The anaerobic degradation of detergent range fatty alcohol ethoxylates. Studies with C-labelled model surfactants

The anaerobic degradation of fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers was studied in a model sludge digester employing stearyl alcohol ethoxylate which was ¹⁴C-labelled either in the alkyl or in the heptaglycol chain. After 4-weeks' incubation of the ¹⁴C-compounds at 35°C in the presence of raw sludge as additional digestible substrate more than 80% of the initial radioactivity was found as methane and carbon dioxide. In addition, the major part of radioactivity in the digested sludge, corresponding to nearly 10% of added ¹⁴C, was attributable to biomass so that ultimate degradation of the two model surfactants amounted to more than 90%. Analysis of the small fraction of radiolabelled metabolites in the sludge supernatant allowed conclusions with regard to the anaerobic degradation route of linear alcohol ethoxylates. After primary biodegradation of the surfactant molecule by scission into the alkyl and poly(ethylene glycol) moieties the further biodegradation of the latter seems to proceed as under aerobic conditions, i.e. via oxidative or hydrolytic depolymerization steps. Eventually, ultimate biodegradation of the obtained monomers (C₂-units) leads to the formation of the gaseous end products.     

The effect of thermal hydrolysis pretreatment on the anaerobic degradation of nonylphenol and short-chain nonylphenol ethoxylates in digested biosolids

The presence of micropollutants can be a concern for land application of biosolids. Of particular interest are nonylphenol diethoxylate (NP₂EO), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP₁EO), and nonylphenol (NP), collectively referred to as NPE, which accumulate in anaerobically digested biosolids and are subject to regulation based on the environmental risks associated with them. Because biosolids are a valuable nutrient resource, it is essential that we understand how various treatment processes impact the fate of NPE in biosolids. Thermal hydrolysis (TH) coupled with mesophilic anaerobic digestion (MAD) is an advanced digestion process that destroys pathogens in biosolids and increases methane yields and volatile solids destruction. We investigated the impact of thermal hydrolysis pretreatment on the subsequent biodegradation of NPE in digested biosolids. Biosolids were treated with TH, anaerobic digestion, and aerobic digestion in laboratory-scale reactors, and NPE were analyzed in the influent and effluent of the digesters. NP₂EO and NP₁EO have been observed to degrade to the more estrogenic NP under anaerobic conditions; therefore, changes in the ratio of NP:NPE were of interest. The increase in NP:NPE following MAD was 56%; the average increase of this ratio in four sets of TH-MAD samples, however, was only 24.6 ± 3.1%. In addition, TH experiments performed in pure water verified that, during TH, the high temperature and pressure alone did not directly destroy NPE; TH experiments with NP added to sludge also showed that NP was not destroyed by the high temperature and pressure of TH when in a more complex sludge matrix. The post-aerobic digestion phases removed NPE, regardless of whether TH pretreatment occurred. This research indicates that changes in biosolids processing can have impacts beyond just gas production and solids destruction.     

The effect of temperature on the removal of non-ionic surfactants during small-scale activated-sludge sewage treatment—I. Comparison of alcohol ethoxylates with a branched-chain alkyl phenol ethoxylate

The degree of biodegradability of three non-ionic surfactants has been assessed using small-scale activated-sludge sewage treatment plants. The effect of temperature on biodegradability was studied by operation at 15°, 11° and 8°C.The two alcohol ethoxylate surfactants tested were well degraded at all three operating temperatures. The alkyl phenol ethoxylate surfactant tested was well degraded at 15°C but at lower temperatures the biodegradability was dependent on concentration. At 5 mg 1⁻¹, greater than 90 per cent removal was achieved but at 20 mg 1⁻¹ the degree of removal fluctuated between 40 and 95 per cent at 11°C and between 20 and 80 per cent at 8°C.The present results have been compared with those obtained using the same surfactants in community trials at a small sewage works employing biological filtration. Although a similar temperature effect was observed with the alkyl phenol ethoxylate, the biodegradabilities obtained in the laboratory were consistently greater than those obtained at the sewage works, perhaps because of the constant conditions of the laboratory test.     

