Recent advances in catalytic decomposition of ozone

Ozone (O₃), as a harmful air pollutant, has been of wide concern. Safe, efficient, and economical O₃ removal methods urgently need to be developed. Catalytic decomposition is the most promising method for O₃ removal, especially at room temperature or even subzero temperatures. Great efforts have been made to develop high-efficiency catalysts for O₃ decomposition that can operate at low temperatures, high space velocity and high humidity. First, this review describes the general reaction mechanism of O₃ decomposition on noble metal and transition metal oxide catalysts. Then, progress on the O₃ decomposition performance of various catalysts in the past 30 years is summarized in detail. The main focus is the O₃ decomposition performance of manganese oxides, which are divided into supported manganese oxides and non-supported manganese oxides. Methods to improve the activity, stability, and humidity resistance of manganese oxide catalysts for O₃ decomposition are also summarized. The deactivation mechanisms of manganese oxides under dry and humid conditions are discussed. The O₃ decomposition performance of monolithic catalysts is also summarized from the perspective of industrial applications. Finally, the future development directions and prospects of O₃ catalytic decomposition technology are put forward.     

On-going nitrification in chloraminated drinking water distribution system (DWDS) is conditioned by hydraulics and disinfection strategies

Within the drinking water distribution system (DWDS) using chloramine as disinfectant, nitrification caused by nitrifying bacteria is increasingly becoming a concern as it poses a great challenge for maintaining water quality. To investigate efficient control strategies, operational conditions including hydraulic regimes and disinfectant scenarios were controlled within a flow cell experimental facility. Two test phases were conducted to investigate the effects on the extent of nitrification of three flow rates (Q = 2, 6, and 10 L/min) and four disinfection scenarios (total Cl₂=1 mg/L, Cl₂/NH₃-N=3:1; total Cl₂=1 mg/L, Cl₂/NH₃-N=5:1; total Cl₂=5 mg/L, Cl₂/NH₃-N=3:1; and total Cl₂=5 mg/L, Cl₂/NH₃-N=5:1). Physico-chemical parameters and nitrification indicators were monitored during the tests. The characteristics of biofilm extracellular polymetric substance (EPS) were evaluated after the experiment. The main results from the study indicate that nitrification is affected by hydraulic conditions and the process tends to be severe when the fluid flow transforms from laminar to turbulent (2300<Re<4000). Increasing disinfectant concentration and optimizing Cl₂/NH₃-N mass ratio were found to inhibit nitrification to some extend when the system was running at turbulent condition (Q = 10 L/min, Re = 5535). EPS extracted from biofilm that was established at the flow rate of 6 L/min had greater carbohydrate/protein ratio. Furthermore, several nitrification indicators were evaluated for their prediction efficiency and the results suggest that the change of nitrite, together with total organic carbon (TOC) and turbidity can indicate nitrification potential efficiently.     

Sources, distribution, and risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides in Nairobi City, Kenya

The distribution and sources of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in air and surface waters were monitored in Nairobi City using triolein-filled semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs). The SPMDs were extracted by dialysis using n-hexane, followed by cleanup by adsorption chromatography on silica gel cartridges. Sample analysis was done by GC-ECD and confirmed by GC–MS. Separation of means was achieved by analysis of variance, followed by pair-wise comparison using the t-test (p≤ 0.05). The total OCPs ranged between 0.018 – 1.277 ng/m³ in the air and <LOD – 1391.000 ng/m³ in surface waters. Based on the results, the means of Industrial Area, Dandora and Kibera were not significantly different (p≤ 0.05), but were higher (p≤ 0.05) than those of City square and Ngong’ Forest. The results revealed non-significant (p≤ 0.05) contribution of long-range transport to OCP pollution in Nairobi City. This indicated possible presence of point sources of environmental OCPs in the city. The water-air fugacity ratios indicated that volatilization and deposition played an important role in the spatial distribution of OCPs in Nairobi City. This indicated that contaminated surface waters could be major sources of human exposure to OCPs, through volatilization. The incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCR) determined from inhalation of atmospheric OCPs were 2.3745  ×  10^?13 – 1.6845  ×  10^?11 (adult) and 5.5404  ×  10^?13 – 3.9306  ×  10^?11 (child) in the order: Dandora > Kibera > Industrial Area > City Square > Ngong’ Forest. However, these were lower than the USEPA acceptable risks, 10^?6 – 10^?4. This study concluded that atmospheric OCPs did not pose significant cancer risks to the residents.     

