Acute toxicity formation potential of benzophenone-type UV filters in chlorination disinfection process

• Published in: Journal of environmental sciences (China) Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 440 - 447
• Main Authors: Liu, Qi, Chen, Zhenbin, Wei, Dongbin, Du, Yuguo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.02.2014
• Subjects: acute toxicity formation potential; benzophenones; Benzophenones - chemistry; Benzophenones - toxicity; Chlorination; Disinfection; Halogenation; Photobacterium; photobacterium assay; Toxicity Tests, Acute; Ultraviolet Rays; UV filters; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; 二苯甲酮; 加氯; 急性毒性; 氯化处理; 水处理过程; 消毒过程; 紫外线; 过滤器; acute toxicity formation potential; benzophenones; photobacterium assay; UV filters; Chlorination
• ISSN: 1001-0742; 1878-7320
• DOI: 10.1016/S1001-0742(13)60411-8

Benzophenones （BPs） are a class of widely used UV filters, which have been frequently detected within multiple environmental matrices. Disinfection is a necessary process in water treatment processes. The transformation behaviors and toxicity changes of 14 BP-type UV filters during chlorination disinfection treatment were investigated in this study. A new index, the acute toxicity formation potential, was proposed to evaluate the toxicity changes and potential risks of BP-type UV filters during chlorination treatment. It was found that 13 of 14 BP-type UV filters exhibited toxicity decreases in the chlorination disinfection process, more or less, while one showed a toxicity increase. The toxicity changes were dependent on substitution effects, such that 2,4-di-hydroxylated or 3-hydroxylated BPs exhibited significant toxicity decreases after chlorination treatment due to the ready cleavage of the aromatic ring. Importantly, the acute toxicity changes could be duplicated in an ambient water matrix.