Expression of sulfur uptake assimilation-related genes in response to cadmium, bensulfuron-methyl and their co-contamination in rice roots

The responses of sulfur （S） uptake assimilation-related genes＇ expression in roots of two rice cultivars to cadmium （Cd）, bensulfuron-methyl （BSM） and their co-contamination （Cd＋BSM） were investigated by gene-chip microarray analysis and quantitative real-time PCR （QRT-PCR） technology. Treatments of Cd and Cd＋BSM induced expression of sulfate transporter and permease genes, and promoted sulfate uptake in rice roots. Cd＋BSM could alleviate Cd toxicity to cv. Fengmeizhan seedlings, probably due to Cd＋BSM promoting greater S absorption by seedlings. Cd and Cd＋BSM induced expression of sulfate assimilation-related genes, and thus activated the sulfur assimilation pathway. Cd and Cd＋BSM induced expression of phytochelatin synthase and metallothionein genes, and induced expression of glutathione S-transferases （GSTs）, glutathione synthase （GS） and S- containing antioxidation enzyme genes, which detoxified Cd2＋. It is suggested that （to cope with the toxicity of Cd, BSM and their co-contamination） the S uptake and assimilation pathway was activated in rice roots by increased expression of related genes, thus enhancing the supply of organic S for synthesis of Cd or BSM resistance-related substances.     

Evaluation of accuracy of linear regression models in predicting urban stormwater discharge characteristics

Stormwater runoff has been identified as a source of pollution for the environment, especially for receiving waters. In order to quantify and manage the impacts of stormwater runoff on the environment, predictive models and mathematical models have been developed. Predictive tools such as regression models have been widely used to predict stormwater discharge characteristics. Storm event characteristics, such as antecedent dry days （ADD）, have been related to response variables, such as pollutant loads and concentrations. However it has been a controversial issue among many studies to consider ADD as an important variable in predicting stormwater discharge characteristics. In this study, we examined the accuracy of general linear regression models in predicting discharge characteristics of roadway runoff. A total of 17 storm events were monitored in two highway segments, located in Gwangju, Korea. Data from the monitoring were used to calibrate United States Environmental Protection Agency＇s Storm Water Management Model （SWMM）. The calibrated SWMM was simulated for 55 storm events, and the results of total suspended solid （TSS） discharge loads and event mean concentrations （EMC） were extracted. From these data, linear regression models were developed. R2 and p-values of the regression of ADD for both TSS loads and EMCs were investigated. Results showed that pollutant loads were better predicted than pollutant EMC in the multiple regression models. Regression may not provide the true effect of site-specific characteristics, due to uncertainty in the data.     

Photocatalytic activity of Fe-doped CaTiO3 under UV-visible light

The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue（MB） over Fe-doped CaTiO3 under UV-visible light was investigated. The as-prepared samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction（XRD）, scanning electron microscope（SEM） equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer（EDS） system, Fourier transform infrared spectra（FT-IR）, and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy（DRS）. The results show that the doping with Fe significantly promoted the light absorption ability of CaTiO3 in the visible light region. The Fe-doped CaTiO3 exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than CaTiO3 for the degradation of MB.However, the photocatalytic activity of the Fe-doped CaTiO3 was greatly influenced by the calcination temperature during the preparation process. The Fe-doped CaTiO3 prepared at500°C exhibited the best photocatalytic activity, with degradation of almost 100% MB（10 ppm）under UV-visible light for 180 min.     

Origin of major ions in monthly rainfall events at the Bamenda Highlands, North West Cameroon

Rainwater characteristics can reveal emissions from various anthropogenic and natural sources into the atmosphere. The physico-chemical characteristics of 44 monthly rainfall events （collected between January and December 2012） from 4 weather stations （Bamenda, Ndop plain, Ndawara and Kumbo） in the Bamenda Highlands （BH） were investigated. The purpose was to determine the sources of chemical species, their seasonal inputs and suitability of the rainwater for drinking. The mean pH of 5 indicated the slightly acidic nature of the rainwater. Average total dissolved solids （TDS） were low （6.7 mg/L）, characteristic of unpolluted atmospheric moisture/air. Major ion concentrations （mg/L） were low and in the order K＋ 〉 Ca2＋ 〉 Mg2~ 〉 Na＋ for cations and NO3 〉〉 HCO3 〉 SO] 〉 CI- 〉 PO3- 〉 F- for anions. The average rainwater in the area was mixed Ca-Mg-SO4-CI water type. The CI-/Na＋ ratio （1.04） was comparable to that of seawater （1.16）, an indication that N a＋ and CI originated mainly from marine （Atlantic Ocean） aerosols. High enrichments of Ca2＋, Mg2＋ and SO2- to Na＋ ratios relative to seawater ratios （constituting 44% of the total ions） demonstrated their terrigenous origin, mainly from Saharan and Sahelian arid dusts. The K＋/Na＋ ratio （2.24）, which was similar to tropical vegetation ash （2.38）, and NO3 was essentially from biomass burning. Light （〈 100 mm） pre-monsoon and post-monsoon convective rains were enriched in major ions than the heavy （〉 100 mm） monsoon rains, indicating a high contribution of major ions during the low convective showers. Despite the acidic nature, the TDS and major ion concentrations classified the rainwater as potable based on the WHO guidelines.     

