Transformations of particles, metal elements and natural organic matter in different water treatment processes

Characterizing natural organic matter （NOM）, particles and elements in different water treatment processes can give a useful information to optimize water treatment operations. In this article, transformations of particles, metal elements and NOM in a pilot-scale water treatment plant were investigated by laser light granularity system, particle counter, glass-fiber membrane filtration, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy, ultra filtration and resin absorbents fractionation. The results showed that particles, NOM and trihalomethane formation precursors were removed synergistically by sequential treatment of different processes. Preozonation markedly changed the polarity and molecular weight of NOM, and it could be conducive to the following coagulation process through destabilizing particles and colloids; mid-ozonation enhanced the subsequent granular activated carbon （GAC） filtration process by decreasing molecular weight of organic matters. Coagulation-flotation and GAC were more efficient in removing fixed suspended solids and larger particles; while sand-filtration was more efficient in removing volatile suspended solids and smaller particles. Flotation performed better than sedimentation in terms of particle and NOM removal. The type of coagulant could greatly affect the performance of coagulation-flotation. Pre-hydrolyzed composite coagulant （HPAC） was superior to FeCl3 concerning the removals of hydrophobic dissolved organic carbon and volatile suspended solids. The leakages of flocs from sand-filtration and microorganisms from GAC should be mitigated to ensure the reliability of the whole treatment system.     

Denitrification potential enhancement by addition of external carbon sources in a pre-denitrification process

The aim of this study is to investigate the denitrification potential enhancement by addition of external carbon sources and to estimate the denitrification potential for the predenitrification system using nitrate utilization rate （NUR） batch tests. It is shown that the denitrification potential can be substantially increased with the addition of three external carbon sources, i.e. methanol, ethanol, and acetate, and the denitrification rates of ethanol, acetate, and methanol reached up to 9.6, 12, and 3.2 mgN/（g VSS.h）, respectively, while that of starch wastewater was only 0.74 mgN/（g VSS,h）. By comparison, ethanol was found to be the best external carbon source. NUR batch tests with starch wastewater and waste ethanol were carried out. The denitfification potential increased from 5.6 to 16.5 mg NO3-N/L owing to waste ethanol addition. By means of NUR tests, the wastewater characteristics and kinetic parameters can be estimated, which are used to determine the denitrification potential of wastewater, to calculate the denitrification potential of the plant and to predict the nitrate effluent quality, as well as provide information for developing carbon dosage control strategy.     

Biodegradation of phenol by free and immobilized Acinetobacter sp. strain PD12

A new phenol-degrading bacterium with high biodegradation activity and high tolerance of phenol, strain PD 12, was isolated from the activated sludge of Tianjin Jizhuangzi Wastewater Treatment Facility in China. This strain was capable of removing 500 mg phenol/L in liquid minimal medium by 99.6% within 9 h and metabolizing phenol at concentrations up to 1100 mg/L. DNA sequencing and homologous analysis of 16S rRNA gene identified PD12 to be an Acinetobacter sp. Polyvinyl alcohol （PVA） was used as a gel matrix to immobilize Acinetobacter sp. strain PDI2 by repeated freezing and thawing. The factors affecting phenol degradation of immobilized cells were investigated, and the results showed that the immobilized cells could tolerate a high phenol level and protected the bacteria against changes in temperature and pH. Storage stability and reusability tests revealed that the phenol degradation functions of immobilized cells were stable after reuse for 50 times or storing at 4℃ for 50 d. These results indicate that immobilized Acinetobacter sp. strain PD 12 possesses a good application potential in the treatment of phenol-containing wastewater.     

Topsoil organic carbon mineralization and CO2 evolution of three paddy soils from South China and the temperature dependence

Carbon mineralization and its response to climatic warming have been receiving global attention for the last decade. Although the virtual influence of temperature effect is still in great debate, little is known on the mineralization of organic carbon （SOC） of paddy soils of China under warming. SOC mineralization of three major types of China＇s paddy soils is studied through laboratory incubation for 114 d under soil moisture regime of 70% water holding capacity at 20℃ and 25℃ respectively. The carbon that mineralized as CO2 evolved was measured every day in the first 32 d and every two days in the following days. Carbon mineralized during the 114 d incubation ranged from 3.51 to 9.22 mg CO2-C/gC at 20℃ and from 4.24 to 11.35 mg CO2-C/gC at 25℃ respectively; and a mineralizable C pool in the range of 0.24 to 0.59 gC/kg, varying with different soils. The whole course of C mineralization in the 114 d incubation could be divided into three stages of varying rates, representing the three subpools of the total mineralizable C： very actively mineralized C at 1-23 d, actively tnineralized C at 24--74 d and a slowly mineralized pool with low and more or less stabilized C mineralization rate at 75-114 d. The calculated Q10 values ranged from 1.0 to 2.4, varying with the soil types and N status. Neither the total SOC pool nor the labile C pool could account for the total mineralization potential of the soils studied, despite a well correlation of labile C with the shortly and actively mineralized C, which were shown in sensitive response to soil warming. However, the portion of microbial C pool and the soil C/N ratio controlled the C mineralization and the temperature dependence. Therefore, C sequestration may not result in an increase of C mineralization proportionally. The relative control of C bioavailability and microbial metabolic activity on C mineralization with respect to stabilization of sequestered C in the paddy soils of China is to be further studied.     

