Zinc tolerance and accumulation in Pteris vittata L. and its potential for phytoremediation of Zn- and As-contaminated soil

A field investigation and pot experiments were conducted to determine the potential of arsenic (As) hyperaccumulator, Pteris vittata L., to remediate sites co-contaminated with zinc (Zn) and As. We found that P. vittata L. had a very high tolerance to Zn and grew normally at sites with high Zn concentrations. In addition, P. vittata L. could effectively take up Zn into its fronds, with a maximum of 737 mg kg(-1) under field conditions. In pot experiments, the accumulated Zn concentration increased significantly as the Zn treatment was raised from 0 to 2000 mg kg(-1), with a maximum Zn accumulation of 0.22 mg pot(-1). Although the concentration of As in P. vittata L. was reduced by the addition of Zn, total frond accumulation of As was elevated when the Zn treatment was increased from 0 to 1000 mg kg(-1), with a maximum As accumulation of 8.3 mg pot(-1) in the presence of 1000 mg kg(-1) Zn. The high Zn tolerance, relatively high ability to accumulate Zn, and great capacity to accumulate As under conditions of suppression by high Zn suggest that P. vittata L. could be useful for the remediation of sites co-contaminated with Zn and As.     

Formation and instability of aerobic granules under high organic loading conditions

The cultivation and instability of aerobic granular sludge in a sequencing batch reactor under high loading conditions were investigated. Compact bacteria-dominated aerobic granules with a mean diameter of 1 mm were formed at a chemical oxygen demand (COD) loading rate of 6.0 kg m(-3) d(-1) within 30 d. However, the compact bacteria-dominated aerobic granules were not stable and transited to large-sized filamentous ones gradually. With the formation of bacteria-dominated granules, the hydrophobicity and specific gravity of the sludge increased. When the granules were transited to filamentous ones, the hydrophobicity and specific gravity decreased. Both granules had a high COD removal efficiency, excellent settling ability and showed a clear, regular round-shaped outline. After the filamentous granules reached a diameter of 16 mm, due to the mass transfer limitation and the possible presence of anaerobes in the inner part of the granules, they began to disintegrate and be washed out of the reactor, follow by failure of the reactor.     

Modeling solute transport in one-dimensional homogeneous and heterogeneous soil columns with continuous time random walk

In this paper, we used the continuous time random walk (CTRW) framework to characterize the transport process in 1250-cm long one-dimensional homogenous and heterogeneous soil columns at the experiments conducted by Huang et al. [Huang, K., Toride, N., van Genuchten, M.Th., 1995. Experimental investigation of solute transport in large, homogeneous and heterogeneous, saturated soil columns. Trans. Porous Media. 18, 283-302]. The transport process was also simulated by using the advection-dispersion equation (ADE) and the spatial fractional advection-dispersion equation (FADE) for comparison. In the homogeneous soil column, the non-Fickian behavior is found at the distances less than 1000cm with beta values larger than 1.60, but less than 2, and Fickian form transport is obtained at distances larger than 1000cm with beta values larger than 2. In the heterogeneous soil column, we found the most anomalous behavior at distances from 200cm to 700cm with beta values ranging from 0.894 to 0.958, and non-Fickian transport process is observed at distances larger than 800cm with beta values in the range between 1 and 1.3. More significant non-Fickian behavior is found for transport in the heterogeneous soil column than that in the homogeneous soil column. The CTRW fits to the breakthrough curves (BTCs) have lower values of root mean square error (RMSE) and higher values of determination coefficient (r(2)), with respect to the fits of ADE and FADE. The CTRW model also is better captures the full evolution of BTCs, and especially their tails.     

A study of daily and seasonal variations of radon concentrations in underground buildings

A study of daily and seasonal variations of radon concentrations in underground buildings in major cities of China was carried out. According to the data from the Model 1027 continuous monitor, radon concentrations in the underground buildings changed through two cycles each day. The first cycle was from 12:00 to 0:00 and the highest or lowest value, depending on location, was at about 19:00. The second cycle had a little change. Based on the data from solid state nuclear detectors (SSNTDs), it was concluded that the radon concentrations in underground buildings in winter were lower than in summer, which was opposite to that above the ground level. Similar to that above the ground level, the radon concentrations in spring were close to the year-round average radon concentrations.     

