Adsorption Behavior and Mechanism of Environmental Pollutants on Graphene Oxide

Graphene oxide, as an emerging material for contaminants removal,possesses relatively large specific surface area, and it shows good dispersion in water phase due to the hydrophilicessence resulted from abundant oxygen-containing functional groups on the edge, thus leading to a potential excellent adsorbent. Current studies revealthat, because graphene oxide is negatively-charged in a wide range of pHs, the removal efficiency of heavy metals and cationic dyes by graphene oxide is significantly higher than by traditional adsorbents, like activated carbon. However, its applications are still limited due to its structural defects. For example, its π domain is destructed during fabrication process. Therefore, certain structural modifications need to be conducted on the purpose of improving its performance, achieving a better result in water purification. This paper presented the preparation and structure of graphene oxide, and reviewed the adsorption behaviors, adsorption mechanisms, adsorption models and influence factors of heavy metals and organic pollutants on graphene oxide and its composites, respectively. In view of unresolved issues, further research should focus on comprehensive adsorption mechanisms, more facile and effectivemethods for structural modifications and the treatment of graphene oxide after adsorption process.     

Seasonal and spatial distribution of redox zones during lake bank filtration in Berlin,Germany

Redox processes during bank filtration were evaluated in Berlin, where bank filtered water is abstracted for drinking water production. The investigations included the mapping of the infiltration zone, a column study and hydrochemical analyses of the groundwater sampled between lake and production well. The organic carbon content increased and the permeability of the lake sediments decreased with distance from the shoreline. The most important changes with regard to the redox state of the infiltrate occurred within the first metre of flow. Infiltration was mostly anoxic, as oxygen was rapidly consumed within the organic rich sediments. The infiltration zone revealed a vertical redox stratification with hydrochemical conditions becoming more reducing with depth rather than with distance from the lake. The redox zones were found to be very narrow below the lake and wider towards the production wells, suggesting that other than differing flow paths, reaeration after infiltration may also occur and possible mechanisms are presented. Redox conditions were influenced by strong annual temperature variations of the surface water affecting the microbial activity. Aerobic infiltration only took place close to the shore in winter.     

Assessment of organic pollutants in coastal sediments, UAE

Twenty-five stations were selected along the UAE coastal region to delineate the distribution and to determine the source of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), total organic carbon (TOC), total Kjeldhal nitrogen (TKN), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The concentrations of TPH ranged between 46 and 223 mg/kg and the level of TOC was in the range from 0.044 to 17.8 wt%, while TPAHs occupied the range of 5–102.2 μg/kg. On the other hand, TPCBs showed values between 60 and 205 μg/kg and TKN ranged from 104 to 1,073 mg/kg. The present study shows that the distribution of organic compounds in UAE sediments were within safe limits comparing with previous studies. The present study revealed that TOC can be used as an indicator of oil pollution in heavily oiled sediments. The highest values of TOC, TPH, TPAHs and TPCBs related to the stations covered in fine sand due to adsorption properties and the large surface areas of the grains. The evaporation of low-boiling point compounds from surface layers leads to the enrichment of sediments with a thick residual. Al Sharjah-1 exhibited the highest values of TPH and TOC at Ras Al-Khaima-5, Umm Al-Quwen-1 and Dubai-1, while the highest values of TPAHs were at KhorFakkan-9, the highest value of TPCBs was at Ajman-2, and the highest values of TKN were at KhorFakkan-1, KhorFakkan-6 and Dubai-1.     

