Characteristics and mixing state of S-rich particles in haze episodes in Beijing

Direct individual analysis using Scanning Electron Microscopy combined with online observation was conducted to examine the S-rich particles in PM_2.5 of two typical polluted haze episodes in summer and winter from 2014 to 2015 in Beijing. Four major types of S-rich particles, including secondary CaSO₄ particles (mainly observed in summer), S-rich mineral particles (SRM), S-rich water droplets (SRW) and (C, O, S)-rich particles (COS) were identified.We found the different typical morphologies and element distributions of S-rich particles and considered that (C, O, S)-rich particles had two major mixing states in different seasons. On the basis of the S-rich particles’ relative abundances, S concentrations and their relationships with PM_2.5 as well as the seasonal comparison, we revealed that the S-participated formation degrees of SRM and SRW would enhance with increasing PM_2.5 concentration. Moreover, C-rich matter and sulfate had seasonally different but significant impacts on the formation of COS.

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基于PMF模式的南京市大气细颗粒物源解析

为研究南京市大气细颗粒物(PM2.5)污染来源,分别在3个点位、4个季节开展了PM2.5环境样品的采集,共获得170个有效样本.对样本进行了化学成分分析,包括Al、Fe、Na、Mg、K、Ba、Li、Tl、Mn、Co、Ni、Cu、Zn、Sb、Pb、Cr、Ce、Na+、NH4+、Mg2+、Ca2+、SO42-、NO3-、Cl-、以及OC、EC,共计26种.首先采用OC/EC最小比值法估算出二次有机气溶胶(SOA)的含量;然后利用正矩阵因子分解法(PMF)对PM2.5的非SOA部分进行来源解析,共解析出6类因子:二次无机气溶胶(SIA)、燃煤、机动车排放、地面扬尘、冶金和其它源,贡献率分别25.0%、23.5%、20.4%、17.1%、3.0%和11.0%;最后基于南京市SO2、NOx、VOCs三种主要前体污染物的排放量,分别对SIA和SOA在一次来源中进行再分配.最终结果表明,南京市PM2.5主要来源为燃煤、机动车、扬尘、工业和其它源,其贡献率分别为29.6%、22.4%、14.6%、18.7%和14.7%.     

黄山大气气溶胶新粒子生长特性观测分析

利用2012年9月22日~10月28日黄山地区大气气溶胶、二氧化硫和臭氧观测数据,结合气象数据,分析气溶胶新粒子的生成-增长特征.分析发现,在33个有效观测日中,有新粒子生成-增长的观测日占总数的18.2%,其中晴天的发生频率为37.5%,新粒子生成-增长都开始于晴天上午,与无新粒子观测日相比,太阳辐射量、风速、SO2及O3浓度较高,环境温度和相对湿度较低.气溶胶新粒子的增长具有由小及大的特点,核模态气溶胶粒子(10~20nm)数浓度最先增加,爱根核模态粒子(20~50nm)数浓度随着时间推移逐渐增大,但浓度峰值依次下降,平均增长率为3.58nm/h. SO2浓度先于核模态气溶胶数浓度到达峰值,其氧化后的产物H2SO4为新粒子的核化提供前体物,并且参与新粒子的增长过程,当SO2浓度较低时,不会发生新粒子生长事件.     

Optimizing synthesis conditions of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) through aqueous reactivity assessment

Nanoscale iron particles (nZVI) is one of the most important engineered nanomaterials applied to environmental pollution control and abatement. Although a multitude of synthesis approaches have been proposed, a facile method to screen the reactivity of candidate nZVI materials produced using different methods or under varying synthesis conditions has yet been established. In this study, four reaction parameters were adjusted in the preparation of borohydride-reduced nZVI. The reductive properties of the resultant nanoparticles were assayed independently using two model aqueous contaminants, Cu(II) and nitrate. The results confirm that the reductive reactivity of nZVI is most sensitive to the initial concentration of iron precursor, borohydride feed rate, and the loading ratio of borohydride to ferric ion during particle synthesis. Solution mixing speed, in contrast, carries a relative small weight on the reactivity of nZVI. The two probing reactions (i.e., Cu(II) and nitrate reduction) are able to generate consistent and quantitative inference about the mass-normalized surface activity of nZVI. However, the nitrate assay is valid in dilute aqueous solutions only (50 mg·L⁻¹ or lower) due to accelerated deactivation of iron surface at elevated nitrate concentrations. Additional insights including the structural and chemical makeup of nZVI can be garnered from Cu(II) reduction assessments. The reactivity assays investigated in this study can facilitate screening of candidate materials or optimization of nZVI production parameters, which complement some of the more sophisticated but less chemically specific material characterization methods used in the nZVI research.     

蒸汽相变促进可溶PM2.5凝结增长的数值分析

为利用蒸汽相变原理促进氨法脱硫系统排放细颗粒物(PM2.5)的脱除,建立多分散颗粒的凝结增长动力学模型,利用数值模拟方法研究了可溶硫酸铵颗粒的凝结增长规律,并将典型粒径可溶与不可溶颗粒的凝结增长过程进行对比分析.结果表明:不同粒径硫酸铵颗粒的增长速率相近,等温系统的凝结增长效果优于绝热系统;对于同一初始粒径分布下的可溶和不可溶颗粒,微米尺度可溶颗粒的增长速率始终大于不可溶颗粒,亚微米尺度可溶颗粒的增长速率先大于而后小于不可溶颗粒,使得二者的增长曲线存在一个交叉点;蒸汽饱和度增大能显著促进硫酸铵颗粒的增长;等温系统中温度对硫酸铵颗粒的增长影响显著,绝热系统中温度的影响较弱.     

