Influence of organic waste type and soil structure on the bacterial filtration rates in unsaturated intact soil columns

Organic wastes are considered to be a source for the potentially pathogenic microorganisms found in surface and sub-surface water resources. Following their release from the organic waste matrix, bacteria often infiltrate into soil and may be transported to significant depths contaminating aquifers. We investigated the influence of soil texture and structure and most importantly the organic waste properties on the transport and filtration coefficients of Escherichia coli and total bacteria in undisturbed soil columns. Intact soil columns (diameter 16 cm and height 25 cm) were collected from two soils: sandy clay loam (SCL) and loamy sand (LS) in Hamadan, western Iran. The cores were amended with cow manure, poultry manure and sewage sludge at a rate of 10 Mg ha(-1) (dry basis). The amended soil cores were leached at a steady-state flux of 4.8 cm h(-1) (i.e. 0.12 of saturated hydraulic conductivity of the SCL) to a total volume of up to 4 times the pore volume of the columns. The influent (C(0)) and effluent (C) were sampled at similar time intervals during the experiments and bacterial concentrations were measured by the plate count method. Cumulative numbers of the leached bacteria, filtration coefficient (lambda(f)), and relative adsorption index (S(R)) were calculated. The preferential pathways and stable structure of the SCL facilitated the rapid transport and early appearance of the bacteria in the effluent. The LS filtered more bacteria when compared with the SCL. The effluent contamination of poultry manure-treated columns was greater than the cow manure- and sewage sludge-treated ones. The difference between cow manure and sewage sludge was negligible. The lambda(f) and S(R) values for E. coli and total bacteria were greater in the LS than in the SCL. This indicates a predominant role for the physical pore-obstruction filtration mechanisms as present in the poorly structured LS vs. the retention at adsorptive sites (chemical filtration) more likely in the better structured SCL. While the results confirmed the significant role of soil structure and preferential (macroporous) pathways, manure type was proven to have a major role in determining the maximum penetration risk of bacteria by governing filtration of bacteria. Thus while the numbers of bacteria in waste may be of significance for shallow aquifers, the type of waste may determine the risk for microbial contamination of deep aquifers.     

Loofa egyptiaca as a novel adsorbent for removal of direct blue dye from aqueous solution

In this paper, Loofa egyptiaca (LE), an agricultural plant cultivated in Egypt, was used to prepare low-cost activated carbon (LE_C1 and LE_C2) adsorbents. The adsorbents (LE, LE_C1 and LE_C2) were evaluated for their ability to remove direct blue 106 dye from aqueous solutions. Batch mode experiments were conducted using various parameters such as pH, contact time, dye concentration and adsorbent concentration. The surface chemistry of LE, LE_C1 and LE_C2 was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The experimental data were examined using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Harkins–Jura isotherms. The results showed that the adsorption of direct blue 106 was maximal at the lowest value of pH (pH = 2). Removal efficiency was increased with an increase in dye concentration and a decrease in amount of adsorbent. Maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 57.14, 63.3 and 73.53 mg/g for LE, LE_C1 and LE_C2 respectively. Kinetics were also investigated using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intra-particle diffusion models. The experimental data fitted very well with the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The results indicate that LE, LE_C1 and LE_C2 could be employed as adsorbents for the removal of direct blue dye from aqueous solutions.     

Removal of arsenic from wastewater using iron compound: Comparing two different types of adsorbents in the context of LCA

A study was carried out in order to compare the environmental performance of two different types of adsorbents in removing arsenic (As) from wastewater. A FeCl₃-based adsorbent and a poly-Fe-based adsorbent were first synthesized and their abilities in adsorbing As from wastewater were investigated in terms of the adsorption density and the rate of adsorption. Here, it should be noted that the main material being used in the synthesis of the poly-Fe-based adsorbent was a waste product, known as polyferric sulfate or poly-Fe in short, which exits the manufacturing process of titanium dioxide.Both adsorbents were then compared in the context of life-cycle assessment (LCA). In other words, the experimental results (i.e. the value of the adsorption density and the rate of adsorption) were input into the LCA model in order to assess the environmental performance of each adsorbent in removing arsenic. An estimate for the environmental burden of each option was finally calculated as the sum of the depletion of abiotic resources (ADP), the global warming potential (GWP), the acidification potential (AP), the photo-oxidant formation potential (POCP), the eutrophication potential (EP), and the human toxicity potential (HTP). The main finding of this study was that the adsorption of arsenic by using the poly-Fe-based adsorbent is more attractive treatment option in the environmental protection point of view than the adsorption by using the FeCl₃-based adsorbent, which generates a relatively larger environmental burden.     

