Maximum nitrogen removal in the step-feed activated sludge process.

This paper presents a mathematical framework that can be used to determine the flow distributions for a step-feed activated sludge process that result in maximum nitrogen removal. The model indicates that nitrogen removal efficiency in a step-feed activated sludge process is highly dependent on the ultimate biochemical oxygen demand (BOD(L))-to-total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) ratio of the wastewater. For typical domestic wastewater, which has a relatively high BOD(L)-to-TKN ratio, the step-feed process will outperform the Modified Ludzack-Ettinger process for nitrogen removal, when the flow to each step is optimally distributed. Using plant-specific water quality data and operating conditions from a 1-year period, nitrogen removal performance for four step-feed activated sludge plants operated by the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County (California) was calculated using the developed model. The calculated nitrogen removal efficiencies match well with the actual plant performance data. These results validate the model as a useful tool for predicting nitrogen removal in a step-feed activated sludge process. Other analyses revealed that improvements in nitrogen removal at existing facilities are achievable by adjusting the split of primary effluent flow to each anoxic zone several times during the day. The timing of the adjustments and the optimal flow splits can be determined from data on diurnal fluctuations in BOD(L) and TKN concentrations. An example is provided to illustrate the application of such an operating strategy and the potential enhancement of nitrogen removal.     

Quantification of the dissolved organic matter effect on the sorption of hydrophobic organic pollutant: application of an overall mechanistic sorption model

This study presents an overall sorption model to estimate the sorption equilibrium coefficients of hydrophobic organic pollutants for heterogeneous aquatic systems. This proposed model combines a series of sorption equilibrium relationships including the adsorption of dissolved organic matters on particulates, the binding between organic pollutants and dissolved organic matters, and the sorption of organic pollutants on particulates with or without the presence of dissolved organic matters. By using this model, variations among the sorption equilibrium coefficients with the concentrations of dissolved organic matters are obtained. Also discussed herein are case studies involving pollutants having a wide spectrum of K(ow)s, different types of dissolved organic matters, different pH values and ionic strengths. In most of the case studies, the sorption equilibrium coefficients initially increase with the-concentrations of dissolved organic matters and, then, decrease after reaching a maximum value. This study also addresses the relative errors of partition coefficients attributed to the negligence of the effect caused by the dissolved organic matter, the so-called third-phase effect.     

Mechanical Properties and Isothermal Crystallization Behaviour of Poly(lactide)/Poly(methyl methacrylate)/α-Cellulose Composites

Polylactide (PLA)/polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)/α-cellulose composites were fabricated using a twin-screw extruder. During fabrication, α-cellulose short fibres were incorporated for improving the toughness of the brittle PLA and a chain extender was used for reducing PLA hydrolysis. Highly transparent PLA and PMMA were blended to obtain miscible and transparent blends. For evaluating the performance of the PLA/PMMA/α-cellulose composites, a series of measurements, including tensile and Izod impact tests, light transmission and haze measurements, thermomechanical analysis, and determination of isothermal crystallisation behaviour, was conducted. Adding the chain extender considerably reduced the occurrence of hydrolytic degradation. Both the chain extender and α-cellulose short fibres increased the elongation at break and Izod impact strength of the composites. Compared with the neat PLA, including 1.0 wt% α-cellulose short fibres increased the elongation at break and Izod impact strength of the composite PLA by approximately 211 and 219 %, respectively. According to the observed mechanical performance, the optimal blending ratios for PLA and PMMA were between 90:10 and 80:20. The total light transmittance of the composites was as high as 91 %, indicating that the PLA/PMMA blend was highly miscible. The haze value of the PLA/PMMA/α-cellulose composites was lower than 32 %. Incorporating cellulose short fibres increased the number of crystallisation sites and crystallinity of the PLA/PMMA/α-cellulose composites while reducing the spherulite dimensions.     

Degradation of carbofuran in water by solar photocatalysis in presence of photosensitizers

The effect of the presence of photosensitizers, methylene blue (MB) and rose Bengal (RB), on the degradation of carbofuran (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethylbenzofuran-7-yl methylcarbamate) in water in a solar photocatalytic system was investigated. It was found that as compared to MB, RB generally showed a stronger effect on the decomposition of carbofuran under comparable conditions. Among the conditions studied, adding 2 x 10(-6) M of RB, that corresponding to 2% of the initial concentration of carbofuran solution in the system, rendered the most effective degradation of carbofuran. As a result, a carbofuran removal percentage of 69.9%, a mineralization efficiency of 28.0%, and a microtoxicity reduction of 65.0% could be achieved. The degradation and mineralization of carbofuran was found to follow the pseudo-first order reaction kinetics. The decomposition mechanism of carbofuran was further investigated through identification of the intermediates to elaborate the influence of dye photosensitizer on the solar photocatalysis of carbofuran in water. On the basis of the intermediates identified, including carbofuran phenol, 3-hydroxy carbofuran phenol, and substituted alcohols (3-phenoxy 1-propanol, 2-ethyl 1-hexanol, 2-butoxyl ethanol), it appears that hydrolysis and hydroxylation were the two key mechanisms for decomposing carbofuran during the process of solar photocatalysis with the aid of dye photosensitizer.     

