Performance on adsorption of toluene by ionic liquid-modified AC in high-humidity exhaust gas.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) frequently pose a threat to the biosphere, impacting ecosystems, flora, fauna, and the surrounding environment. Industrial emissions of VOCs often include the presence of water vapor, which, in turn, diminishes the adsorption capacity and efficacy of adsorbents. This occurs due to the competitive adsorption of water vapor, which competes with target pollutants for adsorption sites on the adsorbent material. In this study, hydrophobic activated carbons (BMIMPF6-AC (L), BMIMPF6-AC (g), and BMIMPF6-AC-H) were successfully prepared using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIMPF6) to adsorb toluene under humidity environment. The adsorption performance and mechanism of the resulting ionic liquid-modified activated carbon for toluene in a high-humidity environment were evaluated to explore the potential application of ionic liquids as hydrophobic modifiers. The results indicated that BMIMPF6-AC-H exhibited superior hydrophobicity. The toluene adsorption capacity of BMIMPF6-AC-H was 1.53 times higher than that of original activated carbon, while the adsorption capacity for water vapor was only 37.30% of it at 27 °C and 77% RH. The Y-N model well-fitted the dynamic adsorption experiments. To elucidate the microscopic mechanism of hydrophobic modification, the Independent Gradient Model (IGM) method was employed to characterize the intermolecular interactions between BMIMPF6 and toluene. Overall, this study introduces a new modifier for hydrophobic modification of activated carbon, which could enhance the efficiency of activated carbon in treating industrial VOCs.

Reduction characteristic of chlorobenzene by a newly isolated Paenarthrobacter ureafaciens LY from a pharmaceutical wastewater treatment plant.

A highly efficient chlorobenzene-degrading strain was isolated from the sludge of a sewage treatment plant associated with a pharmaceutical company. The strain exhibited a similarity of over 99.9% with multiple strains of Paenarthrobacter ureafaciens. Therefore, the strain was suggested to be P. ureafaciens LY. This novel strain exhibited a broad spectrum of pollutant degradation capabilities, effectively degrading chlorobenzene and other organic pollutants, such as 1, 2, 4-trichlorobenzene, phenol, and xylene. Moreover, P. ureafaciens LY co-metabolized mixtures of chlorobenzene with 1, 2, 4-trichlorobenzene or phenol. Evaluation of its degradation efficiency showed that it achieved an impressive degradation rate of 94.78% for chlorobenzene within 8 h. The Haldane-Andrews model was used to describe the growth of P. ureafaciens LY under specific pollutants and its concentrations, revealing a maximum specific growth rate (µmax ) of 0.33 h-1 . The isolation and characterization of P. ureafaciens LY, along with its ability to degrade chlorobenzene, provides valuable insights for the development of efficient and eco-friendly approaches to mitigate chlorobenzene contamination. Additionally, investigation of the degradation performance of the strain in the presence of other pollutants offers important information for understanding the complexities of co-metabolism in mixed-pollutant environments.

Performance and Microbial Community Analysis of an Electrobiofilm Reactor Enhanced by Ferrous-EDTA.

The biological reduction of ferrous ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA-FeII-NO and EDTA-FeIII) is an important process in the integrated electrobiofilm reduction method, and it has been regarded as a promising alternative method for removing NO x from industrial boiler flue gas. EDTA-FeII-NO and EDTA-FeIII are crucial substrates that should be biologically reduced at a high rate. However, they inhibit the reduction processes of one another when these two substrates are presented together, which might limit further promotion of the integrated method. In this study, an integrated electrobiofilm reduction system with high reduction rates of EDTA-FeII-NO and EDTA-FeIII was developed. The dynamic changes of microbial communities in the electrobiofilms were mainly investigated to analyze the changes during the reduction of these two substrates under different conditions. The results showed that compared to the conventional chemical absorption-biological reduction system, the reduction system exhibited better performance in terms of resistance to substrate shock loading and high microbial diversities. High-throughput sequencing analysis showed that Alicycliphilus, Enterobacteriaceae, and Raoultella were the dominant genera (>25% each) during the process of EDTA-FeII-NO reduction. Chryseobacterium had the ability to endure the shock loading of EDTA-FeIII, and the relative abundance of Chryseobacterium under abnormal operation conditions was up to 30.82%. Ochrobactrum was the main bacteria for reducing nitrate by electrons and the relative abundance still exhibited 16.11% under shock loading. Furthermore, higher microbial diversity and stable reactor operation were achieved when the concentrations of EDTA-FeII-NO and EDTA-FeIII approached the same value (9 mmol·L-1).

