Catalytic degradation of toxic organic dye using an aluminum-doped Cu0.4Zn0.6-xAlxFe2O4 (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6) spinel ferrite in a photo-Fenton system

Catalytic activity of spinel ferrite in breaking down toxic dye materials are promising due to their uniqueness. In this study, aluminum-doped copper zinc ferrite, Cu_0.4Zn_0.6-xAl_xFe₂O₄ (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6), a catalyst for toxic dye degradation is synthesized through chemical co-precipitation route. The formation of the spinel ferrite catalyst is initially confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectra, which shows the frequency of metal-oxygen bond vibration at 539 and 427 cm⁻¹ attributed to the tetrahedral and octahedral sites respectively. Higher intensity sharp peak of X-ray diffraction for (311) plane is the evidence for the phase purity and the formation of spinel ferrite. The crystallite size is found to decrease with the increase of Al³⁺ ion. The surface structure of the obtained particles is investigated using a scanning electron microscope. Analyses of the material's magnetic characteristics using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) revealed that it is, in fact, a soft magnet, as evidenced by the loop of its hysteresis, which is narrow. The catalytic degradation of methylene blue dye under the mechanism of the photo-Fenton process is studied with the obtained spinel ferrites and the result is found to be as high as 96.5%. The process follows pseudo-second order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm.     

Effects of Coastal Lighting on Foraging Behaviorof Beach Mice

Abstract:  Introduction of artificial light into wildlife habitat represents a rapidly expanding form of human encroachment, particularly in coastal systems. Light pollution alters the behavior of sea turtles during nesting; therefore, long-wavelength lights—low-pressure sodium vapor and bug lights—that minimize impacts on turtles are required for beach lighting in Florida (U.S.A.). We investigated the effects of these two kinds of lights on the foraging behavior of Santa Rosa beach mice (  Peromyscus polionotus leucocephalus ). We compared patch use and giving-up densities of mice for experimental food patches established along a gradient of artificial light in the field. Mice exploited fewer food patches near both types of artificial light than in areas with little light and harvested fewer seeds within patches near bug lights. Our results show that artificial light affects the behavior of terrestrial species in coastal areas and that light pollution deserves greater consideration in conservation planning.     

Plasmonic silver/silver oxide nanoparticles anchored bismuth vanadate as a novel visible-light ternary photocatalyst for degrading pharmaceutical micropollutants

The degradation of pharmaceutical micropollutants is an intensifying environmental problem and synthesis of efficient photocatalysts for this purpose is one of the foremost challenges worldwide. Therefore, this study was conducted to develop novel plasmonic Ag/Ag₂O/BiVO₄ nanocomposite photocatalysts by simple precipitation and thermal decomposition methods, which could exhibit higher photocatalytic activity for mineralized pharmaceutical micropollutants. Among the different treatments, the best performance was observed for the Ag/Ag₂O/BiVO₄ nanocomposites (5 wt.%; 10 min's visible light irradiation) which exhibited 6.57 times higher photodegradation rate than the pure BiVO₄. Further, the effects of different influencing factors on the photodegradation system of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl) were investigated and the feasibility for its practical application was explored through the specific light sources, water source and cycle experiments. The mechanistic study demonstrated that the photogenerated holes (h⁺), superoxide radicals (?O₂^?) and hydroxyl radicals (?OH) participated in TC-HCl removal process, which is different from the pure BiVO₄ reaction system. Hence, the present work can provide a new approach for the formation of novel plasmonic photocatalysts with high photoactivity and can act as effective practical application for environmental remediation.     

尕海湿地植被退化过程中有机碳及相关土壤酶活性变化特征

以青藏高原东缘尕海湿地不同植被退化程度样地为研究对象,采用定位研究与室内试验相结合的方法,研究植被退化过程对土壤有机碳和土壤酶活性的影响。结果表明：植被退化显著影响土壤有机碳含量和土壤酶活性,降低了土壤有机碳的含量和酶促反应效率,且这种影响随土层深度变化有所不同。四种植被退化阶段有机碳含量和酶活性均值总体上（0~100 cm）表现为未退化>轻度退化>中度退化>重度退化。不同土层中,20~40 cm土层的有机碳含量中度退化>轻度退化;0~10 cm土层中淀粉酶和纤二糖酶中度退化阶段活性值较高;20~100 cm土层中蔗糖酶重度退化阶段活性值最高,纤二糖酶活性重度退化>中度退化。同一退化程度土壤有机碳含量、蔗糖酶和纤二糖酶活性随土层深度增加显著降低（P<0.05）;淀粉酶和纤维素酶活性在>40 cm土层中活性值有所上升,整体呈波动下降趋势。     

Pt负载暴露(001)晶面Bi2WO6催化剂合成及光催化性能

通过水热法制备了暴露（001）晶面的Bi₂WO₆纳米片,利用光还原法将Pt纳米颗粒负载于其表面.选择苯甲醇氧化和罗丹明B（RhB）降解为探针反应,评价了催化剂的光催化性能.在苯甲醇氧化实验中,Pt负载暴露001晶面的Bi₂WO₆样品的苯甲醇转化率为20.7%,约为未负载样品的2倍.在RhB降解实验中,Pt负载样品在光照40min后对RhB的矿化率可达81.1%,而未负载样品RhB矿化率仅为55.8%,表明Pt负载样品具有更优的降解速率和矿化能力.催化剂性能的提升归因于高能晶面暴露和Pt负载的协同作用.Pt纳米颗粒的负载作为助催化剂增加了催化剂表面的活性位点,同时提高了晶面光生电子空穴对的分离和迁移效率.     

