Arsenic in Drinking Water and Its Removal

Abstract

Superfluous arsenic in drinking water can do harm to human health. In this paper, a broad overview of the available technologies for arsenic removal has been presented on the basis of literature survey. The main treatment methods included coagulation-sedimentation, adsorption separation and ion exchange, membrane technique, which have both advantages and disadvantages. It concluded that the selection of treatment process should be site specific and prevailing conditions and no process can serve the purpose under diverse conditions as each technology has its own limitations. In order to gain good results, some methods should be improved.     

Effects of iron oxide nanoparticles on phenotype and metabolite changes in hemp clones (Cannabis sativa L.)

● Fe₃O₄ NPs increased the biomass and chlorophyll content of hemp clones. ● Fe₃O₄ NPs penetrated and were internalized by root cells. ● Fe₃O₄ NPs induced the alteration of metabolite profiles in hemp leaves. ● The psychoactive compound THC in hemp leaves was significantly down-regulated. We investigated the effect of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs, ~17 nm in size) on the phenotype and metabolite changes in hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), an annual crop distributed worldwide. Hemp clones were grown in hydroponic cultures with Fe₃O₄ NPs (50, 100, 200, or 500 mg/L) for four weeks. TEM and ICP-MS were used to determine Fe₃O₄ NPs uptake and translocation. LC-MS-based metabolomics was employed to explore the deep insight into the effect of Fe₃O₄ NPs on hemp plants. The results revealed that plant growth enhanced gradually with increasing concentrations of given NPs up to 200 mg/L, which improved the fresh weight and dry weight by 36.13% and 74.68%, respectively, compared to the control. Even at a high dose (500 mg/L), Fe₃O₄ NPs promoted plant growth, including increased biomass and tissue length. NPs significantly increased the iron and chlorophyll content in plant tissues Increased catalase activity and reduced hydrogen peroxide content in hemp leaves suggested that the Fe₃O₄ NPs activated the defense system. TEM showed that NPs were abundantly attached to the cell wall and dispersed throughout the root cells. Metabolomics revealed that Fe₃O₄ NPs induced metabolic reprogramming in hemp leaves, including the up-regulation of carbohydrates and organic acids, and down-regulation of antioxidants, especially tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The significantly up-regulated metabolites, including peonidin and 2-hydroxycinnamic acid, could be involved in photosynthesis in hemp plants. These results demonstrate the potential of Fe₃O₄ NPs for promoting hemp growth and decreasing the THC content at low doses.     

A novel preparation process of straw-based iron material for enhanced persulfate activation of reactive black 5 degradation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this study, a new straw-iron composite material (ST@Fe) was synthesized through impregnation and freeze-drying process for persulfate (PS)...     

Multiscale analysis of factors affecting food security in China, 1980–2017

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Food security is an important issue affecting people’s lives and social stability. Clarifying levels of food security and the factors affecting...     

Towards the smart and sustainable transformation of Reverse Logistics 4.0: a conceptualization and research agenda

The recent advancement of digitalization and information and communication technology (ICT) has not only shifted the manufacturing paradigm towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution, namely Industry 4.0, but also provided opportunities for a smart logistics transformation. Despite studies have focused on improving the smartness, connectivity, and autonomy of isolated logistics operations with a primary focus on the forward channels, there is still a lack of a systematic conceptualization to guide the coming paradigm shift of reverse logistics, for instance, how “individualization” and “service innovation” should be interpreted in a smart reverse logistics context? To fill this gap, Reverse logistics 4.0 is defined, from a holistic perspective, in this paper to offer a systematic analysis of the technological impact of Industry 4.0 on reverse logistics. Based on the reported research and case studies from the literature, the conceptual framework of smart reverse logistics transformation is proposed to link Industry 4.0 enablers, smart service and operation transformation, and targeted sustainability goals. A smart reverse logistics architecture is also given to allow a high level of system integration enabled by intelligent devices and smart portals, autonomous robots, and advanced analytical tools, where the value of technological innovations can be exploited to solve various reverse logistics problems. Thus, the contribution of this research lies, through conceptual development, in presenting a clear roadmap and research agenda for the reverse logistics transformation in Industry 4.0.

     

Urinary concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and phthalate metabolite mixtures in relation to semen quality among men attending an infertility clinic

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Previous studies have reported that exposure to phthalates and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is individually associated with altered semen...     

Sustainable and clean utilization of coal gangue: activation and preparation of silicon fertilizer

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Coal gangue, a by-product produced during the coal processing, has a serious impact on the environment. Using coal gangue as a fertilizer has been...     

硝酸铊对浮萍(Lemna gibba L.)的生长抑制及其氧自由基损伤作用

为了探讨硝酸铊(Tl(I)-nitrate)对浮萍(Lemna gibba L.)的生长抑制作用及其可能的氧化损伤机制,设置了Tl(I)-nitrate的8个处理组(0.005、0.01、0.02、0.04、0.08、0.1、0.5和1.0 mg·L-1)和对照组(0.0 mg·L-1),进行96 h急性毒性实验,测定96 h内超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性及丙二醛含量。结果表明:96 h暴露时间下,浮萍生长受抑制程度与Tl(I)浓度之间呈正相关,Tl(I)-nitrate对浮萍的96 h EC50为0.076 mg·L-1,NOEC为0.01 mg·L-1。CAT活性随着Tl(I)-nitrate浓度升高逐渐降低,在0.5和1 mg·L-1时,有极显著差异(p0.01)产生,SOD活性在0.1 mg·L-1时显著升高(46%),POD活性和MDA含量在Tl(I)浓度0.5 mg·L-1时明显上升。当Tl(I)-nitrate胁迫超出浮萍抗氧化酶系统清除活性氧的能力时,活性氧积累导致浮萍受到不可逆转的氧化损伤。Tl(I)-nitrate对浮萍生长产生明显的抑制作用     

Preliminary study on effects of tourism on Mosuo matriarchal culture

The ethnic communities of Lugu Lake have experienced the rapid development of tourism because of the attractions of their culture and traditional customs as well as their beautiful environment. Tourism and other economic activities have a variety of socio-cultural effects on host communities. Based on a survey of 105 Mosuo families, statistic correlation analysis was used to examine the local people's viewpoints regarding marriage, language, traditional dress, diet, and factors which could lead to changes in people's opinions. The results show that although Mosuo people are more open to the outside world, Axia relationships and matrilineal families still dominate their life. More than 50% of interviewees have Axia relationships and live in matrilinear families. Tourism income, education and age are three important factors that impact on local people's viewpoints regarding their culture and life. People who are more educated and earn more money from tourism prefer traditional culture and customs. The younger generation is more likely to be affected by tourism because they have contact with the outside world more often in their everyday life. Further research is needed on how to protect the local culture from the boom in tourism, as well as how to minimise its influence on local residents.