Insights into seasonal variation of litter decomposition and related soil degradative enzyme activities in subtropical forest in China

We used a litterbag method to investigate litter decomposition and related soil degradative enzyme activities across four seasons in a broad-leaved forest and a coniferous forest on Zijin Mountain in sub-tropical China. Across four seasons, we quantified litter mass losses, soil pH values, and related soil degradative enzyme activities. Litter decomposition rates differed significantly by season. Litter decomposi- tion rates of broadleaf forest leaves were higher than for coniferous for- ests needles across four seasons, and maximal differences in litter de- composition rates between the two litter types were found in spring.

Interactions between Two Fungi Strains during Litter Decomposition through a Microcosm Experiment: Different Degradative Enzyme Activities

Fungi are the key agents in litter decomposition in forest ecosystems. However, the specific roles of the interactions between different fungal species during litter decomposition process are unclear. To evaluate the interactions, two fungi strains with significantly different morphs were isolated from the soils of Quercus acutissima forest and Pinus massoniana forest, and inoculated in the litter powder of Quercus acutissima leaves and Pinus massoniana needles with grown separately and in coexistence equally through a microcosm experiment. The enzyme activities were determined as a proxy for microbial activities. The results showed that the degradative enzymes involved in litter decomposition showed varying dynamics pattern during the incubation period. The interactions between the two fungi strains are synergism, and benefit to each other according to enzyme activities, suggesting that a fungi strain growth was accelerated by the presence of other fungi strain during litter decomposition process. However, the interactions of the two fungi strains were bilateral antagonism inoculated in the litter powder of Quercus acutissima leaves according to cellobiohydrolase activities. The synergism, despite bilateral antagonism in an exceptional case, may be an important factor controlling the fungal colonization and growth on litter substrate. The results implied that more fungal species may accelerate litter decomposition rates due to their mutual cooperation.

THE STUDIES ON DEGRADATIVE KINETIC OF MEDICAL CHITOSAN

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Facile Hydrothermal Synthesis of Plasmonic Photocatalyst Ag@Ag Cl and Degradative Photocatalysis under Visible Light Irradiation

We put forward a new approach for the synthesis of Ag@AgCl plasmonic photocatalyst via a hydrothermal-deposition-photoreduction method. The cetylmethylammonium chloride （CTAC） was used alone as both a source of reactants and surfactant. The structure of the prepared photocatalyst was determined by XRD, SEM, EDX and UV-Vis spectroscoscopy. The photocatalytic properties were investigated by degradation of an organic pollutant, Rhodamine B, under visible light irradiation. The results reveal that the experimental conditions have a great effect on the morphology of Ag@AgCl crystals. Ag@AgC1 crystal is cubic and the Ag@AgCl sample which is photoreduced for 40 min exhibits the highest photoactivity, and 80.6 % RhB is degraded after irradiation for 2 hours using this catalyst. The high photocatalytic activity observed is attributed to the surface plasmon resonance effect ofAg nanoparticles.

Steviaside Containing Plant as Deconstractive (Degradative) Agent for Persistent Organic Pollutants

Steviaside containing plant extracts have been used for degradation of persistent chloroorganic pesticides. Reactions between DDT and Steviaside or sum of extractive substances isolated from ground up part of plant Stevia were studied to give of less toxic DDE. Herein researches on studying interaction sum of polysaccharides of Stevia with DDT in various ratios resulted also. The GC-MS and GLC methods were used for analyzing degradation degree of pesticides and to determine obtained compounds. Treat HCCH by water extract of Stevia basically formed tetrachlorocyclo-hexadiene (HCH) with 86.9% yield and in particularly formed of tri-, tetrachlorobenzenes. The HCH formed in 79.7% on treat pesticide by 80% Steviaside. Degradation of HCCH and DDT by water extract of Stevia in a presence of Ana-basine in a ratio of 2:1:1 occur to degrade of HCCH up to 70-80%, and DDT on 25% - 30%.

