Feasibility of honeycomb monolith supported sugar catalyst to produce biodiesel from palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD)

Carbon coated monolith was prepared by sucrose solution 65 wt.% via dip-coating method. Sulfonation of incomplete carbonized carbon coated monolith was carried out in order to synthesize solid acid catalyst. The textural structure characteristics of the solid acid catalyst demonstrated a low surface area and pore volume. Palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD), a by-product of palm oil refineries, was utilized as oil source in biodiesel production. The esterification reaction subjected to different reaction conditions was performed by using the sulfonated carbon coated monolith as heterogeneous catalyst. The sulfonation process had been performed by using vapour of concentrated H₂SO₄ that was much easier and efficient than liquid phase sulfonation. Total acidity value of carbon coated monolith was measured for unsulfonated sample (0.5 mmol/g) and sulfonated sample (4.2 mmol/g). The effect of methanol/oil ratio, catalyst amount and reaction time were examined. The maximum methyl ester content was 89% at the optimum condition, i.e. methanol/oil molar ratio (15:1), catalyst amount (2.5 wt.% with respect to PFAD), reaction time (240 min) and temperature 80 °C. The sugar catalyst supported on the honeycomb monolith showed comparable reactivity compared with the sugar catalyst powder. However, the catalyst reusability studies showed decrease in FFA% conversion from 95.3% to 68.8% after four cycles as well as the total acidity of catalyst dropped from the value 4.2 to 3.1 mmol/g during these cycles. This might be likely due to the leaching out of SO₃H group from the sulfonated carbon coated monolith surface. The leaching of active species reached a plateau state after fourth cycle.     

Understanding implications of consumer behavior for wildlife farming and sustainable wildlife trade

Unsustainable wildlife trade affects biodiversity and the livelihoods of communities dependent upon those resources. Wildlife farming has been proposed to promote sustainable trade, but characterizing markets and understanding consumer behavior remain neglected but essential steps in the design and evaluation of such operations. We used sea turtle trade in the Cayman Islands, where turtles have been farm raised for human consumption for almost 50 years, as a case study to explore consumer preferences toward wild‐sourced (illegal) and farmed (legal) products and potential conservation implications. Combining methods innovatively (including indirect questioning and choice experiments), we conducted a nationwide trade assessment through in‐person interviews from September to December 2014. Households were randomly selected using disproportionate stratified sampling, and responses were weighted based on district population size. We approached 597 individuals, of which 37 (6.2%) refused to participate. Although 30% of households had consumed turtle in the previous 12 months, the purchase and consumption of wild products was rare (e.g., 64–742 resident households consumed wild turtle meat [i.e., 0.3–3.5% of households] but represented a large threat to wild turtles in the area due to their reduced populations). Differences among groups of consumers were marked, as identified through choice experiments, and price and source of product played important roles in their decisions. Despite the long‐term practice of farming turtles, 13.5% of consumers showed a strong preference for wild products, which demonstrates the limitations of wildlife farming as a single tool for sustainable wildlife trade. By using a combination of indirect questioning, choice experiments, and sales data to investigate demand for wildlife products, we obtained insights about consumer behavior that can be used to develop conservation‐demand‐focused initiatives. Lack of data from long‐term social–ecological assessments hinders the evaluation of and learning from wildlife farming. This information is key to understanding under which conditions different interventions (e.g., bans, wildlife farming, social marketing) are likely to succeed.     