某垃圾焚烧厂投产前后周边土壤二英类化合物的分布

为研究垃圾焚烧厂运行对周边土壤二英类化合物（PCDD/Fs）含量的影响,采集了珠三角地区某垃圾焚烧厂投产前和投产后周边土壤样品,分析研究了该垃圾焚烧厂运行对周边土壤中PCDD/Fs含量和组分的变化.结果表明:①2012年（投产前）珠三角地区某垃圾焚烧厂周边土壤PCDD/Fs含量较低,范围为163~591 ng/kg（毒性当量范围为0.198~0.863 ng I-TEQ/kg,I-TEQ为国际毒性当量因子折算的毒性当量值）;2017—2019年（投产后）周边土壤PCDD/Fs含量范围为151~1.75×103 ng/kg（毒性当量范围为0.812~3.88 ng I-TEQ/kg）,与其他研究相比处于较低的水平.②投产后,距该垃圾焚烧厂较近（1.5 km）的采样点（S1）土壤PCDD/Fs含量逐年增长,在较远（5.2 km）但人口较密集的采样点（S3）土壤PCDD/Fs含量整体较高,但呈逐年下降趋势.③投产后,土壤中的17种PCDD/Fs单体组分中,毒性当量贡献率最高的单体为八氯二苯并二英（OCDD）和2,3,4,7,8-五氯二苯并呋喃（2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF）,二者毒性当量贡献率范围为15.7%~45.4%.④在同一采样点土壤PCDD/Fs单体组分年间差异不明显,但同一年份不同采样点差异明显.研究显示,目前该垃圾焚烧厂周边土壤PCDD/Fs含量较低,但仍需要长期监测其可能带来的风险.      

外加氮源影响下铁铝氧化物在土壤氮素转化中的作用

土壤中铁铝氧化物在团聚体稳定性和有机碳吸附方面具有重要作用,而氮添加对土壤氮循环影响的变化也可能与其有关,但是目前尚缺乏在氮循环方面的研究.为了探究铁铝氧化物在土壤氮素转化中的作用,选择福建省建瓯罗浮栲森林土壤为研究对象,采用选择性溶提技术准备不同的土壤——未经处理（T1）的土壤和去除游离态铁铝氧化物（T2）土壤、去除非晶质铁铝氧化物（T3）土壤、去除络合态铁铝氧化物（T4）土壤,在这些土壤中添加不同形态氮（40 mg/kg）——丙氨酸（氨基酸态氮,AA）、硫酸铵（铵态氮,AN）、硝酸钠（硝态氮,NAN）和亚硝酸钠（亚硝态氮,NIN）,进行室内培养试验,分析氮含量变化和氮素转化情况.结果表明:①与CK处理相比,AA和AN处理均增加了T1土壤中w（NH₄+-N）,NAN处理增加了w（NO₃--N）,但低于添加量,表明添加氨基酸和铵态氮均会促进氮矿化,添加硝态氮会增加NO₃--N的固定且抑制其硝化.②在CK处理下,与T1土壤相比,T2和T4土壤中w（NH₄+-N）、w（NO₃--N）和w（氨基酸）均降低,但T3土壤中w（NH₄+-N）和w（氨基酸）增加、w（NO₃--N）降低,表明土壤中游离态氧化铁铝和络合态氧化铁铝的存在有助于氮素矿化,非晶质氧化铁铝有助于硝化.③在不同氮处理下,各土壤的氮含量及其转化速率与CK处理规律相似.与CK处理相比,各氮处理均未显著增加T2和T4土壤中w（NH₄+-N）,且AA和AN处理均未影响T2、T3和T4土壤中w（NO₃--N）和w（氨基酸）.结果显示,氮添加并没有改变铁铝氧化物的作用,其中,矿化和氨化作用均表现为游离氧化铁铝>络合氧化铁铝>非晶质氧化铁铝,硝化作用表现为非晶质氧化铁铝>游离氧化铁铝>络合态氧化铁铝.因此,土壤铁铝氧化物的不同存在状态应该是调节氮素转化的重要土壤条件.      

