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A simple method for purifying water using household items has been developed. The solution containing an environmental pollutant was added to the PET bottle. The lid of the PET bottle was closed, and the bottle was then placed with the lid down in a freezer for 9 h. The pourer of the PET bottle was surrounded by shredded paper scraps as a lagging material. Before the solution was completely frozen, the sample was removed from the freezer. The unfrozen portion (liquid) was sampled. The pollutant was concentrated in the liquid. The remaining frozen portion was completely thawed. As results, the concentration of the pollutant (Congo Red, Cr (VI), Pb (II), pentachlorophenol, fluoride, nitrate, or phosphate) in the thawed liquid was decreased by more than 90% compared with the initial concentration (0.10 mM). PRACTITIONER POINTS: A pollutant in a water sample can be removed by freezing a portion of the solution using a PET bottle, shredder scrap, and household freezer. Fluorine and hexavalent chromium can be removed from water to levels that meet water quality standards. The present method can efficiently remove a wide range of contaminants from water, including azo dyes, heavy metals, and pentachlorophenol., (© 2024 Water Environment Federation.)

The contamination of soils by metals such as arsenic, chromium, copper and organic compounds such as pentachlorophenol (PCP) and dioxins and furans (PCDD/F) is a major problem in industrialized countries. Excavation followed by disposal in an appropriate landfilling is usually used site to manage these contaminated soils. Many researches have been conducted to develop physical, biological, thermal and chemical methods to allow the rehabilitation of contaminated sites. Thermal treatments including thermal desorption seemed to be the most appropriate methods, allowing the removal of more than 99.99% of organic contaminants but, they are ineffective for inorganic compounds. Biological treatments have been developed to remove inorganic and hydrophobic organic contaminants but their applications are limited to soils contaminated by easily biodegradable organic compounds. Among the physical technologies available, attrition is the most commonly used technique for the rehabilitation of soils contaminated by both organic and inorganic contaminants. Chemical processes using acids, bases, redox agents and surfactants seemed to be an interesting option to simultaneously extract organic and inorganic contaminants from soils. This paper will provide an overview of the recent developments in the field of decontamination technologies applicable for the removal of As, Cr, Cu, PCP and/or PCDD/F from contaminated soils., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) is an environmentally benign material that has been widely used as a reducing agent to treat environmental pollutants. In this study, nZVI was used as a heterogeneous Fenton catalyst in an nZVI/H2O2 system to remove pentachlorophenol (PCP) from water. The PCP degradation process in the nZVI/H2O2 system was completed within 1h. The relative Cl(-) concentration increased throughout the test period (6h), indicating that the performance of the oxidative system in terms of dechlorination was excellent. The initial H2O2 concentration significantly influenced the PCP removal rate, and nZVI performed better than commercial zero-valent iron as a catalyst. Moreover, magnetite (Fe3O4), which was the main product of the corrosion of nZVI, was found to perform well as an adsorbent and catalyst, so it allowed the nZVI to be effectively reused., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

One-dimensional nanotubes are promising materials for environmental applications. In this study, anatase TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs) were fabricated using an alkaline hydrothermal method at 130°C and then calcinated at 400°C for 2h. Ag nanoparticles were photo-deposited onto the TNTs for enhanced photodegradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) under simulated solar light. The samples were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, physical adsorption of nitrogen, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-Visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopic techniques. The as-synthesized TNTs showed tubular structures with the outer and inner diameter of 9-10 and 5-6 nm, respectively. The results showed that metallic Ag nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed on the TNTs surface, and Ag/TNTs exhibited significant visible-light absorption. After 180 min irradiation, about 99% PCP was removed by Ag/TNTs (5.4 at.%), compared to 54.3% by P25 and 59.4% by pure TNTs. This is attributed to the synergistic effects between Ag nanoparticles acting as traps to effectively capture the photo-generated electrons, and the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of Ag nanoparticles promoting the absorption of visible light. The intermediates during the PCP photodegradation were systematically analyzed, ruling out the existence of high toxic polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans. Ag/TNTs showed excellent stability even after five cycles., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) toxicity and sorption behaviour of biochars prepared from pyrolysis of paper mill effluent treatment plant (ETP) sludge in temperature range 200-700 °C was studied. The sorption behaviour was found to depend on the degree of carbonization where the fractions of carbonized and uncarbonized organic content in the biochar act as an adsorption media and partition media, respectively. The sorption and partition fractions were quantified by isotherm separation method and isotherm parameters were correlated with biochar properties (aromaticity, polarity, surface area, pore volume and ash content). The risk assessment for the 16 priority EPA PAHs present in the biochar matrix was performed and it was found that the concentrations of the PAHs in the biochar were within the permissible limits prescribed by US EPA (except BC400 and BC500 for high molecular weight PAHs)., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In order to prevent the aggregation of nanoparticles (NPs), surface modification or the addition of a stabilizer are used for stabilization. However, the real reactivity of NPs is still unclear because of the surface coating. For different physical dispersion methods, the particle stabilization for nanoscale zerovalent iron (NZVI) particles and their reactivity are studied. The particle properties of different preparations and their reactivity toward one polychlorinated aromatic compound, pentachlorophenol (PCP), with different electrolytes are also evaluated. Ultrasonication (US) with magnetic stirring disperses NZVI and Pd/Fe NPs well in water and does not affect the surface redox property a lot under the operating conditions in this study. The well-suspended NZVI cannot dechlorinate PCP but adsorption removal is observed. Compared to shaking, which gives limited removal of PCP (about 43%), Pd/Fe NPs remove 81% and 93% of PCP from water in the US and the US/stirring systems, respectively, which demonstrates that a greater surface area is exposed because of effective dispersion of Pd/Fe NPs. As the Pd doping increases, the dechlorination kinetics of PCP is improved, which shows that a catalyst is needed. With US/stirring, chloride ions do not significantly affect the removal kinetics of PCP, but the removal efficiency increases in the presence of nitrate ions because PCP anions were adsorbed and coagulated by the greater amount of iron (hydro)oxides that are generated from the reduction of nitrate on Pd/Fe. However, bicarbonate ions significantly block the adsorption and reaction sites on the Pd/Fe NP surface with US/stirring. The US/stirring method can be used to evaluate the actual activity of NPs near the nanoscale. The use of Pd/Fe NPs with US/stirring removes PCP from water effectively, even in the presence of common anions expect a high concentration of bicarbonate., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is an extremely dangerous pollutant for every ecosystem. In this study we have detected how PCP concentration and pH levels can influence PCP adsorption by Anthracophyllum discolor in the form of live fungal pellets. PCP adsorption was evaluated after 24 hours in KCl 0.1 M electrolyte solution with initial PCP concentrations of 5 and 10 mg L (-1) and with pH values between 4 and 9 (at intervals of 0.5). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to identify functional groups of fungal biomass that can interact with PCP. The amount of PCP that was adsorbed by A. discolor was >80% at pH values between 5 and 5.5, whatever the concentration tested. PCP adsorption significantly decreased in liquid medium of pH > 6.0. FTIR results showed that amides, alkanes, carboxylates, carboxyl and hydroxyl groups may be important to the PCP adsorption for pellets of A. discolor. Live fungal pellets of A. discolor may be used as a natural biosorbent for liquid solutions contaminated by PCP.

