Influence of sludge reflux ratios on biodegradation performance in a coupled landfill leachate treatment process based on UASB and submerged MBR.

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of different sludge reflux ratios (SRRs) on the overall performance and the fouling behavior of the up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor-anoxic-membrane bioreactor (MBR). The leachate and synthetic municipal wastewater were mixed in order to improve the biodegradability of the old leachate. Results showed that excellent removal efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) were obtained by using the integrated UASB-anoxic-MBR process. The average COD removals were 91.01%, 93.90%, and 92.67% and that of NH3-N were 98.1%, 98.5%, and 98.9% when SRRs were 100%, 300%, and 500%, respectively. The study of the membrane fouling mechanism indicated that proteins, hydrocarbons and inorganic matter are the main elements of the cake layers.

[Mechanism and Surface Fractal Characteristics for the Adsorption of p-nitrophenol on Water-quenched Blast Furnace Slag].

In the present study, the removal of p-nitrophenol (p-NP) from aqueous solution through the adsorption on water-quenched blast furnace slag (WBFS) was investigated. The physicochemical properties of the slag were characterized by SEM, XRD, FTIR and BET. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the mechanism, kinetics and thermodynamics of adsorption process. The results showed that the experimental data could fit to Freundlich model. The enthalpy change (ΔH) and entropy change (ΔS) were 3.29 kJ·mol-1 and 4.66 J·(mol·K)-1, respectively. It indicated that the adsorption of p-NP on WBFS was an endothermic and entropy-increasing process. The values of ΔG decreased with increasing temperature, indicating the spontaneous adsorption proportional to the temperature. The adsorption could be divided into two parts, one was high-speed surface coverage, and the other was slow-speed internal diffusion adsorption. It was also found that the adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The fractal dimensions of WBFS surface calculated by Freundlich adsorption fractal model were 2.78, 2.80, 2.84 and 2.87 at different temperatures, respectively. It indicated the existence of fractal phenomenon with higher fractal dimension of WBFS at higher temperature.

Combined effects of DOM and biosurfactant enhanced biodegradation of polycylic armotic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil-water systems.

This study systematically investigated the interactive effects of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and biosurfactant (rhamnolipid) on the biodegradation of phenanthrene (PHE) and pyrene (PYR) in soil-water systems. The degradations of two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were fitted well with first order kinetic model and the degradation rates were in proportion to the concentration of biosurfactant. In addition, the degradation enhancement of PHE was higher than that of PYR. The addition of soil DOM itself at an environmental level would inhibit the biodegradation of PAHs. However, in the system with co-existence of DOM and biosurfactant, the degradation of PAHs was higher than that in only biosurfactant addition system, which may be attributed to the formation of DOM-biosurfactant complex micelles. Furthermore, under the combined conditions, the degradation of PAH increased with the biosurfactant concentration, and the soil DOM added system showed slightly higher degradation than the compost DOM added system, indicating that the chemical structure and composition of DOM would also affect the bioavailability of PAHs. The study result may broaden knowledge of biosurfactant enhanced bioremediation of PAHs contaminated soil and groundwater.

A multi-echelon supply chain model for municipal solid waste management system.

In this paper, a multi-echelon multi-period solid waste management system (MSWM) was developed by inoculating with multi-echelon supply chain. Waste managers, suppliers, industries and distributors could be engaged in joint strategic planning and operational execution. The principal of MSWM system is interactive planning of transportation and inventory for each organization in waste collection, delivery and disposal. An efficient inventory management plan for MSWM would lead to optimized productivity levels under available capacities (e.g., transportation and operational capacities). The applicability of the proposed system was illustrated by a case with three cities, one distribution and two waste disposal facilities. Solutions of the decision variable values under different significant levels indicate a consistent trend. With an increased significant level, the total generated waste would be decreased, and the total transported waste through distribution center to waste to energy and landfill would be decreased as well.

Optimal land use management for soil erosion control by using an interval-parameter fuzzy two-stage stochastic programming approach.

