Effect of humic acids on physicochemical property and Cd(II) sorption of multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Zinc pyrithione is used as an antifouling agent. However, the environmental impacts of zinc pyrithione have recently been of concern. Zinc induces diverse actions during oxidative stress; therefore, we examined the effect of zinc pyrithione on rat thymocytes suffering from oxidative stress using appropriate fluorescent probes. The cytotoxicity of zinc pyrithione was not observed when the cells were incubated with 3 μM zinc pyrithione for 3 h. However, zinc pyrithione at nanomolar concentrations (10 nM or more) significantly increased the lethality of cells suffering from oxidative stress induced by 3 mM H₂O₂. The application of zinc pyrithione alone at nanomolar concentrations increased intracellular Zn²⁺ level and the cellular content of superoxide anions, and decreased the cellular content of nonprotein thiols. The simultaneous application of nanomolar zinc pyrithione and micromolar H₂O₂ synergistically increased the intracellular Zn²⁺ level. Therefore, zinc pyrithione at nanomolar concentrations may exert severe cytotoxic action on cells simultaneously exposed to chemicals that induce oxidative stress. If so, zinc pyrithione leaked from antifouling materials into surrounding environments would be a risk factor for aquatic ecosystems. Alternatively, zinc pyrithione under conditions of oxidative stress may become more potent antifouling ingredient.     

Effect of inoculation methods on the composting efficiency of municipal solid wastes

Four types of inoculation methods were studied during the composting of municipal solid wastes and dry grass (MSWG). The methods included a control group as well as initial-stage, two-stage, and multi-stage inoculations. Fulvic acids were extracted from the composting materials and characterized by spectroscopic techniques. The results showed that inoculation of microbes in MSWG enhanced the biodegradation of aliphatics, proteins, and polysaccharides. The inoculation also increased the molecular weight, humic- and fulvic-like compound content, as well as humification degree of the composting products. The inoculation of microbes in MSWG significantly improved composting process and efficiency. The improvement efficiency was in the order of initial-stage < two-stage < multi-stage inoculations. Inoculation of microbes based on composting organic matter composition and temperature enhanced composting efficiency.     

Phytoavailability and geospeciation of cadmium in contaminated soil remediated by Rhodobacter sphaeroides

A microorganism was isolated from oil field injection water and identified as Rhodobacter sphaeroides. It was used for the remediation of simulated cadmium-contaminated soil. The phytoavailability of Cd was investigated through wheat seedling method to determine the efficiency of remediation. It was found that after remediation, the accumulation of Cd in wheat roots and leaves decreased by 67% and 53%, respectively. The Cd speciation in soil was determined with Tessier extraction procedure. It was found that the total Cd content in soil did not change during the experiments, but the geo-speciation of Cd changed remarkably. Among the five fractions, the concentration of exchangeable phases decreased by 27-46% and that of the phases bound to Fe-Mn oxides increased by 22-44%. The decrease of Cd accumulation in wheat showed significant positive correlation with the decrease of exchangeable phases. It could be concluded that the remediation of R. sphaeroides was carried out through the conversion of Cd to more stable forms. The decrease of sulfate concentration in supernatant indicated that the R. sphaeroides consumed sulfate.     

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.     

Biosorption of Basic Violet 5BN and Basic Green by waste brewery’s yeast from single and multicomponent systems

Background and aim  

The biosorption of Basic Violet 5BN (BV) and Basic Green (BG) by waste brewery’s yeast (WBY) from single and binary systems was investigated.     

Harvesting of Chlorella sp. using hollow fiber ultrafiltration

Introduction

The suitability of the application of ultrafiltration (UF) to harvest Chlorella sp. from the culture medium was examined. We investigated the effects of two improved UF system, forward air?Cwater flushing and backwash with permeate, on the concentration process.

Materials and methods

Backwash with permeate was selected as an optimization of the improved UF system, which was more effective for permeate flux recovery. Moreover, the hollow fiber UF system by adding periodical backwash with permeate was examined for Chlorella sp. harvesting.

Results and discussion

It was found that Chlorella sp. could be concentrated with high recovery in a lab-scale experiment. An overall algal biomass recovery of above 90% was achieved when the volume concentration factor was 10. For an original biomass of 1.3?±?0.05?g/L, 1?min backwash followed by 20?min forward concentrating was more effective, which resulted in a recovery of 94% and a high average flux of 30.3?L/m²/h. In addition, the algal recovery was highly correlated to the volume concentration factor and the initial biomass. A high concentration factor or a high initial biomass resulted in a low biomass recovery.     

Heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange in schwertmannite/oxalate suspension under UV irradiation

Introduction

Schwertmannite was synthesized through an oxidation of FeSO₄ by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans LX5 cell suspension at an initial pH?2.5 and 28°C for 3?days and characterized using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope. The schwertmannite photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) by oxalate was investigated at different initial pH values, concentrations of schwertmannite, oxalate, and MO.

Results

The results demonstrated that photodegradation of MO in the presence of schwertmannite or oxalate alone was very weak. However, the removal of MO was significantly enhanced when schwertmannite and oxalate coexisted in the reaction system. Low pH (4 or less) was beneficial to the degradation of MO. The optimal doses of schwertmannite and oxalate were 0.2?g?L^?1 and 2?mM, respectively. Hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and Fe(II), the intermediate products, were also examined during the reaction to explore their correlation with the degradation of MO.

Conclusion

A possible mechanism for the photocatalytic decomposition of MO in the study was proposed. The formation of Fe(III)-oxalate complexes on the surface of schwertmannite was a precursor of H₂O₂ and Fe(II) production, further leading to the yield of ·OH responsible for the decomposition of MO.     

污泥转移SBR工艺处理低浓度生活污水

污泥转移SBR工艺是一种通过内部污泥回流实现污泥在不同SBR隔室间转移,从而增加污泥利用效率,提高系统除污效能的新工艺。以设计规模为240 m3/d、处理低浓度生活污水的工艺系统为对象,研究了新工艺在不同泥转移量(污泥回流比)下的除污性能,并与系统以传统SBR方式运行的情况进行了对比。结果表明,新工艺可以有效提高SBR反应器的容积利用率;采用30%的污泥回流比进行污泥转移,新工艺的处理能力比传统SBR工艺提高近1/2,除磷效率从46%提升至85%。出水各项水质指标均能达到国家排放标准的要求。     

阴极液及底物浓度对AFB-MFC同步废水处理及产电性能影响

为了提高厌氧流化床微生物燃料电池（AFB-MFC）的性能,并为双室MFC寻找价廉、易得、无污染的阴极液,在曝气量16～24 L/h、温度（35±2）℃、回流量10.2 L/h、阴极底边距阴极室内底部17.3 cm、外电阻250 Ω、水力停留时间（HRT）14.0～14.9 h以及进水pH 7.81～8.37下,研究了阴极液及底物浓度对系统产电及废水处理性能的影响。结果表明,使用缓冲溶液、阳极室出水和自来水作阴极液时,自来水的产电性能最佳,阴极液种类不影响系统有机基质的去除。以自来水为阴极液时,阴极液pH及电导率随运行时间增加而增加,COD去除率为80.11%～89.29%,输出电压及功率密度开始随运行时间增加而增加,之后稳定在440～452 mV和48.40～51.08 mW/m²之间。增加底物浓度对COD去除率影响不大,而输出电压及功率密度随底物浓度增加而下降;底物COD浓度由3 307.09 mg/L增至9 520 mg/L时,COD去除率在85.77%～94.44%之间,输出电压及功率密度则分别由449 mV和50.40 mW/m²下降至406 mV和41.21 mW/m²。自来水作阴极液可避免二次污染及阴极液对阳极室微生物的影响,并得到高的产电能力。     

高分子量高纯度阳离子聚丙烯酰胺的合成

以丙烯酰胺与丙烯酰氧乙基三甲基氯化铵为单体,在复合引发剂的作用下,选择水溶液共聚法合成高分子量与高纯度阳离子型聚丙烯酰胺(CPAM)。实验表明,有机偶氮引发剂A用量0.5‰、氧化还原引发剂用量0.45‰、还原剂与氧化剂摩尔比2∶1、反应体系pH为4与反应时间5 h条件下,CPAM分子量为1 042万,且溶解性好。通过对聚合物残单含量影响因素添加剂用量、反应时间的研究,结果表明,添加剂EDTA和增溶剂D对残留AM含量影响小,而苯甲酸钠对聚合物残留AM的含量影响显著;延长反应时间至7 h,残单含量可降低至0.27%,CPAM的纯度高。通过与国内外3种同类型产品进行对比,结果表明,自制产品的分子量明显高于其他产品,且残单含量比国内产品降低了50%～75%。