A robust simulation–optimization modeling system for effluent trading—a case study of nonpoint source pollution control

In this study, a robust simulation–optimization modeling system (RSOMS) is developed for supporting agricultural nonpoint source (NPS) effluent trading planning. The RSOMS can enhance effluent trading through incorporation of a distributed simulation model and an optimization model within its framework. The modeling system not only can handle uncertainties expressed as probability density functions and interval values but also deal with the variability of the second-stage costs that are above the expected level as well as capture the notion of risk under high-variability situations. A case study is conducted for mitigating agricultural NPS pollution with an effluent trading program in Xiangxi watershed. Compared with non-trading policy, trading scheme can successfully mitigate agricultural NPS pollution with an increased system benefit. Through trading scheme, [213.7, 288.8]?×?10³ kg of TN and [11.8, 30.2]?×?10³ kg of TP emissions from cropped area can be cut down during the planning horizon. The results can help identify desired effluent trading schemes for water quality management with the tradeoff between the system benefit and reliability being balanced and risk aversion being considered.     

聚甲亚胺酰胺树脂对水中Cu~(2+)的吸附

制备了聚甲亚胺酰胺树脂,对其进行傅里叶变换红外光谱分析。采用批处理方法实验了pH、铜离子初始浓度、吸附时间、吸附剂用量对吸附量的影响,研究了等温吸附模型和吸附动力学模型。优化后的吸附条件为:在铜离子溶液体积50 mL、初始浓度为300 mg/L、pH为6.0时,吸附剂投放量50 mg、吸附时间60 min,此时吸附量达到269.1 mg/g,去除率达89.7%。25℃时在研究浓度范围内,铜离子吸附过程用Langmuir等温线模型和Freundlich等温线模型描述均可;与准一级动力学方程、Elovich方程及内扩散方程相比,准二级动力学方程能更好地描述其吸附动力学过程。     

Effect of temperature and particle size on the thermal desorption of PCBs from contaminated soil

Thermal desorption is widely used for remediation of soil contaminated with volatiles, such as solvents and distillates. In this study, a soil contaminated with semivolatile polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was sampled at an interim storage point for waste PCB transformers and heated to temperatures from 300 to 600 °C in a flow of nitrogen to investigate the effect of temperature and particle size on thermal desorption. Two size fractions were tested: coarse soil of 420–841 μm and fine soil with particles <250 μm. A PCB removal efficiency of 98.0 % was attained after 1 h of thermal treatment at 600 °C. The residual amount of PCBs in this soil decreased with rising thermal treatment temperature while the amount transferred to the gas phase increased up to 550 °C; at 600 °C, destruction of PCBs became more obvious. At low temperature, the thermally treated soil still had a similar PCB homologue distribution as raw soil, indicating thermal desorption as a main mechanism in removal. Dechlorination and decomposition increasingly occurred at high temperature, since shifts in average chlorination level were observed, from 3.34 in the raw soil to 2.75 in soil treated at 600 °C. Fine soil particles showed higher removal efficiency and destruction efficiency than coarse particles, suggesting that desorption from coarse particles is influenced by mass transfer.     

Probing the distribution and contamination levels of 10 trace metal/metalloids in soils near a Pb/Zn smelter in Middle China

The horizontal and vertical distribution patterns and contamination status of ten trace metal/metalloids (Ag, Bi, Co, Cr, Ge, In, Ni, Sb, Sn, Tl) in soils around one of the largest Chinese Pb–Zn smelter in Zhuzhou City, Central China, were revealed. Different soil samples were collected from 11 areas, including ten agricultural areas and one city park area, with a total of 83 surface soil samples and six soil cores obtained. Trace metal/metalloids were determined by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry after digestion by an acid mixture of HF and HNO₃. The results showed that Ag, Bi, In, Sb, Sn, and Tl contents decreased both with the distance to the Pb–Zn smelter as well as the soil depth, hinting that these elements were mainly originated from the Pb–Zn smelting operations and were introduced into soils through atmospheric deposition. Soil Ge was influenced by the smelter at a less extent, while the distributions of Co, Cr, and Ni were roughly even among most sampling sites and soil depths, suggesting that they were primarily derived from natural sources. The contamination status, as revealed by the geo-accumulation index (I _geo), indicated that In and Ag were the most enriched elements, followed by Sb, Bi, and Sn. In general, Cr, Tl, Co, Ni, and Ge were of an uncontaminated status.     

As(V)在金红石TiO_2颗粒表面吸附特性及机理

通过静态动力学和热力学吸附实验,研究了温度、共存离子以及溶质的初始浓度对As(V)在金红石TiO2颗粒表面吸附的影响,探讨了As(V)在金红石TiO2颗粒表面吸附特性及机理。结果表明,在As(V)初始浓度为10 mg/L,pH为7的条件下,25℃时的吸附量0.41 mg/g高于30℃时的吸附量0.31 mg/g,As(V)在金红石TiO2上的吸附为放热过程。CaCl2和MgCl2的添加对As(V)在金红石TiO2表面吸附起到明显的促进作用。T=25℃,Ca2+或Mg2+浓度为10 mmol/L时,As(V)吸附量分别为0.64和0.56 mg/g,Ca2+比Mg2+对As(V)吸附促进作用强。As(V)在金红石TiO2的吸附等温线符合Frendlich方程,Lagergren二级动力学方程能较好地描述As(V)在金红石TiO2颗粒表面吸附的动力学过程。     