Soil erosion is one of the most serious environmental and public health problems, and such land degradation can be effectively mitigated through performing land use transitions across a watershed. Optimal land use management can thus provide a way to reduce soil erosion while achieving the maximum net benefit. However, optimized land use allocation schemes are not always successful since uncertainties pertaining to soil erosion control are not well presented. This study applied an interval-parameter fuzzy two-stage stochastic programming approach to generate optimal land use planning strategies for soil erosion control based on an inexact optimization framework, in which various uncertainties were reflected. The modeling approach can incorporate predefined soil erosion control policies, and address inherent system uncertainties expressed as discrete intervals, fuzzy sets, and probability distributions. The developed model was demonstrated through a case study in the Xiangxi River watershed, China's Three Gorges Reservoir region. Land use transformations were employed as decision variables, and based on these, the land use change dynamics were yielded for a 15-year planning horizon. Finally, the maximum net economic benefit with an interval value of [1.197, 6.311] × 10(9) $ was obtained as well as corresponding land use allocations in the three planning periods. Also, the resulting soil erosion amount was found to be decreased and controlled at a tolerable level over the watershed. Thus, results confirm that the developed model is a useful tool for implementing land use management as not only does it allow local decision makers to optimize land use allocation, but can also help to answer how to accomplish land use changes.

[Allelopathy effects of ferulic acid and coumarin on Microcystis aeruginosa].

The inhibitory effects and allelopathy mechanism of ferulic acid and coumarin on Microcystis aeruginosa were investigated by measuring the D680 value, the content of chlorophyll-a, the electrical conductivity (EC) and superoxide anion radical O*- value. Ferulic acid and coumarin had allelopathic effects on the growth of M. aeruginosa and promoted the physiological metabolism at low concentrations while inhibited the metabolism at high concentrations. Obvious inhibitory effects were observed when the concentration of ferulic acid or coumarin was over 100 mg x L(-1). The average inhibitory rates reached 80.3% and 58.0% after six days when the concentration of ferulic acid or coumarin was 200 mg x L(-1). The content of chlorophyll-a was decreased while the EC value and O2*- concentration were promoted by higher concentrations of ferulic acid or coumarin, suggesting that the growth of algae was inhibited probably by the damage of cell membrane, increase in the content of O2*- and decrease in the content of chlorophyll-a. In addition, seed germination test elucidated that Ferulic acid was safer than Coumarin.

Effect of different buffer agents on in-vessel composting of food waste: performance analysis and comparative study.

This study investigated the performance and feasibility for application of different buffer agent combinations, including K2HPO4/MgSO4, KH2PO4/MgSO4 and NaAc, in composting of food waste. The variations of temperature, pH, O2 consumption, organic mass and ammonia release were monitored. The results showed that addition of all these three types of agents could prolong the thermophilic stage during composting. The amendments of KH2PO4/MgSO4 and NaAc could increase and decrease the final pH levels, respectively. Application of K2HPO4/MgSO4 and NaAc would lead to a peak daily oxygen uptake rate of 10.0 and 12.4 mg/(g·h) respectively, which were all higher than that with KH2PO4/MgSO4 amendment. Similarly, the reactors with K2HPO4/MgSO4 and NaAc were also associated with a higher cumulative oxygen uptake and total organic degradation rate. The amendment of NaAc resulted in a higher ammonia loss than the other two agents. More inorganic nitrogen contents were observed in the series with K2HPO4/MgSO4 and NaAc. It can be concluded that K2HPO4/MgSO4 additive showed the most favorable influence on composting performance. The results of this study will have important implications for developing appropriate treatment approach for food waste composting.

Performance of in-vessel composting of food waste in the presence of coal ash and uric acid.

Massive quantities of food waste often coexist with other agroindustrial and industrial waste, which might contain coal ash (CA) and uric acid (UA). This study investigated the influence of CA and UA on the composting of food waste in the in-vessel system. The patterns of food waste composting were compared among various combinations. The results showed that the temperature level was enhanced in the presence of CA and UA during the first 8 days. The significant drop in pH was observed in the treatment without any amendment. But the presence of CA could alleviate the drop of pH. More intensive organic mass reduction took place in the treatments with amended CA and UA in the first half of process. The O(2) uptake rate in the reactor with CA and UA was higher than that with only CA in the early stage. Both thermophilic and mesophilic microorganisms were present throughout the composting period. The populations of both thermophilic and mesophilic microorganisms were influenced when amended with CA and UA. The decreasing trend in C/N ratio was shown in all the reactors, while a relatively lower C/N ratio was obtained in the series with both CA and UA.

Effect of short-chain organic acids on the enhanced desorption of phenanthrene by rhamnolipid biosurfactant in soil-water environment.

