Evaluating the stability and volumetric flowback rate of proppant packs in hydraulic fractures using the lattice Boltzmann-discrete element coupling method

The stability and mobility of proppant packs in hydraulic fractures during hydrocarbon production are numerically investigated by the lattice Boltzmann-discrete element coupling method(LB-DEM).This study starts with a preliminary proppant settling test,from which a solid volume fraction of 0.575 is calibrated for the proppant pack in the fracture.In the established workflow to investigate proppant flowback,a displacement is applied to the fracture surfaces to compact the generated proppant pack as well as further mimicking proppant embedment under closure stress.When a pressure gradient is applied to drive the fluid-particle flow,a critical aperture-to-diameter ratio of 4 is observed,above which the proppant pack would collapse.The results also show that the volumetric proppant flowback rate increases quadratically with the fracture aperture,while a linear variation between the particle flux and the pressure gradient is exhibited for a fixed fracture aperture.The research outcome contributes towards an improved understanding of proppant flowback in hydraulic fractures,which also supports an optimised proppant size selection for hydraulic fracturing operations.

Self-templating synthesis of biomass-based porous carbon nanotubes for energy storage and catalytic degradation applications

Dwindling energy sources and a worsening environment are huge global problems,and biomass wastes are an under-exploited source of material for both energy and material generation.Herein,self-template decoction dregs of Ganoderma lucidum-derived porous carbon nanotubes(ST-DDLGCs)were synthesized via a facile and scalable strategy in response to these challenges.ST-DDLGCs exhibited a large surface area(1731.51 m^(2)g^(-1))and high pore volume(0.76 cm^(3)g^(-1)),due to the interlacing tubular structures of precursors and extra-hierarchical porous structures on tube walls.In the ST-DDLGC/PMS system,the degradation efficiency of capecitabine(CAP)reached~97.3%within 120 min.Moreover,ST-DDLGCs displayed high catalytic activity over a wide pH range of 3–9,and strong anti-interference to these typical and ubiquitous anions in wastewater and natural water bodies(i.e.,H_(2)PO_(4)^(-),NO_(3)^(-),Cl^(-) and HCO_(3)^(-)),in which a ^(1)O_(2)-dominated oxidation was identified and non-radical mechanisms were deduced.Additionally,ST-DDLGC-based coin-type symmetrical supercapacitors exhibited outstanding electrochemical performance,with specific capacitances of up to 328.1 F g^(-1)at 0.5 A g^(-1),and cycling stability of up to 98.6%after 10,000 cycles at a current density of 2 A g^(-1).The superior properties of ST-DDLGCs could be attributed to the unique porous tubular structure,which facilitated mass transfer and presented numerous active sites.The results highlight ST-DDLGCs as a potential candidate for constructing inexpensive and advanced environmentally functional materials and energy storage devices.

Removal of kathon by UV-C activated hydrogen peroxide:Kinetics,mechanisms,and enhanced biodegradability assessment

Kathon(CMI-MI),a mixture of 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one(CMI)and 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one(MI),was extensively used in industry as a nonoxidizing biocide or disinfectant.However,it would show adverse effects on aquatic life when it is discharged into surface water.In this study,the removal performance,parameter influence,degradation products and enhancement of subsequent biodegradation of CMI-MI in UV/H_(2)O_(2)system were systematically investigated.The degradation rate of CMI-MI could reach 90%under UV irradiation for 20 min when the dosage of H_(2)O_(2)was 0.3 mmol·L^(–1).The DOC(dissolved organic carbon)mineralization rate of CMI-MI could reach 35%under certain conditions([H_(2)O_(2)]=0.3 mmol·L^(–1),UV irradiation for 40 min).kobs was inversely proportional to the concentration of CMI-MI and proportional to the concentration of H_(2)O_(2).The degradation rate of CMIMI was almost unchanged in the pH range from 4 to 10.Except the presence of CO_(3)^(2-)inhibited the removal rate of CMI-MI,SO_(4)^(2-),Cl^(-),NO_(3)^(-),and NH_(4)^(+) did not interfere with the degradation of CMI-MI in the system.It was found that UV/H_(2)O_(2)system had lower energy consumption and more economic advantage compared with UV/PS system by comparing the EEO(electric energy per order)values under the same conditions.Two main organic products were identified,namely HCOOH and CH_(3)NH_(2).There’s also the formation of Cl^(-)and SO_(4)^(2-).After UV and UV/H_(2)O_(2)photolysis,the biochemical properties of CMI-MI solution were obviously improved,especially the UV/H_(2)O_(2)treatment effect was better,indicating that UV/H_(2)O_(2)technology is expected to combine with biotechnology to remove CMI-MI effectively and environmentally friendly from wastewater.

