Influence of the pore structure and surface chemical properties of activated carbon on the adsorption of mercury from aqueous solutions

Reactivation and chemical modification were used to obtain modified activated carbons with different pore structure and surface chemical properties. The samples were characterized by nitrogen absorption–desorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and the Bothem method. Using mercury chloride as the target pollutant, the Hg²⁺ adsorption ability of samples was investigated. The results show that the Hg²⁺ adsorption capacity of samples increased significantly with increases in micropores and acidic functional groups and that the adsorption process was exothermic. Different models and thermodynamic parameters were evaluated to establish the mechanisms. It was concluded that the adsorption occurred through a monolayer mechanism by a two-speed process involving both rapid adsorption and slow adsorption. The adsorption rate was determined by chemical reaction.     

Characteristics of micro-interface adsorption kinetics between sediments and Cu ions

This work investigates the adsorption of Cu ions in sediments by conducting batch experiments,including isothermal experiments and adsorption kinetics experiments.Data from isothermal experiments were analyzed using the Langmuir,Freundlich and Temkin models,and the experimental kinetic data were fit using pseudo-first-order,pseudo-second-order,Elovich,liquid film diffusion and intra-particle diffusion models.The Langmuir model resulted in the best fit for the equilibrium data,which indicated that the adsorption capacity of Cu ions on the sediment was 1.0403 mg g-1 with a KL value of 4.2877 L mg-1.The Freundlich and Temkin models also provided good fits,and the nF and A values were 3.8565 and 66.9964 L mg-1,respectively,indicating stronger adsorption intensities and adsorption energies between the Cu ions and the sediment.Compared with the pseudo-first-order and Elovich models,the pseudo-second-order model was more appropriate for describing the adsorption kinetics,indicating the chemisorption nature of adsorption.The adsorption kinetic process can be divided into film diffusion,pore diffusion and adsorption reactions.The controlling step for the adsorption kinetics changed with the development of the adsorption process.The entire adsorption process took 180 min.Film diffusion was the controlling step for the first 20 min.During the 20 to 60 min period,the pore diffusion gradually increased and the film diffusion decreased so that both phenomena coexisted.Pore diffusion was the controlling step during the 60-180 min period.     

电极材料对电化学改性无烟煤前后甲烷吸附解吸特性影响的实验研究

针对电化学作用能够显著增强煤中甲烷解吸渗流特性,但对其电极材料的选择缺乏依据的问题,采用实验的方法研究了铝、铁、铜和石墨四种电极材料对电化学改性无烟煤甲烷吸附解吸特性的影响.结果表明：（1）未改性自然煤样的甲烷饱和吸附量a为39.92 mL·g^-1,由铝、铁、铜和石墨四种电极材料进行电化学改性后阳极区域煤样的甲烷饱和吸附量a分别降低了5.22%、8.48%、9.24%和11.33%,阴极区域煤样的甲烷饱和吸附量a分别降低了9.53%、4.97%、6.25%和4.97%;（2）未改性自然煤样在300 min的甲烷解吸率为83.17%,经铝、铁、铜和石墨四种电极材料改性后阳极区域煤样的甲烷解吸率分别提高了9.50%、7.10%、8.36%和15.75%,阴极区域煤样的甲烷解吸率分别提高了1.76%、1.12%、6.10%和16.23%;（3）采用石墨作为电极的电化学对无烟煤甲烷解吸的影响效果最为明显,原因在于石墨阳极处电解反应生成较多的H⁺离子,一方面对煤表面进行酸化,抑制了煤甲烷的吸附,另一方面更多地溶蚀煤中的碳酸盐和硫酸盐矿物,增加了煤中的孔隙,使得甲烷最终解吸率有所升高.本文的研究结果可为电化学强化煤甲烷解吸电极材料的优选提供基础依据.

