Search

The widespread environmental contamination resulting from the misuse of tetracycline antibiotics (TCs) has garnered significant attention and study by scholars. Photocatalytic technology is one of the environmentally friendly advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) that can effectively solve the problem of residue of TCs in the water environment. This study involved the synthesis of the heterogeneous magnetic photocatalytic material of CoFe2O4/NaBiO3 via the solvothermal method, and it was characterized using different characterization techniques. Then, the photocatalytic system under visible light (Vis) was coupled with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to explore the performance and mechanism of degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) in the wastewater. The characterization results revealed that CoFe2O4/NaBiO3 effectively alleviated the agglomeration phenomenon of CoFe2O4 particles, increased the specific surface area, effectively narrowed the band gap, expanded the visible light absorption spectrum, and inhibited recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. In the Vis+CoFe2O4/NaBiO3+PMS system, CoFe2O4/NaBiO3 effectively activated PMS to produce hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and sulfate radicals (SO4−). Under the conditions of a TCH concentration of 10 mg/L−1, a catalyst concentration of 1 g/L−1 and a PMS concentration of 100 mg/L−1, the degradation efficiency of TCH reached 94% after 100 min illumination. The degradation of TCH was enhanced with the increase in the CoFe2O4/NaBiO3 and PMS dosage. The solution pH and organic matter had a significant impact on TCH degradation. Notably, the TCH degradation efficiency decreased inversely with increasing values of these parameters. The quenching experiments indicated that the free radicals contributing to the Vis+CoFe2O4/NaBiO3+PMS system were ·OH followed by SO4−, hole (h+), and the superoxide radical (O2−). The main mechanism of PMS was based on the cycle of Co3+ and Co2+, as well as Fe3+ and Fe2+. The cyclic tests and characterization by XRD and FT-IR revealed that CoFe2O4/NaBiO3 had good degradation stability. The experimental findings can serve as a reference for the complete removal of antibiotics from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biodegradable materials cannot meet the requirements as the agricultural film due to the poor UV resistance and antidripping performance. The work herein thus presented the development of the green‐based anti‐ultraviolet and antidripping multifunctional composite films using poly(butyleneadipate‐co‐terephthalate), microfibrillated cellulose (MFC), and soybean protein isolate (SPI) as the raw materials in the presence of other agents. The resulting composite films were systematically characterized using scanning electron microscope, thermogravimetry analysis (TG), UV, and rheometer measurements. The morphology changed obviously after introducing the MFC and SPI into the substrate film. In addition, the results indicated that the addition of MFC and SPI had a positive effect on the thermal stability and heat preservation of the film, respectively. The contact angle results indicated that SPI was an ideal antidripping agent and the MFC could be used as the release agent. The time of the first water drop of the film containing 2.5 g MFC and 2.0 g SPI was 6 min and 46 s, and the time of each 10 drops was less than 60 s, showing the advantages of using MFC as the release agent and SPI as the antidripping agent. The resulting multifunctional biodegradable films can be widely used in the agricultural and packaging fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning algorithms investigate relationships in data to deliver useful outputs. However, past models required complete datasets as a prerequisite. In this study, rough set-based machine learning was applied using real-world incomplete datasets to generate a prediction model of biochar's adsorption capacity based on key attributes. The predictive model consists of if–then rules classifying properties by fulfilling certain conditions. The rules generated from both complete and incomplete datasets exhibit high certainty and coverage, along with scientific coherence. Based on the complete dataset model, optimal pyrolysis conditions, biomass characteristics and adsorption conditions were identified to maximize tetracycline adsorption capacity (> 200 mg/g) by biochar. This study demonstrates the capabilities of rough set-based machine learning using incomplete practical real-world data without compromising key features. The approach can generate valid predictive models even with missing values in datasets. Overall, the preliminary results show promise for applying rough set machine learning to real-world, incomplete data for generating biomass and biochar predictive models. However, further refinement and testing are warranted before practical implementation. Highlights: • It is the first explainable AI-based rough set model to study the tetracycline adsorption capacity of biochar. • Usage of an incomplete Practical dataset through RSML evaded the biasness due to imputations. • Higher accuracy and precision of incomplete Practical datasets revealed the uniqueness of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential application of zinc air batteries to tackle the energy shortage and environmental crisis has proposed new requirements of bifunctional catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Utilizing the special spatial structure of zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) as an ideal research platform, the effect of a trace amount of Fe on the composition and structure of as-obtained Fe-CoNC catalysts was investigated. It was revealed that, due to the increased exposed pore structure and metal species located at the near surface, the active sites for the ORR/OER on Fe-CoNC are highly exposed, greatly boosting the activity to the reduction and evolution of oxygen in alkaline media. ZABs with Fe-CoNC have the highest maximum power density of 200 mW cm−2 when operated at current densities as high as 328 mA cm−2, better than not only Fe-free CoNC, but also precious metal-based references with the same catalyst loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar has the potential to provide a multitude of benefits when used in soil remediation and increasing soil organic matter enrichment. Nevertheless, the intricated, hydrophobic pores and groups weaken its water-holding capacity in dry, sandy soils in arid lands. In order to combat this issue, starch-carbon-based material (SB), sodium alginate-carbon-based material (SAB), and chitosan-carbon-based material (CB) have been successfully synthesized through the graft-polymerization of biochar (BC). A series of soil column simulations were used to scrutinize the microstructure of the carbon-based material and explore its water absorption properties and its effects on sandy soil water infiltration, water retention, and aggregation. The results indicated that SB, SAB, and CB achieved water maximum absorption rates of 155, 188, and 172 g g−1, respectively. Considering their impact on sandy soils, SB, SAB, and CB lengthened infiltration times by 1920, 3330, and 3880 min, respectively, whilst enhancing the water retention capabilities of the soil by 18%, 25%, and 23% in comparison to solely adding BC. The utilization of these innovative materials notably encouraged the formation of sandy soil aggregates ranging from 2.0 to 0.25 mm, endowing the aggregates with enhanced structural stability. Findings from potting experiments suggested that all three carbon-based materials were conducive to the growth of soybean seeds. Thus, it is evident that the carbon-based materials have been fabricated with success, and they have great potential not only to significantly augment the water retention capacities and structural robustness of sandy soils in arid areas, but also to bolster the development of soil aggregates and crop growth. These materials possess significant application potential for enhancing the quality of sandy soils in arid and semi-arid regions. Highlights: Novel carbon-based materials were prepared using biochar and biodegradable organic matter. The novel materials exhibited excellent water absorption capacity. The novel materials greatly decreased the water infiltration capacity of sandy soil. The novel materials increased the water retention capacity and aggregate size of sandy soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the lifespan of aged biodegradable mulch films from the perspective of realistic outdoor climate conditions is a challenge. However, it is worthwhile to determine the changes in their structure and stability. In this study, a talc-filled black poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)/polylactide (PBAT/PLA) biodegradable mulch film was designed and mulched with shallow overburden soil to improve the anti-weathering characteristics of winter potatoes grown in southern China. This study focused on the weather resistance properties of biodegradable talc-filled PBAT/PLA-based mulch films. After 4 months of outdoor service, the elongation at break and tensile strength of talc-filled black PBAT/PLA films remained at 360 ± 250% and 15 ± 2.5 Mpa, respectively, with the number average molecular weight decreasing by 21.4% and the gel content increasing to 10%. Combining the results of microstructure analyses, molecular weight changes, thermodynamic properties, and mechanical and structural changes due to accelerated ageing under different indoor conditions, it was concluded that the maintenance of the mechanical properties of the mulch films could be attributed to the inhibition of random chain-breaking and heavy photo-crosslinking in the plastic film system. Our results using biodegradable films based on crop growth characteristics provide an effective strategy for