A turbidimetric method to measure isoelectric points and particles deposition onto massive substrates

A simple experimental approach was developed to determine the adhesion rate of particles onto massive substrate. Turbidimetry measurements are used to follow the evolution of particle concentration in a suspension in dynamic contact with the walls of a vessel made of different materials. This method allows to rapidly obtain qualitative results about the adhesion of metallic oxides particles on massive substrates. Adhesion of particles of charged latex onto glass was used to validate the approach and was shown to be a method to determine isoelectric points (IEP) of massive substrates. Then, the adhesion of an iron oxide (hematite) particles onto several substrates was studied to determine the reactivity of current labware (glass, polypropylene) and on a metal (aluminum) commonly found in industrial fouling problems. Adhesion of hematite was found to be pH-dependant, and occurs only below ca. 6 (glass) or 7 (polypropylene), and above 7 (aluminum). DLVO calculations were performed to model the hematite/water/glass system and are consistent with the experimental results. Experiments at temperature 7–50 °C have shown an increasing of the adhesion rate from 7 to 40 °C, then a constant value until 50 °C.     

Optimization of a portable microanalytical system to reduce electrode fouling from proteins associated with biomonitoring of lead (Pb) in saliva

There is a need to develop reliable portable analytical systems for on-site and real-time biomonitoring of lead (Pb) from both occupational and environmental exposures. Saliva is an appealing matrix since it is easily obtainable, and therefore a potential substitute for blood due to existing reasonably good correlation between Pb levels in blood and saliva. The microanalytical system is based on flow-injection/stripping voltammetry with a wall-jet (flow-onto) microelectrochemical cell. Samples that contain as little as 1% saliva can cause electrode fouling, resulting in significantly reduced responsiveness and irreproducible quantitations. In addition, incomplete Pb release from salivary protein can also yield a lower Pb response than expected. This paper evaluates the extent of in vitro Pb-protein binding and the optimal pretreatment for releasing Pb from the saliva samples. Even in 50% by volume of rat saliva, the electrode fouling was not observed, due to the appropriate sample pretreatment and the constant flow of the sample and acidic carrier that prevented passivation by the protein. The system offered a linear response over a low Pb range of 1-10 ppb, low detection limit of 1 ppb, excellent reproducibility, and reliability. It also yielded the same Pb concentrations in unknown samples as did the ICP-MS. These encouraging results suggest that the microanalytical system represents an important analytical advancement for real-time non-invasive biomonitoring of Pb.     

丹麦生物质发电的现状和研究发展趋势

丹麦是世界上利用秸秆生物质燃烧发电技术开发、运行最好的国家，其经验值得中国借鉴。根据作者在丹麦对生物质燃烧发电的研究经历，系统地介绍了丹麦在秸秆生物质发电的经验、遇到的问题及相应的研究和今后的发展方向。     

Resistance to Surfactant and Protein Fouling Effects at Conducting Diamond Electrodes

Boron‐doped diamond thin‐film electrodes display negligible fouling effects in the presence of high levels of surface‐active materials, including proteins. Dramatic improvements in the stability of the analyte response (compared to common glassy carbon and carbon paste electrodes) are illustrated using bovine serum albumin (BSA), gelatin, and Triton X‐100 in connection with repetitive square‐wave voltammetric (SWV) measurements. The voltammetric response of ascorbic acid at the diamond electrode exhibits negligible shifts in peak potentials and minimal depressions of current signals over a wide range of surfactant concentrations (0–750 ppm). For example, the diamond electrode exhibited 70, 50 and 60 mV potential shifts for 10 repetitive voltammetric scans in the presence of 100 ppm BSA, gelatin and Triton X‐100, respectively, compared to 120, 190, and 280 mV shifts observed at the glassy carbon electrode. Furthermore, only 4.3 and 6.2% of the initial current decays were observed in the presence of 100 ppm Triton X‐100 and gelatin, respectively (compared to 45.2 and 34.4% diminutions at the glassy carbon electrode). Such improved performance was also confirmed from the SWV measurements of uric acid, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and catechol. The greatly improved resistance to surfactant interference reflects the fact that the as‐grown diamond thin film, composed of oxide‐free and hydrogen‐terminated surface, has a relatively lower surface energy and minimal electrostatic attributes, either specific or general, so that little adsorption of surface‐active agents occurs. The topographic AFM images of the diamond electrode surface confirm a negligible BSA fouling effect after repetitive SWV measurements. Such enhanced antifouling features make diamond electrodes very attractive for numerous real‐life electroanalytical applications.     

