Numerical study of the effects of local atmospheric circulations on a pollution event over Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, China

Currently, the Chinese central government is considering plans to build a trilateral economic sphere in the Bohai Bay area, including Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei(BTH), where haze pollution frequently occurs. To achieve sustainable development, it is necessary to understand the physical mechanism of the haze pollution there. Therefore, the pollutant transport mechanisms of a haze event over the BTH region from 23 to 24 September 2011 were studied using the Weather Research and Forecasting model and the FLEXible-PARTicle dispersion model to understand the effects of the local atmospheric circulations and atmospheric boundary layer structure. Results suggested that the penetration by sea-breeze could strengthen the vertical dispersion by lifting up the planetary boundary layer height(PBLH) and carry the local pollutants to the downstream areas; in the early night, two elevated pollution layers(EPLs) may be generated over the mountain areas: the pollutants in the upper EPL at the altitude of 2–2.5 km were favored to disperse by long-range transport, while the lower EPL at the altitude of 1 km may serve as a reservoir, and the pollutants there could be transported downward and contribute to the surface air pollution.The intensity of the sea–land and mountain–valley breeze circulations played an important role in the vertical transport and distribution of pollutants. It was also found that the diurnal evolution of the PBLH is important for the vertical dispersion of the pollutants,which is strongly affected by the local atmospheric circulations and the distribution of urban areas.     

Field scale interaction and nutrient exchange between surface water and shallow groundwater in the Baiyang Lake region, North China Plain

Fertilizer input for agricultural food production, as well as domestic and industrial surface water pollutants in the North China Plain, increases pressures on locally scarce and vulnerable water resources. In order to: (a) understand pollutant exchange between surface water and groundwater, (b) quantify nutrient loadings, and (c) identify major nutrient removal pathways by using qualitative and quantitative methods, including the geochemical model PHREEQC, a one-year study at a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) double cropping system in the Baiyang Lake area in Hebei Province, China, was undertaken. The study showed a high influence of low-quality surface water on the shallow aquifer. Major inflowing pollutants into the aquifer were ammonium and nitrate via inflow from the adjacent Fu River (up to 29.8 mg/L NH₄-N and 6.8 mg/L NO₃-N), as well as nitrate via vertical transport from the field surface (up to 134.8 mg/L NO₃-N in soil water). Results from a conceptual model show an excess nitrogen input of about 320 kg/ha/a. Nevertheless, both nitrogen species were only detected at low concentrations in shallow groundwater, averaging at 3.6 mg/L NH₄-N and 1.8 mg/L NO₃-N. Measurement results supported by PHREEQC-modeling indicated cation exchange, denitrification, and anaerobic ammonium oxidation coupled with partial denitrification as major nitrogen removal pathways. Despite this current removal capacity, the excessive nitrogen fertilization may pose a future threat to groundwater quality. Surface water quality improvements are therefore recommended in conjunction with simultaneous monitoring of nitrate in the aquifer, and reduced agricultural N-inputs should be considered.     

Flow and geochemical modeling of drainage from Tomitaka mine, Miyazaki, Japan

The chemistry and flow of water in the abandoned Tomitaka mine of Miyazaki, western Japan were investigated. This mine is located in a non-ferrous metal deposit and acid mine drainage issues from it. The study was undertaken to estimate the quantities of mine drainage that needs to be treated in order to avoid acidification of local rivers, taking into account seasonal variations in rainfall. Numerical models aimed to reproduce observed water levels and fluxes and chemical variations of groundwater and mine drainage. Rock–water interactions that may explain the observed variations in water chemistry are proposed. The results show that: (1) rain water infiltrates into the deeper bedrock through a highly permeable zone formed largely by stopes that are partially filled with spoil from excavations (ore minerals and host rocks); (2) the water becomes acidic (pH from 3 to 4) as dissolved oxygen oxidizes pyrite; (3) along the flow path through the rocks, the redox potential of the water becomes reducing, such that pyrite becomes stable and pH of the mine drainage becomes neutral; and (4) upon leaving the mine, the drainage becomes acidic again due to oxidation of pyrite in the rocks. The present numerical model with considering of the geochemical characteristics can simulate the main variations in groundwater flow and water levels in and around the Tomitaka mine, and apply to the future treatment of the mine drainage.     