     

Identification and removal of block ambiguities in sea surface wind field with scatterometers

The solution of the current wind retrieval algorithm for scatterometers has several wind vector ambiguities, due to the bi-harmonic relationship between normalized backscattering cross section and the relative wind direction and the existence of the measurement error. In order to remove the ambiguities for a unique wind field, a circular median filter approach (CMF) is usually adopted. But under the condition for clustering distribution of the false ambiguities in some local areas, the CMF fails and thus engenders block ambiguities, which degrade the precision of the retrieved wind field. For such a situation, a technique of identification and removal of the block ambiguities is presented to further optimize the retrieved wind field after CMF. It is demonstrated in experiment that this technique can identify and remove most of the block ambiguities.     

Rice Husk Ash as a Low Cost Adsorbent for the Removal of Methylene Blue and Congo Red in Aqueous Phases

Adsorption is of significant importance for effluent treatment, especially for the treatment of colored effluent generated from the dyeing and bleaching industries. Low cost adsorbents have gained attention over the decades as a means of achieving very high removal efficiencies to meet effluent discharge standards. The present article reports on batch investigations for color removal from aqueous solutions of Methylene Blue (MB) and Congo Red (CR) using Rice Husk Ash (RHA) as an alternative low cost adsorbent. The performance analysis was carried out as a function of various operating parameters, such as initial concentration of dye, adsorbent dose, contact time, shaker speed, interruption of shaking and ionic concentration. Performance studies revealed that a very high percentage removal of color was achievable for both dyes. The maximum percentage removal of MB was 99.939%, while 98.835% removal was observed for CR. These percentage removals were better than existing systems. Detailed data analysis indicated that adsorption of MB followed the Temkin isotherm, while CR followed the Freundlich isotherm. These isotherms were feasible within the framework of experimentation. Batch kinetic data, on the other hand, indicated that pseudo second order kinetics governed adsorption in both cases. Sensitivity analysis further indicated that the effects of initial dye concentration, shaker speed, pH and ionic strength had no noticeable effect on the percentage dye removal at equilibrium. Batch desorption studies revealed that 50% acetone solution was optimum for CR, while desorption of MB varied directly with acetone concentration.     

Integrated Electrolytic Treatment and Adsorption for the Removal of Melanoidins

This work investigates electrolytic treatment and activated carbon adsorption for the removal of melanoidins, the recalcitrant coloring component in fermentation industry wastewaters. A 10% solution of synthetic melanoidins was electrolytically reduced and simultaneously oxidized in an electrolytic cell, thereby altering its reactivity. Adsorption studies using granular activated carbon were conducted using both control and electrolyzed streams. The filterability, surface tension and capillary suction time of the samples were also determined. The reduced melanoidins stream exhibited both a high chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal of 79% and a high color removal of 77% upon activated carbon adsorption. In comparison with the oxidized fraction, the reduced samples displayed enhanced filtration flux as well as decreased capillary suction time, thus indicating better filterability. Furthermore, a decline in surface tension was also observed confirming the decreased hydrophobicity of the reduced melanoidins.     

A Study of the Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Copper Adsorption Using Chemically Modified Rice Husk

The use of rice husk as a low cost adsorbent for the removal of copper from wastewater has been explored in a laboratory scale experiment. The rice husk used for the study was treated with alkali to increase the sorption properties. The influence of metal ion concentration, weight of biosorbent, stirring rates, temperature and pH were also evaluated, and the results are fitted using adsorption isotherm models. From the experimental results it was observed that almost 90–98% of the copper could be removed using treated rice husk. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm, Freundlich isotherm and Tempkin isotherm models were used to describe the distribution of copper between the liquid and solid phases in batch studies, and it was observed that the Langmuir isotherm better represented the adsorption phenomenon. The experimental rate constant, activation energy, Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and entropy of the reaction were calculated in order to determine the mechanism of the sorption process.     

