Different response of bacterial community to the changes of nutrients and pollutants in sediments from an urban river network

• Bacterial community varied spatially in sediments from the urban river network. • Key environmental factors shaping bacterial community were detected by RDA. • Bacterial co-occurrence networks changed at different levels of nutrient and metal. • Potential indicator species were selected to predict pollution risk in sediment. Microbial communities in sediment are an important indicator linking to environmental pollution in urban river systems. However, how the diversity and structure of bacterial communities in sediments from an urban river network respond to different environmental factors has not been well studied. The goal of this study was to understand the patterns of bacterial communities in sediments from a highly dense urbanized river network in the lower Yangtze River Delta by Illumina MiSeq sequencing. The correlations between bacterial communities, the environmental gradient and geographical distance were analyzed by redundancy analysis (RDA) and network methods. The diversity and richness of bacterial community in sediments increased from upstream to downstream consistently with the accumulation of nutrient in the urban river network. Bacterial community composition and structure showed obvious spatial changes, leading to two distinct groups, which were significantly related to the characteristics of nutrient and heavy metal in sediments. Humic substance, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, Zn, Cu, Hg and As were selected as the key environmental factors shaping the bacterial community in sediments based on RDA. The co-occurrence patterns of bacterial networks showed that positive interaction between bacterial communities increased but the connectivity among bacterial genera and stability of sediment ecosystem reduced under a higher content of nutrient and heavy metal in average. The sensitive and ubiquitous taxa with an overproportional response to key environmental factors were detected as indicator species, which provided a novel method for the prediction of the pollution risk of sediment in an urban river network.     

Sulfur mediated heavy metal biogeochemical cycles in coastal wetlands: From sediments,rhizosphere to vegetation

• In sediments, the transformation of sulfides may lead to the release of heavy metals. • In the rhizosphere, sulfur regulates the uptake of heavy metals by plants. • In plants, sulfur mediates a series of heavy metal tolerance mechanisms. • Explore interactions between sulfur and heavy metals on different scales is needed. The interactions and mechanisms between sulfur and heavy metals are a growing focus of biogeochemical studies in coastal wetlands. These issues underline the fate of heavy metals bound in sediments or released into the system through sediments. Despite the fact that numerous published studies have suggested sulfur has a significant impact on the bioavailability of heavy metals accumulated in coastal wetlands, to date, no review article has systematically summarized those studies, particularly from the perspective of the three major components of wetland ecosystems (sediments, rhizosphere, and vegetation). The present review summarizes the studies published in the past four decades and highlights the major achievements in this field. Research and studies available thus far indicate that under anaerobic conditions, most of the potentially bioavailable heavy metals in coastal wetland sediments are fixed as precipitates, such as metal sulfides. However, fluctuations in physicochemical conditions may affect sulfur cycling, and hence, directly or indirectly lead to the conversion and migration of heavy metals. In the rhizosphere, root activities and microbes together affect the speciation and transformation of sulfur which in turn mediate the migration of heavy metals. As for plant tissues, tolerance to heavy metals is enhanced by sulfur-containing compounds via promoting a series of chelation and detoxification processes. Finally, to further understand the interactions between sulfur and heavy metals in coastal wetlands, some major future research directions are proposed.     

Sewage sludge ditch for recovering heavy metals can improve crop yield and soil environmental quality

