Enhancing the efficiency of nitrogen removing bacterial population to a wide range of C:N ratio (1.5:1 to 14:1) for simultaneous C & N removal

• Simultaneous C & N removal in Methammox occurs at wide C:N ratio. • Biological Nitrogen Removal at wide C:N ratio of 1.5:1 to 14:1 is not reported. • Ammonia removal shifted from mixotrophy to heterotrophy at high C:N ratio. • Acetogenic population compensated for ammonia oxidizers at high C:N ratio. • Methanogens increase the plasticity of nitrogen removers at high C:N ratio. High C:N ratio in the wastewater limits biological nitrogen removal (BNR), especially in anammox based technologies. The present study attempts to improve the COD tolerance of the BNR process by associating methanogens with nitrogen removing bacterial (NRB) populations. The new microbial system coined as ‘Methammox’, was investigated for simultaneous removal of COD (C) and ammonia (N) at C:N ratio 1.5:1 to 14:1. The ammonia removal rate (11.5 mg N/g VSS/d) and the COD removal rates (70.6 mg O/g VSS/d) of Methammox was close to that of the NRB (11.1 mg N/g VSS/d) and the methanogenic populations (77.9 mg O/g VSS/d), respectively. The activities established that these two populations existed simultaneously and independently in ‘Methammox’. Further studies in biofilm reactor fetched a balanced COD and ammonia removal (55%–60%) at a low C:N ratio (≤2:1) and high C:N ratio (≥9:1). The population abundance of methanogens was reasonably constant, but the nitrogen removal shifted from mixotrophy to heterotrophy as the C:N ratio shifted from low (C:N≤2:1) to high (C:N≥9:1). The reduced autotrophic NRB (ammonia- and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria and Anammox) population at a high C:N ratio was compensated by the fermentative group that could carry out denitrification heterotrophically. The functional plasticity of the Methammox system to adjust to a broad C:N ratio opens new frontiers in biological nitrogen removal of high COD containing wastewaters.     

小球藻强化餐厨废水处理效果及机理

利用小球藻对混凝出水进行处理,考察小球藻接种量对COD、DTP和TN去除率的影响,通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、红外光谱、比表面积微孔分析仪分析小球藻形貌和组成结构的变化,采用紫外可见光谱和三维荧光光谱研究餐厨废水中有机物成分的变化,探究小球藻降解餐厨废水的机理.结果表明:当小球藻接种量为25%时,COD和TN去除率最高(分别为79.73%和78.28%);当小球藻接种量为35%时,DTP去除率最高(85.55%).反应前的小球藻细胞表面相对光滑,反应后的小球藻细胞表面粗糙,比表面积增大,并粘附大量颗粒态物质;小球藻细胞表面的羧基、氨基和磷酸基团等官能团参与污染物的吸附沉淀;小球藻破坏了腐殖质结构,降低了腐殖质芳香性;小球藻在降解可溶性微生物副产物和类腐殖酸的同时,产生芳香类蛋白物质.     

焦炉煤气用于气体悬浮焙烧炉安全性分析

从安全角度对焦炉爆气在气体悬浮焙烧炉3套煤气燃烧器、安全联锁、预防泄漏、防止爆炸、自动检测的安全性进行了分析论证。     

Effect of interspecific competition on functional properties of plants in mountain-steppe communities of the Gobi

The isotope ratios δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N and the contents of nitrogen, carbon, and mineral substances have been studied in the leaves of Ephedra sinica, Allium polyrhizum, and Stipa glareosa plants growing separately or together under arid conditions of the Gobi (Mongolia). The contents of nitrogen, mineral substances, and δ¹⁵N have proved to decrease when these species grow together, providing evidence that they compete for environmental resources. The nitrogen content decreases to the greatest extent in E. sinica due to the low competitiveness of this species. The direction of change in δ¹³C in E. sinica is opposite to that in A. polyrhizum and S. glareosa. Differences in physiological mechanisms of adaptation to stress between these species provides a basis for attributing them to different functional groups and for predicting the result of their competition upon changes in climatic conditions.     

