Visible-light-driven heterostructured g-C3N4/Bi-TiO2 floating photocatalyst with enhanced charge carrier separation for photocatalytic inactivation of Microcystis aeruginosa

• Bi doping in TiO₂ enhanced the separation of photo-generated electron-hole. • The performance of photocatalytic degradation of MC-LR was improved. • Coexisting substances have no influence on algal removal performance. • The key reactive oxygen species were h⁺ and ^•OH in the photocatalytic process. The increase in occurrence and severity of cyanobacteria blooms is causing increasing concern; moreover, human and animal health is affected by the toxic effects of Microcystin-LR released into the water. In this paper, a floating photocatalyst for the photocatalytic inactivation of the harmful algae Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) was prepared using a simple sol-gel method, i.e., coating g-C₃N₄ coupled with Bi-doped TiO₂ on Al₂O₃-modified expanded perlite (CBTA for short). The impact of different molar ratios of Bi/Ti on CBTA was considered. The results indicated that Bi doping in TiO₂ inhibited photogenerated electron-hole pair recombination. With 6 h of visible light illumination, 75.9% of M. aeruginosa (initial concentration= 2.7 × 10⁶ cells/L) and 83.7% of Microcystin-LR (initial concentration= 100 μg/L) could be removed with the addition of 2 g/L CBTA-1% (i.e., Bi/Ti molar ratio= 1%). The key reactive oxygen species (ROSs) in the photocatalytic inactivation process are h⁺ and ^•OH. The induction of the Bi⁴⁺/Bi³⁺ species by the incorporation of Bi could narrow the bandgap of TiO₂, trap electrons, and enhance the stability of CBTA-1% in the solutions with coexisting environmental substances.     

Varying levels of female promiscuity in four <Emphasis Type="Italic">Apodemus</Emphasis> mice species

Sexual selection in most vertebrates is based on the evolution of fitness optimization strategies such as multiple-male mating (MMM). Several ecological correlates of MMM have been identified in bird and fish populations; however, only few studies have documented the effects of environmental change on promiscuity in mammals. In this study, the 127 pregnant females from four central European and ecologically diverse species of field mice (genus Apodemus) were studied to assess the role of ecological factors that may have shaped the evolution of particular mating systems. MMM was found in all analyzed species: in Apodemus uralensis and Apodemus flavicollis, up to two males could be identified as the fathers of a particular litter, while three males sired 9.1% of analyzed litters of Apodemus sylvaticus and 20.6% of Apodemus agrarius. Furthermore, there were obvious differences between species in relative testes size and the proportion of multiple sired litters during those seasons when the opportunity for multiple mating was high. The species with the smallest testes and the least promiscuous was A. uralensis (only 43.5% of multiple sired litters), while the species with the biggest testes and the most promiscuous was A. agrarius (69.2%). MMM was significantly associated with higher litter size in A. flavicollis, and the probability of MMM strongly increased with season in A. agrarius and with abundance in A. uralensis. These results indicate that ecological factors are associated with MMM rates in Apodemus field mice and more research is needed to fully understand the evolution of mating strategies at different levels of biological resolution.     

Calcium amendment improved the performance of fragrant rice and reduced metal uptake under cadmium toxicity

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Cadmium (Cd) toxicity has detrimental effects on plant metabolism and yield formation. This study examined the effects of Cd stress in rice and the...     

Preparation,characterization, and photocatalytic activity evaluation of Fe–N-codoped TiO2/fly ash cenospheres floating photocatalyst

Nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and Fe–N-codoped TiO₂ layers on fly ash cenospheres (FAC) as floating photocatalyst were successfully prepared through sol–gel method. Photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet (UV)–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and nitrogen adsorption analyses for Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area. Photocatalytic efficiency of the prepared catalyst was evaluated through using the decomposition of Rhodamine B (RhB) as a model compound under visible light irradiation. Photocatalytic activity and kinetics of catalyst under visible light were detected in details from different Fe/Ti mole ratios by detecting photodegradation of RhB. Experimental results show that when the calcination temperature was 550 °C, the dosage of FAC was 3.0 g, and the mole ratio of Fe/Ti was 0.71 %; the synthesized Fe–N-TiO₂/FAC photocatalyst presented as anatase phase and that N and Fe ions were doped into TiO₂ lattice. The material’s specific surface area was 34.027 m²/g, and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy shows that the edge of the photon absorption has been red shifted up to 400–500 nm. Fe–N-codoped titanium dioxide on FAC had excellent photocatalytic activity during the process of photodegradation of RhB under visible light irradiation.

