Photocatalytic treatment of organoselenium in synthetic mine-impacted effluents

Biological selenium reduction processes are commonly employed as the best available technology (BAT) for selenium removal; however, as a by-product they produce trace amounts of organoselenium compounds with orders of magnitude greater bioaccumulation potential and toxicity. Here, we assessed buoyan...

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Main Authors: Jeffrey Thomas Martin, Tia Chai, Timothy Michael Carter Leshuk, Zachary William Young, Frank Gu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IWA Publishing 2023-03-01
Series:Water Science and Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://wst.iwaponline.com/content/87/5/1250
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author Jeffrey Thomas Martin
Tia Chai
Timothy Michael Carter Leshuk
Zachary William Young
Frank Gu
author_facet Jeffrey Thomas Martin
Tia Chai
Timothy Michael Carter Leshuk
Zachary William Young
Frank Gu
author_sort Jeffrey Thomas Martin
collection DOAJ
description Biological selenium reduction processes are commonly employed as the best available technology (BAT) for selenium removal; however, as a by-product they produce trace amounts of organoselenium compounds with orders of magnitude greater bioaccumulation potential and toxicity. Here, we assessed buoyant photocatalysts (BPCs) as a potential passive advanced oxidation process (P-AOP) for organoselenium treatment. Using a synthetic mine-impacted water solution, spiked with selenomethionine (96 μg/L) as a representative organoselenium compound, photocatalysis with BPCs fully eliminated selenomethionine to <0.01 μg/L with conversion to selenite and selenate. A theoretical reaction pathway was inferred, and a kinetics model developed to describe the treatment trends and intermediates. Given the known toxic responses of Lepomis macrochirus and Daphnia magna to organoselenium, it was estimated that photocatalysis could effectively eliminate organoselenium acute toxicity within a UV dose of 8 kJ/L (1–2 days solar equivalent exposure), by transformation of selenomethionine to less hazardous oxidized Se species. Solar photocatalysis may therefore be a promising passive treatment technology for selenium-impacted mine water management. HIGHLIGHTS Buoyant photocatalysts (as a passive advanced oxidation process) used to treat selenomethionine (SeMet), a bioavailable by-product from biological Se treatment, in synthetic mine-impacted water, to below <0.01 ppb.; A treatment pathway for SeMet oxidation to Se(IV) and Se(VI) proposed from Se speciation data.; Solar dose of 1–2 days estimated to remove acute toxicity to Lepomis macrochirus and Daphnia magna.;
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spelling doaj.art-6e4e436994794591b2bd5a78527c70332023-04-07T15:43:04ZengIWA PublishingWater Science and Technology0273-12231996-97322023-03-018751250125810.2166/wst.2023.037037Photocatalytic treatment of organoselenium in synthetic mine-impacted effluentsJeffrey Thomas Martin0Tia Chai1Timothy Michael Carter Leshuk2Zachary William Young3Frank Gu4 H2nanO Inc., Kitchener, ON N2G 1H6, Canada H2nanO Inc., Kitchener, ON N2G 1H6, Canada H2nanO Inc., Kitchener, ON N2G 1H6, Canada H2nanO Inc., Kitchener, ON N2G 1H6, Canada H2nanO Inc., Kitchener, ON N2G 1H6, Canada Biological selenium reduction processes are commonly employed as the best available technology (BAT) for selenium removal; however, as a by-product they produce trace amounts of organoselenium compounds with orders of magnitude greater bioaccumulation potential and toxicity. Here, we assessed buoyant photocatalysts (BPCs) as a potential passive advanced oxidation process (P-AOP) for organoselenium treatment. Using a synthetic mine-impacted water solution, spiked with selenomethionine (96 μg/L) as a representative organoselenium compound, photocatalysis with BPCs fully eliminated selenomethionine to <0.01 μg/L with conversion to selenite and selenate. A theoretical reaction pathway was inferred, and a kinetics model developed to describe the treatment trends and intermediates. Given the known toxic responses of Lepomis macrochirus and Daphnia magna to organoselenium, it was estimated that photocatalysis could effectively eliminate organoselenium acute toxicity within a UV dose of 8 kJ/L (1–2 days solar equivalent exposure), by transformation of selenomethionine to less hazardous oxidized Se species. Solar photocatalysis may therefore be a promising passive treatment technology for selenium-impacted mine water management. HIGHLIGHTS Buoyant photocatalysts (as a passive advanced oxidation process) used to treat selenomethionine (SeMet), a bioavailable by-product from biological Se treatment, in synthetic mine-impacted water, to below <0.01 ppb.; A treatment pathway for SeMet oxidation to Se(IV) and Se(VI) proposed from Se speciation data.; Solar dose of 1–2 days estimated to remove acute toxicity to Lepomis macrochirus and Daphnia magna.;http://wst.iwaponline.com/content/87/5/1250organoseleniumpassive treatmentphotocatalysisseleniumselenomethionine
spellingShingle Jeffrey Thomas Martin
Tia Chai
Timothy Michael Carter Leshuk
Zachary William Young
Frank Gu
Photocatalytic treatment of organoselenium in synthetic mine-impacted effluents
Water Science and Technology
organoselenium
passive treatment
photocatalysis
selenium
selenomethionine
title Photocatalytic treatment of organoselenium in synthetic mine-impacted effluents
title_full Photocatalytic treatment of organoselenium in synthetic mine-impacted effluents
title_fullStr Photocatalytic treatment of organoselenium in synthetic mine-impacted effluents
title_full_unstemmed Photocatalytic treatment of organoselenium in synthetic mine-impacted effluents
title_short Photocatalytic treatment of organoselenium in synthetic mine-impacted effluents
title_sort photocatalytic treatment of organoselenium in synthetic mine impacted effluents
topic organoselenium
passive treatment
photocatalysis
selenium
selenomethionine
url http://wst.iwaponline.com/content/87/5/1250
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AT tiachai photocatalytictreatmentoforganoseleniuminsyntheticmineimpactedeffluents
AT timothymichaelcarterleshuk photocatalytictreatmentoforganoseleniuminsyntheticmineimpactedeffluents
AT zacharywilliamyoung photocatalytictreatmentoforganoseleniuminsyntheticmineimpactedeffluents
AT frankgu photocatalytictreatmentoforganoseleniuminsyntheticmineimpactedeffluents