Acute toxicity of benzene derivatives to the tadpoles (Rana japonica) and QSAR analyses

Acute lethal toxicity (the negative logarithm of molar concentrations of 12 h acute median lethal, expressed as 12 h-log1/LC50) of 46 benzene derivatives to Rana japonica tadpoles was determined. 1-octanol/water partition coefficient (logKow)-dependent models were developed to study the toxicity of different categories chemicals. In an effort to model all chemicals, response surface analyses and stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed and successful models were obtained. A general and robust QSAR model was achieved with the combined application of variables reflecting hydrophobicity, electric property, and molecular size respectively (12h-log1/LC50 = 0.393logKow - 0.428Elumo + 0.0110Vol. + 1.362 n = 51, r2 = 0.834) using stepwise multiple regression analyses. Because of strong dissociation of carboxyl group greatly decreasing their observed toxicity, using logDow in instead of logKow the quality of the models is greatly improved. The conventional r2 and cross-validation r2(CV) were 0.914 and 0.785, respectively, indicating that QSAR was both internally consistent and highly predictive.     

Atmospheric volatilization and distribution of (Z)- and (E)-1,3-dichloropropene in field beds with and without plastic covers

The fumigant 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) is considered to be a potential replacement for methyl bromide when methyl bromide is phased out in 2005. This study on surface emissions and subsurface diffusion of 1,3-D in a Florida sandy soil was conducted in field beds with or without plastic covers. After injection of the commercial fumigant Telone II by conventional chisels to field beds at 30cm depth which were covered with polyethylene film (PE), virtually impermeable film, or no cover (bare), (Z)- and (E)-1,3-D rapidly diffused upward. Twenty hours after injection, majority of (Z)- and (E)-1,3-D had moved upward from 30 cm depth to the layer of 5-20 cm depth. Downward movement of the two isomers in the beds with or without a plastic cover was not significant. (Z)-1,3-D diffused more rapidly than (E)-1,3-D. Virtually impermeable films (VIF) had a good capacity to retain (Z)- and (E)-1,3-D in soil pore air space. Vapor concentrations of the two isomers in the shallow subsurface of the field bed covered with VIF were greater than that in the two beds covered with polyethylene film (PE) or no cover (bare). In addition, VIF cover provided more uniform distribution of (Z)- and (E)-1,3-D in shallow subsurface than PE cover or no cover. Virtually impermeable film also had a better capability to retard surface emissions of the two isomers from soil in field beds than PE cover or no cover.     

基于可靠度约束的高层建筑结构优化设计

本文以文献中提出的结构体系可靠度分析的最弱失效模式法为基础,充分考虑结构体系的造价和结构的损失期望与结构体系可靠度的关系,以及结构构件的可靠度约束,提出了结构体系目标可靠度的优化决策方法;基于优化决策的结果,提出了结构体系的最优设计准则;最后,依所提出的最优设计准则,实现了高层建筑基于构件和结构可靠度约束的结构优化设计。     

环糊精改性蛭石对水中Cr(Ⅵ)的吸附

以环糊精为改性剂,环氧氯丙烷为交联剂对蛭石进行改性,合成具有特殊结构的环糊精改性蛭石基吸附材料(CDMV)。采用FTIR、SEM、XRD对环糊精改性蛭石进行了表征,结果表明,蛭石表面性能得到改进。通过实验研究得到CDMV的最佳合成工艺:反应温度60℃,100 mL 质量浓度7% NaOH;MEPI: Mβ-CD摩尔比6: 1;第1阶段和第2阶段反应时间分别是6 h和5 h。同时对CDMV吸附Cr(Ⅵ)的等温吸附行为和吸附动力学进行了研究,结果表明,25℃ 下,1.00 g CDMV对Cr(Ⅵ) 的吸附量达到最大为0.973 mg/g;Langmuir等温线(R2=0.9985)和Freundlich等温线(R2=0.9585)均能很好地描述改性蛭石对Cr(Ⅵ)的吸附规律,且其对Cr(Ⅵ)的吸附符合准二级动力学方程(R2>0.99)。     

Assessment of heavy metal bioavailability in contaminated sediments and soils using green fluorescent protein-based bacterial biosensors

