Application of sludge-based carbonaceous materials in a hybrid water treatment process based on adsorption and catalytic wet air oxidation

This paper describes a preliminary evaluation of the performance of carbonaceous materials prepared from sewage sludges (SBCMs) in a hybrid water treatment process based on adsorption and catalytic wet air oxidation; phenol was used as the model pollutant. Three different sewage sludges were treated by either carbonisation or steam activation, and the physico-chemical properties of the resultant carbonaceous materials (e.g. hardness, BET surface area, ash and elemental content, surface chemistry) were evaluated and compared with a commercial reference activated carbon (PICA F22). The adsorption capacity for phenol of the SBCMs was greater than suggested by their BET surface area, but less than F22; a steam activated, dewatered raw sludge (SA_DRAW) had the greatest adsorption capacity of the SBCMs in the investigated range of concentrations (<0.05 mol L^?1). In batch oxidation tests, the SBCMs demonstrated catalytic behaviour arising from their substrate adsorptivity and metal content. Recycling of SA_DRAW in successive oxidations led to significant structural attrition and a hardened SA_DRAW was evaluated, but found to be unsatisfactory during the oxidation step. In a combined adsorption–oxidation sequence, both the PICA carbon and a selected SBCM showed deterioration in phenol adsorption after oxidative regeneration, but a steady state performance was reached after 2 or 3 cycles.     

Microbial and chemical markers: runoff transfer in animal manure-amended soils

Fecal contamination of water resources is evaluated by the enumeration of the fecal coliforms and Enterococci. However, the enumeration of these indicators does not allow us to differentiate between the sources of fecal contamination. Therefore, it is important to use alternative indicators of fecal contamination to identify livestock contamination in surface waters. The concentration of fecal indicators (, enteroccoci, and F-specific bacteriophages), microbiological markers (Rum-2-bac, Pig-2-bac, and ), and chemical fingerprints (sterols and stanols and other chemical compounds analyzed by 3D-fluorescence excitation-matrix spectroscopy) were determined in runoff waters generated by an artificial rainfall simulator. Three replicate plot experiments were conducted with swine slurry and cattle manure at agronomic nitrogen application rates. Low amounts of bacterial indicators (1.9-4.7%) are released in runoff water from swine-slurry-amended soils, whereas greater amounts (1.1-28.3%) of these indicators are released in runoff water from cattle-manure-amended soils. Microbial and chemical markers from animal manure were transferred to runoff water, allowing discrimination between swine and cattle fecal contamination in the environment via runoff after manure spreading. Host-specific bacterial and chemical markers were quantified for the first time in runoff waters samples after the experimental spreading of swine slurry or cattle manure.     

Spatial modeling for air pollution monitoring network design: example of residential woodsmoke

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how to develop an air pollution monitoring network to characterize small-area spatial contrasts in ambient air pollution concentrations. Using residential woodburning emissions as our case study, this paper reports on the first three stages of a four-stage protocol to measure, estimate, and validate ambient residential woodsmoke emissions in Vancouver, British Columbia. The first step is to develop an initial winter nighttime woodsmoke emissions surface using inverse-distance weighting of emissions information from consumer woodburning surveys and property assessment data. Second, fireplace density and a compound topographic index based on hydrological flow regimes are used to enhance the emissions surface. Third, the spatial variation of the surface is used in a location-allocation algorithm to design a network of samplers for the woodsmoke tracer compound levoglucosan and fine particulate matter. Measurements at these network sites are then used in the fourth stage of the protocol (not presented here): a mobile sampling campaign aimed at developing a high-resolution surface of woodsmoke concentrations for exposure assignment in health effects studies. Overall the results show that relatively simple data inputs and spatial analysis can be effective in capturing the spatial variability of ambient air pollution emissions and concentrations.     

Does anthracene affect microbial activities and organic matter decomposition? A comparative study in Pinus halepensis litters from Mediterranean coastal and inland areas

The widespread concern about pollution caused by Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) raises the question of how they affect soil microbial communities which are potentially involved in the transformation of these pollutants. Using microcosms, we describe the effect of anthracene, a model PAH, on microbial communities inhabiting a Pinus halepensis litter from both coastal (COS) and inland (INL) Mediterranean sites. The microcosms were incubated over 3 months (25 °C, 60% WHC) and the effects of anthracene on microbial activities of both litters were monitored. Different enzyme activities (laccase, cellulase, β-glucosidase and acid phosphatase) and microbial respiration were measured and variations in litter chemical composition over incubation were determined using ¹³C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) from both sites. Our results show that lignocellulolytic enzymes increased markedly after a 3-month incubation in COS microcosms, especially in the presence of anthracene, whereas INL microcosms were not similarly affected. These results show that anthracene not only has no toxic effect on the microbial activities tested but actually enhances the lignocellulolytic activities of the fungal communities from coastal litters, demonstrating the detoxification potential and resistance of stressed Mediterranean coastal ecosystems.     

