Assessment and Evaluation of an Integrated Hybrid Anaerobic–Aerobic Sewage Treatment System for the Removal of Enteric Viruses

The capability of a cost-effective and a small size decentralized pilot wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to remove enteric viruses such as rotavirus, norovirus genogroup I (GGI), norovirus genogroup II (GGII), Hepatitis E virus (HEV), and adenovirus was studied. This pilot plant is an integrated hybrid anaerobic/aerobic setup which consisted of anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB), biological aerated filter (BAF), and inclined plate settler (IPS). Both the UASB and BAF are packed with a non-woven polyester fabric (NWPF). Results indicated that the overall log₁₀ reductions of enteric viruses’ genome copies through the whole system were 3.1 ± 1, 3.3 ± 0.5, and 2.6 ± 0.9 log₁₀ for rotavirus, norovirus GGI, and adenovirus, respectively. Reduction efficiency for both norovirus GGII and HEV after the different treatment steps could not be calculated because there were no significant numbers of positive samples for both viruses. The overall reduction of rotavirus infectious units through the whole system was 2.2 ± 0.8 log₁₀ reduction which is very close to the overall log₁₀ reduction of adenovirus infectious units through the whole system which was 2.1 ± 0.8 log₁₀ reduction. There was no considerable difference in the removal efficiency for different rotavirus G and P types. Adenovirus 41 was the only type detected in the all positive samples. Although the pilot WWTP investigated is cost effective, has a small footprint, does not need a long distance network pipes, and easy to operate, its efficiency to remove enteric viruses is comparable with the conventional centralized WWTPs.     

浒苔生物炭的特征及其对Cr(Ⅵ)的吸附特点和吸附机制

为使浒苔得到资源化利用,本研究采用慢速热解技术于不同温度下制备浒苔生物炭,并对其理化性质进行表征.结果表明,400℃时,浒苔裂解已达较高程度.浒苔生物炭产率及灰分含量与热解温度呈负相关,碳含量与热解温度呈正相关,其表面呈蜂窝状多孔结构,比表面积为44.54~317.82 m~2·g~(-1),表面含有丰富的羟基(—OH)和羧基(—COOH)等含氧官能团.吸附实验显示,浒苔生物炭对Cr(Ⅵ)的吸附符合准二级动力学方程和Langmuir等温吸附模型.表明浒苔生物炭对Cr(Ⅵ)的吸附为单分子层化学吸附,主要受快速反应过程控制.浒苔生物炭吸附Cr(Ⅵ)的最适p H为2,吸附容量表现为BC400BC700BC600BC500BC300,其中BC400的吸附量为4.79 mg·g~(-1).浒苔生物炭对Cr(Ⅵ)的吸附机制主要包括生物炭与HCr O-4和Cr2O_2-7等阴离子之间的静电作用,以及生物炭表面—OH和—COOH等含氧官能团的络合作用.     

餐厨垃圾乳酸发酵过程中的微生物多样性分析

采用PCR-DGGE等分析手段,研究了餐厨垃圾乳酸发酵过程中的微生物种群动态变化.结果表明,餐厨垃圾不灭菌而接种的开放式发酵体系中微生物的多样性高于灭菌后接种的非开放式发酵体系,而乳酸产量也是前者高于后者.说明发酵体系中的微生物多样性与乳酸产量有很大的相关性.通过对部分条带的测序可知,餐厨垃圾开放式发酵体系中除含有接种用的嗜淀粉乳杆菌外,还含有很多土著乳酸菌,如Lactobacillus sp.、Lactobacillus casei和Lactobacillus plantarum,以及土著水解菌,如假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas sp.)等,这些土著菌的存在是促进乳酸发酵的重要因素.PCR-DGGE结合技术对于成分复杂的餐厨垃圾中的细菌种群结构的动态变化分析是可行的.     

白洋淀水体和沉积物中碱性磷酸酶活性的时空分布及其影响因素

2011—2012年期间,以白洋淀8个国控监测点为采样点,通过对水体和沉积物碱性磷酸酶活性（APA）和理化参数的分析,揭示了白洋淀碱性磷酸酶活性时空分布特征及影响因素.结果表明,白洋淀碱性磷酸酶活性具有明显的时空分布规律,春季碱性磷酸酶活性增大,夏秋季达最高值,冬季最低,富营养化程度高的样点碱性磷酸酶活性较高.相关性分析结果表明,水体碱性磷酸酶活性与氨氮和氮磷比显著负相关（p<0.05）,与温度、总磷、浮游植物密度显著正相关（p<0.01）.推测浮游植物密度可能是影响水体碱性磷酸酶活性的主要因素;沉积物中碱性磷酸酶活性可能主要与微生物相关,与沉积物总磷含量显著正相关（p<0.05）.水体和沉积物中碱性磷酸酶活性与采样点富营养化程度一致,可以作为白洋淀富营养化的评价指标.     

