A human health risk assessment of rare earth elements in soil and vegetables from a mining area in Fujian Province,Southeast China

Contaminated food through dietary intake has become the main potential risk impacts on human health. This study investigated concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs) in soil, vegetables, human hair and blood, and assessed human health risk through vegetables consumption in the vicinity of a large-scale mining area located in Hetian Town of Changting County, Fujian Province, Southeast China. The results of the study included the following mean concentrations for total and bio-available REEs of 242.92 ± 68.98 (135.85–327.56) μg g⁻¹ and 118.59 ± 38.49 (57.89–158.96) μg g⁻¹ dry weight (dw) in agricultural soil, respectively, and total REEs of 3.58 ± 5.28 (0.07–64.42) μg g⁻¹ dw in vegetable samples. Concentrations of total REEs in blood and hair collected from the local residents ranged from 424.76 to 1274.80 μg L⁻¹ with an average of 689.74 ± 254.25 μg L⁻¹ and from 0.06 to 1.59 μg g⁻¹ with an average of 0.48 ± 0.59 μg g⁻¹ of the study, respectively. In addition, a significant correlation was observed between REEs in blood and corresponding soil samples (R² = 0.6556, p < 0.05), however there was no correlation between REEs in hair and corresponding soils (p > 0.05). Mean concentrations of REEs of 2.85 (0.59–10.24) μg L⁻¹ in well water from the local households was 53-fold than that in the drinking water of Fuzhou city (0.054 μg L⁻¹). The health risk assessment indicated that vegetable consumption would not result in exceeding the safe values of estimate daily intake (EDI) REEs (100−110 μg kg⁻¹ d⁻¹) for adults and children, but attention should be paid to monitoring human beings health in such rare earth mining areas due to long-term exposure to high dose REEs from food consumptions.     

Effect of copper(II) on biodegradation of benzo[a]pyrene by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) biodegradation by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was studied under the influence of co-existed Cu(II) ions. About 45% degradation was achieved within 3 d when dealing with 1 mg L^?1 BaP under initial natural pH at 30 °C; degradation reached 48% in 2 d at 35 °C. Efficacy of BaP biodegradation reached the highest point at pH 4. In the presence of 10 mg L^?1 Cu(II) ions, the BaP removal ratio was 45% on 7th day, and maintained stable from 7 to 14 d at 30 °C under natural pH. The favorable temperature and pH for BaP removal was 25 °C and 6.0 respectively, when Cu(II) ions coexisted in the solutions. Experiments on cometabolism indicated that S. maltophilia performed best when sucrose was used as an additional carbon source. GC–MS analysis revealed that the five rings of BaP opened, producing compounds with one or two rings which were more bioavailable.     

Removal of sulfamethoxazole and sulfapyridine by carbon nanotubes in fixed-bed columns

Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and sulfapyridine (SPY), two representative sulfonamide antibiotics, have gained increasing attention because of the ecological risks these substances pose to plants, animals, and humans. This work systematically investigated the removal of SMX and SPY by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in fixed-bed columns under a broad range of conditions including: CNT incorporation method, solution pH, bed depth, adsorbent dosage, adsorbate initial concentration, and flow rate. Fixed-bed experiments showed that pH is a key factor that affects the adsorption capacity of antibiotics to CNTs. The Bed Depth Service Time model describes well the relationship between service time and bed depth and can be used to design appropriate column parameters. During fixed-bed regeneration, small amounts of SMX (3%) and SPY (9%) were irreversibly bonded to the CNT/sand porous media, thus reducing the column capacity for subsequent reuse from 67.9 to 50.4 mg g^?1 for SMX and from 91.9 to 72.9 mg g^?1 for SPY. The reduced column capacity resulted from the decrease in available adsorption sites and resulting repulsion (i.e., blocking) of incoming antibiotics from those previously adsorbed. Findings from this study demonstrate that fixed-bed columns packed with CNTs can be efficiently used and regenerated to remove antibiotics from water.     

Remediation of DDTs contaminated soil in a novel Fenton-like system with zero-valent iron

Application of a novel Fenton-like system with zero-valent iron, EDTA and Air (ZVI/EDTA/Air) was investigated to degrade dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane, and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) in the actual contaminated soil from an organochlorine pesticide site. It was found DDTs in the soil were effectively degraded by the system at room temperature, ambient atmosphere pressure and near neutral pH. The dosages of EDTA and ZVI were the dominant factors influencing the removal of contaminants. An increase of EDTA from 0.05 to 0.2 mM and ZVI from 1 to 5 g L^?1 improved the removal of the contaminants significantly. However, excessive amount of EDTA led to a negative effect on the degradation process. Meanwhile, EDTA was simultaneously degraded so as to avoid the secondary pollution risk on soil remediation. Only a small amount of 4,4′-DDE and 2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1-chloroethylene (4,4′-DDMU) generated as the intermediates of DDT degradation during the process. Our investigation suggests that the Fenton-like system is a promising alternative for remediation of organochlorine pesticides contaminated soils.     