• Indirect use of sludge in ditches alongside plants was tested in field experiments. • The dried and stabilized sludge in ditches was recovered with heavy metals. • Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn in the planted soil were all in a safe range. • The indirect use of sludge increased plant yield, soil N content and C storage. The treatment and disposal of municipal sewage sludge (MSS) is an urgent problem to be resolved in many countries. Safely using the nutrients within MSS to increase crop yield and enhance the fertility of poor soil could contribute to achieving sustainable development. An indirect use of MSS in ditches alongside Pennisetum hybridum plants was studied in field plots for 30 months and the contents of heavy metals and macronutrients were monitored in soil, sludge and plant samples. We found that the yield of P. hybridum was significantly increased by 2.39 to 2.80 times and the treated plants had higher N content compared with no sludge. In addition, the organic matter (OM) and N contents in the planted soil increased significantly compared with the initial soil. The OM content in the planted soil of the MSS treatment was 2.9 to 5.2 times higher than that with no sludge, and N increased by 2.0 to 3.8 times. However, MSS had no significant effect on the N, P and K contents in the soil at the bottom of the MSS ditch, and the content of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn) were also within the safe range. Moreover, the moisture content and phytotoxicity of MSS after this indirect use were reduced and the heavy metal contents changed little, which is favorable to the further disposal of recovered MSS. Therefore, this indirect use of MSS is beneficial to agricultural production, soil quality and environmental sustainability.     

Co-pyrolysis of sludge and kaolin/zeolite in a rotary kiln: Analysis of stabilizing heavy metals

• Adding kaolin/zeolite promotes the formation of stable heavy metals. • The potential ecological risk index of co-pyrolysis biochar is extremely low. • Increasing the pyrolysis temperature reduces the leaching toxicity of heavy metals. • The toxicity of biochar reduces with the increasing content of stable heavy metals. Pyrolysis is a promising technique used for treating of sewage sludge. However, the application of pyrolysis products is limited due to the presence of heavy metals. In this study, sewage sludge mixed with kaolin/zeolite was pyrolyzed in a rotary kiln, aiming to improve the immobilization of heavy metals in pyrolytic carbon. The total concentrations, speciation distributions, leaching toxicities, and potential ecological risk indices of heavy metals in pyrolysis biochar were explored to examine the effects of kaolin/zeolite and pyrolytic temperature on immobilizing heavy metals. Further, mineral composition and surface morphology of biochar were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy to reveal the potential mechanism of immobilizing heavy metals. Increasing pyrolysis temperature facilitated the stabilization of heavy metals in pyrolysis biochar. The proportions of stable heavy metals in biochar obtained at 650℃ were 54.50% (Cu), 29.73% (Zn), 79.29% (Cd), 68.17% (Pb) and 86.70% (Cr). Compared to sewage sludge, the potential contamination risk index of pyrolysis biochar obtained at 650℃ was reduced to 17.01, indicating a low ecological risk. The addition of 7% kaolin/zeolite further reduced the risk index of co-pyrolysis biochar prepared at 650℃ to 10.86/15.28. The characterization of biochar revealed that increase in the pyrolysis temperature and incorporation of additives are conducive to the formation of stable heavy metal-inorganics. This study demonstrates that the formation of stable mineral compounds containing heavy metals is the key to stabilizing heavy metals in pyrolysis biochar.     

Human health ambient water quality criteria for 13 heavy metals and health risk assessment in Taihu Lake

• The concentrations of 13 heavy metals in Taihu Lake were analyzed. • Aquatic vegetables intake was first included in deriving human health AWQC. • The human health AWQC for 13 heavy metals in Taihu Lake were derived. • Human health risk assessment for 13 heavy metals were conducted in Taihu Lake. Heavy metals are widely concerning because of their toxicity, persistence, non-degradation and bioaccumulation ability. Human health ambient water quality criteria (AWQC) are specific levels of chemicals that can occur in water without harming human health. At present, most countries do not consider the effects of aquatic vegetables in deriving human health AWQC. Therefore, the intake of aquatic vegetables (Brasenia schreberi) was added to the derivation of human health AWQC and a health risk assessment for 13 heavy metals in Taihu Lake. The human health AWQC (consumption of water, fish and aquatic vegetables) values of 13 heavy metals ranged from 0.04 (Cd) to 710.87 μg/L (Sn), and the intake of B. schreberi had a very significant effect on the human health AWQC for Cu, with a more than 62-fold difference. The hazard quotients of As (2.8), Cd (1.6), Cr (1.4) and Cu (4.86) were higher than the safe level (HQ= 1), indicating that As, Cd, Cr and Cu in Taihu Lake posed a significant health risk. Sensitivity analysis showed that the contribution rate of B. schreberi intake to the human health risk from Cu was 91.6%, and all results indicated that the risk of Cu in B. schreberi to human health should be of particular concern. This study adds the consideration of aquatic vegetable consumption to the traditional method of human health AWQC derivation and risk assessments for the first time, and this approach can promote the development of risk assessments and water quality criteria.     

