Cadmium accumulation and tolerance of two castor cultivars in relation to antioxidant systems

To investigate the effects of Cd on tolerance and antioxidant activities of castor, two different castor（Ricinus communis L.） cultivars（Zibo No. 5 and Zibo No. 8） were used for a hydroponic experiment（0, 1 and 2 mg/L Cd） and a pot experiment using Cd-contaminated soil（34 mg/kg） with the addition of ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid（EDTA）. The results indicated that there were significant differences between the two cultivars with respect to Cd uptake in shoots（113–248 mg/kg for Zibo No. 5 and 130–288 mg/kg Zibo No. 8）, biomass tolerance indexes（64.9%–74.6% for Zibo No. 5 and 80.1%–90.9% for Zibo No. 8） in the hydroponic experiment and survival rates（0% for Zibo No. 5 and 100% for Zibo No. 8）determined by the addition of EDTA in the pot experiment, suggesting that Zibo No. 8 has higher tolerance than Zibo No. 5. Moreover, the castor cultivars have low bioconcentration factors（4.80% for Zibo No. 5 and 5.43% for Zibo No. 8） and low translocation factors（〈1%）.Consequently, Zibo No. 8 can participate in Cd phytostabilization in highly Cd-polluted areas. The results indicated that glutathione（GSH） as a non-enzymatic antioxidant, and antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase（SOD）, catalase（CAT） and guaiacol peroxidase（GPX）, were cultivar- and dose-dependent. The higher tolerance of Zibo No. 8compared with Zibo No. 5 can be attributed to the higher GSH levels in the root and higher GPX activity in the leaf.     

Combination of heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction and photocatalysis using Co-TiO2 nanocatalyst for activation of KHSO5 with visible light irradiation at ambient conditions

A novel coupled system using Co–Ti O2 was successfully designed which combined two different heterogeneous advanced oxidation processes, sulfate radical based Fenton-like reaction（SR-Fenton） and visible light photocatalysis（Vis-Photo）, for degradation of organic contaminants. The synergistic effect of SR-Fenton and Vis-Photo was observed through comparative tests of 50 mg/L Rhodamine B（Rh B） degradation and TOC removal. The Rhodamine B degradation rate and TOC removal were 100% and 68.1% using the SR-Fenton/Vis-Photo combined process under ambient conditions, respectively. Moreover, based on XRD, XPS and UV-DRS characterization, it can be deduced that tricobalt tetroxide located on the surface of the catalyst is the SR-Fenton active site, and cobalt ion implanted in the Ti O2 lattice is the reason for the visible light photocatalytic activity of Co–Ti O2. Finally, the effects of the calcination temperature and cobalt concentration on the synergistic performance were also investigated and a possible mechanism for the synergistic system was proposed. This coupled system exhibited excellent catalytic stability and reusability,and almost no dissolution of Co2＋was found.     

Atmospheric sulfur hexafluoride in-situ measurements at the Shangdianzi regional background station in China

We present in-situ measurements of atmospheric sulfur hexafluoride（SF6） conducted by an automated gas chromatograph–electron capture detector system and a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry system at a regional background site, Shangdianzi,in China, from June 2009 to May 2011, using the System for Observation of Greenhouse gases in Europe and Asia and Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment（AGAGE）techniques. The mean background and polluted mixing ratios for SF6 during the study period were 7.22 × 10-12（mol/mol, hereinafter） and 8.66 × 10-12, respectively. The averaged SF6 background mixing ratios at Shangdianzi were consistent with those obtained at other AGAGE stations located at similar latitudes（Trinidad Head and Mace Head）, but larger than AGAGE stations in the Southern Hemisphere（Cape Grim and Cape Matatula）. SF6 background mixing ratios increased rapidly during our study period, with a positive growth rate at 0.30 × 10-12year-1. The peak to peak amplitude of the seasonal cycle for SF6 background conditions was 0.07 × 10-12, while the seasonal fluctuation of polluted conditions was 2.16 × 10-12. During the study period, peak values of SF6 mixing ratios occurred in autumn when local surface horizontal winds originated from W/WSW/SW/SWS/S sectors, while lower levels of SF6 mixing ratios appeared as winds originated from N/NNE/NE/ENE/E sectors.     

