Sorption and Biodegradation of Vapor-Phase Organic Compounds with Wastewater Sludge and Food Waste Compost

ABSTRACT

To test the possible use of composted food waste and wastewater sludge as biofilters to treat gas-phase volatile organic compounds (VOCs), batch experiments were conducted with an isolated strain that could degrade aromatic compounds under aerobic conditions. A benzene and trichloroethylene (TCE) mixture was used as the gas-phase pollutant in experiments with composted food waste, sludge, and soil. Under aerobic conditions, benzene was degraded as a primary substrate and TCE was degraded cometabolically, with water contents varying from 6 to 60% (volume of water added/volume of solid). Optimal water content for VOC removal was 12% for the soil, 36% for the composted food waste, and 48% for the sludge.

The extent of VOC sorption and biodegradation at the optimal water content was different for each material. With the same initial VOC concentration, more VOCs were removed by sorption onto the composted food waste and the sludge, while less VOCs were biodegraded in comparison with the results using soil. The reason the biodegradation in the soil was greater may be partly attributed to the fact that, due to less sorption, the aqueous-phase concentration of VOCs, which microorganisms could utilize as a carbon source or cometabolize, was higher. We also speculate that the distribution of microorganisms in each medium affects the rate of biodegradation. A large number of microorganisms were attached to the composted food waste and sludge. Mass transfer of VOCs and oxygen to these microorganisms, which appear to have been heterogeneously distributed in clusters, may have been limited, resulting in hindered biodegradation.     

Long-Term Operation of a Biofilter for Simultaneous Removal of H2S and NH3

Abstract

Simultaneous removal of NH₃ and H₂S was investigated using two types of biofilters—one packed with wood chips and the other with granular activated carbon (GAC). Experimental tests and measurements included analyses of removal efficiency (RE), metabolic products, and results of long-term operation (around 240 days). The REs for NH₃ and H₂S were 92 and 99.9%, respectively, before deactivation. After deactivation, the RE for NH₃ and H₂S were decreased to 30–50% and 75%, respectively. The activity of nitrifying bacteria was inhibited by high concentrations of H₂S (over 200 ppm) but recovered gradually after H₂S addition was ceased. However, the Thiobacillus thioparus as sulfur oxidizing bacteria did not show inhibition at the NH₃ concentration under 150-ppm conditions. The deactivation of the biofilter was caused by metabolic products [elemental sulfur and (NH₄)₂SO₄] ac-cumulating on the packing materials during the extended operation. The removal capacities for NH₃ and H₂S were 6.0–8.0 and 45–75 mg N, S/L/hr, respectively.     

Absorption and Reaction Kinetics of Amines and Ammonia Solutions with Carbon Dioxide in Flue Gas

Abstract

The removal system for the absorption of CO₂ with amines and NH₃ is an advanced air pollution control device to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Absorption of CO₂ by amines and NH₃ solutions was performed in this study to derive the reaction kinetics. The absorption of CO₂ as encountered in flue gases into aqueous solutions of monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and NH₃ was carried out using a stirred vessel with a plane gas-liquid interface at 50 °C. Various operating parameters were tested to determine the effect of these variables on the absorption kinetics of the reactants in both gas and liquid phases and the effect of competitions between various reactants on the mass-transfer rate.

The observed absorption rate increases with increasing gas-liquid concentration, solvent concentration, temperature, and gas flow rate, but changes with the O₂ concentration and pH value. The absorption efficiency of MEA is better than that of NH₃ and DEA, but the absorption capacity of NH₃ is the best. The active energies of the MEA and NH₃ with CO₂ are 33.19 and 40.09 kJ/mol, respectively.     

Effective sorption of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) on hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide immobilized mesoporous SiO2 hollow sphere

The hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMAB) immobilized hollow mesoporous silica spheres were prepared for the efficient removal of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) from aqueous solution. Besides the traditional sorption behavior including sorption kinetics as well as effect of solution pH and temperature, the effect of increasing volume which simulated the natural river where the rate of solute and solvent was relatively constant and solution volume was always changing was investigated. The result indicated that the residual PFOS concentrations in aqueous phase decreased with increasing solution pH and ionic strength, whereas they increased with increasing temperature. The HDTMAB immobilized material still maintained high efficiency after increasing volume, that is, the removal kept more than 99% after the treatment when the initial PFOS concentration was 1 mg L^?1. The uptake behavior and morphology of spheres which was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the additional HDTMAB and mesoporous shell were responsible for the enhanced sorption of PFOS. It was concluded that electrostatic interaction and Ca-bridge role played an important role in the sorption of PFOS on the mesoporous SiO₂ hollow spheres, whereas, hydrophobic interaction contributed to the nice sorption performance of PFOS on the HDTMAB immobilized sorbent.     

