Alternative immunofluorescent labeling of Cryptosporidium parvum in water samples using semiconductor quantum dots

The application of immunofluorescent labeling using quantum dots for detection of inactivated Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in spiked water samples (reservoir water, treated wastewater effluent, permeate of a membrane bioreactor, and tap water) provided more consistent results compared with the organic fluorophores label. The varying degree of particles present in the different water samples (with turbidity ranging from 0.2 to 6.1 NTU) in nonconcentrated water samples had insignificant interference on the labeled counts (2-sample t-tests, p > 0.236) using the quantum dot label, while the quantum dot label provided an advantage of approximately 50% lower interference in concentrated water samples compared with the organic fluorophores label.     

Reusing pretreated desulfurization slag to improve clinkerization and clinker grindability for energy conservation in cement manufacture

The purpose of this study was to combine the physical pretreatments of grinding, sieving, and magnetic-separation processes to reclaim iron-rich materials from the desulfurization slag, and to use the remainder for cement clinker production. The iron-rich materials can be separated out efficiently by grinding for 30 min and sieving with a 0.3 mm mesh. The non-magnetic fraction of the particles smaller than 0.3 mm was in the majority, and proved to be suitable for use as a cement raw material. The raw mixes prepared with a pretreated desulfurization slag had a relatively high reactivity, and the temperature at which alite forms was significantly reduced during the clinkerization process. The clinkers produced with 10% desulfurization slag had a high level of alite and good grindability. Generally, the improvements in clinkerization and clinker grindability are beneficial to energy conservation in cement manufacture.     

杉木人工林林下植物物种多样性的动态特征

研究不同生长发育阶段杉木林林下植物演替过程的动态特征，结果表明：偶然种伴生阶段（幼龄林阶段），林下植物种类组成和数量第一次繁荣，结构比较简单；林下植物贫乏阶段（郁闭阶段），种类和数量较少，结构简单；林下植物相对稳定阶段（近成熟林和成熟林阶段），种类组成和数量不断增加，群落呈现稳定的杉木层、灌木层和草本层的三层结构；入侵性演替阶段（老龄林阶段），种类组成和数量再度繁盛，一些阔叶树种生长进和乔木层，形成具有多物种和多层次的群落结构。不同生长发育阶段的杉木林林下植物α多样性存在明显差异和波动性。幼林阶段林下植物总体和灌木层的丰富度指数、多样性指数和均匀度指数均较高；林分郁闭阶段各指数有明显下降；随后又有所增加，至老龄杉木林阶段达到量大值；在3a、9a和31a杉木林中，物种多样性垂直结构表现出灌木层＞草本层＞藤本植物的格局；在20a杉木林中，物种多样性垂直结构则表现出草本层＞灌木层＞藤本植物的格局；在56a老龄林中，物种多样性垂直结构表现出灌木层＞乔木层＞藤本植物＞草本层的格局。表3参6     

Removing nitric oxide from flue gas using iron(II) citrate chelate absorption with microbial regeneration

The addition of metal chelates such as Fe(II)EDTA or Fe(II)Cit to wet flue gas desulfurization systems has been shown to increase the amount of NO(x) absorption from gas streams containing SO(2). This paper attempts to demonstrate the advantage of not only using Fe(II)Cit chelate to absorb nitrogen oxides from flue gas but also the advantage gained from adding microorganisms to the system. Two distinct classes of microorganisms are needed: denitrifying and iron-reducing bacteria. The presence of oxygen in flue gas will affect the absorption efficiency of NO by Fe(II)Cit chelate. The oxidation of Fe(II) can be slowed with the help of bacteria in two ways: bacteria can serve to directly reduce Fe(III) to Fe(II) or they can serve to keep levels of dissolved oxygen in the solution low. As a result, after NO absorption, Fe(II)(Cit)NO will be reduced by denitrifying bacteria to Fe(II)Cit while Fe(III) is reduced by anaerobic bacteria back to Fe(II). Our experiments have shown that the implementation of our protocol allowed for an NO reduction rate constant increase from standard levels of 0.0222-0.100 m Mh(-1) with inlet NO changed from 250 to 1000 ppm. We have also found that total Fe concentration tends to decrease after prolonged periods of operation due to the loss of some Fe to the formation of Fe(OH)(3) that settles together with the sludge at the bottom of bioreactor tank.     

指数施肥对杉木苗期基质中微生物功能多样性的影响

为向轻型基质容器苗合理施肥,实现苗木养分精准调控提供理论依据,以杉木优良无性系"洋061"轻型基质容器苗为研究对象,设置7个施氮处理[对照(CK,0 mg/株)、常规集中施肥处理(CF1,40 mg/株)、常规分次施肥处理(CF,240 mg/株)、指数施肥(EF1,40 mg/株;EF2,80 mg/株;EF3,120 mg/株;EF4,160 mg/株)],采用BiologECO生态板法分析不同施肥处理下轻型基质中土壤微生物群落多样性和代谢活性.结果表明:(1)不同施肥处理提高了土壤微生物的代谢活性,其代谢活性大小表现为EF2> EF3> EF1> CF2> EF4> CF1> CK.(2)除Simpson指数外,土壤微生物的功能多样性整体表现为EF2> EF3> EF1> CF2> EF4> CF1和CK,其中仅有EF2处理的丰富度指数显著高于对照处理.(3)在6类碳源中,土壤微生物对胺类碳源利用率最弱,对多聚物类碳源利用率最高.EF2处理对除碳水化合物外的其他碳源的利用率显著高于对照处理.(4)共提取9个主要主成分,累计贡献率92.33%.第一主成分(PC1)的方差贡献率为25.46%,第二主成分方差贡献率为17.24%,PC1贡献较大的碳源主要是多聚物和碳水化合物,PC2贡献较大的碳源主要是碳水化合物和氨基酸类.综上所述,80 mg/株的指数施肥是较适宜的施氮量和施肥方式,能增强微生物对碳源的利用率,提高土壤微生物的多样性和活性.(图4表1参52)     

