Biochar reduces antibiotic transport by altering soil hydrology and enhancing antibiotic sorption.

The performance of biochar (BC) in reducing the transport of antibiotics under field conditions has not been sufficiently explored. In repacked sloping boxes of a calcareous soil, the effects of different BC treatments on the discharge of three relatively weakly sorbing antibiotics (sulfadiazine, sulfamethazine, and florfenicol) via runoff and drainage were monitored for three natural rain events. Surface application of 1 % BC (1 %BC-SA) led to the most effective reduction in runoff discharge of the two sulfonamide antibiotics, which can be partly ascribed to the enhanced water infiltration. The construction of 5 % BC amended permeable reactive wall (5 %BC-PRW) at the lower end of soil box was more effective than the 1 %BC-SA treatment in reducing the leaching of the most weakly sorbing antibiotic (florfenicol), which can be mainly ascribed to the much higher plant available and drainable water contents in the 5 %BC-PRW soil than in the unamended soil. The results of this study highlight the importance of BC's ability to regulate flow pattern by modifying soil hydraulic properties, which can make a significant contribution to the achieved reduction in the transport of antibiotics offsite or to groundwater.

[Adsorption Properties of Magnetic Phosphorous Camellia Oleifera Shells Biochar to Sulfamethoxazole in Water].

Magnetic phosphorous biochar （MPBC） was prepared from Camellia oleifera shells using phosphoric acid activation and iron co-deposition. The materials were characterized and analyzed through scanning electron microscopy （SEM）， X-ray diffractometry （XRD）， specific surface area and pore size analysis （BET）， Fourier infrared spectroscopy （FT-IR）， and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）. MPBC had a high surface area （1 139.28 m2·g-1） and abundant surface functional groups， and it could achieve fast solid-liquid separation under the action of an external magnetic field. The adsorption behavior and influencing factors of sulfamethoxazole （SMX） in water were investigated. The adsorbent showed excellent adsorption properties for SMX under acidic and neutral conditions， and alkaline conditions and the presence of CO32- had obvious inhibition on adsorption. The adsorption process conformed to the quasi-second-order kinetics and Langmuir model. The adsorption rate was fast， and the maximum adsorption capacity reached 356.49 mg·g-1. The adsorption process was a spontaneous exothermic reaction， and low temperature was beneficial to the adsorption. The adsorption mechanism was mainly the chemisorption of pyrophosphate surface functional groups （C-O-P bond） between the SMX molecule and MPBC and also included hydrogen bonding， π-π electron donor-acceptor （π-πEDA） interaction， and a pore filling effect. The development of MPBC adsorbent provides an effective way for resource utilization of waste Camellia oleifera shells and treatment of sulfamethoxazole wastewater.

A novel tool for tracing water sources of streamflow in a mixed land-use catchment.

Tracing water sources of streamflow in a mixed land-use catchment is critical for predicting pollutant emissions from various human activities to streams but remains a major challenge. A rain event based field monitoring study was conducted in the Jieliu catchment located in the hilly area of central Sichuan Province, southwest China. The ratio of the maximum fluorescence intensities (Fmax) of the two humic-like dissolved organic matter (DOM) components at excitation/emission wavelengths of 255 (315)/415 nm (component 1; C1) and 260 (375)/480 nm (component 2; C2) was proposed as a tracer for quantifying streamflow water sources. Satisfactory performance of using the Fmax(C1)/Fmax(C2) ratio in hydrograph separation of streamflow at the outlet of a forest sub-catchment was verified by through comparison with the hydrograph separation results based on δ18O data. The Fmax(C1)/Fmax(C2) ratio was then applied to estimate the contributions of rainwater and pre-event water sources under different land use types to the streamflow in an agro-forest sub-catchment and the entire catchment. The hydrograph separation results using the Fmax(C1)/Fmax(C2) ratio can be used to support the optimization of water resource management and the quantification of pollutant loadings from major water sources to streams at the catchment scale.

