磁化处理对活性污泥胶体颗粒表面的zeta电位的影响

污水处理过程中,二沉池的泥水分离影响整套工艺的效果,用投加混凝剂来降低活性污泥胶体颗粒表面的zeta电位(以下简写活性污泥zeta电位),增加了运行成本.通过磁场磁化可以降低活性污泥zeta电位,达到节省药剂的目的.研究了磁感应强度、磁化时间、磁场位型以及搅拌速率对氧化沟活性污泥zeta电位的影响规律.研究表明,磁化处理能降低活性污泥zeta电位,在磁场中心磁感应强度为0.40 T左右及反应器与磁场平行静置磁化时,zeta电位降低幅度最大,平均在46.5%～51.4%.     

循环流化床锅炉燃煤技术热电厂生命周期评价

运用生命周期评价方法,应用Gabi5.0软件对采用循环流化床锅炉燃煤技术的热电企业进行资源耗竭和环境影响分析,计算各生产单元生命周期清单的全球变暖潜值、酸化效应潜值、富营养化潜值、非生物资源耗竭潜值、人体毒性潜值以及光化学烟雾和臭氧生成潜值等主要环境影响类型,对燃煤发电过程进行生命周期评价。结果表明,全球变暖和非生物资源耗竭为发电运行过程中主要的环境影响因素,分别占53%和15.05%;锅炉燃烧阶段的环境影响最重,占整个生命周期影响值的77.12%,并且除生物耗竭潜值外的其他5项指标均为发电运行阶段各个单元中最高。采用SNCR脱硝技术减少燃烧过程中NOx的排放量,并对该技术方案进行生命周期评价,比较方案实施前后的环境影响。     

Evaluation of potential dermal exposure of pesticide spray operators in greenhouses by use of visible tracers

In the present study, the potential dermal and inhalation exposure of the operator was measured, following simulation of insecticide application with the dye tracer Sunset Yellow in greenhouse cucumbers and tomatoes. For the monitoring of operator exposure, the whole body technique was used. The potential inhalation exposure was measured with a personal air sampler equipped with a glass fiber filter. The potential dermal operator exposure ranged from 84.4 to 526.7 ml of spray solution (s.s.)/h for the whole body and from 18.5 to 62.5 ml s.s./h for hands in the case of greenhouse cucumbers. The respective inhalation exposure was between 0.17 and 1.0 ml s.s./h. For greenhouse tomatoes, the potential body exposure was in the range of 22.4 to 62.1 ml s.s./h. The hand exposure varied from 5.5 to 6.1 ml s.s./h. The potential inhalation exposure was in the range of 0.33 to 0.43 ml s.s./h. The potential dermal operator exposure is a highly variable parameter, with a variation factor higher than 100% in many cases. One of the most critical factors for the determination of both potential dermal and inhalation exposure is the application pressure. Other field and operational conditions, including unpredictable factors, are also important for the determination of operator exposure levels. The measured potential dermal operator exposure values were above the levels of exposure estimated with mathematical models.     

北京西城区雨水管道沉积物中重金属污染风险评价

采用地累积指数法、次生相与原生相分布比值法以及Hakanson潜在生态风险指数法从不同角度对雨水管道沉积物中重金属的污染风险进行了评价。地累积指数法的评价结果表明,不同重金属的污染级别为ZnCuCdCrPbNi。而次生相与原生相分布比值法以及Hakanson潜在生态风险指数法的评价结果表明,不同重金属的潜在污染效应关系和潜在生态危害系数大致排序均为CdCuZnPbNiCr。     

Investigation of the permeability of humic molecules using zeta potential measurements

Zeta potential measurements have been performed on colloidal humate in the presence of differing concentrations of sodium ions at pH = 6.0. A series of calculations has been performed in which the radius of the humic colloid was varied until the predicted surface potential was equal to the experimentally determined zeta potential. The results of the calculations showed that as the ionic strength increases, the apparent radius of the colloid decreases. Similar calculations in which a model colloid was treated as a rigid sphere, i.e., the radius of the colloid was kept constant, failed to simulate the observed zeta potential measurements.     

Influencing factors and a proposed evaluation methodology for predicting groundwater contamination potential from stormwater infiltration activities.