This study has demonstrated the applicability of a simple technology such as the sequencing batch reactor (SBR), operated with suspended biomass, to the aerobic biodegradation of a highly toxic compound, the pentachlorophenol (PCP). An enrichment of a microbial consortium, originated from the biomass of an urban wastewater treatment plant, was performed and 70 days were sufficient to achieve removal efficiencies of ∼90% with the compound fed as only carbon and energy source Once completed the start-up period, the SBR was operated with the acclimatized biomass for 60 days at a feed concentration of PCP in the range of 10-20 mg L(-1). Improved performance was observed at increased influent concentration and the reached removal efficiency for the highest concentrations was stable at values≥90%. Kinetic and stoichiometric characterization of the acclimated biomass was performed with biodegradation tests carried out in the bioreactor during the reaction phase. The classical and a modified four-parameter forms of the Haldane equation were applied to model the substrate inhibited kinetics. Both models provided reliable predictions with high correlation coefficients (>0.99). The biomass characterization was completed with the evaluation of the growth yield coefficient, Y (0.075 on chemical oxygen demand base) and endogenous respiration rate, b (0.054 d(-1)). The aerobic SBR, operated in the metabolic mode with a mixed culture, showed superior performance in comparison to continuous systems applied in the same range of PCP influent loads and achieved removal rates are suitable for application.

Background: Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is one of the most fungicides and pesticides. Acute and chronic poisoning from PCP may be occurred by dermal absorption, and respiration or ingestion. With respect to health and environmental effects of PCP, many methods were considered regarding its removal. Microwave assisted other methods are environmental friendly, safety, and economical method, consequently, in this study; microwave assisted with hydrogen peroxide (MW/H2O2) was used for PCP removal from aquatic solutions., Methods: The possible of PCP removal was considered by application of a modified domestic microwave. PCP removal rate was considered under different factors such as H2O2 dose (0.01, 0.02, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 mol/L), PCP concentration (100,200, 300, 400, 500, 750, 1000 mg/L), pH (3, 7, 11), energy intensity (180,450, 600 W), COD (344 mg/L), and scavenger testes (0.02 mol/L from each of Tert- butyl alcohol (TBA), NaCl, NaHCO3, and Na2CO3). The concentration changes of PCP were determined using spectrophotometer and HPLC spectra, respectively., Results: The best PCP removal was obtained in condition of pH 11, 0.2 mol/L H2O2, and 600 W energy intensity. Moreover, COD removal in this condition was 83%. Results obtained from radical scavengers indicated that OH° had only an initiator role, and had not a dominant role, and order reaction was in first order., Conclusions: The results of microwave/H2O2 application showed that this process is suitable for removal of PCP and other chlorinated organic compounds in alkaline pH.

The zero-valent iron magnetic biochar composites (ZVI-MBC) were synthesized from the paper mill sludge biochar and used for the treatment of the synthetic and real effluent containing pentachlorophenol (PCP). During the synthesis of ZVI-MBC, NaBH4 was used as the reducing agent to reduce Fe(II) to Fe(0) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide was added as surfactant. The effect of the molar ratio of FeSO4 to NaBH4, dose of the surfactant and the ZVI to biochar ratio on the PCP removal efficiency was investigated. It was found that the ZVI-MBC combines the advantages of biochar and ZVI particles for the simultaneous adsorption and dechlorination of PCP in the effluent and the complete removal of PCP was obtained. The ageing tests showed that biochar prevents the formation of oxide film on the ZVI particles and leaching tests confirmed the stability of ZVI on biochar matrix as very low iron leaching was noticed., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pentachlorophenol (PCP), as an important contaminant which was toxic and intractable, has received extensive attention. In this paper, the temperature effect during the transformation of PCP using nanoscale Fe(0) particles was studied, and the transformation processes of PCP and iron particles was explained. The results revealed that the removal processes of PCP followed pseudo first-order kinetics. The scale of dechlorination to the transformation of PCP increased with the increase of temperature, though the transformation rate decreased after reacting for 2 h under the experimental condition. However, the initial apparent transformation rate constants were calculated to be 0.312-0.536 h(-1) at the temperature of 20-50 degrees C, which showed an increase of transformation rate along with the increase of temperature. And the surface-area-normalized rate constants were calculated to be 9.50 x 10-3-1.63 x 10-2 L . h-1 . m-2. The experimental activation energy was calculated to be 15.0 kJ x mol(-1) from these rate constants using Arrhenius equation. A phenomenon observed at 50 degrees C indicated that more than one chlorine atom was removed from PCP and suggested β-elimination might be the major pathway for transformation. Sorption experiments showed that the sorption process on the surface of particles could be ignored in the kinetics and thermodynamics models. The changes of morphologies of nanoparticles before and after reaction indicated the transformation process of iron particles, and could be used to explain the changes of activity of nanoparticles. Magnetite (Fe3O4) and/or maghemite (Fe2O3) and lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) were corrosion products of iron. And along with the increase of temperature, the increased intensity of XRD peaks revealed the related a better crystallizing.

In this study, we demonstrate that the photocatalytic sodium pentachlorophenate removal efficiency of Bi2WO6 under visible light can be greatly enhanced by bismuth self-doping through a simple soft-chemical method. Density functional theory calculations and systematical characterization results revealed that bismuth self-doping did not change the redox power of photogenerated carriers but promoted the separation and transfer of photogenerated electron-hole pairs of Bi2WO6 to produce more superoxide ions, which were confirmed by photocurrent generation and electron spin resonance spectra as well as superoxide ion measurement results. We employed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and total organic carbon analysis to probe the degradation and the mineralization processes. It was found that more superoxide ions promoted the dechlorination process to favor the subsequent benzene ring cleavage and the final mineralization of sodium pentachlorophenate during bismuth self-doped Bi2WO6 photocatalysis by producing easily decomposable quinone intermediates. This study provides new insight into the effects of photogenerated reactive species on the degradation of sodium pentachlorophenate and also sheds light on the design of highly efficient visible-light-driven photocatalysts for chlorophenol pollutant removal.

