Performance change during long-term ozonation aimed at augmenting denitrification and decreasing waste activated sludge

Partial ozonation of return activated sludge for waste sludge minimization and soluble COD production was examined. Two nitrifying sequencing batch reactors, one control and one ozonated, were operated under alternating anoxic/aerobic conditions. During the first steady-state period of 95-136 d of ozonation, the amount of wasted solids decreased with the ozone dose up to 25%, generating soluble COD by cell lysis. However, during a subsequent period of 190-232 d of continuous ozonation, the effect of solids destruction and COD production decreased by 50%. The investigations of extracellular polymers content and floc shape analyses showed that, after prolonged daily ozone treatment, sludge floc structure becomes stronger, denser, and more ozone-resistant. The findings suggest that, for prolonged operation of partial sludge ozonation, an increase in ozone doses may be required to continuously maintain the expected solids destruction level. This in turn will increase the operational costs of the treatment.     

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal and recovery

Activated sludge systems designed for enhanced nutrient removal are based on the principle of altering anaerobic and aerobic conditions for growth of microorganisms with a high capacity of phosphorus accumulation. Most often, filamentous bacteria constitute a component of the activated sludge microflora. The filamentous microorganisms are responsible for foam formation and activated sludge bulking. The results obtained confirm unanimously that the filamentous bacteria have the ability of phosphorus uptake and accumulation as polyphosphates. Hydrodynamic disintegration of the foam microorganisms results in the transfer of phosphorus and metal cations and ammonium-nitrogen into the liquid phase. It was demonstrated that the disintegration of foam permits the removal of a portion of the nutrients in the form of struvite.     

Effect of humic substances on the Fenton treatment of wastewater at acidic and neutral pH

This paper describes results of treatability studies of the effect of humic substances (humate, HS, at the concentration 500-5000 mg l-1) on the Fenton (Fe2+/H2O2) treatment of industrial wastewater at pH 3.5 and 7.0. Without humate, the removal of all contaminants was significantly higher at pH 3.5 than at pH 7. At pH 7.0, the removal of all compounds in the presence of HS (3000 mg l-1) was comparable to that at pH 3.5 without HS. At pH 3.5, humate had no effect on the removal of arsenic, thiocyanate and cyanide, but the removal of all organic compounds (phenol, 2,4-dimethylphenol, benzene, toluene, o-xylene, m- & p-xylene and dichloromethane) was significantly inhibited. Mechanisms of the processes are discussed. It is suggested that, in the presence of HS, acidification of the treated wastewater may not only be unnecessary but it can even hinder the degradation of organic pollutants.     

Thermogravimetric desorption and de novo tests I: method development and validation

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) has been combined with evolved gas analysis (EGA) with the purpose of simulating the thermal behaviour of filter dust samples under inert (desorption) and de novo test oxidising conditions. Emphasis is on studying de novo formation of dioxins, surrogates and precursors arising from filter dust derived from thermal processes, such as municipal solid waste incineration and metallurgy. A new method is tested for sampling and analysing dioxin surrogates and precursors in the TGA effluent, which are collected on sampling tubes; the adsorbed compounds are eventually desorbed and quantified by TD-GC-MS. The major sources of error and losses are considered, including potential sorbent artefacts, possible breakthrough of volatiles through sampling tubes, or eventual losses of semi-volatiles due to their incomplete desorption or re-condensation inside the TG Analyser. The method is optimised and validated for di- to hexa-chlorinated benzenes in a range of 10-1000ppb with average recovery exceeding 85%. The results are compared with data obtained in similar studies, performed by other research groups. As a result, the method provides the means for simulating de novo synthesis of dioxins in fly-ash and facilitates reliable and easy estimation of de novo activity, comparable with results of other studies, in combination with wide flexibility of testing conditions.     

Prediction of phosphorus mobilisation in inundated floodplain soils

After flooding, iron reduction in riverine wetlands may cause the release of large quantities of phosphorus. As phosphorus is an important nutrient causing eutrophication in aquatic systems, it is important to have a tool to predict this potential release. In this study we examined the P release to the soil pore water in soil cores from floodplains in the Netherlands and from less anthropogenically influenced floodplains from Poland. During the inundation experiment, concentrations of P in the pore water rose to 2-90 times the initial concentrations. P release was not directly related to the geographic origin of the soils. An important predictor variable of P release was found in the ratio between the concentration of iron-bound P and amorphous iron. This ratio may provide a practical tool for the selection of new areas for wetland creation, and for impact assessment of plans for riverine wetland restoration and floodwater storage.     

