Analysis of Environmental and Socio-economic Determinants Affecting Population Longevity Level at County Level in China

INTRODUCTIONIn recent thirty years, due to the decreasing fertility andincreasing life expectancy, China's population is aging ata very rapid pace and the elderly population size is keepingon growing. During the dramatic aging progress, the oldestold group in China is catching our eyes. More and moreold people of China are becoming the oldest old. Theextremely old population (aged 80 and above) is increasingat 5.1% annually, while the old population above 65 isincreasing at 2.9%, and the…     

Biogenic VOCs emission inventory development of temperate grassland vegetation in Xilin River basin, Inner Mongolia, China

Given the key role of biogenic volatile organic compounds(VOCs) to tropospheric chemistry and regional air quality, it is important to generate accurateVOCs emission inventories. However, only a less fraction of plant species, in temperate grassland of Inner Mongolia, has been characterized by quantitative measurements. A taxonomic methodology, which assigns VOCs measurements to unmeasured species, is an applicable and inexpensive alternation for extensive VOCs emission survey, although data are needed for additional plant families and genera to further validate the taxonomic approach in grassland vegetation. In this experiment, VOCs emission rates of 178 plant species were measured with a portable photoionization detector( PID). The results showed the most of genera and some families have consistent feature of their VOCs emission, especially for isoprene, and provide the basic premise of taxonomic methodology to develop VOCs emission inventories for temperate grassland. Then, the taxonomic methodology was introduced into assigning emission rate to other 96 species, which no measured emission rates available here. A systematical emission inventory of temperate grassland vegetation in Inner Mongolia was provided and further evidence that taxonomy relationship can serve as a useful guide for generalizing the emissions behavior of many, but not all, plant families and genera to grassland vegetation.     

Decomposition of CF3CI by corona discharge

In this paper pulsed corona discharge is shown to be effective for the decomposition of CF₃Cl(Freon-13).The pressure of CF₃Cl was 2.67×10³Pa,after discharged for 2 min,39.5% of CF₃Cl was decomposed.The products were mainly CF₄,Cl₂ and CF₂Cl₂.The yield increased by adding O₂ or air.Under the same conditions,more than 94% decomposition yield was obtained if 5.32×10³Pa O₂ or air was added.The composition of products became CF₂O,Cl₂ and CF₄.While the partial pressure of O₂ or air reached 1 arm,the decomposition yield decreased to 54.5% and 48. 5% respectively.     

Impacts of climate change on wheat development and production in the northern China

In this paper, impacts of climate change on wheat development rate and production in the northern China are discussed. The results show that the temperature is a controlling factor of development rate but the precipitation is not. The higher the temperature is. the faster the development and the shorter development period will be. Without consideration to varieties and cropping system, meteorological yield of winter wheat would decrease 170.40, 134.25, 98.70 and 97.20 kg/hm2 in the north China and 13.97, 7.95, 39.60 and 19.80 kg/hm2 in the northwest China compared with that in 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, respectively, when the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is doubled. In drought and semi-drought regions, the spring wheat yield would drop with the temperature rise in and raise with the precipitation increase. The influence of temperature on weight of leaf and stalk is also remarkable.     

Investigation into the roles of interfacial H2O structure in catalytic oxidation of HCHO and CO over CuMnO2 catalysts

The rapid deactivation of cost-effective MnO₂-based catalysts in humid air limits their application in practice,and the identification of the role of water in an oxidation process is significant for developing water-resistant MnO₂-based catalysts.Here,CuMnO₂showed a20.3%HCHO conversion in 10 hr at room temperature in humid air with relative humidity of 40%,but deactivated in 3 hr in dry air.The excellent activity and stability of HCHO oxidation in humid air were ...     

