Natural and anthropogenic influences on heavy metals in airborne particles over the Korean Peninsula

Six monitoring stations were selected to characterize the variations in airborne concentrations of heavy metals in South Korea between 1999 and 2012. Three stations represented higher concentrations, and three represented lower concentrations. The heavy metals monitored at these stations include cadmium, chromium, copper, iron (Fe), lead, manganese (Mn), and nickel. During the study period, concentrations of heavy metals at many stations, including those around the Seoul metropolitan area, showed a decreasing trend. However, concentrations of Mn and Fe that are primarily of crustal origin increased at four of the six stations. Some stations were significantly affected by emissions from the local industrial complex (IC), and heavy metal concentrations at those stations were relatively high even in summer. Many heavy metal concentrations were higher in spring than in winter, but wintertime concentrations of Cr and Pb were higher at the stations representing lower concentrations due to the dominant influence of combustion emissions. At stations less affected by emissions from the IC, concentrations of Fe and Mn that are predominantly crustal in origin were higher in spring, when Asian dust (AD) events are most frequent. Although Mn concentrations were also high at stations within the steelmaking IC during AD periods, they were much higher during non-AD periods due to local emissions. Variations in heavy metal concentrations, which are heavily influenced by emissions from the IC, warrant individual analysis because their emission characteristics differ from those of typical cases.     

Effects of water-emulsified fuel on a diesel engine generator’s thermal efficiency and exhaust

Water-emulsified diesel has proven itself as a technically sufficient improvement fuel to improve diesel engine fuel combustion emissions and engine performance. However, it has seldom been used in light-duty diesel engines. Therefore, this paper focuses on an investigation into the thermal efficiency and pollution emission analysis of a light-duty diesel engine generator fueled with different water content emulsified diesel fuels (WD, including WD-0, WD-5, WD-10, and WD-15). In this study, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and carbon dioxide were analyzed by a vehicle emission gas analyzer, and the particle size and number concentration were measured by an electrical low-pressure impactor. In addition, engine loading and fuel consumption were also measured to calculate the thermal efficiency. Measurement results suggested that water-emulsified diesel was useful to improve the thermal efficiency and the exhaust emission of a diesel engine. Obviously, the thermal efficiency was increased about 1.2 to 19.9%. In addition, water-emulsified diesel leads to a significant reduction of nitric oxide emission (less by about 18.3 to 45.4%). However, the particle number concentration emission might be increased if the loading of the generator becomes lower than or equal to 1800 W. In addition, exhaust particle size distributions were shifted toward larger particles at high loading. The consequence of this research proposed that the water-emulsified diesel was useful to improve the engine performance and some of exhaust emissions, especially the NO emission reduction.

Implications:The accumulated test results provide a good basis to resolve the corresponding pollutants emitted from a light-duty diesel engine generator. By measuring and analyzing transforms of exhaust pollutant from this engine generator, the effects of water-emulsified diesel fuel and loading on emission characteristics might be more clear. Understanding reduction of pollutant emissions during the use of water-emulsified diesel helps improve the effectiveness of the testing program. The analyzed consequences provide useful information to the government for setting policies to curb pollutant emissions from a light-duty diesel engine generator more effectively.     

Tetra-detector size exclusion chromatography characterization of molecular and solution properties of soluble microbial polysaccharides from an anaerobic membrane bioreactor

Characterization of the molecular properties of soluble microbial products (SMP) is critical for understanding the membrane filtration and fouling mechanisms in anaerobic and aerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR & MBR). In this study, the distributions of the absolute molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity of SMP polysaccharides from an AnMBR were effectively determined by a high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) that was coupled with the refractive index (RI), diode array UV (DAUV), right and low angle light scattering (LS), and viscometer (Vis) detectors. Based on the tetra-detector HPSEC determined absolute molecular weights and intrinsic viscosity, a universal calibration relationship for the SMP polysaccharides was developed and the molecular conformations, average molecular weights, and hydrodynamic sizes of the SMP polysaccharides were also explored. Two factors which can be derived from the tetra-detector HPSEC analysis were proposed for the characterization of the viscous and osmotic pressure properties of the SMP polysaccharides. In addition, it was also extrapolated how to analyze the resistance characteristics of the concentration polarization layers formed in membrane filtration based on the molecular properties determined by the tetra-detector HPSEC analysis.

