This study was conducted to determine the optimal conditions for PAH degradation from highly contaminated attrition sludge (PAC) using a Fenton process or successive permanganate (KMnO₄) oxidation and Fenton processes. The following parameters were studied to optimize the Fenton oxidation process: the amounts of reactants based on the stoichiometric oxidant demand (SOD), the reactant addition protocol and number of doses, and the solid/liquid ratio (S/L). The results showed that the following conditions were optimum: TS = 30%, 7.5 times SOD, H₂O₂/Fe²⁺ ratio = 10, and added five times during 60 min, which allowed the degradation of 43% of total 27 PAHs from the PAC. Successive Fenton and KMnO₄ oxidation processes were also tested. PAH degradation using a sequential Fenton process followed by KMnO₄ oxidation (or KMnO₄ followed by Fenton) was higher than for the use of Fenton or KMnO₄ treatment alone. Up to 71% of the total 27 PAHs were degraded when using a combination of both processes. It appeared that the sequential treatment is a viable method for the significant degradation of 27 PAHs from PAC (t value > 2.77).

This study investigated causes of persistent fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in beach sand under the pier in Santa Monica, CA. FIB levels were up to 1000 times higher in sand underneath the pier than that collected from adjacent to the pier, with the highest concentrations under the pier in spring and fall. Escherichia coli (EC) and enterococci (ENT) under the pier were significantly positively correlated with moisture (ρ = 0.61, p < 0.001, n = 59; ρ = 0.43, p < 0.001, n = 59, respectively), and ENT levels measured by qPCR (qENT) were much higher than those measured by membrane filtration (cENT). Microcosm experiments tested the ability of EC, qENT, cENT, and general Bacteroidales (GenBac) to persist under in situ moisture conditions (10 and 0.1%). Decay rates of qENT, cENT, and GenBac were not significantly different from zero at either moisture level, while decay rates for EC were relatively rapid during the microcosm at 10% moisture (k = 0.7 days⁻¹). Gull/pelican marker was detected at 8 of 12 sites and no human-associated markers (TaqHF183 and HumM2) were detected at any site during a 1-day site survey. Results from this study indicate that the high levels of FIB observed likely stem from environmental sources combined with high persistence of FIB under the pier.

The adsorption of copper (Cu(II)) from aqueous solutions by activated Luffa cylindrica biochar fibres has been investigated by means of batch equilibrium experiments and FTIR spectroscopy. The effect of various physicochemical parameters, such as pH, initial metal concentration, ionic strength, mass of the adsorbent, contact time and temperature, has been evaluated by means of batch type adsorption experiments. FTIR spectroscopy, as well as acid-base titrations, was used for the characterization of the material and the surface species formed. According to the experimental results even at pH 3, the relative sorption is above 85% and the adsorption capacity of the activated biochar fibres for Cu(II) is q ₘₐₓ = 248 g kg⁻¹. Moreover, the interaction between the surface carboxylic moieties and Cu(II) results in the formation of very stable inner-sphere complexes (∆G ᵒ = −11.2 kJ mol⁻¹ at pH 3 and −22.4 kJ mol⁻¹ at pH 5.5).

In the present study, the immobilizing fermentation characteristics and o-chlorophenol biodegradation of Rhodopseudomonas palustris using mycelial pellets as a biomass carrier were investigated. To improve the o-chlorophenol degradation efficiency of the combined mycelial pellets, eight cultivation variables including glucose concentration, yeast extract concentration, spore inoculum size, pH, and agitation speed were optimized with an integrated strategy involving a combination of statistical designs. First, Plackett-Burman experiments identified glucose, yeast extract, and spore inoculum size as three statistically significant factors important for o-chlorophenol removal. Then, the steepest ascent method was used to access the optimal region of these significant factors. Finally, response surface methodology by Box-Behnken optimization was used to examine the mutual interactions among these three variables to determine their optimal levels. The ideal culture conditions for maximum o-chlorophenol removal according to a second-order polynomial model were as follows: 15.60 g/L glucose, 3.09 g/L yeast extract, and 9% (v/v) spore inoculum size, resulting in an expected o-chlorophenol removal rate of 92.60% with an o-chlorophenol initial concentration of 50 mg/L and 96-h culture time. The correlation coefficient (R ² = 0.9933) indicated excellent agreement between the experimental and predicted values, whereas a fair association was observed between the predicted model values and those obtained from subsequent experimentation at the optimized conditions.

Carbon sequestration is an indispensable ecosystem service provided by soil and vegetation, so mapping and valuing the carbon budget by considering both ecological and social factors is an important trend in evaluating ecosystem services. In this work, we established multiple scenarios to evaluate the impacts of land use change, population growth, carbon emission per capita, and carbon markets on carbon budget. We quantified carbon sinks (aboveground and belowground) under different scenarios, using the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model and an improved carbon cycle process model, and studied carbon sources caused by human activities by analyzing the spatial distribution of human population and carbon emission per capita. We also assessed the net present value (NPV) for carbon budgets under different carbon price and discount rate scenarios using NPV model. Our results indicate that the carbon budget of Guanzhong-Tianshui Economic Region is surplus: Carbon sinks range from 1.50 × 10¹⁰ to 1.54 × 10¹⁰ t, while carbon sources caused by human activities range from 2.76 × 10⁵ to 7.60 × 10⁵ t. And the NPV for carbon deficits range from 3.20 × 10¹¹ RMB to 1.52 × 10¹² RMB. From the perspective of ecological management, deforestation, urban sprawl, population growth, and excessive carbon consumption are considered as the main challenges in balancing carbon sources and sinks. Levying carbon tax would be a considerable option when decision maker develops carbon emission reduction policies. Our results provide a scientific and credible reference for harmonious and sustainable development in the Guanzhong-Tianshui Economic Region of China.

