Simple dual-readout immunosensor based on phosphate-triggered and potassium permanganate for visual detection of fenitrothion

Multicolor-based visual immunosensor is a promising tool for rapid analysis without the use of bulky instruments. Herein, an anti-fenitrothion nanobody-alkaline phosphatase fusion protein (VHHjd8-ALP) was employed to develop a multicolor visual immunosensor (MVIS) and a ratiometric fluorescence MVIS (RFMVIS, respectively). After one-step competitive immunoassay, the VHHjd8-ALP bound to microplate catalyzed phenyl phosphate disodium salt (ArP) into phenol. Under high alkaline condition (pH 12), the phenol reduced KMnO4 to intermediate (K2MnO4) and further to MnO2 in alkaline condition (pH 12), accompanied by a visible color transition of purple-green-yellow, which can be used for semiquantitative visual analysis or qualitative detection by measuring RGB value. RFMVIS was proposed on the basis of MVIS to further improve sensitivity. The CdTe quantum dot and fluorescein were used as signal probes to develop the fluorescent immunosensor. The CdTe dots with red emission (644 nm) was quenched by oxidation of KMnO4, whereas the fluorescein with green emission (520 nm) remained constant, accompanied by a fluorescent color transition of green-yellow-red. By measuring the ratio of the fluorescence intensity (I644/I520), the ratiometric fluorescence immunosensor was developed for qualitative analysis. The two visual immunosensors were sensitive and simple, and they showed good accuracy and practicability in the recovery test, thus are ideal tools for rapid screening.

Experimental evidence of effective disinfectant to control the transmission of Micropterus salmoides rhabdovirus

Micropterus salmoides rhabdovirus (MSRV) is a significant pathogen that causes high morbidity and mortality in largemouth bass, leading to enormous economic losses for largemouth bass aquaculture in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of four disinfectants (potassium permanganate, glutaraldehyde, trichloroisocyanuric acid and povidone iodine) on MSRV, to control the infection and transmission of MSRV in largemouth bass aquaculture. The disinfectants were tested at different concentrations (5, 25, 50, 100 and 500 mg/L) prepared with distilled water for 30 min contact time, and the viral nucleic acid was quantified using qPCR and the infectivity was tested by challenge experiment. Potassium permanganate at 5-500 mg/L, glutaraldehyde at 500 mg/L, trichloroisocyanuric acid at 50-500 mg/L and povidone iodine at 500 mg/L concentration could effectively decrease the virus nucleic acid, and the survival rate of largemouth bass juveniles after challenge experiment increased significantly from 3.7% ± 6.41% to 33.33 ± 11.11% - 100%. Moreover, the minimum effective time of 5 mg/L potassium permanganate was further studied at 2, 5, 10 and 20 min contact time. The viral nucleic acid decreased significantly at 5-20 min exposure time, and the survival rate increased significantly from 7.41% ± 6.41% to 77.78 ± 11.11% - 100%. The median lethal concentration (LC50 ) values of potassium permanganate were 10.64, 6.92 and 3.7 mg/L at 24, 48 and 96 h, respectively. Potassium permanganate could be used for the control of MSRV in the cultivation process; the recommended concentration is 5 mg/L and application time should be less than 24 h. The results could be applied to provide a method to control the infection and transmission of MSRV in water, and improve the health status of largemouth bass.

Synthesis of lignin nanoparticle‑manganese dioxide complex and its adsorption of methyl orange

Lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) were synthesized using an anti-solvent method and subsequently loaded with manganese dioxide (MnO2) via potassium permanganate treatment, resulting in the formation of MnO2@LNPs. An extensive investigation was conducted to elucidate the influence of MnO2@LNPs on the decolorization of methyl orange solution. The LNPs were successfully obtained by adjusting the preparation parameters, yielding particles exhibited average sizes ranging from 300 to 600 nm, and the synthesis process exhibited a high yield of up to 87.3% and excellent dispersion characteristics. Notably, LNPs size was reduced by decreasing initial concentration, increasing stirring rate, and adding water. In the acetone-water two-phase system, LNPs self-assembled into spherical particles driven by π-π interactions and hydrogen bond forces. Oxidation modification using potassium permanganate led to the formation of nanoscale MnO2, which effectively combined with LNPs. Remarkably, the resulting MnO2@LNPs demonstrated a two-fold increase in methyl orange adsorption capacity (227 mg/g) compared to unmodified LNPs. The process followed the Langmuir isotherm model and was exothermic.

Potassium permanganate modification of hydrochar enhances sorption of Pb(II), Cu(II), and Cd(II)

Hydrochars formed by hydrothermal carbonization of hickory wood, bamboo, and wheat straw at 200 °C were modified by potassium permanganate (KMnO4) for the sorption of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cu(II). The wheat straw hydrochar (WSHyC) modified with 0.2 M KMnO4 resulted in the most promising adsorbent (WSHyC-0.2KMnO4). Characterization of WSHyC and WSHyC-0.2KMnO4 revealed that the modified hydrochar features large specific surface area, rich of surface oxygenic functional groups (OCFG), and a significant amount of MnOx micro-particles. Batch adsorption experiments indicated that the adsorption rate by WSHyC-0.2KMnO4 was faster than for WSHyC, attaining equilibrium after around 5 h. The optimum adsorption capacity (Langmuir) of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cu(II) by WSHyC-0.2KMnO4 was 189.24, 29.06 and 32.68 mg/g, respectively, 12 ∼ 17 times greater than by WSHyC. The significantly enhanced heavy metal adsorption can be attributable to the increased OCFG and MnOx microparticles on the surface, thereby promoting ion exchange, electrostatic interactions, and complexation mechanisms.

Could manganate be an alternative of permanganate for micropollutant abatement?

Permanganate (MnO₄^-), an oxidant that has been applied in water treatment, has highly varied reactivity toward pollutants. In this study, we found manganate (MnO₄^2-) could destruct diverse functional groups, with oxidation rates being higher than that of permanganate under acidic and neutral conditions. Mechanistic study revealed manganate rapidly disproportionated to permanganate and colloidal MnO₂ in solution. Under acidic conditions, the in-situ formed colloidal MnO₂ possess higher reactivity than permanganate and primarily contributed to the degradation of pollutants. The reactivity of in-situ formed colloidal MnO₂ is highly sensitive to pH and decreased dramatically with increasing pH. Consequently, the contribution of MnO₂ to pollutant removal decreased with elevating pH, which also leads to the decreased degradation efficiency of micropollutants at high pH. Manganate is an intermediate produced during the manufacturing process of permanganate. This study indicates that manganate might be an alternative of permanganate for water purification under acidic and neutral conditions.

Enhanced methane production from anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge by combining ultrasound with potassium permanganate pretreatment

The influence of ultrasound (US) and potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) co-pretreatment on anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS) was investigated in this survey. Results showed that KMnO₄ (0.3 g/g TSS) cooperated with US (1 W/mL, 15 min) pretreatment significantly increased the cumulative methane yield to 174.44 ± 3.65 mL/g VS compared to the control group (108.72 ± 2.56 mL/g VS), solo US (125.39 ± 2.56 mL/g VS), and solo KMnO₄ pretreatment group (160.83 ± 1.61 mL/g VS). Mechanistic investigation revealed that US combined with KMnO₄ pretreatment effectively disrupted the structure of extracellular polymeric substances and cell walls by generating reactive radicals, accelerating the release of organics and hydrolytic enzymes as well as improving the biodegradability of soluble organics. Modeling analysis illustrated that the biochemical methane potential and hydrolysis rate of WAS were enhanced under US + KMnO₄ pretreatment. Microbial community distribution indicated that the co-pretreatment of US and KMnO₄ elevated the total relative abundance of functional microorganisms associated with anaerobic digestion (22.01 %) compared to the control (10.69 %), US alone (12.24 %) and KMnO₄ alone (16.20 %).

