Effects of bulking agent addition on odorous compounds emissions during composting of OFMSW

The effects of rice straw addition level on odorous compounds emissions in a pilot-scale organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) composting plant were investigated. The cumulative odorous compounds emissions occurred in a descending order of 40.22, 28.71 and 27.83 mg/dry kg of OFMSW for piles with rice straw addition level at ratio of 1:10, 2:10 and 3:10 (mixing ratio of rice straw to OFMSW on a wet basis), respectively. The mixing ratio of rice straw to OFMSW had a statistically significant effect on the reduction of malodorous sulfur compounds emissions, which had no statistically significant effect on the reduction of VFAs, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, aromatics and ammonia emissions during composting, respectively. The cumulative emissions of malodorous sulfur compounds from piles with the increasing rice straw addition level were 1.17, 1.08 and 0.88 mg/dry kg of OFMSW, respectively. The optimal mixing ratio of rice straw to OFMSW was 1:5. Using this addition level, the cumulative malodorous sulfur compounds emissions based on the organic matter degradation were the lowest during composting of OFMSW.     

Levels and profiles of long-chain perfluorinated carboxylic acids in human breast milk and infant formulas in East Asia

In this study, 90 human breast milk samples collected from Japan, Korea, and China were analyzed for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (C8), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) (C9), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) (C10), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) (C11), perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA) (C12), and perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) (C13). In addition, infant formulas (n = 9) obtained from retail stores in China and Japan were analyzed. PFOA was the predominant compound and was detected in more than 60% of samples in all three countries. The PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, and PFUnDA levels in Japan were significantly higher than those in Korea and China (p < 0.05). The PFTrDA level was highest in Korea (p < 0.05). The median PFOA concentrations were 89 pg mL⁻¹ (48% of total perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) (C8-C13)) in Japan, 62 pg mL⁻¹ (54%) in Korea, and 51 pg mL⁻¹ (61%) in China. The remaining ∑PFCAs (C9-C13) were 95 pg mL⁻¹ in Japan, 52 pg mL⁻¹ in Korea, and 33 pg mL⁻¹ in China. Among the long-chain PFCAs, odd-numbered PFCAs were more frequently detected than even-numbered PFCAs, except for PFDA in Japan. There were no evident correlations between the mother’s demographic factors and the PFCA concentrations. PFOA, PFNA, and PFDA were frequently detected in both Japan and China, but there were no significant differences between the two countries. The total PFCA concentrations in the infant formulas were lower than those in the breast milk samples in Japan (p < 0.05), but not in China (p > 0.05). In conclusion, various PFCAs were detected in human breast milk samples from East Asian countries.     

Size characterization of the associations between carbon nanotubes and humic acids in aqueous media by asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation combined with multi-angle light scattering

This work focuses on the influence of humic acids (HAs) on the fate of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in aqueous media. This influence was demonstrated by mixing CNT powder with HAs in aqueous solution in varying concentrations. The aqueous media containing HAs and CNTs were size-characterized by asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AsFlFFF) coupled with multi-angle light scattering (MALS). This coupling yielded information concerning the size distribution of single- and multi-walled CNTs (SWCNTs and MWCNTs) and HAs under different physico-chemical conditions that can occur in environmental water. HAs can disperse individual CNTs in aqueous media. However, the difference in the physical structure between SWCNTs and MWCNTs leads to significant differences in the quantity of HA that can adsorb onto the nanotube surface and in the stability of the CNT/HA complex. Compared with MWCNTs, SWCNTs suspended in HAs are less affected by changing ionic strength with respect to stability and the amount suspended.     

The adsorption of short single-stranded DNA oligomers to mineral surfaces

We studied the adsorption of short single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (ssDNA) oligomers, of approximately 30 nucleotides (nt) in length, of varying sequence, adenine + guanine + cytosine (AGC) content, and propensity to form secondary structure, to equal surface area samples of olivine, pyrite, calcite, hematite, and rutile in 0.1 M NaCl, 0.05 M pH 8.1 KHCO₃ buffer. Although the mineral surfaces have widely varying points of zero charge, under these conditions they show remarkably similar adsorption of ssDNA regardless of oligomer characteristics. Mineral surfaces appear to accommodate ssDNA comparably, or ssDNA oligomers of this length are able to find binding sites of comparable strength and density due to their flexibility, despite the disparate surface properties of the different minerals. This may partially be due charge shielding by the ionic strength of the solutions tested, which are typical of many natural environments. These results may have some bearing on the adsorption and accumulation of biologically derived nucleic acids in sediments as well as the abiotic synthesis of nucleic acids before the origin of life.     

Effects of long-term soil amendment with sewage sludges on soil humic acid thermal and molecular properties

Sewage sludges are frequently used as soil amendments due to their high contents of organic matter and nutrients, particularly N and P. However, their effects upon the chemistry of soil humic acids, one of the main components of the soil organic matter, need to be more deeply studied in order to understand the relation between organic matter structure and beneficial soil properties. Two sewage sludges subjected to different types of pre-treatment (composted and thermally dried) with very different chemical compositions were applied for three consecutive years to an agricultural soil under long-term field study. Thermal analysis (TG–DTG–DTA) and solid-state ¹³C NMR spectroscopy were used to compare molecular and structural properties of humic acids isolated from sewage sludges, and to determine changes in amended soils. Thermally dried sewage sludge humic acids showed an important presence of alkyl and O/N-alkyl compounds (70%) while composted sludge humic acids comprised 50% aromatic and carbonyl carbon. In spite of important differences in the initial chemical and thermal properties of the two types of sewage sludges, the chemical and thermal properties of the soil humic acids were quite similar to one another after 3 years of amendment. Long-term application of both sewage sludges resulted in 80–90% enrichment in alkyl carbon and organic nitrogen contents of the soil humic acid fraction.     

