Biomineralization-based conversion of carbon dioxide to calcium carbonate using recombinant carbonic anhydrase

Recently, as a mimic of the natural biomineralization process, the use of carbonic anhydrase (CA), which is an enzyme catalyzing fast reversible hydration of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate, has been suggested for biological conversion of CO₂ to valuable chemicals. While purified bovine CA (BCA) has been used in previous studies, its practical utilization in CO₂ conversion has been limited due to the expense of BCA preparation. In the present work, we investigated conversion of CO₂ into calcium carbonate as a target carbonate mineral by using a more economical, recombinant CA. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the usage of recombinant CA for biological CO₂ conversion. Recombinant α-type CA originating in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NCA) was highly expressed as a soluble form in Escherichia coli. We found that purified recombinant NCA which showed comparable CO₂ hydration activity to commercial BCA significantly promoted formation of solid CaCO₃ through the acceleration of CO₂ hydration rate, which is naturally slow. In addition, the rate of calcite crystal formation was also accelerated using recombinant NCA. Moreover, non-purified crude recombinant NCA also showed relatively significant ability. Therefore, recombinant CA could be an effective, economical biocatalyst in practical CO₂ conversion system.     

Prediction of groundwater contamination with multivariate regression and probabilistic capture zones

Probabilistic capture zones are combined with a regression model and used as buffer zones around wells for Tobit regression analysis to predict contaminant concentration of groundwater in an agricultural region. A backward transport equation, which is a mathematical model based on the physical processes of solute transport, is used to delineate probabilistic capture zones. The probabilistic capture zone defines the area where contaminant discharge can have a direct influence, with pertinent probability, on the quality of groundwater pumped from a well. Tobit regression analysis is used to find the relationship between independent regression variables and a dependent variable, which is contaminant concentration in this study. The capture zone and the regression are combined into a model, and its applicability for prediction of nitrate concentration is tested in a small agricultural basin in Chuncheon, Korea, which is occupied mainly by vegetation fields, orchards, and small barns. Three cases of Model 1, Model 2, and Model 3 are compared in which buffer zones are circles, capture zones with probability over 0.1, and capture zones divided into sections with different probabilities, respectively. The resulting regression model describes nitrate concentration in terms of selected independent variables. When the concentrations are calculated with the model, the best fit with the observed concentrations was in Model 3. This result supports the applicability of the method proposed in this study to prediction of contaminant concentration of groundwater.     

不同释钾菌对粉煤灰的生态效应

粉煤灰治理难度大,但它含有植物生长必需的营养元素钾,将其就地资源化生物利用是一条较好的途径。释钾菌是一种能把矿物中的难溶性钾转化为有效钾的细菌,从土壤中筛选出2种释钾菌,经过在粉煤灰基质中的驯化培养,通过盆栽试验种植紫花苜蓿,比较不同菌株对粉煤灰的改良作用及其对植物生长的影响。结果表明,筛选出的菌株C6对粉煤灰中速效钾的释放效果明显,降低了基质pH,显著地促进了植物的生长,对粉煤灰生态修复具有重要意义。     

Environmental indicators for communication of life cycle impact assessment results and their applications

Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) is performed to quantitatively evaluate all environmental impacts from products, systems, processes and services. However, LCIA does not always provide valuable information for choosing among alternatives with different specifications, functionalities and lifetimes. The objectives of this study are (1) to propose environmental indicators to evaluate environmental efficiency and value qualitatively and quantitatively on the basis of analogies to financial and economic indicators, and (2) to present the application of the indicators. Incremental evaluation using a reference is employed to obtain the environmental indicators. The environmental efficiency indicators are conceptually based on the ratios of reduced environmental burdens returned to environmental burdens required: environmental return on investment, environmental payback period and environmental internal rate of return. The environmental value indicator is the sum of all reduced and required environmental burdens: i.e., environmental net present value. All the environmental indicators can be used to compare and rank the environmental efficiencies or values of alternatives. The environmental efficiency indicators can be applied to a new environmental labeling. The concept of eco-efficiency labeling is developed by combining the environmental efficiency indicators with financial indicators. A case study is performed to illustrate the necessity and importance of the environmental indicators. These environmental indicators can help easily communicate LCIA results in the field of environmental management.     

