{"title":"Stabilization/solidification mechanisms of tin tailings and fuming slag-based geopolymers for different heavy metals","authors":"Xian Zhou, Zhengfu Zhang, Hui Yang","doi":"10.1007/s11783-024-1816-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-024-1816-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Tin mine tailings (TMT) and fuming slag (FS) contain many heavy metals (As, Cr, Cu, Zn and Mn) that cause severe pollution to the environment. Herein, geopolymers were prepared using TMT, FS and flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FGDG) to immobilize heavy metals, and their compressive strength and heavy metal leaching toxicity were investigated. It was first determined that T4F5 (TMT:FS = 4:5) sample exhibited the highest compressive strength (7.83 MPa). T4F5 achieved 95% immobilization efficiency for As and Cr, and nearly 100% for Cu, Zn and Mn, showing good immobilization performance. A series of characterization analyses showed that heavy metal cations can balance the charge in the geopolymer and replace Al in the geopolymer structure to form covalent bonds. In addition, about 2%–20% of heavy metal Fe was immobilized in hydration products, heavy metal hydroxides and non-bridging Si–O and Al–O coordination with silica-aluminate matrices. AsO<sub>3</sub><sup>3−</sup> was oxidized into AsO<sub>4</sub><sup>3−</sup>, which may form Ca–As or Fe–As precipitates. Cr<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub><sup>2−</sup> was converted to CrO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> under alkaline environment and then combined with OH<sup>−</sup> to form Cr(OH)<sub>3</sub> precipitates. Mn<sup>2+</sup> may react directly with dissolved silicate to form Mn<sub>2</sub>SiO<sub>4</sub> and also form Mn(OH)<sub>2</sub> precipitates. The unstable Mn(OH)<sub>2</sub> can be further oxidized to MnO<sub>2</sub>. The heavy metal cations were immobilized in the silicoaluminate lattice, while the anions tended to form insoluble precipitates. These results may benefit the industry and government for better handling of TMT, FS and solid wastes containing the abovementioned five heavy metals.\u0000</p>","PeriodicalId":12720,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering","volume":"144 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2024-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139555184","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Toxicity mechanisms of photodegraded polyvinyl chloride nanoplastics on pea seedlings","authors":"Hao Wu, Beibei He, Bocheng Chen, An Liu","doi":"10.1007/s11783-024-1809-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-024-1809-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Nanoplasctics (NPs), which are very small in particle size, exert toxic effect to organisms. Additionally, compared to original NPs, photodegraded NPs would pose higher toxicity. This is because their relatively higher specific surface areas and the presence of additives which can more easily leach. How original NPs and aged NPs affect plant growth has not been widely investigated. This work chose polyvinyl chloride NPs (PVC-NPs) that were subjected to up to 1000 h UV light radiation to explore the impact of PVC-NPs on the growth of pea seedlings (<i>Pisum Sativum</i> L.). The results indicated the existence of PVC-NPs with longer UV light radiation time and higher concentrations had more negative influences on pea seedlings’ growth such as germination rate (decreased by 10.6%–22.5%), stem length (decreased by 2.8%–8.1%), dry weight (decreased by 6.3%–7.1%) and fresh weight (decreased by 6.7%–14.8%). It was also noted that photodegraded PVC-NPs resulted in damage to leaf stomata and roots, hindering photosynthesis and absorption of nutrients and hence the decrease in chlorophyll and soluble sugar contents. According to transcriptomic investigation results, the presence of aged PVC-NPs primarily influenced protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum (upregulated metabolic pathway) and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis (downregulated metabolic pathway) of pea seedlings. These results provide an in-depth understanding of how NPs influence the growth of plants.\u0000</p>","PeriodicalId":12720,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering","volume":"172 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2024-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139471079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mathias Fessler, Qingxian Su, Marlene Mark Jensen, Yifeng Zhang
{"title":"Electroactivity of the magnetotactic bacteria Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 and Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense MSR-1","authors":"Mathias Fessler, Qingxian Su, Marlene Mark Jensen, Yifeng Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s11783-024-1808-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-024-1808-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Magnetotactic bacteria reside in sediments and stratified water columns. They are named after their ability to synthesize internal magnetic particles that allow them to align and swim along the Earth’s magnetic field lines. Here, we show that two magnetotactic species, <i>Magnetospirillum magneticum</i> strain AMB-1 and <i>Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense</i> strain MSR-1, are electroactive. Both <i>M. magneticum</i> and <i>M. gryphiswaldense</i> were able to generate current in microbial fuel cells with maximum power densities of 27 and 11 µW/m<sup>2</sup>, respectively. In the presence of the electron shuttle resazurin both species were able to reduce the crystalline iron oxide hematite (Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>). In addition, <i>M. magneticum</i> could reduce poorly crystalline iron oxide (FeOOH). Our study adds <i>M. magneticum</i> and <i>M. gryphiswaldense</i> to the growing list of known electroactive bacteria, and implies that electroactivity might be common for bacteria within the <i>Magnetospirillum</i> genus.\u0000</p>","PeriodicalId":12720,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2023-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139061848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zahra Niavarani, Daniel Breite, Muhammad Yasir, Vladimir Sedlarik, Andrea Prager, Nadja Schönherr, Bernd Abel, Roger Gläser, Agnes Schulze
