The Impact of Rainfall on Flows and Loadings at Georgia’s Wastewater Treatment Plants

An assessment of influent and effluent data from 24 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the state of Georgia with design capacities of 37,850 m³/d (10-mgd) or greater was undertaken. Twelve months of operating data from the 2003 calendar year were evaluated. The objectives of the study were to determine the effect of rainfall intensity on the volumetric flow rate to each WWTP and to determine the relationship between flow rate and the influent five-day, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅) and total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations. The relationships between rainfall intensity and influent BOD concentration, rainfall intensity and influent TSS concentration, influent BOD loading and effluent BOD concentration, and influent TSS loading and effluent TSS concentration were also evaluated. Moderate to strong correlations were observed between rainfall intensity and volumetric flow rate, volumetric flow rate and influent BOD and TSS concentrations, average monthly rainfall intensity and influent BOD and TSS concentrations, and between influent BOD and TSS loadings and effluent BOD and TSS concentrations. Weak correlations were observed for some of the relationships when applied to the complete data set however, stronger correlations were achieved by performing statistical analyses of variance and pooling subsets of the data. Peaking factors for flows and loadings were similar to those reported in the literature.     

Biological Processing Capacities and Biomass Growth in Waste Water Treatment by Infiltration On two Kinds of Sand

In this article, work is presented which highlights the biological processing capacities of urban waste water within porous media of different textures. A comparative study on the growth of biomass coupled with the general mechanisms for gas transfer through two biological beds is undertaken. Infiltration-percolation beds are simulated using columns filled with sands of different origins and structures. These are periodically fed using an influent with a COD load of 525 mg/l and 54 mg/l of Kjeldahl nitrogen. The results obtained show that a balanced development of biomass, including growth and regression phases, is intrinsically related to the physical nature of the material support. Using core samples from the columns and oxymetry probes set at various heights, it is shown that both the vertical distribution of the biofilm in the columns and oxygenation of the porous media during a rest period also correlate with the support structure. The effectiveness of biological treatment is optimum for carbon with alluvial sand rather than crushed sand, with this tendency being significantly reversed for nitrogen abatement.     

进料浓度对玉米秸秆与牛粪全混式厌氧发酵特征影响研究

目前,中国大多数沼气工程均采用农作物秸秆与畜禽粪便为主要原料,但对于实际沼气工程的工艺控制,尤其是对于沼气工程进料混配及发酵浓度等控制工艺仍缺少参考和支撑。该研究采用玉米秸秆与牛粪原料,在中温条件下,利用纯牛粪、纯秸秆以及秸秆与牛粪干物质比(S:CM)=1:1、1:3、3:1条件的混合原料,按照不同干物质浓度(total solid,TS)=3%、6%、8%,梯次启动CSTR反应器,系统探讨物料配比与发酵浓度对反应器产气量、甲烷体积分数、pH值、氧化还原电位(oxidation-reductionpotential,ORP)、挥发酸(volatilefattyacids,VFAs)含量等运行特征的影响。结果表明,正常运行时,纯秸秆与纯牛粪条件下厌氧发酵产气效果显著低于混合原料,且所有条件下反应器的产气量基本都随着发酵浓度升高而升高。在发酵浓度为8%条件下,S:CM=3:1和1:1的反应器容积产气率在运行130和150 d后分别达到峰值0.78和0.76 L/(L·d)。随着反应器的持续运行,170 d后各反应器的产气率与pH值降低,而VFAs与ORP升高。S:CM=3:1和1:1的反应器容积产气率降低至0.6 L/(L·d),pH值降低至6.5左右。这主要是由于恒定的搅拌功率条件下,随着反应器内TS升高,搅拌转速降低,进而在反应器内产生搅拌死区与浮渣等问题,导致反应器内局部酸化,造成系统整体失稳。在启动期间,所有5个条件下反应器内ORP呈缓慢上升趋势。运行172 d后,S:CM=1:1条件下ORP迅速增加至高于–300 mV。总体而言,厌氧系统中VFA浓度随着进料中秸秆比例增加而增加,且丙酸积累发生并变得更加严重。这也在一定程度上表明,与采用秸秆与粪便混合原料厌氧发酵相比,采用纯秸秆原料厌氧发酵生产沼气厌氧反应器的运行稳定性较差。     

