Refinery wastewater degradation with titanium dioxide,zinc oxide,and hydrogen peroxide in a photocatalytic reactor

This paper presents the photo-catalytic degradation of real refinery wastewater from National Refinery Limited (NRL) in Karachi, Pakistan, using TiO₂, ZnO, and H₂O₂. The pretreatment of the refinery effluent was carried out on site and pretreated samples were tested at 32–37 °C in a stirrer bath reactor by using ultra-violet photo oxidation process. The degradation of wastewater was measured as a change in initial chemical oxygen demand (COD) and with time. Optimal conditions were obtained for catalyst type, and pH. The titanium dioxide proved to be very effective catalysts in photo-catalytic degradation of real refinery wastewater. The maximum degradation achieved was 40.68% by using TiO₂ at 37 °C and pH of 4, within 120 min of irradiations. When TiO₂ was combined with H₂O₂ the degradation decreased to 25.35%. A higher reaction rate was found for titanium dioxide. The results indicate that for real refinery wastewater, TiO₂ is comparatively more effective than ZnO and H₂O₂. The experiments indicated that first-order kinetics can successfully describe the photo-catalytic reaction. The ANOVA results for the model showed satisfactory and reasonable adjustment of the second-order regression model with the experimental data. The ANOVA results also showed that pH is significant than reaction time and catalyst dosage of TiO₂; and in case of ZnO, reaction time is significant than pH and catalyst dosage. This study proves that real refinery wastewater reacts differently than synthetic refinery wastewater, oil field produced water or oil water industrial effluent.     

Thermal and Electrical Analysis in a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack Using a Curved Profile for the Inlet Flow Rate Along the Stacking Direction

This study analyzes the cell temperature and current density fields of a solid oxide fuel cell stack, in which the inlet flow rate along the stacking direction of the fuel is either a curved profile derived through hydraulics or a progressively decreasing profile. The results show that the temperature field was neglibibly affected by the non-uniform inlet profile of the fuel, but the current density distribution was apparently affected. The difference in current density distribution between the curved profile and the progressively decreasing profile was small in the case of an solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with 10 stacks, but became larger in an SOFC with 20 stacks. In the 10-stack SOFC, the difference of current density between the uniform inlet flow and the curved inlet flow was less than 3%, whereas the deviation in the curved profile was less than 12%. However, in a 20-stack SOFC, the difference of current density was over 20%, whereas the deviation in the curved profile was more than 50%. Comparing the results between the curved and the progressively decreasing inlet profile indicates that the current density difference was over 20% in the 20-stack SOFC, but below 1% in the 10-stack SOFC. Therefore, a progressively decreasing inlet profile can replace a curved profile for analyzing an SOFC stack when the number of stacks is less than 10.     

Role of nitric oxide in the genotoxic response to chronic microcystin-LR exposure in human-hamster hybrid cells

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is the most abundant and toxic microcystin congener and has been classified as a potential human carcinogen (Group 2B) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying the genotoxic effects of MC-LR during chronic exposure are still poorly understood. In the present study, human-hamster hybrid (A_L) cells were exposed to MC-LR for varying lengths of time to investigate the role of nitrogen radicals in MC-LR-induced genotoxicity. The mutagenic potential at the CD59 locus was more than 2-fold higher (p < 0.01) in A_L cells exposed to a cytotoxic concentration (1 μmol/L) of MC-LR for 30 days than in untreated control cells, which was consistent with the formation of micronucleus. MC-LR caused a dose-dependent increase in nitric oxide (NO) production in treated cells. Moreover, this was blocked by concurrent treatment with the NO synthase inhibitor N^G-methyl-_L-arginine (L-NMMA), which suppressed MC-LRinduced mutations as well. The survival of mitochondrial DNA-depleted (ρ⁰) A_L cells was markedly decreased by MC-LR treatment compared to that in A_L cells, while the CD59 mutant fraction was unaltered. These results provided clear evidence that the genotoxicity associated with chronic MC-LR exposure in mammalian cells was mediated by NO and might be considered as a basis for the development of therapeutics that prevent carcinogenesis.     

Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from a subtropical coastal embayment(Moreton Bay,Australia)

Surface water methane(CH4) and nitrous oxide(N2O) concentrations and fluxes were investigated in two subtropical coastal embayments(Bramble Bay and Deception Bay,which are part of the greater Moreton Bay, Australia). Measurements were done at 23 stations in seven campaigns covering different seasons during 2010–2012. Water–air fluxes were estimated using the Thin Boundary Layer approach with a combination of wind and currents-based models for the estimation of the gas transfer velocities. The two bays were strong sources of both CH4 and N2O with no significant differences in the degree of saturation of both gases between them during all measurement campaigns. Both CH4 and N2O concentrations had strong temporal but minimal spatial variability in both bays.During the seven seasons, CH4 varied between 500% and 4000% saturation while N2O varied between 128 and 255% in the two bays. Average seasonal CH4 fluxes for the two bays varied between 0.5 ± 0.2 and 6.0 ± 1.5 mg CH24/(m·day) while N2 O varied between 0.4 ± 0.1 and1.6 ± 0.6 mg N2O/(m2·day). Weighted emissions(t CO2-e) were 63%–90% N2 O dominated implying that a reduction in N2 O inputs and/or nitrogen availability in the bays may significantly reduce the bays' greenhouse gas(GHG) budget. Emissions data for tropical and subtropical systems is still scarce. This work found subtropical bays to be significant aquatic sources of both CH4 and N2O and puts the estimated fluxes into the global context with measurements done from other climatic regions.     

