A novel process for food waste recycling: A hydrophobic liquid mulching film preparation.

Appropriate and effective recycling of food waste (FW) has become increasingly significant with the promotion of garbage classification in China. In this study, a novel and green process was developed to recycle FW to prepare a biodegradable composite liquid mulching film (LMF) through crosslinking with sodium alginate (SA). The solid phase of FW was obtained as the raw material after hydrothermal pretreatment to remove pathogens and salts, and to improve the reactivity of active components at a moderate temperature. The prepared LMF had a hydrophobic surface and compact structure due to the lipid in FW and the acetalization reaction and hydrogen bonds among SA, glutaraldehyde and multi-active components of FW, resulting in enhanced water vapor barrier properties. The minimum water vapor permeability of the prepared LMF reached (8.23 ± 0.05) ✕ 10-12 g cm/(cm2·s·Pa) with 1.82 wt % of plasticizer, 0.74 wt% of crosslinker and a mass ratio of HTP-FW to SA of 3.56:1. The prepared LMF showed good mechanical properties and could maintain its integrity after spraying it on the soil surface for 31 days. In addition, it could effectively prevent the loss of soil moisture and heat, promote the seed germination of Chinese cabbage and achieve 89.14% of weight loss after burying in the soil for 27 days. This study provides a high value-added route to convert the FW to a hydrophobic LMF with superior properties, which addresses not only the problem of food waste but also the pollution of plastic mulching film.

Assessing the environmental impact of phenanthrene in different types of land use based on the binding characteristics with dissolved organic matter.

The binding characteristics of phenanthrene with dissolved organic matter (DOM) were studied by the excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy with parallel factor analysis in four types of land use which derived from forest (F), meadow (M), cropland (C), and greenhouse (G). The results showed that the humification degree and binding characteristics of phenanthrene with DOM were distinct differences in the four soils. The binding capacities of humic-like components with phenanthrene were stronger than those of protein-like components. The log K derived from the Stern-Volmer equation significantly correlated with the humification degree of DOM (p < 0.05) in different types of land use. Besides, correlation analysis demonstrated that the potential binding index (Fk) obtained from the modified Stern-Volmer model was a more accurate parameter to describe the combination degree of DOM with phenanthrene than log K, which presented a decrease order of C > F > M > G. Therefore, the environmental impact of phenanthrene in different types of land use could be assessed deeply based on the Fk and DOM concentration.

[Effect of pH on the fluorescence characteristic of dissolved organic matter in landfill leachate].

Due to its high sensitivity, good selectivity and nondestructivity nature, fluorescence technique is suitable to the study of DOM. In the present study, fluorescence characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from three different ages of landfill leachate (1a, 5a, 10a) under different pH value were investigated. The fluorescence synchronous scan spectroscopy showed that, in addition to the characteristic each age of landfill leachate owned separately, DOM from three ages of landfill leachate shared some common characteristics with the change in pH as follows: the fluorescence peaks of DOM exhibited in synchronous scan spectroscopy from 1 and 5-year-old leachate showed the maximum fluorescence intensity at pH 5, while that of DOM from 10-year-old landfill leachate appeared at pH 12, and the fluorescence intensity of most fluorescence peaks of DOM from 10-year-old landfill leachate exhibited in synchronous scan spectroscopy at pH 4 ranked second. The three-dimensional fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy (3DEEM) suggested that the fluorescence intensity of the protein-like peaks of DOM from all three ages of landfill leachate increased with pH value increasing, and the maximum fluorescence occurred at pH 10, while that of DOM from 10-year-old appeared at pH 8; the fluorescence intensity of the visible fulvic-like peaks of DOM from all three ages of landfill leachate was enhanced with pH increasing, and exhibited the maximum fluorescence intensity at pH 10, while the relation curve between the fluorescence intensity of the UV fulvic-like and pH value of DOM from all three year ages of landfill leachate exhibited two peaks, one occurred at pH 4, and the other appeared at pH 10. 3 DEEM also indicated that compared to the fluvic-like matter, the protein-like matter was more easily influenced by pH value. The relation between the r(A,C) value and pH value suggested that the former relied on the latter. If we would compare the r(A,C) values of DOM originating differently, the authors should compare each other under the same pH value.

[Spectroscopic characterization indicator of landfill in the process of stabilizing].

