This paper addresses increasing concern about the pollution threat of used oil being illegally dumped and the impact of oil on air pollution and freshwater ecosystems in Asian countries. Used oil is a very serious was...This paper addresses increasing concern about the pollution threat of used oil being illegally dumped and the impact of oil on air pollution and freshwater ecosystems in Asian countries. Used oil is a very serious waste management problem. These results call for management action such as maximising the collection and recovery of used oil. The Thai government recognizes the need to recycle used oil and has been active in encouraging programs to accomplish this goal. Thus unless new approaches and incentives are developed, used oil generation may become an increasing serious problem to our environment. The purpose of this study is to examine the technical and economic feasibility, of recycling used oils. In addition, this paper briefly discusses the problems to be overcome and outlines potential mechanisms for providing the necessary disposal controls in order to maximize the protection to public health and environmental quality from potential hazards posed by used lube oil disposal.展开更多
In the United Republic of Tanzania (URT), all environmental issues related to the mining industry are regulated according to two principle Acts: The Mining Act and the Environmental Management Act, and their respectiv...In the United Republic of Tanzania (URT), all environmental issues related to the mining industry are regulated according to two principle Acts: The Mining Act and the Environmental Management Act, and their respective regulations. The current acts were enacted in 2010 and 2004 respectively. Mineral exploration (that includes all on-site activities performed before a mining project is declared feasible) projects in URT appears to be “unforgotten phenomena” in the two major legislative documents, when it comes to environmental considerations. This phenomenon is believed to be causing detrimental effects to the environment. This paper, therefore, analyzes the current environmental regulatory framework on mineral exploration projects in URT and discusses few examples in which mineral exploration projects have caused damage to the indigenous environment. Furthermore, this study reviews environmental regulatory frameworks from other few countries in comparison with existing environmental regulatory framework prevailing in URT.展开更多
The Au/CeO2 catalysts were synthesized by co-precipitation (CP), deposition-precipitation (DP) and metallic colloids deposition (MCD) method, and tested for oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It was revea...The Au/CeO2 catalysts were synthesized by co-precipitation (CP), deposition-precipitation (DP) and metallic colloids deposition (MCD) method, and tested for oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It was revealed that the Au/CeO2 catalyst prepared by DP method was the most efficient catalyst towards the total oxidation of toluene. The Au/CeO2 catalysts had obviously high catalytic activity, and the best results was obtained on 3 wt.% Au/CeO2 catalyst prepared by DP method. These catalysts were chara...展开更多
Volatile organic compounds(VOCs)are the important precursors of the tropospheric ozone(O3)and secondary organic aerosols(SOA),both of which are known to harm human health and disrupt the earth’s climate system.In thi...Volatile organic compounds(VOCs)are the important precursors of the tropospheric ozone(O3)and secondary organic aerosols(SOA),both of which are known to harm human health and disrupt the earth’s climate system.In this study,VOC emission factors,O3 and SOA formation potentials were estimated for two types of industrial boilers:coal-fired boilers(n=3)and oil-fired boilers(n=3).Results showed that EVOCs concentrations were more than nine times higher for oil-fire d boilers compared to those for coal-fired boilers.Emission factors ofΣVOCs were found to be higher for oil-fired boilers(9.26-32.83 mg-VOC/kg)than for coal-fired boilers(1.57-4.13 mg-VOC/kg).Alkanes and aromatics were obtained as the most abundant groups in coal-fired boilers,while oxygenated organics and aromatics were the most contributing groups in oil-fired boilers.Benzene,n-hexane and o-ethyl toluene were the abundant VOC species in coal-fired boiler emissions,whereas toluene was the most abundant VOC species emitted from oil-fired boilers.O3 and SOA formation potentials were found 12 and 18 times,respectively,higher for oil-fired than for coal-fired boilers.Total OFP ranged from 3.99 to 11.39 mg-O3/kg for coal-fired boilers.For oil-fired boilers,total OFP ranged from 36.16 to 131.93 mg-O3/kg.Moreover,total secondary organic aerosol potential(SOAP)ranged from 65.4 to 122.5 mg-SOA/kg and 779.9 to 2252.5 mg-SOA/kg for the coal-fired and oil-fired boilers,respectively.展开更多
Particle surface characteristics, floc recoverability and fractal structure of alum-kaolin flocs were investigated using in situ particle image velocimetry （PIV） and microbalance with or without humic acid. Experime...Particle surface characteristics, floc recoverability and fractal structure of alum-kaolin flocs were investigated using in situ particle image velocimetry （PIV） and microbalance with or without humic acid. Experimental results indicated that the zeta potential of kaolin particle surface after adsorption of humic acid was related with humic acid concentration and its acid-base buffering capacity. Adsorption of humic acid resulted in more negative electrophoresis on the particle surface. Coagulant dosages for particles to form flocs would increase with increasing humic concentration. PIV was used to evaluate floc structural fragmentation, floc surface erosion as well as recoverability after high shear. It was found that the floc size during the steady phase of growth was small, while the regrowing capability decreased in the presence of humic acid. The recoverability was closely related with floc breakage modes including floc structural fragmentation and floc surface erosion. The fractal dimensions of alum-kaolin flocs by mass-size method based on microbalance would decrease with increasing humic concentration. This study proved that humic acid had adverse influences on the performance of coagulation process.展开更多
