Analysis of uranium removal capacity of anaerobic granular sludge bacterial communities under different initial pH conditions

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The bacterial community of an anaerobic granular sludge associated with uranium depletion was investigated following its exposure to uranium under...     

Enhancing the Ability of a Soil Moisture‐based Index for Agricultural Drought Monitoring by Incorporating Root Distribution

Agricultural drought differs from meteorological, hydrological, and socioeconomic drought, being closely related to soil water availability in the root zone, specifically for crop and crop growth stage. In previous studies, several soil moisture indices (e.g., the soil moisture index, soil water deficit index) based on soil water availability have been developed for agricultural drought monitoring. However, when developing these indices, it was generally assumed that soil water availability to crops was equal throughout the root zone, and the effects of root distribution and crop growth stage on soil water uptake were ignored. This article aims to incorporate root distribution into a soil moisture‐based index and to evaluate the performance of the improved soil moisture index for agricultural drought monitoring. The Huang‐Huai‐Hai Plain of China was used as the study area. Overall, soil moisture indices were significantly correlated with the crop moisture index (CMI), and the improved root‐weighted soil moisture index (RSMI) was more closely related to the CMI than averaged soil moisture indices. The RSMI correctly identified most of the observed drought events and performed well in the detection of drought levels. Furthermore, the RSMI had a better performance than averaged soil moisture indices when compared to crop yield. In conclusion, soil moisture indices could improve agricultural drought monitoring by incorporating root distribution.     

UASB反应器反硝化处理对氨基二苯胺生产废水

采用UASB工艺处理橡胶助剂对氨基二苯胺（RT培司）生产废水。实验结果表明：UASB启动初期（1~16 d），COD去除率由60.8%降至24.2% ，TOC去除率由75.6%降至37.2%；UASB运行16 ~50 d，COD去除率逐渐提高；运行50 d时COD去除率为69.4%，TOC去除率高达90.0%。在进水COD负荷不超过6 kg/（m³·d）的条件下，UASB对COD的去除率为42.7%~69.4%，TOC去除率为58.0%~90.0%，NO_{3^--N去除率接近100%。本实验最佳进水TOC 与TN 比为2.0，UASB进水pH可调节为4.5左右，反应温度为18~34 ℃时对UASB反硝化处理效果影响不大。UASB对苯系化合物的去除率从高至低顺序为对硝基酚>苯酚>苯胺。}     

湖南长株潭城市群灾害应急管理能力评价

以城市应急管理能力及其内涵为基础,运用层次分析法,对湖南长株潭城市群灾害应急管理能力进行综合评价.结果表明:①从时间上看,长株潭灾害应急管理能力综合评分值由2005年的5.67、3.66、3.34分别增加到2006年的5.82、4.20、3.98,说明长株潭灾害应急管理能力均有所增强,这是因为应急管理能力是随城市社会经济的发展而增强的;②从空间上看,长株潭灾害应急管理能力存在一定的区域差异;③从整体上看,长株潭的灾害应急管理能力排名为长沙市＞株洲市＞湘潭市,其主要是由城市化水平及经济实力的差异所致.     

The effect of spent bleaching earth ageing process on its physicochemical and microbial composition and its potential use as a source of fatty acids and triterpenes

This study was aimed at investigating the physicochemical and microbiological changes that took place during the ageing process of spent bleaching earth in the presence of autochthonous microorganisms. Research material included fresh spent bleaching earth (SBE₀) and the same material after 3 years of storage at the constant temperature of 20 °C, without aeration and moistening (SBE₃). Changes in the chemical composition of analysed waste material were observed during its ageing process point to a spontaneous bioconversion of fat substance towards formation and/or release of free saturated fatty acids C16:0 and C18:0 (14.3 g 100 g^?1 D.M.), triterpenes (8.48 g 100 g^?1 D.M.), cholesterol (3.29 g 100 g^?1 D.M.), small quantities of carbohydrates and esters (0.80 g 100 g^?1 D.M.). This process was accompanied by other changes in physicochemical parameters of the waste material, such as colour, odour and viscosity, decrease in fat content from 28.27 to 24.6 % and that of soluble forms of metals (Mo, Cu, Fe, Zn, Ni, Cr and Mn), ranging from 25 to 75 %, and an increase in pH, from 3.85 to 4.2. At the same time, changes in the microbial consortium were observed.     

