Studying the Effects of Two Various Methods of Composting on the Degradation Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Sewage Sludge

The research comprised of studying the effect composting sewage sludge with sawdust and vermicomposting with earthworm Eisenia fetida has on the degradation of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Raw rural sewage sludge prior composting was more contaminated with PAHs than urban sewage sludge, in both cases exceeding EU cutoff limits of 6 mg/kg established for land application. Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene (DBahAnt), acenaphtylene (Acy) and indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene (IPyr) were predominant in rural sewage sludge, whilst the urban sewage sludge contained the highest concentrations of benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbFl), benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkFl) and indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene (IPyr). Thirty days of composting with sawdust has caused a significant reduction of 16 PAHs on average from 26.07 to 4.01 mg/kg (84.6%). During vermicomposting, total PAH concentration decreased on average from 15.5 to 2.37 mg/kg (84.7%). Vermicomposting caused full degradation of hydrocarbons containing 2 and 6 rings and significant reduction of PAHs with 3 aromatic rings (94.4%) as well as with 5 aromatic rings (83.2%). The lowest rate of degradation (64.4%) was observed for hydrocarbons with 4 aromatic rings such as fluoranthene, benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene and pyrene. On the other hand, the highest level of degradation was determined for PAHs with 2 rings (100%), 3 rings (88%) and 6 aromatic rings in the molecule (86.9%) after composting with sawdust. Acenaphthene and pyrene were found to be the most resistant to biodegradation during both composting methods.     

Biochar-induced changes in soil properties affected immobilization/mobilization of metals/metalloids in contaminated soils

Purpose

Remediation of metal contaminated soil with biochar is attracting extensive interest in recent years. Understanding the significance of variable biochar properties and soil types helps elucidating the meticulous roles of biochar in immobilizing/mobilizing metals/metalloids in contaminated soils.

Materials and methods

Six biochars were produced from widely available agricultural wastes (i.e., soybean stover, peanut shells and pine needles) at two pyrolysis temperatures of 300 and 700 °C, respectively. The Pb-, Cu-, and Sb-contaminated shooting range soils and Pb-, Zn-, and As-contaminated agricultural soils were amended with the produced biochars. The mobility of metals/metalloids was assessed by the standard batch leaching test, principal component analysis and speciation modeling.

Results and discussion

The changes in soil properties were correlated to feedstock types and pyrolysis temperatures of biochars based on the principal component analysis. Biochars produced at 300 °C were more efficient in decreasing Pb and Cu mobility (>93 %) in alkaline shooting range soil via surface complexation with carboxyl groups and Fe-/Al-minerals of biochars as well as metal-phosphates precipitation. By contrast, biochars produced at 700 °C outperformed their counterparts in decreasing Pb and Zn mobility (100 %) in acidic agricultural soil by metal-hydroxides precipitation due to biochar-induced pH increase. However, Sb and As mobility in both soils was unfavorably increased by biochar amendment, possibly due to the enhanced electrostatic repulsion and competition with phosphate.

Conclusions

It is noteworthy that the application of biochars is not equally effective in immobilizing metals or mobilizing metalloids in different soils. We should apply biochar to multi-metal contaminated soil with great caution and tailor biochar production for achieving desired outcome and avoiding adverse impact on soil ecosystem.

     

Changes in organic carbon content and its physical and chemical distribution in paddy soils cultivated under different fertilisation practices

Purpose

Chemical protection facilitates soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and stabilisation due to a strong chemical binding with mineral surfaces and metal ions (e.g. iron [Fe], aluminium [Al] and calcium [Ca]). However, there is not much information regarding the role of chemical protection in SOC stabilisation in paddy soils, particularly in terms of the specific forms of organo-mineral complexes such as Fe-, Al- and Ca-bonded OC.