{"title":"Removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals from water through urethane functionalization of microfiltration membranes via electron beam irradiation","authors":"Zahra Niavarani, Daniel Breite, Muhammad Yasir, Vladimir Sedlarik, Andrea Prager, Nadja Schönherr, Bernd Abel, Roger Gläser, Agnes Schulze","doi":"10.1007/s11783-024-1805-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-024-1805-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Polyethersulphone (PES) membranes modified with urethane functional groups were prepared through an interfacial reaction using electron beam irradiation. The removal of eight endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) was studied using both pristine and functionalized PES membranes. The prepared membranes underwent characterization using several techniques, including attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, contact angle analysis, and measurements of pure water flux. Furthermore, dynamic adsorption experiments were conducted to evaluate the adsorption mechanism of the prepared membrane toward the eight EDCs. The urethane functionalized membranes were hydrophilic (52° contact angle) and maintained a high permeate flux (26000 L/h m<sup>2</sup> bar) throughout the filtration process. Dynamic adsorption results demonstrated that the introduction of urethane functional groups on the membranes significantly enhanced the removal efficiency of 17β-estradiol, estriol, bisphenol A, estrone, ethinylestradiol, and equilin. The adsorption loading of 17β-estradiol on the functionalized PES membrane was 6.7 ± 0.7 mg/m<sup>2</sup>, exhibiting a 5-fold increase compared to the unmodified PES membrane. The membranes were successfully regenerated and reused for three adsorption cycles without experiencing any loss of adsorption capacity.\u0000</p>","PeriodicalId":12720,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering","volume":"47 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2023-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139020514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yunke Li, Junjun Ma, Chenxu Yang, Jianrui Niu, Yonghuan Bian, Ruicheng Chen, Puming Zhang, Jing Zhang, Chun Liu
{"title":"A novel flow electrode capacitive deionization device with spindle-shaped desalting chamber","authors":"Yunke Li, Junjun Ma, Chenxu Yang, Jianrui Niu, Yonghuan Bian, Ruicheng Chen, Puming Zhang, Jing Zhang, Chun Liu","doi":"10.1007/s11783-024-1800-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-024-1800-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Flow-electrode capacitive deionization (FCDI) is an innovative technology in which an intermediate chamber plays an important role in the desalination process. However, relatively few studies have been conducted on the structures of these intermediate chambers. In this study, we propose a novel flow-electrode capacitive deionization device with a spindle-shaped inlet chamber (S-FCDI). The desalination rate of the S-FCDI under optimal operating conditions was 36% higher than that of the FCDI device with a conventional rectangular chamber (R-FCDI). The spindle-shaped chamber transferred 1.2 µmol more ions than the rectangular chamber, based on energy per joule. Additionally, we performed a detailed analysis of different inlet chamber shapes using computational fluid dynamics software. We concluded that S-FCDI has a relatively low flow resistance and almost no stagnation zone. This provides unique insights into the development of intermediate chambers. This study may contribute to the improvement of the desalination performance in industrial applications of FCDI.</p>","PeriodicalId":12720,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2023-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138742790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cesium removal from radioactive wastewater by adsorption and membrane technology","authors":"Shuting Zhuang, Jianlong Wang","doi":"10.1007/s11783-024-1798-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-024-1798-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Radiocesium is frequently present in radioactive wastewater, while its removal is still a challenge due to its small hydrated radius, high diffusion coefficient, and similar chemical behavior to other alkali metal elements with high background concentrations. This review summarized and analyzed the recent advances in the removal of Cs<sup>+</sup> from aqueous solutions, with a particular focus on adsorption and membrane separation methods. Various inorganic, organic, and biological adsorbents have undergone assessments to determine their efficacy in the removal of cesium ions. Additionally, membrane-based separation techniques, including reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, and membrane distillation, have also shown promise in effectively separating cesium ions from radioactive wastewater. Additionally, this review summarized the main approaches, including Kurion/SARRY system + desalination system and advanced liquid processing system, implemented after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident in Japan to remove radionuclides from contaminated water. Adsorption technology and membrane separation technology play a vital role in treatment of contaminated water.