Promoting effect of vanadium on catalytic activity of Pt/Ce–Zr–O diesel oxidation catalysts

A series of Pt–V/Ce–Zr–O diesel oxidation catalysts was prepared using the impregnation method. The catalytic activity and sulfur resistance of Pt–V/Ce–Zr–O were investigated in the presence of simulated diesel exhaust. The effect of vanadium on the structure and redox properties of the catalysts was also investigated using the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method,X-ray diffraction, H2temperature-programmed reduction, CO temperature-programmed desorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy. Results showed that the Pt particles were well dispersed on the Ce–Zr–O carrier through the vanadium isolation effect, which significantly improved the oxidation activity toward CO and hydrocarbons. An electron-withdrawing phenomenon occurred from V to Pt, resulting in an increase in the metallic nature of platinum, which was beneficial to hydrocarbon molecular activation.     

Preliminary investigation of phosphorus adsorption onto two types of iron oxide-organic matter complexes

Iron oxide(FeO)coated by natural organic matter(NOM)is ubiquitous.The associations of minerals with organic matter(OM)significantly changes their surface properties and reactivity,and thus affect the environmental fate of pollutants,including nutrients(e.g.,phosphorus(P)).In this study,ferrihydrite/goethite-humic acid(FH/GE–HA)complexes were prepared and their adsorption characteristics on P at various p H and ionic strength were investigated.The results indicated that the Fe O–OM complexes showed a decreased P adsorption capacity in comparison with bare Fe O.The maximum adsorption capacity(Q_(max))decreased in the order of FH(22.17 mg/g)FH-HA(5.43 mg/g)GE(4.67 mg/g)GE-HA(3.27 mg/g).After coating with HA,the amorphous FH–HA complex still showed higher P adsorption than the crystalline GE–HA complex.The decreased P adsorption observed might be attributed to changes of the Fe O surface charges caused by OM association.The dependence of P adsorption on the specific surface area of adsorbents suggests that the Fe O component in the complexes is still the main contributor for the adsorption surfaces.The P adsorptions on Fe O–HA complexes decreased with increasing initial p H or decreasing initial ionic strength.A strong dependence of P adsorption on ionic strength and p H may demonstrate that outer-sphere complexes between the OM component on the surface and P possibly coexist with inner-sphere surface complexes between the Fe O component and P.Therefore,previous over-emphasis on the contributions of original minerals to P immobilization possibly over-estimates the P loading capacity of soils,especially in humic-rich areas.     

Determination of hexabromocyclododecanes in sediments from the Haihe River in China by an optimized HPLC–MS–MS method

Hexabromocyclododecanes(HBCDs),a new type of persistent organic pollutants widely used as brominated flame retardants,have attracted wide attention due to their increasing level and toxicity. A method based on high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry(HPLC–MS–MS)in electrospray ionization mode has been developed by optimization of various parameters,which effectively improved the separation degree and responsive intensity of α-,β-and γ-HBCD isomers. The concentrations and distribution profiles of three HBCD isomers were investigated in sediments from the Haihe River in China.It was observed that the concentrations of HBCDs varied in the range of 0.4–58.82 ng/g,showing a decreasing trend along the flow direction,possibly due to attenuation and biodegradation along the flow direction of the Haihe River. The distribution profile of α-,β-,γ-HBCD was 7.91%–88.6%,0–91.47%,and 0.62%–42.83%,respectively. Interestingly,α-HBCD dominated in most sample sites. This was different from the distribution profile in commercial industrial products,which might be attributed to the inter-transformation and different degradation rates of the three HBCD isomers. The potential ecological risk of HBCDs in sediment was characterized under the two-tiered procedure of the European Medicines Evaluation Agency for environmental risk assessment. Although the HBCDs in the selected section of the Haihe River presented "no risk" in the sediment compartment,its risk in sediment cannot be neglected since sediment is one of the important sinks and reservoirs of pollutants.     

Comparison of surface water chemistry and weathering effects of two lake basins in the Changtang Nature Reserve, China

The geochemistry of natural waters in the Changtang Nature Reserve,northern Tibet,can help us understand the geology of catchments,and provide additional insight in surface processes that influence water chemistry such as rock weathering on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.However,severe natural conditions are responsible for a lack of scientific data for this area.This study represents the first investigation of the chemical composition of surface waters and weathering effects in two lake basins in the reserve(Lake Dogaicoring Qiangco and Lake Longwei Co).The results indicate that total dissolved solids(TDS)in the two lakes are significantly higher than in other gauged lakes on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau,reaching 20–40 g/L,and that TDS of the tectonic lake(Lake Dogaicoring Qiangco)is significantly higher than that of the barrier lake(Lake Longwei Co).Na+and Cl-are the dominant ions in the lake waters as well as in the glacier-fed lake inflows,with chemical compositions mainly affected by halite weathering.In contrast,ion contents of inflowing rivers fed by nearby runoff are lower and concentrations of dominant ions are not significant.Evaporite,silicate,and carbonate weathering has relatively equal effects on these rivers.Due to their limited scope,small streams near the lakes are less affected by carbonate than by silicate weathering.     

