Thermodynamic investigation of the effect of oxygen and hydrogen chloride potential upon generation and decomposition behavior of dioxins

The thermodynamic equilibrium of the C‐H‐O‐Cl system has been calculated to elucidate the generation and decomposition behavior of dioxins, and is discussed from the viewpoint of the oxygen and hydrogen chloride potential. The dioxins behavior is greatly dependent on the oxygen potential, i.e. higher temperature and oxygen potential lead to the complete decomposition of dioxins, while low hydrogen chloride potential under insufficient oxygen condition leads to an increase of multi‐chlorine displacement of dioxins.     

High NOx levels and lack of ozone in downtown Caracas

An evaluation of the NO, NO₂ and O₃ concentrations in downtown Caracas atmosphere at two different heights (1.5 and 56 m ) during the dry and wet season was performed.The qualitative variation of NO and NO₂ concentrations throughout the day was the same for all conditions. The profiles are explained considering the automobile emissions and the fates by photochemical reactions and dispersion. The daily mean averages for NO_x exceed all available air quality standards, making the downtown Caracas air polluted with these compounds at harmful levels.The O₃ concentrations are lower than the natural background levels practically all day long for all conditions. This lack of O₃ is explained mainly by the very high continuous NO emissions occuring in Caracas. NO reacts very fast with O₃ consuming all the O₃ produced by photochemical reactions. Possible health implications of the low O₃ levels are pointed out.     

Characteristics of environmental factors and their effects on CH4 and CO2 emissions from a closed landfill: An ecological case study of Shanghai

To elucidate the influence of landfill gas (LFG) emission on environmental factors, an ecological investigation that was primarily concerned with the characteristics of vegetation, cover soil, and solid waste in the landfill was carried out. Temporal and spatial variations in vegetation diversity and coverage and their effects on reducing the emission of methane in the landfill were investigated. The results showed that both vegetation coverage and diversity increased with elapsed landfill closure time. The transition trend of the vegetation species was from perennial plant (Phragmites australis) to annual plants. Perennial vegetation was the dominant type of vegetation during the early closure period, and annual vegetation coverage increased with closure time. Vegetation preferentially appeared in areas of comparatively high depth of cover soil, which was characterized by high moisture retentiveness that enabled vegetation growth. The concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide in the cover soil significantly decreased with increasing closure time. The concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide from bare cover soil were higher than those from vegetated cover soil whereas the CO₂ flux of bare cover soil was less than that of vegetated cover soil.     

Gas phase equilibria for dibenzo‐p‐dioxin,dibenzo‐p‐furan and biphenyl in the C‐H‐O system

The gas phase equilibrium calculation for the C‐H‐O system at atmospheric pressure and temperature from 773 to 1773 K at intervals of 250 K was performed to understand the generation and decomposition behavior of dibenzo‐p‐dioxin (DD), dibenzo‐p‐furan (DF) and biphenyl (BP) in relation to the existing oxygen potential. It is possible to categorize these results into three regions from the viewpoint of this potential: region (A), region (B) and region (C) are that of the higher, modest and lower oxygen potential, respectively. In region (A), the equilibrium amounts of DD, DF and BP are nearly zero. In region (B), they increase once and then decrease with rise in temperature. In the most characteristic region (C), they increase uniformly with rise in temperature.     

Enzymatic treatment of estrogens and estrogen glucuronide

Natural and synthetic estrogens from sewage treatment systems are suspected to influence the reproductive health of the animals in the rivers.In this article we investigated the enzymatic treatment of three estrogens (estrone,17β-estradiol,and 17α-ethynyletstradiol) by a fungal laccase which oxidize phenolic compounds with dissolved oxygen.The elimination of the estrogenic activities by enzymatic oxidation was demonstrated by medaka vitellogenin assay.In addition,we developed an enzymatic treatment system comprised of β-D-glucuronidase and the laccase for 17β-estradiol 3-(β-D-glucuronide) degradation.The two enzymes eliminated 17β-estradiol 3-(β-D-glucuronide) and the intermediate,17β-estradiol,efficiently.