Uptake and distribution of metals by water lettuce (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pistia stratiotes</Emphasis> L.)

Background, aim and scope  

Water quality impairment by heavy metal contamination is on the rise worldwide. Phytoremediation technology has been increasingly applied to remediate wastewater and stormwater polluted by heavy metals.     

Investigation on gene transfer from genetically modified corn (Zea mays L.) plants to soil bacteria

Knowledge about the prevalence and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes in soil bacteria communities is required to evaluate the possibility and ecological consequences of the transfer of these genes carried by genetically modified (GM) plants to soil bacteria. The neomycin phosphotransferase gene (nptII) conferring resistance to kanamycin and neomycin is one of the antibiotic resistance genes commonly present in GM plants. In this study, we investigated kanamycin-resistant (Km(R)) and neomycin-resistant (Nm(R)) soil bacterial populations in a 3-year field trial using a commercial GM corn (Zea mays L.) carrying the nptII gene and its near isogenic line. The results showed that a portion (2.3 - 15.6 %) of cultivable soil bacteria was naturally resistant to kanamycin or neomycin. However, no significant difference in the population level of Km(R) or Nm(R) soil bacteria was observed between the GM and non-GM corn fields. The nptII gene was not detected in any of the total 3000 Km(R) or Nm(R) isolates screened by PCR. Further, total soil bacterial cells were collected through Nycodenz gradient centrifugation and bacterial community DNA was subjected to PCR. Detection limit was about 500 cells per gram of fresh soil. Our study suggests that the nptII gene was relatively rare in the soil bacterial populations and there was no evidence of gene transfer from a GM corn plant to soil bacteria based on the data from total soil bacterial communities.     

Spatial simulation and LCA evaluation on the plastic waste recycling system in Tianjin

With the rapid economic development in China, the amount of plastic waste (PW) generated has greatly increased and much of the waste is currently not treated. To reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from recycling of PW, we estimated the PW flow and considered methods to improve the household PW recycling system in Tianjin by adjusting processes during transportation and establishing a PW recycling factory in Zi’ya Industrial Park. The goal of the study was to identify reasonable improvements for the recycling system and clarify the environmental load. Geographic information system (GIS) technology was used to simulate transport processes for comparing GHG emissions from the transport processes between the present case and an improved case. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to compare GHG emissions between a projected scenario and a baseline scenario. Estimated GHG emissions during transport processes in the improved case were reduced by about 12,197 t CO₂ eq per year compared to the present case, equivalent to about 65.9 % of the total emissions in the present case. GHG emissions in the projected scenario were about 101,738 t CO₂ eq less per year than the baseline scenario, equivalent to about 75.5 % of the total emissions in the baseline scenario.     

Detection of DDT and its metabolites in two estuaries of South China using a SPME-based device: First report of p,p′-DDMU in water column

A solid-phase microextration-based sampling method was employed to determine the concentrations of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) and its metabolites, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDD), 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethene (DDE) and 1-chloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethene (DDMU), in two estuarine bays, Daya Bay and Hailing Bay, of South China. Six DDT components including p,p′-DDT, o,p′-DDD, p,p′-DDD, o,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDE, and p,p′-DDMU were detected in Hailing Bay, while only p,p′-DDD was found in Daya Bay. p,p′-DDD was the most abundant DDT component in both bays, sharply different from the previous finding in the water column of the Palos Verdes Shelf, California, USA that p,p′-DDE was prevalent. In addition, the occurrence of p,p′-DDMU (with a range of 0.047-0.21 ng/L in Hailing Bay) has not been reported around the globe, and its presence in our study region appeared to stem from dehydrochlorination of p,p′-DDD, favored under aerobic conditions, but further investigations are clearly needed to confirm the mechanism for generation of DDMU in estuarine environments.     

粗石英砂层厚度及倾角对核废物处置库顶盖毛细屏障效应的影响

毛细屏障作为核废物处置库顶盖的工程屏障之一,已经在国内外得到了广泛应用.采用箱体实验方法,研究了非饱和稳定流条件下粗石英砂层厚度和倾角对毛细屏障效应的影响.结果表明,随着粗石英砂层厚度的增大,水分的相对绕流量增大,毛细屏障效应增强;随着粗石英砂层倾角的增大,其表面积水减少,水的横向流动能力增强,毛细屏障效应增强.     