The occurrence of antibiotics in the environment has recently raised serious concerns regarding their potential threat to human health and aquatic ecosystem. A new magnetic nanocomposite, Fe304@C （Fe304 coated with c...The occurrence of antibiotics in the environment has recently raised serious concerns regarding their potential threat to human health and aquatic ecosystem. A new magnetic nanocomposite, Fe304@C （Fe304 coated with carbon）, was synthesized, characterized, and then applied to remove five commonly-used sulfonamides （SAs） from water. Due to its combinational merits of the outer functionalized carbon shell and the inner magnetite core, Fe3O4@C exhibited a high adsorption affinity for selected SAs and a fast magnetic separability. The adsorption kinetics of SAs on Fe304 @ C could be expressed by the pseudo second-order model. The adsorption isotherms were fitted well with the Dual-mode model, revealing that the adsorption process consisted of an initial partitioning stage and a subsequent hole-filling stage. Solution pH exerted a strong impact on the adsorption process with the maximum removal efficiencies （74% to 96%） obtained at pH 4.8 for all selected SAs. Electrostatic force and hydrogen bonding were two major driving forces for adsorption, and electron-donor-acceptor interactions may also make a certain contribution. Because the synthesized Fe304@C showed comprehensive advantages of high adsorptivity, fast magnetic separability, and prominent reusability, it has potential applications in water treatment.展开更多
In this work Gd/La@ZnO nanoflower photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by a co-precipitation method and applied for rhodamine B(Rh B)and tetracycline(TCN)degradation under direct sunlight irradiation.The doping ...In this work Gd/La@ZnO nanoflower photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by a co-precipitation method and applied for rhodamine B(Rh B)and tetracycline(TCN)degradation under direct sunlight irradiation.The doping of rare earth elements extends the optical absorption wavelength of ZnO from UV region(390 nm)to visible-light region(401 nm).In addition,the co-doped ZnO nanoflower exhibits a lower charge recombination efficiency which was confirmed by photoluminescence emission analysis.Moreover,the co-doped ZnO nanoflower exhibits the maximum degradation efficiency of 91%for Rh B and 74%for TCN under sunlight irradiation.The calculated synergistic index of co-doped ZnO is higher than that of the pure ZnO.Reactive radicals’production was confirmed by terephthalic acid(TA)and nitro-blue tetrazolium(NBT)tests.The holes and hydroxyl(·OH)radicals play the major role in degradation reaction and it was confirmed by scavenger’s test.Moreover,the recycling test confirms the stability of the photocatalyst.展开更多
Two hybrid processes including ozonation-ceramic membrane-biological activated carbon （BAC） （Process A） and ceramic membrane-BAC （Process B） were compared to treat polluted raw water. The performance of hybrid p...Two hybrid processes including ozonation-ceramic membrane-biological activated carbon （BAC） （Process A） and ceramic membrane-BAC （Process B） were compared to treat polluted raw water. The performance of hybrid processes was evaluated with the removal efficiencies of turbidity, ammonia and organic matter. The results indicated that more than 99% of particle count was removed by both hybrid processes and ozonation had no significant effect on its removal. BAC filtration greatly improved the removal of ammonia. Increasing the dissolved oxygen to 30.0 mg/L could lead to a removal of ammonia with concentrations as high as 7.80 mg/L and 8.69 mg/L for Processes A and B, respectively. The average removal efficiencies of total organic carbon and ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm （UV254, a parameter indicating organic matter with aromatic structure） were 49% and 52% for Process A, 51% and 48% for Process B, respectively. Some organic matter was oxidized by ozone and this resulted in reduced membrane fouling and increased membrane flux by 25%-30%. However, pre-ozonation altered the components of the raw water and affected the microorganisms in the BAC, which may impact the removals of organic matter and nitrite negatively.展开更多
Fe（II）/γ-Al2O3 powders synthesized using the dipping method were produced from a mixed aqueous solution containing aluminium oxide （γ-Al2O3） and iron（II）-precursor （FeSO4）, and used for photoFenton degradati...Fe（II）/γ-Al2O3 powders synthesized using the dipping method were produced from a mixed aqueous solution containing aluminium oxide （γ-Al2O3） and iron（II）-precursor （FeSO4）, and used for photoFenton degradation of phthalocyanine dyes （PCs） under ultraviolet （UV） irradiation in an up-flow fluidized bed. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, ESCA, BET, EDS and SEM. The results showed that Fe2＋ ion was compounded on the γ-Al2O3 carder. The effects of different reaction parameters such as catalyst activity, dosage and solution pH on the decolorization of PCs were assessed. Results indicated that maximum decolorization （more than 95%） of PCs occurred with 20 wt% Fe（II）/γ-Al2O3 catalyst （dosage of 60 g/L） using a combination of UV irradiation and heterogeneous Fenton system. The degradation efficiency of PCs increases as pH decreases, exhibiting a maximum efficiency at pH 3.5. The recycled catalyst was capable of repeating three runs without a significant decrease in treatment efficiency, and this demonstrated the stability and reusability of catalyst.展开更多
