Effect of the injection of pure oxygen into a membrane bioreactor on the elimination of bisphenol A

The effect of the injection of pure oxygen instead of air in a membrane bioreactor for the elimination of bisphenol A is investigated. A dynamic experiment was developed in a pilot plant where the aerobic reactor was continuously spiked with 1 mg L^?1 of bisphenol A. Air was injected for 10 days and then pure oxygen was injected for another 10 days. The bisphenol A concentration was determined in aqueous phases and activated sludge using simple and sensitive analytical methods based on different extraction procedures and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Enzymatic activity was also determined and toxicity tests were performed to discard that the spiked bisphenol A concentration could negatively affect the microorganisms in the bioreactor and, thus, the membrane bioreactor performance. The effluent bisphenol A concentration increased up to 0.26 mg L^?1 after 4 days in the air injection treatment, and up to 0.48 mg L^?1 after only 12 h in the oxygen injection treatment. In both cases, this was followed by a decrease in concentration despite the continuous spiking of bisphenol A into the bioreactor. In presence of pure oxygen, bisphenol A concentration reached background levels (below the limit of quantification) after 5 days. In contrast, when using air a total of 10 days were required to reach background levels. The injection of pure oxygen instead of air is an important innovation in wastewater treatment, allowing permanent elimination of organic contaminants, avoiding their return to the environment and ensuring the safety of water.     

接种污泥对好氧颗粒污泥稳定性的影响

为研究接种污泥对好氧颗粒污泥稳定性的影响,将以城市污水处理厂的活性污泥和以啤酒废水处理厂的活性污泥为接种污泥培养的成熟好氧颗粒污泥封存后重新启动运行,探讨其理化性能、降解性能的恢复以及种群结构的变化情况。结果表明:接种污泥对好氧颗粒污泥的稳定性具有一定的影响,沉降性能好、生物活性强的啤酒废水处理厂的接种污泥形成的颗粒污泥形态恢复快,约需35 d,沉降性能恢复为贮存前的93%,具有较好的稳定性;对COD、NH3-N的降解效果与用城市污水厂的污泥接种形成的好氧颗粒污泥相近,但其对TP有更好的去除效果,COD、NH3-N、TP的去除率分别达95.10%、91.80%、94.00%。变性梯度凝胶电泳法(DGGE)分析表明:啤酒废水厂污泥接种形成的颗粒污泥的群落结构多样性十分丰富,优势种属达20个操作分离单元(OTUs);而城市污水厂污泥接种形成的颗粒污泥中优势种属只有11个OTUs。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Inoculum</Emphasis>-free start-up of biofilm- and sludge-based deammonification systems in pilot scale

Undiluted reject water from the dewatering of anaerobic sludge with an average total nitrogen content of 718 ± 117 mg L^?1 (n = 63) was used to start-up autotrophic nitrogen removal in three different pilot-scale (3 m³) deammonification configurations: (1) biofilm; (2) activated sludge sequence batch; and (3) two-staged (nitritation–anammox). Time- and concentration-based aeration control with alternating aerobic/anaerobic phases was applied for all reactor configurations. All reactors were initiated without anammox-specific inoculum, and biofilm was grown onto blank carriers. During the initial start-up period, biological nitrogen removal was found to be inhibited by an excessive free ammonia content (>10 mg-N L^?1), resulting from the use of high-strength reject water as the process feed. After implementation of free ammonia control by pH adjustment to 6.5–7.5, propagation of the deammonification process was observed with increased nitrogen removal with slight accumulation of NO₃ ^?–N. The highest total nitrogen removal rates were achieved with the single-reactor biofilm- and sludge-based deammonification processes (1.04 and 0.30 kg-N m^?3 day^?1, respectively). The critical factors for successful start-up and stable operation of deammonification reactors turned out to be control of pH below 7.5, dissolved oxygen at 0.3–0.8 mg-O₂ L^?1 and influent solids values below 1000 nephelometric turbidity units. Microbial analysis demonstrated that highest anammox enrichment was achieved in the biofilm reactor (9.40 × 10⁸ copies g^?1 total suspended solids). These data demonstrate the potential of an in-situ grown sludge- or biofilm-based concept for the development and propagation of deammonification process.     

