that the Cu²⁺ ions dissolved into the CeO₂ lattice to form CeCu solid solution oxide with a coarse, interconnected, porous, and cotton-like morphology. The metal-oxygen bonds were weakened by the formation of solid solution in the CeCu oxide catalyst. This weakening facilitated the activation and decomposition of the H₂O₂ to form highly oxidative HO· species that can lead to significant chlorophenol mineralization. The formation of CeCu solid solution oxide can effectively inhibit the Cu ions to be leached from the used CeCu oxide catalysts, which can ensure the CeCu oxide catalysts to adapt to a wide pH range of 2.1-7.9 and exhibit good reusability. CWPO reaction of 4-CP and 2,4-DCP molecules on CeCu oxide catalysts conforms to the first-order kinetic equation: y = 6959.3x - 17.2 and y = 9725x - 25.4, respectively. And the reaction activation energies are 57.8 and 80.8 kJ/mol, respectively. The TOC removals of 4-CP and 2,4-DCP can exceed 88 and 82%, and the dechlorination rates of 4-CP and 2,4-DCP are higher than 95 and 99.5%, respectively.

Fe3 O4 @GO on silica sand as an efficient and economical adsorbent; Typical application for removal of phenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol from water samples

In this research, the layer-by-layer coating of silica sand surface with monolayer of graphene oxide (GO) immobilized on magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃ O₄ MNPs) sublayer was investigated as a novel, low-cost, effective, and green nanocomposite material for adsorption of phenol and 2,4-dichloro-phenol (DCP). Several characterization techniques such as FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to confirm the successful synthesis of Fe₃ O₄ MNPs@GO on silica. The efficiency of Fe₃ O₄ MNPs@GO-coated silica (SiO₂ ) for the removal of the target phenolic compounds from water samples was evaluated. The maximum removal of phenol (52%) and DCP (73%) was observed using 1.0 g adsorbent, initial concentration of 12.5 mg/dm³ (for phenol) and 15 mg/dm³ (for DCP), sample volume of 10 ml (for phenol) and 15 ml (for DCP), contact time of 20 min (for phenol) and 10 min (for DCP), and pH = 5. The adsorption isotherm models of Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich as well as kinetic and intraparticle diffusion models were also examined. Eventually, SiO₂ /Fe₃ O₄ MNPs@GO was regenerated five times for removal of examined contaminants and their removal efficiency from the water inlet of a water treatment plant was assessed. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Immobilizing monolayer of GO nanosheets on silica sands surface for the first time has been achieved. GO monolayer anchors on silica sands through Fe₃ O₄ nanoparticles as sublayer without using very expensive tris(hydroxymethyl) aminomethane agent. Modified silica sands are introduced as a novel and economic pollutants adsorbent, which can be used in filter sands of water treatment industry. The SiO₂ /Fe₃ O₄ MNPs@GO significantly reduces the amount of phenol and 2,4-dichloro-phenol (DCP) as model organic pollutants from water samples.

2,4-Dichlorophenol removal from water using an electrochemical method improved by a composite molecularly imprinted membrane/bipolar membrane

Low efficiency is often a problem in electrochemical reductive hydrodechlorination (ERHD) to remove chlorinated compounds such as 2,4-dichlorophenol (24DCP) from water. In this study, a composite molecularly imprinted membrane (MIM)/bipolar membrane (BPM) was introduced onto a palladium-coated titanium mesh electrode (BPM/MIM@Pd/Ti) to increase the concentration of 24DCP on the surface of electrode and ERHD efficiency. The efficiency of ERHD of 24DCP increased from 70 to 88% by introduction of the two membranes, from 71 to 89% by increasing current density from 5.0 to 30 mA/cm², and from 80 to 94% by increasing the electrolyte concentration from 0.25 to 1.00 mol/L. Treatment with Fenton's reagent after ERHD achieved 100% 24DCP removal, with chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon reductions of 91 and 87%, respectively. Notably, these reductions were greater than obtained from the direct oxidation of the 24DCP solution by Fenton's reagent alone (i.e., 98, 84, and 72%, respectively). No products were detected in solution by GC-MS after treatment with the proposed combination technology. The mechanism of 24DCP removal and degradation involved adsorption, electrochemical hydrodechlorination via H_ads, and Fenton oxidation. Results show the process has high potential for removing 24DCP from aqueous solution.