长三角背景点夏季大气PM2.5中水溶性无机离子污染特征及来源解析

为研究长三角背景点夏季PM_2.5污染特征,于2018年5月30日—8月15日在上海市崇明岛对PM_2.5样品进行昼夜采集,并对其中水溶性无机离子(Cl-、NO₃-、SO₄2-、Na+、NH₄+、K+、Mg2+、Ca2+)进行了分析.运用PSCF(潜在源贡献)方法判别污染物排放源区,并结合PCA(主成分分析)和PMF(正交矩阵因子)源解析探究PM_2.5来源.结果表明:①观测期间崇明岛ρ(PM_2.5)平均值为(33±21)μg/m3,低于GB 3095—2012《环境空气质量标准》一级标准限值(35 μg/m3),但在部分时段存在显著超标现象,ρ(PM_2.5)最高值在120 μg/m3以上.②水溶性无机离子质量浓度平均值为(14±9.3)μg/m3,占PM_2.5的42.4%,其中SNA(SO₄2-、NO₃-、NH₄+三者统称)为主要离子,占水溶性离子总质量浓度的85.7%.③n(NH₄+)/n(SO₄2-)(NH₄+与SO₄2-的摩尔浓度比)显示,清洁期〔ρ(PM_2.5) < 15 μg/m3〕呈贫铵状态,过渡期〔15≤ρ(PM_2.5)≤35 μg/m3〕和污染期〔ρ(PM_2.5)>35 μg/m3〕均呈富铵状态;过渡期SNA主要以NH₄HSO₄和NH₄NO₃形式存在,而污染期则主要以(NH₄)₂SO₄和NH₄NO₃形式存在.④通过对两次典型污染事件进行离子相关性分析和PSCF分析发现,E1污染事件(5月30日—6月8日)为局地生物质燃烧型污染事件,E2污染事件(7月23日—8月1日)为区域传输污染事件.源解析结果进一步表明,两次典型污染事件期间气态污染物的二次转化对PM_2.5的贡献最显著,贡献率分别为62.8%和59.8%;其次是生物质燃烧,其贡献率分别为32.5%和20.1%;E2污染事件期间海盐源对崇明岛PM_2.5贡献率较高(16.6%),远超过E1污染事件期间对PM_2.5的贡献率(2.7%).研究显示,区域输送对崇明岛PM_2.5有显著贡献,二次颗粒物累积是崇明岛PM_2.5超标的主要原因.      

病毒在无生命物体表面存活时间及其影响因素分析

2020年3月11日,世界卫生组织宣布新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19,简称“新冠肺炎”）疫情全球大流行.病毒性传染病在人群中的发生需具备3个相互关联的条件,即传染源、传播途径和易感人群,其中传播途径是一个关键环节.从环境传播的角度,综述了包括SARS（重症急性呼吸综合征）病毒、MERS（中东呼吸综合征）病毒等病毒在无生命物体表面的存活时间及影响因素.结果表明:包括冠状病毒在内的一些具有传染性的病毒能在多种无生命物体表面存活一定时间,进而可能通过物体表面进行环境传播,造成潜在的健康风险;物体材质、温度、湿度以及病毒载量等因素是影响病毒在无生命物体表面存活的主要因素.在上述分析的基础上,对医疗废物和生活垃圾的收集、运输、处理等过程提出了针对性的防控措施,以期对新型冠状病毒（2019-nCoV）以及未来可能出现的其他病毒的环境传播防控对策提供参考.      

