[Adsorption Characteristics and Mechanism of Ammonia Nitrogen in Water by Nano Zero-valent Iron-modified Biochar].

The adsorption performances of ammonia nitrogen (NH+4-N) in water by unmodified biochar are ineffective. In this study, nano zero-valent iron-modified biochar (nZVI@BC) was prepared to remove NH+4-N from water. The NH+4-N adsorption characteristics of nZVI@BC were investigated through adsorption batch experiments. The composition and structure characteristics of nZVI@BC were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, energy spectrum analysis, BET-N2 surface area (SSA), X-ray diffraction, and FTIR spectra to explore the main adsorption mechanism of NH+4-N by nZVI@BC. The results showed that the composite synthesized at the iron to biochar mass ratio of 1:30 (nZVI@BC1/30) performed well in NH+4-N adsorption at 298 K. The maximum adsorption amount of nZVI@BC1/30 at 298 K was remarkably increased by 45.96% and reached 16.60 mg·g-1. The pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir model fitted well with the adsorption process of NH+4-N by nZVI@BC1/30. There was competitive adsorption between coexisting cations and NH+4-N, and the sequence of coexisting cations to the adsorption of NH+4-N by nZVI@BC1/30 was Ca2+> Mg2+> K+> Na+. The adsorption mechanism of NH+4-N by nZVI@BC1/30 could be mainly attributed to ion exchange and hydrogen bonding. In conclusion, nano zero-valent iron-modified biochar can improve the adsorption performance of NH+4-N and enhance the application potential of biochar in the field of nitrogen removal from water.

Optimization of biodemulsifier production from Alcaligenes sp. S-XJ-1 and its application in breaking crude oil emulsion.

A biodemulsifier-producing strain of Alcaligenes sp. S-XJ-1, isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil of the Karamay Oilfield, exhibited excellent demulsifying ability. The application of this biodemulsifier significantly improved the quality of separated water compared with the chemical demulsifier, polyether, which clearly indicates that it has potential applications in the crude oil extraction industry. To optimize its biosynthesis, the impacts of carbon sources, nitrogen sources and pH were studied in detail. Paraffin, a hydrophobic carbon source, favored the synthesis of this cell wall associated biodemulsifier. The nitrogen source ammonium citrate stimulated the production and demulsifying performance of the biodemulsifier. An alkaline environment (pH 9.5) of the initial culture medium favored the strain's growth and improved its demulsifying ability. The results showed paraffin, ammonium citrate and pH had significant effects on the production of the biodemulsifier. These three variables were further investigated using a response surface methodology based on a central composite design to optimize the biodemulsifier yield. The optimal yield conditions were found at a paraffin concentration of 4.01%, an ammonium citrate concentration of 8.08 g/L and a pH of 9.35. Under optimal conditions, the biodemulsifier yield from Alcaligenes sp. S-XJ-1 was increased to 3.42 g/L.

Comparison between waste frying oil and paraffin as carbon source in the production of biodemulsifier by Dietzia sp. S-JS-1.

In order to lower the production cost, waste frying oils were used in the biosynthesis of demulsifier by Dietzia sp. S-JS-1, which was isolated from petroleum contaminated soil. After 7 days of cultivation, the biomass concentration of the most suitable waste frying oil (WFO II) culture reached 3.78 g/L, which was 2.4 times the concentration of paraffin culture. The biodemulsifier produced with WFO II culture broke the emulsions more efficiently than that produced with paraffin culture, given the same volume ratio of carbon source in the culture medium and the same cultivation conditions. It achieved 88.3% of oil separation ratio in W/O emulsion and 76.4% of water separation ratio in O/W emulsion within 5 h. With the aid of thin layer chromatography (TLC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, biodemulsifiers produced from both paraffin and WFO II were identified as a mixture of lipopeptide homologues. The subtle variation in the distribution of these homologues and high biomass concentration of WFO II cultures may account for the afore-mentioned good demulsification performance.

[Production of biodemulsifier by Alcaligenes sp. XJ-T-1 with waste frying oil].

As a new member of demulsifier family, biodemulsifier is applied in oil-water emulsion breaking. A strain, XJ-T-1, was isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil and identified as Alcaligenes sp.. Its physicochemical properties, demulsification capability and utilization of waste oil were further investigated. With waste frying oil (WFO) as carbon source, the demulsifier produced by Alcaligenes sp. showed high demulsifying capability. Moreover, the production of demulsifier was 4.6 times of that generated with paraffine as the carbon source. The CMC(-1) of biodemulsifier produced by paraffine and waste frying oil was achieved at 10 and 20, respectively. The biodemulsifier cultured with paraffine as the carbon source achieved 96% and 50% of emulsion breaking ratio in W/O (water in oil) and O/W (oil in water) model emulsion, while the demulsifier cultured on waste frying oil II as carbon source exhibited 97.8% and 65% demulsification ratio in the two model emulsions correspondingly. From the dynamic change of kerosene breaking ratio, emulsion breaking ratio and water breaking ratio during demulsification process, it was found that this biodemulsifier reacted with the continuous phase of the emulsion prior to its reaction with the dispersed phase. It was identified the valid part of biodemulsifier produced by WFO II was lipopeptide by TLC and IR.

[Studies on nitrogen and phosphorus enhancing removal in combined shale and steel slag subsurface constructed wetlands].

Effluent of municipal wastewater treatment plant operated under A/O process was treated by constructed wetlands for reclamation and reuse. These methods, such as phosphorus removal by adsorption of shale and steel slag, regulating C/N ratio and nitrogen oxidability in influent of wetland, were employed to study efficiency and impact factors of nitrogen and phosphorus removal in pilot-scale in combined shale and steel slag subsurface constructed wetlands. Results indicate that, When COD area load rate, TN area load rate, TP area load rate and hydraulic retention time (HRT) is 6.5-20.7 g x (m2 x d)(-1), 2.57-8.22 g x (m2 x d)(-1), 0.41 -1.32 g x (m2 x d)(-1) and 0.5- 1.6d, respectively. Removal efficiency of ammonium nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen is 85.8%, 56.3% and 18.6%, respectively. Removal efficiency, area load removal rate and removal kinetic constant of total nitrogen are 58.0%, 3.58 g x (m2 x d)(-1) and 0.31m x d(-1), respectively. TN area load removal rate is linearly increased with the increase of total nitrogen area load rate. Removal efficiency, area load removal rate and removal kinetic constant of total phosphorus are 90.4%, 0.89 g x (m2 x d)(-1) and 0.86 m x d(-1), respectively. TP area load removal rate is linearly increased with the increase of total phosphorus area load rate. Water temperature, HRT, COD/TN ratio and (NO2(-) -N + NO3(-) -N) /TN ratio are primary factors impacting nitrogen and phosphorus area load removal rate. Along with HRT and COD/TN ratio increase, TN area load removal rate increases according to power function. Along with water temperature and (NO2(-) -N + NO3(-) -N)/TN ratio increase, TN area load removal rate increases according to exponential function.