磺化石墨烯对小麦幼苗生长及生理生化指标的影响

随着石墨烯生产量和使用量的不断增大,其对生态环境的风险逐渐引起了环境学家的关注。采用水培试验,探究了磺化石墨烯(SGO)对小麦幼苗的生长、抗氧化酶活性及脂质过氧化的影响。结果表明:在培养10 d后,低浓度磺化石墨烯对小麦根系的生长有显著促进作用(P0.05),200 mg·L-1浓度处理与对照处理相比提高了84.3%,随着浓度增加促进作用逐渐减弱,1 000 mg·L-1时与对照相比提高了19.9%。但对小麦地上部的生长没有影响。磺化石墨烯处理的小麦幼苗根系和叶片组织中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、过氧化物酶(POD)及丙二醛(MDA)都呈现先下降后上升的趋势。当磺化石墨烯浓度低于200 mg·L-1时,处理组小麦抗氧化酶的活性及MDA含量相对于对照处理大都有所降低,说明低浓度时磺化石墨烯没有对小麦的生长产生氧化胁迫,这与磺化石墨烯可能具有一定的抗氧化能力有关,而高浓度时由于产生氧化胁迫使各项生理生化指标逐渐上升。本实验结果为石墨烯材料对植物的毒理学研究提供了基础数据。     

Advanced purification and comprehensive utilization of yellow phosphorous off gas

Yellow phosphorous is an important raw material in the chemical industry. However, during the production of yellow phosphorous, high concentrations of carbon monoxide and other impurities are released. Without appropriate purification and removal, this off gas has potential to cause severe pollution problems once released. Purified yellow phosphorous off gas can be beneficially reused as a raw material in chemical production for synthesis of high value-added chemical reagents. In this paper, the significance of purification and reutilization of yellow phosphorous off gas are explored. The principles, processes, and main characteristics of the technologies for purification and reuse of yellow phosphorus off gas (including technical measurements of impurity reduction, relevant engineering cases, and public acceptance of the technologies) are summarized. In view of the existing problems and scientific development requirements, this paper proposes several recommendations for green production based on the concept of recycle economics. We conclude that advanced purification and comprehensive reutilization can be an effective solution for heavy pollution resulting from yellow phosphorous off gassing.     

Spatial decoupling of facilitation and competition at the origin of gapped vegetation patterns

Spatially periodic vegetation patterns, forming gaps, bands, labyrinths, or spots, are characteristic of arid and semiarid landscapes. Self-organization models can explain this variety of structures within a unified conceptual framework. All these models are based on the interplay of positive and negative effects of plants on soil water, but they can be divided according to whether they assume the interactions to be mediated by water redistribution through runoff/diffusion or by plants' organs. We carried out a multi-proxy approach of the processes operating in a gapped pattern in southwest Niger dominated by a shrub species. Soil moisture within the root layer was monitored in time and space over one month of the rainy season. Soil water recharge displayed no spatial variation with respect to vegetation cover, but the stock half-life under cover was twice that of bare areas. A kernel of facilitation by the aboveground parts of shrubs was parameterized, and soil water half-life was significantly correlated to the cumulated facilitative effects of shrubs. The kernel range was found to be smaller than the canopy radius (81%). This effect of plants on soil water dynamics, probably through a reduction of evaporation by shading, is shown to be a better explanatory variable than potentially relevant soil and topography parameters. The root systems of five individuals of Combretum micranthum G. Don were excavated. Root density data were used as a proxy to parameterize a kernel function of interplant competition. The range of this kernel was larger than the canopy radius (125%). The facilitation-to-competition range ratio, reflecting the above-to-belowground ratio of plant lateral extent, was smaller than 1 (0.64), a result supporting models assuming that patterning may emerge from an adaptation of plant morphology to aridity and shallow soils by means of an extended lateral root system. Moreover, observed soil water gradients had directions opposite to those assumed by alternative mathematical models based on underground water diffusion. This study contributes to the growing awareness that combined facilitative and competitive plant interactions can induce landscape-scale patterns and shape the two-way feedback loops between environment and vegetation.     

