Nitrogen-cycling microbial community functional potential and enzyme activities in cultured biofilms with response to inorganic nitrogen availability

Biofilms mediate crucial biochemical processes in aquatic ecosystems. It was hypothesized that eutrophication may promote the growth of biofilms, resulting in larger numbers of functional genes. However, the metabolic activity and the roles of biofilms in N cycling will be affected by ambient inorganic nitrogen availability, not by the abundance of functional genes. Biofilms were cultured either with replete inorganic nitrogen(N-rep) or without exogenous inorganic nitrogen supply(N-def) in a flow incubator, and the N-cycling gene abundances(nifH, N_2 fixation; amoA, ammonia oxidation, archaea and bacteria; nirS and nirK, denitrification) and enzyme activities(nitrogenase and nitrate reductase) were analyzed. The results showed that, comparing the N-def and N-rep biofilms, the former contained lower nifH gene abundance, but higher nitrogenase activity(NA), while the latter contained higher nifH gene abundance, but lower NA. Different patterns of NA diel variations corresponded to the dynamic microbial community composition and different stages of biofilm colonization. Ammonia oxidizing bacteria(AOB), detected only in N-def biofilms, were responsible for nitrification in biofilms. N-rep biofilms contained high nirS and nirK gene abundance and high denitrification enzyme activity, but N-def biofilms contained significantly lower denitrification gene abundance and activity. In general,the strong N_2 fixation in N-def biofilms and strong denitrification in N-rep biofilms assured the balance of aquatic ecosystems. The results suggested that evaluation of the functional processes of N cycling should not only focus on genetic potential, but also on the physiological activity of biofilms.     

Physicochemical analysis of individual atmospheric fine particles based on effective surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Fine particles associated with haze pollution threaten the health of more than 400 million people in China. It is therefore of great importance to thoroughly investigate and understand their composition. To determine the physicochemical properties in atmospheric fine particles at the micrometer level, we described a sensitive and feasible surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS) method using Ag foil as a substrate. This novel method enhanced the Raman signal intensities up to 10,000 a.u. for ν(NO_3~-) in fine particles.The SERS effect of Ag foil was further studied experimentally and theoretically and found to have an enhancement factor of the order of ～10~4. Size-fractionated real particle samples with aerodynamic diameters of 0.4–2.5 μm were successfully collected on a heavy haze day,allowing ready observation of morphology and identification of chemical components, such as soot, nitrates, and sulfates. These results suggest that the Ag-foil-based SERS technique can be effectively used to determine the microscopic characteristics of individual fine particles, which will help to understand haze formation mechanisms and formulate governance policies.     

Synthesis of a novel ternary HA/Fe-Mn oxides-loaded biochar composite and its application in cadmium(II) and arsenic(V) adsorption

Cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) are two of the most toxic elements. However, the chemical behaviors of these two elements are different, making it challenging to utilize a single adsorbent with high adsorption capacity for both Cd(II) and As(V) removal. To solve this problem, we synthesized HA/Fe-Mn oxides-loaded biochar (HFMB), a novel ternary material, to perform this task, wherein scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with EDS (SEM-EDS) was used to characterize its morphological and physicochemical properties. The maximum adsorption capacity of HFMB was 67.11?mg/g for Cd(II) and 35.59?mg/g for As(V), which is much higher compared to pristine biochar (11.06?mg/g, 0?mg/g for Cd(II) and As(V), respectively). The adsorption characteristics were investigated by adsorption kinetics and the effects of the ionic strength and pH of solutions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed that chelation and deposition were the adsorption mechanisms that bound Cd(II) to HFMB, while ligand exchange was the adsorption mechanism that bound As(V).     

2014年北京地区云内云下的降水化学分析

为了解现阶段北京地区降水的化学特征和云下/云内的清除作用,于2014年采用分段采样的方式针对25场降水进行收集,分析了降水中各离子组分浓度.结果发现,2014年北京地区降水中NH₄⁺、SO₄^2-、NO₃^-和Ca²⁺浓度最高,雨量加权平均离子浓度分别为240、162、91和65 μeq·L^-1,与早期研究相比均有所下降.SO₄^2-/NO₃^-比值为1.8,NO₃^-和NH₄⁺的比重显著增加.综合利用相关性分析、主因子分析及后向轨迹等方法,探讨了北京地区降水中各离子组分的来源.结果表明,东南气团中主要离子NO₃^-、SO₄^2-及NH₄⁺的浓度较高,主要受人为活动排放的影响.总体上各离子的云下冲刷作用略大于云内清除,其中,Na⁺、Ca²⁺及NO₃^-云下冲刷的贡献大于SO₄^2-和NH₄⁺.与其他城市相比,北京地区云内清除的贡献略大,表明长距离输送的影响不可忽视.     

