Environmental fate and transformation mechanisms of chlorinated organic pollutants from the petrochemical industry: Insights for pollution control and remediation.

Chlorinated organic pollutants (Cl-OPs), highly toxic and environmentally persistent, have become the spotlight, particularly from petrochemical industry. This study focuses on environmental fate of Cl-OPs from petrochemical industry, and transformation mechanisms in multi-media, aiming to enhance pollution control and remediation strategies. Emitted from leakage and waste discharge, Cl-OPs, encompassing chlorinated volatile organic compounds (Cl-VOCs), traditional and emerging persistent organic pollutants (POPs), were prevalent with average concentrations of 10-10 μg/m in the atmosphere, 10-10 μg/kg in soil and 10-10 μg/L in groundwater.

Bioremediation of uranium enriched coal fly ash based on microbially induced calcite precipitation.

Coal fly ash (CFA) is an essential raw material in brickmaking industry worldwide. There are some coal mines with a relatively high content of uranium (U) in the Xinjiang region of China that are yet understudied. The CFA from these coal mines poses substantial environmental risks due to the concentrated uranium amount after coal burning.

Super-exchange interaction enables FeMnO perovskite with excellent catalytic oxidation activity toward hexabromocyclododecane under humidity.

Although enhancing the catalytic oxidation activity is a hotspot in thermal-driven catalytic disposal of persistent organic pollutants, few studies have managed to improve catalysts' water-resistance properties. Herein, we developed FeMnO perovskite to boost the catalytic oxidation of hexabromocyclododecane under humidity by modulating its super-exchange interaction (SEI, Fe + Mn → Fe + Mn). FeMnO, with the strongest SEI, exhibits the biggest oxidation rate-constant, which is 3 times higher than that of commonly used FeO without SEI.

Straw Biochar and Graphite Oxide Enhanced External Pressure Ultrafiltration for Leaded Wastewater Treatment.

In order to solve the problem of the low treatment efficiency of wastewater containing heavy metals in mining areas, straw biochar and graphene oxide enhanced external pressure ultrafiltration (SGU) was used to treat wastewater containing high concentrations of Pb. The operation parameters such as pH and temperature were optimized, and the removal efficiency of COD, NH-N, turbidity and Pb via SGU, straw biochar ultrafiltration (SU), ultrafiltration (UF), and conventional treatment (CT) were systematically investigated. The results showed that the pH and temperature of polluted water were 4.

The Key Role of Cyclic Electron Flow in the Recovery of Photosynthesis in the Photobiont during Rehydration of the Lichen .

Lichens are poikilohydric organisms and an important part of the ecosystem. They show high desiccation tolerance, but the mechanism of dehydration resistance still needs to be studied. The photosynthesis recovery of the photobiont in rehydrated lichen after 11-year desiccation was investigated by simultaneously monitoring both photosystem I and II (PSI and PSII) activities.

Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine Five-Element Music Therapy Combined with Mirtazapine on Depression and Limb Function Recovery After Ischemic Stroke.

Objective: To observe the effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) five-element music therapy combined with mirtazapine on depression and limb function recovery after ischemic stroke.

Methods: A total of 110 patients treated in the Departments of Geriatrics, Cardiology, and Psychology of three hospitals in Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province, China from October 2022 to August 2023 were selected. Based on the scores of 24-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24), Barthel (BL) index, and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) before enrollment, the patients were randomly divided into control group (n = 58) and experimental group (n = 52).

Feasibility Study on the Application of Biodegradable Plastic Film in Farmland Soil in Southern Xinjiang, China-Planting Tomatoes as an Example.

In recent years, polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) mulch film has become one of the most commonly used biodegradable mulch films in agriculture in an attempt to combat plastic film pollution. However, its degradation characteristics and impact on the soil environment and crop growth are affected by many factors such as its composition, soil and crop types, local climate characteristics, etc. In this study, PBAT mulch film and ordinary polyethylene (PE) film were used as test materials, with non-mulching treatment (CK) as a control, to study the applicability of PBAT film in Moyu County, Southern Xinjiang region, using tomato growth as an example.