A novel analytical method, using gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD) and GC-mass spectrometry detection (MS), was developed for the qualitative and quantitative measurement of pentachlorophenol in meat and fish. The analyte was extracted by methanol-2% trichloroacetic acid (3/1, v/v) with accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). The eluted fraction was evaporated and derivatized with acetic anhydride-pyridine (1/1, v/v) for GC-ECD analysis and GC-MS confirmation. The parameters for extraction pressure, temperature and cycle of ASE, cleanup, derivatization and analysis procedure were optimized. The averaged decision limits and detection capability of the method were in the ranges of 0.25-0.41 and 0.49-1.01 µg/kg in the muscle and liver of swine and bovine and in the muscle of carp and finless eel, respectively. Spiked recoveries from levels of 0.5-2.0 µg/kg were found to be more than 71.1%, with relative standard deviation less than 14.7% in GC-ECD and GC-MS. This rapid and reliable method can be used for the characterization and quantification of residues of pentachlorophenol in animal and fish tissues.

In this paper, flotation in acidic conditions and alkaline leaching soil washing processes were compared to decontaminate four soils with variable contamination with metals, pentachlorophenol (PCP), and polychlorodibenzo dioxins and furans (PCDD/F). The measured concentrations of the four soils prior treatment were between 50 and 250 mg/kg for As, 35 and 220mg/kg for Cr, 80 and 350mg/kg for Cu, and 2.5 and 30mg/kg for PCP. PCDD/F concentrations reached 1394, 1375, 3730, and 6289ng/kg for F1, S1, S2, and S3 soils, respectively. The tests were carried out with masses of 100g of soil (fraction 0-2 mm) in a 2 L beaker or in a 1 L flotation cell. Soil flotation in sulphuric acid for 1 h at 60 degreeC with three flotation cycles using the surfactant cocamidopropyl betaine (BW) at 1% allows the solubilization of metals and PCP with average removal yields of 85%, 51%, 90%, and 62% for As, Cr, Cu, and PCP, respectively. The alkaline leaching for 2 h at 80 degreeC solubilizes As, Cr, Cu, and PCP with average removal yields of 60%, 32%, 77%, and 87%, respectively. Tests on PCDD/F solubilization with different surfactants were carried out in combination with the alkaline leaching process. PCDD/F removal yields of 25%, 72%, 70%, and 74% for F1, S1, S2, and S3 soils, respectively, were obtained using the optimized conditions.

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) was dechlorinated by electrochemically active bacteria using an electrode as the direct electron donor. Dechlorination efficiency and coulombic efficiency (CE) were investigated. When hydrogen evolution reaction was eliminated by controlling the potential, both dechlorination efficiency and CE increase as the potential decreases, which implied the dechlorination was stimulated by electric current rather than hydrogen gas. Further investigation of the cyclic voltammetry characterization of the medium revealed nearly no redox mediator secreted by the bacteria. Moreover, the comparison of dechlorination experiments carried out with filtered and unfiltered medium provided convincible evidence that the dominating electron transfer mechanism for the dechlorination is direct electron transfer. Additionally, 454 pyrosequencing technique was employed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the biocathodic microbial community. The results showed Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the three predominant groups. This paper demonstrated the direct electron transfer mechanism could be involved in PCP dechlorination with a biocathode., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The anaerobic treatment of low-strength wastewater bearing pentachlorophenol (PCP) at psychro-mesophilic temperatures has been investigated in an expanded granular sludge bed reactor. Using an upward flow rate of 4 m h(-1), a complete removal of PCP, as well as COD removal and methanization efficiencies higher than 75% and 50%, respectively, were achieved. Methanogenesis and COD consumption were slightly affected by changes in loading rate, temperature (17-28°C) and inlet concentrations of urea and oils. Pentachlorophenol caused an irreversible inhibitory effect over both acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens, being the later more resistant to the toxic effect of pentachlorophenol. An auto-inhibition phenomenon was observed at PCP concentrations higher than 10 mg L(-1), which was accurately predicted by a Haldane-like model. The inhibitory effect of PCP over the COD consumption and methane production was modelled by modified pseudo-Monod and Roediger models, respectively., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pesticides are normally used to control specific pests and to increase the productivity in crops; as a result, soils are contaminated with mixtures of pesticides. In this work, the ability of Streptomyces strains (either as pure or mixed cultures) to remove pentachlorophenol and chlorpyrifos was studied. The antagonism among the strains and their tolerance to the toxic mixture was evaluated. Results revealed that the strains did not have any antagonistic effects and showed tolerance against the pesticides mixture. In fact, the growth of mixed cultures was significantly higher than in pure cultures. Moreover, a pure culture (Streptomyces sp. A5) and a quadruple culture had the highest pentachlorophenol removal percentages (10.6% and 10.1%, resp.), while Streptomyces sp. M7 presented the best chlorpyrifos removal (99.2%). Mixed culture of all Streptomyces spp. when assayed either as free or immobilized cells showed chlorpyrifos removal percentages of 40.17% and 71.05%, respectively, and for pentachlorophenol 5.24% and 14.72%, respectively, suggesting better removal of both pesticides by using immobilized cells. These results reveal that environments contaminated with mixtures of xenobiotics could be successfully cleaned up by using either free or immobilized cultures of Streptomyces, through in situ or ex situ remediation techniques.

Novel monodispersed pompon-like magnetite/chitosan (Fe3O4/CS) composite nanoparticles were synthesized by a solvothermal method and used as adsorbents for the removal of toxic sodium pentachlorophenate (PCP-Na) from aqueous media. The adsorption behavior of PCP-Na on Fe3O4/CS obeyed the Langmuir isotherm and fitted the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption process was exothermic and spontaneous. Moreover, the adsorption was strongly pH-dependent. The results of XPS, thermodynamics, pH-dependent and desorption studies suggested that electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions were all believed to play a role in PCP-Na adsorption on Fe3O4/CS. Having a saturation magnetization of 22.2 emu · g(-1), the Fe3O4/CS can be easily separated from water with magnets within 2 min. The adsorption equilibrium was achieved quite rapidly (within 30 min) and the maximum removal of PCP-Na (91.5%) was obtained at 25 °C and pH 6.5. The Fe3O4/CS investigated can be used to remove PCP-Na and other contaminants from wastewater.