氯过氧化物酶对苯酚生物降解的促进作用

氯过氧化物酶是一种底物广泛的手性催化剂,可以催化卤素离子、芳香族化合物和醇类化合物等进行过氧化反应.利用氯过氧化物酶催化氧化苯酚,考察其对苯酚生物降解的促进作用.结果表明,500、1 000 mg/L苯酚在氯过氧化物酶为10 U/mL、pH为6.5、H2 O2投加量为10 mg/L时8h苯酚降解率分别达到86.6％和83.8％,比单纯菌株降解显著提高.说明氯过氧化物酶能快速清除苯酚污染的危害,提高苯酚的生物降解速率.     

多孔硅酸钙滤料吸附床除磷试验研究

以多孔硅酸钙滤料为吸附载体处理含磷的二沉池出水.通过静态吸附试验和动态吸附试验,研究了滤料粒径及投加量、初始pH、反应时间、温度以及滤料填充高度对除磷效果的影响.在静态吸附试验中,取初始磷质量浓度为4.98 mg/L的含磷废水100 mL,当多孔硅酸钙滤料粒径为4～14目,投加量为1.0g,吸附时间为2.5h,温度为25℃,溶液初始pH为7.0～9.0时,磷的去除率可达95％以上,出水磷满足《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》(GB 18918-2002)的一级A标准(≤0.5 mg/L).动态吸附试验表明,在长期运行条件下,多孔硅酸钙滤料吸附床能持续有效地去除污水中的磷,综合考虑吸附率和运行费用,选择水力停留时间为30 min,滤料填充高度为60 cm为宜.     

混凝沉淀去除丙烯酸丁酯废水浊度物质

采用混凝沉淀法去除丙烯酸丁酯废水中的浊度物质,比较6种混凝剂的去除效率,确定聚合氯化铝为适宜混凝剂,并选用阳离子型聚丙烯酰胺作为助凝剂。研究结果表明,聚合氯化铝和阳离子型聚丙烯酰胺的优化投加量分别为150 mg/L和20 mg/L,优化pH值为4～5,水温20～40℃,快速搅拌速度200～400 r/min,搅拌时间1～3 min,慢速搅拌速度50～80 r/min,搅拌时间5～15 min。在以上条件下,可使出水浊度从3 000 NTU左右降至1 NTU左右,同时也实现了废水中胶体物质的大量去除。     

Kinetics study of fermentative hydrogen production from liquid swine manure supplemented with glucose under controlled pH

Kinetics of H₂ production from liquid swine manure supplemented with glucose by mixed anaerobic cultures was investigated using batch experiments under four different pH conditions (4.4, 5.0, 5.6, and uncontrolled). The temperature for the experiments was controlled at 37 ± 1°C and the length of experiments varied between 50 and 120 hours, depending upon the time needed for completion of each individual experiment. The modified Gompertz model was evaluated for its suitability for describing the H₂ production potential, H₂ production rate, and substrate consumption rate for all the experiments. The results showed that the Gompertz model could adequately fit the experimental results. The effect of pH was significant on all kinetic parameters for H₂ production including yield, production rate and lag time, and the substrate utilization rate. The optimal pH was found to be 5.0, at which a maximum H₂ production rate (0.64 L H₂/h) was obtained, and deviation from the optimal pH could result in substantial reductions in H₂ production rate (0.32 L H₂/h for pH 4.0 and 0.43 L H₂/h for pH 5.6). The results also showed that if pH was not controlled for the batch fermentation process, the substrate utilization efficiency could steeply decrease from 98.8% to 33.7%.     

Sublethal impact of paraquat on the life span and parasitic behavior of Diaeretiella rapae M’Intosh

This study focuses on assessing the impact of sublethal doses of paraquat on the survival, the emergence, the life span and the parasitic behavior of Diaeretiella rapae M’Intosh (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). The impact of sublethal doses was measured at room temperature using different densities of the cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae. The results reveal that the field dose of paraquat caused 100% mortality in D. rapae. The percentage emergence of D. rapae decreased from 80.5% in the control group to 71.5% when treated with the lowest concentration of paraquat. Similarly, the life span of parasitoids that emerged from the mummy treated with paraquat also decreased significantly. Oviposition capability and ovipositor thrusting frequency of D. rapae also treated with sublethal dose paraquat decreased significantly along with a shortened patch residence time in the foraging area.