Biological Activity in a Heavily Organohalogen-Contaminated River Sediment (8 pp)

Background, Aims and Scope Sediments of the Spittelwasser creek are highly polluted with organic compounds and heavy metals due to the discharge of untreated waste waters from the industrial region of Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany over the course of more than one century. However, relatively few data have been published about the chloroorganic contamination of the sediment. This paper reports on the content of different (chloro)organic compounds with special emphasis on polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F), and chlorobenzenes. Existing concepts for the remediation of Spittelwasser sediment include the investigation of natural attenuation processes, which largely depend on the presence of an intact microbial food web. In order to gain more insight in terms of biological activity, we analyzed the capacity of sediment microflora to degrade organic matter by measuring the activities of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes involved in the biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. Furthermore, the detection of physiologically active bacteria in the sediment, particularly of those known for their capability to reductively dehalogenate organochlorine compounds, illustrates the potential for intrinsic bioremediation processes. Methods PCDD/F and chlorobenzenes were analyzed by gas chromatography(GC)/mass spectrometry and GC/flame ionization detection, respectively. The activities of hydrolytic enzymes were determined from freshly sampled sediment layers using 4-methylumbelliferyl (MUF) or 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin-conjugated model compounds and kinetic fluorescence measurements. Physiologically active bacteria from different sediment layers were microscopically visualized by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Specific bacteria were identified by 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing. Results and Discussion The PCDD/F congener profile was dominated by dibenzofurans. In addition, the presence of specific tetra and pentachlorinated dibenzofurans supported the assumption that extensive magnesium production was one possible source for the high contamination. A range of other chloroorganic compounds, including several isomers of chlorobenzenes, hexachlorocyclohexane and 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis (p-chloro-phenyl)ethane (DDT), was present in the sediment. Activities of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes showed a strong decrease in those sediment layers that were characterized by high contents of absorbable organic halogen (AOX), indicating disturbed organic matter decay. Interestingly, an abnormal increase of cellulolytic enzyme activities below the organochlorine-rich layers was observed, possibly caused by residual cellulose from discharges of sulfite pulping wastes. FISH revealed physiologically active bacteria in most sediment layers from the surface down to the depth of about 60 cm, including members of Desulfitobacterium (D.) and Sulfurospirillum. The presence of D. dehalogenans was confirmed by its partial 16S rRNA gene sequence. Conclusions Results of chemical sediment analyses demonstrated high loads of organochlorine compounds, particularly of PCDD/F. Several years after stopping the waste water discharge to Spittelwasser creek, this sediment remains a main source for pollution of the downstream river system by way of the ongoing mobilization of sediment during high floods. As indicated by our enzyme activity measurements, the decomposition potential for organic matter is low in organochlorine-rich sediment layers. In contrast, the comparably higher enzyme activities in less organochlorine-polluted sediment layers as well as the presence of physiologically active bacteria suggest a considerable potential for natural attenuation. Recommendations and Perspectives From our data we strongly recommend to explore the degradative capacity of sediment microorganisms and the limits for in situ activity towards specific sediment pollutants in more detail. This will give a sound basis for the integration of bioremediation approaches into general concepts to reduce the risk that permanently radiates from this highly contaminated sediment. Submission Editor: Dr. Henner Hollert (Henner.Hollert@urz.uniheidelberg.de)     

供水管网生物膜有机物的二氯乙腈与二氯乙酰胺生成特性

在饮用水输配系统中,来源于管壁生物膜的有机物可能耗氯并生成消毒副产物(DBPs),包括二氯乙腈(DCAN)与二氯乙酰胺(DCAcAm)等高毒性含氮DBPs(N-DBPs).研究考察管网常见的细菌与其胞外聚合物(EPS)以及模拟管壁生物膜氯化与氯胺化后DCAN与DCAcAm的生成,并与天然有机物(NOM)和水源水有机物进行比较.结果显示,铜绿假单胞菌、恶臭假单胞菌与藤黄微球菌与氯反应生成的DCAN、DCAcAm浓度分别为1.48～2.02、0.21～0.38μg·mg~(-1)(mg~(-1)以TOC计),高于同反应条件下NOM的生成量;相比于氯化反应,3株细菌细胞氯胺化生成的DCAN与DCAcAm浓度明显更低.3株菌的EPS也是氯与氯胺化反应生成DCAN与DCAcAm的前体物,且其氯胺化反应生成的DCAcAm浓度高于氯化反应生成的.与NOM、水源水相比,模拟管壁生物膜氯化后生成的N-DBPs与三氯甲烷(TCM)浓度比更高,表明生物膜有机物比NOM与水源水有机物更倾向生成DCAN与DCAcAm类N-DBPs,且模拟管壁生物膜氯胺化的DCAcAm生成量高于氯化反应的,说明管壁生物膜有机物是供水管网系统中DCAN与DCAcAm类N-DBPs的重要前体物.     