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共存物质对重金属絮凝齐MCC除镉性能的影响

为进一步拓展天然高分子絮凝剂壳聚糖的应用范围，以壳聚糖、L-半胱氨酸为原料，通过酰胺化反应制备一种具有重金属捕集功能的高分子重金属絮凝剂-2-氨基-3-巯基丙酰壳聚糖（MCC），研究了水体中常见的阴阳离子、有机配位剂及浊度对MCC除镉性能的影响，探讨了絮体形貌与絮体分形维数及絮凝除镉效果间的关系。结果表明，Na＋、Cl-、N03、F-、SO4 2-的存在对MCC除Cd2＋均有促进作用，Ca2＋表现为明显的抑制作用；低浓度的EDTA对除镉有促进作用，随着EDTA浓度的增大，逐渐转为抑制作用；低浓度的腐殖酸对MCC去除Cd2＋有显著的促进作用；在一定范围内，浊度可促进MCC对Cd2＋的去除；絮体间空隙越多，絮体分形维数越小，除镉效果越好。     

石英砂滤料表面润湿改性

采用硅烷偶联剂、钛酸酯偶联剂和铝酸酯偶联剂对石英砂进行表面改性,以制备亲油疏水性滤料。研究得出,钛酸酯偶联剂改性石英砂的最佳工艺条件为:偶联剂用量15%,反应温度90℃,搅拌时间15 min;硅烷偶联剂和铝酸酯偶联剂改性石英砂的最佳工艺条件均为:偶联剂用量15%,反应温度110℃,搅拌时间15 min。水对钛酸酯偶联剂改性石英砂滤料的润湿重量由改性前的1.5589 g降低到0.0282 g,水对硅烷偶联剂改性石英砂滤料的润湿重量降低到0.0607 g,水对铝酸酯改性石英砂滤料的润湿重量降低到0.2664 g。静态吸附实验表明,硅烷偶联剂、钛酸酯偶联剂和铝酸酯偶联剂改性石英砂滤料对油的吸附容量分别增加了33.67%、42.87%和22.30%。XPS和FT-IR分析表明,偶联剂均以化学键的方式包覆在石英砂滤料表面,结合稳定。     

Bioaccumulation of zinc,lead, copper,and cadmium from contaminated sediments by native plant species and Acrida cinerea in South China

This research was conducted to search and identify spontaneously growing heavy metal-tolerant plant species that are potentially useful for phytoremediation in contaminated sediment. Five sites were selected for collection of plants growing on polluted shore (river bank) sediment of the Xiang River, China. The concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd in plants, sediments, and grasshoppers were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS700, Perkin-Elmer, USA). Considering translocation factor and bioaccumulation factor, Rumex crispus (Polygonaceae), Rumex dentatus (Polygonaceae), and Lagopsis supina (Labiatae) could be potentially useful for phytostabilization of metals. R. crispus can be considered potentially useful for phytoextraction of Cd. In light of the biomagnification factors, grasshoppers are deconcentrators for Pb and Cd, microconcentrators for Zn and macroconcentrators for Cu to the plants, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first report on Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd accumulation in R. crispus and L. supina, providing a pioneer contribution to the very small volume of data available on the potential use of native plant species from contaminated sediments in phytostabilization and phytoremediation technologies.     

