ORCID Profile
0000-0003-4683-1267
Current Organisation
Monash University
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Civil Engineering | Structural Engineering | Construction Materials |
Cement and Concrete Materials | Cement Products and Concrete Materials | Civil Construction Design
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2017.03.025
Abstract: Recent studies report high concentrations of haloacetic acids (HAAs), a prevalent class of toxic disinfection by-products, in swimming pool water (SPW). We investigated the removal of 9 HAAs by four commercial reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes. Under typical SPW conditions (pH 7.5 and 50 mM ionic strength), HAA rejections were >60% for NF270 with molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) equal to 266 Da and equal or higher than 90% for XLE, NF90 and SB50 with MWCOs of 96, 118 and 152 Da, respectively, as a result of the combined effects of size exclusion and charge repulsion. We further included 7 neutral hydrophilic surrogates as molecular probes to resolve the rejection mechanisms. In the absence of strong electrostatic interaction (e.g., pH 3.5), the rejection data of HAAs and surrogates by various membranes fall onto an identical size-exclusion (SE) curve when plotted against the relative-size parameter, i.e., the ratio of molecular radius over membrane pore radius. The independence of this SE curve on molecular structures and membrane properties reveals that the relative-size parameter is a more fundamental SE descriptor compared to molecular weight. An effective molecular size with the Stokes radius accounting for size exclusion and the Debye length accounting for electrostatic interaction was further used to evaluate the rejection. The current study provides valuable insights on the rejection of trace contaminants by RO/NF membranes.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2011
DOI: 10.1039/C0EE00828A
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.JHAZMAT.2017.11.004
Abstract: Bottom ashes generated from municipal solid waste incineration have gained increasing popularity as alternative construction materials, however, they contains elevated heavy metals posing a challenge for its free usage. Different leaching methods are developed to quantify leaching potential of incineration bottom ashes meanwhile guide its environmentally friendly application. Yet, there are erse IBA applications while the in situ environment is always complicated, challenging its legislation. In this study, leaching tests were conveyed using batch and column leaching methods with seawater as opposed to deionized water, to unveil the metal leaching potential of IBA subjected to salty environment, which is commonly encountered when using IBA in land reclamation yet not well understood. Statistical analysis for different leaching methods suggested disparate performance between seawater and deionized water primarily ascribed to ionic strength. Impacts of leachant are metal-specific dependent on leaching methods and have a function of intrinsic characteristics of incineration bottom ashes. Leaching performances were further compared on additional perspectives, e.g. leaching approach and liquid to solid ratio, indicating sophisticated leaching potentials dominated by combined geochemistry. It is necessary to develop application-oriented leaching methods with corresponding leaching criteria to preclude discriminations between different applications, e.g., terrestrial applications vs. land reclamation.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.JES.2016.04.013
Abstract: Source separation sanitation systems have attracted more and more attention recently. However, separate urine collection and treatment could induce odor issues, especially in large scale application. In order to avoid such issues, it is necessary to monitor the odor related compounds that might be generated during urine storage. This study investigated the odorous compounds that emitted from source-separated human urine under different hydrolysis conditions. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of temperature, stale/fresh urine ratio and urine dilution on odor emissions. It was found that ammonia, dimethyl disulfide, allyl methyl sulfide and 4-heptanone were the main odorous compounds generated from human urine, with headspace concentrations hundreds of times higher than their respective odor thresholds. Furthermore, the high temperature accelerated urine hydrolysis and liquid-gas mass transfer, resulting a remarkable increase of odor emissions from the urine solution. The addition of stale urine enhanced urine hydrolysis and expedited odor emissions. On the contrary, diluted urine emitted less odorous compounds ascribed to reduced concentrations of odorant precursors. In addition, this study quantified the odor emissions and revealed the constraints of urine source separation in real-world applications. To address the odor issue, several control strategies are recommended for odor mitigation or elimination from an engineering perspective.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2014
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2012
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25947H
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2017
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2014
DOI: 10.1002/JCTB.4535
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 14-07-2015
DOI: 10.1111/BOJ.12298
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-2009
DOI: 10.3155/1047-3289.59.6.715
Abstract: The rate at which motor vehicle exhaust undergoes dilution with ambient air will greatly affect the size distribution characteristics of the particulate emissions. Wind tunnel experiments were conducted to investigate the impacts of vehicle shape, tailpipe orientation, and exhaust exit velocity on the dilution profiles under steady driving conditions for three model vehicles: a light-duty truck, a passenger car, and a heavy-duty tractor head. A three dimensional array of 60 sensors provided simultaneous measurements of dilution ratios for the emissions in the near- and far-wake regions downstream of the vehicle. The processes underlying the observations were investigated via nondimensionalization. Many of the trends seen substantially downstream can be well generalized using a simple nondimensionalization technique however, this is not true in the near-wake region (within a downstream distance equivalent to a few vehicle heights). In the near-wake region, using the vehicle width and length to normalize for the vehicle shape is not enough to fully account for the variations seen. Including the exhaust flow rate in the nondimensionalization process is effective further downwind but does not adequately capture the complexity in the near-wake region. Tailpipe orientation and location are also shown to be influential factors affecting the near-wake dilution characteristics.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2012.12.061
