Seasonal and spatial variation of diffuse (non-point) source zinc pollution in a historically metal mined river catchment, UK

Quantifying diffuse sources of pollution is becoming increasingly important when characterising river catchments in entirety - a prerequisite for environmental management. This study examines both low and high flow events, as well as spatial variability, in order to assess point and diffuse components of zinc pollution within the River West Allen catchment, which lies within the northern England lead-zinc Orefield. Zinc levels in the river are elevated under all flow regimes, and are of environmental concern. Diffuse components are of little importance at low flow, with point source mine water discharges dominating instream zinc concentration and load. During higher river flows 90% of the instream zinc load is attributed to diffuse sources, where inputs from resuspension of metal-rich sediments, and groundwater influx are likely to be more dominant. Remediating point mine water discharges should significantly improve water quality at lower flows, but contribution from diffuse sources will continue to elevate zinc flux at higher flows.     

A micromodel analysis of factors influencing NAPL removal by surfactant foam flooding

A methodology to study the trichloroethylene (TCE) and dodecane removal in porous media by surfactant foams (SF) was presented by using etched-glass micromodels. The purpose of this work was to systematically evaluate the impact of various physicochemical factors such as gas fraction (GF), surfactant concentration, pore structure and nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) types on NAPL removal during SF flooding. The TCE displacement by SF was dependent on the gas fraction of SF. Low GFs (50% and 66%) were more efficient for TCE removal and sweep efficiencies than a high GF (85%). An increase in TCE removal was observed with increasing surfactant concentration at a fixed GF. TCE removal by SF flooding appeared to be dependent more to the value of Capillary number rather than to the concentration of surfactant solution. The effect of the pore heterogeneity was evaluated by employing two different types of micromodels. The Capillary number is an important parameter in the determination of sweep efficiency or gas saturation of SF in a nonhomogeneous porous medium. However, the TCE removal from a nonhomogeneous porous medium may not be associated with sweep efficiency. The initial configuration of residual TCE blobs in a nonhomogeneous porous medium would also be influential in displacing TCE. Sweep efficiencies and pressure responses of two NAPL systems (TCE and dodecane) were monitored to evaluate foam stability when the foam contacts the NAPLs. Stable foam contacting with TCE is implied, while it appears that dodecane cause the SF to collapse. All results indicate that the Capillary number (a ratio of viscous forces to capillary forces) is the most important parameter for TCE removal by SF flooding. Micromodel visualizations of water, surfactant and SF floods were showed and also discussed.     

不同稳定剂对污泥蛋白发泡特性的影响研究

污泥含有蛋白质,经过高温水解可产生水解蛋白液(简称污泥蛋白),该蛋白具有发泡特性,经通风搅拌可产生泡沫;由于污泥蛋白所产生的泡沫具有不稳定、易破裂的特点,因此,设计了不同稳定剂对污泥蛋白发泡特性的影响研究实验,解决污泥蛋白所产生泡沫的稳定性问题。结果表明,在测定污泥蛋白的基本发泡特性实验中,10 mL污泥蛋白稀释10倍时,初始泡沫量较大,达到2 153 mL,但泡沫半衰期相对较短,时间为27 min;在10 mL污泥蛋白中分别加入0.2 g十六烷基三甲基溴化氨(CTAB)、羧甲基纤维素钠(CMC)、GP-1,并用水稀释10倍,制成泡沫后的初始泡沫量分别为1 380、1 400和1 248 mL,相对降低了773、753和905 mL;泡沫半衰期分别为31、76和509 min,相对提高了4、49和482 min,尤其是GP-1作为稳定剂时,泡沫的半衰期与不加稳定剂时相比提高了15倍;在10 mL污泥蛋白中加入0.2 g十六烷基三甲基溴化氨与0.2 g GP-1的复配稳定剂,用水稀释10倍,制成泡沫后的初始泡沫量为1 525 mL,相对降低了628 mL;泡沫半衰期为95 min,相对提高了68 min。因此,GP-1是污泥蛋白最好的泡沫稳定剂。     

Diffuse source apportionment of the Po river eutrophying load to the Adriatic sea: assessment of Lombardy contribution to Po river nutrient load apportionment by means of an integrated modelling approach

The source apportionment of the annual nutrient load carried by the Po river to the Adriatic sea has been studied.