Anaerobic digestion of residual liquid effluent (brown juice) from a green biorefinery

This work studied the anaerobic digestion of brown juice, a liquid residual stream generated from biomass fractionation in a green biorefinery. Biomethane potential batch tests and inhibition studies of brown juice were performed during continuous processing in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor. Prolongation of the lag phase in the batch tests with increasing substrate/inoculum ratio suggested initial inhibition, which was, however, overcome by adaptation. This was indicated by high final methane yields, which were close to the theoretical maximum of up to 500 L-CH₄ kg-VS^?1, achieved after 15 days for most of the set-ups. Reactor operation at the organic loading rate of 13.9 g-COD L^?1 day^?1 and hydraulic retention time of 3 days revealed methane yields of 202 L-CH₄ kg-COD^?1 (307 L-CH₄ kg-VS^?1). Particle size analysis of the granules used in the reactor showed disintegration of the larger granules.     

微生物絮凝剂投加方式对好氧颗粒污泥性能的影响

为提高好氧污泥颗粒化速度, 采用微生物絮凝剂, 探讨在好氧颗粒污泥培养过程中微生物絮凝剂的投加方式对颗粒污泥理化性能及生物降解效能的影响。结果表明:微生物絮凝剂每隔2、3、5、7 d投加一次时, 均可培养出成熟的好氧颗粒污泥, 微生物絮凝剂的投加方式对好氧污泥颗粒化的影响较显著;微生物絮凝剂最佳投加方式为每5天投加一次, 此时颗粒化速度快, 颗粒形成时间由未投加的60 d缩短为42 d, 好氧颗粒污泥疏水性好, 污泥体积指数稳定在40 mL/g左右, 沉降速度达35.06 m/h, COD、氨氮和总磷的去除率分别为96.55%、93.29%和87.29%。     

Evaluating the production and bio-stimulating effect of 5-methyl 1, hydroxy phenazine on microbial fuel cell performance

The role of endogenous redox mediators has considerable importance in electron shuttling reactions and associated performance of microbial fuel cell. Single-chamber microbial fuel cell-II with dual air-cathode assembly (area = 18.84 cm²) supported highest bacterial (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) density (6.7 × 10⁹) and active biomass [4.4 ± 0.3 mg cm^?2 (carbon content = 0.48 ± 0.1 mg cm^?2)] on anode thereby resulting in maximum production of redox metabolite, 5-methyl 1, hydroxy phenazine (301 ppm) and voltage (595 ± 5 mV) than similar cells with relatively less surface area of cathode. It was further revealed that 5-methyl 1, hydroxy phenazine production was positively correlated with chemical oxygen demand removal rate (77 ± 2.5%) and power generation (66.6 ± 2.2 mW cm^?2) efficiency of single-chamber microbial fuel cell-II. Maximum power density of 258 ± 4.5 mW cm^?2 was generated when reactor was supplemented with 2 ml crude extract of 5-methyl 1, hydroxy phenazine metabolite, whereas power output was about 229 ± 2.5 mW cm^?2 when reactor was bio-stimulated with 1 ml pure extract of 5-methyl 1, hydroxy phenazine. With this concentration, the electrochemical response of mixed culture biofilm (sediment) was enhanced by 99.3%. However, further increase in concentration of endogenous mediator proved to be limiting on reactor performance. Pyrosequencing and phylogenetic analysis on the basis of partial 16S rRNA sequences demonstrated both culturable and unculturable bacterial species in anodic biofilm and relative abundance of family Pseudomonadaceae was found to be maximum, i.e., 61.7% followed by Rhodocyclaceae 19.2%, Xanthomonadaceae 6.3% and Opitutaceae 3.18%.     

