Biological removal of antiandrogenic activity in gray wastewater and coking wastewater by membrane reactor process

A recombinant human androgen receptor yeast assay was applied to investigate the occurrence of antiandrogens as well as the mechanism for their removal during gray wastewater and coking wastewater treatment. The membrane reactor (MBR) system for gray wastewater treatment could remove 88.0% of antiandrogenic activity exerted by weakly polar extracts and 97.3% of that by moderately strong polar extracts, but only 32.5% of that contributed by strong polar extracts. Biodegradation by microorganisms in the MBR contributed to 95.9% of the total removal. After the treatment, the concentration of antiandrogenic activity in the effluent was still 1.05 μg flutamide equivalence (FEQ)/L, 36.2% of which was due to strong polar extracts. In the anaerobic reactor, anoxic reactor, and membrane reactor system for coking wastewater treatment, the antiandrogenic activity of raw coking wastewater was 78.6 mg FEQ/L, and the effluent of the treatment system had only 0.34 mg FEQ/L. The antiandrogenic activity mainly existed in the medium strong polar and strong polar extracts. Biodegradation by microorganisms contributed to at least 89.2% of the total antiandrogenic activity removal in the system. Biodegradation was the main removal mechanism of antiandrogenic activity in both the wastewater treatment systems.     

Water chemistry controlled aggregation and photo-transformation of silver nanoparticles in environmental waters

The inevitable release of engineered silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into aquatic environments has drawn great concerns about its environmental toxicity and safety. Although aggregation and transformation play crucial roles in the transport and toxicity of AgNPs, how the water chemistry of environmental waters influences the aggregation and transformation of engineered AgNPs is still not well understood. In this study, the aggregation of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coated AgNPs was investigated in eight typical environmental water samples (with different ionic strengths, hardness, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) concentrations) by using UV–visible spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. Raman spectroscopy was applied to probe the interaction of DOM with the surface of AgNPs. Further, the photo-transformation and morphology changes of AgNPs in environmental waters were studied by UV–visible spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and transmission electron microscopy. The results suggested that both electrolytes (especially Ca^2 + and Mg^2 +) and DOM in the surface waters are key parameters for AgNP aggregation, and sunlight could accelerate the morphology change, aggregation, and further sedimentation of AgNPs. This water chemistry controlled aggregation and photo-transformation should have significant environmental impacts on the transport and toxicity of AgNPs in the aquatic environments.     

Responses of soil ammonia oxidizers to a short-term severe mercury stress

The responses of soil ammonia-oxidizing archaea(AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria(AOB) to mercury(Hg) stress were investigated through a short-term incubation experiment.Treated with four different concentrations of Hg(CK,Hg25,Hg50,and Hg100,denoting 0,25,50,and 100 mg Hg/kg dry soil,respectively),samples were harvested after 3,7,and 28 day incubation.Results showed that the soil potential nitrification rate(PNR) was significantly inhibited by Hg stress during the incubation.However,lower abundances of AOA(the highest in CK: 9.20 × 10~7 copies/g dry soil; the lowest in Hg50: 2.68 × 10~7 copies/g dry soil) and AOB(the highest in CK: 2.68 × 10~7 copies/g dry soil; the lowest in Hg50:7.49 × 10~6 copies/g dry soil) were observed only at day 28 of incubation(P 0.05).Moreover,only the community structure of soil AOB obviously shifted under Hg stress as seen through DGGE profiles,which revealed that 2–3 distinct AOB bands emerged in the Hg treatments at day 28.In summary,soil PNR might be a very useful parameter to assess acute Hg stress on soil ecosystems,and the community structure of soil AOB might be a realistic biological indicator for the assessment of heavy metal stress on soil ecosystems in the future.     

Sulfide elimination by intermittent nitrate dosing in sewer sediments

The formation of hydrogen sulfide in biofilms and sediments in sewer systems can cause severe pipe corrosions and health hazards, and requires expensive programs for its prevention. The aim of this study is to propose a new control strategy and the optimal condition for sulfide elimination by intermittent nitrate dosing in sewer sediments. The study was carried out based on lab-scale experiments and batch tests using real sewer sediments. The intermittent nitrate dosing mode and the optimal control condition were investigated. The results indicated that the sulfide-intermittent-elimination strategy by nitrate dosing is advantageous for controlling sulfide accumulation in sewer sediment. The oxidation–reduction potential is a sensitive indicator parameter that can reflect the control effect and the minimum N/S(nitrate/sulfide)ratio with slight excess nitrate is necessary for optimal conditions of efficient sulfide control with lower carbon source loss. The optimal control condition is feasible for the sulfide elimination in sewer systems.     