An integrated modelling approach was applied to the Lombardy plain area, which covers about 34% of the Po river watershed area and accounts for about 50% of the point sources’ loads carried by the river. To extract all the information available from direct instream measurements, two different modelling tools were alternatively used. The source apportionment was investigated considering both dry and wet weather scenarios. In order to quantify the apportionment in dry-weather conditions, the Lombardy portion of the Po river basin was modelled by using the US-EPA QUAL2E model. Such a simulation allowed to assess a significant contribution (about 50% of the total dry-weather load) of a not rain-driven diffuse pollution component (i.e. groundwater, springs, lake emissaries). Moreover, to estimate the rain-driven surface runoff contribution to the instream total load, the Lombardy plain area was also modelled by means of the US-DA SWAT model. SWAT results indicate a runoff contribution to the Po river instream total load of about 10 000 t N yr⁻¹ and 1300 t P yr⁻¹ (i.e. approximately the 10–20% of the total annual Lombardy nutrient load). At the event scale (i.e. the single rainstorm event) the runoff contribution may rise up to 30–80% of the total instream load. Finally, the total annual nitrogen load at the Po basin closure was estimated for the period 1985–2001. Out of a total annual load of 140 000 t N yr⁻¹, Lombardy accounts for 43% (point plus diffuse sources). The rain-driven diffuse sources constitute the 20% of the overall total load, the point sources account for 40%, whereas the remaining 40% is mainly constituted by “dry-weather diffuse sources” (i.e. groundwater, springs, lake emissaries).     

Release of fluorocarbons from insulation foam in home appliances during shredding

It is a current practice that refrigerators and freezers in many countries are shredded after the end of useful lives. The shredder residue is deposited in landfills. During the shredding process a significant fraction of blowing agent (BA) in the insulation foam may be released into the atmosphere. The objective of this study is to determine the fraction of BA released from foam during shredding, by comparing the BA content in insulation foam of refrigerator units before shredding with the BA content of shredded foam. All foam samples analyzed were manufactured with trichlorofluoromethane [CFC-11 (CCl3F)] as BA. The average content of BA in the insulation foam from eight U.S. refrigerator units manufactured before 1993 was found to be 14.9% +/- 3.3% w/w. Several refrigerator units also identified as being manufactured before 1993 were stockpiled and shredded at three shredder facilities, of which one was operated in both wet and dry modes. The selected shredder facilities represent typical American facilities for shredding automobiles, refrigerators, freezers, and other iron containing waste products. Shredded material was collected and separated on location into four particle size categories: more than 32 mm, 16-32 mm, 8-16 mm, and 0-8 mm. Adjusting for sample purity, it was found that the majority (>81%) of the foam mass was shredded into particles larger than 16 mm. The smallest size fraction of foam (0-8 mm) was found to contain significantly less BA than the larger size categories, showing that up to 68% +/- 4% of the BA is released from these fine particles during the shredding process. Because only a minor fraction of the foam is shredded into particles smaller than 8 mm, this has a minor impact on the end result when calculating the total BA release from the shredding process. Comparing BA content in shredded samples from the three shredder facilities with the measured average BA content of the eight refrigerator units, it was found that on average 24.2% +/- 7.5% of the initial BA content is released during the shredding process.     

