Health impacts of air pollution in China

•Impacts of air pollution on various body systems health in China were highlighted. •China’s actions to control air pollution and their effects were briefly introduced. •Challenges and perspectives of the health effects of air pollution are provided. The health effects of air pollution have attracted considerable attention in China. In this review, the status of air pollution in China is briefly presented. The impacts of air pollution on the health of the respiratory system, the circulatory system, the nervous system, the digestive system, the urinary system, pregnancy and life expectancy are highlighted. Additionally, China’s actions to control air pollution and their effects are briefly introduced. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of the health effects of air pollution are provided. We believe that this review will provide a promising perspective on the health impacts of air pollution in China, and further elicit more attention from governments and researchers worldwide.     

鄂西长江小流域土地利用方式对土壤团聚体稳定性的影响

探究土地利用方式对长江中游小流域土壤团聚体稳定性的影响,为鄂西地区土地合理利用与管理以及土壤结构改良提供借鉴.以下牢溪小流域5种不同土地利用方式(柏树林、蔬菜地、石坎农田、撂荒地、天然林)土壤为研究对象,对比分析各土地利用方式间土壤团聚体粒径组成及稳定性差异.结果 表明:(1)柏树林、石坎农田、撂荒地和天然林土壤团聚体以＞2 mm为优势粒级,平均为57.66％,蔬菜地以＜0.25 mm微粒径团聚体为主,均值为60.86％;(2)林地(柏树林和天然林)土壤稳定性和抗蚀性要优于农用地(石坎农田和蔬菜地),耕地撂荒提升团聚体稳定性;(3)分形维数D与破坏率PAD、可蚀性K呈正相关,与团聚体直径(MWD和GMD)和水稳性大团聚体WR0.25呈负相关,分形维数较好反映小流域土壤团聚体的稳定性和抗侵蚀性.对流域内林区的封育是提升土壤结构稳定性的最优管理方式.     

Photocatalytic degradation of the acetaminophen by nanocrystal-engineered TiO2 thin film in batch and continuous system

• Photocatalytic activity was improved in TiO₂ thin film by rapid thermal annealing. • Photoreactor was designed for TiO₂ thin film. • Considerable reusability and durability of prepared photocatalysts were studied. Un-biodegradable pharmaceuticals are one of the major growing threats in the wastewaters. In the current study, TiO₂ thin film photocatalysts were designed by nanocrystal engineering and fabricated for degradation of the acetaminophen (ACE) in a photocatalytic reaction under UV light irradiation in batch and continuous systems. The photocatalyst was prepared by sputtering and then engineered by thermal treatment (annealing at 300℃ (T300) and 650℃ (T650)). The annealing effects on the crystallinity and photocatalytic activity of the TiO₂ film were completely studied; it was found that annealing at higher temperatures increases the surface roughness and grain size which are favorable for photocatalytic activity due to the reduction in the recombination rate of photo-generated electron-hole pairs. For the continuous system, a flat plate reactor (FPR) was designed and manufactured. The photocatalytic performance was decreased with the increase of flow rate because the higher flow rate caused to form the thicker film of the liquid in the reactor and reduced the UV light received by photocatalyst. The reusability and durability of the samples after 6 h of photocatalytic reaction showed promising performance for the T650 sample (annealed samples in higher temperatures).     

Combination with catalyzed Fe(0)-carbon microelectrolysis and activated carbon adsorption for advanced reclaimed water treatment: simultaneous nitrate and biorefractory organics removal

A process combining catalyzed Fe(0)-carbon microelectrolysis (IC-ME) with activated carbon (AC) adsorption was developed for advanced reclaimed water treatment. Simultaneous nitrate reduction and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal were achieved, and the effects of composite catalyst (CC) addition, AC addition, and initial pH were investigated. The reaction kinetics and reaction mechanisms were calculated and analyzed. The results showed that CC addition could enhance the reduction rate of nitrate and effectively inhibit the production of ammonia. Moreover, AC addition increased the adsorption capacity of biorefractory organic compounds (BROs) and enhanced the degradation of BRO. The reduction of NO₃^?–N at different pH values was consistently greater than 96.9%, and NH₄⁺–N was suppressed by high pH. The presence of CC ensured the reaction rate of IC-ME at high pH. The reaction kinetics orders and constants were calculated. Catalyzed iron scrap (IS)-AC showed much better nitrate reduction and BRO degradation performances than IS-AC and AC. The IC-ME showed great potential for application to nitrate and BRO reduction in reclaimed water.

