Investigation and assessment of micropollutants and associated biological effects in wastewater treatment processes

Currently, the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) attempt to achieve the shifting from general pollution parameters control to reduction of organic micropollutants discharge. However, they have not been able to satisfy the increasing ecological safety needs. In this study, the removal of micropollutants was investigated, and the ecological safety was assessed for a local WWTP. Although the total concentration of 31 micropollutants detected was reduced by 83% using the traditional biological treatment processes, the results did not reflect chemicals that had poor removal efficiencies and low concentrations. Of the five categories of micropollutants, herbicides, insecticides, and bactericides were difficult to remove, pharmaceuticals and UV filters were effectively eliminated. The specific photosynthesis inhibition effect and non-specific bioluminescence inhibition effect from wastewater were detected and evaluated using hazardous concentration where 5% of aquatic organisms are affected. The photosynthesis inhibition effect from wastewater in the WWTP was negligible, even the untreated raw wastewater. However, the bioluminescence inhibition effect from wastewater which was defined as the priority biological effect, posed potential ecological risk. To decrease non-specific biological effects, especially of macromolecular dissolved organic matter, overall pollutant reduction strategy is necessary. Meanwhile, the ozonation process was used to further decrease the bioluminescence inhibition effects from the secondary effluent; ≥ 0.34 g O₃/g DOC of ozone dose was recommended for micropollutants elimination control and ecological safety.     

微/纳米颗粒表面能测定方法适用性研究

采用静态液滴法、柱毛细法、板毛细法3种方法,分别测定了水、正己烷、甲酰胺、二碘甲烷4种液体与TiO_2(40 nm)、TiO_2(100 nm)、Al_2O_3(200 nm)、高岭土(200~400nm)、Fe_2O_3(400~600 nm)、SiO_2(20μm)6种粒径微/纳米颗粒之间的接触角,确定了适用于不同颗粒粒径的接触角测定方法.在此基础之上,利用Young-Dupré方程计算了各微/纳米颗粒的表面能及各分项.结果表明:粒径较小的颗粒(如200 nm)接触角的测定适合使用静态液滴法,而粒径较大的颗粒(如600 nm)接触角的测定适合使用柱毛细法.粒径大小适中时(如200~600 nm),静态液滴法和柱毛细法都适用,测定结果差别普遍较小(≤11°),但二碘甲烷与Fe_2O_3(400~600 nm)之间的接触角利用不同方法测定结果相差可达14°.静态液滴法操作方便,但由于粗糙度的影响需要对接触角测定值进行修正.板毛细法测定接触角时,液体容易挥发,不易得到准确测量结果,不推荐使用.对全部6种测定的微/纳米颗粒,表面能的计算结果相差不大.表面能的3个分项中,范德华分量(γLW)与路易斯碱分量(γ-)的贡献最大,路易斯酸分量(γ+)的贡献很小,主要是因为在微/纳米颗粒-液体界面中,电子受体的反应活性较低.     

Review on utilization of biochar for metal-contaminated soil and sediment remediation

Biochar is a carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative material produced through thermal decomposition of plant- and animal-based biomass under oxygen-limited conditions. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the application of biochar as an adsorbent, soil ameliorant and climate mitigation approach in many types of applications. Metal-contaminated soil remediation using biochar has been intensively investigated in small-scale and pilot-scale trials with obtained beneficial results and multifaceted effects. But so far, the study and application of biochar in contaminated sediment management has been very limited, and this is also a worldwide problem. Nonetheless, there is reason to believe that the same multiple benefits can also be realized with these sediments due to similar mechanisms for stabilizing contaminants. This paper provides a review on current biochar properties and its use as a sorbent/amendment for metal-contaminated soil/sediment remediation and its effect on plant growth, fauna habits as well as microorganism communities. In addition, the use of biochar as a potential strategy for contaminated sediment management is also discussed, especially as regards in-situ planning. Finally, we highlight the possibility of biochar application as an effective amendment and propose further research directions to ensure the safe and sustainable use of biochar as an amendment for remediation of contaminated soil and sediment.     

Single and multiple stressor effect of road deicers and Cu on Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) alevins from hatching till swim-up

Road salts are frequently used for deicing of roads in the Nordic countries. During snow-melt, the road run-off containing high concentrations of road salt and various metals such as Cu remobilized from sand, silt and dust may negatively influence organisms in downstream receiving water bodies. The present work focuses on the impact of road salt(NaCl) and Cu, separately and in mixtures on Atlantic salmon alevins from hatching till swim-up. The results showed that high road salt concentrations could induce a series of negative effects in alevins such as reduced growth, deformities, delayed swim-up and mortality. For alevins exposed to all tested road salt concentrations(100–1000 mg/L),mortality was significantly higher compared to control. In exposure to Cu solutions(5–20 μg Cu/L), no effects on growth, morphology, swim-up or mortality of alevins compared to control were observed. In mixture solutions(road salt and Cu), ultrafiltration of the exposure water demonstrated that only 20%–40% of Cu was present as positively charged low molecular mass(LMM) Cu species assumed to be bioavailable. When exposed to road salt and Cu mixtures, negative effects in alevins such as reduced growth, deformities,delayed swim-up and mortality were observed. The overall results indicated that the road salt application could seriously affect sensitive life stages of Atlantic salmon, and application of road salt should be avoided during the late winter–early spring period.     

