Effects of Nano-carbon Humic Acid Water-retaining Fertilizer on Citrus Growth and the Soil Bacterial Community in Citrus Field

[Objective] In order to reveal the effects of reducing the amount of novel nano-carbon humic acid water-retaining fertilizer(CSF) on soil microbial community structure and citrus growth. [Method]In this study,conventional fertilization was as the control(KC1) in Wanzhou citrus orchard of Three Gorges Reservoir area. CSF reductions by 0%(KC2),10%(KC3),20%(KC4),30%(KC5) and 40%(KC6) were used to analyze the changes of soil bacterial community structure,citrus yield and quality. [Result]The results showed that the observed species,Shannon index,Chao1 index and PDwholetree of KC6 were higher than those of KC1,and were the same as KC2. The abundance of Xanthomonadaceae was the highest in KC5. Compared with KC1,the Xanthomonadaceae in KC3,KC4 and KC6 was significantly decreased,and the levels of Nitrosomonadaceae and Pseudomonasaceae were higher than that of KC1 after the treatment of KC6. Sphingomonas in different reduction treatments was lower than that of KC1,but Burkholderia and Pseudomonas were significantly higher than those of KC1. It was found that the similarity among treatments was small after bacterial community similarity clustering analysis,and citrus yield increased somewhat after CSF fertilization reduction.When CSF fertilization reduced by 30%,citrus yield increased by 4. 50%. When CSF fertilization reduced by 40%,citrus yield decreased by4. 14%. After CSF fertilization,citrus quality did not change significantly in CSF conventional fertilization and reduction of 10% and 40%,while significantly decreased in 20% and 30% of fertilization reduction. [Conclusion] CSF fertilization reduction changed the diversity of soil bacterial community structure and the yield and quality of citrus.

Preliminary Study on the Control of Kiwifruit Canker by 6%Ascorbic Acid Water Aqua

[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the control efficacy of 6% ascorbic acid water aqua on kiwifruit bacterial canker. [Methods]The ascorbic acid water aqua was sprayed onto annual potted kiwifruit seedlings once every 5 d,for three times in total,and Pseudomonas syringae pv. Actinidiae was inoculated by needle punching 7 d later. Scab diameter and number of newly infected scab were investigated to analyze the control efficacy. [Results] Kiwifruit plants were treated with 6% ascorbic acid water aqua,and after 30 d,the 20 mg/L treatment showed an incidence rate of 25. 5%,and the 60 mg/L treatment exhibited an incidence rate only of 12. 1%; and after 60 d,the relative control efficacy reached 90. 7% at the mass concentration of 60 mg/L. [Conclusions] The6% ascorbic acid water aqua weakened the destruction and expansion of the pathogen in plants,effectively improved the resistance in kiwifruit plants,and had certain control efficacy on kiwifruit canker.

Effect of Saline Water on Soil Acidity, Alkalinity and Nutrients Leaching in Sandy Loamy Soil in Rwamagana Bella Flower Farm, Rwanda

The necessity to saline and sodic waters is sometimes used for irrigating agricultural activities under certain circumstances, but it is important to note that the use of these waters comes with specific considerations and limitations. One way to decrease undesirable effects of sodic waters on the physical and chemical properties of soils is to apply organic and chemical amendments within the soil. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of saline water on soil acidity, alkalinity and nutrients leaching in sandy loamy soil at Bella flower farm, in Rwamagana District, Rwanda. The water used was from the Muhazi Lake which is classified as Class I (Saline water quality). Column leaching experiments using treated soils were then conducted under saturated conditions. The soil under experimental was first analyzed for its textural classification, soil properties and is classified as sandy loamy soil. The t-test was taken at 1%, 5% and 10% levels of statistical significance compared to control soil. The results indicated that the application of saline water to soils caused an increase in some soil nutrients like increase of Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K+), Magnesium (Mg2+), Sulphur (S), CN ratio and Sodium (Na+) and decreased soil texture, physical and chemical properties and remained soil nutrients. Consequently, the intensive addition of saline water leachates to soil in PVC pipes led to decreased of soil EC through leaching and a raiser Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP). The rate of saline water application affected the increase accumulation of SAR and Na% in the top soil layers. The study indicated that saline water is an inefficient amendment for sandy soil with saline water irrigation. The study recommends further studies with similar topic with saline water irrigation, as it accentuated the alkalinity levels.

