Development of Methods of Monitoring and Removal of Biologically Actives Substances Aimed at Improving the Quality of the Environment

One of the two objectives of the project is the development of efficient, cheap, and environmentally friendly methods of degradation of pesticides and drugs by direct and indirect photolysis and heterogeneous photocatalysis based on TiO2 (of various types), and doped TiO2 by UV/Vis and sunlight radiation. The study will encompass the influence of substrate structure on the efficiency and mechanism of degradation, aimed at avoiding formation of potentially carcinogenic and mutagenic intermediates and degradation products. The effect of matrix on degradation efficiency of selected substrates will be examined. The degradation kinetics and mechanism will be studied by HPLC-DAD, HPLC-MS, GC-MS, 1H-NMR, IC, TOC, potentiometry and spectrophotometry. Toxicity and mutagenicity of degradation products will be examined by appropriate tests. Harmful effects of mycotoxins (frequent contaminants of cereals) on health of humans and animals require improvements of the methods for their determination, namely of fumonisin and deoxynivalenol (extraction optimization, use of alternative extractants to eliminate organic solvents, and purification of raw extracts from cereals), as well as on the application of IR spectroscopy for their fast determination. Also, the work will be focused the development, optimization and adaptation of methods of cereals decontamination in accordance with national specificities, EU legislative and FAO/WHO regulations.