Vertical distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in atmospheric boundary layer of Beijing in winter

Air samples were collected using active samplers at various heights of 8, 15, 32, 47, 65, 80, 102, 120, 140, 160, 180, 200, 240, 280 and 320 m on a meteorological tower in an urban area of Beijing in two campaigns in winter 2006. Altitudinal distributions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in atmospheric boundary layer of Beijing in winter season were investigated. Meteorological conditions during the studied period were characterized by online measurements of four meteorological parameters as well as trajectory calculation. The mean total concentrations of 15 PAHs except naphthalene of gaseous and particulate phase were 667±450 and 331±144 ng m⁻³ in January and 61±19 and 29±6 ng m⁻³ in March, respectively. Domestic coal combustion and vehicle emission were the dominant PAH sources in winter. Although the composition profiles derived from the two campaigns were similar, the concentrations were different by one order of magnitude. The higher concentrations in January were partly caused by higher emission due to colder weather than March. Moreover, weak wind, passing through the city center before the sampling site, picked up more contaminants on the way and provided unfavorable dispersion condition in January. For both campaigns, PAH concentrations decreased with heights because of ground-level emission and unfavorable dispersion conditions in winter. The concentration ratio of PAHs in gas versus solid phases was temperature dependent and negatively correlated to their octanol–air partition coefficients.     

Nitrogen Export from an Agriculture Watershed in the Taihu Lake Area, China

Temporal changes in nitrogen concentrations and stream discharge, as well as sediment and nitrogen losses from erosion plots with different land uses, were studied in an agricultural watershed in the Taihu Lake area in eastern China. The highest overland runoff loads and nitrogen losses were measured under the upland at a convergent footslope. Much higher runoff, sediment and nitrogen losses were observed under upland cropping and vegetable fields than that under chestnut orchard and bamboo forest. Sediment associated nitrogen losses accounted for 8–43.5% of total nitrogen export via overland runoff. N lost in dissolved inorganic nitrogen forms (NO ₃ ^– -N + NH ₄ ⁺ -N) accounted for less than 50% of total water associated nitrogen export. Agricultural practices and weather-driven fluctuation in discharge were main reasons for the temporal variations in nutrient losses via stream discharge. Significant correlation between the total nitrogen concentration and stream discharge load was observed. Simple regression models could give satisfactory results for prediction of the total nitrogen concentrations in stream water and can be used for better quantifying nitrogen losses from arable land. Nitrogen losses from the studied watershed via stream discharge during rice season in the year 2002 were estimated to be 10.5 kg N/ha using these simple models.     

Selection of a water-extractable phosphorus test for manures and biosolids as an indicator of runoff loss potential

The correlation of runoff phosphorus (P) with water-extractable phosphorus (WEP) in land-applied manures and biosolids has spurred wide use of WEP as a water quality indicator. Land managers, planners, and researchers need a common WEP protocol to consistently use WEP in nutrient management. Our objectives were to (i) identify a common WEP protocol with sufficient accuracy and precision to be adopted by commercial testing laboratories and (ii) confirm that the common protocol is a reliable index of runoff P. Ten laboratories across North America evaluated alternative protocols with an array of manure and biosolids samples. A single laboratory analyzed all samples and conducted a separate runoff study with the manures and biosolids. Extraction ratio (solution:solids) was the most important factor affecting WEP, with WEP increasing from 10:1 to 100:1 and increasing from 100:1 to 200:1. When WEP was measured by a single laboratory, correlations with runoff P from packed soil boxes amended with manure and biosolids ranged from 0.79 to 0.92 across all protocol combinations (extraction ratio, filtration method, and P determination method). Correlations with P in runoff were slightly lower but significant when WEP was measured by the 10 labs (r=0.56-0.86). Based on laboratory repeatability and water quality evaluation criteria, we recommend the following common protocol: 100:1 extraction ratio; 1-h shaking and centrifuge 10 min at 1500xg (filter with Whatman #1 paper if necessary); and determining P by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry or colorimetric methods.     

Evaluating technological innovation impact: an empirical analysis of the offshore wind sector

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study analyzed the determinants that impact innovation on offshore wind energy (OSW) for a select group of countries, applying mixed-method...     

Adsorption of benzene,cyclohexane and hexane on ordered mesoporous carbon

Ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) with high specific surface area and large pore volume was synthesized and tested for use as an adsorbent for volatile organic compound (VOC) disposal. Benzene, cyclohexane and hexane were selected as typical adsorbates due to their different molecular sizes and extensive utilization in industrial processes. In spite of their structural differences, high adsorption amounts were achieved for all three adsorbates, as the pore size of OMC is large enough for the access of these VOCs. In addition, the unusual bimodal-like pore size distribution gives the adsorbates a higher diffusion rate compared with conventional adsorbents such as activated carbon and carbon molecular sieve. Kinetic analysis suggests that the adsorption barriers mainly originated from the difficulty of VOC vapor molecules entering the pore channels of adsorbents. Therefore, its superior adsorption ability toward VOCs, together with a high diffusion rate, makes the ordered mesoporous carbon a promising potential adsorbent for VOC disposal.     

