Removal of heavy metals (Cr6+,Ni2+)from polluted water using decaying leaves of plane (Plantanus orientalis)

plane decaying leaves have been found capable of removing chromium and nickel ions from aqueous solutions. The removal efficiency depends upon the pH conditions, ions components and concentrations, and concentrations of leaves in media. The maximum removal for unique Cr⁶⁺ is about 7.5-8.0g/kg leaves at pH 4. 0, for unique Ni²⁺ about 2. 6g/kg at the region of PH5. 0-5.5. Under the described conditions nickel increases chromium uptake by plane decaying leaves from solution.     

Removal of 2-ClBP from soil–water system using activated carbon supported nanoscale zerovalent iron

We explored the feasibility and removal mechanism of removing 2-chlorobiphenyl(2-Cl BP)from soil–water system using granular activated carbon(GAC) impregnated with nanoscale zerovalent iron(reactive activated carbon or RAC).The RAC samples were successfully synthesized by the liquid precipitation method.The mesoporous GAC based RAC with low iron content(1.32%) exhibited higher 2-Cl BP removal efficiency(54.6%) in the water phase.The result of Langmuir–Hinshelwood kinetic model implied that the different molecular structures between 2-Cl BP and trichloroethylene(TCE) resulted in more difference in dechlorination reaction rates on RAC than adsorption capacities.Compared to removing2-Cl BP in the water phase,RAC removed the 2-Cl BP more slowly in the soil phase due to the significant external mass transfer resistance.However,in the soil phase,a better removal capacity of RAC was observed than its base GAC because the chemical dechlorination played a more important role in total removal process for 2-Cl BP.This important result verified the effectiveness of RAC for removing 2-Cl BP in the soil phase.Although reducing the total RAC removal rate of 2-Cl BP,soil organic matter(SOM),especially the soft carbon,also served as an electron transfer medium to promote the dechlorination of 2-Cl BP in the long term.     

Removal of trace arsenic（V） and phosphate from water by a highly selective ligand exchange adsorbent

The ligand exchange adsorbent could be used to remove the toxic arsenic(V) and phosphate efficiently from water even in the presence of foreign anions and possible to apply in chemical industry.     

Removal of Methyl Violet from aqueous solutions using poly （acrylic acid.co-acrylamide）/attapulgite composite

The adsorption of Methyl Violet (MV) cationic dye from aqueous solution was carried out by using crosslinked poly (acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)/attapulgite (Poly(AA-co-AM)/ATP) composite as adsorbent. The factors influencing adsorption capacity of the composite such as pH, concentration of the dye, temperature, contact time, adsorbent dosage, ionic strength and surfactant were systematically investigated. The equilibrium data fitted very well to the Langmuir isotherm and the maximum adsorption capacity reached 1194 mg/g at 30°C. The thermodynamic parameters including G0, △H0 and △S 0 for the adsorption processes of MV on the composite were also calculated, and the negative △H0 and △G0 confirmed that the adsorption process was exothermic and spontaneous. The kinetic studies showed that the adsorption process was consistent with the pseudo second-order kinetic model and the desorption studies revealed that the regeneration of the composite adsorbent can be easily achieved.     

Seasonal bioconcentration of heavy metals in Onchidium struma （Gastropoda： Pulmonata） from Chongming Island, the Yangtze Estuary, China

The seasonal concentration changes of selected heavy metal Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn in five tissues of marine gastropod Onchidium struma were studied in the Chongming Island, the Yangtze Estuary on July 2006, September 2006, and November 2006, April 2007, respectively. The results demonstrated that the bioconcentration factor of Cu (biomass/water) in all selected tissues was about 104 magnitudes, Fe and Cd were 103, Zn was 102, and Mn, Pb, and Cr were 101. Hepatopancreas was proven to be the dominant storage tissue of Cr, Cu, Mn, and Zn, whereas Fe and Pb were mainly stored in muscle and digenetic gland, and Cd was stored in vitelline gland and albumen gland. Additionally, it was found that Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn were concentrated significantly by O. struma (whole-body) in summer or autumn, and Cd, Cr, and Pb increased slightly in spring and winter. Furthermore, the bioconcentration of Cr was nearly 2-fold higher and Zn was 1.6-fold higher in the water compared with the Water Quality Standard for Fisheries. With view of excessive amount of Pb, Cd, and Cu according to seafood standard, the consumption of O. struma might have the risk of health hazard.     

