Coupling mechanism of activated carbon mixed with dust for flue gas desulfurization and denitrification

To clarify the effect of coking dust, sintering dust and fly ash on the activity of activated carbon for various industrial flue gas desulfurization and denitrification, the coupling mechanism of the mixed activated carbon and dust was investigated to provide theoretical reference for the stable operation. The results show that coking dust had 34% desulfurization efficiency and 10% denitrification efficiency; correspondingly, sintering dust and fly ash had no obvious desulfurization and denitrification activities. For the mixture of activated carbon and dust, the coking dust reduced the desulfurization and denitrification efficiencies by blocking the pores of activated carbon, and its inhibiting effect on activated carbon was larger than its own desulfurization and denitrification activity. The sintering dust also reduced the desulfurization efficiency on the activated carbon while enhancing the denitrification efficiency. Fly ash blocked the pores of activated carbon and reduced its reaction activity. The reaction activity of coking dust mainly came from the surface functional groups, similar to that of activated carbon. The reaction activity of sintering dust mainly came from the oxidative property of Fe₂O₃, which oxidized NO to NO₂ and promoted the fast selectively catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO to form N₂. Sintering dust was activated by the joint action of activated carbon, and both had a coupling function. Sintering dust enhanced the adsorption and oxidation of NO, and activated carbon further promoted the reduction of NO_x by NH₃; thus, the denitrification efficiency increased by 5%-7% on the activated carbon.     

Photodegradation of Hexafluoropropylene Oxide Trimer Acid under UV Irradiation

As a novel alternative to traditional perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), hexafluoroproplyene oxide trimer acid (HFPO-TA) has been detected worldwide in surface water. Moreover, recent researches have demonstrated that HFPO-TA has stronger bioaccumulation potential and higher hepatotoxicity than PFOA. To treat these contaminants e.g. PFOA and PFOS, some photochemical techniques by adding exogenous substances had been reported. However, there is still no report for the behavior of HFPO-TA itself under direct UV irradiation. The current study investigated the photo-transformation of HFPO-TA under UV irradiation in aqueous solution. After 72 hr photoreaction, 75% degradation ratio and 25% defluorination ratio were achieved under ambient condition. Reducing active species, i.e., hydrated electrons and active hydrogen atoms, generated from water splitting played dominant roles in degradation of HFPO-TA, which was confirmed by different effects of reaction atmospheres and quenching experiments. A possible degradation pathway was proposed based on the products identification and theoretical calculations. In general, HFPO-TA would be transformed into shorter-chain PFASs, including hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), perfluoropropionic acid (PFA) and trifluoroacetate (TFA). This research provides basic information for HFPO-TA photodegradation process and is essential to develop novel remediation techniques for HFPO-TA and other alternatives with similar structures.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in benthos of the northern Bering Sea Shelf and Chukchi Sea Shelf

Eighteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected in benthos collected onboard the ‘Snow Dragon’ in the Northern Bering Sea Shelf and Chukchi Sea Shelf during the 6^th Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition (CHINARE 2014). Σ₁₈PAHs for all biota samples ranged from 34.2 to 128.1 ng/g dry weight (dw), with the highest concentration observed in fish muscle (Boreogadus saida) samples close to St. Lawrence Island. The PAH composition pattern was dominated by the presence of lighter 3 ring (57%) and 2 ring (28%) PAHs, indicating oil-related or petrogenic sources as important origins of PAH contamination. Concentrations of alkyl-PAHs (1-methylnaphthalene and 2-methylnaphthalene) were lower than their parent PAH (naphthalene) in all biological tissue, and their percentage also decreased significantly (p<0.05) compared with those in the corresponding sediment. There were no significant relationships between PAH concentrations and trophic levels, which is possibly due to the combined results of the complex benthic foodweb in the subarctic/Arctic shelf region, as well as a low assimilation/effective metabolism for PAHs. According to toxic potency evaluation results from TCDD toxic equivalents (TEQs) and BaP-equivalent (BaPE) values, whelk (Neptunea heros) and starfish (Ctenodiscus crispatus) are two macroinvertebrate species showing relatively higher dioxin-like toxicity and carcinogenic risk.     

