Optimization of Electrocoagulation Process for the Treatment of Metal Cutting Wastewaters with Response Surface Methodology

In the present investigation, treatment of metal cutting wastewater (MCW) using electrocoagulation (EC) process is designed and analyzed using response surface methodology (RSM). RSM is applied to optimize the operating variables viz. initial pH, current density, and operating time on the treatment of MCW in a batch mode by EC process using iron and aluminum electrodes. Quadratic models are developed for the responses such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), and turbidity, and operating cost is calculated with respect to energy, electrode, and chemical consumptions. The actual COD, TOC, and turbidity removal efficiencies at optimized conditions are found to be 93.0%, 83.0%, and 99.8% for Fe electrode and 93.5%, 85.2%, and 99.9% for Al electrode, respectively, which agree well with the predicted response. The proposed model fits very well with the experimental data with R ² adjusted correlation coefficients of 0.927 for COD, 0.924 for TOC, and 0.968 for turbidity removal for Al and 0.904 for COD, 0.976 for TOC, and 0.989 for turbidity removal for Fe electrodes, respectively. This study clearly shows that RSM is one of the suitable methods to optimize the operating conditions and maximize the COD, TOC, and turbidity removal efficiencies for both electrodes while keeping the operating costs to minimal (0.371 ?/m³ for Fe and 0.337 ?/m³ for Al electrodes).     

Dry Deposition of Atmospheric Sulphur and Nitrogen in Russia and the Former USSR

Generally, dry deposition processes are very important for atmospheric chemistry of pollutants providing up to 30–80 % of the removal for certain compounds from the atmosphere. The model for calculating of dry deposition fluxes for a large territory seems unsophisticated in spite of the dependence on surface characteristics, pollutant properties and atmospheric conditions. The approach of combining monthly average concentrations measured at the Integrated Background Monitoring Network (IBMoN) and EMEP stations and linear dry deposition velocity was used to calculate total sulphur and nitrogen fluxes for the whole of the former Soviet Union (FSU) taking into account large-scale geographical variability in climate and lands. Most values of all SO₂ and SO₄ ^2? concentrations were below 2.9 and 3.1 mgS/m³, and NO₂ concentration were 1.5 mgN/m³ over European part and 0.6 mgN/m³ in Western Siberia. The long-term trends of oxidised sulphur and nitrogen compounds in the atmosphere were examined for 1982–1998 in certain FSU regions. Annual dry deposition of sulphur was estimated as 3.64 Mt S (in sulphate form) and 2.76 Mt S (in SO₂ form) for the whole area of FSU. Annual removal of NO₂ by dry deposition was calculated at 1.27 Mt N. These values constituted between 44 and 50% of total oxidised sulphur and nitrogen deposition.     

Full-Scale Experiment on Domestic Wastewater Treatment by Combining Artificial Aeration Vertical- and Horizontal-Flow Constructed Wetlands System

To improve domestic wastewater treatment for total nitrogen (TN) removal, a full-scale constructed wetlands combining an artificially aerated vertical- (AVCW) and a horizontal-flow constructed wetland (HCW) was completed in July 2007. The system covered a total area of 7,610?m². From 2 July 2007 to 7 August 2008, the treatment capacity was 2,076?m³?day^?1 with an aeration quantity of 7,400?m³?day^?1. The system effectively reduced the average annual output of BOD₅ (52.0?%), NH₄?CN (58.41?%), and TP (41.61?%), although the percentage reductions of other pollutants, including chemical oxygen demand (34.1?%), suspended solid (38.9?%), and TN (31.05?%) were lower. The purpose of the HCW was for denitrification of the effluent from the AVCW, and annual average of 34.27?% of NO₃?CN was removed compared with the reading at the AVCW outlet. With hydraulic loading increased to 4,152?m³?day^?1 from 9 September to 23 November 2007, the removal rate for NO₃?CN from the HCW decreased substantially from 48.80 to 18.86?%. The total removal rates of NH₄?CN showed significant positive correlation with DO content in the AVCW and with total TN removal rates for the combined system (P?<?0.05). The study indicated that, even with limited artificial aeration, nitrification was very effective for NH₄?CN removal.     