Dynamically-evolved surface heterojunction in iridium nanocrystals boosting acidic oxygen evolution and overall water splitting

Simultaneously realizing improved activity and stability of acidic oxygen evolution reaction(OER) electrocatalysts is highly promising for developing cost-effective sustainable energy in the splitting of water technique.Herein,we report iridium nanocrystals embedded into 3D conductive clothes(Ir-NCT/CC) as a low iridium electrocatalyst realizing ultrahigh acidic OER activity and robust stability.The well-designed Ir-NCT/CC requires a low overpotential of 202 mV to reach the current density of 10 mA cm^(-2)with a high mass activity of 1754 A g^(-1).Importantly,in acidic overall water splitting,Ir-NCT/CC merely delivers a cell voltage of 1.469 V at a typical current density of 10 mA cm^(-2)and also maintains robust durability under continuous operation.We identify that a low working voltage drives the formation of a highly stable amorphous IrOxactive phase over the surface of Ir nanocrystals(surface heterojunction IrOx/Ir-NCT) during operating conditions,which contributes to an effective and durable OER process.

Effects of advanced oxidation pretreatment on residual aluminum control in high humic acid water purification

Due to the formation of disinfection by-products and high concentrations of Al residue in drinking water purification, humic substances are a major component of organic matter in natural waters and have therefore received a great deal of attention in recent years. We investigated the effects of advanced oxidation pretreatment methods usually applied for removing dissolved organic matters on residual Al control. Results showed that the presence of humic acid increased residual Al concentration notably. With 15 mg/L of humic acid in raw water, the concentrations of soluble aluminum and total aluminum in the treated water were close to the quantity of Al addition. After increasing coagulant dosage from 12 to 120 mg/L, the total-Al in the treated water was controlled to below 0.2 mg/L. Purification systems with ozonation, chlorination, or potassium permanganate oxidation pretreatment units had little effects on residual Al control; while UV radiation decreased Al concentration notably. Combined with ozonation, the effects of UV radiation were enhanced. Optimal dosages were 0.5 mg O 3 /mg C and 3 hr for raw water with 15 mg/L of humic acid. Under UV light radiation, the combined forces or bonds that existed among humic acid molecules were destroyed; adsorption sites increased positively with radiation time, which promoted adsorption of humic acid onto polymeric aluminum and Al（OH） 3 （s）. This work provides a new solution for humic acid coagulation and residual Al control for raw water with humic acid purification.

Preparation and photocatalytic properties of ilmenite NiTiO_3 powders for degradation of humic acid in water

The powders of ilmenite structure NiTiO3 were prepared by a modified Pechini process using tetrabutyl titanate and nickel acetate as raw materials, and using citric acid and ethanol as a chelating agent and a solvent respectively. The powder samples were characterized by thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis （TG-DTA） and X-ray diffraction （XRD）. The photocatalytic activity of NiTiO3 under the irradiation of ultraviolet rays （UV） light was evaluated by degrading hurnic acid （HA） in water as a probe reaction. The possible photodegra- dation mechanism was studied by the examination of active species .OH, .O2, and holes （h＋） through adding scavengers. The TG-DTA and XRD results indicated that the good crystal structure of ilmenite phase NiTiO3 could be obtained when the Ni-Ti citrate complex was cal- cined at 600℃. The photocatalytic activity experiments indicated that NiTiO3 had favourable photocatalytic activity under the irradiation of UV light, and the photocatalytic degradation rate of HA reached 95.3% after a 2.5 h reaction with the photocatalyst calcined at 600℃ and a photocatalyst dosage of 0.4 g/L. The possible photocatalytic mechanism was deduced that holes （h＋） and .OH radicals are the major reactive active species in the photocatalytic reaction, and dissolved oxygen plays a weak role in the degradation of HA.