Radiolytic oxidation and degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol in aqueous solutions

Radiolytic oxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DClP) in aqueous solutions demonstrated that ·OH predominantly adds to the unsubstituted positions of the aromatic ring and that elimination of chloride at the 4 position is important because the -OH group enhances the electron density at this position, which is favorable for the electrophilic reactions. The total yield obtained was 0.540 μmol/J. Radiation-induced degradation of 2,4-DClP was conducted in oxygen-free aqueous solutions (0.1, 0.25, 0.50, and 0.7 mmol/dm³), saturated with N₂O, and aerated and under irradiation at low and high doses. The results demonstrate that the largest degradation occurred in oxygen-free solutions due to oxidation (·OH) and reduction reactions (H· and [Formula: see text]) and attack of the [Formula: see text] at the ipso position of -Cl, producing HCl. The degradation was affected to a large extent by the concentration and to a lesser extent by the presence or absence of oxygen in which the 2,4-DClP solution was irradiated. At concentrations less than 1 mmol/dm³, 2,4-DClP was degraded in the solution at an absorbed dose level of 1 kGy. At higher doses, the product concentrations increased to up to 30% of the dose required for the total degradation of 2,4-DClP; then, they decreased. A graph plotting the logarithm of the relative concentration as a function of the dose shows a linear correlation, which indicates that the radiolytic degradation followed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. The oxidation was followed by the chemical oxygen demand (COD). COD decreases when the solute concentration increases. This fact has a dependence on the presence or absence of oxygen too.

One-step preparation of polyimide-inlaid amine-rich porous organic block copolymer for efficient removal of chlorophenols from aqueous solution

A novel polyimide-inlaid amine-rich porous organic block copolymer (PI-b-ARPOP) was prepared via one-step polymerization by using different molar ratios of melamine (MA)/terephthalaldehyde (TA)/pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA), at molar ratios of 4/3/1, 4/2/2 and 4/1/3. The copolymer contained both aminal groups belonging to ARPOP and imide groups belonging to PI, and the bonding styles of the monomers and growth orientations of the polymeric chains were diversiform, forming an excellent porous structure. Notably, MA/TA/PMDA (4/2/2) had a surface area and pore volume of 487.27 m²/g and 1.169 cm³/g, respectively. The adsorption performance of the materials towards 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in ultra-pure water was systematically studied. The pH value of 7 was optimal in aqueous solution. Na⁺ and Cl^- ions did not negatively affect the adsorption process, while humic acid (HA) slightly decreased the capacity. The equilibrium time was 40 sec, and the maximum adsorption capacity reached 282.49 mg/g at 298 K. The removal process was endothermic and spontaneous, and the copolymer could maintain its porous structure and consistent performance after regeneration by treatment with alkali. Moreover, to further assess the practical applicability of the material, the adsorption performance towards 2,4-DCP in river water was also investigated. This paper demonstrated that the PI-b-ARPOP can be an efficient and practical adsorbent to remove chlorophenols from aqueous solution.

Effects of process variables and kinetics on the degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol using advanced reduction processes (ARP)

This study aims at investigating the efficiency and kinetics of 2,4-DCP degradation via advanced reduction processes (ARP). Using UV light as activation method, the highest degradation efficiency of 2,4-DCP was obtained when using sulphite as a reducing agent. The highest degradation efficiency was observed under alkaline conditions (pH = 10.0), for high sulphite dosage and UV intensity, and low 2,4-DCP concentration. For all process conditions, first-order reaction rate kinetics were applicable. A quadratic polynomial equation fitted by a Box-Behnken Design was used as a statistical model and proved to be precise and reliable in describing the significance of the different process variables. The analysis of variance demonstrated that the experimental results were in good agreement with the predicted model (R² = 0.9343), and solution pH, sulphite dose and UV intensity were found to be key process variables in the sulphite/UV ARP. Consequently, the present study provides a promising approach for the efficient degradation of 2,4-DCP with fast degradation kinetics.

