Integrated catalytic wet air oxidation and aerobic biological treatment in a municipal WWTP of a high-strength o-cresol wastewater

This study examines the feasibility of coupling a Catalytic Wet Air Oxidation (CWAO), with activated carbon (AC) as catalyst, and an aerobic biological treatment to treat a high-strength o-cresol wastewater. Two goals are pursued: (a) To determine the effect of the main AC/CWAO intermediates on the activated sludge of a municipal WasteWater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and (b) To demonstrate the feasibility of coupling the AC/CWAO effluent as a part of the influent of a municipal WWTP. In a previous study, a high-strength o-cresol wastewater was treated by AC/CWAO aiming to establish the distribution of intermediates and the biodegradability enhancement. In this work, the biodegradability, toxicity and inhibition of the most relevant intermediates detected in the AC/CWAO effluent were determined by respirometry. Also, the results of a pilot scale municipal WWTP study for an integrated AC/CWAO-aerobic biological treatment of this effluent are presented. The biodegradation parameters (i.e. maximum oxygen uptake rate and oxygen consumption) of main AC/CWAO intermediates allowed the classification of the intermediates into readily biodegradable, inert or toxic/inhibitory compounds. This detailed study, allowed to understand the biodegradability enhancement exhibited by an AC/CWAO effluent and to achieve a successful strategy for coupling the AC/CWAO step with an aerobic biological treatment for a high-strength o-cresol wastewater. Using 30%, as COD, of AC/CWAO effluent in the inlet to the pilot scale WWTP, the integrated AC/CWAO-biological treatment achieved a 98% of total COD removal and, particularly, a 91% of AC/CWAO effluent COD removal without any undesirable effect on the biomass.     

A fluorescence-based bioassay for aquatic macrophytes and its suitability for effect analysis of non-photosystem II inhibitors

Background, Goals and Scope During the last years the miniaturization of toxicity test systems for rapid and parallel measurements of large quantities of samples has often been discussed. For unicellular algae as well as for aquatic macrophytes, fluorescence-based miniaturized test systems have been introduced to analyze photosystem II (PSII) inhibitors. Nevertheless, high-throughput screening should also guarantee the effect detection of a broad range of toxicants in order to ensure routinely applicable, high-throughput measuring device experiments which can cover a broad range of toxicants and modes of action others than PSII inhibition. Thus, the aim of this study was to establish a fast and reproducible measuring system for non-PSII inhibitors for aquatic macrophyte species to overcome major limitations for use. Methods A newly developed imaging pulse-amplitude-modulated chlorophyll fluorometer (I-PAM) was applied as an effect detector in short-term bioassays with the aquatic macrophyte species Lemna minor. This multiwell-plate based measuring device enabled the incubation and measurement of up to 24 samples in parallel. The chemicals paraquat-dichloride, alizarine and triclosan were chosen as representatives for the toxicant groups of non-PSII herbicides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), which are often detected in the aquatic environment. The I-PAM was used (i) to establish and validate the sensitivity of the test system to the three non-PSII inhibitors, (ii) to compare the test systems with standardized and established biotests for aquatic macrophytes, and (iii) to define necessary time scales in aquatic macrophyte testing. For validation of the fluorescence-based assay, the standard growth test with L. minor (ISO/DIS 20079) was performed in parallel for each chemical. Results The results revealed that fluorescence-based measurements with the I-PAM allow rapid and parallel analysis of large amounts of aquatic macrophyte samples. The I-PAM enabled the recording of concentration-effect-curves with L. minor samples on a 24-well plate with single measurements. Fluorescence-based concentration-effect-curves could be detected for all three chemicals after only 1 h of incubation. After 4–5 h incubation time, the maximum inhibition of fluorescence showed an 80–100% effect for the chemicals tested. The EC50 after 24 h incubation were estimated to be 0.06 mg/L, 0.84 mg/L and 1.69 mg/L for paraquatdichloride, alizarine and triclosan, respectively. Discussion The results obtained with the I-PAM after 24 h for the herbicide paraquat-dichloride and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon alizarine were in good accordance with median effective concentrations (EC50s) obtained by the standardized growth test for L. minor after 7 d incubation (0.09 mg/L and 0.79 mg/L for paraquat-dichloride and alizarine, respectively). Those results were in accordance with literature findings for the two chemicals. In contrast, fluorescence-based EC50 of the antimicrobial agent triclosan proved to be two orders of magnitude greater when compared to the standard growth test with 7 d incubation time (0.026 mg/L) as well as with literature findings. Conclusion Typically, aquatic macrophyte testing is very time consuming and relies on laborious experimental set-ups. The I-PAM measuring device enabled fast effect screening for the three chemicals tested. While established test systems for aquatic macrophytes need incubation times of ≥ 7 d, the I-PAM can detect inhibitory effects much earlier (24 h), even if inhibition of chemicals is not specifically associated with PSII. Thus, the fluorescence-based bioassay with the I-PAM offers a promising approach for the miniaturization and high-throughput testing of chemicals with aquatic macrophytes. For the chemical triclosan, however, the short-term effect prediction with the I-PAM has been shown to be less sensitive than with long-term bioassays, which might be due to physicochemical substance properties such as lipophilicity. Recommendations and Perspectives The results of this study show that the I-PAM represents a promising tool for decreasing the incubation times of aquatic macrophyte toxicity testing to about 24 h as a supplement to existing test batteries. The applicability of this I-PAM bioassay on emergent and submerged aquatic macrophyte species should be investigated in further studies. Regarding considerations that physicochemical properties of the tested substances might play an important role in microplate bioassays, the I-PAM bioassay should either be accompanied by evaluating physicochemical properties modeled from structural information prior to an experimental investigation, or by intensified chemical analyses to identify and determine nominal concentrations of the toxicants tested. The chemicals paraquat-dichloride, alizarine and triclosan were chosen as representatives for the toxicant groups of non-PSII herbicides, PAHs and PPCPs which are often detected in the aquatic environment. Nevertheless, in order to ensure a routinely applicable measuring device, experiments with a broader range of toxicants and samples of surface and/or waste waters are necessary. ESS-Submission Editor: Dr. Markus Hecker (MHecker@Entrix.com)     