Abstract: Cytostatic drugs have been widely used for chemotherapy for decades. However, many of them have been categorized as carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic compounds, triggering widespread concerns about their occupational exposure and ecotoxicological risks to the environment. This review focuses on trace presence, fate and ecotoxicity of various cytostatic compounds in the environment, with an emphasis on the major sources contributing to their environmental concentrations. Past records have documented findings mainly on hospital effluents though little effort has been directed to household discharges. There is also a lack in physico-chemical data for forecasting the chemodynamics of cytostatics in natural waters along with its human metabolites and environmental transformation products. In this light, obtaining comprehensive ecotoxicity data is becoming pressingly crucial to determine their actual impacts on the ecosystem. Literature review also reveals urinary excretion as a major contributor to various cytostatic residues appeared in the water cycle. As such, engaging urine source-separation as a part of control strategy holds a rosy prospect of addressing the "emerging" contamination issue. State-of-the-art treatment technologies should be incorporated to further remove cytostatic residues from the source-separating urine stream. The benefits, limitations and trends of development in this domain are covered for membrane bio-reactor, reverse/forward osmosis and advanced oxidation processes. Despite the respective seeming advantages of source separation and treatment technology, a combined strategy may cost-effectively prevent the cytostatic residues from seeping into the environment. However, the combination calls for further evaluation on the associated technological, social-economic and administrative issues at hand.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-01-2017
DOI: 10.1007/S11356-017-8476-9
Abstract: In this study, a Bi
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2018.10.024
Abstract: The microbial safety of swimming pool waters (SPWs) becomes increasingly important with the popularity of swimming activities. Disinfection aiming at killing microbes in SPWs produces disinfection by-products (DBPs), which has attracted considerable public attentions due to their high frequency of occurrence, considerable concentrations and potent toxicity. We reviewed the latest research progress within the last four decades on the regulation, formation, exposure, and treatment of DBPs in the context of SPWs. This paper specifically discussed DBP regulations in different regions, formation mechanisms related with disinfectants, precursors and other various conditions, human exposure assessment reflected by biomarkers or epidemiological evidence, and the control and treatment of DBPs. Compared to drinking water with natural organic matter as the main organic precursor of DBPs, the additional human inputs (i.e., body fluids and personal care products) to SPWs make the water matrix more complicated and lead to the formation of more types and greater concentrations of DBPs. Dermal absorption and inhalation are two main exposure pathways for trihalomethanes while ingestion for haloacetic acids, reflected by DBP occurrence in human matrices including exhaled air, urine, blood, and plasma. Studies show that membrane filtration, advanced oxidation processes, biodegradation, thermal degradation, chemical reduction, and some hybrid processes are the potential DBP treatment technologies. The removal efficiency, possible mechanisms and future challenges of these DBP treatment methods are summarized in this review, which may facilitate their full-scale applications and provide potential directions for further research extension.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2015
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 1994
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2018
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 19-07-2011
DOI: 10.1021/JE200466W
Publisher: IEEE
Date: 07-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2013.09.025
Abstract: Struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) precipitation is widely used for nutrient recovery from source-separated urine in view of limited natural resources. Spontaneous struvite formation depletes the magnesium in hydrolyzed urine so that additional magnesium source is required to produce induced struvite for P-recovery. The present study investigated the morphology and purity of induced struvite crystals obtained from hydrolyzed urine by using seawater and desalination brine as low cost magnesium sources. The results demonstrated that both seawater and brine were effective magnesium sources to recover phosphorus from hydrolyzed urine. Crystals obtained from synthetic and real urine were revealed that the morphology was feather and coffin shape, respectively. Structural characterization of the precipitates confirmed that crystallized struvite was the main product. However, co-precipitates magnesium calcite and calcite were observed when seawater was added into synthetic and real urine, respectively. It was found that the presence of calcium in the magnesium sources could compromise struvite purity. Higher struvite purity could be obtained with higher Mg/Ca ratio in the magnesium source. Comparative analysis indicated that seawater and brine had similar effect on the crystallized struvite purity.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2011
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2011
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2017