共存物质对重金属絮凝剂 MCC 除镉性能的影响简

为进一步拓展天然高分子絮凝剂壳聚糖的应用范围，以壳聚糖、L-半胱氨酸为原料，通过酰胺化反应制备一种具有重金属捕集功能的高分子重金属絮凝剂-2-氨基-3-巯基丙酰壳聚糖（MCC），研究了水体中常见的阴阳离子、有机配位剂及浊度对MCC除镉性能的影响，探讨了絮体形貌与絮体分形维数及絮凝除镉效果间的关系。结果表明，Na⁺、Cl^-、NO₃^-、F^-、SO₄^2-的存在对MCC除Cd²⁺均有促进作用，Ca²⁺表现为明显的抑制作用；低浓度的EDTA对除镉有促进作用，随着EDTA浓度的增大，逐渐转为抑制作用；低浓度的腐殖酸对MCC去除Cd²⁺有显著的促进作用；在一定范围内，浊度可促进 MCC对Cd²⁺的去除；絮体间空隙越多，絮体分形维数越小，除镉效果越好。     

Co-pyrolysis of swine manure with agricultural plastic waste: Laboratory-scale study

Manure-derived biochar is the solid product resulting from pyrolysis of animal manures. It has considerable potential both to improve soil quality with high levels of nutrients and to reduce contaminants in water and soil. However, the combustible gas produced from manure pyrolysis generally does not provide enough energy to sustain the pyrolysis process. Supplementing this process may be achieved with spent agricultural plastic films; these feedstocks have large amounts of available energy. Plastic films are often used in soil fumigation. They are usually disposed in landfills, which is wasteful, expensive, and environmentally unsustainable. The objective of this work was to investigate both the energetics of co-pyrolyzing swine solids with spent plastic mulch films (SPM) and the characteristics of its gas, liquid, and solid byproducts. The heating value of the product gas from co-pyrolysis was found to be much higher than that of natural gas; furthermore, the gas had no detectable toxic fumigants. Energetically, sustaining pyrolysis of the swine solids through the energy of the product gas could be achieved by co-pyrolyzing dewatered swine solids (25% m/m) with just 10% SPM. If more than 10% SPM is used, the co-pyrolysis would generate surplus energy which could be used for power generation. Biochars produced from co-pyrolyzing SPM and swine solid were similar to swine solid alone based on the surface area and the ¹H NMR spectra. The results of this study demonstrated the potential of using pyrolysis technology to manage two prominent agricultural waste streams (SPM and swine solids) while producing value-added biochar and a power source that could be used for local farm operations.     

Congener-specific accumulation and environmental risk assessment of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in diverse Korean sewage sludge types

Industrial, domestic wastewater, and livestock sludge samples were collected from 23 wastewater treatment plants in Korea and analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The concentrations of Σ₁₉PBDE ranged from 4.01 to 10,400 ng/g dry weight. The average Σ₁₉PBDE concentrations in industrial, domestic wastewater, and livestock sludge were 1,560?±?3,610, 402?±?148, and 27.6?±?50.4 ng/g dry weight, respectively. The composition of PBDEs differed according to the type of sludge. Among the PBDE congeners, BDE 209 was dominant in all sludge samples. After BDE 209, relatively high levels were found for BDE 28 and 47 from industrial sludge, BDE 47 and 99 from domestic wastewater sludge, and BDE 206, 207, and 208 from livestock sludge. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, sludges were divided into three groups according to PBDE congener composition. A risk assessment of PBDEs in sludge used for soil amendment was carried out. Preliminary results indicated that the potential risk of soil exposed to PBDEs in sludge was relatively low.     

西北干旱地区农宅雨水转化为可饮水技术

雨水集流工程对于解决干旱地区人民生活用水问题起着重要作用,甘肃省兰州市榆中县北山地区处于严重缺水的地区,人畜的饮用水为雨水、雪水直接沉淀后的水窖水。经过对北山饮用水进行水质检测,发现水中浊度、锰含量、微生物数量均超过《生活饮用水卫生标准》(GB5749-2006)的规定值。通过对传统滤池进行改造并结合阳光消毒研制出了一种新型水处理器——阳光消毒-生物砂滤池(SBF)家庭水处理设备,通过生物砂滤池中微生物对雨水中污染物的氧化分解及河砂的过滤使水浊度及锰得到有效地去除,日光高温灭活和光氧化降解综合作用杀灭水中致病微生物。用SBF家庭水处理设备对雨水进行处理,水中浊度、锰含量、微生物数量均达到标准的规定值。