The application of system dynamics in different practices of a waste management system

The continuous increase in waste generation warrants global management of waste to reduce the adverse economic, social, and environmental impact of waste while achieving goals for sustainability. The complexity of waste management systems due to different waste management practices renders such systems difficult to analyze. System dynamics (SD) approach aids in conceptualizing and analyzing the structure, interactions, and mode of behavior of the complex systems. The impact of the underlying components can therefore be assessed in an integrated way while the impact of possible policies on the system can be studied to implement appropriate decisions. This review summarizes various applications of SD pertinent to the waste management practices in different countries. Practices may include waste generation, reduction, reuse/recovery, recycling, and disposal. Each study supports regional-demanding targets in environmental, social, and economic scopes such as expanding landfill life span, implementing proper disposal fee, global warming mitigation, energy generation/saving, etc. The interacting variables in the WMS are specifically determined based on the defined problem, ultimate goal, and the type of waste. Generally, population and gross domestic product can increase the waste generation. An increase in waste reduction, source separation, and recycling rate could decrease the environmental impact, but it is not necessarily profitable from an economic perspective. Incentives to separate waste and knowledge about waste management are variables that always have a positive impact on the entire system.

     

Lithium extraction from salt lake brines with high magnesium/lithium ratio: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The demand for lithium is growing rapidly with the increase in electric vehicles, batteries and electronic equipments. Lithium can be extracted from brines, yet...     

A combined radical and non-radical oxidation processes for efficient degradation of Acid Orange 7 in the homogeneous Cu(II)/PMS system: important role of chloride

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Trace copper ion (Cu(II)) in water and wastewater can trigger peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation to oxidize organic compounds, but it only works under...     

Effect of pressure and atmosphere during hydrothermal treatment on the properties of sewage sludge-derived solid fuel

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Efforts to improve the performance of hydrothermal treatment (HT) in producing high-quality solid fuel from sewage sludge were carried out by...     

Approach to the management of magnesium slag via the production of Portland cement clinker

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - This work aims to develop another approach to the management of magnesium slag (MS) via the production of Portland cement clinker. Thus, 0, 10, 20,...     

Combined toxicity of imidacloprid,acetochlor, and tebuconazole to zebrafish ( Danio rerio ): acute toxicity and hepatotoxicity assessment

Compound pollution refers to two or more kinds of pollutants with different properties, a pollutant from different sources, or the simultaneous existence of two or more different types of pollutants in the same environment. In this study, we aimed to investigate the individual and combined toxicity of the insecticide imidacloprid (IMI), the herbicide acetochlor (ACT), and the fungicide tebuconazole (TBZ) to zebrafish. The acute toxicity test results showed that the 96-h LC50 values of IMI, ACT, and TBZ were 276.84 (259.62–294.35) mg active ingredient (a.i.) L−1, 1.52 (1.34–1.74) mg a.i. L−1, and 8.16 (7.7–8.6) mg a.i. L−1, respectively. The combinations of IMI, ACT, and TBZ with toxicity ratios of 1:2:2, 1:4:4, 2:4:1, and 4:1:4 displayed synergistic toxic effects on zebrafish, while the toxicity ratios of 1:1:1, 1:1:2, 2:1:2, 2:2:1, and 4:2:1 of IMI, ACT, and TBZ, respectively, exhibited antagonistic toxic effects on zebrafish. The following experiments were performed with a toxicity ratio of 1:4:4 (IMI:ACT:TBZ). The activities of four enzyme biomarkers related to oxidative stress in the liver, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were evaluated in each exposure group on days 7, 14, 21, and 28. Compared with those of the control group, the activities of CAT, SOD, and GST and the MDA content were significantly altered at different time points in the individual and combined exposure groups. Additionally, the activities of CAT, SOD, and GST and the MDA content were significantly altered in the combined group compared with those of the individual group after 14 days or 21 days of exposure. Therefore, it was confirmed that combined toxicity studies are indispensable in risk assessment.     

