Synthesis of hybrid carbon nanotubes using Brassica juncea L. application to photodegradation of bisphenol A

Hyperaccumulators contain tubular cellulose and heavy metals, which can be used as the sources of carbon and metals to synthesize nanomaterials. In this paper, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanoparticles, and CNTs/Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanocomposites were synthesized using Brassica juncea L. plants, and the ultraviolet (UV)-light-driven photocatalytic degradations of bisphenol A (BPA) using them as photocatalysts were studied. It was found that the outer diameter of CNTs was around 50 nm and there were a few defects in the crystal lattice. The synthesized Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanocomposites had a diameter of around 40 nm. Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanocomposites have grown on the surface of the CNTs and the outer diameter of them was around 100 nm. The synthesized hybrid carbon nanotubes using B. juncea could enhance the efficiency of photocatalytic degradation on BPA. The complete equilibration time of adsorption/desorption of BPA onto the surface of CNTs, Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanoparticles, and CNTs/Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanocomposites was within 30, 20, and 30 min, and approximately 14.9, 8.7, and 17.4 % BPA was adsorbed by them, respectively. The combination of UV light irradiation (90 min) with CNTs, Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanoparticles, and CNTs/Cu_0.05Zn_0.95O nanocomposites could lead to 48.3, 75.7, and 92.6 % decomposition yields of BPA, respectively. These findings constitute a new insight for synthesizing nanocatalyst by reusing hyperaccumulators.     

机械清洗法对MBR膜泥饼层的影响

膜污染是制约MBR发展的瓶颈。考察投加ABS颗粒对MBR膜组件上膜泥饼层的影响,并设对照实验。结果表明,对照MBR膜通量下降速度快,膜污染严重,膜表面上累积厚厚的泥饼层,而在ABS MBR中膜通量下降速度则缓慢的多,且膜上泥饼层积累量则明显少于对照MBR;曝气量越大,颗粒运行的速度也越快,泥饼层被撞落量也越多;颗粒以碰撞角度为45°冲刷膜的情况下,泥饼层掉落效果明显增加;泥饼层包裹的膜丝根数越多,泥饼层的静摩擦力和保持泥饼层不被破坏的力也越大,泥饼层就越难被冲刷掉。SEM照片显示,ABS MBR的膜孔堵塞要严重于对照MBR,表面的褶皱要较对照MBR多。     

Tissue distribution of Dechlorane Plus and its dechlorinated analogs in contaminated fish: high affinity to the brain for anti-DP

Information on tissue distribution of Dechlorane Plus (DP) and its dechlorinated analogs in wildlife is scarce. DP isomers and two dechlorinated compounds, anti-Cl₁₁-DP and anti-Cl₁₀-DP, were examined in the muscle, liver, and brain tissues of two bottom fish species collected from an electronic waste recycling site, South China. The median levels of syn-, anti-, and anti-Cl₁₁-DP isomers in the tissues ranged 0.18-39.1, 0.22-52.9, and 0.01-5.63 ng/g wet wt, respectively. Anti-Cl₁₀-DP was only detected in one muscle sample of mud carp (0.01 ng/g wet wt), although it was consistently detected in the sediments (0.42-0.83 ng/g dry wt). Preferential distribution in liver relative to muscle was observed for syn-DP and anti-Cl₁₁-DP. However, a high persistent retention in the brain compared to the liver was observed for anti-DP, suggesting that this isomer can across the blood-brain barrier of fish, and may cause adverse effects to the nervous system in the exposed biota.     

Composition analysis and application of degradation products of whole feathers through a large scale of fermentation

Purpose

Feathers are one of the most abundant bioresources. They are discarded as waste in most cases and could cause environmental pollution. On the other hand, keratin constituted by amino acids is the main component of feathers. In this article, we reported on biorefined feathers and integrants and application of degraded products.