含油污泥微乳化处理工艺研究

利用微乳化法对含油污泥进行资源化处理。通过对现场采得的SLGD含油污泥样品处理,得到该油泥的最佳微乳液组成为:SDS 0.16 g/mL,OTAC 0.04 g/mL,正丁醇0.47 g/mL,NaCl 0.034 g/mL,脱油率最高可达42.53%。最佳单次处理量为12 g(以10 mL水为基准);处理温度为30℃,最佳处理时间为30 min;在保证脱油率的前提下,微乳液可重复使用3次。     

Competitive sorption between 17α-ethinyl estradiol and bisphenol A/4-n-nonylphenol by soils

The sorption of 17α-ethinyl estradiol(EE2),bisphenol A(BPA),and 4-n-nonylphenol(NP) in single systems and the sorption of EE2 with different initial aqueous concentrations of BPA or NP were examined using three soils.Results showed that all sorption isotherms were nonlinear and fit the Freundlich model.The degree of nonlinearity was in the order BPA(0.537-0.686) > EE2(0.705-0.858) > NP(0.875-0.0.951) in single systems.The isotherm linearity index of EE2 sorption calculated by the Freundlich model for Loam,Silt Loam and Silt increased from 0.758,0.705 and 0.858,to 0.889,0.910 and 0.969,respectively,when BPA concentration increased from 0 to 1000 μg/L,but the effect of NP was comparably minimal.Additionally,EE2 significantly suppressed the sorption of BPA,but insignificantly suppressed that of NP.These findings can be attributed to the difference of sorption affinity of EE2,NP and BPA on the hard carbon(e.g.,black carbon) of soil organic matter that dominated the sorption in the low equilibrium aqueous concentration range of endocrine-disrupting chemicals(EDCs).Competitive sorption among EDCs presents new challenges for predicting the transport and fate of EDCs under the influence of co-solutes.     

Photocatalytic activity of TiO2 containing anatase nanoparticles and rutile nanoflower structure consisting of nanorods

A series of TiO2 with different crystal phases and morphologies was synthesized via a facile hydrothermal process using titanium nbutoxide and concentrated hydrochloric acid as raw materials. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated by degradation of Methyl Orange in aqueous solution under UV-Visible light irradiation. On the basis of detailed analysis of the characterizing results of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurement, it was concluded that the photo-activity of the catalyst is related directly to the 3D morphology and the crystal phase composition. An excellent catalyst should have both a futile 3D flower-like structure and anatase granulous particles. The 3D flower-like structure could enhance light harvesting, as well as the transfer of reactant molecules from bulk solution to the reactive sites on TiO2. In addition, the optimum anatase/rutile phase ratio was found to be 80：20, which is beneficial to the effective separation of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs.     

Detection Method for Avian Influenza Viruses in Water

Recent events have shown that humans may become infected with some pathogenic avian influenza A viruses (AIV). Since soil and water, including lakes, rivers, and seashores, may be contaminated by AIV excreted by birds, effective methods are needed for monitoring water for emerging viruses. Combining water filtration with molecular methods such as PCR is a fast and effective way for detecting viruses. The objective of this study was to apply a convenient method for the detection of AIV in natural water samples. Distilled water and lake, river, and seawater were artificially contaminated with AIV (H5N3) and passed through a filter system. AIV was detected from filter membrane by real-time RT-PCR. The performance of Zetapor, SMWP, and Sartobind D5F membranes in recovering influenza viruses was first evaluated using contaminated distilled water. SWMP, which gave the highest virus recoveries, was then compared with a pre-filter combined GF/F filter membrane in a trial using natural water samples. In this study, the cellulose membrane SMWP was found to be practical for recovery of AIVs in water. Viral yields varied between 62.1 and 65.9% in distilled water and between 1 and 16.7% in natural water samples. The borosilicate glass membrane GF/F combined with pre-filter was also feasible in filtering natural water samples with viral yields from 1.98 to 7.33%. The methods described can be used for monitoring fresh and seawater samples for the presence of AIV and to determine the source of AIV transmission in an outbreak situation.     

Prevalence of Norovirus Infection in Children and Adults with Acute Gastroenteritis,Tehran, Iran, 2008–2009

Noroviruses are one of important agents that cause acute viral gastroenteritis worldwide. These viruses are belonging to Caliciviridae family and are genetically diverse. To date, there is no valuable data about prevalence of norovirus infection and the dominant genogroup/genotype among Iranian population. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of norovirus infection in Iranian patients with gastroenteritis referred to three hospitals of Tehran and to specify the dominant genogroup/genotype of this virus among our study population. A total of 293 patients with acute gastroenteritis were included in the study. Detection of norovirus was performed using RT-PCR method and confirmed by direct sequencing with specific designed primers for capsid region of norovirus genome. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using the neighbor-joining method. Norovirus strains identified in our study were subsequently categorized according to previously defined genogroup/genotypes. Of these, norovirus GII was dominant genogroup. Sixty-five percent (17 of 26) of positive samples were determined as GII and 35% (9 of 26) were determined as GI, respectively, in 2008–2009. And among 8 sequenced strains of genogroup II the most frequent genotype was GII.3. The results of this study indicated that norovirus must be considered as one of the infectious causes of acute gastroenteritis among Iranian population. We also found that GII.3 is more prevalent in our study population. To the best of our knowledge there is limited data about the role of noroviruses in children and adults’ acute gastroenteritis among Iranian patients and this prevalence and genotyping report of norovirus infection could be remarkable for further studies.