scholarly journals Assessing the abatement potential and cost of Chinese industrial water pollutants

Water Policy ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 936-956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huiming Xie ◽  
Manhong Shen ◽  
Chu Wei

Water pollution is becoming an increasing threat to China's sustainable development. To respond to this challenge, China has pledged to cut emissions of two major water pollutants, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4), and has disaggregated the national target among provinces. However, the abatement potential and costs have not been thoroughly assessed. This paper aims to examine the reduction potential and associated costs of COD and NH4 in the Chinese industrial sector. A parametric directional distance function is applied to modeling joint production, in which COD and NH4 are treated simultaneously as byproducts of the production process. Using provincial data from 2003 to 2012, we find that 13.18% of COD and 13.27% of NH4 can be reduced if all provinces perform efficiently. The average abatement cost to cut one additional unit of COD and NH4 is 710 and 7,390 Yuan/kg, respectively. The abatement cost is significantly correlated with the economic development level, pollution intensity and capital-labor ratio. Our results call for a market-based instrument, such as an Emission Trading System, to assist China in achieving this environmental goal in a cost-effective way. Moreover, it will become more difficult and costly to control COD, while there still exists a ‘win-win’ opportunity to control NH4 emissions through efficiency improvements.

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1174
Author(s):  
Qilong Ren ◽  
Hui Li

The problem of water pollution is a social issue in China requiring immediate and urgent solutions. In the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, the contradiction between preserving the ecological environment and facilitating sustainable economic development is particularly acute. This study analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution of water pollutants and their factors of influence using statistics on the discharge of two water pollutants, namely chemical oxygen demand (COD) and NH3-N (ammonia nitrogen), in 154 counties in both 2012 and 2016 as research units in the region. The study employed Exploratory Spatial-Time Data Analysis (ESTDA), Standard Deviational Ellipse (SDE), and the Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) models, as well as ArcGIS and GeoDa software, obtaining the following conclusions: (1) From 2012 to 2016, pollutant discharge dropped significantly, with COD and NH3-N emissions decreasing 65.9% and 47.2%, respectively; the pollutant emissions possessed the spatial feature of gradual gradient descent from the central districts to the periphery. (2) The water pollutants discharge displayed significant and positive spatial correlations. The spatiotemporal cohesion of the spatiotemporal evolution of the pollutants was higher than their spatiotemporal fluidity, representing strong spatial locking. (3) The level of economic development, the level of urbanization, and the intensity of agricultural production input significantly and positively drove pollutant discharge; the environmental regulations had a significant effect on reducing the emission of pollutants. In particular, the effect for NH3-N emissions reduction was stronger; the driving effect of the industrial structure and the distance decay was not significant.


Author(s):  
Parsa Mohajeri ◽  
Mohammad Razip Selamat ◽  
Abdul Aziz Hamidi ◽  
Carol Smith

Water pollutants removal by biomass adsorbent has been considered innovative and cost effective, thus commendable for application in industrial applications. However, certain important aspects have been overlooked by researchers, namely the efficiency in the operation time and pollutant removal. In this research, landfill leachate samples with organic components were treated using bentonite-enriched with sawdust augmented (SBR) process. By modifying the pH, the sawdust samples were categorized into three: the acidic, the alkaline, and the neutral. To bentonite samples, the pH-adjusted sawdust was added at 10%, 20%, and 30% amounts by mass respectively. At the optimum aeration rate of 7.5 L/min and contact period of 22 h, the treatment achieved 99.28% and 95.41% removal of COD and NH3-N with bentonite respectively.  For both pollutants, in the presence of sawdust, the removal reduced by about 17% with contact period reduced to 2 h which was a considerable achievement.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parsa Mohajeri ◽  
Mohammad Selamat ◽  
Hamidi Abdul Aziz ◽  
Carol Smith

Water pollutant removal by biomass adsorbent has been considered innovative and cost-effective, and thus commendable for application in industry. However, certain important aspects have been overlooked by researchers, namely the efficiency in the operation time and pollutant removal. In this research, landfill leachate samples with organic components were treated using a bentonite-enriched sawdust-augmented sequencing batch reactor (SBR) process. By modifying the pH, the sawdust samples were categorized into three groups: the acidic, the alkaline, and the neutral. To bentonite samples, the pH-adjusted sawdust was added at 10%, 20%, and 30% amounts by mass, respectively. At the optimum aeration rate of 7.5 L/min and contact period of 22 h, the treatment achieved 99.28% and 95.41% removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and NH3-N with bentonite, respectively. For both pollutants, in the presence of sawdust, the removal was only reduced by about 17% with the contact period reduced to 2 h, which was a considerable achievement.


Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Ilaria Piccoli ◽  
Giuseppe Virga ◽  
Carmelo Maucieri ◽  
Maurizio Borin

Constructed wetlands (CWs) represent a green technology for digestate liquid fraction (DLF) treatment. However, previous research has warned about their performance when treating wastewater with high suspended solid and organic loads. In addition, the high NH4-N concentration typical of this wastewater can compromise vegetation establishment and activity. In view of this, a digestate pretreatment is needed. This study aimed to test the performance of filters filled with recovery materials, such as brick and refractory material, for DLF pretreatment. The effect on DLF physical (electrical conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature) and chemical (total nitrogen, ammonia–nitrogen, nitrate–nitrogen, total phosphorus, soluble phosphorus, and chemical oxygen demand) characteristics was monitored during eight weekly cycles. The effect of filtration on total nitrogen and ammonia–nitrogen removal began after about one month of loading, suggesting that an activation period is necessary for bacteria. For effective N removal, the presence of multiple digestate recirculations per day through the filters appears mandatory to guarantee the alternation of nitrification and denitrification conditions. For P removal, filling material particle size appeared to be more important than its composition. Unclear performances were observed considering chemical oxygen demand. Further studies on filling media and microbial community interactions, and the long-term efficiency of filters, are desirable.


2013 ◽  
Vol 295-298 ◽  
pp. 755-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ya Yun Liu ◽  
Zhi Hong Li ◽  
Xiao Jian Liang ◽  
Yan Peng Lin ◽  
Rong Hao Wu ◽  
...  

Based on the water quality investigation data of December in 2010, the water environment quality of Lv-tang River in Zhanjiang national urban wetland park was assessed using single water quality parameter model and integrated water quality index model. The results show that the water quality of Lv-tang River is worse than the national quality standards for Grade V. The water is polluted seriously. The main pollutants are total nitrogen (TN), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and chemical oxygen demand CODCr with their average concentrations of 60.49 mg/L, 30.57 mg/L and 227.38mg/L, respectively. The averages of their single parameter pollution index are 30.25 , 19.79 and 8.74. The average of single parameter pollution index of the river is 8.23 which indicated that the river belongs to heavy pollution zone. The integrated water quality index was 22.5 showing that the river belongs to serious pollution zone.


2018 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-56
Author(s):  
I. A. Sánchez ◽  
R. K. X. Bastos ◽  
E. A. T. Lana

Abstract In two pilot-scale experiments, fingerlings and juvenile of tilapia were reared in high rate algal pond (HRAP) effluent. The combination of three different total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) surface loading rates (SLR1 = 0.6, SLR2 = 1.2; SLR3 = 2.4 kg TAN·ha−1·d−1) and two fish stocking densities (D1 = 4 and D2 = 8 fish per tank) was evaluated during two 12-week experiments. Fingerlings total weight gain varied from 4.9 to 18.9 g, with the highest value (equivalent to 0.225 g·d−1) being recorded in SLR2-D1 treatment; however, high mortality (up to 67%) was recorded, probably due to sensitivity to ammonia and wide daily temperature variations. At lower water temperatures, juvenile tilapia showed no mortality, but very low weight gain. The fish rearing tanks worked as wastewater polishing units, adding the following approximate average removal figures on top of those achieved at the HRAP: 63% of total Kjeldahl nitrogen; 54% of ammonia nitrogen; 42% of total phosphorus; 37% of chemical oxygen demand; 1.1 log units of Escherichia coli.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Avtar Singh ◽  
Amanjot Kaur ◽  
Anita Dua ◽  
Ritu Mahajan

Xylano-pectino-cellulolytic enzymes are valuable enzymes of the industrial sector. In our earlier study, we have reported a novel and cost effective methodology for the qualitative screening of cellulase-free xylano-pectinolytic microorganisms by replacing the commercial, highly expensive substrates with agricultural residues, but the microorganisms with xylanolytic, pectinolytic, cellulolytic, xylano-pectinolytic, xylano-cellulolytic, pectino-cellulolytic, and xylano-pectino-cellulolytic potential were obtained. The probability of getting the desired combination was low, so efforts were made to further improve this cost effective methodology for obtaining the high yield of the microbes capable of producing desired combination of enzymes. By inclusion of multiple enrichment steps in sequence, using only practically low cost substrates and without any nutrient media till primary screening stage, this improved novel protocol for screening gave only the desired microorganisms with xylano-pectino-cellulolytic activity. Using this rapid, efficient, cost effective, and improved methodology, microbes with required combination of enzymes can be obtained and the probability of getting the desired microorganisms is cent percent. This is the first report presenting the methodology for the isolation of xylano-pectino-cellulolytic positive microorganisms at low cost and consuming less time.