Treatment of sewage using an aged-refuse-based bioreactor

The refuse in landfills becomes stabilized or aged after years of placement, and the resultant partly or fully stabilized refuse thus obtained is referred to as "aged refuse" in this work. The aged refuse contains a wide spectrum and large quantity of microorganisms, which have been proved to have a strong decomposition capability for both biodegradable and refractory organic matter present in some wastewaters. In this study, the aged refuse excavated from a 10-year old closed landfill compartment at Shanghai Refuse Landfill was used as the substrate in a bioreactor for the biofiltration of sewage taken from the sewage pipeline systems in Shanghai downtown areas. Typically, 120kg of screened aged refuse with a diameter less than 15mm was used as biofiltration material in a round shaped bioreactor with an inner diameter of 80cm and a height of 150cm. Influent sewage with initial COD, BOD, and NH(3)-N concentrations of 400-500, 240-300, and 45-50mg/L, respectively, was introduced into the bioreactor. The corresponding concentrations in the effluent were reduced to below 80-100, 10-20, and 10-15mg/L, respectively, at a hydraulic load of 1000-1200L/m(3) refuse/day, and the treatment efficiencies decreased with increased hydraulic load. The treatment mechanism was also studied. It was found that the pollutant removal efficiencies dramatically decreased when the aged refuse in the bioreactor was preliminarily disinfected using NaClO solutions, indicating that the pollutants in the sewage were biologically removed. The treatment process developed in this work is cost-effective.     

城市非点源污染的主要来源及分类控制对策

土地利用方式是影响流域水质的主要因素,加强土地利用管理是提高流域水环境质量的重要途径之一.以武汉市汉阳区为例,利用逐步回归模型分析了城市土地利用类型与流域湖泊水质之间的相关关系,发现农村居民地、城市居民地、商业用地和滩地等用地类型是城市湖泊非点源污染的主要来源.基于土地利用类型,流域中的17个汇水单元可聚为3类,分别以农村居民用地,城市居民用地和商业用地,滩地为主.依照各类汇水单元的景观结构特点,针对性地提出了非点源污染的分类控制措施,简化了控制措施和提高了可操作性.     

纳污海域水环境容量计算与总量分配方法研究——以钦州湾为例

经过比较,明确了选用多源线性迭加的方法来计算纳污海域环境容量更加便利和有效,确定了纳污海域水环境容量计算中的几个重要条件,在对“背景浓度”的处理上引入了最大日均值的概念,使得计算结果更加安全可靠。在此基础上,以广西钦州湾为例,用多元线性迭加法计算出纳污海域两个规划排污口联合排放的无机氮、COD、石油类的最大允许排放量。优化了污染物排放方法,为钦州湾污染物排放提供了科学依据。     

Study on fractions of adsorbed Pb and Cd onto natural surface coatings

The speciation and extent of migration of adsorbed Pb and Cd in natural surface coatings (NSCs) were investigated using sequential extraction procedure to provide an understanding of distribution of the adsorbed Pb and Cd. Extractions were conducted on NSCs before and after Pb and Cd adsorption treatment under controlled laboratory conditions with initial Pb and Cd concentrations ranging from 0.2-2.5 mol/l. The Langmuir adsorption isotherms were applied to estimate equilibrium coefficients of Pb and Cd adsorption to NSCs components. The results showed that 58.50% of adsorbed Pb in average existed in tightly adsorbed form, and the remaining Pb was mostly present as solid oxides/hydroxides (34.00%) and exchangeable and soluble form (7.50%) in NSCs, respectively. Large amount of adsorbed Cd (70.51% in average) was present in exchangeable and soluble form, following a decreasing order in tightly adsorbed form (18.61%), solid oxides/hydroxides (9.87%), and easily oxidizable solids/compounds (1.01%), respectively. No Cd was found in strongly held oxides and precipitates. Compared to the distribution of adsorbed Pb in NSCs, Cd distribution showed that less migration of Cd from exchangeable and soluble form to solid oxides/hydroxides after adsorbed to NSCs, indicating fewer sites for Cd to adsorb to NSCs and less affinity of Cd to the NSCs. These percent distributions of metals provided an additional interpretation to that Pb adsorption to the NSCs greater than that of Cd, less retention of Cd than that of Pb and less roles attributed for Pb/Cd adsorption by organic materials in NSCs, which were observed based on the selective extraction techniques in the independent investigations.     

