Electrochemical water splitting is regarded as the most promising approach to produce hydrogen.However,the sluggish electrochemical reactions occurring at the anode and cathode,namely,the oxygen evolution reaction(OER...Electrochemical water splitting is regarded as the most promising approach to produce hydrogen.However,the sluggish electrochemical reactions occurring at the anode and cathode,namely,the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER),respectively,consume a tremendous amount of energy,seriously hampering its wide application.Recently,single-atom catalysts(SACs)have been proposed to effectively enhance the kinetics of these two reactions.In this minireview,we focus on the recent progress in SACs for OER and HER applications.Three classes of SACs have been reviewed,i.e.,alloy-based SACs,carbon-based SACs and SACs supported on other compounds.Different factors affecting the activities of SACs are also highlighted,including the inherent element property,the coordination environment,the geometric structure and the loading amount of metal atoms.Finally,we summarize the current problems and directions for future development in SACs.展开更多
This study examined the dissolved organic matter(DOM) components of cow dung using a combination of fluorescence(excitation–emission matrix,EEM)spectroscopy and parallel factor(PARAFAC) modelling along with eleven tr...This study examined the dissolved organic matter(DOM) components of cow dung using a combination of fluorescence(excitation–emission matrix,EEM)spectroscopy and parallel factor(PARAFAC) modelling along with eleven trace metals using ICP-MS and nutrients(NH_4^+ and NO_3^-) using an AA3 auto analyser. EEM–PARAFAC analysis demonstrated that cow dung predominantly contained only one fluorescent DOM component with two fluorescence peaks(Ex/Em=275/311 nm and Ex/Em=220/311 nm),which could be denoted as tyrosine by comparison with its standard. Occurrence of tyrosine can be further confirmed by the FTIR spectra. Trace metals analysis revealed that Na,K and Mg were significantly higher than Ca,Fe,Mn,Zn Sr,Cu,Ni and Co. The NH_4^+ concentrations were substantially higher than NO_3^-.These results thus indicate that the dissolved components of the cow dung could be useful for better understanding its future uses in various important purposes.展开更多
Among fertilizer ingredients nitrogen is the one noted for biggest losses because its susceptibility to volatilize to the atmosphere and to be leached away from the soil. These losses depend on the level and mode of f...Among fertilizer ingredients nitrogen is the one noted for biggest losses because its susceptibility to volatilize to the atmosphere and to be leached away from the soil. These losses depend on the level and mode of fertilization. It appears that every year in Poland river waters transport to the Baltic Sea from the whole area about 180 thousand tons of the nutrient. The largest portion of this load is ascribed to agriculture. This study focused on the highland areas, which are commonly seen as a water supplying region owing to the fact that they cover about 35% of water need in the authors' country. Specificity of grassland fertilization in these lands is high contribution of natural fertilizers including dunging with fresh manure left by penned animals, particularly by sheep. Authors decided to assess the influence of dunging by folded sheep on meadow nitrogen balance and on its concentration in percolating water. It was demonstrated that a nitrogen balance was highly negative for each object, so the grassland plants supplied their needs in large part with nitrogen from mineralization of soil organic matter. Relatively high loads of nitrogen leached out of the folded objects indicate that nitrogen from mineral fertilizers is better utilized by grassland herbage and thus is much safer for soil and water environment.展开更多
In this paper, we adopted simulation method to discuss influences of litter layer on plants habitat in grassland. Results indicated that ground surface evaporation, soil moisture, surface temperature, soil pH, soil bu...In this paper, we adopted simulation method to discuss influences of litter layer on plants habitat in grassland. Results indicated that ground surface evaporation, soil moisture, surface temperature, soil pH, soil bulk density and soil porosity were all strongly related to the litter quantity. Potassium (K) and organic materials in the soil covered by litter layer were higher than those in the soil uncovered by litter layer. With 100 g.ln-z increase of litter, the percentage of organic materials increased by 17.9%, nitrogen (N) increased by 7.6%, phosphor (P) increased by 26.4%, and K increased by 3.8%. With the litter accumulation amounting up to 600 g-m-2, the percentage of organic materials increased by 1.8 times, N increased by 81.5%, P increased by 1.8 times and K increased by 26.4%. According to the expected coefficient method of optimization, a mathematical model was established about the optimal accumulation quantity of litter.展开更多
