Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate effects on the growth, development, and reproduction of Moina macrocopa (Crustacea: Cladocera).

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is used as a plasticizer in plastics. The effects of DEHP on terrestrial vertebrates have been extensively reported but the effects of DEHP contamination on aquatic ecosystems have not been thoroughly studied. Since water bodies are one of the main mediums through which DEHP is released worldwide, the impacts of DEHP contamination should be manifested in water fleas. Therefore, maternal Moina macrocopa were exposed to 1, 10, 100, and 1000 µg/L concentrations of DEHP. Changes in growth and reproduction were evaluated. The findings demonstrated that DEHP exposure did not have a negative impact on growth or the ability to reproduce. An analysis of the ovary yolk body (YB) demonstrated that the average size and number of yolk bodies (YBs) produced by M. macrocopa exposed to 1000 µg/L DEHP were not significantly different to the average size and number of YBs produced in blank control and solvent control conditions. These outcomes support the cellular pathology data gathered by other researchers. Nevertheless, when M. macrocopa was exposed to 1000 µg/L DEHP for five days, a significant increase in YB numbers was observed with changes in YB morphology. The critical cellular pathology of YB showed morphological abnormalities, including rod-shaped YBs, and YB density was higher than in the blank and solvent controls. Even though these results suggest that antioxidative stress can be induced by DEHP exposure, growth, and reproduction were not significantly different among exposed water fleas compared to fleas in the blank and solvent controls. The result was attributed to the antioxidant response of the water flea. In conclusion, the present study enhances our understanding of previous findings from risk assessments of DEHP contamination in aquatic ecosystems.

Peripheral freshwater deltaic wetlands are hotspots of methane flux in the coastal zone.

Methane (CH4) emissions are low in the coastal zone due to a higher redox poise, related to sulfate reduction. However, river deltas are a potential source of CH4 flux in coastal zones globally, due to fresh condition and high primary production. The goal of this study was to seasonally measure CH4flux at three different geomorphic settings (newly forming island, river channel bottom and established freshwater marsh) within the Wax Lake Delta, Louisiana, USA. CH4 flux rates were 386 ± 327 mg C m-2 d-1 in March and 2859 ± 1286 mg C m-2 d-1 in June at the freshwater marsh site. At the island site, CH4 flux was significantly smaller at 7.94 ± 3.57 mg C m-2 d-1 in March and 215 ± 153 mg C m-2 d-1 in June while at adjacent river channel bottom site, CH4 flux was lowest at 2.49 ± 3.38 mg C m-2 d-1 in March and 19.5 ± 1.12 mg C m-2 d-1 in June at the air-water interface. CH4 emission rates show significant spatial heterogeneity with rates up to two orders of magnitude greater at the marsh site at the periphery of the delta, related to greater soil total C. Therefore regions within the active delta do not provide a significant source of methane, due to a lack of soil C, despite freshwater conditions. However, marshes at the periphery within the halo of fresh water, populated with established plant communities can be significant hotspots of CH4 emissions, despite their location within the coastal zone.

Remediation of crude oil-contaminated coastal marsh soil: Integrated effect of biochar, rhamnolipid biosurfactant and nitrogen application.

Decontamination of oil spills from coastal wetland soils requires a delicate approach. A microcosm study was carried out to investigate the impact of integrated application of biochar, rhamnolipid (RL) biosurfactant and nitrogen (N) on petroleum hydrocarbon remediation in a Louisiana coastal saline marsh and their impact on soil microbial community. The soil was artificially contaminated with crude oil and subjected to treatments of different combinations of sugarcane residue biochar, RL, and coated urea. Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in the contaminated soil were analyzed periodically using gas chromatograph and associated soil bacterial community was studied using 16 s rRNA sequencing technologies. Results showed that integrated application of biochar + RL, biochar + N, and biochar + N+RL reduced 32.3%, 73.2%, 80.9% of TPH, respectively, and exhibited synergic interaction with higher efficiency than application individually. Combined treatments showed distinct functions that biochar increased the sorption of aromatic compounds, while RL and N enhanced the degradation of heavy and light aliphatic compounds. All remediation treatments caused reduction of soil bacterial diversity while RL and N shifted the microbial community to higher abundances of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, respectively. Overall, the findings of this study demonstrate the positivity of applying integrated biochar, biosurfactant, and N treatment in oil remediation in wetland soils.

