Cation exchange resin supported nanoscale zero-valent iron for removal of phosphorus in rainwater runoff

Self-made cation exchange resin supported nanoscale zero-valent iron （R-nZVI） was used to remove phosphorus in rainwater runoff. 80% of phosphorus in rainwater runoff from grassland was removed with an initial concentration of 0.72 mg. L-1 phosphorus when the dosage of R-nZVl is 8 g per liter rainwater, while only 26% of phosphorus was removed when using cation exchange resin without supported nanoscale zero-valent iron under the same condition. The adsorption capacity of R-nZVI increased up to 185 times of that of the cation exchange resin at a saturated equilibrium phosphorous concentration of 0.42 mg. L-1. Various techniques were implemented to characterize the R-nZVI and explore the mechanism of its removal of phosphate. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM） indicated that new crystal had been formed on the surface of R-nZVI. The result from inductive coupled plasma （ICP） indicated that 2.1% of nZVI was loaded on the support material. The specific surface area was increased after the load of nanoscale zero-valent iron （nZVI）, according to the measurement of BET-N2 method. The result of specific surface area analysis also proved that phosphorus was removed mainly through chemical adsorption process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS） analysis showed that the new product obtained from chemical reaction between phosphate and iron was ferrous phosphate.     

Novel synthetic approaches and TWC catalytic performance of flower-like Pt/CeO2

A novel Ultrasonic Assisted Membrane Reduction （UAMR）-hydrothermal method was used to prepare flower-like Pt/CeO2 catalysts. The texture, physical/chemical properties, and reducibility of the flower-like Pt/CeO2 catalysts were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction （XRD）, Scanning Electron Microscope （SEM）, Transmission Electron Microscope （TEM）, N2 adsorption, and hydrogen temperature programmed reduction （HE-TPR） techniques. The catalytic performance of the catalysts for treating automobile emission was studied relative to samples prepared by the conventional wetness impregnation method. The Pt/CeO2 catalysts fabricated by this novel method showed high specific surface area and metal dispersion, excellent three-way catalytic activity, and good thermal stability. The strong interaction between the Pt nanoparticles and CeO2 improved the thermal stability. The Ce4＋ ions were incorporated into the surfactant chains and the Pt nanoparticles were stabilized through an exchange reaction of the surface hydroxyl groups. The SEM results demonstrated that the Pt/CeO2 catalysts had a typical three-dimensional （3D） hierarchical porous struc- ture, which was favorable for surface reaction and enhanced the exposure degree of the Pt nanoparticles. In brief, the flower-like Pt/CeO2 catalysts prepared by UAMR-hydrothermal method exhibited a higher Pt metal dispersion, smaller particle size, better three-way catalytic activity, and improved thermal stability versus conven- tional materials.     

Effects of bicarbonate and cathode potential on hydrogen production in a biocathode electrolysis cell

A biocathode with microbial catalyst in place of a noble metal was successfully developed for hydrogen evolution in a microbial electrolysis cell （MEC）. The strategy for fast biocathode cultivation was demonstrated. An exoelectrogenic reaction was initially extended with an H2-full atmosphere to enrich Ha-utilizing bacteria in a MEC bioanode. This bioanode was then inversely polarized with an applied voltage in a half-cell to enrich the hydrogen-evolving biocathode. The electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction （HER） kinetics of the biocathode MEC could be enhanced by increasing the bicarbonate buffer concentration from 0.05 mol·L-1 to 0.5 mol· L-1 and/or by decreasing the cathode potential from -0.9 V to - 1.3 V vs. a saturated calomel electrode （SCE）. Within the tested potential region in this study, the HER rate of the biocathode MEC was primarily influenced by the microbial catalytic capability. In addition, increasing bicarbonate concentration enhances the electric migration rate of proton carriers. As a consequence, more mass H＋ can be released to accelerate the biocathode-catalyzed HER rate. A hydrogen production rate of 8.44 m3. m 3. d1 with a current density of 951.6 A. m-3 was obtained using the biocathode MEC under a cathode potential of - 1.3 V vs. SCE and 0.4 mol· L-1 bicarbonate. This study provided information on the optimization of hydrogen production in biocathode MEC and expanded the practical applications thereof.     