钢渣掺量对泡沫混凝土砌块性能的影响

泡沫混凝土是一种环保、节能的保温隔热材料，以其优良的保温性能，受到越来越多研究者的关注。对钢渣的特性进行了分析测试，对钢渣不同掺量对泡沫混凝土砌块特性的影响进行了研究，结果表明，采用添加5％～35％钢渣所制备的钢渣泡沫混凝土砌块，其密度等级为JC／T1062—2007中的B10级，掺人5％、15％钢渣的泡沫混凝土抗压强度达到A3．5等级，掺人25％、35％钢渣的泡沫混凝土抗压强度达到A2．5等级。随着钢渣掺量的增大，抗压强度、抗折强度降低，吸水率增大。在同一钢渣掺量的情况下，泡沫混凝土砌块的抗压强度变化率增加显著，而且随着钢渣的加入量升高而增大。钢渣的加入有利于提高泡沫混凝土砌块的后期抗压强度。     

Diffuse source apportionment of the Po river eutrophying load to the Adriatic sea: Assessment of Lombardy contribution to Po river nutrient load apportionment by means of an integrated modelling approach

The source apportionment of the annual nutrient load carried by the Po river to the Adriatic sea has been studied.An integrated modelling approach was applied to the Lombardy plain area, which covers about 34% of the Po river watershed area and accounts for about 50% of the point sources’ loads carried by the river. To extract all the information available from direct instream measurements, two different modelling tools were alternatively used. The source apportionment was investigated considering both dry and wet weather scenarios. In order to quantify the apportionment in dry-weather conditions, the Lombardy portion of the Po river basin was modelled by using the US-EPA QUAL2E model. Such a simulation allowed to assess a significant contribution (about 50% of the total dry-weather load) of a not rain-driven diffuse pollution component (i.e. groundwater, springs, lake emissaries). Moreover, to estimate the rain-driven surface runoff contribution to the instream total load, the Lombardy plain area was also modelled by means of the US-DA SWAT model. SWAT results indicate a runoff contribution to the Po river instream total load of about 10 000 t N yr⁻¹ and 1300 t P yr⁻¹ (i.e. approximately the 10–20% of the total annual Lombardy nutrient load). At the event scale (i.e. the single rainstorm event) the runoff contribution may rise up to 30–80% of the total instream load. Finally, the total annual nitrogen load at the Po basin closure was estimated for the period 1985–2001. Out of a total annual load of 140 000 t N yr⁻¹, Lombardy accounts for 43% (point plus diffuse sources). The rain-driven diffuse sources constitute the 20% of the overall total load, the point sources account for 40%, whereas the remaining 40% is mainly constituted by “dry-weather diffuse sources” (i.e. groundwater, springs, lake emissaries).     

Utilization of a biosurfactant foam/nanoparticle mixture for treatment of oil pollutants in soil

Oil contamination has become a primary environmental concern due to increased exploration, production, and use. When oil enters the soil, it may attach or adsorb to soil particles and stay in the soil for an extended period, contaminating the soil and surrounding areas. Nanoparticles have been widely used for the treatment of organic pollutants in the soil. Surfactant foam has effectively been employed to remediate various soil contaminants or recover oil compounds. In this research, a mixture of biosurfactant foam/nanoparticle was utilized for remediation of oil-contaminated soil. The results demonstrated that the biosurfactant/nanoparticle mixture and nitrogen gas formed high-quality and stable foams. The foam stability depended on the foam quality, biosurfactant concentration, and nanoparticle dosage. The pressure gradient change in the soil column relied on the flowrate (N₂ gas + surfactant/nanoparticle mixture), foam quality, and biosurfactant concentration. The optimal conditions to obtain good quality and stable foams and high oil removal efficiency involved 1 vol% rhamnolipid, 1 wt% nanoparticle, and 1 mL/min flowrate. Biosurfactant foam/nanoparticle mixture was effectively used to remediate oil-contaminated soil, whereas the highest treatment efficiency was 67%, 59%, and 52% for rhamnolipid biosurfactant foam/nanoparticle, rhamnolipid biosurfactant/nanoparticle, and only rhamnolipid biosurfactant, respectively. The oil removal productivity decreased with the increase of flowrate due to the shorter contact time between the foam mixture and oil droplets. The breakthrough curves of oil pollutants in the soil column also suggested that the foam mixture’s maximum oil treatment efficiency was higher than biosurfactant/nanoparticle suspension and only biosurfactant.

