新型重金属捕集剂NBMIPA处理含铜汞废水

研究了以间苯二甲酰氯和巯基乙胺盐酸盐为原料合成的重金属捕集剂NBMIPA对单一Cu2＋、Hg2＋电镀废水的捕集性能。结果研究表明,NBMIPA对Cu2＋和Hg2＋的捕集性能优良,NBMIPA投加量越大,捕集性能越高;NBMIPA对pH具有较宽适应性。NBMIPA对于单一含铜废水可无需调pH,投加捕集剂量为废水中含量的4～5倍（摩尔比）,静置后其上层清夜中所含Cu2＋为0.38 mg/L,Cu2＋的去除率可达99.5%以上;当NBMIPA的投加量（摩尔比）是Hg2＋的3.5～4.5倍时,Hg2＋的去除率达到99.83%,残余Hg2＋浓度为0.032 mg/L。     

Oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes as adsorbent for the removal of manganese from aqueous solution

A batch adsorption process was applied to investigate the removal of manganese from aqueous solution by oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). In doing so, the thermodynamic, adsorption isotherm, and kinetic studies were also carried out. MWCNT with 5–10-nm outer diameter, surface area of 40–600 m²/g, and purity above 95 % was used as an adsorbent. A systematic study of the adsorption process was performed by varying pH, ionic strength, and temperature. Manganese-adsorbed MWCNT was characterized by Raman, FTIR, X-ray diffraction, XPS, SEM, and TEM. The adsorption efficiency could reach 96.82 %, suggesting that MWCNT is an excellent adsorbent for manganese removal from water. The results indicate that second-order kinetics model was well suitable to model the kinetic adsorption of manganese. Equilibrium data were well described by the typical Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Thermodynamic studies revealed that the adsorption reaction was spontaneous and endothermic process. The experimental results showed that MWCNT is an excellent manganese adsorbent. The MWCNTs removed the manganese present in the water and reduced it to a permissible level making it drinkable.     

Quantitative assessment of the toxic effects of heavy metals on 1,2-dichloroethane biodegradation in co-contaminated soil under aerobic condition

1,2-Dichloroethane (1,2-DCA) is one of the most hazardous pollutant of soil and groundwater, and is produced in excess of 5.44 × 10⁹ kg annually. Owing to their toxicity, persistence and potential for bioaccumulation, there is a growing interest in technologies for their removal. Heavy metals are known to be toxic to soil microorganisms at high concentrations and can hinder the biodegradation of organic contaminants. In this study, the inhibitory effect of heavy metals, namely; arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead, on the aerobic biodegradation of 1,2-DCA by autochthonous microorganisms was evaluated in soil microcosm setting. The presence of heavy metals was observed to have a negative impact on the biodegradation of 1,2-DCA in both soil samples tested, with the toxic effect being more pronounced in loam soil, than in clay soil. Generally, 75 ppm As³⁺, 840 ppm Hg²⁺, and 420 ppm Pb²⁺ resulted in 34.24%, 40.64%, and 45.94% increase in the half live (t_½) of 1,2-DCA, respectively, in loam soil, while concentrations above 127.5 ppm Cd²⁺, 840 ppm Hg²⁺ and 420 ppm of Pb²⁺ and less than 75 ppm As³⁺ was required to cause a >10% increase in the t_½ of 1,2-DCA in clay soil. A dose-dependent relationship between degradation rate constant (k₁) of 1,2-DCA and metal ion concentrations was observed for all the heavy metals tested, except for Hg²⁺. This study demonstrated that different heavy metals have different impacts on the degree of 1,2-DCA degradation. Results also suggest that the degree of inhibition is metal specific and is also dependent on several factors including; soil type, pH, moisture content and available nutrients.     