Purification, characterization and application of dual coagulants containing chitosan and different Al species in coagulation and ultrafiltration process

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different Al species and chitosan (CS) dosages on coagulation performance, floc characteristics (floc sizes, strength and regrowth ability and fractal dimension) and membrane resistance in a coagulation–ultrafiltration hybrid process. Results showed that different Al species combined with humic acid in diverse ways. Al_a had better removal efficiency, as determined by UV₂₅₄ and dissolved organic carbon, which could be further improved by the addition of CS. In addition, the optimal dosage of different Al species was determined to be 4.0 mg/L with the CS concentration of 1.0 mg/L, by orthogonal coagulation experiments. Combining Al_a/Al_b/Al_c with CS resulted in larger flocs, higher recovery, and higher fractal dimension values corresponding to denser flocs; in particular, the floc size at the steady state stage was four times larger than that obtained with Al species coagulants alone. The results of ultrafiltration experiments indicated that the external fouling percentage was significantly higher than that of internal fouling, at around 85% and 15%, respectively. In addition, the total membrane resistance was significantly decreased due to CS addition.     

Cu–Mn–Ce ternary mixed-oxide catalysts for catalytic combustion of toluene

Cu–Mn, Cu–Mn–Ce, and Cu–Ce mixed-oxide catalysts were prepared by a citric acid sol–gel method and then characterized by XRD, BET, H₂-TPR and XPS analyses. Their catalytic properties were investigated in the toluene combustion reaction. Results showed that the Cu–Mn–Ce ternary mixed-oxide catalyst with 1:2:4 mole ratios had the highest catalytic activity, and 99% toluene conversion was achieved at temperatures below 220°C. In the Cu–Mn–Ce catalyst, a portion of Cu and Mn species entered into the CeO₂ fluorite lattice, which led to the formation of a ceria-based solid solution. Excess Cu and Mn oxides existed on the surface of the ceria-based solid solution. The coexistence of Cu–Mn mixed oxides and the ceria-based solid solution resulted in a better synergetic interaction than the Cu–Mn and Cu–Ce catalysts, which promoted catalyst reducibility, increased oxygen mobility, and enhanced the formation of abundant active oxygen species.     

Underestimation of phosphorus fraction change in the supernatant after phosphorus adsorption onto iron oxides and iron oxide–natural organic matter complexes

The phosphorus(P) fraction distribution and formation mechanism in the supernatant after P adsorption onto iron oxides and iron oxide-humic acid(HA) complexes were analyzed using the ultrafiltration method in this study.With an initial P concentration of 20 mg/L(I =0.01 mol/L and pH = 7),it was shown that the colloid(1 kDa-0.45 μm) component of P accounted for 10.6%,11.6%,6.5%,and 4.0%of remaining total P concentration in the supernatant after P adsorption onto ferrihydrite(FH),goethite(GE),ferrihydrite-humic acid complex(FH-HA),goethite-humic acid complex(GE-HA),respectively.The 1 kDa component of P was still the predominant fraction in the supernatant,and underestimated colloidal P accounted for 2.2%,55.1%,45.5%,and 38.7%of P adsorption onto the solid surface of FH,FH-HA,GE and GE-HA,respectively.Thus,the colloid P could not be neglected.Notably,it could be interpreted that Fe~(3+) hydrolysis from the adsorbents followed by the formation of colloidal hydrous ferric oxide aggregates was the main mechanism for the formation of the colloid P in the supernatant.And colloidal adsorbent particles co-existing in the supernatant were another important reason for it.Additionally,dissolve organic matter dissolved from iron oxide-HA complexes could occupy large adsorption sites of colloidal iron causing less colloid P in the supernatant.Ultimately,we believe that the findings can provide a new way to deeply interpret the geochemical cycling of P,even when considering other contaminants such as organic pollutants,heavy metal ions,and arsenate at the sediment/soil-water interface in the real environment.     