南京典型站点春季大气颗粒物数谱分布特征

利用TSI公司的APS和SMPS系统,于2017年4月在江苏省环境监测中心点位连续一个月进行大气颗粒物数谱观测,结果表明,南京市春季典型月份大气颗粒物数浓度和体积浓度均值分别为1.64×104cm~(-3)和1.65×106μm~3/m~3;核模态、爱根核膜态、积聚模态和粗粒子模态数浓度占比分别为22.72%,53.52%,23.72%和0.05%,体积浓度占比分别为0.01%,1.76%,55.82%和42.41%;颗粒物数浓度平均日变化呈现双峰结构;PM_(2.5)体积浓度和质量浓度具有高度相关性;存在明显的新生粒子事件,3~10 nm颗粒物数浓度小时均值短时7 500 cm~(-3)。     

Comparison on surface properties and desulfurization of MnO2 and pyrolusite blended activated carbon by steam activation

In this study, MnO₂ and pyrolusite were used as the catalysts to prepare modified activated carbon, that is, AC-Mn and AC-P, respectively, from coals by blending method and steam activation. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) results indicated that the AC-P had higher surface areas and micropore volumes than the AC-Mn with the same blending ratio. The relative contents of basic functional groups (i.e., C = O, π-π*) on AC-P were slightly lower than those on AC-Mn, while both contained the same main metal species, namely, MnO. The desulfurization results showed that with 3 wt% of blending ratio, AC-Mn3 and AC-P3 had higher sulfur capacities at 220 and 205 mg/g, respectively, which were much higher than for the blank one (149.6 mg/g). Moreover, the AC-P had relatively higher sulfur capacity than the AC-Mn with the same contents of Mn, which might be attributed to the existence of other metals in pyrolusite. After the desulfurization process, MnO were gradually transferred into MnSO₄, and the relative contents of basic functional groups decreased evidently for both AC-Mn3 and AC-P3. The results demonstrated that pyrolusite could be one good alternative to MnO₂ to prepare modified activated carbon for desulfurization.

Implications: MnO₂ and pyrolusite were used as the additives to prepare modified activated carbon from coals by a blending method and by steam activation, that is, AC-Mn and AC-P, respectively. The AC-P had higher surface areas and micropore volumes than the AC-Mn with the same blending ratio. The AC-Mn and AC-P had higher sulfur capacities than a blank one. Moreover, the AC-P had relatively higher sulfur capacity than the AC-Mn with the same contents of Mn. The results demonstrated that pyrolusite could be one good alternative to MnO₂ to prepare modified activated carbon for desulfurizatio.     

Studies on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in two sediment cores from the huaxi reservoir,china: Assessment of levels,sources, and ecological risk

This study investigated the levels, sources and ecological risks of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in two sediment cores that were collected along the Huaxi Reservoir. The spatial distributions and residue levels of the 16 priority PAHs in the sediments from the Huaxi Reservoir were analyzed for their potential ecological risk, source apportionment and contribution to the total PAH residue. The concentration level of the total PAHs (TPAHs) was in the range 1805 ng·g^?1 to 20023 ng·g^?1 based on dry weight, and the content of PAHs in the Huaxi Reservoir exhibited a gradual upward trend. The PAH congener ratios fluoranthene/(fluoranthene + pyrene) and indeno[1, 2, 3-cd]pyrene/(indeno[1, 2, 3-cd]pyrene + benzo[g, h, i]perylene) were used to identify the source. The main source of the low molecular weight PAHs was wood and coal combustion, whereas the high molecular weight PAHs were primarily from petroleum combustion sources. The results of an ecological risk assessment demonstrated that ACE poses a potential ecological risk, while FLU, NAP, ANT, BaP, DBA, PHEN and PYR can have serious ecological risks.     

废旧硬质聚氨酯泡沫塑料的木质素改性及再生

采用含有二乙二醇(DEG)和乙醇胺(ETA)的双组分解交联剂降解废旧硬质聚氨酯泡沫塑料(PU硬泡),并利用降解得到的低聚物多元醇与木质素复合制备出性能增强的再生PU硬泡。通过对制备的再生PU硬泡的红外光谱、密度、吸水率、抗压强度、热稳定性、导热系数、热重曲线等进行分析测试,考察m(DEG)∶m(ETA)对再生PU硬泡性能的影响。实验结果表明:m(DEG)∶m(ETA)=1∶3时废旧PU硬泡的降解效果最好;木质素加入量为2.0%(w)时再生PU硬泡的密度低、抗压强度高、保温性能良好,达到国家标准《建筑绝热用硬质聚氨酯泡沫塑料》(GB/T 21558—2008)的品质要求。