Efficient photoelectrochemical oxidation of rhodamine B on metal electrodes without photocatalyst or supporting electrolyte

We designed photoelectrochemical cells to achieve efficient oxidation of rhodamine B (RhB) without the need for photocatalyst or supporting electrolyte. RhB, the metal anode/cathode, and O₂ formed an energy-relay structure, enabling the efficient formation of O ₂ ^– species under ultraviolet illumination. In a single-compartment cell (S cell) containing a titanium (Ti) anode, Ti cathode, and 10 mg·mL^–1 RhB in water, the zero-order rate constant of the photoelectrochemical oxidation (k_PEC) of RhB was 0.049 mg·L^–1·min^–1, while those of the photochemical and electrochemical oxidations of RhB were nearly zero. k_PEC remained almost the same when 0.5 mol·L^–1 Na₂SO₄ was included in the reactive solution, regardless of the increase in the photocurrent of the S cell. The k_PEC of the illuminated anode compartment in the two-compartment cell, including a Ti anode, Ti cathode, and 10 mg·mL^–1 RhB in water, was higher than that of the S cell. These results support a simple, eco-friendly, and energysaving method to realize the efficient degradation of RhB.

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Determination of polyfluoroalkyl compounds in water and suspended particulate matter in the river Elbe and North Sea, Germany

The distribution of polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) in the dissolved and particulate phase and their discharge from the river Elbe into the North Sea were studied. The PFCs quantified included C₄-C₈ perfluorinated sulfonates (PFSAs), 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS), C₆ and C₈ perfluorinated sulfinates (PFSiAs), C₄-C₁₂ perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs), perfluoro-3,7-dimethyl-octanoic acid (3,7m₂-PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA), and n-ethyl perfluroctane sulfonamidoethanol (EtFOSE). PFCs were mostly distributed in the dissolved phase, where perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) dominated with 2.9–12.5 ng/L. In the suspended particulate matter FOSA and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) showed the highest concentrations (4.0 ng/L and 2.3 ng/L, respectively). The total flux of ΣPFCs from the river Elbe was estimated to be 802 kg/year for the dissolved phase and 152 kg/year for the particulate phase. This indicates that the river Elbe acts as a source of PFCs into the North Sea. However, the concentrations of perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) in the North Sea were higher than that in the river Elbe, thus an alternative source must exist for these compounds.     

全氟辛烷磺酸神经发育毒性机制研究进展

全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)是全氟化合物的终端降解产物,在生态环境中能够通过食物链进入生物组织并蓄积,对环境和生物存在潜在危害。动物实验研究发现,PFOS能够通过胎盘和血脑屏障,影响发育期神经系统,其持续性和严重性已引起国内外学者的广泛关注。本文通过对PFOS神经发育毒性效应及其主要机制研究进展进行综述,分析目前研究现状,并对未来PFOS神经发育毒性机制研究提出设想和展望。     

Study on HCl removal for medical waste pyrolysis and combustion using a TG-FTIR analyzer

Under both pyrolysis and combustion condition, HCl removal efficiency for medical waste with Ca-based additives was semi-quantitatively studied by means of TG-FTIR. Additionally, the difference of HCl removal efficiency for PVC and medical waste was compared. Experimental results showed that: 1) Thermal degradation of medical waste mainly took place in two steps under both pyrolysis and combustion condition; 2) HCl emitted at both two steps and HCl concentration increased with the increased of Cl ratio in the medical waste; 3) for the same additive, HCl concentration decreased with the increased of additives amount, that is to say, HCl removal efficiency of medical waste increased as the increased of Ca/Cl molar ratio. Fourth, when Ca(OH)₂ was used as additive, HCl removal efficiency for medical waste combustion was a little higher than that for medical waste pyrolysis, but either CaCO₃ or CaO was used as additive, it was just opposite, more specifically, when CaCO₃ was used as additive with Ca/Cl=1.3, HCl removal efficiency was 5.49% under pyrolysis condition, but that was only 4.24% under combustion condition. Fifth, under the same Ca/Cl molar ratio, HCl removal efficiency for PVC was higher than that for medical waste under both pyrolysis and combustion condition, more specifically, when Ca(OH)₂ was used as additive with Ca/Cl=1, HCl removal efficiency was 64.51% for PVC, but that was only 27.66% for medical waste pyrolysis with 4% Cl under pyrolysis condition.     