Spectral Characteristics of Dissolved Organic Matter in Farmland Soils around Urumqi, China.

The dissolved organic matter (DOM) is one of the most sensitive indicators of changes in the soil environment, and it is the most mobile and active soil component that serves as an easily available source of nutrients and energy for microbes and other living organisms. In this paper, DOM structural characteristics and main properties were investigated by three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy (EEM) and UV-visible spectrum technology in the farmland soils around Urumqi of China, and its possible sources and pathways were analyzed by spectroscopic indices. The results showed that humic-like substances were the main composition of the soil DOM, and its autogenesis characteristics were not obvious.

Isolation and Degradation Characteristics of PBAT Film Degrading Bacteria.

In recent years, PBAT (polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate) mulch has become one of the most commonly used biodegradable mulching films. In this paper, five potential strains of PBAT film degrading bacteria were screened from the soil sample using PBAT film as the sole carbon source. A highly efficient PBAT degrading strain JZ1 was isolated by comparing the degradation performance of PBAT mulching film identified as S2313 by 16S rDNA sequence analysis.

Distinct soil microplastic distributions under various farmland-use types around Urumqi, China.

Very little is known about the occurrence of microplastics in the soils of various land uses, especially their distributional characteristics in the soils of arid areas. In this study, 24 sampling sites across three soil layers were investigated for three different farmland-use types (greenhouses, crop fields and vegetable fields) in the main agricultural and pastoral areas around Urumqi, China. The results demonstrated that the dominant sizes of soil microplastics were 0.

Removal of Polytungstate from Mine Wastewater Using a Flat Renewal Membrane Reactor with N1633 as a Carrier.

A novel flat renewal membrane reactor (FRMR) with mixed amine extractant N1633 dissolved in kerosene and NaOH solvent was studied for the removal of polytungstate [expressed as WO or W (VI)] from simulated mine wastewater. FRMR contains three parts: the feeding cell, reacting cell and renewal cell. A flat membrane of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was used in the reacting cell, which used mixed solutions of kerosene and NaOH.

The Binding Ability of Mercury (Hg) to Photosystem I and II Explained the Difference in Its Toxicity on the Two Photosystems of .

Mercury (Hg) poses high toxicity to organisms including algae. Studies showed that the growth and photosynthesis of green algae such as Chlorella are vulnerable to Hg stress. However, the differences between the activities and tolerance of photosystem I and II (PSI and PSII) of green microalgae under Hg exposure are still little known.

Microplastic Contamination in Urban, Farmland and Desert Environments along a Highway in Southern Xinjiang, China.

The different types of microplastics (MPs), including debris, fibers, particles, foams, films and others, have become a global environmental problem. However, there is still a lack of research and understanding of the pollution characteristics and main causes of MPs in the arid region of Xinjiang, China. In this survey, we focused on the occurrence and distribution of MPs in urban, farmland and desert areas along a highway in the survey area.

Cadmium Caused Different Toxicity to Photosystem I and Photosystem II of Freshwater Unicellular Algae Chlorella pyrenoidosa (Chlorophyta).

Heavy metals such as Cd pose environmental problems and threats to a variety of organisms. The effects of cadmium (Cd) on the growth and activities of photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) of Chlorella pyrenoidosa were studied. The growth rate of cells treated with 25 and 100 µM of Cd for longer than 48 h were significantly lower than the control, accompanying with the inhibition of photosynthesis.

Substantial transition to clean household energy mix in rural China.

The household energy mix has significant impacts on human health and climate, as it contributes greatly to many health- and climate-relevant air pollutants. Compared to the well-established urban energy statistical system, the rural household energy statistical system is incomplete and is often associated with high biases. Via a nationwide investigation, this study revealed high contributions to energy supply from coal and biomass fuels in the rural household energy sector, while electricity comprised ∼20%.

Characteristics and distribution of microplastics in shoreline sediments of the Yangtze River, main tributaries and lakes in China-From upper reaches to the estuary.

