Fine particulate matter and cardiorespiratory health in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies

This review aimed to systematically summarize the epidemiological literature on the cardiorespiratory effects of PM_2.5 published during the 13^th Five-Year Plan period (2016–2020) in China. Original articles published between January 1, 2016 and June 30, 2021 were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, the China National Knowledge Internet Database and Wanfang Database. Random- or fixed-effects models were used to pool effect estimates where appropriate. Of 8558 records identified, 145 met the full eligibility criteria. A 10 µg/m³ increase in short-term PM_2.5 exposure was significantly associated with increases of 0.70%, 0.86%, 0.38% and 0.96% in cardiovascular mortality, respiratory mortality, cardiovascular morbidity, and respiratory morbidity, respectively. The specific diseases with significant associations included stroke, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia and allergic rhinitis. The pooled estimates per 10 µg/m³ increase in long-term PM_2.5 exposure were 15.1%, 11.9% and 21.0% increases in cardiovascular, stroke and lung cancer mortality, and 17.4%, 11.0% and 4.88% increases in cardiovascular, hypertension and lung cancer incidence respectively. Adverse changes in blood pressure, heart rate variability, systemic inflammation, blood lipids, lung function and airway inflammation were observed for either short-term or long-term PM_2.5 exposure, or both. Collectively, we summarized representative exposure-response relationships between short- and long-term PM_2.5 exposure and a wide range of cardiorespiratory outcomes applicable to China. The magnitudes of estimates were generally smaller in short-term associations and comparable in long-term associations compared with those in developed countries. Our findings are helpful for future standard revisions and policy formulation. There are still some notable gaps that merit further investigation in China.     

Formation mechanism and control strategy for particulate nitrate in China

Over the past decade, fine particulate matter (PM) pollution in China has been abated significantly, benefiting from strict emission control measures, but particulate nitrate continues to rise. Here, we review the progress in particulate nitrate (pNO₃⁻) pollution characterization, nitrate formation mechanisms, and the proposed control strategies in China. The spatial and temporal distributions of pNO₃⁻ are summarized. The current status of knowledge on the chemical mechanism is updated, and the significance of its formation pathways is assessed by various approaches such as field observation and modelling of nitrate production rate, as well as isotopic analysis. The factors impacting pNO₃⁻ formation and the corresponding pollution regulation strategies are discussed, in which the importance of atmospheric oxidation capacity and ammonia are addressed. Finally, the challenges and open questions in pNO₃⁻ pollution control in China are outlined.     

Sorption mechanism of naphthalene by diesel soot: Insight from displacement with phenanthrene/p-nitrophenol

The nonlinear sorption of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) could be changed to linear sorption by the suppression of coexisting solutes in natural system, resulting in the enhancement of mobility, bioavailability and risks of HOCs in the environment. In previous study, inspired from the competitive adsorption on activated carbon (AC), the displaceable fraction of HOCs sorption to soot by competitor was attributed to the adsorption on elemental carbon fraction of soot (EC-Soot), while the linear and nondisplaceable fraction was attributed to the partition in authigenic organic matter of soot (OM-Soot). In this study, however, we observed that the linear and nondisplaceable fraction of HOC (naphthalene) to a diesel soot (D-Soot) by competitor (phenanthrene or p-nitrophenol) should be attributed to not only the linear partition in OM-Soot, but also the residual linear adsorption on EC-Soot. We also observed that the competition on the surface of soot dominated by external surface was different from that of AC dominated by micropore surface, i.e., complete displacement of HOCs by p-nitrophenol could occur for the micropore surface of AC, but not for the external surface of soot. These observations were obtained through the separation of EC-Soot and OM-Soot from D-Soot with organic-solvent extraction and the sorption comparisons of D-Soot with an AC (ACF300) and a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT30). The obtained results would give new insights to the sorption mechanisms of HOCs by soot and help to assess their environmental risks.     