Nitrate is the leading cause of eutrophication worldwide and is one of the most challenging pollutants for restoration of polluted surface waters such as lakes, rivers and reservoirs. We report herein a new architectu...Nitrate is the leading cause of eutrophication worldwide and is one of the most challenging pollutants for restoration of polluted surface waters such as lakes, rivers and reservoirs. We report herein a new architecture of iron nanoparticles for high-efficiency denitrification by selective reduction of nitrate (NO3-) to dinitrogen (N2). The iron nanoparticles are doped with nitrogen (FeN) and encapsulated within a thin layer of nitride-carbon (NC). The nanoparticles have high pyrrolic N content (17.4 at.%) and large specific surface area (2040 m2/g). Laboratory experiments demonstrated high N2selectivity (91%) and nitrate removal capacity (6004 mg N/g Fe) for treatment of nitrate-containing water. This iron-based nanomaterial overcomes shortcomings of conventional catalysts by eliminating the use of precious and toxic heavy metals (e.g., Pd, Pt, Cu, Ni) and minimizing the generation of undesirable byproducts (e.g., ammonia) from the reactions with nanoscale zero-valent iron (n ZVI). The multiple electron transfers process from NO3- to N2can be fine-tuned by adjusting the NC shell thickness. Superior electrocatalytic perfor- mance, low cost and minimal environmental impact of the iron-derived nanocatalyst offer promising prospects for water purification, waste treatment and environmental remediation.展开更多
Dear Editor,In aquatic environments,cyanobacteria usually proliferate faster than other phytoplankton assemblages during warm seasons,particularly in eutrophic waters(Ma et al.,2015).Microcystis,a common cyanobacteria...Dear Editor,In aquatic environments,cyanobacteria usually proliferate faster than other phytoplankton assemblages during warm seasons,particularly in eutrophic waters(Ma et al.,2015).Microcystis,a common cyanobacterial genus that potentially produces microcystins(MCs)and nontoxic strains,dominates in eutrophic freshwater bodies,and its biomass increases quickly during the warm period;these changes result in increased water turbidity and changes in light quality and quantity in the water column(Li and Li,2012).Additionally,展开更多
Detecting/sensing targets underwater has very important applications in environmental study, civil engineering and national security. In this paper, an organic-film based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has been ...Detecting/sensing targets underwater has very important applications in environmental study, civil engineering and national security. In this paper, an organic-film based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has been successfully demonstrated for the first time as a self-powered and high sensitivity acoustic sensor to detect underwater targets at low frequencies around 100 Hz. This innovative, cost-effective, simple-design TENG consists of a thin-film-based Cu electrode and a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film with nanostructures on its surfaces. On the basis of the coupling effect between triboelectrification and electrostatic induction, the sensor generates electrical output signals in response to incident sound waves. Operating at a resonance frequency of 110 Hz, under an acoustic pressure of 144.2 dBspc, the maximum open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current of the generator can respectively reach 65 V and 32 ~A underwater. The directional dependence pattern has a bi-directional shape with a total response angle of 60~. Its sensitivity is higher than -185 dB in the frequency range from 30 Hz to 200 Hz. The highest sensitivity is -146 dB at resonance frequency. The three-dimensional coordinates of an acoustic source were identified by four TENGs, self-powered active sensors, and the location of the acoustic source was determined with an error about 0.2 m. This study not only expands the application fields of TENGs from the atmosphere to water, but also shows the TENG is a promising acoustic source locator in underwater environments.展开更多
文摘Electrochemical water splitting is regarded as the most promising approach to produce hydrogen.However,the sluggish electrochemical reactions occurring at the anode and cathode,namely,the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER),respectively,consume a tremendous amount of energy,seriously hampering its wide application.Recently,single-atom catalysts(SACs)have been proposed to effectively enhance the kinetics of these two reactions.In this minireview,we focus on the recent progress in SACs for OER and HER applications.Three classes of SACs have been reviewed,i.e.,alloy-based SACs,carbon-based SACs and SACs supported on other compounds.Different factors affecting the activities of SACs are also highlighted,including the inherent element property,the coordination environment,the geometric structure and the loading amount of metal atoms.Finally,we summarize the current problems and directions for future development in SACs.
基金financially supported by the Key Construction Program of the National 985 Project,Tianjin University,Chinathe National Key R and D Program of China (2016YFA0601000)
文摘This study examined the dissolved organic matter(DOM) components of cow dung using a combination of fluorescence(excitation–emission matrix,EEM)spectroscopy and parallel factor(PARAFAC) modelling along with eleven trace metals using ICP-MS and nutrients(NH_4^+ and NO_3^-) using an AA3 auto analyser. EEM–PARAFAC analysis demonstrated that cow dung predominantly contained only one fluorescent DOM component with two fluorescence peaks(Ex/Em=275/311 nm and Ex/Em=220/311 nm),which could be denoted as tyrosine by comparison with its standard. Occurrence of tyrosine can be further confirmed by the FTIR spectra. Trace metals analysis revealed that Na,K and Mg were significantly higher than Ca,Fe,Mn,Zn Sr,Cu,Ni and Co. The NH_4^+ concentrations were substantially higher than NO_3^-.These results thus indicate that the dissolved components of the cow dung could be useful for better understanding its future uses in various important purposes.
