Synthesis of hybrid carbon nanotubes using Brassica juncea L. application to photodegradation of bisphenol A

Hyperaccumulators contain tubular cellulose and heavy metals, which can be used as the sources of carbon and metals to synthesize nanomaterials. In this paper, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanoparticles, and CNTs/Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanocomposites were synthesized using Brassica juncea L. plants, and the ultraviolet (UV)-light-driven photocatalytic degradations of bisphenol A (BPA) using them as photocatalysts were studied. It was found that the outer diameter of CNTs was around 50 nm and there were a few defects in the crystal lattice. The synthesized Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanocomposites had a diameter of around 40 nm. Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanocomposites have grown on the surface of the CNTs and the outer diameter of them was around 100 nm. The synthesized hybrid carbon nanotubes using B. juncea could enhance the efficiency of photocatalytic degradation on BPA. The complete equilibration time of adsorption/desorption of BPA onto the surface of CNTs, Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanoparticles, and CNTs/Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanocomposites was within 30, 20, and 30 min, and approximately 14.9, 8.7, and 17.4 % BPA was adsorbed by them, respectively. The combination of UV light irradiation (90 min) with CNTs, Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanoparticles, and CNTs/Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanocomposites could lead to 48.3, 75.7, and 92.6 % decomposition yields of BPA, respectively. These findings constitute a new insight for synthesizing nanocatalyst by reusing hyperaccumulators.     

An integrated approach to model the biomagnification of organic pollutants in aquatic food webs of the Yangtze Three Gorges Reservoir ecosystem using adapted pollution scenarios

The impounding of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) at the Yangtze River caused large flooding of urban, industrial, and agricultural areas, and profound land use changes took place. Consequently, substantial amounts of organic and inorganic pollutants were released into the reservoir. Additionally, contaminants and nutrients are entering the reservoir by drift, drainage, and runoff from adjacent agricultural areas as well as from sewage of industry, aquacultures, and households. The main aim of the presented research project is a deeper understanding of the processes that determines the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of organic pollutants, i.e., mainly pesticides, in aquatic food webs under the newly developing conditions of the TGR. The project is part of the Yangtze-Hydro environmental program, financed by the German Ministry of Education and Science. In order to test combinations of environmental factors like nutrients and pollution, we use an integrated modeling approach to study the potential accumulation and biomagnification. We describe the integrative modeling approach and the consecutive adaption of the AQUATOX model, used as modeling framework for ecological risk assessment. As a starting point, pre-calibrated simulations were adapted to Yangtze-specific conditions (regionalization). Two exemplary food webs were developed by a thorough review of the pertinent literature. The first typical for the flowing conditions of the original Yangtze River and the Daning River near the city of Wushan, and the second for the stagnant reservoir characteristics of the aforementioned region that is marked by an intermediate between lake and large river communities of aquatic organisms. In close cooperation with German and Chinese partners of the Yangtze-Hydro Research Association, other site-specific parameters were estimated. The MINIBAT project contributed to the calibration of physicochemical and bathymetric parameters, and the TRANSMIC project delivered hydrodynamic models for water volume and flow velocity conditions. The research questions were firstly focused on the definition of scenarios that could depict representative situations regarding food webs, pollution, and flow conditions in the TGR. The food webs and the abiotic site conditions in the main study area near the city of Wushan that determine the environmental preconditions for the organisms were defined. In our conceptual approach, we used the pesticide propanil as a model substance.     