Quantitative determination of octylphenol, nonylphenol, alkylphenol ethoxylates and alcohol ethoxylates by pressurized liquid extraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in soils treated with sewage sludges

Surfactants have one of the highest production rates of all organic chemicals. Non-ionic surfactants, especially alkylphenol ethoxylates, received most attention as precursors of estrogenic metabolic products generated during wastewater treatment. Alkylphenols (octyl and nonylphenol), alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APEOs), and alcohol ethoxylates (AEOs) have been determined in a Mediterranean forest soil (Mediterranean Rendzic Leptosol) amended with sludges from six waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) located in the Valencian Community. These compounds were isolated from soil by pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) using a mixture acetone-hexane (50:50 v/v), the extracts were cleaned up by solid-phase extraction (SPE) with C(18), and determined by liquid chromatography atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-APCI-MS) using analytical standards for quantification. The method enabled high-reliable identification by monitoring the corresponding ammonium adduct [M+NH(3)](+) for AEOs and APEOs, and the deprotonated molecule [M-H](-) for octyl and nonylphenol. Recoveries, determined spiking soil samples at different concentrations, ranged from 89 to 94%, with limits of quantification from 1 to 100 microg kg(-1). Data obtained from a soil sample mixed with biosolids in the laboratory showed that these compounds are present at concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 5 mg kg(-1). According to these concentrations, levels of possible risk can be concluded for the presence of non-ionic surfactants in soil. However, further assessment will be necessary to establish the relationship between exposure and effect findings.     

The effect of temperature on the removal of non-ionic surfactants during small-scale activated-sludge sewage treatment—II. Comparison of a linear alkyl phenol ethoxylate with branched-chain alkyl phenol ethoxylates

The biodegradability of a linear alkyl phenol ethoxylate surfactant has been compared with the biodegradabilities of two branched-chain alkyl phenol ethoxylates during sewage treatment in small-scale activated-sludge plants. In addition, a linear alkyl benzene sulphonate (LAS) anionic surfactant was tested to study its removal during treatment in the “porous-pot” equipment. Tests were carried out at ≈ 20°, 12°, 8° and 5°C to study the effect of temperature on the removal of the different materials.Very little difference was found between the degrees of removal of any of the alkyl phenol ethoxylates. They were well degraded at 20°C, but a stable degree of removal could not be maintained at reduced temperatures. At 8°C and 5°C the percentage removals fluctuated between 60 and 90 per cent. This appears to be a feature of the behaviour of alkyl phenol ethoxylates during this type of treatment. The LAS surfactant, after a period of acclimatization, was consistently degraded by more than 90 per cent at all temperatures of operation.     

On-line titration of volatile fatty acids for the process control of anaerobic digestion plants.

The on-line titration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) was found to be a reliable method to measure the substrate (metabolite) concentration without the use of expensive analytical devices. A measurement cell was designed that ensures stable long-term operation, high throughputs and copes with both very low and very high VFA concentrations. Using synthetic textile wastewater, a recalibration of the pH probe was necessary only twice a week. A good reproducibility of the VFA concentrations was determined and standard deviations were below +/- 1% of the measured concentration. Changing salt concentrations of the wastewater in the range of 2.5-150 gl(-1) NaCl did not influence the determined VFA concentration significantly. The method was suitable to control the hydraulic retention time in an acidic phase reactor and to determine the acidification rates of wastewater compounds in batch experiments.     

A mathematical model of a high sulphate wastewater anaerobic treatment system.

As an aid to the design and operation of anaerobic digesters treating high sulphate waste waters, a mathematical model describing this treatment process has been developed. Apart from sulphate reduction, the model includes those reactions which occur either prior to sulphate reduction or in competition with it. These include, hydrolysis of solid substrates, acidogenesis. beta oxidation of long chain fatty acids, acetogenesis and methanogenesis. By incorporating terms for these reactions the model is able to simulate sulphate reduction using a wide range of carbon sources. Acid/base equilibrium chemistry is included in order to predict the pH and unionized component concentrations, needed for calculating inhibition. An activity based model is used, with the activity coefficients calculated using Debye-Hückle theory. The mass transfer rates of hydrogen, methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide from the liquid to the vapour phase are also included. A number of different reactor types may be simulated, including a dynamic batch. steady state CSTR and dynamic CSTR. By separating the hydraulic and solids residence times, high rate reactors such as UASB and packed bed reactors may also be simulated. The model has been used to successfully predict the dynamic and steady state behaviour of a number of different reactor types, utilizing both simple and complex carbon sources.     

The degradation of xenobiotic branched carboxylic acids in anaerobic sediment of the Pearl River in Southern China

Xenobiotic branched carboxylic acids (BCAs) discharged by industries are often persistent in biological wastewater treatment systems and end up in water and sediments. In this study, the degradation of 12 typical BCAs in an anaerobic environment of river sediment was studied in vitro using enrichment shake-flask cultures. The anaerobic consortium taken from the river sediment, comprising BCA-degrading and methane-producing genera, degraded BCAs with tertiary carbons through beta-oxidation, followed by methanogenesis mechanisms. The maximum cell densities in the cultures using BCAs as the sole carbon source ranged between 5.0 and 6.0 x 10(5) cells/ml. The maximum degradation rates were between 5.0 and 8.5 x 10(-3) mmol/h. The consortium could not degrade BCAs with quaternary carbons. The degree of branching at the alpha or beta position along the carbon chain interfered with the beta-oxidation mechanisms. These BCAs would accumulate in the sediment and significantly affect the cycling of organic carbon and nutrients.     