文摘Among fertilizer ingredients nitrogen is the one noted for biggest losses because its susceptibility to volatilize to the atmosphere and to be leached away from the soil. These losses depend on the level and mode of fertilization. It appears that every year in Poland river waters transport to the Baltic Sea from the whole area about 180 thousand tons of the nutrient. The largest portion of this load is ascribed to agriculture. This study focused on the highland areas, which are commonly seen as a water supplying region owing to the fact that they cover about 35% of water need in the authors' country. Specificity of grassland fertilization in these lands is high contribution of natural fertilizers including dunging with fresh manure left by penned animals, particularly by sheep. Authors decided to assess the influence of dunging by folded sheep on meadow nitrogen balance and on its concentration in percolating water. It was demonstrated that a nitrogen balance was highly negative for each object, so the grassland plants supplied their needs in large part with nitrogen from mineralization of soil organic matter. Relatively high loads of nitrogen leached out of the folded objects indicate that nitrogen from mineral fertilizers is better utilized by grassland herbage and thus is much safer for soil and water environment.
基金Acknowledgements: This research work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30590382 and No. 30570273) and Science Foundation for Young Teachers of Northeast Normal University (No. 20070502).
文摘In this paper, we adopted simulation method to discuss influences of litter layer on plants habitat in grassland. Results indicated that ground surface evaporation, soil moisture, surface temperature, soil pH, soil bulk density and soil porosity were all strongly related to the litter quantity. Potassium (K) and organic materials in the soil covered by litter layer were higher than those in the soil uncovered by litter layer. With 100 g.ln-z increase of litter, the percentage of organic materials increased by 17.9%, nitrogen (N) increased by 7.6%, phosphor (P) increased by 26.4%, and K increased by 3.8%. With the litter accumulation amounting up to 600 g-m-2, the percentage of organic materials increased by 1.8 times, N increased by 81.5%, P increased by 1.8 times and K increased by 26.4%. According to the expected coefficient method of optimization, a mathematical model was established about the optimal accumulation quantity of litter.
基金This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51978488,41772243 and 41673096).
文摘Nitrate is the leading cause of eutrophication worldwide and is one of the most challenging pollutants for restoration of polluted surface waters such as lakes, rivers and reservoirs. We report herein a new architecture of iron nanoparticles for high-efficiency denitrification by selective reduction of nitrate (NO3-) to dinitrogen (N2). The iron nanoparticles are doped with nitrogen (FeN) and encapsulated within a thin layer of nitride-carbon (NC). The nanoparticles have high pyrrolic N content (17.4 at.%) and large specific surface area (2040 m2/g). Laboratory experiments demonstrated high N2selectivity (91%) and nitrate removal capacity (6004 mg N/g Fe) for treatment of nitrate-containing water. This iron-based nanomaterial overcomes shortcomings of conventional catalysts by eliminating the use of precious and toxic heavy metals (e.g., Pd, Pt, Cu, Ni) and minimizing the generation of undesirable byproducts (e.g., ammonia) from the reactions with nanoscale zero-valent iron (n ZVI). The multiple electron transfers process from NO3- to N2can be fine-tuned by adjusting the NC shell thickness. Superior electrocatalytic perfor- mance, low cost and minimal environmental impact of the iron-derived nanocatalyst offer promising prospects for water purification, waste treatment and environmental remediation.
基金supported by the Henan Province Science Projects for Colleges and Universities (15A610011)the City Science and Technology Project (20140659)+1 种基金the Fund Project for Doctor (D2014009)the Henan Institute of Engineering Innovation Team Building Program (CXTD2014005)
文摘Dear Editor,In aquatic environments,cyanobacteria usually proliferate faster than other phytoplankton assemblages during warm seasons,particularly in eutrophic waters(Ma et al.,2015).Microcystis,a common cyanobacterial genus that potentially produces microcystins(MCs)and nontoxic strains,dominates in eutrophic freshwater bodies,and its biomass increases quickly during the warm period;these changes result in increased water turbidity and changes in light quality and quantity in the water column(Li and Li,2012).Additionally,
文摘Detecting/sensing targets underwater has very important applications in environmental study, civil engineering and national security. In this paper, an organic-film based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has been successfully demonstrated for the first time as a self-powered and high sensitivity acoustic sensor to detect underwater targets at low frequencies around 100 Hz. This innovative, cost-effective, simple-design TENG consists of a thin-film-based Cu electrode and a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film with nanostructures on its surfaces. On the basis of the coupling effect between triboelectrification and electrostatic induction, the sensor generates electrical output signals in response to incident sound waves. Operating at a resonance frequency of 110 Hz, under an acoustic pressure of 144.2 dBspc, the maximum open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current of the generator can respectively reach 65 V and 32 ~A underwater. The directional dependence pattern has a bi-directional shape with a total response angle of 60~. Its sensitivity is higher than -185 dB in the frequency range from 30 Hz to 200 Hz. The highest sensitivity is -146 dB at resonance frequency. The three-dimensional coordinates of an acoustic source were identified by four TENGs, self-powered active sensors, and the location of the acoustic source was determined with an error about 0.2 m. This study not only expands the application fields of TENGs from the atmosphere to water, but also shows the TENG is a promising acoustic source locator in underwater environments.