To offset the detrimental effects of urbanization on groundwater recharge, stormwater managers are focusing on infiltrating much of the runoff from a site that was generated because of development. For this to be effective, tools are required to predict the potential for contamination resulting from this infiltration for many site conditions, because infiltration should be stressed in areas where the least potential for causing groundwater contamination exists. Factors that influence contamination potential include the pollutant concentration in the runoff directed to the infiltration device and the ability of the underlying soil to remove the pollutant. The groundwater contamination potential of some pollutants, even those with high concentrations and moderate-to-high mobilities, can be reduced with proper pretreatment before infiltration. This paper presents a methodology that can be used to evaluate infiltration as an management option and introduces two different levels of models that could be used to evaluate contamination potential.     

Measurements of the streaming potential of clay soils from tropical and subtropical regions using self-made apparatus

The streaming potential has been wildly used in charged parallel plates, capillaries, and porous media. However, there have been few studies involving the ζ potential of clay soils based on streaming potential measurements. A laboratory apparatus was developed in this study to measure the streaming potential (ΔE) of bulk clay soils’ coupling coefficient (C) and cell resistance (R) of saturated granular soil samples. Excellent linearity of ΔE versus liquid pressure (ΔP) ensured the validity of measurements. The obtained parameters of C and R can be used to calculate the ζ potential of bulk soils. The results indicated that the ζ potentials measured by streaming potential method were significantly correlated with the ζ potentials of soil colloids determined by electrophoresis (r ²?=?0.960**). Therefore, the streaming potential method can be used to study the ζ potentials of bulk clay soils. The absolute values of the ζ potentials of four soils followed the order: Ultisol from Jiangxi?>?Ultisol from Anhui?>?Oxisol from Guangdong?>?Oxisol from Hainan, and this was consistent with the cation exchange capacities of these soils. The type and concentration of electrolytes affected soil ζ potentials. The ζ potential became less negative with increased electrolyte concentration. The ζ potentials were more negative in monovalent than in divalent cationic electrolyte solutions because more divalent cations were distributed in the shear plane of the diffuse layer as counter-cations on the soil surfaces than monovalent cations at the same electrolyte concentration.     

Strategies of maintaining the natural purification potential of rivers and lakes

Surface waters have a great impact on ecology and life of man. Because of their current use and exploitation, chemical and biological pollution, as well as physical changes of rivers and lakes are common. Natural self-purification potential helps to compensate harms to a certain degree. Proposals are given to detect restrictions of the purification potential in time as well as to support and to enhance the natural purification potential.     

胶州湾表层沉积物重金属污染分布特征及其生态风险评价

根据2009年对胶州湾东岸表层沉积物中重金属调查结果,对重金属含量分布及富集特征进行分析,并采用潜在生态危害指数(RI)法对其生态危害程度进行评价。结果表明,胶州湾东岸表层沉积物中的重金属含量,除7月的Cu、Cr平均含量略低于12月外,其他重金属(Cd、Zn、Pb、As)平均含量7月均高于12月。在表层沉积物中Cd的污染程度最高,7月平均污染指数达1.68。单个重金属潜在生态危害系数(Eir)表明,Cd的Eir大于其他重金属的Eir,其他重金属的Eir均小于轻微危害程度的划分标准,表明对胶州湾东岸生态环境具有潜在影响的重金属主要是Cd,从多个重金属的RI均值看,均小于150,属于轻微生态危害。     

Urban expansion and the loss of prime agricultural lands in Puerto Rico

In many countries where the economy has shifted from mainly agricultural to industrial, abandoned agricultural lands are lost to urbanization. For more than 4 centuries the Puerto Rican economy depended almost entirely on agriculture, but sociopolitical changes early in the 20th century resulted in a shift to industry. This shift in the economy, and an increase in population, has resulted in an increase in urban areas. This study describes the rate and distribution of urban growth on the island of Puerto Rico from 1977 to 1994 and the resulting influence on potential agricultural lands. Urban extent and growth were determined by interpreting aerial photographs and satellite imagery. The 1994 urban coverage was combined with a soil coverage based on agricultural potential to determine the distribution of urban areas relative to potential farmlands. Analyses showed that in 1977, 11.3% of Puerto Rico was classified as urban. After 17 years, urban areas had increased by 27.4% and urban growth on soils suitable for agriculture had increased by 41.6%. This represents a loss of 6% of potential agricultural lands. If this pattern of encroachment by urban growth into potential farmlands continues, Puerto Rico's potential for food production in the future could be greatly limited.     

Estimating potential evapotranspiration based on self-optimizing nearest neighbor algorithms: a case study in arid–semiarid environments,Northwest of China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Changes in potential evapotranspiration will affect the surface ecology and environment of the land. Accurate and quick estimation of potential...     

