The degradation of Romandolide® ([1-(3′,3′-dimethyl-1′-cyclohexyl)ethoxycarbonyl] methyl propanoate), a synthetic alicyclic musk, by activated sludge inocula was investigated using both the manometric respirometry test OECD 301F and the CO₂evolution test. In addition to measuring its biodegradability, key steps of the upper part of the metabolic pathway responsible for Romandolide® degradation were identified using extracts at different time points of incubation. Early metabolism of Romandolide® yielded ester hydrolysis products, including Cyclademol® (1-(3,3-dimethylcyclohexyl)ethanol). The principal metabolites after 31 days were identified as 3,3-dimethyl cyclohexanone and 3,3-dimethyl cyclohexyl acetate. Formation of 3,3-dimethyl cyclohexanone from Cyclademol® by sludge was confirmed in subsequent experiments using Cyclademol® as a substrate, indicating the involvement of an oxygen insertion reminiscent of a Baeyer–Villiger oxidation. Further mineralization of 3,3-dimethyl cyclohexanone was also confirmed in subsequent studies. Three steps were thus required for complete biodegradation of the alicyclic musk: (1) successive ester hydrolyses leading to the formation of Cyclademol® with concomitant degradation of the resulting acids, (2) conversion of Cyclademol® into 3,3-dimethyl cyclohexanone, and (3) further mineralization via ring cleavage.

Poisonous lead (Pb), among heavy metals, is a potential pollutant that readily accumulates in soils and thus adversely affects physiological processes in plants. We have evaluated how exogenous H₂S affects cotton plant physiological attributes and Pb uptake under Pb stress thereby understanding the role of H₂S in physiological processes in plants. Two concentrations (0 and 200 μM) of H₂S donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) were experimented on cotton plants under Pb stress (0, 50, and 100 μM). Results have shown that Pb stress decreased plant growth, chlorophyll contents, SPAD value, photosynthesis, antioxidant activity. On the other hand, Pb stress increased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), electrolyte leakage (EL), and production of H₂O₂and uptake of Pb contents in all three parts of plant, viz. root, stem, and leaf. Application of H₂S slightly increased plant growth, chlorophyll contents, SPAD value, photosynthesis, and antioxidant activity as compared to control. Hydrogen sulfide supply alleviated the toxic effects of lead on plant growth, chlorophyll contents, SPAD value, photosynthesis, and antioxidant activity in cotton plants. Hydrogen sulfide also reduced MDA, EL, and production of H₂O₂and endogenous Pb levels in the three mentioned plant parts. On the basis of our results, we conclude that H₂S has promotive effects which could improve plant survival under Pb stress.

Tetraconazole is one of the most commonly used triazole fungicides in agricultural practice, and its continuous application poses a potential risk for non-target soil microorganisms. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of tetraconazole at the field rate (T1, 0.33 mgkg⁻¹of soil), three times the field rate (T3, 1.00 mgkg⁻¹of soil) and 10 times the field rate (T10, 3.33 mgkg⁻¹of soil) on the soil microorganisms. To ascertain this effect, the tetraconazole concentration and the microbial properties with potential as bioindicators of soil health (i.e. microbial biomass C, basal respiration, substrate-induced respiration, structure diversity and functional community profiling) were determined. The results showed that the degradation half-lives of tetraconazole varied from 69 to 87 days, depending on the three application concentrations. The microbial biomass C, basal respiration and substrate-induced respiration were inhibited, but they tended to recover at the end of the incubation when tetraconazole was applied at the recommended field rate. The ratios of the gram-negative to gram-positive (GN to GP) bacteria decreased, and the fungi to bacteria ratio increased after a temporal decrease on the seventh day. A principal component analysis of the PLFAs showed that tetraconazole application significantly shifted the microbial community structure on day 7. Different functional community profiles were observed, depending on the tetraconazole application rates. It was concluded that tetraconazole application decreases the soil microbial biomass and activity and changes the structures of the soil microbial community.

The present work investigated the levels of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m/p-xylene, and o-xylene (BTEX) in different microenvironments in the library of Jawaharlal Nehru University in summer and winter during 2011–2012. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks due to organic compounds were also evaluated using US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) conventional approaches. Real-time monitoring was done for TVOC using a data-logging photo-ionization detector. For BTEX measurements, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standard method which consists of active sampling of air through activated charcoal, followed by analysis with gas chromatography, was performed. Simultaneously, outdoor measurements for TVOC and BTEX were carried out. Indoor concentrations of TVOC and BTEX (except benzene) were higher as compared to the outdoor for both seasons. Toluene and m/p-xylene were the most abundant organic contaminant observed in this study. Indoor to outdoor (I/O) ratios of BTEX compounds were generally greater than unity and ranged from 0.2 to 8.7 and 0.2 to 4.3 in winter and summer, respectively. Statistical analysis and I/O ratios showed that the dominant pollution sources mainly came from indoors. The observed mean concentrations of TVOC lie within the second group of the Molhave criteria of indoor air quality, indicating a multifactorial exposure range. The estimated lifetime cancer risk (LCR) due to benzene in this study exceeded the value of 1 × 10⁻⁶ recommended by USEPA, and the hazard quotient (HQ) of non-cancer risk came under an acceptable range.