Four environmental and biological monitoring sites were strategically established to evaluate benzene and lead exposure assessment at various traffic zones of Bangkok Metropolitan Region(BMR). Biological measurement o...Four environmental and biological monitoring sites were strategically established to evaluate benzene and lead exposure assessment at various traffic zones of Bangkok Metropolitan Region(BMR). Biological measurement of 48 non air-conditioned, male bus drivers was carried to study the relationship between individual exposure levels and exposure biomarkers. The study group was further sub-divided into four age groups(16—25, 26—35, 36—45 and 46—55 years old) to monitor the age—related exposure effects. A total of 12 unexposed persons were deliberately chosen as the control group. Measurement of unmetobolized benzene in blood and analysis of urinary tt-Muconic acid urine and urinary creatinine are recommended as biomarkers of benzene exposure. Measurement of lead in blood and urine is also recommended for the biological monitoring of lead exposure. During the monitoring period, benzene and lead levels at Yaowarat Road was C_6H_6: 42.46±3.88 μg/m 3, Pb: 0.29±0.03 μg/m 3 and decreased to C_6H_6: 33.5±1.35 μg/m 3, Pb: 0.13±0.01 μg/m 3 at Phahonyothin Road. Significant difference was established between the nonsmoking exposed group and nonsmoking control group for blood benzene concentrations ( P <0.001, two-tailed, Mann-Whiteney U test). Strong correlations were also found between trans-trans-Muconic acid concentrations in post shift samples and atmospheric benzene concentrations. Similarly, good correlation between all of biomarkers and lead level in air is established from automobile emissions.The analysis revealed that among the occupational population in the urban sites, the driver groups were found to have the highest risk of benzene and lead exposures derived from automobile emission.展开更多
In this article, we review the current knowledge of the glacial recession and related glacial lake development in the Andes of South America. Since the mid-1980 s, hundreds of glacial lakes either expanded or formed, ...In this article, we review the current knowledge of the glacial recession and related glacial lake development in the Andes of South America. Since the mid-1980 s, hundreds of glacial lakes either expanded or formed, and predictions show that additional hundreds of lakes will form throughout the 21 st century. However, studies on glacial lakes in the Andes are still relatively rare. Many glacial lakes pose a potential hazard to local communities, but glacial lake outburst floods(GLOFs) are understudied. We provide an overview on hazards from glacial lakes such as GLOFs and water pollution, and their monitoring approaches. In real-time monitoring, the use of unmanned aerial systems(UASs) and early warning systems(EWSs) is still extremely rare in the Andes, but increasingly authorities plan to install mitigation systems to reduce glacial lake risk and protect local communities. In support, we propose an international remote sensing-based observation initiative following the model of, for example, the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space(GLIMS) one, with the headquarters in one of the Andean nations.展开更多
Parametric effect of moisture and influence of operating variables on the adsorption behaviour of polyaspartamide during CO2 capture was investigated in this study using experimental and modelling approach. Individual...Parametric effect of moisture and influence of operating variables on the adsorption behaviour of polyaspartamide during CO2 capture was investigated in this study using experimental and modelling approach. Individual effects of operating conditions (e.g. pressure, temperature and gas flow rates) as well as the effect of moisture on the adsorption capacity of polyaspartamide were methodically investigated using Dubinin-Raduskevich model. Results from the investigations reveal that the presence of moisture in the flue gas had an incremental effect on the adsorption capacity of polyaspartamide;thereby showcasing the potential of polyaspartamide as a suitable hydrophilic material for CO2 capture in power plants. In addition, pressure, temperature and gas flow rates at 200 kPa, 403 K, and 1.5 mL/s, respectively, sig? nificantly influenced the CO2 adsorption capacity of polyaspartamide. Physisorption and chemisorption both governed the adsorption process while equilibrium studies at different temperatures showed that Langmuir isotherm could adequately describe the adsorption behaviour of the material with best fit with R^2>0.95.展开更多
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder by a chronic hyperglycemic condition because of defects in insulin secretion and insulin action or both. Minor cereals are often drought tolerant and fertilizer efficient. In this revi...Diabetes is a metabolic disorder by a chronic hyperglycemic condition because of defects in insulin secretion and insulin action or both. Minor cereals are often drought tolerant and fertilizer efficient. In this review we focus the content and bioavailability of phytochemicals in some minor cereals on the basis evidence for increasing plasma phytochemical concentrations and reducing oxidative stress as well as inflammation in humans. Phenolics and Flavanoids are major phytochemicals and may be available with high concentration in minor cereals but as tightly attached with cell wall, their bioavailability is mostly limited. Clinical trials concluded that vitamin E and other common antioxidants were not helpful for managing diabetic complications. Vicious cycles can cause type 1 DM, where as hypoglycemia can forward to down and regulate neuroendocrine. Increased phytochemical bioavailability may be achieved through bio processing of grains but the improvements might be small and have not yet led to changes in clinical associated with reduced risk of T2D. Furthermore, the effects of minor cereals against oxidative stress in healthy individuals can be very low or not occurred but systemic inflammation can be reduced in people after huge intake. More than 300 Indian medicinal plants have antidiabetic property but exact mechanisms for hypoglycemic action of many plants are still unknown. Further studies are required to pay attention toward direct role of minor cereal phytochemicals on alarming diseases diabetes.展开更多
The aim of study is to investigate the removal ability of some natural adsorbents for fluoride ion from aqueous solution. The batch dynamic adsorption method was carried out at neutral pH as the functions of contact t...The aim of study is to investigate the removal ability of some natural adsorbents for fluoride ion from aqueous solution. The batch dynamic adsorption method was carried out at neutral pH as the functions of contact time, adsorbent dose, adsorbate concentration, temperature and effect of co-anions, which are commonly present in water. The sorption kinetics and equilibrium adsorption isotherms of fluoride on natural adsorbing materials had been investigated at afore-mentioned optimized. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms, viz., Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms were investigated. Lagergren and Morris-Weber kinetic equations were employed to find the rate constants. The negative enthalpy ΔH = -46.54 KJ·mol-1 and Gibbs free energy calculated was ΔG288-333—(2.07785, 3.08966, 4.1064, 4.90716 and 5.38036 KJ·mol-1) respectively, envisage exothermic and spontaneous nature of sorption.展开更多
