Effects of alkali promoters on the textural and catalytic properties of mesoporous Fe–Al–Cu catalysts for water gas shift reaction

Mesoporous Fe₂O₃–Al₂O₃–CuO catalysts promoted with alkali oxides were synthesized and used in water gas shift reaction (WGSR) at high temperatures for hydrogen purification. These chromium-free catalysts were characterized using nitrogen adsorption/desorption, hydrogen temperature programmed reduction, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The synthesized catalysts with narrow single-modal pore size distribution in mesopore region possessed high specific surface area. The catalytic results revealed that except Cs, the addition of other alkali promoters declined the catalytic activity. However, all catalysts showed higher catalytic performance than the conventional commercial catalyst. The results showed an optimum content of Cs promoter (3 wt.%) for the promoted Fe–Al–Cu catalyst (3 wt.% Cs-FAC), which exhibited the highest activity in WGSR at high temperature.     

Molecular toxicity and defense mechanisms induced by silver nanoparticles in Drosophila melanogaster

The widely use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as antimicrobial agents gives rise to potential environmental risks. AgNPs exposure have been reported to cause toxicity in animals. Nevertheless, the known mechanisms of AgNPs toxicity are still limited. In this study, we systematically investigated the toxicity of AgNPs exposure using Drosophila melanogaster. We show here that AgNPs significantly decreased Drosophila fecundity, the third-instar larvae weight and rates of pupation and eclosion in a dose-dependent manner. AgNPs reduced fat body cell viability in MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assays. AgNPs caused DNA damage in hemocytes and S2 cells. Interestingly, the mRNA levels of the entire metallothionein gene family were increased under AgNPs exposure as determined by RNA-seq analysis and validated by qRT-PCR, indicating that Drosophila responded to the metal toxicity of AgNPs by producing metallothioneins for detoxification. These findings provide a better understanding of the mechanisms of AgNPs toxicity and may provide clues to effect on other organisms, including humans.     

Dispersive solid phase extraction of chlorophenols using carbon-coated magnetic nanoparticles

Abstract

Carbon-coated magnetic nanoparticles were modified with cationic surfactant and used for the dispersive solid phase extraction of chlorophenols from aqueous samples. Surfactant adsorbed on the surface of the nanoparticles resulted in mixed hemimicelles for high extraction efficiency of chlorophenols. Under optimized conditions, calibration curves were linear from 0.5–20?mg L^?1 for analytes with limit of detection between 0.2 and 0.4?mg L^?1. The method was applied to extraction of chlorophenols from tap water, well water and industrial effluent. Recoveries were in the range of 94.0–99.4%, suggesting that sample matrix had little effect on the yields of extraction.     

Analysing workplace violence towards health care staff in public hospitals using alternative ordered response models: the case of north-eastern Turkey

The main objective of this article is to determine key factors that may have a significant effect on the verbal abuse, emotional abuse and physical assault of health care workers in north-eastern Turkey. A self-administered survey was completed by 450 health care workers in three well-established hospitals in Erzurum, Turkey. Because of the discrete and ordered nature of the dependent variable of the survey, the data were analysed using four distinctive ordered response models. Results revealed that several key variables were found to be a significant determinant of workplace violence, such as the type of health institution, occupational position, weekly working hours, weekly shift hours, number of daily patient contacts, age group of the respondents, experience in the health sector, training against workplace violence and current policies of the hospitals and the Turkish Ministry of Health.     

Enhanced 4-chlorophenol biodegradation by integrating Fe2O3 nanoparticles into an anaerobic reactor: Long-term performance and underlying mechanism

• 4-chlorophenol biodegradation could be enhanced in Fe₂O₃ coupled anaerobic system. • Metabolic activity and electron transport could be improved by Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles. • Functional microbial communities could be enriched in coupled anaerobic system. • Possible synergistic mechanism involved in enhanced dechlorination was proposed. Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles have been reported to enhance the dechlorination performance of anaerobic systems, but the underlying mechanism has not been clarified. This study evaluated the technical feasibility, system stability, microbial biodiversity and the underlying mechanism involved in a Fe₂O₃ nanoparticle-coupled anaerobic system treating 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) wastewater. The results demonstrated that the 4-CP and total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiencies in the Fe₂O₃-coupled up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) were always higher than 97% and 90% during long-term operation, verifying the long-term stability of the Fe₂O₃-coupled UASB. The 4-CP and TOC removal efficiencies in the coupled UASB increased by 42.9±0.4% and 27.5±0.7% compared to the control UASB system. Adding Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles promoted the enrichment of species involved in dechlorination, fermentation, electron transfer and acetoclastic methanogenesis, and significantly enhanced the extracellular electron transfer ability, electron transport activity and conductivity of anaerobic sludge, leading to enhanced 4-CP biodegradation performance. A possible synergistic mechanism involved in enhanced anaerobic 4-CP biodegradation by Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles was proposed.     

