Feasibility Evaluation of Using Biochar-based Permeable Reactive Barrier for the Remediation of Mercury and Arsenic Composite Polluted Water Bodies

This study employed a modified biochar material to construct a permeable reactive barrier(PRB)for the treatment of water bodies polluted with mercury and arsenic.The experimental results demonstrated that the addition of goethite-modified biochar significantly enhanced the remediation efficiency of As(III),achieving a maximum removal rate of 100%.Conversely,pure biochar exhibited high efficiency in the removal of Hg(II),with a maximum removal rate approaching 100%.Furthermore,the pH level of the water significantly influenced the adsorption efficiency of heavy metal ions,with the optimal removal performance observed at a pH of 6.0.The PRB system demonstrated excellent removal rates under low concentrations of heavy metals.However,as the concentration increased,the remediation efficiency exhibited a slight decrease.In summary,the findings of this study provide compelling evidence for the use of modified biochar in the construction of PRBs for the remediation of mercury and arsenic-polluted water bodies.Furthermore,the study reveals the mechanism by which pH and heavy metal concentration influence remediation efficiency.

The Application of Regional Coordinate in the Relatively Heavily Polluted Area of Chromium in Water of the Hun River, Northeast China

The aim of the present investigation was to research the relatively heavily polluted area of chromium in water of the Hun River. According to variance analysis, the concentrations of chromium in water showed significant differences at different sampling stations. In addition, we obtained the static concentration function of chromium in water by using a curve-fitting tool and the measured data. It was clear that the static concentration function perfectly revealed the change in regulations between the concentration of chromium in water and spatial coordinates. We furthermore determined the relatively heavily polluted area of chromium in water by using a regional coordinate formula. The results indicated that the relatively heavily polluted area of chromium in water was from H1 to H2, which was highly consistent with the measured data. It is clear that the determination of the relatively heavily polluted area of chromium is helpful to the comprehensive treatment of chromium pollution. The static concentration function and the regional coordinate of the relatively heavily polluted area of chromium in water comprehensively describe the distribution characteristics of chromium in water, which provide a scientific basis for water environment improvement and risk management in the Hun River.

Generation of a Controlled Polluted Atmosphere for Vehicles’ Cabins Air Quality Characterization

Air pollution induces significant health risks to individuals exposed to high levels of pollutants concentration. For ground vehicles, pollutants infiltrate the car cabin through the ventilation system, leading to potential health issues. To address this problem, a project was undertaken to develop a protocol for characterizing in-cabin air quality. The study involved a closed chamber (the bubble) where its internal multiphase flow has been optimized to create controlled polluted atmospheres. Experiments were conducted to optimize the positioning of the stirring fan and particle generation source, ensuring a homogeneous distribution of fine and ultrafine particles. This study demonstrated the feasibility of implementing a platform dedicated to characterizing the vehicles’ in-cabin air quality under controlled conditions. It allows a better understanding of the dynamics of particle infiltration and the establishment of an optimized protocol for simultaneous measurements of indoor and outdoor concentrations.

Clean-up and disposal process of polluted sediments from urban rivers

In this paper, the discussion is concentrated on the properties of the polluted sediments and the combination of clean-up and disposal process for the upper layer heavily polluted sediments with good flowability. Based on the systematic analyses of various clean-up processes, a suitable engineering process has been evaluated and recommended. The process has been applied to the river reclamation in Yangpu District of Shanghai City, China. An improved centrifuge is used for dewatering the dredged sludge, which plays an important role in the combination of clean-up and disposal process. The assessment of the engineering process shows its environmental and technical economy feasibility, which is much better than that of traditional dredging-disposal processes.

Study of Temperature Distribution Along an Artificially Polluted Insulator String

Insulator becomes wet partially or completely, and the pollution layer on itbecomes conductive, when collecting pollutants for an extended period during dew, light rain, mist,fog or snow melting. Heavy rain is a complicated factor that it may wash away the pollution layerwithout initiating other stages of breakdown or it may bridge the gaps between sheds to promoteflashover. The insulator with a conducting pollution layer being energized, can cause a surfaceleakage current to flow (also temperature-rise). As the surface conductivity is non-uniform, theconducting pollution layer becomes broken by dry bands (at spots of high current density),interrupting the flow of leakage current. Voltage across insulator gets concentrated across drybands, and causes high electric stress and breakdown (dry band arcing). If the resistance of theinsulator surface is sufficiently low, the dry band arcs can be propagated to bridge the terminalscausing flashover. The present paper concerns the evaluation of the temperature distribution alongthe surface of an energized artificially polluted insulator string.

