Magnetic Cu(2+)-chelated silica particles that employ polyacrylamide as a metal-chelating ligand were developed and used to immobilize laccase by coordination. The particles were characterized by scanning electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The preparation, the enzymatic properties of the immobilized laccase, and its catalytic capacity for 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation were systemically evaluated. The results showed that immobilized laccase exhibited maximum enzyme activity when it was immobilized for 1 h at a pH of 4.0 and a temperature of 5 °C. The optimum laccase dose was 20 mg/g of carrier. In comparison to free laccase, the immobilized laccase had better acid adaptability and thermal stability. Higher activity was observed for immobilized laccase at a pH range of 2.0 to 3.5 and temperatures from 25 to 40 °C. The immobilized laccase that was prepared for this work exhibited a good catalytic capacity for removing 2,4-dichlorophnol from aqueous solutions.

The adsorption of 12 pesticides of the phenylurea family was studied by batch experiments in order to determine the adsorption coefficient, K d. The study was conducted in two soils chosen for their differences in organic matter and calcite contents. K d pesticide adsorption coefficients were higher for soil S1 than for soil S2 due to the presence of a higher organic matter content and a lower calcite content in soil S1. To identify pesticide properties governing retention, 18 molecular descriptors were considered. Class-specific quantitative structure–property relationship (QSPR) soil sorption models using one, two, and three descriptors were developed from our experimental data using linear regressions. One of the aims of this work was to check whether QSPR models that did not include literature values of K ₒw were able to predict K d coefficients in satisfactory agreement with our experimental data. The influence of the level of theory in determining K ₒw and polarisability predictors on the predictive performance of the model was also examined by comparing quantum chemistry and empirical (QikProp) approaches. The one-descriptor model using “quantum” polarisability α was found to perform almost as well as or better than the other models.

Harmful or nuisance algal blooms can cause economic damage to fisheries and tourism. Additionally, toxins produced by harmful algae and ingested via contaminated shellfish can be potentially fatal to humans. The seas around the Orkney Islands, UK currently hold a number of toxic algal species which cause shellfishery closures in most years. Extensive and costly monitoring programs are carried out to detect harmful microalgae before they reach action levels. However, the ability to distinguish between toxic and non-toxic strains of some algae is not possible using these methods. The microarrays for the detection of toxic algae (MIDTAL) microarray contains rRNA probes for toxic algal species/strains which have been adapted and optimized for microarray use. In order to investigate the use of the chip for monitoring in the Orkney Islands, samples were collected between 2009 and 2011 from Brings Deep, Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, UK; RNA was extracted and hybridized with generation 2 and 3.1 of the chip. The data were then compared to cell counts performed under light microscopy and in the case of Alexandrium tamarense to qPCR data targeting the saxitoxin gene and the LSU-rRNA gene. A good agreement between cell numbers and microarray signal was found for A. tamarense, Pseudo-nitzschia sp., Dinophysis sp. (r < 0.5, for all) in addition to this there the chip successfully detected a large bloom of Karenia mikimotoi (r < 0.70) in August and September 2011. Overall, there was good improvement in probe signal between generation 2 and generation 3.1 of the chip with much less variability and more consistent results and better correlation between the probes. The chip performed well for A. tamarense group I signal to cell numbers in calibrations (r > 0.9). However, in field samples, this correlation was slightly lower suggesting interactions between all species in the sample may affect signal. Overall, the chip showed it could identify the presence of target species in field samples although some work is needed to improve the quantitative nature of the chip before it would be suitable for monitoring in the Orkney Islands.

Ibuprofen is amongst the most worldwide consumed pharmaceuticals. The present work presents the first data in the occurrence of ibuprofen in Portuguese surface waters, focusing in the north area of the country, which is one of the most densely populated areas of Portugal. Analysis of ibuprofen is based on pre-concentration of the analyte with solid phase extraction and subsequent determination with liquid chromatography coupled to fluorescence detection. A total of 42 water samples, including surface waters, landfill leachates, Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), and hospital effluents, were analyzed in order to evaluate the occurrence of ibuprofen in the north of Portugal. In general, the highest concentrations were found in the river mouths and in the estuarine zone. The maximum concentrations found were 48,720 ng L⁻¹ in the landfill leachate, 3,868 ng L⁻¹ in hospital effluent, 616 ng L⁻¹ in WWTP effluent, and 723 ng L⁻¹ in surface waters (Lima river). Environmental risk assessment was evaluated and at the measured concentrations only landfill leachates reveal potential ecotoxicological risk for aquatic organisms. Owing to a high consumption rate of ibuprofen among Portuguese population, as prescribed and non-prescribed medicine, the importance of hospitals, WWTPs, and landfills as sources of entrance of pharmaceuticals in the environment was pointed out. Landfill leachates showed the highest contribution for ibuprofen mass loading into surface waters. On the basis of our findings, more studies are needed as an attempt to assess more vulnerable areas.