Combined geospatial,geophysical and hydrochemical studies on coastal aquifer at Muttom–Mandaikadu area,Tamilnadu, India

A study was conducted in the Muttom–Mandaikadu coastal region, which is among the profitable coastal sectors in Tamil Nadu, to find the groundwater potential as well as its quality by an integrated geospatial, geophysical and geochemical approach. The GIS-based weighted overlay analysis was used to merge five thematic layers to create the groundwater potential zone map. The geophysical resistivity survey was performed in the study area at 26 stations by applying Schlumberger vertical electrical sounding technique. The observed data were inverted to develop a subsurface lithology model and its electrical properties using one-dimensional software AGI Earth Imager. The combined vertical electrical sounding result and remote sensing thematic maps have exposed the potential zone of groundwater in the study area. From the inferred results, it was observed that 20.8% of the area has ample groundwater potential and 7.7% of the area has scanty groundwater potential. The saltwater intrusion zone had been predicted by validating aquifer resistivity with Dar-Zarrouck (D-Z) parameter. From the geophysical and geochemical interpreted results, it was found that aquifers in 34.6% of the study area are vulnerable to saline contamination. The 4-D model with integrated groundwater quantity and quality suggests that the study area's Western part falls under excellent-to-good groundwater potential zone and excellent water quality.

     

Substituent effects on azo dye oxidation by the FeIII-EDTA-H2O2 system

Toxicity potentials are scaling factors used in life cycle assessment (LCA) indicating their relative importance in terms of potential toxic impacts. This paper presents the results of an uncertainty assessment of toxicity potentials for 181 substances that were calculated with the global nested multi-media fate, exposure and effects model USES-LCA. The variance in toxicity potentials resulting from choices in the modelling procedure was quantified by means of scenario analysis. A first scenario analysis showed to what extent potential impacts in the relatively short term are obscured by the inclusion of impacts on the very long term. Toxicity potentials representing potential impacts over time horizons of 20, 100 and 500 years were compared with toxicity potentials representing potential impacts over an infinite time horizon. Time horizon dependent differences up to 6.5 orders of magnitude were found for metal toxicity potentials, while for toxicity potentials of organic substances under study, differences remain within 0.5 orders of magnitude. The second scenario analysis addressed to what extent potential impacts on the continental scale are obscured by the inclusion of impacts on the global scale. Exclusion of potential impacts on the global scale changed the toxicity potentials of metals and volatile persistent halogenated organics up to 2.3 orders of magnitude. These scenario analyses also provide the basis for determining exports to future generations and outside the emission area.     

Study of microbes having potentiality for biodegradation of plastics

Plastic is a broad name given to the different types of organic polymers having high molecular weight and is commonly derived from different petrochemicals. Plastics are generally not biodegradable or few are degradable but in a very slow rate. Day by day, the global demand of these polymers is sharply increasing; however, considering their abundance and potentiality in causing different environmental hazards, there is a great concern in the possible methods of degradation of plastics. Recently, there have been some debates at the world stage about the potential degradation procedures of these synthetic polymers and microbial degradation has emerged as one of the potential alternative ways of degradation of plastics. Alternatively, some scientists have also reported many adverse effects of these polymers in human health, and thus, there is an immediate need of a potential screening of some potential microbes to degrade these synthetic polymers. In this review, we have taken an attempt to accumulate all information regarding the chemical nature along with some potential microbes and their enzymatic nature of biodegradation of plastics along with some key factors that affect their biodegradability.     

Hormesis: considerations and implications for human health risk assessment

The concept of hormesis as a phenomenon is presented, in the context of its evolving definitions. Predominant types of hormetic effect and potential examples thereof are discussed, focusing on chemicals. The potential for hormesis to affect regulatory approaches and several basic processes used in formulating risk assessment parameters, such as study design, interpretation of dose-response information, and extrapolation of toxicity values, is examined. The potential ramifications for human health risk assessment and risk management are discussed.     

Statistical Methods and Pitfalls in Environmental Data Analysis

This paper reviews four commonly used statistical methods for environmental data analysis and discusses potential pitfalls associated with application of these methods through real case study data. The four statistical methods are percentile and confidence interval, correlation coefficient, regression analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The potential pitfall for estimation of percentile and confidence interval includes the automatic assumption of a normal distribution to environmental data, which so often show a log-normal distribution. The potential pitfall for correlation coefficient includes the use of a wide range of data points in which the maximum in value may trivialize other smaller data points and consequently skew the correlation coefficient. The potential pitfall for regression analysis includes the propagation of uncertainties of input variables to the regression model prediction, which may be even more uncertain. The potential pitfall for ANOVA includes the acceptance of a hypothesis as a weak argument to imply a strong conclusion. As demonstrated in this paper, we may draw very different conclusions based on statistical analysis if the pitfalls are not identified. Reminder and enlightenment obtained from the pitfalls are given at the end of this article.     

