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The growing demand for petrochemicals has led to an increase in the number of ships carrying hazardous goods, making the effective regulation of ship tank-washing wastewater collection and discharge more important. To attain this objective, it is crucial to conduct quantitative analyses of the quantity of tank-washing wastewater generated and its geographical spread in the region. However, current estimation methods are plagued by issues such as unreliability and inaccuracy. This study presents a methodology for estimating the quantity of regional tank-washing wastewater, which is based on multi-source data. Using this method to estimate the quantity of tank-washing wastewater generated in the Pearl River Delta region, it was found that in the first quarter of 2018, the demand for tank washing by dangerous goods ships accounted for approximately 7.4% of the total number of berthing events in the study area. If all of these demands were fulfilled, about 15,000 tons of tank-washing wastewater would be generated. A more precise estimation of tank-washing wastewater was achieved, and the geographical dispersal of quantity was identified. Estimating the quantity of tank-washing wastewater in the area forms the foundation for developing facilities for collecting and disposing such wastewater, as well as for the design and site selection of tank-washing stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mitigate risk and enhance safety in oil ports, this study proposes a method to analyse the civil liability risk and criminal liability risk of oil spills in oil ports. Based on scenario analysis and data analysis, the probability, spill size, number of casualties, actual compensation and total spill cost are estimated for different scenarios, including loading arm/hose rupture and hull failure when a vessel is berthing, manoeuvring near a berth and moving through the port. Based on these estimated factors and legal liability, the civil liability risk and criminal liability risk borne by oil ports and ship owners are estimated. Finally, data from an oil terminal in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area are used to verify the applicability of the proposed method. The estimated probability and corresponding consequences can be used to determine which scenario would result in criminal liability and provide a reference for emergency capacity planning. The estimated risks are useful for loss mitigation and crime prevention. The findings and analysis reveal the current low compensation ratio and the inconsistency in criminal standards for oil spills in China. Therefore, the enforcement of civil compensation and unity among criminal standards should be prioritized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a facile method for the synthesis of GaN:ZnO solid solution, an attractive material with a wurtzite-type structure, is vital to enhance its photocatalytic activity toward H2 evolution. Herein, GaN:ZnO solid solution nanorods with diameters of around 180 nm were fabricated by combining the electro-spun method with a sequentially calcinating process. Photocatalytic water-splitting activities of the as-obtained samples loaded with Rh2−yCryO3 co-catalyst were estimated by H2 evolution under visible-light irradiation. The as-prepared GaN:ZnO nanorods at a nitridation temperature of 850 °C showed the optimal performance. Careful characterization of the GaN:ZnO solid solution nanorods indicated that the nitridation temperature is an important parameter affecting the photocatalytic performance, which is related to the specific surface area and the absorbable visible-light wavelength range. Finally, the mechanism of the GaN:ZnO solid solution nanorods was also investigated. The proposed synthesis strategy paves a new way to realize excellent activity and recyclability of GaN:ZnO solid solution nanorod photocatalysts for hydrogen generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has had a persistent and significant impact on global public health for 4 years. Recently, there has been a resurgence of seasonal influenza transmission worldwide. The co-circulation of SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal influenza viruses results in a dual burden on communities. Additionally, the pandemic potential of zoonotic influenza viruses, such as avian Influenza A/H5N1 and A/H7N9, remains a concern. Therefore, a combined vaccine against all these respiratory diseases is in urgent need. mRNA vaccines, with their superior efficacy, speed in development, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness, offer a promising solution for such infectious diseases and potential future pandemics. In this study, we present FLUCOV-10, a novel 10-valent mRNA vaccine created from our proven platform. This vaccine encodes hemagglutinin (HA) proteins from four seasonal influenza viruses and two avian influenza viruses with pandemic potential, as well as spike proteins from four SARS-CoV-2 variants. A two-dose immunization with the FLUCOV-10 elicited robust immune responses in mice, producing IgG antibodies, neutralizing antibodies, and antigen-specific cellular immune responses against all the vaccine-matched viruses of influenza and SARS-CoV-2. Remarkably, the FLUCOV-10 immunization provided complete protection in mouse models against both homologous and heterologous strains of influenza and SARS-CoV-2. These results highlight the potential of FLUCOV-10 as an effective vaccine candidate for the prevention of influenza and COVID-19.IMPORTANCEAmidst the ongoing and emerging respiratory viral threats, particularly the concurrent and sequential spread of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza, our research introduces FLUCOV-10. This novel mRNA-based combination vaccine, designed to counteract both influenza and COVID-19, by incorporating genes for surface glycoproteins from various influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2 variants. This combination vaccine was highly effective in preclinical trials, generating strong immune responses and ensuring protection against both matching and heterologous strains of influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2. FLUCOV-10 represents a significant step forward in our ability to address respiratory viral threats, showcasing potential as a singular, adaptable vaccine solution for global health challenges., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Developing visible-light-driven photocatalysts for the catalytic dehydrogenation of organics is of great significance for sustainable solar energy utilization. Here, we first report that aromatic alcohols could be efficiently split into H 2 and aldehydes over TiO 2 under visible-light irradiation through a ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) mechanism. A series of TiO 2 catalysts with different surface contents of the hydroxyl group (-OH) have been synthesized by controlling the hydrothermal and calcination synthesis methods. An optimal H 2 production rate of 18.6 μmol h -1 is obtained on TiO 2 synthesized from the hydrothermal method with a high content of surface -OH. Experimental characterizations and comparison studies reveal that the surface -OH markedly influences the formation of LMCT complexes and thus changes the visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance. This work is anticipated to inspire further research endeavors in the design and fabrication of visible-light-driven photocatalyst systems based on the LMCT mechanism to realize the simultaneous synthesis of clean fuel and fine chemicals.