Effects of aging methods on the adsorption of antibiotics in wastewater by soybean straw biochar.

BACKGROUND: The environmental pollution and ecological risks caused by the widespread use of antibiotics have attracted attention in recent years. Biochar materials have a rich pore diameter and can effectively adsorb pollutants from wastewater. However, biochar will experience high temperatures, freezing and thawing in nature, affecting its physicochemical properties and adsorption capacity. Three types of aged biochar were prepared by artificial simulated aging using soybean straw as raw material. The aged biochar's elemental composition and functional group species were investigated by characterization analysis, and their adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherms were studied. RESULTS: The specific surface area and pore size of the three aged biochars were lower than those of fresh biochars. The increased number of oxygen-containing functional groups of the aged biochars formed a water cluster interaction with norfloxacin (NOR), which was unfavorable to the adsorption of NOR. The adsorption mechanism of biochar on NOR comprises pore filling, electrostatic interaction, ion exchange and complexation. CONCLUSION: The adsorption of NOR on biochar before and after aging was spontaneous and was described by quasi-second kinetics and the Langmuir equation. Different aging methods influenced the physicochemical properties and adsorption performance of biochar, and the adsorption capacity of biochar was significantly reduced after aging. Therefore, the influence of climatic factors needs to be considered when using biochar to remove target pollutants. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Adsorption of norfloxacin from wastewater by biochar with different substrates.

The type of feedstock and pyrolysis temperature are the main reasons affecting the properties of the resulting biochar. Therefore, this paper investigates the effects of different feedstocks (peanut shell, corn straw and soybean straw) and different pyrolysis temperatures (300, 450 and 600 â„ƒ) on the structural morphology and elemental composition of the resulting biochar. The optimum pyrolysis temperature of 600 â„ƒ was selected based on the comparison of the adsorption of NFX (norfloxacin) by the biochar prepared at different temperatures. Characterization of biochar materials using x-ray diffractometer, fourier transform infrared spectrometer and scanning electron microscope to study the changes in the physicochemical and structural properties of biochar. The results showed that the pH, surface area and ash content of biochar are increased with increasing temperature. The results of isothermal adsorption and adsorption kinetics experiments showed that the adsorption processes of the three biochar species on NFX were consistent with the Langmuir model and Pseudo-second order kinetic model. The adsorption process occurred in the surface layer of the biochar and was dominated by chemisorption. The inhibition of the adsorption of NFX was more obvious with the higher valence state of cations and the higher ion concentration. The adsorption mechanism of biochar on NFX includes pore filling, hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions.

Relations between maternal panic over COVID-19 and children's depressive symptoms: the moderating role of children's daily routines.

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 and consequent quarantine policies have substantially altered family lives worldwide. Potential associations between parental negative emotional expressions towards the pandemic, family factors, and child psychological adjustment remain under-explored. Accordingly, the goal of the present study was to examine the relation between maternal panic over COVID-19 and children's depressive symptoms, with a focus on the potential moderating role of children's daily routines during a period of strict quarantine. Participants were N = 1,589 children (M age = 13.13 years, SD = 1.54; 50.7% girls) and their mothers, from Zhengzhou, Henan Province, in Mainland China. Data were collected in April of 2020, when school closure policies were in effect. Mothers reported their panic over COVID-19 and children reported their depressive symptoms and daily routines during the quarantine period. Overall, results indicated a significant positive association between maternal panic over COVID-19 and child depressive symptoms. However, maintaining regular daily routines was found to be a significant moderator of this association, with higher levels of daily routines attenuating the link between maternal panic reactions and child psychological distress (i.e., buffering effect). The results highlight the protective role of regular daily routines in promoting psychological adjustment among Chinese children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-04129-0.

A Parallel Latent Growth Model of Affinity for Solitude and Depressive Symptoms among Chinese Early Adolescents.

Preferring to spend time alone (for any reason) has been empirically linked to symptoms of internalizing problems among Chinese children and early adolescents. However, little is known about the implications of affinity for solitude (i.e., an enjoyment of solitude) in China. Moreover, it remains unclear how affinity for solitude and depressive symptoms development simultaneously in early adolescence. To address these gaps, this study examined the longitudinal and parallel associations between affinity for solitude and depressive symptoms among Chinese early adolescents. Participants were 853 adolescents (48.4% female; Mage = 14.65 years, SD = 0.54) from mainland China followed over three years from Grade 7 to Grade 9. Assessments of affinity for solitude and depressive symptoms were obtained each year via adolescent self-reports. Among the findings, results from parallel latent growth modeling suggested that higher initial levels of affinity for solitude in Grade7 negatively predicted the slope of adolescents' depressive symptoms. This indicates that higher levels of affinity for solitude in Grade 7 predicted a slower increase in adolescents' depressive symptoms levels over three years. Implications are discussed that consider the adaptive mechanism of affinity for solitude among Chinese adolescents in the development of depressive symptoms.

Parenting and parent-child home practice during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case in central China.

The current study aims to explore parents' perceptions of parenting and parent-child activities at home with children aged 3-6 during the pandemic in China. A parenting survey was conducted to investigate parental role, age, educational background, work productivity, and different parenting categories during the lockdown period. We also examined the experiences of young children's participation in extracurricular activities before and after the stay-at-home policy was implemented as well as their activities with parents during the lockdown period. The results showed that parents' work productivity affected their perceptions of well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Children spent less time on extracurricular activities during the lockdown period, but some particular activities increased in frequency, especially academic extracurricular activities.

Examining Reciprocal Links between Parental Autonomy-Support and Children's Peer Preference in Mainland China.

The present study examined the longitudinal relations between child perceptions of parental autonomy-support and peer preference in mainland China. Participants were N = 758 children (50.8% boys; Mage = 10.78 years, SD = 1.03 at Wave 1; Mage = 11.72 years, SD = 1.11 at Wave 2; Mage = 12.65 years, SD = 0.95 at Wave 3) from elementary and middle schools in Shanghai, P.R. China. Children were followed over three years from Grades 4-6 to Grades 6-8. Each year, children reported their perceived maternal/paternal autonomy-support and peer preference (being well-liked among peers) was measured via peer nominations. Among the results, peer preference positively predicted later perceptions of maternal and paternal autonomy-supportive parenting, whereas autonomy-supportive parenting did not significantly predict later peer preference. Results are discussed in terms of the interactions between parental autonomy-supportive parenting and children's peer relationships in Chinese culture.

Daily routines, parent-child conflict, and psychological maladjustment among Chinese children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Family lives have been changed dramatically due to the stay-at-home orders implemented during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. A variety of factors serve to increase the risk for children and adolescents in developing mental health issues during the prolonged stay-at-home period. The primary aim of this study was to examine a complex conceptual model linking daily routines, parent-child conflict, and indices of psychological maladjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large sample of Chinese children and adolescents. Participants were N = 1,594 children and adolescents (50.6% girls; Mage = 13.13, SDage = 1.54) and their mothers, from Zhengzhou in Mainland China. Multisource assessments include youth self-reports of loneliness, depressive symptoms, and perceived conflict with parents during the stay-at-home period, as well as maternal reports of their child's daily routines during this time. Among the results, parent-child conflict mediated the relations between daily routines and indices of psychological maladjustment, such that a lack of routine predicted greater parent-child conflict, which in turn was associated with higher levels of loneliness and symptoms of depression. Further, results from multiple group analyses revealed that associations between daily routines and maladjustment were stronger among boys than girls-as well as stronger among primary school children than middle school adolescents. Findings highlighted the importance of maintaining regular routines for children's and adolescents' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).