Speciation of the radioactive nuclides in incinerator fly ash of municipal solid waste using sequential extractions

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The radioactive nuclides in the incinerator fly ashes from municipal solid waste sampled in June 2006 were analyzed with γ-ray spectrometry....     

Degradation activity of Clostridium species DC-1 in the cis-1,2-dichloroethylene contaminated site in the presence of indigenous microorganisms and Escherichia coli

We showed the cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cis-1,2-DCE) dechlorination ability of Clostridium species DC-1 in association with other bacteria. Result of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis showed the dominant band pattern of DC-1 during the degradation time of cis-1,2-DCE and dominance of some other Clostridium species. Experiment with addition of Escherichia coli (E. coli) showed that dechlorinating activity of DC-1 was not inhibited by the presence of E. coli. Pour plate experiment with DC-1 and E. coli revealed that the dominance of Clostridium species caused the decrease of E. coli growth in a bioremediation state. This result suggested the possibility of Clostridium species DC-1 as a degrader of cis-1,2-DCE, in a cis-1,2-DCE contaminated site where an indigenous microbial community is present. Experiment conducting with E. coli suggested that the strain in the contaminated site did not inhibit the degradation of cis-1,2-DCE and during the degradation period, rather some other Clostridium species became dominant and the growth of E. coli would be decreased. This finding could be a very positive approach for implementing the dechlorinating bacteria at aliphatic chlorinated component contaminated sites.     

Inception of formation and early morphogenesis of the bacterial light organ of the sea urchin cardinalfish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Siphamia versicolor</Emphasis>

The cardinalfish Siphamia versicolor (Perciformes: Apogonidae) forms a bioluminescent symbiosis with the marine luminous bacterium Photobacterium mandapamensis, harboring the bacteria in a ventral, disc-shaped light organ and using the bacterial light apparently for counterillumination and attracting prey. Little definitive information has been available on the developmental and microbiological events surrounding the initiation of symbiosis, a critical stage in the life history of the fish, in S. versicolor or any of the many other species of bacterially luminous fish. To identify the stage at which light organ formation begins, to determine the origin of cells forming the light organ, and to characterize its bacterial colonization status during development, early developmental stages of S. versicolor obtained and reared from wild-caught mouth-brooding males were examined with histological and microbiological methods. A light organ primordium was not evident in embryos, post-embryos, or pre-release larvae, whereas the light organ began to form within 1 day of release of full-term pre-flexion larvae from the mouths of male fish. Analysis of post-release larvae revealed that the light organ arises from a proliferation and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells, and that it quickly develops structural complexity, including the formation of chambers and gaps contiguous with the intestinal epithelium. However, the nascent light organ remained uncolonized by the symbiotic bacteria through several days of post-release development, even in the presence of high numbers of the symbiotic bacteria. These results demonstrate that the inception of light organ formation in S. versicolor occurs independently of its symbiotic bacteria and that receptivity to bacterial colonization apparently requires substantial post-release development of the light organ. Larvae therefore most likely acquire their symbiotic bacteria from seawater, during or shortly after the transition from the pre-flexion to the flexion developmental stage.     

Removal of Linear and Branched p-Alkylphenols from Aqueous Solution by Combined Use of melB Tyrosinase and Chitosan Beads

In this study, melB tyrosinase was applied for enzymatic removal of linear and branched p-alkylphenols from aqueous solutions. First, systematic studies were carried out to estimate the effects of the process parameters such as the temperature, pH value, and enzyme dose on quinone conversion of p-cresol as a model phenol compound. A variety of p-alkylphenols were removed from aqueous solutions through the tyrosinase-catalyzed quinone conversion and subsequent nonenzymatic adsorption of quinone derivatives on chitosan beads at pH 6.0 and 30 °C under the optimum conditions determined for p-cresol. The % removal values of 98–100 were obtained for p-n-alkylphenols. Branched p-alkylphenols with a weak estrogenic activity containing 4-tert-butylphenol and 4-tert-pentylphenol, which underwent no quinone conversion by commercially available mushroom tyrosinase in the absence of H₂O₂, were also effectively removed by further increasing either the melB tyrosinase concentration or the amount of added chitosan beads. The present technique is much effective in the fact that a series of reactions rapidly progress under mild conditions and the chitosan beads can be readily separated from the reaction medium after the enzymatic treatment.     

