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Li J, Usman M, Arslan M, Gamal El-Din M. Molecular and microbial insights towards anaerobic biodegradation of anionic polyacrylamide in oil sands tailings. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 258:121757. [PMID: 38768520 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Anionic polyacrylamide (A-PAM) is widely used as a flocculant in the management of oil sands tailings. Nevertheless, apprehensions arise regarding its potential biodegradation and environmental consequences within the context of oil sands tailings. Consequently, it is imperative to delve into the anaerobic biodegradation of A-PAM in oil sands tailings to gain a comprehensive understanding of its influence on tailings water quality. This work explored the dynamics of A-PAM biodegradation across concentrations: 50, 100, 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg TS. The results showed a significant decrease in A-PAM concentration and molecular weight at lower concentrations (50 and 100 mg/kg TS) compared to higher ones, suggesting enhanced degradation efficiency. Likewise, the organic transformation and methane production exhibited dependency on A-PAM concentrations. The peak concentrations observed were 20.0 mg/L for volatile fatty acids (VFAs), 0.07 mg/L for acrylamide (AMD), and 8.9 mL for methane yield, with these maxima being recorded at 50 mg/kg TS. The biodegradation efficiency diminishes at higher concentrations of A-PAM, potentially due to the inhibitory effects of polyacrylic acid accumulation. A-PAM biodegradation under anaerobic condition did not contribute to acute toxicity or genotoxicity. SEM-EDS, FT-IR and XRD analyses further revealed that higher concentrations of A-PAM inhibited the biodegradation by altering floc structure and composition, thereby restricting the microbial activity. Major microorganisms, including Smithella, Candidatus_Cloacimonas, W5, XBB1006, and DMER64 were identified, highlighting A-PAM's dual role as a source of carbon and nitrogen under anaerobic conditions. The above findings from this research not only significantly advance understanding of A-PAM's environmental behavior but also contribute to the effective management practices in oil sands tailings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Muhammad Usman
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Muhammad Arslan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada.
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Yang L, Bekele A, Gamal El-Din M. Comprehensive characterization of organics in oil sands process water in constructed mesocosms utilizing multiple analytical methods. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:118972. [PMID: 38657851 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
This study aims to provide a thorough characterization of dissolved organics in oil sands process water (OSPW) in field-based aquatic mesocosms at both molecular and bulk measurement levels using multiple analytical methods. In a 3-year outdoor mesocosm experiment, the analysis of naphthenic acid (NA) species was conducted using ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOFMS). The results revealed the removal of both total NAs (38% and 35%) and classical NAs (O2-NAs, 58% and 49%) in undiluted and half-diluted OSPW, respectively. The increased ratios of oxidized NAs (O3-O6 NAs) to classical NAs suggested a transformation trend. The results also indicated that O2-NAs with higher carbon number and lower double bond equivalent (DBE) were more easily degraded in the mesocosm systems. Biomimetic extraction using solid-phase microextraction (BE-SPME) measurement displayed 26% (undiluted OSPW) and 30% (half-diluted OSPW) decrease in total bioavailable organics over 3 years. Naphthenic acids fraction compounds (NAFCs) obtained by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) were also determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Reduction in acute toxicity for undiluted (43%) and half-diluted (26%) OSPW was observed over 3 years, which are well correlated with the decreases of NAs and BE-SPME concentrations. Moreover, BE-SPME values were found to be linearly correlated with total NAs concentrations (r = 0.96) and NAFCs (r = 0.96). Additionally, the linear relationships of individual O2-O6 NA species and BE-SPME concentrations unveiled the changes in the relative abundances of O2-O6 NA species in total bioavailable organics over time in the mesocosms. The present study has provided comprehensive insights by integrating various analytical methods, contributing valuable information for assessing the effectiveness of aquatic mesocosm systems in studying the temporal changes of organics in OSPW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Yang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Asfaw Bekele
- Technology and Surface Engineering, Imperial Oil Resources Limited, Calgary, Alberta T2C 4P3, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
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Chen Y, Wang Y, Headley JV, Huang R. Sample preparation, analytical characterization, monitoring, risk assessment and treatment of naphthenic acids in industrial wastewater and surrounding water impacted by unconventional petroleum production. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 913:169636. [PMID: 38157903 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Industrial extraction of unconventional petroleum results in notable volumes of oil sands process water (OSPW), containing elevated concentrations of naphthenic acids (NAs). The presence of NAs represents an intricate amalgamation of dissolved organic constituents, thereby presenting a notable hurdle for the domain of environmental analytical chemistry. There is growing concern about monitoring the potential seepage of OSPW NAs into nearby groundwater and river water. This review summarizes recent studies on sample preparation, characterization, monitoring, risk assessment, and treatment of NAs in industrial wastewater and surrounding water. Sample preparation approaches, such as liquid-liquid extraction, solid phase microextraction, and solid phase extraction, are crucial in isolating chemical standards, performing molecular level analysis, assessing aquatic toxicity, monitoring, and treating OSPW. Instrument techniques for NAs analysis were reviewed to cover different injection modes, ionization sources, and mass analyzers. Recent studies of transfer and transformation of NAs provide insights to differentiate between anthropogenic and natural bitumen-derived sources of NAs. In addition, related risk assessment and treatment studies were also present for elucidation of environmental implication and reclamation strategies. The synthesis of the current state of scientific knowledge presented in this review targets government regulators, academic researchers, and industrial scientists with interests spanning analytical chemistry, toxicology, and wastewater management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Universities on Environmental Science and Engineering, MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Yongjian Wang
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Universities on Environmental Science and Engineering, MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - John V Headley
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Rongfu Huang
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Universities on Environmental Science and Engineering, MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
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Medeiros DCCDS, Chelme-Ayala P, Gamal El-Din M. Sorption and desorption of naphthenic acids on reclamation materials: Mechanisms and selectivity of naphthenic acids from oil sands process water. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 326:138462. [PMID: 36963589 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the application of materials peat-mineral mix (PT) and Pleistocene fluvial sands from different location (PF-1 and PF-2) obtained from surface mining of oil sands as sorbents of naphthenic acids (NAs) from oil sands process water (OSPW). To understand the sorption properties and mechanisms of NAs in the materials, sorption and desorption studies were performed using decanoic acid (DA) and 5-phenylvaleric acid (PVA). Additionally, the removal efficiency was evaluated using real OSPW to understand the effect of NA structure on sorption. Equilibrium of DA and PVA was reached at 2 days for PT, and 3 and 6 days for PF materials, respectively. Langmuir isotherm best fitted the equilibrium data. Maximum sorption capacities for DA and PVA were, respectively, 16.8 × 103 and 104 mg/kg for PT, 142.9 and 81.3 mg/kg for PF-1, and 600 and 476.2 mg/kg for PF-2. Hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interaction were the main sorption mechanisms. Desorption of model compounds from post-sorption materials was not observed for 14 days. The removal of NAs from real OSPW ranged from 20 to 54%. PT is the most promising sorbent of NAs from OSPW because it partially removed NAs with a wide range of molecular weights and structures at very low dosage. Sorption of NAs was affected by the total organic carbon of the materials, emphasizing the hydrophobic interaction as an important sorption mechanism. The results suggest that some mobility of NAs is expected to take place if the reclamation materials come in contact with OSPW, which might occur in an oil sands reclamation landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pamela Chelme-Ayala
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada.