Author(s):  
O. V. Kalinina ◽  
Yu. V. Burmenko ◽  
N. Yu. Svistunova

Apples are among the most significant fruit crops in Russian horticulture. The wide variety, as well as the prominent economic potential of the crop, both enable its cultivation across many climate zones and bring orchard farming in general to the attention of investors in the agro-industrial sector. Breeders have met the rising challenges inherent in creating varieties that are superior in terms of productivity, abiotic- and biotic stress resistance, fruit quality and competitive fast-return capacity. In the present article, current research in apple breeding including methods for intensive selection is reviewed with a focus on breeding programmes for creating adaptive varieties having a high commercial and consumer value. Classical breeding can be complemented with modern techniques for an earlier selection of commercially valuable genotypes, identification of primary genotypes, as well as the creation of new donors and cultivars. The research achievements of leading national institutions in the development of apple varieties reflect additions to the Catalog of State-Permitted Cultivars of Agricultural Crops over the last decade. Most of the 422 permitted adapted apple cultivars are highly marketable due to having best-before-consumption dates in the winter. Despite current success in national orchard farming, further endeavours in crop breeding remain relevant today. Comprehensive research engaging genetics, physiology, phytopathology, virology, agrochemistry and nursery is essential for improving modern breeding programmes with the aim of supplying producers with high-quality planting material for a cost-effective, low pesticide, environmentallystable product.


Author(s):  
Gilbert K. Gaboutloeloe ◽  
Gugu Molokwe ◽  
Benedict Kayombo

The impact of partially treated wastewater on the water quality of Notwane river stretch in the Gaborone region of Botswana was investigated. Water samples collected at effluent discharge point and three other sampling sites downstream were analyzed for pH, temperature, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Ammonia-nitrogen (Ammonia-N) and Nitrate-nitrogen (Nitrate-N). Sampling was conducted bi-weekly between February 2013 and April 2013. The ranges of measured parameters were:  pH (7.6-8.5), temperature (22-23ºC), BOD5 (11.2-27.0 mg/l), Ammonia-N (2.4-60.5 mg/l), Nitrate-N (20.6-28.6 mg/l). Analysis of variance, Games-Howel multiple comparisons and Pearson correlation were used to separate variable means. The results signal river non-point pollution due to runoff inflow of organics mainly from land use and domestic waste dumping by nearby dwellings. Temperature, BOD5, and pH range values were all within the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) limit while the maximum Ammonia-N and Nitrate-N were above BOBS limit by 50.5 mg/l and 6.6 mg/l, respectively. Regulations on indiscriminate waste dumping and discharge standards adherence should be enforced.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elina Strade ◽  
Daina Kalnina

Abstract Pharmaceutical wastewater biological treatment plants are stressed with multi-component wastewater and unexpected variations in wastewater flow, composition and toxicity. To avoid operational problems and reduced wastewater treatment efficiency, accurate monitoring of influent toxicity on activated sludge microorganisms is essential. This paper outlines how to predict highly toxic streams, which should be avoided, using measurements of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), if they are made in a wide range of initial concentration. The results indicated that wastewater containing multivalent Al3+ cations showed a strong toxic effect on activated sludge biocenosis irrespectively of dilutions, while toxicity of phenol and formaldehyde containing wastewater decreased considerably with increasing dilution. Activated sludge microorganisms were not sensitive to wastewater containing halogenated sodium salts (NaCl, NaF) and showed high treatment capacity of saline wastewater. Our findings confirm that combined indicators of contamination, such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), alone do not allow evaluating potential toxic influence of wastewater. Obtained results allow identifying key inhibitory substances in pharmaceutical wastewater and evaluating potential impact of new wastewater streams or increased loading on biological treatment system. Proposed method is sensitive and cost effective and has potential for practical implementation in multiproduct pharmaceutical wastewater biological treatment plants.


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