Co-pyrolysis of sludge and kaolin/zeolite in a rotary kiln: Analysis of stabilizing heavy metals

• Adding kaolin/zeolite promotes the formation of stable heavy metals. • The potential ecological risk index of co-pyrolysis biochar is extremely low. • Increasing the pyrolysis temperature reduces the leaching toxicity of heavy metals. • The toxicity of biochar reduces with the increasing content of stable heavy metals. Pyrolysis is a promising technique used for treating of sewage sludge. However, the application of pyrolysis products is limited due to the presence of heavy metals. In this study, sewage sludge mixed with kaolin/zeolite was pyrolyzed in a rotary kiln, aiming to improve the immobilization of heavy metals in pyrolytic carbon. The total concentrations, speciation distributions, leaching toxicities, and potential ecological risk indices of heavy metals in pyrolysis biochar were explored to examine the effects of kaolin/zeolite and pyrolytic temperature on immobilizing heavy metals. Further, mineral composition and surface morphology of biochar were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy to reveal the potential mechanism of immobilizing heavy metals. Increasing pyrolysis temperature facilitated the stabilization of heavy metals in pyrolysis biochar. The proportions of stable heavy metals in biochar obtained at 650℃ were 54.50% (Cu), 29.73% (Zn), 79.29% (Cd), 68.17% (Pb) and 86.70% (Cr). Compared to sewage sludge, the potential contamination risk index of pyrolysis biochar obtained at 650℃ was reduced to 17.01, indicating a low ecological risk. The addition of 7% kaolin/zeolite further reduced the risk index of co-pyrolysis biochar prepared at 650℃ to 10.86/15.28. The characterization of biochar revealed that increase in the pyrolysis temperature and incorporation of additives are conducive to the formation of stable heavy metal-inorganics. This study demonstrates that the formation of stable mineral compounds containing heavy metals is the key to stabilizing heavy metals in pyrolysis biochar.     

Particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in typical urban of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau: Characterization,sources and risk assessment

• The sampling was conducted in city on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau for one year. • The groups of PAHs revealed their different environmental fates and migration paths. • Seasonal biomass burning could affect the concentration by long-distance transport. • Industrial sources and traffic emissions were the main contributor of PAHs. • Living in industrial areas or winter had higher health risk by exposure PAHs in PM_2.5. Monthly particle-phase ambient samples collected at six sampling locations in Yuxi, a high-altitude city on the edge of Southeast Asia, were measured for particle-associated PAHs. As trace substances, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are susceptible to the influences of meteorological conditions, emissions, and gas-particulate partitioning and it is challenging job to precise quantify the source and define the transmission path. The daily concentrations of total PM_2.5-bound PAHs ranged from 0.65 to 80.76 ng/m³, with an annual mean of 11.94 ng/m³. Here, we found that the concentration of PM_2.5-bound PAHs in winter was significantly higher than that in summer, which was mainly due to source and meteorology influence. The increase of fossil combustion and biomass burning in cold season became the main contributors of PAHs, while precipitation and low temperature exacerbated this difference. According to the concentration variation trend of PM_2.5-bound PAHs and their relationship with meteorological conditions, a new grouping of PAHs is applied, which suggested that PAHs have different environmental fates and migration paths. A combination of source analysis and trajectory model supported local sources from combustion of fossil fuel and vehicle exhaust contributed to the major portion on PAHs in particle, but on the Indochina Peninsula the large number of pollutants emitted by biomass burning during the fire season would affect the composition of PAHs through long-range transporting. Risk assessment in spatial and temporal variability suggested that citizens living in industrial areas were higher health risk caused by exposure the PM_2.5-bound PAHs than that in other regions, and the risk in winter was three times than in summer.     

The adsorption affinity of N-doped biochar plays a crucial role in peroxydisulfate activation and bisphenol A oxidative degradation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Metal-free biochar to activate persulfate and degrade organic contaminants has attracted great attention in advanced oxidation processes, while the...     

新型钢结构法兰节点不同加强环板的数值模拟研究

设计制作了一种采用高强螺栓连接的新型法兰外环板式节点试件,在低周往复加载试验研究中,直角型加强环板转角处存在应力集中现象。以该试验为基础,通过大型有限元软件ABAQUS对试件进行数值模拟,将模拟与试验所得到的破坏机制、滞回曲线和骨架曲线的结果进行了对比验证,证明了ABAQUS模型的可靠性。为避免上述直角型加强环板中存在的应力集中现象,将模型中加强环板转角构造形式改为圆弧型,比较了不同形式下的节点破坏模式以及滞回曲线、骨架曲线、延性性能、耗能能力、刚度退化等抗震性能参数,结果表明：圆弧型转角形式能够较好地避免节点直角型加强环板转角处的应力集中且提升了抗震性能。数值模拟研究为该新型法兰外环板式节点的深入研究与工程应用提供了一定的理论基础。     

The Chinese western development initiative: new opportunities for mineral investment

The Western Development Initiative (WDI), launched in 2000 by the Chinese Government, will greatly change the modes and improve the quality of life of the 355 million people living in the western region of China. This paper presents a panoramic picture of the mineral industries under the framework of the WDI. First, it gives an overview of the WDI, including a summary of the favorable and unfavorable conditions for the WDI, the objectives, priorities and key geographical areas for the WDI and the national policies and measures for implementing the WDI. Second, it describes the roles of the mineral industries in the WDI. Finally, it details the policies and actions of the Chinese Government on the exploration and development of mineral resources in the western region in support of the WDI.     

