Towards sustainable management of polyacrylamide in soil-water environment: Occurrence, degradation, and risk

Polyacrylamide (PAM) possesses unique characteristics, including high water solubility, elevated viscosity and effective flocculation capabilities. These properties make it valuable in various sectors like agriculture, wastewater treatment, enhanced oil recovery, and mineral processing industries, contributing to a continually expanding market. Despite its widespread use globally, understanding its environmental fate at the soil-water interface remains limited. This article aims to provide an overview of the occurrence, degradation pathways, toxicity, and risks associated with PAM in the bioenvironment. The findings indicate that various degradation pathways of PAM may occur in the bioenvironment through mechanical, thermal, chemical, photocatalytic degradation, and/or biodegradation. Through a series of degradation processes, PAM initially transforms into oligomers and acrylamide (AM). Subsequently, AM may undergo biodegradation, converting into acrylic acid (AA) and other compounds such as ammonia. Notably, among these degradation intermediates, AM demonstrates high biodegradability, and the bioaccumulations of both AM and AA are not considered significant. Ensuring the sustainable use of PAM necessitates a comprehensive understanding among policymakers, scholars, and industry professionals regarding PAM, encompassing its properties, applications, degradation pathways, toxic effect on humans and the environment, and relevant regulations. Additionally, this study offers insights into future priority research directions, such as establishing of a reliable source-to-destination supply chain system, determining the maximum allowable amount for PAM in farmlands, and conducting long-term trials for the PAM-containing demolition residues.

[High-risk sexual behaviors of HIV/AIDS and related factors in young students in Guangzhou]

Objective: To explore high-risk sexual behaviors of HIV/AIDS and related factors in young students in Guangzhou. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 5 different types of Guangzhou colleges by convenience sampling with minimum number of classes per grade and 600 samples per school from September to November 2021. The R 4.2.2 software was used to consolidate databases. Simultaneously, a logistic regression model and a decision tree algorithm model, stratifying by whether sexual behaviors had occurred before, were constructed. In each layer, the prediction performance of the two models was evaluated through area under receiver operating characteristic and the confusion matrix, and then the model with high prediction performance was retained. Results: A total of 7 346 students were surveyed. The proportion of the respondents reporting sexual experience were 9.08% (667/7 346), in whom 26.24% (175/667) had risky sexual activity in the past year. The decision tree algorithm model performs well in predicting whether high-risk sexual behaviors have occurred in the past year. When the complexity parameter value is 0.018, and nsplit reaches 4, which means there are 5 leaf nodes in the model, the cross error of the tree will be the smallest. The first best grouping variable in the decision tree was whether to use condoms throughout the first sexual behavior. If condoms were used at their sexual debut, but homosexual practices have occurred in the past year, the probability of risky sexual behavior will increase. If homosexual practices have not occurred in the past year, but the age of sexual debut was below 18 years old while the period of HIV education was after high school, the probability of risk sexual behavior will also increase. Conclusions: AIDS-related risky behaviors of young students still deserved attention. The experience of sexual debut and whether AIDS-related health education has been received before the sexual debut were significant predictors for the occurrence of high-risk sexual behavior. The decision tree algorithm model has particular applicability for predicting and screening potential risk populations.

Evaluation of the dual-process approach for in-situ groundwater arsenic removal

While the worldwide distribution of geogenic arsenic (As)-affected groundwater is highly overlapped with the areas with abundant groundwater, utilization of As-contained groundwater is an inevitable compromise in those areas where surface water is not enough for irrigation. Since the occurrence of As in groundwater is often accompanied by high iron (Fe) contents, the facilitation of As and Fe precipitation without adding additional oxidizers and adsorbents is considered an environmental-friendly approach to removing As in groundwater. In the present study, the oxidation/filtration dual-process with sprinkling height of 25 cm and 120 kg filter media efficiently increased the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration (0.36-1.52 mg/L) and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) (24-63 mV), which facilitated the formation of Fe oxides and As co-precipitation. The correlation of As removal efficiencies with their respective flow rates indicated that a decrease in groundwater Fe and an increase of Fe in sands and gravels filters as the flow rate increased evidenced the rapid oxidation of Fe to form the Fe hydroxides. In a 40-hour continuous aeration/filtration operation, As and Fe concentrations in groundwater were reduced by 79.5% and 64.88% within 40 hrs, respectively. The ease of filter replacement and cost-effectiveness in operation can be the major attractions and innovations for future field practices.

Unraveling the Potential of Electrochemical pH-Swing Processes for Carbon Dioxide Capture and Utilization

Global warming, driven by the accumulation of anthropogenic greenhouse gases, particularly CO2, in the atmosphere, has garnered significant attention due to its detrimental environmental impacts. To combat this critical issue, the deployment of CO2 capture and utilization (CCU) strategies has been considered as one of the technology-based solutions, leading to extensive scientific and engineering research. Electrochemical pH-swing (EPS) processes offer a promising approach to diverse CCU pathways, such as the delivery of pure CO2 gas, the delivery of bicarbonate (e.g., for microalgae cultivation), and the formation of carbonate minerals. In this study, we discuss several CCU pathways using EPS and provide an in-depth analysis of its mechanisms and potential applications, outlining its limitations from both thermodynamic and kinetic standpoints. The EPS process has demonstrated remarkable capabilities, achieving a CO2 capture efficiency of over 90% and unlocking valuable opportunities for CCU applications. We also develop an initial techno-economic assessment and provide the perspectives and challenges for future development and deployment of EPS. This study sheds light on the integration of EPS with CCU, closing the carbon cycle by effectively utilizing the products generated through the process, such as carbonate minerals and bicarbonate solution. For instance, the bicarbonate product can serve as a viable feedstock for bicarbonate-based microalgae production systems, with the added benefit of reducing costs by 40-80% compared to traditional gaseous CO2 delivery approaches. By integration of electrochemical technologies with CCU methods, this study underscores the immense potential for mitigating CO2 emissions and advancing sustainable practices to combat global warming. This study not only addresses the urgent need for effective solutions but also paves the way for a greener and more sustainable future.

[Perception of HIV-related behavior and influencing factors among young students in Guangzhou]

Objective: To investigate the risk perception for risky behavior of HIV/AIDS infection among young students and to analyze the related influencing factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 5 different types of Guangzhou colleges from September to November 2021, in which convenience sampling and a minimum number of classes per grade and 600 samples per school were used according to the national unity program. Disordered multi-classification logistic regression was used to construct a risk perception model and analyze influencing factors in different risk perception levels. Results: A total of 7 346 young students were surveyed, and most rated themselves at low risk of HIV/AIDS infections (90.58%, 6 654/7 346). A total of 89.10% (6 545/7 346) of subjects' perception of their HIV/AIDS infection risk was consistent with their risk behavior, while 10.90% (801/7 346) was inconsistent. Among those inconsistent subjects, 19.10% (153/801) showed underestimating their risk , while 80.90% (648/801) seen overestimating their risk. Disordered multi-classification logistic regression analysis showed that, after controlling for other factors, compared with the non-sexual group, respondents whose first sex age under 18 had a higher rate of underestimating their risk of infection (OR=129.39, 95%CI: 73.28-228.48), as well as a higher rate of overestimated their risk of infection (OR=1.76, 95%CI: 1.04-2.99). First sexual intercourse at age 18 or older was a risk factor for underestimating risk (OR=70.56, 95%CI: 42.72-116.53), but was not statistically associated with overestimating risk. Being female, other school type, non-heterosexual orientation, and self-rated HIV-related knowledge as fair or no knowledge were risk factors for overestimating risk but were not statistically associated with underestimating risk. Conclusions: Overall, young students in universities of Guangzhou have a good risk perception of HIV/AIDS infection. Individual factors, education factors and sexual experience will influence students' risk perception of HIV/AIDS infection. Raising the awareness rate of HIV/AIDS knowledge and delaying the age of first sexual intercourse will improve the risk perception ability of young students.

