Effects of co-exposure to lead and manganese on learning and memory deficits

Lead (Pb) and manganese (Mn) are common neurotoxins. However, individuals are subject to co-exposures in real life, and it is therefore important to study these metals in combination. Weaning Sprague-Dawley rats were given ad libitum access to drinking water solutions containing Pb (100 mg/L), Mn (2.5 mg/mL) or a mixture, and each treatment had its own minocycline (50 mg/(kg•day)) supplement group. The results showed a significant difference in spatial memory and induction levels of hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) in all exposure groups when compared with controls. The combined-exposure group exhibited the most pronounced effect when compared with each of the single-metal exposure groups. Microglia displayed activation at day 3 after exposure alone or in combination, while astrocytes showed activation at day 5, accompanied by decreased expression levels of GLAST, GLT-1, and GS. Furthermore, the levels of glutamate in the synaptic cleft increased significantly. When microglial activation was inhibited by minocycline, the activation of astrocytes and the expression of GLAST, GLT-1, and GS were both reversed. In addition, upon minocycline treatment, hippocampal LTP impairment and cognitive injury were significantly alleviated in each of the exposure groups. These results suggest that combined exposure to Pb and Mn can cause greater effects on cognition and synaptic plasticity when compared to single-metal exposure groups. The reason may involve abnormal activation of microglia leading to excessive regulation of astrocytes, resulting in glutamate reuptake dysfunction in astrocytes and leading to perturbed cognition and synaptic plasticity.     

柠檬酸及EDTA对土壤中六价铬的淋洗修复效果研究

主要研究柠檬酸和EDTA淋洗剂对六价铬污染土壤的淋洗修复效果,重点考察淋洗剂浓度、液固比、淋洗时间和淋洗方式对土壤六价铬去除效果的影响。研究结果表明：随着淋洗剂浓度的增加,柠檬酸淋洗剂对供试土壤六价铬的去除率逐渐升高,最高为54．0%,而EDTA淋洗剂对供试土壤的去除率先升高后降低,浓度在0．4 mol·L-1时达到最高,为66．3%;土壤六价铬去除率随液固比的增加呈现先升高后降低的趋势,当液固比为7：1时,0．5 mol·L-1柠檬酸和0．1 mol·L-1 EDTA淋洗剂对供试土壤六价铬的去除率最高,分别为69．6%和61．9%;增加淋洗时间,供试土壤六价铬的去除率逐渐升高,2 h后增幅不大;就清洗方式而言,EDTA淋洗剂一次加入对土壤六价铬的去除效果最好,而柠檬酸淋洗剂宜采用二次加入一次分离的方式。     

西南环境移民安置地的生态环境状况

以桂西北环江县肯福环境移民安置示范区为例，对我国西南喀斯特地区，环境移民安置区的气候、地貌、土壤与植被等主要生态因子，进行了调查研究与取样分析，研究表明，环境移民安置地由于地处亚热带季风气候区，具有气候温暖，雨量充沛、日照充足，且雨热同季的特点；地貌破碎，土地以坡地为主，但有一定量可开垦利用的土地；土壤主要为红壤，土壤剖面发育良好，有机质和氮含量相对丰富，磷、钾缺乏，土壤酸度大，土壤质地和结构尚可     

两相消化系统产酸相酸化特性模型

通过物料衡算建立产酸相的酸化特性分段模型 ,并求得本研究两相消化系统处理淀粉配制废水情况下产酸相动力学参数为 :产酸菌产率系数 Y=0 .2 8mg·mg^-1,产酸菌衰减系数 kd=0.054h^-1,产酸菌最大比增长率μm=3.1 h^-1,饱和系数 Ks=1866mg·L^-1.讨论了产酸相酸化率对整个系统运行状况的影响 ,表明高酸化率有利于提高系统的处理效率和沼气回收 .     

Land Resources Allocation Strategies in an Urban Area Involving Uncertainty: A Case Study of Suzhou,in the Yangtze River Delta of China

A large number of mathematical models have been developed to support land resource allocation decisions and land management needs; however, few of them can address various uncertainties that exist in relation to many factors presented in such decisions (e.g., land resource availabilities, land demands, land-use patterns, and social demands, as well as ecological requirements). In this study, a multi-objective interval-stochastic land resource allocation model (MOISLAM) was developed for tackling uncertainty that presents as discrete intervals and/or probability distributions. The developed model improves upon the existing multi-objective programming and inexact optimization approaches. The MOISLAM not only considers economic factors, but also involves food security and eco-environmental constraints; it can, therefore, effectively reflect various interrelations among different aspects in a land resource management system. Moreover, the model can also help examine the reliability of satisfying (or the risk of violating) system constraints under uncertainty. In this study, the MOISLAM was applied to a real case of long-term urban land resource allocation planning in Suzhou, in the Yangtze River Delta of China. Interval solutions associated with different risk levels of constraint violation were obtained. The results are considered useful for generating a range of decision alternatives under various system conditions, and thus helping decision makers to identify a desirable land resource allocation strategy under uncertainty.     

