Bioassay: A useful tool for evaluating reclaimed water safety

Wastewater reclamation and reuse has been proved to be an effective way to relieve the fresh water crisis. However, toxic contaminants remaining in reclaimed water could lead to potential risk for reuse, and the conventional water quality standards have difficulty guaranteeing the safety of reclaimed water. Bioassays can vividly reflect the integrated biological effects of multiple toxic substances in water as a whole, and could be a powerful tool for evaluating the safety of reclaimed water. Therefore, in this study, the advantages and disadvantages of using bioassays for evaluating the safety of reclaimed water were compared with those of conventional water quality standards. Although bioassays have been widely used to describe the toxic effects of reclaimed water and treatment efficiency of reclamation techniques, a single bioassay cannot reflect the complex toxicity of reclaimed water, and a battery of bioassays involving multiple biological effects or in vitro tests with specific toxicity mechanisms would be recommended. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the safety of reclaimed water based on bioassay results, various methods including potential toxicology, the toxicity unit classification system, and a potential eco-toxic effects probe are summarized as well. Especially, some integrated ranking methods based on a bioassay battery involving multiple toxicity effects are recommended as useful tools for evaluating the safety of reclaimed water, which will benefit the promotion and guarantee the rapid development of the reclamation and reuse of wastewater.     

Effect of substituents in hydroxyl radical-mediated degradation of azo pyridone dyes: Theoretical approaches on the reaction mechanism

Understanding the degradation behavior of azo dyes in photocatalytic wastewater treatment is of fundamental and practical importance for their application in textile-processing and other coloration industries. In this study, quantum chemistry, as density functional theory, was used to elucidate different degradation pathways of azo pyridone dyes in a hydroxyl radical (HO^?)-initiated photocatalytic system. A series of substituted azo pyridone dyes were synthesized by changing the substituent group in the para position of the benzene moiety, ranging from strong electron-donating to strong electron-withdrawing groups. The effect of dye molecular structure on the photocatalytic degradation reaction mechanism was analyzed and quantification of substituent effects on the thermodynamic and kinetics parameters was performed. Potential energy surface analysis revealed the most susceptible reaction site for the HO^? attack. The calculated reaction barriers are found to be strongly affected by the nature of substituent group with a good correlation using Hammett σ_p constants and experimentally determined reaction rates. The stability of pre-reaction complexes and transition state complexes were analyzed applying the distortion-interaction model. The increased stability of the transition state complexes with the distancing from the substituent group has been established.     

UV/H2O2 oxidation of tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate: Intermediate products, degradation pathway and toxicity evaluation

Tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) with the initial concentration of 5 mg/L was degraded by UV/H₂O₂ oxidation process. The removal rate of TCEP in the UV/H₂O₂ system was 89.1% with the production of Cl^? and PO₄^3? of 0.23 and 0.64 mg/L. The removal rate of total organic carbon of the reaction was 48.8% and the pH reached 3.3 after the reaction. The oxidative degradation process of TCEP in the UV/H₂O₂ system obeyed the first order kinetic reaction with the apparent rate constant of 0.0025 min^?1 (R²=0.9788). The intermediate products were isolated and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. The addition reaction of HO? and H₂O and the oxidation reaction with H₂O₂ were found during the degradation pathway of 5 mg/L TCEP in the UV/H₂O₂ system. For the first time, environment risk was estimated via the “ecological structure activity relationships” program and acute and chronic toxicity changes of intermediate products were pointed out. The luminescence inhibition rate of photobacterium was used to evaluate the acute toxicity of intermediate products. The results showed that the toxicity of the intermediate products increased with the increase of reaction time, which may be due to the production of chlorine compounds. Some measures should be introduced to the UV/H₂O₂ system to remove the highly toxic Cl-containing compounds, such as a nanofiltration or reverse osmosis unit.     