Degradative solvent extraction of subbituminous coal with deep eutectic solvent and effect of reaction conditions on products

A degradative solvent extraction method for upgrading low-rank coal was performed at 200-350◦C for 90 min to obtain a substance dissolved in the solvent at room temperature(Soluble).Because the resulting mixture exhibited a high carbon content without ash,it could be readily used as a fuel.Furthermore,deep eutectic solvents(DESs)have attracted attention for improving the Soluble yield and decreasing the oxygen content in Soluble.DES is known to cleave oxygen-containing functional groups in biomass and is considered effective for deoxidizing low-rank coal.Herein,DES was prepared by mixing choline chloride,FeCl3⋅6H2O,and Adaro subbituminous coal(AD)and then added to 1-methylnaphthalene(1-MN)in a non-polar solvent,followed by degradative solvent extraction in the range of 200-350◦C.The effects of reaction temperature and added DES amount on the product yield and the composition were evaluated.As the reaction temperature and amount of DES added increased,the Soluble yield and carbon content increased.It was also found that the thermal decomposition temperature and oxygen content decreased with the increasing DES amounts.This decrease indicates that DES promotes the deoxygenation and decomposition of AD and increases the soluble yield of the fuel source.

Highly Efficient Aligned Ion‑Conducting Network and Interface Chemistries for Depolarized All‑Solid‑State Lithium Metal Batteries

Improving the long-term cycling stability and energy density of all-solid-state lithium(Li)-metal batteries(ASSLMBs)at room temperature is a severe challenge because of the notorious solid–solid interfacial contact loss and sluggish ion transport.Solid electrolytes are generally studied as two-dimensional(2D)structures with planar interfaces,showing limited interfacial contact and further resulting in unstable Li/electrolyte and cathode/electrolyte interfaces.Herein,three-dimensional(3D)architecturally designed composite solid electrolytes are developed with independently controlled structural factors using 3D printing processing and post-curing treatment.Multiple-type electrolyte films with vertical-aligned micro-pillar(p-3DSE)and spiral(s-3DSE)structures are rationally designed and developed,which can be employed for both Li metal anode and cathode in terms of accelerating the Li+transport within electrodes and reinforcing the interfacial adhesion.The printed p-3DSE delivers robust long-term cycle life of up to 2600 cycles and a high critical current density of 1.92 mA cm^(−2).The optimized electrolyte structure could lead to ASSLMBs with a superior full-cell areal capacity of 2.75 mAh cm^(−2)(LFP)and 3.92 mAh cm^(−2)(NCM811).This unique design provides enhancements for both anode and cathode electrodes,thereby alleviating interfacial degradation induced by dendrite growth and contact loss.The approach in this study opens a new design strategy for advanced composite solid polymer electrolytes in ASSLMBs operating under high rates/capacities and room temperature.

Inhibition of protein degradation increases the Bt protein concentration in Bt cotton

Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt)cotton production is challenged by two main problems,i.e.,the low concentration of Bt protein at the boll setting stage and the lowest insect resistance in bolls among all the cotton plant’s organs.Therefore,increasing the Bt protein concentration at the boll stage,especially in bolls,has become the main goal for increasing insect resistance in cotton.In this study,two protein degradation inhibitors(ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid(EDTA)and leupeptin)were sprayed on the bolls,subtending leaves,and whole cotton plants at the peak flowering stage of two Bt cultivars(medium maturation Sikang 1(SK1))and early maturation Zhongmian 425(ZM425)in 2019 and 2020.The Bt protein content and protein degradation metabolism were assessed.The results showed that the Bt protein concentrations were enhanced by 21.3 to 38.8%and 25.0 to 38.6%in the treated bolls of SK1 and ZM425 respectively,while they were decreased in the subtending leaves of these treated bolls.In the treated leaves,the Bt protein concentrations increased by 7.6 to 23.5%and 11.2 to 14.9%in SK1 and ZM425,respectively.The combined application of EDTA and leupeptin to the whole cotton plant increased the Bt protein concentrations in both bolls and subtending leaves.The Bt protein concentrations in bolls were higher,increasing by 22.5 to 31.0%and 19.6 to 32.5%for SK1 and ZM425,respectively.The organs treated with EDTA or/and leupeptin showed reduced free amino acid contents,protease and peptidase activities and significant enhancements in soluble protein contents.These results indicated that inhibiting protein degradation could improve the protein content,thus increasing the Bt protein concentrations in the bolls or/and leaves of cotton plants.Therefore,the increase in the Bt protein concentration without yield reduction suggested that these two protein degradation inhibitors may be applicable for improving insect resistance in cotton production.

