Some technical issues in managing PCBs

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were important industrial chemicals featuring high thermal and chemical stability and low flammability. They were widely used as dielectric and thermal fluid in closed electro-technical applications (transformers, capacitors…) and also in numerous dispersive uses, ranking from auto-copying paper to sealant or coatings. During the 1960s, severe environmental consequences started becoming apparent. The stability of PCBs contributed to their persistence in the environment, their lipophilic character to bio-magnification. Fish-eating species seemed threatened in their existence. In Japan and in Taiwan, thousands of people consumed PCB-contaminated oil. The production of PCBs stopped completely during the 1980s. Usage could continue in closed applications only. In this paper, particular attention is given to two issues: the cleaning of PCB electric transformers and the potential impact of PCB-containing building materials. Other contributions will cover the management and treatment of PCB-contaminated soil, sludge or fly ash. The complete survey is being prepared by request of the Knowledge Center for Engineers and Professionals.     

A comparison of statistical methods for deriving freshwater quality criteria for the protection of aquatic organisms

Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) are increasingly used in both ecological risk assessment and derivation of water quality criteria. However, there has been debate about the choice of an appropriate approach for derivation of water quality criteria based on SSDs because the various methods can generate different values. The objective of this study was to compare the differences among various methods. Data sets of acute toxicities of 12 substances to aquatic organisms, representing a range of classes with different modes of action, were studied. Nine typical statistical approaches, including parametric and nonparametric methods, were used to construct SSDs for 12 chemicals. Water quality criteria, expressed as hazardous concentration for 5 % of species (HC₅), were derived by use of several approaches. All approaches produced comparable results, and the data generated by the different approaches were significantly correlated. Variability among estimates of HC₅ of all inclusive species decreased with increasing sample size, and variability was similar among the statistical methods applied. Of the statistical methods selected, the bootstrap method represented the best-fitting model for all chemicals, while log-triangle and Weibull were the best models among the parametric methods evaluated. The bootstrap method was the primary choice to derive water quality criteria when data points are sufficient (more than 20). If the available data are few, all other methods should be constructed, and that which best describes the distribution of the data was selected.     

Ag/ZnO hollow sphere composites: reusable photocatalyst for photocatalytic degradation of 17α-ethinylestradiol

Characterizations of Ag/ZnO hollow sphere by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectra, and UV–vis absorption spectra have been made after its synthesis. The results showed that the composite was hollow structure with diameters of about 1–4 μm. The samples synthesized were tested and identified as silver doped ZnO, which have extended and boosted the spectral absorption. The photocatalytic activity of Ag/ZnO hollow spheres was assessed using 17α-ethinylestradiol aqueous solution under UV irradiation. It has been observed that the 17α-ethinylestradiol absorption efficiency and degradation rate is higher for Ag/ZnO hollow spheres. As reusable photocatalysts, Ag/ZnO hollow spheres which could be easily separated from a suspension will facilitate their application in wastewater treatment with enhanced photostability.     

Major ionic compositions of fine particulate matter in an animal feeding operation facility and its vicinity

Animal feeding operations (AFOs) produce particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants. Investigation of the chemical composition of PM_2.5 inside and in the local vicinity of AFOs can help to understand the impact of the AFO emissions on ambient secondary PM formation. This study was conducted on a commercial egg production farm in North Carolina. Samples of PM_2.5 were collected from five stations, with one located in an egg production house and the other four located in the vicinity of the farm along four wind directions. The major ions of NH₄⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, SO₄^2?, Cl^?, and NO₃^? were analyzed using ion chromatography (IC). In the house, the mostly abundant ions were SO₄^2?, Cl^?, and K⁺. At ambient stations, SO₄^2?, and NH₄⁺ were the two most abundant ions. In the house, NH₄⁺, SO₄^2?, and NO₃^? accounted for only 10% of the PM_2.5 mass; at ambient locations, NH₄⁺, SO₄^2?, and NO₃^? accounted for 36–41% of the PM_2.5 mass. In the house, NH₄⁺ had small seasonal variations indicating that gas-phase NH₃ was not the only major force driving its gas–particle partitioning. At the ambient stations, NH₄⁺ had the highest concentrations in summer. In the house, K⁺, Na⁺, and Cl^? were highly correlated with each other. In ambient locations, SO₄^2? and NH₄⁺ had a strong correlation, whereas in the house, SO₄^2? and NH₄⁺ had a very weak correlation. Ambient temperature and solar radiation were positively correlated with NH₄⁺ and SO₄^2?. This study suggests that secondary PM formation inside the animal house was not an important source of PM_2.5. In the vicinity, NH₃ emissions had greater impact on PM_2.5 formation.

ImplicationsThe chemical composition of PM_2.5 inside and in the local vicinity of AFOs showed the impact of the AFO emissions on ambient secondary PM_2.5 formation, and the fate and transport of air pollutants associated with AFOs. The results may help to manage in-house animal facility air quality, and to develop regional air quality control strategies and policies, especially in animal agriculture-concentrated areas.     

