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A large amount of kitchen waste is produced all over the world. Biochemical disposal is an effective method for the reduction and safe utilization of kitchen waste. However, high salinity, low maturity and poor biocompatibility were encountered when utilizing the biochemical residue of kitchen waste (BRKW) as a kind of soil amendment. To reduce the high salinity, accelerate the maturity and improve the biocompatibility in the BRKW, this study used the BRKW as the main feedstock for earthworms after hydrolyzed polymaleic anhydride (HPMA) was added and focused on revealing the effect of HPMA addition combined with the vermicomposting process on the growth of earthworms and on the basic physicochemical properties and the microbial diversity of the derived vermicompost. The results showed that HPMA addition can promote earthworm growth and reproduction. The pH, electric conductivity, organic matter content, C/N and NH

Aiming to reveal the humification process of organic waste and its contribution to the heavy metal behaviour affected by earthworm activity, it was studied about the variation of humic acid (HA) and heavy metal behaviour during vermicomposting of the mixed pig manure and 13C-labelled rice straw. The results showed that earthworms could well adapt to the culturing environment and feed organic matter for its growth and reproduction, the vermicomposting process increased the content of humic substances (HS), HA, and fulvic acid (FA) in substrate residues, but led to less transformation of HA into FA. The elemental, ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and fluorescence excitation–emission matrix (EEM) analysis indicated that vermicomposting led to more aromatic structures and much higher humification degree in HA, whereas less protein, FA-like substances and plastein in HA. Vermicomposting could enhance the total Cu content and decrease Cu/Zn bioavailability in the substrate residues, and vermicomposting especially can help stabilize Cu in the substrate residues by forming more complexed HA–Cu.

Cyanobacterial bloom is by far one of the most common water quality hazards. As cyanobacteria are rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and other organic matter, the potential for beneficial use of cyanobacteria is promising. Aerobic composting is currently a hot topic of research in cyanobacteria treatment, which can effectively achieve reduction, recycling, and removal of the harmful impact of cyanobacteria. In this review, the characteristics of cyanobacteria in aerobic composting processes, the effects of physical, chemical, and biological factors on the composting process, and the degradation of microcystic toxins were systematically discussed and summarized. This review epitomizes the large quantities of research data collected by many scholars around the world to address the characteristics of "one low and five highs" in the aerobic cyanobacterial composting process. The composting techniques developed are effective and easy to adopt in the real world, such as adjusting the substrate C/N ratio and moisture content and use of chemical and biological additives to achieve reduction, recycling, and detoxication of the cyanobacterial wastes. The aim of this comprehensive review is to provide theoretical guidance and reference for further development and application of aerobic cyanobacteria composting technology.

Aiming to reveal the humification process of organic waste and its contribution to the heavy metal behaviour affected by earthworm activity, it was studied about the variation of humic acid (HA) and heavy metal behaviour during vermicomposting of the mixed pig manure and

The response of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process and granular sludge in the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor was analyzed under long-term exposure to MnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) (1–200 mg L−1). The addition of 200 mg L−1 MnO2 NPs had a significantly positive effect on nitrogen removal and this system exhibited excellent performance, with a total nitrogen removal efficiency of 93.1%. Moreover, the specific anammox activity enhanced with increasing concentrations of MnO2 NPs up to the maximum value of 657.3 ± 9.3 mg TN g−1 VSS d−1 under MnO2 NPs concentration of 200 mg L−1. This value was approximately 1.6-fold higher than that of the reactor in the absence of MnO2 NPs. The extracellular polymeric substances and settling velocity were both increased with MnO2 NPs addition. Meanwhile, the high-throughput sequencing results revealed that MnO2 NPs increased the relative abundance of dominant bacteria (Candidatus Kuenenia) from 17.3% at the absence of MnO2 NPs to 23.9% at 200 mg L−1 MnO2 NPs, which resulted in a higher efficiency of biological nitrogen removal on the anammox system. These results indicated that MnO2 NPs enhanced nitrogen removal performance of anammox process.

