Effects of exogenous organic chelators on phytochelatins production and its relationship with cadmium toxicity in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under cadmium stress

Phytochelatins (PCs) have been proposed as a potential biomarker for metal toxicity. In this study, cadmium (Cd) toxicity, PCs production and their relationship in wheat under Cd stress were examined using various exogenous organic chelator-buffered nutrient solutions. Single Cd stress produced strong toxic effects, as indicated by decreases of growth parameters, high level of lipid peroxidation in leaf and overproduction of PCs in root. Exogenous organic chelators with proper dose more or less reduced Cd toxicity by increasing growth parameters and decreasing lipid peroxidation in leaves. Of organic chelators (EDTA, DTPA, citric acid, malic acid and oxalic acid), EDTA was the most effective in decreasing Cd toxicity in plants, followed by DTPA and citric acid. Simultaneously, the concentrations of Cd-induced PCs in roots decreased, and the greatest decrease was caused by application of EDTA and DTPA. Linearly positive relationships were observed between Cd toxicity and root PCs concentrations under the influences of organic chelators, particularly EDTA, DTPA and citric acid. Furthermore, present results provide stronger evidence that PCs synthesis in plant cells was related to free Cd ion concentrations, not total Cd, and demonstrate that the levels of PCs production in plants correlated well with toxic effects caused by the bioavailable Cd levels.     

Long-term tillage effects on soil metolachlor sorption and desorption behavior

Sorption and desorption are two important processes that influence the amount of pesticides retained by soils. However, the detailed sorption mechanisms as influenced by soil tillage management are unclear. This study examined the sorption and desorption characteristics of metolachlor [2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)-acetamide] using the soil samples collected from the long-term conservation tillage (CnT) and conventional tillage (CT) research plots established in 1979 in Darlinton, SC. Humic acid (HA) and humin were extracted from the soils and used in the sorption experiments along with the whole soil samples. The sorption experiments were conducted using a batch-equilibration method. Three sequential desorption rinses were carried out following the sorption experiments. By comparing metolachlor sorption and desorption results we observed hysteresis for all soil samples and their organic matter fractions. Sorption nonlinearity (N) and hysteresis were dependent on the structure and composition of soil organic matter (SOM), e.g., Freundlich isotherm exponents (N) of HA and humin from CnT were higher than those of CT treatment, which may be related to high aromaticity of SOM fractions in CT treatment. Sorption capacity (K'f) was positively correlated with soil organic carbon (SOC) content. These results show that long-term tillage management can greatly affect metolachlor sorption and desorption behavior probably by qualitative differences in the structural characteristics of the humic substances.     

Endemic Arsenosis Caused by Indoor Combustion of High-As Coal in Guizhou Province, P.R. China

The arsenic (As) content of coal relating with mineralization of gold in Southwest Guizhou Province, China is up to 35,000 ppm. The coal is burned indoors in open pits for daily cooking and crop drying. As a result, arsenic is precipitated and concentrated in corn (5–20 ppm), chili (100–800 ppm) and other foods. Arsenic concentrations in the drinking water of high-As coal areas are lower than 50 ppb. The estimated main sources of As exposure in this area are from polluted food. Approximately, 3000 arsenosis patients were found by 1998, and more than 100,000 people from six counties were under the threat in China. This paper presents the major ingestion pathway of this type arsenosis and relative geochemistry of high-As coal. The project supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC 40133010).     

Carbon dioxide and methane emissions from the scale model of open dairy lots

To investigate the impacts of major factors on carbon loss via gaseous emissions, carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) emissions from the ground of open dairy lots were tested by a scale model experiment at various air temperatures (15, 25, and 35 °C), surface velocities (0.4, 0.7, 1.0, and 1.2 m sec^?1), and floor types (unpaved soil floor and brick-paved floor) in controlled laboratory conditions using the wind tunnel method. Generally, CO₂ and CH₄ emissions were significantly enhanced with the increase of air temperature and velocity (P < 0.05). Floor type had different effects on the CO₂ and CH₄ emissions, which were also affected by air temperature and soil characteristics of the floor. Although different patterns were observed on CH₄ emission from the soil and brick floors at different air temperature-velocity combinations, statistical analysis showed no significant difference in CH₄ emissions from different floors (P > 0.05). For CO₂, similar emissions were found from the soil and brick floors at 15 and 25 °C, whereas higher rates were detected from the brick floor at 35 °C (P < 0.05). Results showed that CH₄ emission from the scale model was exponentially related to CO₂ flux, which might be helpful in CH₄ emission estimation from manure management.

Implications: Gaseous emissions from the open lots are largely dependent on outdoor climate, floor systems, and management practices, which are quite different from those indoors. This study assessed the effects of floor types and air velocities on CO₂ and CH₄ emissions from the open dairy lots at various temperatures by a wind tunnel. It provided some valuable information for decision-making and further studies on gaseous emissions from open lots.     

