Search

Ecological compensation is a crucial measure to balance the interests of all stakeholders and mobilize local government's initiative in pollution control, while the relationship between ecological compensation and environmental quality standards may influence the policy effect. This study investigates the impact of China's first ecological compensation policy for air pollution control—Shandong Province's Ambient Air Quality Ecological Compensation (AAQEC) policy—on ambient air quality, and explores the appropriate relationship between ecological compensation and environmental quality standards. The theoretical model suggests that the lenient punishment for substandard environmental quality deviates the incentives of the AAQEC that targets multiple pollutants, thereby limiting its effectiveness in improving overall regional ambient air quality. Utilizing monthly air pollutant concentration data and employing a continuous difference-in-difference approach, the empirical results show that the AAQEC acts as a guaranteed measure to assist local governments in achieving environmental quality compliance. The AAQEC effectively reduces SO 2 and PM 2.5 concentrations through incentivizing environmental protection expenditures and green transformation of development mode, while the effect on controlling the key pollutant with severe exceedance is not observed—the concentration of PM 10 does not change significantly. The above plight is attributable to local government's strategic behaviors of selecting pollutants with higher marginal net benefit of pollutant abatement for priority treatment regardless of actual pollution conditions, resulting in the partial improvement in ambient air quality. These findings indicate that a flexible ecological compensation policy should be established with punishment imposed for substandard environmental quality, playing its role in enhancing local governments' environmental governance capacity and further improving overall ambient air quality based on compliance. • AAQEC serves as a guaranteed measure to achieve environmental quality compliance. • AAQEC reduces SO 2 and PM 2.5 concentrations, while showing no effect on NO 2 and PM 10 concentrations. • Local governments strategically select the "easy option" for priority treatment. • "Short board effect" induced by key pollutant with severe exceedance remains unaddressed. • Ecological compensation should be established based on the principle of "icing on the cake". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a previous study, the construction of the Eimeria tenella DNA vaccine pVAX1.0-TA4-IL-2 which provides effective protection against coccidiosis was described and the immunization procedure was optimized. However, the persistence, integration, histopathology and environmental release of the DNA vaccine remain unknown. In this study, the persistence, integration and histopathology of the DNA vaccine pVAX1.0-TA4-IL-2 was evaluated in chickens in the following immunization studies: (1) single-dose immunization in one-day-old chickens; (2) repeat-dose immunization in chickens; and (3) single-high-dose immunization of three batches of plasmid in chickens. The persistence, integration, histopathology of the DNA vaccine was also evaluated in mice. At 1, 1.5, 2–4 months post immunization, blood, duodenum, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys and the immunized muscle tissue were collected from ten animals of each group. Persistence and integration were evaluated using PCR with a confirmed sensitivity of 30 plasmid copies. Hematoxylin and eosin stained sections were examined for the presence of inflammation or abnormalities that may result from vaccination. Water and fecal samples were also collected from the chicken enclosures to evaluate the potential for environmental release of the DNA vaccine. Testing various tissues by PCR confirmed that plasmid DNA persisted 1.5 months in blood, heart, liver and spleen, 2 months in kidneys and muscle of injected site. Furthermore, the vaccine did not integrate with the host genome. The histopathological examinations did not show obvious inflammation or pathological damage in any tissue of the immunized chickens. Similar results were observed in mice. Moreover, the DNA vaccine was not released into the surrounding environment. These results indicate that the DNA vaccine pVAX1.0-TA4-IL-2 has potential as safe vaccine against coccidiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key to transforming resource-dependent cities is for them to stop depending on resources for economic development. This would be a sustainable development path to lead to the peaking of carbon emissions. The carbon-peaking goal imposes strong carbon emission constraints and improper responses challenge the low-carbon transformation of resource-dependent cities. Continuous reduction in the intensity of carbon emissions is necessary for achieving the carbon-peaking goal. The transformation of resource-dependent cities, characterized by industrial transformation, tends to achieve this goal indirectly by reducing resource depletions. Effective environmental regulation introduces a more direct mechanism to reduce the intensity of carbon emissions on the terminal-end. Therefore, this study explores the carbon-peaking effect of resource-dependent city transformation and its mechanisms using the propensity score matching combined difference-in-differences method. The panel data from 324 districts and counties from 2005 to 2017 is selected based on the industrial transformation of typical resource-dependent cities in the adjoining Shanxi Province, Shaanxi Province, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China initiated in 2009. The