Stabilisation/solidification and bioaugmentation treatment of petroleum drill cuttings

Petroleum drill cuttings are usually treated by techniques suitable for particular contaminant groups. The significance of this study consists in the development of a treatment technology that can simultaneously handle the hydrocarbon and metal constituents of drill cuttings. Bioaugmentation is combined with stabilisation/solidification (S/S), within S/S monoliths and in granulated S/S monoliths. Portland cement was used for S/S treatment at 30% binder dosage. Bioaugmentation treatment involved two bacterial densities of a mixed culture bio-preparation. The effects of inclusion of compost, fertiliser and activated carbon were also evaluated. After 28 days, the combined S/S and bioaugmentation treatments recorded up to 15% higher total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) loss than control S/S treatment without bioaugmentation. Embedding fertiliser, activated carbon and higher bacterial density within S/S monoliths resulted in the highest (99%) TPH reduction but higher concentrations of metals. The addition of compost and lower bacterial density to granulated S/S monoliths led to similar (98%) TPH degradation and lower amounts of metals. The results suggest that with better mixture optimisation, combining S/S and bioaugmentation could engender more sustainable treatment of drill cuttings.     

日本鳗鲡(Anguilla japonica)精养殖水体生物膜原位修复低碳养殖技术的研究

采用水体中设置弹性填料对比实验的方法,在12口聚乙烯水槽实施淡水精养殖日本鳗鲡,进行对鳗鲡精养殖水体生物膜原位修复节水增效效果、机理及应用前景的研究。结果表明,在207天的养殖期间,生物膜原位修复技术应用处理组的平均日换水率仅1.2%,比对照组显著节水减排74%(P0.01);处理组的主要水质因子pH、DO、TAN、NO2-N、NO3-N、COD等浓度均符合相关的渔业水质标准;处理组的起捕尾重、产量、生长速度分别比对照组高106%(P0.2)、108%(P0.2)和220%(P0.15),饲料系数低于对照组38.4%(P0.1)。此外,处理组弹性填料设置的适宜密度为填料占水体体积的10%。因此,精养殖水体生物膜原位修复技术,具有节水、减排与节能效果显著,投资与运行成本低,环保、低碳、安全,操作简便、易推广等优点。该革新性的生态工程低碳养殖技术对推动我国水产养殖发展方式从高耗费资源型向资源节约与环境友好型转变将产生重大影响。     

土壤重金属污染现状及其治理方法

随着社会的快速发展,土壤重金属污染日益严重。本文介绍了土壤重金属污染的现状,治理和修复技术的基本原理和方法,给出了各种重金属污染治理与修复方法的优缺点和适用范围,并对土壤重金属污染修复技术研究进行了展望。     

Evaluating the feasibility of multitemporal hyperspectral remote sensing for monitoring bioremediation

In recent years, several studies focused on the detection of hydrocarbon pollution in the environment using hyperspectral remote sensing. Particularly the indirect detection of hydrocarbon pollution, using vegetation reflectance in the red edge region, has been studied extensively. Bioremediation is one of the methods that can be applied to clean up polluted sites. So far, there have been no studies on monitoring of bioremediation using (hyperspectral) remote sensing. This study evaluates the feasibility of hyperspectral remote sensing for monitoring the effect of bioremediation over time. Benzene leakage at connection points along a pipeline was monitored by comparing the red edge position (REP) in 2005 and 2008 using HyMap airborne hyperspectral images. REP values were normalized in order to enhance local variations caused by a change in benzene concentrations. 11 out of 17 locations were classified correctly as remediated, still polluted, or still clean, with a total accuracy of 65%. When only polluted locations that were remediated were taken into account, the (user's) accuracy was 71%.     

Isolation of PAH-degrading bacteria from mangrove sediments and their biodegradation potential

Surface sediment samples were collected from seven mangrove swamps in Hong Kong SAR with different degrees of contamination. The total concentrations of 16 PAHs in these sediments ranged from 169.41 to 1058.37 ng g⁻¹ with the highest concentration found in Ma Wan and the lowest in Kei Ling Ha Lo Wai mangrove swamp. In each swamp, three bacterial consortia were enriched from sediments using phenanthrene (Phe) as the sole carbon and energy source, and individual bacterial colony showing Phe degradation was isolated and identified by 16S rDNA gene sequence. The consortia enriched from Sai Keng and Ho Chung sediments had highest ability to degrade mixed PAHs in liquid medium, with 90% Phe and Fla (fluoranthene) degraded in 7 days. On the other hand, Kei Ling Ha Lo Wai-enriched consortia degraded less than 40% Phe and Fla. Pyrene (Pyr) was hardly degraded by the consortia enriched from sediments. Bacterial isolates, namely Rhodococcus (HCCS), Sphingomonas (MWFG) and Paracoccus (SPNT) were capable to degrade mixed PAHs (Phe + Fla + Pyr). Their degradation percentages could be lower, comparable or even higher than their respective enriched consortia, depending on the consortium and the type of PAH compounds. These results suggest that PAH-degrading bacteria enriched from mangrove sediments, either as a mixed culture or as a single isolate could be used for PAHs bioremediation.     

Solid phase characterization and metal deportment in a mussel shell bioreactor for the treatment of AMD,Stockton Coal Mine,New Zealand

The Stockton Coal Mine, located on the West Coast of New Zealand, is evaluating the use of a mussel shell bioreactor (MSB) to treat acidic metalliferous runoff from acid forming overburden. This novel approach is similar in concept to vertical flow wetlands (VFWs) and successive alkalinity producing systems (SAPS). The MSB system is a trapezoidal pit 2 m deep, 35 m long, 3–10 m wide with 60° angle sides. During operation it contained 160 tonnes (240 m³) of mussel shell material and was saturated with a 100–200 mm water cap. Influent flowed through the reactor at a mean rate of 0.3 L s⁻¹ resulting in a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of ≈6 days. The prototype MSB was in operation for a total of 1027 days, from June 2009 through March 2012, and effectively sequestered 99.7% of Al, 99.3% of Fe, 98.8% of Ni, 98.4% Tl and 99.3% of Zn, as determined from a previous evaluation of MSB performance. The MSB also effectively neutralized acidity, which resulted in an increase in influent pH from 2.8 to 6.9 in the effluent. Based on an examination of several excavated pits, five distinct reaction zones developed within the MSB. The reaction zones consisted of an allochthonous sediment layer (0–330 mm), an oxidized iron-rich ocherous layer (at 330–350 mm depth), an aluminum layer (at 350–600 mm depth) with geochemical variations throughout (350–500 mm and 500–600 mm); and a chemically reduced bottom shell layer (at 600–1100 mm). Representative samples were collected from each layer and analyzed using a combination of geochemical and physical methods to assess the stability of the secondary minerals and trace metal deportment within the MSB. Major elements Fe, Al, Ni, Tl, and Zn where preferentially associated with particular layers within the MSB. Elevated concentrations of Fe (110,000 mg kg⁻¹) were observed in the allochthonous sediment and ocherous precipitate layers, while Al (27,816 mg kg⁻¹), Ni (55 mg kg⁻¹), and Zn (655 mg kg⁻¹) were elevated within the aluminum and lower reduced depths within the MSB. Trace Tl (21 mg kg⁻¹) showed varying concentrations throughout the MSB, but was strongly correlated to lower layers of the system. Microbial biofilms were observed within the reduced portions of the shell layers often proximal to bacterial shaped sulfides. The geochemical assessment of the MSB presented in this study is the first of its kind for a MSB, and supports the argument that this system is another viable option for passive treatment of AMD.