Eco-efficient recycling of drinking water treatment sludge and glass waste: development of ceramic bricks

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Current management for drinking water treatment sludge and glass waste is insufficient, and a new method is needed. We sought to develop a new...     

A New Approach to Chemical Recycling of Polyamide 6.6 and Synthesis of Polyurethanes with Recovered Intermediates

A new efficient method for the chemical decomposition of polyamide 6.6 by the glycolysis and amino-glycolysis processes was proposed. The glycolysis was conducted using the mass excess of ethylene glycol (EG) as a decomposing agent in the presence of a catalyst. Also, a mixture of EG and triethylenetetramine was used as another decomposing agent in the amino-glycolysis process. The described process of decomposition did not require the use of elevated pressure. The hydroxyl and amine numbers, rheology behavior and the presence of characteristic chemical groups in the obtained glycolysates and aminoglycolysates were determined in order to characterize the reaction products. The decomposition products were defined as non-Newtonian fluids that could be described by suitable mathematical models. The conducted studies showed that the properties of the obtained intermediates depend on the mass excess of the decomposing agent used. The resulting semi-products are suitable for reusing in the synthesis of polyurethanes, which has been confirmed by the exemplary synthesis. In the reaction, 10 and 15 wt% of commercial polyol were replaced with the recovered intermediates.     

Toxicity of aqueous mixture of phenol and chlorophenols upon photosensitized oxidation initiated by sunlight or vis-lamp

It is well established that aquatic wildlife in marine and freshwater of the European Union is exposed to natural and synthetic endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs) which are able to interfere with the hormonal system causing adverse effects on the intact physiology of organisms. The traditional wastewater treatment processes are inefficient on the removal of EDCs in low concentration. Moreover, not only the efficiency of treatment must be considered but also toxicological aspects. Taking into account all these aspects, the main goal of the study was to investigate the photochemical decomposition of hazardous phenolic compounds under simulated as well as natural sunlight from the toxicity point of view. The studies were focused on photodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol as well as mixture of phenol, 2-chlorophenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol. Photosensitized oxidation process was carried out in homogeneous and heterogeneous system. V. fischeri luminescence inhibition was used to determine the changes of toxicity in mixture during simulated and natural irradiation. The photodegradation was carried out in three kinds of water matrix; moreover, the influence of presence of inorganic matter on the treatment process was investigated. The experiments with natural sunlight proved applicability of photosensitive chitosan for visible-light water pollutant degradation. The results of toxicity investigation show that using photosensitive chitosan for visible-light, the toxicity of reaction mixture towards V. fischeri has significantly decreased. The EC₅₀ was found to increase over the irradiation time; this increase was not proportional to the transformation of the parent compounds.     

Accelerated ash accumulation method for diesel particulate filter and its characterization: a review

ABSTRACT

It is well known that high-efficiency wall-flow particulate filter is the most commonly used technology that can effectively reduce both particulate matter (PM) and particulate number (PN) to comply with the latest emission legislations. Ash, defined as the noncombustible, non-evaporative residue derived mostly from lubricants, has critical impact on engine backpressure, particulate filter filtration efficiency and durability performance, therefore, the investigation of ash impact on particulate filter is of great importance. Due to cost-saving potential, several published methods from different laboratories for accelerated ash loading under carefully controlled conditions are described in this review, including some characterization methods that have been used for the evaluation of filter performance. In addition, the impact of ash deposit on back pressure and regeneration performance are also discussed in this review.     

Contamination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in a typical marine aquaculture farm: source tracking of ARGs in reared aquatic organisms

Abstract

Although the prevalence and concentrations of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquaculture is receiving increasing scientific interest, there is little understanding of the direct sources and dissemination pathways of ARGs in marine aquaculture-reared organisms. This study investigated the dynamics of ARGs and the bacterial community throughout the rearing period in a typical marine aquaculture farm in South China. The results demonstrated that sul1 and qnrD were predominant in the sediment, and qnrD and qnrA were predominant in the intestinal tracts of shrimps. Network analysis showed that the chemical oxygen demand, total organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, suspended solids, and total phosphorus were positively correlated with the predominant ARGs. The results of the network and source tracking analyses indicate that environmental factors and the bacterial community may drive the dissemination of ARGs dissemination in the environment and in shrimp reared by marine aquaculture, and sediment is the most direct and important medium in this dissemination. These results aid in improving our understanding of the sources, level, and dissemination of ARGs in marine aquaculture.     

