Evaluation of the biodegradability of copolyesters containing aromatic compounds by investigations of model oligomers

Model oligo esters of terephthalic acid with 1,2-ethanediol, 1,3-propanediol, and 1,4-butanediol have been investigated with regard to their biodegradability in different biological environments. Well-characterized oligomers with weight-average molar masses of from 600 to 2600 g/mol exhibit biodegradation in aqueous systems, soil, and compost at 60°C. SEC investigations showed a fast biological degradation of the oligomer fraction consisting of 1 or 2 repeating units, independent of the diol component used for polycondensation, while polyester oligomers with degrees of polymerization higher than 2 were stable against microbial attack at room temperature in a time frame of 2 months. At 60°C in a compost environment chemical hydrolysis also degrades chains longer than two repeating units, resulting in enhanced degradability of the oligomers. Metabolization of the monomers and the dimers as well by the microorganisms could be confirmed by comparing SEC measurements and carbon balances in a Sturm test experiment. Based on these results degradation characteristics of potential oligomer intermediates resulting from a primary chain scission from copolyesters consisting of aromatic and aliphatic dicarbonic acids can be predicted depending on their composition. These results will have an evident influence on the evaluation of the biodegradability of commercially interesting copolyesters and lead to new ways of tailor-made designing of new biodegradable materials as well.     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF A SWEDISH AND A CHINESE HYDROLOGICAL MODEL1

ABSTRACT: There are a large number of conceptual hydrological models available today. It is not easy to immediately identify the similarities and differences between the different models. The Swedish HBV model and the Chinese Xinanjiang model are two examples of conceptual, semi-distributed, rainfall-runoff models. The Xinanjiang model was designed for use in humid and semi-humid regions, with no routine for the snowmelt runoff, whereas the snow routine is an important part of the HBV model in many applications. The model structures of the two models may be described in four routines, compared in this paper. The integral structures of them are similar, but there are some differences, especially in the runoff production routine. The physical significance and physical definitions of some model parameters were analyzed. Both models were tested in two basins. Both models gave similar results, and both models performed well in the application. The similarity of the results obtained by different model structures leads to the following two conclusions. First, more effort should probably be spent on the improvement of input data quality and coverage than on the development of more detailed model structures only. Second, inference about basin behavior and characteristics from the values of calibrated model parameters must be made with great caution.     

Evaluation of leaching and extraction procedures for soil and waste

Laboratory leaching tests may be used for source term determination as a basis for risk assessment for soil-groundwater pathways on contaminated sites. In order to evaluate different leaching procedures, batch extraction tests and percolation tests were performed using three reference materials produced from contaminated soil, demolition waste and municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash. Emphasis was placed on the investigation of the leachability of the heavy metals copper and chromium, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the anions chloride and sulfate. Significant discrepancies between column experiments and batch/extraction tests were found for the release of PAHs and to a lesser extent for the heavy metals Cu and Cr. Additionally interlaboratory comparisons were conducted based on different leaching tests with the reference materials and evaluated using the criteria of comparability and reproducibility. The best reproducibility was achieved for all investigated substances in column tests. The reproducibility of batch tests was acceptable except for PAHs. The results from the experimental work will help establish standardized and feasible laboratory procedures as fundamental for substance specific risk assessment of contaminated sites.     

Seasonal concentrations and partitioning of PAHs in a suburban site of Bursa, Turkey

Effects of space heating on atmospheric concentrations and gas-particle partitioning of PAHs were investigated in a suburban site of Bursa, Turkey. The average concentrations of ∑₁₅-PAHs in heating season samples were approximately 10 times higher than those of non-heating season samples. The plot of log K_p versus log P_L⁰ for all the data set gave significantly different slopes. The slope for the heating season (−0.75) samples was steeper than the one for the non-heating season (−0.64) samples. It was also observed that partitioning of PAHs for the non-heating season samples showed different characteristics depending on air parcel trajectories. Generally steeper slopes were obtained for the air parcels traveled across the Black sea and arrived to the sampling site from northern sector. On the other hand, the variations in slopes according to air mass origin were insignificant for the heating season samples. Local contributions from space heating are the reason for this observation.