Inhibitory effects of nisin-coated multi-walled carbon nanotube sheet on biofilm formation from Bacillus anthracis spores

Multi-walled carbon nanotube（MWCNT） sheet was fabricated from a drawable MWCNT forest and then deposited on poly（methyl methacrylate） film. The film was further coated with a natural antimicrobial peptide nisin. We studied the effects of nisin coating on the attachment of Bacillus anthracis spores, the germination of attached spores, and the subsequent biofilm formation from attached spores. It was found that the strong adsorptivity and the super hydrophobicity of MWCNTs provided an ideal platform for nisin coating. Nisin coating on MWCNT sheets decreased surface hydrophobicity, reduced spore attachment, and reduced the germination of attached spores by 3.5 fold, and further inhibited the subsequent biofilm formation by 94.6% compared to that on uncoated MWCNT sheet. Nisin also changed the morphology of vegetative cells in the formed biofilm.The results of this study demonstrated that the anti-adhesion and antimicrobial effect of nisin in combination with the physical properties of carbon nanotubes had the potential in producing effective anti-biofilm formation surfaces.     

Carbonyl emissions from heavy-duty diesel vehicle exhaust in China and the contribution to ozone formation potential

Fifteen heavy-duty diesel vehicles were tested on chassis dynamometer by using typical heavy duty driving cycle and fuel economy cycle. The air from the exhaust was sampled by 2,4- dinitrophenyhydrazine cartridge and 23 carbonyl compounds were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. The average emission factor of carbonyls was 97.2 mg/km, higher than that of light-duty diesel vehicles and gasoline-powered vehicles. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone and propionaidehyde were the species with the highest emission factors. Main influencing factors for carbonyl emissions were vehicle type, average speed and regulated emission standard, and the impact of vehicle loading was not evident in this study. National emission of carbonyls from diesel vehicles exhaust was calculated for China, 2011, based on both vehicle miles traveled and fuel consumption. Carbonyl emission of diesel vehicle was estimated to be 45.8 Gg, and was comparable to gasolinepowered vehicles （58.4 Gg）. The emissions of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone were 12.6, 6.9, 3.8 Gg, respectively. The ozone formation potential of carbonyls from diesel vehicles exhaust was 537 mg O3/km, higher than 497 mg O3/km of none-methane hydrocarbons emitted from diesel vehicles.     

Quantitative method to determine the regional drinking water odorant regulation goals based on odor sensitivity distribution：Illustrated using 2-MIB

Taste and odor （T/O） in drinking water often cause consumer complaints and are thus regulated in many countries. However, people in different regions may exhibit different sensitivities toward WO. This study proposed a method to determine the regional drinking water odorant regulation goals （ORGs） based on the odor sensitivity distribution of the local population. The distribution of odor sensitivity to 2-methylisobomeol （2-MIB） by the local population in Beijing, China was revealed by using a normal distribution function/model to describe the odor complaint response to a 2-MIB episode in 2005, and a 2-MIB concentration of 12.9 ng/L and FPA （flavor profile analysis） intensity of 2.5 was found to be the critical point to cause odor complaints. Thus the Beijing ORG for 2-MIB was determined to be 12.9 ng/L. Based on the assumption that the local FPA panel can represent the local population in terms of sensitivity to odor, and that the critical FPA intensity causing odor complaints was 2.5, this study tried to determine the ORGs for seven other cities of China by performing FPA tests using an FPA panel from the corresponding city. ORG values between 12.9 and 31.6 ng/L were determined, showing that a unified ORG may not be suitable for drinking water odor regulations. This study presents a novel approach for setting drinking water odor regulations.     

Submerged vegetation removal promotes shift of dominant phytoplankton functional groups in a eutrophic lake

Historical data indicate that the dominance of submerged plants in Dianchi Lake in the 1960 s was characterized by low algal density with dominance of non-toxic group J（Scenedesmus,Pediastrum,etc.）. The removal of submerged plants,which began in the 1970 s,resulted in the expansion of bloom-forming Microcystis（group M）. Laboratory experiments suggested that Microcystis aeruginosa was inclined to grow and develop at elevated temperatures. The growth of Scenedesmus obliquus was slower than that of co-cultivated M. aeruginosa in the absence of Ceratophyllum demersum,especially at higher temperatures. The existence of submerged plant C. demersum could inhibit the growth of the harmful algae M. aeruginosa and this inhibitory effect by C. demersum was enhanced with an increase in temperature. Instead,with C. demersum,the growth of S. obliquus was not inhibited,but the co-cultivated M. aeruginosa was eliminated in a short time. Combined with the historical data and laboratory experiments,it was indicated that the submerged plants might play important roles in the dominance of the non-toxic group J in the historical succession. Consequently,the introduction of the submerged plant such as C. demersum might alter the dominant phytoplankton functional groups from M to J and benefit the restoration of the eutrophic lake.     

