Bacterial toxicity comparison between nano- and micro-scaled oxide particles

Toxicity of nano-scaled aluminum, silicon, titanium and zinc oxides to bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fluorescens) was examined and compared to that of their respective bulk (micro-scaled) counterparts. All nanoparticles but titanium oxide showed higher toxicity (at 20 mg/L) than their bulk counterparts. Toxicity of released metal ions was differentiated from that of the oxide particles. ZnO was the most toxic among the three nanoparticles, causing 100% mortality to the three tested bacteria. Al₂O₃ nanoparticles had a mortality rate of 57% to B. subtilis, 36% to E. coli, and 70% to P. fuorescens. SiO₂ nanoparticles killed 40% of B. subtilis, 58% of E. coli, and 70% of P. fluorescens. TEM images showed attachment of nanoparticles to the bacteria, suggesting that the toxicity was affected by bacterial attachment. Bacterial responses to nanoparticles were different from their bulk counterparts; hence nanoparticle toxicity mechanisms need to be studied thoroughly.     

Which compounds contribute most to elevated airborne exposure and corresponding health risks in the Western Balkans?

A majority of ongoing monitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is currently focused on chemicals emphasized in the Stockholm Convention. Quantitative detection of other substances (especially those with numerous anthropogenic sources such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)) is, however, also needed since their concentrations are usually several orders of magnitude higher. A goal of this study was to determine how various groups of compounds contribute to total human health risks at the variety of sampling sites in the region of Western Balkan. Distribution of the risks between the gas and particulate phases was also addressed. Results showed that inhalation exposure to organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) does not represent a significant risk to humans, while polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) re-volatilized to the atmosphere from contaminated soils and buildings can pose a problem. PCB evaporation from primary sources (currently used PCB-filled transformers or non-adequate storage facilities) generally resulted in much higher atmospheric concentrations than evaporation from the secondary sources (soils at the sites of war destructions). A majority of the human health risks at the urban sites were associated with PAHs. Between 83 and 94% of the cumulative risk at such sites was assigned to chemicals sorbed to particles, and out of it, PAHs were responsible for 99%.     

Leaching of copper and zinc from spent antifouling paint particles

Leaching of Cu and Zn from a composite of spent antifouling paint particles, containing about 300 mg g⁻¹ and 110 mg g⁻¹ of the respective metals, was studied in batch experiments. For a given set of simulated environmental conditions, release of Cu was independent of paint particle concentration due to attainment of pseudo-saturation, but Zn was less constrained by solubility effects and release increased with increasing particle concentration. Leaching of Cu increased but Zn decreased with increasing salinity, consistent with mechanisms governing the dissolution of Cu₂O in the presence of chloride and Zn acrylates in the presence of seawater cations. Because of complex reaction kinetics and the presence of calcium carbonate in the paint matrix, metal leaching appeared to be greater at 4 °C than 19 °C under many conditions. These findings have important environmental and biological implications regarding the deliberate or inadvertent disposal of antifouling paint residues.     

西宁市典型开放源颗粒物粒径组成特征分析

采用BT-9300S激光粒度仪分析了西宁市道路尘、扬尘、土壤尘、建筑尘4种典型开放源的粒径组成。结果表明,4种类型尘中大粒径颗粒物占主导地位,粒径大于10 μm颗粒占到全部颗粒的73.80%以上,可吸入颗粒物的含量仅占7.06%～26.20%;建筑尘的细颗粒物含量最高,粒径小于2.5、1 μm的颗粒含量分别为8.36%±4.25%、2.42%±1.02%;道路尘的细颗粒物含量最低,粒径小于2.5、1 μm的颗粒含量分别为2.30%±0.94%、0.73%±0.28%;4种类型尘的体积平均直径、面积平均直径、中位直径分别在37.70～87.99 μm、8.50～23.53 μm、28.95～74.98 μm之间,其中道路尘的3种粒径参数最大,建筑尘最小;开放源颗粒物的粒度分布曲线主要呈头长尾短的不对称单峰分布,累积频率曲线为两段式,存在较为明显的拐点。     

新版《环境空气质量标准》热点污染物PM2.5监控策略的思考与建议

随着工业化和城市化进程的加速,大气气溶胶污染日趋严重,由气溶胶细粒子PM2.5污染造成的能见度恶化事件越来越多,中国东部地区灰霾天气迅速增加.灰霾天气的本质是细粒子气溶胶污染,与光化学污染相关联,形成灰霾天气的气溶胶组成非常复杂.近年来由于灰霾天气日趋严重引发的环境效应问题,以及气溶胶辐射强迫引发的气候效应问题,已引起科学界、政府部门和社会公众的广泛关注,成为热门话题.在此背景下,国家出台了新版《环境空气质量标准》(GB 3095-2012),增设PM2.5浓度限值,对环境监测、环境管理和环境评价提出了新的要求.通过分析中国大气污染背景、国际组织和其他国家的PM2.5标准,及近期热点问题,提出在环境监测、环境管理和环境评价过程中实施新标准,监控PM2.5的策略.     