Potential use of biochar and rhamnolipid biosurfactant for remediation of crude oil-contaminated coastal wetland soil: Ecotoxicity assessment.

Remediation of wetland soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons is a challenging task. Biosurfactant and biochar have been used in oil remediation. However, little is known about the ecotoxicity of these materials when applied in wetland ecosystems. In this study, the ecotoxicity of biochar and rhamnolipid (RL) biosurfactant as crude oil remediation strategies in a Louisiana wetland soil was investigated. A pot experiment was set up with wetland soil treated with/without crude oil followed by subjecting to application of 1% biochar and various levels of RL ranging from 0.1% to 1.4%. The ecotoxicity was evaluated regarding to high plant (S. Alterniflora), algae, and soil microbes. Specifically, after a 30-day growth in a controlled chamber, plant biomass change as well as shoot/root ratio was measured. Algae growth was estimated by quantifying chlorophyll by spectrometry following separation, and soil microbial community was characterized by phospholipid fatty acids analysis. Results showed that plant can tolerate RL level up to 0.8%, while algae growth was strongly inhibited at RL > 0.1%. Algal biomass was significantly increased by biochar, which offset the negative impact of oil and RL. Additionally, soil microbial community shift caused by crude oil and RL was alleviated by biochar with promoting Gram-positive bacteria, actinomycetes, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Overall, this study shows that integrated treatment of biochar and RL has the lowest ecotoxicity to plant and algae when used in oil remediation of contaminated wetland soils.

Exploring anaerobic CO2 production response to elevated nitrate levels in Gulf of Mexico coastal wetlands: Phenomena and relationships.

Recent studies have shown the effect of nitrate (NO3-) on carbon gas emissions from wetland soils that contradict thermodynamic predictions. In this study, CO2 production in three Mississippi River deltaic plain wetland soils (forest swamp, freshwater and saline marshes) with the presence of different NO3- levels (0.2, 2.0, and 3.2 mM) was evaluated in an anaerobic microcosm. Molecular composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) of these soils was investigated using pyrolysis-GC/MS, and soil microbial community was characterized based on phosphorus lipid fatty acid (PLFA) method to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Addition of NO3- promoted CO2 production in swamp forest soil, but inhibited CO2 emission from marsh soils. Pyrolysis-GC/MS analysis showed that swamp soil contained more polysaccharides, whereas both marsh soils had high abundance of phenolic compounds. Total PLFAs of forest swamp soil were 34% and 66% higher than freshwater and saline marsh soils, respectively. The PLFA profiles indicated different microbial distribution along a salinity gradient with the forest swamp having a higher proportion of fungi and NO3- reducers but lower sulfate (SO42-) reducers than marsh soils. Overall, the study indicated that the inherent differences in soil DOM and microbial community led to the contrasting response in soil CO2 respiration between forest swamp and marsh ecosystems to NO3- loading. These differences should be considered in determining the fate of nitrate entering Louisiana coastal wetlands from river diversions and other sources and their management.

Cadmium adsorption characteristics of biochars derived using various pine tree residues and pyrolysis temperatures.

This study investigated the characteristics of biochars derived using various pine tree residues and pyrolysis temperatures and evaluated their Cd adsorption behaviors. The characteristics of pine tree residue biochars (PRBs) were dominantly affected by the pyrolysis temperature, and the optimum pyrolysis temperature for Cd adsorption was 600 °C. The adsorption of Cd by PRBs was divided into two stages: rapid adsorption on the initial boundary layer and slow adsorption by intraparticle diffusion. The Cd adsorption characteristics of all the PRBs were well described by pseudo-second-order and Langmuir isotherm models, and the maximum adsorption capacity was the highest in pine bark biochar (85.8 mg/g). The amounts of the cations released from the mixed pine tree residue biochars (M-PRBs) during Cd adsorption were increased, while the amount of phosphate released was decreased, indicating that exchangeable cations and phosphate on the biochar affected the Cd adsorption. In particular, the amount of Cd removed by the exchangeable cations corresponds to 23.6% of the total adsorption amount. Spectroscopic analyses using FTIR showed that the Cd adsorption on M-PRB was associated with functional groups such as CC, COH and COOH. Overall, the use of biochars derived from pine tree residue as an adsorbent is considered to be effective for both the treatment of wastewater containing heavy metals and the recycling of forest residues.

