Physicochemical aspects of using natural scavengers in removing methylene blue (basic dye) from solution

Effluent from dyeing and finishing processes is an important source of water pollution. The effectiveness of bentonite, kaolinite and sediment from a local deposit in removing methylene blue as a cationic dye from aqueous solutions has been investigated. The adsorption equilibrium (isotherm) has been determined according to Freundlich and Langmuir equations. The optimum amount is 0.5 g for all adsorbents, and the optimum pH ranges are 2-8 for bentonite and 2-6 for kaolinite and sediment. With respect to kinetic modelling, the adsorption of methylene blue on various adsorbents was fitted to a second-order equation. Also, the thermodynamic parameters were determined. The negative free energy values indicate the feasibility of the process and spontaneous nature of adsorption. The positive ΔH° values indicate the endothermic nature of the process. Thus, Egyptian clay minerals and sediments have a great tendency to remove the dye from solutions.     

Prioritization of Sustainable Groundwater Management Needs: The Case of the Israel's Stressed Coastal Aquifer

On-going population growth and resulting domestic demand for water require rapid and effective decision-making as regards groundwater management and control of the various sources of salinization and pollution in Coastal aquifers. Sustainability of water resources for utilization by future generations must therefore be a high priority, not only for the purpose of fulfilling needs for water usage but also for bringing people into harmony with their ambient natural environment.The objective of this paper is to propose an empirical approach for prioritization of the needs involved for sustainable aquifer management. The approach involves a schematic format to:(1) develop a global understanding of an aquifer's hydrological and environmental properties in order to delineate appropriate eco-hydrological scenarios and recommend corresponding operational management activities; and(2) emphasize the importance of educating and increasing the awareness of the population involved as to the need for and viability of socially acceptable measures for sustainable management of groundwater and other resources.The psychologist Abraham Maslow utilized a pyramid to illustrate that until people's most basic needs were fulfilled, higher levels of needs would remain irrelevant. This paper postulates a comparable pyramid prioritizing hydrological needs required for progressing towards sustainable groundwater resources. Two sub-regions of Israel's Coastal aquifer in the Sharon region have been presented as representative areas, each characterized by different stress of exploitation. In assessing these sub-regions situation, specific measures have been recommended for achieving and/or maintaining sustainable groundwater resources in light of the ambient environment, and the level of the population on the pyramidal hierarchy of groundwater needs.     

Relationship between physicochemical properties and dewaterability of hydrothermal sludge derived from different source

Sewage sludge (SS) and deinking sludge (DS) were used to comparatively study the hydrothermal dewatering of sludge with different components. For a better overview, an insight into the relationship between physicochemical properties and dewaterability of hydrothermal sludge was provided. Results found that not all kinds of sludge were suitably conditioned by hydrothermal treatment (HT) in term of the elevation of dewaterability. Higher hydrothermal temperature tended to enhance the dewaterability of SS rather than DS, which was supported by the variation of their physicochemical properties (including water distribution, bonding energy, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), particles size, acid functional groups and zeta potential in this study). In addition, the changes in surface morphology suggested that the reverse effect of HT on sludge dewaterability was mainly due to their dewatering behavior. For SS, the destruction of EPS structure leaded to the release of bound water, thereby strengthening sludge dewatering. Conversely, “Bridging effect” generated by lignocellulose in DS was beneficial for sludge dewatering; however, the increasing hydrothermal temperature degraded part of lignocellulose and weakened “bridging effect”, finally resulting in worse dewaterability of DS.     

Evaluation of Water Quality in the Chillán River (Central Chile) Using Physicochemical Parameters and a Modified Water Quality Index

The Chillán River in Central Chile plays a fundamental role in local society, as a source of irrigation and drinking water, and as a sink for urban wastewater. In order to characterize the spatial and temporal variability of surface water quality in the watershed, a Water Quality Index (WQI) was calculated from nine physicochemical parameters, periodically measured at 18 sampling sites (January–November 2000). The results indicated a good water quality in the upper and middle parts of the watershed. Downstream of the City of Chillán, water quality conditions were critical during the dry season, mainly due to the effects of the urban wastewater discharge. On the basis of the results from a Principal Component Analysis (PCA), modifications were introduced into the original WQI to reduce the costs associated with its implementation. WQI_DIR2 and WQI_DIR, which are both based on a laboratory analysis (Chemical Oxygen Demand) and three (pH, temperature and conductivity), respectively, four field measurements (pH, temperature, conductivity and Dissolved Oxygen), adequately reproduce the most important spatial and temporal variations observed with the original index. They are proposed as useful tools for monitoring global water quality trends in this and other, similar agricultural watersheds in the Chilean Central Valley. Possibilities and limitations for the application of the used methodology to watersheds in other parts of the world are discussed.     