Biocompatible polymers for antibody support on gold surfaces

The elimination or minimization of non-specific protein adsorption from serum is critical for the use of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors for in vitro and in vivo analysis of complex biological solutions. The ultimate goals in this application are to minimize non-specific adsorption of protein and to maximize analyte signal. A reduction of the non-specific protein adsorption from serum of up to 73% compared to carboxymethylated-dextran 500 kDa (CM-dextran) was achieved following a survey of eight biocompatible polymers and 10 molecular weights of CM-dextran. These coatings minimize non-specific adsorption on the sensor while also serving as immobilization matrices for antibody fixation to the probes. Polymers including polysaccharides: CM-dextrans, CM-hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid, and alginic acid were investigated. Humic acid, polylactic acid, polyacrylic acid, orthopyridyldisuldfide–polyethyleneglycol–N-hydroxysuccinimide (OPSS–PEG–NHS), and a synthesized polymer; polymethacrylic-acid-co-vinyl-acetate (PMAVA) were also used. The non-specific protein adsorption reduction was measured over a 14 day period at 0 °C for each polymer. Calibration curves using some of these polymers were constructed to show the performance and low detection limit possibilities of these new antibody supports. For many of the polymers, this is the first demonstration of employment as an antibody support for an optical or surface active sensor. CM-dextran is the polymer offering the largest signal for the antigen detection. However, the biocompatible polymers demonstrate a greater stability to non-specific binding in serum. These biocompatible polymers offer different alternatives for CM-dextran.     

A2O—MBR工艺反硝化脱氮除磷研究

以自行设计的双反应器A2O-MBR为研究对象.对模拟生活废水的脱氮除磷进行了研究.结果表明:当N、P负荷为0.14和0.3 kg·m-3·d-1时,COD、N、P去除率分别为90.5%、80.6%和67.7%,系统不必外投硝酸盐即可实现反硝化除磷.具有很强的反硝化脱氪除磷能力,反硝化聚磷菌(DPAOs)占总聚磷菌(PAO)的比例和反硝化除磷量占总除磷量的比率分别达70.00%和69.81%;污泥回漉中硝酸盐量超过一定范围会发生对厌氧释磷的抑制.本系统中当进水ρ(COD):ρ(TP)为30:1时,进水COD与回流污泥硝酸盐的比例应高于30:1.采用问歇抽吸出水有助于延缓膜污染,膜出水不受污泥沉降性的影响.     

天然水污染膜的物质研究

膜污染是膜在饮用水处理中遇到的最重要问题，为此，需要了解天然水中造成膜污染的物质．笔者通过扫描电镜观察，色质联机以及分子量分布手段分析膜清洗水，了解膜污染的物质构成．结果表明，引起膜污染的有机物主要是以烷烃类的非极性和弱极性的有机物；造成膜污染的无机离子主要是硅、铁、锌和锰等高价的阳离子，其中铁质量浓度最高．对膜清洗水进行的有机物分子量分布的测定表明，小分子量的DOC容易污染膜；而UV254无论分子量大小，都会对膜造成污染．     

自养硝化与异养反硝化污泥膜污染特性的对比

以同步脱氮除磷连续流膜生物反应器小试稳定运行时的污泥为考查对象,采用序批式过滤试验对比考查硝化污泥与反硝化污泥的污染特性,并对不同电子供体下反硝化污泥的污染机理进行分析与探讨.研究结果表明:在25℃下乙酸作为电子供体下的反硝化速率(以VSS计)为13.8 mg/(g·h),高于乙醇的10.2 mg/(g·h)和甲醇的3.4mg/(g·h);反硝化污泥相对于硝化污泥溶解性微生物产物(soluble microbial product,SMP)中蛋白质类物质在＜1 kDa和＞ 100 kDa范围内含量的增多,成为导致污泥混合液中溶解性物质阻力增大的主要因素,从而增大溶解性物质在膜孔内部的堵塞的阻力,其中以甲醇为电子供体时的反硝化过程最为明显.反硝化过程污泥产生的胞外聚合物(extracellular polymeric substances,EPS)相对于硝化过程有所降低,且EPS中糖类与蛋白质类物质的相对疏水性的降低成为混合液中悬浮颗粒物质(suspend solids,SS)阻力降低的主要因素;硝化污泥与3种电子供体下产生的EPS相对分子质量分布上略有不同,但是傅里叶红外光谱(Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,FT-IR)对EPS官能团的监测表明硝化过程与3种电子供体在反硝化过程中产生的EPS主要化学物质组成并没有发生变化,以乙酸为电子供体下反硝化过程后污泥的修正污染指数(modified fouling index,MFI)最小.     

膜生物反应器在废水处理中的研究和应用

膜分离技术与废水生物处理技术的有机结合——膜生物反应器是一种新型高效的污水处理工艺.综述了膜生物反应器的基本运行方式,膜生物反应器在国内外的研究和应用概况以及应用中存在的主要问题.对膜生物反应器在我国未来废水处理领域的应用前景进行了讨论.     

死端型微滤膜的污染机理分析

研究使用死端型微滤去除金枪鱼脾脏提取物中悬浮大颗粒过程中的膜污染机理.膜孔堵塞阻力以及膜表面滤饼层阻力.膜孔堵塞是引起膜通量降低的主要污染机理.而膜表面的滤饼层则决定微滤过程的持续时间.改变膜孔径和透膜压力可影响不同膜污染机理间的转化,从而改变了不同污染机理的持续时间.微滤前离心和预过滤去除了金枪鱼脾脏提取物中的部分悬浮颗粒,改变了其中颗粒尺寸分布从而影响了微滤过程中污染机制.观察发现,颗粒尺寸分布是膜污染机制中较重要的因素.