Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from aqueous solution by raw and modified plant residue materials as biosorbents

Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons （PAHs）, e.g., naphthalene, acenaphthene, phenanthrene and pyrene, from aqueous solution by raw and modified plant residues was investigated to develop low cost biosorbents for organic pollutant abatement. Bamboo wood, pine wood, pine needles and pine bark were selected as plant residues, and acid hydrolysis was used as an easily modification method. The raw and modified biosorbents were characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The sorption isotherms of PAHs to raw biosorbents were apparently linear, and were dominated by a partitioning process. In comparison, the isotherms of the hydrolyzed biosorbents displayed nonlinearity, which was controlled by partitioning and the specific interaction mechanism. The sorpfion kinetic curves of PAHs to the raw and modified plant residues fit well with the pseudo second-order kinetics model. The sorption rates were faster for the raw biosorbents than the corresponding hydrolyzed biosorbents, which was attributed to the latter having more condensed domains （i.e., exposed aromatic core）. By the consumption of the amorphous cellulose component under acid hydrolysis, the sorption capability of the hydrolyzed biosorbents was notably enhanced, i.e., 6-18 fold for phenanthrene, 6-8 fold for naphthalene and pyrene and 5-8 fold for acenaphthene. The sorpfion coefficients （Kd） were negatively correlated with the polarity index [（O＋N）/C], and positively correlated with the aromaticity of the biosorbents. For a given biosorbent, a positive linear correlation between logKoc and logKow for different PAHs was observed. Interestingly, the linear plots of logKoc-logKow were parallel for different biosorbents. These observations suggest that the raw and modified plant residues have great potential as biosorbents to remove PAHs from wastewater.     

Nitrogen mass balance in a constructed wetland treating piggery wastewater effluent

The nitrogen changes and the nitrogen mass balance in a free water surface flow constructed wetland （CW） using the four-year monitoring data from 2008 to 2012 were estimated. The CW was composed of six cells in series that include the first settling basin （Cell 1）, aeration pond （Cell 2）, deep marsh （Cell 3）, shallow marsh （Cell 4）, deep marsh （Cell 5） and final settling basin （Cell 6）. Analysis revealed that the NH4＋-N concentration decreased because of ammonification which was then followed by nitrification. The NO4＋-N and NO4＋-N were also further reduced by means of microbial activities and plant uptake during photosynthesis. The average nitrogen concentration at the influent was 37,819 kg/year and approximately 45% of that amount exited the CW in the effluent. The denitrification amounted to 34% of the net nitrogen input, whereas the accretion of sediment was only 7%. The biomass uptake of plants was able to retain only 1% of total nitrogen load. In order to improve the nutrient removal by plant uptake, plant coverage in four cells （i.e., Cells 1, 3, 4 and 5） could be increased.     

Beyond hypoxia：Occurrence and characteristics of black blooms due to the decomposition of the submerged plant Potamogeton crispus in a shallow lake

Organic matter-induced black blooms(hypoxia and an offensive odor) are a serious ecosystem disasters that have occurred in some large eutrophic shallow lakes in China. In this study, we investigated two separate black blooms that were induced by Potamogeton crispus in Lake Taihu, China. The main physical and chemical characteristics, including color- and odor-related substances, of the black blooms were analyzed. The black blooms were characterized by low dissolved oxygen concentration(close to 0 mg/L), low oxidation-reduction potential, and relatively low pH of overlying water. Notably higher Fe2+and∑S2-were found in the black-bloom waters than in waters not affected by black blooms. The black color of the water may be attributable to the high concentration of these elements, as black FeS was considered to be the main substance causing the black color of blooms in freshwater lakes. Volatile organic sulfur compounds, including dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide, were very abundant in the black-bloom waters. The massive anoxic degradation of dead Potamogeton crispus plants released dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide, which were the main odor-causing compounds in the black blooms. The black blooms also induced an increase in ammonium nitrogen and soluble reactive phosphorus levels in the overlying waters. This extreme phenomenon not only heavily influenced the original lake ecosystem but also greatly changed the cycling of Fe, S, and nutrients in the water column.     

Efectiveness of national air pollution control policies on the air quality in metropolitan areas of China

Understanding the efectiveness of national air pollution controls is important for control policy design to improve the future air quality in China. This study evaluated the efectiveness of major national control policies implemented recently in China through a modeling analysis. The sulfur dioxide(SO2) control policy during the 11th Five Year Plan period(2006–2010) had succeeded in reducing the national SO2emission in 2010 by 14% from its 2005 level, which correspondingly reduced ambient SO2and sulfate(SO4 2) concentrations by 13%–15% and 8%–10% respectively over east China. The nitrogen oxides(NOx) control policy during the 12th Five Year Plan period(2011–2015) targets the reduction of the national NOx emission in 2015 by 10% on the basis of 2010. The simulation results suggest that such a reduction in NOx emission will reduce the ambient nitrogen dioxide(NO2), nitrate(NO3), 1-hr maxima ozone(O3) concentrations and total nitrogen deposition by 8%, 3%–14%, 2% and 2%–4%, respectively over east China. The application of new emission standards for power plants will further reduce the NO2, NO3, 1-hr maxima O3concentrations and total nitrogen deposition by 2%–4%, 1%–6%, 0–2% and 1%–2%, respectively. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the inter-provincial impacts of emission reduction in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and the Yangtze River Delta, which indicated the need to implement joint regional air pollution control.     