Phenol Biodegradation by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas putida</Emphasis> in an Airlift Reactor: Assessment of Kinetic,Hydrodynamic, and Mass Transfer Parameters

An airlift biofilm reactor was employed to study phenol biodegradation by Pseudomonas putida. Hydrodynamic tests were also conducted in a conventional column to facilitate the comparison of the dynamic behavior in different types of columns. The three-phase airlift column offered better aeration than the conventional column as liquid and solid circulation in the downcomer favored bubble breakup, increasing oxygen dissolved in the liquid phase and favoring the phenol biodegradation process. Kinetic parameters of phenol biodegradation by P. putida were obtained in an agitated batch reactor, with the initial phenol concentration varying from 10 to 750 mg/L. Experimental data were fitted using different microbial growth models found in literature. The Yano and Koga model, which considers the formation of multiple inactive enzyme–substrate complexes, fitted well with our experimental data, with a correlation coefficient, R ² = 0.952. An internal loop airlift bioreactor was used for aerobic phenol biodegradation in which polystyrene particles were utilized to support biomass immobilization. Several tests were performed by varying the influent phenol concentration, hydraulic retention time, upstream flow, and superficial air velocity. It was concluded that until an influent phenol concentration of approximately 300 mg/L, phenol acted as the limiting substrate. For higher phenol concentrations, oxygen became the limiting substrate. An increase in the oxygen concentration resulted in the complete consumption of phenol under high phenol concentration of 500 mg/L.     

Simulation of in-situ bioremediation of phenol contaminated sandy aquifers 2. Effect of phenol concentration

Hydraulic conductivity reduction caused by enhanced biological growth in sand was investigated. Studies were conducted using columns packed with three different sand sizes of 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 mm. Phenol was used as a growth substrate at 15, 50, and 100 mg/L. Variations in piezometric head, substrate concentration, and biomass measured as volatile solids, were monitored in space and time. Reductions in hydraulic conductivity due to microbial growth were found to be 72% for the 0.4 mm, 82% for the 0.3 mm, and 86% for the 0.2 mm sand at phenol concentration of 15 mg/L. Similarly of 50 mg/L, the reductions were 94% for 0.4 mm sand, and 96% for 0.3 mm sand. Finally, at 100 mg/L, the reductions were 96% for 0.3 mm, and 98% for 0.2 mm sand. Phenol removal efficiencies varied from 88% to 94% depending on influent concentration and sand size. Hydraulic conductivity reduction correlated with average biomass density when biofilm density is high and was adversely affected by reduction in specific surface area. Anaerobic biofilms developed at phenol concentrations of 50 and 100 mg/L markedly reduced hydraulic conductivities of all three sand sizes by virtue of their gaseous biodegradation end products. At phenol concentrations of 50 and 100 mg/L hydraulic conductivity correlated with biomass densities per unit mass of sand and was less affected by biofilm thickness and specific surface area.     

固体碳源填充床反应器反硝化性能的研究

为了优化固体碳源填充床反应器的运行条件,以PLA/PHBV颗粒为碳源和生物膜载体,研究了水力负荷与硝态氮负荷对反应器反硝化性能的影响,并用扫描电镜观察碳源表面生物膜的形态。结果表明,在进水硝态氮浓度为100 mg·L-1,水力负荷为1.71~8.39 m3·m-2·d-1时,反硝化速率呈现先增加后降低的趋势,最大值为40.53 mg·L-1·h-1;随着水力负荷的提高,出水硝态氮浓度逐渐增加,而COD浓度逐渐降低;维持水力负荷在3.54 m3·m-2·d-1以下,可保证反应器的出水满足我国饮用水标准对硝态氮与亚硝态氮浓度的要求;维持水力负荷为5.30 m3·m-2·d-1,反应器的反硝化速率与进水硝态氮负荷线性相关（R2=0.937）,而硝态氮负荷对出水的COD浓度未发生明显影响;维持进水硝态氮负荷不高于0.16 kg·m-2·d-1,可保证反应器出水的硝态氮与亚硝态氮浓度满足国家标准。通过扫描电镜照片可以看出,PLA/PHBV颗粒表面的生物膜以球菌和杆菌为主,成簇定植在碳源颗粒表面。     

