Cyanide Removal by Chinese Vegetation. Quantification of the Michaelis-Menten Kinetics (6 pp)

Background Little is known about metabolism rates of environmental chemicals by vegetation. A good model compound to study the variation of rates among plant species is cyanide. Vascular plants possess an enzyme system that detoxifies cyanide by converting it to the amino acid asparagine. Knowledge of the kinetic parameters, the half-saturation constant (Km) and the maximum metabolic capacity (vmax), is very useful for enzyme characterization and biochemical purposes. The goal of this study is to find the enzyme kinetics (KM and vmax) during cyanide metabolism in the presence of Chinese vegetation, to provide quantitative data for engineered phytoremediation, and to investigate the variation of metabolic rates of plants. Methods Detached leaves (1.0 g fresh weight) from 12 species out of 9 families were kept in glass vessels with 100 mL of aqueous solution spiked with potassium cyanide at 23°C for 28 h. Four different treatment concentrations of cyanide were used, ranging from 0.44 to 7.69 mg CN/L. The disappearance of cyanide from the aqueous solution was analyzed spectrophotometrically. Realistic values of the half-saturation constant (KM) and the maximum metabolic capacity (vmax) were estimated by a computer program using non-linear regression treatments. As a comparison, Lineweaver-Burk plots were also used to estimate the kinetic parameters. Results and Discussion The values obtained for KM and vmax varied with plant species. Using non-linear regression treatments, values of vmax and KM were found in a range between 6.68 and 21.91 mg CN/kg/h and 0.90 to 3.15 mg CN/L, respectively. The highest vmax was by Chinese elder (Sambucus chinensis), followed by upright hedge-parsley (Torilis japonica). The lowest vmax was demonstrated by the hybrid willow (Salix matssudana x alba). However, the highest KM was found in the water lily (Nymphea teragona), followed by the poplar (Populus deltoides Marsh). The lowest KM was demonstrated by corn (Zea mays L.). The values of vmax were normally distributed with a mean of 13 mg CN/kg/h. Conclusions Significant removal of cyanide from aqueous solution was observed in the presence of plant materials without phytotoxicity, even at high doses of cyanide. This gives rise to the conclusion that the Chinese plant species used in this study are all able to efficiently metabolize cyanide, although with different maximum metabolic capacities. A second conclusion is that the variation of metabolism rates between species is small. All these plants had a similar KM, indicating the same enzyme is active in all plants. Recommendations and Outlook Detoxification of cyanide with trees seems to be a feasible option for cleaning soils and water contaminated with cyanide. For phytoremediation projects, screening appropriate plant species adapted to local conditions should be seriously considered. More chemicals should be investigated to find common principles of the metabolism of environmental chemicals by plants.     

亚铁蓝法处理含氰废水的工程应用

文中综述了氰化物的危害和含氰废水的来源以及目前处理含氰废水的方法。以工程实例重点介绍亚铁蓝法处理此废水的应用。亚铁蓝法除氰可分二级进行,第一级在中性条件总氰去除率达到80%以上,第二级直接在一级出水加碱调pH至8～9沉淀即可,通过二级处理总氰去除率达到95%左右。     

CN-测定中显色剂配制方法的选择与保存时间

对2种氰化物显色剂配制方法进行了对比,发现用无水乙醇配制的显色剂具有方便,经济,实用,无毒且显色剂保存期长等优势。     

采用间隔流动注射仪测定总氰和氰化物的探讨

采用间隔流动注射的方法对水质中的氰化物进行检测。通过选择合适的锌盐和关闭的紫外灯,将总氰模块应用于易释放氰化物的检测。结果表明,仪器测定的总氰和易释放氰化物的精密度、准确度和加标回收率均满足水质检测的质量控制要求。     

铜氰溶液的电子束辐照降解

研究了铜氰溶液中总氰初始浓度、pH、铜浓度等对总氰降解效率的影响,比较了KCN溶液和铜氰溶液的总氰降解率,初步推断了铜氰溶液在辐照过程中的降解机制.实验结果表明,在同样的辐照剂量下,随着总氰初始浓度的增加,总氰降解率降低,相应的总氰降解G值增大;铜浓度越低,总氰降解率越高;pH越小的铜氰溶液总氰降解率越高.电子束辐照KCN溶液和铜氰溶液的总氰降解反应属于表观一级反应.在相同的辐照剂量下,KCN溶液的总氰降解率比铜氰溶液要高得多.铜氰溶液的电子束辐照降解过程非常复杂,主要是铜氰络合离子逐步离解出的CN-与·OH的反应.     

