Regional medical waste management in China: a case study of Shenyang

Medical waste management is of great importance due to its potential environmental and public health risks, especially in developing countries where both financial and technological resources on medical waste management are still lacking. Although many studies have focused on country-scaled medical waste management, few have paid close attention to regional (city-scale) management, particularly in China. This paper fills such a gap by employing a case study approach. Due to its representative nature, Shenyang was selected as the case study. After a review of China’s medical waste management, an empirical study in Shenyang was conducted in order to analyze the current state as well as identify key challenges on regional medical waste management. Based upon the local realities and aiming to better manage medical wastes, an integrated medical waste management framework is developed. Such a platform encourages the establishment of a specific medical waste management authority, a city scaled capacity building program on improving the general public’s awareness, an information platform, application of state-of-the-art technologies, as well as creation of an effective financial system. The combination of such initiatives can significantly improve the overall eco-efficiency of medical waste management at the regional level and should be promoted to other developing cities.     

Influence of the composition and removal characteristics of organic matter on heavy metal distribution in compost leachates

Compost leachates were collected to investigate the influence of the composition and removal of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), humic-like substances (HSs), and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) on heavy metal distribution during the leachate treatment process. The results showed that acetic and propionic acids accounted for 81.3 to 93.84 % of VFAs, and that these acids were removed by the anaerobic-aerobic process. Humic- and fulvic-like substances were detected by excitation–emission matrix spectroscopy coupled with parallel factor analysis, and their content significantly decreased after the anaerobic and membrane treatments. DON in compost leachates ranged from 26.53 mg L^-1 to 919.46 mg L^-1, comprised of dissolved free amino acids and the protein-like matter bound to humic- and fulvic-like substances, and was removed by the aerobic process. Correlation analysis showed that Mn, Ni, and Pb were bound to VFAs and protein-, fulvic-, and humic-like substances in the leachates. Co was primarily bound to fulvic- and humic-like matter and inorganic sulfurs, whereas Cu, Zn, and Cd interacted with inorganic sulfur.     

Characterizing the heavy metal-complexing potential of fluorescent water-extractable organic matter from composted municipal solid wastes using fluorescence excitation–emission matrix spectra coupled with parallel factor analysis

To investigate the effect of organic matter evolution on heavy metal sorption, fluorescence excitation–emission matrix (EEM) spectra combined with parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis were employed to characterize the evolution and metal-complexing potential of fluorescent water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) from composted municipal solid wastes (MSWs). The WEOMs examined comprised humic-, fulvic-, tryptophan-, and tyrosine-like substances. Composting treatment increased the content of humic- and fulvic-like matter, and changed the existence pattern of tryptophan- and tyrosine-like substances (i.e., the tryptophan- and tyrosine-like substances from uncomposted MSWs were mainly bound in protein-like matter, whereas those from composted MSWs were primarily bound in humic- and fulvic-like substances). Furthermore, composting treatment increased the polar functional group, aromaticity, and humification degree of the WEOMs, but decreased the aliphatic and hydroxyl group. These evolutions decreased the Cu(II) affinities of fulvic- and humic-like substances and the Pb(II) affinities and complexing capacities of fulvic-like substances, but increased the Cu(II) complexing capacities of fulvic- and humic-like substances. These results reveal that mature composts from the MSWs can be used for the remediation of Cu- and Pb-contaminated soils in situ, whereas immature composts can enhance the metal transferability from soil to plant.     

Temporal variations of benthic diatom community and its main influencing factors in a subtropical river, China

Benthic diatoms are the main component in many aquatic ecosystems such as streams, creeks and rivers, and they function as important primary producers and chemical modulators for other organisms in the ecosystems. In this study, the composition of benthic diatoms was investigated and further explored the primary physicals and chemicals affecting their temporal variations in the upper Han River, China. There were seasonal variations in physical and chemical variables in waters over the sampling period of 2007–2010. Water temperature (t), chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), silica and fluoride were much higher in the high flow season (i.e., July or August) than these in the base flow season. Three species Achnanthidium minutissimum (composed of 10.7 % of the total diatom abundance), Achnanthidium pyrenaicum (11.9 %), and Achnanthidium subatomus (12.7 %) accounting for more than 5 % of the total diatom abundance were persistently dominant in all seasons, while the other two prostrate and motile species including Eolimna minima and Nitzschia dissipata also dominant in the base flow season. The species richness always peaked in autumn with significant difference with summer (p?<?0.01), and density of benthic diatom varied and peaked in April. Analyses indicated that the temporal variation in benthic diatom communities was strongly related to t, nitrogen, organic pollutants (indicated by COD and DOC), and hydrological regime. The research will expand the understanding of water chemistry monitoring, and improve watershed- scale management and conservation efforts in the upper Han River, China.     