Materials and methods

The fermentation of whole chicken feathers with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia DHHJ in a scale-up of a 5-L bioreactor was investigated in this article. The fermentation process was controlled at 0.08 MPa pressure, 2.5 L/min airflow, and 300 rpm as 100% oxygen saturation level, 40°C, and pH 7.8.

Results

Feathers were almost completely degraded in the tested fermentation reaction with the following conditions: 80 g of whole feathers in 3 L fermentation broth for 72 h, seed age of 16 h, 100 mL inoculation amount, and 50% oxygen saturation level. The degraded products contain 397.1 mg/L soluble protein that has mass weight ranging from 10 to 160 kD, 336.9 mg/L amino acids, and many kinds of metal ions. The fermentation broth was evaluated as leaf fertilizer and found to increase plant growth to 82% or 66% for two- or fourfold dilutions, respectively. In addition, in a hair care assay, the broth showed a hair protective function by increasing weight, flexibility, and strength of the treated hair.

Conclusions

The whole feathers were degraded completely by S. maltophilia DHHJ. The degraded product includes many factors to life, such as peptides, amino acids, and mineral elements. It could be applied as leaf fertilizer and hair care product.     

直埋式光纤传感钻孔注浆耦合材料配合比试验研究

采用钻孔埋设传感光纤是岩土体分布式光纤传感直埋技术的一种,为使传感光纤与周围土体变形协调,通常在钻孔内注浆,使传感光纤与周围岩土介质凝固为一体。根据对浆液凝固时间无特定要求和有特定要求的2种情况,通过试验研究了钻孔注浆耦合材料、配合比及其凝固后强度。结果表明:通过调整水泥与膨润土的比例以及水固比可以控制凝固体的无侧限抗压强度,使其强度与原位岩土体的近似相同;添加适量的水玻璃可以加快浆液的凝固速度。针对石家庄某隧道原位土体的力学参数,得到了满足现场施工要求的最优配合比,使浆液凝固后的力学指标与原位土体的近似相同。     

A statistic comparison of multi-element analysis of low atmospheric fine particles (PM2.5) using different spectroscopy techniques

Over the past few decades, the metal elements(MEs) in atmospheric particles have aroused great attention. Some well-established techniques have been used to measure particlebound MEs. However, each method has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of complexity, accuracy, and specific elements of interest. In this study, the performances of inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry(ICP-OES) and total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy(TXRF) were evaluated for qualit...     

In situ electron-induced reduction of NOx via CNTs activated by DBD at low temperature

• An in situ electron-induced deNO_x process with CNT activated by DBD was achieved. • Carbon atoms on CNT surface were verified to be excited by plasma in DBD-CNT system. • Reactions between NO_x and excited C result in synergistic effect of DBD-CNT system. In this study, a new in situ electron-induced process is presented with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as a reduction agent activated by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) for nitrogen oxide (NO_x) abatement at low temperature (<407 K). Compared with a single DBD system and a DBD system with activated carbon (DBD-AC), a DBD system with carbon nanotubes (DBD-CNT) showed a significant promotion of NO_x removal efficiency and N₂ selectivity. Although the O₂ content was 10%, the NO_x conversion and N₂ selectivity in the DBD-CNT system still reached 64.9% and 81.9% at a specific input energy (SIE) of 1424 J/L, and these values decreased to 16.8%, 31.9% and 43.2%, 62.3% in the single DBD system and the DBD-AC system, respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were utilized to investigate surface changes in the CNTs after activation by DBD to explore the NO_x reduction abatement mechanism of this new process. Furthermore, the outlet gas components were also observed via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to help reveal the NO_x reduction mechanism. Experimental results verified that carbon atoms excited by DBD and the structure of CNTs contributed to the synergistic activity of the DBD-CNT system. The new deNO_x process was accomplished through in situ heterogenetic reduction reactions between the NO_x and carbon atoms activated by the plasma on the CNTs. In addition, further results indicated that the new deNO_x process exhibited acceptable SO₂ tolerance and water resistance.