Phase separation and regrowth of aerosol matter collected after size fractionation in an impactor

Aerosol matter in the size range <2 μm was collected in a Berner impactor and subsequently analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometry. Owing to the low electron beam energy of 5 keV (occasionally 10 keV), analysis was restricted to elements with atomic numbers 20 (Ca). Sub-micrometer aerosol matter was found to contain mostly S, O, and C as well as some K and Ca. Nitrogen appeared to escape detection, probably due to bombardment-induced sublimation of NO₃ and NH₄. During sampling at low to moderate relative humidity (<60%) the sulphur-rich fraction of the aerosol matter (most likely sulphates) regrew in the form of microcrystals with sizes up to 10 times larger than the mean aerodynamic diameter of the respective impactor stage. By contrast, when sampling during periods in course of which the relative humidity exceeded 70%, the aerosol matter regrew in the form of extended amorphous agglomerates. The aerosol deposits also contained large numbers of carbon nanoparticles, well separated from the regrown sulphate-rich matter. The nanoparticles were similar in size (20–40 nm), much smaller than the equivalent aerodynamic diameter of the impacting particles (63 nm–2 μm). Presumably, the carbon nanoparticles constituted the core of larger air-borne particles covered with sulphates (as well as with nitrates and organic carbon). The regrown microcrystals disappeared rapidly under electron bombardment at high current density, an observation that indicates high volatility at elevated temperatures. Aerosol matter collected in the size range between 1 and 2 μm contained large fractions of particles made of O, Si, P, K, and Ca (oxides). These particles were highly resistant to electron bombardment (hard) and showed little or no evidence for agglomeration or regrowth. After removing the soluble (acidic) material from the collected aerosol matter, only carbon nanoparticles and hard coarse particles were left behind. The observation of agglomerated or crystallized “soft” aerosol matter in combination with phase separation of carbon nanoparticles lends further support to the assertion that it is not possible to collect useful quantities of fine and ultrafine aerosol particles with as-suspended morphology. Some implications for health-related research are discussed.     

Environmental scanning electron microscopy as a new technique to determine the hygroscopic behaviour of individual aerosol particles

The hygroscopic behaviour of NaCl, (NH₄)₂SO₄, Na₂SO₄ and NH₄NO₃ particles in the size range of 0.1–20 μm was studied by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). This technique allows the in-situ observation of individual aerosol particles while changing the temperature and/or relative humidity (RH) in the sample chamber. The hygroscopic behaviour of these particles (e.g., deliquescence, adsorption of water on the particle surface) becomes directly observable with a lateral resolution of the order of 8–15 nm. The deliquescence relative humidities (DRH) of the different salts, the temperature dependence of the DRH for NH₄NO₃, and the growth factors (at increasing relative humidities) for NaCl were determined. Generally, a good agreement between the values obtained by ESEM and those found in literature was achieved. However, the DRH of NaCl determined by ESEM is systematically higher (approximately 2%, absolute) than the values obtained by other techniques, which can be explained by the observed strong absorption of water onto the crystal surface prior to droplet formation. The efflorescence behaviour of individual particles can be studied only qualitatively due to influences of the sample substrate. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the activation of soot can be studied at high resolution by ESEM.     

Removal and recycling of copper from aqueous solutions using treated Indian barks

Removal of copper from aqueous solutions containing 100–1000 ppm, using different Indian bark species, was performed on laboratory scale. The percentage removal of metal ions depends on the solution pH, bark species and time. The efficiency of copper removal by the used raw barks increases with a rise of solution pH and reaches a maximum of about 65–78% around pH 4–5. However, the decontaminated aqueous solutions were colored due to the dissolution of soluble organic compounds contained in the raw bark. This increases the biological and chemical oxygen demand (BOD and COD) of the solutions as well as the total organic carbon content (TOC). For this reason, raw bark should be treated either by chemical or biological means. Such treatment will allow the extraction of the soluble organic compounds and increase the chelating capacity and efficiency of the treated bark. Depending on the pH value, the chelating efficiency of treated barks is about 1.2–2.2 times that of the raw ones. Moreover, the retention capacity of the Indian treated bark varies from about 42–51 mg/g of dry bark. It is equal to or higher than that of common European species. About 1.8 mols of H₃O⁺ are released, by the treated barks, for every mol of chelated copper ions. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations show uniform distribution of metal ions throughout the copper saturated bark. Infra red (IR) spectra suggest that the copper ions are chelated to hydroxyl and/or carboxyl functional groups of organic compounds contained in the treated bark. It seems that the interaction of the copper ions with the bark follows a cation exchange mechanism. This hypothesis is supported by elution experiments that allow recovery of about 99% of the contained copper. The retention capacity of the treated bark is almost constant after five cycles of chelation–elution, suggesting that the ‘life time cycle' is sufficiently long for continuous industrial application. The spent copper loaded barks can either be incinerated or pyrolysed. It generates solids containing either ≈80% of CuO or ≈14% of Cu°, respectively. Such materials can be used either in the secondary or primary copper production, thus offering a friendly environmental solution of effluents' treatment. The suggested process can be used as an alternative to the classical technologies for effluent decontamination. It is also efficient for polishing effluents treated by other methods.     