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 18-07-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2016.05.088
Abstract: Sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) is the most commonly used disinfectant in pool treatment system. Outdoor pools usually suffer from the strong sunlight irradiation which degrades the free chlorine rapidly. In addition, more pools start to adopt the recirculation of swimming pool water, which intensifies the disinfection by-product (DBP) accumulation issue. Given these potential drawbacks of using NaClO in the tropical environment, two alternative organic-based disinfectants, trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA, C3Cl3N3O3) and bromochlorodimethylhydantoin (BCDMH, C5H6BrClN2O2), were investigated and compared to NaClO in terms of their self-degradation and the formation of DBPs, including trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs), under simulated tropical climate conditions. The result reveals that halogen stabilizer, TCCA, had the advantages of slower free chlorine degradation and lower DBP concentration compared to NaClO, which makes it a good alternative disinfectant. BCDMH was not recommended mainly due to the highly reactive disinfecting ingredient, hypobromous acid (HBrO), which fails to sustain the continuous disinfection requirement. Total disinfectant dosage was the main factor that affects residual chlorine/bromine and THM/HAA formation regardless of different disinfectant dosing methods, e.g. shock dosing (one-time spiking) in the beginning, and continuous dosing during the whole experimental period. Two-stage second-order-kinetic-based models demonstrate a good correlation between the measured and predicted data for chlorine decay (R(2) ≥ 0.95), THM (R(2) ≥ 0.99) and HAA (R(2) ≥ 0.83) formation. Higher temperature was found to enhance the DBP formation due to the temperature dependence of reaction rates. Thus, temperature control of pools, especially for those preferring higher temperatures (e.g. hydrotherapy and spa), should take both bather comfort and DBP formation potential into consideration. It is also observed that chlorine competition existed between different precursors from natural organic matters (NOM) in filling water and body fluid analogue (BFA). Among the composition of BFA, uric acid, citric acid and hippuric acid were found to be the main precursors for HAA formation.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.JHAZMAT.2016.11.016
Abstract: The ever-increasing consumption of various cytostatic drugs (CSDs) has attracted growing public concern in recent years. The photodegradation of 8 CSDs was investigated using a low-pressure UV-254Hg l , resulting in fluence-based first-order kinetic rate constants in the range of (0.20-6.97)×10
Publisher: American Society of Plant Taxonomists
Date: 09-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2017
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-05-2016
DOI: 10.1007/S11356-016-6826-7
Abstract: We conducted multiday continuous monitoring of indoor and outdoor particulate matter (PM) in classrooms with fan-assisted natural ventilation (NV) at five primary schools in Singapore. We monitored size-resolved number concentration of PM with diameter 0.3-10 μm at all schools and alveolar deposited surface area concentrations of PM with diameter 0.01-1.0 μm (SA0.01-1.0) at two schools. Results show that, during the monitoring period, schools closer to expressways and in the downtown area had 2-3 times higher outdoor PM0.3-1.0 number concentrations than schools located in suburban areas. Average indoor SA0.01-1.0 was 115-118 μm(2) cm(-3) during periods of occupancy and 72-87 μm(2) cm(-3) during unoccupied periods. There were close indoor and outdoor correlations for fine PM during both occupied and unoccupied periods (Pearson's r = 0.84-1.0) while the correlations for coarse PM were weak during the occupied periods (r = 0.13-0.74). Across all the schools, the size-resolved indoor/outdoor PM ratios (I/O ratios) were 0.81 to 1.58 and 0.61 to 0.95 during occupied and unoccupied periods, respectively, and average infiltration factors were 0.64 to 0.94. Average PM net emission rates, calculated during periods of occupancy in the classrooms, were lower than or in the lower range of emission rates reported in the literature. This study also reveals that indoor fine and submicron PM predominantly come from outdoor sources, while indoor sources associated with occupancy may be important for coarse PM even when the classrooms have high air exchange rates.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2019.02.120
Abstract: Infants and children under 6 years old spend most of daily time in Child Care Centers (CCCs), especially in the tropical regions like Singapore. Environmental exposure and associated risk during this early critical developmental stage is of great public concern. In this study, seven representative volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and five typical phthalates were analyzed in the indoor and outdoor air s les collected from 32 Singapore CCCs. The median of total VOC and phthalate concentration in indoor air was 19.03 and 5.41 μg m
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2017
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 30-11-2015
Publisher: Taiwan Association for Aerosol Research
Date: 2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2019.125254
Abstract: Permeability significantly affects leachate transportation. Yet, there often exists a gap for its measurements between laboratory and the field. To predict the fate and transport of heavy metals from IBA leaching, a large-scale field trial study was performed using a big column (d × h = 3 m × 5.5 m) packed with 1-m thickness of IBA (approx. 10.6 tons) overlaid by 4-m sand layer. The determined field permeability (k
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 22-01-2013
DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2013.763306