The aggregation pheromone ofIps duplicatus and its role in competitive interactions withI. typographus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

Summary Ips duplicatus withI. typographus co-inhabiting Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) would benefit from a pheromone blend distinct from that of the larger competitorI. typographus. GC-MS analysis showed thatI. duplicatus males feeding in the host produced ipsdienol (Id),cis-verbenol (cV),trans-verbenol (tV), myrtenol (Mt), andE-myrcenol (EM) and traces of 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (MB).I. duplicatus produced Id in approximately racemic form (48.9-54.5% (+)-(S)-isomer). The amounts of Id and EM released over a 9 day period had a maximum of 250 and 5 ng/h/male, respectively, on day 2. Exposure ofI. duplicatus males to myrcene and -pinene resulted in the production of small amounts of Id, cV, tV, Mt, andtrans-pinocarveol, but not of EM. In laboratory bioassays with walking beetles, the pheromone component Id alone was weakly attractive while EM was inactive, but in binary combination with Id strongly synergized attraction. A combination of EM and Id at a release rate equivalent to 100–200 males was more attractive in the field than 70 unmated males in a spruce log. The addition of myrcene ( a suggested pheromone precursor of Id) to Id did not enhance trap caches, while addition of EM increased catches > 10-fold. Subtracting EM from a blend of Id, EM, cV and MB drastically reduced trap catches while subtraction of cV or MB or both had no significant effect. Addition of EM over a wide concentration range to the synthetic pheromone ofI. typographus did not reduce the attraction of females of this species in the laboratory. A two-species pheromone interaction field test releasingI. typographus pheromone components (MB + cV) at 10–1000 male equivalents (ME) andI. duplicatus pheromone (Id + EM) at 0, 10–1000 ME in all possible combinations showed both positive intraspecific dose-response effects and an interspecific inhibition. Higher release rates of EM appeared to inhibitI. typographus, especially males. In a tree colonization model, the response of the two competing species to their respective pheromones show a good separation during the mass-attack with a small initial cross-attraction. It remains to be shown whether either of the two pheromone systems have in fact evolved in the present sympatry, or if they are an incidental effect of ancestry of these phylogenetically distantIps.     

羽序灯心草作为酸性矿山废弃地先锋植物潜力

生态复垦是当前世界各国酸性矿山废弃地修复的主要方法.通过研究云南来利山锡矿区废弃地土壤pH值、肥力特征及重金属含量,以及矿区生长的羽序灯心草形态特征和植株体内重金属的分布特征,分析植株耐酸性、对废弃地土壤肥力的适应性及对Zn和Cu等重金属污染的耐性,探讨其作为酸性矿山废弃地先锋植物的潜力.结果表明,研究区域根际土壤pH值均值范围为3.46～4.01,呈酸性;土壤中有机质、全钾、全磷和速效磷含量分别为10.28～25.75g·kg~(-1)、 8.84～9.32g·kg~(-1)、 0.56～0.63g·kg~(-1)和1.82～5.72mg·kg~(-1),处于较低水平;土壤中Zn、Cu和Fe含量均值范围分别为54.93～114.49、 92.53～127.59和47 133.60～112 259.63 mg·kg~(-1),其中重金属Cu含量超出风险筛选值1.85～2.55倍;研究区域羽序灯心草株高均值范围为43.77～55.42 cm,对照组植株高度为51.38～57.66 cm,无显著差异,表明羽序灯心草具有耐酸性及对重金属污染具有耐性.进一步分析对重金属Cu和Zn的富集能力和转移特征,发现对Cu和Zn都具有富集能力,且对Zn具有运转能力,具有一定的富集吸收潜力.株高与根际土壤中速效磷的含量显著相关,后期羽序灯心草作为先锋植物在矿山废弃地进行种植时,可针对性地补充含速效磷的肥料改善土壤肥力条件.综合分析结果表明,羽序灯心草作为先锋植物修复酸性矿山废弃地具有巨大潜力.     