Ultrasound-assisted preparation of a nanostructured zinc(II) amine pillar metal-organic framework as a potential sorbent for 2,4-dichlorophenol adsorption from aqueous solution

Using a green and simple route with ultrasound illumination under atmospheric pressure and at room temperature, the nanosized preparation of a Zn(II) metal-organic framework, [Zn(ATA)(BPD)]_∞ (ATA = 2-aminoterephthalic acid), BPD = 1,4-bis(4-pyridyl)-2,3-diaza-1,3-butadiene), having nano-plate shape and 3D channel framework, was considered and the product was named as compound 1. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), IR spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used for characterization of the synthesized micro/nano-structures. Further, impact of different sonication times and initial reagent contents on the shape and size of the micro/nano-structures was investigated. The results show that under ultrasound irradiation non-aggregated plates with uniform morphology can be obtained with content of [0.0125] M of the initial reagents in the presence of triethylamine (TEA) at 120 min. Moreover, through N₂ adsorption, effect of the preparation route on the porosity was explored. The bulk and nano-plates of compound 1 were also studied for adsorption of 2,4-dichlorophenol as a pollutant sample. Kinetic studies indicated that 2,4-dichlorophenol adsorption via MOF nano-plates are of first-order kinetics. Also, MOF nano-plates have significantly been reutilized for five times while their adsorption properties have remained unchanged.

Comparative toxicity of three phenolic compounds on the embryo of fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas

Phenols are classified as polar narcotics, which are thought to cause toxicity by non-specific mechanisms, possibly by disrupting membrane structure and function. Here we test three phenolic chemicals, phenol, 2,4-dichlorphenol and pentachlorophenol on embryo development, heartbeat rate and mitochondrial respiration in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). While these chemicals have been used on isolated mitochondria, they have not yet been used to verify respiration in intact embryos. Mitochondrial respiration in intact embryos was measured after optimizing the Seahorse XFe24 Extracellular Flux Analyzer. Heartbeat rate and mitochondrial respiration patterns of fathead minnow embryos at different developmental stages were also characterized. Exposures of embryos at developmental stage 20 occurred for 24 h with five concentrations of each phenolic compound ranging from 0.85 to 255 μM for phenol, 0.49 to 147 μM for 2,4-dichlorophenol and 0.3 to 90 μM for pentachlorophenol. Exposure to phenol at the concentrations tested had no effects on development, heartbeat or mitochondrial respiration. However, both 2,4-dichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol showed dose-dependent effects on development, heartbeat rate, and mitochondrial respiration, with the effects occurring at lower concentrations of pentachlorophenol, compared to 2,4-dichlorophenol, highlighting the higher toxicity of the more chlorinated phenols. Both 2,4-dichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol decreased basal mitochondrial respiration of embryos and ATP production. These results indicate that higher chlorinated phenolic chemicals cause developmental toxicity in fathead minnow embryos by decreasing mitochondrial respiration and heartbeat rate.

Degradation of 2, 4-dichlorophenol in aqueous solution by dielectric barrier discharge: Effects of plasma-working gases, degradation pathways and toxicity assessment

Chlorinated phenols are a class of contaminants found in water and have been regarded as a great potential risk to environment and human health. It is thus urgent to develop effective techniques to remove chlorinated phenols in wastewater. For this purpose, we employed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in this work and studied the efficiency of DBD for the degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), one of the most typical chlorophenols in the environment. The effects of pH value, applied voltage and plasma-working gases on the dichlorophenol-removal efficiency were investigated. The results demonstrate that DBD plasma could successfully degrade 2,4-DCP, achieving efficiency of 98.16% (k = 1.09 min^-1) in the Ar-DBD system, and 77.60% (k = 0.48 min^-1) in the N₂-DBD system, with the process following the first-order kinetics. The removal efficiency was reduced in the presence of radical scavengers, confirming that hydroxyl radicals played a key role in the degradation process, while other active substances were also found such as nitrogen radicals in the N₂-DBD system, which was found to have also contribution to the degradation of 2,4-DCP. The intermediates and final products generated in the degradation process were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Based on the identification of intermediates, the degradation pathways and mechanism were proposed and discussed. Besides, the toxicity of the DBD treated 2,4-DCP solution was also assessed using GFP-expressing recombinant Escherichia coli (E. coli) as the testing organism, showing that plasma treatment could substantially reduce the toxic effect of 2,4-DCP.

