Nitrogen evolution during the co-combustion of hydrothermally treated municipal solid waste and coal in a bubbling fluidized bed

Nitrogen evolution was studied during the co-combustion of hydrothermally treated municipal solid wastes (HT MSW) and coal in a bubbling fluidized bed (BFB). HT MSW blending ratios as 10%, 20% and 30% (wt.%) were selected and tested at 700, 800, 900 °C. Emissions of NO and N₂O from blends were measured and compared with the results of mono-combustion trials. Moreover, concentrations of precursors like NH₃ and HCN were also quantified. The results are summarized as follows: NO emissions were predominant in all the cases, which rose with increasing temperature. The blending of HT MSW contributed to the NO reduction. N₂O emissions decreased with temperature rising and the blending of HT MSW also presented positive effects. At 30% HT MSW addition, both NO and N₂O emissions showed the lowest values (391.85 ppm and 55.33 ppm, respectively at 900 °C). For the precursors, more HCN was detected than NH₃ and both played important roles on the gas side nitrogen evolution.     

Quantitative analysis of microbial biomass yield in aerobic bioreactor

We have studied the integrated model of reaction rate equations with thermal energy balance in aerobic bioreactor for food waste decomposition and showed that the integrated model has the capability both of monitoring microbial activity in real time and of analyzing biodegradation kinetics and thermal-hydrodynamic properties. On the other hand, concerning microbial metabolism, it was known that balancing catabolic reactions with anabolic reactions in terms of energy and electron flow provides stoichiometric metabolic reactions and enables the estimation of microbial biomass yield (stoichiometric reaction model). We have studied a method for estimating real-time microbial biomass yield in the bioreactor during food waste decomposition by combining the integrated model with the stoichiometric reaction model. As a result, it was found that the time course of microbial biomass yield in the bioreactor during decomposition can be evaluated using the operational data of the bioreactor (weight of input food waste and bed temperature) by the combined model. The combined model can be applied to manage a food waste decomposition not only for controlling system operation to keep microbial activity stable, but also for producing value–added products such as compost on optimum condition.     

海岸带含水层咸淡水界面随潮汐波动的数值模拟

在分析、研究了滨海地带含水层和不透水层的水文地质特性及含水层内的咸淡水渗流运动特征的基础上,运用数学推理的手法,建立了一种较为简单适用的模拟海岸带含水层咸淡水界面和天然地下水面变动规律的二维数学模型,通过该模型的计算值与实验值的比较,证明该模型的计算结果与实验结果有着非常好的拟合度,即该模型能较客观地揭示海水入侵引起的咸淡水界面的变化规律.其后,运用该模型系统的探讨了含水层以下为非平坦的不透水层的滨海地带天然地下水面、咸淡水界面伴随着潮汐的波动而变化的规律.即伴随着潮汐的波动,一方面天然地下水面和咸淡水界面与潮汐具有相似的振动波形,波动的幅度随离海岸距离的增加而减小.在海岸附近咸淡水界面的振幅大于天然地下水面的振幅,而在离开海岸一定距离后天然地下水面的振幅超过咸淡水界面的振幅.总体上天然地下水面的振幅呈负指数衰减,而咸淡水界面的振幅几乎呈直线衰减(其衰减直线的倾角在135～150 °之间变动),且潮汐波动对天然地下水面影响的范围远大于其对咸淡水界面的影响;另一方面天然地下水面和咸淡水界面波动的振幅及它们之间的相位差的大小还与天然地下水面的水力坡度、含水层的渗透系数、有效孔隙率、不透水层形状及其变动的幅度有关,但它们之间的相位差的大小与潮汐波动的幅度无关,其振幅与潮汐的振幅成比例增减.当不透水层的形状一定时,不论天然地下水面的水力坡度、含水层的渗透系数、有效孔隙率及潮汐波动的幅度怎么变动,天然地下水面、咸淡水界面振动的相位差的变化趋势及其峰值出现的位置几乎不变,即不透水层的形状决定着天然地下水面、咸淡水界面振动的相位差的变化趋势,而其大小与含水层的水文地质参数(水力坡度、渗透系数及有效孔隙率)密切相关.此外,当天然地下水面和咸淡水界面的振动存在相位和振幅的较大差异时,可以断定含水层以下存在非平坦的不透水层,且这种差异越大,不透水层凸凹不平的程度越高.     

