Management-oriented sensitivity analysis for pesticide transport in watershed-scale water quality modeling using SWAT

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was calibrated for hydrology conditions in an agricultural watershed of Orestimba Creek, California, and applied to simulate fate and transport of two organophosphate pesticides chlorpyrifos and diazinon. The model showed capability in evaluating pesticide fate and transport processes in agricultural fields and instream network. Management-oriented sensitivity analysis was conducted by applied stochastic SWAT simulations for pesticide distribution. Results of sensitivity analysis identified the governing processes in pesticide outputs as surface runoff, soil erosion, and sedimentation in the study area. By incorporating sensitive parameters in pesticide transport simulation, effects of structural best management practices (BMPs) in improving surface water quality were demonstrated by SWAT modeling. This study also recommends conservation practices designed to reduce field yield and in-stream transport capacity of sediment, such as filter strip, grassed waterway, crop residue management, and tailwater pond to be implemented in the Orestimba Creek watershed.     

螺、蚌对污水处理厂再生水环境的改善稳定作用

通过选用昆明市第五污水处理厂的一级A标出水和水处理厂外排污泥作为静态实验环境,研究不同混养密度下铜锈环棱螺、椭圆背角无齿蚌对污水处理厂再生水环境的净化性能,筛选出净化效果较好的放养密度。结果表明:放养30 d,铜锈环棱螺、椭圆背角无齿蚌对污水处理厂再生水环境的水质、底质均有一定的净化作用,扣减空白对照影响,水中COD、TP、NH3-N及底泥有机质平均去除率分别为22.26%、26.10%、25.60%和25.69%,底泥厚度平均减少3.8 cm;与对照相比,放养螺蚌45 d内水均能清澈见底,透明度均>70 cm,能明显稳定水体透明度,改善水环境。综合螺蚌生长适应性和净化效果考虑:污水处理厂再生水静态环境中,螺蚌混养密度应≤3 000 g/m3,在2 000～2 500 g/m3为宜,其中铜锈环棱螺的最适放养密度在400 g/m3,椭圆背角无齿蚌为1 600～2 100 g/m3。     

反渗透膜处理维生素C凝结水的最优工艺条件

针对维生素C生产工艺中产生的凝结水产量大、处理成本高、存储运输困难和营养物质含量偏低等问题,采用反渗透技术对VC凝结水进行处理。实验建立小试规模反渗透膜处理装置,采用无量纲化多元回归分析方法,分析了操作条件指标与渗透水评价指标两套指标体系之间的关系,定量评价了各个操作条件指标对渗透水评价指标的整体影响程度,并在此基础上研究了最佳操作条件的工艺参数。结果表明：建立的无量纲化多元回归分析方法切实有效,在正交实验设计水平范围内,压力、pH和回流比均是多目标系统的影响因子,操作条件指标对渗透水评价指标的整体影响程度大小顺序为：压力〉pH〉回流比〉温度,且各自影响程度所占比例分别为43．02％、29．01％、25．07％和2．89％。各个操作因子对多指标系统的影响是独立的。在只考虑系统收益而不考虑膜污染的情况下,最佳操作条件分别为：温度r=30．65,压力P=1．5MPa,回流比r=0．78,pH=7．475。     

Temporal and spatial patterns of micropollutants in urban receiving waters

Based on a monitoring program over the course of a year, we characterize the temporal and spatial distribution of selected micropollutants in an urban watershed within the city of Leipzig, Germany. Micropollutants revealed a ubiquitous presence in untreated and treated wastewater, surface water and groundwater. The loads of 4-nonylphenol in the effluents of the municipal wastewater treatment plant followed a seasonal trend, whereas the loads of all other micropollutants were highly variable and not correlated to seasons. In the surface water, load seasonality of caffeine, galaxolide and tonalide resulted from a rapid removal with increased water temperature. The loads of 4-nonylphenol and of caffeine in the colder months increased when rainfall occurred. In the groundwater, complex spatial and temporal patterns were apparent and were related to varying input, retardation and removal processes. As a consequence, an assessment of micropollutants in urban waters should consider different micropollutants' temporal and spatial variability.     

Geochemical processes of mercury in Wujiangdu and Dongfeng reservoirs, Guizhou, China

The geochemical processes of mercury in Dongfeng (DF) and Wujiangdu (WJD) reservoirs, which were constructed in 1992 and 1979, respectively in Wujiang River, which is the upper branch of Yangtze River were investigated. One sampling site was chosen upriver of 1 km from the dam for each reservoir. Three sampling campaigns were conducted at these sampling sites in December 2003, April 2004 and July 2004, respectively. The distributions of different mercury species in the water column, sediment, and sediment pore water were studied. We found that the sediment is the net source of both inorganic and MeHg to the water column for both reservoirs. The MeHg diffusion fluxes in WJD reservoir at all sampling campaigns were significantly higher than those in DF reservoir. Our study demonstrated that the high primary productivity in the reservoir produced elevated organic matter content that would favor the methylmercury production in sediment.     

