Using chemical process simulation to design industrial ecosystems

Chemical process simulation (CPS) software has been widely used by chemical (process) engineers to design, test, optimise, and integrate process plants. It is expected that industrial ecologists to bring these same problem-solving benefits to the design and operation of industrial ecosystems can use CPS. This paper provides industrial ecology researchers and practitioners with an introduction to CPS and an overview of chemical engineering design principles. The paper highlights recent research showing that CPS can be used to model industrial ecosystems, and discusses the benefits of using CPS to address some of the technical challenges facing companies participating in an industrial ecosystem. CPS can be used to (i) quantitatively evaluate and compare the potential environmental and financial benefits of material and energy linkages; (ii) solve general design, retrofit, or operational problems; (iii) help to identify complex and often counter-intuitive solutions; and (iv) evaluate what-if scenarios. CPS should be a useful addition to the industrial ecology toolbox.     

PBNA及其同分异构体PANA在小鼠ICR系中致癌性的比较研究

对幼ICR雄性小鼠多次皮下注射PANA或它的同分异构体PANA的二甲基亚砜溶液,总剂量432mg,实验周期在10个月左右时均能引起显著高于对照组动物的恶性肿瘤.PANA诱发小鼠肿瘤可能存在剂量——反应关系.PBNA和PANA诱发肿瘤率相似,均以肺癌为主,但明显有不同的亲器官性.实验结果提示二者的致癌机理可能不是由于形成相应的萘胺所致.PANA对动物有致癌性,在国内外尚未见有报道.     

热辐射的破坏准则和池火灾的破坏半径

热辐射破坏是发生在开放气环境中的池火灾的主要破坏机理。本文讨论了热辐射的破坏准则，提出预测池火灾破坏半径的方法，进行了数值模拟计算，分而和时纳了池火灾的基本规律     

The Ethical Contract as a Tool in Organic Animal Husbandry

This article explores what an ethicfor organic animal husbandry might look like,departing from the assumption that organicfarming is substantially based in ecocentricethics. We argue that farm animals arenecessary functional partners in sustainableagroecosystems. This opens up additional waysto argue for their moral standing. We suggestan ethical contract to be used as acomplementary to the ecocentric framework. Weexpound the content of the contract and end bysuggesting how to apply this contract inpractice. The contract enjoins us to share thewealth created in the agroecosystem (by ourjoint contributions) by enjoining us to carefor the welfare and needs of the individualanimal, and to protect them from exploitation(just as human co-workers should not beexploited). The contract makes promoting goodanimal welfare a necessary condition forbenefiting farm animals. Animals for their partare guaranteed coverage under the contract solong as they continue to contribute to thesystem with products and services.     

表面活性剂加强动电技术去除污泥中铜和镉

以实际城市污泥为研究对象,通过采用表面活性剂作为阴极液,并考虑阴极液pH值、表面活性剂类型和电压3种因素对动电技术去除污泥中重金属(铜和镉)的影响,选用正交试验确定最佳试验条件.结果表明,采用表明活性剂作为阴极液加强动电技术去除污泥中重金属足可行的,铜和镉的去除率分别达到11.1%～52.6%和9.1%～46.7%.通过对正交试验结果进行极差和方差分析,试验的最佳条件为:电压为20 V,阴极液加入十六烷基三甲基氯化铵并控制pH值为4～6.表面活性剂的类型对动电技术去除镉具有显著影响.其中,表面活性剂类型对动电过程的影响最大,阴极液pH值次之,电压影响最小.     

The first commercial supercritical water oxidation sludge processing plant

Final disposal of sludge continues to be one of the more pressing problems for the wastewater treatment industry. Present regulations for municipal sludge have favored beneficial use, primarily in land application. However, several agencies and entities have warned of potential health risks associated with these methods. Hydrothermal oxidation provides an alternative method that addresses the health concerns associated with sludge disposal by completely converting all organic matter in the sludge to carbon dioxide, water, and other innocuous materials. A hydrothermal oxidation system using HydroProcessing, L.L.C.'s HydroSolids process has been installed at Harlingen, Texas to process up to 9.8 dry tons per day of sludge. Based on a literature review, this system is the largest hydrothermal oxidation system in the world, and the only one built specifically to process a sludge. Start up of Unit 1 of two units of the HTO system began in April 2001. Early results have indicated COD conversion rates in excess of 99.9%. Harlingen Waterworks System estimates that the HydroSolids system will cost less than other alternatives such as autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion and more traditional forms of digestion that still require dewatering and final disposal. The Waterworks intends to generate income from the sale of energy in the form of hot water and the use of carbon dioxide from the HydroSolids process for neutralization of high pH industrial effluent. The Waterworks also expects to generate income from the treatment of septage and grease trap wastes.     