MnO2/Al2O3催化剂-微气泡臭氧体系催化降解喹啉及其机理

制备了纳米MnO₂,并以Al₂O₃为载体制备了掺杂型MnO₂/Al₂O₃颗粒催化剂.催化剂焙烧温度和时间分别为500℃和4 h、MnO₂质量分数为8%时,催化剂具有最高的臭氧催化氧化活性.SEM分析表明,纳米MnO₂均匀分布于Al₂O₃载体表面.MnO₂/Al₂O₃催化剂的比表面积（BET）为183.22 m²·g^-1,平均孔容为0.27 cm³·g^-1,平均孔径为4.87 nm.建立了MnO₂/Al₂O₃催化剂-微气泡臭氧催化反应体系,研究了该体系对喹啉的降解去除效果及其机理.臭氧微气泡的平均粒径为61.7 μm.微气泡臭氧投量为30 mg·L^-1时,反应60 min后喹啉去除率能达到95%以上;反应20 min后,MnO₂/Al₂O₃催化剂-微气泡臭氧体系对实际煤化工废水二级出水的TOC去除率可达到55%以上.以叔丁醇作为分子探针,证明了羟基自由基（·OH）氧化作用在臭氧微气泡催化氧化体系中对喹啉的降解起到主导作用.     

MnFe2O4磁性纳米棒非均相Fenton催化降解水中四环素的研究

采用水热合成法成功制备出MnFe₂O₄磁性纳米棒（s-MnFe₂O₄）,并考察了商品化的Fe₃O₄、MnFe₂O₄和合成的s-MnFe₂O₄纳米棒这3种磁性纳米颗粒作为非均相Fenton催化剂降解水中四环素抗生素的性能.同时,采用X射线衍射（XRD）、透射电镜（TEM）、N₂吸附-脱附、振动样品磁强计（VSM）及X射线光电子能谱（XPS）等技术对催化剂的理化性质进行了表征.非均相Fenton催化降解四环素的结果表明,s-MnFe₂O₄具有最高的催化活性,反应180 min,四环素的去除率可以达到87.6%,TOC的去除率达到47.5%.自由基捕获试验证实了羟基自由基（·OH）是非均相Fenton氧化过程中的主要活性物种.s-MnFe₂O₄磁性纳米棒的高催化活性归因于其表面拥有较高含量的Mn³⁺和Fe²⁺物种,它们的存在能加速界面电子的转移效率,从而促进·OH的生成.合成的s-MnFe₂O₄催化剂具有良好的稳定性,循环使用6次,四环素的去除率仅从87.6%降低到80.2%,且氧化过程中活性组分的流失很少.     

外源8''-炔基脱落酸强化东南景天吸收重金属的研究

为探究脱落酸类似物8''-炔基脱落酸[8''-（C₂H）ABA]强化东南景天富集重金属的效应,通过水培的方法研究了外源8''-（C₂H）ABA分别对Cd（20 mg·L^-1）、Zn（160 mg·L^-1）单一胁迫下东南景天Cd/Zn积累和生理特性的影响,以及初步探讨了8''-（C₂H）ABA在植物重金属胁迫响应中的作用.实验结果表明：与天然ABA相比,外源8''-（C₂H）ABA能达到与ABA类似的作用效果,且对Cd胁迫下东南景天促进效果好于Zn;在Cd胁迫下,与对照相比,外源8''-（C₂H）ABA能显著增加东南景天根、叶中的Cd含量（44.2%、27.5%）,以及光合色素（10.7%）和叶中过氧化物酶（SOD）活性（52.9%）、超氧化物歧化酶（POD）（24.7%）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性（27.9%）抗氧化酶活性,使可溶性糖（SS）（13%）和游离脯氨酸（Pro）（37.4%）含量增加,而叶中丙二醛（MDA）（40%）含量明显降低.上述结果表明,一定浓度的8''-（C₂H）ABA可以提高东南景天抗氧化酶活性来增强其对重金属Cd的抗性及吸收和转运能力,在强化东南景天修复重金属污染方面具有应用潜力.     

