Mitochondrial toxicity and in vitro biological effects of ambient PM2.5 from an urban site in China

Abstract

The roles of PM_2.5-induced mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress on mast cell degranulation were examined in vitro. Mast cells were treated with suspensions of PM_2.5 in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium at concentrations from 25 to 200?mg/L in the absence or presence of 10?mmol/L N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Biological effects and mitochondrial function were assessed by determining cell viability, β-hexosaminidase release, interleukin-4 secretion, reactive oxygen species generation, adenosine triphosphate production, potential alteration of mitochondrial membrane, and activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes I and III. Exposure of mast cells to PM_2.5 induced reduction of adenosine triphosphate production, collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, and inhibition of the activity of complex III. Co-treatment of mast cells exposed to PM_2.5 with N-acetyl-L-cysteine attenuated cytotoxicity and the production of reactive oxygen species, and decreased the release of β-hexosaminidase and interleukin-4. Evidently, PM_2.5-induced oxidative stress plays an essential role in mitochondrial toxicity and mast cell activation.     

Scenario-based assessment and multi-objective optimization of urban development plan with carrying capacity of water system

• Impact of urban development on water system is assessed with carrying capacity. • Impacts on both water resource quantity and environmental quality are involved. • Multi-objective optimization revealing system trade-off facilitate the regulation. • Efficiency, scale and structure of urban development are regulated in two stages. • A roadmap approaching more sustainable development is provided for the case city. Environmental impact assessments and subsequent regulation measures of urban development plans are critical to human progress toward sustainability, since these plans set the scale and structure targets of future socioeconomic development. A three-step methodology for assessing and optimizing an urban development plan focusing on its impacts on the water system was developed. The methodology first predicted the pressure on the water system caused by implementation of the plan under distinct scenarios, then compared the pressure with the carrying capacity threshold to verify the system status; finally, a multi-objective optimization method was used to propose regulation solutions. The methodology enabled evaluation of the water system carrying state, taking socioeconomic development uncertainties into account, and multiple sets of improvement measures under different decisionmaker preferences were generated. The methodology was applied in the case of Zhoushan city in South-east China. The assessment results showed that overloading problems occurred in 11 out of the 13 zones in Zhoushan, with the potential pressure varying from 1.1 to 18.3 times the carrying capacity. As a basic regulation measure, an environmental efficiency upgrade could relieve the overloading in 4 zones and reduce 9%‒63% of the pressure. The optimization of industrial development showed that the pressure could be controlled under the carrying capacity threshold if the planned scale was reduced by 24% and the industrial structure was transformed. Various regulation schemes including a more suitable scale and structure with necessary efficiency standards are provided for decisionmakers that can help the case city approach a more sustainable development pattern.     

Taxonomic and functional variations in the microbial community during the upgrade process of a full-scale landfill leachate treatment plant – from conventional to partial nitrification-denitrification

• Upgrade process was investigated in a full-scale landfill leachate treatment plant. • The optimization of DO can technically achieve the shift from CND to PND process. • Nitrosomonas was mainly responsible for ammonium oxidation in PND system. • An obviously enrichment of Thauera was found in the PND process. • Enhanced metabolic potentials on organics was found during the process update. Because of the low access to biodegradable organic substances used for denitrification, the partial nitrification-denitrification process has been considered as a low-cost, sustainable alternative for landfill leachate treatment. In this study, the process upgrade from conventional to partial nitrification-denitrification was comprehensively investigated in a full-scale landfill leachate treatment plant (LLTP). The partial nitrification-denitrification system was successfully achieved through the optimizing dissolved oxygen and the external carbon source, with effluent nitrogen concentrations lower than 150 mg/L. Moreover, the upgrading process facilitated the enrichment of Nitrosomonas (abundance increased from 0.4% to 3.3%), which was also evidenced by increased abundance of amoA/B/C genes carried by Nitrosomonas. Although Nitrospira (accounting for 0.1%–0.6%) was found to stably exist in the reactor tank, considerable nitrite accumulation occurred in the reactor (reaching 98.8 mg/L), indicating high-efficiency of the partial nitrification process. Moreover, the abundance of Thauera, the dominant denitrifying bacteria responsible for nitrite reduction, gradually increased from 0.60% to 5.52% during the upgrade process. This process caused great changes in the microbial community, inducing continuous succession of heterotrophic bacteria accompanied by enhanced metabolic potentials toward organic substances. The results obtained in this study advanced our understanding of the operation of a partial nitrification-denitrification system and provided a technical case for the upgrade of currently existing full-scale LLTPs.     

