Exploring the relationship between vegetation spectra and eco-geo-environmental conditions in karst region, Southwest China

Remote sensing of local environmental conditions is not accessible if substrates are covered with vegetation. This study explored the relationship between vegetation spectra and karst eco-geo-environmental conditions. Hyperspectral remote sensing techniques showed that there were significant differences between spectral features of vegetation mainly distributed in karst and non-karst regions, and combination of 1,300- to 2,500-nm reflectance and 400- to 680-nm first-derivative spectra could delineate karst and non-karst vegetation groups. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) successfully assessed to what extent the variation of vegetation spectral features can be explained by associated eco-geo-environmental variables, and it was found that soil moisture and calcium carbonate contents had the most significant effects on vegetation spectral features in karst region. Our study indicates that vegetation spectra is tightly linked to eco-geo-environmental conditions and CCA is an effective means of studying the relationship between vegetation spectral features and eco-geo-environmental variables. Employing a combination of spectral and spatial analysis, it is anticipated that hyperspectral imagery can be used in interpreting or mapping eco-geo-environmental conditions covered with vegetation in karst region.     

Monitoring and assessing variation of sewage quality and microbial functional groups in a trunk sewer line

In this study, the variation of sewage quality was investigated and the active fraction of different microbial functional groups in biofilm was quantified in a 5.6-km trunk sewer line. The sewage quality including suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, total chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, and nitrate nitrogen were measured and compared with the values in literatures. The results indicated that since the wastewater treatment plant was not operated at its full capacity, the concentrations of different compounds were lower compared with the values in literatures. The values of heterotrophic growth rate constant lay between 5.6 and 8.6 day^???1. Its average value was 7.7 day^???1. The values of heterotrophic lysis rate constant lay between 0.2 and 0.4 day^???1. The active heterotrophic biomass in biofilm varied from 240 to 800 mg COD m^???2 and average value was 497 mg COD m^???2. The biofilm mass varied from 880 to 1,080 mg m^???2. The percentage of heterotroph to biofilm mass fall within the range of 24.0–90.9% and average value was 52.9%. In the oxygen uptake rate batch tests, the biomass, growth rate constant, and lysis rate constant of autotroph could not be determined because the fraction of autotroph in biofilm was relatively few. It revealed that the degradation of organic matters, nitrification, and denitrification occurred in the trunk sewer line. But the results indicate that the condition seem favorable for nitrification.     

Estimation of waste generation from floods

A framework of correlation for estimating the amount of waste generation from floods is developed. Flood waste data were collected from four recent typhoons in Taiwan. Parameters affecting the flood waste are analyzed. Population density, flooded area and amount of total rainfall are chosen as the correlating parameters for the model development, and regression diagnostics are performed to check the validity of the collected data. The simple linear model is shown to be incapable of correlating the flood waste data. An exponential model is proposed and shown to give acceptable correlation with the flood waste data spanning five orders of magnitude. The model can be useful in the planning of waste cleanup after floods.     

Survey of heavy metal pollution and assessment of agricultural soil in Yangzhong district, Jiangsu Province, China

We investigated concentrations of Hg, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, As, Ni, and Cr in samples of soil, cereal, and vegetables from Yangzhong district, China. Compared to subsoils, the sampled topsoils are enriched in Hg, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and As. High levels of Cd and Hg are observed in most agricultural soils. Concentrations of Cr and Ni show little spatial variation, and high Cu, Pb, and Zn contents correspond well to areas of urban development. High As contents are primarily recorded at the two ends of the sampled alluvion. The contents of Cd, Hg, and total organic carbon (TOC) increase gradually to maximum values in the upper parts of soil profiles, while Cr and Ni occur in low concentrations within sampled profiles. As, Pb, Cu, and Zn show patterns of slight enrichment within the surface layer. Compared to data obtained in 1990, Cd and Hg show increased concentrations in 2005; this is attributed to the long-term use of agrochemicals. Cr and Ni contents remained steady over this interval because they are derived from the weathering of parent material and subsequent pedogenesis. The measured As, Cu, Pb, and Zn contents show slight increases over time due to atmospheric deposition of material sourced from urban anthropogenic activity. Low concentrations of heavy metals are recorded in vegetables and cereals because the subalkaline environment of the soil limits their mobility. Although the heavy metal concentrations measured in this study do not pose a serious health risk, they do affect the quality of agricultural products.     