extending the service life of biodegradable plastics and reducing the cost of biodegradable mulch films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mica is a variety of filler material with excellent barrier properties. In the present study, mica‐AKD was successfully prepared by treating sericite mica surface with alkyl ketene dimer (AKD). The distribution and content of AKD in mica, the mode of its binding with mica and its surface properties were characterized by thermogravimetry, Soxhlet extraction, Fourier infrared analysis, the scanning electron microscope with energy spectrum and contact angle analysis. The results show that AKD was combined with mica through physical adsorption and chemical grafting, with the content of AKD in mica‐AKD exceeding 5 wt%. Due to AKD‐coated mica surface, mica‐AKD showed hydrophobicity. PCM and PCMa films were prepared by blending PBAT and PPC with mica and mica‐AKD, respectively. Given the same content, mica‐AKD has better compatibility with PBAT/PPC matrix, and PCMa films show better mechanical properties, lower water vapor permeability and oxygen permeability, and higher CDTR/OTR ratio, which has a good application prospect in fruit and vegetable preservation materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop a robust predictive model for tetracycline (TC) adsorption onto biochar (BC) by employing machine learning techniques to investigate the underlying driving factors. Four machine learning algorithms, namely Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), were used to model the adsorption of TC on BC using the data from 295 adsorption experiments. The analysis revealed that the RF model had the highest predictive accuracy (R2 = 0.9625) compared to ANN (R2 = 0.9410), GBDT (R2 = 0.9152), and XGBoost (R2 = 0.9592) models. This study revealed that BC with a specific surface area (S (BET)) exceeding 380 cm3·g−1 and particle sizes ranging between 2.5 and 14.0 nm displayed the greatest efficiency in TC adsorption. The TC-to-BC ratio was identified as the most influential factor affecting adsorption efficiency, with a weight of 0.595. The concentration gradient between the adsorbate and adsorbent was demonstrated to be the principal driving force behind TC adsorption by BC. A predictive model was successfully developed to estimate the sorption performance of various types of BC for TC based on their properties, thereby facilitating the selection of appropriate BC for TC wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combined application of biochar and organic fertilizer improves soil structure and crop yield but may lead to increased loss of phosphorus (P). To reduce the P loss risk in this case, rice straw biochar (BC) and sheep manure (SM) were modified using polyacrylamide (PAM). The effects of using organic amendments (BC, SM, and PAM-modified organic mixtures) and no amendments (CK) on soil total and colloidal P leaching loss from paddy soils were evaluated through soil column leaching experiments. The soil leachate volume was increased by 8.91% with BC treatment and reduced by 15.3% with SM treatment. The total P leaching loss (973.9 μg kg−1) from the BC-treated soil was higher than that from other treatments (541.4–963.5 μg kg−1). However, there was much more colloidal P loss (480.0 μg kg−1) from SM treatment. The optimal conditions for the preparation of BC and SM modified using polyacrylamide (PSB) for reducing P leaching loss were SM/BC = 4:1, 1% PAM, and 100 °C. Molybdate-unreactive P accounts for 58.61–86.89% of the colloidal P in the soil leachate with organic amendments. PSB reduced colloidal P loss (particularly in 10–220 nm range) by ~ 50% compared with BC and SM treatments. The colloidal P concentration in the leaching solutions was significantly correlated with TOC and susceptible to Fe and Al concentrations. Using PAM-modified mixture instead of manure and biochar as a soil amendment can effectively control P leaching from fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological restoration of territorial space emphasizes the synergy between ecology and social development. On this basis, we used landscape index analysis methods to explore the spatiotemporal evolution of landscape patterns in urban areas on a district scale. Then, we used multiple regression analysis to explore the driving factors behind this evolution. The results showed the following: (1) Landscape compositions have changed significantly. The growth rate of construction land in the main districts was about three times that in the urban area. (2) There were differences in the characteristics of landscape pattern evolution. Arable land is becoming more fragmented as construction land expands outward. The shapes of public green spaces, arable land, and woodlands tend to be simple and regular. The degree of both urban sprawl and agglomeration decreased in the urban area and the main districts. Meanwhile, landscape separation first decreased and then increased, and