Microwave (MW) is applied to enhance pentachlorophenol (PCP) removal using zerovalent iron (ZVI, Fe⁰) or granular activated carbon (GAC) as the dielectric media. Applying MW energy at 700 W for 20 s, the results show that Fe⁰ is capable of enhancing the CB removing 2.7 times (91% vs. 34 %) than GAC. Because Fe⁰ has higher dielectric loss (39.5 F/m vs. 8.3 F/m), it absorbs more MW energy to speed up the oxidation rate resulting in a faster temperature rise than GAC. Thus, in the presence of MW, Fe⁰ is superior to GAC for PCP removal. Additionally, excessive MW exposure will damage the surface structure of either Fe⁰ or GAC causing excessive electric charges to accumulate in the media that brings about the phenomenon of sparks.

A monitoring program of particulate matter was conducted at eight sampling sites in four highly industrialized cities (Shenyang, Anshan, Fushun, and Jinzhou) of Liaoning Province in Northeast China to identify the major potential sources of ambient PM₂.₅. A total of 814 PM₂.₅ and PM₂.₅₋₁₀ samples were collected between 2004 and 2005. All PM samples were collected simultaneously in four cities and analyzed gravimetrically for mass concentrations. A sum of 16 elemental species concentrations in the PM samples were determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Annual means of PM₂.₅ concentrations ranged from 65.0 to 222.0 μg m⁻³ in all the eight sampling sites, and the spatial and seasonal variations were discussed. Enrichment factors were calculated, and Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb will be pollution-derived elements. Site-to-site comparisons of PM₂.₅ species in each city were examined using coefficient of divergence, revealing that the two sites in each city are similar in elemental species. Principle component analysis was used for preliminary source analysis of PM₂.₅. Three or four factors in each city were isolated, and similar sources (crustal source, coal combustion, vehicle exhaust, iron making, or some other metallurgical activities) were identified at four cities.

A study on pH and chemical composition of precipitation was carried out in two Italian sites, one urban (site 1) and one rural (site 2), located approximately 30 km far from Bologna, during a 3-year period. No significative site variation was found. In both locations, bulk deposition pH ranged from slightly acid to slightly alkaline, despite the volume weighted mean concentration of acidic species, NO ₃ ⁻ and SO ₄ ²⁻ (67.4 and 118.4 μeq l⁻¹ in site 1 and 88.7 and 103.8 μeq l⁻¹ in site 2), that were similar to those of typical acidic rainfall region. This might be ascribed to the neutralization reaction of the Ca²⁺, attributed to the calcareous soil and the frequent dusty air mass intrusion from the Sahara. The pair correlation matrix and the analysis of the main components suggested also ammonium and other crustal elements as neutralization agents. The depositional rate of SO ₄ ²⁻ and NO ₃ ⁻ , chemical elements of agricultural interest, amounted to 38 and 28 and 32 and 35 kg ha⁻¹ for site 1 and site 2, respectively. These supplies of nutrient were not negligible and had to be considered on cultivated lands. NH ₄ ⁺ deposition rate on site 2 was 7 kg ha⁻¹, 23% over site 1, probably due to nitrogen fertilization in the fields around the monitoring station. In site 1, SO ₄ ²⁻ presented a seasonal trend, indicating that its principal source was the residential heating. Results emphasized that the entity of the bulk deposition acidification is linked not only to the ions local emission sources (fossil fuel combustions, heating, and fertilizers) but also to the surrounding territory and the prevalent wind that transports through kilometers air masses which may contain acidic and alkaline species.

