Combined pollution of arsenic and Polymyxin B enhanced arsenic toxicity and enriched ARG abundance in soil and earthworm gut microbiotas

Polymyxin B (PMB) is considered as the last line of antibiotic defense available to humans. The environmental effects of the combined pollution with PMB and heavy metals and their interaction mechanisms are unclear. We explored the effects of the combined pollution with PMB and arsenic (As) on the microbial composition of the soil and in the earthworm gut, as well as the spread and transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The results showed that, compared with As alone, the combined addition of PMB and As could significantly increase the bioaccumulation factor and toxicity of As in earthworm tissues by 12.1% and 16.0%, respectively. PMB treatment could significantly increase the abundance of Actinobacteria in the earthworm gut (from 35.6% to 45.2%), and As stress could significantly increase the abundance of Proteobacteria (from 19.8% to 56.9%). PMB and As stress both could significantly increase the abundance of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs), which were positively correlated, indicating that ARGs might be horizontally transferred. The inactivation of antibiotics was the main resistance mechanism that microbes use to resist PMB and As stress. Network analysis showed that PMB and As might have antagonistic effects through competition with multi-drug resistant ARGs. The combined pollution by PMB and As significantly promoted the relative abundance of microbes carrying multi-drug resistant ARGs and MGEs, thereby increasing the risk of transmission of ARGs. This research advances the understanding of the interaction mechanism between antibiotics and heavy metals and provides new theoretical guidance for the environmental risk assessment and combined pollution management.     

延迟焦化装置非密闭除焦工序职业病危害程度分析

目的 了解延迟焦化装置非密闭除焦工序职业病危害程度.方法 选取某大型炼化企业延迟焦化装置一套,通过现场调查,确定非密闭式除焦工序存在的主要职业病危害因素及其接触岗位,对职业病危害因素进行检测,评判并分析各岗位化学有害因素职业接触水平,确定职业病危害程度.结果 除焦工岗位接触硫化氢、粉尘危害因素检测结果超标,装车工接触粉尘危害因素检测结果超标.除焦工硫化氢、粉尘接触水平均为Ⅳ级,装车工粉尘接触水平为Ⅳ级.结论 加强延迟焦化装置非密闭除焦工序个人使用的职业病防护用品的配备,新建延迟焦化装置应尽量选择密闭除焦技术,当前运行的存在非密闭除焦工序的延迟焦化装置应进行工艺技术改造.     

Occurrence and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in the sediments of the East China Sea bays

The coastal area of the East China Sea has experienced rapid urbanization and industrialization in China since 1980 s, resulting in severe pollution of its environments.Antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs) are regarded as a kind of emerging pollutant with potential high risk. The sediment samples were collected from Hangzhou Bay(HB),Xiangshan Bay(XB), and Taizhou Bay(TB) to investigate the spatial occurrence and distribution of 27 ARGs and class I integron–integrase gene(intI1) in the coastal area of the East China Sea. The PCR results showed the frequent presence of 11 ARGs and intI1 in the sediments of the three bays. The qPCR results further showed that sulfonamide resistance was the most prevalent ARG type and antibiotic target replacement and protection were the most important resistance mechanisms in the sediments. Regarding the subtype of ARGs, sulI, tetW, and dfrA13 were the most abundant ARGs, in which sulI was higher in TB(based on both the absolute and relative abundances) and dfrA13 was higher in HB(based on the relative abundances). The network analysis revealed that intI1 had significant correlations with tetC, sulI, sulII, and blaPSE-1. Oil was the key connected factor, which had positive connections with sulI, sulII, and blaPSE-1. In addition, the joint effect of heavy metals and nutrients organic pollutants might be crucial for the fate of ARGs in the coastal sediments.     

