Umbelliferone ameliorates ulcerative colitis induced by acetic acid via modulation of TLR4/NF-κB-p65/iNOS and SIRT1/PPARγ signaling pathways in rats

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a common chronic, idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease associated with inflammatory perturbation and oxidative stress....     

An equilibrium model for chloride removal from recycled cooling water using the ultra-high lime with aluminum process.

Removal of chloride from recycled cooling water is needed to reduce corrosion and prolong equipment life. Laboratory experiments have demonstrated that the ultra-high lime with aluminum (UHLA) process has the ability to achieve high chloride removal efficiency from recycled cooling water. In an effort to further understand the behavior of chloride in the UHLA process, a fundamental model of the chemical processes was developed. The purpose of this paper is to describe this equilibrium model and present values for solubility products of precipitated solids that have not been investigated previously. The model was based on PHREEQC and a new program called INVRS K was integrated with PHREEQC to calculate values of unknown or poorly defined equilibrium or kinetic constants using a Gauss-Newton nonlinear regression routine. Model predictions indicated that the results could be best described by assuming the formation of a solid solution of calcium chloroaluminate (Ca4Al2Cl2OH12), tricalcium hydroxyaluminate (Ca3Al2OH12), and tetracalcium hydroxyaluminate (Ca4Al2OH14).     

Interactions between chloride and sulfate or silica removals from wastewater using an advanced lime-aluminum softening process: equilibrium modeling.

Interactions among chloride, sulfate, and silica removals from recycled industrial wastewater using an ultra-high lime with aluminum process (UHLA) were studied. An equilibrium model that is able to accurately predict the chemical behavior and interactions between chloride and sulfate or silica with UHLA at various initial conditions and chemical reagents was developed. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was conducted to identify the precipitated solids formed in the UHLA process. Model predictions indicated that simultaneous removal of sulfate and chloride can be best described by the formation of a solid solution containing calcium chloroaluminate, calcium sulfoaluminate (ettringite), calcium monosulfate, tricalcium hydroxyaluminate, and tetracalcium hydroxyaluminate. However, simultaneous removal of silica and chloride can be best described by precipitation of calcium silicate and calcium aluminosilicate in addition to a solid solution containing calcium chloroaluminate, tricalcium hydroxyaluminate, and tetracalcium hydroxyaluminate. The XRD results indicated the presence of the same solids assumed by the equilibrium model.     

Interactions between chloride and sulfate or silica removals using an advanced lime-aluminum softening process.

An advanced softening process called the ultra-high lime with aluminum process (UHLA) was initiated in this research. The UHLA process has the ability to remove sulfate, silica, and chloride from waters such as recycled cooling water and desalination brines. Furthermore, it can remove other scale-forming materials, such as calcium, magnesium, carbonate, and phosphate. The purpose of this paper is to study the interactions among chloride, sulfate, and silica in the UHLA process. Results of equilibrium experiments indicated that sulfate is preferentially removed over chloride. Final chloride concentration increased with increasing initial sulfate concentration. However, initial chloride concentration was found to have negligible effect on final sulfate concentration. Silica was found to have only a small effect on chloride removal.     

Biosensors for pathogen surveillance

Biologists, chemists, and physicists are collaborating to develop highly sensitive and specific biosensors for pathogen detection in the food, healthcare, and environmental sectors. Those novel biosensors allow quick detection and are thus expected to solve the issues of the emergence of highly virulent or antibiotic-resistant pathogens. This article reviews different types of biosensors used for pathogen detection, classified based on the type of transducer used. Optical biosensors integrate labeled means, e.g., fluorophores, quantum dots, and carbon dots to overcome photobleaching. Surface plasmon resonance is also used for enhanced sensitivity. Mechanical biosensors with piezoelectric crystals and cantilevers are adapted for the detection of food pathogens without sample preparation or labels. Conventional methods using electrodes for the measurement of electrochemical changes with differential pulse voltammetry or impedance spectroscopy are fast and highly sensitive. Immunosensors are developed for pathogen detection at trace levels using sample enrichment, signal amplification, and new visual detection techniques.     

我国环境监测体制改革探讨

本文分析了目前我国环境监测工作中普遍存在的体制不顺、职责不明、行政干预、重复监测、资源浪费、信息混乱等问题,提出监测机构垂直管理,调整监测职能,打破条块分割,整合社会监测资源,引入第三方检测的具体构想。     

Experimental determination of optimum gutter brush parameters and road sweeping criteria for different types of waste

The removal ability of gutter brushes for road sweeping for various debris types and different sweeping parameters is studied through experimental tests. The brushing test rig used comprises two commercial gutter brushes, a concrete test bed, and an asphalt test road with a gutter of 0.25 cm width and 10° slope. The brush-surface contact area is determined by sweeping sand on the concrete test bed. Sweeping problems are identified and discussed, and sweeping criteria for the different debris types are suggested. Also, optimum sweeping parameters are proposed for each debris type. In addition, debris removal mechanisms are discussed and analysed. The results indicate that for large heavy debris such as stones and gravel, it is not difficult to achieve large removal forces, because the steel bristles are relatively stiff. Conversely, high removal forces are not needed for particles of millimetre or micron sizes, but bristle curvature has to be appropriate to remove particles from road concavities. Finally, it is found that mud, especially dry mud on a rough surface, is the hardest debris to sweep, requiring a brush with a large tilt angle and a very large penetration to produce large removal forces.     

New Unstructured Mesh Water Quality Model for Cooling Water Biocide Discharges

A new unstructured mesh coastal water and air quality model has been developed that includes species transport, nonlinear decay, by-product formation, and mass-exchange between sea and atmosphere. The model has been programmed with a graphical user interface and is applicable to coastal seawater, lakes, and rivers. Focused on species conversion and interaction with the atmosphere, the water and air quality model follows a modular approach. It is a compatible module which simulates distributions based on fluid dynamic field data of underlying existing hydrodynamic and atmospheric simulations. Nonlinear and spline approximations of decay and growth kinetics, by-product formation, and joint sea–atmosphere simulation have been embedded. The Windows application software includes functions allowing error analysis concerning mesh and finite volume approximation. In this work, a submerged residual chlorine cooling water discharge and halogenated matter by-product formation has been simulated. An error analysis has been carried out by varying vertical meshing, time-steps and comparing results based on explicit and implicit finite volume approximation. The new model has been named 3D Simulation for Marine and Atmospheric Reactive Transport, in short 3D SMART.     

Trans-ferulic acid ameliorates cisplatin-induced testicular damage via suppression of TLR4, P38-MAPK,and ERK1/2 signaling pathways

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Testicular damage has been described as a common side effect of cisplatin (CDDP), which limits its clinical uses. Since oxidative injury and...