Effects of bromide on the formation of THMs and HAAs

The role of bromide in the formation and speciation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) during chlorination was investigated. The molar ratio of applied chlorine to bromide is an important factor in the formation and speciation of trihalomethanes (THMs) and halogenacetic acids (HAAs). A good relationship exists between the molar fractions of THMs and the bromide incorporation factor. The halogen substitution ability of HOBr and HOCl during the formation of THMs and HAAs can be determined based on probability theory. The formation of HAAs, and their respective concentrations, can also be estimated through use of the developed model.     

The effects of copper ions and copper nanomaterials on the output of amino acids from marine microalgae

In this study, the marine microalgae Skeletonema costatum and Nitzschia closterium were exposed to different forms of copper, such as a metal salt (Cu²⁺), a nano-metal (nano-Cu), and nano-metal oxide (nano-CuO). During a 96-h exposure to nanoparticles (NPs) and salt, the cell number, Cu²⁺ concentration in the culture medium, morphology, and intracellular amino acids were measured to assess the toxicity of the copper materials and the toxicity mechanism of the NPs. As results, the toxicity of Cu²⁺, nano-Cu, and nano-CuO to marine phytoplankton decreased in order. The EC₅₀ values of Cu²⁺ and nano-Cu for S. costatum and N. closterium ranged from 0.356 to 0.991 mg/L and 0.663 to 2.455 mg/L, respectively. Nano-Cu inhibits the growth of marine phytoplankton by releasing Cu²⁺; however, nano-CuO is harmful to microalgae because of the effect of NPs. The secretion of extracellular polymeric substances by microalgae could also affect the toxicity of nano-Cu and nano-CuO to microalgae. S. costatum was more sensitive to copper than N. closterium. Cu²⁺, nano-Cu, and nano-CuO all reduced per-cell amino acids and the total output of algae-derived amino acids by affecting the growth of the phytoplankton. This study helps to understand the risk assessment of nano-Cu and nano-CuO to marine microalgae.

     

Effects of pH, organic acids, and inorganic ions on lead desorption from soils

The desorption characteristics of lead in two variable charge soils (one developed from Arenaceous rock (RAR) and the other derived from Quaternary red earths (REQ)) were studied, and the effects of pH value, organic acid, and competitive ions were examined. Desorption of Pb(2+) decreased from nearly 100.0 to 20.0% within pH 1.0-4.0 in both soils, and then the decrease diminished at pH > 4.0. Organic ligands at relatively low concentrations (< or =10(-3) mol L(-1)) slightly inhibited Pb(2+) desorption, but enhanced Pb(2+) desorption at higher concentrations. In this study, citric acid or acetic acid at higher concentrations (>10(-3) mol L(-1)) had the greatest improvement of Pb(2+) desorption, followed by malic acid; and the smallest was oxalic acid. Desorption of the adsorbed Pb(2+) increased greatly with increasing concentrations of added Cu(2+) or Zn(2+). Applied Cu(2+) increased Pb(2+) desorption more than Zn(2+) at the same loading.     

Role of protein, amino acids, and enzyme activity on odor production from anaerobically digested and dewatered biosolids.

The main objective of this research was to test the hypothesis that bioavailable protein and, more specifically, the sulfur-containing amino acids within the protein, can be degraded by proteolytic enzymes to produce odor-causing compounds--mainly volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs)--during biosolids storage. To achieve these objectives, samples of digester effluent and cake solids were collected at 11 different wastewater treatment plants in North America, and the samples were analyzed for protein and amino acid content and general protein-degrading enzyme activity. At the same time, cake samples were stored using headspace bottles, the concentration of VSCs were measured using gas chromatography, and olfactometry measurements were made by a trained odor panel. The results showed that the bound cake protein content and methionine content was well-correlated with VSC production and the detection threshold measured by the odor panel.     

