Dissolution of mimetite Pb5(AsO4)3Cl in low-molecular-weight organic acids and EDTA

Due to its relatively low solubility, mimetite Pb₅(AsO₄)₃Cl may control Pb and As(V) solution levels at a low value in contaminated soils. The time-dependent dissolution of mimetite by low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) such as acetic, lactic, citric, and ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) was determined. At pH 3.5, the presence of citric acid or EDTA significantly increases the solubility of mimetite while acetic or lactic acids show little effect. The effect of all organic anions on the dissolution of mimetite increased with the increase in solution pH. The rate of mimetite dissolution depended on the kind and concentration of organic solvents in the sequence r_EDTA > r_lactate > r_acetate > r_citrate. Soluble Pb and As(V) released in LMWOAs and EDTA were higher than the WHO guideline value for these elements in drinking water (10 μg As(V) L⁻¹, 10 μg Pb L⁻¹). This suggests that soil organic acids in rhizosphere can potentially liberate Pb and As(V) from mimetite in contaminated soils.     

Bromination of selected pharmaceuticals in water matrices

The bromination of five selected pharmaceuticals (metoprolol, naproxen, amoxicillin, phenacetin, and hydrochlorothiazide) was studied with these compounds individually dissolved in ultra-pure water. The apparent rate constants for the bromination reaction were determined as a function of the pH, obtaining the sequence amoxicillin > naproxen ? hydrochlorothiazide ≈ phenacetin ≈ metoprolol. A kinetic mechanism specifying the dissociation reactions and the species formed for each compound according to its pK_a value and the pH allowed the intrinsic rate constants to be determined for each elementary reaction. There was fairly good agreement between the experimental and calculated values of the apparent rate constants, confirming the goodness of the proposed reaction mechanism.In a second stage, the bromination of the selected pharmaceuticals simultaneously dissolved in three water matrices (a groundwater, a surface water from a public reservoir, and a secondary effluent from a WWTP) was investigated. The pharmaceutical elimination trend agreed with the previously determined rate constants. The influence of the main operating conditions (pH, initial bromine dose, and characteristics of the water matrix) on the degradation of the pharmaceuticals was established. An elimination concentration profile for each pharmaceutical in the water matrices was proposed based on the use of the previously evaluated apparent rate constants, and the theoretical results agreed satisfactorily with experiment. Finally, chlorination experiments performed in the presence of bromide showed that low bromide concentrations slightly accelerate the oxidation of the selected pharmaceuticals during chlorine disinfection.     

Atmospheric particle characterization, distribution, and deposition in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Central China

Physical characterization and chemical analysis of settled dusts collected in Xi’an from November 2007 to December 2008 show that (1) dust deposition rates ranged from 14.6 to 350.4 g m⁻² yr⁻¹. The average deposition rate (76.7 g m⁻² yr⁻¹) ranks the 11th out of 56 dust deposition rates observed throughout the world. The coal-burning power was the major particle source; (2) on average (except site 4), ∼10% of the settled dusts having size <2.6, ∼30% having size <10.5, and >70% having size <30 μm; (3) the concentrations for 20 out of 27 elements analyzed were upto 18 times higher than their soil background values in China. With such high deposition rates of dusts that contain elevated levels of toxic elements, actions should be taken to reduce emission and studies are needed to assess the potential impacts of settled particles on surface ecosystem, water resource, and human health in the area.     

Assessing the recovery potential of alpine moss-sedge heath: reciprocal transplants along a nitrogen deposition gradient

The potential of alpine moss-sedge heath to recover from elevated nitrogen (N) deposition was assessed by transplanting Racomitrium lanuginosum shoots and vegetation turfs between 10 elevated N deposition sites (8.2-32.9 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) and a low N deposition site, Ben Wyvis (7.2 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). After two years, tissue N of Racomitrium shoots transplanted from higher N sites to Ben Wyvis only partially equilibrated to reduced N deposition whereas reciprocal transplants almost matched the tissue N of indigenous moss. Unexpectedly, moss shoot growth was stimulated at higher N deposition sites. However, moss depth and biomass increased in turfs transplanted to Ben Wyvis, apparently due to slower shoot turnover (suggested to result partly from decreased tissue C:N slowing decomposition), whilst abundance of vascular species declined. Racomitrium heath has the potential to recover from the impacts of N deposition; however, this is constrained by the persistence of enhanced moss tissue N contents.     

