Disentangling the effects of phosphorus loading on food web stability in a large shallow lake.

Excessive nutrient loads reduce ecosystem resilience, resulting in fundamental changes in ecosystem structure and function when exceeding a certain threshold. However, quantitative analysis of the processes by which nutrient loading affects ecosystem resilience requires further exploration. Food web stability is at the heart of ecosystem resilience. In this study, we simulated the dynamics of the food web under different phosphorus loads for Lake Baiyangdian using the PCLake model and calculated the food web stability. Our results showed that there was a good correspondence between the food web stability and ecosystem state response to phosphorus loads. This relationship confirmed that food web stability could be regarded as a signal for the state transition in a real lake ecosystem. Moreover, our estimates suggested that food web stability was influenced only by several functional groups and their interaction strength. Diatoms and zooplankton were the key functional groups that affected food web stability. Phosphorus loads alter the distribution of functional group biomass, which in turn affects energy delivery and, ultimately, the stability of the food web. Corresponding to functional groups, the interactions among zooplankton, diatoms and detritus had the greatest impact, and the interaction strength of the three was positively correlated with food web stability. Overall, our study explained that food-web stability was critical to characterize ecosystem resilience response to external disturbances and can be turned into a scientific tool for lake ecosystem management.

Nitric Oxide Made a Major Contribution to the Improvement of Quality in Button Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) by the Combined Treatment of Nitric Oxide with 1-MCP.

Browning is one of the major effects of shelf-life responsible for the reduction in the commercial value of the button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). In this study, the individual and the combined effects of exogenous sodium nitroprusside (SNP, a nitric oxide donor) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on the quality of button mushrooms were evaluated. The results demonstrated that mushrooms treated with SNP+1-MCP promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism thereby protecting cell membrane integrity, hindering polyphenol oxidase (PPO) binding to phenolic compounds, and downregulating the PPO activity. In addition, the SNP+1-MCP treatment effectively maintained quality (firmness, color, total phenol, and flavonoid) and mitigated oxidative damage by reducing ROS accumulation and malondialdehyde production through the stimulation of the antioxidant enzymes activities and the enhancement of ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) contents. Moreover, the correlation analysis validated the above results. The SNP+1-MCP treatment was observed to be more prominent on maintaining quality than the individual effects of SNP followed by 1-MCP, suggesting that the combination of NO and 1-MCP had synergistic effects in retarding button mushrooms senescence, and NO signaling molecules might be predominant in the synergy.

Insight into the rapid elimination of low-concentration antibiotics from natural waters using tandem multilevel reactive electrochemical membranes: Role of direct electron transfer and hydroxyl radical oxidation.

Herein, we reported a tandem multilevel reactive electrochemical membrane (REM) system was promising for the rapid and complete removal of trace antibiotics from natural waters. Results indicate that a four-stage REM module-in-series system achieved steady over 98% removal of model antibiotic norfloxacin (NOR, 100 µg·L-1) from wastewater treatment plant final effluent and surface water with a residence time of 5.4 s, and the electric energy consumption was only around 0.007-0.011 kWh·m-3. As for the oxidation mechanism, direct electron transfer (DET) oxidation process played an important role in NOR rapid oxidation, enabling the REM system to tolerate various •OH scavenges in natural waters, including natural organic matters, Cl- and HCO3-, even at very high concentration levels. Meanwhile, •OH-mediated indirect oxidation process promotes the oxidation and mineralization of NOR. Although the DET-dominated oxidation mechanism makes the REM system cannot achieve the complete mineralization of NOR with residence times of few seconds, the antibacterial activity from NOR was completely eliminated. This REM system featured effective removal performance of trace contaminants with low energy cost and was tolerant to complex waster matrix, suggesting that it could be a powerful supplementary step for wastewater/water treatment.

Dioscorea deltoidea Leaf Extract (DDLE) Targets PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway and Inhibits Ovarian Cancer Cell Growth.

