Preparation of solar-enhanced AlZnO@carbon nano-substrates for remediation of textile wastewaters

Photoactive aluminum doped ZnO(AlZnO) was synthesized by sol-gel method.After that,AlZnO photocatalyst was deposited on five carbon-based materials(CBMs) using ultrasonic route followed by solid-state mixing using ball mill.The CBMs used were poly aniline(PANI),carbon nitride(CN),carbon nanotubes(CNT),graphene(G),and carbon nanofibers(CNF).The crystal phases,elemental compositions,morphological,and optical properties of the AlZnO@CBMs composites were investigated.Experimental results revealed that two of AlZnO@CBMs composites exhibited superior bleaching efficiency(100% removal) and photocatalytic stability(three cycles) for 50 μmol/L Methylene Blue(MB) contaminated water after 60 min irradiation in visible light at pH 6.5,0.7% H_2O_2,and 5 g/L inorganic salts.Under optimum conditions,AlZnO@CBMs nanocomposites were employed for the treatment of mixed dyestuffs composed of MB,Methyl Orange(MO),Astrazone Blue FRR(BB 69),and Rhodamine B(RhB) dyes under dark,ultraviolet,visible,and direct sunlight.For mixed dyestuffs,the AlZnO@G achieved the highest dye sorption capacity(60.91 μmol dye stuffs/g) with kinetic rate 8.22 × 10~(-3) min~(-1) in 90 min via multi-layer physisorption(Freundlich isotherm) on graphene sheet.In additions,AlZnO@CN offered the highest photo-kinetic rate(K_(photo)) of～54.1 × 10~(-3) min~(-1)(93.8% after 60 min) under direct sunlight.Furthermore,the selective radical trapping experiment confirmed that the holes and oxidative superoxide radicals are crucial on dyes photodegradation pathway.Owing to their superior performance,AlZnO@G and AlZnO@CN nanocomposites can offer an effective in-situ solar-assisted adsorption/photocatalytic remediation of textile wastewater effluents.     

纳米材料在环境保护中的应用与发展

综述了纳米材料的环保功能以及其在环境保护中的应用，并列举了近年出现的纳米环保产品，提出了纳米材料在环保应用中存在的问题。     

石墨烯纳米材料对哺乳动物的毒性及其作用机制

石墨烯是一种应用广泛的新兴非金属纳米材料，具有独特的电学机械性能、超大的比表面积以及潜在的生物相容性，在材料、电子、能源、光学以及生物医学等领域得到广泛应用。与此同时，石墨烯的环境行为和生物毒性也随之引起日益广泛的关注。本文通过对石墨烯纳米材料的动物毒性、细胞毒性、毒性影响因素和毒性机制等相关研究进展进行总结。石墨烯纳米材料可通过气管滴注、吸入、静脉注射、腹腔注射以及口服等方式进入体内，通过机械屏障、血脑屏障和血液胎盘屏障等积累在肺、肝、脾等部位引起急性或者慢性损伤；目前有关石墨烯毒性机制的研究主要集中于线粒体损伤、DNA损伤、炎性反应、凋亡等终点及氧化应激参与的复杂信号通路，不同石墨烯纳米材料的浓度、尺寸、表面结构和官能团等对石墨烯的生物毒性影响不同。鉴于当前该领域研究的局限性，对石墨烯纳米材料生物毒性研究的发展方向进行了展望，进而为石墨烯材料的安全应用提供理论借鉴和实践参考。     

石英砂滤料表面润湿改性

采用硅烷偶联剂、钛酸酯偶联剂和铝酸酯偶联剂对石英砂进行表面改性,以制备亲油疏水性滤料。研究得出,钛酸酯偶联剂改性石英砂的最佳工艺条件为:偶联剂用量15%,反应温度90℃,搅拌时间15 min;硅烷偶联剂和铝酸酯偶联剂改性石英砂的最佳工艺条件均为:偶联剂用量15%,反应温度110℃,搅拌时间15 min。水对钛酸酯偶联剂改性石英砂滤料的润湿重量由改性前的1.5589 g降低到0.0282 g,水对硅烷偶联剂改性石英砂滤料的润湿重量降低到0.0607 g,水对铝酸酯改性石英砂滤料的润湿重量降低到0.2664 g。静态吸附实验表明,硅烷偶联剂、钛酸酯偶联剂和铝酸酯偶联剂改性石英砂滤料对油的吸附容量分别增加了33.67%、42.87%和22.30%。XPS和FT-IR分析表明,偶联剂均以化学键的方式包覆在石英砂滤料表面,结合稳定。     