Coupling mechanism of activated carbon mixed with dust for flue gas desulfurization and denitrification

To clarify the effect of coking dust, sintering dust and fly ash on the activity of activated carbon for various industrial flue gas desulfurization and denitrification, the coupling mechanism of the mixed activated carbon and dust was investigated to provide theoretical reference for the stable operation. The results show that coking dust had 34% desulfurization efficiency and 10% denitrification efficiency; correspondingly, sintering dust and fly ash had no obvious desulfurization and denitrification activities. For the mixture of activated carbon and dust, the coking dust reduced the desulfurization and denitrification efficiencies by blocking the pores of activated carbon, and its inhibiting effect on activated carbon was larger than its own desulfurization and denitrification activity. The sintering dust also reduced the desulfurization efficiency on the activated carbon while enhancing the denitrification efficiency. Fly ash blocked the pores of activated carbon and reduced its reaction activity. The reaction activity of coking dust mainly came from the surface functional groups, similar to that of activated carbon. The reaction activity of sintering dust mainly came from the oxidative property of Fe₂O₃, which oxidized NO to NO₂ and promoted the fast selectively catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO to form N₂. Sintering dust was activated by the joint action of activated carbon, and both had a coupling function. Sintering dust enhanced the adsorption and oxidation of NO, and activated carbon further promoted the reduction of NO_x by NH₃; thus, the denitrification efficiency increased by 5%-7% on the activated carbon.     

2019年10~12月京津冀及周边“2+26”城市重污染减排效果评估

为评估京津冀及周边区域重污染过程期间应急减排措施的效果,基于情景模拟的方法,采用NAQPMS模式和多种观测资料,分析了2019年10~12月期间京津冀及周边区域环境空气质量、重污染过程和气象条件概况,评估了模式24、72和144 h的PM_2.5预报效果,并对应急减排措施的效果和不确定性进行了讨论.结果表明,2019年10~12月京津冀及周边"2+26"城市PM_2.5平均浓度64 μg ·m^-3,同比降低了10 μg ·m^-3;区域性重污染过程4次,受影响城市重污染过程期间PM_2.5平均浓度156 μg ·m^-3."2+26"城市PM_2.5气象条件评估指数（EMI）变化值范围为-15.6%~16.8%,EMI显示北京、天津和石家庄等12个城市气象条件与同期相比变差,变差程度范围为3.2%~16.8%.减排情景模拟分析显示应急减排措施有效减少了区域性重污染过程的发生,污染物峰值浓度降幅明显,未出现区域性严重污染过程.典型重污染期间,北京、石家庄、保定和唐山等城市PM_2.5日均浓度削减2%~9%.区域应急减排措施促使"2+26"城市PM_2.5季度均值分别降低1~3 μg ·m^-3左右,区域性减排效果明显.     

永定河上游流域水生态系统服务价值评估

张家口市是首都的水源涵养区和生态功能支撑区,流经该区域的永定河上游流域发挥着保育水资源的重要作用。为全面认识永定河上游流域水资源生态价值,对流域水生态各项服务功能开展定量评价。以2017年为基准年,综合采用InVEST模型与市场价值法系统评估研究区的水源供给量,以空间和货币的手段直观地表达该地区的水源供给情况;对于空间数据较难获取的地区,采用当量因子法评估水土保持与生物多样性价值;采用分摊法计算水生态旅游价值。结果表明：其总价值量为55.14亿元,约占张家口市各区县平均GDP（81.87亿元）的67.35%。其中,水源供给价值、水力发电价值、水产品生产价值、休闲娱乐价值等直接使用价值为28.64亿元,土壤保持、河流输沙、生物多样性等间接使用价值为26.50亿元,水源供给、休闲娱乐和水土保持功能对研究区域水生态系统价值提升和发展具有重要作用。研究区单位面积的生态价值和经济效益分别为0.35亿元和0.23亿元,生态价值远高于经济效益。本文因地制宜的综合评价方法提升了价值评估的科学性和可靠性,对于基础数据较为缺乏的地区,有一定的参考意义。     