This study was conducted to assess the occupational exposure and its health impact on the chromium alloy workers. Environmental and biological monitoring, noise and audiometry measurements were done to evaluate the ex...This study was conducted to assess the occupational exposure and its health impact on the chromium alloy workers. Environmental and biological monitoring, noise and audiometry measurements were done to evaluate the exposure levels in the factory. A total of 112 non-smoking workers were monitored from July 2001 to August 2002 The results showed that most of the chromium and lead exposures in the factory were below the ACGIH-TWA of 50 μg/m 3 for chromium(Ⅵ) and OSHA-PEL of 50 μg/m 3 for lead. The highest chromium(7 25±0 16 μg/m 3) and lead(14 50±0 29 μg/m 3) concentrations were measured in the vibro room. The results indicated that elevated concentrations of chromium and lead were found in both blood and urine samples especially in those areas which were characterized by poor ventilation. The metal contents in blood and urine samples were significantly correlated with airborne metal concentrations in the factory. The result demonstrated that blood and urinary levels among workers were associated with increasing age and duration of exposure. The background noise level of the factory ranged from 67 6 to 89 2 dBA and was frequently higher than the threshold limit value for noise(90 dBA). According to the audiometric test, the exposed workers showed signs of noise-induced hearing loss. Noise at work continued to be an important factor to hearing loss among exposed workers. In our statistical analysis, a significant hearing loss was established on age effect and year of exposure among the workforce.展开更多
To reveal the multivariate relationships between man-made and meteorological factors on dust storm frequency, the LUCC data, NDVI remote sensing data and meteorological data for the period of 1983-2013 were combined w...To reveal the multivariate relationships between man-made and meteorological factors on dust storm frequency, the LUCC data, NDVI remote sensing data and meteorological data for the period of 1983-2013 were combined with dust storm frequency data, and the possible impacts of meteorological and anthropogenic factors on dust storm frequency were analyzed by using regression analysis and PCA (Principal Component Analysis). Results show that the inter-annual dust storm frequency increased gradually. In particular, an increasing trend in recent years, after 2009, is conspicuous. The monthly frequency of dust storms shows higher values between the months of February and May, with the highest mean number of events occurring in April, which accounts for 29% of the annual dust storm frequency. The annual dust storm frequency is positively correlated with wind speed and negatively correlated with precipitation;the monthly dust storm frequency is positively correlated with wind speed, but no significant correlation can be found with precipitation. The relationship between temperature and dust storms is not simply linear, however, a certain correlation with an unremarkable statistical significance can be found between them. Human activities also affect the dynamics of dust storms indirectly via changing vegetation coverage and direct dust emissions. The multivariate analysis further confirmed the association between dust storm frequency and meteorological factors and NDVI. The high loadings of dust storm frequency, wind speed, precipitation and NDVI on a PC indicate that the increased precipitation and NDVI will decrease dust storm frequency, and increased wind speed will increase dust storm frequency.展开更多
The intermolecular clusters of sulfur dioxide with water, SO2（H2O）n （n = 2～5）, are studied by using B3LYP density functional theory and MP2 ab initio methods along with the large basis sets （6-311＋＋G（d,p） an...The intermolecular clusters of sulfur dioxide with water, SO2（H2O）n （n = 2～5）, are studied by using B3LYP density functional theory and MP2 ab initio methods along with the large basis sets （6-311＋＋G（d,p） and aug-cc-pVDZ）. The equilibrium geometries, intermolecular binding energies, and anharmonic frequencies of the clusters are calculated and compared with those of pure water clusters and available experiments. SO2 tends to form cyclic hydrogen-bonded complexes with two or three water molecules. In the larger clusters, however, water molecules begin to retain the structure of pure water clusters and segregate from SO2. Infrared absorption assignments for the small clusters are discussed to resolve a possible incorrect assignment in a recent spectroscopic experiment on the clusters.展开更多
Bacterial cellulose doped with P and Cu was used as a catalyst for a microbial fuel cell(MFC) cathode,which was then used to treat ethanol fermentation stillage from food waste.Corresponding output power,coulombic eff...Bacterial cellulose doped with P and Cu was used as a catalyst for a microbial fuel cell(MFC) cathode,which was then used to treat ethanol fermentation stillage from food waste.Corresponding output power,coulombic efficiency(CE),and biological toxicity were detected.Through a series of characterization experiments,the addition of the cathode catalyst was found to improve catalytic activity and accelerate the consumption of the substrate.The resulting maximum output power was 572.16 mW·m^(-2).CE and the removal rate of chemical oxygen demand(COD) in the fermentation stillage by P-Cu-BC reached 26% and 64.5%,respectively.The rate of biotoxicity removal by MFC treatment reached 84.7%.The aim of this study was apply a novel catalyst for MFC and optimize the treatment efficiency of fermentation stillage.展开更多