Reducing disinfection byproduct precursors through coagulation enhancement as particle weight and size control using potassium permanganate

The widespread use of chlorine pre-oxidation in water purification has been limited in several countries owing to the production of carcinogenic byproducts when combined with naturally occurring organic matter. This study investigates the efficient use of potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) pretreatment and coagulation enhancement as particle size and molecular weight distribution controlling parameters. KMnO₄ pretreatment significantly reduced the apparent molecular weight of humic acid due to KMnO₄ reduction and the continuous generation of manganese dioxide (MnO₂) formed in situ under neutral and alkaline conditions. The MnO₂ formed in situ had adsorption characteristics that enabled it to form large and stable flocs with the hydrolysis products of aluminum sulfate. However, under acidic conditions, KMnO₄ pretreatment exhibited strong oxidation characteristics due to Mn(VII) reduction to Mn(II), and the mean particle floc size was the same as without KMnO₄ pretreatment. Overall, KMnO₄ pretreatment is a useful alternative strategy for traditional pre-oxidation using chlorine and a good coagulant enhancement agent in neutral and basic media.

Rediscover Potassium Permanganate as a Stain for Basic Proteins on Ultrathin Sections at Transmission Electron Microscopy

Potassium permanganate solution has been used both as a fixative and as a staining for ultrathin sections at transmission electron microscopy, due to its ability to provide good contrast of different tissue components. Subsequently, it has been forgotten due to disadvantages such as conspicuous formation of precipitates and fragility of the tissue sections treated with this dye when placed under the electron beam. Here we demonstrate that the observed granularity of the sections is not related to the formation of non-specific precipitates, but rather to basic proteins such as chromatin proteins closely associated with DNA and ribosomal particles which are intensely stained. This results in a marked contrast of the nuclei, in particular of the heterochromatin areas, the granular component of the nucleoli, and the rough endoplasmic reticulum, that are rich in these protein complexes. We also show how the embedding in LR white acrylic resin can preserve a good morphology and be less sensitive to the treatment with potassium permanganate than the epoxy resin sections, also allowing to perform immunocytochemistry. The fragility of the epoxy resin sections can be partially improved by using formvar-coated grids.

Potassium permanganate pretreatment effectively improves methane production from anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge: Reaction kinetics and mechanisms

As a powerful oxidizing agent, potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) has attracted widespread interest in sludge treatment and contaminant removal. However, its effect on the anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS) is ambiguous. This investigation was designed to provide perspectives into this problem. In comparison with the control, 0.3 g KMnO₄/g TSS pretreatment enhanced the methane production by 78.82 %. Model analysis demonstrated that the KMnO₄ pretreatment enhanced the biochemical methane potential (B₀) of WAS. Mechanistic studies elucidated that the KMnO₄ pretreatment process generated reactive radicals such as ·OH, ·O₂^- and ¹O₂, which contributed to sludge disintegration and biodegradation process of dissolved substances, thus resulting in more substances available for subsequent methane generation. Enzyme activity analysis indicated that KMnO₄ pretreatment facilitated the activities of key enzymes associated with anaerobic digestion to various degrees. Microbial analysis illustrated that the relative abundance of functional microorganisms was significantly elevated after KMnO₄ pretreatment, which was conducive to methane production.

Design and Fabrication of α-MnO2-Nanorods-Modified Glassy-Carbon-Electrode-Based Serotonin Sensor

Serotonin is a very important monoamine neurotransmitter, which takes part in biological and psychological processes. In the present scenario, design and fabrication of a serotonin electrochemical sensor is of great significance. In this study, we have synthesized α-MnO₂ via a hydrothermal synthesis method using potassium permanganate as a precursor. The physiochemical properties, such as structural and phase-purity of the prepared α-MnO₂, were investigated by various characterization techniques and methods (powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy). Furthermore, the serotonin sensor was fabricated using α-MnO₂ as an electrode modifier or electro-catalyst. The bare glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was adopted as a working substrate, and its active carbon surface was modified with the synthesized α-MnO₂. This modified GCE (α-MnO₂/GCE = MGCE) was explored as a serotonin sensor. The electrochemical investigations showed that the MGCE has excellent electro-catalytic properties towards determination of serotonin. The MGCE exhibits an excellent detection limit (DL) of 0.14 µM, along with good sensitivity of 2.41 µAµM^-1 cm^-2. The MGCE also demonstrated excellent selectivity for determination of serotonin in the presence of various electro-active/interfering molecules. The MGCE also exhibits good cyclic repeatability, stability, and storage stability.

Use of an applicator brush with high concentration bleaching gels

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate in vitro two high concentration self-mix bleaching gels (35% or 37.5%) with different application tips (with or without an applicator brush) during in-office bleaching.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Healthy premolars were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 8): no treatment; 35% HP without applicator brush, 35% HP with applicator brush, 37.5% HP without applicator brush, and 37.5% HP with applicator brush. After the procedures, the concentration of HP transferred into the pulp chamber was evaluated using UV-Vis. The amount of gel used in each group was measured on a precision analytical balance. Color change (ΔEab, ΔE00, and ΔWID) was evaluated with a digital spectrophotometer. Initial concentration was measured by titration with potassium permanganate. The pH was evaluated using a digital pH meter. The data from each test were submitted to nonparametric tests (α = 0.05).

RESULTS

Using a tip with an applicator brush expended less gel and left a lower amount of HP inside the pulp chamber compared to the tip without a brush for both bleaching gels (p < 0.0003), although no significant difference in color change was observed (p < 0.05). The 37.5% HP showed a more stable and less acidic pH and a lower amount of HP in the pulp chamber than the 35% HP (p < 0.00001).

CONCLUSION

The HP penetration into the pulp chamber was lower when using an applicator with a brush tip than when using one with a conventional tip. As for the color, both tips were considered to lighten teeth.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

For the application of a self-mixing high concentration in-office bleaching gel, a brush tip should be recommended because its use diminishes the penetration of HP into the pulp chamber and wastes less bleaching gel.

Enhanced photocatalytic and antimicrobial performance of a multifunctional Cu-loaded nanocomposite under UV light: theoretical and experimental study

Due to modern industrialization and population growth, access to clean water has become a global challenge. In this study, a metal-semiconductor heterojunction was constructed between Cu NPs and the Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄/SiO₂/TiO₂ composite matrix for the photodegradation of potassium permanganate, hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) and p-nitroaniline (pNA) under UV light. In addition, the electronic and adsorption properties after Cu loading were evaluated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Moreover, the antimicrobial properties of the prepared samples toward pathogenic bacteria and unicellular fungi were investigated. Photocatalytic measurements show the outstanding efficiency of the Cu-loaded nanocomposite compared to that of bare Cu NPs and the composite matrix. Degradation efficiencies of 44% after 80 min, 100% after 60 min, and 65% after 90 min were obtained against potassium permanganate, Cr(VI), and pNA, respectively. Similarly, the antimicrobial evaluation showed high ZOI, lower MIC, higher protein leakage amount, and cell lysis of nearly all microbes treated with the Cu-loaded nanocomposite.

Redox-regulated synthesis of fluorescent polydopamine nanoparticles for detection of butyrylcholinesterase activity

Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is an enzyme which is relevant to a variety of diseases, and often serve as a common biomarker of health. In this work, a novel fluorescence sensor based on redox-regulated synthesis of polydopamine nanoparticles (PDANPs) has been developed for simple and sensitive sensing BChE activity. A facile and rapid one-step approach for the preparation of fluorescent PDANPs uses potassium permanganate to oxidize dopamine. We demonstrated that the fluorescence intensity of PDANPs is dependent on the dose of potassium permanganate. Butyrylcholinesterase catalyzes the hydrolysis of butyrylthiocholine iodide (BTCh) to produce thiolcholine (TCh) which in a redox reaction with potassium permanganate prevents the formation of fluorescent PDANP. As a result, the activity of BChE can be determined in line with changes in the fluorescence of PDANPs. Based on this finding, a convenient and label-free fluorescence sensor for BChE activity was established via redox-control of the fluorescence intensity of PDANPs. A dynamic response range for BChE is acquired within 0.5 ∼ 200 U/L along with a detection limit of 0.047 U/L. Importantly, the proposed method achieves practical application toward BChE in human sera. Moreover, its satisfying performance for screening of inhibitors was also proved. Hence, the proposed sensor holds great potential for cholinesterase-related biomedical investigation.