Enhanced biomethane production with a low carbon footprint via anaerobic co-digestion of swine wastewater with rice husk

An electricity-assisted anaerobic co-digestion (EAAD) process was developed and compared with conventional anaerobic co-digestion (AD) using piggery wastewater and rice husk as feedstocks. Various methodologies, including kinetic models, microbial community analyses, life-cycle carbon footprints, and preliminary economic analysis, were integrated to comprehensively evaluate the performance of the two processes. The results demonstrated that EAAD exhibited a positive improvement of 2.6 % to 14.5 % in biogas production compared to AD. The suitable wastewater-to-husk ratio for EAAD was found to be 3:1, which corresponded to a carbon-to‑nitrogen ratio of approximately 14. This ratio demonstrated positive co-digestion effects and electrical enhancements in the process. According to the modified Gompertz kinetics, the biogas production rate in EAAD ranged from 1.87 to 5.23 mL/g-VS/d, significantly higher than the range of 1.19 to 3.74 mL/g-VS/d observed in AD. The study also investigated the contributions of acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens to biomethane formation, revealing that acetoclastic methanogens accounted for 56.6 % ± 0.6 % of the methane production, while hydrogenotrophic methanogens contributed to 43.4 % ± 0.6 %. No significant difference in the methanogenic reaction pathways was observed between AD and EAAD, indicating that the introduction of an external electric field did not alter the predominant pathways (p > 0.05, two-sample t-test). Furthermore, retrofitting existing AD plants with EAAD units can reduce the carbon intensity of piggery wastewater treatment by 17.6 % to 21.7 %. The preliminary economic analysis indicated a benefit-cost ratio of 1.33 for EAAD, confirming the feasibility of implementing EAAD for wastewater treatment while simultaneously producing bioenergy. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into upgrading the performance of existing AD plants by introducing an external electric field. It demonstrates that EAAD can achieve higher and cost-effective biogas production with a lower life-cycle carbon footprint, thus enhancing the sustainability and efficiency of the biogas production process.

[Clinical and genetics characteristics of adult-onset cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis: analysis of a Chinese pedigree]

Objective: Clinical manifestations, imaging findings, pathologic features, and genetic mutations of Chinese adult patients with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) were analyzed in order to achieve a greater understanding of CTX that can improve early detection, diagnosis, and treatment. Methods: Clinical data including medical history, neurologic and auxiliary examinations, imaging findings, and genetic profile were collected for an adult patient with CTX admitted to the Sixth Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital in August 2020. Additionally, a systematic review of genetically diagnosed Chinese adult CTX cases reported in major databases in China and other countries was performed and age of onset, first symptoms, common signs and symptoms, pathologic findings, imaging changes, and gene mutations were analyzed. Results: The proband was a 39-year-old female with extensive, early-onset nervous system manifestations including cognitive dysfunction and ataxia. Systemic lesions included juvenile cataract and a tendon mass. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed cerebral atrophy, symmetric white matter changes predominantly in the pyramidal tract, and lesions in the cerebellar dentate nucleus. A novel homozygous mutation in the sterol-27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) gene (c.1477-2A>C) was identified. There were no family members with similar clinical presentation although some were carriers of the c.1477-2A>C mutation. The patient showed a good response to deoxycholic acid treatment. Totally there were 56 cases of adult CTX patients in China, mostly in East China (31/56, 55.4%), at a male-to-female ratio of 1.8 to 1. Multiple organs and tissues including nervous system, tendon, lens, lung, and skeletal muscle were affected in these cases. The most common neurologic manifestations were cognitive dysfunction (44/52, 84.6%) and ataxia (44/51, 86.3%). The cases were characterized by early onset, chronic progressive damage of multiple systems, long disease course, and delayed diagnosis, making the disease difficult to manage clinically and resulting in poor prognosis. The 2 most common genetic mutations in Chinese adult CTX patients were c.1263+1G>A and c.379C>T. Exon 2 of the CYP27A1 gene was identified as a mutation hot spot. Conclusions: Chinese adult patients with CTX have complex clinical characteristics, a long diagnostic cycle, and various CYP27A1 gene mutations. Early diagnosis and intervention can improve the prognosis of these patients.

Chitosan cross-linked β-cyclodextrin polymeric adsorbent for the removal of perfluorobutanesulfonate from aqueous solution: adsorption kinetics, isotherm, and mechanism

The existence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in water is of serious interest due to their toxic, bioaccumulative, and persistent nature, and adsorption is an effective approach for the PFASs removal. In the present study, we developed a polymeric adsorbent by cross-linking chitosan and β-cyclodextrin using glutaraldehyde (Chi-Glu-β-CD) and evaluated its removal performance for perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS) from water. The results indicate that the performance was highly affected by solution pH; under a more acidic condition (e.g., pH 2.0), a higher removal efficiency was detected, and faster adsorption kinetics was observed with the rate constant (k₂) of 0.001 ± 3×10^-4 g mg^-1 min^-1. Adsorption isotherm data agreed to the Sips model with a maximum heterogeneous adsorption capacity of 135.70 ± 25.70 mg g^-1, probably due to protonated amine (NH⁺) and electron-deficient β-CD cavities. The adsorption mechanism was confirmed using energy dispersive X-ray and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, showing the role of electrostatic attractions between the protonated amine and the negatively charged PFBS molecule (especially, with sulfonate side (N-H--O-S)) and host-guest inclusion formations with β-CD cavity in adsorption. Additionally, the synthesized adsorbent was recovered using methanol without any significant decline in adsorption efficiency even after four continuous adsorption/desorption cycles. All these findings suggested that the Chi-Glu-β-CD composite could be a promising adsorbent in the removal of PFBS from water.

Catalytic Processes to Accelerate Decarbonization in a Net-Zero Carbon World

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions is one of the critical challenges to mitigate global climate change, which is having detrimental impacts on society and the environment. Fossil fuel combustion in transportation, power generation, and industrial processes is the dominant contributor to carbon emissions. Over the past decades, sustainable solutions and strategies have been investigated and developed to enable decarbonization. Catalysis plays an essential role to address this global challenge by increasing energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, capturing carbon dioxide, and utilizing clean energy sources to displace fossil fuels. In this Review, the role of catalysis in reducing energy demand was discussed, enhancing process efficiency, displacing carbon-intensive feedstocks and products, and therefore, reducing carbon emissions. Recent advances in catalyst development were summarized, focusing on applications to enhance industrial processes efficiency and enable utilization of clean energy sources. Emerging approaches in catalysis were reviewed, including the manufacture of iron and steel, direct air capture of CO₂ , production of ethylene, ammonia, and sustainable aviation fuels, plastic recycling, and the synthesis of biobased plastics. The Review was concluded with suggested research directions to achieve a carbon net-zero world.

[Differential diagnosis model of benign and malignant breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules based on serum SP70 and conventional laboratory indicators]

Objective: To develop a nomogram model for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) category 4 nodules based on serum tumor specific protein 70 (SP70) and conventional laboratory indicators and validate its predictive efficacy. Methods: A case-control study design was used to retrospectively analyze the data of 429 female patients diagnosed with BI-RADS category 4 breast nodules by breast color doppler flow imaging at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2021 to April 2022 with an age range of 16 to 91 years and a median age of 50 years, and the patients were divided into a training cohort (314 patients) and a validation cohort (115 patients) according to the inclusion time successively. Using postoperative pathological findings as the"gold standard", univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the predictor variables used for the model. The nomogram, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves were drawn for the prediction model, and the discrimination and calibration of the model were evaluated using the consistency index (C-index) and calibration plots. Results: The postoperative pathological results showed that 286 (66.7%) were malignant nodules and 143 (33.3%) were benign nodules of 429 breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules. The serum SP70 (OR=1.227,95%CI: 1.033-1.458,P=0.020), NLR (OR=1.545,95%CI: 1.047-2.280,P=0.028), LDL-C (OR=2.215, 95%CI: 1.354-3.622, P=0.002), GLU (OR=2.050,95%CI:1.222-3.438,P=0.007), PT (OR=1.383,95%CI: 1.046-1.828,P=0.023), nodule diameter (OR=1.042, 95%CI: 1.008-1.076, P=0.015) and age (OR=1.062,95%CI: 1.011-1.116,P=0.016) were independent risk factors which could be used to distinguish benign and malignant breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules (P<0.05). The nomogram was plotted by the above seven independent variables, and the concordance index (C-index) for the training cohort and validation cohort were 0.842 (95%CI:0.786-0.898) and 0.787 (95%CI:0.687-0.886), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of using this model to identify benign and malignant breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules in the training and validation cohort were 83.5%, 72.5% and 79.2%, 73.6%, respectively. The calibration curves showed good agreement between the predicted and actual values in the nomogram. Conclusions: This study combined serum SP70, conventional laboratory indicators and breast color doppler flow imaging to develop a nomogram model for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules. The model may have good predictive efficacy and may provide a basis for clinical treatment options, which is beneficial for guiding breast cancer screening and prevention.

