Klebsiella pneumoniae metabolites enhance Microcystis aeruginosa biomass flocculation

Microcystis aeruginosa is a common aquatic toxin-producing cyanobacterium. This study explores M. aeruginosa biomass recovery using bioflocculation. Bioflocculants produced by Klebsiella pneumoniae significantly enhanced aquatic M. aeruginosa flocculation efficiency. Under neutral and acidic conditions, flocculation efficiency reached 90%, whereas flocculation efficiency was 75% under alkaline conditions. M. aeruginosa flocculation was ion dependent, and Ca²⁺ was determined to be the most effective cationic inducer. Negatively charged proteoglycans were identified as the being the functional components in the flocculants. Optimal conditions for M. aeruginosa flocculation were determined using response surface methodology and are as follows: (1) K. pneumoniae bioflocculant dose, 13.3?mg/L; (2) flocculation time, 1.6 hours; and (3) pH?=?5 for flocculation of 10⁹ cells per litre. Bioflocculation using K. pneumoniae represents a promising method to control development of M. aeruginosa blooms. Further in-field investigations are necessary to fully assess its potential.     

浮顶油罐密封圈油气分布数值模拟

浮顶油罐一二次密封空间内的油气在雷击作用下可导致起火事故。为研究浮顶油罐一二次密封空间内的油气浓度影响因素,利用CFD方法进行了数值模拟,并建立了浮顶油罐实验模型,检测一二次密封空间内不同位置处的油气体积分数,两者表征的油气浓度情况较吻合;借助该模拟方法进一步分析温度、风速和二次密封泄漏面积对浮顶油罐一二次密封空间内的油气浓度的影响,研究结果表明:①二次密封泄漏面积增加,密封空间内的油气浓度降低。②温度上升,一二次密封空间的油气浓度升高;当风速较高时,温度对油气浓度变化趋势的影响也更大。③风速增加时,空间内的油气分布差异变大,油气浓度最大值变大。     

基于改进偏最小二乘法的近红外快速分析强化生物除磷污泥胞内PHA

聚β羟基烷酸酯(PHA)是强化生物除磷系统中颗粒污泥胞内重要碳源和能源,其快速测定对强化生物除磷机理研究有重要意义. 采用Savitzky-Golay平滑法(SG)-多元散射校正法(MSC)对污泥的近红外光谱进行预处理,通过改进的偏最小二乘法(iPLS、siPLS、biPLS)建立污泥样品近红外光谱与PHA含量的定量分析模型.结果表明,SG-MSC预处理减弱噪声和背景等表面因素对光谱的影响,采用联合区间偏最小二乘法(siPLS)将全光谱等分为30个子区间, 联合子区间[13 21 24 29]建立的模型预测效果最优,其交互验证均方根误差(RMSECV)和预测均方根误差(RMSEP)分别为0.2018和0.3120,校正集和预测集相关系数分别达到0.9925和0.9391,该光谱区段与PHA分子结构中C-H的伸缩变形、弯曲振动和C=O的伸缩振动密切相关. 改进偏最小二乘有效地优化光谱建模区域,提高模型预测能力,实现污泥胞内PHA含量的快速定量分析.     

Nitrogen recovery from wastewater using microbial fuel cells

Nitrogen is one of major contaminants in wastewater; however, nitrogen, as bio-elements for crop growth, is the indispensable fertilizer in agriculture. In this study, two-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were first operated with microorganisms in anode chamber and potassium ferricyanide as catholyte. After being successfully startup, the two-chamber MFCs were re-constructed to three-chamber MFCs which were used to recover the NO3−−N and NH4+−N of synthetic wastewater into value-added nitrogenous fertilizer from cathode chamber and anode chamber, respectively. Ferric nitrate was used as the sole electron acceptor in cathode, which also was used to evaluate the NO3−−N recover efficiency in the case major anion of NO3− in cathode. The output voltage of these MFCs was about 600–700 mV at an external load of 500 Ω. About 47% NH4+−N in anode chamber and 83% NO3−−N in cathode chamber could be recovered. Higher current density can selectively improve the recovery efficiency of both NH4+−N and NO3−−N. The study demonstrated a nitrogen recovery process from synthetic wastewater using three-chamber MFCs.     

