Étude du processus de nitratation avec des boues activées : effet inhibiteur de l'ammoniac sur les bactéries nitratantes

Cet article porte sur l'étude de la réaction de nitratation (oxydation de nitrites en nitrates) par voie biologique aérobie avec des bactéries autotrophes nitratantes. Les phénomènes d'inhibition de l'ammoniac sur l'activité nitratante de populations microbiennes issues de boues activées (populations mixtes ou enrichies en bactéries nitratantes) ont été caractérisés.A l'aide d'une méthodologie faisant appel à la respirométrie, les caractéristiques de la population enrichie ont été définies :- les conditions optimales de mise en oeuvre sont un pH de 7,8 et une température de 29·C- les paramètres cinétiques définissant les performances sont QSmax=61 mgN-NO2-/gMVS×h et KS=3,04 mgN-NO2-/l- cette population présente une bonne tolérance vis-à-vis de NH3, une inhibition de 60% de la respiration des bactéries nitratantes ayant été obtenue pour 11,4 mgN-NH3/l.Les mêmes effets inhibiteurs ont été observés lors de la mise en culture discontinue de populations mixtes dans les conditions optimales de pH et température. Dans ces conditions de mise en oeuvre, différentes cultures dont les concentrations en biomasse totale ont varié de 0,1 à 2 gMVS/l, en présence de 3 mgN-NH3/l, ont présenté la même vitesse spécifique de nitratation. Ces phénomènes d'inhibition de la nitratation par NH3 paraissent complexes et fortement dépendant de facteurs environnementaux qui agissent sur la dynamique de croissance de ces bactéries.This paper focuses both on nitrification and on inhibition by ammonia of the bacteria responsible for this process in activated sludge (nitrifying bacteria). Nitrification (autotrophic nitrite oxidation to nitrate) is the limiting step in wastewater treatment plants during nitrogen biological treatment (ammonia is known as the major inhibitor). To assess the effects of environmental conditions on nitrification, respirometric measurements of a nitrifying bacteria-enriched activated sludge were carried out using a chemostat providing a stable nitrite-oxidizing population. The influence of pH, temperature, and the free ammonia concentration [NH3-N] was studied. The maximum activity of the nitrifying bacteria was found at pH 7.8 and at 29 oC, with the 90% range of maximum activity lying between pH values of 7.5 and 8.1. Activation and deactivation energies for nitrification were estimated by Arrhenius analysis to be 12.2 and - 41.5 kcal/mol, respectively. A Q10 value (multiplicative factor of oxygen consumption rate for each 10oC increase) of 2.8 was determined. Saturation or half-velocity coefficient (Ks) and maximum specific rate of nitrite oxidation (QSmax) were calculated by respirometric measurements, and are 3.04 mg NO2--N/l and 61 mg NO2--N/g VSS.h, respectively. In the study of effect of free ammonia, respirometric measurements were performed at ammonia concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 70 mg NH3-N/l. For a concentration of 11.4 mg NH3-N/l, a nitrification inhibition degree of 60% was reached. Contrary to the work of Anthonisen et al. (1976), which showed total inhibition of nitrifying bacteria at a concentration of 1 mg NH3-N/l, our results indicate a residual respiration, even at a concentration of 70 mg NH3-N/l. This displacement of total inhibition could be due to the predominance of nitrifying bacteria in the activated sludge used.In the second phase of the present research, our results were validated for another mixed bacterial population that was not enriched in nitrifying bacteria. Different concentrations of NH3 were imposed in flask cultures of nitrifying activated sludge, to assess the inhibition thresholds for ammonia. Between 0 and 10 mg NH3-N/l, the degrees of inhibition were inferior to those obtained by respirometric measurements for cultures enriched with nitrifying bacteria, except at 10 mg NH3-N/l, where about 58% inhibition was achieved. The effect of the total biomass concentration of nitrifying activated sludge was also studied. An ammonia concentration of 3 mg NH3-N/l was used in flask cultures with different biomass concentrations (0.1 to 2 g VSS/l). This variable was not significant as similar specific nitrite oxidation rates were measured in all cultures. Inhibitory effects of ammonia on nitrifying bacteria activity seem to be complex and strongly dependent on other environmental factors which modify the dynamics of biomass growth

The Arecibo Galaxy Environment Survey VII : A Dense Filament With Extremely Long HI Streams

We present completed observations of the NGC 7448 galaxy group and background volume as part of the blind neutral hydrogen Arecibo Galaxy Environment Survey (AGES). Our observations cover a region spanning 5x4 degrees, over a redshift range of approximately -2,000 < cz < 20,000 km/s. A total of 334 objects are detected, mostly in three overdensities at cz $\sim$7,500, cz $\sim$9,600 and cz $\sim$ 11,400 km/s. The galaxy density is extremely high (15 per square degree) and many ($\sim$24%) show signs of extended HI emission, including some features as much as 800 kpc in projected length. We describe the overall characteristics of this environment : kinematics, typical galaxy colours and mass to light ratios, and substructure. To aid in the cataloguing of this data set, we present a new FITS viewer (FRELLED : Fits Realtime Explorer of Low Latency in Every Dimension). This incorporates interactive source cataloguing tools which increase our source extraction speed by approximately a factor of 50.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