Enhancing capacitive deionization performance and cyclic stability of nitrogen-doped activated carbon by the electro-oxidation of anode materials

Electrode materials with high desalination capacity and long-term cyclic stability are the focus of capacitive deionization(CDI) community. Understanding the causes of performance decay in traditional carbons is crucial to design a high-performance material. Based on this, here, nitrogen-doped activated carbon(NAC) was prepared by pyrolyzing the blend of activated carbon powder(ACP) and melamine for the positive electrode of asymmetric CDI. By comparing the indicators changes such as conductivity, salt adsorption capacity, pH, and charge efficiency of the symmetrical ACP-ACP device to the asymmetric ACP-NAC device under different CDI cycles, as well as the changes of the electrochemical properties of anode and cathode materials after long-term operation, the reasons for the decline of the stability of the CDI performance were revealed. It was found that the carboxyl functional groups generated by the electro-oxidation of anode carbon materials make the anode zero-charge potential(E_(pzc)) shift positively,which results in the uneven distribution of potential windows of CDI units and affects the adsorption capacity. Furthermore, by understanding the electron density on C atoms surrounding the N atoms, we attribute the increased cyclic stability to the enhanced negativity of the charge of carbon atoms adjacent to quaternary-N and pyridinic-oxide-N.

Efficient simultaneous removal of diesel particulate matter and hydrocarbons from diesel exhaust gas at low temperatures over Cu–CeO_(2)/Al_(2)O_(3) coupling with dielectric barrier discharge plasma

Diesel particulate matter(DPM)and hydrocarbons(HCs)emitted from diesel engines have a negative affect on air quality and human health.Catalysts for oxidative removal of DPM and HCs are currently used universally but their low removal efficiency at low temperatures is a problem.In this study,Cu-doped CeO_(2) loaded on Al_(2)O_(3) coupled with plasma was used to enhance low-temperature oxidation of DPM and HCs.Removals of DPM and HCs at 200℃ using the catalyst were as high as 90%with plasma but below 30%without plasma.Operando plasma diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy coupled with mass spectrometry was conducted to reveal the functional mechanism of the oxygen species in the DPM oxidation process.It was found that Cu-CeO_(2) can promote the formation of adsorbed oxygen(M^(+)-O_(2)^(-))and terminal oxygen(M=O),which can react with DPM to form carbonates that are easily converted to gaseous CO_(2).Our results provide a practical plasma catalysis technology to obtain simultaneous removals of DPM and HCs at low temperatures.M+O-2Diesel particulate matter(DPM)and hydrocarbons(HCs)emitted from diesel engines have a negative affect on air quality and human health.Catalysts for oxidative removal of DPM and HCs are currently used universally but their low removal efficiency at low temperatures is a problem.In this study,Cu-doped CeO_(2) loaded on Al_(2)O_(3) coupled with plasma was used to enhance low-temperature oxidation of DPM and HCs.Removals of DPM and HCs at 200°C using the catalyst were as high as 90%with plasma but below 30%without plasma.Operando plasma diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy coupled with mass spectrometry was conducted to reveal the functional mechanism of the oxygen species in the DPM oxidation process.It was found that Cu–CeO_(2) can promote the formation of adsorbed oxygen(–)and terminal oxygen(M=O),which can react with DPM to form carbonates that are easily converted to gaseous CO_(2).Our results provide a practical plasma catalysis technology to obtain simultaneous removals of DPM and HCs at low temperatures.

