An investigation of changes in water quality throughout the drinking water production/distribution chain using toxicological and fluorescence analyses

Changes in water quality from source water to finished water and tap water at two conventional drinking water treatment plants(DWTPs) were monitored.Beside the routine water quality testing,Caenorhabditis elegans-based toxicity assays and the fluorescence excitation–emission matrices technique were also applied.Both DWTPs supplied drinking water that met government standards.Under current test conditions,both the investigated finished water and tap water samples exhibited stronger lethal,genotoxic and reprotoxic potential than the relative source water sample,and the tap water sample was more lethal but tended to be less genotoxic than the corresponding finished water sample.Meanwhile,the nearly complete removal of tryptophan-like substances and newly generated tyrosine-like substances were observed after the treatment of drinking water,and humic-like substances were identified in the tap water.Based on these findings,toxic pollutants,including genotoxic/reproductive toxicants,are produced in the drinking water treatment and/or distribution processes.Moreover,further studies are needed to clarify the potentially important roles of tyrosine-like and humic-like substances in mediating drinking water toxicity and to identify the potential sources of these contaminants.Additionally,tryptophan-like fluorescence may be adopted as a useful parameter to monitor the treatment performance of DWTPs.Our observations provided insights into the importance of utilizing biotoxicity assays and fluorescence spectroscopy as tools to complement the routine evaluation of drinking water.     

The study of biological activity of transformation products of diclofenac and its interaction with chlorogenic acid

In the present work we compared the biological activity of DCF, 4′-OHDCF and 5-OHDCF as molecules of most biodegradation pathways of DCF and selected transformation products (2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid; 2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and 2,6-dichloroaniline) which are produced during AOPs, such as ozonation and UV/H₂O₂. We also examined the interaction of DCF with chlorogenic acid (CGA). CGA is commonly used in human diet and entering the environment along with waste mainly from the processing and brewing of coffee and it can be toxic for microorganisms included in activated sludge. In the present experiment the evaluation of following parameters was performed: E. coli K-12 cells viability, growth inhibition of E. coli K-12 culture, LC₅₀ and mortality of Chironomus aprilinus, genotoxicity, sodA promoter induction and ROS generation. In addition the reactivity of E. coli SM recA:luxCDABE biosensor strain in wastewater matrices was measured. The results showed the influence of DCF, 4′-OHDCF and 5-OHDCF on E. coli K-12 cells viability and bacteria growth, comparable to AOPs by-products. The highest toxicity was observed for selected, tested AOPs by-products, in comparison to the DCF, 4′-OHDCF and 5-OHDCF. Genotoxicity assay indicated that 2,6-dichloroaniline (AOPs by-product) had the highest toxic effect. The oxidative stress assays revealed that the highest level of ROS generation and sodA promoter induction were obtained for DCF, 4′-OHDCF and 5-OHDCF, compared to other tested compounds. We have also found that there is an interaction between chlorogenic acid and DCF, which resulted in increased toxicity of the mixture of the both compounds to E. coli K-12, comparable to parent chemicals. The strongest response of E. coli SM biosensor strain with recA:luxCDABE genetic construct in filtered treated wastewaters, comparable to control sample was noticed. It indicates, that E. coli SM recA:luxCDABE biosensor strains is a good tool for bacteria monitoring in wastewater environment. Due to toxicity and biological activity of tested DCF transformation products, there is a need to use additional wastewater treatment systems for wastewater contaminated with pharmaceutical residues.     

Removal and desorption of chromium in synthetic effluent by a mixed culture in a bioreactor with a magnetic field

Two chromium removal experiments were performed in bioreactors with and without a magnetic field under the same conditions.The release of the chromium present in the biomass was tested in two experiments one with the initial pH of the medium and one with pH 4.0.The objective was to remove Cr(Ⅵ) and total Cr from the effluent,this was carried out by placing biological treatments of synthetic effluent contaminated with 100 mg/L of Cr(Ⅵ) in a bioreactor with neodymium magnets that applied a magnetic field(intensity85.4 mT) to the mixed culture.The removal of Cr(Ⅵ) was approximately 100.0% for the bioreactor with a magnetic field and 93,3% for the bioreactor without a magnetic field for9 hr of recirculation of the synthetic effluent by the bioreactor.The removal of total Cr was61.6% and 48.4%,with and without a magnetic field,respectively;for 24 hr.The desorption of Cr(VI) in the synthetic effluent was 0.05 mg/L,which is below the limit established by Brazilian legislation(0.1 mg/L) for the discharge of effluent containing Cr(Ⅵ) into bodies of water.The results obtained for the removal of chromium in synthetic effluent suggested that there was no significant influence on the viable cell count of the mixed culture.The desorption of Cr(Ⅵ) in synthetic effluent after bioadsorption of chromium by the mixed culture in the process of removal of chromium in bioreactors with and without a magnetic field was not significant in either of the experiments with different initial pHs.     