In situ generation of hydroxyl radical for efficient degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol from aqueous solutions

Since 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) as a priority pollutant is used in numerous industrial processes, its removal from the aqueous environment is of utmost importance and desire. Herein, the authors describe an electrochemical treatment process for efficient removal of 2,4-DCP from aqueous solutions using electro-Fenton (EF) process. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the operating parameters. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed the significance of the predicted model. The effect of independent variables on the removal of 2,4-DCP was investigated and the best removal efficiency of 98.28% achieved under the optimal experimental condition including initial pH of 3, H₂O₂ dosage of 80 μL, initial 2,4-DCP concentration of 3.25 mg L^-1, current density of 3.32 mA cm^-2, and inter-electrode distance of 5.04 cm. The predicted removal efficiency was in satisfactory agreement with the obtained experimental removal efficiency of 99.21%. According to the obtained polynomial model, H₂O₂ dosage revealed the most significant effect on degradation process. The kinetic investigation revealed that the first-order model with the correlation coefficient of 0.9907 and rate constant (K_app) of 0.831 min^-1 best fitted with the experimental results. Generation of the hydroxyl radicals throughout the EF process controlled the degradation process.

Efficient degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol in aqueous solution by peroxymonosulfate activated with magnetic spinel FeCo2O4 nanoparticles

Magnetic spinel FeCo₂O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and proposed as a catalyst of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP). The catalyst was characterized by XRD, TEM, XPS, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, and magnetization curve. In addition, the effects of parameters, such as initial pH, PMS dosage, FeCo₂O₄ addition, and initial concentration of 2,4-DCP were studied. The results showed that FeCo₂O₄ NPs exhibit good properties for the degradation and mineralization of 2,4-DCP, achieving 95.8% and 44.7% removal of 2,4-DCP and TOC, respectively, within 90 min under reaction conditions of 4 mM PMS, 0.06 g L^-1 FeCo₂O₄, 100 mg L^-1 2,4-DCP, pH = 7.0, and T = 30 °C. Furthermore, SO₄^- and HO were main radical species in the reaction system was explored. The 2,4-DCP degradation efficiency could reach 91.8% even after FeCo₂O₄ NPs were used for the fifth run. Moreover, the degradation efficiencies of metronidazole (MNZ), methylene blue (MB), and rhodamine B (RhB) could reach 74.8%, 86.7%, and 96.1% under the same reaction conditions, respectively. Results revealed that the FeCo₂O₄/PMS system shows potential for degrading contaminants in the environment.

Photodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol by supported Pd(X2) catalyst (X = Cl, Br, N3): a HOMO manipulating point of view

Three different palladium(II) complexes with ligands containing nitrogenized aromatic rings were investigated theoretically as model to obtain the computational band gap energies. The results demonstrated promising possibility for designing palladium(II) complexes with photocatalytic properties at visible light irradiation. Deliberated products were synthesized via grafting on the silica-coated Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂). Formation of complexes on the surface of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂, as insoluble and reusable photocatalysts, was proved by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. The trend of the band gap energies of prepared structures was calculated via experimental and theoretical methods. The photocatalytic capability of these nanoparticles was investigated in degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol by means of HPLC analysis. A tentative reaction mechanism for the formation of intermediates was proposed. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Mimicking new receptors based on molecular imprinting and their application to potentiometric assessment of 2,4-dichlorophenol as a food taint

Innovative host-tailored polymers were prepared, characterized and used as recognition elements in potentiometric transducers for the selective quantification of 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP).The polymer beads were synthesized using DCP as a template molecule, acrylamide (AM),methacrylic acid (MAA) and ethyl methacrylate (EMA) as functional monomers and divinylbenzene (DVB) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as cross-linkers. The sensors were fabricated by the inclusion of MIPs in plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) matrix. Response characteristics of the proposed sensors revealed anionic slopes of -59.2, -49.7 and -80.6 mV/decade with detection limits of 5.6 × 10^-5,5.9 × 10^-5 and 13.2 × 10^-5 mol/L for MIP/AM/DVB, MIP/MAA/DVB and MIP/EMA/EGDMA membrane based sensors, respectively. Good selectivity was observed over common inorganic/organic anions. Validation of the assay method according to IUPAC recommendations was justified ensuring the synthesis of good reliable novel sensors for DCP determination. The method was successfully applied for routine analysis of food taint in fish and fish farms water samples.

