Decolorization of cationic red X-GRL by wet air oxidation: performance optimization and degradation mechanism

The decolorization of a strong colored azo dye solution of cationic red X-GRL was investigated by wet air oxidation under relatively mild conditions (60-180 degrees C, PO2 = 0-1.2 MPa). Mono-factor experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of the operation factors and the relatively important parameters were selected for optimization using response surface methodology to explore the interactions of these relatively important parameters. Model regeneration analysis and the check experiments showed that the data of the general linear model agreed with the experiment results well. With multistage Monte-Carlo optimization, the best region of these variables could be predicted to dye color removal. At typical operational conditions, the intermediates of dye degradation were detected and confirmed by GC/MS system. Considering the intermediates and the structure analysis with the help of Gaussian 03W (version 6.0) and the theory of dye color, a possible degradation mechanism for the wet air oxidation of cationic red X-GRL was discussed and the probable degradation pathway was deduced.     

Biohydrogen production through fermentation using liquid swine manure as substrate

In this paper, continuous production of hydrogen through fermentation with liquid swine manure as substrate was researched using a semi-continuously fed fermenter (8 L in total volume and 4 L in working volume). The pH and temperature for the fermenter were controlled at 5.3 +/- 0.1 and 35 +/- 1 degrees C, respectively, throughout the experiment. Three hydraulic retention times (16, 20, and 24 h) were investigated for their impact on the efficiency and performance of the fermenter in terms of hydrogen yields. The results indicate that hydraulic retention time (HRT) has a strong influence on the fermenter performance. An increasing HRT would increase the variation in hydrogen concentration in the offgas. To produce hydrogen with a fairly consistent concentration, the HRT of the fermenter should not exceed 16 h, which, however, did not appear to be short enough to control methanogenesis because the offgas still contained about 5% methane. When methane content in the offgas exceeded 2%, an inverse linear relationship between hydrogen and methane was observed with a correlation coefficient of 0.9699. To increase hydrogen content in the offgas, methane production has to be limited to below 2%. Also, keeping oxygen content in the fermenter below 1.5% would increase the hydrogen concentration to over 15%. The product to substrate ratio was found to be around 50% for the fermenter system studied, evidenced by the observation that for every 6 liters of manure fermented, 3 liters of pure hydrogen were produced, which was significant and encouraging.     

Fluorine distribution in aquatic environment and its health effect in the Western Region of the Songnen Plain, Northeast China

Endemic fluorosis was investigated and studied in the west region of the Songnen plain, Northeast China in 2001–2002. The results showed that the fluorine distribution in aquatic environment was that the fluorine concentrations in the lake water and unconfined ground water were higher than that in the river water and confined ground water. The lake water (Alkali lake) is connected with unconfined ground water. In unconfined ground water, from the east and southeast areas to the west and the northwest areas of the plain, fluorine concentration fluctuated with high and low alternatively. The fluorine in the water comes from the weathering of rocks and minerals in the mountains and hills around the Songnen Plain. The main influence factors of the fluorine distribution in aquatic environment are discussed. Unconfined ground water containing high fluorine is used as drinking water. In this region, the fluorine concentration in drinking water is evidently correlated to the morbidity of dental and skeletal fluorosis. High fluorine concentration in drinking water has endangered human health.     

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.     

Degradation of octylphenol and nonylphenol by ozone - part I: direct reaction

This aqueous reaction between ozone and two alkylphenols (APs), namely octylphenol (OP) and nonylphenol (NP), has been investigated. Both compounds are important endocrine disrupting chemicals, which arise from the biodegradation of alkylphenol ethoxylates and are often found at relatively high concentrations in wastewater effluents. In this paper the results of an experimental study are presented which provide values for the reaction rate constants between molecular ozone and undissociated OP and NP, and overall reaction rate constants for the degradation of the two APs at pH values in the range of 7-9. The kinetic rate constants for OP and NP degradation by molecular ozone were 4.33(+/-0.18) x 10(4) and 3.90(+/-0.10) x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1), and the reaction stoichiometry was similar in both cases and equal to approximately 1.3:1 ([O3]:[AP]). The overall second order reaction rate constants for the two APs increased significantly with increasing pH, which is believed to be mainly due to the increasing influence of indirect radical reaction with increasing pH; this aspect is considered in more detail in a companion paper. A preliminary investigation of the reaction mechanism suggests that an initial product of ozonation is hydroxyl-alkyl phenol.     

