The reactions of glutathione (GSH) with polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) quinones having different degrees of chlorination on the quinone ring were examined. EPR spectroscopy and MS revealed 2 types of reactions yielding different products: (i) a nonenzymatic, nucleophilic displacement of chlorine on the quinone ring yielding a glutathiylated conjugated quinone and (ii) Michael addition of GSH to...

Disinfection of drinking water is commonly carried out by chlorination, however research has shown this method to be ineffective against certain rotozoan, viral and biofilm forming microorganisms. Furthermore, chlorination can result in the formation of mutagenic disinfection by-products. emiconductor photocatalysis may be a possible alternative to chlorination for point-of-use drinking water d...

A retrospective epidemiological study in The Netherlands showed a statistical association between chlorination by-products in drinking water and cancer of the esophagus and stomach for males. A pilot-plant study with alternative disinfectants was carried out with stored water of the Rivers Rhine and Meuse. It was demonstrated that the increase of direct acting mutagens after treatment with chlo...

Hypochlorous acid and simple chloramines (RNHCl) are stable biologically derived chlorinating agents. In general, the chlorination potential of HOCl is much greater than that of RNHCl, allowing it to oxidize or chlorinate a much wider variety of reaction partners. However, in this study we demonstrate by kinetic analysis that the reactivity of RNHCl can be dramatically promoted by imidazole and...

Dissolved natural organic matter (DOM), particularly the low molecular weight DOM, can affect the performance of water treatment processes and serve as a main precursor of disinfection by-products (DBPs) during chlorination. In this study, electrospray ionization coupled to Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI FT-ICR MS) was used to characterize the low molecular wei...

The deterioration of water quality, especially organic pollution in Tai Lake and the Qiantang River, have recently received attention in China. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the formation of halonitromethanes (HNMs) using multiple regression models for chlorination and chloramination and to identify the key factors that influence the formation of HNMs in Tai Lake and the Qiantan...

The poor performance of hydrogen storage materials continues to hinder development of fuel cell-powered automobiles. Nanoscale carbons, in particular (activated carbon, exfoliated graphite, fullerenes, nanotubes, nanofibers, and nanohorns), have not fulfilled their initial promise. Here we show that carbon materials can be rationally designed for H2 storage. Carbide-derived carbons (CDC), a lar...

This study addressed the antifouling efficiency of commercially available chlorine at different concentrations (0.5%, 1%, and 2%) and exposure times (0.5 min, 1 min, 5 min, and 15 min). The rapid and non-destructive FIRe (fluorescence induction and relaxation) technique was used to evaluate the effects of the biocide on diatom dominated biofilms. The efficiency of chlorine in removing diatoms f...