Impact of Prior Physico-Chemical Treatment on the Clogging Process of Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetlands: Model-Based Evaluation

The objective of this study was to check the effect of the use of a physico-chemical treatment on the clogging process of horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands by means of dynamic modelling. The hydraulic submodel was based on series as well as parallel branched complete stirred tanks of equal volume. The model was validated with data obtained from 2 identical experimental wetlands, which had a surface area of 0.54 m² and a water depth of 0.30 m, and that were monitored over a period of 5 months. One of the wetlands was fed with settled urban wastewater, whereas the other with the same wastewater, but previously treated with a physico-chemical treatment. In the model, pore volume reduction depends on the growth of bacteria and on solids retained. The effluent concentrations of COD and ammonium in both experimental wetlands were very similar in all the conditions tested, and therefore the physico-chemical treatment did not improve the removal efficiency. The model indicated that after 120 days of operation in some regions of the wetland fed with settled wastewater the porosity decreased in a 17%, whereas in the other wetlands it only decreased as much as 6%. The use of a prior physico-chemical treatment is a good alternative for avoiding an anticipated clogging of subsurface flow constructed wetlands.     

亚铁对水平潜流人工湿地污染物去除能力的分层效应影响

通过模拟试验,考察并探讨不同浓度亚铁添加对水平潜流人工湿地中氮和COD去除能力的影响以及作用机理。结果表明:添加亚铁有利于水平潜流人工湿地各层中总氮、硝态氮和铵态氮的去除效果,而且添加亚铁浓度为50mg/L的人工湿地系统优于其他各处理组,但是过高的亚铁添加又限制了氮的去除效果,尤其是对下层铵态氮的去除能力有抑制作用,但是均高于对照组,而且亚铁添加影响了湿地系统这3种无机形态的氮分层效应。亚铁的添加促进试验初期人工湿地对COD的去除能力,在一定程度上影响了各层COD的去除效果。亚铁离子进入人工湿地后,系统中各层铁元素浓度迅速下降,但是由于铁元素的变价结构及其易水解特性,使得各处理系统出水pH先增加后趋于平稳,且下层pH低于上层和中层,同时也使得系统各层氧化还原电位(ORP)发生变化。亚铁添加促进了湿地系统中ORP的分层,却减缓了ORP的下降。     

进水C/N对表面流—水平流人工湿地氮和

通过模拟试验,研究在进水氮浓度不同条件下C/N对种植美人蕉的表面流—水平流人工湿地氮元素和COD去除能力的影响,并初步探讨其作用机理。结果表明：在营养生长期和开花期,低C/N有利于人工湿地系统中总氮和铵态氮的去除,C/N越高,硝态氮去除越彻底,而低C/N条件下,表面流—水平流人工湿地内的硝化作用限制了硝态氮的去除效果;对比2个生长期,各处理组总氮和硝态氮的去除能力相当,而开花期各处理组人工湿地铵态氮的去除能力高于营养生长期。C/N对人工湿地系统COD的去除效果的影响较少,2个生长期COD的去除效果相当,各处理组人工湿地系统COD的去除率约高于90%。随着停留时间的增加,人工湿地氮元素和COD的去除率均增加。对pH而言,湿地系统出水pH总体上先升高后趋于平稳,而氧化还原电位则先降低后升高最后趋于平稳,随C/N增加,出水pH降低,而氧化还原电位升高;营养生长期出水pH高于开花期,而氧化还原电位则呈相反表现。进水C/N和人工湿地系统共同影响着出水pH和氧化还原电位。     

Optimization of Petroleum Refinery Wastewater Treatment by Vertical Flow Constructed Wetlands Under Tropical Conditions: Plant Species Selection and Polishing by a Horizontal Flow Constructed Wetland

