微波辐射下改性壳聚糖的制备及其絮凝性能

采用微波辐射法合成了壳聚糖-丙烯酰胺接枝共聚物。通过傅立叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)谱图对比分析表明,丙烯酰胺成功地接枝到壳聚糖上,发生了接枝共聚反应;产物的热重-差热(TG-DSC)谱图表明,壳聚糖-丙烯酰胺接枝共聚物的热稳定性比壳聚糖差。壳聚糖-丙烯酰胺接枝共聚物作为絮凝剂处理高岭土悬浊液的最佳条件为:絮凝剂加入量4.0 mg/L,沉降时间20 min,溶液pH 7。处理印染废水时,与壳聚糖相比,壳聚糖-丙烯酰胺接枝共聚物加入量较少而COD去除效果较好。在废水pH为7、絮凝剂加入量为100 mg/L、沉降时间为20 min的条件下,壳聚糖-丙烯酰胺接枝共聚物对废水COD去除率达41.55%。     

经济型阳离子淀粉絮凝剂的制备及其对印染废水的处理效果

采用玉米淀粉为原料、氯化缩水甘油三甲基铵（GTA）作阳离子化试剂、水-乙醇混合液作分散剂、NaOH作碱催化剂,制备了经济型阳离子淀粉絮凝剂（简称经济型阳离子淀粉）。实验结果表明：在淀粉加入量110g、GTA加入量30g、NaOH加入量1．6g、分散剂中m（水）：m（乙醇）=1：1、m（分散剂）：m（淀粉）=0．50：1、反应温度80℃、反应时间2．5h的条件下,可制得取代度（DS）为0．31的经济型阳离子淀粉;用该经济型阳离子淀粉与聚丙烯酰胺（PAM）联用处理印染废水,当经济型阳离子淀粉加入量为140mg／L、PAM加入量为4mg/L、废水pH为8时,印染废水的色度去除率和COD去除率分别达92％和82％。该方法絮凝效果好,药剂费用低,产生的污泥少。     

淀粉-丙烯酰胺接枝共聚物对黄磷废水的絮凝净化作用

介绍了淀粉 丙烯酰胺接枝共聚物(SGM)对中和后的黄磷废水的絮凝净化作用,其处理效果超过聚丙烯酰胺(PAM)。试验结果表明:SGM的支链相对分子质量大于8×106,水解度为27%,接枝聚合物接枝率为60%,絮凝效果最佳。SGM提高絮凝效果的原因是:接枝共聚物在空间结构方面比均聚物显现出较大的比表面积,对桥连有利。     

两性聚丙烯酰胺的制备及其絮凝性能

开发了一种对非离子聚丙烯酰胺进行改性制备两性聚丙烯酰胺(APAM)絮凝剂的新方法。以硅藻土悬浮液为絮凝对象,考察了改性反应中影响APAM絮凝效果的因素。结果表明,采用无水乙酸与三甲胺、环氧氯丙烷合成季胺盐型阳离子剂的方法优于采用盐酸的方法;在10mL质量分数为10%、相对分子质量为3×106的非离子型聚丙烯酰胺水溶液中加入8mL浓度为2.6mol/L的阳离子剂,同时控制V(NaOH)∶V(NaClO)为0.44,改性得到的APAM絮凝性能最佳,在pH3～9的较宽范围内对硅藻土悬浮液有较好的絮凝效果。在pH为3、APAM加入量为1.8mg/L时,硅藻土悬浮液的絮凝率可达100%。     

新型污泥脱水絮凝剂的研制

以累托石和虾蟹壳为主要原料,制备出一种新型污泥脱水絮凝剂。研究了该絮凝剂的制备工艺条件,探讨了该絮凝剂的絮凝机理。该絮凝剂的最佳配方为：天然有机高分子材料与改性累托石质量比1：6,将其配制成质量分数为1％的絮凝剂工作液,处理污泥的最佳加入量为1mL／L,最佳沉降时间为20min。与传统絮凝剂聚丙烯酰胺相比,污泥脱水率提高了5．47％,污泥沉降时间缩短了33．33％,吨污泥单耗絮凝剂成本下降了4％,且处理过程中的二次污染大幅度减小。     

长链季铵盐的絮凝性能

采用FTIR技术对自制的长链季铵盐絮凝剂环氧丙基十二烷基二甲基氯化铵进行了表征,研究了该絮凝剂对高岭土悬浊液的絮凝效果,考察了絮凝剂加入量、溶液pH和絮凝时间对絮凝率的影响;并与常用絮凝剂聚丙烯酰胺的絮凝效果进行了对比。表征结果显示,合成的目标产物为环氧丙基十二烷基二甲基氯化铵。实验结果表明：在絮凝剂加入量8 mg/L、溶液pH 9、絮凝时间50 min的条件下,絮凝率达到84.84%;在相同絮凝剂加入量的条件下,环氧丙基十二烷基二甲基氯化铵的絮凝效果优于聚丙烯酰胺。     