Sonochemical synthesis of polyoxometalate based of ionic crystal nanostructure: A photocatalyst for degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol

Single crystals of new polyoxometalate based ionic crystal [Fe(phen)₃]₂[SiW₁₂O₄₀]·3DMF (IC-Fe), (phen=1,10-phenanthroline, DMF=N,N-dimethylformamide) and their nanoparticles (IC-Fe-NPs) have been synthesized via self-assembly of constituent ions and sonochemical reaction, respectively. All materials have been characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermal gravimetric (TG), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. Effect of sonication conditions on size and morphology of IC-Fe was investigated including time, concentrations of initial reagents and power of irradiation. Further studies have shown that IC-Fe is not only active in photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol under visible light irradiation, but also is very stable in the various solvents and it can be easily separated and reused for cycles of reaction.

Degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol using combined approach based on ultrasound, ozone and catalyst

The present work investigates the application of ultrasound and ozone operated individually and in combination with catalyst (ZnO and CuO) for establishing the possible synergistic effects for the degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol. The dependency of extent of degradation on the operating parameters like temperature (over the range of 30-36°C), initial pH (3-9), catalyst as ZnO (loading of 0.025-0.15g/L) and CuO (loading of 0.02-0.1g/L) and initial concentration of 2,4-DCP (20-50ppm) has been established to maximize the efficacy of ultrasound (US) induced degradation. Using only US, the maximum degradation of 2,4-DCP obtained was 28.85% under optimized conditions of initial concentration as 20ppm, pH of 5 and temperature of 34°C. Study of effect of ozone flow rate for approach of only ozone revealed that maximum degradation was obtained at 400mg/h ozone flow rate. The combined approaches such as US+O₃, US+ZnO, US+CuO, O₃+ZnO, O₃+CuO, US+O₃+ZnO and US+O₃+CuO have been subsequently investigated under optimized conditions and observed to be more efficient as compared to individual approaches. The maximum extent of degradation for the combined operation of US+O₃ (400mg/h)+ZnO (0.1g/L) and US+O₃ (400mg/h)+CuO (0.08g/L) has been obtained as 95.66% and 97.03% respectively. The degradation products of 2,4-DCP have been identified using GC-MS analysis and the toxicity analysis has also been performed based on the anti-microbial activity test (agar-well diffusion method) for the different treatment strategies. The present work has conclusively established that the combined approach of US+O₃+CuO was the most efficient treatment scheme resulting in near complete degradation of 2,4-DCP with production of less toxic intermediates.

Typha latifolia as potential phytoremediator of 2,4-dichlorophenol: Analysis of tolerance, uptake and possible transformation processes

2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) is considered a priority pollutant due to its high toxicity. Therefore, it is urgent to develop technologies for the disposal of this pollutant. Various remediation processes have been proposed for the elimination of 2,4-DCP in contaminated water, however, most of them involve high costs of operation and maintenance. This study aimed to determine the capacity of remediation of 2,4-DCP in water by Typha latifolia L. wild plants. For that, the tolerance, removal, accumulation and biotransformation of 2,4-DCP by T. latifolia were investigated. The plants were exposed to 2,4-DCP solutions with a concentration range from 1.5 to 300 mgL^-1 for 10 days. They exhibited a reduction in chlorophyll levels and growth rate when 2,4-DCP solutions were ≥30 mgL^-1 and ≥50 mgL^-1, respectively. The removal of contaminant was dose-depended, being 99.7% at 1.5-3 mgL^-1, 59-70% at 10-70 mgL^-1 and 35-42% at 100-300 mgL^-1 of 2,4-DCP in the solution. Studies indicated that 2,4-DCP was mainly accumulated in root tissue rather than in shoot tissue. Acid hydrolysis of biomass extracts suggests 2,4-DCP bioconjugates formation in root tissue as a response mechanism. Additionally, an increment in glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity could indicate a 2,4-DCP conjugation with glutathione as a detoxification mechanism of T. latifolia.

