Recent advances in the photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide

Fossil fuels are currently the major energy source and are rapidly consumed to supply the increasing energy demands of mankind. CO₂, a product of fossil fuel combustion, leads to climate change and will have a serious impact on our environment. There is an increasing need to mitigate CO₂ emissions using carbon–neutral energy sources. Therefore, research activities are devoted to CO₂ capture, storage and utilization. For instance, photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ into hydrocarbon fuels is a promising avenue to recycle carbon dioxide. Here we review the present status of the emission and utilization of CO₂. Then we review the photocatalytic conversion of CO₂ by TiO₂, modified TiO₂ and non-titanium metal oxides. Finally, the challenges and prospects for further development of CO₂ photocatalytic reduction are presented.     

Removal of elemental mercury by KI-impregnated clay

This study described the use of clay impregnated by KI in gas phase elemental mercury (Hg^o) removal in flue gas. The effects of KI loading, temperature, O₂, SO₂ and H₂O on Hg^o removal were investigated using a fixed bed reactor. The Hg^o removal efficiency of KI-clay with 3% KI loading could maintain at a high level (approximately 80 %) after 3 h. The KI-clay demonstrated to be a potential adsorbent for Hg^o removal when compared with activated carbon based adsorbent. O₂ was found to be an important factor in improving the Hg^o removal. O₂ was demonstrated to assist the transfer of KI to I₂ on the surface of KI-clay, which could react with Hg^o directly. NO and SO₂ could slightly improve Hg^o removal, while H₂O inhibited it greatly. The results indicated that after adsorption, most of the mercury escaped from the surface again. Some of the mercury may have been oxidized as it left the surface. The results demonstrated that the chemical reaction primarily occurred between KI and mercury on the surface of the KI-clay.     

G蛋白偶联雌激素受体1介导的环境雌激素效应研究进展

环境雌激素进入生物体后,可通过多种方式介导发挥类似内源雌激素的作用,干扰生物体的正常功能,进而对生物体产生毒害作用。其中,基因组方式介导的雌激素效应主要通过与细胞核内的雌激素受体(如ERα和ERβ)结合;而非基因组方式介导的雌激素效应则主要通过与膜雌激素受体结合从而发挥作用。近年来对G蛋白偶联雌激素受体1(GPER1)的研究表明,该受体是区别于雌激素核受体的膜雌激素受体,可单独介导雌激素诱发的非基因组方式雌激素效应,然而目前对其介导的雌激素效应机制研究并不完善。综上,本文结合近年来对GPER1的研究进展,从该受体的发现、特性以及其介导的雌激素效应和相关通路进行了综述。     

基于我国物种毒性数据的多溴联苯醚预测无效应浓度分析

采用多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)对我国广泛分布生物物种的生态毒性数据,根据欧盟现有化学物质风险评价技术指导文件,对不同环境介质中PBDEs预测无效应浓度(PNEC)进行了推导。结果表明:我国淡水环境PBDEs(四溴、五溴、八溴)的PNEC水分别为50μg·L~(-1)、0.53μg·L~(-1)、0.017μg·L~(-1)。沉积物环境PBDEs(四溴、五溴、八溴和十溴)的PNEC沉积物分别为823.35 mg·kg~(-1)wt、1.55 mg·kg~(-1)dw、12.72 mg·kg~(-1)dw、38.41 mg·kg~(-1)dw。土壤环境PBDEs(四溴、五溴、八溴和十溴)的PNEC土壤分别为668.3mg·kg~(-1)wt、0.38 mg·kg~(-1)dw、147 mg·kg~(-1)dw、98 mg·kg~(-1)dw。次生毒性PBDEs(五溴、八溴和十溴)的PNEC经口分别为0.3~0.7 mg·kg~(-1)、0.56 mg·kg~(-1)、2 500 mg·kg~(-1)。该数值期为我国PBDEs的环境风险评价提供科学基础。     