Ovarian cancer is the malignant tumour of the female reproductive organ with highest mortality rate among all the types of gynaecological tumours. This study investigated the effect of Dioscorea deltoidea leaf extract (DDLE) on OV-90 and CAOV4 ovarian cancer cells. The results demonstrated that DDLE suppresses OV-90 and CAOV3 cell viability significantly in dose dependent manner. The OV-90 and CAOV3 cell viability were reduced to 24 and 27% respectively with 20 mg/mL DDLE treatment. Five mg/mL DDLE treatment of OV-90 and CAOV4 cells raised percentage of cells in G2-phase to 55.9 and 51.2%, respectively. In 5 mg/mL DDLE -treated OV-90 and CAOV4 cells a prominent suppression in cyclin-D1 and cyclin B1 proteins was observed in 48 h. The DDLE treatment promoted OV-90 and CAOV3 cell apoptosis to 34.65 and 29.89%, respectively. The Fas, FasL, cleaved caspase-3, and Bax levels were up-regulated markedly in the cells after DDLE treatment. Moreover, DDLE treatment suppressed p-mTOR, p-AKT and p-PI3K expression in OV-90 and CAOV3 cells. Thus, DDLE suppressed ovary cancer cell viability and elevated cell apoptosis. Inhibitory effect of DDLE on ovarian cancer cells is associated with targeting PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Generalized additive models for biomass simulation of submerged macrophytes in a shallow lake.

Submerged macrophytes are widely distributed primary producer that play important roles in maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems. Generally, the relationships between macrophytes and environmental factors are complicated, so nonlinear nonparametric models with relatively flexible structures are optimal for macrophyte habitat simulation. In this study, generalized additive model (GAM) was used to evaluate the response of the submerged macrophytes biomass to water environmental factors in the Baiyangdian Lake. Forward stepwise method was used to implement model optimization. Likelihood ratio test was used to determine whether adding a variable enhances the model performance. Four individual variables (water depth, transparency, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus) and two interaction terms (water depth × transparency and water depth × total phosphorus) were included in the optimal GAM. The optimal model explained 70.5% of the biomass variation with a relatively low residual deviance value (22.40). There was a significant correlation between the measured and predicted data (R2 = 0.716, p = 0.0004). The response lines generated by the model indicated that macrophyte biomass had a positive correlation with transparency but negative correlations with total nitrogen and nitrite nitrogen in water. The response patterns of macrophyte biomass to water depth and total phosphorus were unimodal. The biomass reached the maximum value when the water depth was about 2.1 m and the total phosphorus concentration was 0.07 mg/L. Water depth and transparency, which affect light availability, are critical physical variables affecting the conditions associated with the submerged macrophytes, and excess nitrite and phosphorus limiting macrophyte biomass.

H2 Metabolism revealed by metagenomic analysis of subglacial sediment from East Antarctica.

Subglacial ecosystems harbor diverse chemoautotrophic microbial communities in areas with limited organic carbon, and lithological H2 produced during glacial erosion has been considered an important energy source in these ecosystems. To verify the H2-utilizing potential there and to identify the related energy-converting metabolic mechanisms of these communities, we performed metagenomic analysis on subglacial sediment samples from East Antarctica with and without H2 supplementation. Genes coding for several [NiFe]-hydrogenases were identified in raw sediment and were enriched after H2 incubation. All genes in the dissimilatory nitrate reduction and denitrification pathways were detected in the subglacial community, and the genes coding for these pathways became enriched after H2 was supplied. Similarly, genes transcribing key enzymes in the Calvin cycle were detected in raw sediment and were also enriched. Moreover, key genes involved in H2 oxidization, nitrate reduction, oxidative phosphorylation, and the Calvin cycle were identified within one metagenome-assembled genome belonging to a Polaromonas sp. As suggested by our results, the microbial community in the subglacial environment we investigated consisted of chemoautotrophic populations supported by H2 oxidation. These results further confirm the importance of H2 in the cryosphere.

Is water shortage risk decreased at the expense of deteriorating water quality in a large water supply reservoir?

