Solar photocatalytic decolorization of methylene blue in water

In this study, a photocatalytic decolorization system equipped with immobilized TiO2 and illuminated by solar light was used to remove the color of wastewater. To examine the decoloring efficiency of this system, photocatalytic decolorization of an organic dye such as methylene blue was studied as an example. The effects of light source, pH, as well as the initial concentration of dye were also investigated. It was observed that the solution of methylene blue could be almost completely decolorized by the solar light/TiO2 film process while there was about 50% color remaining with solar irradiation only. In addition, it was found that the decoloring efficiency of solution was higher with solar light irradiation than with artificial UV light irradiation, even though the artificial UV light source supplied higher UV intensity at 254 nm. The color removal rate of methylene blue with solar light irradiation was almost twice that of artificial UV light irradiation. This phenomena was mainly attributed to that some visible light range of solar light was useful for exciting the methylene blue molecules adsorbed on TiO2 film, leading to a photosensitization process undergoing and decoloring efficiency promoted. This solar-assisted photocatalytic device showed potential application for decoloring organic dyes in wastewater.     

Photocatalytic oxidation of pesticide rinsate

Pesticide rinsate has been considered as one of the major threats for the environment. In this study, photocatalysts such as TiO2 and O3 were used to promote the efficiency of direct UV photolysis to prevent such wastewater pollution. Carbofuran (a carbamate pesticide) and mevinphos (an organophosphate pesticide) with a concentration of 100 mg/L were selected as the test pesticide rinsates. Parent pesticide compound, COD, and microtoxicity analysis were employed to investigate the effect of photocatalyst on the degradation efficiency of pesticide in rinsate. It was found that the photocatalytic oxidation process (UV/O3, UV/TiO2) showed much higher COD removal and microtoxicity reduction efficiency for pesticide rinsate than did direct UV photolysis under the imposed conditions, suggesting that photocatalytic oxidation processes such as UV/O3 and UV/TiO2 could be a better alternative to treat pesticide rinsate. In addition, it was noted that increasing the initial pH of mevinphos rinsate to a basic level was required to reach higher COD removal efficiency and positive microtoxicity reduction efficiency while it was not necessary for the treatment of carbofuran rinsate.     

Characteristics of aerosols collected in central Taiwan during an Asian dust event in spring 2000

Aerosol samples for PM(2.5) and PM(2.5-10) were collected at four locations in central Taiwan from 26 to 31 March 2000, a period that experienced exceedingly high PM levels from 29 to 30 March due to the passage of an Asian dust storm. The samples were analyzed for mass, metallic elements, ions, and carbon. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of the dust storm on the characteristics of local ambient particulate matter. The results indicate that the concentrations of the crustal elements Ca, Mg, Al, Fe and the sea salt species Na+ and Cl- in PM(2.5-10) during the dust episode exceed the mean concentrations in the non-dust period by factors of 3.1, 2.9, 2.6, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.1 respectively. Enrichment factors of Ca, Fe, and Mg in PM(2.5-10) during the dust event are close to unity, indicating that these elements are from soil. Reconstruction of aerosol compositions revealed that soil of coarse particulates elevated approximately 50% in the dust event. It is noted that during the dust event, the ratio of Mg/Al in PM(2.5-10) ranged from 0.21 to 0.25 while that of Ca/Al ranged from 0.6 to 0.9, levels more constant than those obtained in non-dust period.     

The application and evaluation research of coffee residue ash into mortar

Coffee residue is usually regarded as a kind of agriculture waste; as its quantity increases the treatment of coffee residue will become an environmental problem. This research is innovative in that it derives the possibility of recycle application using coffee residue ash for cement replacement. In this research, coffee residue is burned in an electronic oven to three kinds of coffee residue ash at 500, 600 and 700 °C, and then appropriate apparatus is used to check the chemical and physical properties of these three types of coffee residue ash. After a general comparison, this study selected 500 and 600 °C coffee residue ashes with 2, 3, 5, 10 and 15 % cement replacements to make 5 cm³ cube mortar specimen to test different curing ages’ compressive strength. Through measurement and experiment, this research found that the compressive strength decreased by adding 500 or 600 °C coffee residue ash into the mortar. By considering waste reduction and practice application, this research derives that using the 600 °C coffee residue ash with 10 % replacement is better than others application, such using result also can get valuable efficiencies of financial and CO₂ reduction.     

Biodegradation of coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls by anaerobic microorganisms from estuarine sediments.