[Characteristics of Antibiotic Resistance Genes Distribution in Different Types of Agricultural Land Soils in Highly Cultivated Hilly Areas].

To characterize the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs) in different types of agricultural soil in highly cultivated hilly areas, the abundance and diversity of ARGs in vegetable, orchard, and arable soils were analyzed in this study. The results showed that 70 ARGs and four mobile genetic elements(MGEs) were detected in all soil samples, with ß-lactam cphA-01 being the most abundant genes in the agricultural soils. In vegetable and orchard soils, the main ARG subtypes were cphA-01 and cmx(A) genes, whereas the mexF and aacC genes were predominant in cropland soils. The relative abundance and diversity of soil ARGs showed that cropland

[Effect of Manure Application on the Adsorption of Antibiotics to Soil].

Sulfonamide antibiotics and florfenicol(FFC) are commonly used antibiotics in Zhejiang Province. They have weak adsorption on soil and are easy to migrate, with high environmental risks. In recent years, most of the studies on the potential risk of fecal-derived antibiotics to farmland soil were conducted by adding manure under laboratory conditions; therefore, it is impossible to assess the risk of antibiotic pollution under natural fertilization. Therefore, batch balance experiments were conducted to explore the effects of different soil types and manure types on the adsorption of antibiotics in the soil, in which five types of dryland farmland soils[Lin'an(LA), Jiashan(JS), Longyou(LY), Kaihua(KH), and Jinhua(JH)]in Zhejiang Province that have been used with different fertilizers(chicken manure, pig manure, and chemical fertilizer) for a long time were chosen, and four types of commonly used antibiotics[sulfadiazine(SD), sulfamethazine(SMT), sulfamethoxazole(SMZ), and FFC]were selected. The results showed that the adsorption of the four antibiotics in the experimental soil was weak, and the adsorption capacity decreased in the order of:SMT(1.44-13.23 mg1-(1/n)·L1/n·kg-1)>SMZ(0.73-6.05 mg1-(1/n)·L1/n·kg-1)>SD(0.16-5.57 mg1-(1/n)·L1/n·kg-1)>FFC(0.27-3.81 mg1-(1/n)·L1/n·kg-1). The Freundlich model was superior to the linear model in fitting the isotherm adsorption of SD, SMT, and FFC, in which SD and FFC belonged to "S" type adsorption, and SMT belonged to "L" type adsorption. For SMZ, the fitting effect of the linear model was better than that of the Freundlich model. The contents of total organic carbon(TOC) and dissolved organic carbon(DOC) could better predict the adsorption capacity of the four antibiotics(r=0.548-0.808), and the values of cation exchange capacity(CEC) and electrical conductivity(EC) could better predict the adsorption capacity of SMT and FFC(r=0.758-0.841). Compared with the application of chemical fertilizer, manure application increased the values of TOC, DOC, CEC, and EC in acidic and neutral soils, which was conducive to the adsorption of antibiotics on the soil. Meanwhile, manure application also increased pH in acidic and neutral soils, which was not conducive to the adsorption of antibiotics on the soil. In addition, manure application reduced the values of TOC, DOC, CEC, EC, and pH in alkaline soils. The lower pH was conducive to antibiotic adsorption on the soil, whereas the lower content of the other four was not conducive to antibiotic adsorption on the soil. For the acidic soil with low fertility, the application of manure increased soil fertility and thus increased the adsorption of antibiotics on the soil, such as the LA soil with chicken manure, the LY(1) soil with pig manure, and the JH soil with chicken manure and pig manure. However, for the acidic and neutral soils with high fertility, the application of manure had significantly increased soil pH and thus reduced the adsorption of antibiotics on the soil, such as the JS soil with chicken manure and pig manure and the LY(2) soil with chicken manure. For calcareous soil with high fertility and pH(such as KH soil), the adsorption profiles of the four types of antibiotics on the soil showed diversity after the application of manure:the adsorption capacity of SD increased significantly after the application of chicken manure and pig manure, whereas the adsorption capacity of SMT and SMZ decreased significantly, and the adsorption capacity of FFC declined significantly after the application of chicken manure. Therefore, manure application according to soil fertility could effectively control the environmental risk of fecal antibiotics.

