Production costs and operative margins in electric energy generation from biogas. Full-scale case studies in Italy

The purpose of this study was to observe the economic sustainability of three different biogas full scale plants, fed with different organic matrices: energy crops (EC), manure, agro-industrial (Plants B and C) and organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) (Plant A). The plants were observed for one year and total annual biomass feeding, biomass composition and biomass cost (€ Mg^?1), initial investment cost and plant electric power production were registered. The unit costs of biogas and electric energy (€ Sm^?3_biogas, € kW h^?1_EE) were differently distributed, depending on the type of feed and plant. Plant A showed high management/maintenance cost for OFMSW treatment (0.155 € Sm^?3_biogas, 45% of total cost), Plant B suffered high cost for EC supply (0.130 € Sm^?3_biogas, 49% of total cost) and Plant C showed higher impact on the total costs because of the depreciation charge (0.146 € Sm^?3_biogas, 41% of total costs). The breakeven point for the tariff of electric energy, calculated for the different cases, resulted in the range 120–170 € MW h^?1_EE, depending on fed materials and plant scale. EC had great impact on biomass supply costs and should be reduced, in favor of organic waste and residues; plant scale still heavily influences the production costs. The EU States should drive incentives in dependence of these factors, to further develop this still promising sector.     

Variability of dust iron solubility in atmospheric waters: Investigation of the role of oxalate organic complexation

Atmospheric dust deposition is a major external iron source for remote surface ocean waters. Organic complexation is known to play a role in the dissolution of iron-containing minerals. In this paper, we present our study on the effect of oxalate on dust iron solubility in simulated rainwater. Our results reveal that the solubility of iron carried by analogs of different African dusts varies with the dust source. Our experiments indicate a positive linear correlation between iron solubility and oxalate concentration. Soluble iron (SFe) increases from 0.0025(±0.0005)% to 0.26(±0.01)% of total iron, considering all dust sources and with oxalate concentrations ranging from 0 to 8 μM. These results show that the observed variability of iron solubility in aerosols collected over the Atlantic Ocean is, at least partly, due to an increase in dust iron solubility, with the presence of oxalate complexation, rather than to the presence of more soluble anthropogenic iron. Considering the mineralogical composition of those particles, experiments with pure minerals (hematite, goethite and illite) were performed to study the dissolution process. We found that oxalate promotes the solubility of iron contained in clay and hence confirmed that more than 95% of SFe from soil dust is provided by clay (illite). This experimental work enables us to establish a parameterization of iron solubility in dust as a function of oxalate concentration and based on the individual iron solubility of pure iron-bearing minerals usually present in dust particles. Finally, our results emphasize that oxalate contributes to iron solubility on the same order of magnitude as the acid processes. Organic complexation appears to be a process that increases iron solubility and likely enhances the bioavailability of iron from dust.     

两段式进水两级矿化垃圾反应器处理中晚期垃圾渗滤液

针对矿化垃圾反应器处理中晚期垃圾渗滤液时由于反硝化区缺少碳源而导致总氮去除率不佳的问题,开展以优先利用原水中的有机物充当碳源为目的的两段式进水两级矿化垃圾反应器处理工艺的研究。通过控制反应器的曝气量、好氧区和反硝化区,研究了两段式进水两级矿化垃圾反应器处理垃圾渗滤液的效果。结果表明,当进水渗滤液水力负荷为46.0 L/(m~3·d)时,在第一级反应器底部曝气量为1.86 m~3/(m~3·d),第二级反应器中上部曝气量为0.37 m~3/(m~3·d)的条件下,COD、NH_4~+-N、TP的平均去除率分别为84.1%、92.6%、85.6%,运行稳定后TN平均去除率达76.0%,处理效果较好。     

On the effect of Fe(III) on proliferation of Microcystis aeruginosa at high nitrate and low chlorophyll condition

The impact of Fe concentrations on the growth of Microcystisaeruginosa in aquatic systems under high nitrate and low chlorophyll conditions was studied. The responses of cell density, total and cell chlorophyll-a intracellular Fe content and organic elemental composition of M. aeruginosa to different concentration gradients of Fe(III) in the solutions were analysed. The results showed that the proliferation speeds of M. aeruginosa were: (1) decelerated when the Fe(III) concentration was lower than 50 μg/L in the solutions, (2) promoted and positively related to the increase of Fe(III) concentration from 100 to 500 μg/L in the solutions over the experimental period, and (3) promoted in the early stage but decelerated in later stages by excess adsorption of Fe by cells when the Fe(III) concentration was higher than 500 μg/L in the solutions. The maximum cell density, total and cell chlorophyll-a were all observed at 500 μg Fe(III)/L concentration. The organic elemental composition of M. aeruginosa was also affected by the concentration of Fe(III) in the solutions, and the molecular formula of M. aeruginosa should be expressed as C_7–7.5H₁₄O_0.8–1.3N_3.5–5 according to the functions for different Fe(III) concentrations. Cell carbon and oxygen content appeared to increase slightly, while cell nitrogen content appeared to decrease as Fe(III) concentrations increased from 100 to 500 μg/L in the solutions. This was attributed to the competition of photosynthesis and nitrogen adsorption under varying cell Fe content.     

