Bioenergy Sustainability in China: Potential and Impacts

The sustainability implications of bioenergy development strategies are large and complex. Unlike conventional agriculture, bioenergy production provides an opportunity to design systems for improving eco-environmental services. Different places have different goals and solutions for bioenergy development, but they all should adhere to the sustainability requirements of the environment, economy, and society. This article serves as a brief overview of China’s bioenergy development and as an introduction to this special issue on the impacts of bioenergy development in China. The eleven articles in this special issue present a range of perspectives and scenario analyses on bioenergy production and its impacts as well as potential barriers to its development. Five general themes are covered: status and goals, biomass resources, energy plants, environmental impacts, and economic and social impacts. The potential for bioenergy production in China is huge, particularly in the central north and northwest. China plans to develop a bioenergy capacity of 30GW by 2020. However, realization of this goal will require breakthroughs in bioenergy landscape design, energy plant biotechnology, legislation, incentive policy, and conversion facilities. Our analyses suggest that (1) the linkage between bioenergy, environment, and economy are often circular rather than linear in nature; (2) sustainability is a core concept in bioenergy design and the ultimate goal of bioenergy development; and (3) each bioenergy development scheme must be region-specific and designed to solve local environmental and agricultural problems.     

Reactive transport of uranium(VI) and phosphate in a goethite-coated sand column: an experimental study

The migration of uranium(VI) in subsurface environments is strongly influenced by its adsorption/desorption reactions at the solid/solution interface. Phosphate is often present in subsurface systems and was shown to significantly affect U(VI) adsorption in previous batch experiments. In this study, column experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of phosphate on U(VI) adsorption and transport under flow conditions. The adsorption of U(VI) and phosphate was very low on pure quartz sand with negligible effects on U(VI) and phosphate transport. However, U(VI) and phosphate transport was retarded in a column packed with goethite-coated sand. The presence of phosphate, either as a co-solute with U(VI) or pre-adsorbed, greatly increased U(VI) adsorption and retardation. U(VI) and phosphate adsorption in our column experiments were rate-limited, and the adsorption of U(VI) and phosphate was not reversible, with kinetic limitations more pronounced for desorption than for adsorption. This study demonstrated the importance of phosphate in controlling U(VI) mobility in subsurface environments and helped illustrate some phenomena potentially applicable to U(VI) adsorption and transport in natural systems, especially where U(VI) adsorption is rate-limited.     

Determination of naphthalene by competitive fluorescence immunoassay

A reliable and sensitive competitive fluorescence immunoassay for the quantitative determination of naphthalene (NA) was developed. 2-naphthoxy acetic acid (NAA) was selected as the hapten of naphthalene. Active ester method (AEM) was used to couple the NAA to carrier proteins (bovine serum albumin) to form artificial immune antigen. Male New Zealand white rabbits were immunized with this antigen to obtain polyclonal antibodies, with which, a novel fluorescence immunoassay for detection of NA was described. Under best conditions, NA can be determined in the concentration range of 0.1-100 microg/L with a detection limit of 0.05 microg/L. The cross-reactivities of the anti-NA antibody to seven structurally related compounds were below 15%. Some environmental samples were analyzed with satisfactory results. It shows a good accuracy and suitability to analyze NA in environmental water.     

基于高通量定量PCR研究城市化小流域微生物污染特征

水体微生物污染(包括致病菌、病毒、寄生虫)会引起多种传染病和寄生虫病,对生产生活用水安全和人体健康造成重要威胁。本研究应用基于Taq Man探针的高通量荧光定量PCR技术对厦门市后溪流域冬季微生物污染进行检测,包含了5种粪便污染源(人源、反刍动物源、猪源、家禽源、狗源)微生物源示踪分子标记物与12种病原微生物。结果表明,该流域在上游及水库5个位点没有粪便污染,仅在其中一个水库位点检测出棘阿米巴,微生物污染极小;中下游检测出人类、反刍动物、猪、家禽、狗粪便污染,并且检测出产气荚膜梭菌、肠聚集性大肠杆菌、肠毒素型大肠杆菌、幽门螺杆菌、霍乱弧菌、副溶血弧菌、棘阿米巴、克雷伯氏肺炎杆菌等病原菌,其中流经旧城区居民生活生产区水样微生物污染严重,下游新城区微生物污染较小。这些结果暗示着城市人类活动是流域微生物污染主要来源,应从污染源头加强微生物污染控制。     

Electro-migration of heavy metals in an aged electroplating contaminated soil affected by the coexisting hexavalent chromium

Cr(VI) was often reported to oxidize soil organic matter at acidic environments due to its high ORP, probably thus changing cationic metal species bound to soil organic matter, and influencing their electro-migration patterns. However, such an effect on the electro-migration was not confirmed in most previous studies. Therefore, this study applied a fixed voltage direct current field on an aged electroplating contaminated clayed soil, with a special interest in the direct or indirect influence of Cr(VI) on the electro-migration of other coexisting metals. After 353 h electrokinetic process, 81% of Zn, 53% of Ni and 22% of Cu in the original soil were electro-migrated into the electrolyte, and most of the remaining concentrated near the cathode. The Cr(VI) oxidized some soil organic matter along its migration pathway, with a pronounced reaction occurred near the anode at low pHs. The resulting Cr(III) reversed its original movement, and migrated towards the cathode, leading to the occurrence of a second Cr concentration peak in the soil. Metal species analyses showed that the amount of metals bound to soil organic matter significantly decreased, while a substantial increase in the Cr species bound to Fe/Mn (hydro-)oxides was observed, suggesting an enhancement of cationic metal electro-migration by the reduction of Cr(VI) into Cr(III). However, the Cr(VI) may form some stable lead chromate precipitates, and in turn demobilize Pb in the soil, as the results showed a low Pb removal and an increase in its acid-extractable and residual fractions after electrokinetic remediation.     

