基于微藻细胞培养的水质深度净化与高价值生物质生产耦合技术

水资源和能源危机是21世纪人类面临的重大挑战.开发高效的氮磷控制技术以及寻找可持续再生、环境友好的新型能源是解决这些挑战的有效手段.微藻培养技术的出现,为水质深度净化、氮磷高效去除和生物能源生产提供了可能.总结了微藻培养技术在污水处理中作为三级处理单元深度净化水质、去除氮磷的应用,并分析了大规模培养微藻以获得生物能源的研究现状.在此基础上,提出了将污水处理工艺和生产工艺耦合的理念,以污水为资源,实现污水处理系统从"处理工艺"向"生产工艺"的转化,在深度净化污水的同时,以污水为原料获取"新"资源和"新"能源,为缓解当前资源匮乏、能源紧缺的形势提供可能的解决途径.在未来资源和能源愈加紧张的严峻形势下,基于微藻细胞培养的水质深度净化与高价值生物质生产耦合技术具有广阔的发展前景.     

利用污水资源生产微藻生物柴油的关键技术及潜力分析

21世纪人类面临着能源与水资源的双重危机与挑战。微藻制备生物柴油和微藻深度脱氮除磷分别是开发新能源和污水深度处理方面的热点研究,但二者的单一系统均存在一定的局限性。基于微藻培养的污水深度处理与生物柴油生产耦合系统可以克服上述单一系统的局限性,在深度处理污水的同时,以污水为资源制备微藻生物柴油。藻种筛选是耦合系统的前提与重点,其筛选原则为在二级出水条件下生长快、氮磷去除效率高和单位藻细胞油脂含量高。合适的藻细胞分离收获及油脂提取技术能够降低能耗;而油渣厌氧发酵可充分回收其中的能量,同时减少油渣对环境造成的不利影响。根据耦合系统的工艺特点,每年全国利用该耦合工艺以生活污水为原料生产微藻生物柴油的潜力约397万t。     

混合培养对城市污水厂二级出水培养能源微藻的生长促进作用

利用城市污水培养能源微藻可以实现水质净化和生物质生产的耦合,备受关注。生物质生产效率较低是限制其大规模应用的主要因素之一,混合培养是提高微藻生物质产率的一种潜在方法。为筛选出城市二级出水条件下合适的能源微藻混合藻种,考察了二级出水条件下3株高含油脂藻种栅藻LX1（Scenedesmussp. LX1）、椭圆小球藻YJ1（Chlorella ellipsoidea YJ1）和雨生红球藻（Haematococcus pluvislis）单一藻种和两两混合培养时的生长特性,比较了各微藻单一藻种及两两混合培养时的生长特性参数及生物质产量。研究结果表明,3种微藻的两两混合组合均能在二级出水条件下正常生长,各微藻干物质量浓度在第10天左右均能达到100 mg·L^-1左右。与栅藻LX1和椭圆小球藻YJ1相比,雨生红球藻在两两混合培养条件下表现出更高的藻细胞干物质量浓度增长趋势。3种微藻的内禀生长速率均显著高于各自的单一培养,栅藻 LX1和雨生红球藻混合培养时分别达到最高内禀增长速率（分别为1.36 d^-1、0.97 d^-1）。栅藻LX1与雨生红球藻混合培养时比生长速率分别为0.59 d^-1和0.42 d^-1,分别比栅藻LX1和雨生红球藻的单一藻种培养提高了36%、9.0%。与单一藻种相比,混合培养促进了微藻的生物质产量,栅藻LX1和雨生红球藻混合藻种的生物质产量（277 mg·L^-1）分别比栅藻LX1、雨生红球藻的单一藻种培养提高了64%和42%。栅藻LX1与雨生红球藻藻种组合具备作为二级出水条件下能源微藻培养合适混合藻种的潜力。     