云南山区野生牛肝菌中重金属汞和镉来源分析及食用安全评估

分析重金属在"环境-牛肝菌-人体"系统中的迁移、富集规律,为牛肝菌重金属污染防治及食用安全评价提供依据。采用ICP-AES法测定云南野生牛肝菌及其生长土壤中Cd和Hg含量,分析牛肝菌对重金属的富集特征及牛肝菌的重金属含量与土壤的联系,推测云南野生牛肝菌中重金属Cd和Hg的来源;根据FAO/WHO规定的每周Cd或Hg的允许摄入量(provisional tolerable weekly intake,PTWI)评估牛肝菌的重金属暴露风险。结果显示,(1)不同种类、产地牛肝菌中Hg和Cd含量具有差异,菌盖中Hg、Cd的含量分别在0.92~16.00 mg·kg~(-1)dw,4.97~24.07 mg·kg~(-1)dw之间,菌柄的Hg、Cd含量分别介于0.46~8.2mg·kg~(-1)dw和2.11~22.08 mg·kg~(-1)dw之间。同一种牛肝菌菌盖中Hg或Cd的含量均高于菌柄(Q(C/S)1),表明牛肝菌菌盖对Hg和Cd的富集能力强于菌柄。(2)牛肝菌菌盖和菌柄对Hg的富集系数(bioaccumulation factor,BCF)分别在1.72~19.12和1.30~6.40之间,菌盖、菌柄的Hg含量均高于相应生长土壤的含量,其中采自楚雄永仁县的铜色牛肝菌菌盖的Hg含量是土壤的19.12倍,表明牛肝菌中的Hg不仅来自土壤,根据山地"Hg诱捕效应"及云南大气Hg升高的相关报道,可以推测云南野生牛肝菌中的Hg主要来源于大气沉降。(3)牛肝菌菌盖、菌柄对Cd的富集系数分别在0.16~1.82和0.07~1.67之间,多数牛肝菌的Cd含量低于土壤含量,表明牛肝菌中的Cd主要来自生长土壤。(4)假设成年人(60 kg)毎周食用300 g新鲜牛肝菌则多数牛肝菌菌盖、菌柄的Hg摄入量低于PTWI(Hg)标准,Hg的暴露风险较低(假设未通过其他途径摄入Hg);食用300 g黑粉孢牛肝菌菌盖或菌柄摄入的Cd达到0.722 mg和0.662 mg,超过PTWI(Cd)标准,食用有Cd暴露风险。     

苯并(a)芘神经毒性研究进展

苯并(a)芘(BaP)是一种广泛存在于环境中的多环芳烃,具有致癌、致畸、致突变性。目前BaP的神经毒性研究零散而不深入,本文主要总结分析了BaP的神经毒性表现,简要介绍了BaP诱发神经毒性呈现的剂量-效应关系,进一步系统阐述了目前研究中发现的可能分子机制,包括BaP诱导神经递质及其代谢物含量的改变,相关DNA及蛋白质的损伤,抗氧化系统及线粒体的改变等,以期为进一步研究提供参考。     

Improving simulations of sulfate aerosols during winter haze over Northern China: the impacts of heterogeneous oxidation by NO<Subscript>2</Subscript>

We implemented the online coupled WRF-Chem model to reproduce the 2013 January haze event in North China, and evaluated simulated meteorological and chemical fields using multiple observations. The comparisons suggest that temperature and relative humidity (RH) were simulated well (mean biases are–0.2K and 2.7%, respectively), but wind speeds were overestimated (mean bias is 0.5 m?s^–1). At the Beijing station, sulfur dioxide (SO₂) concentrations were overpredicted and sulfate concentrations were largely underpredicted, which may result from uncertainties in SO₂ emissions and missing heterogeneous oxidation in current model. We conducted three parallel experiments to examine the impacts of doubling SO₂ emissions and incorporating heterogeneous oxidation of dissolved SO₂ by nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) on sulfate formation during winter haze. The results suggest that doubling SO₂ emissions do not significantly affect sulfate concentrations, but adding heterogeneous oxidation of dissolved SO₂ by NO₂ substantially improve simulations of sulfate and other inorganic aerosols. Although the enhanced SO₂ to sulfate conversion in the HetS (heterogeneous oxidation by NO₂) case reduces SO₂ concentrations, it is still largely overestimated by the model, indicating the overestimations of SO₂ concentrations in the North China Plain (NCP) are mostly due to errors in SO₂ emission inventory.