     

固载型TiO2光催化反应器对富营养水体杀藻作用研究

以泡沫镍作为载体，利用电沉积技术将纳米TiO₂负载在泡沫镍上，制成固载型TiO₂光催化反应器。研究表明，经过光催化反应器处理的富营养水体，30 h内叶绿素a由96.2 mg/m³降至2.2mg/m³，下降率达97.6％，而未负载纳米TiO₂普通泡沫镍材料，在同样光强的紫外灯照射下，叶绿素a下降率为74.3％，表明紫外光照射虽然也具有一定的杀藻功能，但是光催化反应才是藻类被杀灭的主要原因。利用9.54 m³景观喷水池进行杀藻中试，光催化反应器也同样表现出优异的杀藻性能，12 d内叶绿素a由18.7 mg/m³降至1.9mg/m³，下降率达到89.8％，水体由浓绿变为清澈见底，这表明光催化反应器具有很强的杀藻能力，通过有效杀灭富营养水体中藻类、控制藻类基数，对应急处理城市景观水、湖泊等富营养水体和突发性藻华，提高生物-生态法处理效率，改善城市水环境具有十分重要的意义。     

An evaluation of surfactant foam technology in remediation of contaminated soil

Soil contamination is notoriously difficult to treat because the contaminants are often tightly bound to the soil particles. Conventional remediation technologies are becoming less popular due to the high treatment costs. This paper gives a comprehensive overview and evaluation of an emerging promising alternative, surfactant foam technology. Different from other approaches, surfactant foam technology may be designed either to remove contaminants or/and simultaneously act as an augmentation for the existing technologies such as pump-and-treat systems and bioremediation processes to improve the contaminant removal efficiency and cost effectiveness. Encouraging results were achieved from laboratory and field demonstrations. However, as an innovative technology, there are many factors to be investigated with the future development. Special attention is paid to the selection of the most appropriate foaming surfactant and surfactant concentration, which are critical to the success of the implementation of the remediation process and have significant effects on the treatment costs. Moreover, development of predictive mathematical models in for future research is helpful to optimize the remediation process.     

H₂S abatement in a biotrickling filter using iron(III) foam media

Airstreams polluted with H(2)S at inlet loads ranging from 2.4 to 40.9 g H(2)Sm(-3)h(-1) were treated in a biotrickling reactor packed with hematite bearing, open pore foam units, at Empty Bed Residence Times (EBRT) ranging from 20 to 60s over a period of 80 d, with almost complete removal of the pollutant from the startup of the system. The media had been seeded with sludge from a local water works facility, and removal efficiencies in excess of 80% were consistently observed along the operation of the reactor, with an average of 98%. Based on section performance, being a section one third of the bed length, observed elimination capacities (EC) reached up to 88.7 g H(2)Sm(-3)h(-)(1) and 72.0 g H(2)Sm(-3)h(-1) at section EBRT of 10 and 7s, respectively. The observed EC values compared much better than data reported on other packed bed reactors using biological iron oxidization to treat H(2)S airstreams indirectly, and so did it when comparing the EC per unit of specific area in a similar study using polyurethane (PU) foams. Further, and unlike PU packed biofilters, no compaction occurred due to the iron foam rigidity, which translated in much better observed gas phase pressure drop as opposed to other conventional biofilters. Denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis was performed on the biomass collected in the packing after the biofilter service, and it was found that though a multi bacterial colony was seeded in the system via the sludge, the only surviving genus was the iron oxidizing Alicyclobacillus spp.     

