Hydrotalcite-TiO2 magnetic iron oxide intercalated with the anionic surfactant dodecylsulfate in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye.

The new magnetic photocatalysts HT/TiO2/Fe and HT-DS/TiO2/Fe, modified with the anionic surfactant sodium dodecylsulfate (DS) were successfully synthesized in this work. Titanium dioxide (anatase) followed by iron oxide were deposited on the hydrotalcite support. Several catalyst samples were prepared with different amounts of titanium and iron. The photocatalysts were characterized by infrared and Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy. Photocatalytic performance was analyzed by UV-visible radiation (filter cutoff, λ > 300 nm) of an aqueous solution (24 mg/L) of methylene blue (MB). The most efficient catalyst was obtained at an iron oxide:TiO2 molar ratio of 2:3. This catalyst showed high photocatalytic activity, removing 96% of the color and 61% of total organic carbon from the MB solution after 120 min. It was easily removed from solution after use because of its magnetic properties. The reuse of the HT-DS/TiO2/Fe23 catalyst was viable and the catalyst was structurally stable for at least four consecutive photocatalytic cycles.

Mobility and persistence of the herbicide fomesafen in soils cultivated with bean plants using SLE/LTP and HPLC/DAD.

A method has been optimized and validated for the determination of fomesafen in soils using solid-liquid extraction with low-temperature partitioning (SLE/LTP) and analysis by liquid chromatography with a high-efficiency diode array detector (HPLC/DAD). The method was used to evaluate the persistence and mobility of this herbicide in different soils cultivated with bean plants. Recovery values were ≥98.9 %, with variations in the repeatability coefficients of ≤15 %, and a detection limit of 7.3 µg kg(-1). Half-life values of fomesafen were between 60 and 71 days in soil cultivated using a no-till system and 99 and 114 days in soil cultivated using a conventional tillage system. The mobility of fomesafen was moderate and mainly influenced by the organic matter content, pH, and soil type. In Red-Yellow Argisol, which has a higher content of organic matter, the leaching of fomesafen was less pronounced. In Red-Yellow Latosol, which has smaller amounts of organic matter and high pH, the leaching of fomesafen was more pronounced.

Arsenic and trace metals in river water and sediments from the southeast portion of the Iron Quadrangle, Brazil.

The Iron Quadrangle has been one of the most important gold production regions in Brazil since the end of the seventeenth century. There, arsenic occurs in close association with sulfide-rich auriferous rocks. The most abundant sulfide minerals are pyrite and arsenopyrite, yet trace metal sulfides occur in subordinate phases as well. Historical mining activities have been responsible for the release of As and trace metals to both aquatic and terrestrial environments close to mining sites in the region. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the distribution and mobility of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in streams in the southeast portion of the Iron Quadrangle between the municipalities of Ouro Preto and Mariana, the oldest Brazilian Au mining province. Total concentrations of some trace metals and arsenic in water were determined. The four-stage sequential extraction procedure proposed by the commission of the European Communities Bureau of Reference (BCR) was used to investigate the distribution of these elements in stream sediments. Arsenic concentration in water was > 10 µg L⁻¹ (maximum limit permitted by Brazilian environmental regulations for water destined for human consumption) at all sampling sites, varying between 36.7 and 68.3 µg L⁻¹. Sequential extraction in sediments showed high concentrations of As and trace metals associated with easily mobilized fractions.

Mercury fractionation in stream sediments from the Quadrilátero Ferrífero gold mining region, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

The Iron Quadrangle (IQ) region, located in the state of Minas Gerais, has been the most important gold producing area in Brazil since the end of seventeenth century. The use of mercury for gold amalgamation in small scale mines has been responsible for large release of Hg to aquatic and terrestrial environments during 300 years of mining. The present work sought to evaluate the fractionation of Hg in stream sediments is the southern region of the IQ by utilizing sequential extraction. Since mobility and availability of Hg are related to its distribution among sediment partitions, fractionation methods provide detailed information on the ecotoxicological impact and risks associated to the presence of Hg in sediments. The total Hg concentration varied from 179.3 to 690.1 microg kg( - 1) and Hg(0) accounted for the majority at all sample sites, ranging from 42% to 56% of the total.