Bioassay: A useful tool for evaluating reclaimed water safety

Wastewater reclamation and reuse has been proved to be an effective way to relieve the fresh water crisis. However, toxic contaminants remaining in reclaimed water could lead to potential risk for reuse, and the conventional water quality standards have difficulty guaranteeing the safety of reclaimed water. Bioassays can vividly reflect the integrated biological effects of multiple toxic substances in water as a whole, and could be a powerful tool for evaluating the safety of reclaimed water. Therefore, in this study, the advantages and disadvantages of using bioassays for evaluating the safety of reclaimed water were compared with those of conventional water quality standards. Although bioassays have been widely used to describe the toxic effects of reclaimed water and treatment efficiency of reclamation techniques, a single bioassay cannot reflect the complex toxicity of reclaimed water, and a battery of bioassays involving multiple biological effects or in vitro tests with specific toxicity mechanisms would be recommended. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the safety of reclaimed water based on bioassay results, various methods including potential toxicology, the toxicity unit classification system, and a potential eco-toxic effects probe are summarized as well. Especially, some integrated ranking methods based on a bioassay battery involving multiple toxicity effects are recommended as useful tools for evaluating the safety of reclaimed water, which will benefit the promotion and guarantee the rapid development of the reclamation and reuse of wastewater.     

Dynamic nano-Ag colloids cytotoxicity to and accumulation by Escherichia coli: Effects of Fe3+, ionic strength and humic acid

Released Ag ions or/and Ag particles are believed to contribute to the cytotoxicity of Ag nanomaterials, and thus, the cytotoxicity and mechanism of Ag nanomaterials should be dynamic in water due to unfixed Ag particle:Ag⁺ ratios. Our recent research found that the cytotoxicity of PVP-Ag nanoparticles is attributable to Ag particles alone in 3 hr bioassays, and shifts to both Ag particles and released Ag⁺ in 48 hr bioassays. Herein, as a continued study, the cytotoxicity and accumulation of 50 and 100 nm Ag colloids in Escherichia coli were determined dynamically. The cytotoxicity and mechanisms of nano-Ag colloids are dynamic throughout exposure and are derived from both Ag ions and particles. Ag accumulation by E. coli is derived mainly from extracellular Ag particles during the initial 12 hr of exposure, and thereafter mainly from intracellular Ag ions. Fe³⁺ accelerates the oxidative dissolution of nano-Ag colloids, which results in decreasing amounts of Ag particles and particle-related toxicity. Na⁺ stabilizes nano-Ag colloids, thereby decreasing the bioavailability of Ag particles and particle-related toxicity. Humic acid (HA) binds Ag⁺ to form Ag⁺-HA, decreasing ion-related toxicity and binding to the E. coli surface, decreasing particle-related toxicity. HA in complex conditions showed a stronger relative contribution to toxicity and accumulation than Na⁺ or Fe³⁺. The results highlighted the cytotoxicity and mechanism of nano-Ag colloids are dynamic and affected by environmental factors, and therefore exposure duration and water chemistry should be seriously considered in environmental and health risk assessments.     

Mechanism and catalytic performance for direct dimethyl ether synthesis by CO2 hydrogenation over CuZnZr/ferrierite hybrid catalyst

Direct synthesis of dimethyl ether(DME) by CO_2 hydrogenation has been investigated over three hybrid catalysts prepared by different methods:co-precipitation,sol-gel,and solid grinding to produce mixed Cu,ZnO,ZrO_2 catalysts that were physically mixed with a commercial ferrierite(FER) zeolite.The catalysts were characterized by N_2 physisorption,X-ray diffraction(XRD),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),temperature programmed desorption of CO_2(CO_2-TPD),temperature programmed desorption of NH_3(NH_3-TPD),and temperature programmed H2 reduction(H_2-TPR).The results demonstrate that smaller CuO and Cu crystallite sizes resulting in better dispersion of the active phases,higher surface area,and lower reduction temperature are all favorable for catalytic activity.The reaction mechanism has been studied using in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy(DRIFTS).Methanol appears to be formed via the bidentate-formate(b-HCOO) species undergoing stepwise hydrogenation,while DME formation occurs from methanol dehydration and reaction of two surface methoxy groups.     

Effect of NOx and SO2 on the photooxidation of methylglyoxal: Implications in secondary aerosol formation

Methylglyoxal(CH_3COCHO,MG),which is one of the most abundant α-dicarbonyl compounds in the atmosphere,has been reported as a major source of secondary organic aerosol(SOA).In this work,the reaction of MG with hydroxyl radicals was studied in a 500 L smog chamber at(293±3) K,atmospheric pressure,(18±2)% relative humidity,and under different NOx and SO_2.Particle size distribution was measured by using a scanning mobility particle sizer(SMPS) and the results showed that the addition of SO_2 can promote SOA formation,while different NOx concentrations have different influences on SOA production.High NOx suppressed the SOA formation,whereas the particle mass concentration,particle number concentration and particle geometric mean diameter increased with the increasing NOx concentration at low NOx concentration in the presence of SO_2.In addition,the products of the OH-initiated oxidation of MG and the functional groups of the particle phase in the MG/OH/SO_2 and MG/OH/NOx/SO_2 reaction systems were detected by gas chromatography mass spectrometry(GC-MS) and attenuated total reflection fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy(ATR-FTIR) analysis.Two products,glyoxylic acid and oxalic acid,were detected by GC-MS.The mechanism of the reaction of MG and OH radicals that follows two main pathways,H atom abstraction and hydration,is proposed.Evidence is provided for the formation of organic nitrates and organic sulfate in particle phase from IR spectra.Incorporation of NOx and SO_2 influence suggested that SOA formation from anthropogenic hydrocarbons may be more efficient in polluted environment.     

