Adsorption/desorption properties of copper ions on the surface of iron-coated sand using BET and EDAX analyses

This study was conducted to develop a heating process for coating hydrated iron oxide on the sand surface to utilise the adsorbent properties of the coating and the filtration properties of the sand. BET and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses were used to investigate the surface properties of the coated layer. An energy dispersive X-ray (EDAX) technique of analysis was used for characterising metal adsorption sites on the iron-coated sand surface. The results indicated that the iron-coated sand had more micropores and higher specific surface area because of the attachment of iron oxide. Copper ions could penetrate into the micropores and mesopores of iron oxide on sand surface, and the regeneration of the iron-coated sand could be achieved by soaking with pH = 3.0 acid solution. Besides, the results of EDAX analysis showed that copper ions were chemisorbed on the surface of iron-coated sand. Results of the study developed an innovative technology for coating iron oxide on sand surface for the treatment of heavy metal in water.     

Kinetics of radiocesium released from contaminated soil by fertilizer solutions

(137)Cs is one of the major artificial radionuclides found in environments; but the mechanisms behind fertilizer-induced (137)Cs desorption from soil remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate the kinetics and mechanisms underlying the various cations and anions that cause Cs release from soil under acidic conditions. NH(4)H(2)PO(4) (1M), 0.5M (NH(4))(2)SO(4), 1M NH(4)Cl, 1M KCl or 1M NaCl solutions were added to (137)Cs-contaminated soil. The power function model well described the short term (137)Cs desorption with the solutions. The rate coefficients for (137)Cs release from soil in NH(4)H(2)PO(4), (NH(4))(2)SO(4), NH(4)Cl, and KCl solutions were 7.7, 7.3, 6.8, and 6.1 times higher than the rate observed in a NaCl solution, respectively. The NH(4)H(2)PO(4) and (NH(4))(2)SO(4) solutions induced significantly greater (137)Cs release from the contaminated soil than the NH(4)Cl, KCl and NaCl solutions. After four times repeated extractions with the fertilizer solutions, the total amount of (137)Cs extracted by (NH(4))(2)SO(4) and NH(4)Cl solutions reached equilibrium, while that extracted using an NH(4)H(2)PO(4) solution continued to increase. The combined effect of phosphate and protons was the major mechanism behind (137)Cs release from contaminated soils, when an NH(4)H(2)PO(4) solution was used.     

Fix-Neyman model of illness-death processes

The concept of the life table originated in longevity studies of man, where it was always presented as a subject peculiar to public health, demography, and actuarial science. As a result, its development has not received sufficient attention in the field of statistics. Actually, the problems of mortality studies are similar to those of reliability theory and life testing, and they may be described in terms familiar to the statistically oriented mind. From a statistical point of view, human life is a random experiment and its outcome, survival or death, ss subject to chance. The life table systematically records the outcomes of many such experiments for a large number of individuals over a period of time. Thus, the quantities in the table are random variables subject to established statistical analysis. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the life table from a statistical viewpoint.     

外磁场调控的聚合硫酸铁水解过程研究

基于聚合硫酸铁的UV-vis光谱学特征,利用外加电磁场对聚合硫酸铁进行磁化调控,研究了不同磁化时间和磁场强度对PFS中铁形态分布的影响.研究表明,水解过程中铁盐逐渐与羟基结合,存在由低聚态向相对较高聚态转化的趋势.整体来看,在一定范围内增加磁化时间和磁场强度可以有效促进絮凝剂的水解,但是在多工艺参数调控中,提升磁场强度能够获得更为明显的效果.通过上述研究表明,借助UV-vis光谱学特征变化的分析,可有效判断PFS在水解过程中的水解进程及转化.在相同磁场强度下,磁化4~6min时,由低聚态向高聚态转化速率更快.而在控制磁化时间相同的情况下,增大磁场强度相应水解产物的转化速率也会提高1.9%~12.3%.该研究为设计适当的磁场强度获得更好的磁絮凝效果以及PFS絮凝工艺的调控提供更为科学有效的理论指导.     

Biodegradation of nonylphenol in sewage sludge

We investigated the effects of various factors on the aerobic degradation of nonylphenol (NP) in sewage sludge. NP (5 mg/kg) degradation rate constants (k₁) calculated were 0.148 and 0.224 day⁻¹ for the batch experiment and the bioreactor experiment, respectively, and half-lives (t_1/2) were 4.7 and 3.1 days, respectively. The optimal pH value for NP degradation in sludge was 7.0 and the degradation rate was enhanced when the temperature was increased and when yeast extract (5 mg/l) and surfactants such as brij 30 or brij 35 (55 or 91 μM) were added. The addition of aluminum sulfate (200 mg/l) and hydrogen peroxide (1 mg/l) inhibited NP degradation within 28 days of incubation. Of the microorganism strains isolated from the sludge samples, we found that strain CT7 (identified as Bacillus sphaericus) manifested the best degrading ability.     

Mass-size distributions of particulate sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium in a particulate matter nonattainment region in southern Taiwan

Concentrations and distributions of three major water-soluble ion species (sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium) contained in ambient particles were measured at three sampling sites in the Kao-ping ambient air quality basin, Taiwan. Ambient particulate matter (PM) samples were collected in a Micro-orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor from February to July 2003 and were analyzed for water-soluble ion species with an ion chromatograph. The PM1/ PM2.5 and PM1/PM10 concentration ratios at the emission source site were 0.73 and 0.53 and were higher than those (0.68 and 0.48) at the background site because there are more combustion sources (i.e., industrial boilers and traffic) around the emission source site. Mass-size distributions of PM NO3- were found in both the fine and coarse modes. SO4(2-)and NH4+ were found in the fine particle mode (PM2.5), with significant fractions of submicron particles (PM1). The source site had higher PM1/PM10(79, 42, and 90%) and PM1/PM2.5 concentration ratios (90, 58, and 93%) for the three major inorganic secondary aerosol components (SO4(2-), NO3-, and NH4+) than the receptor site (65, 27, and 65% for PM1/PM10, 69, 51, and 70% for PM1/PM2.5. Results obtained in this study indicate that the PM1 (submicron aerosol particles) fraction plays an important role in the ambient atmosphere at both emission source and receptor sites. Further studies regarding the origin and formation of ambient secondary aerosols are planned.     

Effects of polydiallyldimethyl ammonium chloride coagulant on formation of chlorinated by products in drinking water.

The objectives of this research work was to evaluate the reduction of THM precursors by cationic p-DADMAC and determine the correlations between the chlorine demand and trihalomethane formation in the presence of electrolyte solutions and ambient light. The chlorine demand was found to be significantly reduced provided that the H2SO4 electrolyte was fed to the sample solutions. The amount of CHCl3 formation was also decreased when the Na2SO4 electrolyte was introduced in spite of the levels of light intensity. The p-DADMAC can not only effectively remove the turbidity but also reduce the formation of CHCl3. The optimum dosage of p-DADMAC for reducing the turbidity, TOC and CHCl3 in the humic acid and source water samples was determined and depended upon the nature of organics.     

Constituents of volatile organic compounds of evaporating essential oil

Essential oils containing aromatic compounds can affect air quality when used indoors. Five typical and popular essential oils—rose, lemon, rosemary, tea tree and lavender—were investigated in terms of composition, thermal characteristics, volatile organic compound (VOC) constituents, and emission factors. The activation energy was 6.3–8.6 kcal mol^?1, the reaction order was in the range of 0.6–0.8, and the frequency factor was 0.01–0.24 min^?1. Toluene, 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, n-undecane, p-diethylbenzene and m-diethylbenzene were the predominant VOCs of evaporating gas of essential oils at 40 °C. In addition, n-undecane, p-diethylbenzene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, m-diethylbenzene, and 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene revealed high emission factors during the thermogravimetric (TG) analysis procedures. The sequence of the emission factors of 52 VOCs (137–173 mg g^?1) was rose ≈ rosemary > tea tree ≈ lemon ≈ lavender. The VOC group fraction of the emission factor of aromatics was 62–78%, paraffins were 21–37% and olefins were less than 1.5% during the TG process. Some unhealthy VOCs such as benzene and toluene were measured at low temperature; they reveal the potential effect on indoor air quality and human health.     

Microbial dechlorination of 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol in anaerobic sewage sludge

Abstract

The dechlorination of 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol (TCP) in municipal sewage sludge with a chlorophenol (CP)‐adapted consortium was investigated. Results show that dechlorination rates differed according to the source of the sludge samples used in the batch experiments. No significant differences in 2,4,6‐TCP dechlorination were observed following treatment with inoculum at densities ranging from 10% to 50% (V/V), but a significant delay was noted at 5% (V/V) density. Overall, results show that the higher the 2,4,6‐TCP concentration, the slower the dechlorination rate. The addition of acetate, lactate, pyruvate, vitamin B₁₂ or manganese dioxide did not results in a significant change in 2,4,6‐TCP dechlorination. Data collected from a bioreactor experiment revealed that pH 7.0 and a total solid concentration of 10 g/L were optimal for dechlorination. Dechlorination rates decreased significantly at higher agitation speeds. 2,4,6‐TCP dechlorination was enhanced under methanogenic conditions, but it was inhibited under denitrifying and sulfate‐reducing conditions.     

Emission factor of exhaust gas constituents during the pyrolysis of zinc chloride immersed biosolid

Pyrolysis enables ZnCl₂ immersed biosolid to be reused, but some hazardous air pollutants are emitted during this process. Physical characteristics of biosolid adsorbents were investigated in this work. In addition, the constituents of pyrolytic exhaust were determined to evaluate the exhaust characteristics. Results indicated that the pyrolytic temperature was higher than 500 °C, the specific surface area was >900 m²/g, and the total pore volume was as much as 0.8 cm³/g at 600 °C. For non-ZnCl₂ immersed biosolid pyrolytic exhaust, VOC emission factors increased from 0.677 to 3.170 mg-VOCs/g-biosolid with the pyrolytic temperature increase from 400 to 700 °C, and chlorinated VOCs and oxygenated VOCs were the dominant fraction of VOC groups. VOC emission factors increased about three to seven times, ranging from 1.813 to 21.448 mg/g for pyrolytic temperatures at 400–700 °C, corresponding to the mass ratio of ZnCl₂ and biosolid ranging from 0.25–2.5.