Composting clam processing wastes in a laboratory- and pilot-scale in-vessel system

Waste materials from the clam processing industry (offal, shells) have several special characteristics such as a high salinity level, a high nitrogen content, and a low C/N ratio. The traditional disposal of clam waste through landfilling is facing the challenges of limited land available, increasing tipping fees, and strict environmental and regulatory scrutiny. The aim of this work is to investigate the performance of in-vessel composting as an alternative for landfill application of these materials. Experiments were performed in both laboratory-scale (5L) and pilot-scale (120L) reactors, with woodchips as the bulking agent. In the laboratory-scale composting test, the clam waste and woodchips were mixed in ratios from 1:0.5 to 1:3 (w/w, wet weight). The high ratios resulted in a better temperature performance, a higher electrical conductivity, and a higher ash content than the low-ratio composting. The C/N ratio of the composts was in the range of 9:1-18:1. In the pilot-scale composting test, a 1:1 ratio of clam waste to woodchips was used. The temperature profile during the composting process met the US Environmental Protection Agency sanitary requirement. The final cured compost had a C/N ratio of 14.6, with an ash content of 167.0+/-14.1g/kg dry matter. In addition to the major nutrients (carbon, nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, and sodium), the compost also contained trace amounts of zinc, manganese, copper, and boron, indicating that the material can be used as a good resource for plant nutrients.     

The Shape Memory Properties of Biodegradable Chitosan/Poly(l-lactide) Composites

The shape memory behavior of PLLA (poly(l-lactide)) and chitosan/PLLA composites was studied. PLLA and chitosan were compounded to fabricate novel materials which may have biodegradability and biocompatibility. Chitosan does not significantly affect the glass and melting transition temperature of the PLLA. Both the pure PLLA and chitosan/PLLA composites showed shape memory effect arising from the viscoelastic properties of PLLA comprised of semi crystalline structures. The shape recovery ratio of the chitosan/PLLA composites decreased significantly with increasing chitosan contents due to the incompatibility between PLLA and chitosan. Phase separation structures of the composites were observed by using atomic force microscopy. To obtain good shape memory effect, the chitosan content should be below 15 wt%.     

基于循环经济的煤矿环境评价指标体系

基于循环经济理论和煤矿开采中环境系统的演化规律.从资源循环与资源损失正反两个方面构建了煤矿区环境评估指标体系.指标体系分为目标层、指标类别层和单项指标层3个层次,单项指标层是具体舒化指标.由它直接计算指标类别层的值,进而计算目标层的评估结果.将此指标体系运用到重庆市某县煤矿,对该县近年来煤矿资源开发中环境可持续能力进行了计算和分析,评价结果与实际情况相符,揭示了该县煤矿开发中环境可持续能力提高的关键因素,进一步探讨了煤矿开发中环境能力提高和循环经济理念的实施建议.     

石墨烯纳米材料对哺乳动物的毒性及其作用机制

石墨烯是一种应用广泛的新兴非金属纳米材料,具有独特的电学机械性能、超大的比表面积以及潜在的生物相容性,在材料、电子、能源、光学以及生物医学等领域得到广泛应用。与此同时,石墨烯的环境行为和生物毒性也随之引起日益广泛的关注。本文通过对石墨烯纳米材料的动物毒性、细胞毒性、毒性影响因素和毒性机制等相关研究进展进行总结。石墨烯纳米材料可通过气管滴注、吸入、静脉注射、腹腔注射以及口服等方式进入体内,通过机械屏障、血脑屏障和血液胎盘屏障等积累在肺、肝、脾等部位引起急性或者慢性损伤;目前有关石墨烯毒性机制的研究主要集中于线粒体损伤、DNA损伤、炎性反应、凋亡等终点及氧化应激参与的复杂信号通路,不同石墨烯纳米材料的浓度、尺寸、表面结构和官能团等对石墨烯的生物毒性影响不同。鉴于当前该领域研究的局限性,对石墨烯纳米材料生物毒性研究的发展方向进行了展望,进而为石墨烯材料的安全应用提供理论借鉴和实践参考。     