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Han Y, Du X, Farjad B, Goss G, Gupta A, Faramarzi M. A numerical modeling framework for simulating the key in-stream fate processes of PAH decay in Muskeg River Watershed, Alberta, Canada. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 848:157246. [PMID: 35908714 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Most previous water quality studies oversimplified in-stream processes for modeling the fate and transport of critical organic contaminants, such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). Taking four selected PAHs as representative organic contaminants, we developed a numerical modeling framework using a Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program 8 (WASP8) and a well-established watershed model, i.e., Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to: (1) address the influence of in-stream processes, including direct photolysis, volatilization, partitioning of PAHs to suspended solids, and DOC complexation processes on PAH concentrations; and (2) establish relationships between spatiotemporal distribution of environmental factors (e.g., ice coverage, water temperature, wind, and light attenuation), in-stream processes, and PAH concentrations at a watershed scale. Using calibrated SWAT and WASP8 models, we evaluated the impacts of seasonal changes in environmental factors on in-stream processes in the Muskeg River watershed, which is part of the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR), the third-largest crude oil reserves of the world in western Canada. Among four selected PAHs, simulation results suggest that Naphthalene primarily decay in the water through volatilization or direct photolysis. For Phenanthrene, Pyrene, and Chrysene, DOC complexation, volatilization, and direct photolysis all contribute to their decay in the water, with a strong dependence on seasonality. Model simulations indicated that direct photolysis and volatilization rates are meager in cold seasons, mainly due to low river temperature and ice coverage. However, these processes gradually resume when entering the warm season. In summary, the model simulation results suggest that critical in-stream processes such as direct photolysis, volatilization, and partitioning and their relationship with environmental factors should be considered when simulating the fate and transport of organic contaminants in the river systems. Our results also reveal that the relationship between environmental factors and fate processes affecting PAH concentrations can vary across a watershed and in different seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlai Han
- Watershed Science & Modelling Laboratory, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada.
| | - Xinzhong Du
- Watershed Science & Modelling Laboratory, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Babak Farjad
- Alberta Environment and Parks, Calgary, AB T2E 7J2, Canada
| | - Greg Goss
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Anil Gupta
- Alberta Environment and Parks, Calgary, AB T2E 7J2, Canada
| | - Monireh Faramarzi
- Watershed Science & Modelling Laboratory, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada.
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Degradation of surrogate and real naphthenic acids from simulated and real oil sand process water using electrochemically activated peroxymonosulfate (EO-PMS) process. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.122462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Demir-Duz H, Perez-Estrada LA, Álvarez MG, Gamal El-Din M, Contreras S. O 3/H 2O 2 and UV-C light irradiation treatment of oil sands process water. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:154804. [PMID: 35341856 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The oil sands industry generates large volumes of oil sands process water (OSPW). There is an urgent need for OSPW treatment to reduce process water inventories and to support current reclamation approaches. This study discusses how efficient ozone (O3)-based combined advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and UV-C, are at achieving mineralization while reducing the toxicity arising from such organic components as naphthenic acids (NAs) in OSPW. The results showed that the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removals of 45%, 84%, 84% and 98%, obtained after 90-min treatments with O3, O3/H2O2, UVC/O3 and UVC/O3/H2O2, respectively, at a production rate of 6 g/L·h O3 were considerably higher than at lower O3 production rates. The acute toxicity on Vibrio fischeri was significantly reduced by all the treatments, which explains the high percentages of NA removal (up to 99% as confirmed by UPLC-QTOF-HRMS.) Mineralization (expressed as DOC removal) was highest with UVC/O3/H2O2 at ca. 2 mg C/L in the treated effluent, which means that it could be used as cooling/boiling process water in bitumen upgrading units. However, considering the energy demand of the treatments tested, the treatment using O3/H2O2 was found to be the most realistic for large-scale applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hande Demir-Duz
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Tarragona, Spain; University of Alberta, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Leonidas A Perez-Estrada
- Plataforma Solar de Almería-CIEMAT, CIESOL, Joint Research Centre University of Almería-CIEMAT, Almería, Spain
| | - Mayra G Álvarez
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- University of Alberta, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Edmonton, Canada.
| | - Sandra Contreras
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Tarragona, Spain.
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Suara MA, Ganiyu SO, Paul S, Stafford JL, Gamal El-Din M. Solar-activated zinc oxide photocatalytic treatment of real oil sands process water: Effect of treatment parameters on naphthenic acids, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and acute toxicity removal. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 819:153029. [PMID: 35026262 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Oil sands process water (OSPW) is an industrial process effluent that contains organic compounds such as naphthenic acids (NAs) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as well as large quantities of inorganic compounds in its mixture. OSPW requires effective treatment for successful reclamation and water reuse. This study investigated the impact of solar-activated zinc oxide (ZnO) photocatalysis on the degradation and removal of NAs and PAHs in OSPW, as well as the elimination of its acute toxicity. With catalyst particles suspended in the effluent (at 1 g/L) under simulated solar radiation of steady irradiance of ~278 W/m2, more than 99% removal of NAs was achieved after 4 h of treatment, while nearly all PAHs were simultaneously oxidized within the same reaction time. The photocatalytic treatment appeared to selectively convert classical NAs faster than oxidized NAs. Additionally, NAs with higher double-bond equivalents (DBEs) and higher carbon numbers seemed more susceptible to photocatalytic destruction than others. An overall pseudo first-order rate constant of 1.14 × 10-2 min-1, and a fluence-based rate constant of 6.81 × 10-1 m2/MJ were recorded in apparently hydroxyl radicals (OH) and superoxide (O2-) radicals mediated NAs degradation mechanisms. Assessment of the toxicity levels in raw and treated OSPW samples by using Microtox® bioassay indicated that the photocatalytic treatment resulted in ~50% reduction in acute toxicity. Furthermore, we showed that by monitoring the expression levels of key proinflammatory genes using qPCR that treated OSPW significantly reduced the ability of raw OSPW to activate the inflammatory response of immune cells. This indicates that at acute sub-lethal exposure doses, photocatalytic treatment also reduces immunotoxicity. Overall, our results suggest that the ZnO-based photocatalytic degradation of these NAs and PAHs in OSPW could be a significant treatment process aimed at detoxifying OSPW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monsuru A Suara
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Soliu O Ganiyu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Sunanda Paul
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - James L Stafford
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada.
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da Silva TAM, Pereira I, de Aguiar DVA, Dos Santos GF, de Brito TP, de Carvalho RM, Medeiros Junior I, Simas RC, Vaz BG. Direct analysis of naphthenic acids in produced water and crude oil by NH 2-surface-modified wooden-tip electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2021; 13:5274-5281. [PMID: 34704566 DOI: 10.1039/d1ay01541a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This work describes the surface coating of wooden toothpicks with amino groups (NH2) for electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (MS) analysis of naphthenic acids (NAs) in produced water samples and crude oil fractions. NH2 was introduced into the cellulosic material through a silanization reaction using aminopropyltriethoxysilane. An NH2-modified toothpick was inserted into the analyte extraction sample and was subsequently used as an electrospray emitter for MS analysis. The extraction conditions were optimized by analyzing NAs (benzoic acid, 1-naphthoic acid, decanoic acid, 3,5-dimethyladamantane-1-carboxylic acid, and 3,5-dimethyladamantane-1-acetic acid) in pure water, and the best condition was using 5 min of extraction time with the samples under agitation. Modified and unmodified wooden toothpicks were compared, and the intensities of all NAs were higher when using the modified substrates than when using the unmodified ones. Limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), linearity, precision, and recovery were determined by analyzing decanoic acid in seawater samples. The LOD and LOQ were 2 and 5 μg mL-1, respectively, and a linear correlation (R2 = 0.9927) was obtained with concentrations ranging from 5 to 250 μg mL-1. Precision values ranged from 6 to 13% and recoveries from 89 to 106%. The technique was also employed to analyze three produced water samples, in which decanoic acid was semi-quantified, and the concentrations ranged from 10 to 13 μg mL-1. High abundances of acidic compounds of class O2 with DBEs (double bond equivalents) ranging from 1 to 3 and carbon numbers going from 8 to 12 were detected in the produced water samples. The results suggest that the modification of wooden toothpicks with NH2 might offer a significant advancement in the knowledge of cheap substrates that can improve the sensitivity of analysis of NAs in water samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais A M da Silva
- Laboratory of Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, 59078-970, GO, Brazil.
| | - Igor Pereira
- Laboratory of Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, 59078-970, GO, Brazil.
| | - Deborah V A de Aguiar
- Laboratory of Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, 59078-970, GO, Brazil.
| | - Gabriel F Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, 59078-970, GO, Brazil.
| | - Talita P de Brito
- Laboratory of Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, 59078-970, GO, Brazil.
| | | | | | - Rosineide C Simas
- Laboratory of Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, 59078-970, GO, Brazil.
| | - Boniek G Vaz
- Laboratory of Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, 59078-970, GO, Brazil.
