Simple model of sludge thickening process in secondary settlers

In wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), a secondary settler acts as a clarifier, sludge thickener, and sludge storage tank during peak flows and therefore plays an important role in the performance of the activated sludge process. Sludge thickening occurs in the lower portions of secondary clarifiers during their operation. In this study, by detecting the hindered zone from the complete thickening process of activated sludge, a simple model for the sludge thickening velocity, u _s = aX ^b (a = 0.9925SSVI _3.5, b = 3.541ln(SSVI _3.5)+12.973), describing the potential and performance of activated sludge thickening in the hindered zone was developed. However, sludge thickening in the compression zone was not studied because sludge in the compression zone showed limited thickening. This empirical model was developed using batch settling data obtained from four WWTPs and validated using measured data from a fifth WWTP to better study sludge thickening. To explore different sludge settling and thickening mechanisms, the curves of sludge thickening and sludge settling were compared. Finally, it was found that several factors including temperature, stirring, initial depth, and polymer conditioning can lead to highly concentrated return sludge and biomass in a biologic reactor.     

Effect of salinity on community structure and naphthalene dioxygenase gene diversity of a halophilic bacterial consortium

The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of salinity on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) biodegradation, community structure and naphthalene dioxygenase gene (ndo) diversity of a halophilic bacterial consortium with the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) approach. The consortium was developed from oil-contaminated saline soil after enrichment for six times, using phenanthrene as the substrate. The prominent species in the bacterial consortium at all salinities were identified as halophilic bacteria Halomonas, Alcanivorax, Marinobacter, Idiomarina, Martelella and uncultured bacteria. The predominant microbes gradually changed associating with the saline concentration fluctuations ranging from 0.1% to 25% (w/v). Two ndo alpha subunits were dominant at salinities ranging from 0.1% to 20%, while not been clearly detected at 25% salinity. Consistently, the biodegradation occurred at salinities ranging from 0.1% to 20%, while no at 25% salinity, suggesting the two ndo genes played an important role in the degradation. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that both of the two ndo alpha subunits were related to the classic nah-like gene from Pseudomonas stutzeri AN10 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PaK1, while one with identity of about 82% and the other one with identity of 90% at amino acid sequence level. We concluded that salinity greatly affected halophilic bacterial community structure and also the functional genes which were more related to biodegradation.

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Effects of visible light radiation on macrophyte litter degradation and nutrient release in water samples from a eutrophic shallow lake

Visible light is a major fraction of the solar spectrum; however, information on visible light radiation of macrophyte detritus is lacking. In this study, we conducted a microcosm experiment to assess the effects of visible light radiation on degradation of two litter species: Potamogeton malaianus (P. malaianus) and Phragmites australis (Ph. australis). This research represents an investigation of mass loss, microbial activity and nutrients released over a period of 168 days. Overall, we found that visible light radiation had significant effects on litter decomposition, but it did not affect the microbial activities which degrade cellulose and lignin. The decomposition rate order of the three components in P. malaianus and Ph. australis in treatments was: cellulose?>?hemicellulose?>?lignin. The visible light radiation mainly affected the degradation of lignin, which is the primary compound in litter susceptible to photodegradation. The exposure to visible light radiation up to 17.6?Wm^?2 stimulated the dissolved organic carbon release and reduced the molecular weight to less reactive. Meanwhile, no obvious difference in nutrient contents (TP, TN, NO₃–N, NO₂–N, and NH₃–N) was observed among different visible light intensities. The results of this study contribute to better understanding of the photochemical behaviour of macrophyte litter in shallow lakes.     

2种毒性评估方法对PAHs污染场地人体健康风险的比较研究

毒性评估是人体健康风险评价的重要部分,目前主要存在2种方法,一种基于PAHs相对于苯并[a]芘(BaP)的毒性当量因子,采用Ba P致癌斜率因子参数(方法 1),另一种直接采用各PAHs致癌斜率因子和非致癌参考剂量等参数(方法 2)。然而2种毒性评估方法得到的风险及修复量是否存在差异以及引起差异的原因等问题鲜有讨论。针对苏南某焦化厂PAHs污染土壤,采用分层土壤健康风险评价模型,对比了2种毒性评估方法确定的PAHs风险、修复目标污染物及土方量的差异,并对引起差异的关键因素进行探讨。结果表明:对于0.0~1.0 m表层土壤,方法 1和方法 2确定的致癌风险最大值分别1.48E-05和1.32E-05,均超过可接受致癌风险,修复土方量分别为27 846 m~3和28 667 m3,修复目标污染物均为Ba P和二苊烃(Acy)。对于1.0~3.0 m深层土壤,方法 1确定的致癌风险最大值为3.36E-08,低于可接受致癌风险,不需要修复;而方法 2确定的致癌风险最大值为3.73E-04,非致癌危害指数最大值为6.96E+01,分别超过可接受致癌风险和非致癌危害商,需要修复,修复目标污染物为萘(NaP),修复土方量为35 944 m~3。最终,方法 2确定的总修复土方量(64 611 m~3)为方法 1确定土方量(27 846 m~3)的2.45倍,而这种差异主要是由于方法 1低估了深层土壤中高挥发性PAH单体尤其是NaP的风险所致。因此,从保守角度建议采用方法 2进行PAHs风险评价。     

