Biotoxicity of Water-Soluble UV Photodegradation Products for 10 Typical Gaseous VOCs

Zhuqiu Sun, In-Sun Kang, Qianyuan Wu, Jinying Xi and Hongying Hu
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Zhuqiu Sun: Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
In-Sun Kang: Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Qianyuan Wu: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
Jinying Xi: Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Hongying Hu: Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-10

Abstract: Ultraviolet (UV) photodegradation is increasingly applied to control volatile organic compounds (VOCs) due to its degradation capabilities for recalcitrant compounds. However, sometimes the UV photodegradation products are also toxic and can affect human health. Here, 10 VOCs at 150~200 ppm in air were treated using a laboratory-scale UV reactor with 185/254 nm irradiation, and the biotoxicity of their off-gas was studied by investigating their off-gas absorption solutions. The CO 2 increase and VOC decrease were 39~128 ppm and 0~42 ppm, respectively, indicating that the VOCs and their products were mineralized in off-gas absorption solutions. The total organic carbon (TOC) of the absorption solutions are 4~20 mg∙L −1 . Luminescent bacteria and Daphnia magna were used to detect the acute toxicity, and an umu assay was used to determine the genotoxic potential. Trichloroethylene showed a highest toxicity to luminescent bacteria, while chlorobenzene had the lowest toxicity. Water-soluble UV photodegradation products for styrene are very toxic to Daphnia magna . In the umu assay, the genotoxicities of off-gas absorption solutions of trichloroethylene, methylbenzene, ethyl acetate, butyl alcohol, and styrene were 51.26, 77.80, 86.89, 97.20, and 273.62 mg (4-NQO)·L −1 respectively. In addition, the analysis of the genotoxicity/TOC and intermediates products indicated that the off-gas absorption solutions of styrene, trichloroethylene, and butyl alcohol contain many highly toxic substances.

Keywords: VOCs; UV photodegradation; biotoxicity; luminescent bacteria; Daphnia magna (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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