Abstract: Source-separating urine from other domestic wastewaters promotes a more sustainable municipal wastewater treatment system. This study investigated the feasibility and potential issues of applying a urine source-separation system in tropical urban settings. The results showed that source-separated urine underwent rapid urea-hydrolysis (ureolysis) at temperatures between 34-40 degrees C, stale/fresh urine ratios greater than 40%, and/or with slight fecal cross-contamination. Undiluted (or low-diluted) urine favored ureolysis this can be monitored by measuring conductivity as a reliable and efficient indicator The optimized parameters demonstrated that an effective urine source-separation system is achievable in tropical urban areas. On the other hand, the initial release of CO2 and NH3 led to an elevated pressure in the headspace of the collection reservoir, which then dropped to a negative value, primarily due to oxygen depletion by the microbial activity in the gradually alkalized urine. Another potential odor source during the ureolysis process was derived from the high production of volatile fatty acids (VFA), which were mainly acetic, propanoic, and butyric acids. Health concerns related to odor issues might limit the application of source separation systems in urban areas it is therefore vital to systematically monitor and control the odor emissions from a source separation system. As such, an enhanced ureolysis process can attenuate the odor emissions. Urine source separation is promising to improve the management of domestic wastewater in a more sustainable way. The work demonstrates the achievability of an effective urine source-separation system in tropical urban areas. The installation of urine-stabilization tanks beneath high-rise buildings lowers the risk of pipe clogging. Conductivity measurement can be utilized as a reliable process indicator for an automated system. However, urine hydrolysis raises a strong potential of odor emission (both inorganic and organic), which might limit the application of source separation systems in urban areas. An enhanced ureolysis process could shorten and attenuate the odor emissions.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-1998
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2018
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 07-03-2014
DOI: 10.1021/ES405266D
Abstract: Separating urine from domestic wastewater promotes a more sustainable municipal wastewater treatment system. This study investigated the feasibility of applying a forward osmosis (FO) dewatering process for nutrient recovery from source-separated urine under different conditions, using seawater or desalination brine as a low-cost draw solution. The filtration process with the active layer facing feed solution exhibited relatively high water fluxes up to 20 L/m(2)-h. The process also revealed relatively low rejection to neutral organic nitrogen (urea-N) in fresh urine but improved rejection of ammonium (50-80%) in hydrolyzed urine and high rejection (>90%) of phosphate, potassium in most cases. Compared to simulation based on the solution-diffusion mechanism, higher water flux and solute flux were obtained using fresh or hydrolyzed urine as the feed, which was attributed to the intensive forward nutrient permeation (i.e., of urea, ammonium, and potassium). Membrane fouling could be avoided by prior removal of the spontaneously precipitated crystals in urine. Compared to other urine treatment options, the current process was cost-effective and environmentally friendly for nutrient recovery from urban wastewater at source, yet a comprehensive life-cycle impact assessment might be needed to evaluate and optimize the overall system performance at pilot and full scale operation.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2018.01.107
Abstract: Incineration bottom ash (IBA) as potential material for land reclamation was investigated, based on leaching tests, sorption studies and simulation models. Based on batch and column leaching tests, Cr, Cu, Hg and Ni in the IBA leachates were measured as high as 510 μg/L, 20330 μg/L, 5.1 μg/L and 627 μg/L, respectively, presenting potential environmental risks. Sorption study was then performed with various concentrations of IBA leachates on sands and excavated materials. Partitioning coefficients of targeting metals were determined to be 6.5 (Cr), 18.4 (Cu), 16.6 (Hg), and 1.8 (Ni) for sands, while 17.4 (Cr), 13.6 (Cu), 67.1 (Hg), and 0.9 (Ni) for excavated materials, much lower than literature in favor of their transportation. Deterministic and Monte Carlo simulation was further performed under designated boundaries, combined with measured geotechnical parameters: density, porosity, permeability, partitioning coefficient, observed diffusivity, hydraulic gradient, etc., to quantitatively predict metals' fate during IBA land reclamation. Environmental risks were quantitatively unveiled in terms of predicted time of breakthrough for the targeting metals (comparing to US EPA criterion for maximum or continuous concentration). Sands were of little effects for all metals' breakthrough (1 month or less) under advection, while excavated materials sufficiently retained metals from thousands up to millions of years, under diffusion or advection. Permeability next to the IBA layer as the major risk-limiting factor, dominated transport of IBA leachates into the field. The current study provides discrimination of environmental risks associated with metals and a quantitative guidance of project design for IBA utilization in land reclamation.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2016
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 15-12-2016
DOI: 10.1007/S10661-016-5722-4
Abstract: One-dimensional boring presents limitations on mapping the refuse profile in old landfills owning to waste heterogeneity. Electrical imaging (EI) and multiple-analysis of surface wave (MASW) were hereby deployed at an old dumping ground in Singapore to explore the subsurface in relation to geotechnical analysis. MASW estimated the refuse boundary with a higher precision as compared to EI, due to its endurance for moisture variation. EI and MASW transection profiles suggested spots of interest, e.g., refuse pockets and leachate mounds. 3D inversion of EI and MASW data further illustrated the transformation dynamics derived by natural attenuation, for instance the preferential infiltration pathway. Comparison of geophysical surveys at different years uncovered the subterranean landfill conditions, indicating strong impacts induced by aging, precipitation, and settlement. This study may shed light on a characterization framework of old landfills via combined geophysical models, thriving landfill knowledge with a higher creditability.
