Characterization of the toxic effects of cadmium and 3.5-dichlorophenol on nitrifying activity and mortality in biologically activated sludge systems—effect of low temperature

Background, aims, and scope  Sometimes, urban wastewaters convey a more or less significant part of toxic products from industries or the craft industry. Nitrifying activity can be affected by these substances, implying higher ammonia concentrations in the outlet effluent and contributing to toxicity for the aquatic environment. Moreover, the more stringently treated wastewater standards now require a reliable treatment for nitrogen. One of the key issues is the identification of the inhibition behavior of nitrifying bacteria facing a toxic substance. This new understanding could then finally be integrated into models in order to represent and to optimize wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) operation in cases involving ‘toxic scenarios’. Materials and methods  The toxic substances studied in this work, cadmium and 3.5-dichlorophenol (3.5-DCP), are representative of chemical substances commonly found in municipal sewage and industrial effluents and symbolize two different contaminant groups. The effects of Cd and 3.5-DCP on nitrification kinetics have been investigated using respirometry techniques. Results  IC50 values determination gives concentrations of 3.1 mg/L for 3.5-DCP and 45.8 mg/L for Cd at 21 ± 1°C. The variation to low temperature seems to have no real effect on IC50 for DCP, but induces a decrease of cadmium IC50 to 27.5 mg/L at 14°C. Finally, specific respirometric tests have been carried out in order to determine the potential effect of these toxic substances on the nitrifying decay rate b _a . No significant effect has been noticed for Cd, whereas the presence of 3.5-DCP (at IC50 concentration) induced a dramatic increase of b _a at 20°C. The same behavior has been confirmed by experiments performed in winter periods with a sludge temperature around 12°C. Discussion  The target substances have different modes of action on activity and mortality, notably due to the abilities of the contaminant to be precipitated, accumulated, or even to be progressively degraded. Studies realized at low temperature confirmed this assumption, and put in evidence the effect of temperature on toxic substances capable of being biosorbed. However, the change in the sludge sample characteristics can be pointed out as a problem in the investigation of the temperature effect on nitrification inhibition, as biosorption, bioaccumulation, and predation are directly linked to the sludge characteristics (VSS concentration, temperature) and the plant operating conditions (loading rates, sludge age, etc.). Conclusions  This work brings new understandings concerning the action mode of these specific contaminants on nitrifying bacteria and, in particular, on the role of temperature. The experiments lead to the determination of the IC50 values for both toxic substances on biological nitrification. The inhibition mechanisms of Cd and 3.5-DCP on nitrifying activity have been simply represented by a non-competitive inhibition model. Recommendations and perspectives  Other experiments carried out in a continuous lab-scale pilot plant should be done with a proper control of the operating conditions and of the sludge characteristics in order to better understand the mechanisms of nitrification inhibition for each contaminant. Finally, these first results show that toxic substances can have an effect on the growth rate but also on the decay rate, depending on the characteristics of the toxic substance and the sludge. This eventual double effect would imply different strategies of WWTP operation according to the behavior of the contaminant on the bacteria.     

家用洗衣粉中磷对斜生栅藻生长的影响

以洗衣粉中的有机磷为磷源,通过室内模拟的方法研究在不同磷浓度的水体条件下斜生栅藻的生长情况,以及磷对斜生栅藻的生长是否有毒害作用.通过显微计数测定藻细胞数目来探讨洗衣粉中磷对斜生栅藻生长的影响;同时分析了洗衣粉中磷对斜生栅藻96 h生长期中光合色素的影响.结果表明,洗衣粉中的磷除了促进藻生长外,其浓度过低或过高都会抑制藻的生长.由实验结果可得,磷对藻生长的富营养化作用和毒性作用取决于磷浓度的高低.     

滇池水体磷的时空变化与藻类生长的关系

水体磷的时空变化与藻类生长的关系对研究水体富营养化具有十分重要的作用。采用GPS定位,对滇池海埂、斗南、罗家村、新街、昆阳等5个代表性位点监测断面水体总磷、可溶性磷及叶绿素a含量进行了为期1年（2003年5月至2004年5月）的动态研究,并在滇池海埂位点进行了日变化试验,全面分析了滇池不同区域、不同层次、不同时期水体总磷和可溶性磷的年变化、日变化及水体氮/磷比对藻类生长的影响。结果表明,滇池水体磷与藻类生长呈现显著的年变化和日变化特征,显示了滇池全湖水体总磷与叶绿素a周年变化呈显著正相关,水体可溶性磷与叶绿素a呈正相关趋势;海埂位点水体总磷与叶绿素a日变化呈显著正相关,水体可溶性磷与叶绿素a日变化呈显著的负相关,水体氮磷比与叶绿素a呈显著正相关。表明水体磷负荷对藻类生长影响呈现显著的水体区域性和水层差异性和季节性,藻类生长主要吸收水体中的可溶性磷,暗示了滇池水体磷是藻类生长的主要限制因子之一。     

外源NO对NaCl胁迫下黄瓜幼苗生长和根系膜脂过氧化作用的影响

采用营养液水培,研究外源NO对NaCl胁迫下黄瓜幼苗生长、根系膜脂过氧化作用的影响.结果表明,100 μmol·L-1NO供体硝普钠(SNP)能显著缓解50 mmol·L-1NaCl胁迫对黄瓜植株造成的伤害,提高幼苗生长量,增强幼苗根系抗氧化酶活性,提高根系脯氨酸(Pro)含量,缓解根系膜脂过氧化作用,从而提高植株耐盐性.     

