The performance of nitrate-reducing Fe(II) oxidation processes under variable initial Fe/N ratios: The fate of nitrogen and iron species

•Bacterially-mediated coupled N and Fe processes examined in incubation experiments. •NO₃⁻ reduction was considerably inhibited as initial Fe/N ratio increased. •The maximum production of N₂ occurred at an initial Fe/N molar ratio of 6. •Fe minerals produced at Fe/N ratios of 1–2 were mainly easily reducible oxides. The Fe/N ratio is an important control on nitrate-reducing Fe(II) oxidation processes that occur both in the aquatic environment and in wastewater treatment systems. The response of nitrate reduction, Fe oxidation, and mineral production to different initial Fe/N molar ratios in the presence of Paracoccus denitrificans was investigated in 132 h incubation experiments. A decrease in the nitrate reduction rate at 12 h occurred as the Fe/N ratio increased. Accumulated nitrite concentration at Fe/N ratios of 2–10 peaked at 12–84 h, and then decreased continuously to less than 0.1 mmol/L at the end of incubation. N₂O emission was promoted by high Fe/N ratios. Maximum production of N₂ occurred at a Fe/N ratio of 6, in parallel with the highest mole proportion of N₂ resulting from the reduction of nitrate (81.2%). XRD analysis and sequential extraction demonstrated that the main Fe minerals obtained from Fe(II) oxidation were easily reducible oxides such as ferrihydrite (at Fe/N ratios of 1–2), and easily reducible oxides and reducible oxides (at Fe/N ratios of 3–10). The results suggest that Fe/N ratio potentially plays a critical role in regulating N₂, N₂O emissions and Fe mineral formation in nitrate-reducing Fe(II) oxidation processes.     

Toward sustainable use of natural resources: Nexus between resource rents,affluence, energy intensity and carbon emissions in developing and transition economies

Sustainable use of natural resources would entail ensuring that derived economic benefits today do not undermine the welfare of generations to come. On this basis, this study examines the nexus between natural resource rents and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions disaggregated into production and consumption-based (i.e., trade-adjusted) CO₂ emissions for a selected panel of 45 developing and transition economies over the period 1995–2017. The empirical model also incorporates the impacts of population, affluence, and energy intensity. The results show that affluence increases production-based CO₂ emissions by 1.407%, with the EKC's predicted inverted U-shaped curve only explaining consumption-based CO₂ emissions. Economic reliance on natural resource rents and energy intensification contribute 0.022% and 0.766%, respectively, to CO₂ emissions embedded in territorial production inventories and 0.035% and 0.583%, respectively, to CO₂ emissions embedded in consumption inventories. The bootstrap non-causality test shows that historical data on each variable has significant predictive power for future CO₂ emissions from both sources. The historical information about natural resource rents has significant predictive power over the future levels of affluence and energy intensity. Clearly, the results show that the environmental impact of natural resource rents is stronger when CO₂ emissions are adjusted for trade and varies among the countries, with Bangladesh, Guinea, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe among the most affected countries. Overall, this study provides motivation for policies to keep the use of natural resources within sustainable limits.     

Influence of pore structure on biologically activated carbon performance and biofilm microbial characteristics

• Pore structure affects biologically activated carbon performance. • Pore structure determines organic matter (OM) removal mechanism. • Microbial community structure is related to pore structure and OM removal. Optimizing the characteristics of granular activated carbon (GAC) can improve the performance of biologically activated carbon (BAC) filters, and iodine value has always been the principal index for GAC selection. However, in this study, among three types of GAC treating the same humic acid-contaminated water, one had an iodine value 35% lower than the other two, but the dissolved organic carbon removal efficiency of its BAC was less than 5% away from the others. Iodine value was found to influence the removal of different organic fractions instead of the total removal efficiency. Based on the removal and biological characteristics, two possible mechanisms of organic matter removal during steady-state were suggested. For GAC with poor micropore volume and iodine value, high molecular weight substances (3500–9000 Da) were removed mainly through degradation by microorganisms, and the biodegraded organics (soluble microbial by-products,<3500 Da) were released because of the low adsorption capacity of activated carbon. For GAC with higher micropore volume and iodine value, organics with low molecular weight (<3500 Da) were more easily removed, first being adsorbed by micropores and then biodegraded by the biofilm. The biomass was determined by the pore volume with pore diameters greater than 100 μm, but did not correspond to the removal efficiency. Nevertheless, the microbial community structure was coordinate with both the pore structure and the organic removal characteristics. The findings provide a theoretical basis for selecting GAC for the BAC process based on its pore structure.     