Oxygen Transfer and Industrial Wastewater Treatment Efficiency of a Vertically Moving Biofilm System

A vertically moving biofilm system (VMBS) was developed to treat wastewater. In this system, the biofilm grows on a biofilm module consisting of plastic media that is vertically and repeatedly moved up into the air and down into the water. The objectives of this study were to investigate the oxygen transfer efficiency and industrial wastewater treatment performance of the VMBS. The oxygen transfer coefficient (K _L a) depended on the movement frequency (n) of the biofilm module and was proportional to n ^1.67. K _L a values measured were within the range of 0.0001 to 0.0027 s^-1. The VMBS exhibited good carbonaceous removal when treating industrial wastewater produced in a factory manufacturing synthetic fibres. Removal efficiency of filtered chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD₅) was up to 93.2 and 97.9%, respectively. The volumetric removal rates of filtered COD and BOD₅ reached 1320 g COD m^-3 day^-1 and 700 g BOD₅ m^-3 day^-1. The areal organic removal rates, based on the surface area of the biofilm substrata, were 16 g BOD₅ m^-2 day^-1 and 39 g COD m^-2 day^-1. No clogging occurred during the experiment. The mean areal biofilm mass increased with increasing the mean areal BOD₅ removal rate. The new biofilm process has such advantages as high carbonaceous oxidation, energy saving, simpleconstruction and easy operation for industrial wastewater treatment.     

Nutrient Removal in Pilot-Scale Constructed Wetlands Treating Eutrophic River Water: Assessment of Plants, Intermittent Artificial Aeration and Polyhedron Hollow Polypropylene Balls

Seven experimental pilot-scale subsurface vertical-flow constructed wetlands were designed to assess the effect of plants [Typha latifolia L. (cattail)], intermittent artificial aeration and the use of polyhedron hollow polypropylene balls (PHPB) as part of the wetland substrate on nutrient removal from eutrophic Jinhe River water in Tianjin, China. During the entire running period, observations indicated that plants played a negligible role in chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal but significantly enhanced ammonia–nitrogen (NH₄–N), nitrate–nitrogen (NO₃–N) total nitrogen (TN), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and total phosphorus (TP) removal. The introduction of intermittent artificial aeration and the presence of PHPB could both improve COD, NH₄–N, TN, SRP and TP removal. Furthermore, aerated wetlands containing PHPB performed best; the following improvements were noted: 10.38 g COD/m² day, 1.34 g NH₄–N/m² day, 1.04 g TN/m² day, 0.07 g SRP/m² day and 0.07 g TP/m² day removal, if compared to non-aerated wetlands without PHPB being presented.     

镉污染中性土壤伴矿景天修复的硫强化及其微生物效应

田间微区试验研究了施硫(S)处理对中性镉污染农田上伴矿景天镉吸取修复效率、土壤pH、有效态镉(Cd)、有效态硫以及微生物群落变化的影响。结果发现,土壤pH值随时间和硫用量的增加而显著下降,有效态镉和有效态硫随时间和硫用量的增加而显著增加。在360 g/m_²硫处理下,伴矿景天地上部镉浓度为70.9 mg/kg,较不施硫对照(38.3 mg/kg)增加85%,耕层土壤全量镉去除率为19.4%,是对照(10.5%)的1.85倍。施硫处理150天后,土壤Thiomonas和Rhodanobacter细菌相对丰度显著高于试验前土壤和对照处理。本试验结果表明,中性土壤施加适量硫磺不仅可显著提高污染土壤中镉的生物有效性,也可通过调节与硫代谢相关的功能微生物,显著增强镉的植物吸取修复效率。     