Understanding the oxidation chemistry of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)(MXene)sheets and their catalytic performances

Transition metal carbides and nitrides(MXenes)nanosheets are attractive two-dimensional(2D)materials,but they suffer from oxidation/degradation issues during storage and/or applications due to their sensitivity to water and oxygen.Despite the great research progress,the exact oxidation kinetics of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)(MXene)and their final products after oxidation are not fully understood.Herein,we systematically tracked the oxidation process of few-layer Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) nanosheets in an aqueous solution at room temperature over several weeks.We also studied the oxidation effects on the electrocatalytic properties of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) for hydrogen evolution reaction and found that the overpotential to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2)increases from 0.435 to 0.877 V after three weeks of degradation,followed by improvement to stabilized values of around 0.40 V after eight weeks.These results suggest that severely oxidized MXene could be a promising candidate for designing efficient catalysts.According to our detailed experimental characterization and theoretical calculations,unlike previous studies,black titanium oxide is formed as the final product in addition to white Ti(IV)oxide and disordered carbons after the complete oxidation of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x).This work presents significant advancements in better understanding of 2D Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)(MXene)oxidation and enhances the prospects of this material for various applications.

Achieving high-efficient photocatalytic persulfate-activated degradation of tetracycline via carbon dots modified MIL-101(Fe)octahedrons

The synergistic reaction of photocatalysis and advanced oxidation is a valid strategy for the degradation of harmful antibiotic wastewater.Herein,carbon dots(CDs)modified MIL-101(Fe)octahedrons to form CDs/MIL-101(Fe)composite photocatalyst was synthesized for visible light-driven photocatalytic/persulfate(PS)-activated tetracycline(TC)degradation.The electron spin resonance(ESR)spectra,scavenging experiment and electrochemical analysis were carried out to reveal that the high visible light-driven photocatalytic degradation activity of TC over CDs/MIL-101(Fe)photocatalysts is not only ascribed to the production of free active radicals in the CDs/MIL-101(Fe)/PS system(·OH,·SO_(4-),^(1)O_(2),h^(+)and·O_(2)^(-))but also attributed to the consumption of electrons caused by the PS,which can suppress the recombination of photo-generated carriers as well as strong light scattering and electron trapping effects of CDs.Finally,the possible degradation pathways were proposed by analyzing intermediates via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technique.This research presents a rational design conception to construct a CDs/PS-based photocatalysis/advanced oxidation technology with high-efficient degradation activity for the remediation of organic antibiotic pollutant wastewater and for the improvement of carrier transport kinetics of photocatalysts.

Enhanced activation of peroxymonosulfate by Fe/N co-doped ordered mesoporous carbon with dual active sites for efficient removal of m-cresol

The novel Fe-N co-doped ordered mesoporous carbon with high catalytic activity in m-cresol removal was prepared by urea-assisted impregnation and simple pyrolysis method.During the preparation of the Fe-NC catalyst,the complexation of N elements in urea could anchor Fe,and the formation of C3N4during urea pyrolysis could also prevent migration and aggregation of Fe species,which jointly improve the dispersion and stability of Fe.The FeN4sites and highly dispersed Fe nanoparticles synergistically trigger the dual-site peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation for highly efficient m-cresol degradation,while the ordered mesoporous structure of the catalyst could improve the mass transfer rate of the catalytic process,which together promote catalytic degradation of m-cresol by PMS activation.Reactive oxygen species (ROS) analytic experiments demonstrate that the system degrades m-cresol by free radical pathway mainly based on SO_(4)^(-)·and·OH,and partially based on·OH as the active components,and a possible PMS activation mechanism by 5Fe-50 for m-cresol degradation was proposed.This study can provide theoretical guidance for the preparation of efficient and stable catalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants by activated PMS.