Toxicity mechanisms and synergies of silver nanoparticles in 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation by Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Mechanisms of silver nanoparticles-mediated toxicity to Phanerochaete chrysosporium and the influence of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the biodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) have been systematically investigated. AgNPs at low doses (0-60μM) have greatly enhanced the degradation ability of P. chrysosporium to 2,4-DCP with the maximum degradation rates of more than 94%, exhibiting excellent synergies between AgNPs and P. chrysosporium in the degradation of 2,4-DCP. Meanwhile, removal of total Ag was also at high levels and highly pH dependent. However, significant inhibition was highlighted on 2,4-DCP biodegradation and Ag removal upon treatment with AgNPs at high doses and AgNO₃ at low-level exposure. Results also suggested that AgNPs-induced cytotoxicity could arise from the "Trojan-horse" mechanism executing particle effects, ion effects, or both, ruling out extracellularly released Ag⁺. Moreover, under relatively low concentrations of AgNPs exposure, 2,4-DCP was broken into linear chain organics, and eventually turned into CO₂ and H₂O through reductive dechlorination and reaction with hydroxyl radicals. FTIR analysis showed that amino, carboxyl, carbonyl, and sulfur-containing functional groups played crucial roles in Ag transportation and the reduction of Ag⁺ to Ag⁰.

Multi-substrate biodegradation of chlorophenols by defined microbial consortium

In the present study, a defined mixed microbial consortium was investigated for their ability to utilize three different monochlorophenols (MCPs) and 2,4-DCP individually and in the mixture. None of the individual strains were able to utilize 3-CP and 4-CP, but when they were mixed to form defined consortium, they have shown great potential and degradation of high concentration of 3-CP and 4-CP. Spectrophotometric analysis of metabolites during MCPs degradation establishes the presence of 2-chloromaleylacetate. Multi-substrate degradation study of 2,4-DCP in the presence of three MCPs showed the great prospect of microbial consortium for in situ bioremediation. During multi-substrate degradation, the biodegradation rate (mg L⁻¹ day⁻¹) was observed in the order of 2,4-DCP > 2CP > 3CP > 4CP. Biodegradation kinetic of three MCPs using Andrew’s model showed maximum removal rate (R_m) of 2.78, 0.91, 1.82 mg L⁻¹ h⁻¹ for 2-CP, 3-CP and 4-CP, respectively.

Preparation of functionalized Pd/Fe-Fe3O4@MWCNTs nanomaterials for aqueous 2,4-dichlorophenol removal: Interactions, influence factors, and kinetics

Magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared to support Pd/Fe nanoparticles, inhibit the aggregation and passivation, and achieve magnetic separation to avoid the environmental risk of nanoparticles. Rapid adsorption of initial contaminant, steady dechlorination, and gradual desorption of final product was observed. The micromorphology, chemical structure, and components of the nanohybrids were comprehensively characterized by a series of analysis technologies, such as EDX, XRD, SEM, TEM, and XPS. The interactions between the nanohybrids compositions were discussed according to the characterization and experimental data. The whole insight of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) adsorption- dechlorination-desorption was studied in detail, including the pathways, influence factors, dechlorination kinetics and selectivity. Weak acidity (pH=5.0 and 6.5) favored the 2,4-DCP removal. Satisfactory reactivity of the Pd/Fe-Fe3O4@MWCNTs nanohybrids was observed in five consecutive runs, and 99.2%, 89.6%, 92.1%, 99.8%, and 99.9% of 2,4-DCP was removed, respectively. Most of the final product (phenol) was steadily desorbed to the liquid phase, resulted in the re-exposure of active sites on the nanohybrids and maintained a longer activity.

