title: Aqueous photodegradation and toxicity of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons fluorene, dibenzofuran, and dibenzothiophene.
abstract: Decay kinetics resulting from the application of UV and UV/H(2)O(2) to the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) fluorene, dibenzofuran and dibenzothiophene was studied. Batch experiments were conducted with both low-pressure monochromatic (253.7nm) and medium pressure polychromatic (200-300nm) UV sources alone or in the presence of up to 25mg/L hydrogen peroxide, in a quasi-collimated beam apparatus. Degradation of all three PAHs, by both UV and UV/H(2)O(2), exhibited pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics and low quantum yields ranging from 1.4x10(-3) to 1.8x10(-2)mol/E using both UV lamps. Toxicity testing using a bioluminesence inhibition bioassay was correlated to the decay in concentration of the PAHs as analyzed analytically using HPLC. Results demonstrated that treatment efficacy of oxidative PAH degradation measured by following the decay of the target compound is best complemented by also evaluating the toxicity of the treated water due to byproduct formation concerns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, 121 Hudson Hall Engineering Building, Box 90287, Durham, NC 27708-0287, USA. shilla@duke.edu
authors.forename: Hilla
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shemer
authors.forename: Karl G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Linden
mesh_terms: D048908:Aliivibrio fischeri / Q000378:metabolism; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000633:toxicity; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000633:toxicity; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000633:toxicity; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D010782:Photolysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000633:toxicity*; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000633:toxicity; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D002273:Carcinogens; D005449:Fluorenes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D013876:Thiophenes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C041509:fluorene; C023614:dibenzofuran; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; C016366:dibenzothiophene