Joint action and lethal levels of toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene on midge (Chironomus plumosus) larvae

Aquatic ecosystems are vulnerable to the exposure with petrochemicals such as toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (o-, m-, and p-xylene) (TEX) and their adverse effects. Considering the widespread use, occurrence, and high toxicity of TEX, the aim of this work was to investigate the differential toxicity of TEX against midge (Chironomus plumosus) larvae and reveal the joint action of binary and ternary mixtures of TEX using the predictive concentration addition model. More importantly, this research can afford the basic toxicity data and scientific reference for the establishment of water quality criteria or benchmark, water pollution control, and aquatic risk assessment. Single and joint toxic effects of TEX on C. plumosus larvae were investigated using a semi-static bioassay, and the type of joint effects of TEX was ascertained. In the single toxicant experiments, the toxicity of the three pollutants could be sequenced as ethylbenzene > xylene > toluene. Specifically, LC_50s of T, E, and X after a 48-h exposure were 64.9, 37.8, and 42.0 mg/L, respectively. In the binary mixture experiments, the interaction between toluene and ethylbenzene, ethylbenzene and xylene, and toluene and xylene was largely in conformity with partial additive or additive effect as determined by isobologram representation and toxic unit models. In the ternary mixture experiments, the interaction was basically dependent on the use of additive index and mixture toxicity index methods. However, the antagonistic and synergistic actions were not significant. Thus, the tertiary mixture interaction could be regarded as additive action. The concentration addition model could successfully predict the joint action of TEX mixtures on C. plumosus larvae. Particularly, the additive action of TEX on C. plumosus larvae can be further recommended to evaluate water quality criteria of TEX.     

Simultaneous adsorption and degradation of Zn2+ and Cu2+ from wastewaters using nanoscale zero-valent iron impregnated with clays

Clays such as kaolin, bentonite and zeolite were evaluated as support material for nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) to simultaneously remove Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ from aqueous solution. Of the three supported nZVIs, bentonite-supported nZVI (B-nZVI) was most effective in the simultaneous removal of Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ from a aqueous solution containing a 100 mg/l of Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺, where 92.9 % Cu²⁺ and 58.3 % Zn²⁺ were removed. Scanning electronic microscope (SEM) revealed that the aggregation of nZVI decreased as the proportion of bentonite increased due to the good dispersion of nZVI, while energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) demonstrated the deposition of copper and zinc on B-nZVI after B-nZVI reacted with Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺. A kinetics study indicated that removing Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ with B-nZVI accorded with the pseudo first-order model. These suggest that simultaneous adsorption of Cu²⁺and Zn²⁺ on bentonite and the degradation of Cu²⁺and Zn²⁺ by nZVI on the bentonite. However, Cu²⁺ removal by B-nZVI was reduced rather than adsorption, while Zn²⁺ removal was main adsorption. Finally, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺ and total Cr from various wastewaters were removed by B-nZVI, and reusability of B-nZVI with different treatment was tested, which demonstrates that B-nZVI is a potential material for the removal of heavy metals from wastewaters.     

Distribution and temporal trend of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in one Shanghai municipal landfill, China

The scarcity of information on polybrominated diphenyl ethers’ (PBDEs) flow in landfill restricts the life cycle analysis of PBDEs. In this study, eight PBDE congeners (BDEs 28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183, and 209) in topsoil, vegetation leaves, leachate, and municipal aged refuse collected from Shanghai Laogang Municipal Landfill (SLML) were investigated. The present study revealed elevated PBDE concentrations in topsoil and proved PBDE leakage from SLML and vegetation uptake. BDE-209 was the predominant congener, and this could be due to massive usage of deca-BDE mixture in Shanghai. ΣPBDE concentrations in leachates treated by reed wetland and A²/O process fell in the low end of the worldwide range. ΣPBDE concentrations in aged refuse samples rose from under 50 ng/g dw in 1989 to the range of 5,150–5,718 ng/g dw in 2002. PBDE concentrations increase in aged refuse samples throughout the 1990s into the 2000s paralleled municipal solid waste output from 1991 to 2002 in Shanghai. Exponential increase in BDE-209 concentration in aged refuse suggested the increasing market demands for deca-BDE mixture after 1990 in China. Notably, the inventory of PBDEs in SLML was 28.7 MT, and the doubling time of BDE-209 in aged refuse was calculated to be 1.6 year. SLML can be considered as a source of PBDE and one main recipient of PBDE as well, receiving inputs predominantly from the PBDE-containing waste. Priority should be given to formulate regulation on PBDEs and sorting work before landfill disposal.     

