Effects of cement on redistribution of trace metals and dissolution of organics in sewage sludge and its inorganic waste-amended products

The suitability of using cement-stabilized sludge products as artificial soils in earth works was evaluated. The sludge products investigated were cemented sludge, cement-treated clay-amended sludge (SS+MC), and cement-treated copper slag-amended sludge (SS+CS). The leachability of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and chromium (Cr) were assessed using the sequential extraction technique, toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), NEN 7341 availability test, and column leaching test. The results indicated that Zn leachability was reduced in all the cement-stabilized sludge products. In contrast, Cu was transferred from the organic fraction to the readily leachable phases in the cement-stabilized sludge products and therefore exhibited increased leachability. The increased Cu leachability could be attributed to dissolution of humic substances in the sludge as a result of elevated pH. Good correlation between dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and heavy metal leaching from the cement-stabilized sludge products was observed in the column leaching experiment. Even with a cement percentage as small as 12.5%, calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) was formed in the SS+MC and SS+CS products. Inclusion of the marine clay in the SS+MC products could reduce the leaching potentials of Zn, and this was the great advantage of the marine clay over the copper slag for sludge amendment.     

电子束辐照分解甲苯的初步实验研究

进行了电子束辐照分解甲苯的静态实验研究,实验结果表明,电子束辐照能够有效地分解甲苯,在850keV、11kGy电子束的辐照下,初始质量浓度为1 000~3 000m g/m3的甲苯去除率可以达到77%以上,且甲苯去除率随吸收剂量的增加而提高。甲苯辐照分解的主要产物是苯甲醛和甲酸,此外还有少量苯、苯酚等。进一步验证了.OH在甲苯分解中的重要作用。     

稀土元素镧对红壤微生物区系的影响

通过纯培养试验、室内培养试验和水稻盆栽试验研究了稀土元素镧对红壤微生物区系的影响 .结果表明 :镧对纯培养细菌、放线菌、真菌均有较强的毒害作用 .对镧的敏感性顺序为 :放线菌 >细菌 >真菌 .在低浓度下 ,镧对土壤细菌、放线菌、真菌的作用不明显 ,在高浓度下 ,表现为抑制作用 .在低浓度下 ,镧对土壤硝化细菌有强烈的刺激作用 ,最大刺激率达到 70 % ,随着浓度的升高则产生抑制作用并不断增强 .镧对土壤反硝化细菌作用不明显 .在低浓度下 ,镧对土壤自生固氮菌有某些刺激作用 ,随着浓度的升高 ,则产生显著的抑制作用 .土壤硝化细菌可以作为稀土对作物增产效应的指示菌 ,硝化细菌和自生固氮菌可以作为稀土污染土壤生态环境的指示菌 .外源稀土对红壤微生物区系产生抑制作用的临界浓度在 150 mg/ kg左右 .     

红壤中La对油菜的剂量效应和临界浓度

通过盆栽试验,研究了红壤中不同浓度La对油菜的生长、产量、叶绿素含量和过氧化物酶活性的影响.结果表明:低浓度La可促进油菜生长并增加产量,但达不到显著水平;300mg·kg^-1以上的高浓度La则显著抑制油菜生长和降低产量.La浓度为600mg·kg^-1时油菜死亡,油菜产量降低一半时的EC50=300mg·kg^-1.La浓度为15 mg·kg^-1时油菜叶片叶绿素和叶绿素a/b分别减少,POD活性随La的浓度的增加和施加时间的延长而逐渐增加.     

Copper biosorption on immobilized seaweed biomass： Column breakthrough characteristics

The biosorption of copper by the brown seaweed Sargassum baccularia,immobilized onto polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)gel beads, was investigated with fixed-bed experiments.Laboratory-scale column tests were performed to determine breakthrough curves with varying flow rates and feed concentrations.A theoretical fixed-bed model,known as the Bohart-Adams equation,was evaluated in simulating the experimental breakthrough curves.The Bohart-Adams model qualitatively predicted the breakthrough trends.PVA- immobilized seaweed biomass beads were amenable to efficient regeneration with aqueous solution containing the chelating agent ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA).The biosorbent retained most of its original uptake capacity over three cycles of use.The excellent reusability of the biosorbent could lead to the development of a viable metal remediation technology.     

New Non-food-Based Composites of Acorn Nutlet and Polycaprolactone: Preparation and Characterization Evaluation

Two dissimilar renewable resource-based thermoplastic acorn nutlet (TPAN) materials were prepared via twin-screw extrusion with the aid of glycerol or monoethanolamine as plasticizers, and then two TPAN/polycaprolactone (PCL) composites with different plasticized systems were prepared. Mechanical test showed that glycerol-based composites had excellent tensile properties, and at a PCL content of 50 wt%, their tensile strength and elongation at break reached 14.4 MPa and 1,361 %, respectively. The micro-morphologic investigation of liquid-nitrogen brittle fracture surface indicated certain interface adhesion between glycerol-based thermoplastic acorn nutlet (GTPAN) and PCL. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis , differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that the weight ratios of TPAN in composites significantly affected the crystallinity, glass transition temperature (T_g), melting temperature (T_m) and thermal stability of composites. Soil burial degradation analysis displayed that all composites had excellent biodegradability. These results demonstrated that GTPAN/PCL composites had superior mechanical and biodegradable properties, enough to partially replace the conventional thermoplastic plastics.     

