Identifying the major fluorescent components responsible for ultrafiltration membrane fouling in different water sources

Three-dimensional fluorescence excitation–emission matrix(EEM) coupled with parallel factor analysis(PARAFAC) was performed for a total of 18 water samples taken from three water sources(two lakes and one wastewater treatment plant(WWTP) secondary effluent),with the purpose of identifying the major ultrafiltration(UF) membrane foulants in different water sources. Three fluorescent components(C1, C2 and C3) were identified,which represented terrestrially derived humic-like substances(C1), microbially derived humic-like substances(C2), and protein-like substances(C3). The correlations between the different fluorescent components and UF membrane fouling were analyzed. It was shown that for the WWTP secondary effluent, all three components(C1, C2 and C3) made a considerable contribution to the irreversible and total fouling of the UF membrane.However, for the two lakes, only the C3 exhibited a strong correlation with membrane fouling, indicating that the protein-like substances were the major membrane foulants in the lake waters. Significant attachment of C1, C2 and C3 to the UF membrane was also confirmed by mass balance analyses for the WWTP secondary effluent; while the attachment of C1 and C2 was shown to be negligible for the two lakes. The results may provide basic formation for developing suitable fouling control strategies for sustainable UF processes.     

基于GIS的安徽省耕地畜禽养殖废弃物氮负荷估算及污染潜势研究

利用2012年安徽省各县市区的畜禽养殖统计数据及耕地面积,估算了安徽省畜禽养殖废弃物氮负荷,并利用德尔菲法和层次分析法确定了安徽省耕地畜禽养殖废弃物氮养分污染潜势评价的影响因素及权重,在此基础上,利用GIS空间分析技术对安徽省耕地畜禽养殖废弃物氮养分污染潜势进行了评价分析。结果表明,2012年安徽省的耕地畜禽养殖废弃物氮负荷分布很不均匀,最大值为217.08kg/hm~2,最小值24.27kg/hm~2,平均值为81.99kg/hm~2。绝大部分县市区都未超过170kg/hm~2的限量标准,但太湖县、歙县、砀山县和宁国市分别达到了217.08、212.76、197.82和192.95kg/hm~2。从空间特征看,安徽省各县市区耕地畜禽养殖废弃物氮养分污染潜势评价结果差异较大,大部分区域都属于一般等级以下,污染潜势高的区域主要分布在安徽省的东南部及西部的山地丘陵区,主要包括宁国市、歙县和太湖县,污染潜势较高的区域有长丰县、休宁县、绩溪县、黄山市市辖区、金寨县、岳西县、明光县及潜山县的部分区域。     

医疗废物高温蒸汽处理工艺的二次污染控制——以孝感市医疗废物处置中心为例

以孝感市医疗废物处置中心为例,介绍了高温蒸汽处理过程的二次污染控制工艺。结果表明:采用生物脱臭处理工艺,废气中的恶臭污染物可以达到《恶臭污染排放控制标准》(GB 14554—1993)相应排放速率限值要求;采用生化和物化相结合的废水处理工艺,出水水质可以满足《污水综合排放标准》(GB 8978—1996)的二级排放标准要求。     

湿地土壤有机碳及其活性组分分布特征影响因素研究

红碱淖湖泊湿地是西北半干旱荒漠区重要的生态屏障,随着湖泊面积的减少以及土壤退化程度的加剧,逐渐形成5种典型的景观类型(盐碱沼泽、沼泽化草甸、草地、草原化沙地、沙地)。基于野外实地调查,选取红碱淖湖泊湿地流域蟒盖兔和尔林兔2个典型子流域,研究湖泊退化后不同景观类型土壤有机碳及其活性组分的分布特征及其影响因素。结果表明,5种景观类型土壤有机碳(SOC)、土壤可溶性有机碳(DOC)、土壤易氧化态有机碳(EOC)含量均较低。土壤SOC和EOC在垂直剖面上分布特征一致,土壤EOC与土壤有机质动态变化密切相关,土壤砂砾含量高是研究区土壤有机碳含量较低的主要原因。     

Chlorothalonil binding to aquatic humic substances assessed from gas purge studies

Abstract

Fate of the fungicide chlorothalonil (TCIN) binding to dissolved organic acid fractions was quantified using gas‐purge desorption studies. Binding studies were conducted to measure the dissolved organic carbon partition constant (K_DOC) with aquatic fulvic and humic acid fractions purified from cranberry bog water. Desorption studies at DOC concentrations up to 50 mg L^‐1 resulted in mean log K_DOC values of 4.63 (s.d.=0.5, n=8) and 4.81 (s.d.=0.7, n=7) for fulvic and humic acids, respectively. These values deviated from reported K_OC (organic carbon) values by 0.5 to 1.5 orders of magnitude. The relationship between K_OC and K_DOC did not conform to accepted ratios of 10: 1 to 3: 1, although these studies were conducted with the strong hydrophobic fraction of DOC. Binding was rapid suggesting hydrophobic partitioning or weak Van Der Waals forces as binding mechanisms. The strong binding potential for TCIN to aquatic humic substances corresponds to increased solubility in the aqueous system. Sorption to DOC suggests a possible transport mechanism which may result in elevated concentrations of TCIN in cranberry bog systems.     

