Types of Ectomycorrhiza as Pollution Stress Indicators: Case Studies in Slovenia

Mycorrhiza is the main spatial and temporal linkage between different constituents in a forest ecosystem. The functional compatibility and stress tolerance of ectomycorrhizal types is species specific, and therefore the information on the ectomycorrhizal community structure can add to the understanding of processes in forest ecosystems and can also be applied as tools for bioindication of pollution stress in forest soils. We have studied the effects of pollution (N and S) on trees and forest soils by: (1) quantification of ECM types diversity as in situ indicators in forest stands, (2) determination and quantification of pollution-sensitive or -insensitive ECM types as passive monitors, (3) root growth and development of ECM on nonmycorrhizal spruce seedlings, planted at the studied sites (active monitors), and (4) ECM infection (a bioassay based on mycorrhizal inoculum potential) of seedlings in an experimental set-up as ex situ testers. ECM species richness for Norway spruce trees (Picea abies) showed higher values in unpolluted sites than in polluted ones, while the differences were not significant for European beech trees (Fagus sylvatica). As pollution-sensitive or -insensitive ECM species in spruce forests, we suggest Hydnum rufescens (sensitive) and Paxillus involutus (unsensitive). Mycorrhizal potential in Norway spruce seedlings as a bioassay for soil N and S pollution was effective, and is suggested as an additional, standardized and widely comparable system in bioindication of soil pollution.     

Impact of Bioaugmentation with a Consortium of Bacteria on the Remediation of Wastewater-Containing Hydrocarbons (5 pp)

Goals, Scope and Background It has been observed that hydrocarbon treated wastewaters still contain high COD and a number of intermediates. This suggests that the required catabolic gene pool for further degradation might be absent in the system or, that its titer value is not significant enough. By providing the desired catabolic potential, the overall efficiency of the treatment system can be improved. This study aims to demonstrate this concept by bioaugmentation of a lab-scale reactor treating refinery wastewater with a consortium having the capacity to complement the alkB genotype to the available microbial population. Methods Two reactors were set up using activated biomass collected from a refinery treatment plant and operated at a continuous mode for a period of 8 weeks. The feed to both reactors was kept constant. Crude oil was spiked regularly. One reactor was bioaugmented with a consortium previously described for crude oil spill remediation. The efficiency of the bioaugmented reactor was demonstrated by reduced COD. The changes in the microbial population over a period of time were analyzed by RAPD. Catabolic activity of the biomass in both reactors was monitored by PCR. The presence of the catabolic loci was confirmed by Southern Hybridization. Results and Discussion 52.2% removal of COD was observed in the bioaugmented reactor while only 15.1% reduction of COD was observed in the reactor without bioaugmentation. The change in microbial population can be seen from the 4th week, which also corresponds to improved catabolic activity. The presence of the bedA locus was seen in all samples, which indicates the presence of aromatic degraders, but the appearance of the alkB locus, from the 6th week onwards, which was observed only in the samples from the bioaugmented reactor. The results suggest that the gene pool of the bioaugmented reactor has catabolic loci that can degrade accumulated intermediates, thus improving the efficiency of the system. Conclusions In this study, improvement of efficiency of bioremediation was demonstrated by addition of catabolic loci that are responsible for degradation. Bioaugmentation was carried out in biomass that was collected from an ETP (effluent treatment plant) treating hydrocarbon containing wastewater to study the strategies for improvement of the treatment system. Biostimulation, only marginally improved the efficiency, when compared to bioaugmentation. The improved efficiency was demonstrated by COD removal. The presence of the alkB locus suggests the importance of a catabolic gene pool that acts on accumulated intermediates. It is well documented that straight chain aliphatics and intermediates of aromatic compounds after ring cleavage, accumulate in refinery wastewater systems, thereby hindering further degradation of the wastewater. Supplementation of a catabolic gene pool that treats the lower pathway compounds and alkanes will improve the overall efficiency. In this study, results suggest that the alkB locus can also be used to monitor the degradative mode of the activated biomass. Recommendations and Perspective . Pollution from petroleum and petroleum products around the globe are known to have grave consequences on the environment. Bioremediation, using activated sludge, is one option for the treatment of such wastes. Effluent treatment plants are usually unable to completely degrade the wastewater being treated in the biological unit (the aerator chambers). The efficiency of degradation can be improved by biostimulation and bioaugmentation. This study demonstrates the improved efficiency of a treatment system for wastewater containing hydrocarbons by bioaugmentation of a consortium that supports degradation. Further experiments on a pilot scale are recommended to assess the use of bioaugmentation on a large scale. The use of molecular tools, like DNA probes for alkB, to monitor the system also needs to be explored.     

