Monitoring of organochlorine pesticides using PFU systems in Yunnan lakes and rivers, China

Polyurethane foam unit (PFU) systems were collected from 11 lakes and three rivers in the Yunnan Plateau, China and, the PFU extrusion liquids were analyzed for organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) by gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC-ECD). The concentrations of pp'-DDE, HCB and HCHs were undetectable to 1.86 microgl-1 (mean 0.27 microgl-1), undetectable to 0.72 microgl-1 (mean 0.11 microgl-1), and 0.24-21.95 microgl-1 (mean 7.39 microgl-1) respectively in lakes; and those in rivers were undetectable to 0.23 microgl-1 (mean 0.08 microgl-1), 0.68-2.93 microgl-1 (mean 1.70 microgl-1), and 2.71-37.56 microgl-1 (mean 17.01 microgl-1) respectively. Notably, some residue levels of OCPs exceeded the US National Recommended Water Quality Criteria, implying Yunnan has levels of OCPs potentially harmful to human health. Further, the contamination by OCPs showed an obvious spatial distribution pattern. Amongst the lakes, Dianchi, Xingyun, Lugu and Yangzonghai had the highest OCP levels dominated by beta-HCH, whereas among rivers, Nujiang and Lancang Rivers had the highest contents of OCPs dominated by alpha-HCH. This demonstrates that HCHs are the predominant contaminants and some point sources of HCHs may still exist in Yunnan. The pollution levels in Yunnan were compared with other studies, suggesting the PFU method is suitable for long-term on-line monitoring of trace OCPs in aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, continuous studies monitoring OCPs in lakes and rivers are needed to further understand the future trend of contamination.     

Sample storage and extraction efficiencies in determination of polycyclic and nitro musks in sewage sludge

Analytical technology is continuously improving, developing better methods for isolating and concentrating trace compounds in environmental samples. Polycyclic and nitro musks (PNMs) are one group of emerging trace compounds detected in municipal wastewater. Differences in sample storage, preparation, and extraction methods for their measurement have led to variability in results. We analyzed 11 PNMs by GC/MS and compared the results of different storage times and extraction methods (supercritical fluid (SFE) or microwave-assisted (MAE)) for 202 samples of primary sludge, waste activated sludge (WAS), raw sludge, and aerobically/anaerobically digested biosolids collected from Canadian municipal wastewater treatment plants. Sixty-three air-dried samples were extracted by SFE, and 139 air-dried, centrifuged, or filtered samples were extracted by MAE. The mean surrogate recoveries were 89% (standard deviation (SD)=11%) for d(10)-anthracene by SFE and 88% (SD=14%) for d(10)-phenanthrene by MAE. Storage study results showed that PNM concentrations changed by a mean of 7% and 9% for primary sludge and WAS respectively after four weeks and decreased up to 25% after 13.5 months of storage in amber glass containers at -18 degrees C. Air-drying of sludge at room temperature caused losses of about 50% of PNM concentrations compared to centrifugation. The proportions of PNMs present in the liquid phase of sludge samples were less than 5% compared to proportions in the sludge solids. The most complete liquid-solid separation was achieved by filtration of frozen/thawed sludge samples, producing a liquid phase that contained less than 1% of the total musk content of the sample.     

Influence of start-up on PCDD/F emission of incinerators

This study aims to evaluate the influence of start-up on polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) concentration in the stack flue gas of incinerators and its contributing PCDD/F emission. The PCDD/F emission of the first sample among three consecutive stack flue gas samples of five intermittent incinerators, which sampled at a stable combustion condition after start-up, is 2-3 times higher than the mean of the others. For verifying the PCDD/F characteristics of incinerators during start-up, one continuous MSWI was investigated for two years. The elevated PCDD/F emissions of the MSWI during start-up could reach 96.9 ng I-TEQN m(-3) and still maintained a high PCDD/F emission (40 times higher than the Taiwan emission limit) even 18 h after the injection of activated carbon, indicating the memory effect. Taking the MSWI for example, which consists of four incinerators, the estimated annual PCDD/F emission from normal operational conditions was 0.112 g I-TEQ. However, one start-up procedure can generate approximately 60% of the PCDD/F emissions for one whole year of normal operations. And the PCDD/F emission, which is the result of the start-ups of four incinerators, was at least two times larger than that of a whole year's normal operations, without consideration for the PCDD/F emission contributed by the long lasting memory effect.     