个人护理用品(PCPs)的生态毒性和处理工艺效果研究进展

个人护理用品的大量使用导致其生产量和排放量也日渐增加,会不可避免地进入环境,对生态环境和人体健康产生影响。本文归纳整理了个人护理用品的分类,总结了其中代表化合物对水生生物的生态毒性研究现状,分析比较了主要废水处理工艺技术对个人护理用品的去除效果,为今后对这类物质的生态毒性和处理工艺研究提供参考。     

环境雌激素双酚A暴露现状及其雄性生殖毒性研究概况

双酚A(bisphenol A,BPA)作为典型的环境雌激素,在环境中广泛存在,具有接触机会频繁、剂量累积、潜伏期长等特点,是对生殖系统危害极大的一类污染物。研究表明BPA可在地表水、野生动物体内检测出,甚至在健康人群的体液中存在,尤其在婴儿体内含量较高。BPA进入机体后可通过I相和II相代谢酶分解,其分解产物的毒性目前仍不清楚。BPA在体内发挥雌激素样作用,与雌二醇竞争性地结合到雌激素受体上,阻碍雄激素受体的活性,促进促黄体生成素与催乳素的合成,最终抑制雄性激素的合成。BPA可破坏血睾屏障,直接刺激睾丸细胞的凋亡并导致精子质量下降,其中主要通过影响下丘脑-垂体-性腺轴(HPG)上促性腺激素释放激素受体(Gn RHR)、促黄体生成素受体(LHRβ)和促卵泡雌激素(Fshb)的表达和直接刺激睾丸和附睾细胞,降低睾酮合成酶的表达及活性,抑制与精子生成相关蛋白的表达,从而影响生殖能力。同时,BPA代谢过程中消耗大量的抗氧化酶,产生氧自由基,其氧化产物可能会对睾丸和附睾的损伤形成二次打击。总之,双酚A造成雄性生殖损伤障碍主要是损伤HPG轴正负反馈调节的平衡以及影响调节激素相关基因的表达和直接损伤睾丸细胞和精子质量。     

新型阻燃剂TCPP对斑马鱼的毒性研究

为了明确新型阻燃剂磷酸三(2-氯丙基)酯(TCPP)的生态风险,本研究采用斑马鱼为模式生物,评价了TCPP对成鱼和胚胎的毒性效应。急性毒性研究结果表明,TCPP对斑马鱼成鱼的96 h致死中浓度(LC50)为47.06 mg·L~(-1),而对胚胎96 h-LC50为26.01 mg·L~(-1),且会影响胚胎的正常发育,导致孵化出的仔鱼产生畸形。成鱼14 d延长毒性试验结果表明,TCPP对斑马鱼成鱼的无可观察效应浓度(NOEC)为1.00 mg·L~(-1),染毒暴露后肝脏和性腺指数随TCPP浓度增加轻微下降,但肝脏中卵黄蛋白原(VTG)的含量和性腺中芳香化酶的活性随TCPP浓度增加普遍升高。此外,TCPP的暴露还会导致斑马鱼脑垂体中合成促性腺激素的相关基因表达量增加。因此,TCPP对斑马鱼成鱼和胚胎的急性毒性均为低毒级,但长期暴露会干扰内分泌系统的调控功能,影响斑马鱼的正常发育。     

Optimal Policy Mechanism Design for Cross-Sector and Multi-Stage Pollution Control with a Bilevel Model: Application to SO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Emission in China

In this paper, we construct a multi-stage coordinated programming model under tax system to control SO₂ emission. The model is based on an explicitly formulated SO₂ abatement cost function created under Chinese condition. Analysis of the effectiveness and impact on the economy of the model is carried out with consideration of game theory. By solving the model, theoretical results show that the volume-based multi-stage SO₂ tax system has two properties: effectiveness and equal-rate. Based on these theoretical results, empirical study is also performed using Chinese historical data. Compared with yearly single-stage programming model, the tax rate generated by the coordinated multi-stage programming model is time-invariant and rather moderate in scale. The total abatement cost among planning years in our model is 21.03 % less than the actual number and 6.68 % less than that in the single-stage situation. The tax payment suggested by our model is 10.62 % less than by the single-stage model. In general, a coordinated multi-stage programming model helps reduce the overall costs of environmental protection while achieving the same emission control target with less burden added to the economy.     

有机锡化合物测定方法研究进展

总结了有机锡化合物常用的测定方法，包括气相色谱－火焰光度法，气相色谱与原子吸收联用，气相色谱－微波等离子体发射光谱法，气相色谱－质谱法以及液相色谱与名种检测方法联用等。对样品前处理、衍生化方法、色谱分离及测定等也进行了讨论