The effects of autophagy on vascular endothelial cells induced by airborne PM2.5

The purpose of this study was to examine the direct toxicity of PM2.5 collected from Beijing on human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC). A Cell Counting Kit 8(CCK8) assay demonstrated that PM2.5 exposure decreased the proliferation of HUVECs in a dosedependent manner. We also found that PM2.5 exposure induced autophagy in HUVECs, as evidenced by:(1) an increased number of double-membrane vesicles;(2) enhanced conversion and punctuation of the microtubule-associated protein light chain 3(LC3); and(3) decreased levels of the selective autophagy substrate p62 in a time-dependent manner.Furthermore, promoting autophagy in PM2.5-exposed HUVECs with rapamycin increased the cell survival rate, whereas inhibiting autophagy via 3-methyladenine significantly decreased cell survival. These results demonstrate that PM2.5 exposure can induce cytotoxicity and autophagy in HUVECs and that autophagy play a protective role against PM2.5-induced cytotoxicity. The findings of the present study imply a direct toxic effect of PM2.5 on HUVECs and provide novel insight into the mechanism of cardiovascular diseases caused by PM2.5 exposure.     

Effect of TiO2 nanoparticle aggregation on marine microalgae Isochrysis galbana

TiO_2 nanoparticles(NPs) could adversely impact aquatic ecosystems. However, the aggregation of these NPs could attenuate this effect. In this work, the biological effects of TiO_2 NPs on a marine microalgae Isochrysis galbana were investigated. The aggregation kinetics of TiO_2 NPs under different conditions was also investigated to determine and understand these effects. Results showed that, though TiO_2 NPs had no obvious impact on the size and reproducibility of algal cells under testing conditions, they caused a negative effect on algal chlorophyll, which led to a reduction in photosynthesis. Furthermore, fast aggregation of TiO_2 NPs occurred under all conditions, especially at the pH close to the p Hzpc. Increasing ionic strength and NP concentration also enhanced the aggregation rate.The aggregation and the following sedimentation of TiO_2 NPs reduced their adverse effects on I. galbana.     

Mercury flows in large-scale gold production and implications for Hg pollution control

Large-scale gold production(LSGP) is one of the five convention-related atmospheric mercury(Hg) emission sources in the Minamata Convention on Mercury. However, field experiments on Hg flows of the whole process of LSGP are limited. To identify the atmospheric Hg emission points and understand Hg emission characteristics of LSGP, Hg flows in two gold smelters were studied. Overall atmospheric Hg emissions accounted for 10%–17% of total Hg outputs and the Hg emission factors for all processes were 7.6–9.6 kg/ton. There were three dominant atmospheric Hg emission points in the studied gold smelters, including the exhaust gas of the roasting process, exhaust gas from the environmental fog collection stack and exhaust gas from the converter of the refining process. Atmospheric Hg emissions from the roasting process only accounted for 16%–29% of total emissions and the rest were emitted from the refining process. The overall Hg speciation profile(gaseous elemental Hg/gaseous oxidized Hg/particulate-bound Hg) for LSGP was 34.1/57.1/8.8. The dominant Hg output byproducts included waste acid, sulfuric acid and cyanide leaching residue. Total Hg outputs from these three byproducts were 80% in smelter A and 84% in smelter B. Our study indicated that previous atmospheric Hg emissions from large-scale gold production might have been overestimated.Hg emission control in LSGP is not especially urgent in China compared to other significant emission sources(e.g., cement plants). Instead, LSGP is a potential Hg release source due to the high Hg output proportions to acid and sludge.     

Effects of Na+ on Cu/SAPO-34 for ammonia selective catalytic reduction

Copper-exchanged chabazite (Cu/CHA) catalysts have been found to be affected by alkali metal and alkaline earth ions. However, the effects of Na⁺ ions on Cu/SAPO-34 for ammonia selective catalytic reduction (NH₃-SCR) are still unclear. In order to investigate the mechanism, five samples with various Na contents were synthesized and characterized. It was observed that the introduced Na⁺ ion-exchanges with H⁺ and Cu^2 + of Cu/SAPO-34. The exchange of H⁺ is easier than that of isolated Cu^2 +. The exchanged Cu^2 + ions aggregate and form “CuAl₂O₄-like” species. The NH₃-SCR activity of Cu/SAPO-34 decreases with increasing Na content, and the loss of isolated Cu^2 + and acid sites is responsible for the activity loss.     