Essential versus potentially toxic dietary substances: a seasonal comparison of essential fatty acids and methyl mercury concentrations in the planktonic food web

We investigated seasonal variability of essential fatty acids (EFA) and methyl mercury (MeHg) concentrations in four size categories of planktonic organisms in two coastal lakes. MeHg concentrations increased significantly with increasing plankton size and were independent of plankton taxonomy. However, total EFA increased from seston to mesozooplankton, but decreased in the cladoceran-dominated macrozooplankton size-class. Analysis of EFA patterns revealed that linoleic, alpha-linolenic, arachidonic, and eicosapentaenoic acids increased with increasing zooplankton size, but docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the cladoceran-dominated macrozooplankton was generally lower than in seston. This consistent pattern demonstrates that cladocerans, although bioaccumulating MeHg, convey less DHA than similar-sized copepods to their consumers. It is thus evident that fish consuming cladocerans have restricted access to DHA, yet unrestricted dietary access to MeHg. Thus, the structure of planktonic food webs clearly affects the composition of EFA and regulates dietary supply of these essential nutrients, while MeHg bioaccumulates with increasing zooplankton size.     

Chronic copper exposure and fatty acid composition of the amphipod Dikerogammarus villosus: results from a field study

Field study allows assessment of long-term effects on fatty acid (FA) composition of organisms under chronic exposure to metals. One expected effect of copper is peroxidation of lipids and essentially polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). FA analysis was established for the amphipod Dikerogammarus villosus subjected to different degrees of copper exposure (4–40 μg Cu L⁻¹). A previous study in our team showed that this species regulates its body Cu concentration (106–135 mg Cu kg⁻¹ dry weight). Despite the high capacity of bioaccumulation, the absence of a correlation between copper concentration in D. villosus and water prevents its use as bioindicator of copper pollution. Both sexes from the most polluted site showed the lowest total FA content, but the highest PUFA percent, mainly of the long-chained variety (C20–C22). Mechanisms leading to the prevention of lipid peroxidation in this species were discussed (metallothioneins and intracellular granules) and proposed with support from literature data.     

城市水环境PFAAs前驱体污染特征及健康风险

为揭示城市水环境中前驱体对全氟烷基酸（PFAAs）输入特征、分布格局及健康风险的影响,对南京城市污水处理厂出水、河流、湖泊、长江饮用水源地等水体进行了考察.利用HPLC-MS/MS及总可氧化前驱体法（TOP Assay）分析了17种PFAAs与其总可氧化前驱体的污染特征,并通过推演耐受剂量评估了饮水途径的健康风险商（HQ）.结果表明,污水处理厂出水中PFAAs浓度90.6～278ng/L,主要单体PFBS、PFHxA、PFOA占总浓度的63%;总可氧化前驱体浓度239～839pmol/L,PFBA前驱体含量最高.城市地表水中PFAAs浓度61.8～157ng/L,总可氧化前驱体浓度195～572pmol/L,PFBA、PFPe A、PFHxA3种全氟羧酸的前驱体含量最高,城市河流流经人口密集区后,PFAAs赋存浓度有所上升,但总可氧化前驱体浓度下降.饮用水源地中PFAAs浓度50.9～54.6ng/L,总可氧化前驱体浓度273～372pmol/L,以PFBA、PFPe A和PFHx A3种全氟羧酸的前驱体为主.相对高风险来源于PFOS的免疫毒性（HQ=0.024）以及PFOA的发育毒性...     

郑州市PM2.5中有机酸的污染特征、来源解析及二次生成

大气颗粒物中的有机酸广泛参与大气中的各种物理化学反应,对二次有机气溶胶和霾的形成贡献极大,因此分析颗粒物中有机酸的浓度分布特征、评估其污染来源、探究其二次生成,对深入研究有机气溶胶及其二次转化具有重要意义.在郑州市不同季节采集大气细颗粒物（PM_2.5）样品,识别并定量二元酸类、脂肪酸类和树脂酸类有机酸共30种,探究其浓度分布特征、季节变化、来源贡献及二次生成.定量的二元酸类以丙二酸（di-C₃）和琥珀酸（di-C₄）含量最为丰富,并且表现出明显的季节变化特征：夏季 > 秋季 > 冬季 > 春季;脂肪酸类表现出明显的双峰优势,以棕榈酸和硬脂酸（C₁₈）最为丰富,季节变化特征为冬季最高,春季最低.利用主成分分析结合多元线性回归（MLR）方法对郑州市PM_2.5中的有机酸进行来源解析,结果表明,35%的有机酸来自于燃烧源和交通源,24%来自于烹饪源、23%来自于二次生成以及17%来自于天然源.利用标记物种的比值（如di-C₃ /di-C₄、F/M和C_18：1 /C₁₈）探究有机气溶胶二次形成及其老化过程.结果表明,夏季光化学反应剧烈,有机气溶胶老化或二次生产比例较高,冬季光化学反应较弱,有机气溶胶老化程度较低.采用相关性分析与MLR相结合的方法,量化了气相氧化和液相氧化对二元酸形成的相对贡献,气相氧化在采样过程中起主导作用,占比为58%,特别是夏季,占总二次转化的61%.