Management, disposal and recycling of waste industrial organic solvents in Hong Kong.

An attempt has been made to establish a mass balance of industrial organic solvents in Hong Kong. It is estimated that only a small portion, less than 4%, of all the organic solvents consumed in Hong Kong are collected as waste solvents and properly treated, while the remainder are used either in the formulation of solvent containing products, or are lost to the environment through vapour emissions, leaks and spills, or dumped illegally. It was found that solvent recycling has been a common practice in some industries but the existing level of solvent recycling in Hong Kong is difficult to estimate. About 87.4% of all the waste organic solvents disposed of at the licensed facilities are potentially recyclable although whether they can be recycled in practice depends on many factors. Examples of existing waste organic solvent management and recycling practices from selected industries in Hong Kong are presented. The economic feasibility of current and future potential recycling systems is evaluated for a few selected cases. An integrated waste organic solvent management strategy is proposed to minimize adverse impacts of organic solvents to the environment and human health.     

Degradation of 14C-carbofuran in soil using a continuous flow system

14C-carbofuran underwent considerable mineralization (approximately 30% of the applied activity) in Vertisol soil under moist and flooded conditions during 60 days incubation. Bound residues were formed under both the conditions, the extent being more in moist soils (approximately 55% of the applied activity) than under flooded conditions (approximately 41% of the applied activity). 3-Keto carbofuran was the only significant metabolite observed under flooded conditions.     

The organic precursors affecting the formation of disinfection by-products with chlorine dioxide

The object of this research was to study the formation of disinfection by-products by using chlorine dioxide (ClO2) as a disinfectant reacting with different properties of organic substance in natural aquatic environment. The adsorbent resin (XAD-4, XAD-7) was used to divide the organic matters in raw water into three groups. The influence of the function groups on structure, reaction tendency, and formation of disinfection by-products generated by the reaction of these organic substances with chlorine dioxide was explored. The experimental results show that the three different organic groups formed using adsorbent resin were hydrophobic substance, hydrophilic acid, and non-acid hydrophilics in proportions of 43%, 41%, and 16%, respectively. Within the raw water in our study, the hydrophilic substance had a higher distribution proportion than that described in general articles and journals, which indicates that this water was contaminated with pollution from human beings. The exploration of the reactivity of the three different organic substances with chlorine dioxide shows that the unit consumption of disinfection agent per unit organic matters (represented by ClO2/DOC) is in the following sequence hydrophobic substance > hydrophilic substance > non-acid hydrophilics. It indicated that larger molecular organic precursors had larger consumption of disinfectant. We also discovered that after the reaction of the three different organic substances with chlorine dioxide, the largest amount of disinfection by-products were generated by the non-acid hydrophilics.     

Characteristics of organic precursors and their relationship with disinfection by-products

The molecular weight distribution and chemical composition of precursors and their relationship with disinfection by-products (DBPs) were investigated. Most of the organic matter responsible for the major DBP precursors in the Pan-Hsin water are small compounds with a molecular weight less than 1 kDa. The hydrophobic acids display the greatest ability to produce DBP. Therefore, effective removal of small molecules or hydrophobic acidic organics prior to disinfection process will significantly reduce the DBP concentration in the finished water. Although the coagulation process is effective in removing large organic precursors and the removal efficiencies of CHCl3 formation potential and organic carbon increase proportionally to the molecular weight of the precursors, the conventional treatment methods have limited efficiency in eliminating small precursors, which have high DBP formation potential.     

Development and evaluation of a continuous coarse (PM10-PM2.5) particle monitor

In this paper, we describe the development and laboratory and field evaluation of a continuous coarse (2.5-10 microm) particle mass (PM) monitor that can provide reliable measurements of the coarse mass (CM) concentrations in time intervals as short as 5-10 min. The operating principle of the monitor is based on enriching CM concentrations by a factor of approximately 25 by means of a 2.5-microm cut point round nozzle virtual impactor while maintaining fine mass (FM)--that is, the mass of PM2.5 at ambient concentrations. The aerosol mixture is subsequently drawn through a standard tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM), the response of which is dominated by the contributions of the CM, due to concentration enrichment. Findings from the field study ascertain that a TEOM coupled with a PM10 inlet followed by a 2.5-microm cut point round nozzle virtual impactor can be used successfully for continuous CM concentration measurements. The average concentration-enriched CM concentrations measured by the TEOM were 26-27 times higher than those measured by the time-integrated PM10 samplers [the micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI) and the Partisol] and were highly correlated. CM concentrations measured by the concentration-enriched TEOM were independent of the ambient FM-to-CM concentration ratio, due to the decrease in ambient coarse particle mass median diameter with an increasing FM-to-CM concentration ratio. Finally, our results illustrate one of the main problems associated with the use of real impactors to sample particles at relative humidity (RH) values less than 40%. While PM10 concentrations obtained by means of the MOUDI and Partisol were in excellent agreement, CM concentrations measured by the MOUDI were low by 20%, and FM concentrations were high by a factor of 5, together suggesting particle bounce at low RH.     

On the hydro-dispersive equivalence between multi-layered mineral barriers

In the context of municipal solid waste and hazardous waste disposal, the notion of "equivalence" between different barrier designs appears in regulatory documents from several industrialized countries. While in the past, equivalence has been thought of mainly in terms of contaminant travel times, in recent years it has been defined more in terms of the magnitude of a disposal site's potential impact on groundwater resources. This paper presents some original analytical solutions to the problem of contaminant migration through a multi-layered mineral barrier. The solutions account for the two major mechanisms of subsurface contaminant migration, namely, advection and diffusion-dispersion. An example application using the proposed solutions and a numerical model illustrates how one multi-layered mineral barrier can be considered superior to another from a strictly hydro-dispersive viewpoint. The influence of partial saturation of the mineral barrier is investigated using a numerical solution to the Richards equation for unsaturated flow. It is emphasized that conclusions relative to the superiority of one multi-layered barrier, with respect to another, should not only consider hydro-dispersive aspects, but also other processes such as the mechanical and chemical evolutions of the different barrier components. Although such phenomena are poorly addressed by existing models, failure to take them into account, at least in a qualitative fashion, may lead to unconservative conclusions with respect to barrier equivalence.     