Ammonia emission during composting results in anthropogenic odor nuisance and reduces the agronomic value of the compost due to the loss of nitrogen. Adjusting the operating parameters during composting is an emerging in situ odor control technique that is cheap and highly efficient. The effects of in situ NH3 emission control were investigated in this study by simultaneously adjusting key operating parameters (such as C/N ratio, aeration rate, and moisture content) during the composting processes (C1-C9). Results showed that the average NH3 emission concentrations for different treatments were in the order of C1 > C4 > C2 > C5 > C3 > C6 > C7 > C8 > C9. The total content of NH3 emission (21.02 g/kg) in C9 (C/N ratio = 35, aeration rate = 15 L/min, and moisture content = 60%) was much lower than that (65.95 g/kg) in C1 (C/N ratio = 15, aeration rate = 5 L/min, and moisture content = 60%). The nitrogen loss ratio was 27.36% for C1, while 16.15% for C9. The microbial diversity and abundance in C9 and C1 were compared using high-throughput sequencing. The relationship between NH3 emission, operating parameters, and the related functional microbial communities was also investigated. Results revealed that Nitrosospira, Nitrosomonas, Nitrobacter, Pseudomonas, Methanosaeta, Rhodobacter, Paracoccus, and Sphingobacterium were negatively related to NH3 emission. According to the above results, the optimal values for different operating parameters for the in situ NH3 control during kitchen waste composting were, respectively, moisture content of 70%, C/N ratio of 35, and aeration rate of 15 L/min, with the order of effectiveness from high to low being aeration rate > C/N > moisture. This information could be used as a valuable reference for the in situ NH3 emission control during kitchen waste composting.

A binary hybrid system comprising a hypervalent iodine(III) reagent and BF3•OEt2 Lewis acid was found to be effective for the diastereoselective α-acetoxylation of cyclic ketones. In this hybrid system, BF3•OEt2 Lewis acid allowed the activation of the hypervalent iodine(III) reagent and cyclic ketones for smooth α-acetoxylation reaction, achieving high diastereoselectivity. This hypervalent iodine-mediated α-acetoxylation of the cyclic ketone reaction plausibly undergoes an SN2 substitution mechanism via an α-C-bound hypervalent iodine intermediate. The diastereoselectivity of the reaction mainly originates from thermodynamic control.

Hazardous anatoxin-a (ANTX-a) is produced by freshwater algal blooms worldwide, which greatly increases the risk of consumer exposure. Although ANTX-a shows widespread neurotoxicity in aquatic animals, little is known about its mechanism of action and biotransformation in biological systems, especially in immunobiological models. In this study, transmission electron microscopy results showed that ANTX-a can destroy lymphocytes of Carassius auratus in vitro by inducing cytoplasmic concentration, vacuolation, and swollen mitochondria. DNA fragmentations clearly showed a ladder pattern in agarose gel electrophoresis, which demonstrated that the apoptosis of fish lymphocytes was caused by exposure to ANTX-a. Flow cytometry results showed that the apoptotic percentage of fish lymphocytes exposed to 0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/L of ANTX-a for 12 h reached 18.89, 22.89, 39.23, and 35.58%, respectively. ANTX-a exposure induced a significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malonaldehyde (MDA) in lymphocytes. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and the glutathione (GSH) content of the 0.01 mg/L ANTX-a-treated group decreased significantly by about 41, 46, 67, and 54% compared with that of the control group (p < 0.01), respectively. Although these observations were dose-dependent, these results suggested that ANTX-a can induce lymphocyte apoptosis via intracellular oxidative stress and destroy the antioxidant system after a short exposure time of only 12 h. Besides neurotoxicity, ANTX-a may also be toxic to the immune system of fish, even when the fish are exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations, which clearly demonstrated that the potential health risks induced by ANTX-a in aquatic organisms requires attention.