NaCl浓度对SBBR同步脱氮及N2O释放的影响

盐度是影响生物脱氮过程的重要因素。盐度增加会导致生物硝化和反硝化过程中N_2O的产生并释放。该文以添加NaCl的生活污水为研究对象,采用固定填料序批式生物膜反应器(sequencing batch biofilm reactor,SBBR),考察了不同NaCl浓度(0、5、10、15和20g/L)对SBBR脱氮性能及N_2O释放的影响。结果表明,试验NaCl浓度范围内,SBBR出水COD稳定在40～60mg/L。硝化过程NO_2~-/NO_3~-随NaCl浓度增加而增加。NaCl浓度≤10g/L时,NH_4~+-N去除率大于95%,N_2O产率由4.08%(NaCl浓度为0)增至6.72%(NaCl浓度为10 g/L)。NaCl浓度为20 g/L时,驯化后SBBR内平均NH_4~+-N去除率为70%,平均N_2O产率为13.60%。无添加NaCl时,N_2O主要产生于硝化阶段的AOB好氧反硝化过程,SBBR内缺氧区有助于减少N_2O释放;高NaCl浓度条件下,N_2O主要产生于AOB好氧反硝化过程和内源同步反硝化过程,高盐度加剧内源反硝化阶段NO_2~-和N_2O之间电子竞争,抑制N_2O还原,其活性抑制性能与电子受体和初始C/N有关。与硝态氮还原速率和亚硝态氮还原速率相比,氧化亚氮还原速率受NaCl抑制最为明显,是导致高盐度条件下N_2O释放量增加的重要因素。     

Simulation of in-situ bioremediation of phenol contaminated sandy aquifers I. Effect of sand sizes

Laboratory scale porous media biofilm reactors were used to evaluate the effect of biofilm thickness on media porosity and permeability. Media tested consisted of three different sizes of sand (0.4, 0.3, and 0.2 mm). A set of fifteen columns was used in this experiment, five columns for each size of sand. Columns were operated under constant piezometric head (2.5 m) conditions, resulting in a decreasing flow rate with biofilm development. During the experiment, variations in the piezometric head, substrate concentration, and growth in biomass as well as volatile solids were monitored in space and time. Phenol (15 mg/L) was used as a growth substrate. The reductions in hydraulic conductivity were found to be 97% for the coarse sand (0.4 mm), 96% for the medium size sand (0.3 mm), and 93.7% for the fine sand (0.2 mm). The respective removal of phenol in these columns was 96% for the coarser sand, 97.9% for the medium size sand, and 98.8% for the finer sand. Steady-state effluent phenol concentrations occurred simultaneously with uniform hydraulic conductivity reduction after 50 days of operation. The concentration of volatile solids near the column inlets and outlets, after 58 days of operation, ranged between 9.8 and 4.04 mg/g for the coarse sand, 11.2 and 6.2 mg/g for the medium size sand, and 11.8 and 6.2 mg/g of sand for the fine sand, respectively. The number of colonies near the column inlets and outlets was 2800 × 10¹⁰/mL and 1480 x 10¹⁰/mL for the coarse sand, and 2840 × 10¹⁰/mL and 1520 × 10¹⁰/mL for the medium sand, and 2890 × 10¹⁰/mL and 2120 × 10¹⁰/mL for the fine sand.     