An optimised sequential extraction scheme for the evaluation of vanadium mobility in soils

Reviewing the current state of knowledge about sequential extraction applied for soil vanadium(V) fractionation, we identified an urgent requirement of an sequential extraction(SE) specified for V. Namely, almost all previous SE extracted only 8.4%–48% of total V in soils(excluding residue). Thus, we proposed an eight-step SE for V fractionation in soils according to the knowledge gained from literature and our own dissolution experiments with model minerals. After extracting the mobilisable and adsorbed V with de-ionised water and 5 mmol/L phosphate, 1 mol/L pyrophosphate was applied to gather organic matter bound V which minimised the artefact dissolving Al and Fe(hydr)oxides occurred when using HNO_3–H_2O_2for extraction. Extraction with 0.4 mol/L NH_2OH·HCl was highly selective toward manganese oxides. Fractionation of different crystalline Al and Fe(hydr)oxides associated V with 1 mol/L HCl, 0.2 mol/L oxalate buffer and 4 mol/L HCl at 95°C especially improved the extractability of V incorporated with crystalline phase associated V. The suitability of our new SE scheme was confirmed by its higher selectivity against the target phases and higher extraction efficiencies(55%–77% of total V) with model minerals and 6 soils of different properties than previous SE.     

Dissolved nitrous oxide and emission relating to denitrification across the Poyang Lake aquatic continuum

Most aquatic ecosystems contribute elevated N_2 O to atmosphere due to increasing anthropogenic nitrogen loading. To further understand the spatial heterogeneity along an aquatic continuum from the upriver to wetland to lake to downriver, the study was conducted on spatial variations in N_2 O emission along Poyang Lake aquatic continuum during the flood season from 15 July 2013 to 10 August 2013. The results showed the N_2 O concentrations, the ratio of N_2O/dinitrogen(N_2) gases production, N_2 O emission and denitrification rates ranged from 0.10 to 1.11 μg N/L,- 0.007% to 0.051%,- 9.73 to 127 μg N/m2/hr and 1.33 × 104to31.9 × 104μg N_2/m2/hr, respectively, across the continuum. The average N_2 O concentrations,the ratio of N_2O/N_2 and N_2O emission was significantly lower in wetlands as compared to the rivers and lake(p 0.01). The significantly high denitrification rate and low N_2 O emission together highlighted that most N_2 O can be converted into N_2 via near complete denitrification in the Poyang Lake wetlands. Our study suggests that the wetlands might impact N_2 O budget in an integrated aquatic ecosystems. Moreover, N_2 O emission from different aquatic ecosystem should be considered separately when quantifying the regional budget in aquatic ecosystem.     

南京市秋季细颗粒物及臭氧生成敏感性初探

为考察江苏省南部地区重点排放源对南京市秋季细颗粒物(PM_(2.5))的贡献率及O_3生成敏感性,采用强力法针对特定排放源及污染物设置不同的排放情景,利用化学传输模拟系统Models-3/Community Multi-scale Air Quality(CMAQ)分析模拟区域内不同情景下地表PM_(2.5)及O_3浓度变化。2012年10月,电厂、钢铁和水泥的污染物排放对南京市PM_(2.5)浓度的平均贡献率分别为6.0%、25.5%和15.9%,对国控站点的贡献率分别为7.2%、17.7%和16.2%。钢铁对下风向区域的地表PM_(2.5)浓度的影响显著高于电厂及水泥部门的排放。从不同情境下模拟O_3地表浓度变化结果看出,南京市城区及下风向区域的O_3浓度随VOC排放削减降低,随NO_x排放削减升高,因而判定南京市秋季O_3生成属于VOC控制区。     

氮氧化物减排博弈行为研究

针对我国氮氧化物减排的严峻形势,文章借鉴瑞典氮氧化物减排的税收返还制度,运用进化博弈的理论和方法,建立了政府与企业关于氮氧化物减排的进化博弈模型,并进行了求解分析。结果表明:策略(减排,税收返还制度)和策略(减排,标准减排制度)都可以是稳定均衡策略,即无论政府采取税收返还制度还是标准减排制度,只要对惩罚系数、税率等参数进行调整都能迫使企业进行氮氧化物减排。但通过模拟可知税收返还制度对企业的激励作用更大,可以促使企业长期持续的进行氮氧化物减排。     

垃圾填埋场区域氨氮污染地下水的修复方案比选

早期建设的简易生活垃圾填埋场的防渗措施不足,易发生渗漏,造成填埋场周围地下水的氨氮浓度升高。文章针对华中地区某垃圾填埋场区域氨氮污染地下水,提出抽取处理加异位生物修复、空气注入加原位生物修复两种修复方案,并采用AHP-TOPSIS(层次分析法-逼近理想排序)方法进行方案的比选。在建立合适的比选指标体系基础上,采用AHP-TOPSIS方法进行综合比选研究。结果表明,空气注入+原位生物修复技术更适合于该区域地下水的修复。TOPSIS方法由于缺乏确定评价指标权重的过程,在层次多元分析中的应用受到限制,而AHP是多层次多因素权重确定的有效工具,将二者结合起来,先由AHP确定指标权重,再运用TOPSIS对备选地下水修复方案进行排序,从而弥补了二者各自的不足。AHP-TOPSIS方法可作为环境工作者进行场地修复方案比选的有效工具。     

生态保护红线在实践过程中的问题剖析——以湖北宜昌为例

宜昌市生态保护红线于2015年1月正式颁布实施,文章结合宜昌市生态保护红线的应用情况,剖析了生态功能红线、水环境质量红线及大气环境质量红线在实践过程中存在的主要问题,同时,对生态保护红线管理机制需要解决的重点问题进行了阐述。