Removal of Acid Yellow 17 from Textile Wastewater by Adsorption and Heterogeneous Persulfate Oxidation.

Azo dyes commonly used in various industries have a stable and toxic structure. Wastewater containing AY17 dye as a model contaminant was investigated in terms of color and COD removal by both adsorption and persulfate oxidation activated with the PAC. In this study, the effects of temperature (25-50 °C), pH (3-10), persulfate concentration (1000-4000 mg/L), adsorbent dosage (0.1-0.5 g), reaction time (5-60 min), dye concentration (300-1000 mg/L) and NaCI concentration (0-1000 mg/L) on both color and COD removals from wastewater containing AY17 dye were examined. As a result of the study, it was seen that the dosage of adsorbent, pH and reaction time are important parameters in both systems. The use of the PAC as an adsorbent caused to shortening of the reaction time in the HPS system. It also showed that acidic and neutral pH values are more suitable for the removal of AY17 with both systems. Color and COD removal were determined as 100-88.4% and 100-96.6%, respectively, at optimum values obtained for the adsorption and HPS system. An experimental design was applied for various operating parameters in order to analyze experimental data. Models have been proposed for both color removal and COD removal estimates for both systems.

Plant cell piercing by a predatory mite: evidence and implications.

Omnivorous arthropods can play an important role as beneficial natural enemies because they can sustain their populations on plants when prey is scarce, thereby providing prophylactic protection against an array of herbivores. Although some omnivorous mite species of the family Phytoseiidae consume plant cell-sap, the feeding mechanism and its influence on the plant are not known. Using scanning electron microscopy we demonstrated that the omnivorous predatory mite Euseius scutalis penetrates epidermal cells of pepper foliage and wax membranes. Penetration holes were teardrop shape to oval, of 2-5 µm diameter. The similarities between penetration holes in pollen grains and in epidermal cells implied that the same penetration mechanism is used for pollen feeding and plant cell-sap uptake. Variation in shape and size of penetration holes in leaves and a wax membrane were attributed to different mite life stages, depth of penetration or the number of chelicerae puncturing (one or both). Punctured stomata, epidermal and vein cells appeared flat and lacking turgor. When the mite penetrated and damaged a single cell, neighboring cells were most often intact. In a growth chamber experiment very large numbers of E. scutalis negatively affected the growth of young pepper plants. Consequently caution should be taken when applying cell-piercing predators to young plants. Further studies are needed to take advantage of the potential sustainability of plant cell-sap feeding predators.

Biodegradation of explosives mixture in soil under different water-content conditions.

Soil redox potential plays a key role in the rates and pathways of explosives degradation, and is highly influenced by water content and microbial activity. Soil redox potential can vary significantly both temporally and spatially in micro-sites. In this study, when soil water content increased, the redox potential decreased, and there was significant enhancement in the biodegradation of a mixture of three explosives. Whereas TNT degradation occurred under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, RDX and HMX degradation occurred only when water content conditions resulted in a prolonged period of negative redox potential. Moreover, under unsaturated conditions, which are more representative of real environmental conditions, the low redox potential, even when measured for temporary periods, was sufficient to facilitate anaerobic degradation. Our results clearly indicate a negative influence of TNT on the biodegradation of RDX and HMX, but this effect was less pronounced than that found in previous slurry batch experiments: this can be explained by a masking effect of the soil in the canisters. Fully or partially saturated soils can promote the existence of micro-niches that differ considerably in their explosives concentration, microbial community and redox conditions.

Sequential biodegradation of TNT, RDX and HMX in a mixture.

We describe TNT's inhibition of RDX and HMX anaerobic degradation in contaminated soil containing indigenous microbial populations. Biodegradation of RDX or HMX alone was markedly faster than their degradation in a mixture with TNT, implying biodegradation inhibition by the latter. The delay caused by the presence of TNT continued even after its disappearance and was linked to the presence of its intermediate, tetranitroazoxytoluene. PCR-DGGE analysis of cultures derived from the soil indicated a clear reduction in microbial biomass and diversity with increasing TNT concentration. At high-TNT concentrations (30 and 90 mg/L), only a single band, related to Clostridium nitrophenolicum, was observed after 3 days of incubation. We propose that the mechanism of TNT inhibition involves a cytotoxic effect on the RDX- and HMX-degrading microbial population. TNT inhibition in the top active soil can therefore initiate rapid transport of RDX and HMX to the less active subsurface and groundwater.

Effects of surfactants originating from reuse of greywater on capillary rise in the soil.

Greywater is all domestic wastewater excluding toilet effluents. Detergents contain surfactants, which account for the highest concentration of organic chemicals in average domestic wastewater. Accumulation of surfactants in greywater-irrigated soils was determined in three household gardens. The effect of surfactants on capillary rise in loess and sand was then tested in the range of concentrations found in the garden soils. The capillary rise of freshwater in sieved oven-dried soil mixed with different concentrations of laundry detergent solution (10% w/w moisture content) was determined. In a second setup, the soil was mixed with freshwater and the rising solution contained different concentrations of detergent solution. The introduction of laundry solution to the soils caused a significant decrease in the capillary rise over the range of concentrations that is found in greywater-irrigated soils. The effect was more noticeable in the sand than in the loess. Interestingly, in the second setup, the capillary rise of the laundry solutions in the sand was almost similar to that of freshwater, whereas in the loess the capillary rise was significantly reduced. It is suggested that accumulation of surfactants in the soil might form water repellent soils that have a significant effect on agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability.

