Field Testing and Computer Modeling of an Oxygen Combustion System at the EPA Mobile Incinerator

The LINDE® Oxygen Combustion System has been demonstrated successfully at the EPA Denney Farm site as part of the modified EPA mobile incinerator. This paper describes the field testing results and computer modeling of the LINDE system. The oxygen system enables the EPA unit to incinerate dioxin and PCB contaminated soil at a consistent rate of 4000 lb/h—200 percent of the original maximum capacity. The pure oxygen combustion system improved the thermal efficiency of the incinerator by over 60 percent and reduced the flue gas volume dramatically. Therefore, the dust carryover problem was mitigated. The destruction and removal efficiencies of hazardous wastes exceeded EPA requirements.

The design of the proprietary burner allows the use of up to 100 percent oxygen in place of air for incineration with improvements over conventional oxy-fuel burners. As a result, the temperature distributions in the rotary kiln are uniform and NO_x emissions are low.

The oxygen combustion system, controlled by a programmable controller, provided much better response and flexibility than conventional air based systems. The system generated a stable flame and responsed well to the transient conditions of the rotary kiln. Kiln puff occurrence was virtually eliminated in the operation of the mobile incinerator.

A computer model of the incinerator was developed and used for the process design of the LINDE system. The model predicted the test results reasonably well. This model can be a useful tool in the design and operation of rotary kiln incineration systems.     

Time domain reflectometry measured moisture content of sewage sludge compost across temperatures

Time domain reflectometry (TDR) is a prospective measurement technology for moisture content of sewage sludge composting material; however, a significant dependence upon temperature has been observed. The objective of this study was to assess the impacts of temperature upon moisture content measurement and determine if TDR could be used to monitor moisture content in sewage sludge compost across a range of temperatures. We also investigated the combined effects of temperature and conductivity on moisture content measurement. The results revealed that the moisture content of composting material could be determined by TDR using coated probes, even when the measured material had a moisture content of 0.581 cm³ cm^?3, temperature of 70 °C and conductivity of 4.32 mS cm^?1. TDR probes were calibrated as a function of dielectric properties that included temperature effects. When the bulk temperature varied from 20 °C to 70 °C, composting material with 0.10–0.70 cm³ cm^?3 moisture content could be measured by TDR using coated probes, and calibrations based on different temperatures minimized the errors.     

西南喀斯特农业区大气降水化学及硫同位素组成特征

西南酸雨区属于中国重要的酸雨区,为了理解其中喀斯特农业区酸雨成因及其变化趋势,本研究于2016年5月至2017年9月在中国科学院普定喀斯特生态系统观测研究站进行了大气降水采集(n=147),分析了其水化学成分和硫酸盐硫同位素组成(δ~(34)S-SO_4~(2-))。结果表明,研究区内710%的降水为非酸性雨水(pH56),降水中SO_4~(2-)和Ca~(2+)为主要离子,分别占总阴、阳离子浓度的781%和566%。与研究区2008年降水中硫酸盐浓度(加权平均浓度为1406μmol/L)相比,本次采样期间降水中SO_4~(2-)浓度(加权平均浓度为989μmol/L)显著降低。在研究期间,降水δ~(34)S-SO_4~(2-)为-65‰～212‰,加权平均值为13‰±62‰,与贵阳2008～2009年降水δ~(34)S-SO_4~(2-)(平均值-28‰±14‰)相比有所升高,说明研究区降水硫酸盐中来自工业燃煤排放的贡献降低。研究区降水化学组分和δ34S-SO_4~(2-)均受到降雨量的影响,随着降水量减小,SO_4~(2-)浓度升高,δ~(34)S-SO_4~(2-)则下降,工业燃煤对雨水中硫酸盐的贡献也增加。西南喀斯特农业区大气硫酸盐沉降介于城市和森林之间,季节变化明显,受控于工业燃煤排放和生物成因硫释放。该研究表明优化产业结构,降低工业燃煤,可进一步优化大气环境。     