Typha latifolia-planted vertical subsurface flow constructed wetlands (VSSF CWs) can be used to treat petroleum refinery wastewater. This study evaluated if the removal efficiency of VSSF CWs can be improved by changing the plant species or coupling horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (HSSF CWs) to the VSSF CW systems. The VSSF CWs had a removal efficiency of 76% for biological oxygen demand (BOD₅), 73% for chemical oxygen demand (COD), 70% for ammonium-N (NH₄⁺-N), 68% for nitrate-N (NO₃^?-N), 49% for phosphate (PO₄^3?-P), 68% for total suspended solids (TSS), and 89% for turbidity. The HSSF CWs planted with T. latifolia further reduced the contaminant load of the VSSF CW-treated effluent, giving an additional removal efficiency of 74, 65, 43, 65, 58, 50, and 75% for, respectively, BOD₅, COD, NH₄⁺-N, NO₃^?-N, PO₄^3?-P, TSS, and turbidity. The combined hybrid CW showed, therefore, an improved effluent quality with overall removal efficiencies of, respectively, 94% for BOD₅, 88% for COD, 84% for NH₄⁺-N, 89% for NO₃^?-N, 78% for PO₄^3?-P, 85% for TSS, and 97% for turbidity. T. latifolia strived well in the VSSF and HSSF CWs, which may have contributed to the high NH₄ ⁺-N, NO₃^?-N, and PO₄^3?-P removal efficiencies. T. latifolia-planted VSSF CWs showed a higher contaminant removal efficiency compared to the unplanted VSSF CW. T. latifolia is thus a suitable plant species for treatment of secondary refinery wastewater. Also a T. latifolia-planted hybrid CW is a viable alternative for the treatment of secondary refinery wastewater under the prevailing climatic conditions in Nigeria.     

改进型和传统型复合垂直流人工湿地的净化效果研究

通过构建传统型复合垂直流人工湿地系统（IntegratedVerticalFlowConstructedWetlandsSystem：IVFCWS）和改进型复合垂直流人工湿地系统（ImprovedIntegratedVerticalFlowConstructedWetlandsSystem：IIVFCWS）,并在其中分别种植彩叶草-太阳草（Coleusblumei-Toninafluviatilis：CT）和美人蕉-大水剑（Cannaindica-Acoruscalamus：CA）,以无植物人工湿地系统为对照,比较研究不同植物组合下两种构型的人工湿地系统对生活污水的净化效果。结果表明,IIVFCWS对CODCr、NH4＋-N、TN的净化效果显著优于IVFCWS,而对TP的去除效果则是IVFCWS较IIVFCWS强。有植物的人工湿地系统去除污染物的效果较无植物的对照系统好,其中彩叶草-太阳草组合湿地系统的去除效果较美人蕉-大水剑组合的强,分别为：CODCr的平均去除率在80．8％-52．8％之间;NH4-N的去除率在93．6％-52．3％之间;TN的去除率在96．4％～67．6％之间,TP的平均去除率均达93．6％以上。     

极浅型潜流人工湿地用于污水处理和风沙土改良的中试研究

[目的]就利用极浅型潜流人工湿地同步处理污水和改良风沙土的可行性进行中试,为后续相关工程的设计、建设和运行提供科学依据。[方法]以污水处理厂初沉池出水为原水,以取自毛乌素沙漠的风沙土为湿地填料,以高羊茅、黑麦草和狗牙根为湿地栽培植物,研究并分析湿地对水中污染物的去除效果和在风沙土的富集特征。[结果]经过15个月的运行,各湿地对污水中COD,TN以及TP的平均去除率分别高于原土68.75%,70.09%和62.74%。运行完毕后,各湿地风沙土较原土有机质、全氮含量显著增加(p0.05),全磷含量虽呈增加趋势但增幅不显著(p0.05),其中风沙土有机质、全氮及全磷含量分别较原土增加了10.64~18.77,8.74~13.98,0.34~0.55倍。[结论]利用极浅型潜流人工湿地同步处理污水和改良风沙土可行。它既能高效净化污水,又可快速提升风沙土的生产力。     

Effect of High Organic Loading Rates of Particulate and Dissolved Organic Matter on the Efficiency of Shallow Experimental Horizontal Subsurface-flow Constructed Wetlands

