Chitosan/albumin/CaCO3 as mimics for membrane bioreactor fouling: genesis of structural mineralized-EPS-building blocks and cake layer compressibility

Membrane bioreactor biofouling is usually described as an extracellular matrix in which biopolymers, inorganic salts and active microbes co-exist. For that reason, biomineralization (BM) models can be useful to describe the spatial organization and environmental constraints within the referred scenario. BM arguments were utilized as background in order to (1) evaluate CaCO₃ influence on flux decline; pore blocking and cake layer properties (resistance, permeability and compressibility) in a wide range of Chitosan/Bovine serum albumin (BSA) mixtures during step-pressure runs and, (2) perform membrane autopsies in order to explore the genesis of mineralized extracellular building blocks (MEBB) during cake layer build up. Using low molecular weight chitosan (LC) and BSA, 2 L of 5 LC/BSA mixtures (0.25-1.85 ratio) were pumped to an external ultra filtration (UF) membrane (23.5 cm², hydrophobic, piezoelectric, 100 kDa as molecular weight cut-off). Eight different pressure steps (40 ± 7 to 540 ± 21 kPa) were applied. Each pressure step was held for 900 s. CaCO₃ was added to LC/BSA mixtures at 0.5, 1.5 and 3 mM in order to create MEBB during the filtration tests. Membrane autopsies were performed after the filtration tests using thermo gravimetric, scanning microscopy and specific membrane mass (mg cm⁻²) analyses. Biopolymer-CaCO₃ step-pressure filtration created compressible cake layers (with inner voids). The formation of an internal skeleton of MEBB may contribute to irreversible fouling consolidation. A hypothesis for MEBB genesis and development was set forth.     

Quantification of the interactions between Ca,Hg and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of sludge

The interactions between metals (Ca²⁺ and Hg²⁺) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from the aerobic and anaerobic sludge in wastewater treatment reactors were investigated using a combination of zeta potential measurement and 3-dimensional excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy with parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis. Results show that Ca²⁺ had no substantial effects on the EEM fluorescence spectra of the EPS, but their zeta potentials increased with the increasing Ca²⁺ dosage. However, Hg²⁺ had a significant effect on the EEM fluorescence spectra of the EPS, while their zeta potentials seemed not to be affected by the dose of Hg²⁺. The interactions between Hg²⁺ and EPS were elucidated using the fluorescence quenching with PARAFAC analysis, while the interactions between Ca²⁺ and EPS were evaluated by the zeta potential technique. The binding constants for Hg²⁺ and EPS were two orders of magnitude higher than those for Ca²⁺ and EPS, suggesting that the binding mechanisms between Ca²⁺ and EPS were different from those between Hg²⁺ and EPS. The results might be useful for understanding the roles of EPS in bacterial self-protection against heavy metals and the aggregate formation mechanisms through ionic bridging interactions.     

DOC removal paradigms in highly humic aquatic ecosystems

Background, aim, and scope  Dissolved humic substances (HS) usually comprise 50–80% of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in aquatic ecosystems. From a trophic and biogeochemical perspective, HS has been considered to be highly refractory and is supposed to accumulate in the water. The upsurge of the microbial loop paradigm and the studies on HS photo-degradation into labile DOC gave rise to the belief that microbial processing of DOC should sustain aquatic food webs in humic waters. However, this has not been extensively supported by the literature, since most HS and their photo-products are often oxidized by microbes through respiration in most nutrient-poor humic waters. Here, we review basic concepts, classical studies, and recent data on bacterial and photo-degradation of DOC, comparing the rates of these processes in highly humic ecosystems and other aquatic ecosystems. Materials and methods  We based our review on classical and recent findings from the fields of biogeochemistry and microbial ecology, highlighting some odd results from highly humic Brazilian tropical lagoons, which can reach up to 160 mg C L⁻¹. Results and discussion  Highly humic tropical lagoons showed proportionally lower bacterial production rates and higher bacterial respiration rates (i.e., lower bacterial growth efficiency) than other lakes. Zooplankton showed similar δ¹³C to microalgae but not to humic DOC in these highly humic lagoons. Thus, the data reviewed here do not support the microbial loop as an efficient matter transfer pathway in highly humic ecosystems, where it is supposed to play its major role. In addition, we found that some tropical humic ecosystems presented the highest potential DOC photo-chemical mineralization (PM) rates reported in the literature, exceeding up to threefold the rates reported for temperate humic ecosystems. We propose that these atypically high PM rates are the result of a joint effect of the seasonal dynamics of allochthonous humic DOC input to these ecosystems and the high sunlight incidence throughout the year. The sunlight action on DOC is positive to microbial consumption in these highly humic lagoons, but little support is given to the enhancement of bacterial growth efficiency, since the labile photo-chemical products are mostly respired by microbes in the nutrient-poor humic waters. Conclusions  HS may be an important source of energy for aquatic bacteria in humic waters, but it is probably not as important as a substrate to bacterial growth and to aquatic food webs, since HS consumption is mostly channeled through microbial respiration. This especially seems to be the case of humic-rich, nutrient-poor ecosystems, where the microbial loop was supposed to play its major role. Highly humic ecosystems also present the highest PM rates reported in the literature. Finally, light and bacteria can cooperate in order to enhance total carbon degradation in highly humic aquatic ecosystems but with limited effects on aquatic food webs. Recommendations and perspectives  More detailed studies using C- and N-stable isotope techniques and modeling approaches are needed to better understand the actual importance of HS to carbon cycling in highly humic waters.     