Preliminary Evaluation of Biological and Physical�CChemical Chromium Removal Mechanisms in Gravel Media Used in Constructed Wetlands

Constructed wetlands have been shown to achieve high chromium and organic matter removal efficiencies when treating tannery wastewaters. Further, findings suggested chromium was potentially binding to iron oxides and microbial surfaces on the wetland media. The purpose of the present study was to distinguish between physical?Cchemical and biologically mediated removal mechanisms operating on iron-containing media. A total of 12 small-scale reactors were used for testing three conditions: biotic, abiotic aerobic and abiotic anaerobic. All systems were operated in 3-day batches, with the biotic and abiotic aerobic systems operating for 11 batches and the abiotic anaerobic operating for five batches. The results show that biotic systems achieved significantly higher chromium removal efficiencies (83%) than both abiotic treatments (16%). Biotic reactors quickly lowered dissolved oxygen concentrations, removing an average of 53% of the influent organic matter in the process. Redox conditions were affected by microbial metabolism, favouring iron release from the media surface. Findings suggest that microbiological activity catalyses chromium removal from tannery wastewaters. Chromium removals achieved in sterile reactors illustrate that the media influences metal retention in constructed wetlands; however, microbial interactions with both the media and tannery effluent achieve overall greater chromium removal than achieved solely by physical?Cchemical mechanisms.     

Effect of source–sink manipulation on accumulation of micronutrients and protein in wheat grains

The effect of source and sink manipulation on accumulation of micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu) and protein in wheat grains was studied in a field experiment and ear culture. The source and sink manipulation was obtained by reducing assimilate source (through defoliation and spike shading) or sink (through 50% spikelets removal) after anthesis in the field and by changing sucrose or NH₄NO₃ levels of the culture media in ear culture. In the field experiment, reducing source and sink generally increased Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, and protein concentrations except defoliation which decreased Mn concentration. Grain yield as well as micronutrient and protein contents in grains were all reduced by reducing source and sink sizes, suggesting that the accumulation of micronutrients and protein in grains was restricted by source supply and sink capacity. In ear culture, the supply of 20 to 80 g L^–1 sucrose increased grain weight and yield, but decreased grain Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, and protein concentrations. The supply of 0.57 to 2.28 g L^–1 NH₄NO₃ increased grain yield and the concentrations and contents of micronutrients and protein. All these results show that micronutrient and protein accumulation in grains can be affected by the source–sink relationship of carbohydrate and nitrogen. Adequate N supply can simultaneously increase grain yield and the accumulation of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, and protein.     

Biofilm Airlift Suspension Reactor Treatment of Domestic Wastewater

Domestic wastewater with an influent COD of 160 to 327 mg L^-1 was evaluated for treatment by the Biofilm Airlift Suspension-reactor (BAS-reactor). Ceramic materials withdiameters of 0.25–0.5 mm (for reactor (1)) and 0.5–0.71 mm(for reactor (2)) were used as carriers, respectively. Theresults show that reactor (1) with smaller carriers outperformedreactor (2) with larger carriers. At steady state, the BAS-reactors showed high COD removal efficiencies. When the HRT was kept at 0.5 hr, the mean effluent CODs were 33±4 and 58±5 mg L^-1 for reactors (1) and (2), respectively, at a confidence interval of 95% (p = 95%). When HRT was extended to 1.0 hr, these values decreased to 24±2 and 30±3 mg L^-1 for reactors (1) and (2), respectively (p = 95%). Biomass concentration increased whilebiofilm thickness decreased with an increase in carrierconcentration. Biomass concentrations as high as 6.16±0.12 and 5.50±0.10 g VSS L^-1 (p = 0.95) were achieved at carrier concentrations of 100 g L^-1 forreactors (1) and (2), respectively. Biofilm thickness had a significanteffect on reactor performance: with an increase in biofilm thickness, biomass concentration increased and the critical gas velocity to maintain carrier fluidization decreased. An oxygenation model for a BAS-reactor was proposed and the effectsof gas velocity and carrier concentration on the oxygen transfercoefficient were examined. It was found that oxygen transfer coefficient increased with gas velocity while the relationship between carrier concentration and oxygen transfer coefficient wascomplicated. During a period of more than three months of steadystate operation, carrier washout with the effluent was negligible.Comparison of the parameters of the conventional activated sludgeprocess to that of the BAS-reactor shows that the BAS-reactor isa promising wastewater treatment process with high efficiency andlow operation cost.     

