Sorption and desorption of Cu and Cd by macroalgae and microalgae

The sorption and desorption of Cu and Cd by two species of brown macroalgae and five species of microalgae were studied. The two brown macroalgae, Laminaria japonica and Sargassum kjellmanianum, were found to have high capacities at pHs between 4.0 and 5.0 while for microalgae, optimum pH lay at 6.7. The presence of other cations in solution was found to reduce the sorption of the target cation, suggesting a competition for sorption sites on organisms. Sorption isotherms obeyed the Freundlich equation, suggesting involvement of a multiplicity of mechanisms and sorption sites. For the microalgae tested, Spirulina platensis had the highest capacity for Cd, followed by Nannochloropsis oculata, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Platymonas cordifolia and Chaetoceros minutissimus. The reversibility of metal sorption by macroalgae was examined and the results show that both HCl and EDTA solutions were very effective in desorbing sorbed metal ions from macroalgae, with up to 99.5% of metals being recovered. The regenerated biomass showed undiminished sorption performance for the two metals studied, suggesting the potential of such material for use in water and wastewater treatment.     

Determination of 4-tert-octylphenol, 4-nonylphenol and bisphenol A in surface waters from the Haihe River in Tianjin by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring

The estrogenic pollutants 4-tert-octylphenol (OP), 4-nonylphenol (NP) and bisphenol A (BPA) were determined in surface water samples from the Haihe River, Tianjin, China. The analytes were extracted and concentrated from 300 ml acidified water samples by liquid–liquid extractions using dichloromethane, derivatized with trifluoroacetic anhydride, and quantified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) with selected ion monitoring (SIM). Among the samples collected from 14 sampling sites, only one sample was found to have a relatively high concentration of BPA (8.30 μg l⁻¹) and NP (0.55 μg l⁻¹). The concentrations of OP, NP and BPA in the other samples were in the range of 18.0–20.2, 106–296 and 19.1–106 ng l⁻¹, respectively. Recoveries for OP, NP and BPA in the spiked water samples were all over 80%.     

The styrene purification performance of biotrickling filter with toluene-styrene acclimatization under acidic conditions

The obvious disadvantages of biotrickling filters (BTFs) are the long start-up time and low removal efficiency (RE) when treating refractory hydrophobic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which limits its industrial application. It is worthwhile to investigate how to reduce the start-up period of the BTF for treating hydrophobic VOCs. Here, we present the first study to evaluate the strategy of toluene induction combined with toluene-styrene synchronous acclimatization during start-up in a laboratory-scale BTF inoculated with activated sludge for styrene removal, as well as the effects of styrene inlet concentration (0.279 to 2.659 g·m^?3), empty bed residence time (EBRT) (i.e., 136, 90, 68, 45, 34 sec), humidity (7.7% to 88.9%), and pH (i.e., 4, 3, 2.5, 2) on the performance of the BTF system. The experiments were carried out under acidic conditions (pH 4.5) to make fungi dominant in the BTF. The start-up period for styrene in the BTF was shortened to about 28 days. A maximum elimination capacity (EC_max) of 126 g·m^?3·hr^?1 with an RE of 80% was attained when styrene inlet loading rate (ILR) was below 180 g·m^?3·hr^?1. The highest styrene RE(s) [of BTF] that could be achieved were 95% and 93.4%, respectively, for humidity of 7.7% and at pH 2. A single dominant fungal strain was isolated and identified as Candida palmioleophila strain MA-M11 based on the 26S ribosomal RNA gene. Overall, the styrene induction with the toluene-styrene synchronous acclimatization could markedly reduce the start-up period and enhance the RE of styrene. The BTF dominated by fungi exhibited good performance under low pH and humidity and great potential in treating styrene with higher inlet concentrations.

Implications: The application of the toluene induction combined with toluene-styrene synchronous acclimatization demonstrated to be a promising approach for the highly efficient removal of styrene. The toluene induction can accelerate biofilm formation, and the adaptability of microorganisms to styrene can be improved rapidly by the toluene-styrene synchronous acclimatization. The integrated application of two technologies can shorten the start-up period of biotrickling filters markedly and promote its industrial application.     