Food waste and soybean curd residue composting by black soldier fly

This study attempted to manage the food waste and soybean curd residue generated in Taiwan's National Ilan University by black soldier fly-aided co-composting. The food waste and soybean curd residue were co-composted with rice husk as a bulking agent in 4:1 ratio and 0.42 mg BSF/g waste. The higher organic matter degradation of 31.9% was found in Container B (black soldier flies aided food waste and rice husk co-composting) with a rate constant of 0.14 d-1. In Container D (black soldier flies aided soybean curd residue and rice husk co-composting), the organic matter degradation of 29.4% was found with a rate constant of 0.29 d-1. The matured compost of 6.02 kg was obtained from 20 kg of food waste, while 5.83 kg of matured compost was generated from 20 kg of soybean curd residue. The physico-chemical parameters of the final matured compost were in the favorable range of Taiwan's compost standards. The germination index was 188.6% and 194.78% in Containers B and D, respectively. The present study will expand the application of BSF at the institutional level which prove to be a feasible solution for rapid, clean, and efficient composting of post-consumer food wastes.

An overview of deploying membrane bioreactors in saline wastewater treatment from perspectives of microbial and treatment performance

The discharged saline wastewater has severely influenced the aquatic environment as the treatment performance of many wastewater treatment techniques is limited. In addition, the sources of saline wastewater are also plentiful from agricultural and various industrial fields such as food processing, tannery, pharmaceutical, etc. Although high salinity levels negatively impact the performance of both physicochemical and biological processes, membrane bioreactor (MBR) processes are considered as a potential technology to treat saline wastewater under different salinity levels depending on the adaption of the microbial community. Therefore, this study aims to systematically review the application of MBR widely used in the saline wastewater treatment from the perspectives of microbial structure and treatment efficiencies. At last, the concept of carbon dioxide capture and storage will be proposed for the MBR-treating saline wastewater technologies and considered toward the circular economy with the target of zero emission.

Anaerobic swine digestate valorization via energy-efficient electrodialysis for nutrient recovery and water reclamation

The development of cost-effective and energy-efficient technologies to recover nutrients from digestate is important. Anaerobic digestate can be concentrated into bio-nutrient products through an electrodialysis (ED) process in an energy-efficient manner. Despite recent advances, the operation modes of ED for nutrient recovery from swine digestate are yet to be systematically evaluated from the perspective of energy-water efficiencies, and the determination of optimal operations in ED units is still ambiguous. In this study, two different operating modes of electrodialysis, i.e., constant voltage and constant current, are designed to evaluate the energy efficiency and effectiveness of nutrient recovery from anaerobic swine digestate. The ion removal ratio and current efficiency of the different modes and their associated electromigration performance (e.g., rate constants) are evaluated. The results indicate that the maximum removal efficiency (in terms of electrical conductivity) is 92.8% at a cell voltage of 2.4 V/cell using the constant voltage operation. The current efficiencies of NH₄⁺ (43‒65%) are higher than that of other ions, such as K⁺ (12‒19%), Cl^- (4‒7%), and PO₄^3- (0.1‒1.5%). For nitrogen recovery, the required energy consumption was about 0.24‒15.2 kWh/kg-N (0.86‒54.7 kJ/g-N), corresponding to a removal ratio of ammonium from 70.8% to 99.1%. Based on the experimental data, the optimal operating conditions are identified using response surface models by considering process energy consumption and productivity to deliver energy-efficient nutrient separation. One candidate of the ideal conditions to achieve the total ion removal of ∼93% should be operated at a constant cell voltage of 1.15 V, corresponding to a productivity of 5.24 gal/hr/m² at an energy consumption of 0.44 kWh/m³. Last, a conceptual design of cascading separation processes is proposed for digestate valorization as biofertilizers, nutrients, organic acids, and reclaimed water. A preliminary benefit-cost evaluation is then performed to evaluate the engineering and economic performance of the developed process for nutrient recovery from swine digestate. This article provides insight into practical large-scale applications of digestate valorization through energy-efficient separation, thereby realizing a circular economy system and a decarbonizing supply chain of bio-nutrients.

[Analysis and forecast of burden of pancreatic cancer along with attributable risk factors in Asia countries between 1990 and 2019]

Objective: To analyze the disease burden of pancreatic cancer in major Asian countries and forecast the burden of that in China, which helps to provide reference for the prevention and control of pancreatic cancer. Methods: Data on disease burden of pancreatic cancer among global and major Asian countries from on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 were collected to describe burden distribution through the absolute numbers or standardized rates of incidence, death and disability adjusted life years (DALY) by year, sex and socio-demographic index. Estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC) was used to assess the trend of standardized rate. The proportion of deaths attributable to risk factors for pancreatic cancer in 2019 was used to compare by age, sex and region. ARIMA model was performed with R language to predict change of age-standardized incidence and death rates of pancreatic cancer from 2020 to 2029. Results: From 1990 to 2019, the standardized incidence rates of pancreatic cancer in China increased from 3.17/100 000 to 5.78/100 000, and the standardized death rate increased from 3.34/100 000 to 5.99/100 000. The increases exceeded other high-income Asia countries. In the past three decades, the standardized incidence, death and DALY rates of pancreatic cancer in global have increased year by year. Among the major countries in Asia, China has the highest growth rate of disease burden (EAPC of standardized incidence rates=2.32%, 95% CI: 2.10%-2.48% and EAPC of standardized death rate=2.25%, 95% CI: 2.03%-2.42%). In addition, incidence and death rates of pancreatic cancer in China are expected to continue on the rise between 2000 and 2029 by ARIMA model. Incidence rate is expected to increase 15.92% and death rate is expected to increase 15.86%. Conclusions: The standardized incidence and death rates of pancreatic cancer in China increase year by year with an increasing trend for the burden of disease. The disease burden of pancreatic cancer is expected to rise due to the increase and aging of the population. Preventive measures should be adopted to decrease the burden of the pancreatic cancer.

Environmental benefit assessment of steel slag utilization and carbonation: A systematic review

The rapid increase in steel slag generation globally highlights the urgent need to manage the disposal or utilization processes. In addition to conventional landfill disposal, researchers have successfully reused steel slag in the construction, chemical, and agricultural fields. With the large portions of alkaline silicate mineral content, steel slag can also be used as a suitable material for carbon capture to mitigate global warming. This article comprehensively reviews the environmental performance of steel slag utilization, especially emphasizing quantitative evaluation using life cycle assessment. This paper first illustrates the production processes, properties, and applications of steel slag, and then summarizes the key findings of the environmental benefits for steel slag utilization using life cycle assessment from the reviewed literature. This paper also identifies the limitations of quantifying the environmental benefits using life cycle assessment. The results indicate steel slag is largely utilized in pavement concrete and/or block as a substitution for natural aggregates. The associated environmental benefits are mostly attributed to the avoidance of the large amount of cement utilized. The environmental benefits for the substitution of traditional energy-intensive material and carbonation treatment are further discussed in detail. Due to the presence of heavy metals, the potential risks to human and ecological health caused by the manufacturing process and usage stage are examined. Finally, the current challenges and global social implications for steel slag valorization are summarized.