Seasonal variation and size distribution of biogenic secondary organic aerosols at urban and continental background sites of China

Size-resolved biogenic secondary organic aerosols(BSOA) derived from isoprene and monoterpene photooxidation in Qinghai Lake, Tibetan Plateau(a continental background site) and five cities of China were measured using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(GC/MS). Concentrations of the determined BSOA are higher in the cities than in the background and are also higher in summer than in winter. Moreover, strong positive correlations(R2= 0.44–0.90) between BSOA and sulfate were found at the six sites,suggesting that anthropogenic pollution(i.e., sulfate) could enhance SOA formation,because sulfate provides a surface favorable for acid-catalyzed formation of BSOA. Size distribution measurements showed that most of the determined SOA tracers are enriched in the fine mode( 3.3 μm) except for cis-pinic and cis-pinonic acids, both presented a comparable mass in the fine and coarse( 3.3 μm) modes, respectively. Mass ratio of oxidation products derived from isoprene to those from monoterpene in the five urban regions during summer are much less than those in Qinghai Lake region. In addition, in the five urban regions relative abundances of monoterpene oxidation products to SOA are much higher than those of isoprene. Such phenomena suggest that BSOA derived from monoterpenes are more abundant than those from isoprene in Chinese urban areas.     

Regionalization based on spatial and seasonal variation in ground-level ozone concentrations across China

Owing to the vast territory of China and strong regional characteristic of ozone pollution,it's desirable for policy makers to have a targeted and prioritized regulation and ozone pollution control strategy in China based on scientific evidences. It's important to assess its current pollution status as well as spatial and temporal variation patterns across China.Recent advances of national monitoring networks provide an opportunity to insight the actions of ozone pollution. Here, we present rotated empirical orthogonal function(REOF)analysis that was used on studying the spatiotemporal characteristics of daily ozone concentrations. Based on results of REOF analysis in pollution seasons for 3 years' observations, twelve regions with clear patterns were identified in China. The patterns of temporal variation of ozone in each region were separated well and different from each other, reflecting local meteorological, photochemical or pollution features. A rising trend in annual averaged Eight-hour Average Ozone Concentrations(O_3-8 hr) from 2014 to 2016 was observed for all regions, except for the Tibetan Plateau. The mean values of annual and 90 percentile concentrations for all 338 cities were 82.6 ± 14.6 and 133.9 ± 25.8 μg/m~3,respectively, in 2015. The regionalization results of ozone were found to be influenced greatly by terrain features, indicating significant terrain and landform effects on ozone spatial correlations. Among 12 regions, North China Plain, Huanghuai Plain, Central Yangtze River Plain, Pearl River Delta and Sichuan Basin were realized as priority regions for mitigation strategies, due to their higher ozone concentrations and dense population.     

同槽双极锰电积生产工艺的现状及进展研究

为解决传统锰和二氧化锰制备过程中单独电解的高能耗、高污染问题,目前国内外在同槽电解制备金属锰和微粒二氧化锰方面已有一定的探索和研究。总结介绍了锰和二氧化锰的研究进展,电解液的制备方法、电极的制备研究以及最新同槽电解工艺的研究动态和发展,并在此基础上展望了电解制备锰和二氧化锰工业的发展趋势,致力于开发一种同槽双极锰电积清洁节能工艺,在同槽电解降低能耗的基础上发展清洁工艺,回收生产过程中产生的废酸,对环境保护、水体治理以及可持续发展具有重大意义。     

大型电力企业污染治理型营销策略研究

大型电力企业是国家发展电力需要重要扶持的企业。在大型电力企业电源结构中,火力发电占据重要地位,消耗煤炭的同时,会产生固体污染和废气污染,影响生态环境。为此,在提高大型电力企业完成电能输出的同时,需实现对环境的保护,提出对大型电力企业污染治理型营销策略进行研究。通过分析大型电力企业发展的生态环境、经济环境和行业发展环境,总结大型电力企业营销外部环境现状。考虑火力发电在电源结构中的地位以及对环境造成的污染,提出设计火力发电以外的电源结构,实现大型发电企业污染治理型营销策略提出与研究。     

环境污染防治在建筑工程管理施工中的作用分析与研究

建筑活动是破坏环境资源、污染环境的主要活动之一,如何有效达到施工环境污染防治的目标已经逐渐成为社会关注的焦点话题。为有效防治施工环境污染,文中首先对典型施工环境污染的主要来源进行分析,然后提出施工环境污染防治目标的动态控制流程,并从设置动态控制目标、重视主动控制、多方面釆取有效措施方面对目标的动态控制进行分析。通过对施工环境目标的动态控制分析,使动态控制原理在项目环境管理领域有效运用,降低了建筑施工对环境的污染。     

PM_(2.5)严重超标下户外运动的风险评估模型设计研究

PM_(2.5)严重超标下进行户外运动可能会导致肺部疾病的风险,建立户外运动的风险评估模型,通过定量分析PM_(2.5)含量与户外运动的身体机能指标参量的关系,实现数学建模,指导户外运动锻炼。提出基于最大摄氧量定量递归分析的PM_(2.5)严重超标下户外运动的风险评估模型。构建户外运动风险评估约束参量,采用模板参数对照法和定量递归分析方法进行风险评估优化求解,结合模糊决策方法进行PM_(2.5)超标环境下的户外运动的风险评估建模,求得最大摄氧量、最大通气量等参数的最优值,从而指导户外运动训练。