Blood concentrations of lead,cadmium, mercury and their association with biomarkers of DNA oxidative damage in preschool children living in an e-waste recycling area

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced DNA damage occurs in heavy metal exposure, but the simultaneous effect on DNA repair is unknown. We investigated the influence of co-exposure of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) on 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and human repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (hOGG1) mRNA levels in exposed children to evaluate the imbalance of DNA damage and repair. Children within the age range of 3–6 years from a primitive electronic waste (e-waste) recycling town were chosen as participants to represent a heavy metal-exposed population. 8-OHdG in the children’s urine was assessed for heavy metal-induced oxidative effects, and the hOGG1 mRNA level in their blood represented the DNA repair ability of the children. Among the children surveyed, 88.14% (104/118) had a blood Pb level >5 μg/dL, 22.03% (26/118) had a blood Cd level >1 μg/dL, and 62.11% (59/95) had a blood Hg level >10 μg/dL. Having an e-waste workshop near the house was a risk factor contributing to high blood Pb (r _s  = 0.273, p < 0.01), while Cd and Hg exposure could have come from other contaminant sources. Preschool children of fathers who had a college or university education had significantly lower 8-OHdG levels (median 242.76 ng/g creatinine, range 154.62–407.79 ng/g creatinine) than did children of fathers who had less education (p = 0.035). However, we did not observe a significant difference in the mRNA expression levels of hOGG1 between the different variables. Compared with children having low lead exposure (quartile 1), the children with high Pb exposure (quartiles 2, 3, and 4) had significantly higher 8-OHdG levels (β _Q2 = 0.362, 95% CI 0.111–0.542; β _Q3 = 0.347, 95% CI 0.103–0.531; β _Q4 = 0.314, 95% CI 0.087–0.557). Associations between blood Hg levels and 8-OHdG were less apparent. Compared with low levels of blood Hg (quartile 1), elevated blood Hg levels (quartile 2) were associated with higher 8-OHdG levels (β _Q2 = 0.236, 95% CI 0.039–0.406). Compared with children having low lead exposure (quartile 1), the children with high Pb exposure (quartiles 2, 3, and 4) had significantly higher 8-OHdG levels.     

Efficiency of mercapto flavor compounds in removing acrylamide under high temperature and low humidity conditions

Acrylamide (AA) is a potential human carcinogen, genotoxicant, and neurotoxicant. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the ability of mercapto flavor compounds to remove AA released from consumer packaging into food products. Four mercapto flavor compounds including 1,2-ethanedithiol, 1-butanethiol, 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, and 2-furanmethanethiol were employed to extract AA in model system using high temperature and low humidity. Our study showed that mercaptans were effective in eliminating AA in our model system. In order to remove 0.2 μmol AA, the optimal conditions in the reaction system were mercaptan flavor chemicals at 5 μmol, temperature 180 °C, and reaction time 25 min. In the presence of a higher pH, the greater was the amount of AA eliminated. Evidence indicates that employment of mercapto flavor chemicals under certain temperature and pH conditions is a reliable method to remove any unwanted AA from food products.     

Species diversity variation of Cupressus funebris secondary forest in landslide site after 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake北大核心CSCD