Enhanced dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenol by recoverable Ni/Fe-Fe3O4 nanocomposites

Ni/Fe-Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites were synthesized for dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP). The effects of the Ni content in Ni/Fe-Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites, solution pH, and common dissolved ions on the dechlorination efficiency were investigated, in addition to the reusability of the nanocomposites. The results showed that increasing content of Ni in Ni/Fe-Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites, from 1 to 5wt.%, greatly increased the dechlorination efficiency; the Ni/Fe-Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites had much higher dechlorination efficiency than bare Ni/Fe nanoparticles. Ni content of 5wt.% and initial pH below 6.0 was found to be the optimal conditions for the catalytic dechlorination of 2,4-DCP. Both 2,4-DCP and the intermediate product 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) were completely removed, and the concentration of the final product phenol was close to the theoretical phenol production from complete dechlorination of 20mg/L of 2,4-DCP, after 3hr reaction at initial pH value of 6.0, 3g/L Ni/Fe-Fe₃O₄, 5wt.% Ni content in the composite, and temperature of 22°C. 2,4-DCP dechlorination was enhanced by Cl^- and inhibited by NO₃^- and SO₄^2-. The nanocomposites were easily separated from the solution by an applied magnetic field. When the catalyst was reused, the removal efficiency of 2,4-DCP was almost 100% for the first seven uses, and gradually decreased to 75% in cycles 8-10. Therefore, the Ni/Fe-Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites can be considered as a potentially effective tool for remediation of pollution by 2,4-DCP.

Response of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase in the freshwater bivalve Anodonta woodiana exposed to 2,4-dichlorophenol,2,4,6-trichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol

2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP), and pentachlorophenol (PCP) pose a health risk to aquatic organism and humans, and are recognized as persistent priority pollutants. Selenium dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GPx) belongs to the family of selenoprotein, which acts mainly as an antioxidant role in the cellular defense system. In the current study, a Se-GPx full length cDNA was cloned from Anodonta woodiana and named as AwSeGPx. It had a characteristic codon at 165TGA167 that corresponds to selenocysteine(Sec) amino acid as U44. The full length cDNA consists of 870 bp, an open reading frame (ORF) of 585 bp encoded a polypeptide of 195 amino in which conserved domain (68LGFPCNQF75) and a glutathione peroxide-1 GPx active site (32GKVILVENVASLUGTT47) were observed. Additionally, the eukaryotic selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) was conserved in the 3'UTR. The AwSeGPx amino acid sequence exhibited a high similarity with that of other Se-GPx. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that AwSeGPx mRNA had a widely distribution, but the highest level was observed in hepatopancreas. AwSeGPx mRNA expression was significantly up-regulated in hepatopancreas, gill and hemocytes after 2,4-DCP, 2,4,6-TCP and PCP exposure. Under similar environment, clams A. woodiana showed a more sensitive to PCP than that of 2,4-DCP and 2,4,6-TCP. These results indicate that AwSeGPx plays a protective role in eliminating oxidative stress derived from 2,4-DCP, 2,4,6-TCP and PCP treatment.

Transformation, products, and pathways of chlorophenols via electro-enzymatic catalysis: How to control toxic intermediate products

Chlorophenols can be easily oxidized into chlorobenzoquinones (CBQs), which are highly toxic and have been linked to bladder cancer risk. Herein, we report the transformation, products, and pathways of 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and electro-generated hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and suggest methods to control the formation of toxic intermediate products. After a 10-min electroenzymatic process, 99.7% DCP removal may be achieved under optimal conditions. A total of 16 reaction products, most of which are subsequently verified as DCP polymers and related quinone derivatives, are identified by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS). A five-step reaction pathway for DCP transformation, including HRP-driven substrate oxidation, substitution and radical coupling, quick redox equilibrium, nucleophilic reaction and precipitation from aqueous solution, is proposed. Current variations and the presence of CO2 could significantly affect these reaction pathways. In particular, higher currents enhance the hydroxylation process by promoting alkaline conditions and abundant H2O2 formation. As both OH(-) and H2O2 are strong nucleophiles, they easily react with CBQ products to form hydroxylated products, which can significantly reduce solution toxicity. An adequate supply of CO2 can provide favorable pH conditions and facilitate enzymatic steps, such as substrate oxidation and radical coupling, to generate precipitable polymerized products. All of the results suggest that toxic intermediate products can be effectively reduced and controlled during the electro-enzymatic process to remove DCP and other phenolic pollutants from wastewaters.

