Effects of pH, Fe, and Cd on the uptake of Fe2+ and Cd2+ by rice

The rhizosphere plays an important role in altering cadmium (Cd) solubility in paddy soils and Cd accumulation in rice. However, more studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism controlling rice Cd solubility and bioavailability under different rhizosphere conditions to explain the discrepancy of previous studies. A rice culture with nutrient solution and vermiculite was conducted to assess the effects of pH, Eh, and iron (Fe) concentration on Cd, Fe fractions on the vermiculite/root surface and their uptake by rice. The solution pH was set from 4.5 to 7.5, with additions of Fe (30 and 50 mg L^?1) and Cd (0.5 and 0.9 mg L^?1). At pH 5.5, the Eh in the rice rhizosphere was higher whereas transpiration, Cd²⁺, and Fe²⁺ adsorption on the vermiculite/root surface and accumulation in rice were lower than the other pH treatments. Cadmium addition had no impact on pH and Eh in rice rhizosphere while Fe addition decreased pH and increased Eh significantly. Compared with control, Fe addition resulted in the decrease of rhizosphere Cd, Fe solubility and bioavailability. Higher redox potential in the rice rhizosphere resulted in the decline of transpiration, Cd, and Fe accumulation in the rice tissues, suggesting that the transfer of two elements from soil to rice was depressed when the rhizosphere was more oxidized.     

The growth and Cu and Zn uptake of pakchois (Brassica chinesis L.) in an acidic soil as affected by chicken or pig manure

In a pot experiment, pig manure (PM) and chicken manure (CM) were applied to an acidic soil at application rates of 2%, 4% and 8% (W/W) to evaluate their effects on the growth, Cu and Zn uptake and transfer of five cultivars of pakchoi (Brassica chinesis L.). The results showed that alkaline manures significantly increased the biomass of pakchois, and also pH and electrical conductivity of the soil. Both 0.01 M CaCl₂ and 1.0 M NH₄NO₃ salt solutions predict the Zn transfer from soil to pakchois well, but not for Cu. For the cultivar Siyueman, the transfer factors of Cu (or Zn) in the PM treatments were higher than that in the CM treatments. In our experiment the Cu and Zn concentrations in pakchois did not exceed the Chinese Food Hygiene Standard, but more attention should be paid to heavy metals risk on pakchois at lower soil pH and salt impairment by manures application.     

Antioxidant and metabolism responses to polyphenol stress in cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa

Three common polyphenol compounds Gallic Acid (GA), Pyrogallic Acid (PA) and Catechol (CA) are known to have allelochemical-exhibiting inhibitory effects on the growth of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa). Metabolism and antioxidant responses in M. aeruginosa were investigated to elucidate the mechanism by which the three polyphenols inhibit algal growth. The inhibition effects of polyphenols were in the order of CA > PA > GA. The GA and CA exposures increased protein contents, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity and soluble sugar, especially for exposure to GA of 25 mg L^?1. Soluble sugar content increased significantly especially when exposed to CA for 72 h. When exposed to PA, protein content, and SOD and CAT activities initially increased but over longer treatment time the activities decreased, in contrast to sugar content. Our results suggest that PA exposure for longer periods of time may inhibit catabolism action, while CA exposure could induce more oxide stress than GA or PA. The overall study showed that polyphenol-induced oxidative damage might be responsible for polyphenol inhibition on M. aeruginosa growth. The increases in cellular antioxidant enzymes and soluble sugar may have been to counteract the oxidative stress.     

Occurrence and distribution of organic trace substances in waters from the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