Decomposition of dichloromethane and in situ alkali absorption of resulting halogenated products by a packed-bed non-thermal plasma reactor

For an effective decomposition and removal of organic halogenated compounds, a packed-bed non-thermal plasma reactor with in situ absorption of the resulting halogenated products by alkaline sorbent incorporated was proposed. In the plasma reactor, α-Al₂O₃ particles of 1 and 3 mm (mean particle diameter) were packed as solid dielectric medium to enhance the plasma power density in the reactor. Further, alkaline sorbent of Ca(OH)₂ was doped onto the surface of α-Al₂O₃ particles, in order to remove halogenated products by in situ absorption with Ca(OH)₂. A high-voltage and high-frequency pulsed power of −15 to 15 kV and 1 kHz was applied to the wire electrode of the plasma reactor by means of a DC power source. In the present study, as the sample of an organic halogenated compound that is most popularly used, we selected dichloromethane (CH₂Cl₂), and 500 ppm of the initial concentration of CH₂Cl₂ was fed into the reactor accompanied by air at a fixed flow rate of 500 × 10⁻⁶ m³ min⁻¹ at room temperature. As a result, it was recognized that the amount of CH₂Cl₂ decomposed by non-thermal plasma in an α-Al₂O₃ particle bed increased with an increase in plasma input power. The ratio of decomposition of CH₂Cl₂ was almost 100% at 13 kV of electric power and 1 kHz frequency, and CO₂, CH₃Cl, COCl₂, HCl, and Cl₂ were observed as the major reaction products. On the other hand, when CH₂Cl₂ was introduced into the plasma reactor where α-Al₂O₃ particles doped with Ca(OH)₂ were packed, the ratio of decomposition of CH₂Cl₂ became higher, compared to the case that α-Al₂O₃ particles were not doped with Ca(OH)₂. Moreover, there were no halogenated by-product gases detected in the outlet gas from the reactor. As the solid reaction products, CaClOH and Ca(ClO)₂·4H₂O were detected on Ca(OH)₂ by X-ray diffraction. From these findings, it was recognized that CH₂Cl₂ was decomposed more effectively without producing unwanted harmful halogenated by-products in the proposed non-thermal plasma reactor where α-Al₂O₃ particles doped with Ca(OH)₂ sorbent were packed.     

Initial ecological risk assessment of eight selected human pharmaceuticals in Japan.

Eight pharmaceuticals were selected on the basis of their domestic consumption in Japan, the excretion ratio of the parent compound and the frequency of detection in the aquatic environment or wastewater treatment plant effluent. Toxicity tests on these pharmaceuticals were conducted using Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes), daphnia (Daphnia magna), and green algae (Psuedokirchneriella subcapitata). Predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) was calculated using lethal or effect concentration 50 (LC50 or EC50) values and no effect concentration (NOEC) obtained in the toxicity tests for these compounds. Predicted environmental concentration (PEC) was also calculated from annual consumption, the excretion rate of the parent compound, and removal rate in the preliminary batch activated sludge treatment performed in this study. Maximum concentrations found in the aquatic environment or sewage effluent in Japan or foreign countries were also used for another calculation of PEC. Initial risk assessment on the selected pharmaceuticals was performed using the PEC/PNEC ratio. The results of initial risk assessment on the eight selected pharmaceuticals suggest neither urgent nor severe concern for the ecological risk of these compounds, but further study needs to be conducted using chronic toxicity tests, including reproduction inhibition and endocrine disruption assessments.     

Formation and transport of PCDD/Fs in the packed bed of soil containing organic chloride during a thermal remediation process

The authors previously proposed the concept of a new thermal remediation process for particulate/powder materials contaminated by polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and experimentally verified its validity on the basis of process efficiency. However, contaminees such as soils and fly ashes from waste incinerators often contain a considerable amount of other chlorides, which may act as a main source of chlorine in the formation of PCDD/Fs via thermal processes. The present study aims to examine the formation and transport of PCDD/Fs in the packed bed of soil containing a chloride during the process. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) polymer was mixed with soil sample as an organic chloride model. A laboratory-scale apparatus was employed as a process simulator. Further, a technique to quench the process was applied to observe the concentration distribution of PCDD/Fs in the solid bed in the vertical direction. The result shows that the PCDFs tend to form dominantly in the high temperature (calcination and/or combustion) zone and are successively trapped in the low temperature (wet) zone. Especially, TeCDF is the most dominant homologue contained in the wet zone and outlet gas. Although PCDD/Fs are once trapped at the wet zone, the concentration of the remediated materials gives fairly low value (1.9 pg/g-dry, 0.04 pg-TEQ/g-dry). It signifies that organic chlorides mingled in the solid contaminee not affect the removal efficiency of PCDD/Fs in the process. Nevertheless, attention should be paid to the potential emission of PCDD/Fs in the outlet gas due to the presence of organic chloride in the soil.     

