Novel facile detection of persistent organic pollutants using highly sensitive gas sensor

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are greatly noxious chemicals in environment, and they can cumulate in organisms and transfer between different species. Therefore, it is significant to detect POPs for both environmental evaluation and further treatment. However, developing facile approach for the detection of POPs still remains a challenge so far. In this paper, we report an innovative method for facile detection of POPs using gas sensor for the first time. Porous SnO₂ nanostructures with a special tri-walled structure prepared via hydrothermal route and annealing process, were employed as gas-sensing materials. Through gas measurements, it was revealed that the as-fabricated gas sensor exhibited highly sensitive performance towards target POPs, including methoxychlor, mirex, p,p′-DDT, and aldrin. Moreover, we found that target POPs were distinguishable by extracting characteristics in kinetic curves of gas adsorption-desorption. As the presented detecting approach is facile without the requirements of complex operations, expensive and bulky instruments, it is expected that it would be developed as a promising method for the detection of POPs, and thereby showing its significance for environmental monitoring.     

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics in environmental waters: Sample preparation and determination

The aim of this review is to provide a general overview on the analytical methods proposed in the last decade for trace fluoroquinolone (FQ) determination in environmental waters. A large number of studies have been developed on this topic in reason of the importance of their monitoring in the studies of environmental mobility and potential degradation pathways. Every step of the analysis has been carefully considered, with a particular attention to sample preparation, in relationship with the problems involved in the analysis of real matrices. The different strategies to minimise interference from organic matter and to achieve optimal sensitivity, especially important in those samples with lower FQ concentrations, were also highlighted. Results and progress in this field have been described and critically commented. Moreover, a worldwide overview on the presence of FQs in the environmental waters has been reported.     

Single-walled carbon nanotubes as solid-phase microextraction adsorbent for the determination of low-level concentrations of butyltin compounds in seawater

Carbon nanotubes are a kind of new carbon-based nanomaterials, which have drawn great attention in many application fields. The potential of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as solid-phase microextraction (SPME) adsorbent for the preconcentration of environmental pollutants has been investigated in recent years. In the present study, the feasibility of SWCNTs as SPME adsorbent for the determination of monobutyltin, dibutyltin and tributyltin in seawater samples was studied. To achieve this aim, the potential factors affecting the SPME efficiency, including extraction time, extraction temperature, desorption time, desorption temperature, and salinity were optimized. The developed method showed good performance according to the ICH (International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Analytical Methods) criteria. The acquired calibration curves were linear (r ≥ 0.992) over the concentration range from ≤12 to 2000 ng L⁻¹. For all of the analytes, the limit of detection at signal-to-noise ratio of 3 was below 5 ng L⁻¹. Furthermore, in comparison with the commercial carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fiber, the developed SWCNT fiber showed better thermal stability (over 350 °C) and longer life span (over 150 times). The application of the proposed method in environmental analyses was shown by analyzing seawater samples from the harbors on the Persian Gulf for butyltin residues. Some of the butyltins were detected in the analyzed samples. Results of the present study demonstrate the feasibility of the SWCNTs as SPME adsorbent for the determination of butyltins in seawater samples.     

Noise map validation by continuous noise monitoring

This paper presents a comparison of two noise assessments in the Gdansk agglomeration in Poland. One is based on the noise map produced by computational method for the city in 2007, the second one is based on real data from continuous measurements acquired by a noise monitoring network operating in the city since 2008. Differences are shown and analyzed. Additionally, seasonal and weekday influence on noise indicators (L_DEN, L_D, L_E and L_N) is analyzed and discussed in this paper.     