Aqueous stabilization of carbon nanotubes: effects of surface oxidization and solution chemistry

Surface oxygen functional groups can affect the morphological characteristics, aggregation kinetics, and adsorption capacity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). However, little is known about the quantitative relationship between oxygen content and the dispersion stability of MWCNTs. To investigate the effects of surface oxidization, MWCNTs were oxidized using concentrated H₂SO₄/HNO₃ acids for 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 h, respectively. Experimental results showed that the oxygen content of MWCNTs increased with surface oxidization time. Linear correlations were found to exist between the oxygen content, critical coagulation concentration (CCC) for NaCl, and critical coagulation pH values of MWCNTs detected by optical density at 800 nm. The CCC values for CaCl₂ increased with oxygen contents for unmodified MWCNTs and lowly oxidized MWCNTs, while which decreased after further increasing the surface oxidization. CCC ratios in the presence of Ca²⁺ to Na⁺ were consistent with the empirical Schulze–Hardy rule for unmodified MWCNTs and lowly oxidized MWCNTs; however, which were much lower than the expected values for highly oxidized MWCNTs. Fulvic acid can clearly increase the stability of MWCNT suspension with unmodified MWCNTs and lowly oxidized MWCNTs, while it cannot affect the dispersion of highly oxidized MWCNTs. This study implied that the oxidation and presence of fulvic acid will possibly increase the mobility, exposure, bioavailability, and toxicity of MWCNTs.     

Silver-modified clinoptilolite for the removal of Escherichia coli and heavy metals from aqueous solutions

This paper investigates the potential of using the silver antibacterial properties combined with the metal ion exchange characteristics of silver-modified clinoptilolite to produce a treatment system capable of removing both contaminants from aqueous streams. The results have shown that silver-modified clinoptilolite is capable of completely eliminating Escherichia coli after 30-min contact time demonstrating its effectiveness as a disinfectant. Systems containing both E. coli and metals exhibited 100 % E. coli reduction after 15-min contact time and maximum metal adsorption removal efficiencies of 97, 98, and 99 % for Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Zn²⁺ respectively after 60 min; 0.182–0.266 mg/g of metal ions were adsorbed by the zeolites in the single- and mixed-metal-containing solutions. Nonmodified clinoptilolite showed no antibacterial properties. This study demonstrated that silver-modified clinoptilolite exhibited high disinfection and heavy metal removal efficiencies and consequently could provide an effective combined treatment system for the removal of E. coli and metals from contaminated water streams.     

Ultra-high adsorption of Hg0 using impregnated activated carbon by selenium

Activated carbon was one of the main adsorptions utilized in elemental mercury (Hg⁰) removal from coal combustion flue gas. However, the high cost and low physical adsorption efficiency of activated carbon injection (ACI) limited its application. In this study, an ultra-high efficiency (nearly 100%) catalyst sorbent-Se_x/Activated carbon (Se_x/AC) was synthesized and applied to remove Hg⁰ in the simulated flue gas, which exhibited 120 times outstanding adsorption performance versus the conventional activated carbon. The Se_x/AC reached 17.98 mg/g Hg⁰ adsorption capacity at 160 °C under the pure nitrogen atmosphere. Moreover, it maintained an excellent mercury adsorption tolerance, reaching the efficiency of Hg⁰ removal above 85% at the NO and SO₂ conditions in a bench-scale fixed-bed reactor. Characterized by the multiple methods, including BET, XRD, XPS, kinetic and thermodynamic analysis, and the DFT calculation, we demonstrated that the ultrahigh mercury removal performance originated from the activated Se species in Se_x/AC. Chemical adsorption plays a dominant role in Hg⁰ removal: Selenium anchored on the surface of AC would capture Hg⁰ in the flue gas to form an extremely stable substance-HgSe, avoiding subsequent Hg⁰ released. Additionally, the oxygen-containing functional groups in AC and the higher BET areas promote the conversion of Hg⁰ to HgO. This work provided a novel and highly efficient carbon-based sorbent -Se_x/AC to capture the mercury in coal combustion flue gas.

Selenium-modified porous activated carbon and the interface functional group promotes the synergistic effect of physical adsorption and chemical adsorption to promote the adsorption capacity of Hg⁰.

