Transparent exopolymer particles (TEPs)-associated protobiofilm: A neglected contributor to biofouling during membrane filtration

• Bacteria could easily and quickly attached onto TEP to form protobiofilms. • TEP-protobiofilm facilitate the transport of bacteria to membrane surface. • More significant flux decline was observed in the presence of TEP-protobiofilms. • Membrane fouling shows higher sensitivity to protobiofilm not to bacteria level. Transparent exopolymer particles (TEPs) are a class of transparent gel-like polysaccharides, which have been widely detected in almost every kind of feed water to membrane systems, including freshwater, seawater and wastewater. Although TEP have been thought to be related to the membrane fouling, little information is currently available for their influential mechanisms and the pertinence to biofouling development. The present study, thus, aims to explore the impact of TEPs on biofouling development during ultrafiltration. TEP samples were inoculated with bacteria for several hours before filtration and the formation of “protobiofilm” (pre-colonized TEP by bacteria) was examined and its influence on biofouling was determined. It was observed that the bacteria can easily and quickly attach onto TEPs and form protobiofilms. Ultrafiltration experiments further revealed that TEP-protobiofilms served as carriers which facilitated and accelerated transport of bacteria to membrane surface, leading to rapid development of biofouling on the ultrafiltration membrane surfaces. Moreover, compared to the feed water containing independent bacteria and TEPs, more flux decline was observed with TEP-protobiofilms. Consequently, it appeared from this study that TEP-protobiofilms play a vital role in the development of membrane biofouling, but unfortunately, this phenomenon has been often overlooked in the literature. Obviously, these findings in turn may also challenge the current understanding of organic fouling and biofouling as membrane fouling caused by TEP-protobiofilm is a combination of both. It is expected that this study might promote further research in general membrane fouling mechanisms and the development of an effective mitigation strategy.     

南京市典型地区大气多环芳烃污染特征及健康风险评价

采用气相色谱-质谱法,于2016年9月和12月对南京市2个典型地区大气中16种多环芳烃(PAHs)的质量浓度进行分析,并开展了PAHs组成特征、来源解析及人体健康风险评价研究。结果表明,工业区(六合区)和生活区(江宁区)大气(气态和可吸入颗粒态)中16种PAHs的质量浓度分别为914.82和712.27 ng/m~3,苯并[a]芘毒性等效浓度分别为274.1和309.84 ng/m~3,且呈现冬季高、秋季低的特征。比值法源解析结果表明,燃煤污染是六合区PAHs污染主要来源,而江宁区主要表现为交通污染。人体健康风险评价结果表明,六合区和江宁区人群通过大气吸入PAHs的超额致癌风险分别为5.17×10~(-5)和5.85×10~(-5),均略高于可接受水平10~(-6)。     

基于多时相遥感数据的典型区生态格局变化分析

利用1985、2000、2013年遥感影像提取的土地覆盖数据,通过景观格局指数、动态度计算、转移矩阵等,分析1985—2013年我国典型地区各类型生态系统景观格局及其动态变化特征、生态系统相互转化时空变化特征等,揭示1985—2013年生态环境格局变化的特点和规律:一级分类生态系统综合变化率,赣江、闽江、白龙江和岷江上游流域分别为4.7%、3.9%、3.3%和1.7%,生态系统变化强度1985—2000年较缓,2000—2013年更剧烈。1985—2013年典型区生态系统的主要转化方向具有持续性和双向性特征,岷江、白龙江和赣江上游流域退耕还林还草政策效果明显,出现较高比例的耕地转为森林和草地;面积占67.4%生态系统类型变化与耕地生态系统和人工表面生态系统变化有关;生态系统变化具有明显的区域差异,生态变化主要表现为沿主要河流谷地的线状延伸,主要城镇居民点附近生态系统类型变化较为突出,人类活动是典型地区生态系统类型格局变化的主要驱动力;典型区尤其是敏感区应加大退耕还林还草政策,减少人类经济活动,降低洪水泥石流灾害发生的概率和程度。     

基于环境监测实验室的高校实验室安全准入制度信息系统功能优化研究

梳理了高校实验室环境-安全-健康准入制度包含的管理内容,从人员管理、设备管理、试剂管理、实验环境管理角度进行了分析。根据现有实验室安全信息化系统运行情况,探讨了将实验室安全信息化系统与实验室信息化系统、设备管理信息化系统进行数据融合和功能优化的要点,重点分析了设备采购及管理系统、实验室安全教育与考试系统、实验室安全检查系统、试剂管理平台、实验室门禁管理系统在功能上的内在关联,从而通过试剂管理平台、实验室门禁控制系统、设备采购系统实现实验室环境-安全-健康准入制度的强制执行。研究发现,高校与环境监测实验室、院系实验室安全管理部门联合促进实验室安全信息化系统、实验室信息化系统、设备管理信息化系统的数据共享与功能升级,可以丰富实验室安全准入制度的内涵和管理手段,加强实验室安全准入制度的强制执行力,提高实验室安全管理效率。     