Surface characteristic and sinking behavior modifications of microplastics during potassium permanganate pre-oxidation

Microplastics (MPs) occur in the source water of worldwide drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). Pre-oxidation treatments become the initial stage for MPs treatment in DWTPs. Investigating the modifications of MPs after pre-oxidations is important to understand their fate in DWTPs. In this study, potassium permanganate oxidation (PPO) was applied to treat four high abundant MPs in DWTPs, including polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinylchloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS). Influences of polymer types, sizes and pH were considered. After 10 mg L^-1 PPO, only slight corrosions were observed on all MPs. Whereas, the appearances of O-Mn spectrum and the observation of nano-scale particles indicated the generation of nascent state Mn-oxides (MnO₂) on MPs surface. This adhesion of MnO₂ contributed to increasing density and hydrophilicity. As a result, the sinking performance of MPs was enhanced, e.g. the sinking ratio of 6.5 µm MPs increased 30% (PET), 20% (PVC) and 30% (PS) compared with pristine ones upon pH 7 PPO. These results implied that the practical PPO can enhance the sinking behavior of MPs. Of note, PE seems to be persistent and requires special concern.

Determination of thiourea by terbium (III)/ prulifloxacin sensitized potassium permanganate-sulfite chemiluminescence with quenching method

Based on the thiourea quenching of the chemiluminescence of Tb³⁺/ prulifloxacin (PUFX) sensitized KMnO₄-Na₂SO₃ system, a convenient and rapid chemiluminescence method for the determination of thiourea was proposed. The reaction between KMnO₄ and Na₂SO₃ brought only weak chemiluminescence, but the chemiluminescence increased sharply in the presence of sensitizer Tb³⁺/ PUFX. Addition of thiourea can prevent the reaction between KMnO₄ and Na₂SO₃, thus the chemiluminescence intensity was significantly decreased. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration graphs for thiourea were linear in the range of 1.0 × 10^-7 to 4.0 × 10^-5 mol•L^-1. The limit of detection was 6.4 × 10^-8 mol•L^-1. The method was applied satisfactorily to the determination of thiourea in tap water, lake water and rice noodles and the spiked recoveries were between 104.7 ~ 113.4%. The possible mechanism of sensitization and quenching was also proposed.

Pre-oxidation enhanced cyanobacteria removal in drinking water treatment: A review

Cyanobacterial bloom has many adverse effects on source water quality and drinking water production. The traditional water treatment process can hardly achieve satisfactory removal of algae cells. This review examines the impact of pre-oxidation on the removal of cyanobacteria by solid-liquid separation processes. It was reported that the introduction of chemical oxidants such as chlorine, potassium permanganate, and ozone in algae-laden water pretreatment could improve algae removal by the subsequent solid-liquid separation processes. However, over dosed oxidants can result in more serious water quality risks due to significant algae cell lysis and undesirable intracellular organic matter release. It was suggested that moderate pre-oxidation may enhance the removal of cyanobacteria without damaging algae cells. In this article, effects of moderate pretreatment on the solid-liquid separation processes (sedimentation, dissolved air flotation, and membrane filtration) are reviewed.

Spectrophotometric determination of Metronidazole antibacterial drug via oxidation with alkaline potassium permanganate

Highly simple, sensitive and selective method is developed for the spectrophotometric determination of Metronidazole (MDZ) antibacterial drug either in pure form or in pharmaceutical formulations. This method is based on reduction of potassium permanganate by Metronidazole drug in sodium hydroxide solution to give green manganate ion which recorded at 610 nm. The method produced linear responses in the concentration range 4.28 - 59.91 µg mL^-1 with limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) 0.21 and 0.69 µg mL^-1 for Metronidazole drug respectively. The apparent molar absorptivity is 0.865 × 10⁴ L mol^-1 cm^-1, Sandell sensitivity is 0.019 µg cm^-2 and correlation coefficient is 0.951. The method is highly reproducible and has been applied to a wide variety of pharmaceutical formulations and the results compare favourably with those of official methods.

Different response pattern of cyanobacteria at development and maintenance stage to potassium permanganate oxidation

Occurrence of successive cyanobacterial blooms in source waters can continuously impair drinking water quality. Previous studies have separately investigated potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) to treat high-viability cyanobacteria at just one stage of either development or maintenance. However, maintenance stage exhibited significantly higher cell-density and extracellular organic matters (EOMs) than development stage, which may result in a different KMnO₄ oxidation pattern. In this study, kinetics of oxidant decay, membrane integrity loss, and toxin degradation of high-viability cyanobacteria at both stages were compared. Results showed that cyanobacteria at maintenance stage became more resistant to KMnO₄ oxidation than that at development stage, since elevated cell-density and more proteins involved in EOMs resulted in lower oxidant exposure at this stage. Meanwhile, elevated cyanobacterial biomass became the main competitors to decrease toxin degradation efficiency at maintenance stage, leading to incapacity to degrade extracellular toxin to below safety guideline of 1 μg L^-1. Consequently, comparing with the best strategy for development stage (6 mg min L^-1, no membrane damage), a higher oxidant exposure (12 mg min L^-1) was recommended to treat cyanobacteria at maintenance stage even with slight membrane damage (19%), since it degraded extracellular toxin to below safety guideline and achieved the highest removal ratio of EOMs. Overall, this study demonstrated that stage of cyanobacteria can strongly affect KMnO₄ oxidation pattern, and it is necessary for water supplies to optimize KMnO₄ treatments depending on bloom stage.

Potassium permanganate as a promising pre-oxidant to treat low-viability cyanobacteria and associated removal of cyanotoxins and extracellular organic matters

Cell-viability of cyanobacteria declines from development to decay stage during a successive bloom. Potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) has demonstrated to be a superior pre-oxidant to treat high-viability cyanobacteria compared to other common oxidants (e.g., chlorine), but whether it is feasible to treat low-viability cyanobacteria is unknown. Here, effects of KMnO₄ on membrane integrity, cyanotoxin fate and extracellular organic matters (EOMs) removal of high- and low-viability cyanobacteria were compared. Results showed that cell-viability of cyanobacteria could affect oxidant decay (k_decay), membrane damage (k_loss), and cyanotoxins release (k_i) and degradation (k_e) during KMnO₄ oxidation, similar to chlorination. However, unlike chlorination, initial low dosages of KMnO₄ (0.5 and 1 mg L^-1) minimized membrane damage for low-viability cyanobacteria (< 27%), and continuously decrease extracellular cyanotoxins, extracellular organic matters (EOMs), and aromatic compounds to some degrees (P<0.05). High dosages of KMnO₄ (> 2 mg L^-1) caused severe membrane destruction (> 89%) for low-viability cyanobacteria, leading to a fast increase of extracellular cyanotoxins within 1 h. However, total/extracellular cyanotoxins were oxidized to below the safety guideline of 1 μg L^-1 after being dosed with sufficient oxidant exposure. EOMs and aromatic compounds were also reduced by 5-18% (P<0.05). Additionally, KMnO₄-assisted coagulation significantly improved the removal of low-viability cyanobacteria (2-5 fold). Consequently, KMnO₄ could be a promising pre-oxidant to treat low-viability cyanobacteria at decay stage of a successive bloom.