华东区域PM2.5变化背景下浙江省人口经济暴露水平评估

利用1998~2012年卫星反演的细颗粒物(PM_(2.5))全球高精度产品数据集,精细化地给出了华东地区PM_(2.5)时空分布与变化特征,并分析了此背景下浙江省PM_(2.5)的人口经济暴露水平.结果表明1998~2012年期间,浙江省区域平均PM_(2.5)浓度整体变化呈现出先增加、后下降的特征,拐点出现在2007~2009年前后,与华东区域大背景的变化趋势一致.1998~2000年华东南部与山东东部的年平均PM_(2.5)浓度基本保持在50μg·m~(-3)以下,其余地区大多在50~75μg·m~(-3)左右,华东地区和浙江省PM_(2.5)浓度超过35μg·m~(-3)的地区分别占到51.8%和21.1%.1998~2009年PM_(2.5)浓度上升趋势非常明显,华东地区的平均变化趋势为2.58μg·(m~3·a)~(-1),浙江省的上升趋势较华东区域慢,为1.43μg·(m~3·a)~(-1).2007~2009年PM_(2.5)浓度达到最大,华东和浙江省超过35μg·m~(-3)的地区分别占到82.1%和65.9%.此后PM_(2.5)浓度呈现出下降的变化趋势,华东地区和浙江省的平均变化趋势分别为-1.75μg·(m~3·a)~(-1)和-1.58μg·(m~3·a)~(-1),PM_(2.5)浓度超过35μg·m~(-3)的地区比例均有所下降,说明政府颁布的一系列节能减排方针政策可能对华东地区的空气质量改善起到了一定的成效.2010年浙江地区PM_(2.5)暴露水平超过35μg·m~(-3)的人口比例和GDP比例分别为74.0%和70.8%,其中38.1%的人口生活的环境和38.9%的GDP产生的环境PM_(2.5)浓度年平均值在50μg·m~(-3)以上.     

基于群决策和层次分析法的长江中游地区农村污水处理技术评价及优选

长江流域农村污水治理是实现长江大保护的重要环节,但现有处理技术存在工艺多样、难以选择和缺少评价等问题.因此,调研收集了长江中游地区农村污水处理工程案例资料,分析了不同收集方式和排放标准下各处理技术的应用情况,构建了农村污水处理技术评价指标体系,并基于群决策和层次分析法对各处理技术进行了分类评价.结果表明,长江中游地区农村污水的收集方式以单村或小规模联村收集为主,处理规模主要集中在200 m³·d^-1以下,处理技术以厌氧+生态工艺应用最多(28.05%),一体化设备的应用也较为广泛(22.47%).评价指标体系准则层中技术性能权重最大(0.503 9),其次分别为经济效益(0.247 4)、运行管理(0.155 9)和环境影响(0.092 8),指标层中TP去除率、吨水运行成本、氨氮去除率和维护管理难易的权重较高.评价和优选结果表明,强化生态及厌氧+生态处理技术适于在长江中游农村地区推广和应用.研究结果可为长江中游地区农村污水处理技术的评估选择提供科学依据和参考.     

典型碳酸盐岩区耕地土壤剖面重金属形态迁移转化特征及生态风险评价

碳酸盐岩土壤母质区是我国耕地土壤重金属高含量的主要分布区,且耕地重金属迁移转化受到自然过程与人为活动的交互影响.以广西碳酸盐岩母质水田9条土壤剖面为研究对象,在分析测试土壤Cd、As、Zn、Cr、Cu、Hg、Ni和Pb含量、pH、Corg含量等土壤性质指标以及Cd、As、Zn和Cr赋存形态基础上,重点探讨了研究区耕地土壤重金属形态垂向分布特征、重金属生态风险以及对比在自然成土过程中和人为活动干扰下重金属迁移转化的影响因素.结果表明,研究区土壤剖面中Cd、As、Zn和Cr存在样本超农用地（水田）污染风险筛选值,Cd和As部分超管制值.土壤剖面Cd各形态均有一定比例分布,且随剖面深度由浅至深,Cd生态风险较高的水溶态、离子交换态比例呈显著下降趋势;土壤剖面As、Zn和Cr各深度段均以残渣态为主,随深度加深,水溶态和离子交换态比例变化不大.风险评价编码法（RAC）和次生相与原生相分布比值法（RSP）评价结果显示,研究区土壤Cd污染风险相对较高,总体上As、Zn和Cr处于无污染或无风险状态.研究区自然发育的土壤,黏土矿物含量和土壤发育程度对Cd迁移活动性的影响较为显著,而受人为活动影响的耕作层中,土壤pH与有机质含量则成为其迁移活动性的主控因素;土壤As的迁移能力主要与土壤有机质、Fe₂O₃含量以及土壤发育程度有关,但在耕作层中,有机质对其控制作用明显增强;土壤中Zn、Cr迁移能力的主控因素均为pH,而在人类活动干扰下,pH对其影响更为强烈.     

从低能耗脱盐到资源回收的电容去离子技术在环境领域的研究进展

电容去离子（CDI）技术因具有高效、节能、环保、经济等优异性能,自20世纪60年代发明至今,一直得到研究者的广泛关注。在查阅资料的基础上,从理论研究、工程应用、材料研究3个方面介绍了CDI技术的发展历程,并分析了其理论原理、电化学反应过程、能耗与经济性,并从运行条件和电极优化2个方面对效率的优化提升进行了深入探讨,介绍了CDI技术装置国内外产业化应用情况,提出了CDI技术不仅在脱盐及污水处理领域具有较大发展空间,在环境废物资源化回收方面同样具有广阔的应用前景。     

Estimating Air Quality in a Traffic Tunnel Using a Forecasting Combination Model

This study performs a field analysis of the diffusion collection rate coefficients of radial geometry passive samplers to measure NO₂ in a Mediterranean coastal area. The study shows that the collection rate coefficients are not constant and depend on certain environmental parameters as well as on the levels of some co-pollutants. A mathematical model, which explains the variation of the collection rate coefficient, has been established.