Characteristics of Elemental Composition of PM_(2.5) in the Spring Period at Tongyu in the Semi-arid Region of Northeast China

Continuous observations of mass concentration and elemental composition of aerosol particles （PM2.5） were conducted at Tongyu, a semi-arid site in Northeast China in the spring of 2006. The average mass concentration of PM2.5 at Tongyu station was 260.9±274.4 μg m^-3 during the observation period. Nine dust events were monitored with a mean concentration of 528.0±302.7 μgm^-3. The PM2.5 level during non- dust storm （NDS） period was 111.65±63.37 μg m^-3. High mass concentration shows that fine-size particles pollution was very serious in the semi-arid area in Northeast China. The enrichment factor values for crust elements during the dust storm （DS） period are close to those in the NDS period, while the enrichment factor values for pollution elements during the NDS period are much higher than those in the DS period, showing these elements were from anthropogenic sources. The ratios of dust elements to Fe were relative constant during the DS period. The Ca/Fe ratio in dust aerosols at Tongyu is remarkably different from that observed in other source regions and downwind regions. Meteorological analysis shows that dust events at Tongyu are usually associated with dry, low pressure and high wind speed weather conditions. Air mass back-trajectory analysis identified three kinds of general pathways were associated with the aerosol particle transport to Tongyu, and the northwest direction pathway was the main transport route.

Predictions of elemental composition of coal and biomass from their proximate analyses using ANFIS, ANN and MLR

The elemental composition of coal and biomass provides significant parameters used in the design of almost all energy conversion systems and projects.The laboratory tests to determine the elemental composition of coal and biomass is time-consuming and costly.However,limited research has suggested that there is a correlation between parameters obtained from elemental and proximate analyses of these materials.In this study,some predictive models of the elemental composition of coal and biomass using soft computing and regression analyses have been developed.Thirty-one samples including parameters of elemental and proximate analyses were used during the analyses to develop multiple prediction models.Dependent variables for multiple prediction models were selected as carbon,hydrogen,and oxygen.Using volatile matter,fixed carbon,moisture and ash contents as independent variables,three different prediction models were developed for each dependent parameter using ANFIS,ANN,and MLR.In addition,a routine for selecting the best predictive model was suggested in the study.The reliability of the established models was tested by using various prediction performance indices and the models were found to be satisfactory.Therefore,the developed models can be used to determine the elemental composition of coal and biomass for practical purposes.

Effect of Surface Treatment on Elemental Composition of Recast NiCr Alloy

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different surface treatments on the elemental composition stability of as-received and recast types of NiCr casting alloys. Material and Methods: Six commercial NiCr dental casting alloys (Kera N, Nodelco, Bellabond, Wiron 99, Metaplus VK, and Tritech D) were used in this study. Seventy-two specimens (12 × 12 × 1.2 mm) were produced using the lost-wax casting process. Three casting protocols were established in relation to the proportion of as-received and recast alloys: Group A (100% as-received metal), Group B (50 wt% new metal, 50 wt% once-recast metal), and Group C (100% once-recast metal). Two specimens in every group received two different surface treatments: sandblasting with 110 μmm Al2O3 or oxidation firing. An elemental analysis was performed with x-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Results were subjected to one-way analysis of variance and Tukey HSD tests. Results: The elemental composition was significantly different in the casting groups and treatment groups (p < 0.05). The lowest mean weight percentage Ni value was recorded for Group C and the highest for Group A. Aluminum-oxide sandblasting of the alloy surface reduced the mean weight percentage for Cr. Conclusion: Recasting metal alloys may adversely affect surface quality.

Method to measure tree-ring width,density,elemental composition,and stable carbon and oxygen isotopes using one sample

Tree-ring width(RW),density,elemental com-position,and stable carbon and oxygen isotope(δ^(13)C,δ^(18)O)are widely used as proxies to assess climate change,ecology,and environmental pollution;however,a specific pretreat-ment has been needed for each proxy.Here,we developed a method by which each proxy can be measured in the same sample.First,the sample is polished for ring width meas-urement.After obtaining the ring width data,the sample is cut to form a 1-mm-thick wood plate.The sample is then mounted in a vertical sample holder,and gradually scanned by an X-ray beam.Simultaneously,the count rates of the fluorescent photons of elements(for chemical characteriza-tion)and a radiographic grayscale image(for wood density)are obtained,i.e.the density and the element content are obtained.Then,cellulose is isolated from the 1-mm wood plate by removal of lignin,and hemicellulose.After producing this cellulose plate,cellulose subsamples are separated by knife under the microscope for inter-annual and intra-annual stable carbon and oxygen isotope(δ^(13)C,δ^(18)O)analysis.Based on this method,RW,density,elemental composition,δ^(13)C,and δ^(18)O can be measured from the same sample,which reduces sample amount and treatment time,and is helpful for multi-proxy comparison and combination research.

