Environmentally Friendly Polyurethane Composites: Preparation, Characterization and Mechanical Properties

The waterborne polyurethane (PU) prepolymer was prepared based on isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), polyester polyol (N220), dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA) and hydroxyethyl methyl acrylate (HEMA). The modified waterborne polyurethane–acrylate (PUA) emulsions were obtained with different proportions of acrylate (butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate) and initiating agent by in situ dispersion technique. The structures and thermal properties of prepared PU and PUA were analyzed and characterized with FT-IR, UV–Vis spectroscopy and DSC. The PUA hybrid samples had lower glass transition temperature of hard segment and higher decomposition temperatures than PU sample. Performances of the emulsion and film were studied by means of apparent viscidity, particle size and polydispersity, surface tension and mechanical properties. The results indicated that the particle sizes of the PUA dispersions were larger than those of the pure PU and the solvent resistance, mechanical properties of PUA films was improved compare with the unmodified polyurethane film. The film had the biggest hardness and the least water absorption when the BA/MMA mass ratio 5:5 modified PU. The obtained PUA have great potential application such as coatings, leather finishing, adhesives, sealants, plastic coatings and wood finishes.     

Engineered nanoparticles in wastewater and wastewater sludge – Evidence and impacts

Nanotechnology has widespread application in agricultural, environmental and industrial sectors ranging from fabrication of molecular assemblies to microbial array chips. Despite the booming application of nanotechnology, there have been serious implications which are coming into light in the recent years within different environmental compartments, namely air, water and soil and its likely impact on the human health. Health and environmental effects of common metals and materials are well-known, however, when the metals and materials take the form of nanoparticles – consequential hazards based on shape and size are yet to be explored. The nanoparticles released from different nanomaterials used in our household and industrial commodities find their way through waste disposal routes into the wastewater treatment facilities and end up in wastewater sludge. Further escape of these nanoparticles into the effluent will contaminate the aquatic and soil environment. Hence, an understanding of the presence, behavior and impact of these nanoparticles in wastewater and wastewater sludge is necessary and timely. Despite the lack of sufficient literature, the present review attempts to link various compartmentalization aspects of the nanoparticles, their physical properties and toxicity in wastewater and wastewater sludge through simile drawn from other environmental streams.     

Experimental study on static and dynamic mechanical properties of phosphogypsum

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Phosphogypsum (PG) is a solid waste product of the wet-process phosphoric acid industry that accumulates in large amounts on the ground, forming PG...     

Iodine enrichment and the underlying mechanism in deep groundwater in the Cangzhou Region,North China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The lack of information on the origin and behavior of iodine in deep groundwater restricts the development and use of groundwater resources. To...     

Light absorption enhancement of particulate matters and their source apportionment over the Asian continental outflow site and South Yellow Sea

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Light absorption enhancement of black carbon due to the aerosol mixing states is an important parameterization for climate modeling, while emission...     

Effect of barium sulfate modification on the SO2 tolerance of V2O5 /TiO2 catalyst for NH3-SCR reaction

Sulfur poisoning of V_2O_5/BaSO_4–TiO_2(VBT),V_2O_5/WO_3–TiO_2(VWT) and V_2O_5/BaSO_4–WO_3–TiO_2(VBWT) catalysts was performed in wet air at 350℃ for 3 hr,and activities for the selective catalytic reduction of NO_x with NH_3 were evaluated for 200–500℃.The VBT catalyst showed higher NO_x conversions after sulfur poisoning than the other two catalysts.The introduction of barium sulfate contributed to strong acid sites for the as-received catalyst,and eliminated the redox cycle of active vanadium oxide to some extent,which resulted in a certain loss of activity.Readily decomposable sulfate species formed on VBT-S instead of inactive sulfates on VWT-S.These decomposable sulfates increased the number of strong acid sites significantly.Some sulfate species escaped during catalyst preparation and barium sulfate was reproduced during sulfur poisoning,which protects vanadia from sulfur oxide attachment to a great extent.Consequently,the VBT catalyst exhibited the best resistance to sulfur poisoning.     