稻秆负荷与pH对稻秆厌氧发酵产酸系统启动过程的影响

为探讨稻秆负荷（即稻秆VS/污泥VSS）与发酵pH对稻秆厌氧发酵产酸系统启动过程产挥发性脂肪酸（VFAs）效果的影响,利用厌氧搅拌罐反应系统考察在不同的稻秆负荷（0.556、0.945、1.334和1.724 g/g）和不同的发酵pH（8.0、9.0和10.0）启动运行条件下的产酸性能,并分析了系统启动过程产酸与稻秆主要成分降解之间的关系。实验结果表明,VFAs浓度随稻秆负荷提高而增大,随发酵pH的升高而降低;发酵18 d时,发酵pH为9.0时,稻秆负荷1.334 g/g的产酸效果最好,VFAs浓度与稻秆产酸量分别为4 385.10 mg/L和2.19 gVFAs/g稻秆,此时半纤维素、纤维素和酸性洗涤木质素降解率分别为32.69%、22.53%和6.40%;稻秆负荷为0.945 g/g条件下,VFAs浓度在pH为8.0时达到最高值4 409.51 mg/L,此时稻秆降解量也最多,半纤维素、纤维素和酸性洗涤木质素降解率分别为28.60%、47.32%和22.69%。研究表明,稻秆负荷与发酵pH通过影响稻秆半纤维素、纤维素和木质素的降解影响稻秆厌氧发酵产酸的进程和效果。     

6种低分子有机酸对针铁矿、蒙脱石和生物炭中结合态Cd活化效果的对比

选择3种常用的土壤重金属稳定介质针铁矿、蒙脱石和生物炭,首先通过吸附实验使其对Cd达到吸附平衡（8、16和4 h）,并通过氯化镁洗脱获得稳定结合的Cd（2.52、0.93和1.04 mg·g-1）。随后分别用柠檬酸、苹果酸、马来酸、酒石酸、草酸、琥珀酸6种常见的植物根际低分子有机酸进行结合态Cd活化实验,测定活化率和活化量,对比活化效果。结果表明,6种低分子有机酸对针铁矿、蒙脱石、生物炭中结合态Cd的活化效果随浓度的增加而增加,其中柠檬酸的活化作用最大,其次为草酸,其余4种酸的活化效果差异不显著。柠檬酸随浓度增加,其对Cd活化率的线性增长率最高,在针铁矿、蒙脱石、生物炭中分别为1.74%、4.71%、2.12%。在250 μmol·L-1时,柠檬酸对针铁矿、蒙脱石、生物炭3种材料中Cd的活化率分别达到4.2%、11.0%、5.6%。对比研究表明,针铁矿吸附Cd效率高且稳定,蒙脱石吸附Cd效率低且易于被低分子有机酸活化。     

The interactive effects of low pH, toxic metals, and DOC on a simulated temporary pond community

The effects of pH, potentially toxic metals, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on a freshwater, palustrine wetland assemblage (three amphibian species, one mosquito genus, and 18 genera of algae) were examined in 500 liter outdoor mesocosms. The design was fully factorial and exposure levels were set to represent concentrations that occur naturally in temporary ponds in central Pennsylvania, an acid-impacted region of the USA. Water chemistry was precisely regulated by use of an artificial pond water rather than using stream water or well water with partially unknown composition. Jefferson (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) and spotted salamanders (A. maculatum) were negatively impacted by low pH and high metal concentrations. Wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) were negatively impacted by high DOC and low pH. These negative effects included increased time to metamorphosis and decreased survival and wet body mass at metamorphosis. Mosquito emergence was unaffected by pH, metals, or DOC. All three abiotic factors (metals, pH, and DOC) interacted to determine algal taxonomic composition. Hence, abiotic conditions may determine amphibian reproductive success both directly and indirectly, via effects on algae, since a primary food source of salamanders, zooplankton, are affected by changes in algal composition. These complex interactions should be considered in evaluating the possible toxicity of pond waters to fauna and flora. Until now, pH alone has been considered the primary limiting factor for amphibians breeding in temporary ponds.     

The effects of pH and soil type on concentrations of zinc, copper and nickel extracted by calcium chloride from sewage sludge-treated soils

The effects of pH on concentrations of zinc, copper and nickel extracted by calcium chloride from a clay loam and two sandy loam soils that had been treated with sewage sludge were studied. Concentrations of all the metals increased rapidly as pH decreased below a threshold value ranging from 6.2 to 7.0 for Zn, 6.2 to 7.2 for Ni and 4.7 to 5.7 for Cu. Both the total concentrations and the threshold pH values were influenced by differences in soil texture and (between the two light-textured soils) by differences in soil cation exchange capacity. The amount of zinc and copper extracted from the mixtures was considerably less than that extracted from the same quantity of sludge alone.     