厦门快速城市化中居民食物C、N、P消费动态

随着城市化进程的不断推进以及城市人口的快速增长,城市人类活动对生态系统的元素循环影响越来越显著,不可持续的家庭消费已成为造成全球环境问题的主要原因,食物元素消费的研究也成为可持续消费的重要研究内容。以厦门市为例,分析了1988-2010年居民食物C、N、P元素消费的变化趋势及特点,探讨与其变化相关的经济、社会因子。研究结果表明:1988-2010年全市食物消费总量不断增加,由49.33万t增长至106.36万t。但是人均食物消费量由321.28 kg/(人.a)降至301.32 kg/(人.a)。厦门市食物C、N、P消费总量均在上升,1988年食物C、N、P消费量分别为10.14、0.64、0.05万t,到2010年食物C、N、P消费量分别为17.29、1.21、0.11万t,分别增长了70.45%、88.91%、117.11%,与此同时人均食物C、N、P消费量却在降低,其变化趋势与人均食物消费量的变化趋势接近,但并不完全一致,其中下降幅度最大的为人均食物C消费量,下降了24.92%,其次是人均食物N消费量下降了16.79%,下降幅度最小的为人均食物P消费量降低了4.37%。这主要是由于食物消费结构发生变化所致,粮食在食物C、N、P消费总量中所占比例持续下降,禽畜肉、瓜果、鲜蛋、奶制品等在食物C、N、P消费总量中所占比例分别有不同程度的增长,城市家庭食物消费模式由"以粮食为主"向"以粮食和肉类、蔬菜为主"转变。通过将相关经济、社会因子与居民食物C、N、P消费量进行相关性分析表明,人均GDP、恩格尔系数、人均可支配收入、食物消费支出、食物价格指数、大学人口比重、平均家庭人口数,与食物C、N消费量均相关,与食物P消费量相关性不显著。     

好氧/厌氧潜流湿地结构工艺优化

前期研究表明在人工潜流湿地(SFCWs)中设置好氧段和厌氧段可显著提高SFCWs对COD、NH4+-N的去除率.然而曝气产生的富氧环境不利于NO3--N和NO2--N的去除,一定程度上抑制了反硝化反应的进行.反硝化程度较低是实验中仍需进一步解决的问题.本研究在前期研究的基础上,对好氧/厌氧多级串联潜流人工湿地结构及工艺进行了改进优化,采用多点进水的措施来强化反硝化过程,并设计相应的区段去除该部分污染物.结果表明,水力负荷约为0.06m3.(m2.d)-1时,进一步优化结构和比例的好氧-缓冲-厌氧-缺氧-好氧曝气多点进水湿地对COD、NH4+-N和TN的去除率可达到91.6%、100%和87.7%.在补充进水之后的区段,COD/N迅速升高到10以上,做到了补充碳源的同时最大限度地利用湿地去除污染物.改良后的湿地达到了净化工艺优化的目的,为提高人工湿地总氮去除效率提供了理论依据及应用基础.     

天然有机物和电解质对水中 C60凝聚行为的影响

以富勒烯(C60)纳米颗粒稳定悬浮液为对象,采用动态光散射技术研究了天然有机物和电解质对其在水中凝聚行为的影响.结果表明,采用甲苯溶剂替换法制备的稳定悬浮液中C60浓度为20 mg·L-1左右,表面呈较高的电负性,粒径在120 nm左右,具有较强的稳定性.投加简单电解质可通过压缩双电层机制使其发生凝聚,并符合经典的胶体稳定性(DLVO)理论.Mg Cl2和Ca Cl2的临界凝聚浓度分别为9.6 mmol·L-1和6.7 mmol·L-1.腐殖酸(humic acid,HA)存在时,投加Na Cl和Mg Cl2可使C60颗粒间有效碰撞概率及凝聚反应速度降低,临界凝聚浓度提高;HA可通过增大C60颗粒间的空间位阻效应,抑制凝聚反应发生,提高其在水中的稳定性.但Ca2+可与HA间发生络合反应,并对C60纳米颗粒产生吸附架桥作用,导致凝聚速度大幅提高,强化凝聚反应发生.水中C60纳米颗粒的凝聚和分散行为将受到有机物性质和电解质种类等复杂因素的影响.     

