Optimizing hydrogen production by alkaline water decomposition with transition metal-based electrocatalysts

Burning fossil fuels account for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and over 90% of carbon dioxide emissions, calling for alternative fuels such as hydrogen. Since the hydrogen demand could reach 120 million tons in 2024, efficient and large-scale production methods are required. Here we review electrocatalytic water splitting with a focus on reaction mechanisms, transition metal catalysts, and optimization strategies. We discuss mechanisms of water decomposition and hydrogen evolution. Transition metal catalysts include alloys, sulfides, carbides, nitrides, phosphides, selenides, oxides, hydroxides, and metal-organic frameworks. The reaction can be optimized by modifying the nanostructure or the electronic structure. We observe that transition metal-based electrocatalysts are excellent catalysts due to their abundant sources, low cost, and controllable electronic structures. Concerning optimization, fluorine anion doping at 1 mol/L potassium hydroxide yields an overpotential of 38 mV at a current density of 10 mA/cm². The electrocatalytic efficiency can also be enhanced by adding metal atoms to the nickel sulfide framework.

     

Epilithic biofilm as a reservoir for functional virulence factors in wastewater-dominant rivers after WWTP upgrade

Virulence factors (VFs) confer upon pathogens the ability to cause various types of damage or diseases. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are important point sources for the emission of pathogens and VFs into receiving rivers. Conventional WWTP upgrades are often implemented to improve the water quality of receiving ecosystems. However, knowledge on the pathogens, VFs, and health risks to receiving aquatic ecosystems after upgrade remains limited. In this study, we investigated detailed pathogenic information, including taxa, pathogenicity, and health risk, in two wastewater-dominant rivers after WWTP upgrade. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we screened 14 potential pathogens in water and epilithic biofilm samples, though they were significantly more enriched in the biofilms. Combining 16S rRNA and metagenomic sequencing data, we identified Pseudomonas and Aeromonas as the dominant pathogenic taxa carrying functional VFs (e.g., mobility and offensive) in the epilithic biofilm. Moreover, strong pathogen-specific VF-host co-occurrence events were observed in the epilithic biofilm samples, indicating the importance of biofilms as reservoirs and vehicles for VFs. Further, we demonstrated that mobility VF is crucial for biofilm formation and pathogens in biofilm carrying offensive VF may be highly invasive. Quantification and health risk assessment suggested that the skin contact risk of P. aeruginosa carrying VFs was higher than the acceptable probability of 10^?4 in both water and epilithic biofilm samples, which may threaten ecological and human health.     

Mixing regime shapes the community assembly process, microbial interaction and proliferation of cyanobacterial species Planktothrix in a stratified lake

Lake mixing influences aquatic chemical properties and microbial community composition,and thus, we hypothesized that it would alter microbial community assembly and interaction. To clarify this issue, we explored the community assembly processes and cooccurrence networks in four seasons at two depths(epilimnion and hypolimnion) in a mesotrophic and stratified lake(Chenghai Lake), which formed stratification in the summer and turnover in the winter. During the stratification period, the epilimni...     

Stability of Fe–As composites formed with As(V) and aged ferrihydrite

During the aging process, ferrihydrite was transformed into mineral mixtures composed of different proportions of ferrihydrite, goethite, lepidocrocite and hematite. Such a transformation may affect the fixed ability of arsenic. In this study, the stability of Fe-As composites formed with As(V) and the minerals aged for 0, 1, 4, 10 and 30 days of ferrihydrite were systematically examined, and the effects of molar of ratios Fe/As were also clarified using kinetic methods combined with multiple spectroscopic techniques. The results indicated that As(V) was rapidly adsorbed on minerals during the initial polymerization process, which delayed both the ferrihydrite conversion and the hematite formation. When the Fe/As molar ratio was 1.875 and 5.66, the As(V) adsorbed by ferrihydrite began to release after 6 hr and 12 hr, respectively. The corresponding release amounts of As(V) were 0.55 g/L and 0.07 g/L, and the adsorption rates were 92.43% and 97.50% at 60 days, respectively. However, the As(V) adsorbed by the transformation products aged for 30 days of ferrihydrite began to release after adsorbed 30 days. The corresponding release amounts of As(V) were 0.25 g/L and 0.03 g/L, and the adsorption rates were 84.23% and 92.18% after adsorbed 60 days, for the Fe/As=1.875 and 5.66, respectively. Overall, the combination of As(V) with ferrihydrite and aged products transformed from a thermodynamically metastable phase to a dynamically stable state within a certain duration. Moreover, the aging process of ferrihydrite reduced the sorption ability of arsenate by iron (hydr)oxide but enhanced the stability of the Fe-As composites.     