Sorption of alpha and beta hydrophobic endosulfan in a Vertisol from southeast region of Turkey

Endosulfan has been applied to control numerous insects in a variety of food and non-food crops. Limited information is available on dynamics of this pesticide in the soil. The objective of this research was to determine the adsorption–desorption behavior of the alpha (α) and beta (β) endosulfan in a Vertisol from the southeast region of Turkey, where cotton is the main crop in the large irrigated lowlands. The α and β endosulfan were adsorbed considerably and Freundlich adsorption–desorption isotherms fitted the α and β endosulfan data (R² > 0.98). Freundlich adsorption coefficients (K_f) for the α endosulfan ranged between 21.63 and 16.33 while for the β endosulfan they were between 14.01 and 17.98 for the Ap and Bw2 horizons. The difference of K_f values of α and β endosulfan for two horizons were explained with the slight difference in the amount of organic matter and clay, but considerable difference in Fe contents of the two horizons. Alpha and β endosulfan K_fd values were 118.03 and 45.81 for the Ap and 48.08 and 68.71 for the Bw2 horizons. Higher adsorption and desorption behavior of the endosulfan isomers for the same horizon was attributed to poor physical bonding between the endosulfan molecule and the surfaces of fundamental soil particles. This fact is thought to increase the effective use of endosulfan in agriculture with a possibility of its movement to the surface and groundwater in the Vertisol studied.     

虹膜识别在肉类食品安全追溯系统中的应用及关键技术研究

为了提高大型动物肉类食品的安全性,在研究肉类食品供应链的安全管理的基础上,将大型动物的虹膜识别技术引入食品供应链管理中,构建基于虹膜识别的大型动物肉类食品安全可追溯系统,达到肉类食品安全信息查询及出现安全问题后的个体溯源的目的。借鉴人眼虹膜识别的相关技术,以牛眼为例对大型动物虹膜识别的相关算法和虹膜定位等关键技术进行研究,运用改进的Sobel算子对图像进行边缘检测;引入二次B样条曲线算法实现了牛眼虹膜的精确定位;分析牛虹膜纹理特征的分布特点,实现了虹膜特征区域的提取及归一化处理。研究成果对大型动物的虹膜识别研究和肉类食品供应链安全管理具有一定的参考意义。     

Pathways to urban sustainability

The concept of sustainable development has become very much in vogue in the past decade. We have also observed a shift in the interpretation of this concept from a global perspective to a meso perspective—that is, at a local, regional or sectoral level. This paper aims at highlighting the urban dimension of environmental issues. After a sketch of urban pollution problems and of tools for economic analysis, the notion of urban sustainability will be advocated as a meaningful analytical and policy concept. Next, the main focus of this paper will be on a typological approach to urban sustainability issues on the basis of three characteristic angles, viz. strong and weak sustainability, absolute and relative decoupling and the spatial ecological footprint. Various methodological issues will also be discussed, while the paper will conclude with some perspectives on policy issues. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New methodological improvements in the Microtox® solid phase assay

The classic Microtox® solid phase assay (MSPA) based on the inhibition of light production of the marine bacteria recently renamed Aliivibrio fischeri suffers from various bias and interferences, mainly due to physico-chemical characteristics of the tested solid phase. To precisely assess ecotoxicity of sediments, we have developed an alternative method, named Microtox® leachate phase assay (MLPA), in order to measure the action of dissolved pollutants in the aqueous phase. Two hypotheses were formulated to explain the observed difference between MSPA and MLPA results: a real ecotoxicity of the solid phase or the fixation of bacteria to fine particles and/or organic matter. To estimate the latter, flow cytometry analyses were performed with two fluorochromes (known for their ability to stain bacterial DNA), allowing correction of MSPA measurements and generation of new (corrected) IC50. Comparison of results of MLPA with the new IC50 MSPA allows differentiating real ecotoxic and fixation effect in classic MSPA especially for samples with high amount of fines and/or organic matter.     

