DNA Heat Treatment for Improving qPCR Analysis of Human Adenovirus in Wastewater

PCR inhibitory substances in complex sample matrices can cause false negatives or under-estimation of target concentration. This study assessed DNA heat treatment for reducing inhibition during qPCR analysis of human adenovirus (HAdV) in wastewater samples. Inhibition was reduced by heat treating DNA, where mean HAdV concentration was increased by 0.71 log₁₀ GC/L (and up to 3.04 log₁₀ GC/L in one case), and replicate variability and false negatives were reduced. DNA heat treatment should be further investigated for improving reliability of HAdV concentration estimates in water, which can support more accurate assessment of health risks associated with viral pathogen exposure.     

Assessment and Evaluation of an Integrated Hybrid Anaerobic–Aerobic Sewage Treatment System for the Removal of Enteric Viruses

The capability of a cost-effective and a small size decentralized pilot wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to remove enteric viruses such as rotavirus, norovirus genogroup I (GGI), norovirus genogroup II (GGII), Hepatitis E virus (HEV), and adenovirus was studied. This pilot plant is an integrated hybrid anaerobic/aerobic setup which consisted of anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB), biological aerated filter (BAF), and inclined plate settler (IPS). Both the UASB and BAF are packed with a non-woven polyester fabric (NWPF). Results indicated that the overall log₁₀ reductions of enteric viruses’ genome copies through the whole system were 3.1 ± 1, 3.3 ± 0.5, and 2.6 ± 0.9 log₁₀ for rotavirus, norovirus GGI, and adenovirus, respectively. Reduction efficiency for both norovirus GGII and HEV after the different treatment steps could not be calculated because there were no significant numbers of positive samples for both viruses. The overall reduction of rotavirus infectious units through the whole system was 2.2 ± 0.8 log₁₀ reduction which is very close to the overall log₁₀ reduction of adenovirus infectious units through the whole system which was 2.1 ± 0.8 log₁₀ reduction. There was no considerable difference in the removal efficiency for different rotavirus G and P types. Adenovirus 41 was the only type detected in the all positive samples. Although the pilot WWTP investigated is cost effective, has a small footprint, does not need a long distance network pipes, and easy to operate, its efficiency to remove enteric viruses is comparable with the conventional centralized WWTPs.     

湿法脱硫石膏脱水系统设计优化研究

对湿法脱硫石膏脱水系统进行研究,分析了几种常见的石膏脱水系统的设计方案,提出了石膏脱水系统的优化设计方案,并与变频泵配合使用,从而达到优化系统提高整个FGD经济性的目的。     

Interface-mediated synthesis of monodisperse ZnS nanoparticles with sulfate-reducing bacterium culture

We have created a new method of ZnS nanospheres synthesis. By interface-mediated precipitation method (IMPM), monodisperse ZnS nanoparticles was synthesized on the particle surface of sulfate-reducing bacterium nutritious agar culture. Sulfate-reducing bacterium (SRB) was used as a sulfide producer because of its dissimilatory sulfate reduction capability, meanwhile produced a variety of amino acids acting as templates for nanomaterials synthesis. Then zinc acetate was dispersed into nutritious agar plate. Subsequently agar plate was broken into particles bearing much external surface, which successfully mediated the synthesis of monodisperse ZnS nanoparticles. The morphology of monodisperse ZnS nanospheres and SRB were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the microstructure was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The thermostability of ZnS nanoparticles was determined by thermo gravimetric-differential thermo gravimetric (TG-DTG). The maximum absorption wavelengh was analysed with an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer within a range of 199–700 nm. As a result, monodisperse ZnS nanoparticles were successfully synthesized, with an average diameter of 80 nm. Maximum absorption wavelengh was 228 nm, and heat decomposed temperature of monodisperse ZnS nanoparticles was 596°C.     

Interface-mediated synthesis of monodisperse ZnS nanoparticles with sulfate-reducing bacterium culture

We have created a new method of ZnS nanospheres synthesis. By interface-mediated precipitation method (IMPM), monodisperse ZnS nanoparticles was synthesized on the particle surface of sulfate-reducing bacterium nutritious agar culture. Sulfate-reducing bacterium (SRB) was used as a sulfide producer because of its dissimilatory sulfate reduction capability, meanwhile produced a variety of amino acids acting as templates for nanomaterials synthesis. Then zinc acetate was dispersed into nutritious agar plate. Subsequently agar plate was broken into particles bearing much external surface, which successfully mediated the synthesis of monodisperse ZnS nanoparticles. The morphology of monodisperse ZnS nanospheres and SRB were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the microstructure was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The thermostability of ZnS nanoparticles was determined by thermo gravimetric-differential thermo gravimetric (TG-DTG). The maximum absorption wavelengh was analysed with an ultravioletvisible spectrophotometer within a range of 199-700 nm. As a result, monodisperse ZnS nanoparticles were successfully synthesized, with an average diameter of 80 nm. Maximum absorption wavelengh was 228 nm, and heat decomposed temperature of monodisperse ZnS nanoparticles was 596℃.     

Soil microbial community structure and function responses to successive planting of Eucalyptus

Many studies have shown soil degradation after the conversion of native forests to exotic Eucalyptus plantations. However, few studies have investigated the long-term impacts of short-rotation forestry practices on soil microorganisms. The impacts of Eucalyptus successive rotations on soil microbial communities were evaluated by comparing phospholipid fatty acid （PLFA） abundances, compositions, and enzyme activities of native Pinus massoniana plantations and adjacent 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th generation Eucalyptus plantations. The conversion from P. massoniana to Eucalyptus plantations significantly decreased soil microbial community size and enzyme activities, and increased microbial physiological stress. However, the PLFA abundances formed ＂U＂ shaped quadratic functions with Eucalyptus plantation age. Alternatively, physiological stress biomarkers, the ratios of monounsaturated to saturated fatty acid and Gram＋ to Gram- bacteria, formed ＂∩＂ shaped quadratic functions, and the ratio of cy17：0 to 16： 1ω7c decreased with plantation age. The activities of phenol oxidase, peroxidase, and acid phosphatase increased with Eucalyptus plantation age, while the cellobiobydrolase activity formed ＂U＂ shaped quadratic functions. Soil N：P, alkaline hydrolytic nitrogen, soil organic carbon, and understory cover largely explained the variation in PLFA profiles while soil N：P, alkaline hydrolytic nitrogen, and understory cover explained most of the variability in enzyme activity. In conclusion, soil microbial structure and function under Eucalyptus plantations were strongly impacted by plantation age. Most of the changes could be explained by altered soil resource availability and understory cover associated with successive planting of Eucalyptus. Our results highlight the importance of plantation age for assessing the impacts of plantation conversion as well as the importance of reducing disturbance for plantation management.     

论环境自卫权

环境自卫权是环境权的组成部分,环境自卫权及随着环境权的确立而提出来的,环境权作为环境法的核心问题,近年来在国内外的理论界和立法上都有不同程度的反映,使得环境自卫权的实现也就不可避免的带有复杂性,除了必须具备的条件外,环境自卫权的实现还应当注意实施的手段及其相应性的标准,本文就环境自卫权的生成原因、界定、构成及其实现作了初步研究。