bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on the treatment of Acid Red 4 wastewaters by a laminar-falling-film-slurry-type VUV photolytic process
Authors: Shen Y.-S. , Liao B.-H.
Published: June 2007

The purpose of this study is to develop the design equation of a laminar-falling-film-slurry-type (LFFS) photoreactor for the treatment of organic wastewaters (Acid Red 4) by 185 nm vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) related processes. The LFFS photoreactor is one of the most efficient reactor configurations for conducting heterogeneous photocatalytic reactions, particularly for wastewater treatment. The decomposition of Acid Red 4 dye wastewaters by VUV-based photo-oxidation process was studied under various UV light intensities, dosages of H2O2 and TiO2. By the treatment of the LFFS–VUV only process, it was found that the decomposition rates of the dye in aqueous solutions increased with the increasing of VUV light intensity, dosage of TiO2, dosage of H2O2. The apparent potential of OH. generation from the photolysis of used oxidants (i.e. OH. sources, H2O, H2O2, TiO2) to decompose the targeted dye wastewater was investigated and compared.
Pulsed underwater corona discharges as a source of strong oxidants: •OH and H2O2
Authors: Gupta S.B. , Bluhm H.
Published: June 2007

Because of undesirable side effects of chemical methods pulsed underwater corona discharges are emerging as a potential future advanced oxidation process (AOP) for water disinfection. In pulsed corona discharges a discharge channel is created, which contains a non-thermal plasma with a low degree of ionisation and low electron densities. but with electron energies of up to 10 eV. It has been demonstrated that electrons with this energy can dissociate water and oxygen molecules and produce various reactive radicals (•OH, H•, O•, HO•2), molecular species (H2O2, H2, O2), ultraviolet radiation and shock waves. It is supposed that the combination of all effects leads to a very efficient killing of microorganisms. To understand this in detail and to improve the efficiency of the overall system there is the need to develop suitable diagnostic methods for the quantitative determination of the various oxidants produced during the discharge. In this paper we present preliminary experimental results obtained with different chemical probes for •OH radicals, and H2O2 produced by pulsed corona discharges.
Pilot-plant results of the electro-Fenton treatment of olive mill wastewaters followed by anaerobic digestion
Authors: Khoufi S. , Feki F. , Aloui F. , Sayadi S.
Published: June 2007

In this work, we investigated an integrated technology for the treatment of the recalcitrant contaminants of olive mill wastewaters (OMW), allowing water recovery and reuse for agricultural purposes. The method involves an electrochemical pre-treatment step of the wastewater using the electro-Fenton reaction followed by an anaerobic bio-treatment. The electro-Fenton pre-treatment process removed 66% of the total polyphenolic compounds and subsequently decreased the OMW toxicity from 100 to 66.9%, which resulted in improving the performance of the anaerobic digestion. A continuous laboratory-scale methanogenic reactor was operated at a loading rate of 10 g COD/L per day without any apparent toxicity. Furthermore, in the combined process, a high overall reduction in COD, suspended solids, polyphenols and lipids content was achieved by the two successive stages. Moreover, this combined process which was experimented at a real scale (25 m3 digester) demonstrated its technical feasibility and opens promising perspectives for industrial application in the Mediterranean countries because of its easy conception and high energy (methane) production.
Heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of hypophosphite by H2O2: pH effect
Authors: Hung C.-C. , Huang Y.-H. , Chen C.-Y.
Published: June 2007

Phosphorus chemicals control key aspects of eutrophication and other environmental process. Hypophosphite (HP) originating from manmade and natural sources was evidenced as present in the environment and was investigated rarely. Recently, iron oxide has been used as a catalyst for oxidising organic contaminants with hydrogen peroxide (i.e. heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction). This study focused mainly on the oxidation of 1.0 mM HP by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a novel iron oxide catalyst (B1 catalyst) which was prepared through a fluidised-bed Fenton reactor (FBR-Fenton). The background experiments including the oxidation experiment of HP by air only, by H2O2 only and adsorption of HP by B1 catalyst were first elucidated. It was found that HP could not be oxidised at all by air and H2O2 at pH 2.5–12 in 24 hours. On the other hand, it could be adsorbed by B1 catalyst with 89.8% removal at pH 2.5 in 5 hours and complete desorption at pH 11.0. Then, we investigated the effects of pH and Fe leaching from the catalyst on the oxidative efficiency of HP. We found that although the removal rate of HP at pH 2.5 is faster than that at pH 4.0, B1 catalyst has a higher HP oxidation efficiency at pH 4.0 than that at pH 2.5. We conclude that it is a major heterogeneous catalytic oxidation by our novel iron oxide catalyst to oxidise HP at pH 4.0. Also, B1 could be a useful and potential catalyst for the treatment of HP wastewater.
Effect of Fenton's treatment on the biodegradability of chromium-complex azo dyes
Authors: Arslan-Alaton I. , Kabdaşlı I. , Teksoy S.
Published: June 2007

