Using a neural network approach and time series data from an international monitoring station in the Yellow Sea for modeling marine ecosystems

The international marine ecological safety monitoring demonstration station in the Yellow Sea was developed as a collaborative project between China and Russia. It is a nonprofit technical workstation designed as a facility for marine scientific research for public welfare. By undertaking long-term monitoring of the marine environment and automatic data collection, this station will provide valuable information for marine ecological protection and disaster prevention and reduction. The results of some initial research by scientists at the research station into predictive modeling of marine ecological environments and early warning are described in this paper. Marine ecological processes are influenced by many factors including hydrological and meteorological conditions, biological factors, and human activities. Consequently, it is very difficult to incorporate all these influences and their interactions in a deterministic or analysis model. A prediction model integrating a time series prediction approach with neural network nonlinear modeling is proposed for marine ecological parameters. The model explores the natural fluctuations in marine ecological parameters by learning from the latest observed data automatically, and then predicting future values of the parameter. The model is updated in a “rolling” fashion with new observed data from the monitoring station. Prediction experiments results showed that the neural network prediction model based on time series data is effective for marine ecological prediction and can be used for the development of early warning systems.     

Vegetation dynamics during different abandoned year spans in the land of the Loess Plateau of China

In this semi-arid area, many studies focused on the two-phase vegetation pattern were carried out to explore a changing vegetation trajectory on degraded land. However, this study conducted an analysis of a two-phase vegetation pattern and explored the successional vegetation trajectories in a positive succession without disturbance. In this work, 60 randomly distributed plots (1?×?1 m) were invested on four abandoned land areas (4-, 12-, 22-, and 50-year abandoned land) to determine attributes of vegetation, and soil physical and nutritional properties. It was found that vegetation distribution development went from homogeneous on 4-year abandoned land to heterogeneous on 50-year abandoned land, with a positive succession. Meanwhile, there was a significant difference in soil physical and nutritional properties for the inside and outside of vegetation patches. Vegetation patches can supply better soil physical and nutritional properties for vegetation than bare patches along the abandoned time. Vegetation diversity changes without a regular trend which may be due to the effect of environment and interspecies competition. This work picked up the slack for vegetation patterns succession research and provided a quantitative analysis approach.     

The temporal changes in road stormwater runoff quality and the implications to first flush control in Chongqing, China

This study investigates the quality of stormwater runoff from a driveway in the southwest mountainous urban area of Chongqing, China, from 2010 to 2011. The results showed that the mean concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) were 4.1, 2.4, and 2.2 times the grade V levels of the national surface water standard of China. The pollutant concentration peak preceded or synchronized with the rainfall intensity peak and occurred 10 min after the runoff started. The significant high pollutant concentration in the initial stage of the rainfall suggested that first flush control is necessary, especially for the most polluted constitutes, such as total suspended solids, COD, and TN. Three potential pollution sources were identified: the atmospheric dry and wet deposition (TN, NO₃ ^?-N, NH₄ ⁺-N, and DCu), the road sediment and materials (total suspended solids, COD, and TP), and the vehicle emissions (DPb and DZn). Therefore, this study indicates that reductions in road sediments and material pollution and dry and wet deposition should be the priority factors for pollution control of road stormwater runoff in mountainous urban areas.     

膜分离—变压吸附耦合工艺处理催化剂载体生产废气

采用膜分离—变压吸附耦合工艺处理DQ催化剂载体生产过程产生的高浓度挥发性有机物（VOCs）废气。实验结果表明：在进气正己烷和非甲烷总烃的质量浓度分别为95 000~212 000 mg/m³和100 000 ~220 000 mg/m³、渗余侧压力0.25 MPa、渗透侧真空度0.09 MPa、进气流量15 Nm³/h的条件下,膜分离单元对废气中正己烷及非甲烷总烃的平均去除率分别为97.88%和97.29%;变压吸附单元对正己烷及非甲烷总烃的平均去除率分别为99.35%和99.33%;整套装置对正己烷及非甲烷总烃的平均总去除率分别为99.99%和99.98%。平均正己烷回收率达95.56%。处理后废气中非甲烷总烃质量浓度小于70 mg/ m³,达到北京市DB 11/ 447—2007 《炼油与石油化学工业大气污染物排放标准》的一级指标。     

Single-Plant Biocomposite from Ricinus Communis: Preparation, Properties and Environmental Performance

A single-plant biobased composite material was prepared from fibre and matrix constituents produced from the castor plant, ricinus communis. It is shown that the mechanical properties of the castor plant fibres are comparable to those of other bast fibres and that the stiffness and strength characteristics of the castor fibre/polyamide 11 biocomposite compare well with those of other natural fibre composites. By using a biobased thermoplastic matrix material the reliance on non-renewable feedstock sources is reduced and end-of-lifetime recyclability is improved. The analysis of the environmental performance of the new castor plant composite suggests that the biobased material has great potential as a sustainable alternative replacing glass fibre-reinforced plastics.     