The widespread existence of lead (Pb) contamination in soil has received extensive attention. To effectively slow lead-ion (Pb2+) migration and promote plant growth in heavy metal-contaminated soil as well as to realize the resource utilization of solid waste, vermireactors were used to obtain vermicompost using cow dung mixed with modified mineral (MM) as feedstock material for Eisenia fetida. Vermicompost was characterized first, and then its slowing effect on Pb2+ migration in soil was further evaluated through pot experiments. The results demonstrated that earthworms could grow well in cow dung and mineral vermireactors, and earthworm activity increased the cation exchange capacity (CEC), total nutrient content and surface area but decreased the pH, carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N) and organic matter content in the vermicompost. The addition of MM resulted in an increase in the pH, CEC, and surface area but a decrease in the C/N of the vermicompost. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the addition of MM increased the contents of quartz, CaCO3, CaO and MgO in the vermicompost. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated that comparatively less carbohydrates, lipids and polysaccharides and more aromatic compounds existed in the vermicompost, and the addition of MM increased the number of Me-O groups. Pot experiments showed that the application of vermicompost from cow dung and mineral vermireactors significantly promoted the growth of celery cabbage and reduced the Pb content in its edible parts and the Pb bioavailability in soil. Thus, it is possible to use cow dung and mineral vermireactors to optimize the properties of vermicompost for its use as a soil amendment to remediate Pb contamination.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is widely distributed in various environmental media and is toxic to organisms. This study demonstrated that PFOA induces hepatotoxicity in the frog and evaluated the role of CYP3A and the Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway in regulating responses to PFOA-induced hepatotoxicity. Rana nigromaculata were exposed to 0, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, or 1 mg/L PFOA solutions in a static-renewal system for 14 days. Liver tissue samples were collected 24 h after the last treatment. Hepatic histology was observed by HE staining and transmission electron microscopy. The oxidative stress levels in the liver were measured. The expression levels of CYP3A, Nrf2, NQO1, and HO-1 mRNA were measured by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. PFOA-treated frog liver tissue exhibited diffuse cell borders, cytoplasmic vacuolization, broken nuclei, nuclear chromatin margination, and swollen mitochondria. In addition, the livers of PFOA-treated frogs showed a significantly elevated content of reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, glutathione and glutathione S-transferase activity compared to the livers of control frogs. However, the glutathione peroxidase activities concomitantly decreased in PFOA-treated frogs compared to those in the control group. Furthermore, compared with control frogs, the expression levels of CYP3A, Nrf2, and NQO1 mRNA significantly increased in PFOA-treated frogs. HO-1 mRNA expression remarkably increased only in groups treated with 0.5 or 1 mg/L PFOA. Our results indicate that PFOA induces hepatotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the results of the comparison analysis between different gender groups illustrated that PFOA is more toxic to female frogs than male frogs. Our results demonstrated that PFOA causes liver damage and that CYP3A enhances PFOA-induced female frogs hepatotoxicity are more virulent than male through biotransformation, and the activation of the Nrf2-ARE pathway is induced to protect against hepatotoxicity in Rana nigromaculata, all of which provide the scientific basis for the protection of amphibians against environmental contaminants.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination has become serious in soil and in situ stabilization technology has been widely used for heavy metal remediation. A field study was conducted to determine the effect of amendments with the doses of 3 kg/m2, including single vermicompost (A1), a 95% vermicompost mixed with 5% shell powder composite (A2) and a 95% vermicompost mixed with 5% modified shell powder composite (A3), on the Cd bioavailability, enzyme activity and bacterial community in soil, and the experiment was conducted with lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) grown in a Cd-contaminated farmland soil. The results showed that the application of amendments increased the pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic matter (OM), available nutrients, catalase (S-CAT), invertase (S-SC) and urease (S-UE) activities in soil, while significantly reduced the Cd bioavailability with the lowest Cd bioavailability being observed in the soil with A3 application. The soil bacterial richness and diversity increased after amendments application, and the bacterial community was characterized by an increase in metal-tolerant bacteria but a decrease in Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria and Gemmatimonadetes. In addition, the application of amendments significantly improved the growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and inhibited Cd accumulation in its edible parts, especially, the Cd content in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) grown in soil with A3 application was below the limit of the National Food Safety Standard of China (maximum level ≤ 0.2 mg/kg). Thus, composite amendment obtained from vermicompost mixed with modified shell powder can be used as potential remediation material in Cd-contaminated soil. Capsule Composite amendment obtained from vermicompost and modified shell powder had good effects on remediation of Cd-contaminated soil.

Organic waste has great potential for use as an amendment to immobilize heavy metals in the environment. Therefore, this study investigates various properties of cow manure (CM) and its derived vermicompost (CV), including the pH, cationic exchangeable capacity (CEC), elemental composition and surface structure, to determine the potential of these waste products to remove Pb2+ and Cd2+ from solution. The results demonstrate that CV has a much higher pH, CEC and more irregular pores than CM and is enriched with minerals and ash content but has a lower C, H, O and N content. Adsorption isotherms studies shows that the adsorption of Pb2+ and Cd2+ onto either CM or CV follows a Langmuir model and presents maximum Pb2+ and Cd2+ adsorption capacities of 102.77 mg g−1 and 38.11 mg g−1 onto CM and 170.65 and 43.01 mg g−1 onto CV, respectively. Kinetic studies show that the adsorption of Pb2+ onto CM and CV fits an Elovich model, whereas the adsorption of Cd2+ onto CM and CV fits a pseudo-second-order model. Desorption studies indicate that CV is more effective than CM in removing Pb2+ and Cd2+. FTIR analysis demonstrates that the adsorption of Pb2+ and Cd2+ onto CM mainly depends on existed aliphatic alcohol, aromatic acid as well as new produced carbonates, whereas that onto CV may be contributed by the existed aliphatic alcohol, aromatic acids as well as some carbonates and phosphates. Thus, vermicomposting disposal of cow manure with destination mineral addition may broaden the way of its recycle and environmental usage.