Insights into the Electron-Transfer Mechanism of Permanganate Activation by Graphite for Enhanced Oxidation of Sulfamethoxazole

Many reagents as electron sacrificers have been recently investigated to induce decomposition of permanganate (KMnO₄) to produce highly reactive intermediate Mn species toward oxidation of organic contaminants; however, this strategy meanwhile causes low KMnO₄ utilization efficiency. This study surprisingly found that graphite can mediate direct electron transfer from organics (e.g., sulfamethoxazole (SMX)) to KMnO₄, resulting in high KMnO₄ utilization efficiency, rather than reductive sites of graphite-induced conversion of KMnO₄ to highly reactive intermediate Mn species. The galvanic oxidation process (GOP) and comparative experiments of different organic contaminants prove that the KMnO₄/graphite system mainly extracts electrons from organic contaminants via a one-electron pathway instead of a two-electron pathway. More importantly, the KMnO₄/graphite system has superior reusability, graphite can keep a long-lasting reactivity, and the KMnO₄ utilization efficiency elevates significantly after each cycle of graphite. The transformation of SMX in the KMnO₄/graphite system mainly includes self-coupling, hydroxylation, oxidation, and hydrolytic reaction. The work will improve insights into the electron-transfer mechanism and unveil the advantages of efficient KMnO₄ utilization in the KMnO₄-based technologies in environmental remediation.

Oxidation of benzophenone-3 in aqueous solution by potassium permanganate: kinetics, degradation products, reaction pathways, and toxicity assessment

Benzophenone-3 (BP-3) is used in a wide range of personal care products and plastics to resist ultraviolet light, which has aroused considerable public concern due to its endocrine-disrupting effects. In this work, we systematically investigated the chemical oxidation process of BP-3 by KMnO₄. The influences of several factors, such as pH, oxidant dose, temperature, coexisting water constituents, and water matrices, on BP-3 degradation efficiency were evaluated. The removal rate of 10 μM BP-3 could reach 91.3% in 2 h under the conditions of pH = 8.0, [BP-3]₀:[KMnO₄]₀ = 1:20, and T = 25 °C, with the observed rate constant (k_obs) value of 0.0202 min^-1. The presence of typical anions (Cl^-, NO₃^-, SO₄^2-) and HA could slightly increase BP-3 removal, while HCO₃^- caused a relatively significant promotion of BP-3 degradation. On the basis of mass spectrometry and theoretical calculations, hydroxylation, direct oxidation, and carbon-carbon bridge bond cleavage were mainly involved in the oxidation process. Toxicity assessment revealed that the acute and chronic toxicities were reduced significantly, which suggested KMnO₄ is a promising technique for BP-3 removal.

A spectrophotometric method for measuring permanganate index (CODMn) by N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPD)

A new spectrophotometric method for measuring permanganate index (chemical oxygen demand using potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) as oxidant, COD_Mn) in water was established. The method was based on the rapid oxidation of N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPD) by residual KMnO₄ in digestion solution under neutral pH condition to form the stable pink radical (DPD^●+). Only 20 s were enough to form the pink DPD^●+. The generated DPD^●+ could be quantitatively measured by a visible spectrophotometer at 551 nm. Stoichiometric coefficient of the reaction between KMnO₄ and DPD was close to 1:5 (1:5.07). There was a well linear relationship (R² = 0.999) between the change of the absorbance of DPD^●+ at 551 nm and the concentration of COD_Mn in the range of 0-4.46 mg L^-1. Limit of detection of the DPD method was as low as 0.02 mg L^-1 COD_Mn. The DPD method was highly accurate for measuring COD_Mn in standard solutions with well recovery rates of 99.17%-102.22%, and was well tolerant to the interference of coexistent Cl^- and Fe³⁺. The DPD method was successfully applied for measuring COD_Mn in real water samples, including surface water, underground water and drinking water. In comparison to the traditional titration method, the proposed DPD method was more convenient to operate, required less samples and digestion reagents (i.e., KMnO₄ and H₂SO₄) and could be employed for online monitor.

Modeling the release and spreading of permanganate from aerated slow-release oxidants in a laboratory flow tank

Aerated, slow-release oxidants are a relatively new technology for treating contaminated aquifers. A critical need for advancing this technology is developing a reliable method for predicting the radius of influence (ROI) around each drive point. In this work, we report a series of laboratory flow tank experiments and numerical modeling efforts designed to predict the release and spreading of permanganate from aerated oxidant candles (oxidant-wax composites). To mimic the design of the oxidant delivery system used in the field, a double screen was used in a series of flow tank experiments where the oxidant was placed inside the inner screen and air was bubbled upward in the gap between the screens. This airflow pattern creates an airlift pump that causes water and oxidant to be dispersed from the top of the outer screen and drawn in at the bottom. Using this design, we observed that permanganate spreading and ROI increased with aeration and decreased with advection. A coupled bubble flow and transport model was able to successfully reproduce observed results by mimicking the upward shape and spreading of permanganate under various aeration and advection rates.

Electrokinetical enhanced delivery of acidic potassium permanganate and removal of copper-pyrene compound pollution in a red soil

Soil contaminated by combinations of heavy metals and organic pollutants has become an increasingly prominent environmental issue. Developing efficient technologies to synchronously decontaminate such co-contaminated sites is challenging and imperative. In our previous study for the treatment of Copper (Cu) and pyrene contaminated soil, electrokinetics (EK) coupled acidic permanganate (PM) performed best for degradation of pyrene near the injection spot, but it unfortunately prevented the migration of Cu. In order to further enhance the removal efficiency of these contaminants, in this study, batch experiments were conducted to investigate the feasibility of delivering PM by EK under regular refreshment of acidoxidant along with amplification of voltage gradient. The results showed that PM can be transported from cathode to anode to S2 section (near the anode) with a slow mass transfer rate via electromigration and reversed electroosmotic flow, and further delivery was achieved when Cu and pyrene were coexisted. The reaction of pyrene with PM produced a lower soil pH condition, which was conductive to the transport of Cu, and the existence of Cu promoted the migration of PM. The coexistence of Cu and pyrene favored the removal efficiency of the pollutants, and 92.8% of Cu and 70.7% of pyrene were removed after 15 d EK treatment. Thus, EK + acidic PM with regularly supplement of oxidant is appropriate to achieve complete mass depletion of heavy metals and PAHs, especially in low buffered soils.

Toxic heavy metal removal from sulfide ores using potassium permanganate: Process development and waste management

A monolithic new attitude utilizing Aspen Plus software and Taguchi method has been applied to evaluate a novel configuration for removal of toxic heavy metals during sulfide ores recovery using potassium permanganate (KMnO₄). In this new configuration, KMnO₄ has been produced by sludge recovery of cobalt purification step containing manganese (IV) oxide (MnO₂). Also, in this suggested configuration, the required sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) solvent has been provided by recovery of sulfur compounds released during leaching process of sulfide ores. The optimum condition obtained by Taguchi experimental design has been used as initial data for the simulation and sensitivity analysis of process via Aspen Plus software. A systematic study of the design and operating condition has been made for key performance metrics such as removal of toxic heavy metal from sulfide ores, recovery of KMnO₄ from sludge containing MnO₂ and conversion of released sulfide gases to H₂SO₄ at the different operating condition such as H₂SO₄ concentration of 60-90 g/L, operating temperature of 60-150 °C, agitation rate of 100-400 rpm, reaction time of 0.5-2 h, solid to liquid ratio of 1:1-1:4, particle size of 10-500 μm, additive amount of 10-40 wt% and oxygen pressure of 0.5-2 MPa. The optimum condition for removal of toxic heavy metal have been found to be H₂SO₄ concentration of 70 g/L, temperature of 90 °C, agitation rate of 200 rpm, reaction time of 1.5 h, particle size of 500 μm, solid to liquid ratio of 1:2, additive amount of 40 wt% and oxygen pressure of 1.5 MPa. According to simulation results, the maximum conversion of released sulfide gases to H₂SO₄, recovery of KMnO₄ and toxic heavy metals removal during designed process at optimized condition are 98%, 91% and 99%, respectively.

