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Soil contamination by Cd presents a significant challenge for global eco-environment, while pyrolysis is an effectively method to removal of Cd in the soil, the further application of the technology has obstacle by the high device cost, large energy consumption and soil degradation. This study explored the application of self-sustaining smoldering as an energy-efficient technique for remediating of Cd-contaminated soils. The results shown that Cd could be desirable evacuated from soil by manipulate the key experiment parameter, especially the Cd-contaminated soil-to-PNs ratio. In this process, the content of Poly(vinyl) chloride (PVC) significantly influences the efficiency of Cd removal. Only 18.53 % of Cd was removed without PVC compared to that of 74.30 % after 3 % PVC was added into the soils. Chlorination of Cd(II) is the main reason for the removal of Cd during smoldering with PVC, which contrast to the volatilization of Cd is governed by reduction without PVC. Importantly, smoldering could effectively decline Cd species in the acid-soluble fraction and lower the bioavailability of Cd in treated soils with the DPTA-Cd decreased by 4.90–17.23 times compared with the untreated soils. Furthermore, due to the formed solid products, smoldering operation significantly increased soil total phosphorus and available phosphorus in the remediated soils, which is benefit for the reclamation goals. Overall, this study shows a great potential for remediation of Cd-contaminated soils by self-sustaining smoldering in the remediation industry. • Smoldering was applied to removal of Cd in contaminated soils. • Cl provided by PVC facilitates the removal of Cd. • Cd removal from soils driven by reduction or chlorination mechanism. • Smoldering is promising for Cd-contaminated soil remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boolean functions play essential roles in certain symmetric cryptographic schemes and error-correcting codes. Apart from the cryptographic criteria satisfied by Boolean functions, constructions of functions with few Walsh spectral value are also of particular interests in cryptographic applications. Due to the problem that the five-value spectrum functions with duals being not basic plateaued functions remains to be answered, in this paper we intend to investigate the construction on non-basic plateaued duals of five-value spectrum functions. The issue of constructing non-basic totally disjoint spectra plateaued functions is dealt with from two aspects. We firstly address the characterization of non-basic plateaued functions corresponding to Walsh supports with unequal cardinality. Then the necessary and sufficient conditions of the spectral design of a partially non-basic five-value spectrum function are proposed. Meanwhile, we also provide the sufficient condition for constructing a valid five-value spectrum function whose duals are both defined on non-affine subspaces. Finally, the design of totally disjoint spectra functions on non-affine subspaces with equal cardinality is also studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to ozone (O 3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) are related to pulmonary dysfunctions and various lung diseases, but the underlying biochemical mechanisms remain uncertain. Herein, the effect of inhalable oxidizing gas pollutants on the pulmonary surfactant (PS, extracted from porcine lungs), a mixture of active lipids and proteins that plays an important role in maintaining normal respiratory mechanics, is investigated in terms of the interfacial chemistry using in-vitro experiments; and the oxidative stress induced by oxidizing gases in the simulated lung fluid (SLF) supplemented with the PS is explored. The results showed that O 3 and NO 2 individually increased the surface tension of the PS and reduced its foaming ability; this was accompanied by the surface pressure-area isotherms of the PS monolayers shifting toward lower molecular areas, with O 3 exhibiting more severe effects than NO 2. Moreover, both O 3 and NO 2 produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) resulting in lipid peroxidation and protein damage to the PS. The formation of superoxide radicals (O 2 •–) was correlated with the decomposition of O 3 and the reactions of O 3 and NO 2 with antioxidants in the SLF. These radicals, in the presence of antioxidants, led to the formation of hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals (•OH). Additionally, the direct oxidation of unsaturated lipids by O 3 and NO 2 further caused an increase in the ROS content. This change in the ROS chemistry and increased •OH production tentatively explain how inhalable oxidizing gases lead to oxidative stress and adverse health effects. In summary, our results indicated that inhaled O 3 and NO 2 exposure can significantly alter the interfacial properties of the PS, oxidize its active ingredients, and induce ROS formation in the SLF. The results of this study provide a basis for the elucidation of the potential hazards of inhaled oxidizing gas pollutants in the human respiratory system. [Display omitted] • Oxidizing gases impacted the surface tension, phase behavior, and foaming ability of the PS. • Lipid peroxidation and protein damage of the PS were induced by oxidizing gas-phase air pollutants. • O 3 exhibited stronger adverse effects to the PS in comparison to NO 2. • Both ROS and oxidizing gas air pollutants contributed to oxidative damage of the PS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]