Occurrence of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli genes in raw water of water treatment plants

Purpose

The high incidences of waterborne diseases are frequently associated with diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC). DEC may pose a health risk to people who contact surface water for recreation or domestic use. However, there is no published report on the monitoring of DEC in drinking water sources in Taiwan. In this study, the occurrence of DEC genes in raw water for water treatment plants in Taiwan was investigated.

Method

Raw water samples were taken from water treatment plants adjacent to the Kaoping River in southern Taiwan. Each water sample was treated with membrane filtration followed by DNA extraction from the concentrate and concentrate enrichment, respectively. The target genes for various DEC strains of genes were identified, including enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC).

Results

Among 55 water samples analyzed, DEC genes were detected in 16 (29.1%) samples. Strain-specific genes for EAEC, EHEC, EIEC, and EPEC were found in the percentages of 3.6%, 10.9%, 9.1%, and 9.1%, respectively. The specific gene for ETEC is not detected in the study. By looking at the presence/absence of specific genes and water sample characteristics, water temperature was found to differ significantly between samples with and without EHEC gene. In addition, pH levels differed significantly for EHEC and EPEC presence/absence genes, and turbidity was significantly different for water with and without EPEC genes.

Conclusion

DEC genes were detected in 29.1% of the raw water samples in the study location. The potential health threat may be increased if the treatment efficiencies are not properly maintained. Routine monitoring of DEC in drinking water sources should be considered.     

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in marine fish from four areas of China

The levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in marine fish from four areas of China (South China Sea, Bohai Sea, East China Sea, and Yellow Sea) using GC/NCI-MS and GC/ITMS, respectively. Total concentrations of eight PBDEs (BDE-28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183 and 209) in all samples ranged from 0.3 ng g⁻¹ ww (wet weight) to 700 ng g⁻¹ ww, with median and mean values of 85 ng g⁻¹ ww and 200 ng g⁻¹ ww, respectively. BDE-209 and BDE-47 were the major congeners in all samples, contributing 54% and 19% to the total concentration, respectively. The sum of seven indicator PCB levels (CB-28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180) ranged from 0.3 ng g⁻¹ ww to 3.1 μg g⁻¹ ww, with median and mean values of 6.4 ng g⁻¹ ww and 398 ng g⁻¹ ww, respectively. High contributions of CB-138 (32%) and CB-153 (25%) were found in all samples. In general, pollutants measured in this study were at high levels when compared with previous studies from other regions in the world. The relative abundance of BDE-209 may suggest that deca-BDE sources existed in studied area. And principal component analysis (PCA) showed that there were other PBDE sources in Yellow Sea. The pattern and PCA showed that PCB pollutions came from similar sources in the studied areas. In addition, concentrations of ∑₇PBDEs (u/209) were strongly correlated with those of ∑₇PCBs in all fish (r = 0.907, n = 44).     

Decomposition of dichloromethane and in situ alkali absorption of resulting halogenated products by a packed-bed non-thermal plasma reactor

For an effective decomposition and removal of organic halogenated compounds, a packed-bed non-thermal plasma reactor with in situ absorption of the resulting halogenated products by alkaline sorbent incorporated was proposed. In the plasma reactor, α-Al₂O₃ particles of 1 and 3 mm (mean particle diameter) were packed as solid dielectric medium to enhance the plasma power density in the reactor. Further, alkaline sorbent of Ca(OH)₂ was doped onto the surface of α-Al₂O₃ particles, in order to remove halogenated products by in situ absorption with Ca(OH)₂. A high-voltage and high-frequency pulsed power of −15 to 15 kV and 1 kHz was applied to the wire electrode of the plasma reactor by means of a DC power source. In the present study, as the sample of an organic halogenated compound that is most popularly used, we selected dichloromethane (CH₂Cl₂), and 500 ppm of the initial concentration of CH₂Cl₂ was fed into the reactor accompanied by air at a fixed flow rate of 500 × 10⁻⁶ m³ min⁻¹ at room temperature. As a result, it was recognized that the amount of CH₂Cl₂ decomposed by non-thermal plasma in an α-Al₂O₃ particle bed increased with an increase in plasma input power. The ratio of decomposition of CH₂Cl₂ was almost 100% at 13 kV of electric power and 1 kHz frequency, and CO₂, CH₃Cl, COCl₂, HCl, and Cl₂ were observed as the major reaction products. On the other hand, when CH₂Cl₂ was introduced into the plasma reactor where α-Al₂O₃ particles doped with Ca(OH)₂ were packed, the ratio of decomposition of CH₂Cl₂ became higher, compared to the case that α-Al₂O₃ particles were not doped with Ca(OH)₂. Moreover, there were no halogenated by-product gases detected in the outlet gas from the reactor. As the solid reaction products, CaClOH and Ca(ClO)₂·4H₂O were detected on Ca(OH)₂ by X-ray diffraction. From these findings, it was recognized that CH₂Cl₂ was decomposed more effectively without producing unwanted harmful halogenated by-products in the proposed non-thermal plasma reactor where α-Al₂O₃ particles doped with Ca(OH)₂ sorbent were packed.     