环保型制冷剂R600a制冷系统设计及其维修工艺

大气臭氧层的破坏和温室效应的加剧,是当前世界面临的主要环境问题。文中通过对R600a制冷剂物理化学特性的介绍以及与R12制冷剂的对比,得出在冰箱领域,R600a是一种可以永久替代CFCs的环保型制冷剂,分析了R600a替代R12的制冷系统设计的一些要点,最后基于提高工作效率以及保障操作安全的考虑,阐述了R600a冰箱的维修工艺。     

基于环境星CCD数据的环境植被指数及叶面积指数反演研究

利用PROSAIL前向模型模拟的植被冠层光谱,在植被指数构造时,引入修正大气、土壤背景影响的蓝、绿波段,构建了避免过早饱和的环境植被指数(environmental vegetation index,EVI)。基于多个典型冬小麦生育期的地面观测数据,建立基于EVI-LAI长时间序列反演模型,并对模型进行不同品种间的交叉检验。研究表明,EVI建立的叶面积指数(leaf area index,LAI)反演模型精度优于同类植被指数模型,并具有较好的普适性,能应用于冬小麦遥感多时相长势监测及LAI反演。     

广西能源、环境和经济增长的动态关系研究——基于VAR模型的实证分析

利用广西1990-2011年GDP、能源消费和工业废气排放总量的数据,应用基于VAR模型的动态计量分析方法,对广西经济、能源和环境的关系进行实证研究.结果表明:三者之间存在长期稳定的协整关系,能源消耗是经济增长和环境污染的Granger原因,经济增长是能源消耗和环境污染的Granger原因.能源消耗对经济增长的正向影响效应时间较长且较稳定,环境污染初期对经济增长的抑制作用较弱却呈现缓慢增强的趋势;而经济增长对能源消耗和环境污染的影响持续时间较短.经济增长与能源消耗两者之间的相互影响较大,而环境污染受能源消耗变化影响较明显.     

Multiplex bioanalytical methods for food and environmental monitoring

Recent advances in miniaturization of analytical systems and newly emerging technologies offer platforms with greater automation and multiplexing capabilities than traditional biological binding assays. Multiplexed bioanalytical techniques provide control agencies and food industries with new possibilities for improved, more efficient monitoring of food and environmental contaminants. This review deals with recent developments in planar-array and suspension-array technologies, and their applications in detecting pathogens, food allergens and adulterants, toxins, antibiotics and environmental contaminants.     

Chromatographic and capillary electrophoretic determination of microcystins

Microcystins are cyclic peptide hepatotoxins that are produced during blooming of cyanobacteria. In recent two decades they gained a great interest because of the related ecological and public health risks. Over 70 different analogs of microcystins have been isolated from natural blooms and laboratory cultures of cyanobacteria. Because they are inhibitors of protein phosphatases they act as tumor promoters, but on the other hand, inhibitive enzymatic and ELISA methods may be employed for their screening or quantitative determination. Much larger analytical potential for this purpose have, however high‐performance separation chromatographic and electromigration techniques. Based on about 70 references from original journal papers these methods are reviewed together with presentation of their preconcentration methods and clean‐up procedures for analyzing environmental samples. Some attention is also focused on increasing application of LC/MS methods, and comparison of separation techniques with immunochemical or enzymatic methods.     

Direct mercury determination in aqueous slurries of environmental and biological samples by cold vapour generation-electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Direct cold vapour generation from aqueous slurries of environmental (marine sediment, soil, coal) and biological (human hair, seafood) samples have been developed using a batch mode generation system coupled with electrothermal atomic absorption spectroscopy. The effects of several variables affecting the cold vapour generation efficiency from solid particles (hydrochloric acid and sodium tetrahydroborate concentrations, argon flow rate, acid solution volume and mean particle size) have been evaluated using a Plackett-Burman experimental design. In addition, variables affecting cold vapour trapping and atomisation efficiency on Ir-treated graphite tubes (trapping and atomisation temperatures and trapping time) have been also investigated. Atomisation and trapping temperatures, trapping time and hydrochloric acid concentration were the significant variables. The 2²+star and 2³+star central composite designs have been used to obtain optimum values of the variables selected. The accuracy of methods have been verified by using several certified reference materials (PACS-1, GBW-07410, NIST-1632c, CRM-397 and DORM-2). A characteristic mass of 390 pg were achieved. The detection limits of methods were in the range of 40-600 ng g⁻¹. A particle size less than 50 μm is adequate to obtain total cold vapour generation of Hg content in the aqueous slurry particles.