Mitochondrial toxicity and in vitro biological effects of ambient PM2.5 from an urban site in China

Abstract

The roles of PM_2.5-induced mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress on mast cell degranulation were examined in vitro. Mast cells were treated with suspensions of PM_2.5 in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium at concentrations from 25 to 200?mg/L in the absence or presence of 10?mmol/L N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Biological effects and mitochondrial function were assessed by determining cell viability, β-hexosaminidase release, interleukin-4 secretion, reactive oxygen species generation, adenosine triphosphate production, potential alteration of mitochondrial membrane, and activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes I and III. Exposure of mast cells to PM_2.5 induced reduction of adenosine triphosphate production, collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, and inhibition of the activity of complex III. Co-treatment of mast cells exposed to PM_2.5 with N-acetyl-L-cysteine attenuated cytotoxicity and the production of reactive oxygen species, and decreased the release of β-hexosaminidase and interleukin-4. Evidently, PM_2.5-induced oxidative stress plays an essential role in mitochondrial toxicity and mast cell activation.     

磺胺类抗生素对不同革兰氏阴性菌的毒物兴奋效应研究

抗生素滥用所导致的环境问题日益受到人们的关注,抗生素在环境中常以低剂量的形式暴露,生物体在低浓度的抗生素作用下通常会表现出毒物兴奋效应(hormesis)。因此,研究抗生素的hormesis,对抗生素的生态风险评价极其重要。为了研究抗生素的hormesis,本文选取4种磺胺类抗生素为研究对象,观测了不同浓度培养基下磺胺对大肠杆菌能否产生hormesis。结果表明,磺胺对大肠杆菌在原倍和0.8倍浓度的培养基下不产生hormesis,在0.6和0.4倍浓度的培养基下产生hormesis;并且,结合我们之前对另一种革兰氏阴性菌——费氏弧菌hormesis的研究可知,对于具有不同群体感应系统的2种革兰氏阴性菌,都存在hormesis,磺胺可以通过作用群体感应系统使革兰氏阴性菌产生hormesis,只是hormesis的大小不同。上述研究结果为抗生素的生态风险评价提供了依据,为hormesis的相关研究提供了参考。     

Uncovering the evolution of tin use in the United States and its implications

• US tin use decreases as the GDP value added by manufacturing sector increases. • Global and China’s tin use increases as the GDP added by manufacturing increases. • A sigmoid curve can fit the US tin use data well. • US tin use patterns is not due to the finite tin reserves or resources. • Policies, substitutions, etc. play key roles in the changing tin use patterns. Tin is of key importance to daily life and national security; it is considered an essential industrial metal. The United States (US) is the world’s largest economy and consumer of natural resources. Therefore, the analysis of historical tin use in the US is helpful for understanding future tin use trends in the world as a whole and in developing countries. Time series analysis, regression analysis with GDP or GDP/capita, and historical data fitted with logistic and Gompertz models are employed in this study. Historical tin use in the US shows three stages—increase-constant-decrease, as GDP per capita has increased. Tin use in the US is negatively correlated with the GDP value added by the manufacturing sector, while the use of tin worldwide and in China continues to increase along with the GDP value added by the manufacturing sector. Although a sigmoid curve can fit the US tin use data well, that use is not directly related to the limited tin reserves or resources. Rather, policies, economic restructuring, substitutions, new end-use markets, etc. have played key roles in the changing tin use patterns. This work contributes to understanding future tin use at both the global and national levels: tin use will continue to increase with GDP at the global level, but use patterns of tin at the national level can be changed through human intervention.     

高炉瓦斯泥综合利用技术述评

瓦斯泥是高炉副产物,因其中富含锌,直接用于烧结会增加高炉锌负荷。在分析了瓦斯泥的矿物特征的基础上,综述了选矿法、化学浸出法、直接还原法等几种瓦斯泥有价成分的回收利用方法。选矿法根据碳、锌、铁的性质及赋存状态的差异分离各物质,具有工艺简单、成本低的优点,但分离不彻底、回收率低;化学浸出法使锌进入溶液而其他矿物不溶或微溶,分离效果较好,但处理量小,后续处理难度大;直接还原法是在高温下使瓦斯泥中的金属还原,锌蒸发后进入烟气,最终可得到含氧化锌较高的烟尘和含金属铁的脱锌瓦斯泥,该法适应性强、处理量大、分离效果好,是目前应用较为广泛的瓦斯泥处理方法,但其设备投资大。     

Comprehensive utilization of residues of Magnolia officinalis based on fiber characteristics

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The traditional Chinese medicinal plant Magnolia officinalis has a wide range of applications; including more than 200 kinds of patented Chinese...     