Surface water treatment benefits from the presence of algae: Influence of algae on the coagulation behavior of polytitanium chloride

• Emerging titanium coagulation was high-efficient for algae-laden water treatment. • Polytitanium coagulation was capable for both algae and organic matter removal. • Surface water purification was improved by around 30% due to algae inclusion. • Algae functioned as flocculant aid to assist polytitanium coagulation. • Algae could enhance charge neutralization capability of polytitanium coagulant. Titanium-based coagulation has proved to be effective for algae-laden micro-polluted water purification processes. However, the influence of algae inclusion in surface water treatment by titanium coagulation is barely reported. This study reports the influence of both Microcystis aeruginosa and Microcystis wesenbergii in surface water during polytitanium coagulation. Jar tests were performed to evaluate coagulation performance using both algae-free (controlled) and algae-laden water samples, and floc properties were studied using a laser diffraction particle size analyzer for online monitoring. Results show that polytitanium coagulation can be highly effective in algae separation, removing up to 98% from surface water. Additionally, the presence of algae enhanced organic matter removal by up to 30% compared to controlled water containing only organic matter. Polytitanium coagulation achieved significant removal of fluorescent organic materials and organic matter with a wide range of molecular weight distribution (693–4945 Da) even in the presence of algae species in surface water. The presence of algae cells and/or algal organic matter is likely to function as an additional coagulant or flocculation aid, assisting polytitanium coagulation through adsorption and bridging effects. Although the dominant coagulation mechanisms with polytitanium coagulant were influenced by the coagulant dosage and initial solution pH, algae species in surface water could enhance the charge neutralization capability of the polytitanium coagulant. Algae-rich flocs were also more prone to breakage with strength factors approximately 10% lower than those of algae-free flocs. Loose structure of the flocs will require careful handling of the flocs during coagulation-sedimentation-filtration processes.     

Kinetics of acetyl CoA: Arylamine N‐acetyltransferase from rapid and slow acetylator fish tissues

N‐acetyltransferase (NAT) activity was determined in 100 fish (Oreochromis mossambicus) livers using 2‐aminofluorene and p‐aminobenzoic acid as substrates. Overall, the liver NAT activity of the 50 females was higher than the liver NAT activity of the 50 males. The activities (mean ± SD) of NAT from kidney, blood, intestine, and liver of males was 0.42 ± 0.11, 0.12 ± 0.03, 0.12 ± 0.08, and 1.56 ± 0.54 nmol/min/mg protein for the acetylation of 2‐aminofluorene and 0.36 ± 0.09, 0.09 ± 0.01, 0.11 ± 0.04, and 0.46 ± 0.15 nmol/min/mg protein for the acetylation of p‐aminobenzoic acid. In kidney, blood, intestine, and liver from female fish, the activities obtained were 1.60 ± 0.12, 0.35 ± 0.07, 0.15 ± 0.09, and 1.89 ± 0.50 nmol/min/mg protein for 2‐aminofluorene and 0.95 ± 0.11, 0.27 ± 0.03, 0.13 ± 0.09, and 0.57 ± 0.12nmol/min/mg protein for p‐aminobenzoic acid. Kinetic constants for arylamine N‐acetyltransferase activity in kidney, blood, intestine, and liver from fish with rapid, intermediate, and slow acetylator activity were determined. Apparent K _m and V _max values for 2‐aminofluorene were 5.5 and 7‐fold higher for liver than for the other tissues. Apparent K _m and V _max values for p‐aminobenzoic acid were 3.5 and 4.7‐fold higher for liver than for the other tissues. Based on the 2‐aminofluorene NAT activity of liver, there appears to be a polymorphism in NAT activity with 16 rapid, 28 intermediate, and 56 slow acetylators among the 100 fish assayed. This is the first demonstration of acetyl CoA: arylamine N‐acetyltransferase activity in fresh water fish and could lead to the development of a fish model for monitoring the effect of pollution of water environments on native species.     

A survey of international urban search-and-rescue teams following the Ji Ji earthquake

On 21 September 1999, the Ji Ji earthquake killed 2,347 people. In the immediate aftermath the international community, mobilised rapidly and sent urban search-and-rescue (US&R) teams to the scene. This paper will present an annotated survey of the expertise and standard of equipment of international US&R teams following that earthquake which could serve as a blueprint for the establishment of US&R teams elsewhere at risk from earthquakes.     

RELIABILITY AND ECONOMIC OPTIMIZATION FOR URBAN RETURN FLOWS MANAGEMENT1

ABSTRACT The reduction of the liability of pollution to urban water resources is considered as one of the common goals of all elements of our society. To approach the challenge with a sense of realism the probabilistic nature of the performance of pollution control facilities as well as environmental responses must not be ignored and cannot be eliminated. Reliability is defined herein as the measure of effectiveness for the attainment of water quality managerial goals. The objective of this paper is to develop an optimization model for the determination of the best pollution control policies for each treatment facility in terms of the minimization of total regional cost requirements, the quality control requirements, and the reliability desired. A chance-constrained quadratic programming technique coupled with parametric analysis is utilized as the basic solution approach. A practical problem based on the situation existing in the San Antonio River Basin Region of Texas was used for the illustration of this application. The implications resulting from the sensitivity analysis of this model will be discussed.