The direct dumping of solid wastes into the rivers, discharge of industrial effluents together with direct discharge of domestic sewage have excessively polluted the major rivers Bagmati and Bish-numati. Groundwater a...The direct dumping of solid wastes into the rivers, discharge of industrial effluents together with direct discharge of domestic sewage have excessively polluted the major rivers Bagmati and Bish-numati. Groundwater along these river corridors is also affected from pollution of these rivers. Two major rivers: Bagmati and Bishnumati and shallow tube wells adjacent to these rivers were monitored for 2 years. Samples were analysed for the stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen (δD and δ18O) and selected physico-chemical parameters to investigate the possible interrelationship between river water and shallow groundwater along these river corridors. The physico-chemical values revealed that shallow groundwater and river water along the Bishnumati River corridor were heavily mineralized due to direct discharge of sewage wastes into this river. The isotope compositions of river water and shallow groundwater clustered together revealed possible interrelationship between them. Some of the isotopic compositions of groundwater and river water deviated below the Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL) indicating that the water has undergone evaporation. The isotopic and chemical results suggested possible interrelationship between river water and groundwater. Fractional contribution of the river water to groundwater was calculated based on isotopic data using mass balance approach. Results showed that shallow groundwater SG1, along the Bagmati River corridor (in September 2013), was composed of approximately 30% - 40% Bagmati River water. Similarly, shallow groundwater SG5 of Bishnumati River corridor (in September 2013), was composed of approximately 45% - 50% river water. This result indicated that high portion of river water mixed-up with adjoining shallow groundwater along the river corridors. Further, the mix-up of the river water with groundwater can be harmful when rivers are polluted. These findings can be useful for a better understanding of hydrogeological processes at the river-aquifer interface and eventually benefit water management of the Kathmandu Valley in future.展开更多
文摘This paper addresses increasing concern about the pollution threat of used oil being illegally dumped and the impact of oil on air pollution and freshwater ecosystems in Asian countries. Used oil is a very serious waste management problem. These results call for management action such as maximising the collection and recovery of used oil. The Thai government recognizes the need to recycle used oil and has been active in encouraging programs to accomplish this goal. Thus unless new approaches and incentives are developed, used oil generation may become an increasing serious problem to our environment. The purpose of this study is to examine the technical and economic feasibility, of recycling used oils. In addition, this paper briefly discusses the problems to be overcome and outlines potential mechanisms for providing the necessary disposal controls in order to maximize the protection to public health and environmental quality from potential hazards posed by used lube oil disposal.
文摘In the United Republic of Tanzania (URT), all environmental issues related to the mining industry are regulated according to two principle Acts: The Mining Act and the Environmental Management Act, and their respective regulations. The current acts were enacted in 2010 and 2004 respectively. Mineral exploration (that includes all on-site activities performed before a mining project is declared feasible) projects in URT appears to be “unforgotten phenomena” in the two major legislative documents, when it comes to environmental considerations. This phenomenon is believed to be causing detrimental effects to the environment. This paper, therefore, analyzes the current environmental regulatory framework on mineral exploration projects in URT and discusses few examples in which mineral exploration projects have caused damage to the indigenous environment. Furthermore, this study reviews environmental regulatory frameworks from other few countries in comparison with existing environmental regulatory framework prevailing in URT.
基金Project supported by the Research and Development Foundation of Science and Technology in the Bureau of Science Technology and Informa-tion in Shenzhen in 2007partially supported by National Key Technology Research and Development Program of China
文摘The Au/CeO2 catalysts were synthesized by co-precipitation (CP), deposition-precipitation (DP) and metallic colloids deposition (MCD) method, and tested for oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It was revealed that the Au/CeO2 catalyst prepared by DP method was the most efficient catalyst towards the total oxidation of toluene. The Au/CeO2 catalysts had obviously high catalytic activity, and the best results was obtained on 3 wt.% Au/CeO2 catalyst prepared by DP method. These catalysts were chara...
文摘Volatile organic compounds(VOCs)are the important precursors of the tropospheric ozone(O3)and secondary organic aerosols(SOA),both of which are known to harm human health and disrupt the earth’s climate system.In this study,VOC emission factors,O3 and SOA formation potentials were estimated for two types of industrial boilers:coal-fired boilers(n=3)and oil-fired boilers(n=3).Results showed that EVOCs concentrations were more than nine times higher for oil-fire d boilers compared to those for coal-fired boilers.Emission factors ofΣVOCs were found to be higher for oil-fired boilers(9.26-32.83 mg-VOC/kg)than for coal-fired boilers(1.57-4.13 mg-VOC/kg).Alkanes and aromatics were obtained as the most abundant groups in coal-fired boilers,while oxygenated organics and aromatics were the most contributing groups in oil-fired boilers.Benzene,n-hexane and o-ethyl toluene were the abundant VOC species in coal-fired boiler emissions,whereas toluene was the most abundant VOC species emitted from oil-fired boilers.O3 and SOA formation potentials were found 12 and 18 times,respectively,higher for oil-fired than for coal-fired boilers.Total OFP ranged from 3.99 to 11.39 mg-O3/kg for coal-fired boilers.For oil-fired boilers,total OFP ranged from 36.16 to 131.93 mg-O3/kg.Moreover,total secondary organic aerosol potential(SOAP)ranged from 65.4 to 122.5 mg-SOA/kg and 779.9 to 2252.5 mg-SOA/kg for the coal-fired and oil-fired boilers,respectively.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 20721140019, U0773002)the National High Technology Research and Development Program (863) of China (No. 2002AA601120)