Dynamics of Land Use/Land Cover Considering Ecosystem Services for a Dense-Population Watershed Based on a Hybrid Dual-Subject Agent and Cellular Automaton Modeling Approach

Land use/land cover represents the interactive and comprehensive influences between human activities and natural conditions,leading to potential conflicts among natural and human-related issues as well as among stakeholders.This study introduced economic standards for farmers.A hybrid approach(CA-ABM)of cellular automaton(CA)and an agent-based model(ABM)was developed to effectively deal with social and land-use synergic issues to examine human–environment interactions and projections of land-use conversions for a humid basin in south China.Natural attributes and socioeconomic data were used to analyze land use/land cover and its drivers of change.The major modules of the CA-ABM are initialization,migration,assets,land suitability,and land-use change decisions.Empirical estimates of the factors influencing the urban land-use conversion probability were captured using parameters based on a spatial logistic regression(SLR)model.Simultaneously,multicriteria evaluation(MCE)and Markov models were introduced to obtain empirical estimates of the factors affecting the probability of ecological land conversion.An agent-based CA-SLR-MCE-Markov(ABCSMM)land-use conversion model was proposed to explore the impacts of policies on land-use conversion.This model can reproduce observed land-use patterns and provide links for forest transition and urban expansion to land-use decisions and ecosystem services.The results demonstrated land-use simulations under multi-policy scenarios,revealing the usefulness of the model for normative research on land-use management.

Recent advances in core-shell organic framework-based photocatalysts for energy conversion and environmental remediation

Direct conversion of solar energy into chemical energy in an environmentally friendly manner is one of the most promising strategies to deal with the environmental pollution and energy crisis.Among a variety of materials developed as photocatalysts,the core-shell metal/covalent-organic framework(MOF or COF)photocatalysts have garnered significant attention due to their highly porous structure and the adjustability in both structure and functionality.The existing reviews on core-shell organic framework photocatalytic materials have mainly focused on core-shell MOF materials.However,there is still a lack of indepth reviews specifically addressing the photocatalytic performance of core-shell COFs and MOFs@COFs.Simultaneously,there is an urgent need for a comprehensive review encompassing these three types of core-shell structures.Based on this,this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding and useful guidelines for the exploration of suitable core-shell organic framework photocatalysts towards appropriate photocatalytic energy conversion and environmental governance.Firstly,the classification,synthesis,formation mechanisms,and reasonable regulation of core-shell organic framework were summarized.Then,the photocatalytic applications of these three kinds of core-shell structures in different areas,such as H_(2)evolution,CO_(2)reduction,and pollutants degradation are emphasized.Finally,the main challenges and development prospects of core-shell organic framework photocatalysts were introduced.This review aims to provide insights into the development of a novel generation of efficient and stable core-shell organic framework materials for energy conversion and environmental remediation.

High-throughput microfluidic production of carbon capture microcapsules:fundamentals,applications,and perspectives

In the last three decades,carbon dioxide(CO_(2)) emissions have shown a significant increase from various sources.To address this pressing issue,the importance of reducing CO_(2) emissions has grown,leading to increased attention toward carbon capture,utilization,and storage strategies.Among these strategies,monodisperse microcapsules,produced by using droplet microfluidics,have emerged as promising tools for carbon capture,offering a potential solution to mitigate CO_(2) emissions.However,the limited yield of microcapsules due to the inherent low flow rate in droplet microfluidics remains a challenge.In this comprehensive review,the high-throughput production of carbon capture microcapsules using droplet microfluidics is focused on.Specifically,the detailed insights into microfluidic chip fabrication technologies,the microfluidic generation of emulsion droplets,along with the associated hydrodynamic considerations,and the generation of carbon capture microcapsules through droplet microfluidics are provided.This review highlights the substantial potential of droplet microfluidics as a promising technique for large-scale carbon capture microcapsule production,which could play a significant role in achieving carbon neutralization and emission reduction goals.