Pretreatment of an acid dyebath effluent bearing a new generation chromium complex azo dyestuff (Co=350 mg/L) with Fenton's reagent was investigated. Preliminary optimisation (baseline) experiments were conducted to determine the Fe2 + , H2O2 concentrations and pH required to the highest possible COD and colour removals. Kinetic studies were carried out at varying temperatures (20 °C < T<70 °C) to establish a relationship between COD abatement and H2O2 consumption. The activation energy found for catalytic H2O2 decomposition (Ea=9.8 kJ/mol) appeared to be significantly less than that of fermentative (Ea=23 kJ/mol) and of thermal (Ea=76 kJ/mol) H2O2 decomposition, implying that H2O2 decomposition during the Fenton's reaction occurs more spontaneously. The experimental studies indicated that approximately 30% COD and complete colour removal could be achieved under optimised Fenton pretreatment conditions (Fe2 + =2 mM; H2O2=30 mM; pH = 3; at T = 60 °C). Long-term activated sludge experiments revealed that although the raw and pretreated acid dyebath effluent contained practically the same amount of “readily biodegradable” COD (inert COD fraction ≤10%), biodegradation of the chemically pretreated acid dye effluent proceeded appreciably faster than that of the untreated acid dyebath effluent.
Photocatalytic oxidation of VX-simulation substance
Authors: Kozlova E. , Vorontsov A. , Rima G. , Lion C. , Preis S.
Published: June 2007

Experimental studies of photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) of VX-gas simulation substance cysteamine-S-phosphate sodium salt (NaHPO3S–CH2–CH2–NH2, CPSS) at various initial concentrations and pH were undertaken. PCO ultimately resulted in complete mineralisation of CPSS. The PCO byproducts of CPSS include acetate, oxalate and trace amounts of formate ions. The formation rates of acetate and phosphate were equal to the rate of degradation of CPSS, which indicates easy breakage of P–S, C–S and C–N bonds. Sulphate was formed more slowly due to stepwise oxidation of reduced sulphur. Amino group, generally transformed to ammonia, was partially oxidised to nitrite and nitrate in alkaline media. The fastest mineralisation in terms of both TOC degradation and phosphate formation was observed in neutral media. Under neutral media conditions, the PCO rate increased linearly with the CPSS concentration increase. The maximum efficiency by TOC degradation was observed as large as 77 mg per Wh of incident UV flux with quantum efficiency 3.8%.
Activation of solgel titanium nanofilm by UV illumination for NOM removal
Authors: Rizzo L. , Uyguner C.S. , Selcuk H. , Bekbolet M. , Anderson M.
Published: June 2007

The control of natural organic matter (NOM) in drinking water treatment plants is required in order to control (i) the formation of potentially harmful disinfection byproducts (DBPs), (ii) the regrowth of bacteria and (iii) pipe corrosion in the distribution system. Photocatalysis is a promising advanced oxidation technology due to its ability to mineralise chlorinated byproduct precursors such as humic acids (HAs) to carbon dioxide and water. In this study, the efficiency of HAs and NOM removal in terms of UV absorbance at 254 nm (UV254) was tested by means of a new photocatalytic reactor made of stacked polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) rings coated by TiO2 nanofilm. Three different sets of rings were coated with TiO2 gel one, two and three times respectively to optimise the coating thickness according to UV254 removal efficiency. The titania sol was immobilised on the substrate by a low temperature procedure and after 8 months the reactors were reactivated by means of UV radiation before the experiments. The photocatalytic removal efficiency of humic acid in terms of UV254 was significantly higher after 1 hour for the reactor employed with high thickness TiO2 nanofilm (around 20%) compared to middle and low thickness reactors (6 and 1.4%, respectively). However, during the same reaction time only 10% of UV254 was removed with high thickness TiO2 nanofilm using raw surface water, probably owing to ionic species naturally occurring in the raw water sample. Finally, the activation of the TiO2 nanofilm may be effectively accomplished by means of UV radiation where calcination cannot be applied (e.g. thermally sensitive substrates).
Quantum efficiencies in a multi-annular photocatalytic reactor
Authors: Imoberdorf G.E. , Irazoqui H.A. , Cassano A.E. , Alfano O.M.
Published: June 2007

Radiative energy efficiencies of a multi-annular photocatalytic reactor were evaluated and analysed. The total quantum efficiency, defined as the ratio of the number of molecules of the pollutant reacted to the number of photons emitted by the lamp, is expressed as the product of three factors: (i) the reactor radiation incidence efficiency, (ii) the catalyst radiation absorption efficiency, and (iii) the overall reaction quantum efficiency. By means of a detailed mathematical model, the numerical values of each one were 83, 92, and 0–2.5%, respectively. The dependence of the overall reaction quantum efficiency upon operating variables was also studied.
Degradation of recalcitrant organic contaminants by solar photocatalysis
Authors: Mansouri L. , Bousselmi L. , Ghrabi A.
Published: June 2007