不同混合比牛粪玉米秸中温干发酵产沼性能

设置5组牛粪和玉米秸的混合物(干物质比为0∶1、1∶0、1∶1、1∶2、2∶1),研究其在中温35℃下干发酵产沼性能,以产沼性能最好实验组的实验数据为基础,对比研究了两类产气模型。研究结果显示:玉米秸与牛粪的混合干发酵运行效果较好;其中,牛粪和玉米秸干物质比为2∶1时产沼效果最好,产气量最高为81 209 mL,干物质产气率为0.312 m3/kg,整个发酵过程中产气量和甲烷的含量比较稳定,CH4含量最高达56.59%,总固体、挥发性固体的去除率相对较高,分别为26.11%和34.27%。一级动力学模型与多项式函数方程2个产气模型拟合检验结果显示,应用简单的多项式函数即可对产气情况进行相对准确的预测。     

钯修饰碳纳米管电极电催化氧化三氯生

采用钯修饰多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs)电极电催化氧化降解三氯生,考察了极板间距、电流密度、离子强度、pH、初始浓度和电解时间对三氯生去除效率的影响,并探讨了其反应动力学。结果表明:钯修饰多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs)电极电催化氧化降解三氯生的最佳条件为:三氯生初始浓度为50 mg/L,电流密度约为10 mA/cm2,极板间距为1 cm,pH为11,电解质Na2SO4浓度为1 000 mg/L。此条件下,反应时间为3 h时三氯生的去除率可达到99%以上,三氯生的降解为零级反应。     

PVDF/PMMA与PVDF/TPU共混膜抗污染性能研究及应用

观察新型五孔PVDF共混改性纤维膜SEM形貌特征,采用逐级通量法测定PVDF/PMMA和PVDF/TPU共混改性膜的临界通量,研究在次临界和超临界通量下A(PVDF/PMMA)与B(PVDF/TPU)2种管式膜组件的过滤和抗污染性能,并在次临界通量下处理地表水。结果表明,PVDF共混改性膜具有优良的微观结构,且膜B性能较好;膜A、B的临界通量分别为12 L/(m2.h)和10 L/(m2.h);膜组件B比膜组件A抗污染性能好。次临界通量下膜组件的运行比超临界通量下的稳定。与采用单独超滤处理某市地表水相比,2种膜组件采用混凝+超滤工艺的运行处理效果更好,且膜组件B比膜组件A处理效果佳。     

用于CO2捕集的Mg（OH）2粉末溶解速率

氢氧化镁是一种正在研究的用于脱除烟气中低浓度CO2的化学吸收剂。为了掌握工业用氢氧化镁粉末的溶解速率,利用缓冲溶液,在不改变溶液体积的情况下对不同悬浊液浓度、溶液温度、溶液pH值和搅拌速率情况下的氢氧化镁粉末溶解速率进行了研究。提高悬浊液浓度、提高溶液温度、降低溶液pH值和提高搅拌速率均能增大氢氧化镁的溶解速率。悬浊液浓度从0.1 mol/L增加到1 mol/L时,溶解速率增大了2.2倍;温度从23℃增加到52℃时,溶解速率增大了4.3～9.5倍;pH值从9.8降低到6.6时,溶解速率增大了78～225倍;搅拌速率从350 r/min增加到700 r/min时,溶解速率增大了1～2倍。     

Passive air monitoring of PCBs and PCNs across East Asia: a comprehensive congener evaluation for source characterization

A comprehensive congener specific evaluation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in the atmosphere was conducted across East Asia in spring 2008, applying polyurethane foam (PUF) disk passive air sampler (PAS) as monitoring device. Mean concentrations derived for Japan, China and Korea were 184 ± 24, 1100 ± 118, and 156 ± 20 pg m⁻³ for ∑₂₀₂ PCBs, and 9.5 ± 1.5, 61 ± 6, and 16 ± 2.4 pg m⁻³ for ∑₆₃ PCNs, respectively. Relative to reported data from 2004, the present results suggest that air PCBs concentrations have not changed much in Japan and Korea, while it has increased by one order of magnitude in China. From principal component analysis, combustion emerged highly culpable in contemporary emissions of both PCBs and PCNs across the East Asian sub-region. Another factor derived as important to air PCBs was re-emissions/volatilization. Signals from PCBs formulations were also picked, but their general importance was virtually consigned to the re-emissions/volatilization tendencies. On the contrary, counterpart PCNs formulations did not appear to contribute much to air PCNs.     

抗生素菌渣堆肥进程中微生物群落的变化

将青霉素菌渣、林可霉素菌渣与牛粪等原料分别进行好氧堆肥实验,以考察堆肥过程中不同菌渣对微生物群落的影响。在堆制的41d里,根据温度变化分阶段采集堆肥样品,采用稀释倒平板法测定细菌、放线菌和真菌的数量。结果表明,菌渣不同,其堆肥中的微生物群落变化趋势不同。青霉素菌渣堆肥中细菌数量变化趋势为高一低,真菌数量变化趋势为高一低．高,放线菌数量为逐渐增加;林可霉素菌渣堆肥过程中细菌数量变化趋势为低一高一低,放线菌和真菌数量变化趋势为高．低．高。依据真菌菌落形态观察,菌渣堆肥中的真菌种类比对照牛粪堆肥单一,表明两种菌渣对堆肥中的微生物多样性均产生了不利影响。林可霉素菌渣堆肥初始时的细菌数量比对照低1个数量级,放线菌数量在整个堆肥进程中都明显低于对照,堆肥结束时,随着菌渣含量的增加,放线菌数量逐渐下降,高温期真菌数量下降幅度随着菌渣含量增加而加大,表明林可霉素菌渣对细菌、放线菌和真菌均有不同程度的抑制。堆肥化后菌渣中林可霉素残留量的减少表明,在一定条件下堆肥处理可以将抗生素菌渣无害化和资源化。