VOC emission caps constrained by air quality targets based on response surface model: A case study in the Pearl River Delta Region, China

Because of the recent growth in ground-level ozone and increased emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), VOC emission control has become a major concern in China. In response, emission caps to control VOC have been stipulated in recent policies, but few of them were constrained by the co-control target of PM_2.5 and ozone, and discussed the factor that influence the emission cap formulation. Herein, we proposed a framework for quantification of VOC emission caps constrained by targets for PM_2.5 and ozone via a new response surface modeling (RSM) technique, achieving 50% computational cost savings of the quantification. In the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, the VOC emission caps constrained by air quality targets varied greatly with the NO_x emission reduction level. If control measures in the surrounding areas of the PRD region were not considered, there could be two feasible strategies for VOC emission caps to meet air quality targets (160 µg/m³ for the maximum 8-hr-average 90th-percentile (MDA8-90%) ozone and 25 µg/m³ for the annual average of PM_2.5): a moderate VOC emission cap with <20% NOx emission reductions or a notable VOC emission cap with >60% NO_x emission reductions. If the ozone concentration target were reduced to 155 µg/m³, deep NO_x emission reductions is the only feasible ozone control measure in PRD. Optimization of seasonal VOC emission caps based on the Monte Carlo simulation could allow us to gain higher ozone benefits or greater VOC emission reductions. If VOC emissions were further reduced in autumn, MDA8-90% ozone could be lowered by 0.3-1.5 µg/m³, equaling the ozone benefits of 10% VOC emission reduction measures. The method for VOC emission cap quantification and optimization proposed in this study could provide scientific guidance for coordinated control of regional PM_2.5 and O₃ pollution in China.     

南京城市大气氨-铵的高频演化及其气粒转化机制

本研究于2018年秋季利用在线气体和气溶胶组分监测仪以高时间分辨率连续测定南京市大气中的气体(主要是NH_3)与二次无机气溶胶(主要是NH_4~+、NO_3~-和SO_4~(2-))浓度,借此研究污染和非污染期城市大气NH_3和NH_4~+的演化规律,进而探讨NH_3-NH_4~+气粒转化过程中的化学机制.结果表明,观测期间NH_3和NH_4~+浓度的平均值(±1σ)分别为(15. 3±6. 7)μg·m-3和(11. 3±7. 8)μg·m-3,且日变化在污染和非污染事件中呈现出显著的差异.综合在线观测的NH_3和NH_4~+浓度数据,通过计算潜在源贡献因子,分析了NH_3和NH_4~+的潜在贡献源区在重污染过程受长距离污染传输影响较小,证明城市也是NH_3排放的重要热点地区.进一步分析发现,NH_3-NH_4~+的气粒转化是影响NH_3和NH_4~+日变化的主要驱动因子.具体体现在:低温、高湿(温度在7. 5～12. 5℃,湿度在50%～90%)时,NH_3和NH_4~+的气固转化速度较快,NH_3与酸性物质反应生成更多的NH_4~+,使得(NH4)2SO4和NH4NO3的形成从而导致污染事件的加剧.研究结果有助于厘清城市大气NH_3的来源和转化机制及其对颗粒物的潜在贡献.     

室温低氨氮基质单级自养脱氮颗粒污泥启动效能与污泥特性

室温低氨氮基质条件下单级自养脱氮工艺的启动和稳定运行是该工艺应用于市政污水处理的前提和基础.本研究在气升式反应器中接种久置的PN/A(partial nitritation and ANAMMOX)颗粒污泥,控制温度在(23±2)℃,pH在7. 7～8. 0,以氨氮浓度为70 mg·L~(-1)的人工无机配水为基质,考察单级部分亚硝化-厌氧氨氧化实现室温启动效能.通过逐级缩短HRT(1. 1 h→0. 9 h→0. 7 h→0. 5 h)提升氮负荷[1. 53 kg·(m~3·d)~(-1)→1. 87 kg·(m~3·d)~(-1)→2. 40 kg·(m~3·d)~(-1)→3. 36kg·(m~3·d)~(-1)],逐步恢复AOB、AMX菌活性以及微生物协同效能.经过95 d运行调控,反应器成功启动,NH_4~+-N和TN去除率达85%和69%.根据各阶段污泥性能,严格控制溶解氧,有效抑制NOB.污泥适应环境后,颗粒粒径随负荷提升逐渐增大,最终平均粒径达1. 30 mm.成熟的自养颗粒污泥轮廓光滑清晰,扫描电镜显示,颗粒污泥内部形成空腔,表面有孔隙,污泥形态以球菌为主,并有少量杆菌及短杆菌. EPS主要成分为蛋白质(81. 48%),泥水分离效果较好.     

