The fractionation and geochemical characteristics of rare earth elements measured in ambient size-resolved PM in an integrated iron and steelmaking industry zone

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Improved understanding of the fractionation and geochemical characteristic of rare earth elements (REEs) from steel plant emissions is important due...     

Effect of alginate on the aggregation kinetics of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs): bridging interaction and hetero-aggregation induced by Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript>

The stability of CuO nanoparticles (NPs) is expected to play a key role in the environmental risk assessment of nanotoxicity in aquatic systems. In this study, the effect of alginate (model polysaccharides) on the stability of CuO NPs in various environmentally relevant ionic strength conditions was investigated by using time-resolved dynamic light scattering. Significant aggregation of CuO NPs was observed in the presence of both monovalent and divalent cations. The critical coagulation concentrations (CCC) were 54.5 and 2.9 mM for NaNO₃ and Ca(NO₃)₂, respectively. The presence of alginate slowed nano-CuO aggregation rates over the entire NaNO₃ concentration range due to the combined electrostatic and steric effect. High concentrations of Ca²⁺ (>6 mM) resulted in stronger adsorption of alginate onto CuO NPs; however, enhanced aggregation of CuO NPs occurred simultaneously under the same conditions. Spectroscopic analysis revealed that the bridging interaction of alginate with Ca²⁺ might be an important mechanism for the enhanced aggregation. Furthermore, significant coagulation of the alginate molecules was observed in solutions of high Ca²⁺ concentrations, indicating a hetero-aggregation mechanism between the alginate-covered CuO NPs and the unabsorbed alginate. These results suggested a different aggregation mechanism of NPs might co-exist in aqueous systems enriched with natural organic matter, which should be taken into consideration in future studies.

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Graphical abstract Hetero-aggregation mechanism of CuO nanoparticles and alginate under high concentration of Ca²⁺

     

Entrepreneur environment management behavior evaluation method derived from environmental economy

Evaluation system can encourage and guide entrepreneurs, and impel them to perform well in environment management. An evaluation method based on advantage structure is established. It is used to analyze entrepreneur environment management behavior in China. Entrepreneur environment management behavior evaluation index system is constructed based on empirical research. Evaluation method of entrepreneurs is put forward, from the point of objective programming-theory to alert entrepreneurs concerned to think much of it, which means to take minimized objective function as comprehensive evaluation result and identify disadvantage structure pattern. Application research shows that overall behavior of Chinese entrepreneurs environmental management are good, specially, environment strategic behavior are best, environmental management behavior are second, cultural behavior ranks last. Application results show the efficiency and feasibility of this method.     

Adsorption of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole from aqueous solution by organo-bentonite

The adsorption behavior of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole onto organo-bentonite was investigated.Natural bentonite from Gaozhou in Guangdong Province,China was collected.Organo-bentonite was prepared by intercalation of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide into the natural bentonite.The physicochemical properties of the prepared organo-bentonite were characterized by X-ray diffraction,N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.The results showed that montmorillonite is the main component of the natural bentonite.The basal spacing of the natural bentonite is 1.47 nm,which increased to 1.98 nm on intercalation with cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide.Moreover,both the surface area and pore volume increased with intercalation.Clear CH2 stretching(3000-2800 cm-1) and scissoring(1480-1450 cm-1) modes of the intercalated surfactants were observed for organobentonite.Compared with the pseudo first-order kinetic model,the pseudo second-order kinetic model is more suitable to describe the adsorption kinetics of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole onto organo-bentonite.The adsorption capacity of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole onto organo-bentonite increased with increasing initial concentration of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole,but decreased with increasing adsorbent dosage.The adsorption isotherm of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole onto organo-bentonite fits well with the Langmuir model.The maximum adsorption capacity of organo-bentonite for 2-mercaptobenzothiazole was 33.61 mg/g,indicating that organo-bentonite is a promising adsorbent for 2-mercaptobenzothiazole.     

