Continuous biohydrogen production from diluted molasses in an anaerobic contact reactor

An anaerobic contact reactor (ACR) system comprising a continuous flow stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with settler to decouple the hydraulic retention time (HRT) from solids retention time (SRT) was developed for fermentative hydrogen production from diluted molasses by mixed microbial cultures. The ACR was operated at various volumetric loading rates (VLRs) of 20–44 kgCOD·m^-3·d^-1 with constant HRT of 6 h under mesophilic conditions of 35°C. The SRT was maintained at about 46–50 h in the system. At the initial VLR of 20 kgCOD·m^-3·d^-1, the hydrogen production rate dropped from 22.6 to 1.58 L·d^-1 as the hydrogen was consumed by the hydrogentrophic methanogen. After increasing the VLR to 28 kgCOD·m^-3·d^-1 and discharging the sludge for 6 consecutive times, the hydrogentrophic methanogens were eliminated, and the hydrogen content reached 36.4%. As the VLR was increased to 44 kgCOD·m^-3·d^-1, the hydrogen production rate and hydrogen yield increased to 42.1 L·d^-1 and 1.40 mol H₂·molglucose-consumed^-1, respectively. The results showed that a stable ethanol-type fermentation that favored hydrogen production in the reactor was thus established with the sludge loading rate (SLR) of 2.0–2.5 kgCOD·kgMLVSS^-1·d^-1. It was found that the ethanol increased more than other liquid fermentation products, and the ethanol/acetic acid (mol/mol) ratio increased from 1.27 to 2.45 when the VLR increased from 28 to 44 kgCOD·m^-3·d^-1, whereas the hydrogen composition decreased from 40.4% to 36.4%. The results suggested that the anaerobic contact reactor was a promising bioprocess for fermentative hydrogen production.     

我国典型农区耕地承载畜禽容量对比分析

根据农田养分平衡理论,对我国南北两个县级区域山东禹城和湖南桃源的耕地承载畜禽容量和负载指数进行了对比分析。 基于农田N收支情景分析表明:当农田施用粪便N分别占到总投入N的30%、60%和100%时,山东禹城耕地承载畜禽容量分别为4.1、8.3和13.8 LU·hm^-2,相应负载指数分别是2.2、1.1和0.7,湖南桃源耕地承载畜禽容量分别是4.4、8.7和14.6 LU·hm^-2,相应负载指数分别是1.4、0.7和0.4;基于农田N收支的耕地畜禽容量呈现为禹城略低于桃源,负载指数呈现为禹城显著高于桃源。基于农田P收支情景分析表明:当农田施用粪便P₂O₅分别占总施入P₂O₅的30%、60%和100%时,山东禹城耕地承载畜禽容量分别为6.7、13.5和22.5 LU·hm^-2,相应的耕地畜禽承载指数分别是1.3、0.7和0.4,湖南桃源耕地承载畜禽容量分别是2.5、5.1和8.5 LU·hm^-2,相应的负载指数分别是2.4、1.2和0.7,基于农田P收支的耕地畜禽容量呈现为禹城显著高于桃源,负载指数为禹城低于桃源。可见,禹城基于农田N收支的耕地承载畜禽容量显著低于基于农田P收支的耕地承载畜禽容量,桃源正好与禹城相反。因此,今后在制定减少农田环境污染对策时,禹城应首先考虑农田N收支及粪便N的有效管理与利用;桃源则应首先考虑农田P收支及粪便P的有效管理与利用,并且因为区域内乡镇之间存在较大差异,还应在乡镇之间进行协调平衡。     

辽西风积土路基振陷研究及数值模拟

随着铁路车辆轴重增大、速度提高以及行车密度加大,长期行车必然使路基产生较大的累积塑性变形,因此对路基振陷的进一步研究已刻不容缓。本文主要以辽西高速铁路沿线的风积土路基为研究对象,取其原状土,通过室内常规土工试验获取风积土的基本物理和力学参数;根据试验结果,对风积土在长持时动荷载下的振陷量进行回归分析,进而得出预测振陷的方法;基于MIDAS软件,进行风积土路基在列车振动荷载下的振陷的数值模拟,根据模拟过程中参数的调整,得出风积土路基振陷量随参数的变化关系;最后,提出针对风积土路基抗振设计和隔振措施,进而得到用于指导风积土路基抗振和隔振措施的统一设计方法。     

循环载荷下煤样渗透特性试验研究

以原煤煤样为研究对象,采用自主研发的三轴应力渗流实验系统,进行等幅循环加、卸载的渗透率测试,研究煤样疲劳损伤过程中渗透率对应力水平的响应特征。结果表明:上、下限应力点处渗透率随循环次数出现降低-稳定-升高3个阶段,整体呈“U”型,并且随着上限应力水平的升高,曲线有向“V”型发展的趋势。拟合结果显示:在渗透率降低阶段,渗透率与循环次数呈幂指数函数关系;在渗透率升高阶段,渗透率与循环次数呈指数函数关系,并且渗透率随循环次数的降低和升高速率与上限应力水平正相关。     

山丘地形下近浅埋煤层综采面静动载叠加的矿压显现特征研究

针对近浅埋综采面过山丘地形发生强矿压显现的问题,采用现场监测、理论分析与数值模拟相结合的方法,建立山丘静载应力传递模型和不同岩层赋存特征的沙土型与土石型山丘工作面关键块体结构力学模型,分析山丘地形工作面矿压发生机理。研究表明:山丘静载向工作面传递的垂直应力呈钟形分布,山丘高静载应力易激发弱铰接结构失稳;山丘坡体中关键层的有无导致了土石型和沙土型山丘工作面矿压发生机理的差异性;坡体断裂块的倾斜回转运动是沙土型山丘工作面发生强矿压的主导因素,断裂块不同的倾斜回转方向导致工作面在上坡段矿压显现缓和而下坡段显现剧烈;土石型山丘工作面的矿压显现主要受坡体中关键块体结构稳定状态的控制,工作面在上坡初和坡顶段动载矿压强烈而下坡段后期较缓和。数值计算结果与现场监测和理论分析相符。     