污染水体生态治理工程中凤眼莲对水质变化的生长响应

在三级串联凤眼莲(Eichhornia crassipes)净化塘深度处理生活污水处理厂尾水的生态工程中,通过监测各级净化塘内凤眼莲的生物量、株高、根长、植株氮磷含量等指标变化,分析各指标与水体总氮(TN)和总磷(TP)质量浓度的相关性,探讨凤眼莲对水质变化的生长响应,以期为表观判断水质改善效果和明确凤眼莲在污染水体生态修复工程的适宜规模配置提供理论依据。结果表明:净化塘水体氮磷浓度显著影响凤眼莲生长,且与植株相关生长指标具有显著相关性(P0.05);一级、二级和三级净化塘内水体TN和TP质量浓度依次降低,凤眼莲生物量及茎叶生物量、生长速率、株高、叶片SPAD值、凤眼莲茎叶和根系的氮磷含量均逐级减小,而根系生物量、根冠比和根长均逐级增加;凤眼莲茎叶生物量及其所含氮磷量均高于根系,故茎叶富集水体氮磷能力强于根系;当水体TN平均质量浓度分别为7.94、4.03和2.79 mg·L~(-1),TP平均质量浓度分别为0.22、0.15和0.12 mg·L~(-1)时,凤眼莲单位面积平均生物量分别为23.09、16.73和12.87 kg·m~(-2),累积富集氮量分别为27.44、17.59和11.04 g·m~(-2),磷量分别为2.57、1.53和0.93 g·m~(-2)。综合分析,凤眼莲生物量及其分布格局、株高、根长等生长特征表现出的差异显示了其在不同水质条件下的响应策略,水体中较高的氮磷浓度更有利于促进凤眼莲生长发育及增强其富集氮磷能力。在该研究的条件下生活污水尾水的深度净化工程,仍可承载更高的尾水处理量和污染负荷量,同时通过减少生态工程的规模配置也可确保出水水质。     

依靠科技进步 发展低碳农业

在全球携手应对气候变暖、减少温室气体排放的背景下,发展低碳经济是解决气候变化与经济发展矛盾的有效途径。通过描述气候变化、固碳减排对粮食安全、土壤碳汇、森林固碳、资源循环利用等影响和促进作用,深入分析发展低碳经济与可持续发展的关系,探讨如何在农业领域内开发高效循环生产体系,从而实现农业生产过程的固碳减排目的。由此,提出发展低碳农业是实现低碳经济的目标之一,它是一个复合技术体系,涉及了绿色农业、循环农业、生态文明、可持续发展理念。必须通过科学技术的突破,改造、提升低碳农业技术,改变农业现有的＂高能耗、高污染＂的生产状况,实现低碳生产、生活方式的转变。最后提出发展现代的低碳农业产业经济的对策和思考。     

生物质炭的特性及其应用的研究进展

生物质炭是生物质原料在完全绝氧或部分缺氧条件下经高温热裂解产生的一类富碳、高度芳香化和高稳定性的固体产物。作为新型多功能材料,生物质炭以其特殊的物理结构、丰富的表面性能和优良的生态环境效应等特点日益成为众多学科研究的前沿热点。文章介绍了生物质炭的基本性质,概括了生物质炭在农业、环境、能源及生物质炭基功能材料等4个前沿领域的国内外应用研究进展,分析了目前各个应用领域研究存在的问题和不足,并指出了未来生物质炭应用研究的前景和方向。国内外研究表明:生物质炭因其丰富的孔隙结构和表面性能、巨大的比表面积、高含量的植物生长所需营养元素、较高的化学稳定性和较强的阳离子交换能力(CEC,cation exchange capacity),在土壤改良剂、固碳、氮减排、缓释肥料载体、污水治理、烟气净化、土壤修复、固体成型燃料、燃料电池、固体酸催化剂和电极材料等领域具有巨大的应用前景。这些方面的研究都取得了一定的进展,但目前生物质炭应用技术的研究还处于起步阶段,研究工作还有待于深入和加强。     