Optimization of alcoholic-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction of pentachlorophenol (PCP) and determination of it with high-performance liquid chromatography (UV-Vis detection) was investigated. A Plackett-Burman design and a central composite design were applied to evaluate the alcoholic-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction procedure. The effect of seven parameters on extraction efficiency was investigated. The factor studied were type and volume of extraction and dispersive solvents, amount of salt, and agitation time. According to Plackett-Burman design results, the effective parameters were type and volume of extraction solvent and agitation time. Next, a central composite design was applied to obtain optimal condition. The optimized conditions were obtained at 170-μL 1-octanol and 5-min agitation time. The enrichment factor of PCP was 242 with limits of detection of 0.04 μg L(-1). The linearity was 0.1-100 μg L(-1) and the extraction recovery was 92.7%. RSD for intra and inter day of extraction of PCP were 4.2% and 7.8%, respectively for five measurements. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of PCP in environmental water samples., (© 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Black carbon (BC) is a potential material for controlling hydrophobic organic contaminants in sediment because it has a high sorption capacity. In the present study, the sorption of pentachlorophenol (PCP) onto sediments supplemented with rice straw biochar (RC) and fly ash (FC) aged for different times and at temperatures were investigated. The sorption of PCP increased with increasing amounts of BC and decreased with aging time and storage temperature of the BC-supplemented sediments. The sorption of PCP onto RC-supplemented sediments was higher than those supplemented with FC regardless of whether or not BCs were aged in sediments. For aged sediments containing 2% BCs, the sorption capacity was 9.15- and 2.87-fold higher than that of FC when supplemented with RC aged at 25 and 45°C, respectively. Therefore, biochar is better than fly ash for controlling organic pollutants even when the RC was present in sediment for a long time., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A method for the simultaneous detection and quantification of 22 pesticides from different chemical classes was developed using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography tandem (triple quadrupole) mass spectrometry. Pesticides were extracted from 50mg of pulverized hair with acetonitrile. The extract was submitted to two successive steps of direct immersion-SPME at 30°C and 90°C or to a liquid injection without SPME in order to obtain optimized conditions for each of the 22 analytes investigated. Validation parameters were significantly influenced by both the injection mode (SPME vs liquid injection) and the temperature of SPME. Limits of quantification ranged from 0.05 pg mg(-1) for trifluralin to 10 pg mg(-1) for pentachlorophenol. The application of the validated method to the analysis of samples collected from non-occupationally exposed volunteers demonstrated the presence of pesticides in all the samples tested. Altogether, 13 different analytes were detected at concentration above the limit of quantification., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) was studied as a model recalcitrant compound for a sequential chemical oxidation and biodegradation treatment, in a continuous laboratory-scale system that combined a Fenton's chemical reactor and a packed-bed bioreactor. PCP degradation and dechlorination were observed in the Fenton's reactor at a residence time of 1.5 h, although no reduction of total organic carbon (TOC) was observed. Both PCP degradation and dechlorination were strongly dependent on the H(2)O(2) dose to the chemical reactor. The PCP degradation intermediates tetrachlorohydroquinone and dichloromaleic acid were identified in this reactor. Further treatment of the Fenton's reactor effluent with a packed-bed bioreactor (operating at a residence time of 5.5 h) resulted in partial biodegradation of PCP degradation intermediates and reduction in TOC, although no further reduction of PCP or dechlorination was achieved in the bioreactor. Increased residence time in the bioreactor had no significant impact on degradation of TOC. Recycle of the effluent from the bioreactor to the chemical reactor increased the TOC degradation, but not the extent of the PCP degradation or dechlorination. A mathematical model of the combined Fenton's oxidation and biodegradation system supported the experimental results. While the model over-predicted the PCP and TOC degradation in the combined system, it adequately predicted the sensitivity of these parameters to different H(2)O(2) doses and recycle rates. The model indicated that high recycle rates would improve TOC degradation., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Two composting piles were prepared by adding to a mixture of rice straw, vegetables and bran: (i) raw soil free from pentachlorophenol (PCP) contamination (pile A) and (ii) PCP-contaminated soil (pile B). It was shown by the results that compost maturity characterized by water soluble carbon (WSC), TOC/TN ratio, germination index (GI) and dehydrogenase activity (DA) was significantly affected by PCP exposure, which resulted in an inferior degree of maturity for pile B. DGGE analysis revealed an inhibited effect of PCP on compost microbial abundance. The bacteria community shifts were mainly consistent with composting factors such as temperature, pH, moisture content and substrates. By contrast, the fungal communities were more sensitive to PCP contamination due to the significant correlation between fungal community shifts and PCP removal. Therefore, the different microbial community compositions for properly evaluating the degree of maturity and PCP contamination were suggested., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Xe lamp was employed to simulate the sunlight as light source to study the direct photolysis of three kinds of phenolic pollutants under different pH values. The effects of the dissociation on their photolysis were investigated, and a calculation method and a forecasting model for the photolysis rate constants under the situation of dissociation and non-dissociation of phenolic pollutants were established. The experiment results showed that the photolysis rate constant of pentachlorophenol (PCP) increased from 25.30 x 10(-4) min(-1) to 82.90 x 10(-4) min(-1) when pH value varied from 4.0 to 9.0, and that of nitrophenol (PNP) decreased from 11.90 x 10(-4) min(-1) to 3.18 x 10(-4) min(-1) Similar to the PNP, the photolysis rate constant of phenol decreased from 32.50 x 10(-4) min(-1) to 13.40 x 10(-4) min(-1) with the pH value increased from 4.0 to 11.0. From analysis of the results, a power function relationships between the total photolysis rate constants (K) and dissociation degrees (alpha) of these three phenolic compounds could be established. If alpha had been determined, the dissociation and non-dissociation species photolysis rate constants could be calculated by the tangent equation of the power function. The effect of dissociation on the photolysis should be mainly attributed to the formation of the negative oxygen ions, which led to the changes of the activities of benzene ring and substituent groups. These results will provide theoretical references to further understand environmental behaviors of phenolic compounds in natural waters.

Soil contamination with pentachlorophenol (PCP) is widespread across the globe. Soil washing/extraction is a common technique to remove this compound. Several soil washing/extraction solutions have been used but a majority of them have the problem of persistence in the environment due to their low biodegradability. Our aim was to investigate mixed solutions of lactic acid and water as potential alternatives to surfactant solutions or organic solvent systems used for the removal of PCP from three soils: montmorillonite, a natural sediment (with organic matter), and the same sediment without organic matter (ignited sediment). This study included the optimization of the concentration of lactic acid in water for maximum extraction efficiency and the determination of linear desorption constants for removal of PCP from the three soils with lactic acid. The effect of soil/sediment organic matter on the extraction efficiency was also studied. Initial experiments showed that 24h was the optimum extraction time. High extraction efficiencies were obtained for montmorillonite (40-80%) and ignited sediment ( approximately 90%). The natural sediment exhibited low PCP extraction due to presence of organic matter, while high desorption coefficient values ( approximately 23 L/kg) were obtained for the ignited sediment. For all soils, a decrease in extraction was observed at higher concentrations of lactic acid. The specific surface area of soil/sediment was also found to be an important factor affecting the extraction of PCP.

