Dioxin-like activity in sediments from Tai Lake, China determined by use of the H4IIE-luc bioassay and quantification of individual AhR agonists

Deterioration of the general ecosystem and specifically quality of the water in Tai Lake (Ch: Taihu), the third largest freshwater in China, is of great concern. However, knowledge on status and trends of dioxin-like compounds in Tai Lake was limited. This study investigated AhR-mediated potency and quantified potential aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists in sediments from four regions (Meiliang Bay, Zhushan Lake, Lake Center, Corner of Zhushan Lake, and Meiliang Bay) of Tai Lake by use of the in vitro H4IIE-luc, cell-based, transactivation, reporter gene assay, and instrumental analysis. Concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (Bio-TEQs) in sediments ranged from less than the limit of detection to 114.5 pg/g, dry weight, which indicated that organic extracts of sediments exhibited significant AhR-mediated potencies. Results of the potency balance analysis demonstrated that acid-labile, dioxin-like compounds represented a greater proportion of concentrations of Bio-TEQs in sediments from Tai Lake. Concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents calculated as the sum of the product of concentrations of individual congeners and their respective relative potencies (Chem-TEQs) based on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and/or polychlorinated biphenyls represented no more than 10 % of the total concentrations of Bio-TEQs.     

Characterization of the interactions between tetracycline antibiotics and microbial extracellular polymeric substances with spectroscopic approaches

The antibiotics have attracted global attentions for their impact on aquatic ecosystem. The knowledge about the fate of antibiotics encountering extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) is, however, limited. In this study, we investigated the interacting mechanisms of tetracycline (TC) to EPS extracted from aerobic activated sludge. The contributions of the main components of EPS, extracellular proteins, and polysaccharides were evaluated using bovine serum albumin and alginate sodium, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance indicated that hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amino groups were the domain chemical groups involved in the interaction between TC and EPS, and the binding of TC onto EPS changed the structure of these chemical groups, thus causing shifts in their UV–visible absorption spectra. In addition, we found that extracellular proteins, rather than polysaccharides, were the major active contents involved in the interaction. Three-dimensional excitation–emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy showed that the fluorophores in EPS were clearly quenched by TC and the static quenching process was observed, implying the complex formation of TC and EPS. Furthermore, thermodynamic analysis indicated that the binding of TC with EPS is spontaneous and dominated by electrostatic forces.     

污泥膜覆盖好氧发酵堆体流场模拟及应用研究简

运用Gambit软件建立了污泥好氧发酵堆体的多孔介质模型,通过自行设计的实验装置获得了堆体的通风粘性阻力系数和惯性阻力系数以及功能膜压差与透气量之间的关系,用Fluent软件分析了堆体不同截面形状及底部通风管数量对堆体通风均匀性的影响,为确定合理的通风管数量及截面几何形状提供理论依据。对上海奉贤区城镇污水厂污泥处理工程发酵仓进行堆体流场模拟,确定堆体采用小拱形截面形状,堆高2 m,宽8 m,底部设置4条通风管,实际运行效果良好。     

Manganese concentrations in maternal–infant blood and birth weight

Manganese (Mn) is an essential mineral nutrient in mammals. The physiological role of Mn in animal models is well documented, but little is known about the adverse effects of Mn deficiency or overexposure in humans, including pregnancy outcomes such as birth weight. We examined the relationship of the maternal and cord blood Mn levels with birth weight in a cohort of 172 mother–infant pairs born in Shanghai, China. Non-linear spline and quadratic regression models were used to test the hypothesis of an inverted U-shaped association between the Mn levels and birth weight. The median (range) levels of Mn in the maternal and cord blood were 5.38 (2.34–30.37) μg/dL and 7.66 (2.57–34.23) μg/dL, respectively. An inverted U-shaped relationship was observed between maternal Mn and birth weight after adjusting for potential confounders. The birth weight increased with Mn levels up to 4.18 μg/dL, and a slight reduction in weight was observed at higher levels. The cord blood Mn levels were not found to be associated with birth weight. Both lower and higher Mn exposures are associated with lower birth weight, which may influence important developmental parameters; the association of higher Mn levels with lower weight was weak and imprecise.     

厦门市空气污染的空间分布及其与影响因素空间相关性分析

基于空间信息技术、克里格插值与空间相关矩阵,研究厦门市SO2、NO2、PM10和PM2.5污染浓度空间分布特征。通过提取人口密度、道路面积比重、建设用地比重、地表温度及植被指数等空气污染影响因素的空间分布数据,划分研究区为生态区、居住区与工业区,定量评价了污染物浓度与影响因素的空间相关性,并识别出各污染物的主要影响因素。结果表明:污染浓度分布总体上呈现出工业区-居住区-生态区递减的空间特征,其主要受工业排放和机动车排放的影响;SO2与除地表温度外的其他影响因数均有较强空间相关性,PM10和PM2.主要与道路面积比重、建设用地比重具有较强相关性,NO2则与道路面积比重的相关性最强,污染浓度与影响因数空间相关性呈现出工业区-居住区-生态区递增趋势;与按照行政区的划分相比,工业区、居住区、生态区的划分显得更为合理。     