湖北农村降水中SO_4~(2-)浓度变化研究

在湖北农村 10个地点 ,利用澳大利亚集雨器自 1996年 1月至 1998年 6月 ,按季度采集大气降水样品测定SO2 - 4浓度 ,并对数据进行统计分析。研究结果表明 ,各地 1997年降水中SO2 - 4浓度年均值比 1996年显著升高 ;大多数地点 1996、1997、1998年 1季度和 2季度降水中SO2 - 4浓度呈逐年升高趋势 ;大多数地点每年 1、4季度降水中SO2 - 4浓度高 ,2、3季度降水中SO2 - 4浓度低 ,说明湖北农村降水中的硫对秋冬作物影响比对春夏作物影响大 ;湖北农村降水中SO2 - 4浓度近两年不仅有时间变化规律 ,而且同一季度内的地区差异也很明显 ,在 1996年和 1997年 8个季度 10个点的降水SO2 - 4浓度最大值中 ,有 4个最大值出现在襄樊 ,它是目前湖北继宜昌市区、恩施市区之后又一个酸雨发展较快的地区     

TRMM 3B42卫星降水数据在赣江流域径流模拟中的应用

以赣江流域为研究区,基于观测降水和TRMM准实时数据(3B42RTV6、3B42RTV7)和分析数据(3B42V6、3B42V7),驱动VIC水文模型,开展卫星降水产品在赣江流域的水文模拟,评估TRMM降水产品在水文模拟中的应用能力。结果表明:(1)在赣江流域,3B42V7估算的降水与实测降水的对比结果最好,3B42RTV6的估算精度最低,3B42RTV7较3B42RTV6在赣江流域的降水估算精度提升非常明显;(2)在径流模拟方面,3B42V6和3B42V7在日尺度上尽管对洪峰的模拟有所偏差,但模拟结果仍能反映径流变化特征,在月尺度上模拟结果精度较高,纳什系数均在0.9以上,并且二者在4、5月的径流模拟结果较好,7、8月的模拟结果较差,而3B42RTV6对径流的模拟能力较差,日径流量和月径流量均呈现明显低估,3B42RTV7对径流的模拟结果比3B42RTV6有明显改善,可以满足实时水文预报的需求。     

城市生活垃圾处理方式生命周期评价的比较研究

生命周期评价理论与方法作为一种量化环境影响的工具,在诸多领域中得到了广泛的应用。在垃圾处理领域,生命周期评价最早在20世纪90年代得到应用。生命周期评价与城市生活垃圾处理的有效结合,将促进城市生活垃圾的减量化、资源化、无害化目标的实现。总结了生命周期评价理论与方法在城市生活垃圾处理中的应用现状。对国内不同城市生活垃圾处理方式环境影响因子进行比较分析,诸如全球变暖潜力、酸化潜力和富营养化潜力等因子。针对其目标范围定义、数据收集、评价方法的选择、结果解释及工艺改进等方面指出了目前研究的局限性和不足。并对未来城市生活垃圾处理生命周期评价的发展方向进行展望。     

阳离子聚丙烯酸酯对污泥脱水性能的影响

以比阻(SRF)、过滤时间(TTF)和泥饼含水率作为评价污泥脱水性能的指标,考察2种阳离子聚丙烯酸酯CPAL-1和CPAL-2对污泥脱水性能的影响,并与阳离子絮凝剂三氯化铁(FeCl3)、聚合氯化铝(PAC)、阳离子聚丙烯酰胺(CPAM)和阳离子表面活性剂十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)的作用效果进行比较.还测定了Zeta电位(ZP)和滤液中胞外聚合物(EPS)含量的变化来探讨CPAL的作用机理.实验结果表明,经CPAL-1调理的污泥脱水效果优于CPAM、PAC和FeCl3,明显优于CPAL-2和CTAB.当CPAL-1的投加剂量为0.200 g/g干基时,SRF、TTF和泥饼含水率降至最低,依次为5.37 ×1011m/kg、70 s和75.73％.CPAL主要通过电中和、吸附架桥作用和溶出EPS等来改善污泥的沉降脱水性能.     