Comparison of isotope-based linear and Bayesian mixing models in determining moisture recycling ratio

Stable water isotopes are natural tracers quantifying the contribution of moisture recycling to local precipitation,i.e.,the moisture recycling ratio,but various isotope-based models usually lead to different results,which affects the accuracy of local moisture recycling.In this study,a total of 18 stations from four typical areas in China were selected to compare the performance of isotope-based linear and Bayesian mixing models and to determine local moisture recycling ratio.Among the three vapor sources including advection,transpiration,and surface evaporation,the advection vapor usually played a dominant role,and the contribution of surface evaporation was less than that of transpiration.When the abnormal values were ignored,the arithmetic averages of differences between isotope-based linear and the Bayesian mixing models were 0.9%for transpiration,0.2%for surface evaporation,and–1.1%for advection,respectively,and the medians were 0.5%,0.2%,and–0.8%,respectively.The importance of transpiration was slightly less for most cases when the Bayesian mixing model was applied,and the contribution of advection was relatively larger.The Bayesian mixing model was found to perform better in determining an efficient solution since linear model sometimes resulted in negative contribution ratios.Sensitivity test with two isotope scenarios indicated that the Bayesian model had a relatively low sensitivity to the changes in isotope input,and it was important to accurately estimate the isotopes in precipitation vapor.Generally,the Bayesian mixing model should be recommended instead of a linear model.The findings are useful for understanding the performance of isotope-based linear and Bayesian mixing models under various climate backgrounds.

Predominant types of regional cold waves in North China and their historical changes

寒潮事件对东亚地区的社会经济,生态系统和人体健康影响巨大.根据1980-2019年间10月至次年3月的每日寒潮记录和K-means聚类,本文识别出了中国两种不同类型的区域性寒潮(T1和T2). T1区域性寒潮主要影响东北地区,T2区域性寒潮则主要影响华北和东部地区.与T1区域性寒潮相比, T2区域性寒潮强度更强,持续时间更长,影响范围更广. 1980–2019年期间, T1区域性寒潮的频率显著增加,而T2区域性寒潮的频率则没有趋势变化. T1和T2区域性寒潮事件均与西伯利亚高压增强有关,然而与它们相关的对流层中层波列明显不同.在T1区域性寒潮事件发生期间,西伯利亚-蒙古上空出现负-正模态的500-hPa位势高度异常波列,削弱了东亚大槽,导致西伯利亚冷空气东移.T1区域寒潮频次增加趋势可能与全球变暖引起的500-hPa位势高度的线性趋势变化有关.与T2区域寒潮事件相关的波列则在乌拉尔山脉,蒙古和华北地区形成了脊-槽-脊环流异常,导致冷空气向东南方向入侵.本文得出结论,由于两类区域寒潮影响不同,西伯利亚高压增强和对流层中层波列模态在我国区域性寒潮事件的预报中应综合考虑.

