Utilizing transparent and conductive SnO2 as electron mediator to enhance the photocatalytic performance of Z-scheme Si-SnO2-TiOx

• A novel Z-scheme Si-SnO₂-TiO_x with SnO₂ as electron mediator is first constructed. • Transparent and conductive SnO₂ can pass light through and promote charge transport. • V_O from SnO₂ and TiO_x improve photoelectrochemical performances. • Efficient photocatalytic degradations originate from the Z scheme construction. Z-scheme photocatalysts, with strong redox ability, have a great potential for pollutants degradation. However, it is challenging to construct efficient Z-scheme photocatalysts because of their poor interfacial charge separation. Herein, by employing transparent and conductive SnO₂ as electron mediator to pass light through and promote interfacial charge transportation, a novel Z-scheme photocatalyst Si-SnO₂-TiO_{x (1<x<2)} was constructed. The Z-scheme photocatalyst displayed an order of magnitude higher photocurrent density and a 4-fold increase in open-circuit potential compared to those of Si. Moreover, the onset potential shifted negatively for approximately 2.2 V. Benefiting from these advantages, this Z-scheme Si-SnO₂-TiO_x exhibited efficient photocatalytic performance toward phenol degradation and mineralization. 75% of the phenol was degraded without bias potential and 70% of the TOC was removed during phenol degradation. Other typical pollutants such as bisphenol A and atrazine could also be degraded without bias potential. Introducing a transparent and conductive electron mediator to construct Z-scheme photocatalyst gives a new sight to the improvement of photocatalytic performance in Z scheme.     

制药废水的厌氧生化性评价及UASB处理

为了处理山东某一药厂的高浓度有机废水,首先采用间歇式实验对山东某一制药厂各主要车间生产废水及综合废水进行厌氧可生化性评价。然后以此为基础,采用两级中温UASB,以某一时期排放的厂区综合废水为处理对象,通过缩短HRT,考察在COD容积负荷的逐步升高下,反应器处理效果的变化。进水COD稀释至10 000 mg/L左右,p H维持在6.8到7.1。在单级UASB最大工程设计容积负荷6 g COD/(L·d)的条件下,经过两级UASB的串联处理,总COD的去除率能达73.5%,出水COD能基本稳定在2 600 mg/L。在这个系统运行时期,产气稳定,出水p H值稳定在7.4到8.0之间,VFA在500 mg/L以下。实验结果表明,两级UASB处理该制药厂废水是可行的。     

Spatial heterogeneity of stream environmental conditions and macroinvertebrates community in an agriculture dominated watershed and management implications for a large river (the Liao River,China) basin

Understanding the effects of watershed land uses (e.g., agriculture, urban industry) on stream ecological conditions is important for the management of large river basins. A total of 41 and 56 stream sites (from first to fourth order) that were under a gradient of watershed land uses were monitored in 2009 and 2010, respectively, in the Liao River Basin, Northeast China. The monitoring results showed that a total of 192 taxa belonging to four phyla, seven classes, 21 orders and 91 families were identified. The composition of macroinvertebrate community in the Liao River Basin was dominated by aquatic insect taxa (Ephemeroptera and Diptera), Oligochaeta and Molluscs. The functional feeding group GC (Gatherer/Collector) was dominant in the whole basin. Statistical results showed that sites with less watershed impacts (lower order sites) were characterized by higher current velocity and habitat score, more sensitive taxa (e.g., Ephemeroptera), and the substrate was dominated by high percentage of cobble and pebble. The sites with more impacts from agriculture and urban industry (higher order sites) were characterized by higher biochemical (BOD₅) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), more tolerant taxa (e.g., Chironominae), and the substrate was dominated by silt and sand. Agriculture and urban-industry activities have reduced habitat condition, increased organic pollutants, reduced macroinvertebrate abundance, diversity, and sensitive taxa in streams of the lower Liao River Basin. Restoration of degraded habitat condition and control of watershed organic pollutants could be potential management priorities for the Basin.     

