Treatment of Malting Wastewater in a Granular Sludge Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR)

Aerobic granular sludge was successfully cultivated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treating wastewater from the malting process with a high content of particulate organic matter. At an organic loading rate of 3.2 kg/(m³ d) COD_total and an influent particle concentration of 0.95 g/L MLSS an average removal of 50% in COD_total and 80% in COD_dissolved could be achieved. A comparison of granular and flocculent sludge grown under the same operating conditions showed no significant difference in removal efficiency although granules exhibited a higher metabolic activity in terms of specific oxygen uptake rate (r_{O2, X}). Two distinct mechanisms of particle removal were observed for granular sludge: during initial granule formation, particles were incorporated into the biofilm matrix. For mature granules, a high level of protozoa growth on the granule surface accounted for the ability to remove particulate COD. Combined evaluation of the development in MLSS content and sludge bed settling rate (i.e., mean derivative of the normalized sludge volume) was found to be an adequate method for monitoring the characteristic settling properties of a granulizing sludge bed. By means of this method, a distinct substrate gradient out of several operating conditions was concluded to have the biggest impact on the formation of aerobic granular sludge.     

Toxic Cyanobacteria in Greek Freshwaters, 1987—2000: Occurrence,Toxicity, and Impacts in the Mediterranean Region

In a survey in Greece from 1987 to 2000 hepatotoxic cyanobacterial blooms were observed in 9 out of 33 freshwaters. Microcystins (MCYSTs) were detected by HPLC in 7 of these lakes, and the total MCYST concentration per scum dry weight ranged from 50.3 to 1638 ± 464 μg g^—1. Cyanobacterial genera (Microcystis, Anabaena, Anabaenopsis, Aphanizomenon, Cylindrospermopsis) with known toxin producing taxa were present in 31 freshwaters. From our data and a review of the literature, it would appear that Mediterranean countries are more likely 1) to have toxic cyanobacterial blooms consisting of Microcystis spp. and 2) to have higher intracellular MCYST concentrations. A case study in Lake Kastoria is used to highlight seasonal patterns of cyanobacterial and MCYST‐LR occurrence and to assess cyanotoxin risk. Cyanobacterial biovolume was high (> 11 μL L^—1) throughout the year and was in excess of Guidance Level 2 (10 μL L^—1) proposed by WHO for recreational waters and Alert Level 2 for drinking water. Further, surface water samples from April to November exceeded Guidance Level 3, with the potential for acute cyanobacterial poisoning. Intracellular MCYST‐LR concentrations (max 3186 μg L^—1) exceeded the WHO guideline for drinking water (1 μg L^—1) from September to November with a high risk of adverse health effects. Preliminary evidence indicates that in 3 lakes microcystins are accumulated in some aquatic organisms. Generally, a high risk level can be deduced from the data for the Mediterranean region.     

On the Limnology of Deep and Saline Lake Burdur in Turkey

Limnological characteristics of Lake Burdur in Lake District in south‐western Turkey are presented. It is a deep, tectonic (estimated max. depth 100 m), athalassic, highly alkaline, and saline lake. A set of physical and chemical variables was monitored, phyto‐ and zooplankton was sampled from surface layer of the lake during 1997. Physico‐chemical variables indicated that the lake is hyposaline and composed of some hydrochemically different water layers formed by groundwater sources located on the bottom of the lake. The phytoplankton composition of Lake Burdur consisted of Cyanophyta, Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, Dinophyta, and Chrysophyta. The abundance and number of species of Chlorophyta and Cyanophyta were higher than the other taxa. The zooplankton composition of the Lake consisted of Rhizopoda, Rotifera, and Crustacea. Number of species of Rotifera was higher than the other taxa. The diversities of the phyto‐ and zooplankton were calculated according to the Shannon‐Weaver diversity index. The diversity of each group was found to be low in the lake.     

地面风对瓦里关山大气CH4本底浓度的影响分析

使用1994年7月至1996年12月大气CH₄和地面风现场连续观测资料，分析了瓦里关全球大气本底基准站（36°17′N, 100°54′E，海拔3816 m）地面风变化对大气CH₄本底浓度的影响。结果表明，水平风向、风速和垂直风向、风速的变化对大气CH₄观测值的影响在春、夏、秋、冬季有明显不同，水平风向NE—ENE—E为CH₄测量最主要的局地影响非本底扇区，静风及水平风速大于10 m/s、垂直风速大于±1 m/s对观测结果都有较大影响；由的统计平均还给出了此段期间瓦里关大气CH₄在不同季节的浓度分布范围和日变化类型，并分析了可能成因；将地面风数据作为大气CH₄本底资料的过滤因子之一，提出了适用于不同使用目的和要求的我国内陆高原大气CH₄本底数据筛选方法，本底数据留存率约为原始资料量的50%。     

