Co‐composting of Municipal Solid Waste with Sawdust: Improving Compost Quality

The aim of present study was to improve compost quality as well as to achieve an optimum C/N ratio in compost, reduction in heavy metal content and increased water‐holding capacity of composting piles in arid areas. Four windrow compost piles were prepared by mixing sawdust at various dosages with municipal solid waste (MSW). The sawdust was mixed with MSW at 0% (MSW0), 16% (MSW16), 32% (MSW32), and 70% (MSW70) on dry weight basis. The compost piles were monitored daily by recording the temperature, while, weekly measurement was done on C/N ratio, moisture, pH, and electrical conductivity (EC). The addition of 16% sawdust increased the initial C/N to the optimum level and decreased N loss during the composting process. The MSW16 and MSW32 exhibited better temperature dynamics and their composting period seemed to be shorter than that of MSW0 and MSW70. Moreover, addition of sawdust caused lowering of moisture loss from the composting piles. Sawdust admixtures also produced lowering of pH and EC values and led to lower heavy metal content in final products. The quality of the final compost makes it possible to propose the use of this experimental procedure for building up a novel mass reduction of the initial composted waste mixtures.     

Options for the Treatment and Management of Municipal Landfill Leachate: Common and Specific Issues

This paper aims to explore information from the literature for emphasizing the state‐of‐the art and progress in landfill leachate generation, fate and migration, and treatment. Leachate composition is discussed in terms of types of waste disposed and the processes occurring within landfill. The focus is also on potential pathways of environmental contamination by leachate, which may increase environmental and human health risk. The analysis addresses the opportunity and support for decision making concerning alternatives for leachate management and treatment. Advantages and limitations of treatment methods and processes are discussed considering leachate transfer, physico‐chemical methods, biodegradation, and combined methods.     

Dissolved Organic Carbon Fractions Formed during Composting of Municipal Solid Waste: Properties and Significance

The properties and transformation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) extracted (10 L water per kilogram compost) from municipal solid waste (MSW) compost at five stages (days 47, 77, 105, 126, and 187) of composting were investigated. The DOM was fractionated into hydrophobic or hydrophilic neutrals, acids, and bases. The unfractionated DOM, the hydrophobic acids and neutrals (HoA and HoN, respectively), and the hydrophilic neutrals (HiN) fractions were studied using solid-state ¹³C-NMR, FTIR, and DRIFT spectroscopy. The HoA fraction was found to be the dominant (percentage of total DOM) hydrophobic fraction, exhibiting a moderate increase during composting. The HoN fraction increased sharply from less than 1% to 18% of the total DOM during 187 days of composting, while the hydrophobic bases (HoB) exhibited the opposite trend. The HiN represented the major fraction of the hydrophiles up to 120 days of composting, decreasing thereafter by 38%. The relative concentration of the hydrophilic acids and bases (HiA and HiB, respectively) exhibited no consistent trend during composting. DRIFT spectra of the unfractionated DOM taken from the composting MSW revealed a decreasing level of polysaccharide structures with time. The ¹³C-NMR and FTIR spectra of the HoA fraction exhibited a polyphenol-humic structure, whereas the HoN spectra exhibited strong aliphatic features. The spectra of the HiN fraction confirmed its polysaccharide nature. During the final stage of composting, the DOM concentration was steady, while a relative decrease of HiN concomitant with an increase of HoA and HoN fractions was observed. These indicate that the DOM contained a low concentration of biodegradable organic matter and a higher content of macromolecules related to humic substances. The biological significance and heavy metal binding of these fractions are being studied based on earlier observations showing enhanced plant growth in the presence of DOM extracted from mature as opposed to immature compost.     

成都市地震烈度速报台网建设与思考

汶川8级大地震后,因交通、通讯中断等多种原因,无法及时确定地震灾区受灾范围与震害程度,给党和政府指挥抗震救灾带来了困难,为此,成都市在实施灾后重建项目时,建立了以地震烈度速报为目标的地震烈度速报台网,在破坏性地震发生后,能快速获取灾区的受灾范围和破坏程度等重要信息,为抗震救灾提供科学决策依据。     

Off-line and On-line Extraction of Explosives and Related Compounds from Aqueous Samples Using Solid Sorbents

Explosives belonging to the group of nitrotoluenes may be readily extracted with C18 adsorbent in the off-line mode and also in on-line coupling of the extraction unit to HPLC, while polar explosives like hexyl, HMX, and RDX show a substantial breakthrough and low recoveries. However, these compounds are quantitatively extracted using a new polymeric phase, LiChrolut EN, in the off-line mode. Preliminary results show that this new adsorbent may in principle also be used in the on-line mode for explosives. In this case, the cartridges have to be eluted in the backflush mode. Method detection limits of ? 0.1 μg/L are achieved for on-line extraction of explosives and related compounds with water samples as small as 10…30 mL.     

New Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Effects of Smoking: Reducing the Level of N‐nitrosamines in Mainstream Smoke by NaA Zeolite and In vitro and In vivo Investigations

A new effort to control the pollution caused by smoking by use of zeolite sieving the N‐nitrosamines in smoke is depicted and assessed in this paper, which is a first preliminary approach to demonstrate the performance characteristics of zeolite for the reduction of the concentration of N‐nitrosamines in the cigarette smoke. Smoking causes global pollution and is difficult to control because smoke is a complex system containing thousands of components. A new strategy is presented here for the reduction of the harmful effects of smoking through dispersion of zeolite into the tobacco rod of cigarettes to eliminate the N‐nitrosamines once they form in the smoke, and both in vitro and in vivo tests were employed to check the efficiency of this strategy. The impact of zeolite on the combustion of tobacco and the total toxicity of smoke are evaluated for the first time. Lower mutagenic activity and higher CHO cell livability were found for the test cigarette containing zeolite in comparison with the control, and no significant damage was detected in 30‐day animal experiments when exposed to the cigarette smoke. This confirms the feasibility of the new strategy and promotes the potential application of zeolite for protecting public health.     

Removal of Selenium Species from Waters Using Various Surface‐Modified Natural Particles and Waste Materials

Waste red mud and natural pumice/volcanic slag particles were surface modified and their selenium adsorption from waters was investigated. Acid activation/heat treatment of original red mud (ORM) particles significantly increased their micropore and external surface area and cumulative volume of pores. Iron oxide coating of pumice/slags and acid activation of ORM decreased their pH_pzc values and increased surface acidity. Selenite/selenate adsorption on iron oxide surfaces and acid activated red mud (AARM) was very fast with approximately first‐order adsorption kinetics. Iron oxide coating of pumice/slag and acid activation of ORM particles significantly enhanced their selenite and selenate uptakes. Maximum Se adsorption capacities as high as 6.3 (mg Se/g adsorbent) were obtained by AARM. The extent of selenate uptakes by the surface modified particles was generally lower than those of selenite. Due to competition among Se species and other background water matrix for iron oxide adsorption sites, reduced selenite/selenate uptakes were found in natural water compared to single solute tests. Higher Se uptakes by iron oxide surfaces were found at pH 7.5 compared to pH 8.9, due to increased electrostatic repulsion among iron oxides and Se species at higher pH. The most effective adsorbents among the tested 17 different particles for Se uptake were AARM and iron oxide coated pumice. Se concentrations less than drinking water standards (5–10 µg/L) can be achieved by these particles. These low‐cost, natural, or recyclable waste particles appear to be promising adsorbents for Se removal after their surface modification.     

Experimental Designs Applied to Desorption of Dichromate Ions after Separation and Preconcentration from Natural and Industrial Water by Modified Nano‐Alumina

Nano‐alumina modified by 9‐aminoacridine was used as a sorbent for separation and determination of dichromate ions from water. Statistical method, based on surface response design, has been used for the optimization of dichromate ions elution from 9‐aminoacridine nano‐alumina. The adsorbed dichromate ions were found to be eluted quantitatively with 0.8 mol L^?1 KCl in 1.6 mol L^?1 NaOH which optimized by response surface design. Under optimum conditions, the accuracy, precision (relative standard deviation, RSD%) and R‐square of the method were calculated as >98, <3, and >94%, respectively. Remarkable agreement between experimental and theoretical data was confirmed the predicted assumption. The method was applied to the simultaneous determination of dichromate in natural and industrial water samples. We also examined the retention of dichromate anions in the presence of Cl^?, , and anions at pH 3.     

