Safety assessment of the film boiling chemical vapor infiltration (FB-CVI) process through a system-theoretic accident model and process (STAMP)

Film boiling chemical vapor infiltration (FB-CVI) is considered as one of the fastest process methodologies for manufacturing carbon-carbon (C–C) composite products and possesses various advantages compared to conventional methodologies. However, there are safety concerns associated with this process for large-scale manufacturing, mainly owing to the intrinsic nature of the precursor and the process conditions. Considering the multifunctional interactions of the various systems during the process, a system-theoretic process analysis (STPA)/system theoretic accident model and process (STAMP) model is used to perform a safety analysis of the hazardous states of the FB-CVI process at the system level. As a case study, the FB-CVI process equipment employed for the manufacturing of C–C composites is considered. The safety constraints present in the system are assessed for adequacy through a hazard analysis by STPA/STAMP. The analysis through STPA/STAMP demonstrated the capability to create proactive strategies for the design and realization of process equipment that can be employed to manufacture C–C composite products through the FB-CVI process.     

Review: recent advances in biogas purifying technologies

Biomethane production through biogas upgrading is a promising renewable energy for some industries which could be part of the equilibrium needed with fossil fuels consumption to achieve a sustainable society. This paper presents a comprehensive list of biogas upgrading technologies focused on carbon dioxide removal as well as recent advances reported by researcher with wide expertise in this topic. Additionally, an extensive costs–performance comparison among the technologies studied is discussed. Among the different alternatives, chemical scrubbing stood out to achieve high biomethane purities while cryogenic technologies proved to be effective against methane losses. Regarding the different costs, water scrubbing and membrane separation seem to be the most affordable techniques.     

灰色协调度模型在产业用水系统分析中的应用

揭示产业用水系统的时空动态发展规律，探讨其内部的协调关系，是开展节水型社会建设规划，实现水资源可持续利用的关键。然而，目前对产业用水系统的协调性分析还缺乏较为有效的理论和方法。以往在利用协调度模型进行用水系统有序度研究时，通常采用两段叙述的线性分段函数表示，较不适用于描述产业用水系统内部要素的非线性结构。因此，针对产业用水系统的特性，利用灰关联原理建立有序度函数，以建立更适于用水系统分析的灰色协调度模型。利用该模型对上海市1997~2005年产业用水系统进行实证研究，结果显示：上海市产业用水系统基本有序，发展比较协调，其用水综合效益较大，但距离最优状态尚有潜力可挖；其中，农业用水子系统的发展较为欠缺，在未来用水规划中应予以重视。     

Exoautometabolic regulation of transgenes in microorganisms

Data on the existence of a specific system regulating the growth, size, and structure of enterobacterial populations are first summarized in terms of the chemical ecology concept formulated by S.S. Shvarts. The role of this system in transgene functioning is described using the example of the lux operon integrated into Escherichia coli. A relatively simple test for estimating such interactions is proposed.Translated from Ekologiya, No. 2, 2005, pp. 91–96.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Pshenichnov, Maslennikova, Nikitina.     

Is the alkaloid in 2spot ladybirds (Adalia bipunctata) a defence against ant predation?

Garden black ants,Lasius niger L., in a laboratory colony, attacked three species of live ladybirds found near their nest, killing the smaller two species. A second colony was offered artificial diets containing crushed ladybirds of two species, and the ants' choice of feeding site noted. Both the diets were aversive compared to control, but that containing 7spot,Coccinella septempunctata L., was more aversive than the diet containing 2spot,Adalia bipunctata L. The implications of this lesser protection for 2spots in terms of the chemical defence of the species are discussed.     

Hunting Increases Dispersal Limitation in the Tree Carapa procera, a Nontimber Forest Product

Abstract:  The sustainability of seed extraction from natural populations has been questioned recently. Increased recruitment failure under intense seed harvesting suggests that seed extraction intensifies source limitation. Nevertheless, areas where more seeds are collected tend to also have more intense hunting of seed-dispersing animals. We studied whether such hunting, by limiting disperser activity, could cause quantitative dispersal limitation, especially for large crops and for crops in years of high seed abundance. In each of four Carapa procera (Meliaceae) populations in French Guiana and Surinam, two with hunting and two without, we compared seed fate for individual trees varying in crop size in years of high and low population-level seed abundance. Carapa seeds are a nontimber forest product and depend on dispersal by scatter-hoarding rodents for survival and seedling establishment. Hunting negatively affected the proportion of seeds dispersed and caused greater numbers of seeds to germinate or be infested by moths below parent trees, where they would likely die. Hunting of seed-dispersing animals disproportionally affected large seed crops, but we found no additional effect of population-level seed abundance on dispersal rates. Consistently lower rates of seed dispersal, especially for large seed crops, may translate to lower levels of seedling recruitment under hunting. Our results therefore suggest that the subsistence hunting that usually accompanies seed collection is at the cost of seed dispersal and may contribute to recruitment failure of these nontimber forest products. Seed extraction from natural populations may affect seedling recruitment less if accompanied by measures adequately incorporating and protecting seed dispersers.     

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.     

北京地区基于化学组分的夏季气溶胶吸湿特性

利用吸湿增长光散射测量系统、黑碳仪和气相色谱质谱联用仪等仪器,于2019年7月15日~8月4日在北京地区开展了为期21d的大气气溶胶观测实验.观测期间北京市区于7月27日出现短暂的轻度污染,并在7月29日出现强降水天气.结果显示：北京市区夏季大气污染变化剧烈且短暂,大气气溶胶散射吸湿增长因子f（RH）呈现平滑连续的特点,并且降水会对f（RH）造成显著影响.7月27日PM_2.5的平均质量浓度为（92.54±47.05）μg/m³;,表现出较为剧烈的污染变化.7月28~30日平均散射吸湿增长因子f（80%±1%）分别为（1.50±0.35）,（1.43±0.36）和（1.48±0.25）,反映了降水对于大气气溶胶的湿清除作用.最后利用实验数据估算粒径吸湿增长因子gf（RH）,并建模研究f（RH）和gf（RH）的关系,模型精度R²最高可达0.698.     

Effect of substituents in hydroxyl radical-mediated degradation of azo pyridone dyes: Theoretical approaches on the reaction mechanism

Understanding the degradation behavior of azo dyes in photocatalytic wastewater treatment is of fundamental and practical importance for their application in textile-processing and other coloration industries. In this study, quantum chemistry, as density functional theory, was used to elucidate different degradation pathways of azo pyridone dyes in a hydroxyl radical (HO^?)-initiated photocatalytic system. A series of substituted azo pyridone dyes were synthesized by changing the substituent group in the para position of the benzene moiety, ranging from strong electron-donating to strong electron-withdrawing groups. The effect of dye molecular structure on the photocatalytic degradation reaction mechanism was analyzed and quantification of substituent effects on the thermodynamic and kinetics parameters was performed. Potential energy surface analysis revealed the most susceptible reaction site for the HO^? attack. The calculated reaction barriers are found to be strongly affected by the nature of substituent group with a good correlation using Hammett σ_p constants and experimentally determined reaction rates. The stability of pre-reaction complexes and transition state complexes were analyzed applying the distortion-interaction model. The increased stability of the transition state complexes with the distancing from the substituent group has been established.