Deterioration Mechanisms of Sulfate Attack on Concrete under Alternate Action

By micro- and macro-observations, the deterioration mechanisms of concrete under alternate action between repeated sub-high temperature/cooling by water and sodium sulfate solution attack （TW-SA） were studied; meanwhile, the single sodium sulfate solution attack （SA） was also done as comparison. Micro-observations included the analysis of attack products by thermal analysis method and the determination of sulfate-ion content from surface to interior by chemical titrating method （modified barium sulfate gravimetric method）. Macro-observations mainly included the mechanical behaviors such as compressive strength, splitting strength. The experimental results indicate, in both cases, the main attack product is ettringite, only in the first layer of case SA some gypsum is checked; in case SA, the sulfate ions mainly concentrate in the surface layer, so the attack is relatively mild; but in case TW-SA, the repeated sub-high temperature/cooling by water promotes the sulfate ions diffusing inwards, which leads to obvious strength degradation.

Possible Involvement of Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging Enzymes in Desiccation Sensitivity of Antiaris toxicaria Seeds and Axes

The relationships among desiccation sensitivities of Antiaris toxicaria seeds and axes, changes in activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, ascorbate peroxidase （APX）, catalase （CAT）, glutathione reductase （GR） and dehydroascorbate reductase, （DHAR）, production rate of superoxide radical （.O2^-）, and the contents of hydrogen peroxide （H2O2） and thiobarbituric acid （TBA）-reactive substance were studied. Desiccation tolerance of seeds and axes decreased with dehydration. Desiccation tolerance of axes was higher than that of seeds, and that of epicotyls was higher than radicles. Activities of SOD, CAT and DHAR of seeds increased during the initial phase of dehydration, and then decreased with further dehydration, whereas activities of APX and GR decreased with dehydration. These five enzyme activities of axes, however, increased during the initial phase of dehydration, and then decreased with further dehydration. The rate of superoxide radical production, and the contents of H2O2 and TBA-reacUve products of seeds and axes gradually increased with dehydration. These results show that the A. toxicaria seed is a typical recalcitrant seed. Loss of desiccation tolerance in seeds and axes was correlated with the increase in .O2- production rate, content of H2O2 and TBA-reactive products, and the decline of antioxidant enzyme activities of seeds and axes.