A TWO-DIMENSIONAL PARTICLE TRACKING ESTUARINE TRANSPORT MODEL1

ABSTRACT: A two-dimensional particle tracking model is developed for estuarine water quality investigation. The method requires only the solution of a two-dimensional hydrodynamics model and, therefore, is more economical to use than conventional multi-dimensional estuarine transport models. The present model does not consider turbulent diffusion, and it handles only conservative constituents. The model was applied to Humboldt Bay, California, where the flushing of sewage effluent was simulated. The model was applied to evaluate the present release plan, and to determine alternative release plans for limiting the transport of sewage effluent into shellfish producing areas Within the Bay.     

Subtropical urban turfs: Carbon and nitrogen pools and the role of enzyme activity

Urban grasslands not only provide a recreational venue for urban residents, but also sequester organic carbon in vegetation and soils through photosynthesis, and release carbon dioxide through respiration, which largely contribute to carbon storage and fluxes at regional and global scales. We investigated organic carbon and nitrogen pools in subtropical turfs and found that dissolved organic carbon(DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen(DON)were regulated by several factors including microbial activity which is indicated by soil enzymatic activity. We observed a vertical variation and different temporal patterns in both soil DOC, DON and enzyme activities, which decreased significantly with increasing soil depths. We further found that concentration of soil DON was linked with turf age. There were correlations between grass biomass and soil properties, and soil enzyme activities. In particular, soil bulk density was significantly correlated with soil moisture and soil organic carbon(SOC). In addition, DOC correlated significantly with DON. Significant negative correlations were also observed between soil total dissolved nitrogen(TDN) and grass biomass of Axonopus compressus and Zoysia matrella. Specifically, grass biomass was significantly correlated with the soil activity of urease and β-glucosidase. Soil NO3-N concentration also showed negative correlations with the activity of both β-glucosidase and protease but there were no significant correlations between cellulase and soil properties or grass biomass. Our study demonstrated a relationship between soil C and N dynamics and soil enzymes that could be modulated to enhance SOC pools through management and maintenance practices.     

Sensitivity analysis of ground-level ozone concentration to emission changes in two urban regions of southeast Texas

Air pollutant emission is one of the predominant factors affecting urban air quality such as ground-level ozone formation. This paper assesses the impact of changing emission inventory scenarios, based on combinations of point, mobile, area/non-road and biogenic sources, on the tropospheric ozone concentration in two southeast Texas urban areas, i.e. Houston-Galveston and Beaumont-Port Arthur, during the rapid ozone formation event (ROFE) on August 25, 2000. The EPA's Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system with 1999 national emission inventory (NEI99) estimates and updated SAPRC99 chemical mechanism are used in the sensitivity analysis for twelve different emission scenarios. Based on model results, it is found that the point source emission of NOx and VOC contributes the greatest ozone peak in the ROFE. Removing Texas point sources of VOC and NOx emission from the inventory results in a reduction in peak O3 concentration by 128 and 70 ppbv in Houston urban area, respectively. Similar but less drastic impact from point source is also observed in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area. The effect on peak ozone concentration due to mobile, area and non-road sources emissions are less significant compared to that of point source emission. Reducing VOC emission appears to be more effective than reducing NOx emission in lowering peak O3 concentration in the studied region. Although biogenic emission can contribute up to 37 ppbv of peak ozone level over a large area, the affected area is away from the urban region of concern, and should not be the main cause for O3 non-attainment in the two urban areas. Removing CO emission from mobile sources does not lead to significant reduction (< 1 ppbv) in ozone concentrations. The modeled data also show that the transport of O3 precursors from adjacent states can cause a significant ozone plume near Beaumont due to its proximity to the state border based on the conditions during the August 25, 2000 O3 episode.     

WATER QUALITY MODELING FOR THE FEITSUI RESERVOIR IN NORTHERN TAIWAN1

ABSTRACT: Field data collected from the Feitsui Reservoir in Taiwan indicate that the water is at a stage between mesotrophic and eutrophic. Recent measurements such as total phosphorus, chlorophyll a and Secchi depth levels suggest that the water quality has been declining. A two‐dimensional, laterally averaged, finite difference hydrodynamic and water quality model was used to simulate the water quality in the Feitsui Reservoir in an effort to determine sound water quality management strategies. The model was calibrated and verified using data collected in 1996 and 1997. The calibrated model was used to simulate algal biomass (in terms of chlorophyll a) levels under various wasteload reduction scenarios. Model results show that 50 percent reduction of the total phosphorus load will improve the existing water quality, shifting the trophic status from eutrophic/mesotrophic to oligotrophic. The modeling effort has yielded valuable information that can be used by decision makers for the evaluation of different management strategies of reducing watershed nutrient loads.