A review of biomarker compounds as source indicators and tracers for air pollution

An overview of the application of organic geochemistry to the analysis of organic matter on aerosol particles is presented here. This organic matter is analyzed as solvent extractable bitumen/ lipids by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The organic geochemical approach assesses the origin, the environmental history and the nature of secondary products of organic matter by using the data derived from specific molecular analyses. Evaluations of production and fluxes, with cross-correlations can thus be made by the application of the same separation and analytical procedures to samples from point source emissions and the ambient atmosphere. This will be illustrated here with typical examples from the ambient atmosphere (aerosol particles) and from emissions of biomass burning (smoke). Organic matter in aerosols is derived from two major sources and is admixed depending on the geographic relief of the air shed. These sources are biogenic detritus (e.g., plant wax, microbes, etc.) and anthropogenic particle emissions (e.g., oils, soot, synthetics, etc.). Both biogenic detritus and some of the anthropogenic particle emissions contain organic materials which have unique and distinguishable compound distribution patterns (C₁₄-C₄₀). Microbial and vascular plant lipids are the dominant biogenic residues and petroleum hydrocarbons, with lesser amounts of the pyrogenic polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and synthetics (e.g., chlorinated compounds), are the major anthropogenic residues. Biomass combustion is another important primary source of particles injected into the global atmosphere. It contributes many trace substances which are reactants in atmospheric chemistry and soot paniculate matter with adsorbed biomarker compounds, most of which are unknown chemical structures. The injection of natural product organic compounds into smoke occurs primarily by direct volatilization/steam stripping and by thermal alteration based on combustion temperature. Although the molecular composition of organic matter in smoke particles is highly variable, the molecular tracers are generally still source specific. Retene has been utilized as a tracer for conifer smoke in urban aerosols, but is not always detectable. Dehydroabietic acid is generally more concentrated in the atmosphere from the same emission sources. Degradation products from biopolymers (e.g., levoglucosan from cellulose) are also excellent tracers. An overview of the biomarker compositions of biomass smoke types is presented here. Defining additional tracers of thermally-altered and directly-emitted natural products in smoke aids the assessment of the organic matter type and input from biomass combustion to aerosols. The precursor to product approach of compound characterization by organic geochemistry can be applied successfully to provide tracers for studying the chemistry and dispersion of ambient aerosols and smoke plumes. Presented at the 6th FECS Conference on Chemistry and the Environment, Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Pollution, August 26–28, 1998, Copenhagen.     

Effects of seawater salinity on nitrite accumulation in short-range nitrification to nitrite as end product

The effect of seawater salinity on nitrite accumulation in short-range nitrification to nitrite as the end product was studied by using a SBR. Experimental results indicated that the growth of nitrobacteria was inhibited and very high levels of nitrite accumulation at different salinities were achieved under the conditions of 25--28℃, pH 7.5--8.0, and the influent ammonia nitrogen of 40--70mg/L when seawater flow used to flush toilet was less than 35% (salinity 12393 mg/L, Cl^- 6778mg/L) of total domestic wastewater flow, which is mainly ascribed to much high chlorine concentration of seawater. Results showed that high seawater salinity is available for short-range nitrification to nitrite as the end product. When the seawater flow used to flush toilet accounting for above 70% of the total domestic wastewater flow, the removal efficiency of ammonia was still above 80% despite the removal of organics declined obviously(less than 60% ). It was found that the effect of seawater salinity on the removal of organics was negative rather than positive one as shown for ammonia removal.     

Monitoring aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation by functional marker genes

The development of biological treatment technologies for contaminated environments requires tools for obtaining direct information about the biodegradation of specific contaminants. The potential of functional gene array analysis to monitor changes in the amount of functional marker genes as indicators of contaminant biodegradation was investigated. A prototype functional gene array was developed for targeting key functions in the biodegradation of naphthalene, toluene and xylenes. Internal standard probe based normalization was introduced to facilitate comparison across multiple samples. Coupled with one-colour hybridization, the signal normalization improved the consistency among replicate hybridizations resulting in better discrimination for the differences in the amount of target DNA. During the naphthalene biodegradation in a PAH-contaminated soil slurry microcosm, the normalized hybridization signals in naphthalene catabolic gene probes were in good agreement with the amount of naphthalene-degradation genes and the production of 14CO2. Gene arrays provide efficient means for monitoring of contaminant biodegradation in the environment.     

Occupational exposure to airborne aromatic amines in rubber manufacturing: Determination by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry

Aromatic amines (AAs) are used in a variety of chemical industries and consequently they are the object of great attention in occupational hygiene owing to the carcinogenic effects that many of them have shown. This work outlines a procedure for the determination of occupational exposure to airborne AAs in the rubber industry and the application of this method in a tyre manufacturing plant using p‐phenylenediamines as antiozonants. Samples were collected on a glass fibre filter followed by a silica gel tube and analyzed by GC‐MS/SIM using a capillary column coated with methyl silicone. p‐Phenylendiamines and other AAs probably formed as thermodegradation products were found in concentrations of up to 10 μg/m³ during rubber vulcanization.     