Effects of pH, organic acids, and competitive cations on mercury desorption in soils

The effects of pH, organic acids, and competitive cations on Hg(2+) desorption were studied. Three representative soils for rice production in China, locally referred to as a yellowish red soil (YRS), purplish clayey soil (PCS), and silty loam soil (SLS) and classified as Gleyi-Stagnic Anthrosols in FAO/UNESCO nomenclature, were, respectively, collected from Jiaxin County, Deqing County, and Xiasha District of Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. Most of the added Hg(2+) was adsorbed at low initial concentrations (<2 mg l(-1)). Desorption of the adsorbed Hg(2+) in 0.01M KCl (simulating soil solution) was minimal, but was significantly enhanced by the change of pH, and the presence of organic acids or competitive cations. The desorption of Hg(2+) in the soils decreased with pH from 3.0 to 5.0, leveled off at pH 5.0-8.0, but increased with pH from 7.0 to 9.0. The presence of organic ligands enhanced Hg(2+) desorption in the soils except for YRS, in which the addition of tartaric, malic, or oxalic acid reduced Hg(2+) desorption at low concentrations (<10(-4)M), but Hg(2+) desorption generally increased with organic acid concentration. Citric acid was most effective in increasing Hg(2+) desorption, followed by tartaric acid and malic acid; and oxalic acid was the least effective. Desorption of adsorbed Hg(2+) increased with increasing concentrations of added Cu(2+) or Zn(2+). Applied Cu(2+) increased Hg(2+) desorption more than Zn(2+) at the same loading rate. CAPSULE: The effects of organic acids and competitive cations on Hg desorption in soil-water system are related to their concentrations, basic chemical properties, and soil properties.     

Bioavailability to grains of rice of aged and fresh DDD and DDE in soils

DDT had been widely used around the world before 1980s and is still under production and use for non-agricultural purposes in China. Because of their special physicochemical properties, p,p'-DDT and its main metabolites, p,p'-DDD and p,p'-DDE, accumulated and persisted in the environment, presenting potential menace on biota. A green-house study was conducted to determine the bioavailability of p,p'-DDD and p,p'-DDE to grains of rice and the influences of traditional Chinese farming practices on their bioaccumulation. Paddy rice and dry rice were grown in submerged paddy soils and non-submerged upland soils, respectively. Two types of soil, Hydragric Anthrosols (An) and Hydragric Acrisols (Ac), were employed. Bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of DDE ranged from 0.67 for rice grown in non-submerged An to 0.84 in submerged An in the control group, whilst BAFs were all below 0.04 in experimental groups. BAFs of DDD varied from 1.39 for submerged An to 2.26 for submerged Ac in original soils. In contrast, BAFs were between 0.05 for non-submerged Ac and 0.08 for submerged An in DDD-contaminated soils. Flooding seemed to have two contradictory effects on the DDE/DDD accumulation by rice: on one hand, it made the pollutants more mobile and bioavailable; while on the other hand, it enhanced the degradation and binding of POPs. Adding rice straw to the soils protected DDE from being taken up yet promoted DDD accumulation by rice. Furthermore, the distinct inorganic component of the soils might also play an important role in the environmental activities of POPs.     

Source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface soil in Tianjin, China

Principal component analysis and multiple linear regression were applied to apportion sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface soils of Tianjin, China based on the measured PAH concentrations of 188 surface soil samples. Four principal components were identified representing coal combustion, petroleum, coke oven plus biomass burning, and chemical industry discharge, respectively. The contributions of major sources were quantified as 41% from coal, 20% from petroleum, and 39% from coking and biomass, which are compatible with PAH emissions estimated based on fuel consumption and emission factors. When the study area was divided into three zones with distinctive differences in soil PAH concentration and profile, different source features were unveiled. For the industrialized Tanggu-Hangu zone, the major contributors were cooking (43%), coal (37%) and vehicle exhaust (20%). In rural area, however, in addition to the three main sources, biomass burning was also important (13%). In urban-suburban zone, incineration accounted for one fourth of the total.     

