Transparent exopolymer particles (TEPs)-associated protobiofilm: A neglected contributor to biofouling during membrane filtration

• Bacteria could easily and quickly attached onto TEP to form protobiofilms. • TEP-protobiofilm facilitate the transport of bacteria to membrane surface. • More significant flux decline was observed in the presence of TEP-protobiofilms. • Membrane fouling shows higher sensitivity to protobiofilm not to bacteria level. Transparent exopolymer particles (TEPs) are a class of transparent gel-like polysaccharides, which have been widely detected in almost every kind of feed water to membrane systems, including freshwater, seawater and wastewater. Although TEP have been thought to be related to the membrane fouling, little information is currently available for their influential mechanisms and the pertinence to biofouling development. The present study, thus, aims to explore the impact of TEPs on biofouling development during ultrafiltration. TEP samples were inoculated with bacteria for several hours before filtration and the formation of “protobiofilm” (pre-colonized TEP by bacteria) was examined and its influence on biofouling was determined. It was observed that the bacteria can easily and quickly attach onto TEPs and form protobiofilms. Ultrafiltration experiments further revealed that TEP-protobiofilms served as carriers which facilitated and accelerated transport of bacteria to membrane surface, leading to rapid development of biofouling on the ultrafiltration membrane surfaces. Moreover, compared to the feed water containing independent bacteria and TEPs, more flux decline was observed with TEP-protobiofilms. Consequently, it appeared from this study that TEP-protobiofilms play a vital role in the development of membrane biofouling, but unfortunately, this phenomenon has been often overlooked in the literature. Obviously, these findings in turn may also challenge the current understanding of organic fouling and biofouling as membrane fouling caused by TEP-protobiofilm is a combination of both. It is expected that this study might promote further research in general membrane fouling mechanisms and the development of an effective mitigation strategy.     

Ultrasound-assisted electrodeposition synthesis of nZVI-Pd/AC toward reductive degradation of methylene blue

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A novel composite (nZVI/Pd-AC) was prepared by loading nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) and Pd on activated carbon (AC) electrode under...     

An asymmetric analysis of the impacts of energy use on carbon dioxide emissions in the G7 countries

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The foremost theme of the paper is to explore the asymmetric/symmetric impact of energy consumption on the carbon dioxide emission of G7 countries...     

基于GC-QTOF/MS的大气中有机污染物的非靶标筛查及半定量分析

本文借助气相色谱-四极杆飞行时间质谱仪(GC-QTOF/MS)开展了大气中有机污染物的非靶标筛查,并对识别出的特征污染物进行半定量分析.基于高分辨质谱数据库和NIST质谱数据库的匹配,样品中共识别出139种污染物,主要以多环芳烃(PAHs)及其衍生物、邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)为主;除此之外,还识别出多种尚未受到监管的杂环类化合物,例如苯并噻唑、四甲基哌啶酮、1-甲基-2吡咯烷酮、氧杂蒽等.识别出的有机污染物半定量浓度为288 ng·m-3,其中大气常规监测的16种PAHs的浓度是18.1 ng·m-3,仅占总浓度的6.28％.PAEs的浓度为44.6 ng·m-3,邻苯二甲酸二丁酯(DBP)的浓度最高(14.8 ng·m-3).以含氮、氧、硫为主的杂环化合物浓度是47.9 ng·m-3,其中苯并噻唑浓度最高,为9.51 ng·m-3;其次是1-甲基-2吡咯烷酮、四甲基哌啶酮、尼古丁和二苯并呋喃,浓度分别为9.22、8.78、5.11、4.15 ng·m-3.本研究展示了高分辨质谱技术在未知物识别中的优势,并对识别出的特征污染物进行了半定量分析,其结果能够为后期污染物的风险评估提供借鉴意义.     

Effects of intercropping with floricultural accumulator plants on cadmium accumulation in grapevine

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) intercropping with floricultural cadmium (Cd) accumulator plants (Helianthus annuus L., Cosmos sulphureus Cav., Cosmos...     