results show that industrial transformation only focuses on the stop-loss effect of cities with high-resource-dependence and promotes the continuous reduction in the intensity of carbon emissions at the early stages of resource-dependent city transformation. Furthermore, the carbon-peaking momentum during this transformation is a direct result of the increase in green technology innovation which introduces new mechanisms for green low-carbon development to transforming city. Meanwhile, environmental regulations achieve the carbon-peaking goal by increasing green total factor productivity through restraining existing high-carbon development inertia thereby reducing the intensity of carbon emissions. Therefore, environmental regulations and industrial transformation need to be coordinated, through combination of introducing green low-carbon mechanisms and restraining high-carbon development inertia, to jointly reduce the intensity of carbon emissions and create a sustainable mechanism for resource-dependent cities to achieve the carbon-peaking goal. • The transformation of resource-dependent cities promotes carbon peaking in China. • Both industry transformation and environmental regulation benefit carbon peaking. • Environmental regulation reduces carbon-emission by green total factor productivity. • Development transformation needs green innovation besides industrial substitution. • New low-carbon mechanisms need curbing high-carbon development inertia meanwhile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Shell-core Fe–Sr0.8La0.2Fe11.8Co0.2O19 composites are prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for use as microwave absorbing materials. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses show that the CVD method yields Sr0.8La0.2Fe11.8Co0.2O19 powders with a uniform coating of Fe. Compared with Sr0.8La0.2Fe11.8Co0.2O19, Fe–Sr0.8La0.2Fe11.8Co0.2O19 composites have higher electrical conductivity, permittivity, and dielectric loss, which gradually increase with increasing Fe content. When Sr0.8La0.2Fe11.8Co0.2O19/Fe=7:3, a reflection loss (RL) exceeding −10dB is obtained in the frequency range of 10–14GHz at a coating thickness of 2.0mm. A minimum RL of −30dB was found at 8.0GHz, corresponding to a matching thickness of 2.8mm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nd–Co-substituted M-type strontium hexaferrites were prepared by sol–gel-autocombustion method. Crystalline structure, morphology, magnetic properties, and microwave absorption properties of Sr1−x Nd x Fe12−x Co x O19 (x =0–0.4) were studied via X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, vibrating sample magnetometer, and vector network analyzer, respectively. Single-phase M-type strontium hexaferrites, with a chemical composition of Sr1−x Nd x Fe12−x Co x O19 (x =0–0.3), were formed by being heated at 1200 ˚C for 3h in air. Saturation magnetization and coercivity reached a maximum at x =0.2. For samples with x =0.2, a minimum reflection loss of −22dB was obtained at 16.2GHz for a layer of 1.9mm in thickness. The reflection loss of Sr0.8Nd0.2Fe11.8Co0.2O19 ferrite (1.5–3.0mm in thickness) is less than −10dB over the range of 9.8–18GHz. It indicates that the substituted Nd–Co can greatly improve the microwave absorption properties of SrFe12O19 hexaferrites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An absorbing medium is prepared using nanosize carbon black (CB) blended with nanosize silicon carbide (SiC). The medium improves the wave absorption properties and the wave band of the single CB absorbent. The microstructure, conductivity, dielectric property, and microwave absorption of the material are studied by means of field emission scanning electron microscopy, trielectrode method, and vector network analyzer respectively. The results show that SiC can reduce the percolation threshold of CB/epoxide resin composite. Addition of certain mass of SiC can improve the microwave absorption of the composite. When 5wt.% carbon black is blended with 50wt.% SiC to fabricate a composite with a 2mm thickness, the maximum reflection loss becomes −41dB at 9GHz, and the −10dB bandwidth reaches 6GHz. Thus, the prepared composite has the potential for use in electromagnetic absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Chinese government has made great efforts to control waste pesticide bottles (WPBs) pollution, improper treatment methods adopted by smallholder farmers have caused serious pollution in rural China. Existing studies have shown that institutional design at the government, market and public aspect has a significant impact on farmers' adoption of environmentally friendly treatment methods, while their overall effect and internal relationship remain unexplored hitherto. To address the research gap, 800 households engaged in agricultural production from five representative provinces were used to explore the effect of the current institutional system on impelling farmers to dispose of WPBs ex situ as a whole from three aspects: government environmental regulation, market instrument and personal characteristic, and reveal the relationship between these three aspects of institutional designs, by applying the two-stage Heckman model and moderating effect model. The statistical results showed that among the 670 households using pesticides in agricultural production, 48.80% of households disposed of WPBs in situ, and only 0.30% of households adopted formal treatment method. Other households discarded WPBs with household garbage or sold them to recyclers. The empirical results revealed that regulation stipulations, recycling price, economic compensation and environmental cognition contributed to impel farmers to dispose of WPBs ex