Quantifying public health benefits of environmental strategy of PM2.5 air quality management in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, China

In 2013,China issued "Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan(Action Plan)" to improve air quality.To assess the benefits of this program in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei(BTH)region,where the density of population and emissions vary greatly,we simulated the air quality benefit based on Ben MAP to satisfy the Action Plan.In this study,we estimate PM_(2.5) concentration using Voronoi spatial interpolation method on a grid with a spatial resolution of 1 × 1 km~2.Combined with the exposure-response function between PM_(2.5) concentration and health endpoints,health effects of PM_(2.5) exposure are analyzed.The economic loss is assessed by using the willingness to pay(WTP) method and human capital(HC) method.When the PM_(2.5) concentration falls by 25% in BTH and reached 60 μg/m~3 in Beijing,the avoiding deaths will be in the range of 3175 to 14051 based on different functions each year.Of the estimated mortality attributable to all causes,3117 annual deaths were due to lung cancer,1924 – 6318 annual deaths were due to cardiovascular,and343 – 1697 annual deaths were due to respiratory.Based on WTP,the estimated monetary values for the avoided cases of all cause mortality,cardiovascular mortality,respiratory mortality and lung cancer ranged from 1110 to 29632,673 to 13325,120 to 3579,1091 to 6574 million yuan,respectively.Based on HC,the corresponding values for the avoided cases of these four mortalities were 267 to 1178,161 to 529,29 to 143 and 261 million yuan,respectively.     

Comparison of activated carbon and iron/cerium modified activated carbon to remove methylene blue from wastewater

The methylene blue(MB)removal abilities of raw activated carbon and iron/cerium modified raw activated carbon(Fe–Ce-AC)by adsorption were researched and compared.The characteristics of Fe–Ce-AC were examined by N_2adsorption,zeta potential measurement,FTIR,Raman,XRD,XPS,SEM and EDS.After modification,the following phenomena occurred:The BET surface area,average pore diameter and total pore volume decreased;the degree of graphitization also decreased.Moreover,the presence of Fe_3O_4led to Fe–Ce-AC having magnetic properties,which makes it easy to separate from dye wastewater in an external magnetic field and subsequently recycle.In addition,the equilibrium isotherms and kinetics of MB adsorption on raw activated carbon and Fe–Ce-AC were systematically examined.The equilibrium adsorption data indicated that the adsorption behavior followed the Langmuir isotherm,and the pseudo-second-order model matched the kinetic data well.Compared with raw activated carbon,the maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of Fe–Ce-AC increased by27.31%.According to the experimental results,Fe–Ce-AC can be used as an effective adsorbent for the removal of MB from dye wastewater.     

The importance of glutathione and phytochelatins on the selenite and arsenate detoxification in Arabidopsis thaliana

We investigated the role of glutathione(GSH) and phytochelatins(PCs) on the detoxification of selenite using Arabidopsis thaliana. The wild-type(WT) of Arabidopsis thaliana and its mutants(glutathione deficient Cad 2–1 and phytochelatins deficient Cad 1–3) were separately exposed to varying concentrations of selenite and arsenate and jointly to both toxicants to determine their sensitivities. The results of the study revealed that, the mutants were about 20-fold more sensitive to arsenate than the WT, an indication that the GSH and PCs affect arsenate detoxification. On the contrary, the WT and both mutants showed a similar level of sensitivity to selenite, an indication that the GSH and PCs do not significantly affect selenite detoxification. However, the WT is about 8 times more sensitive to selenite than to arsenate, and the mutants were more resistant to selenite than arsenate by a factor of 2. This could not be explained by the accumulation of both elements in roots and shoots in exposure experiments. The co-exposure of the WT indicates a synergistic effect with regards to toxicity since selenite did not induce PCs but arsenic and selenium compete in their PC binding as revealed by speciation analysis of the root extracts using HPLC–ICP–MS/ESI–MS. In the absence of PCs an antagonistic effect has been detected which might suggest indirectly that the formation of Se glutathione complex prevent the formation of detrimental selenopeptides. This study, therefore, revealed that PC and GSH have only a subordinate role in the detoxification of selenite.     