丙烯酰胺接枝木薯淀粉的合成及橡胶废水的絮凝处理

以丙烯酰胺为单体,过硫酸铵为引发剂,十二烷基磺酸钠为乳化剂,采用乳液聚合法合成丙烯酰胺接枝木薯淀粉(接枝淀粉)。实验结果表明:当m(淀粉)∶m(单体)为1.0∶1.5、合成温度为60℃、引发剂加入量(质量分数)为2.4%时,单体转化率、接枝率和接枝效率分别为74.7%,69.8%,74.9%;当接枝淀粉的加入量为0.35g/L时,絮凝处理后橡胶废水的吸光度由0.164降为0.073,脱色率为55.5%。     

阳离子聚丙烯酰胺絮凝剂的制备及其絮凝性能

研究了丙烯酰胺（AM）与丙烯酰氧乙基三甲皋氯化铵共聚反应制备阳离子聚丙烯酰胺絮凝剂的工艺。实验结果表明,最佳聚合条件：pH6．0、（NH4）2S2O8和CH3NaO3S·2H2O总质量分数0．0125％、（NH4）：S2O8与CH3NaO3S·2H2O质量比1．0、偶氮类化合物质量分数0．0125％、单体质量分数（AM和阳离子单体总质量占整个反应体系的质量分数）35％、阳离子度（阳离子单体占AM和阳离子单体之和的质量分数）30％、反应温度25℃。在最佳条件下,所得阳离子聚丙烯酰胺絮凝剂的特性黏数为13．8535dl／g,在其加入量为0．027％的条件下处理污泥,上层清液透光率达99．6％,污泥脱水率达90．5％。并用红外光谱对阳离子聚丙烯酰胺的结构进行了表征。     

无机-有机复合絮凝剂PACSAM的制备及其脱色性能

以聚合氯化铝（PAC）和淀粉-丙烯酰胺接枝聚合物（ST-AM）为原料,合成了一种新型的无机-有机复合絮凝剂（PACSAM）。考察了PACSAM对活性染料、直接染料模拟印染废水及实际印染废水的脱色效果,并初步探讨了絮凝机理。实验结果表明：在很宽的pH范围内,PACSAM均表现出了良好的脱色性能;在PACSAM加入量为25m g/L时,PACSAM对实际印染废水的脱色率、COD去除率、浊度去除率分别为96.4%,92.1%,98.5%,废水处理效果明显好于壳聚糖和PAC。PACSAM的絮凝机理包括化学反应、分子间氢键、电中和及架桥作用等。     

阳离子表面活性剂处理油田含聚合物废水

以7种常见的阳离子表面活性剂为絮凝剂,考察对海上某油田含聚合物废水的处理效果.实验结果表明:一定浓度时,十四烷基三甲基溴化铵和十六烷基三甲基溴化铵有很好的絮凝效果:阳离子季铵盐表面活性剂加入到含聚合物废水中后,先会与连续水相中的水解聚丙烯酰胺(HPAM)发生静电中和作用,剩余的表面活性剂扩散至油水界面与界面处HPAM作用后破坏HPAM对油滴的稳定作用,从而达到絮凝效果;阳离子表面活性剂的加入量与含聚合物废水中HPAM的浓度密切相关.     

Distribution of Cd,Ck, Pb and Zn in Soil and Vegetation Compartments in Stands of Five Boreal Tree Species in N.E. Sweden

Concentrations and total quantity of cadmium (Cd), cupper (Cu),lead (Pb) and zink (Zn) were determined in biomass and soil compartments in a replicated tree species experiment with 27-yr-old stands growing on former farmland in N.E. Sweden. Sequentialextractions of soil samples were performed in order to estimate the exchangeable and an organically bound fraction of each element. The tree species included were Picea abies (L.)H. Karst., Pinus sylvestris L., Pinus contorta Dougl., Larix sibirica Ledeb., and Betula pendula Roth.Tree species influenced the rate of removal of Cu, Pb and Zn incase of stemwood harvesting, and of Cd, Cu and Zn in the case ofwhole-tree harvesting. B. pendula and P. abies had higher quantities and average concentrations of Zn in the biomass. For all species, >50% of the Zn in the stems was found in the bark. P. abies and L. sibirica had higher quantities of Cu in the biomass than the other species.P. abies and P. contorta had high quantities of Cd inthe biomass in relation to the other species. Branches and stembark contained high concentrations of Cd and Pb in relation to foliage and stemwood. Dead branches had especially high concentrations of Pb. The high accumulation rate of Zn in thebiomass of B. pendula was related to a low exchangeable amount of Zn in the A horizon. In the superficial centimeters ofthe A horizon, a depletion similar to that found for Zn was detected for Cu, whereas for Cd and Pb, no correlations were found between quantities of elements in the trees and element pools in the soil.     

