Assessment of Potential Capability of Water Bamboo Leaves on the Adsorption Removal Efficiency of Cationic Dye from Aqueous Solutions

Removal of toxic pollutants from water and wastewater is becoming an important process with the increase of industrial activities. The present study focused on assessing the suitability and efficiency of water bamboo leaves (WBL) for the removal of cationic dye from aqueous solutions. The effect of different variables in the batch method including solution pH (2–12), initial dye concentration (50–250 mg L^?1), adsorbent dose (0.05–0.30 g), contact time (5–180 min) and temperature (283–333 K) on the dye removal was investigated. The adsorption kinetics was discussed in view of four kinetics models. The results showed that the pseudo-second-order kinetics model described dye adsorption on WBL very well. The experimental equilibrium data were also tested by four isotherm models. It was found that adsorption of dye on WBL fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model, implying the binding energy on the whole surface of the adsorbent was uniform and the dye molecules onto the surface of the adsorbent were monolayer coverage. Calculation of various thermodynamic parameters of the adsorption process indicated feasibility and exothermic nature of dye adsorption.     

规模化畜禽养殖业零排放模式探究

针对中国畜禽养殖业污染日益严重的现状,在分析现阶段中国规模化畜禽养殖业污染治理现状的基础上,提出运用循环经济的理论,因地制宜的采取污染物减排措施.分别从废水、粪便资源化利用以及病死猪的无害化处理三个角度分析了规模化畜禽养殖业的零排放模式,加快推进了生态环境治理体系和治理能力的现代化,从而实现资源整合,提高畜禽养殖废弃物处理设备的利用效率,将污染物变成可再生的资源,为规模化畜禽养殖业污染物处理实现零排放及循环利用提供参考.     

关于绿色建筑体系与低碳经济的探讨

针对绿色建筑体系与低碳经济的探讨问题,介绍了什么是绿色建筑,提出了绿色建筑是中国低碳经济建设的必然要求,探讨了绿色建筑的发展,主要包括:国外某些国家绿色建筑的发展和中国绿色建筑的发展,提出了绿色建筑的认识误区,主要包括绿色并不等于高价格和高成本、绿色建筑不仅局限于新建建筑和建筑节能不只是政府的职责,总结出中国绿色建筑的推广与运用,主要是研究和推广符合中国国情的绿色建筑、大力推广“绿色建筑”的标识和中国绿色建筑推广的实例.     

Accelerated photo-transformation of 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 153) in water by dissolved organic matter

The ubiquitous dissolved organic matter (DOM) has an important influence on transformation of organic contaminants through the production of reactive substances, such as ^?OH, ¹O₂, and ³DOM*. The photolysis of a higher chlorinated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener (2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl, PCB 153) under simulated sunlight in presence of humic acid (HA) was investigated. Degradation of PCB 153 was accelerated significantly by the addition of HA, with a rate constant of 0.0214, 0.0413, and 0.0358 h^?1 in the initial 18 h of irradiation in presence of 1, 5, and 20 mg/L HA, respectively. The main photodegradation products analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry were 4-hydroxy-2,2′,4′,5,5′-pentaCB and 2,4,5-trichlorobenzoic acid. Main reactive species involved were determined by the electron spin-resonance spectroscopy, including ¹O₂ and ^?OH. Special scavengers were added to elucidate the photolysis mechanisms. By using the specific scavengers, it turned out that ^?OH accounted for 29.3 % of the degradation, and the intra-DOM reactive species (¹O₂, ^?OH, and ³DOM*) accounted for 59.6 % of the degradation. Photo-transformation sensitized by DOM, which involves both aqueous and intra-DOM reactions of PCBs with reactive species, may be one of the most important mechanisms for natural attenuation of PCBs.     