Hydroponics culture generates large amounts of wastewater that are highly concentrated in nitrate and phosphorus but contains almost no organic carbon. Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been proposed to treat this type of effluent, but little is known about the performance of these systems in treating hydroponic wastewater. In addition, obtaining satisfactory winter performances from CWs operated in cold climates remains a challenge, as biological pathways are often slowed down or inhibited. The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of plant species (Typha sp., Phragmites australis, and Phalaris arundinacea) and the addition of organic carbon on nutrient removal in winter. The experimental setup consisted of 16 subsurface flow CW mesocosms (1 m², HRT of 3 days) fed with 30 L d¹ of synthetic hydroponics wastewater, with half of the mesocosms fed with an additional source of organic carbon (sucrose). Carbon addition had a significant impact on nitrate and phosphate removal, with removal means of 4.9 g m⁻² d⁻¹ of NO₃-N and 0.5 g m⁻² d⁻¹ of PO₄-P. Planted mesocosms were generally more efficient than unplanted controls. Furthermore, we found significant differences among plant treatments for NO₃-N (highest removal with P. arundinacea) and COD (highest removal with P. australis/Typha sp.). Overall, planted wetlands with added organic carbon represent the best combination to treat hydroponics wastewater during the winter.

Rates of biosorption of cadmium and copper ions by nonliving biomass of the brown macroalga Sargassum sinicola under saline conditions were studied. Batch experiments show that the ability to remove cadmium is significantly diminished (from 81.8% to 5.8%), while the ability to remove copper remains high (from 89% to 80%) at a range of salinity from 0 to 40 psu. Maximum capacity of biosorption at 35 psu was 3.44 mg g⁻¹ for cadmium and 116 mg g⁻¹ for copper. The presence of salt did not significantly affect the rate of biosorption, which was about 90% of saturation in 60 min for both metals. There is an antagonistic effect on biosorption when both metals are present in the solution.

Biochar can play a key role in nutrient cycling, potentially affecting nitrogen retention when applied to soils. In this project, laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the adsorption properties of bamboo charcoal (BC) and the influence of BC on nitrogen retention at different soil depths using multi-layered soil columns. Results showed that BC could adsorb ammonium ion predominantly by cation exchange. Ammonium nitrogen (NH₄ ⁺-N) concentrations in the leachate of the soil columns showed significant differences at different depths after ammonium chloride application to the columns depending on whether BC had been added. Addition of 0.5% BC to the surface soil layer retarded the downward transport of NH₄ ⁺-N in the 70-day experiment, as indicated by measurements made during the first 7 days at 10 cm, and later, in the experimental period at 20 cm. In addition, application of BC reduced overall cumulative losses of NH₄ ⁺-N via leaching at 20 cm by 15.2%. Data appeared to suggest that BC could be used as a potential nutrient-retaining additive in order to increase the utilization efficiency of chemical fertilizers. Nonetheless, the effect of BC addition on controlling soil nitrogen losses through leaching needs to be further assessed before large-scale applications to agricultural fields are implemented.

Tamarind fruit shell was used as a low-cost biosorbent for the removal of methylene blue from aqueous solution. The various factors affecting adsorption, such as agitation, pH, initial dye concentration, contact time, and temperature, were investigated. The dye adsorption capacity was strongly dependent on solution pH as well as temperature. The Langmuir isotherm model showed good fit to the equilibrium adsorption data, and the maximum adsorption capacity obtained was 1.72 mg g⁻¹ at 303 K. The kinetics of adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order model and the rate constant increased with increase in temperature, indicating endothermic nature of adsorption. The Arrhenius equation was used to obtain the activation energy (E a) for the adsorption system. The activation energy was estimated to be 19.65 kJ mol⁻¹. Thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy (ΔG ⁰), enthalpy (ΔH ⁰), and entropy (ΔS ⁰) were also investigated. Results suggested that adsorption of methylene blue onto tamarind fruit shell was a spontaneous and endothermic process. The present investigation suggests that tamarind fruit shell may be utilized as a low-cost adsorbent for methylene blue removal from aqueous solution.