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Porto NDA, Crucello J, Facanali R, Junior IM, Carvalho RM, Hantao LW. Profiling naphthenic acids in produced water using hollow fiber liquid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography coupled to Fourier transform Orbitrap mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 2021; 1655:462485. [PMID: 34474190 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2021.462485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we describe the development of an analytical method to profile naphthenic acids (NAs) from produced water (PW). The NAs were isolated by hollow fiber liquid-phase microextraction (HF-LPME). A microwave-assisted methylation method was used to convert the free acids into its corresponding naphthenic methyl esters (NAMEs). The best reaction conditions were ascertained using central composite design. The optimized sample preparation method exhibited an improved analytical eco-scale value (80 vs. 61) compared to conventional liquid-liquid extraction. Although the primary goal was qualitative analysis of NAMEs (e.g., group-type separation) in produced water, the quantitative performance was also evaluated for future investigations. The instrumental detection and quantification limits were 0.10 ng mL-1 and 0.16 ng mL-1, respectively, using full spectrum data acquisition. The accuracy and precision of the proposed method ranged from 90.4 to 96.6 % and 3.3 to 13.1 %, respectively, using matrix-matched working solutions (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 µg mL-1). The monoisotopic masses of the adduct ions ([M+H]+) and its corresponding fine isotopic patterns were used to determine the elemental composition of the NAMEs in the PW samples. Qualitative analysis indicated the O2 class as the predominant class in all samples with carbon numbers ranging from C5 to C19 and double bond equivalent (DBE) values of 1 to 8. Additional classes of polar compounds, i.e., O3, O4 and nitrogen-containing classes, are reported for the first time by gas chromatography coupled to Fourier transform Orbitrap mass spectrometry and chemical ionization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathália de Aguiar Porto
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, 270 Monteiro Lobato, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862 Brazil
| | - Juliana Crucello
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, 270 Monteiro Lobato, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862 Brazil
| | - Roselaine Facanali
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, 270 Monteiro Lobato, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862 Brazil
| | - Iris Medeiros Junior
- Leopoldo Américo Miguez de Mello Research and Development Center, Petrobras, Rio de Janeiro 20031-912 Brazil
| | - Rogerio Mesquita Carvalho
- Leopoldo Américo Miguez de Mello Research and Development Center, Petrobras, Rio de Janeiro 20031-912 Brazil
| | - Leandro Wang Hantao
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, 270 Monteiro Lobato, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862 Brazil.
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Meng L, How ZT, Ganiyu SO, Gamal El-Din M. Solar photocatalytic treatment of model and real oil sands process water naphthenic acids by bismuth tungstate: Effect of catalyst morphology and cations on the degradation kinetics and pathways. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 413:125396. [PMID: 33626477 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Bitumen extraction from oil sands produces large quantities of oil sands process water (OSPW), which contains recalcitrant naphthenic acids (NAs). In this study, three different morphologies of bismuth tungstate (Bi2WO6) photocatalysts were prepared by hydrothermal method. The prepared catalyst was characterized to obtain its structural, textural and chemical properties and tested for the degradation of model NAs and real OSPW under simulated solar irradiation. Nanoplate, flower-like and swirl-like Bi2WO6 were prepared and the results showed that the flower-like structure exhibited the highest specific surface area and total pore volume. The highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of NAs was also demonstrated by the flower-like Bi2WO6, achieving complete degradation of cyclohexanoic acid (CHA) at fluence-based rate constant of 0.0929 cm2/J. Superoxide radicals (O2•-) and holes were identified as the major reactive species generated during the photocatalytic process. The effect of metallic ions on the degradation rates of S-containing and N-containing NAs differed and the heteroatom was found to be the main reactive site. The by-products of heteroatomic NAs were identified and degradation pathways were reported for the first time. The concentration changes of each byproduct were further estimated by mass balance. This research provides valuable information for the treatment of NAs by engineered passive solar-based approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingjun Meng
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 1H9, Alberta, Canada
| | - Zuo Tong How
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 1H9, Alberta, Canada
| | - Soliu O Ganiyu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 1H9, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 1H9, Alberta, Canada.
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Huang R, Yang L, How ZT, Fang Z, Bekele A, Letinski DJ, Redman AD, Gamal El-Din M. Characterization of raw and ozonated oil sands process water utilizing atmospheric pressure gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry combined with solid phase microextractionun. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 266:129017. [PMID: 33261842 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This work describes a novel application of atmospheric pressure gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (APGC-TOF-MS) combined with solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the simultaneous analysis of hydrocarbons and naphthenic acids (NAs) species in raw and ozone-treated oil sands process water (OSPW). SPME method using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-coated fibers was validated using gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID) to ensure the SPME extractions were operated appropriately. The ionization pathways of the hydrocarbon species in OSPW in the APGC source were verified by analyzing a mixture of eight polyaromatic hydrocarbons which were ionized primarily via charge transfer to produce [M+] while NAs in OSPW were found to be ionized through protonation to generate [MH+] in the wet APGC source. SPME/APGC-TOF-MS analysis demonstrated a different composition profile in OSPW #1, with 74.5% of hydrocarbon species, 23.4% of O2-NAs, and 2.1% of the oxidized NA species at extraction pH 2.0 compared with that obtained by UPLC-TOF-MS analysis (36.9% of O2-NAs, 26.8% of O3-NAs, 24.9% of O4-NAs, 9.1% of O5-NAs, 2.3% of O6-NAs). Moreover, the peak areas of the total NAs and the total peak areas of NAs + hydrocarbons measured by SPME/APGC-TOF-MS correlated excellently with the total NA concentration determined by UPLC-TOF-MS (R2 = 0.90) and the concentrations of the total acid-extractable organics determined by SPME/GC-FID (R2 = 0.98), respectively. APGC-TOF-MS integrated with the SPME techniques could extend the range of target compounds and be a promising alternative to evaluate and characterize NAs and hydrocarbon in different water types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongfu Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Lingling Yang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Zuo Tong How
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Zhi Fang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada; State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China
| | - Asfaw Bekele
- Upstream Research, Imperial Oil Resources Limited, Calgary, Alberta, T2C 5R2, Canada
| | | | - Aaron D Redman
- ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Inc., Annandale, NJ, 08801, USA
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada.
