A Biological Method of Treating Surface Water Contaminated with Industrial Waste Leachate

The progressive chemicalization of all areas of everyday life and the development of the industry cause the appearance of various types of pollutants, both in groundwater and surface waters. Kalina Pond (Świętochłowice, Poland) is an example of a degraded water reservoir as a result of many years of activity, among others hard coal mines, storing metallurgical waste by zinc plants, and the activities of the Hajduki Chemical Plants from Chorzów. Inadequate securing of waste heaps resulted in the penetration of pollutants, i.e., phenol, petroleum compounds, PAHs, cyanides, and heavy metals. The aim of the research was to determine the suitability of biopreparations for the removal of pollutants. The research used a bacterial biopreparation from BioArcus, “DBC plus type R5”, to remove petroleum compounds and phenol. Then, in order to restore the microbiological balance, “ACS ODO-1” from the biopreparation was used. The research was carried out in laboratory conditions, using three variants: direct dosing of biopreparations, dosing of biopreparations previously activated by multiplication on the medium, and dosing of biopreparations into water after filtration on a diatomite bed. The optimal method of recultivating water from a reservoir was to filter this water through a diatomite bed and then dose the multiplied bacteria. After the filtration process, the obtained percentage of TOC reduction allowed for the rapid development of microorganisms from the biopreparation, despite the 100 times lower dose used. In addition, the application of lyophilized biopreparation to contaminated water resulted in a very fast biodegradation effect of pollutants, despite the high concentration of numerous toxic compounds.

Adsorption of cadmium ions from simulated battery waste water by polyethylene polyamine modified activated carbon

The objective of this work was to study the treatment of waste water containing cadmium ions (Cd2+). Activated carbon (AC) was modified with potassium hydroxide (KOH) and polyethylene polyamine (PEPA). The structure and morphology of the modified AC was characterized. The effect of pH on adsorption was investigated, and the binary competitive adsorption and the reusability of the modified AC were studied. Subsequently the modified AC was used as an adsorbent for the removal of Cd2+ from wastewater. The adsorption capacity of optimized modified AC was 9.7 times that of unmodified AC. Kinetic adsorption curves were in accordance with pseudo-second-order kinetics, and the isothermal curves were in accordance with the Langmuir equation. The results indicate that the AC has a potential in the treatment of the waste water containing Cd2+ discharged from chemical plants during battery manufacturing.

Treatment of ultrahigh chemical oxygen demand chemical wastewater by Fenton oxidation

The article focuses on the Fenton oxidation process for the treatment of ultrahigh COD chemical wastewater from chemical plants. Optimum pH was determined as 2.0 and 10.0 for the first (oxidation) and second stage (coagulation) of the Fenton process, respectively. 0.465gFeSO4·7H2O, H2O2(30%)2ml, the mole tatio of H2O2 : Fe2+=10:1, adjust the pH of the solution to 10, after 1.5 hours of agitation, then add 5% PAM2ml to the solution, filtrate, extract, filtrate the clear liquid and dilute it three times, take 200ml of the diluted liquid, and add 0.465gFeSO4·7H2O, H2O2(30%)2ml, the mole tatio of H2O2 : Fe2+=10:1, adjust the pH of the solution to 10, after 1.5 hours of agitation, then add 5% PAM2ml to the solution, static stratification. For chemical wastewater, when the molar ratio H2O2/Fe2+ is 10:1, the removal rate of COD is the highest, provided 86.21–86.45% COD removal.

Chemical Plant Explosion Accident (Cause) Analysis Using AcciMap and FRAM

To prevent accidents in chemical plants, it is important to identify the root cause of the accident and suggest countermeasures. When accident factors are known, eliminating the cause of the accident can increase its prevention. The number of factors, including social factors, in addition to human factors, is increasing. When analyzing the cause of an accident when it is complex, advanced, and the connection between processes is high, there is a growing need to approach it with an integrated system analysis method related to the organization, along with a sequential approach to determine the direct cause of the accident. Several countries have introduced and applied techniques for integrated analysis of accidents from a systematic viewpoint, such as AcciMap and the functional resonance accident model (FRAM) that were developed around 2000. However, it remains difficult to find cases or research results applied in Korea. In this study, accidents in Korean chemical factories are analyzed using systematic accident analysis techniques, and a plan to utilize systematic analysis techniques for future accident investigations is developed.

