Degradation of phenol by Acinetobacter strain isolated from aerobic granules

Aerobic granules effectively degrade phenol at high concentrations from which no Acinetobacter species, that can effectively degrade high concentrations of phenol, have ever been isolated from aerobic granules. The phenol-fed aerobic granule studied was made by merging several smaller granules, each with a core of proteins and nucleic acids surrounded by an outer layer enriched with polysaccharides. In the present study, a strain of Acinetobacter sp. was isolated from the phenol-fed aerobic granules and was identified using DNA sequencing. The fluorescent in situ hybridisation combined with the confocal laser scanning microscope test revealed that the isolated Acinetobacter strain was mainly distributed in the core regime of granule. Batch tests revealed that the suspended Acinetobacter strain could effectively degrade phenol at an initial phenol concentration of up to 1000 mg l(-1) with no cell growth taking place at a phenol concentration of 1500 mg l(-1). The Haldane model describes the inhibitory kinetics of the phenol degradation data. The suspended Acinetobacter strain had a propensity to attach to the surface of sterilized polyurethane foam at a concentration of 12.3mg dry cells mg(-1) dry foam. The immobilized cells could not only degrade phenol at a rate similar to the suspended cells at phenol concentration of 500 mg l(-1), but also effectively degraded phenol at 1500 mg l(-1). The polysaccharides outer layer protected the Acinetobacter strain from phenol's toxicity; while the strain may also contribute to bioaggregation of the granule for its high propensity to attach to solid surface.     

Distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from urban to rural soils: a case study in Dalian, China

To estimate the distribution and sources of soil polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in metropolitan and adjacent areas, soil samples were collected from urban, suburban and rural locations of Dalian, China, and concentrations of 14 PAHs were determined. The spatial PAH profiles were site-specific and determined by the sources close to the sampling sites. PAH concentrations decreased significantly along the urban-suburban-rural transect. The gradient implied that the fractionation effect influenced PAH distribution. Bivariate plots of selected diagnostic ratios showed general trends of co-variation and allowed to distinguish samples taken from different areas. An improved method, factor analysis (FA) with nonnegative constrains, was used to determine the primary sources and contributions of PAHs in soils. The FA model showed traffic average (74%) and coal related residential emission (26%) were two primary sources to Dalian soils. In addition, the FA model provided reasonable explanations for PAH contributions in soils from different sites. The results suggest that FA with nonnegative constraints is a promising tool for source apportionment of PAHs in soils.     

Probabilistic risk assessment for zinc in some commercial dishwashing detergents: the nitrification processes in US POTWs

A US patent was issued to a commercial dishwashing detergent composition in which soluble zinc is used to protect glassware from corrosion. Some of the consumed detergents are discharged as wastewater and treated in publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). A probabilistic risk assessment was conducted to quantitatively determine the risk of zinc in the detergents to the nitrification processes in US POTWs. The procedure for POTW local limit development designed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was used as a reference when conducting the risk assessment. The assessment took into account the background zinc concentrations in POTW influents and potential shock loading patterns, and was conducted at different market penetration rates (MPRs) for the US market of detergents based on the patented formula. The assessment involved several conservative factors including conservative determination of primary treatment efficiency, bioavailability, inhibition concentration, configuration of the nitrification process, as well as background zinc concentration in wastewater. With the conservative factors in the assessment, it was found that zinc in detergents does not present a significant risk to the nitrification processes in POTWs at a MPR up to 10%. It was noted that additional analyses would be required when the MPR is higher than 10% to adequately account for the effects of the conservative factors on the result of the assessment.     

Impacts of climatic and atmospheric changes on carbon dynamics in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

We used the Dynamic Land Ecosystem Model (DLEM) to estimate carbon (C) storage and to analyze the impacts of environmental changes on C dynamics from 1971 to 2001 in Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GRSM). Our simulation results indicate that forests in GRSM have a C density as high as 15.9kgm(-2), about twice the regional average. Total carbon storage in GRSM in 2001 was 62.2Tg (T=10(12)), 54% of which was in vegetation, the rest in the soil detritus pool. Higher precipitation and lower temperatures in the higher elevation forests result in larger total C pool sizes than in forests at lower elevations. During the study period, the CO(2) fertilization effect dominated ozone and climatic stresses (temperature and precipitation), and the combination of these multiple factors resulted in net accumulation of 0.9Tg C in this ecosystem.     