絮凝预处理对奶牛场膜生物反应器膜污染影响的中试试验

为探讨经济实用的高浓度奶牛场污水预处理方法,该研究开展了絮凝预处理对膜生物反应器（Membrane Bioreactor,MBR）膜污染的影响试验,试验采用高浓度奶牛场污水原水和絮凝出水作为MBR进水依次运行,对比分析了不同进水的膜污染规律及其原因。结果表明,絮凝出水作为MBR进水时膜污染速率较污水原水降低47%且膜组件的维护性清洗时间间隔由10 d延长至16 d;MBR处理污水原水的膜池混合液中胞外聚合物（Extracellular Polymeric Substances,EPS）和溶解性微生物产物（Soluble Microbial Products,SMP）浓度分别为4.76和3.94 g/L,而处理絮凝出水时的EPS和SMP浓度值分别为3.97和2.23 g/L。两阶段MBR膜池混合液各粒径值总体上均呈现先增大后减小的趋势,第1和第2阶段的最大粒径体积百分比分别出现在第16天和第23天,第1阶段EPS浓度和SMP浓度均随着颗粒粒径的增大而减小,第2阶段EPS浓度随着颗粒粒径的增大而增大但SMP浓度与颗粒物粒径之间无变化规律;MBR处理污水原水的膜池混合液颗粒粒径的峰值较分散,且16 d后峰值向小粒径方向移动,而处理絮凝出水的峰值粒径相对稳定,且峰值粒径对应的最大体积百分比从3.57%增加至5.95%。MBR对2种进水的化学需氧量（Chemical Oxygen Demand,COD）去除率均可达90%以上,氨氮（Ammonia Nitrogen,NH3-N）去除率均接近90%,对絮凝出水的总磷（Total Phosphorus,TP）处理效果高于污水原水。絮凝预处理使膜池混合液的EPS和SMP浓度降低且SMP蛋白质浓度显著降低（P<0.05）、膜池混合液颗粒粒径显著增加（P<0.05）,有效减缓了MBR的膜污染,絮凝预处理与MBR组合可望为高浓度奶牛场污水处理提供可靠的技术途径。     

华北平原种植结构变化对农业需水的影响

不同种植结构下的农田需水研究是调整农业种植结构、制定切实可行的区域灌溉方案的重要依据。为了定量估算华北平原种植结构变化对农业需水的影响,本文基于MODIS NDVI数据和TM/ETM遥感影像提取了2002年和2012年华北平原主要作物类型及其种植面积,同时基于作物系数法计算了华北平原7种主要作物需水量,分析了华北平原种植结构变化对作物需水的影响。结果表明:2002—2012年,主要作物种植面积减少60.7万hm~2。其中,种植面积明显减少的作物分别为冬小麦-夏玉米(-43.18万hm~2)、棉花(-32.43万hm~2)、水稻(-9.3万hm~2)和春玉米(-4.9万hm~2),种植面积增加的作物主要是林果(+16.61万hm~2)和蔬菜(+12.6万hm~2)。2002—2012年,华北平原主要作物的总需水量从742.7亿m~3下降至695.5亿m~3,共下降6.37%。其中,需水量减少的作物类型为冬小麦-夏玉米(-35.41亿m~3)、棉花(-24.31亿m~3)、水稻(-7.48亿m~3)和春玉米(-2.1亿m~3),需水量增加的为林果(+11.24亿m~3)和蔬菜(+10.71亿m~3)。从空间分布来看,华北平原作物需水量整体呈减少趋势,仅在河北平原、鲁西北以及滨海平原靠近城市周边的区域呈增加趋势,其中滨海平原需水增加量最大。华北平原由于作物种植面积减小引起的作物需水减少量达44.7亿m~3;由作物种植结构调整引起的作物需水减少量为2.5亿m~3。种植规模的减小是华北平原作物需水量减少的主要原因。     

Sewage Treatment in a Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC) System

The treatment of domestic wastewater at a temperature of 12–24°C was investigated in an RBC system. The RBC consists of a two stage system connected in series. The system was operated at different organic loading rates (OLR's) and hydraulic retntion times (HRT's) in order to optimize the RBC performance. The overall removal efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand (COD_total, COD_suspended and COD_colloidal) significantly decreased when decreasing the total HRT from 10 to 2.5 h and increasing the OLR from 11 to 47 g COD/m².d. However, the effluent quality of COD_soluble remained unaffected. Most of the COD was removed in the 1^st stage and nitrification took place in the 2^nd stage of the two stage system.The overall nitrification efficiency was 49% at total OLR of 11 gCOD/m².d. At total HRT's of 10, 5 and 2.5 h, the Escherchia coli (E. coli) concentration was reduced by a value of 1.6, 1.5 and 0.8 log₁₀ respectively. The sludge volume index (SVI) decreased as the OLR increased. However, the SVI of the excess sludge produced in the RBC under different OLR's was always <74 ml/gTS, which indicates vadjust a good settleability. The performance of the single versus two stage RBC operated at the same total OLR of 22 g COD/m².d and the same HRT of 5.0 h was examined. The results obtained showed that the COD concentration and the E. coli content in the final effluent of a two stage were lower than in the effluent of the single stage RBC. Moreover, the nitrification efficiency in the two stage system was higher comapred to one stage system.     