Distribution of Al-, Fe- and Mn-pools and their correlation in soils from two acid deposition small catchments in Hunan, China

Distribution of Al-, Fe- and Mn-pools was investigated in five forest soil profiles (consisting of four horizons) in each of two Hunan catchments (BLT and LKS) where acid deposition has been considered critical. Al- and Fe-pools were higher in BLT than those in LKS, but Mn-pools much lower in BLT. Mn-pools vary from topsoils to bottom soils, but there are different trends for different Mn speciation. Al- and Fe-pools, except amorphous Fe_ox, were positively correlated to contents of soil organic matter (OM) showed by the loss on ignition in the two catchments. Accumulation of Al- and Fe-pools may occur in the area where soil organic matter was enriched (e.g. in top soil and rhizosphere soil). However, no direct correlation is observed between Mn and OM. Acidic atmospheric deposition may affect transforming among speciations of Al-, Fe- and Mn-pools and leaching of soil Al, Fe and Mn through formation of soluble organo-metal dissolved Al which was potentially toxic, increased. There were significant correlations between Al-pools complexes or change of oxidation–reduction conditions. Mn_ex (exchangeable Mn) and Mn_ox (amorphous and organic Mn) were highly linearly correlation with soil pH values at LKS but at BLT. Under acid deposition, the availability of the nutrient Fe increased with the amount of dissolved Al, which was potentially toxic, in the two catchments. There are no significant correlations between Al_ex (exchangeable Al) and Mn_ex, Fe_ex (exchangeable Fe) and Mn_ex in this work, indicating potentially toxic Mn increase seldom accompanying with Al increase in the two catchments.     

Removal of SO2 from O2-containing flue gas by activated carbon fiber (ACF) impregnated with NH3

Adsorption of SO(2) from the O(2)-containing flue gas by granular activated carbons (GACs) and activated carbon fibers (ACFs) impregnated with NH(3) was studied in this technical note. Experimental results showed that the ACFs were high-quality adsorbents due to their unique textural properties. In the presence of moisture, the desulphurization efficiency for the ACFs was improved significantly due to the formation of sulfuric acid. After NH(3) impregnation of ACF samples, nitrogen-containing functional groups (pyridyl C(5)H(4)N- and pyrrolyl C(4)H(4)N-) were detected on the sample surface by using an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer. These functional groups accounted for the enhanced SO(2) adsorption via chemisorption and/or catalytic oxidization.     

Cu and Zn adsorption onto non-residual and residual components in the natural surface coatings samples (NSCSs) in the Songhua River, China

Natural surface coatings samples (NSCSs) from the surface of river shingles were employed to investigate the roles of non-residual and residual components of the NSCSs in controlling Cu and Zn adsorption via the selective extraction techniques and statistical analysis. The results indicate that the greatest contribution to metals adsorption on a molar basis was from Mn oxides in the non-residual fraction. Metals adsorption capacities of Mn oxides exceeded those of Fe oxides by one order of magnitude, fewer roles were found attributing to adsorption by organic materials (OM), and the estimated contribution of the residual fraction to metals adsorption was insignificant. These results implied that Mn oxides were the most important component in controlling heavy metals in aquatic environments. Experiments with Cu and Zn adsorption measured together showed that Cu severely interfered with Zn adsorption to the NSCSs and vice versa under the conditions of the two coexisted ions adsorption.