Bioassay: A useful tool for evaluating reclaimed water safety

Wastewater reclamation and reuse has been proved to be an effective way to relieve the fresh water crisis. However, toxic contaminants remaining in reclaimed water could lead to potential risk for reuse, and the conventional water quality standards have difficulty guaranteeing the safety of reclaimed water. Bioassays can vividly reflect the integrated biological effects of multiple toxic substances in water as a whole, and could be a powerful tool for evaluating the safety of reclaimed water. Therefore, in this study, the advantages and disadvantages of using bioassays for evaluating the safety of reclaimed water were compared with those of conventional water quality standards. Although bioassays have been widely used to describe the toxic effects of reclaimed water and treatment efficiency of reclamation techniques, a single bioassay cannot reflect the complex toxicity of reclaimed water, and a battery of bioassays involving multiple biological effects or in vitro tests with specific toxicity mechanisms would be recommended. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the safety of reclaimed water based on bioassay results, various methods including potential toxicology, the toxicity unit classification system, and a potential eco-toxic effects probe are summarized as well. Especially, some integrated ranking methods based on a bioassay battery involving multiple toxicity effects are recommended as useful tools for evaluating the safety of reclaimed water, which will benefit the promotion and guarantee the rapid development of the reclamation and reuse of wastewater.     

Dynamic nano-Ag colloids cytotoxicity to and accumulation by Escherichia coli: Effects of Fe3+, ionic strength and humic acid

Released Ag ions or/and Ag particles are believed to contribute to the cytotoxicity of Ag nanomaterials, and thus, the cytotoxicity and mechanism of Ag nanomaterials should be dynamic in water due to unfixed Ag particle:Ag⁺ ratios. Our recent research found that the cytotoxicity of PVP-Ag nanoparticles is attributable to Ag particles alone in 3 hr bioassays, and shifts to both Ag particles and released Ag⁺ in 48 hr bioassays. Herein, as a continued study, the cytotoxicity and accumulation of 50 and 100 nm Ag colloids in Escherichia coli were determined dynamically. The cytotoxicity and mechanisms of nano-Ag colloids are dynamic throughout exposure and are derived from both Ag ions and particles. Ag accumulation by E. coli is derived mainly from extracellular Ag particles during the initial 12 hr of exposure, and thereafter mainly from intracellular Ag ions. Fe³⁺ accelerates the oxidative dissolution of nano-Ag colloids, which results in decreasing amounts of Ag particles and particle-related toxicity. Na⁺ stabilizes nano-Ag colloids, thereby decreasing the bioavailability of Ag particles and particle-related toxicity. Humic acid (HA) binds Ag⁺ to form Ag⁺-HA, decreasing ion-related toxicity and binding to the E. coli surface, decreasing particle-related toxicity. HA in complex conditions showed a stronger relative contribution to toxicity and accumulation than Na⁺ or Fe³⁺. The results highlighted the cytotoxicity and mechanism of nano-Ag colloids are dynamic and affected by environmental factors, and therefore exposure duration and water chemistry should be seriously considered in environmental and health risk assessments.     

Mechanism and catalytic performance for direct dimethyl ether synthesis by CO2 hydrogenation over CuZnZr/ferrierite hybrid catalyst

Direct synthesis of dimethyl ether(DME) by CO_2 hydrogenation has been investigated over three hybrid catalysts prepared by different methods:co-precipitation,sol-gel,and solid grinding to produce mixed Cu,ZnO,ZrO_2 catalysts that were physically mixed with a commercial ferrierite(FER) zeolite.The catalysts were characterized by N_2 physisorption,X-ray diffraction(XRD),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),temperature programmed desorption of CO_2(CO_2-TPD),temperature programmed desorption of NH_3(NH_3-TPD),and temperature programmed H2 reduction(H_2-TPR).The results demonstrate that smaller CuO and Cu crystallite sizes resulting in better dispersion of the active phases,higher surface area,and lower reduction temperature are all favorable for catalytic activity.The reaction mechanism has been studied using in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy(DRIFTS).Methanol appears to be formed via the bidentate-formate(b-HCOO) species undergoing stepwise hydrogenation,while DME formation occurs from methanol dehydration and reaction of two surface methoxy groups.     

Effect of NOx and SO2 on the photooxidation of methylglyoxal: Implications in secondary aerosol formation