氧化锰八面体分子筛的合成及其对苯催化氧化性能

采用回流的方法,制备了氧化锰八面体分子筛（OMS-2）纳米棒.利用X射线衍射（XRD）、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、氮气吸附-脱附、程序升温还原（H2-TPR）分别对产物进行晶型、形貌、孔径和H2还原性能进行分析,并考察不同煅烧温度下的催化剂对苯的催化氧化性能及300℃煅烧催化剂的稳定性.结果表明,煅烧温度对氧化锰八面体分子筛（OMS-2）的表面特征有显著的影响,煅烧温度越高,比表面积和孔容越小,平均孔径越大.同时随着煅烧温度的增加,催化剂对苯的催化氧化性能降低.经300℃煅烧的催化剂对苯的催化活性最佳,反应温度为200℃时,苯的转化率达到了50%;当反应温度为250℃时,苯的转化率达到90%.经300℃煅烧的催化剂在260℃下70 h内,对苯的催化氧化性能降低了5%,具有良好的稳定性.     

Preparation of birnessite-supported Pt nanoparticles and their application in catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde

Flaky and nanospherical birnessite and birnessite-supported Pt catalysts were successfully prepared and characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and N₂ adsorption-desorption. Effects of the birnessite morphology and Pt reduction method on the catalytic activity for the complete oxidation of formaldehyde (HCHO) were investigated. It was found that flaky birnessite exhibited higher catalytic activity than nanospherical birnessite. The promoting effect of Pt on the birnessite catalyst indicated that the reduction method of the Pt precursor greatly influenced the catalytic performance. Flaky birnessite-supported Pt nanoparticles reduced by KBH₄ showed the highest catalytic activity and could completely oxidize HCHO into CO₂ and H₂O at 50℃, whereas the sample reduced using H₂-plasma showed lower activity for HCHO oxidation. The differences in catalytic activity of these materials were jointly attributed to the effects of pore structure, surface active sites exposed to HCHO and the dispersion of Pt nanoparticles.     

水合氧化铁对含磷废水的吸附特性研究

以Fe(NO3)3为前驱物,制备了水合氧化铁吸附剂样品,以NaOH为解吸剂,研究了样品对模拟废水中磷酸根的吸附和解吸性能。结果表明,水合氧化铁对磷酸根有较好的吸附效果;随着pH的降低,水合氧化铁对磷酸根的吸附能力增强,在pH为2时吸附达92.5%;吸附前15 min吸附速率较快,约150 min达到平衡,吸附动力学曲线符合二级动力学模型;用水合氧化铁对初始浓度为50~100 mg/L模拟含磷废水吸附,随着初始浓度的增大,磷的去除率下降;水合氧化铁对磷酸根的吸附等温线较符合Langmuir吸附模型;用NaOH对水合氧化铁行解吸,浓度为40 g/L有最好的解吸率,60 min时达到解吸平衡。     

δ-MnO_2对ZnO和TiO_2光催化降解萘酚蓝黑活性影响

以萘酚蓝黑为模型污染物,采用动力学方法研究了δ-MnO2颗粒杂质对亚微米级商品TiO2(C)、ZnO(C)和纳米级自制TiO2(N)、ZnO(N)光催化作用的影响,并通过紫外-可见漫反射光谱(UV-vis DRS)和荧光光致发光光谱(PL)对试样进行了表征。结果表明,δ-MnO2能导致2种TiO2严重失活,而对2种ZnO的光催化活性影响很小。δ-MnO2导致TiO2光催化剂失活的主要原因为:能提高TiO2的带隙能,以及作为深能级杂质促进光生电子与空穴之间的复合。     

Nitrous oxide emission and reduction in a laboratory-incubated paddy soil response to pretreatment of water regime

IntroductionNitrousoxide (N2 O)isagreenhousegas.IncreasingatmosphericN2 Oconcentrationmayalsobedetrimentaltothestratosphericozonelayer(Crutzen ,1981) .AgriculturalsoilisamajorsourceofN2 O .MostN2 Ooriginateswithsoilprocesses,asanintermediateproductfrommic…     

土壤氮素的转化过程中温室效应气体的释放和吸收

一氧化二氮(NO₂)是一个重要的温室效应气体,一氧化氮(NO)对温室效应的产生也有间接的作用。土壤作为这两种气体的主要来源的重要性引起了人们的广泛重视。本文主要讨论了土壤中的氮素生物转化过程与NO₂和NO的产生和再利用。以及影响土壤中温室效应气体的释放和吸收的环境条件。