Treatment of Slightly Polluted Wastewater in an Oil Refinery Using a Biological Aerated Filter Process

The slightly polluted wastewater from oil refinery contains some COD, oil pollutants and suspended solids （SS）. A small-scale fixed film biological aerated filter （BAF） process was used to treat the wastewater. The influences of hydraulic retention time （HRT）, air/water volume flow ratio and backwashing cycle on treatment efficiencies were investigated. The wastewater was treated by the BAF process under optimal conditions： the HRT of 1.0 h, the air/water volume flow ratio of about 5 ： 1 and the backwashing cycle of every 4-7 days. The results showed that the average removal efficiency of COD, oil pollutants and SS was 84.5%, 94.0% and 83.4%, respectively. And the average effluent concentration of COD, oil pollutants and SS was 12.5, 0.27, 14.5 mg·L^-1, respectively. The experimental results demonstrated that the BAF process is a suitable and highly efficient method to treat the wastewater.

Application of a Stereo Constructed Wetland Mode to the Treatment of Slightly Polluted Source Water

[Objective] The study aimed to discuss the application of a stereo constructed wetland to the treatment of slightly polluted source water. [Method] In this study, a new stereo constructed wetland mode was put forward, and a pilot project of water ecological purification in Xinsheng River, the diversion channel of Shijiuyang Waterwork in Jiaxing City, were analyzed. Afterwards, the impact factors of water purification by the technology were discussed from water quality and quantity, season and climate, species configuration, management and maintenance. [Result] Under three different hydraulic loading conditions, the pilot project effectively improved water SD and DO level, and reduced SS, CODCr, NH3-N, TN and TP significantly in summer and autumn, so that effluent water quality reached surface water standard at Grade III. [Conclusion] The stereo constructed wetland mode composed of constructed wetland and underwater forest used to treat slightly polluted source water is feasible and has a good promotion prospect.

Review of Ecological Floating Bed Restoration in Polluted Water

Using Ecological Floating Bed (EFB) to purify polluted water is a process of ecological restoration at virgin position, as well as a complicated physical, chemical and biological process. Its core is utilizing aquatic plants and root’s microbes to absorb nitrogen and phosphorus elements, degrade organic matter and enrich heavy metal. EFB has been applied to some water pollution control projects at home and abroad, and has got several achievements. However, there are some factors influenced the removal rate of pollutants, including plants, temperature, seasons, processing time, coverage and initial concentration of pollutants. In the future, the development orientation has been prospected from plant and its combinations, the transformation of EFB structure and the utilization of aquatic resources, and probed the technology of EFB’s building and management, to implement the win-win of landscape benefit and ecological function.

Effect of Silica Fume on Compressive Strength of Oil-Polluted Concrete in Different Marine Environments

In the present research, effect of silica fume as an additive and oil polluted sands as aggregates on compressive strength of concrete were investigated experimentally. The amount ofoil in the designed mixtures was assumed to be constant and equal to 2% of the sand weight. Silica fume accounting for 10%, 15% and 20% of the weight is added to the designed mixture. After preparation and curing, concrete specimens were placed into the three different conditions： fresh, brackish and saltwater environments （submerged in fresh water, alternation of exposed in air ＆ submerged in sea water and submerged in sea water）. The result of compressive strength tests shows that the compressive strength of the specimens consisting of silica fume increases significantly in comparison with the control specimens in all three environments. The compressive strength of the concrete with 15% silica fume content was about 30% to 50% higher than that of control specimens in all tested environments under the condition of using polluted aggregates in the designed mixture.

Study of Leakage Current Behaviour on Artificially Polluted Surface of Ceramic Insulator

This paper presents the results of the study concerning to the leakagecurrent behaviour on artificially polluted ceramic insulator surface. From the present study it wasobserved that there is a reasonably well-defined inception of current i.e. scintillations at afinite voltage, The corresponding voltages for extinction of the current are in the range of 0.8 kVto 2.1 kV. Obviously, the dry band formed in the immediate vicinity of the pin prevents smoothcurrent flow as the voltage rises from zero. Only when the voltage is adequate it causes a flashoverof the dry band and current starts flowing. As is common in similar current extinction phenomena,here also, the extinction voltages are significantly lower than the inception voltages. Further, thevoltage-current curves invariably show hysteresis - the leakage currents are lower in the reducingportion of the voltage. This is obviously due to drying of the wet pollutant layer therebyincreasing its resistance. It is believed that this is the first time that such a directquantitative evidence of drying in individual half cycles is experimentally visualized.