Ammonia in the environment: from ancient times to the present

Recent research on atmospheric ammonia has made good progress in quantifying sources/sinks and environmental impacts. This paper reviews the achievements and places them in their historical context. It considers the role of ammonia in the development of agricultural science and air chemistry, showing how these arose out of foundations in 18th century chemistry and medieval alchemy, and then identifies the original environmental sources from which the ancients obtained ammonia. Ammonia is revealed as a compound of key human interest through the centuries, with a central role played by sal ammoniac in alchemy and the emergence of modern science. The review highlights how recent environmental research has emphasized volatilization sources of ammonia. Conversely, the historical records emphasize the role of high-temperature sources, including dung burning, coal burning, naturally burning coal seams and volcanoes. Present estimates of ammonia emissions from these sources are based on few measurements, which should be a future priority.     

Perfluorinated and chlorinated pollutants as predictors of demographic parameters in an endangered seabird

Despite global occurrence of several perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) the potential ecological effects of such substances on natural populations are not known. In endangered lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus fuscus) on the Norwegian Coast, the blood concentrations of PFCs were as high as legacy organochlorines (OCs), and here we examined whether PFCs show associations similar to those of OCs to factors potentially affecting population growth, by evaluating relationships between contaminant concentrations and demographic parameters (reproductive performance and the probability of adults returning between breeding seasons). PFCs were not adversely associated with demographic parameters, while the most persistent OCs; notably PCB and p,p′-DDE, were adversely associated with early chick survival, and adult return rate. This study thus suggests that when the concentrations of PFCs and OCs are of similar magnitude in a gull population, OCs are more likely to cause adverse ecological effects.     

Distribution of detoxifying genes polymorphism in Maharastrian population of central India

The present study is aimed at evaluating the genotype frequency of detoxifying genes such as GSTM1, GSTT1 and NQO1 in Maharastrian population of central India. The study revealed about 64.6% of GSTM1-positive and 35.4% GSTM1-null population. GSTT1-positive genotype was found to be 87.5% and GSTT1-null showed 12.5%. The NQO1 genotype of Maharastrian population showed 52.3% of C/C, 42.48% C/T and 5.18% T/T. The NQO1 of this population does not deviate from the expected Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The genotype frequencies GSTM1 and GSTT1 of the population when compared with other ethnic groups of Asia and Caucasians show distinct nature of Maharastrian population from other Asian and Caucasian population.     

Accumulation of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in the food chain of the Western Scheldt estuary: Comparing field measurements with kinetic modeling

The environmentally persistent perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a perfluoroalkylated acid (PFA), which has been found to accumulate and biomagnify through food webs all over the world. In the present investigation, the accumulation kinetics of PFOS was explored using the bioaccumulation model OMEGA. As accumulation behavior of PFOS may show similarities to fatty acids as well as to neutral organic compounds, different modeling approaches were used. Accumulation kinetics of PFOS was modeled similar to (1) moderately and (2) highly hydrophobic compounds, (3) metals and (4) as a combination of hydrophobic compounds and metals. Modeled elimination and uptake rate constants were compared to empirical rate constants from literature. Subsequently, model predictions were compared to field-based biota-suspended solids accumulation ratios (BSAF) in the estuarine food chain of the Western Scheldt, The Netherlands. Results show that uptake of PFOS is comparable to moderately hydrophobic compounds and elimination is best described by elimination kinetics of metals. These observations indicate that the accumulation behavior of PFOS is comparable to that of short and medium chained fatty acids.     

Trends and events through seven centuries: the history of a wetland landscape in the Czech Republic

Environmental change can be viewed as the combined result of long-term processes and singular events. While long-term trends appear to be readily available for observation (in the form of temporal comparisons or space-for-time substitution), it is more difficult to gain information on singular events in the past, although these can be equally significant in shaping ecosystems. We examined the past 700 years in the history of a lowland wetland landscape in the Czech Republic with the help of palaeoecological, ecological, landscape archaeological, and archival data. Macrofossil and pollen data were compared to known drainage works in the area and historical climatological data. Trends and events in habitat conditions were assessed using species indicator values. Results showed that ecological succession was the general process in the study area, detected as a trend towards eutrophication, desiccation, and vegetation closure. Short-term events influenced development at the sites mainly from the second half of the nineteenth century. This is consistent with drainage history, although bias related to sample frequency cannot be excluded. On the whole, long-term trends and discrete events were complementary on different scales. We conclude that humans facilitated and accelerated background processes, which can be most likely associated with the succession of open wetlands towards terrestrial ecosystems.