Occurrence,distribution, and multi-phase partitioning of triclocarban and triclosan in an urban river receiving wastewater treatment plants effluent in China

Occurrence, distribution, spatial and seasonal variations, and partitioning between aqueous phase and suspended particulate matters (SPM) of triclocarban (TCC) and triclosan (TCS) in Xiaoqing River, which receives wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents, were studied. The distribution of the total TCC and TCS levels in surface water and sediments along the river were discussed. The highest TCC and TCS concentrations were both found near the discharge port of WWTPs, and the TCC and TCS levels decreased downstream of the WWTPs as a result of their distances from the source of WWTP discharges. The mean values of TCC and TCS in low-flow season were 1.62 and 1.80 times, respectively, as much as in high-flow season in surface water. The study on partitioning of TCC and TCS between aqueous phase and SPM shown the mean level of dissolved TCC accounted for about 10 % of the total level in surface water, whereas the TCS level was about 30 %. The TCC concentrations detected in the surface sediment samples (0 to 5 cm) ranged from 226 to 1,956 ng/g, with a mean value of 733 ng/g. The TCS levels were between 85 and 705 ng/g, with a mean value of 255 ng/g. The distribution and variations of TCC and TCS in sediments along the river were highly consistent with those in the water phase. The TCC and TCS levels in deep sediments (5 to 10 cm) were significantly lower than those in surface sediments. The mean TCC level in surface sediments was about 2.4 times as much as in deep sediments, and the TCS level in surface sediments was 3.1 times as much as in deep sediments.     

基于大气特征污染物的监测布点选址优化研究

针对常规大气环境监测未能对局部特殊污染情况进行表征的缺陷,提出基于特征污染物的监测布点选址优化方法:首先运用综合评分方法筛选区域大气特征污染物,然后建立综合了环境、经济和社会因素的多目标规划模型,并通过模糊层次分析法计算各子目标权重系数,最后应用lingo软件对模型优化求解,得到最优的监测点位布设方案.以南京市仙林地区为案例研究的结果表明,基于大气特征污染物的监测布点多目标模型能够得到较合理的优化点位布局,在3种情景中,选择的最优点位分别为25#、43#, 25#、43#、54#和25#、43#、54#、77#, 为实际大气环境监测优化布点提供科学指导.     

EGSB-MBR组合工艺处理糖蜜发酵废水效能研究

实验采用厌氧膨胀颗粒污泥床(EGSB)反应器与好氧膜生物反应器(MBR)组合工艺对糖蜜发酵废水进行处理.重点考察了组合工艺对发酵废水的处理效能,包括甲烷的产生效率、污染物(COD、NH4+-N和TN)的去除效能.实验结果表明:控温条件下[(35±1)℃]、进水COD约为2250mg/L、pH在为6.0左右时,EGSB对发酵废水的COD去除率可达75.6%,甲烷的容积产气速率为0.48m3/(m3·d).MBR在溶解氧(DO)为1~2mg/L左右时,采用曝气-搅拌交替运行方式处理EGSB出水,可以实现同步硝化反硝化,并且在曝气3h-搅拌1h交替运行条件下,NH4+-N、TN去除率分别为85.13%、58.57%,而最终COD去除率达到85%.     

Fabrication of mesoporous lignin-based biosorbent from rice straw and its application for heavy-metal-ion removal

Lignocellulosic biomass offers the most abundant renewable resource in replacing traditional fossil resources. However, it is still a major challenge to directly convert the lignin component into value-added materials. The availability of plentiful hydroxyl groups in lignin macromolecules and its unique three-dimensional structure make it an ideal precursor for mesoporous biosorbents. In this work, we reported an environmentally friendly and economically feasible method for the fabrication of mesoporous lignin-based biosorbent (MLBB) from lignocellulosic biomass through a SO₃ micro-thermal-explosion process, as a byproduct of microcrystalline cellulose. BET analysis reveal the average pore-size distribution of 5.50 nm, the average pore value of 0.35 cm³/g, and the specific surface area of 186 m²/g. The physicochemical properties of MLBB were studied by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), attenuated-total-reflection fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and element analysis. These results showed that there are large amounts of sulfonic functional groups existing on the surface of this biosorbent. Pb(II) was used as a model heavy-metal-ion to demonstrate the technical feasibility for heavy-metal-ion removal. Considering that lignocellulosic biomass is a naturally abundant and renewable resource and SO₃ micro-thermal-explosion is a proven technique, this biosorbent can be easily produced at large scale and become a sustainable and reliable resource for wastewater treatment.     