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13
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Messele SA, Chelme-Ayala P, Gamal El-Din M. Catalytic ozonation of naphthenic acids in the presence of carbon-based metal-free catalysts: Performance and kinetic study. Catal Today 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2020.01.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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14
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Bowman DT, Warren LA, Slater GF. Isomer-specific monitoring of naphthenic acids at an oil sands pit lake by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 746:140985. [PMID: 32739755 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Naphthenic acids (NAs) are persistent, toxic contaminants that are found to accumulate in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) and tailings after bitumen extraction. A number of strategies for the reclamation of oil sands tailings are currently being tested, including the development of the first demonstration pit lake by Syncrude Canada, Base Mine Lake (BML). An important component of reclamation activities is understanding the source and cycling of NAs in such reclamation systems. However, NAs exist as a highly complex mixture of thousands of compounds which makes their analysis an ongoing challenge. Herein, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time of flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC/TOFMS) was used to analyze the methylated extracts of water samples from the water cap and fluid fine tailings (FFT) deposit of BML to characterize the variations in NA distributions between geochemical zones. A collection of (alkylated) monocyclic-, bicyclic-, adamantane-, and thiophene-type carboxylic acids were identified. Total relative abundances were calculated for each NA class (by summation of peak areas of all detected isomers) and minimal variability was detected in the water cap. Total relative abundances for each NA class were either similar or higher in the FFT, relative to the water cap. Examination of isomer distributions indicated that differences in abundance values were generally driven by variations in only one or two isomers of a given NA class. Furthermore, GC × GC revealed distinct isomer profiles were observed between two FFT samples and between the FFT and water cap. While it is not yet clear whether these differences are due to differences in sources of NAs or in their environmental processing, these results illustrate the capability of GC × GC to investigate these questions and thus contribute to the management of these compounds within reclamation or environmental systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T Bowman
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W., Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
| | - Lesley A Warren
- School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W., Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada; Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, 35 St. George St., Toronto, ON M5S 1A4, Canada
| | - Gregory F Slater
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W., Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada; School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W., Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
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15
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Developments in Molecular Level Characterization of Naphthenic Acid Fraction Compounds Degradation in a Constructed Wetland Treatment System. ENVIRONMENTS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/environments7100089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The reclamation of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) is a matter of environmental importance because of the aquatic toxicity to biota. This study describes refinements in advanced analytical methods to assess the performance of biological treatment systems for OSPW, such as constructed wetland treatment systems (CWTSs). Assessment of treatment efficiency by measurement of the degradation of naphthenic acid fraction compounds (NAFCs) in OSPW is challenging in CWTS due to potentially interfering constituents such as humic acids, organic acids, salts, and hydrocarbons. Here we have applied a previous weak anion exchange (WAX) solid-phase extraction (SPE) method and high-resolution Orbitrap-mass spectrometry (MS) to remove major interferences from the NAFC analysis. The refinements in data processing employing principal component analysis (PCA) indicates that the relative abundance of NAFCs decreased with time in the treated OSPW relative to the untreated OSPW. The most saturated NAFCs with higher carbon numbers were relatively more degraded as compared to unsaturated NAFCs. The use of Kendrick plots and van Krevelen plots for assessment of the performance of the CWTS is shown to be well-suited to detailed monitoring of the complex composition of NAFCs as a function of degradation. The developments and application of analytical methods such as the WAX SPE method and high-resolution Orbitrap-MS are demonstrated as tools enabling the advancement of CWTS design and optimization, enabling passive or semi-passive water treatment systems to be a viable opportunity for OSPW treatment.
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16
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Klemz AC, Damas MSP, González SYG, Mazur LP, Marinho BA, Weschenfelder SE, de Oliveira D, da Silva A, Valle JAB, de Souza AAU, de Souza SMGU. The use of oilfield gaseous byproducts as extractants of recalcitrant naphthenic acids from synthetic produced water. Sep Purif Technol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2020.117123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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17
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Meshref MNA, Ibrahim MD, Huang R, Yang L, How ZT, Klamerth N, Chelme-Ayala P, Hughes SA, Brown C, Mahaffey A, Gamal El-Din M. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy as a surrogate tool for the quantification of naphthenic acids in oil sands process water and groundwater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 734:139191. [PMID: 32460069 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Naphthenic acid fraction compounds (NAFCs), defined herein as the polar organic compounds extracted from the acidified oil sands process water (OSPW) samples using dichloromethane, are becoming the research hotspot due to their presence in large amount in OSPW and along with other potentially NA-contaminated water streams from the mining site. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) method is commonly used to quantify NAFCs and assumes that the total NA concentration is measured as the sum of the responses for all carboxylic acid functional groups. In this study, the NAFCs in various OSPW and groundwater (GW) samples from an active oil sands mining site were analyzed using FTIR. All water samples were pretreated using either solid-phase extraction (SPE) or liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) methods before analysis. The results showed that SPE produced higher recoveries of NAFCs than LLE for most water samples under current experimental conditions. For the quantification of NAFCs, commercial Fluka NA mixture and a pre-calibrated OSPW extract were employed as the calibration standards. The NAFCs calibrated with Fluka NA mixture and OSPW extract had clear linear relationships. The concentrations of NAFCs obtained using OSPW extract standard curve were 2.5 times the NAFC concentrations obtained using the Fluka NA mixture standard curve. Additionally, good linear correlations were observed between the total NAs and O2-O6 NA species determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOFMS) and the NAFCs measured by FTIR. According to these correlations, the NA compositions in NAFCs were developed, and the relative abundances of O2-O6 NA species in NAFCs were similar for SPE and LLE pretreated samples. The findings of this study demonstrated that FTIR could be used as a promising tool to monitor total NA species and to estimate the NA profile in different environmental water samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed N A Meshref
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Mohamed D Ibrahim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Rongfu Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Lingling Yang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Zuo Tong How
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Nikolaus Klamerth
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Pamela Chelme-Ayala
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Sarah A Hughes
- Shell Health - Americas, Shell Oil Company, 150 North Dairy Ashford Road, Houston, TX 77079, USA.
| | - Christine Brown
- Canadian Natural, Technology and Development, 324-8th Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P 2Z2, Canada
| | - Ashley Mahaffey
- Coral Waters Consulting Inc., Shell Technology Centre Calgary, 3655 36 St NW, Calgary, AB T2L 1Y8, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada.
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18
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Zhang L, Zhang Y, Patterson J, Arslan M, Zhang Y, Gamal El-Din M. Biofiltration of oil sands process water in fixed-bed biofilm reactors shapes microbial community structure for enhanced degradation of naphthenic acids. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 718:137028. [PMID: 32109809 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Naphthenic acids (NAs) are a complex mixture of carboxylic acids present in oil sands process water (OSPW). Their recalcitrant nature makes them difficult to be removed from the environment using conventional remediation strategies. This study hypothesized that, upon continuous operation, biofiltration of OSPW in fixed-bed biofilm reactors would allow the development of NA-degrading microbial community within the biofilter following successful removal. Both raw and ozonated OSPW were treated in the biofilters and changes in microbial community were tested via 16S/18S amplicon sequencing and metatranscriptomics. Through switch from suspended growth to attached growth, a shift in indigenous microbial community was seen following by an increase in alpha diversity. Concomitantly, improved degradation of NAs was monitored, i.e., 35.8% and 69.4% of NAs were removed from raw and ozonated OSPW, respectively. Metatranscriptomics analysis suggested the presence of genes involved in the degradation of organic acids and petroleum-related compounds. Specifically, functional abundance of aromatic compounds' metabolism improved from 0.05% to 0.76%; whereas abundance of benzoate transport and degradation pathway increased from 0.04% to 0.64%. These changes conclude that continuous operation of OSPW in the bioreactors was in favor of shaping the overall microbiome towards better NA degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada; Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310051, PR China