Isolation of a Pseudomonas Stutzeri strain that degrades 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene and characterization of its degradative plasmid

The genetic information encoding metabolic pathways for xenobiotic compounds in bacteria often resides on catabolic plasmids.The aim of the present work was to know the location of the genes for degrading 1,2,4-trichlorobenzen.In this paper a 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene-degrading strain THSL-1 was isolated from the soil of Tianjin Chemical Plant using 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene as the sole carbon source.The strain was identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri through morphologic survey and 16S rDNA sequence determination.A plasmid was discovered from strain THSL-1 by using the alkali lysis method.When the plasmid was transformed into E.coli.JM109 by the CaCl2 method,the transformant could grow using 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene as the sole carbon source and had the degradation function of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene.Therefore,it could be deemed that the plasmid carried the degradative genes of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene.The average size of the plasmid was finally determined to be 40.2 Kb using selectively three kinds of restricted inscribed enzymes(HindIII,BamHI,and XholI)for single cutting and double cutting the plasmid pTHSL-1,respectively.

Degradative solvent extraction of low-rank coal:Role of water on pyrolysis mechanism of low-rank coal in a highly-dispersed medium

A degradative solvent extraction(DSE)method was proposed to upgrade low-rank coals(LRC)for their cascaded utilizations in a highly-dispersed medium.The derived products exhibited well improved properties in comparison to the raw LRCs.Previously,the LRCs were pre-dried to eliminate the potential impact of the varied water content of raw LRCs,but in light of the abundant water in fresh coals,the hydrolyzing effect of water on coals under heating,and the energy cost to pre-dry the LRCs,it is consequently essential to clarify the effect of water so as to verify the necessity of pre-drying process.In this study,the roles of inherent water and extra-added water were respectively investigated,using dried,raw and wet coals from two typical LRCs.The results show that increasing the moisture content of raw LRCs contributed to the extraction ability of DSE method without noticeably changing the elemental composition,chemical structure and thermal decomposition behavior of extractable products,thus pre-drying of LRCs before DSE treatment was proven unnecessary.Additionally,the roles of the inherent water were concluded as:1)leading to the formation of stable covalent bond during drying process;and 2)acting as H donor to promote extraction ability,while the added water can only function as H donor.Since excessive water will increase the pressure during DSE treatment and lead to the waste water treatment,the LRCs with a water content between 10%and 30%were consequently recommended for the practical application of DSE treatment.

Predicting the Degradability of Bioceramics through a DFT-based Descriptor

Bioceramics have attracted extensive attention for bone defect repair due to their excellent bioactivity and degradability.However,challenges remain in matching the rate between bioceramic degradation and new bone formation,necessitating a deeper understanding of their degradation properties.In this study,density functional theory(DFT)calculations was employed to explore the structural and electronic characteristics of silicate bioceramics.These findings reveal a linear correlation between the maximum isosurface value of the valence band maximum(VBMFmax)and the degradability of silicate bioceramics.This correlation was subsequently validated through degradation experiments.Furthermore,the investigation on phosphate bioceramics demonstrates the potential of this descriptor in predicting the degradability of a broader range of bioceramics.This discovery offers valuable insights into the degradation mechanism of bioceramics and holds promise for accelerating the design and development of bioceramics with controllable degradation.

