Degradation of polyacrylamide (PAM) and methane production by mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion: Effect of temperature and concentration

• PAM degradation in thermophilic AD in comparison with mesophilic AD. • PAM degradation and its impact on thermophilic and mesophilic AD. • Enhanced methane yield in presence of PAM during thermophilic and mesophilic AD. • PAM degradation and microbial community analysis in thermophilic and mesophilic AD. Polyacrylamide (PAM) is generally employed in wastewater treatment processes such as sludge dewatering and therefore exists in the sludge. Furthermore, it degrades slowly and can deteriorate methane yield during anaerobic digestion (AD). The impact or fate of PAM in AD under thermophilic conditions is still unclear. This study mainly focuses on PAM degradation and enhanced methane production from PAM-added sludge during 15 days of thermophilic (55°C) AD compared to mesophilic (35°C) AD. Sludge and PAM dose from 10 to 50 g/kg TSS were used. The results showed that PAM degraded by 76% to 78% with acrylamide (AM) content of 0.2 to 3.3 mg/L in thermophilic AD. However, it degraded only 27% to 30% with AM content of 0.5 to 7.2 mg/L in mesophilic AD. The methane yield was almost 230 to 238.4 mL/g VSS on the 8th day in thermophilic AD but was 115.2 to 128.6 mL/g VSS in mesophilic AD. Mechanism investigation revealed that thermophilic AD with continuous stirring not only enhanced PAM degradation but also boosted the organics release from the sludge with added PAM and gave higher methane yield than mesophilic AD.     

Eco-Environmental Degradation in the Source Region of the Yellow River, Northeast Qinghai-Xizang Plateau

The Yellow River is the second longest river in China and the cradle of the Chinese civilization. The source region of the Yellow River is the most important water holding area for the Yellow River, about 49.2% of the whole runoff comes from this region. However, for the special location, it is a region with most fragile eco-environment in China as well. Eco-environmental degradation in the source region of the Yellow River has been a very serious ecological and socially economic problem. According to census data, historical documents and climatic information, during the last half century, especially the last 30 years, great changes have taken place in the eco-environment of this region. Such changes are mainly manifested in the temporal-spatial changes of water environment, deglaciation, permafrost reduction, vegetation degeneracy and desertification extent, which led to land capacity decreasing and river disconnecting. At present, desertification of the region is showing an accelerating tendency. This paper analyzes the present status of eco-environment degradation in this region supported by GIS and RS, as well as field investigation and indoor analysis, based on knowledge, multi-source data is gathered and the classification is worked out, deals with their natural and anthropogenic causes, and points out that in the last half century the desertification and environmental degradation of this region are mainly attributed to human activities under the background of regional climate changes. To halt further degradation of the environment of this region, great efforts should be made to use land resources rationally, develop advantages animal agriculture and protect the natural grassland.     

Changes Of Hydrological Environment And Their Influences On Coastal Wetlands InThe Southern Laizhou Bay, China

The structure and function of the coastal wetland ecosystem in the southern Laizhou Bay have been changed greatly and influenced by regional hydrological changes. The coastal wetlands have degraded significantly during the latest 30 years due to successive drought, decreasing of runoff, pollution, underground saline water intrusion, and aggravating marine disasters such as storm tides and sea level rising. Most archaic lakes have vanished, while artificial wetlands have been extending since natural coastal wetlands replaced by salt areas and ponds of shrimps and crabs. The pollution of sediments in inter-tidal wetlands and the pollution of water quality in sub-tidal wetlands are getting worse and therefore “red tides” happen more often than before. The biodiversity in the study area has been decreased. Further studies are still needed to protect the degraded coastal wetlands in the area.     

Spatial Characterization and Prioritization of Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil-Water Resources in Peri-Urban Areas of National Capital Territory (NCT), Delhi

Due to rapid industrialization and urbanization during last two decades, contamination of soils by heavy metals is on an increase globally. Lands under peri-urban agriculture are the worst affected. In NCT, Delhi about 14.4% of land area is chemically degraded. In order to take care of this problem, recently the Supreme Court of India ordered to shift various non-confirming (about 39,000 units) industries to regions outside NCT, Delhi. However in spite of this, there have been several reports and parliamentary debates on the phyto-toxicity and extensive accumulation of heavy metals in the region. Literature review revealed that the basis of these debates is a few studies on some point locations in/around Delhi. It was further observed that information on the distribution and extent of heavy metal pollution problem in the region was completely missing. The present study was thus basically aimed at assessing the spatial distribution/extent and type of heavy metal pollution in the study area, for enabling future designing of appropriate site-specific management measures by the decision makers.For this, detailed spatial information on bio-available heavy metal concentrations in the soils and surface/sub-surface waters of NCT (Delhi) was generated through actual soil/water surveys, standard laboratory methods and GIS techniques. The study showed that concentration of all micronutrients (viz. Zn: 0.05–0.18 ppm; Cu: in traces; Fe: 0–0.5 ppm; and Mn: 0–1.2 ppm) and most heavy metals (viz. Ni: 0–0.7 ppm; Pb: 0–0.15 ppm and Cd: in traces) in the surface/sub-surface irrigation waters were well within permissible limits. However Cr concentrations in irrigation waters of Alipur and Shahdara blocks were far above their maximum permissible limit of 1 ppm. It was further observed that Ni and Cr concentrations in the drinking waters of almost entire test area were far above maximum permissible levels of 0.02 and 0.01 ppm, respectively. Bio-available concentrations of several heavy metals (viz. Pb: 0.1–2 ppm; Cd: traces; Ni: 0.05–2 ppm and Cr: 0–0.4 ppm) in the study area soils were also observed to be well within the maximum permissible limits. However there were point Cu contaminations (5–10 ppm) in the sewage-sludge amended soils of vegetable growing areas near south Shahdara block. This was attributed to increased Cu availability due to oxidized acidic conditions generated by over-irrigation of agricultural lands. Available Mn concentrations in Kanjhawala, western Najafgarh and Alipur soils were also observed to be above maximum permissible limit of 10 ppm. This was observed to be mainly due to the geology (i.e. presence of Mn rich sedimentary rocks) and prevalence of reduced acidic conditions, due to paddy cultivation, in these areas. It was further observed that there is acute zinc (Zn) deficiency (< 0.6 ppm) in paddy growing soils of north Kanjhawala, Alipur and some parts of Najafgarh and Shahdara blocks due to extensive leaching of available Zn fractions to lower soil horizons. Similar available Zn deficiencies in high pH (8.5) soils of areas around Bamnoli village in E-Najafgarh block were also observed.     