基于FLUS模型的湖北省生态空间多情景模拟预测

改革开放以来,中国经济在飞速发展的同时,生态环境问题日益严峻。为保障国家和地区的生态安全,对未来生态空间进行模拟预测十分必要。在长江大保护和长江经济带绿色发展背景下,以湖北省为研究区,利用FLUS模型基于湖北省2010年、2015年土地利用数据及包含自然和人文因素的15种驱动因子数据,对2035年的湖北省生态空间进行模拟预测。结果表明：利用2010年土地利用现状模拟出的2015年湖北省土地利用变化情况,总体精度达到0.976,Kappa系数达到0.961,模拟精度较高。设置的生产空间优先、生活空间优先、生态空间优先以及综合空间优化4种不同情景,基本满足未来湖北省不同发展导向的需求。从地貌单元角度来看,在不同情景下,湖北省生态空间主要分布于湖北省边陲四大山区,中部江汉平原生态空间零星分布。从数量规模上来看,不同情景下各个用地类型数量规模差异较为明显,生产空间优先情景下耕地面积增加1216 km²,生活空间优先情景下城镇用地规模增加5959 km²,生态空间优先情景下生态空间用地增长722 km²,综合空间优化情景下生态空间用地规模变化更趋于平缓。从生态空间变化分布来看,四大山区的生态空间变化不大,但中部江汉平原生态空间变化较为明显,其中从行政区划上来看,变化范围主要分布于武汉城市圈、襄阳市、宜昌市中西部地区及随州市中部地区。总而言之,FLUS模型对于湖北省生态空间模拟的适用性较好,多情景模拟结果可为湖北省未来国土空间规划及未来生态空间管控提供多角度、多方向的政策决策参考。     

郑州市氧化铝工业炉窑污染物及源谱特征

采用稀释通道采样法对郑州市一家拜耳法氧化铝企业及一家α-氧化铝企业的PM_2.5、PM₁₀样品进行采集,利用烟气分析仪检测SO₂和NO_x气体的质量浓度.对颗粒物样品中的38种化学组分进行分析,构建相应的源成分谱,运用分歧系数（CD）和组分差异权重分布函数R/U对其特征进行对比研究.结果表明：α-氧化铝源谱中以Cl^-为主（质量分数18.29%~25.21%）,拜耳法氧化铝源谱中以OC和NO₃^-为主（质量分数9.01%~41.87%）.源谱间的分歧系数（CD）显示,同一种生产工艺两种粒径间的源谱比较相似,相同粒径的两种生产工艺之间的源谱差异较大.R/U值对比结果显示,EC、Ca、F^-和Cl^- 4种元素可作为区分两种氧化铝生产工艺的标识组分.     

长治市沙尘天气污染特征及传输路径解析

以2018年3次沙尘天气为研究对象,分析了PM_2.5和PM₁₀浓度、水溶性离子组分、气象条件和气溶胶光学特征,研究了长治市沙尘天气的典型污染特征和传输路径.结果表明：长治市2018年共8d为受沙尘天气影响日,其中4月份最多（5d）,这与春季大气环流调整,冷暖空气活动频繁有关.沙尘污染发生前一般受西方或西北方冷空气影响,大气层结不稳定,大气环流转为经向环流,平均风速达4m/s以上;沙尘污染过程中PM_2.5/PM₁₀均低于0.3,环境空气中粗颗粒物占比较大,水溶性离子总浓度在PM_2.5中占比下降,Ca²⁺浓度为沙尘污染发生前的4倍以上.冬季沙尘为近地面扩散传输,春夏季沙尘为高空沉降传输,影响范围大,区域传输贡献明显.长治市沙尘重要潜在源区为蒙古国、哈萨克斯坦中部和新疆中北部的荒漠地区,传输路径主要为西北路径和正北路径,其中西北路径为哈萨克斯坦—新疆中北部—内蒙古西部—长治以及新疆中北部—内蒙古西部—长治两条路径,正北路径为蒙古国—内蒙古中部—山西北部—长治.     

基于FY-4A卫星数据反演气溶胶光学厚度及分析应用

风云四号A星（FY-4A）是我国新一代静止气象卫星,多通道扫描成像辐射计（AGRI）是风云四号静止气象卫星的主要载荷之一.为探究FY4A数据用于气溶胶光学厚度（AOD）反演的可行性,基于FY-4A/AGRI数据,利用暗像元算法对2019年2月23~26日及10月27~30日京津冀地区AOD进行反演研究,并与AERONET地基观测AOD数据进行了对比分析.结果表明,基于FY-4A数据及构建响应函数库,通过暗像元方法能较好的反演出京津冀地区气溶胶空间分布;AOD主要的高值区体现在京津冀中南部地区并向周边郊区逐渐降低,在AOD值较大时此特征较为明显;将反演值与同期AERONET地基观测数据对比验证,相关系数达到0.869,均方根误差为0.221,表明AOD反演值与观测值吻合较好,FY-4A卫星数据反演AOD具有一定可行性.     

A novel state-of-charge-based method for plug-in hybrid vehicle electric distance analysis validated with actual driving data

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change - Promoting Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles (PHEVs) is viewed as a promising strategy to mitigate the energy consumption and greenhouse gas...