Fungal spores and pollen in particulate matter collected during agricultural activities in the Po Valley (Italy)

Airborne particulate matter (PM) containing fungal spores and pollen grains was sampled within a monitoring campaign of wheat threshing, plowing and sowing agricultural operations. Fungal spores and pollen grains were detected and identified on morphological basis. No studies were previously available about fungal spore and pollen content in agricultural PM in the Po Valley. Sampling was conducted in a Po Valley farmland in Mezzano (Ferrara, Italy). The organic particles collected were examined by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. Fungal spores and pollen grains were identified when possible at the level of species. The most frequent components of the organic particles sampled were spores of Aspergillus sp., which could represent a risk of developing allergies and aspergillosis for crop farmers.     

Effects of temperature and composite alumina on pyrolysis of sewage sludge

An interactive dual-circulating fluidized bed system has been proposed in which the pyrolysis of sewage sludge(SS) and incineration of biomass proceed simultaneously, and alumina is used as the bed material and heat carrier. The alumina coated with biomass ash would mix with sewage sludge in the pyrolysis reactor of this device. It is important to know the influence of composite alumina(CA) on the pyrolysis progress. Sewage sludge was pyrolyzed in a fixed bed reactor from 400 to 600°C using CA as catalyst. The effects of temperature and CA additive ratio on the products were investigated. The product yields and component distribution of non-condensable gas were more sensitive to the change of temperature, and the maximum liquid yield of 48.44 wt.% and maximum Useable Energy of Liquid of 3871 k J/kg sludge were observed at 500°C with 1/5 CA/SS(mass ratio). The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry results showed that the increase of temperature enhanced devolatilization of organic matter and promoted cyclization and aromatization of aliphatics. The presence of CA could strengthen secondary cracking and interaction among primary products from different organic compounds, such as acid–amine condensation,and reduce the content of oxygenated compounds. When the CA additive amount exceeded a certain proportion, the aromatization was clearly strengthened. The effects of CA on decomposition of fatty acids and formation of aromatics were similar to that of temperature. This means that the reaction temperature could be lowered by introducing CA, which has a positive effect on reducing energy consumption.     

Biochar: A review of its impact on pesticide behavior in soil environments and its potential applications

Biochar is produced from the pyrolysis of carbon-rich plant- and animal-residues under low oxygen and high temperature conditions and has been increasingly used for its positive role in soil compartmentalization through activities such as carbon sequestration and improving soil quality. Biochar is also considered a unique adsorbent due to its high specific surface area and highly carbonaceous nature. Therefore, soil amendments with small amounts of biochar could result in higher adsorption and, consequently, decrease the bioavailability of contaminants to microbial communities, plants, earthworms, and other organisms in the soil. However, the mechanisms affecting the environmental fate and behavior of organic contaminants, especially pesticides in biochar-amended soil, are not well understood. The purpose of this work is to review the role of biochar in primary processes, such as adsorption–desorption and leaching of pesticides. Biochar has demonstrable effects on the fate and effects of pesticides and has been shown to affect the degradation and bioavailability of pesticides for living organisms. Moreover, some key aspects of agricultural and environmental applications of biochar are highlighted.     

Numerical simulation of flow hydrodynamics of struvite pellets in a liquid–solid fluidized bed

Phosphorus recovery in the form of struvite has been aroused in recent decades for its dual advantages in eutrophication control and resource protection.The usage of the struvite products is normally determined by the size which is largely depended on the hydrodynamics.In this study,flow behavior of struvite pellets was simulated by means of Eulerian–Eulerian two-fluid model combining with kinetic theory of granular flow in a liquid–solid fluidized bed reactor(FBR).A parametric study including the mesh size,time step,discretization strategy,turbulent model and drag model was first developed,followed by the evaluations of crucial operational conditions,particle characteristics and reactor shapes.The results showed that a cold model with the mesh resolution of 16 × 240,default time step of 0.001 sec and first order discretization scheme was accurate enough to describe the fluidization.The struvite holdup profile using Syamlal–O'Brien drag model was best fitted to the experimental data as compared with other drag models and the empirical Richardson–Zaki equation.Regarding the model evaluation,it showed that liquid velocity and particle size played important roles on both solid holdups and velocities.The reactor diameter only influenced the solid velocity while the static bed height almost took no effect.These results are direct and can be applied to guide the operation and process control of the struvite fluidization.Moreover,the model parameters can also be used as the basic settings in further crystallization simulations.     