蚯蚓生态滤池中蚯蚓与植物对污水净化的作用评估

构建具有不同蚯蚓和植物配置的4个单级蚯蚓生态滤池,依次编号为A(无蚯蚓无植物)、B(有蚯蚓无植物)、C(有蚯蚓栽种芦苇)和D(有蚯蚓栽种水生鸢尾)。通过比较4个滤池在6个月实验期间对化学需氧量(COD)和总氮(TN)的去除效率,系统分析蚯蚓和植物对滤池去除污染物的影响。实验分2个阶段进行:5月上旬至9月上旬,滤池进水碳氮比恒定为6;9月中旬至11月中旬,滤池每周进水碳氮比交替为3、6、9。研究结果表明,蚯蚓对滤池去除COD有一定的促进作用,且作用强度显著受到进水碳氮比的影响。植物的存在与种类对滤池去除COD效率没有显著影响。蚯蚓和植物对滤池的TN去除效率都没有显著影响。滤池进水的碳氮比是显著影响滤池去除TN效率的主要因素。     

镍渣的重金属浸出特性

在分析镍渣的矿物相组成和重金属元素含量的基础上,鉴定了镍渣样品的浸出毒性,并考察了pH、液固比和浸出时间等条件对镍渣样中铬、铅、铜和锌等重金属浸出特性的影响。结果表明,镍渣中的重金属总量约为渣样的0.9%,且铬、铜和锌的含量较高,需进行安全管理。实验所用镍渣样品为第Ⅰ类一般工业固体废物。在强酸条件下镍渣中重金属浸出浓度较大,pH3后浸出浓度显著降低;液固比40 L/kg时,镍渣中重金属不断溶出,液固比40 L/kg后,浸出达到饱和,浸出浓度趋于平衡;随着浸出时间的增加,重金属离子的浸出浓度先增加后减少,但由于各重金属性质不同,各重金属达到最大浸出浓度的时间不同。     

玉米秸秆活性炭的制备及其吸附动力学研究

以玉米秸秆为原材料,采用ZnCl2活化法制备玉米秸秆活性炭,吸附次甲基蓝染料废水,进行动力学分析。本实验用Langmuir和Freundlich模型对吸附等温线进行拟合,结果表明,玉米秸秆活性炭对次甲基蓝的吸附与Langmuir方程拟合良好,R2=0.9857。采用Lagergren准一级速率模型、Lagergren准二级速率模型、Bangham动力学方程和Elovich动力学方程分别对秸秆活性炭吸附次甲基蓝溶液进行吸附动力学拟合,通过分析得出吸附过程与Lagergren准二级速率模型拟合最好,R2=0.9979。秸秆活性炭对次甲基蓝的最大吸附量达到909.09 mg/g,具有很高的吸附能力。     

Characterization of the extracellular biodemulsifiers secreted by Bacillus cereus LH-6 and the enhancement of demulsifying efficiency by optimizing the cultivation conditions

A highly efficient demulsifying strain, LH-6, was isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil and identified as Bacillus cereus by 16S rDNA gene analysis. It achieved 95.61 and 95.40 % demulsifying ratios within 12 h for water-in-oil (W/O) and oil-in-water (O/W) model emulsions, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) detections indicated that the LH-6’s extracellular biodemulsifiers were different types of lipopeptides for the W/O and O/W emulsions. Optimization of the culture medium composition was conducted to improve the biosynthesis and demulsifying efficiency of the biodemulsifier. The optimal carbon source was liquid paraffin, while waste frying oil could also be an alternative carbon source. The optimal nitrogen sources were ammonium sulfate and yeast extract. To further enhance the biodemulsifier efficiency, the optimal cultivation conditions were determined using response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite rotation design (CCRD). Using the optimized cultivation conditions, the demulsifying ratios increased to 98.23 and 97.65 % for the W/O and O/W model emulsions, respectively.     

用褐铁矿制备聚硅氯化硫酸铁的研究

通过正交实验研究了用盐酸、硫酸、褐铁矿和硅酸钠制备聚硅氯化硫酸铁（PSFCS）絮凝剂的工艺条件。实验结果表明,浸取时间为2.5-3 h,浸取温度为110℃,硫酸浓度为6 mol/L,盐酸浓度为3 mol/L,质量液固比为4∶1,铁的浸出率可达95.7%-96.3%。溶液中加入少量聚乙烯醇作稳定剂,亚硝酸钠作氧化催化剂。PSFCS的合成条件：Fe/Si摩尔比为2,硅酸活化pH值为2,硅酸活化时间是30-40 min,陈化时间是2-2.5 h。与聚合硫酸铁（PFS）和聚合氯化铝（PAC）比较了处理印染废水的效果,表明PSFCS具有良好的絮凝性能,COD和浊度的去除率分别可达81.4%和96.1%。