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 12-11-2016
DOI: 10.1111/INA.12352
Abstract: In a warm and humid climate, increasing the temperature set point offers considerable energy benefits with low first costs. Elevated air movement generated by a personally controlled fan can compensate for the negative effects caused by an increased temperature set point. Fifty-six tropically acclimatized persons in common Singaporean office attire (0.7 clo) were exposed for 90 minutes to each of five conditions: 23, 26, and 29°C and in the latter two cases with and without occupant-controlled air movement. Relative humidity was maintained at 60%. We tested thermal comfort, perceived air quality, sick building syndrome symptoms, and cognitive performance. We found that thermal comfort, perceived air quality, and sick building syndrome symptoms are equal or better at 26°C and 29°C than at the common set point of 23°C if a personally controlled fan is available for use. The best cognitive performance (as indicated by task speed) was obtained at 26°C at 29°C, the availability of an occupant-controlled fan partially mitigated the negative effect of the elevated temperature. The typical Singaporean indoor air temperature set point of 23°C yielded the lowest cognitive performance. An elevated set point in air-conditioned buildings augmented with personally controlled fans might yield benefits for reduced energy use and improved indoor environmental quality in tropical climates.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-10-2019
Abstract: Together with the more intuitive and commonly recognized conductance mechanisms of charge‐hopping and tunneling, quantum‐interference (QI) phenomena have been identified as important factors affecting charge transport through molecules. Consequently, establishing simple and flexible molecular‐design strategies to understand, control, and exploit QI in molecular junctions poses an exciting challenge. Here we demonstrate that destructive quantum interference (DQI) in meta ‐substituted phenylene ethylene‐type oligomers ( m ‐OPE) can be tuned by changing the position and conformation of methoxy (OMe) substituents at the central phenylene ring. These substituents play the role of molecular‐scale taps, which can be switched on or off to control the current flow through a molecule. Our experimental results conclusively verify recently postulated magic‐ratio and orbital‐product rules, and highlight a novel chemical design strategy for tuning and gating DQI features to create single‐molecule devices with desirable electronic functions.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2014
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 11-10-2011
DOI: 10.1021/ES202078N
Abstract: The effects of exposure concentration on the bioaccumulation of four perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs): perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluoroocanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), was investigated using green mussels, Perna viridis. Mussels were exposed to concentrations of 1 μgL(-1) and 10 μgL(-1) of each PFC for 56 days, and the bioaccumulation factors (BAF) were found to range from 15 to 859 L/kg and from 12 to 473 L/kg at 1 μgL(-1) and 10 μgL(-1), respectively. For all compounds, the BAF was larger at the lower dosage. Results suggest that the bioaccumulation of PFCs is concentration dependent. This concentration dependency can be explained by a nonlinear adsorption mechanism, which was further supported by the experimental results. The sensitivity of BAF to exposure concentration was found to be positively related to perfluorinated chain length and the binding affinity of the compounds. Bioaccumulation of long chain carboxylates and sulfonates are more easily affected by concentration changes. The validity of the conventional kinetic method was examined by comparing the results with the fundamental steady-state method: in addition to the above-mentioned batch test, mussels were also subject to 24-day exposure (1 μgL(-1) and 10 μgL(-1)) followed by 24-day depuration. Contradictions were found in the resulting kinetic BAF and model curving fittings. A new kinetic model based on adsorption mechanism was proposed, which potentially provide more accurate description of the bioaccumulation process of PFCs.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2016
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1039/C3AY40089A
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2018.10.407
Abstract: Data from large-scale field trial experiments simulating the application of incineration bottom ash (IBA) for land reclamation were re-explored, to understand the spot-specific leaching characteristics and re-adsorption of heavy metals associated with various reclamation scenarios. Data showed that IBA leaching changed significantly as a function of seawater depth rather than time. The application of a chute had a minor effect on the total metal leached amounts however, it would magnify the gradient of leaching concentrations across depths. Metal re-adsorption occurred within half an hour after IBA dumping, which however was significantly alleviated when a chute was applied. It may be ascribed to various degrees of contact with seawater of IBA, seawater movements and particle resuspension. Batch leaching tests from the laboratory under different L/S ratios were conducted as the references to "effective" leaching behaviors in the large-scale experiments, suggesting that the batch leaching test with the liquid to solid ratio = 10 provide a closer estimation of IBA leaching concentrations during land reclamation. As the current study took account of major field factors during land reclamation, including seawater depth (m), IBA loading (ton), IBA dropping method, particle dispersive area (m
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-05-2016
Abstract: Heavy metals and some metalloids are the most significant inorganic contaminants specified in toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) in determining the safety of landfills or further utilization. As a consequence, a great deal of efforts had been made on the development of miniaturized analytical devices, such as Microchip Electrophoresis (ME) and μTAS for on-site testing of heavy metals and metalloids to prevent spreading of those pollutants or decrease the reutilization period of waste materials such as incineration bottom ash. However, the bottleneck lied in the long and tedious conventional TCLP that requires 18 h of leaching. Without accelerating the TCLP process, the on-site testing of the waste material leachates was impossible. In this study, therefore, a new accelerated leaching method (ALM) combining ultrasonic assisted leaching with tumbling was developed to reduce the total leaching time from 18 h to 30 min. After leaching, the concentrations of heavy metals and metalloids were determined with ICP-MS or ICP-optical emission spectroscopy. No statistical significance between ALM and TCLP was observed for most heavy metals (i.e., cobalt, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, silver, strontium, and tin) and metalloids (i.e., arsenic and selenium). For the heavy metals with statistical significance, correlation factors derived between ALM and TCLP were 0.56, 0.20, 0.037, and 0.019 for barium, cadmium, chromium, and lead, respectively. Combined with appropriate analytical techniques (e.g., ME), the ALM can be applied to rapidly prepare the incineration bottom ash s les as well as other environmental s les for on-site determination of heavy metals and metalloids.
