Progesterone potentially degrades to potent androgens in surface waters.

Progesterone is a natural hormone, excreted in higher concentrations than estrogens, and has been detected in the aqueous environment. As with other compounds, it is transformed during wastewater treatment processes and in the environment. However, minor modifications to the structure may result in transformation products which still exhibit biological activity, so understanding what transformation products are formed is of importance. The current study was undertaken to identify putative transformation products resulting from spiking river waterwith progesterone in a laboratory-based degradation study and hence to followthe metabolic breakdown pathways. On the basis of literature reports and predictions from the EAWAG Bio catalysis/biodegradation database, target putative transformation productswere initially monitored under unit resolution mass spectrometry. The identity of these transformation products was confirmed by using accurate-mass quadrupole time-offlight. The study results highlight that transformation of progesterone can potentially create other classes of steroids, some of which may still be potent, and possess other types of biological activity.Jasper Ojoghoro is grateful to the Nigeria Tertiary Education Trust Funds (TETF), (DELSU/CRIP/TET/012) for providing the funding for this study

Effect of the surface functionalization of a waste-derived activated carbon on pharmaceuticals' adsorption from water

The functionalization of a paper mill sludge-based activated carbon (AC) was addressed in this work for the first time. Four different procedures have been accomplished in order to introduce amine functional groups (AC-NH2 and AC-APTES), thiol functional groups (AC-MPTMS), and a covalent organic polymer (AC-COP) onto the AC surface. The materials were characterized showing that the functionalization was succeeded, with a reduction of the specific surface area (SBET), except for AC-MPTMS. The produced ACs were tested for the removal of six pharmaceuticals - carbamazepine (CBZ), lorazepam (LOR), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), piroxicam (PIR), paroxetine (PAR), and venlafaxine (VEN) - from different matrices (ultrapure water, ultrapure water with pH adjusted to 7.6, and effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)). The results indicated textural parameters, SBET, micropore area and micropore volume, as the main factors influencing the adsorption, except for AC-NH2 which showed a great specificity for PAR and VEN. Also, AC-MPTMS presented a high removal percentage of the antibiotic SMX in wastewater. Overall, AC-MPTMS and AC-APTES provided, respectively, the best and the poorest adsorptive performance. Although the functionalization did not result in the enhancement of pharmaceuticals’ adsorption as compared with the parent AC, the selectivity for some pharmaceuticals was highly improved.publishe

Nutrients increase epiphyte loads: broad-scale observations and an experimental assessment

The original publication can be found at www.springerlink.comThere is a global trend towards elevated nutrients in coastal waters, especially on human-dominated coasts. We assessed local- to regional-scale relationships between the abundance of epiphytic algae on kelp ( Ecklonia radiata) and nutrient concentrations across much of the temperate coast of Australia, thus assessing the spatial scales over which nutrients may affect benthic assemblages. We tested the hypotheses that (1) percentage cover of epiphytic algae would be greater in areas with higher water nutrient concentrations, and (2) that an experimental enhancement of nutrient concentrations on an oligotrophic coast, to match more eutrophic coasts, would cause an increase in percentage cover of epiphytic algae to match those in more nutrient rich waters. Percentage cover of epiphytes was most extensive around the coast of Sydney, the study location with the greatest concentration of coastal chlorophyll a (a proxy for water nutrient concentration). Elevation of nitrate concentrations at a South Australian location caused an increase in percentage cover of epiphytes that was comparable to percentage covers observed around Sydney’s coastline. This result was achieved despite our inability to match nutrient concentrations observed around Sydney (<5% of Sydney concentrations), suggesting that increases to nutrient concentrations may have disproportionately larger effects in oligotrophic waters.Bayden D. Russell, Travis S. Elsdon Bronwyn M. Gillanders and Sean D. Connel

Effect of field exposure to 38-year-old residual petroleum hydrocarbons on growth, condition index, and filtration rate of the ribbed mussel, Geukensia demissa

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2007. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Environmental Pollution 154 (2008): 312-319, doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2007.10.008.In September 1969, the Florida barge spilled 700,000 L of No. 2 fuel oil into the salt marsh sediments of Wild Harbor, MA. Today a substantial amount, approximately 100 kg, of moderately degraded petroleum remains within the sediment and along eroding creek banks. The ribbed mussels, Geukensia demissa, which inhabit the salt marsh creek bank, are exposed to the spilled oil. Examination of short-term exposure was done with transplantation of G. demissa from a control site, Great Sippewissett marsh, into Wild Harbor. We examined the effects of long-term exposure with transplantation of mussels from Wild Harbor into Great Sippewissett. Both the short- and long-term exposure transplants exhibited slower growth rates, shorter mean shell lengths, lower condition indices, and decreased filtration rates. Our results add new knowledge about long-term consequences of spilled oil, a dimension that should be included when assessing oil-impacted areas and developing management plans designed to restore, rehabilitate, or replace impacted areas.This work is the result of research sponsored by NOAA National Sea Grant College Program Office, Department of Commerce, under Grant No. NA16RG2273, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant Project No. R/P-73. Additional support was provided by funding from the NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates program, award 0453292, an Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award (N00014-04-01-0029) to C. Reddy

Adsorption coupled photocatalytic degradation of dichlorvos using LaNiMnO6 perovskite nanoparticles supported on polypropylene filter cloth and carboxymethyl cellulose microspheres

Increasing pesticide application and improper wastewater disposal methods contaminate water resources and severely affect the ecology as well as environment. The present study is focused on the adsorption coupled photocatalytic degradation of dichlorvos using UV light in presence of LaNiMnO6 perovskite nanoparticles (Prv) supported on polypropylene filter cloth (PPPrv) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMCPrv) microspheres. The synthesized LaNiMnO6 perovskite nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, SEM and EDX. The adsorption percentage of DCV followed the order: CMCPrv (62.7%) > PPPrv (46.1%) > Prv (32.6%). Equilibrium studies suggested the heterogenous mode of adsorption. Pseudo-first order exhibited the good linearity indicating the involvement of physical forces. Thermodynamics showed an endothermic and spontaneous nature of adsorption. The influences of various photocatalytic parameters viz., pH, irradiation time, initial DCV concentration, Prv loading and catalyst dosage on DCV degradation were investigated. Ex situ studies conducted for 8 h of sunlight exposure showed complete degradation of DCV present in industrial wastewater which was confirmed by GC-MS analysis. The advantage of CMCPrv as supported catalyst is the easy separation and reuse for four cycles. The present work is the first report that signifies the potential efficacy of CMCPrv to serve as an effective remedial agent for DCV removal from contaminated water