Cheng-Xin Fan’s research while affiliated with Chinese Academy of Sciences and other places

Environmental sediment dredging is one of the most common methods for the remediation of contaminated sediments in lakes; however, debate continues as to whether the effectiveness of dredging methods contributes to this phenomenon. To determine sediment resuspension and nutrient release following dredging with a variety of dredging methods, four dredging treatments at wind speeds of 0–5.2 m/s were simulated in this study, namely suction dredging (SD), grab dredging (GD), ideal dredging with no residual sediments (ID), and non-dredging (ND). Field sediments from suction and grab dredging areas (including post-dredged and non-dredged sediments) of Lake Taihu were used to assess the release abilities of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) from the sediment-water interface. The effects of residual sediments on nutrient concentrations in water were also evaluated. The results reveal that inhibition of resuspension of particulate matter and nutrients released through sediment dredging decreases with increasing levels of residual sediment. Total suspended particulate matter content in the mean water columns of ID, SD, and GD under wind-induced disturbance (1.7–5.2 m/s) decreased by 67.5%, 56.8%, and 44.3%, respectively; total nitrogen and total phosphorus in ID (SD) treatments were 19.8% (12.9%) and 24.5% (11.2%) lower than that in ND treatment. However, there were ~ 1.6 and 1.5 times higher SRP and NH4+-N in the GD treatment compared with the ND treatment at the end of the resuspension experiment (0 m/s). A significant increase in the SRP and NH4+-N release rates at the sediment-water interface was also observed in field sediments from a grab dredging area, indicating that GD may pose a short-term risk of nutrient release to the water body. Hence, dredging methods with less residual sediments both during and after dredging improves the dredging quality.

The influence of dredging season on sediment properties and nutrient fluxes across the sediment–water interface remains unknown. This study collected sediment cores from two sites with different pollution levels in Meiliang Bay, Taihu Lake (China). The samples were used in simulation experiments designed to elucidated the effects of dredging on internal loading in different seasons. The results showed that dredging the upper 30 cm of sediment could effectively reduce the contents of organic matter, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus in the sediments. Total biological activity in the dredged sediment was weaker (p < 0.05) than in the undredged sediment in all seasons for both the Inner Bay and Outer Bay, but the effect of 30-cm dredging on sediment oxygen demand was negligible. Dredging had a significant controlling effect on phosphorus release in both the Inner Bay and Outer Bay, and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) fluxes from the dredged cores were generally lower (p < 0.05) than from the undredged cores. In contrast, NH4+-N fluxes from the dredged cores were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than from the undredged cores in all seasons for both sites, this indicates short-term risk of NH4+-N release after dredging, and this risk is greatest in seasons with higher temperatures, especially for the Inner Bay. Dredging had a limited effect on NO2−-N and NO3−-N fluxes at both sites. These results suggest that dredging could be a useful approach for decreasing internal loading in Taihu Lake, and that the seasons with low temperature (non-growing season) are suitable for performing dredging projects.

2,2′,4,4′-Tretrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE47) is known as a typical polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) due to its high environmental abundance, ecological toxicity, and bioaccumulation. In this study, the influences of three typical surfactants (CTAB, SDS, and TX-100) on BDE47 solubilization and degradation by the polyanionic cellulose–stabilized Pd/Fe (PAC-Pd/Fe) nanoparticles were investigated. The results showed that BDE47 solubilities increased linearly when surfactant concentrations were above their critical micelle concentrations (CMCs), and the solubilization capacities of surfactants for BDE47 followed the order of TX-100 > CTAB > SDS. The appropriate dosages of surfactants were favorable for BDE47 degradation due to enhancing solubilization and accelerating mass transfer, while excessive surfactants inhibited BDE47 degradation due to excessive and thicker micelles formed, but still higher than no surfactant. The influences of various factors (PAC-Pd/Fe nanoparticle dosage, solution pH, and temperature) on BDE47 degradation in TX-100 solution were also tested. The results showed that BDE47 degradation followed the pseudo first-order kinetics model. The degradation rates of BDE47 increased as PAC-Pd/Fe nanoparticle dosage and temperature increased. Weak acidic condition (pH 5.5) was favorable for BDE47 degradation with 96.8% BDE47 was removed within 7.5 min, while alkaline condition (9.0) was not conducive to the degradation of BDE47. The degradation of BDE47 by PAC-Pd/Fe nanoparticles was a catalytic reductive debromination process via active H-species attack, wherein the sequential debromination was the dominant reaction. This study suggests that in the presence of moderate surfactant, PAC-Pd/Fe nanoparticles may be potentially employed to eliminate BDE47 in contaminated water.