Discrimination of polysorbate 20 by high-performance liquid chromatography-charged aerosol detection and characterization for components by expanding compound database and library

Analyzing polysorbate 20(PS20)composition and the impact of each component on stability and safety is crucial due to formulation variations and individual tolerance.The similar structures and polarities of PS20 components make accurate separation,identification,and quantification challenging.In this work,a high-resolution quantitative method was developed using single-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)with charged aerosol detection(CAD)to separate 18 key components with multiple esters.The separated components were characterized by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS)with an identical gradient as the HPLC-CAD analysis.The polysorbate compound database and library were expanded over 7-time compared to the commercial database.The method investigated differences in PS20 samples from various origins and grades for different dosage forms to evaluate the composition-process relationship.UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS identified 1329 to 1511 compounds in 4 batches of PS20 from different sources.The method observed the impact of 4 degradation conditions on peak components,identifying stable components and their tendencies to change.HPLC-CAD and UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS results provided insights into fingerprint differences,distinguishing quasi products.

Biodegradation of Crystalline Chitin:A Review of Recent Advancement,Challenges,and Future Study Directions

Chitin is the second most abundant renewable polysaccharide on Earth.The degradation of chitin into soluble and bioactive N-acetyl chitooligosaccharides(NCOSs)and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine(GlcNAc)has emerged as a pivotal step in the efficient and sustainable utilization of chitin resources.However,because of its dense structure,high crystallinity,and poor solubility,chitin typically needs pretreatment via chemical,physical,and other methods before enzymatic conversion to enhance the accessibility between substrates and enzyme molecules.Consequently,there has been considerable interest in exploring the direct biological degradation of crystalline chitin as a cost-effective and environment-friendly technology.This review endeavors to present several biological methods for the direct degradation of chitin.We primarily focused on the importance of chitinase containing chitin-binding domain(CBD).Additionally,various modification strategies for increasing the degradation efficiency of crystalline chitin were introduced.Subsequently,the review systematically elucidated critical components of multi-enzyme catalytic systems,highlighting their potential for chitin degradation.Furthermore,the application of microorganisms in the degradation of crystalline chitin was also discussed.The insights in this review contribute to the explorations and investigations of enzymatic and microbial approaches for the direct degradation of crystalline chitin,thereby fostering advancements in biomass conversion.

Amino acid and mineral digestibility,bone ash,and plasma inositol is increased by including microbial phytase in diets for growing pigs

Background The effect of microbial phytase on amino acid and energy digestibility is not consistent in pigs,which may be related to the phytase dosage or the adaptation length to the diet.Therefore,an experiment was conducted to test the hypotheses that increasing dietary phytase after an 18-day adaptation period:1)increases nutrient and energy digestibility;2)increases plasma P,plasma inositol,and bone ash of young pigs;and 3)demonstrates that maximum phytate degradation requires more phytase than maximum P digestibility.Results Data indicated that increasing inclusion of phytase[0,250,500,1,000,2,000,and 4,000 phytase units(FTU)/kg feed]in corn-soybean meal-based diets increased apparent ileal digestibility(AID)of Trp(quadratic;P<0.05),and of Lys and Thr(linear;P<0.05),and tended to increase AID of Met(linear;P<0.10).Increasing dietary phytase also increased AID and apparent total tract digestibility(ATTD)of Ca and P(quadratic;P<0.05)and increased ATTD of K and Na(linear;P<0.05),but phytase did not influence the ATTD of Mg or gross energy.Concentrations of plasma P and bone ash increased(quadratic;P<0.05),and plasma inositol also increased(linear;P<0.05)with increasing inclusion of phytase.Reduced concentrations of inositol phosphate(IP)6 and IP5(quadratic;P<0.05),reduced IP4 and IP3(linear;P<0.05),but increased inositol concentrations(linear;P<0.05)were observed in ileal digesta as dietary phytase increased.The ATTD of P was maximized if at least 1,200 FTU/kg were used,whereas more than 4,000 FTU/kg were needed to maximize inositol release.Conclusions Increasing dietary levels of phytase after an 18-day adaptation period increased phytate and IP ester degradation and inositol release in the small intestine.Consequently,increasing dietary phytase resulted in improved digestibility of Ca,P,K,Na,and the first 4 limiting amino acids,and in increased concentrations of bone ash and plasma P and inositol.In a corn-soybean meal diet,maximum inositol release requires approximately 3,200 FTU/kg more phytase than that required for maximum P digestibility.