国内外饮用水余氯限值及监测方法的研究进展

新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情期间大规模使用含氯消毒剂,其残留可能对水环境及人体健康造成影响.我国饮用水水源地质量标准并未设置余氯项目及其浓度限值,且缺乏统一的余氯现场快速分析方法标准.为公共卫生事件发生期间的水质余氯监测与评价提供参考,对国内外饮用水标准余氯限值、实验室标准分析方法、现场快速分析方法等进行汇总分析,结果表明:①不同国家和地区以及WHO（World Health Organization,世界卫生组织）在饮用水标准中分别设置了出厂水中余氯限值（范围为0.1~2.0 mg/L）、管网末梢水中余氯限值（范围为0.1~1.8 mg/L）及饮用水中余氯最大允许浓度（范围为4~5 mg/L）.②比色法、容量法因其具有反应迅速且稳定、准确度及精密度较高等优点而成为国内外实验室主要标准或推荐分析方法,高效液相色谱法检出限最低,灵敏度最高,可用于余氯痕量分析.③余氯现场快速分析方法多以比色法为主,在线监测方法多为电化学方法,但缺乏统一的标准方法.研究显示,国外饮用水标准中余氯最大允许浓度为5 mg/L,WHO推荐高风险环境下的管网末梢余氯浓度最低为0.5 mg/L,建议尽快开展水质余氯现场监测方法标准化研究.      

2006-2017年四川盆地MODIS气溶胶光学厚度时空变化特征

四川盆地地形复杂、气候特殊,是我国颗粒物污染高发地.为探究四川盆地气溶胶分布和周期变化特征,深入认识气溶胶污染特性及其气候效应,结合卫星遥感探测方法,利用2006-2017年MODIS C006 3 km AOD（气溶胶光学厚度）产品,分析了四川盆地AOD的时空特征.结果表明:①MODIS AOD（MODIS数据反演的气溶胶光学厚度）与太阳光度计CE318观测的AOD、ρ（PM_2.5）、ρ（PM₁₀）线性相关系数分别为0.78、0.77、0.75,表明MODIS C006 3 km AOD产品适用于四川盆地颗粒物污染研究.②四川盆地AOD平均值范围为0.1~1.3,其中,成都平原和四川盆地东南部地区是AOD高值（AOD值>1.0）中心,四川盆地周边高海拔区AOD均小于0.3.③2006-2017年AOD年均值范围为0~2.5,整体呈"倒N型"曲线下降,其峰值和谷值分别出现在2013年和2017年;2013年AOD大于1.0的区域占四川盆地的34.1%,是12 a中颗粒物污染最重的一年;2017年AOD小于0.3的面积占57.1%.④AOD季节性变化呈春季最大、夏季次之、秋季最小的特征.⑤AOD月变化呈"双峰型"波动特征,AOD月均值范围为0~2.5,其中,2-5月AOD月均值均大于0.7,8月AOD月均值为0.6,11-12月AOD月均值均小于0.5.研究显示,四川盆地颗粒物污染防治应以成都平原城市群和四川省南部城市群为主,应重点控制细颗粒物排放,合理安排工业企业的周期性生产强度.      

闽江河口养虾塘养殖期和非养殖期CO2通量变化特征

为揭示河口区陆基养虾塘从养殖期到非养殖期一年间的CO₂通量变化,以福建省闽江河口鳝鱼滩陆基养虾塘为研究对象,于2016年5月-2017年3月采用悬浮箱/静态箱-气相色谱法对养虾塘养殖期水-大气界面和非养殖期沉积物-大气界面白天CO₂垂直通量进行原位观测.结果表明:①养虾塘在整个研究期间CO₂通量变化范围为-62.87~162.81 mg/（m2·h）,平均值为（42.66±18.12）mg/（m2·h）,总体上表现为大气CO₂的释放源,且呈非养殖期CO₂通量平均值[（78.51±16.61）mg/（m2·h）]显著高于养殖期[（17.98±18.26）mg/（m2·h）]的特征.②养殖期间,养虾塘CO₂通量呈"排放-吸收"交替变化的特征,而非养殖期养虾塘一直是大气CO₂的净排放源.③养虾塘养殖期CO₂通量时间变化特征主要受到ρ（DOC）（DOC为总溶解有机碳）、ρ（SO₄2-）、ρ（Cl-）、盐度、pH、ρ（Chla）（Chla为叶绿素a）的影响,其中,pH和ρ（SO₄2-）是其主要影响因子,而ρ（TDN）（TDN为总溶解氮）、ρ（TDP）（TDP为总溶解磷）、ρ（SO₄2-）对非养殖期CO₂通量时间变化影响较大.研究显示,滨海陆基养殖塘是大气CO₂的重要来源,其排放通量多低于河流、水库等水生生态系统,但高于湖泊生态系统;养殖塘CO₂通量受人为影响明显,其较高的变异性与养殖生物、饲料投放以及浮游藻类有关.