Dietary exposure to di-isobutyl phthalate increases urinary 5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine level and affects reproductive function in adult male mice

Phthalates are a large family of ubiquitous environmental pollutants suspected of being endocrine disruptors. Epidemiological studies have associated phthalate metabolites with decreased reproductive parameters and linked phthalate exposure with the level of urinary 5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine(5mdC, a product of methylated DNA). In this study, adult male mice were exposed to 450 mg di-isobutyl phthalate(DiBP)/(kg·day) via dietary exposure for 28 days. Mono-isobutyl phthalate(Mi BP, the urinary metabolite) and reproductive function parameters were determined. The levels of 5mdC and 5-hydroxymethyl-2′-deoxycytidine(5hmdC) were measured in urine to evaluate if their contents were also altered by DiBP exposure in this animal model. Results showed that DiBP exposure led to a significant increase in the urinary 5mdC level and significant decreases in sperm concentration and motility in the epididymis, accompanied with reduced testosterone levels and downregulation of the P450 cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme(P450scc) gene in the mice testes. Our findings indicated that exposure to DiBP increased the urinary 5mdC levels,which supported our recent epidemiological study about the associations of urinary 5mdC with phthalate exposure in the male human population. In addition, DiBP exposure impaired male reproductive function, possibly by disturbing testosterone levels; P450scc might be a major steroidogenic enzyme targeted by DiBP or other phthalates.     

Adsorption of Cr(Ⅲ) from acidic solutions by crop straw derived biochars

Cr（Ⅲ） adsorption by biochars generated from peanut, soybean, canola and rice straws is investigated with batch methods. Adsorption of Cr（Ⅲ） increased as pH rose from 2.5 to 5.0. Adsorption of Cr（Ⅲ） led to peak position shifts in the FFIR-PAS spectra of the biochars and made zeta potential values less negative, suggesting the formation of surface complexes between Cr^3＋ and functional groups on the biochars. The adsorption capacity of Cr（Ⅲ） followed the order： peanut straw char 〉 soybean straw char 〉 canola straw char 〉 rice straw char, which was consistent with the content of acidic functional groups on the biochars. The increase in Cr^3＋ hydrolysis as the pH rose was one of the main reasons for the increased adsorption of Cr（Ⅲ） by the biochars at higher pH values. Cr（llI） can be adsorbed by the biochars through electrostatic attraction between negative surfaces and Cr^3＋, but the relative contribution of electrostatic adsorption was less than 5%. Therefore, Cr（Ⅲ） was mainly adsorbed by the biochars through specific adsorption. The Langumir and Freundlich equations fitted the adsorption isotherms well and can therefore be used to describe the adsorption behavior of Cr（Ⅲ） by the crop straw biochars. The crop straw biochars have great adsorption capacities for Cr（Ⅲ） under acidic conditions and can be used as adsorbents to remove Cr（Ⅲ） from acidic wastewaters.     

Removal of copper ions from aqueous solution by calcium alginate immobilized kaolin

Kaolin has been widely used as an adsorbent to remove heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. However, the lower heavy metal adsorption capacity of kaolin limits its practical application. A novel environmental friendly material, calcium alginate immobilized kaolin (kaolin/CA), was prepared using a sol-gel method. The e ects of contact time, pH, adsorbent dose, and temperature on Cu2+ adsorption by kaolin/CA were investigated. The Langmuir isotherm was used to describe the experimental adsorption, the maximum Cu2+ adsorption capacity of the kaolin/CA reached up to 53.63 mg/g. The thermodynamic studies showed that the adsorption reaction was a spontaneous and endothermic process.     

Preparation of activated carbons from raw and biotreated agricultural residues for removal of volatile organic compounds

Activated carbons with diverse physical and chemical properties were produced from four agriculture residues, including raw barley husk, biotreated barley husk, rice husk, and pistachio shell. Results showed that with adequate steam activation (30-90 min, 50% H2O(g),/50% N2), activated carbons with surface areas between 360 and 950 m2 g(-1) were developed. Further increases in the activation time destroyed the pore structure of activated carbons, which resulted in a decrease in the surface area and pore volume. Biotreated agricultural residues were found to be suitable precursors for producing mesoporous activated carbons. The oxygen content of activated carbons increased with increasing activation time. Results from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy examination further suggested that H2O molecules react with the carbon surface, enhancing the deconvoluted peak area of carbonyl and carboxyl groups. Equilibrium adsorption of toluene indicated that the adsorption capacities increased with an increase in the inlet toluene concentration and a decrease in temperature. The adsorption isotherms were successfully fitted with Freundlich, Langmuir, and Dubinin-Radushkevich equations. Activated carbons derived from agricultural residues appear to be more applicable to adsorb volatile organic compounds at a low concentration and high-temperature environment.