Equilibrium,kinetics and thermodynamics of hexavalent chromium biosorption on pristine and zinc chloride activated Senna siamea seed pods

Hexavalent chromium contamination in water is an issue of huge concern due to its use at a high scale, toxicity and non-biodegradability. Biosorption is a cost effective and unconventional strategy for the elimination of Cr(VI). Here, a novel biosorbent Senna siamea seed pod biomass and its chemically activated form have been investigated for the elimination of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution. The biosorbent was characterized by using BET, FTIR, FESEM-EDX and TGA techniques. Parameters controlling the biosorption process were optimized as pH 2.0, temperature 30°C, initial Cr(VI) concentration 500?mg/L, biosorbent dose 0.5?g/L. Optimized contact time was 210 and 180 min for pristine biomass and activated carbon, respectively. Langmuir isotherm correlated well with experimental data revealing that the biosorption occurred in monolayer pattern. Maximum biosorption capacity calculated by Langmuir biosorption isotherm was 119.18 and 139.86?mg/g for S. siamea pristine biomass and activated carbon, respectively. Pseudo-second order kinetic model correlated well with experimental data. Thermodynamic studies suggested that the biosorption process occurs in a non-spontaneous, stable and endothermic manner. These interesting findings on Cr(VI) biosorption by S. siamea seed pod biomass and S. siamea zinc chloride activated carbon vouches for its potential application as an unconventional biosorbent.     

青藏高寒草地植被生产力与生物多样性的经度格局

沿昌都到噶尔县的经度梯度,对西藏典型高寒草地植被生产力与植物多样性开展了1 700 km的野外样带调查。实验结果表明：高寒草地的群落结构特征（地上生物量、地下生物量、盖度和密度）与生物多样性（物种丰富度、物种多样性和物种均匀度）均具有明显的经度分布格局。整体而言,这些特征参数均表现出自西向东沿荒漠草原—典型草原—草甸草原呈逐渐递增的趋势;其经度格局主要受降雨量和平均气温所趋动,但降雨量和平均温度的影响在不同指标间存在较大差异;地上生物量由二者共同决定,而物种丰富度受降雨量的影响更大。西藏高寒草地的物种丰富度与地上生物量间存在显著的幂指数关系（y=0.219 7 x 0.754 9, R²= 0.61, P< 0.01）。上述规律的发现,不仅有利于我们更好地理解高寒草地对未来气候变化的响应机制与适应途径,也将帮助我们合理制定放牧策略以实现该地区高寒草地的可持续发展。     

生物质再燃脱除NO的特性

利用多功能脱硝实验台研究了花生壳、杨木、稻杆和玉米秸秆4种生物质的再燃脱除NO性能,以及工况参数对生物质再燃的影响.结果表明,相同工况下,花生壳再燃脱硝率最高、杨木次之、玉米秸秆最小,当再燃比(Rff)15%时,花生壳、杨木、稻杆和玉米秸秆的再燃脱硝效率分别为85.1%、80.3%、69.6%和67.2%.生物质粒径越小,再燃脱硝率越高.随着再燃温度的升高,生物质再燃脱硝效率先升高后缓慢降低,1073K的脱硝效率最高.生物质最佳再燃区过量空气系数(SR)为0.6,最佳Rff和再燃区停留时间分别为20%和0.81s. SR=20%的典型工况下,生物质再燃脱硝效率达到79%~89%.     

我国腾冲大气PAHs的可能来源分析

2005年10月22日至2006年10月21日,在云南腾冲一典型背景点进行了每周一次的大气采样,以监测季风期东南亚地区生物质燃烧导致的多环芳烃(PAHs)的输入状况.结果表明,监测期内总PAHs含量为43.1~156ng/m3 (平均值为87.9ng/m3).其中气相PAHs均值为85.8ng/m3,无明显的季节变化;颗粒相PAHs均值为2.35ng/m3,在春季出现显著高值,可能与东南亚生物质燃烧释放的PAHs在南亚季风作用下向腾冲的跨境迁移有关.颗粒相PAHs以毒害性较大的高环PAHs化合物为主,其在偏远地区生态系统中的累积可能带来一定的生态风险.     

衡阳紫色土丘陵坡地自然恢复过程中微生物量碳动态变化

以典型的衡阳紫色土丘陵坡地植被不同恢复阶段为研究对象,采用空间代替时间序列方法,选用立地条件基本相似的裸荒地、草本群落、灌木群落和乔木群落等4类典型样地,分别代表群落演替进程中4个不同的演替阶段,通过调查取样和实验分析,探索不同演替阶段土壤微生物量碳（MBC）的大小与活性。结果表明：（1）土壤有机碳（SOC）与MBC呈先下降后增大的趋势,其差异在各演替阶段达显著水平（P〈0．05）,SOC与MBC呈现显著正相关关系（P〈0．05）;（2）微生物熵（MQ）与代谢熵（qC02）呈显著负相关关系（P〈0．05）,随着演替的进行,MQ整体上呈现出下降趋势,各演替阶段其值的差异达显著水平（P〈0．05）;（3）MQ与MBC呈极显著负相关（P〈0．01）,并随着演替的进行,呈现出先升后降的变化趋势,各演替阶段qCO2的差异达显著水平（P〈0．05）;（4）在演替初期,土壤有效基质逐渐降低,而在演替后期有效基质不断增加,此有利于SOC与MBC的提高,有利于土壤肥力的提高。研究结果将丰富该地区植物生态学与恢复生态学的内容,为衡阳紫色土丘陵坡地生态系统的恢复与重建提供了重要依据。     