Effects of protein properties on ultrafiltration membrane fouling performance in water treatment

Protein-like substances always induce severe ultrafiltration (UF) membrane fouling. To systematically understand the effect of proteins, regenerated cellulose UF membrane (commonly used for protein separation) performance was investigated in the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) under various water conditions. Results showed that although trypsin enhanced the membrane flux via proteolysis, catalysis took a long time. Membrane fouling was alleviated at high solution pH and low water temperature owing to the strong electrostatic repulsion force among BSA molecules. Both Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ could increase membrane flux. However, Ca²⁺ played a bridging role between adjacent BSA molecules, whereas membrane fouling was alleviated via a hydration repulsion force with Na⁺. The order of influence on membrane fouling was as follows: Ca²⁺ concentration > Na⁺ concentration > pH > temperature > trypsin concentration. Furthermore, a polyvinylidene fluoride UF membrane experiment showed that Ca²⁺ could reduce the fouling induced by BSA. Thus, the differences in UF membrane performance will have application potential for alleviating UF membrane fouling induced by proteins during water treatment.     

Comparative toxicity study of a novel non-ionic surfactant, vanillin ethoxylates, and nonylphenol ethoxylates in Chinese hamster ovary cells in vitro

Surfactants such as alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APEOs) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) are commonly used worldwide, but the majority of these compounds, together with their metabolites, have been reported to induce severe biological toxicity. Here, we evaluated for the first time the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and mitochondrial damage in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells caused by a novel non-ionic surfactant, vanillin ethoxylates (VAEOs), an alternative to APEOs. In parallel, the same in vitro bioassays were conducted on NPEOs along with their metabolic byproducts 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) and vanillin. The results showed that the cytotoxic potency order was NPEOs?>?4-NP?>?VAEOs > vanillin using CCK-8 assays. Also, 4-NP showed potential direct DNA damage in SOS/umu tests, whereas NPEOs, VAEOs and vanillin showed no positive result with and without S9 addition. In addition, none of the test compounds showed obvious genotoxic effects with low olive tail moment value using comet assays. However, all test compounds were shown to cause mitochondrial impairment by increasing mitochondrial mass and decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential in a concentration-dependent manner. And further analysis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial superoxide (MNSOD) measurement showed that mitochondrial impairment was induced by oxidative stress with intracellular ROS and MNSOD overproduction. It's worth noting that VAEOs and vanillin cause relative lower cytotoxic, genotoxic and mitochondrial damage effects than NPEOs and 4-NP, indicating that VAEOs have the potential to substitute NPEOs as suitable surfactants. Take together, this study elucidates the toxicity profiles of VAEOs and NPEOs relatively comprehensively, and further toxicity analyses are suggested in the population, community and ecosystem.     

Efficient degradation of drug ibuprofen through catalytic activation of peroxymonosulfate by Fe3C embedded on carbon

Ibuprofen(IBU),a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug,is becoming an important member of pharmaceuticals and personal care products(PPCPs)as emerging pollutants.To degrade IBU,magnetic Fe_3C nanoparticles embedded on N-doped carbon(Fe_3C/NC)were prepared as a catalyst by a sol–gel combustion method.As characterized,the Fe_3C/NC nanoparticles were composed of a NC nano-sheet and capsulated Fe_3C particles on the sheet.The Fe_3C/NC nanoparticles were confirmed an efficient catalyst for peroxymonosulfate(PMS)activation to generate sulfate radicals(SO_4~(·-)),single oxygen(~1O_2)and hydroxyl radicals(·OH)toward the degradation of IBU.The added IBU(10 mg/L)was almost completely removed in 30 min by using 0.1 g/L Fe_3C/NC and 2 g/L PMS.The catalyst was confirmed to have good ability and excellent reusability through leaching measurements and cycle experiments.A catalytic mechanism was proposed for the catalytic activation of PMS on Fe_3C/NC,which involves both Fe_3C reactive sites and N-doped carbon matrix as reactive sites in Fe_3C/NC.Moreover,the degradation pathway of IBU in the Fe_3C/NC-PMS system was proposed according to the detections of degradation intermediates.     