Waste emissions have increased the amount of water and soil contaminated with heavy metals such as Pb. To broaden the methods for the recycling and environmental usage of cow manure (CM) and its vermicompost (CV), CM, CV, and their derived biochars produced by the pyrolysis of CM or CV at 350 and 700 °C were used as adsorbents for Pb

The C/N ratio and carrier type strongly affect aerobic denitrification and are critical for nitrogen removal by sequencing batch reactor (SBR) processes. Poly (1,4-butanediol succinate) (1,4-PBS) is a biodegradable material that provides electrons to denitrifying microorganisms. The effect of carrier on the aerobic denitrifying microorganisms is worth further studying. In this study, aerobic denitrifying microorganisms were combined with 1,4-PBS to evaluate the effects of microbial biomass on the biodegradable carriers and nitrogen removal efficiency. High-throughput sequencing results indicated that after 45 days of the operation, the Shannon index of bacteria in the 1,4-PBS group increased from 4.48 (phase I, C/N = 5 at 1–8 days) to 5.74 (phase II, C/N = 10 at 9–20 days) and continuously increased to 6.68 in phase III (C/N = 20, 21–45 days). The peak total nitrogen (TN), NH4+-N and total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiencies were 56.4%, 75.49% and 59.56% respectively at high C/N of 20. This result indicated that PBS significantly increased microbial diversity and indirectly changed the structure of microbial communities. Moreover, principal component analysis (PCA) showed that 1,4-PBS might change the microbial community. Specifically, 1,4-PBS might increase microbial diversity and indirectly change the structure of microbial communities. Meanwhile, the content of extracellular polymeric substances increased to 416.33 g g−1 VSS. 3D-EEM spectra showed that protein-like and humic acid-like substances were the main components in SMPs, and the fluorescence intensity increased in the initial 31 days and decreased in the following 14 days. Therefore, 1,4-PBS can efficiently improve the nitrogen removal performance of microbial communities. This study offers a reliable reference for the effects of biodegradable carriers on the nitrogen removal performance of microorganisms.

Waste emissions have increased the amount of water and soil contaminated with heavy metals such as Pb. To broaden the methods for the recycling and environmental usage of cow manure (CM) and its vermicompost (CV), CM, CV, and their derived biochars produced by the pyrolysis of CM or CV at 350 and 700 °C were used as adsorbents for Pb2+ removal in this batch adsorption experiment to reveal their different Pb2+ removal efficiencies and the underlying mechanisms. The batch experiment results revealed that all adsorbents rapidly removed Pb2+ within 30 min. A pH between 2.0 and 6.0 positively affected Pb2+ removal by CM and its biochar, whereas that by CV and its biochar was only positively affected by pH between 2.0 and 3.0. CV-derived biochar was more effective in the removal of Pb2+ than the other absorbents, with the maximum adsorption capacities (Qm) fitted from the Langmuir model reaching approximately 230.0 mg·g−1 and the desorption rate (DR) being approximately 0.00–0.02%. Material physiochemical characterization, including X-ray diffraction analysis, showed that high pH, high ash content, rich mineral content, and high mineral contents might have been the main reasons for more effective removal of Pb2+ from aqueous solutions by CV-derived biochar. Fourier-transform infrared analysis indicated that surface functional groups such as –OH, C O, –COO–, and C–O; original and newly produced carbonate; and phosphate in CV also led to more effective Pb2+ removal efficiency from aqueous solution via surface functional group binding. Thus, pyrolyzing CVs may be used to produce biochar as a cost-effective adsorbent for heavy metal remediation in soil and water in the future.