Lectin-induced enhancement of superoxide anion production by red tide phytoplankton

Chattonella marina, a raphidophycean flagellate, is a highly toxic red tide phytoplankton which causes severe damage to fish farming. Recent studies demonstrated that Chattonella spp. continuously release superoxide anions (O₂ ⁻) while they are living. Heterosigma akashiwo, another raphidophycean flagellate, also produces O₂ ⁻. In the present study, we found that lectins such as concanavalin A (Con A), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), and castor bean hemagglutinin (CBH) stimulated  C. marina and H. akashiwo to generate enhanced amounts of O₂ ⁻ in a concentration-dependent manner. The lectin-specific sugars potently inhibited the lectin-induced increase of O₂ ⁻ production, suggesting that the effects of lectins are mediated mainly through the interaction of these lectins with carbohydrate moiety present on the flagellate cell surface. In contrast to the potent ability of native Con A (tetravalent), succinylated Con A (divalent) showed only a slight stimulative effect on these flagellates. O₂ ⁻ production was totally inhibited by treatment with proteinase K for 30 min, without affecting the viabilities of flagellates. These results suggest that cell-surface redox enzymes may be involved in O₂ ⁻ production, and such enzymes are responsible for the lectin-stimulation. Received: 21 August 1997 / Accepted: 8 January 1998     

Behavior of dioxin during thermal remediation in the zone combustion process

In the previous study, a new process concept for the thermal remediation of particulate/powder materials contaminated by polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) has been verified. It leads to removal efficiencies of more than 99.9% in the soil contaminated by PCDD/Fs in terms of toxicity equivalent quantity (TEQ). However, details of the reactions and phenomena during the process, i.e., decomposition, vaporization, reformation and trap of PCDD/Fs and their relating compounds, have not sufficiently been clarified yet. The present study aims to examine experimentally the transport and fate of PCDD/Fs in the process. In the experiment, a laboratory-scale process simulator and a soil sample preliminary mixed with octachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin spiked by carbon-13 isotope (13C-OCDD) were used. The distribution of 13C-OCDD in the soil bed during the process was measured by applying a quench technique that rapidly cools-down the bed. Further, the total amount of 13C-OCDD discharged with outlet gas was measured. Using the obtained data, mass balance of 13C-OCDD in the process was estimated. The results show that about 99% of 13C-OCDD preliminary admixed with the soil was decomposed rather than released to the outlet gas. Only a trace amount of 13C-OCDD remained in the treated soil. In addition, a very small amount of other congeners having the 13C-cycles was detected in the treated soil and outlet gas although its TEQ values are not significant. These were probably formed by dechlorination reactions occurring in the process.     

Hydrology, suspended sediment dynamics and nutrient loading in Lake Takkobu, a degrading lake ecosystem in Kushiro Mire, northern Japan

Suspended sediment and nutrient loadings from agricultural watersheds have lead to habitat degradation in Lake Takkobu. To examine their relationships with land-use activities, we monitored sediment, nutrient and water discharges into the lake for a 1-year sampling period. The Takkobu River contributed the largest portion of the annual water discharge into the lake, compared with the other tributaries. During dry conditions, lake water flowed into the Kushiro River, and conversely during flooding, Kushiro River water flowed into the lake. Inflows from the Kushiro River had a high proportion of inorganic matter, with high concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus, attributed to agricultural land-use development and stream channelization practiced since the 1960s in the Kushiro Mire. Nutrient loadings from these two rivers were significantly higher during flooding than in dry conditions. However, there was no clear correlation between river discharge and nutrient concentrations. Since land-use activities in the Kushiro River and Takkobu River watersheds were concentrated near rivers, nutrients easily entered the drainage system under low flow conditions. In contrast, water discharged from small, forest-dominated watersheds contained a low proportion of inorganic matter, and low nutrient concentrations. The suspended sediment delivered to the lake during the sample period was estimated as approximately 607 tons, while the total nitrogen and total phosphorus inflows were about 10,466 and 1,433 kg, respectively. Suspended sediment input into the lake was 65%, and total nitrogen and total phosphorus were 40% and 48%, respectively, being delivered by the Kushiro River.