塔里木河南岸地下淡水资源分布特征及成因分析--以哈得4油田水源地为例

塔里木河南岸地下水资源，卡要为受塔里水河控制的具有高矿化背景的地下水，在塔里木河洪水的淡化影响下，形成了一定范围的地下水淡化带．这种淡化水对油田供水具有战略意义，在一定程度上制约着油田建设的发展．通过对塔埋木河南岸地下淡水资源的分布特征与成因分析．为塔河南岸地下淡水资源的合理开发与利用指明了方向．     

Methane-rich fluid inclusions in skarn near the giant REE–Nb–Fe deposit at Bayan Obo, Northern China

We report fluid inclusion data for skarn, formed at the contact between Hercynian granitoids and dolomite of the Proterozoic Bayan Obo Group, in the vicinity of Bayan Obo REE–Nb–Fe deposit, Inner Mongolia, China. Three types of fluid inclusions are identified: two-phase CH₄-rich, three-phase liquid–vapour–solid and two-phase aqueous inclusions. Using microthermometry and laser Raman microprobe analysis to calculate isochores for CH₄-bearing inclusions, we estimate fluid trapping conditions at T=280 to 344 °C and P<1 to 2.3 kbar. Such conditions are compatible with formation of CH₄ inclusions as a result of reaction between graphite in the country rocks (black slate sequence) and fluids derived from magma. The lack of carbonaceous material in the inclusions supports the hypothesis that CH₄ was generated during fluid migration rather than by in situ reaction. In contrast to the skarn, and despite the fact that similar graphite-bearing slates are found in the host rocks, no CH₄-bearing inclusions have been so far reported from Bayan Obo REE ores. We therefore conclude that the skarn-forming fluids in the contact aureole of the Hercynian granitoids were not involved at any stage in the formation of the Bayan Obo deposit.     

洛川黄土剖面中矿物固定态铵的分布

对洛川黄土中的固定铵进行了初步分析。结果表明,在所测定的黄土古土壤层中,固定铵态氮含量在130-1之间变化。黄土中的固定铵态氮含量明显低于古土壤。13万a以来洛川黄土剖面中固定铵的分布呈～210现三次大的低高值的振荡特征,即末次间冰期S1古土壤中固定铵态氮含量最高,其次为冰后期的S0古土壤层,末次冰期形成的马兰黄土中固定铵态氮含量最低;在马兰黄土中同样体现出三次小的低高值的波动特征。黄土与μm组分的分布具有相似性,这些特征反映了洛川黄土中固定铵态氮的含量变化与气互层的古土壤中固定态铵的分布与黄土高原区气候的冷暖变化有较好的一致性,并且13万a以来洛川黄土剖面中固定铵的分布与磁化率和<2候条件有紧密的联系,揭示了黄土中固定铵的变化在一定程度上能指示黄土高原区古气候的演变。     

Continuous Multi‐probe Measurements in Fastflowing Waters Using a Hydrographic Slot

Taking continuous spatiotemporal in situ measurements with multi‐probes in fast‐flowing waters/rivers can be problematic because the sensors may be damaged by high shear forces and flotsam. To protect the multi‐probe and to enable easy access for the maintenance and calibration of the sensors, a special multi‐probe holder fixed in a hydrographic slot was developed. The validation of the probe system revealed a “memory effect” at short time scales (< 10 s) within sharp gradients caused by the overflow container of the multi‐probe rack keeping the sensors submerged in the sample water. Continuously recorded data (conductivity, temperature, pH, oxygen concentration and saturation, as well as in vivo fluorescence of chlorophyll‐a) from a research cruise on board the RV ALBIS along the river Elbe (river km 309) and entering the river Saale are presented. This river stretch upstream of the city of Magdeburg to the mouth of the Saale tributary was found to have a complex physicochemical character, which is attributable to the long mixing process of water from the river Saale and the river Elbe.     

Sorption of carbon dioxide–methane mixtures

The paper reports the results of experiments concerning the sorption/desorption processes, observed under laboratory conditions, in two types of coal extracted from operational coal-mines in Poland, using CH₄ and CO₂ to observe their relative inter-reaction with the coal samples when introduced in varying proportions and conditions. Numerous studies concerning the sorption/desorption phenomena have described the operational mechanisms and the relationship of mine gases to the organically-created coal-body in mines. The differences in the behaviour of certain gases is twofold: firstly the essentially different characteristics of CO₂ and CH₄, and secondly the structure of the coal-bed itself: its degree of metamorphism and content of macerals. From the results yielded, it was observed that the divergence of the isotherms of sorption of CH₄ and other gases in comparison with the isotherms of sorption of CO₂ and a CO₂/CH₄ mixture differed and that the curve on the sorption isotherm was more clearly distinct after the introduction of CO₂ molecules to the system: coal with a higher degree of metamorphism—CH₄, which is closely related to the rigidity of the structure according to the level of metamorphism. Since coals with higher carbon content exhibit lower molecular bonding than low-carbonised coals, the characteristic feature of the bonds in the first case is their mobility. Knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of hard coals, as well as their interaction with mining gases, is of great use in solving problems concerned with the extraction of methane from mines or its storage in goafs.