Mercury and selenium levels, and Se:Hg molar ratios in freshwater fish from South Louisiana.

Ample historical evidence has demonstrated the neurotoxicity of organic Hg. However, several studies have suggested that Se effectively sequesters MeHg. The affinity of Hg is up to ≈106 times higher for Se molecules than for comparable sulfur molecules, most of which are components of brain enzymes. The neurotoxicity of MeHg is associated with its binding to Se and the resultant interference with selenoenzymes (Ralston & Raymond, Global Advances in Selenium Research from Theory to Application, 2016). Therefore, having ample Se reserves is an effective way to mitigate MeHg's toxicity. When the molar ratios of Se to Hg in fish exceed 1.0, ingestion of the fish is unlikely to deplete Se reserves. The goal of this study was to determine the Hg and Se levels, and the Se:Hg molar ratios in freshwater fish from south Louisiana and the implications of those ratios with respect to fish consumption and Hg advisories. Five waterbodies were surveyed (University lake, Calcasieu lake, Toledo Bend, the Atchafalaya River and Henderson Lake). The sampled species included black drum (Pogonias cromis), catfish sp., largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and bluegill (Eupomotis macrochirus). All fish were assayed for total Hg and Se. The average Hg concentration was 0.001 µmol g-1 (0.21 ppm), and all concentrations were below the 1 ppm US FDA action level (from 3.1 × 10-5 to 0.003 µmol g-1). Se concentrations exceeded Hg concentrations in most cases. The average Se concentration was 0.003 µmol g-1 (0.27 ppm), all concentrations were around or less than 1.0 ppm (from 3.7 × 10-4 to 0.017 µmol g-1). Hence, the Se:Hg molar ratios were >1 in all fish except largemouth bass from Henderson Lake. In general, Se was detected in sufficient amounts to sequester Hg, but consumption of largemouth bass from Henderson Lake would pose no risk only if anglers followed the posted Hg advisory. For advisory purposes, perhaps, both Hg and Se levels and Se:Hg molar ratios should be considered. In general, the results indicated that risk assessment will require consideration of both the fish species and body of water, because both can influence Se and Hg concentrations and Se:Hg molar ratios.

Lead sorption characteristics of various chicken bone part-derived chars.

Recycling food waste for beneficial use is becoming increasingly important in resource-limited economy. In this study, waste chicken bones of different parts from restaurant industry were pyrolyzed at 600 °C and evaluated for char physicochemical properties and Pb sorption characteristics. Lead adsorption isotherms by different chicken bone chars were carried out with initial Pb concentration range of 1-1000 mg L-1 at pH 5. The Pb adsorption data were better described by the Langmuir model (R2 = 0.9289-0.9937; ARE = 22.7-29.3%) than the Freundlich model (R2 = 0.8684-0.9544; ARE = 35.4-72.0%). Among the chars derived from different chicken bone parts, the tibia bone char exhibited the highest maximum Pb adsorption capacity of 263 mg g-1 followed by the pelvis (222 mg g-1), ribs (208 mg g-1), clavicle (179 mg g-1), vertebrae (159 mg g-1), and humerus (135 mg g-1). The Pb adsorption capacities were significantly and positively correlated with the surface area, phosphate release amount, and total phosphorus content of chicken bone chars (r ≥ 0.9711). On the other hand, approximately 75-88% of the adsorbed Pb on the chicken bone chars was desorbable with 0.1 M HCl, indicating their recyclability for reuse. Results demonstrated that chicken bone char could be used as an effective adsorbent for Pb removal in wastewater.

Removing mercury from aqueous solution using sulfurized biochar and associated mechanisms.