新型硅镁胶(MgO·2SiO_2)对模拟放射性废水中Co~(2+)的吸附性能

以泡花碱和氯化镁为原料合成出了一种新型硅镁胶(MgO·2SiO2)吸附材料,用傅里叶红外光谱仪对其进行了表征,并对模拟放射性废水中的Co2+进行吸附实验。结果表明,控制合成pH在10.50~11.00,可以得到目标硅镁胶(MgO·2SiO2),在460 cm-1处出现了较强的吸收峰,这是由Mg—O伸缩振动和Si—Mg—O弯曲振动引起。在500℃焙烧4h后,可以得到吸附性能良好的硅镁胶,随着溶液pH的升高,去除率增大,在pH为4~8时达到最大。25℃时,最大吸附量可达135.5 mg/g,吸附过程符合Langmuir等温吸附方程和准二级动力学方程。重复使用4次,对Co2+的吸附量仍然达到130 mg/g,说明硅镁胶是一种可重复利用的吸附剂。     

宝钢焦化废水处理脱氮研究与实践

针对上海提高新排放标准中总氮(TN)≤35 mg/L的要求,对焦化废水进行了脱氮研究。选取现场缺氧-好氧-好氧(A-O-O)工艺中前两段的A-O生化沉淀池1出水,在SBR内进行反硝化脱氮实验,考察葡萄糖、葡萄糖+乙酸钠、甲醇和甲醇+乙酸钠单一或复合碳源及投加反硝化菌种对脱氮的影响,确定最佳碳源为甲醇+乙酸钠,最佳反硝化水力停留时间为16 h。当反硝化菌液投加浓度为1 mg/L时,SBR出水TN满足达标排放要求。结合实验结果对宝钢焦化废水原有AO-O工艺改造升级为A-O-A-O二段脱氮工艺,并对生化出水实施进一步的物化混凝处理。改造后,工艺长期运行稳定,最终出水完全达到上海市污水综合排放标准(DB 31/199-2009)TN≤35 mg/L的要求,并满足氰化物、氟化物以及COD的排放要求。     

Some technical issues in managing PCBs

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were important industrial chemicals featuring high thermal and chemical stability and low flammability. They were widely used as dielectric and thermal fluid in closed electro-technical applications (transformers, capacitors…) and also in numerous dispersive uses, ranking from auto-copying paper to sealant or coatings. During the 1960s, severe environmental consequences started becoming apparent. The stability of PCBs contributed to their persistence in the environment, their lipophilic character to bio-magnification. Fish-eating species seemed threatened in their existence. In Japan and in Taiwan, thousands of people consumed PCB-contaminated oil. The production of PCBs stopped completely during the 1980s. Usage could continue in closed applications only. In this paper, particular attention is given to two issues: the cleaning of PCB electric transformers and the potential impact of PCB-containing building materials. Other contributions will cover the management and treatment of PCB-contaminated soil, sludge or fly ash. The complete survey is being prepared by request of the Knowledge Center for Engineers and Professionals.     

Influence of soil and hydrocarbon properties on the solvent extraction of high-concentration weathered petroleum from contaminated soils

Petroleum ether was used to extract petroleum hydrocarbons from soils collected from six oil fields with different history of exploratory and contamination. It was capable of fast removing 76–94 % of the total petroleum hydrocarbons including 25 alkanes (C₁₁–C₃₅) and 16 US EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from soils at room temperature. The partial least squares analysis indicated that the solvent extraction efficiencies were positively correlated with soil organic matter, cation exchange capacity, moisture, pH, and sand content of soils, while negative effects were observed in the properties reflecting the molecular size (e.g., molecular weight and number of carbon atoms) and hydrophobicity (e.g., water solubility, octanol–water partition coefficient, soil organic carbon partition coefficient) of hydrocarbons. The high concentration of weathered crude oil at the order of 10⁵ mg kg^?1 in this study was demonstrated adverse for solvent extraction by providing an obvious nonaqueous phase liquid phase for hydrocarbon sinking and increasing the sequestration of soluble hydrocarbons in the insoluble oil fractions during weathering. A full picture of the mass distribution and transport mechanism of petroleum contaminants in soils will ultimately require a variety of studies to gain insights into the dynamic interactions between environmental indicator hydrocarbons and their host oil matrix.     

Impacts of population growth and economic development on water quality of a lake: case study of Lake Victoria Kenya water

Anthropogenic-induced water quality pollution is a major environmental problem in freshwater ecosystems today. As a result of this, eutrophication of lakes occurs. Population and economic development are key drivers of water resource pollution. To evaluate how growth in the riparian population and in the gross domestic product (GDP) with unplanned development affects the water quality of the lake, this paper evaluates Lake Victoria Kenyan waters basin. Waters quality data between 1990 and 2012 were analyzed along with reviews of published literature, papers, and reports. The nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N), soluble phosphorus (PO₄-P), chlorophyll a, and Secchi transparencies were evaluated as they are key water quality indicators. The NO₃-N increased from 10 μg l^?1 in 1990 to 98 μg 1^?1 in 2008, while PO₄-P increased from 4 μg l^?1 in 1990 to 57 μg l^?1 in 2008. The population and economic growth of Kenya are increasing with both having minimums in 1990 of 24.143 million people and 12.18 billion US dollars, to maximums in 2010 of 39.742 million people and 32.163 billion US dollars, respectively. A Secchi transparency is reducing with time, indicating an increasing pollution. This was confirmed by an increase in aquatic vegetation using an analysis of moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) images of 2000 and 2012 of Kenyan waters. This study found that increasing population and GDP increases pollution discharge thus polluting lakes. One of major factors causing lake water pollution is the unplanned or poor waste management policy and service.