The effects of scale and spatial heterogeneities on diffusion in volcanic breccias and basalts: Amchitka Island, Alaska

Knowledge of the factors that influence the diffusion of contaminants, such as the diffusivity and the connected porosity, is crucial to modeling the long-term fate and transport of contaminants in subsurface systems with small or negligible advective flow, such as in fractured crystalline rock. Fractured rock is naturally heterogeneous, and hence, understanding the diffusivity of a molecule through this material (or the formation factor of the medium) becomes a complex problem, with critical concerns about the scale of laboratory measurements and about the spatial variability of these measurements relative to the scale needed for fate and transport modeling. This study employed both electrical and tracer-based laboratory methods to investigate the effects of scale and pore system connectivity on the diffusivity for volcanic matrix rock derived from the study site, a former underground nuclear test site at Amchitka Island, Alaska. The results of these investigations indicate a relatively well-connected pore system with scale effects generally limited to approximately 6 cm lengths and well-correlated to observed heterogeneous features. An important conclusion resulting from this study, however, is that there is a potential for the estimated diffusivity to be misrepresented by an order of magnitude if multiple samples or longer sample lengths are not used. Given the relatively large number of measurements resulting from these investigations, an analysis of the probability density function (PDF) of the diffusivity was possible. The PDF of the diffusivity was shown to generally follow a normal distribution for individual geologic layers. However, when all of the geologic layers are considered together, the distribution of the subsurface as a whole was shown to follow a lognormal distribution due to the order of magnitude differences amongst the layers. An understanding of these distributions is essential for future stochastic modeling efforts.     

The complexation of Cu(II) by anthropogenic fulvic acids extracted from composted urban and livestock wastes

Abstract

The fulvic acid (fua) fractions of two samples of composted solid wastes [urban (urfua) and livestock (lsfua) wastes], commercialized to be used in agriculture as organic correctives or fertilizers, were analyzed for their affinity towards Cu(II) at pH=6. Molecular fluorescence spectroscopy (synchronous mode) was used to monitor the quenching caused by the complexation upon addition of Cu(II) to fua. Spectral data were preprocessed by a chemometric self‐modeling mixture analysis method (SIMPLISMA) to detect the number of different types of fluorescent binding sites that exist in each fua, their spectra and the corresponding quenching profiles [fluorescence intensity as function of the total Cu(II) concentration]. From the analysis of the quenching profiles, the amount of binding sites (Cl) and the corresponding conditional stability constants (K') were calculated. Both fua samples have approximately Cl = 0.21 mmol/g and the logarithms of K’ are 4.21(3) and 4.51(8), respectively for urfua and lsfua. The differences detected between these fua samples and those extracted from natural soils can be attributed mainly to the relatively small humification extent of the present anthropogenic fua samples.     

Quantum chemical and direct dynamic study on homogeneous gas-phase formation of PBDD/Fs from 2,4,5-tribromophenol and 3,4-dibromophenol

2,4,5-Tribromophenol (2,4,5-TBP) and 3,4-dibromophenol (3,4-DBP) have the minimum number of Br atoms needed to form 2,3,7,8-PBDD/Fs, which are the most toxic among all 210 PBDD/F isomers. A mechanistic understanding of the formation of PBDD/Fs is a prerequisite for minimizing their emissions. In this paper, the homogeneous gas-phase formation of PBDD/Fs from 2,4,5-TBP and 3,4-DBP as precursors was investigated theoretically by using the density functional theory (DFT) method. The mathematical model to predict the formation of PBDD/Fs places a high demand on accurate kinetic parameters. So, the rate constants of key elementary steps involved in the formation of PBDD/Fs were calculated by using canonical variational transition-state (CVT) theory with small curvature tunneling (SCT) contribution over a wide temperature range of 600–1200 K. The pre-exponential factors and the activation energies are also reported. This might be the first to investigate the formation of 2,3,7,8-PBDD/Fs. The present study shows that the formation of PBDDs dominates over the formation of PBDFs. The meta bromine facilitates the dimerization of bromophenoxy radicals (BPRs), whereas the para and ortho bromines suppress the dimerization of BPRs.     

The effects of biochars from rice residue on the formation of iron plaque and the accumulation of Cd, Zn, Pb, As in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings

A historically multi-metal contaminated soil was amended with biochars produced from different parts of rice plants (straw, husk and bran) to investigate how biochar can influence the mobility of Cd, Zn, Pb and As in rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L.). Rice shoot concentrations of Cd, Zn and Pb decreased by up to 98%, 83% and 72%, respectively, due to biochar amendment, though that of As increased by up to 327%. Biochar amendments significantly decreased pore water concentrations (C_pw) of Cd and Zn and increased that of As. For Pb it depended on the amendment. Porewater pH, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved phosphorus, silicon in pore water and iron plaque formation on root surfaces all increased significantly after the amendments. The proportions of Cd and Pb in iron plaque increased by factors 1.8-5.7 and 1.4-2.8, respectively; no increase was observed for As and Zn. Straw-char application significantly and noticeably decreased the plant transfer coefficients of Cd and Pb. This study, the first to investigate changes in metal mobility and iron plaque formation in rice plants due to amending a historically contaminated soil with biochar, indicates that biochar has a potential to decrease Cd, Zn and Pb accumulations in rice shoot but increase that of As. The main cause is likely biochar decreasing the C_pw of Cd and Zn, increasing the C_pw of As, and increasing the iron plaque blocking capacity for Cd and Pb.     