《微藻培养指南:生物技术与应用藻类学》

正从书名:应用生物技术大系"十一五"国家重点图书出版规划项目ISBN:978-7-03-040945-4/Q·3337开本:16定价:138内容简介全书共分四个部分:第一部分详细介绍微藻生物培养的营养条件和环境因素;第二部分深入阐述微藻的大规模培养技术和理论;第三部分介绍经济微藻在食品行业(生产多不饱和脂肪酸)、养殖业(产物粗藻粉用于饲养动物)、种植业(将固氮蓝绿藻悬液接种到稻田中用作生物肥料)、医药行业(从藻细胞中提取药用活性物质)、生物质能源开发(制备生物柴油)     

自然生物膜对面源污水中氮磷去除的研究进展

面源污染负荷在一些区域已经成为地表水体的第一大污染源,如何有效削减污染水体中氮磷污染负荷已成为重要科学问题之一。自然生物膜是生长在淹水固体表面的微生物群落及其与周边非生物物质交织在一起的聚集体,广泛分布于水土界面环境中,具有很强的环境适应性,能有效去除水相中的污染物,因此,近些年被广泛应用于污水净化。综述了自然生物膜去除氮(反硝化、吸收、氨挥发和吹脱)和磷(吸收降解、吸附、共沉淀)的机制,并探讨了其影响因素;总结了近年发展迅速的新型功能材料耦合自然生物膜提升氮磷去除效率的主要进展。最后,展望了将自然生物膜与不同类型生态工程相结合并应用于大尺度污染水体净化与生态修复的前景。该综述可为自然生物膜及其类似微生物聚集体净化污水以及自然生物膜群落结构优化和功能化研究方面提供理论参考。     

微生物燃料电池构造研究进展

微生物燃料电池(Microbial fuel cell,MFC)的研究在近几年获得了快速发展.产电微生物在厌氧条件下氧化底物释放电子和质子,电子通过导线传递给阴极,从而在外电路中形成电流,而质子通过质子交换膜进入阴极与电子和氧气结合生成水.微生物燃料电池的研究与应用开发涉及到从微生物、电化学到材料学和环境工程等科学领域的交叉,特别是废水处理能与微生物产电相结合的研究成果,使污水、污泥、垃圾等环境污染物的治理有可能成为生物质能源的生产过程,展示了微生物燃料电池的广泛应用前景.本文着重综述微生物燃料电池在构造上的进展,并介绍了其在水处理中的应用前景.图8参56     