Biochar has been used to remove heavy metals from aqueous solutions. In this study, a sulfurized wood biochar (SWB) by direct impregnation with elemental sulfur was produced and evaluated along with pristine wood biochar (WB) for adsorption characteristics and mechanism of mercury. Mercury adsorption by WB and SWB was well described by Langmuir model and pseudo second order model and the maximum adsorption capacities of WB and SWB were 57.8 and 107.5 mg g-1, respectively. Intraparticle diffusion model showed that mercury adsorption was fast due to boundary layer and slow adsorption due to diffusion into biochar pores. Although, mercury adsorption by both WB and SWB was predominantly influenced by the pH, temperature, salt concentration, and biochar dosage, the SWB showed a relatively stable mercury adsorption compared to WB under different conditions, suggesting the strong affinity of SWB for mercury. The XPS analysis showed different adsorption mechanisms of mercury between WB and SWB. In particular, mercury adsorption in WB was due to Hg-Cπ bond formation and interaction with carboxyl and hydroxyl groups, whereas in SWB it is primarily due to mercury interaction with C-SOx-C and thiophenic groups in addition to Hg-Cπ bond formation and interaction with carboxyl groups. The SEM-EDS mapping also demonstrated that mercury in SWB was related to carbon, oxygen and sulfur. Overall, the sulfurized biochar was effective for removing mercury from aqueous solution, and its direct production through pyrolysis with elemental sulfur impregnation of wood chips could make it an economic option as absorbent for treating mercury-rich wastewater.

Response of microbial populations regulating nutrient biogeochemical cycles to oiling of coastal saltmarshes from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Microbial communities play vital roles in the biogeochemistry of nutrients in coastal saltmarshes, ultimately controlling water quality, nutrient cycling, and detoxification. We determined the structure of microbial populations inhabiting coastal saltmarsh sediments from northern Barataria Bay, Louisiana, USA to gain insight into impacts on the biogeochemical cycles affected by Macondo oil from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon well blowout two years after the accident. Quantitative PCR directed toward specific functional genes revealed that oiled marshes were greatly diminished in the population sizes of diazotrophs, denitrifiers, nitrate-reducers to ammonia, methanogens, sulfate-reducers and anaerobic aromatic degraders, and harbored elevated numbers of alkane-degraders. Illumina 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that oiling greatly changed the structure of the microbial communities, including significant decreases in diversity. Oil-driven changes were also demonstrated in the structure of two functional populations, denitrifying and sulfate reducing prokaryotes, using nirS and dsrB as biomarkers, respectively. Collectively, the results from 16S rRNA and functional genes indicated that oiling not only markedly altered the microbial community structures, but also the sizes and structures of populations involved in (or regulating) a number of important nutrient biogeochemical cycles in the saltmarshes. Alterations such as these are associated with potential deterioration of ecological services, and further studies are necessary to assess the trajectory of recovery of microbial-mediated ecosystem functions over time in oiled saltmarsh sediment.

Effect of pyrolysis temperature on phosphate adsorption characteristics and mechanisms of crawfish char.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of crawfish char (CFC) derived at different pyrolysis temperature and to evaluate its adsorption characteristics on phosphate. Phosphate adsorption by CFC occurred rapidly at the beginning of the reaction, and the time to reach equilibrium was dependent on the pyrolysis temperature. Maximum adsorption capacities of phosphate by CFC at different pyrolysis temperatures were high in order of CFC800 (70.9 mg/g) > CFC600 (56.8 mg/g) > CFC400 (47.2 mg/g) ≫ CFC200 (9.5 mg/g) ≈ uncharred crawfish feedstock (CF) (7.1 mg/g). Spectroscopic analyses using SEM-EDS and FTIR showed that the phosphate present in the CFC itself was associated with carbon, while the phosphate adsorbed on the CFC was closely related to calcium. The adsorption of phosphate by CFC is dominantly affected by pH. Phosphate adsorption of CFC600 primarily occurred at acid and neutral pH which is related to dissolved calcium from surface and phosphate hydrolysis product (H2PO4-), while phosphate adsorption of CFC800 mainly took place at alkaline pH, with precipitation mechanism between PO43- and calcium dissolved from free CaO and Ca(OH)2. Overall, CFC derived at pyrolysis temperatures above 400 °C is effective for waste reduction and phosphate treatment in wastewater.

Mercury adsorption in the Mississippi River deltaic plain freshwater marsh soil of Louisiana Gulf coastal wetlands.