内蒙古草原畜牧业在自然灾害中的“脆弱性”问题研究——以内蒙古锡林郭勒盟牧区为例

长期以来,学术界认为"脆弱性"是内蒙古传统草原畜牧业的一大特点,是影响草原畜牧业健康发展的主要因素之一.通过实地调查采访和查阅历史文献等研究方法,对时常被引用的内蒙古草原畜牧业经济"脆弱性"特点"证据"以及内蒙古锡林郭勒盟牧区近半个多世纪草原畜牧业发展历史进行分析,得出草原畜牧业的"脆弱性"及其经济损失主要不在于天灾,而在于人祸的结论.     

幼儿地震灾害自救常识教育初探——幼儿园科普教育纪实

2008年5月12日,四川汶川发生了特大地震,整个中华大地为之震颤．数以万计普通百姓的命运因此改变。作为地震行业的普通工作者,本职工作之外,我们更加迫切地感觉到有责任和义务．贡献我们的知识与力量于公众地震科普教育当中。地震虽不可避免,但可让包括孩子们在内的社会大众了解相关的背景知识,知道一些基本的防范措施和方法,在当今的中国,尤为必要。     

Composition and yields of secondary organic aerosol formed from OH radical-initiated reactions of linear alkenes in the presence of NOx: Modeling and measurements

The products and mechanism of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from the OH radical-initiated reactions of linear alkenes in the presence of NO_x were investigated in an environmental chamber. The SOA consisted primarily of products formed through reactions initiated by OH radical addition to the CC double bond, including β-hydroxynitrates and dihydroxynitrates, as well as cyclic hemiacetals, dihydrofurans, and dimers formed from particle-phase reactions of dihydroxycarbonyls. 1,4-Hydroxynitrates formed through reactions initiated by H-atom abstraction also appeared to contribute. Product yields and OH radical and alkoxy radical rate constants taken from the literature or calculated using structure–reactivity methods were used to develop a quantitative chemical mechanism for these reactions. SOA yields were then calculated using this mechanism with gas-particle partitioning theory and estimated product vapor pressures for comparison with measured values. Calculated and measured SOA yields agreed very well at high carbon numbers when semi-volatile products were primarily in the particle phase, but diverged with decreasing carbon number to a degree that depended on the model treatment of dihydroxycarbonyls, which appeared to undergo reversible reactions in the particle phase. The results indicate that the chemical mechanism developed here provides an accurate representation of the gas-phase chemistry, but the utility of the SOA model depends on the partitioning regime. The results also demonstrate some of the advantages of studying simple aerosol-forming reactions in which the majority of products can be identified and quantified, in this case leading to insights into both gas- and particle-phase chemistry.     

基于碳足迹的江西省农田生态系统碳源/汇时空差异

利用2001~2010年江西省农业投入和农作物统计数据,采用碳排放系数法计算了江西省农田生态系统碳源/汇及碳足迹,分析了江西省农田生态系统碳源/汇时空特征,并进一步分析了碳足迹变化特征及原因。结果表明：(1)2001~2010年,江西省农业投入引起的碳排放量从2001年的11910 1×106 t,增加至2010年的5872 8×106 t,增加了103倍,农业机械化对碳排放总量贡献率最大。碳排放强度呈现先增加后减少的趋势。2008年赣州市碳排放量最多,景德镇市最少;(2)2001~2010年江西省农田生态系统碳吸收量先减少,后逐年增加,到2010年又减少,整个2001~2010年间增加3209 9×106 t。各类农作物中,水稻碳吸收量最多。2009年碳吸收量最多的是宜春市,最少的是萍乡市;(3)江西省农田生态系统碳足迹从2001年的07518×106 C〖DK〗·hm-2〖DK〗·a-1,增加至2009年的1473 4×106 C〖DK〗·hm-2〖DK〗·a-1,单位面积碳足迹呈现逐年增加的趋势。2008年碳足迹最多的是赣州市,最少的是萍乡市。南昌市、景德镇市、吉安市和宜春市表现为生态盈余,其余表现为生态赤字。江西省应减少农药、化肥等的使用,控制农业机械化,特别是赣州市,从而达到减少碳排放的目的