Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 20, 2026
Characterization of Aquatic Biofilms with Flow Cytometry
Published on: June 6, 2018
Polymerization of micropollutants in natural aquatic environments: A review
Chen Zhong1, He Zhao2, Hongbin Cao2
1National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; Beijing Engineering Research Centre of Process Pollution Control, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Abstract:
Micropollutants with high ecotoxicological risks are frequently detected in aquatic environments, which has aroused great concern in recent years. Humification is one of the most important natural detoxification processes of aquatic micropollutants, and the core reactions of this process are polymerization and coupling. During humification, micropollutants are incorporated into the macrostructures of humic substances and precipitated from aqueous systems into sediments. However, the similarities and differences among the polymerization/coupling pathways of micropollutants in different oxidative systems have not been systematically summarized in a review. This article reviews the current knowledge on the weak oxidation-induced spontaneous polymerization/coupling transformation of micropollutants. First, four typical weak oxidative conditions for the initiation of micropollutant polymerization reactions in aquatic environments are compared: enzymatic catalysis, biomimetic catalysis, metal oxide oxidation, and photo-initiated oxidation. Second, three major subsequent spontaneous transformation pathways of micropollutants are elucidated: radical polymerization, nucleophilic addition/substitution and cyclization. Different solution conditions are also summarized. Furthermore, the importance of toxicity evolution during the weak oxidation-induced coupling/polymerization of micropollutants is particularly emphasized. This review provides a new perspective for the transformation mechanism and pathways of micropollutants from aquatic systems into sediments and the atmosphere and offers theoretical support for developing micropollutant control technologies.
More Related Videos
05:57Collection, Isolation and Enrichment of Naturally Occurring Magnetotactic Bacteria from the Environment
Published on: November 15, 2012
05:46Identification of Pharmaceuticals in The Aquatic Environment Using HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS and Elimination of Erythromycin Through Photo-Induced Degradation
Published on: August 1, 2018
Related Concept Videos
08:30Characterization of Aquatic Biofilms with Flow Cytometry
05:57Collection, Isolation and Enrichment of Naturally Occurring Magnetotactic Bacteria from the Environment
05:46Identification of Pharmaceuticals in The Aquatic Environment Using HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS and Elimination of Erythromycin Through Photo-Induced Degradation
10:48Nutrients in Aquatic Ecosystems
Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential plant nutrients found in aquatic ecosystems and both are monitored as a part of water quality testing because in excess amounts they can cause significant water quality problems.
Nitrogen in water is measured as the common form nitrate (NO3-) that is dissolved in water and readily absorbed by photosynthesizers such as algae. The common form of phosphorus measured is phosphate...
06:45Polymerization
Polymers are made from macromolecules, which are composed of repeating units (the so called monomeric units). In our modern world, polymers play an important role. One of the first important polymers was nylon, which is a polyamide. It found widespread application in tooth brushes and...
01:32What is Natural Selection?