Biochars intended for water filtration: A comparative study with activated carbons of their physicochemical properties and removal efficiency towards neutral and anionic organic pollutants.

Seven biochars (BCs) obtained from pyrolysis or gasification of different vegetal feedstocks were thoroughly characterized in comparison with three commercial activated carbons (ACs) routinely used in drinking water treatment plants. BCs and ACs characterization included the determinations of ash, iodine and methylene blue adsorption indexes, and the release of metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which were performed according to international standards applied for adsorption media to be used in drinking waters. Total specific surface area, micropore and mesopore specific surface area, pH of the point of zero charge, and the release of polychlorinated biphenyls were also determined in all chars.

Occurrence and Human Health Risk Assessment of Pharmaceuticals and Hormones in Drinking Water Sources in the Metropolitan Area of Turin in Italy.

Pharmaceuticals and hormones (PhACs) enter the aquatic environment in multiple ways, posing potential adverse effects on non-target organisms. They have been widely detected in drinking water sources, challenging water companies to reassure good quality drinking water. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of sixteen PhACs in both raw and treated drinking water sources in the Metropolitan Area of Turin-where Società Metropolitana Acque Torino (SMAT) is the company in charge of the water cycle management-and evaluate the potential human health risks associated to these compounds.

PFAS Degradation in Ultrapure and Groundwater Using Non-Thermal Plasma.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represent one of the most recalcitrant class of compounds of emerging concern and their removal from water is a challenging goal. In this study, we investigated the removal efficiency of three selected PFAS from water, namely, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and pefluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) using a custom-built non-thermal plasma generator. A modified full factorial design (with 2 levels, 3 variables and the central point in which both quadratic terms and interactions between couple of variables were considered) was used to investigate the effect of plasma discharge frequency, distance between the electrodes and water conductivity on treatment efficiency.

Effect of UV-A, UV-B and UV-C irradiation of glyphosate on photolysis and mitigation of aquatic toxicity.

The active herbicide ingredient glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] is frequently detected as a contaminant in groundwater and surface waters. This study investigated effects of UV-A (365 nm), UV-B (302 nm) and UV-C (254 nm) irradiation of glyphosate in water on photolysis and toxicity to aquatic organisms from different trophic levels. A test battery with bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Aliivibrio fischeri), a green microalga (Raphidocelis subcapitata), and a crustacean (Daphnia magna) was used to assess biological effect of glyphosate and bioactive transformation products before and after UV irradiation (4.

Insights into Interfacial Water Structuring at the Nafion Surface by -Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

-weighted magnetic resonance images of water in the surroundings of a Nafion surface allowed the identification of the presence of a low-mobility zone (LMZ), 60 μm thick, consisting of water molecules structured in a hydrogen-bonding network, promoted by the presence of the acidic protons on the surface of the sulphonated polymer. In parallel, the exclusion zone (EZ) was assessed by observing in optical microscopy the distribution of microspheres suspended in the medium in contact with the Nafion membrane. It was found that the LMZ and the EZ do not correspond: in fact, the former is thinner and more stable over time than the latter and they behave differently when ions are present in the medium in which Nafion is immersed.

Towards the revision of the drinking water directive 98/83/EC. Development of a direct injection ion chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric method for the monitoring of fifteen common and emerging disinfection by-products along the drinking water supply chain.

According to the recent proposal released by the European Commission for the revision of the 98/83/EC Directive, water suppliers will be requested to monitor the nine bromine- and chlorine congeners of haloacetic acids, HAAs, as well as the oxyhalides chlorite and chlorate, as disinfection by-products (DBPs) originated during the potabilization process. In this work, we propose a direct-injection method based on ion chromatography and mass spectrometric detection for the determination of the mentioned DBPs as well as bromate (already included in the 98/83/EC), implemented also for the following emerging HAAs monoiodo-, chloroiodo- and diiodo-acetic acids. The method was optimized to include the fifteen compounds in the same analytical run, tuning the chromatographic (column and gradient) and detection conditions (suppression current, transitions, RF lens settings and collision energies).