The Northern Patagonian Andean range shared by Chile and Argentina has numerous glacial oligotrophic lakes protected in a series of National Parks. Recent baseline surveys indicated that concentrations in muscle and liver tissues from various fish species from across Nahuel Huapi and Los Alerces National Parks in Argentina were comparable or higher than similar fish species from other parts of the world. As a result, Lake Moreno, in Nahuel Huapi National Park, was chosen to investigate multiple element sinks, trends, and transfer in a representative Patagonia aquatic food web. The metals and metalloids Ag, As, Ba, Br, Cs, Co, Cr, Fe, Hg, K, Na, Rb, Se, and Zn were analyzed in three size plankton fractions, submerged macrophytes, biofilm, insect larvae, amphipods, decapods, gastropods (snails), annelids (earthworms), and forage fish. Except for nanoplankton (10-53 μm; small-celled algae, rotifers) and microplankton (53-200 μm; larger algae, ciliates, zooplankton nauplii), which share elemental compositional similarities, each taxon category had its own distinctive compositional pattern, revealed by principal component analysis. Nano- and microplankton tend to be relatively elevated in some metals, including As, Co, Cr, Fe, Hg, Zn, and Rb, followed by biofilm. Shredder-scrapper Trichoptera (caddisflies) have higher concentration of most of the studied elements than other insect larvae taxa, especially carnivorous Odonata (Anisoptera, dragonflies), which were associated with lower elemental contents. Those trends point to an overall tendency for biodiminishing element concentrations with trophic level in the benthos of Lake Moreno.

Semi-solid Fenton process (SSFP) was firstly conducted on hazardous solid waste detoxication. Batch tests, Box-Behnken designs, and response surface methodology were applied to optimize the key factors including the pH, the initial Fe(II) content, and the liquid-to-solid ratio (L/S). It shows that the optimal pH, the initial Fe(II) content, and the L/S in SSFP are 3.5, 0.062 mol kg⁻¹ dry weight and 1.77, respectively. Correspondingly, the removal efficiencies of ONA and ArNH₂ are 98.5 ± 0.5% and 100% which agree well with the results of an established polynomial model. It suggests that SSFP is an efficient and environment-friendly method for hazardous solid waste detoxication without wastewater generation.

The main goal of this study was to investigate spatial patterns in water quality in Lake Beysehir, which is the largest freshwater reservoir in Turkey, by using Landsat-5TM (Thematic Mapper) data and ground surveys. Suspended sediment (SS), turbidity, Secchi disk depth (SDD), and chlorophyll-a (chl-a) data were collected from 40 sampling stations in August, 2006. Spatial patterns in these parameters were estimated using bivariate and multiple regression (MR) techniques based on Landsat-5TM multispectral data and water quality sampling data. Single TM bands, band ratios, and combinations of TM bands were estimated and correlated with the measured water quality parameters. The best regression models showed that the measured and estimated values of water quality parameters were in good agreement (0.60 < R ² < 0.71). TM3 provided a significant relationship (R ² = 0.67, p < 0.0001) with SS concentration. MR between chl-a and various combinations of TM bands showed that TM1, TM2, and TM4 are strongly correlated with measured chl-a concentrations (R ² = 0.60, p < 0.0001). MR of turbidity showed that TM1, TM2, and TM3 explain 60% (p < 0.0001) of the variance in turbidity. MR of SDD showed a strong relationship with measured SDD, with R ² = 0.71 (p < 0.0001) for the ratio TM1/TM3 and TM1 band combinations. The spatial distribution maps present apparent spatial variations of selected parameters for the study area covering the largest freshwater lake and drinking water reservoir in Turkey. Interpretation of thematic water quality maps indicated similar spatial distributions for SS, turbidity, and SDD. A large area in the middle portion of the lake showed very low chl-a concentrations as it is far from point and nonpoint sources of incoming nutrients. The trophic state index values were calculated from chl-a and SDD measurements. Lake Beysehir was classified as a mesotrophic or eutrophic lake according to chl-a or SDD parameters, respectively.