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.     

Diffusive gradients in thin films using molecularly imprinted polymer binding gels for in situ measurements of antibiotics in urban wastewaters

• Selective molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) binding gel was prepared. • MIP-DGT showed excellent uptake performance for antibiotics. • In situ measurement of antibiotics in wastewaters via MIP-DGT was developed. • The MIP-DGT method was robust, reliable, and highly sensitive. Urban wastewater is one of main sources for the introduction of antibiotics into the environment. Monitoring the concentrations of antibiotics in wastewater is necessary for estimating the amount of antibiotics discharged into the environment through urban wastewater treatment systems. In this study, we report a novel diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT) method based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for in situ measurement of two typical antibiotics, fluoroquinolones (FQs) and sulfonamides (SAs) in urban wastewater. MIPs show specific adsorption toward their templates and their structural analogs, resulting in the selective uptake of the two target antibiotics during MIP-DGT deployment. The uptake performance of the MIP-DGTs was evaluated in the laboratory and was relatively independent of solution pH (4.0–9.0), ionic strength (1–750 mmol/L), and dissolved organic matter (DOM, 0–20 mg/L). MIP-DGT samplers were tested in the effluent of an urban wastewater treatment plant for field trials, where three SA (sulfamethoxazole, sulfapyridine, and trimethoprim) and one FQ (ofloxacin) antibiotics were detected, with concentrations ranging from 25.50 to 117.58 ng/L, which are consistent with the results measured by grab sampling. The total removal efficiency of the antibiotics was 80.1% by the treatment plant. This study demonstrates that MIP-DGT is an effective tool for in situ monitoring of trace antibiotics in complex urban wastewaters.     

Photosynthesis and related metabolic mechanism of promoted rice (Oryza sativa L.) growth by TiO2 nanoparticles

• The rice growth was promoted by nano-TiO₂ of 0.1–100 mg/L. • Nano-TiO₂ enhanced the energy storage in photosynthesis. • Nano-TiO₂ reduced energy consumption in carbohydrate metabolism and TCA cycle. Titanium dioxide nanoparticle (nano-TiO₂), as an excellent UV absorbent and photo-catalyst, has been widely applied in modern industry, thus inevitably discharged into environment. We proposed that nano-TiO₂ in soil can promote crop yield through photosynthetic and metabolic disturbance, therefore, we investigated the effects of nano-TiO₂ exposure on related physiologic-biochemical properties of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Results showed that rice biomass was increased >30% at every applied dosage (0.1–100 mg/L) of nano-TiO₂. The actual photosynthetic rate (Y(II)) significantly increased by 10.0% and 17.2% in the treatments of 10 and 100 mg/L respectively, indicating an increased energy production from photosynthesis. Besides, non-photochemical quenching (Y(NPQ)) significantly decreased by 19.8%–26.0% of the control in all treatments respectively, representing a decline in heat dissipation. Detailed metabolism fingerprinting further revealed that a fortified transformation of monosaccharides (D-fructose, D-galactose, and D-talose) to disaccharides (D-cellobiose, and D-lactose) was accompanied with a weakened citric acid cycle, confirming the decrease of energy consumption in metabolism. All these results elucidated that nano-TiO₂ promoted rice growth through the upregulation of energy storage in photosynthesis and the downregulation of energy consumption in metabolism. This study provides a mechanistic understanding of the stress-response hormesis of rice after exposure to nano-TiO₂, and provides worthy information on the potential application and risk of nanomaterials in agricultural production.     

Manganese-modified biochar for highly efficient sorption of cadmium

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this study, corn stalk was modified by manganese (Mn) before (MBC1) and after (MBC2) pyrolysis at different temperatures (400~600 °C)...     

Metagenomic analysis reveals the effects of cotton straw–derived biochar on soil nitrogen transformation in drip-irrigated cotton field

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Biochar has been widely accepted as a soil amendment to improve nitrogen (N) use efficiency, but the effect of biochar on N transformation metabolic...     

Magnetic nanoparticles incorporation into different substrates for dyes and heavy metals removal—A Review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Substantial discharge of hazardous substances, especially dyes and heavy metal ions to the environment, has become a global concern due to...     

