Combined fluorescence and electrochemical investigation on the binding interaction between organic acid and human serum albumin

Human serum albumin (HSA) is a plasma protein responsible for the binding and transport of fatty acids and a variety of exogenous chemicals such as drugs and environmental pollutants. Such binding plays a crucial role in determining the ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) and bioavailability of the pollutants. We report investigation on the binding interaction between HSA and acetic acid (C2), octanoic acid (C8) and dodecanoic acid (C12) by the combination of site-specific fluorescent probe, tryptophan intrinsic fluorescence and tyrosine electrochemistry. Two fluorescent probes, dansylamide and dansyl-L-proline, were employed in the displacement measurement to study fatty acid interaction with the two drug-binding sites on HSA. Intrinsic fluorescence of tryptophan in HSA was monitored upon addition of the fatty acids into HSA. Electrocatalyzed response of the tyrosine residues in HSA by a redox mediator was used to investigate the binding interaction. Qualitatively, observations made by the three approaches are very similar. HSA did not show any change in either fluorescence or electrochemistry after mixing with C2, suggesting there is no significant interaction with the short-chain fatty acid. For C8, the measured signal dropped in a single-exponential fashion, indicative of independent and non-cooperative binding. The calculated association constant and binding ratio is 3.1×106 L/mol and 1 with drug binding Site I, 1.1×107 L/mol and 1 with Site II, and 7.0×104 L/mol and 4 with the tryptophan site. The measurement with C12 displayed multiple phases of fluorescence change, suggesting cooperativity and allosteric effect of C12 binding. These results correlate well with those obtained by the established methods, and validate the new approach as a viable tool to study the interactions of environmental pollutants with biological molecules.     

Effectiveness of fluidized pellet bed for removing soluble contaminants

Fluidized pellet bed (FPB) has been successfully applied in water and wastewater treatment. However, the removal mechanism of contaminants especially the soluble ones, is still unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the e ectiveness of FPB reactor for removing soluble contaminants from synthetic wastewater. By only coagulation through jar test operation with addition of polyaluminium chloride (PACl) as primary coagulant and polyacryamide (PAM) as coagulant-aid, the removals of soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phosphorus (TP), and NH4 +-N were found to be only 2.2%–7.5%, 5.7%–25.5%, and 9.9%–18.5%, respectively. However, by FPB operation under the same dosage of coagulants, these values increased to 82.7%, 37.2%, and 50%, indicating that the formation of pellets in the FPB e ectively enhanced the removal of soluble contaminants. By careful comparison of the settleablility and filterability of the pollutants after coagulation, the originally soluble contaminants could be divided into three groups, namely: (1) coagulated-andsettleable, (2) coagulated-but-nonsettleable, and (3) uncoagulable. It was found that not only the first two groups but also a large part of the third group could be e ectively removed by FPB operation. However, the mechanism for the removal of the uncoagulable pollutants by FPB operation still needs further investigation.     

Phragmites australis and Typha orientalis in removal of pollutant in Taihu Lake, China

Two plant populations of Phragmites australis and Typha orientalis grown in gravel and sediment substrate were studied to assess their capabilities for purifying polluted water in Taihu Lake, China. The substrate displayed most significant effects on the suspended matter (P < 0.01), with the reduction of 76%-87% and 52%-63% for P. australis, and 83%-86% and 45%-62% for T. orientalis in gravel substrate and sediment substrate, respectively. Both species and substrates significantly decreased the N and P conc...     

Pollutants removal and simulation model of combined membrane process for wastewater treatment and reuse in submarine cabin for long voyage

A laboratory scale test was conducted in a combined membrane process (CMP) with a capacity of 2.91 m3/d for 240 d to treat the mixed wastewater of humidity condensate, hygiene wastewater and urine in submarine cabin during prolonged voyage. Removal performance of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH4 +-N), turbidity and anionic surfactants (LAS) was investigated under di erent conditions. It was observed that the e uent COD, NH4 +-N, turbidity and LAS flocculated in ranges of 0.19–0.85 mg/L, 0.03–0.18 mg/L, 0.0–0.15 NTU and 0.0–0.05 mg/L, respectively in spite of considerable fluctuation in corresponding influent of 2120–5350 mg/L, 79.5–129.3 mg/L, 110–181.1NTU and 4.9–5.4 mg/L. The e uent quality of the CMP could meet the requirements of mechanical water and hygiene water according to the class I water quality standards in China (GB3838-2002). The removal rates of COD, NH4 +-N, turbidity and LAS removed in the MBR were more than 90%, which indicated that biodegradation is indispensable and plays a major role in the wastewater treatment and reuse. A model, built on the back propagation neural network (BPNN) theory, was developed for the simulation of CMP and produced high reliability. The average error of COD and NH4 +-N was 5.14% and 6.20%, respectively, and the root mean squared error of turbidity and LAS was 2.76% and 1.41%, respectively. The results indicated that the model well fitted the laboratory data, and was able to simulate the removal of COD, NH4 +-N, turbidity and LAS. It also suggested that the model proposed could reflect and manage the operation of CMP for the treatment of the mixed wastewaters in submarine.     