In aquatic ecosystems, ecological processes such as organic matter mineralization and nutrient cycling are regulated by benthic O2 in sediments, and application of in situ techniques in field environments has the potential to better define the links between O2 dynamics and the unique biogeochemical phenomena occurring in these regions. The effects of benthic O2 on sediment nutrients release were identified on the basis of field specific observations conducted over one and a half years at Taihu Lake. Sediment dredging (SD) practices have sharply reworked the benthic boundary oxidation layer, and the oxygen penetration depth (OPD) in the SD responded as expected to the new-born surface, increasing immediately (7.5 ± 0.8 – 10.5 ± 0.6 mm) after dredging, then further increasing with an unusually high heterogeneity when a significant submersed macrophytes (SM) coverage of about 40% was implemented. Multiple correlation analysis revealed that OPD was responsible for PO43− and NH4+ release. A lower benthic oxygen flux was immediately observed in dredging-related sediments in the case of dredging compared to SM or the control (CK), which suggested that oxygen demand is low in the uppermost sediments because of the degradable fresh organic carbon removal. SD and SDSM implementation was most successful at continuously reducing the size of PO43− released from sediments over one and a half years, and a significant seasonal-dependent release was also observed. The direction of flux was consistent among SD and SDSM, suggesting the potential to reduce internal PO43− release even further with the invasion of SM communities. Our results indicated that ecological engineering practices could alleviate internal nutrient loads from the contaminated bottom sediment, which was probably in positive response to benthic oxygen changes.

Growth of rooted aquatic macrophytes was affected by the nature and composition of lake bottom sediments. Obviously, it has been recognized as an important ecological restoration measure by improving lake substrate and then reestablishing and restoring aquatic macrophytes in order to get rid of the environmental problem of lake. This study simulated five covering thickness to give an insight into the influence of substrate amelioration on Phragmites communis growth and photosynthetic fluorescence characteristics. The results showed that the total biomass, plant height, leaf length and leaf width of Phragmites communis under capping 5 cm were much more significant than those of capping 18 cm (P<0.01), at the 120 d, the underground: shoot biomass ratio and fine root: underground biomass ratio were also much higher than those of other treatments(P<0.05), which indicated that capping 18 cm treatment would significantly inhibit the growth of Phragmites communis, but the growth of control group Phragmites communis was slightly constrained by eutrophicated sediment. In addition, as the capping thickness growing, the underground: shoot biomass ratio of the plant would be reduced dramatically, in order to acquire much more nutrients from sediment for plant growing, the underground biomass of Phragmites communis would be preferentially developed, especially, the biomass of fine root. However, Photosystem II (PS II) photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), quantum yield (Yield), photochemical quenching (qP), non-photochemical quenching (qN) of Phragmites communis under different treatments had no significant differences (P>0.05), furthermore, with much greater capping thickness, the photosynthesis structure of PS II would be much easier destroyed, and PS II would be protected by increasing heat dissipating and reducing leaf photosynthetic area and leaf light-captured pigment contents. In terms of the influence of sediment amelioration by soil exchange on the growth and photosynthetic fluorescence characteristics of Phragmites communis, plant growth could be effectively promoted under capping 2 cm and capping 5 cm by increasing the Eh value and nutrient content, whereas plant under capping 18 cm would be much easier adaptive to low-light stress in winter season, of which capping 2 cm treatment was conducive to enhance the initial slope of RLCs (α), maximum electron transport rate (ETRmax) and minimum saturating irradiance (Ek). With regard to the harness of environmental problem of lake, the eutrophication status of lake will be mitigated by using multi-ecological measures to control the internal nutrients content once the external loading was first effectively controlled.

A simulated experiment was carried out to study release features of internal source under different sediment dredging methods and the difference between two lake areas in Lake Taihu was also studied. The contaminated sediments were sampled from two sites in Meiliang Bay which were the Inner Bay (A) and the Outer Bay(B). Release rates of phosphorus after ideal dredging and suction dredging are about 20% and 72% of the control and the phosphorus release rate in Inner Bay(A) is about 80% of Outer Bay(B). Release rates of ammonia after ideal dredging and suction dredging are about 40% and 83% of the scallop dredging, but dredging process may even promote the release of ammonia in a short time, the ammonia release rate in Inner Bay(A) is about 150% higher than that in Outer Bay(B). Under the microcosm experiment condition, the ideal dredging method and the suction dredging method may have a better control of internal source in contrast with the scallop dredging. Altogether, sediment dredging may be a useful approach to decrease the release of internal source in the selected sites when the external nutrients are effectively controlled. Consider all kinds of dredging projects, the suction dredging should be the ideal option for sediment dredging in Lake Taihu.