The atmospheric lead emission, deposition, and environmental inequality driven by interprovincial trade in China.

Lead (Pb) as a hazardous air pollutant has raised widespread concerns due to its adverse and toxic effects on the ecological environment and human health. Here we integrated the multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model and an atmospheric transport model to examine regional environmental inequality (REI) index induced by Pb emission transfers, and to evaluate the impacts of interprovincial trade on regional atmospheric Pb concentrations and dry deposition fluxes in China in 2012. In 2012, approximately 57.4% ~ 72.6% of Pb emissions in well-developed eastern regions (Beijing-Tianjin, Yangtze River Delta (YRD)) and the southern seaboard of China were embodied in other regions in China subject to the demands from these well-developed regions to industrial products and services. Our results, based on the net virtual flows of Pb emission and value-added, indicate that most provinces in the eastern seaboard of China outsource Pb emission and benefit from the interprovincial trade by reducing their Pb emissions. REI indexes show that the well-developed Guangdong province outsources its Pb emission but has low economic gains. Many less-developed provinces in central China enhance virtual Pb emission inflow but have high economic gains. Whereas, inland provinces in western China not only experience Pb emission increase, but also suffer from indirect economic loss due to trade with well-developed provinces to meet their increasing demands to Pb emission abundant industrial products from these provinces in eastern China which are mostly provided by less-developed but energy and mineral product abundant provinces in western China. For example, the province pair with highest REI index was Jiangsu-Inner Mongolia (REI = 2.47), which revealed that Jiangsu was the largest beneficiary which exported 37.2 t of net Pb emission and gained value-added of 521.4 billion RMB through trade with Inner Mongolia which suffered from both virtual Pb inflow and economic loss in 2012. As a result of interprovincial trade, Pb dry deposition in central and eastern China was decreased but increased in western China. Overall, interprovincial trade reduced 17.6% of atmospheric Pb dry deposition in China.

[Gridded Emission Inventories of Major Criteria Air Pollutants and Source Contributions in Lan-Bai Metropolitan Area, Northwest China].

Lan-Bai Metropolitan Area in Gansu province is an important heavy-industry base with the highest level of total air pollutant emissions in Northwest China. It is significant to study the high-resolution pollutant emission inventory to forecast regional air quality and to simulate pollutant emission reduction, as well as provide early warnings and forecasts, and to control air pollution. Taking Lanzhou and Baiyin as the main research areas, this study established the gridded emission inventories of seven major criteria air pollutants in the Lan-Bai Metropolitan Area based on emission data and statistical yearbooks of 2015-2016. The spatial pollution characteristics and emission source contributions were also studied. The results showed that the total annual emissions of seven major criteria air pollutants in the Lan-Bai Metropolitan Area were as followings:NOx 2.22×105 t, NH3 4.53×104t, VOCs 7.74×104t, CO 5.62×105 t, PM10 4.95×105 t, PM2.5 1.91×105 t, and SO2 1.37×105 t. Among them, annual CO emissions were the highest, while the annual emissions of NH3 were the lowest. The comparison of this gridded emission inventories with the Peking and Tsinghua University's MEIC inventories, found that the consistency of the three inventories for traffic source was relatively high, but for the total emissions and industrial source emissions of CO, a 30%-40% difference was found when compared with emissions in the Peking and Tsinghua University's inventories. The main differences were from the collected emission factors and the different resolution and years for collected data. The industrial non-combustion process sources, accounting for the largest proportion, were mainly concentrated in urban areas for the other six major criteria air pollutants except for NH3. The main contributing sources of NH3 were from the use of nitrogen fertilizers and livestock emissions, so its spatial pollution distribution was mainly affected by farmland distribution and other factors. It can be concluded that countermeasures, such as controlling industrial non-combustion process sources, integrating high-quality and high-efficiency power supply, using clean energy, strict dust emission control on construction sites and industrial production facilities, as well as urban greening could effectively reduce the emissions of six major criteria air pollutants including NOx, VOCs, CO, PM10, PM2.5, and SO2 in the Lan-Bai Metropolitan Area. The reduction of NH3 emission mainly depends on reducing the use of nitrogen fertilizer and controlling livestock emissions in the rural regions of Lan-Bai Metropolitan Area. This paper also used Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis to evaluate uncertainty in the gridded emission inventories, in which the maximum uncertainty was -31%-30% for NH3, the uncertainty of CO at -18%-16% was minimal. Therefore, the overall credibility was high for the established gridded emission inventories in this study.