Solution by dilution?—A review on the pollution status of the Yangtze River

The Yangtze River has been a source of life and prosperity for the Chinese people for centuries and is a habitat for a remarkable variety of aquatic species. But the river suffers from huge amounts of urban sewage, agricultural effluents, and industrial wastewater as well as ship navigation wastes along its course. With respect to the vast amounts of water and sediments discharged by the Yangtze River, it is reasonable to ask whether the pollution problem may be solved by simple dilution. This article reviews the past two decades of published research on organic pollutants in the Yangtze River and several adjacent water bodies connected to the main stream, according to a holistic approach. Organic pollutant levels and potential effects of water and sediments on wildlife and humans, measured in vitro, in vivo, and in situ, were critically reviewed. The contamination with organic pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/polychlorinated dibenzofurans, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), and others, of water and sediment along the river was described. Especially Wuhan section and the Yangtze Estuary exhibited stronger pollution than other sections. Bioassays, displaying predominantly the endpoints mutagenicity and endocrine disruption, applied at sediments, drinking water, and surface water indicated a potential health risk in several areas. Aquatic organisms exhibited detectable concentrations of toxic compounds like PCBs, OCPs, PBDEs, and PFCs. Genotoxic effects could also be assessed in situ in fish. To summarize, it can be stated that dilution reduces the ecotoxicological risk in the Yangtze River, but does not eliminate it. Keeping in mind an approximately 14 times greater water discharge compared to the major European river Rhine, the absolute pollution mass transfer of the Yangtze River is of severe concern for the environmental quality of its estuary and the East China Sea. Based on the review, further research needs have been identified.     

Bioaccessibility of polychlorinated biphenyls in workplace dust and its implication for risk assessment

Human exposure to bioaccessible PCBs via indoor dust is limited around the world. In the present study, the workplace dust sample from commercial office, hospital, secondary school, shopping mall, electronic factory and manufacturing plant were collected from Hong Kong for PCBs analyses. Total PCBs concentrations ranged from 46.8 to 249 ng g⁻¹, with a median of 107 ng g⁻¹. Manufacturing plant showed the highest concentration among all of sampling sites. PCB 77 was found as the dominant congeners. The bioaccessibility of PCBs in small intestinal juice ranging from 8.3% to 26.0% was significantly higher than that in gastric condition, ranging from 4.8% to 12.4%. In addition, significant negative correlations (p < 0.05) were observed between K_OW and bioaccessibility for all workplace dust samples. Risk assessment indicated that the averaged daily dose of dioxin-like PCBs via non-dietary intake of workplace dust, considering the bioaccessibility of PCBs, were much lower than the TDI of dioxins (2.3 pg WHO-TEQ kg bw⁻¹ d⁻¹) established by Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.     

Removal of sulfamethoxazole and sulfapyridine by carbon nanotubes in fixed-bed columns

Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and sulfapyridine (SPY), two representative sulfonamide antibiotics, have gained increasing attention because of the ecological risks these substances pose to plants, animals, and humans. This work systematically investigated the removal of SMX and SPY by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in fixed-bed columns under a broad range of conditions including: CNT incorporation method, solution pH, bed depth, adsorbent dosage, adsorbate initial concentration, and flow rate. Fixed-bed experiments showed that pH is a key factor that affects the adsorption capacity of antibiotics to CNTs. The Bed Depth Service Time model describes well the relationship between service time and bed depth and can be used to design appropriate column parameters. During fixed-bed regeneration, small amounts of SMX (3%) and SPY (9%) were irreversibly bonded to the CNT/sand porous media, thus reducing the column capacity for subsequent reuse from 67.9 to 50.4 mg g^?1 for SMX and from 91.9 to 72.9 mg g^?1 for SPY. The reduced column capacity resulted from the decrease in available adsorption sites and resulting repulsion (i.e., blocking) of incoming antibiotics from those previously adsorbed. Findings from this study demonstrate that fixed-bed columns packed with CNTs can be efficiently used and regenerated to remove antibiotics from water.     

冲击负荷对厌氧序批式反应器的影响及其恢复重建过程

研究了在厌氧条件下以葡萄糖为基质的厌氧序批式反应器(ASBR)中冲击负荷对基质吸收和储存的影响及其恢复重建过程.结果表明,正常状态下,反应器在进水COD为5 000.0 mg/L,出水COD为188.6 mg/L,当进水负荷提高至正常状态2倍后,反应器中COD大量累积,其中51.13％为挥发性有机酸(VFA),48.87％则被转化为糖原储存在细胞体内,出水COD最高为2 368.9 mg/L,污泥糖原储存量最高为273.55 mg/g(以挥发性固体计),是正常状态的4.2倍.在冲击负荷条件下,反应器的产甲烷能力恢复较快,胞内糖原储存恢复较慢,出水COD和胞内糖原分别经过20、41 d后恢复冲击负荷前水平.     