表面活性剂对焦化污染土壤中多环芳烃淋洗修复研究

异位土壤淋洗是一种高效修复污染土壤技术。以孝义市某焦化厂污染土壤为研究对象,采用批处理实验,探究表面活性剂曲拉通-100(TX-100)、吐温80(TW80)、烷基糖苷(APG)作为淋洗剂对土壤中16种多环芳烃(PAHs)的淋洗效果,并以TW80为代表,考察了淋洗剂浓度、淋洗时间、pH以及淋洗方式对污染土壤中PAHs的去除效果。结果表明,TW80、TX-100和APG对土壤中16种PAHs的总去除率分别为25.67%、18.89%和16.77%。TW80作为淋洗剂,3环PAHs的去除率低于高环(3环)PAHs,主要与焦化污染土壤中以3环PAHs为主有关;高环PAHs随着环数的增加,去除率降低。焦化污染土壤中PAHs的去除在240min达到平衡;大部分PAHs去除率随TW80浓度的增加而增大;pH可不作调整;在TW80用量相同情况下,建议采用单次淋洗。     

城市周边高标准基本农田建设时序研究——以重庆市南岸区为例

高标准基本农田建设是夯实农业基础,保障国家粮食安全的重要抓手。以重庆市南岸区为研究对象,从基础地力、利用条件、区位条件3方面筛选出12个指标,构建高标准基本农田建设综合评价体系,引入熵权法、障碍度模型等测算各评价单元的建设潜力和建设难度系数,最后以行政村为评价单元耦合两者评价结果,提出了南岸区高标准基本农田建设时序。结果表明:南岸区已基本具备高标准基本农田条件的耕地面积约76.6 hm~2,占永久基本农田总量的11%,其余624.19 hm~2耕地可通过土地整治逐步建成高标准基本农田。在空间上,建设潜力较高的区域主要集中在东北部广阳镇,建设难度等级呈现出"南高北低"的分布规律,按照先易后难的建设原则,建设时序也需遵循从北向南的规律依次开展整治工程。研究结果可为南岸区高标准基本农田规划实施提供参考。     

黏土半巷道围岩模型过巷道轴线平面破坏过程实验观测∗

为了观测过巷道轴线平面上应变局部化带及裂纹的发展演化规律,开展了黏土半巷道围岩模型三轴压缩实验研究。半巷道围岩模型的观测表面处于平面应变状态,且分步开挖巷道。在每次巷道开挖之前,对半巷道围岩模型卸荷。每次巷道开挖之后,再对半巷道围岩模型加荷。采用数字图像相关方法观测了观测表面的最大剪切应变场,并统计了裂纹面积百分比随纵向应变的演化规律。得到以下结论:当纵向应变较高时,在半巷道围岩模型的观测表面上,出现了由巷道两帮或两帮与掌子面交点处发展出的应变局部化带;另外,还出现了距离巷道表面较远的应变局部化带。由此可以推出,垂直于巷道轴线平面上将会出现分区破裂化。裂纹面积百分比随纵向应变的增加而增加;随着阈值(可识别的裂纹面积的最小值)的增加,裂纹面积百分比降低,但降低的速度越来越慢。剪裂纹主要位于巷道的两帮;拉裂纹遍布各处,呈现一定的等间距性。     

基于物联网技术的多能源设备数据采集方法

针对宁东新能源化工基地水、电、气、热、冷等多能源设备数据采集速率低,质量差的问题,提出了1种基于物联网技术的多能源设备数据采集方法。本方法综合考虑水、电、气、热传感设备的监测细粒度、联动控制策略等因素,建立多能源设备数据采集模型。在此基础上,基于物联网技术,对多能源设备进行并发数据采集,实现多采集策略协同处理和高速采集,并按目标时间将多能源设备采集数据分类存储在智能融合终端中,以开展综合能源边缘控制。应用结果表明：本方法可面向综合能源多尺度采集性能指标和差异化数据结构,实现多能源数据自趋优协同采集,提高多能源采集的准确性与传输效率。