Eutrophication assessment and management methodology of multiple pollution sources of a landscape lake in North China

Landscape lakes in the city suffer high eutrophication risk because of their special characters and functions in the water circulation system. Using a landscape lake HMLA located in Tianjin City, North China, with a mixture of point source (PS) pollution and non-point source (NPS) pollution, we explored the methodology of Fluent and AQUATOX to simulate and predict the state of HMLA, and trophic index was used to assess the eutrophication state. Then, we use water compensation optimization and three scenarios to determine the optimal management methodology. Three scenarios include ecological restoration scenario, best management practices (BMPs) scenario, and a scenario combining both. Our results suggest that the maintenance of a healthy ecosystem with ecoremediation is necessary and the BMPs have a far-reaching effect on water reusing and NPS pollution control. This study has implications for eutrophication control and management under development for urbanization in China.     

Identification of rice cultivar with exclusive characteristic to Cd using a field-polluted soil and its foreground application

Using low-accumulative plant, especially excluder crop, to safely produce food is one of the very important technologies of phytoremediation, which is practical to safe production and long-term remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil. A pot experiment using field cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soil (Cd concentration was 0.75 mg?kg^?1) was conducted to compare Cd accumulation differences among 39 normal rice cultivars (Japonica) in Shenyang region of China for food safety and high grain yield aim. The results showed that brown grain Cd concentration in 12 rice cultivars of a total of 39 tested cultivars was lower than 0.2 mg?kg^?1 (Agricultural Trade Standard of Nonpollution Food for Rice of China, NY 5115–2008). In these 12 cultivars, Cd enrichment factors (Cd concentration ratio in shoot to that in soil) of nine cultivars were lower than 1. Likewise, Cd translocation factors (Cd concentration ratio in shoot to that in root) of eight cultivars were lower than the 0.28 average. Furthermore, grain yield per pot of seven cultivars were higher than the average 18.4 g?pot^?1. Four cultivars, i.e., Shendao 5, Tianfu 1, Fuhe 90, and Yanfeng 47 showed Cd-exclusive characteristic and better foreground application.     

Synthesis of α-Fe2O3 nanofibers for applications in removal and recovery of Cr(VI) from wastewater

Purpose

Nanomaterials such as iron oxides and ferrites have been intensively investigated for water treatment and environmental remediation applications. The purpose of this work is to synthesize α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers for potential applications in removal and recovery of noxious Cr(VI) from wastewater.

Methods

α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers were synthesized via a simple hydrothermal route followed by calcination. The crystallographic structure and the morphology of the as-prepared α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted, and Fourier transform infrared spectra were recorded before and after adsorption to investigate the Cr(VI) removal performance and adsorption mechanism. Langmuir and Freundlich modes were employed to analyze the adsorption behavior of Cr(VI) on the α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers.

Results

Very thin and porous α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers have been successfully synthesized for investigation of Cr(VI) removal capability from synthetic wastewater. Batch experiments revealed that the as-prepared α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers exhibited excellent Cr(VI) removal performance with a maximum adsorption capacity of 16.17 mg g^?1. Furthermore, the adsorption capacity almost kept unchanged after recycling and reusing. The Cr(VI) adsorption process was found to follow the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, and the corresponding thermodynamic parameters ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS° at 298 K were calculated to be ?26.60 kJ?mol^?1, ?3.32 kJ?mol^?1, and 78.12 J?mol^?1 K^?1, respectively.

Conclusions

The as-prepared α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers can be utilized as efficient low-cost nano-absorbents for removal and recovery of Cr(VI) from wastewater.     