精神活性物质在北京市某污水处理厂中的污染特征与生态风险

为了解污水处理厂对精神活性物质的去除特征及总出水对受纳水体的生态风险,采用固相萃取-高效液相色谱-串联质谱法调查了北京市某污水处理厂中13种精神活性物质的浓度水平与负荷量变化,并运用RQ（risk quotient,风险熵）对总出水中精神活性物质进行风险评估.结果表明:①13种精神活性物质在总进水与总出水中均能检出,总质量浓度平均值分别为2 395.10和63.59 ng/L,其中ρ（EPH）（EPH表示麻黄碱）占比分别为93.9%和67.9%,其次为COD（可待因）与METH（甲基苯丙胺）.污水处理厂上游地表水中ρ（EPH）、ρ（METH）与ρ（KET）（KET为氯胺酮）均高于总出水及其下游地表水,说明上游沿河可能有新的污染源输入.②污水处理厂对NK（去甲氯胺酮）、BE（苯甲酰爱康宁）和MTD（美沙酮）均呈负去除,其他精神活性物质的去除主要发生在二级生物处理与三级处理（超滤膜与UV消毒）阶段.③污水处理厂服务区域内精神活性物质的周内负荷量存在一定波动,AMP（苯丙胺）、METH、MDA（3,4-亚甲二氧基苯丙胺）、MDMA（3,4-亚甲二氧基甲基苯丙胺）、KET与HER（海洛因）的负荷量均在周末升高.④污水处理厂总出水中精神活性物质的生态风险均较低（RQ < 0.10）.研究显示,污水处理厂不能完全去除污水中的精神活性物质,总出水中残留精神活性物质对受纳河流生态系统产生的长期混合效应不容忽视.      

污泥腐殖酸对Cd2+的吸附特性

为了促进污水处理厂剩余污泥的资源化利用,探索S-HA（sludge-based humic acid, 污泥腐殖酸）对溶液中重金属Cd2+的吸附特性.采用国际腐殖酸协会（IHSS）推荐的方法提取S-HA,通过元素分析、FT-IR（傅里叶红外光谱分析）和SEM-EDS（外观形态分析）等方法,考察溶液pH和共存阳离子对吸附过程的影响,并对吸附过程分别进行了吸附动力学模型、等温吸附模型和吸附热力学模型拟合,同时通过对比S-HA吸附前后的红外光谱和扫描电镜-能谱图片,探索S-HA对Cd2+的吸附机制.结果表明:①S-HA表面呈松散的簇团状,含有大量的羧基、醇羟基和酚羟基等含氧官能团,芳香度较高,含有较多的脂肪链结构;S-HA在吸附水中Cd2+的过程中,Cd2+与S-HA表面上的酚羟基、羧基等官能团发生了络合作用.②S-HA对Cd2+的吸附量随溶液pH升高而增加,溶液中Na+、NH₄+和Ca2+等共存阳离子的存在不利于S-HA对Cd2+的吸附,其中Ca2+的存在对S-HA吸附Cd2+影响最大.③S-HA对Cd2+的吸附由快吸附、慢吸附和吸附平衡3个阶段组成,吸附平衡时间为12 h;吸附过程符合准二级动力学模型,其整体吸附速度由液膜扩散和颗粒内扩散共同控制;吸附等温线符合Freundlich等温吸附模型,25℃下的最大吸附量为19.29 mg/g,Cd2+在S-HA上的吸附是自发吸热反应.研究显示:污水处理厂剩余污泥提取的S-HA对Cd2+具有较好的吸附效果;S-HA对Cd2+的吸附过程同时存在着物理吸附和化学吸附;高pH对S-HA吸附Cd2+有促进作用,而高离子强度对S-HA吸附Cd2+有抑制作用.      

石灰对生物炭和腐殖酸阻控水稻Cd吸收的效应

采用田间试验,研究了石灰-生物炭和石灰-腐殖酸两种联合修复剂及其不同施用量对酸性土壤中稻米Cd含量、产量和品质的影响,并对不同处理修复效果进行综合评估.结果表明,两种联合修复剂能显著降低稻米Cd含量17.39%~45.96%,降低土壤有效Cd含量18.29%~29.88%,.生物炭、腐殖酸施用量分别为5000,6000kg/hm²时,稻米Cd的降低效果最佳.石灰-生物炭处理中,降低稻米Cd含量的主要因子为土壤pH和土壤有效Cd含量（P<0.05）,而石灰-腐殖酸处理则为土壤有机质含量与土壤有效Cd含量（P<0.05）.施加修复剂后稻米产量可达6637~7890kg/hm²,直链淀粉含量达到19.47%~27.26%;当腐殖酸施用量为7500kg/hm²时可使稻米产量提高10.97%,而石灰-生物炭处理对稻米产量无显著影响;采用层次分析法确定了稻米Cd含量、稻米产量、稻米品质和修复费用在修复效应评估中所占权重为0.608、0.150、0.102、0.140,综合评估结果显示土壤-水稻系统Cd阻控效应的联合修复技术为：在施用1200kg/hm²石灰的基础上同时施加6000kg/hm²腐殖酸.     

