Determination of growth kinetics of microorganisms linked with 1,4-dioxane degradation in a consortium based on two improved methods

● Evaluated three methods for determining the consortia’s growth kinetics. ● Conventional method is flawed since it relies on the total biomass concentration. ● Considering only selected bacterial taxa improved the accuracy. ● Considering oligotrophs and copiotrophs further improved the accuracy. The conventional method for determining growth kinetics of microbial consortia relies on the total biomass concentration. This may be inaccurate for substrates that are uncommon in nature and can only be degraded by a small portion of the microbial community. 1,4-dioxane, an emerging contaminant, is an example of such substrates. In this work, we evaluated an improved method for determining the growth kinetics of a 1,4-dioxane-degrading microbial consortium. In the improved method, we considered only bacterial taxa whose concentration increase correlated to 1,4-dioxane concentration decrease in duplicate microcosm tests. Using PEST (Parameter Estimation), a model-independent parameter estimator, the kinetic constants were estimated by fitting the Monod kinetics-based simulation results to the experimental data that consisted of the concentrations of 1,4-dioxane and the considered bacterial taxa. The estimated kinetic constants were evaluated by comparing the simulation results with experimental results from another set of microcosm tests. The evaluation was quantified by the sum of squared relative residual, which was four orders of magnitude lower for the improved method than the conventional method. By further dividing the considered bacterial taxa into oligotrophs and copiotrophs, the sum of squared relative residual further decreased.     

Effects of warming on leaf non-structural carbohydrates and carbon and nitrogen isotopes of Cunninghamia lanceolata saplings during different seasons北大核心CSCD

To reveal the response of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) and carbon and nitrogen isotopes in plant leaves to global warming, we conducted soil warming experiments in the Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem and Global Change National Observation and Research Station of China. We designed two treatments: control (CT) and warming (W; cable heating, +4 ℃). Heating cables were installed 20 cm from each other at a depth of 10 cm and were heated in March 2016. In this study, Cunninghamia lanceolata saplings were used to analyze seasonal changes in leaf non-structural carbohydrates, and carbon and nitrogen isotopes. The results showed that (1) warming significantly reduced the soluble sugar, starch, and NSC content of leaves in spring but without any significant difference during other seasons. (2) Leaf δ13C increased significantly in spring and winter after warming, whereas leaf δ15N did not change significantly. (3) No significant correlation was observed between leaf δ13C, δ15N, or NSC content during the warming treatment, but a negative correlation was observed between leaf δ15N, δ13C, and sugar to starch ratio. A positive correlation between leaf δ15N and starch content was identified. In summary, when temperature increases, plants adjust the NSC content during different seasons for osmotic regulation, change the characteristics of the nutrient cycle, and alter the plant water and nutrient use strategies to maintain plant growth. In the future, we should further study the seasonal variation characteristics of NSC content and isotopes and the relationship between NSC content and the carbon and nitrogen cycles in plants under the context of long-term warming. © 2022 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

Exposure characteristics of phthalate metabolites among the Zunyi cohort of pregnant women in Southwest China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Reported evidence has increasingly indicated that exposure to phthalates can cause adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, phthalate exposure levels...     

Effect of BPA on the germination,root development,seedling growth and leaf differentiation under different light conditions in Arabidopsis thaliana

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-known environmental toxic substance, which exerts unfavorable effects through endocrine disruptor (ER)-dependent and ER-independent mechanisms to threaten ecological systems seriously. BPA may also interact with other environmental factors, such as light and heavy metals, to have a synergetic effect in plants. However, there is little data concerning the toxic effect of BPA on the primary producers-plants and its possible interaction with light-dependent response. Here, the effects of BPA on germination, fresh weight, tap root length, and leaf differentiation were studied in Arabidopsis thaliana under different parts of light spectrum (dark, red, yellow, green, blue, and white light). Our results showed that low-dose BPA (1.0, 5.0 μM) caused an increase in the fresh weight, the tap root length and the lateral root formation of A. thaliana seedlings, while high-dose BPA (10.0, 25.0 μM) show an inhibition effect in a dose-dependent manner. Unlike karrikins, the effects of BPA on germination fresh weight and tap roots length under various light conditions are similar, which imply that BPA has no notable role in priming light response in germination and early seedling growth in A. thaliana. Meanwhile, BPA exposure influences the differentiation of A. thaliana leaf blade significantly in a light-dependent manner with little to no effect in dark and clear effect under red illumination.     