Isolation and characterization of a toxic metal-tolerant Phenanthrene-degrader Sphingobium sp. in a two-liquid-phase partitioning bioreactor (TPPB)

A phenanthrene-degrading strain PHE3, identified as the genus of Sphingobium, was isolated using a two-liquid-phase partitioning bioreactor. More than 96 % of the initial amount (up to 100 mg l^?1 silicone oil) of phenanthrene was removed within 77 h by PHE3. Degradation of phenanthrene by PHE3 at pH 7 was also observed in the presence of Cu (II), Zn (II) and Cd (II) ions. Cu (II) showed the highest toxicity to PHE3, followed by Cd (II) and Zn (II). Tolerance to Cu (II) by PHE3 was up to 20 mg l^?1 in terms of total aqueous concentration, and up to 40 mg l^?1 for both Zn and Cd. Interestingly, 20 mg l^?1 of Zn (II) stimulated phenanthrene degradation after 20 h incubation. Its high tolerance to toxic metals and phenanthrene degradation ability of PHE3 highlights its significance in the study of microbial remediation in soils co-polluted by PAHs and metals.     

Spectral Irradiance, Phytoplankton Community Composition and Primary Productivity in a Salt Marsh Estuary, North Inlet, South Carolina, USA

We investigated spatial and temporal changes in spectral irradiance, phytoplankton community composition, and primary productivity in North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina, USA. High concentrations of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were responsible for up to 84 % of the attenuation of photosynthetically available radiation (PAR). Green-yellow wavelengths were the predominant colors of light available at the two sampling sites: Clam Bank Creek and Oyster Landing. Vertical attenuation coefficients of PAR were 0.7–2.1 m^?1 with corresponding euphotic zone depths of 1.5–6.7 m. Phytoplankton biomass (as chlorophyll a [chl a]) varied seasonally with a summer maximum of 16 μg chl a l^?1 and a winter minimum of 1.4 μg chl a l^?1. The phytoplankton community consisted mainly of diatoms, prasinophytes, cryptophytes and haptophytes, with diatoms and prasinophytes accounting for up to 67 % of total chl a. Changes in phytoplankton community composition showed strongest correlations with temperature. Light-saturated chl a-specific rates of photosynthesis and daily primary productivity varied with season and ranged from 1.6 to 14 mg C (mg chl a) ^?1?h^?1 (32–803 mg C m^?3?day^?1). Calculated daily rates added up to an annual carbon fixation rate of 84 g C m^?3?year^?1. Overall, changes in phytoplankton community composition and primary productivity in North Inlet showed a strong dependence on temperature, with PAR and spectral irradiance playing a relatively minor role due to short residence times, strong tidal forcing and vertical mixing.     

Copper desorption kinetics in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rhizosphere in some sewage sludge amended soils

Rhizosphere has different chemical and biological properties from bulk soils. Information about copper (Cu) desorption characteristics in the rhizosphere soils is limited. The objectives of this study were to determine Cu desorption characteristics and the correlation of its parameters with Cu extracted by DTPA-TEA, AB-DTPA and Mehlich 3 in bulk and rhizosphere amended soils with sewage sludge (10 g of sewage sludge was added to 1 kg soil) under greenhouse conditions in a rhizobox. The kinetics of Cu desorption in the rhizosphere and bulk was determined by successive extraction with DTPA-TEA in a period of 1 to 504 h at 25 ± 1 °C. The results showed that Cu extracted using several chemical extractants in the rhizosphere were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than in the bulk amended soils. In addition, Cu extracted using successive extraction in the rhizosphere were significantly (P < 0.01) lower than in the bulk soils. The best model for describing extraction data for the bulk and rhizosphere soils was the parabolic diffusion equation. Desorption kinetics of Cu conformed fairly well to first order and power function models. The results indicated that Cu diffusion rate in the wheat rhizosphere soils lower than in the bulk soils. Cu desorption rate in parabolic diffusion ranged from 0.326 to 0.580 mg kg^?1 h^?1/2 in the bulk soils, while it ranged from 0.282 to 0.490 mg kg^?1 h^?1/2 in the rhizosphere soils. Significant correlation (P < 0.05) between determine R values of parabolic diffusion and Cu desorption during 504 h with extracted Cu using DTPA-TEA, AB-DTPA and Mehlich 3 were found in the bulk and the rhizosphere soils. The results of this research revealed that Cu desorption characteristics in the wheat rhizosphere soils are quite different from bulk soils amended with sewage sludge.     