Incremental diagnostic value of 99mTc methylene diphosphonate bone SPECT in patients with patellofemoral pain disorders.

Painful disorders of the patellofemoral joint are one of the most frequent complaints in orthopaedic and sports medicine. The purpose of this study was to assess the value of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) bone imaging compared with arthroscopy in the differential diagnosis of anterior knee pain. Twenty-seven patients with chronic anterior knee pain and 27 age matched control patients were examined prospectively. All patients underwent a detailed clinical history and a thorough physical examination of the knee. Planar and SPECT knee scintigraphy was performed using 99mTc methylene diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP). Subsequently, arthroscopic examination of all three compartments of the affected knee was performed. The association between the scintigraphic findings and arthroscopy was examined statistically. Planar and SPECT scintigrams were classified as follows: focal or diffuse uptake in the patella only (eight patients), uptake in the patella and a corresponding focus in the distal femur (12 patients), and uptake in the patella associated with linear increased activity along the distal femur (six patients). One patient had no patellofemoral SPECT abnormalities. Six of eight patients with isolated increased patellar activity were diagnosed with chondromalacia of the patella, while 2/8 patients had arthroscopic findings unrelated to patellofemoral abnormalities. Seven of 12 patients with corresponding uptake in the patella and distal femur were diagnosed with patellofemoral arthritis. Eleven other patients with corresponding patellar and femoral activity were diagnosed with increased lateral patellar compression syndrome. In these patients the patellar foci were always lateral, and they separated during flexion of the knee. Seven patients had further scintigraphic findings in addition to patellofemoral abnormalities, unsuspected clinically. Nine of 27 patients in the control group (33%) had either focal or diffuse increased patellar uptake. Compared to arthroscopy SPECT imaging had a sensitivity of 100% for patellofemoral abnormalities and a specificity of 64% (negative predictive value, 100%; and positive predictive value, 72%). The overall observed agreement between SPECT and arthroscopy was 81% (kappa=0.63). It is concluded that SPECT imaging of the knee is highly sensitive for the diagnosis of patellofemoral abnormalities. SPECT significantly improves the detection of maltracking of the patella and the ensuing increased lateral patellar compression syndrome. This information could be used to treat patellofemoral problems more effectively.

Retardation of organic contaminants in natural fractures in chalk.

Transport of a conservative compound and two sorbing compounds through fractured chalk was studied using flow-through columns consisting of chalk cores with a single subvertical fracture. Two types of chalk matrix were compared, an oxidized white chalk with low organic carbon content (0.2%), and a gray chalk with a higher organic carbon content (1.3%). Initial rapid breakthrough followed by a delayed approach to a relative concentration of unity for the conservative compound (2,6-difluorobenzoic acid [DFBA]) was clear evidence for diffusion into the porous chalk matrix. Matrix diffusion of DFBA was apparently much greater in the gray chalk columns than in the white chalk columns. Breakthrough curves (BTCs) of the sorbing compounds (2,4,6-tribromophenol [TBP] and ametryn [AME]) were retarded in all cases as compared to the conservative compound. Sorption retardation was far greater in the gray chalk as compared with the white chalk, in good agreement with results from batch sorption experiments. BTCs for the conservative compound were relatively nonhysteretic for both white and gray chalk columns. In contrast, BTCs for the sorbing compounds were hysteretic in all cases, demonstrating that sorption was not at equilibrium before desorption began. These experiments suggest that on a field scale, transport of contaminants through fractures in chalk and other fractured porous media will be attenuated by diffusion and sorption into the matrix.

Sorption of organic contaminants in a fractured chalk formation.

Sorption capability of bedrock components from a fractured chalk province was evaluated using ametryn, phenanthrene, m-xylene, 2,4,6-tribromophenol, and 1,2-dichloroethane. Sorption isotherms for the four aromatic compounds were nonlinear on gray (unoxidized) chalk. Over the studied solution ranges, the distribution coefficient decreased by factor of 3 for phenanthrene and m-xylene, a factor 4 for ametryn, and by an order of magnitude for 2,4,6-tribromophenol. In contrast, 1,2-dichloroethane displayed a linear isotherm. The importance of polar interactions for ametryn sorption was evaluated by normalizing sorption to an "inert" solvent, n-hexane. n-Hexane-normalized sorption of ametryn was much greater than that of phenanthrene, presumably due to ametryn participation in hydrogen bonding interactions. In sharp contrast to sorption to gray chalk, sorption to white (oxidized) chalk is 100- to 1000-fold lower at any given solution concentration. The much greater sorption on gray chalk cannot be explained by specific surface area, clay content, or organic matter content; thus, the nature of the organic matter is considered to control sorption in the chalk samples. Gray chalk sorption capacity estimates for ametryn and 2,4,6-tribromophenol are similar, which, together with evidence of competition for sorption sites, suggests that the limited capacity sorption domain for both compounds is similar.