农业科技发展态势与面向2020年的战略选择

1.至2020年农业领域科技发展新趋势新特点。世界农业科技发展新趋势将体现在如下5个方面：（1）植物种质资源与现代育种科技,如大规模植物种质资源发掘,光合作用研究的突破将加快现代育种大变革速度,系统生物学将为大规模基因资源发掘和利用提供系统的理论与技术基础,分子设计育种将产生突破性品种并催生智能品种诞生,第二代生物质原料生产将成为大农业的重要组成部分;（2）动物种质资源与现代育种科技,如大规模动物种质资源发掘,传统育种和基因工程相结合培育新品系是动物遗传育种发展方向,动物克隆技术和转基因动物将进一步取得突破,良种化和健康养殖科技发展迅速;（3）源节约型农业科技,如耕地资源集约利用与耕地质量定向培育科技发展,农田生态系统节水技术体系和建设流域水资源保障体系,高效新肥料研制和集成农田生态系统养分技术,低碳农业技术将成为未来的重要技术;（4）农业生产与食品安全科技,如支撑食品安全的生产技术发展迅速,更加关注营养保健功能食品的科技和食品安全监控技术,危险性快速评估技术体系技术得到广泛应用;（5）农业信息化和精准农业科技,如农业信息服务网络化科技和种养业管理信息化科技将加速发展,精准农业科技进入新的发展阶段,农业装备制造技术向大型和复式作业等方向发展。2.中国农业发展和粮食安全面临的挑战和对科技的重大需求。（1）农业发展面临新的挑战。在生产上,小规模经营与大市场和现代化的矛盾更加突出;耕地刚性下降和水资源短缺对农业形成的威胁越来越严峻;科技体系不能适应市场发展和农民对技术的需求;许多农业资源的利用和管理与农业食物系统的可持续性相悖。在市场上,对食品质量和安全将提出更高要求;整个农产品供应链系统正经历着历史性变化;贸易自由化使农产品进口压力进一步加大。（2）国家粮食安全面临的挑战：我国粮食安全于2008年已经突破了95%自给率目标,2010年更下降到90.6%;我们预测,我国粮食需求在2020年将达到6.7亿t,在现有政策下需求增长将高于生产增长,粮食自给率到2020年将下降到87%左右。（3）农业科技创新是发展农业和保障国家粮食安全的重大需求：面对农业发展和粮食安全的挑战,我国急需在植物种质资源利用与现代育种、动物种质资源利用与现代育种、资源节约型农业、农业生产与食品安全、农业信息化和精准农业等五大科技领域实现突破。为此,国家最近对农业科技发展提出了新的要求,特别是构建＂生态高值农业＂技术体系。中国科学院的优势在于多学科联合,能够在科技综合研究和集成基础上实现重大突破。如果把以上五大科技领域联合起来,在＂生态高值农业＂科技发展上将能起到国家科技发展的引领作用。3.面向2020的农业科技战略选择：构建我国生态高值农业产业体系。生态高值农业含义：所谓＂生态＂,就是要体现农业既能为社会提供安全、优质的农产品,又能实现农业资源的永续利用;所谓＂高值＂,就是要体现农业有很高的土地产出率、投入产出率、劳动生产率。因此,＂生态高值农业＂是集约化经营与生态化生产有机结合的现代农业。它以健康消费需求为导向,以提高农业市场竞争力和可持续发展能力为核心,是转变农业增长方式、提高农业综合生产能力的集中体现。生态高值农业科技的发展目标：到2020年,通过重点农业科技领域的重大创新突破,为不断满足日益增长的农产品总量、质量、安全和多功能的需求以及改善农业生产结构、生态环境和农业资源永续利用等生态高值农业体系提供科技支撑。生态高值农业研发内容：（1）提升＂中国至2050年农业科技发展路线图＂的理念与五大科技领域的研究水平;（2）建立生态高值农业的综合技术体系;（3）研发六大城市圈（如北京、上海、重庆、武汉、沈阳、南京等）、十大典型区域生态高值农业发展模式及其技术支撑体系（长三角城市群郊区生态高值农业模式,华中种养加一体化农业圈层模式,西南山地立体农业生态高值农业模式,南方亚热带特种农林果综合开发模式,滨海滩涂农业综合开发利用模式,黄土高原水土保持及农林果流域开发模式,黄淮海平原粮养加农业综合模式,东北平原粮食基地综合开发利用模式,西北寒旱区农牧综合开发模式,北部漠境盐湖综合整理开发模式）;（4）建设农产品产业化、加工产业化和综合产业化三大体系。最后在上述4个层次研发基础上,全面建立我国生态高值农业产业化网络体系。我国生态高值农业技术体系的构建：根据我国的现状,目前应主要从以下几个方面进行技术创新,（1）无公害农产品种养殖技术;（2）农产品加工技术;（3）我国传统农业精华技术;（4）标准化生产技术;（5）高新农业技术。对中国科学院提出的建议：（1）将＂生态高值农业＂列为中国科学院＂十二五＂的重大研发项目;（2）组织＂农业领域战略研究组＂和中国科学院有关单位提出生态高值农业建设的项目规划,并通过院部将此项目向国家有关部委推荐;（3）组织全院农业科研力量,联合全国的有关力量,首先在城市郊区农业与经济相对发达的地区,建立我国＂生态高值农业＂模式及其配套技术体系。     