[Clinical value of tumor-associated autoantibodies in diagnosis of early non-small cell lung cancer]

Objective: To investigate the auxiliary diagnostic value of seven tumor-associated autoantibodies (AABs) P53, PGP9.5, SOX2, GAGE7, GBU4-5, MAGEA1 and CAGE in early non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: The case-control study enrolled 195 patients with early NSCLC [71 males and 124 females, aged (55.70±11.78) years old], 114 patients with benign lung disease [44 males and 70 females, aged (52.85±12.31) years old] and 100 healthy subjects [39 males and 61 females, aged (53.62±9.97) years old] from the First Affiliate Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from June 2020 to December 2020. AABs were detected by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay (ELISA), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA),cytokeratin 19-fragments (CYFRA21-1) and neuron specific enolase (NSE) were detected by electrochemiluminescence. The levels of AABs,CEA,CYFRA21-1 and NSE in the 3 groups were compared. Patients with benign lung diseases and healthy subjects were combined into the control group, and the positive rate of each indicator in the NSCLC group and the control group was compared. The diagnostic efficacy of single and combined tests for NSCLC were obtained using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Besides, the relationship between the levels of AABs, CEA, CYFRA21-1 and NSE and their clinicopathological features and preoperative imaging parameters in NSCLC patients was assessed. Results: The levels of SOX2 [0.70 (0.10, 2.40) U/mL] and GBU4-5 [1.30 (0.30, 8.90) U/mL] in NSCLC group were higher than those in benign disease group [SOX2: 0.50 (0.10, 1.60) U/mL, GBU4-5: 0.80 (0.10, 2.30) U/mL, Z values were 27.258 and 45.797; P values were all<0.05] and health control group [SOX2: 0.45 (0.10, 1.08) U/mL, GBU4-5: 0.75 (0.20, 1.78) U/mL, Z values were 32.551 and 40.456; P values were all<0.05], and there was no significant difference between benign disease group and health control group (Z values were 5.293 and 5.340, P values were all>0.05). The levels of CEA [1.75 (1.08, 2.72) U/mL] and CYFRA21-1 [1.81 (1.41, 2.36) U/mL] in NSCLC group were higher than those in healthy control group [CEA: 1.22 (0.68, 1.81) U/mL, CYFRA21-1: 1.43 (1.14, 1.74) U/mL, Z values were 64.100 and 37.597; P values were all<0.05], but there was no significant difference between NSCLC group and benign group [CEA: 1.74 (1.01, 2.51) U/mL, CYFRA21-1: 1.82 (1.45, 2.46) U/mL, Z values were 7.275 and 10.621; P values were all>0.05]. The positive rates of P53, SOX2, GAGE7, GBU4-5 and CEA in NSCLC group were higher than those in the control group [P53: 10.3% vs 0.9%, SOX2: 11.3% vs 2.3%, GAGE7: 11.3% vs 0.5%, GBU4-5: 30.1% vs 5.6%, CEA: 9.7% vs 0.9%, χ² values were 17.420, 13.242, 22.485, 43.211, 16.255, respectively; P values were all<0.05]. The diagnostic efficiency of the combined detection of seven AABs was better than that of single detection. Seven AABs combined with CEA [area under curve (AUC): 0.732, sensitivity: 64.10%] and with CYFRA21-1 (AUC: 0.737, sensitivity: 58.97%) greatly improved the diagnostic efficiency and sensitivity of CEA (AUC: 0.583, sensitivity: 50.77%) and CYFRA21-1 (AUC: 0.552, sensitivity: 44.10%). The levels of SOX2 and CEA in NSCLC patients were correlated with the degree of tumor invasion (H values were 6.436 and 14.071; P values were all<0.05); the levels of GAGE7 and CEA were correlated with the nodule density (H values were 7.643 and 12.268; P values were all<0.05); and the levels of SOX2, GAGE7, CEA and CYFRA21-1 were all correlated with the nodule size (H values were 10.837, 11.528, 31.835, 20.338; P values were all<0.05). Conclusion: The detection of AABs combined with CEA and CYFRA21-1 is helpful for the early auxiliary diagnosis of NSCLC, and plays an important role in prevention and screening for early lung cancer.

Systematic approach to source-sink apportionment of copper in paddy fields: Experimental observation, dynamic modeling and prevention strategy

The accumulation of heavy metals in paddy rice severely impacts the health of consumers and plants. In this study, a systematic approach to source-sink apportionment of copper in paddy fields was developed by considering all bioenvironmental interfaces. Experimental data from two experimental fields (namely Field A and Field B) in the first harvest period was collected. Then, mass-balance-based models with dynamic critical loads were established to evaluate the year of excess for copper. The results indicated that irrigation water contributed the highest portion (96.2-98.8%) of total copper inputs. Under the business-as-usual scenario, the soil copper concentration of Field A and Field B might exceed the Taiwanese national standard within 66 and 24 years, respectively. In addition, alternate wet-dry irrigation was found to be one of the total solutions to reducing copper accumulation in soils by 17-48%. It could also provide a significant reduction of water usage in paddy fields by ~25%, thereby increasing the resilience to extreme climate change events. Lastly, based on the field observations, three improvement strategies on sustaining soil quality towards better agricultural environment were proposed. The connection of copper accumulation in soils with dietary and ecological risks was also briefly illustrated.

[Risk factors and risk model of lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer]

To investigate the risk factors of lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer (EGC) and to develop a risk model for the presence of lymph node metastasis. A total of 172 EGC patients, with a median age of 62(52, 68) years, who underwent gastric cancer resection in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2017 to June 2019 were selected. Clinical data of the patients were collected through the case system. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the variables significantly related to lymph node metastasis. ROC curve and calibration curve were used to evaluate the risk model. The results showed that the lymph node metastasis rate of 172 EGC patients was 19.19% (33/172). Tumor size, depth of invasion, degree of differentiation and vascular tumor thrombus were associated with lymph node metastasis (P<0.05), but age ≥ 60 years (OR=5.556, 95%CI: 1.757-17.569, P=0.004), invasion depth (OR=4.218,95%CI:1.418-12.548, P=0.010) and vascular cancer embolus (OR=13.878,95%CI:4.081-47.196,P<0.001) were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis of EGC. The consistency index of the risk model based on the above risk factors was 0.8835 (95%CI: 0.818 8-0.948 2). The calibration curve shows that the risk assessment model is in good agreement with the actual results, indicating that the model has high accuracy and discrimination.The most common site of metastasis was group 3, followed by group 4. Therefore, patients over 60 years old with submucosal invasion and vascular tumor thrombus may have a higher risk of lymph node metastasis.

Non-conventional water reuse in agriculture: A circular water economy

Due to the growing and diverse demands on water supply, exploitation of non-conventional sources of water has received much attention. Since water consumption for irrigation is the major contributor to total water withdrawal, the utilization of non-conventional sources of water for the purpose of irrigation is critical to assuring the sustainability of water resources. Although numerous studies have been conducted to evaluate and manage non-conventional water sources, little research has reviewed the suitability of available water technologies for improving water quality, so that water reclaimed from non-conventional supplies could be an alternative water resource for irrigation. This article provides a systematic overview of all aspects of regulation, technology and management to enable the innovative technology, thereby promoting and facilitating the reuse of non-conventional water. The study first reviews the requirements for water quantity and quality (i.e., physical, chemical, and biological parameters) for agricultural irrigation. Five candidate sources of non-conventional water were evaluated in terms of quantity and quality, namely rainfall/stormwater runoff, industrial cooling water, hydraulic fracturing wastewater, process wastewater, and domestic sewage. Water quality issues, such as suspended solids, biochemical/chemical oxygen demand, total dissolved solids, total nitrogen, bacteria, and emerging contaminates, were assessed. Available technologies for improving the quality of non-conventional water were comprehensively investigated. The potential risks to plants, human health, and the environment posed by non-conventional water reuse for irrigation are also discussed. Lastly, three priority research directions, including efficient collection of non-conventional water, design of fit-for-purpose treatment, and deployment of energy-efficient processes, were proposed to provide guidance on the potential for future research.

Anaerobic co-digestion of agricultural wastes toward circular bioeconomy

A huge amount of agricultural wastes and waste activated-sludge are being generated every year around the world. Anaerobic co-digestion (AcD) has been considered as an alternative for the utilization of organic matters from such organic wastes by producing bioenergy and biochemicals to realize a circular bioeconomy. Despite recent advancement in AcD processes, the effect of feedstock compositions and operating conditions on the biomethane production processe has not been critically explored. In this paper, we have reviewed the effects of feedstock (organic wastes) characteristics, including particle size, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, and pretreatment options, on the performance of an anaerobic digestion process. In addition, we provided an overview of the effect of key control parameters, including retention time, temperature, pH of digestate, volatile fatty acids content, total solids content, and organic loading rate. Lastly, based on the findings from the literature, we have presented several perspectives and prospects on priority research to promote AcD to a steppingstone for a circular bioeconomy.