The production of cement in China is accompanied by various emissions, such as fine particulate matter, heavy metals, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon dioxide…. Moreover, cement kiln presents a potential health risk to its surroundings, linking to emissions of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), in brief dioxins. Flue gas samples were collected from five typical cement kilns during twelve runs and were used to evaluate the levels and distribution of PCDD/Fs in the emissions from cement kilns. The PCDD/Fs concentrations (136 congeners) and I-TEQ values ranged from 2.3 to >40 ng/m³and 9.3 ∼ 90.8 × 10⁻³ ng I-TEQ/m³, respectively, which were lower than the emission standard in China (0.1 ng I-TEQ/m³). In weight units, the dominant congeners were OCDD, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF, and OCDF; 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF is the largest contributor (36–66 %) to the total I-TEQ value of twelve runs. HxCDF and TCDF were the first two most abundant homologue groups (12–85 and 4–52 %), and the homologue concentration decreased with rising chlorine number for PCDDs. In addition, there was no marked difference in homologue profiles when solid wastes (refuse-derived fuel and municipal solid waste) and hazardous wastes (DDT and POPs) were combusted as supplemental fuels. The use of various supplemental fuels had no obvious effect on the fingerprint of PCDD/F homologues. Moreover, there was no significant difference in levels of PCDD/Fs emission due to the diversity of production capacity, which were consistent with reported previously. Air pollution control device had effect on the homologue profiles, and cement system with electrostatic precipitators (ESP) had more fractions of octachloro congeners to the total.

Denitrification is an important N removal process in aquatic systems but is also implicated as a potential source of global N₂O emissions. However, the key factors controlling this process as well as N₂O emissions remain unclear. In this study, we identified the main factors that regulate the production of net N₂and N₂O in sediments collected from rivers with a large amount of sewage input in the Taihu Lake region. Net N₂and N₂O production were strongly associated with the addition of NO₃⁻-N and NH₄⁺-N. Specifically, NO₃⁻-N controlled net N₂production following Michaelis–Menten kinetics. The maximum rate of net N₂production (Vₘₐₓ) was 116.3 μmol N₂-N m⁻² h⁻¹, and the apparent half-saturation concentration (kₘ) was 0.65 mg N L⁻¹. N₂O to N₂ratios increased from 0.18 ± 0.03 to 0.68 ± 0.16 with the addition of NO₃⁻-N, suggesting that increasing NO₃⁻-N concentrations favored the production of N₂O more than N₂. The addition of acetate enhanced net N₂production and N₂O to N₂ratios, but the ratios decreased by about 59.5 % when acetate concentrations increased from 50 to 100 mg C L⁻¹, suggesting that the increase of N₂O to N₂ratios had more to do with the net N₂production rate rather than acetate addition in this experiment. The addition of Cl⁻did not affect the net N₂production rates, but significantly enhanced N₂O to N₂ratios (the ratios increased from 0.02 ± 0.00 to 0.10 ± 0.00), demonstrating that the high salinity effect might have a significant regional effect on N₂O production. Our results suggest that the presence of N-enriching sewage discharges appear to stimulate N removal but also increase N₂O to N₂ratios.

Lake Erhai is the second largest lake of Southwest China and an important drinking water source. The lake is currently defined as the preliminary stage of eutrophic states, but facing a serious threat with transfer into intensive eutrophication. The present study examined the dynamics of Microcystis blooms and toxic Microcystis in Lake Erhai during 2010, based on quantitative real-time PCR method using 16S rRNA gene specific for Microcystis and microcystin systhesis gene (mcy), and chemical analysis on microcystin (MC) concentrations. Total Microcystis cell abundance at 16 sampling sites were shown as an average of 1.7 × 10⁷cells l⁻¹(1.3 × 10²–3.8 × 10⁹cells l⁻¹). Microcystin LR (MC-LR) and microcystin RR (MC-RR) were the main variants. The strong southwesterly winds, anticlockwise circular flows and geographical characteristics of lake and phytoplankton community succession impacted the distribution patterns of Chl a and MC in the lake. The concentration of Chl a and MC and abundances of total Microsytis and MC-producing Microsystis (MCM) were shown to be positively correlated with pH, DO and TP, negatively correlated with SD, NO₃-N, TN/Chl a and TN/TP, and not correlated with NH₄-N, TN, dissolved total nitrogen (DTN) and water temperatures. When TN/TP decrease, Microcystis tended to dominate and MC concentrations tended to increase, suggesting that the “TN/TP rule” can be partially applied to explain the correlation between the cyanobacterial blooms and nutrients N and P only within a certain nutrient level. It is speculated that N and P nutrients and the associated genes (e.g., mcy) may jointly drive MC concentration and toxigenicity of Microcystis in Lake Erhai.