理化环境条件对青霉菌和细菌吸附脱色染料的影响

在筛选到的染料吸附脱色真菌和细菌的基础上 ,测定了温度和pH值对青霉G 1吸附和与细菌共培养脱色降解染料的影响。结果表明 ,16— 36℃下青霉G 1对艳紫KN B(C .I.Re .Vi.2 2 )和黄M 3RE(C .I.Re .Ye .14 5 )的吸附去除能力受温度影响不大 ,吸附 5h去除率在 97.1%— 98.7% ,而染料的脱色时间受温度影响较大 ,2 8— 36℃下脱色速度快 .青霉G 1对pH 3— 11染料水中染料的吸附去除率高 ,达 94 .9%— 97.8% ,对pH 13的吸附去除率低 ,仅为 5 5 .4 %和 5 6 .2 % ,从pH 5—13染料水中吸附染料的菌丝在与细菌共培养 5— 2 6h即完成了对染料的脱色 ,脱色速度较快     

The effect of pH, temperature, and molecular size on the removal of dyes from textile effluent using manganese oxides-modified diatomite.

This work is an investigation on the use of manganese oxides-modified diatomite (MOMD) for the removal of color from textile wastewaters. The modification of the diatomite was carried out by treatment with manganese oxides; delta-bimessite type resulted. The surface area, pH(ZPC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy of MOMD were studied. The influence of concentration, pH, particle size, and temperature on the adsorption capacities of methylene blue (MB) and hydrolyzed reactive black (RB) and reactive yellow (RY) was investigated. Key thermodynamic parameters such as deltaH degrees, deltaS degrees, and deltaG degrees were also determined. The deltaH degrees of MB and hydrolyzed RB and RY was +94.64, -143.1, and -38.78 kJ/mol, respectively, whereas the deltaG degrees values of -17.68, -27.93, and -23.26 kJ/mol were obtained, indicating a spontaneous process with low activation-energy requirements. The findings further indicated that coulomb interaction, molecular size, and orientation of the dye and its surface charge played an important role in the adsorption and attachment of the dyes to the bimessite layers of MOMD.     

不同pH控制策略下剩余污泥中NH4^＋-N、PO4^3--P、COD溶出研究

污水处理厂的剩余污泥中富含氮、磷、COD,在其水解酸化过程中对pH条件进行控制,使污泥中的氮、磷、COD溶出到上清液中并进行回收利用是可行的。在22～25℃的温度条件下,1#反应器中剩余污泥先调节为酸性（pH=3）,在实验第8 d氨氮、磷酸盐溶出量最多后调节为碱性（pH=10）;3#反应器中剩余污泥先调节为碱性（pH=10）,在实验第8 dCOD溶出量最多后调节为酸性（pH=3）;2#反应器为对照实验,pH不进行调节。结果表明：若要以回收污泥中的氨氮、磷酸盐为主,剩余污泥由碱性（pH=10）调节为酸性（pH=3）优于由酸性（pH=3）调节为碱性（pH=10）;若要回收污泥上清液中的COD为主,剩余污泥由酸性（pH=3）调节为碱性（pH=10）优于由碱性（pH=10）调节为酸性（pH=3）。     

The effects of dissolved organic matter and pH on sampling rates for polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS)