Using crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol polymer membrane as a separator in the microbial fuel cell

Separator between anode and cathode is an essential part of the microbial fuel cell （MFC） and its property could significantly influence the system perfor- mance. In this study we used polyvinyl alcohol （PVA） polymer membrane crosslinked with sulfosuccinic acid （SSA） as a new separator for the MFC. The highest power density of 7594-4 mW-m-2 was obtained when MFC using the PVA membrane crosslinked with 15% of SSA due to its desirable proton conductivity （5.16 x 10-2 S.cml）. The power density significantly increased to 11064- 30 mW.m-2 with a separator-electrode-assembly config- uration, which was comparable with glass fiber （11704- 46 mW.m-2）. The coulombic efficiencies of the MFCs with crosslinked PVA membranes ranged from 36.3% to 45.7% at a fix external resistance of lO00f2. The crosslinked PVA membrane could be a promising alter- native to separator materials for constructing practical MFC system.     

Application of probabilistic risk assessment at a coking plant site contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Application of Probabilistic Risk Assessment （PRA） and Deterministic Risk Assessment （DRA） at a coking plant site was compared. By DRA, Hazard Quotient （HQ） following exposure to Naphthalene （Nap） and Incremental Life Cancer Risk （ILCR） following exposure to Benzo（a）pyrene （Bap） were 1.87 and 2.12 × 104. PRA revealed valuable information regarding the possible distribution of risk, and risk estimates of DRA located at the 99.59th and 99.76th percentiles in the risk outputs of PRA, which indicated that DRA overestimated the risk. Cleanup levels corresponding acceptable HQ level of 1 and ILCR level of 104 were also calculated for both DRA and PRA. Nap and Bap cleanup levels were 192.85 and 0.14mg.kg-1 by DRA, which would result in only 0.25% and 0.06% of the exposed population to have a risk higher than the acceptable risk, according to the outputs of PRA. The application of PRA on cleanup levels derivation would lift the cleanup levels 1.9 times for Nap and 2.4 times for Bap than which derived by DRA. For this coking plant site, the remediation scale and cost will be reduced in a large portion once the method of PRA is used. Sensitivity analysis was done by calculating the contribution to variance for each exposure parameter and it was found that contaminant concentration in the soil （Cs）, exposure duration （ED）, total hours spent outdoor per day （ETout）, soil ingestion rate （IRs）, the air breathing rate （IRa） and bodyweight （BW） were the most important parameters for risk and cleanup levels calculations.     

Metallothionein induction in mice by CCL4: Hepatic Zn‐status and distribution of administered Cd∗

Induction of metallothionein (MT), Zn status and the subcellular distribution of administered Cd were studied in liver after single administration of CC1₄ to mice. Hepatic MT was increased up to 153±16 μMT/g liver 18 h after injection of 2ml CCl₄/kg body weight. The observed decrease in Zn bound to cytosolic high molecular weight proteins from 25.5 ± 0.6 to 19.8±1.1 resp. 19.0 ± 1.7 μgZn/g and the increase in MT bound Zn from 4.0±0.5 to 9.5 ± 1.1 resp. 10.9±1.1 μgZn/g compensate each other.

Zn content of whole liver and hepatic cytosol remained unchanged. Hepatic subcellular distribution of 4 mg Cd/kg body weight, administered 2 h prior termination was also influenced by CC1₄. Cd bound to high molecular weight proteins decreased from 10.0±1.0 to 7.2±1.6 resp. 3.7 ± 2.6 μg Cd/g and Cd bound to MT increased from 12.5 ± 1.4 to 18.0 ± 3.8 resp. 23.1± 6.4 μgCd/g. Cd content of both, whole liver and cytosol was not significantly different from control. The induction of MT has been suggested to be beneficial due to its role in the sequestration of toxic metals. The depletion of Zn from cytosolic high molecular weight proteins however might adversively influence essential physiological processes.     