粤港澳大湾区NO2污染的时空特征及影响因素分析

利用Aura卫星搭载的臭氧观测仪（OMI）反演的对流层NO₂柱密度数据,分析了自2005年以来粤港澳大湾区（GBA）对流层NO₂柱密度的空间分布特征、时间变化趋势及其影响因素.研究结果表明GBA对流层NO₂柱密度从2005~2018年呈减少的趋势,每年递减约为2.8%.小波系数显示时间演化过程中存在9个月的主振荡周期,冬季浓度较高,夏季较低.人为排放和各种自然因素,导致了GBA对流层NO₂柱浓度月变化在时间和空间上存在明显差异,最小值和最大值分别出现在6和12月,多年平均值分别为3.9665×10¹⁵和12.3423×10¹⁵molec/cm².NO₂在空间分布上呈现明显的空间分异特征,冬季12月最明显.NO₂污染严重的高值区主要出现在中部地区,如广州市、佛山市和中山市,最大的对流层NO₂柱密度可达18.8306×10¹⁵molec/cm²,大约是周边地区的3 倍,且高污染区域向四周逐渐扩散,连成一片.低值区主要在北部的肇庆市和东部的惠州市,多年平均的对流层NO₂柱密度约为7.1400×10¹⁵molec/cm².对流层NO₂柱密度的增长率在不同区域的变化趋势呈现明显的差异,变化范围为-15×10¹⁵~6×10¹⁵molec/cm²,增长率百分比范围为-65%~65%.出现增长的地区主要是肇庆市北部和惠州市东部的低值区;对流层NO₂出现明显减少的区域集中在中部的高值区,减少量最大的地区为广州市、佛山市和中山市交界处.     

模拟土壤淋洗废液中重金属的选择性去除与淋洗液的回收研究

土壤淋洗废液中污染物的选择性去除是实现淋洗液回收的关键.本文以硫化钠（Na₂S）、乙基黄原酸钾（PEX）、二甲基二硫代氨基甲酸钠（DTC）作为重金属沉淀剂处理电子垃圾污染土壤模拟淋洗废液,在筛选出Na₂S作为理想重金属沉淀剂的基础上,研究初始pH值、反应温度、沉淀剂浓度等因素对Na₂S分离络合态重金属的影响,并通过软件模拟和产物表征等方式推测反应机理.结果表明：Na₂S对柠檬酸络合态重金属的分离顺序依次为Cu、Pb、Cd,符合硫化物溶度积原则;反应温度、初始pH值对Na₂S处理络合态重金属无显著影响,重金属去除率均保持在90%以上,柠檬酸的回收率约为95%;Visual MINTEQ模拟结果显示,S^2-投加前液相中重金属主要以H₂CA^-、HCA^2-和CA^3-结合形式存在,S^2-投加后液相中重金属则以HS^-和S^2-结合形式存在;扫描电镜及能谱（SEM-EDS）表明,S^2-与金属阳离子按物质的量比1：1生成硫化物沉淀物,沉淀主要呈团聚、成簇和圆片状存在;X射线衍射（XRD）分析结果表明,沉淀产物中存在CuS、CdS、PbS和CuPbS₂.本研究结果可为化学沉淀法处理重金属污染土壤淋洗废液提供技术参考.     

色氨酸对生物成因铁硫酸盐次生矿物形成的影响

采用氧化亚铁硫杆菌催化合成铁硫酸盐次生矿物,研究不同L-色氨酸添加浓度对矿物合成体系pH、氧化还原电位（ORP）、Fe²⁺氧化率、总Fe沉淀率,以及次生矿物产量、化学组成及矿物相的影响.结果表明,随着体系色氨酸浓度的增加,pH降低幅度越小,ORP上升越不明显.色氨酸对铁硫酸盐次生矿物合成的影响依赖于其浓度,当色氨酸浓度低于1.67 g·L^-1时,色氨酸对铁硫酸盐次生矿物的形成起促进作用,表现为总Fe沉淀率及矿物产量随着色氨酸浓度升高而增加.而当色氨酸浓度升高至6.67 g·L^-1时,Fe²⁺氧化率、总Fe沉淀率和矿物产量远低于对照组,表明高浓度色氨酸会抑制铁硫酸盐次生矿物的形成.次生矿物内Fe/S比介于施氏矿物和黄钾铁矾的理论值之间,表明不同合成体系所得次生矿物均为黄钾铁矾和施氏矿物的混合物.矿物学特征分析表明,随着色氨酸浓度的升高,矿物的合成表现为黄钾铁矾向施氏矿物转移.