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- Department of Civil Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, United States
| | - Jordan Patterson
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Muhammad Arslan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Yanjun Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310051, PR China
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
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19
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Duncan KD, Richards LC, Monaghan J, Simair MC, Ajaero C, Peru KM, Friesen V, McMartin DW, Headley JV, Gill CG, Krogh ET. Direct analysis of naphthenic acids in constructed wetland samples by condensed phase membrane introduction mass spectrometry. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 716:137063. [PMID: 32044488 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The application of direct mass spectrometry techniques to the analysis of complex samples has a number of advantages including reduced sample handling, higher sample throughput, in situ process monitoring, and the potential for adaptation to on-site analysis. We report the application of a semi-permeable capillary hollow fibre membrane probe (immersed directly into an aqueous sample) coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer by a continuously flowing methanol acceptor phase for the rapid analysis of naphthenic acids with unit mass resolution. The intensity of the naphthenic acid-associated peaks in the mass spectrum are normalized to an internal standard in the acceptor phase for quantitation and the relative abundance of the peaks in the mass spectrum are employed to monitor compositional changes in the naphthenic acid mixture using principle component analysis. We demonstrate the direct analysis of a synthetic oil sands process-affected water for classical naphthenic acids (CnH2n+zO2) as they are attenuated through constructed wetlands containing sedge (Carex aquatilis), cattail (Typha latifolia), or bulrush (Schoenoplectus acutus). Quantitative results for on-line membrane sampling compare favourably to those obtained by solid-phase extraction high-resolution mass spectrometry. Additionally, chemometric analysis of the mass spectra indicates a clear discrimination between naphthenic acid-influenced and natural background waters. Furthermore, the compositional changes within complex naphthenic acid mixtures track closely with the degree of attenuation. Overall, the technique is successful in following changes in both the concentration and composition of naphthenic acids from synthetic oil sands process-affected waters, with the potential for high throughput screening and environmental forensics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle D Duncan
- Applied Environmental Research Laboratories, Chemistry, Vancouver Island University, 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo, British Columbia V9R 5S5, Canada; Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, 751230 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Larissa C Richards
- Applied Environmental Research Laboratories, Chemistry, Vancouver Island University, 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo, British Columbia V9R 5S5, Canada; Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700, Stn CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Joseph Monaghan
- Applied Environmental Research Laboratories, Chemistry, Vancouver Island University, 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo, British Columbia V9R 5S5, Canada; Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700, Stn CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Monique C Simair
- Maven Water & Environment, 238-111 Research Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3R2, Canada; Department of Civil, Geological, and Environmental Engineering, 57 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A9, Canada; School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, 323 Kirk Hall, 117 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5C8, Canada; Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, Clemson University, 321 Calhoun Drive, SC 29634, USA
| | - Chukwuemeka Ajaero
- Watershed Hydrology and Ecology Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Blvd., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada; Environmental Systems Engineering, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Kerry M Peru
- Watershed Hydrology and Ecology Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Blvd., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Vanessa Friesen
- Contango Strategies Limited, 104-411 Downey Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 4L8, Canada
| | - Dena W McMartin
- Department of Civil, Geological, and Environmental Engineering, 57 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A9, Canada; School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, 323 Kirk Hall, 117 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5C8, Canada
| | - John V Headley
- Watershed Hydrology and Ecology Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Blvd., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Chris G Gill
- Applied Environmental Research Laboratories, Chemistry, Vancouver Island University, 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo, British Columbia V9R 5S5, Canada; Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700, Stn CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Erik T Krogh
- Applied Environmental Research Laboratories, Chemistry, Vancouver Island University, 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo, British Columbia V9R 5S5, Canada; Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700, Stn CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada.
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20
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Scott AC, Zubot W, Davis CW, Brogly J. Bioaccumulation potential of naphthenic acids and other ionizable dissolved organics in oil sands process water (OSPW) - A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 712:134558. [PMID: 31831242 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Bitumen recovery via mining in Alberta's Athabasca region generates large quantities of oil sands process water (OSPW). Aquatic toxicity of OSPW has been well-studied and the class of organic compounds referred to as naphthenic acids (NAs) are consistently implicated as the primary driver. Proposed lease closure options include treated produced waters in reclaimed landscapes such as pit lakes and wetlands. Consequently, it is crucial to understand the bioaccumulation potential of NAs and other OSPW dissolved organics in these environments. Early studies were focussed only on NAs due to analytical limitations, however, later studies investigated additional classes of dissolved organics in OSPW. Reported bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for NAs in fish and amphibians range from 0.24 to 53 L/kg wet-weight. Most quantitative assessments of NAs bioaccumulation potential evaluated commercial NAs mixtures as a surrogate for OSPW and used using single-ion monitoring for measuring NAs concentrations. The resulting BCF values are based on the NA isomers that conform to the formula, C13H22O2. More recently, an advanced analytical technique capable of determining the profile of different isomer classes in OSPW showed that NAs and other OSPW ionizable dissolved organics (OSPW-IDO) have low partitioning to simulated biological storage lipids, suggesting low bioaccumulation potential. Using the same analytical technique to assess in vivo fish exposures, a subsequent study reported a range of BCFs for OSPW NAs between 0.7 and 53 L/kg wet-weight and heteroatomic isomer classes containing S or N heteroatoms had BCFs between 0.6 and 28 L/kg wet-weight. Reported BCFs for all isomer classes of the OSPW-IDO fraction were less than the Canadian standard for bioaccumulative designation (i.e., BCF ≥ 5000).
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela C Scott
- Unaffiliated private contractor, correspondence c/o Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA), 520 5th Avenue SW, Suite 1700, Calgary, AB T2P3R7, Canada.
| | - Warren Zubot
- Syncrude Canada Ltd., Edmonton Research Centre, 9421 17 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T6N1H4, Canada.
| | - Craig W Davis
- ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Inc., 1545 US Highway 22 East, Annandale, NJ 08801, United States.
| | - John Brogly
- Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA), 520 5th Avenue SW, Suite 1700, Calgary, AB T2P3R7, Canada.
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21
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Fang Z, Huang R, Chelme-Ayala P, Shi Q, Xu C, Gamal El-Din M. Comparison of UV/Persulfate and UV/H 2O 2 for the removal of naphthenic acids and acute toxicity towards Vibrio fischeri from petroleum production process water. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 694:133686. [PMID: 31400695 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The ultraviolet light-activated persulfate process (UV/Persulfate) has received much attention in recent years as a novel advanced oxidation method for the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater. This work investigated the UV/Persulfate and UV/H2O2 processes for the treatment of real oil sands process water (OSPW) at ambient pH condition using a medium pressure mercury lamp (emission between 200 and 530 nm). The degradation performances towards fluorophore organic compounds and naphthenic acids (NAs) in OSPW were evaluated using synchronous fluorescence spectrometry and ultra performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry, respectively. Compared to the UV/H2O2 process, the UV/Persulfate process exhibited higher efficiency to remove both NAs and fluorophore organic compounds. Under 40 min of UV exposure and incident irradiance of 3.50 mW cm-2, fluorophore organic compounds were greatly degraded by UV/Persulfate (2 mM) and two- and three-ring fused organics were completely removed. 59.4%, 83.8% and 92.2% of O2-NAs in OSPW were removed with persulfate dosages of 0.5, 2, and 4 mM, respectively. The removal efficiency decreased along with the number of oxygen atoms in NAs (83.8%, 49.3%, and 46.8% for O2-, O3-, and O4-NAs, respectively) with 2 mM of persulfate, because of the formation of oxidized NAs in the same process. The structure-reactivity of O2-NA compounds fitted pseudo-first order kinetics in UV/Persulfate process with the rate constants ranging from 0.0156 min-1 to 0.1511 min-1. NAs with higher carbon numbers and double bond equivalence were more reactive in the UV/Persulfate oxidation process. The acute toxicity of OSPW to Vibrio fischeri was significantly reduced after the UV/Persulfate and UV/H2O2 treatments. Overall results demonstrated that the UV/Persulfate oxidation can be an effective alternative for future reclamation of OSPW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Rongfu Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Pamela Chelme-Ayala
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Quan Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Chunming Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada.
