Radiolytic decomposition of multi-class surfactants and their biotransformation products in sewage treatment plant effluents.

Electron beam irradiation (EBI), as one of the most efficient advanced oxidation processes, was applied to the treatment of sewage treatment plant (STP) effluent, with the objective of evaluating the effectiveness of radiolytic decomposition of multi-class surfactants. Target compounds, included several high-volume surfactant groups, such as alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) and their biotransformation products, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), alkyl sulfates (AS), alkylether sulfates (AES), coconut diethanol amides (CDEA), alcohol ethoxylates (AEO) and polyethylene glycols (PEGs). EBI treatment of STP effluent (total concentration of APEO-derived compounds 265mugl(-1), being APE(2)C the most abundant by-degradation products) resulted in efficient decomposition of all alkylphenolic compounds; elimination of 94% longer ethoxy chain nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEO, n(EO)=3-15) was obtained when 3kGy were applied. Slightly less efficient decomposition of short ethoxy chain oligomers (NPEO(1) and NPEO(2)) was observed, resulting in disappearance of about 80% of the initially present compounds. LC-MS analysis of treated wastewater suggested that the mechanism of EBI degradation of APEOs is a combination of two parallel pathways: a progressive shortening and oxidation of the ethoxy chain, which resulted in a formation of short ethoxy chain oligomers and APECs and central fission that resulted in formation of PEGs. Decomposition of APECs at 1kGy initially yielded APs, which were subsequently eliminated applying higher radiation doses. With a radiation dose of 2kGy about 95% of NPE(1)C and 97% of NPE(2)C were decomposed. Similar elimination rates were obtained for octylphenolic compounds. Radiolytic treatment applied was also very effective in removing PEGs formed as by-products from APEO degradation, as well as in decomposing other surfactants, such as linear LAS, AS and AES.

LC-MS-(MS) determination of oxidative degradation products of nonylphenol ethoxylates, carboxylates and nonylphenols in water.

A commercial blend of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) was chosen as representative for non-ionic polyethoxylated surfactants to study the oxidative degradation of this class of surfactants in water using ozonation as well as electron beam irradiation with and without the addition of ozone as treatment processes. The electron beam irradiation processes applied represent so-called Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs); the combined ozone/electron beam irradiation is, moreover, the most powerful AOP which can be applied in aqueous systems. It was found that both ozonation and the two AOPs applied were able to decompose not only the NPEOs but also the polyethyleneglycoles (PEGs) formed as by-products from NPEO degradation to residual concentrations below the limit of detection. Moreover, the treatment processes were also used to study the oxidative degradation of nonylphenoxy acetic acid (NPEC) and of nonylphenol (NP) which are formed as by-products from biodegradation of NPEOs.

Inactivation of bacteriophages in water by means of non-ionizing (UV-253.7 nm) and ionizing (gamma) radiation: a comparative approach.

Thc inactivation behaviour of the bacteriophages PHI X 174 (ssDNA virus). MS2 (ssRNA virus) and B40-8 (dsDNA) toward non-ionizing (UV-253.7 nm) as well as to ionizing radiation (gamma radiation) was studied in order to evaluate their potential as viral indicators for water disinfection by irradiation. Previous findings of the high UV-253.7 nm resistance of MS2 were confirmed whereas an unexpected high sensitivity to gamma radiation compared to the two other phages was found. On the other hand, PHI X 174 revealed an enhanced UV sensitivity but a high resistance to ionizing radiation. B40-8 had an intermediate position between the other two bacteriophages relative to both types of radiation. As expected, the data of E. coli reconfirmed the unreliability of fecal indicator bacteria for the purpose of predicting responses of viruses to water treatment. In UV disinfection the influence of water matrix may be adequately controlled by considering the UV (253.7 nm) absorption of the water whereas so far no such parameter has existed for the influence of the water quality on ionizing irradiation with respect to the scavenger concentration.

Remediation of groundwater polluted with chlorinated ethylenes by ozone-electron beam irradiation treatment.

OH radicals formed in water radiolysis may be effectively used for the oxidative decomposition of trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene contained as micropollutants in groundwater. Addition of ozone to the water before irradiation causes the reducing species of the water radiolysis to be converted into OH radicals. Moreover, this eliminates the dose rate effect observed with irradiation alone. By the ozone-electron beam treatment greater than 95% of the organic chlorine content are mineralized, only negligible amounts of organic chlorine containing by-products are formed. AMES test has shown no mutagenic activity at all.

Radiation-induced decomposition of small amounts of trichloroethylene in drinking water.

Solutions of 10 ppm trichloroethylene in air-saturated drinking waters are decomposed by gamma radiation with initial G-values, G0, around 3-5 molecules per 100 eV. At lower concentrations, the G0-values decrease with decreasing trichloroethylene concentration and with increasing amounts of inorganic (especially HCO3- and NO3-) and organic solutes. From the results, a semi-empirical formula is derived which allows an estimation of G0-values for the trichloroethylene decomposition in drinking waters of given composition.

Influence of moxaverine hydrochloride on membrane curvature and microsieve filterability of red cells after exposure to hyperosmolarity and lactacidosis.

Using a combination of novel techniques to assess quantitatively the shape and the filterability of red blood cells (RBC) after exposure to stress conditions (400 mosmol/l, lactacidosis, pH 6.8), the effects of 1-benzyl-3-ethyl-6,7-dimethoxy-isoquinoline hydrochloride (moxaverine-HCl, Kollateral) were tested. The shape of freely suspended RBC was quantified using the tangent count procedure. The filterability (microrheological performance) of leukocyte-free RBC suspensions was determined by computer-assisted conductometry using novel precision metal microsieves with uniform pore diameter of 4.2 micron. Moxaverine, when present in doses between 10(-5) und 10(-2) mol/l while the RBC are stressed, restored both the normal discoid red cell configuration and the microrheological performance when tested under low shear stresses. The data show that moxaverine, a papaverine derivative, hitherto considered as a classical vasodilator exerts protective effects on RBC membrane curvature and whole cell microrheological behavior (performance). The protective effects manifest themselves when the RBC's are exposed to abnormal biochemical conditions such as they might occur in poststenotic areas, where hypoxic ischemia is known to lead to a combination of hyperosmolarity and lactacidosis which modify the RBCs.