Predicting the elemental compositions of solid waste using ATR-FTIR and machine learning

Elemental composition is a key parameter in solid waste treatment and disposal. This study has proposed a method based on infrared spectroscopy and machine learning algorithms that can rapidly predict the elemental composition (C, H, N, S) of solid waste. Both noise and moisture spectral interference that may occur in practical application are investigated. By comparing two feature selection methods and five machine learning algorithms, the most suitable models are selected. Moreover, the impacts of noise and moisture on the models are discussed, with paper, plastic, textiles, wood, and leather as examples of recyclable waste components. The results show that the combination of the feature selection and K-nearest neighbor (KNN) approaches exhibits the best prediction performance and generalization ability. Particularly, the coefficient of determination (R2) of the validation set, cross validation and test set are higher than 0.93, 0.89, and 0.97 for predicting the C, H, and N contents, respectively. Further, KNN is less sensitive to noise. Under moisture interference, the combination of feature selection and support vector regression or partial least-squares regression shows satisfactory results. Therefore, the elemental compositions of solid waste are quickly and accurately predicted under noise and moisture disturbances using infrared spectroscopy and machine learning algorithms.

MORPHOLOGY AND ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF DUSTFALL PARTICLES INSIDE EMPEROR QIN'S TERRA-COTTA WARRIORS AND HORSES MUSEUM

Indoor dusffall samples were collected in Pit 1 and Pit 2 of Emperor Qin＇s Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum in Xi＇an, Shaanxi Province, China. The morphological and elemental analysis for long-term （〉10 years） and short-term （～0.5 year） dusffall particles and lacquer pieces on the faces of partly assembled warriors were performed with scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer （SEM/EDX）. The results showed that the majority of dusffall samples appeared to be composed of mineral dust particles, fly ash, and biological particles with different elemental compositions. Most of the mineral particles had irregular shapes with smooth edges. Small floccules of calcium sulfate were more frequently observed in long-term dusffall samples than in short-term samples, implying a progressive chemical reaction between continuous dusffall particles and atmospheric sulfur dioxide. Crystals of calcium sulfate were also found near pits on both inner and outer surfaces of lacquer pieces, revealing an acid chemical reaction between sulfur dioxide and lacquer material as the cause of the formation of erosion pits and cracks on surface of lacquer pieces.

Size and elemental composition of dry-deposited particles during a severe dust storm at a coastal site of Eastern China

Dry-deposited particles were collected during the passage of an extremely strong dust storm in March, 2010 at a coastal site in Qingdao（36.15°N, 120.49°E）, a city located in Eastern China. The size, morphology, and elemental composition of the particles were quantified with a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray instrument（SEM–EDX）. The particles appeared in various shapes, and their size mainly varied from 0.4to 10 μm, with the mean diameters of 0.5, 1.5, and 1.0 μm before, during, and after the dust storm, respectively. The critical size of the mineral particles settling on the surface in the current case was about 0.3–0.4 μm before the dust storm and about 0.5–0.7 μm during the dust storm. Particles that appeared in high concentration but were smaller than the critical size deposited onto the surface at a small number flux. The elements Al, Si and Mg were frequently detected in all samples, indicating the dominance of mineral particles. The frequency of Al in particles collected before the dust storm was significantly lower than for those collected during and after the dust storm. The frequencies of Cl and Fe did not show obvious changes, while those of S, K and Ca decreased after the dust arrival. These results indicate that the dust particles deposited onto the surface were less influenced by anthropogenic pollutants in terms of particle number.

Effect of lubricant sulfur on the morphology and elemental composition of diesel exhaust particles