Contract Mechanism of Water Environment Regulation for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Based on Optimal Control Theory

The small and scattered enterprise pattern in the county economy has formed numerous sporadic pollution sources, hindering the centralized treatment of the water environment, increasing the cost and difficulty of treatment. How enterprises can make reasonable decisions on their water environment behavior based on the external environment and their own factors is of great significance for scientifically and effectively designing water environment regulation mechanisms. Based on optimal control theory, this study investigates the design of contractual mechanisms for water environmental regulation for small and medium-sized enterprises. The enterprise is regarded as an independent economic entity that can adopt optimal control strategies to maximize its own interests. Based on the participation of multiple subjects including the government, enterprises, and the public, an optimal control strategy model for enterprises under contractual water environmental regulation is constructed using optimal control theory, and a method for calculating the amount of unit pollutant penalties is derived. The water pollutant treatment cost data of a paper company is selected to conduct empirical numerical analysis on the model. The results show that the increase in the probability of government regulation and public participation, as well as the decrease in local government protection for enterprises, can achieve the same regulatory effect while reducing the number of administrative penalties per unit. Finally, the implementation process of contractual water environmental regulation for small and medium-sized enterprises is designed.

Soil erosion and its causes in high-filling body:A case study of a valley area on the Loess Plateau,China

Large-scale land consolidation projects(LCPs)have been carried out on the Loess Plateau to increase the area of agriculture land.The newly created land is prone to soil erosion under the effects of water and gravity.Taking a typical high-filling body(HFB)formed by LCPs in Yan’an,China as the subject,this study comprehensively investigated the types and causes of soil erosion with multiple methods of field investigation,on-site monitoring and laboratory tests.Results showed that the HFB presented a composite pattern of soil erosion with multiple types mainly including underground erosion,mixed water-gravity erosion,seepage erosion,and scouring erosion.The type of erosion varied spatially in different parts of the HFB depending on the dominant factors,mainly including the groundwater state,rainfall,runoff,gravity action,topography,and soil erodibility.The underground erosion mainly occurred at the positions with higher groundwater level and larger hydraulic gradient,while scouring erosion mainly occurred at the positions with extensive interactions of surface runoff,channel slope gradient and soil properties.And near the leading edge of the top of the slope,a band of mixed watergravity erosion occurred owing to the effects of water and gravity.In addition,nearly saturated soils at the toe of HFB displayed groundwater exfiltration and slope-face slumping.Based on our findings on the causes and variation of soil erosion for the HFB,we proposed the following erosion prevention and control measures to protect the LCPs on the Loess Plateau:to construct drainage ditches and blind ditches to form a complete drainage system,plant alfalfa on the top platform to increase rainfall interception and reduce surface runoff,set seepage ditches and plant deep-rooted plants at the toe of the slope to improve slope toe stability,monitor groundwater level and slope deformation to learn the erosion dynamics and slope stability,and optimize the geometry of HFB such as the slope gradient and slope steps to reduce soil erosion.

Catalytic conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into chemicals and fuels

In the search of alternative resources to make commodity chemicals and transportation fuels for a low carbon future,lignocellulosic biomass with over 180-billion-ton annual production rate has been identified as a promising feedstock.This review focuses on the state-of-the-art catalytic transformation of lignocellulosic biomass into value-added chemicals and fuels.Following a brief introduction on the structure,major resources and pretreatment methods of lignocellulosic biomass,the catalytic conversion of three main components,i.e.,cellulose,hemicellulose and lignin,into various compounds are comprehensively discussed.Either in separate steps or in one-pot,cellulose and hemicellulose are hydrolyzed into sugars and upgraded into oxygen-containing chemicals such as 5-HMF,furfural,polyols,and organic acids,or even nitrogen-containing chemicals such as amino acids.On the other hand,lignin is first depolymerized into phenols,catechols,guaiacols,aldehydes and ketones,and then further transformed into hydrocarbon fuels,bioplastic precursors and bioactive compounds.The review then introduces the transformations of whole biomass via catalytic gasification,catalytic pyrolysis,as well as emerging strategies.Finally,opportunities,challenges and prospective of woody biomass valorization are highlighted.