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 14-11-2016
DOI: 10.1111/INA.12349
Abstract: Utilizing the ultraviolet light-induced fluorescence (UV-LIF) measurement technique as embodied in the Waveband Integrated Bioaerosol Sensor (WIBS-4A), we evaluated the fluorescent particle emissions associated with human shedding while walking in a chamber. The mean emission rates of supermicron (1-10 μm) fluorescent particles were in the range 6.8-7.5 million particles per person-h (~0.3 mg per person-h) across three participants, for conditions when the relative humidity was 60%-70% and no moisturizer was applied after showering. The fluorescent particles displayed a lognormal distribution with the geometric mean diameter in the range 2.5-4 μm and exhibited asymmetry factors that increased with particle size. Use of moisturizer was associated with changes in number and mass emission rates, size distribution, and particle shape. Emission rates were lower when the relative humidity was reduced, but these differences were not statistically significant.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.WASMAN.2016.04.033
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to track the long-term trends of contaminants distribution in the old landfill of Singapore through monitored natural attenuation and to explore the main parameters that rule such transition. Contaminants distribution, including dissolved organic matter (DOM), inorganic species, heavy metals, and organic compounds, was investigated via monitoring wells in the years 1997, 2004 and 2011. The data revealed that the distribution of contaminants possessed selective attention of spots associated with leachate movement. The hydrogeology of the landfill governed the fate and transportation of contaminants. More specifically, strong statistical correlations were identified between DOM and certain constituents in the leachate, suggesting enhanced mobilization potential. However, the leachate composition exhibited limited correspondence to the nearby solid waste, indicating the minor effect induced by the partitioning coefficient. The presence of sulphate unveiled air intrusion, suggesting increased stability of the landfill, where enhanced biodegradation occurred at earlier period responsible for higher BOD removal. Afterwards other parameters continued to facilitate the compounds removal resulting in overall low concentrations of the contaminants.
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 24-05-2016
DOI: 10.1111/INA.12306
Abstract: Air-conditioning systems harbor microorganisms, potentially spreading them to indoor environments. While air and surfaces in air-conditioning systems are periodically s led as potential sources of indoor microbes, little is known about the dynamics of cooling coil-associated communities and their effect on the downstream airflow. Here, we conducted a 4-week time series s ling to characterize the succession of an air-conditioning duct and cooling coil after cleaning. Using an universal primer pair targeting hypervariable regions of the 16S/18S ribosomal RNA, we observed a community succession for the condensed water, with the most abundant airborne taxon Agaricomycetes fungi dominating the initial phase and Sphingomonas bacteria becoming the most prevalent taxa toward the end of the experiment. Duplicate air s les collected upstream and downstream of the coil suggest that the system does not act as ecological filter or source/sink for specific microbial taxa during the duration of the experiment.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.JENVMAN.2014.01.052
Abstract: To enhance local water security, the Singapore government promotes two water conservation policies: the use of eco-friendly toilets to reduce yellow water (YW) disposal and the installation of water efficient devices to minimize gray water (GW) discharge. The proposed water conservation policies have different impacts on the environmental performance of local wastewater management. The main purpose of this study is to examine and compare the impacts of different domestic wastewater streams and the effectiveness of two water conservation policies by means of life cycle assessment (LCA). LCA is used to compare three scenarios, including a baseline scenario (BL), YW-reduced scenario (YWR) and GW-reduced scenario (GWR). The BL is designed based on the current wastewater management system, whereas the latter two scenarios are constructed according to the two water conservation policies that are proposed by the Singapore government. The software SIMPARO 7.3 with local data and an eco-invent database is used to build up the model, and the functional unit is defined as the daily wastewater disposal of a Singapore resident. Due to local water supply characteristics, the system boundary is extended to include the sewage sludge management and tap water production processes. The characterization results indicate that the GWR has a significant impact reduction (22-25%) while the YWR has only a 2-4% impact reduction compared with the BL. The contribution analysis reveals that the GW dominates many impact categories except eutrophication potential. The tap water production is identified as the most influential process due to its high embodied energy demand in a local context. Life cycle costing analysis shows that both YWR and GWR are financially favorable. It is also revealed that the current water conservation policies could only achieve Singapore's short-term targets. Therefore, two additional strategies are recommended for achieving long-term goals. This study provides a comprehensive and reliable environmental profile of Singapore's wastewater management with the help of extended system boundary and local data. This work also fills the research gap of previous studies by identifying the contribution of different wastewater streams, which would serve as a good reference for source-separating sanitation system design.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2014.04.017