卫星光学反射膜光谱反射率空间综合环境退化研究

对玻璃基底和金属基底的铝反射膜在紫外、低能电子、低能质子的综合环境作用下的光谱反射率退化进行了实验研究。试验结果表明两种铝反射膜的光谱反射率均发生了退化,且光谱反射率的退化主要集中在可见光波段,在近红外波段退化很小;玻璃基底铝反射膜退化在420 nm左右出现峰值点,2种金属基底铝反射膜的退化的峰值点在450 nm左右。由于电荷沉积在玻璃中后会抑制带电粒子入射,因此玻璃基底铝反射膜的退化要小于金属基底铝反射膜。     

Fenton法氧化降解聚乙烯醇的机制

为深入了解Fenton法氧化降解聚乙烯醇（PVA）的机制,通过考察反应过程中COD、BOD5、总有机碳及pH等随反应时间的变化,研究了聚乙烯醇Fenton氧化降解过程的特点,结果表明,当PVA被Fenton试剂氧化时,可生成大量CO2,同时生成酸性中间产物。进一步分析认为,当Fenton试剂中H2O2不足景时PVA氧化的中间产物以醛为主,而当H2O2足量时醛会被继续氧化生成有机酸,最终COD去除率达到80％。     

钢渣吸附-微波降解法处理碱性品红废水

研究了钢渣对碱性品红染料的吸附性能、影响因素以及微波对吸附在钢渣-焦炭上的染料的降解作用。实验表明,在中性条件下,钢渣对碱性品红具有优良的吸附性能,饱和吸附量可达到42．4mg／g。以钢渣处理质量浓度为100mg/L的碱性品红溶液,当固液质量比为1：50、振荡吸附1h后,染料溶液脱色率达97％。实验还表明,焦炭可吸收微波产生高温,用钢渣-焦炭混合物（质量比1：1）吸附染料后,以微波辐照可使物料达到665℃的高温,吸附的染料降解。吸附剂再生后重复使用4次,脱色率都达到95％以上。     

瓦尔假丝酵母降解酚类污染物的研究

从橡胶厂工业废水中分离到1株降酚酵母,经鉴定为瓦尔假丝酵母(Candida vartiovanrai),该菌株能以苯酚作为唯一碳源和能源生长,还能以水杨酸、苯甲酸、苯、萘、对苯二酚、间苯二酚、邻苯二酚等作为唯一碳源生长,但不能以氯代酚作为唯一碳源生长.酚诱导有利于高浓度苯酚的降解,加入葡萄糖可抑制苯酚的降解.当以苯酚作为唯一碳源时,在诱导的情况下,约30 h可将培养液中的苯酚降解98.7%,可望应用于含高浓度酚类化合物的废水生物处理中.      

水环境退化经济损失的计量方法及其应用

水环境退化较难以市场价格方式体现,是绿色GDP核算的一大难点.分析了影响水环境退化的社会经济因素、自然因素,在此基础上,构建了水环境退化的计量模型,并将社会经济发展的阶段性特征、水资源供需矛盾、降水补给变异特征和水质状况纳入模型中,采用不同参数进行描述,以保证模型的逻辑完备性和计算的简洁性.在湖州市绿色GDP核算过程中,采用该模型分别计算各县区2001-2004年水环境退化的经济损失.这些损失与当地水资源供需矛盾、水污染状况、社会经济发展等因素变化状况相符,准确反映了湖州市水环境退化的实际状况.结果表明,水环境退化的经济损失,除水污染程度外,还受到社会经济因素和降水补给等自然因素的影响.      

Fe3+掺杂TiO2薄膜的制备及光催化降解甲醛的研究

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备Fe3+掺杂的TiO2薄膜光催化剂,进行甲醛的光催化实验,考察Fe3+掺杂量、薄膜焙烧温度及溶胶体系pH值对光催化性能的影响。结果表明,Fe3+掺杂量为1.0%,焙烧温度500℃1h,加硝酸溶胶体系pH=4时,Fe3+掺杂TiO2薄膜光催化活性最高。