Biological pre-treated landfill leachates of Djebel Chakir contains some macromolecular organic substances that are resistant to biological degradation. The aim of the present work is to assess the feasibility of removing refractory organic pollutants in biological pre-treated landfill leachate by solar photocatalyse process. Leachate pollutant contents are studied to assess their contribution to leachate pollution and their treatability by solar photocatalyse process. Phenol is chosen as model of pollutants, to evaluate its removal and the efficiency of the photocatalytic system. The experiments were carried out in suspended photocatalytic reactor, using TiO2 Degussa P25, under sunlight illumination (UV-A: 15–31 W/cm2). Under optimum operational conditions, applied to single reactant (phenol), the system presents a TOC removal of 90% (the degradation follows a first-order kinetic). Based on the TOC removal, the results shows that the degradation of biological pre-treated leachate follows a zero-order kinetic. After 5 h of sunlight exposure, 74% of COT is removed. The TOC removal is the best without any correction of the pH and at the TiO2 concentration of 2.5 g/L. The photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants as well as the formation and disappearance of the by-products were followed by GC/MS. The solar photocatalysis processes induce several modifications of the matrix leading to more biodegradable forms: all the remaining and new compounds generated after the biological pre-treatment of leachate are degraded and other types of organics appear, mainly carboxylic acid, aliphatic hydrocarbons and phtalic acids.
Control of disinfection byproduct formation in Feng-Shan reservoir by the traditional treatment processes plus O3–pilot-plant test
Authors: Liu Pon Yu , Wu Jerry J. , Wu Chih Chao
Published: June 2007

Two processes in the pilot plant were studied and compared to reduce the disinfection byproduct risk of the potable finished water of Feng-shan treatment utility in Taiwan. For 5 months study, two processes have both demonstrated to achieve a significant removal on the organic precursors of DBPs, including NPDOC and A-254. With the analysis of molecular weight distribution of organics in raw water, the study found the post ozonation plus BAC can provide additional enhancement in degrading organic contents. A process of coagulation/sedimentation/rapid sand filtration/post ozonation/BAC would be suggested as the advanced treatment process improving the supply quality of Feng-shan utility.
A comparative study of doped and un-doped sol-gel TiO2 and P25 TiO2 (photo)electrodes
Authors: Pooarporn Y. , Worayingyong A. , Wörner M. , Songsiriritthigul P. , Braun A.M.
Published: June 2007

Doped and undoped titanium dioxide films have been deposited on indium tin oxide glass using the sol-gel technique. The percentage of rutile in the prepared TiO2, calcined at 823 K and determined by X-ray diffraction, was 23% compared to 24% of rutile in P25-TiO2. Cerium doped TiO2 showed mainly the anatase phase, as characterised by both X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The electrochemical and photoelectrochemical properties of the films were studied by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The (photo)electrochemical characteristics of the different films are reported and discussed.
A brief overview of photocatalytic mechanisms and pathways in water
Authors: Pichat P.
Published: June 2007

This paper outlines the basic events that occur when a semiconductor, in contact with aerated liquid water containing low concentrations of pollutants, is photoexcited. First, the factors favouring this recombination of photoproduced charges are recalled, and the difficulties in decreasing the recombination are underlined. Second, the formation and identification of the species resulting from charge transfer with O2, H2O and pollutants are presented. Third, the reactions involving these species are considered, and methods for assessing their respective importance are critically reviewed. Fourth, on the basis of the view that the photocatalyst surface is covered by tightly bound water layers which hinder the adsorption of many organic pollutants, the hypothesis according to which primary photocatalytic events can take place within the near-surface solution layers is discussed.
Aqua-Biomant®: integrated biological and electrochemical oxidation for industrial wastewater treatment
Authors: Rüdiger A. , Rüdiger I. , Jurisevic L.
Published: June 2007

An innovative technology for industrial wastewater treatment has been developed. The main focus of the new system is a transformation of persistent organic compounds (biorecalcitrant COD) into a biodegradable fraction, followed by high efficient biological elimination using specialised bacteria's. To fulfill these targets the Aqua-Biomant® process integrates two treatment steps: an aerated biological upflow filter and a electrochemical oxidation technique using boron doped-diamond electrodes. The advantages of the process are high efficient COD removal with reduced energy consumption combined with low total residence time.
The impact of sequential ozonation – aerobic treatment on the enhancement of sludge dewaterability
Authors: Sievers M. , Schaefer S.
Published: June 2007

Sludge ozonation processes have mostly been considered as regards the minimisation of the bio-solids while the improvement of sludge dewatering was more a welcoming side-effect. However, some papers announce a decrease of the dewatering efficiency by sludge ozonation. This indicates the presence of an optimisation potential, which is the subject of this study. Improvement of sludge dewaterability was found for an ozone dose which is much lower than that used for sludge minimisation. The repeated ozone and aerobic treatment allows further strong improvement of dewatering efficiencies. The key for this process optimisation is a well-balanced ozone dose related to the subsequent aerobic treatment time.
Control of disinfection and halogenated disinfection byproducts by the electrochemical process
Authors: Jung Y.J. , Oh B.S. , Kang J.W. , Page M.A. , Phillips M.J. , Mariñas B.J.
Published: June 2007

