[Different Responses of Soil Dissolved Organic Matter to Different Types of Compost].

This study explored the responses of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) to the application of different types of compost using a soil sample without compost as a control. Ultraviolet and fluorescence spectrum technology and EEM-PARAFAC was used to analyze DOM structure and driving factors in soil added with different proportion of cow dung compost (SCC), food and kitchen waste compost (SFC), and sludge compost (SCC). Compared with the control group, contents of AN, NH4+-N, DOC, and SOM in soil added with compost were significantly increased, and contents of SOM and DOC increased with the increasing of compost amount. When added compost in the same proportion, contents of AN, NO3--N, and DOC in SCC and SFC were significantly higher than those in SSC, while contents of NH4+-N and SOM were higher in SSC. The results of spectral analysis showed that the structure of conjugated benzene ring, hydrophobic component, quinone group, and chromogenic component in DOM of soil added with compost were significantly increased, the transition of unsaturated organic molecule (π→π*) was more active, the molecular weight of DOM increased, and the degree of humification was enhanced. When the amount of compost added is 5%, the influence of food and kitchen waste compost on DOM structure was greatest among three types of compost. At 10% and 20%, sludge compost had the greatest impact on DOM structure. The results of EEM-PARAFAC analysis showed that the relative content of fulvic acid-like substances with low molecular in DOM of soil added with compost was increased, while the relative content of proteoid-like substances decreased. 2D-COS analysis showed that compost affected the change order of fluorescence components in DOM. SCC and SFC were as follows:proteoid-like > fulvic acid-like > humus-like; in SSC, it was fulvic acid-like > proteoid-like > humus-like. The enhance of humification and the decrease of relative content of protein-like substances in DOM were related to increased DOC and AN, the relative content of humus-like in low molecular weight was positively correlated with the content of NO3--N, and the relative content of macromolecule fulvic acid-like was increased due to the input of SOM from compost.

[Composition, Evolution, and Complexation of Dissolved Organic Matter with Heavy Metals in Landfills].

Samples of wastes and leachates were collected from a landfill site and a leachate treatment plant[i.e., equalization basin, anaerobic zone, oxidation ditch, and membrane bioreactor (MBR) section]. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) was extracted from the wastes and leachates, and its composition, evolution, and complexation characteristics with heavy metals were studied using UV-Visible and fluorescence spectroscopy combined with1H nuclear magnetic resonance. The aliphatic compounds were found to be the main substances in DOM in the fresh landfill wastes (<5 a), and the relative content of aromatics and substituent groups, i.e., carbonyl, hydroxyl, and carboxyl functional groups, decreased during the initial process. On the other hand, carbohydrates and organic amines were observed to be the main substances in DOM obtained from the intermediate and old landfill wastes (>5 a), and the relative content of aromatics and substituent groups (carbonyl, hydroxyl, and carboxyl functional groups) increased persistently during the process of organic matter humification. The aliphatics, carbohydrates, and organic amines all existed in DOM from the equalization basin Carbohydrates and aromatic compounds increased rapidly after the anaerobic, aerobiotic, and membrane treatment. However, low molecular weight organic matter and alkyl chain substances decreased during the leachate treatment process and the side chain of the aliphatics was shortened despite the increase in its content. The distribution of zinc in the wastes and leachates was influenced by the complexation with the nitrogen-and oxygen-containing functional groups, whose effect on other metals was not obvious.

Composition, removal, redox, and metal complexation properties of dissolved organic nitrogen in composting leachates.

This study investigated the composition, removal, redox, and metal complexation characteristics of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in composting leachates. Results showed that the leachate-derived DON comprised proteinaceous compounds and amines, and most of them were integrated into the fulvic- and humic-like substances. Neutral, basic, acidic, hydroxylic, aromatic, and sulfuric amino acids all were detected in the influent leachates. However, most of them were removed by the biological and physical processes, and only neutral amino acids were detected in the effluent. The DON was not the main contributor to the redox capability of the leachate dissolved organic matter (DOM). However, it exhibited a strong capability for metal complexation. The amines formed strong complexes with the metals Mo, Co, Cr, and Ni, while the proteinaceous matter interacted with the metals Cr and Ni.

Using fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with chemometric analysis to investigate the origin, composition, and dynamics of dissolved organic matter in leachate-polluted groundwater.