A novel graphene oxide-carbon nanotubes anchored α-FeOOH hybrid activated persulfate system for enhanced degradation of Orange II

Persulfate activation has been applied as one of the efficient advanced oxidation processes(AOPs) to remediate polluted environments. In this study, a novel α-FeOOH anchored by graphene oxide(GO)-carbon nanotubes(CNTs) aerogel(α-FeOOH@GCA) nanocomposite activated persulfate system(α-FeOOH@GCA + K_2S_2O_8) was applied for decolorization of Orange Ⅱ(OⅡ). The decolorization of OⅡ was remarkably enhanced to a level of ～ 99% in this system compared with that of pristine α-FeOOH(～ 44%) or GO-CNTs(～18%). The enhanced catalytic activity of α-FeOOH@GCA was due to the formation of a heterojunction byα-FeOOH and GO-CNTs as confirmed by the presence of Fe–O–C chemical bonds. The degradation intermediates of OⅡ were comprehensively identified. The proposed degradation pathway of OⅡ begins with the destruction of the conjugated structures of OⅡ by the dominant reactive oxygen species, surface-bound SO_4~(·-). The decolorization efficiency of OⅡ by the α-FeOOH@GCA activated persulfate system decreased from the first to third cycle of recycling. Ultraviolet(UV) irradiation or introduction of a small amount of Fe~(2+) could restore the activation of this system. The results show that the α-FeOOH@GCA persulfate activation system promises to be a highly efficient environmental remediation method for organic pollutants.     

Template-free synthesis of inorganic hollow spheres at water/“water-brother”interfaces as Fenton-like reagents for water treatment

This paper reports a template-free method to synthesize a series of inorganic hollow spheres (IHSs) including Cu-1, Cu-2, Ni-1, Ni-2 based on mineralization reactions at water/“water-brother” interfaces. “Water-brother” was defined as a solvent which is miscible with water, such as ethanol and acetone. The water/“water-brother” interfaces are very different from water/oil interfaces. The “water-brother” solvent will usually form a homogenous phase with water. Interestingly, in our method, these interfaces can be formed, observed and utilized to synthesize hollow spheres. Utilizing the unique porous properties of the spheres, their potential application in water treatment was demonstrated by using Cu-1 IHSs as Fenton-like reagents for adsorption and decomposition of Congo Red from aqueous solution. The final adsorption equilibrium was achieved after 30 min with the maximum adsorption capacity of 86.1 mg/g, and 97.3% removal of the dye in 80 min after adsorption equilibrium. The IHSs can be reused as least 5 times after treatment by NaOH. This method is facile and suitable for large-scale production, and shows great potential for watertreatment.     

Size-resolved carbonaceous components and water-soluble ions measurements of ambient aerosol in Beijing

A MOUDI-120 sampler was used in Beijing to collect multi-stage samples in the summer and winter of 2013 to 2015. Thirty-three sample sets were collected during the daytime,nighttime, and different pollution levels. The actual relative humidity in the impactors was calculated for the first time. The carbonaceous components(organic and elemental carbon,OC and EC, respectively) and water-soluble inorganic ions(Na~+, NH_4~+, K~+, Mg~(2+), Ca~(2+), Cl~-, NO_3~-,and SO_4~(2-)) were analyzed in each sample. The characteristics of the mass concentration distribution and charge balance were discussed. On the basis of relative humidity in the impactors, aerosols less than 1.0 μm were sampled under relatively dry conditions in most cases. The concentration levels for the chemical species were higher in the winter than in the summer. Three modes(condensation mode, droplet mode, and coarse mode) could be identified from the distributions of NH_4~+, NO_3~-, SO_4~(2-), Cl~-, K~+, OC and EC. The distribution characteristics for the pollution dissipation process were different from the pollution accumulation process. NO_3~-and NO_2~-contributed most of the negative electric charges in the stage below 0.1 μm. In the condensation mode, the cations were dominated by NH_4~+, which was sufficient to balance the anions. In the droplet mode of the heavily polluted samples,the ammonium was not sufficient to balance the anions. In the coarse mode, the positive electric charges were primarily composed of metal cations. The analyzed anions were not sufficient to neutralize the measured cations.     

