Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) decomposition, hydroxyl radical (•OH) generation, and acetaminophen (ACT) degradation by the Co/PMS system using homogeneous (dissolved cobalt) and heterogeneous (suspended Co3O4) cobalt were assessed. For the homogeneous process, >99% PMS decomposition was observed and 10 mmol/L of •OH generation was produced using 5 mmol/L of PMS and different dissolved cobalt concentrations after 30 min. A dissolved cobalt concentration of 0.2 mmol/L was used to achieve >99% ACT degradation using the homogeneous process. For the heterogeneous process, 60% PMS decomposition and negligible •OH generation were observed for 5 mmol/L of the initial PMS concentration using 0.1 and 0.2 g/L of Co3O4. Degradation of ACT greater than 80% was achieved for all experimental runs using 5 mmol/L of the initial PMS concentration independently of the initial Co3O4 load used. For the heterogeneous process, the best experimental conditions for ACT degradation were found to be 3 mmol/L of PMS and 0.2 g/L of Co3O4, for which >99% ACT degradation was achieved after 10 min. Because negligible •OH was produced by the Co3O4/PMS process, a second-order kinetic model was proposed for sulfur-based free radical production to allow fair comparison between homogeneous and heterogeneous processes. Using the kinetic data and the reaction by-products identified, a mechanistic pathway for ACT degradation is suggested.Water quality sondes have the advantage of containing multiple sensors, extended deployment times, high temporal resolution, and telecommunication with stakeholder accessible data portals. However, sondes that are part of buoy deployments often suffer from typically being fixed at one depth. Because water treatment plants are interested in water quality at a depth of the water intake and other stakeholders (ex. boaters and swimmers) are interested in the surface, we examined whether a fixed depth of approximately 1 m could cause over- or under-estimation of cyanobacterial biomass. We sampled the vertical distribution of cyanobacteria adjacent to a water quality sonde buoy in the western basin of Lake Erie during the summers of 2015-2017. read more A comparison of buoy cyanobacteria RFU (Relative Fluorescence Unit) at 1 m to cyanobacteria chlorophyll a (chla) measured throughout the water column showed occurrences when the buoy both under and overestimated the cyanobacteria chla at specific depths. Largest differences between buoy measurements and at-depth grab samples occurred during low wind speeds ( 4.5 m/sec) resulted in better agreement between the buoy and at-depth measurements. Averaging wind speeds 12 hr before sample collection decreased the difference between the buoy and at-depth samples for high wind speeds but not low speeds. We suggest that sondes should be placed at a depth of interest for the appropriate stakeholder group or deploy sondes with the ability to sample at various depths.Submersed macrophytes decay is an important natural process and has important role in mass and energy flow in aquatic ecosystems. However, little is known about the dynamical changes in nutrients release and bacterial community during submersed macrophyte decay in natural environment. In this study, a field observation was conducted in a wetland dominated with Hydrilla verticillata for 36 days. Increase of H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) content and decrease of soluble proteins concentration were detected in leaves during H. verticillata decay. Meanwhile, ammonium-N, soluble microbial products (SMP) and TOC concentration increased in overlying water. According to bacterial 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing analysis, the Shannon values were lower in epiphytic biofilms than deciduous layer sediments. The relative abundances of Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Actinobacteria were higher in epiphytic biofilms than in deciduous layer sediments (P 0.6) were identified from 122 and 112 genera in epiphytic biofilms and deciduous layer sediments, respectively. According to co-occurrence patterns, eight hubs were mainly from phyla Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria and Parcubacteria in epiphytic biofilms; while 37 hubs from the 14 phyla (Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, et al.) were detected in deciduous layer sediments. Our results indicate that bacterial community in deciduous layer sediments was more susceptible than in epiphytic biofilms during decay process. These data highlight the role of microbial community in deciduous layer sediments on nutrients removal during H. verticillata decay and will provide useful information for wetland management.Natural organic matter (NOM) is known to play an important role in the transport and binding of trace metal elements in aquatic and soil systems. Thallium is a pollutant for which the extent of the role played by NOM is poorly known. Consequently, this study investigates thallium(I) and its complexation to a purified humic substance as proxy for NOM. Experiments were performed with the Donnan Membrane Technique to separate, for the first time, the free Tl+ ion from its complexed form in the bulk solution. Various pH and concentrations were investigated at constant ionic strength and constant NOM proxy concentrations in solution. Experimental results were described with NICA-Donnan model. Thallium complexation was compared to silver complexation using literature data and using the same NICA-Donnan formalism. Parameters for these two cations (Tl+ and Ag+) are reported in this article, for the first time. Results display low thallium complexation to the NOM proxy while silver competes with divalent cations for the NOM binding sites. Calculated speciation for dissolved thallium highlights the dominance of free thallium (Tl+) in solution whereas Tl-NOM complexes contribute roughly 15% to total Tl(I) species in river and lake type waters. Similar results are obtained for soil solutions, Tl-bound to NOM less then 30% of total, from UK soils with different land use and geochemistry.Although a lot of research has focused on energy recovery and recycling of valuable materials from wastes to reduce loads on landfills, landfilling is still an inseparable part of solid waste management. Since landfills potentially pose a risk to human health and the surrounding environment, landfill site selection is an important endeavor that has to be carried out with great care. Choosing a suitable location for landfills depends on several factors and is a complicated procedure. In this paper, a comprehensive review of landfill site selection methods, with an emphasis on multi criteria decision making (multiple criteria decision analysis) has been presented. Assessments indicate that the most frequently used methods are weighted linear combination (WLC), ordered weighted averaging (OWA), analytic hierarchy process (AHP), fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (F-AHP), TODIM, fuzzy TODIM, analytic network process (ANP), fuzzy-analytic network process (F-ANP), and grey systems theory, each of which is discussed. The most widely used factors for selecting a landfill site are groundwater depth, surface water vicinity, elevation, land slope, soil permeability, soil stability, flooding susceptibility, lithology and stratification, faults, land use type, nearby settlements and urbanization, cultural and protected site vicinity, wind direction, roads, railways, proximity to building materials, pipelines and powerlines, and proximity to airports.