Utilization of MSWI fly ash as partial cement or sand substitute with focus on cementing efficiency and health risk assessment

• Washed MSWI fly ash was used as partial cement or sand substitute. • Sand replacing is beneficial for strength, while cement replacement reduces strength. • Cementing efficiency factor and mortar pore structure explain the strength results. • Health risk assessment was conducted for MSWI fly ash blended cement mortar. • CR and HI contributed by different exposures and heavy metals were analyzed. The strength of cement substituted mortar decreases with the increase in fly ash amount, whereas the strength increases when the fly ash is blended as sand substitute. A mortar with highest strength (compressive strength= 30.2 Mpa; flexural strength= 7.0 Mpa) was obtained when the sand replacement ratio was 0.75%. The k value (cementing efficiency) of fly ash varied between 0.36 and 0.15 for the fly ash fraction in binder between 5% and 25%. The k values of fly ash used for sand replacement were all significantly above that used for cement substitution. The macropores assigned to the gaps between particles decreased when the fly ash was used as sand replacement, providing an explanation for the strength enhancement. The waste-extraction procedure (toxicity-sulphuric acid and nitric acid method (HJ/T 299-2007)) was used to evaluate metal leaching, indicating the reuse possibility of fly ash blended mortar. For the mortar with the mass ratio of fly ash to binder of 0.5%, the carcinogenic risks (CR) and non-carcinogenic hazard quotient (HQ) in sensitive scenario for blended mortar utilization were 9.66 × 10^-7 and 0.06, respectively; these results were both lower than the threshold values, showing an acceptable health risk. The CR (9.89 × 10^-5) and HQ (3.89) of the non-sensitive scenario for fly ash treatment exceeded the acceptable threshold values, indicating health risks to onsite workers. The main contributor to the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk is Cr and Cd, respectively. The CR and HQ from inhalation was the main route of heavy metal exposure.     

Predicting non-carcinogenic hazard quotients of heavy metals in pepper (Capsicum annum L.) utilizing electromagnetic waves

• There was significant absorption of heavy metals by the pepper in contaminated soils. • The target hazard quotient (THQ) indices followed the order of Pb>Zn>>Cd » Ni. • Relationships exist between contaminated plants and electromagnetic wave. • PCA and random search can select the main spectra and predict THQ for each element. Given the tendency of heavy metals to accumulate in soil and plants, the purpose of this study was to determine the contamination levels of Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn on peppers (leaves and fruit) grown in contaminated soils in industrial centers. For this purpose, we measured the uptake of the four heavy metals by peppers grown in the heavy metal contaminated soils throughout the four growth stages: two-leaf, growth, flowering, and fruiting, and calculated various vegetation indices to evaluate the heavy metal contamination potentials. Electromagnetic waves were also applied for analyzing the responses of the target plants to various heavy metals. Based on the relevant spectral bands identified by principal component analysis (PCA) and random search methods, a regression method was then employed to determine the most optimal spectral bands for estimating the target hazard quotient (THQ). The THQ was found to be the highest in the plants contaminated by Pb (THQ= 62) and Zn (THQ= 5.07). The results of PCA and random search indicated that the spectra at the bands of b₅₇₀, b₆₅₀, and b₇₆₀ for Pb, b₄₀₀ and b₁₀₃₀ for Ni, b₄₀₀ and b₈₈₀ for Cd, and b₅₆₀, b₉₁₀, and b₁₀₅₀ for Zn were the most optimal spectra for assessing THQ. Therefore, in future studies, instead of examining the amount of heavy metals in plants by chemical analysis in the laboratory, the responses of the plants to the electromagnetic waves in the identified bands can be readily investigated in the field based on the established correlations.     

