Distribution and bioavailability of ceria nanoparticles in an aquatic ecosystem model

Along with the increasing utilization of engineered nanoparticles, there is a growing concern for the potential environmental and health effects of exposure to these newly designed materials. Understanding the behavior of nanoparticles in the environment is a basic need. The present study aims to investigate the distribution and fate of ceria nanoparticles in an aquatic system model which consists of sediments, water, hornworts, fish and snails, using a radiotracer technique. Concentrations of ceria in the samples at regular time intervals were measured. Ceria nanoparticles were readily removed from the water column and partitioned between different organisms. Both snail and fish have fast absorption and clearance abilities. Hornwort has the highest bioaccumulation factors. At the end of the experiment, sediments accumulated most of the nanoparticles with a recovery of 75.7 ± 27.3% of total ceria nanoparticles, suggesting that sediments are major sinks of ceria nanoparticles.     

Harvesting of Chlorella sp. using hollow fiber ultrafiltration

Introduction

The suitability of the application of ultrafiltration (UF) to harvest Chlorella sp. from the culture medium was examined. We investigated the effects of two improved UF system, forward air?Cwater flushing and backwash with permeate, on the concentration process.

Materials and methods

Backwash with permeate was selected as an optimization of the improved UF system, which was more effective for permeate flux recovery. Moreover, the hollow fiber UF system by adding periodical backwash with permeate was examined for Chlorella sp. harvesting.

Results and discussion

It was found that Chlorella sp. could be concentrated with high recovery in a lab-scale experiment. An overall algal biomass recovery of above 90% was achieved when the volume concentration factor was 10. For an original biomass of 1.3?±?0.05?g/L, 1?min backwash followed by 20?min forward concentrating was more effective, which resulted in a recovery of 94% and a high average flux of 30.3?L/m²/h. In addition, the algal recovery was highly correlated to the volume concentration factor and the initial biomass. A high concentration factor or a high initial biomass resulted in a low biomass recovery.     

Urbanisation and human health in China: spatial features and a systemic perspective

Background, aims and scope

Current studies have paid little attention to the dynamism in urban spatial expansion and its possible environmental and health effects or to the health effects of rapid urban environmental change at different points along the urbanisation gradient. This study adopts a public health ecology approach to systematically understand the relationship between urbanisation, urban environmental change and human health in China.

Method

Remote sensing image analysis, based on night light data at five different time periods in recent decades, was used to determine changes to the overall urban area. Through a review of the evidence on the relationships between environmental health, urbanisation and health, we advance a pathway framework for explaining urban human health ecology. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to measure the correlation between disease prevalence and urbanisation level, adding a further dimension to a systemic understanding of urban health.

Results and conclusions

Urban areas have been increasing spatially, but unevenly, in recent decades, with medium and small cities also expanding rapidly in the past decade. Urbanisation and urban expansion result in changes to land use/coverage change, the urban environment and the residents?? lifestyle, which result in human health problems. Regions with the highest urbanisation level were more inclined to have a high prevalence of chronic disease in recent decades. An ecological public health approach provides insights into the multiple types of data which need to be routinely collected if human disease is not to become a barrier to social and economic development.     

石油类污染物自然衰减能力现场试验验证研究

在北京地区某加油站开展的前期石油类污染物自然衰减现场试验的基础上,进一步开展了验证试验,结果表明本次试验得到的挥发性有机物(VOCs)变化趋势及O2、CO2含量沿土壤深度分布和前期试验结果呈现相同的规律,说明基于自然衰减法设计实施的加油站现场试验检测分析结果可靠,试验方法具有合理性、可操作性及可重复性.进一步的理论分析对前期试验结果进行了验证,得出以下结论:(1)通过氧平衡和碳平衡计算对加油站土壤内的自然衰减方式进行评价,验证了该加油站地下土壤中实际发生的微生物降解既有需氧降解也有厌氧降解;(2)利用有机物的一级衰减模型对该污染现场土壤中石油类污染物的降解速率和半衰期进行计算表明,2次试验计算得到的石油类污染物的半衰期基本一致,该污染现场石油类污染物的半衰期为50 d左右;(3)在此基础上,对该加油站包气带土壤的自然衰减能力和环境质量进行评价,2次试验结果均表明该污染现场在自然衰减的作用下已经不存在环境风险.     