Air quality benefit of China’s mitigation target to peak its emission by 2030

In 2015, China committed to reducing its emission intensity per unit of gross domestic product by 60–65% from its 2005 rate and to peak its carbon emission by 2030. Problems related to local pollutants and haze are simultaneously worsening in China. This article focuses on the critical topic of co-controlling carbon emission and local air pollutants and evaluates the co-benefit of carbon mitigation in local pollutant reduction by using a partial equilibrium model that links carbon emission and local air pollutants at the technological level. Three conclusions can be drawn from the scenario analysis. First, in the reference scenario, energy consumption and carbon emission continue to increase and air quality is expected to deteriorate in the future. Therefore, current pollutant control measures should be improved. Second, local pollutants will be significantly reduced in the end-of-pipe control scenario, but the reduction will still be inadequate to fulfil the air quality target. Third, emissions of SO₂, NO_x, and PM_2.5 in 2030 will be reduced by 78.85%, 77.56%, and 83.32%, respectively, compared with the 2010 levels in the co-control scenario involving the peaking effort in China. Therefore, the air quality targets can also be achieved when the peaking target is fulfilled. The Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) of China to peak its emission by 2030 is consistent with its domestic interest to improve local air quality.

POLICY RELEVANCE

China submitted its INDC to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2015 and has promised to peak its carbon emission by 2030. In recent years, China has also faced severe pressure to address its air pollution problem. Air quality is an important driving force to incentivize more ambitious mitigation measures that can contribute to the simultaneous reduction of carbon emission and air pollutants. Air quality benefit provides a strong justification for the INDC of China and the possibility of early peaking. Moreover, the co-benefit in China can be a reference for other developing countries that are facing the same challenge and can reinforce the initiative of these countries to promote ambitious mitigation actions.     

The geochemical characteristics and factors controlling the organic matter accumulation of the Late Ordovician-Early Silurian black shale in the Upper Yangtze Basin,South China

Organic-rich black shale of the Upper Yangtze Basin from the Late Ordovician and Early Silurian is considered an excellent source rock in South China. The formation and preservation conditions of this resource are revealed by its geochemical characteristics in this study. Geochemical indices, including redox indices (V/(V + Ni), V/Cr, V/Sc, and Ni/Co) and primary productivity indices (P/Ti and Ba/Al), and paleoclimate, clastic flux and sedimentary rate analyses are presented to investigate the accumulation mechanism of organic matter. Redox indices suggest that a stagnant, anoxic environment predominated in the Upper Yangtze Basin during accumulation of Wufeng and Longmaxi formations. In contrast, ventilated and oxygenated marine conditions pervaded the Upper Yangtze Basin during deposition of Linxiang and Guanyinqiao formations. The concentrations of V and U demonstrate that accumulation of organic matter was mainly controlled by redox conditions. Besides, such factors as clastic fluxes, fresh water inflows or a mixed deposition with a rapid sedimentary rate cannot be ignored due to their influences on organic matter enrichment and preservation. However, weak co-variance relationship of TOC content and productivity proxies, including P/Ti and Ba/Al, demonstrates that the accumulation of organic matter was not controlled by primary productivity. Results of the present study suggest a depositional model that stresses the importance of tectonic movements and glacial events on the accumulation and preservation of organic matter. The model shows that the Upper Yangtze Basin was a semi-restricted basin system influenced by the isolation of Xuefeng, but also it implies that oxygen-depleted bottom water of the basin favored the accumulation and preservation of sedimentary organic matter, resulting in the formation of organic-rich black shale.     