Particulate matter exchange between atmosphere and roads surfaces in urban areas

The deposition and the re-suspension of particulate matter (PM) in urban areas are the key processes that contribute not only to stormwater pollution, but also to air pollution. However, investigation of the deposition and the re-suspension of PM is challenging because of the difficulties in distinguishing between the resuspended and the deposited PM. This study created two Bayesian Networks (BN) models to explore the deposition and the re-suspension of PM as well as the important influential factors. The outcomes of BN modelling revealed that deposition and re-suspension of PM10 occurred under both, high-traffic and low-traffic conditions, and the re-suspension of PM2.5 occurred under low-traffic conditions. The deposition of PM10 under low-volume traffic condition is 1.6 times higher than under high-volume traffic condition, which is attributed to the decrease in PM10 caused by relatively higher turbulence under high-volume traffic conditions. PM10 is more easily resuspended from road surfaces compared to PM2.5 as the particles which larger than the thickness of the laminar airflow over the road surface are more easily removed from road surfaces. The increase in wind speed contributes to the increase in PM build-up by transporting particulates from roadside areas to the road surfaces and the airborne PM2.5 and PM10 increases with the increase in relative humidity. The study outcomes provide a step improvement in the understanding of the transfer processes of PM2.5 and PM10 between atmosphere and urban road surfaces, which in turn will contribute to the effective design of mitigation measures for urban stormwater and air pollution.     

Analytical methods and environmental processes of nanoplastics

The degradation of plastic debris may result in the generation of nanoplastics (NPs). Their high specific surface area for the sorption of organic pollutions and toxic heavy metals and possible transfer between organisms at different nutrient levels make the study of NPs an urgent priority. However, there is very limited understanding on the occurrence, distribution, abundant, and fate of NPs in the environment, partially due to the lack of suitable techniques for the separation and identification of NPs from complex environmental matrices. In this review, we first overviewed the state-of-the-art methods for the extraction, separation, identification and quantification of NPs in the environment. Some of them have been successfully applied for the field determination of NPs, while some are borrowed from the detection of microplastics or engineered nanomaterials. Then the possible fate and transport of NPs in the environment are thoroughly described. Although great efforts have been made during the recent years, large knowledge gaps still exist, such as the relatively high detection limit of existing method failing to detect ultralow masses of NPs in the environment, and spherical polystyrene NP models failing to represent the various compositions of NPs with different irregular shapes, which needs further investigation.     

Reviews of emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in Asia

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in the atmosphere play important roles in the formation of ground-level ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) in global scale and also in regional scale under some condition due to their large amount and relatively higher reactivity. In places with high plant cover in the tropics and in China where air pollution is serious, the effect of BVOCs on ozone and secondary organic aerosols is strong. The present research aims to provide a comprehensive review about the emission rate, emission inventory, research methods, the influencing factors of BVOCs emissions, as well as their impacts on atmospheric environment quality and human health in recent years in Asia based on the summary and analysis of literatures. It is suggested to use field direct measurement method to obtain the emission rate and model method to calculate the emission amount. Several recommendations are given for future investigation and policy development on BVOCs emission.     

北京市典型汽修企业VOCs排放特征与臭氧影响分析

对北京地区27家汽修企业进行调研,选取2家典型汽修企业进行气袋采样-GC-MS-FID采集及分析,定量分析其VOCs的排放特征,并计算其臭氧生成潜势（OFP）。结果表明:使用不同漆料的汽修企业排放特征不同,水性漆企业非甲烷总烃的排放浓度为0.62~36.49 mg/m3,油性漆企业的排放浓度为0~100.39 mg/m3;水性漆排放的VOCs以烷烃为主,占比高达57.16%,丙烷（39.65%）和甲苯（11.41%）是首要污染物;卤代烃（55.51%）是油性漆企业的主要VOCs排放物种,主要组分为1,2-二氯丙烷和1,2-二氯乙烷;水性漆企业的OFP值为144.78 mg/m3,油性漆企业的OFP值为664.43 mg/m3,大气反应活性最大的物种多为芳香烃,芳香烃对OFP的贡献率分别为52.18%和88.44%。     