The increasing release of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) from consumer products has raised great concerns about their impacts on biological wastewater treatment. In this study, the widely-used ZnO NP was selected as a model NP to investigate its impact on high-rate denitrifying granular sludge in terms of sludge properties and community structure. A hormesis effect was observed during short-term exposure, in which the specific denitrification activity (SDA) was stimulated by 10% at 1 mg L−1 ZnO NPs, but inhibited by 23% at 5.0 mg L−1 ZnO NPs. When continuously exposed to 2.5 mg L−1 ZnO NPs, the nitrogen removal capacity of the denitrification reactor was nearly deprived within 15 days, and the relative abundance of the dominant denitrifying bacterium (Castellaniella) was decreased from 51.0 to 8.0%. Meanwhile, the dehydrogenase activity (DHA) and the content of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) significantly decreased to 22.3 and 61.1%, respectively. Nevertheless, the presence of phosphate substantially weakened the adverse effects of ZnO NPs on the SDA, EPS, DHA and the relative abundance of functional genes even exposed to 6.25 mg L−1 ZnO NPs, which was associated with the fact that the level of Zn(II) released from ZnO NPs was significantly reduced in the presence of phosphate. Therefore, the toxicity of ZnO NPs may be mainly attributed to the release of toxic Zn(II) and could be attenuated in the presence of phosphate. Overall, this study provided further reference and meaningful insights into the impact of engineered NPs on biological wastewater treatment.

Ammonia emission during composting results in anthropogenic odor nuisance and reduces the agronomic value of the compost due to the loss of nitrogen. Adjusting the operating parameters during composting is an emerging in situ odor control technique that is cheap and highly efficient. The effects of in situ NH

Odor problem has become a growing concern for municipal solid waste (MSW) operators and communities located close to landfill sites. In this study, nine laboratory-scale landfill reactors were used to simulate in-situ odor control by a novel landfill cover material consisting of biochar-added sludge compost under various operating parameters. Characterization of odor removal and microbial community in the cover layer under various operating parameters was conducted using gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry and 454 high-throughput pyrosequencing, respectively. Results showed that H2S (76.9–86.0%) and volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) (12.3–21.7%) were dominant according to their theoretical generated odor concentrations. The total odor REs calculated using the theoretical odor concentrations in the landfill reactors were different than using the measured odor values, which were ranked from high to low as: R6 > R5 > R7 > R4 > R8 > R9 > R3 > R2 > R1, showing the largest discrepancy of 25.3%. The optimum combination of operating parameters based on the theoretical odor concentration was different with that based on the measured odor concentrations. Moreover, although Firmicutes (12.21–91.48%), Proteobacteria (3.55–51.03%), and Actinobacteria (4.01–47.39%) were in general the three major bacterial phyla found in the landfill covers, the detailed bacterial communities in the cover materials of the simulated reactors varied with various operating parameters. Alicyclobacillus and Tuberibacillus showed positive correlations with the removal efficiencies (REs) of chlorinated compounds, H2S, aromatic compounds, volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs), and organic acids. The correlations of Rhodanobacter, Gemmatimonas, Flavisolibacter and Sphingomonas were strongly positive with ammonia RE and relatively positive with REs of organic acids, VOSCs, and aromatic compounds. These findings are instrumental in understanding the relationship between the structure of microbial communities and odor removal performances, and in developing techniques for in-situ odor control at landfills.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a perfluorinated compound that is widely distributed, is persistent in the environment, and has a low-level chronic exposure effect on human health. The aim of this study was to investigate the peroxisome proliferator activated receptors γ (PPARγ) and the sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2) signaling pathways in regulating the lipid damage response to PFOA in the livers of amphibians. Male and female frogs (Rana nigromaculata) were exposed to 0, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mg/L PFOA. After treatment, we evaluated the pathological changes in the liver by Oil Red O, staining and examined the total cholesterol (T-CHO) and triglyceride (TG) contents. The mRNA expression levels of PPARγ, Fatty acid synthase (FAS), Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), SREBP2 and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA (HMG-CoA) were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The administration of PFOA caused marked lipid accumulation damage in the amphibian livers. The T-CHO contents were elevated significantly after PFOA treatment; these results show a dose-dependent manner in both sexes. The TG content showed a significant increase in male livers, while it was elevated significantly in female livers. The RT-PCR results showed that the mRNA expression levels of PPARγ, ACC, FAS, GPAT, SREBP2 and HMG-CoA were significantly dose-dependently increased in the PFOA-treated groups compared with those of the control group. Our results demonstrated that PFOA-induced lipid accumulation also affected the expression levels of genes FAS, ACC, GPAT and HMG-CoA in the PPARγ and SREBP2 signaling pathways in the liver. These finding will provide a scientific theoretical basis for the protection of Rana nigromaculata against PFOA effects.