In the present study, selected advanced oxidation processes (AOPs)—namely, photo-Fenton (with Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, and potassium ferrioxalate—FeOx—as iron sources), solar photo-Fenton, Fenton, and UV/H₂O₂—were investigated for degradation of the antineoplastic drug mitoxantrone (MTX), frequently used to treat metastatic breast cancer, skin cancer, and acute leukemia. The results showed that photo-Fenton processes employing Fe(III) and FeOx and the UV/H₂O₂ process were most efficient for mineralizing MTX, with 77, 82, and 90 % of total organic carbon removal, respectively. MTX probably forms a complex with Fe(III), as demonstrated by voltammetric and spectrophotometric measurements. Spectrophotometric titrations suggested that the complex has a 2:1 Fe³⁺:MTX stoichiometric ratio and a complexation constant (K) of 1.47 × 10⁴ M–¹, indicating high MTX affinity for Fe³⁺. Complexation partially inhibits the involvement of iron ions and hence the degradation of MTX during photo-Fenton. The UV/H₂O₂ process is usually slower than the photo-Fenton process, but, in this study, the UV/H₂O₂ process proved to be more efficient due to complexing of MTX with Fe(III). The drug exhibited no cytotoxicity against NIH/3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblast cells when oxidized by UV/H₂O₂ or by UV/H₂O₂/FeOx at the concentrations tested.

The effect of modified montmorillonites on the biodegradation and adsorption of selected steranes, diasteranes and hopanes was investigated in aqueous clay/oil microcosm experiments with a hydrocarbon degrading microorganism community. The unmodified montmorillonite was treated with didecyldimethylammonium bromide, hydrochloric acid and the relevant metallic chloride to produce organomontmorillonite, acid activated montmorillonite and homoionic montmorillonite respectively which were used in this study. The study indicated that organomontmorillonite, acid activated montmorillonite and potassium montmorillonite did not support the biodegradation of the selected steranes, diasteranes and hopanes as alteration of the biomarkers via biodegradation varied from a paltry 2-6 %. The adsorption of the selected biomarkers on acid activated montmorillonite and organomontmorillonite was also poor. However, adsorption of the biomarkers on potassium montmorillonite was relatively high. Sodium montmorillonite and unmodified montmorillonite appear to stimulate the biodegradation of the selected biomarkers moderately (30-35 %) with adsorption occurring at low level. Calcium montmorillonite and ferric montmorillonite effected significant biodegradation (51-60 %) of the selected biomarkers.

This study proposes a method for evaluating livable urban environments using the analytic hierarchy process, a survey of public opinions (n = 1,075), and gray relational analysis with a pollutant standards index to estimate the weights of weather, air pollution, and environment aspects and each respective factor. This study investigates the positive or negative correlation of these factors and their effects on livable environment. A value of 100 was designated as the perfect living condition. Results show that the weights of weather, air pollution, and environment aspects were 0.288, 0.395, and 0.317, respectively. The weight ranges of three weather factors, five air pollution factors, and ten environmental factors were 0.311-0.358, 0.191-205, and 0.081-0.116, respectively. The monthly livable index of 28 districts in Taichung City and of 20 cities/counties in Taiwan ranged from 81.1 to 92.4 and from 83.1 to 90.8 in different months, respectively, showing that environmental aspect played a key role. These results demonstrate that the proposed method can provide a quantification index of living conditions in each region, thereby establishing the governmental improvement policy firmly. This study also presents a discussion on improvement strategies, especially on the apportionment rate of governmental construction funds for livable urban environments.

Polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCISs) for the monitoring of polar pesticides in groundwater were tested on two sites in order to evaluate their applicability by comparison with the spot-sampling approach. This preliminary study shows that, as in surface water, POCIS is a useful tool, especially for the screening of substances at low concentration levels that are not detected by laboratory analysis of spot samples. For quantitative results, a rough estimation is obtained. The challenge is now to define the required water-flow conditions for a relevant quantification of pesticides in groundwater and to establish more representative sampling rates for groundwater.

Release of heavy metals into waterways without treatment can cause a significant threat to the environment. In this paper, we present a method of improving the removal of heavy metals by using Eichhornia crassipes roots (ECR) supported on a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) thin film. The functional groups of the synthesized PMMA sample were identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. ECR roots dried fine powder has a small size and large surface area. They contain many polyfunctional metal-binding sites for both cationic and anionic metal complexes. The results show that using 0.1 g of ECR, about 70 % of Cd present in the water was removed in 4 h; while under the same conditions, about 55 % of Ni was removed. The concentrations of Ni and Cd were measured by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, a promising technique for the elemental analysis of heavy metals.

Phenoxyacetic and benzoic acid herbicides are widely used agricultural, commercial, and domestic pesticides. As a result of high water solubility, mobility, and persistence, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), methylchlorophenoxypropionic acid (mecoprop), and 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid (dicamba) have been detected in surface and waste waters across Canada. As current municipal wastewater treatment plants do not specifically address chronic, trace levels of contaminants like pesticides, an urgent need exists for an efficient, environmentally friendly means of breaking down these toxic herbicides. A commercially available herbicide mix, WeedEx, containing 2,4-D, mecoprop, and dicamba, was subjected to treatment using membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology. The three herbicides, in simulated wastewater with a chemical oxygen demand of 745 mg/L, were introduced to the MBR at concentrations ranging from 300 μg/L to 3.5 mg/L. Herbicides and biodegradation products were extracted from MBR effluent using solid-phase extraction followed by detection using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. 2,4-D was reduced by more than 99.0 % within 12 days. Mecoprop and dicamba were more persistent and reduced by 69.0 and 75.4 %, respectively, after 112 days of treatment. Half-lives of 2,4-D, mecoprop and dicamba during the treatment were determined to be 1.9, 10.5, and 28.3 days, respectively. Important water quality parameters of the effluent such as dissolved oxygen, pH, ammonia, chemical oxygen demand, etc. were measured daily. MBR was demonstrated to be an environmentally friendly, compact, and efficient method for the treatment of toxic phenoxyacetic and benzoic acid herbicides.