Insights into sludge granulation during anaerobic treatment of high-strength leachate via a full-scale IC reactor with external circulation system

In this study, a full-scale internal circulation(IC) reactor coupled with an external circulation system was developed to treat high-strength leachate from a municipal solid waste(MSW)incineration plant, in which anaerobic sludge granulation was intensively investigated. Results showed that the IC reactor achieved excellent treatment performance under high organic loading rates(OLR) of 21.06–25.16 kg chemical oxygen demand(COD)/(m3? day). The COD removal efficiency and biogas yield respectively reached 89.4%–93.4% and 0.42–0.50 m3/kg COD.The formation of extracellular polymeric substances(EPS) was closely associated with sludge granulation. Protein was the dominant component in sludge EPS, and its content was remarkably increased from 21.6 to 99.7 mg/g Volatile Suspended Solid(VSS) during the reactor operation. The sludge Zeta potential and hydrophobicity positively correlated with the protein/polysaccharide ratio in EPS, and they were respectively increased from-26.2 m V and 30.35% to-10.6 m V and 78.67%, which was beneficial to microbial aggregation. Three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy(3 D-EEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR)analysis further indicated the importance of protein-like EPS substances in the sludge granulation. Moreover, it was also found that the secondary structures of EPS proteins varied during the reactor operation.     

Characteristics of molecular weight distribution of dissolved organic matter in bromide-containing water and disinfection by-product formation properties during treatment processes

The characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and bromide ion concentration have a significant influence on the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). In order to identify the main DBP precursors, DOM was divided into five fractions based on molecular weight (MW), trihalomethane formation potential and haloacetic acid formation potential were determined for fractions, and the change in contents of different fractions and total DBPs during treatment processes (pre-chlorination, coagulation, sand filtration, disinfection) were studied. Moreover, the relationship between bromide concentration and DBP generation characteristics in processes was also analyzed. The results showed that the main DBP precursors were the fraction with MW < 1 kDa and fraction with MW 3−10 kDa, and the DBP''s generation ability of lower molecular weight DOM (< 10 kDa) was higher than that of higher molecular weight DOM. During different processes, pre-chlorination and disinfection had limited effect on removing organics but could alter the MW distribution, and coagulation and filtration could effectively remove organics with higher MW. For DBPs, trihalomethanes (THMs) were mainly generated in pre-chlorination and disinfection, while haloacetic acids (HAAs) were mostly generated during pre-chlorination; coagulation and sand filtration had little effect on THMs but resulted in a slight removal of HAAs. In addition, the results of ANOVA tests suggested that molecular sizes and treatment processes have significant influence on DBP formation. With increasing bromide concentration, the brominated DBPs significantly increased, but the bromine incorporation factor in the processes was basically consistent at each concentration.     

Are current Chinese national ambient air quality standards on 24-hour averages for particulate matter sufficient to protect public health?

With rapid economic development and urbanization in recent decades, China has experienced the worsening of ambient air quality. For better air quality management to protect human health, Chinese government revised national ambient air quality standards(NAAQS) for particulate matter(PM) in 2012(GB3095-2012). To assess the effectiveness of current NAAQS for PM on public health in Chinese population, we conducted a metaanalysis on published studies examining the mortality risk of short-term exposure to PM with aerodynamic diameters less than 10 and 2.5 μm(PM_(10) and PM_(2.5)) in China. The reported24-hour concentrations of PM_(10) and PM_(2.5) in studies ranged from 43.5 to 150.1 μg/m~3 and 37.5 to 176.7 μg/m~3. In the pooled excess, mortality risk estimates of short-term exposure to PM.In specific, per 10 μg/m~3 increase in PM_(10), we observed increases of 0.40%(95%CI: 0.33%,0.47%), 0.57%(95%CI: 0.44%, 0.70%) and 0.49%(95%CI: 0.40%, 0.58%) in total, respiratory and cardiovascular mortality, per 10 μg/m~3 increase in PM_(2.5), we observed increases of 0.51%(95%CI: 0.38%, 0.63%), 0.62%(95%CI: 0.52%, 0.73%) and 0.75%(95%CI: 0.54%, 0.95%) in total,respiratory and cardiovascular mortality. Finally, we derived 125 μg/m~3 for PM_(10) and 62.5 μg/m~3 for PM_(2.5) as 24-hour recommendation values based on the pooled estimates. Our results indicated that current Chinese NAAQS for PM could be sufficient in mitigating the excess mortality risk from short-term exposure to ambient PM. However, future research on longterm exposure cohort studies in Chinese population is also essential in revising annual averages for PM in Chinese NAAQS.     