The cost effective maintenance of underwater pressure pipes for sewage disposal in Austria requires the detection and localization of leakages. Extrusion of wastewater in lakes can heavily influence the water and bathing quality of surrounding waters. The Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) technology is a widely used technique for oil and gas pipeline leakage detection. While in pipeline leakage detection, fiber optic cables are installed permanently at the outside or within the protective sheathing of the pipe; this paper aims at testing the feasibility of detecting leakages with temporary introduced fiber optic cable inside the pipe. The detection and localization were tested in a laboratory experiment. The intrusion of water from leakages into the pipe, producing a local temperature drop, served as indicator for leakages. Measurements were taken under varying measurement conditions, including the number of leakages as well as the positioning of the fiber optic cable. Experiments showed that leakages could be detected accurately with the proposed methodology, when measuring resolution, temperature gradient and measurement time were properly selected. Despite the successful application of DTS for leakage detection in this lab environment, challenges in real system applications may arise from temperature gradients within the pipe system over longer distances and the placement of the cable into the real pipe system.

An effective reagent for mercury desorption from contaminated soil is a key condition for mercury remediation. Effects of time, pH, temperature on mercury desorption using sodium sulfite were studied with a series of batch experiments. Results showed that desorption rate of mercury increased rapidly in the stage of 0 to 1 h, after that, a much slower stage appeared. Desorption rate reached 92.05% with 0.7 mol/L sodium sulfite at 25°C in 24 h. Moreover, potential value increased rapidly from −162 to –31 mV in desorption of 1 h. It indicates that desorption process was a process of Hg(II) turning into Hg(I). A higher pH (10.5) or temperature (35°C) was helpful to increase mercury desorption rate. Furthermore, small fold and curves appeared in the surface of soil particles presented by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) show that soil particles may be destroyed in desorption process using sodium sulfite. The desorption of Hg from contaminated soil was accomplished within a reductive solution provided by sodium sulfite.

Large volumes of excavated rock are produced as a result of road and railway tunnel construction in Hokkaido, Japan. Due to the geological condition of this region, these rocks have often undergone hydrothermal alterations, causing them to contain elevated amounts of hazardous elements including arsenic (As). Therefore, these excavated rocks are potentially hazardous waste, and proper disposal methods are required. In this article, performance of unsaturated river sediment on immobilizing As from hydrothermally altered rock is evaluated using laboratory column experiments and Hydrus-1D. The results reveal that the river sediment significantly reduces As migration. Arsenic retarded by river sediment was observed in three patterns. The first was an adsorption onto minerals originally contained in the river sediment. The next pattern was a combination of reduction of As generation by oxidation of As bearing-minerals, irreversible adsorption, and adsorption onto newly precipitated Fe oxy-hydroxide/oxide. The last pattern led to a further depletion of As leached from the rock layer due to a shift in the majority of the As generation mechanism from dissolution to oxidation in combination with a low concentration of oxygen in the rock layer. These patterns were satisfactorily evaluated by a Hydrus-1D model with reversible and irreversible adsorptions. The information from this work is effective in designing and establishing a reasonable technique for the disposal of hydrothermally altered rocks.

Stormwater wetlands collect and attenuate runoff-related herbicides, limiting their transport into aquatic ecosystems. Knowledge on wetland bacterial communities with respect to herbicide dissipation is scarce. Previous studies showed that hydrological and hydrochemical conditions, including pesticide removal capacity, may change from spring to summer in stormwater wetlands. We hypothesized that these changes alter bacterial communities, which, in turn, influence pesticide degradation capacities in stormwater wetland. Here, we report on bacterial community changes in a stormwater wetland exposed to pesticide runoff, and the occurrence of trz, atz, puh, and phn genes potentially involved in the biodegradation of simazine, diuron, and glyphosate. Based on T-RFLP analysis of amplified 16S rRNA genes, a response of bacterial communities to pesticide exposure was not detected. Changes in stormwater wetland bacterial community mainly followed seasonal variations in the wetland. Hydrological and hydrochemical fluctuations and vegetation development in the wetland presumably contributed to prevent detection of effects of pesticide exposure on overall bacterial community. End point PCR assays for trz, atz, phn, and puh genes associated with herbicide degradation were positive for several environmental samples, which suggest that microbial degradation contributes to pesticide dissipation. However, a correlation of corresponding genes with herbicide concentrations could not be detected. Overall, this study represents a first step to identify changes in bacterial community associated with the presence of pesticides and their degradation in stormwater wetland.

This study investigates effects of fixed film surface area increment on removal efficacy and biofouling in membrane bioreactor (MBR). For this purpose, a lab-scale membrane bioreactor was used. Domestic wastewater was fed into it. Three different trials were conducted at different fluxes; 15, 20, and 25 L/m²/h (LMH). Every trial was conducted using four different scenarios by varying surface area of fixed media viz. 0, 100, 150, and 200 m²/m³. Removal of pollutants viz. chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total organic content (TOC), total Khjdel nitrogen (TKN), and phosphorous was studied. In addition, cake resistance, pore resistance, and total resistance were also observed for aforementioned scenarios. The results demonstrated that pollutant removal efficiencies increased as the surface area per unit volume of bioreactor was increased. Conversely, the removal efficiency decreased with increase in the fluxes. In the case of biofouling, it increased while increasing the surface area or flux. The fixed media surface area increments proved beneficial in terms of removal efficiencies but at the cost of reduced operation time of MBR.