An overview of emissions of SO2 and NOx and the long-range transport of oxidized sulfur and nitrogen pollutants in East Asia

The long-range transport of oxidized sulfur(sulfur dioxide(SO_2) and sulfate) and oxidized nitrogen(nitrogen oxides(NO_x ) and nitrate) in East Asia is an area of increasing scientific interest and political concern. This paper reviews various published papers, including ground- and satellite-based observations and numerical simulations. The aim is to assess the status of the anthropogenic emissions of SO_2 and NO_x and the long-range transport of oxidized S and N pollutants over source and downwind region. China has dominated the emissions of SO_2 and NO_x in East Asia and urgently needs to strengthen the control of their emissions, especially NO_x emissions. Oxidized S and N pollutants emitted from China are transported to Korea and Japan, due to persistent westerly winds, in winter and spring.However, the total contributions of China to S and N pollutants across Korea and Japan were not found to be dominant over longer time scales(e.g., a year). The source–receptor relationships for oxidized S and N pollutants in East Asia varied widely among the different studies. This is because:(1) the nonlinear effects of atmospheric chemistry and deposition processes were not well considered, when calculating the source–receptor relationships;(2) different meteorological and emission data inputs and solution schemes for key physical and chemical processes were used; and(3) different temporal and spatial scales were employed. Therefore, simulations using the same input fields and similar model configurations would be of benefit, to further evaluate the source–receptor relationships of the oxidized S and N pollutants.     

Phosphorus recovery from biogas fermentation liquid by Ca–Mg loaded biochar

Shortage in phosphorus (P) resources and P wastewater pollution is considered as a serious problem worldwide. The application of modified biochar for P recovery from wastewater and reuse of recovered P as agricultural fertilizer is a preferred process. This work aims to develop a calcium and magnesium loaded biochar (Ca–Mg/biochar) application for P recovery from biogas fermentation liquid. The physico-chemical characterization, adsorption efficiency, adsorption selectivity, and postsorption availability of Ca-Mg/biochar were investigated. The synthesized Ca–Mg/biochar was rich in organic functional groups and in CaO and MgO nanoparticles. With the increase in synthesis temperature, the yield decreased, C content increased, H content decreased, N content remained the same basically, and BET surface area increased. The P adsorption of Ca–Mg/biochar could be accelerated by nano-CaO and nano-MgO particles and reached equilibrium after 360 min. The process was endothermic, spontaneous, and showed an increase in the disorder of the solid–liquid interface. Moreover, it could be fitted by the Freundlich model. The maximum P adsorption amounts were 294.22, 315.33, and 326.63 mg/g. The P adsorption selectivity of Ca–Mg/biochar could not be significantly influenced by the typical pH level of biogas fermentation liquid. The nano-CaO and nano-MgO particles of Ca–Mg/biochar could reduce the negative interaction effects of coexisting ions. The P releasing amounts of postsorption Ca–Mg/biochar were in the order of Ca–Mg/B600 > Ca–Mg/B450 > Ca–Mg/B300. Results revealed that postsorption Ca–Mg/biochar can continually release P and is more suitable for an acid environment.     

Effects of fluoride on the removal of cadmium and phosphate by aluminum coagulation

This study focuses on the effects of pH and fluoride at different molar ratios of fluoride to Al (R_F:Al) on the removal of cadmium (Cd²⁺) and phosphate by Al coagulation. Fluoride at R_F:Al ≥ 3:1 inhibits the removal of Cd over wide Al dose ranges from 5 to 10 mg/L as Al. The removal of phosphate decreases significantly at high R_F:Al of 10:1 whereas at lowered R_F:Al (i.e., ≤ 6:1), an adverse effect is observed only at insufficient Al doses below 2 mg/L. Fluoride shows inhibitive effects towards the removal of Cd at pH 7 and 8 and that of phosphate at pH 6. Fluoride decreases the ζ-potential in both systems, and the decreasing extent is positively correlated to the elevated R_F:Al. The Al fluoride interactions include the formation of Al–F complexes and the adsorption of fluoride onto Al(OH)₃ precipitates, i.e., the formation of Al(OH)_nF_m. Al–F complex formation inhibits Al hydrolysis and increases residual Al levels, and a more significant increase was observed at lower pH. Al–F complexes at high R_F:Al complicate the coagulation behavior of Al towards both negative and positive ionic species. Moreover, fluoride at low R_F:Al shows little effect on Al coagulation behavior towards Cd^2 + and phosphate, and the spent defluoridation adsorbent, i.e., aluminum (Al) hydro(oxide) with adsorbed fluoride at R_F:Al of below 0.1:1, may be reclaimed as a coagulant after being dissolved.