一个新的拓扑指数用于芳烃化合物溶解度、分配系数及生物毒性的研究

在分子拓扑理论的基础上,提出了一个新的拓扑指数Yx,并用Yx研究了芳烃化合物的溶解度、分配系数及生物毒(活）性,给出了相关方程。结果表明,新方法计算方便,物理意义明确,预测值与相应的实验值较吻合。     

毒性鉴别评价方法对城镇污水处理厂去除水中有毒物质的分析实例

以江苏省常州市城北污水算处理厂的进水、活性污泥处理系统的出水以及A^2O处理工艺的出水为研究对象,对进出水进行Daphnia magna急性毒性试验。结果表明,进水对Daphnia magna具有24h急性毒性,经过活性污泥处理工艺处理及A^2O处理工艺处理,两股出水均不显示24h急性毒性,采用毒性鉴别评价（Toxicity Identification Evaluation,TE）方法对进水进行监测和评价,发现曝气可去除进水的毒性,C18固相提取亦可去除进水毒性,进水中存在的主要毒物为易挥发的非极性有机化合物,进一步检测可知,进水中的关键毒物主要为邻丙基甲醛肟、1,1－甲基乙基－2－甲氧基苯酚、2－氮,氮二甲基苯甲醇等,此外,对2个处理系统出水进行GC／MS分析,可知出水中关键毒物基本被去除。     

鸭绿江（丹东段）江水中未知有机污染物分析鉴定与有毒有机物名录筛选

采用美国惠普公司MC/GS联用仪,对鸭绿江（丹东段）江水中有机污染物种类、组成进行了分析鉴定,进而采用高压液相色谱法对多环芳烃类进行定量测定与评价,进行了该江段有毒有机物名录筛选,提出由27种有毒有机污染物组成的名单。     

新型全氟化合物——全氟烷基磷酸对环境影响的研究综述

全氟烷基磷酸是一种新型全氟化表面活性剂,被广泛应用于匀染剂、湿润剂和农药中的消泡添加剂等。在美国,基于对其潜在毒性的考虑,美国环境保护总署已禁止全氟烷基磷酸在粮食作物农药中使用。从全氟烷基磷酸的注册使用情况、结构与环境行为、环境介质中的浓度水平和生物暴露毒性等方面分别展开论述,旨在为中国开展该类物质的环境研究提供可借鉴依据。     

