Preparation and coagulation efficiency of polyaluminium ferric silicate chloride composite coagulant from wastewater of high-purity graphite production

The aim of the present work was to produce a polyaluminium ferric silicate chloride (PAFSiC) coagulant from acidic and alkaline wastewater of purifying graphite by roasting, and subsequently to evaluate coagulation efficiency of the reagent by treating surface water from the Yellow River as well as municipal wastewater in comparison with the conventional coagulant polyaluminium chloride (PAC). The PAFSiC coagulant was prepared by co-polymerization. The effects of (Al+Fe)/Si molar ratio, OH/(Al+Fe) molar ratio (i.e., value), coagulant dosage and pH value of test suspension on the coagulation behavior of FAFSiC and the stability of the PAFSiC were also examined. Results showed that PAFSiC performed more efficiently than PAC in removing turbidity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total phosphate (TP). The PAFSiC with a value of 2.0 and (Al+Fe)/Si ratio of 5 (PAFSiC 2.0/5) showed excellent coagulation effect for both turbidity and COD, while PAFSiC 1.0/5 was the best for TP. The optimum coagulation pH range of PAFSiC 2.0/5 was 5.0–9.0, slightly wider than that of PAC (6.0–8.0). The process can be easily incorporated into high-purity graphite production plants, thereby reducing wastewater pollution and producing a valuable coagulant.     

Chemical cleaning of fouled PVC membrane during ultrafiltration of algal-rich water

Cleaning of hollow-fibre polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane with di erent chemical reagents after ultrafiltration of algal-rich water was investigated. Among the tested cleaning reagents (NaOH, HCl, EDTA, and NaClO), 100 mg/L NaClO exhibited the best performance (88.4% 1.1%) in removing the irreversible fouling resistance. This might be attributed to the fact that NaClO could eliminate almost all the major foulants such as carbohydrate-like and protein-like materials on the membrane surface, as confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. However, negligible irreversible resistance (1.5% 1.0%) was obtained when the membrane was cleaning by 500 mg/L NaOH for 1.0 hr, although the NaOH solution could also desorb a portion of the major foulants from the fouled PVC membrane. Scanning electronic microscopy and atomic force microscopy analyses demonstrated that 500 mg/L NaOH could change the structure of the residual foulants on the membrane, making them more tightly attached to the membrane surface. This phenomenon might be responsible for the negligible membrane permeability restoration after NaOH cleaning. On the other hand, the microscopic analyses reflected that NaClO could e ectively remove the foulants accumulated on the membrane surface.     

Methanotrophic community structure of aged refuse and its capability for methane bio-oxidation

Aged refuse from waste landfills closed for eight years was examined and found to contain rich methanotrophs capable of biooxidation for methane. Specially, community structure and methane oxidation capability of methanotrophs in the aged refuse were studied. The amount of methanotrophs ranged 61.97 103–632.91 103 cells/g (in dry basis) in aged refuse from Shanghai Laogang Landfill. Type I and II methanotrophs were found in the aged refuse in the presence of sterilized sewage sludge and only Type I methanotrophs were detected in the presence of nitrate minimal salt medium (NMS). The clone sequences of the pmoA gene obtained from the aged refuse were similar to the pmoA gene of Methylobacter, Methylocaldum, and Methylocystis, and two clones were distinct with known genera of Type I methanotrophs according to phylogenetic analysis. Aged refuse enriched with NMS was used for methane biological oxidation and over 93% conversions were obtained.     

Sedimentary record of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Lake Erhai, Southwest China

The temporal distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated in a sediment core from Lake Erhal in Southwest China using gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method.The total organic carbon (TOC) normalized total PAHs concentrations (sum of US Environmental Protection Agency proposed 16 priority PAHs) ranged from 31.9 to 269 μg/g dry weight (dw),and were characterized by a slowly increasing stage in the deeper sediments and a sharp increasing stage in the upper sediments.The PAHs in the sediments were dominated by low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs,suggesting that the primary source of PAHs was low- and moderate temperature combustion processes.However,both the significant increase in high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs in the upper sediments and the vertical profile of diagnostic ratios pointed out a change in the sources of PAHs from low-temperature combustion to high-temperature combustion.The ecotoxicological assessment based on consensus-based sediment quality guidelines implied that potential adverse biological impacts were possible for benzo(ghi)perylenelene and most LMW PAHs.In addition,the total BaP equivalent quotient of seven carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (BaA,CHr,BbF,BkF,BaP,DBA and INP) was 106.1 ng/g,according to the toxic equivalency factors.Although there was no great biological impact associated with the HMW PAlls,great attention should be paid to these PAH components based on their rapid increase in the upper sediments.     