阿维菌素对中华绒螯蟹肝胰腺氧化胁迫效应和组织结构的影响

采用半静态染毒法,研究不同浓度(1.6、8.0、16.0μg·L-1)阿维菌素在胁迫中华绒螯蟹12、24、48、96 h时肝胰腺超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性和丙二醛(MDA)积累量等氧化胁迫相关指标的变化;并在胁迫60 d时,记录各实验组和对照组中华绒螯蟹肝胰腺颜色的变化并进行组织病理观察。3个阿维菌素浓度组为实验组,空白组和溶剂组为对照组。结果表明在整个实验过程中空白组和溶剂组各个时间点各项指标之间无显著差异(P>0.05);低浓度(1.6μg·L-1)组SOD和CAT活力变化不显著(P>0.05);中浓度(8.0μg·L-1)组SOD和CAT活力变化趋势一致,持续被诱导,SOD活力在24 h以后显著高于空白组(P<0.01),CAT活力在48 h以后显著高于空白组(P<0.01);高浓度(16.0μg·L-1)组SOD和CAT活力在12 h~24 h之间变化趋势一致,表现为显著升高(P<0.05),但是在48 h之后,SOD活力显著下降(P<0.05);96 h时,高浓度组SOD活力显著低于空白组(P<0.01),而CAT活力显著高于空白组(P<0.01);在整个实验过程中各实验组MDA积累量逐渐增加,高浓度组氧化胁迫指标的变化幅度大于低浓度组。胁迫60 d时,取样观察可见对照组中华绒螯蟹肝胰腺正常,各实验组中华绒螯蟹肝胰腺发生了不同程度的病变,肝胰腺颜色由最开始的橘黄色变成了淡黄色、黄白色甚至白色,高、中、低各浓度组肝胰腺白化所占的比例分别是66.6%、57.1%和25.0%。组织病理分析显示,淡黄色肝胰腺的病理变化主要是B细胞数量减少,肝胰腺上皮细胞部分肿大并出现空泡;黄白肝病理观察可见肝胰腺上皮细胞中空泡数量增多,体积增大,且空泡内出现内容物,细胞核固缩;白肝的病理表现主要是基膜增厚,上皮细胞大量脱落,散落在管腔中,空泡数量进一步增多,肝胰腺的生理功能受损。由此得出,阿维菌素会对中华绒螯蟹肝胰腺造成氧化胁迫和组织损伤,且阿维菌素和对肝胰腺的氧化胁迫效应和组织结构损伤程度有一定的剂量-效应关系。     

Investigation of the accumulation of ash,heavy metals,and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to assess the stability of lysis–cryptic growth sludge reduction in sequencing batch reactor

The accumulation of ash, heavy metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (collectively called potential accumulating substances, PAS) was evaluated to ascertain the stability of lysis–cryptic growth sludge reduction process (LSRP) for municipal sludge treatment. One sequencing batch reactor (SBR) incorporated with homogenization was run to test the LSRP and another SBR as a control. The continuous monitoring results for 2 months showed that the ash and heavy metals slightly increased, and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons decreased by 18.0%, indicating that there may be negligible accumulations during the LSRP. Their accumulations met pattern I, as demonstrated by statistical analysis, proving no PAS accumulation for LSRP. This was further confirmed by sludge activity and system performance. Moreover, the mechanism for no PAS accumulation was discussed. It was concluded that the LSRP was stable with no worries about PAS accumulation under the operational conditions.     

Effect of tea saponin on phytoremediation of Cd and pyrene in contaminated soils by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lolium multiflorum</Emphasis>

Tea saponin (TS), a kind of green biosurfactant produced by plants, was added into the Cd–pyrene co-contaminated soils to evaluate its influence on phytoremediation of Cd and pyrene by Lolium multiflorum. The results showed that the accumulation of pyrene in L. multiflorum was significantly promoted by the TS. Compared with no TS treatments (PL and ML), the aboveground concentrations of pyrene in TS treatments (PLT and MLT) increased by 135 and 30%, respectively, and the underground concentrations of pyrene in TS treatments (PLT and MLT) increased by 40 and 25%. The concentrations of Cd in the aboveground and underground parts in single contaminated treatments were all significantly more than those in co-contaminated treatments, while the situation of pyrene was quite the reverse. Besides, the addition of TS enhanced activities of dehydrogenase and polyphenol oxidase in soils and increased the biomass of L. multiflorum. The micromorphology of L. multiflorum was not affected by TS. The study suggests that the use of L. multiflorum with TS is an alternative technology for remediation of Cd–pyrene co-contaminated soils.     

Impacts of hydrologic variations on chemical weathering and solute sources in the Min River basin,Himalayan–Tibetan region

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Feedback between hydrologic variations and chemical weathering is thought to play a crucial role in modulating global carbon cycling. The mechanisms...     

Spatial variation and toxicity assessment for heavy metals in sediments of intertidal zone in a typical subtropical estuary (Min River) of China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Sediment samples were collected in five marshes (C1, Phragmites australis marsh; C2, P. australis and Cyperus malaccensis marsh; C3, C. malaccensis...     

Effect of chlorination and ultraviolet disinfection on tetA-mediated tetracycline resistance of Escherichia coli

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are an emerging threat to public health during drinking water consumption and reclaimed water reuse. Several studies have shown that the proportions of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in waters may increase when exposed to low doses of UV light or chlorine. In this study, inactivation of tetracycline-resistant Escherichia coli and antibiotic-sensitive E. coli by UV disinfection and chlorination was compared to determine the tolerance of tetracycline-resistant E. coli to UV light and chlorine, and tetracycline resistance of a tetracycline-resistant E. coli population was studied under different doses of the disinfectants. Our results showed that relative to antibiotic-sensitive E. coli, tetracycline-resistant E. coli had the same tolerance to UV light and a potentially higher tolerance to chlorination. The mortality frequency distributions of tetracycline-resistant E. coli exposed to tetracycline were shifted by both chlorination and UV disinfection. When compared to the hemi-inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) of tetracycline-resistant E. coli with no exposure to UV or chlorination, the IC₅₀ of tetracycline-resistant E. coli treated with tetracycline was 40% lower when inactivation by UV light or chlorination reached 3-log but was 1.18 times greater when inactivation by chlorination reached 4.3-log. Chlorination applied to drinking water or reclaimed water treatment may increase the risk of selection for highly tetracycline-resistant E. coli.