Ni2+对好氧颗粒污泥系统性能的影响

以城镇污水处理厂A²/O工艺的回流污泥作为接种污泥,在序批式反应器（SBR）中培养好氧颗粒污泥（AGS）,探究Ni²⁺对AGS系统的影响.结果表明：在25℃的条件下,50d左右培养出成熟的AGS,其形态多呈球状或椭球状,外表分布着少量丝状菌,颗粒污泥粒径主要在2~4mm,MLSS达6000mg/L,SVI维持在40~50mL/g.将Ni²⁺作用于培养出的成熟AGS,Ni²⁺在0~2mg/L的浓度范围内会提高AGS的稳定性,使MLSS上升,SVI降低;同时会促进AGS分泌胞外多聚物（EPS）,EPS组成成分中的蛋白质（PN）明显多于多糖（PS）;Ni²⁺对好氧颗粒污泥去除总氮（TN）的抑制程度要大于COD,最终COD去除率可维持在95%以上,TN去除率可维持在70%以上.     

藻菌生物膜胞外聚合物与铅锌尾矿重金属的络合配位作用

矿产资源开采冶炼产生大量尾矿渣,其中富含的可溶性重金属引发的生态环境问题日益突显.铅锌矿是我国重要的矿产资源,尾矿露天堆放使得其富含的可溶性重金属淋溶迁移,对矿区周边地表环境造成严重污染.为探明自然水体环境中的藻菌生物膜与重金属的作用机理,采用三维荧光光谱技术研究干旱区天然湖泊中的藻菌生物膜EPS（胞外聚合物）与铅锌尾矿渣中5种重金属离子的络合配位作用.结果表明:①从藻菌生物膜EPS荧光光谱图中可检测出两个荧光峰,均来源于芳香类蛋白酪氨酸物质;②铅锌尾矿淋滤液中的重金属元素主要包括Pb、Co、Ni、Zn和Cd,且这5种金属离子均能有效淬灭EPS的荧光强度;③荧光淬灭滴定试验得出,Pb2+与EPS的络合能力最强,最大络合常数为4.523 1,最大结合位点数为1.177 5;Cd2+与EPS的络合能力最弱,最大络合常数为1.957 1,最大结合位点数为0.684 8;Co2+、Ni2+和Zn2+与EPS的络合能力相似.研究显示,藻菌生物膜EPS中含有的荧光基团与重金属离子的作用强度与金属离子的类型相关,二者的络合配位作用可能会影响重金属在水环境中的化学形态、迁移、生物有效性和生态毒性.      

Associations between driving under the influence or riding with an impaired driver and future substance use among adolescents

Objective: Risky driving behaviors among adolescents, such as riding with a drinking or impaired driver (RWID) or driving while under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs, are significant public health concerns. Few studies have examined associations of RWID and DUI with future substance use and problems after controlling for baseline substance use. Given that the DUI/RWDD event may be a teachable moment to prevent future consequences (e.g., when injured or arrested), it is important to understand how this risk behavior relates to subsequent use and problems. This study therefore examined characteristics of adolescents who reported DUI and RWID and assessed their risk of future alcohol and marijuana use and consequences 6 months later.

Methods: Participants were 668 adolescents aged 12 to 18 (inclusive) recruited at 1 of 4 primary care clinics in Pittsburgh and Los Angeles as part of a larger randomized controlled trial. They completed surveys about their health behaviors at baseline and 6 months after baseline. We examined baseline characteristics of adolescents who reported DUI and RWID and then assessed whether past-year DUI and RWID at baseline were associated with alcohol and marijuana use and consequences 6 months after baseline.

Results: Fifty-eight percent of participants were female, 56% were Hispanic, 23% were Black, 14% were White, 7% were multiethnic or other, and the average age was 16 years (SD?=?1.9). At baseline, participants who reported RWID or DUI were more likely to be older, report past-year use of alcohol and marijuana, and more likely to have an alcohol use disorder or cannabis use disorder versus those who did not report RWID or DUI, respectively. At 6-month follow-up and after controlling for baseline demographics and baseline alcohol use, RWID was associated with more frequent drinking episodes in the past 3 months and greater number of drinks in the past month when they drank heavily. DUI at baseline was associated with more frequent heavy drinking episodes and alcohol and marijuana consequences 6 months later.

Conclusions: RWID and DUI are significantly associated with greater alcohol and marijuana use over time. This study highlights that teens may be at higher risk for problem substance use in the future even if they ride with someone who is impaired. Prevention and intervention efforts for adolescents need to address both driving under the influence and riding with an impaired driver to prevent downstream consequences.     