Urinary concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and phthalate metabolite mixtures in relation to semen quality among men attending an infertility clinic

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Previous studies have reported that exposure to phthalates and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is individually associated with altered semen...     

我国城市天然气替代燃煤集中供暖的大气污染减排效果

基于国家发改委“天然气利用政策”中的天然气利用领域,利用等热值替代方法计算不同领域天然气替代后的污染物减排效果,从大气污染减排角度对天然气各个利用领域的优先次序重新排列,并对2010年全国15个重点供暖城市天然气替代燃煤集中供暖的大气污染物减排量进行测算.结论表明:天然气集中供暖的大气污染减排效果排序处于前列,城市利用天然气替代燃煤集中供暖对CO2、颗粒物(PM)、SO2和NOx都有较明显的减排效果.2010年我国15个重点城市如果采用天然气集中供暖,共可减少CO2排放量2190.71万t、颗粒物(PM)排放量734.24万t、SO2排放量40.21万t、NOx排放量22.56万t.     

Urinary concentrations of phenols, oxidative stress biomarkers and thyroid cancer: Exploring associations and mediation effects

Phenols have been shown to influence the cellular proliferation and function of thyroid in experimental models. However, few human studies have investigated the association between phenol exposure and thyroid cancer, and the underlying mechanisms are also poorly understood. We conducted a case-control study by age- and sex-matching 143 thyroid cancer and 224 controls to investigate the associations between phenol exposures and the risk of thyroid cancer, and further to explore the mediating role of oxidative stress. We found that elevated urinary triclosan (TCS), bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) levels were associated with increased risk of thyroid cancer (all P for trends < 0.05), and the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) comparing the extreme exposure groups were 3.52 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.08, 5.95), 2.06 (95% CI: 1.06, 3.97) and 7.15 (95% CI: 3.12, 16.40), respectively. Positive associations were also observed between urinary TCS, BPA and BPS and three oxidative stress biomarkers measured by 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), 8-iso-prostaglandin F_2α (8-isoPGF_2α) and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-mercapturic acid (HNE-MA), as well as between urinary 8-isoPGF_2α and HNE-MA and the risk of thyroid cancer. Mediation analysis showed that urinary 8-isoPGF_2α mediated 28.95%, 47.06% and 31.08% of the associations between TCS, BPA and BPS exposures and the risk of thyroid cancer, respectively (all P < 0.05). Our results suggest that exposure to TCS, BPA and BPS may be associated with increased risk of thyroid cancer and lipid peroxidation may be an intermediate mechanism. Further studies are warranted to confirm the findings.     

Effects of Inorganic Antiseptic on the Properties of Zein-Based Active Films

Zein, one of corn processing byproducts, has excellent film-forming ability. However, zein does not have intrinsic antibacterial or antioxidant activity which limits its direct applicability as active food packaging material. In the present study, the rod-shaped micro-sized ZnO crystals were incorporated into zein films to construct zein-based active films as active packaging material with antibacterial property. The morphologies, structural analysis and sizes of ZnO crystals were analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction. Prepared zein films were evaluated for ZnO loading and distribution. Furthermore, antibacterial activities on Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria were tested by using the disc diffusion method. Lastly, the stability of zein-based active films under the different storage temperature and humidity was investigated. The results showed that zein based-active films had well mechanical properties, stability and antibacterial activities, which were related to the sizes of ZnO crystals in films.     

Thermal hazard evaluation for iso-octanol nitration with mixed acid

2-Ethylhexyl nitrate (2-EHN), an important additive to diesel fuel, is produced from the nitration of iso-octanol with HNO₃–H₂SO₄ mixed acid. In this study, the differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC) and reaction calorimeter were used to analyze the thermal stability of 2-EHN and the thermal hazard of iso-octanol nitration. Four samples with different ratios of 2-EHN to mixed acid were tested using DSC. The results indicated that more mixed acid could catalyze the decomposition of 2-EHN. Three samples were tested using ARC and the results showed that sample 4 contained the lowest onset temperatures, T_D8 and T_D24. This shows that there is a higher probability of triggering the decomposition of the product 2-EHN from the iso-octanol nitration process. This conclusion was verified using RC1e tests at different temperatures. The RC1e experiments also indicated that the overall heat generation of these reactions was considerably large despite the high yields of the nitration process at 45 °C and 55 °C. This heat generation makes these semi-batch processes difficult to control, especially on a pilot or plant scale. Based on the maximum temperature of the synthesis reaction (MTSR) corrected by the yield, the only acceptable semi-batch process is the nitration reaction at 10 °C.