新疆阿克苏地区平原区高砷地下水分布特征及富集因素分析

地下水砷污染是全球化环境问题.本文基于阿克苏地区平原区2017年75个地下水砷实测含量进行分析.结果表明,研究区地下水砷含量变化范围为ND—98.70μg·L^-1,平均值为9.42μg·L^-1,超标率达26.7%.水平方向上,高砷地下水主要集中在研究区的中部偏南一带;垂直方向上,山麓斜坡冲洪积砾质平原潜水区地下水砷含量平均值表现为深层潜水>浅层潜水,中下游河流冲积平原区承压水区地下水砷含量平均值表现为深层承压水>浅层承压水>潜水.采用绘制Piper三线图、Gibbs图、离子比例图等方法对研究区地下水砷的富集因素进行研究.结果表明,研究区地下水砷主要为自然来源;封闭的地质构造和造山带与河流等沉积环境相结合的水文地质条件有利于研究区地下水砷的富集;研究区高砷地下水水化学类型主要为HCO3·SO4-Na,还原性-弱碱性环境利于地下水砷富集;研究区地下水砷受强烈的蒸发浓缩作用进一步浓缩,同时地下水阴离子浓度增大加剧了地下水中阴离子与砷酸根、亚砷酸根之间的竞争吸附,利于地下水砷的富集.     

夏季渭河西安段溶解性有机质(DOM)的特征、分布及来源分析

通过紫外吸收光谱,三维荧光光谱结合平行因子分析(EEMs-PARAFAC)方法及主成分分析(PCA),研究了夏季渭河西安段水体中的溶解性有机质(DOM)的组成、来源,及其与水质指标的相关性.在研究区域共检出2种类别5个不同的DOM组分,分别为类腐殖质荧光组分C1、C2、C3、C5和1个类蛋白类荧光组分C4,5个组分具有同源性.对比分析光谱斜率S、SUVA₂₅₄、α355和DOC浓度,上游(S1—S5)和下游(S13—S17)各组分分子量和腐殖化程度接近但来源有所差异,中游(S6—S12、S18—S19)分子量和腐殖化程度最低;研究区域DOM和CDOM浓度值变化基本保持一致.通过三维光谱参数和主成分分析进行DOM源解析,内源贡献率为72.36%,外源贡献率为12.45%,累计方差贡献率为84.81%;污废水排放是组分C1、C4的主要来源,C2、C3、C5则来源于城市景观水体和湿地公园中微生物和浮游动植物的活动产生,TN与外源具有较好的相关性而TP与内源相关性较高.水质指标DO、DOC、COD、TN、TP与DOM组分有较强的相关性.在此基础上建立了多元线性回归方程,一定程度上能够利用荧光组分组成和特征反映渭河夏季的水质状况.     

Cumulative carbon emissions and economic policy: In search of general principles

We exploit recent advances in climate science to develop a physically consistent, yet surprisingly simple, model of climate policy. It seems that key economic models have greatly overestimated the delay between carbon emissions and warming, and ignored the saturation of carbon sinks that takes place when the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide rises. This has important implications for climate policy. If carbon emissions are abated, damages are avoided almost immediately. Therefore it is optimal to reduce emissions significantly in the near term and bring about a slow transition to optimal peak warming, even if optimal steady-state/peak warming is high. The optimal carbon price should start relatively high and grow relatively fast.     

Depoliticizing adaptation: a critical analysis of EU climate adaptation policy

The ways in which climate adaptation is understood in the European Union is examined via three key policy documents: the Strategy on adaptation and the Green and White Papers that preceded it. Drawing on Poststructuralist Discourse Theory, light is shed on the implicit values and assumptions that underpin this recent policy initiative. The findings demonstrate a tension between the declared ambition to act on adaptation and implicit suggestions that nothing really has to change, and the challenge can be addressed by market and technological innovations, and by mainstreaming adaptation into existing sectoral policies. The policy discourse effectively serves to depoliticize choices societies make in response to climate change, presenting adaptation as a non-political issue. Insight into European adaptation discourse enables deeper understanding of recent policy developments and opens up possible entry points for critique.     

4种多环芳烃对仿刺参(Apostichopus japonicus)原肠胚发育的急性毒性研究

海洋中的多环芳烃(PAHs)具有较强的生物毒性,且海洋动物早期发育阶段是对环境因素变化响应的最敏感阶段。为探究海洋多环芳烃类有机污染物对仿刺参(Apostichopus japonicus)早期发育阶段原肠胚的毒性影响,采用半静态毒性实验方法,分别考察了4种多环芳烃苯并[a]芘、3-甲基菲、惹烯及2-甲基蒽对仿刺参原肠胚的24、48、72、96 h急性毒性效应。结果表明,在10、50、100、200μg·L~(-1)暴露浓度下,随着暴露时间的延长和暴露浓度的升高,4种多环芳烃对仿刺参原肠胚产生不同程度的急性毒性效应,仿刺参原肠胚存活率与4种多环芳烃浓度之间分别存在显著的剂量-效应关系(P0.05)。苯并[a]芘对仿刺参原肠胚在24、48 h的半致死浓度(LC_(50))分别为294.4、225.64 mg·L~(-1),3-甲基菲在24、48、72、96 h的LC_(50)分别为404.5、300.7、81.4、17.6mg·L~(-1),惹烯在24、48、72 h的LC_(50)分别为243.1、230、186 mg·L~(-1),2-甲基蒽在24、48、72、96 h的LC_(50)分别244、231.6、152.6、142.9 mg·L~(-1)。4种多环芳烃的安全浓度(SC)分别为39.76、49.8、61.8、62.6μg·L~(-1),其毒性大小顺序为苯并[a]芘3-甲基菲惹烯2-甲基蒽。基于定量构效关系(QSAR)的研究结果可知多环芳烃化合物的毒性差异可能与分子结构等性质有关。该实验为深入研究多环芳烃对海洋环境的毒性效应提供了理论依据。