Heterotrophic Biological Denitrification Using Microbial Cellulose as Carbon Source

The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using a microbial biopolymer produced by Acetobacter xylinum as a carbon source for heterotrophic biological denitrification. The denitrification rate, COD availability and nitrite concentration were response parameters. Under the experimental conditions, a denitrification rate of about 0.74 kg NO₃ ⁻N/m³d at 6 h retention time was achieved with microbial cellulose (MC). The reactor effluent contained significantly COD concentrations (20–86 mg/L) so it was not carbon limited, and was receiving enough carbon to facilitate the denitrification process. The maximum nitrite concentration in the effluent was found to be 0.4 mg/L. However, decreasing the retention time to 3 h significantly reduced the efficiency. It can be concluded that the MC is a suitable carbon source for nitrate removal in a heterotrophic biological denitrification process.     

Analysis of heavy metal concentrations in sediments of selected estuaries of Malaysia—a statistical assessment

Statistical analysis of heavy metal concentrations in sediment was studied to understand the interrelationship between different parameters and also to identify probable source component in order to explain the pollution status of selected estuaries. Concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Fe, Pb, Cr, Hg and Mn) were analyzed in sediments from Juru and Jejawi Estuaries in Malaysia with ten sampling points of each estuary. The results of multivariate statistical techniques showed that the two regions have different characteristics in terms of heavy metals selected and indicates that each region receives pollution from different sources. The results also showed that Fe, Mn, Cd, Hg, and Cu are responsible for large spatial variations explaining 51.15% of the total variance, whilst Zn and Pb explain only 18.93 of the total variance. This study illustrates the usefulness of multivariate statistical techniques for evaluation and interpretation of large complex data sets to get better information about the heavy metal concentrations and design of monitoring network.     

Enhanced Macroporous Cationic Chitosan Hydrogel by Freezing and Thawing Method with Superadsorption Capacity for Anionic Dyes

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - In this study, we have developed a simple technique to prepare cationic chitosan hydrogel with interconnected porous structure using freeze–thaw...     

Exogenous melatonin reduces water deficit-induced oxidative stress and improves growth performance of Althaea rosea grown on coal mine spoils

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Coal mining activities are responsible for significant land degradation and often long-term irreversible effects on ecosystem functioning. To better...     

Reverse vaccinology approach for multi-epitope centered vaccine design against delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, initially identified in Wuhan, China, has impacted people all over the globe and new variants of concern continue to...     

Level of sustainability reporting of Malaysian IPO companies

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This paper aims to determine the level of sustainability reporting (SR) among Malaysian initial public offering (IPO) companies. Due to a lack of...     

Release of salts from municipal solid waste combustion residues

Residues from fluidized bed combustion of municipal solid waste were investigated with respect to their leaching behavior and possible extraction of salts. The total water extractable amounts of Na, K, Ca, Cl(-), Br(-), F(-) and SO(4)(2-) along with the total dissolved solids of bottom, hopper, cyclone and bag house filter ashes were determined. A simple multistage washing process (using water as the extraction medium) was tested in lab scale experiments. The effect of variations in parameters, such as water to ash weight ratio, contact time, temperature and number of extraction steps was investigated. The leaching behavior of untreated and washed cyclone and bag house filter ashes was evaluated by a two-step batch-leaching test, i.e. the CEN test. The ashes investigated in this study can be arranged according to their decreasing water extractable contents and total dissolved solids as follows: filter ash > cyclone ash > hopper ash > bottom ash. A triple extraction with water at liquid to solid ratio 2 and extraction time 5 min gave the best results for the extraction of Ca, Na, K, Cl(-) and SO(4)(2-) from the cyclone as well as from the filter ashes. The leached amounts of salts in the CEN test performed on the washed cyclone ash were considerably lower than the corresponding amounts released from the unwashed ash. Thus, the washed cyclone ash was made more stable with respect to salt leachability. On the other hand, large amounts of salts were leached from the washed filter ashes as well as from unwashed filter ashes. Therefore, it can be concluded that three stage water extraction is not a suitable stabilization method for this type of filter ashes.     

艾比湖流域地表水水质指标与水体指数关系研究

传统的水域水质监测手段不仅成本高,而且空间信息有限,难以对相关水域进行全面的监测与评价.利用遥感技术进行水域水质监测可克服这些局限.本文以新疆艾比湖流域为研究对象,结合2015年5月实测水质数据和从准同步Landsat OLI数据上提取的水体指数值,利用空间分析和多元统计方法进行分析.结果发现,水体指数EWI、AWEIsh、Vegetation index(VI)、NDWI、NWI、NEW与水质指标之间的相关性显著(0.55≤r≤0.88).因此,选用以上6种水体指数与水质指标进行回归分析并建立数学关系估算模型,发现模型均方根误差均较低.利用同期实测数据对估算模型进行精度验证,发现验证判定系数高,验证点的相对平均误差偏低,均方根误差偏小.与此同时,利用2015年10月的40个采样点对模型进行二次验证,发现验证的判定系数满足0.22R20.81,模型的均方根误差较低.在估算模型中,总磷(TP)、五日生化需氧量(BOD5)、悬浮物(SS)、pH、色度和浊度两期数据的验证判定系数R2在0.5以上,均方根误差较小.因此,利用艾比湖流域水体指数建立的TP、BOD5、SS、pH、色度和浊度估算模型具有较好的普适性.该研究不仅可以为干旱区湖泊的遥感识别奠定基础,而且可为遥感技术应用于地表水水质指标值的提取提供一定的科学依据.     

Dynamic interactive links among sustainable energy investment,air pollution,and sustainable development in regional China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This research investigates the dynamic interactive associations among sustainable investment in the energy sector, air pollution, and sustainable...     

Simultaneous monitoring of SARS-CoV-2, bacteria,and fungi in indoor air of hospital: a study on Hajar Hospital in Shahrekord,Iran

The novel SARS-CoV-2 outbreak was declared as pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. Understanding the airborne route of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is essential for infection prevention and control. In this study, a total of 107 indoor air samples (45 SARS-CoV-2, 62 bacteria, and fungi) were collected from different wards of the Hajar Hospital in Shahrekord, Iran. Simultaneously, bacterial and fungal samples were also collected from the ambient air of hospital yard. Overall, 6 positive air samples were detected in the infectious 1 and infectious 2 wards, intensive care unit (ICU), computed tomography (CT) scan, respiratory patients’ clinic, and personal protective equipment (PPE) room. Also, airborne bacteria and fungi were simultaneously detected in the various wards of the hospital with concentrations ranging from 14 to 106 CFU m^?3 and 18 to 141 CFU m^?3, respectively. The highest mean concentrations of bacteria and fungi were observed in respiratory patients’ clinics and ICU wards, respectively. Significant correlation (p < 0.05) was found between airborne bacterial concentration and the presence of SARS-CoV-2, while no significant correlation was found between fungi concentration and the virus presence. This study provided an additional evidence about the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the indoor air of a hospital that admitted COVID-19 patients. Moreover, it was revealed that the monitoring of microbial quality of indoor air in such hospitals is very important, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, for controlling the nosocomial infections.