Assessment of chemical dispersant effectiveness in a wave tank under regular non-breaking and breaking wave conditions

Current chemical dispersant effectiveness tests for product selection are commonly performed with bench-scale testing apparatus. However, for the assessment of oil dispersant effectiveness under real sea state conditions, test protocols are required to have hydrodynamic conditions closer to the natural environment, including transport and dilution effects. To achieve this goal, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designed and constructed a wave tank system to study chemical dispersant effectiveness under controlled mixing energy conditions (regular non-breaking, spilling breaking, and plunging breaking waves). Quantification of oil dispersant effectiveness was based on observed changes in dispersed oil concentrations and oil-droplet size distribution. The study results quantitatively demonstrated that total dispersed oil concentration and breakup kinetics of oil droplets in the water column were strongly dependent on the presence of chemical dispersants and the influence of breaking waves. These data on the effectiveness of dispersants as a function of sea state will have significant implications in the drafting of future operational guidelines for dispersant use at sea.     

Assessment of the vertical distribution on seismic ground motion

It is very important for the facilities such as nuclear power plants to infer seismic force loading on the earthquake stability assessment of the building foundation and the surrounding slope. The purpose of this paper was to propose a method to evaluate underground seismic coefficients, taking into account dynamic response along the depth in horizontally multi-layered ground. The dynamic property of the seismic coefficient was analyzed on the basis of earthquake records observed at hard and soft rock sites mostly found in Tertiary deposits and sedimentary ground sites of the Pleistocene and Holocene epoch. The evaluation methods of a vertical distribution on underground seismic coefficients were proposed for a few calculation methods on the classified layered ground. Extended evaluation for underground seismic coefficients was confirmed with respect to some multi-layered ground during strong motion.     

A combined field,laboratory and numerical study of the forces applied to,and the potential for removal of,bar top vegetation in a braided river

Vegetation can have an important role in controlling channel planform, through its effects on channel roughness, and root‐reinforcement of bank and bar materials. Along the Platte River in central Nebraska, USA, The Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP) has been tasked with managing the planform of the river to benefit endangered species. To investigate the potential use of planned short duration high flow (SDHF) events to manage bar vegetation, this study combined several approaches to determine whether flows of up to 227 m³s^?1 through the central Platte River, could remove cottonwood, Phragmites and reed canarygrass stands of various ages and densities from in‐channel bars. First, fieldwork was carried out to measure the uprooting resistance, and resistance to bending for each species. Second, a set of flume experiments was carried out to measure the forces exerted on the three species of interest under different flow conditions. Finally, a numerical study comparing drag forces (driving) measured in the flume study, with uprooting forces (resisting) measured in the field, was carried out for each species to determine the likelihood of plant removal by SDHF events. Results showed that plants with more than a year of root growth, likely cannot be removed through drag and local scour alone, even at the 100‐year recurrence interval discharge. At most, a few cottonwood seedlings could be removed from bars through drag, scour and undercutting, where rooting depths are still small. The results presented here help us further understand the positive feedbacks that lead to the creation of permanent, vegetated bars rather than mobile braided channels. As such, the findings could help inform management decisions for other braided rivers, and the combined field, flume and modeling techniques used in this study could be applied to other fluvial systems where vegetation and planform dynamics are of interest. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

利用不同倾斜仪和应变仪检测地球自由振荡的对比与分析

中国地震局地壳形变观测台网布设有垂直摆倾斜仪、钻孔倾斜仪、洞体应变仪、分量式钻孔应变仪与体应变仪等地形变观测仪器。这些观测仪器均记录到了2011年日本M_W9.0大地震激发的自由振荡信号。本文分别利用单台数据和多台数据叠积,检测到_0S_3~_0S_(30)全部的球型自由振荡基频振型和_0T_3~_0T_(20)全部的环型自由振荡基频振型及部分谐频振型。此外,通过对这些检测结果的对比,分析了它们对不同自由振荡类型、不同频段的振型检测能力。分析发现垂直摆倾斜仪对球型自由振荡的检测结果最佳,且由于在低频段有较高的噪声干扰,钻孔倾斜仪无法检测到低阶的球型自由振荡。对于环型自由振荡的检测,分量式钻孔应变仪检测结果最佳。     

Least-squares self-coherency analysis of superconducting gravimeter records in search for the Slichter triplet