江苏盐城湿地珍禽国家级自然保护区范围调整研究

近年来,江苏盐城湿地珍禽国家级自然保护区与当地社会经济发展的矛盾突出,2006年的规划调整已不能满足保护区保护与发展要求,于2011年,本着保护优先,兼顾发展,人与自然和谐相处的理念,根据保护区保护物种的分布和生境变化现状,以及当地社会经济发展现状与需求,对江苏盐城湿地珍禽国家级自然保护区进行了适当的调整。因范围调整与沿海湿地变化方向一致,鸟类主要栖息地基本没有变化;在进行范围调整的同时通过加大生态补偿力度、多方筹集资金,加强保护区基础设施建设和管护能力培养,使得保护区功能区调整后对保护区自然属性和可保护属性没有变化,从而使保护区的管理条件提到了一个新的水平,保护区管理水平得到显著提高。     

氟磺隆水解动力学研究

采用试验室内模拟试验的方法,研究不同pH的缓冲溶液和不同自然水体对氟磺隆水解的影响。实验结果表明,不同pH缓冲溶液和不同自然水体对氟磺隆水解速率均有不同程度的影响。在碱性条件下氟磺隆的水解速率最快,半衰期为0.2 d,酸性条件下次之,半衰期为6.0 d,在中性条件下水解较慢,半衰期为15.7 d,而在不同自然水体中氟磺隆的降解速率为:伊通河水稻田水青湖水蒸馏水。     

压裂返排液处理技术现状及展望

针对页岩气压裂返排液的特点、危害,综述了氧化-絮凝-过滤/吸附联合处理工艺、氧化-絮凝-电解-过滤/吸附联合处理工艺、氧化-絮凝-电解-过滤/吸附-生化联合处理工艺的特点、适用性及处理效果,经过多种工艺处理后,压裂返排液中COD等污染物可以有效去除,出水可以达标。并对压裂返排液处理技术的发展前景进行展望,认为回收重复利用是未来压裂返排液处理的发展趋势。     

Molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi at a large-scale antimony mining area in southern China

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have great potential for assisting heavy metal hyperaccumulators in the remediation of contaminated soils. However, little information is available about the community composition of AMF under natural conditions in soils contaminated by antimony (Sb). The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics of AMF molecular diversity, and to explore the effects of Sb content and soil properties on the AMF community structure in an Sb mining area. Four Sb mine spoils and one adjacent reference area were selected from around the Xikuangshan mine in southern China. The association of AMF molecular diversity and community composition with the rhizosphere soils of the dominant plant species was studied by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). Results from all five studied sites showed that the diversity of AMF decreased with increasing Sb concentration. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the AMF community structure was markedly different among these groups. Further redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that Sb contaminationwas the dominating factor influencing the AMF community structure in the Sb mine area. However, the multivariate analysis showed that, apart from the soil Sb content, extractable nitrogen content and organic matter content also attributed to AMF sequence distribution type. Some AMF sequences were only found in the highly contaminated area and these might be ideal candidates for improving phytoremediation efficiency in Sb mining regions. Gene sequencing analysis revealed that most species were affiliated with Glomus, suggesting that Glomus was the dominant AMF genus in the studied Sb mining area.     

Leaching-induced migration and compositional form change of Cu,Zn, and Cd from sludge to loess

Land utilization of sewage sludge has become one of the major issues in environmental mitigation in China. This is particularly important in the Loess Plateau of Northwest China. Sludge enriched with organic matter and nutrients might effectively help to resolve the problems of silty loess soils as evidenced by porosity defect, structural alterations and absence of fertility. After sludge flows into the loess, irrigation water contains heavy metals that leach and migrate into sludge and consequently related human health risks may occur that raise concerns; and this situation needs to be rectified. The characteristics of the vertical migration and composition form change of Cu, Zn, and Cd from composted sludge to loess, and corresponding influencing factors, were investigated by performing a soil column simulation test under the leaching treatment of a one-year irrigation water capacity. Results demonstrated that: (1) composted sludge significantly improved loess fertility, and irrigation leaching transported only a small quantity of organic matter in sludge in the plough layer; (2) although some of the Cu, Zn, and Cd in composted sludge migrated to and concentrated in the middle and upper layers of the soil column during leaching, these metals were mostly retained in the plough layer; and (3) after the leaching treatment of the one-year irrigation water capacity, the compositions of Cu, Zn, and Cd (particularly Cu and Zn) in both plough layer and loess began to stabilize with low concentrations in the exudate. These findings confirmed the applicability of composted sludge in loess regions. This study provided a new insight into the sludge reuse in alkaline soils in arid and semi-arid region.