Experimental investigation into the oxidation reactivity, morphology and graphitization of soot particles from diesel/n-octanol mixtures

Aiming to investigate the impacts of n-octanol addition on the oxidation reactivity, morphology and graphitization of diesel exhaust particles, soot samples were collected from a four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine fueled with D100（neat diesel fuel）, DO15（85% diesel and 15% n-octanol, V/V） and DO30（70% diesel and 30% n-octanol, V/V）. All tests were conducted at two engine speeds of 1370 and 2150 r/min under a fixed torque of 125 N ·m. The soot properties were characterized by thermogravimet...     

大气颗粒物吸湿性研究

大气颗粒物吸湿性是反映颗粒物理化性质的重要指标,吸湿性研究对深入了解颗粒物的环境和健康效应具有重要意义. 总结了国外近年来大气颗粒物吸湿性研究进展:①典型的大气颗粒物吸湿性分析方法为H-TDMA(吸湿性串联差分电迁移率粒径分析仪)系统及其优化方法. ②大气颗粒物吸湿性呈单峰、双峰甚至多峰分布;根据G_f(吸湿性生长因子)随粒径变化的模式,可将大气颗粒物分为强吸湿性和弱吸湿性2类,也可分为纯不溶性、混合不溶性、混合可溶性和纯可溶性4类. ③城市背景点颗粒物的G_f比城市观测点高;城市观测点的颗粒物G_f分布呈夏季高、冬季低,白天高、晚上低的特征. ④颗粒物吸湿性与其化学组成和形态密切相关,纯可溶性盐颗粒物的G_f通常较高. ⑤柴油燃烧源新排放的颗粒物属于弱吸湿性颗粒物,G_f非常小,但在其表面老化后或随燃料中硫含量的增加G_f会明显变大. ⑥生物质燃烧排放颗粒物的G_f相对较高,但存在区域差异性. 针对国内大气颗粒物吸湿性研究现状,提出了未来重点研究方向.      

Rare earth elements distribution in seawater and suspended particulate of the Central Mediterranean Sea

Rare earth element (REE) content in suspended and dissolved phases from the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea) has been measured. Vertical profiles of several dissolved REEs along the water column reflect the 3-D oceanographic features of the studied area and identifies the different water masses present there. Shale-normalized REE distribution patterns and derived parameters calculated for the suspended particulate show different atmospheric dust-surface inputs and their interactions with seawater. Finally, combined information from [La/Yb]_N, ratios, REE/La ratios and Eu anomalies measured in the suspended particulate suggest an important contribution of volcanic materials from the Etna volcano and Saharan dust to the lithogenic fraction of the suspended particulate.     

Transport of Sewage Sludge in a Mixed Water Column

Abstract

Sewage sludge from four publicly-owned treatment works was sampled and characterized in terms of parameters affecting transport at the 106-mile deep ocean disposal site as part of the US Environmental Protection Agency's site monitoring programme. Samples from treatment plants in Passaic Valley, Rahway, and Elizabeth, New Jersey and New York City were characterized in terms of dynamic size distribution, suspended solids and density. the transport characteristics of sludge particles were measured using a 2 metre computer-interfaced laboratory settling column. Experiments were conducted at constant salinity (35 ppt) while varying hydrodynamic mixing, sludge type and concentration using a modified factorial experimental design. Hydrodynamic power dissipation was varied so that the vertical dispersion and rms fluid shear rate ranged between 0-6 cm²S^?1 and 0-30s^?1 respectively. Results indicate that at least 80% of suspended sludge particles will eventually settle under mixed conditions. the average settling velocities ranged between 0.05-4.05 × 10^-3 cm ^s-1. Shear rates above 15 s^?1 inhibited sludge settling due to aggregate breakup and boundary effects, but at a lower shear rate, differential settling and fluid shear were the dominant transport mechanisms. Sludge dilution (1/500-1/5000) had a limited effect on the settling rate. Results from this study can be used to calibrate particle transport models to determine the fate of sludge disposed at an ocean disposal site.     

A new polystyrene-latex-based and EPS-containing synthetic sludge

Since the living microorganisms in activated sludge continuously change, it is difficult to conduct controlled experiments and achieve reproducible results for evaluating sludge characteristics. Synthetic sludge, as a chemical surrogate to activated sludge, could be used to investigate the sludge physicochemical properties, and it is desirable to prepare synthetic sludge with similar structure and properties to real activated sludge to explore the flocculation and settlement processes in activated sludge systems. In this work, a high-strength synthetic sludge was prepared with functional polystyrene latex particles as the framework and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) to modify its surface. The flocculation and settling characteristics of the microspheres and the prepared synthetic sludge were tested. Compared with other three functional polystyrene latex microspheres, the synthetic sludge prepared with EPS-modified polystyrene latex microspheres showed good settling characteristics and a significantly higher strength. They could be used for studying the physicochemical properties of activated sludge.