     

Hg<Superscript>2+</Superscript> detection using a disposable and miniaturized screen-printed electrode modified with nanocomposite carbon black and gold nanoparticles

A miniaturized screen-printed electrode (SPE) modified with a carbon black-gold nanoparticle (CBNP-AuNP) nanocomposite has been developed as an electrochemical sensor for the detection of inorganic mercury ions (Hg²⁺). The working electrode surface has been modified with nanocomposite constituted of CBNPs and AuNPs by an easy drop casting procedure that makes this approach extendible to an automatable mass production of modified SPEs. Square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) was adopted to perform Hg²⁺ detection, revealing satisfactory sensitivity and detection limit, equal to 14 μA ppb^?1 cm^?2 and 3 ppb, respectively. The applicability of the CBNP-AuNP-SPE for the determination of inorganic mercury has been assessed in river water by a simple filtration and acidification of the sample as well as in soil by means of a facile acidic extraction procedure assisted by ultrasound.     

Adsorption of fulvic acid by carbon nanotubes from water

This study investigated adsorption of fulvic acid (FA) by single-walled (SWCNT) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and activated carbon. Adsorption of FA depends greatly on the adsorbent surface area and solution pH. SWCNT has higher adsorption than MWCNT and activated carbon. Lower E4/E6 (absorbance at 465 nm to that at 665 nm) and higher E2/E3 (absorbance at 250 nm to that at 365 nm) ratios of the residual FA in solution after adsorption than that of original FA in low pH ranges suggest that aromatic rich FA fractions with polar moieties readily adsorb on the adsorbents. The apparent interaction mechanisms between FA and CNT surfaces include electrostatic, hydrophobic, π-π and hydrogen-bond interactions. FA adsorption was reduced greatly with increasing pH because of the increase of electrostatic repulsion and the decrease of hydrophobic and hydrogen-bond interactions.     

Surface Compositions of Carbon Sorbents Exposed to Simulated Low-Rank Coal Flue Gases

Abstract

Bench-scale testing of elemental mercury (Hg⁰) sorption on selected activated carbon sorbents was conducted to develop a better understanding of the interaction among the sorbent, flue gas constituents, and Hg⁰. The results of the fixed-bed testing under simulated lignite combustion flue gas composition for activated carbons showed some initial breakthrough followed by increased mercury (Hg) capture for up to ～4.8 hr. After breakthrough, the Hg in the effluent stream was primarily in an oxidized form (>90%). Aliquots of selected activated carbons were exposed to simulated flue gas containing Hg⁰ vapor for varying time intervals to explore surface chemistry changes as the initial breakthrough, Hg capture, and oxidation occurred. The samples were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to determine changes in the abundance and forms of sulfur, chlorine, oxygen, and nitrogen moieties as a result of interactions of flue gas components on the activated carbon surface during the sorption process. The data are best explained by a competition between the bound hydrogen chloride (HCl) and increasing sulfur [S(VI)] for a basic carbon binding site. Because loss of HCl is also coincident with Hg breakthrough or loss of the divalent Hg ion (Hg²⁺), the competition of Hg²⁺ with S(VI) on the basic carbon site is also implied. Thus, the role of the acid gases in Hg capture and release can be explained.     