Mercury adsorption characteristics of Mississippi River deltaic plain (MRDP) freshwater marsh soil in the Louisiana Gulf coast were evaluated under various conditions. Mercury adsorption was well described by pseudo-second order and Langmuir isotherm models with maximum adsorption capacity of 39.8 mg g-1. Additional fitting of intraparticle model showed that mercury in the MRDP freshwater marsh soil was controlled by both external surface adsorption and intraparticle diffusion. The partition of adsorbed mercury (mg g-1) revealed that mercury was primarily adsorbed into organic-bond fraction (12.09) and soluble/exchangeable fraction (10.85), which accounted for 63.5% of the total adsorption, followed by manganese oxide-bound (7.50), easily mobilizable carbonate-bound (4.53), amorphous iron oxide-bound (0.55), crystalline Fe oxide-bound (0.41), and residual fraction (0.16). Mercury adsorption capacity was generally elevated along with increasing solution pH even though dominant species of mercury were non-ionic HgCl2, HgClOH and Hg(OH)2 at between pH 3 and 9. In addition, increasing background NaCl concentration and the presence of humic acid decreased mercury adsorption, whereas the presence of phosphate, sulfate and nitrate enhanced mercury adsorption. Mercury adsorption in the MRDP freshwater marsh soil was reduced by the presence of Pb, Cu, Cd and Zn with Pb showing the greatest competitive adsorption. Overall the adsorption capacity of mercury in the MRDP freshwater marsh soil was found to be significantly influenced by potential environmental changes, and such factors should be considered in order to manage the risks associated with mercury in this MRDP wetland for responding to future climate change scenarios.

Degradation of Orange G by Fenton-like reaction with Fe-impregnated biochar catalyst.

This study was conducted to evaluate the catalytic activity of Fe-impregnated sugarcane biochar (FSB) for removing azo dye Orange G (OG) from solution under various Fenton-like oxidation conditions. The optimum molar Fe concentration for impregnation to achieve maximum catalytic activity of FSB in Fenton-like reaction with acceptable effluent Fe release was 0.25 M (163.4 Fe mg/g in FSB). High removal efficiency of 99.7% was achieved within 2 h of reaction at optimum conditions of 0.075 g/L H2O2, 0.5 g/L FSB for 0.1 g/L OG at initial pH 5.5 under 25 °C. For every 10 °C increase, the time for maximum OG degradation efficiency decreased by 0.5 h. The OG removal by FSB exhibited a slow induction reaction followed by fast OG decomposition. FSB can be used successively for at least 4 runs with >89.3% OG removal. The FSB was more economical, efficient, and recyclable than other conventional Fenton oxidation catalysts.

The Effect of Atrazine on Louisiana Gulf Coast Estuarine Phytoplankton.

Pesticides may enter water bodies in areas with a high proportion of agricultural land use through surface runoff, groundwater discharge, and erosion and thus negatively impact nontarget aquatic organisms. The herbicide atrazine is used extensively throughout the Midwest and enters the Mississippi River through surface runoff and groundwater discharge. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of atrazine contamination in Louisiana's estuaries from Mississippi River water under different flow and nutrient regimes (spring and summer) and its effect on the biomass and oxygen production of the local phytoplankton community. The results showed that atrazine was consistently present in these systems at low levels. Microcosm experiments exposed to an atrazine-dilution series under low and high nutrient conditions to determine the phytoplankton stress response showed that high atrazine levels greatly decreased phytoplankton biomass and oxygen production. Phytoplankton exposed to low and moderate atrazine levels under high nutrient conditions were able to recover after an extended acclimation period. Communities grown under high nutrient conditions grew more rapidly and produced greater levels of oxygen than the low nutrient treatment groups, thus indicating that atrazine exposure may induce a greater stress response in phytoplankton communities under low-nutrient conditions. The native community also experienced a shift from more sensitive species, such as chlorophytes, to potentially more resilient species such as diatoms. The phytoplankton response to atrazine exposure at various concentrations can be especially important to greater trophic levels because their growth and abundance can determine the potential productivity of the entire ecosystem.

Distribution of arsenic and other metals in crayfish tissues (Procambarus clarkii) under different production practices.

