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Distracted driving has become one of the main contributors to traffic accidents. It is therefore of great interest for intelligent vehicles to establish a distraction detection system that can continuously monitor driver behavior and respond accordingly. Although significant progress has been made in the existing research, most of them focus on extracting either local features or global features while ignoring the other one. To make full use of both local features and global features, we integrate multi-source perception information and propose a novel dual-channel feature extraction model based on CNN and Transformer. In order to improve the model's fitting ability to time series data, the CNN channel and Transformer channel are modeled separately using the mid-point residual structure. The scaling factors in the residual structure are regarded as hyperparameters, and a penalized validation method based on bilevel optimization is introduced to obtain the optimal values automatically. Extensive experiments and comparison with the state-of-the-art methods on a multimodal dataset of driver distraction validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. • A dual-channel network based on CNN and Transformer for feature extraction. • The dual-channel network is modeled using the midpoint residual structure. • A penalized validation method for optimal hyperparameters. • Extensive experiments validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. • It is found that vehicle dynamics data is promising for driver distraction detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the new syntrophic methanogenesis route via direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET), a novel bioaugmentation method by adding exoelectrogenic Geobacter species to accelerate methanogenesis was developed in this study. Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA, type exoelectrogenic strain of Geobacter species was chosen for the research. To clarify the effect of G. sulfurreducens on methanogenesis, batch tests of CH 4 production were carried out. Acetate, the most typical precursor of methanogenesis was chosen as the substrate of batch tests. Amendment of G. sulfurreducens accelerated CH 4 production remarkably. The lag phase of CH 4 production was shortened, and the maximum CH 4 production rate was increased by 78%. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that G. sulfurreducens closely gathered with methanogens. For the archaeal communities, the high-throughput sequencing results demonstrated that Methanosaetaceae and Methanobacteriaceae were potential bioaugmented methanogens. We speculated that the accelerated methanogenesis by adding G. sulfurreducens may result from the syntrophic association between G. sulfurreducens and methanogens affiliated with Methanosaetaceae and Methanobacteriaceae . This research provides a new route to enhance methanogenesis through the utilization of G. sulfurreducens . Through this study, the role of Geobacter in the anaerobic engineering and carbon cycling of nature should be paid more attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional microbial desalination cells (MDCs) extract organic energy from wastewater for in situ desalination of saline water, but cannot treat industrial wastewater containing high strength organics that may cause blocking in the thin membrane stack. In this study, a multi-stage MDC (M-MDC) was fabricated and operated for simultaneous treatment and desalination of diluted industrial wastewater. With wastewater (COD: 8723 ± 456 mg/L, conductivity: 24,612 ± 772 μS/cm) flowing serially from anode-1 → cathode-1 → anode-2 → cathode-2, the maximum power density of the M-MDC reached 566.1 mW/m 2 , with removal efficiencies of COD, TN, NH 4 + -N, and conductivity reaching 97.8%, 90.6%, 98.4%, and 31.6% respectively with addition of 1 V external voltage. The high strength organics were significantly removed due to alternative anaerobic/oxic conditions, the nitrogen removal was enhanced by simultaneous electrical migration and biological nitrification/denitrification. Moreover, the addition of external voltage enhanced current generation (67.4 ± 3.9 mA), desalination efficiency, coulombic efficiency (14.1%), and organics removal in two anodes (47.3%), producing an effluent (COD < 500 mg/L, TN < 15 mg/L) qualified to be discharged into municipal wastewater pipe systems. These results indicated great potential of M-MDC to work as a pretreatment technology for high strength industrial wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand how granular activated carbon (GAC) promotes methanogenesis, batch tests of CH 4 production potential in anaerobic serum bottles with addition of GAC or not were conducted. Tests showed that GAC promoted methanogenesis remarkably, but the non-conductive zeolite did not. The qPCR demonstrated that the biomass on GAC contributed little to the promotion. High-throughput sequencing data implied that promotion was related with direct interspecies electron transfer between Geobacteraceae and Methanosaetaceae . According to the c-type cytochromes ( c -Cyts) response to the supplement of GAC, it was speculated that GAC may play the role of c -Cyts’ substitution. In the undefined cultures, the phenomenon that c -Cyts were repressed by GAC was first observed. This research provided new evidence to microbial mechanism of promoting methanogenesis via GAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One dimensional Fe 3 O 4 sub-microfibers