Removal of Cr(VI) from Cr-contaminated groundwater through electrochemical addition of Fe(II)

The conventional chemical reduction-precipitation technique in the removal of Cr(VI) from contaminated groundwater involves a two-step process whereby Cr(VI) is first reduced to Cr(III) at an acidic pH by a reducing agent and in a subsequent step, Cr(III) is precipitated as insoluble hydroxide at an alkaline pH. In a variation of this method, Fe(II) is added electrochemically to the Cr(VI) containing water. From a pure iron electrode, Fe(2+) ions are released into the solution and bring forth the reduction of Cr(VI). At the cathode, H(2)O is reduced whereby the OH(-) ions entering the solution keep the pH of the solution in the alkaline range. This latter fact greatly facilitates simultaneous reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) and co-precipitation of hydroxides of trivalent Cr and Fe. On the basis of a set of experimental data, it is shown that this process is both thermodynamically and kinetically efficient, meaning, with the electrochemical method, rapid and nearly complete removal of Cr(VI) from a groundwater source with both high and low levels of Cr-contamination can be achieved. These factors make the electrochemical process superior to the conventional chemical process in remediation of Cr-contaminated groundwater.     

Respective contributions of point and non-point sources of E. coli and enterococci in a large urbanized watershed (the Seine river, France)

Because the large rivers of the Seine watershed have a low microbiological water quality, the main sources of fecal contamination were investigated in the present study. The inputs of the point (wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) effluents) and non-point sources (surface runoff and soil leaching) of fecal bacteria were quantified for Escherichia coli and intestinal enteroccoci used as bacterial indicators. In order to assess the contamination through non-point sources, fecal indicators abundance was estimated in samples collected in small streams located in rural areas upstream from all point sources; these small rivers were characterized by the land use of their watershed. Bacterial indicator numbers were also measured in effluents of WWTPs, some using classical treatment (settling followed by activated sludge process) and some using an additional disinfection stage (UV irradiation). These data were used to estimate the respective importance of each type of source at the scale of the whole Seine river watershed taking into account the land use and the population density. It shows the predominant importance of the point sources of fecal indicator bacteria at the scale of the whole watershed. In a scenario in which activated sludge treatment would be complemented with UV in all WWTPs located in this watershed, the non-point sources of fecal indicator bacteria would be dominant.     

Assessment of the Effectiveness of Environmental Dredging in South Lake,China

Environmental dredging is a primary remedial option for removal of the contaminated material from aquatic environment. Of primary concern in environmental dredging is the effectiveness of the intended sediment removal. A 5-year field monitoring study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the environmental dredging in South Lake, China. The concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphors, and heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Hg, and As) before and after dredging in sediment were determined and compared. Multiple ecological risk indices were employed to assess the contamination of heavy metals before and after dredging. Our results showed that the total phosphorus levels reduced 42% after dredging. Similar changes for Hg, Zn, As Pb, Cd, Cu, Cr, and Ni were observed, with reduction percentages of 97.0, 93.1, 82.6, 63.9, 52.7, 50.1, 32.0, and 23.6, respectively, and the quality of sediment improved based on the criterion of Sediment Quality Guidelines by USEPA and contamination degree values (C_d) decreased significantly (paired t-test, p < 0.05). Unexpectedly, the TN increased 49% after dredging compared to before dredging. Findings from the study demonstrated that the environmental dredging was an effective mechanism for removal of total phosphorus and heavy metals from South Lake. Nevertheless, the dredging was ineffective to remove total nitrogen from sediment. We conclude that the reason for the observed increase in TN after dredging was likely ammonia release from the sediment impairing the dredging effectiveness.     

通过屋顶暴露方法模拟聚碳酸酯微塑料在长江水样的长期老化行为

由于较低的自然老化速率,微塑料在实际水体长期户外暴露过程中老化行为的数据仍较缺乏.通过聚碳酸酯（Polycarbonate,PC）微塑料在长江表层水样的18个月户外暴露试验以揭示自然老化过程对微塑料表面特征及对金属离子(Cr⁶⁺和Co²⁺)吸附行为的重要影响.结果显示,户外暴露改变了PC微塑料的理化性质,包括表面开裂、粒径降低、亲水性和熔点增加以及表面氧化（产生羰基和羟基）.同时,户外老化过程明显影响微塑料对金属离子的吸附行为.原始和低老化程度PC对金属离子的吸附主要通过物理作用控制,而高老化程度微塑料由于产生含氧功能团对金属离子的吸附主要由化学过程如络合和共价键等作用控制.并且,不同老化程度PC微塑料对Cr⁶⁺和Co²⁺的吸附性能不同.对于Cr⁶⁺,PC的吸附性能随其老化程度增加呈先升高后降低的趋势,然而对于Co²⁺,平衡吸附性能随老化程度增加呈增加的趋势.户外老化过程产生含氧官能团、破碎和开裂以及生物膜可能是影响吸附性能的主要因素.本研究证实了长期户外...     