Postural Loading Assessment in Assembly Workers of an Iranian Telecommunication Manufacturing Company

Background. Changes in industries and work practices have coincided with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of MSDs and to assess postural loading in assembly workers of an Iranian telecommunication manufacturing company. Methods. Data were collected from 193 randomly selected workers in 4 units of the company. The Nordic musculoskeletal disorders questionnaire and the UBC ergonomic checklist were used as data collection tools. Loading on the upper body assessment (LUBA) was used to assess postural loading. Results. Lower back symptoms were the most prevalent problems among the workers (67.9%). LUBA showed that most assembly workers (94.3%) had experienced considerable and high postural loading (postural load index, PLI > 5). Regression analyses revealed that lighting, rotation, contact stress, repetition, gender and age were factors associated with symptoms. Conclusion. Work-related MSDs occurred at a high rate among workers. Postural loading requires consideration. Any ergonomic intervention should focus on eliminating ergonomic factors associated with symptoms.     

Alveolar Macrophage (AM) Mobility Reduction as a Result of Long-Term Exposure to High Dust Concentration in Inhaled Air

The influence of high concentration of insoluble particles in inhaled air on the alveolar macrophage (AM) mobility is analyzed. Kinetics of phagocytosis and the mobility of AM as a function of overloading is proposed. Three patterns of AM displacement on the surface of alveolus are distinguished depending on the loading of the surface with insoluble deposits, namely, directional being a result of surfactant activity, directional with a chemotactic bias, and purely random. The exit time of AM from alveolus under overloading is calculated.     

Escherichia coli Concentrations in Urban Watersheds Exhibit Diurnal Sag: Implications for Water‐Quality Monitoring and Assessment

The variability of indicator bacteria over a fine resolution time scale on the order of minutes has yet to be fully understood. In this study, we collected more than 700 Escherichia coli samples at a 10‐ and 30‐min resolution in an urban watershed in Houston. A Bacteria Diurnal Sag (BDS) marked with daytime exponential decay followed by an exponential nighttime regeneration was observed. This pattern was observed during all sampled events but varied depending on other variables. The concentrations during a 24‐h period varied 1 to 5 orders of magnitude and the fecal load was at least 10 times lower than what would be obtained using a single morning E. coli measurement, the typical sampling scheme in most monitoring programs. Decay rates, ranging from 3.67 to 24.7/day, decreased E. coli concentrations to below the water‐quality standards from 14:00 to 18:00 h and were strongly influenced by water temperatures and solar radiation intensities. Rapid regeneration occurred on the order of 9.41 to 64.1/day allowing E. coli concentrations to return to their pre‐decay levels. The data indicated that four to six samples taken between 06:00 and 18:00 h may be sufficient to define the BDS depending on stream conditions, and that a threshold concentration of approximately 100 MPN/dl (most probable number in a deciliter) existed for the studied urban watershed. These findings have significant implications for water‐quality monitoring, regulation, and compliance.     

冬季条件下曝气生物滤池处理模拟灰水的应用研究

文章采用陶粒滤料为载体,研究了在冬季低温条件下化学混凝-曝气生物滤池工艺对模拟灰水的中试研究。实验结果表明,在冬季水温为3℃-15℃的条件下,初沉处理大大减轻了后续曝气生物滤池的运行负荷的同时也提高了整个工艺的搞冲击能力。当曝气生物滤池水力负荷为3．8m／h时,COD、LAS的去除效率分别在70％、80％以上。NH4-N去除效率受LAS、COD、温度影响较大,整个工况去除效率在15％～75％。NH4-N的去除效率随着COD负荷的增加,其去除效率受到严重的影响。COD的去除负荷率为2．85kg／（m^3滤料·d）升高到5．04kg／（m^3滤料·d）时,NH4-N的去除率则由61％-77％,下降到26％～41％,说明了异养微生物的生长严重抑制了硝化亚硝化细菌的生长。     

Restorating marine coastal ecosystem health as a new goad for integrated catchment management in Tolo Harbour,Hong Kong,China

Abstract

The paper demonstrates why it is necessary to take the restoration of marine coastal ecosystem health as a new goal for integrated catchment management, in coastal area of the Tolo Harbour. The present goal of integrated catchment management (ICM) in the Tolo Harbour is to meet with Water Quality Objectives. The performance of an ICM plan, Tolo Harbour Action Plan (THAP), is evaluated by using marine coastal ecosystem health indicators including stress indicators and responses indicators. Since the implementation of THAP in 1988, some significant reduction in pollution loading has been observed—reduction of 83% of BOD load and 82% of TN between 1988 and 1999. There has been an improvement in the health state of Tolo Harbour marine coastal ecosystem as evidenced in the trends of the physical, chemical and biological indicators, although some reverse fluctuations in some periods exist. However, this can only be considered as the first sign of the ecosystem health restoration, since ecosystem health covers not only physical, chemical and biological aspects of an ecosystem, but also ecosystem-service-function aspect. It is recommended to take the restoration and protection of marine coastal ecosystem health as a new goal, instead of water quality objective management, for integrated catchment management in Tolo Harbour catchment. Steps to further improve the marine coastal ecosystem health of Tolo harbour are discussed in the paper.