Ameliorating nitrite inhibition in a low-temperature nitritation–anammox MBBR using bacterial intermediate nitric oxide

The long-term sustainability of an anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process in a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) treating highly concentrated (mean of 740 mg NH₄ ⁺-N L^?1) wastewater was demonstrated by 1600 days of efficient operation. A high maximum total nitrogen removal rate (TNRR) of 1.5 g N m^?2 d^?1 was achieved at the low temperature of 20 °C. For nitrogen removal recovery in cases of nitrite inhibition, anammox intermediate nitric oxide (NO) was tested in batch experiments as an N-removal accelerating agent. The effect of the addition of various NO dosages (8–72 mg NO-N L^?1) was studied under inhibitory nitrite concentrations (>100 mg NO₂ ^?-N L^?1) for anammox bacteria. Optimal maintained NO concentration was 58 mg NO-N L^?1 and brought about the highest biofilm-specific anammox activity (SAA). Compared to a blank test, the minimum concentration of added NO of 40 mg NO-N L^?1 showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) accelerating effect on SAA. No inhibition of SAA by NO was observed, although at NO concentrations exceeding 72 mg NO-N L^?1, the acceleratory effect upon SAA was decreased by 8%. Changes in the bacterial consortia involved in nitrogen conversion were determined concurrently for the different nitrogen removal rates and operational conditions. Quantities of Planctomycetales clone P4 strains, which are the closest (99% similarity) relative to Candidatus Brocadia fulgida, increased from 1 × 10³ to 1 × 10⁶ anammox gene copies per g total suspended solids during reactor operation days 568–1600, which was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. During the operation of the MBBR, the abundance of ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) increased proportionally (up to 30%). The abundance of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) did not increase (remaining below 10%) during days 232–860. AOB became predominant over NOBs owing to the inhibition of free ammonia spiking on NOBs.     

Enhanced bioremoval of refractory compounds from dyeing wastewater using optimized sequential anaerobic/aerobic process

The upflow anaerobic sludge blanket process followed by the biological aerated filter process was employed to improve the removal of color and recalcitrant compounds from real dyeing wastewater. The highest removal efficiency for color was observed in the anaerobic process, at 8-h hydraulic retention time, seeded with the sludge granule. In the subsequent aerobic process packed with the microbe-immobilized polyethylene glycol media, the removal efficiency for chemical oxygen demand increased significantly to 75 %, regardless of the empty bed contact time. The average influent non-biodegradable soluble chemical oxygen demand was 517 mg/L, and the average concentration in effluent from the anaerobic reactor was 363 mg/L, suggesting the removal of some recalcitrant matters together with the degradable ones. The average non-biodegradable soluble chemical oxygen demand in effluent from the aerobic reactor was 87, 93, and 118 mg/L, with the removal efficiency of 76, 74, and 67 %, at 24-, 12-, and 8-h empty bed contact time, respectively. The combined anaerobic sludge blanket and aerobic cell-entrapped process was effective to remove the refractory compounds from real dyeing wastewater as well as in reducing organic loading to meet the effluent discharge limits. This integrated process is considered an effective and economical treatment technology for dyeing wastewater.     

Evaluation of Naturally Occurring Radioactivity Materials (NORM) of Soil and Sediments in Oil and Gas Wells in Western Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Oil mineral leases (30, 58 and 61) in Delta and River States are the major oil blocks in the oil and gas rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria that is characterized by environmental degradation from oil and gas activities. This research work presents an analytical approach on natural radioactivity assessment in soil and sediment in 15 oil fields of these OMLs. Concentrations of natural radionuclides (²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K) were determined using gamma spectroscopy. The mean activity concentration of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K for OML30 is 40.2 ± 5.1, 29.9 ± 4.2 and 361.5 ± 20.0 Bq kg^?1, respectively; the corresponding values obtained for OML58 is 20.9 ± 2.8, 19.4 ± 2.5 and 260.0 ± 14.1 Bq kg^?1, respectively. While the mean activity concentration of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K for OML61 is 29.3 ± 3.5, 21.6 ± 2.6 and 262.1 ± 14.6 Bq kg^?1, respectively. These values obtained show enhanced NORMs, but are well within the world range and values reported in some regions and countries of the world, and are slightly above control values, values obtained in Southwestern region of Nigeria and some countries reported average values. The study also examined some radiation hazard indices, the mean values obtained are 86.6 ± 9.3 Bq kg^?1, 0.6 Bq kg^?1, 40.8 ηGy h^?1, 0.05 μSv y^?1, 0.2 and 0.3 for radium equivalent activity (Ra_eq), representative level index (Iγ), absorbed dose rates (D), annual effective dose rates (E _ff dose), external hazard index (H _ex) and internal hazard index (H _in), respectively. These calculated hazard indices to estimate the potential radiological health risk in soil and sediment are well below their permissible limits. The soil and sediments from the study area provide no excessive exposures for the inhabitants and can be used as construction materials without posing any radiological threat or harm to the public users. However, oil-field workers and host community residents are cautioned against excess exposure to avoid future accumulative dose of these radiations from sludge and sediment of this area.     