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22
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Philibert DA, Lyons DD, Qin R, Huang R, El-Din MG, Tierney KB. Persistent and transgenerational effects of raw and ozonated oil sands process-affected water exposure on a model vertebrate, the zebrafish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 693:133611. [PMID: 31634996 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to oil sands process-affected water (OSPW), a by-product of Canadian oil sands mining operations, can cause both acute and chronic adverse effects in aquatic life. Ozonation effectively degrades naphthenic acids in OSPW, mitigating some of the toxicological effects of exposure. In this study we examined the effect of developmental exposure to raw and ozonated OSPW had on the breeding success, prey capture, and alarm cue response in fish months/years after exposure and the transgenerational effect exposure had on gene expression, global DNA methylation, and larval basal activity. Exposure to raw and ozonated OSPW had no effect on breeding success, and global DNA methylation. Exposure altered the expression of vtg and nkx2.5 in the unexposed F1 generation. Exposure to both raw and ozonated OSPW had a transgenerational impact on larval activity levels, anxiety behaviors, and maximum swim speed compared to the control population. Prey capture success was unaffected, however, the variability in the behavioral responses to the introduction of prey was decreased. Fish developmentally exposed to either treatment were less active before exposure and did not have an anxiety response to the alarm cue hypoxanthine-3-n-oxide. Though ozonation was able to mitigate some of the effects of OSPW exposure, further studies are needed to understand the transgenerational effects and the implications of exposure on complex fish behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle A Philibert
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada.
| | - Danielle D Lyons
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Rui Qin
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Rongfu Huang
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Ketih B Tierney
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada; School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
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Fennell J, Arciszewski TJ. Current knowledge of seepage from oil sands tailings ponds and its environmental influence in northeastern Alberta. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 686:968-985. [PMID: 31200313 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 05/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Seepage of oil sand process-affected waters (OSPW) from tailings ponds into surface waters is a common concern in the minable oil sands region of northeast Alberta. Research on seepage has been extensive, but few comprehensive treatments evaluating all aspects relevant to the phenomenon are available. In this work, the current information relevant for understanding the state of seepage from tailings ponds was reviewed. The information suggests the infiltration of OSPW into groundwater occurs near some ponds. OSPW may also be present in sediments beneath the Athabasca River adjacent to one pond, but there are no clear observations of OSPW in the river water. Similarly, most water samples from tributaries also show no evidence of OSPW, but these observations are limited by the lack of systematic, systemic, and repeated surveys, missing baseline data, standard analytical approaches, and reference materials. Waters naturally influenced by bitumen, discharge of saline groundwaters, and dilution also potentially affect the consolidation of information and certainty of any conclusions. Despite these challenges, some data suggest OSPW may be present in two tributaries of the Athabasca River adjacent to tailings ponds: McLean Creek and Lower Beaver River. Irrespective of the possible source(s), constituents of OSPW often affect organisms exposed in laboratories, but research in all but one study suggests the concentrations of organics in the surface water bodies assessed are below the standard toxicological effect thresholds for these compounds. In contrast, many samples of groundwater, irrespective of source, likely affect biota. Biomonitoring of surface waters suggests generic responses to stressors, but the influence of natural phenomena and occasionally nutrient enrichment are often suggested by data. In summary, valuable research has been done on seepage. The data suggest infiltration into groundwater is common, seepage into surface waters is not, and anthropogenic biological impacts are not likely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Fennell
- Integrated Sustainability, Calgary, AB, Canada
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24
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Zhang L, Zhang Y, Gamal El-Din M. Integrated mild ozonation with biofiltration can effectively enhance the removal of naphthenic acids from hydrocarbon-contaminated water. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 678:197-206. [PMID: 31075586 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
An innovative biofiltration-ozonation-biofiltration process was established and applied for the treatment of oil sands process water (OSPW). With an equivalent hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 8 h, the biofiltration pretreatment removed 24.4% of classical naphthenic acids (NAs) and 3.3% of oxidized NAs from raw OSPW with removal rate of 0.4 mg/L/h and 0.1 mg/L. Oxidized NAs showed higher resistance to the biofiltration process than classical NAs. The mild ozonation process (with utilized ozone dose of 30 mg/L) removed 84.8% of classical NAs and 11.5% of oxidized NAs from the biofiltrated OSPW with a degradation efficiency of 0.3 mg classical NAs/mg O3 and 0.1 mg oxidized NAs/mg O3. However, by using the same utilized ozone dose, the degradation of classical NAs and oxidized NAs from raw OSPW was 32.1% and 3.9% with ozonation efficiency of 0.1 mg classical NAs/mg O3 and 0.0 mg oxidized NAs/mg O3, respectively. Compared with the biofiltration pretreatment, the post biofiltration process (with HRT of 8 h) showed higher degradation effect on oxidized NAs with removal ratio of 22.9% and removal rate of 0.4 mg/L/h, but showed lower degradation effect on classical NAs with removal ratio of 6.7% and removal rate of 0.0 mg/L/h. After biofiltration-ozonation-biofiltration treatment, the microbial community structure in the biofilter was investigated by next generation sequencing. Proteobacteria and Rhodococcus were dominant bacterial phyla and genus in the biofilter, the abundance of which were 47.21% and 9.50% which were different from those in raw OSPW (62.88% and 0.72%). The change of microbial community structure could be resulted from the interaction between microbial community and the circulating OSPW. The ozonation integrated biodegradation process removed 89.3% and 34.0% of classical and oxidized NAs from OSPW which shows high potential to be applied by the oil and gas industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- Department of Civil Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, United States
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
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25
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Tanna RN, Redman AD, Frank RA, Arciszewski TJ, Zubot WA, Wrona FJ, Brogly JA, Munkittrick KR. Overview of Existing Science to Inform Oil Sands Process Water Release: A Technical Workshop Summary. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2019; 15:519-527. [PMID: 30908840 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The extraction of oil sands from mining operations in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region uses an alkaline hot water extraction process. The oil sands process water (OSPW) is recycled to facilitate material transport (e.g., ore and tailings), process cooling, and is also reused in the extraction process. The industry has expanded since commercial mining began in 1967 and companies have been accumulating increasing inventories of OSPW. Short- and long-term sustainable water management practices require the ability to return treated water to the environment. The safe release of OSPW needs to be based on sound science and engineering practices to ensure downstream protection of ecological and human health. A significant body of research has contributed to the understanding of the chemistry and toxicity of OSPW. A multistakeholder science workshop was held in September 2017 to summarize the state of science on the toxicity and chemistry of OSPW. The goal of the workshop was to review completed research in the areas of toxicology, chemical analysis, and monitoring to support the release of treated oil sands water. A key outcome from the workshop was identifying research needs to inform future water management practices required to support OSPW return. Another key outcome of the workshop was the recognition that methods are sufficiently developed to characterize chemical and toxicological characteristics of OSPW to address and close knowledge gaps. Industry, government, and local indigenous stakeholders have proceeded to utilize these insights in reviewing policy and regulations. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;15:519-527. © 2019 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aaron D Redman
- ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Annandale, New Jersey, USA
| | - Richard A Frank
- Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment Canada, Burlington, Ontario
| | - Tim J Arciszewski
- Alberta Environment and Parks, Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Warren A Zubot
- Syncrude Canada Ltd, Edmonton Research Centre, Edmonton, Alberta
| | - Frederick J Wrona
- Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, Government of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - John A Brogly
- Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance, Calgary, Alberta
| | - Kelly R Munkittrick
- Cold Regions and Water Initiatives, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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26
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Huang R, Wang C, Chelme-Ayala P, Fang Z, Shi Q, Xu C, Gamal El-Din M. Ferrate oxidation of distinct naphthenic acids species isolated from process water of unconventional petroleum production. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 672:906-915. [PMID: 30978552 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Distinct naphthenic acid (NA) species were isolated from oil sands process water (OSPW) into 20 fractions via silver-ion solid phase extraction, prior to treatment using potassium ferrate(VI). Untreated and treated fractions F1-F20 were characterized using ultra performance liquid chromatography traveling-wave ion mobility time-of-flight mass spectrometry to identify classical NAs (aliphatic O2-NAs mainly found in fractions F1-F4), aromatic NAs (aromatic O2-NAs in F6-F9), oxidized NAs (O3-, O4-, and O5-NAs in F14-F17), and sulfur-containing NAs (F16-F19). The Fe(VI) oxidation reactivity of individual NA species was studied with minimized confounding effects from the complicated OSPW matrix. Aliphatic and aromatic O2-NAs were found to have different reactivity towards Fe(VI) oxidation, with removals ranging from <50% up to 90% at 200 mg/L ferrate dose. The O3-NAs and O4-NAs from raw OSPW were recalcitrant species with slight degradation under Fe(VI) oxidation conditions. The Fe(VI) oxidation of O2-NAs generated new O3-NAs as byproducts or intermediate byproducts which finally resulted in more oxygen-rich Ox-NAs as the final byproducts depending on the Fe(VI) doses. Besides the obtained knowledge on chemical reactivity, current methodology (i.e., treatment of Ag-ion fractions of OSPW versus raw OSPW) could be applied to evaluate other treatment approaches as well as toxicity of distinct NA species for environmental applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongfu Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Chengjin Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Pamela Chelme-Ayala