文摘Particle surface characteristics, floc recoverability and fractal structure of alum-kaolin flocs were investigated using in situ particle image velocimetry （PIV） and microbalance with or without humic acid. Experimental results indicated that the zeta potential of kaolin particle surface after adsorption of humic acid was related with humic acid concentration and its acid-base buffering capacity. Adsorption of humic acid resulted in more negative electrophoresis on the particle surface. Coagulant dosages for particles to form flocs would increase with increasing humic concentration. PIV was used to evaluate floc structural fragmentation, floc surface erosion as well as recoverability after high shear. It was found that the floc size during the steady phase of growth was small, while the regrowing capability decreased in the presence of humic acid. The recoverability was closely related with floc breakage modes including floc structural fragmentation and floc surface erosion. The fractal dimensions of alum-kaolin flocs by mass-size method based on microbalance would decrease with increasing humic concentration. This study proved that humic acid had adverse influences on the performance of coagulation process.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51221892)the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(No.2012AA062606,2012BAJ25B04)the People Programme(Marie CurieActions) of the European Union’s Seventh Programme FP7/2007-2013 under a REA grant(No.318926)
文摘The occurrence of antibiotics in the environment has recently raised serious concerns regarding their potential threat to human health and aquatic ecosystem. A new magnetic nanocomposite, Fe304@C （Fe304 coated with carbon）, was synthesized, characterized, and then applied to remove five commonly-used sulfonamides （SAs） from water. Due to its combinational merits of the outer functionalized carbon shell and the inner magnetite core, Fe3O4@C exhibited a high adsorption affinity for selected SAs and a fast magnetic separability. The adsorption kinetics of SAs on Fe304 @ C could be expressed by the pseudo second-order model. The adsorption isotherms were fitted well with the Dual-mode model, revealing that the adsorption process consisted of an initial partitioning stage and a subsequent hole-filling stage. Solution pH exerted a strong impact on the adsorption process with the maximum removal efficiencies （74% to 96%） obtained at pH 4.8 for all selected SAs. Electrostatic force and hydrogen bonding were two major driving forces for adsorption, and electron-donor-acceptor interactions may also make a certain contribution. Because the synthesized Fe304@C showed comprehensive advantages of high adsorptivity, fast magnetic separability, and prominent reusability, it has potential applications in water treatment.
基金Research Supporting Project(RefRSP-2021/160)King Saud University。
文摘In this work Gd/La@ZnO nanoflower photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by a co-precipitation method and applied for rhodamine B(Rh B)and tetracycline(TCN)degradation under direct sunlight irradiation.The doping of rare earth elements extends the optical absorption wavelength of ZnO from UV region(390 nm)to visible-light region(401 nm).In addition,the co-doped ZnO nanoflower exhibits a lower charge recombination efficiency which was confirmed by photoluminescence emission analysis.Moreover,the co-doped ZnO nanoflower exhibits the maximum degradation efficiency of 91%for Rh B and 74%for TCN under sunlight irradiation.The calculated synergistic index of co-doped ZnO is higher than that of the pure ZnO.Reactive radicals’production was confirmed by terephthalic acid(TA)and nitro-blue tetrazolium(NBT)tests.The holes and hydroxyl(·OH)radicals play the major role in degradation reaction and it was confirmed by scavenger’s test.Moreover,the recycling test confirms the stability of the photocatalyst.
基金supported by the National Grand Water Project(No.2008ZX07423-002)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.50978170)the Guangdong Provincial Funding(No.2012B030800001)
文摘Two hybrid processes including ozonation-ceramic membrane-biological activated carbon （BAC） （Process A） and ceramic membrane-BAC （Process B） were compared to treat polluted raw water. The performance of hybrid processes was evaluated with the removal efficiencies of turbidity, ammonia and organic matter. The results indicated that more than 99% of particle count was removed by both hybrid processes and ozonation had no significant effect on its removal. BAC filtration greatly improved the removal of ammonia. Increasing the dissolved oxygen to 30.0 mg/L could lead to a removal of ammonia with concentrations as high as 7.80 mg/L and 8.69 mg/L for Processes A and B, respectively. The average removal efficiencies of total organic carbon and ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm （UV254, a parameter indicating organic matter with aromatic structure） were 49% and 52% for Process A, 51% and 48% for Process B, respectively. Some organic matter was oxidized by ozone and this resulted in reduced membrane fouling and increased membrane flux by 25%-30%. However, pre-ozonation altered the components of the raw water and affected the microorganisms in the BAC, which may impact the removals of organic matter and nitrite negatively.
文摘Fe（II）/γ-Al2O3 powders synthesized using the dipping method were produced from a mixed aqueous solution containing aluminium oxide （γ-Al2O3） and iron（II）-precursor （FeSO4）, and used for photoFenton degradation of phthalocyanine dyes （PCs） under ultraviolet （UV） irradiation in an up-flow fluidized bed. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, ESCA, BET, EDS and SEM. The results showed that Fe2＋ ion was compounded on the γ-Al2O3 carder. The effects of different reaction parameters such as catalyst activity, dosage and solution pH on the decolorization of PCs were assessed. Results indicated that maximum decolorization （more than 95%） of PCs occurred with 20 wt% Fe（II）/γ-Al2O3 catalyst （dosage of 60 g/L） using a combination of UV irradiation and heterogeneous Fenton system. The degradation efficiency of PCs increases as pH decreases, exhibiting a maximum efficiency at pH 3.5. The recycled catalyst was capable of repeating three runs without a significant decrease in treatment efficiency, and this demonstrated the stability and reusability of catalyst.
