Materials

CDx (97.0%), methyl acrylate (99%), copper(I) bromide (99.9%), N,N,N’,N’’,N’’-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (99%), bromoisobutyryl bromide, ethyl α-bromoisobutyrate (98%), 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (99.0%), tetra-n-butyl ammonium bromide (≥98.0%), hydrazine hydrate (50–60%), sodium carbonate (≥99.0%), copper nitrate trihydrate (Cu(NO₃)₂·3H₂O, ≥99.0%), aluminum nitrate nonahydrate (Al(NO₃)₃·9H₂O, ≥99.9%), nickel nitrate hexahydrate (Ni(NO₃)₂·6H₂O, ≥99.9%), sodium nitrate (NaNO₃, ≥99.0%), magnesium nitrate hexahydrate (Mg(NO₃)₂·6H₂O, ≥99.0%), potassium nitrate (KNO₃, ≥99.0%), calcium nitrate tetrahydrate (Ca(NO₃)₂·4H₂O, ≥99.0%), nitric acid (70%), HCl (37%), aluminum oxide (alumina), FeCl₃ (≥99.9%), thiourea (≥99.0%), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB No. 52), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (4,4’,6,6’-tetrabromo-2,2’-biphenol), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (Benzo[a]pyrene), and phthalate esters (dibutyl phthalate) were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich (USA). HCl (1 N) standard solution, sodium hydroxide (NaOH, 1 N) standard solution, dichloromethane (99.8%), methanol (99.9%), tetrahydrofuran (99.5%), and NaBH₄ (98%) were purchased from Daejung Chemical (South Korea). PAAm (molecular weight (M_w) = 150 kg mol^–1), bPEI (M_w = 70 kg mol^–1), silica gel (silica), 4-NP (99%), and MO were procured from Alfa Aesar (USA). Natural organic matter (2R101N), fulvic acid (3S101F), and humic acid (3S101H) were purchased from International Humic Substances Society (USA). Furthermore, Au, Pd, and Pt (1000 mg L^–1) standard solutions were acquired from Kanto Chemical Co. (Japan). DI water was prepared using a Milli-Q purification system (Millipore, USA). Polysulfone (PSF) ultrafiltration membranes (M-M2540PS20, molecular weight cut-off = 20 kg mol^–1) and cellulose filter paper (JIS P 3801, pore size = 1 μm) were obtained from Applied Membranes Inc. (USA) and Advantec (Japan), respectively.