Integration of chemical and biological methods: A case study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons pollution monitoring in Shandong Peninsula, China

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs), as persistent toxic substances(PTS), have been widely monitored in coastal environment, including seawater and sediment. However, scientific monitoring methods, like ecological risk assessment and integrated biomarker response, still need massive researches to verify their availabilities. This study was performed in March, May, August and October of 2018 at eight sites, Yellow River estuary(S1), Guangli Port(S2), Xiaying(S3), Laizhou(S4), Inner Bay(S5), Ou...     

Detecting forest landcape boundary between Mountain Birch and evergreen eoniferous forest in the northern slope of Changbai Mountain

Boundaries between different forest types in Changbai Mountain Eatern China are results from complex interactions between forest ecosystems,topogrphy,and geomorphology.Detecting and quantifying the transitional zones are highly important since high environmental beterogeneity and biodiversity are ofter found within these zpmes.In this study,we used GIS and multivariate statistics techniques(PCA and MSWA) to analyze data from Landsat TM satellite imageries and quantitatively determined the positions and widths of the landscape boundary betweeen mountain birch and evergreen coniferous forests in the northern slope of Changbai Mountain.The results showed that the widths of the landscape boundary ranges from 30-50 m while using the MWW A or/and PC method.Such detected widths are consistent with field transect data that suggest a 50m tranistional zone width.The results further suggest that TM data can be used in combination with GIS and statistical techniques in determining forest landscape boundaries.MSWA is more reliable than PCA,while PCA can also be used to determine the landscape boundary when transects are properly located.     

Optimizing the atmospheric sampling sites using fuzzy mathematic methods

A new approach applying fuzzy mathematic theorems, including the Primary Matrix Element Theorem and the Fisher Classification Method, was established to solve the optimization problem of atmospheric environmental sampling sites. According to its basis, an application in the optimization of sampling sites in the atmospheric environmental monitoring was discussed. The method was proven to be suitable and effective. The results were admitted and applied by the Environmental Protection Bureau (EPB) of many cities of China. A set of computer software of this approach was also comuletelv comniled and used.     

甾醇对南山老龙洞地下河粪便污染的指示

分别于2014年10月,2015年1、3、5月采集重庆南山老龙洞地下河出口的水样,过滤取水悬浮物质,采用气相色谱-质谱联用仪(GC-MS)定量分析悬浮物中甾类物质的成分与质量浓度;利用多指标综合分析对南山老龙洞地下河粪便污染进行判断并追溯粪便污染物的主要来源.结果表明,样品中共测出10种甾类物质,其中包括9种醇类和1种酮类.总甾类物质的质量浓度为1 573~5 007 ng·L-1,且3、5月均大于10、1月.虽然各月间地下河的组成存在差异,但以胆固醇、β-谷甾醇和粪醇为主要成分,三者的质量浓度之和占总甾类的50.8%~80.4%.另外,(差向异构粪醇+粪醇)/(粪醇+差向异构粪醇+二氢胆固醇)的值均大于0.7,指示各月均受到粪便污染;10月差向异构粪醇/粪醇的值小于0.2,指示污水主要来自上游污水处理厂;1、3、5月的粪醇/ΣSteroids、粪醇/24-乙基粪醇的值分别为0.109~0.254、6.3~10.3,指示地下河主要受到人类粪便的影响;3月的24-乙基粪醇/24-乙基胆甾烷醇为0.86,小于1月的5.4和5月的2.3,说明该月地下河受家禽类动物粪便的影响较1月和5月严重.     