Influences of recovery from clear-cut, climate variability, and thinning on the carbon balance of a young ponderosa pine plantation

From 1999 to 2002, the variations in carbon flux due to management practices (shrub removal, thinning) and climate variability were observed in a young ponderosa pine forest originated from clear-cutting and plantation in 1990. These measurements were done at the Blodgett Forest Ameriflux site located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Thinning in spring 2000 decreased the leaf area index (LAI) by 34% and added 496 g C m⁻² of wood and leaf debris at the soil surface. Total ecosystem respiration was not significantly affected by thinning (1261 g C m⁻² in 1999 and 1273 g C m⁻² in 2000), while canopy photosynthesis decreased by 202 g C m⁻². As a result the ecosystem shifted from a net sink of CO₂ in 1999 (−201 g C m⁻²) to a small net source in 2000 (13 g C m⁻²). Woody and leaf debris resulting from thinning only accounted for maximum 1% and 7% of the total respiration flux, respectively. Thinning did not affect the relative proportion of the different components of respiration to an observable degree. Low soil water availability in summer 2001 and 2002 decreased the proportion of soil respiration to the total respiration. It also imposed limitations on canopy photosynthesis: as a result the ecosystem shifted from a sink to a source of carbon 1 month earlier than in a wetter year (1999). The leaf area index and biomass of the stand increased rapidly after the thinning. The ecosystem was again a sink of carbon in 2001 (−97 g C m⁻²) and 2002 (−172 g C m⁻²). The net carbon uptake outside the traditionally-defined growing season can be important in this ecosystem (NEE = −50 g C m⁻² in 2000), but interannual variations are significant due to differences in winter temperatures.     

A Novel High Capacity Biofilm Reactor System for Treatment of Domestic Sewage

A lab-scale novel biofilm reactor system, Ultra-Compact Biofilm Reactor (UCBR), was studied to investigate its performance and operational characteristics for domestic sewage treatment. The reactor was operated at four different hydraulic retention times, namely, 90, 60, 30 and 15 min. The operating ranges of volumetric loading rates in terms of COD, BOD₅, NH⁺ ₄-N and TKN were 5.6-62.1 kg COD/m³ d, 2.6-32.5 BOD₅/m³ d, 0.6-3.2 kg NH⁺ ₄-N/m³ d and 0.82-6.2 kg TKN/m³ d, respectively. The COD, BOD₅ and NH⁺ ₄-N removal efficiencies at 90-min hydraulic retention time (HRT) and 60-min HRT could exceed 80%, 90% and 99%, respectively. The corresponding maximum biomass concentrations were 12.0 g/L and 15.0 g/L at 90-min HRT and 60-min HRT, respectively. At 30-min HRT, the biomass concentration increased to a maximum of 24.0 g/L. However, COD and BOD₅ removal efficiencies decreased to 75% and 80%, respectively, while the NH⁺ ₄-N nitrification efficiency decreased to only 25% to 30%. These observations suggested that high biomass concentration alone was not sufficient to provide a high removal capacity in a UCBR. Further reduction in HRT to 15 min led to an excessive biomass decline from 22.5 g/L to 4.0 g/L. On the whole, the UCBR was able to sustain COD removal and NH⁺ ₄-N conversion of up to 5.96-18.70 kg COD/m³ d and 0.73-1.00 kg NH⁺ ₄-N/m³ d, respectively.     