     

Boosting freshwater fish conservation with high-resolution distribution mapping across a large territory

The lack of high-resolution distribution maps for freshwater species across large extents fundamentally challenges biodiversity conservation worldwide. We devised a simple framework to delineate the distributions of freshwater fishes in a high-resolution drainage map based on stacked species distribution models and expert information. We applied this framework to the entire Chinese freshwater fish fauna (>1600 species) to examine high-resolution biodiversity patterns and reveal potential conflicts between freshwater biodiversity and anthropogenic disturbances. The correlations between spatial patterns of biodiversity facets (species richness, endemicity, and phylogenetic diversity) were all significant (r = 0.43–0.98, p < 0.001). Areas with high values of different biodiversity facets overlapped with anthropogenic disturbances. Existing protected areas (PAs), covering 22% of China's territory, protected 25–29% of fish habitats, 16–23% of species, and 30–31% of priority conservation areas. Moreover, 6–21% of the species were completely unprotected. These results suggest the need for extending the network of PAs to ensure the conservation of China's freshwater fishes and the goods and services they provide. Specifically, middle to low reaches of large rivers and their associated lakes from northeast to southwest China hosted the most diverse species assemblages and thus should be the target of future expansions of the network of PAs. More generally, our framework, which can be used to draw high-resolution freshwater biodiversity maps combining species occurrence data and expert knowledge on species distribution, provides an efficient way to design PAs regardless of the ecosystem, taxonomic group, or region considered.     

压力容器制造监检中对若干问题的处理

针对压力容器制造监检中某些受检单位在法规标准的理解上存在误区或者疏忽、不知如何进行后续整改工作的现状,笔者结合多年压力容器监督检验的工作经验,提出自己的解决方案,以供参考,也希望广大读者在遇到类似情况时能够正确理解并执行相关法规标准。     

Influence of low molecular weight anionic ligands on the sorption of heavy metals by soil constituents: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The sorption of heavy metals by soil constituents reduces the absorption of these pollutants by crops and vegetables, and thus limit food contamination. Low...     

Road traffic injuries among riders of electric bike/electric moped in southern China

Objective: Electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries have become a burgeoning public health problem in China. The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and potential risk factors of electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries among electric bike/moped riders in southern China.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was used to interview 3,151 electric bike/moped riders in southern China. Electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries that occurred from July 2014 to June 2015 were investigated. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews and analyzed between July 2015 and June 2017.

Results: The prevalence of electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries among the investigated riders was 15.99%. Electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries were significantly associated with category of electric bike (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.82), self-reported confusion (AOR = 1.77, 95% CI, 1.13–2.78), history of crashes (AOR = 6.14, 95% CI, 4.68–8.07), running red lights (AOR = 3.57, 95% CI, 2.42–5.25), carrying children while riding (AOR = 1.96, 95% CI, 1.37–2.85), carrying adults while riding (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI, 1.23–2.28), riding in the motor lane (AOR = 2.42, 95% CI, 1.05–3.93), and riding in the wrong traffic direction (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI, 1.13–2.35). In over 77.58% of electric bike/moped-related road traffic crashes, riders were determined by the police to be responsible for the crash. Major crash-causing factors included violating traffic signals or signs, careless riding, speeding, and riding in the wrong lane.

Conclusion: Traffic safety related to electric bikes/moped is becoming more problematic with growing popularity compared with other 2-wheeled vehicles. Programs need to be developed to prevent electric bike/moped-related road traffic injuries in this emerging country.     

腈菌唑手性单体对雄性丽斑麻蜥肝脏代谢功能的影响

腈菌唑(MT)是一种应用广泛的手性杀菌剂,其手性对映体为(+)-腈菌唑(MT1)和(-)-腈菌唑(MT2)。为评估腈菌唑单体暴露对丽斑麻蜥(Eremias argus)肝脏代谢功能的毒性影响,研究了MT1(5 mg·kg~(-1))和MT2(5 mg·kg~(-1))暴露28 d下蜥蜴体重、肝组织病理学和代谢相关基因表达的变化。结果显示,MT1暴露组的蜥蜴体重在28 d时出现显著下降。在MT1和MT2暴露后,蜥蜴的肝组织均出现了不同程度的病理学变化。在MT1暴露下,基因CYP1A1、CYP2D6、CYP3A4、CYP3A7和CYP2D3的表达水平未发生显著变化,而基因CYP2C8A的表达显著上调。在MT2暴露下,基因CYP3A4、CYP3A7和CYP2D3的表达未发生明显变化;基因CYP1A1和CYP2C8的表达显著下调;基因CYP2D6的表达显著上调。不同腈菌唑单体对蜥蜴体重、肝组织病理学以及代谢相关基因的表达影响不同,具有一定的对映选择性。     

强夯地基处理工艺在换流站场平施工中的应用

针对西北部分地区地表层粉砂分布不均、砂岩不易破碎、块石回填方量大、回填厚度深等问题,考虑特高压换流站工程地基处理的适用性及其成效、工期、造价等多方面因素,提出强夯地基处理方案。应用结果表明:该方法具有快速提高填土密实程度,加速填土前期固结,提高填土的物理力学性能,减少填土的后期沉降和建(构)筑物及地面设备基础的沉降等优点,可广泛应用于西北地区特高压换流站及其他大面积土石方开挖、回填及地基处理施工工程。