Short-term Effects of Air Pollution on Mortality in a Heavily Polluted Chinese City

Since the London fog in 1952, numerous epidemioLogical studies have revealed that both short-term and long-term exposure to air pollutants is associated with the development of diseases[1]. Up to date, the assessment of air quality on health and air quality standard establishment in developing countries were mainly relied on extrapolation based on the results from long-term cohort studies conducted in Europe and North America.

Effects of Aeration on Nitrification Process in a Polluted Urban River

[Objective] The study aimed to discuss the effects of aeration on nitrification process in a polluted urban river, [Metbod] Through indoor simulation experiments, the effects of different aeration conditions （aerating water named Ew, aerating sediment named Es ） on nitrification process in a polluted urban river were studied.[ Result]The nitrification of the control group named Ec proceeded slowly, while two kinds of aeration promo- ted the process of nitrification, that is, the peak values of nitrate nitrogen of Ew and Es group were respectively 5.15 and 3.83 times that of Ec group. During aeration, NO2 --N accumulation in the overlying water of Ew and Es group lasted for 10 and 14 days separately, and the maximum concentrations reached 11.41 and 7.41 mg/L respectively. Nitrification process was not consistent during the two aeration conditions, that is, the rate of nitrite oxidation in Ew group was faster than that in Es group. Denitrification process was significant after aeration, and the concentration of nitrate nitrogen in Ew and Es group was 1.26 and 2.82 mg/L respectively at the end of the experiment. [ Conclusion]The research could provide scientific references for the restoration of polluted urban rivers.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SERIOUSLY POLLUTED CITIES IN CHINA——Taking Benxi City as an Example

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Hydrophobicity changes of polluted silicone rubber introduced by spatial and dose distribution of plasma jet

The hydrophobicity of polluted silicone rubber was improved rapidly under plasma jet treatment.It is an important phenomenon of the interaction between the plasma jet and the porous surface,and shows a wide application prospect in the power system.In this process,the spatial characteristics and dose of plasma jet are very important.Therefore,the variation of hydrophobicity of polluted silicone rubber under plasma jet treatment was studied,and the spatial characteristics and dose of plasma jet on polluted silicone rubber were also investigated in the work.The results show that the surface property(hydrophilic or hydrophobic)depended on the dose of plasma applied to the surface.The effective treated area was a circle,and the contact angles changed along the radial direction of the circle.This was attributable to the diffusion of plasma bullets on the surface and the distribution of plasma species.The plasma dose could be characterized by the energy density of the plasma applied on the surface.With the increase of plasma dose,the surface contact angles first increased rapidly and then decreased gradually.

Scattering properties of polluted dust in 1.6-μm wavelength

Three typical polluted dust particles （i.e., single coated dust, two-sphere/spheroid system, and coated dust with ag- gregate） including internal and semi-external mixtures are modeled, and their scattering properties at 1.6-μm wavelength are calculated by using the generalized multi-sphere Mie-solution （GMM） method. We investigate the influences of par- ticle size, morphology, and chemical composition on the scattering parameters of polluted dust particles. The analysis results demonstrate that the single scattering albedo of coated dust is much smaller than that of pure dust, especially for the spheroidal black carbon （BC） coated dust. When a dust particle semi-mixes with another aerosol particle to form a two-sphere/spheroid system, its scattering properties are much more sensitive to the size and species of monomers than the monomer shape. If an aggregated BC attaches to the coated dust, the scattering properties of whole particle mainly depend on the host particle （coated dust）.

Testing the Efficiency of Acacia Bark (Galool-Asal) as Disinfectant for Polluted Waters

Acacia bark efficiency for disinfecting polluted water for the purpose of using it for drinking purposes was tested. Five polluted water samples were collected from different locations in Jordan, namely, King Abdullah Canal, an Agricultural pond in the Jordan Valley, Yajouz wells, Hazeir spring, and Wadi-Seer spring. Different volumes of the water samples were treated with 10 g of the shredded acacia bark (obtained from Somalia) for different retention times. The volumes used were 1 L, 2.5 L, and 5 L and the detention times were 2, 4, and 24 hours. The samples were tested for total coliform, E. coli, electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids, turbidity and color before and after treatment with the acacia bark. Results revealed that the optimum conditions for disinfection were: 1 L polluted water treated with 10 g acacia bark for 24 hours. Log removals of about 2.5 for E. coli were obtained under these conditions. Higher removals could be achieved by using larger amounts of the acacia bark, but the chemical water quality regarding turbidity and color will not be suitable for drinking purposes and levels of tannic acids present in the acacia bark might reach toxic levels. Toxic levels will not be reached if 1 glass of water/kg body weight every 4 - 5 hours daily is consumed.