天然和CPB改性沸石对Hg^2＋的吸附特征

通过静态实验研究溴代十六烷基吡啶（CPB）改性沸石和天然沸石对废水中Hg^2＋的吸附特性,探讨了吸附动力学、吸附平衡和吸附热力学机制。研究表明：Langmuir方程能较好地描述2种沸石对Hg^2＋的吸附,CPB改性沸石对Hg^2＋的吸附率得到显著提高。实验条件下,改性沸石对Hg^2＋的吸附率从67．5％提高到98．9％,吸附容量从0．521mg／g提高到3．07mg／g。利用准一级动力学方程、假二级动力学方程、颗粒内扩散模型和Elovich方程分别对动力学过程进行拟合,发现2种沸石对Hg^2＋的吸附均满足假二级动力学方程,且离子的颗粒内扩散对整个吸附过程有影响。动力学拟合、D-R方程拟合和热力学研究综合表明：2种沸石对Hg^2＋的吸附既存在化学吸附又存在物理吸附,吸附吉布斯自由能变（△G^0）、焓变（△H^0）、熵变（△S^0）均小于0,反应为自发的放热反应,低温有利于吸附的进行。     

离子交换法选择性回收污泥厌氧消化液中的磷

为探讨高效选择性回收污泥厌氧消化液中磷的离子交换方法,采用静态实验和动态实验研究了4种阴离子交换树脂（D213、D202、D301和DSQ）的磷回收性能,筛选了适合富磷污泥厌氧消化液选择性磷回收的高交换容量树脂。实验结果表明,D213、D202、D301和DSQ 4种树脂对正磷浓度为70 mg/L的厌氧消化液进行动态处理时,其最大穿透体积分别为3、7、17和90 BV;DSQ树脂磷交换容量远高于其他3种树脂,达到6 860 mg P/L湿树脂,是目前报道的高磷交换容量树脂的3~4倍;DSQ树脂能有效地抵抗厌氧消化液中有机质和硫酸根等阴离子的干扰;用NaOH溶液再生DSQ树脂并回收磷,磷洗脱率超过96%,洗脱液是高浓度含磷液,可作为磷矿石的优质替代品。研究表明,DSQ树脂是一种高效选择性分离磷的树脂,适用于污泥厌氧消化液的磷回收。     

3种载体固定化菌藻共生系统脱氮除磷效果的对比

采用3种不同载体（海藻酸钠、聚乙烯醇、复合载体）,分别将小球藻和栅藻与活性污泥固定成菌藻共生系统,制成菌藻凝胶小球,单独菌、单独藻的凝胶小球,用于处理人工污水。结果表明,（1）复合载体固定的菌藻共生系统氮磷去除效果最好,PVA载体的脱氮除磷效果次于复合载体优于海藻酸钠;（2）固定化菌藻共生系统的脱氮除磷效果明显优于单独固定菌和单独固定藻,固定菌的效果较差;（3）3种载体包埋下的固定化小球藻的脱氮除磷效果均较相同载体固定化的栅藻效果好。     

金属负载型催化剂对烟气脱硫性能的影响

介绍了国内外烟气脱硫催化剂的研究现状,研究了金属氧化物负载型催化剂对烟气脱硫性能的影响。以活性炭(AC)为载体,选用8种不同的金属硝酸盐作为浸渍液,采用等体积浸渍法制备金属氧化物负载型催化剂。以脱硫效果较好的Fe2O3/AC为例,研究了不同焙烧温度、金属负载量以及焙烧时间对催化剂脱硫性能的影响。实验结果表明,Fe2O3/AC催化剂脱硫率随着金属负载量的增加呈递增趋势,最优金属负载量为10.0%(质量分数);脱硫率随着焙烧温度的增加显著提高,最优焙烧温度为350℃;脱硫率随着焙烧时间的增加而提高,最优焙烧时间为3.0h。     

畜禽沼液中抗生素和激素的微波处理

通过间歇处理和连续处理实验,探讨微波技术对沼液中四环素类抗生素和激素喹乙醇去除的效果。结果表明,沼液在微波间歇处理中,最优反应时间为40min。此条件下沼液中喹乙醇、土霉素、四环素和金霉素的去除率分别达到26％、49％、48％和70％;微波可显著提高可生化性,BOD5／COD值达到0．37。微波一好氧处理系统中COD与氨氮的去除率分别达到91％和93％,明显优于单独好氧处理。沼液微波连续处理中,最优HRT为90min,此时喹乙醇、土霉素、四环素和金霉素的去除率分别达到24％、45％、50％和74％;BOD5／COD值达到0．34。微波．好氧处理系统中COD与氨氮的去除率均为90％,优于单独好氧处理效果。     

矿化垃圾床＋三维电极／电Fenton法处理老龄垃圾渗滤液

提出以二级矿化垃圾床为预处理单元,串联三维电极／电Fenton处理老龄垃圾渗滤液的组合工艺。矿化垃圾床处理后渗滤液中COD、氨氮、总磷、色度的去除率分别为80．55％、88．47％、98．32％和87．53％。通过单因素实验和正交实验,确定了三维电极／电Fenton法最佳工艺条件。经该组合工艺后,渗滤液中COD、氨氮、总磷和色度的最高去除率分别可达97．08％、95．24％、99．55％和96．92％,其中COD、总磷、色度这3个指标低于《生活垃圾填埋场污染控制标准》（GB16889．2008）表2规定的排放标准,为该组合工艺在实际中的应用提供重要理论依据。