Chemical behaviors and toxic effects of ametryn during the UV/chlorine process. (February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Weiwei; Tang, Yankui; Liu, Lu; Peng, Xiaoyu; Zhong, Yaxuan; Chen, Yunong; Huang, Yinfeng
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 240(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-02
• Subjects: Ametryn -- Degradation -- UV/Chlorine process -- Reactive chlorine species -- Disinfection by-products -- Acute toxicity; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124941
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Ametryn (AMT), one of the most widely used herbicides in agriculture, has been frequently detected as a micropollutant in many aquatic environments. AMT residue not only pollutes water but also acts as a precursor for the production of disinfection by-products (DBPs). This study systematically investigated the fate of AMT during the UV/chlorine process. It was observed that the combination of UV irradiation and chlorination degraded AMT synergistically. The results of the radical quenching experiments suggested that AMT degradation by the UV/chlorine process involved the participation of UV photolysis, hydroxyl radical (OH) reactions, and reactive chlorine species (RCS) reactions, which accounted for 45.4%, 36.4%, and 14.5% of the degradation, respectively. Moreover, we found that Cl– 2 was an important reactive radical for AMT degradation. The chlorine dose, pH, coexisting anions (Cl − and HCO3 − ), and natural organic matter (NOM) were found to affect AMT degradation during the UV/chlorine process. Nineteen predominant intermediates/products of AMT degradation during UV/chlorine process were identified, including atrazine. Moreover, the corresponding transformation pathways were proposed, including electron transfer, bond cleavage (C–S, C–N), radical (OH, Cl and Cl– 2) reactions, and subsequent hydroxylation. The toxicity tests with Vibrio fischeri on AMT degradation suggested that more DBPs were generated by UV/chlorine-treated AMT, which possessed higher acute toxicity than AMT did. Although the UV/chlorine process evidently promoted the AMT degradation, optimization of process parameters may reduce the DBP production and merits further investigation. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: UV and chlorination degraded AMT synergistically via the UV/chlorine process. OH and RCS contributed 36.4% and 14.5%, respectively, to AMT degradation. In addition to primary radicals (OH and Cl), Cl– 2 played an important role. DBPs formed by UV/chlorine process showed higher toxicity than the parent AMT. Atrazine (a main DBP) was produced in 20 min; thereafter it degraded completely.