Biochar as low-cost sorbent of volatile fuel organic compounds: potential application to water remediation

Pyrolysis of waste materials to produce biochar is an excellent and suitable alternative supporting a circular bio-based economy. One of the properties attributed to biochar is the capacity for sorbing organic contaminants, which is determined by its composition and physicochemical characteristics. In this study, the capacity of waste-derived biochar to retain volatile fuel organic compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) and fuel oxygenates (FO)) from artificially contaminated water was assessed using batch-based sorption experiments. Additionally, the sorption isotherms were established. The results showed significant differences between BTEX and FO sorption on biochar, being the most hydrophobic and non-polar contaminants those showing the highest retention. Furthermore, the sorption process reflected a multilayer behaviour and a relatively high sorption capacity of the biochar materials. Langmuir and Freundlich models were adequate to describe the experimental results and to detect general differences in the sorption behaviour of volatile fuel organic compounds. It was also observed that the feedstock material and biochar pyrolysis conditions had a significant influence in the sorption process. The highest sorption capacity was found in biochars produced at high temperature (>?400 °C) and thus rich in aromatic C, such as eucalyptus and corn cob biochars. Overall, waste-derived biochar offers a viable alternative to be used in the remediation of volatile fuel organic compounds from water due to its high sorption capacity.

     

Auxinic herbicides induce oxidative stress on Cnesterodon decemmaculatus (Pisces: Poeciliidae)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Pesticides might increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Dicamba (DIC) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) are auxinic...     

Microplastic distribution in surface sediments along the Spanish Mediterranean continental shelf

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Microplastics (MPs) are widely recognised as a contaminant of emerging concern in the marine environment. This work provides original data of the...     

强化供氧条件下潜流型人工湿地运行特性

针对潜流型人工湿地中溶解氧浓度和脱氮率偏低的问题,试验研究了强化供氧对植物和微生物的影响及人工湿地内溶解氧浓度、净化效率的变化规律.结果表明,强化供氧宜在湿地前端进行,最佳气水比为6左右,可采用连续供氧方式.供氧对湿地植物生理特性无明显不良影响,可显著增加湿地中硝化菌、反硝化菌数量,硝化菌可比供氧前高出1～2个数量级,反硝化菌高出1个数量级.强化供氧有效改善了湿地内氧环境,供氧前湿地内溶氧浓度普遍低于0.6 mg/L,供氧后氧浓度上升至1 mg/L以上.强化供氧有利于各类污染物质尤其是有机物和氮类物质的去除,有机物去除率比原湿地高出10％左右, TN去除率能够达到60％以上.因此,强化充氧措施具有较好的研究和应用价值.     

厌氧-好氧生物反应器填埋工艺特性研究

基于生物反应器填埋技术,研究1种填埋场地循环操作的厌氧-好氧生物反应器填埋工艺,设计了该工艺模拟装置并研究了其运行工艺特性.厌氧阶段主要通过渗滤液回灌控制反应器工艺条件,主要试验结果为,pH值,R1在 6周后可上升至6.7～7.8,R2在17周内一直低于6.8;渗滤液COD浓度,R1在13周时下降至10?617 mg/L,R2在5周后上升至60?000 mg/L后长期趋于稳定;填埋气累计产量,R1在8周达到44%,R2几乎不产气.衡量稳定化可以分别采用渗滤液pH、COD浓度及BOD₅/COD的减少率、填埋气的累计产率等指标来判断,并据此转换为好氧填埋运行.好氧阶段主要是通过强制通风来减少恶臭和水分,主要试验结果为,通风19d氨气浓度降为1.16 mg/m³,通风23d后恶臭浓度降为19;通风14d后含水率降为26%.完成此阶段的工艺指标值可依据矿化垃圾开采的最终用途确定.对主要试验数据进行了数值模拟.厌氧-好氧填埋过程的微生物演替经RISA分析,有4个优势菌群,一些兼性菌群在厌氧-好氧阶段起着重要的承前启后作用.     