Analysis of Explosion Accidents in a Chemical Plant using STAMP, a Systematic Cause-and-effect Analysis Technique

The process safety management system for chemical plants was introduced approximately 25 years ago. With the improvement in the safety management levels for the safe operation of the chemical plants, the number of serious industrial accidents has gradually decreased; however, increased damages have been observed when accidents do occur. The cause of accidents has also increased in cases where several factors, including social and cultural factors, are complexly related, in addition to facility and human factors. The need for an overall integrated systemic approach related to society, technology, and organization, and a sequential approach for finding the direct cause of accidents, is growing while analyzing the accidents. For this reason, foreign countries have introduced and applied a method to analyze accidents in an integrated manner from a systemic point of view; however, reports of cases or research results used in Korea. In this study, the case of explosion accidents, which occurred during a trial operation at a domestic chemical plant, was analyzed using Systems-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes, a systematic accident analysis technique, to reveal the primary cause, organizational, and operational problems, so that it can be used for future investigations when other accidents occur.

Development and research of the influence of the composition and concentration of activators on the strength of phosphorus slag binders

The paper discusses various ways of activating phosphorus slags by introducing additives for the development of phosphorus slag binders (PSB), replacing cement. Considering that pseudowollastonite is the main mineral of phosphorus slags and without activating components does not possess the binding properties necessary for the production of building materials based on them, we used compositions of small amounts of sodium hydroxide with alkali metal salts, the anions of which form poorly soluble compounds with calcium. When choosing activating components, scarce alkaline additives were replaced by waste from chemical plants, which allows a passing solution of their practical use and environmental problems. The strength at a sodium hydroxide content of 1–4 % after curing of slag samples of various batches was in the range of 50.0–70.0 MPa. Samples of binders of normal hardening at the age of 28 days with a sodium hydroxide content of 0.5; 1.0, 2 and 4 % had the strength of 20.3; 35.4; 45.6; 55.8 MPa, respectively. The effect of the combined presence of alkali and salt is especially noticeable for small amounts of sodium hydroxide. Binders containing a composition of cement with salts under normal conditions and after curing showed a slightly lower strength than in an alkaline medium. With a constant cement content (4 %), the strength indicators increase with an increase in the proportion of the salt additive, reaching at 4 % its maximum value. The effect of the nature of activators on pH was determined. The data obtained indicate the advantages of using PSB and various industrial wastes with a low content of alkaline compounds in the production

Ammonia synthesis on the banks of the Mississippi: A molecular-planetary technology

The paper discusses the CF-industries ammonia plant in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. The plant is framed as an exemplary site from which the Anthropocene can be observed and understood. In doing so, a proposal for a “chemical cultural theory” is set out, to allow us to understand such molecular planetary technologies and interpret their (geo)historical significance. As one of the largest fertilizer plants in the world in terms of its output, and one of the largest chemical plants along the “Petrochemical Corridor,” a cluster of chemical industries situated between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Donaldsonville typifies the relations between the nitrogen and hydrocarbon industries. Catalysis is here used both as a chemical concept and as a metaphor central to the proposed chemical cultural theory. As key to the Haber-Bosch process and refinery technologies in general, investigating the role of catalysis allows us to connect the history of the Petrochemical Corridor to that of German industrialism. This relation reveals how, from the late 19th century through to the World Wars, an ambivalent industrial co-operation between the US and Germany not only transformed local and planetary environments, it also contributed to the Anthropocene condition.

Artificial-regulated synthesis of nanocrystals in live cells

ABSTRACT Live cells, as reservoirs of biochemical reactions, can serve as amazing integrated chemical plants where precursor formation, nucleation and growth of nanocrystals, and functional assembly can be carried out accurately following an artificial program. It is crucial but challenging to deliberately direct intracellular pathways to synthesize desired nanocrystals that cannot be produced naturally in cells, because the relevant reactions exist in different spatiotemporal dimensions and will never encounter spontaneously. This article summarizes progress in the introduction of inorganic functional nanocrystals into live cells via the ‘artificial-regulated space–time-coupled live-cell synthesis’ strategy. We also describe ingenious bio-applications of the nanocrystal–cell systems, and quasi-biosynthesis strategies expanded from live-cell synthesis. Artificial-regulated live-cell synthesis—which involves the interdisciplinary application of biology, chemistry, nanoscience and medicine—will enable researchers to better exploit the unanticipated potentialities of live cells and open up new directions in synthetic biology.