Tracing the sources of refractory dissolved organic matter in a large artificial lake using multiple analytical tools

Structural and chemical characteristics of refractory dissolved organic matter (RDOM) from seven different sources (algae, leaf litter, reed, compost, field soil, paddy water, treated sewage) were examined using multiple analytical tools, and they were compared with those of RDOM in a large artificial lake (Lake Paldang, Korea). Treated sewage, paddy water, and field soil were distinguished from the other sources investigated by their relatively low specific UV absorbance (SUVA) values and more pronounced fulvic-like versus humic-like fluorescence of the RDOM samples. Microbial derived RDOM from algae and treated sewage showed relatively low apparent molecular weight and a higher fraction of hydrophilic bases relative to the total hydrophilic fraction. For the biopolymer types, the presence of polyhydroxy aromatics with the high abundance of proteins was observed only for vascular plant-based RDOM (i.e., leaf litter and reed). Molecular weight values exhibited positive correlations with the SUVA and the hydrophobic content among the different RDOM, suggesting that hydrophobic and condensed aromatic structures may be the main components of high molecular weight RDOM. Principal component analysis revealed that approximately 77% of the variance in the RDOM characteristics might be explained by the source difference (i.e., terrestrial and microbial derived) and a tendency of further microbial transformation. Combined results demonstrated that the properties of the lake RDOM were largely affected by the upstream sources of field soil, paddy water, and treated sewage, which are characterized by low molecular weight UV-absorbing and non-aromatic structures with relatively high resistance to further degradation.     

Effects of compositional heterogeneity and nanoporosity of raw and treated biomass-generated soot on adsorption and absorption of organic contaminants

A biomass-generated soot was sequentially treated by HCl-HF solution, organic solvent, and oxidative acid to remove ash, extractable native organic matter (EOM), and amorphous carbon. The compositional heterogeneity and nano-structure of the untreated and treated soot samples were characterized by elemental analysis, thermal gravimetric analysis, BET-N₂ surface area, and electron microscopic analysis. Sorption properties of polar and nonpolar organic pollutants onto the soot samples were compared, and individual contributions of adsorption and absorption were quantified. The sorption isotherms for raw sample were practically linear, while were nonlinear for the pretreated-soot. The removal of EOM enhanced adsorption and reduced absorption, indicating that EOM served as a partitioning phase and simultaneously masked the adsorptive sites. By drastic-oxidation, the outer amorphous carbon and the inner disordered core of the soot particles were completely removed, and a fullerene-like nanoporous structure (aromatic shell) was created, which promoted additional π-π interaction between phenanthrene and the soot.     

高压脉冲放电等离子体处理活性红X-3B染料废水

采用高压脉冲放电等离子体技术对活性红X-3B染料废水进行处理,考察了废水电导率、脉冲电压、脉冲频率、针板间距以及曝气量对处理效果的影响。实验结果表明,当废水电导率为200μS/cm、脉冲电压为34kV、脉冲频率为60Hz、针板间距为15mm、曝气量为12L/h、处理时间为60m in时,活性红X-3B染料废水脱色率能达到98.6%。     

Detection of tritium sorption on four soil materials

In order to measure groundwater age and design nuclear waste disposal sites, it is important to understand the sorption behavior of tritium on soils. In this study, batch tests were carried out using four soils from China: silty clays from An County and Jiangyou County in Sichuan Province, both of which could be considered candidate sites for Very Low Level Waste disposal; silty sand from Beijing; and loess from Yuci County in Shanxi Province, a typical Chinese loess region. The experimental results indicated that in these soil media, the distribution coefficient of tritium is slightly influenced by adsorption time, water/solid ratio, initial tritium specific activity, pH, and the content of humic and fulvic acids. The average distribution coefficient from all of these influencing factors was about 0.1-0.2 mL/g for the four types of soil samples. This relatively modest sorption of tritium in soils needs to be considered in fate and transport studies of tritium in the environment.     

Flotability and flotation separation of polymer materials modulated by wetting agents

The surface free energy, surface tension and contact angles were performed to investigate the properties of wetting agents. Adsorption of wetting agents changes wetting behavior of polymer resins. Flotability of polymer materials modulated by wetting agents was studied, and wetting agents change significantly flotability of polymer materials. The flotability decreases with increasing the concentration of wetting agents, and the wetting ability is lignin sulfonate (LS) > tannic acid (TA) > methylcellulose (MC) > triton X-100 (TX-100) (from strong to weak). There is significant difference in the flotability between polymer resins and plastics due to the presence of additives in the plastics. Flotation separation of two-component and multicomponent plastics was conducted based on the flotability modulated by wetting agents. The two-component mixtures can be efficiently separated using proper wetting agent through simple flotation flowsheet. The multicomponent plastic mixtures can be separated efficiently through multi-stage flotation using TA and LS as wetting agents, and the purity of separated component was above 94%, and the recovery was more than 93%.     

Preparation and performance of arsenate (V) adsorbents derived from concrete wastes

Solid adsorbent materials, prepared from waste cement powder and concrete sludge were assessed for removal of arsenic in the form of arsenic (As(V)) from water. All the materials exhibited arsenic removal capacity when added to distilled water containing 10–700 mg/L arsenic. The arsenic removal isotherms were expressed by the Langmuir type equations, and the highest removal capacity was observed for the adsorbent prepared from concrete sludge with heat treatment at 105 °C, the maximum removal capacity being 175 mg-As(V)/g. Based on changes in arsenic and calcium ion concentrations, and solution pH, the removal mechanism for arsenic was considered to involve the precipitation of calcium arsenate, Ca₃(AsO₄)₂. The enhanced removal of arsenic for the adsorbent prepared from concrete sludge with heat treatment was thought to reflect ion exchange by ettringite. The prepared adsorbents, derived from waste cement and concrete using simple procedures, may offer a cost effective approach for arsenic removal and clean-up of contaminated waters, especially in developing countries.     