Microplastics (MPs) pervade the environment and increasingly threaten both natural ecosystems and human health. In this study, we investigated MP particle concentrations in sediment samples collected from 54 sites along the banks of the Yangtze River and its major tributaries and on lakeshores. The main polymer types found in the samples were polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE).

Microplastics in agricultural soils: Extraction and characterization after different periods of polythene film mulching in an arid region.

Plastic film mulching has been extensively used in farmland, especially in arid regions, for over half-century. However, this has led to heavy pollution of soils by microplastics (MPs). Currently, efficient extraction of MPs from the organo-mineral soil matrix is a problem because microsize clay particles tightly adhere to MPs.

Integration of Acoustic Liquid Handling into Quantitative Analysis of Biological Matrix Samples.

Acoustic liquid handlers deliver small volumes (nL-µL) of multiple fluid types with accuracy and dynamic viscosity profiling. They are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry with applications extending from high-throughput screening in compound management to gene expression sequencing, genomic and epigenetic assays, and cell-based assays. The capability of the Echo to transfer small volumes of multiple types of fluids could benefit bioanalysis assays by minimization of sample volume and by simplifying dilution procedures by direct dilution.

Simultaneous remediation of As(III) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) in soil by a manganese-oxidizing bacterium and its mechanisms.

Soils are experiencing increasing pollution with arsenic (As) and phthalate esters (PAEs), which is threatening human health. In this study, the feasibility of simultaneous remediation of soil As(III) and a PAE, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), by a manganese-oxidizing bacterium (MnOB) was evaluated. As immobilization and DBP degradation were simultaneously enhanced by MnOB addition.

[Vegetation spatial and temporal dynamic characteristics based on NDVI time series trajectories in grassland opencast coal mining].

The spatiotemporal dynamic patterns of vegetation in mining area are still unclear. This study utilized time series trajectory segmentation algorithm to fit Landsat NDVI time series which generated from fusion images at the most prosperous period of growth based on ESTARFM algorithm. Combining with the shape features of the fitted trajectory, this paper extracted five vegetation dynamic patterns including pre-disturbance type, continuous disturbance type, stabilization after disturbance type, stabilization between disturbance and recovery type, and recovery after disturbance type.

Surface plasmon resonance as a tool for ligand-binding assay reagent characterization in bioanalysis of biotherapeutics.

Ligand-binding assay (LBA) performance depends on quality reagents. Strategic reagent screening and characterization is critical to LBA development, optimization and validation. Application of advanced technologies expedites the reagent screening and assay development process.

Slow Off-Rate Modified Aptamer (SOMAmer) as a Novel Reagent in Immunoassay Development for Accurate Soluble Glypican-3 Quantification in Clinical Samples.

Accurate quantification of soluble glypican-3 in clinical samples using immunoassays is challenging, because of the lack of appropriate antibody reagents to provide a full spectrum measurement of all potential soluble glypican-3 fragments in vivo. Glypican-3 SOMAmer (slow off-rate modified aptamer) is a novel reagent that binds, with high affinity, to a far distinct epitope of glypican-3, when compared to all available antibody reagents generated in-house. This paper describes an integrated analytical approach to rational selection of key reagents based on molecular characterization by epitope mapping, with the focus on our work using a SOMAmer as a new reagent to address development challenges with traditional antibody reagents for the soluble glypican-3 immunoassay.

A systematic study of the effect of low pH acid treatment on anti-drug antibodies specific for a domain antibody therapeutic: Impact on drug tolerance, assay sensitivity and post-validation method assessment of ADA in clinical serum samples.

We developed a homogeneous bridging anti-drug antibody (ADA) assay on an electro chemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA) platform to support the immunogenicity evaluation of a dimeric domain antibody (dAb) therapeutic in clinical studies. During method development we evaluated the impact of different types of acid at various pH levels on polyclonal and monoclonal ADA controls of differing affinities and on/off rates. The data shows for the first time that acids of different pH can have a differential effect on ADA of various affinities and this in turn impacts assay sensitivity and drug tolerance as defined by these surrogate controls.