Biotoxicity evaluation of zinc oxide nanoparticles on bacterial performance of activated sludge at COD,nitrogen, and phosphorus reduction

• ZnO-NP disrupted metabolic/catabolic balance of bacteria by affecting DHA activity. • ZnO-NPs toxicity was related to Zn²⁺ ion, interaction with cell and ROS generation. • Exposure to ZnO-NPs resulted in changed bacterial community structure at sludge. • The change in the EPS content was observed during exposure to ZnO-NPs. The unique properties and growing usage of zinc oxide nanoparticles increase their release in municipal wastewater treatment plants. Therefore, these nanoparticles, by interacting with microorganisms, can fail the suitable functioning of biological systems in treatment plants. For this reason, research into the toxicity of ZnO is urgent. In the present study, the toxicity mechanism of ZnO-NPs towards microbial communities central to granular activated sludge (GAS) performance was assessed over 120-day exposure. The results demonstrate that the biotoxicity of ZnO-NPs is dependent upon its dosage, exposure time, and the extent of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Furthermore, GAS performance and the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) content were significantly reduced at 50 mg/L ZnO-NPs. This exposure led to decreases in the activity of ammonia monooxygenase (25.2%) and nitrate reductase (11.9%) activity. The Field emission scanning electron microscopy images confirmed that ZnO-NPs were able to disrupt the cell membrane integrity and lead to cell/bacterial death via intracellular ROS generation which was confirmed by the Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy analysis. After exposure to the NPs, the bacterial community composition shifted to one dominated by Gram-positive bacteria. The results of this study could help to develop environmental standards and regulations for NPs applications and emissions.     

Influence of extracellular polymeric substances from activated sludge on the aggregation kinetics of silver and silver sulfide nanoparticles

• The NPs aggregation in the electrolyte solution is consistent with the DLVO theory. • In NaNO₃ and low Ca(NO₃)₂, EPS alleviates the NPs aggregation by steric repulsion. • In high Ca(NO₃)₂, EPS accelerates the NPs aggregation by exopolysaccharide bridging. • Ag₂S NPs have stronger stability compared with Cit-Ag NPs in aqueous systems. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in activated sludge from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) could affect interactions between nanoparticles and alter their migration behavior. The influence mechanisms of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and silver sulfide nanoparticles (Ag₂S NPs) aggregated by active EPS sludge were studied in monovalent or divalent cation solutions. The aggregation behaviors of the NPs without EPS followed the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. The counterions aggravated the aggregation of both NPs, and the divalent cation had a strong neutralizing effect due to the decrease in electrostatic repulsive force. Through extended DLVO (EDLVO) model analysis, in NaNO₃ and low-concentration Ca(NO₃)₂ (<10 mmol/L) solutions, EPS could alleviate the aggregation behaviors of Cit-Ag NPs and Ag₂S NPs due to the enhancement of steric repulsive forces. At high concentrations of Ca(NO₃)₂ (10‒100 mmol/L), exopolysaccharide macromolecules could promote the aggregation of Cit-Ag NPs and Ag₂S NPs by interparticle bridging. As the final transformation form of Ag NPs in water environments, Ag₂S NPs had better stability, possibly due to their small van der Waals forces and their strong steric repulsive forces. It is essential to elucidate the surface mechanisms between EPS and NPs to understand the different fates of metal-based and metal-sulfide NPs in WWTP systems.     

Role of competition in phytoplankton population for the occurrence and control of plankton bloom in the presence of environmental fluctuations

Termination of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and coexistence of phytoplankton–zooplankton populations are of great importance to human health, ecosystem, environment, tourism and fisheries. In this paper, we propose a three component model consisting of non-toxic phytoplankton (NTP), toxin producing phytoplankton (TPP) and zooplankton (Z). The growth of zooplankton species is assume to reduce due to toxic chemicals released by TPP population. We have extended the model proposed by Chattopadhyay et al. [Chattopadhyay, J., Sarkar, R.R., Pal, S., 2004. Mathematical modelling of harmful algal blooms supported by experimental findings. Ecol. Comp. 1, 225–235] by including competition terms between TPP and NTP. We observe the effect of competition factors both in the presence and absence of the environmental fluctuation. From our field as well as model analysis we observe that competition helps in the coexistence of the species, but if the effect of competition is very high on the TPP population, it results in planktonic bloom. It is shown that the coexistence equilibrium loses its stability when the competition coefficient crosses a critical value and resulting Hopf-bifurcation around the positive equilibrium depicting oscillations phenomena of the populations.     

生物反应器填埋场初期的重金属释放行为

以库容10万m³的生物反应器填埋单元1.5年的渗滤液水质监测结果为依据,研究了该填埋单元初期的重金属释放行为.结果表明,渗滤液低pH值和高溶解性有机物(DOM)含量使渗滤液中的重金属浓度超过标准限值;但随着填埋层进入稳定产甲烷化阶段,重金属浓度显著下降,渗滤液中的腐殖质是影响此阶段重金属迁移的重要媒介.渗滤液中悬浮性固体、DOM分子量分级测试和VisualMinteq模型模拟计算结果表明,渗滤液中的重金属主要以与有机物,特别是以与腐殖质结合的形态存在.预测填埋单元内重金属的溶出过程可持续数百年.     

