Effects of a gradually increased load of fish waste silage in co-digestion with cow manure on methane production

This study examined the effects of an increased load of nitrogen-rich organic material on anaerobic digestion and methane production. Co-digestion of fish waste silage (FWS) and cow manure (CM) was studied in two parallel laboratory-scale (8 L effective volume) semi-continuous stirred tank reactors (designated R1 and R2). A reactor fed with CM only (R0) was used as control. The reactors were operated in the mesophilic range (37 °C) with a hydraulic retention time of 30 days, and the entire experiment lasted for 450 days. The rate of organic loading was raised by increasing the content of FWS in the feed stock. During the experiment, the amount (volume%) of FWS was increased stepwise in the following order: 3% – 6% – 13% – 16%, and 19%. Measurements of methane production, and analysis of volatile fatty acids, ammonium and pH in the effluents were carried out. The highest methane production from co-digestion of FWS and CM was 0.400 L CH4 gVS^?1, obtained during the period with loading of 16% FWS in R2. Compared to anaerobic digestion of CM only, the methane production was increased by 100% at most, when FWS was added to the feed stock. The biogas processes failed in R1 and R2 during the periods, with loadings of 16% and 19% FWS, respectively. In both reactors, the biogas processes failed due to overloading and accumulation of ammonia and volatile fatty acids.     

Effects of bulking agent addition on odorous compounds emissions during composting of OFMSW

The effects of rice straw addition level on odorous compounds emissions in a pilot-scale organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) composting plant were investigated. The cumulative odorous compounds emissions occurred in a descending order of 40.22, 28.71 and 27.83 mg/dry kg of OFMSW for piles with rice straw addition level at ratio of 1:10, 2:10 and 3:10 (mixing ratio of rice straw to OFMSW on a wet basis), respectively. The mixing ratio of rice straw to OFMSW had a statistically significant effect on the reduction of malodorous sulfur compounds emissions, which had no statistically significant effect on the reduction of VFAs, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, aromatics and ammonia emissions during composting, respectively. The cumulative emissions of malodorous sulfur compounds from piles with the increasing rice straw addition level were 1.17, 1.08 and 0.88 mg/dry kg of OFMSW, respectively. The optimal mixing ratio of rice straw to OFMSW was 1:5. Using this addition level, the cumulative malodorous sulfur compounds emissions based on the organic matter degradation were the lowest during composting of OFMSW.     

Prenatal diagnosis of medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency

A fatal case of medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency is described in a patient who presented with hypoglycaemia and a gross non-ketotic dicarboxylic aciduria. Cultured skin fibroblasts released ¹⁴CO₂ from [1–¹⁴C] octanoic acid at half the normal rate. Prenatal diagnosis was undertaken in a subsequent pregnancy in which cultured amniotic fluid cells revealed a marked reduction in octanoate oxidation indicative of an affected fetus. The pregnancy was terminated and the diagnosis was confirmed by enzyme analysis of skin fibroblasts taken from the fetus. The high residual octanoate oxidation by affected fibroblasts together with the absence of any characteristic abnormality of amniotic fluid organic acids are a potential limitation to the reliability of this type of prenatal diagnosis.     

Comparative sorption,desorption and leaching potential of aminocyclopyrachlor and picloram

Sorption and desorption of aminocyclopyrachlor (6-amino-5-chloro-2-cyclopropylpyrimidine-4-carboxylic acid) were compared to that of the structurally similar herbicide picloram (4-amino-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid) in three soils of differing origin and composition to determine if picloram data is representative of aminocyclopyrachlor behavior in soil. Aminocyclopyrachlor and picloram batch sorption data fit the Freundlich equation and was independent of concentration for aminocyclopyrachlor (1/n = 1), but not for picloram (1/n = 0.80–0.90). Freundlich sorption coefficients (K _f) for aminocyclopyrachlor were lowest in the eroded and depositional Minnesota soils (0.04 and 0.12 μmol ^(1–1/n) L^1/n kg^?1) and the highest in Molokai soil (0.31 μmol ^(1–1/n) L^1/n kg^?1). For picloram, K _f was lower in the eroded (0.28 μmol ^(1–1/n) L^1/n kg^?1) as compared to the depositional Minnesota soil (0.75 μmol ^(1–1/n) L^1/n kg^?1). Comparing soil to soil, K _f for picloram was consistently higher than those found for aminocyclopyrachlor. Desorption of aminocyclopyrachlor and picloram was hysteretic on all three soils. With regard to the theoretical leaching potential based on groundwater ubiquity score (GUS), leaching potential of both herbicides was considered to be similar. Aminocyclopyrachlor would be ranked as leacher in all three soils if t_1/2 was > 12.7 days. To be ranked as non-leacher in all three soils, aminocyclopyrachlor t_1/2 would have to be <3.3 days. Calculated half-life that would rank picloram as leacher was calculated to be ～15.6 d. Using the current information for aminocycloprachlor, or using picloram data as representative of aminocycloprachlor behavior, scientists can now more accurately predict the potential for offsite transport of aminocycloprachlor.     

Kinetics and mechanisms of interaction of simazine with humic acids

Abstract

The adsorption of simazine on two fractions of hu‐mic acids of different molecular size was investigated at a pH range of 2.5 to 6.2. The amounts of the herbicide adsorbed decreased with increasing pH for both of the two humic acids fractions used and no adsorption was observed at pH 5.5. The adsorption capacity of fraction I (M_v >100,000) exceeded that of fraction IV (M_v < 4,000) over the entire pH region used. No appreciable changes in the adsorbed amounts were observed after 24 hours.