CAST工艺高温短程硝化的实现及其除磷性能

以模拟废水为研究对象,考察了22、25、28℃这3个温度下CAST反应器内短程硝化的实现及其除磷性能.结果表明,不同温度下系统的TN去除均稳定在80%以上,且NH_4~+-N去除良好.当温度为22℃和25℃时系统内未观察到亚硝积累,除磷率为94. 3%和86. 9%,升高温度至28℃,反应器内亚硝积累率为87. 2%,实现稳定的短程硝化.此外,高温短程硝化阶段(28℃),系统释、吸磷能力较22℃和25℃均有所下降,且厌氧段释磷量/COD消耗量(P/C)比明显低于前两个阶段.然而,该温度条件下反应器除磷性能并未恶化,除磷率为68. 9%,说明进水碳源充足不仅能保证CAST工艺对TN的去除,同时可用于解毒NO_2~-以减弱其对聚磷菌的抑制.不同温度条件下的污泥吸磷小试发现,O_2、NO_3~-、NO_2~-均可作为电子受体进行吸磷,其中好氧吸磷速率高于以NO_3~-和NO_2~-为电子受体的反硝化吸磷速率,且以O_2和NO_3~-为电子受体的吸磷速率与温度呈负相关.     

生物炭添加对湿地植物菖蒲根系通气组织和根系泌氧的影响

在处理污水的潜流人工湿地中,湿地植物容易受到缺氧胁迫.尽管菖蒲(Acorus calamus L.)是一类对缺氧条件具有显著抵抗能力的湿地植物,但菖蒲的生理响应并不能完全消除湿地长期缺氧带来的胁迫.生物炭添加能够缓解菖蒲体内超氧化物和过氧化物的积累,显著降低膜脂过氧化程度,但生物炭对缓解缺氧胁迫的具体机制尚不清晰.因此,本研究通过在温室内构建5种不同的生物炭湿地,采用植物生态学分析方法,将植物根系通气组织、根孔隙度和根系泌氧相结合,研究菖蒲根部组织对生物炭添加的响应机制.结果表明,通过在传统潜流人工湿地中添加生物炭,有利于菖蒲形成根系通气组织,增大根孔隙度,生物炭投加量与根孔隙度具有显著正相关关系.在湿地中添加生物炭将利于O_2通过通气组织传输至地下部分,并以根系泌氧(radial oxygen loss,ROL)的形式扩散至根际,显著提高根系泌氧量.与其它光强相比,在3 000μmol·(m~2·s)~(-1)条件下,菖蒲泌氧能力较强,生物炭投加比例对植物ROL的影响不显著.     

水库水体热分层的水质及细菌群落分布特征

作为重要的城市饮用水源地,水库是人工筑坝形成的特殊类型的水体,其水质直接影响居民的饮用水安全.为揭示北京市饮用水源地密云水库的秋季分层特征和细菌群落的垂直变化,于水体稳定分层期(秋季)在水库进行采样,应用16S rDNA末端限制性片段长度多态性(T-RFLP)和定量PCR等方法研究了密云水库水体细菌群落的垂直分布特征,并利用聚类分析、多元统计分析揭示细菌群落与环境因子之间的响应关系.结果表明:(1)密云水库水体温跃层位于水深20～30 m处,水温范围在15～19℃,聚类分析将7个采样水层划分为好氧区(上层)和缺氧区(下层)两类,温度、DO、pH在15 m以下逐渐降低,电导率、氨氮、硝态氮、亚硝态氮及总氮在15 m后发生显著变化,水体水质表现出明显的垂直分布特征;(2)RDA分析结果显示,上下水层的溶解氧、pH、电导率、氨氮、硝态氮和亚硝态氮存在较为明显的垂向变化,是影响密云水库细菌群落垂直分布的主要环境因子;(3)总细菌的数量随水深变化的波动较为明显,其中好氧区细菌的Shannon-Wiener指数和T-RFs片段数明显高于缺氧区,说明秋季密云水库水体中细菌群落分布存在显著的分层现象.本研究探究了水体热分层对水库水质及细菌群落的影响,可为预测水质变化和水库管理提供科学依据.     