溶菌酶和硫酸铝联用优化污泥脱水性能的研究

以污泥沉降体积、污泥比阻和污泥泥饼含水率为指标,考察了溶菌酶和硫酸铝联用时加药方式和加药剂量对活性污泥沉降性能及脱水性能的影响。结果表明,先投加溶菌酶后投加硫酸铝时污泥的脱水性能更佳,硫酸铝和溶菌酶的最佳投加量均为0.10 g/g TS(总固体),此时,污泥泥饼含水率和污泥比阻分别可达71.84%和0.68×1012m/kg,相比于硫酸铝单独调理分别降低了约5%和0.23×1012m/kg。污泥胞外聚合物(EPS)含量分析表明,溶菌酶和硫酸铝联用时显著降低了污泥中LB-EPS(松散附着性EPS)含量,在最佳投量下可将原污泥的LB-EPS中的蛋白质和多糖依次从(13.44±2.11)mg/L和(23.97±3.44)mg/L降至(1.72±0.32)mg/L和(8.69±0.15)mg/L,表明联合处理使得EPS中的水分得到释放,提高了脱水性能。     

Occurrence, distribution, and potential influencing factors of sewage sludge components derived from nine full-scale wastewater treatment plants of Beijing, China

Millions of tons of waste activated sludge (WAS) produced from biological wastewater treatment processes cause severe adverse environmental consequences. A better understanding of WAS composition is thus very critical for sustainable sludge management. In this work, the occurrence and distribution of several fundamental sludge constituents were explored in WAS samples from nine full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of Beijing, China. Among all the components investigated, active heterotrophic biomass was dominant in the samples (up to 9478 mg/L), followed by endogenous residues (6736 mg/L), extracellular polymeric substances (2088 mg/L), and intracellular storage products (464 mg/L) among others. Moreover, significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in composition profiles of sludge samples among the studied WWTPs. To identify the potential parameters affecting the variable fractions of sludge components, wastewater source as well as design and operational parameters of WWTPs were studied using statistical methods. The findings indicated that the component fraction of sewage sludge depends more on wastewater treatment alternatives than on wastewater characteristics among other parameters. A principal component analysis was conducted, which further indicated that there was a greater proportion of residual inert biomass in the sludge produced by the combined system of the conventional anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process and a membrane bioreactor. Additionally, a much longer solids retention time was also found to influence the sludge composition and induce an increase in both endogenous inert residues and extracellular polymeric substances in the sludge.     

石化废水易降解成分对活性污泥耗氧抑制毒性评价的干扰因素

为评价某石化混合废水的毒性,采用活性污泥耗氧速率抑制试验研究不同φ(石化废水)对活性污泥中不同菌群的抑制及其影响因素. 结果表明,所用石化废水对活性污泥中的硝化细菌具有明显毒性,其EC₅₀(半抑制效应浓度,以φ计)为9%左右;同时,该废水对异养菌的耗氧具有较强的促进作用,φ(石化废水)为100%时I_H(异养菌耗氧速率抑制率,131%)最高,这种促进作用对R_T(总耗氧速率)测定有显著影响(R=0.991,P<0.05),因此,仅以R_T评价废水毒性容易造成对废水真实毒性的低估. 5种常见易降解基质(乙酸钠、葡萄糖、甲醇、生活污水、丙酸钠)中,ρ(甲醇)为15 mg/L时对异养菌促进效果显著(P<0.05),促进率达50%以上;而在高浓度条件下,乙酸钠、葡萄糖、甲醇、丙酸钠对异养菌均有显著促进作用(P<0.05),R_H(异养菌耗氧速率)最高提高了182%. 研究显示,石化废水中的乙酸盐等易降解成分是活性污泥耗氧速率抑制试验的重要干扰因素.      

Environmental assessment of garden waste management in the Municipality of Aarhus, Denmark

An environmental assessment of six scenarios for handling of garden waste in the Municipality of Aarhus (Denmark) was performed from a life cycle perspective by means of the LCA-model EASEWASTE. In the first (baseline) scenario, the current garden waste management system based on windrow composting was assessed, while in the other five scenarios alternative solutions including incineration and home composting of fractions of the garden waste were evaluated. The environmental profile (normalised to Person Equivalent, PE) of the current garden waste management in Aarhus is in the order of −6 to 8 mPE Mg⁻¹ ww for the non-toxic categories and up to 100 mPE Mg⁻¹ ww for the toxic categories. The potential impacts on non-toxic categories are much smaller than what is found for other fractions of municipal solid waste. Incineration (up to 35% of the garden waste) and home composting (up to 18% of the garden waste) seem from an environmental point of view suitable for diverting waste away from the composting facility in order to increase its capacity. In particular the incineration of woody parts of the garden waste improved the environmental profile of the garden waste management significantly.