长江口沉积物重金属赋存形态及风险特征

基于长江口沉积物8种重金属(As、Cd、Cr、Cu、Hg、Ni、Pb、Zn)总量与形态在丰、平、枯水期以及14个典型点位的分布特征,通过平衡分配法建立了长江口沉积物质量基准(SQGs),并以此评价长江口沉积物重金属生态风险,揭示重金属生态风险与其形态特征间的相关关系.结果表明,除Cd之外,长江口沉积物重金属以残渣态为主导形态,尤其是As、Cr、Hg,其残渣态含量均为90%以上.长江口As、Cd、Cr、Cu、Hg、Ni、Pb、Zn的沉积物质量基准分别为43.29、0.672、79.65、19.08、0.569、339.09、30.87、411.36μg·g~(-1).Cu的生态风险程度最高,对水生生物具有较大的毒性影响,应当引起重视.河口上游受到长江径流影响大,在丰水期风险较高,在平水期和枯水期则风险偏低;而下游受上海等城市排污影响较大,风险较高(尤其在平水期和枯水期).8种重金属的生态风险与赋存形态之间表现出3种不同的相关关系.     

Ecology of hemiepiphytism in fig species is based on evolutionary correlation of hydraulics and carbon economy

Woody hemiepiphytic species (Hs) are important components of tropical rain forests, and they have been hypothesized to differ from non-hemiepiphytic tree species (NHs) in adaptations relating to water relations and carbon economy; but few studies have been conducted comparing ecophysiological traits between the two growth forms especially in an evolutionary context. Using common-garden plants of the genus Ficus, functional traits related to plant hydraulics and carbon economy were compared for seven NHs and seven Hs in their adult terrestrial "tree-like" growth phase. We used phylogenetically independent contrasts to test the hypothesis that differences in water availability selected for contrasting suites of traits in Hs and NHs, driving evolutionary correlations among functional traits including hydraulic conductivity and photosynthetic traits. Species of the two growth forms differed in functional traits; Hs had substantially lower xylem hydraulic conductivity and stomatal conductance, and higher instantaneous photosynthetic water use efficiency. Leaf morphological and structural traits also differed strikingly between the two growth forms. The Hs had significantly smaller leaves, higher leaf mass per area (LMA), and smaller xylem vessel lumen diameters. Across all the species, hydraulic conductivity was positively correlated with leaf gas exchange indicating high degrees of hydraulic-photosynthetic coordination. More importantly, these correlations were supported by correlations implemented on phylogenetic independent contrasts, suggesting that most trait correlations arose through repeated convergent evolution rather than as a result of chance events in the deep nodes of the lineage. Vatiation in xylem hydraulic conductivity was also centrally associated with a suite of other functional traits related to carbon economy and growth, such as LMA, water use efficiency, leaf nutrient concentration, and photosynthetic nutrient use efficiency, indicating important physiological constraints or trade-offs among functional traits. Shifts in this trait cluster apparently related to the adaptation to drought-prone canopy growth during the early life cycle of Hs and clearly affected ecophysiology of the later terrestrial stage of these species. Evolutionary flexibility in hydraulics and associated traits might be one basis for the hyper-diversification of Ficus species in tropical rain forests.     

国外热防护服装性能测试技术标准研究

热防护服是热环境下人体安全防护的主要装备,其标准的科学性和系统性对热环境下的人体安全防护具有重要的支持作用.国外对热防护服相关的技术标准予以充分重视,以性能测试技术方法为主体,建立了较为科学、完善的标准,并体现出新的发展趋势.通过对国外热防护服技术标准的调研,总结性能测试标准的共性内容,包括主要性能测试方法、实验设备、实验步骤、烧伤评估、人体模型和测试报告等.整套防护服装的性能测试技术及标准是研究的重点,出汗暖体假人将在防护服装性能测试领域被更为广泛的应用.最后,提出我国研制热防护服性能测试技术标准的建议.     

老龄者深度休闲活动对幸福感的影响研究

通过对大连市两大典型社区老龄者的抽样调查,运用阶层回归分析法分析了深度休闲活动对老龄者幸福感的影响。研究结果表明,深度休闲活动与老龄者的幸福感有显著的正向关系,深度休闲包含的坚持不懈、个人努力、认同感、职业生涯性、休闲利益、亚文化等价值面,对形成老龄者幸福感的身体健康、心理健康、人际互动、充实感、成就感、归属感方面都有着不同程度的正向影响。