聚硅酸钛制备及其助凝特性

采用在活化硅酸制备过程中加入适量Ti Cl4的方法,试制了一种新型无机高分子助凝剂—聚硅酸钛。研究了不同[Si]/[Ti]条件下制备的聚硅酸钛在固定p H值的水中分散物的粒径和Zeta电位随着活化时间的变化趋势,并与活化硅酸作比较。结果表明,在Si/Ti=20,活化48 h的条件下能制备出较为稳定的聚硅酸钛。与活化硅酸相比,聚硅酸钛在水中的分散物具有较大的粒径和更高的Zeta电位。通过对比制备的活化硅酸和聚硅酸钛的红外图谱发现,聚硅酸钛中有TiO-Si键,证明钛离子参与了聚合反应,新生成的化学键提高了它的聚合度和稳定性。采用硫酸铝为混凝剂,聚硅酸钛为助凝剂进行混凝除浊实验。测定了絮凝体的Zeta电位和混凝沉淀后的上清液浊度,研究了硫酸铝投加量和混凝p H对聚硅酸钛助凝效果的影响。结果表明,投加适量的聚硅酸钛助凝剂,明显提高了混凝除浊效果且拓宽了有效混凝p H值的范围。     

不同雨强条件下太湖流域典型蔬菜地土壤磷素的径流特征

以太湖流域典型区域无锡市近郊区鸿声镇的蔬菜地为研究对象,采用人工模拟降雨的方法,通过野外径流小区试验,研究了不同雨强对菜地土壤磷素径流流失的影响.结果表明,初始产流时间随雨强的增大呈幂函数减小(R²=0.99),径流量在雨强较小时,缓慢上升,但随着雨强的增大急剧上升,在雨强0.83、1.17和1.67 mm·min^-1时,总磷(TP)和颗粒态磷(PP)都表现为初始流失浓度较高,随降雨历时延长略有下降,最终趋于稳定,而在大雨强2.50 mm·min^-1时,TP和PP呈现波浪式起伏,没有明显的变化趋势;在整个降雨-径流过程中,溶解态磷(DP)变化比较平缓,占TP的比例为20%～32%,而PP占TP的比例为68%～80%,其变化规律与TP相一致,由此可见,PP是土壤磷素流失的主要形态;通过对比不同雨强下不同形态磷素的流失率,发现TP的流失率,大雨强2.50 mm·min^-1是小雨强0.83 mm·min^-1的20倍,而DP的流失率,却是33倍,这表明随着雨强的增加,加速土壤PP流失的同时,也大大促进了DP的流失,主要原因是降雨前表施磷肥,使得磷肥中大量的无机态磷溶解释放到水环境中,增加了DP的流失,从而会加重受纳水体富营养化的程度.     

Mitochondrial toxicity and in vitro biological effects of ambient PM2.5 from an urban site in China

Abstract

The roles of PM_2.5-induced mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress on mast cell degranulation were examined in vitro. Mast cells were treated with suspensions of PM_2.5 in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium at concentrations from 25 to 200?mg/L in the absence or presence of 10?mmol/L N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Biological effects and mitochondrial function were assessed by determining cell viability, β-hexosaminidase release, interleukin-4 secretion, reactive oxygen species generation, adenosine triphosphate production, potential alteration of mitochondrial membrane, and activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes I and III. Exposure of mast cells to PM_2.5 induced reduction of adenosine triphosphate production, collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, and inhibition of the activity of complex III. Co-treatment of mast cells exposed to PM_2.5 with N-acetyl-L-cysteine attenuated cytotoxicity and the production of reactive oxygen species, and decreased the release of β-hexosaminidase and interleukin-4. Evidently, PM_2.5-induced oxidative stress plays an essential role in mitochondrial toxicity and mast cell activation.     

嘉善前体物与气象因子对臭氧生成的影响及臭氧潜在源区分析

利用2017年嘉善善西超级站臭氧（O₃）及其前体物（NO_x和VOCs）以及气象因子（温度、湿度、风速）逐小时数据,分析了2017年全年NO_x和O₃的变化特征以及春季（4—5月）、夏季（7—8月）NO_x和气象因子对O₃生成的影响,利用O₃生成潜势（OFP）评估了VOCs大气化学反应活性,并通过潜在源区贡献（PSCF）和浓度权重轨迹（CWT）方法分析了嘉善春、夏季O₃潜在源区贡献特征。研究发现：O₃日变化特征为单峰结构,NO_x为弱双峰结构。O₃浓度在3—9月较高,春、夏季O₃浓度峰值分别出现在15：00和14：00,春、夏季的NO_x、O₃日变化与2017年全年日变化趋势基本一致。NO_x对O₃存在滴定作用,且低湿高温有利于O₃浓度的升高。春、夏季O₃生成潜势贡献均表现为烯烃 > 芳香烃 > 烷烃,由于烯烃光化学活性较高,夏季烯烃浓度升高导致其贡献较春季增长约18.1个百分点,且夏季VOCs平均最大O₃增量反应活性高于春季。PSCF和CWT分析结果表明,嘉善春季的潜在源区主要为本地、西南方向和东南方向,夏季的潜在源区主要为本地、西北方向、西南方向以及东南方向。