Heterogeneous degradation of toxic organic pollutants by hydrophobic copper Schiff-base complex under visible irradiation

A hydrophobic complex of Cu2＋[bis-salicylic aldehyde-o-phenylenediamine], Cu-SPA, was prepared and used as a heterogeneous photocatalyst to degrade organic pollutants in water under visible irradiation （λ≥420 nm） at neutral pH. The structure of complex was characterized by using nuclear magnetic resonance （NMR）, elemental analysis, IR and UV-vis spectrometries. Degradation of Rhodamine B （RhB）, Sulforhodamine B （SRB） and Benzoic acid （BA） in water were used as model reactions to evaluate the photocatalytic activities of Cu-SPA. The results indicated that RhB and SRB were easily adsorbed on the hydrophobic surface of Cu-SPA from aqueous solution （the maximum adsorption amount： Qmax = 11.09 and 8.05 μmol/g, respectively）. Under visible irradiation, RhB and SRB were decolorized completely after 210 and 240 min, respectively, and BA was removed completely after 5 h. The efficiency of H202 was 〉 95%, in contrast to that of the reaction without catalyst or light （〈 20%）. In water soluble medium, the hydrophobic Cu-SPA can be used more than 6 cycles. ESR results and the behavior of cy- clic voltammetry showed that, in the reaction process, Cu2＋-SPA was reduced to intermediate state Cu＋-SPA firstly, which was extremely unstable and reacted rapidly with H2O2, leading to high reactive oxygen species （.OH radical ） to degrade the substrate.

Occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the estuarine sediments of the Taihu Lake and their associated toxic effects on aquatic organisms

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs)are ubiquitous toxic organic pollutants in the natural environment that are strongly associated with socioeconomic activities.Exploring the distribution,sources,and ecological toxicity of PAHs is essential to abate their pollution and biological risks.The 16 priority PAHs in different lakeside city estuarine sediments in the northern Taihu Lake in China were determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.Results showed that total concentrations of PAHs(ΣPAHs)ranged from 672.07 to 5858.34 ng g^(^(-1)),with a mean value of 2121.37 ng g^(^(-1)).High-molecular-weight PAHs(4-6 rings)were dominant,accounting for 85%of theΣPAHs detected.Due to the barrier of gate/dam in the estuarine area,the concentrations of PAHs in the sediments were significantly different between the river mouth and lake side.Changes in total organic carbon(TOC)content and the spatial distribution of PAHs in the sediments were consistent.Sediment pollution assessment explored using the fuzzy evaluation model indicated 75%of slight PAH pollution.Some estuarine sediments(22%)concentrated in the east of the Wuli Lake in the Meiliang bay of the Taihu Lake were moderately or heavily polluted.The PAHs may lead to occasional detrimental biological consequences in the area.Diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis-multiple linear regression suggested vehicle emission and natural gas combustion as the primary PAH contributors(81%).

Integration of Chemical Methods and Biomarkers for Assessment of Chlorimuron-Ethyl Bioavailability in Soil

Bioavailability is a critical factor for assessing the environmental risk of organic pollutants in soil. In this study, extractions with 3 different solvents, including 2 aqueous solutions, calcium chloride(CaCl_2) and a phosphate buffer solution(PBS), and a mixture of aqueous solution and organic solvent, a PBS-methanol(8:2,volume/volume) mixture(PBS-M), were performed to assess the bioavailability of chlorimuron-ethyl in soil in comparison to a battery of toxicity tests in wheat seedlings. The results indicated that the peroxidase(POD) activity in wheat leaves after 7 d of exposure was one of the sensitive biomarkers of chlorimuron-ethyl in soil.The extractability of chlorimuron-ethyl by all the 3 solvents decreased with exposure time, and the rate of decrease of the PBS-M extraction between 1 and 7 d of exposure was substantially higher than those of the aqueous solution extractions. Chlorimuron-ethyl gradually changed from a water-soluble form into a soil organic matter(SOM)-bound form in the soil. The PBS extraction correlated best with the POD activity in the leaves after 7 d of exposure.