凋落物覆盖及掩埋对不同质量的藜蒴种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响

以南亚热带常见的先锋乡土树种藜蒴(Castanopsis fissa)为研究对象.通过室内萌发试验,分析了种子质量、凋落物覆盖和掩埋对种子萌发及幼苗早期生长的影响.结果表明,藜蒴种子能否成功萌发并形成幼苗的决定性因素是种子的掩埋深度.掩埋显著抑制了藜蒴种子萌发及形成幼苗的过程,随掩埋深度的增大,这种抑制作用越明显.掩埋对幼苗的存活和生物量没有显著影响,但可提高幼苗根部生物量的分配.深度掩埋时,质量大的种子在幼苗形成过程中具明显优势;而置于土壤表层或浅埋的种子成苗率与种子质量的相关性较低.大质量种子形成的幼苗更易于存活,在生物量的积累方面也表现H{一定的优势.凋落物覆盖未抑制幼苗的出土,且对幼苗的存活和生长具有明显的促进作用,表现在可提高幼苗的相对生长率以及生物量的积累.另外,凋落物的覆盖明显提高了幼苗生物量在其冠部的分配.因而,若利用直接播撒藜蒴种子的方式改造南亚热带退化草坡.理论上应尽可能选用大质量的种子直接播种于地表,并覆以原有的地表凋落物,以促进藜蒴幼苗成功建立.     

具有短水力滞留的小型富营养化水库浮游植物群落结构与动态

竹仙洞水库是珠海市对澳门直接供水的水库,也是拱北水厂的重要的水源地.于2006年4月到12月,每2月一次调查了竹仙洞水库水文、水质和浮游植物分布,分析了浮游植物群落季节动态特征.浮游植种类不多,5次采样共检到61种.在丰度上,浮游植物主要以衣藻(Chlamydomonas sp.)、小环藻(Cyclotella meneghiniana)、游丝藻(Planktonema sp.)和隐藻(Cryptomonas sp.)等优势种为主,在生物量上以绿藻和硅藻为优势类群.蓝藻在竹仙洞水库的相对优势并不明显.应用典范对应分析(CCA)对竹仙洞水库浮游植物与环境因子关系分析,环境因子中的pH值、水位、正磷和水力滞留时间对浮游植物的分布影响最大;而透明度和降雨量对其也有一定的影响.从种类分布状况看,衣藻、游丝藻、隐藻对水体中环境因子的敏感性明显高于其它种类,这些种类的相对丰度在低温、低水位和较长水力滞留时间的4月份较高;硅藻门的直链藻(Melosira spp.)、菱形藻(Nitzchia sp.)和裸藻门的梭裸藻(Euglena acus)3种细胞体积较大的种类分布主要受降雨量和透明度的影响,在6月、8月和12月具有较高的相对丰度.与其它热带-亚热带富营养型水库相比,竹仙洞水库的浮游植物群落具有种类相对较少、以绿藻丰度较大的特点;直径在20 μm以上的鞭毛绿藻和丝状绿藻以及细胞较小的硅藻门的小环藻是生物量的主要贡献者,短水力滞留时间是浮游植物群落结构与动态变化的关键控制因子.     

北江表层沉积物中铊污染的生态风险

为了解珠江水系北江流域表层沉积物中铊的含量,并在此基础上评价珠江流域北江铊污染现状及其生态风险,该研究于2006年采集了广东省北江韶关至清远段的沉积物样品,采用混酸消解后,使用ICP-MS测定了沉积物中铊的含量,应用潜在生态危害指数对北江的铊污染和生态危害进行评价.结果表明,珠江水系北江河段沉积物已达到了较高的铊污染水平,对周围环境存在着较高的铊生态风险.北江干流沉积物中的铊质量浓度范围为0.92 ~ 2.32 mg·kg-1,平均值为1.70 mg·kg-1;各支流沉积物中铊质量浓度范围为1.02 ~ 3.22 mg·kg-1.个别采样点,特别是接近韶关冶炼厂排放口附近沉积物中铊的含量达到7.78 mg·kg-1,具有极高的铊生态风险.对于北江各支流,铊的污染程度与潜在生态风险程度由高到低的排序为马坝河>武江>浈江>滨江>龙塘河,其中马坝河沉积物铊存在高度的生态风险.     