Adsorption, separation and recovery properties of blocky zeolite-biochar composites for remediation of cadmium contaminated soil

Cadmium(Cd) contamination in soils is a global ecological threat. Conventional powdered biochar added to soil can temporarily immobilize Cd but is difficult to separate from soil, leading to secondary release of Cd and posing potential ecological and human health risks. The blocky biochar is also difficult to separate from the soil due to its fragile nature. One of the keys to overcome the difficulties in separating biochar from soil is to improve its mechanical strength. Blocky zeolite-biochar composites(ZBC) that have good mechanical strength were obtained after pyrolyzing the mixture of 50% feedstock and 50% zeolite powder at 400 ℃. ZBC and NaOH-activated ZBC(ZBC_a) were applied to remove Cd from soil. After sieving Cd-loaded ZBC and ZBC_a from soil, the bioavailable Cd content in the soil decreased by 59.70% and 68.54%,respectively. Zeolite contributed to improving both adsorption performance and mechanical properties of the composites. After repeating the process of “remediation-sieving-desorption-regeneration” three times, the recoveries of ZBC and ZBC_a were above 97.00%, and regeneration rates were 48.70-83.26%,respectively. Under simulated mechanical sieving conditions, ZBC and ZBC_a lost only 4.06% and 5.40%of their mass and retained their integrity. Remediation of Cd-contaminated soil with blocky zeolitebiochar composite is sustainable and safe because the removal of bioavailable Cd from soil is permanent rather than a temporary decrease of bioavailability. This study provides a reference for the preparation of separable and recyclable adsorbents for the removal of contaminants from soil.

Synthesis,characterization,and performance comparison of boron using adsorbents based on N-methyl-D-glucosamine

Using N-methyl-D-glucosamine(NMDG)as the functional monomer,glycidyl methacrylate(GMA)as the connecting monomer,functionalized Fe3O4 nano-particles(NPs)as the support,three adsorbents were prepared including direct polymer GMA-NMDG,magnetic GMA-NMDG polymer(MGN),and boron magnetic ion-imprinted polymer(BMIIP).Based upon the optimization of synthesis conditions,the prepared adsorbents and intermediate products were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,thermogravimetric analysis,scanning electron microscope,energy dispersive spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction,vibrating sample magnetometer,and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller to investigate the synthesis process,the morphological structure and the functional properties of the materials.The optimum performances of GMA-NMDG,MGN and BMIIP were obtained in the initial neutral solution(pH of 6.5).Moreover,GMANMDG and MGN reached the maximum adsorption capacity at 120 min,whereas BMIIP reached adsorption saturation at 60 min.The pseudo-second-order kinetic model was more suitable for the adsorption of boron using the adsorbents.The maximum adsorption capacity of GMA-NMDG was found to be 43.4 mg·g^(-1),while those of MGN and BMIIP were 32.5 and 28.3 mg·g^(-1),respectively.The Langmuir isotherm model was more appropriate to describe the adsorption process.The adsorbents maintained satisfactory adsorption performance within a certain temperature range.Competing ions had little effect on the adsorption of boron,and would be adsorbed simultaneously,due to which,the effect of co-adsorption can be considered.The adsorption capacity of GMA-NMDG was high,while the adsorption selectivity of BMIIP was much better.Furthermore,BMIIP showed good adsorption after five cycles of adsorption and desorption.The comparison of adsorbents showed that GMA-NMDG had the highest adsorption capacity and was suitable for co-adsorption.MGN had a high adsorption capacity,good comprehensive performance and magnetic properties.BMIIP had better adsorption rate,adsorption selectivity and recyclability.Through the optimization of synthesis conditions,the adsorption capacity of the traditional monomer NMDG polymer was increased,and the magnetism was given to facilitate rapid recovery.Combined with the ion imprinting technology,it showed higher boron adsorption selectivity in the presence of competitive ions.