Removal of Small Particles from Air by Foam in a Sieve-Plate Column

Particle collection by foam produced on sieve plate apparatus was studied in a 3 x 3 in. sq column and in a 2 in. diam circular column. Experimental data have been obtained for silica test dust, glass beads, sulfur aerosol, polystyrene beads, and extensively for methylene blue aerosol. A new technique utilizing the Goetz aerosol spectrometer was developed and was used to obtain the collection efficiency as a function of particle diameter. A correlation was developed based on inertial mechanism. In this correlation the collection efficiency is expressed as a function of inertial parameter and foam density. The pressure drop in the operating range varied from 2 to 4 in. of water.     

Mechanism of effective nocardioform foam control measures for non-selector activated sludge systems.

Solids retention time (SRT), biological scum trapping and recycle, and the dynamic equilibrium between Nocardioform populations in the foam and the mixed liquor are the controlling factors in activated sludge foaming events caused by Nocardioform bacteria. For the operating modes described in this paper, a cured mixed liquor foaming condition (filament counts of approximately 10(5) intersections/g volatile suspended solids) was only achieved when SRT control, selective wasting, and polymer addition were in effect. Solids retention time control, with the SRT remaining below 1.5 days, and selective wasting will cure a severely foaming mixed liquor, but effects will only be observed after 3 or 4 months after implementation. The combined wastage of Nocardioform bacteria from selective wasting and SRT control can ensure long-term foam control to the operation of a pure-oxygen activated sludge system with foam-trapping features. An SRT of 0.3 days will result in the complete washout of Nocardioform bacteria from the activated sludge system, which can then operate at an SRT of 3 days free of Nocardioform. Polymer addition to mixed liquor is only effective for foam control when a large portion of the system biomass exists as a heavy layer of foam above the mixed liquor.     

Interaction between components of electroplating industry wastes. Influence of the receiving water on the toxicity of the effluent

A copper-cadmium-nickel-zinc mixture was assessed in seven different river waters to study metal toxicity to the ciliate protozoan Colpidium campylum, the interactions occurring between metals, and the influence of the receiving water on toxicity. In the range of concentrations tested, which are representative of electroplating industry wastes, the main part of the toxicity can be attributed to copper and to cadmium-copper synergy. A classification of waters, based on a principal component analysis (PCA), was used to examine the main parameters of the water, which can affect the toxicity of metal mixtures. It appears that the mineralization of the water, more than the total organic carbon (TOC), is an important parameter for the expression of toxicity. A strategy for the estimation of ecotoxicological hazard assessment, based on a simplified factorial experiment is proposed. It enables one to study, in a two-step bioassay, the toxicity of an effluent, the influence of river water on its toxicity, and the effects of contact time and dilution. By applying PCA to data from very different waters, it may be possible to estimate the ecotoxicological risk associated with the discharge of an effluent, on the basis of the chemistry of the receiving water.     

多元统计分析对再生水河流水质特征分析

对以再生水为补给水源的通惠河进行水质监测，采用模糊综合评价的方法总体评价了通惠河的水质状况，综合评价结果表明，高碑店污水处理厂处理排放人河道的水质达到Ⅱ类水平，对通惠河的污染起到了一定的缓解作用。引入多元统计分析的方法：（1）空间聚类模型将通惠河水质类型分为两类，并具体分析了两种类型的水质18个参数的差别。分析发现第1类水体的主要污染物为硝态氮、亚硝态氮引起的氮污染、磷污染等工业污染，而第2类水体的污染主要以生活污水带来的有机污染为主。（2）运用因子分析解析通惠河的污染来源——主要来源于点源排放的污水产生的氨氮、硝态氮和有机污染。为保持再生水水质，需要对水质差的污染区设立重点监测点并控制偷排现象。     

Photodecomposition of humic acid and natural organic matter in swamp water using a TiO2-coated ceramic foam filter: Potential for the formation of disinfection byproducts

