TG-DSC and FTIR study on pyrolysis of irradiation cross-linked polyethylene

Irradiation cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) and irradiation cross-linked polyethylene with carbon black filler (CB-PEX) are two types of scraps, generated in electric cable production. Their pyrolysis is studied in this work using instrumental TG\DSC\FTIR techniques and kinetic analysis. The experiments are performed at a constant heating rate of 10 °C/min in nitrogen flow at atmospheric pressure. It is found that the main pyrolysis stage is in the temperature range of 395–503 °C for PEX, and in range of 408–515 °C for CB-PEX. In the main pyrolysis stage, CB-PEX requires more external heat than PEX does. Olefins are the major products of pyrolysis for both materials, but they are quite different in their composition and molecular weight distribution. PEX can be converted almost quantitatively into volatile compounds. CB-PEX has a stronger coking tendency, as well as a larger residue composed of carbon black.     

Effect of heat treatment on sorption of polar and nonpolar compounds to montmorillonites and soils

Batch sorption isotherms of 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene, 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, and tetracycline to organic-free montmorillonites and soils receiving heat treatment (375°C for 24 h) were compared with those to unheated sorbents. Sorption of the nonpolar 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene to soil was lowered after the removal of humus by heating, consistent with the mechanism of hydrophobic partition into organic matter. For 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, the enhanced sorption to heated soils was attributed to specific interactions with exchangeable cations facilitated by heating-induced irreversible partial dehydration of the clay interlayer. For tetracycline, an additional mechanism for sorption enhancement could be due to increased exposure of strong complexation sites on clay minerals after removal of the humic coating. These hypotheses were supported by the sorption data to heated and unheated Na-, K-, and Cs-saturated montmorillonites. The combustion method is commonly adopted to measure the content of black carbon in soils and sediments. However, findings from the present study indicate that combustion may greatly modify the structural properties of clay minerals, leading to misinterpreted sorption contributions of different soil components to sorption of polar or ionic compounds.     

Photodegradation of naproxen in water under simulated solar radiation: mechanism,kinetics, and toxicity variation

The main objective of this study was to investigate the degradation mechanism, the reaction kinetics, and the evolution of toxicity of naproxen in waters under simulated solar radiation. These criteria were investigated by conducting quenching experiments with reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxygen concentration experiments, and toxicity evaluations with Vibrio fischeri bacteria. The results indicated that the degradation of naproxen proceeds via pseudo first-order kinetics in all cases and that photodegradation included degradation by direct photolysis and by self-sensitization via ROS; the contribution rates of self-sensitized photodegradation were 1.4 %, 65.8 %, and 31.7 % via ·OH, ¹O₂ and O₂ ^??, respectively. Furthermore, the oxygen concentration experiments indicated that dissolved oxygen inhibited the direct photodegradation of naproxen, and the higher the oxygen content, the more pronounced the inhibitory effect. The toxicity evaluation illustrated that some of the intermediate products formed were more toxic than naproxen.     

Effect of Pseudomonas sp. HF-1 inoculum on construction of a bioaugmented system for tobacco wastewater treatment: analysis from quorum sensing

To better construct a bioaugmented system for tobacco wastewater treatment, activated sludge was inoculated with different concentrations of the nicotine-degrading bacterium Pseudomonas sp. HF-1. The results showed that inoculum concentrations of 0.55?±?0.01 and 1.10?±?0.03 mg/g (dry weight of strain HF-1/dry weight of activated sludge) were best to ensure strain HF-1 survival and successful bioaugmentation. The release pattern of autoinducer (AI) for quorum sensing in the bioaugmented system was also investigated. During the period of HF-1 inoculation, compared with failed bioaugmented systems, AI-2 was significantly increased in the successful systems, suggesting that AI-2-mediated bacterial communication played an important role in the colonization of HF-1. When inoculation of strain HF-1 was stopped, the amount of AI-2 decreased and leveled out in all systems. Notably, there was a greater than threefold increase of short-chain AHLs in failed bioaugmented systems, but no increase in successful ones, implying that the fluctuation of short-chain AHLs could be an indicator of the failure of bioaugmentation. Thus, AI-2-mediated quorum sensing could be implemented to facilitate HF-1 colonization.     

Reservoir Operation with Feedback in a Coupled Land Surface and Hydrologic Model: A Case Study of the Huai River Basin,China

Regarding emerging large‐scale reservoir operation models, reports of reservoir operation feedback for hydrologic modeling are rare, and little attention has been paid to flood control. An operation scheme considering multilevel flood control (MLFC) was first proposed in this study, but more reservoir information was needed. Thus, an alternative scheme was proposed that consisted of a modified version of the reservoir operation scheme in the Soil and Water Assessment Tool Model (MSWAT scheme). These schemes were coupled to a land surface and hydrologic model system with feedback, i.e., a system in which reservoir operation can affect the subsequent simulation, and were investigated in the Huai River Basin. The results show reservoir storage and peak flow were generally overestimated by the original SWAT reservoir scheme (SWAT scheme). Compared with the SWAT scheme, the MSWAT scheme successfully reduced the simulated storage and peak flow at the reservoir stations. For the downstream stations, the streamflow simulations were improved at a significance level of 5%. The performances of the MSWAT and MLFC schemes at the reservoir stations were nearly equivalent. Importantly, reservoir operation feedback to hydrologic modeling was necessary because the reservoir operation effects could not be transferred downstream without it. The streamflow simulation of a reservoir station located on a flat plain was less sensitive to feedback than that of a mountain reservoir station.     

Uptake, translocation and metabolism of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in maize (Zea mays L.)