In this work, a mixture of pig manure and

Microcystin-leucine-arginine (MCLR) is the most popular and toxic variant among microcystins, which can cause severe reproductive toxicity to animals. However, the mechanisms of reproductive toxicity induced by MCLR in amphibians are still not entirely clear. In the current study, toxicity mechanisms of MCLR on the reproductive system of male Rana nigromaculata followed by low concentration (0, 0.1, 1, and 10 μg/L) and short-term (0, 7, and 14 days) MCLR exposure were shown. It was observed that MCLR could be bioaccumulated in the testes of male frogs, and the theoretical bioaccumulation factor values were 0.24 and 0.19 exposed to 1 μg/L and 10 μg/L MCLR for 14 days, respectively. MCLR exposure significantly decreased testosterone (T) concentrations and increased estradiol (E2) concentrations exposed to 1 and 10 μg/L MCLR for 14 days. The mRNA levels of HSD17B3 were downregulated, and HSD17B1 and CYP19A1 mRNA expression levels were upregulated, respectively. Only 10 μg/L MCLR group showed significant induction of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) content. Moreover, AR and ESR1 mRNA expression levels were significantly upregulated exposed to 1 and 10 μg/L MCLR for 14 days, respectively. Our results suggested that low-concentration MCLR induced transcription changes of CYP19A1, HSD17B3, and HSD17B1 led to endocrine disorders, and caused interference of spermatogenesis by the decrease of T and abnormal gene expressions of AR and ESR1 in the testes of R. nigromaculata.

This study addresses the removal of phenol from aqueous solutions using solidified landfilled sewage sludge and its modified sludges as adsorbents. After the sludge was characterized using instrumental techniques, adsorption studies were performed in a batch system, and the effects of various experimental parameters were evaluated upon phenol adsorption. The characterization results revealed that more irregular pores, higher surface roughness, and a greater content of oxygen-containing functional groups formed in adsorbents derived from ZnCl2 or ZnCl2 and H2SO4 activation. Batch experiments revealed that pH had the weakest effect on phenol adsorption, regardless of the adsorbent type. With increasing adsorbent dosage, the phenol adsorption capacity decreased, and the phenol adsorption rate gradually increased. The maximum adsorption capacity occurred within 120 min, and a first-order kinetic model best described the adsorption. The equilibrium data fitted both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models well, whereas a much higher adsorption capacity and better adsorption strength were observed for phenol adsorption onto adsorbents derived from ZnCl2 or ZnCl2 and H2SO4 activation. The results demonstrated that the solidified landfilled sewage sludge previously modified by activator treatment had a heterogeneous surface and was an effective adsorbent for phenol removal from aqueous solution.

Organic waste has great potential for use as an amendment to immobilize heavy metals in the environment. Therefore, this study investigates various properties of cow manure (CM) and its derived vermicompost (CV), including the pH, cationic exchangeable capacity (CEC), elemental composition and surface structure, to determine the potential of these waste products to remove Pb

Switchable surface wettability that can be tuned reversibly between superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity has been successfully realized on indium hydroxide films with micro- and nanostructures. The films are superhydrophobic in the air with a water contact angle of 150.4 ± 0.9° while they turn superhydrophilic with a water contact angle of 0° after storage in an ammonia atmosphere, which means an ammonia responsive surface wettablity switch. The novel surface wettability is ascribed to the multiple surface structures and surface free energy conversion of the films. This kind of smart surface wettability is promising in developing new types of ammonia detectors simply by virtue of the surface wettability conversion.

A mixture of pig manure and maize straw was vermicomposted with Eisenia fetida or naturally composted for 60 days; basic parameters, heavy metal variation, dissolved organic matter (DOM) content, and its characterization were determined, aiming to explore different dynamics of DOM characterization and heavy metal variation during composting or vermicomposting. The results showed that vermicomposting led to higher pH, TC, and available P but lower EC, TN, available N, and available K in the substrate residues compared with natural composting; the total or available Cu/Zn content in the substrate residues similarly increased after composting or vermicomposting, but Cu was easily enriched in earthworm bodies and its intestinal vermicompost while vermicomposting enhanced the formation of dissolved Zn in DOM; moreover, much more fulvic and humic acid-like materials and much greater aromaticity were exhibited in DOM obtained from vermicomposting residues compared with DOM from composting residues, which may contribute to the variations of Cu/Zn enrichment in earthworms and its migration to the vermicomposting residues or its DOM.

