Flow‐Biology Relationships Based on Fish Habitat Guilds in North Carolina

The health of freshwater biota is dependent on streamflow, yet identification of the flow regimes required to maintain ecological integrity remains challenging to states in the United States seeking to establish ecological flows. We tested the relationship between decreases in streamflow and Shannon‐Weaver diversity index of fish species for four flow‐based habitat guilds: riffle, riffle‐run, pool‐run, and pool in North Carolina. We found species that prefer shallow habitats, such as riffles and riffle‐runs were the most sensitive to decreases in streamflow; whereas no significant relationships were found for pool or pool‐run species. The sensitivity to decreases in streamflow was greatest during summer and fall, when streams are naturally lower. When all fish habitat guilds were included in the assessment of flow‐biology relationships, there were no significant relationships to decreases in streamflow. As the sensitivity of fish to reductions in streamflow is not constant across habitat guilds, combining all fish species together for flow‐biology analyses may greatly underestimate the response of fish species to decreases in flow and should be acknowledged when establishing ecological flows.     

Techno-economic and environmental analysis of an integrated standalone hybrid solar hydrogen system to supply CCHP loads of a greenhouse in Iran

The techno-economic and environmental performance of hybrid solar hydrogen energy systems was investigated to provide combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) demands of a standalone greenhouse in Iran to achieve sustainable agriculture based on an optimization procedure. From the environmental point of view, by deploying hybrid energy systems, 83%, to 100% of emissions can be avoided. Also a sensitivity analysis was performed on the hybrid energy systems in order to study the effect of major parameter variation on the systems justification. It was concluded that hybrid solar systems are economically competitive with conventional systems, for high solar intensity locations with high diesel fuel prices and decreased prices for PV and hydrogen storage technology.     

Investigation of titanium liquid/gas diffusion layers in proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

In a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cell (PEMEC), liquid/gas diffusion layer (LGDL) is expected to transport electrons, heat, and reactants/products to and from the catalyst layer with minimum voltage, current, thermal, interfacial, and fluidic losses. In addition, carbon materials, which are typically used in PEM fuel cells (PEMFCs), are unsuitable in PEMECs due to the high ohmic potential and highly oxidative environment of the oxygen electrode. In this study, a set of titanium gas diffusion layers with different thicknesses and porosities are designed and examined coupled with the development of a robust titanium bipolar plate. It has been found that the performance of electrolyzer improves along with a decrease in thickness or porosity of the anode LGDL of titanium woven meshes. The ohmic resistance of anode LGDL and contact resistance between anode LGDL and the anode catalyst play dominant roles in electrolyzer performance, and better performance can be obtained by reducing ohmic resistance. Thin titanium LGDLs with straight-through pores and optimal pore morphologies are recommended for the future developments of low-cost LGDLs with minimum ohmic/transport losses.     

Detention Outlet Retrofit Improves the Functionality of Existing Detention Basins by Reducing Erosive Flows in Receiving Channels

By discharging excess stormwater at rates that more frequently exceed the critical flow for stream erosion, conventional detention basins often contribute to increased channel instability in urban and suburban systems that can be detrimental to aquatic habitat and water quality, as well as adjacent property and infrastructure. However, these ubiquitous assets, valued at approximately $600,000 per km² in a representative suburban watershed, are ideal candidates to aid in reversing such cycles of channel degradation because improving their functionality would not necessarily require property acquisition or heavy construction. The objective of this research was to develop a simple, cost‐effective device that could be installed in detention basin outlets to reduce the erosive power of the relatively frequent storm events (~ < two‐year recurrence) and provide a passive bypass to maintain flood control performance during infrequent storms (such as the 100‐year recurrence). Results from a pilot installation show that the Detain H₂O device reduced the cumulative sediment transport capacity of the preretrofit condition by greater than 40%, and contributed to reduced flashiness and prolonged baseflows in receiving streams. When scaling the strategy across a watershed, these results suggest that potential gains in water quality and stream channel stability could be achieved at costs that are orders of magnitude less than comparable benefits from newly constructed stormwater control measures.     

Designing and Implementing a Network for Sensing Water Quality and Hydrology across Mountain to Urban Transitions

Water resources are increasingly impacted by growing human populations, land use, and climate changes, and complex interactions among biophysical processes. In an effort to better understand these factors in semiarid northern Utah, United States, we created a real‐time observatory consisting of sensors deployed at aquatic and terrestrial stations to monitor water quality, water inputs, and outputs along mountain to urban gradients. The Gradients Along Mountain to Urban Transitions (GAMUT) monitoring network spans three watersheds with similar climates and streams fed by mountain winter‐derived precipitation, but that differ in urbanization level, land use, and biophysical characteristics. The aquatic monitoring stations in the GAMUT network include sensors to measure chemical (dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, pH, nitrate, and dissolved organic matter), physical (stage, temperature, and turbidity), and biological components (chlorophyll‐a and phycocyanin). We present the logistics of designing, implementing, and maintaining the network; quality assurance and control of numerous, large datasets; and data acquisition, dissemination, and visualization. Data from GAMUT reveal spatial differences in water quality due to urbanization and built infrastructure; capture rapid temporal changes in water quality due to anthropogenic activity; and identify changes in biological structure, each of which are demonstrated via case study datasets.     

