Removal of phosphate from wastewater using alkaline residue

Alkaline residue(AR) was found to be an efficient adsorbent for phosphate removal from wastewater. The kinetic and equilibrium of phosphate removal were investigated to evaluate the performance of modified alkaline residue. After treatment by NaOH(AR-NaOH), removal performance was significantly improved, while removal performance was almost completely lost after treatment by HCl(AR-HCl). The kinetics of the removal process by all adsorbents was well characterized by the pseudo second-order model. The Langmuir model exhibited the best correlation for AR-HCl, while AR was effectively described by Freundlich model. Both models were well fitted to AR-NaOH. The maximum adsorption capacities calculated from Langmuir equation were in following manner: AR-NaOH AR AR-HCl. Phosphate removal by alkaline residue was pH dependent process. Mechanisms for phosphate removal mainly involved adsorption and precipitation, varied with equilibrium pH of solution. For AR-HCl, the acid equilibrium pH( 6.0) was unfavorable for the formation of Ca-P precipitate, with adsorption as the key mechanism for phosphate removal. In contrast, for AR and ARNaOH, precipitation was the dominant mechanism for phosphate removal, due to the incrase on pH( 8.0) after phosphate removal. The results of both XRD and SEM analysis confirmed CaHPO4·2H2O formation after phosphate removal by AR and AR-NaOH.     

Arsenic removal from groundwater by acclimated sludge under autohydrogenotrophic conditions

Arsenic in the environment is attracting increasing attention due to its chronic health effects. Although arsenite(As(III)) is generally more mobile and more toxic than arsenate(As(V)), reducing As(V) to As(III) may still be a means for decontamination, because As(III) can be removed from solution by precipitation with sulfide or by adsorption or complexation with other metal sulfides. The performance of As(V) bio-reduction under autohydrogenotrophic conditions was investigated with batch experiments. The results showed that As(V) reduction was a biochemical process while both acclimated sludge and hydrogen were essential. Most of the reduced arsenic remained in a soluble form, although 20% was removed with no addition of sulfate, while 82% was removed when sulfate was reduced to sulfide. The results demonstrated that the reduced arsenic was re-sequestered in the precipitates, probably as arsenic sulfides. Kinetic analysis showed that pseudo first-order kinetics described the bio-reduction process better than pseudo second-order. In particular, the influences of pH and temperature on As(V) reduction by acclimated sludge under autohydrogenotrophic conditions and total soluble As removal were examined. The reduction process was highly sensitive to both pH and temperature, with the optimum ranges of pH 6.5–7.0 and 30–40°C respectively. Furthermore, Arrhenius modeling results for the temperature effect indicated that the As(V) reduction trend was systematic. Total soluble As removal was consistent with the trend of As(V) reduction.     

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.     

Characterization of extracellular polymeric substances in the biofilms of typical bacteria by the sulfur K-edge XANES spectroscopy

A combined approach of physicochemical extraction and sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure（XANES） spectroscopy was applied to characterize the extracellular polymeric substances（EPS） of typical bacterial biofilms in this study. Physicochemical analysis showed variation of the contents of DNA,polysaccharide and protein in different fractions of EPS in different mediums. The sulfur K-edge XANES analysis yielded a variety of spectra.Spectral fitting of the XANES spectra utilizing a large set of model compounds showed that there was more reduced sulfur in both LB-EPS（loosely bound EPS） and TB-EPS（tightly bound EPS） of all the biofilms in LB medium than in R2 A medium. More oxidized sulfur was identified in LB-EPS than that in TB-EPS,suggesting different niches and physiological heterogeneity in the biofilms. Our results suggested that the sulfur K-edge XANES can be a useful tool to analyze the sulfur speciation in EPS of biofilms.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal phylogenetic groups differ in affecting host plants along heavy metal levels

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi（AMF） are important components of soil microbial communities,and play important role in plant growth. However, the effects of AMF phylogenetic groups（Glomeraceae and non-Glomeraceae） on host plant under various heavy metal levels are not clear. Here we conducted a meta-analysis to compare symbiotic relationship between AMF phylogenetic groups（Glomeraceae and non-Glomeraceae） and host plant functional groups（herbs vs. trees, and non-legumes vs. legumes） at three heavy metal levels. In the meta-analysis, we calculate the effect size（ln（RR）） by taking the natural logarithm of the response ratio of inoculated to non-inoculated shoot biomass from each study. We found that the effect size of Glomeraceae increased, but the effect size of non-Glomeraceae decreased under high level of heavy metal compared to low level. According to the effect size, both Glomeraceae and non-Glomeraceae promoted host plant growth, but had different effects under various heavy metal levels. Glomeraceae provided more benefit to host plants than non-Glomeraceae did under heavy metal condition, while non-Glomeraceae provided more benefit to host plants than Glomeraceae did under no heavy metal. AMF phylogenetic groups also differed in promoting plant functional groups under various heavy metal levels.Interacting with Glomeraceae, herbs and legumes grew better than trees and non-legumes did under high heavy metal level, while trees and legumes grew better than herbs and non-legumes did under medium heavy metal level. Interacting with non-Glomeraceae, herbs and legumes grew better than trees and non-legumes did under no heavy metal. We suggested that the combination of legume with Glomeraceae could be a useful way in the remediation of heavy metal polluted environment.     