吸附-电氧化法降解气态乙二醇乙醚乙酸酯(EGEA)的研究

采用吸附-电氧化两步联动降解VOCs,结果表明,相同电压下以铁作为阳极时的CODCr脱除率达到80%以上,比用不锈钢阳极时高40%左右.电解质溶液的pH值和CODCr值随时间有规律地变化,也验证了反应器中所发生的反应.     

Abundance and diversity of the phyllosphere bacterial communities of Mediterranean perennial plants that differ in leaf chemistry

Summary.  We studied the epiphytic bacterial communities of the summer leaves of eight perennial species naturally occurring in a Mediterranean ecosystem. The species differ in essential-oil content (from rich in essential oil to non-producers) and composition, and also in life form (from herbaceous species to tall shrubs). We compared the epiphytic bacterial communities on the basis of (i) their abundance, (ii) their metabolic profile (derived by use of the BIOLOG Ecoplate system) and (iii) richness and diversity of substrates that they use, as a measure of functional diversity. Among all species, the aromatic Melissa officinalis was the most abundantly colonized. The bacterial communities on the leaves of the aromatic Myrtus communis, Calamintha nepeta and Melissa officinalis, and also of Cistus incanus catabolized all 31 substrates offered; those on the evergreen-sclerophyllous species, Arbutus unedo and Quercus coccifera, catabolized only 14 and 17 substrates, respectively. Carbohydrates were consistently used abundantly by all communities, whereas carboxylic acids were most variably used. On average, the group of aromatic plants scored higher regarding bacterial abundance, and richness and diversity of substrates used by the bacterial communities on their leaves; the lowest values for both substrate-use indices were recorded in A. unedo. Bacterial abundance or richness or diversity of substrates used did not vary with leaf oil content. Abundance was positively correlated with both substrate-use indices. Results support claims that the antimicrobial effects of essential oils are not exerted so much under natural conditions as reports based on biassays with pathogens usually show. Although essential oils play a part in the microbial colonization of the phyllosphere, it is not likely that inhibition of phyllosphere bacteria is essential oils’ primary role, at least in the Mediterranean environment.     

不同碳源在污水处理过程中的变化规律研究

通过对A2/O污水处理工艺长期的分析监测,探明了城市污水处理厂原水中有机物不同生物降解性及碳源赋存形态比例.原水中大部分有机物以颗粒态存在,占进水有机物的61%.原水中快速、慢速、难生物降解有机物比例分别为15.8%、54.2%和30%,快速生物降解有机物主要以溶解态存在,慢速生物降解有机物则主要以颗粒态存在.通过快速、慢速生物降解有机物的沿程监测分析,明确了两种碳源在污水处理过程中的变化规律,厌氧池与缺氧池内均存在微生物水解发酵引起的慢速生物降解有机物的转化作用,其中厌氧反应池的转化效率最高.分析计算了污水处理过程中不同碳源的转化,明确了快慢速有机物在各单元的转化和利用情况,结果指出,2 h内慢速生物降解有机物在厌氧池与好氧池转化率分别为33%和20%.从脂肪酸的种类及含量来说,厌氧池与缺氧池的脂肪酸的种类及含量均高于原水.     

泥炭预处理吸附垃圾渗滤液中的COD

通过对泥炭改性去除水中COD进行了试验研究。探讨了磷酸、硫酸、盐酸、硝酸和氢氧化钠对COD去除效果的影响和吸附机理。结果表明,在酸、碱改性过程中,用5%的硫酸改性的泥炭去除COD的效果最佳,改性泥炭用量为每10 g/100 mL,吸附时间为60 min,pH为10的试验条件下,COD的去除率为68.5%以上,磷酸较硫酸次之,去除率为55%左右,而盐酸和硝酸较差分别为45%和38%,氢氧化钠为40%左右。并对其吸附机理进行了研究,其吸附等温线符合Freundlich型。通过扫描电镜观察泥炭表面的结构,硫酸改性后的泥炭表面结构比较粗糙,比表面积最大,与实验结果相吻合。用原子吸收法对泥炭处理前后的水样进行比较,表明泥炭对重金属也有很好的去除率。本研究为泥炭利用提供了可借鉴的思路。     

太阳光催化氧化工艺对藻源含氮有机物的降解研究

利用小试试验研究了太阳光/TiO2体系对铜绿微囊藻细胞内的溶解性有机氮(DON)的氧化降解过程,考察了氧化降解过程中总可溶性蛋白、多糖、UV254等指标的变化,分析了其作用机理.结果表明,7h处理后,太阳光/TiO2体系对水样中的DON降解率为29%,且降解过程中TN含量基本没有变化,而NH4+和NO3-的浓度明显增加;氧化过程中,总可溶性蛋白和多糖的含量明显减少,去除率达48.6%和54.5%.水样的浑浊度、UV254和DOC也有不同程度的去除.