远看乞力马扎罗的雪--肯尼亚纪行之一

八十年代，在大学里看过一部好莱坞影片“乞力马孔罗的雪”当时，我对这部电影的晦涩主题感到困惑，但对原作者海明威能在1936年就娴熟地运用现实与幻想的意识流写作手法感到惊叹，同时乞力马孔罗山（Mr. Kilimanjaro）脚下的非洲莽原景色深深地印在我的脑海。     

Fabrication of Polypyrrole/Chitosan Nanocomposite Aerogel Monolith for Removal of Cr(VI)

Three-dimensional polypyrrole/chitosan nanocomposite monoliths are fabricated by polymerization of pyrrole in chitosan aqueous solution. The static polymerization of pyrrole monomer and the cross-linking of chitosan by glutaraldehyde occur simultaneously, resulting in the self-assembly of polypyrrole/chitosan nanocomposite aerogel monolith. The addition of methyl orange and glutaraldehyde and the static reaction play key roles in the formation of the self-standing aerogel monolith. The as-prepared monolith with larger specific surface area exhibits much better adsorption capability for Cr(VI) removal in comparison with that prepared without the addition of glutaraldehyde. The adsorption process and adsorption isotherms are found to well follow the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models, respectively. Furthermore, this polypyrrole/chitosan nanocomposite monolith is stable and recyclable. About 73.5% of the initial adsorption capability is kept after eight adsorption–desorption cycles. The polypyrrole/chitosan nanocomposite monolith can be a promising candidate for the efficient removal of Cr(VI).     

中国社会发展水平的衡量标准与实践

中国社会统计指标体系由15大类,1000多个指标构成,适应于多层次、多角度、多目的的社会发展需要,在社会发展综合评价和实践活动中发挥了重要作用。     

基于熵权法和 PSR 模型的佛山市土地生态安全评价研究

选取20项评价指标,运用PSR模型构建了广东省佛山市土地生态安全评价指标体系,通过熵权法和综合指数法测算佛山市土地生态安全综合指数。结果表明：①佛山市2004年至2011年土地生态安全综合指数总体上有下降的趋势,由2004年的0.5108下降到2011年的0.2452,说明佛山市土地生态安全总体呈下降趋势,由预警进入重警状态;②研究时间段内佛山市土地生态安全状况总体较差,2004年至2011年一直处于有警状态,土地生态系统正面临着资源、环境和人类的威胁和挑战。     

Effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration and temperature on the soil profile methane distribution and diffusion in rice–wheat rotation system

The aim of this experiment was to determine the impacts of climate change on soil profile concentrations and diffusion effluxes of methane in a rice–wheat annual rotation ecosystem in Southeastern China. We initiated a field experiment with four treatments: ambient conditions (CKs), CO₂ concentration elevated to ~ 500 μmol/mol (FACE), temperature elevated by ca. 2°C (T) and combined elevation of CO₂ concentration and temperature (FACE + T). A multilevel sampling probe was designed to collect the soil gas at four different depths, namely, 7 cm, 15 cm, 30 cm and 50 cm. Methane concentrations were higher during the rice season and decreased with depth, while lower during the wheat season and increased with depth. Compared to CK, mean methane concentration was increased by 42%, 57% and 71% under the FACE, FACE + T and T treatments, respectively, at the 7 cm depth during the rice season (p < 0.05). Mean methane diffusion effluxes to the 7 cm depth were positive in the rice season and negative in the wheat season, resulting in the paddy field being a source and weak sink, respectively. Moreover, mean methane diffusion effluxes in the rice season were 0.94, 1.19 and 1.42 mg C/(m²·hr) in the FACE, FACE + T and T treatments, respectively, being clearly higher than that in the CK. The results indicated that elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration and temperature could significantly increase soil profile methane concentrations and their effluxes from a rice–wheat field annual rotation ecosystem (p < 0.05).     

环保标准对环保产业的影响分析

环保标准是实施国家环境保护法律、法规的技术依据, 是开展环境管理、环境执法工作的有力抓手。环 保产业是促进清洁生产和污染减排,实现达标排放的有效措施。环保标准对环保产业的发展具有重要影 响,是环保产业发展的动力,为环保产业挖掘潜能、拓宽空间、提供指导,同时又与环保产业相互依 存。强化环保标准对环保产业的促进作用,应以改革创新的精神综合考虑当前面临的主要问题,有序推 进环保标准的制定和实施工作。