The characteristics of species diversity in Cupressus funebris secondary forest under the effect of geological hazard were explored by selecting the typical landslide surface of Fenghuang Mountain, Leigu Town, Beichuan County, which was derived from the 5.12 Wenchuan earthquake. The results showed that 93 species belonged to 42 families, and 78 genera were found in the landslide area, where the main families were Compositae, Leguminosae, and Gramineae-based. Further, 97 species in the transition area belonged to 39 families and 80 genera, and the main families were Compositae, Gramineae, and Rosaceae-based. In all, 108 species were recorded in the non-landslide area, which belonged to 59 families and 92 genera, the main families of which were Compositae, Rosaceae, and Gramineae-based. Compositae and Gramineae played important roles in the landslide recovery process after earthquake. The Pielou index (JSW) was the highest in the non-landslide area of the herb layer, whereas the richness index (D) was the lowest; the Shannon-Wiener index (H) and Simpson index (H') showed medium values. In the non-landslide area, the D, H, and H' were the highest in the shrub layer, whereas the JSW was the lowest. Further, the species diversity index of the transitional area was higher than that of the landslide area. In the tree layer, the D and H were both the highest and lowest in the landslide area and transition area, respectively. In contrast, the H' and JSW were the highest in the transition area and the lowest in the non-landslide area. The distribution of vegetation was generally consistent with the distribution of soil nutrients in the spatial distribution of surface soil nutrients. The succession of trees in the landslide area was relatively slow and at the initial stage, and the pioneer species were Coriaria nepalensis, Leptopus chinensis, and Arthraxon lanceolatus in this area. Taken together, the findings suggested that the stability of a plant community can be increased by improving the soil and stabilizing the slope. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

High zinc removal from water and soil using struvite-supported diatomite obtained by nitrogen and phosphate recovery from wastewater

Zinc is known as an essential element of human life. However, excessive zinc discharge into water and soil causes water pollution, leading to serious health issues such as septicemia, meningitis and iron-deficiency anemia. Here, a novel material made of struvite-supported diatomite was obtained from eutrophic water treated by mesoporous MgO-modified diatomite. This material was applied for zinc remediation in aqueous solutions and contaminated soils to test the reuse of P-containing products. Struvite-supported diatomite was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Results show that the maximum removal efficiency of Zn(II) from wastewater streams reached 90.54% at an initial pH of 5 and struvite-supported diatomite dosage of 0.3 g/L. Moreover, the X-ray diffraction patterns of precipitates after Zn(II) sorption show that the combination between zinc and the phosphate group played a key role for zinc removal in solution. For Zn-contaminated soils amended with 10% struvite-supported diatomite, available Zn decreased by 65.38% and acid soluble Zn decreased by 56.9% after 56 days.     

基于土壤模式生物的纳米材料毒理研究进展

随着纳米科技与工业的高速发展,大量的纳米材料被广泛应用并最终汇聚到土壤环境中,对土壤生态和人体健康造成潜在影响。由于土壤生物具有多样性,选择具有代表性、敏感性并便于获取的土壤模式生物作为实验受体进行纳米材料的生物安全评估及环境毒理效应研究尤为重要。较为系统地回顾和总结了几种典型土壤模式生物的特点,为纳米材料毒理研究中受试生物的选择提供参考,在此基础上整理了大量基于典型土壤模式生物的纳米材料毒性研究资料,归纳了不同层次的研究方法,分析探索了纳米材料毒性机理,并展望了未来的研究重点。     

土石坝管涌溃坝过程数学模型及应用

通过国内外土石坝管涌溃坝模型试验发现,管涌通道断面在溃坝过程中呈现城门洞形,并不断发展扩大直至坝顶发生坍塌。而目前常用的管涌溃坝过程数学模型大多假设管涌通道为圆形或矩形,与实际情况不符。基于土石坝管涌破坏机理,提出一个土石坝管涌溃坝过程数学模型,模型假设初始管涌通道断面为底部正方形顶部半圆形的城门洞形,采用基于水流剪应力的冲蚀公式模拟冲蚀过程管涌通道两侧边向外的发展,采用普罗托季亚科诺夫压力拱理论模拟管涌通道顶拱的发展;通过比较管涌通道上部坝体的重力与管涌通道两侧土体的抗剪强度判断管涌通道的垮塌,分别选择孔流和堰流公式模拟管涌通道坍塌前后的溃口流量;当管涌通道坍塌后,假设坍塌的土体立刻被溃坝水流带走,随后发生漫顶破坏,使用极限平衡法模拟漫顶溃坝过程中的溃口边坡稳定性。模型采用按时间步长迭代的数值计算方法模拟溃口的水土耦合过程,选择国内外25个具有实测资料的土石坝管涌溃坝案例对模型进行验证,比对峰值流量、溃口最终宽度及溃坝历时等参数发现,模型计算结果与实测值的相对误差可满足工程需求,验证了模型的合理性。     

