State-of-the-art and current challenges for TiO2/UV-LED photocatalytic degradation of emerging organic micropollutants

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The development of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LED) opens new possibilities for water treatment and photoreactor design. TiO2...     

Distribution of genetic elements associated with antibiotic resistance in treated and untreated animal husbandry waste and wastewater

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Animal breeding for meat production based on swine, cattle, poultry, and aquaculture is an activity that generates several impacts on the environment,...     

Dimethoate induces genotoxicity as a result of oxidative stress: in vivo and in vitro studies

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Dimethoate ([O,O-dimethyl S-(N-methylcarbamoylmethyl) phosphorodithioate]) is an organophosphate insecticide and acaricide widely used for...     

Soil contamination in Colombian playgrounds: effects of vehicles,construction, and traffic

The presence of potentially hazardous elements (PHEs) in playground soils is generally associated with anthropogenic sources such as vehicle traffic, industries, construction sites, and biomass burning. Studies indicate that PHEs are harmful to human health and may even be carcinogenic. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical, morphological, and mineralogical properties of soil samples from three public playgrounds located in the cities of Bogota, Medellin, and Barranquilla. Besides, the possible impacts caused by the aerodynamics of particles in Colombian cities were verified. The morphology, composition, and structure of the nanoparticles (NPs) (< 100 nm) present in these soils were evaluated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) equipped with high-precision field emission (FE) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Soil samples were predominantly feldspar, quartz, and, to a lesser extent, clay minerals, carbonates, and hematites. The average content of PHEs was anthropogenically enriched in relation to the upper continental crust. As and Sn showed a large spatial variation, indicating the influence of local sources, such as vehicle traffic and industries. There is an inverse relationship between the total concentrations of some elements and their leachable fractions. The accumulation of traffic-derived PHEs has a negative impact on human health and the environment, which is alarming, especially for elements such as Pb, Sb, or As. Therefore, the presence of PHEs should receive greater attention from public health professionals, and limits should be set and exposures controlled. This study includes the construction of a baseline that provides basic information on pollution, its sources, and exposure routes for humans in the vicinity of Colombia’s major cities, characterized by their increasing urbanization and industrialization.

     

Can the environmental health of urban centers be assessed through pollutants trapped in lakes? A study case in the biggest city of the southern hemisphere

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Air and water quality in urban centers are summited to pollution from different sources, such as industrial activities, traffic, and wastewater...     

左氧氟沙星的超声/H2O2联合降解研究

采用超声/H2O2高级氧化技术对喹诺酮类抗生素左氧氟沙星进行降解,考察了H2O2浓度、超声功率、溶液初始pH值对反应过程的影响.结果表明,与单独超声和H2O2氧化相比,超声/H2O2对左氧氟沙星具有明显的协同降解作用. H2O2 添加浓度在3.0~20.0mmol/L范围, 左氧氟沙星的降解率随其添加浓度的增加而增加;超声功率在260W时降解效果最佳;左氧氟沙星初始浓度在10~30mg/L范围内,左氧氟沙星的降解量随其初始浓度的增加而增加;超声/H2O2降解左氧氟沙星在未调节(pH 7.14)效果最佳. HPLC分析发现降解过程主要有2种产物生成, 产物的生成和分布受体系pH的影响较大.     

降雨对华北土石山区侧柏林土壤呼吸的影响

采用碱液吸收法(AA法)对北京西部山区不同降雨处理的典型侧柏林的土壤呼吸速率做了测定。同时测定了土壤呼吸测定点的土壤温度、土壤水分及气温和湿度等气象因子。结果表明5 mm、10 mm、20 mm降雨处理对侧柏林土壤呼吸都有促进作用,而50 mm降雨处理以及50 mm频率降雨对土壤呼吸的促进作用不明显。研究发现降雨导致土壤含水量升高并造成土壤呼吸的温度敏感性降低,Q10为1.1左右。通径分析的结果表明7 cm土壤温度、空气温度、大气相对湿度对各降雨处理的土壤呼吸速率的直接效应是最为显著的,其中对土壤呼吸影响最大的因素是温度。     

Presence of Torque Teno Virus (TTV) in Tap Water in Public Schools from Southern Brazil

Torque teno virus (TTV) was surveyed in tap water collected in schools from three municipalities located in the south of Brazil. TTV genomes were found in 11.7 % (4/34) of the samples. TTV DNA was detected in 10.5 % (2/19) of the samples collected at the city of Caxias do Sul and in 25 % (2/8) of the samples from Pelotas. Those cities have a low rate of sewage treatment. All samples from Santa Cruz do Sul, which has nearly 92 % of its sewage treated, were negative. These results suggest that the amount of sewage treated may have an effect on the detection rates of TTV DNA in drinking water in a given urban area, showing a mild negative correlation (r = ?0.76), when comparing the percentage of sewage treatment to the detection of TTV genomes. The detection rate of TTV was also compared with Escherichia coli, showing a strong correlation (r = 0.97), indicating that TTV may be a suitable marker of fecal contamination.     

Removal of copper ions from aqueous solution by calcium alginate immobilized kaolin

Kaolin has been widely used as an adsorbent to remove heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. However, the lower heavy metal adsorption capacity of kaolin limits its practical application. A novel environmental friendly material, calcium alginate immobilized kaolin (kaolin/CA), was prepared using a sol-gel method. The e ects of contact time, pH, adsorbent dose, and temperature on Cu2+ adsorption by kaolin/CA were investigated. The Langmuir isotherm was used to describe the experimental adsorption, the maximum Cu2+ adsorption capacity of the kaolin/CA reached up to 53.63 mg/g. The thermodynamic studies showed that the adsorption reaction was a spontaneous and endothermic process.     

黑河下游额济纳河流域生态环境现状及发展趋势

本文通过资料和监测数据阐述了2006—2011年黑河下游额济纳河流域生态环境现状及其变化趋势。土地覆盖监测数据结果表明,截至2011年额济纳河流域绿洲面积达3232km^2,水域湿地面积达118km^2,额济纳绿洲植被覆盖度总体呈增加趋势,局部地区增加显著,而个别地区植被呈缓慢退化。水资源调查数据说明。额济纳河流域绿洲的维持和恢复仍取决于黑河水的补给量,近几年黑河水在额济纳境内的进入量基本能维持额济纳现有绿洲规模。