A double‐edged sword: The moderating role of conscientiousness in the relationships between work stressors,psychological strain,and job performance

Although conscientiousness was commonly viewed as a type of personal resource to help individuals reduce strain or mitigate the impacts of stressors, empirical research demonstrated mixed results. Based on the personal resource allocation perspective, we posited that rather than functioning as personal resource per se, conscientiousness may act as a key factor influencing how individuals allocate their personal resources. The current study examined the moderating roles of conscientiousness in the relationships that work stressors (i.e., challenge stressors and hindrance stressors) have with employee psychological strain and job performance by using multi‐source, time‐lagged data collected from 250 employees working at two companies. The results showed that both challenge stressors and hindrance stressors were positively related to psychological strain. Conscientiousness moderated the relationships between both stressors and psychological strain, such that the positive relationships were stronger for individuals with high conscientiousness. Conscientiousness also moderated the relationship between challenge stressors and performance, such that the relationship was positive for individuals with high conscientiousness but negative for those with low conscientiousness. Altogether, the findings suggest that conscientiousness acts as a double‐edged sword that both promotes performance and exacerbates the stress reaction of employees when they are confronted with stressful situations. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nitrogen to phosphorus ratios of two understory plant species in response to nitrogen and phosphorus addition in tropical forest of southern China北大核心CSCD

The secondary tropical forests in southern China have suffered from frequent human disturbance and increasing high N deposition. In order to explore the nutrient limitation status in secondary tropical forests of South China, this 3-year field experiment of nitrogen (+N) and phosphorus (+P) addition investigated nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations of the aboveground tissue (leaf and branch) of two widely distributed understory native species Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum and Uvaria microcarpa in a secondary tropical forest of South China. The results showed that: 1) the N and P concentrations of the two species were significantly different (P < 0.001); N and P concentrations of different tissues in the same species were different; N&P addition greatly affected N and P concentrations in branch rather than new leaf and older leaf. 2) +N treatment had no significant effect on N or P concentrations of either species, but significantly decreased N:P ratios (P = 0.001), at the level of 9% for C. cyrtophyllum and 50% for U. microcarpa, respectively. 3) +P treatment had no significant effect on tissue N concentrations, but significantly increased plant P concentrations (P < 0.001), at 54% for C. cyrtophyllum and 88% for U. microcarpa, respectively; +P treatment significantly decreased plant N:P ratios (P < 0.001), at 28% and 60%, respectively. 4) The alterations of P concentrations of two species had significantly negative correlations with N:P alterations under +N/+P treatment (P < 0.001), suggesting that the alteration of P concentrations in plant tissue was the major driver for N:P alteration. Our results show that N and P addition would affect tissue N and P concentrations of the two species, with +P treatment having relatively greater effect on nutrient concentrations than +N treatment; the branch is more sensitive than new or older leaf in response to nutrient addition. Therefore, P availability may be the limiting factor for plant growth in the tropical forests.     

Temporal variability of atmospheric particulate matter and chemical composition during a growing season at an agricultural site in northeastern China

This study presents the observations of PM_(10) and PM_(2.5) concentrations at an agricultural site from April to October 2012 in Dehui city,China.Ambient air was sampled by filter-based samplers and online PM monitors.The filter samples were analyzed to determine the abundance of ionic/inorganic elements,organic carbon(OC) and elemental carbon(EC).The daily PM_(10) concentrations varied significantly over the monitoring period,with an average of168 ± 63(in the range of 52-277) μg/m~3 during the land preparation/planting period(26 April-15 June),85 ± 65(36-228) μg/m~3 during the growing season(16 June-25 September),and 207 ±88(103-310) μg/m~3 during the harvest period(26 September-31 October).PM_(2.5) accounted for44%,56%and 66%of atmospheric PM_(10) during these periods,respectively.The PM_(10) diurnal variation showed a distinct peak from 16:00 to 21:00(LST) during the growing and harvesting seasons,while a gradual increase throughout the daytime until 17:00 was observed during tilling season.Mineral dust elements(Al,Ca,Fe,and Mg) dominated the PM_(10) chemical composition during the tilling season;OC,NO_3~-,SO_4~(2-) and NH_4~+ during the growing season;and carbonaceous species(i.e.,OC and EC) during the harvesting season.Our results indicate that the soil particles emitted by farm tillage and organic matter released from straw burning are the two most significant sources of PM_(10) emissions contributing to the recurring high pollution events in this region.Therefore,development of agricultural PM inventories from soil tillage and straw burning is prioritized to support air quality modeling.