Developing nanostructured electrocatalysts, with low overpotential, high selectivity and activity has fundamental and technical importance in many fields. We report here rhodium nanoparticle and mesoporous silicon nanowire (RhNP@mSiNW) hybrids for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) detection with high electrocatalytic activity and selectivity. By employing electrodes that loaded with RhNP@mSiNW nanohybrids, interference caused from both many electroactive substances and dissolved oxygen were eliminated by electrochemical assaying at an optimal potential of +75 mV. Furthermore, the electrodes exhibited a high detection sensitivity of 0.53 μA/mM and fast response (< 5 s). This high-performance nanohybrid electrocatalyst has great potential for future practical application in various oxidase-base biosensors.

Vermicomposting is an eco-friendly method for disposing of livestock and poultry manure. In addition, dissolved organic matter (DOM) can serve as a carrier that enhances the migration and transformation of heavy metals. Here, pig manure amended with rice straw was vermicomposted with Eisenia fetida. The DOM content, molecular weight distribution, and spectroscopic properties of the amended pig manure were measured before and after vermicomposting. The Cu and Zn concentrations in the earthworms increased from 8.24 and 17.63 to 40.75 and 362.78 mg/kg separately after vermicomposting, and the earthworms also increased the heavy metal availability in the vermicompost. Relative to the DOM properties of conventional compost, the DOM molecular weight decreased and varied widely following vermicomposting, and the C/N ratio of the DOM in the vermicompost treatments decreased from 10.37 to 8.60. The Fourier transform far-infrared (FTIR) and fluorescence spectra of the DOM indicated that the amounts of oxygen-containing structures increased while the ratio of humic acid to fulvic acid decreased following vermicomposting. Accordingly, the earthworms augmented the heavy metal mitigation risk in the pig manure. This augment potentially resulted from the decreased humic acid-to-fulvic acid (HA/FA) ratio from DOM structural changes.

Internal contact angle is an important parameter for internal wettability characterization. However, due to the limitation of optical imaging, methods available for contact angle measurement are only suitable for transparent or open systems. For most of the practical situations that require contact angle measurement in opaque or enclosed systems, the traditional methods are not effective. Based upon the requirement, a method suitable for contact angle measurement in nontransparent systems is developed by employing MRI technology. In the Article, the method is demonstrated by measuring internal contact angles in opaque cylindrical tubes. It proves that the method also shows great feasibility in transparent situations and opaque capillary systems. By using the method, contact angle in opaque systems could be measured successfully, which is significant in understanding the wetting behaviors in nontransparent systems and calculating interfacial parameters in enclosed systems.

Using hydroponic culture method, the effects of inorganic and organic nitrogen nutrients on drought resistance of rice (Oryza sativa L.) grown under drought stressful conditions induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) were studied. The results were as followed, drought stress made leaf water potential and root vigor decreased, in addition, the activities of SOD, POD and CAT enzyme were restrained by drought. But compared with rice treated with nitrogen shortage and NH4NO3 supply, lower dropping extent and relatively higher leaf water potential and root vigor were found in rice supplied with Gly, moreover, rice supplied with Gly can maintain higher activities of SOD, POD and CAT in the shoots and roots after drought stress. So Gly-N may play an important role for rice to adapt to drought stress.

Using pot experiments, growth and heavy metal uptake of Sorghum Hybrid Sudangrass was studied when planted in soils amended with vermicomposts enriched with Cu/Zn content. The results showed that growth of Sorghum Hybrid Sudangrass was stimulated when low vermicomposts concentration was applied whereas it was restrained when high vermicomposts concentration was applied. The Cu and Zn content increased in Sorghum Hybrid Sudangrass as vermicomposts concentration increased. The forms of Cu and Zn in soils dominantly existed as organic fraction and residual fraction at the low vermicomposts concentration, but existed as acid-extractable fraction and the reducing fraction at the high application level of vermicomposts. Correlation analysis indicated that shoot Zn content, root Cu/Zn content in Sorghum Hybrid Sudangrass was positively correlated with heavy metal fraction in vermicompost amended soils. Therefore, the 10% vermicompost addition may be feasible for field production systems.

Pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of three different chelating agents(EDTA, citric acid, NTA) that intensify the absorption and accumulation of Cu, Zn in vermicompost for Euchlaena Mexicana Schrad. The results indicated that chelating agents addition could inhibit the growth of Euchlaena Mexicana Schrad, and the inhibition on the roots is greater than the shoots. At the same concentration, EDTA had the greatest inhibition on plant roots, the overarching inhibition on plant shoots fell to citric acid. The addition of EDTA and NTA increased Cu or Zn contents in the roots and shoots of Euchlaena Mexicana Schrad, and also improved the Cu or Zn accumulations in the shoots, although high addition concentration of CA increased Cu or Zn contents in the roots and shoots of Euchlaena Mexicana Schrad, Cu or Zn accumulations in the shoots were conspicuously inhibited after high concentration of CA were added. Hence, EDTA and NTA have the potentials of intensifying the extraction of Cu or Zn by Euchlaena Mexicana Schrad from the vermicompost enriched with high Cu or Zn contents, which opens up a new approach to enhance phytoremediation in terms of solid waste contaminated with heavy metals.