溴代二噁英类化合物的环境研究进展

溴代二噁英类化合物是一类剧毒环境污染物,主要来源于溴系阻燃剂与含溴系阻燃剂聚合物的生产、使用和回收等过程.随着溴系阻燃剂的广泛使用,溴代二噁英类化合物的环境和健康风险日益增加,对其环境问题的研究已成为当今环境科学的一大热点,而中国在此方面的研究还相当薄弱.介绍了溴代二噁英类化合物的结构性质,综述了溴代二噁英类化合物的分析方法、污染来源和环境分布,重点探讨了溴代二噁英类化合物的生成机制,介绍了生成溴代二噁英类化合物的影响因素,讨论并总结了当前研究中溴代二噁英类化合物污染来源解析与生成机制所存在的问题,最后展望了未来溴代二噁英类化合物的环境研究趋势.     

水体中常见无机阴离子对TiO2薄膜光催化降解甲醛的影响

选择了5种水体中常见的阴离子(Cl^-,SO^2-₄,HPO^2-₄/HPO^2-₄,HCO^-₃/CO^2-₃和NO^-₃),分别考查了其对TiO₂薄膜光催化降解模拟甲醛废水的反应速率的影响;从上述离子的光吸收,对·OH的捕获及其生成的相应的无机自由基的氧化作用以及与甲醛的竞争吸附3个方面讨论了上述离子影响TiO₂薄膜光催化降解模拟甲醛废水的反应速率的原因。结果表明,HCO^-₃/CO^2-₃对TiO₂薄膜光催化降解甲醛具有抑制作用,Cl^-和SO^2-₄的影响不大,H₂PO^-₄/HPO^2-₄和NO^-₃具有促进作用。造成上述结果的主要原因是HCO^-₃/CO^2-₃具有很强的·OH捕获作用;Cl^-,SO^2-₄对·OH捕获作用以及竞争吸附都较弱;H₂PO^-₄/HPO^2-₄在TiO₂表面具有较强的吸附能力,释放出的H⁺起到了酸催化剂的作用;NO^-₃在紫外光的照射下可以产生·OH,此外NO^-₃作为电子受体而降低了TiO₂表面光生电子和空穴的复合几率。     

陕西省城市雷电灾害分析

通过对2000-2007年的雷电灾害资料进行分析,给出我省雷电灾害的时空分布特征;分析了城市雷电灾害的成因;对典型城市雷灾个例进行了研究,提出一些防雷减灾措施.     

Anaerobic co-digestion of aquatic flora and quinoa with manures from Bolivian Altiplano

Quinoa stalk (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) from agricultural crop residue, totora (Schoenoplectus tatora) and o-macrophytes (aquatic flora) from Lake Titicaca (on the Bolivian Altiplano) were studied in a wet anaerobic co-digestion process together with manure from llama, cow and sheep. Anaerobic semi-continuous experiments were performed in (10) 2-l reactors at a temperature of 25 degrees C with 30 days of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and an organic loading rate (OLR) of 1.8kgVSm(-3)d(-1). Totora was found to be the best co-substrate. In mixture ratios of 1:1 (VS basis), it increased the biogas productivity by 130% for llama manure, 60% for cow manure, and 40% for sheep manure. It was possible to use up to 58% (VS basis) of totora in the substrate. Higher concentrations (including pure totora) could not be digested, as that caused acidification problems similar to those caused by other lignocellulosic materials. When quinoa and o-macrophytes were used as co-substrates, the increase in biogas productivity was slightly less. However, these co-substrates did not cause any operational problems. An additional advantage of quinoa and o-macrophytes was that they could be used in any proportion (even in pure form) without causing any destabilization problems in the anaerobic digestion process.     

油田开发对地下水水源地的影响及对策分析

分析了在油田开发工程可能对水源地产生影响的三类事故,筛选出风险最大的事故是注水井井壁泄漏事故。采用地下水中污染物三维迁移转化模型和MODFLOW、MT3D模拟计算软件对某地下水水源地可能受到的石油类污染进行数学模拟,并针对模拟结果提出了污染预防和控制措施。     

A low cost method to estimate dissolved reactive phosphorus loads of rivers and streams

Concentration of dissolved reactive phosphorus ([DRP]) in rivers changes periodically (daily, weekly, seasonally) and is dependent on the weather and discharge Q. Accordingly, accurate estimation of the annual DRP load requires intensive sampling if not even continuous monitoring, which is laborious and expensive. We present a new, elaborated low cost technique based on passive samplers (P-traps), describing their design and chemical analysis. P-traps use iron(oxy)hydroxide as a sorbent, are inexpensive, easy to handle, and can be exposed for several months. We compare average DRP concentrations obtained from spot samples and P-traps and discuss the applicability and accuracy of the suggested method to measure annual P loads of rivers characterized by highly variable DRP concentrations.