The aim of this study was to investigate some aspects of the performance of electrochemical process as an alternative disinfection strategy, while minimising DBPs, for water purification. The study of electrochemical processes has shown free chlorine to be produced, but smaller amounts of stronger oxidants, such as ozone, hydrogen peroxide and OH radicals (•OH), were also generated. The formation of mixed oxidants increased with increasing electric conductivity, but was limited at conductivities greater than 0.6 mS/cm. Using several microorganisms, such as E. coli and MS2 bacteriophage, inactivation kinetic studies were performed. With the exception of free chlorine, the role of mixed oxidants, especially OH radicals, was investigated for enhancement of the inactivation rate. Additionally, the formation and reduction of DBPs was studied by monitoring the concentration of haloacetic acids (HAAs) during the process.
Advanced oxidation process–biological system for wastewater containing a recalcitrant pollutant
Authors: Oller I. , Malato S. , Sánchez-Pérez J.A. , Maldonado M.I. , Gernjak W. , Pérez-Estrada L.A.
Published: June 2007

Two advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), ozonation and photo-Fenton, combined with a pilot aerobic biological reactor at field scale were employed for the treatment of industrial non-biodegradable saline wastewater (TOC around 200 mg L−1) containing a biorecalcitrant compound, α-methylphenylglycine (MPG), at a concentration of 500 mg L−1. Ozonation experiments were performed in a 50-L reactor with constant inlet ozone of 21.9 g m−3. Solar photo-Fenton tests were carried out in a 75-L pilot plant made up of four compound parabolic collector (CPC) units. The catalyst concentration employed in this system was 20 mg L−1 of Fe2 +  and the H2O2 concentration was kept in the range of 200–500 mg L−1. Complete degradation of MPG was attained after 1,020 min of ozone treatment, while only 195 min were required for photo-Fenton. Samples from different stages of both AOPs were taken for Zahn–Wellens biocompatibility tests. Biodegradability enhancement of the industrial saline wastewater was confirmed (>70% biodegradability). Biodegradable compounds generated during the preliminary oxidative processes were biologically mineralised in a 170-L aerobic immobilised biomass reactor (IBR). The global efficiency of both AOP/biological combined systems was 90% removal of an initial TOC of over 500 mg L−1.
Degradation of the endocrine disruptor carbofuran by UV, O3 and O3/UV
Authors: Lau T.K. , Chu W. , Graham N.
Published: June 2007

The photodegradation of a carbamate insecticide, Carbofuran (CBF), which has been recognised as a potential endocrine disrupting chemical, was studied via different wastewater treatment processes. This study has shown the efficiency of advanced oxidation process, AOP (UV/O3) than those of the direct UV photolysis and ozonation process, by completely removing 0.2 mM CBF and achieving 24% mineralisation within 30 min. The initial decay of CBF by UV/O3 accelerated from 0.05 to 0.16 min−1 as the initial pH increasing from 3.0 to 11.3. The pH-dependency of CBF has also been shown in both ozonation and UV/O3 process. A linear relationship could be found for the latter process in all pH, while for the former process, two stages of reactions (steady and accelerating) were found in the acidic and alkaline pH condition, respectively.
Photochemical degradation of naproxen in the aquatic environment
Authors: Felis E. , Marciocha D. , Surmacz-Gorska J. , Miksch K.
Published: June 2007

Naproxen belongs to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It is often used to treat pain of rheumatic and non-rheumatic diseases. The photochemical experiments of naproxen degradation were performed in the wastewater effluents from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) Kloten/Switzerland at its real concentrations (without standard addition) and in drinking water containing naproxen standard, adjusted to pH = 7 and pH = 6. All performed experiments showed that within 5 min of photochemical oxidation, the disappearance of naproxen exceeded 90%. The first-order rate constants of naproxen degradation were determined. The maximal value of rate constant was observed by UV/H2O2 process in water samples at pH = 6 (k=0.997 min−1).
Removal of contaminants of concern in water using advanced oxidation techniques
Authors: Coleman H.M. , Vimonses V. , Leslie G. , Amal R.
Published: June 2007

This research involves the removal of contaminants of concern in water supplies using advanced oxidation technologies, in particular titanium dioxide photocatalysis. Photocatalysis for the removal of 1,4-dioxane and the natural (17β-oestradiol, oestriol) and synthetic (17α-ethynyloestradiol) oestrogens in water was investigated using both UVA and solar radiation. The H2O2/UVC process, solar, UVC and UVA light alone were also investigated and the processes compared. It was found that TiO2 photocatalysis is an effective method for the degradation of the natural (17β-oestradiol and oestriol) and the synthetic (17α-ethynyloestradiol) oestrogens in water in immobilised Degussa P25 and sol-gel spiral reactors with both UVA and solar radiation as the light source. Photocatalysis using the commercial catalyst Degussa P25 as an immobilised reactor with a UVA lamp shows the best performance. Photocatalysis was shown to completely mineralise 1,4-dioxane to CO2 in Degussa P25 suspension and sol-gel reactors using both UVA and solar radiation. The commercial catalyst Degussa P25 in suspension with UVA radiation shows the best performance. Photocatalysis is much more efficient than H2O2/UVC, UVA, UVC and solar radiation alone for all contaminants investigated.
Elimination of the musk fragrances galaxolide and tonalide from wastewater by ozonation and concomitant stripping
Authors: Nöthe T. , Hartmann D. , von Sonntag J. , von Sonntag C. , Fahlenkamp H.
Published: June 2007

