Ecotoxicity of nanoparticles of CuO and ZnO in natural water

The acute toxicity of CuO and ZnO nanoparticles in artificial freshwater (AFW) and in natural waters to crustaceans Daphnia magna and Thamnocephalus platyurus and protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila was compared. The L(E)C₅₀ values of nanoCuO for both crustaceans in natural water ranged from 90 to 224 mg Cu/l and were about 10-fold lower than L(E)C₅₀ values of bulk CuO. In all test media, the L(E)C₅₀ values for both bulk and nanoZnO (1.1-16 mg Zn/l) were considerably lower than those of nanoCuO. The natural waters remarkably (up to 140-fold) decreased the toxicity of nanoCuO (but not that of nanoZnO) to crustaceans depending mainly on the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The toxicity of both nanoCuO and nanoZnO was mostly due to the solubilised ions as determined by specific metal-sensing bacteria.     

A/O工艺N_2O的产生与释放的影响因素

采用A/O工艺,在连续运行条件下,以DO、SRT和硝化液回流比(R)为影响因素,对A/O生物脱氮工艺处理模拟城市生活污水过程中N2O的释放进行了研究。实验结果表明,SRT对A/O工艺N2O释放的影响最大,其次是DO,R的影响最小。N2O转化率随着SRT的升高而降低,当SRT从10 d升高到20 d时,总N2O平均转化率从0.319%下降到0.002%。总N2O转化率随着好氧池DO的升高先降低后有所升高,当DO分别为0.6 mg O2/L、1.2 mg O2/L、2.5 mg O2/L时,反应器的总N2O平均转化率分别为0.306%、0.007%和0.013%。R对N2O释放的影响差异不明显,总N2O平均转化率在300%时最低,为0.007%。N2O释放量最低的工艺运行条件组合是SRT为20 d、DO为1.2 mg O2/L、R为300%。     

TiO2-Cu2O/蒙脱土复合光催化剂的制备与性能

以钠基蒙脱土（MMT）为载体,先采用溶胶-凝胶法将纳米TiO₂引入到MMT层间,再采用化学沉积法将纳米Cu₂O负载在TiO₂/MMT上,制备出TiO₂-Cu₂O/MMT纳米复合光催化剂。采用XRD、SEM、紫外-可见漫反射技术对催化剂进行了表征。以甲基橙为目标污染物,考察了催化剂的光催化性能。表征结果显示：TiO₂与Cu₂O均匀分布在MMT的表面与片层孔隙中;TiO₂-Cu₂O/MMT结合了TiO₂和Cu₂O的特性,拓宽了催化剂的光吸收范围。实验结果表明,在光源为可见光、初始甲基橙质量浓度为20 mg/L、光催化剂加入量为2 g/L的条件下,TiO₂-Cu₂O/MMT纳米复合光催化剂对甲基橙的光催化降解效果明显优于单一负载的Cu₂O/MMT和TiO₂/MMT,大幅提高了催化剂的光催化效率,反应300 min时TiO₂-Cu₂O/MMT对甲基橙溶液的脱色率达到93%。     

钛基金属氧化物电极的制备及性能

采用聚合物前驱体法制备了Ti/SnO₂-Sb₂O₃电极,再通过恒电流电沉积法制备了 Ti/SnO₂-Sb₂O₃/PbO₂和Ti/SnO₂-Sb₂O₃/MnO₂电极。采用SEM技术对3种金属氧化物电极表面的形貌进行了表征,并分别以3种电极为阳极进行了苯酚的电催化氧化实验。实验结果表明：电解时间为2.5 h时,Ti/SnO₂-Sb₂O₃电极、Ti/SnO₂-Sb₂O₃/PbO₂电极和Ti/SnO₂-Sb₂O₃/MnO₂电极对苯酚的降解率分别为85.9%,83.2%,44.6%;苯酚在3种电极上的电催化氧化反应均遵循一级反应动力学方程;苯酚在Ti/SnO₂-Sb₂O₃ 电极和Ti/SnO₂-Sb₂O₃/PbO₂电极上的反应速率较快,并具有较高的析氧电位;Ti/SnO₂-Sb₂O₃/PbO₂电极具有更好的耐腐蚀性和更长的使用寿命。     