Abstract: Concerns regarding perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) have grown significantly in recent years. However, regulations and guidelines regarding the emission and treatment of PFCs are still missing in most parts of the world, mostly due to the lack of PFC toxicity data. In the current study, the genotoxic effects of four common PFCs, named perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluoroocanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were investigated on marine mussels. The effects of exposure time and concentration on the toxic behavior of the compounds were also examined. Genotoxicity of PFCs was assessed in biomarker assays, showing that exposure to the target compounds could damage the organism's genetic material to varying extents, including DNA strand breaks and fragmentation, chromosomal breaks and apoptosis. The adverse effects increased with both exposure concentration and time and were related with the organism burden of PFCs. The integrated biomarker response analysis demonstrated that PFOS exhibited a higher genotoxicity than the other tested compounds. The EC50 values and confidence intervals based on integrative genotoxicity were 33 (29-37), 594 (341-1036), 195 (144-265) and 78 (73-84) μg/L for PFOS, PFOA, PFNA and PFDA respectively, classifying PFOS as a highly genotoxic compound. Although primary DNA damage was shown to be recoverable after exposure ceased, permanent genetic damage caused by elevated PFC concentrations was not restored. This is the first ecotoxicity study of PFCs that focuses on the genotoxic effects of the compounds, clearly indicating the genotoxicity of the tested PFCs and demonstrating that functional groups have a major impact on the compounds' genotoxic behavior.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2016.11.040
Abstract: We investigated the removal of haloacetic acids (HAAs) from swimming pool waters (SPWs) by two nanofiltration membranes NF270 and NF90. The strong matrix effect (particularly by Ca
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2013
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-08-2013
DOI: 10.1002/ETC.2306
Abstract: Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) are a group of compounds with varying carbon chains and functional groups. Currently, available toxicity studies of PFCs are limited mainly to dominant species. While many other PFCs are detected in the environment and biota, it is important to extend toxicity studies to different types of PFCs to better assess their environmental and ecological impacts. In the present study, the environmental toxicity of perfluorooctanesulfonate, perfluoroocanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, and perfluorodecanoic acid were evaluated in green mussel, Perna viridis, using a new and improved integrated biomarker approach, the enhanced integrated biomarker response (EIBR) system, with biomarkers from multiple biological levels. Structure-activity relationships were also examined based on the biomarker results. The results show that the 4 PFCs have distinct toxicity patterns and the integrative toxicity, in terms of the EIBR value, is governed by the fluorinated chain length. In addition to commonly recognized chain length and functional group effects, several structural factors are also involved in the toxic actions of PFCs, including hydrophobicity and molecular size, and so on. By integrating biomarkers from multiple biological levels with weight-of-evidence, the proposed EIBR provides a new perspective and an ecologically relevant assessment of the environmental toxicity of the pollutants. The results of EIBR and structure-activity analysis are also useful to predict toxic behaviors of other PFCs in the group and facilitate the decision-making process.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 20-09-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2012
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHROMA.2012.03.053
Abstract: The study attempts to utilize thermal desorption (TD) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for determination of indoor airborne volatile polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs), including four fluorinated alcohols (FTOHs), two fluorooctane sulfonamides (FOSAs), and two fluorooctane sulfonamidoethanols (FOSEs). Standard stainless steel tubes of Tenax/Carbograph 1 TD were employed for low-volume s ling and exhibited minimal breakthrough of target analytes in s le collection. The method recoveries were in the range of 88-119% for FTOHs, 86-138% for FOSAs, exhibiting significant improvement compared with other existing air s ling methods. However, the widely reported high method recoveries of FOSEs were also observed (139-210%), which was probably due to the structural differences between FOSEs and internal standards. Method detection limit, repeatability, linearity, and accuracy were reported as well. The approach has been successfully applied to routine quantification of targeted PFASs in indoor environment of Singapore. The significantly shorter s ling time enabled the observation of variations of concentrations of targeted PFASs within different periods of a day, with higher concentration levels at night while ventilation systems were shut off. This indicated the existence of indoor sources and the importance of building ventilation and air conditioning system.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 17-04-2013
DOI: 10.1021/JE400300K
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2018.05.026
Abstract: Recycling of incineration bottom ashes (IBA) is attracting great interest as it is considered as a vital aspect for closing the waste loop to achieve sustainable development at the growing cities around the world. Various laboratory-testing methods are developed to assess the release potential of heavy metals - one of the most important concerns of using IBA, by reflecting the release conditions of heavy metals from IBA based on the targeted land reclamation application scenarios and corresponding environmental conditions. However, realistic release of the concerned elements in actual application with the presence of complex environment could possibly deviate from the outcomes produced by leaching tests carried out in the laboratory. Hence, a set of large-scale column trial experiments was performed to experimentally determine the effective release of heavy metals, when IBA is used as a filling material in land reclamation. 20 tons of IBA and 320 m
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2015
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 12-10-2017
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 17-10-2013
DOI: 10.1007/S11356-013-2216-6
Abstract: Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) are extremely persistent and have been found extensively in the environment and wildlife. Oceans are the final sink for many persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including PFCs. However, to date, there has been a lack of studies that investigated the environmental consequences of PFCs on marine organisms. To fill in this gap, environmental toxicity of two dominant PFCs, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), was examined in a sentinel species, green mussel Perna viridis, using a series of biomarkers corresponding to different biological levels (molecular, cellular, and physiological). Correlations among these biomarkers were also investigated. The results showed that the tested compounds can induce a series adverse effect at different biological levels, including oxidative stress, DNA damage, membrane instability, suppressed filtration rate, and reduced body weight. Correlation analysis revealed that excess production of reactive oxygen species could be the major toxic pathway. An indirect mode of toxic action was also explored where adverse impacts could be secondary effects of PFC exposure. The joint analysis of biomarkers from multiple biological levels resulted in a comprehensive understanding of how PFC exposure can influence the health of organisms. The correlations of these biomarkers also provided a new perspective of the ecological consequences of PFCs.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 25-11-2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2014.05.017