Effects of Acid Rain on Competitive Releases of Cd, Cu, and Zn from Two Natural Soils and Two Contaminated Soils in Hunan, China

Leaching experiments of rebuilt soil columns with two simulated acid rain solutions (pH 4.6–3.8) were conducted for two natural soils and two artificial contaminated soils from Hunan, south-central China, to study effects of acid rain on competitive releases of soil Cd, Cu, and Zn. Distilled water was used in comparison. The results showed that the total releases were Zn>Cu>Cd for the natural soils and Cd>Zn≫Cu for the contaminated soils, which reflected sensitivity of these metals to acid rain. Leached with different acid rain, about 26–76% of external Cd and 11–68% external Zn were released, but more than 99% of external Cu was adsorbed by the soils, and therefore Cu had a different sorption and desorption pattern from Cd and Zn. Metal releases were obviously correlated with releases of TOC in the leachates, which could be described as an exponential equation. Compared with the natural soils, acid rain not only led to changes in total metal contents, but also in metal fraction distributions in the contaminated soils. More acidified soils had a lower sorption capacity to metals, mostly related to soil properties such as pH, organic matter, soil particles, adsorbed SO₄ ²⁻, exchangeable Al³⁺ and H⁺, and contents of Fe₂O₃ and Al₂O₃.     

解决室内污染——绿色家装和救济途径

我国室内环境污染严重，而装修污染是室内污染的主要源头之一，解决这一问题的关键是倡导“绿色家装”理念，绿化室内环境。文章还提出了处理室内环境污染损害的救济途径。     

利川市生活垃圾卫生填埋场场址的比选

选址是卫生填埋场建设和运行的关键。以利川市实际情况为前提和依据，筐选出7个预选场址，经实地踏勘和从填坦容量、运输距离、搬迁户数量等方面分析，遴选出其中3个；分别从工程学、环境学、经济学、社会与法律等方面中如交通状况、服务年限、占地面积、基岩类型、渗透系数、地下水位、覆盖土来源等13项具体条件上对3个备选场址进行了详细的分析比较，确定杨柳村大天井为最终选定场址。利川垃圾填埋场的选址工作也可以为同类型的城市或地区提供参考和借鉴。     

Sulfur speciation and bioaccumulation in camphor tree leaves as atmospheric sulfur indicator analyzed by synchrotron radiation XRF and XANES

Analyzing and understanding the effects of ambient pollution on plants is getting more and more attention as a topic of environmental biology.A method based on synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence and X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy was established to analyze the sulfur concentration and speciation in mature camphor tree leaves (CTLs),which were sampled from 5 local fields in Shanghai,China.Annual SO2 concentration,SO42-concentration in atmospheric particulate,SO42-and sulfur concentration in soil were also analyzed to explore the relationship between ambient sulfur sources and the sulfur nutrient cycling in CTLs.Total sulfur concentration in mature camphor tree leaves was 766-1704 mg/kg.The mainly detected sulfur states and their corresponding compounds were +6 (sulfate,include inorganic sulfate and organic sulfate),+5.2 (sulfonate),+2.2 (suloxides),+0.6 (thiols and thiothers),+0.2 (organic sulfides).Total sulfur concentration was strongly correlated with sulfate proportion with a linear correlation coefficient up to 0.977,which suggested that sulfur accumulated in CTLs as sulfate form.Reduced sulfur compounds (organic sulfides,thiols,thioethers,sulfoxide and sulfonate) assimilation was sufficed to meet the nutrient requirement for growth at a balanced level around 526 mg/kg.The sulfate accumulation mainly caused by atmospheric sulfur pollution such as SO2 and airborne sulfate particulate instead of soil contamination.From urban to suburb place,sulfate in mature CTLs decreased as the atmospheric sulfur pollution reduced,but a dramatic increase presented near the seashore,where the marine sulfate emission and maritime activity pollution were significant.The sulfur concentration and speciation in mature CTLs effectively represented the long-term biological accumulation of atmospheric sulfur pollution in local environment.