Ozone reacts with the musk fragrances tonalide and galaxolide with rate constants of 8 M−1 s−1 and 140 M−1 s−1, respectively. In wastewater, ozone eliminates only the more reactive compound, galaxolide, in competition with its reaction with the wastewater matrix. As both compounds are also stripped in a bubble column, tonalide is also eliminated to some extent.
UV/H2O2 degradation of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in water evaluated via toxicity assays
Authors: Linden Karl G. , Rosenfeldt Erik J. , Kullman Seth W.
Published: June 2007

Due to rising concern regarding the presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in surface water and groundwater throughout the United States, Asia and Europe, treatment of these chemicals in drinking water and wastewater to protect human health and the environment is an area of great interest. Many conventional treatment schemes are relatively ineffective in removing EDCs from water and wastewater. This is concerning because these chemicals are biologically active at very low concentrations and effects of mixtures are relatively unknown.

17-α-oestradiol (E2) and 17-β-ethinyl-oestradiol (EE2), suspected EDCs, were degraded significantly by the UV/H2O2 AOP. The UV/H2O2 processes using either low or medium pressure lamps were degraded EDCs by between 80 and 99.3% at a 15 ppm H2O2 concentration and a UV dose of 1,000 mJ/cm2. Significantly greater removal was noted when the removal was based on total oestrogenic activity using a yeast oestrogen screen (YES) assay. These data indicated that a dose of less than 200 mJ/cm2 completely removed oestrogenic activity in lab water. Values for natural waters were slightly higher.

A steady state model was developed to determine EDC destruction efficiency in waters of differing quality. The model effectively predicted destruction in water, where concentrations of all scavenging species were known. Based on these results it was concluded than complete destruction of oestrogenic activity was possible under practical advanced oxidation conditions for a variety of water qualities.
Ozonation and combined ozone/H2O2, UV/ozone and UV/H2O2 for treatment of fuel oxygenates MTBE, ETBE, TAME, and DIPE from water – a comparison of removal efficiencies
Authors: Baus C. , Sona M. , Brauch H.-J.
Published: June 2007

Methyl tert-butylether (MTBE) used as fuel oxygenate poses problems for water suppliers since it is persistent in the aquatic environment and the removal efficiency by conventional water treatment methods (aeration or activated carbon filtration) is rather low. Substitution by other ether compounds such as ethyl tert-butylether (ETBE), tert-amylmethylether (TAME) or di-isopropylether (DIPE) is discussed, however, their environmental behaviour is similar to that of MTBE. Experiments investigating the elimination efficiency of AOP were carried out in tap water and water from Lake Constance.

The elimination efficiency for all treatment processes was found to follow the order:

For all compounds under investigation, neither pure ozonation nor UV irradiation yield a considerable concentration decline. Only the formation of highly reactive OH radicals shows a potential for removing the ethers from water. Therefore the addition of H2O2 in equimolar ratio prior to ozone admixing proved to be quite efficient. The application of combined UV/H2O2 showed good results in all cases; the best concentration decline was achieved with UV/ozone. The rate of elimination of the three substitutes for MTBE (ETBE, TAME and DIPE) is higher in all processes; nevertheless, no complete removal could be achieved. Therefore, from the point of view of water suppliers, the use of other ethers as substitute for MTBE is posing the same problems as MTBE.
Sustainable removal of iodinated X-ray contrast media (XRC) by ozonation in a complex wastewater matrix – urine as example
Authors: Fitzke B. , Geißen S.-U.
Published: June 2007

Pharmaceutical and diagnostic substances like antibiotics, cytostatics and iodised X-ray contrast media (XRC) are well-known for not being metabolised and are excreted soon after application. As a result, these preparations are difficult to biodegrade and their adsorption behaviour is rather poor. Finally, the refractory properties of these substances are leading to an accumulation in the natural waterbody depending on the hydrological situation. The elimination of contrast media from urine and diluted urine solutions by ozonation was investigated using a bubble column reactor to remove and recover the formed elemental iodine from the solution by gas stripping and down stream absorption. The experiments showed that the destruction of XRCs from concentrated solutions like urine is feasible and a recycling of elemental iodine from the exhaust gas is technically and economically possible.
Potential of ozonation for the degradation of antibiotics in wastewater
Authors: Yargeau V. , Leclair C.
Published: June 2007