Metabolic uncoupler, 3,3′,4′,5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide addition for sludge reduction and fouling control in a gravity-driven membrane bioreactor

• Effects of metabolic uncoupler TCS on the performances of GDMBR were evaluated. • Sludge EPS reduced and transformed into dissolved SMP when TCS was added. • Appropriate TCS increased the permeability and reduced cake layer fouling. • High dosage aggravated fouling due to compact cake layer with low bio-activity. The gravity-driven membrane bioreactor (MBR)system is promising for decentralized sewage treatment because of its low energy consumption and maintenance requirements. However, the growing sludge not only increases membrane fouling, but also augments operational complexities (sludge discharge). We added the metabolic uncoupler 3,3′,4′,5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide (TCS) to the system to deal with the mentioned issues. Based on the results, TCS addition effectively decreased sludge ATP and sludge yield (reduced by 50%). Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS; proteins and polysaccharides) decreased with the addition of TCS and were transformed into dissolved soluble microbial products (SMPs) in the bulk solution, leading to the break of sludge flocs into small fragments. Permeability was increased by more than two times, reaching 60–70 L/m²/h bar when 10–30 mg/L TCS were added, because of the reduced suspended sludge and the formation of a thin cake layer with low EPS levels. Resistance analyses confirmed that appropriate dosages of TCS primarily decreased the cake layer and hydraulically reversible resistances. Permeability decreased at high dosage (50 mg/L) due to the release of excess sludge fragments and SMP into the supernatant, with a thin but more compact fouling layer with low bioactivity developing on the membrane surface, causing higher cake layer and pore blocking resistances. Our study provides a fundamental understanding of how a metabolic uncoupler affects the sludge and bio-fouling layers at different dosages, with practical relevance for in situ sludge reduction and membrane fouling alleviation in MBR systems.     

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.     

Ecological drivers of group living in two populations of the communally rearing rodent, Octodon degus

Intraspecific variation in sociality is thought to reflect a trade-off between current fitness benefits and costs that emerge from individuals' decision to join or leave groups. Since those benefits and costs may be influenced by ecological conditions, ecological variation remains a major, ultimate cause of intraspecific variation in sociality. Intraspecific comparisons of mammalian sociality across populations facing different environmental conditions have not provided a consistent relationship between ecological variation and group-living. Thus, we studied two populations of the communally rearing rodent Octodon degus to determine how co-variation between sociality and ecology supports alternative ecological causes of group living. In particular, we examined how variables linked to predation risk, thermal conditions, burrowing costs, and food availability predicted temporal and population variation in sociality. Our study revealed population and temporal variation in total group size and group composition that covaried with population and yearly differences in ecology. In particular, predation risk and burrowing costs are supported as drivers of this social variation in degus. Thermal differences, food quantity and quality were not significant predictors of social group size. In contrast to between populations, social variation within populations was largely uncoupled from ecological differences.     

A phenomenological approach shows a high coherence of warming patterns in dimictic aquatic systems across latitude

To predict the coherence in local responses to large-scale climatic forcing among aquatic systems, we developed a generalized approach to compare long-term data of dimictic water bodies based on phenomenologically defined hydrographic events. These climate-sensitive phases (inverse stratification, spring overturn, early thermal stratification, summer stagnation) were classified in a dual code (cold/warm) based on threshold temperatures. Accounting for a latitudinal gradient in seasonal timing of phases derived from gradients in cumulative irradiation (2.2?days per degree latitude), we found a high spatial and temporal coherence in warm–cold patterns for six lakes (84?%) and the Baltic Sea (78?%), even when using the same thresholds for all sites. Similarity to CW-codes for the North Sea still was up to 72?%. The approach allows prediction of phase-specific warming trends and resulting instantaneous or time-delayed ecological responses. Exemplarily, we show that warming during early thermal stratification controls food-web-mediated effects on key species during summer.