Biofilm formation and microbial community analysis of the simulated river bioreactor for contaminated source water remediation

Background, aim, and scope

The start-up pattern of biofilm remediation system affects the biofilm characteristics and operating performances. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performances of the contaminated source water remediation systems with different start-up patterns in view of the pollutants removal performances and microbial community succession.

Methods

The operating performances of four lab-scale simulated river biofilm reactors were examined which employed different start-up methods (natural enrichment and artificial enhancement viadischarging sediment with influent velocity gradient increase) and different bio-fillers (Elastic filler and AquaMats? ecobase). At the same time, the microbial communities of the bioreactors in different phases were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, and sequencing.

Results and discussion

The pollutants removal performances became stable in the four reactors after 2 months?? operation, with ammonia nitrogen and permanganate index (COD_Mn) removal efficiencies of 84.41?C94.21% and 69.66?C76.60%, respectively. The biomass of mature biofilm was higher in the bioreactors by artificial enhancement than that by natural enrichment. Microbial community analysis indicated that elastic filler could enrich mature biofilm faster than AquaMats?. The heterotrophic bacteria diversity of biofilm decreased by artificial enhancement, which favored the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) developing on the bio-fillers. Furthermore, Nitrosomonas- and Nitrosospira-like AOB coexisted in the biofilm, and Pseudomonas sp., Sphaerotilus sp., Janthinobacterium sp., Corynebacterium aurimucosum were dominant in the oligotrophic niche.

Conclusion

Artificial enhancement via the combination of sediment discharging and influent velocity gradient increasing could enhance the biofilm formation and autotrophic AOB enrichment in oligotrophic niche.     

Can body-size patterns of ciliated zooplankton be used for assessing marine water quality? A case study on bioassessment in Jiaozhou Bay, northern Yellow Sea

Introduction

In order to reveal the potential relationships between body-size patterns of microzooplankton and environmental status, the spatial patterns in body-size spectra of ciliated zooplanktons were studied based on an annual dataset in a bay of the Yellow Sea, northern China.

Materials and methods

A total of 120 samples were collected at a depth of 1?m from each of five sampling sites with a spatial gradient of environmental stress from June 2007 to May 2008. A range of physico-chemical variables were measured synchronously for comparison with biotic parameters.

Results

The spatial body-size patterns of ciliated zooplankton represented significant differences among the five sites, and were significantly correlated with the changes of physico-chemical parameters, especially salinity, dissolved oxygen and nutrients. Two paired indices, the average body-size distinctness (AvBSD) and the variation in body-size distinctness (VarBSD), were proposed based on the trait resemblances among ciliate species in body-size pattern. The paired measures showed a clear decreasing trend of departure from the expected body-size spectra in response to water quality status.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the body-size pattern of ciliated zooplankton might be used as a potential indicator of marine water quality.     

Effect of factors on decolorization of azo dye methyl orange by oxone/natural sunlight in aqueous solution

Purpose  

The oxone process for azo dye decolorization has drawbacks such as difficulties with reuse, risks of secondary pollution, and high costs associated with UV irradiation. This study aims to explore the use of oxone for decolorization in the absence of catalyst and under natural sunlight conditions (i.e., oxone/natural sunlight system) and evaluate the impacts of operating parameters (reagent dosage, initial methyl orange (MO) concentration, and initial pH) and coexisting substances (humic acid, NO₃⁻, metal ions) on the system’s decolorization efficiency.     

Phytoremediation of the polluted Waigang River and general survey on variation of phytoplankton population

The Waigang River, a major tributary of the Qinhuai River system, has suffered from long-standing pollution because of lack of management. Restoration was commenced in April 2006 to reduce pollutants and improve water quality. Four ecological areas and ten surface carriers were constructed for the culture of plants (mainly water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)) for phytoremediation. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorus, total nitrogen (TN), ammonia?Cnitrogen (NH₃?CN), water transparency, and variations in phytoplankton population were investigated to evaluate the effects of restoration. Over 36?months, TSS, COD, TN, and NH₃?CN levels decreased by 91.1, 55.3, 91.5, and 86.5?%, respectively. Transparency increased from 25?cm in 2006 to 165?cm in 2009. Improvements in water quality significantly enhanced the diversity of phytoplankton, which were harmed by pollution stress. Our results show that the water hyacinth and ryegrass cultured in the ecological areas and the surface carriers can be used to restore other heavily polluted rivers with conditions similar to those of the Waigang River, especially in the initial stages of restoration.     

