Catalytic Activity of Biomorphic α-MoO(3) in the Degradation of Methyl Violet Dye

A network of fibers comprising orthorhombic molybdenum trioxide (α-MoO(3)) crystals were synthesized using paper as template via a biomorphic approach. The template was completely removed by annealing the sample at 600°C for 5?min. Monoclinic MoO(3) was formed and consequently converted into orthorhombic α-MoO(3) after prolonged annealing. Three milligrams of the biomorphic α-MoO(3) could degrade up to 90% of a methyl violet aqueous solution with a concentration of 20?mg/L under normal visible light. The size of the α-MoO(3) grains and the porosity of the biomorphic sample affected catalytic performance.     

Adsorption Characteristics of Benzene on Biosolid Adsorbent and Commercial Activated Carbons

Abstract

This study selected biosolids from a petrochemical waste-water treatment plant as the raw material. The sludge was immersed in 0.5-5 M of zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) solutions and pyrolyzed at different temperatures and times. Results indicated that the 1-M ZnCl₂-immersed biosolids pyrolyzed at 500 °C for 30 min could be reused and were optimal biosolid adsorbents for benzene adsorption. Pore volume distribution analysis indicated that the mesopore contributed more than the macropore and micropore in the biosolid adsorbent. The benzene adsorption capacity of the biosolid adsorbent was 65 and 55% of the G206 (granular-activated carbon) and BPL (coal-based activated carbon; Calgon, Carbon Corp.) activated carbons, respectively. Data from the adsorption and desorption cycles indicated that the benzene adsorption capacity of the biosolid adsorbent was insignificantly reduced compared with the first-run capacity of the adsorbent; therefore, the biosolid adsorbent could be reused as a commercial adsorbent, although its production cost is high.     

Effects of initial iron corrosion rate on long-term performance of iron permeable reactive barriers: Column experiments and numerical simulation

Column experiments and numerical simulation were conducted to test the hypothesis that iron material having a high corrosion rate is not beneficial for the long-term performance of iron permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) because of faster passivation of iron and greater porosity loss close to the influent face of the PRBs. Four iron materials (Connelly, Gotthart-Maier, Peerless, and ISPAT) were used for the column experiments, and the changes in reactivity toward cis-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) degradation in the presence of dissolved CaCO₃ were evaluated. The experimental results showed that the difference in distribution of the accumulated precipitates, resulting from differences in iron corrosion rate, caused a difference in the migration rate of the cis-DCE profiles and a significant difference in the pattern of passivation, indicating a faster passivation in the region close to the influent end for the material having a higher corrosion rate. For the numerical simulation, the accumulation of secondary minerals and reactivity loss of iron were coupled using an empirically-derived relationship that was incorporated into a multi-component reactive transport model. The simulation results provided a reasonable representation of the evolution of iron reactivity toward cis-DCE treatment and the changes in geochemical conditions for each material, consistent with the observed data. The simulations for long-term performance were also conducted to further test the hypothesis and predict the differences in performance over a period of 40 years under typical groundwater conditions. The predictions showed that the cases of higher iron corrosion rates had earlier cis-DCE breakthrough and more reduction in porosity starting from near the influent face, due to more accumulation of carbonate minerals in that region. Therefore, both the experimental and simulation results appear to support the hypothesis and suggest that reactivity changes of iron materials resulting from evolution of geochemical conditions should be considered in the design of iron PRBs.     

Concentration and composition variations of metals in the outdoor PM10 of elementary schools during river dust episodes

Aeolian river dust can seriously affect the air quality in central Taiwan. The main purpose of this study was to assess the concentration variations of PM₁₀ and metals at different elementary schools during river dust episodes. River dust samples were taken from eight sites in the main bare soil areas of the Choshui River. PM₁₀ aerosols from four elementary schools in Yulin County were collected by means of high-volume samplers. Fifteen elements (Fe, Al, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Ti, Ni, V, Cr, As, Pb, Cu, Co, and Cd) in the river dust and PM₁₀ were analyzed in this study. The coefficients of divergence (CDs) were obtained by comparing the metal compositions in PM₁₀ aerosols at the four schools on the sampling days with the mean metal contents in the river soil samples as reference. The CD values showed that metal compositions in the aerosols at high-exposure sites during river dust episodes were similar to those compositions in the river dust. The concentrations of PM₁₀ at the high-exposure schools during river dust episodes were much higher than those during non-river-dust episodes. This study also indicated that at the high-exposure sites, both the PM₁₀ and metal concentrations were higher than at the low-exposure and control sites, not only during the river dust episodes, but also after the river dust episodes. The concentrations of toxic metals (Ni, Cr, As, and Cd) at the high-exposure sites were about 11.3 times higher during the river dust episodes (189 ng/m³) than during non-river-dust episodes (16.7 ng/m³) and about 8.9 times higher during the same periods at the control site (21.3 ng/m³).     

The impacts of firms’ mobility on the environmental policy

Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - This paper investigates the impacts of firms’ mobility on the environmental policy. We focus on two issues. The first one is the relationship...     

