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Two new sesqui-neolignans with novel conjugation way, simonol A (1), featuring a unique motif of a 5,5-dihydro-pyran with a hemiketal carbon, while simonol B (2) possessing two dihydronfuran rings in the same direction, were isolated from the ethanol extract of the fruits of Illicium simonii. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS, and calculation of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) using density functional theory (DFT). The two isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against the growth of four lines of human cancer cells (NCI-H460, SMMC-7721, MCF-7, BGC-823): 1 showed strong activities comparable to 5-Fluorouracil, and 2 to a less content. In addition, plausible biosynthetic routes for the two compounds were also proposed., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

To reduce the negative effect of algae on conventional water treatment, a full-scale research of removing algae from algae-laden raw water by stocking filter-feeding silver carp was processed. After the pretreatment in a presedimentation tank with silver carp, the concentration of phytoplankton, the biomass of cyanobacteria and Microsystis flos-aquae in algae-laden raw water with Microsystis flos-aquae its dominant species decreased 61.8%, 76.1% and 78.2% respectively. This effective decrease of algae load on conventional process created favorable conditions for water treatment. Analysis indicates that food habit of silver carp and algae size are two causes of different removal efficiency between cyanobacteria and green algae. The results show that biomanipulation of silver carp is applicable for treating algae-laden raw water in which colonial cyanobacteria is dominant.

Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to analyze the microstructure, chemical composition, crystalline structure and compound constitute of the corrosion scale from cast iron pipe and galvanized steel pipe in drinking water distribution systems. The outer of the corrosion scale was compact, while the inner was porous. Iron was the primary chemical element of the corrosion scale, and the composition of the scale was iron compounds. The outer scale were ferric compounds such as alpha-FeOOH, gamma-FeOOH, alpha-Fe2O3, gamma-Fe2O3, FeCl3, while the inner were ferrous compounds such as Fe3O4, FeCl2, FeCO3. The characteristics of the corrosion scale was lying on hydraulic conditions and water quality in distribution systems, and the characteristics of iron pipe materials.

Variation rule of iron in drinking water distribution systems was studied, and it was found that the iron released from the scale to the bulk water was the primary reason for iron overstep. The main chemical composition of the scale in cast iron pipe and galvanized steel pipe was iron in a northern city in China. In the drinking water distribution systems, when the value of dissolved oxygen or chlorine residual was low, the iron release phenomenon was severe. The reason for that was the passivation layer of the corrosion scale was destroyed in reductive condition and the result was a great amount of iron in ferrous form was released. According to the research results, the control methods for iron release and 'red water' phenomenon were indicated.

A field study on the estimation and analysis of iron stability in drinking water distribution system was carried out in a city of China. The stability of iron ion was estimated by pC-pH figure. It was found that iron ion was unstable, with a high Fe(OH)3 precipitation tendency and obvious increase in turbidity. The outer layer of the corrosion scale was compact, while the inner core was porous. The main composition of the scale was iron, and the possible compound constitutes of the outer scale were a-FeOOH, gamma-FeOOH, alpha-Fe2O3, gamma-Fe2O3, FeCl3, while the inner were Fe3O4, FeCl2, FeCO3. According to the characteristics of the corrosion scale, it was thought that the main reason for iron instability was iron release from corrosion scale. Many factors such as pipe materials, dissolved oxygen and chlorine residual affect iron release. Generally, higher iron release occurred with lower dissolved oxygen or chlorine residual concentration, while lower iron release occurred with higher dissolved oxygen or chlorine residual concentration. The reason was considered that the passivated out layer of scale of ferric oxide was broken down by reductive reaction in a condition of low oxidants concentration, which would result more rapid corrosion of the pipe and red water phenomenon.

The phytotoxicity of chlorobenzoic acids (CBAs) was studied and the biochemical endpoints' suitability and sensibility was evaluated. Two terrestrial plant species in the same family were exposed to different concentrations of CBAS and tested their germination according to the guideline of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECP, 1984). The results showed that CBA dose-inhibition rate of classical endpoint had the distinct linear relationship in the range of 10%-50% inhibition rate for root elongation (p < 0.01), and the dose variances of CBAs had the greater influence on the inhibition rate of germination than on inhibition rate of root elongation. The CBA dose half effect concentration-inhibition rate of two antioxidant enzyme activity superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) had the quadratic relationship, and CBA dose-inhibition rate of the peroxides (POD) activity had the linear relationship (p < 0.05). Comparing the half effect concentration (EC50) of two kinds of endpoints, the POD activity was more sensitive than classical endpoint, however, SOD and CAT activity were not sensitive in the experiment.