Mercury vapor adsorption and sustainable recovery using novel electrothermal swing system with gold-electrodeposited activated carbon fiber cloth

A novel electrothermal swing (ETS) system with gold-electrodeposited activated carbon fiber cloth (GE-ACFC) was developed to adsorb and sustainably recover low-concentration Hg⁰. GE-ACFC with an Au growth time of 1200 s displayed the largest Hg⁰ adsorption capacity and >90% removal efficiency. The Hg⁰ adsorption of GE-ACFC was dominated by physisorption via Au amalgamation. In contrast, Hg adsorption of untreated ACFC (RAW-ACFC) was mainly controlled by physisorption and chemisorption related to carbonyl groups. Nevertheless, both ACFCs could reach 100% ETS Hg⁰ regeneration. The Hg re-adsorption of GE-ACFC was stable, with efficiency >90% at different regeneration temperatures in three-cycle ETS experiments, but the Hg re-adsorption efficiencies of RAW-ACFC greatly decreased to only 60% after 250 ℃ regeneration, due to the formation of electrothermal hot spots in the ACFC. Because the thermal and electrical conductivity of GE-ACFC increased due to Au electrodeposition, the presence of electrothermal hot spots in GE-ACFC-1200s was minor. Simulation results showed that both pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models fitted well to the desorption patterns of the GE-ACFC. Mass transfer model further suggested that intraparticle diffusion control was the rate-limiting step, with diffusion coefficients increased from the first to the third cycle for GE-ACFC.

[The value of NLR, FIB, CEA and CA19-9 in colorectal cancer]

Objective: To investigate the clinical value of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), fibrinogen (FIB), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) in the diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer. Methods: A case-control study design was used to select 155 patients with colorectal cancer[98 males and 57 females, aged (63.12±13.99)years old], 90 patients with colorectal polyps[62 males and 28 females, aged (56.86±12.74)years old] and 150 healthy subjects[93 males and 57 females, aged (57.02±10.91)years old] from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from October 2017 to March 2018. Blood routine tests were detected by instrument method, FIB was detected by Clauss method, and CEA and CA19-9 were detected by electrochemiluminescence method. The levels of the NLR, FIB, CEA and CA19-9 in the 3 groups were compared. The diagnostic efficacy of NLR, FIB, CEA and CA19-9 of colorectal cancer was compared according to the ROC curve. The relationship between the level of NLR, FIB, CEA and CA19-9 and their clinicopathological features in colorectal cancer patients was assessed. According to the median levels of NLR, FIB, CEA and CA19-9, 112 follow-up of colorectal cancer patients could be divided into the high-value group and the low-value group. Kaplan-Meier, log-rank test and Cox regression analysis were used to analyze the relationship between the levels of the four indicators and the prognosis of colorectal cancer. Results: The levels of NLR, FIB, CEA and CA19-9 in colorectal cancer group were 2.11(1.52, 2.86), 3.21(2.58, 3.86)g/L, 3.93(2.27, 8.78)μg/L, 15.11(9.10, 25.73)U/ml. The levels of NLR, FIB, CEA and CA19-9 in colorectal polyp group were 1.74(1.39, 2.17), 2.54(2.26, 3.03)g/L, 1.99(1.18, 2.70)μg/L, 9.83(6.13, 15.68)U/ml. The levels of NLR, FIB, CEA and CA19-9 in healthy control group were 1.68(1.33, 2.28), 2.56(2.30, 2.82)g/L, 1.85(1.28, 2.59)μg/L, 10.03(6.86, 13.26)U/ml. The levels of NLR, FIB, CEA and CA19-9 in colorectal cancer group were significantly higher than those in colorectal polyp group (Z values were 3.568, 5.913, 6.880 and 4.022,P values were all<0.05) and healthy control group(Z values were 3.916, 7.381, 9.131 and 5.251,P values were all<0.05). The levels of NLR, FIB, CEA and CA19-9 in colorectal polyp group were not remarkably different from those in healthy control group (Z values were 0.217, 0.179, 0.320 and 0.061,P values were all>0.05). The diagnostic performance of CEA was the best in single test, followed by FIB, CA19-9 and NLR. The sensitivity of combined NLR+FIB+CEA or NLR+FIB+CEA+CA19-9 was the highest with 72.3%. NLR and FIB levels were associated with tumor sites (Z values were 3.587 and 7.089,P values were both<0.05). FIB and CEA levels were correlated with the depth of tumor invasion (Z values were 3.250 and 3.245, P values were both <0.05). NLR, FIB, CEA and CA19-9 levels were both associated with lymph node metastasis (Z values were 2.010, 3.276, 3.312 and 2.921, P values were all<0.05). The prognosis of patients in the high-value NLR, FIB, CEA and CA19-9 groups was significantly worse than that in the low-value group (χ² values were 5.744, 6.048, 4.389 and 6.942,P values were all<0.05).Cox multivariate regression analysis showed lymph node metastasis, NLR >2.15 and CA19-9 >15.47 U/ml are independent factors affecting the prognosis of colorectal cancer. Conclusion: NLR, FIB, CEA and CA19-9 can be applied in the auxiliary diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer.

Composition-oriented estimation of biogas production from major culinary wastes in an anaerobic bioreactor and its associated CO2 reduction potential

Despite the wide applications of dry anaerobic digestion (AD), a number of fundamental issues, such as composition-oriented estimation of biogas production and CO₂ reduction potential, were not well understood yet. The objective of this study was to establish composition-oriented models for prediction of biogas production and the associated shift of microbial communities. Three important factors regarding feedstock, including loading, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, and solid-to-liquid ratio, were found to significantly affect the biogas production. The biogas production and digestion kinetics were evaluated with the response surface methodology. The major contribution to biogas production was found to be hydrogenotrophic methanogens (82.6 ± 0.4%). The net CO₂ reduction potential was assessed from the life-cycle approach, and a substantial amount of CO₂ generation (i.e., 2.8-6.7 tonne/tonne-VS) could be reduced by AD, compared to incineration, revealing that dry AD for food waste treatment should be one of the essential practices in the portfolio of global CO₂ mitigation.

Addressing environmental sustainability of plasma vitrification technology for stabilization of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash

Fly ash from municipal solid waste incineration is considered as a hazardous waste, which would raise great threats on environmental safety due to the inherent toxic heavy metals and organic pollutants. In this study, we applied the life cycle assessment to evaluate the thermal plasma vitrification process for stabilization of fly ash from municipal solid waste incineration. We established four scenarios: (i) plasma vitrification, including centralized and off-site plasma treatment, (ii) fuel-based vitrification, (iii) water-washing treatment followed by a rotary kiln, and (iv) conventional solidification and landfill. We found that the environmental impacts, especially toxicity to ecosystem quality and human health, could be significantly reduced by deploying plasma vitrification technology. We also found that centralized plasma vitrification facilities possessing larger treatment capabilities with clean electricity could further reduce the environmental impacts. In contrast, the water-washing treatment exhibited the highest environmental impacts due to the emissions of vaporized heavy metals. Based on the LCA and sensitivity analysis, we confirmed that the thermal plasma vitrification should be considered as an environmentally-friendly solution to sustainable treatment of fly ash from municipal solid waste incineration. Lastly, we provided several perspectives and prospects of plasma vitrification for realizing the sustainable materials management.

Brackish water desalination using reverse osmosis and capacitive deionization at the water-energy nexus

In this article, we present a critical review of the reported performance of reverse osmosis (RO) and capacitive deionization (CDI) for brackish water (salinity < 5.0 g/L) desalination from the aspects of engineering, energy, economy and environment. We first illustrate the criteria and the key performance indicators to evaluate the performance of brackish water desalination. We then systematically summarize technological information of RO and CDI, focusing on the effect of key parameters on desalination performance, as well as energy-water efficiency, economic costs and environmental impacts (including carbon footprint). We provide in-depth discussion on the interconnectivity between desalination and energy, and the trade-off between kinetics and energetics for RO and CDI as critical factors for comparison. We also critique the results of technical-economic assessment for RO and CDI plants in the context of large-scale deployment, with focus on lifetime-oriented consideration to total costs, balance between energy efficiency and clean water production, and pretreatment/post-treatment requirements. Finally, we illustrate the challenges and opportunities for future brackish water desalination, including hybridization for energy-efficient brackish water desalination, co-removal of specific components in brackish water, and sustainable brine management with innovative utilization. Our study reveals that both RO and CDI should play important roles in water reclamation and resource recovery from brackish water, especially for inland cities or rural regions.