This study deals with the evaluation of water quality of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in order to assess its suitability as a raw water source for drinking water production. Therefore, water samples from (1) surface water, (2) tap water, and (3) wastewater treatment plant effluents were taken randomly by 2011–2012 in the area of the TGR and were analyzed for seven different organic contaminant groups (207 substances in total), applying nine different analytical methods. In the three sampled water sources, typical contaminant patterns were found, i.e., pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in surface water with concentrations of 0.020–3.5 μg/L and 0.004–0.12 μg/L, disinfection by-products in tap water with concentrations of 0.050–79 μg/L, and pharmaceuticals in wastewater treatment plant effluents with concentrations of 0.020–0.76 μg/L, respectively. The most frequently detected organic compounds in surface water (45 positives out of 57 samples) were the pyridine pesticides clopyralid and picloram. The concentrations might indicate that they are used on a regular basis and in conjunction in the area of the TGR. Three- and four-ring PAH were ubiquitously distributed, while the poorly soluble five- and six-ring members, perfluorinated compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, were below the detection limit. In general, the detected concentrations in TGR are in the same range or even lower compared to surface waters in western industrialized countries, although contaminant loads can still be high due to a high discharge. With the exception of the two pesticides, clopyralid and picloram, concentrations of the investigated organic pollutants in TGR meet the limits of the Chinese Standards for Drinking Water Quality GB 5749 (Ministry of Health of China and Standardization Administration of China 2006) and the European Union (EU) Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption (The Council of the European Union 1998), or rather, the EU Directive on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy (The European Parliament and The Council of the European Union 2008). Therefore, the suggested use of surface water from TGR for drinking water purposes is a valid option. Current treatment methods, however, do not seem to be efficient since organic pollutants were detected in significant concentrations in purified tap water.     

Phenylurea herbicide sorption to biochars and agricultural soil

Biochar is increasingly been used as a soil amendment to improve water-holding capacity, reduce nutrient leaching, increase soil pH, and also as a means to reduce contamination through sorption of heavy metals or organic pollutants. The sorption behavior of three phenylurea herbicides (monuron, diuron and linuron) on five biochars (Enhanced Biochar, Hog Waste, Turkey Litter, Walnut Shell and Wood Feedstock) and an agricultural soil (Yolo silt loam) was investigated using a batch equilibration method. Sorption isotherms of herbicides to biochars were well described by the Freundlich model (R² = 0.93–0.97). The adsorption K_F values ranged from 6.94 to 1306.95 mg kg^?1 and indicated the sorption of herbicides in the biochars and Yolo soil was in the sequence of linuron > diuron > monuron and walnut shell biochar > wood feedstock biochar > turkey litter biochar > enhanced biochar > hog waste biochar > Yolo soil. These data show that sorption of herbicides to biochar can have both positive (reduced off-site transport) and negative (reduced herbicide efficacy) implications and specific biochar properties, such as H/C ratio and surface area, should be considered together with soil type, agriculture chemical and climate condition in biochar application to agricultural soil to optimize the system for both agricultural and environmental benefits.     

微波热解城市污水污泥的H2S释放影响因素研究

利用微波热解城市污水污泥是实现污泥无害化、减量化和资源化的有效出路之一,但热解过程中产生的恶臭气体(如H2S等)也会对大气环境造成严重的影响.以微波热解城市污水污泥10 min所收集的气体为研究对象,研究了热解终温、污泥含水率、升温速率及矿物催化剂种类4个因素对热解过程中H2S产量的影响.结果表明,随着热解终温的升高,城市污水污泥微波热解过程中的H2S产量逐渐上升,800℃时H2S产量为5.86 mg/g(以干污泥计,下同);含水率在50％～80％时,随着含水率的增加,城市污水污泥微波热解过程中的H2S产量逐渐上升,当含水率增至90％时,污泥出现了泥水分层现象,致使后续热解反应无法进行,故没有H2S产生;升温速率越快,热解反应的活化能越高,反应不易进行,H2S产量降低;添加矿物催化剂能有效固硫,且雷尼镍基催化剂的效果更好,热解终温为800℃时的H2S产量为4.15 mg/g,较不添加矿物催化剂时降低约30％;可通过铜铁吸收法和活性炭吸附两步工艺对热解产生的H2S加以吸收处理,处理后的H2S排放浓度满足《恶臭污染物排放标准》(GB 14554-93)中的厂界一级标准限值.     