Stress-related ecophysiology of members of the genus Rhodanobacter isolated from a mixed waste contaminated subsurface

• Rhodanobacter spp. are dominant in acidic, high nitrate and metal contaminated sites. • Dominance of Rhodanobacter is likely due to tolerance to low pH and heavy metals. • High organic content increases stress tolerance capacity. • Longer incubation time is critical for accurate assessment of MIC (various stresses). This work examines the physiologic basis of stress tolerance in bacterial strains of the genus Rhodanobacter that dominate in the acidic and highly metal contaminated near-source subsurface zone of the Oak Ridge Integrated Field Research Challenge (ORIFRC) site. Tolerance of R. denitrificans to levels of different stresses were studied in synthetic groundwater medium and R2A broth. Two strains of R. denitrificans, strains 2APBS1^T and 116-2, tolerate low to circumneutral pH (4–8), high Uranium (1 mmol/L), elevated levels of nitrate (400 mmol/L) and high NaCl (2.5%). A combination of physiologic traits, such as growth at low pH, increased growth in the presence of high organics concentration, and tolerance of high concentrations of nitrate, NaCl and heavy metals is likely responsible for dominance of Rhodanobacter at the ORIFRC site. Furthermore, extended incubation times and use of low carbon media, better approximating site groundwater conditions, are critical for accurate determination of stress responses. This study expands knowledge of the ecophysiology of bacteria from the genus Rhodanobacter and identifies methodological approaches necessary for acquiring accurate tolerance data.     

Phosphorus transformation under the influence of aluminum,organic carbon,and dissolved oxygen at the water-sediment interface: A simulative study

• The three simulation factors caused various changes in both water and sediment. • Responses to simulations differed with the reported natural lakes and wetlands. • Al has dominant effects on sediment P release control among the three factors. • Adding sediment Al can be effective and safe under the simulated conditions. • Polyphosphates were not generated, while added phytate was rather stable. The effects of sediment aluminum (Al), organic carbon (OC), and dissolved oxygen (DO) on phosphorus (P) transformation, at the water-sediment interface of a eutrophic constructed lake, were investigated via a series of simulative experiments. The above three factors had various influences on dissolved P concentration, water pH, water and surface sediment appearance, and P fractions. Additions of Al had the greatest effect on suppressing P release, and the water pH remained alkaline in the water-sediment system under various OC and DO conditions. No dissolution of the added Al was detected. ³¹P-NMR characterization suggested that OC addition did not promote biological P uptake to polyphosphates under oxic conditions. The simulation result on the added phytate indicated the absence of phytate in the original lake sediment. As compared to the reported natural lakes and wetland, the water-sediment system of the constructed lake responded differently to some simulative conditions. Since Al, OC, and DO can be controlled with engineering methods, the results of this study provide insights for the practical site restorations.     

Enhanced carbon tetrachloride degradation by hydroxylamine in ferrous ion activated calcium peroxide in the presence of formic acid

• Complete CT degradation was achieved by employing HA to CP/Fe(II)/FA process. • Quantitative detection of Fe(II) regeneration and HO• production was investigated. • Benzoic acid outcompeted FA for the reaction with HO•. • CO₂•⁻ was the dominant reductive radical for CT removal. • Effects of solution matrix on CT removal were conducted. Hydroxyl radicals (HO•) show low reactivity with perchlorinated hydrocarbons, such as carbon tetrachloride (CT), in conventional Fenton reactions, therefore, the generation of reductive radicals has attracted increasing attention. This study investigated the enhancement of CT degradation by the synergistic effects of hydroxylamine (HA) and formic acid (FA) (initial [CT] = 0.13 mmol/L) in a Fe(II) activated calcium peroxide (CP) Fenton process. CT degradation increased from 56.6% to 99.9% with the addition of 0.78 mmol/L HA to the CP/Fe(II)/FA/CT process in a molar ratio of 12/6/12/1. The results also showed that the presence of HA enhanced the regeneration of Fe(II) from Fe(III), and the production of HO• increased one-fold when employing benzoic acid as the HO• probe. Additionally, FA slightly improves the production of HO•. A study of the mechanism confirmed that the carbon dioxide radical (CO₂•⁻), a strong reductant generated by the reaction between FA and HO•, was the dominant radical responsible for CT degradation. Almost complete CT dechlorination was achieved in the process. The presence of humic acid and chloride ion slightly decreased CT removal, while high doses of bicarbonate and high pH inhibited CT degradation. This study helps us to better understand the synergistic roles of FA and HA for HO• and CO₂•⁻ generation and the removal of perchlorinated hydrocarbons in modified Fenton systems.     

