Assessment of potential soybean cadmium excluder cultivars at different concentrations of Cd in soils

The selection of cadmium-excluding cultivars has been used to minimize the transfer of cadmium into the human food chain. In this experiment, five Chinese soybean plants were grown in three soils with different concentrations of Cd (0.15, 0.75 and 1.12 mg/kg). Variations in uptake, enrichment, and translocation of Cd among these soybean cultivars were studied. The results indicated that the concentration of Cd in seeds that grew at 1.12 mg/kg Cd in soils exceeded the permitted maximum levels in soybeans. Therefore, our results indicated that even some soybean cultivars grown on soils with permitted levels of Cd might accumulate higher concentrations of Cd in seeds that are hazardous to human health. The seeds of these five cultivars were further assessed for interactions between Cd and other mineral nutrient elements such as Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn and Zn. High Cd concentration in soil was found to inhibit the uptake of Mn. Furthermore, Fe and Zn accumulations were found to be enhanced in the seeds of all of the five soybean cultivars in response to high Cd concentration. Cultivar Tiefeng 31 was found to fit the criteria for a Cd-excluding cultivar under different concentrations of Cd in soils.     

Toward rational design of amines for CO2 capture: Substituent effect on kinetic process for the reaction of monoethanolamine with CO2

Amines have been considered as promising candidates for post-combustion CO₂ capture. A mechanistic understanding for the chemical processes involved in the capture and release of CO₂ is important for the rational design of amines. In this study, the structural effects of amines on the kinetic competition among three typical products (carbamates, carbamic acids and bicarbonate) from amines + CO₂ were investigated, in contrast to previous thermodynamic studies to tune the reaction of amines with CO₂ based on desirable reaction enthalpy and reaction stoichiometry. We used a quantum chemical method to calculate the activation energies (E_a) for the reactions of a range of substituted monoethanolamines with CO₂ covering three pathways to the three products. The results indicate that the formation of carbamates is the most favorable, among the three considered products. In addition, we found that the E_a values for all pathways linearly correlate with pK_a of amines, and more importantly, the kinetic competition between carbamate and bicarbonate absorption pathways varies with pK_a of the amines, i.e. stronger basicity results in less difference in E_a. These results highlight the importance of the consideration of kinetic competition among different reaction pathways in amine design.     

中国新型城镇化发展的“C 模式”研究

研究了以美国为首的发达国家城镇化的发展历程,称为“A模式”,主要特征为城市低密度蔓延、全民机动化、资源大量消耗、一次性产品泛滥、过度消费等,总结经验教训,对比中国特色城镇化的发展历程,称为“ B模式”,主要特点是起步晚、水平较低、速度快,从资源与环境的角度分析了中国城镇化发展状况以及面临的形势,指出中国继续以“B模式”的城镇化发展将不可持续,不再适应中国建设“新型城镇化”的发展目标和日益提高的环保要求,探索实现中国“新型城镇化”的发展目标的“C模式”,即是坚持以节约优先、保护优先、自然恢复为原则,走以新型工业化和农业现代化推动下的新型城镇化道路。     

Statistical evaluation of an analytical IC method for the determination of trace level perchlorate

Trace level perchlorate analysis in water initiated a new development in the Ion Chromatography (IC) technology. Maintenance of a low detection limit may be highly affected by the operating conditions of the IC system. In this paper the homoscedasticity of the IC system within the calibration concentration range, the effect of the system drift on the calibration curve and the effect of the self regeneration suppressor (SRS) current on the detection limit were investigated. The experimental results were evaluated by statistical methods such as the Cochran test and the lack of fit test. The detection limits were obtained by two ways. One through method detection limit (MDL) and the other through detection limit from the calibration curve (DTC). The Cochran test results revealed the homoscedasticity of the IC system. The effect of system drift on the calibration curve was noticed by the lack of fit test. MDL yielded a lower but less reliable detection limit than DTC. An acceptable detection limit can be achieved under the lower SRS current (100 mA).     

