Parental phenols exposure and spontaneous abortion in Chinese population residing in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River

Widespread use of phenols has led to ubiquitous exposure to phenols. In experimental animals, phenols increased resorptions, reduced live litter size and fetal body weights. However, there are limited epidemiological evidences of the relationships between exposure to phenols and pregnancy outcomes. We evaluated the associations between parental urinary levels of various phenols and spontaneous abortion in a Chinese population residing in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. A case-control study was conducted that included 70 case couples with medically unexplained spontaneous abortion and 180 control couples who did not have a history of spontaneous abortion and had at least one living child. Both parental urinary phenols were measured by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry including bisphenol A (BPA), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), 2,3,4-trichlorophenol (2,3,4-TCP), pentachlorophenol (PCP), 4-n-octylphenol (4-n-OP) and 4-n-nonylphenol (4-n-NP). Compared with the low exposure group, there was an increased risk of spontaneous abortion with high paternal urinary PCP concentration [odds ratio (OR) = 2.09, 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.05–4.14], and maternal exposure to 4-n-OP and alkylphenol(s) also significantly increased the risk of spontaneous abortion (OR = 2.21, 95% CI, 1.02–4.80; OR = 2.81, 95% CI, 1.39–5.65, respectively). Our study firstly provides the evidence that paternal PCP exposure, maternal 4-n-OP and alkylphenol(s) exposure are associated with spontaneous abortion in humans.     

Ti（Ⅳ）催化臭氧／过氧化氢预处理酸性难降解废水

在Ti（Ⅳ）和过氧化氢存在条件下,考察了臭氧化酸性苯乙酮溶液、硝基苯溶液和垃圾渗滤液（浙江衢州某垃圾填埋场）的预处理效能。结果表明,在pH2．86条件下,单独臭氧化处理对苯乙酮、硝基苯和垃圾渗滤液的COD去除率分别为10．1％、44％和28．6％。BOD,／COD值分别从原来的0．039、0．060和0．085提高到了0．130、0．158和0．174,仍属生化难降解废水。当体系加入Ti（Ⅳ）后,臭氧化苯乙酮和硝基苯的COD去除率分别达到了75．5％和65％,BOD;／COD则提高到了0．679和0．314,可生化性提升明显。对于垃圾渗滤液,只有当体系加入Ti（Ⅳ）和H22后,臭氧化COD的去除率达到66．6％,BOD、／COD提高至0．425。上述结果对酸性难降解废水的处理实际意义非常突出。     

改进的TLI指数法及其在巢湖营养状态评价中的应用

对巢湖2000—2008年的监测数据运用SPSS做统计分析,得出叶绿素a与总氮、总磷和透明度的相关系数。通过得出的权重结果,分析出与26个湖泊的差异性,构建了改进的综合营养状态指数(TLI)评价方法,并提出评价的4个步骤。以巢湖为例,运用该方法对湖泊的营养状态进行评价,且对巢湖的富营养化程度做了年际和年内变化的综合评价,评价结果显示各营养物指标的相关关系在近30年有了较大变化,巢湖的富营养化现象已日益严重,已从轻度富营养化状态转变为中度富营养化状态。     

MFC-MBR耦合系统运行效果

膜生物反应器(MBR)是一种高效的污水处理工艺,而微生物燃料电池(MFC)能有效降解污泥中的胞外生物有机质(EBOM)并回收电能.将MFC与MBR联用,建立了一套能够有效抑制膜污染同时回收电能的新系统——MFC-MBR耦合系统,MBR的剩余污泥经MFC处理后回流.以传统MBR为对照,对耦合系统中污水处理效果、膜污染情况和污泥混合液的性质进行研究.研究表明,耦合系统的污水处理效果没有明显恶化,COD去除率为94％,NH4+-N的去除率为92％.耦合系统能够有效减缓膜污染的发生,清洗周期延长了28％.污泥混合液的MLVSS/MLSS稳定在80％ ～ 88％,系统内几乎没有无机颗粒积累.松散结合态胞外聚合物(LB-EPS)降低了48％,使污泥混合液性质得到改善.较低的污泥比阻(2.69×1012m/kg)和标准化毛细吸水时间(1.67 s·L/g MLSS),证明耦合系统污泥混合液脱水性能提高了.     

4种人工湿地基质对马拉硫磷的吸附特性

通过基质对马拉硫磷的等温吸附和吸附动力学实验,研究天然土壤、煤渣、沸石、砾石对马拉硫磷的吸附特性,为人工湿地处理含马拉硫磷废水提供理论依据.结果表明:马拉硫磷浓度为2.25 ～ 90 mg/L条件下,Langmuir和Freundlich方程均能较好地拟合4种基质对马拉硫磷的等温吸附过程,并且Freundlich方程的拟合效果要好于Langmuir方程.马拉硫磷的理论饱和吸附量大小依次为天然土壤(9.9304 mg/g)＞煤渣(1.6173 mg/g)＞沸石(0.6039 mg/g)＞砾石(0.3965 mg/g).4种基质对马拉硫磷的缓冲能力大小依次为天然土壤＞煤渣＞沸石＞砾石,即当进水马拉硫磷浓度波动较大时,作为湿地基质天然土壤使人工湿地系统维持稳定出水水质的能力最强.马拉硫磷浓度为4.5 mg/L条件下,吸附动力学模型Elovich方程能较好地拟合4种基质对马拉硫磷的吸附动力学特征,说明4种基质对马拉硫磷的吸附是表面吸附和内部扩散吸附共同作用的结果.因此,天然土壤和煤渣适宜作为处理含马拉硫磷废水的人工湿地基质.     