Sugarcane bagasse amendment improves the quality of green waste vermicompost and the growth of Eisenia fetida

•Earthworms were able to convert green waste into more plant-available nutrients. •The part of heavy metals content increased in the compost added by earthworm. •The addition of SCB to GW did enhance earthworm biomass and humic acid content. •The resulting vermicomposts were characterized by neutral pH and lower EC value. Vermicomposting is a feasible method for disposing of lignocellulosic waste while generating a useful product. The current study assessed the potential of vermicomposting green waste mixed with sugarcane bagasse in proportions of 25%, 50%, and 75% (v:v, based on dry weight). The suitability was evaluated based on the agrochemical properties, earthworm biomass, and phytotoxicity. The final vermicomposts exhibited near-neutral pH values (7.1–7.6), and lower EC values (0.43–0.72 mS/cm) and C:N ratios (14.1–19.9).The content of available nutrients and CEC for all the vermicomposts exceeded those of the control compost (without earthworms). For vermicomposts, the average values of NO₃^–-N, AP, AK, and CEC were 53, 517, 1362 mg/kg, and 158 cmol/kg, respectively. The total contents of heavy metals increased in all vermicompost treatments compared to control composts with the following average final percentages: Zn (2.0%), Cr (15.5%), Pb (23.4%), and Cu (44.3%), but these amounts were safe for application in agroforestry. The addition of sugarcane bagasse to green waste significantly increased the content of total humic substance, humic acid and urease activity, acid and alkaline phosphatase activity, and Eiseniafetida reproduction. The addition of 25% sugarcane bagasse to green waste decreased the toxicity to germinating seeds. These results revealed that vermicomposting is a feasible way to degrade green waste into a value-added chemical product.     

Organophosphate esters in sediment from Taihu Lake,China: Bridging the gap between riverine sources and lake sinks

• Eleven OPEs were detected in river sediment and lake sediment in Taihu Lake. • TnBP dominated in river sediment, while TBEP dominated in lake sediment. • A strong correlation existed between logK_oc and logK_ow of OPEs. • Vertical profiles of OPEs in sediment cores varied according to sampling location. Surface sediment samples from Taihu Lake in China and its inflow rivers, along with two lake sediment core samples, were collected and analyzed for organophosphate esters (OPEs). The concentrations of total OPEs varied from 28.60 ng/g to 158.72 ng/g (median: 54.25 ng/g) in river surface sediment and from 62.57 ng/g to 326.84 ng/g (median: 86.37 ng/g) in lake sediment. Tributyl phosphate (TnBP) was the predominant compound in river surface sediment, and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate was predominant in lake sediment. High contamination occurred in the north-west region, which was related to the high level of urbanization and high usage of OPEs. The sediment–water partition coefficients of OPEs (logK_oc) were calculated, showing a significant correlation with logK_ow (p<0.05). The concentration and composition of OPEs in two sediment cores varied due to the different sampling locations, with more OPE species found in the northern region than in the southern one. Principal component analysis and positive matrix factorization indicated that sewage discharges, vehicle emissions, and atmospheric deposition were the possible sources of OPEs in Taihu Lake sediments. Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, and TnBP were the main OPEs causing ecological risks.     