Louisiana is one of the world's largest producer of crayfish. Arsenic (As) and other metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) concentrations were determined in crayfish tissues, plant and soil samples collected from Louisiana paddy rice fields, where crayfish/rice rotation farming is a common practice. The samples were collected from November 2013 to April 2014 from three different crayfish farming systems. Concentration of As in rice grain, rice straw, and native vegetation ranged between 0.33 and 0.41, 3.14-4.93, and 3.26-5.89mgkg-1, respectively. The highest As levels in the crayfish external and internal body parts were found in gill (4.04±1.70mgkg-1), followed by hepatopancreas (3.42±1.57mgkg-1), exoskeleton (1.52±0.85mgkg-1), and muscle (1.50±0.69mgkg-1). Positive correlations between As levels in the crayfish muscle and the plant tissue on which they feed were found in all farming systems (r=0.405-0.438). The biomagnification factor (BMF) of As in different tissues varied between 0.29 and 1.08, having gill and hepatopancreas were the highest As accumulation while the lowest biomagnification was observed in crayfish muscle tissues which is a food source for human. The As levels along with other metals in crayfish muscle tissue were in acceptable levels for human consumption under all crayfish/rice rotation practices. Further studies are needed in determining the percentage of organic and inorganic arsenic in crayfish tissue.

Heavy metal distribution and water quality characterization of water bodies in Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain Basin, USA.

The seasonal variation in physico-chemical properties, anions, and the heavy metal (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) concentration was evaluated in water from nine different rivers in Lake Pontchartrain Basin, Louisiana, USA. The water quality parameters were compared with toxicity reference values (TRV), US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) drinking/aquatic life protection, and WHO standards. Among physico-chemical properties, pH, DO, and turbidity were high during spring, while, EC, temperature, and DOC were high during summer and vice versa. The anion study revealed that the concentrations of F-, Cl-, and NO3- were higher during summer and Br- and SO4- were higher during spring. Our research findings showed anion concentration decreased in the order of Cl- > SO4- > NO3- > Br- > F-, in accordance with the global mean anion concentration. The dissolved heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb) except Zn were higher during spring than summer. None of the rivers showed any Cd pollution for both seasons. Co showed higher concentrations in Amite River, Mississippi River, Industrial Canal, and Lacombe Bayou during summer. The Cr concentration was higher than WHO drinking water standards, implicating water unsuitability for drinking purposes in all the rivers associated with the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Cu showed no pollution risk for the study area. Mn and Co were similar to concentration in Lacombe Bayou, Liberty Bayou, Blind River, and Industrial Canal. Mn levels were greater than WHO standards for the Tickfaw River, Tangipahoa River, and Blind River in both seasons. Blind River, Tangipahoa River, Tickfaw River, and Amite River will require more monitoring for determining possible Mn pollution. Ni content in river water during both seasons showed low pollution risk. Liberty Bayou and Industrial Canal concentrations were closer to the WHO regulatory standards, indicating possible risk of Pb pollution in these water bodies. The Zn content was near the USEPA aquatic life standards in summer for all water bodies. None of the rivers showed any risk associated with Cd, Co, Cu, and Ni levels but medium to higher risk to aquatic life from Cr and Zn for both seasons for most of the rivers. Metal fractionation revealed the decreasing order of inert > labile > organic. The high inert fraction in the rivers under study reflects the major contribution of natural sources in Lake Pontchartrain Basin. The labile and organic forms of Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn pose potential higher risk to the aquatic life in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.

Adsorption of Cd, Cu and Zn from aqueous solutions onto ferronickel slag under different potentially toxic metal combination.

Adsorption characteristics of potentially toxic metals in single- and multi-metal forms onto ferronickel slag were evaluated. Competitive sorption of metals by ferronickel slag has never been reported previously. The maximum adsorption capacities of toxic metals on ferronickel were in the order of Cd (10.2 mg g(-1)) > Cu (8.4 mg g(-1)) > Zn (4.4 mg g(-1)) in the single-metal adsorption isotherm and Cu (6.1 mg g(-1)) >> Cd (2.3 mg g(-1)) > Zn (0.3 mg g(-1)) in the multi-metal adsorption isotherm. In comparison with single-metal adsorption isotherm, the reduction rates of maximum toxic metal adsorption capacity in the multi-metal adsorption isotherm were in the following order of Zn (93%) > Cd (78%) >> Cu (27%). The Freundlich isotherm provides a slightly better fit than the Langmuir isotherm equation using ferronickel slag for potentially toxic metal adsorption. Multi-metal adsorption behaviors differed from single-metal adsorption due to competition, based on data obtained from Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption models and three-dimensional simulation. Especially, Cd and Zn were easily exchanged and substituted by Cu during multi-metal adsorption. Further competitive adsorption studies are necessary in order to accurately estimate adsorption capacity of ferronickel slag for potentially toxic metals in natural environments.

