Direct and efficient liquefaction of potato peel into bio-oil

The world has become dependent on petroleum as a feedstock for most products that we use in our daily lives. As an alternative, bio-refineries that transform biomass into biofuels and primary chemicals are emerging. Actually, many wastes are not fully recycled. For instance, potato peel is a cheap residue available from the potato industry. Up to now, potato peel has been used mostly for livestock feeding. Here, potato peel waste was subjected to direct acid liquefaction at 160 °C in 2-ethylhexanol and diethylene glycol using p-toluene sulfonic acid as catalyst. The product was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, chemical analysis, hydroxyl number and acid value. Results show that liquefaction was achieved in yields higher than 80%. The reactional profile shows two time zones, one comprising the process of liquefaction and one corresponding to the process of decomposition. Kinetics indicate that the liquefaction process occurs 1.9 times faster than the decomposition process. Overall, our findings show for the first time that, despite the water content, potato peel waste can be used to produce bio-oil. The products can be further used as fuels or refined chemicals such as levulinic acid, furfural, 5-hydroxyfurfural, dimethyl furfural and sugars in fermentation processes.     

Effectiveness of protected areas for vertebrates based on taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity

Establishing protected areas is the primary goal and tool for preventing irreversible biodiversity loss. However, the effectiveness of protected areas that target specific species has been questioned for some time because targeting key species for conservation may impair the integral regional pool of species diversity and phylogenetic and functional diversity are seldom considered. We assessed the efficacy of protected areas in China for the conservation of phylogenetic diversity based on the ranges and phylogenies of 2279 terrestrial vertebrates. Phylogenetic and taxonomic diversity were strongly and positively correlated, and only 12.1–43.8% of priority conservation areas are currently protected. However, the patterns and coverage of phylogenetic diversity were affected when weighted by species richness. These results indicated that in China, protected areas targeting high species richness protected phylogenetic diversity well overall but failed to do so in some regions with more unique or threatened communities (e.g., coastal areas of eastern China, where severely threatened avian communities were less protected). Our results suggest that the current distribution of protected areas could be improved, although most protected areas protect both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity.     

Kill before being killed: an experimental approach supports the predator-removal hypothesis as a determinant of intraguild predation in top predators

Intraguild predation (IGP) has been explained in terms of competitor-removal, food-stress and predator-removal hypotheses. Only the first two hypotheses have been fairly well studied. To test the predator-removal hypothesis as a force determining IGP in avian predators, we performed a field experiment to simulate the presence of an IG predator (eagle owl Bubo bubo dummy) in the surrounding of the nests of four potential IG prey (black kite Milvus migrans, red kite Milvus milvus, booted eagle Aquila pennata and common buzzard Buteo buteo). To discard the possibility that an aggressive reaction towards the eagle owl was not related to the presence of the IG predator, we also presented a stuffed tawny owl Strix aluco, which is a potential competitor but cannot be considered an IG predator of the studied diurnal raptors considered in the experiment. While almost always ignoring the tawny owl, raptors chiefly showed an interspecific aggressive behaviour towards their IG predator. Our results seem to support the predator-removal hypothesis, as the IG prey may take advantage of the diurnal inactivity of the IG predator to remove it from their territory. However, the recorded behaviour may be also considered as a special variety of mobbing (i.e. a prey’s counter-strategy against its predator), where the mobber is sufficiently powerful to escalate predator harassment into deliberate killing attempts. In their turn, eagle owls can respond with an IG predatory behaviour aimed at removing IG prey species which are highly aggressive mobbers.     

Nitrous oxide generation in denitrifying phosphorus removal process: main causes and control measures

Despite the many benefits of denitrifying phosphorus removal process, the significant generation of nitrous oxide (N₂O), a potent greenhouse gas, remains a problem for this innovative and promising process. To better understand and more effectively control N₂O generation in denitrifying phosphorus removal process, batch experiments were carried out to investigate the main causes of N₂O generation, based on which the control measures were subsequently proposed. The results showed that N₂O generation accounted for 0.41 % of the total nitrogen removal in denitrifying phosphorus removal process, whereas, in contrast, almost no N₂O was generated in conventional denitrification process. It was further demonstrated that the weak competition of N₂O reductase for electrons and the high nitrite accumulation were the two main causes for N₂O generation, evidenced by N₂O production and reduction rates under different conditions. Accordingly, the reduction of N₂O generation was successfully achieved via two control measures: (1) the use of continuous nitrate addition reducing N₂O generation by around 91.4 % and (2) the use of propionate as the carbon source reducing N₂O generation by around 69.8 %.     

