Application of a magnetotactic bacterium, Stenotrophomonas sp. to the removal of Au(III) from contaminated wastewater with a magnetic separator

In this study, the feasibility of applying a magnetotactic bacterial isolate (MTB), Stenotrophomonas sp. to the removal of Au(III) was investigated. Biosorption experiments showed that Au(III) biosorption capacity exhibited no significant difference in the initial pH range of 1.0-5.5, while decreased more significantly in the initial pH range of 5.5-13.0. Langmuir isotherm indicated that the maximum Au(III) biosorption capacity of Stenotrophomonas sp. were 506, 369 and 308 mg g(-1) dry weight biomass at the initial pH values of 2.0, 7.0 and 12.0, respectively. Thiourea was proved to be an effective desorbent to recover Au from the MTB biomass and 91% Au adsorbed on the biomass could be recovered at equilibrium when the thiourea concentration was 0.8M. The magnetic separator developed by our research team used for separating Au loaded MTB biomass showed high separation efficiency, with 100% biomass removed at the magnetic intensity of 1200 Gs in 180 min. The analyses from FTIR and XRD further confirmed that the reduction of Au(III) to Au(0) by the reductants on the MTB biomass occurred, and the deposition of nano-crystal Au(0) particles, ranging from 24.7 to 31.4 nm, could be estimated on the biomass surface.     

Catalytic reduction of sulfur dioxide with carbon monoxide over tin dioxide for direct sulfur recovery process

SO(2) reduction by CO over SnO(2) catalyst was studied in this work. The parameters were the reaction temperature, space velocity (GHSV) and [CO]/[SO(2)] molar ratio. The optimal temperature, GHSV and [CO]/[SO(2)] molar ratio were 550 degrees C, 8000 h(-1) and 2.0, respectively. Under these conditions, the SO(2) conversion and sulfur selectivity were about 78% and 68%, respectively. The following reaction pathway involving two mechanisms was proposed in SO(2) reduction by CO over SnO(2) catalyst: in the first step involving Redox mechanism, the elemental sulfur was produced by the mobility of the lattice oxygen between SO(2) and SnO(2) surface. In the second step, COS was formed by the side reaction between elemental sulfur and CO or metal sulfide and CO. In the third step involving COS intermediate mechanism, the abundant elemental sulfur was produced by the SO(2) reduction by COS which was produced in the second step and was more effective reducing agent than CO.     

Exploration and exploitation of food sources by social insect colonies: a revision of the scout-recruit concept

Social insect colonies need to explore and exploit multiple food sources simultaneously and efficiently. At the individual level, this colony-level behaviour has been thought to be taken care of by two types of individual: scouts that independently search for food, and recruits that are directed by nest mates to a food source. However, recent analyses show that this strict division of labour between scouts and recruits is untenable. Therefore, a modified concept is presented here that comprises the possible behavioural states of an individual forager (novice forager, scout, recruit, employed forager, unemployed experienced forager, inspector and reactivated forager) and the transitions between them. The available empirical data are reviewed in the light of both the old and the new concept, and probabilities for the different transitions are derived for the case of the honey-bee. The modified concept distinguishes three types of foragers that may be involved in the exploration behaviour of the colony: novice bees that become scouts, unemployed experienced bees that scout, and lost recruits, i.e. bees that discover a food source other than the one to which they were directed to by their nest mates. An advantage of the modified concept is that it allows for a better comparison of studies investigating the different roles performed by social insect foragers during their individual foraging histories. Received: 29 December 1999 / Revised: 25 February 2000 / Accepted: 16 October 2000     

Monitoring of Aerial Pollutants Emitted from Swine Houses in Korea

This on-site survey study was performed to determine the concentrations and emissions of aerial contaminants in the different types of swine houses in Korea and then to present beneficial information available for Korean pig producers to manage optimal air quality in swine house. The swine houses investigated in this research were selected based on three criteria; manure removal system, ventilation mode and growth stage of swine. Mean concentrations of aerial pollutants in swine houses were 8 ppm for ammonia, 300 ppb for hydrogen sulfide, 2 mg m⁻³ for total dust, 0.6 mg m⁻³ for respirable dust, 4 log(cfu m⁻³) for total airborne bacteria and 3 log(cfu m⁻³) for total airborne fungi, respectively. Mean emissions based on pig (liveweight; 75 kg) and area (m²) were 250 and 340 mg h⁻¹ for ammonia, 40 and 50 mg h⁻¹ for hydrogen sulfide, 40 and 50 mg h⁻¹ for total dust, 10 and 15 mg h⁻¹ for respirable dust, 1.0 and 1.3 log(cfu) h⁻¹ for total airborne bacteria and 0.7 and 1.0 log(cfu) h⁻¹ for total airborne fungi, respectively. In general concentrations and emissions of gases were relatively higher in the swine houses managed with deep-pit manure system with slats and mechanical ventilation mode than the different swine housing types whereas those of particulates and bioaerosol were highest in the naturally ventilated swine houses with deep-litter bed system.     