Build back better: implementation in Victorian bushfire reconstruction

The ‘build back better’ (BBB) concept signals an opportunity to decrease the vulnerability of communities to future disasters during post‐disaster reconstruction and recovery. The 2009 Victorian bushfires in Australia serve as a case study for this assessment of the application of core BBB principles and their outcomes. The results show that several BBB measures were successfully implemented in Victoria and are relevant for any post‐disaster reconstruction effort. The BBB initiatives taken in Victoria include: land‐use planning determined by hazard risk‐based zoning; enforcement of structural design improvements; facilitated permit procedures; regular consultations with stakeholders; and programmes conducted for social and economic recovery. Lessons from the Victorian recovery urge the avoidance of construction in high‐risk zones; fairness and representativeness in community consultations; adequate support for economic recovery; the advance establishment of recovery frameworks; and empowerment of local councils.     

The time process of post‐earthquake recovery: the Yao'an earthquake in China

Post‐disaster recovery is a constantly changing and developing process. The authors conducted three real‐name follow‐up surveys at 1, 12 and 18 months after the Yao'an earthquake, which had a surface wave magnitude of 6.0. They also calculated recovery ratios at different times and drew post‐earthquake domestic life recovery curves. Based on the recovery curves, the time trajectory of domestic life recovery takes on an approximate S‐type development and change process. The recovery time process of domestic life can be divided into four periods: emergency period (weeks 0–2(5)), early recovery period (weeks 2(5)–24), rapid recovery period (weeks 24–34) and late recovery period (weeks 34–60(80)).     

“2.20”鞍钢重型机械铸钢厂喷爆重大事故原因分析

2012年2月20日鞍钢重型机械制造有限公司铸钢厂发生了一起中国有史以来最严重的砂型喷爆事故,事故现场造成13人死亡,6人重伤,11人轻伤。通过现场勘查和调阅监控录像,对该起事故发展过程进行了详细分析。认为可能的原因是地坑防水层失效,墙壁裂纹渗水导致砂床底部积水,在钢液浇注后,积水遇熔融钢水迅速汽化,蒸汽急剧膨胀,压力骤增 ,导致了喷爆事故。利用能量守恒定律,近似推算了喷爆事故所需水量,进一步证明由于少量渗水导致该起事故的可能性     

‘Schismo‐urbanism’: cities,natural disaster,and urban sociology

This paper examines a city and a natural disaster, specifically New Orleans, Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina of August 2005. Recovery here is ongoing and the process of return is incomplete, with long‐term dislocation to other cities in the United States, such as Houston, Texas. The question arises as to how planning and stratification influence evacuation and return/dislocation and how they result in a particular practice of adaptation. This interrelated process is conceptually integrated and termed ‘schismo‐urbanism’ and is analysed within a multidimensional theoretical framework to evaluate aspects of urban sociology and natural disasters. Empirical research is based on a quantitative and qualitative mixed‐method case study. Data were collected during two rounds of field research in New Orleans and Houston in 2007 and 2009. As a comparative socio‐spatial study of affected and receptor communities, it makes a novel theoretical and methodological contribution to research on urban disasters in the context of continuing and rapid social change, and is targeted at disaster researchers, planning theorists and practitioners, and urbanists.     

Disaster devastation of US communities: long-term demographic consequences

This paper describes demographic changes resulting from devastating natural disasters in which at least half of the community's structures suffered major damage or total destruction. Considering 92 US communities that suffered disasters (mainly from hurricanes, river flooding, and tornadoes) between 1992 and 2008, locations that were already experiencing declining populations before their disaster were most likely to experience large post-disaster population losses. Communities suffering severe flooding were most likely to lose over a third of their population. Population movement typically occurred regardless of whether the community formally relocated. Small communities were particularly at risk of losing population following destruction, particularly when they lacked schools. Communities with higher home vacancy rates before their devastation were significantly more likely to experience large population declines. Wealthier communities and those located nearer metropolitan cities were most likely to retain their populations following major destruction, yet overall pre-disaster home values and median incomes in the communities were well below national averages. Race and Hispanic population were not significantly related to post-disaster population change in the overall study.     

Volcanic hazard or economic destitution: hard choices in Banños,Ecuador

In 1999, the entire population of tourism-dependent Baños, Ecuador, some 16,000 people, was evacuated in anticipation of a violent eruption of Mount Tungurahua. Subsequently, many areas in the risk zone experienced heavy ash falls, lahars, and landslides, although no cataclysmic events occurred. Many small rural communities were also evacuated. While these communities became impacted by the hazard, Baños avoided most direct effects. Conditions for all evacuees were grim, and their conditions compounded because Ecuador was simultaneously undergoing profound economic and political crises. Absent livelihood alternatives, community leaders from Baños organized a return to their town even though it remained under an evacuation order. An aggressive campaign brought tourists and more residents back and Baños revived economically; however, this was achieved at the cost of hazard awareness among both groups, tourists and residents, and public safety became compromised.