Evolution of humic substances in polymerization of polyphenol and amino acid based on non-destructive characterization

• Humification evolution was identified with non-destructive characterization method. • Humification process from precursors to fulvic and humic acid was confirmed. • MnO₂ alone had limited oxidation ability to form HA. • MnO₂ played a key role as a catalyst to transform FA to HA in the presence of O₂. • MnO₂ could affect the structure of the humification products. Abiotic humification is important in the formation and evolution of organic matter in soil and compost maturing processes. However, the roles of metal oxides in abiotic humification reactions under micro-aerobic remain ambiguous. The aim of this study was to use non-destructive measurement methods to investigate the role of MnO₂ in the evolution of humic substances (HSs) during oxidative polymerization of polyphenol-amino acid. Our results suggested a synergistic effect between MnO₂ and O₂ in promoting the polymerization reaction and identified that MnO₂ alone had a limited ability in accelerating the transformation of fulvic acid (FA) to humic acid (HA), whereas O₂ was the key factor in the process. Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) showed that the evolution in the UV-vis spectra followed the order of 475–525 nm>300–400 nm>240–280 nm in the humification process, indicating the formation of simple organic matter followed by FA and then HA. ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C NMR) analysis revealed that the products under both air and N₂ conditions in the presence of MnO₂ had greater amounts of aromatic-C than in the absence of MnO₂, demonstrating that MnO₂ affected the structure of the humification products. The results of this study provided new insights into the theory of abiotic humification.     

Assessment of popular techniques for co-processing municipal solid waste in Chinese cement kilns

• Municipal solid waste (MSW) was fermented, screened, gasified, then co-processed. • Co-processing MSW in cement kilns could cause excessive pollutant emissions. • Bypass flue gas can be disposed of through the main flue system. • Popular MSW co-processing methods do not affect cement quality. Cement kiln co-processing techniques have been developed in the past 20 years in China, and more than 60 factories now use fermentation, screening, and gasification pre-treatment techniques to co-process municipal solid waste (MSW). There three complete MSW pre-treatment techniques, co-processing procedures, and environmental risk assessments have been described in few publications. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of each technique. The results suggested that the pollutant content released by each pre-treatment technology was lower than the emission standard. To reveal the mechanisms of pollutant migration and enrichment, the substances in the kiln and kiln products are investigated. The input of co-processing materials (Co-M) produced by fermentation caused formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofuran (PCDD/Fs) in the bypass flue gas (By-gas) in excess of the regulatory standard. The Co-M input produced by the screening and gasifier technologies caused the total organic carbon (TOC) concentration to exceed the standard. In addition, the NO_x, TOC, and PCDD/Fs in the By-gas exceeded the regulatory standard. Raw meal was the primary chlorine and heavy metals input stream, and clinker (CK) and cement kiln dust (CKD) accounted for>90% of the total chlorine output stream. Flue gas and CKD were the primary volatile heavy metal (Hg) output streams. Greater than 70% of the semi-volatile heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Tl and Se) distributed in hot raw meal and bypass cement kiln dust. The low-volatility heavy metals were concentrated in the CK. These results indicated that co-processing techniques used in China still require improvement.     

Nutrient status and pollution levels in five areas around a manganese mine in southern China

• The soil TP level was high or extremely high in all areas. • TN, OM and available Cu were insufficient in EA, TA and RA. • All areas reached the heavily polluted level and had high ecological risk levels. • Mn and Cd were the dominant pollutants. Nutrient status and pollution levels are the main factors affecting soil restoration. The nutrient status and pollution levels in five areas, an unexplored mine area (UA), an explored mine area (EA), a tailings area (TA), a reclamation area (RA) and an agricultural area (AA), around the Pingle manganese mine in Guangxi, China, were assessed in this study. The results showed that the average total phosphorus in these five areas ranged from 1.05 to 1.57 mg/kg, corresponding to grades of extremely high and high. The average total nitrogen values were 0.19, 0.69, 0.93, 1.24 and 1.67 mg/kg in EA, TA, RA, UA and AA, corresponding to grades of very low, low, medium-low, medium-high and medium-high, respectively. The average organic matter values were 12.78, 8.92, 22.77, 21.29 and 29.11 mg/kg in EA, TA, RA, UA and AA, which corresponded to grades of medium-low, low, medium-high, medium-high and medium-high, respectively. All these results indicated that the total phosphorus was sufficient in these areas, while the total nitrogen and organic matter were insufficient in EA, TA and RA. The available concentrations of Mn and Zn corresponded to the intermediate grade, while the values for Cu corresponded to the very low grade; these might be another factor restricting ecological reclamation. Contamination and ecological risk assessments based on the single contamination index, Nemerow multi-factor index and potential ecological risk index showed that the five tested areas around the Mn mine were considered heavily polluted and presented high ecological risk. Mn and Cd were the dominant pollutants.     