landscape diversity increased. (3) Population growth, industrial development, changes in industrial structure, and real estate development are the main driving factors of landscape pattern evolution. Based on this, this study puts forward some suggestions for landscape pattern optimization, which is significant for ecological restoration planning and promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gas barrier properties of poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) films can be improved with poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC), but this will reduce the mechanical properties. In this work, PBAT/PPC composites and the related films were prepared by melt blending followed by film blowing process using triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC) as the reactive compatibilizer. Herein, the structure, thermal properties, mechanical properties, and gas barrier properties of the composites were systematically characterized via various techniques. The results indicated that the incorporation of TGIC effectively improved the interfacial compatibility between PBAT and PPC, and enhanced the thermal stability of the composites, especially for PPC. In addition, PBAT/PPC/TGIC films at 1 phr (parts per hundreds of resin) TGIC content exhibited a tensile strength of 30.8 MPa, and an elongation at break of 860%, which are 136% and 142% of those of PBAT/PPC, respectively. Meanwhile, the water vapor transmission rate dropped by 33% at this content. The improvement of mechanics and gas barrier properties makes PBAT/PPC film better meet the requirements of food preservation packaging such as fruits and vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrophobic modification of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) was carried out via free radical polymerization using methyl methacrylate (MMA) as the monomer to improve the compatibility between CNF and poly lactic acid (PLA). Followed by the preparation of the novel nanocomposites in combination of the organic montmorillonite and the substrate. The resulting nanocomposites were then coated on paper surface using a cast‐coating process in an attempt to improve the barrier properties towards water vapor and oxygen. In addition, the composite films are prepared via a solution casting method. The water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), water vapor permeability (WVP), oxygen transmission rate (OTR), and tensile strength of the as‐prepared films were systematically measured. The corresponding results demonstrated that the WVTR, WVP and OTR decreased with the addition of a certain content of MCNF in coatings. 0.2 wt% MCNF is the optimum content, showing the best gas resistance and tensile performance. The lowest value of WVTR and WVP are 10.30 g/(m2⋯24 h) and 3306.58 g⋯μm/(m2⋯24 h) for films with 0.2 wt% MCNF added, which is 88.23% and 26.05% lower than that of PLA composite film without NFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) was prepared through the hydrolysis of concentrated sulfuric acid using commercial bagasse pulp as a raw material. The performance of the developed CNC was tested through the atomic force microscope, particle size measurement, and zeta potential analysis. The melt blending method was adopted to prepare thermoplastic polyvinyl alcohol (TPVA) and CNC‐TPVA using the glycerol (GI)‐dicondensed triethylene glycol (TEG) complex. The TPVA and CNC‐TPVA were blended with poly(butylene adipate‐coterephthalate) and polylactic acid composite material (COM) through melt extrusion granulation and blown film, and then explored the effect of CNC on the UV aging properties of materials. The complex plasticizer could effectively break the PVA hydrogen bond and reduce its melting point. It had been observed that CNC had good interface compatibility with PVA, and CNC did not affect the crystallinity of PVA, but it could weaken the hydrogen bond between GI, TEG, and PVA, thereby reduce the plasticizing effect of PVA. Compared TPVA‐COM with CNC‐TPVA‐COM, detailed information of crystallization, the thermal stability of materials and mechanical properties was presented in the UV aging process, it was found that the cross‐section of CNC‐TPVA‐COM was rough, and its unevenness formed a striped structure, and its hydrogen bond strength, diffraction peak strength and anti‐aging performance were all improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT)/polylactic acid (PLA) composites were prepared by water‐soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and degradation‐promoting agent (DPA) which were made from acidity‐regulating KH2PO4 and halloysite by a physical layer‐by‐layer coating method. The effect of PVA and DPA on the biodegradation of PBAT/PLA composites in the cross‐sectional morphology, thermal properties, molecular structure, due to degradation was evaluated using a host of characterization methods. The results showed that PVA had a good solubilizing effect on