Characteristics of single atmospheric particles in a heavily polluted urban area of China: size distributions and mixing states

To investigate the chemical composition, size distribution, and mixing state of aerosol particles on heavy pollution days, single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry was conducted during 9–26 October 2015 in Xi’an, China. The measured particles were classified into six major categories: biomass burning (BB) particles, K-secondary particles, elemental carbon (EC)–related particles, metal-containing particles, dust, and organic carbon (OC) particles. BB and EC-related particles were the dominant types during the study period and mainly originated from biomass burning, vehicle emissions, and coal combustion. According to the ambient air quality index, two typical episodes were defined: clean days (CDs) and polluted days (PDs). Accumulation of BB particles and EC-related particles was the main reason for the pollution in Xi’an. Most types of particle size were larger on PDs than CDs. Each particle type was mixed with secondary species to different degrees on CDs and PDs, indicating that atmospheric aging occurred. The mixing state results demonstrated that the primary tracers were oxidized or vanished and that the amount of secondary species was increased on PDs. This study provides valuable information and a dataset to help control air pollution in the urban areas of Xi’an.

Graphical abstract

     

Fenton-混凝法处理焦化废水的试验研究

对Fenton预氧化-混凝法联用技术处理焦化废水进行了研究,探讨了Fenton氧化阶段H2O2投加量、混凝阶段pH值以及混凝剂投加量等因素对焦化废水COD去除率的影响,确定了最佳处理条件.结果表明,Fenton预氧化-混凝法处理焦化废水取得了良好效果,COD去除率达97.5%,为该工艺实际处理焦化废水提供了实验依据.     

不同深度处理工艺去除污水处理厂出水中氮磷的比较研究

城市污水厂出水直接进入天然水体、或经过深度处理后回用于灌溉、补充景观水体和回灌地下水,均需要进行安全性评价.针对北京市北小河污水处理厂出水经过深度处理后回用于奥运公园的安全性,比较了不同深度处理工艺对营养盐(氮、磷)总量和不同形态的去除效果.研究表明,二级处理本身对氮磷的去除效果十分有限,回用水需经过深度处理.在所研究的生物活性炭吸附、微滤、超滤、反渗透以及上述技术的组合工艺中,使用超滤和反渗透联用的工艺路线对脱氮除磷的效果较为理想,其他工艺对去除氮磷的效果十分有限.     

成都市PM2.5中无机组分与硝酸盐氮氧同位素变化特征

2013年1月12日～2013年1月23日和2014年8月10日～2014年8月21日在成都市城东成都理工大学校园内按昼夜采集PM_(2.5)样品,分析了PM_(2.5)样品的质量浓度、9种水溶性无机离子含量和硝酸盐的δ~(15)N和δ~(18)O。结果表明,采样期间成都市PM_(2.5)冬、夏季的质量浓度分别为161～677μg/m~3(360±118μg/m~3)和87～137μg/m~3(92±18μg/m~3),冬季超标2～9倍,属于重度污染,夏季超标1～2倍,属于轻度污染; SO_4~(2-)、NO_3~-和NH_4~+(SNA)的质量浓度占总水溶性无机离子和PM_(2.5)质量浓度的比值冬夏季分别为72%±14. 3%和65%±9. 2%,21. 1%±2. 5%和30. 3%±6. 9%,是主要的无机离子组分。结合离子相关性分析,SNA的存在形式在白天以(NH_4)_2SO_4或NH_4HSO_4为主,部分以NH_4NO_3的形式存在,而在夜间则以NH_4NO_3为主,部分以(NH_4)_2SO_4或NH_4HSO_4形式存在。成都市PM_(2.5)中硝酸盐的δ~(15)N和δ~(18)O呈冬季高、夏季低的特征。冬季,硝酸盐来源于燃煤和机动车尾气;夏季,硝酸盐来源于机动车尾气、燃煤和农业土壤释放,根据其[NO_3~-]/[SO_4~(2-)]值说明成都市冬夏季均以固定污染源(燃煤)为主,移动污染源(机动车尾气)为辅。成都市冬季大气颗粒物中硝酸盐主要由NO_x经O_3氧化形成,夏季主要经·OH氧化形成硝酸盐或N_2O_5水解生成硝酸盐。     