膜电解法在线再生酸性蚀刻液及回收铜新技术

采用极化曲线法研究了酸性蚀刻液阴、阳极电化学行为,并构建了离子膜电解反应体系,考察了在线再生酸性蚀刻液及回收铜的效果。结果表明,阳极氧化过程发生浓差极化,存在极限电流密度,Cu＋含量越高,极限电流密度越大;阴极还原分4步反应进行,存在极限电流密度;强化溶液传质可有效提高阴、阳极极限电流密度,有利于避免电解过程中析出氯气和氢气;在线实验表明,通过监控阳极液ORP,可避免析出氯气;分步降低电流电解有利于避免析出氢气,形成致密的金属铜块;在电流为9～24A范围内分4步电解23．5h可再生酸性蚀刻液23．5L,同时电沉积回收510g铜,纯度高达99．98％。阴极电流效率达到95．2％,吨铜电耗3251kWh。电解过程中无氯气和氢气析出,无废液排放,表明膜电解法在线再生酸性蚀刻液具有良好的应用前景。     

陶瓷膜污染过程分析与膜清洗方法优化

采用膜孔径为50 nm的陶瓷膜错流过滤方式,对碱性高浓度有机洗涤废水进行9个周期的膜通量衰减及反向脉冲清洗再生实验研究.通过设计膜污染阻力构成实验,测算膜污染总阻力及其构成比例.实验结果表明,膜固有阻力比例较低,浓差极化污染较弱,Rt和Rc+Rirt污染阻力稳定性较高,膜堵塞形式兼有孔内堵塞和滤饼过滤;选择质量分数0.1％的稀盐酸和0.2％的草酸溶液膜清洗效果均较好,清洗时间为3 min,脉冲时间和频率为3 s/5 s.     

利用污泥熟肥作为高含水率污泥堆肥调理剂

采用静态强制通风好氧堆肥的方法,以木屑作为对比,考察了利用污泥熟肥作为调理剂对污泥堆肥过程的影响。结果表明,与以木屑作为调理剂的污泥堆体(对照组)相比,以污泥熟肥作为调理剂的污泥堆体(实验组)升温快,高温阶段(>50℃)持续时间长达10 d,满足粪便无害化卫生标准的要求,而对照组仅持续了2 d;实验组腐熟的堆肥含水率从60%降到39%,下降了21%,pH维持在7.5～8.5范围内,微生物活性较强,而对照组含水率仅下降15%,pH始终低于7.5;实验组种子发芽指数(GI)在第14天就回升到80%以上,基本上去除了植物毒性,而对照组GI在第22天才回升到50%。总体而言,污泥熟肥能显著改善堆肥中微生物的微环境,促进有机物的降解,缩短堆肥腐熟时间,是一种优质的调理剂。     

厌氧活性污泥处理废水中的U(Ⅵ)

用人工驯养的厌氧污泥进行除铀实验,探讨了微生物投加量(VSS)、pH值、U(Ⅵ)初始浓度、外加电子供体和污泥重复利用等对污泥处理U(Ⅵ)的影响,并进行了相关机理分析。实验结果表明,在适当的pH范围内(5.2～6.6),厌氧污泥对铀保持较长时间的高效去除率;当以还原铁粉和无水乙醇作电子供体时,U(Ⅵ)去除率保持在95%以上的时间为未加电子供体时的2倍。U(Ⅵ)去除速度与VSS投加量成正比关系,U(Ⅵ)初始浓度对去除效果的影响不大,厌氧污泥可以长期使用。pH值的影响最关键,其次是外加电子供体。厌氧污泥除U(Ⅵ)机理为氧化还原和吸附的共同作用。