Issue 1 [March]

( Issue on Environmental Chemistry )

Editorial

The California biomonitoring program: persistent organic pollutants in archived and contemporary serum

Petreas M., Park J.S., Wang M., Wang Y., Guo W., Tarrant A., Rhee A. and Harwani S. , Pages:80-85

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30955/gnj.000824

Paper Topic:

General

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Abstract

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.

Evaluation of arsenic effects in Vicia faba by FTIR and FTNIR spectroscopy

Sturchio E., Napolitano P., Beni C. and Mecozzi M. , Pages:86-92

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30955/gnj.000822

Paper Topic:

General

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Abstract

Arsenic is an ubiquitous and highly toxic metalloid widely distributed in the environment through
both natural and anthropogenic pathways (Liu et al., 2004) and its presence in food composites is a
matter of concerns to the well being of both humans and animals. In fact, As has been recently
found in drinking water (network and groundwater) in some Italian regions, including Lazio (Central
Italy), at concentration ranging between 25 and 80 μg L-1, higher than the limits set by law (10 μg L-
1) where Arsenic-contaminated groundwaters are often used in agriculture to irrigate crops for food
and animal consumption; this determines that arsenic can enter human food chain. Inorganic or
organic species of the metalloid arsenic occur in the environment. Either inorganic or organic As
occurs in the environment and inorganic forms (iAs) are more toxic than the organic ones (oAs).
Most of the human health effects of arsenic have been established based on epidemiologic studies,
which have shown a significant association between the consumption of arsenic through drinking
water and cancers of the skin, lung, bladder, liver, and kidney, neurologic disease, cardiovascular
disease, as well as other non-malignant diseases. Arsenic is not an essential element for plants and
its over-concentration in soils can generate toxicity phenomena. Its translocation from soil to plant
constitutes one of the main human exposure ways. In this research we evaluated the effects of As
exposure on Vicia faba seedlings by means of infrared (FTIR) and near infrared (FTNIR)
spectroscopy to investigate molecular modifications caused by the interactions of plant with As. Both
techniques showed relevant molecular modifications depending on As exposure. Molecular
modifications evidenced by FTIR spectroscopy were mainly related to modified structures involving
methyl groups of polysaccharides proteins and lipids, resulting better evidenced in meristem root
samples. However, seconds derivative FTIR spectra did not show modification of the secondary
structure of proteins.
The molecular modifications shown by FTNIR spectroscopy were mainly related to the bands of
hydroxyl groups with carboxylic and methyl groups, involving hydrogen bonds between
carbohydrates and nucleic acids and lipids. These molecular and structural modifications are
determined by the direct introduction of As within the plant biomolecules.

The application of ferrate for sewage treatment: pilot- to full-scale trials

Jiang J-Q., Stanford C. and Mollazeinal A., Pages:93-99

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30955/gnj.000821

Paper Topic:

General

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Abstract

This paper aims to study a relative new technology, the online generation and application of
ferrate(VI), for sewage treatment, from pilot to full scale trials at Hailsham North Wastewater
Treatment Plant of Southern Water Ltd of UK. The work presented in this paper has significant
impact on the use of ferrate(VI) in water and waste water treatment practice; the online production
and application of ferrate(VI) resolves problems of the instability and needs no transportation. The
current efficiency of ferrate(VI) generation was up to 70% through the developed system, which is
relatively high. For achieving the same phosphorus removal target from the crude sewage, the
ferrate dose required was in a very lower range, 0.01 - 0.2 mg Fe6+/L in comparison with high doses
of ferric sulphate; these will reduce the chemical demand and sludge production and therefore result
in a low operating cost and generate substantial cost saving in treating sewage.

Basic dyestuffs removal from textile effluents using feathers: equilibrium, kinetic and column studies

Sousa J., Freitas O. M. and Figueiredo S. A., Pages:100-107

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30955/gnj.000820

Paper Topic:

General

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Abstract

This research work has been focused in the study of gallinaceous feathers, a waste that may be
valorised as sorbent, to remove the Dark Blue Astrazon 2RN (DBA) from Dystar.
This study was focused on the following aspects: optimization of experimental conditions through
factorial design methodology, kinetic studies into a continuous stirred tank adsorber (at pH 7 and
20ºC), equilibrium isotherms (at pH 5, 7 and 9 at 20 and 45ºC) and column studies (at 20ºC, at pH 5,
7 and 9). In order to evaluate the influence of the presence of other components in the sorption of
the dyestuff, all experiments were performed both for the dyestuff in aqueous solution and in real
textile effluent.
The pseudo-first and pseudo-second order kinetic models were fitted to the experimental data, being
the latter the best fit for the aqueous solution of dyestuff. For the real effluent both models fit the
experimental results and there is no statistical difference between them. The Central Composite
Design (CCD) was used to evaluate the effects of temperature (15 - 45ºC) and pH (5 - 9) over the
sorption in aqueous solution. The influence of pH was more significant than temperature. The
optimal conditions selected were 45ºC and pH 9. Both Langmuir and Freundlich models could fit the
equilibrium data. In the concentration range studied, the highest sorbent capacity was obtained for
the optimal conditions in aqueous solution, which corresponds to a maximum capacity of 47± 4 mg g-1.
The Yoon-Nelson, Thomas and Yan’s models fitted well the column experimental data. The highest
breakthrough time for 50% removal, 170 min, was obtained at pH 9 in aqueous solution. The
presence of the dyeing agents in the real wastewater decreased the sorption of the dyestuff mostly
for pH 9, which is the optimal pH. The effect of pH is less pronounced in the real effluent than in
aqueous solution. This work shows that feathers can be used as sorbent in the treatment of textile
wastewaters containing DBA.

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Issue 1 [March]

The California biomonitoring program: persistent organic pollutants in archived and contemporary serum

Evaluation of arsenic effects in Vicia faba by FTIR and FTNIR spectroscopy

The application of ferrate for sewage treatment: pilot- to full-scale trials

Basic dyestuffs removal from textile effluents using feathers: equilibrium, kinetic and column studies

Pages

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Issue 1 [March]

The California biomonitoring program: persistent organic pollutants in archived and contemporary serum

Evaluation of arsenic effects in Vicia faba by FTIR and FTNIR spectroscopy

The application of ferrate for sewage treatment: pilot- to full-scale trials

Basic dyestuffs removal from textile effluents using feathers: equilibrium, kinetic and column studies

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