Biochemical model of glucose induced enhanced biological phosphorus removal under anaerobic condition.

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) is playing an increasingly important role in controlling the eutrophication phenomenon in natural waters. It is believed that substrates other than acetate exert significant effects on the EBPR process. In this research, it was found that glucose could be used as the dominant substrate to induce and maintain a successful EBPR process. However, compared to the conventional EBPR process using acetate as the dominant substrate, it was found that less PO4-P was released into the medium and 3-hydroxyvalerate (3-HV) enriched poly-beta-hydroxyalkanoate (PHA), rather than 3-hydroxybutyrate (3-HB) enriched PHA, was accumulated during the anaerobic condition. According to the experimental results, a new biochemical model is hypothesized for the anaerobic metabolism of glucose. It is reasoned that the predominance of 3-HV enriched PHA is employed to balance the internal redox during the anaerobic condition. The Entner-Doudoroff (ED) pathway is likely used for anaerobic glucose metabolism when the bacteria demonstrate good EBPR performance, because the ED pathway necessitates the use of polyphosphate for energy purposes.     

考虑累积损伤退化的钢材等效本构模型研究

在结构抗震分析中,钢材在循环荷载作用下的一维本构关系是利用杆系模型进行结构弹塑性地震响应分析的基础。为了更准确地模拟结构在强震作用下的反应,提出能够考虑累积损伤、刚度和强度退化的钢材等效本构模型,包括骨架曲线、滞回准则以及退化特征,利用损伤控制因子数学模型对钢构件、节点及结构的损伤退化全程进行描述。根据提出的等效本构模型并利用有限元软件ABAQUS提供的用户材料子程序UMAT,采用Fortran语言开发能够进行钢框架强震作用分析的损伤退化过程计算程序。采用等效本构模型对典型试验进行模拟分析,其结果与试验结果吻合良好,充分证明钢材等效本构模型用于钢构件在强震作用下弹塑性分析的准确性及可行性。     

The variation on the mutagenicity of CNP during anaerobic biodegradation.

The mutagenicity of water, including herbicide CNP, and its time-variation during anaerobic biodegradation were studied through Ames assay using strains with or without. S9 mix: TA98, TA 100, YG1021, YG1024, YG1026, and YG1029. The bacteria, for the anaerobic biodegradation, was obtained from a paddy field, and preincubated for a month. The CNP was decomposed in an anaerobic culture inoculated with the bacteria, and finally yielded CNP-amino as one of the CNP metabolites. About 16% of the initial CNP was transformed into CNP-amino by the 14th day. The mutagenicities to TA98. YG1024, and YG1029 strains with S9 mix increased with cultivating time, the latter two showed the strongest sensitivity to CNP-amino. The contribution of CNP to the mutagenicity decreased as the chemical decomposed, while the contribution of CNP-amino increased. However, the increased mutagenicity was not limited to the contribution of CNP-amino. but also to the contribution of other metabolites. The contributions of other CNP metabolites were 67% of total mutagenicity to the TA98 strain and 30% to the YG1029 strain. These unknown mutagenic metabolites were the indirect frameshift mutagens which did not have nitro- and amino-substituents, and the indirect base-pair mutagens which might possibly have some amino-substituents.     

The biodegradability of two primary alcohol ethoxylate nonionic surfactants under practical conditions,and the toxicity of the biodegradation products to rainbow trout

A field trial has been performed to measure the biodegradability of two typical alcohol ethoxylate nonionic surfactants, “Dobanol” 45-7 and “Dobanol” 45-11, by dosing them to biological filters in a mixture with domestic sewage. Influent levels were 10 and 25 mg l^?1 of each surfactant and 96–98% degradation was achieved within a temperature range of 5–10°C. The surfactants had no adverse effects on the filters in terms of the usual sanitary parameters (BOD, COD, TOC and ammoniacal nitrogen). Tests on the effluents indicated no residual acute lethal toxicity to rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri).     