[Efficiency and Mechanism of O3-SBBR Combined Process for Advanced Treatment of Biochemical Effluent from Printing and Dyeing Industrial Park].

With the aim of addressing the difficult problem of biodegradable organic nitrogen in biochemical effluent of a printing and dyeing industrial park, the combined ozonation-sequencing batch biofilm reactor (O3-SBBR) process was used for advanced treatment. The influencing factors and degradation kinetics were analyzed; quenching experiments were carried out; and the types of free radicals, succinate dehydrogenase activity, and denitrification function genes were determined. The results showed that the suitable ozonation condition was pH 8.0-8.5, O3 concentration was approximately 35.0 mg·L-1, O3 dosage was approximately 100.0 mg·L-1, and reaction time was 90.0-120.0 min. Organic nitrogen in the biochemical effluent by ozonation conformed to the pseudo first-order kinetic model, and the maximum rate constant k was 0.01035 min-1 (experimental conditions:pH 8.0, ozone dosage 150.0 mg·L-1, and ozone concentration 35.0 mg·L-1). Ozonation significantly improved the denitrification performance of the sequencing biofilm batch reactor (SBBR), and the denitrification efficiency increased from 19.8% (SBBR) to 32.9% (O3-SBBR). Ozonation could convert organic nitrogen and organic substances with strong toxicity and difficult biological utilization into small molecular substances with low toxicity and biodegradability. The abundance of functional genes (nirS, nirK, and nor) in the O3-SBBR combined process was significantly higher than that in the single SBBR, which further confirmed that ozonation could improve the nitrogen removal performance of SBBR. The operation cost of the combined process was 0.74-1.07 yuan·m-3, with good technical economy. This study provided a basis for the application of the O3-SBBR combined process in the advanced treatment of biochemical effluent in printing and dyeing industrial parks.

Distinct aggregate stratification of antibiotic resistome in farmland soil with long-term manure application.

Agricultural soils, which are closely linked to human health via food supply, have been recognized as an important reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, there is still a lack of knowledge regarding the role of soil aggregates in shaping ARG profile. In this study, we collected soils from long-term experimental farmland plots receiving inorganic and/or organic fertilizers and examined the patterns of antibiotic resistome distribution among differently sized soil aggregates using high-throughput quantitative polymerase chain reaction (HT-qPCR). Our results showed that the distribution of soil ARGs could be affected by manure application and aggregate size individually but not interactively. More diverse and abundant ARGs were found in the manured soils, compared to the non-manured soils. The aggregate size fraction of <53 µm exhibited the highest diversity and abundance of ARGs. Variation partitioning analysis revealed that soil traits, mobile genetic elements, and bacterial community collectively contributed to the variation of soil antibiotic resistance. The knowledge about aggregation stratification of soil ARGs obtained in this study is fundamental and essential to understanding the fate of soil ARGs at the microscale.

Occurrence of antibiotic resistome in farmland soils near phosphorus chemical industrial area.

Heavy metal pollution of soil surrounding phosphorus chemical industry has been a long-concerned problem; however, the occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in farmland soils in its vicinity remains unexplored. In this study, variations of heavy metals, ARGs, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and microbiome in surface soils of farmland along the prevailing downwind direction of a phosphorus chemical industrial zone were investigated. Cadmium (Cd) contents in soils close to the industrial zone (≤ 500 m away) were statistically higher than those at greater distances (1000 to 4000 m). A comparable ARG diversity was observed across soils, while the relative abundance of ARGs decreased markedly with increasing distance in the range of 1000 m. The soil in closest proximity to the industrial zone (20 m away) exhibited divergent compositions of ARGs, MGEs, and bacterial community from the other soils at farther locations (500 to 4000 m away). Variation partitioning analysis revealed that Cd and MGEs levels were the primary factors controlling ARG distribution. Structural equation modeling further indicated that the direct effect of Cd on ARG abundance was stronger than its indirect effect via affecting MGEs and microbiome. The observed prevalence of ARGs in farmland soils highlights the necessity of including resistome in the framework for environmental risk assessment of phosphorus chemical manufacturing.