西安市城市主干道路面径流初期冲刷效应

以西安市城市主干道南二环太白路高架桥为路面径流采样区域,采用人工等时间间隔采样方法,在桥梁排水立管对2010年9—11月的3场径流事件进行全程采样,测试径流过程SS、COD、溶解性COD、NH3-N、Pb、溶解性Pb、Zn和溶解性Zn的浓度变化,研究路面径流的初期冲刷效应及其影响因素。结果表明,西安市城市主干道路面径流污染严重,降雨数小时后的末期径流仍具有较高的污染水平;径流过程污染物浓度变化规律与其赋存形态有关,SS、COD、Pb等以颗粒态为主的污染物的浓度随雨强变化剧烈波动,NH3-N、溶解态COD、溶解态Zn等以溶解态为主的污染物浓度变化受雨强影响较小,随径流过程呈逐渐减小趋势;路面径流初期冲刷现象并非普遍存在,与污染物的赋存状态和场次降雨特征密切相关,溶解态污染物易于出现初期冲刷现象,颗粒态污染物是否出现初期冲刷与场次降雨特征有关;测试的3场径流事件初期30%的径流携带的SS、COD、溶解性COD、NH3-N、Pb、Zn和溶解性Zn的负荷占场次径流总负荷的比例分别为21.8%～50.0%、25.5%～49.3%、36.3%～52.6%、52.6%～66.7%、26.8%～45.0%、27.2%～63.4%和36.2%～62.6%,表明仅对初期径流进行治理无法实现对西安市路面径流污染的有效控制。     

电渗透脱水污泥干燥特性曲线及干燥模型

通过电渗透脱水技术及自然风干技术两种预处理方式降低污泥含水率,当污泥初始含水率相近时,研究经两种方式处理后污泥的干燥特性曲线,并对电渗透脱水污泥干燥特性曲线的优势情况进行探讨。在40—120℃的低温条件下,研究电渗透脱水污泥（泥饼厚度为3．5mm）的干燥特性曲线并分析其干燥特性。通过所得电渗透脱水污泥的干燥特性曲线,引人薄层污泥干燥模型进行数值分析。结果表明,在实验条件下,电渗透脱水污泥的干燥速率要优于自然风干污泥的干燥速率。随着温度的升高,电渗透脱水污泥的干燥速率随之升高,干燥到所需含水率的时间则随之减少。Logarithmic模型比其他模型更适合描述薄层电渗透脱水污泥在低温条件下的干燥特性。     

Deposition of aerially sprayed mexacarbate on balsam fir canopy and the forest floor: Relevance to ULV applications

Abstract

Spray deposit patterns were measured on aluminum coils and live balsam fir needles at different canopy heights, following aerial application of mexacarbate (4‐dimethylamino‐3,5‐xylyl N‐methylcarbamate) over a conifer forest in New Brunswick. Droplet size spectra of the spray cloud were determined on cylindrical Kromekote® cards placed at the corresponding crown heights. Ground deposits were collected on cylindrical Kromekote cards, aluminum coils and natural balsam fir foliage placed In forest clearings and under different types of vegetation.

Canopy deposits decreased progressively from the top to the bottom level of the tree crown. This trend was observed on aluminum coils, live fir foliage, and Kromekote cards. Droplet size spectra were similar at all sampling heights of the tree crown, and were comparable to those obtained on the ground cards placed in the forest clearings. Deposits of mexacarbate obtained on ground samplers on the open forest floor were markedly lower than those found at the top canopy but were similar to those at the mid or bottom canopy level. Droplet size spectra and mexacarbate deposits obtained on samplers placed under different types of forest vegetation indicated a selective filtration of the large droplets present in the spray cloud by plant canopies.