The removal of perchlorate from groundwater by activated carbon tailored with cationic surfactants

In rapid small-scale column tests, cationic surfactant-tailored activated carbons (ACs) effectively removed perchlorate to below detection levels for up to 30 times longer than virgin AC. By pre-loading bituminous AC with dicocodimethylammonium chloride, tallowtrimethylammonium chloride, cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, or cetylpyridinium chloride, 75 ppb perchlorate was removed for 27,000-35,000 bed volumes before the effluent perchlorate rose above 1 ppb. These tests employed a natural groundwater that also contained 30 mg/L sulfate, 26 mg/L nitrate (as NO3-), and other ions. By the time of 25 ppb perchlorate breakthrough, 7.3-10.1% of quaternary ammonium sites had perchlorate associated with them. Although some of the surfactants leached out of the tailored carbon beds (0.6-21.2% of the amount loaded), the leached surfactant could be removed to below detectable limits with a virgin AC polishing bed that chased the tailored bed.     

前置厌氧段DE氧化沟工艺运行效果分析

介绍了DE型氧化沟工艺,通过具体工程实例,阐述了前置厌氧段DE氧化沟工艺流程,分析了污水处理的实际运行情况,分析表明DE氧化沟具有良好的有机污染物去除效果,良好的脱氧效果和除磷效果。     

土工格栅层式加筋风积砂的本构模型研究

以广泛分布于内蒙古沙漠地区的风积砂为研究对象,对不加筋风积砂和不同层数的加筋风积砂做了一系列的固结排水常规三轴试验,探讨其强度变化规律和体积变化规律,并分析加筋机理,得到加筋风积砂的本构模型,并验证了本构模型的精确性。     

Microcosm experiments of oil degradation by microbial mats. II. The changes in microbial species

The influence of microbial mats on the degradation of two crude oils (Casablanca and Maya) and the effect of oil pollution on the mat structure were assessed using model ecosystems, prepared under laboratory conditions subject to tidal movements, from pristine Ebro Delta microbial-mat ecosystems. Both selected oils are examples of those currently used for commercial purposes. Casablanca crude oil is aliphatic with a low viscosity; Maya represents a sulphur-rich heavy crude oil that is predominantly aromatic. In the unpolluted microcosms, Microcoleus chthonoplastes-, Phormidium- and Oscillatoria-like were the dominant filamentous cyanobacterial morphotypes, whilst Synechoccocus-, Synechocystis- and Gloeocapsa-like were the most abundant unicellular cyanobacteria. After oil contamination, no significant changes of chlorophyll a and protein concentrations were observed, though cyanobacterial diversity shifts were monitored. Among filamentous cyanobacteria, M. chthonoplastes-like morphotype was the most resistant for both oils, unlike the other cyanobacteria, which tolerated Casablanca but not Maya. Unicellular cyanobacteria seemed to be resistant to pollution with both essayed oils, with the exception of the morphotype resembling Gloeocapsa, which was sensitive to both oils. The crude-oil addition also had a significant effect on certain components of the heterotrophic microbial community. Casablanca oil induced an increase in anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria, whereas the opposite effect was observed in those heterotrophs when polluted with Maya oil. The overall results, microbiological and crude-oil transformation analysis, indicate that the indigenous community has a considerable potential to degrade oil components by means of the metabolic cooperation of phototrophic and heterotrophic populations.     

全站仪配合CASS软件在小范围地形测量中的应用

以实际工程为例,对全站仪配合CASS软件在小范围地形测量中的应用进行了介绍,通过徕卡TCRA1201全站仪配合CASS成图软件,对小范围地区地形、地貌测量方法,形成内外业一体化,既提高了测量精度,又大大减轻了劳动强度,对于普通全站仪测地形有很大的改观。     

桥墩承台大体积混凝土的温度控制

阐述了某大桥桥墩承台大体积混凝土的温度控制措施,并对观测所得的数据进行对比分析.结合材料特性、施工工艺和监测手段对大体积混凝土实施温度控制,有效地控制了温度裂缝的产生,说明了温度裂缝控制的可行性.同时,总结了大体积混凝土温度的变化规律及其受外界条件的影响规律.对大体积混凝土的温度控制有重要的指导意义.     

The toxicity of mixtures of metals and surfactants to rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri rich.)

The toxicity to rainbow trout of two metals (copper and mercury) and three detergents (two anionics and one non-ionic) were determined with an exposure period of 14 days. Each compound was tested separately and as a metal-detergent pair. The results show that for the mixtures of anionic detergents and metals a “more-than-additive” effect exists, while for the mixture of non-ionic detergent and metal the toxic effect is probably “less-than-additive”. These findings are compared with existing data in the literature and the underlying reasons for these effects are discussed.