碱液循环强化电动力学修复氟污染土壤

1 V·cm~(-1)电解电压下,利用去离子水及NaOH溶液做电解液,研究了电解液不同循环方式下土壤氟在电动力学作用下的迁移特征,分析了利用碱液循环强化电动力学技术修复氟污染土壤的可行性.结果表明,以去离子水为电解液单独循环时,土壤氟的去除率为20.3%,而以NaOH溶液为电解液时去除率最高可达57.3%,碱性电解液可提高土壤氟的去除率,且随着碱性的增强土壤氟的去除率逐渐升高.电解液的不同循环方式也对土壤氟的去除产生显著影响,两极溶液串联循环时土壤氟的去除率明显升高.可以采用碱液循环强化电动力学技术修复氟污染土壤.     

垃圾填埋场渗滤液灌溉地土壤和植物中重金属积累

分加在广州市李坑垃圾填埋场有渗滤液回灌的地表和未经渗滤液回灌的地表随机采集土样,深度达１ｍ,同时分别采集长于灌溉地和非灌溉地上的三个优势植物种（牛筋草,孔雀稗和狗牙根）为代表,调查渗滤液灌溉后封和植物的重金属（Ｃｕ,Ｚｎ,Ｐｂ,Ｃｄ）积累效应。结果表明,渗滤液灌溉地的不同深度土壤和地表植物体内都有不同程度重金属积累。经ｔ－检验,Ｃｕ,Ｐｂ和Ｃｄ在所调查的各土层内的积累效应α＝０．０５时都达到显著水     

几种电解质对土壤吸附Cu2+的影响

采用平衡吸附法研究了潮褐土、红壤对Cu^2 的等温吸附以及不同pH和电解质对土壤吸附Cu^2 的影响。结果表明，(1)土壤对Cu^2 的吸附量随平衡溶液中Cu^2 浓度增加而增加，潮褐土CuCu^2 最大吸附量明显比红壤的高，约是红壤的4—5倍。(2)体系pH显著影响土壤对Cu^2 的吸附，随pH升高Cu^2 吸附率增加，基本呈S形曲线变化。(3)随体系电解质浓度的增加，土壤对Cu^2 吸附率的变化趋势因土壤性质及体系中电解质种类、浓度的不同而不同。随KNO3浓度提高，土壤Cu^2 吸附率降低。KCl、KH2PO4对潮褐土吸附Cu^2 的影响与红壤的有些不同，低浓度KCl、KH2PO4抑制潮褐土对Cu^2 的吸附，高浓度KCl、KH2PO4促进潮褐土对Cu^2 的吸附，面对红壤。KCl降低Cu^2 的吸附率，KH2PO4提高Cu^2 的吸附率，但随KH2PO4浓度的提高，其提高幅度逐渐减弱。     

生产企业及周边环境中全氟化合物的污染特征

生产企业作为全氟化合物(perfluorinated compounds,PFCs)的直接来源地,现今被认为是PFCs污染的主要来源之一,同时其对周边环境具有更加直接而重大的影响。我国对生产企业周边环境中PFCs污染特性研究的报道较缺乏,补充丰富各地生产企业周边环境的PFCs污染特征,可为PFCs点源分析和污染溯源提供依据。以湖北省孝昌县某化工有限公司为典型生产企业,采集7个采样点的水体和土壤样品,分析典型地区环境介质中PFCs的污染现状与特征。结果显示,11种目标PFCs污染物在水体中有7种、土壤中有6种不同程度地检出,环境水体中PFCs的总浓度介于4.70~40.22μg·L-1,土壤中PFCs的总浓度介于58.22~2 075.60 ng·g-1之间。全氟辛基磺酸(PFOS)为典型行业周边水体和土壤中最主要的PFCs污染物,其次是水体中的全氟己基磺酸钾(PFHx S)、全氟丁烷磺酸钾(PFBS)和土壤中的全氟辛酸(PFOA)、全氟己基磺酸钾(PFHx S)。PFCs检出浓度的大小与采样点距典型企业的距离极其相关,距离与污染物总量之间呈显著负相关性,但周边环境中PFCs的种类和构成比,不受与点源之间距离的影响。     

Spatial distribution and risk assessment of soil heavy metal contamination along roadsides of the northwestern Sichuan Plateau,China北大核心CSCD