Clinical features, radiological profiles, pathological features and surgical outcomes of pituicytomas: a report of 11 cases and a pooled analysis of individual patient data.

BACKGROUND: Pituicytoma is an extremely rare low-grade glial tumor that is closely related to the neurohypophysis axis. Most studies of pituicytomas include only several cases. To better understand this disease, we reviewed a series of cases of pituicytomas. The diagnosis and treatment of pituicytoma must be further elucidated. METHODS: Eleven patients with pituicytoma admitted to Beijing Tiantan Hospital from 2012 to 2019 were selected. The clinical features, including radiological and histological examination, surgical records and prognosis were reviewed. Sixty-eight other previously published cases of pituicytoma also were used to analyze the predictive factors for the results. The Cox regression model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Our patients included 5 males (45.5%) and 6 females (54.5%), with a mean age of 49.3 years. The tumor was located in the suprasellar region in 5 patients (45.5%), intrasellar region in 4 patients (36.4%), and intrasellar-suprasellar region in 2 patients (18.2%). All patients were misdiagnosed with other common tumors in the sellar region before the operation. During the operation, gross total resection (GTR) of the tumor was achieved in 6 patients (54.5%), and subtotal resection (STR) was achieved in 5 patients (45.5%). The mean progression-free survival (PFS) time was 29.82 months. Tumor progression after surgical resection occurred in 4 patients (36.4%). Among them, 60.0% of the patients (cases 4, 5, 7) with STR experienced progression, while 16.7% of the patients (case 2) with GTR experienced progression. Combined with the 68 cases in the literature, GTR was an independent risk factor for PFS time (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pituicytomas are more common in middle-aged people and the sellar region. The clinical manifestations of pituicytomas are different, but no diagnostic clinical features have been identified other than an abnormally abundant blood supply. Currently, GTR is the best approach for the treatment of pituicytomas. More patients and longer follow-up periods were needed to further elucidate the biological features of pituicytomas.

Field aging alters biochar's effect on antibiotic resistome in manured soil.

Current understanding of biochar's effect on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil is limited, and whether the effect could change after long-term field aging remains largely unknown. In this study, we employed high-throughput quantitative PCR to assess the effect of biochar amendment on soil resistome as affected by three years of field aging. Application of fresh biochar significantly elevated the number and abundance of ARGs in the manured soil, but did not show such effect under pakchoi cultivation. The presence of aged biochar caused a marked reduction of ARGs only in the planted manured soil. Results of principal coordinate analysis and structural equation modeling indicate that biochar's effect on soil ARG profile was changed by field aging through altering soil microbial composition. These results highlight the necessity of considering aging effect of biochar during its on-farm application to mitigate soil antibiotic resistance.

Investigation of hierarchically porous zeolitic imidazolate frameworks for highly efficient dye removal.

Treatment of textile water containing organic molecules as contaminants still remains a challenge and has become a central issue for environment remediation. Here, a nucleotide incorporated zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (NZIF) featuring hierarchically porous structure served as a potential adsorbent for removal of organic dye molecules. Adsorption isotherms of organic dyes were accurately described by Langmuir adsorption model with correlation coefficients of 0.98 and kinetic data followed the pseudo-second-order model. The maximum adsorption capacity of NZIF for Congo red (CR) and methylene blue (MB) reached 769 and 10 mg/g, respectively, which were 6 and 5 times higher than that of ZIF-8. The adsorption behavior of sunset yellow and crystal violet was examined for mechanism investigation. Analysis of pore size, molecular size, zeta potential and FTIR measurement together revealed that mesopores in NZIF provided more interaction sites and led to enhanced adsorption capacity. Hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking which resulted from the interaction between introduced nucleotide monophosphate and dyes dominated the driving forces for adsorption, where electrostatic interaction was also involved. Moreover, the introduced nucleoside monophosphate enabled NZIF to function under acidic condition whereas ZIF-8 collapsed. This study opens a new avenue for design of porous materials for environment remediation.

