Chemical looping with oxygen uncoupling: an advanced biomass combustion technology to avoid CO2 emissions

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change - Bioenergy with carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (BECCS) technologies represent an interesting option to reach negative carbon...     

上海沙田湖养殖区及周边水体中氟喹诺酮类抗性基因的分布特征及其与环境因子关系

集约化水产养殖区常被认为是水体抗生素和抗性基因的主要潜在来源,然而对其该类水体中抗生素和抗性基因污染情况的研究仍相对匮乏.本文以上海市沙田湖养殖区及周边水体为调查对象,利用宏基因组学高通量测序技术,于2020年9月对水体中的氟喹诺酮类抗生素(fluoroquinolones,FQs)和氟喹诺酮类抗性基因(fluoroquinolones antibiotic resistance genes,FQs-ARGs)的种类和丰度进行了调查,并利用多元统计分析方法研究了水体理化因子和FQs对FQs-ARGs的影响.结果表明,沙田湖养殖区及周边水体共检测出5类耐药机制、共46种FQs-ARGs,其中各水体共有基因为44种.抗性基因mfd和patA在养殖水体和周边水体中均为优势抗性基因,抗生素抗性基因变异或突变为优势耐药机制.养殖水体和周边河湖水体、不同养殖品种水体之间FQs-ARGs的平均丰度无显著差异(P＞0.05).偏冗余分析(pRDA)表明,除了诺氟沙星和环丙沙星2种抗生素外,水体电导率(Spc)、总磷(TP)、总氮(TN)、氨氮(NH4+-N)、溶解氧(DO)、pH和叶绿素a(Chl-a)等环境因子是影响水体中FQs-ARGs组成与分布的关键性因子,且非抗生素因子的总贡献率远高于抗生素.     

外秦淮河底泥污染及疏浚效果

外秦淮河是南京市一条重要的城市景观行洪河道,多年来受工业及生活污水影响,内源污染严重.为充分了解外秦淮河底泥污染特征,为疏浚提供决策依据,对河道上、中和下游典型断面底泥界面微环境以及营养物含量进行调查,采用有机指数法和污染指数法对底泥污染状况进行评估,同时根据污染物垂向分布特征模拟清淤对底泥内源释放削减的影响.结果表明,上中下游底泥界面以上DO均值分别为4.62、 3.25和3.41mg·L^-1,且分别在4.4、 3.5和5.5 mm处消耗殆尽,是典型的城市河道污染特征体现.调查河段表层底泥的ω(TN)、ω(TP)和ω(OM)均值分别为1 734mg·kg^-1、 1 337 mg·kg^-1和4.82%,底泥TN和OM的有机污染指数均值为0.48,处于尚清洁水平,TP的单项污染指数均值为3.18,处于重度污染水平.模拟30 cm清淤深度结果表明,底泥SRP和Fe²⁺的释放速率较清淤前分别削减42%～82%和88%～96%,而NH⁺₄-N的释放速率却较清淤前有...     

Going beyond the rhetoric: system-wide changes in universities for sustainable societies

In October 2008, the 5th Environmental Management for Sustainable Universities (EMSU) international conference was held in Barcelona, Spain. It dealt with the need to rethink how our higher educational institutions are facing sustainability. This special issue has been primarily derived from contributions to that conference. This issue builds upon related academic international publications, which have analysed how to use the critical position of universities to accelerate their pace of working to help to make the transition to truly SUSTAINABLE SOCIETIES!This issue focus is on the ‘softer’ issues, such as changes in values, attitudes, motivations, as well as in curricula, societal interactions and assessments of the impacts of research. Insights derived from the interplay of the ‘softer’ issues with the ‘harder’ issues are empowering academic leaders to effectively use leverage points to make changes in operations, courses, curricula, and research. Those changes are being designed to help their students and faculty build resilient and sustainable societies within the context of climate change, the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), and the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).The overall systems approach presented by Stephens and Graham provides a structured framework to systematize change for sustainability in higher education, by stressing on the one hand the need for “learning to learn” and on the other hand by integrating leadership and cultural aspects. The “niche” level they propose for innovative interactions between practitioners such as EMSU is exemplary developed by all of the other documents in this special issue. To highlight some of the key elements of the articles in this issue, there are proposals for new educational methods based in sustainability science, a set of inspirational criteria for SD research activities, new course ranking and assessment methods and results of psychological studies that provide evidence that participatory approaches are the most effective way to change values within university members in order to facilitate the development and sharing of new sustainability norms.     

Three Different Topics for Bioremediation Application on Soils and Waters Contaminated with Aromatic Compounds, by Using Immobilized Bacteria

Molecular techniques and modelling are presented as powerful tools required in the performance of efficient soil and water bioremediation systems. An Escherichia coli CC118-D strain was constructed by inserting the Klebsiella pneumoniae hpa B gene, coding for the unstable 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate 2,3-dioxygenase, into its chromosome. When the constructed strain was immobilized, both enzyme stability and viability increased along the studied period, in absence of antibiotic. We proposed this strategy as an approach to overcoming plasmid instability and to enhance enzyme activity and stability, avoiding antibiotic utilization. A model was developed to understand and predict the behaviour of bacteria and pollutants in a bioreactor system, considering: fluid dynamics, molecular/cellular scale processes and biofilm formation.     