EGSB反应器运行中的床层流态行为及其控制

生物量流失是EGSB反应器在高负荷状态下稳定运行面临的主要问题。利用实验室EGSB反应器在中温条件下处理高浓度葡萄糖废水,研究EGSB反应器在高负荷状态下的床层流态行为及其受影响因素。结果表明,在该反应器结构形式下,当有机负荷达到23-26 kg COD/（m3·d）,水力上升流速在约3.0 m/h,气体上升流速在约1.3 m/h状态下运行时,床层易发生剧烈流化现象,并导致颗粒污泥的解体和流失。降低反应器回流比、减小反应器内水力上升流速,控制床层在悬浮状态时可以有效降低高负荷状态下生物量的流失,并取得了有机负荷46 kg COD/（m3·d）,COD去除率97%以上的处理效果。     

A general method for evaluating the effects of air pollutants on lung cancer prevalence

ABSTRACT

It is widely accepted that some air pollutants are related to lung cancer prevalence. An effective method is proposed to quantitatively evaluate the effects of air pollutants and the interactions between them. The method consisted of three parts: data decomposition, comparable data generation and relationship inference. Firstly, very limited monitoring data published by Geographic Information System were applied to calculate the inhalable air pollution of relatively massive patient samples. Then the investigated area was partitioned into a number of districts, and the comparable data containing air pollutant concentrations and lung cancer prevalence in all districts were generated. Finally, the relationships between pollutants and lung cancer prevalence were concluded by an information fusion tool: Choquet integral. As an example, the proposed method was applied in the investigation of air pollution in Tianjin, China. Overall, SO₂, O₃ and PM_2.5 were the top three factors for lung cancer. And there was obvious positive interaction between O₃ and PM_2.5 and negative interaction among SO₂, O₃ and PM₁₀. The effect of SO₂ on men was larger than on women. O₃ and SO₂ were the most important factors for the adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, respectively. The effect of SO₂ or NO₂ on squamous cell carcinoma is obviously larger than that on adenocarcinoma, while the effect of O₃ or PM_2.5 on adenocarcinoma is obviously larger than that on squamous cell carcinoma. The results provide important suggestions for management of pollutants and improvement of environmental quality. The proposed method without any parameter is general and easily realized, and it sets the foundation for further researches in other cities/countries.

Implications: For total lung cancer prevalence, male and female lung cancer prevalence, and adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma prevalence, the proposed method not only quantify the effect of single pollutant (SO₂, NO₂, CO, O₃, PM_2.5, and PM₁₀) but also reveals the correlations between different pollutants such as positive interaction or negative interaction. The proposed method without any geographic predictor and parameter is much easier to realize, and it sets the foundation for further research in other cities/countries. The study results provide important suggestions for the targeted management of different pollutants and the improvement of human lung health.     

风量对高频气力分选机分选效率及金属分布规律的影响——以废弃印刷电路板粉末为例

以金属高富集粒级0.5～0.125 mm的废弃电路板为分选物料,通过ICP-AES测定分选产品,研究了风量对高频气力分选机分选效率及金属分布规律的影响.结果表明,风量变化对分选效率及金属分布规律影响显著,当风量为200m3/h时分选效率达到最大值78.23％,铜品位为86.745％,相比原料中铜品位13.96％,富集约6.2倍.随着风量的变化,金属的分布呈现规律性变化:密度比铜大或与铜相差不多的金属颗粒(铅、铂和锌等),其变化规律与铜相似,回收率在85％左右变化;密度比铜小很多的金属颗粒(铝、镁等),由于其密度与分选物料中的非金属非常接近,在分选过程中会随非金属带人轻产物中去,从而造成重产物中铝和镁品位最低,甚至低于其在原料中的品位.所以若要分离富集铝和镁,须对分选后的物料进行二次分选.     

微波辐照技术修复氯丹污染土壤

采用微波辐照技术修复氯丹污染土壤。以α-氯丹和γ-氯丹的去除率为评价指标,采用正交实验设计确定土壤中氯丹去除的最佳微波辐照条件。实验结果表明,当微波辐照强度为5.83W/g、微波辐照时间为20min、土壤含水率为15%时,土壤中氯丹的去除效果最好,去除率达到85%以上。微波辐照技术简单高效,易于控制,且无二次污染,具有可行性,可作为修复氯丹污染土壤的新方法。