Characterizing the transformation and transfer of nitrogen during the aerobic treatment of organic wastes and digestates

The transformation and transfer of nitrogen during the aerobic treatment of seven wastes were studied in ventilated air-tight 10-L reactors at 35 °C. Studied wastes included distinct types of organic wastes and their digestates. Ammonia emissions varied depending on the kind of waste and treatment conditions. These emissions accounted for 2–43% of the initial nitrogen. Total nitrogen losses, which resulted mainly from ammonia emissions and nitrification–denitrification, accounted for 1–76% of the initial nitrogen. Ammonification was the main process responsible for nitrogen losses. An equation which allows estimating the ammonification flow of each type of waste according to its biodegradable carbon and carbon/nitrogen ratio was proposed. As a consequence of the lower contribution of storage and leachate rates, stripping and nitrification rates of ammonia nitrogen were negatively correlated. This observation suggests the possibility of promotingnitrification in order to reduce ammonia emissions.     

A novel speed model for safety evaluation of freeway alignment in Euclidean 3D space

Objective: Operating speed is a critical indicator to evaluate consistency of road alignment and safety. Although extensive studies have been conducted on developing operating speed models, few researchers have considered the interactive influence of horizontal and vertical alignment in 3D space. The purpose of this study is to develop a speed model based on 3D alignment in Euclidean space rather than traditional horizontal and vertical alignment.

Methods: According to the curve theory of differential geometry, a novel method to estimate operating speed is proposed in our study using 3D space curvature instead of traditional horizontal or vertical parameters to describe the spatial geometric properties for a freeway alignment. Speeds of 54 different alignment segments are observed to develop the speed model. Several observing sites of each segment are selected beforehand, and the speeds of more than 300 vehicles in each site are observed. Space curvature is used as an important index to estimate operating speed.

Results: The findings of this study indicated that both horizontal alignment and vertical alignment contribute to space curvature. Space curvature mainly affects direction control operating performance. However, vehicles overcome the effects of gravity along the vertical alignment in the z direction. Results indicate that operating speed exponentially declines with space curvature and that quadratic parabola decline with vertical grade.

Conclusions: It can be concluded that there is a clear correlation between velocity and spatial curvature, which is proved by variance analysis. The estimation results of the speed models are reliable as tested using a real engineering example. The study would provide a scientific basis for safety evaluation of freeway alignment.     

Impact of litter removal on soil characteristics under a Pinus caribaea stand

ABSTRACT

Forest productivity is dependent on soil quality, which in turn is related to litter; yet there is limited understanding of the relationships between litter and soil quality. The effects of litter removal treatment on tree growth and soil properties were examined in a Pinus caribaea stand with the aim of providing an understanding of consequences of litter removal on soil patterns. This knowledge is important for planning appropriate long-term forest management. Three pairs of 30 × 30 m² plots (each pair a control and treatment) were established in the center of a P. caribaea stand in April 2002. The controls were left undisturbed with an intact litter layer, while litter was removed monthly from treated plots. The diameter and height of the P. caribaea decreased and soil quality was degraded over the experimental period in litter-removed (treated) plots. Litter removal also produced a significant increase in soil bulk density at 0–20 and 20–40 cm depths. The capillary porosity, capillary moisture capacity, and natural water content in controls at 0–20 and 20–40 cm depths were significantly greater than treated plots. The non-capillary porosity in controls at the 0–20 cm depth was also significantly higher than treated plots. The organic carbon, total nitrogen (N), total potassium (K) and alkalized N content in each layer, and available P and exchangeable K at 0–20 and 40–60 cm depths in control plots were significantly greater than litter-removed plots. The numbers of bacteria at 0–20 and 40–60 cm depths and of fungi at 20–40 and 40–60 cm depths were higher in control than treated plots. The number of actinomyces and urease, catalase, and acid phosphatase activities in controls at each depth were significantly greater than litter-removed plots.     

A scientometric review of emerging trends and new developments in agricultural ecological compensation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Agricultural ecological compensation has drawn an increasingly broad range of interest since early 1990s. In recent years, the volume of the...     