Continuous flow dialysis techniques were used to determine the extent of binding between simazine and dissolved humic acids. It was observed that 50% and 60% of simazine added were thus removed from the dialysis bags containing humic acids fractions I and IV,respectively. Higher amounts of simazine were adsorbed by the high molecular weight humic fraction. The adsorption processes involve ionic bonds between simazine and humic acids. In addition it is likely that hydrogen bonds and physical forces are also involved in the adsorption of simazine by humic acids.     

Photochemical Behavior of Parathion in the Presence of Humic Acids from Different Origins

This paper reports the effect of ultraviolet radiation on the degradation of pesticide ethyl parathion in the presence of humic acids. Ethyl parathion was completely degraded in 300 min using an artificial lamp of 7.41 × 10^{? 10} einstein/s. Humic acid from peat did not influence the photochemical rate (k = 8.92 × 10^?3 min). However, in the presence of aquatic humic acid, the photochemical rate was higher (11.5 × 10^?3 min). The analytical determinations show the presence of p-nitrophenol and aminophenol in the reaction medium during the photochemical experiments. The kinetic of degradation in all experiments obeyed a first-order reaction pattern.     

不同工艺对含高浓度腐殖酸地下水处理的可行性

针对内蒙古农村地区高腐殖酸地下水的处理问题,分别对（pH调节）-PAC强化混凝、高锰酸钾预氧化／混凝、活性炭吸附／混凝、Fenton氧化等技术处理的可行性进行了研究,同时利用三维荧光和高效体积排阻色谱分析处理前后水中有机物的组成变化特征。有机分析结果显示,水中的有机物为腐殖酸类物质,分子量分别为1600和3500,腐殖酸类物质为水中色度的主要贡献者。原水PAC强化混凝、高锰酸钾预氧化／PAC混凝对有机物的去除效果不佳,处理前后水样DOC浓度无明显变化,而pH调节．PAC强化混凝、微米活性炭吸附和Fenton氧化均能有效去除有机物。将原水pH调节至6．5,经300mg／LPAC混凝后出水DOC降至5．99mg／L。活性炭投加量为0．6g／L时,DOC降至7．6mg／L,然后采用60mg／LPAC混凝出去高度分散而不易沉降的小颗粒活性炭。此外,当反应初始pH值为3,过氧化氢投加量为0．5％（v／v）,亚铁和双氧水摩尔比为0．05时,出水DOC降至5．6mg／L,氧化后有小分子有机物生成。     

Sources and major biogeochemical pathways of organic matter in the mangrove system of Rufiji estuary

Fatty acids were extracted from the surface sediments (10 cm) of three sampling sites of Rufiji estuary to infer their sources and biogeochemical pathways. The fatty acids ranging from C₈ to C₂₄ were distinguished from this study, and were broadly classified into saturated (SFAs), monounsaturated (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). SFAs were found to be the major fraction at station 1 and 3 where as at station 2, MUFAs dominated. A total of 19 fatty acids with a total concentration of 64.91 μg/g dry weight were characterised at station 1. C_16:0 was the most abundant fatty acid contributing 21.94% of total fatty acids (TFAs). C_22:2 was the second most abundant, which accounted for 9.46% of TFAs. Fatty acids ranging from C₁₂ to C₂₄ were identified at station 2. C₂₀ fatty acid was the most abundant fatty acid contributing 21.94%, followed by C_16:0. At station 3, fatty acids ranging from C₈ to C₂₄ were obtained. The PUFA C_20:5n-3 was the most abundant fatty acid contributing 21.65%, followed by C_24:0 (15.00% of TFAs). The ratio of lower molecular weight (LMW) to higher molecular weight (HMW) biomarkers was used as an indicators to distinguish higher plants organic matter from algae-derived fatty acids.     

丝状菌对生物淋滤去除底泥中重金属的促进作用

利用氧化亚铁硫杆菌(Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans,A.f)对采自株洲霞湾港底泥中的Cu、Cd、Pb和Zn 4种重金属进行生物淋滤实验,在实验中加入丝状菌考察其对重金属去除效果的影响。结果表明,丝状菌可以有效抑制低分子量有机酸对A.f的毒害作用,促进各种重金属的去除。当加入10%(体积比)的丝状菌后,生物淋滤过程中系统pH值在5 d内降低到2以下,Fe2+在4 d内完全氧化。经过10 d的处理,Cu、Cd、Pb和Zn 4种重金属的最高去除率分别达到76.3%、92.5%、52.6%和88.5%,与不加入丝状菌的处理相比,达到最大去除率所需的时间缩短1~2 d,4种重金属中,丝状菌的加入对Pb的去除促进作用最为明显,其去除率增加1倍左右。因此,在生物淋滤处理重金属-有机物复合污染底泥工艺中接入丝状菌对处理效果有很好的促进作用。     

The adsorption of short single-stranded DNA oligomers to mineral surfaces

We studied the adsorption of short single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (ssDNA) oligomers, of approximately 30 nucleotides (nt) in length, of varying sequence, adenine + guanine + cytosine (AGC) content, and propensity to form secondary structure, to equal surface area samples of olivine, pyrite, calcite, hematite, and rutile in 0.1 M NaCl, 0.05 M pH 8.1 KHCO₃ buffer. Although the mineral surfaces have widely varying points of zero charge, under these conditions they show remarkably similar adsorption of ssDNA regardless of oligomer characteristics. Mineral surfaces appear to accommodate ssDNA comparably, or ssDNA oligomers of this length are able to find binding sites of comparable strength and density due to their flexibility, despite the disparate surface properties of the different minerals. This may partially be due charge shielding by the ionic strength of the solutions tested, which are typical of many natural environments. These results may have some bearing on the adsorption and accumulation of biologically derived nucleic acids in sediments as well as the abiotic synthesis of nucleic acids before the origin of life.