天山北坡经济带土壤重金属来源及污染评价

为定量识别与评价天山北坡经济带中奇台、吉木萨尔、阜康等地区土壤重金属来源与生态风险,对该区域171个表层土壤中Zn、Cu、Cr、Pb、Hg、As和Cd7种常见重金属的含量进行测定.运用统计学方法、主成分分析、正定矩阵因子分解（PMF）与潜在生态风险指数进行重金属污染程度评价以及来源分析.结果表明,研究区土壤Zn、Cu与Cr之外,Pb、Hg、As和Cd分别超过了新疆土壤背景值4.1、2.0、8.0和48.0倍;与国家土壤重金属风险筛选值相比,Zn、Cr和Hg浓度在安全范围内,Cu与Pb有少部分样点污染较严重,超出筛选值,As与Cd平均值分别超出筛选值的3.09倍与19.17倍.污染来源分析结果显示研究区土壤中的重金属元素主要来自于燃煤源、交通运输、大气降尘、农工业排放和自然因素.生态风险评价结果分析表明,Zn、Cu、Cr和Pb处于轻微风险状态;Cd处于极高风险水平;73.68%的Hg处于中等风险,18.71%处于高风险;43.86%的As生态风险处于中等风险,51.46%处于高风险.综合潜在生态指数介于472~2575.69,Cd对综合潜在生态指数贡献率达到了89.24%,其次是As与Hg,表明研究区Cd对土壤生态环境危害很大,As与Hg也需要特别引起重视.     

Source identification, contamination status and health risk assessment of heavy metals from road dusts in Dhaka, Bangladesh

In this study, concentrations of Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb were determined in road dusts collected from different locations in Dhaka to assess source, contamination status and health risk. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to determine Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb and their mean concentrations were 162.27 ± 29.46, 721.18 ± 180.14, 35.65 ± 12.55, 104.56 ± 128.33, 515.32 ± 321.90, BDL, and 342.82 ± 591.20 mg/kg, respectively. Among the heavy metals, highest concentrations of Cu, Zn and Pb were found at urban sites-7 (municipal waste dumping) and 8 (medical waste incineration). Highest concentration of Cr followed by Cu and Zn was found at site-5 (Tejgaon, urban). Principal component analysis revealed that anthropogenic activities are the potential sources for Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb while earth crust for Mn. Pollution index and pollution load index results suggested that all the sites were contaminated and/or degraded by Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb except sites-9 (urban), 10 (sub-urban), 11 (rural) while sites-7 and 8 (urban) were extremely degraded. For noncarcinogenic health risk, hazard quotient values for dermal were higher compared to that of inhalation/ingestion. Though hazard index values were less than 1 at all the sites, these were at least one order of magnitude higher for children group than that of adult group, thus the children group may face more noncarcinogenic health risk at sites-7 and 8. Values of incremental lifetime cancer risk were from 10⁻⁹ to 10⁻¹¹ showed no carcinogenic health risk by road dusts contaminated with the heavy metals.     

Novel eco-friendly spherical porous adsorbent fabricated from Pickering middle internal phase emulsions for removal of Pb(II) and Cd (II)

Spherical porous materials prepared from the emulsion template used in the water treat-ment have displayed a vast prospect,as the high surface area,abundant porous structure,convenient operation and excellent adsorption performance.But the tedious fabrication process,high consumption of organic solvent and surfactant limited the application widely.Herein,a facile and eco-friendly spherical porous adsorbent (SPA) is fabricated from the green surfactant-free (corn oil)-in-water Pickering medium internal phase emulsions (Pick-ering MIPEs) via the convenient ion crosslinking procedure.The Pickering MIPEs synergis-tically stabilized with the semi-coke (SC),which is the natural particle produced from the shale oil distillation,and sodium alginate (SA) has excellent storage and anti-coalescence stability.The as-prepared porous adsorbent possessed the abundant pore structure,which provided favorable conditions for effective mass transfer in adsorption,and could be tuned by varying the SA dosage.The saturation adsorption capacities of Pb(Ⅱ) and Cd(Ⅱ) can be achieved with 460.54 and 278.77 mg/g within 45 min at 25℃,respectively.Overall,this study supplied a viable and eco-friendly route for fabricating the spherical porous adsorbent with a tunable porous structure for heavy metal ion wastewater.     