Dairy Manure Treatment,Digestion and Nutrient Recovery as a Phosphate Fertilizer

A combined approach of biological treatment, solids digestion and nutrient recovery was tested on dairy manure. A sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was operated in three modes, in order to optimize nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) removals. The highest average removal efficiencies of 91% for NH₄-N, 59% for PO₄-P and 80% for total chemical oxygen demand (COD) were achieved. Staining experiments suggested the coexistence of glycogen and phosphorus accumulating organisms. Anaerobic digestion of wasted bio-solids was able to produce a PO₄-P concentration of 70 mgL^?1 in the supernatant. A pilot-scale experiment, designed to recover phosphorus in the supernatant as struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate), was able to remove 82% of soluble PO₄-P.     

Microalgae cultured by sewage and organic constituents

The microalgae could be multiplied by supplying only sewage influent or effluent without any additional microalgal stock or nutrient salt. In a semicontinuous culture, the N:P weight ratios consumed were 14:1 and 18:1 for the sewage influent and effluent, respectively. The total cell number and green algae ratio of microalgae cultivated by semicontinuous culture exceeded those of batch culture. No cyanobacterial cells were observed in the semicontinuous culture using the sewage effluent. The organic components in the cultured microalgae using sewage effluent, eluted by n-hexane, were determined. The ratio of unsaturated fatty acid exceeded that of saturated fatty acid, which was possibly attributable to the fluidity of the cell membrane. The squalene was also obtained by the culture using sewage alone, free of any external stock or nutrient salt. The higher heating value of the microalgae of semicontinuous culture using the sewage influent was 25 MJ kg⁻¹, corresponding to the heating value of lignite and showing the potential of the sewage culture microalgae as a means of power generation and combustion aid.     

Biogeochemistry of two types of permeable reactive barriers, organic carbon and iron-bearing organic carbon for mine drainage treatment: Column experiments

Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) are an alternative technology to treat mine drainage containing sulfate and heavy metals. Two column experiments were conducted to assess the suitability of an organic carbon (OC) based reactive mixture and an Fe⁰-bearing organic carbon (FeOC) based reactive mixture, under controlled groundwater flow conditions. The organic carbon mixture contains about 30% (volume) organic carbon (composted leaf mulch) and 70% (volume) sand and gravel. The Fe⁰-bearing organic carbon mixture contains 10% (volume) zero-valent iron, 20% (volume) organic carbon, 10% (volume) limestone, and 60% (volume) sand and gravel. Simulated groundwater containing 380 ppm sulfate, 5 ppm As, and 0.5 ppm Sb was passed through the columns at flow rates of 64 (the OC column) and 62 (the FeOC column) ml d^− 1, which are equivalent to 0.79 (the OC column) and 0.78 (the FeOC column) pore volumes (PVs) per week or 0.046 m d^− 1 for both columns. The OC column showed an initial sulfate reduction rate of 0.4 µmol g (OC)^− 1 d^− 1 and exhausted its capacity to promote sulfate reduction after 30 PVs, or 9 months of flow. The FeOC column sustained a relatively constant sulfate reduction rate of 0.9 µmol g (OC)^− 1 d^− 1 for at least 65 PVs (17 months). In the FeOC column, the δ³⁴S values increase with the decreasing sulfate concentration. The δ³⁴S fractionation follows a Rayleigh fractionation model with an enrichment factor of 21.6‰. The performance decline of the OC column was caused by the depletion of substrate or electron donor. The cathodic production of H₂ by anaerobic corrosion of Fe probably sustained a higher level of SRB activity in the FeOC column. These results suggest that zero-valent iron can be used to provide an electron donor in sulfate reducing PRBs. A sharp increase in the δ¹³C value of the dissolved inorganic carbon and a decrease in the concentration of HCO₃⁻ indicate that hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis is occurring in the first 15 cm of the FeOC column.     

Characterizing food waste substrates for co-digestion through biochemical methane potential (BMP) experiments

Co-digestion of food waste with dairy manure is increasingly utilized to increase energy production and make anaerobic digestion more affordable; however, there is a lack of information on appropriate co-digestion substrates. In this study, biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests were conducted to determine the suitability of four food waste substrates (meatball, chicken, cranberry and ice cream processing wastes) for co-digestion with flushed dairy manure at a ratio of 3.2% food waste and 96.8% manure (by volume), which equated to 14.7% (ice-cream) to 80.7% (chicken) of the VS being attributed to the food waste. All treatments led to increases in methane production, ranging from a 67.0% increase (ice cream waste) to a 2940% increase (chicken processing waste) compared to digesting manure alone, demonstrating the large potential methane production of food waste additions compared to relatively low methane production potential of the flushed dairy manure, even if the overall quantity of food waste added was minimal.     

Improved biogas production from rice straw by co-digestion with kitchen waste and pig manure

In order to investigate the effect of feedstock ratios in biogas production, anaerobic co-digestions of rice straw with kitchen waste and pig manure were carried out. A series of single-stage batch mesophilic (37 ± 1 °C) anaerobic digestions were performed at a substrate concentration of 54 g/L based on volatile solids (VS). The results showed that the optimal ratio of kitchen waste, pig manure, and rice straw was 0.4:1.6:1, for which the C/N ratio was 21.7. The methane content was 45.9–70.0% and rate of VS reduction was 55.8%. The biogas yield of 674.4 L/kg VS was higher than that of the digestion of rice straw or pig manure alone by 71.67% and 10.41%, respectively. Inhibition of biogas production by volatile fatty acids (VFA) occurred when the addition of kitchen waste was greater than 26%. The VFA analysis showed that, in the reactors that successfully produced biogas, the dominant intermediate metabolites were propionate and acetate, while they were lactic acid, acetate, and propionate in the others.