the composite system and improved the overall compatibility. DPA had little effect on the compatibility, crystallinity, and thermal stability of the composite system, but greatly accelerated the degradation. The interior of composite material containing DPA (Com‐DPA) was shown to be severely damaged after 29 weeks of degradation, which was attributed to preferential degradation of amorphous regions of the composite by ester hydrolysis. Our results demonstrated the PVA and DPA worked synergistically to promote swelling and diffusivity of degradation products, and provided an acid environment for enhancing ester hydrolysis. This technology may have good prospects for accelerated degradation of materials in agricultural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic activities, such as mining, influence soil bacterial community composition and microbial distributions. In the current study, the patterns in microbial distribution and the environmental drivers shaping the soil bacterial community composition in the alpine mining area of the Tianshan Mountain region, China, were investigated, and the bacterial communities were analyzed using 16S rDNA pyrosequencing. The environmental factors and their relationships with the microbial community composition, structure, and diversity were also assessed. The soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration increased along the elevation gradient, with the highest concentration in the mining area, which increased microbial abundance and species richness. Some metals, like Ca, Cu, Pb, and Zn, accumulated significantly in the tailing area and were negatively correlated with the microbial community structure. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia were the dominant phyla; these dominant phyla were more abundant in the areas without mining than in the areas with mining at the same altitude. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia significantly increased along the elevation gradient, while that of Actinobacteria in the mining camp area was more than twice those in the other areas due to higher soil pH. Soil biomass was the highest in the valley. Collectively, these results elucidate the influence of anthropogenic mining activities on soil microbial communities in alpine mining soils and provide a basis for the future management of heavy metal-contaminated areas using the indigenous dominant bacterial phyla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colloid-facilitated phosphorus (P) transport is recognized as an important pathway for the loss of soil P in agricultural systems; however, information regarding soil aggregate-associated colloidal P (Pcoll) is lacking. To elucidate the effects of aggregate size on the potential loss of Pcoll in agricultural systems, soils (0–20 cm depth) from six land-use types were sampled in the Zhejiang Province in the Yangtze River Delta region, China. The aggregate size fractions (2–8 mm, 0.26–2 mm, 0.053–0.26 mm and < 0.053 mm) were separated using the wet sieving method. Colloidal P and other soil parameters in aggregates were analyzed. Results: Our study demonstrated that 0.26–2 mm small macroaggregates had the highest total P (TP) content. In acidic soils, the highest Pcoll content was observed in the 0.26- to 2-mm-sized aggregates, while the lowest was reported in the < 0.053 mm (silt + clay)-sized particles, the opposite of that revealed in alkaline and neutral soils. Paddy soils contained less Pcoll than other land-use types. The proportion of Pcoll in total dissolved P (TDP) was dominated by < 0.053 mm (silt + clay)-sized particles. Aggregate size strongly influenced the loss potential of Pcoll in paddy soils, where Pcoll contributed up to 83% TDP in the silt + clay-sized particles. The Pcoll content was positively correlated with TP, Al, Fe, and the mean weight diameter. Aggregate-associated total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), C/P, and C/N had significant negative effects on the contribution of Pcoll to potential soil P loss. The Pcoll content of the aggregates was controlled by the aggregate-associated TP and Al content, as well as the soil pH value. The potential loss of Pcoll from aggregates was controlled by its organic matter content. Conclusion: We concluded that management practices that increase soil aggregate stability or its organic carbon content will limit Pcoll loss in agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rice paddy wetlands may serve as a nutrient source or sink in agricultural ecosystems. However, the pattern of nutrient loss on a watershed scale is not clear. A year-round on-site observation study based on 6-h intervals was conducted. Rainfall, temperature, runoff nutrient concentrations, and adjacent stream water samples were automatically monitored to uncover the temporal changes in the runoff losses of the predominant nutrient proxies (total N and total P) from a typical rice-planting area (120 ha) in the Yangtze river delta