Traffic activities in roadways are the major source of heavy metal contamination on the northwestern Sichuan Plateau, China. To characterize the spatial pattern of heavy metal distribution, we collected soil samples and measured the concentrations of five heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) from nine sites in Hongyuan County, Sichuan Province, including three transects that reflected typical gradients of traffic density. Each transect consisted of three levels of traffic density sites. We calculated single pollution index, Nemerow multi-factor index, and potential ecological risk index, to assess the ecological risk of the heavy metal contamination. Results showed that the soils were contaminated by Cd and Zn, with higher concentrations than that of the natural soil background values in all sampling sites. Moreover, Cd and Zn concentrations increased with increasing traffic density, suggesting that traffic activities were potentially responsible for the metal contaminations. The single pollution index indicated that the study sites were heavily contaminated by Cd and slightly polluted by Ni, Pb, and Zn, and the Nemerow multi-factor and potential ecological risk indexes indicated moderate potential ecological risks at the study sites. Specifically, the sites with high traffic density were moderately contaminated and the sites with low traffic density were mildly contaminated. In general, Cd and Zn were highly accumulated in soils of the study region; therefore focus should be on the high ecological hazard associated with soil heavy metal contamination, even in undeveloped regions. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

新型污染物及其生态和环境健康效应

近年来,随着现代分析手段的改进和发展,各种污染物检测能力的提高,以及新的毒作用模式的发现、新合成化合物的制造和使用等,一些物质成为广受国内外关注的新型污染物.新型污染物已在世界范围内对环境和生态系统造成了污染,对生态系统中包括人类在内的各种生物均构成了潜在的危害.目前,人们关注较多的新型污染物主要有全氟有机化合物、人用与兽用药物、饮用水消毒副产物、遮光剂/滤紫外线剂、人造纳米材料、汽油添加剂、溴化阻燃剂等.论文在总结国内外相关研究基础上,对一些重点新型污染物的生态效应及其潜在健康影响进行了简要综述,为我国开展这方面的研究提供了一定的参考.     

(Super)paramagnetic nanoparticles as platform materials for environmental applications: From synthesis to demonstration

• The fabrication of monodisperse, (super)paramagnetic nanoparticles is summarized. • Monolayer and bilayer surface coating structures are described. • Mono/bilayer coated nanoparticles showed high sorption capacities for U, As, and Cr. Over the past few decades, engineered, (super)paramagnetic nanoparticles have drawn extensive research attention for a broad range of applications based on their tunable size and shape, surface chemistries, and magnetic properties. This review summaries our recent work on the synthesis, surface modification, and environmental application of (super)paramagnetic nanoparticles. By utilizing high-temperature thermo-decomposition methods, first, we have broadly demonstrated the synthesis of highly monodispersed, (super)paramagnetic nanoparticles, via the pyrolysis of metal carboxylate salts in an organic phase. Highly uniform magnetic nanoparticles with various size, composition, and shape can be precisely tuned by controlled reaction parameters, such as the initial precursors, heating rate, final reaction temperature, reaction time, and the additives. These materials can be further rendered water stable via functionalization with surface mono/bi-layer coating structure using a series of tunable ionic/non-ionic surfactants. Finally, we have demonstrated platform potential of these materials for heavy metal ions sensing, sorption, and separation from the aqueous phase.     

Using the Price Equation to partition the effects of biodiversity loss on ecosystem function

Species loss can impact ecosystem functioning, but no general framework for analyzing these impacts exists. Here I derive a general partitioning of the effects of species loss on any ecosystem function comprising the summed contributions of individual species (e.g., primary productivity). The approach partitions the difference in ecosystem function between two sites (a "pre-loss" site, and a "post-loss" site comprising a strict subset of the species at the pre-loss site) into additive components attributable to different effects. The approach does not assume a particular experimental design or require monoculture data, making it more general than previous approaches. Using the Price Equation from evolutionary biology, I show that three distinct effects cause ecosystem function to vary between sites: the "species richness effect" (SRE; random loss of species richness), the "species composition effect" (SCE; nonrandom loss of high- or low-functioning species), and the "context dependence effect" (CDE; post-loss changes in the functioning of the remaining species). The SRE reduces ecosystem function without altering mean function per species. The SCE is analogous to natural selection in evolution. Nonrandom loss of, for example, high-functioning species will reduce mean function per species, and thus total function, just as selection against large individuals in an evolving population reduces mean body size in the next generation. The CDE is analogous to imperfect transmission in evolution. For instance, any factor (e.g., an environmental change) causing offspring to attain smaller body sizes than their parents (imperfect transmission) will reduce the mean body size in the next generation. Analogously, any factor causing the species remaining at the post-loss site to make smaller functional contributions than at the pre-loss site will reduce mean function per species, and thus total function. I use published data to illustrate how this new partition generalizes previous approaches, facilitates comparative analyses, and generates new empirical insights. In particular, the SCE often is less important than other effects.     

