Recent patterns of production for the main cereal grains: implications for food security in China

China’s large population and deteriorating environment have created great concern related to the sustainability of food production, especially since details related to this topic remain poorly studied. Thus, an integrated analysis of both crop yield and cultivated area is essential for gaining a better understanding of cereal grain production in China and for making corresponding policies designed to achieve food security. In this study, we adopt trend analysis of both provincial yield and cultivated area to assess the subsequent provincial-level cereal production sustainability between 1980 and 2011 with the goal of providing a better understanding of regional agricultural development. The results indicate that while maize shows the most promise for yield improvement, rice and wheat production is experiencing substantial yield stagnation among most provinces across mainland China. In addition, the trends in spatial patterns are prominently different from those of yields. The sizes of the main rice- and wheat-growing areas in China have declined greatly, suggesting that the related production of these cereals should attract more attention from land management planners and farmers. Specifically, the south-eastern coastal provinces have largely failed to sustain both crop yield and area, while the north-eastern provinces have witnessed thriving agricultural production during the last three decades. Moreover, we find that cereal production in China is significantly affected by governmental policies related to the agricultural sector. Thus, this analysis of food production in China will help policymakers to better understand how the potential implications of food security in China may be applicable to countries worldwide.     

Insight into metal binding properties of biochar-derived DOM using EEM-PARAFAC and differential absorption spectra combined with two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A large amount of biochar-derived dissolved organic matter (BDOM) will be released into the environment with biochars application into repairing...     

Heterogeneous Fenton degradation of ofloxacin catalyzed by magnetic nanostructured MnFe2O4 with different morphologies

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Magnetic nanostructured MnFe2O4 with different morphologies, synthesized via chemical co-precipitation and hydrothermal method, was assayed as...     

Feasibility of nanoscale zerovalent iron-loaded sediment-based biochar (nZVI-SBC) for simultaneous removal of nitrate and phosphate: high selectivity toward dinitrogen and synergistic mechanism

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In the process of water treatment, excessive nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants are of great concern. Therefore, we prepared nanoscale zerovalent iron...     

Migration and transformation of heavy metals in hyperaccumulators during the thermal treatment: a review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The pollution of heavy metals (HMs) in the soil has become one of the important factors affecting the national environment and human health....     

微生物对汞矿区农田土壤汞甲基化的影响

为研究典型汞矿区农田土壤中汞的甲基化作用,实验以受汞污染的旱田土壤和稻田土壤为对象,分别进行灭菌,促进硫酸盐还原菌(SRB)活性处理,抑制SRB活性处理以及促进铁还原菌(FeRB)活性处理,分析非微生物作用和微生物作用对土壤甲基汞(MeHg)生成的影响.结果表明,促进SRB活性处理的土壤MeHg生成量最高,其中旱田土MeHg增量为0.15~0.38μg·kg~(-1),稻田土壤MeHg增量为1~2μg·kg~(-1);抑制SRB活性处理和促进FeRB活性处理的MeHg增量较小,最高值仅为0.025μg·kg~(-1).相比于旱田土壤,稻田土壤具有更高的汞甲基化能力,其MeHg生成量是旱田土壤的4~9倍.土壤SRB数量与MeHg生成量具有相同的变化趋势,二者具有显著的正相关性(R~2=0.57,P0.01).因此,该研究区土壤汞甲基化作用主要是微生物汞甲基化作用,且主要的汞甲基化细菌是SRB.此外,稻田是农田中MeHg生成的活跃地区,在评估和控制MeHg对人体健康危害时需要重点关注.     

Re-evaluation of thyroid hormone signaling antagonism of tetrabromobisphenol A for validating the T3-induced Xenopus metamorphosis assay

We developed the T3-induced Xenopus metamorphosis assay, which is supposed to be able to sensitively detect thyroid hormone(TH) signaling disruption of chemicals. The present study aimed to validate the T3-induced Xenopus metamorphosis assay by re-evaluating the TH signaling antagonism of tetrabromobisphenol A(TBBPA), a known TH signaling disruptor. According to the assay we developed, Xenopus tadpoles at stage 52 were exposed to 10–500 nmol/L TBBPA in the presence of 1 nmol/L T3. After 96 hr of exposure, TBBPA in the range of 10–500 nmol/L was found to significantly inhibit T3-induced morphological changes of Xenopus tadpoles in a concentration-dependent manner in term of body weight and four morphological endpoints including head area(HA), mouth width(MW), unilateral brain width/brain length(ULBW/BL), and hind-limb length/snout-vent length(HLL/SVL).The results show that these endpoints we developed are sensitive for characterizing the antagonistic effects of TBBPA on T3-induced metamorphosis. Following a 24-hr exposure,we found that TBBPA antagonized expression of T3-induced TH-response genes in the tail,which is consistent with previous findings in the intestine. We propose that the tail can be used as an alternative tissue to the intestine for examining molecular endpoints for evaluating TH signaling disruption. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the T3-induced Xenopus metamorphosis assay we developed is an ideal in vivo assay for detecting TH signaling disruption.     

Arsenic biotransformation and an arsenite S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase in plankton

<正>Arsenic(As)is a well-recognized toxicant and carcinogen.Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic causes a range of human cancers(e.g.,skin,bladder,and lung)and increases the risk of developing diabetes,hypertension,and cardiovascular and neurological diseases.The prevalence of arsenic species and the severity of their health effects continue to drive and demand for extensive research(Carlin et al.,2016).     

铁炭内电解垂直流人工湿地对污水厂尾水深度脱氮效果

针对污水厂尾水总氮(TN)含量偏高、微生物可利用碳源低的问题,构建铁炭内电解垂直流人工湿地(ICIE-VFCW)装置,研究了ICIE-VFCW对尾水的处理效果,并采用紫外-可见光光谱(UV-VIS)、凝胶过滤色谱(GFC),进一步探讨了ICIEVFCW强化脱氮机制.结果表明,ICIE-VFCW可提高系统对尾水中COD的去除,出水COD可稳定在30 mg·L~(-1)以下,全年、暖季、寒季COD平均去除率较普通垂直流人工湿地分别可提高10.16%、9.81%、11.22%.系统出水TN可维持在10 mg·L~(-1)以下,全年、暖季、寒季TN平均去除率较普通垂直流人工湿地分别提高13.72%、12.90%、16.17%.经过人工湿地处理后,污水中有机物的腐殖度、芳香度及相对分子质量(Mr)均有所下降,且ICIE-VFCW中Mr下降更为明显.湿地基质掺杂铁炭可促进尾水中大分子有机物转化为小分子,为微生物提供更多可利用碳源,从而提高脱氮效率.     

环境保护系统参与空间规划的思考与建议

空间规划体系下,环境规划在空间落地性以及精细化程度上存在短板。建议环境规划进一步完善生态保护红线制度,探索环境质量底线、环保负面清单的划定技术思路与技术路线,推动环境保护系统化参与空间规划。