Persistence of testosterone and 17beta-estradiol in soils receiving swine manure or municipal biosolids

Natural and synthetic steroidal hormones can be carried to agricultural soil through fertilization with municipal biosolids, livestock manure, or poultry manure. The persistence and pathways of dissipation of [4-(14)C]-testosterone and of [4-(14)C]-17beta-estradiol in organic-amended soils were investigated using laboratory microcosms. Testosterone dissipation was investigated over a range of amendment concentrations, temperatures, and soil types. Under all conditions the parent compound and transformation products were dissipated within a few days. Addition of swine manure slurry to soil hastened the transformation of testosterone and 17beta-estradiol to the corresponding less hormonally active ketones, 4-androstene-3,17-dione and estrone. Two other testosterone transformation products, 5alpha-androstan-3,17-dione and 1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione, were also detected. Experiments with sterilized soil and sterilized swine manure slurry suggested that the transformation of (14)C-labeled hormonal parent compounds was mainly caused by microorganisms in manure slurry, while mineralization of the hormones to (14)CO(2) required viable soil microorganisms. Organic amendments transiently inhibited the mineralization of [4-(14)C]-testosterone, perhaps by inhibiting soil microorganisms, or by enhancing sorption and reducing the bioavailability of testosterone or transformation products. Overall, organic amendments influenced the pathways and kinetics of testosterone and estradiol dissipation, but did not increase their persistence.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of interactions between organic pollutants and soil components,a review

This article presents a short overview of selected recent papers using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to investigate interactions between organic pollutants and soil components such as organic matter, clays, whole soils, and sediments. First, we describe solid state cross polarisation magic angle spinning (CP-MAS) experiments as the main tools to investigate covalent bonds. Second, we report NMR approaches allowing us to assess molecule mobility and to characterise non-covalent interactions. Those approaches include correlations between K _oc values and soil organic matter functions determined by CP-MAS, ²H NMR fingerprints, relaxation time measurements, ¹⁹F and ¹H high resolution (HR)-MAS experiments.     

Invasibility of Species-Rich Communities in Riparian Zones

Invasibility of riparian plant communities was estimated by the percentage of alien species found along the Adour River (Southwest France) and along Lockout Creek, McKenzie River, and Willamette River (Central Cascades, Oregon, U.S.A.). At the patch scale, the invasibilities of riparian plant communities were compared between one exceptionally rich site of the Adour River and patches selected in the Hoh and Dungeness watersheds (Olympic Peninsula, Washington, U.S.A.). Alien species represented 24% of 1396 species for the Adour and 30% of 851 species for the McKenzie. They represented 24% of 148 species for the Hoh drainage and 28% of 200 species for the Dungeness drainage. Similar trends were found along the Adour River and along the McKenzie River for changes in total number of species per site and in percentages of alien species per site. These trends may be related to the intermediate disturbance regimes and to the physical structure of the riparian corridors. Climatic and human factors are also involved in these longitudinal changes. Positive linear relationships were found between the total number of species and the percentage of aliens observed in each site. At the patch scale, most of the sampled communities contained alien species. Although mature vegetative patches appeared to be invasible, young communities contained more alien species than older ones. For entire corridors, a positive linear relationship was found between total species richness and percentage of alien species in each patch type for the richest site of the Adour River. This may be partially explained by landscape features considered in a successional context. We suggest the use of empirical rules, and stress the importance of riparian systems for monitoring the conservation of local and regional species pools are suggested.     

基于双论域粗糙集的大学生综合成绩影响因素研究

利用双论域粗糙集理论,从个人、家庭、学校、社会四个方面对大学生综合成绩的影响因素进行了研究。对问卷调查获取到的大学生综合成绩与影响因素的数据进行了相关性分析,得到了综合成绩和影响因素之间的二元关系;然后利用双论域粗糙集的规则提取算法,分别获得了由综合成绩导出影响因素以及由影响因素确定综合成绩的规则。     

Coupling occurs before breakdown during biotransformation of Acid Blue 62 by white rot fungi

Only few data exist on the metabolites produced during the biotransformation of anthraquinonic dyes by white rot fungi (WRF). During the biotransformation of an anthraquinonic dye Acid Blue 62 (ABu62) using Pycnoporus sanguineus MUCL 41582 strain, it was previously demonstrated that the blue colour of the medium turned to red before complete dye decolourisation. To better understand the phenomenon, this study carried out ABu62 biotransformation with five different WRF strains (Coriolopsis polyzona MUCL 38443, Perenniporia ochroleuca MUCL 41114, Perenniporia tephropora MUCL 41562, P. sanguineus MUCL 38531 and Trametes versicolor MUCL 38412) and compared with P. sanguineus MUCL 41582 previously described. A multi-methodological approach (using capillary electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, HPLC, UV, NMR and IR spectroscopies) was developed to characterise the metabolites involved and monitor their apparition. Seven metabolites were commonly found with all strains, suggesting a common metabolic pathway for ABu62 biotransformation. During the first days, dimer and oligomers of the initial ABu62 molecule were observed: the main one absorbed in the 500nm region, explaining the red colour appearance of the medium. This main metabolite was made up of two molecules of ABu62 linked by an azo bond, minus a cyclohexyl moiety. After a longer incubation time, breakdown products were observed. Based on these products characterizations, a bioconversion pathway was proposed.     

Survey of arsenic and its speciation in rice products such as breakfast cereals, rice crackers and Japanese rice condiments

Rice has been demonstrated to be one of the major contributors to arsenic (As) in human diets in addition to drinking water, but little is known about rice products as an additional source of As exposure. Rice products were analyzed for total As and a subset of samples were measured for arsenic speciation using high performance liquid chromatography interfaced with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS). A wide range of rice products had total and inorganic arsenic levels that typified those found in rice grain including, crisped rice, puffed rice, rice crackers, rice noodles and a range of Japanese rice condiments as well as rice products targeted at the macrobiotic, vegan, lactose intolerant and gluten intolerance food market. Most As in rice products are inorganic As (75.2-90.1%). This study provides a wider appreciation of how inorganic arsenic derived from rice products enters the human diet.