Effects of effluent organic matters on endocrine disrupting chemical removal by ultrafiltration and ozonation in synthetic secondary effluent

Endocrine disrupting chemicals(EDCs) in the secondary effluent discharged from wastewater treatment plants are of great concern when water reuse is intended. Ozonation and ultrafiltration(UF) are powerful technologies reported to eliminate EDCs. Due to the importance of effluent organic matters(EfOMs) in secondary effluent, the effects of three kinds of EfOM on the treatment of five EDCs using ozonation and UF were investigated. The three kinds of EfOM studied were humic acid sodium salt(NaAH), bovine serum albumin(BSA)and sodium alginate(NaAg); and the five EDCs were estrone, 17β-estradiol, estriol, 17α-ethynyl estradiol and bisphenol A. The results showed that EfOM accelerated the decay rate of ozone and inhibited the degradation efficiency of EDCs by ozonation in the order NaAH BSA NaAg.The ultraviolet absorbance at 280 nm(UVA_(280)) has potential for use as a surrogate indicator to assess EDC removal via ozonation without conducting difficult EDC analyses. When the decline in UVA_(280) exceeded 18%, the five EDCs had been completely removed. The UF behavior of NaAH,BSA and NaAg was found to follow the cake filtration law. The fouling potential of EfOM followed the order NaAg NaAH BSA; while EfOM on the membrane surface enhanced EDC removal in the order NaAH BSA NaAg. The mean retention rate of the membrane was increased by 24%, 10% and 8%, respectively. The properties of EDCs and EfOM cakes both influenced the EDC removal rates due to adsorption, size exclusion and charge attraction.     

Fabrication of electrochemically-modified BiVO4-MoS2-Co3O4composite film for bisphenol A degradation

A new electrochemically-modified BiVO₄-MoS₂-Co₃O₄ (represented as E-BiVO₄-MoS₂-Co₃O₄) thin film electrode was successfully synthesized for environmental application. MoS₂ and Co₃O₄ were grown on the surface of BiVO₄ to obtain BiVO₄-MoS₂-Co₃O₄. E-BiVO₄-MoS₂-Co₃O₄ film was achieved by further electrochemical treatment of BiVO₄-MoS₂-Co₃O₄. The as-prepared E-BiVO₄-MoS₂-Co₃O₄ exhibited significantly enhanced photoelectrocatalytic activity. The photocurrent density of E-BiVO₄-MoS₂-Co₃O₄ thin film is 6.6 times that of BiVO₄ under visible light irradiation. The degradation efficiency of E-BiVO₄-MoS₂-Co₃O₄ for bisphenol A pollutant was 81.56% in photoelectrochemical process. The pseudo-first order reaction rate constant of E-BiVO₄-MoS₂-Co₃O₄ film is 3.22 times higher than that of BiVO₄. And its reaction rate constant in photoelectrocatalytic process is 14.5 times or 2 times that in photocatalytic or electrocatalytic process, respectively. The improved performance of E-BiVO₄-MoS₂-Co₃O₄ was attributed to the synergetic effects of the reduction of interfacial charge transfer resistance, the formation of oxygen vacancies and sub-stoichiometric metal oxides and higher separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. E-BiVO₄-MoS₂-Co₃O₄ is a promising composite material for pollutants removal.     

车用氢能产业链安全事故分析及防范探讨

对近年来国外氢能制取与纯化、氢能运输、供氢母站及加氢站等环节的安全事故进行统计,结合氢能本身特性分析得出各环节存在的主要安全风险,并参考和借鉴美国、日本等国车用氢能安全生产实践经验,提出氢能安全利用对策。