Anaerobic biodegradation of PAHs in mangrove sediment with amendment of NaHCO3

Mangrove sediment is unique in chemical and biological properties. Many of them suffer polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon(PAH) contamination. However, the study on PAH biological remediation for mangrove sediment is deficient. Enriched PAH-degrading microbial consortium and electron acceptor amendment are considered as two effective measures. Compared to other electron acceptors, the study on CO2, which is used by methanogens, is still seldom. This study investigated the effect of Na HCO3 amendment on the anaerobic biodegradation of four mixed PAHs, namely fluorene(Fl), phenanthrene(Phe),fluoranthene(Flua) and pyrene(Pyr), with or without enriched PAH-degrading microbial consortium in mangrove sediment slurry. The trends of various parameters, including PAH concentrations, microbial population size, electron-transport system activities, electron acceptor and anaerobic gas production were monitored. The results revealed that the inoculation of enriched PAH-degrading consortium had a significant effect with half lives shortened by 7–13 days for 3-ring PAHs and 11–24 days for 4-ring PAHs. While Na HCO3 amendment did not have a significant effect on the biodegradation of PAHs and other parameters, except that CO2 gas in the headspace of experimental flasks was increased.One of the possible reasons is that mangrove sediment contains high concentrations of other electron acceptors which are easier to be utilized by anaerobic bacteria, the other one is that the anaerobes in mangrove sediment can produce enough CO2 gas even without adding Na HCO3.     

Characterizations of organic compounds in diesel exhaust particulates

To characterize how the speed and load of a medium-duty diesel engine affected the organic compounds in diesel particle matter (PM) below 1 μm, four driving conditions were examined. At all four driving conditions, concentration of identifiable organic compounds in PM ultrafine (34–94 nm) and accumulation (94–1000 nm) modes ranged from 2.9 to 5.7 μg/m³ and 9.5 to 16.4 μg/m³, respectively. As a function of driving conditions, the non-oxygen-containing organics exhibited a reversed concentration trend to the oxygen-containing organics. The identified organic compounds were classified into eleven classes: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatic hydrocarbons, carboxylic acids, esters, ketones, alcohols, ethers, nitrogen-containing compounds, and sulfur-containing compounds. At all driving conditions, alkane class consistently showed the highest concentration (8.3 to 18.0 μg/m³) followed by carboxylic acid, esters, ketones and alcohols. Twelve polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were identified with a total concentration ranging from 37.9 to 174.8 ng/m³. In addition, nine nitrogen-containing polycyclic aromatic compounds (NPACs) were identified with a total concentration ranging from 7.0 to 10.3 ng/m³. The most abundant PAH (phenanthrene) and NPACs (7,8-benzoquinoline and 3-nitrophenanthrene) comprise a similar molecular (3 aromatic-ring) structure under the highest engine speed and engine load.     

南太湖地区湖州市大气PM_(2.5)中多环芳烃的研究——污染现状和人体暴露健康风险评价

运用智能综合大气采样仪采集了南太湖地区湖州市大气PM 10和PM 2.5样品,采用高效液相色谱检测了该样品中16种多环芳烃化合物,通过苯并(a)芘(Ba P)致癌等效浓度、人群终身超额致癌风险和预期寿命损失等指标,评价湖州市大气PM2.5中多环芳烃的人群健康风险。结果表明:全市大气PM 2.5中多环芳烃全年总平均浓度为11.59 ng/m 3,季平均浓度范围在4.775~23.98 ng/m3之间,季节之间呈现一定的变化,冬季秋季春季夏季;全市大气PM 2.5中多环芳烃的苯并(a)芘总致癌等效浓度(TEQ)年均值为1.138 ng/m3,污染所致的成人和儿童的终身超额致癌风险分别为8.7×10-6和6.0×10-6,成人的预期寿命损失为44.5 min。     

A nanocomposite consisting of silica-coated magnetite and phenyl-functionalized graphene oxide for extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon from aqueous matrices

In this study,graphene oxide was covalently immobilized on silica-coated magnetite and then modified with 2-phenylethylamine to give a nanocomposite of type Fe_3O_4@SiO_2@GO-PEA that can be applied to the magnetic solid-phase extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) from water samples.The resulting microspheres(Fe_3O_4@SiO_2@GO-PEA) were characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),CHNS elemental analysis,and vibrating sample magnetometry(VSM) techniques.The adsorbent possesses the magnetic properties of Fe_3O_4 nanoparticles that allow them easily to be separated by an external magnetic field.They also have the high specific surface area of graphene oxide which improves adsorption capacity.Desorption conditions,extraction time,amount of adsorbent,salt concentration,and pH were investigated and optimized.Following desorption,the PAHs were quantified by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection(GC-FID).The limits of detection(at an S/N ratio of 3) were achieved from 0.005 to0.1 μg/L with regression coefficients(R~2) higher than 0.9954.The relative standard deviations(RSDs) were below 5.8%(intraday) and 6.2%(inter-day),respectively.The method was successfully applied to the analysis of PAHs in environmental water samples where it showed recoveries in the range between 71.7%and 106.7%(with RSDs of 1.6%to 8.4%,for n = 3).The results indicated that the Fe_3O_4@SiO_2@GO-PEA microspheres had a great promise to extraction of PAHs from different water samples.     

