Freshwater alga Raphidocelis subcapitata undergoes metabolomic changes in response to electrostatic adhesion by micrometer-sized nylon 6 particles

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Nylon powders are a type of microplastic (MP) used in personal care products such as cosmetics and sunscreens. To determine the effects of nylon...     

Initial ecological risk assessment of eight selected human pharmaceuticals in Japan.

Eight pharmaceuticals were selected on the basis of their domestic consumption in Japan, the excretion ratio of the parent compound and the frequency of detection in the aquatic environment or wastewater treatment plant effluent. Toxicity tests on these pharmaceuticals were conducted using Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes), daphnia (Daphnia magna), and green algae (Psuedokirchneriella subcapitata). Predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) was calculated using lethal or effect concentration 50 (LC50 or EC50) values and no effect concentration (NOEC) obtained in the toxicity tests for these compounds. Predicted environmental concentration (PEC) was also calculated from annual consumption, the excretion rate of the parent compound, and removal rate in the preliminary batch activated sludge treatment performed in this study. Maximum concentrations found in the aquatic environment or sewage effluent in Japan or foreign countries were also used for another calculation of PEC. Initial risk assessment on the selected pharmaceuticals was performed using the PEC/PNEC ratio. The results of initial risk assessment on the eight selected pharmaceuticals suggest neither urgent nor severe concern for the ecological risk of these compounds, but further study needs to be conducted using chronic toxicity tests, including reproduction inhibition and endocrine disruption assessments.     

A comparative study on the autoxidation of dimethyl ether (DME) comparison with diethyl ether (DEE) and diisopropyl ether (DIPE)

The Japanese government is planning to introduce DME as a substituted energy for oil and LNG. Introduction of DME could contribute greatly to both the prevention of global warming and the formation of resource-recycling societies. In these circumstances, a safety assessment of DME is very important when DME is used on a large scale. There is a possibility that prolonged exposure in air induces autoxidation to produce explosive organic peroxides during transportation and storage of DME. Therefore, the reactivity of DME with oxygen and the mechanism of the autoxidation were investigated. Accelerating Rate Calorimetry (ARC) was used to evaluate the thermal stability of DME and DIPE, a known peroxide producers, under adiabatic and various atmospheric conditions. In ARC studies of DME under oxygen, exothermic decompositions were detected although its self-heating rate was low in comparison with DIPE. Oven storage tests were carried out and iodimetry was used to measure the concentration of peroxides produced from DME in comparison with DIPE and DEE. However, no products could be found for DME either by GC/MS or by iodimetry, while some evidence of autoxidation of both DEE and DIPE were obtained from these experiments.     

Dechlorination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins catalyzed by noble metal catalysts under mild conditions

Dechlorination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins such as 2,7-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,7-DCDD) and 1,2,6,7-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (1,2,6,7-TCDD) was carried out in a solution of NaOH in 2-propanol in the presence of carbon-supported noble metal catalyst (Pd/C or Rh-Pt/C) at temperatures between 23 and 35 degrees C. At initial concentrations of 140-240 micrograms/ml, 2,7-DCDD and 1,2,6,7-TCDD were efficiently converted to a chlorine-free product, dibenzo-p-dioxin (DD), in high yield (60-80%). The conversion of 2,7-DCDD and 1,2,6,7-TCDD and the yield of DD were hardly affected by the atmosphere (N2 or air). We postulate that the displacement of aromatic chlorines by hydrogen selectively occurs on the catalyst, involving hydrogen-transfer from 2-propanol to the substrates.     

Alum amendment effects on phosphorus release and distribution in poultry litter-amended sandy soils

Increased poultry production has contributed to excess nutrient problems in Atlantic Coastal Plain soils due to land application of poultry litter (PL). Aluminum sulfate [alum, Al(2)(SO(4))(3).14H(2)O] amendment of PL effectively reduces soluble phosphorus (P) in the PL; however, the effects of these litters when added to acidic, sandy soils are not well understood. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of alum-amended poultry litter in reducing P release from three Delaware Coastal Plain soils: Evesboro loamy sand (Ev; excessively drained, mesic, coated Typic Quartzipsamments), Rumford loamy sand (Ru; well drained, coarse-loamy, siliceous, subactive, thermic Typic Hapludults), and Pocomoke sandy loam (Pm; very poorly drained, coarse-loamy, siliceous, active, thermic Typic Umbraquults). Long-term (25 d) and short-term (24 h) desorption studies were conducted, in addition to chemical extractions and kinetic modeling, to observe the changes that alum-amended versus unamended PL caused in the soils. The Ev, Ru, and Pm soils were incubated with 9 Mg ha(-1) of alum-amended or unamended PL. Long-term desorption (25 d) of the incubated material resulted in approximately 13.5% (Ev), 12.7% (Ru), and 13.3% (Pm) reductions in cumulative P desorbed when comparing soil treated with unamended and alum-amended PL. In addition, the P release from the soil treated with alum-amended litter was not significantly different from the control (soil alone). Short-term desorption (24 h) showed 7.3% (Ev), 15.4% (Ru), and 20% (Pm) reductions. The overall implication from this study is that the use of alum as a PL amendment is useful in coarse-textured soils of the Coastal Plain. With increased application of alum-amended PL, more significant decreases may be possible with little or no effect on soil quality.     

