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.

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.

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.

Gastric Cancer Screening Methods: A Comparative Study of the Chinese New Gastric Cancer Screening Score and Kyoto Classification of Gastritis.

Objective: To evaluate the Chinese new gastric cancer screening score (i.e., Li's score) and Kyoto Classification of Gastritis for screening gastric cancer. Methods: A total of 702 patients were scored using the two scoring methods. Gastric atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, and gastric cancer (including early gastric cancer) were compared between the two scoring methods. The area under the ROC curve, sensitivity, and specificity of the two scoring methods were evaluated. Results: Both of the two scoring methods found that gastric atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, and gastric cancer (including early gastric cancer) were all significantly higher in the medium-risk and high-risk group patients than those in the low-risk group patients. According to the Kyoto Classification of Gastritis, patients in the high-risk group had more gastric atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, and gastric cancer than those in the medium-risk group patients. Gastric atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, and gastric cancer in the low-risk and medium-risk group patients evaluated by the Li score were all significantly higher than those in patients with corresponding risk level evaluated by Kyoto Classification of Gastritis, respectively. The area under the ROC curve of the Li score was 0.702, and the sensitivity and specificity were 57.6% and 85.3%, respectively. The area under the ROC curve of the Kyoto Classification of Gastritis was 0.826, and the sensitivity and specificity were 75.4% and 83.6%, respectively. Conclusion: Both Li's score and Kyoto Classification of Gastritis showed good screening value for gastric cancer, but Kyoto Classification of Gastritis was more sensitive than the Li score.

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.

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.

Liming effects on dissolved and colloid-associated transport of cadmium in soil under intermittent simulated rainfall.

Liming has been regarded as an effective measure to reduce the bioavailability and mobility of cadmium (Cd) in soil. However, its effect on Cd transport in colloid-associated form remains unclear. In this study, relative importance of dissolved and colloid-associated transport of Cd was explored in columns packed with moist soil aggregates (diameter <2 mm) under intermittent simulated rainfall of distilled water or 5 mmol L-1 CaCl2 solution. The Cd2+/Ca2+ exchange selectivity coefficient determined in column experiments displayed gradual decreases with decreasing ionic strength. It is proposed that the exchange selectivity coefficient determined by repeated batch extraction can be used to predict Cd discharge in dissolved form in column effluent. Colloid-associated Cd was the main Cd form in the first flushing effluent sample upon resuming infiltration of distilled water. Otherwise, Cd was transported mainly in dissolved form, accounting for 81-93 % and 54-72 % of total Cd discharge for unlimed soils and limed soils, respectively. Liming remarkably reduced dissolved Cd concentration but only slightly enhanced colloidal Cd transport. Cd was enriched on colloids, and the enrichment factor was enhanced by liming. Colloidal Cd transport through preferential pathways (e.g., macropores, shrinkage cracks, tile drains) should be paid due attention.

[Effects of Biochar Application and Ageing on the Adsorption of Antibiotics in Purple Soil].

Effects of biochar application (at rates of 0%, 1%, and 5%) and field ageing (for 1 a) on the sorption of three antibiotics (sulfadiazine, sulfamethazine, and florfenicol) were studied by batch equilibrium tests for a calcareous purple soil of sloping cropland, which is widely distributed in hilly areas of the upper Yangtze River. A soil-water ratio of 1 g:1 mL, which was close to the actual field soil water content condition, was adopted in the experiment, and comparisons were made to the commonly used ratio of 1 g:10 mL. The results showed that adsorption isotherm data of the studied antibiotics were fitted well by the linear and Freundlich model, and the free energy (ΔGθ) ranged from -0.39 to 11.53 kJ·mol-1, thus indicating that the adsorption of the three antibiotics on the control soils and biochar amended soils was mainly physical adsorption. Application of fresh biochar was found to markedly enhance the adsorption of antibiotics, especially for sulfamethazine and florfenicol of low Kow values, while such an effect was strongly weakened after ageing. The fluorescence peak response intensity of the adsorption equilibrium solution of the aged biochar amended soil was lower than that of the fresh biochar amended soil, so the difference in adsorption performance between fresh and aged biochar amended soils may have been due to the decrease of unstable and soluble organic matter in the latter's biochar after aging.

[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.

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.

[Characteristics of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) in Rivers of Western Sichuan Plateau Based on EEM-PARAFAC Analysis].