Sorption of perfluorooctane sulfonate to carbon nanotubes in aquatic sediments

To date, sorption of organic compounds to nanomaterials has mainly been studied for the nanomaterial in its pristine state. However, sorption may be different when nanomaterials are buried in sediments. Here, we studied sorption of Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) to sediment and to sediment with 4% multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), as a function of factors affecting PFOS sorption; aqueous concentration, pH and Ca²⁺ concentration. Sorption to MWCNT in the sediment–MWCNT mixtures was assessed by subtracting the contribution of PFOS sorption to sediment-only from PFOS sorption to the total sediment–MWCNT mixture. PFOS Log K_D values ranged 0.52–1.62 L kg^?1 for sediment and 1.91–2.90 L kg^?1 for MWCNT present in the sediment. The latter values are relatively low, which is attributed to fouling of MWCNT by sediment organic matter. PFOS sorption was near-linear for sediment (Freundlich exponent of 0.92 ± 0.063) but non-linear for MWCNT (Freundlich exponent of 0.66 ± 0.03). Consequently, the impact of MWCNT on sorption in the mixture was larger at low PFOS aqueous concentration. Effects of pH and Ca²⁺ on PFOS sorption to MWCNT were statistically significant. We conclude that MWCNT fouling and PFOS concentration dependency are important factors affecting PFOS–MWCNT interactions in sediments.     

Gas-phase elemental mercury removal in a simulated combustion flue gas using TiO2 with fluorescent light

A previously proposed technology incorporating TiO₂ into common household fluorescent lighting was further tested for its Hg⁰ removal capability in a simulated flue-gas system. The flue gas is simulated by the addition of O₂, SO₂, HCl, NO, H₂O, and Hg⁰, which are frequently found in combustion facilities such as waste incinerators and coal-fired power plants. In the O₂ + N₂ + Hg⁰ environment, a Hg⁰ removal efficiency (η_Hg) greater than 95% was achieved. Despite the tendency for η_Hg to decrease with increasing SO₂ and HCl, no significant drop was observed at the tested level (SO₂: 5–300 ppm_v, HCl: 30–120 ppm_v). In terms of NO and moisture, a significant negative effect on η_Hg was observed for both factors. NO eliminated the OH radical on the TiO₂ surface, whereas water vapor caused either the occupation of active sites available to Hg⁰ or the reduction of Hg₀ by free electron. However, the negative effect of NO was minimized (η_Hg > 90%) by increasing the residence time in the photochemical reactor. The moisture effect can be avoided by installing a water trap before the flue gas enters the Hg⁰ removal system.

Implications: This paper reports a novel technology for a removal of gas-phase elemental mercury (Hg⁰) from a simulated flue gas using TiO₂-coated glass beads under a low-cost, easily maintainable household fluorescent light instead of ultraviolet (UV) light. In this study, the effects of individual chemical species (O₂, SO₂, HCl, NO, and water vapor) on the performance of the proposed technology for Hg⁰ removal are investigated. The result suggests that the proposed technology can be highly effective, even in real combustion environments such as waste incinerators and coal-fired power plants.     

Simultaneous removal of NOx,SO2, and Hg from flue gas in FGD absorber with oxidant injection (NaClO2)– full-scale investigation

ABSTRACT

This article presents the results of an industrial-scale study (on 400 MW_e lignite fired unit) of simultaneous NO_x, SO₂, and Hg^T removal in FGD absorber with oxidant injection (NaClO₂) into flue gas. It was confirmed that the injection of sodium chlorite upstream the FGD (Flue Gas Desulfurization) absorber oxidize NO to NO₂, Hg⁰ to Hg²⁺, and enhancing NO_x and Hg^T removal efficiency from exhaust gas in FGD absorber. Mercury removal efficiency grows with the rise of degree of oxidation NO to NO₂ and was limited by the phenomenon of re-emission. For NO_x removal the most critical parameters is slurry pH and temperature. There was no negative effect on sulfur dioxide removal efficiency caused by oxidant injection in tested FGD absorber. Based on the data provided, NO_x and Hg^T emissions can be reduced by adjusting the FGD absorber operating parameters combined with oxidant injection.     

