Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans from food salt samples processed by heat treatment in Korea

Eight samples of processed food salt collected from five plants in Korea were analyzed for 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) using liquid-liquid extraction, clean-up procedures, and high resolution gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry. The study included the analyses of two kinds of salt product sample: bamboo-salt and parched salt. The levels of toxic PCDD/Fs found in the salt product samples were extremely low: the results revealed TEQ levels ranging between the sub pg TEQ/g and sub fg TEQ/g. The differences in the TEQ values of toxic PCDD/F were observed between the salt product samples, which were treated with different frequency of baking using four different fuels (firewood, pine wood, pine resin, and indirect heating by gas) at temperatures from 300 to 2000 degrees C. In bamboo-salt samples, the concentrations and TEQ values of toxic PCDD/Fs ranged between 0.57-66 pg/g and 5.7x10(-5)-0.64 pg TEQ/g, respectively. PCDD/Fs levels in bamboo-salts baked by firewood were found to be higher than those baked by pinewood or pine resin. In parched salt samples, the concentrations and TEQ values of toxic PCDD/Fs ranged between 0.97-3.7 pg/g and 0.0097-0.017 pg TEQ/g, respectively. The data was discussed regarding the concentration and the distribution pattern of congeners.     

Progress in developing an ANN model for air pollution index forecast

An air pollution index (API) reporting system is introduced to selected cities of China for public communication on air quality data. Shanghai is the first city in China providing daily average API reports and forecasts. This paper describes the development of an artificial neural network (ANN) model for the API forecasting in Shanghai. It is a multiple layer perceptron (MLP) network, with meteorological forecasting data as the main input, to output the next day average API values. However, the initial version of the MLP model did not work well. To improve the model, a series of tests were conducted with respect to the training method and structure optimization. Based on the test results, the training algorithm was modified and a new model was built. The new model is now being used in Shanghai for API forecasting. Its performance is shown reasonably well in comparison with observation. The application of the old model was only weakly correlated with observation. In 1-year application, the correlation coefficients were 0.2314, 0.1022 and 0.1710 for TSP, SO₂ and NO_x, respectively. But for the new model, for over 8 months application, the correlation coefficients are raised to 0.6056, 0.6993 and 0.6300 for PM₁₀, SO₂, and NO₂. Further, the new algorithm does not rely on manpower intervention so that it is now being applied in several other Chinese cities with quite different meteorological conditions. The structure of the model and the application results are presented in this paper and also the problems to be further studied.     

东江流域水污染控制与水生态系统恢复技术与综合示范

归纳了水专项东江项目2008—2013年的主要研究成果:针对保护优质水源的国家需求,选择典型的东江流域开展前瞻性的水污染控制技术研发并进行工程示范,创建了由常规水质指标实时在线化,痕量污染物控制指标识别筛选全流域优化,生物毒性指标甄别多属性全程化等成套技术构成的水源流域水质风险识别技术体系;由各类工艺废水脱毒减害,同质污水区域集中强化处理,排水持续净化等成套技术构成的水环境风险控制工程技术体系;由水生物链各物种生长状况评级,生境恢复和物种受损关键环节恢复等成套技术构成的生态健康维护技术体系。集成以上3个技术体系形成成套的流域水环境风险控制技术体系集。基于上述技术创新提出了“控制风险、维护生态、保水甘甜、发展持续”的水源流域管理创新总体策略。研发的技术体系与策略在东江流域的示范与应用,实现了东江主干流水质常年优于Ⅱ类的污染控制目标。     

办公建筑夏季用能行为测试研究

建筑使用者热环境改善行为对建筑能耗具有重要影响。对杭州市某办公建筑开展夏季空调使用行为测试。较高的空调使用率以及空调设备对室内热环境的显著改善说明空调使用是该地区夏季采用的主要降温措施。采用逻辑回归构建出夏季空调开启率预测模型。根据所构建的夏季空调开启率预测模型,得出测试房间空调开启室外耐受温度为32.0℃。根据测试期间空调开启时刻温度,得出空调开启室内耐受温度为28.7℃。     

Feasibility of coupling a thermal/optical carbon analyzer to a quadrupole mass spectrometer for enhanced PM2.5 speciation

A thermal/optical carbon analyzer (TOA), normally used for quantification of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in PM_2.5 (fine particulate matter) speciation networks, was adapted to direct thermally evolved gases to an electron impact quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS), creating a TOA-QMS. This approach produces spectra similar to those obtained by the Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS), but the ratios of the mass to charge (m/z) signals differ and must be remeasured using laboratory-generated standards. Linear relationships are found between TOA-QMS signals and ammonium (NH₄⁺), nitrate (NO₃^?), and sulfate (SO₄^2-) standards. For ambient samples, however, positive deviations are found for SO₄^2-, compensated by negative deviations for NO₃^?, at higher concentrations. This indicates the utility of mixed-compound standards for calibration or separate calibration curves for low and high ion concentrations. The sum of the QMS signals across all m/z after removal of the NH₄⁺, NO₃^?, and SO₄^2- signals was highly correlated with the carbon content of oxalic acid (C?H?O?) standards. For ambient samples, the OC derived from the TOA-QMS method was the same as the OC derived from the standard IMPROVE_A TOA method. This method has the potential to reduce complexity and costs for speciation networks, especially for highly polluted urban areas such as those in Asia and Africa.