with an average diameter of about 920 nm and length of about 25 μm were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis in the presence of sodium citrate (Na 3 cit). The physicochemical properties were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that Fe 3 O 4 crystal nuclei were generated from different Fe 2+ −citrate complexes under hydrothermal conditions and Na 3 cit as a capping agent promoted the formation of Fe 3 O 4 microfibers. The Fe 3 O 4 nanocrystals grew along the (1 1 0) axis on the exposed (1 1 1) facet, and then further formed microfibers via an oriented attachment mechanism during the collisions. Polyvinylpyrrolidine (PVP) was more conducive to microfibers growth in comparison to polyethyleneglycol 4000 (PEG-4000), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The electrochemical measurements show that the Fe 3 O 4 sub-microfibers had a specific capacitance of 117.6 F g −1 with good cycling performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epichlorohydrin cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose microspheres (ECH/CMC) obtained by inverse suspension method and magnetic Fe3O4nanoparticles encasing the ECH/CMC microspheres (M-ECH/CMC) obtained by two different methods were successfully prepared and compared. Their structures and morphologies were analyzed using polarizing microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The adsorption behaviors of M1-ECH/CMC for methylene blue (MB) in the single cationic dye wastewater, the cationic/anionic dye mixture in the absence or presence of co-existed additives (salt and surfactant) wastewater, were also investigated with UV-vis spectrometer. The results showed that the magnetic Fe3O4nanoparticles were loaded readily in situ into ECH/CMC by specific, chemical interactions between COO−groups of ECH/CMC and magnetic responsive Fe3O4. The Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model provide best correlation with the experimental data for the adsorption of MB onto ECH/CMC and M1-ECH/CMC microspheres, while the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-first-order kinetic model for M2-ECH/CMC. These microspheres are easily recyclable and exhibit high desorption and adsorption, which suggests that they can be applied as potential environmental adsorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ternary magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanowire@CeO 2 /Ag nanocomposites have been firstly synthesized by means of hydrothermal and co–precipitation techniques, and their ability to adsorb, photocatalytic degradation organic pollutants, methylene blue present in water, and separate, has been demonstrated. The results show that CeO 2 and Ag nanoparticles are uniformly deposited on the surface of Fe 3 O 4 nanowires. The photocatalytic experiments demonstrate that the Fe 3 O 4 @CeO 2 /Ag nanocomposites exhibit remarkably enhanced photocatalytic properties and stability compared to CeO 2 , CeO 2 /Ag, Fe 3 O 4 @CeO 2 , Fe 3 O 4 under natural sunlight exposure. Moreover, excellent photocatalytic degradation efficiency for phenol and MO are also observed. The enhanced photocatalytic performance may be attributed to the synergetic effect of Fe 3 O 4 nanowire, CeO 2 and Ag nanoparticles, which lead to the enhanced light harvesting, the promoted charge separation and enhanced adsorption capacity. In addition, the Fe 3 O 4 @CeO 2 /Ag photocatalyst can be easily collected and separated by an external magnet. These results suggest that the nanocomposites could be exploited as potential candidates for solar photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a process utilizing methane as the sole electron source to reduce nitrite, nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane-oxidizing (n-damo) shows high potential to be applied in energy-efficient wastewater treatment. However, the metabolism of n-damo bacteria is far too low for practical application. In this study, bioelectrical reactor (BER) was used to enhance the metabolism. The nitrite removal rate was accelerated under applied electric field. The best stimulating effect was obtained at 1 V applied with the denitrification rate increased to 1.8 fold compared to conventional n-damo process. The enhancement of nitrite consumption was consistent well with the acceleration of methane depletion, further confirmed the electrical stimulation of n-damo process. However, the enhancement could only be realized under continuous electrical exposure mode, rather than intermittent mode. The above results demonstrated that electrical stimulation could lead to an enhanced denitrification of n-damo bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductive carbon felts (Cf) were used as biofilm carriers in bioelectrochemical reactors to enhance the electrical stimulation on treatment of phenol-containing synthetic wastewater. In batch test, phenol biodegradation was accelerated under an optimum direct current (DC), which was 2 mA for Cf biofilm carriers, lower than that for non-conductive white foam carriers. The stimulation effect was consistent with Adenosine Triphosphate contents in biofilms. The long-term operation further demonstrated that a high and stable phenol removal efficiency could be achieved with applied DC of 2 mA, and intermittent DC application was better than continuous one, with phenol removal efficiency of over 97%. Although the quantities of whole microbial communities kept at a high level under all conditions, special microorganisms related with genera of Zoogloea and Desulfovibrio