The influence of iron flow on iron resource efficiency in the steel manufacturing process

An iron resource efficiency is proposed to define a measure of the natural iron resources saved in the steel manufacturing process. A simplified iron flow diagram is presented for the steel manufacturing process. The influences of various deviations in iron flow from the simplified iron flow diagram on iron resource efficiency are analyzed. The relationships between iron resource efficiency of unit processes and the final product are also discussed. As an example, data from a steel plant are used to analyze the influence of iron flow on its iron resource efficiency of finial product in the steel manufacturing process, the influence of iron resource efficiency of unit process on iron resource efficiency of the final product, and give some measures to improve the iron resource efficiency of the steel manufacturing process.     

Editorial: Effects of metal contamination on ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in a freshwater reservoir

<正>Ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms, including ammoniaoxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA), are important to the global nitrogen cycle. These microbes catalyze the oxidization of ammonia (NH_3) to nitrite (NO_2~-), the ratelimiting step in the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen (Stahl and de la Torre, 2012). Effects on the activity of the ammoniaoxidizing microbes could ultimately influence the global     

基于QMEC分析的青藏高原不同类型冰川前缘地土壤微生物功能潜力

微生物通过多种功能代谢过程主导着因气候变暖裸露的冰川前缘地土壤元素的地球化学循环.以青藏高原的海洋型冰川、亚大陆型冰川和极大陆型冰川的前缘地土壤为研究对象,分析不同类型冰川前缘地土壤的微生物功能特征.依次选择玉龙冰川、天山乌鲁木齐1号冰川和老虎沟12号冰川作为三类冰川的典型代表,采用高通量功能基因芯片(QMEC)检测土壤微生物的功能基因特征.结果表明,在三类冰川前缘地土壤中,半纤维素降解基因和还原型乙酰辅酶A途径相关的碳固定基因丰度最高,三者主要的氮功能基因和氨化作用有关,磷、硫功能基因则主要与有机磷矿化过程和硫氧化过程相关.其中,水热条件较好的海洋型冰川的微生物功能基因的种类与丰度最高,其次为环境较为干燥的极大陆型冰川.三类冰川前缘地土壤的微生物功能基因结构的显著差异,证实了地理环境差异对微生物功能特征的影响,也为不同类型冰川前缘地土壤微生物的功能及其介导的元素地球化学循环研究提供了基础.     

Removal of chromophoric dissolved organic matter under combined photochemical and microbial degradation as a response to different irradiation intensities

Throughout the freshwater continuum, Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) and the colored fraction, Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Material (CDOM), are continuously being added, removed, and transformed, resulting in changes in the chromophoricity and lability of organic matter over time. We examined, experimentally, the effect of increasing irradiation-intensities on the combined photochemical and microbial degradation of CDOM and DOC. This was done by using a simulated mixed water column: aged water from a humic lake was exposed to four irradiation-intensities – representing winter, early and late spring, and summer conditions (0.10, 0.16, 0.36, and 0.58 W/m²) – and compared with dark controls over 37 days. We found a linear relationship between CDOM degradation and irradiation-intensities up to 0.36 W/m²; the degradation rate saturated at higher intensities, both at specific wavelengths and for broader intervals. After 37 days at high irradiation-intensity, CDOM absorption of irradiation at 340 nm had been reduced by 41%; 48% of DOC had been removed and DOC degradation continued to increase. Aromaticity (SUVA₂₅₄) declined significantly over 37 days at the two lowest but not at the two highest UV- intensities; levels in unexposed control water remained constant. Direct observations of the humic lake showed that CDOM absorption of irradiation (340 nm) declined by 27% from winter to summer. A model based on hydrological CDOM input and CDOM degradation calculated from field measurements of UV-radiation and experimental CDOM degradation with UV-exposure from sunlight accurately predicted the annual course as observed in the lake. With no external CDOM input, 92% of the CDOM could be degraded in a year. The results support the notion that combined photochemical and microbial CDOM degradation can be remarkably higher in lakes than previously thought and that humic lakes retain their color due to light absorption by ongoing CDOM input.     

黄土高原丘陵沟壑区农业生态系统碳循环模拟研究

利用甘肃农业大学定西旱农综合试验站的2001—2008年长期定位试验数据对DNDC模型进行了验证,结果表明：模型可以用于安定区县域尺度农田土壤有机碳储量及其变化的模拟。模拟不同处理间碳的循环结果显示,秸秆还田或覆盖可提高作物秸秆与根系残留的外源碳携入量,也能提高土壤异氧呼吸对内源碳的消耗。利用DNDC模型以及区域气象、土壤和作物资料,对该区域表层（0～20 cm）农田土壤碳循环进行模拟研究的结果表明,2008年农田土壤（面积为1.2×109 m2）表层（0～20 cm）有机碳总储量为2.8×109 kg,平均土壤有机碳密度为2.33 kg.m-2。通过对该区域农田土壤模拟不同碳投入的情景,分析预测2008年至2037年土壤有机碳储量,得出增加有机肥能够显著增加土壤有机碳的积累,其次为免耕同时增加秸秆还田率50%,而单独实施这两种措施,土壤有机碳的积累速度较慢。     

New insights into FeS/persulfate system for tetracycline elimination: Iron valence, homogeneous-heterogeneous reactions and degradation pathways

In this study, complete tetracycline（TTC） and above 50% of total organic carbon（TOC） were removed by Fe S/PS after 30 min under optimized conditions. Although free radicals and high-valent iron ions were identified to generate in the process, the apparent similarity between intermediate products of Fe S/PS, Fe/PS, and UV/PS systems demonstrated that the degradation of TTC was due to sulfate radicals(SO₄^·-) and hydroxyl radicals（ ·OH）. Based on the reaction between free radi...     