Mesoporous carbon nanomaterials induced pulmonary surfactant inhibition, cytotoxicity, inflammation and lung fibrosis

Environmental exposure and health risk upon engineered nanomaterials are increasingly concerned. The family of mesoporous carbon nanomaterials(MCNs) is a rising star in nanotechnology for multidisciplinary research with versatile applications in electronics,energy and gas storage, and biomedicine. Meanwhile, there is mounting concern on their environmental health risks due to the growing production and usage of MCNs. The lung is the primary site for particle invasion under environmental exposure to nanomaterials. Here, we studied the comprehensive toxicological profile of MCNs in the lung under the scenario of moderate environmental exposure. It was found that at a low concentration of 10 μg/mL MCNs induced biophysical inhibition of natural pulmonary surfactant. Moreover, MCNs at similar concentrations reduced viability of J774 A.1 macrophages and lung epithelial A549 cells.Incubating with nature pulmonary surfactant effectively reduced the cytotoxicity of MCNs.Regarding the pro-inflammatory responses, MCNs activated macrophages in vitro, and stimulated lung inflammation in mice after inhalation exposure, associated with lung fibrosis.Moreover, we found that the size of MCNs played a significant role in regulating cytotoxicity and pro-inflammatory potential of this nanomaterial. In general, larger MCNs induced more pronounced cytotoxic and pro-inflammatory effects than their smaller counterparts. Our results provided valuable information on the toxicological profile and environmental health risks of MCNs, and suggested that fine-tuning the size of MCNs could be a practical precautionary design strategy to increase safety and biocompatibility of this nanomaterial.     

Impact of carbon nanomaterials on the behaviour of 14C-phenanthrene and 14C-benzo-[a] pyrene in soil

The impact of fullerene soot (FS), single-walled (SWCNTs) and multi-walled (MWCNTs) carbon nanotubes on the behaviour of two ¹⁴C-PAHs in sterile soil was investigated. Different concentrations of carbon nanomaterials (0, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.5%) were added to soil, and ¹⁴C-phenanthrene and ¹⁴C-benzo[a]pyrene extractability assessed over 80 d through dichloromethane (DCM) and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD) shake extractions. Total ¹⁴C-PAH activity in soils was determined by combustion, and mineralisation of ¹⁴C-phenanthrene was monitored over 14 d, using a catabolically active pseudomonad inoculum. No significant loss of ¹⁴C-PAH-associated activity from CNM-amended soils was observed over the ‘aging’ period. CNMs had a significant impact on HPCD-extractability of ¹⁴C-PAHS; extractability decreased with increasing CNM concentration. Additionally, ¹⁴C-phenanthrene mineralisation was inhibited by the presence of CNMs at concentrations of ≥0.05%. Differences in overall extents of ¹⁴C-mineralisation were also apparent between CNM types. It is suggested the addition of CNMs to soil can reduce PAH extractability and bioaccessibility, with PAH sorption to CNMs influenced by CNM type and concentration.     

Modified titanium oxide (TiO2) nanocomposites and its array of applications: a review

