Pharmaceuticals and pesticides are emerging contaminants problematic in the aquatic environment because of their adverse effects on aquatic life and humans. In order to remove them from water, photocatalysis is one of the most modern technologies to be used. First, newly synthesized photocatalysts were successfully prepared using a sol–gel method and characterized by different techniques (XRD, FTIR, UV/Vis, BET and SEM/EDX). The photocatalytic properties of TiO2, ZnO and MgO nanoparticles were examined according to their removal from water for two antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone) and two herbicides (tembotrione and fluroxypyr) exposed to UV/simulated sunlight (SS). TiO2 proved to be the most efficient nanopowder under UV and SS. Addition of (NH4)2S2O8 led to the faster removal of both antibiotics and herbicide fluroxypyr. The main intermediates were separated and identified for the herbicides and antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Finally, the toxicity of each emerging pollutant mixture and formed intermediates was assessed on wheat germination and biomass production.
This work is focused on the kinetics, mineralization, and toxicological assessments of the antidepressant drug amitriptyline hydrochloride (AMI) in UV or solar illuminated aqueous suspensions of ZnO, TiO2 Degussa P25, and TiO2 Hombikat. ZnO was proven to be the most effective photocatalyst, and it was used for all further experiments under solar irradiation. The highest reaction rate was observed at 1.0 mg/mL of catalyst loading. In the investigated initial concentration range (0.0075–0.3000 mmol/L), the degradation rate of AMI increased with the increase of initial concentration in the investigated range. The effects of H2O2, (NH4)2S2O8, and KBrO3, acting as electron acceptors, along with molecular oxygen were also studied. By studying the effects of ethanol and NaI as a hydroxyl radical and hole scavenger, respectively, it was shown that the heterogeneous catalysis takes place mainly via free hydroxyl radicals. In the mineralization study, AMI photocatalytic degradation resulted in ~30% of total organic carbon (TOC) decrease after 240 min of irradiation; acetate and formate were produced as the organic intermediates; NH4+, NO3−, NO2− ions were detected as nitrogen byproducts. Toxicity assessment using different mammalian cell lines, showed that H-4-II-E was the most sensitive one.
Onion bulbs (Allium cepa L.) can be stored for up to 12 months to ensure their availability all year, but one of the limiting factors is decay caused by blue mould fungi. Postharvest development of blue mould is not only economically important, but also poses a health hazard due to mycotoxin contamination. Onion bulbs of different yellow and red cultivars with blue mould symptoms were collected from three storage facilities in Serbia. Pathogenic isolates were identified and characterized based on their molecular (partial β‐tubulin gene), morphological (micro‐ and macromorphology, and colony growth) and biochemical properties (analyses of indole metabolites via Ehrlich test). Three Penicillium species were identified: P. polonicum, P. glabrum and P. expansum. Virulence on inoculated onion bulbs varied significantly within isolates of P. glabrum, but the most virulent isolate of P. polonicum and P. glabrum did not differ, nor did they differ from an isolate of P. expansum. Variability in virulence of individual P. glabrum isolates corresponded to differences in their molecular and macromorphological characters. P. glabrum and P. expansum were identified for the first time as causal agents of onion bulb decay in Serbia. Data from this investigation provide insight into diversity of economically important and possibly toxigenic blue mould fungi which brings attention to their presence in storage facilities and therefore the necessity of the application of prevention measures.
The photocatalytic elimination of the herbicide mesotrione from the commercial formulation Callisto ® in environmental and synthetic waters by means of heterogeneous advanced oxidation processes was investigated. The activities of the commercial photocatalyst TiO 2 Degussa P25 (TiO 2) and ZnO in the degradation of mesotrione under UVA and simulated sunlight in doubly distilled, ground and in river water was compared. Environmental waters as the matrix significantly lowered the removal rate (by about 4 and 1.5 times for TiO 2 and ZnO, respectively) under UVA irradiation. Besides, the organic additives from Callisto ® also reduced the degradation rate of mesotrione. The effects of inorganic anions (Cl-, SO 4 2and HCO 3-) and humic acid (HA), which were identified as major species in ground and river water, was evaluated. It was found that Cl − (pH ≈4 and ≈8) and HCO 3-(pH ≈8) using TiO 2 mainly accelerated the degradation rate of mesotrione, while SO 4 2had the opposite effect at pH ≈4 and did not affect the degradation rate at pH ≈8. Furthermore, HA mainly did not significantly affect the degradation rate of mesotrione at pH ≈4 and ≈8. Moreover, almost all anions, and HA slightly inhibited the degradation rate of mesotrione in synthetic water using ZnO.
The surface modification of commercial TiO Hombikat (TiO) using nanoparticles of fullerene C with tetrahydrofuran (THF-nC), as well as fullerenol C(OH) nanoparticles (FNP) was investigated in this study. Characterization of THF-nC, FNP, TiO, TiO/THF-nC, and TiO/FNP was studied by using DES, ELS, TEM, SEM, DRS and BET measurements and their photoactivity has been examined on the mesotrione degradation under simulated sunlight. It was found that FNP in self-assembled nanocomposite TiO/FNP increased negatively charge, as well as catalytic surface of TiO. In addition, TiO/FNP exhibits a shift of band gap energy to lower values compared to TiO and TiO/THF-nC. BET surface area has not showed significant differences among catalysts. Furthermore, it was found that the highest photoactivity was obtained for TiO/FNP system. Besides, influence of different concentrations of electron acceptors (HO and KBrO), as well as scavengers on the kinetics of mesotrione removal in aqueous solution with/without TiO and FNP under simulated sunlight was investigated. Namely, addition of mentioned electron acceptors has resulted in higher mesotrione degradation efficiency compared to O alone. Besides, in the first period substrate degradation probably takes place via hydroxyl radicals and after 60 min of irradiation the reaction mechanism proceeds mainly via holes. The most efficient system for mesotrione degradation and mineralization were TiO/7 mM KBrO and TiO/7 mM KBrO/40 μl FNP, respectively.
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