四川三岔湖重金属污染与人类活动的关系

沉积物对湖泊重金属污染具有指示作用,通过分析沉积物的污染特征可以揭示湖泊重金属污染的污染历史和污染源。利用210Pb和137Cs定年和沉积物粒度分析,研究了三岔湖沉积物重金属的不同湖区和不同年代的分布特征及形成原因。人类活动强烈影响了重金属的沉积与富集:Cu、Zn与网箱养殖密切相关,Pb则主要源于邻近岸区的交通运输活动,Cr主要来自农业面源污染。受自身化学特性的影响,重金属的含量与沉积物的粒度分布密切相关,也正因此会出现洪水等的特殊年份重金属污染特征的异变。     

案例城市环境基本公共服务与现状比较研究

日益严重的环境问题带来了越来越多的关注度,同时,以为公众提供良好的环境质量为目标的环境基本公共服务,也逐步进入人们的视野。环境基本公共服务是由政府或主要由政府提供的,保障公民最基本的环境权益的服务,包括环境基本公共硬服务和软服务两大方面,其内涵主要由公众、政府、相关企业三方之间的相互供求关系而决定。以环境基本公共服务的具体承载单元———城市为依托进行案例研究,选取纽约、新加坡、广州三所城市进行环境基本公共服务现状对比,结合中国环境基本公共服务外延性不足和无差别受益性两大特点,为中国加强环境基本公共服务水平提供建设性意见。     

Space-time analysis of the changing patterns of population pressure on the ecological environment in China

This paper examines the temporal change and spatial variation of population pressure on the ecological environment in China. We have collected sufficient data from the statistical yearbooks of 31 provincial administrative areas in 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010. Using a geographic information system (GIS) and relevant models, we analyzed the trend of the population pressure on ecological environment and the change of the gravity center of ecological environment quality. We conclude that: (1) generally, population pressure on the ecological environment in China was becoming higher during 1990–2010, especially in some areas where the population and environment were in serious imbalance and the ecological environment experienced severe pollution; (2) during a certain period, population pressure on the ecological environment was becoming lower in some areas, but the ecological environment was getting worse; (3) the areas with super-high population pressure on the ecological environment were Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai; (4) the gravity center of population pressure on the ecological environment and the center of ecological environment quality move differently during the study time period, but the general trend was similar – both of them were moving from west to east. Based on the analysis, this paper also provides some policy suggestions on the control of ecological environment quality.     

Cloning and expression analysis of geosmin synthase gene from Aphanizomenon gracile北大核心CSCD

Geosmin is a secondary metabolite responsible for earthy odors. The occurrence of geosmin has great impact on the quality of water environment. The gene essential for geosmin biosynthesis have been identified in several species. But little is known about the mechanism of geosmin synthesis in Aphanizomenon gracile. This study attempted to clone the gene involved in geosmin biosynthesis of Aphanizomenon gracile a nd a nalyze t he geosmin production u nder d ifferent e nvironments. T he high-efficiency thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (hiTAIL-PCR) was used to amplify the full-length of geosmin synthase gene from Aphanizomenon gracile (WH-1). Real time PCR (RT-PCR) was applied to quantify the geosmin production in different light and temperature. As a result, geo, a geosmin synthase gene from Aphanizomenon gracile (WH-1) was cloned by hiTAIL-PCR. The full-length open reading frame (ORF) of geo was 2 262 bp, coding for a protein of 753 amino acids. Meanwhile, WH-1 was treated with different environment conditions and mRNA expression levels of geo were quantified by RT-PCR. It was found that low temperature (15 °C), high light intensity (35 μmol m-2 s-1) and continuous light illumination were beneficial to the expression of geo. The successful amplification of geosmin synthase gene verified that hiTAIL-PCR is an effective and simple procedure of low cost. The result provides fundamental knowledge on the monitoring and prevention for odorants.     

典型河谷城市儿童土壤与灰尘铅暴露风险

为定量评价河谷型城市土壤与灰尘铅对城市儿童健康的影响与风险,结合野外调查的基础上,以陕西渭河谷地典型工业城市宝鸡、西安、渭南和铜川为研究区域,以定量分析河谷型城市儿童环境铅暴露为核心,收集4个城市土壤与灰尘分析样品总计243个。利用X射线荧光光谱法测定了4个城市土壤与灰尘铅的含量;采用BCR连续形态分级法探究了城市土壤与灰尘重金属铅地球化学形态分布与迁移特征;根据US EPA污染物暴露与健康风险评价模型对城市儿童铅暴露进行了评价。研究结果表明渭河谷地典型城市宝鸡、铜川、西安和渭南城市土壤与灰尘铅浓度(X±SD)分别为(409.2±52.54)和(624.70±66.15)mg·kg-1、(357.47±41.37)和(592.60±36.78)mg·kg-1、(61.4±13.31)和(78.42±14.89)mg·kg-1、(46.71±12.11)和(64.7±13.76)mg·kg-1,均高出陕西省土壤铅背景值;污染水平依次为宝鸡铜川西安渭南。4个河谷型城市土壤与灰尘重金属铅发生整体迁移的趋势为:宝鸡城市灰尘(90.71%)西安城市灰尘(84.74%)≥宝鸡城市土壤(83.12%)渭南城市灰尘(74.89%)≥西安城市土壤(74.50%)铜川城市灰尘(72.49%)铜川城市土壤(57.50%)渭南城市土壤(53.79%)。可见,铅在均在城市灰尘中的迁移趋势远大于相应的城市土壤。4个城市土壤与灰尘均表现出较大的儿童暴露致癌风险,宝鸡和铜川城市儿童土壤与灰尘铅暴露也分别存在非致癌风险,风险程度依次为宝鸡铜川西安渭南。儿童铅暴露致癌与非致癌风险程度与其城市土壤和灰尘中铅可氧化态分布呈相似的规律,表明碱性的城市土壤与城市灰尘(p H7)中可氧化态铅可能是导致河谷型城市儿童铅暴露风险和儿童血铅污染的主要形态和因素。由此,城市燃煤排放与含铅制品的加工等活动可能是渭河谷地河谷型城市儿童血铅与铅暴露最主要的贡献源,必须采取长期有效的监测与控制措施。