The Association Between Admission Anemia and Poststroke Depression.

ABSTRACT: Poststroke depression (PSD) is the most frequent and important neuropsychiatric problem afflicting these patients. Anemia is common in many of these individuals presenting with acute stroke. This study determined whether there is a relationship between anemia on hospital admission and PSD. Two hundred eighty-four acute stroke patients were included in the study. Among them, there were 88 PSD patients, whereas another 196 were non-PSD patients. Clinical depression symptoms were diagnosed according to DSM-4 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) criteria and a HAMD-17 (the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale) score ≥8 at 1 month after stroke. In the PSD patients, 27.3% of them presented with anemia, whereas only 12.8% of the non-PSD patients had this condition. There was a negative correlation between hemoglobin level and HAMD-17 score in all patients. A binary logistic regression analysis revealed that anemia was independently associated with PSD after adjustment for sex, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores, mRS (modified Rankin Scale) scores, BI (Barthel Index) scores, RBC (red blood cell), and hematocrit. In conclusion, anemia at admission is associated with PSD seen in these patients 1 month later. Therefore, anemia is a possible predictor of PSD.

Combined therapy of intensive statin plus intravenous rt-PA in acute ischemic stroke: the INSPIRE randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and efficacy of intensive statin in the acute phase of ischemic stroke after intravenous thrombolysis therapy. METHODS: A total of 310 stroke patients treated with rt-PA were randomly scheduled into the intensive statin group (rosuvastatin 20 mg daily × 14 days) and the control group (rosuvastatin 5 mg daily × 14 days). The primary clinical endpoint was excellent functional outcome (mRS ≤ 1) at 3 months, and the primary safety endpoint was symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) in 90 days. RESULTS: The intensive statin users did not achieve a favorable outcome in excellent functional outcome (mRS ≤ 1) at 3 months compared with controls (70.3% vs. 66.5%, p = 0.464). Intensive statin also not significantly improved the overall distribution of scores on the modified Rankin scale, as compared with controls (p = 0.82 by the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test). The incidence of primary safety endpoint events (sICH) in 90 days did not significantly differ between the intensive statin group and control group (0.6% vs. 1.3%, p > 0.999). CONCLUSION: The INSPIRE study indicated that intensive statin therapy may not improve clinical outcomes compared with the low dose of statin therapy in AIS patients undergoing intravenous thrombolysis, and the two groups had similar safety profile. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.chictr.org . Unique identifier: ChiCTR-IPR-16008642.

Pituitary metastasis from renal cell carcinoma: case report and review of the literature.

Pituitary metastasis(PM) from renal cell carcinoma(RCC) is rare, and is easy to be misdiagnosed. Here, we present a case of pituitary metastasis from clear-cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC) which was difficult to distinguish from other sellar region tumors. In addition, we systematically review the literature to find the characteristics of different tumors of the sellar region. It provides a new idea for the diagnosis of sellar region tumors in the clinic.

[Characteristics of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Various Livestock Feedlot Soils of the Hilly Purple Soil Region].

Given the potential risk posed by antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) to the eco-environment in the hilly purple soil region, which has been intensively utilized by human, surface soil samples were collected from feedlots of pig, chicken, and cattle farms and were analyzed for the diversity and abundance of ARGs using high-throughput QPCR. In total, 79 ARGs and 5 mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were detected across all samples. Among these genes, multidrug resistance genes were the most abundant type of ARGs. More abundant and diverse ARGs were observed in feedlot soil samples from pig and chicken farms than those from cattle feedlot soils, and these samples showed different distribution patterns of ARGs. High abundance of MGEs and their significant correlation with ARGs (P<0.05) implied an important role of MGEs in the dissemination of ARGs in livestock feedlot soils.