水样发光细菌急性毒性测试的方式与表征

选取不同类型的环境和污染源水样开展了发光细菌毒性测试,针对不同环境管理目标,探讨了急性毒性定量表征方式。发光细菌急性毒性测试在环境应急监测、水源早期生物预警中,采用绘制毒性预警基线图的方式比较可行。在污染源监督监测中,对于发光抑制率低于60%、无法求出EC50的样品,采用等效毒性参照物的质量浓度表征废水的毒性;对于发光抑制率高于60%,采用稀释因子表示样品的毒性更直观可靠。     

电解铝企业阳极残渣、阳极残极浸出毒性鉴别及管理建议

对电解铝企业产生的阳极残渣、阳极残极浸出毒性进行了鉴别。鉴别结果表明：电解铝企业产生阳极残渣浸出液中氟化物（不含氟化钙）平均质量浓度为140 mg／L,最高达244 mg／L,且超标试样数达到《危险废物鉴别标准浸出毒性鉴别》中相应规定,鉴别该废物属于危险废物,应按照危险废物进行管理;阳极残极浸出液中氟化物（不含氟化钙）平均质量浓度为74 mg／L,无超标试样数,该废物不属于具有氟化物浸出毒性的固体废物,建议仍按一般固体废物进行管理。     

3种杀菌剂及其复配剂对斑马鱼的急性毒性

采用"半静态法"测定了3种农药及其复配剂对斑马鱼的24 h、48 h、72 h和96 h急性毒性,根据我国《化学农药环境安全评价实验准则》中毒性等级划分标准来划分它们对斑马鱼的毒性等级,发现35%精甲霜灵悬浮种衣剂的24 h、48 h、72 h和96 h-LC_(50)均超过10 a.i.mg·L~(-1),属"低毒"级,而25 g·L~(-1)咯菌腈悬浮种衣剂的24 h、48 h、72 h和96 h-LC_(50)分别为0.704 mg·L~(-1)、0.514 mg·L~(-1)、0.424 mg·L~(-1)、0.262 mg·L~(-1),根据0.100 a.i.mg·L~(-1)LC_(50)(96 h)≤1.00 a.i.mg·L~(-1)划分,属"高毒"级,80%嘧菌酯水分散粒剂的24 h、48 h、72 h和96 h-LC_(50)分别为9.803 mg·L~(-1)、5.175 mg·L~(-1)、4.328 mg·L~(-1)、2.326 mg·L~(-1),根据1.00 a.i.mg·L~(-1)LC_(50)(96 h)≤10.00 a.i.mg·L~(-1)划分,属于"中毒"级。11%精甲霜灵-咯菌腈-嘧菌酯悬浮种衣剂的24 h、48 h、72 h和96 h-LC_(50)分别为2.267 mg·L~(-1)、2.073 mg·L~(-1)、1.620 mg·L~(-1)、1.280 mg·L~(-1),根据1.00 a.i.mg·L~(-1)LC_(50)(96 h)≤10.00 a.i.mg·L~(-1)划分,属于"中毒",虽然11%精甲霜灵-咯菌腈-嘧菌酯悬浮种衣剂和80%嘧菌酯水分散粒剂同属"中毒",但比较具体数值,发现11%精甲霜灵-咯菌腈-嘧菌酯悬浮种衣剂毒性相对更大,原因是其中含有"高毒"的咯菌腈。     

土壤Cd污染对跳虫Folsomia candida的生态毒性

采矿及冶炼等行为造成了严重的土壤重金属污染,其中Cd污染及其带来的健康风险近年来引起人们的高度重视。利用弹尾目跳虫开展土壤Cd污染的生态毒理研究,对Cd污染土壤的生态风险评价具有重要意义。本研究将跳虫Folsomia candida(F.candida)暴露在不同Cd浓度污染的人工土壤中,利用跳虫存活数量、繁殖数量及回避行为实验来评价重金属Cd污染对跳虫的生态毒性。结果表明,Cd对F.candida的急性毒性LC50值为2 086.93 mg·kg~(-1),慢性毒性的繁殖抑制(28 d)EC50值为224.95 mg·kg~(-1)。此外,Cd对跳虫回避行为影响的EC50(48 h)为721.26 mg·kg~(-1)。可以看出,慢性毒性的EC50值与Cd对回避行为影响的EC50值近似,但远低于急性毒性LC50值。因此,跳虫F.candida的回避行为和繁殖率对Cd污染土壤有较高的灵敏度,可用来表征土壤中Cd的生态毒性。