秸秆生物炭还田对围垦盐碱土壤的低碳化改良

利用芦苇秸秆和其生物炭还田改良围垦盐碱土壤。通过盆栽实验,从改良后土壤的脱盐率、植物的生长情况和生物量以及土壤呼吸和有土壤机碳含量等方面研究和比较了芦苇及其生物炭还田对围垦盐碱土壤的改良效应以及对土壤碳收支的影响。研究结果表明:秸秆和秸秆生物炭改良后土壤的含盐量显著低于空白对照,两者改良后的植物总收获量(干重)基本相同,均显著高于未改良的空白对照,但生物炭还田改良后的土壤呼吸强度显著低于秸秆直接还田,改良后其土壤有机碳含量也高于后者以及空白对照。高度稳定的生物炭还田能有效抵抗微生物的分解作用,因此其土壤微生物总量低于秸秆直接还田,从而导致土壤异养微生物活性较弱,使得生物炭中的碳得以在土壤中长期保存,增加了土壤有机碳含量,降低了土壤呼吸,是一种较低碳的秸秆还田措施。     

Research on whole life cycle carbon emission model of typical buildings

Based on the theory of life cycle assessment (LCA), this article analyzes the influence factors on carbon emissions from residential buildings. In the article, the life cycle of residential buildings has been divided into five stages: building materials production period, construction period, operation and maintenance period, demolition period, and solid waste recycle and disposal period. Based on this definition, the authors provide a theoretical model to calculate carbon emissions of residential building life cycle. In particular, the factor of human activities was introduced in the calculation of carbon emissions from the buildings. Furthermore, the authors put forward a model for calculation with the unit of carbon emissions for per-capita living space.     

西安城区大气中多氯联苯季节变化及来源解析

为了解西安城区大气中多氯联苯(Polychlorinated biphenyls,PCBs)的浓度水平、季节变化特征及来源,于2012年夏季、冬季分别对西安市城区大气进行每周1次的主动采样,共获得22对大气样品(气态和颗粒态).结果表明,西安城区大气中∑64PCBs的浓度为76.21~338.77pg·m-3,平均浓度为183.85 pg·m-3,且主要存在于气态样品中.组成上主要以低氯代PCBs为主,其中,三氯和四氯代PCBs占总浓度的59.64%~91.39%.气态样品中,夏季、冬季PCBs的平均浓度分别为201.68、151.11 pg·m-3;颗粒态样品中,冬季PCBs平均浓度是夏季的6.65倍.通过主成分分析法对西安城区大气中PCBs的来源进行解析,发现主成分1的方差贡献率为36.06%,主要为来自我国生产的变压器油源;主成分2的方差贡献率为20.29%,可能来自于油漆的使用.     

生物炭改良剂对小白菜生长及低质土壤氮磷利用的影响

生物炭技术是近年来新兴的具有多重农业和环境效益的土壤改良技术.本研究以宁夏低质淡灰钙土为研究对象,以"中白78"小白菜(Brassica chinensis)为供试作物,分别按0、1.5%、3%和5%(质量分数)的比例添加花生壳生物炭(Biochar,BC)和基于花生壳生物炭研发的生物炭改良剂(BC-based amendment,AD),系统研究了BC和AD对小白菜植株生长、产量及土壤养分利用有效性的影响.结果表明:BC和AD的添加均增加了小白菜的株高和产量,与BC相比,AD对小白菜的增产效果更为显著(BC和AD处理的产量分别为对照的2.34~3.77倍和4.37~4.60倍).各剂量BC处理中,小白菜地上部、根系生物量的顺序为1.5%BC3%BC≈5%BC;而对于AD处理,3种添加量处理的小白菜生物量无显著性差异.增产的主要原因包括两方面:第一是两种材料中主要养分对小白菜生长的直接贡献;第二则是两种材料均促进了小白菜根系的生长,增强了根际效应,从而改变了N、P等土壤养分的利用有效性.BC和AD的加入均增加了小白菜对N的利用有效性,AD促进了小白菜对P的利用有效性.可见,BC和AD均可作为土壤改良剂,改善宁夏低质淡灰钙土的养分状况,提高作物产量.