Regulating the CCNB1 gene can affect cell proliferation and apoptosis in pituitary adenomas and activate epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role and potential regulatory mechanisms of cyclin B1 (CCNB1) in the proliferation, apoptosis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in pituitary adenomas. A total of 24 specimens were included in the present study. The expression levels of CCNB1 protein in two normal pituitary and 22 pituitary adenoma tissues were determined by western blotting. CCNB1 was knocked-down by lentiviral-mediated infection of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) in GH3 and MMQ cell lines. The proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis of GH3 and MMQ cell lines were detected using a Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometer. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was utilized to detect the expression level of CCNB1 gene and EMT markers. In the present study, resveratrol (RES) was used as an inhibitor of CCNB1. The protein expression level of CCNB1 in pituitary adenomas was higher than that in normal pituitary tissue, as assessed by western blot analysis. In addition, the expression level of CCNB1 in invasive pituitary adenomas was higher when comparing invasive pituitary adenomas and non-invasive pituitary adenomas. Knockdown of CCNB1 resulted in significant decreases in cell viability and proliferation, arrested cell cycle at the G2/M phase and increased apoptosis. In addition, knockdown of CCNB1 significantly decreased the expression levels of the mesothelial cell marker N-cadherin (P<0.001), but significantly increased the expression levels of the epithelial cell markers E-cadherin (P<0.01) and p120-catenin (P<0.001). Further analyses identified that RES inhibited the expression level of CCNB1, and RES treatment exhibited a similar effect as CCNB1 shRNA infection. The present study suggested that suppressing the expression level of CCNB1 could regulate the proliferation and apoptosis of pituitary tumor cells and alter the expression level of various EMT markers. In addition, RES treatment could be used as an inhibitor of CCNB1. The present study also identified the molecular mechanisms underlying CCNB1 role in EMT.

Magnetic aluminum-based metal organic framework as a novel magnetic adsorbent for the effective removal of minocycline from aqueous solutions.

In this paper, Fe3O4@MIL-68 (Al), a magnetic aluminum-based metal organic framework, was synthesized by a simple method and used as a novel and effective adsorbent for the removal of minocycline (MC) from aqueous solutions. The material was thoroughly characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and N2 adsorption isotherms. The characterization results showed that the original structure of MIL-68(Al) was unchanged by the addition of Fe3O4 nanoparticles, and that the obtained material had a strong magnetic response which also promoted its adsorption. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted by the varying the adsorption time, temperature, initial MC concentration and pH. The maximum adsorption amount of MC onto Fe3O4@MIL-68 (Al) was 248.05 mg g-1 (t = 160 min, pH = 6, Co = 60 mg L-1), and the adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model, and the adsorption isotherms conformed to the Freundlich equation. The adsorption mechanism of the magnetic metal organic framework materials were determined to involve complex interactions, including Al-N and Fe-N covalent bonds, hydrogen bonding, electrostatic adsorption, and π-π stacking. Combined the results indicate that Fe3O4@MIL-68 (Al) is an outstanding adsorbent for the removal of MC from water.

Dynamics and sources of colloids in shallow groundwater in lowland wells and fracture flow in sloping farmland.