缙云山不同土地利用方式对土壤活性有机碳、氮组分的影响

以位于重庆市北碚区的缙云山为研究对象,通过采集亚热带常绿阔叶林(以下简称林地)、撂荒地、果园、坡耕地0~60cm深度的土壤样品,测定其MBC(微生物生物量碳)、MBN(微生物生物量氮)、DOC(可溶性有机碳)、DON(可溶性有机氮)含量,探讨土地利用方式对土壤活性有机碳、氮组分的影响.结果表明,4种土地利用方式下土壤MBC、MBN、DOC、DON含量均随着土壤深度的增加而降低.在0~60 cm的土壤深度内,土地利用方式对土壤MBC、MBN和DON含量的影响并不明显;撂荒地DOC含量显著高于其它3种土地利用方式,说明坡耕地撂荒能显著提高土壤DOC含量.在0~60 cm土层,林地、撂荒地、果园、坡耕地间MBN、DOC、DON分配比例均无显著差异,但坡耕地MBC分配比例显著高于其它3种土地利用方式,表明坡耕地土壤有机碳具有较高的生物活性,这可能是由于坡耕地施加绿肥以及粪肥等有机肥所致.各土地利用方式下DOC/DON最高,MBC/MBN次之,SOC/TN最低,说明可溶性有机质的生物固化作用最强,而土壤总有机质的矿化作用最明显.4种土地利用方式下SOC/TN、MBC/MBN及DOC/DON均为坡耕地最低,且比值都低于20,表明坡耕地土壤有机质的矿化作用较强,容易造成土壤碳的损失.     

Elevated CO2 facilitates C and N accumulation in a rice paddy ecosystem

Elevated CO₂ can stimulate wetland carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) exports through gaseous and dissolved pathways, however, the consequent influences on the C and N pools are still not fully known. Therefore, we set up a free-air CO₂ enrichment experiment in a paddy field in Eastern China. After five year fumigation, we studied C and N in the plant-water-soil system. The results showed: (1) elevated CO₂ stimulated rice aboveground biomass and N accumulations by 19.1% and 12.5%, respectively. (2) Elevated CO₂ significantly increased paddy soil TOC and TN contents by 12.5% and 15.5%, respectively in the 0-15 cm layer, and 22.7% and 26.0% in the 15-30 cm soil layer. (3) Averaged across the rice growing period, elevated CO₂ greatly increased TOC and TN contents in the surface water by 7.6% and 11.4%, respectively. (4) The TOC/TN ratio and natural δ¹⁵N value in the surface soil showed a decreasing trend under elevated CO₂. The above results indicate that elevated CO₂ can benefit C and N accumulation in paddy fields. Given the similarity between the paddies and natural wetlands, our results also suggest a great potential for long-term C and N accumulation in natural wetlands under future climate patterns.     

Use of contract models to improve environmental outcomes in transport infrastructure construction

The type of contract model may have a significant influence on achieving project objectives, including environmental and climate change goals. This research investigates non-standard contract models impacting greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in transport infrastructure construction in Australia. The research is based on the analysis of two case studies: an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract and a Design and Construct (D&C) contract with GHG reduction requirements embedded in the contractor selection. Main findings support the use of ECIs for better integrating decisions made during the planning phase with the construction activities, and improve environmental outcomes while achieving financial and time savings.