Changes in nitrogen budget and potential risk to the environment over 20 years (1990–2010) in the agroecosystems of the Haihe Basin,China

The nitrogen balance can serve as an indicator of the risk to the environment of nitrogen loss from agricultural land. To investigate the temporal and spatial changes in agricultural nitrogen application and its potential threat to the environment of the Haihe Basin in China, we used a database of county-level agricultural statistics to calculate agricultural nitrogen input, output, surplus intensity, and use efficiency. Chemical fertilizer nitrogen input increased by 51.7% from 1990 to 2000 and by 37.2% from 2000 to 2010, concomitant with increasing crop yields. Simultaneously, the nitrogen surplus intensity increased by 53.5% from 1990 to 2000 and by 16.5% from 2000 to 2010, presenting a continuously increased environmental risk. Nitrogen use efficiency decreased from 0.46 in 1990 to 0.42 in 2000 and remained constant at 0.42 in 2010, partly due to fertilizer composition and type improvement. This level indicates that more than half of nitrogen inputs are lost in agroecosystems. Our results suggest that although the improvement in fertilizer composition and types has partially offset the decrease in nitrogen use efficiency, the environmental risk has still increased gradually over the past 20 years, along with the increase in crop yields and nitrogen application. It is important to achieve a better nitrogen balance through more effective management to significantly reduce the environmental risk, decrease nitrogen surplus intensity, and increase nitrogen use efficiency without sacrificing crop yields.     

Enhanced U(VI) bioreduction by alginate-immobilized uranium-reducing bacteria in the presence of carbon nanotubes and anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate

Uranium-reducing bacteria were immobilized with sodium alginate, anthraquinone-2, 6-disulfonate (AQDS), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The effects of different AQDS-CNTs contents, U(IV) concentrations, and metal ions on U(IV) reduction by immobilized beads were examined. Over 97.5% U(VI) (20 mg/L) was removed in 8 hr when the beads were added to 0.7% AQDS-CNTs, which was higher than that without AQDS-CNTs. This result may be attributed to the enhanced electron transfer by AQDS and CNTs. The reduction of U(VI) occurred at initial U(VI) concentrations of 10 to 100 mg/L and increased with increasing AQDS-CNT content from 0.1% to 1%. The presence of Fe(III), Cu(II) and Mn(II) slightly increased U(VI) reduction, whereas Cr(VI), Ni(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II) significantly inhibited U(VI) reduction. After eight successive incubation-washing cycles or 8 hr of retention time (HRT) for 48 hr of continuous operation, the removal efficiency of uranium was above 90% and 92%, respectively. The results indicate that the AQDS-CNT/AL/cell beads are suitable for the treatment of uranium-containing wastewaters.     

Diurnal and spatial variations of soil NOx fluxes in the northern steppe of China

NO_x emissions from biogenic sources in soils play a significant role in the gaseous loss of soil nitrogen and consequent changes in tropospheric chemistry. In order to investigate the characteristics of NO_x fluxes and factors influencing these fluxes in degraded sandy grasslands in northern China, diurnal and spatial variations of NO_x fluxes were measured in situ. A dynamic flux chamber method was used at eight sites with various vegetation coverages and soil types in the northern steppe of China in the summer season of 2010. Fluxes of NO_x from soils with plant covers were generally higher than those in the corresponding bare vegetation-free soils, indicating that the canopy plays an important role in the exchange of NO_x between soil and air. The fluxes of NO_x increased in the daytime, and decreased during the nighttime, with peak emissions occurring between 12:00 and 14:00. The results of multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the diurnal variation of NO_x fluxes was positively correlated with soil temperature (P < 0.05) and negatively with soil moisture content (P < 0.05). Based on measurement over a season, the overall variation in NO_x flux was lower than that of soil nitrogen contents, suggesting that the gaseous loss of N fromthe grasslands of northern China was not a significant contributor to the high C/N in the northern steppe of China. The concentration of NO_x emitted from soils in the region did not exceed the 1-hr National Ambient Air Quality Standard (0.25 mg/m³).     