were distinctively enriched under intermittent applied DC pattern. This study shows that the electrical stimulation is potentially effective for biofilm reactors treating phenol-containing wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Fe 3 O 4 /activated montmorillonite (Fe 3 O 4 /Mt) nanocomposite was prepared by a coprecipitation method. The morphology and structure of the Fe 3 O 4 /Mt nanocomposite are explored using X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherm and scanning electron microscopy. The adsorption capacity of Fe 3 O 4 /Mt for methylene blue (MB) was evaluated. Within 25 min, the Fe 3 O 4 /Mt nanocomposite (0.5 g) removed 99.47% of the MB from a 120 mg L − 1 solution at 293 K and at an original solution pH of 7.37. The experimental adsorption data followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm. The reusability of the Fe 3 O 4 /Mt was tested and still over 83.73% color removal of MB was obtained after five cycles. The Fe 3 O 4 /Mt nanocomposite has good stability and reusability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methanotrophs are crucial in regulating methane emission from rice field systems. Type II methanotrophs in particular are often observed in high abundance in paddy soil. Some cultivated species of Methylocystis are able to grow on acetate in the absence of methane. We hypothesize that the dominant type II methanotrophs in paddy soil might facultatively utilize acetate for growth, which we evaluate in the present study. The measurement of methane oxidation rates showed that the methanotrophic activity in paddy soil was inhibited by the addition of acetate compared to the continuous supplementation of methane, but the paddy soil maintained the methane oxidation capacity and recovered following methane supplementation. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (T-RFLP) combined with cloning and sequencing of pmoA genes showed that Methylocystis was enriched after incubation with added acetate, while the type I methanotrophs Methylocaldum/ Methylococcus and Methylobacter were enriched by methane supplementation. A comparison of pmoA sequences obtained in this study with those in the public database indicated that they were globally widespread in paddy soils or in associated with rice roots. Furthermore, we performed stable isotope probing (SIP) of pmoA messenger RNA (mRNA) to investigate the assimilation of C-acetate by paddy soil methanotrophs. RNA-SIP revealed that Methylocystis-related methanotrophs which shared the same genotype of the above enriched species were significantly labelled. It indicates that these methanotrophs actively assimilated the labelled acetate in paddy soil. Altogether, these results suggested that uncultivated Methylocystis species are facultative methanotrophs utilizing acetate as a secondary carbon source in paddy soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syntrophic interaction occurs during anaerobic fermentation of organic substances forming methane as the final product. H2 and formate are known to serve as the electron carriers in this process. Recently, it has been shown that direct interspecies electron transfer ( DIET) occurs for syntrophic CH4 production from ethanol and acetate. Here, we constructed paddy soil enrichments to determine the involvement of DIET in syntrophic butyrate oxidation and CH4 production. The results showed that CH4 production was significantly accelerated in the presence of nano Fe3 O4 in all continuous transfers. This acceleration increased with the increase of nano Fe3 O4 concentration but was dismissed when Fe3 O4 was coated with silica that insulated the mineral from electrical conduction. Nano Fe3 O4 particles were found closely attached to the cell surfaces of different morphology, thus bridging cell connections. Molecular approaches, including DNA-based stable isotope probing, revealed that the bacterial S yntrophomonadaceae and G eobacteraceae, and the archaeal M ethanosarcinaceae, M ethanocellales and M ethanobacteriales, were involved in the syntrophic butyrate oxidation and CH4 production. Among them, the growth of G eobacteraceae strictly relied on the presence of nano Fe3 O4 and its electrical conductivity in particular. Other organisms, except M ethanobacteriales, were present in enrichments regardless of nano Fe3 O4 amendment. Collectively, our study demonstrated that the nano Fe3 O4-facilitated DIET occurred in syntrophic CH4 production from butyrate, and G eobacter species played the key role in this process in the paddy soil enrichments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An anaerobic–aerobic-coupled upflow bioelectrochemical reactor was constructed. • Intermittent electrical stimulation mode promoted phenolics degradation. • Aerobic cathodic chamber showed high contribution to the phenolics removal. • Specific microbes were enriched in the cathodic and anodic chambers of the system. Phenolics were widespread in the effluents of coal gasification plants and oil refineries processes, while the impact of electrical stimulation on phenolics degradation in the combined biological processes remained unclear. Here, a novel anaerobic–aerobic–coupled upflow bioelectrochemical reactor (AO-UBER) was used to treat phenol-containing synthetic wastewater and simulated phenolic wastewater. The AO-UBER could treat phenolic compounds effectively via electrical stimulation. Phenol and total phenol removal efficiencies in the intermittently electrically stimulated system with a hydraulic retention time of 6 h were about 22.6% and 