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Zhi Fang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada; State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Quan Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Chunming Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
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Li C, Fu L, Lillico DME, Belosevic M, Stafford JL, Gamal El-Din M. Exposure to Organic Fraction Extracted from Oil Sands Process-Affected Water Has Negligible Impact on Pregnancy and Lactation of Mice. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:7083-7094. [PMID: 31117544 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Dissolved organic compounds are major contaminants in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW), of which naphthenic acids (NAs) are one of the main persistent toxicants. In the present study, we explore the toxic effects of the organic fraction extracted from OSPW (OSPW-OF) in mice during pregnancy and lactation. Here, we report that acute oral exposure of female Balb/c mice during gestation, and subchronic exposure throughout gestation and lactation to OSPW-OF (containing naturally occurring levels of NAs found in tailings ponds), had negligible effects on their reproductive performance. Specifically, mating behavior, pregnancy success, embryonic implantation, gestation period, litter size, and offspring viability were not affected by OSPW-OF containing up to 55 mg/L NAs. OSPW-OF exposure also did not affect plasma concentrations of pregnancy-associated hormones or pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and it had minimal effects on liver stress gene expression. This study presents the first comprehensive in vivo analysis of mammalian toxicity associated with OSPW-OF exposure. Overall, our results suggest that the risk of acute and subchronic toxicity to mice exposed to OSPW-OF at environmentally relevant concentrations of NAs in contaminated drinking water is likely negligible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 1H9
| | - Li Fu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 1H9
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 2E9
| | - Dustin M E Lillico
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 2E9
| | - Miodrag Belosevic
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 2E9
| | - James L Stafford
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 2E9
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 1H9
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Kilgour B, Mahaffey A, Brown C, Hughes S, Hatry C, Hamilton L. Variation in toxicity and ecological risks associated with some oil sands groundwaters. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 659:1224-1233. [PMID: 31096335 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The surface mining of oil sands deposits requires the removal of groundwater to stabilize the deposit (depressurization) and make it safe for mining. The chemistry and toxicity of deep groundwaters (from 45 to 144 m below an active mining operation) were characterized to determine if the release of groundwaters would pose a risk to a receiving aquatic environment. Concentrations of conventional chemicals such as nutrients and metals were generally below CCME chronic guidelines. Concentrations of oil sands naphthenic acids (NAs) varied depending on the method of measurement and were routinely >1 mg L-1. Groundwaters rarely caused lethality to fish and invertebrates in standard acute and chronic toxicity tests. Algal cell production was negatively correlated with chlorides and potentially negatively with NAs. Other chronic toxicity variations were less obviously correlated with measured chemistry. The groundwaters had moderately-high oxygen demand (2 to 33 mg L-1), likely associated with nutrients and organic substances, and thus have the potential to enrich receiving surface water environments if left untreated and depending on the receiving environment. This paper presents for the first time a comprehensive (3 year) pairing of water chemistry and toxicity data on groundwaters collected from aquifer depressurization wells below an active oil sands operation. These data will contribute to a better understanding of the environmental risk these waters potentially pose, and ultimately, to the improvement of water management strategies and the reduction of the overall surface mining footprint of oil sands operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce Kilgour
- Kilgour & Associates Ltd, 16-2285C St. Laurent Boulevard, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 4Z6, Canada.
| | - Ashley Mahaffey
- Coral Waters Consulting, Shell Technology Centre Calgary, 3655 36 St NW, Calgary, AB T2L 1Y8, Canada
| | - Christine Brown
- Shell Canada Ltd, Shell Technology Centre Calgary, 3655 36 St NW, Calgary, AB T2L 1Y8, Canada
| | - Sarah Hughes
- Shell Health - Americas, 150 North Dairy Ashford Road, Houston, TX 77079, United States; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada; Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Charles Hatry
- Kilgour & Associates Ltd, 16-2285C St. Laurent Boulevard, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 4Z6, Canada
| | - Liza Hamilton
- Kilgour & Associates Ltd, 16-2285C St. Laurent Boulevard, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 4Z6, Canada
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29
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Gutierrez-Villagomez JM, Peru KM, Edington C, Headley JV, Pauli BD, Trudeau VL. Naphthenic Acid Mixtures and Acid-Extractable Organics from Oil Sands Process-Affected Water Impair Embryonic Development of Silurana (Xenopus) tropicalis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:2095-2104. [PMID: 30648867 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b04461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Naphthenic acids (NAs) are carboxylic acids naturally occurring in crude oils and bitumen and are suspected to be the primary toxic substances in wastewaters associated with oil refineries and mining of oil sands. Oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) generated by the extraction of bitumen from oil sands are a major source of NAs and are currently stored in tailings ponds. We report on the acute lethality and teratogenic effects of aquatic exposure of Silurana (Xenopus) tropicalis embryos to commercial NA extracts and from the acid extractable organics (AEOs) fraction of a Canadian OSPW. Using electrospray ionization-high resolution mass spectrometry, we determined that the O2 species proportion were 98.8, 98.9 and 58.6% for commercial mixtures Sigma 1 (S1M) and Sigma 2 (S2M), and AEOs, respectively. The 96h LC50 estimates were 10.4, 11.7, and 52.3 mg/L for S1M, S2M, and the AEOs, respectively. The 96h EC50 estimates based on frequencies of developmental abnormalities were 2.1, 2.6, and 14.2 mg/L for S1M, S2M, and the AEOs, respectively. The main effects observed were reduced body size, edema, and cranial, heart, gut and ocular abnormalities. Increasing concentrations of the mixtures resulted in increased severity and frequency of abnormalities ( p < 0.05). The rank-order potency was S1M > S2M > AEO based on LC50 and EC50 estimates. These data provide insight into the effects NAs in amphibian embryos and can contribute to the development of environmental guidelines for the management of OSPW.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kerry M Peru
- Watershed Hydrology and Ecology Research Division, Water Science and Technology , Environment and Climate Change Canada , Saskatoon , Saskatchewan , Canada S7N 3H5
| | - Connor Edington
- Department of Biology , University of Ottawa , Ottawa , Ontario , Canada K1N 6N5
| | - John V Headley
- Watershed Hydrology and Ecology Research Division, Water Science and Technology , Environment and Climate Change Canada , Saskatoon , Saskatchewan , Canada S7N 3H5
| | - Bruce D Pauli
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Wildlife and Landscape Science Directorate, Science and Technology Branch , Environment and Climate Change Canada , Ottawa , Ontario , Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Vance L Trudeau
- Department of Biology , University of Ottawa , Ottawa , Ontario , Canada K1N 6N5
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30
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Huang R, Chen Y, Meshref MNA, Chelme-Ayala P, Dong S, Ibrahim MD, Wang C, Klamerth N, Hughes SA, Headley JV, Peru KM, Brown C, Mahaffey A, Gamal El-Din M. Monitoring of classical, oxidized, and heteroatomic naphthenic acids species in oil sands process water and groundwater from the active oil sands operation area. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 645:277-285. [PMID: 30029109 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The classical, oxidized, and heteroatomic naphthenic acids (NAs) species were monitored in the oil sands process water (OSPW) and groundwater from the active oil sands operation area, using solid phase extraction sample preparation and high resolution mass spectrometry analysis. Groundwater samples include Pleistocene channel aquifer groundwater (PLCA) and oil sands basal aquifer groundwater (OSBA) from different depth of underground. The concentrations of Ox-NAs decreased from OSPW to PLCA, and then increased from PLCA to OSBA, which is deeper than PLCA. The NAs in PLCA mainly comprised of Ox-NAs and N-NAs and the percentage of S-NAs was negligible. Results revealed relative abundances of individual NA species in total NAs varies among different water layers and the potential environmental impacts are expected to be variable. Principal component analysis results of O2-NAs or O4-NAs could be used for differentiation of water types. O2-NAs with n = 12-16 and |Z| = 4-6, and O4-NAs with n = 14-20 and |Z| = 6-8, were identified as marker compounds that could serve as surrogates of the larger complex NA mixture for source differentiation. This work utilized a combination of sample preparation, instrumental analysis, and statistical analysis methods to obtain knowledge of the occurrence, composition, and transfer of NAs in the groundwater of the Alberta oil sands operation area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongfu Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Yuan Chen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Mohamed N A Meshref
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Pamela Chelme-Ayala
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Shimiao Dong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Mohamed D Ibrahim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Chengjin Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Nikolaus Klamerth
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Sarah A Hughes
- Shell Health - Americas, Shell Oil Company, Woodcreek E276K, 150 North Dairy Ashford Road, Houston, TX 77079, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada; Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
| | - John V Headley
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Kerry M Peru
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Christine Brown
- Shell Canada Ltd. Shell Technology Centre Calgary, 3655 36 St NW, Calgary, AB T2L 1Y8, Canada
| | - Ashley Mahaffey
- Coral Waters Consulting Inc., Shell Technology Centre Calgary, 3655 36 St NW, Calgary, AB T2L 1Y8, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada.