Groundwater was collected in 2011 and 2012, and fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with chemometric analysis was employed to investigate the composition, origin, and dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the groundwater. The results showed that the groundwater DOM comprised protein-, fulvic-, and humic-like substances, and the protein-like component originated predominantly from microbial production. The groundwater pollution by landfill leachate enhanced microbial activity and thereby increased microbial by-product-like material such as protein-like component in the groundwater. Excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectra combined with parallel factor analysis showed that the protein-like matter content increased from 2011 to 2012 in the groundwater, whereas the fulvic- and humic-like matter concentration exhibited no significant changes. In addition, synchronous-scan fluorescence spectra coupled with two-dimensional correlation analysis showed that the change of the fulvic- and humic-like matter was faster than that of the protein-like substances, as the groundwater flowed from upstream to downstream in 2011, but slower than that of the protein-like substance in 2012 due to the enhancement of microbial activity. Fluorescence spectroscopy combined with chemometric analysis can investigate groundwater pollution characteristics and monitor DOM dynamics in groundwater.

Insight into the evolution, redox, and metal binding properties of dissolved organic matter from municipal solid wastes using two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy.

Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy was employed to investigate the evolution, redox, and metal binding properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from municipal solid wastes (MSWs) during composting. The results showed that the DOM was degraded during composting in the order of aliphatic substances > proteinaceous compounds > cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, while humic substances transformed during the process in the order of fulvic-like matter > humic-like substances > protein-like matter. The fulvic- and humic-like substances originated from lignin and polysaccharide-like substances with the function groups of CH3, CCH2, CCH, OCH3, OCH, O--C--O, aromatic C, and COO, while the protein-like matter was derived from aliphatic and proteinaceous compounds with the functional groups of CCH3 and N--C==O. The aromatic C and COO were responsible for the oxidation capacity of the MSW-derived DOM, while the O--C--O and COO accounted for the Cu and Zn binding capacity of the DOM.

[Difference of contaminant composition between landfill leachates and groundwater and its reasons].

In order to investigate the groundwater pollution by landfill leachates, the distribution characteristics of inorganic salt, organic compounds and heavy metals in leachastes from a simple landfill and groundwater and its reason were study using conventional analysis, fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectra and multivariate statistical analysis. The results showed that the landfill was heterogeneous, and the extracts from the landfill wastes showed a high concentration of NH4(+) -N, but low contents of Cl-, SO4(2-), dissolved organic matter (DOM) and heavy metals. The nitrification process was blocked due to a strong reducing atmosphere in landfill, which caused a low concentration of NO3(-) -N and NO2(-) -N in leachates. Cu was mainly associated with DOM in leachates, while the distribution of the metals Ba, Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn and As was primarily related to hydrophobic organic compounds. The contaminate compositions in different groundwater were similar except for the groundwater under the landfill site. In contrast to landfill leachates, the groundwater showed a low concentration of NH4(+) -N, but high concentrations of Cl-, SO4(2-), DOM, NO3(-) -N and NO2(-) -N except for the groundwater under the landfill site. The organic compounds in the groundwater were mainly originated from microbial activity, and the distribution of the metals Ba, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn and Ni was mainly related to fluorescecent organic matter in DOM. The results showed that the leak point of landfill leachates can be identified through the cluster analysis method on the basis of the contaminant composition in groundwater.

Characterizing the heavy metal-complexing potential of fluorescent water-extractable organic matter from composted municipal solid wastes using fluorescence excitation­emission matrix spectra coupled with parallel factor analysis.

To investigate the effect of organic matter evolution on heavy metal sorption, fluorescence excitation­emission matrix (EEM) spectra combined with parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis were employed to characterize the evolution and metal-complexing potential of fluorescent water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) from composted municipal solid wastes (MSWs). The WEOMs examined comprised humic-, fulvic-, tryptophan-, and tyrosine-like substances. Composting treatment increased the content of humic- and fulvic-like matter, and changed the existence pattern of tryptophan- and tyrosine-like substances (i.e., the tryptophan- and tyrosine-like substances from uncomposted MSWs were mainly bound in protein-like matter, whereas those from composted MSWs were primarily bound in humic- and fulvic-like substances). Furthermore, composting treatment increased the polar functional group, aromaticity, and humification degree of the WEOMs, but decreased the aliphatic and hydroxyl group. These evolutions decreased the Cu(II) affinities of fulvic- and humic-like substances and the Pb(II) affinities and complexing capacities of fulvic-like substances, but increased the Cu(II) complexing capacities of fulvic- and humic-like substances. These results reveal that mature composts from the MSWs can be used for the remediation of Cu- and Pb-contaminated soils in situ, whereas immature composts can enhance the metal transferability from soil to plant.