兰州大气飘尘萃取物的电子自旋共振信号及对细胞DNA的损伤

兰州市是我国化学工业中心之一,大气污染十分严重,空气中含多种致癌物质。据报道,该市大气飘尘中含有大量稳定性自由基物质,其与人类疾病密切相关。研究飘尘吸附的自由基物质及其危害很重要,但国内对此研究极少。Lyons等人首先观察到大气飘尘具有电子顺磁共振(ESR)信号,并用苯萃取得到具有信号的物质,推测信号中可能     

Fetal skin biopsy in prenatal diagnosis of some genodermatoses

Various methods of obtaining fetal skin for prenatal diagnosis of certain autosomal-recessive congenital genodermatoses have been assessed. An attempt was made to obtain fetal skin by fetoscopy in 15 patients prior to pregnancy termination for a variety of medical reasons at 18–26 weeks. Specimens were obtained only in five cases (8 successful attempts out of 48). In twelve cases, of which five had a history of a child with junctional (Herlitz type) or dystrophic (Hallopeau-Siemens type) epidermolysis bullosa or non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma at 16–25 weeks of pregnancy, fetal skin was obtained without fetoscopy under direct ultrasonic control. Specimens were obtained in all cases (33 successful attempts out of 39). In three cases, fetal pathology was diagnosed by the method of semi-thin and ultra-thin skin sections, and the respective pregnancies were terminated.     

Prenatal diagnosis of tyrosinase-negative oculocutaneous albinism by an electron microscopic dopa reaction test of fetal skin

An electron microscopic DOPA reaction test of fetal skin was used for the prenatal diagnosis of tyrosinase-negative oculocutaneous albinism (OCA). The subject was a 34-year-old Japanese woman in her second pregnancy. Her first child, born in 1982, had been previously examined and confirmed to have tyrosinase-negative OCA. The parents requested a prenatal diagnosis and we sampled skin from the upper trunk of the fetus. On conventional electron microscopy, the development of melanosomes in interfollicular melanocytes had progressed no further than stage II. Fetal skin samples incubated with L-DOPA solution indicated a lack of tyrosinase activity and showed that the melanosomes had not progressed beyond stage II. In skin samples from the trunks of three Japanese fetuses aborted for other reasons at 19–20 weeks of gestation, most premature melanosomes were further melanized to stage IV after incubation with L-DOPA solution. A prenatal diagnosis of tyrosinase-negative OCA was made. The parents requested a termination and skin biopsies of the abortus confirmed the diagnosis. This study shows that tyrosinase is normally present in melanocytes of the fetal epidermis at 20 weeks' gestation, and that the electron microscopic DOPA reaction test of a fetal skin biopsy specimen is safe and practical, and provides reliable information for making a prenatal diagnosis of tyrosinase-negative OCA in the second trimester.     

短程反硝化聚磷的反硝化特征研究

研究了温度、pH值、电子供体种类及电子受体种类对反硝化的影响。试验结果表明，（1）在相同试验条件下。亚硝酸型反硝化与硝酸型反硝化的速率与硝态氮的浓度有关。在温度为25℃、pH为7的条件下，基质浓度〈300mg／L时短程反硝化速率较快；基质浓度≥300mg／L时，以NO3^-为基质的反硝化速率较大。（2）具有大量碳源储存物（PHB）的细菌可实现快速的内源性反硝化脱氮，而处于饥饿状态的细菌的内源性反硝化效率极低。     

Recommendations for Monitoring of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in the Canadian Environment