Implications: Ammonium, nitrate, and sulfate can be quantified by the same thermal evolution analysis applied to organic and elemental carbon. This holds the potential to replace multiple parallel filter samples and separate laboratory analyses with a single filter and a single analysis to account for a large portion of the PM_2.5 mass concentration.     

Comparison on surface properties and desulfurization of MnO2 and pyrolusite blended activated carbon by steam activation

In this study, MnO₂ and pyrolusite were used as the catalysts to prepare modified activated carbon, that is, AC-Mn and AC-P, respectively, from coals by blending method and steam activation. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) results indicated that the AC-P had higher surface areas and micropore volumes than the AC-Mn with the same blending ratio. The relative contents of basic functional groups (i.e., C = O, π-π*) on AC-P were slightly lower than those on AC-Mn, while both contained the same main metal species, namely, MnO. The desulfurization results showed that with 3 wt% of blending ratio, AC-Mn3 and AC-P3 had higher sulfur capacities at 220 and 205 mg/g, respectively, which were much higher than for the blank one (149.6 mg/g). Moreover, the AC-P had relatively higher sulfur capacity than the AC-Mn with the same contents of Mn, which might be attributed to the existence of other metals in pyrolusite. After the desulfurization process, MnO were gradually transferred into MnSO₄, and the relative contents of basic functional groups decreased evidently for both AC-Mn3 and AC-P3. The results demonstrated that pyrolusite could be one good alternative to MnO₂ to prepare modified activated carbon for desulfurization.

Implications: MnO₂ and pyrolusite were used as the additives to prepare modified activated carbon from coals by a blending method and by steam activation, that is, AC-Mn and AC-P, respectively. The AC-P had higher surface areas and micropore volumes than the AC-Mn with the same blending ratio. The AC-Mn and AC-P had higher sulfur capacities than a blank one. Moreover, the AC-P had relatively higher sulfur capacity than the AC-Mn with the same contents of Mn. The results demonstrated that pyrolusite could be one good alternative to MnO₂ to prepare modified activated carbon for desulfurizatio.     

回流立式组合人工湿地处理生活污水的效果

针对目前我国农村存在的生活污水随意排放问题,构建了一种安装方便、工艺简单的回流立式组合人工湿地系统用于处理生活污水,研究其对污染物质的去除效果和过程,及不同基质（砾石、陶粒、火山石）间污染物质去除的差异。结果显示,回流立式组合人工湿地系统对COD、NH4+-N、TN、TP的去除率分别高达95%、99%、53%、57%,其中COD、NH4+-N的去除过程符合一级动力学模型。不同基质组湿地对生活污水处理效果存在显著差异（P4+-N、TN的去除效果较好,火山石组对COD、TP去除效果较好,可分别作为人工湿地脱氮除磷的优先选择。结果表明,回流立式组合人工湿地去除能力好、占地面积小、操作方便,是一种具有广阔发展前景的农村污水处理技术。     

The fractionation and geochemical characteristics of rare earth elements measured in ambient size-resolved PM in an integrated iron and steelmaking industry zone

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Improved understanding of the fractionation and geochemical characteristic of rare earth elements (REEs) from steel plant emissions is important due...     

微好氧预处理对市政污泥厌氧消化产甲烷的影响

针对目前市政污泥处理资源化与减量化效率低的问题,利用微好氧预处理技术进行预处理,提高其甲烷产量。利用有机物溶出效率、VSS减量、甲烷产量3项指标对预处理效果进行了评价;研究了不同参数条件下微好氧预处理对市政污泥厌氧消化产甲烷的影响;探讨了微好氧预处理对污泥胞外聚合物的影响。结果表明,微好氧预处理可以促进污泥溶解性有机物释放、提高VSS去除率;在最佳反应条件下(曝气强度0.30 m³·(min·m³)⁻¹、预处理时间12 h),相对于未经过预处理的工况,甲烷产量可提高26.77%;微好氧预处理对剩余污泥活性细胞的影响主要发生在胞外聚合物部分,同时也存在对活性微生物的破解作用。市政污泥经过微好氧预处理后,可有效提升后续中温厌氧消化或高温厌氧消化的甲烷产量。     

Immobilization of fungal laccase onto a nonionic surfactant-modified clay material: application to PAH degradation

Nonionic surfactant-modified clay is a useful absorbent material that effectively removes hydrophobic organic compounds from soil/groundwater. We developed a novel material by applying an immobilized fungal laccase onto nonionic surfactant-modified clay. Low-water-solubility polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (naphthalene/phenanthrene) were degraded in the presence of this bioactive material. PAH degradation by free laccase was higher than degradation by immobilized laccase when the surfactant concentration was allowed to form micelles. PAH degradation by immobilized laccase on TX-100-modified clay was higher than on Brij35-modified clay. Strong laccase degradation of PAH can be maintained by adding surfactant monomers or micelles. The physical adsorption of nonionic surfactants onto clay plays an important role in PAH degradation by laccase, which can be explained by the structure and molecular interactions of the surfactant with the clay and enzyme. A system where laccase is immobilized onto TX-100-monomer-modified clay is a good candidate bioactive material for in situ PAHs bioremediation.