Mechanical and Barrier Properties of Biodegradable Films Made from Chitosan and Poly (Lactic Acid) Blends

Biodegradable film blends of chitosan with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were prepared by solution mixing and film casting. The main goal of these blends is to improve the water vapor barrier of chitosan by blending it with a hydrophobic biodegradable polymer from renewable resources. Mechanical properties of obtained films were assessed by tensile test. Thermal properties, water barrier properties, and water sensitivity were studied by differential scanning calorimeter analysis, water vapor permeability measurements, and surface-angle contact tests, respectively. The incorporation of PLA to chitosan improved the water barrier properties and decreased the water sensitivity of chitosan film. However, the tensile strength and elastic modulus of chitosan decreased with the addition of PLA. Mechanical and thermal properties revealed that chitosan and PLA blends are incompatible, consistent with the results of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis that showed the absence of specific interaction between chitosan and PLA.     

Clam shell catalyst for continuous production of biodiesel

Continuous flow transesterification of waste frying oil (WFO) with methanol for the biodiesel production was tested in a laboratory scale jacketed reactive distillation (RD) unit packed with clam shell based CaO as solid catalyst. The physiochemical properties of the clam shell catalysts were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersive Atomic X-ray Spectrometry (EDAX). The effects of the reactant flow rate, methanol-to-oil ratio, and catalyst bed height were studied to obtain the maximum methyl ester conversion. Reboiler temperature of 65°C was maintained throughout the process for product purification and the system reached the steady state at 7 hr. The experimental results revealed that the jacketed RD system packed with clam shell based CaO showed high catalytic activity for continuous production of biodiesel and a maximum methyl ester conversion of 94.41% was obtained at a reactant flow rate of 0.2 mL/min, methanol/oil ratio of 6:1, and catalyst bed height of 180 mm.     

三氯卡班可以影响肾小管上皮细胞的屏障功能

三氯卡班(TCC)是一种被广泛应用于个人护理用品中的广谱型亲脂性杀菌剂,已在多种环境介质和生物体中检出。因其潜在的环境蓄积、生物累积和生物毒性效应,日益受到学者们的关注。借助TCC对NRK-52E(大鼠肾小管上皮细胞)的毒性暴露实验,通过检测细胞活力、以及与跨膜电阻和紧密连接相关的连接黏附分子1(JAM~(-1),junctional adhesion molecule 1)的蛋白表达水平,研究了TCC潜在的肾脏毒性效应。结果显示,10μmol·L~(-1)TCC处理48 h时培养细胞呈现不规则的集落;10μmol·L~(-1)和20μmol·L~(-1)TCC处理NRK-52E 24 h、48 h和72 h后可以显著抑制细胞生长;3.57μmol·L~(-1)TCC(生长抑制的48 hIC20)处理NRK-52E 48 h可以显著抑制细胞间紧密连接蛋白JAM~(-1)的表达量,并降低跨膜电阻,影响肾脏的屏障功能。本研究的结果能够为进一步揭示TCC对动物的毒害机制、评估其对动物的健康风险提供数据支持。     

介质阻挡放电协同Ag/Al_2O_3对NO_x脱除的影响

为有效去除发电厂烟气中产生的NOx,利用介质阻挡放电(DBD)产生低温等离子体并结合催化剂Ag/Al2O3进行烟气脱硝实验,研究了在加入乙烯的条件下,平均负载量、催化温度和装置的布置方式对NOx脱除的影响。结果表明,随着负载的增多,NO脱除率呈现先增大后减小的趋势,5种负载量中最佳为1.76%;随着催化温度的升高,NO脱除率同样呈现先增大后减小的趋势,最佳的催化温度为150℃左右;3种不同布置方式对NO和NOx脱除有明显差别,单独催化剂在NO和NOx的脱除率都比较低;单独介质阻挡放电NO脱除率很高,但是NOx很却很低;而两者结合在NO和NOx都达到了很好的效果。     

高压脉冲放电等离子体处理活性红X-3B染料废水

采用高压脉冲放电等离子体技术对活性红X-3B染料废水进行处理,考察了废水电导率、脉冲电压、脉冲频率、针板间距以及曝气量对处理效果的影响。实验结果表明,当废水电导率为200μS/cm、脉冲电压为34kV、脉冲频率为60Hz、针板间距为15mm、曝气量为12L/h、处理时间为60m in时,活性红X-3B染料废水脱色率能达到98.6%。     

Plant steroid hormones produced under Ni stress are involved in the regulation of metal uptake and oxidative stress in Brassica juncea L

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are involved in the amelioration of various biotic and abiotic stresses. With an aim to explore the role of BRs under heavy metal stress, plants of Brassica juncea L. were grown in pots. The plants were subjected to various concentrations of Nickel metal (0.0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 mM) and harvested on 60th day in order to observe the expression of these hormones. The isolated BRs from the leaves of Brassica plants characterized by GC-MS include 24-Epibrassinolide (24-EBL), Castasterone, Dolicholide and Typhasterole. The effect of isolated 24-EBL was studied on Ni metal uptake and antioxidative defense system in 60 d old plants of Brassica. It was observed that 24-EBL significantly increased the activities of stress ameliorating enzymes and lowered the metal uptake in plants. This is the first report in B. juncea L. plants showing the expression of BRs under metal treatments and effect of the isolated 24-EBL on metal uptake and in oxidative stress management.     

