Formation and emission status of PCDDs/PCDFs in municipal solid waste incinerators in Korea

This study was carried out to examine the formation and the emission status of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDDs/PCDFs) in the flue gases of commercial-scale municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerators, and thus to provide the engineering data for the reduction of PCDDs/PCDFs emitted from MSW incinerators. The formation concentrations of the PCDDs/PCDFs generated at the outlet of waste heat boilers (WHB) were in the range of 1.18-29.61 ng-TEQ/N m3 (average 5.75 ng-TEQ/N m3), while the emission concentrations at the stacks were in the range of 0.026-4.548 ng-TEQ/N m3 (average 0.924 ng-TEQ/N m3). Two major 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners were 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF and 2,3,4,6,7,8-HxCDF, and their concentrations were up to 50% and 64% of total TEQ values at the outlet of WHB and the stack, respectively. From the results of multi-regression analysis, the formation concentration of PCDDs/PCDFs could be predicted as follows with the correlation factor of r2 = 0.962: PCDDs/PCDFs (ng-TEQ/N m3) = 3.036 (Cl) + 0.094 (T1) - 0.472 (Combustibles) + 0.059 (CO) - 0.039 (THC) - 3.366 (H) + 22.157, where T1 (degrees C) is the temperature at the outlet of the WHB. Cl, Combustibles and H are given as percentages and the others are in parts per million.     

Deponiesickerwässer: Bestimmung zytotoxischer Wirkungen mit dem Pollenschlauchwachstumstest

For risk assessment of environmental samples, rapid and sensitive screening assays for detection of toxic potencies are required. Using leachates from waste deposites in the industrial region Leipzig-Halle (Germany) as an example, we present a simple test procedure suitable for the detection of cytotoxic effects of samples. This method, the pollen tube growth test (PTG), works as follows: Pollen of tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris Spegazz, & Comes) are suspended in mixtures of growth medium and buffered (pH 6,3 to 7,0) dumping ground leachates. After an 18h-incubation period, growth of pollen tubes is quantified by staining with Alcian blue and subsequent measurment of optical density in a photometer. Sample induced inhibition of pollen tube growth is calculated in relation to controls maintained in pure growth medium. The PTG test shows high sensitivity towards leachates of different chemical composition, and it shows good agreement with assay results from luminescent bacteria tests. We conclude that the PTG test is well suited to assess the hazardous potential of aqueous environmental samples.     

Ultra-low concentration of total organic carbon in ultrapure water using ion-exchange resin embedding silanized magnetic nanoparticles

Regeneration of pure water is an important issue not only for the healthy life but also for the fine control of precise processes in various industries.One important issue in ultrahigh purified water is to reduce the amount of total organic carbon(TOC).Herein,we introduce a new approach to reduce the TOC using the surface silanized nanoparticles,in which the magnetic nanoparticles(mNPs) are silanized and then complexed with ion exchange resin(IER) beads.The Fe_3O_4 mNPs are surface modified by using high concentrated vinyltrimethoxysilane(VTMS) and then adhered on the surface of IER beads.The surface modified mNPs have a thick-shell of polysiloxane layer varying from 5 to 22 nm depending on the amount of VTMS used,which leads the significant increase of specific surface area.The IER beads embedding VTMS-silanized mNPs achieves about 7 μg/L of the TOC level in ultrapure water system,which is two orders less than 228 μg/L of the feeding water and one order less than 96 μg/L from the system using pristine IER beads.This result is mainly attributed to the polysiloxane layer forming broccoli-like surface structure and some part by the vinyl group of VTMS exposed to the amines in the water.     

Complete Degradation of Hexahydro‐1,3,5‐Trinitro‐1,3,5‐Triazine (RDX) by a Co‐Culture of Gordonia sp. KTR9 and Methylobacterium sp. JS178

The presence of hexahydro‐1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazine (RDX) in soil and groundwater is a major contamination issue at many military facilities around the world. Gordonia sp. KTR9 metabolizes RDX as a nitrogen source for growth producing 4‐nitro‐2,4‐diazabutanal (NDAB) as a dead‐end product. Methylobacterium sp. strain JS178 degrades NDAB as a sole source of nitrogen for growth. A mixed culture of strains KTR9 and JS178 was able to completely degrade RDX. There was no difference in rate of RDX degradation by KTR9 alone or in co‐culture with JS178. The first‐order degradation coefficients of RDX and NDAB in the co‐culture were 0.08 hr^?1 and 0.002 hr^?1, respectively. In the co‐culture that initially contained RDX plus NDAB, strain JS178 degraded the NDAB that was produced by KTR9 as shown by a decrease in the molar yield of NDAB (from RDX) from 1.0 to –0.11. Co‐cultures of strains KTR9 and JS178 could be used to promote complete degradation of RDX in soils or groundwater. ©2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Optical and microphysical properties of severe haze and smoke aerosol measured by integrated remote sensing techniques in Gwangju,Korea

Aerosol optical and microphysical parameters from severe haze events observed in October 2005 at Gwangju, Korea (35.10°N, 126.53°E) were determined from the ground using a multi-wavelength Raman lidar, a sunphotometer, and a real-time carbon particle analyzer and from space using satellite retrievals. Two different aerosol types were identified based on the variability of optical characteristics for different air mass conditions. Retrievals of microphysical properties of the haze from the Raman lidar indicated distinct light-absorbing characteristics for different haze aerosols originating from eastern and northern China (haze) and eastern Siberia (forest-fire smoke). The haze transported from the west showed moderately higher absorbing characteristics (SSA = 0.90 ± 0.03, 532 nm) than from the northern direction (SSA = 0.96 ± 0.02). The organic/elemental carbon (OC/EC) ratio varied between 2.5 ± 0.4 and 4.1 ± 0.7.     

Successful outcome following prenatal intervention in a female fetus with bladder outlet obstruction

Bladder outlet obstructions are a diverse and heterogeneous group of developmental abnormalities that generally involve obstruction of the proximal urethra in the male fetus. Indications for prenatal intervention are few and are usually restricted to the male fetus because bladder outlet obstruction in female fetuses is usually caused by complex cloacal development anomalies. We report on a female fetus with an enlarged bladder and a dilated proximal urethra (known as typical keyhole sign). A vesicoamniotic shunt was performed despite non-reassuring prognostic factors, but the procedure resulted in a successful outcome. We propose that in selected cases of bladder outlet obstruction, fetal intervention should be considered even when the fetus is female. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Recovery of iron oxide and calcium chloride from an iron-rich chloride waste using calcium carbonate

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The ilmenite-chloride process has used for the production of TiCl4 from the ilmenite (FeTiO3) ore, which produces cyclone dust containing mostly...