Synthesis and kinetics investigation of meso-microporous Cu-SAPO-34 catalysts for the selective catalytic reduction of NO with ammonia

A series of meso-microporous Cu-SAPO-34 catalysts were successfully synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal crystallization method, and these catalysts exhibited excellent NH_3-SCR performance at low temperature. Their structure and physic chemical properties were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction patterns(XRD), Scanning electron microscopy(SEM), Transmission electron microscopy(TEM), N_2 sorption-desorption, nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR), Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission spectrometer(ICP-AES), X-ray absorption spectroscopy(XPS),Temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia(NH_3-TPD), Ultraviolet visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy(UV-Vis DRS) and Temperature programmed reduction(TPR).The analysis results indicate that the high activities of Cu-SAPO-34 catalysts could be attributed to the enhancement of redox property, the formation of mesopores and the more acid sites. Furthermore, the kinetic results verify that the formation of mesopores remarkably reduces diffusion resistance and then improves the accessibility of reactants to catalytically active sites. The 1.0-Cu-SAPO-34 catalyst exhibited the high NO conversion( 90%) among the wide activity temperature window in the range of 150–425℃.     

铁氮掺杂碳纳米管/纤维复合物制备及其催化氧还原的效果

阴极催化剂是影响微生物燃料电池(microbial fuel cell,MFC)性能的关键因素.通过研究制备成本低廉、氧还原反应(ORR)催化活性高的阴极催化剂来替代Pt/C对于实现MFC规模化应用具有重大意义.研究采用化学气相沉淀法,以三聚氰胺作为碳氮前驱物、以黑珍珠2000或乙炔炭黑作为碳源,外加醋酸亚铁作为铁前驱物,合成了两种铁氮掺杂碳纳米管/纤维复合物(FeNCB和FeNCC),作为MFC的阴极催化剂.通过循环伏安法和旋转圆盘-环电极分析FeNCB、FeNCC和Pt/C的ORR催化活性的差异,并用MFC验证其差异.结果表明,FeNCB性能与Pt/C相当,优于FeNCC,其催化路径是通过4电子途径催化氧还原反应;MFC-FeNCB性能略优于MFC-Pt/C,显著优于MFC-FeNCB有助于MFC的扩大化,其最大功率密度为1 212.8mW·m~(-2),开路电压为0.875 V,电池稳定电压为(0.500±0.025)V.用X射线衍射、X射线光电子光谱、拉曼光谱等进一步分析显示,复合物中碳纳米管管径的大小、铁氮掺杂的类型和含量以及氧含量是引起制备的复合物催化氧还原性能差异的原因所在.     

Estimation of bioaccessibility and potential human health risk of mercury in Chinese patent medicines

Mercury(Hg), mainly in cinnabar species, has been used in medicine for thousands of years in China, and worldwide concern has been raised on its toxicity. In this work, the amount of bioaccessible mercury in 16 Chinese patent medicines(CPMs) was measured by using an in vitro simulated digestion system, consisting of simulated gastric and intestinal fluid, to investigate the bioavailability of mercury in CPMs and evaluate its potential risk to human health. Total mercury and mercury in the gastrointestinal extracts were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS). The levels of total Hg in 16 CPMs ranged from not detected to 11.89 mg/g, with a mean value of 1.13 mg/g, while the extractable Hg ranged from not detected to 4.37 μg/g, with a mean value of 0.42 μg/g.Mercury bioaccessibility varied significantly in the investigated CPMs, depending on the ingredient. Compared to the CPMs without cinnabar(2.5%–30.9%), the percentage of mercury in the gastrointestinal supernatants for CPMs with cinnabar was quite a bit lower(0.037%). By comparing with the Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives(FAO/WHO) safety guideline, the average daily intake dose(ADD) of Hg in the medicines was then calculated to access the risk of mercury to human health from taking CPMs.     