The occurrence of antihistamines in sewage waters and in recipient rivers

Background, aim and scope  Each year, large quantities of pharmaceuticals are consumed worldwide for the treatment and prevention of human and animal diseases. Although the drugs and the metabolites observed in the wastewaters and in the environment are present at concentrations several orders of magnitude lower than the concentrations required to exert their effects in humans or animals, their long-term impact on the environment is commonly not known. In this study, the occurrence of six antihistamines, which are used for the relief of allergic reactions such as hay fever, was determined in sewage treatment plants wastewaters and in recipient river waters. Materials and methods  The occurrence of the antihistamines cetirizine, acrivastine, fexofenadine, loratadine, desloratadine and ebastine in sewage treatment plants wastewaters and in recipient river waters was studied. The analytical procedure consisted of solid-phase extraction of the water samples followed by liquid chromatography separation and detection by a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer in the multiple reaction mode. Results  Cetirizine, acrivastine and fexofenadine were detected in both influent and effluent wastewater samples at concentration levels ranging from about 80 to 220 ng/L, while loratadine, desloratadine and ebastine could not be detected in any samples. During sewage treatment, the concentration of the antihistamines dropped by an average of 16–36%. Furthermore, elevated concentrations of antihistamines were observed in samples collected during the season of most intensive plant pollen production, i.e. in May. In the river water samples, the relative pattern of occurrence of cetirizine, acrivastine and fexofenadine was similar to that in the wastewater samples; although the concentration of the compounds was substantially lower (4–11 ng/L). The highest concentrations of the studied drugs were observed near the discharging point of the sewage treatment plant. Discussion  The highest concentrations of antihistamines in STP wastewaters correlate with the outbreak of allergic reaction caused by high amounts of plant pollens in the air. The analysis results of the river water samples show that the antihistamines are carried far away from the effluent discharge points. They may account for a part of the mix of pharmaceuticals and of pharmaceutical metabolites that occur downstream of STPs. Conclusions  Antihistamines are poorly degraded/eliminated under the biological treatment processes applied in the wastewater treatment plants and, consequently, they are continuously being discharged along with other drugs to the aquatic environment. Recommendations and perspectives  As a huge quantity and variety of drugs and their metabolites are continuously discharged to rivers and the sea, the compounds should be considered as contaminants that may possess risks to the aquatic ecosystem. Further studies are urgently needed on the environmental fate of the antihistamines and other pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment. These studies should be concerned with the stability of the compounds, their transformation reactions and the identity of the transformation products, the distribution of drugs and their uptake and effects in organisms. On the basis of these studies, the possible environmental hazards of pharmaceuticals may be assessed.     

Minimization of the formation of disinfection by-products

The drinking water industry is required to minimize DBPs levels while ensuring adequate disinfection. In this study, efficient and appropriate treatment scheme for the reduction of disinfection by-product (DBPs) formation in drinking water containing natural organic matter has been established. This was carried out by the investigation of different treatment schemes consisting of enhanced coagulation, sedimentation, disinfection by using chlorine dioxide/ozone, filtration by sand filter, or granular activated carbon (GAC). Bench scale treatment schemes were applied on actual samples from different selected sites to identify the best conditions for the treatment of water. Samples were collected from effluent of each step in the treatment train in order to analyze pH, UV absorbance at 254 nm (UVA₂₅₄), specific UV absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA₂₅₄), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), haloacetic acids (HAAs) and trihalomethanes (THMs). The obtained results indicated that using pre-ozonation/enhanced coagulation/activated carbon filtration treatment train appears to be the most effective method for reducing DBPs precursors in drinking water treatment.     

Visualization and localization of bromotoluene distribution in Hedera helix using NanoSIMS

Some plants are known as indoor air purifiers. A large number of studies report kinetic purification results for an extensive panel of plants, i.e. the pollutant concentration (volatile organic compounds, as known as VOC, most of the time) is continuously monitored by gas chromatography. However, only a few papers describe the mechanisms involved in such processes. This study deals with the use of secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging as an efficient tool to locate atmospheric pollutant as bromotoluene within the Hedera helix plant (leaf, roots) and the substrate on which it was previously grown. Hedera helix plants have been placed in a pollution chamber with control of the exposure parameters. Plant and soil samples excised were transferred into a fixative solution of glutaraldehyde and paraformaldehyde for a few days, were dehydrated using ethanol and were embedded with resin. Cross sections were made from the pale brown solids obtained. Then, a device using a cathodic pulverization device capable of depositing a few nanometers of gold atoms over the sample was used to make the surface electronically conductive for the NanoSIMS. Hence, polluted and unpolluted samples of Hedera helix and substrates were obtained following a careful procedure that allowed for the discrimination between polluted and nonpolluted ones. Nanoscale spatial resolution was an invaluable tool (NanoSIMS) to achieve this, and proved that VOCs, such as bromotoluene, were actually trapped by plants such as Hedera helix.     

Chromium speciation in river sediment pore water contaminated by tannery effluent

Cr(VI) is far more soluble and toxic than Cr(III). Sediment pore water was investigated in a river adjacent to the property of a large former tannery, into which Cr-contaminated effluent was discharged over a 55-year period, and where extremely high Cr concentrations have been found in the sediments. Dialysis cells, or peepers, were used to generate depth profiles of Cr concentration in sediment pore water. Samples were analyzed for total Cr using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and for Cr species using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-ICP-MS. The results show an absence of Cr(VI) in all samples. Furthermore, incomplete recovery of Cr(VI) added to the samples collected at the locations with highest sediment Cr concentrations indicate strong reducing conditions at those locations, which are not conducive to the presence of Cr(VI).     

光催化过程中羟基自由基的产生与效能

采用异丙醇淬灭的方法考察了羟基自由基在光催化氧化酸性橙II过程中的产生和效能,研究了TiO2(P-25)的浓度、异丙醇的用量、酸性橙II的初始浓度、初始pH条件和天然共存离子对羟基自由基贡献率的影响。结果表明,在TiO2(P-25)浓度提高时羟基自由基的贡献率逐步提高并稳定在77.6%,异丙醇的投加量对羟基自由基的贡献率影响不大,酸性橙II初始浓度的提高则使羟基自由基的贡献率降低。在中性pH条件下羟基自由基的贡献率最高,酸性或碱性条件下较低。天然共存离子中HCO3-对羟基自由基的淬灭效应最强,F-的淬灭效应最弱。