Reservoir operations affect both the quantity and quality of stored and discharged water. Hedging rules (HRs) are commonly used in water supply reservoir operations to ration water delivery and decrease water shortage risk. However, the increased carryover storage with hedging may aggravate reservoir eutrophication through complex effects on hydrodynamic, temperature, light, nutrient, and sediment conditions. The influencing mechanisms are unclear and require further investigation. This study applies a mathematical modeling approach to comparing the effects of standard operation policy (SOP) and HR, discussing the processes and driving factors, and exploring the relationship between water shortage and water quality indicators. We simulate reservoir operation by SOP and optimize HR to generate water supply schedules, and run a quasi-3D water quality model to simulate reservoir hydrodynamic conditions, nutrient cycles, water-sediment exchanges, and algal dynamics under various water supply schedules. The Danjiangkou Reservoir, the water source for China's South-North Water Transfer Project, is used as a case study. The HR for this reservoir decreases its water shortage risk from 22% under SOP to 8%. Modeling results find that the HR increases sediment phosphorus (P) release by 285.3 tons (5.7%) annually as a consequence of extended reservoir submerged area and aggravated hypolimnetic hypoxia. Increased P release can support algal growth, but this effect is set off by the enhancement of light limiting effect caused by higher storages under HR, consequently decreasing the annual mean chlorophyll a concentration in the deep reservoir by 18%. The HR also improves the horizontal mixing of water by changing the hydraulic retention time and flow velocity field, which mitigates algal bloom risks in the surrounding shallow-water zones but deteriorates water quality of the release to downstream. The water quality analysis offers implications for reservoir managers to coordinate their efforts in mitigating risks of water shortage and water quality degradation.

Quantifying the Urban Food-Energy-Water Nexus: The Case of the Detroit Metropolitan Area.

The efficient provision of food, energy, and water (FEW) resources to cities is challenging around the world. Because of the complex interdependence of urban FEW systems, changing components of one system may lead to ripple effects on other systems. However, the inputs, intersectoral flows, stocks, and outputs of these FEW resources from the perspective of an integrated urban FEW system have not been synthetically characterized. Therefore, a standardized and specific accounting method to describe this system is needed to sustainably manage these FEW resources. Using the Detroit Metropolitan Area (DMA) as a case, this study developed such an accounting method by using material and energy flow analysis to quantify this urban FEW nexus. Our results help identify key processes for improving FEW resource efficiencies of the DMA. These include (1) optimizing the dietary habits of households to improve phosphorus use efficiency, (2) improving effluent-disposal standards for nitrogen removal to reduce nitrogen emission levels, (3) promoting adequate fertilization, and (4) enhancing the maintenance of wastewater collection pipelines. With respect to water use, better efficiency of thermoelectric power plants can help reduce water withdrawals. The method used in this study lays the ground for future urban FEW analyses and modeling.

Hydrological management for improving nutrient assimilative capacity in plant-dominated wetlands: A modelling approach.

Wetland eutrophication is a global environmental problem. Besides reducing pollutant emissions, improving nutrient assimilative capacity in wetlands is also significant for preventing eutrophication. Hydrological management can improve nutrient assimilative capacity in wetlands through physical effects on the dilution capacity of water body and ecological effects on wetland nutrient cycles. The ecological effects are significant while were rarely considered in previous research. This study focused on the ecological effects of hydrological management on two crucial nutrient removal processes, plant uptake and biological denitrification, in plant-dominated wetlands. A dual-objective optimization model for hydrological management was developed to improve wetland nitrogen and phosphorus assimilative capacities, using upstream reservoir release as water regulating measure. The model considered the interactions between ecological processes and hydrological cycles in wetlands, and their joint effects on nutrient assimilative capacity. Baiyangdian Wetland, the largest freshwater wetland in northern China, was chosen as a case study. The results found that the annual total assimilative capacity of nitrogen (phosphorus) was 4754 (493) t under the optimal scheme for upstream reservoir operation. The capacity of nutrient removal during the summer season accounted for over 80% of the annual total removal capacity. It was interesting to find that the relationship between water inflow and nutrient assimilative capacity in a plant-dominated wetland satisfied a dose-response relationship commonly describing the response of an organism to an external stressor in the medical field. It illustrates that a plant-dominated wetland shows similar characteristics to an organism. This study offers a useful tool and some fresh implications for future management of wetland eutrophication prevention.

Urban ecosystem health assessment: perspectives and Chinese practice.

The concept of ecosystem health is a way to assess the holistic operations and development potential of urban ecosystems. Accelerated by the practical need for integrated ecosystem management, assessment of urban ecosystem health has been greatly developed and extensively applied in urban planning and management. Development is aimed at comprehensively evaluating the performance of urban ecosystems, identifying the limiting factors, and providing suggestions for urban regulation. The time has come for reviewing and establishing an instructional framework for urban ecosystem health assessment to shed light on certain essential issues of urban ecosystem health. Based on literature reviews and series of practice, a holistic framework of urban ecosystem health assessment is proposed. The framework covers the essential elements of urban ecosystem health and integrates three dimensions: theoretical foundation, assessment method, and practical application. Concrete assessment methods are also established, focusing on both external performance and internal metabolic processes. The practice of urban ecosystem health assessment in China is illustrated to briefly demonstrate the application of the established framework and methods. Some prospects are discussed for urban ecosystem health assessment and its application in urban planning and management.