Two identical experimental subsurface-flow constructed wetlands were operated at relatively high organic loading rates (23 g COD m^?2 day^?1) for 4 months to evaluate their relative ability to remove either dissolved organic carbon (glucose, considered to be a readily biodegradable substrate) or particulate organic carbon (starch, considered to be a slowly biodegradable substrate). The systems were built using plastic containers (0.93 m long, 0.59 m wide and 0.52 m high) that were filled with an 0.35 m layer of wetted gravel (D₆₀?=?3.5 mm, uniformity coefficient C_u?=?D₆₀/D₁₀?=?1.7) and the water level was maintained at 0.05 m under the gravel surface to give a water depth of 0.30 m. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in COD removal between the two systems. Both systems generally had COD removal rates of over 90%, which is quite high if the heavy load applied is taken into account. The removal of ammonium was greater in the glucose-fed system (57%) in comparison with the starch-fed system (43%). Based on mass balance calculations and stoichiometric relationships, it was estimated that denitrification and sulphate reduction were minor pathways for the removal of organic matter. Indirect observations allowed to assume that methanogenesis made a highly significant contribution to the removal of organic matter.     

A Geostatistical Approach to Assess Concentration and Spatial Distribution of Heavy Metals in Urban Soils

Characterization of spatial variation of heavy metals in urban soils is essential to identify pollution sources and potential risks to humans and the environment. While heavy metals concentration in soils depends also on the nature of bedrock and on abiotic and biotic factors, it can be argued that nowadays, due to increasing human activities, it is determined mainly by anthropogenic sources. We determined concentrations and spatial distribution of heavy metals, with particular focus on those potentially toxic (As, Cr, Pb, V, and Zn), in urban and peri-urban soils of Cosenza-Rende (southern Italy). One hundred forty-nine samples of topsoil (0?C10?cm) were collected and analyzed for 36 elements by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In addition, 18 samples of rocks were collected on outcrops of whole area and analyzed by ICP-ES and ICP-MS. Geostatistical methods were used to map the concentrations of major oxides and several minor elements. Heavy metals in the analyzed samples showed a wide range of concentrations, primarily controlled by the geochemical composition of bedrock, with the notable exceptions of Cu, Pb, and Zn, whose concentrations are heavily affected by land use and anthropogenic pollution in urban areas. Geochemical analysis and spatial distribution showed that high concentrations of potentially toxic elements are found in soils near major roads, indicating that anthropogenic factors determine the anomalies in these areas.     

Natural Gradient Drift Tests for Assessing the Feasibility of In Situ Aerobic Cometabolism of Trichloroethylene and Evaluating the Microbial Community Change

The objective of this study is to develop a method for using the single-well natural gradient drift test (SWNGDT) in the field to assess in situ aerobic cometabolism of trichloroethylene (TCE) and to analyze microbial community changes. The SWNGDT was performed in a monitoring well installed in a TCE-contaminated aquifer in Wonju, South Korea. The natural gradient drift biostimulation test (NGDBT) and surrogate test (NGDST) were performed by injecting dissolved solutes (bromide (a tracer), toluene (a growth substrate), ethylene (a nontoxic surrogate substrate to probe for TCE transformation activity), dissolved oxygen (DO, an electron acceptor), and nitrate (nutrient)) into the aquifer. Push?Cpull blocking tests (PPBT) were also performed to examine whether the monooxygenase of toluene oxidizers is involved in the degradation of toluene and the transformation of ethylene. Through the NGDBT, NGDST, and PPBT, we confirmed that the addition of toluene and oxygen in these field tests stimulated indigenous toluene utilizers to cometabolize aerobically TCE, with the following results: (1) the observed simultaneous utilization of toluene and DO; (2) the transformation of ethylene to ethylene oxide and propylene to propylene oxide; and (3) the transformation of TCE. Furthermore, the results of restriction fragment length polymorphism suggested that the microbial community shifts and the microbes capable of transforming TCE are stimulated by injecting the growth substrate, toluene.     

The Use of Leaching Tests to Study the Potential Mobilization of Heavy Metals from Soils and Sediments: A Comparison