铁氧化物复合氧化铝催化臭氧化过程中溴酸盐的生成控制

以市售活性炭、硅藻土和氧化铝小球为载体,考察了负载铁基活性组分对催化臭氧化过程中溴酸盐的控制情况,其中,铁基复合氧化铝小球体现出更好的溴酸盐还原特性和催化剂稳定性,证实催化剂中铁氧化物是溴酸盐得到有效控制的主要活性组分。进一步考察了铁基复合氧化铝小球催化臭氧化处理实际原水过程中对溴酸盐的生成控制,以及反应过程中溶解性有机碳（DOC）的去除情况。结果表明,与单独臭氧化相比,该催化剂既能有效去除水中的溶解性有机物,又能明显抑制溴酸盐的生成,反应50h,其活性并没有明显下降。催化剂失活主要归因于吸附位点数量的下降,可以通过负载铁氧化物来实现催化剂的再生。     

Accumulation and quantitative estimates of airborne lead for a wild plant (Aster subulatus)

Foliar uptake of airborne lead is one of the pathways for Pb accumulation in plant organs. However, the approximate contributions of airborne Pb to plant organs are still unclear. In the present study, aerosols (nine-stage size-segregated aerosols and total suspended particulates), a wild plant species (Aster subulatus) and the corresponding soils were collected and Pb contents and isotopic ratios in these samples were analyzed. Average concentration of Pb was 96.5 ± 63.5 ng m⁻³ in total suspended particulates (TSP) and 20.4 ± 5.5 ng m⁻³ in the fine fractions of size-segregated aerosols (SSA) (<2.1 μm), higher than that in the coarser fractions (>2.1 μm) (6.38 ± 3.71 ng m⁻³). Enrichment factors show that aerosols and soils suffered from anthropogenic inputs and the fine fractions of the size-segregated aerosols enriched more Pb than the coarse fractions. The order of Pb contents in A. subulatus was roots > leaves > stems. The linear relationship of Pb isotope ratios (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁶Pb) among soil, plant and aerosol samples were found. Based on the simple binary Pb isotopic model using the mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratios in TSP and in SSA, the approximate contributions of airborne Pb into plant leaves were 72.2% and 65.1%, respectively, suggesting that airborne Pb is the most important source for the Pb accumulation in leaves. So the combination of Pb isotope tracing and the simple binary Pb isotope model can assess the contribution of airborne Pb into plant leaves and may be of interest for risk assessment of the exposure to airborne Pb contamination.     

低碳消费偏好与低碳产品需求分析

低碳消费方式是低碳经济的重要环节,本文对低碳消费偏好和低碳产品需求及其影响因素作了理论分析和实证研究.首先对低碳产品的消费偏好进行了分析,低碳产品消费偏好的两个最重要特征是二元价值结构的产品和超越基本价值的消费偏好,在此基础上构建了低碳产品效用函数.然后根据低碳产品效用函数给出了低碳产品的一般需求模式,结合低碳产品置信度变量的引进,构建了一个具体的低碳产品需求函数,并对低碳产品需求函数进行分析,揭示了低碳产品需求的一些基本性质.为了验证低碳消费理论分析的结论,做了低碳产品消费的问卷调查.对问卷调查进行统计分析,结果表明:收入越高,对低碳产品支付的价格就越高;低碳产品的环境价值置信度越高,意愿支付价格就越商;低碳产品碳排放量降低越多,低碳产品需求价格就越高.最后,结合以上分析,从低碳宣传和公益广告、设立低碳产品标准、鼓励低碳产品技术研发角度提出了促进低碳消费发展的政策建议.     

