Comparison of sediment pollution in the rivers of the Hungarian Upper Tisza Region using non-destructive analytical techniques

The rivers in the Hungarian Upper Tisza Region are frequently polluted mainly due to mining activities in the catchment area. At the beginning of 2000, two major mining accidents occurred in the Romanian part of the catchment area due to the failure of a tailings dam releasing huge amounts of cyanide and heavy metals to the rivers. Surface sediment as well as water samples were collected at six sites in the years 2000–2003, from the northeast-Hungarian section of the Tisza, Szamos and Túr rivers. The sediment pollution of the rivers was compared based on measurements of bulk material and selected single particles, in order to relate the observed compositions and chemical states of metals to the possible sources and weathering of pollution. Non-destructive X-ray analytical methods were applied in order to obtain different kinds of information from the same samples or particles. In order to identify the pollution sources, their magnitude and fate, complementary analyses were carried out. Heterogeneous particulate samples were analyzed from a large geographical territory and a 4-year time period. Individual particles were analyzed only from the “hot” samples that showed elevated concentrations of heavy metals. Particles that were classified as anthropogenic were finally analyzed to identify trace concentrations and chemical states of heavy metals.     

An Investigation on the Effect of Arsenic Poisoning on Humans,Agriculture, and Fisheries

The purpose of this investigation is to try and understand the degree of arsenic poisoning in the waste water from agricultural chemical factories which release effluents into the waterways in their vicinity. The method of determination is to use the water samples, soil, fish, clams, shell-fish, etc. found in the areas along the canals and aqueducts and those which lie upstream, midstream, and downstream and also the hair samples of people living in the contiguous areas, to check for the levels of arsenic in them by emission spectroscopy. From the analysis during a one year investigation, we find that the level of As in the water creatures of Chungkang Stream and Lu-Er-Men Stream is much higher than in the other water areas of Taiwan such as along beaches and the other rivers; the levels in the hair of the people who live nearby these water courses have a certain degree of correspondence with their eating habits and the quantity of food eaten; however, even those people who eat relatively little have almost 3% As, beyond the 2 mg/kg limit allowed for human beings. We are fully aware of the high level of food contamination on Taiwan, and this fact has been taken into consideration. The effect of As contamination in the soil on agricultural produce does not seem to have any apparent relationship. By the way, the influence of the monthly average rainfall on As contamination in the soil is not obvious.     

用环形扩散管和滤纸联用采样技术采集空气中氨和铵盐

建立了环形扩散管和滤纸采样夹联用，分形态同时采集空气中所态氨和颗粒态铵盐的方法。在同一气流中，采用涂渍１．５％草酸乙醇水溶液的环形扩散管采集气态氨，用浸渍上述试剂的玻璃纤维纸和慢速定量滤纸分别采集颗粒安和第一层滤纸上的铵盐挥发产生的氨气。用靛酚蓝比色法分别测定氨和铵盐。当采气流速为１．０Ｌ／ｍｉｎ时，采样效率高于９８．２％。将本法测得的氨气和铵盐的总量与标准采样方法的测定结果比较。无显著性差异（Ｐ     

Production of oxygen enriched air by rapid pressure swing adsorption

A novel rapid pressure swing adsorption (RPSA) process is described for production of 25–50% oxygen enriched air. The embodiment consists of one or more pairs of adsorbent layers contained in a single adsorption vessel. The layers undergo simultaneous pressurization-adsorption and simultaneous depressurization-purge steps. A total cycle time of 6–20 seconds is used. The process yields a very large specific oxygen production rate and a reasonable oxygen recovery for production of 20–50 mole% oxygen enriched gas.It is demonstrated by a simple mathematical model of isothermal single adsorbate pressure swing ad(de)sorption concept on a single adsorbent particle that the specific production rate of a PSA process cannot be indefinitely increased by reducing the cycle time of operation when adsorbate mass transfer resistances are finite.     

Investigation of anthropic effects connected with metal ions concentration, organic matter and grain size in Bormida river sediments

An investigation on the sediment composition and grain size was carried out along the Bormida river (Piedmont, Northern Italy). The samples were taken both in the riverbed and on its banks. Multivariate statistical exploratory methods permitted to identify possible sources of primary pollution. In particular, principal component analysis (PCA) showed that there are probably at least three anthropogenic main causes of pollution, one connected with Cr, Ni and Sn, the second with cadmium and the last one with mercury. Some correlations were found between heavy metal ion concentrations and organic matter and/or the sediment grain size. Differences between the samples collected in the riverbed and on the banks were identified and the relationships between the principal components and the distance of the samples from the riverbed and from the hot spot represented by the ACNA industrial site were also analyzed.     

Catalytic wet air oxidation of oleic acid on ceria-supported platinum catalyst.effect of pH

Summary Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of oleic acid was carried out in a batch reactor on platinum supported ceria catalyst (Pt/CeO₂). Oleic acid is a water insoluble linear unsaturated fatty acid of 18 carbon atoms. To increase the homogeneity of the solution by saponification, the influence of NaOH additions in oleic acid CWAO mechanism and catalyst performances have been investigated. The oxidation of such molecule occurs by two types of mechanisms: successive carboxy-decarboxylation which leads essentially to CO₂and/or C-C bonds splitting in the alkyl chain inducing a high formation of acetic acid. With or without NaOH, the 5%Pt/CeO₂catalyst is active in the conversion of oleic acid and selective to carbon dioxide. In alkaline medium, oleic acid is initially saponified which increases the solubility of the reactant before it to be oxidized. Finally the oxidation is slightly delayed by the presence of NaOH. The catalyst characterizations show no significant difference before and after reaction.</o:p>     

Effect of pressure on oxygen enrichment of liquid crystalline cellulose ether membranes at elevated temperature

Cholesteric liquid crystalline triheptyl cellulose (THC)/ethyl cellulose binary blend membranes were prepared and the effect of pressure on their oxygen enrichment at elevated temperature was investigated using a constant pressure-variable volume method. The oxygen enrichment increased with the increase of transmembrane pressure difference or with slight increase of the THC content in the blend membranes. The oxygen concentration through the membranes increased linearly with decreasing pressure ratio. Air was directly separated through a 17 m-thick THC/EC(1.5/98.5) membrane to prepare an oxygen-enriched air containing 39.5% oxygen at the flux of 6.99×10^–4 cm³ (STP)/s.cm² at the pressure difference of 0.43 MPa and 85 °C.     

Black fungus derived aerogel with double faced properties

Black fungus aerogel (BFA) exhibited interesting double-faced properties. Weexplored the diverse properties of each side of the black fungus in three aspects:water contact angle measurements, liquid selective absorption capacity and air pollutant adsorption abilities.     

巢湖主要入湖河道磷的污染现状

为了解巢湖主要入湖河道中总磷的污染状况,进行了为期三年每月一次的污染调查,十五里河、南淝河、双桥河,污染较重,超出了(GH281-1999)《地表水环境质量标准》的V娄标准。污染主要来自工业废水、生活污水、和农业面源。认为只有开展农业面源污染治理,城市环境综合整治,城市环境综合整治,加强和削减农业化肥的使用量,使得入湖河道水质变好,巢湖的富营养化才能得到控制。     

Analysis of heavy organic pollutants of confined atmospheres

Summary An improved procedure for the determination of the less volatile air pollutants of recycled closed atmospheres by activated carbon-Soxhlet extraction is proposed. After total treatment of desorbate, PAH determination is then accomplished by RP-HPLC using both adsorptiometric and fluorimetric UV detection; phenolic compounds are determined by GC-MS.This technique is suitable for very low levels of PAH and phenolic compounds.