Increasing concern in recent years over the occurrence and fate of low-level concentrations of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment stimulates research on alternative treatment methods. This paper presents a study of the degradation of sulphamethoxazole, an antibiotic used on humans and animals in order to treat various bacterial infections, by ozonation. After 4.5 min of treatment, the concentration of sulphamethoxazole was below the HPLC detection limit of 0.6 mgL−1, indicating degradation efficiency higher than 99.24%. This value is comparable and in some cases higher than published data on the degradation in drinking water. Kinetic analysis of the data indicated an overall first-order reaction with a rate constant of 1.0594 min−1 at 20 °C. The reaction order differs with the second-order reaction observed by other researchers. This change of reaction order could be explained by the different treatment conditions used. Preliminary analysis using the FT-IR technique was also performed in order to obtain information on the structure of the degradation products. Further analysis using a GC-MS is needed in order to elucidate the structure of the degradation products. Finally, based on the experiments performed, ozonation seems to be a promising technique for the degradation of antibiotics, even in wastewater.
The Portfolio Forum: Power in Reflection
Authors: Hadley Nancy J.
Published: June 2007

Many electronic portfolios become shining but superficial collections instead of environments for nurturing insight. Instructors must balance instructional time between perfecting the technical expertise of the student and fully developing the critical expertise needed for the student to become a thoughtful scholar. In a deliberate move, I have developed a portfolio forum in a higher education venue to capitalize on the benefits of the reflective factor, and I have been amazed by the results. During the process, I uncovered some surprising discoveries while developing guidelines for expediting the electronic portfolio process, crafting a methodology for exploiting the reflective factor, and compiling essential portfolio forum principles. By utilizing the portfolio forum, each step in the reflection process is deliberately developed to create an orchestrated discussion arena for stimulating intellectual maturity, professionalism, and growth in all students and it can be adapted to any level of instruction.
A Systematic Evaluation of Learning Objects for Secondary School Students
Authors: Kay Robin
Published: June 2007

Empirical research evaluating the effectiveness of learning objects is noticeably absent. No formal research has been done on the use of learning objects in secondary schools. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of learning objects by high school students. The evaluation metric used to assess benefits and quality of learning objects was theoretically sound, reliable, and partially validated. Overall, two-thirds of the students stated they benefitted from using learning objects. Students benefitted more if they were comfortable with computers, the learning object had a well organized layout, the instructions were clear, and the theme was fun or motivating. Students appreciated the motivational, interactive, visual qualities of the learning objects most. Computer comfort was significantly correlated with learning object quality and benefit. Younger students appeared to have less positive experiences than their older counterparts. There were no gender differences in perceived benefit or quality of learning objects, with one exception. Females emphasized the quality of help features significantly more than males.
Comment on Evaluating Cognitive Demand
Authors: Noyes Jan , Garland Kate
Published: June 2007

In 2005 Shieh and Chen found differences in EEG responses when using computer- and paper-based display media, which they attributed to different cognitive demands. This paper supports this interpretation by reporting an unpublished study in which cognitive demand was measured using a self-report workload measure.
Visual Behaviors of Soccer Players While Kicking with the inside of the Foot
Authors: Nagano Tomohisa , Kato Takaaki , Fukuda Tadahiko
Published: June 2007

This study analyzed the visual behaviors of soccer players while they kicked with the inside of the foot, which involved near and far aiming skills. Participants ( N = 8) were required to step forward and kick a ball to hit a target. The top three scorers were defined as the High-score group, and the three low scorers were defined as the Low-score group. Analysis indicated that the High-score group was characterized by longer quiet eye durations, which were defined as the final fixation durations on the target prior to the initiation of a kicking movement, than the Low-score group in the preparation phase. The High-score group also set their visual pivot on the frontal space between the target and the ball in the kicking phase. These two visual behaviors of the High-score group are important for soccer players to kick a ball successfully with the inside of the foot.
Relation of Game Location and Experience on Mood States
Authors: Thelwell Richard C. , Weston Neil J. V. , Lane Andrew M. , Greenlees Iain A.
Published: June 2007

The study investigated relationships between game location, performers' experience, and mood states. 31 experienced collegiate soccer players completed the Brunei Mood Scale to assess anger, calmness, confusion, depression, fatigue, happiness, tension, and vigor before eight competitive games (four home and four away). Participants were categorized into Experienced and Less Experienced groups, based on the level of performance at which they played. Repeated-measures multivariate analyses of variance compared mean mood scores across location and experience, and follow-up univariate analyses suggested the increase in mood scores on Tension and decrease in scores on Calmness, Happiness, and Vigor between playing away and at home were significantly greater for Less experienced soccer players than Experienced players. Implications of these findings for the applied practitioner are discussed.
Irrational Beliefs in Major Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorders in an Iranian Sample: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Taghavi Mohammad Reza , Goodarzi Mohammad Ali , Kazemi Hamid , Ghorbani Maryam
Published: June 2007

Previous research on Rational Emotive Theory using western samples has shown that irrational belief systems are associated with emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression. In a replication of this work the present study was conducted to compare the scores of 29 clinically depressed, 31 clinically anxious, and 34 normal controls on the Irrational Beliefs Test in an Iranian sample. Consistent with Ellis's theory, depressed and anxious patients scored higher than the controls on scores for the full scale and all 10 subscales of the Irrational Beliefs Test. Also, the two patient groups differed significantly in their endorsement of 2 out of 10 irrational belief subscales but not in overall score on irrational beliefs. Results were interpreted in light of previous literature.
Relation of Attention Control and School Performance in Normal Children
Authors: Muris Peter
Published: June 2007