絮凝-电解氧化联合处理氰化提金废水

采用絮凝-电解氧化联合技术处理氰化废水,主要研究了聚硅酸铝铁 (PSAF) 添加量、絮凝时间、pH、电压、电解时间、极板间距对总氰(CN_T)、游离氰(CN⁻)、Cu、Zn离子去除率的影响,并对其反应机制做了分析。研究表明,当PSAF添加量为2 g·L⁻¹,絮凝时间为30 min,pH为9条件下,CN_T、CN⁻、Zn、Cu离子的去除率分别可达42.97%、100%、84.40%、34.88%。Zn(CN)₄²⁻、Cu(CN)₃²⁻、CN⁻的吸附量分别为567.88、89.76、439.74 mg·L⁻¹。以钛板为阴极,石墨板为阳极,采用一阴两阳体系对絮凝后液进行电解氧化实验,在电压为3 V、电解时间为2 h、极板间距为10 mm条件下,CN_T、CN⁻、Zn、Cu离子的去除率可达91.70%、100%、99.15%、94.49%。絮凝过程中Zn(CN)₄²⁻、Cu(CN)₃²⁻、CN⁻的去除是由电荷中和和化学吸附共同作用的,其中电荷中和起主要作用。Zn(CN)₄²⁻、Cu(CN)₃²⁻、CN^-的化学吸附主要归因于其与PSAF水解产生的羟基阳离子发生交换反应。XRD分析表明,加入酸性絮凝剂PSAF的瞬间,部分Zn(CN)₄^2-反应为Zn(CN)₂沉淀。电解氧化过程中Zn(CN)₄²⁻、Cu(CN)₃²⁻破络释放的氰根会被阳极表面产生的O₂、·OH完全氧化为N₂和CO₂,Zn、Cu离子在阴极板电沉积而被去除。     

化学事故救援方舱舱室环境安全性模拟研究

运用计算流体动力学(CFD)方法,对具有超压防护功能的某化学事故应急救援手术方舱室内气体污染物运动扩散的规律以及对人员安全的影响进行了数值模拟,其研究结果表明:当大气环境中氢氰酸(HCN)浓度为5 mg/L时,前10 s从常规进风口进入舱室的HCN在滤毒通风装置开启后,随气流运动逐渐向整个舱室扩散,经净化空气的混合稀释作用,绝大部分通过舱体缝隙排出舱室,30 min内舱室HCN浓度的总量下降了95.1%,说明超压防护很好地保证了舱室环境的安全性.     

Amygdalin in bitter and sweet seeds of apricots

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) poisoning due to amygdalin (AMY) in apricot seeds is one of the public health issues in Turkey. The aim of this study was to investigate the AMY content of 13 different apricot seeds including bitter and sweet ones, and which are either sulfurized or roasted. The AMY content was determined by a high-performance liquid chromatography. Release of HCN was predicted and total amount of seeds which can cause poisoning was calculated. The mean AMY content of bitter seeds was 26 ± 14 mg g^?1 and that of sweet seeds was 0.16 ± 0.09 mg g^?1. The consumption of small amounts of bitter seeds may cause cyanide poisoning.     

丙烯腈含量的测定改进

总结了常用测定丙烯腈原料含量方法存在的不足，提出了以１００减去水分和有机杂质的方法来确定丙烯腈含量。并对瓣老测定方法进行对比验证，结果表明，改进的方法操作简单，数据准确，可行。     

Gold Mining: Is It Worth Its Weight?

Gold (Au) accounts for only 0.004 g/ton of the earth's crust and is the most desired element. With an average annual world production of approximately 2,500 tons, the current methods of Au mining in developing countries cause major environmental issues. These issues vary from deforestation to cyanide and mercury (Hg) contamination. This article presents several cases of environmental catastrophes caused by Au mining in different regions of the world (Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South America). It discusses the currently available processes for the large-scale extraction of metallic Au grains and supports the need for an alternative sustainable process.