CMOS-3D smart imager architectures for feature detection

This paper reports a multi-layered smart image sensor architecture for feature extraction based on detection of interest points. The architecture is conceived for 3-D integrated circuit technologies consisting of two layers (tiers) plus memory. The top tier includes sensing and processing circuitry aimed to perform Gaussian filtering and generate Gaussian pyramids in fully concurrent way. The circuitry in this tier operates in mixed-signal domain. It embeds in-pixel correlated double sampling, a switched-capacitor network for Gaussian pyramid generation, analog memories and a comparator for in-pixel analog-to-digital conversion. This tier can be further split into two for improved resolution; one containing the sensors and another containing a capacitor per sensor plus the mixed-signal processing circuitry. Regarding the bottom tier, it embeds digital circuitry entitled for the calculation of Harris, Hessian, and difference-of-Gaussian detectors. The overall system can hence be configured by the user to detect interest points by using the algorithm out of these three better suited to practical applications. The paper describes the different kind of algorithms featured and the circuitry employed at top and bottom tiers. The Gaussian pyramid is implemented with a switched-capacitor network in less than 50 μs, outperforming more conventional solutions.Xunta de Galicia 10PXIB206037PRMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2009-12686, IPT-2011-1625-430000Office of Naval Research N00014111031

A Graph Approach to Observability in Physical Sparse Linear Systems

A sparse linear system constitutes a valid model for a broad range of physical systems, such as electric power networks, industrial processes, control systems or traffic models. The physical magnitudes in those systems may be directly measured by means of sensor networks that, in conjunction with data obtained from contextual and boundary constraints, allow the estimation of the state of the systems. The term observability refers to the capability of estimating the state variables of a system based on the available information. In the case of linear systems, diffierent graphical approaches were developed to address this issue. In this paper a new unified graph based technique is proposed in order to determine the observability of a sparse linear physical system or, at least, a system that can be linearized after a first order derivative, using a given sensor set. A network associated to a linear equation system is introduced, which allows addressing and solving three related problems: the characterization of those cases for which algebraic and topological observability analysis return contradictory results; the characterization of a necessary and sufficient condition for topological observability; the determination of the maximum observable subsystem in case of unobservability. Two examples illustrate the developed techniques

Connection of Isolated Stereoclusters by Combining C-13-RCSA, RDC, and J-Based Configurational Analyses and Structural Revision of a Tetraprenyltoluquinol Chromane Meroterpenoid from Sargassum muticum

The seaweed Sargassum muticum, collected on the southern coast of Galicia, yielded a tetraprenyltoluquinol chromane meroditerpene compound known as 1b, whose structure is revised. The relative configuration of 1b was determined by J-based configurational methodology combined with an iJ/DP4 statistical analysis and further confirmed by measuring two anisotropic properties: carbon residual chemical shift anisotropies (13C-RCSAs) and one-bond 1H-13C residual dipolar couplings (1DCH-RDCs). The absolute configuration of 1b was deduced by ECD/OR/TD-DFT methods and established as 3R,7S,11R

PANIC: the new panoramic NIR camera for Calar Alto

PANIC is a wide-field NIR camera, which is currently under development for the Calar Alto observatory (CAHA) in Spain. It uses a mosaic of four Hawaii-2RG detectors and covers the spectral range from 0.8-2.5 micron(z to K-band). The field-of-view is 30x30 arcmin. This instrument can be used at the 2.2m telescope (0.45arcsec/pixel, 0.5x0.5 degree FOV) and at the 3.5m telescope (0.23arcsec/pixel, 0.25x0.25 degree FOV). The operating temperature is about 77K, achieved by liquid Nitrogen cooling. The cryogenic optics has three flat folding mirrors with diameters up to 282 mm and nine lenses with diameters between 130 mm and 255 mm. A compact filter unit can carry up to 19 filters distributed over four filter wheels. Narrow band (1%) filters can be used. The instrument has a diameter of 1.1 m and it is about 1 m long. The weight limit of 400 kg at the 2.2m telescope requires a light-weight cryostat design. The aluminium vacuum vessel and radiation shield have wall thicknesses of only 6 mm and 3 mm respectively.Comment: This paper has been presented in the SPIE of Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation 2008 in Marseille (France

The Use of Stone Columns on Settlement and Liquefaction Susceptible Soils

The new Paradisus Coco Beach Resort in Rio Grande (PR) is located on an old swamp area, which has been filled with relatively clean to silty sands. The swampy deposits consists of organic silts, peat and loose fine to medium sand and silty sand. The project requires the placement of 1.0 to 1.5 meters of additional fill together with the construction of light structures. The need for the fill will trigger the development of settlements in the underlaying weak, and compressible stratum. Furthermore, the susceptibility of the loose sand to liquefaction during an earthquake was considered. This paper describes the soil improvement by means of vibro-replacement, the purpose of which was threefold: reduction in total and differential settlement, acceleration of settlements during the surcharge period and densification of the loose sand to reduce its liquefaction potential. The predesign is presented together with relevant construction details of the preliminary trial areas from which the final column diameter and grid spacing were derived. Instrumentation together with settlement observations during the surcharge period are presented as well and compared with the initial predictions