Removal of hexavalent chromium from water by Z-scheme photocatalysis using TiO2 (rutile) nanorods loaded with Au core–Cu2O shell particles

All-solid-state Z-scheme photocatalysts, containing Cu₂O, TiO₂ (rutile), and Au as the electron mediator, were prepared and applied to the reduction of Cr(VI) in aqueous solutions. The Cu₂O–Au–TiO₂ composites were prepared by loading Au core–Cu₂O shell hemisphere particles on TiO₂ (rutile) nanorods using a two-step photocatalytic deposition process. Under ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) light illumination, the Cu₂O–Au–TiO₂ composites exhibited higher photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction activities than those exhibited by single TiO₂ (rutile) and Cu₂O. In this reaction, a precipitate containing Cr, which was considered to be Cr(OH)₃, was deposited site-selectively on the Au core–Cu₂O shell particles of the composites, indicating that the reduction site of the composite was Cu₂O, and the reaction proceeded according to the Z-scheme. The Cu₂O–Au–TiO₂ composites also exhibited photocatalytic activity under visible light illumination. The oxidation state of Cu in the Cu₂O–Au–TiO₂ composite gradually changed from Cu(I) to Cu(II) during the photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction. However the composite maintained its high photocatalytic performance even after oxidation. The role of Au in the Cu₂O–Au–TiO₂ composite was examined by comparing the properties of the Cu₂O–Au–TiO₂ composite with those of the Cu₂O–TiO₂ composite prepared via direct Cu₂O deposition on TiO₂.     

Performance of a water hyacinth （Eichhornia crassipes） system in the treatment of wastewater from a duck farm and the effects of using water hyacinth as duck feed

Nowadays, intensive breeding of poultry and livestock of large scale has made the treatment of its waste and wastewater an urgent environmental issue, which motivated this study. A wetland of 688 m2 was constructed on an egg duck farm, and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) was chosen as an aquatic plant for the wetland and used as food for duck production. The objectives of this study were to test the role of water hyacinth in purifying nutrient-rich wastewater and its effects on the ducks’ feed intake, egg laying performance and egg quality. This paper shows that the constructed wetland removed as much as 64.44% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), 21.78% of total nitrogen (TN) and 23.02% of total phosphorus (TP). Both dissolved oxygen (DO) and the transparency of the wastewater were remarkably improved, with its transparency 2.5 times higher than that of the untreated wastewater. After the ducks were fed with water hyacinth, the average daily feed intake and the egg-laying ratio in the test group were 5.86% and 9.79% higher, respectively, than in the control group; the di erences were both significant at the 0.01 probability level. The egg weight in the test group was 2.36% higher than in the control group (P < 0.05), but the feed conversion ratios were almost the same. The eggshell thickness and strength were among the egg qualities significantly increased in ducks fed with water hyacinth.We concluded that a water hyacinth system was e ective for purifying wastewater from an intensive duck farm during the water hyacinth growing season, as harvested water hyacinth had an excellent performance as duck feed. We also discussed the limitations of the experiment.     

Effects of Zn~（2＋） on root growth，cell division，and nucleoli of Allium cepa L．

ＥｆｆｅｃｔｓｏｆＺｎ~（２＋）ｏｎｒｏｏｔｇｒｏｗｔｈ，ｃｅｌｌｄｉｖｉｓｉｏｎ，ａｎｄｎｕｃｌｅｏｌｉｏｆＡｌｌｉｕｍｃｅｐａＬ．￥ＬｉｕＤｏｎｇｈｕａ；ＪｉａｎｇＷｕｓｈｅｎｇ；ＷａｎｇＣｈｕｎｌｉ（ＤｅｐａｒｔｍｅｎｔｏｆＢｉｏｌｏｇｙ，Ｔｉ?..     

Effects of Ca￣（2＋）ions antagonistic to Al￣（3＋）ions poisoning in root growth，cell division and nucleolus in root tip cells of Allium cepa

ＥｆｆｅｃｔｓｏｆＣａ￣（２＋）ｉｏｎｓａｎｔａｇｏｎｉｓｔｉｃｔｏＡｌ￣（３＋）ｉｏｎｓｐｏｉｓｏｎｉｎｇｉｎｒｏｏｔｇｒｏｗｔｈ，ｃｅｌｌｄｉｖｉｓｉｏｎａｎｄｎｕｃｌｅｏｌｕｓｉｎｒｏｏｔｔｉｐｃｅｌｌｓｏｆＡｌｌｉｕｍｃｅｐａＬｉｕＤｏｎｇｈ...