Applicability of LIVE/DEAD BacLight stain with glutaraldehyde fixation for the measurement of bacterial abundance and viability in rainwater

Rainwater contains substantial bacteria and rain is an efficient pathway for the dissemination of bacteria from the atmosphere to land and water surfaces.However,quantitative information on rainwater bacteria is very limited due to the lack of a reliable method.In this study,the epifluorescence microscopy enumeration with the LIVE/DEAD BacLight Bacterial Viability Kit stain was verified to quantify the abundance of viable and non-viable bacterial cells in rainwater,with the 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole(DAPI) stain for the reference of total cell counts.Results showed that the total counts of bacterial cells by LIVE/DEAD BacLight staining were consistent with those by DAPI staining,and the average detection efficiency was(109 ± 29)%.The ratio of cell count with glutaraldehyde fixation to that without fixation was(106 ± 5)%on average.The bacterial concentration in negative control was usually an order of magnitude lower than that in rainwater samples.However,in case of small precipitation,the abundance in negative control could be more than that in rainwater samples.These results indicate that the enumeration with LIVE/DEAD BacLight bacterial viability assay coupled with glutaraldehyde fixation and careful negative control investigation is an approach applicable to the measurement of the concentration and viability of bacterial cells in rainwater.     

Metal distribution characteristic of MSWI bottom ash in view of metal recovery

Bottom ash is the major by-product of municipal solid waste incineration(MSWI), and is often reused as an engineering material, such as road-base aggregate. However, some metals(especially aluminum) in bottom ash can react with water and generate gas that could cause expansion and failure of products containing the ash; these metals must be removed before the ash is utilized. The size distribution and the chemical speciation of metals in the bottom ash from two Chinese MSWI plants were examined in this study, and the recovery potential of metals from the ash was evaluated. The metal concentrations in these bottom ashes were lower than that generated in other developed countries. Specifically, the contents of Al,Fe, Cu and Zn were 18.9–29.2, 25.5–32.3, 0.7–1.0 and 1.6–2.5 g/kg, respectively. Moreover,44.9–57.0 wt.% of Al and 55.6–75.4 wt.% of Fe were distributed in bottom ash particles smaller than 5 mm. Similarly, 46.6–79.7 wt.% of Cu and 42.9–74.2 wt.% of Zn were concentrated in particles smaller than 3 mm. The Fe in the bottom ash mainly existed as hematite, and its chemical speciation was considered to limit the recovery efficiency of magnetic separation.     

Control of aliphatic halogenated DBP precursors with multiple drinking water treatment processes: Formation potential and integrated toxicity

The comprehensive control efficiency for the formation potentials(FPs) of a range of regulated and unregulated halogenated disinfection by-products(DBPs)(including carbonaceous DBPs(C-DBPs), nitrogenous DBPs(N-DBPs), and iodinated DBPs(I-DBPs)) with the multiple drinking water treatment processes, including pre-ozonation, conventional treatment(coagulation–sedimentation, pre-sand filtration), ozone-biological activated carbon(O_3-BAC) advanced treatment, and post-sand filtration, was investigated. The potential toxic risks of DBPs by combing their FPs and toxicity values were also evaluated.The results showed that the multiple drinking water treatment processes had superior performance in removing organic/inorganic precursors and reducing the formation of a range of halogenated DBPs. Therein, ozonation significantly removed bromide and iodide,and thus reduced the formation of brominated and iodinated DBPs. The removal of organic carbon and nitrogen precursors by the conventional treatment processes was substantially improved by O_3-BAC advanced treatment, and thus prevented the formation of chlorinated C-DBPs and N-DBPs. However, BAC filtration leads to the increased formation of brominated C-DBPs and N-DBPs due to the increase of bromide/DOC and bromide/DON.After the whole multiple treatment processes, the rank order for integrated toxic risk values caused by these halogenated DBPs was haloacetonitriles(HANs)》haloacetamides(HAMs) haloacetic acids(HAAs) trihalomethanes(THMs) halonitromethanes(HNMs) 》I-DBPs(I-HAMs and I-THMs). I-DBPs failed to cause high integrated toxic risk because of their very low FPs. The significant higher integrated toxic risk value caused by HANs than other halogenated DBPs cannot be ignored.     

On the effect of Fe(III) on proliferation of Microcystis aeruginosa at high nitrate and low chlorophyll condition

The impact of Fe concentrations on the growth of Microcystisaeruginosa in aquatic systems under high nitrate and low chlorophyll conditions was studied. The responses of cell density, total and cell chlorophyll-a intracellular Fe content and organic elemental composition of M. aeruginosa to different concentration gradients of Fe(III) in the solutions were analysed. The results showed that the proliferation speeds of M. aeruginosa were: (1) decelerated when the Fe(III) concentration was lower than 50 μg/L in the solutions, (2) promoted and positively related to the increase of Fe(III) concentration from 100 to 500 μg/L in the solutions over the experimental period, and (3) promoted in the early stage but decelerated in later stages by excess adsorption of Fe by cells when the Fe(III) concentration was higher than 500 μg/L in the solutions. The maximum cell density, total and cell chlorophyll-a were all observed at 500 μg Fe(III)/L concentration. The organic elemental composition of M. aeruginosa was also affected by the concentration of Fe(III) in the solutions, and the molecular formula of M. aeruginosa should be expressed as C_7–7.5H₁₄O_0.8–1.3N_3.5–5 according to the functions for different Fe(III) concentrations. Cell carbon and oxygen content appeared to increase slightly, while cell nitrogen content appeared to decrease as Fe(III) concentrations increased from 100 to 500 μg/L in the solutions. This was attributed to the competition of photosynthesis and nitrogen adsorption under varying cell Fe content.     