湿法净化黑烟中添加剂对炭黑沉降性能的影响

湿法净化黑烟中炭黑颗粒物的关键在于降低吸收液的表面张力并以高性能絮凝剂使其从溶液中絮凝、沉降以利于分离。选用十六烷基三甲基溴化胺(CTAB)为主要表面活性剂,使之与十二烷基苯磺酸钠(SDBS)和月桂醇聚氧乙烯(9)醚(AEO-9)进行复配实验,研究了复配液的表面张力,再向最低表面张力的复配表面活性剂溶液中投加絮凝剂聚合氯化铝(PAC)和聚丙烯酰胺(PAM),探讨絮凝剂的添加对黑烟颗粒沉降和絮凝的影响.实验结果表明:同时添加表面活性剂CTAB,SDBS和PAC,并使之浓度分别为0.5 mmol/L,0.4 mmol/L和200 mg/L时,炭黑颗粒的沉降效果最好,沉降率高达94%,且絮凝体较大,沉降时间仅为2 min。     

电动增压补气消除柴油机瞬态加速冒烟的试验

将自行开发的、适用车载24V电源的电动增压补气系统在一台490QDI柴油机上进行了实验研究.实验工况包括起始负荷分别为0和40N.m的加载加速的瞬态工况以及1400r·min-1、60N·m,1600 r·min-1、90N-m和1800 r.min-1、120N·m 3种低转速、大扭矩稳态工况,针对以上工况分别进行了有无电动增压补气的实验.试验结果表明,有电动增压补气的柴油机同原机相比,零负荷加载加速时的微粒排放降低达70%以上,瞬间输出功率最大可提高54.5%;在稳态工况时,HC、CO排放都随着电机转速的升高而降低,最大减少量分别达到66.7%和75.O%;波许烟度平均减小50%以上.此外,加速补气对提高燃油经济性也有一定效果,比油耗最大能降低7.46%.     

太湖水体介质吸收有效光合辐射能量的谱特征及其季节变化

针对2005年8月、11月及2006年2月,5月太湖31个采样点的水样,测定了其中黄质(chromophoric dissolved organic matier)和颗粒物的吸收系数.通过次氯酸钠漂白法及数值分离法,将颗粒物吸收系数分离为藻类颗粒物及非藻类颗粒物的吸收系数,并对2种结果进行了比较.同时分析了太湖水体介质吸收有效光合辐射能量的谱特征及其季节变化.结果表明,水体中的绝大部份光合有效辐射能量主要由黄质和非藻类颗粒物所获取,对夏季的400～473nm、秋季的400-461nm、冬季的400～476nm、春季的400～569nm的能量而言,黄质的吸收贡献大于非藻类颗粒物;而在其余波段中,非藻类颗粒物的吸收贡献相对较大.藻类颗粒物的吸收贡献谱在490nm、676nm左右处存在2个主峰区,620nm左右处存在一次峰区,且该次峰在夏、秋季尤为明显,春季次之,冬季最小.藻类的吸收贡献也呈现出较为明显的季节特征,夏季吸收贡献最大达到22.1%,平均为16.4%;秋季最大为18.4%,平均为13.1%;春季最大为15.1%,平均为9.7%;冬季最大为10.1%,平均为6.8%.由于太湖颗粒物的吸收系数主要由非藻类颗粒物决定,因而用次氯酸钠漂白法从中提取藻类颗粒物的吸收系数会造成较大的误差,而改进的数值分离法在此基础上有了一定的提高.     

Second organic aerosol formation from the ozonolysis of -pinene in the presence of dry submicron ammonium sulfate aerosol

An indoor chamber facility is described for investigation of atmospheric aerosol chemistry. Two sets of α-pinene ozonolysisexperiments were conducted in the presence of dry ammonium sulfate seed particle: ozone limited experiments and α-pinene limitedexperiments. The concentration of gas phase and particle phase species was monitored continuously by on-line instruments andrecorded automatically by data sampling system. The evolution of size distribution was measured by a scanning mobility particlesizer (SMPS), and α-pinene consumed was measured using GC-FID. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) produced for seed-free systemis 100% organic in content, resulting from a sufficient supersaturation of low volatility organics to produce homogeneous nucleationfollowed by condensation to the aerosol. Secondary organic aerosol produced in seeded system is a mixture of organic and inorganicconstituents, initially forms via condensation onto the inorganic particles, and subsequent growth occurs via absorption into the organicsurface coating the inorganic core. Although the formation process and the size distribution for seed-free system and seeded system isdifferent, the ultimate mass of SOA formed is equal, and SOA yield for the two system located in the same regression line when usingone-product model, suggesting that the presence of dry ammonium sulfate seed has no measurable effect on the total aerosol yield, and the dry seed particle acts solely as a site upon which organic deposition occurs.     

河口近岸水体中颗粒态重金属的潮周期变化

对长江口崇明东滩近岸水体中颗粒态重金属的潮周期变化特征及其影响机制进行了研究.结果表明,受粒度影响,底层水体中颗粒态Cu、Pb、Fe、Mn、Zn、Cr、Al的总量分别高出表层沉积物的184%、99%、56%、62%、147%、50%和45%,其中Cu、Pb、Fe、Mn、Zn、Al可还原态部分在底层水体悬浮颗粒物中的含量也明显高出表层沉积物的2～3倍,但与重金属总量相比,上述元素的可还原态部分所占比例与表层沉积物相差不大.在5次潮汐循环过程中,颗粒态重金属均在涨潮初期、高平潮前后及落潮末期出现较高含量.这种变化主要与水动力条件有关,当水体流速增大时,从底部沉积物再悬浮起来的颗粒态重金属对水体中的永久性悬浮颗粒起了很大的稀释效应.水体中的盐度、DO及pH等环境因子对潮周期内颗粒态重金属的变化影响不大.