The concentrations and distribution of polycyclic musks in a typical cosmetic plant

Polycyclic musks [cashmeran (DPMI), celestolide (ADBI), phantolide (AHMI), traseolide (ATII), tonalide (AHTN) and galaxolide (HHCB)] in the air, wastewater, sludge samples of a typical cosmetic plant were analyzed. DPMI, ADBI, HHCB and AHTN were found in all samples, and ATII was not found in any sample. HHCB and AHTN were the major components in all samples. The polycyclic musk concentrations were very high in the air of the cosmetic plant, and polycyclic musks were mostly contained in the gas phase at the percentage of 86.35-97.70%. Average polycyclic musk concentrations in effluent were high, and ranged from 0.62 to 32.06 microgl-1. The removal efficiency during the active sludge wastewater treatment was also high, resulting from the adsorption of those compounds into the sludge. So the polycyclic musk concentrations were very high in the primary sludge and second sludge, and ranged from 1.78 to 92.45 mgkg-1 (dry), and from 2.87 to 65.67 mgkg-1 (dry), respectively. Results suggested that the sludge needed to be further treated to make polycyclic musks less influence to the environment.     

Integrated catalytic wet air oxidation and aerobic biological treatment in a municipal WWTP of a high-strength o-cresol wastewater

This study examines the feasibility of coupling a Catalytic Wet Air Oxidation (CWAO), with activated carbon (AC) as catalyst, and an aerobic biological treatment to treat a high-strength o-cresol wastewater. Two goals are pursued: (a) To determine the effect of the main AC/CWAO intermediates on the activated sludge of a municipal WasteWater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and (b) To demonstrate the feasibility of coupling the AC/CWAO effluent as a part of the influent of a municipal WWTP. In a previous study, a high-strength o-cresol wastewater was treated by AC/CWAO aiming to establish the distribution of intermediates and the biodegradability enhancement. In this work, the biodegradability, toxicity and inhibition of the most relevant intermediates detected in the AC/CWAO effluent were determined by respirometry. Also, the results of a pilot scale municipal WWTP study for an integrated AC/CWAO-aerobic biological treatment of this effluent are presented. The biodegradation parameters (i.e. maximum oxygen uptake rate and oxygen consumption) of main AC/CWAO intermediates allowed the classification of the intermediates into readily biodegradable, inert or toxic/inhibitory compounds. This detailed study, allowed to understand the biodegradability enhancement exhibited by an AC/CWAO effluent and to achieve a successful strategy for coupling the AC/CWAO step with an aerobic biological treatment for a high-strength o-cresol wastewater. Using 30%, as COD, of AC/CWAO effluent in the inlet to the pilot scale WWTP, the integrated AC/CWAO-biological treatment achieved a 98% of total COD removal and, particularly, a 91% of AC/CWAO effluent COD removal without any undesirable effect on the biomass.     

Sorption and desorption behavior of benzidine in different solvent-sediment systems

