Conceptual Frameworks and Methods for Advancing Invasion Ecology

Invasion ecology has much advanced since its early beginnings. Nevertheless, explanation, prediction, and management of biological invasions remain difficult. We argue that progress in invasion research can be accelerated by, first, pointing out difficulties this field is currently facing and, second, looking for measures to overcome them. We see basic and applied research in invasion ecology confronted with difficulties arising from (A) societal issues, e.g., disparate perceptions of invasive species; (B) the peculiarity of the invasion process, e.g., its complexity and context dependency; and (C) the scientific methodology, e.g., imprecise hypotheses. To overcome these difficulties, we propose three key measures: (1) a checklist for definitions to encourage explicit definitions; (2) implementation of a hierarchy of hypotheses (HoH), where general hypotheses branch into specific and precisely testable hypotheses; and (3) platforms for improved communication. These measures may significantly increase conceptual clarity and enhance communication, thus advancing invasion ecology.     

Novel cationic polyamidine: Synthesis, characterization, and sludge dewatering performance

In this study, a new and facile route was employed for synthesis of polyamidine with abundant cations and attractive five-membered ringlike structural unit. N-vinylformamide and acrylonitrile copolymerized firstly to form intermediates, and the intermediates were processed with hydrochloric acid to produce polyamidine. A series of polymerization conditions (e.g. polymerization time, temperature and dosage of initiator) were optimized through productivity, viscosity and cationic degree as evaluation. SEM analysis illustrated that the amidinization process could reduce the size of spaces between molecular and created compact structure, which would contribute to good flocculation performance and high viscosity. FT-IR, XPS and NMR spectra presented a rather clear structure of polyamidine. 34.3% of sludge was sedimentated through the flocculation of polyamidine in the early stages. In contrast, only 6.8% of sludge was sedimentated by polyacrylamide. The moisture content in dehydrated floc could be reduced to 77.7% when 60 mg/L polyamidine was added. These results demonstrated that the polyamidine showed a great potential in the practical application of sludge dewatering.     

Chemical synthesis of 6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one: a natural antifungal biosynthesized by Trichoderma spp.

Trichoderma spp. biosynthesize 6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one (6-PP), a natural antifungal pyrone which could be used as biological control agent (BCA). Unfortunately, biotechnical processes are limited by inhibition of biomass at high concentration of 6-PP. We report herein a new easy synthesis of this natural pyrone, using readily available starting materials. This synthesis, compatible with a large production scale, permit to obtain overweight amounts of 6-PP that in biotechnological routes.     

用物化法处理卷烟厂综合废水的实践

根据卷烟厂废水的特性,采用气浮加过滤,并在调节池辅以射流曝气的处理工艺,对郴州卷烟厂综合废水进行处理。实践证明,污染物的去除率达85%~95%,满足了达标排放的要求。      

Environmental and economic feasibility study of a total wastewater treatment network system

The synthesis of distributed wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) has been studied to reduce capital and operating costs associated with wastewater treatment. In this study, the environmental and economic feasibility of a total wastewater treatment network system (TWTNS) including distributed and terminal WTPs was estimated using life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) methods. Wastewater sources and existing distributed and terminal WTPs in an iron and steel plant were networked. The TWTNS was generated from the optimal solution to a mathematical optimization model and compared to a conventional wastewater treatment system (CWTS). The environmental effect scores of the TWTNS were from 29.6% to 68.3% higher than those of the CWTS because of higher electricity consumption required to pump wastewater to the networked WTPs. However, the life cycle cost of the TWTNS was lower than that of the CWTS by 10.1% because of the decrease of the labor cost resulting from the closing of three distributed WTPs. Overall, the TWTNS was no more eco-efficient than the CWTS because the increase of environmental burdens outweighed the decrease of economic costs.     