Phase-transfer catalysis enhanced remediation of trichloroethylene polluted groundwater by potassium permanganate

As one of the remediation reagents, potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) is injected to the aquifer, degrading trichloroethylene (TCE) by chemical oxidation. This study investigated the kinetics of TCE degradation by series of batch experiments, as well as the influence of medium size. Moreover, phase-transfer catalyst (PTCs), such as pentyltriphenylphosphonium bromide (PTPP) and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) were used for enhancing oxidation. The batch experimental results showed that in the absence of PTC, the removal efficiency of TCE was 36.14% and 86.79% within 4 and 30 min, respectively. However, the removal rate of TCE was up to 67.48% and 49.90% within 4 min for 15 mol% PTPP- and SHMP-added system, respectively. The results indicated that PTPP and SHMP promoted the depletion of M n O 4 - to oxidize DNAPL TCE, but its effectiveness varied with the addition ratio of PTPP or SHMP. Its promotion was more remarkable when PTC added with a higher proportion. The alleviation of MnO₂ by phosphates ( P O 4 3 - , H P O 4 2 - and H 2 P O 4 - ) or PTC in the presence of media was qualitatively investigated. Results showed that the content of MnO₂ in the dissolved phase during the same reaction period decreased by PTC. Moreover, H P O 4 2 - and SHMP have apparent beneficial effects of reducing MnO₂ formation. The presence of aquifer media has a pH buffer and a negative influence on the reaction between TCE and the oxidant; moreover, as particle size of media decreased, the negative effect increased.

MnO2 Heterostructure on Carbon Nanotubes as Cathode Material for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Due to their cost effectiveness, high safety, and eco-friendliness, zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are receiving much attention nowadays. In the production of rechargeable ZIBs, the cathode plays an important role. Manganese oxide (MnO2) is considered the most promising and widely investigated intercalation cathode material. Nonetheless, MnO2 cathodes are subjected to challenging issues viz. limited capacity, low rate capability and poor cycling stability. It is seen that the MnO2 heterostructure can enable long-term cycling stability in different types of energy devices. Herein, a versatile chemical method for the preparation of MnO2 heterostructure on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MNH-CNT) is reported. Besides, the synthesized MNH-CNT is composed of δ-MnO2 and γ-MnO2. A ZIB using the MNH-CNT cathode delivers a high initial discharge capacity of 236 mAh g-1 at 400 mA g-1, 108 mAh g-1 at 1600 mA g-1 and excellent cycling stability. A pseudocapacitive behavior investigation demonstrates fast zinc ion diffusion via a diffusion-controlled process with low capacitive contribution. Overall, the MNH-CNT cathode is seen to exhibit superior electrochemical performance. This work presents new opportunities for improving the discharge capacity and cycling stability of aqueous ZIBs.

Influences of the micropollutant erythromycin on cyanobacteria treatment with potassium permanganate

Cyanobacteria blooms and micropollutants (e.g., antibiotics) in source waters are two increasing environmental issues worldwide. This study hypothesized that the coexisting antibiotics may possibly alter the efficiency of water treatment processes through affecting the physiological and biochemical characteristics of cyanobacterial cells. A toxic strain of Microcystis aeruginosa was exposed to the common antibiotic erythromycin (ERY) at environmentally relevant concentrations; then, samples were collected on days 1, 4 and 6 to assess the efficiency of potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) in cyanobacteria oxidation. The percentage of intact cells remained constant after treatment with 2 mg L^-1 KMnO₄ in M. aeruginosa samples dosed with 0-5.0 μg L^-1 ERY. Although 6 mg L^-1 KMnO₄ could damage cyanobacterial cells, its ability was considerably reduced as the concentrations of ERY increased. KMnO₄ oxidation degraded the intracellular microcystins (MCs) in all of the cyanobacterial samples, even the samples with intact cells, possibly resulting from the stimulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). The highest amounts of total MCs remained after oxidation with 2 and 6 mg L^-1 KMnO₄ in 0.2 μg L^-1 ERY-treated cyanobacterial samples, which may be due to large amounts of MC production. The 5.0 μg L^-1 ERY inhibited the growth of cyanobacterial cells and downregulated the expression of the MC synthesis gene (mcyB), which resulted in the lowest amounts of total MCs. However, it led to the highest concentration (4.6 μg L^-1) of extracellular MCs after treatment with 2 mg L^-1 KMnO₄ for 300 min. Generally, this study indicates that the effectiveness of KMnO₄ oxidation in cyanobacteria treatment decreased when the concentration of ERY increased. Hence, the possible risks caused by the coexistence of cyanobacteria and antibiotics, such as reduced efficiency of water treatment processes in cyanobacteria inactivation and degradation of the dissolved MCs, need to be taken into account.

Mechanisms that influence the interactions between remediation agent injection and contamination plume variation

To study the interactions between remediation agent injection and hydrodynamic dispersion as well as the expansion of a contamination plume, a two-dimensional sandbox experiment was conducted to simulate and monitor the mixing of a remediation agent in the contamination plume and the expansion of the contamination plume over time. Potassium permanganate is a purple solution, and it represents the remediation agent; Perchloroethylene (PCE), is dyed green and was used to observe the migration and diffusion of the contaminant and the overlap of contamination and the agent-plume. Six quantitative characterization parameters: migration distance, (d_M), migration area, (A_M), initial area ratio, (K_i), spreading speed difference, (SSD), area ratio, (K_A) and migration distance ratio, (K_d), are proposed to comprehensively analyse the influence of the three factors of injection pressure, particle size and viscosity change on the mixing of a remediation agent and the expansion of the contamination plume over time. The results show that these six parameters can effectively characterize the mixing of the remediation agent and the expansion of the contamination plume, where d_M, A_M and K_i characterize the expansion and the other three parameters characterize the mixing. The factors increasing the expansion of the contamination plume follow the order: 40 cm > 30 cm > 20 cm, for injection pressure (water head); coarse sand > medium sand > fine sand for particle size; and no polymer added > added polymer 200 mg/L > added polymer 800 mg/L > added polymer 400 mg/L for viscosity adjustment. The factors that intensify the mixing of the remediation agent in the contamination plume follow the order: 20 cm > 30 cm > 40 cm (water head); coarse sand > medium sand > fine sand; and added polymer 400 mg/L > added polymer 200 mg/L > no polymer added> added polymer 800 mg/L. Finally, conclusions from the TOPSIS method show that under optimal injection conditions, mixing is enhanced without increasing plume expansion and that the optimum injection conditions are injection pressure = 20 cm, use of a coarse sand medium, and added polymer concentration = 400 mg/L.

Characteristics and mechanisms of controlled-release KMnO4 for groundwater remediation: Experimental and modeling investigations

Controlled release materials (CRMs) are emerging oxidant delivery techniques for in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) for groundwater remediation. Successful implementation of CRM relies on good understandings of the kinetics and mechanism of controlled release of reactive agents. In this study, batch experiments and model simulations were conducted to explore the impacts of CRM properties (composition and size) and environmental conditions (temperature, pH, water volume and anions) on KMnO₄ release from KMnO₄ -paraffin controlled release beads. Experimental results indicated that higher KMnO₄: paraffin mass ratio resulted in shorter release longevities and higher release rate. Larger bead resulted in lower release rate, longer release longevity, and more KMnO₄ released. Higher incubation temperature resulted in higher release rate and shorter release longevity, but did not affect the total mass of KMnO₄ released. Acidic pH decreased the total mass of KMnO₄ released while alkaline pH did not affect KMnO₄ release. The presence of SO₄^2-, CO₃^2-, Cl^- and Br^- had negligible impacts on KMnO₄ release. A dissolution-diffusion conceptual model was developed. The above experimental observation and the associated controlled release mechanisms can be qualitatively explained by the conceptual model. A more detailed two-film boundary mathematical model was developed to simulate KMnO₄ release process. Comparison of modeling results with experimental data suggest that the new mathematical model gave a good quantitatively predication. Overall, this study shows that properly designed CRM can sustain release for years, thus representing a cost-effective and low-maintenance groundwater remediation technology. Both CRM properties and environmental conditions significantly affect the release kinetics and longevity, therefore these factors should be considered in the design and maintenance of CRM-based ISCO system.