Evaluation of the thermal/optical reflectance method for quantification of elemental carbon in sediments

The IMPROVE thermal/optical reflectance (TOR) method, commonly used for EC quantification in atmospheric aerosols, is applied to soils and sediments and compared with a thermochemical method commonly applied to these non-atmospheric samples. TOR determines elemental carbon (EC) by an optical method, but it also yields thermally defined EC fractions in a 2% O2/98% He oxidizing atmosphere at 550 degrees C (EC1), 700 degrees C (EC2), and 800 degrees C (EC3). Replicate TOR TC, OC, and EC values exhibited precisions of approximately +/-10% as determined from multiple analyses of the same samples. EC abundances relative to total mass concentrations were within the ranges reported by other methods for diesel exhaust soot, n-hexane soot, wood and rice chars, and coals, as well as for environmental matrices. A direct comparison with the chemothermal (CTO) method of Gustafson et al. for ten soil and sediment samples demonstrated that almost all of the OC and EC1 are eliminated, as is part of the EC2. The CTO soot carbon is bounded by the EC3 and EC2+EC3 fractions of the IMPROVE TOR analysis. It might be possible to adjust these fractions to obtain better agreement between atmospheric aerosol and soil/sediment analysis methods. Given its linking the EC measurement in the atmosphere to sediments, the TOR method will not only provide useful information on the explanation and comparison between different environmental matrices, but also can be used to derive information on global cycling of EC.     

麦饭石对NOx的吸附

研究了麦饭石在不同预处理方法、粒径、活化温度、NOx初始质量浓度和吸附时间等条件下对NOx的吸附性能。实验结果显示：粒径为0.18mm的麦饭石经过400～600℃活化1h后,NOx吸附率大于99%,饱和吸附量大于6.3m g/g。经4次重复活化后,麦饭石对NOx的吸附效果仍然很好,可作为处理含NOx废气的吸附剂。     

超声辐射法降解废水中的二甲苯、苯酚和丙烯腈

采用频率为20kHz的超声波处理二甲苯、丙稀腈、苯酚溶液。实验结果表明,在二甲苯初始质量浓度为27．6mg／L、H2O2质量浓度为1．68g／L、溶液温度为25℃、声强为141．32W／cm^2、辐射全程时间为60min的条件下,二甲苯降解率可达99．20％;在丙烯腈初始质量浓度为100．0mg／L、通氧量为15mL／rain、溶液温度为28℃、声强为141．32W／cm^2、辐射全程时间为30rain的条件下,丙烯腈降解率可达98．20％;在苯酚初始质量浓度为20．0mg／L、H202质量浓度为1．50g／L、FeSO4质量浓度为0．22g／L、溶液温度为28℃、声强为48．92W／cm^2、辐射全程时间为40rain的条件下,苯酚降解率可达99．81％。     

金属络合剂在烟气同时脱硫脱硝中的应用

液相络合法是烟气同时脱硫脱硝中广泛应用的方法之一。液相络合法常用的金属络合剂有亚铁络合剂和钴络合剂等。重点介绍了亚铁氨羧络合剂、含-SH的亚铁络合剂和六氨合钴络合剂、乙二胺合钴络合剂等同时脱硫脱硝的基本过程及常用吸收液的再生方法,指出了金属络合剂在烟气同时脱硫脱硝中应用时存在的问题及今后的发展方向。     

汽车乘务舱空气污染物的净化措施研究

汽车乘务舱是乘务员(特别是驾驶员)接触最频繁、最密切的空间,其空气质量直接关系到舱内每个人的健康。文章对汽车乘务舱空气污染物的来源进行了分析,并通过对汽车乘务舱空气污染物的净化措施发展的研究,提出了将一种半导体光净化材料直接应用到汽车乘务舱中的净化措施。同时,针对我国北方夏冬两季温差较大的特点,提出了北方汽车乘务舱空气污染物净化的有效方法及措施。     

印染废水处理的磁混凝-高梯度磁分离协同作用

混凝过程作为工业废水的预处理技术普遍受到重视,在混凝过程中降低污泥产生量并提高污泥分离速度是该技术发展的方向,基于上述目标,通过将磁粉引入絮体使之磁化并在自行研制的高梯度磁分离装置中实现磁混凝与磁分离的协同作用.以高浊度的印染废水作为试验废水,以色度、COD及SS作为考核指标,重点考察了磁混凝反应及磁分离的影响因素.当印染废水的色度约为900倍、COD约为595 mg/L、SS约为500 mg/L时,在pH=8.5、FeSO4500 mg/L、PAM3.5 mg/L、磁粉400 mg/L的适宜磁混凝反应条件下,相应指标去除率比传统混凝法分别高出17.3%、21.7%及24.2%,此时絮团沉降速度增大了64.3%,污泥体积减少了61%,污泥压缩比为0.39.在电流强度8 A、流速2.5 L/min和介质填充率1%的操作条件下,该磁性絮体流经高梯度磁分离装置时的水力表面负荷达到61.0 m3/m2·h,处理出水达到国家二级排放标准.