Taxonomic and functional variations in the microbial community during the upgrade process of a full-scale landfill leachate treatment plant – from conventional to partial nitrification-denitrification

• Upgrade process was investigated in a full-scale landfill leachate treatment plant. • The optimization of DO can technically achieve the shift from CND to PND process. • Nitrosomonas was mainly responsible for ammonium oxidation in PND system. • An obviously enrichment of Thauera was found in the PND process. • Enhanced metabolic potentials on organics was found during the process update. Because of the low access to biodegradable organic substances used for denitrification, the partial nitrification-denitrification process has been considered as a low-cost, sustainable alternative for landfill leachate treatment. In this study, the process upgrade from conventional to partial nitrification-denitrification was comprehensively investigated in a full-scale landfill leachate treatment plant (LLTP). The partial nitrification-denitrification system was successfully achieved through the optimizing dissolved oxygen and the external carbon source, with effluent nitrogen concentrations lower than 150 mg/L. Moreover, the upgrading process facilitated the enrichment of Nitrosomonas (abundance increased from 0.4% to 3.3%), which was also evidenced by increased abundance of amoA/B/C genes carried by Nitrosomonas. Although Nitrospira (accounting for 0.1%–0.6%) was found to stably exist in the reactor tank, considerable nitrite accumulation occurred in the reactor (reaching 98.8 mg/L), indicating high-efficiency of the partial nitrification process. Moreover, the abundance of Thauera, the dominant denitrifying bacteria responsible for nitrite reduction, gradually increased from 0.60% to 5.52% during the upgrade process. This process caused great changes in the microbial community, inducing continuous succession of heterotrophic bacteria accompanied by enhanced metabolic potentials toward organic substances. The results obtained in this study advanced our understanding of the operation of a partial nitrification-denitrification system and provided a technical case for the upgrade of currently existing full-scale LLTPs.     

农村变电站生活污水处理现状与探讨

我国大部分变电站位于农村地区,因无接入城市污水管网条件,农村变电站生活污水需就地处理后达标排放。变电站生活污水存在水量少、时变化系数大等特点,现有处理工艺不能正常运行或无法达标排放。本文借鉴农村生活污水处理技术,提出了生物组合法处理对策,可为变电站生活污水处理提供参考。     

Optimization of the O3/H2O2 process with response surface methodology for pretreatment of mother liquor of gas field wastewater

• Real ML-GFW with high salinity and high organics was degraded by O₃/H₂O₂ process. • Successful optimization of operation conditions was attained using RSM based on CCD. • Single-factor experiments in advance ensured optimal experimental conditions. • The satisfactory removal efficiency of TOC was achieved in spite of high salinity. • The initial pH plays the most significant role in the degradation of ML-GFW. The present study reports the use of the O₃/H₂O₂ process in the pretreatment of the mother liquor of gas field wastewater (ML-GFW), obtained from the multi-effect distillation treatment of the gas field wastewater. The range of optimal operation conditions was obtained by single-factor experiments. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on the central composite design (CCD) was used for the optimization procedure. A regression model with Total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency as the response value was established (R² = 0.9865). The three key factors were arranged according to their significance as: pH>H₂O₂ dosage>ozone flow rate. The model predicted that the best operation conditions could be obtained at a pH of 10.9, an ozone flow rate of 0.8 L/min, and H₂O₂ dosage of 6.2 mL. The dosing ratio of ozone was calculated to be 9.84 mg O₃/mg TOC. The maximum removal efficiency predicted was 75.9%, while the measured value was 72.3%. The relative deviation was found to be in an acceptable range. The ozone utilization and free radical quenching experiments showed that the addition of H₂O₂ promoted the decomposition of ozone to produce hydroxyl radicals (·OH). This also improved the ozone utilization efficiency. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed that most of the organic matters in ML-GFW were degraded, while some residuals needed further treatment. This study provided the data and the necessary technical supports for further research on the treatment of ML-GFW.     

液态聚合氯化铝铁深度除磷的优化研究

以北京市生活废水为研究对象,考察了液态聚合氯化铝铁及与聚丙烯酰胺(PAM)协同作用下除磷效果及其影响因素。结果表明,液态聚合氯化铝铁与PAM复合作用时对除磷效果有一定的提高,明确了PAM的最佳投加量、最佳搅拌强度、最佳搅拌时间和pH,并得出了影响混凝效果因素的主次顺序为:pH值搅拌时间搅拌强度投加量。     

Shellac-coated iron oxide nanoparticles for removal of cadmium(II) ions from aqueous solution

This study describes a new effective adsorbent for cadmium removal from aqueous solution synthesized by coating a shellac layer, a natural biodegradable and renewable resin with abundant hydroxyl and carboxylic groups, on the surface of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) imaging showed shellac-coated magnetic nanoparticle (SCMN) adsorbents had a core-shell structure with a core of 20 nm and shell of 5 nm. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic analysis suggested the occurrence of reaction between carboxyl groups on the SCMN adsorbent surface and cadmium ions in aqueous solution. Kinetic data were well described by pseudo second-order model and adsorption isotherms were fitted with both Langmuir and Freundlich models with maximum adsorption capacity of 18.80 mg/g. SCMN adsorbents provided a favorable adsorption capacity under high salinity conditions, and cadmium could easily be desorbed using mild organic acid solutions at low concentration.