Starch-plastic materials—Preparation,physical properties,and biodegradability (a review of recent USDA research)

Recent starch-plastic research at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research is reviewed and related worldwide efforts are noted. Properties of starch that influence its formulation and performance in plastics are discussed. Methods are given for preparation of starch-poly(methyl acrylate) graft copolymer, starch-poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid), and starch-poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid)-polyethylene plastics. Their physical properties are discussed, as is degradability by enzymes or amylolytic organisms from soil, ponds, and streams.The mention of firm names or trade products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over other firms or similar products not mentioned.     

Bioassessment of silvicultural impacts in streams and wetlands of the Eastern United States

Bioassessment is a useful tool to determine the impact of logging practices on the biological integrity of streams and wetlands. Measuring biota directly has an intuitive appeal for impact assessment, and biota can be superior indicators to physical or chemical characteristics because they can reflect cumulative impacts over time. Logging can affect stream and wetland biota by increasing sedimentation rates, altering hydrologic, thermal, and chemical regimes, and changing the base of food webs. Biotic impacts of logging on streams compared to wetlands probably differ, and in this paper we review some of those differences. In streams, invertebrates, fishes, amphibians, algae, and macrophytes have been used as indicators of logging impacts. In wetlands, bioassessment is just beginning to be used, and plants and birds are the most promising indicator taxa. Various best management practices (BMPs) have been developed to reduce the impacts of logging on stream and wetland biota, and we review quantitative studies that have evaluated the efficacy of some of these techniques in streams and wetlands in the eastern United States. Remarkably few studies that address the overall efficacy of BMPs in limiting biotic changes in streams and wetlands after BMP implementation have been published in scientific journals, although some work exists in reports or is unpublished. We review these works, and compile conclusions about BMP efficacy for biota from this body of research.     

Characterization of air emissions and residual ash from open burning of electronic wastes during simulated rudimentary recycling operations

Air emissions and residual ash samples were collected and analyzed during experiments of open, uncontrolled combustion of electronic waste (e-waste), simulating practices associated with rudimentary e-waste recycling operations. Circuit boards and insulated wires were handled separately to simulate processes associated with metal recovery. The average emissions of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDFs) were 92 ng toxic equivalency (TEQ)/kg [n = 2, relative standard deviation (RSD) = 98%] and 11 900 ng TEQ/kg (n = 3, RSD = 50%) of the initial mass of the circuit boards and insulated wire, respectively. The value for the insulated wire is about 100 times higher than that for backyard barrel burning of domestic waste. The emission concentrations of polybrominated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/PBDFs) from the combustion of circuit boards were 100 times higher than for their polychlorinated counterparts. Particulate matter (PM) sampling of the fly ash emissions indicated PM emission factors of approximately 15 and 17 g/kg of the initial mass for the circuit boards and insulated wire, respectively. Fly ash samples from both types of e-waste contained considerable amounts of several metallic elements and halogens; lead concentrations were more than 200 times the United States regulatory limits for municipal waste combustors and 20 times those for secondary lead smelters. Leaching tests of the residual bottom ash showed that lead concentrations exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency landfill limits, designating this ash as a hazardous waste.     

Historical Weathering Based on Chemical Analyses of Two Spodosols in Southern Sweden

Chemical weathering losses were calculated for two conifer stands in relation to ongoing studies on liming effects and ash amendments on chemical status, soil solution chemistry and soil genesis. Weathering losses were based on elemental depletion trends in soil profiles since deglaciation and exposure to the weathering environment. Gradients in total geochemical composition were assumed to reflect alteration over time. Study sites were Horröd and Hasslöv in southern Sweden. Both Horröd and Hasslöv sites are located on sandy loamy Weichselian till at an altitude of 85 and 190 m a.s.l., respectively. Aliquots from volume determined samples from a number of soil levels were fused with lithium metaborate, dissolved in HNO₃, and analysed by ICP – AES. Results indicated highest cumulative weathering losses at Hasslöv. The weathering losses for the elements are in the following order:Si > Al > K > Na > Ca > MgTotal annual losses for Ca+Mg+K+Na, expressed in mmol_c m^-2 yr^-1, amounted to c. 28 and 58 at Horröd and Hasslöv, respectively. Variations between study sites could not be explained by differences in bulk density, geochemistry or mineralogy. The accumulated weathering losses since deglaciation were larger in the uppermost 15 cm than in deeper B horizons for most elements studied.     