Study on NOx removal from simulated flue gas by an electrobiofilm reactor: EDTA-ferrous regeneration and biological kinetics mechanism.

The regeneration of EDTA-FeII is a key step in electrobiofilm reduction-integrated systems for NOx removal from industrial boiler flue gas. The current and carbon sources are proposed to be the two crucial electron donors for EDTA-FeII regeneration. These parameters strongly influence the reactivity of EDTA-FeII-generated products in the system. Therefore, their effects on EDTA-FeII-NO and EDTA-FeIII reduction and the EDTA-FeII generation mechanism were studied. The results showed that the electrobiofilm method has obvious advantages over biological or electrochemical methods used alone for EDTA-FeII regeneration. Under the optimal conditions at a current of 22.9A m-3 net cathode chamber, the rate of EDTA-FeII regeneration reached 98.35%. The glucose concentration is the primary factor influencing the reduction of both EDTA-FeII-NO and EDTA-FeIII, while the current significantly promotes both processes. Comparison of the Km values of the two substrates indicated that microbial activity was crucial to the reduction of EDTA-FeII-NO, but the biological reduction of EDTA-FeIII had a competitive influence on EDTA-FeII-NO reduction, which limited the abundance and effectiveness of the bacteria responsible for EDTA-FeII-NO reduction in the electrobiofilm system.

Competing Mechanisms, Substituent Effects, and Regioselectivities of Nickel-Catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] Cycloaddition between Carboryne and Alkynes: A DFT Study.

Competing reaction mechanisms, substituent effects, and regioselectivities of Ni(PPh3)2-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] carboryne-alkyne cycloadditions were characterized by density functional theory using the real chemical systems and solvent effects considered. A putative mechanism involving the following steps was characterized: (1) exothermic carboryne-catalyst complexation and nucleophilic attack by the first alkyne; (2) insertion of the second alkyne, the rate-determining step (RDS) in all four reactions studied; (3) isomerization of reactant-bound complexes; and (4) product elimination and catalyst regeneration. The RDS in three reactions is mediated by free energy barriers of 27.2, 31.1, and 36.6 kcal·mol(-1), representative of the corresponding experimental yields of 67, 54, and 33%, respectively. A fourth reaction with 0% experimental yield showed representative RDS free energy barriers of 60.4 kcal·mol(-1), which are difficult to surmount even at 90 °C. Alternative pathways leading to differing isomers were similarly characterized and successfully reproduced experimentally determined product regioselectivities. Kinetic data derived from free energy barriers are in quantitative agreement (< ± 0.75-3.0 kcal·mol(-1)) of the experimental times, affirming the theoretical results as representative of the real chemical transformations. Complementary determinations show the use of truncated models (Ni(PMe3)2, Ni(PH3)2) causes the RDS to vary from step 2 (alkyne insertion) to step 1 (alkyne attack), highlighting the need to employ real chemical systems in modeling these reactions.

Oxidative damage in various tissues of rats exposed to radon.

Oxidative damage can be induced by many environmental stressors. 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) has been used as a biomarker of oxidative DNA damage in both in vitro and in vivo studies. In the present study, Wistar rats were exposed to radon gas at a concentration of 100,000Bq/m(3) for 12 h/d for 30, 60, and 120 d, equivalent to cumulative doses of 60, 120, and 240 working level months (WLM), respectively. Changes in levels of 8-OHdG, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and total antioxidant (T-AOC), as well as expressions of some DNA repair enzymes such as 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) and MutT homolog 1 (oxidized purine nucleoside triphosphatase, MTH1), were determined in rat urine, peripheral blood lymphocytes, and lung after exposure to radon. The results revealed an increase in 8-OHdG and ROS levels, a decrease in T-AOC levels, and reduced OGG1 and MTH1 expression levels. The elevated amount of 8-OHdG in urine or lymphocytes was positively correlated with the cumulative exposure dose, whereas OGG1 and MHT1 expression levels in lung were inversely correlated with cumulative exposure dose. These findings indicate that oxidative damage induced by radon may be involved in radon-induced carcinogenesis.