Coupling of titania with multiwall carbon nanotubes for decomposition of gas-phase pollutants under simulated indoor conditions

This study synthesized multiwall carbon nanotube (MWNT)–titania (TiO₂) composites and examined their characteristics and photocatalytic performance for the cleaning of gas-phase benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and o-xylene (BTEX) under simulated indoor conditions. Optical and spectral surveys of the as-synthesized composite confirmed that the TiO₂ nanoparticles were bound intimately to the MWNT networks. The photocatalytic performance was evaluated using an annular-type reactor inner-coated with MWNT–TiO₂ or Degussa P25 TiO₂. The composite revealed gas removal ability superior to that of stand-alone TiO₂. This composite was also less affected by humidity during toluene decomposition compared to the previous result obtained from a stand-alone TiO₂. Unlike another previous result obtained from the TiO₂, the performance of the composite was not affected by changes in input concentration (IC) within a simulated indoor air quality range (0.1–1.0 ppm) but it decreased significantly when the IC was increased to 5 and 10 ppm. As the flow rate was decreased from 4.0 to 1.0 L min^?1, the average efficiency for the target compounds increased to 95% or ～100%. The MWNT–TiO₂ composite could be applied effectively to the decomposition for BTEX under certain simulated indoor conditions.

Implications: Unlike water applications, there are few reports of gas-phase applications of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)–TiO₂ composites. This study found that MWCNT–TiO₂ composites showed performance in the removal of toxic gaseous aromatic superior to that of stand-alone TiO₂. In addition, the pollutant degradation efficiency of the composite was less affected by humidity than for a stand-alone TiO₂ unit within a simulated indoor relative humidity range. Moreover, unlike the TiO₂ unit, the composite's performance was not affected by variations in the input concentrations within the simulated indoor air quality (IAQ) range. In addition, the decomposition efficiencies increased to 100% with decreasing flow rate.     

Development of an in vitro toxicological test system based on zebrafish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Danio rerio</Emphasis>) sperm analysis

The effect of seven heavy metals on the motility parameter of zebrafish sperm was tested in order to develop an in vitro toxicological test system as an alternative to live animal testing. In vitro test systems are currently preferred in ecotoxicology due to their practical and ethical advantages and fish sperm can be a suitable model. A number of studies had been carried out previously on this topic, but the described methods had not been standardized in numerous aspects (donor species, measured endpoint, etc.). In this study, heavy metals (mercury, arsenic, chromium, zinc, nickel, copper, cadmium) were used as reference toxicants with known toxicity to develop a standardized fish sperm in vitro assay. The tested concentrations were determined based on preliminary range finding tests. The endpoints were progressive motility (PMOT, %), curvilinear velocity (VCL, μm/s), and linearity (LIN, %) measured by a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system. According to our results, PMOT was the most sensitive of the three investigated parameters: dose-response curves were observed for each metal at relatively low concentrations. VCL values were less sensitive: higher concentrations were needed to observe changes. Of the three parameters, LIN was the least affected: dose-response relationship was observed only in the case of mercury (e.g., lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) of Hg at 120 min: 1 mg/L for PMOT, 2.5 mg/L for VCL, 5 mg/L for LIN; LOEC of Cu at 120 min: 1 mg/L for PMOT, 5 mg/L for VCL, any for LIN). The order of toxicity as determined by PMOT was as follows: Hg²⁺?>?As³⁺?>?Cd²⁺?>?Cu²⁺?>?Zn²⁺?>?Cr³⁺?>?Ni²⁺. In conclusion, we found that PMOT of zebrafish sperm was an accurate and fast bioindicator of heavy metal load. Sperm analysis can be adopted to estimate the possible toxic effects of various chemicals in vitro. Future investigations should concentrate on the applicability of this assay to other contaminants (e.g., organic pollutants).     

