In vivo screening to determine hazards of nanoparticles: Nanosized TiO2

A single-species laboratory test with terrestrial invertebrates was used to identify the hazard of nanosized TiO₂. Feeding parameters, weight change, mortality, and the activities of catalase and glutathione-S-transferase were evaluated after 3 or 14 days of dietary exposure. The effects of nano-TiO₂ were dependent on exposure concentration and duration, total consumed quantity, size and pre-treatment of particles. The intensity of a response was ruled by duration of exposure and not by consumed quantity of nano-TiO₂ or exposure concentration as expected. The response to nano-TiO₂ is described as threshold-like. The exposure concentrations 10-1000 μg TiO₂/g dry food (1.35-1025 μg of total consumed quantity of TiO₂/g animal wet wt.) were identified as safe for tested species after tested exposure period. We conclude that the response to nanoparticles is different from that of soluble chemicals therefore these two types of data should be interpreted and processed differently.     

厌氧序批式反应器内挥发性脂肪酸积累特性研究

小试规模的厌氧序批式反应器（ASBR）,通过人工配水,研究了启动3个月时间以及一个运行周期内反应器内挥发性脂肪酸（VFA）的积累情况,并通过分析期间产甲烷活性的变化说明了控制VFA积累的重要性。经过近120 d的运行,乙酸和丙酸的最大比产甲烷活性分别提高了1.8和2.2倍,说明反应器的启动过程即是微生物群落的优化和选择的过程,ASBR的抗冲击的能力较强说明随启动的进行和种群的优化,活性污泥凝聚性能增强,对VFA的降解能力增强。     

Comparing the impacts of hiking, skiing and horse riding on trail and vegetation in different types of forest

Nature-based tourism in protected areas has increased and diversified dramatically during the last decades. Different recreational activities have a range of impacts on natural environments. This paper reports results from a comparison of the impacts of hiking, cross-country skiing and horse riding on trail characteristics and vegetation in northern Finland. Widths and depths of existing trails, and vegetation on trails and in the neighbouring forests were monitored in two research sites during 2001 and 2002. Trail characteristics and vegetation were clearly related to the recreational activity, research site and forest type. Horse trails were as deep as hiking trails, even though the annual number of users was 150-fold higher on the hiking trails. Simultaneously, cross-country skiing had the least effect on trails due to the protective snow cover during winter. Hiking trail plots had little or no vegetation cover, horse riding trail plots had lower vegetation cover than forest plots, while skiing had no impact on total vegetation cover. On the other hand, on horse riding trails there were more forbs and grasses, many of which did not grow naturally in the forest. These species that were limited to riding trails may change the structure of adjacent plant communities in the long run. Therefore, the type of activities undertaken and the sensitivity of habitats to these activities should be a major consideration in the planning and management of nature-based tourism. Establishment of artificial structures, such as stairs, duckboards and trail cover, or complete closure of the site, may be the only way to protect the most sensitive or deteriorated sites.     

N掺杂TiO_2光催化剂的制备及其H_2O_2改性的研究

以钛酸四丁酯为前驱物,采用水解沉淀法制备了N掺杂TiO_2光催化剂和H_2O_2改性的N掺杂TiO_2光催化剂.实验表明,H_2O_2改性的N掺杂TiO_2光催化剂的最佳制备条件为:氨水(质量分数28%)加入量20 mL,焙烧温度500 ℃,H_2O_2(质量分数30%)加入量2.0 mL.日光下,N掺杂TiO_2光催化剂及H_2O_2改性的N掺杂TiO_2光催化剂在反应90 min时的活性红紫去除率达99%,它们对活性红紫的去除率远高于P_(25)TiO_2光催化剂.H_2O_2改性的N掺杂TiO_2光催化剂中N质量分数比改性前明显提高,制备的两种催化剂中不仅含有N元素,同时还含有C和H元素.     

大型活动生物恐怖应急处置研究与系统开发

针对非传统安全威胁的现状及其应急处置中的主要问题,以典型的非传统安全事件-大型活动举办过程中生物恐怖事件为背景,通过比较分析,给出了生物恐怖的定义;从大型活动生物恐怖应急指挥与处置的角度,通过应急处置业务流程分析,提出了大型活动生物恐怖事件应急处置的系统框架;根据系统框架和处置功能分析,基于三维GIS和AJAX技术开发了大型活动生物恐怖应急处置原型系统,对复杂的应急处置体系进行了分层模块化和可视化,可为应急救援部门制定更为详细的救援方案和应急决策提供技术参考。     

Glutamine synthetase and protease enzyme activities and growth response of ruminal bacterium Prevotella ruminicola strain B14 to nitrogen source and concentration

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of varying nitrogen sources and concentrations upon glutamine synthetase and protease activities in Prevotella ruminicola strain B₁4. Based on growth response it appears that ammonium chloride or pepticase limited P. ruminicola becomes nitrogen limited when nitrogen concentration is at 0.5 mM. However, when casein was provided as the sole source of nitrogen P. ruminicola becomes nitrogen limited at 2.5 mM. Glutamine synthetase activity was measured from mid‐log phase cells grown in either nitrogen‐limited or non‐limited conditions. No activity was detectable in the non‐limited treatments. However, in the N‐ limited treatments, pepticase had the highest activity (20.76 units), followed by ammonium chloride (18.72 units) and casein (14.42 units). Protease activity assays indicated that nitrogen‐limited cultures had higher proteolytic activity than non‐limited cultures. Moreover, these activities appeared to follow the same response pattern as the previously observed glutamine synthetase activities. The results of this study indicate that P. ruminicola strain B, 4 protease activity may be influenced by nitrogen concentration such that activity increases when nitrogen availability decreases.     