Remobilization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during the resuspension of Yangtze River sediments using a particle entrainment simulator

Remobilization of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during sediment resuspension was investigated using a particle entrainment simulator at shear stress from 0.2 to 0.5Nm(-2), typical of the energy levels present in many tidally driven aquatic environments. The results suggested that desorption from the entrained particles was the primary source of dissolved PAHs. summation operatorPAHs concentrations in particles on volume normalization increased about four times. However, on mass weight basis, summation operatorPAHs concentrations decreased from 6039.74+/-138.28microgkg(-1) to 1665.39+/-112.26microgkg(-1). The same trend was observed for individual PAHs. Dissolved concentrations of PAHs demonstrated significant differences depending on molecular weight and applied shear. The distribution of PAHs between particle and water phase suggested that for three-ring PAHs, the amounts of PAHs in particles were higher than the predicted values during our experiments. This might be due to presence of another active sorbent.     

碳纳米管对2-硝基苯酚和2,4-二氯苯酚的吸附特性研究

研究多壁碳纳米管对水中2-硝基苯酚和2,4-二氯苯酚的吸附规律.测定不同温度下两物质的吸附等温线,研究吸附的热力学特性和吸附机理.结果表明,碳纳米管对2-硝基苯酚和2,4-二氯苯酚具有良好的吸附效果,饱和吸附量分别达到24.54 mg/g和30.53mg/g.用Freundlich等温方程拟合碳纳米管对两种化合物的吸附,其线性相关系数均大于0.95;用Clapeyron-Clausius方程拟合吸附过程,两种物质的线性相关系数都达0.99.293～353 K时,碳纳米管对2-硝基苯酚吸附的△H、△G、△S分别为-7.74～-7.05 kJ·mol-1、-6.14～-4.80 kJ·mol-1、-8.33～-3.00 J·mol-1·K-1;对2.4-二氯苯酚吸附的△H、△G、△S分别为-24.75～-17.78 kJ·mol-1、-6.79～-6.22kJ·mol-1、-61.29～-32.75 J·mol-1·K-1.由于对酚分子π-π共轭作用的强弱不同.碳纳米管对2,4-二氯苯酚的吸附能力大于2-硝基苯酚.本文得到的碳纳米管吸附规律,为研究碳纳米管吸附含苯环类物质提供了参考.     

煤炭地下气化灰渣浸泡实验及Zn、Cd、Pb、As环境效应分析

为研究煤炭地下气化灰渣的环境效应,主要是对地下水的影响,以洛阳半焦煤为研究对象,进行煤炭地下气化的模型实验.取气化后的灰渣浸泡,测定浸出液中Zn、Cd、Pb和As4种元素的质量浓度.浸出液中Zn、Cd和As的质量浓度均低于地下水Ⅲ级标准.在饮用水允许的浓度范围内,不会对地下水造成多大污染;Pb的质量浓度在地下水Ⅴ类标准内,可能会对地下水造成一定污染.现场应考虑采取适当处理措施.4种元素的质量浓度均远低于浸出毒性鉴别标准值,因而不属于具有浸出毒性的危险废物.研究表明洛阳半焦煤地下气化灰渣中的Zn、Cd、Pb和As对环境的影响较小,不会对地下水产生多大影响.但在现场的工业试验中,由于长期的积累作用,也可能使元素的累积浓度超过地下水允许浓度,应定期监测.     

狭长地下受限空间火灾分区形成的试验研究

通过狭长地下受限空间的火灾模拟试验,研究O#柴油在不同空间尺度形成的火灾分区现象.分析柴油燃烧时狭长地下受限空间火灾分区现象形成的判断依据、条件、时间,惰化区氧气耗量与空间容积的关系,惰化区氧气体积分数、烟气温度随时间的变化.结果表明.燃料量、空间尺度和燃烧表面积是影响狭长地下受限空间火灾分区形成的主要因素;分区现象形成的判断依据为惰化区氧气体积分数≤16%;分区现象形成的条件为火焰区容积热强度≥720 kW·m-3.这对地下受限空间火灾的防治和其性能化设计具有参考价值.