Choosing Indicators of Natural Resource Condition: A Case Study in Arches National Park, Utah, USA

/ Heavy visitor use in many areas of the world have necessitated development of ways to assess visitation impacts. Arches National Park recently completed a Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP) plan. Integral to this plan was developing a method to identify biological indicators that would both measure visitor impacts and response to management actions. The process used in Arches for indicator selection is outlined here as a model applicableto many areas facing similar challenges. The steps were: (1) Vegetation types most used by visitors were identified. Impacted and unimpacted areas in these types were sampled, comparing vegetation and soil factors. (2) Variables found to differ significantly between compared sites were used as potential indicators. (3) Site-specific criteria for indicators were developed, and potential indicators evaluated using these criteria. (4) Chosen indicators were further researched for ecological relevancy. (5) Final indicators were chosen, field tested, and monitoring sites designated. In Arches, indicators were chosen for monitoring annually (soil crust index, soil compaction, number of used social trails and soil aggregate stability) and every five years (vegetation cover and frequency; ground cover; soil chemistry; and plant tissue chemistry).KEY WORDS: Biological indicators; Recreation impacts; Recreation management; Desert soils; Trampling     

Temporal changes in demand for and supply of nests in red bishops (Euplectes orix): dynamics of a biological market

The red bishop (Euplectes orix) is a highly polygynous and colonial weaverbird. Males construct several nests within their territories to which they try to attract females, and females are solely responsible for incubation and raising offspring. In this paper, we describe the characteristics of the red bishop’s mating system as a biological market and investigate the role of nests built by males as a traded commodity in a mating market. As timing of breeding in red bishops in arid and semi-arid zones depends on rainfall patterns which are often unpredictable, there are temporal changes in demand for and supply of nests within a breeding season, with breeding activities of males and females being highly synchronised. We found that males increased their nest-building speed with increased female breeding activity independently of rainfall, indicating that supply follows demand in this mating market. The supply of nests was always larger than the demand for nests. Construction costs for nests increased with demand for nests as indicated by shorter nest-building duration and shorter building delays between two consecutively built nests at times of high breeding activity. Males as a trading class are chosen according to the age of their nests offered, with young nests having a higher probability of being accepted by females. Furthermore, female choosiness with regard to nest age decreased when their own market value decreased, as predicted by biological market theory. The temporal changes of breeding activity together with the female preference for young and fresh nests require that males quickly adjust nest-building activity to varying female demand for new nests. However, males with a better adjustment of building speed to female breeding activity did not gain higher mating success.     

Toxicity of the venom in three neotropical Crematogaster ants (Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

Bioassays were performed to investigate and compare the toxic properties of the contact venoms of three Neotropical Crematogaster species (C. sp. prox. abstinens, C. distans and C. brevispinosa rochai), whose main venom compounds are chemically different (long chain derivatives linked to an aldehyde or a primary acetate, and furanocembrenoid diterpenes, respectively). Different quantities of venom were topically applied on the bodies of three target insect species (workers of the termite Nasutitermes ephratae, workers of the ant Solenopsis sp., “media” and “major” workers of the ant Cephalotes pusillus). The toxicity of the venom greatly varied according to the Crematogaster species, the venom of C. b. rochai showing the highest toxic activity towards all target species. The sensitivity of the target species also greatly varied, the workers of N. ephratae showing a great sensitivity to the venoms, while the heavily armoured workers of the ant C. pusillus, particularly “major” ones, were resistant. Cuticle thickness was found to be a key factor in the resistance to the toxic effects of Crematogaster venom. Sensitivity of the target workers was also directly related to the amount of venom applied to their cuticle. Workers of C. distans were resistant to topical application of their own venom, while C. sp. prox. abstinens and C. b. rochai were not. In all cases, the venoms were slow acting, as several hours to one or even several days were needed to obtain a significant mortality. The main biological activities of the Crematogaster venom could be related to more immediate repellent properties, as recently shown with the European species C. scutellaris.     

大气氟污染的树木监测与评价

本文介绍了采用植物监测与化学静态监测相结合方法,对上海某厂周围大气氟浓度和树叶含氟量进行测定,得出两者相关关系,确定悬铃木生长初期树叶含氟量划分大气氟污染等级指标,并运用生物学办法对影响区进行评价和浓度分区.     

Organochlorinated pesticides in sediments from the Lake Albufera of Valencia (Spain)

Bottom sediment samples from 121 sites of the Lake Albufera of Valencia were analyzed. Dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor and op′-DDT were not detected (<0.01 ng g⁻¹) in 88–93% of the sites. Aldrin and HCB concentration ranges were between <0.01 and 0.1 ng g⁻¹ in 86% and 94% of the sites, respectively. Heptachlor-epoxide and lindane 95% confidence intervals were 0.2–0.5 and 0.06–0.12, respectively. The greatest average concentration corresponds to pp′-DDE, pp′-DDD and pp′-DDT. The sum of six isomers and derivatives of the DDT average concentration reaches 2.1 ng g⁻¹, as opposed to 2.7 ng g⁻¹ for the sum of 13 pesticides considered. In the site with a major contamination, 27.0 ng g⁻¹ of pp′-DDD and 12.8 ng g⁻¹ of pp′-DDT were accumulated. The DDE:DDT proportion average was 0.37, indicating an aged DDT contamination. Concentrations of pesticides in sediments were compared to three sediment quality guidelines, and indicated that a low biological effects level can be expected in either sediments or aquatic organisms.     

含铬(Ⅵ)废物堆放场所土壤/地下水的污染特点及土著微生物的初步生物解毒实验研究

通过分析含铬 (Ⅵ )废物堆放场所引起的土壤 /地下水污染特点 ,说明含铬 (Ⅵ )废物污染的潜在与长期危害不容忽视。在污染土壤中进行土著微生物的筛选与初步应用实验 ,其中的土著真菌具有较强的还原能力 ,仅用 2 3d就使铬渣浸出液的六价铬浓度从 115 1.2 /mg·L-1下降到 10 .9/mg·L-1,具有良好的生物解毒作用 ,为含铬 (Ⅵ )废物的处置及污染土壤的修复开辟了一条新途径