Observation and analysis of atmospheric volatile organic compounds in a typical petrochemical area in Yangtze River Delta, China

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a kind of important precursors for ozone photochemical formation. In this study, VOCs were measured from November 5th, 2013 to January 6th, 2014 at the Second Jinshan Industrial Area, Shanghai, China. The results showed that the measured VOCs were dominated by alkanes (41.8%), followed by aromatics (20.1%), alkenes (17.9%), and halo-hydrocarbons (12.5%). The daily trend of the VOC concentration showed a bimodal feature due to the rush-hour traffic in the morning and at nightfall. Based on the VOC concentration, a receptor model of Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) coupled with the information related to VOC sources was applied to identify the major VOC emissions. The result showed five major VOC sources: solvent use and industrial processes were responsible for about 30% of the ambient VOCs, followed by rubber chemical industrial emissions (23%), refinery and petrochemical industrial emissions (21%), fuel evaporations (13%) and vehicular emissions (13%). The contribution of generalized industrial emissions was about 74% and significantly higher than that made by vehicle exhaust. Using a propylene-equivalent method, alkenes displayed the highest concentration, followed by aromatics and alkanes. Based on a maximum incremental reactivity (MIR) method, the average hourly ozone formation potential (OFP) of VOCs is 220.49?ppbv. The most significant source for ozone chemical formation was identified to be rubber chemical industrial emissions, following one by vehicular emission. The data shown herein may provide useful information to develop effective VOC pollution control strategies in industrialized area.     

Energy-saving benefits from plug-in hybrid electric vehicles: perspectives based on real-world measurements

Promoting plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) is one important option to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants for road transportation sector. In 2015, more than 220,000 new PHEVs were registered across the world, indicating a 25-fold growth during 2011–2015. However, more criticizes have been put forward against the current energy efficiency regulations for vehicles that are mostly depended on laboratory measurements. To better understand the real-world energy-saving and emission mitigation benefits from PHEVs, we conducted on-road testing experiments under various operating conditions for two in-use PHEVs in Beijing, China. Our results indicate that air condition usage, congested traffic conditions, and higher loading mass could significantly increase energy consumption and shorten actual all-electric distance for PHEVs. For example, the worst case (14.1 km) would occur under harshest usage conditions, which is lower by at least 35% than the claimed range over 20 km. In charge sustaining (CS) mode, real-world fuel consumption also presents a large range from 3.5 L/100 km to 6.3 L/100 km because of varying usage conditions. Furthermore, various vehicle users have significantly different travel profiles, which would lead to large heterogeneity of emission mitigation benefits among individual PHEV adopters. Therefore, this study suggests that the global policy makers should use real-world energy efficiency of emerging electrified powertrain techniques as criteria to formulate relevant regulations and supportive policies.     

溶菌酶和硫酸铝联用优化污泥脱水性能的研究

以污泥沉降体积、污泥比阻和污泥泥饼含水率为指标,考察了溶菌酶和硫酸铝联用时加药方式和加药剂量对活性污泥沉降性能及脱水性能的影响。结果表明,先投加溶菌酶后投加硫酸铝时污泥的脱水性能更佳,硫酸铝和溶菌酶的最佳投加量均为0.10 g/g TS(总固体),此时,污泥泥饼含水率和污泥比阻分别可达71.84%和0.68×1012m/kg,相比于硫酸铝单独调理分别降低了约5%和0.23×1012m/kg。污泥胞外聚合物(EPS)含量分析表明,溶菌酶和硫酸铝联用时显著降低了污泥中LB-EPS(松散附着性EPS)含量,在最佳投量下可将原污泥的LB-EPS中的蛋白质和多糖依次从(13.44±2.11)mg/L和(23.97±3.44)mg/L降至(1.72±0.32)mg/L和(8.69±0.15)mg/L,表明联合处理使得EPS中的水分得到释放,提高了脱水性能。