This paper reports on the photodecomposition of aqueous humic acid (HA) by a TiO₂-coated ceramic foam filter (TCF) reactor and on the potential for the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) upon chlorination of the photocatalytically treated solutions. This photocatalytic reactor can also be applied to the removal of natural organic matter (NOM) in swamp waters. The proposed photocatalytic reaction system was operated as per standardized methodologies. First, the ability of the TCF to decompose HA (a representative compound of NOM) was evaluated from the changes in the total organic carbon (TOC) and UV₂₅₄ with the reaction time. Remarkably, TOC removal and UV₂₅₄ values ranging from 44% to 61% and from 60% to 83%, respectively, were achieved. The potential for the formation of DBPs (total trihalomethane and total haloacetic acid) by chlorination of the phototreated solution was strongly dependent on the TOC removal and UV₂₅₄ values in the solution. The degree of photodecomposition of NOMs in the swamp water samples and the DBP formation potential showed similar trends as in the case of the standard solutions containing HA. The method used in this study could be effectively used to evaluate the efficiency of TCF for reducing HA and NOM, while suppressing the formation of DBP products.     

泡沫陶瓷过滤煤气技术研究

介绍用泡沫陶瓷片作为过滤元件进行模拟高温焦炉煤气除尘 ,采用一种新的除尘工艺 ,增加了有效工作时间 ,避免了传统工艺很容易堵塞的弊端 ;并对相关实验数据进行了记录分析 ,充分验证了实验方案的有效性 ;最后 ,对泡沫陶瓷的相关应用作出探讨性的预测。     

The Fate of Endosulfan in Water

Although the use of endosulfan to control cotton pests has declined, this insecticide still has widespread application in agriculture and can contaminate riverine systems as runoff from soil or by aerial deposition. The degradation of endosulfan in pure water at different pH values of 5, 7 and 9 and in river water from the Namoi and the Hawkesbury rivers of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, was studied in the laboratory. Endosulfan transformation into endosulfan sulfate in river water using artificial mesocosms was also investigated. The results show endosulfan is stable at pH 5, with increasing rates of disappearance at pH 7 and pH 9 by chemical hydrolysis. Incubation of endosulfan with river water at pH 8.3 resulted in the disappearance of endosulfan and the formation of endosulfan diol due to the alkaline pH as well as formation of endosulfan sulfate. Although the degradation of endosulfan by Anabaena, a blue-green alga, did not result in the transformation of endosulfan to endosulfan sulfate, we conclude that other microorganisms catalyzed the formation of the sulfate. Significant conversions of endosulfan into endosulfan sulfate were also reported from associated field studies using artificial mesocoms containing irrigation water from rivers inhabitated by micro-macro fauna. From these results, we conclude that the presence of endosulfan sulfate in river water cannot be used to distinguish contamination by runoff from soil from contamination by aerial drift or redeposition.     

高效喷淋泡沫脱硫技术及装置的应用

SO2是产生酸雨的主要气体,其主要来源于工业燃煤锅炉.以沈阳一家电厂为例,该厂选用新型高效的喷淋泡沫脱硫除尘器对锅炉排放的SO2进行治理.进入喷淋泡沫塔前的SO2平均浓度为2780 mg/m3,经脱硫后出塔平均浓度为289.3 mg/m3,去除率为89.6%.结果表明,这种有别于传统湿法的新型高效的喷淋泡沫脱硫技术及装置具有脱硫效率高、装置占地少、运行稳定、沉淀物易于回收利用等特点,对锅炉排放的SO2进行治理是非常有效的.     

高效喷淋泡沫脱硫技术及装置的应用

SO2是产生酸雨的主要气体，其主要来源于工业燃煤锅炉。以沈阳一家电厂为例，该厂选用新型高效的喷淋泡沫脱硫除尘器对锅炉排放的SO2进行治理。进入喷淋泡沫塔前的SO2平均浓度为2780mg／m^3，经脱硫后出塔平均浓度为289．3mg／m^3，去除率为89．6％。结果表明，这种有别于传统湿法的新型高效的喷淋泡沫脱硫技术及装置具有脱硫效率高、装置占地少、运行稳定、沉淀物易于回收利用等特点，对锅炉排放的SO2进行治理是非常有效的。