Non-UV based germicidal activity of metal-doped TiO2 coating on solid surfaces

A stain-based screening method was developed to screen different catalyst coatings for their germicidal activity. A Baclight dead/live bacteria viability kit （invitrogen, molecular probes） was used for staining the cell. The screening was carried out following a standard procedure. This included loading cell suspension to solid surface and maintaining contact for 30 min, then staining with a mixture containing dyes. The stained cells were observed using an epifluorescent microscope and photographed with a CCD camera under UV. Metal-doped TiO2 coatings on AI plates were prepared and tested for non-UV germicidal activity without using UV. It was tested using model microorganisms such as Bakers Yeast （Saccharomyces cerevisiae）, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas putida, and Escherichia coli. On the basis of the germicidal activity of catalyst and the degree of damage caused to the cells, the stained cells may appear green （viable）, green with red or yellow nuclei and yellow （compromised） or red （nonviable）. According to their stained color, cells were counted to calculate the percentage of dead, live, and compromised cells. Compromised cells are cells that grow very slowly after reculturing indicating a degree of reversible cell damage. Screening the germicidal activity using this staining method is accurate and efficient, and requires less time than the culture-based method. A modification to the procedure for measuring germicidal activity of rough surfaces or fibrous coatings was developed. Both TiO2 and metal-doped TiO2 （Ag, Pt, Au, Cu） possess non-UV based germicidal activity. The germicidal activity of TiO2 was found to be related with its wetting property and can be improved by UV irradiation before testing. It is not greatly affected by contact time, indicating a fast acting germicidal activity.     

Heavy metal availability and impact on activity of soil microorganisms along a Cu/Zn contamination gradient

All the regulations that define a maximum concentration of metals in the receiving soil are based on total soil metal concentration. However, the potential toxicity of a heavy metal in the soil depends on its speciation and availability. We studied the effects of heavy metal speciation and availability on soil microorganism activities along a Cu/Zn contamination gradient. Microbial biomass and enzyme activity of soil contaminated with both Cu and Zn were investigated. The results showed that microbial biomass was negatively affected by the elevated metal levels. The microbial biomass-C （Cmic）/organic C （Corg） ratio was closely correlated to heavy metal stress. There were negative correlations between soil microbial biomass, phosphatase activity and NH4NO3 extractable heavy metals. The soil microorganism activity could be predicted using empirical models with the availability of Cu and Zn. We observed that 72% of the variation in phosphatase activity could be explained by the NH4NO3-extractable and total heavy metal concentration. By considering different monitoring approaches and different viewpoints, this set of methods applied in this study seemed sensitive to site differences and contributed to a better understanding of the effects of heavy metals on the size and activity of microorganisms in soils. The data presented demonstrate the relationship between heavy metals availability and heavy metal toxicity to soil microorganism along a contamination gradient.     

应用分子生物学与同位素示踪技术研究厌氧氨氧化菌活性及功效

厌氧氨氧化是一个新发现的氮循环途径,与反硝化作用都产生氮气,但准确衡量厌氧氨氧化活性及功效的相关方法还是个难题.本研究联合应用分子生物学与同位索示踪技术,以北京某污水处理厂的活性污泥为实验样品,研究其中厌氧氨氧化菌的存在、活性和功效.厌氧氨氧化菌的分子生物学分析是通过16S rRNA进行,选择两步引物分别为pla46-...     

温室条件下UV-B辐射对蓝藻结皮生长和超微结构的影响

UV-B辐射是野外蓝藻结皮经常面临的一种环境胁迫因子.报道了温室条件下UV-B辐射对蓝藻结皮形态、生理和超微结构特征的影响.在本研究中,首先通过接种具鞘微鞘藻和爪哇伪枝藻形成初始蓝藻结皮,接着以初始蓝藻结皮为材料进行3种辐射处理:光合有效辐射、UV-B辐射+光合有效辐射和N-乙酰半胱氨酸+UV-B辐射+光合有效辐射.在...     

三峡库区悬移质泥沙对磷污染物的吸附解吸特性

就三峡库区悬移质泥沙对磷污染物的吸附解吸特性从野外同步监测和室内试验研究两个方面展开研究。选取长江干流、嘉陵江和乌江共7个监测断面于2002年和2003进行野外同步监测,测试结果表明：水中的悬移质泥沙对水中各种覆存形态的磷污染物浓度具有显著影响,单位重量泥沙对磷的吸附量与水体总泥沙含量、泥沙粒径有密切关系。采集寸滩断面泥沙对磷酸盐吸附解吸特性进行室内试验研究,并根据Langmuir吸附动力学方程对吸附解吸过程进行了拟合,发现吸附速率常数k随着泥沙粒径的增加而呈递增变化,而磷酸盐初始浓度对k值的影响并不明显,同时,磷酸盐解吸量随着泥沙浓度的增加和粒径的增加呈递减变化,k值随着泥沙粒径的增加而呈递增变化,泥沙浓度对k值的影响不明显。     