建设项目环境影响评价区域限批管理办法(试行)(征求意见稿)

环境保护部办公厅函环办函〔2008〕283号第一条[目的]为规范环境保护部建设项目环境影响评价限批工作,根据《国务院关于落实科学发展观加强环境保护的决定》、国务院《节能减排综合性工作方案》和国家有关政策,制定本办法。第二条[适用范围]本办法适用于环境保护部在一定期限内暂停审批有关区域内建设项目环境影响评价文件的工作。环境保护部在一定期限内暂停审批特定企业集团或者排污单位建设项目环境影响评价文件的工作,也适用本办法。第三条[信息公开]环境保护部建设项目环境影响评价限批工作实行全过程信息公开,接受社会监督。第四条[区域限批]有下列情形之一的区域,环境保护部可以暂停审批该区域建设项目环境影响评价文件:(一)对污染物排放超过总量控制指标的区域,暂停审批该区域内新增该污染物排放总量的建设项目;(二)对生态破坏严重或者尚未完成生态恢复任务的区域,暂停审批该区域内对生态有较大影响的建设项目;(三)对城市污水集中处理设施及其配套管网建设严重滞后、已建成污水处理设施但无正当理由不运行、不落实污水处理收费相关政策的区域,暂缓审批该区域内新增水污染物排放总量的建设项目;(四)对未按期完成重点污染物总量削减目标责任书确定的烟气脱硫项...     

污染河流悬沙与铜、锌污染相关性研究

通过对矿区选矿废水污染的河流水样和悬沙进行采样,分析悬沙、铜、锌质量浓度,探讨河流悬沙与铜、锌之间的相关关系,是有重要现实意义的.研究结果表明:河流水质铜超标严重,丧失了作为农业用水的使用功能.水中铜污染物量与悬沙量相关关系,锌污染物量与悬沙量相关关系都是极显著的.经过曲线回归方程拟合,锌污染物量与悬沙量之间的回归关系比铜污染物量与悬沙量之间的回归关系显著,有3个曲线方程较优,即:对数方程、二次多项式方程、三次多项式方程.据此,通过测定污染河流悬沙量可以粗略地估算水中锌污染物量.     

1991～2007年昆明市工业污染物排放状况分析与研究

通过对1991～2007年间昆明市工业污染物排放状况的分析,对未来污染物排放进行了预测,提出了降低工业污染物排放的几点对策。     

Evaluation of mercury speciation and removal through air pollution control devices of a 190 MW boiler

Air pollution control devices (APCDs) are installed at coal-fired power plants for air pollutant regulation. Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems have the co-benefits of air pollutant and mercury removal. Configuration and operational conditions of APCDs and mercury speciation a ect mercury removal e ciently at coal-fired utilities. The Ontario Hydro Method (OHM) recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was used to determine mercury speciation simultaneously at five sampling locations through SCR-ESP-FGD at a 190 MW unit. Chlorine in coal had been suggested as a factor a ecting the mercury speciation in flue gas; and low-chlorine coal was purported to produce less oxidized mercury (Hg2+) and more elemental mercury (Hg0) at the SCR inlet compared to higher chlorine coal. SCR could oxidize elemental mercury into oxidized mercury when SCR was in service, and oxidation e ciency reached 71.0%. Therefore, oxidized mercury removal e ciency was enhanced through a wet FGD system. In the non-ozone season, about 89.5%–96.8% of oxidized mercury was controlled, but only 54.9%–68.8% of the total mercury was captured through wet FGD. Oxidized mercury removal e ciency was 95.9%–98.0%, and there was a big di erence in the total mercury removal e ciencies from 78.0% to 90.2% in the ozone season. Mercury mass balance was evaluated to validate reliability of OHM testing data, and the ratio of mercury input in the coal to mercury output at the stack was from 0.84 to 1.08.     

生态文明评价指标体系研究

<正>当前,对生态文明的研究大多停留在理论层面。其实回顾一下十七大对生态文明的闸述——"要建设生态文明,基本形成节约能源资源和保护生态环境的产业结构、增长方式、消费模式,循环经济形成较大规模,可再生能源比重显著上升,主要污染     

马鞍山：环保模范城的生态文明建设之路

安徽省马鞍山市是新中国成立后崛起的一座新兴工业之城、绿色之城、港口之城、文明之城,是一座宜业宜居的滨江山水园林城市。但同时,马鞍山也是一座以钢铁工业为主体的重化工业城市,工业经济一直占全市经济总量的六成以上,废气、废水、废渣排放量较大,环境保护的任务十分艰巨。