In the present study, dissolved organic matter (DOM) extracted from landfill of four different ages was studied with fluorescence and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy in order to explore the possibility of using spectral characteristic changes of DOM as stabilization indicators for landfill. The three-dimensional fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy (EEM) displayed that DOM of 0-year-old contained mainly protein-like matter, while DOM extracted from 1, 5 and 10-year-old consisted chiefly of humic matter-like substance, and the intensity change of DOM of 1, 5 and 10-year-old landfill was disordered. Besides, the fluorescence spectroscopy also showed that the r(A,C) value and the fluorescence index f(450/500) of DOM of four different years both decreased with landfill age, which indicated that the low molecular weight fraction of DOM was translated into the high molecular aromatic matter and the degree of humification was enhanced with the time increasing. In addition, the specific ultraviolet-visible absorbance (SUVA) increased with landfill age, which also revealed the law that the degree of humification strengthened with the time increasing, but the change regularity of E4/E6 value of DOM was unconspicuous since the E4/E6 value was easily impacted by some other factors. Therefore, the r(A,C) value, the fluorescence index f(450/500) and the SUVA value of DOM extracted from aged refuse reflected effectively the law of how landfill changed, and could be employed as simple stabilization indicators for aged refuse and closed landfill compartments.

[Fluorescence spectroscopic chracterization of the complexation between mercury(II) and dissolved organic matter].

In this study, conventional fluorescence spectroscopy in the excitation, emission and synchronous scan modes and three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy in the form of excitation-emission matrix of fluorescence intensity as a function of excitation and emission wavelengths were applied to study the complexation between DOM extracted from landfill leachates and Hg(II) ions. The emission spectrum of DOM exhibited a broad peak with a center at 425 nm and a disorder change of the peak with increasing Hg(II) concentrations, which suggested that the structure of DOM was comparatively simple and the fluorescence character of DOM-Hg(II) complexes resulted from interaction of all fluorescence groups. The excitation spectrum of DOM showed that the intensities of two peaks at 392 and 458 nm both decreased with the addition of Hg(II), indicating that different sources, hydroxy and amido groups, were all involved in the DOM-Hg(II) complexation process. Synchronous-scan excitation spectra of DOM-Hg(II) complexation showed that Hg(II) not only produced fluorescence quenching effect, but also enhanced the rigid structure of DOM at a low concentration. The three-dimensional fluorescence spectra of DOM-Hg(II) showed that the peaks A and B reduced strongly and the two peaks tended to shift toward longer wavelength with the concentrations of Hg(II) increasing. These results indicated that protein-like matter reacted with Hg(II) and there was a charge-transfer transition either between energy level in its ligand and a mercury energy level or between two mercury energy levels at the same time. Besides, the decrease in fluorescence intensity of peaks C and D in three-dimensional fluorescence spectra suggested that carbonyl and carboxyl formed bonds with Hg(II) when DOM was complexed with Hg(II).

[Study on spectral characteristic of dissolved organic matter fractions extracted from municipal solid waste landfill leachate].

In the present study, the samples of landfill leachate of 0, 5, 10-year-old were respectively taken from landfill plant. Based on a modified Leenheer fractionation scheme, dissolved organic matter (DOM) extracted from landfill leachate of three different ages was fractioned according to their polarities and charge characteristics by using XAD-8 resin, and the fractions of hydrophobic acid (HOA), neutral (HON) and hydrophilic matter (HIM) were obtained, Then the fluorescence and UV spectra of DOM fractions were determined. The fluorescence synchronous scan spectra of DOM fractions exhibited a primary peak at 280 nm for 0-year-old, while the primary peak exhibited at 340nm for 5 and 10 year-old, suggesting that DOM fractions contained mainly protein-like matter at initial stage of landfill, and with the increase in landfill ages, aromatic structures of DOM fractions in leachate were enriched. Among the DOM fractions of HOA, HON and HIM at different ages of landfill leachate, the fluorescence and UV spectra all indicated that the molecular weight, content of aromatic compounds and degree of condensation were all in the order of HOA>HON>HIM. The ratio of UV absorbance at 253 nm to that at 203 nm (A253/A203) showed, that the substituent on the aromatic ring of HOA and HON fractions consisted mainly of carbonyl, carboxyl and hydroxyl; while that of HIM consisted of aliphatic chains, and the content of aromatic compounds was lower than that of HOA and HON; which implied that the HIM displayed a lower molecular weight and simpler structure compared to HOA and HON. Altogether, the results obtained from fluorescence and UV spectra indicate that the degree of aromatization increased in DOM fractions of leachate with the landfill ages, in the following order: HOA > HON > HIM.