Effects of metsulfuron-methyl on the microbial population and enzyme activities in wheat rhizosphere soil

The effects of metsulfuron-methyl, a sulfonylurea herbicide, on the wheat soil microorganisms were evaluated by the methods of microbial inoculation culture, and the activities of three enzymes were measured using the colorimetric method. The tolerant microorganisms that can resist 500 microg x g(-1) metsulfuron-methyl in the counting culture medium were studied specially. Metsulfuron-methyl distinctly inhibited the common aerobic heterotriphic bacteria, but the effects on common fungi and common actinomycete were not evident. In the meantime, the number of tolerant fungi increased greatly in the rhizosphere after the application of metsulfuron-methyl in contrast to the significant decrease of the amount of tolerant actinomycete. It indicates that fungi might turn into the dominant microbial type and actinomycete is the sensitive factor in the soil polluted by sulfonylurea residues. The population of aromatic compounds-decomposing bacteria, aerobic azotobacter, and nitrite bacteria all increased in the earlier period, but the aerobic azotobacter decreased rapidly in number 30 days later, and the amount of nitrite bacteria also showed a temporary decrease with time 15 days later. However, the denitrifying bacteria just began to increase significantly after the crops had grown for 50 days. The amount of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria gradually decreased with the growth of crops, and so were the sulfate-reducing bacteria after metsulfuron-methyl application. To all types of microorganisms, there were more microbes in rhizosphere samples than those in nonrhizosphere except aerobic azotobacter. It means the growth of wheat root system can stimulate the growth of most microorganisms. The activities of hydrogen peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase in soil samples after metsulfuron-methyl application were notably lower than those in the control, and the difference of the activities between the samples of rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere was evident. On the contrary, the activity of dehydrogenase was not inhibited by the application of metsulfuron-methyl, and the rhizosphere effect was not obvious either.     

137Cs budget during the period of 1960s in a small drainage basin on the Loess Plateau of China

A sediment profile with a thickness of 28.12 m in a failed reservoir in a small catchment of the Yuntaishan Gully in the Loess Plateau of China consisted of 44 flood couplets deposited during the period from 1960 to 1970 with total volume of 2.36 x 10(6)m(3). Specific sediment yields for a flood event varied from 300 t km(-2) to 14,400 t km(-2) and annual sediment yields varied from 2500 t km(-2) in 1966 to 40,000 t km(-2) in 1964 with a mean value of 12,700 t km(-2)a(-1) for the period. Average annual (137)Cs concentrations of the sediments increased from 0.92 Bq kg(-1) in 1960 to 4.82 Bq kg(-1) in 1963, then decreased to 1.53 Bq kg(-1) in 1970. The total (137)Cs activity in the reservoir sediments was 9.22 x 10(9) Bq, which accounted for 31.9% of the total (137)Cs fallout precipitation of 2.89 x 10(10) Bq within the catchment during the period. The proportion of the (137)Cs loss from the catchment to the (137)Cs fallout precipitation within the catchment in a year varied between 8.01% and 66.8%, and it was 20.9% for the peak (137)Cs deposition year of 1963 and 52.0% in 1964. By analysis of the (137)Cs budget in the catchment for the (137)Cs peak precipitation period from 1962 to 1964, the (137)Cs surface enrichment coefficient Gamma should be much less than 0.23. And for calculation of soil losses on the cultivated land in the inter-gully area by using the Mass Balance Model II, the value of Gamma should be 0.05-0.1.     

四川盆地丘陵区紫色土退化研究——Ⅱ.紫色土退化的微形态特征

采用比较研究法和辅以定点追踪观测,研究了四川盆地丘陵区几种主要紫色土退化的微形态特征。根据土壤退化的某些微形态诊断特征,将紫色土退化问题归纳为土壤物理性退化、土壤构造性退化和土壤营养性退化等类;在此基础上,评价了本区几种主要紫色土的退化状况,并提出应重点治理典型紫色土的退化和紫色土普遍存在的构造性退化问题。     

