Three-dimensional quantitative structure activity relationships of quorum-sensing and biofilm inhibitors in gram-negative bacteria

Thirty N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) analogs with variable antibacterial activity and displaying inhibition of biofilm formation were selected to develop models for establishing three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships (3D-QSAR). Comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) were carried out to determine the optimum structural requirements for selectivity and potency of quorum-sensing and bacterial biofilm inhibition. The best CoMFA model predicted a q² value of 0.519 and an r² value of 0.984 and revealed that electrostatic and steric properties play a significant role in potency and selectivity. The CoMSIA model predicted a q² value of 0.411 and an r² value of 0.938 based on a combination of steric, electrostatic, and hydrophobic effects. The analysis of the contour maps from each model provide insight into the structural requirements for increasing the activity of a compound. Consequently, manipulating the chemical and physical properties of substituted acyl groups on the homoserine lactone moiety can provide important information toward enhancing the antibacterial properties of the target chemical compound.     

天然锰砂去除水中的砷

天然锰砂是一种廉价、高效的水处理用材料,但尚未用于水中砷的去除。实验研究了反应时间、砷形态、初始砷浓度、温度、溶液初始pH对吸附过程的影响。结果表明,天然锰砂对As(Ⅲ)的吸附能力大于As(Ⅴ)。25℃时,固液比为10 g/L的条件下,天然锰砂对初始浓度为5.0 mg/L的砷溶液吸附过程经72 h基本达到平衡,平衡时对As(Ⅲ)和As(Ⅴ)的去除率分别达到94.5%和85.9%。吸附过程符合Lagergren准一级反应动力学模型和假二级反应动力学模型。相比之下,假二级动力学模型拟合程度更高。对As(Ⅲ)和As(Ⅴ),45℃时的吸附量均大于25℃时。不同温度下,天然锰砂对As(Ⅲ)和As(Ⅴ)的吸附过程更符合Freundlich等温吸附模型。在溶液初始pH为3～10范围内,锰砂对砷的吸附能力受pH的影响较小。实验结果表明,天然锰砂是一种具有实际应用潜力的除砷材料。     

UASB反应器反硝化处理对氨基二苯胺生产废水

采用UASB工艺处理橡胶助剂对氨基二苯胺（RT培司）生产废水。实验结果表明：UASB启动初期（1~16 d）,COD去除率由60.8%降至24.2% ,TOC去除率由75.6%降至37.2%;UASB运行16 ~50 d,COD去除率逐渐提高;运行50 d时COD去除率为69.4%,TOC去除率高达90.0%。在进水COD负荷不超过6 kg/（m³·d）的条件下,UASB对COD的去除率为42.7%~69.4%,TOC去除率为58.0%~90.0%,NO_{3^--N去除率接近100%。本实验最佳进水TOC 与TN 比为2.0,UASB进水pH可调节为4.5左右,反应温度为18~34 ℃时对UASB反硝化处理效果影响不大。UASB对苯系化合物的去除率从高至低顺序为对硝基酚>苯酚>苯胺。}     

Coupling Socioeconomic and Lake Systems for Sustainability: A Conceptual Analysis Using Lake St. Clair Region as a Case Study

Applying sustainability at an operational level requires understanding the linkages between socioeconomic and natural systems. We identified linkages in a case study of the Lake St. Clair (LSC) region, part of the Laurentian Great Lakes system. Our research phases included: (1) investigating and revising existing coupled human and natural systems frameworks to develop a framework for this case study; (2) testing and refining the framework by hosting a 1-day stakeholder workshop and (3) creating a causal loop diagram (CLD) to illustrate the relationships among the systems’ key components. With stakeholder assistance, we identified four interrelated pathways that include water use and discharge, land use, tourism and shipping that impact the ecological condition of LSC. The interrelationships between the pathways of water use and tourism are further illustrated by a CLD with several feedback loops. We suggest that this holistic approach can be applied to other case studies and inspire the development of dynamic models capable of informing decision making for sustainability.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-013-0432-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

天然沸石同步去除水中氨氮和磷酸盐

通过静态吸附实验考察了浙江缙云产天然沸石对溶液中氨氮和磷酸盐的同步去除能力及机制,结果表明,天然沸石对溶液中氨氮的吸附过程较好地满足拟二级动力学模型、Langmuir和Dubinin-Radushkevich等温吸附模型。天然沸石对磷酸盐的去除能力随溶液中初始氨氮浓度的增加而增加。当溶液pH由7.0增加到9.0时,天然沸石对氨氮的吸附能力随之增加,而当pH由9.0增加到10时,天然沸石对氨氮的吸附能力则下降。当溶液pH低于7.5时,天然沸石对溶液中的磷酸盐无去除能力,当溶液pH位于7.5～9.0时,天然沸石对磷酸盐的去除能力随pH的增加急剧增加,当溶液pH大于9.0时,天然沸石对磷酸盐的去除能力随pH的增加则呈下降趋势。天然沸石对溶液中氨氮和磷酸盐的同步去除过程是自发进行、吸热及熵增加的过程。天然沸石对溶液中氨氮的吸附机制为离子交换,对磷酸盐的去除机制则为化学沉淀作用。     