A comparison of chemical mechanisms based on TRAMP-2006 field data

A comparison of a model using five widely known mechanisms (RACM, CB05, LaRC, SAPRC-99, SAPRC-07, and MCMv3.1) has been conducted based on the TexAQS II Radical and Aerosol Measurement Project (TRAMP-2006) field data in 2006. The concentrations of hydroxyl (OH) and hydroperoxy (HO₂) radicals were calculated by a zero-dimensional box model with each mechanism and then compared with the OH and HO₂ measurements. The OH and HO₂ calculated by the model with different mechanisms show similarities and differences with each other and with the measurements. First, measured OH and HO₂ are generally greater than modeled for all mechanisms, with the median modeled-to-measured ratios ranging from about 0.8 (CB05) to about 0.6 (SAPRC-99). These differences indicate that either measurement errors, the effects of unmeasured species or chemistry errors in the model or the mechanisms, with some errors being independent of the mechanism used. Second, the modeled and measured ratios of HO₂/OH agree when NO is about 1 ppbv, but the modeled ratio is too high when NO was less and too low when NO is more, as seen in previous studies. Third, mechanism–mechanism HO_x differences are sensitive to the environmental conditions – in more polluted conditions, the mechanism–mechanism differences are less. This result suggests that, in polluted conditions, the mechanistic details are less important than in cleaner conditions, probably because of the dominance of reactive nitrogen chemistry under polluted conditions.     

长江中上游护堤林发展土地潜力研究

护岸堤林建设是建设是长江中上游防护林体系建设林种空间布局与配置不可缺少的有机组成部分，具沿江而布及成连续林带的特点。其发展的土地潜力取决于岸堤线长度、林带建设宽度和建设地带内的土地利用现状结构等三个因素。研究结果表明：长江中上游研究江段护岸堤林发展土地数量潜力规模为２５１２３．４～４１９３８．９ｈｍ２，其中需造林绿化的宜林荒地地（第一类潜力）为８２１４．５～１３７５７．３ｈｍ２，需改造更新的疏灌林地和需加强抚育的未成林造林地（第二潜力）为５４０９．３～９０１５．５ｈｍ２，需退耕还林的耕地（第三类潜力）为１１４９９．６～１９１６６．１ｈｍ２。     

1975年海城地震成功预报的回顾与思考

当我们满怀激情翻开2005年的日历时，不经意地发现已进入海城地震成功预报30周年的门槛，令人们不能忘怀的是，当1975年2月4日7．3级地震强烈震撼着辽南大地时，面对灾区到处房倒屋塌的悲凉景象，震区人民并没有气馁，而是满怀豪情地抗震救灾、重建家园，描绘更为美好的建设蓝图。这种生动场面的出现是因为震前有了较为准确的地震预报。     

新形势下改革和加强中国环境保护管理体制的思考

中国现行的环境保护管理体制已无法适应日益复杂化的环境问题,改革和强化环境保护管理体制已迫在眉睫.分析了中国进行环境保护管理体制改革的必要性,提出了改革和强化体制的总体目标和基本思路,进而从管理体系、法律体系、运行机制和能力建设等方面论述了改革和强化环境保护管理体制的建议对策.     

First-trimester assessment of placenta function and the prediction of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction

Preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are major contributors to perinatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. Both are characterized by impaired trophoblastic invasion of the maternal spiral arteries and their conversion from narrow muscular vessels to wide non-muscular channels. Despite improvement in the understanding of the pathophysiology of these conditions, ability to accurately identify pregnant woman who will develop them is limited. This greatly impairs the development and testing of preventive interventions. While different measures of placental dysfunction have been associated with increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes, the ability of any single one to accurately predict these outcomes is poor. Developing predictive tests is further challenged by difficulty in the timing of the measurements, as both the structural and biochemical characteristics of the placenta change with increasing gestational age. The ideal screening test would accurately predict the development of adverse pregnancy outcomes early enough to provide a window for preventive interventions. Improvement in ultrasound technology provides potentially useful novel tools for evaluating placental structure, but measuresments need to be standardized in order to be useful. Maternal serum analyte screening is a noninvasive test of placental biochemical function, but present serum marker alone is not sufficiently accurate to suggest its routine use in clinical practice. The use of first trimester biochemical markers in combination with uterine artery Doppler screening is promising as a potential screening tool. Prospective longitudinal studies using standardized methodology are necessary to further evaluate the choice of parameters and strategies of combination to achieve the best predictive models. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.