厌氧-准好氧联合型生物反应器填埋场产气规律的研究

通过将厌氧型生物反应器填埋场（ANBL）和准好氧矿化垃圾生物反应床（SAARB）串联,组成新型的厌氧-准好氧联合型生物反应器填埋场（AN-SABL）,研究其产气速率、产气量以及产气组分的变化规律,以期为填埋气体的收集、利用和处理提供理论依据.实验表明,AN-SABL中的厌氧填埋单元的产气受到了抑制,其中ANBL2号单元和ANBL3号单元的产气率分别为49 L.kg-1和39 L.kg-1,仅占ANBL1号的94.2%和75.0%,但提高回灌频率,能促进厌氧填埋单元的产气,其甲烷含量最大值可达到62.67%;ANBL夏季产气速率和产气量明显高于冬季,并以12 h为周期交替出现产气高峰;此外,AN-SABL能够促进其厌氧单元的硝化和反硝化作用,N2O的含量受季节和填埋场类型影响显著,其变化范围在0.001 7%～4.017 9%之间.ANBL的累积产气量在初始调整阶段呈对数增长,过渡酸化阶段呈线性增长,酸化产甲烷阶段呈指数增长.     

海水鱼类网箱养殖的环境效应及多营养层次的综合养殖

海水鱼类网箱养殖是世界主要渔业国家(如挪威、日本等)广泛开展的一种高密度、集约化的养鱼方式,这种养殖方式在给广大从业者带来巨大经济、社会效益的同时,对环境也造成了不可忽视的负面影响。开展多营养层次的综合养殖(IMTA)是缓解这一环境压力的有效途径,鱼类养殖过程中释放出的二氧化碳、氮、磷等物质,由无机提取单元(大型藻类)来吸收,粪便和残饵等微小颗粒则成为有机提取单元(滤食性贝类)的饵料,较大的颗粒物质沉到海底后,可以为腐食性单元(海参等)提供食物,通过这种养殖模式,最大限度地实现系统内营养物质的高效利用,在减轻养殖对环境压力的同时,使系统具有较高的容纳量和食物产出能力。     

回流对陈垃圾生物反应器处理老年渗滤液污染物影响

为了研究回流对陈垃圾反应器处理老年渗滤液污染物的影响,构建了回流的陈垃圾生物反应器,试验了不同温度、负荷和回流比条件下反应器对污染物的去除效果。结果表明,在较低水力负荷12.8~25.5 L/(d.m2)的情况下,陈垃圾反应器对NH3-N、BOD5和COD等污染物的去除率分别达到90%、95%和70%以上。在不同温度下提高水力负荷,回流会抑制氨氮和COD的去除,但可显著提高TN的去除率,表明回流可作为提高老年渗滤液TN去除率的途径之一。利用氮同位素示踪技术发现反应器中有Anammox脱氮途径存在。但是可利用碳源的缺乏仍是提高老年渗滤液脱氮效率的限制因子。     

生活垃圾填埋场甲烷自然减排的新途径:厌氧与好氧的共氧化作用

采用暴雨过后垃圾填埋表层30～60 cm的覆土、表层1.5 m以下的垃圾,以及刚刚开挖出来的9年矿化垃圾进行硫酸盐还原菌阳性反应试验,结果表明生活垃圾填埋体不同填埋层都存在不同数量级的硫酸盐还原菌,且底层矿化垃圾中的硫酸盐还原菌的数量最多,表层覆土中最少.颗粒大小比例为50%:50%的垃圾样品表现出最佳的甲烷好氧与厌氧...     

Methanotrophic community structure of aged refuse and its capability for methane bio-oxidation

Aged refuse from waste landfills closed for eight years was examined and found to contain rich methanotrophs capable of biooxidation for methane. Specially, community structure and methane oxidation capability of methanotrophs in the aged refuse were studied. The amount of methanotrophs ranged 61.97 103–632.91 103 cells/g (in dry basis) in aged refuse from Shanghai Laogang Landfill. Type I and II methanotrophs were found in the aged refuse in the presence of sterilized sewage sludge and only Type I methanotrophs were detected in the presence of nitrate minimal salt medium (NMS). The clone sequences of the pmoA gene obtained from the aged refuse were similar to the pmoA gene of Methylobacter, Methylocaldum, and Methylocystis, and two clones were distinct with known genera of Type I methanotrophs according to phylogenetic analysis. Aged refuse enriched with NMS was used for methane biological oxidation and over 93% conversions were obtained.     

Phosphatase activity and culture conditions of the yeast Candida mycoderma sp. and analysis of organic phosphorus hydrolysis ability

Orthophosphate is an essential but limiting macronutrient for plant growth. About 67% cropland in China lacks sufficient phosphorus, especially that with red soil. Extensive soil phosphorus reserves exist in the form of organic phosphorus, which is unavailable for root uptake unless hydrolyzed by secretory acid phosphatases. Thus, many microorganisms with the ability to produce phosphatase have been exploited. In this work, the activity of an extracellular acid phosphatase and yeast biomass from Candida mycoderma was measured under different culture conditions, such as pH, temperature, and carbon source. A maximal phosphatase activity of 8.47 × 10^5±0.11× 10^5 U/g was achieved by C. Mycoderma in 36 hr under the optimal conditions. The extracellular acid phosphatase has high activity over a wide pH tolerance range from 2.5 to S.0 （optimum pH 3.5）. The effects of different phosphorus compounds on the acid phosphatase production were also studied. The presence of phytin, lecithin or calcium phosphate reduced the phosphatase activity and biomass yield significantly. In addition, the pH of the culture medium was reduced significantly by lecithin. The efficiency of the strain in releasing orthophosphate from organic phosphorus was studied in red soil （used in planting trees） and rice soil （originating as red soil）. The available phosphorus content was increased by 230% after inoculating 20 days in rice soil and decreased by 50% after inoculating 10 days in red soil. This work indicates that the yeast strain C. mycoderma has potential application for enhancing phosphorus utilization in plants that grow in rice soil.