浅谈如何做好企业安全管理工作

从现代安全理论的角度,论述企业安全管理工作的主要内容、重点工作方面安全管理不到位可能发生的事故后果,以期达到保证企业的安全生产的目的。     

危险化学品运输事故初探

危险化学品运输是一种动态危险源,在运输过程中火灾、爆炸、泄漏、中毒事故时有发生,对人类生命、物质财产和生态环境的安全构成极大威胁.对危险化学品在运输过程中事故发生的类型、事故的成因、事故的危害进行了探讨,阐述了事故的预防措施以及事故后如何做好减灾工作.     

电子封装行业职业有害因素的辨识与分析

从电子封装行业工艺入手,依据国家颁布的职业有害因素分类目录及职业有害因素致病模型,针对电子封装行业插入式(DIP)及表面贴装(QFP/SOIC)制造工艺使用的材料、设备、条件、人员作业特点,对行业内具有共性的职业有害因素进行分析,对工艺过程中存在的职业有害因素作出辨识,并提出把硅粉尘、铅、氩气、高温、环氧树脂、氢氧化钾、噪声、酸雾、重复性静态作业、重复性动态作业等有害因素作为防控重点,为电子封装行业职业有害因素的危害量化评价及其防控措施制定提供了科学依据。     

Flame Propagation Across Gelled Alkane-In-Water Emulsions

Flame propagation rates were measured for flames spreading across surfaces of gel-like alkane-in-water emulsions. A long, slender, water-cooled trough was used to contain the mixtures. Abrupt changes in the flame propagation velocities - of nearly two orders of magnitude - were observed to occur near ‘critical’ concentrations of certain alkane/water mixtures. Four alkanes were used - pentane, hexane, heptane, and octane - and fuel rich emulsions (in which water was the continuous phase) were employed. The ability of the aqueous phase of the emulsion to inhibit the release of fuel into the vapor phase plays an important role in the observed behavior. That is, the rate at which fuel can diffuse through both the emulsion and the thin liquid layers that reside on it, is an essential kinetic aspect of the phenomena which determine the flame propagation rate across gelled alkane-in-water emulsions.     

Fenton氧化对污泥脱水性能和溶解性物质作用效果的研究

研究了Fenton氧化技术在改善污泥脱水性能方面的效果,以污泥比阻和毛细吸水时间来表征污泥的脱水性能,探讨了体系的pH和反应时间对污泥脱水性能的影响以及Fenton氧化对污泥溶解性物质(SCOD+多聚糖+蛋白质)含量的影响研究表明,Fenton氧化能够明显改善污泥的脱水性能。在体系的pH=3时,反应1h后,Fenton氧化处理后污泥的CST从处理前的130.9s减少到19.7s,降幅85%;污泥SRF从处理前的3.58×108 s2/g降低到1.05×107 s2/g,降幅97%。同体系处理污泥SCOD、上清液中多聚糖和蛋白质的含量分别增加了3.7倍、2.6倍和1.5倍。     

Fe(Ⅱ)活化过硫酸钠深度处理工业园区污水处理厂出水

采用Fe(Ⅱ)活化过硫酸钠(PS)技术对工业园区污水处理厂出水进行深度处理,通过响应曲面法考察了PS/COD、Fe(Ⅱ)/PS和pH对COD和TOC去除率的单独和联合效应.利用紫外-可见扫描、凝胶色谱及三维荧光等手段表征深度处理前后的有机物特性变化.结果表明,PS/COD和Fe(Ⅱ)/PS对COD去除影响极显著;而PS/COD、Fe(Ⅱ)/PS和pH对TOC去除均有显著影响.PS/COD和pH联合效应对COD去除影响显著.最优工艺条件PS/COD比3.47、Fe(Ⅱ)/PS比3.32、pH 6.5时,COD和TOC去除率为50.7%和60.6%.Fe(Ⅱ)-PS氧化能将大分子有机物转化为小分子,削减类蛋白质、类富里酸和类腐殖酸的含量.     

活化过硫酸盐对市政污泥调理效果的影响

常规污泥脱水技术只能将市政污泥含水率降到80%左右,难以满足日益严格的污泥处理处置要求.活化过硫酸盐产生硫酸根自由基SO4·-具有强氧化性,可用于破坏污泥的絮体结构.本研究利用Fe2+活化过硫酸钠(SPS)的方法进行污泥调理,以到达改善污泥的脱水性能的目的.结果表明,当Fe2+与S2O2-8投加量(以绝干污泥计)分别为25.88 mg·g-1、80 mg·g-1(Fe2+与S2O2-8摩尔比为1.1∶1)时,污泥毛细吸水时间CST和污泥比阻SRF降低率最大,滤液中蛋白质和多糖浓度达到最大.进一步的研究表明,污泥Zeta电位值由负向正变化,颗粒比表面积增大,絮体由密集的团状变成结构松散的层状结构,污泥脱水性能提高.