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been reported in air, surface waters, suspended sediments, soil, sediment, fish, marine mammals, and bird eggs throughout Canada, from the St. Lawrence Estuary to the Strait of Georgia and the northernmost reaches of the Canadian Arctic. Canadian scientists have detected the presence of PBDEs in breast milk in every Canadian province. In fact, recent data on temporal trends strongly suggests that the concentrations of PBDEs are on the rise in the Canadian environment. These findings are similar to those reported in other nordic countries, and have prompted several countries to implement environmental monitoring programs. Among the key challenges currently facing Canada and other countries concerns how best to measure these chemicals in different matrices. In this paper, several analytical methods cited in the scientific literature for determining PBDE concentrations in different abiotic and biological matrices are reviewed. The critical criteria required for accurate determination of PBDEs in complex environmental matrices are discussed, including instrument sensitivity, reliability, potential interference's and the need for specialized instrumentation for the determination of compounds up to 975 Daltons. While a single analytical method that meets these and other criteria has not yet been perfected by scientists, GC/HRMS-based methods amenable to isotope dilution techniques warrant further refinement, and likely represent the best tools for future environmental monitoring programs.     

石英不同Ti-Li心电子自旋共振信号光晒退特征及其测年意义

为探讨石英不同Ti-Li心电子自旋共振（ESR）信号的光晒退特征及其测年意义,对典型花岗岩类基岩样品、河流现代表层沉积物样品及地质历史时期沉积物样品的石英Ti-Li心option A、Ti-Li心option B、Ti-Li心option C、Ti-Li心option D和Ti-Li心option E的ESR信号光晒退特征进行了系统研究。结果显示：（1）不同Ti-Li心ESR信号可在较短时间内（260 h）完全晒退,表明Ti-Li心是优良的石英ESR测年信号心;（2）石英的赋存环境对同一Ti-Li心ESR信号晒退“归零”所需的时间具有明显的影响作用。相比于基岩石英和地质历史时期沉积物石英,现代河流沉积物石英因其已经接受了一定时间的光晒退作用而具有更快的光晒退“归零”速率;（3）石英同一Ti-Li心的光敏感特性会因石英经历的地质循环过程的不同而改变,相比于基岩,沉积物因经历了更复杂的地质过程而具有了深陷阱电子,所以需要更长的光晒退归零时间;（4）同一样品的不同Ti-Li心表现出了相同的光晒退特征,说明不同类型的Ti-Li心具有相同的光敏特性;（5）Ti-Li心option B在某些自然样品中不易观察,Ti-Li心option D和Ti-Li心option E信号较为微弱,因此,Ti-Li心option A是进行沉积物石英ESR测年的最佳信号心。     

基于针铁矿强化乙酸产甲烷过程的ADM1模型修正与模拟研究

为探究针铁矿对乙酸产甲烷途径的调控作用,利用ADM1模型（厌氧消化1号模型）对添加针铁矿的产甲烷过程进行模拟研究.首先引入氧化还原介质作为新变量,模拟SAO（syntrophic acetate oxidation,互营乙酸氧化）过程中的种间电子转移,进而建立包含DIET（direct interspecies electron transfer,直接种间电子传递）产甲烷过程的ADM1修正模型,最后利用该模型对各产甲烷途径的贡献进行评价.结果表明:①c（乙酸）分别为12和20 mmol/L时,添加40~2 000 mg/L针铁矿明显提高了乙酸体系的产甲烷速率.②修正的ADM1模型能够有效地模拟针铁矿强化乙酸产甲烷过程.③12、20 mmol/L乙酸体系的敏感性参数km_Xst（最大比乙酸氧化速率）校准值分别从1.02、1.46升至1.76、2.03,km_DIET（最大比电子消耗速率）校准值分别从0.78、1.48升至2.44、3.99,表明添加针铁矿提高了互营体系的种间电子传递速率.修正的ADM1模型对各产甲烷途径贡献的计算结果显示,针铁矿对DIET过程的强化作用与其添加量呈正相关,添加2 000 mg/L针铁矿试验组[c（乙酸）为12 mmol/L]中DIET和SAO产甲烷的贡献率相比对照组分别提升了117.99%和130.73%.研究显示,修正的ADM1模型能够有效地模拟针铁矿对乙酸产甲烷过程的强化作用,并且能用于评价各产甲烷途径的贡献.