Long-term performance of vertical-flow and horizontal-flow constructed wetlands as affected by season, N load, and operating stage for treating nitrogen from domestic sewage.

To investigate the long-term nitrogen treatment efficiency in vertical-flow (VF)-horizontal-flow (HF) hybrid constructed wetlands (CWs), the nitrogen removal efficiency under different seasons, N loads, and three operating stages (representing age of the wetland) were evaluated over a 12-year period. The average total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiencies in the effluent during the operation period were in the following order: summer (75.2%) > spring (73.4%) ≒ autumn (72.6%) > winter (66.4%). The removal efficiencies of TN in summer, autumn, and spring were generally higher than those in winter. At different stages of operation (years), the average TN removal rates in the effluent were in the following order: middle stage (73.4%; years 2006-2009) > last stage (72.0%; years 2010-2013) > beginning stage (70.1%; years 2002-2005). In VF-HF CWs, the amount of average TN removal (mg N m(-2) day(-1)) over the 12-year period was in the order of summer (5.5) ≒ autumn (5.1) > spring (4.3) ≒ winter (4.2) for the VF bed and in the order of summer (3.5) ≒ spring (3.5) ≒ autumn (3.3) > winter (2.7) for the HF bed, showing that the amount of TN removal per unit area (m(2)) in summer was slightly greater than that in other seasons. The amount of TN removal in the VF bed was slightly greater than that in the HF bed. Using three-dimensional simulation graphs, the maximum TN removal rate was at inflow N loads below 2.7 g m(-2) day(-1) in the summer season, whereas the minimum TN removal rate was at inflow N loads below 1.4 g m(-2) day(-1) in the winter season. Consequently, the TN removal efficiency was very stable over the 12 years of operation in VF-HF hybrid CWs. Results demonstrate that the VF-HF hybrid CWs possess good buffer capacity for treating TN from domestic sewage for extended periods of time.

Sequential anaerobic-aerobic biodegradation of 2,3,7,8-TCDD contaminated soil in the presence of CMC-coated nZVI and surfactant.

Enriched microorganisms in sediment collected from a dioxin-contaminated site in Vietnam (Bien Hoa airbase) were used for examining the effectiveness in biological treatment of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in soil. Four bio-treatments were investigated using a sequential anaerobic (17 weeks) followed by an aerobic (6 weeks) incubation. The maximum removal efficiency was approximately 60% even at an extremely low pH (approx. 3.6) condition. Surfactant Tween-80 was added to enhance the bioavailability of dioxin in two treatments, but it appeared to biostimulate methanogens rather than dechlorinators. As a result, methane production was the highest while the dioxin removal efficiency was the lowest, as compared with the other bio-treatments. Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) coated on nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) surface used in two treatments could prevent the direct contact between bacterial cell surface and nZVI which prevented cell death and lysis, hence enhancing dioxin removal. The presence of CMC--_nZVI in bio-treatments gradually released H2 required for microbiological processes, but the amount used in the experiments were likely too high to maintain optimum H2 levels for biostimulating dechlorinators rather than methanogens.

Competitive adsorption of heavy metals onto sesame straw biochar in aqueous solutions.

Objective of this research was to evaluate adsorption of heavy metals in mono and multimetal forms onto sesame straw biochar (SSB). Competitive sorption of metals by SSB has never been reported previously. The maximum adsorption capacities (mgg(-1)) of metals by SSB were in the order of Pb (102)≫Cd (86)≫Cr (65)>Cu (55)≫Zn (34) in the monometal adsorption isotherm and Pb (88)≫Cu (40)≫Cr (21)>Zn (7)⩾Cd (5) in the multimetal adsorption isotherm. Based on data obtained from the distribution coefficients, Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption models, and three-dimensional simulation, multimetal adsorption behaviors differed from monometal adsorption due to competition. Especially, during multimetal adsorption, Cd was easily exchanged and substituted by other metals. Further competitive adsorption studies are necessary in order to accurately estimate the heavy metal adsorption capacity of biochar in natural environments.