神农架大九湖亚高山泥炭湿地甲烷通量变化特征及其与产甲烷菌群落组成的关系

2018年12月～2019年11月,采用涡度相关法和高通量测序技术,以湖北省神农架大九湖亚高山泥炭湿地为研究对象,对甲烷(CH4)通量以及产甲烷菌群落组成进行相关研究.结果 及分析表明:大九湖泥炭湿地研究期间表现为CH4的源,CH4总排放量为9333.26 mg· m-2,CH4日平均排放通量为18.50 nmol·m-2·s-1,冬、春、夏、秋四季的CH4平均排放通量分别为6.46、4.62、36.81、25.92 nmol·m-2·s-1,存在明显的季节变化;研究区产甲烷菌优势菌群为Methanoregula(66.73％)和Methanocella(21.99％);对样本中产甲烷菌的Shannon指数进行双因素方差分析发现,同一季节不同深度的样本中产甲烷菌多样性存在显著差异,随着深度的增加,产甲烷菌的多样性指数呈下降趋势;同一深度不同季节的样本中产甲烷菌多样性存在显著差异;夏季产甲烷菌群落组成与CH4排放通量为强正相关关系,春季产甲烷菌群落组成与CH4排放通量为强负相关关系,Methanothermus与CH4排放通量为显著正相关关系,Methanolinea与CH4排放通量为显著负相关关系.     

非接触式超声波局放检测仪校验平台研究

非接触式超声波局放检测仪缺乏统一的性能校验平台，影响电力设备局放检测结果的有效性和可靠性，在现有接触式超声波检测平台校验基础上，建立了相应的非接触式超声波局放检测装置校验平台，并提出了模拟装置，实验室环境联合校验方法。所述的校验方法具有稳定性高，重复性好的特点，弥补了非接触式超声波局部放电检测仪在空间，实用性与理想环境差异等问题，有一定的参考价值。     

抗生素与三唑类杀菌剂混合物对羊角月牙藻的长期毒性相互作用研究

地表水中抗生素与农药的混合暴露及其潜在生态与健康风险受到广泛关注。然而,目前关于抗生素与农药混合毒性研究大多仅考虑急性毒性,缺乏其长期毒性相互作用的研究。以较为广泛使用的2种抗生素土霉素(OXY)、环丙沙星(CIP)和1种三唑类杀菌剂农药戊唑醇(TCZ)及其二元混合物为研究对象,以生态系统中初级生产者绿藻(羊角月牙藻)为受试生物,研究目标混合物在暴露时间为96、120、144和168 h的长期毒性相互作用。结果表明,单一物质及其混合物随暴露时间延长而毒性增大;同一暴露时间点的单一污染物毒性大小顺序为OXYTCZCIP;混合物毒性相互作用与浓度、混合物组分和暴露时间三者密切相关;混合体系的拮抗作用均出现在高浓度区域,而中、低浓度区域呈协同作用或加和作用; OXY-CIP与CIPTCZ混合体系的协同作用随着暴露时间延长而协同作用逐渐增大。研究结果对水环境中抗生素与农药复合污染生态风险评估具有重要的现实意义。     

石化企业VOCs无组织排放源强的反演模拟

针对石化行业面源无组织排放VOCs难以准确定量的问题,建立了基于开路式傅里叶变换红外光谱技术(OP-FTIR)的面源污染源源强反演模型,并进行了现场模拟试验。试验结果表明,风向、风速、大气稳定度、监测距离、数据处理周期等都是影响反演模型准确性的重要灵敏度参数。以反演源强Q_P与实际排放量Q的比值(Q_P/Q)为量化指标,对各影响因素进行优化处理,确定了构建反演模型适用的边界条件。当各灵敏度参数稳定于适用边界条件之内时,Q_P/Q为0.85~0.90。