剩余污泥水解酸化液磷去除的影响因素研究

城市污水厂剩余污泥水解酸化后可产生高浓度挥发性有机酸(VFAs),其中的乙酸和丙酸是增强生物除磷(EBPR)工艺的有利基质.但水解酸化液中含有大量的磷,如不进行处理就作为碳源回用到污水处理工艺中,势必增加除磷负荷.利用鸟粪石沉淀法可以去除污水中的磷.对城市污水厂剩余污泥水解酸化液形成鸟粪石的影响因素进行了试验研究.结果表明,在最佳工艺条件下,正磷和总磷的去除率分别可达92.5%和83.8%.     

烟气脱硫过程锰催化氧化亚硫酸钙的研究

利用直径280 mm、高320 mm的间歇式搅拌槽,在MnSO4加入浓度为0～0.05 mol/L的情况下,对亚硫酸钙悬浮液进行了催化氧化实验研究.实验结果表明,锰离子的加入会改变亚硫酸钙的氧化机理及氧化过程,表现为终点氧化率和氧化速率的变化.当Mn2 浓度为0.05 mol/L时,亚硫酸钙的终点氧化率比未加入Mn2 时高30%;此外,与非催化反应过程相比,Mn2 的加入能使亚硫酸钙在一个更宽的浓度范围内(0.02～0.073 mol/L)和一个更宽的时间范围内(20～100 min)均保持较高的氧化速率水平.     

活性炭纤维对氯仿气体动态吸附的研究

为了探讨活性炭纤维(ACF)对氯仿有机废气的动态吸附,考察氯仿气体流速、浓度、温度、ACF再生次数对吸附效率的影响以及滤速和压降的关系。结果表明:低浓度、低流速、低温度均有利于吸附。ACF对氯仿的吸附以物理吸附为主。提高氯仿气体滤速,气体压降增大。     

An input-output balance study for PCBs in humans

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) input-output balance studies were performed on five male volunteers, aged between 24 and 30, for periods of 8-14 days in 1998. Dietary exposure was quantified by the duplicate meals method and varied between 220 and 460 ng of sigmaPCB (sum of 20 congeners) per day for each of the five individuals over the study period. Dietary intake was dominated by congeners 118, 138, 153 and 180. Average faecal outputs for the five volunteers were 50-290 ng of sigmaPCB (sum of 20 congeners) per day for each of the five individuals over the same period and was dominated by the same four congeners. Whilst the total PCB fluxes were therefore into the body (i.e., accumulation), important differences were noted for different individual congeners. PCBs 44, 47, 49, 52, 60, 66, 101, 105, 110, 118, 149, 151 and 183 all showed net absorption for all five volunteers. Some congeners showed a net absorption in some of the individuals but net excretion in others, as seen by other workers. These congeners (PCBs 138, 153, 180, 187 and 194) are all higher chlorinated congeners and lack meta-para-vicinal hydrogen atoms. There were differences in the net absorption/excretion between individuals, which appeared to be a function of body fat index (BFI). The volunteers with the lowest BFIs showed net excretion for the greatest number of congeners, whilst the individual with the highest BFI was a net absorber of all the congeners studied. The problems in determining and interpreting absorption efficiency values for use in quantitative exposure assessments are discussed. Various factors that influence net absorption of PCBs and other persistent organic pollutants are identified. These include compound properties (including susceptibility to metabolism), the individual's fat status and balance, exposure history and diet.     

东北农牧交错带典型区土地利用变化及其生态效应

东北农牧交错带是典型的生态环境脆弱区，具有敏感性强、退化趋势明显等生态脆弱性特征。本文利用1986、2002年两期TM/ETM影像，揭示了吉林西部16年来土地利用／覆被的时空变化规律，并依据Costanza R．等人对全球生态系统服务价值的评估方法。分析了土地利用变化对区域生态系统服务价值的影响。结果表明：16年来，吉林西部土地利用／覆被发生了剧烈变化。耕地、盐碱地面积大幅度增加，草地、水域和湿地的面积大幅度减少，区域生态系统服务功能出现明显的衰退。生态系统服务价值显著地减少。吉林西部生态系统服务价值由1986年的767．1亿元／a下降到2002年的624．1亿元／a，减少幅度达18．6％，年均递减速率达1．6％。16年来该区域生态环境恶化和以经济利益为目的的土地利用结构调整，给区域生态系统服务功能和可持续发展能力带来巨大负面影响。