Low efficiency of sewage treatment plants due to unskilled operations in India

Centralized sewage treatment plants may not be a sustainable solution for a developing country such as India. Therefore, we conducted for the first time an integrated assessment of the different technologies currently used for sewage treatment in the state of West Bengal, India. Five decentralized sewage treatment plants and one centralized sewage treatment plant located in different parts of Kolkata were evaluated. We compared influent and effluent water quality, energy consumed, capital and operating costs, and treated wastewater reuse potential. F test was used to validate results on the effect of working days and holidays and seasons on treated water quality. Wastewater management strategy was assessed by performance indicators. Our results show that treatment efficiency was lowest in anaerobic plants not because of faulty technology but due to unskilled operation. Therefore, performance improvement of plants is expected if factors such as monitoring, training of staff, regular and scrupulous desludging, reuse aspects, and rational water tariff are implemented earnestly.     

Algal biomass valorization for biofuel production and carbon sequestration: a review

The world is experiencing an energy crisis and environmental issues due to the depletion of fossil fuels and the continuous increase in carbon dioxide concentrations. Microalgal biofuels are produced using sunlight, water, and simple salt minerals. Their high growth rate, photosynthesis, and carbon dioxide sequestration capacity make them one of the most important biorefinery platforms. Furthermore, microalgae's ability to alter their metabolism in response to environmental stresses to produce relatively high levels of high-value compounds makes them a promising alternative to fossil fuels. As a result, microalgae can significantly contribute to long-term solutions to critical global issues such as the energy crisis and climate change. The environmental benefits of algal biofuel have been demonstrated by significant reductions in carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur oxide emissions. Microalgae-derived biomass has the potential to generate a wide range of commercially important high-value compounds, novel materials, and feedstock for a variety of industries, including cosmetics, food, and feed. This review evaluates the potential of using microalgal biomass to produce a variety of bioenergy carriers, including biodiesel from stored lipids, alcohols from reserved carbohydrate fermentation, and hydrogen, syngas, methane, biochar and bio-oils via anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis, and gasification. Furthermore, the potential use of microalgal biomass in carbon sequestration routes as an atmospheric carbon removal approach is being evaluated. The cost of algal biofuel production is primarily determined by culturing (77%), harvesting (12%), and lipid extraction (7.9%). As a result, the choice of microalgal species and cultivation mode (autotrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic) are important factors in controlling biomass and bioenergy production, as well as fuel properties. The simultaneous production of microalgal biomass in agricultural, municipal, or industrial wastewater is a low-cost option that could significantly reduce economic and environmental costs while also providing a valuable remediation service. Microalgae have also been proposed as a viable candidate for carbon dioxide capture from the atmosphere or an industrial point source. Microalgae can sequester 1.3 kg of carbon dioxide to produce 1 kg of biomass. Using potent microalgal strains in efficient design bioreactors for carbon dioxide sequestration is thus a challenge. Microalgae can theoretically use up to 9% of light energy to capture and convert 513 tons of carbon dioxide into 280 tons of dry biomass per hectare per year in open and closed cultures. Using an integrated microalgal bio-refinery to recover high-value-added products could reduce waste and create efficient biomass processing into bioenergy. To design an efficient atmospheric carbon removal system, algal biomass cultivation should be coupled with thermochemical technologies, such as pyrolysis.