31.1%, respectively, higher than that in the biological system not exposed to voltage. The contribution of the aerobic cathodic chamber to the removal of phenolic compounds was higher than that of the anaerobic anodic chamber under the intermittent voltage application mode. High-throughput sequencing analysis indicated that electrical stimulation selectively enriched Acinetobacter , Cloacibacterium , Acidovorax, and Zoogloea in the phenol-containing synthetic wastewater treatment process, and Rhodococcus , Achromobacter , Chryseobacterium, and PSB-M-3 in the simulated phenolic wastewater treatment process. These results demonstrate that the AO-UBER under intermittent voltage application mode holds good potential for efficient phenolic wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An anaerobic–aerobic-coupled upflow bioelectrochemical reactor was constructed. • Intermittent electrical stimulation mode promoted phenolics degradation. • Aerobic cathodic chamber showed high contribution to the phenolics removal. • Specific microbes were enriched in the cathodic and anodic chambers of the system. Phenolics were widespread in the effluents of coal gasification plants and oil refineries processes, while the impact of electrical stimulation on phenolics degradation in the combined biological processes remained unclear. Here, a novel anaerobic–aerobic–coupled upflow bioelectrochemical reactor (AO-UBER) was used to treat phenol-containing synthetic wastewater and simulated phenolic wastewater. The AO-UBER could treat phenolic compounds effectively via electrical stimulation. Phenol and total phenol removal efficiencies in the intermittently electrically stimulated system with a hydraulic retention time of 6 h were about 22.6% and 31.1%, respectively, higher than that in the biological system not exposed to voltage. The contribution of the aerobic cathodic chamber to the removal of phenolic compounds was higher than that of the anaerobic anodic chamber under the intermittent voltage application mode. High-throughput sequencing analysis indicated that electrical stimulation selectively enriched Acinetobacter , Cloacibacterium , Acidovorax, and Zoogloea in the phenol-containing synthetic wastewater treatment process, and Rhodococcus , Achromobacter , Chryseobacterium, and PSB-M-3 in the simulated phenolic wastewater treatment process. These results demonstrate that the AO-UBER under intermittent voltage application mode holds good potential for efficient phenolic wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane-oxidation (n-damo) is a potential novel technology for nitrogen removal in anaerobic wastewater treatment. In this study, Geobacter sulfurreducens (G) was applied to stimulate n-damo activity. Conductive materials such as nano-magnetite (M) or aggregating agents such as hydroxylapatite (H) were co-added with G. sulfurreducens to further investigate the enhancement effect. Results showed that the nitrite reduction activity of the n-damo culture was promoted by G. sulfurreducens , with 1.71–2.38 times higher in treatment G, G + M, and G + H than that in the control, but was inhibited by the single addition of hydroxylapatite. N-damo bacterial abundances based on the qPCR of the n-damo-specific pmoA gene increased in treatments with G. sulfurreducens , compared with that of the control. High-throughput sequencing analysis revealed the enrichment of uncultured phylum WPS-2 in treatments with G. sulfurreducens. Fluorescence in situ hybridization verified the co-occurrence pattern of n-damo bacteria (NC10), G. sulfurreducens , and type-I aerobic methanotrophs (Methylomonas spp.). The above results corroborated the microbial interspecies electron transfer (MIET) potentiality of the n-damo enrichment. Our study provides a novel pathway for enhancing MIET to stimulate n-damo process. Unlabelled Image • N-damo was enhanced via application with Geobacter sulfurreducens. • Co-adding of G. sulfurreducens and hydroxylapatite enhanced the most significantly. • Uncultured WPS-2 was selectively enriched by addition with G. sulfurreducens. • Co-existence of NC-10, Geobacter , and Methylomonas was detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane-oxidizing (n-damo) process has a promising prospect in anaerobic wastewater treatment, utilizing methane as the sole electron source to remove nitrite. However, the metabolic activity of n-damo bacteria is too low for practical application. This study aimed to stimulate n-damo process by introducing conductive nano-magnetite and/or electron shuttle anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS), and also set a comparative treatment of adding insulated ferrihydrite. The results showed that the nitrite reduction rate was enhanced the most significantly in treatment with nano-magnetite, approximately 1.6 times higher than that of the control without any supplement. While ferrihydrite application showed an adverse effect on n-damo process. The well-known aerobic methane oxidizer Methylomonas spp. was found to be enriched under n-damo condition with the supplementation of nano-magnetite and/or AQDS, but abundance of n-damo bacteria did not exhibit significant increase. It was hypothesized that Methylomonas spp. could be survived under anaerobic n-damo condition using oxygen produced by n-damo bacteria for the self-growth, and the nitrite reduction could be promoted through the enhancement of microbial interspecies electron transfer triggered by the introduction of conductive materials. It opens a new direction for the stimulation of n-damo activity, which