Phthalate exposure in pregnant women and their children in central Taiwan

Phthalate exposure was found to be associated with endocrine disruption, respiratory effects, reproductive and developmental toxicity. The intensive use of plastics may be increasing the exposure to phthalates in Taiwanese population, particularly for young children.We studied phthalate metabolites in pregnant women and their newborns in a prospective cohort from a medical center in Central Taiwan. One hundred maternal urine samples and 30 paired cord blood and milk samples were randomly selected from all of participants (430 pregnant women). Eleven phthalate metabolites (MEHP, 5OH-MEHP, 2cx-MEHP, 5cx-MEPP, 5oxo-MEHP, MiBP, MnBP, MBzP, OH-MiNP, oxo-MiNP, and cx-MiNP) representing the exposure to five commonly used phthalates (DEHP, di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP), DnBP, BBP, DiNP) were measured in urine of pregnant women, cord serum and breast milk after delivery, and in urine of their children. Exposure was estimated with excretion factors and correlation among metabolites of the same parent compound. Thirty and 59 urinary samples from 2 and 5 years-old children were randomly selected from 185 children successfully followed.Total urinary phthalate metabolite concentration (geometric mean, μg L⁻¹) was found to be higher in 2-years-olds (398.6) and 5-years-olds (333.7) than pregnant women (205.2). Metabolites in urine are mainly from DEHP. The proportion of DiNP metabolites was higher in children urine (4.39 and 8.31%, ages 2 and 5) than in adults (0.83%) (p < 0.01). Compared to urinary levels, phthalate metabolite levels are low in cord blood (37.45) and milk (14.90). DEHP metabolite levels in women’s urine and their corresponding cord blood are significantly correlated. Compared to other populations in the world, DEHP derived metabolites in maternal urine were higher, while phthalate metabolite levels in milk and cord blood were similar. The level of phthalate metabolites in milk and cord blood were comparable to those found in other populations. Further studies of health effects related to DEHP and DiNP exposure are necessary for the children.     

Tracing the sources of refractory dissolved organic matter in a large artificial lake using multiple analytical tools

Structural and chemical characteristics of refractory dissolved organic matter (RDOM) from seven different sources (algae, leaf litter, reed, compost, field soil, paddy water, treated sewage) were examined using multiple analytical tools, and they were compared with those of RDOM in a large artificial lake (Lake Paldang, Korea). Treated sewage, paddy water, and field soil were distinguished from the other sources investigated by their relatively low specific UV absorbance (SUVA) values and more pronounced fulvic-like versus humic-like fluorescence of the RDOM samples. Microbial derived RDOM from algae and treated sewage showed relatively low apparent molecular weight and a higher fraction of hydrophilic bases relative to the total hydrophilic fraction. For the biopolymer types, the presence of polyhydroxy aromatics with the high abundance of proteins was observed only for vascular plant-based RDOM (i.e., leaf litter and reed). Molecular weight values exhibited positive correlations with the SUVA and the hydrophobic content among the different RDOM, suggesting that hydrophobic and condensed aromatic structures may be the main components of high molecular weight RDOM. Principal component analysis revealed that approximately 77% of the variance in the RDOM characteristics might be explained by the source difference (i.e., terrestrial and microbial derived) and a tendency of further microbial transformation. Combined results demonstrated that the properties of the lake RDOM were largely affected by the upstream sources of field soil, paddy water, and treated sewage, which are characterized by low molecular weight UV-absorbing and non-aromatic structures with relatively high resistance to further degradation.     

Stabilization and solidification of elemental mercury for safe disposal and/or long-term storage

A simple and highly effective stabilization/solidification (S/S) technology of elemental mercury using only sulfur with paraffin is introduced. First, elemental mercury is mixed with an excess of sulfur powder and heated to 60 degrees C for 30 min until elemental mercury is converted into mercuric sulfide (HgS black, metacinnabar) (Step 1). Then, metacinnabar with additional sulfur is poured into liquid paraffin (Step 2). Finally, the mixture is melted at 140 degrees C and settles to the bottom of the vessel where it cools and solidifies under the layer of liquid paraffin (Step 3). The proposed S/S method with sodium sulfide nonahydrate (Na2S x 9H2O) as an additive is also tested for comparison. The average toxicity characteristic leaching procedure test values are 6.72 microg/L (no additive) and 3.18 microg/L (with additive). Theses concentrations are well below the Universal Treatment Standard (25 microg/L). Effective diffusion coefficient evaluated from accelerated leach test and average headspace concentration of Hg vapor after 18 hr are 3.62 x 10(-15) cm2/sec, 0.55 mg/m3 (no additive) and 5.86 x 10(-13) cm2/sec, 0.25 mg/m3 (with additive).     

A study on the reaction characteristics of vanadium-impregnated natural manganese oxide in ammonia selective catalytic reduction

This study investigated the effect of adding vanadium (V) to natural manganese oxide (NMO) in ammonia (NH3) selective catalytic reduction (SCR). The addition of V to NMO decreased the catalytic activity at low temperatures by blocking the active site. However, the enhancement of catalytic activity was achieved by controlling NH3 oxidation at high temperatures. From the NH3 temperature programmed desorption and oxygen on/off test, it was confirmed that the amount of Lewis acid site and active lattice oxygen of the catalyst affects the catalytic performance at low temperature.     

IC反应器处理高浓度硫酸盐废水的启动研究

采用木糖生产废水,进行了(IC)反应器处理高浓度硫酸盐有机废水的启动研究.结果表明,接种厌氧颗粒污泥,当进水COD/SO2-4值约为3.5时,控制COD负荷提高幅度为每次20%左右,经过26 d的驯化培养,COD和SO2-4负荷分别可达20 kg/(m3·d)和5.5 kg/(m3·d),COD去除率达到80%以上,硫...