Cd(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) Removal from Contaminated Water by Biosorption Using Activated Sludge Biomass

Biosorption using activated sludge biomass (ASB) as a potentially sustainable technology for the treatment of wastewater containing different metal ions (Cd(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II)) was investigated. ASB metal uptake clearly competed with protons consumed by microbial biomass compared with control tests with non‐activated sludge biomass. Biosorption tests confirmed maximum exchange between metal ions and protons at pH 2.0–4.5. It was revealed by the study that the amount of metal ions released from the biomass increased with biomass sludge concentration. The result showed that maximum absorption of metal ions was observed for Cd(II) at pH 3.5, Pb(II) at pH 4.0, and pH 4.5 for Zn(II) ions. The maximum absorption capacities of ASB for Cd(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) were determined to be 59.3, 68.5 and 86.5%, respectively. The biosorption of heavy metals was directly proportional to ASB stabilization corresponding to a reduction in heavy metals in the order of Cd < Pb < Zn. The order of increase of biosorption of metal ions in ASB was Zn(II) < Pb(II) < Cd(II), and this was opposite to that of non active sludge. The results indicate that ASB is a sustainable tools for the bioremediation of Cd(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) ions from industrial sludge and wastewater treatment plants.     

NF1~180mut表达载体构建及其在脑血管细胞中的表达

目的 前期研究中发现一合并脑血管狭窄的Ⅰ型神经纤维瘤病家系,为探索血管狭窄的病因,本研究构建该家系患者NF1基因共同突变产物NF1~180mut的过表达质粒,观察该质粒在脑血管细胞中的表达。方法 设计NF1~180mut全长序列的相应引物,采用pEGFP-N1作为载体框架,构建pEGFP-N1/NF1~180mut表达载体,通过Western blot法及共聚焦检测其蛋白表达;之后采用脂质体转染重组质粒于脑血管平滑肌细胞或内皮细胞中观察NF1~180mut在两种脑血管细胞中的表达。结果 ①成功构建了NF1~180mut表达载体;②该表达载体可在脑血管内皮细胞及平滑肌细胞内表达;③初步通过细胞计数研究及增殖实验显示NF1~180mut对脑血管平滑肌细胞和血管内皮细胞的生长及增殖有一定的作用。结论 本研究中构建了NF1-Q181X突变后的产物NF1~180mut表达载体,为进一步深入研究NF1~180mut导致脑血管狭窄发生的通路提供了良好的体外研究工具。     

Lunar concrete: Prospects and challenges

The possibility of using concrete as a construction material at the Moon surface is considered. Dissimilarities between the Earth and the Moon and their possible effects on concrete are also emphasized. Availability of constituent materials for concrete at lunar surface is addressed. An emphasis is given to two types of materials, namely, hydraulic concrete and sulfur concrete. Hydraulic concrete necessitates the use of water and sulfur concrete makes use of molten sulfur in lieu of cement and water.     

Effect of soil cohesion and friction angles on reverse faults

Severe faults have caused many earthquakes around the world throughout history.More recently,earthquakes have occurred in Taiwan,China(Chi-Chi fault),and elsewhere,causing loss of lives and destroying many buildings and structures.These tectonic movements have gained attention from engineers,and in the past 15 years,the focus has been on faulting mechanisms.In this study,a physical model(1 g)was fabricated and used to evaluate the impact of a reverse fault in a field with a tunnel.In the 1 g model,researchers installed additional gauges on the tunnel,so that all the displacements could be adjusted,and all the responses could be monitored during faulting.An experimental study of various soil properties(cohesion and friction angles)in reverse faults on the tunnel lining were carried out and are described herein.A comparison of results for different levels of soil cohesion revealed that it can dramatically reduce the displacement by as much as 40%,and that friction angles of 27ocan record approximately 60%more displacements than at 37o.Furthermore,a comparison of fault angles of 30oand 60oindicates that the displacements can be different by more than 43%in cohesionless soil and about 64%for a friction angle of 27o.     

Hydrogeochemical evaluation and statistical analysis of groundwater of Sylhet,north-eastern Bangladesh

Acta Geochimica - To investigate the hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater 23 shallow, 30 intermediate and 38 deep wells samples were collected from Sylhet district of Bangladesh, and...     

Development of Statistical Models to Predict the Mechanical Properties of Some Metamorphic Rocks from P-Wave Velocity and Certain Physical Properties

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering - Strength and elastic properties of rocks have vital importance for the design of structures in several rock engineering projects. Additionally, these...     

The stratigraphy and fire history of the Kutai Peatlands, Kalimantan, Indonesia

The equatorial peatlands of the Kutai lowland of eastern Kalimantan are generally 4–10 m in thickness but some sections exceed 16 m in depth. The deposition of peat commenced about 8000 yrs ago after shallow flooding of the basin by the Mahakam River. The earliest vegetation is a Pandanus swamp which grades upwards to swamp forest dominated by dipterocarps. The peatland has expanded laterally and rivers have maintained narrow levee-channel tracks through the swamp, which has grown vertically in balance with river accretion. Historical fires are associated with extreme El Niño years of drought, but human agency is important. The fires of 1982–1983 and 1997–1998 burnt up to 85% of the vegetation on the peatland. Although charcoal analyses show that fire has occurred throughout the history of the peatland, it is rare in forests remote from rivers until the last 3000 years and only common within the last millennium. Fires are earlier and more frequent in sites accessible from waterways, and floodplains have been widely burnt down to water table or below, forming extensive lakes.     

基于网格单元的西北干旱区城市土地覆被/土地利用时空变化研究——以新疆喀什市为例

利用1995、2005和2015年3期Landsat遥感数据,提取新疆喀什地区喀什市土地覆被/土地利用信息,并将各时期用地分类数据分别转入50 m×50 m的矢量网格单元,建立基于矢量网格单元的土地覆被/土地利用网格图,探讨喀什市1995-2015年土地覆被/土地利用时空变化特征及驱动因素;通过叠加分析,研究时期内各用地类型之间相互转换和替代关系。结果显示：（1）1995-2015年间喀什市土地覆被/土地利用变化剧烈,以建设用地面积变化最为显著,20 a间面积增加近3倍,未利用地和绿地面积均有所减少,水体的面积变化显现波动态势。（2）1995-2015年喀什市建设用地扩张主要以"摊大饼"式的外延扩张为主,但也伴随少量内部填充的集约式增长模式,通过回归分析,建设用地面积的增加与城市人口的增加和社会经济的发展具有紧密的正相关关系。（3）建设用地在扩张过程中主要侵占和替代了未利用地和绿地,并且绿地的增加与减少和未利用地的侵占与被侵占有着直接关联。     

Turbulence measurements in stratified and well-mixed estuarine flows

From mean velocities measured in estuarine flows it has been found that the velocity distributions are log-linear in stratified flows and logarithmic in well-mixed flows. The results of salinity measurements reveal that the mean salinity profiles are geometrically similar and expressible as a power law. The buoyancy parameters, such as the Monin-Obukhov length scale, the gradient and the flux Richardson numbers, are independent of the flow state. The gradient and the flux Richardson numbers are almost equal, indicating the existence of a local equilibrium layer. The non-dimensional parameter describing dissipation rates of turbulent kinetic energy is a constant of 0·2 and 0·3 for stratified and well-mixed flows respectively. In well-mixed flow the drag coefficient varies with time approaching a constant of about 3·2 × 10^?3 when the flow is stratified. The shape of the turbulent energy spectra are generally flatter and broader in stratified as compared with those of well-mixed flows.