Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by spent mushroom compost of oyster mushroom pleurotus pulmonarius.

Lau Kan Lung.Thesis submitted in: November 2001.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 286-312).Abstracts in English and Chinese.List of Symbols and Abbreviations --- p.IList of Figures --- p.IIIList of Tables --- p.XIIChapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1Chapter 1.1 --- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) --- p.1Chapter 1.1.1 --- Physical and chemical properties of PAHs --- p.1Chapter 1.1.2 --- Formation of PAHs --- p.5Chapter 1.1.3 --- Sources of PAHs --- p.9Chapter 1.1.4 --- Regulations for contamination of PAHs --- p.13Chapter 1.1.5 --- Pollution of PAHs in environments of Hong Kong --- p.17Chapter 1.1.6 --- Toxicity of PAHs --- p.18Chapter 1.1.7 --- Fate of PAHs --- p.22Chapter 1.1.7.1 --- Sorption --- p.24Chapter 1.1.7.2 --- Volatilization --- p.25Chapter 1.1.7.3 --- Photooxidation --- p.25Chapter 1.1.7.4 --- Chemical oxidation --- p.27Chapter 1.1.7.5 --- Microbial degradation --- p.28Chapter 1.1.8 --- General principles of metabolism of PAHs --- p.30Chapter 1.2 --- Spent mushroom compost (SMC) --- p.35Chapter 1.2.1 --- Production of SMC --- p.35Chapter 1.2.2 --- Physical and chemical properties of SMC --- p.36Chapter 1.2.3 --- Availability of SMC --- p.40Chapter 1.2.4 --- Conventional applications of SMC --- p.43Chapter 1.2.5 --- Alternate use of SMC --- p.44Chapter 1.3 --- Objectives of the study --- p.48Chapter 1.4 --- Research strategy --- p.51Chapter 1.4.1 --- Effect of initial PAH concentration --- p.51Chapter 1.4.2 --- Effect of initial pH --- p.52Chapter 1.4.3 --- Effect of incubation time --- p.53Chapter 1.4.4 --- Effect of incubation temperature --- p.54Chapter 1.4.5 --- Putative identification of intermediates and/or breakdown products --- p.54Chapter 1.4.6 --- Isotherm plots and fitting into monolayer models --- p.55Chapter 1.4.6.1 --- Langmuir isotherm --- p.56Chapter 1.4.6.2 --- Freundlich isotherm --- p.58Chapter 1.4.7 --- Toxicological study by Microtox test --- p.59Chapter 1.4.8 --- Removal of PAH mixtures --- p.60Chapter 1.4.9 --- Specific goals of the study --- p.61Chapter 2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.62Chapter 2.1 --- Materials --- p.62Chapter 2.2 --- Physical and chemical analysis of SMC --- p.62Chapter 2.2.1 --- pH --- p.63Chapter 2.2.2 --- Electrical conductivity --- p.63Chapter 2.2.3 --- Salinity --- p.63Chapter 2.2.4 --- Ash content --- p.63Chapter 2.2.5 --- Metal contents --- p.64Chapter 2.2.6 --- Water-soluble anion contents --- p.65Chapter 2.2.7 --- "Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur contents" --- p.65Chapter 2.2.8 --- Infrared spectroscopic study --- p.66Chapter 2.2.9 --- Chitin content --- p.66Chapter 2.3 --- Soil collection and characterization --- p.67Chapter 2.4 --- Optimization for extraction --- p.67Chapter 2.5 --- Removal of PAHs --- p.68Chapter 2.5.1 --- Experimental design --- p.68Chapter 2.5.1.1 --- Pretreatment and incubation --- p.68Chapter 2.5.1.2 --- Extraction of sorbed PAHs in soil system or in SMC --- p.69Chapter 2.5.1.3 --- Extraction of PAHs in water system --- p.70Chapter 2.5.1.4 --- Putative identification and quantification of PAHs --- p.71Chapter 2.5.2 --- Assessment criteria --- p.72Chapter 2.5.3 --- Stability of PAHs --- p.77Chapter 2.5.4 --- Optimization for removal of PAHs --- p.78Chapter 2.5.4.1 --- Effects of initial PAH concentration and amount of SMC --- p.78Chapter 2.5.4.2 --- Effect of initial pH --- p.79Chapter 2.5.4.3 --- Effect of incubation time --- p.79Chapter 2.5.4.4 --- Effect of incubation temperature --- p.79Chapter 2.5.5 --- Putative identification of intermediates and/or breakdown products --- p.80Chapter 2.5.6 --- Isotherm plots and fitting into monolayer models --- p.80Chapter 2.5.6.1 --- Langmuir isotherm --- p.80Chapter 2.5.6.2 --- Freundlich isotherm --- p.81Chapter 2.5.7 --- Toxicological study of Microtox® test --- p.82Chapter 2.5.8 --- Removal ability of SMC towards PAHs in single and in a mixture --- p.82Chapter 2.5.9 --- Removal abilities of different sorbents towards PAHs in