粗石英砂层厚度及倾角对核废物处置库顶盖毛细屏障效应的影响

毛细屏障作为核废物处置库顶盖的工程屏障之一,已经在国内外得到了广泛应用.采用箱体实验方法,研究了非饱和稳定流条件下粗石英砂层厚度和倾角对毛细屏障效应的影响.结果表明,随着粗石英砂层厚度的增大,水分的相对绕流量增大,毛细屏障效应增强;随着粗石英砂层倾角的增大,其表面积水减少,水的横向流动能力增强,毛细屏障效应增强.     

高地下水位地区透水停车场的水文控制效果

为确定高地下水位地区透水铺装对路面径流的水文控制效果,在上海市区建造了4个实验性透水铺装单元与1个不透水铺装对照,其中3个为设有防水衬底的不透型设施分别为透水混凝土铺装(设施Ⅰ)、水泥稳定碎石基层/缝隙透水砖面层(设施Ⅱ)、碎石基层/缝隙透水砖面层(设施Ⅲ),1个普通缝隙透水砖铺装(设施Ⅳ),以及1个不透水混凝土对照(设施0).历时1年监测了实际降雨条件下4种实验设施的表面径流、排水管出流流量及表面渗透速率,考察不同设施的径流总量削减率、峰值削减及峰现延迟能力.结果表明,缝隙透水砖面层的表面稳定渗透速率明显小于透水混凝土面层,使用1年后,2种面层表面稳定渗透速率均明显下降;4种设施的表面产流均无显著差异;3种不透型设施的就地消纳水量能力均较弱,年径流总量控制率分别为24.2%、28.5%、28.4%,排水管不发生出流的控制降雨量分别为5.2 mm、7.8 mm、7.8 mm;设施Ⅰ的峰值削减与峰现延迟效果弱于设施Ⅱ及设施Ⅲ,且3种设施的峰值削减率和峰现延迟时间与降雨强度呈现显著负相关性.     

西安市重污染与清洁天PM2.5组分及其活性氧物质对比

针对重霾污染,在西安市冬季重污染日(2015-11-30~2015-12-09)和清洁日(2016-01-13~2016-01-22)各进行了为期10d的PM_(2.5)采集,测量其中的有机碳、元素碳,及NH_4~+、NO_3~-、SO_4~(2-)等无机水溶性离子,探讨两种污染条件下的组分特征及其成因.结果表明:观测期,重霾日和清洁日PM_(2.5)质量浓度分别为(170±47.5)μg·m~(-3)和(48.6±17.9)μg·m~(-3),且重霾日伴随低能见度、高湿静风等多种不利气象条件;重霾日二次无机离子(NH_4~+、NO_3~-、SO_4~(2-))组分占PM_(2.5)质量浓度的49.8%±13.1%,而清洁日为19.4%±5.95%,并且重霾日硫氧化速率(sulfur oxidation ratio,SOR)和氮氧化速率(nitrogen oxidation ratio,NOR)分别为0.282±0.157和0.269±0.124,远高于清洁日(SOR和NOR分别为0.189±0.057和0.077±0.046),重霾日二次有机组分浓度[(6.22±3.87)μg·m~(-3)]是清洁日[(1.44±1.63)μg·m~(-3)]的5倍,表明二次污染及不利气象条件是造成重霾期间相关组分浓度升高的重要原因.最后,通过二氯荧光黄双乙酸盐(2',7'-DCFH)化学荧光分析法测定了其中活性氧物质(reactive oxygen species,ROS)的浓度,探讨其对于二次无机组分形成的影响,结果表明观测期ROS平均浓度(以H_2O_2计)分别为(4.99±1.54)nmol·m~(-3)(重霾期),(0.492±0.356)nmol·m~(-3)(清洁期),二次反应及积累效应可能是西安重霾条件下ROS浓度升高的主要原因.NO_3~-、SO_4~(2-)与ROS均呈现正相关(P0.05),表明ROS可能通过二次氧化过程参与到二次无机组分形成过程中.     

土地利用变化对土壤硝化及氨氧化细菌区系的影响

以西藏高原相邻的原始森林、天然草原和农田土壤为研究对象,分别采用室内培养法和nested PCR-DGGE技术,对比研究了这3个生态系统的土壤硝化势、硝态氮浓度以及土壤氨氧化细菌（AOB）菌群区系.结果表明,农田土壤的硝化势和硝态氮（NO 3--N）浓度显著高于相邻的草原和森林土壤,硝化势分别是森林和草原土壤的9倍和11倍,NO 3--N是农田土壤无机氮（Nmin）的主要成分,占无机氮的70%～90%.铵态氮（NH 4＋-N）则是森林和草原土壤中主要的无机氮形态.原始森林和天然草原间的硝化势和硝态氮浓度没有显著差异.原始森林的土壤AOB菌群数量、多样性及均匀度最低.天然草原生态系统转换为农田后,土壤AOB菌群的多样性和均匀度显著降低,但是农田土壤的AOB菌群结构仍与其前身草原生态系统有较高的相似性.原始森林的AOB菌群数量、多样性及均匀度最低直接导致了其硝化势最低;农田土壤的硝化势和硝态氮浓度最高意味着农田生态系统中优势AOB的活性最高.以上结果表明,土地利用变化导致土壤氮素内循环及其关键微生物AOB的多样性与活性均发生显著变化,这些变化会影响土壤环境质量以及生态系统的持续与稳定.