竹制填料生物接触氧化工艺处理污染河水简

针对受污染的湖溪河水质特征,以传统弹性塑料填料做对比,研究以竹球和竹丝为填料的生物接触氧化工艺,考察填料的挂膜时间、生物量和污水处理效果;确定连续曝气和间歇曝气时反应器的最优运行工况：连续曝气时为HRT=7.5 h,DO=3 mg/L;间歇曝气时为厌氧1.2 h、好氧6.3 h交替运行。实验结果表明,与弹性塑料填料相比,竹制填料挂膜速度快,竹球填料的水处理效果最好;连续曝气最优工况下竹球填料反应器中COD、TN、NH₃-N和TP的平均去除率分别为66.7%、47.9%、57.1%和30.6%;间歇曝气最优工况下竹球填料反应器中COD、TN、NH₃-N和TP的平均去除率分别64.08%、39.95%、60.7%和54.68%;竹制填料可替代传统的塑料填料作为生物接触氧化工艺的载体填料。     

膜吸收法净化低浓度甲醛和氨气简

基于膜吸收技术自制双层平板式膜吸收器,搭建净化低浓度甲醛和氨气污染模拟系统,考察不同膜结构参数、进气流量、吸收剂流量等因素对其净化效果的影响。结果表明,聚偏氟乙烯PVDF对低浓度甲醛和氨气的净化效率高于聚四氟乙烯PTFE。对同一材质膜,随着膜孔隙率的增大,甲醛和氨气的净化率呈上升趋势。随着进气流量的增加,甲醛和氨气的净化效率降低;而吸收剂流量对其净化效率影响不大。对于所有实验条件,平均膜孔径为0.22 μm的PVDF 4^#在进气流量u_g=120 L/h时,甲醛和氨气的净化效率最高,分别达94.7%和96.3%。     

共代谢膜生物反应器法处理二甲基亚砜废水

采用蔗糖作为共代谢基质与一体式好氧膜生物反应器（MBR）工艺相结合处理二甲基亚砜（DMSO）废水。考察了装置的污泥驯化效果、DMSO去除率、污泥的性能、HRT和冲击负荷对DMSO去除率的影响。试验结果表明：驯化第29天,DMSO去除率达98.5%,表明MBR内的污泥已驯化成功;在MBR运行的正式期,当DMSO处于高负荷状态时,DMSO去除率较低;随蔗糖加入量的增加,DMSO去除率逐渐提高,最终恢复到DMSO高负荷冲击前的DMSO去除效果;正常运行时,装置进水ρ（DMSO）=257~1 448 mg/L（平均值为718 mg/L）、出水ρ（DMSO）=6~22 mg/L（平均值为7 mg/L）,DMSO去除率为96.4%~99.6%（平均值为98.9%）;在MBR运行的正式期,污泥体积指数小于100 mL/g,表明污泥的沉降性能较好,MLVSS/MLSS较高,表明污泥的活性高,MBR内MLSS的平均值为5.52 g/L,MLVSS的平均值为4.78 g/L;MBR适宜的HRT为12 h。     

高效脱硫菌的筛选及其性能研究

从高硫污染的活性污泥中富集培养,分离纯化得到一株可以降解噻吩的菌株s_4,并对该菌株的形态特征进行观察。应用Design—Expert8．0．5b软件进行响应面优化实验,研究了反应时间、噻吩浓度、微生物浓度3个因素的组合对菌株s_4脱硫效果的影响,并拟合得到多元二次回归方程,得出最佳实验条件。拟合结果表明,当反应时间27．46h,噻吩浓度为1．04％,微生物浓度4．04％时,预测噻吩降解率为14．8％,通过验证得最佳条件下的降解率为14．3％,与预测值相符。     

电催化氧化处理除草剂异噁草酮废水的效能

为有效处理含异噁草酮除草剂废水,以Sb掺杂Ti／SnO2电极为阳极,不锈钢板为阴极,采用电催化氧化技术对异噁草酮废水进行降解,研究了不同影响因素对异噁草酮去除率的影响,并分析了异噁草酮的降解效果。结果表明,当异噁草酮初始浓度为100mg／L、电流密度为20mA／cm2、电解质投加量为0．10mol／L,反应120min后,异噁草酮去除率达到94％,此时TOC去除率为57．9％,能耗为25kWh／m2,且废水的可生化性能显著提高。     

发酵类抗生素废水处理工艺及运行效果

介绍了内蒙古某抗生素废水处理厂的处理工艺流程、处理单元类型及其详细设计参数,通过对该污水处理厂半年内运行效果的调研,分析评价该污水处理系统的处理效果及出水指标;该水厂工艺流程对COD、TOC、氨氮、总氮、总磷、BOD和急性毒性的平均去除率分别为96.52%、95.83%、50.24%、55.20%、62.05%、98.52%和99.14%,COD、氨氮、总氮、总磷出水水质分别为477、438、556.7和7.69 mg/L,达到排放到城区下水道要求,园区内所有废水汇集到园区污水处理厂进行集中深度处理达标后排放水体。通过对该水厂工艺的介绍和水质分析,为我国抗生素生产企业面临的废水处理工艺类型选择及工程改造升级提供一定参考。