Effect of synthesis parameters on single gas permeation through T-type zeolite membranes

In this research, nanoporous zeolite T membranes were synthesized at three levels of synthesis temperature: 100, 120 and 140 °C and synthesis time: 15, 30 and 50 h and characterized by gas permeation. Effects of synthesis parameters on CO₂ and CH₄ permeances and CO₂/CH₄ ideal separation factors were studied. All experiments were conducted at 1 bar feed pressure and 30 °C module temperature. Normally, it is anticipated that increasing synthesis temperature and synthesis time increase gas permeances and consequently decrease ideal separation factor. This prediction was not observed in the case of synthesis temperature increase from 100 to 120 °C as well as synthesis time increase from 15 to 30 h, due to the dual effect of increasing synthesis temperature and synthesis time on gas permeances and ideal separation factor. More zeolites are deposited and larger crystals are formed at higher synthesis temperatures and times. Forming the larger crystals accelerates the rate of zeolite layer integration, which is responsible for gas separation, in one hand and reduces the density of deposited zeolite layer on the support, due to the formation of more voids, on the other hand. In terms of maximizing the CO₂/CH₄ ideal separation factor, medium synthesis temperature and synthesis time (120 °C and 30 h) can be selected, however, maximum gas permeances are obtained at low levels of synthesis temperature and time (100 °C and 15 h). According to the ranges of gas permeances (10⁻¹¹ to 10⁻⁶ mol/m² s Pa) and CO₂/CH₄ ideal separation factors (1.4–70.3), it is concluded that the zeolite T membranes synthesized at optimum conditions can be employed for membrane separation of CO₂/CH₄ mixtures.     

新型冠醚交联壳聚糖的吸附性能

合成３,５－二叔丁基－二苯并１４－冠－４双氯代乙酸酯冠醚,然后使之与壳聚糖发生反应制备成壳聚糖－３,５－二叔丁基－二苯并１４－冠－４双乙酸酯冠醚,经元素分析,ＦＴ－ＩＲ红外光谱分析和Ｘ－射线粉末衍射分析表征了结构。     

苏州河水环境污染现状分析

根据水文、水质和污染调查结果，分析了苏州河水质和污染现状和综合环境质量，提出了影响苏州河水的８项主要环境问题；严重的有机污染；底泥对水质的污染；支流对干流的污染；上游来水水质；合流污水系统的溢流；河道不利的水动力条件；航运影响；沿岸景观和陆域布局不合理等。根据这些分析，作者从苏州河的功能定位和治理目标出发，提出了苏州河水环境综合整治的原则设想。     

Novel approach to control adsorbent aggregation: iron fixed bentonite-fly ash for Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) removal from aqueous media

In the present study, a novel approach was used to control zero valent iron aggregation and separation problems by fixing zero valent iron (ZVI) on bentonite-fly ash pellets. For this purpose, porous low cost bentonite-fly ash (BFA) pellets with size of 2.00 cm in length and 0.35 cm in diameter were prepared and fixed with ZVI to manufacture zero valent iron bentonite-fly ash (ZVI-BFA) pellets. Importantly, unlike powdered adsorbents, ZVI-BFA can easily be separated from final effluents when exhausted without any disintegration. The performance of the developed novel adsorbent was investigated for the removal of Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ from aqueous media. At 100 mg·L^–1 and 1 g adsorbent, a maximum of 89.5% of Cd²⁺ and 95.6% of Pb²⁺ was removed by ZVI-BFA as compared to 56% and 95% removal by BFA. At 200 mg·L^–1, Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ removal by ZVI-BFA was 56% and 99.8% respectively as compared to only 28% and 96% by BFA. Further, the removal kinetics was best fitted for pseudo-second order model. The study provides the basis for improving the removal capacity of porous materials by iron fixation while taking separation ability into consideration.

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Synthesis and characterization of m- and p-methylbenzyl-mercapturic acids derived from m- and p-xylenes

Chemical synthesis and physical properties of two mercapturic acids suggested as urinary metabolites of m- and p-xylenes ace described. These compounds may be used for the identification and quantivative determination by high-performance liquid chromatography of the corresponding mercapturic acids in urine.