</p>","PeriodicalId":12720,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2023-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138821672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Underestimated benefits of NOx control in reducing SNA and O3 based on missing heterogeneous HONO sources","authors":"Shuping Zhang, Haotian Zheng, Jun Liu, Yao Shi, Tianzeng Chen, Chaoyang Xue, Fenfen Zhang, Yueqi Jiang, Xiangping Zhang, Shovan Kumar Sahu, Biwu Chu, Jia Xing","doi":"10.1007/s11783-024-1790-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-024-1790-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Substantial NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> emission mitigation is crucial for the synergistic reduction of particulate matter and ozone (O<sub>3</sub>) pollution in China. The traditional air quality model does not consider heterogeneous HONO chemistry, leading to uncertainties in estimating the benefits of NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> control. Previous studies have shown that the parameterization of heterogeneous HONO formation increases both the simulated value of sulfate–nitrate–ammonium (SNA) and that of O<sub>3</sub>, thus adding the heterogeneous reactions of HONO into air quality models inevitably leads to changes in the estimated benefits of NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> abatement. Here we investigated the changes in SNA and O<sub>3</sub> concentrations from NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> emission reduction before and after adding heterogeneous HONO reactions in the Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. Including heterogeneous HONO reactions in the simulation improved the benefits of NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> reduction in terms of SNA control in winter. With 80% NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> reduction, the reduction in SNA increased from 36.9% without considering heterogeneous HONO reactions to 42.8% with heterogeneous HONO chemistry. The reduction in the maximum daily 8h average (MDA8) O<sub>3</sub> in summer caused by NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> reduction increased slightly from 4.7% to 5.2% after adding heterogeneous HONO reactions. The results in this study highlight the enhanced effectiveness of NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> controls for the reduction of SNA and O<sub>3</sub> after considering heterogeneous HONO formation in a complex chemical ambient, demonstrating the importance of NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> controls in reducing PM<sub>2.5</sub> and O<sub>3</sub> pollution in China.\u0000</p>","PeriodicalId":12720,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering","volume":"281 1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2023-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138573523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Occurrence of viable but non-culturable (VBNC) pathogenic bacteria in tap water of public places","authors":"Lizheng Guo, Xinyan Xiao, Kassim Chabi, Yiting Zhang, Jingjing Li, Su Yao, Xin Yu","doi":"10.1007/s11783-024-1795-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-024-1795-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Viable but non-culturable (VBNC) bacteria have been detected in source water and effluent of drinking water treatment processes, leading to significant underestimation of viable cell counts. Limited information exists on VBNC bacteria in tap water, particularly in public places. To address this gap, a comprehensive nine-month study was conducted in a major city in south-eastern China, using culture-based and quantitative PCR with propidium monoazide (PMA) dye methods. Forty-five samples were collected from five representative public places (railway station, campus, hospital, shopping mall, and institution). The findings revealed that culturable bacteria represented only 0–17.51% of the viable 16S rRNA genes, suggesting that the majority of viable bacteria existed in an uncultured or VBNC state. Notably, opportunistic pathogens such as <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i>, <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, <i>Salmonella</i> sp., and <i>Shigella</i> sp. were primarily detected as VBNC cells, with concentrations ranging from 1.03 × 10<sup>0</sup> to 3.01 × 10<sup>3</sup>, 1.20 × 10<sup>0</sup> to 1.42 × 10<sup>2</sup>, 1.32 × 10<sup>0</sup> to 8.82 × 10<sup>0</sup>, 1.00 × 10<sup>0</sup> to 6.71 × 10<sup>1</sup>, and 2.07 × 10<sup>0</sup> to 1.93 × 10<sup>2</sup> cell equivalent/100 mL, respectively. Culturable <i>P. aeruginosa</i> was observed in tap water after prolonged stagnation, indicating potential risks associated with bacterial regrowth. Spatial and temporal factors accounted for 17.1% and 26.0%, respectively, of the variation in tap water community structure during the sampling period, as revealed by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. This study provides quantitative insights into the occurrence of VBNC bacteria in tap water and highlights the need for more sensitive monitoring methods and microbial control techniques to enhance tap water safety in public locations.</p>","PeriodicalId":12720,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2023-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138817222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of wastewater treatment plant effluent discharge on the antibiotic resistome in downstream aquatic environments: a mini review","authors":"Zhiguo Su, Lyujun Chen, Donghui Wen","doi":"10.1007/s11783-024-1796-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-024-1796-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a significant challenge in human health. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), acting as a link between human activities and the environment, create ideal conditions for the selection and spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). Unfortunately, current treatment processes are ineffective in removing ARGs, resulting in the release of large quantities of ARB and ARGs into the aquatic environment through WWTP effluents. This, in turn, leads to their dispersion and potential transmission to human through water and the food chain. To safeguard human and environmental health, it is crucial to comprehend the mechanisms by which WWTP effluent discharge influences the distribution and diffusion of ARGs in downstream waterbodies. In this study, we examine the latest researches on the antibiotic resistome in various waterbodies that have been exposed to WWTP effluent, highlighting the key influencing mechanisms. Furthermore, recommendations for future research and management strategies to control the dissemination of ARGs from WWTPs to the environment are provided, with the aim to achieve the “One Health” objective.\u0000</p>","PeriodicalId":12720,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2023-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138569548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}