Impacts of antibiotic contaminants on Microcystis aeruginosa during potassium permanganate treatment

Application of KMnO₄ for preventing the formation of cyanobacterial bloom at early growth stage has not been reported. Antibiotics generate hormesis effects in cyanobacteria at currently reported concentrations, which may negatively affect the control of cyanobacterial bloom. This study assessed the treatment performance of KMnO₄ in Microcystis aeruginosa with and without the existence of the antibiotic mixture composed of four simultaneously detected antibiotics in aquatic environments (sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin and tetracycline). KMnO₄ downregulated two chlorophyll a synthetases (chlG and chlM), 14 photosynthesis-related proteins and two microcystin synthetases (mcyB and mcyD) in M. aeruginosa, and reduced chlorophyll a content, photosynthetic activity and microcystin concentration in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of photosynthesis and biosynthesis resulted in extended lag phase and decreased growth rate in KMnO₄-treated Microcystis aeruginosa. In contrast, mixed antibiotics upregulated 6 oxidation-reduction proteins, a cell division regulatory protein (MAE_37210), 14 photosynthesis-related proteins, 14 biosynthesis-related proteins (including microcystin synthetases mcyA and mcyB) and a microcystin transport protein (mcyH), which consequently reduced oxidative stress, shortened lag phase as well as significantly stimulated (p < 0.05) cyanobacterial growth, photosynthetic activity, microcystin synthesis and microcystin release in KMnO₄-treated M. aeruginosa. An optimal dose of 3 mg L^-1 was suggested for KMnO₄ treatment. Mixed antibiotics should be controlled below a no-impact threshold of 20 ng L^-1 (5 ng L^-1 for each antibiotic) for eliminating their adverse effects during KMnO₄ treatment of cyanobacteria in antibiotics polluted environments.

Enhancement of biological oxygen demand detection with a microbial fuel cell using potassium permanganate as cathodic electron acceptor

When dual-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) is used to detect biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen is traditionally used as cathodic electron acceptor. The detection limit of this MFC-based BOD biosensor is usually lower than 200 mg/L. In this paper, the startup of MFC-based BOD biosensor was researched and the external resistor of MFC was optimized. Results showed that the MFC started up with the dissolved oxygen as cathodic electron acceptor within 10 d, and the external resistor was optimized as 500 Ω to ensure the maximum output power of MFC. Dissolved oxygen and potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) were used as cathodic electron acceptor to run MFC for detection of wastewater BOD, and the performances of two kinds of BOD biosensors were compared. The MFC-based BOD biosensor using KMnO₄ (10 mmol/L) as cathodic electron acceptor exhibited an excellent performance, compared with that using dissolved oxygen. The upper limit of BOD detection was greatly broadened to 500 mg/L, the response time was shortened by 50% for artificial wastewater with a BOD of 100 mg/L, and the relative error of BOD detection was reduced to less than 10%. The MFC-based BOD biosensor using KMnO₄ as cathodic electron acceptor showed a better linear relationship (R² > 0.992) between the electric charge and BOD concentration within a BOD range of 25-500 mg/L. The MFC-based BOD biosensor using the KMnO₄ as cathodic electron acceptor is promising with a better application prospect.

Impact of copper sulphate, potassium permanganate, and hydrogen peroxide on Pseudanabaena galeata cell integrity, release and degradation of 2-methylisoborneol

Frequent off-flavor events caused by geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol have caused concern among consumers about the quality of potable water. Pseudanabaena galeata, a filamentous cyanobacterium, is a known producer of 2-methylisoborneol in lakes and reservoirs. The use of algicides to control cyanobacteria must consider the potential release of contaminants into the water. This is the first study to systematically investigate the effectiveness of copper sulphate (CuSO₄), potassium permanganate (KMnO₄), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) on the cell viability and integrity of Pseudanabaena galeata. Following algicide or oxidant treatment, the release and degradation of 2-methylisoborneol was also examined. It is evident that all of these chemicals can decrease Pseudanabaena galeata viability and damage cell membranes and the filamentous Pseudanabaena galeata was more susceptible to treatment by these three algicides than unicellular colonial Microcystis aeruginosa. Of the three compounds used, KMnO₄ showed the stronger ability to compromise cell integrity and 5.0 mg/L KMnO₄ could induce 91 ± 1.5% lysis of Pseudanabaena galeata within 2 h. It was found that H₂O₂ had the potential to degrade 2-methylisoborneol with 16.0 ± 0.4% degraded by 20.0 mg/L H₂O₂ within 8 h. In contrast, 2-methylisoborneol could not be degraded by CuSO₄ (dosage: ≤ 1.5 mg/L; reaction time: ≤ 8 h) and KMnO₄ (dosage: ≤ 5.0 mg/L; reaction time: ≤ 3 h) basically. Results showed that the oxidation capacity of H₂O₂ against Pseudanabaena galeata was enhanced under sunlight. The results will help drinking water utilities to better understand the risk of Pseudanabaena galeata lysis and 2-methylisoborneol release during raw water treatment.

Removal of cyanotoxins by potassium permanganate: Incorporating competition from natural water constituents

In recent years, harmful algal blooms capable of producing toxins including microcystins, cylindrospermopsin, and saxitoxin have increased in occurrence and severity. These toxins can enter drinking water treatment plants and, if not effectively removed, pose a serious threat to human health. The work here investigated the efficacy of permanganate oxidation as a treatment strategy, with a focus on incorporating competition by cyanobacterial cells and dissolved organic matter (DOM). We report rate constants of 272 ± 23 M^-1 s^-1 for the reaction between permanganate and microcystin-LR, 0.26 ± 0.05 M^-1 s^-1 for the reaction between permanganate and cylindrospermopsin, and, using chemical analogs, estimate a maximum rate constant of 2.7 ± 0.2 M^-1 s^-1 for the reaction between permanganate and saxitoxin. We conclude that permanganate only shows potential to remove microcystins. No pH (6-10) or alkalinity (0-50 mM) dependence was observed for the rate of reaction between microcystin-LR and permanganate; however, a temperature dependence was observed and can be characterized by an activation energy of 16 ± 5 kJ mol^-1. The competition posed by cyanobacterial cells was quantified by an apparent second order rate constant of 2.5 ± 0.3 × 10^-6 L μg chl-a^-1 s^-1. From this apparent second order rate constant, it was concluded that cyanobacterial cells are not efficient scavengers of permanganate within typical contact times but this second order rate constant can be used to accurately predict microcystin degradation in algal-impacted waters. The competition posed by DOM depended on both the amount of DOM present (as measured by TOC) and its electron donating capacity (as predicted by SUVA-254 or E2/E3 ratio). DOM was concluded to scavenge permanganate efficiently and we forward that this should be considered in permanganate dosing calculations.

Kinetics and mechanism of Pseudoanabaena cell inactivation, 2-MIB release and degradation under exposure of ozone, chlorine and permanganate

The organic pollutants produced by cyanobacteria cells, such as off-flavor compounds (e.g. 2-methylisoborneol, 2-MIB) and hazardous toxins (e.g. microcystins), are commonly detected in water sources. Although studies have shown that oxidation using potassium permanganate (KMnO₄), chlorine and ozone helps to remove cyanobacteria cells, the potential effects of these oxidants on cell viability and the release of off-flavor substances have scarcely been explored. This study investigated the impacts of three widely used oxidants on Pseudanabaena sp. (a common species of 2-MIB producing cyanobacteria) inactivation, and on the release and degradation of intracellular 2-MIB. Experiments using KMnO₄ showed that both the cell viability and 2-MIB release fit to a two-stage second-order kinetic model with a threshold of KMnO₄ exposure (ct). No significant variations in the cell viability and 2-MIB release occurred until the exposure reached ct because KMnO₄ was primarily consumed by the dissolved and cell-bound organic matters before it damaged the cell. However, chlorine permeates the cell membrane more easily, causing rapid algae inactivation and the subsequent cell lysis and 2-MIB release. Unlike permanganate and chlorine, which are unable to degrade the released 2-MIB because of their insufficient oxidation potentials, ozone is capable to inactivate the cell and degrade 2-MIB as well. When the initial O₃ concentration is above a certain level (1.0 mg ·L^-1 in this study), the released 2-MIB can be substantially oxidized. Therefore, the choice of a suitable oxidant and a proper dose is highly important in the control of off-flavor compounds during the treatment of algae-containing raw water.