Arsenic, copper, and zinc contamination in soil and wheat during coal mining, with assessment of health risks for the inhabitants of Huaibei, China

Field studies were conducted to investigate arsenic (As), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) contamination in agricultural soils and wheat crops at two areas in Huaibei, China. Area A is in the proximity of Shuoli coal mine. In area B, three coal mines and a coal cleaning plant were distributed. The potential health risk of As, Cu, and Zn exposure to the local inhabitants through consumption of wheat grains was also estimated. The results showed that significantly higher (p?<?0.05) concentrations of As, Cu, and Zn were found in soils collected from area B than in those from area A. Arsenic concentrations in wheat sampled from area A were negatively correlated with the distance from the coal mine (p?<?0.001). Concentrations of Cu and Zn in wheat seedlings and grains collected from area B were significantly higher (p?<?0.05) than in those collected from area A, with the exception of Zn in wheat seedlings. Concentrations of Cu and Zn in most wheat grain samples were above the permissible limits of Cu and Zn in edible plants set by the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization. The hazard index of aggregate risk through consumption of wheat grains was 2.3–2.4 for rural inhabitants and 1.4–1.5 for urban inhabitants. The average intake of inorganic As for rural inhabitants in Huaibei was above 10 μg day^?1. These findings indicated that the inhabitants around the coal mine are experiencing a significant potential health risk due to the consumption of locally grown wheat.     

复合人工湿地对水源地库区水质净化效果分析

宁波皎口水库是水源地，皎口复合人工湿地位于皎口水库的进水口，采用多种水流方式复合，对提高水库水质及保障饮用水安全具有积极的作用。为了探明人工湿地在微污染地区的应用价值，对人工湿地水源地水质净化效能进行了研究。在1年的监测调查调查中，研究探讨了复合人工湿地及其不同模块在不同季节的净化效果。结果表明，该人工湿地对总氮和总磷的平均去除率分别可达到为34.7%和42.6%，对COD和TOC的平均去除率可达到28.5%和21.6%。COD、NH₄⁺-N和总磷出水平均浓度分别为2.193、0.215和0.021 mg/L，均达到 《地表水环境质量标准》（GB3838-2002）Ⅱ类水质标准。在比较不同模块去除效果方面，提出了具有填料的生态滤池更有利于磷的去除，而对于氮、有机物等营养元素，复合多级强化生物膜系统及营养盐集约式植物资源化系统则有较好的去除效果。     

Performance Characteristics of PM10 Samplers under Calm Air Conditions

ABSTRACT

The size range of airborne particles that is closely related to specific deposition regions in the human respiratory tract and excess lung burden of these deposited particles is associated with disease. Size-selective sampling, therefore, needs to be performed to assess the related health risks. Performance criteria applied to these samplers must be well characterized in order to provide accurate and reliable results. The PM₁₀ samplers that have been used in place of the total suspended particulate samplers for the collection of ambient air particles are more relevant to potential inhalation hazards. In order to be certified, a PM₁₀ sampler must meet reliable performance specifications, primarily the aerosol penetration test with liquid and solid particles in a wind tunnel (wind speeds of 2, 8, and 24 km/hr). This testing is intended to assure reasonable accuracy in aerosol measurements. However, the sampler performance under calm air conditions has not been well studied.

In the present study, the sampling heads of three devices—the Harvard impactor, the Personal Environmental Monitor (PEM), and the Sierra Andersen model 241 dichotomous sampler PM₁₀ inlet head—were tested for aerosol separation efficiency. With the consideration of bias and imprecision of the measurements, five specimens of each type of sampler were chosen for performance testing, repeating the tests 5 times for each specimen. An ultrasonic atomizing nozzle was used to nebulize potassium sodium tartrate tetrahydrate and dioctyl phthalate particles as the solid and liquid challenge aerosols, respectively. The aerosol number concentrations and size distributions upstream and downstream of the samplers were measured by using an aerosizer calibrated against a settling velocity chamber. The results showed that among the samplers tested, the dichotomous sampler PM₁₀ inlet head had the best fit to the PM₁₀ convention, while the other two samplers not only appeared to have a steeper separation-curve slope but also had significant particle bounce when challenged with solid particles. Analysis of variance also confirmed the superiority of the dichotomous samplers. Surface-coating with oil or grease greatly reduced the problem of particle bounce.     

Dietary antioxidants (selenium and N-acetylcysteine) modulate paraoxonase 1 (PON1) in PCB 126-exposed rats

Environmental pollutants polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), especially dioxin-like PCBs, cause oxidative stress and associated toxic effects, including cancer and possibly atherosclerosis. We previously reported that PCB 126, the most potent dioxin-like PCB congener, not only decreases antioxidants such as hepatic selenium (Se), Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione (GSH) but also increases levels of the antiatherosclerosis enzyme paraoxonase 1 (PON1) in liver and serum. To probe the interconnection of these three antioxidant systems, Se, GSH, and PON1, we examined the influence of varying levels of dietary Se and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and precursor for GSH synthesis, on PON1 in the absence and presence of PCB 126 exposure. Male Sprague–Dawley rats, fed diets with differing Se levels (0.02, 0.2, or 2 ppm) or NAC (1 %), were treated with a single intraperitoneal injection of corn oil or various doses of PCB 126 and euthanized 2 weeks later. PCB 126 significantly increased liver PON1 mRNA, protein level and activity, and serum PON1 activity in all dietary groups but did not consistently increase thiobarbituric acid levels (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS), an indicator of lipid oxidation and oxidative stress, in liver or serum. Inadequate (high or low) dietary Se decreased baseline and PCB 126-induced aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) expression but further increased PCB 126-induced cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) expression, the enzyme believed to be the cause for PCB 126-induced oxidative stress. In addition, a significant inverse relationship was observed not only between dietary Se levels and PON1 mRNA and PON1 activity but also with TBARS levels in the liver, suggesting significant antioxidant protection from dietary Se. NAC lowered serum baseline TBARS levels in controls and increased serum PON1 activity but lowered liver PON1 activities in animals treated with 1 μmol/kg PCB 126, suggesting antioxidant activity by NAC primarily in serum. These results also show an unexpected predominantly inverse relationship between Se or NAC and PON1 during control and PCB 126 exposure conditions. These interactions should be further explored in the development of dietary protection regimens.