Influence of the composition and removal characteristics of organic matter on heavy metal distribution in compost leachates.

Compost leachates were collected to investigate the influence of the composition and removal of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), humic-like substances (HSs), and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) on heavy metal distribution during the leachate treatment process. The results showed that acetic and propionic acids accounted for 81.3 to 93.84% of VFAs, and that these acids were removed by the anaerobic-aerobic process. Humic- and fulvic-like substances were detected by excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy coupled with parallel factor analysis, and their content significantly decreased after the anaerobic and membrane treatments. DON in compost leachates ranged from 26.53 mg L(-1) to 919.46 mg L(-1), comprised of dissolved free amino acids and the protein-like matter bound to humic- and fulvic-like substances, and was removed by the aerobic process. Correlation analysis showed that Mn, Ni, and Pb were bound to VFAs and protein-, fulvic-, and humic-like substances in the leachates. Co was primarily bound to fulvic- and humic-like matter and inorganic sulfurs, whereas Cu, Zn, and Cd interacted with inorganic sulfur.

Influence of chemical and structural evolution of dissolved organic matter on electron transfer capacity during composting.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) can mediate electron transfer and change chemical speciation of heavy metals. In this study, the electron transfer capability (ETC) of compost-derived DOM was investigated through electrochemical approaches, and the factors influencing the ETC were studied using spectral and elemental analysis. The results showed that the electron accepting capacity (EAC) and electron donating capacity (EDC) of compost-derived DOM were 3.29-40.14µmole- (gC)(-1) and 57.1- 346.07µmole- (gC)(-1), respectively. Composting treatment increased the fulvic- and humic-like substance content, oxygenated aliphatic carbon content, lignin-derived aromatic carbon content, molecule weight, and N and S content of DOM, but decreased the aliphatic carbon content and the C and H content. This conversion increased the EDC and EAC of the DOM during composting.

[Composition and transformation of leachates during municipal solid waste composting].

The composition and evolution characteristics of inorganic anions, ammonia, heavy metals and organic compounds in leachates with different composing times were studied in a composting plant in order to clarify its composition and evolution and search for a suitable processing technology. The results showed that concentrations of EC, F-, Cl-, SO4(2-) and NH4(+) -N decreased during the composting process, while the contents of NO2(-) -N, NO3(-) -N and Org-N were related to the oxidation reduction atmosphere of leachates. The Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn and As concentrations in leachates exhibited a decrease trend during the composting process, while contents of heavy metals Cr, Ni, Fe, Mn showed an increase trend with increasing composting time. The composting leachate organics comprised mainly of protein-like substance, but also consisted of humic-like substances. The leachate organics were suitable to be treated by biochemical process firstly, and then by physico-chemical technique. The relative content of protein-like substances firstly increased and then decreased, while that of humic-like matter exhibited an opposite trend. The contents of salinity and heavy metal in compost leachates were high, which caused the improper reflux utilization of leachates. The compost leachates should be treated by the combined biochemical and physico-chemical process before emission.

Fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectra coupled with parallel factor and regional integration analysis to characterize organic matter humification.

The present several humification indexes cannot provide the whole fluorescence information on organic matter composition and the evaluation results from them are inconsistent sometimes. In this study, fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectra coupled with parallel factor analysis and fluorescence regional integration analysis were utilized to investigate organic matter humification, and the projection pursuit cluster (PPC) model was applied to form a suitable index for overcoming the difficulties in multi-index evaluation. The result showed that the ratio between the volume of humic- and fulvic-like fluorescence region and the volume of protein-like fluorescence region not only revealed the heterogeneity of organic matter, but also provided more accurate information on organic matter humification. In addition, the results showed that the PPC model could be used to characterize integrally the humification, and the projected characteristic value calculated from the PPC model could be used as the integrated humification evaluation index.