situ, among which recycling price had the largest relative effect. However, general village regulations and conventions, specific village regulations on solid waste management, regulation execution and regulation propaganda did not play the role in promoting farmers' adoption of environmentally friendly treatment methods. Besides, only economic compensation exerted synergistic effect on regulation stipulations, and the complementary relationship between economic compensation and environmental cognition was not revealed. Based on the direct and moderating effects of the current institutional system, policy implications were distilled point-to-point to provide reference for policy makers to adjust and optimize the policy formulation and implementation in a timely manner and contribute to the recycling and harmless treatment of WPBs in rural China. Furthermore, the findings also provided first-hand information and new perspective for researchers to understand China's institutional system and internal mechanism. [Display omitted] • Discarding waste pesticide bottles are causing environmental problems in rural China. • 48.80% of households disposed of waste pesticide bottles in situ in rural China. • The measures from government and market had positive effect on proper disposal. • Soft constraints did not show significant effect. • Synergies between the different policies have not yet been achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Potential of perovskite materials in underwater (UW) photovoltaic cells is systematically investigated. • Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) demonstrate significant advantages for UW applications in water with different depth and clarity. • The inorganic PSCs can obtain the PCE of 41.9% even in deep water, obviously higher than silicon cells. • This work reveals the significant value of inorganic PSCs in power supply for underwater device. Power supply for underwater devices such as vehicles, sensors and autonomous systems is an important factor which limits their practical application. Solar energy is a promising energy source but high-efficient solar cells on land cannot maintain their original superiority for the change of underwater solar irradiance caused by absorption and scattering in water. Here, we investigate the solar irradiance for water with different clarity and discuss the potential applications of different materials in underwater photovoltaic cells. By calculating and comparing the device performance of underwater solar cells (UWSCs) with different bandgap, it is demonstrated that wide bandgap (1.8 eV-2.3 eV) inorganic perovskite solar cells (IPSCs) have significant advantages for underwater applications due to its outstanding photoelectric properties and suitable range of bandgap. The IPSCs can obtain the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 41.9% and power density of 3.11 mW/cm2 at the depth of 50 m in water, which is obviously higher than silicon solar cells. No matter what types of water we choose, the optimal bandgap of UWSC's active layer get wider with the increasing of water depth and the wide bandgap inorganic perovskites with 2.0–2.2 eV is an optimal choice. Our work reveals the significance of IPSCs in underwater photovoltaic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present that atomic layer deposition (ALD) of TiO 2 thin layer on SnO 2 electron transport layer (ETL) could simultaneously boost the crystallization control of CsPbIBr 2 absorber film and band alignment of all-inorganic perovskite solar cell (PSC). The former awards the desired CsPbIBr 2 film characterized by high crystallinity, weak halide phase separation, as well as extremely uniform- and large-sized grains. And, the latter brings a cascade pathway for electron extraction and transport in the cell. Such combined morphology tailoring and interface engineering are extremely beneficial to suppress both bulk recombination and interfacial recombination of charge carrier. As a result, the cell' efficiency can be boosted from 6.11% to 9.31%, which is beyond all the pure CsPbIBr 2 -based PSCs reported to date. Therefore, our works highlight the dual functions of ALD-processed TiO 2 interfacial layer in processing high-performance all-inorganic PSC. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of TiO 2 thin layer on SnO 2 electron transport layer could simultaneously boost the crystallization control of CsPbIBr 2 absorber film and band alignment of all-inorganic perovskite solar cell. Thus, the cell efficiency can be boosted from 6.11% to the record-high value of 9.31%. Image 1 • ALD-processed TiO 2 on SnO 2 ETL triggers dual functions of crystallization control and band alignment in CsPbIBr 2 PSC. • Crystallization control enables high crystallinity, weak phase separation, and uniformly large-sized grains in CsPbIBr 2 film. • Band alignment facilitates a cascade pathway for electron extraction and transport. • The dual functions of TiO 2 thin layer boost efficiency of pure CsPbIBr 2 -based cell to the record-high value of 9.31%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The influence of interface effect between inclusion particles and matrix in composite on electromagnetic wave absorbing characteristics has been investigated. Firstly, an effective permittivity model of composite with interfacial shell is established. And then the formula for the effective permittivity and permeability of composite with interface is derived based on the effective medium theory. According to the proposed formula and transmission line theory, the influence of the interface effect on the electromagnetic wave absorption characteristics is discussed. The size effect of the inclusion on the reflection loss of absorbing composite is also studied. All these results indicate that the interface effect of inclusion particle should be considered in design and application of the electromagnetic wave absorbing composites when the size of the filler particles is in micron range. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Airborne particulate matter presents a serious health threat to human beings, but in China there have until now been few epidemiological studies, especially regarding the impact of ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ). This study explored first the temporal and spatial characteristics of ambient airborne PM 2.5 in China, 2013. Mortality, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic bronchitis were then evaluated as four health endpoints attributed to PM 2.5 . The results showed that the average annual PM 2.5 concentration was 72.71 μg/m 3 ; the PM 2.5 concentration was below 35 μg/m 3 for only 6% of the time, for the whole year. In terms of the PM 2.5 concentration, January (133.10 μg/m 3 ) and December (120.19 μg/m 3 ) were the most polluted months, whereas July (38.76 μg/m 3 ) and August (41.31 μg/m 3 ) were the least polluted months. The most highly polluted areas were concentrated in North China. In terms of the health endpoints attributable to PM 2.5 , there were 763,595 mortality, 149,754 cardiovascular diseases, 446,035 respiratory diseases, and 2,389,035 chronic bronchitis cases. Results were very important to clarify the current PM 2.5 pollution situation and the health impact of PM 2.5 in China. And also provided a reference for the assessing damage caused by PM 2.5 pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Halide phase segregation of CsPbIBr 2 films on TiO 2 ETL and NiO x HTL is investigated. • Halide phase segregation is reversible for CsPbIBr 2 film on TiO 2 ETL, while it irreversible for the one on NiO x HTL. • Irreversible halide phase segregation induces inferior performance and stability of CsPbIBr 2 PSCs. • The obstacles caused by halide phase segregation could be overcome by optimizing charge transport layers. All-inorganic perovskite CsPbIBr 2 has emerged as one of promising candidates for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to its feasible thermal stability and relatively narrow bandgap. However, the current CsPbIBr 2 PSCs are generally faced with serious halide phase segregation issues. Herein, halide phase segregation phenomenon of CsPbIBr 2 films grown on the typical electron transporting layer (ETL) and hole transporting layer (HTL) of CsPbIBr 2 PSCs are studied. We show that such a phenomenon is reversible and can be fully recovered for CsPbIBr 2 film grown on TiO 2 ETL. However, a plenty of iodide ions are captured by surficial oxygen-vacancy defects of NiO x HTL, which hinders the recovery of halide phase segregation of CsPbIBr 2 film on it. Thus, halide phase segregation has a margin influence on photoelectric conversion properties and stability of CsPbIBr 2 film on TiO 2 ETL, while it significantly damages the photoelectric conversion characters and stability of CsPbIBr 2 film on NiO x HTL. Our work indicates that the obstacles caused by halide phase segregation of CsPbIBr 2 films could be overcome by optimizing the charge transporting layer, and it suggests a promising strategy to further improve the performance and stability of CsPbIBr 2 PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An effective permittivity model of composite with interfacial shell is established. The concentric core–shell ellipsoidal particle randomly mixed with matrix is replaced by solid particle mixed with the same matrix, and the equivalent solid particle has the same radius as the original coating shell. Based on the effective medium theory, the formula for the effective permittivity of two-phase composite with interface is derived, then a simple self-consistent method is applied to modify the formula. With the modified formula, the influence of the structure parameter, the permittivity of the shell, the shape and the volume content of the core on the effective permittivity are investigated. The theoretical results on the effective permittivity of polystyrene–barium titanate composites with interfaces are in agreement with the experimental data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Airborne particulate matter presents a serious health threat to human beings, but in China there have until now been few epidemiological studies, especially regarding the impact of ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ). This study explored first the temporal and spatial characteristics of ambient airborne PM 2.5 in China, 2013. Mortality, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic bronchitis were then evaluated as four health endpoints attributed to PM 2.5 . The results showed that the average annual PM 2.5 concentration was 72.71 μg/m 3 ; the PM 2.5 concentration was below 35 μg/m 3 for only 6% of the time, for the whole year. In terms of the PM 2.5 concentration, January (133.10 μg/m 3 ) and December (120.19 μg/m 3 ) were the most polluted months, whereas July (38.76 μg/m 3 ) and August (41.31 μg/m 3 ) were the least polluted months. The most highly polluted areas were concentrated in North China. In terms of the health endpoints attributable to PM 2.5 , there were 763,595 mortality, 149,754 cardiovascular diseases, 446,035 respiratory diseases, and 2,389,035 chronic bronchitis cases. Results were very important to clarify the current PM 2.5 pollution situation and the health impact of PM 2.5 in China. And also provided a reference for the assessing damage caused by PM 2.5 pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]