Aerobic degradation of bisphenol A by Achromobacter xylosoxidans strain B-16 isolated from compost leachate of municipal solid waste

A novel bacterium designated strain B-16 was isolated from the compost leachate of the municipal solid waste (MSW) in a laboratory reactor. This strain was identified as a gram-negative bacterium, Achromobacter xylosoxidans that could grow on bisphenol A (BPA, a representative endocrine disruptor) as a sole carbon source under aerobic condition. BPA-degrading characteristics of strain B-16 were investigated in liquid cultures. The results show that BPA degradation was influenced by several factors (e.g. inoculum size, substrate concentration, temperature and pH, etc). The half-lives, optimum temperature and pH were found to be 0.58-3.1d, 35 degrees C and 7.0, respectively. BPA-degrading activity and cell growth were inhibited at high substrate concentration. Metabolic intermediates detected during the degradation process were identified as p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and p-hydroquinone, respectively. Metabolic pathway of BPA degradation was proposed in this study.     

Temporal change in the distribution patterns of hexachlorobenzene and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane among various soil organic matter fractions

Residence time-dependent distribution patterns of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) among different soil organic matter fractions of three Chinese soils were investigated. Soil organic matter (SOM) was fractionated into fulvic acid (FA), humic acid (HA), bound-humic acid (BHA), lipid, and insoluble residue (IR) fractions using methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) method. Results revealed that as the residence time prolonged, the amounts of HCB and DDT in the FA, HA and BHA fractions decreased, while those in the lipid and IR fractions increased. One- and two-compartment first order, and one- and two-parameter pore-diffusion kinetic models were used to describe the mobility of HCB and DDT from the FA, HA and BHA fractions. The results suggest that excellent agreements were achieved between the experimental data and fits to the two-compartment first order kinetic model (R2>0.97). The transfer rates of HCB and DDT followed the order FA>HA>BHA.     

Comparative on Causes and Accumulation of Selenium in the Tree-rings Ambient High-selenium Coal Combustion Area from Yutangba, Hubei, China

Toxic trace elements emitted during coal combustion are the main sources of air pollution. They are released into the atmosphere mainly in the forms of fine ash, smoke and flue, and thus adversely affect plant, animal and human health. Selenium is one of toxic and the most volatile in coal. Large amount of atmospheric emission of selenium, as well as selenium present and scrubber stockpiles in ash may create serious environmental problems. In the paper, on the basis of investigating the abundance and distribution of selenium in plant-rings during recent 20 years, the bioaccumulation of selenium is explained that selenium in plant, which were collected from the village of selenium-rich coal combustion, is much higher than that in plants collected away from the village of selenium-rich coal combustion. The main origins of selenium are selenium-rich coal combustion and high-selenium rock weathered. The selenium recycle by food chain and selenium will accumulate and redistribute in environments.     

Ambient Aerosol and its Carbon Content in Gainesville, a Mid-Scale City in Florida

Ambient aerosols were collected during 2000–2001 in Gainesville, Florida, using a micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI) to study mass size distribution and carbon composition. A bimodal mass distribution was found in every sample with major peaks for aerosols ranging from 0.32 to 0.56 μm, and 3.2 to 5.6 μm in diameter. The two distributions represent the fine mode (<2.5 μm) and the coarse mode (>2.5 μm) of particle size. Averaged over all sites and seasons, coarse particles consisted of 15% carbon while fine particles consisted of 22% carbon. Considerable variation was noted between winter and summer seasons. Smoke from fireplaces in winter appeared to be an important factor for the carbon, especially the elemental carbon contribution. In summer, organic carbon was more abundant. The maximum secondary organic carbon was also found in this season (7.0 μg m⁻³), and the concentration is between those observed in urban areas (15–20 μg m⁻³) and in rural areas (4–5 μg m⁻³). However, unlike in large cities where photochemical activity of anthropogenic emissions are determinants of carbon composition, biogenic sources were likely the key factor in Gainesville. Other critical factors that affect the distribution, shape and concentration were precipitation, brushfire and wind.     

Decomposition pathways and reaction intermediate formation of the purified, hydrolyzed azo reactive dye C.I. Reactive Red 120 during ozonation

In this study, an aqueous solution of purified, hydrolyzed C.I. Reactive Red 120 (RR 120, Color Index), was selected as a model to investigate the degradation pathways and to obtain additional information on the reaction intermediate formation. The dye was purified to avoid the influence of the impurities on the ozonation process and on the formation of oxidation by-products. To simulate the dye-bath effluents from dyeing processes with azo reactive dyes, a hydrolyzed form of the dye was chosen as a representative compound. High performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and its tandem mass spectrometry was chosen to identify the decomposition pathways and reaction intermediate formation during the ozonation process. In addition total organic carbon and high performance ion chromatography analysis were employed to obtain further information on the reaction processes during ozonation. Purified, hydrolyzed RR 120 was decomposed under the direct nucleophilic attack by ozone resulting in oxidation and cleavage of azo group and aromatic ring, while the triazine group still remained in the solution even after prolonged oxidation time (120 min) due to its high resistance to ozonation. Phenol, 1,2-dihydroxysulfobezene, 1-hydroxysulfonbezene were detected as the degradation intermediates, which were further oxidized by O(3) and *OH to other open-ring products and then eventually led to simple oxalic and formic acid identified by HPIC.