     

Removal of nitrogen and phosphorus by eight strains of microalgae and their growth characteristics in Penaeus vannamei sewage北大核心CSCD

Microalgae are the most important primary productive forces in shrimp aquaculture systems. Microalgae not only provide oxygen and natural food for aquaculture objects, but they also absorb nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to reduce water eutrophication. However, there are great differences in N and P absorption among different strains of microalgae. To maintain the sustainable development of shrimp aquaculture, the growth performances of eight microalgal strains in Penaeus vannamei sewage and N and P removal rates were investigated under laboratory conditions. The results indicated that the eight microalgal strains could reduce the N and P content in P. vannamei sewage to some extent. Microcystis aeruginosa, Chlamydomonas sp., and Chlorella pyrenoidosa grew very well, with average growth rates of 0.309 3, 0.246 9, and 0.215 5, respectively. There were significant differences in the removal efficiency among the different strains. The removal rates of total N by M. aeruginosa, Chlamydomonas sp., and C. pyrenoidosa were 74%, 69%, and 60%, respectively, at the end of the experiment, which were higher than the other species. M. aeruginosa and Chlamydomonas sp. had better total P removal efficiency than those of the other microalgal strains and removal rates were greater than 60%, and the second highest total P removal efficiency was by C. pyrenoidosa. Different types of microalgal strains had different absorption rates of different morphological nitrogen. M. aeruginosa and Chlamydomonas sp. had the highest nitrate nitrogen removal rate (approximately 70%). Chlamydomonas sp. had a fast and persistent removal rate of ammonia nitrogen, with the removal rate being as high as 100%. The removal efficiency of M. aeruginosa and C. pyrenoidosa were a little slower, and those of Scenedesmus obliquus, Synedra sp., and Navicula graciloides were the slowest. After 16 d, the removal rate reached more than 90%. Cryptomonas obovate and C. pyrenoidosa displayed the best removal rate of nitrite nitrogen, and the removal rate reached 80% on day 8, and the removal rate of C. obovata was more persistent. These results can provide scientific reference for the orientation and use of microalgae to remove pollutants in tailings water from shrimp aquaculture systems. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Biofuels and Biodiversity: Principles for Creating Better Policies for Biofuel Production

Abstract:  Biofuels are a new priority in efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels; nevertheless, the rapid increase in production of biofuel feedstock may threaten biodiversity. There are general principles that should be used in developing guidelines for certifying biodiversity-friendly biofuels. First, biofuel feedstocks should be grown with environmentally safe and biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices. The sustainability of any biofuel feedstock depends on good growing practices and sound environmental practices throughout the fuel-production life cycle. Second, the ecological footprint of a biofuel, in terms of the land area needed to grow sufficient quantities of the feedstock, should be minimized. The best alternatives appear to be fuels of the future, especially fuels derived from microalgae. Third, biofuels that can sequester carbon or that have a negative or zero carbon balance when viewed over the entire production life cycle should be given high priority. Corn-based ethanol is the worst among the alternatives that are available at present, although this is the biofuel that is most advanced for commercial production in the United States. We urge aggressive pursuit of alternatives to corn as a biofuel feedstock. Conservation biologists can significantly broaden and deepen efforts to develop sustainable fuels by playing active roles in pursuing research on biodiversity-friendly biofuel production practices and by helping define biodiversity-friendly biofuel certification standards.     

Green fuel production: processes applied to microalgae

The continuous increase in world energy demand will lead to an energy crisis due to the limited availability of fossil fuels. Furthermore, the use of this energetic resource is responsible for the accumulation of greenhouse gases in atmosphere that is associated with several negative effects on environment. Therefore, it is worth to search for different energy supplies that are renewable and environmentally friendly—carbon neutral fuel. Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that can achieve high oil contents. This oil is suitable for producing biodiesel; thus, microalgae are considered a promising sustainable energetic resource that can reduce the dependence on fossil fuel. Biodiesel production from microalgae includes several steps, such as cell cultivation and harvesting, oil extraction and biodiesel synthesis. Although several attempts have been made to improve biodiesel yields from microalgae, further studies are required to improve biodiesel production rates and to reduce the associated costs. This review shows the recent developments on biodiesel production from microalgae, emphasizing two process concepts: (1) indirect route, in which, after a facultative cell wall disruption method, microalgal oil is recovered in an appropriate solvent and then converted into biodiesel through transesterification and (2) direct route, in which biodiesel is produced directly from the harvested biomass. High biodiesel yields are obtained when both routes are preceded by a cell wall disruption method. In the indirect route, it is possible to apply three different types of solvents to recover microalgal oil. Although there are several concerns about the application of organic solvents, the most promising and cost-effective alternative for lipid recovery is n-hexane. Comparing direct and indirect routes, this study demonstrates that although further studies are required to optimize biodiesel production from microalgae, the available information proposes that the direct route is the most efficient.     

