Novel Techniques for Pesticide Removal and Degradation from Drinking Water: A Comparative Study

1. Novel Techniques for Pesticide Removal and Degradation from Drinking Water: A Comparative Study Nora Engels J. Tobin, I. Marison, M. Oelgemoeller , A. Morrissey

2. Project Summary • Removal of 5 chlorinated pesticides from drinking water using 3 different techniques • Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) • Microencapsulation Technology • Photocatalysis Start date: 20th October 2008 End date: 30th September 2011

3. Objectives • Granular Activated Carbon • Characterise adsorption of single and multiple pesticides • Study to determine why GAC periodically fails • Effects of Natural Organic Materials (NOMs) on adsorption GAC GAC surface

4. Objectives Hydrophilic membrane Liquid organic core • Microcapsules • Selecting materials for the microcapsules • Optimising physical properties such as size, porosity and mechanical strength • Producing the microcapsules • Testing extraction capabilities A selection of microcapsules

5. Objectives • Photocatalysis • Direct photolysis (no catalyst) investigation • Adsorption of pesticide onto TiO2 • Degradation experiments Enviolet tandem reactor Immersion well Rayonet

6. Potential Benefits Activated Carbon Microcapsules Photocatalysis • efficient add-on • low cost • reduced sludge disposal costs • potential utilisation of natural energy • improved operation and design protocols • cheaper to use than AC • reduced solvent usage • energy savings

7. Water Monitoring ROI [1,2,3] Drinking water standard is >0.1μg/L

8. Water Monitoring NI [4,5,6] Drinking water standard is >0.1μg/L

9. Target Pesticides

10. HPLC Detection • Isocratic HPLC method developed • Developed for transfer to LC-MS-MS – Higher sensitivity

11. Trichlopyr - HPLC 6 repeat injections %CV: 0.15 HPLC Standard Curve at 296nm Standards 2-10mg/L

12. MCPA -HPLC 6 repeat injections %CV: 0.80 HPLC Standard Curve at 279nm Standards 2-10mg/L

13. Dichlorprop -HPLC 6 repeat injections %CV: 0.50 HPLC Standard Curve at 285nm %CV: 0.50 Standards 2-10mg/L

14. MCPP -HPLC 6 repeat injections %CV: 1.51 HPLC Standard Curve at 280nm Standards 2-10mg/L

15. 2,4-D -HPLC 6 repeat injections %CV: 1.33 HPLC Standard Curve at 284nm Standards 2-10mg/L

16. HPLC Overlap

17. HPLC Separation Separation investigated for gradient HPLC

18. Standard curves - UV

19. GAC - Isotherms • UV measurement • Granular AC • Sigma [64365-11-3] surface area 0.84-2.4mm • MCPA • 2,4-D • 2-10mg/L

20. Future Direction • GAC isotherms for all pesticides • Effect of NOMs • Transfer to LC-MS-MS (higher sensitivity) • Microcapsule investigations • Photocatalysis investigations

21. Summary • HPLC method developed for all 5 pesticides • UV adsorption characterised • GAC investigation in progress

22. References • Page D., Burke D., Wall B and O’Leary G, “The Provision and Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland - A Report for the Years 2007-2008”, Environmental Protection Agency: Wexford 2009. • Page D., Burke D., Wall B and O’Leary G, “The Provision and Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland - A Report for the Years 2006-2007”, Environmental Protection Agency: Wexford 2008. • Page D., Wall B., Crowe M., “The Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland - A Report for the Year 2005”, Environmental Protection Agency: Wexford 2006. • Scott R., Herron M., O’Neill D., Clements C, “Drinking water quality in Northern Ireland, 2007”, Northern Ireland Environment Agency: Belfast 2008. • Scott R., Herron M., O’Neill D., Clements C, “Drinking water quality in Northern Ireland, 2006”, Environment and Heritage Services Northern Ireland: Belfast 2007. • Scott R., Herron M., O’Neill D, “Drinking water quality in Northern Ireland,2005”, Environment and Heritage Services Northern Ireland: Belfast 2006.

23. Questions?