Determination of S02 Emission from Oil Combustion Sources by Fuel Analyses and S02/C02 Relations

The current S0₂ emission test methods, based on wet chemistry, are time consuming and costly. Final results depend on at least 10 separate measurements of quantities which may introduce significant errors due to human factors especially under unfavorable field environment. Performance evaluation of several promising S0₂ instrumental methods indicated that results were reliable and reproducible, but instrumental problems still exist. The problems were found to be calibration, mechanical and electronic components, and sample conditioning system. An alternative method proposed requires only two separate analyses: ultimate fuel analysis and stack gas analysis for C0₂. This method can be further simplified with reasonable accuracy by a single measurement of sulfur in the fuel if results are corrected to 12% C0₂. The method can be a useful addition to the current methods, especially if cost and manpower preclude actual stack tests. A test program was conducted at four industrial and utility power plants. Results are presented with discussion to show the application and validity of the simplified method.     

Evaluating growth of larval walleye pollock, Theragra chalcogramma, using cell cycle analysis

Cell cycle analysis of muscle cell division rates offers a new and efficient technique to analyze growth of larval fish. Using this approach, growth of larval walleye pollock was estimated by determining cell proliferation rates, reasoning that growth during early life stages is probably attributed to increases in cell number rather than to increases in cell size. Characteristic patterns of brain and muscle cell division rates were produced in larval walleye pollock by manipulating their diet in the laboratory. The fraction of dividing muscle cells and, to a lesser extent, the fraction of dividing brain cells were direct indicators of fast and slow growth. A model was produced to estimate average growth rate from the fraction of dividing muscle cells. We developed a simple method for preparing and storing the muscle tissue that ensures nucleic acid stability for subsequent analyses and permits sampling in the field. We envision that the cell cycle methodology will have on-site applications, presenting an opportunity to attain real-time estimates of larval fish growth at sea. Determining the proportion of first-feeding larvae with a high fraction of dividing muscle cells may yield a means for predicting the proportion of fast-growing fish, i.e., the potential survivors.     

Spatial distribution patterns of rock fragments and their underlying mechanism of migration on steep hillslopes in a karst region of Yunnan Province,China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In mountainous areas, rock fragments (RFs) are a common feature on the soil surface and in topsoil. Few studies, however, have investigated the...     

The drivers for contractors’ green innovation: an industry perspective

In the construction industry, contractors have been facing the challenge to meet the emerging needs related to the reduction of environmental impacts during the construction process. Generally, the commitment of efforts and resources from contractors to meet these needs is motivated by the influence exerted from environmental regulations and stakeholder demands. However, managerial environmental concerns and size of firms also account as key factors affecting the adoption of green construction practices. Therefore, the aim of this research is to identify those factors influencing contractors to adopt green construction practices by using data gathered from a survey. From the results, it has been found that managerial concern is the most important driver for the adoption of green practices. Significant relationships have also been found between government regulations and business size with the adoption of green construction practices. However, there is no significant evidence on the relationship among the adoption of green construction practices with perceived stakeholders’ pressures. The findings from this study are significant in the understanding on the factors of green construction management. This knowledge may contribute to better decision-making towards implementing green construction practices.     

Colloidal diatomite, radionickel, and humic substance interaction: a combined batch, XPS, and EXAFS investigation

This work determined the influence of humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) on the interaction mechanism and microstructure of Ni(II) onto diatomite by using batch experiments, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) methods. Macroscopic and spectroscopic experiments have been combined to see the evolution of the interaction mechanism and microstructure of Ni(II) in the presence of HA/FA as compared with that in the absence of HA/FA. The results indicated that the interaction of Ni(II) with diatomite presents the expected solution pH edge at 7.0, which is modified by addition of HA/FA. In the presence of HA/FA, the interaction of Ni(II) with diatomite increased below solution pH 7.0, while Ni(II) interaction decreased above solution pH 7.0. XPS analysis suggested that the enrichment of Ni(II) onto diatomite may be due to the formation of (≡SO)₂Ni. EXAFS results showed that binary surface complexes and ternary surface complexes of Ni(II) can be simultaneously formed in the presence of HA/FA, whereas only binary surface complexes of Ni(II) are formed in the absence of HA/FA, which contribute to the enhanced Ni(II) uptake at low pH values. The results observed in this work are important for the evaluation of Ni(II) and related radionuclide physicochemical behavior in the natural soil and water environment.