Transformations of nitrogen at the interface between the topsoil and an impervious clay subsoil

Much work has been done on gaseous emissions and leaching of nitrogenous compounds from whole soil profiles and also from soil surface measurements which are assumed to be mainly due to topsoil activity. In soils with an impervious clay subsoil, the boundary between the topsoil and subsoil may provide an interface for microbial activity, including N transformations. In this study, we investigated movement and transformations of two reactive N species (nitrate and urea) at the subsoil interface using a series of replicate, intact soil blocks, under two contrasting watering regimes. We measured fluxes in both liquid and gaseous phases and demonstrated that nitrate reaching the subsoil interface does not necessarily leach into water systems, but may denitrify immediately and could, therefore, add to atmospheric pollution through N₂O production. On the other hand, ammonium reaching the subsoil interface either directly, or after mineralization, appears to be more mobile than expected and has the potential to pollute watercourses.     

The Spatial and Temporal Variation of Measured Urban PM10 and PM2.5 in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area

We have studied particulate matter (PM) concentrations,PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, measured in an urban air qualitymonitoring network in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area during1997–1999. The data includes PM₁₀ concentrationsmeasured at five locations (two urban traffic, one suburbantraffic, one urban background and one regional backgroundsite) and PM_2.5 concentrations measured at twolocations (urban traffic and urban background sites). Theconcentrations of PM₁₀ show a clear diurnal variation,as well as a spatial variation within the area. Bycontrast, both the spatial and temporal variation of thePM_2.5 concentrations was moderate. We have analysedthe evolution of urban PM concentrations in terms of therelevant meteorological parameters in the course of oneselected peak pollution episode during 21–31 March, 1998.The meteorological variables considered included wind speedand direction, ambient temperature, precipitation, relativehumidity, atmospheric pressure at the ground level,atmospheric stability and mixing height. The elevated PMconcentrations during the 1998 March episode were clearlyrelated to conditions of high atmospheric pressure,relatively low ambient temperatures and low wind speeds inpredominantly stable atmospheric conditions. The resultsprovide indirect evidence indicating that the PM₁₀concentrations originate mainly from local vehiculartraffic (direct emissions and resuspension), while thePM_2.5 concentrations are mostly of regionally andlong-range transported origin.     

Methane generation from corncobs treated with xylanolytic consortia

Consortia were developed for the treatment of corncobs for use as a feedstock in a biogas fermentor. The treatment of corncobs with xylanolytic consortia enhanced the production of methane and biogas. All five consortia developed produced the maximum biogas and methane at a 6% loading rate and 20 days hydraulic retention time (HRT). The maximum biogas yield of 0.59m³/kg volatile solids (VS) with a methane content of 62% was produced with the KK-10 consortium. This was apparently due to a maximum hemicellulose degradation of 88%.     

Recovery of Acidified Lakes: Lessons From Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Over 7,000 lakes around Sudbury, Ontario, Canada were acidified by S deposition associated with emissions from the Sudbury metal smelters and more distant S sources. Air pollution controls have led to widespread changes in damaged Sudbury lakes, including increased pH and decreased concentrations of SO₄, metals and base cations. While chemical improvements have often been substantial, many lakes are still acidified, although water quality recovery is continuing. Biological recovery has been observed in some lakes among various groups of organisms including fish, zooplankton, phytoplankton and zoobenthos. Generally, however, biological recovery is still at an early stage. Lakes around Sudbury are also showing that the recovery of acid-damaged lakes is closely linked to the effects of other major environmental stressors such as climate change, base cation depletion and UV-B irradiance. Future studies of the recovery of acid-damaged lakes around Sudbury, and in other regions, will need to consider the interactions of these and other stressors.     

Preparation and Biodegradation of Starch/Polycaprolactone Films

Starch granules were modified with trisodium trimetaphosphate (TSTP) and characterized by P³¹-NMR, FTIR and DSC. Seventy-micron films were prepared from modified starch and polycaprolactone blends by solvent casting technique. Three different types of films—PCL (100% polycaprolactone), MOD-ST/PCL (50% modified starch and 50% polycaprolactone blend) and NONMOD-ST/PCL (50% nonmodified starch and 50% polycaprolactone blends)—were prepared, and their thermal, mechanical, and morphologic properties were investigated to show the increased performance of PCL with the addition of starch and also the effect of modification. It was observed that with the addition of starch the Young's modulus of polycaprolactone was increased and became less ductile, whereas tensile strength and elongation at break values decreased. Biodegradation of these films was inspected under different aerobic environments with the presence of Pseudomonas putida, activated sludge, and compost. It was observed that whereas P. putida had almost no effect on degradation during 90 days, with the presence of activated sludge, considerable deformation of films was observed even in the first 7 days of degradation. In a compost environment, degradation was even faster, and all polymer films were broken into pieces within first 7 days of degradation and no film remained after 15 days.