needs more evidences to verify the hypothetic mechanism. • Nano-magnetite and/or AQDS stimulated the nitrite reduction of n-damo process. • Stimulation depended on acceleration of electron transfer via conductive materials. • N-damo pmoA and nod genes kept constant among different treatments. • Methylomonas was selectively enriched via nano-magnetite and/or AQDS. • A novel synergistic relationship of n-damo bacteria and Methylomonas was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The coupled system enhanced biorefractory phenolic degradation. • HRT had a significant influence on the effect of electrical stimulation. • The intermittent electrical stimulation mode was prior to the continuous one. • The microbial community structure varied with the types of electrode conversion. An electrically stimulated anaerobic–aerobic coupled system was developed to improve the biodegradation of refractory phenolics. Expected 4-nitrophenol, 2, 4-dinitrophenol, and COD removals in the system with aerobic cathodic and anaerobic anodic chambers were approximately 53.7%, 45.4%, 22.3% (intermittent mode) and 37.9%, 19.8%, 17.3% (continuous mode) higher than that in the control system (26.0 ± 6.4%, 30.7 ± 7.1%, 49.8 ± 3.0%). 2, 4-dichlorophenol removal in the system with aerobic anodic and anaerobic cathodic chambers was approximately 28.5% higher than that in the control system (71.4 ± 5.7%). The contribution of the aerobic cathodic/anodic chambers to the removal of phenolic compounds was higher than that of the anaerobic cathodic/anodic chambers. The species related to phenolic biodegradation (Rhodococcus , Achromobacter, PSB-M- 3 , and Sphingobium) were enriched in the cathodic and anodic chambers of the system. These results showed that intermittent electrical stimulation could be a potential alternative for the efficient degradation of refractory phenolics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic digestion is an effective biological treatment process that produces methane by degrading organic compounds in waste/wastewater. It is a complicated microbial process by metabolic interactions among different types of microorganisms. In this process, efficient interspecies electron transfer between secondary fermenting bacteria and methanogens is the critical process for fast and effective methanogenesis. In syntrophic metabolism, hydrogen or formate has been considered as the conventional electron carrier transferring electrons from secondary fermenting bacteria to hydrogenotrophic methanogens. Recently, direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) without the involvement of dissolved redox mediators is arousing great concerns and has been regarded as a more efficient and thermodynamically favorable interspecies electron transfer pathway for methanogenesis. Interspecies electron exchange through DIET is accomplished via the membrane-bound cytochromes or conductive pili. Several kinds of exogenously-added conductive or semiconductive iron oxides have been discovered to greatly enhance anaerobic methanogenesis through promoting DIET. Different (semi)conductive iron oxides give a boost to DIET through different mechanisms based on the physicochemical properties of the iron oxides and the reciprocal interactions between iron oxides and functional microorganisms. In this review, the current understanding of interspecies electron transfer in syntrophic-methanogenic consortions is summarized, the effects and deep-rooted mechanisms of (semi)conductive iron oxides on methanogenesis and DIET are discussed, and possible future perspectives and development directions are suggested for DIET via (semi)conductive iron oxides in anaerobic digestion. Unlabelled Image • Interspecies electron transfer is the critical step for syntrophic methanogenesis. • H 2 acts as diffusive electron carriers between syntrophic partners in IHT pathway. • DIET is established by biological electrical connections instead of diffusive H 2. • (Semi)conductive iron oxides promote syntrophic methanogenesis by enhancing DIET. • Electric microbial syntrophy network is built by (semi)conductive iron oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates a minimum cost-maximum consensus jointly driven feedback mechanism under a harmonious power structure by twofold group and individual attention recommendations for building social network consensus. Harmonious power structure is first constructed with subgroup-centrality-IOWA operator by (i) extracting subgroup importance rankings through social network analysis, and (ii) minimising group structure conflict to search the harmony weight allocation. Subsequently, a twofold attention recommendation approach that balances group attention and individual attention is proposed to generate feedback recommendations for the feedback recipients. Based on this, optimisation models that minimise individual adjustment cost and maximise group consensus are constructed, jointly driving the feedback mechanism. Finally, a demonstration example is provided to illustrate the efficacy of the proposed model. • It determines the harmony power structure of subgroup. • It proposes a twofold attention recommendation method. • It instigates a joint cost-consensus driven feedback mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel and efficient microspheres adsorbent (MCA-E 0.7 /CMC- g - PDMDAAC), based on monochloroacetic acid (MCA) modified epichlorohydrin (ECH) cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), then grafting by dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (DMDAAC), was synthesized and its adsorption properties on cationic and anionic dyes were investigated. The results demonstrated that such MCA-E 0.7 /CMC- g -PDMDAAC microspheres showed pH-sensitive and could effectively adsorb cationic dye methylene blue (MB) or anionic dye orange II (OR II), at near neutral (pH > 4) or acidic (pH < 3) condition, respectively. Moreover, it could selectively adsorb the cationic dye MB from the cationic/anionic dye mixture at neutral pH condition. The desorption experiments were mainly performed under acidic (pH 3) or basic (pH 11) condition, over 98.54% of MB and 83.07% of OR II can be desorbed within 20 min, respectively. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm provide better correlation with the experimental data for the adsorption of dyes onto MCA-E 0.7 /CMC- g -PDMDAAC microspheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) will be ingested by people through different ways to threaten their health during play, so the environmental quality of the park directly affects the health of tourists and residents. Using eight typical parks in Urumqi in Northwest China as the study area, we used GC–MS to detect the PAHs content in the park surface soil and 10 common plants in the park in different seasons. The results showed that the content of PAHs in park soil in the summer was 5–6 times that in the winter, and the monomer PAHs in some park soil sampling points were higher than the soil pollution risk screening value. And the contamination level at these sampling sites was also higher compared to other sampling sites. In summer, the plants with high PAHs content in leaves are short herbs, while in winter, they are tall arbors. The PAHs of the park soil are mainly composed of high-cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and are mainly of traffic origin. The proportion of low-ring aromatic hydrocarbons in the winter was significantly higher than that in the summer. The source of PAHs in plants in summer is similar to that in soil, but the source of PAHs in plants in winter is more complex. The toxicity equivalent concentration method values of soil PAHs in South Park, Zhiwu Park, Shihua Park and Toutunhe Park were higher than that in other parks. The lifetime carcinogenic risk (ILCRs) values of some sampling points in these four parks in the summer were relatively high. The average ILCRs of adults and children in all parks reached a low-risk level in summer. The carcinogenic risk in children is much higher than that of adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas12a-powered biosensor with a G-quadruplex (G4) reporter offer the benefits of simplicity and sensitivity, making them extensively utilized in detection applications. However, these biosensors used for monitoring pollutants in environmental water samples may face the problem of high background signal and easy interference due to the "signal-off" output. It is obvious that a biosensor based on the CRISPR/Cas12a system and G4 with a "signal on" output mode needs to be designed for detecting environmental pollutants. By using phosphorothioate-modified G4 as a reporter and catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) integrated with Cas12a as an amplification strategy, a "signal-on" colorimetric/photothermal biosensor (psG4-CHA/Cas) for portable detection of environmental pollutants was developed. With the help of functional nucleotides, the target pollutant (kanamycin or Pb2+) triggers a CHA reaction to produce numerous double-strand DNA, which can activate Cas12a′s trans -cleavage activity. The active Cas12a cleaves locked DNA to release caged psG-rich sequences. Upon binding hemin, the psG-rich sequence forms a psG4/hemin complex, facilitating the oxidation of the colorless 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into the blue photothermal agent (oxTMB). The smartphone was employed for portable colorimetric detection of kanamycin and Pb2+. The detection limits were found to be 100 pM for kanamycin and 50 pM for Pb2+. Detection of kanamycin and Pb2+ was also carried out using a portable thermometer with a detection limit of 10 pM for kanamycin and 8 pM for Pb2+. Sensitive, selective, simple and robust detection of kanamycin and Pb2+ in environmental water samples is achieved with the psG4-CHA/Cas system. This system not only provides a new perspective on the development of efficient CRISPR/Cas12a-based "signal-on" designs, but also has a promising application for safeguarding human health and environmental monitoring. [Display omitted] • Phosphorothioate-modified G-quadruplex was constructed a novel reporter probe. • A portable smartphone/thermometer-assisted colorimetric/photothermal dual-mode biosensor was developed. • Catalytic hairpin assembly and CRISPR/Cas12a were combined for kanamycin and Pb2+ detection with picomolar sensitivity. • This biosensor worked in environmental water samples with good accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar has demonstrated the potential in mitigating pollutant gaseous emission during composting. However, little is known about the difference among biochars derived from different plant feedstocks on the critical genes' expression and microbial communities' succession for gaseous emissions. In this study, the effects of biochar (from wood chips, cornstalks, and rice husks) on gaseous emissions during chicken manure composting were investigated. Environmental factors, bacterial communities, and functional genes related to CH 4 , N 2 O, NH 3 , and H 2 S emissions were analyzed to reveal the reduction