Using plant biomonitors and flux modelling to develop O3 dose-response relationships in Catalonia

We used tobacco Bel-W3 biomonitoring data and ozone flux modelling (WINDEP model) with the aim of developing the absorbed dose-response relationship, and comparing this approach with the most commonly used AOT40 (the sum of hourly ozone concentrations above a cut-off of 40 ppb during daylight hours, when global radiation exceeds 50 W m(-2)) in the estimation of exposure-damage curves. Leaf damage values were more related to OAD(15 days, potential) (potential ozone absorbed dose calculated over 15 consecutive days) than to AOT40 in all the studied stations. An OAD(15 days, potential) of 180 mg m(-2) was found to be the threshold for damage to the most sensitive species in this region under well watered conditions. The results show the applicability of the flux approach for risk assessment at the local scale, the improvement of the ozone damage estimation when the potential absorbed dose is modelled and used instead of just the ozone exposure, and finally, the possibilities opened by the use of biomonitoring networks.     

Predicting biodiversity change: outside the climate envelope, beyond the species-area curve

Efforts to anticipate threats to biodiversity take the form of species richness predictions (SRPs) based on simple correlations with current climate and habitat area. We review the major approaches that have been used for SRP, species-area curves and climate envelopes, and suggest that alternative research efforts may provide more understanding and guidance for management. Extinction prediction suffers from a number of limitations related to data and the novelty of future environments. We suggest additional attention to (1) identification of variables related to biodiversity that are diagnostic and potentially more predictable than extinction, (2) constraints on species dispersal and reproduction that will determine population persistence and range shifts, including limited sources or potential immigrants for many regions, and (3) changes in biotic interactions and phenology. We suggest combinations of observational and experimental approaches within a framework available for ingesting heterogeneous data sources. Together, these recommendations amount to a shift in emphasis from prediction of extinction numbers to identification of vulnerabilities and leading indicators of change, as well as suggestions for surveillance tools needed to evaluate important variables and the experiments likely to provide most insight.     

Modeling lead bioavailability and bioaccumulation by Lumbriculus variegatus using artificial particles. Potential use in chemical remediation processes

Artificial particles, specifically a diverse selection of chromatographical resins, have been recommended and used as a useful experimental model to predict the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of sediment-bound organic chemicals. In this work the same experimental model was adopted to investigate the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of lead by the freshwater oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus. Particle-water partition coefficients were also determined. Sand particles and the anionic exchange resin promoted a similar uptake and bioaccumulation of lead. Instead, in the presence of the cationic exchanger the metal was not detected in the animals. For neutral particles, the uptake and accumulation depended on the chemistry of the functional groups at the active sites. In addition, a significant negative correlation was found between bioaccumulation and the particle-water partition coefficients. These studies may help to develop alternative methods for chemical remediation of lead-contaminated aquatic systems.     

Sequential removal of heavy metals ions and organic pollutants using an algal-bacterial consortium

The residual algal-bacterial biomass from photosynthetically supported, organic pollutant biodegradation processes, in enclosed photobioreactors, was tested for its ability to accumulate Cu(II), Ni(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II). Salicylate was chosen as a model contaminant. The algal-bacterial biomass combined the high adsorption capacity of microalgae with the low cost of the residual biomass, which makes it an attractive biosorbent for environmental applications. Cu(II) was preferentially taken-up from the medium when the metals were present both separately and in combination. There was no observed competition for adsorption sites, which suggested that Cu(II), Ni(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) bind to different sites and that active Ni(II), Cd(II) and Zn(II) binding groups were present at very low concentrations. Therefore, special focus was given to Cu(II) biosorption. Cu(II) biosorption by the algal-bacterial biomass was characterized by an initial fast cell surface adsorption followed by a slower metabolically driven uptake. pH, Cu(II), and algal-bacterial concentration significantly affected the biosorption capacity for Cu(II). Maximum Cu(II) adsorption capacities of 8.5+/-0.4 mg g-1 were achieved at an initial Cu(II) concentration of 20 mg l-1 and at pH 5 for the tested algal-bacterial biomass. These are consistent with values reported for other microbial sorbents under similar conditions. The desorption of Cu(II) from saturated biomass was feasible by elution with a 0.0125 M HCl solution. Simultaneous Cu(II) and salicylate removal in a continuous stirred tank photobioreactor was not feasible due to the high toxicity of Cu(II) towards the microbial culture. The introduction of an adsorption column, packed with the algal-bacterial biomass, prior to the photobioreactor reduced Cu(II) concentration, thereby allowing the subsequent salicylate biodegradation in the photobioreactor.