Short-term effect of aniline on soil microbial activity: a combined study by isothermal microcalorimetry, glucose analysis, and enzyme assay techniques

The accidents of aniline spill and explosion happened almost every year in China, whereas the toxic effect of aniline on soil microbial activity remained largely unexplored. In this study, isothermal microcalorimetric technique, glucose analysis, and soil enzyme assay techniques were employed to investigate the toxic effect of aniline on microbial activity in Chinese soil for the first time. Soil samples were treated with aniline from 0 to 2.5 mg/g soil to tie in with the fact of aniline spill. Results from microcalorimetric analysis showed that the introduction of aniline had a significant adverse effect on soil microbial activity at the exposure concentrations ≥0.4 mg/g soil (p?<?0.05) and ≥0.8 mg/g soil (p?<?0.01), and the activity was totally inhibited when the concentration increased to 2.5 mg/g soil. The glucose analysis indicated that aniline significantly decreased the soil microbial respiratory activity at the concentrations ≥0.8 mg/g soil (p?<?0.05) and ≥1.5 mg/g soil (p?<?0.01). Soil enzyme activities for β-glucosidase, urease, acid-phosphatase, and dehydrogenase revealed that aniline had a significant effect (p?<?0.05) on the nutrient cycling of C, N, and P as well as the oxidative capacity of soil microorganisms, respectively. All of these results showed an intensively toxic effect of aniline on soil microbial activity. The proposed methods can provide toxicological information of aniline to soil microbes from the metabolic and biochemical point of views which are consistent with and correlated to each other.     

污泥浓度对微孔曝气氧传质过程的影响

污泥浓度是影响微孔曝气氧传质过程的重要因素之一。在小试及中试规模上,研究了不同污泥浓度对微孔曝气氧传质过程的影响,得出曝气性能随污泥浓度的变化规律。结果表明,当污泥浓度低于2000mg／L时,曝气性能随浓度的增大而增强,在2000～3000mg／L时,KLa达到最大值;当污泥浓度大于2000～3000mg／L时,曝气性能随污泥浓度增大而降低,当污泥浓度大于5000mg／L时,曝气性能急剧降低。这一规律对于在设计和运行中合理确定污水处理中的污泥浓度,在达到处理效果的前提下,尽量降低电耗具有重要意义。     

活性染料K-2BP、KN-B和KN-R在椰壳活性炭上的脱色性能

开展椰壳活性炭对活性染料K-2BP、KN-B和KN-R的吸附脱色研究。发现K-2BP、KN-B和KN-R在该型活性炭上的吸附脱色率均随初始pH值的降低、温度的升高、染料初始浓度的降低、活性炭用量的增加以及NaCl盐度的增加而增加。在pH=7和T=25℃下,K-2BP、KN-B和KN-R在活性炭上的等温吸附规律符合Langmuir模型方程,最大饱和吸附量Qmax分别为263.15、256.41和250 mg/g,吸附自由能△G298 K分别为-10.632、-3.783和-2.805 kJ/mol;该条件下K-2BP、KN-B和KN-R的动力学吸附规律均符合准一级动力学吸附方程。等温吸附研究和吸附动力学研究均表明,相同条件下3种活性染料在该型活性炭上的吸附效果由高到低的顺序为:K-2BP>KN-B>KN-R。     

鸡毛不溶解蛋白海绵膜的制备与表征

通过冷冻干燥,将羽毛还原法残渣制成表面光滑、有弹性、孔隙致密、柔韧性高的海绵膜,不需预处理也无需添加交联剂,并通过傅立叶红外光谱仪(FTIR)、扫描电镜(SEM)、元素分析、示差扫描量热仪(DSC)和透气性测量仪对膜进行表征。在最佳甘油含量下,膜均匀平整,在160℃以内性质稳定,透气量368 mm/s,在医药、生物、纺织、环境及日化领域都具有很大的应用潜力。     

Comparisons of ambient air particulates concentrations (TSP,PM2.5) and dry depositions during smog and non-smog periods at Luliao,Shalu District sampling site

The concentrations of ambient total suspended particulates (TSP) and PM_2.5, and the dry depositions at a sample site at Luliao Junior High School (Luliao) in central Taiwan were measured during smog and non-smog days between December 2017 and July 2018. The results are compared to those obtained during non-smog periods in the years 2015–2017. The mean TSP and PM_2.5 concentrations and dry deposition flux were 72.41?±?26.40, 41.88?±?23.51?μg/m³, and 797.57?±?731.46?μg/m² min, respectively, on the smog days. The mean TSP and PM_2.5 concentrations and dry deposition flux on the non-smog days were 56.39?±?18.08, 34.81?±?12.59?μg/m³ and 468.93?±?600.57?μg/m² min, respectively. The mean TSP concentration in the smog period was 28% greater than that in the non-smog period, and the mean PM_2.5 concentration was 20% higher. The mean dry deposition flux in the smog period was 70% higher than that in the non-smog period at Luliao. The PM_2.5 concentrations exceeded the standards set by the Taiwan EPA (35?μg/m³ daily, and 15?μg/m³ annually). Therefore, the TSP and PM_2.5 concentrations and dry deposition must be reduced in central Taiwan on smog days. In addition, atmospheric TSP and PM_2.5 concentrations at various sampling sites were compared, and those herein were not higher than those measured in other countries. Finally, apart from the local traffic emissions, during smog periods, the other pollution source originated from the transportation process of traffic pollutants emitted in the northwest side of Taiwan.