基于土壤重金属特征的绿色食品产地环境评价——以重庆(江津)现代农业园区为例

以重庆市江津区现代农业园区内4种农用地类型的653个表层土样为研究对象,测定土壤重金属元素含量.依据绿色食品产地环境相关标准,采用重金属污染指数法对标准中所涉及的Cu、Cr、Cd、Hg、As和Pb共6种重金属元素开展土壤环境质量评价和潜在生态风险评价,并结合用地类型确定绿色农产品生产的适宜性土壤分区.结果表明：除元素Cu、Cr和As外,其他元素的平均含量均高于重庆市土壤背景值;除元素As和Hg外,其他元素的平均含量均高于我国土壤背景值.土壤重金属元素Cu、Cr、Cd、Hg、As和Pb的平均浓度均达到《绿色食品产地环境质量》标准要求,但Cd污染已处于安全警戒线内,应高度警惕和严格监管园区内该元素的污染.水田、旱地和果园的土壤环境均以尚清洁为主,其他园地的土壤环境以轻度污染水平为主.部分水田存在一定程度的Pb污染（轻度）、Hg污染（中度）和Cd污染（中度）,旱地存在一定程度的Hg污染（中度）和Cd污染（中度）,果园和其他园地的土壤存在一定程度的Cd的轻、中度污染.全区符合《绿色食品产地环境质量》标准要求的土壤面积为12.47km²,占农用地总面积的63.64%,旱地、果园、水田和其他园地中符合该标准的面积分别占各自总面积的84.83%、68.07%、56.51%和42.09%.4种用地类型的土壤环境生态风险水平均以低等为主,共占研究区总面积的74.70%.Cd和Hg在园区表层土壤重金属生态风险评估中占有较大的贡献率,应列为优先控制污染元素并对其生态效应开展进一步研究.     

北京市气温与黑碳和PM2.5对疾病死亡影响的交互效应

通过收集北京市2010~2016年逐日呼吸和心脑血管疾病死亡数据、污染物（BC、PM_2.5、SO₂、O₃和NO₂）日均浓度资料以及同期的气象资料,采用广义相加模型（GAMs）中的主效应模型、非参数二元响应模型和温度分层模型探讨了北京市气温、PM_2.5和BC单效应,以及气温与PM_2.5和BC交互作用分别对呼吸和心脑血管疾病死亡人数的影响.单效应分析结果表明,气温与两种疾病死亡人数的累计暴露-反应关系均呈“J”型分布特征,最适温度为24℃;累计滞后一天情况下PM_2.5和BC的健康效应均最显著,此时PM_2.5和BC浓度每升高四分位间距（IQR）,呼吸系统疾病死亡人数超额增加百分比（ER）分别为2.21%和1.80%,心脑血管疾病死亡人数ER分别为2.02%和1.48%.交互作用的研究结果表明,高温与高浓度的PM_2.5（或BC）对疾病死亡的影响存在协同效应,且高温条件下BC对疾病死亡影响的健康风险大于PM_2.5,当气温大于24℃时,BC和PM_2.5浓度每升高IQR对应的呼吸系统疾病死亡人数ER分别为6.22%和6.17%,心脑血管疾病死亡人数ER分别为5.01%和3.97%.虽然BC只占PM_2.5的一部分,但BC对人群健康的影响不容忽视,应该引起足够的重视.     

低温等离子体协同催化降解废气污染物的研究进展

阐述了低温等离子体协同催化工艺流程与反应机理,探讨了反应温度、废气进口组分、废气中水蒸气含量、气体流速、气溶胶等因素对降解效果的影响。分析认为:一段式低温等离子体协同催化可改变低温等离子体特征及催化剂催化特性,但尚未解决尾气臭氧逃逸、副产物产生及放电稳定性等问题;两段式低温等离子体协同催化可提高污染物分子降解效率并减少尾气臭氧逃逸,但未能有效利用等离子体的能量,气体中的水蒸气、粉尘及反应过程中产生的气溶胶均能影响后置催化剂的催化性能;两段式低温等离子体协同催化已具备工程应用条件,还需配套高效预处理单元以降低废气中水蒸气、粉尘等对催化剂的影响。     

机载产品盐雾试验结果评定判据分析与探讨

针对当前机载产品盐雾试验标准中缺少明确、可量化评估指标,试验结果评定判据粗略笼统且以定性评价为主,已不能满足产品发展和使用环境扩展需求等现状,在总结国内外现行盐雾试验标准的结果评定要求基础上,分析当前机载产品盐雾结果评定判据存在的问题与不足,从管理和技术两个层面提出改进试验结果评定可操作性的建议,指导机载产品盐雾试验实施与评价。