water --- p.83Chapter 2.5.10 --- Removal abilities of raw and autoclaved SMC towards PAHs in water --- p.83Chapter 2.5.11 --- Statistical validation --- p.83Chapter 3 --- Results --- p.85Chapter 3.1 --- Characterization of soil --- p.85Chapter 3.1.1 --- Physical and chemical properties of soil --- p.85Chapter 3.1.2 --- GC-MS analysis of soil --- p.85Chapter 3.2 --- Calibration curves of PAHs --- p.85Chapter 3.3 --- Optimization for extraction --- p.91Chapter 3.4 --- Stability of PAHs --- p.101Chapter 3.4.1 --- Soil system --- p.101Chapter 3.4.1.1 --- Effect of incubation time --- p.101Chapter 3.4.1.2 --- Effect of incubation temperature --- p.101Chapter 3.4.2 --- Water system --- p.103Chapter 3.4.2.1 --- Effect of incubation time --- p.103Chapter 3.4.2.2 --- Effect of incubation temperature --- p.103Chapter 3.5 --- Characterization of SMC --- p.103Chapter 3.5.1 --- Physical and chemical properties of SMC --- p.103Chapter 3.5.2 --- GC-MS analysis of SMC --- p.106Chapter 3.5.3 --- Infrared spectroscopic study and chitin content --- p.106Chapter 3.5.4 --- Removal abilities of different sorbents towards PAHs in water --- p.121Chapter 3.5.5 --- Removal abilities of raw and autoclaved SMC towards PAHs in water --- p.121Chapter 3.6 --- Optimization for removal of PAHs --- p.124Chapter 3.6.1 --- Naphthalene --- p.124Chapter 3.6.1.1 --- Soil system --- p.124Chapter 3.6.1.1.1 --- Effects of initial naphthalene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal efficiency --- p.124Chapter 3.6.1.1.2 --- Effects of initial naphthalene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal capacity --- p.128Chapter 3.6.1.1.3 --- Effect of initial pH --- p.128Chapter 3.6.1.1.4 --- Effect of incubation time --- p.128Chapter 3.6.1.1.5 --- Effect of incubation temperature --- p.131Chapter 3.6.1.1.6 --- Putative identification of intermediates and/or breakdown products --- p.131Chapter 3.6.1.2 --- Water system --- p.134Chapter 3.6.1.2.1 --- Effects of initial naphthalene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal efficiency --- p.134Chapter 3.6.1.2.2 --- Effects of initial naphthalene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal capacity --- p.137Chapter 3.6.1.2.3 --- Effect of initial pH --- p.137Chapter 3.6.1.2.4 --- Effect of incubation time --- p.139Chapter 3.6.1.2.5 --- Effect of incubation temperature --- p.139Chapter 3.6.1.2.6 --- Putative identification of intermediates and/or breakdown products --- p.143Chapter 3.6.2 --- Phenanthrene --- p.145Chapter 3.6.2.1 --- Soil system --- p.145Chapter 3.6.2.1.1 --- Effects of initial phenanthrene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal efficiency --- p.145Chapter 3.6.2.1.2 --- Effects of initial phenanthrene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal capacity --- p.145Chapter 3.6.2.1.3 --- Effect of initial pH --- p.148Chapter 3.6.2.1.4 --- Effect of incubation time --- p.148Chapter 3.6.2.1.5 --- Effect of incubation temperature --- p.151Chapter 3.6.2.1.6 --- Putative identification of intermediates and/or breakdown products --- p.151Chapter 3.6.2.2 --- Water system --- p.155Chapter 3.6.2.2.1 --- Effects of initial phenanthrene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal efficiency --- p.155Chapter 3.6.2.2.2 --- Effects of initial phenanthrene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal capacity --- p.155Chapter 3.6.2.2.3 --- Effect of initial pH --- p.157Chapter 3.6.2.2.4 --- Effect of incubation time --- p.157Chapter 3.6.2.2.5 --- Effect of incubation temperature --- p.161Chapter 3.6.2.2.6 --- Putative identification of intermediates and/or breakdown products --- p.163Chapter 3.6.3 --- Benzo[a]pyrene --- p.163Chapter 3.6.3.1 --- Soil system --- p.163Chapter 3.6.3.1.1 --- Effects of initial benzo[a]pyrene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal efficiency --- p.163Chapter 3.6.3.1.2 --- Effects of initial benzo[a]pyrene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal capacity --- p.167Chapter 3.6.3.1.3 --- Effect of initial pH --- p.167Chapter 3.6.3.1.4 --- Effect of incubation time --- p.168Chapter 3.6.3.1.5 --- Effect of incubation temperature --- p.168Chapter 