普伐他汀的光催化降解性能及机理研究

通过水热法合成Bi₂WO₆,并利用XPS,XRD,BET,UV-Vis和SEM等方法对样品进行了表征;通过光催化性能实验考察了Bi₂WO₆投加量,溶液pH值对普伐他汀（PR）降解效果的影响;通过自由基捕获实验及中间产物的鉴定探明了Bi₂WO₆光催化降解PR过程的主要活性自由基,中间产物及降解机理,并采用发光细菌急性毒性试验评估了PR降解前后的毒性.结果表明,所制备的Bi₂WO₆是由大量纳米片组成的正交晶系花瓣状微球,各元素物质的量比为Bi：W：O=2.5：1：6.7,比表面积为26.67m²/g,带隙能为2.74eV;光催化性能结果表明,对于10mg/L PR,当溶液pH=6.5,Bi₂WO₆投加量为0.4g/L时降解效果最佳,降解率可达80.6%,矿化度为40.2%;自由基捕获实验结果表明降解过程中h⁺起主要的氧化作用,·OH和·O₂^-的氧化起辅助作用.基于活性自由基和中间产物的鉴别结果提出了Bi₂WO₆光催化降解PR的机理,即以h⁺为主,·OH和·O₂^-为辅联合攻击PR分子中C－C键,C＝C双键,酯键等化学键,进而将其分解为易降解小分子有机物.另外,毒性测试结果表明PR经光催化降解后的小分子产物与PR原液相比毒性并没有增强.     

Mesoporous WO3-graphene photocatalyst for photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue dye under visible light illumination

Advanced oxidation technologies are a friendly environmental approach for the remediation of industrial wastewaters. Here, one pot synthesis of mesoporous WO_3 and WO_3-graphene oxide(GO) nanocomposites has been performed through the sol–gel method. Then, platinum(Pt) nanoparticles were deposited onto the WO_3 and WO_3-GO nanocomposite through photochemical reduction to produce mesoporous Pt/WO_3 and Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites. X-ray diffraction(XRD) findings exhibit a formation of monoclinic and triclinic WO_3 phases. Transmission Electron Microscope(TEM) images of Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites exhibited that WO_3 nanoparticles are obviously agglomerated and the particle sizes of Pt and WO_3 are ~ 10 nm and 20–50 nm, respectively. The mesoporous Pt/WO_3 and Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites were assessed for photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue(MB) as a probe molecule under visible light illumination.The findings showed that mesoporous Pt/WO_3, WO_3-GO and Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites exhibited much higher photocatalytic efficiencies than the pure WO_3. The photodegradation rates by mesoporous Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites are 3, 2 and 1.15 times greater than those by mesoporous WO_3, WO_3-GO, and Pt/WO_3, respectively. The key factors of the enhanced photocatalytic performance of Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites could be explained by the highly freedom electron transfer through the synergetic effect between WO_3 and GO sheets, in addition to the Pt nanoparticles that act as active sites for O2 reduction, which suppresses the electron hole pair recombination in the Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites.     

水稻土中五氯酚的降解转化动态及其对微生物群落的影响

采用室内培养实验,研究厌氧条件下水稻土中五氯酚(Pentachlorophenol,PCP)的还原转化与微生物群落组成变化。结果表明,室内培养实验条件下,PCP在水稻土样品中降解比较迅速,在反应17 d时,实验添加的PCP能够完全被还原转化。高通量测序结果显示PCP的添加明显改变了水稻土壤的微生物群落结构,其微生物多样性显著下降,在PCP降解完之后逐渐恢复。原始土壤以及添加PCP的土壤样品中其优势微生物主要分布在变形菌门(Proteobacteria)。PCP添加刺激了水稻土中伯克氏菌科(Burkholderiaceae)、丛毛单胞菌科(Comamonadaceae)、地杆菌科(Geobacteraceae)、红环菌科(Rhodocyclaceae)和假单胞菌科(Pseudomonadaceae)等脱氯相关的微生物菌群繁殖,成为PCP降解过程中的优势菌群,有利于PCP还原降解。本研究结果可为水稻土中有机氯农药污染物的微生物降解脱毒提供理论依据。     

Land Degradation Monitoring in Namibia: A First Approximation

This paper presents development of a first approximation of a Namibian, national level, land degradation monitoring system. The process involved a large number of stakeholders and led to the definition of four primary indicators that were regarded as related to land degradation in Namibia: population pressure, livestock pressure, seasonal rainfall and erosion hazards. These indicators were calculated annually for the period 1971–1997. Annual land degradation risk maps were produced for the same period by combining the indicators. A time series analysis of results generated by indicators was undertaken at two sites. The analysis revealed a general trend towards an increased land degradation risk over the period 1971–1997. A decrease in annual rainfall and an increase in livestock numbers caused this negative trend at one site, while decreased annual rainfall and increased human population were the causes at a second site. Evaluation of resulting maps through direct field observations and long-term monitoring at selected study sites with different conditions relevant for the indicators defined, is an essential next step.     

Photocatalytic degradation of phenol

In this study photocatalytic degradation of phenol in thepresence of UV irradiated TiO₂ catalyst andH₂O₂was investigated. Effects of TiO₂ andH₂O₂concentrations and pH on photocatalytic degradation were examined. The rate constants for photocatalytic degradation wereevaluated as a function of TiO₂ and H₂O₂ concentrations and pH of the solution. It was found thatphotodegradation is an effective method for the removal of phenoland disappearance of phenol obeyed first order kinetics. The amount of CO₂h produced during photocatalytic degradation wascorresponding to the complete mineralization. Photodegradationcan be an alternative method for the treatment of phenol containing wastewaters.