Full scale amendment of a contaminated wood impregnation site with iron water treatment residues

Iron water treatment residues are a free by-product with high concentration of iron oxides Iron water treatment residues has a large potential for arsenic sorption Soils are highly contaminated by arsenic at wood preservation sites Iron water treatment residues were added to hot spots contaminated with arsenic The addition led to significant decrease in leaching of arsenic from the contaminated soil Iron water treatment residues (Fe-WTR) are a free by-product of the treatment of drinking water with high concentration of iron oxides and potential for arsenic sorption. This paper aims at applying Fe-WTR to a contaminated site, measuring the reduction in contaminant leaching, and discussing the design of delivery and mixing strategy for soil stabilization at field scale and present a cost-effective method of soil mixing by common contractor machinery. Soil contaminated by As, Cr, and Cu at an abandoned wood impregnation site was amended with 0.22% (dw) Fe-WTR. To evaluate the full scale amendment a 100 m² test site and a control site (without amendment) were monitored for 14 months. Also soil analysis of Fe to evaluate the degree of soil and Fe-WTR mixing was done. Stabilization with Fe-WTR had a significant effect on leachable contaminants, reducing pore water As by 93%, Cu by 91% and Cr by 95% in the upper samplers. Dosage and mixing of Fe-WTR in the soil proved to be difficult in the deeper part of the field, and pore water concentrations of arsenic was generally higher. Despite water logged conditions no increase in dissolved iron or arsenic was observed in the amended soil. Our field scale amendment of contaminated soil was overall successful in decreasing leaching of As, Cr and Cu. With minor improvements in the mixing and delivery strategy, this stabilization method is suggested for use in cases, where leaching of Cu, Cr and As constitutes a risk for groundwater and freshwater.     

NUTRIENT CONTENT OF CROP CANOPY THROUGHFALL PRECIPITATION IN EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA1

ABSTRACT: Nutrient contents of canopy throughfall precipitation (TFP) from fertilized and unfertilized crops were analyzed and compared to determine the importance of fertilization on this source of nutrients in runoff. Continuous barley, corn, oats, rye, and wheat plots, that had been unfertilized since 1941 and divided and half fertilized since 1959, were studied. TFP soluble PO₄, total PO₄, and soluble K amounts were usually larger from fertilized plots in comparison to unfertilized ones but the differences usually were not significant. NH₄-N and NO₃-N may have been adsorbed from precipitation by corn canopies.     

Biological mine drainage treatment

Drainage from sulphur mines contains a high concentration of ferrous iron and it is strongly acidic. The mechanism of acid mine drainage formation was briefly explained. As a case study, successful measures taken at the abandoned Matsuo mine, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, for preventing the pollution in receiving rivers was presented in this paper. The measures consisted of the construction works against pollution sources and the construction of a drainage treatment plant in which Thiobacillus ferrooxidans oxidizes ferrous iron under a low pH condition, and produced ferric iron is removed by sedimentation. Then, a laboratory-scale fluidized bed reactor using anion exchange resin as attaching material for the bacteria was examined in order to improve the efficiency of biological oxidation of ferrous iron. More than 90% of oxidation had been maintained for 2 months at 1 h of HRT, which suggests that the size of the oxidation tank could be reduced.     

Geochemistry of Iron and Sulfur in the Zone of Microbial Sulfate Reduction in Mine Tailings

The cycling of iron and sulfur in mine tailings depends on various chemical and microbial reactions. The present study was undertaken in order to assess the role played by populations of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) on the fate of Fe and SO₄ ^2- in Cu–Zn and Au tailings. Samples were taken along a 50-cm deep profile at all sites and analyzed for SRB populations, solid-phase mineralogy and porewater geochemistry. Results indicated that the Cu–Zn tailings were highly oxidized near the surface, as shown by the very low pH, high redox potential, large concentrations of soluble Cu, Zn and sulfate in the porewaters, and the depletion of pyrite. On the other hand, Au tailings were more pH neutral, slightly anoxic, and showed low concentrations of Fe and SO₄ ^2- in the porewaters and very little pyrite oxidation. SRB populations in the Cu–Zn tailings increased with depth, just below the oxic/anoxic interface and were linked to a decline of sulfate and DOC concentrations around the same depths. However, large concentrations of dissolved Fe were also observed around the same depth intervals. Our results suggest that SRB could be involved in sulfate reduction in the Cu–Zn tailings, because the solubility of sulfate was not controlled by the precipitation of sulfate-rich minerals. However, the presence of soluble Fe in the reduced portion of the tailings was also indicative of the presence of iron reducing bacteria (IRB). These bacteria were not enumerated in the present study, but their co-occurrence with SRB has been reported in the past in similar mining environments. The decline of sulfate and the release of soluble iron into the porewaters were also paralleled by a pH increase and the generation of alkalinity. In the Au tailings, SRB populations were generally constant throughout the depth profile and could not be ascribed to sulfate reduction in the porewaters. The solubilities of sulfate and iron in these tailings were partially controlled by jarosite and Fe-oxide minerals. It is then clear that SRB populations could be recovered from various mining sites, but their activity cannot be ascertained based on microbial enumeration and geochemical data.