Alpine meadows and wetlands of western Sichuan plateau are essential organic carbon pools for Tibetan plateau; thus, a thorough understanding of the characteristics of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and its association with soil carbon storage pool helps to reveal the flux and intensity of DOC export in the area. Surface water samples were collected from three rivers (the upper reaches of Min River, Zagunao River, and Fubian River) in the alpine-gorge region and Bai River in the plateau planation surface distributed among the watersheds in western Sichuan plateau, Southwest China. UV absorbance and EEM fluorescence spectroscopy with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) was used to characterize chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM). PARAFAC produced a three-component model:C1(260/480) and C2(310/420) represented terrestrial humic-like fluorophores, and C3(280/370) belonged to tyrosine-like substances. The total fluorescence intensity of CDOM in the alpine-gorge region showed fewer changes along the rivers and was lower than that of the Bai River in the hilly plateau. The Bai River had much higher concentrations of humic-like substances (C1,C2) compared to the other three rivers, indicating its terrestrial sources with high humification degree originated from meadows and watersheds along the river. The calculated fluorescence indices (FI, BIX, HIX, ß:α) showed that CDOM in the alpine-gorge region was a mixture with both autochthonous and allochthonous origins with low humification degree, while CDOM in the plateau planation surface had a higher degree of humification and lower extent of degradation. Statistical analysis showed that the C1 and C2 components in four rivers were significantly positively correlated, and C1, C2 and C3 components in Bai River were significantly positively correlated. ß:α and BIX were significantly positively correlated in four rivers, but there was no significant correlation between DOC and CDOM[a(355)].

Surfactant-enhanced flushing enhances colloid transport and alters macroporosity in diesel-contaminated soil.

Soil contamination by diesel has been often reported as a result of accidental spillage, leakage and inappropriate use. Surfactant-enhanced soil flushing is a common remediation technique for soils contaminated by hydrophobic organic chemicals. In this study, soil flushing with linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS, an anionic surfactant) was conducted for intact columns (15cm in diameter and 12cm in length) of diesel-contaminated farmland purple soil aged for one year in the field. Dynamics of colloid concentration in column outflow during flushing, diesel removal rate and resulting soil macroporosity change by flushing were analyzed. Removal rate of n-alkanes (representing the diesel) varied with the depth of the topsoil in the range of 14%-96% while the n-alkanes present at low concentrations in the subsoil were completely removed by LAS-enhanced flushing. Much higher colloid concentrations and larger colloid sizes were observed during LAS flushing in column outflow compared to water flushing. The X-ray micro-computed tomography analysis of flushed and unflushed soil cores showed that the proportion of fine macropores (30-250µm in diameter) was reduced significantly by LAS flushing treatment. This phenomenon can be attributed to enhanced clogging of fine macropores by colloids which exhibited higher concentration due to better dispersion by LAS. It can be inferred from this study that the application of LAS-enhanced flushing technique in the purple soil region should be cautious regarding the possibility of rapid colloid-associated contaminant transport via preferential pathways in the subsurface and the clogging of water-conducting soil pores.

A review of source tracking techniques for fine sediment within a catchment.

Excessive transport of fine sediment, and its associated pollutants, can cause detrimental impacts in aquatic environments. It is therefore important to perform accurate sediment source apportionment to identify hot spots of soil erosion. Various tracers have been adopted, often in combination, to identify sediment source type and its spatial origin; these include fallout radionuclides, geochemical tracers, mineral magnetic properties and bulk and compound-specific stable isotopes. In this review, the applicability of these techniques to particular settings and their advantages and limitations are reviewed. By synthesizing existing approaches, that make use of multiple tracers in combination with measured changes of channel geomorphological attributes, an integrated analysis of tracer profiles in deposited sediments in lakes and reservoirs can be made. Through a multi-scale approach for fine sediment tracking, temporal changes in soil erosion and sediment load can be reconstructed and the consequences of changing catchment practices evaluated. We recommend that long-term, as well as short-term, monitoring of riverine fine sediment and corresponding surface and subsurface sources at nested sites within a catchment are essential. Such monitoring will inform the development and validation of models for predicting dynamics of fine sediment transport as a function of hydro-climatic and geomorphological controls. We highlight that the need for monitoring is particularly important for hilly catchments with complex and changing land use. We recommend that research should be prioritized for sloping farmland-dominated catchments.