     

News sentiment to market impact and its feedback effect

Although market feedback on investor sentiment effect has been conceptually identified in the existing finance literature and investment strategies have been designed to explore this effect, there lacks systematic analysis in a quantified manner on such effect. Digitization of news articles and the advancement of computational intelligence applications have led to a growing influence of news sentiment over financial markets in recent years. News sentiment has often been used as a proxy for gauging investor sentiment and reflecting the aggregate confidence of the society toward future market. Previous studies have primarily focused on elucidating the unidirectional impact of news sentiment on market returns and not vice versa. In this study, we analyze more than 12 millions of news articles and document the presence of a significant feedback effect between news sentiment and market returns across the major indices in the US financial market. More specifically, we find that news sentiment exhibits a lag-5 effect on market returns and conversely market returns elicit consistent lag-1 effects on news sentiment. This aligns well with our intuition that news sentiment drives trading activity and investment decisions. In turn, heightened investment activity further stimulates involuntary responses, which manifest in the form of more news coverage and publications. The evidence presented highlights the strong correlation between news sentiment and market returns and demonstrates the benefits of advancing knowledge in data-driven modeling and its interaction with market movements.     

The use of food wastes as feed ingredients for culturing grass carp (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ctenopharyngodon idellus</Emphasis>) in Hong Kong

Different types of food wastes, e.g., meats, bones, cereals, fruits, and vegetables, were collected from hotels in Hong Kong, mixed in different ratio, and processed into feed pellets (food wastes (FWs) A, B, and C) for feeding trials in aquaculture species. Grass carp fed with cereal-dominant feed (FW A) showed the best growth (in terms of specific growth rate, relative weight gain, and protein efficiency ratio), among all food waste feeds. However, the growth rates of food waste groups especially the meat product-contained feeds (FW B and FW C) were lower than the commercial feed, Jinfeng^® 613 formulation (control). The results indicated that grass carp utilized plant proteins better than animal proteins and preferred carbohydrate as a major energy source than lipid. The high-lipid content in feed containing meat products was also a possible reason for hindering growth and resulted high body lipid. It is suggested that lipid should be removed in the preparation of food waste feed or further investigations by implementing supplements, e.g., enzymes in feed to enhance lipid or protein utilization by fish. This utilization of food waste could be an effective and practical way to deal with these wastes in this densely populated city.     

危险废物焚烧飞灰中重金属的稳定化处理

以上海市某危险废物焚烧厂飞灰为研究对象,采用Na2S、FeSO4、Na3PO4、和Na3C3N3S34种不同类型化学稳定药剂对飞灰进行了稳定化处理,并应用XRD、IR、SEM和连续化学提取法等仪器和手段对Na3C3N3S3处理焚烧飞灰的产物进行分析研究。研究结果表明,Na3C3N3S3对飞灰中的重金属Cr、Pb、Zn的稳定效果最好,Na3PO4对Cr无明显稳定效果。稳定后产物表面变得致密化,Na3C3N3S3与重金属离子生成的沉淀物干燥后无明显晶型存在。经稳定处理后飞灰中的重金属形态由弱酸提取态转化为可氧化态,减少了飞灰中重金属的浸出毒性。     

环境水质自动监测系统建设与运行管理

结合山东省环境水质自动监测系统的实际,就环境水质自动监测系统的建设、运行、管理等核心问题进行研究,提出了智能化、实用性、统一性相结合的系统集成方案和监控平台建设整体设计思路,分析了实行社会化、专业化、规模化运营的必要性,从完善监管机制、严格绩效考核、科学审核数据三方面探讨了系统监督管理模式,例证了自动监测数据在环境管理工作中的全面应用。     

脱硫灰-石灰石湿法脱硫石膏中杂质悬浮分离实验

根据脱硫灰及石膏的特性,在无挡板平底圆筒搅拌槽内,对脱硫石膏中的杂质进行完全离底悬浮分离实验,研究结果表明,完全离底悬浮搅拌时,悬浮高度比越低,越有利于杂质分离。对于直径D≥24cm的搅拌槽,当桨叶离底高度cb=4cm,桨径槽比d／D=0．65,杂质分离效率叼最高,约82％;当直径D=20cm时,杂质分离效率η随d／D的增大而增大,桨叶离底间距减小,杂质分离效率受d／D影响程度减小;当桨叶离底高度cb=4cm时,随着搅拌槽直径D的增大,杂质分离效率总体呈现增大趋势,降低桨叶离底高度cb杂质分离效率变化较大;进行完全离底悬浮分离后,石膏纯度提高。     

好氧颗粒污泥系统中丝状菌演替规律及其菌丝缠绕特性分析

为达到固液分离的目的,在SBR中将丝状菌颗粒化.研究发现,反应器中相继出现黄色、黑色和白色3种丝状菌颗粒.3种颗粒中,黑色颗粒和白色颗粒孔隙率基本一致,但黑色颗粒粒径远远大于其他2种颗粒,沉速达最大.对3种颗粒和反应器出水进行了丝状菌菌种鉴定,其中黑色颗粒以真菌为主,白色颗粒以微丝菌为主,黄色颗粒为浮球衣菌和Type0041,出水中除以上菌种外还有其他菌种,如Type0581.研究结果表明:丝状菌以弯曲、分支、不规则生长方式易形成丝状化颗粒;单一丝状菌相互缠绕形成的颗粒的强度高于多种丝状菌所形成的丝状菌颗粒.