混合型微生物絮凝剂产生菌的最佳培养条件

从活性污泥中筛选出具有较高絮凝活性的混合菌MBFH,研究了各种条件对混合菌产絮凝剂的影响.结果表明,混合菌MBFH产絮凝剂的最佳培养条件为:温度30℃、初始pH8.0、摇床转速为120r/min、培养基含糖量2%、相对接种量15%,其对高岭土悬浊液的絮凝率可达到88%.图5表4参9     

菇渣用作无纺布容器育苗成型机配套基质的研究

为探讨菇渣在无纺布容器育苗成型技术中作为配套容器基质应用的可行性,研究了育苗成型机制备的菇渣(发酵后)和草炭容器基质的基本理化性质、盐分淋洗特征及其对火炬树和侧柏出苗及生长的影响。结果表明:菇渣基质的容重、通气状况与草炭基质之间无显著差异,pH值虽显著高于草炭基质,但适宜多数植物生长;相对于草炭基质,菇渣基质的持水能力不足,保肥性能较差;菇渣基质的适宜水分范围(36.1%~143.5%)明显小于草炭基质(41.9%~193.8%),有效水绝对含量较低;菇渣基质的电导率(3.71 mS.cm-1)虽高于安全育苗的临界值(≤2.6 mS.cm-1),但随着浇水次数的增加可逐渐降到安全值以下;菇渣基质的全氮、全磷和全钾含量显著高于草炭基质。在充足的水分和养分条件下,菇渣和草炭容器基质对侧柏和火炬树出苗及成活的影响基本一致,但菇渣基质对火炬树的育苗效果优于草炭基质。可见,只要保证充足水分,菇渣基质在无纺布容器育苗成型技术中可以替代草炭基质用于火炬树和侧柏的育苗。     

垃圾堆填区渗出液对干旱季节树苗生长的影响

本试验于１９９４年７月至１月在香港望后石垃圾堆填区进行,研究了垃圾堆填区渗出液浇灌对几种亚热带树种生长及其生理学过程的影响．结果表明,在高温低湿、植物遭受水分亏缺的条件下,应用适当浓度的垃圾堆填区渗出液浇灌同水灌和肥水灌溉类似,可显著地提高树苗的移栽成活率,促进树苗的生长,尤其对耐干旱能力低的树种,其效果更为显著．与对照相比,用适当浓度的渗出液或水浇灌显著地改善植株的水分关系,降低叶片的脱落酸（ＡＢＡ）含量,促进气孔的开放．另外,处理植株叶片的光合特性也得到了不同程度的改善．根据以上结果,作者认为,在干旱季节植物遭受严重水分亏缺的条件下,应用适当浓度的垃圾堆填区渗出液浇灌可显著地缓解干旱对树苗生长的影响,为综合治理垃圾堆填区渗出液提供了一条经济、实用和可行的途径．     

酰胺类除草剂对铜绿微囊藻的生长影响及氧化损伤效应

酰胺类除草剂的广泛使用对水生生态环境构成了潜在风险。为探究其对藻类的毒性作用,以铜绿微囊藻为对象,分别从藻类生长和氧化损伤效应角度探讨了甲草胺、乙草胺和丁草胺对铜绿微囊藻的毒性影响。实验结果显示,酰胺类除草剂对藻类的影响存在明显的滞后效应和剂量–效应关系,低浓度暴露组刺激藻类增长,高浓度表现为抑制作用;3种酰胺类除草剂增加了铜绿微囊藻的氧化压力,并随着暴露时间的延长和浓度的增加而增强。其中,藻体内过氧化脂质降解产物丙二醛(MDA)含量明显增加,同时超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化物酶(POD)活性也显著增强。经96 h暴露后,甲草胺(32.0 mg·L~(-1))、乙草胺(32.0 mg·L~(-1))和丁草胺(15.0 mg·L~(-1))暴露溶液中相对MDA含量分别为138%、204%和154%,相对SOD活性分别为116%、87%和115%,相对POD活性分别475%、278%和627%。结合生物量及氧化损伤效应实验结果可知,3种除草剂对铜绿微囊藻的毒性大小顺序为丁草胺乙草胺甲草胺。     

水稻耐氨固氮菌施用效应研究

早、晚两季的田间试验结果表明,在电脑推荐施N水平上,耐氨固氮菌的增产效果不显著;在低N情况下(每公顷减纯N37.5kg),耐氨固氮菌的增产效果达显著水平,早、晚稻分别增产8.41％和7.21％。15N示踪盆栽试验结果表明,耐氨固氮菌对根系生长有明显的促进作用,在秧苗期明显增加秧苗对肥料15N的吸收．禾苗分蘖盛期则增强了禾苗根系的吸氮能力。     

水杨酸对小麦高盐毒害的缓解作用

以盐敏感品种中国春、农大８５０２１和抗盐品种冬６８、茶淀红等４个品种小麦（ＴｒｉｔｉｃｕｍａｅｓｔｉｖｕｍＬ．）为材料,研究盐分胁迫对小麦种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响以及水杨酸对盐害的缓解作用．结果表明,水杨酸能够相对提高盐分胁迫条件下小麦种子萌发的数量、速度和质量;提高幼苗根和叶内游离脯氨酸、可溶性糖等渗透调节物质的含量,增强其渗透调节能力,同时提高幼苗体内超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶等细胞保护酶的活性,抑制膜脂过氧化作用产物丙二醛的积累,降低叶片质膜透性和盐分胁迫对细胞膜的伤害．所有这些变化都有利于缓解盐害,提高小麦抗盐性