Photodegradation of organic pollutants on the spruce needle wax surface under laboratory conditions

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2004-12, Vol.57 (10), p.1399-1407
• Main Authors: Dolinová, Jindřiška, Klánová, Jana, Klán, Petr, Holoubek, Ivan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - chemistry; air pollution; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; atmospheric deposition; Biological and medical sciences; conifer needles; DDT; DDT (pesticide); Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on plants and fungi; epicuticular wax; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Models, Chemical; Monochlorophenol; Organic Chemicals - chemistry; organochlorine compounds; Paraffin; Paraffin - chemistry; PCBs; Photochemistry; Photolysis; Picea; Picea - chemistry; Plant Leaves - chemistry; polychlorinated biphenyls; Spruce wax; Time Factors; Ultraviolet Rays
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2004.09.009

The photochemistry of selected organic compounds, including common pollutants, on the paraffin (as a model matrix) and spruce wax surfaces was studied under laboratory conditions. Two model transformations were evaluated: (1) intramolecular rearrangements of valerophenone and 2-nitrobenzaldehyde, and (2) hydrogen abstraction between an excited benzophenone and the hydrocarbon paraffin/wax chains. The steric or polar influence of the solid matrix on conformational and translational motion, its optical properties, hydrogen abstraction probabilities, and consequences of the guest-molecule segregation are discussed in this work. Furthermore, the photochemical reactivity of some common anthropogenic pollutants, such as chlorinated biphenyls (4-chlorobiphenyl, 2,4-dichlorobiphenyl, and 4,4′-dichlorobiphenyl), 4-chlorophenol, and DDT, was evaluated. The surface of spruce wax is presented as probable reaction medium for photochemical transformations. Although the matrix presents certain restrictions for bimolecular reactions, common photodegradations should be generally feasible in nature. In addition, paraffin was found to be a suitable model matrix for the studies of possible photochemical transformations that can occur on natural plant surfaces.