Characterization of carbonic anhydrase II from Chlorella vulgaris in bio-CO2 capture

Carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) can catalyze the reversible hydration reaction of CO₂ at a maximum of 1.4?×?10⁶ molecules of CO₂ per second. The crude intracellular enzyme extract containing CA II was derived from Chlorella vulgaris. A successful CO₂ capture experiment with the presence of calcium had been conducted on the premise that the temperature was conditioned at a scope of 30?C40?°C, that the biocatalyst-nurtured algal growth period lasted 3?days, and that pH ranged from7.5 to 8.5. Ions of K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Zn²⁺ at 0.01, 0.1, and 0.5?M were found to exhibit no more than 30?% inhibition on the residual activity of the biocatalyst. It is reasonable to expect that calcification catalyzed by microalgae presents an alternative to geological carbon capture and sequestration through a chain of fundamental researches carried on under the guidance of sequestration technology.     

百色市右江区大气PM10中水溶性无机离子的化学特征与来源

2010年10月至2011年9月采集百色市右江区大气PM10样品,分析PM10及其水溶性无机离子的化学特征与来源。结果表明:(1)百色市右江区大气PM10为13.89～319.44μg/m3,年均117.48μg/m3,年均值超过《环境空气质量标准》(GB 3095-2012)二级标准(100μg/m3)。百色市右江区大气可吸入颗粒物的污染主要出现在春冬季节。(2)水溶性无机离子浓度年均值依次为SO24->NO3->Cl->NH4+>K+>Na+>Mg2+>F-,SO24-、NO3-和Cl-浓度最高,分别占水溶性无机离子的57.7%、14.9%和14.5%。(3)百色市右江区大气PM10呈较强的酸性,高浓度的SO42-可能是导致百色市右江区大气PM10呈较强酸性的主要原因。(4)PM10的季节变化受气温和风速的影响极显著;气象因素对SO42-、NO3-、F-的影响不显著。(5)主因子分析表明,PM10中水溶性无机离子可能来自3个方面,Cl-和NO3-主要来自于当地低烟卤煤燃烧排放的烟气;Mg2+、K+和Na+主要来自于自然源;F-、SO24-和NH4+主要来自于混合源。     

人工湿地构筑根孔作用下土壤物质分布状况

嘉兴市石臼漾湿地应用人工构筑根孔技术,以玉米秸秆和油菜秸秆按比例混合埋植于土壤亚表层,作为湿地的基质/填料。在湿地运行一年半后,按照正交设计表,以埋植秸秆的种类(S)、填埋的土壤层次(L)、距离秸秆外环的远近(D)和秸秆周围土壤的表观颜色(C)作为实验因素,对秸秆周围养分物质浓度、土壤酶活性以及铁含量进行采样分析。实验结果显示:玉米秸秆和油菜秸秆腐烂较充分,分别形成较发达的粗根孔和细根孔;根孔周围土壤呈中度还原状态;粗根孔具有较强的优先流效应,其周围土壤具有较高的养分物质含量和较低的Fe2+/Fe3+比。粗根孔周围土壤具有较高的磷酸酶活性,而细根孔周围具有较高的β-葡糖苷酶活性和脲酶活性。综合比较,人工湿地构建初期,径级较大秸秆腐烂后形成的粗根孔发挥着更高的水分传导效率和更强的物质截留效应。     

超声波促进城市生活污泥缺氧/好氧消化的研究

本研究将超声波预处理引入城市生活污泥缺氧/好氧消化工艺中,自主设计了容积为30 L的生活污泥超声波-缺氧/好氧消化中试系统并用以实验研究。超声波预处理的参数为超声频率28 kHz,声能密度0.15 W/mL,超声时间10 min,超声间隔12 h,污泥超声比例30%。结果表明,引入超声预处理后,缩短了污泥的稳定时间,提高了污泥的消化效率。污泥消化10 d就已经达到了稳定标准,比未引入超声预处理时缩短了12 d,而MLVSS最大去除率提高了11%,达到了55.10%。超声波的引入,对污泥缺氧/好氧消化系统中污泥上清液溶解性COD（SCOD）的变化趋势影响比较明显,而对上清液的pH、氨氮和TP的变化趋势没有明显影响。     

添加不同比例的石灰对污泥稳定化的模糊评价

在污泥处置策略中,污泥碱式干化被认同是一种安全可靠的处置方式。而我国由于大多采用较为原始的推送装置,不仅石灰消耗量大,而且污泥稳定化效果差,难以实现污泥性状的改善。利用自主研发的高效混合器,在脱水污泥中添加质量分数为5%、7%、10%、12%和15%的500目工业石灰后,分别测定添加后污泥的温度、pH、粪大肠菌值以及臭味强度的变化,并采用模糊数学法评价了添加不同比例的石灰对污泥的稳定化效果,结果表明:添加不同比例的工业用生石灰后,污泥的温度从原污泥的30℃分别升高到32.0、36.0、39.2、41.0和43.3℃;污泥中的pH从原污泥的6.5左右均升高到12以上;粪大肠菌值从原污泥的1.08×10-8 g/MPN均降为0.01 g/MPN以下;臭味强度从5级降为2级以下;污泥稳定化程度高,模糊综合评价结果都为一级。因此,添加5%的石灰即可实现污泥的稳定化。