In this study, we investigated the biodegradability of biphenyl and 5 congeners (one non-planar and four coplanar) of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). Biphenyl, the non-planar congener 2,3',4',5-tetrachlorobiphenyl (25-34 CB), and the four coplanar congeners 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (34-34 CB), 3,4,4',5-tetrachlorobiphenyl (345-4 CB), 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (345-34 CB), and 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (345-345 CB) were amended at a concentration of 10 mg/L into anoxic sediment slurries collected from the estuaries of the Tansui River and the Erjen River. During 2 years' incubation under sulfidogenic conditions, biphenyl was persistent, while all other chlorinated congeners, except for 345-345 CB, were dechlorinated with or without a lag period in sediment slurries collected from both rivers. Dechlorination of coplanar and non-planar congeners began with para chlorine removal. All para chlorines from the mono-, di-, and trichlorobiphenyl groups could be removed by sediment slurries from both rivers. Microbial communities in sediment from the Erjen River additionally fostered meta-dechlorination activity, but only after removal of all the para chlorines. Addition of Tween 20 (0.05%, v/v) into sediment slurries from the Tansui River did not enhance dechlorination rates or extents, but the addition of toluene- or 3-chlorobenzoate-adapted sediments enhanced dechlorination of 34-34 CB and 345-4 CB.     

Synergistic effects of combination of photolysis and ozonation on destruction of chlorophenols in water.

Synergistic effects including TOC elimination, ozone consumption and microtoxicity reduction for combination of photolysis and ozonation compared to those of direct photolysis and ozonation alone on destruction of chlorophenols including 2-chlorophenol, 4-chlorophenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol were studied. It was found that the synergistic effects of combination of photolysis and ozonation increased obviously with increasing initial pH of solution to basic pH levels. Results showed that the synergistic effects of photolytic ozonation under the conditions imposed was notable with mineralization rate enlarging more than 100%, oxidation index (OI) decreasing 50%, and microtoxicity being reduced by 30%, indicating that the potentialities of photolytic ozonation compared to direct photolysis and ozonation alone was remarkable for treatment of industrial wastewater containing chlorophenols.     

广西典型岩溶区农田土壤-作物系统Cd迁移富集影响因素

为揭示岩溶区农田土壤-作物系统Cd迁移富集主要影响因素,选择广西典型岩溶区根系土-水稻籽实Cd含量及土壤pH值、有机质（OM）、氧化物含量和质地数据,通过Spearman相关性分析和主成分分析（PCA）,开展了土壤理化性质对土壤和水稻籽实Cd含量的影响研究.结果表明,相比于全国土壤背景基准值,研究区土壤中总氧化铁（TFe₂O₃）、三氧化二铝（Al₂O₃）和氧化锰（MnO）相对富集,平均含量分别为20.2%、19.0%和0.2%,且区内广泛发育Fe-Mn结核;而二氧化硅（SiO₂）相对亏损,平均含量为41.0%,呈现出典型的"脱硅富铝铁"特征,表明研究区土壤经历了较强烈的风化淋溶作用.相关性分析结果显示,土壤TFe₂O₃和MnO含量分别与土壤总Cd含量和残渣态Cd百分比呈显著的正相关性,与有效态Cd含量、水稻籽实Cd含量和Cd的生物富集系数（BCF）呈显著的负相关性.PCA分析结果也显示,土壤TFe₂O₃和MnO含量是影响土壤-作物系统Cd迁移富集的主要因素,而土壤pH值、OM和Al₂O₃含量等影响程度较小,SiO₂含量和土壤质地间接地影响土壤-作物系统Cd的迁移富集.综合研究认为,土壤在交替氧化和还原条件下所形成的新生体Fe-Mn结核对Cd具有较强的吸附和固定作用,导致Cd在残渣态中相对富集,降低了土壤Cd的活动性,因此Fe-Mn结核是研究区土壤Cd生物有效性的主要影响因素.     

基于MOS的杭州秋冬季空气污染预报和霾诊断

利用由数值预报模式WRF和辨识理论实时迭代统计方法RTIM组成的MOS方法对杭州市2013年2~3月和11~12月期间的空气污染物日平均浓度做预报,预报值与实测值之间相关系数都超过0.75 ,PM2.5、PM10、SO2、NO2、CO 24h平均浓度和O3 8h平均浓度分类预报临界成功指数(CSI)分别为89%、87%、100%、93%、100%和100%,命中率(POD)分别为93%、95%、100%、100%、100%和100%.分析表明,研究期间杭州地区气溶胶以细颗粒为主.根据PM2.5浓度、相对湿度及能见度预报值做霾日分类预报,临界成功指数为89%,命中率为93%.说明该MOS系统对污染物浓度及霾天气预报性能良好,可以为业务化预报提供参考.     

The effect of limiting nutrient on metal toxicity to selenastrum capricornutum

Metal toxicity on selenastrum capricornutum were examined by batch culture and chemostat culture system. EC₅₀ values under nutrient‐limited condition and saturated condition were compared. The two EC_5Os differed by a factor of 10.6 for Cd in batch test, and differed by a factor of 6.5 in continuous test. Both batch and continuous test results indicate that inhibition on algal growth is more severe under nutrient‐limited conditions compared to that under near saturation conditions.

Strong correlation, as characterized by the correlation coefficient ρ, were found between the activation level (nutrient requirement) and the tolerance of microorganisms to the toxicant. ρ is equal to 0.9 for the case of Cd in batch test and 0.6 in continuous test. The theory in this study provides generally good estimations to the dose‐response relationship at limiting nutrient conditions. The study indicate that nutrient conditions constitute an important factor in algal toxicity tests.