This work investigates the effects of lubricant sulfur contents on the morphology,nanostructure,size distribution and elemental composition of diesel exhaust particle on a light-duty diesel engine. Three kinds of lubricant（LS-oil,MS-oil and HS-oil,all of which have different sulfur contents：0.182%,0.583% and 1.06%,respectively）were used in this study. The morphologies and nanostructures of exhaust particles were analyzed using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy（TEM）. Size distributions of primary particles were determined through advanced image-processing software. Elemental compositions of exhaust particles were obtained through X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy（EDS）. Results show that as lubricant sulfur contents increase,the macroscopic structure of diesel exhaust particles turn from chain-like to a more complex agglomerate. The inner cores of the core-shell structure belonging to these primary particles change little; the shell thickness decreases,and the spacing of carbon layer gradually descends,and amorphous materials that attached onto outer carbon layer of primary particles increase. Size distributions of primary particles present a unimodal and normal distribution,and higher sulfur contents lead to larger size primary particles. The sulfur content in lubricants directly affects the chemical composition in the particles. The content of C（carbon）decreases as sulfur increases in the lubricants,while the contents of O（oxygen）,S（sulfur）and trace elements（including S,Si（silicon）,Fe（ferrum）,P（phosphorus）,Ca（calcium）,Zn（zinc）,Mg（magnesium）,Cl（chlorine）and Ni（nickel））all increase in particles.

High-throughput simulation combined machine learning search for optimum elemental composition in medium entropy alloy

In medium/high entropy alloys, their mechanical properties are strongly dependent on the chemicalelemental composition. Thus, searching for optimum elemental composition remains a critical issue to maximize the mechanical performance. However, this issue solved by traditional optimization process via "trial and error" or experiences of domain experts is extremely difficult. Here we propose an approach based on high-throughput simulation combined machine learning to obtain medium entropy alloys with high strength and low cost. This method not only obtains a large amount of data quickly and accurately,but also helps us to determine the relationship between the composition and mechanical properties.The results reveal a vital importance of high-throughput simulation combined machine learning to find best mechanical properties in a wide range of elemental compositions for development of alloys with expected performance.

Ultrastructure and elemental composition of the eggshell of Reeve’s Pheasant(Syrmaticus reevesii)

The eggshell of Reeve’s pheasant(Syrmaticus reevesii)collected from the Dongzhai National Nature Reserve in Henan Province,China was studied.By using scanning electron microscopy and inductively coupled plasma(ICP)spectrometry,the ultrastructure and elemental composition of the eggshell was determined.The study showed that the average thickness of the surface layer of crys-tals,the palisade and cone layer,and the eggshell membrane were 20.8,220.8 and 62.5μm,respectively,accounting for 6.8%,72.6%and 20.6%of the total thickness of the eggshell.There were many vesicular holes in the palisade layer with an average diameter of 0.32±0.08μm(n=30).The function of these holes might be significant to air exchange.The shape of the eggshell pore on the surface layer of crystals is round or elliptical.The fracture surface of the pore is funnel-shaped.Some granules filled the upper part of the eggshell pores.The content of 21 elements in the eggshell of wild and captive Reeve’s pheasants was compared and presented.It indicated that among the elements that made up the eggshell of the wild pheasant,the content of Ca,Mg,P and S was much higher,ω>1 mg/g,withω(Ca)being higher than 40%of the eggshell.The contents of Na,Si,Sr,K and Al wereω=0.1-1 mg/g,while Fe,Zn,Pb,Mn,Cu,V and Ti had lower concentrations(ω=1-100μg/g).Theωof Ni,Cr,Co,Se,Cd were lower than 1μg/g.The elemental composition in the eggshell of the captive Reeve’s pheasant kept in the Dongzhai National Natural Reserve was significantly differ-ent from that of the wild species,with a difference of over 20%on S,Cu,Fe,Al,Mn,Si,Sr,Se and Cr.The lower intake of Fe,Mn,Si and Sr on the one hand and the higher intake of S,Cu,Al and Cr on the other hand might be responsible for the low fertility of captive Reeve’s pheasants in the Dongzhai National Nature Reserve.In order to ensure that the pheasants are receiving the proper amount of nutrition and to improve their breeding success,the amount of certain elements in the food should be adjusted.

Rice Grains from Slightly Saline Field Exhibited Unchanged Starch Physicochemical Properties but Enhanced Nutritional Values

