Eleni Dovrou, "Photolysis of aqueous fullerene C60 agglomerates in environmental waters", Diploma Work, School of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece, 2016
https://doi.org/10.26233/heallink.tuc.65033
Due to the increase in the use of nanomaterials and their release in the aquatic environment, it is essential to study their fate and behavior which affects directly and indirectly the natural ecosystems. Fullerenes such as C60 are nanomaterials with extended use in industry, medicine and cosmetics. The present project examines the behavior of fullerene aggregates (nC60) and their photolytic fate in environmental and engineered water samples under controlled laboratory conditions. Trace level determination of nC60 was achieved using Vortex Assisted Liquid Liquid Microextraction (VALLME), which was used as a sample preparation method prior to liquid chromatography. The results of this research indicated that nC60 presents a high photochemical transformation within 30 min of UV-C irradiation time and low quenching in the presence of alkalic pH. There were also observed indications of quenching in the presence of butanol and nitrates. The photolysis of nC60 followed a pseudo-first order kinetics. In addition, the study of environmental samples and waste water effluent samples indicated an enhancement in the rate of degradation.