Secondary aerosol formation in winter haze over the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region,China

• Characteristics and interannual variation of aerosol pollution are illustrated. • Mechanisms of secondary aerosol formation in winter haze of North China are reviewed. • Directions in future studies of secondary aerosol formation are provided. Severe haze pollution occurs frequently in the winter over the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region (China), exerting profound impacts on air quality, visibility, and human health. The Chinese Government has taken strict mitigation actions since 2013 and has achieved a significant reduction in the annual mean PM_2.5 concentration over this region. However, the level of secondary aerosols during heavy haze episodes showed little decrease during this period. During heavy haze episodes, the concentrations of secondary aerosol components, including sulfate, nitrate and secondary organics, in aerosol particles increase sharply, acting as the main contributors to aerosol pollution. To achieve effective control of particle pollution in the BTH region, the precise and complete secondary aerosol formation mechanisms have been investigated, and advances have been made about the mechanisms of gas phase reaction, nucleation and heterogeneous reactions in forming secondary aerosols. This paper reviews the research progress in aerosol chemistry during haze pollution episodes in the BTH region, lays out the challenges in haze formation studies, and provides implications and directions for future research.     

Simultaneous removal of NOx and chlorobenzene on V2O5/TiO2 granular catalyst: Kinetic study and performance prediction

• A V₂O₅/TiO₂ granular catalyst for simultaneous removal of NO and chlorobenzene. • Catalyst synthesized by vanadyl acetylacetonate showed good activity and stability. • The kinetic model was established and the synergetic activity was predicted. • Both chlorobenzene oxidation and SCR of NO follow pseudo-first-order kinetics. • The work is of much value to design of multi-pollutants emission control system. The synergetic abatement of multi-pollutants is one of the development trends of flue gas pollution control technology, which is still in the initial stage and facing many challenges. We developed a V₂O₅/TiO₂ granular catalyst and established the kinetic model for the simultaneous removal of NO and chlorobenzene (i.e., an important precursor of dioxins). The granular catalyst synthesized using vanadyl acetylacetonate precursor showed good synergistic catalytic performance and stability. Although the SCR reaction of NO and the oxidation reaction of chlorobenzene mutually inhibited, the reaction order of each reaction was not considerably affected, and the pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics was still followed. The performance prediction of this work is of much value to the understanding and reasonable design of a catalytic system for multi-pollutants (i.e., NO and dioxins) emission control.     

Polypropylene microplastics alter the cadmium adsorption capacity on different soil solid fractions