The occurrence of xenoestrogens in the Elbe river and the North Sea

The xenoestrogens Bisphenol A (BPA), p-alkylphenols and p-alkylphenol ethoxylates were determined in water samples of the North Sea, the Elbe river, and its tributaries Schwarze Elster, Mulde, Saale and the Weisse Elster. The sampling sites of the Elbe river reached from Schmilka at the German-Czech border to Cuxhaven at the estuary. Samples of the North Sea were taken in the German Bight. Additionally, freshly deposed sediments of the River Elbe and its tributaries were analyzed. Partitioning coefficients of these compounds for the distribution between suspended particulate matter (SPM) and the aqueous phase were calculated for samples of the River Elbe at sampling site Geesthacht. The analytical procedure consisted of liquid-liquid extractions of the acidified water samples using dichloromethane. Sediments and SPM samples were extracted by Accelerated Solvent Extraction with n-hexane/acetone. Following a clean-up by HPLC, the analytes were derivatized with heptafluorobutyric acid anhydride and quantified using GC-MSD. The concentration ranges of the compounds analyzed in water samples of the Elbe river were as follows (in ng l(-1)): BPA 9-776, alkylphenols 10-221 and alkylphenol ethoxylates 18-302. In sediment samples the concentrations were (in microg kg(-1) dry mass): BPA 66-343, alkylphenols 17-1378 and alkylphenol ethoxylates 30-1797. In samples of the North Sea the concentrations were generally about 1 order of magnitude lower. As shown by the concentration profiles following the River Elbe into the North Sea, the Elbe river must be considered as a major pollution source for the North Sea concerning the compounds analyzed. The SPM/water-partitioning coefficients calculated (mean values) amounted to: BPA 4.50, alkylphenols 5.52-5.58 and alkylphenol ethoxylates 5.60-6.38. A comparison of the results with data from other surface waters showed that concentrations of these xenoestrogens in the River Elbe and its tributaries were relatively low. The evaluation of the data based on the lowest observable effect concentration (LOEC) for alkylphenols (endpoint: vitellogenin synthesis in male trout) indicated that the concentrations were well below the effectivity threshold.     

Economic comparison of emission control systems for glass manufacturing furnaces with heat recovery

Glass manufacturing, like other process industries, is faced with air pollution compliance problems due to ever stricter emission limits. Several waste gas cleaning equipment options are available for air pollution control (APC) in glass plants, the most common arrangements being based on electrostatic precipitator (ESP) or fabric filter (FF) dust collectors and semi-wet or dry processes for acid gas removal. However, several counteracting aspects affect the choice of gas cleaning technologies, which are confirmed by the discrepancies encountered in actual suppliers' bids. In this paper, the main pollution control options are analyzed by carrying out a critical comparison under the cost-effectiveness point of view to select the lowest cost arrangement considering capital investment, operating expenses, and energy-saving revenues from heat recovery processes. The analysis is carried out with reference to a case study involving actual float glass production lines at Pilkington plants in Italy.     

The application of satellite remote sensing to coastal management in Singapore

This paper reviews the application of satellite remote sensing to management of Singapore's coastal environment. Remotely sensed data have been used for marine habitat mapping, water quality monitoring, ship and ship-wake detection, oil spill detection, red tide monitoring, and mapping of reclamation activities. While these applications clearly cover most of the range of opportunities for use of remotely sensed data in the coastal zone, there is still a need for more complete baseline studies of natural resources and habitats, and monitoring of the impacts of development on the coastal and marine environment. There is also a requirement for more management-oriented research and continued development and revision of the available datasets. Integration and exchange of information between management agencies and research groups is also an important aspect of sustainable management of Singapore's coastal environment and marine resources.     

Resistant sorption of in situ chlorobenzenes and a polychlorinated biphenyl in river Rhine suspended matter

The desorption kinetics of in situ chlorobenzenes (dichlorobenzenes, pentachlorobenzene and hexachlorobenzene) and 2,4,4^′-trichlorobiphenyl (PCB-28) were measured with a gas-purge technique for river Rhine suspended matter sampled in Lobith, The Netherlands. This suspended matter is the main source of sediment accumulation in lake Ketelmeer. In lake Ketelmeer sediment earlier observations showed that slow and very slow fractions dominate the desorption profile.

For the river Rhine suspended matter, only for PCB-28 a fast desorbing fraction of around 1.6% could be detected. The observed rate constants were on the average 0.2 h⁻¹ for fast desorption, 0.004 h⁻¹ for slow desorption, and 0.00022 h⁻¹ for very slow desorption. These values are in agreement with previous findings for the sediment from lake Ketelmeer and with available literature data on fast, slow, and very slow desorption kinetics.

The results from this study show the similarity of desorption profiles between river Rhine suspended matter, and the top layer sediment from lake Ketelmeer. This indicates that slow and very slow fractions are already present in material forming the top layer of lake Ketelmeer, and were not formed after deposition of this material in the lake. The absence of detectable fast fractions for most compounds could be caused by the absence of recent pollution of the suspended matter. But, the observations may also be explained by a rapid disappearance of compounds from the fast fraction due to a combination of a high affinity of very slow sites for these compounds, and their relatively high volatility.