基于系统投入产出和生态网络分析的能源-水耦合关系与协同管理研究——以湖北省为例

能源和水资源之间存在紧密的耦合关系。以往的资源管理政策往往只关注单一资源,忽略了两者的关联性。为促进能源和水资源综合管理,有必要开展能源-水耦合关系和协同管理研究。从社会经济网络视角出发,论文综合运用系统投入产出和生态网络分析方法,构建了湖北省2007和2012年能源-水耦合网络核算框架。结果表明：1）2012年湖北体现能源最终消费量为14 304.93万tce,体现水资源最终消费量为346.66亿m³,相比2007年分别增长52.26%和7.89%,其中,体现在最终使用中能源与水资源流有近50%来自制造业;2）2007年湖北省水资源网络和能源网络的循环率都约为2.71%,与2007年相比,2012年水资源网络循环率显著增长至4.23%~4.40%,而能源网络循环率则变化较小;3）能源网络和水资源网络的系统鲁棒性都偏向于冗余度更高、效率更低的一侧;4）由于能源-水耦合网络的引入,2007—2012年间,在能源和水资源网络中,电力、热力生产和供应部门对于大多数部门的控制都呈现不同程度的增强趋势。研究辨识了能源与水资源协同管理的关键部门和路径,为湖北省能源和水资源可持续利用提供了理论与数据支撑。     

Novel synthetic approaches and TWC catalytic performance of flower-like Pt/CeO2

A novel Ultrasonic Assisted Membrane Reduction （UAMR）-hydrothermal method was used to prepare flower-like Pt/CeO2 catalysts. The texture, physical/chemical properties, and reducibility of the flower-like Pt/CeO2 catalysts were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction （XRD）, Scanning Electron Microscope （SEM）, Transmission Electron Microscope （TEM）, N2 adsorption, and hydrogen temperature programmed reduction （HE-TPR） techniques. The catalytic performance of the catalysts for treating automobile emission was studied relative to samples prepared by the conventional wetness impregnation method. The Pt/CeO2 catalysts fabricated by this novel method showed high specific surface area and metal dispersion, excellent three-way catalytic activity, and good thermal stability. The strong interaction between the Pt nanoparticles and CeO2 improved the thermal stability. The Ce4＋ ions were incorporated into the surfactant chains and the Pt nanoparticles were stabilized through an exchange reaction of the surface hydroxyl groups. The SEM results demonstrated that the Pt/CeO2 catalysts had a typical three-dimensional （3D） hierarchical porous struc- ture, which was favorable for surface reaction and enhanced the exposure degree of the Pt nanoparticles. In brief, the flower-like Pt/CeO2 catalysts prepared by UAMR-hydrothermal method exhibited a higher Pt metal dispersion, smaller particle size, better three-way catalytic activity, and improved thermal stability versus conven- tional materials.     

Lead contamination in tea garden soils and factors affecting its bioavailability

The consumption of heavy metals is detrimental to human health and most countries restrict the concentration of metals such as lead (Pb) in food and beverages. Recent tests have detected high Pb concentrations in certain commercial brands of tea leaves and this finding has raised concerns for both producers and consumers. To investigate what factors may be contributing to the increase in Pb accumulation in the tea leaves we collected tea leaves and soils from tea producing areas and analyzed them for Pb concentration, pH and organic matter content. The result showed the Pb concentration of 47% investigated tea leaves samples was beyond 2 mg kg(-1), the permissible levels given by China. The total Pb concentration in the surface and subsurface soil layers averaged 36.4 and 32.2 mg kg(-1), respectively which fall below of the 60 mg kg(-1) limit provided for organic tea gardens in China. The pH of the tea garden soils was severely acidic with the lowest pH of 3.37. Soils under older tea gardens tended to have a lower pH and a higher Pb bioavailability which was defined as the amount of lead extracted by CaCl2 solution than those under younger tea gardens. We found that the concentration of bioavailable Pb and the percentage of bioavailable Pb (bioavailable Pb relative to total Pb concentration) were positively correlated with soil H+ activity and soil organic matter content, and the organic matter accumulation contribute more effects on Pb bioavailability in these two factors. We conclude that soil acidification and organic matter accumulation could contribute to increasing Pb bioavailability in soil and that these could increase Pb uptake and accumulation in the tea leaves.