A novel sigma coordinate system to simulate abrupt changes of underwater terrain in a hydrodynamic model: application to Lake Mead,USA

The sigma (SIG) coordinate system in ocean circulation simulation models results inevitably in horizontal pressure gradient error. This problem also emerges in models of deep lakes or reservoirs with the same characteristics of underwater terrain mutation. SIG coordinates reflect vertical relative stratification but cannot be used to calculate horizontal pressure gradient force in places with drastic topographic changes; this results in vertical water temperature and circulation errors. In deep lakes or reservoirs, differences in water density caused by the temperature difference between upper and lower water bodies is the primary cause of thermal stratification phenomena. Lake Mead was used as a case study on steep topography based on Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC) model in this study. SIG coordinates result in close agreement between the calibrated temperature time series at the top and middle water layers, but disparity in the bottom water layer. The error emerges in the horizontal pressure gradient error due to the SIG coordinate transformation. Neither increasing the vertical resolution nor adjusting the horizontal viscosity coefficient resolve this error. We test the sigma-zed (SGZ) coordinate which combines Z coordinate and SIG coordinate as a replacement for the SIG coordinate to find that they effectively reduce the model’s runtime and simulation efficiency. The vertical temperature distribution in SGZ coordinate mode is more accurate than the distribution in SIG coordinate mode. The Navier-Stokes horizontal gradient and advection diffusion equation results under SIG coordinates are very sensitive to the pressure gradient. The replacement also enhances resolution near the thermocline, facilitates reclosing of the water bottom and the equal sigma surface, lends significant advantages in terms of vertical temperature in the simulation for local deep water with steep terrain, and shortens runtime for 0.14 h. SGZ mixed coordinates are recommended in the simulation of deep lakes or reservoirs wherein the underwater topography is large (with abundant continuous deep trenches or reefs).

     

生物还原-化学沉淀法自烟气中的SO2制备ZnS

采用生物还原—化学沉淀法自烟气中的SO2制备ZnS,将含有Zn(OH)2杂质的粗品ZnS通过化学提纯制得高纯度ZnS。实验结果表明,采用NH4C l-NH3.H2O混合液对含有Zn(OH)2杂质的粗品ZnS进行提纯的优化条件为:每500m g粗品ZnS加入NH4C l与NH3.H2O摩尔比为1∶1、两组分浓度均为3.0m o l/L的10mLNH4C l-NH3.H2O混合液。X射线衍射分析表明,提纯后的产物粉末全部为ZnS,其纯度与ZnS标准试样相当。     

CO2资源化利用的现状及前景

介绍了CO2分离捕集最新工艺——电化学法、膜法、化学循环燃烧法的研究进展。评述分析了CO2的各种资源化应用前景：CO2气体用作生物碳源、辅助注射成型剂及有机物（如氨基甲酸酯、表面活性剂）合成原料等;液态CO2用于人造金刚石、热泵干燥、超临界CO2萃取及固体干冰冷喷射清洗等。CO2作为一种潜在的丰富碳源,应不断研发其新的应用领域,加快其工业化应用。     

负载稀土元素活性碳纤维在微型反应器中净化NO废气

以NH3为还原剂,以活性碳纤维（ACF）、HNO,浸渍的ACF、负载CuO的ACF和负载La2O3的ACF为催化剂,在微型反应器中考察各种催化剂对NO催化还原的活性,并进行了差热-热重、扫描电镜分析。实验结果表明,ACF负载La能有效地改善催化剂的活性,且催化活性中心为非晶态的氧化物;当ACF负载20％的La2O3时具有最好的低温活性,NO的去除率最高可达92％以上。     

植物修复--大面积低剂量放射性污染的新治理技术

放射性污染是当今难以治理的环境污染问题,对于大面积低剂量的放射性污染,植物修复是种较适用的新型治理技术.系统阐述了植物修复技术的概念与内容,对放射性污染植物修复技术研究现状与进展、植物修复的优缺点进行了重点评述,并对这技术在未来放射性污染治理中的应用与研究提出了建议.     

铝件表面处理废水治理所得化学污泥的再生利用研究

对混凝法处理铝件表面处理废水治理所得化学污泥再生利用进行了研究,得到了适宜的操作条件.结果表明,用浓硫酸溶解污泥的最佳用量为0.14～0.16 mL/g湿污泥,湿污泥的溶解率可达90%,铝的溶出率也可达95%以上.把污泥的溶解液作混凝剂回用于印染废水的混凝处理也取得了良好的效果,其COD去除率≥80%,脱色率≥90%.实现了资源的二次利用,改善了作业环境,获得了较好的经济效益和社会效益.     

废水中2,6-二硝基酚厌氧毒性和降解动力学研究

在中温(35℃±1℃)厌氧条件下,以葡萄糖为共基质,采用间歇实验方法,研究了2,6-二硝基酚(2,6-DNP)的厌氧产甲烷毒性和厌氧降解动力学.厌氧毒性试验(ATA)以累计产甲烷量和相对活性(RA)为指标,评价了不同浓度2,6-DNP对产甲烷菌的抑制程度;结果表明,2,6-DNP浓度＜20 mg/L时,对产甲烷菌没有抑制作用,浓度为40 mg/L时产生轻度抑制,浓度为80～120 mg/L时产生重度抑制;24 h 2,6-DNP的75%、50%、25%相对抑制浓度分别为30、70和＞120 mg/L.2,6-DNP降解动力学可用Haldane方程来描述,利用非线性拟合求得动力学参数Ks、Rm、Ki分别为179.7 mg/L、4.84 mg/g VSS·h、206.5 mg/L,方差R2=0.94,拟合效果很好.