Spatial and seasonal variations of atmospheric N2O and CO2 fluxes from a subtropical mangrove swamp and their relationships with soil characteristics

Marine ecosystems are a known net source of greenhouse gases emissions but the atmospheric gas fluxes, particularly from the mangrove swamps occupying inter-tidal zones, are characterized poorly. Spatial and seasonal fluxes of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) from soil in Mai Po mangrove swamp in Hong Kong, South China and their relationships with soil characteristics were investigated. The N₂O fluxes averaged from 32.1 to 533.7 μg m⁻² h⁻¹ and the CO₂ fluxes were between 10.6 and 1374.1 mg m⁻² h⁻¹. Both N₂O and CO₂ fluxes in this swamp showed large spatial and seasonal variations. The fluxes were higher at the landward site than the foreshore bare mudflat, and higher fluxes were recorded in warm, rather than cold, seasons. The landward site had the highest content of soil organic carbon (OC), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), nitrate (NO₃⁻–N) and total phosphorus (TP), while the bare mudflat had the highest ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺–N) concentration and soil denitrification potential activity. The N₂O flux was related, positively, to CO₂ flux. Soil NO₃⁻–N and TP increased N₂O flux, while soil OC and TP concentrations contributed to the CO₂ flux. The results indicated that the Mai Po mangrove swamp emitted significant amounts of greenhouse gases, and the N₂O emission was probably due to soil denitrifcation.     

膜生物反应器处理猪场污水研究

为探讨膜生物反应器(MBR)处理猪场污水的可行性和膜生物反应器的运行、操作条件,为膜生物反应器在处理猪场污水中的应用提供必要的基础参数,该文采用U型中空纤维膜和L式中空纤维膜生物反应器,对不同的化学需氧量(COD)及氨氮(NH⁺₄-N)进水浓度、溶解氧水平(DO)、污泥龄(SRT)进行了4种工况试验研究。结果表明,MBR作为猪场污水处理好氧段是可行的,当进水COD平均浓度为1860 mg/L,U型、L式膜平均去除率分别为84.10％,81.20％;NH⁺₄-N进水平均浓度为511 mg/L,U型、L式膜平均去除率分别为93.81％,93.61％。     

新疆皮山县绿洲需水量变化与绿洲稳定性

[目的]探讨和评价新疆地区皮山县在水资源供需平衡状况和水资源约束条件下的绿洲稳定性,为该区域生态环境保护提供决策支持与科学依据。[方法]基于1998—2012年Landsat TM/ETM+遥感影像数据和基础地理数据,在RS技术的支持下对皮山县绿洲进行了土地利用信息提取,结合水文和气象数据(气温、降水数据)估算皮山县绿洲15a来的社会经济和自然生态系统综合需水量,并在此基础上进行分析。[结果]皮山县绿洲渠系利用系数低,耕地灌溉定额高,耕地耗水比例大,且社会经济耗水量不断增加。15a间皮山县绿洲需水量增加了2.73×108 m3,现状供给量存在很大的缺口。2010年缺水总量到达2.74×108m3,虽然2012年缺水有所缓解,但自然生态环境缺水量增加,占到水资源总缺水量的59.75%,供需表现出很大的不平衡性。[结论]从现有的绿洲面积看,水资源供给量存在较大的缺口,绿洲已处于极不稳定状态。     

库布齐沙漠植被恢复对风沙土壤碳通量与碳储量的影响

为阐明库布齐沙漠植被恢复过程中土壤碳通量的时空动态特征及主控因子，明确土壤有机碳含量和储量的变化趋势，本研究以流动沙地、半固定沙地、藻结皮固定沙地和地衣苔藓混合结皮固定沙地为研究对象，运用静态暗箱–气相色谱法对风沙土壤碳通量及水热因子进行观测，并对土壤有机碳含量和密度进行测定和计算。结果表明，生长季内风沙土壤碳通量变异较大，季节动态与土壤温度基本一致，且随植被恢复碳通量呈递增趋势：混合结皮固定沙地(210.28 mg/(m~2·h))>藻结皮固定沙地(177.45 mg/(m~2·h))>半固定沙地(117.34 mg/(m~2·h))>流动沙地(65.61mg/(m~2·h))；土壤碳通量与各层土壤温度均显著正相关，除流动沙地土壤碳通量与深层土壤含水量显著负相关外，其余样地碳通量均与表层土壤含水量显著负相关；风沙土壤有机碳含量和密度随植被恢复而递增：混合结皮固定沙地(1.32 g/kg,0.94 kg/m~2)>藻结皮固定沙地(1.03 g/kg,0.74 kg/m~2)>半固定沙地(0.45 g/kg,0.36 kg/m~2)>流动沙地(0.27...     