丹东生态环境监测业务系统设计与实现

丹东生态环境监测业务系统是用于生态环境监测日常业务观测,编制各类观测报文及数据上网传输的实用型业务系统。系统采取多窗157结构框架,合理布局功能窗口界面,兼容了地面气象观测数据文件格式,统一数据检查标准,观测数据处理更为准确有效。并以VB6．0可视化语言为开发工具适应不用版本Windows操作系统。基于生态环境监测数据统计、数据分析和数据发布为一体的多功能业务应用软件。     

热强化气相抽提对不同质地土壤中苯去除的影响

研究应用电阻加热强化气相抽提技术对砂土、壤土和黏土中苯去除效果的影响及作用机制.与常规抽提结果相比,在热强化处理作用下气相抽提对砂土和壤土中苯的去除效率提高了13.1%和12.3%,处理时间分别降低75%和14%.热强化处理使得黏土含水率下降,土壤渗透率升高,黏土颗粒表面羧基和乙基的吸收峰消失,有机质含量减少,苯的去除效率与对照相比提高了34%.对于砂土和壤土,热强化主要是通过促进苯在土体中扩散来提高去除效率,从而实现在较短时间内污染物质的大量去除;而对于黏土则是通过降低土壤颗粒表面有机基团的含量,从而降低污染物和土壤颗粒的吸附能力,并通过降低含水率和升高渗透率从而提高土壤中气体的扩散性能,以达到增强气相抽提效果的目的.     

介质阻挡放电中添加乙炔对NO脱除的影响

利用介质阻挡放电(DBD)进行模拟烟气脱除NO实验,通过改变乙炔体积分数和烟气水蒸汽含量研究添加乙炔对NO脱除效率的影响.结果表明:烟气中添加乙炔强化了NO氧化作用,随着乙炔体积分数的提高,NO脱除率逐渐增加.在NO/N2/O2/C2H2/H2O体系中,水的电负性和离解反应消耗大量高能电子,降低了活性自由基的生成,NO脱除速率随之减慢;能量密度低于400 J·L-1时,相对湿度(RH)为0的情况下脱出效果最好.但随着能量密度的增加,H2O不会影响最终的NO脱除率;H2O的添加可以产生更多的·OH自由基,促进NO2向HNO3转化,使出口NO2浓度大幅度降低.     

天津市公交站人群PM10暴露研究及PAHs健康风险评估

2012年9月在天津市城市交通密集区(八里台、海光寺公交车站)采集可吸入颗粒物(PM10)样品,并对采集的样品进行有机分析.在此基础上,针对公交车站候车的成年人群,应用美国EPA开发的电子数据库IRIS(Integrated Risk Information System),对可吸入颗粒物中的多环芳烃(PAHs)成分进行了健康风险评估.暴露采样的分析结果表明,两车站的PM10暴露浓度均值分别为(279.0±63.7)μg·m-3和(335.0±60.0)μg·m-3,其中的总多环芳烃质量浓度分别为(219.0±98.5)ng·m-3、(171.0±52.7)ng·m-3.多环芳烃致癌健康风险评估结果显示,两站候车人群在候车过程中的致癌风险分别为2.47×10-7、1.75×10-7,低于美国EPA所认可的可接受风险范围(10-6~10-4).     

电晕放电等离子体技术处理水中四环素的研究

采用电晕放电等离子体技术降解水中的四环素,研究了在反应体系中,初始浓度、输入功率、电极间距、空气流量及初始pH对四环素去除效率的影响.同时,还对四环素在降解过程中不同时段的COD、TOC和B/C变化进行了研究,并对其降解产物进行了分析和讨论.实验结果表明:电晕放电等离子体对水中四环素具有较好的去除效果,在四环素初始浓度为200 mg·L-1、pH=2.47、初始电导率为1.50 mS·m-1、空气流量为0.06 m3·h-1、电极间距为4 mm、输入功率为45.0 W的条件下,反应20 min后,四环素的去除率可达到99.1%,COD去除率可达31.2%,TOC去除率可达80%左右,其B/C比提高为0.30,有效地改善了废水的可生化性.     

生物炭改良剂对小白菜生长及低质土壤氮磷利用的影响

生物炭技术是近年来新兴的具有多重农业和环境效益的土壤改良技术.本研究以宁夏低质淡灰钙土为研究对象,以"中白78"小白菜(Brassica chinensis)为供试作物,分别按0、1.5%、3%和5%(质量分数)的比例添加花生壳生物炭(Biochar,BC)和基于花生壳生物炭研发的生物炭改良剂(BC-based amendment,AD),系统研究了BC和AD对小白菜植株生长、产量及土壤养分利用有效性的影响.结果表明:BC和AD的添加均增加了小白菜的株高和产量,与BC相比,AD对小白菜的增产效果更为显著(BC和AD处理的产量分别为对照的2.34~3.77倍和4.37~4.60倍).各剂量BC处理中,小白菜地上部、根系生物量的顺序为1.5%BC3%BC≈5%BC;而对于AD处理,3种添加量处理的小白菜生物量无显著性差异.增产的主要原因包括两方面:第一是两种材料中主要养分对小白菜生长的直接贡献;第二则是两种材料均促进了小白菜根系的生长,增强了根际效应,从而改变了N、P等土壤养分的利用有效性.BC和AD的加入均增加了小白菜对N的利用有效性,AD促进了小白菜对P的利用有效性.可见,BC和AD均可作为土壤改良剂,改善宁夏低质淡灰钙土的养分状况,提高作物产量.