Insights into the formation of secondary organic carbon in the summertime in urban Shanghai

To investigate formation mechanisms of secondary organic carbon(SOC) in Eastern China,measurements were conducted in an urban site in Shanghai in the summer of 2015. A period of high O_3 concentrations(daily peak 120 ppb) was observed, during which daily maximum SOC concentrations exceeding 9.0 μg/(C·m~3). Diurnal variations of SOC concentration and SOC/organic carbon(OC) ratio exhibited both daytime and nighttime peaks. The SOC concentrations correlated well with O_x(= O_3+ NO_2) and relative humidity in the daytime and nighttime, respectively, suggesting that secondary organic aerosol formation in Shanghai is driven by both photochemical production and aqueous phase reactions. Single particle mass spectrometry was used to examine the formation pathways of SOC. Along with the daytime increase of SOC, the number fraction of elemental carbon(EC) particles coated with OC quickly increased from 38.1% to 61.9% in the size range of 250–2000 nm, which was likely due to gas-to-particle partitioning of photochemically generated semi-volatile organic compounds onto EC particles. In the nighttime, particles rich in OC components were highly hygroscopic, and number fraction of these particles correlated well with relative humidity and SOC/OC nocturnal peaks. Meanwhile, as an aqueous-phase SOC tracer, particles that contained oxalate-Fe(III) complex also peaked at night. These observations suggested that aqueous-phase processes had an important contribution to the SOC nighttime formation. The influence of aerosol acidity on SOC formation was studied by both bulk and single particle level measurements, suggesting that the aqueous-phase formation of SOC was enhanced by particle acidity.     

A green method to synthesize flowerlike Fe(OH)3 microspheres for enhanced adsorption performance toward organic and heavy metal pollutants

Dyestuffs and heavy metal ions in water are seriously harmful to the ecological environment and human health.Three-dimensional(3 D) flowerlike Fe(OH)_3 microspheres were synthesized through a green yet low-cost injection method,for the removal of organic dyes and heavy metal ions.The Fe(OH)_3 microspheres were characterized by thermal gravimetric analysis(TGA),Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR),and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) techniques.The adsorption kinetics of Congo Red(CR) on Fe(OH)_3 microspheres obeyed the pseudo-second-order model.Cr~(6+) and Pb~(2+) adsorption behaviors on Fe(OH)_3 microspheres followed the Langmuir isotherm model.The maximum adsorption capacities of the synthesized Fe(OH)_3 were 308,52.94,and 75.64 mg/g for CR,Cr~(6+),and Pb~(2+) respectively.The enhanced adsorption performance originated from its surface properties and large specific surface area of 250 m~2/g.The microspheres also have excellent adsorption stability and recyclability.Another merit of the Fe(OH)_3 material is that it also acts as a Fenton-like catalyst.These twin functionalities(both as adsorbent and Fenton-like catalyst) give the synthesized Fe(OH)_3 microspheres great potential in the field of water treatment.     

Behaviors and kinetics of toluene adsorption‐desorption on activated carbons with varying pore structure

This work was undertaken to investigate the behaviors and kinetics of toluene adsorption and desorption on activated carbons with varying pore structure. Five kinds of activated carbon from different raw materials were selected. Adsorption isotherms and breakthrough curves for toluene were measured. Langmuir and Freundlich equations were fitted to the equilibrium data, and the Freundlich equation was more suitable for simulating toluene adsorption. The process consisted of monolayer, multilayer and partial active site adsorption types. The effect of the pore structure of the activated carbons on toluene adsorption capacity was investigated. The quasi-first-order model was more suitable for describing the process than the quasi-second-order model. The adsorption data was also modeled by the internal particle diffusion model and it was found that the adsorption process could be divided into three stages. In the external surface adsorption process, the rate depended on the specific surface area. During the particle diffusion stage, pore structure and volume were the main factors affecting adsorption rate. In the final equilibrium stage, the rate was determined by the ratio of meso-and macro-pores to total pore volume. The rate over the whole adsorption process was dominated by the toluene concentration. The desorption behavior of toluene on activated carbons was investigated,and the process was divided into heat and mass transfer parts corresponding to emission and diffusion mechanisms, respectively. Physical adsorption played the main role during the adsorption process.     

