The importance of biological factors affecting trace metal concentration as revealed from accumulation patterns in co-occurring terrestrial invertebrates

As physicochemical properties of the soil highly influence the bioavailable fraction of a particular trace metal, measured metal body burdens in a particular species are often assumed to be more reliable estimators of the contamination of the biota. To test this we compared the Cd, Cu and Zn content of three spiders (generalist predators) and two amphipods (detritivores), co-occurring in seven tidal marshes along the river Schelde, between each other and with the total metal concentrations and the concentrations of four sequential extractions of the soils. Correlations were significant in only one case and significant site x species interactions for all metals demonstrate that factors affecting metal concentration were species and site specific and not solely determined by site specific characteristics. These results emphasize that site and species specific biological factors might be of the utmost importance in determining the contamination of the biota, at least for higher trophic levels. A hypothetical example clarifies these findings.     

Performance of three-phase three-dimensional electrode reactor for the reduction of COD in simulated wastewater-containing phenol

The removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) from wastewater-containing phenol was investigated using three-phase three-dimensional electrode reactor. Special attention was paid to experimentally probe the performance of the reactor in COD removal in the process of repeated batch runs. The experimental results showed that the reactor could remove COD from phenol-containing wastewater much more efficiently than both granulated activated carbon (GAC) adsorption bed and conventional three-dimensional electrode. For 200th batch run, the three-phase three-dimensional electrode reactor with an airflow of 5 l min(-1) and a cell voltage of 30 V could remove 1350 ppm COD from the wastewater in 30 min while conventional three-dimensional electrode reactor with a same cell voltage and GAC adsorption bed with a same airflow only could remove 610 and 1000 ppm, respectively, at the same reaction duration. Although it was found that COD removal decreased with increasing repeated batch runs in our experimental range, due to adsorption saturation of GAC and electrode passivation, the extent of decrease for the three-phase three-dimensional electrode is much less than those for conventional three-dimensional electrodes and GAC adsorption beds. The passivated reactor could be partly re-activated by electrolysis in the presence of MnO2.     

ICE举措:欧洲实践中的化学品运输安全

国际化学品环境(ICE)计划是欧洲化学品公司之间的一项合作努力,以防止化学品事故以及若且当其发生时有效地做出反应.该计划为化学工业提供了一种使其专门知识可供国家应急主管部门利用的载体.     

Zeolites relieves inhibitory stress from high concentrations of long chain fatty acids

Protein and fat rich slaughterhouse waste is a very attractive waste stream for the production of biogas because of the high biochemical methane potential of the substrate. The material has however some drawbacks as the sole material for biogas production due to the production of several process disturbing metabolites such as ammonia, sulfides and long chain fatty acids. We can in this work present results that show that zeolites have the potential to relieve inhibitory stress from the presence of long chain fatty acids. Moreover, the results strongly indicate that it is mainly acetic acid consumers that are most negatively affected by long chain fatty acids and that the mechanism of stress relief is an adsorption of long chain fatty acids to the zeolites. In addition to this, it is shown that the effect is immediate and that only a small amount of zeolites is necessary to cancel the inhibitory effect of long chain fatty acids.     

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) as an effective means to isolate degradation products in polymers

A new sample preparation technique, solid phase microextraction (SPME), was compared with direct headspace-GC-MS with respect to the type and amount of identified compounds. Three types of LDPE films containing photosensitising additives according to the Scott-Gilead patents and pure LDPE were used as model substances. The polyethylene films were thermally aged at 80‡C after the induction period was surpassed by subjecting the materials to 100 h of UV radiation. The new SPME method was developed using nonpolar poly(dimethylsiloxane) and polar carbowax fibers to extract the low molecular weight products formed in the polyethylene films during aging. Many more products were identified after SPME followed by GC-MS than after direct headspace-GC-MS of the samples. The SPME method allowed the identification of homologous series of carboxylic acids, ketones, and furanones, while direct headspace-GC-MS identified only a few carboxylic acids (C1-C6) and small amounts of some ketones and furanones. In general, SPME was more effective in extracting less volatile products, and in particular, the polar carbowax fiber identified also C7-C12 carboxylic acids and 4-oxopentanoic acid. By SEC and FTIR we confirmed that the number and amount of former degradation products correlated well with the decrease in molecular weights and the amount of formed carbonyl compounds.     