Materials and methods

We sampled paddy soils at the 0–20 cm soil layer from a long-term field experiment (initiated in 1981) conducted under humid subtropical conditions in China, which has five fertilisation treatments (i.e. control treatment without fertiliser [CK], chemical fertiliser only [CF], green manure [GM], Straw and Manure) with equivalent nutrient inputs (i.e. N, P₂O₅ and K₂O at the rates of 135–67.5–135 kg ha^?1, respectively, for both early and late rice) except CK. We determined the chemical binding forms of SOC and the associated soil properties in the particulate fraction (PF, >53 μm) and the mineral-associated fraction (MAF, <53 μm), which were obtained using a low-energy ultrasonic dispersion procedure, of a paddy soil in the long-term fertilisation experiment.

Results and discussion

Iron- and Al-bonded OC (Fe/Al-OC) was the dominant fraction and made up 55–70% of the total SOC in the paddy soil, while Ca-bonded OC (Ca-OC) was only a minor fraction (<4%). The Fe/Al-OC was mainly allocated in the MAF (52–67%), indicating that the chemical protection of SOC occurred mostly in the finer particle fractions. Long-term application of organic amendments increased the contents of bulk SOC by 27–34% (P < 0.05), of Fe/Al-OC by 9–16% and of Ca-OC by 35–83% (P < 0.05), whereas the sole application of chemical fertiliser had no significant effects on SOC contents of the paddy soil compared with the treatment without fertiliser inputs. Both amorphous Fe and Al extracted by ammonium oxalate (Fe_ox and Al_ox) showed significant correlations with Fe/Al-OC (r = 0.52 and 0.78, respectively), but Al_ox appeared to have a greater influence on C stabilisation in the paddy soil.

Conclusions

These results demonstrated that the dominant chemical binding forms of SOC in the paddy soils were Fe/Al-OC and amorphous Fe/Al oxyhydrates, especially amorphous Al, contributed mostly to the chemical stabilisation of SOC.

     

Characteristics of Nitrogen Loss through Surface-Subsurface Flow on Red Soil Slopes of Southeast China

Soil nitrogen (N) loss related to surface flow and subsurface flow (including interflow and groundwater flow) from slope lands is a global issue. A lysimetric experiment with three types of land cover (grass cover, GC; litter cover, LC; and bare land, BL) were carried out on a red soil slope land in southeast China. Total Nitrogen (TN) loss through surface flow, interflow and groundwater flow was observed under 28 natural precipitation events from 2015 to 2016. TN concentrations from subsurface flow on BL and LC plots were, on average, 2.7–8.2 and 1.5–4.4 times greater than TN concentrations from surface flow, respectively; the average concentration of TN from subsurface flow on GC was about 36–56% of that recorded from surface flow. Surface flow, interflow and groundwater flow contributed 0–15, 2–9 and 76–96%, respectively, of loss load of TN. Compared with BL, GC and LC intercepted 83–86% of TN loss through surface runoff; GC intercepted 95% of TN loss through subsurface flow while TN loss through subsurface flow on LC is 2.3 times larger than that on BL. In conclusion, subsurface flow especially groundwater flow is the dominant hydrological rout for N loss that is usually underestimated. Grass cover has the high retention of N runoff loss while litter mulch will increase N leaching loss. These findings provide scientific support to control N runoff loss from the red soil slope lands by using suitable vegetation cover and mulching techniques.     