电化学氧化法处理垃圾渗滤液纳滤浓缩液

实验利用电化学氧化法处理垃圾渗滤液纳滤浓缩液,以提高废水的可生化性。研究考察了水力停留时间、进水流量、循环流量、电流强度和原水氯离子浓度对有机物去除的影响。研究结果表明,电化学氧化法的最佳运行条件如下:水力停留时间为3 h,进水流量为1 m3/h,循环流量为15 m3/h,电流强度为420 A。在上述条件下,原水COD浓度从3 100mg/L降到1 311.3 mg/L,去除率达到57.7%,BOD/COD值由0.03提升至0.31。氯离子对电解有促进作用,但原水氯离子浓度超过5 000 mg/L,不需要外加工业盐。     

MFC强化同步短程硝化反硝化工艺的启动

微生物燃料电池(MFC)可在阴极实现反硝化、短程反硝化和同步硝化反硝化并产生电能,但在MFC阴极实现同步短程硝化反硝化的研究尚未见到报道。为了探讨MFC阴极同步短程硝化反硝化工艺的性能,将双室曝气阴极MFC与A/O脱氮工艺结合处理人工模拟低碳氮比废水。通过静置运行15 d使得MFC阴极室亚硝态氮得以积累,氨氧化菌得以富集。随即改为连续运行后第21天成功启动同步短程硝化反硝化MFC;阴极出水氨氮浓度为0.3 mg/L,亚硝态氮浓度为15.9 mg/L,硝态氮浓度为0.6 mg/L,亚硝化率达到95%以上,阴极电极自养反硝化去除率达到50%以上,COD去除率达到85%以上。结果表明,将MFC与同步短程硝化反硝化工艺结合,通过阴极室中氧气得电子获得高p H,可以强化同步短程硝化反硝化工艺,完成生物脱氮的同时回收电能,并具有减少外加碱度的优势。     

纳米铁催化分解高氯酸盐废水的反应动力学

通过实验考察了酸性条件下纳米铁催化分解高氯酸盐过程中的影响因素,对其分解的动力学进行了研究,并对纳米铁催化剂结构及微观形貌进行SEM、EDS和XRD表征分析。利用阿仑尼乌斯方程和幂指数方程拟合反应动力学方程,获得了高氯酸盐分解动力学方程Ct=C0exp{-0.03773exp(-201.65/T)[H]0.191t},理论的计算值与实验值吻合较好,误差在15%以内。     

响应面法优化黄粉虫幼虫处理餐厨垃圾饲养条件的研究

研究了黄粉虫幼虫处理餐厨垃圾的方法.首先在饲养温度、饲料含水量和饲养密度等条件下进行单因素实验,然后,以利用率为指标,运用响应面法优化了黄粉虫幼虫处理餐厨垃圾的饲养条件,结果表明,最佳饲养条件为饲养温度26.7℃、饲料含水量14.5％、饲养密度4.1头/cm2.在此饲养条件下,黄粉虫对餐厨垃圾利用率理论值为38.72％,实际餐厨垃圾利用率为38.88％,相对误差为0.41％,说明利用黄粉虫幼虫处理餐厨垃圾具有较好的效果.     

高炉渣对Cd~(2+)的吸附性能

采用包头钢铁集团炼铁厂的高炉渣为吸附剂(粒径0.154 nm)对Cd2+进行吸附,运用SEM技术对吸附剂进行了表征,研究了初始Cd2+质量浓度、吸附剂加入量、吸附时间、吸附温度和废水pH对Cd2+去除率的影响,并探讨了吸附机理。表征结果显示:高炉渣吸附剂具有疏松多孔的特点,表面十分粗糙,比表面积较大。实验结果表明:当吸附温度为室温(28℃)、废水pH为7、初始Cd2+质量浓度为10 mg/L、吸附剂加入量为8 g/L、吸附时间为60 min时,Cd2+去除率达到98.55%;高炉渣对Cd2+的吸附符合拟二级动力学方程和Langmuir等温吸附模型,且吸附反应易发生。     

大肠杆菌吸附-化学还原法用废含金催化剂制备金纳米线

采用大肠杆菌吸附-化学还原法,以大肠杆菌(ECCs)为模板、十六烷基三甲基溴化铵为保护剂、抗坏血酸为还原剂,由废含金催化剂制备金纳米线(AuNWs)。采用XRD,SEM,TEM等技术对AuNWs进行表征。研究了AuNWs对罗丹明6G(R6G)和4-巯基苯甲酸(4-MBA)的拉曼散射信号的增强效果。实验结果表明:在制备过程中加入微生物ECCs,可使金回收率提高约20百分点;当溶液pH小于4时,反应2 h后,有大量呈线状的AuNWs聚集沉降,金回收率可达99%1以上。表征结果显示,AuNWs呈多晶结构,晶格间距为0.23 nm。表面增强拉曼散射分析表明,AuNWs对R6G和4-MBA具有良好的拉曼光谱增强性能。