Effective sorption of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) on hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide immobilized mesoporous SiO2 hollow sphere

The hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMAB) immobilized hollow mesoporous silica spheres were prepared for the efficient removal of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) from aqueous solution. Besides the traditional sorption behavior including sorption kinetics as well as effect of solution pH and temperature, the effect of increasing volume which simulated the natural river where the rate of solute and solvent was relatively constant and solution volume was always changing was investigated. The result indicated that the residual PFOS concentrations in aqueous phase decreased with increasing solution pH and ionic strength, whereas they increased with increasing temperature. The HDTMAB immobilized material still maintained high efficiency after increasing volume, that is, the removal kept more than 99% after the treatment when the initial PFOS concentration was 1 mg L^?1. The uptake behavior and morphology of spheres which was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the additional HDTMAB and mesoporous shell were responsible for the enhanced sorption of PFOS. It was concluded that electrostatic interaction and Ca-bridge role played an important role in the sorption of PFOS on the mesoporous SiO₂ hollow spheres, whereas, hydrophobic interaction contributed to the nice sorption performance of PFOS on the HDTMAB immobilized sorbent.     

矿化垃圾床＋三维电极／电Fenton法处理老龄垃圾渗滤液

提出以二级矿化垃圾床为预处理单元,串联三维电极／电Fenton处理老龄垃圾渗滤液的组合工艺。矿化垃圾床处理后渗滤液中COD、氨氮、总磷、色度的去除率分别为80．55％、88．47％、98．32％和87．53％。通过单因素实验和正交实验,确定了三维电极／电Fenton法最佳工艺条件。经该组合工艺后,渗滤液中COD、氨氮、总磷和色度的最高去除率分别可达97．08％、95．24％、99．55％和96．92％,其中COD、总磷、色度这3个指标低于《生活垃圾填埋场污染控制标准》（GB16889．2008）表2规定的排放标准,为该组合工艺在实际中的应用提供重要理论依据。     

有害物质环境测试组合舱的研制及性能评价

研制了一种新型有害物质环境测试组合舱,该测试舱由舱体系（内舱和外舱）、恒温恒湿空气处理系统、空气循环装置和信号控制与处理软件组成。该测试舱具有可分别使用内舱和外舱对样品进行测试的特点,并采用美国FLUNT公司开发的air pack软件包对内舱和外舱的气流进行模拟与计算,并划分出内舱的层流区域,同时也对舱体系的性能进行了测试与评价。结果表明,有害物质环境测试组合舱的温湿度的相对标准偏差分别为0.04℃和0.7%,混合性达到90.7%。因此,该有害物质环境测试组合舱对温湿度控制精准,气流稳定,混合性能良好,能为室内空气污染研究提供条件稳定的室内仿真环境。     

昆明市污水排水系统产甲烷规律的模拟实验研究

通过对昆明市餐饮和居民生活污水厌氧模拟实验研究,初步探讨生活污水中CH4的产生规律,实验结果表明,在自然条件下,餐饮和居民生活污水中产生的甲烷浓度最大值分别为1.63 mg/L和3.82 mg/L。并且将COD、硫酸盐、硫化物、TN的浓度变化与甲烷浓度变化进行Pearson简单相关性分析,结果表明,1/COD、COD/硫酸盐和1/TN与甲烷在置信度为0.01时极显著相关,硫化物与甲烷在置信度为0.05时不相关;COD、硫酸盐和TN浓度的变化对生活污水中甲烷的产生起关键性作用。对居民生活污水中甲烷产生规律进行温度和pH控制分析研究,实验结果表明,生活污水在25~30℃时,24 h内甲烷产生量最大值为8.6494 mg/L,明显大于其他温度段的甲烷产生量;在pH为7~8之间时,甲烷的产生量在24 h内达到的最大值为3.0477 mg/L,明显高于其他pH控制段的甲烷产生量。     

曝气沉砂池除砂机理分析

针对曝气沉砂池小试装置模型,通过配砂实验对沉砂池除砂率进行统计分析,研究曝气强度与HRT对沉砂池除砂率的影响。实验结果表明,不同曝气强度下,随着HRT变化,除砂率逐渐上升,并最终趋于平衡状态;不同HRT下,曝气强度与除砂率近似呈现一定的线性关系,且随着曝气强度的增大,除砂率降低;在HRT小于1min时,砂粒的运行路径和沉降时间缩短,不利于砂粒的去除;在HRT大于1min时,其中1、3和4min,随着气水比的增加除砂率降低幅度相对较小,曝气所引起的横向环流在一定程度上有利于砂粒的沉降,而HRT为2min时,除砂率降幅却很大,这与砂粒在曝气沉砂池池体断面分布有关,即断面处旋转流速和水平流速的大小变化将影响砂粒的运动;相比曝气强度,HRT对除砂率的影响较大。