Selectivity in the complexation of actinides by humic substances

The interactions of a range of actinide elements (Th, U, Np, Pu, Am) with humic substances from the Needle's Eye natural analogue site were studied by gel permeation chromatography. Bulk humic substances were isolated by ammonia extraction, followed by dialysis against distilled water and freeze-drying. The gel permeation results suggest that Needle's Eye humic substances can be fractionated into three incompletely resolved fractions with average molecular weights determined by analytical ultracentrifugation around 49 000 for Fraction 1, around 14 700 for Fraction 2 and around 8000 for Fraction 3. Although there are significant differences between the organic matter elution patterns in individual gel permeation experiments, presumably due to differences in column packing, these are much smaller than the differences between metal ions. The uranium that is naturally present in these humic substances is largely bound in the late-eluting fraction. Spikes of the early actinides, including Np and Pu in controlled valency states, have been added to the humic substances, and gel permeation of the spiked humic substances shows that the three humic fractions vary greatly in their effectiveness and selectivity as ligands for early actinides.     

Methods for the preparation of a biodesulfurization biocatalyst using Rhodococcus sp

Several methods to prepare a biodesulfurization (BDS) biocatalyst were investigated in this study using a strain of Rhodococcus sp. 1awq. This bacterium could selectively remove sulfur from dibenzothiophene (DBT) via the "4S" pathway. DBT, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), sodium sulphate and mixed sulfur sources were used to study their influence on cell density, desulfurization activity, desulfurization ability, and the cost of biocatalyst production. In contrast to that observed from bacteria cultured in DBT, only partial desulfurization activity of strain 1awq was induced by DBT after cultivation in a medium containing inorganic sulfur as the sole sulfur source. The biocatalyst, prepared from culture with mixed sulfur sources, was found to possess desulfurization activity. With DMSO as the sole sulfur source, the desulfurization activity was shown to be similar to that of bacteria incubated in medium with DBT as the sole sulfur source. The biocatalyst prepared by this method with the least cost could remove sulfur from hydrodesulfurization (HDS)-treated diesel oil efficiently, providing a total desulfurization percent of 78% and suggesting its cost-effective advantage.     

Assessment of soil lead exposure in children in Shenyang, China

Soil lead pollution is serious in Shenyang, China. The paper brings together the soil work, the bioaccessibility, and the blood lead data to assess the soil lead exposure in children in Shenyang, China. Approximately 15.25% of the samples were above China Environment Protection Agency guideline concentration for soil Pb to protect human from health risk (350 mgkg(-1)). Pb concentrations varied among use scenarios. The main lead contamination sources are industry emission and automobile exhaust. Bioaccessibility also varied among use scenarios. Children, who ingested soil from industrial area, public parks, kindergarten playground, and commercial area, are more susceptible to soil lead toxicity. The industrial area soil samples presented higher bioaccessibility compared to the other use scenario soil samples contaminated by automobile exhaust. The result also suggested a most significant linear relationship between the level of Pb contamination and the amount of Pb mobilized from soil into ingestion juice. Soil pH seemed to have insignificant influence on bioaccessibility in the present study. Bioaccessibility was mainly controlled by other factors that are not investigated in this study. A linear relationship between children blood lead and soil intestinal bioaccessibility was present in the study. Children who are 4-5 years old are more likely to demonstrate the significant relationship between soil lead bioaccessibility and blood lead as their behaviors place them at greatest risk of soil lead toxicity, and their blood lead levels are more likely to represent recent exposure.     

Road grade estimation for on-road vehicle emissions modeling using light detection and ranging data

Vehicle-specific power (VSP) is useful for explaining a substantial portion of variability in real-world vehicle emissions, such as those measured with portable emissions monitoring systems (PEMS). VSP is a function of vehicle speed, acceleration, and road grade. Road grade is shown to significantly affect estimates of both VSP and of real-world emissions via sensitivity analysis and analysis of empirical data. However, road grade is difficult to measure reliably using PEMS. Therefore, alternative methods for estimating road grade were identified and compared. A preferred method for estimating road grade was explored in more detail based on light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data. The method includes buffering LIDAR data onto roadway maps using a geographic information system tool, defining segments of roadway based on criteria pertaining to vertical curvature, quantification of roadway elevations within the buffered segments, and estimation of road grade and banking by fitting a plane to each segment. Factors influencing errors in road grade estimates are discussed. The method was evaluated by application to selected interstate highways and comparison to design drawing data. The development and application of LIDAR-based road grade data are demonstrated via a case study using PEMS data collected in the Research Triangle Park, NC, area. LIDAR data are shown to be reliable and accurate for road grade estimation for vehicle emissions modeling.     