region of China. Results: A high total N concentration in the rice-planting area was observed during the rice-planting season; however, significant fluctuation in the total P was evident throughout the year. The Δtotal N (drainage minus stream) parameter showed negative values with a mean of −0.25 mg L−1, while Δtotal P showed positive values with a mean of 0.06 mg L−1. The annual average N and P runoff from paddy field were 11.6 kg ha−1 and 1.5 kg ha−1, respectively. The window phases for the total N loss were mainly concentrated in the rice-growing season. However, the window phase for the total P loss was more dispersive throughout the year. No apparent relationships were found between rainfall and N and P concentrations by self-organizing map analysis. Conclusions: The high-resolution monitoring, in this study, suggested that nutrient loss loading rather than nutrient concentration was strongly related to surface runoff Therefore, fertilization before high-intensity rainfall should be avoided to mitigate the nutrient runoff losses and maintain the rice wetland eco-function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Laboratory incubation experiments using 15N stable isotope labeling and acetylene suppression techniques were conducted to compare the autotrophic nitrification and heterotrophic nitrification rates with the addition of swine manure (SW) and swine-manure-derived biochar (SWB) in two paddy soils. Materials and methods: SW and SWB were applied at four N-based amendment levels, namely control (0 mg N kg−1), low (1.1 mg N kg−1), medium (2.2 mg N kg−1), and high (4.4 mg N kg−1). Twenty-five milliliters of C2H2 gas were injected into each storage bottle to inhibit autotrophic nitrification in soil. At the end of the preincubation period, 160 mg kg−1 15N-glycine were added to each storage bottle to stimulate heterotrophic nitrification in soil. Results and discussion: Results showed that SW increased the NH4+-N content by 3.5 to 17.5 mg kg−1 in both soils, while SWB decreased it by 0.1 to 4.7 mg kg−1 compared to control group, regardless of whether autotrophic nitrification was inhibited. Both SW and SWB enhanced NO3−-N accumulation in the two soils compared to control group when autotrophic nitrification was not inhibited; however, NO3−-N concentration in the soil with SWB was up to 24% lower than that with the same level of SW addition. NH3 volatilization rates were elevated at all the SW and SWB amendment levels, although only SW led to higher N2O emission rates. Compared with SW, high level of SWB significantly decreased N2O emissions by 78 to 84% in the loam and clay loam soils. The increase in NH3 volatilization, soil NO3−-N accumulation, and autotrophic nitrification rate were greater with SW than with SWB. Higher rates of soil heterotrophic nitrification were observed in SWB-amended soils than in SW-amended soils with a high (4.4 mg N kg−1) amendment level. Conclusions: Our results suggest that SWB is less likely to increase NO3−-N accumulation in soil and contributes more to the lower soil autotrophic nitrification rate compared with SW. Although SWB can promote heterotrophic nitrification, it generally inhibits the autotrophic nitrification process and slows the increment pace of the gross nitrification in paddy soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Biogas slurry (BS) is used for soil productivity amendment, but its effect on soil phosphorus (P) form distribution has not been thoroughly examined. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of BS on soil nutrients, phosphomonoesterase activities, and P species distribution. Materials and methods: A 91-day incubation study was carried out for a silt soil which was amended with BS at a rate equivalent to 120 kg N ha−1 and 38 kg P ha−1 and 240 kg N ha−1 and 76 kg P ha−1. The soil with no BS addition was used as control. Solution P-31 nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR) spectroscopy was used to characterize soil P species. Acid phosphomonoesterase (ACP) and alkaline phosphomonoesterase (ALP) activities, pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), NH4+–N, NO3−–N, and Olsen P were also evaluated. Results and discussion: The results indicated that the application of BS increased pH, CEC, NH4+–N, NO3−–N, and Olsen P contents. Moreover, the addition of BS inhibited ACP activity, but it increased ALP activity. A significant positive correlation was found between ALP and orthophosphates, suggesting ALP activity may play important roles in the release of orthophosphates. The P composition was dominated by inorganic orthophosphate (59.9–76.2% extracted P) and orthophosphate monoesters (23.8–38% extracted P), with smaller concentration of pyrophosphates (1.2–3.6% extracted P), and orthophosphate diesters (less than 1.5% of the extracted P). Conclusions: The P was mainly in the form of inorganic orthophosphates and organic monoesters. The present study shows that BS can be a substitute solution for the supply of essentials nutrients for plants. However, care would be entirely taken with long-term application of BS, since extreme nutrients addition may cause eutrophication of water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrigation and fertilization management are important for controlling agricultural soil salinity and increasing productivity in extremely arid regions. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of long‐term drip irrigation and organic fertilizer application on soil salinity, fruit quality and yield of jujube [Ziziphus ziziphus (L.) Karst]. We established a 7‐yr field experiment in a desert‐oasis area in Northwest China. Six treatments were performed: CK (conventional irrigation, no fertilizer), CIMF (conventional irrigation, mineral fertilizer), CIOF (conventional irrigation, organic fertilizer), DI (drip irrigation, no fertilizer), DIMF (drip irrigation, mineral fertilizer), and DIOF (drip irrigation, organic fertilizer). The results showed that soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration in soil treated with organic fertilizer increased gradually over years. Treatment DIOF favored the accumulation of SOC with the highest content and stock after 7 yr. Lower salt content in root zone was found in DIOF after 7 yr. The yield of DIOF increased annually and reached an equilibrium level after the fourth year (14.88 to 16.69 Mg ha−1). Total carbohydrate and vitamin C (Vc) of DIOF of fruit were all significantly higher than CIOF and DIMF. The boosted regression tree showed that SOC content had the highest relative contribution rate to jujube yield. Path analysis identified the most important factor affecting SOC in the drip‐fertigation system was the input of organic fertilizer, with path coefficient 0.65. Long‐term combination of drip irrigation and organic fertilizer application would be an effective strategy maintaining productivity and improve fruit quality in extremely arid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal phosphorus (CP) as an additional route of P mobilization in soil solution has gained much attention. A batch experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of sheep manure-derived biochar (SMB) on CP release from various land uses (paddy, vegetable, tea, and citrus) at a rate of 0% as a control treatment (CK), 1% as a low (L) level, 2% as a middle (M) level, and 4% as a high (H) level of SMB application. The CP and MRPcoll in the solution increased from 30.58 to 88.97% and from 2.45 to 55.54% of total P (TP), respectively. The SMB enhanced CP release in all the soils and all the treatments (except CK and L levels in tea soil; CK, L, and M levels in vegetable soil; and L and M levels in citrus soil). Multiple linear regression revealed a significant correlation between CP and MRPcoll and between colloidal iron, aluminum, calcium, and total organic carbon (Fecoll, Alcoll, Cacoll, and TOCcoll) and pH, which may play an important role as CP carriers that could depend on the pH. This study suggests that the application of SMB in the soil at an appropriate rate of 1 and 2% for tea and vegetable soils, respectively, could be beneficial to avoid the risk of CP release in water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colour patterns based on micro-nano structure have attracted enormous research interests due to unique optical switches and smart surface applications in photonic crystal, superhydrophobic surface modification, controlled adhesion, inkjet printing, biological detection, supramolecular self-assembly, anti-counterfeiting, optical device and other fields. In traditional methods, many patterns of micro-nano structure are derived from changes of refractive index or lattice parameters. Generally, the refractive index and lattice parameters of photonic crystals are processed by common solvents, salts or reactive monomers under specific electric, magnetic and stress conditions. This review focuses on the recent developments in the fabrication of micro-nano structures for patterns including styles, materials, methods and characteristics. It summarized the advantages and disadvantages of inkjet printing, angle-independent photonic crystal, self-assembled photonic crystals by magnetic field force, gravity, electric field, inverse opal photonic crystal, electron beam etching, ion beam etching, laser holographic lithography, imprinting technology and surface wrinkle technology, etc. This review will provide a summary on designing micro-nano patterns and details on patterns composed of photonic crystals by surface wrinkles technology and plasmonic micro-nano technology. In addition, colour patterns as switches are fabricated with good stability and reproducibility in anti-counterfeiting application. Finally, there will be a conclusion and an outlook on future perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Applied Polymer Science is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