Evaluation of trans-ferulic acid degradation by dielectric barrier discharge plasma combined with ozone in wastewater with different water quality conditions

In this study, dielectric barrier discharge plasma and ozone(O_3) were combined to synergistically degrade trans-ferulic acid(FA), and the effect of water quality on FA degradation was studied. The results showed that 96.9% of FA was degraded after 40 min treatment by the plasma/O_3 process. FA degradation efficiency increased with the p H values. The presence of suspended solid and humic acid inhibited FA degradation. FA degradation efficiency increased as the water temperature increased to 30 °C. However, the further increase in water temperature was adverse for FA degradation. Effects of common inorganic ions on FA degradation were also investigated. The addition of Cl^- inhibited the FA degradation, whileCO_3^(2-) had both negative and positive influences on FA degradation.NO_3^- andSO_4^(2-) did not have significant effect on FA degradation. Fe^(3+)and Cu^(2+)benefited FA degradation through the Fenton-like and catalytic ozonation reactions.

Behaviour of Haloacetic Acids in Drinking Water Distribution Systems

To guarantee the safety of drinking water quality after chlorination, the formation, distribution and factors influencing the concentrations of haloacetic acids (HAAs) in a water distribution system (WDS) were investigated both on a full-scale WDS (FWDS) and pilot-scale WDS (PWDS) within a city in northern China. The results of both investigations showed that trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) and dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) were the dominating types of HAAs. In the FWDS, variations in the HAA content showed negative correlations with total residual chlorine, pH and non-purgeable organic carbon (NPOC) and positive correlations with temperature and UV254. In the PWDS, the concentration of HAAs after rechlorination followed the rule of ‘first rise and then fall’; therefore, locating an appropriate rechlorination point and lowering the single chlorine dosage could be used as effective measures to control the HAA content in WDSs. © 2016, Tianjin University and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Effects of Drinking Slightly Acidic Electrolytic Water on Growth Performance and Behavior of Broilers

[Objective]The paper was to study the effects of drinking slightly acidic electrolytic water on growth performance and behavior of Rose 308 broilers,and to provide reference for the application of slightly acidic electrolytic water in broiler breeding.[Method]A total of 300 healthy 10-day-old Rose 308 broilers with similar body weight were randomly divided into five groups,three replicates each group,20 broilers each replicate.The broilers in control group were supplied with normal drinking water,and the broilers in experimental groups consumed slightly acidic electrolytic water with 0.3,0.5,0.7,1.0 mg/L residual chlorine,respectively.The test lasted 21 d.[Result]At 10-30 days of age,the water consumption of broilers in 0.7 and 1.0 mg/L electrolytic water groups were increased by 9.27%and 7.67%respectively compared with the control group(M<0.05).The average daily feed intake(ADFI)of broilers in 0.7 and 1.0 mg/L electrolytic water groups were increased compared with the control group(Q0.05).The average daily gain(ADG)of broilers in 0.7 mg/L electrolytic water group was 11.99%lower than that in control group(M<0.05).The feed gain ratio(F/G)of broilers in 0.5 mg/L electrolytic water group was 12.29%lower than that in control group(M<0.05),and the mortality was the lowest in 0.5 mg/L electrolytic water group.The standing,feeding and drinking frequency of broilers in experimental groups were higher than that in control group,and the flapping behavior of broilers in 0.5 mg/L electrolytic water group was the lowest.[Conclusion]Drinking slightly acidic electrolytic water has positive effect on the growth and behavior of broilers.

Green Synthesis of Aryl Thioethers through Cu-catalysed C-S Coupling of Thiols and Aryl Boronic Acids in Water

An efficient, practical, highly selective and environmentally benign method is reported for the synthesis of aryl thioethers via the coupling of thiols with aryl boronic acids in the presence of NaOH and a catalytic amount of CuSO4 at 130 ℃ using water as a green solvent. The products were obtained in moderate to excellent yields;more importantly, the use of toxic ligands and solvents was avoided. A broad range of aryl boronic acids and scalable processes make this methodology valuable and versatile for the synthesis of a broad range of aryl sulfides.