Catalytic fast pyrolysis of walnut shell for alkylphenols production with nitrogen-doped activated carbon catalyst

• N-doped activated carbon was prepared for catalytic pyrolysis of walnut shell. • Alkylphenols were selectively produced from catalytic pyrolysis process. • The alkylphenols yield increased by 8.5 times under the optimal conditions. • Formation mechanism of alkylphenols was proposed. Alkylphenols are a group of valuable phenolic compounds that can be derived from lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, three activated carbons (ACs) were prepared for catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) of walnut shell to produce alkylphenols, including nitrogen-doped walnut shell-derived activated carbon (N/WSAC), nitrogen-doped rice husk-derived activated carbon (N/RHAC) and walnut shell-derived activated carbon (WSAC). Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) experiments were carried out to reveal the influences of AC type, pyrolytic temperature, and AC-to-walnut shell (AC-to-WS) ratio on the product distributions. Results showed that with nitrogen doping, the N/WSAC possessed stronger capability than WSAC toward the alkylphenols production, and moreover, the N/WSAC also exhibited better effects than N/RHAC to prepare alkylphenols. Under the catalysis of N/WSAC, yields of alkylphenols were significantly increased, especially phenol, cresol and 4-ethylphenol. As the increase of pyrolytic temperature, the alkylphenols yield first increased and then decreased, while high selectivity could be obtained at low pyrolytic temperatures. Such a trend was also observed as the AC-to-WS ratio continuously increased. The alkylphenols production achieved a maximal yield of 44.19 mg/g with the corresponding selectivity of 34.7% at the pyrolytic temperature of 400°C and AC-to-WS ratio of 3, compared with those of only 4.67 mg/g and 6.1% without catalyst. In addition, the possible formation mechanism of alkylphenols was also proposed with the catalysis of N/WSAC.     

The in situ treatment of TCE and PFAS in groundwater within a silty sand aquifer

Chlorinated ethenes such as trichloroethene (TCE), cis‐1,2‐dichloroethene (cis‐1,2‐DCE), and vinyl chloride along with per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been identified as chemicals of concern in groundwater; with many of the compounds being confirmed as being carcinogens or suspected carcinogens. While there are a variety of demonstrated in‐situ technologies for the treatment of chlorinated ethenes, there are limited technologies available to treat PFAS in groundwater. At a former industrial site shallow groundwater was impacted with TCE, cis‐1,2‐DCE, and vinyl chloride at concentrations up to 985, 258, and 54 µg/L, respectively. The groundwater also contained maximum concentrations of the following PFAS: 12,800 ng/L of perfluoropentanoic acid, 3,240 ng/L of perfluorohexanoic acid, 795 ng/L of perfluorobutanoic acid, 950 ng/L of perfluorooctanoic acid, and 2,140 ng/L of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. Using a combination of adsorption, biotic, and abiotic degradation in situ remedial approaches, the chemicals of concern were targeted for removal from the groundwater with adsorption being utilized for PFAS whereas adsorption, chemical reduction, and anaerobic biodegradation were used for the chlorinated ethenes. Sampling of the groundwater over a 24‐month period indicated that the detected PFAS were treated to either their detection, or below the analytical detection limit over the monitoring period. Postinjection results for TCE, cis‐1,2‐DCE, and vinyl chloride indicated that the concentrations of the three compounds decreased by an order of magnitude within 4 months of injection, with TCE decreasing to below the analytical detection limit over the 24‐month monitoring period. Cis‐1,2‐DCE, and vinyl chloride concentrations decreased by over 99% within 8 months of injections, remaining at or below these concentrations during the 24‐month monitoring period. Analyses of Dehalococcoides, ethene, and acetylene over time suggest that microbiological and reductive dechlorination were occurring in conjunction with adsorption to attenuate the chlorinated ethenes and PFAS within the aquifer. Analysis of soil cores collected pre‐ and post‐injection, indicated that the distribution of the colloidal activated carbon was influenced by small scale heterogeneities within the aquifer. However, all aquifer samples collected within the targeted injection zone contained total organic carbon at concentrations at least one order of magnitude greater than the preinjection total organic carbon concentrations.     

梵净山不同森林植被生物量、净生产量、碳储量及空间分布特征

为做好梵净山国家级自然保护区森林植被保护,摸清自然保护区森林植被资源家底,采用2016年第四次森林资源规划设计调查数据及变更至2019年的森林资源数据,计算和分析保护区内森林植被生物量、净生产量、碳储量。梵净山8种森林类型的总生物量为443.72×10⁴t,总碳储量为219.80×10⁴t,总生长量为29.75×10⁴t·a^?1,总凋落量为18.65×10⁴t·a^?1,总净生产量为48.40×10⁴t·a^?1,总生物量、总碳储量较大的是栎林,较小的是铁杉林,桦木林、阔叶混交林、马尾松林、软阔林、杉木林和硬阔林居中;平均碳密度为48.86 t·hm^?2,依次为:桦木林>阔叶混交林>栎林>硬阔林>软阔林>马尾松林>杉木林>铁杉林;总生长量、年凋落量、净生产量较高的是栎林、硬阔林,较低的是马尾松林、阔叶混交林和铁杉林,3种森林类型合计比例不到10%;在龄组中的分配依次为:中龄林>近熟林>成熟林>幼龄林>过熟林。在不同海拔中,梵净山森林植被生物量、碳储量、生长量、凋落量和净生产量主要分布在海拔1201—1800 m,其分布比例分别为50.39%、50.38%、49.21%、50.08%和49.54%;在不同坡向中,梵净山森林植被生物量、碳储量、生长量、凋落量和净生产量主要分布在南坡和北坡,二者合计比例大于60%。     

