Assessment of global industrial-age anthropogenic arsenic contamination

Arsenic, a carcinogenic trace element, threatens not only the health of millions of humans and other living organisms, but also global sustainability. We present here, for the first time, the global industrial-age cumulative anthropogenic arsenic production and its potential accumulation and risks in the environment. In 2000, the world cumulative industrial-age anthropogenic arsenic production was 4.53 million tonnes. The world-wide coal and petroleum industries accounted for 46% of global annual gross arsenic production, and their overall contribution to industrial-age gross arsenic production was 27% in 2000. Global industrial-age anthropogenic As sources (as As cumulative production) follow the order: As mining production >As generated from coal >As generated from petroleum. The potential industrial-age anthropogenic arsenic input in world arable surface in 2000 was 2.18 mg arsenic kg^–1, which is 1.2 times that in the lithosphere. The development of substitute materials for arsenic applications in the agricultural and forestry industries and controls of arsenic emissions from the coal industry may be possible strategies to significantly decrease arsenic pollution sources and dissipation rates into the environment.     

Comparison of Black Carbon,Total Organic Carbon,and PAH Concentrations in Surface Sediments from Two Main Rivers in Henan Province,China

Black carbon (BC) in surface sediments from Henan section of Yellow River and Huaihe River, China, was determined. Average content of BC in Huaihe River was 0.33%, higher than that in Yellow River (n?=?23) with mean value of 0.15%. Distribution patterns of BC in Yellow River and Huaihe River were similar, namely that tributaries had higher BC content than main stream. In addition, BC content in the mainstream of Yellow River and Huaihe River decreased with altitude. The BC content presented a significant positive correlation with clay (r?=?0.672; p?<?0.01) content in Yellow River, while neither did in Huaihe River. The ratio of BC/TOC ranged from 1.8–57.4% (median 29.6%), evidencing pyrogenic fossil fuel source of BC in Yellow River. Relatively low values of BC/TOC in Huaihe River (5.3%–28.8%, median 7.5%,) reflected that the origin of BC is from burning of biomass. In addition, Pearson rank correlation analysis showed that BC was in strong correlation with lighter PAH in Yellow River, while BC was in significant correlation with heavier PAH in Huaihe River. The ratio of BC/TOC indicated that BC in Yellow River mainly came from fossil fuel combustion, while BC in Huaihe River was primarily from biomass burning.     

The photocatalytic disinfection of urban waste waters

In this paper we present the results of the photocatalytic disinfection of urban waste water. Two microbial groups, total coliforms and Streptococcus faecalis, have been used as indexes to test disinfection efficiencies. Different experimental parameters have been checked, such as the effect of TiO2, solar or UV-lamp light and pH. Disinfection of water samples has been achieved employing both UV-lamp and solar light in agreement with data shown by other authors. The higher disinfection rates obtained employing an UV-lamp may be explained by the stronger incident light intensity. Nevertheless no consistent differences have been found between TiO2-photocatalysis and direct solar or UV-lamp light irradiation at natural sample pH (7.8). At pH 5 the presence of TiO2 increases the relative inactivation rate compared with the absence of the catalyst. After the photocatalytic bacterial inactivation, the later bacterial reappearance was checked for total coliforms at natural pH and pH 5, with and without TiO2. Two h after the photocatalytic treatment, CFU increment was almost nill. But 24 and 48 h later an important bacterial CFU increment was observed. This CFU increment is slower after irradiation with TiO2 at pH 5 in non-air-purged samples.     

Photochemical reduction of hexavalent chromium in glycerol-containing solutions

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] in the form of potassium dichromate was photochemically reduced to trivalent chromium [Cr(III)] in aqueous solutions containing glycerol. This reaction occurred rapidly during irradiation with either unfiltered sunlight or a UVA-emitting light source. Photochemical reduction of Cr(VI) was pH-dependent and did not occur in dilute solutions of sodium hydroxide. In acidified solutions, the reduction occurred at elevated rates and at lower concentrations of glycerol. This reaction was found to be dependent on the unsubstituted alcohol groups of glycerol since alpha-phosphoglycerol and beta-phosphoglycerol did not support the photochemical reduction of Cr(VI). These findings suggest that glycerol or related polyols can be used for the remediation of hexavalent (toxic) chromium at contaminated environmental sites.     

石灰湿法脱硫过程中pH条件对结垢的影响研究

针对石灰湿法脱硫中存在的结垢问题，在鼓泡床中模拟了石灰湿法脱硫过程，通过分析液相的组成，结合反应机理探讨了pH对结垢的影响。结果表明，当pH控制在6.0～4．0时，既能避免结垢，又能获得较高的脱硫率。提出了实际中预测结垢倾向的方法。     

等离子体发生区工作时发射特定光谱的研究

介绍了2种不同等离子体发生区和不同测量距离对等离子体发生区沿面蓝光中紫外光的波长和相对光强的影响,所测的臭氧发生量大的等离子体发生区的紫外光的相对光强高,测量距离与相对光强呈指数关系,并且等离子体发生区沿面蓝光具有光催化作用.     

污染土壤修复效果评定方法的研究

在实施污染土壤修复的环境工程后,需要通过灵敏和有效的评定方法对污染土壤修复的效果进行评定.然而,单纯依靠化学方法进行污染土壤修复效果的评定,不能揭示土壤的整体质量特征,因此需要生态毒理方法作为相互补充的手段.本文概述了植物毒性评定法、陆生无脊椎动物评定法和土壤微生物评定法及其在污染土壤修复效果评定中的应用,并对污染土壤修复效果评定方法的发展前景进行展望.     

活性炭纤维吸附废水中对硝基苯酚及其脱附研究

采用新型高效吸附剂——活性炭纤维吸附废水中对硝基苯酚，对其吸附和脱附影响因素进行了较详细的研究，确定了最佳工艺参数，并对动态吸附一脱附进行了稳定性实验。在最佳的吸附条件下，装填4g活性炭纤维可处理含对硝基苯酚1000mg/L的废水1400mL，出水对硝基苯酚浓度〈2mg／L，达到国家综合污水一级排放标准，活性炭纤维有效吸附量可达349．87mg／g。在最佳脱附条件下，脱附率〉99％，并可从高浓度脱附液中回收对硝基苯酚。稳定性实验表明，吸附-脱附性能稳定，采用活性炭纤维吸附处理对硝基苯酚废水是一种行之有效的处理方法。     

新型高效污水处理设备--集成一体化生物转筒反应器

介绍了一种新型高效污水处理设备--集成一体化生物转筒反应器(IBDR).IBDR具有微生物浓度高、活性强、生物相分级明显、耐冲击负荷、污泥沉降性能好和不产生污泥膨胀、操作简单灵活、运行成本低等显著特点;并成功地运用于处理餐饮污水和深圳某厂洗涤剂生产废水.在处理餐饮污水时,IBDR比传统的生物转盘处理效果高出20%.     

纳米级铁粉脱氯降解四氯化碳

四氯化碳的生产和使用，给人类带来了较大危害。为此，采用纳米铁粉这一新方法对其进行脱氯处理。试验以纳米级铁粉对四氯化碳的脱氯率为考察指标，选用L25（5^6）正交试验方案，考察了降解介质的初始pH值、纳米铁粉的质量、降解温度、摇床转速和脱氯时间5个影响因素。结果表明，pH值这一因素有极显著影响；在得出的纳米铁粉对四氯化碳脱氯的最佳工艺条件下，获得了99．5％的脱氯率，为有机氯化物脱氯开辟了一条新途径。