This study examined the relation of attention control and school performance in a sample of 113 school children (51 boys, 62 girls), ages 9 to 12 years ( M = 10.86, SD = 0.91). Children and parents completed the Attention Control Scale for Children, which measures children's ability to focus and shift attention, and also a scale for assessing symptoms of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Teachers provided a global rating of children's school performance. Analysis indicated that attention control correlated positively with school performance.
Mode of Grasp, Materials, and Grooved Chopstick Tip on Gripping Performance and Evaluation
Authors: Ho Cheng-Pin , Wu Swei-Pi
Published: June 2007

This study evaluated the effects of the mode of grasping, chopstick materials, and the groove of the chopstick-tip on gripping performance of 32 participants, among whom 16 were accustomed to using chopsticks with a pliers-grasping mode and the other 16 with a scissors-grasping mode. Based on a random sequence, 8 kinds of chopsticks with different combinations (materials: bamboo, wood, plastic, and stainless steel, with and without grooves in the chopstick-tip) were used to carry out the action of gripping two different objects (peanuts and longan). The time to finish gripping 50 pieces of peanut and longan, the number which fell on the table when gripping, the subjective effort and the subjective preference were measures of efficiency of pinching for 8 kinds of chopsticks. Analysis showed that chopstick materials significantly affect time of gripping. The large object (such as longan) could be gripped more easily with the pliers-grasping mode or gripped with the grooved chopstick-tip. However, for small objects (such as peanuts), there was no significant difference in performance whether the chopstick-tip was grooved or not. A combination of bamboo chopsticks with grooved tips used with a pliers-grasping seem preferrable for more favorable gripping performance.
Relative Age Effect Revisited: Findings from the Dance Domain
Authors: van Rossum Jacques H. A.
Published: June 2007

The relative age effect is a worldwide phenomenon. While there is solid empirical evidence for the existence in sports like soccer and ice hockey, there are also some findings indicating the absence of the phenomenon. In an earlier study, no support was found with Dutch top-level athletes in table tennis and in volleyball. The explanation was that in athletic tasks which depend heavily on the technical ability (or motor skill) of the participant, a relative age effect will not be observed. In the present study this supposition was tested again with three samples of Dutch preprofessional dance students (overall number of subjects: 546). Again no support was obtained for the relative age effect. Therefore, a case is being built that the relative age effect is not an omnipresent phenomenon.
Influence of Differences of Visual Acuity in Various Visual Field Conditions on Spectral Characteristics of the Center of Pressure Sway
Authors: Uchiyama Masanobu , Demura Shinichi , Yamaji Shunsuke , Yamada Takayoshi
Published: June 2007

This study examined the influence of visual acuity and visual field on the spectral characteristics of the center of pressure during standing. 17 men and 20 women participated in High and Low visual acuity groups. Both groups underwent center of pressure measurements under three visual field conditions: No vision: subjects were given no visual information, Central vision: they were given only central visual field information, and Full vision: they were given full visual information. To assess the spectral characteristics of center of pressure, mean power frequency and frequency of maximal power were calculated from medial-lateral and anterior-posterior center of pressure directions. The Friedman test and Scheffé pairwise comparison tests showed that frequency of maximal power was higher in the No vision than in the Central and Full vision conditions in the High visual acuity group. In conclusion, people with high visual acuity are more susceptible to visual field conditions than those with low visual acuity. It is suggested that postural control characteristics differ with visual acuity or resolution in the central visual field.
Motives for Participation in Physical Activity by Brazilian Adults
Authors: Bastos Afranio de Andrade , Salguero Alfonso , González-Boto René , Marquez Sara
Published: June 2007

The present investigation examined the validity and reliability of a questionnaire which assessed motives of Brazilian adults for participation in physical activities, compared motives for participation in walking and fitness programs, and examined differences by sex, age, and education. Participants were 100 men and 138 women, ages 16 to 60 years ( M = 30.5, SD = 11.4). Factor analysis identified four factors which were fairly consistent with previous research. Improvement in physical appearance and enjoyment were rated significantly more important reasons for participants in fitness programs than for walkers. Men were more motivated by social experience than women. Young adults rated importance lower in health and fitness and rated enjoyment, social experience, and improvement in appearance of higher importance. Health and fitness were considered more important by participants with more education. These results are consistent with previous research on the factors underlying motives for regular exercise and support the importance of considering differences associated with culture.
Primary and Secondary Memory: Multistore versus Process Models of Memory
Authors: Gerrard Leslie L. , Waring Douglas A.
Published: June 2007

Healy, et al. recently distinguished between recency and “penultimate” effects when contrasting recall performance. They argued that the penultimate effect was significantly different from the typical recency effect, which point was taken as support for distinguishing between primary and secondary memory systems. The current study adapted the Healy, et al. methodology to control for the occurrence of intentional learning strategies. 40 participants were asked to recall the names of 42 U.S. Presidents by their term in office (secondary memory) or in a pseudorandom order (primary memory); the recency and penultimate effects were observed for each condition. With intentional learning controlled for, contrast analyses yielded a pattern of performance similar to that observed by Healy, et al.
Assessment of a Practice Effect in Serial Sensory Organization Testing Scores of Healthy Adults
Authors: Grindstaff Terry L. , Broos Allison M. , Darr Nancy S. , Christiano Katherine E. J. , Straub Dawn A. , Westphal Kathleen A.
Published: June 2007