Responses of a soil bacterium, Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6 to commercial metal oxide nanoparticles compared with responses to metal ions

The toxicity of commercially-available CuO and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) to pathogenic bacteria was compared for a beneficial rhizosphere isolate, Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6. The NPs aggregated, released ions to different extents under the conditions used for bacterial exposure, and associated with bacterial cell surface. Bacterial surface charge was neutralized by NPs, dependent on pH. The CuO NPs were more toxic than the ZnO NPs. The negative surface charge on colloids of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) was reduced by Cu ions but not by CuO NPs; the EPS protected cells from CuO NPs-toxicity. CuO NPs-toxicity was eliminated by a Cu ion chelator, suggesting that ion release was involved. Neither NPs released alkaline phosphatase from the cells’ periplasm, indicating minimal outer membrane damage. Accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species was correlated with CuO NPs lethality. Environmental deposition of NPs could create niches for ion release, with impacts on susceptible soil microbes.     

Arsenic release from arsenic-bearing Fe-Mn binary oxide: effects of E(h) condition

Ferric and manganese binary oxide (FMBO) has been successfully used to remediate arsenic-polluted river, but there still lacks sufficient data to evaluate its effects on environments. The release behaviors of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and arsenic (As) in different E_h ranges were investigated for As-bearing FMBO sediment after remediating As-polluted DaSha River by FMBO. Under high E_h range (+550 to +400 mV), slight dissolution of Fe and Mn, which corresponded to 12.2% and 25.6%, and less than 5% of As release were observed in 336 h. Under lower E_h range (+50 to −100 mV), elevated extent of the dissolution of Mn and Fe were observed, which corresponded to as high as 61.3% and 70.1%. Under such conditions, the dissolution rate of Mn was higher than that of Fe. Furthermore, from the established relationship of As release and the dissolution of Fe and Mn, the release of As seemed dominated by the dissolution of Fe. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis demonstrated the release of Fe, Mn, As(III), and As(V) after sodium ascorbate-treatment, and the re-adsorption of As(V), as indicated from the increased binding energy of As 3d from 44.78 to 45.83 eV. Surface element composition analysis indicated significant decrease of Mn from 3.22% to 0.54%, slight increase of Fe from 12.45% to 13.67%, and elevated ratio of As from 0.11% to 0.32% accordingly. The main reactions of Fe and Mn dissolution and the pathways of As release under different E_h ranges were also proposed.     

Hydroxytyrosol, the phenolic compound of olive oil protects human PBMC against oxidative stress and DNA damage mediated by 2,3,7,8-TCDD

The protective effect of hydroxytyrosol (HT), a strong antioxidant compound from extra virgin olive oil, against TCDD induced toxicity was investigated in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). PBMC (1 × 10⁶ cells mL⁻¹) were divided into four groups and were incubated in a CO₂ incubator (5% CO₂) for 12 h with vehicle, TCDD (10 nM), TCDD + HT (10 nM + 100 μM) and HT alone (100 μM) respectively. To clarify the role of HT against TCDD induced cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and the levels of antioxidant enzymes were assessed. Incubation of PBMC with TCDD significantly decreased cell viability, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR) and oxidative stress markers such as lipid peroxidation products (LPO), protein carbonyl content (PCC) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Whereas, HT had an effective antioxidant property as observed by the increased cell viability, normalization of antioxidant enzymes and decreased levels of LPO, PCC and ROS in PBMC co-treated with HT and TCDD. Apoptosis detection and comet assay results shows that HT, by acting as an antioxidant, prevents the damage to DNA induced by TCDD. In addition light microscopic and histopathological observations revealed that the cells are apoptotic and degenerated during TCDD treatment, whereas cells showed intact morphology during co-treatment with HT. On the whole, the results reveal that HT exerts a promising antioxidant potential in protecting the PBMC against TCDD induced oxidative stress, which might be due to the presence of catechol moiety in its structure.