[Study on fluorescence characteristic of dissolved organic matter from municipal solid waste landfill leachate].

In the present study, the samples of leachate of 0, 5, 10-years-old landfill were respectively taken from landfill plant, the dissolved organic matter (DOM) was extracted from landfill leachate, and the fluorescence spectra of DOM were determined. The fluorescence synchronous scan spectra of DOM in 0-year-old leachate exhibited a primary peak at 335 nm, a secondary peak at 455 nm, and a shoulder peak at 385 nm. While the fluorescence intensities of DOM at different peaks were decreased for 5-year-old leachate, especially those of the peaks at shorter wavelengths (335 and 385 nm) which may be ascribed that the simpler structural components were decreased sharply. Compared with 5-year-old leachate, the fluorescence intensity of DOM in 10-year-old leachate decreased slightly. Three-dimensional excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectra (3DEEM) of DOM in 0-year-old leachate exhibited two peaks at Ex/Em wavelength pairs of 270/355 and 220/350, respectively, which were all associated with protein-derived compounds, while the peaks of protein-like disappeared in 5-year-old leachate, and new peaks of complex structural fulvic acid-like were formed at Ex/Em wavelength pair of 330/412.5 and 250/416.5, respectively. This indicated the component of DOM in the leachate of 5-year-old landfill led to a decrease in low molecular compound, and an increase in high molecular compound compared to that of the 0-year-old. 3DEEM of DOM of 10-year-old leachate was similar to that of DOM in the 5-year-old, but the fluorescence intensity of the peaks of fulvic acid-like in DOM was different, and compared with that of 5-year-old leachate, the peak of DOM in 10-year-old leachate shifted from Ex/Em wavelength pair of 250/416.5 to 250/427.5. This indicated that the DOM formed similar structures, but the structure of fulvic acid-like in DOM of 10-year-old leachate had a greater degree of aromatization and quantity than that of 5-year-old leachate. The results obtained from fluorescence synchronous scan spectroscopy and 3DEEM indicate that aromatic structures of DOM are enriched with the age of landfill leachate.

[GIS Spatial Distribution and Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Surface Sediments of Shallow Lakes in Jiangsu Province].

To understand pollution of heavy metals in surface sediments of shallow lakes, surface sediments samples of 11 lakes in Jiangsu province were collected to determine the content of six heavy metals including As, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn and Ni. GIS was used to analyze the spatial distribution of heavy metals, and geological accumulation index (Igeo), modified contamination index (mCd) pollution load index (PLI) and potential ecological risk index (RI) were used to evaluate heavy metal contamination in the sediments. The results showed that: in the lakes' surface sediments, the average content of As, Cu, Zn, Cr, Pb, Ni in multiples of soil background of Jiangsu province were 1.74-3.85, 0.65-2.66, 0.48-3.56, 0.43-1.52, 0.02-1.49 and 0.12-1.42. According to the evaluation results of Igeo and RI, As, which had high degree of enrichment and great potential ecological risk, was the main pollutant, followed by Cu, and pollution of the rest of heavy metals was relatively light. Combining the results of several evaluation methods, in surface sediments of Sanjiu Lake, Gaoyou Lake and Shaobo Lake, these heavy metals had the most serious pollution, the maximum pollution loading and moderate potential ecological risk; in surface sediments of Gehu Lake, Baima Lake and Hongze Lake, some regions were polluted by certain metals, the overall trend of pollution was aggravating, the pollution loading was large, and the potential ecological risk reached moderate; in the other 5 lakes, the risk of sediments polluted by heavy metals, as well as the pollution loading, was small, and the overall was not polluted.

[Effects of multi-stage strengthening inoculation on bacterial community diversity during composting].

Effects of multi-stage strengthening inoculation on bacterial community diversity were analyzed using PCR-DGGE method in municipal solid waste composting combined with Cluster analysis and changes of Shannon-Weaver index, and the changes of lignocellulose's degradation rate were also detected during the process. The results showed that Multi-stage inoculation of composting can improve the temperature of cooling and the secondary fermentation period. And the hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin degradation rate increased by 7.19%, 10.89% and 8.98% compared to general inoculation composting. The analysis of bacterial community diversity indicated that the diversity index of the two inoculation showed significant differences, the microbial inoculation could live well in the pile. It could avoid competition between different inoculated agents and competition between inoculated and indigenous microorganisms, and could improve bacterial community diversity during composting especially for maturity stage. It could speed up the composting process of stabilization.