[Effect of valsartan on postprandial plasma inflammatory factors in patients with essential hypertension].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of valsartan on the concentrations of plasma inflammatory factors after a high-fat meal in patients with essential hypertension in very short time. METHODS: Fifty hypertensive patients and 25 healthy controls were studied. Patients randomly accepted lacidipine 4 mg/d (lacidipine group) or valsartan 80 mg/d (valsartan group) for 1 week. The concentrations of plasma lipid profiles, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and soluble P-selectin were measured in fasting state and at 4 h after a single high-fat meal in all subjects at baseline and in patients after 1 week. RESULTS: The concentrations of postprandial plasma hsCRP and soluble P-selectin significantly increased after a high-fat meal in patients (P < 0.05), as compared with those at fasting levels, but not in the controls. The postprandial plasma triglyceride concentrations significantly increased in the healthy controls (P < 0.05), but were lower than those in hypertensive patients (P < 0.01). Postprandial change in plasma concentration of triglyceride was significantly correlated with those of log (hsCRP) (r = 0.344)and soluble P-selectin (r = 0.432), respectively (n = 75, both P < 0.01). Lipids profiles did not change significantly after 1 week. There was no significant difference between the fasting and postprandial plasma concentrations of either hsCRP or soluble P-selectin in valsartan group, while the postprandial increments of inflammatory factors were still significant in the lacidipine group. CONCLUSION: High-fat meal can induce postprandial inflammation response in patients with essential hypertension. Valsartan effectively attenuates this postprandial inflammation response within a very short time.

Postprandial hypertriglyceridemia associated with inflammatory response and procoagulant state after a high-fat meal in hypertensive patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of inflammatory factors and hemostatic variable in plasma after a high-fat meal in normocholesterolemic patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: A total of 60 hypertensive patients were randomly assigned to accept a single high-fat meal (group 1, n=40) or not (group 2, n=20) in the morning after an overnight fast, and 20 healthy participants (group 3) consumed a single high-fat meal on the same day. Plasma lipid profiles, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), soluble P-selectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) antigen levels were measured at fasting and 4 h after meal ingestion. RESULTS: Postprandial triglyceride levels increased significantly in groups 1 and 3 (P<0.01), whereas levels were higher in group 1 (P<0.001). Postprandial plasma TNFalpha, hsCRP, soluble P-selectin and PAI-1 antigen levels increased in group 1 (P<0.001) but not in group 3. Postprandial plasma triglyceride level was correlated with log(hsCRP) (P<0.001), TNFalpha (P<0.001), soluble P-selectin (P<0.01) and PAI-1 antigen (P<0.05) levels, respectively. Both postprandial plasma level of soluble P-selectin and that of PAI-1 antigen were positively and significantly correlated with those of log(hsCRP) (P<0.01) and TNFalpha (P<0.001), respectively. CONCLUSION: Postprandial hypertriglyceridemia in hypertensive patients is associated with inflammatory response and procoagulant state.

[Microbial community structure of beer wastewater treatment plants analyzed by PCR-DGGE technique].

The microbial community structure of beer wastewater treatment plants with hydrolyze-acidification and SBR process was studied by PCR amplification and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) based 16S rDNA. Activated sludge samples were collected from both hydrolyze-acidification tank and SBR tank at different depth and disposal period. The total DNA was extracted and the 16S rDNA was amplified by universal primer. The microbial community structure was analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, compared with the DGGE band pattern of the screened high efficient bacteria. The PCR products were cloned and sequenced to analyze the microbial community in phylogenic evolution. The DGGE pattern showed that the microbial community in hydrolyze-acidification tank changed with the variation of depth both in microbial structure and population, and at the depth of two-meter the microbial community was relatively rich, the dominant bands were notable. The microbial community in SBR tank at different depths and different disposal periods (precipitation period, inflow period, aeration period) were consistent respectively, but the dominant bands were different. Sequences of y2, 23, 25, 31, h5, 15 yielded high homogeneity with the strains uncultured Thermotogales sp., Comamonas sp. WT OTU1, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Bacillus subtilis, Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, Comamonas testosteroni from GenBank. The 16S rDNA sequences of the dominant bands were not completely same with that of the high efficient bacteria, which indicated that the strains screened were not the dominant strains in actual process.