A hydroponic experiment was conducted in the present study to investigate and compare plant uptake, translocation and metabolism of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) of BDE-15, BDE-28 and BDE-47 and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) of PCB-15, PCB-28 and PCB-47 in maize. Root concentrations of BDE-15, BDE-28 and BDE-47 were consistently higher than PCB-15, PCB-28 and PCB-47, respectively. A significantly positive correlation was found between logRCF (root concentration factor) and logKow of these PBDEs and PCBs, suggesting a control role of their partitioning in plant uptake. The translocation factors (TFs, Cstem/Croot) of PBDEs were generally lower than those of PCBs of the same halogen-substitutions, demonstrating easier transport of PCBs than PBDEs. Metabolites mono-, di- and tri-BDEs and PCBs were detected, suggesting the existence of in vivo metabolism of PBDEs and PCBs in maize. Dehalogenation and rearrangement of halogen atoms were identified, and some similarities but also significant differences existed between the PBDEs and PCBs. PBDEs in maize were, in general, more susceptible to metabolism compared with PCBs of the same halogen-substitutions. This is the first comparative report on the uptake, translocation and metabolism of PBDEs and PCBs in plants.     

New insights into the sorption mechanism of cadmium on red mud

Effectiveness and mechanism of cadmium (Cd) sorption on original, acidified and ball milling nano-particle red muds were investigated using batch sorption experiments, sequential extraction analysis and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The maximum sorption capacity of Cd was 0.16, 0.19, and 0.21 mol/kg for the original, acidified, and nano-particle red muds at pH 6.5, respectively. Both acidification and ball-milling treatments significantly enhanced Cd sorption and facilitated transformation of Cd into less extractable fractions. The Cd L_III-edge XANES analysis indicated the formation of inner-sphere complexes of Cd similar to XCdOH (X represents surface groups on red mud) on the red mud surfaces although outer-sphere complexes of Cd were the primary species. This work shed light on the potential application of red mud to remediate Cd-contaminated soils and illustrated the promising tool of XANES spectroscopy for speciation of multicomponent systems of environmental relevance.     

吹扫捕集/气相色谱/质谱法测定水体中54种常见挥发性有机物的研究

运用吹扫捕集/气相色谱/质谱(P＆T/GC/MS)法对水体中54种常见的挥发性有机物(VOCs)进行了测定.结果表明,VOCs的色谱分离情况较好,平均加标回收率为88.5%～117.0%,相对标准偏差为0.71%～8.50%,准确度和精密度均符合有关分析测试的要求;方法检出限为0.10～0.61μg/L,远低于<地表水环境质量标准>(GB 3838-2002)、<生活饮用水卫生标准>(GB3838-2002)及国外相关标准的限值;54种VOCs的线性范围不同,低沸点的VOCs线性范围较宽,高沸点的VOCs的线性范围较窄,因此在分析VOCs样品配制标准工作曲线时,应注意不同沸点VOCs的线性范围.     

强化活性炭处理工艺去除焦化厂生化出水中的氰化物

以某焦化厂生化出水为研究对象,考寨了金属负载活性炭(简称负载炭)和Fenton氧化预处理等强化活性炭工艺对总氰化物(TCN)的去除效果.在TCN批式实验中,对负载炭的金属离子种类和固定方式进行了考察,同时研究了接触时间、DO对游离氰(KCN配水)、络合氰(K3Fe(CN)6配水)及焦化厂生化出水中TCN的去除效果.结果表明,负载金属离子可以有效提高活性炭对TCN的去除量,KI固定后的载铜活性炭对TCN的去除更有效.吸附作用在活性炭去除TCN过程中起着主要作用,同时TCN在活性炭表面也发生缓慢的催化氧化反应.在穿透实验中,采用了小型炭柱穿透和微型快速穿透实验方法,得到的TCN穿透曲线基本相同.含不同比例原煤炭和负载炭的小型炭柱处理经Fenton氧化预处理的焦化厂生化出水时,在18 d的启动阶段后形成生物活性炭柱,其出水能长期达到<城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准>(GB 18918-2002)规定的要求.载铜话性炭可以提高活性炭工艺对TCN的去除能力,确保处理全程(57 d)出水的TCN达标.     

Cell absorption induced desorption of hydrophobic organic contaminants from digested soil residue

Oral ingestion of contaminated soil is an important pathway of human exposure to hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs), particularly for children in developing countries. The mobilization potential of various contaminants from ingested soil is often characterized using an in vitro gastrointestinal model, based on the quantities of contaminants remaining in digestive fluid after digestion and separation. Recently, it was experimentally demonstrated that a large fraction of mobilized contaminants sorbed on the digested residue could be released if the dissolved fraction was removed by intestinal absorption. This hypothesis was further tested in this study. Soil spiked with dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDXs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was digested using an in vitro gastrointestinal model. A human colon carcinoma cell line (Caco-2) was cultured in digestive fluid with or without soil residue (pre-equilibrated with the soil) for 2 h. A large proportion of the contaminants (37-68%) was sorbed on the digested residue. Without this residue, 66 ± 13% of DDXs and 73 ± 14% of PAHs dissolved in the fluid, as means and standard deviations, were absorbed by the cell monolayer after exposure. With both digestive fluid and residue, the sorbed fraction of PAHs and DDXs decreased by 38-92%, while the ratios of the cellular to the dissolved concentrations were 2.7-2.8 times higher than those without the residue. This supported the hypothesis that the cell absorption of dissolved HOCs induces desorption of the sorbed fraction from digestive residue, and the desorbed HOCs can be absorbed as well.