腐殖酸与镉离子在水合二氧化锰表面的分配系数研究

水体中腐殖酸(HA)和金属离子广泛存在,二者的相互作用对其在水中天然矿物颗粒表面的吸附、降解等环境行为具有重要影响.本文采用离子交换平衡法测定了HA和镉离子(Cd(Ⅱ))的配位数(co-ordination number,x)和络合稳定常数(complex stability constant,K),系统考察了pH值和离子强度对x和K的影响,并研究了HA和Cd(Ⅱ)在水合二氧化锰(HMO)表面的分配关系.结果表明:pH值对HA和Cd(Ⅱ)的配位数影响较小(x=1.651~1.752),而对络合稳定常数影响显著(log K=1.652~3.548);在不同pH值条件下,离子强度对HA和Cd(Ⅱ)的络合稳定常数影响均较小,而其配位数均随溶液离子强度的增加而提高;不同温度条件下,HA-Cd(Ⅱ)络合物在HMO表面的分配系数(Kd)均低于HA和Cd(Ⅱ)在HMO表面的分配系数,表明HA-Cd(Ⅱ)络合体系的存在抑制了HMO对Cd(Ⅱ)和HA的去除作用.     

绿色生产力:一个亚洲可持续发展的手段

绿色生产力的概念是由亚洲生产力组织(APO)提出的.绿色生产力是一种提高生产率和环境性能的战略.它的目的是要确保社会-经济的均衡发展,使得人类生活质量能够可持续性改善.在提高获利性和竞争优势的同时,运用适当的生产力与环境管理手段、技术和工艺,能够降低团体活动、产品和服务所造成的环境影响.利益相关者群体(包括政府、工业界和学术界)提出了改革建议,就是希望能够得到更大的可持续能力.     

Reproductive effects and bioconcentration of 4-nonylphenol in medaka fish (Oryzias latipes)

The objective of this study was to investigate the reproductive success (fertility and fecundity) of medaka (Oryzias latipes) exposed to 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) in water and the viability of their F(1) offspring. In addition, we measured the bioconcentration of 4-NP in eggs. After a 21-d exposure to 100microg/l 4-NP, medaka showed reduced egg production and fertility. Hepatic vitellogenin levels were increased significantly in males treated with 10, 50 and 100microg/l of 4-NP. In the F(1) generations, the hatchability and time to hatching of embryos in the 100microg/l treatment group were adversely affected, and 2-7microg 4-NP/g egg was found in spawned eggs (the bioconcentration factor: 30-100). These results indicate that (1) 4-NP adversely affected the reproduction (fecundity and fertility) of adult medaka, (2) 4-NP accumulated in eggs through maternal transfer and (3) these levels of 4-NP were associated with adverse effects in the F(1) offspring.     

Growth inhibition and formation of morphologically abnormal cells of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Akashiwo sanguinea</Emphasis> (Hirasaka) G. Hansen et Moestrup by cell contact with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cochlodinium polykrikoides</Emphasis> Margalef

We investigated the growth interaction between Cochlodinium polykrikoides and Akashiwo sanguinea using bi-algal cultures. When cultured together, morphologically abnormal cells of A. sanguinea appeared and the growth of A. sanguinea notably decreased. When C. polykrikoides and A. sanguinea were cultured separately in inner and outer wells separated by a membrane with a pore size of 3 μm, neither species showed suppressed growth and no morphologically abnormal cells of A. sanguinea were observed. Furthermore, filtrates from C. polykrikoides cultures did not affect the cell morphology or the growth of A. sanguinea. When the abnormal cells of A. sanguinea were transferred from bi-algal cultures into fresh medium and cultured as a mono-algal culture, cells recovered their normal morphology and multiplied. Therefore, the growth inhibition and formation of morphologically abnormal cells of A. sanguinea would be induced by constant cell contact with C. polykrikoides.     

生态住宅的水环境规划:I. 水循环

生态住宅已成为住宅建设的发展趋势和潮流,水环境是生态住宅小区的重要组成部分。文章以中信保利达美景度假区为实例,根据度假区建筑总体规划方案,结合当地自然条件和水环境现状,探讨生态住宅小区的水环境规划,全面统一规划住宅小区内各种水系统,提出小区水环境总体规划方案,充分发挥各系统的功能,使其相互衔接、协调与补充。重点对项目所在区域开发前后的水量平衡,水库的水位变化及其安全性,极端气候条件下的库区水量变化及其因应对策,高尔夫球道的用水方案以及项目开发后的水循环模型做了深入探讨,旨在为生态住宅的水环境建设提供范例。