利用像素错位法提高系统空间分辨率的实验研究

在硬件配置不变的情况下,如何进一步提高CT系统空间分辨率是目前工业CT领域内的研究热点之一。本文改进了半像素错位算法,有效地提高了CT系统的空间分辨率,具有一定的理论意义和工程应用价值。     

The Use of Polyphenolic Compounds from Black Tea for the Solid Phase Extraction and Determination of Trace Iron in Drinking Water

A simple and selective solid phase extraction procedure for the trace analysis of iron(III) in water samples has been developed. Sodium dodecyl sulfate coated alumina, modified with polyphenolic compounds (extracted from black tea) was used for the extraction and preconcentration of iron(III) from water samples before determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Due to the complexation reaction between iron(III) and polyphenol compounds, iron(III) was quantitatively extracted on the proposed sorbent and then eluted by 2.0 mL of HCl (1.0 mol/L). The effects of extraction parameters, such as pH and volume of sample solution, amount of polyphenolic compounds, type of eluting agent and the effect of interfering ions on the extraction of iron(III), were investigated. It was found that the proposed method had a good linear range (15.0–100.0 μg/L) and a low detection limit (10.0 μg/L). The procedure was successfully applied for iron determination in drinking water samples.     

Natural Seashell Waste as an Efficient and Low‐Cost Catalyst for the Synthesis of Arylmethylenemalonitriles

In this work, four kinds of natural seashells (clam shell, oyster shell, scallop shell, and conch shell) are investigated as catalysts for the Knoevenagel reaction to produce arylmethylenemalonitriles, among which conch shells show the highest catalytic activity due to their mixed phases of calcite and aragonite, resulting in the relatively weak base strength and fewer number of basic sites. Solvent effect and catalyst usage are systematically investigated, and conch shells show high universality for nine aromatic aldehydes to produce the desired products with high yield in short time under optimized conditions. In addition, this catalyst possesses good recyclability and could be used four times without obvious deactivation. In all, conch shell is an efficient, low‐cost, green, and recyclable catalyst for the Knoevenagel reaction.     

Improving Soil Enzyme Activities and Related Quality Properties of Reclaimed Soil by Applying Weathered Coal in Opencast‐Mining Areas of the Chinese Loess Plateau

There are many problems for the reclaimed soil in opencast‐mining areas of the Loess Plateau of China such as poor soil structure and extreme poverty in soil nutrients and so on. For the sake of finding a better way to improve soil quality, the current study was to apply the weathered coal for repairing soil media and investigate the physicochemical properties of the reclaimed soil and the changes in enzyme activities after planting Robinia pseucdoacacia. The results showed that the application of the weathered coal significantly improved the quality of soil aggregates, increased the content of water stable aggregates, and the organic matter, humus, and the cation exchange capacity of topsoil were significantly improved, but it did not have a significant effect on soil pH. Planting R. pseucdoacacia significantly enhanced the activities of soil catalase, urease, and invertase, but the application of the weathered coal inhibited the activity of catalase. Although the application of appropriate weathered coal was able to significantly increase urease activity, the activities of catalase, urease, or invertase had a close link with the soil profile levels and time. This study suggests that applying weathered coals could improve the physicochemical properties and soil enzyme activities of the reclaimed soil in opencast‐mining areas of the Loess Plateau of China and the optimum applied amount of the weathered coal for reclaimed soil remediation is about 27 000 kg hm^?2.     

Application of AMD to the Determination of Cropprotection Agents in Drinking Water. Part III: Solid Phase Extraction and Affecting Factors Anwendung der AMD-Technik zur Bestimmung von Pflanzenbehandlungsmittel-Wirkstoffen im Trinkwasser. Teil III: Festphasenextraktion und ihre Einflußfaktoren

The more sensitive an analysis method the more care must be given to sample preparation. Solid phase extraction (SPE) onto RP 18 phases has established itself as a general purification and enrichment technique for trace components in aqueous samples. Various factors may thereby influence the recovery rate. For example, the ratio amount of sorbent and sample volume should be taken into account to avoid breakthrough of the investigated substance. Extracting phenylurea herbicides from drinking water, the ratio should be 1 g RP 18 sorbent per 1 L water sample. Concerning the flow rate for the fungicides procymidone, vinclozolin, and iprodione, the recovery rate decreases using higher flow rates than 3 or 6 mL/min. In the case of phenylurea herbicides, a flow rate of 10 or 14 mL/min showed best results. Even the coefficient of variation is below ± 5% at these flow rates. Furthermore, the company dependence should be considered because the recovery rate might differ by up to 40% using the nominally identical material. The same applies to the batch dependence of quality from the same company. The concentration of the eluate must also be monitored and carried out with great care to avoid decreasing the recovery rate. Considering these factors of influence, SPE is a very useful tool in sample preparation, particularly if an automated system is used.