岷江上游水电开发特点及其空间格局分析

研究流域的水电开发类型与空间格局,可为水库群的累积环境影响评价、流域水电优化布局等提供科学参考。在流域分割的基础上,对岷江上游水电站的基本类型、水电站的空间分布格局进行了全面分析,并构建水电开发率、水电开发密度和水电开发强度3个指标对流域水电开发程度作出综合评价。结果表明岷江上游流域水电站类型以高水头低闸坝的引水式小水电为主,高坝大库相对较少。梯级水电开发已拓展至岷江三级支流,汶川—都江堰河段是干流水电开发程度最高的河段,杂谷脑河是水电开发程度最高的一级支流流域。岷江上游流域的水电开发率远高于全国平均水平,梯级水电开发密度大于国内主要河流。农村小水电占水电站总数的82%,梯级农村小水电对生态环境的累积影响是将来值得深入探讨的问题。     

湘潭锰矿重金属环境安全及植物耐性研究

采集了湘潭锰矿红旗分矿开采区、沙圹村恢复区的代表性当季蔬菜(莴笋叶Fruticicolidae、小白菜Brassica chinensis、香葱Allium schoenoprasum、空心菜Ipomoea aquatica)、废弃区的优势植物(商陆Phytolacca acinosa、野茼蒿Crassocephalum crepidioides、苍耳Xanthium sibiricum)和3个研究区的土壤,通过原子吸收分光光度法分析了Mn、Pb、Zn含量。结果表明:开采区蔬菜Mn含量(8.3~84.5 mg/kg)明显高于恢复区(2.7~55.6 mg/kg),开采区和恢复区蔬菜都明显受到Pb污染(0.6~33mg/kg),蔬菜Zn含量范围为1.9~6.5mg/kg;3个研究区域土壤重金属均明显超标,最严重的是Pb污染(1 993.5~2 213.5mg/kg)。商陆、野茼蒿和苍耳中重金属含量差异较大,对重金属的耐性强,其中商陆表现出最好的耐性与长势。研究结论对锰矿土地合理利用以及矿区土壤重金属治理提供一定的科学依据。     

中小燃煤锅炉PM2.5排放特征实测研究

中小燃煤锅炉是我国工业和民用部门最主要的供热方式,掌握其一次颗粒物的排放特征对于研究大气PM2.5的来源和控制途径具有重要意义.本研究通过实测中小燃煤锅炉烟气,获得了中小燃煤锅炉PM2.5及以下粒径段的排放因子和分布,并分析了各粒径段的颗粒密度及除尘装置的去除效率.研究发现,PM2.5质量排放因子平均为(0.123±0.061)kg·t-1,PM2.5粒子数的排放因子平均为(3.17±1.65)×105t-1,烟气中70~120 nm粒径段的积聚模态颗粒在质量和数量上都高于其他粒径段.锅炉燃烧负荷是影响锅炉PM2.5排放的重要因素,锅炉的燃烧负荷越低,PM2.5排放将随之降低.实测锅炉的PM2.5排放因子显著低于物料衡算结果,说明采用物料衡算方法可能极大地高估了现有排放清单中工业燃煤锅炉的一次PM2.5排放量.     

植物对纳米颗粒的吸收、转运及毒性效应

随着工程纳米颗粒的广泛使用,这些纳米材料不可避免地进入环境,对环境造成未知影响.植物是高等生物暴露于纳米颗粒的一条主要途径,工程纳米颗粒可能通过食物链使其在高营养水平生物中积累.植物与纳米颗粒间的相互作用应该受到关注和重视.已有的文献表明纳米颗粒能被植物选择性地吸收并引起植物毒性,但纳米颗粒进入植物体内的机制仍不明确.多数关于植物吸收纳米颗粒的研究是在理想条件如水培实验下开展,并且集中在植物的种子发芽或是幼苗生长阶段.描述纳米颗粒在植物体内的生物转化和在植物体内分配的报道较少,而且这方面的机制没有阐述清楚.目前有许多研究者关注纳米颗粒的植物毒性效应,但这方面的研究需要进一步深入.     

太阳能驱动的一体化设备在农村污水处理中的应用

以太湖流域环境敏感区内某村为例,介绍了太阳能驱动的污水处理一体化设备对农村生活污水处理的应用。连续6个月的运行及监测数据表明,污水处理实际消耗电量与光伏发电量比值为54.3%,能够有效地保证污水处理所需动力。污水处理部分采用A/O-BF一体化技术,生活污水经处理以后,出水水质达到GB 18918-2002《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》中一级A标准。太阳能驱动的污水处理一体化设备运行稳定、故障率低、无需投加药剂且无运行费用,适宜在太湖流域的农村地区推广应用。     

土壤滤池+等离子除臭技术在污水处理厂的应用

随着区域规划的调整,苏州某污水处理厂周围环境变得较为敏感,原有除臭设施已无法满足新的环保要求,该污水处理厂的除臭工程需要进行升级改造.经综合比选后确定采用在现有除臭设施基础上增设土壤滤池+等离子除臭设施的方案.除臭工程实施后,主要臭气源得到有效控制,氨、硫化氢和二硫化碳等恶臭物质去除率均在85％以上,甚至达到99％,除臭设施处理效果良好,厂界处污染物排放满足GB 14554-93《恶臭污染物排放标准》一级标准要求.