Assessing the inhalation cancer risk of particulate matter bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for the elderly in a retirement community of a mega city in North China

Assessment of the health risks resulting from exposure to ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is limited by the lack of environmental exposure data among different subpopulations. To assess the exposure cancer risk of particulate carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollution for the elderly, this study conducted a personal exposure measurement campaign for particulate PAHs in a community of Tianjin, a city in northern China. Personal exposure samples were collected from the elderly in non-heating (August–September, 2009) and heating periods (November–December, 2009), and 12 PAHs individuals were analyzed for risk estimation. Questionnaire and time-activity log were also recorded for each person. The probabilistic risk assessment model was integrated with Toxic Equivalent Factors (TEFs). Considering that the estimation of the applied dose for a given air pollutant is dependent on the inhalation rate, the inhalation rate from both EPA exposure factor book was applied to calculate the carcinogenic risk in this study. Monte Carlo simulation was used as a probabilistic risk assessment model, and risk simulation results indicated that the inhalation-ILCR values for both male and female subjects followed a lognormal distribution with a mean of 4.81?×?10^?6 and 4.57?×?10^?6, respectively. Furthermore, the 95 % probability lung cancer risks were greater than the USEPA acceptable level of 10^?6 for both men and women through the inhalation route, revealing that exposure to PAHs posed an unacceptable potential cancer risk for the elderly in this study. As a result, some measures should be taken to reduce PAHs pollution and the exposure level to decrease the cancer risk for the general population, especially for the elderly.     

粉煤灰吸附—石灰沉淀处理高浓度含氟废水

采用粉煤灰吸附—石灰沉淀处理高浓度含氟废水.正交实验得到的最佳工艺条件为:反应温度10℃,石灰加入量3.0 g/mL,反应时间60 min,废水pH 6.88.在此最佳工艺条件下处理F质量浓度为150 mg/L的含氟废水,Fˉ去除率为97.53％.Mn2+,Fe3+,Mg2+,A13+,Zn2+单独存在时,随5种阳离子质量浓度增大,Fˉ去除率略有增加;当5种阳离子共同存在且质量浓度均大于500 mg/L时,Fˉ去除率下降.PO43-,SO42-,CO32-,NO3-单独存在时对Fˉ去除率影响不大;当4种阴离子共同存在且质量浓度均大于800 mg/L时,Fˉ去除率低于对照实验.     

Fe_2O_3和K_2CO_3对钙基添加剂脱硫脱硝的影响

在研究焦炭燃烧过程中使用钙基添加剂固硫的基础上,探讨了Fe_2O_3或K_2CO_3对CaO脱硫脱硝的影响。实验结果表明:添加剂的种类对焦炭燃烧过程中排放的SO_2和NO的浓度及总量均有一定的影响;加入Fe_2O_3或K_2CO_3替代部分CaO后,焦炭燃烧过程中排放的SO_2和NO比单独加入CaO时均有所下降;向焦炭中分别混合3.0%(w)CaO),1.5%(w)CaO+1.5%(w)Fe_2O_3,1.5%(w)CaO+1.5%(w)K_2CO_3的添加剂时,焦炭的SO_2排放总量分别降低了69.93%,75.98%,79.98%,NO排放总量分别降低了64.38%,79.73%,84.14%;加入Fe_2O_3或K_2CO_3后,钙基添加剂的表面性质发生了变化,同时增加了反应的活性中心数,因而复合添加剂能更有效地进行脱硫脱硝。     

高速铁路的安全及其系统的构成

分析了高速铁路相对于常规铁路在安全技术方面的新要求和主要的技术难点；论述了除基础设施外，涉及人一机一环各因素间的安全问题；在此基础上提出了高速铁路安全系统的构成以及在我国发展的意见。     

Effects of riparian land use on water quality and fish communities in the headwater stream of the Taizi River in China

Riparian land use remains one of the most significant impacts on stream ecosystems. This study focuses on the relationship between stream ecosystems and riparian land use in headwater regions. Four riparian land types including forest, grassland, farmland, and residential land were examined to reveal the correlation between stream water and fish communities in headwater streams of the Taizi River in north-eastern China. Four land types along riparian of 3 km in length were evaluated at 25, 50, 100, 200 and 500 m widths, respectively. Generally, the results found a significant relationship between riparian land uses and stream water quality. Grassland was positively correlated with water quality parameters (conductivity and total dissolved solids) at scales from 100 to 500 m riparian width. Farmland and residential land was negatively correlated with water quality parameters at scales from 25 to 500 m and from 50 to 200 m riparian widths, respectively. Although the riparian forest is important for maintaining habitat diversity and fish communities, the results found that only fish communities were significantly correlated with the proportion of riparian farmland. Farmland had a positive correlation with individual fish abundance within a riparian corridor of 25 to 50 m, but a negative correlation with fish diversity metrics from 25 to 100 m. This study indicates that effective riparian management can improve water quality and fish communities in headwater streams.     

溴化1-十四烷基-3-甲基咪唑对小鼠的肝脏毒性及其作用机制

研究离子液体溴化1-十四烷基-3-甲基咪唑盐([C₁₄mim]Br)对小鼠的肝脏毒性及其作用机制。实验设立3个剂量的染毒组(1/16 LD₅₀、1/8 LD₅₀、1/4 LD₅₀)和1个空白对照组,考察昆明种小鼠染毒14 d后,[C₁₄mim]Br对小鼠血清生化指标、肝脏抗氧化酶活性及脂质过氧化产物的影响,并观察肝脏组织的病理变化。与对照组相比,小鼠染毒后,血清中ALT、AST、DBIL和γ-GT明显升高;肝组织受到不同程度的损伤,HSI增大,蛋白质含量降低。当染毒剂量为1/4 LD₅₀时,肝脏中SOD活性和GSH-Px活性显著降低,MDA的含量则明显增加。实验结果表明,[C₁₄mim]Br可损伤小鼠的肝脏功能,破坏机体的抗氧化防御系统,造成氧化损伤和脂质过氧化。