The sorption and desorption behavior of benzidine in eight solvent-sediment systems were studied using a batch method. The solvents tested included deionized water (DI), calcium chloride solution (CaCl2), sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH), acetonitrile (ACN), a mixture of acetonitrile and ammonium acetate solution (ACN-NH4OAc), methanol (MeOH), ammonium acetate solution (NH4OAc) and hydrochloric acid solution (HCl). Three sets of sorption isotherm experiments were conducted separately in these eight solvents with seven days, three weeks, and two months of contact times, respectively. The results demonstrated nonlinear benzidine sorption phenomena in all eight solvents with higher sorption affinities for sediment sites in the aqueous solvents than in the organic solvents. The results from the desorption experiments revealed that the benzidine desorption efficiencies in the solvents decreased in an order, which was approximately the reverse order of its sorption affinity. Results also suggested that hydrophobic partitioning and covalent binding processes dominated in the desorption experiments, while cation exchange process had little effect on desorption of benzidine. A three-stage model was subsequently applied to simulate the desorption data in the selected solvents of ACN, ACN-NH4OAc and NaOH, respectively. The rapidly desorbing initial fractions were about 0.13-0.20, 0.15-0.26, and 0.18-0.25 for ACN, ACN-NH4OAc and NaOH, respectively. Finally, the sorbed concentrations of benzidine in slowly and very slowly desorbing domains in the selected solvents were correlated with the maximum sorption capacities obtained from the Langmuir sorption isotherm model. The maximum sorption capacities of benzidine were found to be comparable to the amount of benzidine residing in the slowly and very slowly desorbing domains.     

Using FeGAC/H2O2 process for landfill leachate treatment

Due to the growing concern of highly contaminated landfill leachate problems in Taiwan, an innovative advanced catalytic oxidation (FeGAC/H(2)O(2)) process was developed and employed in this research to treat the landfill leachate from central Taiwan. Experimental results indicated that the FeGAC/H(2)O(2) process could effectively remove organic compounds from landfill leachate. The presence of iron oxide coated granular activated carbon (FeGAC) greatly improved the oxidative ability of H(2)O(2) for the removal of humic acids, fulvic acids and non-humic substance from leachate. For instance, at pH 6, the removal efficiencies of FeGAC/H(2)O(2) and H(2)O(2) processes were 70% and 8%, respectively. FeGAC/H(2)O(2) combined both advantages of FeGAC and H(2)O(2) where FeGAC had good organics adsorption ability and could effectively catalyse the hydrogen peroxide oxidation reaction for organics removal.     

Evaluation of nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethyl pyrazole phosphate on nitrogen leaching in undisturbed soil columns

The application of nitrogen fertilizers leads to various ecological problems such as nitrate leaching. The use of nitrification inhibitors (NI) as nitrate leaching retardants is a proposal that has been suggested for inclusion in regulations in many countries. In this study, the efficacy of the new NI, 3,4-dimethyl pyrazole phosphate (DMPP), was tested under simulated high-risk leaching situations in two types of undisturbed soil columns. The results showed that the accumulative leaching losses of soil nitrate under treatment of urea with 1.0% DMPP, from columns of silt loam soil and heavy clay soil, were 66.8% and 69.5% lower than those soil columns tested with regular urea application within the 60 days observation, respectively. However, the losses of ammonium leaching were reversely increased 9.7% and 6.7% under the former treatment than the latter one. Application of regular urea with 1.0% DMPP addition can reduce about 59.3%-63.1% of total losses of inorganic nitrogen via leaching. The application of DMPP to urea had stimulated the inhibition effects of DMPP on the ammonium nitrification process in the soil up to 60 days. It is proposed that the DMPP could be used as an effective NI to control inorganic N leaching losses, minimizing the risk of nitrate pollution in shallow groundwater.     

Pressurized CO2/zero valent iron system for nitrate removal

A fluidized zero valent iron (ZVI) reactor pressurized by CO(2) gas for controlling pH was employed for nitrate reduction. The proposed CO(2) pressurized system potentially has advantages of using less CO(2) gas and reaching equilibrium pH faster than CO(2)-bubbled system. However, due to weak acid nature of carbonic acid, system pH gradually increased with increasing oxidation of ZVI and reduction of nitrate. As pH increased with progress of reaction, nitrate removal rate decreased continuously. The results indicate that nitrate removal efficiency increases with increasing initial ZVI dosage but reaches plateau at ZVI doses of higher than 8.25gl(-1), and initial nitrate concentration up to 100mg l(-1) as N has minimal impact on the removal efficiency. Unlike the fluidized system with pH control by strong acid reported in our pervious study, near 100% of nitrogen recovery was observed in the current process, indicating that nitrate reduction by ZVI with different pH controlled mechanisms will have different reaction routes.