全球地表水中全氟和多氟烷基化合物污染特征演替

综述了全氟和多氟烷基化合物（PFASs）在国内外地表水环境中的空间分布及污染特征,总结归纳了PFASs的来源和特征变化趋势。针对地表水中PFASs的监测种类、监测技术及风险评估等方面存在的问题,提出未来需加强日常监测,重点加强对水环境中新型PFASs的关注;针对流域中不同种类PFASs建立高特异性、高灵敏度监测新技术;筛选适合的水生生物作为环境污染指示物以应用于新污染物的评估等建议。为今后我国地表水环境 PFASs污染的现状调查及治理工作提供确实可行的科学参考。     

胞外聚合物结合磷效能的研究

以实验SBR反应器的活性污泥为研究对象,探讨了超声波-树脂法提取EPS的方法与程序;以5种不同来源的活性污泥为研究对象,考察了EPS结合磷的效能.结果表明,超声波-树脂法分离EPS和细菌细胞的较优程序为：采用21kHz、40W超声波作用60mL污泥2min（VSS约为8000mg·L-1）;然后,投加80g·g-1（以...     

聚合铝铁对A2/O系统 EPS及生物絮凝性能的影响

通过向实验室构建的A2/O模型好氧池末端投加聚合铝铁(PAFC)来强化系统的生物除磷,使得出水总磷达到《城市污水处理厂污染物排放标准GB 18918-2002》中的一级A标准,并重点分析投加的PAFC对A2/O系统中活性污泥胞外聚合物(EPS)和活性污泥生物絮凝性能的影响.结果表明,随着PAFC投药量的增加,A2/O系统活性污泥EPS总量变化不大,但EPS组分中蛋白/多糖含量的比值逐渐降低,由投药前的3.30降低至投药后的2.30;EPS中金属离子含量逐渐增加,在厌氧-缺氧-好氧的运行周期内,各处理单元污泥的EPS中金属铝离子含量增加.投加PAFC后,活性污泥颗粒变大,二沉池出水的Zeta电位明显降低,由投药前-15.83 mV降低至-21.20 mV,污泥产量增加.因此,适量投加PAFC后,生物絮凝性能得到改善,出水中悬浊颗粒减少,出水水质变好.     

曝气量对SBAR中好氧颗粒污泥特性的影响

采用SBAR反应器对比研究了颗粒化后表观气速为1.8 cm·s-1和0.9cm·s-1时对成熟好氧颗粒污泥形态结构、粒径、强度等物理特性和硝化性能以及胞外聚合物代谢的影响.结果表明,颗粒化后降低曝气量增加颗粒形态不规则程度,空隙增大;55d试验中,与高曝气量下相比,降低曝气量使表观污泥产率提高33%,颗粒粒径平均增长速率提高25%,相对颗粒强度降低6%, EP5含量平均降低12%.两反应器颗粒污泥SVI值均在10～15 mL·g-1,沉降性能良好,且均具有良好硝化性能和降解COD能力.与高曝气量下相比,低曝气量下硝化菌群活性低,而异养菌活性高.     

原子力显微镜在环境样品研究与表征中的应用与展望

简要阐述了原子力显微镜仪器操作原理及最新成像技术发展情况;结合作者近期的研究工作,从环境微生物界面观察与表征、腐殖酸在微界面上的聚集行为观测、无机高分子絮凝剂的界面形貌及行为观察以及膜材料表面结构观测与表征等4个方面对原子力显微镜在环境领域内的应用情况作了概括介绍．最后,对原子力显微镜在环境微界面研究与表征中的应用前景进行了展望。     

活性污泥性质对短期膜污染影响的解析研究

采用统计分析方法研究了16种不同性质活性污泥混合液对膜生物反应器膜污染的影响机理.结果表明,胞外聚合物(extracellular polymeric substances,EPS)、溶解性有机物(soluble microbial products,SMP)、上清液胶体颗粒(suspended solids insupernatant,SS_s)、污泥混合液粘度(μ)、相对疏水性(relative hydrophobicity,RH)、Zeta电位(Zeta potential)均对膜生物反应器膜渗透性能有显著的影响作用,其与膜污染阻力的皮尔逊相关系数r_p分别为:0.898、0.712、0.810、0.691、0.837、-0.881;同时发现,胞外聚合物是影响活性污泥中溶解性有机物含量(r_p=0.682)、污泥粘度大小(r_p=0.633)、上清液胶体颗粒含量(r_p=0.783)、Zeta电位(r_p=-0.953)及相对疏水性大小(r_p=0.877)的主要因素;在活性污泥性质中胞外聚合物是影响膜污染的根本原因,是膜生物反应器膜污染的重要影响因素.