Photoprotective activity of Buddleja scordioides.

The purpose of this study was to determine the photoprotective properties of the methanolic extract of Buddleja scordioides, as well as verbascoside and linarin which were isolated from this extract, and linarin acetate prepared in the laboratory. The photoprotective effect of substances against UV-B induced cellular death was evaluated by challenge experiments using Escherichia coli. Verbascoside and linarin acetate showed the highest protection. The sun protection factor (SPF) of the methanolic extract, linarin, linarin acetate, and verbascoside was evaluated by guinea pig bioassays. Verbascoside showed the largest SPF measurement.

Degradation of p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid by photoassisted Fenton reaction.

The chemical decomposition of p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, a phenolic pollutant present in agro-industrial plant effluents, has been investigated by means of the Fenton's reaction and the photoassisted Fenton's reaction, the so-called photo-Fenton system. The degradation levels achieved have been compared to those obtained by applying other Advanced Oxidation Processes, such as the combination UV/H2O2. The optimum pH to carry out the decomposition of this organic compound by either Fenton or photo-Fenton systems was found to be pH = 3. The presence of buffers such as phosphate impedes these processes due to the formation of ferric complexes. A reaction mechanism, which allows calculating the contribution of the radical reaction to the global process, has been proposed. According to this mechanism, the dominant way of degradation of p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid is through its reaction with the OH radicals originated in the photolysis of H2O2 and, especially, in the Fenton's reaction.

The role of hydroxyl radicals for the decomposition of p-hydroxy phenylacetic acid in aqueous solutions.

The chemical decomposition of p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, a priority phenolic pollutant present in wastewaters from some agro-industrial plants, is studied by means of a single photochemical process produced by a polychromatic UV radiation and by hydroxyl radicals generated by the combination of UV radiation plus hydrogen peroxide and by the Fenton's reagent (hydrogen peroxide plus ferrous salts). Batch experiments were conducted to establish the degradation levels obtained and the quantum yields in the single photodecomposition process. An improvement in the decomposition of the phenolic acid in the combined UV/H2O2 oxidation is observed, due to the generation of OH radicals, and the contribution of the radical reaction to the global process is determined. In the Fenton's reagent oxidation, the effects of the operating variables (H2O2 and Fe2+ initial concentrations, pH, type of buffer used) are established and the rate constant for the reaction of p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid with OH radicals is evaluated from a kinetic model, its value being 7.02 x 10(8) M-1 s-1 at 20 degrees C.

Rate constants for the reactions of ozone with chlorophenols in aqueous solutions.

The oxidation by ozone of several chlorophenols (CPs): 4-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, 2,3,4, 6-tetrachlorophenol, tetracholorocatechol (3,4,5, 6-tetrachloro-2-hydroxy phenol) and 4-chloroguaiacol (4-chloro-2-methoxy phenol), is studied in order to provide values of the overall rate constant for the reaction between ozone and these chlorophenols. Single ozonation experiments of 4-chlorophenol were conducted in an homogeneous system, and ozonation reactions of CP mixtures were performed in a heterogeneous system, leading to the evaluation of the overall ozonation rate constants in acidic aqueous solutions. These second order rate constants increase several order of magnitude with the pH as does the degree of deprotonation of the dissolved compounds (i.e. from 10(3) to 10(9)l/(mols) for different CPs). The specific rate constants for the ozonation of the non-dissociated and dissociated forms of the studied CPs are also determined and reported. The values obtained allow calculation of the overall rate constants and prediction of the reactivities of the several CPs at different operating conditions in the whole range of pH.

Contribution of free radicals to chlorophenols decomposition by several advanced oxidation processes.

The chemical decomposition of aqueous solutions of various chlorophenols (4-chlorophenol (4-CP), 2,4-dichlorophenol (2-DCP), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) and 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol (2,3,4,6-TeCP)), which are environmental priority pollutants, is studied by means of single oxidants (hydrogen peroxide, UV radiation, Fenton's reagent and ozone at pH 2 and 9), and by the Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) constituted by combinations of these oxidants (UV/H2O2 UV/Fenton's reagent and O3/UV). For all these reactions the degradation rates are evaluated by determining their first-order rate constants and the half-life times. Ozone is more reactive with higher substituted CPs while OH* radicals react faster with those chlorophenols having lower number of chlorine atoms. The improvement in the decomposition levels reached by the combined processes, due to the generation of the very reactive hydroxyl radicals. in relation to the single oxidants is clearly demonstrated and evaluated by kinetic modeling.

Kinetics of p-hydroxybenzoic acid photodecomposition and ozonation in a batch reactor.

The decomposition of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, an important pollutant present in the wastewaters of the olive oil industry, has been carried out by a direct photolysis provided by a polychromatic UV radiation source, and by ozone. In both processes, the conversions obtained as a function of the operating variables (temperature, pH and ozone partial pressure in the ozonation process) are reported. In order to evaluate the radiation flow rate absorbed by the solutions in the photochemical process, the Line Source Spherical Emission Model is used. The application of this model to the experimental results provides the determination of the reaction quantum yields which values ranged between 8.62 and 81.43 l/einstein. In the ozonation process, the film theory allows to establish that the absorption process takes place in the fast and pseudo-first-order regime and the reaction is overall second-order, first-order with respect to both reactants, ozone and p-hydroxybenzoic acid. The rate constants are evaluated and vary between 0.18x10(5) and 29.9x10(5) l/mol s depending on the temperature and pH.