Pd/activated carbon sorbents for mid-temperature capture of mercury from coal-derived fuel gas

Higher concentrations of Hg can be emitted from coal pyrolysis or gasification than from coal combustion, especially elemental Hg. Highly efficient Hg removal technology from coal-derived fuel gas is thus of great importance. Based on the very excellent Hg removal ability of Pd and the high adsorption abilities of activated carbon（AC） for H2 S and Hg, a series of Pd/AC sorbents was prepared by using pore volume impregnation, and their performance in capturing Hg and H2 S from coal-derived fuel gas was investigated using a laboratory-scale fixed-bed reactor. The effects of loading amount, reaction temperature and reaction atmosphere on Hg removal from coal-derived fuel gas were studied. The sorbents were characterized by N2 adsorption, X-ray diffraction（XRD） and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy（XPS）. The results indicated that the efficiency of Hg removal increased with the increasing of Pd loading amount, but the effective utilization rate of the active component Pd decreased significantly at the same time. High temperature had a negative influence on the Hg removal. The efficiency of Hg removal in the N2-H2S-H2-CO-Hg atmosphere（simulated coal gas） was higher than that in N2-H2S-Hg and N2-Hg atmospheres, which showed that H2 and CO, with their reducing capacity, could benefit promote the removal of Hg. The XPS results suggested that there were two different ways of capturing Hg over sorbents in N2-H2S-Hg and N2-Hg atmospheres.     

循环经济工业园区规划环评研究

概括了循环经济工业园区规划环境影响评价的框架思路。归纳总结了规划环评的主要内容,并以山西省长治市襄垣富阳循环经济工业园区为例,对规划环评指标体系的构建进行探讨。     

Direct evidence of trophic interactions among apex predators in the Late Triassic of western North America

Hypotheses of feeding behaviors and community structure are testable with rare direct evidence of trophic interactions in the fossil record (e.g., bite marks). We present evidence of four predation, scavenging, and/or interspecific fighting events involving two large paracrocodylomorphs (=‘rauisuchians’) from the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation (～220–210 Ma). The larger femur preserves a rare history of interactions with multiple actors prior to and after death of this ～8–9-m individual. A large embedded tooth crown and punctures, all of which display reaction tissue formed through healing, record evidence of a failed attack on this individual. The second paracrocodylomorph femur exhibits four unhealed bite marks, indicating the animal either did not survive the attack or was scavenged soon after death. The combination of character states observed (e.g., morphology of the embedded tooth, ‘D’-shaped punctures, evidence of bicarination of the marking teeth, spacing of potentially serial marks) indicates that large phytosaurs were actors in both cases. Our analysis of these specimens demonstrates phytosaurs targeted large paracrocodylomorphs in these Late Triassic ecosystems. Previous distinctions between ‘aquatic’ and ‘terrestrial’ Late Triassic trophic structures were overly simplistic and built upon mistaken paleoecological assumptions; we show they were intimately connected at the highest trophic levels. Our data also support that size cannot be the sole factor in determining trophic status. Furthermore, these marks provide an opportunity to start exploring the seemingly unbalanced terrestrial ecosystems from the Late Triassic of North America, in which large carnivores far outnumber herbivores in terms of both abundance and diversity.     