Enhanced removal of tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate using a resin-based nanocomposite hydrated iron oxide through a Fenton-like process: Capacity evaluation and pathways

The effective removal of organophosphorus compounds (OPs) effectively from water environment remains an important but challenging task. In this study, a resin-based nanocomposite of hydrated iron oxide (HD1) was used as Fenton-like catalyst for effectively catalyzing the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to degrade tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP). The results showed that HD1 was successfully prepared, which had great versatility, catalytic performance and adsorption capacity. Besides, HD1/H₂O₂ was capable of degrading TCEP completely with less than 0.2 mg/L of inorganic phosphorus (IP) in the effluent at the initial TCEP of 38 mg/L, pH = 4, H₂O₂ dosage of 20 mM, and the K_obs could result in about 1.0530 min^-1 under identical conditions. More attractively, inorganic ions (i.e., Cl-, CO₃²-, SO₄²-, NO₃-, HCO₃-, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺) exhibited moderate effect on TCEP degradation. The negative effect of natural organic matters (NOM) (i.e., HA) on the degradation of TCEP was responsible for competition for the active oxygen species. Combined with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and other analytical methods and radical quenching experiments, the possible removal process of TCEP was discussed, including two processes of oxidative degradation and immobilization of IP. Besides, hydroxyl radicals (•OH) was the key active species that contributed to TCEP degradation through hydroxylation-oxidation and C-O bond cracking, and specificity adsorption of HFO on IP was revealed. Furthermore, the results showed that HD1 had desirable acid and alkali resistance. In the continuous running fixed bed column experiment, HD1 showed a satisfactory performance in cycle operations. This work proposed a new enhanced process for removing TCEP in water environment by HD1/H₂O₂, and the multi-functional material, HD1 was promising in treatment of water containing organic phosphorus pollutants. This will be believed that this study will provide new ideas and new materials for the treatment of organic phosphorus-based organic pollutants, and lay the foundation for further deepening and expanding the application of adsorption resins in the field of water pollution control.

Implementation of green chemistry principles in circular economy system towards sustainable development goals: Challenges and perspectives

Green chemistry principles (GCP) are comprehensively deployed in industrial management, governmental policy, educational practice, and technology development around the world. Circular economy always aims to balance the economic growth, resource sustainability, and environmental protection. This article offers a highlight on issues of significance within GCP and circular economy, and proposes the integrated strategies for GCP implementation from the aspects of governance, industry and education. At first, we developed a new categorizing system for GCP dividing to (i) pollution and accident prevention, (ii) safety and resource sustainability, and (iii) energy and resource sustainability. To assess the GCP practice towards the circular economy, the implementation of international movement of GCP in worldwide policy, especially those of Canada, China, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, United States and United Kingdom were reviewed. The policy implementation of GCP practices among governance, industries and education was analyzed. To integrate GCP into the circular economy concept, we also proposed five strategies of priority governance direction as follows: (i) establishment of cross-departmental collaboration, (ii) development of cleaner production and green product, (iii) provision of integrated chemical management system, (iv) implementation of green chemistry education program, and (v) construction of a business model. Finally, we discussed the prospects of disciplinary elements including the establishment of redesign-reduction-recovery-recycle-reuse (5R) practices for wastes reclamation, deployment of water-energy-food nexus with GCP to improve the food security and resource sustainability, and implementation of GCP in the green smart industrial park.

Sustainable Recovery of Gaseous Mercury by Adsorption and Electrothermal Desorption Using Activated Carbon Fiber Cloth

The present work aims to develop a novel and sustainable approach to adsorb and recover low-concentration Hg⁰ in the off-gas downstream a distillation/condensation system in the recycling processes for waste Hg-containing devices. Hg⁰ adsorption and regeneration efficiencies of raw and HNO₃-treated activated carbon fiber cloth (ACFC) were examined. The adsorption experiments were conducted with an initial Hg⁰ concentration of 260-300 μg/m³ at room temperature. The regeneration of ACFC was done by an electrothermal swing process with 20, 40, and 60 W direct currents. The experimental results showed that the Hg⁰ adsorption efficiency of raw ACFC increased to approximately 90% after the 60 W electrothermal regeneration. After HNO₃ treatment, the content of oxygen functional groups on HNO₃-treated ACFC increased, which enhanced the Hg⁰ adsorption performance and resulted in over 90% adsorption efficiency for the samples before and after electrothermal regeneration. Importantly, both raw and HNO₃-treated ACFCs retained the high adsorption efficiency after nine cycles of adsorption/regeneration, indicating that both raw and HNO₃-treated ACFCs were effective and renewable adsorbents for low-concentration Hg⁰ adsorption and recovery. A Hg adsorption/regeneration mechanism was proposed to explain the increasing adsorption efficiency after electrothermal regeneration and the great adsorption efficiency of HNO₃-treated ACFC.

An engineering-environmental-economic-energy assessment for integrated air pollutants reduction, CO2 capture and utilization exemplified by the high-gravity process

In this study, a high-gravity (HiGee) process incorporating CO₂ and NO_x reduction from flue gas in a petrochemical plant coupled with petroleum coke fly ash (PCFA) treatment was established. The performance of HiGee was systematically evaluated from the engineering, environmental, economic, and energy aspects (a total of 15 key performance indicators) to establish the air pollution, energy efficiency, waste utilization nexus. The engineering performance was evaluated that lower energy consumption of 78 kWh/t-CO₂ can be achieved at a capture capacity of 600 kg CO₂/t-PCFA. A net emission reduction of 327.3 kg-CO₂/t-PCFA could be determined based on six environmental impact indicators. A cost-benefit analysis was conducted using operating cost, product sale, carbon credit, and savings in air pollution fees to present a better technological selection compared to existing carbon capture and storage plants. The waste heat recovery from the flue gas via the HiGee process could be measured via moisture condensation and attendant elimination of white smog emissions. Retrofitted heat recovery and energy intensity up to 131.8 kJ/t-PCFA and 0.21 kWh/t-PCFA were assessed. Finally, a comprehensive analysis of the HiGee process based on three daily load scenarios of CO₂ capture scale were conducted, suggesting an optimal operating condition of the HiGee for generating profitability.

Establishment of an Automatic Real-Time Monitoring System for Irrigation Water Quality Management

In order to provide the real-time monitoring for identifying the sources of pollution and improving the irrigation water quality management, the integration of continuous automatic sampling techniques and cloud technologies is essential. In this study, we have established an automatic real-time monitoring system for improving the irrigation water quality management, especially for heavy metals such as Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Cr. As a part of this work, we have first provided several examples on the basic water quality parameters (e.g., pH and electrical conductance) to demonstrate the capacity of data correction by the smart monitoring system, and then evaluated the trend and variance of water quality parameters for different types of monitoring stations. By doing so, the threshold (to initiate early warming) of different water quality parameters could be dynamically determined by the system, and the authorities could be immediately notified for follow-up actions. We have also provided and discussed the representative results from the real-time automatic monitoring system of heavy metals from different monitoring stations. Finally, we have illustrated the implications of the developed smart monitoring system for ensuring the safety of irrigation water in the near future, including integration with automatic sampling for establishing information exchange platform, estimating fluxes of heavy metals to paddy fields, and combining with green technologies for nonpoint source pollution control.

A multiple model approach for evaluating the performance of time-lapse capsules in trapping heavy metals from water bodies

This article applies multiple approaches for evaluating the effect of operating factors on the adsorption of heavy metals from watershed using time-lapse capsules.

Removal of fine particles from IC chip carbonization process in a rotating packed bed: Modeling and assessment

A high-gravity rotating packed bed (HiGee RPB) is very efficient at removing pollution because it exerts a strong high centrifugal and allows tiny droplets to form, which allows the control of gaseous and particulate air pollution. In this study, fine particles that are removed from integrated circuit (IC) chip carbonization process using a RPB are evaluated under different high gravity factors and liquid-to-gas ratios. The greatest number of particles captured per energy consumption is 17.77 mg kWh^-1 in a RPB. This allow greater energy efficiency for the HiGee technology prevents an air-energy nexus. The maximum available particle removal efficiency for a RPB is determined using a response surface model (RSM). 99.5% of particles are removed at a high gravity factor of 262 and a liquid-to-gas ratio of 0.24. A semi-theoretical model is developed to determine the particle removal efficiency individually in packing and cavity zones of the RPB. More particles are removed in a cavity zone than in the packing zone as the high gravity factor increases. An empirical model shows that the particle removal efficiency depends on the operating factors. Finally, a comparison analysis of particulate matter treatment in various types of RPB is used to validate the performance in terms of particle removal using high-gravity technology for different industries.