Impacts of Dung Combustion on the Carbon Cycle of Alpine Grassland of the North Tibetan Plateau

Alpine grassland of Tibet is a frangible ecosystem in terms of carbon (C) emission. Yak dung is an important resident energy with about 80 % of yak dung combusted for energy in the north Tibetan plateau. This paper investigated the impact of dung combustion on the C cycle of the alpine grassland ecosystem in north Tibet, China. During the growing season of 2011, from a field survey and household questionnaires, the main impacts of dung collection for fuel on the C cycle of the ecosystem were identified. (1) The C sequestration and storage capacity, including the dung-derived C stored in soil and C captured by vegetation, decreased. The net primary production decreased remarkably because of the reduction of dung returned to soil. (2) In a given period, more C was emitted to the atmosphere in the dung combustion situation than that in the dung returned to soil situation. (3) The energy grazing alpine meadow ecosystem changed into a net C source, and the net biome production of the ecosystem dropped to ?15.18 g C/m² year in the dung combustion situation, 42.95 g C/m² year less than that in the dung returned situation. To reduce the CO₂ emission derived from dung use, the proportion of dung combustion should be reduced and alternative renewable energy such as solar, wind, or hydro energy should be advocated, which is suitable for, and accessible to, the north Tibetan plateau.     

火灾危险源与火灾隐患之辨析

通过归纳总结危险源定义和分类,引申出火灾危险源的定义和分类.就火灾隐患定义在不同领域的运用提出了广义和狭义火灾隐患之分,并就火灾危险源与火灾隐患之间的关系阐述了一些观点.     

烟气脱硫脱硝流化床反应器中喷枪设计的模拟与优化

为优化循环流化床半干法脱硫脱硝反应器喷枪布置形式，以某火电厂的循环流化床同时脱硫脱硝反应塔为研究对象，对其高压水喷枪布置形式进行模拟研究。通过模拟和实际运行相结合的研究方式，得到了更合理的喷枪布置形式:喷枪数量选择4只且呈环形布置；喷枪头伸入距离为0.5~0.7 m，同时保证喷雾最大液滴粒径<150 μm，以此保证液滴在反应器内的均匀分布及液滴的完全蒸发，实现循环流化床半干法反应器的平稳运行及高效脱硫脱硝。     

Prevention of surgical site infection under different ventilation systems in operating room environment

• The effectiveness of four different ventilation systems was compared in depth. • Airflow and bacteria-carrying particles concentration were quantitatively analyzed. • Vertical laminar airflow with high airflow rate could not achieve desired effect. • Temperature-controlled airflow ventilation could guarantee air cleanliness. Biological particles in the operating room (OR) air environment can cause surgical site infections (SSIs). Various ventilation systems have been employed in ORs to ensure an ultraclean environment. However, the effect of different ventilation systems on the control of bacteria-carrying particles (BCPs) released from the surgical staff during surgery is unclear. In this study, the performance of four different ventilation systems (vertical laminar airflow ventilation (VLAF), horizontal laminar airflow ventilation (HLAF), differential vertical airflow ventilation (DVAF), and temperature-controlled airflow ventilation (TAF)) used in an OR was evaluated and compared based on the spatial BCP concentration. The airflow field in the OR was solved by the Renormalization Group (RNG) k-e turbulence model, and the BCP phase was calculated by Lagrangian particle tracking (LPT) and the discrete random walk (DRW) model. It was found that the TAF system was the most effective ventilation system among the four ventilation systems for ensuring air cleanliness in the operating area. This study also indicated that air cleanliness in the operating area depended not only on the airflow rate of the ventilation system but also on the airflow distribution, which was greatly affected by obstacles such as surgical lamps and surgical staff.     

新型城镇化质量与协调性研究——以“新丝绸之路”经济带为例

在充分理解新型城镇化内涵的基础上,从人口、土地、经济、基础设施、公共服务、生态环境城镇化6个方面建立指标体系,利用熵值法对"新丝绸之路"经济带铁路沿线城市的新型城镇化质量进行测算。结果显示:1"新丝绸之路"经济带沿线城市新型城镇化质量普遍较低,且空间差异较明显;2有1/3的城市处于中等城镇化水平;3通过计算得到的系统内部协调性也同样存在明显的空间差异。因此,在今后的发展过程中应注重统筹协调,全面发展,努力提高各城市新型城镇化的质量和协调性。     

柠檬酸对三峡水库消落区土壤中汞活化及甲基化的影响

利用室内模拟实验,用不同浓度柠檬酸溶液分别浸提和培养土壤,探讨了植被根系分泌物的主要成分柠檬酸对三峡库区消落带土壤中汞活化及甲基化的影响.结果表明,添加柠檬酸后浸提液中汞含量在达到最高值之前均高于对照组(0 mmol·L~(-1)),且随柠檬酸浓度的增加而增大.0、1、2、4、5、6、8 mmol·L~(-1)浓度下最大汞溶出量随柠檬酸浓度的增加先增大而后保持稳定,分别占供试土壤总汞的1.03%、1.67%、1.99%、2.47%、2.68%、2.73%、2.73%.培养实验中,土壤甲基汞(Me Hg)含量在前3 h内基本维持稳定,随后除对照组增加缓慢外,其余组均开始上升,且上升速率随柠檬酸浓度的升高而增大.在同一培养时段内,土壤Me Hg含量及增加量随柠檬酸浓度的升高而增大.表明柠檬酸对土壤中无机汞向甲基汞的转化过程有一定的促进作用,且促进作用随着柠檬酸浓度的增加而愈加显著.