Pot experiment, in which vermicompost enriched with high Cu and Zn contents was applied in aqualf soil to simulate soil metal accumulation from vermicompost application, was conducted to study the effect of vermicompost application on growth of Sorghum Hybrid Sudangrass and Euchlaena Mexicana Schrad as well as their Cu or Zn uptake and soil characteristics. The results showed that shoot growth was improved for the two pastures, while it was significantly inhibited for the root growth of Euchlaena Mexicana Schrad with increasing heavy metal pollution from vermicompost application. Both Cu or Zn contents in shoot or root of Sorghum Hybrid Sudangrass and that in Euchlaena Mexicana Schrad increased after vermicompost application, especially, Cu content in roots of Sorghum Hybrid Sudangrass increased significantly with increasing heavy metal pollution from vermicompost.application In addition, Correlation analysis showed that Cu or Zn contents in two pastures were positively related to acid-extractable and reducible Cu or Zn fraction. So, continuously consecutive application of vermicompost enriched with high Cu and Zn content could contribute to the accumulation of exchanged and reducible Cu or Zn content in soil and pose a potential threat to the plant system.

To observe whether the motor nerve babysitter could improve the delayed nerve anastomosis and promote the functional recovery.Sixteen SD rats weighing 200-250 g were randomly divided into 2 groups. In group A, the left musculocutaneous nerve was transected to make the model of biceps brachii denervation and anastomosed to its proximal end 6 weeks later; In group B, the musculocutaneous nerve was transected and the distal end was coapted to the purely motor medial pectoral nerve immediately (nerve babysitter) and the musculocutaneous nerve was separated from the medial pectoral nerve, and reanastomosed to its proximal end 6 weeks later. In the animal model, the left limbs served as experimental sides, the right limbs as control sides. After 6 and 12 weeks of the second surgery, behavioral test (grooming test) was performed and the degree of the biceps brachii atrophy was observed, the latent period and the amplitude of the maximum action potentials of the biceps brachii were detected, the wet muscle weight, muscle fiber cross-section area and the activity of Na+-K+-ATPase of the biceps brachii were measured.After 4 weeks of the second surgery, grooming behavior was found in group B, while few grooming behavior was seen in group A till 6 weeks after the secondary surgery. After 6 weeks of the second surgery, the recovery rate of the latent period and the amplitude, the wet muscle weight, muscle fiber cross-section area and the enzymatic activity of Na+-K+-ATPase of the biceps brachii in group A was 187.25% +/- 1.97%, 46.25% +/- 4.63%, 55.14% +/- 1.99%, 49.97% +/- 1.71%, and 65.81% +/- 2.24%, respectively, which was significantly different from that in group B (155.96% +/- 3.02%, 51.21% +/- 2.13%, 74.18% +/- 1.82%, 55.05% +/- 1.64% and 71.08% +/- 1.53%, respectively, P0.05). After 12 weeks of the second surgery, the recovery rate of the latent period and amplitude, the wet muscle weight, muscle fiber cross-section area and the enzymatic activity of Na+-K+-ATPase of the biceps brachii in group A was 145.36% +/- 3.27%, 51.84% +/- 5.02%, 77.92% +/- 1.73%, 61.04% +/- 2.68% and 71.94% +/- 1.65%, respectively, which was significantly different from that in group B (129.83% +/- 8.36%, 75.22% +/- 2.78%, 84.51% +/- 1.34%, 78.75% +/- 3.69% and 84.86% +/- 1.81%, respectively, P0.05).Motor nerve babysitting could reduce muscular damage after denervation, improve the effect of delayed nerve repair and promote the functional recovery of musculocutaneous nerve.

In this paper, microbial reduction of iron, manganese and other metals in soils and waters were discussed. Microorganisms reducing to different metals such as iron, manganese and uranium as well as selenium and their enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms for reducing to different metals were summarized. Moreover, the significance of reduction of different microorganisms of metals in the bioremediation of metals-contaminated environment was also evaluated.

A smart surface with wettability that can be switched between superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity has been realized on a transparent and conductive SnO2 nanorod film by the alternation of UV-irradiation and dark storage.