An integrated granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption/dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) process was applied to the treatment of high concentration pentachlorophenol (PCP) wastewater. The PCP in water firstly was adsorbed onto GAC, and then the degradation of PCP and regeneration of exhausted GAC were simultaneously carried out by DBD. The degradation mechanisms and products of PCP loaded on GAC were analyzed by EDX, FT-IR and GC-MS. The results suggested that the C-Cl bonds in PCP adsorbed by GAC were cleaved by DBD plasma, and some dechlorination and dehydroxylation products were identified. The adsorption capacity of adsorption/DBD treated GAC could maintain relatively high level, which confirmed that DBD treatment regenerated the GAC for subsequent reuse. The adsorption of N2, Boehm titration and XPS were used to investigate detailed surface characterizations of GAC. It could be found that DBD plasma not only increased the BET surface area and pore volume in micropore regions, but also had remarkably impact on the distribution of the oxygen-containing functional groups of GAC.

This study verifies the potential applicability of horizontal-flow anaerobic immobilized biomass (HAIB) reactors to pentachlorophenol (PCP) dechlorination. Two bench-scale HAIB reactors (R1 and R2) were filled with cubic polyurethane foam matrices containing immobilized anaerobic sludge. The reactors were then continuously fed with synthetic wastewater consisting of PCP, glucose, acetic acid, and formic acid as co-substrates for PCP anaerobic degradation. Before being immobilized in polyurethane foam matrices, the biomass was exposed to wastewater containing PCP in reactors fed at a semi-continuous rate of 2.0 microg PCP g(-1) VS. The applied PCP loading rate was increased from 0.05 to 2.59 mg PCP l(-1)day(-1) for R1, and from 0.06 to 4.15 mg PCP l(-1)day(-1) for R2. The organic loading rates (OLR) were 1.1 and 1.7 kg COD m(-3)day(-1) at hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 24h for R1 and 18 h for R2. Under such conditions, chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies of up to 98% were achieved in the HAIB reactors. Both reactors exhibited the ability to remove 97% of the loaded PCP. Dichlorophenol (DCP) was the primary chlorophenol detected in the effluent. The adsorption of PCP and metabolites formed during PCP degradation in the packed bed was negligible for PCP removal efficiency.

The adsorption process of chlorophenols (CPs) by low-cost adsorbents such as carbon blacks has been studied. The influence of different parameters such as temperature, pH, ionic strength and textural properties of the adsorbents on the adsorption process of pentachlorophenol has been analyzed. The adsorption process is exothermal and parameters such as pH and ionic strength exert a noticeable influence on the adsorption capacity of the solute. These parameters influence the adsorption capacity in an opposite manner. Thus an increase in pH seems to unfavor the adsorption process, whereas the adsorption capacity increases with increasing ionic strength. In order to analyze the influence of the number of chlorine atoms in the molecule of solute the adsorption process of different chlorophenols (i.e., 4-chlorophenol, 3,5-dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol) was analyzed. As the number of chlorine atoms (and thus the volume of the molecule) increases, the penetration of the solute through the porous texture of the adsorbent is difficult and, consequently, the adsorption capacity decreases.

The influence of compost on the bioaccessibility, bioavailability and ecotoxicity of pentachlorophenol (PCP) as a function of time was studied by means of different chemical and ecotoxicological methods. Experiments were conducted in both sterile and non-sterile microcosms and samplings carried out at 20, 60 and 120d from initial contamination. PCP bioaccessibility, assessed by means of Porapak resin extraction, was around 75% of the applied dose with no aging or compost effects. Two different methods were applied to assess the bioavailability of PCP, respectively, to bacteria and earthworms and linked to ecotoxicological assays (biosensor and earthworm coelomocytes assays). Water extraction was applied to assess the bioavailability to bacteria: results showed that this fraction was always below 50%, with significant decreases as a result of aging processes and compost addition. In non-sterile microcosms, compost amendment increased the amount of PCP biodegraded, while the ecotoxicological assay with the biosensor Pseudomonas fluorescens pUCD607 indicated a higher toxicity in the most degraded samples, thus suggesting the formation of more toxic metabolites. Earthworm body accumulation results were rather in accordance with water extractions data, with decreasing bioavailable amounts as a result of time and compost addition. No compost or aging effects were instead detected by coelomocytes assay. Results indicate how different methods must be applied altogether to assess the bioavailability and ecotoxicity of xenobiotics such as PCP in soil. The addition of compost was also proven as an effective strategy for the remediation of PCP contaminated soils, although issues related to the possible formation of toxic metabolites must be taken into account.

The fungal biomasses of Penicillium chrysogenum were used as raw materials to prepare the aminated adsorbent through chemical grafting of polyethylenimine (PEI) on the biomass surface. Due to the protonation of amine groups, the PEI-modified biomass was found to possess the zero point of zeta potential at pH 10.2, higher than the pristine biomass at pH 3.8. The aminated biosorbent was effective in removing anionic pentachlorophenol (PCP) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) from aqueous solution. The sorption was pH-dependent and the sorption kinetic data were well described by the pseudo-second-order model. The sorption isotherms on the aminated biosorbent conformed to the Langmuir equation, with the maximum sorption capacity of 1.23 mmol/g for PCP and 1.22 mmol/g for 2,4-D. In the presence of Cu(2+) or Pb(2+), the sorption capacities for both PCP and 2,4-D were further enhanced, attributed to the formation of surface complex. FTIR and zeta potential analysis before and after the sorption revealed that the amine groups on the biomass surface played an important role in the sorption of PCP and 2,4-D, due to the electrostatic interaction between the positive protonated amine groups and the negative PCP/2,4-D.