Characterization of chlorine and heavy metals for the potential recycling of bottom ash from municipal solid waste incinerators as cement additives

Bottom ash is an inevitable by-product from municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration plants. Recycling it as additives for cement production is a promising disposal method. However, the heavy metals and chlorine are the main limiting factors because of the potential environmental risks and corrosion of cement kilns. Therefore, investigating heavy metal and chlorine characteristics of bottom ash is the significant prerequisite of its reuse in cement industries. In this study, a correlative analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of the MSW components and collection mode on the heavy metal and chlorine characteristics in bottom ash. The chemical speciation of insoluble chlorine was also investigated by synchrotron X-ray diffraction analysis. The results showed that industrial waste was the main source of heavy metals, especially Cr and Pb, in bottom ash. The higher contents of plastics and kitchen waste lead to the higher chlorine level (0.6 wt.%–0.7 wt.%) of the bottom ash. The insoluble chlorine in the MSW incineration bottom ash existed primarily as AlOCl, which was produced under the high temperature (1250°C) in incinerators.

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Genetic variation and covariation during larval and juvenile growth in Mercenaria mercenaria

Quantitative genetic variances and covariances were estimated for shell length of the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria (L.) at three larval stages (prodissoconch I, 2 d and 10 d post-fertilization) in 1987 and in 1988 after ca. 9 mo of growth. At each sample interval additive genetic variance was a highly significant component of the total size variation. Narrow sense heritability estimates for shell length ranged between 0.58 (±0.10) for prodissoconch I and 1.08 (±0.29) for 2-d-old larvae. There was significant and positive genetic covariance in prodissoconch I and 2-d larval shell length which resulted in a highly significant genetic correlation (r _g=0.74) between these two traits. This covariance is not surprising since the prodissoconch I comprises the majority of the larval shell of a 2-d-old larvae. The genetic covariances between 2-d-old and 10-d-old larvae and between 10-d-old larvae and 9-mo-old juveniles were low and not significantly different from zero. These results indicate that there is substantial genetic variation for shell growth in M. mercenaria but this variation is not stable during development; the genetic variation in shell growth at one stage of development is not strongly related to the genetic variation in growth during other ontogenetic periods. In this study there were no evident constraints to natural selection for increased shell growth rate during development, which coupled with the high levels of genetic variation may suggest that in nature high rates of larval growth may not be normally subject to significant selective pressure.     

Toward a predictive theory of risk effects: hypotheses for prey attributes and compensatory mortality

Risk effects, or the costs of antipredator behavior, can comprise a large proportion of the total effect of predators on their prey. While empirical studies are accumulating to demonstrate the importance of risk effects, there is no general theory that predicts the relative importance of risk effects and direct predation. Working toward this general theory, it has been shown that functional traits of predators (e.g., hunting modes) help to predict the importance of risk effects for ecosystem function. Here, I note that attributes of the predator, the prey, and the environment are all important in determining the strength of antipredator responses, and I develop hypotheses for the ways that prey functional traits might influence the magnitude of risk effects. In particular, I consider the following attributes of prey: group size and dilution of direct predation risk, the degree of foraging specialization, body mass, and the degree to which direct predation is additive vs. compensatory. Strong tests of these hypotheses will require continued development of methods to identify and quantify the fitness costs of antipredator responses in wild populations.     

外源污染物对蚯蚓毒理作用研究进展

以蚯蚓为模式生物,研究环境污染物的生物效应及其对土壤生态系统的影响,已成为国内外的研究热点.蚯蚓受到污染胁迫时,在分子、细胞和生理水平上都会发生明显的变化,进而影响其存活、生长和繁殖能力,最终引起种群及群落的变化.在总结国内外相关研究基础上,从微观水平、个体水平及生态水平3个方面综述和分析了重金属、农药等外源污染物对蚯蚓毒理作用的研究进展,并对未来的研究方向进行了展望.     

Electrochemical remediation of phenanthrene from contaminated kaolinite

In this work a two-stage process combining soil electrokinetic remediation and liquid electrochemical oxidation for the remediation of polluted soil with organic compounds has been developed and evaluated using phenanthrene-spiked kaolinite. Application of an unenhanced electrokinetic process resulted in negligible removal of phenanthrene from the kaolinite sample. Addition of co-solvents and electrolyte to the processing fluid used in the electrode chambers enhanced phenanthrene desorption from the kaolinite matrix and favoured electro-osmotic flow. Near-complete removal of phenanthrene was achieved using Na₂SO₄ and ethanol in the processing fluid. Phenanthrene was transported towards the cathode chamber where it was collected. The cathodic solution containing the pollutant was treated by electrochemical oxidation; complete degradation of phenanthrene occurred after 9 h using Na₂SO₄ as electrolyte.     