[Study on purification process of depsides in Salvia miltiorrhiza with macroporous resin].

OBJECTIVE: To study the technological parameters of the purification process of Depsides in Salvia miltiorrhiza with macroporous resin. METHOD: The adsorptive characteristics and eluting parameters of the process were studied by taking the content of depsides as index. RESULT: 85 mL of extractive of depsides (1.25 g x mL(-1)) was purified with a column of macroreticular resin ( Phi30 mm,127 mL) and washed with 4 BV of distilled water, the eluted with 4 BV of 80% ethanol (1% ammonia). CONCLUSION: This process of applying macroporous resin to adsorb and purify depsides in S. miltiorrhiza is feasible.

Effect of fluvastatin and valsartan, alone and in combination, on postprandial vascular inflammation and fibrinolytic activity in patients with essential hypertension.

Postprandial hypertriglyceridemia is associated with a series of atherogenic abnormalities, including a prothrombotic state and inflammation. Hypertensive patients have exaggerated postprandial triglyceride response. The benefit of combined treatment of statin and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) has been demonstrated in diabetic patients. The aim of this investigation was to explore the effect of a statin, fluvastatin, and the ARB valsartan, alone and in combination, on fibrinolytic activity and inflammation after a high-fat meal in patients with essential hypertension (EHP). A total of 53 EHP patients were studied. The concentrations of plasma lipid profiles, soluble P-selectin, tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type I (PAI-1) antigens were measured in fasting state and at 4 hours after a single high-fat meal (800 calories; 50 g fat). Patients randomly accepted placebo, fluvastatin 40 mg/day, valsartan 80 mg/day, or both for 1 week. Then a high-fat meal and assay of plasma samples were repeated. The postprandial plasma triglyceride, soluble P-selectin, PAI-1, and t-PA antigen concentrations significantly increased after a high-fat meal. Postprandial plasma concentration of triglyceride was significantly correlated with that of soluble P-selectin and PAI-1 antigen, respectively (P<0.001). The postprandial increase in plasma P-selectin, PAI-1, and t-PA antigen levels was attenuated by 1-week fluvastatin-alone and valsartan-alone treatments; their combination is more effective on both fasting and postprandial P-selectin, plasma PAI-1, and t-PA antigen levels. The improvement of these plasma variables was not significantly related to the changes of plasma lipids and blood pressure. In conclusion, postprandial hypertriglyceridemia induces postprandial fibrinolytic dysfunction and vascular inflammation in patients with essential hypertension after a high-fat meal. Short-term combined treatment with fluvastatin and valsartan more effectively inhibits this postprandial atherogenic change in plasma than monotherapy.

Fluvastatin blunts the effect of a high-fat meal on plasma triglyceride and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentrations in patients at high risk for cardiovascular events.

BACKGROUND: The postprandial state is critical in atherogenesis. The aims of this study were to study the postprandial change of plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentrations in patients at high risk for cardiovascular events, and to explore the influence of fluvastatin on hsCRP concentration. METHODS: Forty-three patients at high risk for cardiovascular events and 15 healthy controls participated in this study. All participants received an oral high-fat meal (800 calories; 50 g fat) at baseline. Blood samples were drawn at 0 and 4 h to measure the plasma concentrations of triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and hsCRP. Then patients at high risk were randomly divided into two groups to accept fluvastatin (40 mg/day) (fluvastatin group, n=22) or placebo (placebo group, n=21). One week later, the high-fat meals were repeated and plasma samples were collected again. RESULTS: The postprandial plasma triglyceride concentrations increased in all participants, whereas the postprandial plasma hsCRP concentrations increased significantly only in patients at high risk (P<0.05), but not in healthy controls. After 1 week, the fasting or postprandial plasma lipid levels and hsCRP concentrations did not significantly change in the placebo group compared with the levels at baseline, whereas the postprandial plasma triglyceride and hsCRP concentrations significantly decreased in the fluvastatin group. The reduction of plasma hsCRP concentration was not related to the change of plasma triglyceride concentration. CONCLUSION: Fluvastatin effectively reduced postprandial plasma hsCRP concentrations in patients at high risk for cardiovascular events in a very short period of time.