Zr掺杂TiO_2介孔材料光催化降解头孢氨苄

采用固相合成法制备了Zr掺杂TiO_2(Zr-TiO_2),运用XRD技术对其进行了表征,并将其用于水中头孢氨苄的光催化降解,通过单因素实验及正交实验优化了光催化反应条件。结果表明:制备的Zr-TiO_2为锐钛矿型介孔材料,孔径约为8.12 nm;各因素对头孢氨苄去除率的影响由大到小依次为光照时间、Zr-TiO_2投加量、初始头孢氨苄质量浓度;在Zr-TiO_2投加量为1.5 g/L、初始头孢氨苄质量浓度为10 mg/L、溶液pH为7.0、光照(300 W UV)时间为1.5 h的优化条件下,头孢氨苄去除率高达99.46%;Zr-TiO_2光催化剂的重复使用性能良好。     

PbO_2复合电极预处理甲苯二胺废水

通过涂覆—热分解法与电沉积法制备了β-PbO_2/α-PbO_2/SnO_2-Sb2O3/Ti复合电极(PbO_2复合电极),采用X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、循环伏安法(CV)、线性极化法(LSV)和加速寿命试验对电极进行表征。将PbO_2复合电极用于处理甲苯二胺(TDA)废水,考察了电解质浓度、电流密度对TDA降解效果的影响。实验结果表明:α-PbO_2呈梭状,β-PbO_2呈花菜状,多层结构的PbO_2电极利于提高电极的稳定性和活性;PbO_2复合电极的析氧电位(1.9 V)明显高于TDA的氧化电位(1.28 V),其使用寿命长达486 d;在电流密度为60 m A/cm2、Na2SO4质量浓度为10 g/L、电解时间为240 min的条件下,对COD为4 791.74 mg/L、TDA质量浓度为486.4mg/L的废水进行处理,TDA去除率高达97.3%,COD去除率可达88.1%。     

超疏水沸石咪唑酯骨架材料ZIF-90的制备及其气体吸附性能

以自制沸石咪唑酯骨架材料ZIF-90为原料,自制2,3,4,5,6-五氟苄胺为修饰剂,通过后修饰法制备了超疏水ZIF-90,采用SEM、XRD、FTIR等技术对其进行了表征,并进行了气体吸附性能测试。表征结果显示:制备的超疏水ZIF-90晶体结构和形貌良好;水接触角高达152.1°;修饰剂分子与ZIF-90晶体上的自由醛基成功发生缩胺反应。气体吸附实验结果表明:当相对压力小于0.02时,超疏水ZIF-90的CO_2吸附量较ZIF-90明显增大,CO_2/N_2和CO_2/CH_4的理想吸附选择系数由修饰前的15.76和4.88分别提升至33.28和17.13;超疏水ZIF-90具有优异的憎水性能。     

EU-wide survey of polar organic persistent pollutants in European river waters

This study provides the first EU-wide reconnaissance of the occurrence of polar organic persistent pollutants in European river waters. More than 100 individual water samples from over 100 European rivers from 27 European Countries were analysed for 35 selected compounds, comprising pharmaceuticals, pesticides, PFOS, PFOA, benzotriazoles, hormones, and endocrine disrupters. Around 40 laboratories participated in this sampling exercise. The most frequently and at the highest concentration levels detected compounds were benzotriazole, caffeine, carbamazepine, tolyltriazole, and nonylphenoxy acetic acid (NPE₁C). Only about 10% of the river water samples analysed could be classified as “very clean” in terms of chemical pollution. The rivers responsible for the major aqueous emissions of PFOS and PFOA from the European Continent could be identified. For the target compounds chosen, we are proposing “indicative warning levels” in surface waters, which are (for most compounds) close to the 90th percentile of all water samples analysed.     

GC/MS法测定润滑油基础油中多环芳烃

对润滑油基础油中多环芳烃的气相色谱/质谱(GC/MS)测定方法进行了研究,探讨了样品的提取,固相萃取柱净化等前处理方法,同时也对仪器测定条件进行了优化.结果表明,在检测润滑油基础油中多环芳烃时,经优化的GC/MS法的加标回收率和精密度均达到较满意的水平.