Cagelike mesoporous silica encapsulated with microcapsules for immobilized laccase and 2, 4-DCP degradation

In this study, cage-like mesoporous silica was used as the carrier to immobilize laccase by a physical approach, followed by encapsulating with chitosan/alginate microcapsule membranes to form microcapsules of immobilized laccase based on layer-by-layer technology. The relationship between laccase activity recovery/leakage rate and the coating thickness was simultaneously investigated. Because the microcapsule layers have a substantial network of pores, they act as semipermeable membranes, while the laccase immobilized inside the microcapsules acts as a processing plant for degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol. The microcapsules of immobilized laccase were able to degrade 2,4-dichlorophenol within a wide range of 2,4-dichlorophenol concentration, temperature and pH, with mean degradation rate around 62%. Under the optimal conditions, the thermal stability and reusability of immobilized laccase were shown to be improved significantly, as the removal rate and degradation rate remained over 40.2% and 33.8% respectively after 6cycles of operation. Using mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), diisobutyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate were identified as the products of 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation by the microcapsules of immobilized laccase and laccase immobilized by a physical approach, respectively, further demonstrating the degradation mechanism of 2,4-dichlorophenol by microcapsule-immobilized laccase.

Synthesis and characterization of Ag₃PO₄ immobilized with graphene oxide (GO) for enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability over 2,4-dichlorophenol under visible light irradiation

A series of visible-light responsive photocatalysts prepared using Ag3PO4 immobilized with graphene oxide (GO) with varying GO content were obtained by an electrostatically driven method, and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) was used to evaluate the performance of the photocatalysts. The composites exhibited superior photocatalytic activity and stability compared with pure Ag3PO4. When the content of GO was 5%, the degradation efficiency of 2,4-DCP could reach 98.95%, and 55.91% of the total organic (TOC) content was removed within 60 min irradiation. Meanwhile, the efficiency of 91.77% was achieved for 2,4-DCP degradation even after four times of recycling in the photocatalysis/Ag3PO4-GO (5%) system. Reactive species of O2(˙-), OH˙ and h(+) were considered as the main participants for oxidizing 2,4-DCP, as confirmed by the free radical capture experiments. And some organic intermediates including 4-chlorophenol (4-CP), hydroquinone (HQ), benzoquinone (BZQ), 2-chlorohydroquinone and hydroxyhydroquinone (HHQ) were detected by comparison with the standard retention times from the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In short, the enhanced photocatalytic property of Ag3PO4-GO was closely related to the strong absorption ability of GO relative to 2,4-DCP, the effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, and the excellent electron capture capability of GO.

Physiological fluxes and antioxidative enzymes activities of immobilized Phanerochaete chrysosporium loaded with TiO2 nanoparticles after exposure to toxic pollutants in solution

Immobilized Phanerochaete chrysosporium loaded with TiO2 nanoparticles (PTNs) are novel high-value bioremediation materials for adsorbing cadmium and for degrading 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP). The real-time changes in H(+) and O2 fluxes were measured using the noninvasive microtest technique (NMT). The H(+) influx increased after the addition of 2,4-DCP, and shifted to efflux following the addition of Cd(2+). The O2 flux decreased after the addition of both 2,4-DCP and Cd(2+). A larger Cd(2+) flux was immediately observed after exposure to 0.5mM Cd(2+) (-351.25 pmol cm(-2) s(-1)) than to 0.1 mM Cd(2+) (-107.47 pmol cm(-2) s(-1)). The removal of Cd(2+) by the PTNs increased more after treatment with the 0.5 mM exposure solution (27.6 mg g(-1)) than with the 0.1 mM exposure solution (3.49 mg g(-1)). The enzyme activities were analyzed to review the antioxidative defense system of PTNs in a solution containing various concentrations of Cd(2+). The activities of the coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidase as well as the enzyme catalase (CAT) plateaued at 6.5 U g(-1) FW and 9.7 U g(-1) FW, respectively, after exposure to 0.25 mM Cd(2+). The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) increased gradually in solutions containing 0.1-0.6 mM Cd(2+), and eventually reached a maximum (68.86 U g(-1) FW). These results illustrate how the antioxidative defense system and the physiological fluxes of PTNs respond to the stress caused by toxic pollutants.