Energy generation from domestic wastewater using sandwich dual-chamber microbial fuel cell with mesh current collector cathode

A sandwich domestic wastewater-fed dual-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) was designed for energy generation and wastewater treatment. The generated power density by the MFC was observed to increase with increasing chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the domestic wastewater. The maximum power density was 251 mW m^?2 when the COD was 3400 mg L^?1 at a current density of 0.054 mA cm^?2 and external resistance of 200 Ω. These values dropped to 60 mW m^?2 (76 % lower) and 0.003 mA cm^?2 using wastewater 91 % diluted to 300 mg L^?1 COD. Maximum removals were: COD, 89 %; nitrite, 60 %; nitrate, 77 %; total nitrogen, 36 %; and phosphate, 26 %. Coulombic efficiency ranged from 5 to 7 %. The use of full-strength domestic wastewater reduces cost, and with improved reactor design, the ultimate goal of large-scale operation could be achieved.     

Coupling short-time sequencing batch reactor and coagulation–settling process for co-treatment of landfill leachate with raw municipal wastewater

The co-treatment of landfill leachate (LFL) with municipal wastewater (MWW) using shortcut sequencing batch reactor combined with coagulation–settling process (SBR + CS) was investigated. Four ratios of LFL to MWW volume (v/v) were used during experiments including the ratios 1:9, 2:8, 3:7 and 5:5. The average quality of the LFL was chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 20,800 mg L^?1 and NH₄-N of 2,645 mg L^?1. The SBR-treating LFL in six series where mixing aeration and settling phases were varied from 4 to 14 h was combined with coagulation (FeCl₃, Al₂(SO₄)₃) with an interval of 2 h. It was found that ratio (1:9) of leachate to MWW under aeration and mixing phase of 4 h with settling time of 1.5 h exhibited the highest ability to remove both COD and NH ₄ ⁺ -N, 99% and 85%, respectively. The short-time sequential batch reactor was tested for the treatment of raw LFL, and only 47% and 23% removal of COD and NH ₄ ⁺ -N, respectively, could be achieved.     

Functional Performance of Three Invasive <Emphasis Type="Italic">Marenzelleria</Emphasis> Species Under Contrasting Ecological Conditions Within the Baltic Sea

A 4-week laboratory experiment investigated the behaviour (survival and bioirrigation) and impact of the invasive polychaetes Marenzelleria viridis, M. neglecta and M. arctia on sediment-water solutes exchange, porewater chemistry, and Fe and P interactions in high-salinity sandy sediment (HSS) and low-salinity muddy sediment (LSM) from the Baltic Sea. M. viridis showed deep burrowing with efficient bioirrigation (11 L m^?2 day^?1) and high survival (71%) in HSS, while M. arctia exhibited shallow burrowing with high bioirrigation (12 L m^?2 day^?1) and survival (88%) in LSM. M. neglecta behaved poorly in both ecological settings (bioirrigation, 5–6 L m^?2 day^?1; survival, 21–44%). The deep M. viridis bioirrigation enhanced total microbial CO₂ (TCO₂) production in HSS by 175% with a net efflux of NH₄⁺ and PO₄^3?, at rates 3- to 27-fold higher than for the other species. Although the shallow and intense bioirrigation of M. arctia in LSM stimulated microbial TCO₂ production to some extent (61% enhancement), the nutrient fluxes close to zero indicate that it effectively prevented the P release. Porewater Fe:PO₄^3? ratios revealed that the oxidizing effect of M. arctia bioirrigation increased the PO₄^3? adsorption capacity of LSM twofold relative to defaunated controls while no buffering of PO₄^3? was detected in M. viridis HSS treatment. Therefore, the different behaviour of the three species in various environments and the sharp contrast between M. viridis and M. arctia effects on C, N and P cycling must be considered carefully when the ecological role of Marenzelleria species in the Baltic Sea is evaluated.     

