Physicochemical and biological quality of soil in hexavalent chromium-contaminated soils as affected by chemical and microbial remediation

Chemical and microbial methods are the main remediation technologies for chromium-contaminated soil. These technologies have progressed rapidly in recent years; however, there is still a lack of methods for evaluating the chemical and biological quality of soil after different remediation technologies have been applied. In this paper, microbial remediation with indigenous bacteria and chemical remediation with ferrous sulphate were used for the remediation of soils contaminated with Cr(VI) at two levels (80 and 1,276 mg kg^?1) through a column leaching experiment. After microbial remediation with indigenous bacteria, the average concentration of water-soluble Cr(VI) in the soils was reduced to less than 5.0 mg kg^?1. Soil quality was evaluated based on 11 soil properties and the fuzzy comprehensive assessment method, including fuzzy mathematics and correlative analysis. The chemical fertility quality index was improved by one grade using microbial remediation with indigenous bacteria, and the biological fertility quality index increased by at least a factor of 6. Chemical remediation with ferrous sulphate, however, resulted in lower levels of available phosphorus, dehydrogenase, catalase and polyphenol oxidase. The result showed that microbial remediation with indigenous bacteria was more effective for remedying Cr(VI)-contaminated soils with high pH value than chemical remediation with ferrous sulphate. In addition, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was proven to be a useful tool for monitoring the quality change in chromium-contaminated soils.     

Degradation of the potential rodent contraceptive quinestrol and elimination of its estrogenic activity in soil and water

Quinestrol has shown potential for use in the fertility control of the plateau pika population of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. However, the environmental safety and fate of this compound are still obscure. Our study investigated degradation of quinestrol in a local soil and aquatic system for the first time. The results indicate that the degradation of quinestrol follows first-order kinetics in both soil and water, with a dissipation half-life of approximately 16.0 days in local soil. Microbial activity heavily influenced the degradation of quinestrol, with 41.2 % removal in non-sterile soil comparing to 4.8 % removal in sterile soil after incubation of 10 days. The half-lives in neutral water (pH 7.4) were 0.75 h when exposed to UV light (λ?=?365 nm) whereas they became 2.63 h when exposed to visible light (λ?>?400 nm). Acidic conditions facilitated quinestrol degradation in water with shorter half-lives of 1.04 and 1.47 h in pH 4.0 and pH 5.0 solutions, respectively. Moreover, both the soil and water treatment systems efficiently eliminated the estrogenic activity of quinestrol. Results presented herein clarify the complete degradation of quinestrol in a relatively short time. The ecological and environmental safety of this compound needs further investigation.     

Impact assessment of human diet changes with rapid urbanization on regional nitrogen and phosphorus flows—a case study of the megacity Shanghai

Regional material flows are strongly influenced by human diets. To diagnose and prevent environmental problems that threaten urban sustainability, the impact of human diet changes with rapid urbanization on the regional nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) flows were quantitatively evaluated. A survey of day-to-day activities was conducted of 450 individuals surveyed (adults over 18 years old) in three representative areas (the central district, the new district, and the suburban/rural areas) of Shanghai, a megacity which has attracted worldwide attention. The lifestyle (eating habits, domestic sanitation, drainage facilities, etc.) pattern was determined and the potential N and P loads from human diets on the environment were calculated. The daily potential nitrogen and phosphorus loads from human diets was 19.36 g-N, 1.80 g-P in the central district, 16.48 g-N, 1.52 g-P in the new district, and 13.04 g-N, 1.20 g-P in the suburban/rural areas of Shanghai. Respondents in all three areas, especially those in the suburban/rural areas reported a preference for increasing the intake of animal-derived as well as processed foods, which means that the potential N and P load from human diets to the environment will increase further. In addition, most respondents consider industrial wastewater discharge as the main cause of eutrophication of waterbodies, though in recent years water pollution caused by domestic wastewater has increased rapidly, but this has received much less attention. Environment-friendly eating habits and improvements in the environmental awareness will be required.     

Characterization of the interactions between tetracycline antibiotics and microbial extracellular polymeric substances with spectroscopic approaches

The antibiotics have attracted global attentions for their impact on aquatic ecosystem. The knowledge about the fate of antibiotics encountering extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) is, however, limited. In this study, we investigated the interacting mechanisms of tetracycline (TC) to EPS extracted from aerobic activated sludge. The contributions of the main components of EPS, extracellular proteins, and polysaccharides were evaluated using bovine serum albumin and alginate sodium, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance indicated that hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amino groups were the domain chemical groups involved in the interaction between TC and EPS, and the binding of TC onto EPS changed the structure of these chemical groups, thus causing shifts in their UV–visible absorption spectra. In addition, we found that extracellular proteins, rather than polysaccharides, were the major active contents involved in the interaction. Three-dimensional excitation–emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy showed that the fluorophores in EPS were clearly quenched by TC and the static quenching process was observed, implying the complex formation of TC and EPS. Furthermore, thermodynamic analysis indicated that the binding of TC with EPS is spontaneous and dominated by electrostatic forces.     

