Nitrogen cycle of a typical Suaeda salsa marsh ecosystem in the Yellow River estuary

The nitrogen (N) biological cycle of the Suaeda salsa marsh ecosystem in the Yellow River estuary was studied during 2008 to 2009. Results showed that soil N had significant seasonal fluctuations and vertical distribution. The N/P ratio (15.73±1.77) of S. salsa was less than 16, indicating that plant growth was limited by both N and P. The N absorption coefficient of S. salsa was very low (0.007), while the N utilization and cycle coefficients were high (0.824 and 0.331, respectively). The N turnover among compartments of S. salsa marsh showed that N uptake from aboveground parts and roots were 2.539 and 0.622 g/m2, respectively. The N translocation from aboveground parts to roots and from roots to soil were 2.042 and 0.076 g/m2, respectively. The N translocation from aboveground living bodies to litter was 0.497 g/m2, the annual N return from litter to soil was far less than 0.368 g/m2, and the net N mineralization in topsoil during the growing season was 0.033 g/m2. N was an important limiting factor in S. salsa marsh, and the ecosystem was classified as unstable and vulnerable. S. salsa was seemingly well adapted to the low-nutrient status and vulnerable habitat, and the nutrient enrichment due to N import from the Yellow River estuary would be a potential threat to the S. salsa marsh. Excessive nutrient loading might favor invasive species and induce severe long-term degradation of the ecosystem if human intervention measures were not taken. The N quantitative relationships determined in our study might provide a scientific basis for the establishment of effective measures.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alter the response of growth and nutrient uptake of snap bean（Phaseolus vulgaris L.） to O_3

The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Glomus mosseae on the responses to elevated O3 in growth and nutrition of snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv Guangzhouyuan) were investigated. Exposure was conducted in growth chambers by using three O3 concentrations (20 (CF), 80 (CFO1) and 120 nL/L (CFO2); 8 hr/day for 75 days). Results showed that elevated O3 slightly impacted overall mycorrhizal colonization, but significantly decreased the proportional frequency of hypha and increased the proportional frequency of spores and vesicles, suggesting that O3 had significant effects on mycorrhizal structure. Elevated O3 significantly decreased yield, dry mass and nutrient contents (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) in both non-mycorrhizal and mycorrhizal plants. However, significant interactive effects were found in most variables due to that the reduction by O3 in the mycorrhizal plants was less than that in the non-mycorrhizal plants. Additionally, AMF increased the concentrations of N, P, Ca, and Mg in shoot and root. It can be concluded that AMF alleviated detrimental effects of increasing O3 on host plant through improving plant nutrition and growth.     

Methanotrophic community structure of aged refuse and its capability for methane bio-oxidation

Aged refuse from waste landfills closed for eight years was examined and found to contain rich methanotrophs capable of biooxidation for methane. Specially, community structure and methane oxidation capability of methanotrophs in the aged refuse were studied. The amount of methanotrophs ranged 61.97 103–632.91 103 cells/g (in dry basis) in aged refuse from Shanghai Laogang Landfill. Type I and II methanotrophs were found in the aged refuse in the presence of sterilized sewage sludge and only Type I methanotrophs were detected in the presence of nitrate minimal salt medium (NMS). The clone sequences of the pmoA gene obtained from the aged refuse were similar to the pmoA gene of Methylobacter, Methylocaldum, and Methylocystis, and two clones were distinct with known genera of Type I methanotrophs according to phylogenetic analysis. Aged refuse enriched with NMS was used for methane biological oxidation and over 93% conversions were obtained.     

Adsorptive property of Cu^2＋-loaded montmorillonite clays for Escherichia coli K_（88） in vitro

The Cu²⁺-loaded montmorillonite clays (MMT-Cu) may be a good material for the adsorbed and eliminated pathogenic bacteria from aqueous solution.     

Archaeal community structure along a gradient of petroleum contamination in saline-alkali soil

The impact of petroleum on archaeal community in salinealkali soils was investigated, which will expand the knowledge of the archaeal population involved in the natural attenuation of hydrocarbons in extreme environments.     