Predicted no-effect concentrations for mercury species and ecological risk assessment for mercury pollution in aquatic environment

Mercury(Hg) exists in different chemical forms presenting varied toxic potentials. It is necessary to explore an ecological risk assessment method for different mercury species in aquatic environment. The predicted no-effect concentrations(PNECs) for Hg(Ⅱ) and methyl mercury(Me Hg) in the aqueous phase, calculated using the species sensitivity distribution method and the assessment factor method, were 0.39 and 6.5 × 10-3μg/L, respectively. The partition theory of Hg between sediment and aqueous phases was considered, along with PNECs for the aqueous phase to conduct an ecological risk assessment for Hg in the sediment phase. Two case studies, one in China and one in the Western Black Sea, were conducted using these PNECs. The toxicity of mercury is heavily dependent on their forms,and their potential ecological risk should be respectively evaluated on the basis of mercury species.     

TiO_2光催化技术在饮用水终端深度处理中的应用展望

Ti O2光催化技术作为一种环境友好型污染治理技术,在环保各领域有着广泛的应用前景。本文综合分析了Ti O2光催化技术的发展历程及反应机理,概述了提高Ti O2光催化性能的改性技术及在水处理中的应用,并综述了饮用水终端深度处理技术的研究现状及对Ti O2光催化技术应用于饮用水终端净水处理前景展望。     

不同pH值对磷矿废石磷素浸出特性影响的实验研究

采用EPA 1314pH酸碱预滴定实验和pH浸出实验,研究了pH对磷矿废石磷元素浸出特性的影响,以及磷矿废石的酸碱缓冲容量。实验结果表明:磷矿废石的碱缓冲容量小,pH从8.75上升到13.50消耗了0.1mmol/g的NaOH,磷矿废石酸的缓冲容量较大,pH从5.50到1.00,共消耗2.2mmol/g的H2SO4;浸提液的酸碱性是影响磷矿废石中磷元素浸出的重要参数,酸性条件下很大程度上促进了磷元素的浸出,随着H+离子浓度的增加,总磷浓度随之升高。相反在碱性条件下的反应过程中,OH-阻碍磷元素的浸出,消耗正磷酸根离子和羟基磷酸根离子,使其生成沉淀,有一定的固磷作用,为磷元素的固化提供了更多途径。     

An in-depth view of climate change:addressing climate change while making a transition on the development mode

While fossil fuels greatly contribute to human society,they pose great challenges to natural resources,the environment,and climate change.Developed countries,like the United States,formulated strategic measures to ensure their sustainable development and leading positions in the world.These measures include new green policies,development of shale gas,revitalization of nuclear power,energy independence,reindustrialization,and new low-carbon development based on a combination of Internet technology and renewable energy.Developing countries are also trying to introduce balanced strategies of poverty alleviation and sustainable development.Globally,industrial civilization is being transformed to ecological civilization and green,low-carbon development is a global trend.Addressing climate change provides new strategic factors to further this development.China should take substantial actions to realize sustainable development in a new road:China is in the critical stage of changing its development mode,so it is vital to choose an appropriate development path.This extensive development comes at the high price of consuming too much resources and scarring the environment.Mitigation and adaptation strategies for addressing climate change can help the transition of development.Based on the analysis of the development data of developed countries,the author introduces the concept of"two-type developed countries"with an understanding that not all developed countries must take the same development mode.He also holds the view that China should achieve modernization in a more energy-saving and more carbon-efficient manner compared with that of two-type developed countries.An analysis of"two competitions"that China is facing shows that changing the developing mode is urgent and China should grasp this opportunity in the next five to ten years,which is a key period for this transition.This paper discusses the low-carbon development goals and the three-step process.Low-carbon development does not necessarily restrict economic development.It,however,can expedite the transition of the development mode and this is a low-carbon and green development path.Transition of the development mode includes implementation of China’s green and low-carbon energy strategies,low-carbon society construction,development of agriculture and forestry,garbage sorting and utilization,innovation of urbanization,etc.Improvement of national infrastructure construction includes water safety,environment and climate monitoring system,intelligent energy web,basic database,etc.Addressing climate change can significantly improve the nation’s basic research level.In summary,it mitigates backward production capability,extensive development,and environmental damage while promoting technological advancement,scientific development,and ecological civilization.     