This study aims to investigate grain quality and nutritional values of rice(Pokkali,a salt-tolerant cultivar;RD73,a new cultivar improved from KDML105 introgressed with Saltol QTL from Pokkali,and KDML105,a moderately salt-susceptible cultivar)grown under non-saline(0.04–0.87 dS/m)and slightly saline(1.08–4.83 dS/m)field conditions.The results revealed that salinity caused significant reduction in grain size but significant increments in reducing sugar and total protein contents in the grains.Nevertheless,the amounts of starch in the grains of KDML105 and Pokkali rice genotypes were unaffected by the stress.The starch granule size distribution was also unaffected by salinity.Interestingly,only starch from Pokkali was significantly diminished in amylose content,from 19.18%to 16.99%.Accordingly,parameters relating to starch gelatinization,retrogradation,and pasting properties of KDML105 and RD73 were unaffected by salinity;only Pokkali showed a significant increase in percentage of retrogradation along with a significant reduction in gelatinization enthalpy.In the saline field,total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity in the grains of all rice cultivars tended to increase,particularly in Pokkali.On average,essential element contents in grains from the saline-treated plants showed a 33%,32%,32%,22%,20%,11%,and 10%increase in total P,N,K,Mg,Zn,Fe,and Ca content,respectively.Interestingly,total Fe content exhibited the greatest percentage of increments in KDML105(187%).Taken together,cultivation of rice in the slightly saline field did not alter its eating and cooking qualities,while enhanced some nutritional properties such as proteins,minerals,and secondary metabolites like phenolic compounds.

Principles of Technology for Bottling Medicinal Mineral Waters of Sairme Using the Example of Source №3a

Sairme mineral water, one of the famous mineral waters in Georgia, is renowned for its exceptional healing properties. The distinctiveness and therapeutic benefits of the naturally sourced mineral water, known as “Sairme”, stem from its rich array of microelements, notably including iron and manganese. Since 1948, the bottling of Sairme mineral water has been a prominent activity. Named after the Sairme deposit, this mineral water is packaged in various formats to cater to diverse consumer preferences. The bottling process involves transporting the mineral water from wells to the bottling plant through pipelines. Prior to bottling, the mineral water undergoes meticulous processing stages in adherence to current Georgian and international regulations. This process ensures that the concentration of trace elements in the bottled water is minimized, maintaining its purity and quality. Given the importance of preserving the microelements present in bottled mineral water, our research is dedicated to optimizing the technological process. Our objective is to safeguard the valuable microelements while ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety in the final product.

Siderophile Element Compositions of Pyroxenes in HED Meteorites: Implications for the Differentiation of Magma Ocean on Vesta

1 Introduction The howardite,eucrite and diogenite(HED)meteorites are ultramafic and mafic igneous rocks and impact-engendered breccias derived from a thoroughly differentiated asteroid 4 Vesta.Diogenites include dunites,

Determination of element composition of three lichens and their distribution in King George Island, Antarctica

Cross-section slices of Usnea antarctica Du Rietz, Usnea aurantiaco-atra (Jacq.) Bory. and Cladonia sp. at upper, middle and basal positions were prepared, respectively. The element composition and relative content were determined by SEM and EDS at the surface, intermediate and inner layers in each slice, respectively. The result indicated that the composition of element is mostly same in these lichens. The relative content of Al, Si, K and Ca elements is high,and P is close at each position. The result is of benefit to study the structure and physiological characteristics of lichens, and to analyze geological environment in Antarctica.

Zircon Mineralogy and Trace Elements Composition of the Metallogenic Granites in the Nanshankeng Mine,Eastern Nanling

1 Introduction Nanshankeng tungsten-tin polymetallic mine,which is located in the eastern Nanling metallogenic belt,is newly discovered by geological investigation and evaluation with prospecting potential(Xiao et

Insight into the Origin of Iron Ore Based on Elemental Contents of Magnetite and Whole-Rock Geochemistry:A Case of the Bipindi Banded Iron Formations,Nyong Complex,SW Cameroon

The Bipindi iron ore district is located in the central section of the Nyong Complex at the northwestern margin of the Congo Craton in Southwest Cameroon.This iron district contains numerous iron mineralization hosted by the Mewongo,Bibole,Kouambo,and Zambi banded iron formations(BIFs).These BIFs contain magnetite as the main iron ore mineral associated with pyrite,and gangue minerals are quartz with minor chlorite and amphibole.The origin of iron ore from these BIFs was investigated using a combination of in-situ magnetite and whole-rock chemistry.The studied BIF ore samples have a narrow range of TFe between 30.90 wt.%and 43.20 wt.%,indicating a low-grade ore.The geochemical signatures of magnetite such as low contents of base metals(e.g.,Cu,Co,V,and Zn)and low Co/Zn ratios<0.85 indicate a hydrothermal origin.Combined with the geochemical features of these BIFs,e.g.,high Fe/Ti and Fe/Al ratios(mean>600 and>75,respectively),we suggest that magnetite was derived from a mixture of seawater and~0.1%low-temperature hydrothermal fluids in an oxidizing environment.Collectively,low-temperature hydrothermal and later metamorphic fluids were necessary for the transformation of the protolith Nyong Complex BIFs to iron ore.