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Photochemical indicators of ozone sensitivity: application in the Pearl River Delta,China

Surface O₃ production has a highly nonlinear relationship with its precursors. The spatial and temporal heterogeneity of O₃-NO _x -VOC-sensitivity regimes complicates the control-decision making. In this paper, the indicator method was used to establish the relationship between O₃ sensitivity and assessment indicators. Six popular ratios indicating ozone-precursor sensitivity, HCHO/NO _y , H₂O₂/ HNO₃, O₃/NO _y , O₃/NO _z , O₃/HNO₃, and H₂O₂/NO _z , were evaluated based on the distribution of NO_x- and VOC-sensitive regimes. WRF-Chem was used to study a serious ozone episode in fall over the Pearl River Delta (PRD). It was found that the south-west of the PRD is characterized by a VOCsensitive regime, while its north-east is NO _x -sensitive, with a sharp transition area between the two regimes. All indicators produced good representations of the elevated ozone hours in the episode on 6 November 2009, with H₂O₂/HNO₃ being the best indicator. The threshold sensitivity levels for HCHO/NO_y, H₂O₂/HNO₃, O₃/NO _y , O₃/NO _z , O₃/HNO₃, and H₂O₂/NO _z were estimated to be 0.41, 0.55, 10.2, 14.0, 19.1, and 0.38, respectively. Threshold intervals for the indicators H₂O₂/HNO₃, O₃/NO _y , O₃/NO _z , O₃/HNO₃, and H₂O₂/NO _z were able to identify more than 95% of VOC- and NO _x -sensitive grids. The ozone episode on 16 November 16 2008 was used to independently verify the results, and it was found that only H₂O₂/HNO₃ and H₂O₂/NO _z were able to differentiate the ozone sensitivity regime well. Hence, these two ratios are suggested as the most appropriate indicators for identifying fall ozone sensitivity in the PRD. Since the species used for indicators have seasonal variation, the utility of those indicators for other seasons should be investigated in the future work.

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Improving simulations of sulfate aerosols during winter haze over Northern China: the impacts of heterogeneous oxidation by NO2

Incorporating the missing heterogeneous oxidation of S(IV) by NO₂ into the WRF-Chem model. Sulfate production is not sensitive to increase in SO₂ emission. The newly added reaction reproduces sulfate concentrations well during winter haze. We implemented the online coupled WRF-Chem model to reproduce the 2013 January haze event in North China, and evaluated simulated meteorological and chemical fields using multiple observations. The comparisons suggest that temperature and relative humidity (RH) were simulated well (mean biases are -0.2K and 2.7%, respectively), but wind speeds were overestimated (mean bias is 0.5 m?s⁻¹). At the Beijing station, sulfur dioxide (SO₂) concentrations were overpredicted and sulfate concentrations were largely underpredicted, which may result from uncertainties in SO₂ emissions and missing heterogeneous oxidation in current model. We conducted three parallel experiments to examine the impacts of doubling SO₂ emissions and incorporating heterogeneous oxidation of dissolved SO₂ by nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) on sulfate formation during winter haze. The results suggest that doubling SO₂ emissions do not significantly affect sulfate concentrations, but adding heterogeneous oxidation of dissolved SO₂ by NO₂ substantially improve simulations of sulfate and other inorganic aerosols. Although the enhanced SO₂ to sulfate conversion in the HetS (heterogeneous oxidation by NO₂) case reduces SO₂ concentrations, it is still largely overestimated by the model, indicating the overestimations of SO₂ concentrations in the North China Plain (NCP) are mostly due to errors in SO₂ emission inventory.     

基于哨兵-3A卫星OLCI数据的最大叶绿素指数在太湖蓝藻水华监测中的应用

欧洲航天局于2016年2月16日成功发射哨兵-3A卫星,搭载的水色遥感仪器(OLCI)提供了很好的海洋和内陆水体生态指标观测反演能力。基于OLCI获取的太湖L1b级遥感数据产品,利用OLCI Oa10、Oa11、Oa12波段计算了重要的水色/水生态遥感指标,即最大叶绿素指数(MCI),在此基础上初步分析了MCI在太湖蓝藻水华监测预警中应用效果。研究表明:(1)哨兵-3A卫星OLCI影像质量清晰,构建的MCI能够反映太湖水体叶绿素信号强度;(2)与常用的归一化植被指数相比,在蓝藻没有明显积聚的藻-水混悬水域,MCI与叶绿素浓度有很好的关联,可更灵敏地反映叶绿素浓度的空间分布特征。MCI将在蓝藻监测上具有更好的适用性,可有效提高富营养湖泊蓝藻水华的预警预报精度。