文摘Four environmental and biological monitoring sites were strategically established to evaluate benzene and lead exposure assessment at various traffic zones of Bangkok Metropolitan Region(BMR). Biological measurement of 48 non air-conditioned, male bus drivers was carried to study the relationship between individual exposure levels and exposure biomarkers. The study group was further sub-divided into four age groups(16—25, 26—35, 36—45 and 46—55 years old) to monitor the age—related exposure effects. A total of 12 unexposed persons were deliberately chosen as the control group. Measurement of unmetobolized benzene in blood and analysis of urinary tt-Muconic acid urine and urinary creatinine are recommended as biomarkers of benzene exposure. Measurement of lead in blood and urine is also recommended for the biological monitoring of lead exposure. During the monitoring period, benzene and lead levels at Yaowarat Road was C_6H_6: 42.46±3.88 μg/m 3, Pb: 0.29±0.03 μg/m 3 and decreased to C_6H_6: 33.5±1.35 μg/m 3, Pb: 0.13±0.01 μg/m 3 at Phahonyothin Road. Significant difference was established between the nonsmoking exposed group and nonsmoking control group for blood benzene concentrations ( P <0.001, two-tailed, Mann-Whiteney U test). Strong correlations were also found between trans-trans-Muconic acid concentrations in post shift samples and atmospheric benzene concentrations. Similarly, good correlation between all of biomarkers and lead level in air is established from automobile emissions.The analysis revealed that among the occupational population in the urban sites, the driver groups were found to have the highest risk of benzene and lead exposures derived from automobile emission.
文摘In this article, we review the current knowledge of the glacial recession and related glacial lake development in the Andes of South America. Since the mid-1980 s, hundreds of glacial lakes either expanded or formed, and predictions show that additional hundreds of lakes will form throughout the 21 st century. However, studies on glacial lakes in the Andes are still relatively rare. Many glacial lakes pose a potential hazard to local communities, but glacial lake outburst floods(GLOFs) are understudied. We provide an overview on hazards from glacial lakes such as GLOFs and water pollution, and their monitoring approaches. In real-time monitoring, the use of unmanned aerial systems(UASs) and early warning systems(EWSs) is still extremely rare in the Andes, but increasingly authorities plan to install mitigation systems to reduce glacial lake risk and protect local communities. In support, we propose an international remote sensing-based observation initiative following the model of, for example, the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space(GLIMS) one, with the headquarters in one of the Andean nations.
文摘Parametric effect of moisture and influence of operating variables on the adsorption behaviour of polyaspartamide during CO2 capture was investigated in this study using experimental and modelling approach. Individual effects of operating conditions (e.g. pressure, temperature and gas flow rates) as well as the effect of moisture on the adsorption capacity of polyaspartamide were methodically investigated using Dubinin-Raduskevich model. Results from the investigations reveal that the presence of moisture in the flue gas had an incremental effect on the adsorption capacity of polyaspartamide;thereby showcasing the potential of polyaspartamide as a suitable hydrophilic material for CO2 capture in power plants. In addition, pressure, temperature and gas flow rates at 200 kPa, 403 K, and 1.5 mL/s, respectively, sig? nificantly influenced the CO2 adsorption capacity of polyaspartamide. Physisorption and chemisorption both governed the adsorption process while equilibrium studies at different temperatures showed that Langmuir isotherm could adequately describe the adsorption behaviour of the material with best fit with R^2>0.95.
文摘Diabetes is a metabolic disorder by a chronic hyperglycemic condition because of defects in insulin secretion and insulin action or both. Minor cereals are often drought tolerant and fertilizer efficient. In this review we focus the content and bioavailability of phytochemicals in some minor cereals on the basis evidence for increasing plasma phytochemical concentrations and reducing oxidative stress as well as inflammation in humans. Phenolics and Flavanoids are major phytochemicals and may be available with high concentration in minor cereals but as tightly attached with cell wall, their bioavailability is mostly limited. Clinical trials concluded that vitamin E and other common antioxidants were not helpful for managing diabetic complications. Vicious cycles can cause type 1 DM, where as hypoglycemia can forward to down and regulate neuroendocrine. Increased phytochemical bioavailability may be achieved through bio processing of grains but the improvements might be small and have not yet led to changes in clinical associated with reduced risk of T2D. Furthermore, the effects of minor cereals against oxidative stress in healthy individuals can be very low or not occurred but systemic inflammation can be reduced in people after huge intake. More than 300 Indian medicinal plants have antidiabetic property but exact mechanisms for hypoglycemic action of many plants are still unknown. Further studies are required to pay attention toward direct role of minor cereal phytochemicals on alarming diseases diabetes.
文摘The aim of study is to investigate the removal ability of some natural adsorbents for fluoride ion from aqueous solution. The batch dynamic adsorption method was carried out at neutral pH as the functions of contact time, adsorbent dose, adsorbate concentration, temperature and effect of co-anions, which are commonly present in water. The sorption kinetics and equilibrium adsorption isotherms of fluoride on natural adsorbing materials had been investigated at afore-mentioned optimized. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms, viz., Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms were investigated. Lagergren and Morris-Weber kinetic equations were employed to find the rate constants. The negative enthalpy ΔH = -46.54 KJ·mol-1 and Gibbs free energy calculated was ΔG288-333—(2.07785, 3.08966, 4.1064, 4.90716 and 5.38036 KJ·mol-1) respectively, envisage exothermic and spontaneous nature of sorption.