Preparation and performance of arsenate (V) adsorbents derived from concrete wastes

Solid adsorbent materials, prepared from waste cement powder and concrete sludge were assessed for removal of arsenic in the form of arsenic (As(V)) from water. All the materials exhibited arsenic removal capacity when added to distilled water containing 10–700 mg/L arsenic. The arsenic removal isotherms were expressed by the Langmuir type equations, and the highest removal capacity was observed for the adsorbent prepared from concrete sludge with heat treatment at 105 °C, the maximum removal capacity being 175 mg-As(V)/g. Based on changes in arsenic and calcium ion concentrations, and solution pH, the removal mechanism for arsenic was considered to involve the precipitation of calcium arsenate, Ca₃(AsO₄)₂. The enhanced removal of arsenic for the adsorbent prepared from concrete sludge with heat treatment was thought to reflect ion exchange by ettringite. The prepared adsorbents, derived from waste cement and concrete using simple procedures, may offer a cost effective approach for arsenic removal and clean-up of contaminated waters, especially in developing countries.     

Influence of arsenic stress on synthesis and localization of low-molecular-weight thiols in Pteris vittata

The roles of low-molecular-weight thiols (LMWTs), such as glutathione and phytochelatins, in arsenic (As) tolerance and hyperaccumulation in Pteris vittata an As-hyperaccumulator fern remain to be better understood. This study aimed to thoroughly characterize LMWT synthesis in P. vittata to understand the roles played by LMWTs in As tolerance and hyperaccumulation. LMWT synthesis in P. vittata was induced directly by As, and not by As-mediated oxidative stress. Expression of PvECS2, one of the putative genes of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γECS), increases in P. vittata shoots at 48 h after the onset of As exposure, almost corresponding to the increase in the concentrations of γ-glutamylcysteine and glutathione. Furthermore, localization of As showed similar trends to those of LMWTs in fronds at both whole-frond and cellular levels. This study thus indicates the specific contribution of LMWTs to As tolerance in P. vittata. γECS may be responsible for the As-induced enhancement of LMWT synthesis.     

Direct determination of neonicotinoid insecticides in an analytically challenging crop such as Chinese chives using selective ELISAs

ABSTRACT

Easy-to-use commercial kit-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) have been used to detect neonicotinoid dinotefuran, clothianidin and imidacloprid in Chinese chives, which are considered a troublesome matrix for chromatographic techniques. Based on their high water solubility, water was used as an extractant. Matrix interference could be avoided substantially just diluting sample extracts. Average recoveries of insecticides from spiked samples were 85–113%, with relative standard deviation of <15%. The concentrations of insecticides detected from the spiked samples with the proposed ELISA methods correlated well with those by the reference high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The residues analyzed by the ELISA methods were consistently 1.24 times that found by the HPLC method, attributable to loss of analyte during sample clean-up for HPLC analyses. It was revealed that the ELISA methods can be applied easily to pesticide residue analysis in troublesome matrix such as Chinese chives.     

Biohydrogen using leachate from an industrial waste landfill as inoculum

Since hydrogen is a renewable energy source, biohydrogen has been researched in recent years. However, data on hydrogen fermentation by a leachate from a waste landfill as inoculum are scarce. We investigated hydrogen production using a leachate from an industrial waste landfill in Kanagawa Prefecture. The results showed no methane gas production, and the leachate was a suitable inoculum for hydrogen fermentation. The maximum H₂ yield was 2.67 mol of H₂ per mol of carbohydrate added, obtained at 30°C and an initial pH of 7. The acetate and butyrate production was significant when the H₂ yield was higher. Oxidation–reduction potential analysis of the culture suggested that hydrogen-producing bacteria in the leachate were facultative anaerobic. Scanning electron microscope observations revealed that the hydrogen-producing bacteria comprised bacilli about 2 μm in length.     

Development of a high-efficiency rotary dryer for sewage sludge

A rotary drum dryer having an internal rotating body was designed and tested in this study. It was shown that the developed dryer is effective for drying sewage sludge. The best operating conditions in the dryer were low energy input and almost 10% moisture content. The conditions are 255°C for the rotary drum temperature, 17 min for the sludge residence time, and 55 kg/m³ h for the dryer load. Under these conditions, the drying efficiency was 84.8%. The average diameter of dried sludge was less than 8 mm, and the weight reduction rate was 80%. Parametric screening studies achieved the following results. The drying efficiency increased with the increase of the internal temperature and the sludge residence time in the rotary drum, while the drying efficiency decreased when increasing the dryer load. In addition, it was shown that NH₃ and CO₂ were the primary components released from the sewage sludge drying process. The amounts of both of these components increased when the rotary drum temperature was increased.