Abstract: As concerns of natural resource depletion and environmental degradation caused by desalination increase, research studies of the environmental sustainability of desalination are growing in importance. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an ISO standardized method and is widely applied to evaluate the environmental performance of desalination. This study reviews more than 30 desalination LCA studies since 2000s and identifies two major issues in need of improvement. The first is feasibility, covering three elements that support the implementation of the LCA to desalination, including accounting methods, supporting databases, and life cycle impact assessment approaches. The second is reliability, addressing three essential aspects that drive uncertainty in results, including the incompleteness of the system boundary, the unrepresentativeness of the database, and the omission of uncertainty analysis. This work can serve as a preliminary LCA reference for desalination specialists, but will also strengthen LCA as an effective method to evaluate the environment footprint of desalination alternatives.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-2009
DOI: 10.3155/1047-3289.59.6.704
Abstract: The particle and gaseous pollutants in vehicle exhaust emissions undergo rapid dilution with ambient air after exiting the tailpipe. The rate and extent of this dilution can greatly affect both the size evolution of primary exhaust particles and the potential for formation of ultrafine particles. Dilution ratios were measured inside of a wind tunnel in the region immediately downstream of the tailpipe using model vehicles (approximately one-fifth to one-seventh scale models) representing a light-duty truck, a passenger car, and a heavy-duty tractor head (without the trailer). A tracer gas (ethene) was released at a measured flow rate from the tailpipe, and 60 s ling probes placed downstream of the vehicle simultaneously s led gas tracer concentrations in the near-wake (first few vehicle heights) and far-wake regions (beyond 10 vehicle heights). Tests using different tunnel wind speeds show the range of dilution ratios that can be expected as a function of vehicle type and downstream distance (i.e., time). The vehicle shape quite strongly influences dilution profiles in the near-wake region but is much less important in the far-wake region. The tractor generally produces higher dilution rates than the automobile and light-duty truck under comparable conditions.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.JHAZMAT.2019.121600
Abstract: Incineration bottom ash (IBA) faces challenges for its sustainable recycling due to the absence of scenario-specific risk assessment. Environmental risk assessment was carried out via a case study incorporating key factors to dominate human exposures during IBA utilization in land reclamation. Three research components echoing respective IBA leaching, exposures, and consequences were performed under a supportive framework to elaborate these interlinked key factors and unveil the potential environmental risks. IBA leachability was firstly investigated using various laboratory standard leaching methods while conducted a large-scale field trial experiment for mutual confirmation, suggesting that maximum leached amounts may be achieved when liquid to solid (L/S) ratio increases to 10. Dilution and transportation models were both developed to discriminate the mitigation of IBA leachate between two periods i.e. during and after land reclamation, suggesting that dilution rather than transportation may dominate the environmental impact for metal exposures. Metal bioaccumulation from a typical mollusk species was performed coupling the calculated dietary safety limits based on Singaporean diet intake for development of the threshold of toxicology concerns on human exposures. With such, IBA benign usage in land reclamation was also conferred in the form of distance and dilution factor.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2018
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-08-2014
DOI: 10.1002/ETC.2679
Abstract: Concerns regarding perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) have risen in recent years because of their ubiquitous presence and high persistency. However, data on the environmental impacts of PFCs on marine organisms are very limited. Oxidative toxicity has been suggested to be one of the major toxic pathways for PFCs to induce adverse effects on organisms. To investigate PFC-induced oxidative stress and oxidative toxicity, a series of antioxidant enzyme activities and oxidative damage biomarkers were examined to assess the adverse effects of the following 4 commonly detected compounds: perfluoro-octanesulfonate, perfluoro-ocanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, and perfluorodecanoic acid, on green mussel (Perna viridis). Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models were also established. The results showed that all the tested PFCs are able to induce antioxidant response and oxidative damage on green mussels in a dose-dependent manner. At low exposure levels (0 µg/L-100 µg/L), activation of antioxidant enzymes (catalase [CAT] and superoxide dismutase [SOD]) was observed, which is an adaptive response to the excessive reactive oxygen species induced by PFCs, while at high exposure levels (100 µg/L-10 000 µg/L), PFCs were found to inhibit some enzyme activity (glutathione S-transferase and SOD) where the organism's ability to respond in an adaptive manner was compromised. The oxidative stress under high PFC exposure concentration also led to lipid and DNA damage. PFC-induced oxidative toxicity was found to be correlated with the bioaccumulation potential of PFCs. Based on this relationship, QSAR models were established using the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) as the molecular descriptor for the first time. Compared with previous octanol-water partition coefficient-dependent QSAR models, the BAF-dependent QSAR model is more suitable for the impact assessment of PFCs and thus provides a more accurate description of the toxic behavior of these compounds.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2017
Location: Singapore
Start Date: 12-2016
End Date: 12-2023
Amount: $5,000,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity