Search

Cheap Ni catalysts are highly active for the catalytic conversion of biomass, but it is challenging to prepare Ni-based catalysts with high selectivity and stability under mild conditions. Adjusting the adsorption strength of Ni catalysts to reaction substrates and intermediates by metal introduction is an effective strategy to achieve high yields of products. In this paper, a series of xNi-Al2O3/CN catalysts were prepared by introducing Al content as a variable and were used for hydrogenation of furfural (FAL) to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFOL). Under the mild condition of 90 °C, the yield of the 3Ni–Al2O3/CN catalyst with the optimal Ni/Al ratio of 3:1 reached 99.9%, which was 8.3 times that of Ni/CN without Al. The improvement in the catalytic performance was mainly attributed to the enhanced interaction of Ni and Al2O3 by Al introduction, which increased the content of active Ni0 and Lewis acid. This not only promoted the adsorption and activation of H2 and FAL but also increased the adsorption strength of 3Ni–Al2O3/CN on the intermediate FOL to improve THFOL selectivity. The correlation between the modulation of Al content and catalytic performance was explored in detail through relevant characterization and theoretical calculations. In addition, Al-introduced 3Ni–Al2O3/CN maintained high stability over 10 cycles relative to the rapid deactivation of Ni/CN, which was attributed to the strong interaction of Ni–Al2O3. This strategy to modulate the activation ability of the catalyst provides a reference for the logical design of efficient bifunctional metal catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevention and treatment of organic pollutants in wastewater have attracted extensive attention because they threaten ecological balance and human health. Traditional wastewater treatment technologies, such as physical, chemical, biological methods, etc., are still limiting and challenging due to some factors, such as high energy consumption, chemical agents, low efficiency, and secondary pollution. At present, gliding arc plasma, based on equilibrium/non-equilibrium in plasma temperature, demonstrates itself to be one of the most promising technologies for the degradation of refractory organics with its fast degradation rates, no secondary contamination, high efficiency, and so on. The theoretical mechanisms and typical applications of gliding arc plasma degradation of wastewater are introduced in detail in this paper. The physical and chemical characteristics of gliding arc plasma and the role of the reactive species in the plasma are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Stoichiometric rules may explain the allometric scaling among biological traits and body size, a fundamental law of nature. However, testing the scaling of elemental stoichiometry and growth to size over the course of plant ontogeny is challenging.Here, we used a fast‐growing bamboo species to examine how the concentrations and contents of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), relative growth rate (G), and nutrient productivity scale with whole‐plant mass (M) at the culm elongation and maturation stages.The whole‐plant C content vs M and N content vs P content scaled isometrically, and the N or P content vs M scaled as a general 3/4 power function across both growth stages. The scaling exponents of G vs M and N (and P) productivity in newly grown mass vs M relationships across the whole growth stages decreased as a −1 power function.These findings reveal the previously undocumented generality of stoichiometric allometries over the course of plant ontogeny and provide new insights for understanding the origin of ubiquitous quarter‐power scaling laws in the biosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use of improved seeds (hybrids, transgenic, etc.) in agriculture is a common practice in our days. Resulted plants could improve crop yield or to develop in less adequate geoclimatic conditions, responding those to challenges raised by global change. However, at now there are limited information on potential impact of such plants on soil properties and microbiota. Considering that microbiota are key mediators of soil functions and ecosystem processes it is important to fulfil such gaps. The objective of this study was to identify if different genetic varieties of Cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), grown in same conditions, could influence root exudates (mainly carbohydrates) and rhizosphere microbiota profile. Randomized complete block rhizo-box experiment was performed with identic soil under similar growing conditions of genetic varieties Cherry tomatoes. PLFA and carbohydrates were analysed on GC-FID. In soil where tomatoes were grown the total PLFA amount was approximately two times higher compared with that detected from control (669.1 nmolg-1), which means that tomato root rhizosphere and exudates could influence soil microbiota. The average value of total PLFA for heirloom varieties was 1575.5 nmolg-1 while for hybrid varieties was 1269.4 nmolg-1. ANOVA test revealed significant differences between genetic type varieties of Cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) rhizosphere microbiota community structure. Gram-positive, gram-negative bacteria and fungi abundance decreased in hybrid Cherry tomato varieties rhizosphere soils. Decreases in microbial and fungi community abundance may be related with decrease in carbohydrates content following with grown of different genetic hybrid varieties of Cherry tomato where some species exudates are reduced in essential carbohydrates content.