獐子岛养殖海域颗粒有机碳、颗粒氮的时空分布特征

2011年8月、10月、12月和2012年4月对大连獐子岛养殖海域共14个站位进行了大面调查。对其中颗粒有机碳(POC)和颗粒氮(PN)的时空分布特征进行了研究。结果表明,獐子岛养殖海域水体中POC质量浓度的季节变化趋势是:夏季秋季春季冬季。夏季POC质量浓度最高,表、底层的质量浓度分别为0.159~1.672 mg/L和0.045~0.834 mg/L,平均值分别为(0.867±0.451)mg/L和(0.319±0.204)mg/L。冬季表、底层POC质量浓度最低,表、底层POC质量浓度分别为0.020~0.530 mg/L和0.061~0.458 mg/L。平均值分别为(0.240±0.125)mg/L和(0.221±0.129)mg/L。四个季节的POC质量浓度平面分布较为均匀。PN质量浓度的季节变化趋势是:夏季秋季冬季春季。夏季PN的质量浓度最高,表、底层PN的质量浓度分别为0.026~0.439 mg/L和0.020~0.393 mg/L,平均值分别为(0.193±0.067)mg/L和(0.172±0.060)mg/L。春季表、底层PN质量浓度最低,表、底层PN质量浓度分别为0.059~0.178 mg/L和0.024~0.212 mg/L,平均值分别为(0.120±0.047)mg/L和(0.100±0.050)mg/L。PN与POC的分布特征相似,空间分布均匀。叶绿素a(Chl-a)质量浓度的变化趋势为:夏季秋季春季冬季。POC、PN和Chl-a的垂直分布规律相似,春季底层质量浓度高于表层,夏秋两季表层质量浓度高于底层,冬季表、底层质量浓度基本一致。根据C/N以及POC/Chl-a的比值对POC的来源进行初步分析,表明该海域的POC主要来源于海洋生物,并且受陆源的影响较小。     

海泥细菌电池电催化降解效应——一种海底石油污染生态原位修复绿色新技术

海底石油污染可导致长期的生态灾难。一般海洋石油污染防治技术无法用于海底环境。文章描述了一种绿色的海底石油污染生态原位修复新技术,利用沉积层生物燃料电池电催化加速降解效应,即利用海底沉积层(海泥)中的多种细菌以石油污染物为营养物,代谢产生的电子被电池正极和负载消耗掉,反过来促进细菌加速降解污染物。该技术既可在海底加速石油污染物降解速率,又可原位产生电能驱动监测仪器工作,还可用于原位监测生态修复进展,故具有重要的应用前景。     

北黄海盆地LV井侏罗系油砂抽提物地球化学特征

对北黄海盆地侏罗系两块含油砂岩的抽提物进行了常规的有机地球化学分析和碳同位素测试,结果表明它们具有不同的地球化学特征:埋藏较深的油砂抽提物属正常原油,饱和烃以正构烷烃为主,色谱图显示单峰型正态分布;而埋藏较浅的油砂抽提物,在饱和烃色谱图中有明显的UCM鼓包,同时含有完整的低碳数的正构烷烃、姥鲛烷和植烷,全油及族组成碳同位素分布范围广,为-24.7‰~-32.3‰,其中,全油及沥青质碳同位素偏重,饱和烃和芳烃碳同位素轻,反映出遭受了强烈的生物降解作用。与成熟度相关的生物标志物参数显示,原油已进入成熟—高成熟阶段。生物标志物和碳同位素组成表明,母质是在水体较浅的湖相环境下沉积的,受陆源高等植物和低等水生藻类的双源控制。综合判断,研究区存在两期油气充注。     

鄂西渝东及邻区寒武系盐下层烃源演变特征

鄂西渝东及邻区广泛分布中寒武统覃家庙组膏盐岩层。膏盐岩层之下的下寒武统石龙洞组和上震旦统灯影组储层是本区的重点勘探层系。下震旦统陡山沱组、下寒武统天河板组—牛蹄塘组是本区的两套烃源岩,但因烃源岩的热演化程度高,这两套勘探层系中的烃源一直受质疑。对高—过成熟阶段烃源灶因性质演变所形成的气源接替效应分析表明,烃源灶具有印支期以前的干酪根裂解型与印支—燕山期的油裂解型两种类型的烃源。碳、氧、锶等稳定同位素标记物的流体行为轨迹追踪,进一步证实本区存在多期次的烃源充注,且有效供烃量巨大,计算表明,灯影组和石龙洞组的最大有效供烃量分别为155 548.9×10~8m~3和589 255.76×10~8m~3,认为本区具有较大的天然气资源潜力。