title: Pesticides water decontamination in oxygen-limited conditions.
abstract: This study was undertaken to develop a laboratory bioreactor, with a functioning principle similar with that of biobed systems but working in oxygen-limited conditions, suitable for decontaminating wastewater mixtures with pesticides. The system is composed by two cylindrical plastic containers. The first one, where the pesticides solution is collected, is open, whereas the second one, where the biomass is disposed, is closed. The pesticides solution was pumped at the biomass surface and subsequently recollected and disposed in the first container. Four pesticides with different physical-chemical characteristics were tested. The results obtained showed a relatively good capacity of the developed prototype to decontaminate waste water containing the mixture of pesticides. The time of the experiment, the number of cycles that the solution made in the system and the environmental temperature have a significantly influence for the decontamination of acetochlor and chlorpyrifos whereas for the decontamination of terbuthylazine and metalaxyl no significant influence was observed. Even if the present prototype could represent a valid solution to manage the water pesticides residues in a farm and to increase the confidence of bystanders and residents, the practical difficulties when replacing the biomass could represent a limit of the system.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Chimica Agraria ed Ambientale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza, Italy. nicoleta.suciu@unicatt.it
authors.forename: Nicoleta Alina
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Suciu
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vasileiadis
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merli
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Capri
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trevisan
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D003666:Decontamination / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D010575:Pesticides / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010100:Oxygen