Effect of C/N ratio, aeration rate and moisture content on ammonia and greenhouse gas emission during the composting

Gaseous emission (N₂O, CH₄ and NH₃) from composting can be an important source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas and air pollution. A laboratory scale orthogonal experiment was conducted to estimate the effects of C/N ratio, aeration rate and initial moisture content on gaseous emission during the composting of pig faeces from Chinese Ganqinfen system. The results showed that about 23.9% to 45.6% of total organic carbon (TOC) was lost in the form of CO₂ and 0.8% to 7.5% of TOC emitted as CH₄. Most of the nitrogen was lost in the form of NH₃, which account for 9.6% to 32.4% of initial nitrogen. N₂O was also an important way of nitrogen losses and 1.5% to 7.3% of initial total nitrogen was lost as it. Statistic analysis showed that the aeration rate is the most important factor which could affect the NH₃ (p = 0.0189), CH₄ (p = 0.0113) and N₂O (p = 0.0493) emissions significantly. Higher aeration rates reduce the CH₄ emission but increase the NH₃ and N₂O losses. C/N ratio could affect the NH₃ (p = 0.0442) and CH₄ (p = 0.0246) emissions significantly, but not the N₂O. Lower C/N ratio caused higher NH₃ and CH₄ emissions. The initial moisture content can not influence the gaseous emission significantly. Most treatments were matured after 37 days, except a trial with high moisture content and a low C/N ratio.     

Preliminary report on methane emissions from the Three Gorges Reservoir in the summer drainage period

Considerable variations may exist in CH4 emissions from the Three Gorges Reservoir.     

Preparation and microwave absorbing properties of the core-nanoshell composite absorbers with the magnetic fly-ash hollow cenosphere as core

Electromagnetic (EM) wave pollution has become the chief physical pollution for environment. The core-nanoshell composite absorbers with magnetic fly-ash hollow cenosphere as core and nanocrystalline magnetic material as shell were prepared by high-energy ball milling. The results of X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and vector network analyzer (VNA) analysis indicated that perfect-crystalline nanomagnetic material coating was gotten with a particle size of 12 nm, being dried at 60°C for 2 hr and calcined at 400°C for 1 hr after ball milling. The exchange-coupling interaction happened between ferrite of cenosphere and soft magnet γ-Fe₂03 coating, it enhances magnetic loss of composite absorbers. In the frequency between 1 MHz and 1 GHz, the absorbing effectiveness of the core-nanoshell composite absorbers can achieve ?30 dB, it is better than single material and is consistent with requirements of the microwave absorbing material at the low-frequency absorption.     

Synthesis and scale inhibitor performance of polyaspartic acid

Polyaspartic acid (PASP) has been extensively studied in recent years as a green scale inhibitor. PASP was synthesized by thermal polycondensation of maleic anhydride and ammonium carbonate in this study. The optimal polycondensation reaction conditions were the raw material (maleic anhydride and ammonium carbonate) molar ratio of 1.0:1.2, the polymerization temperature of 180°C and reaction time of 2.0 hr. The results showed that PASP exhibits very good scale inhibiting performance. The inhibition rate was 95% for calcium carbonate and 90% for calcium sulfate by the application of 5 mg/L PASP.     

西辽河流域沙土的氨氮解吸行为研究

采用小型回填式土柱淋溶实验方法研究了西辽河流域沙土的氨氮解吸行为。结果表明,西辽河流域沙土的氨氮解吸行为符合Langmuir和Freundlich解吸等温式;沙土氨氮解吸比率Dr在0.44～0.99之间,平均为0.75,解吸迟滞性指数TⅡ在0.05～0.65之间,平均为0.29,沙土对氨氮的解吸迟滞性较强,解吸可逆性较弱。被吸附的氨氮解吸淋失的环境风险较小;沙土氨氮解吸比率Dr与土壤有机质含量、粘粒含量和粗粘粒含量呈极显著负相关,影响程度顺序为:有机质含量>粗粘粒含量>粘粒含量;解吸分配系数k和解吸迟滞性指数与土壤有机质含量分别呈极显著和显著正相关,与粘粒含量和粗粘粒含量没有相关性;草地、农田和林地结构由于土壤有机质和团聚体含量较高,氨氮解吸迟滞性较强,氨氮流失的环境风险较小,沙荒地结构氨氮流失的环境风险较大。