Peroxidase-mediated removal of endocrine disrupting compound mixtures from water

Several classes of oxidative enzymes have shown promise for efficient removal of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) that are resistant to conventional wastewater treatments. Although the kinetics of reactions between individual EDCs and selected oxidative enzymes are well documented in the literature, there has been little investigation of reactions with EDC mixtures. This makes it impossible to predict how enzyme-mediated treatment systems will perform since wastewater effluents generally contain multiple EDCs. This paper reports pseudo-first order rate constants for a model oxidative enzyme, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), during single-substrate (k₁) and mixed-substrate (k_1-MIX) reactions. Measured values are compared with literature values of three Michaelis-Menten parameters: half-saturation constant (K_M), enzyme turnover number (k_CAT), and the ratio k_CAT/K_M. Published reports had suggested that each of these could be correlated with HRP reactivity towards EDCs in mixtures, and empirical results from this study show that K_M can be used to predict the sequence of EDC removal reactions within a particular mixture. We also observed that k_1-MIX values were generally greater than k₁ values and that compounds exhibiting greatest estrogenic toxicities reacted most rapidly in a given mixture. Finally, because K_M may be tedious to measure for every EDC of interest, we have constructed a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model to predict these values. This model predicts K_M quite accurately (R² = 89%) based on two molecular characteristics: molecular volume and hydration energy. Its accuracy makes this QSAR a useful tool for predicting which EDCs will be removed most efficiently during enzyme treatment of EDC mixtures.     

Tracing the sources of refractory dissolved organic matter in a large artificial lake using multiple analytical tools

Structural and chemical characteristics of refractory dissolved organic matter (RDOM) from seven different sources (algae, leaf litter, reed, compost, field soil, paddy water, treated sewage) were examined using multiple analytical tools, and they were compared with those of RDOM in a large artificial lake (Lake Paldang, Korea). Treated sewage, paddy water, and field soil were distinguished from the other sources investigated by their relatively low specific UV absorbance (SUVA) values and more pronounced fulvic-like versus humic-like fluorescence of the RDOM samples. Microbial derived RDOM from algae and treated sewage showed relatively low apparent molecular weight and a higher fraction of hydrophilic bases relative to the total hydrophilic fraction. For the biopolymer types, the presence of polyhydroxy aromatics with the high abundance of proteins was observed only for vascular plant-based RDOM (i.e., leaf litter and reed). Molecular weight values exhibited positive correlations with the SUVA and the hydrophobic content among the different RDOM, suggesting that hydrophobic and condensed aromatic structures may be the main components of high molecular weight RDOM. Principal component analysis revealed that approximately 77% of the variance in the RDOM characteristics might be explained by the source difference (i.e., terrestrial and microbial derived) and a tendency of further microbial transformation. Combined results demonstrated that the properties of the lake RDOM were largely affected by the upstream sources of field soil, paddy water, and treated sewage, which are characterized by low molecular weight UV-absorbing and non-aromatic structures with relatively high resistance to further degradation.     

Modifications of black carbons and their influence on pyrene sorption

Sorption of pyrene on black carbons (BCs) obtained by heating sawdust at two temperatures (400 and 700 °C, denoted as 400BC and 700BC, respectively), as well as on modified BCs (via oxidation, oximation, and hydrolysis) was studied to investigate the role of BC structural characteristics in sorption of hydrophobic organic compounds. Pyrene was bound strongly by 700BC and 400BC, with organic carbon normalized distribution coefficients (K_oc) of 10^5.04-10^5.86 and 10^4.65-10^5.16, respectively, at equilibrium pyrene concentrations of 10-100 μg L⁻¹. Both chemical composition and pore distribution of the two BCs changed after modifications, which led to changes in their sorption characteristics for pyrene. After modifications, the linearity of pyrene sorption isotherm increased for 700BC but decreased for 400BC. For 700BC, both oxidation and oximation reduced pyrene sorption, with K_oc decreasing by 69.1-73.7% and 18.7-33.9%, respectively, whereas hydrolysis did not exert a significant influence. For 400BC, oxidation and hydrolysis reduced K_oc by 2.28-25.9% and 29.2-33.9%, respectively, while oximation increased K_oc. In most cases, the change in sorption capacity could be explained by the changes in C content and type, polarity, surface area, and micropore volume of the BCs; however, the role of conformation (the accessibility to sorption sites) could not be ignored.     