单体液压支柱工作面顶板事故的原因与防治

简要地介绍了安徽淮南某矿回采工作面发生的1起重大冒顶事故,从地质、技术、装备、管理以及认识等方面分析r事故发生的原因,并提出了防治顶板事故的6项措施。     

企业安全评价分析的主成分方法

依据某机车车辆厂的特点,建立了安全性评价指标体系,并应用主成分分析法对数据进行分析处理,求出指标综合表达式和排序结果,从而得到指标的客观权重,并指出了主成分法应用于安全评价中的特点。     

Coupling effects of foam ceramics on the flame and shock wave of gas explosion

The coupling of gas explosion flame and shock wave is analyzed. In the gas explosion process, shock wave is affected by the flame directly, and shock wave also induces the flame. Inhibiting explosion can be achieved by the interference between the flame and shock wave propagation. If the coupling effects can be damaged, the adverse effects caused by the explosion should be mitigated and controlled. According to the structure characteristics of foam ceramics, the coupling effects mechanism of ceramic foam on gas explosion flame and shock wave is researched. When the explosion goes through the structure of foam ceramics, the flame can be quenched and the shock wave be attenuated. After the flame is quenched, the supply of precursor shock wave energy is cut off. Due to lack of energy supply, the destructive effects of blast wave will be reduced effectively. Coupling effects of the flame and shock wave can be damaged by the special structure of foam ceramics. Studies suggest that a certain function to represent the structure characteristics of foam ceramics must exist. For a certain material of foam ceramics, the sure porosity δ and the pore diameter d also can be get, which is the key to research and develop foam ceramic suppression technology of gas explosion.     

Biohydrogen production using waste activated sludge as a substrate from fructose-processing wastewater treatment

Biohydrogen production by dark fermentation in a series of batch tests under different environmental control conditions was evaluated to determine the optimal initial cultivation pH and temperature for a continuous-flow kinetic test to validate the kinetic model system. The waste activated sludge (WAS) from fructose-processing manufacturing was used as the model substrate for biohydrogen production. The batch experiments for biohydrogen production were conducted in a 6 l bioreactor. Fifteen batch kinetic tests were investigated when pH was controlled at 6, 7, 8 and 9 as well as the temperature was controlled at 37 °C, 45 °C and 55 °C, respectively. The experimental results indicated that the optimal operational condition for hydrogen production occurred while pH was 7 and temperature was 55 °C with the highest hydrogen production of 7.8 mmol. The optimal recovery time for hydrogen was 25 h in the batch experiments. Furthermore, the kinetic test of biohydrogen production was performed by anaerobic mixed microbial culture in the continuous-flow experiment when pH and temperature was maintained at 7 and 55 °C. Approximately 60% and 7% of substrate solution was converted into acetate and hydrogen, respectively, at the steady state. Roughly only 0.77% and 2.7% of substrate solution was converted into propionate and butyrate, respectively, at a steady-state condition. The experimental and modeling approaches presented in this study could be employed for the design of pilot-scale and full-scale anaerobic biohydrogen fermentors using food-processing waste activated sludge (WAS) as a substrate solution.     

不同类型喷头灭火有效性研究

通过实验研究了不同类型喷头对灭木垛火的影响。实验采用了ZSTX和ZSTP两种类型喷头,在不同的水压力下灭木垛火,通过实验现场观测和测得的烟气温度,烟气组分变化来分析对比灭火的效果和对烟气的影响。通过对比分析实验数据,可知ZSTX喷头在0.2MPa的水压力下可以实现灭火,ZSTP喷头在0.4MPa才可以实现灭火。喷淋实现灭火时产生的CO比只能实现控火产生的CO少。