Relation between Occupancy and Abundance for a Territorial Species,the California Spotted Owl

Land and resource managers often use detection–nondetection surveys to monitor the populations of species that may be affected by factors such as habitat alteration, climate change, and biological invasions. Relative to mark‐recapture studies, using detection–nondetection surveys is more cost‐effective, and recent advances in statistical analyses allow the incorporation of detection probability, covariates, and multiple seasons. We examined the efficacy of using detection–nondetection data (relative to mark‐recapture data) for monitoring population trends of a territorial species, the California Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis). We estimated and compared the finite annual rates of population change (λ_t) and the resulting realized population change (Δ_t) from both occupancy and mark‐recapture data collected over 18 years (1993–2010). We used multiseason, robust‐design occupancy models to estimate that territory occupancy declined during our study (Δ_t = 0.702, 95% CI 0.552–0.852) due to increasing territory extinction rates ( = 0.019 [SE 0.012]; = 0.134 [SE 0.043]) and decreasing colonization rates ( = 0.323 [SE 0.124]; = 0.242 [SE 0.058]). We used Pradel's temporal‐symmetry model for mark‐recapture data to estimate that the population trajectory closely matched the trends in territory occupancy (Δ_t = 0.725, 95% CI 0.445–1.004). Individual survival was constant during our study ( = 0.816 [SE 0.020]; = 0.815 [SE 0.019]), whereas recruitment declined slightly ( = 0.195 [SE 0.032]; = 0.160 [SE 0.023]). Thus, we concluded that detection–nondetection data can provide reliable inferences on population trends, especially when funds preclude more intensive mark‐recapture studies. Relación entre Ocupación y Abundancia en una Especie Territorial, el Búho Moteado de California     

间作栽培对连作马铃薯根际土壤微生物区系的影响

为探究不同间作栽培模式缓解马铃薯（Solanum tuberosum）连作障碍的可行性及作用机制,以马铃薯单作为对照,研究马铃薯间作玉米（Zea mays）、蚕豆（Vicia faba）和荞麦（Fagopyrum esculentum）3种模式对连作马铃薯根际土壤养分含量及微生物区系的影响.结果表明,间作种植模式下马铃薯根际土壤全氮、全磷、速效磷和速效钾含量显著低于马铃薯单作,根际土壤速效磷降幅最大,达45％以上,土壤pH值明显下降.间作栽培模式改变了马铃薯根际土壤微生物群落结构,降低了根际土壤真菌的数量;间作栽培模式对马铃薯根际土壤微生物群落的碳源利用能力也有明显影响,其中马铃薯间作蚕豆和间作玉米处理马铃薯根际土壤微生物培养120 h的平均颜色变化率分别比对照高13.39％和4.30％.马铃薯根际土壤微生物群落总体上对碳水化合物利用率较高,对芳香化合物的利用率较低.间作蚕豆明显促进了马铃薯根际土壤微生物群落的碳源代谢强度,而且能维持较稳定的产量,因而可能是一种有利于改善马铃薯连作栽培根际微生态环境、缓解连作障碍的栽培模式.     

白云岩单轴压缩试验声发射特性研究

在单轴压缩条件下,进行白云岩破坏全过程的声发射试验研究,得到应力、声发射特性与时间的关系,并研究了岩体的Kaiser效应。结果表明:（1）岩石单轴压缩破坏过程中并不是所有试验岩样有具有典型的声发射特征阶段,部分岩样AE曲线中可以找到Kaiser效应特征点,但是多数岩样的Kaiser效应特征点不明显;（2）岩样的AE现象在应力达到峰值前会经过一个平静期,而在岩石发生破坏直至彻底破坏阶段,AE现象明显增加,这个先平静后剧增的过程可以作为预报岩爆发生的一种警示信号;（3）大多数岩样都在AE能量达到最大时发生彻底破坏。     

数值分析技术在荔湾3-1项目安全施工方面的应用

海上油气田开发具有高风险、高投入、高技术的特点。基于我国第一艘深水铺管起重船“海洋石油201”的技术参数特点,研究了“海洋石油201”船在荔湾3-1项目中可能的应用范围及可行性。提出了对应的深水海管铺设工艺、PLEM&PLET安装方案,并采用专业计算分析软件对上述安装过程进行了计算模拟,计算结果表明本文所提出方法可以很好地实现海管和PLET以及PLEM的安全安装。