Defect mediated losses and degradation of perovskite solar cells:Origin impacts and reliable characterization techniques

The rapid advancement of halide-based hybrid perovskite materials has garnered significant research attention,particularly in the domain of photovoltaic technology.Owing to their exceptional optoelec-tronic properties,they demonstrated power conversion efficiency(PcE)of over 25%in single junction solar cells.Despite the notable progress in PCE over the past decade,the inherent high defect density pre-senting in perovskite materials gives rise to several loss mechanisms and associated ion migration in per-ovskite solar cells(PsCs)during operational conditions.These factors collectively contribute to a significant stability challenge in PsCs,placing their longevity far behind for commercialization.While numerous reports have explored defects,ion migration,and their impacts on device performance,a com-prehensive correlation between the types of defects and the degradation kinetics of perovskite materials and PsCs has been lacking.In this context,this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the origins of defects and ion migration,emphasizing their correlation with the degradation kinetics of per-ovskite materials and PsCs,leveraging reliable characterization techniques.Furthermore,these charac-terization techniques are intended to comprehend loss mechanisms by different passivation approaches to enhance the durability and PCE of PSCs.

Photocatalytic application of magnesium spinel ferrite in wastewater remediation:A review

This review paper explores the efficacy of magnesium ferrite-based catalysts in photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminates(antibiotic and dyes).We report the influence of different doping strategies,synthesis methods,and composite materials on the degradation efficiency of these pollutants.Our analysis reveals the versatile and promising nature of magnesium ferrite-based catalysts,offering the valuable insights into their practical application for restoring the environment.Due to the smaller band gap and magnetic nature of magnesium ferrite,it holds the benefit of utilising the broader spectrum of light while also being recoverable.The in-depth analysis of magnesium ferrites'photocatalytic mechanism could lead to the development of cheap and reliable photocatalyst for the wastewater treatment.This concise review offers a thorough summary of the key advancements in this field,highlighting the pivotal role of the magnesium ferrite based photocatalysts in addressing the pressing global issue of organic pollutants in wastewater.

Precipitation and anthropogenic activities regulate the changes of NDVI in Zhegucuo Valley on the southern Tibetan Plateau

Whether climate change or anthropogenic activities play a more pivotal role in regulating vegetation growth on the Tibetan Plateau is still controversial.A better understanding on grassland changes at a fine scale may provide important guidance for local government policy and grassland management.Using two of the most reliable satellite NDVI products(MODIS NDVI and SPOT NDVI),we evaluated the dynamic of grasslands in the Zhegucuo valley on the southern Tibetan Plateau from 2000 to 2020,and analyzed its driving factors and relative influences of climate change and anthropogenic activities.Here,the key indicators of climate change were assumed to be precipitation and temperature.The main results were:(1)the grassland NDVI in Zhegucuo valley did not reflect a significant temporal change during the last 21 years.The variation of precipitation during the early growing season(GSP)resembled that of NDVI,and the GSP was positively correlated with NDVI.At the pixel level,the partial correlation analysis showed that 37.79%of the pixels depicted a positive relationship between GSP and NDVI,while 11.32%of the pixels showed a negative relationship between temperature during the early growing season(GST)and NDVI.(2)In view of the spatial distribution,the areas mainly controlled by GSP were generally distributed in the southern part,while those affected by GST stood in the eastern part,mainly around the Zhegucuo lake where most population in Cuomei County settled down.(3)Decreasing NDVI trends were mainly occurred in alpine steppe at lower elevations rather than alpine meadow at higher elevations.(4)The residual trend(RESTREND)analysis further indicated that the anthropogenic activities played a more pivotal role in regulating the annual changes of NDVI rather than climate factors in this area.Future studies should pay more attention on climate extremes rather than the simple temporal trends.Also,the influence of human activities on alpine grassland needs to be accessed and fully considered in future sustainable management.