Methylglyoxal(CH_3COCHO,MG),which is one of the most abundant α-dicarbonyl compounds in the atmosphere,has been reported as a major source of secondary organic aerosol(SOA).In this work,the reaction of MG with hydroxyl radicals was studied in a 500 L smog chamber at(293±3) K,atmospheric pressure,(18±2)% relative humidity,and under different NOx and SO_2.Particle size distribution was measured by using a scanning mobility particle sizer(SMPS) and the results showed that the addition of SO_2 can promote SOA formation,while different NOx concentrations have different influences on SOA production.High NOx suppressed the SOA formation,whereas the particle mass concentration,particle number concentration and particle geometric mean diameter increased with the increasing NOx concentration at low NOx concentration in the presence of SO_2.In addition,the products of the OH-initiated oxidation of MG and the functional groups of the particle phase in the MG/OH/SO_2 and MG/OH/NOx/SO_2 reaction systems were detected by gas chromatography mass spectrometry(GC-MS) and attenuated total reflection fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy(ATR-FTIR) analysis.Two products,glyoxylic acid and oxalic acid,were detected by GC-MS.The mechanism of the reaction of MG and OH radicals that follows two main pathways,H atom abstraction and hydration,is proposed.Evidence is provided for the formation of organic nitrates and organic sulfate in particle phase from IR spectra.Incorporation of NOx and SO_2 influence suggested that SOA formation from anthropogenic hydrocarbons may be more efficient in polluted environment.     

不同入流类型对生态流量管理效果的影响

河流生态流量管理对于保护下游生态系统具有非常重要的作用。在水库生态调度的研究中,为了给不同流量时期提供不同生态流量,下游生态流量管理越来越复杂化。人们倾向于采用更复杂的生态流量管理来改善生态水文情势。然而,除了生态流量管理,水库入流类型也会影响生态水文情势,进而影响生态流量管理效果。因此,研究不同入流类型对生态流量管理效果的影响,有助于在考虑水库调度成本的情况下,在水库生态调度之前更好地选择生态流量管理方案。通过分析全球径流,总结出3种入流类型。为了对比不同的生态流量管理方案,采用了4种通用生态流量管理方案。结果表明:当水库入流量年内分配较均匀、流量曲线变换平缓时,生态流量管理方案的改变不会影响河流生态水文情势,即这种类型的入流对生态流量管理方案不敏感。     

基于FLUS模型的湖北省生态空间多情景模拟预测

改革开放以来,中国经济在飞速发展的同时,生态环境问题日益严峻。为保障国家和地区的生态安全,对未来生态空间进行模拟预测十分必要。在长江大保护和长江经济带绿色发展背景下,以湖北省为研究区,利用FLUS模型基于湖北省2010年、2015年土地利用数据及包含自然和人文因素的15种驱动因子数据,对2035年的湖北省生态空间进行模拟预测。结果表明：利用2010年土地利用现状模拟出的2015年湖北省土地利用变化情况,总体精度达到0.976,Kappa系数达到0.961,模拟精度较高。设置的生产空间优先、生活空间优先、生态空间优先以及综合空间优化4种不同情景,基本满足未来湖北省不同发展导向的需求。从地貌单元角度来看,在不同情景下,湖北省生态空间主要分布于湖北省边陲四大山区,中部江汉平原生态空间零星分布。从数量规模上来看,不同情景下各个用地类型数量规模差异较为明显,生产空间优先情景下耕地面积增加1216 km²,生活空间优先情景下城镇用地规模增加5959 km²,生态空间优先情景下生态空间用地增长722 km²,综合空间优化情景下生态空间用地规模变化更趋于平缓。从生态空间变化分布来看,四大山区的生态空间变化不大,但中部江汉平原生态空间变化较为明显,其中从行政区划上来看,变化范围主要分布于武汉城市圈、襄阳市、宜昌市中西部地区及随州市中部地区。总而言之,FLUS模型对于湖北省生态空间模拟的适用性较好,多情景模拟结果可为湖北省未来国土空间规划及未来生态空间管控提供多角度、多方向的政策决策参考。     

A novel state-of-charge-based method for plug-in hybrid vehicle electric distance analysis validated with actual driving data

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change - Promoting Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles (PHEVs) is viewed as a promising strategy to mitigate the energy consumption and greenhouse gas...     

基于空间适宜性评价和人口承载力的贵溪市中心城区城市开发边界的划定

城市开发边界的划定能够合理引导城市空间的有序发展,控制其无序蔓延。论文以典型的资源型城市贵溪市为研究区,从空间适宜性评价、人口承载力、城市规模以及城市总体规划和土地利用总体规划（简称“两规”）衔接等方面探索有效的城市开发边界划定方法。空间适宜性评价综合考虑自然、空间可达性和生态条件,运用聚类分析法确定区域内不宜作为开发建设的生态底线区域和适宜建设开发区域的高低等级,以此确定城市开发边界的发展方向。通过灰色预测GM(1,1)模型预测研究区2020年人口总量,并基于土地资源和水资源承载力验证当地所能容纳的最大人口总量,同时确定城市规模和划定城市开发边界。以空间适宜性评价、人口承载力、城市规模预测、两规衔接和空间形态控制等方法倒逼缩减建设用地,从而划定城市发展的刚性和弹性增长边界。     

Long-term effects of sliver nanoparticles on the abundance and activity of soil microbiome

正Silver nanoparticles(Ag NPs)are among the most extensively used engineered nanomaterials because of their wellestablished antimicrobial and unique physicochemical properties(Yin et al.,2015).Applications of AgNPs have now been