Scale dependency of conservation outcomes in a forest-offsetting scheme

Offset schemes help avoid or revert habitat loss through protection of existing habitat (avoided deforestation), through the restoration of degraded areas (natural regrowth), or both. The spatial scale of an offset scheme may influence which of these 2 outcomes is favored and is an important aspect of the scheme's design. However, how spatial scale influences the trade-offs between the preservation of existing habitat and restoration of degraded areas is poorly understood. We used the largest forest offset scheme in the world, which is part of the Brazilian Forest Code, to explore how implementation at different spatial scales may affect the outcome in terms of the area of avoided deforestation and area of regrowth. We employed a numerical simulation of trade between buyers (i.e., those who need to offset past deforestation) and sellers (i.e., landowners with exceeding native vegetation) in the Brazilian Amazon to estimate potential avoided deforestation and regrowth at different spatial scales of implementation. Allowing offsets over large spatial scales led to an area of avoided deforestation 12 times greater than regrowth, whereas restricting offsets to small spatial scales led to an area of regrowth twice as large as avoided deforestation. The greatest total area (avoided deforestation and regrowth combined) was conserved when the spatial scale of the scheme was small, especially in locations that were highly deforested. To maximize conservation gains from avoided deforestation and regrowth, the design of the Brazilian forest-offset scheme should focus on restricting the spatial scale in which offsets occur. Such a strategy could help ensure conservation benefits are localized and promote the recovery of degraded areas in the most threatened forest landscapes.     

Invasion costs,impacts, and human agency: response to Sagoff 2020

Article impact statement: In an era of profound biodiversity crisis, invasion costs, invader impacts, and human agency should not be dismissed.     

新型材料淀粉微球对Cu~(2+)、Cr~(3+)和Pb~(2+)的吸附机理研究

以可溶性淀粉为原料,在反相悬浮体系中合成N,N′-亚甲基双丙烯酰胺交联淀粉微球为载体,研究了新型吸附材料淀粉微球(cross-linked starch microsphere,CSMs)对Mn+(Cu2+、Cr3+、Pb2+)的静态吸附行为。利用扫描电镜、X射线衍射仪和红外光谱仪对微球及其吸附产物进行表征,分析讨论了3种金属原子结构,研究了吸附机理。结果表明:308K时,Cu2+、Pb2+和Cr3+的饱和吸附量分别是2.43、0.30和0.27 mmol/g,CSMs对Cu2+离子吸附能力最强,并且其通过物理吸附、配位吸附方式吸附Mn+,并得出引起微球吸附能力大小可能与金属离子电荷、离子半径和外层电子排布的差异因素有关。     

造纸污泥固化/稳定化处理技术研究

为了能更好地无害化处理造纸污泥,对造纸污泥的固化/稳定化处理技术进行了研究。以水泥、粉煤灰和煤渣作为固化剂对造纸污泥进行固化/稳定化处理。通过抗压强度评价污泥固化块的力学性质;并对固化块浸出液的COD浓度与重金属质量浓度进行了检测。当水泥、粉煤灰和煤渣的掺量分别为0.12、0.02和0.10 kg/kg,养护时间为6 d时,固化块抗压强度达到360 kPa。结果表明,水泥和煤渣对提高造纸污泥固化块的抗压强度具有促进作用,而它们与粉煤灰对造纸污泥中的有机质和重金属均具有一定的固化作用。在以上条件下,固化块浸出液中COD浓度约为115.7 mg/L,重金属浓度符合国家标准。经养护后的固化块含水率均保持在35%~40%,符合填埋场的进场标准。     

中小型工业窑炉NO_x废气的净化技术与应用

介绍了中小型工业窑炉生产过程中排放NOx的现状,并针对NOx的治理问题,从工程应用角度,简述了湿法和干法净化NOx的原理和化学反应过程。讨论了NOx排放特性和NOx废气中NO2/NOx比例的问题。提出了影响NOx治理的主要因素,包括吸收剂、吸附剂、催化剂和设备的部分应用参数,并结合工程实例指出工程需要注意的问题。介绍了多项采用湿法和干法净化NOx的工程应用项目,丰富了中小工业窑炉NOx废气的治理的实践经验,为中小工业窑炉排放NOx治理奠定了基础。