In-situ synthesis of TiO2 rutile/anatase heterostructure by DC magnetron sputtering at room temperature and thickness effect of outermost rutile layer on photocatalysis

TiO_2 rutile/anatase heterostructure thin films with varying rutile thickness have been in-situ synthesized via DC magnetron sputtering with Ar gas at room temperature. The crystal texture, surface morphology, energy gap and optical properties of the films have been investigated by X-ray diffraction meter, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction meter, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and UV–visible spectrophotometer, which indicates that the rutile/anatase heterostructure films are successfully fabricated. The further degradation experiments display that the photocatalytic activity can be dramatically affected by the thickness of the outmost rutile layer and the 100 nm thickness exhibits the best performance in all of the TiO_2 thin films. With the increase of the outmost rutile layer, the optical band gap of TiO_2 film displays a systematic decrease slightly. However,the change in photocatalytic activity does not coincide with that in the band gap. The photoresponse and electrochemical properties of the thin films have been characterized to understand the mechanism of the varied photocatalytic activity.     

Pd-MnO2 nanoparticles/TiO2 nanotube arrays (NTAs) photo-electrodes photo-catalytic properties and their ability of degrading Rhodamine B under visible light

Pd-MnO_2/TiO_2 nanotube arrays(NTAs) photo-electrodes were successfully fabricated via anodization and electro deposition subsequently; the obtained Pd-MnO_2/TiO_2 NTAs photo electrodes were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy(SEM), X-ray diffraction(XRD) and characterized accordingly. Moreover, the light harvesting and absorption properties were investigated via ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectrum(DRS); photo degradation efficiency was investigated via analyzing the photo catalytic degradation of Rhodamine B under visible illumination(xenon light). The performed analyses illustrated that Pd-MnO_2 codoped particles were successfully deposited onto the surface of the TiO_2 nanotube arrays;DRS results showed significant improvement in visible light absorption which was between400 and 700 nm. Finally, the photo catalytic degradation efficiency results of the designated organic pollutant(Rhodamine B) illustrated a superior photocatalytic(PC) efficiency of approximately 95% compared to the bare TiO_2 NTAs, which only exhibited a photo catalytic degradation efficiency of approximately 61%, thus it indicated the significant enhancement of the light absorption properties of fabricated photo electrodes and their yield of UOH radicals.     

后处理设施给水系统可靠性的GO法研究

后处理设施给水系统是后处理设施重要的公用系统,对后处理设施的稳定、安全运行至关重要.给水系统的可靠性需要深入分析,应用GO法进行了研究.获得了给水系统的平均故障概率、最小割集、重要度等可靠性指标.结果表明,给水系统的可靠性比较高,符合单一故障准则,二阶最小割集对系统故障的贡献最大,应该采取措施予以消除.进一步深入对比分析GO法与故障树法,结果显示,对于给水系统的可靠性分析,GO法有建模容易且图形简洁的优点.     

野外环境生长的薰衣草精油抑菌作用测定方法比较研究

采用滤纸片法和混合法对野外环境生长的薰衣草精油的抑菌作用进行了研究,并对两种试验方法进行了比较,测定了最小抑菌浓度(MIC)与最小杀菌浓度(MBC),以期充分发挥薰衣草精油的抑菌作用.滤纸片法结果表明:薰衣草精油对多数实验菌都有抑菌作用,对枯草杆菌则未表现出抑制作用;混合法实验显示:薰衣草精油对实验菌均有抑菌作用,精油浓度与抑菌作用成线性相关,抑菌作用较滤纸片法效果更好.在使用时,可用于表面喷涂、熏蒸,还可将精油作为安全的食品添加剂,提高食品的保鲜效果,保证其品质.     

因子分析在黄河上游干流地区滑坡灾害中的应用

黄河上游地区干流滑坡灾害频繁发生,造成了严重的经济损失和人员伤亡。对该区滑坡灾害进行研究,对于指导该区的抗灾、减灾和预防工作意义重大。采用遥感技术和野外采样实测,获取了研究区的129处滑坡灾害数据,进而对滑坡灾害影响因素进行了因子分析。通过因子分析,得到公因子,并对公因子命名。在此基础上,计算了因子得分及综合得分,并对其进行了排序。研究结果表明:灾害数据变量之间有较强的相关性,滑坡发生主要受到滑体标高因子、滑体外形因子、地表因子、环境因子和滑体性质5个公共因子的影响。滑体标高、环境特征和滑体性质对滑坡的影响较大,滑体外形因素和地表因素对滑坡发生的影响相对较小。     

地质雷达在监测地下水石油烃污染中的应用

随着我国工业迅速发展,石油烃污染威胁地下水安全问题逐渐暴露出来。地质雷达作为一种非破坏性的原位探测技术在国外已广泛应用于地下水监测,由于石油烃在地质雷达图谱上通常显示出高阻异常特征,这为探测地下水中的石油烃污染提供了可能。简述了地质雷达探测石油烃的原理,探测效果的影响因素,并列举了部分国外实例,证实了地质雷达探测地下水石油烃污染的可行性。