咪唑啉硫酸酯盐的缓蚀性能及协同增效作用研究

参照SY/T 5405-1996《酸化用缓蚀剂性能试验方法及评价指标》,采用静态失重法评价咪唑啉硫酸酯盐缓蚀剂1-羟乙基-2-油酸基咪唑啉硫酸酯盐(ISES)与丙炔醇(BCC)、非离子表面活性剂OP-10组成的二元和三元复配缓蚀剂体系对N80钢的缓蚀性能,考察二元和三元复配缓蚀剂体系的协同增效作用。通过动电位极化扫描和电化学阻抗分析对ISES及其复配体系的电化学行为进行研究。     

Seasonal variations of CH(4) and N(2)O emissions in response to water management of paddy fields located in Southeast China

Water management is one of the most important practices that affect methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from paddy fields. A field experiment was designed to study the effects of controlled irrigation (CI) on CH₄ and N₂O emissions from paddy fields, with traditional irrigation (TI) as the control. The effects of CI on CH₄ and N₂O emissions from paddy fields were very clear. The peaks of CH₄ emissions from the CI paddies were observed 1-2 d after the water layer disappeared. Afterward, the emissions reduced rapidly and remained low until the soil was re-flooded. A slight increase of CH₄ emission was observed in a short period after re-flooding. N₂O emissions peaks from CI paddies were all observed 8-10 d after the fertilization at the WFPS ranging from 78.1% to 85.3%. Soil drying caused substantial N₂O emissions, whereas no substantial N₂O emissions were observed when the soil was re-wetted after the dry phase. Compared with TI, the cumulative CH₄ emissions from the CI fields were reduced by 81.8% on the average, whereas the cumulative N₂O emissions were increased by 135.4% on the average. The integrative global warming potential of CH₄ and N₂O on a 100-year horizon decreased by 27.3% in the CI paddy fields, whereas no significant difference in the rice yield was observed between the CI and TI fields. These results suggest that CI can effectively mitigate the integrative greenhouse effect caused by CH₄ and N₂O emissions from paddy fields while ensuring the rice yield.     

Degradation of 1,4-dioxane in water with heat- and Fe2+-activated persulfate oxidation

This research investigated the 1,4-dioxane (1,4-D) degradation efficiency and rate during persulfate oxidation at different temperatures, with and without Fe²⁺ addition, also considering the effect of pH and persulfate concentration on the oxidation of 1,4-D. Degradation pathways for 1,4-D have also been proposed based on the decomposition intermediates and by-products. The results indicate that 1,4-D was completely degraded with heat-activated persulfate oxidation within 3–80 h. The kinetics of the 1,4-D degradation process fitted well to a pseudo-first-order reaction model. Temperature was identified as the most important factor influencing the 1,4-D degradation rate during the oxidation process. As the temperature increased from 40 to 60 °C, the degradation rate improved significantly. At 40 °C, the addition of Fe²⁺ also increased the 1,4-D degradation rate. Interestingly, at 50 and 60 °C, the 1,4-D degradation rate decreased slightly with the addition of Fe²⁺. This reduced degradation rate may be attributed to the rapid conversion of Fe²⁺ to Fe³⁺ and the production of an Fe(OH)₃ precipitate which limited the ultimate oxidizing capability of persulfate with Fe²⁺ under higher temperatures. Higher persulfate concentrations led to higher 1,4-D degradation rates, but pH adjustment had no significant effect on the 1,4-D degradation rate. The identification of intermediates and by-products in the aqueous and gas phases showed that acetaldehyde, acetic acid, glycolaldehyde, glycolic acid, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen ion were generated during the persulfate oxidation process. A carbon balance analysis showed that 96 and 93 % of the carbon from the 1,4-D degradation were recovered as by-products with and without Fe²⁺ addition, respectively. Overall, persulfate oxidation of 1,4-D is promising as an economical and highly efficient technology for treatment of 1,4-D-contaminated water.     

Removal of malachite green dye from wastewater by different organic acid-modified natural adsorbent: kinetics,equilibriums, mechanisms,practical application,and disposal of dye-loaded adsorbent

Natural adsorbent (Cinnamomum camphora sawdust) modified by organic acid (oxalic acid, citric acid, and tartaric acid) was investigated as a potential adsorbent for the removal of hazardous malachite green (MG) dye in aqueous media in a batch process. The extent of MG adsorption onto modified sawdust increased with increasing organic acid concentrations, pH, contact time, and temperature but decreased with increasing adsorbent dosage and ionic strength. Kinetic study indicated that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model could best describe the adsorption kinetics of MG. Equilibrium data were found to fit well with the Langmuir model, and the maximum adsorption capacity of the three kinds of organic acid-modified sawdust was 280.3, 222.8, and 157.5 mg/g, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters suggested that the sorption of MG was an endothermic process. The adsorption mechanism, the application of adsorbents in practical wastewater, the prediction of single-stage batch adsorption system, and the disposal of depleted adsorbents were also discussed.     

Migration and leaching risk of extraneous antimony in three representative soils of China: Lysimeter and batch experiments

Antimony (Sb) distribution, solubility and mobility onto natural soils of China were studied in lysimeter and batch experiments as a function of physicochemical properties of the soil. An outdoor lysimeter experiment investigated the leaching and migration of Sb in the soils with Sb-polluted topsoil and unpolluted subsoil over a 5 month period. Soil solutions were collected by suction cups installed at different depth of lysimeters, and leachates were regularly collected and analyzed for Sb concentrations. The majority of the added Sb was retained in the topsoil layers, but small portions were moved to the sub-layers. Sb concentrations in the soil solutions and leachates ranged from 0–755.5 (6.38 ± 54 on average) μg l⁻¹ and 0–0.45 (smaller than the detection limit) μg l⁻¹ respectively, indicating the low solubility of Sb in the soils. Batch experiments were performed in order to determine the sorption capacity and the partition coefficient (K_d). Freundlich isotherm described properly the equilibrium experimental data and results show that the K_d values for Primosol, Isohumosol, Ferrosol equal to 22.5, 87.8, 704 L kg⁻¹, respectively. These results showed the strong capacity of the soils to retain Sb, and prevent it being leached down the profile. The mobilizable Sb was in the order: Primosol > Isohumosol > Ferrosol. Sb migration in the soils was mainly associated with the exchangeable, carbonate-bound, and metal–organic complex-bound fractions. Health risk assessment indicates that Sb leaching from Ferrosol will not harm to human health through groundwater under the test conditions, while it has certain health risks from the Isohumosol and Primosol.