Novel chitosan-based flocculants for chromium and nickle removal in wastewater via integrated chelation and flocculation

Carboxylated chitosan (CPCTS) is used as substrates in the design and synthesis of CPCTS-based flocculants through UV-initiated polymerization techniques. The synthesized flocculants are applied to remove Cr and Ni ions from chromic acid lotion and electroplating wastewater through two-stage flocculation. This study investigates the effect of flocculant dosage, pH, reaction time, and stirring speed on the removal efficiency of Cr and Ni ions. Results indicated that the total Cr removal ratios by CPCTS-graft-polyacrylamide-co-sodium xanthate (CAC) and CPCTS-graft-poly [acrylamide-2-Acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid] (CPCTS-g-P(AM-AMPS)) are 94.7% and 94.6%, respectively. The total Ni removal efficiencies by CAC and CPCTS-g-P(AM-AMPS) are 99.3% and 99.4%, respectively. The two-stage flocculation with CPCTS-based flocculants could reduce the total concentrations of Cr and Ni to 1.0 mg/L and 0.5 mg/L, respectively. The relationship of removal capacity and structural properties between the flocculants with different functional groups is established through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The micro-interfacial behavior between the colloidal particles and the solution during the integrated chelation-flocculation are elucidated. Thus, CPCTS-based flocculants could be a potential material for the removal of high amounts of Cr and Ni ions in industrial wastewater.

Mechanistic insight into mineral carbonation and utilization in cement-based materials at solid-liquid interfaces

In order to ensure the viability of CO₂ mineralization and utilization using alkaline solid waste, a mechanistic understanding of reactions at mineral–water interfaces was required to control the reaction pathways and kinetics. In this study, we provided new information for understanding the reactions of CO₂ mineralization and utilization at mineral–water interfaces. Here we have carried out high-energy synchrotron X-ray analyses to characterize the changes of mineral phases in petroleum coke fly ash during CO₂ mineralization and their subsequent utilization as supplementary cementitious materials in cement mortars. The 2-D synchrotron patterns were converted to 1-D diffraction patterns and the results were then interpreted via the Rietveld refinement. The results indicated that there was a continuous source of calcium ions mainly due to the dissolution of CaO and Ca(OH)₂ in fly ash. This would actually enhance the driving force of saturation index at the solid–fluid interfacial layer, and then could eventually result in the nucleation and growth of calcium carbonate (calcite) at the interface. A small quantity of CaSO₄ (anhydrite) in fly ash was also dissolved and simultaneously converted into calcite. In addition, the calcium sulfate in fly ash would effectively prevent the early hydration of tricalcium aluminate in blended cement, and thus could avoid the negative impact on its strength development. The proposed reaction mechanisms were also qualitatively verified by X-ray fluorescence mapping and electron microscopy. These results would help to design efficient reactors and cost-effective processes for CO₂ mineralization and utilization in the future.

Synchrotron-based X-ray analyses for understanding the reactions at mineral–water interfaces for CO₂ mineralization and utilization using petroleum coke fly ash.

Performance evaluation of modified bioretention systems with alkaline solid wastes for enhanced nutrient removal from stormwater runoff

Bioretention systems have been found to be potential candidates for the removal of various pollutants/nutrients from rainfall or stormwater runoff. Despite bioretention has been widely developed for the removal of nutrients from stormwater, effective removal of both phosphorus and nitrogen is still a challenge. Hence, in this study, bioretention systems modified by alkaline solid waste media have been reported for the effective removal of nutrients. Six different types of solid wastes were first assessed using leaching and adsorption tests, and then the bottom ash from a refuse incineration plant was selected as a modifier. The bottom ash was mixed with soil to form a special media as the filter layer in the bioretention systems. The nutrient removal efficiencies of the modified bioretention systems were evaluated and also compared with those of the unmodified control. For this purpose, the design of the modified filter media with a saturated zone was combined to enhance the simultaneous removal of nitrogen and phosphorus. The effect of different rainfall intensities and nutrient concentrations in stormwater runoff on the removal efficiency of nutrients was evaluated. The results indicated that the modified bioretention with bottom ash modified soil media and saturated zone could exhibit the excellent removal efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus from stormwater runoff. The extent of removal of total nitrogen, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and total phosphorus was found to be 58-70%, 66-82% and 82-97%, respectively. The performed correlation analysis showed that the bioretention cell using the special media could simultaneously enhance the removal of phosphorus and nitrogen. As a part of this study, the adsorption isotherms of phosphorus removal by the modified bioretention systems have also been determined. Finally, the implications and opportunities for deploying modified bioretention systems for optimizing water-energy nexus and stormwater management were illustrated. In overall, this study demonstrated that the modified bioretention systems could substantially enhance the removal efficiencies of nutrients from stormwater runoff.

Development and deployment of integrated air pollution control, CO2 capture and product utilization via a high-gravity process: comprehensive performance evaluation

In this study, a proposed integrated high-gravity technology for air pollution control, CO₂ capture, and alkaline waste utilization was comprehensively evaluated from engineering, environmental, and economic perspectives. After high-gravity technology and coal fly ash (CFA) leaching processes were integrated, flue gas air emissions removal (e.g., sulfate dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), total suspended particulates (TSP)) and CO₂ capture were studied. The CFA, which contains calcium oxide and thus, had high alkalinity, was used as an absorbent in removing air pollution residues. To elucidate the availability of technology for pilot-scale high-gravity processes, the engineering performance, environmental impact, and economic cost were simultaneously investigated. The results indicated that the maximal CO₂, SO₂, NO_x, and TSP removal efficiencies of 96.3 ± 2.1%, 99.4 ± 0.3%, 95.9 ± 2.1%, and 83.4 ± 2.6% were respectively achieved. Moreover, a 112 kWh/t-CO₂ energy consumption for a high-gravity process was evaluated, with capture capacities of 510 kg CO₂ and 0.468 kg NO_x per day. In addition, the fresh, water-treated, acid-treated, and carbonated CFA was utilized as supplementary cementitious materials in the blended cement mortar. The workability, durability, and compressive strength of 5% carbonated CFA blended into cement mortar showed superior performance, i.e., 53 MPa ±2.5 MPa at 56 days. Furthermore, a higher engineering performance with a lower environmental impact and lower economic cost could potentially be evaluated to determine the best available operating condition of the high-gravity process for air pollution reduction, CO₂ capture, and waste utilization.

Integration of Green Energy and Advanced Energy-Efficient Technologies for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants

Wastewater treatment can consume a large amount of energy to meet discharge standards. However, wastewater also contains resources which could be recovered for secondary uses under proper treatment. Hence, the goal of this paper is to review the available green energy and biomass energy that can be utilized in wastewater treatment plants. Comprehensive elucidation of energy-efficient technologies for wastewater treatment plants are revealed. For these energy-efficient technologies, this review provides an introduction and current application status of these technologies as well as key performance indicators for the integration of green energy and energy-efficient technologies. There are several assessment perspectives summarized in the evaluation of the integration of green energy and energy-efficient technologies in wastewater treatment plants. To overcome the challenges in wastewater treatment plants, the Internet of Things (IoT) and green chemistry technologies for the water and energy nexus are proposed. The findings of this review are highly beneficial for the development of green energy and energy-efficient wastewater treatment plants. Future research should investigate the integration of green infrastructure and ecologically advanced treatment technologies to explore the potential benefits and advantages.

