Nitrifying population dynamics in a redox stratified membrane biofilm reactor (RSMBR) for treating ammonium-rich wastewater

Nitrogen removal performance and nitrifying population dynamics were investigated in a redox stratified membrane biofilm reactor (RSMBR) under oxygen limited condition to treat ammonium-rich wastewater. When the NH4+-N loading rate increased from 11.1±1.0 to 37.2±3.2 gNH4+-N·m-2·d-1, the nitrogen removal in the RSMBR system increased from 18.0±9.6 mgN·d^-1 to 128.9±61.7 mgN·d^-1. Shortcut nitrogen removal was achieved with nitrite accumulation of about 22.3±5.3 mgNO2--N·L-1. Confocal micrographs showed the stratified distributions of nitrifiers and denitrifiers in the membrane aerated biofilms (MABs) at day 120, i.e., ammonia and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (AOB and NOB) were dominant in the region adjacent to the membrane, while heterotrophic bacteria propagated at the top of the biofilm. Real-time qPCR results showed that the abundance of amoA gene was two orders of magnitude higher than the abundance of nxrA gene in the MABs. However, the nxrA gene was always detected during the operation time, which indicates the difficulty of complete washout of NOB in MABs. The growth of heterotrophic bacteria compromised the dominance of nitrifiers in biofilm communities, but it enhanced the denitrification performance of the RSMBR system. Applying a high ammonia loading together with oxygen limitation was found to be an effective way to start nitrite accumulation in MABs, but other approaches were needed to sustain or improve the extent of nitritation in nitrogen conversion in MABs.     

Role of GSH in the amelioration of chromium-induced membrane damage

Membrane damage is one of the important consequences of chromium (Cr), an environmental toxicant, induced cytotoxicity. Reduced glutathione (GSH), a membrane protectant may be used to reduce the Cr-induced membrane damage. In the present study, the impact of Cr in presence and absence of GSH was studied on plasma membrane of the liver and kidneys in male Wistar rats. Significant increases in membrane cholesterol levels as well as significant decreases in membrane phospholipid levels in Cr exposed (0.8 mg per 100 g body weight, i.p., for 28 days) animals suggest structural alterations in both the liver and kidney plasma membranes. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total ATPase, and Na⁺–K⁺–ATPase activities of plasma membrane were significantly decreased in both the liver and kidneys after Cr treatment. This treatment also produced significant weight loss and increased Cr content in the liver and kidneys. However, GSH (8 mg per 100g body weight, i.p., daily at an interval of 6 h after injection of Cr for a period of 28 days) supplementation restored alterations induced by Cr in plasma membrane of both the liver and kidneys but was not able to eliminate the deposited Cr from the liver and kidney tissues.     

Determination of F2-isoprostanes in cultured human lung epithelial cells after exposure to metal oxide and silica nanoparticles by high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

The environmental impact of nanotechnology has caused a great concern. Many in vitro studies showed that many types of nanoparticles were cytotoxic. However, whether these nanoparticles caused cell membrane damage was not well studied. F₂-isoprostanes are specific products of arachidonic acid peroxidation by nonenzymatic reactive oxygen species and are considered as reliable biomarkers of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. In this article, we investigated the cytotoxicity of different nanoparticles and the degree of cellular membrane damage by using F₂-isoprostanes as biomarkers after exposure to nanoparticles. The human lung epithelial cell line A549 was exposed to four silica and metal oxide nanoparticles: SiO₂ (15 nm), CeO₂ (20 nm), Fe₂O₃ (30 nm), and ZnO (70 nm). The levels of F₂-isoprostanes were determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The F₂-isoprostanes’ peak was identified by retention time and molecular ion m/z at 353. Oasis HLB cartridge was used to extract F₂-isoprostanes from cell medium. The results showed that SiO₂, CeO₂, and ZnO nanoparticles increased F₂-isoprostanes levels significantly in A549 cells. Fe₂O₃ nanoparticle also increased F₂-isoprostanes level, but was not significant. This implied that SiO₂, CeO₂, ZnO, and Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles can cause cell membrane damage due to the lipid peroxidation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the investigation of effects of cellular exposure to metal oxide and silica nanoparticles on the cellular F₂-isoprostanes levels.     

膜生物反应器中EPS的提取方法

以一体式膜生物反应器(MBR)中的活性污泥为对象,以蛋白质、多糖和核酸的提取量作为污泥中附着性胞外聚合物(B-EPS)提取总量的衡量指标,研究了加热法、超声法、NaOH+甲醛法、高速离心法、蒸汽法、硫酸法等6种不同方法对B-EPS提取的最优条件;并在最优提取条件下对B-EPS提取总量进行比较分析,确定最佳B-EPS提取方法。结果表明:超声提取法、高速离心提取法、蒸汽提取法、硫酸提取法对B-EPS的提取总量较低;NaOH+甲醛法对B-EPS的提取总量虽然较高,但易导致测定出现误差,且抽滤时有结晶,影响操作;加热法对B-EPS提取效果较好,对细胞破坏程度小,且操作过程简单。因此,确定加热法为B-EPS的最佳提取方法。     