我国燃煤电厂大气汞控制技术综合评估与对策探讨

采用模糊综合评价法与层次分析法或专家判定法相结合,对我国燃煤电厂非常规污染物大气汞控制技术进行了综合评估,以筛选出最佳控制技术.建立了环境、经济和技术为一级指标的三层指标体系,共22个评价指标;初步筛选出洗选煤+烟气净化协同脱除技术、烟气净化协同脱除技术、烟气净化协同脱除技术+活性炭吸附技术等七项技术及技术组合并对其开展评估.结果表明:强调环境因素的层次分析法综合评估结果表明,超低排放协同脱除技术+活性炭吸附技术得分最高（0.797 0）,为最佳控制技术.而专家判定法与强调经济因素的层次分析法的综合评估结果一致,洗选煤+烟气净化协同脱除技术最具经济优势,是专家认可的最佳可用技术（BAT）和最佳环境实践（BEP）.研究显示,我国现阶段可采用洗选煤+超低排放协同脱除技术对燃煤电厂的大气汞污染进行控制,但为达到发达国家的严格排放标准,必须采用超低排放协同脱除技术+活性炭吸附技术.      

烟花爆竹燃放对大气污染物及PM2.5组分影响

为了解烟花爆竹燃放对保定市大气污染物和PM_2.5中水溶性离子及有机碳（OC）、元素碳（EC）浓度的影响,对保定市春节期间大气污染物和颗粒物组分的浓度特征进行了分析,并评估了烟花爆竹的贡献.结果表明： 2019年春节期间烟花爆竹集中燃放期PM_2.5、PM₁₀、SO₂、NO₂、CO平均浓度比非集中燃放期分别增加了1.3、1.0、1.1、0.4、0.02倍;保定市春节期间禁燃措施施行后,除夕、初一2d污染物平均浓度、最高浓度和高浓度持续时间均明显下降,集中燃放期烟花爆竹燃放对PM_2.5、PM₁₀和SO₂浓度贡献量从50%左右（2018年、2017年）下降至30%左右（2019年）,其中SO₂贡献量下降幅度超过PM_2.5和PM₁₀;组分分析表明,接待中心站点（主城区）、涿州站点（区县建成区）烟花爆竹燃放期K⁺、Mg²⁺、Cl^-浓度在水溶性离子中的总占比分别为39.3%、51.1%,比非燃放期的占比显著上升;烟花爆竹燃放对PM_2.5中K⁺、Mg²⁺、Cl^-浓度贡献率在50%以上,其中对K⁺贡献占比高达89.0%,涿州站点SO₄^2-、K⁺、Mg²⁺、Cl^-的贡献量分别是接待中心站点的2.2、2.1、1.9、1.8倍,燃放期硫氧化率（SOR）、氮氧化率（NOR）相比于非燃放期均有一定程度的升高;集中燃放期OC、EC浓度较非集中燃放期分别升高了2.5、2.1倍,烟花爆竹燃放对OC影响大于EC.     

成都市施工扬尘排放特征研究

采用DustTRAK TM气溶胶（粉尘）监测仪对成都市112个不同类别的房建、市政工地施工扬尘进行测试,研究了不同类别施工扬尘的排放特征,分析了下风向扬尘浓度的变化趋势,并采用CALPUFF对成都市新都区某建筑工地的排放进行了模拟.结果表明：（1）成都市施工扬尘排放浓度约为0.13~2.91mg/m³,其中房建类施工平均浓度约为0.94mg/m³,高于市政施工;大型工地扬尘平均浓度约为0.61mg/m³,低于中型和小型工地;土方施工阶段平均浓度约为1.21mg/m³,远高于地基建设、主体建设、装饰阶段.（2）成都市施工扬尘呈现出高低浓度交替的周期性变化,其中房建工程土方施工阶段的高低浓度差值可达到0.6mg/m³以上.（3）施工扬尘在场界外下风向5~15m范围内会出现浓度增加的趋势,随后逐渐下降,在50m附近逐渐趋于稳定,稳定浓度介于0.1~0.2mg/m³.（4）CALPUFF模型能较好地从宏观角度来模拟成都地区施工扬尘的扩散趋势,但难以捕捉施工扬尘在下风向近距离的扩散特征.