Rational design of MoS_(2)-based catalysts toward lignin hydrodeoxygenation:Interplay of structure,catalysis,and stability

The MoS_(2)-based materials are a vital class of heterogeneous catalysts for the hydrodeoxygenation of lignin and its model compounds to produce value-added chemicals especially because of their unique selectivity to aromatics.The rational design of MoS_(2)-based catalyst greatly depends on the comprehensive understanding of its structure-activity relationship.However,an intensive summary and critical analysis are still scarce to date.In this review,we attempt to provide an in-depth understanding of the interplay of structure,catalysis,and stability of MoS_(2)-based catalysts for lignin hydrodeoxygenation.The recognition of intrinsic active sites on MoS_(2) structure was firstly discussed,followed by the illustration of MoS_(2)-catalyzed hydrodeoxygenation structural models.Afterward,based on the studies on the MoS_(2)-catalyzed lignin model compounds hydrodeoxygenation,the current active site modification strategies including structural modification of monometallic MoS_(2) catalysts and collaborative modification were summarized and emphatically discussed,which aims to elucidate the structure-activity relationship at the atomic-level.The deactivation mechanism and stabilization strategies were also illustrated to provide instructive suggestion for the rational design of efficient and stable MoS_(2)-based catalysts.Finally,the real lignin depolymerization over MoS_(2)-based catalysts was summarized to point out the advantages and difficulties.This review attempts to highlight the remaining challenges and provide some perspectives for the future development of MoS_(2)-based catalysts for lignin hydrodeoxygenation.

Ti-Fe_(2)O_(3)/Ni(OH)_(x) as an efficient and durable photoanode for the photoelectrochemical catalysis of PET plastic to formic acid

Photoelectrochemical(PEC) technology provides a promising prospect for the transformation of polyethylene terephthalate(PET) plastic wastes to produce value-added chemicals.The PEC catalytic systems with high activity,selectivity and long-term durability are required for the future up-scaling industrial applications.Herein,we employed the interfacial modification strategy to develop an efficient and stable photoanode and evaluated its PEC activity for ethylene glycol(EG,derived from PET hydrolysate) oxidation to formic acid.The interfacial modification between Fe_(2)O_(3)semiconductor and Ni(OH)xcocatalyst with ultrathin TiO_(x) interlayer not only improved the photocurrent density by accelerating the kinetics of photogenerated charge carriers,but also kept the high Faradaic efficiency(over 95% in 30 h) towards the value-added formic acid product.This work proposes an effective method to promote the PEC activity and enhance the long-term stability of photoelectrodes for upcycling PET plastic wastes.

Distribution and Controlling Factors of Dissolved Gaseous Mercury and Reactive Mercury in Seawater Near Yangtze River Estuary

Complex hydrocultural conditions in the estuary affect the migration and transformation of mercury.Using two voyages in July and October 2018,Dissolved Gaseous Mercury(DGM)and Reactive Mercury(RHg)were determined to explore the source,transformation and influence of DGM content in the adjacent waters of Yangtze River Estuary in summer and autumn.The results showed the contents of DGM and RHg in summer were higher than those in autumn,and both of them were higher than those in open sea.In summer and autumn,the Yangtze River brought a higher concentration of DGM,and different flow direction and runoff resulted in differences in the high value region of the surface.The emergence of low-oxygen zones in summer was conducive to the production of DGM.In autumn,windy weather allowed seawater disturbances to promote the release of mercury from the underlying sediments,especially in shallow sea in northwest.RHg showed a higher concentration in the offshore than in the open sea in summer,but there was no such trend in autumn,reflecting the influence of less runoff input.DGM is the main product of RHg reduction,and there was a significant positive correlation between DGM and RHg in summer(r=0.356,P<0.05),while the correlation between DGM and RHg was not significant in autumn due to the influence of light intensity,wind speed and nutrients.The exchange flux of mercury in the adjacent waters of the Yangtze River Estuary was higher than that in the open sea.There was no significant difference of the release flux of mercury in summer and autumn.This article highlighted that the input of mercury from the Yangtze River runoff promotes the release of mercury in seawater,and the hypoxic zone caused by eutrophication is conducive to the production of DGM.