Long-term changes in concentration and deposition of atmospheric mercury over Scandinavia

Samples for measurements of total gaseous mercury (Hg) in air have been collected since 1980 in south-western part of Scandinavia. A collection program for precipitation samples used to determine changes in depositional fluxes of total Hg has been in operation since 1987. A comparison of today's total gaseous Hg levels in air and the total Hg concentrations in precipitation with the ones found earlier, shows a clear decrease with time. At the Swedish west-coast, yearly average air concentrations and median levels of 3.3 and 3.1 (1980–1984), 3.2 and 2.8 (1985–1989), and 2.7 and 2.6 ng Hg/m³ (1990–1992), respectively, were found. Increased average and median winter concentrations were always found, with levels at 3.7 and 3.4, 3.7 and 3.3, and 3.0 and 2.7 ng Hg/m³ for the respective time period. Higher winter values were expected due to increased anthropogenic emissions and changes in the mixing height of the atmosphere. The corresponding total wet deposition rates decreased from 27 (1987–1989) to 10 μg Hg/m² yr. (1990–1992). A finding of special interest was the decreased number of episodic events of high total gaseous Hg levels in air, from 1990 and further on. In addition, the frequency distribution of the concentrations of Hg in air seems to be different for these years compared to the other two time periods. A frequency distribution of air concentrations of Hg more resembling a normal distribution was found for the years 1990 to 1992. The decrease of the atmospheric burden of total gaseous Hg and deposition of total Hg are most probably connected to lower emissions in source areas on the European continent. It seems logical to state that the problem of high Hg depositional fluxes to Scandinavia, is best solved by abatement strategies on the regional scale.     

Weekly Measurements over One Year of Ammonia Concentrations and Surface Exchange Fluxes at a Danish Heathland with Passive Wind-Vane Flux Samplers in an Aerodynamic Gradient Configuration

The present study aims to establish the annual NH₃ deposition to an inland heathland in Denmark using a micro-meterological approach with passive wind-vane flux samplers. The integrating samplers were replaced at weekly intervals from May 1995 to May 1996. The average concentration, 2.05 μg m^-3 at the heathland is at a moderate level when compared to heathlands in other parts of Europe. The average deposition velocity was 0.83 cm s^-1 which is within the range of depositon velocities found for other heathlands in Europe. The average canopy resistance was found to be relatively high, 61 s ^-1. The measurements yielded a total NH₃-N deposition of 2.4 (± 0.9) kg ha^-1 yr^-1 with a data coverage of 71% for 1995/1996. In 40% of this time the flux is regarded as zero because the flux is not significant different from zero. In 60% of this time the significant fluxes varied from –0.052 μg m^-2 s^-1 (deposition equal 16.4 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1) to 0.089 μg m^-2 s^-1 (emission equal 28.2 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1). The method is only able to direct measure significant fluxes down to the equivalence of 0.010 μg m^-2 s^-1 (approximately 3.2 kg ha^-1 yr^-1). Therefore the exact deposition cannot be determined by the applied method at very low deposition sites such as a coastal heathland in Denmark. In a high-deposition area as in the central Netherlands the method gave significant fluxes with a 100% data coverage for a two month period.     