Development of a relative risk model for evaluating ecological risk of water environment in the Haihe River Basin estuary area.

Ecological risk assessment for water environment is significant to water resource management of basin. Effective environmental management and systems restoration such as the Haihe River Basin require holistic understanding of the relative importance of various stressor-related impacts throughout the basin. As an effective technical tool for evaluating the ecological risk, relative risk model (RRM) was applied in regional scale successfully. In this study, the risk transfer from upstream of basin was considered and the RRM was developed through introducing the source-stressor-habitat exposure filter (SSH), the endpoint-habitat exposure filter (EH) and the stressor-endpoint effect filter (SE) to reflect the meaning of exposure and effect more explicit. Water environment which includes water quality, water quantity and aquatic ecosystems was selected as the assessment endpoints. We created a conceptual model which depicting potential and effect pathways from source to stressor to habitat to endpoint. The Haihe River Basin estuary (HRBE) was selected as the model case. The results showed that there were two low risk regions, one medium risk region and two high risk regions in the HRBE. The results also indicated that urbanization was the biggest source, the second was shipping and the third was industry, their risk scores are 5.65, 4.71 and 3.68 respectively. Furthermore, habitat destruction was the largest stressor with the risk scores (2.66), the second was oxygen consuming organic pollutants (1.75) and the third was pathogens (1.75). So these three stressors were the main influencing factors of the ecological pressure in the study area. For habitats, open waters (9.59) and intertidal mudflat were enduring the bigger pressure and should be taken considerable attention. Ecological service values damaged (30.54) and biodiversity decreased were facing the biggest risk pressure.

Investigation into organic phosphorus species in sediments of Baiyangdian Lake in China measured by fractionation and ³¹P NMR.

Organic phosphorus (OP) species in sediments of the Baiyangdian Lake in China was investigated via fractionation and phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance ((31)P NMR) spectroscopy. Results of chemical fractionation showed that different OP fractions ranked in the order: humic acid-P > HCl-OP > fulvic acid-P ≈ NaHCO(3)-OP > residual OP. Labile OP and moderately labile OP, which can be degraded for phytoplankton uptake, contributed to 58.7-68.5% of total extracted OP, indicative of the potential P release from sediments in the lake. (31)P NMR spectroscopy results suggested the rank order of P species present in the NaOH-EDTA extractant of the sediments: orthophosphate > monoester-P > DNA-P > pyrophosphate-P. Phytate, polyphosphates, and phosphonates, which appeared in sediments of some deeper lakes, were not detected in the shallow lake. Significant correlations were identified between total P (TP) in water column and sediment TP, monoester-P and DNA-P, positively indicating that sediment P species, especially OP components, should probably contribute to the contents of P in water column and further to the lake eutrophication.

Characteristics of petroleum hydrocarbons in surficial sediments from the Songhuajiang River (China): spatial and temporal trends.

This paper presents the spatial and temporal characteristics of petroleum hydrocarbons (PH) in surficial sediments from the Songhuajiang River using the method of petroleum chemical fingerprinting. Twenty-four surface sediment samples were collected at 17 sites along the river from upstream to downstream in flood season (August 2005) and icebound season (December 2005) and were analyzed for PH including n-alkanes (C(16)-C(33)), isoprenoid alkanes (pristane and phytane), and unresolved complex mixture (UCM). The concentration of PH varied from 22.64 to 91.45 µg g( -1) dry sediment. n-alkanes with a carbon number from 16 to 33 were detected in all samples, and the UCM was the dominant composition for PH. The variability of the PH concentration was mostly influenced by external conditions, such as seasonal change and industrial area position, as well as internal sediment physicochemical properties, such as organic carbon and grain size. The concentration of hydrocarbons is higher in flood season than in icebound season and is higher upstream than downstream. The diagnostic ratios of specific hydrocarbons showed that the PH pollution comes from a combination of biogenic and petrogenic sources, and petrogenic input is dominant in icebound season relative to flood season. It also indicates that there is a clear terrigenous input of n-alkanes in flood season. Principal components analysis was used to study the composition and characteristics of PH in Songhuajiang River sediments and to assess the spatial and temporal distribution of their natural and anthropogenic sources.