两相厌氧消化工艺处理鸡粪

以鸡粪为发酵原料,采用序批式两相厌氧消化工艺在中温条件(37℃)下对其进行消化处理。分别将水解酸化相和产甲烷相pH值控制在5.5±0.3和7.0±0.3,通过改变进样含固率(TS)研究有机负荷(OLR)对两相消化系统处理鸡粪过程中污染物转化和去除效果的影响。结果表明,水解酸化相出水总有机碳(TOC)、挥发酸(VFAs)和氨氮(NH4+-N)浓度都随OLR升高而升高。VFAs组成相对稳定,其中乙酸占总VFAs浓度的57%～64%,其次为正丁酸和丙酸。产甲烷相出水TOC和VFAs稳定在较低水平,TOC去除率最大达到90%以上。产甲烷相进水氨氮主要以NH4+形式在反应器内不断积累。实验后期产甲烷相生物气中甲烷体积分数维持在64%上,证明两相消化系统在实验条件下良好运行。     

Field controlled experiments on the physiological responses of maize (Zea mays L.) leaves to low-level air and soil mercury exposures

Thousands of tons of mercury (Hg) are released from anthropogenic and natural sources to the atmosphere in a gaseous elemental form per year, yet little is known regarding the influence of airborne Hg on the physiological activities of plant leaves. In the present study, the effects of low-level air and soil Hg exposures on the gas exchange parameters of maize (Zea mays L.) leaves and their accumulation of Hg, proline, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were examined via field open-top chamber and Hg-enriched soil experiments, respectively. Low-level air Hg exposures (<50 ng m^?3) had little effects on the gas exchange parameters of maize leaves during most of the daytime (p?>?0.05). However, both the net photosynthesis rate and carboxylation efficiency of maize leaves exposed to 50 ng m^?3 air Hg were significantly lower than those exposed to 2 ng m^?3 air Hg in late morning (p?<?0.05). Additionally, the Hg, proline, and MDA concentrations in maize leaves exposed to 20 and 50 ng m^?3 air Hg were significantly higher than those exposed to 2 ng m^?3 air Hg (p?<?0.05). These results indicated that the increase in airborne Hg potentially damaged functional photosynthetic apparatus in plant leaves, inducing free proline accumulation and membrane lipid peroxidation. Due to minor translocation of soil Hg to the leaves, low-level soil Hg exposures (<1,000 ng g^?1) had no significant influences on the gas exchange parameters, or the Hg, proline, and MDA concentrations in maize leaves (p?>?0.05). Compared to soil Hg, airborne Hg easily caused physiological stress to plant leaves. The effects of increasing atmospheric Hg concentration on plant physiology should be of concern.     

不同混合比牛粪玉米秸中温干发酵产沼性能

设置5组牛粪和玉米秸的混合物(干物质比为0∶1、1∶0、1∶1、1∶2、2∶1),研究其在中温35℃下干发酵产沼性能,以产沼性能最好实验组的实验数据为基础,对比研究了两类产气模型。研究结果显示:玉米秸与牛粪的混合干发酵运行效果较好;其中,牛粪和玉米秸干物质比为2∶1时产沼效果最好,产气量最高为81 209 mL,干物质产气率为0.312 m3/kg,整个发酵过程中产气量和甲烷的含量比较稳定,CH4含量最高达56.59%,总固体、挥发性固体的去除率相对较高,分别为26.11%和34.27%。一级动力学模型与多项式函数方程2个产气模型拟合检验结果显示,应用简单的多项式函数即可对产气情况进行相对准确的预测。     

微污染水源水生物处理工艺中IAL-CHS与三相流化床的初步比较

初步比较气升式内循环蜂窝陶瓷反应器(IAL-CHS)和内循环三相流化床反应器(ITFB)对微污染水源水进行生物预处理的效果。IAL-CHS反应器比ITFB反应器挂膜启动速度快,但是在挂膜期承受冲击负荷能力较ITFB反应器差。在进水相同条件下,两者所能达到的最小水力停留时间、最大体积负荷和容积负荷相差不大,但是ITFB反应器的曝气强度却为IAL-CHS反应器的3.33倍,并且比IAL-CHS反应器出水SS高,浊度去除率低,单位载体的生物量及活性生物量小。