上硬下软双层地基极限承载力的计算方法研究

上硬下软双层地基的极限承载力是一个比较复杂的问题,现有各实用计算方法都有一定的局限性,在计算时往往误差较大。依据已提出的砂层下卧黏土层时条形基础的极限承载力计算公式,与经典文献中的离心机试验数据进行对比,验证了公式的准确性。基于有限元法建立了上硬下软双层地基数值计算模型,通过与已有试验结果及前人数值计算结果的对比进行了验证,然后利用该模型对公式涉及的主要参数进行了分析。结果表明,黏土层的归一化强度和砂层的剪胀角会对地基破坏模式产生影响,当cu/γB≤2、扩散角按照建议公式取值时,推导出的公式计算结果比较准确;而上下土层的模量比对承载力并无明显的影响。     

滤纸法测定膨胀土总吸力试验及基质吸力预测研究

采用滤纸法测定膨胀土体吸力时,滤纸与土体表面距离不同所测得的滤纸含水率也不一样,获得的总吸力亦不相同。为此采用滤纸法开展了不同距离下的膨胀土总吸力测定试验,获得了不同距离条件下滤纸含水率的变化规律。干密度较小时,滤纸含水率随距离的增大呈现"减小-增大-减小"的规律;干密度较大时,滤纸含水率随距离的增大逐渐减小,最终趋于稳定。距离为3cm时所测得的吸力离散程度较小,可作为测定土体总吸力的标准距离。根据总吸力-距离关系式,通过引入伪基质吸力的概念,计算得到伪基质吸力,并与相应的真基质吸力进行比较。结果表明:不同干密度及含水率下的膨胀土真基质吸力与伪基质吸力之间存在良好的线性关系。此法可为测定现场土体基质吸力提供新的思路。     

Towards a politics of disaster response: presidential disaster instructions in China, 1998–2012

China's disaster management system contains no law‐based presidential disaster declarations; however, the national leader's instructions (pishi in Chinese) play a similar role to disaster declarations, which increase the intensity of disaster relief. This raises the question of what affects presidential disaster instructions within an authoritarian regime. This research shows that China's disaster politics depend on a crisis threshold system for operation and that the public and social features of disasters are at the core of this system. China's political cycle has no significant impact on disaster politics. A change in the emergency management system has a significant bearing on presidential disaster instructions, reflecting the strong influence of the concept of rule of law and benefiting the sustainable development of the emergency management system. In terms of disaster politics research, unlocking the black box of China's disaster politics and increasing the number of comparative political studies will benefit the development of empirical and theoretical study.     

膨润土团粒的压实性能研究

高放核废料深地质处置中,膨润土缓冲/回填材料需要满足低渗透性要求,实现阻滞地下水入渗和放射性核素泄漏的目标。增强膨润土防渗能力的常规方法是采用增大压实功提高其密实度,但该方法十分耗时耗能。为此,尝试从调整膨润土团(颗)粒级配角度,探究提高压实度的有效方法。首先,配置不同团粒级配和初始含水率的膨润土试样,再利用压力机压实到45 kN;最后,采用液氮冻干法干燥不同状态的试样,通过压汞仪获得其孔隙分布曲线。结果表明:相同压实荷载下(45 kN),干密度随含水率呈先增大后减小的整体变化趋势,含水率约为20%时压实效果最佳,其中O-B组合与A-B-3组合具有双峰特征;另外,通过调整团粒级配,压实效果显著提升,最大干密度由1.64 g/cm-3提高到1.72 g/cm³,其中A-B-3团粒组合效果最好。孔隙分布曲线表明,压实荷载只能压缩-3.59~0.188 μm-范围的孔隙,而对26 nm左右的孔隙没有影响。当含水率超过20%时,依靠增大压实荷载不能提高其压实度,但当改变团粒组合后,却可以有效提高其压实性能。