Performance evaluation of integrated adsorption-nanofiltration system for emerging compounds removal: Exemplified by caffeine, diclofenac and octylphenol

Emerging pollutants introduced into surface water pose potential hazards to the safety of drinking water. In this study, the removal performance of three emerging compounds (exemplified by caffeine, diclofenac and octylphenol, with different physico-chemical properties) from synthetic water and source water by combining activated carbon (AC) adsorption and nanofiltration (NF) membrane processes was evaluated and analyzed. Results from synthetic water showed that the adsorption isotherms modeled well with the Langmuir equation. The removal performance of target compounds by AC-NF system was more remarkable than that of NF-AC combination. In the source water system, the integrated AC-NF process with coagulation pretreatment (the alum dosage of 60 mg/L) achieved satisfactory performance (the removal efficiencies of three target compounds reached > 95%). Results showed the electrostatic interaction and pollutant hydrophobicity determined the behavior and the fate of selected PPCPs/EDCs during the sequential treatment process of coagulation, activated carbon adsorption, and NF membrane separation. Finally, the AC and NF membranes were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy to understand the mechanisms, i.e. electrostatic and hydrophobic effects on the total removal process. It suggests that the integrated AC-NF process with coagulation pretreatment should be a feasible approach for removing emerging compounds in waterworks.

Advances and challenges in sustainable tourism toward a green economy

This paper provides an overview of the interrelationships between tourism and sustainability from a cross-disciplinary perspective. The current challenges and barriers in the tourism sustainability, such as high energy use, extensive water consumption and habitat destruction, are first reviewed. Then the key cross-disciplinary elements in sustainable tourism, including green energy, green transportation, green buildings, green infrastructure, green agriculture and smart technologies, are discussed. To overcome the challenges and barriers, a few implementation strategies on achieving sustainable tourism from the aspects of policy/regulation, institution, finance, technology and culture are proposed, along with the framework and details of a key performance indicator system. Finally, prospects of the potential for tourism to contribute to the transformative changes, e.g., a green economy system, are illustrated. This paper shine a light on issues of importance within sustainable tourism and encourage researchers from different disciplines in investigating the inter-relationships among community/culture, environment/ecology, and energy/water/food more broadly.

Age Estimation and Age-related Facial Reconstruction of Xinjiang Uygur Males by Three-dimensional Human Facial Images

OBJECTIVES

To search age-correlated facial features and construct an age estimation model based on the three-dimensional （3D） facial images of Xinjiang Uygur males, and to structure individual face images of old age and young age.

METHODS

Pretreatment was performed to collect 105 3D facial images of Xingjiang Uygur males aged between 17-57 years by Artec Studio software. The facial images were transferred to high-density 3D dot matrix data by FaceAnalysis software, and each image could be represented with 32 251 vertexes. Central correction of the facial images was done and all the data were aligned to a standard coordinate frame by generalized Procrustes analysis （GPA）. The age estimation model was established by partial least square regression （PLSR）. Furthermore, the changes of age-correlated facial features were presented on the heat map of average face, and the reconstruction of facial images at different ages was performed based on this model.

RESULTS

With age, the average faces showed a series of changes including the nasolabial sulcus deepening, cheek sinking, cheekbone protruding and eye corner drooping. The Pearson correlation coefficient （r） between estimated age and chronological age was 0.71. The mean absolute deviation （MAD） of age estimation was 6.37 years. The results of age estimation in >30-40 years group showed a best accuracy （MAD=4.27 years）, and the deviations increased with age after 40 years. The composite facial images represented a significant result with age on facial morphological features and aging.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study reveal the age-correlated facial features and aging markers in Uygur population, which help to construct a reliable age estimation model.

CO2 Mineralization and Utilization using Steel Slag for Establishing a Waste-to-Resource Supply Chain

Both steelmaking via an electric arc furnace and manufacturing of portland cement are energy-intensive and resource-exploiting processes, with great amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission and alkaline solid waste generation. In fact, most CO₂ capture and storage technologies are currently too expensive to be widely applied in industries. Moreover, proper stabilization prior to utilization of electric arc furnace slag are still challenging due to its high alkalinity, heavy metal leaching potentials and volume instability. Here we deploy an integrated approach to mineralizing flue gas CO₂ using electric arc furnace slag while utilizing the reacted product as supplementary cementitious materials to establish a waste-to-resource supply chain toward a circular economy. We found that the flue gas CO₂ was rapidly mineralized into calcite precipitates using electric arc furnace slag. The carbonated slag can be successfully utilized as green construction materials in blended cement mortar. By this modulus, the global CO₂ reduction potential using iron and steel slags was estimated to be ~138 million tons per year.

Environmental Benefit Assessment for the Carbonation Process of Petroleum Coke Fly Ash in a Rotating Packed Bed

A high-gravity carbonation process was deployed at a petrochemical plant using petroleum coke fly ash and blowdown wastewater to simultaneously mineralized CO₂ and remove nitrogen oxides and particulate matters from the flue gas. With a high-gravity carbonation process, the CO₂ removal efficiency was found to be 95.6%, corresponding to a capture capacity of 600 kg CO₂ per day, at a gas flow rate of 1.47 m³/min under ambient temperature and pressure. Moreover, the removal efficiency of nitrogen oxides and particulate matters was 99.1% and 83.2%, respectively. After carbonation, the reacted fly ash was further utilized as supplementary cementitious materials in the blended cement mortar. The results indicated that cement with carbonated fly ash exhibited superior compressive strength (38.1 ± 2.5 MPa at 28 days in 5% substitution ratio) compared to the cement with fresh fly ash. Furthermore, the environmental benefits for the high-gravity carbonation process using fly ash were critically assessed. The energy consumption of the entire high-gravity carbonation ranged from 80 to 169 kWh/t-CO₂ (0.29-0.61 GJ/t-CO₂). Compared with the scenarios of business-as-usual and conventional carbon capture and storage plant, the economic benefit from the high-gravity carbonation process was approximately 90 and 74 USD per ton of CO₂ fixation, respectively.

Role of ADH2 and ALDH2 gene polymorphisms in the development of Parkinson's disease in a Chinese population

In this study, we investigated the role of ADH2 Arg47His and ALDH2 Glu487Lys genetic polymorphisms in the development of Parkinson's disease in a Chinese population. Between January 2013 and May 2014, 115 patients with Parkinson's disease and 214 healthy controls were recruited in our study. Genotyping of ADH2 Arg47His and ALDH2 Glu487Lys polymorphisms was performed by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. In the dominant model, the GA + AA genotype of ALDH2 Glu487Lys was found to be significantly associated with elevated risk of Parkinson's disease when compared with the GG genotype [odds ratio = 1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02-2.84]. In the recessive model, the AA genotype of ALDH2 Glu487Lys showed a 4.87-fold increase (95%CI = 1.54-18.03) in the risk of Parkinson's disease when compared to the GG and GA genotypes. However, no significant association was found between the ADH2 Arg47His polymorphism and risk of Parkinson's disease in the co-dominant, dominant, or recessive models. In conclusion, our study suggests that the ALDH2 polymorphism could influence the development of Parkinson's disease in the Chinese population studied here.

Multiple model approach to evaluation of accelerated carbonation for steelmaking slag in a slurry reactor

Basic oxygen furnace slag (BOFS) exhibits highly alkaline properties due to its high calcium content, which is beneficial to carbonation reaction. In this study, accelerated carbonation of BOFS was evaluated under different reaction times, temperatures, and liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratios in a slurry reactor. CO2 mass balance within the slurry reactor was carried out to validate the technical feasibility of fixing gaseous CO2 into solid precipitates. After that, a multiple model approach, i.e., theoretical kinetics and empirical surface model, for carbonation reaction was presented to determine the maximal carbonation conversion of BOFS in a slurry reactor. On one hand, the reaction kinetics of BOFS carbonation was evaluated by the shrinking core model (SCM). Calcite (CaCO3) was identified as a reaction product through the scanning electronic microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses, which provided the rationale of applying the SCM in this study. The rate-limiting step of carbonation was found to be ash-diffusion controlled, and the effective diffusivity for carbonation of BOFS in a slurry reactor were determined accordingly. On the other hand, the carbonation conversion of BOFS was predicted by the response surface methodology (RSM) via a nonlinear mathematical programming. According to the experimental data, the highest carbonation conversion of BOFS achieved was 57% under an L/S ratio of 20 mL g(-1), a CO2 flow rate of 0.1 L min(-1), and a pressure of 101.3 kPa at 50 °C for 120 min. Furthermore, the applications and limitations of SCM and RSM were examined and exemplified by the carbonation of steelmaking slags.