Solar Photocatalysis Using Fixed-Film TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> for Microcystins from Colonial <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microcystis aeruginosa</Emphasis>

Microcystins (MCs) are endotoxins produced by cyanobacteria in freshwaters globally. With known potential for human health risks, rapid and effective treatment methods are needed for MCs. Previous studies have shown photocatalysis can achieve rapid half-lives with UV lamps and slurries of TiO₂. In this experiment, rates and extents of solar photocatalysis of MCs were measured using bench-scale reactors with fixed films of TiO₂ for solutions with a range of cellular:aqueous MC ratios. Since cellular MCs can be removed physically, photocatalysis rates were measured following sand filtration to discern the extent of MC removal post-filtration. Since UV energy drives photocatalysis using TiO₂, rates of removal were calculated as a function of cumulative UV insolation and time. For water containing < 10% aqueous MC, filtration removed 90% of total MC, and the subsequent photocatalysis half-life was 0.37 MJ/m² (or 111 min). For water with ~?50% aqueous MCs, filtration removed 52% of the total MCs, and the average half-life for photocatalysis was 0.38 MJ/m² (or 138 min). For the >?90% aqueous MC treatment, filtration removed 0% MCs, and the photocatalysis half-life for MCs was 0.37 MJ/m² (or 135 min). Previous studies have used clarified waters; however, results from this study are likely representative of scenarios with waters containing confounding water characteristics and use of solar light for UV, as anticipated in developing countries with less advanced water treatment methods. Photocatalysis is a rapid and effective process for decreasing concentrations of MCs and could be useful for mitigating risks from MC exposures in drinking water.     

Effect of Flow Rate, Concentration and Transient—State Operations on the Performance of a Biofilter Treating Xylene Vapors

Biological treatment systems such as biofilters offer a potential alternative to the existing physicochemical techniques for the removal of volatile organic compounds from gaseous emissions. In this experimental work, continuous phase biofiltration of xylene vapors were performed in a laboratory scale compost biofilter that was inoculated with a xylene-acclimatized consortium. The performance was assessed by continuously monitoring the removal efficiency (RE) and elimination capacity (EC) of the biofilter at loading rates varying between 2–220 g?m^?3?h^?1. The steady-state removal efficiencies were maintained between 60% and 90% up to a loading rate of 80 g?m^?3?h^?1. The removal efficiency decreased significantly at loading rates higher than 100 g?m^?3?h^?1. The pressure drop values were consistently less and insignificant in affecting the performance of the system. The present study also focuses in evaluating the stability of biofilter during shut down, restart, and shock-loading operations. An immediate restoration of biological activity after few days of starvation indicated their capability to handle discontinuous treatment situations which is more common to industrial biofilters. The sensitiveness of the biofilm to withstand shock loads was tested by abruptly increasing/decreasing the loading rates between 9–55 g?m^?3?h^?1, where, removal efficiencies between 60–90% were achieved. These results prove the resilience of the biomass and the stability of the compost biofilter. Anew, results from kinetic analysis reveal that, steady-state xylene removal in the biofilter can be adequately represented by Michaelis–Menten type kinetics, and the kinetic constants namely, EC_max (120.4 g?m^?3?h^?1) and K _s (2.21 g?m^?3) were obtained.     

Controls over pathways of carbon efflux from soils along climate and black spruce productivity gradients in interior Alaska

Small changes in C cycling in boreal forests can change the sign of their C balance, so it is important to gain an understanding of the factors controlling small exports like water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) fluxes from the soils in these systems. To examine this, we estimated WSOC fluxes based on measured concentrations along four replicate gradients in upland black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] BSP) productivity and soil temperature in interior Alaska and compared them to concurrent rates of soil CO₂ efflux. Concentrations of WSOC in organic and mineral horizons ranged from 4.9 to 22.7 g C m⁻² and from 1.4 to 8.4 g C m⁻², respectively. Annual WSOC fluxes (4.5-12.0 g C m⁻² y⁻¹) increased with annual soil CO₂ effluxes (365-739 g C m⁻² y⁻¹) across all sites (R²=0.55, p=0.02), with higher fluxes occurring in warmer, more productive stands. Although annual WSOC flux was relatively small compared to total soil CO₂ efflux across all sites (<3%), its relative contribution was highest in warmer, more productive stands which harbored less soil organic carbon. The proportions of relatively bioavailable organic fractions (hydrophilic organic matter and low molecular weight acids) were highest in WSOC in colder, low-productivity stands whereas the more degraded products of microbial activity (fulvic acids) were highest in warmer, more productive stands. These data suggest that WSOC mineralization may be a mechanism for increased soil C loss if the climate warms and therefore should be accounted for in order to accurately determine the sensitivity of boreal soil organic C balance to climate change.