运动对急性暴露于2,3,7,8-四氯二苯并二恶英大鼠肝组织酶活性的影响

为了研究运动对2,3,7,8-四氯二苯并二恶英(2,3,7,8-TCDD)急性暴露大鼠肝组织酶活性的影响,将40只雄性Wistar大鼠随机分为正常对照组(NC)、染毒组(NT)、运动对照组(EC)、运动染毒组(ET)。染毒组(NT组与ET组)腹腔注射10μg·kg-1(以单位体重计)的TCDD,对照组(NC组与EC组)腹腔注射等量的玉米油;NT、NC组静养4周,ET、EC组运动(尾部负重5%游泳30分钟)4周。4周后,称重并宰杀大鼠,分离肝组织,称重后-80℃保存待测7-乙氧基异吩恶唑酮脱乙基酶(EROD)、7-乙氧基香豆素-O-脱乙基酶(ECOD)及芳香烃羟化酶(AHH)的活性。将数据进行多因素方差分析(MAVONA)处理,结果表明,染毒可降低大鼠体重,增加肝湿重和肝相对重量、增加EROD、ECOD活性;运动可增加大鼠肝相对重量、增加AHH的活性;染毒后运动可降低EROD、ECOD的活性。结论:急性10μg·kg-1(以单位体重计)TCDD染毒后4周可增加大鼠肝相对重量;4周的运动能有效降低TCDD对EROD、ECOD活性的激活作用。     

Carbon sequestration and soil microbes in purple paddy soil as affected by long-term fertilization

Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration impacts on food security and climate change and may be affected by soil microbes in fertilized croplands. A 12-year field experiment under the rice–wheat system was used to evaluate the effect of the long-term fertilization on the SOC accumulation, culturable soil microbes, and their interaction in purple paddy soil. Results showed that varied fertilizations resulted in a significant increase of the SOC content and stock in the plow layer, as well as rise in populations of major soil microbes, including bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi compared with no fertilization. Soil with combined application of chemical NPK fertilizer and organic amendment (pig manure or rice straw return) on average had the highest organic carbon content and stock, amounts of bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi, which were 7.8%, 5.8%, 75.8%, 130.5%, and 16.2% higher than the NPK fertilization alone. Fertilization differentially altered populations of the functional anaerobic bacteria in paddy soil. With the combined application of chemical NPK fertilizer and organic amendment, soil displayed higher amounts of anaerobic cellulolytic bacteria, anaerobic fermentative bacteria, hydrogen-producing acetogen, methanogenic bacteria, denitrifying bacteria, and sulphate-reducing bacteria than that with the NPK fertilization alone or no fertilization. Populations of all three major soil microbes showed significantly positive correlations with the SOC content, indicating their interaction was of mutual promotion. Data suggest that the combined application of the NPK fertilizer with organic amendment especially by the rice straw return is recommended to sustain the soil biological fertility and mitigate the emission of the greenhouse gas by the SOC sequestration in purple paddy soil.     

Identification and characterization of Fe3O4/peroxodisulfate advanced oxidation products from sulfameter

Sulfonamides (SAs) are one of the most widely used antibiotics and their residuals in the environment could cause some negative environmental issues. Advanced oxidation such as Fenton-like reaction has been widely applied in the treatment of SAs polluted water. Degradation rates of 95%-99.7% were achieved in this work for the tested 8 SAs, including sulfisomidine, sulfameter (SME), phthalylsulfathiazole, sulfamethoxypyridazine, sulfamonomethoxine, sulfisoxazole, sulfachloropyridazine, and sulfadimethoxine, in the Fe₃O₄/peroxodisulfate (PDS) oxidation system after the optimization of PDS concentration and pH. Meanwhile, it was found that a lot of unknown oxidation products were formed, which brought up the uncertainty of health risks to the environment, and the identification of these unknown products was critical. Therefore, SME was selected as the model compound, from which the oxidation products were never elucidated, to identify these intermediates/products. With liquid chromatography-high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS), 10 new products were identified, in which 2-amino-5-methoxypyrimidine (AMP) was confirmed by its standard. The investigation of the oxidation process of SME indicated that most of the products were not stable and the degradation pathways were very complicated as multiple reactions, such as oxidation of the amino group, SO₂ extrusion, and potential cross-reaction occurred simultaneously. Though most of the products were not verified due to the lack of standards, our results could be helpful in the evaluation of the treatment performance of SAs containing wastewater.