北京市典型废弃物焚烧源2010—2017年二NFDA1英排放特征和减排效果分析

分析2010—2017年北京市三类典型废弃物焚烧源的废气二NFDA1英排放监测数据,计算排放因子和排放量,评估减排政策成效,并分析不同排放源达标排放时同类物分布特征异同和变化规律,探讨影响排放的重要因素。结果表明: 5家焚烧源平均排放浓度为 0.008～0.069 ng/m³(以TEQ计,下同),废气二NFDA1英排放因子为 0.027～1.7 μg/t,2016年向空气中排放的二NFDA1英量为 0.002 5～0.058 g；生活垃圾、危险废物和医疗废物焚烧源的低、高氯代同类物质量分数比的平均值分别为接近于 0.5、大于0.5和小于0.5,危险废物焚烧源的 ∑PCDFs、∑PCDDs质量分数比的平均值大于2； 123478-HxCDF和123678-HxCDF质量浓度接近且线性相关,具有相近的生成机理和去除效率； I-TEQ变化趋势与∑PCDFs质量分数的变化趋势基本一致,活性炭喷射和布袋除尘的去除效率是影响二NFDA1英排放的重要因素之一；危险废物焚烧源HWI1随运行时间增加排放浓度增加,而及时更换烟道管壁有助于消除“记忆效应”的不良影响。     

水处理用活性炭改性研究

利用锆和氯化十六烷基三甲铵共同改性活性炭,制备一种新型去除污水中硝酸盐和磷酸盐的水处理吸附剂,并考察吸附剂加量、反应温度、pH值、共存阴离子等影响因素对吸附效果的影响。结果表明:锆-氯化十六烷基三甲铵改性活性炭(Zr-CTAC-AC)吸附剂适用于硝酸盐和磷酸盐浓度在100mg/L以下的污水,随着Zr-CTAC-AC加量的增加,硝酸盐、磷酸盐去除率逐渐增加,单位吸附量逐渐下降,Zr-CTAC-AC加量为8g/L时,硝酸盐去除率为79%,Zr-CTAC-AC加量为4.0g/L时,磷酸盐去除率可达91%,但应在较低的pH值范围内使用;反应温度对Zr-CTAC-AC的吸附效果影响不大;共存Cl-、HCO3^-和SO4^2-可使硝酸盐的吸附率降低,但对磷酸盐吸附率影响较小;1mol/L NaCl溶液可使吸附到Zr-CTAC-AC表面的硝酸盐90.9%左右被解吸出来,1mol/L NaOH溶液可使吸附到Zr-CTAC-AC表面的磷酸盐78.4%左右被解吸出来。Zr-CTAC-AC能够有效去除污水中硝酸盐和磷酸盐,制备方法简单,且可循环利用,处理成本低。     

美缝剂TVOC释放量与释放规律的测试与分析

提出了环境舱法测试美缝剂总挥发性有机化合物(TVOC)释放量的方法,对市场常见的美缝剂产品的TVOC进行了测试,并研究了美缝剂的TVOC释放规律和主要污染物.同时对美缝剂的甲醛释放量进行了测试.通过对16种环氧树脂美缝剂产品的数据分析显示,美缝剂产品的甲醛释放量风险较低;75%的产品在第7天的TVOC释放量可达到500μg·m^-3以下.但个别产品在28 d时仍有明显的VOC释放,显示其具有长期缓慢释放的特点.美缝剂释放的主要污染物为苯甲醛与苯甲醇,个别产品检出有甲苯和邻苯二甲酸酯类物质.     

资阳市大气污染源排放清单研究

采用实地调研、资料收集等方式获得了2017年资阳市典型污染源的活动水平数据,参照城市大气污染物排放清单编制技术手册建立了基于排放因子法和物料衡算法的资阳市大气污染源排放清单,分析了主要污染物的行业排放特征和空间分布特征。结果表明,2017年资阳市SO₂、NO_X、CO、PM₁₀、PM_2.5、VOCs、NH₃总排放量分别为3.58kt、13.91kt、94.91kt、25.51kt、8.67kt、23.84kt和46.44kt。SO₂排放主要来自工业源;NOX排放主要来自移动源;CO排放主要来自工业过程及移动源;PM₁₀和PM_2.5、排放来自扬尘源和露天秸秆焚烧;VOCs主要来自溶剂使用源;NH₃主要来自农业活动。资阳市主要污染物排放分布在工业点源较为集中的雁江区和安岳县,乐至县污染物排放量相对较小。