[Transport of Nitrogen and Phosphorus from Sloping Farmland with Thin Purple Soil Overlying Rocks].

In a sloping farmland plot(1500 m2) of purple soil with underlying fractured mudrock in Southwest China, field monitoring and sampling campaigns were undertaken to explore the mechanisms of surface and subsurface transport of nitrogen and phosphorus upon two representative rain events in the summer of 2015. The results indicated that:1depths of surface runoff and subsurface fracture flow as well as average colloid export flux were dependent on antecedent soil wetness and rainfall amount, while discharge dynamics and colloid peak concentration were determined by rainfall intensity; 2nitrogen export was mainly in dissolved forms through subsurface fracture flow, however, phosphorus was mainly transported in particle-associated forms through surface runoff; 3the transport of nitrogen and phosphorus was strongly influenced by hydrological processes, with nitrogen and phosphorus transport being controlled by fracture flow and surface runoff, respectively. Our findings contribute significantly to the knowledge of nitrogen and phosphorus export from sloping farmland with thin soil underlain by fractured rock upon rainfall, and on the other hand this study provides reliable field data in support of developing effective approaches for controlling agricultural non-point source pollution of N and P and identifying key hydrological processes to be manipulated.

[Seasonal Variation of Colloid Particles in the Shallow Well Water of a Small Watershed of Purple Soil].

Colloids are the major carriers of various contaminants during the downward transport into groundwater.To explore the long-term dynamics of colloid in the groundwater and its influencing factors,a one-year monitoring of colloid concentration and water physicochemical parameters was carried out in the shallow wells in a purple soil dominated watershed in the hilly region of central Sichuan.The results indicated that colloid concentrations within a year had a strong seasonal variation with the coefficient of variation being larger than 0.5.The maximum of colloid mass concentration could reach as high as 14.68 mg·L-1(the corresponding number concentration being 1.34×109 L-1),which occurred in the non-rainy season and was caused by the physical perturbations from water taken.Physical perturbations of rainfall led to the distinct peaks of colloid concentrations in the well water at the early stages of rainy season while it did not occur at the end of the rainy season even upon heavy storm.Water chemistries (EC,Ca2+,Mg2+,DOC) showed the dominant role in determining colloid concentrations and status in the well.The facilitated transport of contaminants (i.e.pesticides and heavy metals) due to the increased colloids in the shallow well water at the early stages of rainy season would potentially pose a great threat to the drinking water safety in the study area.Therefore,it is strongly suggested to increase the monitoring frequencies in terms of colloid concentrations and well water physicochemical parameters following the large rainfall events during this period.

[Progress on graft and fixation options of arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction].

Anterior cruciate ligament injury is one of the most common injuries of knee joint. Arthroscopic reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament is the most commonly performed procedure. A variety type of fixation techniques are being used nowadays, such as interference screw, cortical suspension fixation and transfix, all of which can achieve good effect, with both advantages and disadvantages. However, the healing of reconstructed grafts is a complicated and long-term process, which can be affected by many factors. The mechanical properties of the grafts are also changed greatly in all stages of healing process, adding variables for the post-operative rehabilitation.

Adsorption of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates on carboxyl modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

Understanding of the adsorption behavior of organic pollutants on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and its governing factors are crucial for the assessment of transport and fate of organic pollutants. This study explored adsorption characteristics of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) on carboxyl modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CMMWCNTs) and the effect of solution chemistry and temperature on LAS sorption. Results indicted LAS adsorption isotherms to display five distinct regions of sorption at 25°C and 60°C. Regardless of temperature, the adsorption isotherm of LAS on the CMMWCNTs was well described using the Freundlich equation. This result indicated heterogeneous distribution of adsorption sites on the CMMWCNT surface. At low initial LAS concentrations, below the critical micelle concentration, (2, 10 and 50mgL-1) LAS adsorption on the CMMWCNTs followed pseudo second-order kinetics. The highest LAS adsorption was observed at ionic strengths of 1.0molL-1 for NaCl; and 0.2molL-1 for both CaCl2 and MgCl2. However, LAS sorption was greatest in the presence of sodium-divalent anion salts and at higher temperatures. These findings are of relevance to the fate and environmental risk of LAS in the presence of CMMWCNTs in high salinity wastewaters or effluents and brackish receiving surface water bodies (e.g., at estuaries).