氧基氯化铁非均相活化过一硫酸盐降解金橙Ⅱ

采用部分热分解法制备了氧基氯化铁（FeOCl）,用于活化过一硫酸盐（PMS）降解难降解偶氮染料金橙Ⅱ（AO7）.利用X射线光电子能谱分析（XPS）、扫描电镜（SEM）和X射线衍射光谱（XRD）对其进行了表征;通过实验评估FeOCl/PMS体系对AO7的降解效果并分析了影响AO7去除率的各种因素.结果表明：FeOCl活化PMS降解AO7效果良好,矿化率达44%.在中性条件下,当FeOCl投加量50mg/L、PMS浓度1.0mmol/L、AO7浓度0.05mmol/L时,AO7可在30min内完全降解.随PMS投加量、FeOCl投加量、Cl^-浓度和反应初始pH值的增大,AO7的脱色效果提高.FeOCl还具有良好的重复利用性.此外,通过自由基淬灭实验、EPR测试和XPS分析了反应的主要活性物种和反应机理：由PMS活化产生的SO₄^-·和·OH对污染物进行降解,其中主要活性物种为SO₄^-·.     

腐植酸中不同分子量组分与As(Ⅲ)的络合性能

采用超滤方法将腐植酸（HA）分成5个不同分子量组分,利用平衡透析法研究HA中不同分子量组分与As（III）的络合特征和作用机理,计算络合过程的条件分配系数、表观稳定常数.结果表明,腐植酸组分的分子量对HA与As（III）的络合过程有显著的影响,当分子量小于10kDa时,HA与As（III）络合能力明显强于其他条件.其中羧基和酚羟基在HA与砷络合中起重要作用,为主要络合位点.采用Scatchard分析和双位点配体模型对络合结果进行拟合,发现HA中不同分子量组分和As（III）的络合过程中均存在强和弱2种络合位点.     

Human viral pathogens are pervasive in wastewater treatment center aerosols

Wastewater treatment center(WTC) workers may be vulnerable to diseases caused by viruses, such as the common cold, influenza and gastro-intestinal infections. Although there is a substantial body of literature characterizing the microbial community found in wastewater, only a few studies have characterized the viral component of WTC aerosols,despite the fact that most diseases affecting WTC workers are of viral origin and that some of these viruses are transmitted through the air. In this study, we evaluated in four WTCs the presence of 11 viral pathogens of particular concern in this milieu and used a metagenomic approach to characterize the total viral community in the air of one of those WTCs. The presence of viruses in aerosols in different locations of individual WTCs was evaluated and the results obtained with four commonly used air samplers were compared.We detected four of the eleven viruses tested, including human adenovirus(h Ad V),rotavirus, hepatitis A virus(HAV) and Herpes Simplex virus type 1(HSV1). The results of the metagenomic assay uncovered very few viral RNA sequences in WTC aerosols, however sequences from human DNA viruses were in much greater relative abundance.     

Relationship between physicochemical properties and dewaterability of hydrothermal sludge derived from different source

Sewage sludge (SS) and deinking sludge (DS) were used to comparatively study the hydrothermal dewatering of sludge with different components. For a better overview, an insight into the relationship between physicochemical properties and dewaterability of hydrothermal sludge was provided. Results found that not all kinds of sludge were suitably conditioned by hydrothermal treatment (HT) in term of the elevation of dewaterability. Higher hydrothermal temperature tended to enhance the dewaterability of SS rather than DS, which was supported by the variation of their physicochemical properties (including water distribution, bonding energy, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), particles size, acid functional groups and zeta potential in this study). In addition, the changes in surface morphology suggested that the reverse effect of HT on sludge dewaterability was mainly due to their dewatering behavior. For SS, the destruction of EPS structure leaded to the release of bound water, thereby strengthening sludge dewatering. Conversely, “Bridging effect” generated by lignocellulose in DS was beneficial for sludge dewatering; however, the increasing hydrothermal temperature degraded part of lignocellulose and weakened “bridging effect”, finally resulting in worse dewaterability of DS.