Removal and mechanism of Cu (II) and Cd (II) from aqueous single-metal solutions by a novel biosorbent from waste-activated sludge

The removal and mechanism of Cu²⁺ and Cd²⁺ from aqueous single-metal solutions were investigated by using a novel biosorbent from waste-activated sludge. A series of adsorption experiments was designed to disclose the effects of the key factors on the adsorption capacity of the biosorbent for the metal ions. The mass ratio of the biosorbent to metal ion was optimized as 2 to balance the adsorption capacity and the removal efficiency. A right shaking speed (150 r/min) not only ensured enough contact frequency between the sorbent and the adsorbate but also reduced the mass transfer resistance. The natural pH value (about 5.5) of the metal solutions benefited a high adsorption capacity of the biosorbent and avoided the consumption of acid or base for pH adjustment. The adsorption reactions belonged to the endothermic process between 15 and 45 °C. As the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed, the meshy structure with long chains and many branches was ideal for the biosorbent to quickly capture the metal ions. The energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra confirmed that the adsorbed metal ions lay in the precipitates of the adsorption reactions. According to the FTIR analyses, the functional groups responsible for Cu²⁺ adsorption majorly consisted of O–H, N–H, COOH, CONH₂, and the groups containing sulfur and phosphorus, while those for Cd²⁺ adsorption contained O–H, N–H, COOH, and CONH₂. The differences in the responsible functional groups explained the phenomenon that the adsorption capacity of the biosorbent for Cu²⁺ was higher than that for Cd²⁺.     

Removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater by a novel HEA/AMPS copolymer hydrogel: preparation, characterization, and mechanism

This study aims to synthesize 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic (AMPS) acid-based hydrogels by gamma radiation and to investigate their swelling behavior and heavy metal ion adsorption capabilities. The copolymer hydrogels prepared were characterized via scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectra, thermal gravimetric analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The research showed that the copolymer hydrogel was beneficial for permeation due to its porous structure. In addition, the experimental group A-2-d [70 % water volume ratio and (n (AMPS)/n (HEA))?=?1:1] was an optimal adsorbent. The optimal pH was 6.0 and the optimal temperature was 15 °C. Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe³+ achieved adsorption equilibriums within 24 h, whereas Cr³⁺ reached equilibrium in 5 h. Pb²+, Cd²⁺, Cr³⁺, and Fe³⁺ maximum load capacity was 1,000 mg L^?1, whereas the Cu²⁺ maximum capacity was 500 mg L^?1. The priority order in the multicomponent adsorption was Cr³⁺>Fe³⁺>Cu²⁺>Cd²⁺>Pb²⁺. The adsorption process of the HEA/AMPS copolymer hydrogel for the heavy metal ions was mainly due to chemisorption, and was only partly due to physisorption, according to the pseudo-second-order equation and Langmuir adsorption isotherm analyses. The HEA/AMPS copolymer hydrogel was confirmed to be an effective adsorbent for heavy metal ion adsorption.     

Cu2+、Zn2+对生物脱氮系统的影响

Cu²⁺和Zn²⁺是污水处理工艺中经常遇到的金属离子。在驯化好的活性污泥系统中，研究了金属离子Cu²⁺和Zn²⁺在0～100 mg/L浓度下对活性污泥生物脱氮系统的影响。试验发现Cu²⁺＞5 mg/L、Zn²⁺＞30 mg/L时，对硝化过程具有明显的抑制作用，在同样浓度的试验条件下Cu²⁺对硝化过程的抑制作用比Zn²⁺大。Cu²⁺≤0.5 mg/L时对反硝化过程具有一定的促进作用，有助于提高TN的去除效果；Cu²⁺＞0.5 mg/L时，对反硝化产生抑制作用，随着浓度的增加，TN去除率逐渐下降。Zn²⁺不影响反硝化过程，仅在大于30 mg/L时，对硝化过程产生抑制作用。重金属Cu²⁺对生物脱氮系统的影响明显强于Zn²⁺。     

Elimination of radiocontrast agent diatrizoic acid by photo-Fenton process and enhanced treatment by coupling with electro-Fenton process