Chemical characteristics of aerosol particles (PM_(2.5)) at a site of Horqin Sand-land in northeast China

The objective of this study was to characterize the mass concentration and chemical composition of aerosol particles（PM2.5） collected at Tongliao（Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China）, a site in Horqin Sand-land in northeast China. During spring 2005, the mass concentration for PM2.5 was （126±71）μg/m^3 in average. Five dust storm events were monitored with higher concentration of （255 ± 77）μg/m^3 in average than the non dusty days of （106 ± 44）μg/m^3. Concentrations for 20 elements were obtained by the PIXE method. Mass concentrations of ALl, Mg, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, and V, which increased with the PM2.5 concentration, were higher than the pollution elements （S, Cl, Zn, Ar, Se, Br, and Pb）. Enrichment factor relative to crust material was also calculated, which showed dust trace elements were mainly from earth upper crust and pollution elements were dominated the anthropogenic aerosols. The Si/Al, Ca/Al, and Fe/Al ratios in PM2.5 samples at Tongliao were 4.07, 0.94, and 0.82, respectively, which were remarkably different with those on other source regions, such as ＂Western desert source region＂, ＂North desert source region＂ and central Asia source. Air mass back-trajectory analysis identified three kinds of general pathways were associated with the aerosol particle transport to Tongliao, but have the similar elemental ratios, implying that elemental signatures for dust aerosol from Horqin Sand-land were different with other regions.

Ocean Chemistry Revealed by Mineralogical and Geochemical Evidence at the Permian——Triassic Mass Extinction,Offshore the Persian Gulf,Iran

The Upper Permian Dalan Formation and the Lower Triassic Kangan Formation in the Persian Gulf area are mainly composed of shallow marine facies limestone and dolomite.Two subsurface-cored intervals were investigated in order to understand the original mineralogy and paleoceanic conditions.The decreasing trend of Sr concentration in these deposits shows that aragonite was precipitated during the Late Permian and then gradually changed to calcite toward the Permian-Triassic boundary（PTB）.The dissolution rate of aragonite decreased from 60 m below the PTB toward the boundary,with the only exception at 10 m below the Permian-Triassic Boundary（PTB） due to the Permian-Triassic unconformity in this region.The increasing trend of Mg/Ca ratio in a global scale at the end-Permian time shows that the interpreted variation of mineralogy does not result from the change of this ratio.The increasing p（CO2） and decreasing pH are considered to be the main controlling factors.The increase of Ca2＋ at the end-Permian time due to the input of meteoric waters is too little to fully compensate this effect.A local maximum of the Si content just at the PTB confirms the input of runoff waters.

通过精确质量确定元素组成:从四极杆到傅立叶变换离子回旋共振质谱仪

A more comprehensive calibration involving m/z and peak shape has been developed to attain the high spectral accuracy necessary to achieve unique elemental composition determination. This approach can be applied for formula determination at much lower resolution such as single or triple quadrupole mass spectrometers.

An Evaluation of the Calorific Values of the Branches and Stems of 11 Tropical Trees

This work investigated and quantified the calorific values of the main branches and trunks of eleven (11) tropical trees in correlation with their chemical composition in order to assess their suitability for use as credible sources of wood fuel. The determination of the carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur (CHNOS) content of the samples was done using an organic elemental analyser, while an oxygen bomb calorimeter was used to experimentally determine their corresponding gross heat values. The experimental gross heat values for the branches examined ranged from 18,703.37 kJ/kg in Lophira lanceolata to 21,350.35 kJ/kg in Afzelia africana while that of the trunks ranged from 19,747.74 kJ/kg in Tectonia grandis to 22,408.68 kJ/kg in Prosopis africana. These values were within and about the expected ranges observed for tropical trees and may be considered adequate for wood fuel. The general trend in both branches and trunks was that the higher the carbon content, the higher the gross heat value of sample. The absence of sulphur in almost all the samples except, Prosopis africana, (0.055%) was indicative of the fact that the negative environmental impact with respect to harmful emissions of oxides of sulphur is practically non-existent with respect to these species. In the light of the aforementioned variables, the main branches of Afzelia africana (21,350.35 kJ/kg), Nauclea diderrichii (21,157.30 kJ/kg) and Tectonia grandis (20,257.13 kJ/kg) could be used as credible sources of firewood and charcoal production. With respect to the trunks, the timbers in order of preference would ideally be Prosopis africana (22,408.68 kJ/kg), Nauclea diderichii (21,436.42 kJ/kg) and Brachstigia eurychoma (20,924.7 kJ/kg).