A Self-assembled T4(2)5(2) Water Tape Stabilized by a Nickel(II) Complex with L-cysteic Acid

An interesting T4（2）5（2） water tape formed by fused cyclic water pentamers and tetramer was self-assembled in a new inorganic host [Ni（L）（phen）2]·5H2O （L = L-cysteic acid） and characterized by X-ray diffraction. Each [Ni（L）（phen）2] molecule crystallizes with five water molecules with a molecular formula of [Ni（L）（phen）2]·5H2O. The T4（2）5（2） water tape and [Ni（L）（phen）2] molecules assemble into a network of water tapes sandwiched between [Ni（L）- （phen）2] tapes. The network is stabilized by π-π stacking between [Ni（L）（phen）2] molecules and three types of hydrogen-bonding interactions between [Ni（L）（phen）2] molecules, water molecules, and water and [Ni（L）（phen）2] molecules.

Researches on Formation of Haloacetic Acids in Chlorination of Drinking Water by a Novel Technique

Haloacetic acids(HAAs) are formed during the chlorination of drinking water,which are harmful to people′s health due to their carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. In the present study,a detection method combining methyl tert -butyl ether(MtBE) extraction with acid catalysis and gas chromatography coupled with an electron capture detector(GC/ECD) was developed for determining HAAs. The detection limit of this method(MDL) and relative standard deviation(RSD) were below 0.37 μg/L and 6.2%,respectively. The laboratory chlorination experiments were conducted with the purpose of investigating the influences of reaction time,temperature,UV_ 254 ,bromide and ammonia-nitrogen on the formation of HAAs. The results show that the formation amount of HAAs increases with increasing reaction time and temperature,respectively;and there exists a linear relationship between the formation of HAAs and UV_ 254 . The formation amount of HAAs decreases first and then increases as the bromide ion concentration increases,and adding NH +_4 is a possible way to control the formation of HAAs.

Electrokinetic chemical characteristics of humic and dannic acids effecting on the natural water and its coagulation

Taking streaming current(SC)as the electrokinetic parameter,this paper demon- strated the electrokinetic chemical characteristics of humic and dannic acids(HA and DA)in sus- pensions including turbid water,coagulated water and HA or DA contained water.Accordingly, the studies were carried out for determining the relationship between streaming current and zeta po- tential ζ(expressed by eleetrophoretie mobility EM)in above water conditions.In addition,the mechanisms of HA effecting on streaming current within or after coagulant addition and the elec- trokinetic detection principles for HA or DA were also investigated on experiments and theoretical analysis.The results indicated that the change of SC like ζ presented meaningful information con- cerning the degree for destabilization of a particulate suspension,and HA or DA in water could re- markably decrease the effect of inorganic coagulant upon streaming current,which is in accordance with their influence on coagulation.

Effect of Humic Acid, Mycorrhiza Inoculation, and Biochar on Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Flax under Newly Reclaimed Sandy Soil

In order to examine the application of different soil and foliar organic fertilizers as well as biofertilizing flax under sandy soil conditions, two field experiments were carried out at the Research and Production Station of the National Research Centre (NRC), Al Nubaria district, El-Behaira Governorate, Egypt during 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 winter seasons. The trials aimed to study the effect of humic acid (HA) as low cost natural fertilizer, inoculation with mycorrhiza, and biocharcoal on on yield, quality and water use efficiency of flax variety (Amon) under newly reclaimed sandy soil. The treatments consisted of HA (25 kg/feddan), inoculation with mycorrhiza (1 kg/ feddan), and biochar (4 tons/feddan) and all the combinations among the treatments. Results showed that the treatment combination of (humic acid + mycorrhiza + biochar) was significantly superior compared to all the other treatments in number of capsules/plant, biological yield/plant (g), seed yield/plant (g), seed yield (kg/feddan), straw yield (tons/feddan), oil percent (%), and oil yield (kg/feddan). However, it gave the highest fruiting zone length (cm) but not significantly different from (mycorrhiza + biochar) and (humic acid + biochar), also it gave the highest seed index (g) but not significantly different from humic acid and (humic acid + mycorrhiza). The treatment combination of (humic acid + biochar) gave the highest plant height (cm), technical stem length (cm), and number of branches/plant.