Effects of nitrogen fertilization on soil labile carbon fractions of freshwater marsh soil in Northeast China

During the past 50 years, the amount of agricultural fertilizer used in Northern China increased from about 7.5 kg ha^?1 in the 1950s to approximately 348 kg ha^?1 in the 1990s. Given that little is known about the effects of nitrogen fertilization on soil labile carbon fraction in Northern China, this paper evaluated such effects in terms of microbial biomass and dissolved organic carbon in the Sanjiang Plain located in Northeast China. Soils with different cultivation time and undisturbed marsh with Deyeuxia angustifolia were selected to study the effects of nitrogen fertilization on the soil labile organic fractions microbial C (biomass C, microbial quotient, and basal respiration) and to estimate the contributions of nitrogen input on the dynamics of soil labile carbon. Continuous nitrogen application decreased total organic and dissolved organic carbon concentrations significantly, leading to the lack of carbon source for microbes. Therefore, continuous nitrogen fertilizer application induced negative effects on measured soil microbiological properties. However, a moderate nitrogen application rate (60 kg N ha^?1) stimulated soil microbial activity in the short term (about 2 months), whereas a high nitrogen application rate (150 kg N ha^?1) inhibited measured soil microbiological properties in the same period.     

Effect of nitrogen addition on soil organic carbon in freshwater marsh of Northeast China

Increased nitrogen (N) input to ecosystems could alter soil organic carbon (C) dynamics, but the effect still remains uncertain. To better understand the effect of N addition on soil organic C in wetland ecosystems, a field experiment was conducted in a seasonally inundated freshwater marsh, the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. In this study, litter production, soil total organic C (TOC) concentration, microbial biomass C (MBC), organic C mineralization, metabolic quotient (qCO₂) and mineralization quotient (qmC) in 0–15 cm depth were investigated after four consecutive years of N addition at four rates (CK, 0 g N m^?2 year^?1; low, 6 g N m^?2 year^?1; moderate, 12 g N m^?2 year^?1; high, 24 g N m^?2 year^?1). Four-year N addition increased litter production, and decreased soil organic C mineralization. In addition, soil TOC concentration and MBC generally increased at low and moderate N addition levels, but declined at high N addition level, whereas soil qCO₂ and qmC showed a reverse trend. These results suggest that short-term N addition alters soil organic C dynamics in seasonally inundated freshwater marshes of Northeast China, and the effects vary with N fertilization rates.     

Thermo-elastic behaviour of Be2BO3OH (hambergite) up to 7 GPa and 1,100 K

The thermo-elastic behaviour of Be₂BO₃(OH)_0.96F_0.04 (i.e. natural hambergite, Z = 8, a = 9.7564(1), b = 12.1980(2), c = 4.4300(1) Å, V = 527.21(1) ų, space group Pbca) has been investigated up to 7 GPa (at 298 K) and up to 1,100 K (at 0.0001 GPa) by means of in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction and synchrotron powder diffraction, respectively. No phase transition or anomalous elastic behaviour has been observed within the pressure range investigated. P?V data fitted to a third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state give: V ₀ = 528.89(4) ų, K _T0 = 67.0(4) GPa and K′ = 5.4(1). The evolution of the lattice parameters with pressure is significantly anisotropic, being: K _T0(a):K _T0(b):K _T0(c) = 1:1.13:3.67. The high-temperature experiment shows evidence of structure breakdown at T > 973 K, with a significant increase in the full-width-at-half-maximum of all the Bragg peaks and an anomalous increase in the background of the diffraction pattern. The diffraction pattern was indexable up to 1,098 K. No new crystalline phase was observed up to 1,270 K. The diffraction data collected at room-T after the high-temperature experiment showed that the crystallinity was irreversibly compromised. The evolution of axial and volume thermal expansion coefficient, α, with T was described by the polynomial function: α(T) = α ₀ + α ₁ T ^?1/2. The refined parameters for Be₂BO₃(OH)_0.96F_0.04 are: α ₀ = 7.1(1) × 10^?5 K^?1 and α ₁ = ?8.9(2) × 10^?4 K ^?1/2 for the unit-cell volume, α ₀(a) = 1.52(9) × 10^?5 K^?1 and α ₁(a) = ?1.4(2) × 10^?4 K ^?1/2 for the a-axis, α ₀(b) = 4.4(1) × 10^?5 K^?1 and α ₁(b) = ?5.9(3) × 10^?4 K ^?1/2 for the b-axis, α ₀(c) = 1.07(8) × 10^?5 K^?1 and α ₁(c) = ?1.5(2) × 10^?4 K ^?1/2 for the c-axis. The thermo-elastic anisotropy can be described, at a first approximation, by α ₀(a):α ₀(b):α ₀(c) = 1.42:4.11:1. The main deformation mechanisms in response to the applied temperature, based on Rietveld structure refinement, are discussed.     