Biodegradable dissolved organic carbon shapes bacterial community structures and co-occurrence patterns in large eutrophic Lake Taihu

Interactions between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and bacteria are central in the biogeochemical cycles of aquatic ecosystems; however, the relative importance of biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) compared with other environmental variables in structuring the bacterial communities needs further investigation. Here, we investigated bacterial communities, chromophoric DOM (CDOM) characteristics and physico-chemical parameters as well as examined BDOC via bioassay incubations in large eutrophic Lake Taihu, China, to explore the importance of BDOC for shaping bacterial community structures and co-occurrence patterns. We found that the proportion of BDOC (%BDOC) correlated significantly and positively with the DOC concentration and the index of the contribution of recent produced autochthonous CDOM (BIX). %BDOC, further correlated positively with the relative abundance of the tryptophan-like component and negatively with CDOM aromaticity, indicating that autochthonous production of protein-like CDOM was an important source of BDOC. The richness of the bacterial communities correlated negatively with %BDOC, indicating an enhanced number of species in the refractory DOC environments. %BDOC was identified as a significant stronger factor than DOC in shaping bacterial community composition and the co-occurrence network, suggesting that substrate biodegradability is more significant than DOC quantity determining the bacterial communities in a eutrophic lake. Environmental factors explained a larger proportion of the variation in the conditionally rare and abundant subcommunity than for the abundant and the rare bacterial subcommunities. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering bacteria with different abundance patterns and DOC biodegradability when studying the interactions between DOM and bacteria in eutrophic lakes.     

A critical review on the application of biochar in environmental pollution remediation: Role of persistent free radicals (PFRs)

Biochar as an emerging carbonaceous material has exhibited a great potential in environmental application for its perfect adsorption ability. However, there are abundant persistent free radicals (PFRs) in biochar, so the direct and indirect PFRs-mediated removal of organic and inorganic contaminants by biochar was widely reported. In order to comprehend deeply the formation of PFRs in biochar and their interactions with contaminants, this paper reviews the formation mechanisms of PFRs in biochar and the PFRs-mediated environmental applications of biochar in recent years. Finally, future challenges in this field are also proposed. This review provides a more comprehensive understanding on the emerging applications of biochar from the viewpoint of the catalytic role of PFRs.     

白龙江溶解有机碳的空间分布、来源及其控制因素探究

流域碳循环是全球碳循环的重要组成部分,也是研究的热点,但是目前对于高原流域碳循环的认识仍然不足。白龙江流域位于青藏高原东缘,是研究高原流域碳循环的理想地区之一。为了研究白龙江流域河流水体中溶解有机碳(DOC)的空间分布特征、来源及其影响因素,我们对白龙江流域河流水体进行了系统的空间序列采样并对河流水体水温、p H、电导率(EC)、DOC浓度、DOC的稳定碳同位素组成(δ~(13)C_(DOC))及紫外-可见光吸收光谱特征等进行测试分析。分析结果显示,白龙江流域DOC浓度为0.4～4.1 mg/L,平均值为1.4 mg/L,δ~(13)C_(DOC)变化范围为-27.2‰～-26.2‰。研究结果表明白龙江源区高海拔区域DOC含量在全流域内最高,自源区至下游,DOC含量逐渐降低,干流中、下游DOC浓度值基本相同,南部DOC含量由上游支流至下游支流逐渐减少。白龙江流域DOC含量与土壤有机碳含量和α(254)之间明显的正相关性,以及δ~(13)C_(DOC)的分布范围等,均表明DOC主要来源于以C3植物为主的陆源有机质,其空间分布受到海拔(温度)和土地利用控制。     

秸秆生物质炭DOM光谱特征及其与Cu2+的相互作用

通过荧光猝灭滴定法探究玉米秸秆炭（MSB）、水稻秸秆炭（RSB）和花生秸秆炭（PSB）中DOM的光谱特征及其与Cu²⁺的络合机理.结果表明：三种生物质炭的DOM均具有较高的亲水性和较低的芳香性,其中RSB-DOM的芳香性相对较强、分子量较大,但DOM含量低,PSB-DOM含量最高,芳香结构中含氧官能团较多.MSB和RSB-DOM中均含类富里酸组分C1和类腐殖酸组分C3、C4,RSB-DOM中还有类色氨酸组分C5,PSB-DOM则由两种类富里酸组分C1、C2和较长波长类腐殖酸组分C4组成,3种DOM均以类富里酸组分为主,占比达54.93%~86.29%.Cu²⁺与类腐殖酸组分的稳定常数（logK_M）高于类富里酸组分,且类腐殖酸组分C4的络合能力（f）最强,类腐殖酸组分的logK_M和f值总体上表现为：PSB-DOM> MSB-DOM>RSB-DOM.二维相关光谱分析发现,类富里酸组分对Cu²⁺最敏感,而Cu²⁺优先与类腐殖酸组分结合.研究结果有助于进一步揭示生物质炭的DOM对Cu²⁺环境行为的影响机制.     