Phosphorus fractions, sorption characteristics, and its release in the sediments of Baiyangdian Lake, China.

Sediment phosphorus (P) fractions and sorption characteristics and P release from intact sediment cores of Baiyangdian Lake in North China in spring 2009 were investigated. Results of chemical fractionation showed that total P (TP) content in sediment ranged from 443 to 611 mg kg( -1). Of the P fractions including inorganic P (IP) and organic P (OP), IP was a dominant component of TP and present in the form of P bounded to calcium (Ca-P) while the bioavailable P content bounded to Al, Fe, and Mn oxides and hydroxides (Fe/Al-P) varied from 14 to 102 mg kg( -1). The batch experiments showed that the sediments had appreciable maximum P adsorption capacity from 141.86 to 377.37 mg kg( -1). However, the zero P equilibrium concentration (C°(eq))in most sampling sites was larger than the P concentration in water column. Accordingly, the sediments from those sampling sites would release P into the overlying water at the positive P flux rates as a P release source. Significant positive correlation between P flux rates and Fe/Al-P revealed that the sediment P release would mainly originate from the bioavailable P fraction. It is evident that the inherent phosphorus present in lake sediments would be a major threat to the water quality and ecosystem reservation in Baiyangdian lake.

Phosphorus sorption and fraction characteristics in the upper, middle and low reach sediments of the Daliao river systems, China.

Stream sediments play an important role in the transport and storage of phosphorus in the stream ecosystems. This research investigated the sorption and fraction of P in the sediments of a long-term seriously contaminated river, the Daliao river system, using isotherm sorption and selective sequentially extraction tests. Results indicated that the total content of P in the sediments was 479-1202 mg kg(-1), depending on iron content in the sediments. The content of potential bioavailable P, including soluble and loosely bound P, Al bound P, Fe bound P, and reductant soluble P was only 10-20% of total P in the sediments of the Hun river and Taizi river, while it was 40-55% in the sediments of the Daliao river, the downstream of the river system. Equilibrium phosphorus concentration without net P sorption (EPC(0)) was from 0.05 to 0.54 mg L(-1), with an increasing trend from upstream to downstream, indicating increasingly release potential. On the other hand, the upstream sediment generally sorbed more P than the downstream sediment for each river at the same equilibrium P concentration. The binding energy constant of P on the strong sites of the sediments generally decreased from 2.24 to 2.65 L mg(-1) at upstream to 0.41 L mg(-1) at downstream or estuary, suggesting that the strong binding sites have been occupied and partly saturated by the phosphate added by point and diffuse sources along the river. On the other hand, molar ratio of Fe to TP contents in the sediments showed sorption capacity of the sediments to P might be under-saturated. The added or sorbed P by the isotherm test was primarily bound to Fe oxides and secondly to Al oxides. Long-term pollution of the river lead to the decrease of P sorption capacity of the river sediment and the increase of P release potential.

[Chemical forms and distribution of phosphorus in the sediment profiles of the Daliaohe River systems].

The Daliaohe river system in China has been seriously affected by long-term intensive industrial, urban and agricultural activities. The objective of this study was to determine the total phosphorus (TP) content and forms of phosphate in the sediments and investigate geochemical relationships between P forms and mineral matrix elements and P bioavailability. Four sediment profiles were taken in the Daliaohe river systems. TP content in the sediment was measured by ICP-OES and chemical forms of phosphate were measured by sequential selective extraction method. Results indicated that TP ranged from 323 to 2619 mg x kg(-1). In the sediments except 25-47 cm depth of sediment profile in the Hun river, the content of Ca bound P (Ca-P) was the highest, with more than 40% of TP. The contents of Fe bound P (Fe-P) and residual P (RES-P) were 15% to 25% of TP, while the contents of reductant soluble P (RS-P) and Al bound P (Al-P) were generally 5% to 10% of TP. However, the content of soluble and loosely bound P (S/L-P) was only less than 0.5% of TP. Huge accumulation of P in the 25-47 cm depth of the sediment profile in the Hun river led to a bigger increase in the contents of Fe-P and Al-P than Ca-P, where Al-P, Fe-P and Ca-P contents were 6.2%-23.4%, 19.6%-34.1% and 14.6%-35.6% of TP, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that sum of Fe-P and RS-P, Ca-P, and RES-P were positively correlated to Fe, Ca, and sediment organic matter (SOM) contents, respectively in the sediments except the 25-47 cm depth of sediment profile in the Hun river. In addition, TP content was positively correlated to Fe and SOM contents. The molar ratios of Fe to TP generally ranged from 20.9 to 33.9, indicating that most of sediments have capability to further retain P. Potential bioavailable P (BAP) including S/L-P, Al-P and Fe-P in the sediments was 85.43 to 1830.5 mg x kg(-1), and this part of phosphorus might pose a potential risk to the eutrophication of the Daliaohe river system and its estuary.