• PP-MPs reduced the adsorption capacity of the bulk soil for Cd in aqueous medium. • The responses of the POM, OMC and mineral fractions to PP-MPs were different. • PP-MPs reduced the adsorption of POM and OMC fractions to Cd. • PP-MPs increased the adsorption of mineral fraction to Cd. • Effect of MPs on soil may be controlled by proportion of POM, OMC and mineral fractions. Microplastics (MPs) are widely present in a variety of environmental media and have attracted more and more attention worldwide. However, the effect of MPs on the the interaction between heavy metals and soil, especially in soil fraction level, is not well understood. In this study, batch experiments were performed to investigate the adsorption characteristics of Cd in bulk soil and three soil fractions (i.e. particulate organic matter (POM), organic-mineral compounds (OMC), and mineral) with or without polypropylene (PP) MPs. The results showed that the addition of PP-MPs reduced the Cd adsorption capacity of the bulk soil in aqueous solution, and the effects varied with PP-MPs dose and aging degree. Whereas, the responses of the three fractions to PP-MPs were different. In presence of PP-MPs, the POM and OMC fractions showed negative adsorption effects, while the mineral fraction showed positive adsorption. For the bulk soil, POM and OMC fractions, the adsorption isotherm fitted to the Langmuir model better than the Freundlich model, whereas, the Freundlich isotherm model is more fitted for the mineral fraction. Combined with the comprehensive analysis of the partitioning coefficients, XRD and FTIR results, it was found that OMC fraction extremely likely play a leading role in the bulk soil adsorption of Cd in this study. Overall, the effect of MPs on adsorption capacity of the bulk soil for Cd may be determined by the proportion of POM, OMC, and mineral fractions in the soil, but further confirmation is needed.     

Effects of previous drying of sediment on root functional traits and rhizoperformance of emerged macrophytes

• Sediment desiccation alters morphological characteristics of aquatic sediment. • Alternation in morphological properties of sediment limiting root characteristics. • Fibrous-rooted macrophytes root properties extra favor nutrients removal. • Thick-rooted macrophytes exhibit higher life-span in two sediment types. Purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of constantly wet and dried-rewetted sediments on root functional traits of emerged macrophytes and their nutrients removal abilities. It is based on the hypothesis that root characteristics and nutrients removal abilities of plants will be altered in the course of sediment desiccation. Four emerged macrophytes including two fibrous-root plants (Canna indica and Acorus calamus) and two thick-root plants (Alocasia cucullata and Aglaonema commutatum) were investigated for their root functional traits and rhizoperformance in both wet and dried-rewetted sediments. Results showed that sediment desiccation followed by rewetting substantially altered the root functional traits (root surface area, radial oxygen loss, and root activity) of plants due to adverse changes in morphological characteristics (porosity, bulk density, particle density) of dried-rewetted sediments than by wet sediments. Consequently, limited plants growth and removal of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were recorded in dried-rewetted sediments and their pore water than in wet sediments. Radial oxygen loss from plant roots correlated positively with root functional traits, plants growth, and removal of N, P and DOC from pore water and sediment in both sediment types. Among the macrophyte species, the fibrous-root plants having advantages root functional traits, greatly influenced the rhizospheric conditions (pH, dissolved oxygen and redox potential), and demonstrated higher N, P and DOC reduction from both sediment types. While, the thick-rooted plants with thick diameter roots (D > 1 mm) and higher rhizome exhibited longer life-span in both sediment types.     

Algae (Raphidocelis subcapitata) mitigate combined toxicity of microplastic and lead on Ceriodaphnia dubia

• Micro-plastics (MPs) significantly increase Pb toxicity. • Algae reduce the combined toxicity of MP and Pb. • The toxicity increase comes from high soluble Pb and MP-Pb uptake. • The toxicity reduction might come from energy related pathway. Microplastics (MPs) have been recognized as a new class of emerging contaminants in recent years. They not only directly impact aquatic organisms, but also indirectly impact these organisms by interacting with background toxins in the environment. Moreover, under realistic environmental conditions, algae, a natural food for aquatic organisms, may alter the toxicity pattern related to MPs. In this research, we first examined the toxicity of MPs alone, and their effect on the toxicity of lead (Pb) on Ceriodaphnia dubia (C. dubia), a model aquatic organism for toxicity survey. Then, we investigated the effect of algae on the combined toxicity of MPs and Pb. We observed that, MPs significantly increased Pb toxicity, which was related to the increase in soluble Pb concentration and the intake of Pb-loaded MPs, both of which increased the accumulation of Pb in C. dubia. The presence of algae mitigated the combined toxicity of MPs and Pb, although algae alone increased Pb accumulation. Therefore, the toxicity mitigation through algae uptake came from mechanisms other than Pb accumulation, which will need further investigation.