3.6.3.1.6 --- Putative identification of intermediates and/or breakdown products --- p.172Chapter 3.6.3.2 --- Water system --- p.172Chapter 3.6.3.2.1 --- Effects of initial benzo[a]pyrene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal efficiency --- p.172Chapter 3.6.3.2.2 --- Effects of initial benzo[a]pyrene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal capacity --- p.176Chapter 3.6.3.2.3 --- Effect of initial pH --- p.178Chapter 3.6.3.2.4 --- Effect of incubation time --- p.178Chapter 3.6.3.2.5 --- Effect of incubation temperature --- p.181Chapter 3.6.3.2.6 --- Putative identification of intermediates and/or breakdown products --- p.183Chapter 3.6.4 --- "Benzo[g,h,i]perylene" --- p.183Chapter 3.6.4.1 --- Soil system --- p.183Chapter 3.6.4.1.1 --- "Effects of initial benzo[g,h,i]perylene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal efficiency" --- p.183Chapter 3.6.4.1.2 --- "Effects of initial benzo[g,h,i]perylene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal capacity" --- p.187Chapter 3.6.4.1.3 --- Effect of initial pH --- p.187Chapter 3.6.4.1.4 --- Effect of incubation time --- p.187Chapter 3.6.4.1.5 --- Effect of incubation temperature --- p.189Chapter 3.6.4.1.6 --- Putative identification of intermediates and/or breakdown products --- p.189Chapter 3.6.4.2 --- Water system --- p.192Chapter 3.6.4.2.1 --- "Effects of initial benzo[g,h,i]perylene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal efficiency" --- p.192Chapter 3.6.4.2.2 --- "Effects of initial benzo[g,h,i]perylene concentration and amount of straw SMC on removal capacity" --- p.196Chapter 3.6.4.2.3 --- Effect of initial pH --- p.198Chapter 3.6.4.2.4 --- Effect of incubation time --- p.198Chapter 3.6.4.2.5 --- Effect of incubation temperature --- p.198Chapter 3.6.4.2.6 --- Putative identification of intermediates and/or breakdown products --- p.201Chapter 3.7 --- Isotherm plots and fitting into monolayer models --- p.205Chapter 3.7.1 --- Sorption of naphthalene --- p.205Chapter 3.7.2 --- Sorption of phenanthrene --- p.205Chapter 3.7.3 --- Sorption of benzo[a]pyrene --- p.208Chapter 3.7.4 --- "Sorption of benzo[g,h,i]perylene" --- p.208Chapter 3.8 --- Toxicological study of Microtox test --- p.208Chapter 3.8.1 --- Soil system --- p.214Chapter 3.8.2 --- Water system --- p.214Chapter 3.9 --- Operable conditions of SMC for removal of PAHs --- p.214Chapter 3.10 --- Removal ability of SMC towards PAHs in single and in a mixture --- p.214Chapter 3.10.1 --- Soil system --- p.216Chapter 3.10.2 --- Water system --- p.216Chapter 4 --- Discussion --- p.221Chapter 4.1 --- Characterization of SMC --- p.221Chapter 4.2 --- Removal abilities of different sorbents towards PAHs in water --- p.223Chapter 4.3 --- Removal abilities of raw and autoclaved SMC towards PAHs in water --- p.226Chapter 4.4 --- Extraction efficiencies of PAHs --- p.227Chapter 4.5 --- Factors affecting removal of PAHs by SMC --- p.229Chapter 4.5.1 --- Initial PAH concentration and amount of straw SMC --- p.229Chapter 4.5.2 --- Initial pH --- p.237Chapter 4.5.3 --- Incubation time --- p.237Chapter 4.5.4 --- Incubation temperature --- p.242Chapter 4.6 --- Putative identification of intermediates and/or breakdown products --- p.247Chapter 4.7 --- Isotherm plots and fitting into monolayer models --- p.257Chapter 4.8 --- Toxicological study of Microtox® test --- p.258Chapter 4.9 --- Removal ability of SMC towards PAHs in single and in a mixture --- p.261Chapter 4.10 --- Comparison of removal efficiencies of benzo[a]pyrene by layering and mixing of straw SMC with soil --- p.265Chapter 4.11 --- Comparison of removal efficiencies of benzo[a]pyrene in different scales of experiment setup --- p.267Chapter 4.12 --- Effect of age of straw SMC on removal of PAHs --- p.270Chapter 4.13 --- Removal of benzo[a]pyrene by an aqueous extract of SMC --- p.270Chapter 4.14 --- Advantages of using SMC in removal of PAHs --- p.273Chapter 4.15 --- Limitations of the study --- p.278Chapter 4.16 --- Further investigation --- p.280Chapter 5 --- Summary --- p.282Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.285Chapter 7 --- References --- p.28