生物质露天焚烧及家庭燃用的多环芳烃排放特征研究

农村地区生物质燃烧排放是大气多环芳烃(PAHs)的重要来源之一.本研究利用建立的烟尘罩稀释通道采样系统,对我国典型的生物质燃烧方式—水稻、玉米、花生、大豆秸秆的家庭炉灶燃烧,并对水稻、玉米、花生秸秆以及荔枝树、大叶榕、小叶榕等落叶的露天焚烧进行实验室模拟,实测了秸秆野外焚烧、落叶野外焚烧、秸秆炉灶燃烧等3种典型生物质燃烧类型排放的气相及颗粒相PAHs的排放因子.结果表明,本研究生物质露天焚烧PAHs排放因子高于大部分已有实验结果,秸秆炉灶燃烧PAHs排放因子亦高于大部分排放清单采用值.3类燃料燃烧排放PAHs的谱分布相近,均以中低环PAHs为主,中高环(4~6环)PAHs比例为22.2%~28.8%.采用某单一数值作为某类源PAHs特征比的取值,并将其运用于大气PAHs的来源解析可能会造成偏差.     

内置LED光源平板型光生物反应器用于微藻培养

为降低光生物反应器(PBR)的光照能耗和提高微藻对光能的利用效率,自制了内置LED光源的平板型光生物反应器,用于绿藻普通小球藻(Chlorella vulgaris)的培养和CO2生物固定.评价了这种新型反应器的进气CO2浓度对生物质产率(BP)、CO2固定速率( )和油脂产率(LP)的影响.经过10d连续培养后,与通入空气的对照组相比,浓度1%~10%的CO2均明显促进微藻生长,BP [0.258和0.263g/(L?d)]、最大 [1.18、1.00gCO2/(L?d)]和指数生长期平均 [0.57、0.62gCO2/(L?d)]的高值均出现在CO2 1%、2.5%处理组中.较高浓度(5%、10%)CO2在培养初期造成酸化现象,导致藻细胞密度和生物量较低.CO2浓度变化对微藻总脂含量(17.81%~23.13%)影响较小,以CO2 2.5%条件下得到微藻油脂产率最大[60.71mg/(L?d)].本研究证明,所设计的平板型PBR能够高效培养用于CO2固定和生物柴油原料生产的微藻.     

A biofilter model for simultaneous simulation of toluene removal and bed pressure drop under varied inlet loadings

In this study, a biofiltration model including the effect of biomass accumulation and inert biomass growth is developed to simultaneously predict the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) removal and filter bed pressure drop under varied inlet loadings. A laboratory-scale experimental biofilter for gaseous toluene removal was set up and operated for 100 days with inlet toluene concentration ranging from 250 to 2500 mg?m^-3. According to sensitivity analysis based on the model, the VOCs removal efficiency of the biofilter is more sensitive to Henry’s constant, the specific surface area of the filter bed and the thickness of water layer, while the filter bed pressure drop is more sensitive to biomass yield coefficient and original void fraction. The calculated toluene removal efficiency and bed pressure drop satisfactorily fit the experimental data under varied inlet toluene loadings, which indicates the model in this study can be used to predict VOCs removal and bed pressure drop simultaneously. Based on the model, the effect of mass-transfer parameters on VOCs removal and the stable-run time of a biofilter are analyzed. The results demonstrate that the model can function as a good tool to evaluate the effect of biomass accumulation and optimize the design and operation of biofilters.     

Effect of thermal pretreatment on the physical and chemical properties of municipal biomass waste

The effects of thermal pretreatment on the physical and chemical properties of three typical municipal biomass wastes (MBWs), kitchen waste (KW), vegetable/fruit residue (VFR), and waste activated sludge (WAS) were investigated. The results show that thermal pretreatment at 175 °C/60 min significantly decreases viscosity, improves the MBW dewatering performance, as well as increases soluble chemical oxygen demand, soluble sugar, soluble protein, and especially organic compounds with molecular weights >10 kDa. For KW, VFR and WAS, 59.7%, 58.5% and 25.2% of the organic compounds can be separated in the liquid phase after thermal treatment. WAS achieves a 34.8% methane potential increase and a doubled methane production rate after thermal pretreatment. In contrast, KW and VFR show 7.9% and 11.7% methane decrease because of melanoidin production.     

A physically based statistical model of sand abrasion effects on periphyton biomass

The magnitude and frequency of discharge and fine sediment delivery to rivers can influence riverine food webs through the frequency of scour of algae from the streambed. Models that simulate changes in algal biomass are not very accurate for long periods with frequent low-magnitude flow events. During these periods, sand is mobilized over a stable gravel bed and periphyton losses are patchy at the reach scale. At the patch scale, we examine if an established threshold for rapid sand transport is also a periphyton perturbation threshold. We also develop and validate a statistical rock scale periphyton saltation abrasion model (PSAM) to simulate the abrasive effects of sand, transported by a hopping motion called saltation, on post-flow event biomass. Data were collected from 15 riffles of a Canadian Atlantic salmon river. The threshold clearly divided bed patches with high biomass and low transport rates, from those patches with low biomass and high transport rates. A dimensionally balanced PSAM regression model including explained 57% of the variance in post-flow event biomass. The validated model indicates that periphyton biomass decreases with increasing sand transport rates . Biomass was higher if the microscopic algae were protected from abrasion by growing either above the near-bed layer of saltating sand or within a mat containing more resistant macroalgae (e.g. Nostoc). The use of in our models facilitates testing of our findings in other hydro-sedimentary environments because W^* is a dimensionless scaling parameter that is well established in sediment transport literature. New insight is provided regarding modelling local heterogeneity in post-flow event biomass. These developments are essential to enable more accurate assessments of how periphyton biomass will change with the increase in the recurrence frequency of small flow events (and sand supply) associated with urbanization and climate change.