Combined effect of nonionic surfactant Tween 80 and DOM on the behaviors of PAHs in soil--water system

Batch experiments were performed to examine the desorption behavior of phenanthrene and pyrene in soil–water system in the presence of nonionic surfactant Tween 80 and dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from pig manure or pig manure compost. Addition of 150 mg l⁻¹ Tween 80 desorbed 5.8% and 2.1% of phenanthrene and pyrene from soil into aqueous phase, respectively, while the addition of both Tween 80 and DOM derived from pig manure compost and pig manure could further enhance the desorption of phenanthrene to 15.8% and 16.2%, respectively, and 6.4% and 10.9%, respectively, for pyrene. In addition, our finding also suggested that subsequent addition of Tween 80 into the soil–water system could further enhance PAHs desorption. The enhancement effect of the co-existence of Tween 80 and DOM was more than the additive effect of the Tween 80 and DOM individually. It is likely that the formation of DOM–surfactant complex in the soil–water system may be a possible reason to explain such desorption enhancement phenomenon. Therefore, it is anticipated that the coexistence of both Tween 80 and DOM derived from pig manure or pig manure compost in soil environment will enhance the bioavailability of PAHs as well as other hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) by enhancing the desorption during remediation process.     

Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by sensitized room temperature phosphorescence

Direct and selective simultaneous determination of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by sensitized room temperature phosphorescence in sodium dodecylsulphate micellar solutions was studied. This approach improved, for example, the selectivity factor in determining pyrene in the presence of fluoranthene by a factor of 350, and determined benz[a]anthracene and anthracene in the presence of pyrene with the selectivity factors as high as 200–220. Triphaflavine and acridine orange as triplet energy donors, thallium (I) nitrate as a heavy atom, and sodium sulphite were used as scavengers of oxygen. A comparative study of linear concentration ranges, detection limits and selectivity factors is presented here for pyrene, benz[a]anthracene and anthracene determination by fluorescence, phosphorescence and sensitized phosphorescence. Electronic Publication     

Historical record of effects of human activities on absolute and relative concentrations of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Lake Chao, China

正Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs)are attracting concern because of their potential toxicity,posing serious threats to health of humans and ecosystems(Kim et al.,2013;Zhao et al.,2016).Generally,similar to other contaminants'behaviors(Wu et al.,2001;Zhang et al.,2007,2008;Lu et al.,2009),PAHs result from natural organic matter and activities of humans,the latter's contribution usually outweighing the inputs from other sources(Fernández et al.,2000;Srogi,2007).     

Assessing inhalatory and dermal exposures and their resultant health-risks for workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contained in oil mists in a fastener manufacturing industry

This study first assessed workers' inhalatory and dermal exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contained in oil mists. Then, their resultant lung cancer and skin cancer risks were estimated. Finally, control strategies were initiated from the health-risk management aspect. All threading workers in a fastener manufacturing plant were included. 16 inhalatory and 88 dermal PAH exposure samples were collected. Results show that the inhalatory gas phase total PAH exposure level (8.60x10(4) ng/m(3)) was much higher than that of particle phase (2.30x10(3) ng/m(3)). Workers' mean inhalatory exposure level (8.83x10(4) ng/m(3)) was lower, but its corresponding 1-sided upper 95% confidence level (UCL(1,95%)=1.02x10(5) ng/m(3)) was higher than the time-weighted average permissible exposure level (PEL-TWA) regulated in Taiwan for PAHs (1.00x10(5) ng/m(3)). The mean whole body total PAHs dermal exposure levels was 5.44x10(6) ng/day and the top five exposed surface areas were lower arm, hand, upper arm, neck, and head/front. The estimated lifetime skin cancer risk (9.72x10(-3)) was lower than that of lung cancer risk (1.64x10(-2)), but both were higher than the significant risk level (10(-3)) defined by the US Supreme Court in 1980. The installation of a local exhaust ventilation system at the threading machine should be considered as the first priority measurement because both lung and skin cancer risks can be reduced simultaneously. If the personal protection equipment would be adopted in the future, both respiratory protection equipment and protective clothing should be used simultaneously.     

空气中多环芳烃的研究进展

介绍了国内对大气中气态,颗粒态ＰＡＨｓ的研究概况,室内外空气中ＰＡＨｓ污染与城市交通间的相关性,ＰＡＨｓ总量代表物,硝基ＰＡＨｓ及人体接触ＰＡＨｓ的生物指标。     

Stable isotope fractionation analysis as a tool to monitor biodegradation in contaminated acquifers

The assessment of biodegradation in contaminated aquifers has become an issue of increasing importance in the recent years. To some extent, this can be related to the acceptance of intrinsic bioremediation or monitored natural attenuation as a means to manage contaminated sites. Among the few existing methods to detect biodegradation in the subsurface, stable isotope fractionation analysis (SIFA) is one of the most promising approaches which is pronounced by the drastically increasing number of applications. This review covers the recent laboratory and field studies assessing biodegradation of contaminants via stable isotope analysis. Stable isotope enrichment factors have been found that vary from no fractionation for dioxygenase reactions converting aromatic hydrocarbons over moderate fractionation by monooxygenase reactions (epsilon=-3 per thousand) and some anaerobic studies on microbial degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons (epsilon=-1.7 per thousand) to larger fractionations by anaerobic dehalogenation reactions of chlorinated solvents (epsilon=between -5 per thousand and -30 per thousand). The different isotope enrichment factors can be related to the respective biochemical reactions. Based on that knowledge, we discuss under what circumstances SIFA can be used for a qualitative or even a quantitative assessment of biodegradation in the environment. In a steadily increasing number of cases, it was possible to explain biodegradation processes in the field based on isotope enrichment factors obtained from laboratory experiments with pure cultures and measured isotope values from the field. The review will focus on the aerobic and anaerobic degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents as the major contaminants of groundwater. Advances in the instrumental development for stable isotope analysis are only mentioned if it is important for the understanding of the application.