Simazine biodegradation and community structures of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in bioaugmented soil: impact of ammonia and nitrate nitrogen sources

The objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of ammonia and nitrate nitrogen sources on simazine biodegradation by Arthrobacter sp. strain SD1 and the community structures of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) in non-agricultural soil. Soil microcosms with different treatments were constructed for herbicide biodegradation test. The relative abundance of the strain SD1 and the structures of AOA and AOB communities were assessed using quantitative PCR (q-PCR) and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP), respectively. The co-existence of two inorganic nitrogen sources (ammonia and nitrate) had certain impact on simazine dissipation by the strain SD1. Bioaugmentation could induce a shift in the community structures of both AOA and AOB, but AOA were more responsive. Nitrogen application had significant impacts on AOA and AOB communities in bioaugmented soils. Moreover, in non-bioaugmented soil, the community structure of AOA, instead of AOB, could be quickly recovered after herbicide application. This study could add some new insights towards the impacts of nitrogen sources on s-triazine bioremediation and ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in soil ecosystem.     

Ni2 +对活性污泥活性及群落多样性的影响简

通过检测活性污泥的电子传递体系活性以及生物多样性,研究Ni²⁺对活性污泥微生物活性及群落多样性的影响。结果表明：与对照系统相比,5 mg/L的Ni²⁺对2,3,5-triphenylteltrazolium chloride（TTC-ETS）活性未产生显著的影响;但当Ni²⁺的浓度进一步增大到10、20和40 mg/L后,其对序批式反应器内活性污泥TTC-ETS活性的抑制率分别达到（36.79±11.14）%、（55.88±13.90）%和（70.97±6.78）%。低浓度Ni²⁺能增强活性污泥微生物对碳源的利用,但高于10 mg/L的Ni²⁺则显著抑制了活性污泥微生物对碳源的利用。各个SBR系统中微生物群落最常见的物种相近,物种丰富度和均一性则均有所不同,其中群落物种丰富度随着Ni²⁺浓度的增加而逐渐减小。TTC-ETS活性、平均每孔颜色变化率、Shannon指数和Simpson指数,与Ni²⁺的胁迫浓度之间的显著相关性表明,它们均可有效地表征Ni²⁺胁迫对活性污泥微生物活性及群落多样性的影响程度。     

基于智能优化算法的河流水质模型参数的优化简

为探索河流水质模型参数新的求解方法,根据有限的实测数据,分别应用免疫进化优化算法和免疫进化优选的捕食搜索算法,对河流水质模型计算公式中的多参数进行优化。将优化得到的计算公式用于国内外若干河流的河段中DO浓度值的拟合,并与实测结果进行了比较。结果表明,将免疫进化优化算法或免疫进化优选的捕食搜索算法优化得到的水质模型参数精度不仅较高,而且相对稳定,从而为河流水质模型参数的优化提供了一种新方法。     

负载型Mn-Ce/TiO2催化剂的制备及其低温脱硝活性简

以成型TiO₂作为载体,通过浸渍法制备了Mn-Ce/TiO₂低温SCR催化剂,并系统研究了制备方法、煅烧条件、活性组分担载量、Mn含量等参数对催化剂催化还原NO性能的影响。结果表明,煅烧温度的升高会促使活性组分结晶度的提高,从而引起催化活性的降低,在500℃和600℃下所得Mn-Ce/TiO₂催化剂活性组分为无定型态,表现出较高的脱硝活性。活性组分担载量的增加有利于催化活性的提高。Mn含量对Mn-Ce/TiO₂催化剂的活性有较大影响,当Mn/（Mn+Ce）摩尔比为40%和85%时,催化剂活性最高。     

接种微生物与人粪便同步连续投加对好氧堆肥效果的影响简

利用新型梨形筒式好氧堆肥反应器,在通风量为3.0 L/min,搅拌频率为5 min/h的条件下,就不接种微生物、接种土著菌种、枯草芽孢杆菌与酵母菌时人粪便连续投加好氧堆肥效果进行了对比。堆制20 d即2个运行周期中各堆体的温度、含水率、COD、总氮、pH值与GI等的变化表明,接种微生物可以显著提高堆体的升温速率与堆体平均温度、COD降解率、GI（P<0.01）,堆肥可迅速达到完全腐熟。接种土著菌种效果最为明显（P<0.01）,其后相继为枯草芽孢杆菌与酵母菌。接种土著菌种可使堆体温度在50℃以上维持18 d,第8天COD降解率达到61.17%、总氮损失率为25.75%,第6天时GI达到108.22%。     

城市道路沉积物氮、磷溶出特性

国内外众多研究表明,城市不透水表面沉积物是雨水径流中污染物的重要来源。以北京市某道路沉积物为研究对象,对城市道路沉积物的粒径分布进行了分析,并通过批量实验,研究了不同粒径道路沉积物中氮、磷营养物及有机物(COD)的溶出特性。实验结果表明,粒径较大的沉积物中氮含量较高,而粒径较小的沉积物中磷含量较高;虽然TP、PO3-4、TN、NO-3、NH+4、COD的溶出浓度、溶出速率变化特征各不相同,但总体趋势是粒径越小氮、磷及COD溶出浓度和溶出速率越大,且最大溶出速率都出现在前5 min。因此,为实现对城市雨水径流污染的有效控制,应采用源头控制措施对小粒径道路沉积物和初期雨水进行有效控制。