This study investigated the effect of short-chain organic acids on biosurfactant-enhanced mobilization of phenanthrene in soil-water system. The desorption characteristics of phenanthrene by soils were assessed in the presence of rhamnolipid and four SCOAs, including acetic acid, oxalic acid, tartaric acid and citric acid. The tests with rhamnolipid and different organic acids could attain the higher desorption of phenanthrene compared to those with only rhamnolipid. Among the different combinations, the series with rhamnolipid and citric acid exhibited more significant effect on the desorption performance. The removal of phenanthrene using rhamnolipid and SCOAs gradually increased as the SCOA concentration increased up to a concentration of 300 mmol/L. The effects of pH, soil dissolved organic matter and ionic strength were further evaluated in the presence of both biosurfactant and SCOAs. The results showed that the extent of phenanthrene desorption was more significant at pH 6 and 9. Desorption of phenanthrene was relatively lower in the DOM-removed soils with the addition of biosurfactant and SCOAs. The presence of more salt ions made phenanthrene more persistent on the solid phase and adversely affected its desorption from contaminated soil. The results from this study may have important implications for soil washing technologies used to treat PAH-contaminated soil and groundwater.

An electrochemical DNA sensor based on a layers-film construction modified electrode.

This work developed a relatively inexpensive and layers-film construction electrochemical sensor for DNA recognition and its performance was investigated. The Fe(3)O(4) magnetic nanoparticles-cysteine were immobilized on the carbon paste electrode (CPE) surface using magnetic force. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), gold nanoparticles (GNPs), and chitosan (Chi) were used successively to coat on the electrode surface. The thiolated capture probe was assembled and competitively hybridized with the target nucleic acid and biotinylated response probe. The electrochemical behavior was analyzed by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. In addition, the sensor performance was also analyzed by introducing the notion of detection efficiency. The experimental results showed that although the electron transfer capability of the CPE is less strong than that of a metal electrode used in the DNA sensor, the materials modified on the CPE could significantly improve the performance. A detection limit of 1 nM of target DNA and a sensitivity of 2.707 × 10(3) mA M(-1) cm(-2) were obtained. Although the resulting detection limit was not remarkable, further experiments could improve it.

Combined effects of DOM extracted from site soil/compost and biosurfactant on the sorption and desorption of PAHs in a soil-water system.

The combined effects of DOM and biosurfactant on the sorption/desorption behavior of phenanthrene (PHE) and pyrene (PYR) in soil water systems were systematically investigated. Two origins of DOMs (extracted from soil and extracted from food waste compost) and an anionic biosurfactant (rhamnolipid) were introduced. The presence of DOM in the aqueous phase could decrease the sorption of PAHs, thus influence their mobility. Desorption enhancement for both PHE and PYR in the system with compost DOM was greater than that in the soil DOM system. This is due to the differences in specific molecular structures and functional groups of two DOMs. With the co-existence of biosurfactant and DOM, partitioning is the predominant process and the desorption extent was much higher than the system with DOM or biosurfactant individually. For PHE, the desorption enhancement of combined DOM and biosurfactant was larger than the sum of DOM or biosurfactant; however desorption enhancement for PYR in the combined system was less than the additive enhancement in two individual system under low PAH concentration. This could be explained as the competition sorption among PAHs, DOM and biosurfactant. The results of this study will help to clarify the transport of petroleum pollutants in the remediation of HOCs-contaminated soils.

An inexact reverse logistics model for municipal solid waste management systems.

This paper proposed an inexact reverse logistics model for municipal solid waste management systems (IRWM). Waste managers, suppliers, industries and distributors were involved in strategic planning and operational execution through reverse logistics management. All the parameters were assumed to be intervals to quantify the uncertainties in the optimization process and solutions in IRWM. To solve this model, a piecewise interval programming was developed to deal with Min-Min functions in both objectives and constraints. The application of the model was illustrated through a classical municipal solid waste management case. With different cost parameters for landfill and the WTE, two scenarios were analyzed. The IRWM could reflect the dynamic and uncertain characteristics of MSW management systems, and could facilitate the generation of desired management plans. The model could be further advanced through incorporating methods of stochastic or fuzzy parameters into its framework. Design of multi-waste, multi-echelon, multi-uncertainty reverse logistics model for waste management network would also be preferred.

Highly sensitive fluorescence quantification of picloram using immunorecognition liposome.