Quality assured measurements of animal building emissions: gas concentrations

Comprehensive field studies were initiated in 2002 to measure emissions of ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC), particulate matter <10 microm in diameter, and total suspended particulate from swine and poultry production buildings in the United States. This paper focuses on the quasicontinuous gas concentration measurement at multiple locations among paired barns in seven states. Documented principles, used in air pollution monitoring at industrial sources, were applied in developing quality assurance (QA) project plans for these studies. Air was sampled from multiple locations with each gas analyzed with one high quality commercial gas analyzer that was located in an environmentally controlled on-farm instrument shelter. A nominal 4 L/min gas sampling system was designed and constructed with Teflon wetted surfaces, bypass pumping, and sample line flow and pressure sensors. Three-way solenoids were used to automatically switch between multiple gas sampling lines with > or =10 min sampling intervals. Inside and outside gas sampling probes were between 10 and 115 m away from the analyzers. Analyzers used chemiluminescence, fluorescence, photoacoustic infrared, and photoionization detectors for NH3, H2S, CO2, CH4, and NMHC, respectively. Data were collected using personal computer-based data acquisition hardware and software. This paper discusses the methodology of gas concentration measurements and the unique challenges that livestock barns pose for achieving desired accuracy and precision, data representativeness, comparability and completeness, and instrument calibration and maintenance.     

宁波-舟山海域入海污染物环境容量研究

在宁波-舟山海域数值模拟潮流场的基础上,建立了该海域各污染源的响应系数场,计算了主要污染源COD、无机氮和活性磷酸盐的分担率场,及各污染源和控制单元的环境容量.研究结果将为该海域入海污染物总量控制提供科学依据.     

低温降解六六六优势菌种的选育研究

通过实验,筛选出低温条件(≤10℃)下降解六六六的优势菌株--1号菌株,同时利用正交实验测得该菌株的最佳降解条件为:pH=5.5、接菌量2 g/L、NH4Cl 0.8 g/L、KH2PO4 0.6 g/L、MgSO4 0.2 g/L.在此条件下,经30 d驯化后的菌株对六六六的降解率由原来的54.71%提高到62.58%     

中国淘汰滴滴涕的环境影响分析

目前中国仍在生产滴滴涕(DDT),并以其为原料生产三氯杀螨醇作为杀虫剂使用.为评价淘汰DDT对于中国生态环境的影响,采用情景分析的方法,估算了在采取不同的淘汰策略下土壤中DDT残留浓度的变化,以此来评价淘汰DDT的环境影响.与基线情景相比,三种控制情景下DDT的累积生产量都有不同程度的减少,相应土壤中的残留浓度也有不同的下降,且淘汰的速度越快土壤中DDT浓度下降的幅度越大.     

生物接触氧化结合气浮法处理卷烟综合废水

某卷烟厂采用生物接触氧化结合气浮法处理卷烟综合废水,经过3年的运行实践表明,工艺运行稳定可靠,在进水COD为300～1 500 mg/L、SS为100～600 mg/L、BOD5为100～900 mg/L、NH3-N为10～20 mg/L、水温为20～30 ℃时,出水COD《70 mg/L、BOD5《20 mg/L、SS《30 mg/L、NH3-N《3 mg/L,完全实现达标排放.     

工业循环经济发展区域分异研究--以江苏省为例

依据工业循环经济发展的基本原则,构建了包括产业及社会发展、资源减量、循环利用、污染减排、资源与环境安全五类指标在内的区域工业循环经济发展评价指标体系.运用AHP(层次分析法)方法,测算了指标权重,并以江苏省13个地级市为例进行了研究.用2003年的数据,对13个地级市的工业循环经济发展状况进行了评价.研究结果表明,江苏省13个地级市的工业循环经济发展水平可以分为四个层次,第一层次(水平良好)的城市为无锡、苏州、常州;第二层次(水平中上)的城市为盐城、南通、泰州;第三层次(水平中等)的城市为扬州、镇江、徐州、南京、连云港;第四层次(水平较差)的城市为淮安、宿迁.从总体上看,南部好于北部,东部好于西部,沿江沿海地区要好于内陆地区,靠近工业产业带的地区好于远离工业产业带的地区.