We develop a new approach for the spectral analysis of the superconducting gravimeter data to search for the spheroidal oscillation ₁S₁ of the Earth solid inner core. The new method, which we call least-squares (LS) self-coherency analysis, is based on the product of the least-squares spectra of segments of the time series under consideration. The statistical foundation of this method is presented in the new least-squares product spectrum theorem that establishes rigorously confidence levels for detecting significant peaks. We apply this approach along with a number of other innovative ideas to a 6-year long gravity series collected at the Canadian Superconducting Gravimeter Installation (CSGI) in Cantley, Canada, by splitting it into 72 statistically independent monthly records. Each monthly record is analysed spectrally and all monthly LS spectra are multiplied to construct the self-coherency spectrum of the 6-year gravity series. The self-coherency spectrum is then used to detect significant peaks in the band 3-7 h at various significant levels with the aim to identify a triplet of periods associated with the rotational/ellipsoidal splitting of ₁S₁ (Slichter triplet). From all the Slichter periods predicted by various researchers so far, Smylie's triplet appears to be the most supported one, albeit very weakly, both, before and after the atmospheric pressure effect is removed from the series. Using the viscous splitting law [Smylie, D.E., 1992. The inner core translational triplet and the density near Earth's center. Science 255, 1678-1682] as guide, we can also see one interesting and statistically significant triplet with periods A = {4.261 h, 4.516 h, 4.872 h}, which changes slightly to A′ = {4.269 h, 4.516 h, 4.889 h} after the atmospheric pressure correction is applied to the gravity series.     

Assessment of the effectiveness of a multi-site stochastic weather generator on hydrological modelling in the Red Deer River watershed,Canada

ABSTRACT

To improve the convergence of multiple-site weather generators (SWGs) based on the brute force algorithm (MBFA), a genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed to search the overall optimal correlation matrix. Precipitation series from weather generators are used as input to the hydrological model, the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT), to generate runoff over the Red Deer watershed, Canada for further runoff analysis. The results indicate that the SWAT model using SWG-generated data accurately represents the mean monthly streamflow for most of the months. The multi-site generators were capable of better representing the monthly streamflow variability, which was notably underestimated by the single-site version. In terms of extreme flows, the proposed method reproduced the observed extreme flow with smaller bias than MBFA, while the single-site generator significantly underestimated the annual maximum flows due to its poor capability in addressing partial precipitation correlations.     

Does sediment resuspension by storms affect the fate of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) in the benthic food chain? Interactions between changes in POM characteristics, adsorption and absorption by the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Environmental parameters and gross sedimentation rates (GSR) were monitored at a fixed site located in the Bay of Banyuls-sur-Mer (NW Mediterranean), between March 1997 and April 1998, together with the main biochemical characteristics of both sedimenting and sedimented particulate organic matter (POM). Three storms which occurred during this time period resulted in natural sediment resuspension. This is indicated by the corresponding increase in GSR and a decrease in the enzymatically hydrolysable amino acids/totally hydrolysable amino acids ratio (EHAA/THAA), within the sedimenting POM. Only the strongest storm resulted in (1) a transitory increase in fine-grained particles, (2) concomitant increases in organic carbon, carbohydrates, lipids and THAA, and (3) a decrease in the EHAA/THAA ratio in surficial sediments. For most of the assayed parameters, the values recorded after the December 1997 storm corresponded to extremes for the whole period under study. This emphasises the role of storms in controlling the characteristics of sedimented and sedimenting POM.Ten sediment types, with contrasting biochemical characteristics, were selected for experiments; these were based on the results of the monitoring survey and were used during adsorption and absorption experiments involving ¹⁴C tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB). Adsorption rates differed significantly between the sediment types, but did not correlate with any of the assayed biochemical parameters. Absorption efficiency by the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis also differed between the sediment types; it correlated positively with all the assayed biochemical parameters, except lipids. Comparison between the magnitudes of the increase in GSR, together with the decrease in absorption efficiency during resuspension events, suggests that resuspension tends to enhance the transfer of organic pollutants in the benthic food chain.     