N deposition as a threat to the World's protected areas under the Convention on Biological Diversity

This paper combines the world’s protected areas (PAs) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), common classification systems of ecosystem conservation status, and current knowledge on ecosystem responses to nitrogen (N) deposition to determine areas most at risk. The results show that 40% (approx. 11% of total area) of PAs currently receive >10 kg N/ha/yr with projections for 2030 indicating that this situation is not expected to change. Furthermore, 950 PAs are projected to receive >30 kg N/ha/yr by 2030 (approx. twice the 2000 number), of which 62 (approx. 11,300 km²) are also Biodiversity Hotspots and G200 ecoregions; with forest and grassland ecosystems in Asia particularly at risk. Many of these sites are known to be sensitive to N deposition effects, both in terms of biodiversity changes and ecosystem services they provide. Urgent assessment of high risk areas identified in this study is recommended to inform the conservation efforts of the CBD.     

Modelling the impact of nitrogen deposition, climate change and nutrient limitations on tree carbon sequestration in Europe for the period 1900-2050

We modelled the combined effects of past and expected future changes in climate and nitrogen deposition on tree carbon sequestration by European forests for the period 1900-2050. Two scenarios for deposition (current legislation and maximum technically feasible reductions) and two climate scenarios (no change and SRES A1 scenario) were used. Furthermore, the possible limitation of forest growth by calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus is investigated. The area and age structure of the forests was assumed to stay constant to observations during the period 1970-1990. Under these assumptions, the simulations show that the change in forest growth and carbon sequestration in the past is dominated by changes in nitrogen deposition, while climate change is the major driver for future carbon sequestration. However, its impact is reduced by nitrogen availability. Furthermore, limitations in base cations, especially magnesium, and in phosphorus may significantly affect predicted growth in the future.     

The impact of nitrogen deposition on acid grasslands in the Atlantic region of Europe

A survey of 153 acid grasslands from the Atlantic biogeographic region of Europe indicates that chronic nitrogen deposition is changing plant species composition and soil and plant-tissue chemistry. Across the deposition gradient (2-44 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) grass richness as a proportion of total species richness increased whereas forb richness decreased. Soil C:N ratio increased, but soil extractable nitrate and ammonium concentrations did not show any relationship with nitrogen deposition. The above-ground tissue nitrogen contents of three plant species were examined: Agrostis capillaris (grass), Galium saxatile (forb) and Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus (bryophyte). The tissue nitrogen content of neither vascular plant species showed any relationship with nitrogen deposition, but there was a weak positive relationship between R. squarrosus nitrogen content and nitrogen deposition. None of the species showed strong relationships between above-ground tissue N:P or C:N and nitrogen deposition, indicating that they are not good indicators of deposition rate.     

粗MnSO4溶液中MnS2O6的去除条件研究

用软锰矿吸收SO2生成MnSO4时会伴随有副产物MnS2O6生成。产品中MnS2O6的存在会降低硫酸锰产品质量,同时会缓慢释放出SO2气体污染环境。本文用单因素实验方法研究了粗MnSO4溶液中MnS2O6的最优去除条件。研究结果显示,软锰矿用量为12.2 g,硫酸加入量为20 mL、反应温度100℃、反应时间3 h、搅拌速度500 r/min,MnS2O6的去除率可达91%以上。其最终产品能达到GB1622-1986一级品标准。     

钛基IrO2-SnO2电极在烟气海水脱硫恢复系统中的应用

采用浸渍-热分解法制备了含IrOx-TiO2中间层的IrO2-SnO2电极,得到的电极具有较高的析氯电催化活性和较强的稳定性,并通过电化学氧化法对Na2SO3海水脱硫模拟液进行处理,考察了电流密度、温度、pH值和电解时间等电解工艺参数对Na2SO3去除率和化学需氧量COD的影响。结果表明,在电流密度为200 mA/cm^2,pH值为3.5,电解440 mg/L的Na2SO3海水脱硫模拟液,15 min时Na2SO3去除率可达96.5%,COD去除率可达82.6%。