A novel approach to estimate and control denitrification performance in activated sludge systems with respirogram technology

Respirogram technology has been widely applied for aerobic process, however, the response of respirogram to anoxic denitrification is still unclear. To reveal such response may help to design a new method for the evaluation of the performance of denitrification. The size distribution of flocs measured at different denitrification moments demonstrated a clear expansion of flocs triggered by denitrification, during which higher specific endogenous and quasi-endogenous respiration rates (SOUR_e and SOUR_q) were also observed. Furthermore, SOUR_q increases exponentially with the specific denitrification rate (SDNR), suggesting that there should be a maximum SDNR in conventional activated sludge systems. Based on these findings, an index R_q/t, defined as the ratio of quasi-endogenous (OUR_q) to maximum respiration rate (OUR_t), is proposed to estimate the denitrification capacity that higher R_q/t indicates higher denitrification potential, which can be readily obtained without complex measurement or analysis, and it offers a novel and promising respirogram-based approach for denitrification estimation and control by taking measures to extend anoxic time to maintain its value at a high level within a certain range.     

Hydrothermal-treated Pt/Al2O3 as an excellent catalyst for toluene total oxidation

The preparation of highly active supported noble metal catalysts with a low noble metal loading has always been the ultimate goal of researchers working on catalysis. Hydrothermally treated Pt/Al₂O₃ (Pt/Al₂O₃-H) exhibits better catalytic activity than that (Pt/Al₂O₃-C) treated via the conventional calcination approach. At the high space velocity of 100,000 mL/(g∙hr), the temperature that correspond to 50% toluene conversion (T₅₀) of Pt/Al₂O₃-H is 115°C lower than that of Pt/Al₂O₃-C, and the turnover frequency (TOF) value can reach 0.0756 sec⁻¹. The mechanism by which the hydrothermal approach enhances Pt/Al₂O₃ activity has been investigated. The structure associated with the high catalytic activity of Pt nanoparticles (NPs) can be retained via hydrothermal treatment. Furthermore, the support is transformed to AlO(OH) with numerous surface hydroxyl groups, which in turn can facilitate the adsorption of toluene. And the synergistic effects of Pt NPs and AlO(OH) increases the contents of Pt in oxidation state and active oxygen, which are beneficial for toluene oxidation.     

Cultivar-dependent rhizobacteria community and cadmium accumulation in rice: Effects on cadmium availability in soils and iron-plaque formation

The association between the rhizospheric microbial community and Cd accumulation in rice is poorly understood. A field trial was conducted to investigate the different rhizobacterial communities of two rice cultivars with high Cd accumulation (HA) and low Cd accumulation (LA) at four growth stages. Results showed that the Cd content in the roots of the HA cultivar was 1.23 - 27.53 higher than that of the LA cultivar (0.08 - 10.5 µg/plant) at four stages. The LA cultivar had a significantly lower Cd availability in rhizosphere and a higher quantity of iron plaque (IP) on the root surface than the HA cultivar at four stages. This resulted in the reduction of Cd concentration in IPs and Cd translocation from IP-to-root. Microbial analysis indicated that the LA cultivar formed a distinct rhizobacterial community from the HA cultivar and had less α-diversity. The rhizosphere of the LA cultivar was enriched in specific bacterial taxa (e.g., Massilia and Bacillus) involved in Cd immobilization by phosphate precipitation and IP formation by iron oxidization. However, the rhizosphere in the HA cultivar assembled abundant sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (e.g., Sulfuricurvum) and iron reduction bacteria (Geobacter). They promoted Cd mobilization and reduced IP formation via the metal redox process. This study reveals a potential approach in which specific rhizobacteria decrease or increase Cd accumulation in rice on contaminated soil and provides a new perspective for secure rice production.     

基于UV-Vis辽河保护区地表水DOM的时空分布特征

为探讨辽河保护区地表水中DOM（dissolved organic matter,溶解性有机质）组成、腐殖化程度及时空变化,采集辽河保护区上游至下游及主要支流入辽河干流河口处丰水期和枯水期地表水样品,基于UV-Vis（紫外-可见吸收光谱）揭示地表水中DOM结构组成的时空变化特征. 结果表明:①从季节上看,辽河保护区地表水丰水期DOC（dissolved organic carbon,溶解性有机碳）浓度(11.73 mg/L)高于枯水期(6.76 mg/L),且丰水期DOM中类蛋白质组分相对浓度高于枯水期,而类腐殖质组分的相对浓度较低;从空间上看,辽河保护区支流DOC平均浓度高于干流浓度,且丰水期地表水DOM中类蛋白物质与类腐殖质浓度增加. ②基于UV-Vis特征参数可知,辽河保护区地表水中DOM主要以内源释放为主;从季节上看,丰水期降水量和地表径流增加,DOM的芳香性、分子量、腐殖化水平降低;从空间上看,辽河保护区地表水DOM的腐殖化程度沿河流上游至下游呈现逐渐递减趋势,且支流DOM腐殖化程度较高,具有较高的芳香性及疏水性. 研究显示,河流地表水中DOM的芳香性与分子量大小受周边沿岸生态环境系统、生物条件、土地利用类型等因素影响,不同类型地表水中DOM具有显著差异.      