离子液体氯化1-辛基-3-甲基咪唑对酵母细胞增殖生长和细胞膜通透性的影响

为探讨咪唑类离子液体氯化1-辛基-3-甲基咪唑([C₈mim][Cl])对酵母细胞的增殖生长和细胞膜通透性的影响,以不同浓度的[C₈mim][Cl]处理酵母细胞,研究离子液体对酵母细胞增殖和菌落形成的影响,通过测定酵母细胞外液蛋白质和核酸的含量,判断膜通透性的大小和[C₈mim][Cl]对细胞膜性结构的损伤。结果显示,0.1 mmol·L^-1的[C₈mim][Cl]延长了酵母细胞到达对数生长期的时间,在6～9 h之间对酵母细胞的增殖存在明显的抑制作用。1 mmol·L^-1的[C₈mim][Cl]使酵母细胞增殖不能到达对数生长期,对酵母细胞的增殖一直具有较强的抑制作用。随着离子液体浓度的增加,小菌落的数量增多。当平板内[C₈mim][Cl]浓度达到10 mmol·L^-1时,完全抑制了菌落的形成。[C₈mim][Cl]处理酵母细胞后,细胞外液中OD₂₈₀、OD₂₆₀的值显著升高。研究表明,细胞膜等膜性结构通透性的增加是离子液体[C₈mim][Cl]抑制酵母细胞增殖生长的原因之一。     

乳状液膜法治理H酸生产废水的研究

研究了以三辛胺(TOA)为流动载体的乳状液膜法提取对H酸的最优膜配方及工艺条件,并以实际工业废水进行验证。考察了膜相表面活性剂浓度、载体浓度、外水相pH值、乳水比、内水相浓度对水中COD值去除的影响。通过正交试验,结果表明:以质量分数为3%的聚胺型表面活性剂,体积分数为4%的TOA,质量分数10%的内水相NaOH溶液,油内比Roi为2∶1的乳状液膜体系,处理初始浓度为50 000 mg/L H酸废水,在pH值为3,乳水比Rew为1∶5的传质条件下,对含H酸废水的COD去除率可达90%以上。     

静电纺PA6/PET复合膜的制备及其空气过滤性能

主要研究静电纺纳米/微米纤维复合膜(PA6/PET)的制备及其空气过滤性能,电纺了几种不同密集度的复合膜,研究了其对氯化钠粒子在特定条件下的过滤能力,进行了加载过滤测试,并通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对过滤前后纤维膜的表面形态进行观察.结果表明,对于多分散的NaCl粒子来说,过滤材料的过滤效率随着过滤时间的增加而增加.当增大过滤粒子流量时,过滤阻力与流量呈现线性增长关系,但是过滤效率变化不大.本实验中复合膜的最低过滤效率为99.990%.     

中空纤维膜辅助离子液体液相微萃取-高效液相色谱法测定环境水体中的水杨酸

分别以l-辛基-3-甲基咪唑六氟磷酸离子液体([C8MIM][PF6])和三辛基氧化膦(TOPO)作为萃取剂与辅助萃取剂,建立了中空纤维膜辅助的两相液液微萃取-高效液相色谱测定环境水体中水杨酸(Salicylicacid,SA)的新方法.通过对中空纤维膜种类、萃取剂、供体相体积、供体相pH、离子强度和萃取时间相关参数进行优化,获得了较高的富集倍数(1653倍).方法的检出限为0.1μg.L-1,线性范围为0.5—1000μg.L-1.方法对实际样品的加标回收率为89.6%—102.4%,可应用于环境水体中痕量SA的测定.     

废水处理系统中生物聚集体胞外多聚物研究进展

胞外多聚物(Extracellular polymeric substances,EPS)是废水生物处理系统中生物聚集体(包括絮体污泥、生物膜、颗粒污泥等)的重要组成部分,直接包裹于微生物细胞壁外,其理化性质及所处的特殊位置决定了它在生物聚集体中的重要作用.综述了EPS对废水生物处理系统污泥沉降性能、脱水性以及膜生物反应器膜污染影响的相关研究,分析认为EPS组成与结构特性改变污泥表面电位、疏水性等,进而影响污泥沉降与脱水性能、膜污染程度;以好氧颗粒污泥为典型的生物聚集体代表,总结了EPS组分含量与分布对颗粒污泥的形成与结构稳定性的影响,并在EPS提取方法标准化、现代理化技术与分子生物学技术综合分析等方面进行了展望,进一步的研究有望揭示生物絮凝体形成过程EPS的产生与调控机制.     

新型膜分离技术及其工业中的应用

用膜法来处理废水有高效、低能耗和易操作处理效率高的优点,而且有利于回收废液中的物质,在水处理中有着广阔的应用前景.在介绍常规和新型膜分离技术的基础上,对新型膜分离技术在工业中的发展及应用进行了综述.