The removal of radiocontrast agent diatrizoic acid (DIA) from water was performed using photo-Fenton (PF) process. First, the effect of H₂O₂ dosage on mineralization efficiency was determined using ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The system reached a maximum mineralization degree of 60 % total organic carbon (TOC) removal at 4 h with 20 mM initial H₂O₂ concentration while further concentration values led to a decrease in TOC abatement efficiency. Then, the effect of different concentrations of Fenton’s reagents was studied for homogeneous Fenton process. Obtained results revealed that 0.25 mM Fe³⁺ and 20 mM H₂O₂ were the best conditions, achieving 80 % TOC removal efficiency at 4 h treatment. Furthermore, heterogeneous PF treatment was developed using iron-activated carbon as catalyst. It was demonstrated that this catalyst is a promising option, reaching 67 % of TOC removal within 4 h treatment without formation of iron leachate in the medium. In addition, two strategies of enhancement for process efficiency are proposed: coupling of PF with electro-Fenton (EF) process in two ways: photoelectro-Fenton (PEF) or PF followed by EF (PF-EF) treatments, achieving in both cases the complete mineralization of DIA solution within only 2 h. Finally, the Microtox tests revealed the formation of more toxic compounds than the initial DIA during PF process, while, it was possible to reach total mineralization by both proposed alternatives (PEF or PF-EF) and thus to remove the toxicity of DIA solution.     

Carbofuran removal in continuous-photocatalytic reactor: Reactor optimization,rate-constant determination and carbofuran degradation pathway analysis

Carbofuran (CBF) removal in a continuous-flow photocatalytic reactor with granular activated carbon supported titanium dioxide (GAC-TiO₂) catalyst was investigated. The effects of feed flow rate, TiO₂ concentration and addition of supplementary oxidants on CBF removal were investigated. The central composite design (CCD) was used to design the experiments and to estimate the effects of feed flow rate and TiO₂ concentration on CBF removal. The outcome of CCD experiments demonstrated that reactor performance was influenced mainly by feed flow rate compared to TiO₂ concentration. A second-order polynomial model developed based on CCD experiments fitted the experimental data with good correlation (R² ～ 0.964). The addition of 1 mL min^?1 hydrogen peroxide has shown complete CBF degradation and 76% chemical oxygen demand removal under the following operating conditions of CBF ～50 mg L^?1, TiO₂ ～5 mg L^?1 and feed flow rate ～82.5 mL min^?1. Rate constant of the photodegradation process was also calculated by applying the kinetic data in pseudo-first-order kinetics. Four major degradation intermediates of CBF were identified using GC-MS analysis. As a whole, the reactor system and GAC-TiO₂ catalyst used could be constructive in cost-effective CBF removal with no impact to receiving environment through getaway of photocatalyst.     

Start-up of sequencing batch reactor with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thiosphaera pantotropha</Emphasis> for treatment of high-strength nitrogenous wastewater and sludge characterization

Biological treatment of high-strength nitrogenous wastewater is challenging due to low growth rate of autotrophic nitrifiers. This study reports bioaugmentation of Thiosphaera pantotropha capable of simultaneously performing heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification (SND) in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). SBRs fed with 1:1 organic-nitrogen (N) and NH₄ ⁺-N were started up with activated sludge and T. pantotropha by gradual increase in N concentration. Sludge bulking problems initially observed could be overcome through improved aeration and mixing and change in carbon source. N removal decreased with increase in initial nitrogen concentration, and only 50–60 % removal could be achieved at the highest N concentration of 1000 mg L^?1 at 12-h cycle time. SND accounted for 28 % nitrogen loss. Reducing the settling time to 5–10 min and addition of divalent metal ions gradually improved the settling characteristics of sludge. Sludge aggregates of 0.05–0.2 mm diameter, much smaller than typical aerobic granules, were formed and progressive increase in settling velocity, specific gravity, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, protein, and polysaccharides was observed over time. Granulation facilitated total nitrogen (TN) removal at a constant rate over the entire 12-h cycle and thus increased TN removal up to 70 %. Concentrations of NO₂ ^?-N and NO₃ ^?-N were consistently low indicating effective denitrification. Nitrogen removal was possibly limited by urea hydrolysis/nitrification. Presence of T. pantotropha in the SBRs was confirmed through biochemical tests and 16S rDNA analysis.