The Condensation of Aromatic Aldehydes with Acidic Methylene Compounds in Water

The condensation of aromatic aldehydes with acidic methylene compounds such as malononitrile, methyl cyanoacetate, cyanoacetamide, 5,5-dimethyl-1,3-cyclohexanedione, bartbituric acid and 2-thiobarbituric acid proceeded very efficiently in water in the presence of triethylbenzylammonium chloride (TEBA) and the products were isolated simply by filtration.

Occurrence of Haloacetic Acids in Drinking Water in Certain Cities of China

Objective Since haloacetic acids (HAAs), which are nonvolatile and of high carcinogenic risk, are common species of chlorinated disinfection by-products(DBPs) in drinking water, and little has been known in China, it is necessary to make a survey about the kinds and levels of HAAs in drinking water of the nation. Method HAAs were analyzed using gas chromatography with electron capture detector(GC/ECD) and relatively complex pretreatment process of sample was applied. Five main cities in different areas of China were chosen in the survey. Results Studies showed that the main species of HAAs in drinking water in China were DCAA and TCAA, ranging from 0.4 礸/L to 12.85 礸/L and from 0.56 礸/L to 10.98 礸/L, respectively. MBAA and DBAA were also detected in one city, ranging from 2.20 礸/L to 4.95 礸/L and 1.10 礸/L to 2.81 礸/L, respectively. Therefore, the contents of HAAs varied, usually no more than 25 礸/L. Based on the acquired data to date, it is known that the concentrations of HAAs in drinking water in China were surely under the limits of Sanitary Standard for Drinking Water Quality (China, 2001). Conclusion A wider survey of HAAs in drinking water should be conducted throughout the nation to get adequate data and information, the ultimate aim of which is to control HAAs pollution and keep the balance between microbiological safety insurance and chemical risk control, minimize the formation of DBPs and ensure the safety of water supply at the same time.

Esterification by the Plasma Acidic Water:Novel Application of Plasma Acid

This work explores the possibility of plasma acid as acid catalyst in organic reactions. Plasma acidic water was prepared by dielectric barrier discharge and used to catalyze esterification of n-heptanioc acid with ethanol. It is found that the plasma acidic water has a stable and better performance than sulfuric acid, meaning that it is an excellent acid catalyst. The plasma acidic water would be a promising alternative for classic mineral acid as a more environment friendly acid.

Cocos nucifera L.water as green corrosion inhibitor for acid corrosion of aluminium in HCl solution

The ability of Cocos nucifera L.water（CW） as non-toxic corrosion inhibitor for acid corrosion of aluminium in 0.5 mol/L HCl has been studied using chemical technique.CW shows significant inhibition as corrosion inhibitor,with 93%efficiency at the highest concentration of the inhibitor.The inhibitive action is attributed to the adsorption of the inhibitor molecules on metal surface following Langmuir adsorption isotherm.

Enhanced Acid/Base Catalysis in High Temperature Liquid Water

Two novel and environmentally benign solvent systems, organic acids-ennchea high temperature liquid water （HTLW） and NH3-enriched HTLW, were developed, which can enhance the reaction rate of acid/base-catalyzed organic reactions in HTLW. We investigated the decomposition of fructose in organic acids-enriched HTLW, hydrolysis of cinnamaldehyde and aldol condensation of phenylaldehyde with acetaldehyde in NH3-enriched HTLW. The experimental results demonstrated that organic acids-enriched or NH3-enriched HTLW can greatly accelerate acid/base-catalyzed organic reactions in HTLW.