不同温度差压预冷及其对西葫芦冷藏效果的影响

为了延长西葫芦的采后保鲜期和减少营养物质的损耗,本文以西葫芦(Cucurbita pepo.L)为试材,比较了不同预冷温度对西葫芦预冷后的冷藏效果,分别置于-3、0、3和6℃差压冷库中,预冷到10℃,然后在10℃条件下冷藏。期间每4 d取一次样,测定其各项指标。结果表明:6℃预冷速度最慢,0和3℃快于6℃,-3℃预冷速度最快。与冷藏前相比,冷藏结束(16 d)时,0和3℃预冷组的丙二醛含量分别上升了66.76、71.63%,显著(P0.05)低于其他2个处理;4个组(分别为-3,0,3和6℃预冷组)的硬度分别下降了9.89%、7.46%、7.89%和11.19%;CAT活性分别为16.25、19.79、17.58和16.63 U/min?g;各组的维生素C含量分别下降了32.61%、20.65%、26.09%和30.87%;香气成分中醛类相对含量分别为69.94%、76.33%、71.47%和70.97%。与-3和6℃预冷相比,0和3℃预冷处理能够显著的延缓硬度的下降,降低呼吸速率和乙烯的释放量,因此能延缓西葫芦的采后衰老和延长货架期;并抑制了丙二醛的积累,减少组织损伤且抗坏血酸过氧化物酶活性和过氧化物酶的活性也受到抑制,提高了过氧化氢酶活性,因而可以降低活性氧伤害;并保持了较高的香气成分含量,而-3和6℃预冷的西葫在冷藏后期的呼吸强度及抗坏血酸过氧化物酶活性迅速升高,且-3℃的预冷处理使得西葫芦在之后的冷藏过程中出现了明显的冷害现象,即表皮长斑。因此0和3℃差压预冷对西葫芦的冷藏效果较好,研究结果为西葫芦采后冷链技术的发展提供了参考。     

贵州省不同地貌类型区的MOD16蒸散发变化特征

探究贵州省喀斯特山区蒸散发时空演变特征,对该区水资源的高效利用与生态环境建设具有重要意义。基于MOD16产品遥感数据,统计分析了贵州省2000—2014年地表蒸散发量的年际和年内时空变化状况,并探讨了不同地貌类型蒸散发量的差异性变化特征。结果表明:（1）2000—2014年,贵州省蒸散发量年际变化总体趋势不明显,蒸散发年均值为854.95 mm/a,多年平均蒸散发空间分布呈现出东南高、西北低、中部居中的三级阶梯分布格局;（2）不同地貌类型蒸散发量的月均值呈现先上升后下降的单峰变化趋势,最高、最低分别出现在7月和1月,各地貌逐年各月蒸散发均值与整体差异明显;（3）从地貌类型看,多年均值蒸散发量由大到小依次为峰丛洼地、非喀斯特地貌、岩溶槽谷、岩溶高原、岩溶断陷盆地、岩溶峡谷;（4）未来蒸散发年际变化空间分布大致呈现东西部减少、中部增加的趋势。     

连续秸秆还田替代钾肥对作物产量及土壤钾素平衡的影响

为了探索油菜-水稻轮作体系中连续秸秆还田替代钾肥效果,试验研究了连续秸秆还田配施钾肥对油菜-水稻轮作体系中油菜和水稻产量、地上部钾素累积量、钾肥利用率、土壤钾素含量的影响,探讨了秸秆还田可替代化学钾肥的用量。结果表明:1)油菜季秸秆还田可以替代1/3～2/3的化学钾肥而油菜不减产,水稻季随着试验年限的增加,秸秆还田能够替代化学钾肥的量呈减少趋势。轮作周期上,秸秆还田可以替代1/3的化学钾肥而油菜和水稻的总产量不减少。2)与单施钾肥(NPK)处理相比,油菜季,秸秆替代钾肥(NP+1/3K+S、NP+2/3K+S)处理均显著提高了钾肥吸收利用率和偏生产力;水稻季,NP+2/3K+S处理显著提高了钾肥吸收利用率和偏生产力,同时NP+1/3K+S处理也显著提高了钾肥偏生产力。3)在3个轮作周期中,不施钾肥(NP)、单施钾肥(NPK)始终处于亏缺状态,而秸秆替代钾肥处理(NP+S、NP+1/3K+S、NP+2/3K+S)的土壤钾素虽然在第1个轮作周期时均处于亏缺状态,但随着秸秆还田年限增加,亏缺量逐渐减少,至第3个轮作周期时,土壤钾素均处于盈余状态。4)秸秆还田配施钾肥均不同程度增加了耕层土壤速效钾含量,减缓了耕层土壤缓效钾含量的下降。上述结果表明:油菜-水稻轮作区秸秆还田减施钾肥有利于弥补土壤钾素亏缺,对维持土壤钾素平衡有重要意义。     