Antibiotics along an alpine river and in the receiving lake with a catchment dominated by grazing husbandry

The livestock breeding industries face overuse of antibiotics, which has been intensively studied in recent years. However, the occurrence and fate of antibiotics as well as their potential threats to the aquatic environments in alpine and arid regions remain unclear. This study investigated the relationship of the occurrence and concentrations of antibiotics between the Kaidu River and Bosten Lake in a typical alpine basin in China. Hot spots with antibiotic pollution source were explored. The antibiotic concentrations in river water and suspended sediment (SPS) were 2.20-99.4 ng/L and 1.03-176 ng/g. The dominant antibiotics were tetracyclines, sulphacetamide, and ofloxacin in river water and sulfonamides, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, and ofloxacin in SPS. The apparent differences in pollution sources and landscapes in different reaches led to the obvious spatial patterns of antibiotics in the Kaidu River. Higher partition coefficient of antibiotic between SPS and water phases for sulfonamides than tetracyclines was because that tetracyclines strongly responded to clay contents while sulfonamides significantly responded to organic carbon contents in SPS. There were significant differences in detected antibiotic categories between the river and the lake. Fluoroquinolones (especially ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin) were detected in the lake while sulphacetamide was only detected in the river. Therefore, the surrounding husbandry and aquaculture around the Bosten Lake was an important antibiotic pollution source in addition to inputs from the Kaidu River. This research suggested that alpine lakes could be an important sink of antibiotics in alpine dry regions, and thus impose greater threats to the aquatic ecosystem.     

基于平面压入技术研究焊接接头单轴应力-应变关系

目的 获取异种金属焊接接头母材和热影响区局部拉伸应力-应变关系。方法 对压水堆机组蒸汽发生器接管安全端异种金属焊接接头(20MND 5-INCONEL 52-Z2 CND 18.12控氮)进行研究,通过金相检验和显微硬度测试,研究DMWJ母材、热影响区、焊缝熔合线位置的金相组织和维氏硬度分布。采用等直圆棒拉伸试验获得DMWJ低合金钢(20MND 5)母材的应力-应变关系,采用基于能量等效理论的平面压入技术获得DMWJ低合金钢母材、热影响区和焊缝局部材料应力-应变关系。结果 DMWJ材料组织、力学性能不均匀,等直圆棒拉伸试验得到的低合金钢母材拉伸应力-应变关系与平面压入技术测得结果较为吻合。结论 基于能量等效理论的平面压入技术可精确测得DMWJ低合金钢母材、热影响区和焊缝局部材料应力-应变关系,对压水堆核电站DMWJ在役检测及结构完整性评价具有重要意义。     

经济发达县域耕地土壤重金属污染评价及其影响因素分析

通过对昆山市14个区镇91个土壤样品中As、Cd、Cr、Cu、Pb、Ni、Hg、Zn 8种重金属测定分析，对该市耕地土壤重金属污染进行评价并进行重金属污染的影响因素分析。结果表明，昆山市耕地土壤存在不同程度的轻微污染，重金属Cd、Cr、Cu、Pb、Hg、Zn均超过国家土壤背景值，旱地、水田中均以Hg污染范围较广、变异系数较大。综合污染指数表现为水田（115）>旱地（100）。区镇耕地重金属污染评价表明千灯、陆扬、石浦、锦溪、石牌处于警戒值之内，蓬朗、周庄、张浦、正仪、周市、巴城、淀山湖、花桥、陆家轻度污染；昆山市耕地土壤中重金属元素均未超过土壤环境基本容量，能够保证作物品质和农业持续发展。同时，研究表明区域重金属轻微污染具有复合污染的特性，Cd、Pb相关性最高(〖WTBX〗P〖WTBZ〗=0621 0)， Pb与Hg、Cu、Zn、Cu与Cr也有相关性（0438 7、0426 0、0350 9、0394 0），区域重金属的轻微污染受人为因素影响显著，研究指出应加强对区域优先控制污染物Hg、次优先控制污染物Pb、Cd、Zn、Cu、Cr的控制与治理。