表面活性剂Burkholderia xenoborans LB400体系对低氯代PCBs的好氧强化降解

增强多氯联苯(PCBs)的水溶性是强化PCBs微生物降解的主要控制因素之一,本研究选取了PCB5(2,3-CB)和PCB31(2,4',5-CB)作为低氯代PCBs的典型代表,以曲拉通100(TX-100)、吐温80(Tween 80)、鼠李糖脂粗提物(RL crude)3种表面活性剂和β-环糊精( HPCD)联合Burkholderia xenoνorans LB400构建PCBs好氧降解体系,测试了它们对PCB5和PCB31的溶出率及微生物生长的影响.结果表明,TX-100(CMC＝194 mg·L-1)、 Tween 80(CMC＝13.1 mg·L-1)、 RL crude(CMC＝50 mg·L-1)浓度在1~7 CMC 时和 HPCD 浓度在500~1500 mg·L-1时对 PCB5和 PCB31溶出率分别达到54.7％~100％、59.8％~100％;10.5％~40.8％、6.8％~31.6％;10.3％~19.9％、3.3％~11.6％和19.5％~34.2％、4.2％~10.7％. TX-100浓度在1~7 CMC时对B. xenoνorans LB400生长的抑制率达到30.3％~45.8％,而Tween 80浓度在0.1~1 CMC时对其生长的抑制率为10.0％~15.4％; RL crude 本身能作为底物促进 LB400的生长,而 HPCD 对其生长无明显影响. B. xenoνorans LB400对PCB31(5 mg·L-1)的降解效率在添加表面活性剂后有不同程度的提高：TX-100,23.7％~65.5％; Tween 80,14.6％~44.3％;RL crude,9.6％~27.2％;HPCD,15.3％~20.7％;而表面活性剂对PCB5(10 mg·L-1)的降解效率则无明显影响.表面活性剂主要通过增大溶液中PCBs-表面活性剂的胶束浓度来提高LB400对PCBs的降解效率,在水溶液培养体系中当设置TX-100和Tween 80浓度分别在1和7 CMC时,PCB31的降解效率达到100％和81.7％,而此时B. xenoνorans LB400生长的抑制率为30.3％和5.4％.     

纳米Fe0粒子对产乙烯脱卤菌群脱氯性能和多样性影响研究

为探讨纳米Fe0粒子对产乙烯脱卤菌群脱氯性能和物种多样性的影响,采用纳米Fe0粒子与产乙烯脱卤菌群联合脱氯,并通过气相色谱、PCR-DGGE和TEM等技术手段进行相关表征.结果表明:当纳米Fe0粒子浓度为0~0.50 g·L-1时,体系的脱氯速率提高较小,低于40%,且菌种数量无明显变化;当其浓度为0.50~1.00 g·L-1时,体系的脱氯速率由0.31μmol·h-1提高到0.77μmol·h-1,体系的脱氯速率提高了60%,部分DGGE条带消失,多样性减少.TEM结果显示,产乙烯脱卤拟球菌在与纳米Fe0粒子接触部位有轻度破损,但细胞没有破裂.纳米Fe0粒子浓度较高时对产乙烯脱卤菌群的脱氯有明显的促进作用,但会使产乙烯脱卤菌群物种多样性减少.     

北京典型道路交通环境机动车黑碳排放与浓度特征研究

本研究对2009年北京市典型道路(北四环中路西段)进行实际交通流监测和调研,分析了总车流量、车型构成和平均速度的日变化规律.应用北京机动车排放因子模型(EMBEV模型)和颗粒物黑碳排放的研究数据,计算该路段的黑碳平均排放因子和排放强度.根据同期观测的气象数据,应用AERMOD模型对道路黑碳排放进行了扩散模拟,并根据城市背景站点和道路边站点的监测数据对模拟结果进行了验证.研究表明,该路段黑碳平均排放因子与重型柴油车在总车流中所占比例呈现出极强的相关性,由于北京市实行货车区域限行制度,日间时段总车流的平均黑碳排放因子为(9.3±1.2)mg·km-1·veh-1,而夜间时段上升至(29.5±11.1)mg·km-1·veh-1.全天时均黑碳排放强度为17.9~115.3g·km-1·h-1,其中早(7:00—9:00)晚(17:00—19:00)高峰时段的黑碳排放强度分别为(106.1±13.0)g·km-1·h-1和(102.6±6.2)g·km-1·h-1.基于同期监测数据验证,AERMOD模型的模拟效果较好.模拟时段的道路黑碳排放对道路边监测点的平均浓度贡献为(2.8±3.5)μg·m-3.由于局地气象条件差异,日间和夜间的机动车排放对道路边黑碳的模拟浓度存在显著差异.日间时段,小型客车排放对道路边站点的黑碳浓度贡献最高,达(1.07±1.57)μg·m-3;其次为公交车,达(0.58±0.85)μg·m-3.夜间时段货车比例明显上升,其黑碳排放占主导地位,贡献浓度(2.44±2.31)μg·m-3.