Airborne thermal degradation products of polyurethene coatings in car repair shops

A methodology for workplace air monitoring of aromatic and aliphatic, mono- and polyisocyanates by derivatisation with di-n-butylamine (DBA) is presented. Air sampling was performed using midget impinger flasks containing 10 ml of 0.01 mol l(-1) DBA in toluene and a glass-fibre filter in series after the impinger flask, thereby providing the possibility of collecting and derivatising isocyanates in both the gas and particle phases. Quantification was made by LC-MS, monitoring the molecular ions [MH]+. Air samples taken with this method in car repair shops showed that many different isocyanates are formed during thermal decomposition of polyurethane (PUR) coatings. In addition to isocyanates such as hexamethylene (HDI), isophorone (IPDI), toluene (TDI) and methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), monoisocyanates such as methyl (MIC), ethyl (EIC), propyl (PIC), butyl (BIC) and phenyl isocyanate (PhI) were found. In many air samples the aliphatic monoisocyanates dominated. During cutting and welding operations, the highest levels of isocyanates were observed. In a single air sample from a welding operation in a car repair shop, the highest concentrations found were: MIC, 290; EIC, 60; PIC, 20; BIC, 9; PhI, 27; HDI, 105; IPDI, 39; MDI, 4; and 2,4-TDI and 2,6-TDI 140 microg m(-3). Monitoring the particle size distribution and concentration during grinding, welding and cutting operations showed that ultrafine particles (< 0.1 microm) were formed at high concentrations. Isocyanates with low volatility were mainly found in the particle phase, but isocyanates with a relatively high volatility such as TDI, were found in both the particle and gas phases.     

Solvent-free sampling with di-n-butylamine for monitoring of isocyanates in air

The solvent-free sampler for airborne isocyanates consisted of a polypropylene tube with an inner wall coated with a glass fibre filter, coupled in series with a 13 mm glass fibre filter. The filters were impregnated with reagent solution containing equimolar amounts of di-n-butylamine (DBA) and acetic acid. Air sampling was performed with an air flow of 0.2 l min(-1). The formed isocyanate-DBA derivatives were determined using liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. The sampler was investigated in regard to collection principle and extraction of the formed derivatives with good results. The possibility to store the sampler before sampling and to perform long-term sampling was demonstrated. Field extraction of the sampler was not necessary, as there was no difference between immediately extracted samples and stored ones (2 days). In comparative studies, the sampler was evaluated against a reference method, impinger-filter sampling with DBA as reagent. The ratios between the results obtained with the sampler and the reference in a test chamber at a relative humidity (RH) of 45% was in the range of 83-109% for isocyanates formed during thermal decomposition of PUR. At RH 95%, the range was 72-101% with the exception of isocyanic acid. In two field evaluations, the ratios for fast curing 2,4'- and 4,4'-methylene bisphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) was in the range 81-113% and for the 3-ring MDI the range was 54-70%. For the slower curing 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) and HDI isocyanurate, the ratios were in the range 78-145%. In conclusion, the solvent-free sampler is a convenient alternative in most applications to the more cumbersome impinger-filter sampler.     

Wind energy and natural ventilation potential of a wind catcher in Yazd – Iran (a long-term measurement)

When designing energy efficient buildings it is useful to study existing climate—responsive building typologies. The wind towers or wind-catchers of Yazd city in Iran are typical examples of such a typology. Although many previous studies have investigated the performance of various types of wind catcher systems, studies based on a long-term real-life measurement can be rarely found. In this study a long-term whole year monitoring campaign on an existing full scale four sided wind catcher in Yazd was carried out in 2014–2015. Three prevailing wind directions were identified and the measured on-site wind speeds were used to estimate the wind induced natural ventilation potential of the tower. A shaft/tower airflow performance index was developed. The monitoring results were compared to the ASHRAE Standard 62:2001 ventilation rate requirement. Results show that the total ventilation rate of the wind tower surpasses the ASHRAE Standard requirements. Furthermore it shows that the shafts are exposed to the prevailing wind directions perform better. For more effective natural ventilation a wind tower with adaptable openings/shafts are proposed.     

Historical pollution of seldom monitored trace elements in Sweden--Part B: sediment analysis of silver, antimony, thallium and indium

Sediment cores from four boreal and remote lakes in a south to north transect in central Sweden were analysed for acid leachable silver, antimony, thallium and indium in the solid sediment phase and the corresponding porewater. Dating of the cores was made by their content of acid leachable lead and the (206)Pb/(207)Pb ratio, in one lake also by (210)Pb. The impact of diagenesis on element redistribution in the sediments was included and found to be minor except for thallium. The results show lowered concentrations towards the north and most intense accumulation after the Second World War, which is taken as evidence for atmospheric deposition being the primary source. Indium has declining concentrations in recent strata while silver and antimony increase. Thallium has lowered acid-leachable concentrations in recent strata. For all metals the impact of domestic industrialisation as well as the early industrialisation of central Europe is discernible. Only thallium appears to reach a geological background at depths that correspond to the late 18th century. For the other metals elevated levels are concluded.