Plant communities in relation to flooding and soil contamination in a lowland Rhine River floodplain

Using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), relationships were investigated between plant species composition and flooding characteristics, heavy metal contamination and soil properties in a lowland floodplain of the Rhine River. Floodplain elevation and yearly average flooding duration turned out to be more important for explaining variation in plant species composition than soil heavy metal contamination. Nevertheless, plant species richness and diversity showed a significant decrease with the level of contamination. As single heavy metal concentrations seemed mostly too low for causing phytotoxic effects in plants, this trend is possibly explained by additive effects of multiple contaminants or by the concomitant influences of contamination and non-chemical stressors like flooding. These results suggest that impacts of soil contamination on plants in floodplains could be larger than expected from mere soil concentrations. In general, these findings emphasize the relevance of analyzing effects of toxic substances in concert with the effects of other relevant stressors.     

新型结构ABR的设计与水力特性研究

针对ABR自身的缺点,设计出一种新型结构的ABR.该反应器为双层结构,共有5部分组成,各部分容积各不相同.该反应器的设计思想是将ABR与生物滤池以及活性炭吸附等工艺相联合.这种设计能够最大程度地发挥各工艺的优势,进而达到更好的处理效果.通过脉冲响应实验对该反应器的水力特性进行研究,得出不同水力停留时间(HRT)下的停留...     

A2O工艺好氧末段溶解氧变化对脱氮除磷影响

采用连续流A2O工艺处理实际的生活污水,研究好氧末段在不同溶解氧(DO)浓度条件下对污泥沉降性能、系统脱氮除磷的影响,同时考察了DO对污泥硝化活性、厌氧释磷速率和反硝化脱氮速率的影响.结果表明,随着末段溶解氧的提高,污泥容积指数SVI从140降至100左右,后又升高到120～170;系统的硝化效果提高,氨氮的去除率从6...     

pH、盐度对微生物还原硫酸盐的影响研究

采用厌氧生物处理工艺,研究了在不同盐度下pH连续降低对硫酸盐还原和有机物去除率的影响。实验结果表明,硫酸盐还原菌有很强的适应pH变化的能力,在pH值达到4以下仍有60％的硫酸盐去除率。NaCl浓度由4g／L增加到50g／L抑制了各厌氧菌的活性,导致硫酸盐和有机物去除率的下降,但硫酸盐还原菌耐受性高于产甲烷菌等其他厌氧菌,在NaCl浓度为50g／L下,硫酸盐去除率能达到50％,而有机物去除率则低于30％。qRT—PCR表明了系统菌落中SRB随着环境的变化情况与化学指标结果相一致,该反应器体系中SRB在整个厌氧菌群落中只占了很小部分。     

三元复合驱采出水中悬浮固体的控制方法

采用向三元复合驱采出水中加入水质稳定剂的方法有效降低采出水中悬浮固体的质量浓度。实验结果表明,将100 g采出水依次经滤纸和孔径为0.45μm的醋酸纤维素膜过滤后,加入1.0 g WSBL-3型水质稳定剂,混合均匀后置于80℃的水浴中静置4 h,取出后再置于40℃的水浴中静置5 min,由此可将采出水中的悬浮固体质量浓度由107 mg/L降至2 mg/L。     

Oil and power industries’ responses to EU emissions trading: laggards or low-carbon leaders?

ABSTRACT

How have petroleum and power companies and their European industry associations responded to the EU emissions trading system (ETS)? Responses can be political, directed externally towards the initiation and reforms of the EU ETS itself, or internally and market-based, directed at low-carbon solutions. Proactive response strategies shape companies’ leadership potential. Variation in responses is explained by two models that differ in assumptions about corporate behaviour as well as the wider multilevel regulatory context in which companies operate. Responses are found to have converged within the two industries, with reactive companies following the proactive ones. Secondly, responses between the two industries increasingly diverge, with the power industry becoming much more proactive than the petroleum industry. The main explanation is found in the differing relevance of the two models and the wider regulatory context, particularly differing exposure to international competition and weak international climate agreements.     

The impact of government subsidy and tax policy on the competitive decision-making of remanufacturing supply chains

In this paper, we consider a two-period competition model of a remanufacturing supply chain consisting of three members: a new product manufacturer, a recycler and a remanufacturer. The manufacturer supplies new products in the first period and the remanufacturer participates in the competition in the second period. We consider three scenarios in the second period: (1) there is no government subsidy in the competition; (2) there is only government subsidy in the competition; (3) there are both government subsidy and tax in the competition. First, we give the optimal decision-making of the manufacturer, the remanufacturer and the government in the three scenarios; second, we analyse changes in the decision-making of the manufacturer and remanufacturer in the three scenarios and compare their results. We analyse the effects of government subsidy and tax and their asymmetric use on manufacturers’ and remanufacturers’ decision-making variables and competitive performance. We also take consumer awareness of environmental protection into account and examine its impact on subjects’ decisions. Lastly, we operate a numerical example to show the results.