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Various pollutants (e.g. boron and hexavalent chromium) are introduced into the aquatic
environment from a variety of industrial operations causing damages to environment and
affecting human health. Boron in irrigation water is of particular interest because it can have
beneficial or toxic effect on plants, depending on its concentration. Pollution of the environment
with hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) and associated toxicity to microorganisms, plants, animals
and humans is of major concern. Indeed, chromium in environmentally significant
concentrations is found near to tanneries and involves large volumes of wastewater. One of the
most effective remediation technologies used for the removal of B(III) and Cr(VI) from aquatic
systems and wastewater is their sorption on metal oxide surfaces. However, in order to
understand better the mechanisms involved and improve the efficiency of remediation
technologies further fundamental studies are needed. The present study is focused on the
adsorption of H3BO3 and CrO42- onto Fe(O)OH at various ionic strengths (I = 0.0, 0.1 and 1.0 M
NaClO4), under normal atmospheric conditions, at 22 ± 3 oC and pH 8. Additionally,
competitions studies were carried out to investigate the ion-exchange mechanism and compare
the individual affinities of H3BO3 and CrO42- for Fe(O)OH. The concentration of H3BO3 and
CrO42- in solution was determined spectrophotometrically by means of azomethine-H and DPC
(1,5-diphenylcarbazide), respectively. The results obtained indicate that the release of Cr(VI)
and therefore its concentration in solution increases as the amount of B(III) is increased in the
sorption system. This phenomenon is due to the replacement of Cr(VI) ions by ions B(III) on the
surface of Fe(O)OH. Evaluation of the experimental data results in a value for the competition
constant which is equal logK= -3.5 ± 0.2, indicating that the adsorbent surface has greater
affinity for Cr(VI) than for B(III) species. The formation constant for the Cr(VI)-Fe(O)OH surface
complex is calculated to be logßCr= 7.9 ± 0.2.

This work is first report showed that supported TiO2 NPs on alumina could act catalytic activity on
peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence system. In this work the catalytic effect of supported Titanium
dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) on the trichloroperoxy oxalate – hydrogen peroxide (PO-CL)
reaction is investigated. Supported TiO2 nanoparticles exhibited the better CL catalysis activity than
SnO and Carbon nanotubes. Supported TiO2 nanoparticles catalyze the chemiluminescence
reaction between TCPO (bis-(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl) oxalate) and H2O2 and produce a strong CL
signal in the presence of triazinyl dye derivative as fluorophore. The CL signal intensity was linear
with the hydrogen peroxide concentration in the range of 5 to 1000 nmol ml-1 with a detection limit of
1.2 nmol ml-1 and regression coefficient was 0.992 (n=4). The relative standard deviations for
measurement of 300 and 500 nmol ml-1 hydrogen peroxide were 2.2 and 3.4%, respectively(n=4).
Hydrogen peroxide concentration in river water was 8.7 nmol ml-1 with RSD=5.4%(n=3).

Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are highly complex technical mixtures of polychlorinated
n-alkanes with carbon-chain lengths from C10-C13 and chlorine content between 49 and 70%. They
are produced by chlorination of n-alkanes and do not occur naturally. Because of their physical
properties (viscosity, flame resistance) they are used in many different applications, such as
lubricant additives, PVC plasticizers and flame retardants in paints, adhesives and sealants. Among
the chlorinated paraffin mixtures, SCCPs have the highest potential for release into the environment,
because of their higher vapour pressure and water solubility (about 10-100 times higher than for
PCBs).
SCCPs can reach the environment through production, storage or use, as well as through leeching,
runoff and volatilization from contaminated areas. Despite the fact that they are one of the most
challenging groups of compounds to quantify and analyze, SCCPs have been detected in biota and
humans, as well as a variety of environmental matrices such as sediments and air. SCCPs have
also been detected in remote places such as the Arctic (Reth et al., 2006) and dated sediment
cores, suggesting long-range atmospheric transport and persistence in the environment. SCCPs
have been found to be toxic to aquatic and soil organisms, fish and there is some evidence of
carcinogenicity. This paper reviews the current state of knowledge and highlights the need for further
research in order to improve future monitoring efforts.

In 2006, California passed legislation establishing the first State Biomonitoring Program in the USA.
The main goals are to: 1) Determine levels of environmental chemical contaminants in a
representative sample of Californians; 2) Establish trends in the levels of these chemicals over time;
3) Assess the effectiveness of public health efforts and regulatory programs to decrease exposures
to specific chemicals.
As part of the Biomonitoring Program, our laboratory will be conducting analyses for Persistent
Organic Pollutants (POPs) such as organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), PCBs, polybrominated
diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), triclosan, phenols, OH-PCBs and OHPBDEs.
Prior to this program, we had conducted a number of epidemiologic studies using
specimens collected from the 1960s to the present and analysing them for POPs. Serum, milk and
adipose samples were extracted and the neutral fractions were cleaned up using deactivated Florisil
column chromatography, and analyzed for PCBs, OCPs and PBDEs by dual column GC-ECD and/or
High Resolution Mass Spectrometry. Online Solid Phase Extraction - HPLC- Turbo ion Spray -
Tandem Mass Spectrometry was used to analyze PFCs. Following standard conventions, results are
expressed on a lipid basis (PCBs, PBDEs, OCPs), or on a volume basis (PFCs, Triclosan, Phenols,
OH-PCBs, OH-PBDEs). A Quality Management system tracks all laboratory work.
We had first reported the absence of PBDEs in serum samples from 1960s California populations as
opposed to their presence in samples collected in the 1990s. We confirmed this observation with the
analysis of over 1500 samples from the 1960s. In contemporary serum, the abundance of PBDE
congeners was in the order of BDE-47>153>99>100, while BDE-209 was measurable in only a few
of the samples. We could trace the increase of PFOA from the1960s to the 1980s, followed by a
slight decrease in 2009. On the other hand, PFOS and PFHxS were highest in the 1960s, with
similar decreasing trends from the1980s to 2009.
In addition to addressing the research hypotheses of each epidemiologic study, data compiled
across studies can show trends such as the emergence of PBDEs, and the decline in PCBs,
phenols, OCPs and some PFCs over time. In addition, determinants of exposures (age, country of
birth, ethnicity and reproductive history) can be identified, allowing for optimal sampling designs to
account for the population diversity in California and can also be used in questionnaires to assess
exposures. These data help establish a baseline before the new Biomonitoring Program launches its
state-wide surveys.