The effect of solution pH and levels of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on the sampling rates for model pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and endocrine disrupting substance (EDS) by polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) was investigated in laboratory experiments. A commercially available POCIS configuration containing neutral Oasis HLB (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) resin (i.e. pharmaceutical POCIS) and two POCIS configurations prepared in-house containing MAX and MCX anion and cation exchange resins, respectively were tested for uptake of 21 model PPCPs and EDS, including acidic, phenolic, basic and neutral compounds. Laboratory experiments were conducted with dechlorinated tap water over a pH range of 3, 7 and 9. The effects of DOM were studied using natural water from an oligotrophic lake in Ontario, Canada (i.e. Plastic Lake) spiked with different amounts of DOM (the concentration of dissolved organic carbon ranged from 3 to 5 mg L⁻¹ in uptake experiments). In experiments with the commercial (HLB) POCIS, the MCX-POCIS and the MAX-POCIS, the sampling rates generally increased with pH for basic compounds and declined with pH for acidic compounds. However, the sampling rates were relatively constant across the pH range for phenols with high pKa values (i.e. bisphenol A, estrone, estradiol, triclosan) and for the neutral pharmaceutical, carbamazepine. Thus, uptake was greatest when the amount of the neutral species in solution was maximized relative to the ionized species. Although the solution pH affected the uptake of some model ionic compounds, the effect was by less than a factor of 3. There was no significant effect of DOM on sampling rates from Plastic Lake. However, uptake rates in different aqueous matrixes declined in the order of deionized water > Plastic Lake water > dechlorinated tap water, so other parameters must affect uptake into POCIS, although this influence will be minor. MAX-POCIS and MCX-POCIS showed little advantage over the commercial POCIS configuration for monitoring in natural waters.     

The long-term effect of initial pH control on the enrichment culture of phosphorus- and glycogen-accumulating organisms with a mixture of propionic and acetic acids as carbon sources

In most studies on phosphorus- and glycogen-accumulating organisms (PAO and GAO), pH was controlled constantly throughout the entire anaerobic and aerobic periods, and acetic acid was used as the carbon source. In this paper, the effect of long-term initial pH values on PAO and GAO was investigated with mixed propionic and acetic acids as carbon sources. It was observed that with pH increasing from 6.4 to 8.0, the anaerobic propionic acid uptake rate by PAO linearly increased but that by GAO proportionally decreased. At pH 6.70 and pH 7.51, PAO and GAO exhibited the same acetic and propionic acid uptake rates, respectively. The acetic acid uptake rate by PAO was greater than that by GAO at pH > 6.70, and the propionic acid uptake rate by PAO was higher than that by GAO at pH > 7.51, which indicated that PAO would take predominance over GAO at pH > 7.51. Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate, poly-3-hydroxyvalerate and poly-3-hydroxy-2-methylvalerate shared 7%, 62% and 31%, respectively in the PAO system, and 11%, 44% and 45% respectively in the GAO system, and these fractions were observed independent of pH either in the PAO or in the GAO system. In the PAO system, with the increase of pH, the phosphorus removal efficiency was improved greatly, and a phosphorus removal efficiency of 100% was achieved at 8.0. Further investigation showed that the higher phosphorus removal efficiency at higher pH was mainly caused by a biological effect instead of chemical one.     

Influence of soil pH on the fractionation of Cr, Cu and Zn in solid phases from a landfill site

The spatial variability of soil pH for engineered Weathered Oxford Clay is described using 35 samples collected from the base of a new cell in an existing landfill. Soil pH variability influences the reactivity of Cr, Cu and Zn in the site. The reactivity of these metals as natural components was determined using a sequential extraction method. The total concentration of Cr, Cu and Zn and the mineralogical composition were also determined. The results showed that due to the presence of a layer rich in pyrite in the base, a natural acidification may occur which can produce a soil pH as low as 2.7. The spatial variability of soil pH in this area has been described with an anisotropical variogram model and the estimation of its values at unsampled locations was carried out using the ordinary kriging algorithm. From the spatial modelling of the soil pH, it was found that the metals in the soil solid phases follow a similar distribution.     

The impact of seasonal variations in DOC arising from a moorland peat catchment on coagulation with iron and aluminium salts

Natural organic matter (NOM) is one of the main sources of environmental pollution to drinking water supplies in much of the UK and the US. Whilst traditional treatment with trivalent coagulants has proven a successful strategy in the past, operational problems are now being reported during periods of elevated organic levels in the water. Characterisation of the pollutants in terms of polarity, molecular weight and charge, provides a method to understand the impact of the observed temporal and spatial variations in terms of a mechanistic parameter relevant to the treatment processes. Results from this study demonstrate that it is not simply the increased organic concentration, but also the change in NOM composition and character, which influences the impact on the treatment processes. Consequently, monitoring of these parameters provides an insight into how to manage the impact caused by environmental changes to the catchments.     

The impact of natural resources and gross capital formation on economic growth in the context of globalization: evidence from developing countries on the continent of Europe,Asia, Africa,and America

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The aim of this paper is to investigate the nexus between natural resources, gross capital formation, globalization, and economic growth in the...