Physiological responses of lupinus mutabilis to phosphorus nutrition and season of growth

The response to phosphorus (P) concentration in the nutrient solution (0–0.5 mol P m^‐3) was studied in Lupinus mutabilis Sweet cv. Potosi in two different seasons (winter and spring). Phosphorus deficiency was more severe on growth than on photosynthesis and the season of growth dramatically influenced the optimal concentration of P for plant growth; root biomass was proportionally less affected than shoot biomass. During winter, growth and photosynthesis of plants supplied with 0.02–0.5 mol P m^‐3 were not significantly different, whereas in spring, rates of growth and photosynthesis were faster at the 0.5 mol P m^‐3 level. Stomatal conductance decreased with deficient P independently of leaf water relations. Severe P deficiency limited carbon (C) assimilation rates due to reduction in stomatal conductance and mesophyll photosynthetic capacity. Decreased sucrose/starch in P‐deficient leaves was a consequence of the observed source/sink imbalance which was more marked in winter. Hydraulic conductance was not a limiting factor for leaf expansion under low P. In conclusion, growth and metabolic changes observed in lupins grown at low P supply can be ascribed to an adjustment at the whole plant level, preventing a large drop in leaf P, reducing shoot growth and facilitating P uptake through higher root biomass.     

Biokinetic behavior and settling characteristics in an activated sludge under the effect of toxic Ni(II) influentes

The inhibitory effect of Ni upon a biological system of activated sludge has been analyzed in two semicontinuous sequential reactors feeding synthetic wastewater. One of the reactors was used as control while in the other given amounts of NiSO₄ were added to the influent to achieve a concentration of 30 ppm Ni(II). An analysis of the characteristic biokinetic parameters has been made and the correspondence with the operating conditions stated. A series of O₂ uptake tests were proposed and the results analyzed together with the specific rate of substrate removal (U) in order to explain the toxic influence of Ni(II). An accumulation of undigested substrate on the floes seems to explain certain aspects derived of the presence of Ni. The sludge residence time (SRT), within a certain range, can be used as a control operating variable to mitigate the inhibitory effect of Ni, since a somewhat contrary effect upon the settling characteristics of the sludge must be also considered.     

Phytoextraction of Thorium from Soil and Water Media

Remediation of ecosystems that have been exposed to radionuclides is of great importance for many countries. At present the remediation efforts using existing technologies are rather expensive. Phytoremediation can serve as a perspective method for rehabilitation of the radioactive contaminated soils and wastes. Among other radio-nuclides, limited information is available on screening and selection of plants for thorium uptake. In our work short-term pot experiments in a greenhouse have been performed to study the phytoextraction of thorium by wheat seedlings grown in soil and different water media artificially contaminated with thorium. Addition of a small amount of thorium to the media resulted in a significant increase of thorium concentration both in roots and leaves of the wheat seedlings. The uptake of Th by roots depended of the media where the plants grew: it was more significant in water-grown plants. The rate of Th translocation from roots to leaves was approximately the same regardless of the growth medium. The bioaccumulation of Th in the wheat resulted inthe removal of Th from the soil and water. During the short-term vegetation test concentration of Th in all the media decreased: in water — 2—5 times, in soil — 1.7 times. Th accumulation in the wheat seedlings affected concentrations and relationships between other elements in the plants. More significant changes were found in the wheat grown in doubly distilled water and in nutrient solution.The most affected part of the plants was the root system.     

Kinetics of pseudo-continuous flow bioreactor treatment of diesel contaminated soils

A bioremediation treatability study was evaluated on a laboratory scale for its effectiveness in treating a sandy soil contaminated at 1500 mg kg^?1 wet weight by No. 2 diesel fuel. A continuous type reactor system was used and by continuously loading different reactors at different levels, a variation in mean cell age was obtained. Adequate nutrients, moisture, and oxygen were available at all times so that the fuel was the only limiting nutrient and was measured in terms of TPH. The off-gases C0₂ and volatile hydrocarbons were also monitored. At steady state, biokinetic equations which conform with microbial physiology and growth kinetics were evaluated and included the following coefficients: specific growth rate, specific substrate utilization rate, substrate affinity (half-saturation constant), microbial decay rate and growth yield. The solids retention time for evaluating final TPH concentration of 100 mg kg^?1 were also calculated. The reactors reached steady state conditions at 70 days based on biomass and TPH levels. This preliminary study shows that a continuous bioreactor system is effective in reducing diesel fuel concentration over a given period of time, and that the kinetics of the process can be evaluated. Removal efficiencies up to 80% were attainable.     