Effects of glyphosate and foliar amendments on activity of microorganisms in the soybean rhizosphere

A field study was conducted to determine the effects of glyphosate on microbial activity in the rhizosphere of glyphosate-resistant (GR) soybean and to evaluate interactions with foliar amendments. Glyphosate at 0.84 kg ae ha^{? 1} was applied GR soybean at the V4–V5 development stages. Check treatments included a conventional herbicide tank mix (2003 study only) and no herbicides (hand-weeded). Ten days after herbicide application, a commercially available biostimulant and a urea solution (21.0% N) were applied to soybean foliage at 33.5 mL ha^{? 1} and 9.2 kg ha^{? 1}, respectively. Soil and plant samples were taken 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 days after herbicide application then assayed for enzyme and respiration activities. Soil respiration and enzyme activity increased with glyphosate and foliar amendment applications during the 2002 growing season; however, similar increases were not observed in 2003. Contrasting cumulative rainfall between 2002 and 2003 likely accounted for differences in soil microbial activities. Increases in soil microbial activity in 2002 suggest that adequate soil water and glyphosate application acted together to increase microbial activity. Our study suggests that general soil microbial properties including those involving C and N transformations are not sensitive enough to detect effects of glyphosate on rhizosphere microbial activity. Measurements of soil-plant-microbe relationships including specific microbial groups (i.e., root-associated Fusarium spp.) are likely better indicators of impacts of glyphosate on soil microbial ecology.     

Ecotoxicity and biodegradability of antielectrostatic dicephalic cationic surfactants

Four series of dicephalic cationic surfactants, considered as new antielectrostatic agents have been investigated in order to establish their toxicity and biodegradability. Among them N,N-bis[3,3′-(dimethylamine)propyl]alkylamides, N,N-bis[3,3′-(dimethylamine)propyl]alkylamide dihydrochlorides, N,N-bis[3,3′-(trimethylammonio)propyl]alkylamide dibromides and N,N-bis[3,3′-(trimethylammonio)propyl]alkylamide dimethylsulphates with different hydrophobic chain length (n-C₉H₁₉ to n-C₁₅H₃₁) and type of counterion (chloride, bromide and methylsulfate) have been studied. The inhibitory effect against microorganisms has been examined using model gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, and yeasts. None of the tested surfactants have shown antimicrobial activity against gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas putida) and yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rhodotorula glutinis) at a concentration below 1000 μg mL⁻¹, however some of them were moderately active against gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis). The Microtox® test was successfully applied to measure EC₅₀ values of the studied dicephalic cationic surfactants. Their toxicity to Vibrio fischeri depended upon the alkanoyl chain length with the EC₅₀ values in a range of 2.6-980 mg L⁻¹. N,N-bis[3,3′-(dimethylamine)propyl]alkylamide dihydrochlorides 2a-b and N,N-bis[3,3′-(trimethylammonio)propyl]alkylamide dibromides 3a-b comprising n-decanoyl and n-dodecanoyl hydrophobic tails appeared to be the least toxic. Furthermore, the biodegradability under aerobic conditions of 2a-b, 3a-b was evaluated using OECD Method 301F. According to the obtained results 2a, 3a-3b can be considered as almost readily biodegradable and they are not expected to be persistent in the environment. Additionally, partial biodegradation was observed for 2b, indicating its possible biodegradation in wastewater treatment systems.     

超声辐射浸渍法制备Fe-Ni-Mn/Al_2O_3催化剂及性能研究

以Al2O3为载体,分别采用超声辐射浸渍法和普通浸渍方法制备Fe-Ni-Mn/Al2O3催化剂。采用BET、XRD和SEM对催化剂的理化性质和孔结构进行了分析,以模拟酸性绿B废水为研究对象考察催化剂的催化性能。实验结果表明,浸渍溶液pH值和焙烧温度显著影响催化剂的性能。与普通浸渍法相比,超声浸渍法制备的Fe-Ni-Mn/Al2O3催化剂对酸性绿B脱色反应表现出较高的催化活性。     

某1000 MW燃煤机组脱硝催化剂运行性能检测

以某1000 MW燃煤机组脱硝系统使用的脱硝催化剂为研究对象,分别对不同运行时间的催化剂进行了对比检测。检测结果表明,运行初期,催化剂表面沉积了一定量的碱金属,但属于正常范围内;没有出现过多的硫化合物的沉积;催化剂微观结构遭到一定程度的破坏,比表面积有下降趋势;催化剂机械强度基本保持良好;催化剂活性衰减在正常范围内,催化剂可以继续使用或添加加装层。