This study focuses on the use of non-viable Aspergillus niger biomass, for the biosorption of pentachlorophenol (PCP) from aqueous solutions. Various forms of the biomass-autoclaved and chemically conditioned, were tested for their potential in the removal of PCP from aqueous solutions. It was found that PCP removal was pH dependent; PCP removal decreased with the increase in pH for all type of biomass, except for cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) biomass. For CTAB biomass, a near complete removal of PCP was observed at all pHs. Therefore, CTAB biomass was used in further studies. PCP removal was rapid, with an equilibrium time of 2h. The rate of adsorption kinetics was well described by a pseudo-second order model. Isotherm models of the type one and two parameter models were found to fit the isotherm data. PCP biosorption was found to be exothermic in nature; the amount of PCP sorbed decreased with an increase in temperature. Desorption was carried out using deionized water, dilute HCl and dilute NaOH, and it was found that most of the PCP was irreversibly bound to the biomass. The addition of inorganic salts did not affect the removal of PCP from aqueous solutions. Among the surface functional groups present on the biomass, carboxyl, amide and hydroxyl groups seem to have played a role in PCP biosorption. It was concluded that CTAB treated biomass was an excellent adsorbent for the removal of PCP from aqueous solutions.

Coacervates made of surfactant aggregates, namely aqueous and reverse micelles and vesicles, were firstly used as solvents in single-drop microextraction (SDME) and proposed for the extraction and concentration of chlorophenols prior to liquid chromatography. The formation of coacervate drops in the needle tip of conventional microsyringes depended on the type of intermolecular forces established between the surfactant headgroups making up the supramolecular aggregates; hydrogen bond interactions were strong enough to permit the formation of spherical drops. Stability of 1-50 microL coacervate drops was achieved by introducing the microsyringe needle tip in a PTFE rod, the end of which had been machined out with a heated flanging-tool to get circular flanges (diameters in the range 3.5-6 mm). The parameters affecting the efficiency of single-drop coacervative microextraction (SDCME) were investigated using vesicular coacervates as a solvent and 2-chlorophenol (CP), 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) and pentachlorophenol (PCP) as model analytes. Coacervative microextraction dynamics fit to the general rate equation of liquid-liquid extraction. The effect of variables such as extraction time, drop volume, stirring rate, pH and temperature, on the extraction of chlorophenols was similar to that described for organic solvent drops. Electrolyte concentrations above 0.1 M caused drop instability. Under the optimum conditions, detection limits were in the range 0.1-0.3 microg L(-1). The relative standard deviation was between 4.3 and 5.6 at 20 microg L(-1) spiked level. The method was applied to the determination of the four chlorophenols in wastewater, superficial water from a reservoir and groundwater and the recoveries were in the range 79 and 106% at 5-20 microg L(-1) spiked level.

A rotating catalyst contact reactor (RCCR) was developed which consisted of palladized bacterial cellulose immobilized on acrylic discs for hydrodechlorination of pentachlorophenol (PCP). More than 99% of 40 mg L(-1) PCP was dechlorinated to phenol in the presence of hydrogen in batch mode at initial pH values of 5.5 and 6.5 within 2 h of reaction with stoichiometric release of free chloride. The rate of PCP dechlorination was found to be independent of rotational speed of discs. PCP (40 mg L(-1)) hydrodechlorination experiments were also conducted using RCCR in continuous flow mode at hydraulic retention times of 1 and 2 h. The average outlet PCP concentrations revealed that liquid phase in RCCR closely resembled that of a continuous flow complete mix reactor (CFMR). Approximately 12 and 11 L of 40 mg L(-1) PCP (pH 6.5) could be treated in RCCR with 99 and 80% efficiencies in batch and continuous flow modes, respectively without any appreciable loss of the catalytic activity. These results suggested reusability of palladized bacterial cellulose which in turn is expected to substantially reduce the cost of treatment process. Thus RCCR seems to have high potential for treatment of ground water contaminated with chlorinated organic compounds. Dried palladized bacterial cellulose has been used as a material for electrodes in a fuel cell. However, its application as a hydrodechlorination catalyst in a reactor operating under room temperature and atmospheric pressure has not been reported to the best of our knowledge. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses suggested the irreversible deposition of palladium (Pd 0) particles on the bacterial cellulose fibrils.

The removal of PCP using HRP immobilized by Fe3O4 sorption-gelatin embedding-cross linkage method as catalyzer was studied. Reaction conditions including the reacting time, different buffer systems and pH value, PCP initial concentration, HRP dosage were discussed in detail compared with free HRP. The results indicate that the equilibrium time of PCP removal reaction catalyzed by immobilized HRP is about 30 min, which is as fast as free HRP. The optimal pH for PCP removal by immobilized HRP is between 4-6, the proper pH should be more extensive than using free HRP. The highest catalyzing removal percent is 41% at pH 5. Low concentration of immobilized HRP can remove PCP effectively. PCP removal quantity increases but the removal percent decreases with the increase of initial concentration of PCP. The catalyzing removal percent goes down from 39.68% to 24.4%. Immobilized HRP can remove PCP repetitively. The catalyzing removal percent is still above 39% at 0.05 U/mL dosage of HRP when using 7 times repeatedly.

A new method for the determination of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in different foods was developed using capillary gas chromatography (GC) and microwave induced-plasma atomic emission spectrometry (MIP-AED). The analyte is first derivatized and then extracted and pre-concentrated by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) in headspace (HS) mode. A clear matrix effect was found for the different samples investigated, so that standard addition was required for quantification. Detection limits of 0.03-6.0 ng g(-1) were obtained, depending on the sample analysed. The method gave recoveries of 81-109% from spiked samples. Concentration levels of PCP ranged from 0.3 to 1.5 ng g(-1) were found in honey, but no PCP was detected in other samples.

A novel bioaugmentation scheme called immobilized-cell-augmented activated sludge (ICAAS) was developed. Offline enricher reactors were used to maintain immobilized acclimated cells applied to augment completely mixed activated sludge (CMAS) treating a pentachlorophenol (PCP) pulse loading. Cellulose triacetate (CA) and powder activated carbon (PAC) combined with CA (PAC + CA) were the two media types used for entrapping the PCP-degrading culture. With ICAAS at 5% by volume augmentation, PCP removal of 73.1 and 75.1% via biodegradation, volatilization, and adsorption onto suspended cells, entrapped cells, and media was achieved for the systems with CA and PAC + CA media, respectively, while PCP removal in a control CMAS, which had a comparable level of combined PCP adsorption onto suspended cells and volatilization as the ICAAS, was 48.7%. Results further showed that the immobilized cells retained their PCP-degrading ability when they were fed with the inducer (PCP) once every 20 days.

Three bacterial strains, including one Acinetobacter sp. PCP3, grown in the presence of minimal salt medium and pentachlorophenol (PCP) as sole carbon source in the chemostat showed higher utilization of PCP and adsorption of chromium. In sequential bioreactor, tannery effluents treated initially by bacterial consortium followed by fungus removed 90% and 67% chromium and PCP respectively, whereas in another set of bioreactor in which effluents was treated initially by fungi followed by bacteria could remove 64.7% and 58% chromium and PCP, respectively.