聚环氧琥珀酸萃取锰泥残渣中铬的研究

聚环氧琥珀酸(PESA)是一种具有无磷及非氮结构、环境友好型水溶性聚合物,且具有螯合多价金属阳离子的性能和可生物降解性的特征,选取其作为锰泥残渣中铬的螯合萃取剂,研究了不同pH、螯合萃取剂剂量、搅拌时间下PESA对铬的萃取率。结果表明:(1)最佳萃取条件为pH=4、PESA剂量30mg/g、搅拌时间60min;在最佳萃取条件下,铬的萃取率可达95%。(2)从结构上看,PESA是由醚基和羧基基团组成的高分子聚合物,羧基基团是与金属离子作用的主要官能团,它对Ca2+、Mg2+、Zn2+、Cr(Ⅲ)、Cr(Ⅵ)和Pb2+等有较强的螯合能力;从溶液的配位角度看,PESA与金属有较强的结合能力。因此,PESA对锰泥残渣中的铬有萃取作用。     

垃圾焚烧飞灰有毒重金属固化稳定技术研究综述

采用焚烧法处理生活垃圾正呈快速增长的趋势,焚烧过程产生的飞灰中所含有的大量有毒重金属对自然环境和人类生存都造成极大影响。阐述了目前常用的几种固化稳定垃圾焚烧飞灰有毒重金属的方法,综合分析了其固化特点和优缺点,并初步探索了一种低能耗环境下实现高温熔融处置技术的有效途径,从而为垃圾焚烧飞灰高温固化稳定有毒重金属的实施提供一定的理论基础和技术支持。     

C/N和pH值对高温好氧反硝化菌产N2O的影响研究

以50℃高温、好氧条件下能进行高效好氧反硝化的菌株TAD1为研究对象,在不同C/N和pH值培养条件下,对其24 h的反硝化效率和反硝化过程中N2O的逸出量进行了研究。结果显示,C/N和pH值对菌株TAD1的反硝化效率和N2O产生量有明显影响.菌株TAD1最适宜的C/N为9,pH值为7,此时反硝化效率达到99.12%,N2O产生量仅为3.35×10-2 mg/L,N2 O转化率为0.045%,反硝化产物以氮气为主。另外,菌株TAD1不适宜在酸性条件下生长,pH值为6时反硝化效率为83.18%,N2O产生量为13.88×10-2 mg/L,是pH值为7时的4.14倍,是pH值为8时的5.07倍。     

生物柴油促进原油污染砂粒释放油

对4种生物柴油促进原油污染砂粒释放油的效果进行了研究,并探讨了菜籽生物柴油投加量和砂粒粒径对促进效果的影响。结果表明,菜籽生物柴油的促进效果最好,8 h释放量达到73%,废油脂生物柴油的效果最差,仅为52%;生物柴油的促进效果随着投加量的增大而升高,当投加量超过海水体积的5%时促进效果不再明显增加;在生物柴油作用下,小粒径砂粒上原油的释放效果优于大粒径砂粒。     

活性污泥的耐盐驯化培养

以某污水处理厂二沉池好氧污泥为接种污泥,采用逐步提高盐度和稳定盐度2种方法对活性污泥进行耐盐性驯化培养,考察驯化结果表明,前一种方法更有利于耐盐菌的培养。对比不同盐度情况下各项指标的去除效果得出:本实验污泥适宜盐度为1%。使用稳定进水盐度的方法,出水指标及各指标的去除率均低于逐步提高盐度法,且镜检结果表明大量微生物死亡。     

絮凝-微纳气泡法处理采油废水

对采自胜利油田的采油废水,分别进行了聚硅硫酸铁(PFSS)絮凝法、微纳气泡法和絮凝-微纳气泡联合法处理,考察了处理过程对采油废水水质和所配制聚合物(部分水解聚丙烯酰胺)溶液粘度的影响。结果表明,均可有效降低废水的矿化度、油含量和悬浮物含量,明显提高用其配制的聚合物溶液的粘度;联合处理效果明显高于单独采用絮凝或微纳气泡处理的效果。所处理后的废水可有望代替淡水用于油田现场配制聚合物驱油体系,在消除油田污水环境污染的同时,可节约淡水资源。