Effect of C/N ratio, aeration rate and moisture content on ammonia and greenhouse gas emission during the composting

Gaseous emission (N₂O, CH₄ and NH₃) from composting can be an important source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas and air pollution. A laboratory scale orthogonal experiment was conducted to estimate the effects of C/N ratio, aeration rate and initial moisture content on gaseous emission during the composting of pig faeces from Chinese Ganqinfen system. The results showed that about 23.9% to 45.6% of total organic carbon (TOC) was lost in the form of CO₂ and 0.8% to 7.5% of TOC emitted as CH₄. Most of the nitrogen was lost in the form of NH₃, which account for 9.6% to 32.4% of initial nitrogen. N₂O was also an important way of nitrogen losses and 1.5% to 7.3% of initial total nitrogen was lost as it. Statistic analysis showed that the aeration rate is the most important factor which could affect the NH₃ (p = 0.0189), CH₄ (p = 0.0113) and N₂O (p = 0.0493) emissions significantly. Higher aeration rates reduce the CH₄ emission but increase the NH₃ and N₂O losses. C/N ratio could affect the NH₃ (p = 0.0442) and CH₄ (p = 0.0246) emissions significantly, but not the N₂O. Lower C/N ratio caused higher NH₃ and CH₄ emissions. The initial moisture content can not influence the gaseous emission significantly. Most treatments were matured after 37 days, except a trial with high moisture content and a low C/N ratio.     

Preliminary report on methane emissions from the Three Gorges Reservoir in the summer drainage period

Considerable variations may exist in CH4 emissions from the Three Gorges Reservoir.     

Synthesis and scale inhibitor performance of polyaspartic acid

Polyaspartic acid (PASP) has been extensively studied in recent years as a green scale inhibitor. PASP was synthesized by thermal polycondensation of maleic anhydride and ammonium carbonate in this study. The optimal polycondensation reaction conditions were the raw material (maleic anhydride and ammonium carbonate) molar ratio of 1.0:1.2, the polymerization temperature of 180°C and reaction time of 2.0 hr. The results showed that PASP exhibits very good scale inhibiting performance. The inhibition rate was 95% for calcium carbonate and 90% for calcium sulfate by the application of 5 mg/L PASP.     

Characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus removal in a sequencing batch reactor

Laboratory scale experiments were conducted to study the characteristics of N and P removal under different influent organic carbon concentration in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with simple anaerobic/aerobic operating mode. Experimental results indicated that, under the operating condition of influent N concentration of 89 mg/L and P concentration of 15 mg/L, when the influent C/N ratio increased from 1.5 to 6.9 (influent C/P ratio from 9 to 41), total N and P removal efficiency improved from 50% and 46% to 78% and 96% respectively. Track studies of N, P and other operating parameters demonstrated that N removal of the SBR was realized through simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) in the aeration phase and anoxic denitrificaiton in the filling phase, P removal was accomplished through conventional anaerobic P release and aerobic P taken-up process. Keeping dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration during the first two aeration hours as low as 0.1-0.6 mg/L is essential for the simultaneous occurrences of nitrification, denitrification and P-taken up.     

微波酸活化粉煤灰吸附酸性大红染料废水实验研究

以微波酸活化改性后的粉煤灰为吸附剂,对酸性大红染料废水进行吸附脱色处理,考察了吸附时间、pH值、吸附剂投加量等对吸附脱色效果的影响。在酸性大红染料溶液初始浓度为100 mg/L、pH=5、活化粉煤灰投加量为10 g/L吸附1 h时,活化粉煤灰对酸性大红的脱色效果较好,去除率可达96%。对实验数据进行相关数学模型拟合,结果表明微波酸活化改性后的粉煤灰吸附去除酸性大红的等温吸附平衡符合Langmuir吸附等温式,改性前后的吸附过程动力学符合准二级吸附动力学模型,线性相关系数良好。