基于MGWR模型的中国城市PM2.5影响因素空间异质性

基于全国297个地级市2018年PM_2.5浓度数据、自然与社会经济数据,采用多尺度地理加权回归（MGWR）模型分析了各影响因素对PM_2.5浓度的作用尺度与影响效果的空间异质性.结果表明,MGWR模型适用于中国地级市PM_2.5浓度影响因素研究.在作用尺度上,人均GDP、技术支持水平作用尺度最大,其次是相对湿度、居民地比重、人口密度与风速,降水量、第二产业比重、植被覆盖状况、温度与能源消费强度作用尺度最为局限.在影响效果上,相对湿度、人口密度与居民地比重全部为正向作用;第二产业比重和能源消费强度主要为正向作用,分别占总样本的70.71%与64.98%;风速、温度既存在正向作用也存在负向作用,空间上呈两极分化,其中正向作用分别占总样本的49.83%与57.91%;降水量、植被覆盖状况主要为负向作用,分别占总样本的91.58%与69.70%;人均GDP、技术支持水平全部为负向作用.研究结果表明各因素对于中国城市PM_2.5浓度的影响均存在着不同程度的空间异质性.     

Aging of PVDF and PES ultrafiltration membranes by sodium hypochlorite: Effect of solution pH

Sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) is a commonly applied cleaning agent for ultrafiltration membranes in water and wastewater treatment. Long-term exposure to NaClO might change the properties and performance of polymeric membranes, and ultimately shorten membrane lifespan. Active species in NaClO solution vary with solution pH, and the aging effects can change depending on the membrane material. In this study, the aging of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyethersulfone (PES) membranes by NaClO at pH 3–11 was investigated by examining variations in chemical composition, surface charge, surface morphology, mechanical strength, permeability, and retention ability. Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), which was blended in both membranes, was oxidized and dislodged due to NaClO aging at all investigated pH values, but the oxidation products and dislodgement ratio of PVP varied with solution pH. For the PVDF membrane, NaClO aging at pH 3–11 caused a moderate increase in permeability and decreased retention due to the oxidation and release of PVP. The tensile strength decreased only at pH 11 because of the defluorination of PVDF molecules. For the PES membrane, NaClO aging at all investigated pH resulted in chain scission of PES molecules, which was favored at pH 7 and 9, potentially due to the formation of free radicals. Therefore, a decrease in tensile strength and retention ability, as well as an increase in permeability, occurred in the PES membrane for NaClO aging at pH 3–11. Overall, the results can provide a basis for selecting chemical cleaning conditions for PVDF and PES membranes.     

Degradation of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) by Stenotrophomonas sp. YCJ1 isolated from farmland soil

In recent years, poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) has been widely used. However, PBAT-degrading bacteria have rarely been reported. PBAT-degrading bacteria were isolated from farmland soil and identified. The effects of growth factors on the degradation of PBAT and the lipase activity of PBAT-degrading bacteria were assessed. The degradation mechanism was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that Stenotrophomonas sp. YCJ1 had a significant degrading effect on PBAT. Under certain conditions, the strain could secrete 10.53 U/mL of lipase activity and degrade 10.14 wt.% of PBAT films. The strain secreted lipase to catalyze the degradation of the ester bonds in PBAT, resulting in the production of degradation products such as terephthalic acid, 1,4-butanediol, and adipic acid. Furthermore, the degradation products could participate in the metabolism of YCJ1 as carbon sources to facilitate complete degradation of PBAT, indicating that the strain has potential value for the bioremediation of PBAT in the environment.     

Influence of particle size on the aggregation behavior of nanoparticles: Role of structural hydration layer

More and more attention has been paid to the aggregation behavior of nanoparticles, but little research has been done on the effect of particle size. Therefore, this study systematically evaluated the aggregation behavior of nano-silica particles with diameter 130–480 nm at different initial particle concentration, pH, ionic strength, and ionic valence of electrolytes. The modified Smoluchowski theory failed to describe the aggregation kinetics for nano-silica particles with diameters less than 190 nm. Besides, ionic strength, cation species and pH all affected fast aggregation rate coefficients of 130 nm nanoparticles. Through incorporating structural hydration force into the modified Smoluchowski theory, it is found that the reason for all the anomalous aggregation behavior was the different structural hydration layer thickness of nanoparticles with various sizes. The thickness decreased with increasing of particle size, and remained basically unchanged for particles larger than 190 nm. Only when the distance at primary minimum was twice the thickness of structural hydration layer, the structural hydration force dominated, leading to the higher stability of nanoparticles. This study clearly clarified the unique aggregation mechanism of nanoparticles with smaller size, which provided reference for predicting transport and fate of nanoparticles and could help facilitate the evaluation of their environment risks.