Rapid oxidation of iodide and hypoiodous acid with ferrate and no formation of iodoform and monoiodoacetic acid in the ferrate/I-/HA system

Toxic and odorous iodinated disinfection byproducts (I-DBPs) could form in the chemical oxidation of iodine-containing water. A critical step for controlling the hazardous I-DBPs is to convert the iodine species into stable and harmless iodate (IO₃^-) while inhibiting the accumulation of highly reactive hypoiodous acid (HOI). Herein, the oxidation of I^- and HOI with ferrate was investigated, and the formation profile of HOI was determined based on 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) coloring method through a stopped-flow spectrophotometer. The second-order rate constants (k_app) of ferrate with HOI decreased from 1.6 × 10⁵ M^-1s^-1 to 8.3 × 10² M^-1s^-1 as the solution pH varied from 5.3 to 10.3, which were 7.5, 7.2 and 13.8 times higher than that of ferrate with I^- at pH 6.0, 7.0 and 8.0, respectively. Compared with other oxidants such as ozone, hypochlorous acid, chloramine and potassium permanganate, ferrate would swiftly oxidize HOI formed in the I^- oxidation process. For the ferrate oxidation of I-containing water, HOI was swiftly oxidized to IO₃^- from pH 5.0 to 9.0. Phosphate buffer promoted the oxidation of I^- while inhibited the oxidation of HOI with ferrate. When 5 mgC/L of humic acids (HA) existed in the solution, no formation of iodoform and monoiodoacetic acid (MIAA) was observed in the oxidation of iodide (20 μM) with ferrate (from 10 μM to 80 μM). These results suggested that ferrate oxidation could be an effective method for the control of I-DBPs in iodine-containing water treatment.

Intricate Estimation and Assessment of Surface Conditioning of Posts to improve Interfacial Adhesion in Post-core Restorations: An in vitro Study

INTRODUCTION

Post and core restorations are routinely used for restoring grossly decayed tooth structures. Various chemical agents are known to affect the interfacial adhesions between the post and the core. Hence, we planned the present study to evaluate the effect of various post-surface treatments on the interfacial strength between the posts and composite materials that are used for building up the core portion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study included assessment of the effect of surface conditioning of posts on the interfacial adhesion in post-core restorations. A total of 80 clear post-tapers were included and were divided broadly into four study groups based on the type of chemical testing protocols used. Various chemical treatments included alkaline potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, and phosphoric acid. The fourth group was the control group. The composite core material was used for building up the core. Testing of the tensile load was done on a universal testing machine. All the results were analyzed by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software.

RESULTS

The highest bond strength was observed in the study group treated with alkaline potassium permanganate, while the lowest was observed in the control group followed by the hydrogen peroxide group. While comparing the mean bond strength in between various study groups, significant results were obtained.

CONCLUSION

Chemical treatment protocol significantly alters the mean bond strength of the post and core restoration.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Potassium permanganate significantly increases the bond strength between the fiber post and core restoration.

Elimination of microcystin-LR and residual Mn species using permanganate and powdered activated carbon: Oxidation products and pathways

The oxidation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in deionized water (DI) and river water using potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) at a neutral pH and at 23 ± 2 °C was investigated. These two aqueous systems (i.e., DI and river water) gave comparable second-order rate constants (289.9 and 285.5 M^-1s^-1 (r² > 0.99), respectively), which confirmed the effectiveness of this oxidation process for the treatment of natural surface water. The presence of either humic or fulvic acid reduced the removal efficiency of MC-LR, with the latter exhibiting a greater inhibitory effect. Monitoring of MC-LR and residual Mn²⁺ levels with adding KMnO₄ (1 mg/L) and powdered activated carbon (PAC, 5-20 mg L^-1) before and during coagulation, respectively, revealed that 60 min of permanganate pre-oxidation followed by coagulant addition with PAC was the most effective approach for reducing both levels below limits stated by WHO guidelines. The MC-LR degradation products were the result of oxidation occurring at the diene and aromatic moieties of the Adda (3-amino-9-methoxy-2,6,8-trimethyl-10-phenyldeca-4,6-dienoic acid) side-chain, in addition to amine bond hydrolysis of the Mdha (N-methyldehydroalanine) moiety. Several toxic by-products with an intact Adda chain were observed during the reaction, but completely disappeared after 60 min. This further supports the conclusion that sufficient contact time with permanganate (i.e., >60 min) is essential to reducing the residual toxicity and maximizing the efficiency of MC-LR oxidation when treating raw water.

Analytical model for the design of in situ horizontal permeable reactive barriers (HPRBs) for the mitigation of chlorinated solvent vapors in the unsaturated zone

In this work we introduce a 1-D analytical solution that can be used for the design of horizontal permeable reactive barriers (HPRBs) as a vapor mitigation system at sites contaminated by chlorinated solvents. The developed model incorporates a transient diffusion-dominated transport with a second-order reaction rate constant. Furthermore, the model accounts for the HPRB lifetime as a function of the oxidant consumption by reaction with upward vapors and its progressive dissolution and leaching by infiltrating water. Simulation results by this new model closely replicate previous lab-scale tests carried out on trichloroethylene (TCE) using a HPRB containing a mixture of potassium permanganate, water and sand. In view of field applications, design criteria, in terms of the minimum HPRB thickness required to attenuate vapors at acceptable risk-based levels and the expected HPRB lifetime, are determined from site-specific conditions such as vapor source concentration, water infiltration rate and HPRB mixture. The results clearly show the field-scale feasibility of this alternative vapor mitigation system for the treatment of chlorinated solvents. Depending on the oxidation kinetic of the target contaminant, a 1m thick HPRB can ensure an attenuation of vapor concentrations of orders of magnitude up to 20years, even for vapor source concentrations up to 10g/m³. A demonstrative application for representative contaminated site conditions also shows the feasibility of this mitigation system from an economical point of view with capital costs potentially somewhat lower than those of other remediation options, such as soil vapor extraction systems. Overall, based on the experimental and theoretical evaluation thus far, field-scale tests are warranted to verify the potential and cost-effectiveness of HPRBs for vapor mitigation control under various conditions of application.

Room-Temperature Oxidation of Formaldehyde by Layered Manganese Oxide: Effect of Water

Layered manganese oxide, i.e., birnessite was prepared via the reaction of potassium permanganate with ammonium oxalate. The water content in the birnessite was adjusted by drying/calcining the samples at various temperatures (30 °C, 100 °C, 200 °C, 300 °C, and 500 °C). Thermogravimetry-mass spectroscopy showed three types of water released from birnessite, which can be ascribed to physically adsorbed H2O, interlayer H2O and hydroxyl, respectively. The activity of birnessite for formaldehyde oxidation was positively associated with its water content, i.e., the higher the water content, the better activity it has. In-situ DRIFTS and step scanning XRD analysis indicate that adsorbed formaldehyde, which is promoted by bonded water via hydrogen bonding, is transformed into formate and carbonate with the consumption of hydroxyl and bonded water. Both bonded water and water in air can compensate the consumed hydroxyl groups to sustain the mineralization of formaldehyde at room temperature. In addition, water in air stimulates the desorption of carbonate via water competitive adsorption, and accordingly the birnessite recovers its activity. This investigation elucidated the role of water in oxidizing formaldehyde by layered manganese oxides at room temperature, which may be helpful for the development of more efficient materials.