Purification of nitrate-rich agricultural runoff by a hydroponic system.

The purification of nitrate-rich agricultural runoff by a floating-raft (FR) hydroponic system was investigated at 3-, 2- and 1-d hydraulic retention times (HRTs) with particular emphasis on nitrogen conversion and removal through the system. The FR system has a dissolved oxygen (DO) environment similar to the horizontal subsurface flow system, generally 0.00mgL(-1), that facilitates denitrification. An efficient nitrate-nitrite-nitrogen (NOx-N) removal, 91%, 97% and 71% on average at 3-, 2- and 1-d HRT, respectively, was frequently achieved. The mean retentions were 17-47% for chemical oxygen demand, 31-64% for total nitrogen, and 8-15% for total phosphorus for the FR system. Mass balance analysis implied that the detectable DO concentration in the reactor, as low as 0.7mgL(-1), played a very important role in the conversion and removal of NH3-N and NOx-N, which finally affected the NOx-N removal at 3-d HRT.

[Effect of land use/cover change on pollution load of non-point source in upper reach of Yangtze River Basin].

On the basis of other scholars' researches, utilizes export coefficient model, adopts RS and GIS techniques, estimates the non-point source (NPS) pollution load of upper reach of Yangtze River Basin, and simulates its special distribution. The results indicates that the total nitrogen load caused by land use drop from 1.23 x 10(6) tons in 1970s' to 1.16 x 10(6) tons in 2000 on the premise of taking no account of basin loss. It reduced year by year basically in the past several decades and so did TP load which decreased from 3.7 x 10(4) tons in 1970s' to 3.5 x 10(4) tons in 2000. As far as province, land use and water system are considered, Sichuan province, crop land grass, Jinsha river and Jialing river are important contributories of NPS pollution load in study area. Intensity analysis shows the region of Chongqing municipality and the watershed of Jialing River are two highest NPS pollution load areas, and these areas should be gained more attention in the future. Using the method put forward in this paper, NPS pollution space simulation is carried out in large scale basin such as upper reach of Yangtze River Basin precisely basically.

Biomass production of yeast isolate from salad oil manufacturing wastewater.

Conversion of oil-rich salad oil manufacturing wastewater (SOMW) into protein source for animal feed through biomass production of yeast isolate was investigated in this study. Five species of yeasts, including Rhodotorula rubra, Candida tropicalis, C. utilis, C. boidinii, Trichosporon cutaneum, were isolated from SOMW following enrichment culture. Of them, C. utilis was chosen as the sole biomass producer in the study due to its greatest oil uptake rate, 0.96 kg oil kg(-1) biomass d(-1), and highest specific growth rate, 0.25 h(-1). The cells of C. utilis contained 26% protein, 9% crude lipid, 55% carbohydrate and balanced amino acid compositions. The initial N:C ratio in SOMW drastically influenced oil reduction efficiency, biomass production and protein content of C. utilis, and therefore a range between 1:6 and 1:8 was recommended in consideration of these three factors simultaneously.

[Simulation of biodegradation of petroleum contaminants in natural waters of the Yellow River].

Petroleum contaminants is one of the major pollutants in the Yellow River. Laboratory simulation experiments were carried out to study the natural biodegradation of the petroleum contaminants. When adding 10 mg/L petroleum contaminants to the Yellow River water samples containing 0 or 0.5 g/L sediment, the petroleum contaminants-degrading bacteria increased gradually after about one week of acclimatization. With the sediment content of 0.5 g/L, about 85% petroleum contaminants with the initial concentration of 11.64 mg/L in river water could be degraded within 63 days at 20 degrees C. The biodegradation rate was greatly influenced by the sediment content and the initial concentration of petroleum contaminants, and such effect was different from one degradation stage to another. In addition, the existence of sediment affected the biodegradation kinetics of petroleum contaminants.