Picloram is a widely used chlorinated herbicide, which is quite persistent and mobile in soil and water with adverse health and environmental risks. A simple and efficient method with high sensitivity and good selectivity was developed in this work to analyze picloram. The aldehyde group functionalized quartz glass plate was used to catch picloram by Schiff base reaction, and reacted with the liposomes-labeled antibody. The fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) solution was encapsulated in the liposomes. After being released from the liposomes, the fluorescence of FITC was measured by a fluorimeter. It was found that the fluorescence intensity is linearly correlated to the logarithm of picloram concentration, ranging from 1.0 × 10(-4) to 100 ng mL(-1), with a detection limit of 1.0 × 10(-5) ng mL(-1). Picloram concentration in real wastewater samples were accurately measured by the proposed method and HPLC, the results of the two methods were approximately the same. The proposed method showed high sensitivity and good selectivity, and could be an efficient tool for picloram quantitative analysis.

Performance of mesophilic anaerobic granules for removal of octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) from aqueous solution.

The performance of mesophilic anaerobic granules to degrade octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) was investigated under various conditions. The results of batch experiments showed that anaerobic granules were capable of removing HMX from aqueous solution with high efficiency. Both biotic and abiotic mechanisms contributed to the removal of HMX by anaerobic granules under mesophilic conditions. Adsorption appeared to play a significant role in the abiotic process. Furthermore, HMX could be biodegraded by anaerobic granules as the sole substrate. After 16 days of incubation, 99.04% and 96.42% of total HMX could be removed by 1g VSS/L acclimated and unacclimated granules, respectively. Vancomycin, an inhibitor of acetogenic bacteria, caused a significant inhibition of HMX biotransformation, while 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid, an inhibitor of methanogenic bacteria, only resulted in a slight decrease of metabolic activity. The presence of the glucose, as a suitable electron donor and carbon source, was found to enhance the degradation of HMX by anaerobic granules. Our study showed that sulfate had little adverse effects on biotransformation of HMX by anaerobic granules. However, nitrate had significant inhibitory effect on the extent of HMX removal especially in the initial period. This study offered good prospects of using high-rate anaerobic technology in the treatment of munition wastewater.

A hybrid inexact optimization approach for solid waste management in the city of Foshan, China.

An interval-parameter two-stage chance-constraint mixed integer linear programming (ITCMILP) model is provided for supporting long-term planning of solid waste management in the City of Foshan, China. The ITCMILP is formulated by integrating interval-parameter, two-stage, mixed integer, and chance-constraint programming methods into a general framework, and can thus deal with multiple uncertainties associated with model parameters, constraints and objectives. Three scenarios are examined, covering combinations of various system conditions and waste management policies. Scenario 1 is designed for comparison purposes. Scenarios 2 and 3 correspond to situations when the existing landfill's life is to be extended. The results demonstrate that the centralized composting and incinerating facilities are desired for treating the organic waste flows. The tradeoff among system cost, violation risk, and the related policy implications are also analyzed. The results obtained could help decision makers gain in-depth insights into the impact of uncertainties on long-term solid waste management in the City of Foshan.

Health risks from arsenic-contaminated soil in Flin Flon-Creighton, Canada: integrating geostatistical simulation and dose-response model.

Elevated concentrations of arsenic were detected in surface soils adjacent to a smelting complex in northern Canada. We evaluated the cancer risks caused by exposure to arsenic in two communities through combining geostatistical simulation with demographic data and dose-response models in a framework. Distribution of arsenic was first estimated using geostatistical circulant-embedding simulation method. We then evaluated the exposures from inadvertent ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact. Risks of skin cancer and three internal cancers were estimated at both grid scale and census-unit scale using parametric dose-response models. Results indicated that local residents could face non-negligible cancer risks (skin cancer and liver cancer mainly). Uncertainties of risk estimates were discussed from the aspects of arsenic concentrations, exposed population and dose-response model. Reducing uncertainties would require additional soil sampling, epidemic records as well as complementary studies on land use, demographic variation, outdoor activities and bioavailability of arsenic.

Identifying optimal regional solid waste management strategies through an inexact integer programming model containing infinite objectives and constraints.