A new technology for harnessing the dye polluted water and dye collection in a chemical factory

A new technology for harnessing the dye polluted water and dye collection was developed. It is based on the enhanced evaporation by using solar, wind and air temperature energy and additional heat-electric energy. It consists of four parts: (1) evaporation carrier system (evaporation carrier and frame for evaporation carrier) for polluted water; (2)polluted water circulating system (pumping-spraying-collecting); (3)heating system; (4)workshop with polluted water reservoir-tanks and rainfall prevention roof. The polluted water was (heated in case necessary) sprayed to the evaporation carrier system and the water was evaporated when it moved in the space and downward along the carrier mainly by using natural (solar, wind and air temperature energy). In case, when there is no roof for the carrier system, the polluted water can be stored in the reservoirs (storage volume for about 20 days). The first 10-25 mm rainfall also need to be stored in the reservoirs to meet the state standard or discharging wastewater. The dye may be collected at the surface in the reservoir-tanks and the crystallized salt may be collected at the bottom plate. The black-color wastewater released by the factory is no more discharged to the surface water system of Taihu Lake Basin. About 2 kg dye and 200 kg industrial salt may be collected from each tone of the polluted water. The non-pollution production of dye may be realized by using this technology with environmental, economical and social benefits.

Fractal Analysis on the Spatial Structure of Land Use Patterns in a Non-Point Source Polluted Area in Southern China

Based on the TM remote sensing interpretation of land use data of a non-point source polluted area in southern China in 2015, supported by ArcGIS and the fractal theory, this paper established the perimeter-area fractal equation of the spatial structure of land use types, quantitatively calculated the fractal dimension and stability index of various land use types in this non-point source polluted area in 2015, and analyzed the spatial structure characteristics of land use types. The results showed that the fractal dimension values of the different land use types in the research area ranged 1.141–1.657, and the whole fractal dimension of the research area was 1.206. To be specific, the fractal dimension values of unused land, grass land and rural residential land were high, and the fractal dimension values of dry land, paddy filed and waters were low, and the fractal dimension values of urban land, industrial traffic construction land and forest land were moderate. The area of the land use types whose stability index values were 0.2–0.4 accounted for 89.5% of total area, suggesting that the stability of the spatial structure of land use types of Beibei District in 2015 was not high generally. The rural residential land and urban land of the research area should be planned and managed more properly from now on.

Oil Pollutants Degradation of Nano-MgO in Micro-Polluted Water

The removal of oil pollutants from water and purifying process of oil-polluted water are studied through catalytic degradation method with nano-MgO. The results indicated that catalytic degradation effect of nano-MgO on the oil pollutants was associated with dosage of nano-MgO, pH and water temperature. When oil content was 1.8 mg/L, 0.17 g nano-MgO was used and the removal rate of oil was 93.92%. Furthermore, nano-Mgo was a non-photosensitive catalyst. GC/MS analysis showed that the amount of petroleum-based pollutants in water was reduced 73.77% from the previous 61 kinds to 16 kinds, and the total peak area was reduced 96.05% after catalytic degradation of nano-MgO. Therefore, nano-MgO has an excellent effect on the catalytic degradation of oil pollutants and can be applied in the treatment of oil wastewaters.

Soil Quality Evaluation of Hydrocarbon Polluted Parcels

For hydrocarbon polluted soils that underwent bioremediation it is important to assess its condition after a period of time, but it is more useful when there is an opportunity of comparison against an unpolluted soil and an untreated polluted one. This paper provides a comparison of three adjacent parcels, being the first clean, the second polluted and bioremediated, the third polluted and left to natural attenuation. Study was conducted determining pH, electrical conductivity, carbonates, soil organic matter, chemical oxygen demand, eight anions, and twelve metals. Data were compared against those references for agricultural soils found in the Mexican NOM-021. A Pearson correlation was applied to find coincidences between the three parcels, obtained results allowed to say that bioremediated parcel allowed for most uniform pH, negligible salinity risk, and medium content of soil organic matter, but treatment has enabled heavy metal accumulation since its values are higher in respect to the other parcels. Natural attenuated parcel has some spots with lower pH, a moderately saline risk, a high content of soil organic matter, and lower content of heavy metals. The clean or unaffected parcel exhibit the higher pH values, a slightly saline condition, soil organic matter ranges from high to very high content, heavy metals content is medium, but no reaching dangerous levels. An important assessment is that bioremediation has enhanced the bioavailability of soil organic matter but it is not similar to the values in the unpolluted parcel.