Mesoporous carbon nanomaterials induced pulmonary surfactant inhibition, cytotoxicity, inflammation and lung fibrosis

Environmental exposure and health risk upon engineered nanomaterials are increasingly concerned. The family of mesoporous carbon nanomaterials(MCNs) is a rising star in nanotechnology for multidisciplinary research with versatile applications in electronics,energy and gas storage, and biomedicine. Meanwhile, there is mounting concern on their environmental health risks due to the growing production and usage of MCNs. The lung is the primary site for particle invasion under environmental exposure to nanomaterials. Here, we studied the comprehensive toxicological profile of MCNs in the lung under the scenario of moderate environmental exposure. It was found that at a low concentration of 10 μg/mL MCNs induced biophysical inhibition of natural pulmonary surfactant. Moreover, MCNs at similar concentrations reduced viability of J774 A.1 macrophages and lung epithelial A549 cells.Incubating with nature pulmonary surfactant effectively reduced the cytotoxicity of MCNs.Regarding the pro-inflammatory responses, MCNs activated macrophages in vitro, and stimulated lung inflammation in mice after inhalation exposure, associated with lung fibrosis.Moreover, we found that the size of MCNs played a significant role in regulating cytotoxicity and pro-inflammatory potential of this nanomaterial. In general, larger MCNs induced more pronounced cytotoxic and pro-inflammatory effects than their smaller counterparts. Our results provided valuable information on the toxicological profile and environmental health risks of MCNs, and suggested that fine-tuning the size of MCNs could be a practical precautionary design strategy to increase safety and biocompatibility of this nanomaterial.     

聚四氟乙烯生产过程重大风险研究

基于现场调查对聚四氟乙烯生产的风险进行分析,通过危险度评价得出主要生产设备的危险度;应用道化学火灾爆炸危险指数方法对具有重大风险的聚合釜和进料罐进行分析,分别得出采取安全措施前后的火灾爆炸危险指数。研究表明,聚合釜和进料罐的固有火灾爆炸危险分别为"非常大"和"很大",进行安全措施补偿之后火灾爆炸危险均降至可接受水平。针对重大风险提出的建议对促进聚四氟乙烯的安全生产具有参考价值。     

湖北省PM2.5与PM10比值分析及PM2.5时空分布特征研究

基于2012年-2014年湖北省大气污染物监测数据,通过数据反演方法,得到湖北省17个城市的PM2.5年均浓度.利用ArcGIS绘制出各城市不同年份的颗粒物浓度空间分布图,并对其进行分析.结果表明,2012年-2014年间,湖北省17个城市PM2.5与PM10年均浓度比值为0.66,PM2.5年均浓度超出国家二级标准,整体呈现上升趋势.城市方面,在多数城市PM2.5与PM10浓度上升的同时,仅武汉、黄冈和天门3个城市颗粒物浓度2014年较2013年有所下降,且武汉市PM2.5浓度下降率达12.8%,表明武汉市近两年来采取的政策措施具有较好的可行性和有效性.     

罕见冬季降雨中人工增雨微物理过程分析研究

用Micaps实时资料、CPAS卫星反演分析资料、NCEP再分析资料、ECMWF再分析资料,多普勒雷达PUP产品资料,对2015年12月1日夜间至2日凌晨沈阳地区罕见冬季降雨过程,进行了天气学分析、及大气微物理人工增雨作业条件分析,并结合沈阳地区人工增雨作业指标,得出本次降雨过程在厄尔尼诺正在发生的背景下,为常见的高空槽转东北冷涡型,水汽、动力等微物理作业条件也适合于开展人工增雨作业,并给出了相应的作业指导参数,为沈阳地区今后在冬季降雨天气过程中开展人工增雨作业积累了宝贵经验.