Field-scale studies of natural colloid mobilization and transport in finely fractured aquifer as well as the source identification of groundwater colloids are of great importance to the safety of shallow groundwater. In this study, the daily monitoring of fracture flow from a sloping farmland plot and the biweekly monitoring of three lowland shallow wells within the same catchment were carried out simultaneously in 2013. The effects of physicochemical perturbations on groundwater colloid dynamics were explored in detail using partial redundancy analysis, structural equation modeling, Pearson correlation and multi-linear regression analyses. The characterization and source identification of groundwater colloids were addressed via multiple parameters. The daily colloid concentration in the fracture flow varied between 0.54 and 31.90 mg/L (1.64 mg/L on average). Unique periods of high colloid concentration (5.59 mg/L on average) occurred during the initially generated flow following the dry season. In comparison, a narrower colloid concentration range of 0.24-11.66 mg/L was observed in the lowland shallow wells, with a smaller temporal variation than that of the fracture flow. A low percentage (2.4-7.0%) of colloids and a high percentage (47.7-92.0%) of coarse particles (2-10 µm) were present in the lowland well water. Hydraulic perturbation by rainwater infiltration in the sloping farmland was the dominant mechanism for colloid mobilization in general; this effect retreated to secondary importance behind chemical perturbations (pH, Mg2+ and DOC) at low flow discharges (<1.3 L/min). In contrast, water chemistry (e.g., EC, cations and DOC concentrations) exhibited a major effect on colloid dynamics in the water of the lowland wells, except for the extremely high-salinity water of one well, in which water temperature showed a negative dominant influence on colloid stability. The combined use of multiple parameters (e.g., mineral composition and organic matter, calcium carbonate and δ13C contents) traced groundwater colloids to the shallow soil in the upper farmlands. It is strongly advised that in finely fractured aquifers within agricultural catchments, not only the small colloids but also the coarse particles in the size range of 2-10 µm should be monitored in case of colloid-associated contamination from agricultural wastes e.g., N, P, pesticides and/or heavy metals, especially at the early stages of the rainy seasons.

Effect of long-term manure slurry application on the occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes in arable purple soil (entisol).

The application of animal manure is a highly recommended traditional agricultural practice for soils of relatively low fertility. However, for the farmland purple soils that are widely distributed in the upper Yangtze River region, little knowledge has been established in previous studies about the changes in the antibiotic resistome upon manure amendment. In the present study, the impact of long-term pig manure slurry application on the occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and bacterial community was assessed in arable calcareous purple soil using high-throughput quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Illumina sequencing. Four treatments, including a non-fertilization control (CK) and pig manure (OM), OM plus mineral N fertilizer (OMN) and OM plus mineral NPK fertilizer (OMNPK) treatments were investigated. Across all the soil samples receiving different treatments, a total of 139 unique ARGs and 6 mobile genetic element genes were detected, with multidrug and beta-lactam the two most dominant types of ARGs. The results of the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) suggest that the profiles of soil ARGs in the two treatments of OM combined with mineral fertilizer(s) (i.e., OMN and OMNPK) were similar to those in the control treatment, while the soil receiving only pig manure application had a different pattern of ARGs from the soils in the other three treatments. A clear reduction of soil ARGs was observed in the OM treatment. Significant and positive relationships were found not only among ARGs but also between mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and ARGs. However, no significant relationships were detected between ARG patterns and bacterial community composition. These results imply that the long-term application of pig manure slurry to purple soil does not lead to the prevalence of ARGs; however, the potential for the horizontal transfer of ARGs in calcareous purple soil should not be ignored.

Contrastive removal of oxytetracycline and chlortetracycline from aqueous solution on Al-MOF/GO granules.

The presence of tetracycline antibiotics (TCS) in the water and wastewater has raised growing concern due to its potential environmental impacts; thus, their removal is of high importance. In this study, a novel aluminum-based MOF/graphite oxide (Al-MOF/GO) granule was prepared as an adsorbent for the removal of TCS including oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC). The adsorbent was characterized via XRD, FTIR, BET, SEM, and XPS methods. The granules exhibited similar crystal structure and some new mesopores appearing compared to the parent Al-MOF/GO powder. In addition, the adsorption behavior of OTC and CTC on samples was explored as a function of initial concentration, contact time, pH, and ionic strength by means of batch experiments. The adsorption capacity reached to 224.60 and 240.13 mg·L-1 for OTC and CTC, at C0 = 60 mg·L-1 as well as ambient temperature respectively. Moreover, the adsorption process of OTC and CTC on Al-MOF/GO samples can be better delineated by pseudo-second-order kinetics and Freundlich isotherm models. Besides, the adsorption mechanism over Al-MOF/GO granules was proposed, which could be ascribed to π-π interaction, cation-π bonding, and hydrogen bond. Finally, the great water stability, separation performance, and regeneration efficiency of these novel granules indicated their potential application in the OTC and CTC removals from aqueous solution.