造纸污水处理厌氧系统沼气综合利用

目前厌氧系统已广泛应用于造纸废水处理,厌氧处理系统过程中产生大量的沼气,而沼气的热值很高,很有利用的价值,而本文结合笔者曾编制的某造纸废水处理厌氧技术改造环评探讨造纸污水处理厌氧系统沼气综合利用技术。该项目的实施,既减少了造纸废水的出水浓度,又提高了节能环保效益。     

挥发酚和总氰化物在三种水质中测定方法的比对

本文采用连续流动注射法[1]和紫外分光光度法[2-3],分别对地表水、生活污水、工业废水三种水质中的挥发酚和总氰化物进行测定。实验结果表明:两种分析方法测定三种水质中的挥发酚和总氰化物结果基本一致,检出限、精密度、准确度、加标回收率均符合质量控制要求。连续流动注射法的自动化程度更高,操作更简便,可适用于多种水质挥发酚和总氰化物的分析。     

4种蔬菜对土壤Mn转运累积特征及食用安全性研究

为探究土壤中锰(Mn)污染对蔬菜食用安全性的影响,以上海市常见的4种蔬菜(青椒,CA;黄瓜,CS;豇豆,VU;菠菜,SO)为试验材料,采用温室盆栽土培试验方法研究了不同土壤Mn含量梯度下的蔬菜生物量变化以及各部位Mn转运累积特征,并基于各蔬菜食用安全分析了土壤中Mn的安全阈值。研究结果表明,Mn对4种蔬菜的生长均表现出低含量促进、高含量抑制现象,SO和VU对Mn的耐受度强于CA和CS。Mn主要富集在SO的茎叶,以及CA、CS和VU的茎叶和根部,可食部分中Mn含量大小排序为SO>VU>CS>CA。SO可食部分Mn含量与土壤Mn含量呈显著对数相关(P<0.01),其他3种蔬菜的可食部分Mn含量与土壤Mn含量均呈显著指数相关(P<0.01)。依据新鲜蔬菜中Mn食用安全限量值,推导出各蔬菜对应的土壤Mn安全阈值预测区间为:SO 992.5～1 097.3 mg·kg~(-1),VU 2 607.5～2 910.0 mg·kg~(-1),CS 3 147.5～3 494.6 mg·kg~(-1),CA3 618.0～3 921.5 mg·kg~(-1)。Mn污染土壤的安全利用应优先选择种植CA、CS和VU等低累积品种。     

副球菌BW001的生理特性及其对吡啶的降解

从武钢焦化厂废水处理系统的活性污泥中筛选出1株吡啶高效降解菌BW001,经菌株生理特性研究和16S rRNA序列测定,其属于副球菌(Paracoccus sp.).BW001为革兰氏阴性,具有固氮作用,对头孢、卡那霉素和利福平具有抗性.用SDS碱裂解法从该菌株中提取到1个小质粒和2个大质粒,其中2个大质粒可被限制性内切酶EcoR Ⅰ,BamH Ⅰ、Hind Ⅲ单酶切.以吡啶为唯一碳、氮源,在投菌量为0.03 g/L、吡啶初始质量浓度为493.4 mg/L、温度为30℃、pH为6.5的条件下,BW001可在33.0 h内将吡啶完全降解,降解速率为16.16 g/(L·h),吡啶中50%～60%的氮转化为NH4 ,高浓度吡啶对BW001产生一定抑制,但菌株在适应后,对吡啶的降解速率更高;降解吡啶最适温度为30～35℃,最适pH为8.0.