Metal/metalloid contamination and isotopic composition of lead in edible mushrooms and forest soils originating from a smelting area

High metal contents in edible mushrooms growing in severely contaminated industrial areas pose an important toxicological risk. In the presented study, trace element (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ag, As, Se) contents were determined in caps and stipes of three different edible mushroom species (Boletus edulis Bull. Fr., Xerocomus badius Fr. Gilb., Xerocomus chrysenteron Bull. Quél.). Additionally, information about the chemical fractionation of metals in separate soil horizons and Pb isotopic data from soils and fruiting bodies allowed a more detailed insight on the uptake mechanisms of metals by the studied mushroom species. Total metal and metalloid concentrations in the organic soil horizons reached 36234 mg Pb kg(-1); 11.9 mg Cd kg(-1); 519 mg Zn kg(-1); 488 mg Cu kg(-1); 25.1 mg Ag kg(-1); 120 mg As kg(-1) and 5.88 Se mg kg(-1). In order to evaluate the accumulation capacity of the studied species, bioconcentration factors (BCF) were calculated for separate trace elements. For selected metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu), a modified BCF calculation (using EDTA-extractable concentrations of metals in soil) was proposed. High contents of Pb (up to 165 mg kg(-1)) and Cd (up to 55 mg kg(-1)) exceeded all the regulatory limits in all the studied species. This was also the case for Se (up to 57 mg kg(-1)) in B. edulis. Intensive consumption of this species grown in such polluted areas can therefore pose toxicological risks for human health. A novel finding was that X. badius can act as an Ag accumulating species when grown at polluted sites due to the high concentrations of Ag (up to 190 mg kg(-1)) in caps. Pb isotopic data showed that Pb originating from the recent air pollution control residues is present mainly in the exchangeable/acid-extractable fraction of the organic horizons and is taken up by fruiting bodies; especially in the case of B. edulis, where fast Pb accumulation occurs. Due to the high species-dependent variations of metal contents, the studied mushrooms are not suitable as bioindicators of environmental pollution.     

水动力学法预测三峡工程对洞庭湖洲滩的影响

用水动力学方法，根据三峡建库前后不同的时空边界条件，模拟长江水情要素，并建立长江水位与洞庭湖水位的回归方程，从而预测三峡工程对洞庭湖区洲滩面积的影响。     

Expedient Metrics to Describe Plant Community Change Across Gradients of Anthropogenic Influence

Human influence associated with land use may cause considerable biodiversity losses, namely in oceanic islands such as the Azores. Our goal was to identify plant indicator species across two gradients of increasing anthropogenic influence and management (arborescent and herbaceous communities) and determine similarity between plant communities of uncategorized vegetation plots to those in reference gradients using metrics derived from R programming. We intend to test and provide an expedient way to determine the conservation value of a given uncategorized vegetation plot based on the number of native, endemic, introduced, and invasive indicator species present. Using the metric IndVal, plant taxa with a significant indicator value for each community type in the two anthropogenic gradients were determined. A new metric, ComVal, was developed to assess the similarity of an uncategorized vegetation plot toward a reference community type, based on (i) the percentage of pre-defined indicator species from reference communities present in the vegetation plots, and (ii) the percentage of indicator species, specific to a given reference community type, present in the vegetation plot. Using a data resampling approach, the communities were randomly used as training or validation sets to classify vegetation plots based on ComVal. The percentage match with reference community types ranged from 77 to 100 % and from 79 to 100 %, for herbaceous and arborescent vegetation plots, respectively. Both IndVal and ComVal are part of a suite of useful tools characterizing plant communities and plant community change along gradients of anthropogenic influence without a priori knowledge of their biology and ecology.     

Evaluation of different amendments to stabilize antimony in mining polluted soils

Soil pollution with antimony is of increasing environmental concern worldwide. Measures for its control and to attenuate the risks posed to the ecosystem are required. In this study the application of several iron and aluminium oxides and oxyhydroxides as soil amendments was evaluated in order to assess their feasibility to stabilize Sb in mining polluted soils. Mine soils with different pollution levels were amended with either goethite, ferrihydrite or amorphous Al oxide at various ratios (0–10%). The effectiveness of such treatments was assessed by both batch and column leaching tests. The use of ferrihydrite or amorphous Al oxide proved to be highly effective to stabilize Sb. Immobilization levels of 100% were found when doses of 5% ferrihydrite or 10% amorphous Al oxide were applied, regardless of the soil Sb load. Column leaching studies also showed a high Sb leaching reduction (>75%) when soils were amended with 1% ferrihydrite or 5% amorphous Al oxide. Moreover, such treatments proved to simultaneously immobilize As and Pb in a great extent when soils were also polluted with such toxic elements.     

Mineralization of integrated gasification combined-cycle power-station wastewater effluent by a photo-fenton process

The aim of this work was to study the mineralization of wastewater effluent from an integrated-gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) power station sited in Spain to meet the requirements of future environmental legislation. This study was done in a pilot plant using a homogeneous photo-Fenton oxidation process with continuous addition of H₂O₂ and air to the system.The mineralization process was found to follow pseudo-first-order kinetics. Experimental kinetic constants were fitted using neural networks (NNs). The NNs model reproduced the experimental data to within a 90% confidence level and allowed the simulation of the process for any values of the parameters within the experimental range studied. At the optimum conditions (H₂O₂ flow rate = 120 mL/h, [Fe(II)] = 7.6 mg/L, pH = 3.75 and air flow rate = 1 m³/h), a 90% mineralization was achieved in 150 min.Determination of the hydrogen peroxide consumed and remaining in the water revealed that 1.2 mol of H₂O₂ was consumed per each mol of total organic carbon removed from solution. This result confirmed that an excess of dissolved H₂O₂ was needed to achieve high mineralization rates, so continuous addition of peroxide is recommended for industrial application of this process.Air flow slightly improved the mineralization rate due to the formation of peroxo-organic radicals which enhanced the oxidation process.