ABSTRACT A dopamine-functionalized poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) elastomer with melt processability and self-healing properties was prepared by a new chemical route of graft modification, that is, PVA carboxylation and a carbodiimide reaction. The conventional modifier for PVA sacrificed the intrinsic hydrogen-bonding interactions and dramatically decreased the mechanical strength. The modifier dopamine, as a catechol derivative, has two hydroxyl groups, which formed hydrogen bonds with the hydroxyl groups of PVA; it also has one benzene ring, which increased the thermal stability. We found that the introduction of dopamine into the PVA molecular structure lowered the melting point, improved the thermal stability, broke the crystalline structure, and enabled thermal processing. Moreover, the modified PVA possessed good mechanical properties, could be self-healed, and is believed to have potential applications in many fields. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45072. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the development of agriculture in southern Xinjiang, water and land resources shortage is increasingly prominent. Water-saving irrigation methods to efficiently use water resources and increase farmers' income have been proposed by Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Meanwhile, land resources and crop planting structure are adjusted and characteristic wood's fruit industry is developed. Jujube-cotton intercropping system in southern Xinjiang is a new type of agroforestry systems. It is unclear about the effect of jujube-cotton intercropping system with drip-irrigation on cotton growth and land use efficiency and the related mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate the influence of drip-irrigation quota on growth, yield and land use efficiency of cotton in jujube-cotton intercropping system. A field experiment was conducted in 2012 and 2013 using a randomized complete block design with jujube planting spacing of 1 m × 3 m, cotton planting spacing of 0.25 m × 0.60 m, and cotton and jujube spacing of 0.95 m. Drip-irrigation quota was 450 (GM-1), 750 (GM-2), and 1050 m3/hm2 (GM-3) for intercropping system and 750 m3/hm2 for cotton (CK-M) and jujube (CK-Z) monoculture. The stem height, diameter, aboveground dry matter, and yield of cotton were measured. The land equivalent ratio and system productivity index were calculated. The results showed that the cotton stem height was highest in the GM-3 among all treatments, and not significantly (P>0.05) different between GM-1 and GM-2. The changes in the stem diameter were similar with the height. The GM-3 treatment could adversely affect the cotton aboveground dry matter accumulation, but the GM-1 and GM-2 had similar role in increasing the cotton aboveground dry matter accumulation. The land equivalent ratio in the intercropping system was larger than 1, and greater than the monoculture system. For the two years of the experiment, the GM-2 treatment had the steadily highest land equivalent ratio and yield. Land use efficiency in jujube-cotton intercropping system was higher than the monoculture system. In addition, the system productivity index of GM-2 was relatively higher than the other treatments. In the intercropping system, the jujube was easily affected by irrigation amount and thereby its yield and productivity could be affected. The treatment of GM-2 could increase the production potential of jujube. The jujube-cotton intercropping system had a higher capacity to withstand market risks. In summary, the irrigation of 750 m3/hm2 had high land use efficiency and thus could be favorable to cotton growth and land use. The study suggested that optimal production capacity could be reached through reasonable irrigation in intercropping system. The results provided valuable information for the water resource use, and efficient land use in southern Xinjiang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural rubber (NR) containing graphene (GE) and graphene oxide (GO) were prepared by latex mixing. The in situ chemically reduction process in the latex was used to realize the conversion of GO to GE. A noticeable enhancement in tensile strength was achieved for both GO and GE filled NR systems, but GE has a better reinforcing effect than GO. The strain-induced crystallization was evaluated by synchrotron wide-angle X-ray diffraction. Increased crystallinity and special strain amplification effects were observed with the addition of GE. The incorporation of GE produces a faster strain-induced crystallization rate and a higher crystallinity compared to GO. The entanglement-bound tube model was used to characterize the chain network structure of composites. It was found that the contribution of entanglement to the conformational constraint increases and the network molecular parameters changes with the addition of GE and GO, while GE has a more evident effect than GO. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]