Genotypic variation in element concentrations in brown rice from Yunnan landraces in China

The mineral elements present in brown rice play an important physiological role in global human health. We investigated genotypic variation of eight of these elements (P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn) in 11 different grades of brown rice on the basis of the number and distance coefficients of 282 alleles for 20 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Six-hundred and twenty-eight landraces from the same field in Yunnan Province, one of the largest centers of genetic diversity of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the world, formed our core collection. The mean concentrations (mg kg⁻¹) of the eight elements in brown rice for these landraces were P (3,480) > K (2,540) > Mg (1,480) > Ca (157) > Zn (32.8) > Fe (32.0) > Cu (13.6) > Mn (13.2). Mean P concentrations in brown rice were 6.56 times total soil P, so the grains are important in tissue storage of P, but total soil K is 7.82 times mean K concentrations in brown rice. The concentrations of the eight elements in some grades of brown rice, on the basis of the number and distance coefficients of alleles for 20 SSR markers for the landraces, were significantly different (P < 0.05), and further understanding of the relationship between mineral elements and gene diversity is needed. There was large variation in element concentrations in brown rice, ranging from 2,160 to 5,500 mg P kg⁻¹, from 1,130 to 3,830 mg K kg⁻¹, from 61.8 to 488 mg Ca kg⁻¹, from 864 to 2,020 mg Mg kg⁻¹, from 0.40 to 147 mg Fe kg⁻¹, from 15.1 to 124 mg Zn kg⁻¹, from 0.10 to 59.1 mg Cu kg⁻¹, and from 6.7 to 26.6 mg Mn kg⁻¹. Therefore, germplasm evaluations for Ca, Fe, and Zn concentrations in rice grains have detected up to sevenfold genotypic differences, suggesting that selection for high levels of Ca, Fe, and Zn in breeding for mass production is a feasible approach. Increasing the concentrations of Ca, Fe, and Zn in rice grains will help alleviate chronic Ca, Zn, and Fe deficiencies in many areas of the world.     

微囊藻毒素-LR对罗非鱼鳃组织活性氧自由基含量及相关抗氧化酶活性的影响

应用腹腔注射的方式,研究了微囊藻毒素MC-LR对罗非鱼（Oreochromis niloticus）鳃组织活性氧自由基含量（ROS）及过氧化氢酶（CAT）、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性的影响。结果表明：在MC-LR的胁迫下,罗非鱼鳃组织产生了大量的ROS,并引起了SOD和CAT 2种抗氧化酶活性的变化。SOD和CAT在清除过量的ROS时表现出的动态变化过程不同,SOD的变化曲线是多阶段的,而CAT则表现为先诱导后恢复的趋势。SOD和CAT在变化趋势上有所不同,但均表现为明显的时间与效应的正相关关系和剂量与效应的正相关关系。这也为将鳃组织中SOD和CAT作为抗氧化生物标志物来监测微囊藻毒素对罗非鱼胁迫作用提供了一定的参考。试验为研究微囊藻毒素对罗非鱼的生态毒理学作用提供相应的资料,并为罗非鱼质量安全问题的研究打下一定的基础。     