Titania (TiO₂) has been the focus of attention of researchers since the first demonstration of its capability to generate the photocatalytic splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen. However, there seems to be a recent surge in the research activity, involving modified TiO₂ nanoparticles (NP), which are considered to be more effective due to different physicochemical properties in comparison to unmodified fine particle analogs. Several strategies have been employed to modify TiO₂ to reduce recombination rates of photogenerated charge carriers to enhance the optimal functioning of TiO₂. Doping with cations and anions and coupling it with another semiconductor are the most well-known modification methods used. Titania nanocomposites are known to have a plethora of applications. Photoexcitation of these particles are seen to be extraordinarily effective in eliciting microbial death which makes it an attractive candidate for the manufacturing of antimicrobial coatings. On the other hand, TiO₂ induces the oxidation of various organic refractory compounds like tetracycline, sulfamethazine, and bisphenol. The photo-electrocatalytic oxidation technique which amalgamates the principle of photocatalysis and electrolysis serves as a newer, unswerving, and cost effective water treatment process. In the biomedical arena, use is now acknowledged for the photodynamic therapy of cancer, cell imaging, biological sensors, drug delivery system, and as endonucleases. In the commercial front, it is utilized in creams owing to its small particle size, which facilitates absorption through skin. It is also employed as ultraviolet blocking agents in sunscreen and commonly encountered as a brilliant white pigment in paint due to its brightness, high refractive index and resistance to discoloration. Its use in solar cells has also been reported. This review aims to encompass the new progress of modified TiO2 nanocomposites for efficient applications, emphasizing the future trends of TiO2 in arenas like healthcare, environment, biomedical, food, personal care, and pharmacy and also highlights the commercial implications of this promising nanomaterial.     

纳米二氧化钛与镉对斜生栅藻(Scenedesmus obliquus)生长的拮抗效应及其作用机制

人工纳米材料（MNMs）进入水环境将改变传统环境污染物的环境归趋及其毒性作用,两者的相互作用及其机制一直是环境科学领域的热点问题.迄今为止,已有大量MNMs与现存污染物联合毒性作用的研究成果发表,但其潜在的作用机制,尤其是联合作用下的生物响应机制仍未清楚.本文以典型MNMs——纳米二氧化钛（nTiO₂）与重金属镉（Cd²⁺）为研究目标,以斜生栅藻（Scenedesmus obliquus）为受试生物,考察在等效剂量（毒性比1 ∶1）下不同浓度组合nTiO₂和Cd²⁺对斜生栅藻的联合毒性作用模式及其分子机制.结果表明,等效剂量下Cd²⁺和nTiO₂的72h EC₅₀值对比单独暴露时均有显著升高,呈拮抗效应.进一步开展转录组学分析发现,nTiO₂存在下斜生栅藻能量代谢所涉及的光合作用、叶绿素代谢以及淀粉与蔗糖代谢通路发生了显著上调,与藻细胞抗逆效应相关的精氨酸与脯氨酸代谢通路同样呈正向刺激表现.本文首次报道了nTiO₂与Cd²⁺等效剂量联合暴露下,浮游植物通过改变藻细胞抗逆能力与加强能量代谢来降低毒性的生物响应机制.本研究结果为深入理解MNMs与现存污染物的复合环境健康效应提供重要参考和研究基础.     

Study of the performance of a coolant mixed with an Al2O3/SiC nanomaterial in an engine radiator

One of the important components of a car to control the temperature of a car's engine is the radiator. To increase the heat absorption capacity of the coolant/fluid used in the radiator with minimum pumping power, innovative fluids called nanofluids have become the main area of research these days. Therefore, with the development of new technologies in the field of “nano-materials” and “nano-fluids,” the physical and chemical properties of coolant/fluid can be improved which in turn improves the radiator and engine efficiency, and reduces radiator weight and size. In this article, the heat transfer by forced convection in nanofluids based on Al₂O₃ and SiC was studied experimentally and compared to that of base fluid in an automotive radiator. The nanofluid is mixed with ethylene glycol and the fluid is prepared by the sonication method. The nanofluids were prepared by varying the nanomaterials and the amounts of nanomaterials in the base fluid and their heat transfer performance in the radiator was analyzed using ANSYS FLUENT software. Approximately 15% and 12% increase in radiator efficiency by using Al₂O₃ mixed nanofluid and SiC mixed nanofluid, respectively.     

纳米材料的环境和生态毒理学研究进展

随着纳米技术的迅速发展及纳米材料的大量增多,纳米技术的安全性问题正引起世界范围的重点关注.纳米材料可以通过多种途径进入自然环境而产生多种环境行为,可能引起生物体的毒性效应,其生态学影响也不可忽视.目前国际上对纳米材料生态学影响特别是环境行为的研究仍处于起步阶段,有价值的研究结果非常少,仍有众多不确定的生态安全问题有待深入研究.在总结国内外相关研究的基础上,就纳米材料的来源、进入环境的途径、环境行为、生态毒理学研究现状及需要进一步研究的内容进行了简要综述.