PCP-degrading anaerobic granular sludge could be formed in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor that was seeded with anaerobic sludge acclimated to chlorophenol. When hydraulic retention time (HRT) was 20-22 h and PCP loading rate was 200-220 mgL(-1)d(-1), the wastewater containing 170-180 mgL(-1) PCP could be treated effectively in UASB reactor, and PCP removal rate reached up to 99.5%. PCP adsorption and desorption by anaerobic granular sludge follow Freundlich isothermal equation and part of adsorption capacity was not reversible. And the isothermal equation could well describe the variation law of PCP adsorption and desorption by anaerobic granular sludge. The results indicated that the principal removal mechanism of PCP was biodegradation by anaerobic granular sludge, but not adsorption or volatilization.

The minimization of pentachlorophenol (PCP) transport in the environment driven by industrial wastewater discharges can be accomplished by sorption in natural, available and low cost by-products like pine bark. Taking into account that PCP is a chemical which behaviour is highly dominated by the surrounding features, this work intended to evaluate the sorption kinetics and equilibrium parameters according to the pH and temperature as well as the pine bark particle size. The PCP uptake by pine bark showed to be faster in the initial phase followed by a slower process, being 24 h the suitably time to reach the sorption equilibrium in the range of pH studied. The neutral PCP species showed to have higher binding capacity to pine bark than the anionic PCP, which was reflected in a decrease in the distribution coefficient (Kd) of the linear sorption isotherm with the increase of solution pH from 2 to 7. On the other hand, between 10 degrees C and 35 degrees C, the temperature does not seem to play a significant role in the PCP sorption by pine bark, while the sorbent size is a key parameter to enhance the overall process.

This study undertakes to examine, at laboratory scale, the technical feasibility, mechanisms and performances provided by coupling the enhanced flushing abilities of cyclodextrin solutions for pentachlorophenol (PCP) removal from contaminated soil with indirect electrochemical treatment for the final disposal of soil extract solutions containing high PCP loads (0.77mmolL(-1)). The hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPCD) solution increased the aqueous concentration of PCP in soil extract effluents to as much as 3.5 times the concentrations obtained during the water flush of the soil. PCP was treated with electrochemically generated Fenton's reagent in an aqueous medium. The increase in PCP water solubility in the presence of HPCD is balanced by the corresponding decrease in PCP degradation rate under indirect electrochemical treatment. This is due to the high carbon content (HPCD and dissolved natural organic matter) in the soil extract solutions, which compete for the non-selective hydroxyl radical reaction to PCP. However, our results indicate that HPCD has a beneficial effect on the degradation rates of PCP. This relative improvement in PCP degradation could be explained by the formation of the ternary complex (PCP-cyclodextrin-iron) which may direct hydroxyl reaction to PCP and which would, in any case, justify the use of a Fenton -like process for the final treatment of soil extract solutions. Total disappearance of PCP and 90% abatement of the chemical oxygen demand were achieved within an 11h electrolysis treatment time. Elucidation of the PCP degradation pathway indicates that after successive PCP hydroxylations, oxidative opening of the PCP aromatic ring quickly occurred, leading to small unstable non-chlorinated or partially chlorinated short chain carboxylic acids, such as monochloroacetic and dichloromaleic acid. Determination of the concentration of these acids shows that indirect electrochemical treatment leads to oxalic acid accumulation in aqueous solutions treated. A decrease in toxicity was observed at the end of the treatment time.

Sorbent materials consisting of organoclay immobilized onto the surface of a solid support were evaluated for use in pentachlorophenol (PCP) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) remediation of groundwater at a creosote-contaminated Superfund site. Cetylpyridinium-exchanged low pH montmorillonite clay (CP-LPHM) was bonded to either sand (CP-LPHM/sand) or granular activated carbon (GAC) (CP-LPHM/GAC) using the free acid form of carboxymethylcellulose as an adhesive. Effluent from an oil-water separator was eluted through equal bed volumes of composite (4 g 3:2 CP-LPHM/GAC or 13 g CP-LPHM/sand), affinity-extracted, and quantitatively analyzed by GC/MS. PCP, naphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene, pyrene, and total PAHs were initially reduced by both CP-LPHM/GAC (> or =99%, 61%, 99%, > or =99%, 97%, and 94%, respectively) and CP-LPHM/sand (90%, 70%, 94%, 95%, 93%, and 86%, respectively). Complete breakthrough of naphthalene occurred after approximately 15 h of elution through 3:2 CP-LPHM/GAC and 22 h through CP-LPHM/sand. PCP showed complete breakthrough following 18 h of elution through 3:2 CP-LPHM/GAC and 26 h through CP-LPHM/sand. However, 50% breakthrough was not attained for higher molecular weight PAHs, as fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, and chrysene continued to be greatly reduced with both 3:2 CP-LPHM/GAC (98%, 95%, 94%, and 95%, respectively) and CP-LPHM/sand (75%, 73%, 76%, and 78%, respectively) after 48 h of continuous elution. Results confirm prior studies, indicating that these organoclay-containing composites have a high capacity for contaminants found in wood preserving waste. Further, results suggest that the inclusion of CP-LPHM may be useful as part of an effective strategy for groundwater remediation of high concentrations of PCP and PAHs, in particular high molecular weight and carcinogenic PAHs.

A 2(5-1) fractional factorial design was conducted for the biosorption of pentachlorophenol (PCP) using Aspergillus niger biomass. Effects of several factors on the percentage removal of PCP from aqueous solutions were evaluated. These factors were as follows: type of biomass (autoclaved- chemically modified); pH (3-11); concentration (1-10 mgl(-1)); temperature (6-32 degrees C); and dissolved oxygen (2.5-20 mgl(-1)). Time of shaking (equilibrium time), volume of the solution and mass of biomass were kept constant. The results showed that type of biomass and pH had a larger impact on the removal of PCP. Concentration of PCP in the aqueous solution, temperature, and dissolved oxygen only marginally affected the removal efficiency of PCP.

Column studies were conducted to assess the suitability of a non-ionic surfactant Tergitol NP-10 (TNP10) for washing pentachlorophenol (PCP) from soil and non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). Flushing of 50 and 200 pore volumes of 5 g/L TNP10 was required to exhaust the surfactant sorption capacity of the soil and soil plus NAPL, respectively. The sorption of surfactant to the soil in the columns was four times greater than the quantity previously observed in batch tests. Flushing with 5 g/L TNP10 removed 71-79% of the 200mg/kg soil-sorbed PCP after 160 pore volumes compared to 0.7-2% PCP removal without surfactant. In columns additionally containing 0.2% and 0.4% PCP-contaminated heavy oil NAPL, the PCP removal efficiency after flushing 200 pore volumes of 5g/L TNP10 was nearly 100%. Therefore, removal of the PCP was more efficient in the NAPL-containing columns, potentially due to competition of the NAPL for PCP sorption sites. Rate-limited desorption of PCP and TNP10 likely occurred.