A new and integrated hydro-economic accounting and analytical framework for water resources: a case study for North China

Water is a critical issue in China for a variety of reasons. China is poor of water resources with 2300m(3) of per capita availability, which is less than 13 of the world average. This is exacerbated by regional differences; e.g. North China's water availability is only about 271m(3) of per capita value, which is only 125 of the world's average. Furthermore, pollution contributes to water scarcity and is a major source for diseases, particularly for the poor. The Ministry of Hydrology [1997. China's Regional Water Bullets. Water Resource and Hydro-power Publishing House, Beijing, China] reports that about 65-80% of rivers in North China no longer support any economic activities. Previous studies have emphasized the amount of water withdrawn but rarely take water quality into consideration. The quality of the return flows usually changes; the water quality being lower than the water flows that entered the production process initially. It is especially important to measure the impacts of wastewater to the hydro-ecosystem. Thus, water consumption should not only account for the amount of water inputs but also the amount of water contaminated in the hydro-ecosystem by the discharged wastewater. In this paper we present a new accounting and analytical approach based on economic input-output modelling combined with a mass balanced hydrological model that links interactions in the economic system with interactions in the hydrological system. We thus follow the tradition of integrated economic-ecologic input-output modelling. Our hydro-economic accounting framework and analysis tool allows tracking water consumption on the input side, water pollution leaving the economic system and water flows passing through the hydrological system thus enabling us to deal with water resources of different qualities. Following this method, the results illustrate that North China requires 96% of its annual available water, including both water inputs for the economy and contaminated water that is ineligible for any uses.     

Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in riverine runoff of the Pearl River Delta, China: assessment of mass loading, input source and environmental fate

A large-scale sampling program was conducted to simultaneously collect water samples at the eight major riverine runoff outlets of the Pearl River Delta (PRD), South China to assess the importance of riverine runoff in transporting anthropogenic pollutants from terrestrial sources to the coastal ocean. The concentrations of ∑₂₁OCPs (sum of 21 OCP components) and ∑₂₀PCBs (sum of 20 PCB congeners) were 2.57-41.2 and 0.12-1.47 ng/L, respectively. Compositional distributions of DDTs suggested the possibility of new input sources in the study area, but contributions from dicofol seemed considerably low. The annual inputs of ∑₂₁OCPs and ∑₂₀PCBs were 3090 and 215 kg, with those of total HCHs and DDTs being 1110 and 1020 kg, respectively. A mass balance consideration indicated that riverine runoff is the major mode carrying OCPs from the PRD to the coastal ocean, and the majority of OCPs is further dissipated to open seas.     

Fate of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the environment of the Pearl River Estuary, South China

Ninety-six riverine runoff samples collected at eight major outlets in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), South China, during 2005-2006 were analyzed for 17 brominated diphenyl ether (BDE) congeners (defined as Σ₁₇PBDE). Fourteen and 15 congeners were detected, respectively, in the dissolved and particulate phases. These data were further used to elucidate the partitioning behavior of BDE congeners in riverine runoff. Several related fate processes, i.e. air-water exchange, dry and wet deposition, degradation, and sedimentation, within the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), were examined to estimate the inputs of Σ₁₀PBDE (sum of the target BDE congeners, BDE-28, -47, -66, -85, -99, -100, -138, -153, -154, and -183) and BDE-209 from the PRD to the coastal ocean based on mass balance considerations. The results showed that annual outflows of Σ₁₀PBDE and BDE-209 were estimated at 126 and 940 kg/year, respectively from the PRE to coastal ocean. Besides sedimentation and degradation, the majority of Σ₁₀PBDE and BDE-209 discharged into the PRE via riverine runoff was transported to the coastal ocean.     

Cr(VI) uptake mechanism of Bacillus cereus

In this study, we investigated the Cr(VI) uptake mechanism in an indigenous Cr(VI)-tolerant bacterial strain -Bacillus cereus through batch and microscopic experiments. We found that both the cells and the supernatant collected from B. cereus cultivation could reduce Cr(VI). The valence state analysis revealed the complete transformation from Cr(VI) into Cr(III) by living B. cereus. Further X-ray absorption fine structure and Fourier transform infrared analyses showed that the reduced Cr(III) was coordinated with carboxyl and amido functional groups from either the cells or supernatant. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy observation showed that noticeable Cr(III) precipitates were accumulated on bacterial surfaces. However, Cr(III) could also be detected in bacterial inner portions by using transmission electron microscopy thin section analysis coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Through quantitative analysis of chromium distribution, we determined the binding ratio of Cr(III) in supernatant, cell debris and cytoplasm as 22%, 54% and 24%, respectively. Finally, we further discussed the role of bacterium-origin soluble organic molecules to the remediation of Cr(VI) pollutants.     

Differential pressure in membrane channel caused by foulant capture onto spacers.

Feed spacers in spiral-wound reverse osmosis membrane modules are highly susceptible to deposition or attachment of suspended particulates and organic matters in the feed stream. This type of fouling can cause a significant pressure drop along the membrane channel (differential pressure) without much effect on the average permeate flux. In practical applications, membrane cleaning is often triggered when the differential pressure in a membrane channel exceeds a threshold value. A mathematical model was developed to simulate the development of differential pressure in the feed channel resulting from foulant capture by the feed spacers. Simulations were carried out to investigate and demonstrate the effect of various parameters on differential pressures in the membrane channel. Differential pressures observed in a two-stage reverse osmosis water reclamation plant were simulated with the model, and the results showed that the model could adequately describe the increase of differential pressure with operating time in the reverse osmosis plant.