仿蛛网农田无线传感器网络抗毁性量化指标体系构建

为解决传统抗毁性量化指标无法准确描述网络组件失效的耦合关系和全局作用,难以有效归纳、继承蛛网抗毁性机制与规律的问题,该文提出了一套基于节点平均路径数和节点、链路平均使用次数的人工蛛网模型抗毁性量化指标体系,评测失效网络组件的全网影响度和权重等指标。仿真试验表明该指标体系可有效量化评价不同规模的人工蛛网模型的抗毁性,测评各网络组件的抗毁性权重占比,其中,节点、弦链、辐链分别占50%、39.44%、10.56%,同时与传统抗毁性量化指标相比,该文提出的指标具有独特的优势。田间试验结果表明节点遭受不同程度损坏时,仿蛛网部署仍可通过备用链路进行数据传输,相较非交叠分簇部署、栅格部署具有更优的抗毁性。人工蛛网模型抗毁性量化分析可为优化农田无线传感器网络部署,实现规模化可靠应用提供参考。     

重庆主城区空气降尘中重金属的特点及其在表层土壤中的累积量研究

探索不同功能区空气降尘中重金属通量特征并对其进行污染评价,对于了解空气降尘输入对土壤中重金属累积影响具有重要意义。对重庆主城的居住区(JZ)、文教区(WJ)、商业区(SY)、郊区(JQ)、交通区(JT)和工业-居住混合区(GJ)逐月进行空气降尘通量和Cr、Ni、Cd、Pb含量的测定。结果表明,工业–居住混合区的空气降尘通量平均值最高,文教区的最低。6类功能区秋季的降尘量相对较低。Cd、Cr、Ni和Pb的平均降尘量在不同功能区分布存在差异。空气降尘中4种重金属元素的平均含量为:Cd 2.14 mg/kg、Cr 66.36 mg/kg、Ni 27.69 mg/kg、Pb 98.33 mg/kg。6类功能区降尘中Cd、Cr、Ni和Pb 4种重金属含量一般冬季较高。地积累指数法的分析表明降尘中Cd污染最严重。经推算,以空气降尘的方式向土壤中输入的重金属,使重庆主城区土壤中Cd、Cr、Ni和Pb等4种重金属元素的浓度在累积100a后仍将低于《土壤环境质量标准》中的二级标准。土壤中重金属元素增加速度最快为Cd,其次为Pb和Cr,Ni的增长为负值。     

Zirconium-Modified Activated Sludge as a Low-Cost Adsorbent for Phosphate Removal in Aqueous Solution

A highly effective zirconium-modified activated sludge (Zr(IV)-AS) adsorbent was prepared from activated sludge and applied to remove phosphate from aqueous solutions by batch and column experiments. Characterized results revealed that zirconium was successfully loaded onto the activated sludge (AS), and the specific surface area and pore volume were substantially improved after zirconium loading on the AS. Zr(IV)-AS exhibited a high adsorption affinity for phosphate and the maximum adsorption amount was 27.55 mg P·g^?1 at 25 °C. Adsorption isotherms of phosphate could be described by the Langmuir model, and the adsorption kinetics were well described by the pseudo-second-order model. Phosphate adsorption on Zr(IV)-AS increased monotonically with decreasing solution pH. The presence of SO₄^2? in water resulted in slightly decreased phosphate adsorption on the adsorbent even at a high concentration (25 mmol/L), and a greater influence of HCO₃^? on adsorption could be ascribed to the increased solution pH with the addition of the HCO₃^?. Column adsorption experimental results showed that the adsorbent has excellent phosphate adsorption properties and that the effluent can meet the requirement of phosphorus in the national wastewater discharge standard of China. Phosphate-saturated Zr(IV)-AS can be effectively desorbed in 0.1 mol L^?1 NaOH solution, and the regenerated adsorbent still possessed the high capacity. The adsorption between the adsorbent and the phosphate is due to the electrostatic interaction and anionic exchange at the surface of the Zr(IV)-AS. Furthermore, this approach provides a possibility of treating wastewater with waste and has the potential for industrial applications for the removal of phosphate from wastewater.