Removal of phosphate by Fe-coordinated amino-functionalized 3D mesoporous silicates hybrid materials

Phosphate removal from aqueous waste streams is an important approach to control the eutrophication downstream bodies of water. A Fe(III) coordinated amino-functionalized silicate adsorbent for phosphate adsorption was synthesized by a post-grafting and metal cation incorporation process. The surface structure of the adsorbent was characterized by X-ray di raction, N2 adsoropion/desoprotion technique, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The experimental results showed that the adsorption equilibrium data were well fitted to the Langmuir equation. The maximum adsorption capacity of the modified silicate material was 51.8 mg/g. The kinetic data from the adsorption of phosphate were fitted to pseudo second-order model. The phosphate adsorption was highly pH dependent and the relatively high removal of phosphate fell within the pH range 3.0–6.0. The coexistence of other anions in solutions has an adverse e ect on phosphate adsorption; a decrease in adsorption capacity followed the order of exogenous anions: F?? > SO2?? 4 > NO??3 > Cl??. In addition, the adsorbed phosphate could be desorbed by NaOH solutions. This silicate adsorbent with a large adsorption capacity and relatively high selectivity could be utilized for the removal of phosphate from aqueous waste streams or in aquatic environment.     

Effects of Cu（Ⅱ） and humic acid on atrazine photodegradation

This work was designed to explore the characteristics of photodegradation of herbicides in the copper-polluted water body. The results showed that Cu(II) alone could induce a photo Fenton-like reaction to enhance the degradation of atrazine, in which hydroxyl radical ( OH) was a main active species. Humic acids restrained atrazine degradation, nevertheless, when introducing Cu(II), the photodegradation was accelerated, in which singlet oxygen (1O2) replaced OH acting as the prevailing species. A feasible mechanism for the photochemical process was also proposed, which is helpful for better understanding the environmental photochemistry of atrazine in the copper-polluted water.     

Antimicrobial activity of thin metallic silver flakes, waste products of a manufacturing process

The aim of the research was to develop new products and processes from a manufacturing waste from an Italian metallurgic company. The company produced thin silver metallic films and the production scraps were silver flakes. The possibility to use the silver flakes in water disinfection processes was studied. The antimicrobial activity of the flakes was investigated in batch using Escherichia coli as Gram-negative microorganism model. The flakes did not show any antimicrobial activity, so they were activated with two different processes: thermal activation in reducing atmosphere and chemical activation, obtaining, respectively, reduced flakes (RF) and chemical flakes (CF). The flakes, activated with either treatment, showed antimicrobial activity against E. coli. The kill rate was dependent on the type of activated flakes. The chemical flakes were more efficient than reduced flakes. The kill rate determined for 1 g of CF, 1.0 ± 0.2 min⁻¹, was greater than the kill rate determined for 1 g of RF, 0.069 ± 0.004 min⁻¹. This was confirmed also by the minimum inhibitory concentration values. It was demonstrated that the antimicrobial capability was dependent on flakes amount and on the type of aqueous medium. Furthermore, the flakes maintained their properties also when used a second time. Finally, the antimicrobial activities of flakes were tested in an effluent of a wastewater treatment plant where a variety of heterotrophic bacteria were present.     

Visible light responsive N-F-codoped TiO2 photocatalysts for the degradation of 4-chlorophenol

Visible light responsive N-F-codoped TiO₂ photocatalysts exhibit a higher catalytic activity than N-doped TiO₂ for the degradation of 4-chlorophenol due to the synergistic effect of nonmetal elements.     

羟基多溴联苯醚对鲤鱼急性毒性及定量结构活性关系

羟基多溴联苯醚是一类具有环境风险的新兴污染物,它们已经在众多环境介质甚至人体内广泛存在。参照GB/T13267-91标准方法,采用静态生物急性毒性试验,测定了6种羟基多溴联苯醚(2′-OH-BDE7、4′-OH-BDE17、2′-OH-BDE28、2′-OH-BDE68、4′-OH-BDE90和2′-OH-BDE123)对普通鲤鱼的急性毒性96 h-LC50值,分别为697、1 130、854、550、644和522 ng.mL-1。除4′-OH-BDE17为高毒物质外,其他5种OH-PBDEs均为剧毒物质,高溴代的2′-OH-BDE123毒性最大。选用OH-PBDEs的KOW参数及由MOPAC软件PM3算法计算出的16个量子化学参数(EHomo、qBr+、ELumo等)为描述符,运用一元线性回归分析分别研究了96 h-LC50与他们之间的相关关系。结果表明:lgKOW和ELumo与6种羟基多溴联苯醚的96 h-lg LC50表现出较好的相关性,复相关系数均大于0.96,根据方程得到的96 h-lg LC50预测值与实验值基本相同,进一步对环境中广泛检出的其它OH-PBDEs的96 h-LC50值也进行了预测。