Ti-天然沸石的钛掺杂取代法制备、表征和光催化性能

以酸处理脱铝后信阳天然斜发沸石为载体,硫酸钛、钛酸正丁酯和四氯化钛为钛源,分别采用浸渍法和气相法制备出钛掺杂沸石光催化剂。采用X-射线衍射和傅立叶红外光谱分析了沸石酸处理及钛取代前后结构。结果表明,80℃下,4 mol/L盐酸处理10 h后沸石结构发生了显著变化,但仍保持Al-O-Si骨架结构。红外光谱结果证明Ti4+与沸石形成稳定的Ti-O-Si键。在以300 W紫外灯为光源进行罗丹明B脱色反应,考察了含钛沸石的光催化活性。初始浓度为80 mg/L,光照1.5 h后罗丹明B的去除率为98.18%。     

Effects of wavelength and water quality on photodegradation of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)

N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a potent carcinogen that yields a cancer risk of 10⁻⁶ at concentrations as low as 0.7 ng L⁻¹. Tentative guideline values are set at 3 ng L⁻¹ in California, USA; 9 ng L⁻¹ in Ontario, Canada; 40 ng L⁻¹ nationwide in Canada; and 100 ng L⁻¹ by the World Health Organization. NDMA is a great concern in treating reclaimed water as well as drinking water. UV degradation can be considered effective degradation method. A 1-log reduction of NDMA is achieved by 1000 mJ cm⁻² of a 254-nm low pressure (LP) mercury UV lamp. However, a higher degradation efficiency than that provided by LP lamps is desired in practical treatment. In this study, the effects of wavelength and water quality were investigated to achieve higher degradation efficiency. The effects of wavelength were examined by comparing three UV lamps: a 222-nm Kr Cl Excimer UV lamp, a 254-nm LP mercury UV lamp, and a 230- to 270-nm filtered medium pressure (FMP) mercury UV lamp. The 222-nm lamp and FMP lamp achieved 4 times and 2.8 times higher degradation efficiency, respectively, than the conventional 254-nm LP lamp. Effects on water quality were also simulated by using absorption spectrum data of nitrate solutions and process water from a drinking-water treatment plant. In the simulation, the 222-nm lamp was affected by UV-absorbing compounds in the water, whereas the FMP lamp showed more stable degradation efficiency. Appropriate use of these three types of lamps could enhance the efficiency of degradation of NDMA.     

Integrated Approaches to Natural Resources Management in Practice: The Catalyzing Role of National Adaptation Programmes for Action

The relationship of forests in water quantity and quality has been debated during the past years. At the same time, focus on climate change has increased interest in ecosystem restoration as a means for adaptation. Climate change might become one of the key drivers pushing integrated approaches for natural resources management into practice. The National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) is an initiative agreed under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. An analysis was done to find out how widely ecosystem restoration and integrated approaches have been incorporated into NAPA priority adaptation projects. The data show that that the NAPAs can be seen as potentially important channel for operationalizing various integrated concepts. Key challenge is to implement the NAPA projects. The amount needed to implement the NAPA projects aiming at ecosystem restoration using integrated approaches presents only 0.7% of the money pledged in Copenhagen for climate change adaptation.     

天然沸石颗粒对NH4^＋动态吸附过程中的离子交换特性研究

采用天然斜发沸石颗粒,进行了沸石吸附水溶液中NH4^＋的动态吸附实验研究。实验结果表明,沸石颗粒粒径、沸石床高度、上升流速、进水氨氮浓度、进水水质等因素对沸石颗粒吸附NH4^＋有着明显的影响,在工程实践应用时,要根据动态吸附实验结果选择合适的设计及运行参数。离子交换机理研究表明,Na^＋首先被交换出来,随着反应进行,Ca^2＋浓度逐渐增加,两者成为离子交换的主要对象。对于人工氨氮配水,整个运行期间金属阳离子液相增加量明显大于NH4^＋去除量,这与金属阳离子在固液两相间的再分配作用有关;对于厌氧工艺出水,在吸附初期,NH4^＋去除量大于金属阳离子液相增加量,随着反应进行,两者逐渐持平。