Process analysis of characteristics of the boundary layer during a heavy haze pollution episode in an inland megacity, China

Ground observation data from 8 meteorological stations in Xi'an, air mass concentration data from 13 environmental quality monitoring sites in Xi'an, as well as radiosonde observation and wind profile radar data, were used in this study. Thereby, the process, causes and boundary layer meteorological characteristics of a heavy haze episode occurring from 16 to 25 December 2013 in Xi'an were analyzed. Principal component analysis showed that this haze pollution was mainly caused by the high-intensity emission and formation of gaseous pollutants (NO₂, CO and SO₂) and atmospheric particles (PM_2.5 (fine particles) and PM₁₀ (respirable suspended particle). The second cause was the relative humidity and continuous low temperature. The third cause was the allocation of the surface pressure field. The presence of a near-surface temperature inversion at the boundary layer formed favorable stratification conditions for the formation and maintenance of heavy haze pollution. The persistent thick haze layer weakened the solar radiation. Meanwhile, a warming effect in the urban canopy layer and in the transition zone from the urban friction sublayer to the urban canopy was indicated. All these conditions facilitated the maintenance and reinforcement of temperature inversion. The stable atmospheric stratification finally acted on the wind field in the boundary layer, and further weakened the exchange capacity of vertical turbulence. The superposition of a wind field with the horizontal gentle wind induced the typical air stagnation and finally caused the deterioration of air quality during this haze event.     

Regeneration of commercial selective catalyst reduction catalysts deactivated by Pb and other inorganic elements

The regeneration of commercial SCR(Selective Catalyst Reduction) catalysts deactivated by Pb and other elements was studied.The deactivated catalyst samples were prepared by chemical impregnation with mixed solution containing K_2SO_4,Na_2SO_4,CaSO_4,Pb(NO_3)_2and NH_4H_2PO_4.A novel method combining Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt(EDTA-2Na) and H_2SO_4solution(viz.catalysts treated by dilute EDTA-2Na and H_2SO_4 solution in sequence) was used to recover the activity of deactivated samples,and the effect was compared with single H_2SO_4,oxalic acid,acetic acid,EDTA or HNO_3 solutions.The surface structure,acidity and reducibility of samples were characterized by N_2adsorption–desorption,inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer(ICP-OES),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),X-ray fluorescence(XRF),H-2-temperature programmed section(H_2-TPR),NH3-temperature programmed desorption(NH3-TPD) and in situ DRIFTS.Impurities caused a decrease of specific surface area and surface reducibility,as well as Br?nsted acid sites,and therefore led to severe deactivation of the SCR catalyst.The use of an acid solution alone possibly eliminated the impurities on the deactivated catalyst to some extent,and also increased the specific surface area and Br?nsted acid sites and promoted the surface reducibility,thus recovered the activity partially.The combination of EDTA-2Na and H_2SO_4 could remove most of the impurities and improve the activity significantly.The removal of Pb should be an important factor for regeneration.Due to a high removal rate for Pb and other impurities,the combination of EDTA-2Na and H_2SO_4 solutions provided the best efficiency.     

Estimating emissions from crop residue open burning in China based on statistics and MODIS fire products

With the objective of reducing the large uncertainties in the estimations of emissions from crop residue open burning, an improved method for establishing emission inventories of crop residue open burning at a high spatial resolution of 0.25°× 0.25° and a temporal resolution of1 month was established based on the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer(MODIS) Thermal Anomalies/Fire Daily Level3 Global Product(MOD/MYD14A1). Agriculture mechanization ratios and regional crop-specific grain-to-straw ratios were introduced to improve the accuracy of related activity data. Locally observed emission factors were used to calculate the primary pollutant emissions. MODIS satellite data were modified by combining them with county-level agricultural statistical data, which reduced the influence of missing fire counts caused by their small size and cloud cover. The annual emissions of CO_2, CO, CH_4,nonmethane volatile organic compounds(NMVOCs), N_2O, NO_x, NH_3, SO_2, fine particles(PM2.5),organic carbon(OC), and black carbon(BC) were 150.40, 6.70, 0.51, 0.88, 0.01, 0.13, 0.07, 0.43,1.09, 0.34, and 0.06 Tg, respectively, in 2012. Crop residue open burning emissions displayed typical seasonal and spatial variation. The highest emission regions were the Yellow-Huai River and Yangtse-Huai River areas, and the monthly emissions were highest in June(37%).Uncertainties in the emission estimates, measured as 95% confidence intervals, range from a low of within ±126% for N_2O to a high of within ± 169% for NH_3.