The previous inexact mixed-integer linear programming (IMILP) method can only tackle problems with coefficients of the objective function and constraints being crisp intervals, while the existing inexact mixed-integer semi-infinite programming (IMISIP) method can only deal with single-objective programming problems as it merely allows the number of constraints to be infinite. This study proposes, an inexact mixed-integer bi-infinite programming (IMIBIP) method by incorporating the concept of functional intervals into the programming framework. Different from the existing methods, the IMIBIP can tackle the inexact programming problems that contain both infinite objectives and constraints. The developed method is applied to capacity planning of waste management systems under a variety of uncertainties. Four scenarios are considered for comparing the solutions of IMIBIP with those of IMILP. The results indicate that reasonable solutions can be generated by the IMIBIP method. Compared with IMILP, the system cost from IMIBIP would be relatively high since the fluctuating market factors are considered; however, the IMILP solutions are associated with a raised system reliability level and a reduced constraint violation risk level.

Optimization of surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation for a laboratory BTEX system under parameter uncertainty.

This study develops a nonlinear chance-constrained programming (NCCP) model for optimizing surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation (SEAR) processes. The model can not only address the parameter uncertainty, but provide a reliability level for the identified optimal remediation strategy. To solve the NCCP model, stepwise cluster analysis (SCA) is used to create a set of proxy simulators for quantifying the relationships between operating conditions (i.e., pumping rate) and probabilities of benzene levels in violation of standard. Compared to conventional parametric inference techniques, SCA is independent of prior assumptions for model forms (e.g., linear or exponential ones) and capable of reflecting complex nonlinear relationships between operating conditions and probabilities. To alleviate the computational efforts in the optimization process, the generated proxy simulators are repeatedly called by simulated annealing (SA) to test the feasibility of each potential solution. The implicit of the optimal NCCP solutions is discussed through a laboratory-scale SEAR system where porosity and intrinsic permeability are treated as stochastic parameters. It is observed that well locations, environmental standards, reliability levels and remediation durations would have significant effects on optimal SEAR strategies. By comparing the predicted benzene concentration without and with remediation actions, it is indicated that the optimal SEAR process can guarantee the benzene concentration to meet the environmental standard with a high reliability level.

Adsorption of monorhamnolipid and dirhamnolipid on two Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains and the effect on cell surface hydrophobicity.

Previously, adsorption feature of a dirhamnolipid biosurfactant on diverse microbial cells was studied and the effect of the adsorption on cell surface hydrophobicity was compared. In this paper, the adsorption behavior of a monorhamnolipid and a dirhamnolipid on cells of two Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains was investigated in order to further reveal the influence of biosurfactant structure and cell property on the adsorption and the relation between the adsorption and cell surface hydrophobicity. Experimental results showed that the adsorption capacity of all the cells to monorhamnolipid was much stronger than to dirhamnolipid, and the rhamnolipid-sourced P. aeruginosa cells, no matter grown on glucose or hexadecane, released extra dirhamnolipid when aqueous concentration of dirhamnolipid was too high. Length of surfactant alkyl chain as well as the type of carbon source used to cultivate the cell adsorbents had only minor influence on the adsorption. The adsorption was assumed to be driven by polar interaction between the rhamnolipid molecules and the cell surface chemical groups. The directional orientation of the rhamnolipid molecules with hydrophobic moiety extending to the environment may account for the rapid increase of cell surface hydrophobicity at low aqueous concentrations of the surfactant, while the stable or decreased cell hydrophobicity was probably the consequence of multiple surfactant layer formation or hemimicelle accumulation.

An integrated simulation, inference, and optimization method for identifying groundwater remediation strategies at petroleum-contaminated aquifers in western Canada.

This study advances an integrated simulation, inference, and optimization method (ISIOM) for optimizing groundwater remediation systems. SIOM has the advantages of (i) automotive screening of potential explanatory variables (e.g., the pumping rates at various remediation wells), (ii) providing a flexible manner for investigating the linear, interactive, and quadratic effects of operating conditions on the benzene levels, and (iii) mitigating the computational efforts in optimization processes. The method is applied to a petroleum-contaminated site in western Canada for identifying the optimal remediation strategies under a given set of remediation durations and environmental standard levels. To examine the effect of pumping duration on contaminants removing efficiency, 4 duration options are considered including 5, 10, 15, and 20 years, respectively. The results indicate that the pumping duration would have effect on the optimized scheme. It is suggested that the 10-year duration would be more desirable than the 15-year one. The simulation results demonstrate that the peak benzene concentrations would be reduced to satisfy the environmental standard when the optimal remediation strategy is carried out.