pathways of different biochar amendments during composting. Results showed that all biochar treatments improved the seed germination index of the compost from unmature (55.74%) to mature (70.28–75.23%). The CH 4 , N 2 O, NH 3 , and H 2 S emissions from all biochar-treated composts were reduced by 18.93–27.47%, 35.74–52.82%, 1.26–36.38%, and 8.57–24.14%, respectively, and the cornstalk biochar had the highest emission reduction performance. Temperature, pH, and NH 4 + were the major environmental factors that affected Lactobacillus and Bacillus activities, which critically influenced the CH 4 , N 2 O, NH 3 , and H 2 S emissions during composting. Furthermore, cornstalk biochar mainly improved pmoA for CH 4 reduction, whereas wood chip biochar increased amoA for NH 3 oxidation. Rice husk biochar mostly decreased nirS and nirK and increased norB , narG , and nosZ during N 2 O reduction. Cornstalk biochar also increased dsrB and decreased aprA during H 2 S reduction. Overall, cornstalk biochar was determined to be an optimal additive for simultaneously improving compost maturity and reducing gaseous pollutant emissions during chicken manure composting. This study verified the mechanisms of three plant derived biochars in pollutant gas control in composting, and thus provided evidence for facilitating the sustainable development of composting technologies. [Display omitted] • Cornstalk biochar emitted the lowest CH 4 , N 2 O, NH 3 , and H 2 S in composting. • Temperature, pH, and NH 4 + regulated Lactobacillus and Bacillus to reduce emissions. • Cornstalk biochar increased pmoA and decreased mcrA abundances for lower CH 4 emissions. • Rice husk biochar reduced nirS and nirK and increased norB , narG , and nosZ to lower N 2 O. • Cornstalk biochar increased dsrB and decreased aprA abundances for lower H 2 S emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The sheep manure heap composting enriched the abundance of ARGs and MGEs largely. • Bacterial communities had the largest explanation of the variation of ARGs. • Tetracyclines removed the most, fluorouinolones the least during heap composting. • sulI and tetX were the major ARGs during sheep manure heap composting. • Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes may be the major host bacteria. In this study, physio-chemical properties, 45 antibiotics, 6 heavy metals, 42 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), 3 mobile genetic elements, and the bacterial community structure were investigated to analyze the fate of ARGs during sheep manure aerobic heap composting. Results showed that sheep manure heap composting could produce mature compost. The degradation processes reduced the total antibiotics content by 85%. The abundance of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were enriched 9-fold, with the major increases to sul and tet genes (sulI, sulII, tetQ, and tetX). Tetracycline and sulfonamide resistance genes were the most abundant ARGs after composting (more than 88% of all genes). The genes tetA, tetX and sulI were related to the most diverse bacteria that were most able to proliferate during heap composting. Therefore, sulI and tetX are the major ARGs to be controlled, and Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes may be the major host bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: The combination of two or more different mechanisms of drugs in the treatment of cancer has become one of the effective methods. The purpose of this study was to successfully prepare a non-viral delivery system that could efficiently co-delivery siRNA and gambogenic acid (GNA) to improve the anti-cancer efficiency in HepG2 cells. Methods: The delivery system was prepared by a two-step method. First, the GNA-anionic liposome took shape by a solvent evaporation method, and then the liposome was bound to the PEI/siRNA complex by electrostatic interaction to form the final carrier system (lipopolyplexes). Agarose gel electrophoresis, MTT, particle size and zeta potential were detected to analyse the lipopolyplexes formation. The transfection efficiency of siRNA was determined by confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to assess the VEGF protein expression levels of HepG2 cells. The cell apoptosis assay was used to assess the anti-tumour superiority of lipopolyplexes. Results: GNA-PEI/siRNA-liposome (lipopolyplexes) are significantly less cytotoxicity compared to PEI mediated carriers. Simultaneously, the results of flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy indicated that the lipopolyplexes could successfully carry siRNA into the cytoplasm, and the western-blot result evidence that the delivery system has a potential for VEGF to express down. Also compared with the control group, the results of apoptosis test suggest that the lipopolyplexes can significantly promote cell apoptosis. Conclusion: The delivery system has a potential in the combination of various drugs for cancer therapy in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of an electric-integrated vertical flow constructed wetland (E-VFCW) for chloramphenicol (CAP) removal, changes in microbial community structure, and the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were evaluated. CAP removal in the E-VFCW system was 92.73% ± 0.78% (planted) and 90.80% ± 0.61% (unplanted), both were higher than the control system which was 68.17% ± 1.27%. The contribution of anaerobic cathodic chambers in CAP removal was higher than the aerobic anodic chambers. Plant physiochemical indicators in the reactor revealed electrical