两种分子量分级下DOM的组分特征及其生物毒性

分别采用超滤离心管和超滤杯两种方式制备不同分子量的溶解性有机物（DOM）,探究不同的分子量分级方式对获得的DOM组成成分特征及其生物毒性效应的影响,同时判明各组分联合作用方式.DOM分别来源于城市污水厂出水（EfOM）及商品天然腐植酸（SWR-NOM）.结果表明,两种分级方式获得的不同分子量DOM含有相同的荧光峰,腐殖酸类物质是EfOM与SWR-NOM含有的主要荧光类有机质（FDOM）,占FDOM的56%~91%.同种DOM不同分子量组分中FDOM组成相对含量一致.采用超滤离心管分级得到的DOM在不同分子量区间内SUVA₂₅₄和E2/E3的差异较大,而采用超滤杯分级时差异变化较小.对于发光细菌急性毒性,在同一分子量区间内,采用超滤杯分级获得的DOM组分检测到的发光细菌毒性值大于采用超滤离心管分级检测到的结果,但采用超滤杯分级时<1kDa组分的急性毒性效应值低于检测限.利用浓度加和模型（CA）对DOM中各组分的联合作用方式进行判断,发现DOM混合物的联合毒性符合CA模型,预测联合毒性效应占检测到的实际水样毒性的67%~104%.     

Selective sorptive removal of Methyl Red from individual and binary component solutions by mesoporous organosilicas of MCM-41 type

Organosilicas with chemically immobilized 3-aminopropyl and Methyl Red-containing surface groups were prepared by sol-gel condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane in the presence of dye as part of the mixed micelles or dye-containing silane as silica source. The hexagonally arranged mesoporous structure of synthesized materials was confirmed by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption-desorption, x-ray diffraction, and TEM studies. Chemical composition of MCM-41-type organosilicas was established by FT-IR spectroscopy and chemical analysis of surface layer. Sorption of Methyl Red by organosilicas was studied from diluted phosphate buffer solutions in dependence of medium pH, duration of contact, and equilibrium concentration of dye. It was found that effective removal of Methyl Red takes place at pH values within a range of 2.5?5. Kinetic curves of Methyl Red sorption on organosilicas were analyzed by the Lagergren, Ho-McKey, and Weber-Morris kinetic models. It was found that the pseudo-second-order model fits the kinetics of Methyl Red sorption on all synthesized materials and the intraparticle diffusion is not the only one mechanism controlling the rate of Methyl Red sorptive removal. The parameters of equilibrium sorption of Methyl Red on organosilicas of MCM-41 type were calculated using Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller models. Sorption of acid dyes with geometry similar or substantially different from Methyl Red on mesoporous silicas was studied from single and binary component mixtures in aqueous solutions with pH 4.8 and 5.5. It was found that selective sorption process is highly dependent on the structural characteristics and protolytic state of silica surface as well as acid dye.     

加入SOA示踪的深圳大气PM2.5受体模型源解析

为厘清包括二次有机气溶胶（SOA）在内的深圳市区PM_2.5各种一次和二次来源贡献,本文于2017年9月2日~2018年8月29日在深圳市大学城点位开展PM_2.5样品采集,并进行化学组分和水溶性有机物（WSOM）质谱测量,共获得162组有效数据.观测期间深圳市大气PM_2.5平均质量浓度为26μg/m³,在传统PMF源解析的基础上加入羧基离子碎片（CO₂⁺）作为SOA的示踪物,加入水溶性有机氧（WSOO）用于计算各因子O/C,验证有机物解析效果.结果表明,SOA可以被独立解析出,其O/C明显高于其他一次污染源中有机物;机动车、二次硫酸盐、二次硝酸盐、SOA为最主要的4个源,对PM_2.5质量浓度的贡献分别为25%、23%、17%和10%,船舶、地面扬尘、老化海盐、建筑尘、生物质燃烧、燃煤和工业贡献均在5%以内.各个源的变化特征表明,机动车、二次硫酸盐、二次硝酸盐、SOA等源贡献呈现冬高夏低的季节特征,与冬季季风条件下源自内陆的污染传输密切相关.污染天气时,二次硝酸盐和SOA的贡献增加相对最显著,因此NOx和挥发性有机物是减排的关键.