This study assessed whether a practice effect occurs across five serial administrations of the sensory organization test. Composite equilibrium scores and mean equilibrium scores from 30 healthy volunteers ( M age = 36.9, SD= 12.2 yr.) performing each of the six test conditions were examined using a two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. Analysis yielded a significant interaction between testing condition and time, as well as significant main effects for both condition and time. Pairwise comparisons showed significant differences among test conditions and the first and second times of test administration. Analysis of simple effects between the two administrations identified significant increases in composite equilibrium scores and mean equilibrium scores on two sway-referenced support surface conditions, vision removed and sway-referenced visual surround. An immediate increase in equilibrium scores suggests clinicians and researchers allow one pracatice trial before recording test scores for baseline measurements.
Event-Related Brain Potential in Responses to Social Messages via Human Faces
Authors: Ogawa Tokihiro , Morioka Yousuke , Suzuki Naoto
Published: June 2007

In two experiments participants were presented a sequence of facial photographs to examine effects of pleasantness of facial expressions, namely, pleasant and unpleasant, and task relevance on P300 component of event-related brain potentials in the 3-stimulus version of the oddball task. Exp. 1 showed that, although the amplitudes of P300 were the largest in response to task-relevant target stimuli and moderate in response to task-irrelevant nontargets, the Pleasantness of stimuli did not affect the amplitudes of P300 when the stimuli were task-relevant or irrelevant. Data in Exp. 2 suggested that the emotional significance rather than physical characteristics of stimuli might be responsible for generation of P300 by task-irrelevant nontargets.
Background Music as a Quasi Clock in Retrospective Duration Judgments
Authors: Bailey Nicole , Areni Charles S.
Published: June 2007

The segmentation-change model of time perception proposes that individuals engaged in cognitive tasks during a given interval of time retrospectively estimate duration by recalling events that occurred during the interval and inferring each event's duration. Previous research suggests that individuals can recall the number of songs heard during an interval and infer the length of each song, exactly the conditions that foster estimates of duration based on the segmentation-change model. The results of a laboratory experiment indicated that subjects who solved word-search puzzles for 20 min. estimated the duration of the interval to be longer when 8 short songs (< 3 min.) as opposed to 4 long songs (6+ min.) were played in the background, regardless of whether the musical format was Contemporary Dance or New Age. Assuming each song represented a distinct segment in memory, these results are consistent with the segmentation-change model. These results suggest that background music may not always reduce estimates of duration by drawing attention away from the passage of time. Instead, background music may actually expand the subjective length of an interval by creating accessible traces in memory, which are retrospectively used to infer duration.
Endogenous Testosterone Concentration, Mental Rotation, and Size of the Corpus Callosum in a Sample of Young Hungarian Women
Authors: Karádi Kázmér , Kállai János , Kövér Ferenc , Nemes János , Makány Tamás , Nagy Ferenc
Published: June 2007

In the present study brain laterality, hemispheric communication, and mental rotation performance were examined. A sample of 33 women were tested for a possible linear relationship of testosterone level and mental rotation with structural background of the brain. Subjects with a smaller splenial area of corpus callosum tended to have lower levels of testosterone ( r = .37, p < .05). However, there were no significant differences in mean scores of mental rotation of object and hand between groups with high and low levels of testosterone. There was a significant difference in relative size of the 6th area (slice) of the corpus callosum between groups with good and poor scores on mental rotation of an object and also in relative size of the 4th and 5th slices of the corpus callosum between groups on mental rotation of the hand. The good and poor scorers' show different relations with the measures of the corpus callosum. The mental rotation of hand was associated with the parietal areas of the corpus callosum, while the mental rotation of object was associated only with the occipital area. These observations suggest that higher testosterone levels may be associated with a larger splenial area, which represents an important connection between the parieto-occipitocortical areas involved in activation of mental images. Further srudy is encouraged.
Measurement of Speech Disfluency through Magnitude Estimation and Interval Scaling
Authors: McColl Douglas , Fucci Donald
Published: June 2007

The purpose was to assess whether equal-appearing interval or magnitude-estimation scaling resulted in a data set with a closer correlation to the physical stimuli, made up of speech samples with varying amounts of disfluency. 20 young adults completed two tasks. In Task 1, subjects used a 7-point equal-appearing interval scale to rate the disfluency of 10 speech samples having varying within sentence pause, presented randomly at 65 dB SPL. In Task 2, subjects used magnitude-estimation scaling to rate these stimuli, presented in a randomized order. Analysis showed significantly high correlations for both scaling techniques and the speech stimuli (Spearman rho = .90 and 1.00, respectively). It appears that subjects can use either scaling technique to rate accurately varied speech disfluency.