Market interactions,farmers' choices,and the sustainability of growing advanced biofuels: a missing perspective?

Advanced biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol are of great interest in the USA. With agriculture being the major source of feedstock for advanced biofuels, how farmers would respond to markets and policy incentives in providing such feedstock can directly affect sufficient and sustainable supply of advanced biofuels and their environmental sustainability. In this study, we developed an economic model to examine farmers' production choices in a context where agricultural markets are linked to energy markets. We identified the economic conditions under which farmers could maximize their profits by converting current grain cropland to grow cellulosic biomass crops. An empirical illustration showed that with current technology, farmers are unlikely to grow switchgrass as a dedicated energy crop instead of corn on cropland. The biofuel incentives in the 2008 Farm Bill can improve the competitiveness of switchgrass, but may stimulate corn production as well, with corn residues as an alternative feedstock for advanced biofuels. The continuous, possibly expanding, corn production in future raises the same issues for advanced biofuels as for corn grain-based ethanol. To assure the environmental sustainability of advanced biofuel production, further research is needed to help design environmental policies alongside existing biofuel initiatives.     

Expansion of sugarcane ethanol production in Brazil: environmental and social challenges.

Several geopolitical factors, aggravated by worries of global warming, have been fueling the search for and production of renewable energy worldwide for the past few years. Such demand for renewable energy is likely to benefit the sugarcane ethanol industry in Brazil, not only because sugarcane ethanol has a positive energetic balance and relatively low production costs, but also because Brazilian ethanol has been successfully produced and used as biofuel in the country since the 1970s. However, environmental and social impacts associated with ethanol production in Brazil can become important obstacles to sustainable biofuel production worldwide. Atmospheric pollution from burning of sugarcane for harvesting, degradation of soils and aquatic systems, and the exploitation of cane cutters are among the issues that deserve immediate attention from the Brazilian government and international societies. The expansion of sugarcane crops to the areas presently cultivated for soybeans also represent an environmental threat, because it may increase deforestation pressure from soybean crops in the Amazon region. In this paper, we discuss environmental and social issues linked to the expansion of sugarcane in Brazil for ethanol production, and we provide recommendations to help policy makers and the Brazilian government establish new initiatives to produce a code for ethanol production that is environmentally sustainable and economically fair. Recommendations include proper planning and environmental risk assessments for the expansion of sugarcane to new regions such as Central Brazil, improvement of land use practices to reduce soil erosion and nitrogen pollution, proper protection of streams and riparian ecosystems, banning of sugarcane burning practices, and fair working conditions for sugarcane cutters. We also support the creation of a more constructive approach for international stakeholders and trade organizations to promote sustainable development for biofuel production in developing countries such as Brazil. Finally, we support the inclusion of environmental values in the price of biofuels in order to discourage excessive replacement of natural ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, and pasture by bioenergy crops.     

Improved overall water splitting for hydrogen production on aluminium-doped SrTiO3 photocatalyst via tuned surface band bending

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Future carbon neutrality and the energy crisis are calling for advanced methods to produce sustainable fuels such as hydrogen production by photocatalytic water...     

21世纪初石家庄市生态环境建设与可持续发展战略

分析了石家庄市目前存在的水资源危机、地表水严重污染、大气污染严重、固体废物围城、绿地不足、热岛现象加重等一系列环境问题。这些问题已影响到城市的社会、经济发展。根据石家庄市特点，提出了石家庄市生态城市建设的基本框架，全方位、多层面地论述了生态城市建设与可持续发展的途径与对策。