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31
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Ren J, Zheng L, Wang Y, Zang X, Wu J, Yue Y, Han X, Wu L. Synthesis and characterization of quaternary ammonium based ionic liquids and its antistatic applications for diesel. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2018.08.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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32
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Rundle KI, Sharaf MS, Stevens D, Kamunde C, van den Heuvel MR. Oil Sands Derived Naphthenic Acids Are Oxidative Uncouplers and Impair Electron Transport in Isolated Mitochondria. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:10803-10811. [PMID: 30102860 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b02638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Naphthenic acids (NAs) are predominant compounds in oil sands influenced waters. These acids cause numerous acute and chronic effects in fishes. However, the mechanism of toxicity underlying these effects has not been fully elucidated. Due to their carboxylic acid moiety and the reported disruption of cellular bioenergetics by similar structures, we hypothesized that NAs would uncouple mitochondrial respiration with the resultant production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Naphthenic acids were extracted and purified from 17-year-old oil sands tailings waters yielding an extract of 99% carboxylic acids with 90% fitting the classical O2-NA definition. Mitochondria were isolated from rainbow trout liver and exposed to different concentrations of NAs. Mitochondrial respiration, membrane potential, and ROS emission were measured using the Oroboros fluorespirometry system. Additionally, mitochondrial ROS emission and membrane potential were evaluated with real-time flow cytometry. Results showed NAs uncoupled oxidative phosphorylation, inhibited respiration, and increased ROS emission. The effective concentration (EC50) and inhibition concentration (IC50) values for the end points measured ranged from 21.0 to 157.8 mg/L, concentrations similar to tailings waters. For the same end points, EC10/IC10 values ranged from 11.8 to 66.7 mg/L, approaching concentrations found in the environment. These data unveil mechanisms underlying effects of NAs that may contribute to adverse effects on organisms in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate I Rundle
- Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biomedical Science, Atlantic Veterinary College , University of Prince Edward Island , Charlottetown , Canada C1A 4P3
| | - Mahmoud S Sharaf
- Department of Biomedical Science, Atlantic Veterinary College , University of Prince Edward Island , Charlottetown , Canada C1A 4P3
| | - Don Stevens
- Department of Biomedical Science, Atlantic Veterinary College , University of Prince Edward Island , Charlottetown , Canada C1A 4P3
| | - Collins Kamunde
- Department of Biomedical Science, Atlantic Veterinary College , University of Prince Edward Island , Charlottetown , Canada C1A 4P3
| | - Michael R van den Heuvel
- Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biomedical Science, Atlantic Veterinary College , University of Prince Edward Island , Charlottetown , Canada C1A 4P3
- Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology , University of Prince Edward Island , Charlottetown , Canada C1A 4P3
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33
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Islam MS, McPhedran KN, Messele SA, Liu Y, Gamal El-Din M. Isotherm and kinetic studies on adsorption of oil sands process-affected water organic compounds using granular activated carbon. CHEMOSPHERE 2018; 202:716-725. [PMID: 29604558 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.03.149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The production of oil from oil sands in northern Alberta has led to the generation of large volumes of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) that was reported to be toxic to aquatic and other living organisms. The toxicity of OSPW has been attributed to the complex nature of OSPW matrix including the inorganic and organic compounds primarily naphthenic acids (NAs: CnH2n+ZOx). In the present study, granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption was investigated for its potential use to treat raw and ozonated OSPW. The results indicated that NA species removal increased with carbon number (n) for a fixed Z number; however, the NA species removal decreased with Z number for a fixed carbon number. The maximum adsorption capacities obtained from Langmuir adsorption isotherm based on acid-extractable fraction (AEF) and NAs were 98.5 mg and 60.9 mg AEF/g GAC and 60 mg and 37 mg NA/g GAC for raw and ozonated OSPW, respectively. It was found that the Freundlich isotherm model best fits the AEF and NA equilibrium data (r2 ≥ 0.88). The adsorption kinetics showed that the pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion models were both appropriate in modeling the adsorption kinetics of AEF and NAs to GAC (r2 ≥ 0.97). Although pore diffusion was the rate limiting step, film diffusion was still significant for assessing the rate of diffusion of NAs. This study could be helpful to model, design and optimize the adsorption treatment technologies of OSPW and to assess the performance of other adsorbents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Shahinoor Islam
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Kerry N McPhedran
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Selamawit A Messele
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
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Xue J, Huang C, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Gamal El-Din M. Bioreactors for oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) treatment: A critical review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 627:916-933. [PMID: 29426216 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 01/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Canada has the world's largest oil sands reservoirs. Surface mining and subsequent caustic hot water extraction of bitumen lead to an enormous quantity of tailings (volumetric ratio bitumen:water=9:1). Due to the zero-discharge approach and the persistency of the complex matrix, oil producers are storing oil sands tailings in vast ponds in Northern Alberta. Oil sands tailings are comprised of sand, clay and process-affected water (OSPW). OSPW contains an extremely complex matrix of organic contaminants (e.g., naphthenic acids (NAs), residual bitumen, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)), which has proven to be toxic to a variety of aquatic species. Biodegradation, among a variety of examined methods, is believed to be one of the most cost effective and practical to treat OSPW. A number of studies have been published on the removal of oil sands related contaminants using biodegradation-based practices. This review focuses on the treatment of OSPW using various bioreactors, comparing bioreactor configurations, operating conditions, performance evaluation and microbial community dynamics. Effort is made to identify the governing biotic and abiotic factors in engineered biological systems receiving OSPW. Generally, biofilms and elevated suspended biomass are beneficial to the resilience and degradation performance of a bioreactor. The review therefore suggests that a hybridization of biofilms and membrane technology (to ensure higher suspended microbial biomass) is a more promising option to remove OSPW organic constituents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinkai Xue
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Chunkai Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
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