A simulated experiment was conducted to investigate the impacts of sediment dredging on sediment resuspension and phosphorus transfer in the summer and winter seasons under the common wind-wave disturbance, and the contaminated sediment used in this study was from Meiliang Bay, Taihu lake. The result showed that 20 cm dredging could effectively inhibit the sediment resuspension in study area, dredging in winter has a better effect than that in summer, and the higher values of the total suspended solid (TSS) in undredged and dredged water column during the process of wind wave disturbance were 7.0 and 2.2, 24.3 and 6.4 times higher than the initial value in summer and winter simulation respectively. The paired-samples t-test result demonstrated that total phosphorus (TP) and phosphate (PO4(3-)-P) loading positively correlated to TSS content in dredged (P<0.01) and undredged water column (P<0.05), which proved that internal phosphorus fulminating release induced by wind-wave disturbance would significantly increase the TP and PO4(3-)-P loading in the water column. The effect of dredging conducted in summer on the TP and PO4(3)-P loading in the water column was negative, but not for winter dredging (P<0.01). The pore water dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) profile at water-sediment interface in summer simulation was also investigated by diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique. Diffusion layer of the DRP profile in undredged sediment was wider than that in dredged sediment. However, the DRP diffusion potential in dredged sediment was greater than that in undredged sediment, showing that dredging can effectively reduce the risk of the DRP potential release in dredged pore water, but also would induce the DRP fulminating release in the short time under hydrodynamic action. Generally, dredging was usually deployed during the summer and the autumn. Considering Taihu Lake is a large, shallow, eutrophic lake and the contaminant distribution is spatially heterogeneous, it is vital to determine the optimal time, depth and scope of dredging.

Self-made glass reactors were employed to study the occurrence of black water bloom induced by different types of organic matters, to clarify the precursor of volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs), and then to preliminarily study its degradation mechanisms under laboratory-controlled conditions. Our research indicated that provided organic matrix were as high as 1.0 g x L(-1), all organic matters could blacken the lake water regardless of sulfur appearance or not. However, compared with sulfur-free compounds that took more than 13 d to blacken the water, sulfur containing materials could accelerate the occurrence of black color to 7-13 d and increase the water chromaticity to above 410 which causing offensive odor consisted chiefly of DMDS, DMTS and DMTeS. Based on the function of methionine on the production of VOSCs, methionine was identified to be the precursors of VOSCs. Methionine was readily broke down by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) (also other bacteria) (at 95% with the duration of 35 d) to produce hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, and dominantly dimethylpolysulfides such as DMDS, DMTS and DMTeS. And the occurrence of black color had been advanced from 13 d to 8 d. Methanogenic bacteria slightly inhibited the degradation of methionine and reduced the evolution of sulfide. Therefore, the addition of methanogenic bacteria inhibitor set the formation of black color ahead by 1 d. Methionine was also degraded by nonbiodegradation, but it was a secondary pathway and cannot completely degrade methionine to blacken the water.

Sediment compaction is one of the major contributors to lakeshore wetland deterioration and shrinkage. A novel and relatively cost-effective in-site technology was implemented to alleviate the problem by loosening surface sediments. In the present study, the effect of a slight loosening method (cross-shaped tillage, CT), a heavy loosening method (plow-tillage, PT), and sand capping (SC) on sediment properties and Phragmites australis growth was investigated in mesocosm tanks. The results indicated that the loosening sediment methods, especially PT, increased the porosity and the water content and decreased the bulk density in the upper 0–5 cm of sediments. O2 exchanges across the water–sediment interface were accelerated by 36 and 52% (from approximately 4.73 in CK (control treatment) to 7.21 in PT and 6.45 mmol O2 m−2 d−1 in CT, respectively). The SC, PT and CT methods increased the O2 concentration in the bottom water and the O2 penetration depth (about a week at a quasi-steady state situation), ranging from 0.79 ± 0.08 mm in CK to 2.44 ± 0.27, 1.45 ± 0.09 and 2.38 ± 0.28 mm in SC, PT and CT, respectively). For comparison, a sharp increase in the P. australis relative growth rate was observed in SC, PT and CT of 9.2, 12.8 and 12.9 mg g−1 d−1, respectively, with an increase of 1.3- to 1.9-fold compared to the control. Based on our results, we recommend an appropriately loosening the compacted sediment method as an alternative for lakeshore wetland restoration.

Using water hyacinth and other fast-growing and high biomass of floating plants to purify polluted water has become an efficient and effective ecological restoration method at present. Effects of nutrients adsorption and water purification of planting water hyacinth on water quality in Zhushan Bay were studied. The results indicated that no anoxia was observed in water hyacinth planting areas because of wave disturbance and strong water exchange. Concentrations of TN and TP in water hyacinth planting areas were higher than that in the outside of stocking area (the content ranged 3.03-7.45 mg/L and 0.15-0.38 mg/L, respectively), and the content changes ranged 3.37-8.02 mg/L and 0.15-0.36 mg/L,respectively. The higher concentration of TN and TP in water indicated the water body was heavily polluted. Water hyacinth roots have a strong ability to adsorb suspended solids and algae cells, the concentration of Chl-a in stocking areas was higher than that in stocking fringe and outside, the maximum Chlorophyll in the stocking region in August was 177.01 mg/m3, and at the same time the concentrations in planting fringe and outside were 101.53 mg/m3 and 76.96 mg/m, respectively. Higher Chl-a content on water hyacinth roots indicated that water hyacinth had strong blocking effects on algae cells, and demonstrated it had a great purification effects on eutrophicated water, and it also provides a basis for the larger polluted water bodies purification in using water hyacinth.