北京市春季大气颗粒物污染特性研究

为研究北京市春季大气颗粒物污染特性,2008年3月至2008年5月,对北京市西三环大气颗粒物进行采样分析.测定了总悬浮颗粒物(TSP)与可吸入颗粒物(PM10)的日平均质量浓度,使用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)观察大气颗粒物的微观形貌,并通过X射线能谱仪(EDX)对样品中的元素组成进行分析.结果表明,TSP和PM10日平均质量浓度以初春最高,春天次之,春夏交际最低;PM10/TSP以春夏交际最高,初春次之,春天最低;大气颗粒物形态有规则和不规则2类,以不规则形态居多,同时发现花粉颗粒存在.EDX分析表明,大气颗粒物所附着的重金属中Pb所占的质量分散最高,并且集中吸附在细粒子颗粒物上.     

Concentrations,seasonal variations,and transport of carbonaceous aerosols at a remote Mountainous region in western China

Carbonaceous aerosol concentrations were determined for total suspended particle samples collected from Muztagh Ata Mountain in western China from December 2003 to February 2006. Elemental carbon (EC) varied from 0.004 to 0.174 μg m^?3 (average = 0.055 μg m^?3) while organic carbon (OC) ranged from 0.12 to 2.17 μg m^?3 and carbonate carbon (CC) from below detection to 3.57 μg m^?3. Overall, EC was the least abundant fraction of carbonaceous species, and the EC concentrations approached those in some remote polar areas, possibly representing a regional background. Low EC and OC concentrations occurred in winter and spring while high CC in spring and summer was presumably due to dust from the Taklimakan desert, China. OC/EC ratios averaged 10.0, and strong correlations between OC and EC in spring–winter suggest their cycles are coupled, but lower correlations in summer–autumn suggest influences from biogenic OC emissions and secondary OC formation. Trajectory analyses indicate that air transported from outside of China brings ～0.05 μg m^?3 EC, ～0.42 μg m^?3 OC, and ～0.10 μg m^?3 CC to the site, with higher levels coming from inside China. The observed EC was within the range of loadings estimated from a glacial ice core, and implications of EC-induced warming for regional climate and glacial ice dynamics are discussed.     

新型悬浮填料澄清池中填料对澄清作用的影响初探

为考察可取代传统二沉池的新型悬浮填料澄清池技术的原理及关键参数,小试试验研究了填料对新型悬浮填料澄清池固液分离过程中附着污泥形成及其絮凝性能的影响,并对填料在澄清中的作用机理进行了探讨。结果表明,当泥水界面上升至填料区后,可以形成较悬浮污泥更加致密稳定的附着污泥区,并形成孔道流,强化了对混合液中污泥颗粒的絮凝效果;填料区可以捕捉去除从悬浮污泥区中“逃逸”的微小污泥絮体,并降低出水浊度,有效地保证了出水水质的稳定性。填料的存在发挥了强大的整流作用,降低了雷诺数Re,提高了弗汝德数Fr,从而改善了污泥絮凝的水力条件,提高了澄清能力。     

生物反应器填埋的沉降加速效应

通过实验室填埋柱模拟实验,研究了生物反应器填埋操作方式对填埋层沉降的影响。结果表明：与传统卫生填埋方式相比,回灌经厌氧生物处理后渗滤液的生物反应器填埋方式能够加速填埋层的沉降,140 d内沉降提高比例达10%以上。我国填埋垃圾高含水率、高易腐有机物含量的特性,使得其填埋层的次沉降系数高于文献值。填埋垃圾有机物降解量及其引起的垃圾水分排出量与填埋层沉降有显著相关性,表明有机物降解是引起填埋层沉降的重要因素,也是造成生物反应器填埋与传统卫生填埋方式初期沉降差异的主要原因。     

土壤中零价铁还原3-氯硝基苯的作用

利用零价铁在常温常压下对土壤中的3-氯硝基苯的还原,对反应物和产物随时间的变化及反应的各个影响因素进行了研究。实验结果表明,零价铁能够有效地将3-氯硝基苯还原为3-氯苯胺,反应过程中没有检测到脱氯产物。其反应速率随铁粉用量、反应体系含水量的增加以及反应温度的升高而升高,随土壤初始pH值的升高而降低。在土壤中3-氯硝基苯含量约为2.5×10^-6 mol/g,铁粉使用量为25 mg/g,反应体系中含水量为0.75 mL/g,pH值为6.8时,在恒温生化培养箱(25±1)℃反应5 h后,3-氯硝基苯的还原率达到92.75％。