Multi-component reactive transport in heterogeneous media and its decoupling solution

The multi-component reactive transport model is widely used in contaminant transport, water-rock interaction, and other earth science fields. Since its complexity lies in its solution, a decoupling approach is used to simplify the model to enhance computational efficiency. A decoupling approach is presented for heterogeneous media, and used to solve the model in this situation. The whole domain is divided into several sub-domains due to the different reactions which may occur and the corresponding component matrix was obtained. The boundary between sub-domains could be divided into two parts, inflow and outflow, which are defined as the Neumann condition and the Dirichlet one, and the concentration of the latter could be calculated by the component in the adjacent sub-domain. Then the models in each sub-domain can be connected and solved. Taking a heterogeneous porous media as an example in which permanganate is partially dissolved during the process, firstly the result obtained by this method without considering porosity variation is compared to that from PHAST: good agreement is achieved, then while considering the change of porosity caused by the dissolution of the permanganate, the flow field, species concentration and porosity of the whole domain and typical sections and points during the reaction are analysed. It is concluded that: the decoupling approach to heterogeneous media is appropriate, and the results from the model could reflect the variation of physical fields due to groundwater in heterogeneous media.

The effects of various control and water treatment processes on the membrane integrity and toxin fate of cyanobacteria

Cyanobacterial blooms are one of the main contaminants that can degrade drinking water quality with the associated taste, odour and toxic compounds. Although a wide range of techniques have shown promise for cyanobacterial bloom control and cyanobacterial cell/metabolite removal in reservoirs and water treatment plants (WTPs), these treatments may have negative consequences through release of intracellular metabolites into the surrounding water. This study assessed the impact of copper sulphate (CuSO4), chlorine, potassium permanganate (KMnO4), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ozone on Microcystis aeruginosa culture and the toxins it produced. All of these agents induced the loss of cyanobacterial membrane integrity. However, no associated increase in dissolved toxins was detected during chlorine and H2O2 treatments which may be due to faster toxin oxidation rates than release rates. KMnO4 doses of 1 and 3mgL(-1) degraded dissolved toxins while having no impact on cyanobacterial membrane integrity. In contrast, ozone induced a significant increase in extracellular toxins but it was unable to degrade these toxins to the same degree as the other oxidants which may due to the lack of residual. All chemicals, except CuSO4, were able to reduce cyanotoxins and chlorine was the most effective with a rate up to 2161M(-1)s(-1).

Arsenic and iron removal from groundwater by oxidation-coagulation at optimized pH: laboratory and field studies

A three-step treatment process involving (i) mild alkaline pH-conditioning by NaHCO₃; (ii) oxidation of arsenite and ferrous ions by KMnO₄, itself precipitating as insoluble MnO₂ under the pH condition; and (iii) coagulation by FeCl₃ has been used for simultaneous removal of arsenic and iron ions from water. The treated water is filtered after a residence time of 1-2 h. Laboratory batch experiments were performed to optimize the doses. A field trial was performed with an optimized recipe at 30 households and 5 schools at some highly arsenic affected villages in Assam, India. Simultaneous removals of arsenic from initial 0.1-0.5 mg/L to about 5 μg/L and iron from initial 0.3-5.0 mg/L to less than 0.1 mg/L have been achieved along with final pH between 7.0 and 7.5 after residence time of 1h. The process also removes other heavy elements, if present, without leaving any additional toxic residue. The small quantity of solid sludge containing mainly ferrihydrite with adsorbed arsenate passes the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) test. The estimated recurring cost is approximately USD 0.16 per/m(3) of purified water. A high efficiency, an extremely low cost, safety, non-requirement of power and simplicity of operation make the technique potential for rural application.

Catalasic activity in fish liver: improvement of the UV to visible analytic method

Antioxidative defenses and more especially catalasic activity (CAT) are studied in a large range of scientific research thematics. In environmental sciences, the problematic of oxidative stress is of great interest as pollutants can induce perturbations of redox homeostasis. Consequently, changes in antioxidative defenses levels in fish tissues and particularly in liver are used as potential biomarkers of pollution. In most studies, the CAT was assayed by following during 5 min the consumption of H2O2 in cytosolic buffered extracts at 240 nm (UV-method). This study proposed a development of this method in the visible, using permanganate and a 525-nm detection, which was more accurate, sensitive, and rapid. Moreover, the hepatic CAT of six different fish species [a cyclidae (Nimbochromis linni), 3 cyprinidae (Brachydanio rerio, Rutilus rutilus, Cyprinus carpio), an anguillidae (Anguilla anguilla), and a percidae (Perca fluviatilus)] was evaluated with the two protocols (UV- and KMnO4-method). The results but also the thermal optimum of the reaction and the interest of CAT as biomarker in ecotoxicology were discussed.

Fluorescent sensing of colloidal CePO4:Tb nanorods for rapid, ultrasensitive and selective detection of vitamin C

Vitamin C is an essential biological molecule for living organisms. The detection of vitamin C is always required due to its wide use in chemical, biological and pharmaceutical engineering. Here, we established a novel sensing system for rapid, ultrasensitive and highly selective detection of vitamin C based on a 'turn-on' fluorescent method. The turn-on fluorescent sensing system was built up of a colloidal CePO(4):Tb nanocrystalline solution with its fluorescence quenched by KMnO(4). The addition of vitamin C leads to a linear increase of fluorescence. The sensing principle of nanocrystalline CePO(4):Tb is based on a redox reaction via simply modulating the surface chemistry of nanocrystals. Our present sensing system for vitamin C exhibits a rapid response rate of less than 2 min, and highly selective and ultrasensitive detection with a detection limit of 108 nM, which is two orders of magnitude lower than that acquired by previously reported methods. The repeated reversibility of fluorescence quenching/recovery with time revealed a high reproducibility and long-term stability of our sensing materials. Furthermore, our developed sensing material overcomes the disadvantages such as complex surface modification/immobilization and serious biotoxicity compared to quantum-dot-based fluorescent sensing systems.

Examination of electron stains as a substitute for uranyl acetate for the ultrathin sections of bacterial cells

Electron staining reagents were examined to find a possible substitute for uranyl acetate (UA) in electron microscopy of bacterial ultrathin sections. Four kinds of stains, platinum blue (Pt-blue), oolong tea extract (OTE), potassium permanganate (KMnO(4)) and phosphotungstic acid (PTA), were examined in comparison with UA either with or without post-staining with lead citrate (Pb). Electron microscopy was performed on sections from Spurr-embedded cells of a Gram-positive bacterium, Bacillus cereus NBRC 13597, and a Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli NBRC 3301. Both Pt-blue and OTE showed staining similar to each other and to that of double staining with UA and Pb in B. cereus, while in E. coli the cytoplasmic membrane appeared less dense when compared with UA and Pb. KMnO(4) stained excessively to some extent, but showed images of the best contrast in the cytoplasmic membrane comparable with UA and Pb among the four reagents. PTA could stain the peptidoglycan layer but gave images of low quality for both bacteria. This study demonstrated that none of the reagents examined showed staining results of the same quality or better than the conventional method with UA and Pb. However, stains of Pt-blue, OTE and KMnO(4) could possibly be an alternative candidate for the UA according to the structure in question.

Effects of chemical oxidation on sorption and desorption of PAHs in typical Chinese soils

In situ chemical oxidation is a commonly applied soil and groundwater remediation technology, but can have significant effects on soil properties, which in turn might affect fate and transport of organic contaminants. In this study, it was found that oxidation treatment resulted mainly in breakdown of soil organic matter (SOM) components. Sorption of naphthalene and phenanthrene to the original soils and the KMnO(4)-treated soils was linear, indicating that hydrophobic partitioning to SOM was the predominant mechanism for sorption. Desorption from the original and treated soils was highly resistant, and was well modeled with a biphasic desorption model. Desorption of residual naphthalene after treating naphthalene-contaminated soils with different doses of KMnO(4) also followed the biphasic desorption model very well. It appears that neither changes of soil properties caused by chemical oxidation nor direct chemical oxidation of contaminated soils had a noticeable effect on the nature of PAH-SOM interactions.