螺旋升流式反应器与SBR生物除磷系统的比较研究

利用螺旋升流式反应器(Spiral Up-Flow Reactor，SUFR)进行了生物除磷的试验研究，并且与SBR反应系统的处理效果进行了对比分析。SUFR反应系统稳定运行六个月的结果表明，对COD和TP的去除率分别达94％和96％以上，优于SBR的处理效果。流态试验表明SUFR反应器的螺旋流动特征使其接近于推流式反应器，有利于在空间上形成有机物的梯度分布。而且SUFR反应器的螺旋升流特征有利于微生物种群的多样化及颗粒污泥的形成，使得该系统所形成的微生物生态系统更稳定，污泥指数较低，污泥的稳定性较好。     

Investigation into the content and formation of trihalomethanes and molecular change of dissolved organic matter from a typical water plant in south China

Trihalomethanes (THMs) are a class of disinfection by-products that were proved to have adverse effects to human health. Investigation into its content change and molecular composition variation of its main precursor, which is believed to be dissolved organic matter (DOM) during water purification process, can help understand the formation mechanism of THMs and optimize the processes in drinking water treatment plant (DWTP). This is of great significance to ensure the safety of urban water supply. In this study, detailed changes of THMs’ content and formation potential were determined during the water purification process in summer and winter at a typical DWTP in south China. Specific molecular composition changes of DOM were also characterized by ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry, to comprehensively study its correlation with the formation of THMs in different water processing units and seasons. The result showed that chlorination will cause drastic changes of water quality and a sharp increase in the concentration of THMs (18.7 times in summer and 13.9 times in winter). Molecular-level characterization of DOM indicates that a range of lignin-like substance with lower O/C (<?0.5) and H/C (<?1.25) vanished and considerable amount of protein-like and tannins-like substance with higher H/C (>?1.25) and O/C (>?0.5) was formed after chlorination. Analysis of Cl-containing products demonstrated that a bulk of CHOCl₁ and CHOCl₂ compounds with moderate molecular weights were formed in both winter and summer. However, the newly formed CHOCl₁ molecules showed a relatively higher mass weight in summer (>?500 Da) compared to winter (300–500 Da). Seasonal differences also emerged in the result of correlation between the trihalomethanes formation potential and total organic carbon. The correlation coefficient in summer (0.500) was lower than that in winter (0.843). The results suggested that the exhaustive reaction and contribution of DOM to THMs may vary in different seasons.

     

Insights into measurements of water-soluble ions in PM2.5 and their gaseous precursors in Beijing

To better understand the characteristics and transformation mechanisms of secondary inorganic aerosols, hourly mass concentrations of water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) in PM_2.5 and their gaseous precursors were measured online from 2016 to 2018 at an urban site in Beijing. Seasonal and diurnal variations in water-soluble ions and gaseous precursors were discussed and their gas-particle conversion and partitioning were also examined, some related parameters were characterized. The (TNH₃) _Rich was also defined to describe the variations of the excess NH₃ in different seasons. In addition, a sensitivity test was carried out by using ISORROPIA II to outline the driving factors of gas-particle partitioning. In Beijing, the relative contribution of nitrate to PM_2.5 has increased markedly in recent years, especially under polluted conditions. In the four seasons, only a small portion of NO₂ in the atmosphere was converted into total nitrate (TNO₃)_, and more than 80% of TNO₃ occurred in the form of nitrate due to the abundant ammonia. The concentration of total ammonia (TNH₃) was much higher than that required to neutralize acid gases, and most of the TNH₃ occurred as gaseous NH₃. The nitrous acid (HONO) concentration was highly correlated with NH₃ concentration and had increased significantly in Beijing compared with previous studies. The total chloride (TCl) was the highest in winter, and ε(Cl^?) was more sensitive to variations in the ambient temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) than ε(NO₃^?).     

A screen-printed, amperometric biosensor for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides in water samples

An amperometric biosensor based on screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) was developed for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides in water samples. The extent of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) deactivation was determined and quantified for pesticide concentrations in water samples. An enzyme immobilization adsorption procedure and polyacrylamide gel matrix polymerization were used for fabrication of the biosensor, with minimal losses in enzyme activity. The optimal conditions for enzyme catalytic reaction on the SPEs surfaces were acetylthiocholine chloride (ATChCl) concentration of 5 mmol/L, pH 7 and reaction time of 4 min. The detection limits for three organophosphorus pesticides (dichlorvos, monocrotophs and parathion) were in the range of 4 to 7 g/L when an AChE amount of 0.1 U was used for immobilization.     

Anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria: ecological distribution,metabolism, and microbial interactions

The unique characteristics of anammox bacteria were reviewed. Ecological distribution and nitrogen loss contributions were well documented. Ecological interactions between anammox bacteria and other organisms were discussed. Anammox (ANaerobic AMMonia OXidation) is a newly discovered pathway in the nitrogen cycle. This discovery has increased our knowledge of the global nitrogen cycle and triggered intense interest for anammox-based applications. Anammox bacteria are almost ubiquitous in the suboxic zones of almost all types of natural ecosystems and contribute significant to the global total nitrogen loss. In this paper, their ecological distributions and contributions to the nitrogen loss in marine, wetland, terrestrial ecosystems, and even extreme environments were reviewed. The unique metabolic mechanism of anammox bacteria was well described, including the particular cellular structures and genome compositions, which indicate the special evolutionary status of anammox bacteria. Finally, the ecological interactions among anammox bacteria and other organisms were discussed based on substrate availability and spatial organizations. This review attempts to summarize the fundamental understanding of anammox, provide an up-to-date summary of the knowledge of the overall anammox status, and propose future prospects for anammox. Based on novel findings, the metagenome has become a powerful tool for the genomic analysis of communities containing anammox bacteria; the metabolic diversity and biogeochemistry in the global nitrogen budget require more comprehensive studies.