The Influence of Benthic Macrofauna on the Erodibility of Intertidal Sediments with Varying mud Content in Three New Zealand Estuaries

Fine sediment inputs can alter estuarine ecosystem structure and function. However, natural variations in the processes that regulate sediment transport make it difficult to predict their fate. In this study, sediments were sampled at different times (2011–2012) from 45 points across intertidal sandflat transects in three New Zealand estuaries (Whitford, Whangamata, and Kawhia) encompassing a wide range in mud (≤63 μm) content (0–56 %) and macrofaunal community structure. Using a core-based erosion measurement device (EROMES), we calculated three distinct measures of sediment erosion potential: erosion threshold (? _c ; N m^?2), erosion rate (ER; g m^?2 s^?1), and change in erosion rate with increasing bed shear stress (m _e ; g N^?1 s^?1). Collectively, these measures characterized surface (? _c and ER) and sub-surface (m _e ) erosion. Benthic macrofauna were grouped by functional traits (size and motility) and data pooled across estuaries to determine relationships between abiotic (mud content, mean grain size) and biotic (benthic macrofauna, microbial biomass) variables and erosion measures. Results indicated that small bioturbating macrofauna (predominantly freely motile species <5 mm in size) destabilized surface sediments, explaining 23 % of the variation in ? _c (p ≤ 0.01) and 59 % of the variation in ER (p ≤ 0.01). Alternatively, mud content and mean grain size cumulatively explained 61 % of the variation in m _e (p ≤ 0.01), where increasing mud and grain size stabilized sub-surface sediments. These results highlight that the importance of biotic and abiotic predictors vary with erosion stage and that functional group classifications are a useful way to determine the impact of benthic macrofauna on sediment erodibility across communities with different species composition.     

The dominant acetate degradation pathway/methanogenic composition in full-scale anaerobic digesters operating under different ammonia levels

Ammonia is a major environmental factor influencing biomethanation in full-scale anaerobic digesters. In this study, the effect of different ammonia levels on methanogenic pathways and methanogenic community composition of full-scale biogas plants was investigated. Eight full-scale digesters operating under different ammonia levels were sampled, and the residual biogas production was followed in fed-batch reactors. Acetate, labelled in the methyl group, was used to determine the methanogenic pathway by following the ¹⁴CH₄ and ¹⁴CO₂ production. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation was used to determine the methanogenic communities’ composition. Results obtained clearly demonstrated that syntrophic acetate oxidation coupled with hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was the dominant pathway in all digesters with high ammonia levels (2.8–4.57 g NH₄ ⁺-N L^?1), while acetoclastic methanogenic pathway dominated at low ammonia (<1.21 g NH₄ ⁺-N L^?1). Thermophilic Methanomicrobiales spp. and mesophilic Methanobacteriales spp. were the most abundant methanogens at free ammonia concentrations above 0.44 g NH₃-N L^?1 and total ammonia concentrations above 2.8 g NH₄ ⁺-N L^?1, respectively. Meanwhile, in anaerobic digesters with low ammonia (<1.21 g NH₄ ⁺-N L^?1) and free ammonia (<0.07 g NH₃-N L^?1) levels, mesophilic and thermophilic Methanosaetaceae spp. were the most abundant methanogens.