Photoelectrochemical treatment of ammonium using seawater as a natural supporting electrolyte

In the present study, a photoelectrochemical process containing seawater as a natural low-cost supporting electrolyte was used to remove ammonium from wastewater in a continuous flow mode. Based on central composite design (CCD), response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to evaluate the performance of the process in ammonia removal. The effect of four main independent parameters, including initial ammonium concentration, hydraulic retention time (HRT), current intensity and initial pH on the removal of ammonia was evaluated by the model. The optimal initial ammonium concentration, HRT, current intensity and initial pH were 917 mg NH ₄? N;·L ^?1, 108 min, 1.8 A and 8.4, respectively. The high coefficients (R ²=0.97 and adjusted R ²=0.94) obtained by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) demonstrated close correlation between predicted and experimental values. Also, treating the reject water from the sludge dewatering unit as an ammonium-rich wastewater showed the effectiveness of the process for treating real wastewaters (86% ammonium removal). The results revealed that the present process can be an efficient method for ammonium removal from polluted effluents in coastal areas based on the availability of seawater as a cost-efficient supporting electrolyte.     

Quantitative determination of metallothionein-like proteins in mussels. Methodological approach and field evaluation

Electrochemical quantitation of metallothionin-like proteins (MLP) in mussels was based on the determination of their constituent cysteinyl residues according to Brdika's catalytic reaction. Calibration was performed by an internal MLP standard isolated from the digestive gland of Mytilus galloprovincialis for which protein concentration had been estimated by Bradford's spectrophotometric method. For that purpose three metal-binding proteins [MLP-I, MLP-II and Cu-BP (binding protein)] were separated by DEAE-Sephadex A-25 chromatography from the digestive gland of mussels previously exposed to Cd. The most negatively changed MLP-II fraction was characterized by the fact that it contained the largest amount of both total metal and sulphydryl (-SH) content per mass of protein, although this was approximately two times lower than the-SH level of commercially available MT from rabbit liver. Exposure of mussels to a relatively low level of cadmium (0.2 g Cd l^-1) added into the seawater either by itself or as a mixture with other metals (2 g Cu l^-1 and 1.6 g Pb l^-1) resulted in a measurable level of MLP induction within 14 d in comparison to the control specimens. The effect of the metal mixture on MLP synthesis appears to be less than additive, suggesting a competitive interaction between metal ions for uptake and binding sites as well as differing potentials for MLP induction. Variations in the MLP content observed in the digestive gland of mussels seasonally collected from the same location are in the range 2.1±0.4 mg g^-1 on a wet weight basis. The methodological and conceptual aspects of the application of MLP induction in the Mytilus sp. as a biomarker in seawater trace metal monitoring are critically evaluated.     

Effects of three low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) and pH on the mobilization of arsenic and heavy metals (Cu, Pb, and Zn) from mine tailings

Natural organic acids may play an important role in influencing the mobility of toxic contaminants in the environment. The mobilization of arsenic (As) and heavy metals from an oxidized Pb–Zn mine tailings sample in the presence of three low-molecular-weight organic acids, aspartic acid, cysteine, and succinic acid, was investigated at a mass ratio of 10 mg organic additive/g mine tailings in this study. The effect of pH was also evaluated. The mine tailings sample, containing elevated levels of As (2,180 mg/kg), copper (Cu, 1,100 mg/kg), lead (Pb, 12,860 mg/kg), and zinc (Zn, 5,075 mg/kg), was collected from Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada. It was found that the organic additives inhibited As and heavy metal mobilization under acidic conditions (at pH 3 or 5), but enhanced it under neutral to alkaline conditions (at pH above 7) through forming aqueous organic complexes. At pH 11, As, Cu, Pb, and Zn were mobilized mostly by the organic additives, 45, 46, 1,660, and 128 mg/kg by aspartic acid, 31, 28, 1,040, and 112 mg/kg by succinic acid, and 53, 38, 2,020, and 150 mg/kg by cysteine, respectively, whereas those by distilled water were 6, 16, 260, and 52 mg/kg, respectively. It was also found that the mobilization of As and the heavy metals was closely correlated, and both were closely correlated to Fe mobilization. Arsenic mobilization by the three LMWOAs was found to be consistent with the order of the stability of Fe–, Cu–, Pb–, and Zn–organic ligand complexes. The organic acids might be used potentially in the natural attenuation and remediation of As and heavy metal–contaminated sites.