A green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based bacterial biosensor Escherichia coli DH5alpha (pVLCD1) was developed based on the expression of gfp under the control of the cad promoter and the cadC gene of Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pI258. DH5alpha (pVLCD1) mainly responded to Cd(II), Pb(II), and Sb(III), the lowest detectable concentrations being 0.1 nmol L(-1), 10 nmol L(-1), and 0.1 nmol L(-1), respectively, with 2h exposure. The biosensor was field-tested to measure the relative bioavailability of the heavy metals in contaminated sediments and soil samples. The results showed that the majority of heavy metals remained adsorbed to soil particles: Cd(II)/Pb(II) was only partially available to the biosensor in soil-water extracts. Our results demonstrate that the GFP-based bacterial biosensor is useful and applicable in determining the bioavailability of heavy metals with high sensitivity in contaminated sediment and soil samples and suggests a potential for its inexpensive application in environmentally relevant sample tests.     

Process safety data management program based on HAZOP analysis and its application to an ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol plant

HAZOP analysis is a process hazard analysis method that has been widely applied both within and outside the chemical processing industries. This paper presents a design method for a process safety data management program for petrochemical plants based on HAZOP analysis and demonstrates the steps of application involved in building a process safety data management system for an ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol production plant. Firstly, the production data files and relevant documents of the plants should be classified and stored in the program database as reference documents and treatment schemes for coping with abnormal situations should be collected and summarized as guidance documents. Secondly, the HAZOP analysis method is employed to identify all the dangerous deviations possibly existing in the production process of the ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol plant. Then, the relationships among the deviations, the reference documents and the guidance documents should be considered and evaluated. Finally, each dangerous deviation will be given a corresponding reference document and guidance document. The reference documents and guidance documents stored in the expert system can be utilized to help operators solve the corresponding technical problems and cope with abnormal situations. The process safety data management program will contribute to the identification, analysis and resolution of operation problems. When an abnormal situation occurs, according to the deviations exhibited in the system, the necessary reference documents and guidance documents will be quickly consulted by the operators, and an appropriate decision will be made to address the abnormal situation. Therefore, by using the process safety data management program, plant security and human safety in the petrochemical industries will be improved.     

The joint effects of sulfonamides and their potentiator on Photobacterium phosphoreum: differences between the acute and chronic mixture toxicity mechanisms

Organisms are typically exposed to mixtures of chemicals over long periods of time; thus, chronic mixture toxicity analysis is the best way to perform risk assessment in regards to organisms. However, most studies focus on the acute mixture toxicity. To investigate the difference between chronic mixture toxicity and acute mixture toxicity, Photobacterium phosphoreum were exposed to chronic (24 h exposure) and acute (15 min exposure) toxicity of single sulfonamide (SA) and their potentiator (trimethoprim, TMP), both individually and mixtures (SA with TMP). A comparison of chronic vs. acute mixture toxicity revealed the presence of an interesting phenomenon, that is, that the joint effects vary with the duration of exposure; the acute mixture toxicity was antagonistic, whereas the chronic mixture toxicity was synergistic. Based on the approach of Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSARs) and molecular docking, this phenomenon was proved to be caused by the presence of two points of dissimilarity between the acute and chronic mixture toxicity mechanism: (1) the receptor protein of SAs in acute toxicity was Luc, while in chronic toxicity it was Dhps, and (2) there is a difference between actual concentration of binding-Luc in acute toxicity and individual binding-Dhps in chronic toxicity. This deep insight into the difference between chronic and acute mixture toxicity will benefit environmental science, medical science, and other disciplines. The existence of these differences poses a challenge for the assessment of routine combinations in medicine, risk assessment, and mixture pollutant control, in which, previously, only a synergistic effect has been observed between SA and their potentiator.     

Enhanced photocatalysis using metal–organic framework MIL-101(Fe) for organophosphate degradation in water

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are attractive novel classes of porous materials with diverse potentiality and easily tailored structures. It is...     

奇特的极地景观

神秘莫测的南极南极大陆是最高大,最冷酷,最纯洁,最美丽,最神秘莫测,最桀骜不驯的。南极真是高得出奇,有2350米。犹如一个巨人。然而它又是最低的大陆。南极大陆上的本特莱冰下槽谷,在海平面以下2500多米．比北冰洋的平均深度还要深两倍多呢!这是由于在巨大冰盖的重压之下,大陆地壳产生了向