Effects of the original state of sodium-based additives on microstructure,surface characteristics and filtration performance of SiC membranes

Sodium-contained compounds are promising sintering additives for the low-temperature preparation of reaction bonded SiC membranes.Although sodium-based sintering additives in various original states were attempted,their effects on microstructure and surface properties have rarely been studied.In this work,three types of sodium-based additives,including solid-state NaA zeolite residue(NaA)and liquidstate dodecylbenzene sulfonate(SDBS)and water glass(WG),were separately adopted to prepare SiC membranes,and the microstructure,surface characteristics and filtration performance of these SiC membranes were comparatively studied.Results showed that the SiC membranes prepared with liquid-state SDBS and WG(S-SDBS and S-WG)showed lower open porosity yet higher bending strength compared to those prepared with solid-state NaA(S-NaA).The observed differences in bending strength were further interpreted by analyzing the reaction process of each sintering additive and the composition of the bonding phase in the reaction bonded SiC membranes.Meanwhile,the microstructural differentiation was correlated to the original state of the additives.In addition,their surface characteristics and filtration performance for oil-in-water emulsion were examined and correlated to the membrane microstructure.The S-NaA samples showed higher hydrophilicity,lower surface roughness(1.80μm)and higher rejection ratio(99.99%)in O/W emulsion separation than those of S-WG and S-SDBS.This can be attributed to the smaller mean pore size and higher open porosity,resulting from the originally solid-state NaA additives.Therefore,this work revealed the comprehensive effects of original state of sintering additives on the prepared SiC membranes,which could be helpful for the application-oriented fabrication by choosing additives in suitable state.

Spatial distribution and export of nutrients and metal elements in the subterranean estuary of Daya Bay

Subterranean estuaries(STE)are important seawater-groundwater mixing zones with complex biogeochemical processes,which play a vital role in the migration and transformation of dissolved materials.In this study,we first investigated the spatial distributions of dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN),dissolved inorganic phosphorous(DIP),dissolved inorganic silicon(DSi)and metal elements(As,Ba,Cr,Cu,Fe,Mn,Ni,Pb,and Zn)in STE including upper intertidal,seepage face and subtidal zones.We then estimated submarine groundwater discharge(SGD)and associated nutrient and metal element fluxes.From the generalized Darcy’s law method,SGD was estimated to be 30.13 cm/d,which was about 7 times larger than the inflow(4.16 cm/d).The nutrient and metal fluxes from SGD were estimated to be(5.33±4.99)mmol/(m^(2)·d)for DIN,(0.22±0.03)mmol/(m^(2)·d)for DIP,(16.20±2.05)mmol/(m^(2)·d)for DSi,(1325.06±99.10)μmol/(m^(2)·d)for Fe,(143.41±25.13)μmol/(m^(2)·d)for Mn,(304.06±81.07)μmol/(m^(2)·d)for Zn,(140.21±13.33)μmol/(m^(2)·d)for Cu,(84.49±2.94)μmol/(m^(2)·d)for Pb,(37.38±5.51)μmol/(m^(2)·d)for Ba,(27.88±3.89)μmol/(m^(2)·d)for Cr,(10.10±6.33)μmol/(m^(2)·d)for Ni,and(6.25±3.45)μmol/(m^(2)·d)for As.The nutrient and metal fluxes from SGD were relatively higher than those from the inflow,suggesting that nearshore groundwater acted as the sources of nutrients and metal elements discharging into the sea.The environmental potential pollution of coastal seawater was evaluated by pollution factor index(Pi),comprehensive water quality index(CWQI),and ecological risk index(ERI).Pb mainly caused potential danger of nearshore environment with considerable contamination(Pi=5.78±0.19),heavy pollution(CWQI=4.09)and high ecological risk(ERI=18.00).This study contributed to better understanding the behavior of nutrients and metal elements and improving the sustainable management of STE under the pressure of anthropogenic activities and climate change.