In the present study, different leaching tests were applied on well-characterised samples in order to obtain information on the potential mobility of heavy metals and arsenic. The information deduced from the different methods was compared and evaluated. Besides the comparison of heavy metal release in cascade-, column- and pH_stat leaching tests, attention was also paid to the assessment of release kinetics during leaching tests and to the mathematical modelling of leaching behaviour. The aim of this study was to understand the origin of possible discrepancies between the results of different leaching tests. The compatibility of the results of different leaching tests is, besides the inherent differences between methods (single batch tests versus dynamic leaching tests, the duration of the tests, liquid/solid (L/S) ratio,…) to a major extent determined by key-factors such as pH and redox potential. Depending on soil and sediment properties (e.g. acid neutralizing capacity (ANC)) these ‘key-factors’ varied during and at the end of extractions and leaching tests, even when the initial test conditions (e.g. the pH of the reagent) were equal for all test cases. During cascade- and column leaching tests, pH (which is initially 4) will mostly increase, but the extent of this pH-increase mainly depends on the acid neutralizing capacity of the sample. Therefore, measuring the pH of all leachates that are collected during these tests is mandatory for the interpretation of the results. Moreover, the monitoring of other variables such as DOC, anions and major elements can give indications on the reactions that are responsible for the release of elements (e.g. the dissolution of organic matter) and greatly improve the interpretation of the results.     

A Comparison of Soil Sensitivity to Acidification Based on Laboratory-Determined Short-Term Acid Buffering Capacity and the Skokloster Classification

The sensitivity of mineral soils to anthropogenically-induced acidification may be assessed using the Skokloster classification or by considering the short-term acid buffering capacity (STABC). The Skokloster classification is based on the assumption that the majority of acidification neutralization is due to base cation release from mineral weathering. It therefore considers the long-term neutralizing capacity of a soil on a scale of decades. The STABC of a soil is due largely to the adsorption and exchange of H+ ions by soil components, and acts on the scale of single years. The United Kingdom maps generated to identify soils that are sensitive to acidification use the Skokloster classification. A comparison of the laboratory-determined STABC of the different horizons from soil profiles with the Skokloster classes of soils shows that there is generally no correlation between the two. Maps showing soil sensitivity to acidification based on measured STABC and Skokloster classes are markedly different. The STABC measure has the potential for quantitatively assessing a soil's sensitivity to acidification, while the Skokloster approach is empirical. It may be possible to combine the two approaches to produce a dynamic method of assessing soil recovery from acidification.     

A multi-scale approach to facultative paedomorphosis of European newts (Salamandridae) in the Montenegrin karst: Distribution pattern, environmental variables, and conservation

Facultative paedomorphosis, a process in which newt larvae can opt for reproduction before or after metamorphosis, is geographically heterogeneous. Despite numerous ecological studies and recent evidence of declines in paedomorphic populations, however, no attempt to model environmental variables that explain the presence of paedomorphs has been made at a multi-scale level. Our aim was to fill this gap in studying three newt species (Lissotriton vulgaris, Mesotriton alpestris, and Triturus macedonicus) of the Montenegrin karst as model species. To this end, we used multivariate analysis on three scales of habitat: the breeding pond, the land use and the climatologic features. Results show that the study area is both an important hotspot for paedomorphosis and where intraspecific diversity is quickly disappearing (20-47% extirpation) because of fish introductions. Other habitat variables (water permanency, pH or the habitat origin) were shown to act on paedomorphosis but not consistently across species, confirming complexity of the evolutionary and ecological processes. This study appeals for more long-term and detailed landscape studies of polyphenisms, a neglected but promising topic, to better understand and protect alternative modes of development. Particularly, measures should be taken to identify hotspots of intraspecific diversity at a global scale and stop fish introductions before we reach a point of no-return.     

Comparison of isolated cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) proanthocyanidins to catechin and procyanidins A2 and B2 for use as standards in the 4-(dimethylamino)cinnamaldehyde assay

The 4-(dimethylamino)cinnamaldehyde (DMAC) assay is currently used to quantify proanthocyanidin (PAC) content in cranberry products. However, this method suffers from issues of accuracy and precision in the analysis and comparison of PAC levels across a broad range of cranberry products. Current use of procyanidin A2 as a standard leads to an underestimation of PACs content in certain cranberry products, especially those containing higher molecular weight PACs. To begin to address the issue of accuracy, a method for the production of a cranberry PAC standard, derived from an extraction of cranberry (c-PAC) press cake, was developed and evaluated. Use of the c-PAC standard to quantify PAC content in cranberry samples resulted in values that were 2.2 times higher than those determined by procyanidin A2. Increased accuracy is critical for estimating PAC content in relationship to research on authenticity, efficacy, and bioactivity, especially in designing clinical trials for determination of putative health benefits.