Cl-BDE-208和BDE-209诱导LINE-1基因低甲基化和ESR1基因高甲基化

十溴联苯醚(BDE-209)是使用最多的一种多溴阻燃剂,由于具有高亲脂性和低挥发性,容易蓄积在生物体内,在人体血清、母乳、肝脏等组织中均有检出;其环境脱溴产物九溴一氯联苯醚(Cl-BDE-208)也在血清样品和环境样品中被频频检出,而目前对这种化合物的毒理学研究,特别是对人体早期健康效应的研究较少。为了评估Cl-BDE-208和BDE-209的早期健康效应,以人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7为模型,环境相关浓度(0.375~3μmol·L-1)为暴露浓度,检测Cl-BDE-208和BDE-209对重复序列LINE-1、全基因组DNA甲基化(GDM)和雌激素受体基因(包括ESR1和ESR2)甲基化水平的改变。结果表明,Cl-BDE-208和BDE-209都可能通过降低DNA甲基化转移酶(DNMTs)活性而诱导了LINE-1和GDM的低甲基化,8-羟基脱氧鸟苷(8-OHd G)水平的升高可能参与了BDE-209引起的低甲基化过程;同时通过促进雌激素受体α(ESR1)基因的高甲基化而显著下调了ESR1基因的表达,而对雌激素受体β(ESR2)基因甲基化水平并没有显著影响。Cl-BDE-208和BDE-209都可能通过改变DNA甲基化水平而影响人体的早期健康效应,同时ESR1基因的高甲基化可能是Cl-BDE-208和BDE-209引起内分泌毒性的机制之一。     

珠江主干和东江河流表层沉积物中有机磷酸酯阻燃剂/增塑剂分布

有机磷酸酯阻燃剂/增塑剂(organophosphate esters,OPs)用量大、环境分布广泛、毒理效应显著,已成为环境领域关注热点。采用超声辅助提取结合固相萃取技术和气相色谱-质谱分析,研究珠江主干和东江河流表层样品中7种常见OPs含量水平与分布特征。结果表明,研究区域沉积物中OPs分布广泛,珠江主干∑7OPs范围为78.9~577 ng·g~(-1),主要污染物为磷酸三(丁氧基乙基)酯(TBEP),其次为磷酸三丁酯(TBP)和磷酸三(2-氯)乙酯(TCEP),均值分别为84.6 ng·g~(-1)、55.6 ng·g~(-1)和27.8 ng·g~(-1);东江河段沉积物中∑7OPs含量范围为24.0~293 ng·g~(-1),以磷酸三甲苯酯(TTP)、磷酸三苯酯(TPh P)和TBEP为主要污染物,平均浓度分别为55.6 ng·g~(-1)、32.7 ng·g~(-1)和17.5 ng·g~(-1)。以上结果揭示了珠江和东江沉积物中有机磷阻燃剂/增塑剂的浓度和分布是明显不同的,可能与不同来源的点源排放有关。     

稳健统计在快速生物降解性试验质量分析中的应用

快速生物降解性试验在新化学物质的生态毒理测试中占据重要地位,其测试数据的可靠性直接影响后续的测试策略和物质的申报登记、以及新化学物质进入环境后的风险管理。为研究OECD 301系列试验(301B、301D和301F)的质量,选用本机构近5年来积累的标准化物质苯甲酸钠14 d快速生物降解率数据,首次采用稳健统计技术,以稳健总计统计量的Z比分数作为评价指标,对各试验数据和试验系统的质量开展评估。结果显示,当301B、301D和301F试验的苯甲酸钠降解率分别在63.8%~88.0%、63.4%~89.2%和66.0%~99.8%范围内时,表明测试结果满意,该批次试验数据质量良好;若苯甲酸钠降解率不在此范围,则表明测试结果可能存在问题,甚至得到的可能是错误数据,需要进一步验证。据此提出了对实际测试工作具有指导意义的质量分析对照表,以期为测试机构开展新化学物质快速生物降解性试验时的质量分析提供参考。     

固定化混合菌处理高盐含油废水

对固定化微生物的除油性能进行研究,结果表明:以甘蔗渣和海绵为载体的固定化微生物的除油效果比游离状态的微生物除油效果好。甘蔗渣的最佳投加量为20 g/L(干重),最佳固定化条件为:固定化时间为36 h、pH为6、温度为40℃,在最佳固定化条件下菌种接入废水24 h后,除油率达62%;海绵的最佳投加量为5 g/L(干重),最佳固定化条件为:固定化时间48 h、pH为7、温度为35℃,在最佳固定化条件下菌种接入废水24 h后,除油率达75.8%;以甘蔗渣为载体的固定化微生物在处理时间为108 h时,除油率达最高为84.5%,以海绵为载体的固定化微生物在处理时间为96h时,除油率达82.4%。