中孔结构对活性炭吸附卷烟烟气中有机物的影响

卷烟烟气中复杂化合物对大气环境的污染已经引起了全世界的关注.因此,本文以颗粒活性炭为原料,通过硝酸钙、水蒸气调控得到比表面积、微孔容量丰富且含有较高中孔率的介孔活性炭,研究了孔结构对三醋酸甘油酯和挥发性有机物吸附的影响.结果表明:活性炭对三醋酸甘油酯的吸附主要受到比表面积和微孔的影响,中孔对其吸附性能没有太明显的作用;中孔结构对苯、甲苯、丙酮的吸附可以起到明显的通道效应,大大提高了活性炭对挥发性有机物的去除能力.     

介孔氮化碳对水中全氟辛烷磺酸的吸附去除研究

以SBA-15为模板、四氯化碳和乙二胺为前驱体,通过聚合反应制备了介孔氮化碳(Mesoporous Carbon Nitride,MCN).同时,采用X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、傅里叶红外光谱(FT-IR)、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)和元素分析等手段对MCN进行了表征分析,并考察了MCN对水中全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)的吸附性能.结果表明,MCN吸附PFOS的过程符合准二级动力学模型,其吸附行为遵循Langmuir等温线模型;MCN吸附去除PFOS的效率受溶液pH值、溶液温度及共存离子等因素的影响,其中,溶液pH值的影响最为显著,当溶液pH值分别为2.2和10.6时,MCN对PFOS的去除率分别为98.15%和5.59%;吸附PFOS饱和后的MCN可以用0.1 mol·L-1NaOH溶液进行解吸,经5次循环/再生后的MCN对PFOS的去除率仍在95%以上.与介孔碳(CMK-3)和活性炭(AC)相比,MCN对PFOS显示出更优越的吸附能力.     

基于柔性SERS基底的快速原位检测环境污染物的方法

采用自组装方法,在新生的聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)薄膜上形成有序的纳米金粒子(AuNPs)层结构,制备AuNPs/PMMA薄膜.因PMMA支撑层具有柔韧性和透光性的特点,可直接将AuNPs/PMMA薄膜置于被检测物表面,通过表面增强拉曼散射技术实现物体表面污染物的快速原位检测.相比于其它检测方法,该方法快速、简单、成本低,在环境监测、食品安全及医疗卫生等领域有着极为广泛的应用前景.     

生物法回收贵金属铂纳米颗粒及其机制

利用自行分离的粪肠球菌Z5(Enterococcus faecalis Z5)菌株(保藏号CCTCC M2012445)回收贵金属铂,探讨了其在外源电子供体条件下以纳米颗粒形式回收溶液中化合态铂的可能性,研究了铂初始浓度、生物量、温度以及p H值对回收过程的影响,探讨了粪肠球菌Z5回收铂纳米颗粒过程的可能机制.结果表明,粪肠球菌Z5菌株可以回收铂纳米颗粒,回收过程主要包括生物吸附和生物还原.铂初始浓度为286.46 mg·L~(-1)、生物量为3.2 g·L~(-1)、温度50℃以及p H值为6时为其最佳回收条件.X射线衍射(XRD)和透射电镜(TEM)分析表明,回收产物为5 nm左右粒径的铂纳米颗粒,主要分布于细胞周质.X射线电子能谱(XPS)分析显示,Pt(Ⅳ)首先被还原为Pt(Ⅱ),然后被还原为Pt(0),且从Pt(Ⅱ)还原成Pt(0)为限制步骤,傅里叶红外(FTIR)分析显示菌体表面的羟基和酰胺基官能团可能在回收过程中起作用.     

Photocatalytic reduction of organic pollutant under visible light by green route synthesized gold nanoparticles

We report a rapid method of green chemistry approach for synthesis of gold nanoparticles(AuNPs)using Lagerstroemia speciosa leaf extract(LSE). L. speciosa plant extract is known for its effective treatment of diabetes and kidney related problems. The green synthesis of Au NPs was complete within 30 min at 25°C. The same could also be achieved within 2 min at a higher reaction temperature(80°C). Both UV–visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy results suggest that the morphology and size distribution of Au NPs are dependent on the pH of gold solution,gold concentration,volume of LSE,and reaction time and temperature. Comparison between Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR)spectra of LSE and the synthesized Au NPs indicate an active role of polyphenolic functional groups(from gallotannins,lagerstroemin,and corosolic acid)in the green synthesis and capping of Au NPs. The green route synthesized Au NPs show strong photocatalytic activity in the reduction of dyes viz.,methylene blue,methyl orange,bromophenol blue and bromocresol green,and 4-nitrophenol under visible light in the presence of Na BH_4. The non-toxic and cost effective LSE mediated Au NPs synthesis proposed in this study is extremely rapid compared to the other reported methods that require hours to days for complete synthesis of Au NPs using various plant extracts. Strong and stable photocatalytic behavior makes Au NPs attractive in environmental applications,particularly in the reduction of organic pollutants in wastewater.