Adsorption of thorium from aqueous solutions by perlite

The use of expanded perlite for the adsorption of thorium from aqueous solution by batch technique is presented. The effects of particle size, pH of the solution, initial thorium concentration, shaking time, V/m ratio and temperature were determined. It was found that the adsorption capacity increases by the increase in the pH of the suspensions. The rate of thorium adsorption on expanded perlite was observed to be fast in the first hour of the reaction time. Adsorption isotherms were expressed by Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models and the adsorption experiments conducted at 30 ± 1 °C showed that the adsorption isotherms correlated well with the Langmuir model. From the adsorption data, thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG^o, ΔH^o and ΔS^o were calculated as a function of temperature.     

Accumulation and mobility of zinc in soil amended with different levels of pig-manure compost

Applying manure compost not only results in zinc accumulation in the soil but also causes an increase in zinc mobility and enhances zinc leaching. In this study, the physical and chemical characteristics of zinc, zinc profiles, and zinc balance were investigated to characterise the fate of zinc in fields where the quality and amount of pig manure compost applied have been known for 13 years. Moreover, we determined zinc fractionation in both 0.1 mol L^?1HCl-soluble (mobile) and -insoluble (immobile) fractions. Adsorption of zinc in the soil was enhanced with increasing total carbon content following the application of pig manure compost. The 159.6 mg ha^?1 year^?1manure applied plot (triplicate) exceeded the Japanese regulatory level after only 6 years of applying pig manure compost, whereas the 53.2 mg ha^?1 year^?1 manure applied plot (standard) reached the regulatory level after 13 years. The zinc loads in the plots were 17.0 and 5.6 kg ha^?1 year^?1, respectively. However, 5.9 % and 17.2 % of the zinc loaded in the standard and the triplicate pig manure compost applied plots, respectively, were estimated to be lost from the plough layer. Based on the vertical distribution of mobile and immobile zinc content, a higher rate of applied manure compost caused an increase in the mobile zinc fraction to a depth of 40 cm. Although the adsorption capacity of zinc was enhanced following the application of pig manure compost, a greater amount of mobile zinc could move downward through the manure amended soil than through non manure-amended soil.     

Effect of tracer dyes on initial deposits and persistence of bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki toxin after application of two commercial formulations onto spruce trees

Abstract

The effect of two tracer dyes [Erio Acid Red (EAR) and Acid Black 48 (AB‐48)] on initial deposits and persistence of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (Btk) toxin (delta‐endotoxin) was studied after spraying two commercial formulations, Foray® 48B and Foray® 76B, over potted white spruce [Picea glauca (Moench) Voss] seedlings, at a dosage rate of 30 billion international units (BIU) per ha. Spray was applied using a spinning disc atomizer calibrated to deliver droplet sizes similar to those utilized in ultra‐low‐volume (ULV) treatments in operational insect control programs. The sprayed seedlings were left outdoors at the Sault Ste. Marie laboratory for 18 days under natural conditions of sunlight, wind and rainfall. Initial deposits and persistence of delta‐endotoxin protein in spruce foliage were determined by immunoassay [enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)] quantification of the delta‐endotoxin. The total protein (inactive plus active) and delta‐endotoxin (active protein) concentrations in the two formulations were determined by a gravimetric procedure and by ELISA respectively.

The initial deposit levels of the toxin on foliage were not markedly affected by the addition of either of the two tracer dyes, and showed only a narrow range of 1521 to 1625 ng/g foliage (fresh weight) for Foray 48B, and 1789 to 2056 ng/g for Foray 76B. However, the persistence of the toxin was significantly influenced by the presence of the dyes. The toxin persisted in foliage only for 7 d post‐spray When the EAR dye was added to Foray 48B, compared to 10 d when no dye was added. The average half‐life (DT₅₀) of disappearance was 17.4 h for Foray 48B with EAR, and 20.9 h when no dye was present. In contrast, the situation was reversed in Foray 76B, since the duration of persistence was 10 d when EAR was added to Foray 76B, compared to 7 d when no dye was added. The average DT₅₀ was 27.9 h for Foray 76B with EAR, and 22.2 h without the dye. Persistence was the longest (14 d) when the AB‐48 dye was added to Foray 76B, and the DT₅₀ was 44.9 h.     

Adsorption of simazine on zeolite H-Y and sol–gel technique manufactured porous silica: A comparative study in model and natural waters

In this work, we studied the removal of simazine from both a model and well water by adsorption on two different adsorbents: zeolite H-Y and a porous silica made in the laboratory by using the sol–gel technique. The pH dependence of the adsorption process and the isotherms and pseudo-isotherms of adsorption were studied. Moreover, an iterative process of simazine removal from both the model and well water, which allowed us to bring the residual simazine concentration below the maximum concentration (0.05 mg L^?1) of agrochemicals in wastewater to be released in surface waters or in sink allowed by Italian laws, was proposed. The results obtained were very interesting and the conclusions drawn from them partly differed from what could reasonably be expected.