stimulation increased oxidase activity. Electrical stimulation enhanced the enrichment of ARGs in the electrode layer of the E-VFCW system (except floR). Plant ARGs and intI1 levels were higher in the E-VFCW than in the control system, suggesting electrical stimulation induces plants to absorb ARGs, reducing ARGs in the wetland. The distribution of intI1 and sul1 genes in plants suggests that horizontal transfer may be the main mechanism dispersing ARGs in plants. High throughput sequencing analysis revealed electrical stimulation selectively enriched CAP degrading functional bacteria (Geobacter and Trichlorobacter). Quantitative correlation analysis between bacterial communities and ARGs confirmed the abundance of ARGs relates to the distribution of potential hosts and mobile genetic elements (intI1). E-VFCW is effective in treating antibiotic wastewater, however ARGs potentially accumulate. [Display omitted] • The coupled system enhanced chloramphenicol removal and toxic attenuation. • Electrical stimulation facilitates plant uptake of antibiotic resistance genes. • Functional microbes were enriched for degrading chloramphenicol. • Potential host and bacterial functions of antibiotic resistance genes revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize the utilization of fly ash (FA) as industrial solid waste better, high-efficient inorganic/organic hybrid composite adsorbents derived from (Ca(OH) 2 /Na 2 FeO 4 ) modified FA (MF) was fabricated. The hydrophilic cationic polymer (P(DMDAAC-co-AAM) or hydrophobic modifier (KH-570) were used. The prepared composites were characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, and contact angle test. The adsorption of cationic composites MF/P(DMDAAC-co-AAM) towards Orange II in wastewater was investigated. The results show that: adsorption amount of 24.8 mg/g with 2000 mg/L of composites, 50 mg/L Orange II, original pH (6–8), at 40 min and room temperature, was obtained. Meanwhile, oil adsorption ratio Q (g/g) of hydrophobic composites MF/KH-570 was also evaluated. The maximum Q of 17.2 g/g to kerosene was obtained at 40 min. The isotherm and kinetics of these two adsorption processes were also studied. The results showed that the fabricated MF composites modified with hydrophilic or hydrophobic group can be used to adsorb dye in wastewater or oil effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silica extracting from fly ash (FA) becomes a key technology for its comprehensive utilization of waste. Here, high-purity SiO 2 was extracted from FA via organic acid/inorganic alkali/ultrasonication-assisted joint process and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmet-Teller, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The optimal extracting conditions were optimized: with acetic acid (HAc) leaching at 25 °C for 1 h and FA/HAc of 1:3; then with 15% NaOH dissolution at 100°C for 2 h and FA/15% NaOH ratio of 1:4.5; cooled and introduced water (5.42 g/100 mL); ultrasonication-assisted for 20 min. The final yield and purity of SiO 2 were 51% and 98.65%, respectively. This joint method could be applied in several various FA raw materials and the extracted SiO 2 exhibited better adsorption prospect to cationic dyes of methylene blue and malachite green, which extended the application and recycling of FA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fly ash resulted during the coal burning for energy production is a waste that can be used in wastewater treatment for removal of dyes. Fly ash (FA) modified by Ca(OH) 2 /Na 2 FeO 4 was used as adsorbent for methyl orange (MO) wastewater treatment. The effect of parameters (contact time, dosage of adsorbent, initial concentration of MO) on MO adsorption are optimized. At the optimized conditions: 4.00 × 10 −3 g/mL of adsorbent, 50 mg/L MO, 40 min, the raw pH value (pH = 10), 99.2% color removal was achieved at room temperature. The thermodynamic and kinetic of the adsorption processes were also studied, and further discussed correlated with the surface structure (XRD) and morphology (SEM, BET). The results indicate that the Ca(OH) 2 /Na 2 FeO 4 modified FA can be used as an efficient and low cost adsorbent for removal of dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The biosorption characteristics of Zn(II) using live and dead cells of Streptomyces ciscaucasicus strain CCNWHX 72-14 as biosorbents have been investigated in the present research. Optimum conditions for biosorption were determined to be: pH adjusted to 5.0, agitated at 90rpm and at a dose of 2g/L. For initial zinc concentrations of 1–150mg/L, batch biosorption data of live biomass preferred to be simulated with Freundlich model while those of dead strain fit Langmuir isotherm well. Experimental maximum biosorption capacity turned out to be 42.75mg/g (0.654mmol/g) for living material and 54mg/g (0.826mmol/g) for dead sorbents, respectively. The pseudo-second-order equation, instead of the pseudo-first-order one, was chosen to describe the time course biosorption process. In contrast to live biosorbents, dead biomass seemed to have lower binding strength with higher desorption efficiency at pH 1.0. Competitive biosorption revealed the order of competing metal ion to be: Cu2+ >Cd2+ >Ni+. FT-IR analysis indicated that more functional groups were involved in the biosorption process of dead adsorbents, compared with those linked to live biomass. Taken together, it can be concluded that dead cells of CCNWHX 72-14 were better and cheaper biosorbents than live ones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]