To investigate some basic aspects of soil remediation using biomimetic catalysts, the effects of humic substances (HSs) on the removal of xenobiotics, such as pentachlorophenol (PCP), were investigated. The use of a biomimetic catalytic system using tetra(p-sulfophenyl)porphine-iron(III) (Fe(III)-TPPS) and potassium monopersulfate (KHSO5) resulted in the disappearance of PCP, accompanied by dechlorination. In addition, this process was enhanced by the presence of several types of HSs. The degrees of enhancement (% delta(PCP)60) achieved by the presence of HSs from peat and compost soils were larger than those in the presence of other types of HSs (tropical peat, brown forest, and ando soils). In control experiments, no PCP disappearance and dechlorination were observed in the presence of only KHSO5, only Fe(III)-TPPS, or combinations of HSs and either KHSO5 or Fe(III)-TPPS. To better understand the role of added HS in enhancing or inhibiting PCP disappearance, correlations between the chemical parameters of the HSs and % delta(PCP)60 were investigated. The most effective HSs had lower carboxylic acid contents and lower degrees of unsaturation. The carboxylic acid content and degree of unsaturation increase with the extent of humification. Therefore, HSs of a lower degree of humification would be predicted to be more useful in enhancing the disappearance of PCP in an Fe(III)-TPPS/KHSO5 system.

We describe a simple method of remediating waters contaminated with pentachlorophenol (PCP), which involves filtering the water through clean soil. The filtrate is contaminant free and no PCP can be extracted from the soil. If the soil it treated with dilute acid, the filtrate is still contaminant free but 28.7% of the PCP can be extracted from the contaminated soil. Irradiating the soil with microwave energy either destroys or binds the PCP to the soil irreversibly such that none can be extracted after long periods of time.

An efficient method for extracting pentachlorophenol (PCP) from organic solid matrices and soils using direct excitation of the fresh samples by microwave energy is presented. Steam-volatile PCP partitioned into the organic solvent n-hexane within the closed extraction vessel, resulting in recovery rates of 85-92% from aged samples. Condensed water provided a boundary layer between extract and sample thus preventing any contact of PCP with and re-partitioning into the sample. Duration of the microwave-assisted process was 35 min. Crude extracts were derivatized by heptafluorobutyric anhydride (HFBA) to improve selectivity and sensitivity resulting in detection limits of 1-2 micro g kg(-1). GC-MS/MS analyses proved that suitable extracts with only minor impurities were obtained. Common sample treatment steps like drying, thorough grinding, frequent transferring, and tedious clean-up, and concentration procedures which all can cause certain losses of analyte were minimized. The efficiency of the method was verified by comparison with an established ultrasonic extraction procedure. This microwave-assisted pressurized steam distillation with simultaneous partition into an organic phase thus provides a streamlined and efficient strategy which requires no additional investment in standard equipment for microwave-assisted extractions (MAE). Degradation of analytes at longer extraction times must be taken into account.

Bioremedial treatment to remove low level organic contamination to regulatory standards has met with limited success. In this study source water from a contaminated surficial aquifer at a former wood treatment facility was used to evaluate the potential for indigenous microorganisms to degrade low level (< 1.0 mg) pentachlorophenol (PCP) to a regulatory drinking water standard of 0.001 mg/L. PCP degradation was evaluated in series of batch reactors in a two phase study to (a) determine the rate and extent of PCP removal and (b) evaluate the impact of nutrient amendment (N and P) on removal rate. All reactors with the exception of the abiotic control demonstrated PCP removal to a level < 0.002 mg/L within a maximum period of 32 d with and without nutrient amendment. A regression analysis of reactive phosphate (ortho-P) concentration versus removal rate produced an R2 of 0.94 (p = 0.006) indicating a significant correlation between the level of available phosphate and PCP degradation rate. Selective bacterial enumeration (for PCP degrading bacteria) revealed PCP-degrading bacteria increased in abundance prior to and in conjunction with the degradation phase to a density of between 10(3) to 10(4) CFU/ml. Isolates were also analyzed for total fatty acids using Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) methodology and the results indicated that PCP degrading bacteria were present in the aquifer and consisted of predominately fluorescent, oxidase positive Pseudomonas species. Overall, data indicate that autochthonous microbes are capable of removing low level PCP (< 1.0 mg/L) to approach if not reach the regulatory standard of 0.001 mg/L with the addition of oxygen, with or without nutrient amendment. Results of this research can be applied to full-scale implementation of in-situ or ex-situ bioremediation of groundwater at former wood treatment facilities.

BioTrol's pilot scale, fixed-film biological system was evaluated, under the EPA's SITE program, for its effectiveness at removing pentachlorophenol from groundwater. The demonstration was performed in the summer of 1989 at a wood preserving site in New Brighton, Minnesota. The system employs indigenous microorganisms amended with a specific pentachlorophenol-degrading bacterium. Groundwater from a well on the site was fed to the system at 1, 3, and 5 gpm with no pretreatment other than pH adjustment, nutrient addition, and temperature control. Each flowrate was maintained for about two weeks while samples were collected for extensive analyses. At 5 gpm, the system was capable of eliminating about 96 percent of the pentachlorophenol in the groundwater and producing effluent with pentachlorophenol concentrations of about 1 ppm. At the lower flows (1 and 3 gpm) removal was higher (about 99 percent) and effluent pentachlorophenol concentrations were well below 0.5 ppm. The system consistently produced a completely nontoxic effluent at all three flowrates. Review of other data provided by BioTrol indicates that the process is also effective on other hydrocarbons, including solvents and fuels. The system appears to be a compact and cost-effective treatment for contaminated wastewaters requiring minimal operating attention once acclimated.

A method is described for the determination of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in gelatin. The method employs acid and heat to hydrolyze the gelatin matrix, a base partition and wash for separation and cleanup, and a reacidification and extraction with hexane for direct determination of PCP, without preparation of a derivative, using gas chromatography (GC) with a 1% SP- 124ODA liquid phase and a 63Ni electron capture detector. Recoveries averaged 106% for fortifications between 0.02 and 1.0 ppm. The limit of quantitation is 20 ppb. The limit of detection is 4-6 ppb. The method, which has undergone a successful intralaboratory trial, is simple and rapid, and requires only general laboratory reagents and equipment. GC of the acetate derivative of PCP is used for confirmation of identity.