Ionic Liquid Modified Resin for the Adsorptive Removal of Dibutyl Phthalate: Equilibrium,Kinetic, and Thermodynamic Studies

This study evaluated the adsorptive properties of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) on room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) modified XAD‐4 resin. The modified RTIL‐XAD 4 sorbent was characterized by FTIR. Effect of varying experimental conditions such as pH, contact time, temperature, shaking speed, concentrations, and interfering species were investigated by batch adsorption experiments. Adsorption was found to be most favorable at pH 6 within 30 min. Experimental data were evaluated in terms of kinetic, equilibrium, and thermodynamic modeling. Kinetics of the sorption was found to follow pseudo second order rate equation whereas Freundlich and D–R isotherms were the most suitable models to explain sorption phenomenon. Thermodynamically sorption was endothermic, irreversible, and spontaneous in nature.     

Assessment of alternative adsorption models and global sensitivity analysis to characterize hexavalent chromium loss from soil to surface runoff

We investigate our ability to assess transfer of hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), from the soil to surface runoff by considering the effect of coupling diverse adsorption models with a two‐layer solute transfer model. Our analyses are grounded on a set of two experiments associated with soils characterized by diverse particle size distributions. Our study is motivated by the observation that Cr(VI) is receiving much attention for the assessment of environmental risks due to its high solubility, mobility, and toxicological significance. Adsorption of Cr(VI) is considered to be at equilibrium in the mixing layer under our experimental conditions. Four adsorption models, that is, the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and linear models, constitute our set of alternative (competing) mathematical formulations. Experimental results reveal that the soil samples characterized by the finest grain sizes are associated with the highest release of Cr(VI) to runoff. We compare the relative abilities of the four models to interpret experimental results through maximum likelihood model calibration and four model identification criteria (i.e., the Akaike information criteria [AIC and AIC_C] and the Bayesian and Kashyap information criteria). Our study results enable us to rank the tested models on the basis of a set of posterior weights assigned to each of them. A classical variance‐based global sensitivity analysis is then performed to assess the relative importance of the uncertain parameters associated with each of the models considered, within subregions of the parameter space. In this context, the modelling strategy resulting from coupling the Langmuir isotherm with a two‐layer solute transfer model is then evaluated as the most skilful for the overall interpretation of both sets of experiments. Our results document that (a) the depth of the mixing layer is the most influential factor for all models tested, with the exception of the Freundlich isotherm, and (b) the total sensitivity of the adsorption parameters varies in time, with a trend to increase as time progresses for all of the models. These results suggest that adsorption has a significant effect on the uncertainty associated with the release of Cr(VI) from the soil to the surface runoff component.     

A Novel Concept for the Removal of Solvent Vapors from Exhaust Air

The emission of large amounts of solvent vapors with exhaust air from industrial production into the environment is a serious problem. In Germany, industry‐sector‐specific threshold values are applied and technical measures for pollution reduction are required. Different techniques for exhaust air cleaning are in use but still posing problems concerning costs and reliability. For these reasons, the development of processes for exhaust air treatment is the subject of the current research. A new concept for exhaust air cleaning is introduced that combines absorption of a solvent vapor by an organic fluid and a subsequent adsorption by a molecular sieve placed in the absorber. It was managed to close the loops of solvent recovery and sorbents regeneration. In laboratory‐scale experiments it was possible to reduce an initial ethylacetate pollution of 800 mg/m³ or 349 mg C/m³ below the limit value of 75 mg C/m³ over 60 h duration. Thermogravimetric measurements assisted to define optimum conditions for solvent recovery at 180°C from the molecular sieve. One unexpected positive finding was the considerable increase in the solvent release in the presence of the absorption fluid while adsorption isotherms revealed first insight into this process.     

地震观测系统传递函数的辨识方法研究及应用

几种经典系统辨识方法在地震观测系统传递函数的辨识中均有使用，这篇文章分析了这些方法的原理，给出了这些方法在Adapt系统中实现的例子，并且对各种方法进行了比较。