种植密度对不同矮生型西葫芦品种冠层源库特征及产量的影响

国内西葫芦品种有矮生和半矮生两类, 半矮生品种是目前保护地主要栽培类型。试验分别以2个半矮生"东葫4号"和"冬玉"及2个矮生品种"长青王3号"和"早青"为研究对象, 研究了种植密度对大棚西葫芦群体冠层、源 库特征的影响, 以揭示大棚西葫芦高产的关键因素。结果表明: 从低密度到高密度, 半矮生西葫芦品种冠层指标的变化高于矮生品种, 叶面积指数(LAI)、源供应能力、库容量的变化呈二次曲线, 透光率的变化与LAI趋势相反, 源库比随密度由低到高呈线性变化, 最适源库比下产量最高。低密度下, LAI较低, 漏光损失大, 源供应能力、库容量、源库比都较低, 库容量小是其产量较低的主要原因; 中密度下, 不同生育期LAI较高, 半矮生品种最大为4.4, 矮生品种最大为3.3, 冠层底部的透光率较小, 半矮生品种平均为12.4%, 矮生品种为13.2%, 源足、库大且接近最大值, 半矮生品种与矮生品种最大源供应能力分别为1 169.8 g·m^-2、736.9 g·m^-2, 最大库容量分别为422.4 g·m^-2、333.0 g·m^-2, 源库比接近最适值(半矮生与矮生品种分别为2.62、1.96)是其产量高的主要原因; 高密度下, 结果前期LAI上升最快, 达到峰值后群体底部透光率更低, 结果后期下部叶片早衰, LAI下降较快, 漏光损失大, 源的供应能力成为高密度下限制产量的主导因素。半矮生品种较矮生品种产量高, 其冠层有较高较稳的源供应能力是主要因素(半矮生品种的最大源供应能力是矮生品种的1.6倍), 保护地生产应选用半矮生品种。     

An Efficient Way for Nitrifying Bacteria Enrichment with Coal Ash: Nitrification and Microbial Community

In this study, five different fillers: coal ash, fiber-ball, polypropylene, ceramic, and polyhedron empty ball were used for cultivating nitrifying bacteria by increasing influent ammonia concentration gradually in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). The results of ammonia removal performance showed that the reactor with coal ash has the highest NH₄ ⁺-N removal rate all the time. The ammonia removal rate of it averagely reached ≥ 95% under the condition of hydraulic retention time (HRT), dissolved oxygen (DO), pH was 12 h, 4.5 ± 0.5 mg/L, 7.5–8.5, respectively, even when the ammonia nitrogen loading reached 1000 mg/L. MiSeq Highthrough sequence was used for analyzing microbial community. The results revealed that obvious variation have occurred among the reactors after 48 days of operation; however, Nitrosomonas was enriched in large amount and became the dominant genus except in the reactor with polypropylene. Compared with other carriers, coal ash can enrich more nitrifying bacteria, the cell biomass of Nitrosomonas increased from 12.25 to 384.18 mg/L, which was 5.5 times more than the negative control. The use of coal ash as filler realizes the enrichment of a large amount of nitrifying bacteria in a short period, which guarantees a highly efficient nitrification.     