RISK ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY FOR KARST AQUIFERS: (2) SOLUTE-TRANSPORT MODELING

Ground-water flow and solute-transport simulation modeling are major components of most exposure and risk assessments of contaminated aquifers. Model simulations provide information on the spatial and temporal distributions of contaminants in subsurface media but are difficult to apply to karst aquifers in which conduit flow is important. Ground-water flow and solute transport in karst conduits typically display rapid-flow velocities, turbulent-flow regimes, concentrated pollutant-mass discharge, and exhibit open-channel or closed-conduit flow. Conventional ground-water models, dependent on the applicability of Darcy`s law, are inappropriate when applied to karst aquifers because of the (1) nonapplicability of Darcian-flow parameters, (2) typically nonlaminar flow regime, and (3) inability to locate the karst conduits through which most flow and contaminant transport occurs. Surface-water flow and solute-transport models conditioned on a set of parameters determined empirically from quantitative ground-water tracing studies may be effectively used to render fate-and-transport values of contaminants in karst conduits. Hydraulic-flow and geometric parameters developed in a companion paper were used in the surface-water model, TOXI5, to simulate hypothetical slug and continuous-source releases of ethylbenzene in a karst conduit. TOXI5 simulation results showed considerable improvement for predicted ethylbenzene-transport rates and concentrations over qualitative tracing and analytical ground-water model results. Ethylbenzene concentrations predicted by TOXI5 simulations were evaluated in exposure and risk assessment models.     

两种桑科植物叶片光合及光呼吸对模拟干旱的响应

采用150 g/L的聚乙二醇(Polyethylene glycol,PEG)模拟干旱胁迫,研究两种桑科植物(构树和桑树)的叶片光合及光呼吸特征对干旱胁迫的响应。对植物培养液的相关化学参数以及叶片的光合参数进行测定,结果表明:干旱对构树根系吸水能力的影响小于桑树的;构树以中光合-低蒸腾-高水分利用率的模式适应干旱环境,桑树以低光合-低蒸腾-高水分利用率的模式来应对干旱环境;在模拟干旱环境下,构树以稳定的羧化效率-高光呼吸速率-高光呼吸利用份额来适应外界胁迫,而桑树以低羧化效率-低光呼吸速率-低光呼吸利用份额来应对外界胁迫。构树表现出对外界干旱胁迫更好的适应性,这种适应机制可能与其较强的光呼吸作用及其碳酸氢根离子利用能力有关。这种"以碳换水"的机制可能是喀斯特适生植物适应岩溶干旱的又一个重要机制。     

Effect of airborne SO_2 on performance of the turnip moth,Agrotis segetum Schiff

SO2 Pollution; rape plant (Brassica chinensis); turnip moth (Agrotis segetum); growth and developmental parameters.     

FAO生产潜力模型中基本参数的修正

用美国Licor -6200便携式光合作用测定仪对黄淮海主要作物叶片光合进行了测定 ,建立了较强机理的冠层光合模型 ,模型时间积分为瞬时尺度并充分考虑了株型对冠层光合的影响 ,验证结果表明模型具有较高的准确度。在此基础上 ,对deWit在1965年用数值模式计算出的、目前仍在国内大量使用的FAO生产力模型中最基本的参数进行了重新计算 ,发现FAO生产力模型中基本参数对黄淮海地区而言存在较大偏差。文中重新给出了冬小麦、夏玉米两种作物冠层CO2 日总同化量随纬度分布表 ,为以后更准确地计算中国不同作物生产潜力提供了最基本的模型参数 ,同时文中也阐明了作者对国内生产潜力研究的一些观点和看法。     

皮革废水物化处理工艺整改的试验研究

在扬州某皮革厂原有的废水处理设施基础上，采用浓淡分流，药剂调整等方法。对其物化处理部分进行整改。结果表明，用Fe2SO4作混凝剂处理浓废水及用复合混凝剂处理淡废水，效果较好。处理后，可减少排放废水CODcr约1252t／a。处理成本从原来的4.03元／t降到1.30元／t。同时，降低了加药量的控制难度与加药频率，减轻了工人的劳动强度。     

珠江口浮游藻类生态及与关键水质因子分析

从宏观上和特殊性两方面对其进行浮游藻类生态发生与关键水质因子 (盐度、DO、PO4 P、NO3 N)关联的研究与总结。得出二者间确有关联 ,在 12个测点站位中 ,C12 站位具有水域特殊性 ,即在C12 测点具有溶解氧超饱和现象 ,溶氧饱和率为 115 % ,中肋骨条藻高达 8.6 9× 10 5L 1,个体百分组成高达 87.4 % ,藻类优势度为92 .3% ,该测点水域处于赤潮状态 ,并导致C12 测点活性磷浓度为最低测值。由于硝酸盐含量很高 ,藻类生长和硝酸盐的特殊对应关系不明显。相关分析显示 ,在整个水域盐度与藻类生长为正相关 ,藻类丰度与最高溶氧也为正相关 ,藻类生长与活性磷和硝酸盐之间乃为负相关