文摘This study was conducted to assess the occupational exposure and its health impact on the chromium alloy workers. Environmental and biological monitoring, noise and audiometry measurements were done to evaluate the exposure levels in the factory. A total of 112 non-smoking workers were monitored from July 2001 to August 2002 The results showed that most of the chromium and lead exposures in the factory were below the ACGIH-TWA of 50 μg/m 3 for chromium(Ⅵ) and OSHA-PEL of 50 μg/m 3 for lead. The highest chromium(7 25±0 16 μg/m 3) and lead(14 50±0 29 μg/m 3) concentrations were measured in the vibro room. The results indicated that elevated concentrations of chromium and lead were found in both blood and urine samples especially in those areas which were characterized by poor ventilation. The metal contents in blood and urine samples were significantly correlated with airborne metal concentrations in the factory. The result demonstrated that blood and urinary levels among workers were associated with increasing age and duration of exposure. The background noise level of the factory ranged from 67 6 to 89 2 dBA and was frequently higher than the threshold limit value for noise(90 dBA). According to the audiometric test, the exposed workers showed signs of noise-induced hearing loss. Noise at work continued to be an important factor to hearing loss among exposed workers. In our statistical analysis, a significant hearing loss was established on age effect and year of exposure among the workforce.
文摘To reveal the multivariate relationships between man-made and meteorological factors on dust storm frequency, the LUCC data, NDVI remote sensing data and meteorological data for the period of 1983-2013 were combined with dust storm frequency data, and the possible impacts of meteorological and anthropogenic factors on dust storm frequency were analyzed by using regression analysis and PCA (Principal Component Analysis). Results show that the inter-annual dust storm frequency increased gradually. In particular, an increasing trend in recent years, after 2009, is conspicuous. The monthly frequency of dust storms shows higher values between the months of February and May, with the highest mean number of events occurring in April, which accounts for 29% of the annual dust storm frequency. The annual dust storm frequency is positively correlated with wind speed and negatively correlated with precipitation;the monthly dust storm frequency is positively correlated with wind speed, but no significant correlation can be found with precipitation. The relationship between temperature and dust storms is not simply linear, however, a certain correlation with an unremarkable statistical significance can be found between them. Human activities also affect the dynamics of dust storms indirectly via changing vegetation coverage and direct dust emissions. The multivariate analysis further confirmed the association between dust storm frequency and meteorological factors and NDVI. The high loadings of dust storm frequency, wind speed, precipitation and NDVI on a PC indicate that the increased precipitation and NDVI will decrease dust storm frequency, and increased wind speed will increase dust storm frequency.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (20528706)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (20090450385)
文摘The intermolecular clusters of sulfur dioxide with water, SO2（H2O）n （n = 2～5）, are studied by using B3LYP density functional theory and MP2 ab initio methods along with the large basis sets （6-311＋＋G（d,p） and aug-cc-pVDZ）. The equilibrium geometries, intermolecular binding energies, and anharmonic frequencies of the clusters are calculated and compared with those of pure water clusters and available experiments. SO2 tends to form cyclic hydrogen-bonded complexes with two or three water molecules. In the larger clusters, however, water molecules begin to retain the structure of pure water clusters and segregate from SO2. Infrared absorption assignments for the small clusters are discussed to resolve a possible incorrect assignment in a recent spectroscopic experiment on the clusters.
基金supported by the Open Research Fund Program of Key Laboratory of Cleaner Production and Integrated Resource Utilization of China National Light Industry (CP-2019-YB7)support by Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (TW2019014)support from Sino-US-Japan Joint Laboratory on Organic Solid Waste Resource and Energy Technology of USTB。
文摘Bacterial cellulose doped with P and Cu was used as a catalyst for a microbial fuel cell(MFC) cathode,which was then used to treat ethanol fermentation stillage from food waste.Corresponding output power,coulombic efficiency(CE),and biological toxicity were detected.Through a series of characterization experiments,the addition of the cathode catalyst was found to improve catalytic activity and accelerate the consumption of the substrate.The resulting maximum output power was 572.16 mW·m^(-2).CE and the removal rate of chemical oxygen demand(COD) in the fermentation stillage by P-Cu-BC reached 26% and 64.5%,respectively.The rate of biotoxicity removal by MFC treatment reached 84.7%.The aim of this study was apply a novel catalyst for MFC and optimize the treatment efficiency of fermentation stillage.
文摘The direct dumping of solid wastes into the rivers, discharge of industrial effluents together with direct discharge of domestic sewage have excessively polluted the major rivers Bagmati and Bish-numati. Groundwater along these river corridors is also affected from pollution of these rivers. Two major rivers: Bagmati and Bishnumati and shallow tube wells adjacent to these rivers were monitored for 2 years. Samples were analysed for the stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen (δD and δ18O) and selected physico-chemical parameters to investigate the possible interrelationship between river water and shallow groundwater along these river corridors. The physico-chemical values revealed that shallow groundwater and river water along the Bishnumati River corridor were heavily mineralized due to direct discharge of sewage wastes into this river. The isotope compositions of river water and shallow groundwater clustered together revealed possible interrelationship between them. Some of the isotopic compositions of groundwater and river water deviated below the Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL) indicating that the water has undergone evaporation. The isotopic and chemical results suggested possible interrelationship between river water and groundwater. Fractional contribution of the river water to groundwater was calculated based on isotopic data using mass balance approach. Results showed that shallow groundwater SG1, along the Bagmati River corridor (in September 2013), was composed of approximately 30% - 40% Bagmati River water. Similarly, shallow groundwater SG5 of Bishnumati River corridor (in September 2013), was composed of approximately 45% - 50% river water. This result indicated that high portion of river water mixed-up with adjoining shallow groundwater along the river corridors. Further, the mix-up of the river water with groundwater can be harmful when rivers are polluted. These findings can be useful for a better understanding of hydrogeological processes at the river-aquifer interface and eventually benefit water management of the Kathmandu Valley in future.