Distribution characteristics of dissolved organic carbon in annular wetland soil-water solutions through soil profiles in the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China

Overwhelming evidence reveals that concentrations of dissolved organic carbon （DOC） have increased in streams which brings negative environmental impacts. DOC in stream flow is mainly originated from soil-water solutions of watershed. Wetlands prove to be the most sensitive areas as an important DOC reserve between terrestrial and fluvial biogeosystems. This reported study was focused on the distribution characteristics and the controlling factors of DOC in soil-water solutions of annular wetland, i.e., a dishing wetland and a forest wetland together, in the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. The results indicate that DOC concentrations in soilwater solutions decreased and then increased with increasing soil depth in the annular wetland. In the upper soil layers of 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm, DOC concentrations in soil-water solutions linearly increased from edge to center of the annular wetland （R^2 = 0.3122 and R^2 = 0.443）. The distribution variations were intimately linked to DOC production and utilization and DOC transport processes in annular wetland soil-water solutions. The concentrations of total organic carbon （TOC）, total carbon （TC） and Fe（II）, DOC mobility and continuous vertical and lateral flow affectext the distribution variations of DOC in soil-water solutions. The correlation coefficients between DOC concentrations and TOC, TC and Fe（II） were 0.974, 0.813 and 0.753 respectively. These distribution characteristics suggested a systematic response of the distribution variations of DOC in annular wetland soil-water solutions to the geometry of closed depressions on a scale of small catchments. However, the DOC in soil pore water of the annular wetland may be the potential source of DOC to stream flow on watershed scale. These observations also implied the fragmentation of wetland landscape could bring the spatial-temporal variations of DOC distribution and exports, which would bring negative environmental impacts in watersheds of the Sanjiang Plain.     

LCA of eucalyptus wood charcoal briquettes

This paper sets out to describe the environmental impact assessment for wood charcoal briquettes produced from eucalyptus wood in Brazil, with specific reference to those impacts associated with Global Warming Potential. To achieve that objective, the work was undertaken in accordance with ISO 14040 "Environmental management - Life cycle assessment - Principles and framework" which describes essential LCA characteristics and good practices. Charcoal briquettes are produced from two basic raw materials, charcoal fines and starch. The fines result from the production of charcoal from sustainably managed eucalyptus plantations. Starch is extracted from babaçu pulp in the Amazon region. Multi-output processes were allocated based on income from the different by-products. The results showed that more than 90% of incoming CO₂ was due to biomass production for charcoal, and the remainder to starch biomass production. Based on Brazilian data, as well as information provided by the GaBi4.3 database, it turned out that supplying the energy content of 1 kg of briquettes resulted in the sequestration of 3.9690 kg of CO₂, i.e. around 4 kg of CO₂ per kg of briquettes produced. CO₂ emissions throughout the briquette production process are totally compensated for by the environmental quality of the raw materials used.     

基于PPI的河段水体潜在污染研究

提出了一种预报河段水体潜在污染的方法——河段潜在污染指数法(riversection potential pollution index,R-PPI),并在北京市山区3个典型小流域进行应用.河流水体污染是我国目前最为突出的水环境问题,在治理工作开展前需要确定重点污染河段、区域和污染源,而基于河流水质监测的水质评价方法难以确定重点污染源.因此引入了潜在非点源污染指数(potential non-point pollution index,PNPI)法,进行了土地利用类型扩展、土地利用分类比对和土壤渗透性分级3个方面改进,得到潜在污染指数(potential pollution index,PPI),并在此基础上建立了河段潜在污染指数法.通过在3个小流域的应用研究可知,该方法具有所需监测资料少、操作简单、便于确定重点污染源、综合性强等特点,可为流域污染治理提供科学指导.     

无砾石微孔管地下渗滤系统试验研究

针对传统无砾石管式地下渗滤系统存在的处理性能差,渗滤通量低两个问题,通过去掉包裹织物,提高渗滤管开孔率、改变开孔方式,设计了无砾石微孔管地下渗滤系统。通过实验研究表明,无砾石微孔管地下渗滤系统对COD、氨氮的去除率比传统管式系统分别提高了10.8%、12.7%,总磷去除率并无显著差异,ORP值提高约85 mV,渗滤通量提高26.8%。在3.3 cm/d的水力负荷下,无砾石微孔管地下渗滤系统出水COD、氨氮、总磷平均浓度分别为19 mg/L,0.62 mg/L,0.048 mg/L。渗滤管下10 cm的土壤层去除了约70%的COD,80%的氨氮和91%的总磷,向下随着土壤深度的增加,单位厚度的土壤层去除的污染物量呈显著下降趋势。     

广州大气挥发性有机物的臭氧生成潜势及来源研究

2008年秋季在广州城区及其下风向沿海乡村地区采用活性炭吸附管采集大气挥发性有机化合物(VOC),应用二次热解吸-GC/MS联用技术测量56种VOC的大气浓度,研究在典型海陆风条件下VOC的组成特征和日变化规律,并采用臭氧最大增量及OH自由基反应活性两种方法估算了该地区各VOC的臭氧生成潜力,探讨了VOC优先控制物种及...     

三峡库区(重庆-宜昌段)沉积物中钒的污染特征及生态风险评价

为全面了解三峡库区(重庆—宜昌段)干支流沉积物中钒的含量水平、空间分布、赋存形态、污染程度,在三峡库区采集水体沉积物样品67个,测定了沉积物中钒的含量及其化学赋存形态,并采用地积累指数法和潜在生态危害指数法进行分析和评价.结果表明:1三峡库区研究区范围内沉积物中钒的含量范围为89.4~175.2 mg·kg-1,平均值为123.7 mg·kg-1,略高于长江沉积物背景值;2库区沉积物中钒的空间分布特征主要呈现库区干流含量大于支流,干流下游沉积物中钒含量高于上游;3沉积物中钒含量的极值点出现在较发达县(区)附近,考虑其来源可能是人为源汇入;4库区沉积物中钒的赋存形态主要以残渣态为主,所占质量分数为80%~89%,并与总量呈现显著正相关关系;5沉积物中钒污染程度较小,潜在环境危害影响较弱.