Coupling of nutrient cycling and carbon dynamics in the Arctic,integration of soil microbial and plant processes

Most studies of nutrient cycling in arctic ecosystems have either addressed questions of plant nutrient acquisition or of decomposition and mineralization processes, while few studies have integrated processes in both the soil and plant compartments. Here, we synthesize information on nutrient cycling within, and between, the soil/microbial and the plant compartments of the ecosystems and integrate the cycling of nutrients with the turnover of organic matter and the carbon balance in tundra ecosystems. Based on this compilation and integration, we discuss implications for ecosystem function in response to predicted climatic changes.Many arctic ecosystems have high amounts of nutrients in the microbial biomass compared to the pools in the plant biomass both due to large nutrient-containing organic deposits in the soil and low plant biomass. The microbial pools of N and P, which are the most commonly limiting nutrients for plant production, may approach (N) or even exceed (P) the plant pools. Net nutrient mineralization is low, the residence time of nutrients in the soil is long and the nutrients are strongly immobilized in the soil microorganisms. This contributes to pronounced nutrient limitation for plant productivity, implies that the microbial sink strength for nutrients is strong and that the microbes may compete with plants for nutrients, but also that they are a potential source of plant nutrients during periods of declining microbial populations. The extent of this competition is poorly explored and it is uncertain whether plants mainly take up nutrients continuously during the summer when the microbial activity and, presumably, also the microbial sink strength is high, or whether the main nutrient uptake occurs during pulses of nutrient release when the microbial sink strength declines.Improved knowledge of mechanisms for plant-microbial interactions in these nutrient-limited systems is important, because it will form a basis also for our understanding of the C exchange between the ecosystems and the atmosphere under the predicted, future climatic change. High microbial nutrient immobilization, i.e. low release of plant-available nutrients, paired with high microbial decomposition of soil organic matter will lead to a loss of C from the soil to the atmosphere, which may not be compensated fully by increased plant C fixation. Hence, the system will be a net source of atmospheric C. Conversely, if plants are able to sequester extra nutrients efficiently, their productivity will increase and the systems may accumulate more C and turn into a C sink, particularly if nutrients are allocated to woody tissues of low nutrient concentrations.     

Investigations on photosynthesis and assimilate translocation in Daucus carota L. as influenced by a varied phosphorus supply and changes in the endogenous hormonal system following GA3 treatments

Investigations on phosphorous uptake, photosynthetic ¹⁴CO₂ fixation, assimilate translocation and endogenous cytokinin concentrations were carried out with carrot plants at low and high level phosphorus supply. Source/sink relations were changed in favour of the source (shoot) and at the expence of the sink (root) by GA₃ sprays. Following GA₃ treatments the 2-isopentenyl adenine (2iP) concentration in the tap root was strongly decreased. However, though sink development was drastically reduced due to this treatment, the concentration of translocated labelled assimilates (mainly sucrose) was almost doubled in the tap root as compared to the untreated controls. In plants optimally supplied with phosphorus growth, 2iP concentration in the tap root, photosynthetic CO₂ fixation and assimilate translocation were considerably increased in comparison with the low phosphorus treatment.     

棉秆与污泥共热解制备生物炭工艺优化及其结构与吸附性能

随着经济的发展,产量巨大的棉秆与污泥亟需找到新的资源化方式。该研究利用污泥与棉秆共热解制备炭,采用正交试验法全面考察与分析了各因素对污泥-棉秆炭吸附性能以及表面结构的影响。结果表明,污泥质量分数、KOH浓度、微波功率、辐照时间以及装填量均会显著影响污泥-棉秆炭的吸附性能、表面官能团以及孔结构。优化工艺参数为:污泥质量分数30%,微波功率280 W,辐照时间24 min,KOH质量分数50%,装填量150 g,在该工艺条件可制备获得综合吸附性能较优的污泥-棉秆炭,其亚甲基蓝、酸性品红、硫酸铜以及碘的吸附值分别达到157.80、293.39、272.12、1 281.93 mg/g。污泥-棉秆炭的吸附性能可达到或超过国家木质净水用活性炭一级品的标准,但吸附质与炭的结构特性均会影响其吸附性能。酸性官能团总量与孔容分别与酸性品红吸附值及硫酸铜吸附值显著相关,其他结构参数与吸附性能相关性不显著,污泥-棉秆炭对污染物的吸附并不只是单一的物理吸附或化学吸附。该研究结果对于定向设计高效的棉秆-污泥炭基吸附剂具有参考价值。