Statistical Methods and Pitfalls in Environmental Data Analysis

This paper reviews four commonly used statistical methods for environmental data analysis and discusses potential pitfalls associated with application of these methods through real case study data. The four statistical methods are percentile and confidence interval, correlation coefficient, regression analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The potential pitfall for estimation of percentile and confidence interval includes the automatic assumption of a normal distribution to environmental data, which so often show a log-normal distribution. The potential pitfall for correlation coefficient includes the use of a wide range of data points in which the maximum in value may trivialize other smaller data points and consequently skew the correlation coefficient. The potential pitfall for regression analysis includes the propagation of uncertainties of input variables to the regression model prediction, which may be even more uncertain. The potential pitfall for ANOVA includes the acceptance of a hypothesis as a weak argument to imply a strong conclusion. As demonstrated in this paper, we may draw very different conclusions based on statistical analysis if the pitfalls are not identified. Reminder and enlightenment obtained from the pitfalls are given at the end of this article.     

Biodegradation of phenol in refinery wastewater by pure cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCIB 950 and Pseudomonas fluorescence NCIB 3756

The potential of microorganisms to catabolise and metabolise xenobiotic compounds has been recognised as a potentially effective means of toxic and hazardous wastes disposal. Phenol and its derivatives have long been recognised as some of the most persistent chemicals in petroleum refinery wastewaters, with high toxicity even at low concentrations. Biodegradation of these compounds has been recognised as a potential solution for their disposal owing to its cost effectiveness and simplicity. Two species of pseudomonas, P. aeruginosa and P. fluorescence, were studied for their biodegradation potential on phenol present in a refinery wastewater under a batch fermentation process. Phenol was successfully degraded by both species, and there was high positive correlation between phenol biodegradation and microbial growth. The maximum specific growth rate were obtained for both species from the Haldane model. The study revealed the high potential of these local strains, with P. aeruginosa being more effective, and the possibility of using them in bioremediation of petroleum refinery wastewaters.     

Ionic contribution to the self-potential signals associated with a redox front

In contaminant plumes or in the case of ore bodies, a source current density is produced at depth in response to the presence of a gradient of the redox potential. Two charge carriers can exist in such a medium: electrons and ions. Two contributions to the source current density are associated with these charge carriers (i) the gradient of the chemical potential of the ionic species and (ii) the gradient of the chemical potential of the electrons (i.e., the gradient of the redox potential). We ran a set of experiments in which a geobattery is generated using electrolysis reactions of a pore water solution containing iron. A DC power supply is used to impose a difference of electrical potential of 3 V between a working platinum electrode (anode) and an auxiliary platinum electrode (cathode). Both electrodes inserted into a tank filled with a well-calibrated sand infiltrated by a (0.01 mol L^− 1 KCl + 0.0035 mol L^− 1 FeSO₄) solution. After the direct current is turned off, we follow the pH, the redox potential, and the self-potential at several time intervals. The self-potential anomalies amount to a few tens of millivolts after the current is turned off and decreases over time. After several days, all the redox-active compounds produced initially by the electrolysis reactions are consumed through chemical reactions and the self-potential anomalies fall to zero. The resulting self-potential anomalies are shown to be much weaker than the self-potential anomalies observed in the presence of an electronic conductor in the laboratory or in the field. In the presence of a biotic or an abiotic electronic conductor, the self-potential anomalies can amount to a few hundred millivolts. These observations point out indirectly the potential role of bacteria forming biofilms in the transfer of electrons through sharp redox potential gradient in contaminant plumes that are rich in organic matter.     

The toxicity and toxic potential of fly ash from municipal incinerators assessed by means of a fish early life stage test

The toxicity and toxic potential of fly ash were assessed, using rainbow trout yolk sac fry. In contrast to fly ash itself, extracts of fly ash were extremely toxic, producing typical toxicopathological features of TCDD-intoxication. By comparison with earlier experiments using pure 2,3,7,8-TCDD, the toxic potential of fly ash was roughly estimated to be 75–125 ng.g^?1 toxic aequivalents TCDD. Obviously, this toxic potential is attributable for a minor part to 2,3,7,8-TCDD and for the greater part to the other chlorinated dioxin congeners and the dibenzofurans, present in fly ash.