The role of Phragmites sp. in phytoremediation of wastewaters containing azo dyes is still, in many ways, at its initial stage of investigation. This plant response to the long-term exposure to a highly conjugated di-azo dye (Direct Red 81, DR81) was assessed using a vertical flow constructed wetland, at pilot scale. A reed bed fed with water was used as control. Changes in photosynthetic pigment content in response to the plant contact with synthetic DR81 effluent highlight Phragmites plasticity. Phragmites leaf enzymatic system responded rapidly to the stress imposed; in general, within 1 day, the up-regulation of foliar reactive oxygen species-scavenging enzymes (especially superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and peroxidase) was noticed as plants entered in contact with synthetic DR81 effluent. This prompt activation decreased the endogenous levels of H₂O₂and the malonyldialdehyde content beyond reference values. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity intensification was not enough to cope with stress imposed by DR81. GPX activity was pivotal for the detoxification pathways after a 24-h exposure. Carotenoid pool was depleted during this shock. After the imposed DR81 stress, plants were harvested. In the next vegetative cycle, Phragmites had already recovered from the chemical stress. Principal component analysis (PCA) highlights the role of GPX, GST, APX, and carotenoids along catalase (CAT) in the detoxification process.

Urban growth is an unavoidable process caused by economic development and population growth. Traditional urban growth models represent the future urban growth pattern by repeating the historical urban growth regulations, which can lead to a lot of environmental problems. The Yangtze watershed is the largest and the most prosperous economic area in China, and it has been suffering from rapid urban growth from the 1970s. With the built-up area increasing from 23,238 to 31,054 km²during the period from 1980 to 2005, the watershed has suffered from serious nonpoint source (NPS) pollution problems, which have been mainly caused by the rapid urban growth. To protect the environment and at the same time maintain the economic development, a multiobjective optimization (MOP) is proposed to tradeoff the multiple objectives during the urban growth process of the Yangtze watershed. In particular, the four objectives of minimization of NPS pollution, maximization of GDP value, minimization of the spatial incompatibility between the land uses, and minimization of the cost of land-use change are considered by the MOP approach. Conventionally, a genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to search the Pareto solution set. In our MOP approach, a two-dimensional GA, rather than the traditional one-dimensional GA, is employed to assist with the search for the spatial optimization solution, where the land-use cells in the two-dimensional space act as genes in the GA. Furthermore, to confirm the superiority of the MOP approach over the traditional prediction approaches, a widely used urban growth prediction model, cellular automata (CA), is also carried out to allow a comparison with the Pareto solution of MOP. The results indicate that the MOP approach can make a tradeoff between the multiple objectives and can achieve an optimal urban growth pattern for Yangtze watershed, while the CA prediction model just represents the historical urban growth pattern as the future growth pattern. Moreover, according to the spatial clustering index, the urban growth pattern predicted through MOP is more reasonable. In summary, the proposed model provides a set of Pareto urban growth solutions, which compromise environmental and economic issues for the Yangtze watershed.

The zero-valent iron (ZVI) corrosion products and their functions were investigated in the combined ZVI and anaerobic sludge system. Results showed that ZVI corrosion occurred, and the reductive transformation and dechlorination of p-chloronitrobenzene (p-ClNB) by the anaerobic sludge were enhanced. In the combined systems with different types of ZVIs and mass ratios of anaerobic sludge to ZVI, a considerable amount of suspended iron compounds was produced and coated onto the microbial cells. However, the microbial cellular structure was damaged, and the p-ClNB reductive transformation was affected adversely after the long-term presence of nanoscale ZVI (NZVI) or reduced ZVI (RZVI) with a high concentration of 5 g L⁻¹. The oxidized products of FeOOH and Fe₃O₄were found on the surface of ZVI, which are speculated to act as electron mediators and consequently facilitate the utilization of electron donors by the anaerobic microbes.