静压快速启动亚硝酸盐依赖型甲烷厌氧氧化反应

在序批式反应器(SBR)中接种污水厂厌氧池污泥和深层水稻土的1∶1混合污泥,在阶段性提升基质NO_2~--N浓度的条件下,考察静压条件对亚硝酸盐依赖型甲烷厌氧氧化(nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation,N-DAMO)反应快速启动过程的影响,并对N-DAMO反应的主导微生物的丰度变化进行分析.结果表明运行120 d后,常压(R1)和0.3 MPa静压(R2)条件下,都观测到了明显的N-DAMO现象,并且R2的NO_2~--N去除速率达到了36.90 mg·(L·d)~(-1),较R1提高了24%;其4 h内平均脱氮速率(以NO_2~--N计)达到0.10 mmol·(L·h)~(-1),比R1提高了186%.R2中富集得到的污泥粒径约为R1的2倍,比表面积更大,优化了污泥中甲烷的传质情况,有助于N-DAMO反应的进行,且R2污泥的N-DAMO比活性(以N/VSS计)达到了0.29 mg·(g·h)~(-1),是R1的2倍.此外,静压有助于N-DAMO功能微生物Candidatus Methylomirabilish oxyfera(M.oxyfera)的生长,实验结束时R2中M.oxyfera细菌16S rRNA基因的丰度比接种初期提高了22倍,是同阶段R1中的10倍.可见,提高静压能够有效促进N-DAMO反应的启动.     

包装废弃物添加脱氯半焦制备SRF的热解及动力学特性

利用热重红外分析仪(TG-FTIR)对包装废弃物添加了4种不同比例脱氯半焦制备而成的固体衍生燃料(SRF)的热解特性及热反应动力学进行了研究分析.研究发现,4种燃料热解过程主要包括4个阶段,其中300~400℃和400~500℃为两个主要失重阶段.前一阶段,SRF-1失重显著高于SRF-2、SRF-3和SRF-4,而后一阶段失重分别呈2、3、4倍增加.4种燃料热解残余量的顺序为SRF-4SRF-3SRF-2SRF-1,即添加了脱氯半焦的燃料热解程度越高.FTIR分析表明,添加了脱氯半焦的SRF燃料第三失重峰处不产生氯代烃.随脱氯半焦添加量的增加,第二失重峰CO2产生的浓度减少;第三失重峰CH4析出浓度增加;第四失重峰CO2析出的浓度增加.采用DEAM分布活化能法得到,转化率α0.3时,SRF-2和SRF-3的活化能均高于SRF-1的活化能,0.3α0.9时(α为0.6时除外),SRF-2、SRF-3和SRF-4 3种燃料的活化能低于SRF-1,且SRF-1的活化能呈升高的趋势,而其他3种燃料呈相反趋势.脱氯半焦的添加有利于SRF燃料的热解.     

投加颗粒活性炭强化餐厨垃圾的厌氧处理

通过投加颗粒活性炭（GAC）强化直接种间电子传递（DIET）进而提升餐厨垃圾的厌氧产甲烷处理效能,并研究了GAC投加导致的微生物群落变化.研究发现,投加了GAC的实验组反应器能够在更高的有机负荷下（10.4kgCOD/（m³·d））稳定运行并维持较高的甲烷产率,不投加GAC的对照组在有机负荷7.8kgCOD/（m³·d）时甲烷产率及pH值均明显降低,挥发酸大量积累,反应器酸化崩溃.微生物群落结构分析发现,GAC表面富集了大量可以胞外电子传递的细菌（占细菌丰度的34%）和可以参与DIET的产甲烷菌（占古菌丰度的88%）,表明GAC的加入可以有效富集这两类微生物的生长,并可能通过GAC强化DIET促进了餐厨垃圾的厌氧消化.     

中国水土资源本底匹配状况研究

论文以中国水资源二级区为基本单元,利用单位面积水资源量法和基尼系数法,以二级区水资源总量和潜在可开垦耕地面积为数据基础,评价中国水土资源本底匹配状况,为中国水土资源优化配置提供科学依据。首先根据适宜农作物耕种的高程、坡度和土壤类型条件,得到中国潜在可开垦耕地分布;然后,计算单位潜在可开垦耕地面积水资源量,评价中国水土资源本底匹配分布状况;最后,绘制水土资源洛伦兹曲线,计算基尼系数,对中国水土资源本底匹配总体状况进行评价。研究结果表明： 1）中国北部区域潜在可开垦耕地较多,西南部和南部沿海区域分布较少,未来具有较大耕地开发潜力的区域主要分布在北方; 2）中国本底水资源和潜在可开垦耕地资源空间分布存在严重错位; 3）较之已有研究成果中依据水资源量和耕地面积计算的基尼系数0.566,论文以本底水资源和潜在耕地为基础数据计算的基尼系数0.712要大很多,表征中国本底水土资源不匹配程度要严重得多,中国80%的水资源服务不到23%的潜在可开垦耕地。