Recent advances in microbial fuel cell-based toxicity biosensors: Strategies for enhanced toxicity response

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been extensively studied as self-powered toxicity biosensors; however, their applications are limited by the relatively poor toxicity responses. The toxicity responses are known to be related to the factors such as the resistance of species to toxicants, the bioavailability of toxicants and the type of sensing elements. Accordingly, some strategies have already been proposed to enhance the toxicity responses in the past several years, including the external resistance tuning, quorum sensing effect, shear stress control, nutrient level control, electrode material choice, sensing element choice, and cell configuration design. This work introduces and discusses these strategies, and the suggestion for future work is also provided finally.     

水性颜料体系无树脂色浆的制备与应用

中性墨水属于热力学上不稳定的颜料悬浮体系,选择低黏度、高稳定性的色浆是保证墨水体系分散稳定性的重要手段之一。基于此,以颜料炭黑和酞菁蓝为着色剂,配合超分散剂(EK43)与协同增效剂(BM10),制备了两款适用于中性墨水体系的无树脂色浆。首次从色浆粒径与体系分散稳定性角度出发,确定了EK43、BM10用量以及最佳研磨时间,并对其理化性能、稳定性与书写性能进行分析测试。结果表明:在黑色浆中添加质量分数10.0%的EK43、2.5%的BM10,研磨时间为90 min;在蓝色浆中添加质量分数8.0%的EK43、2.0%的BM10,研磨时间为120 min时,两种色浆的粒径与分散稳定性均达到最佳。所制备的无树脂色浆颜料固含量高、黏度较低、储存稳定性好、着色力强,以其调配的中性墨水书写性能良好,且具有较好的离心稳定性和耐热稳定性。     

Recent advances in bismuth vanadate-based photocatalysts for photoelectrochemical water splitting

Photoelectrochemical(PEC) technology is considered to be a promising approach for solar-driven hydrogen production with zero emissions. Bismuth vanadate(BiVO_4) is a kind of photocatalytic material with strong photoactivity in the visible light region and appropriate band gap for PEC water splitting.However, the solar-to-hydrogen efficiency(STH) of BiVO_4 is far away from the 10% target needed for practical application due to its poor charge separation ability. Therefore, this review attempts to summarize the strategies for improving the photocurrent density and especially hydrogen production of BiVO_4 materials through PEC techniques in the last three years, such as doping nonmetal and metal elements, depositing noble metals, constructing heterojunctions, coupling with carbon and metalorganic framework(MOF) materials to further enhance the PEC performance of BiVO_4 photoanode. This review aims to serve as a general guideline to fabricate highly efficient BiVO_4-based materials for PEC water splitting.     

3D ordered macro-/mesoporous Ni_xCo_(100-x) alloys as high-performance bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting

Electrochemical water splitting is a facile and effective route to generate pure hydrogen and oxygen.However,the sluggish kinetics of hydrogen evolution reaction(HER) and especially oxygen evolution reaction(OER) hinder the water splitting efficiency.Meanwhile,the high-cost of noble-metal catalysts limit their actual application.It is thus highly urgent to exploit an economical and earthabundant bifunctional HER and OER electrocatalyst to simplify procedure and reduce cost.Herein,we synthesize the three-dimensionally ordered macro-/mesoporous(3 DOM/m) Ni_xCo_(100-x) alloys with distinctive structure and large surface area via a dual-templating technique.Among them,the3 DOM/m Ni_(61)Co_(39) shows the lowest overpotentials of 121 mV and 241 mV at 10 mA/cm~2 for HER and OER,respectively.Furthermore,when employed for water splitting,the Ni_(61)Co_(39) only requires 1.60 V to approach 10 mA/cm2 and presents excellent stability.These encouraging performances of the Ni_(61)Co_(39)render it a promising bifunctional catalyst for overall water splitting.     

Preparation of silicon-doped ferrihydrite for adsorption of lead and cadmium: Property and mechanism

In this study, Si-doped ferrihydrite (Si-Fh) was successfully synthesized by a simple coprecipitation method for removal of heavy metals in water. Subsequently, the physicochemical properties of Si-Fh before and after adsorption were further studied using several techniques. The Si-Fh exhibited good adsorption capacity for heavy metal ions such as Pb(II) and Cd(II). The maximum adsorption capacities of lead and cadmium are respectively 105.807, 37.986 mg/g. The distribution coefficients of the materials for Pb(II) and Cd(II) also showed a great affinity (under optimal conditions). Moreover, it was found that the adsorption fit well with the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model which means this was a chemical adsorption process. It can be conducted from both characterization and model results that adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) was mainly through the complexation interaction of abundance oxygen functional groups on the surface of Si-Fh. Overall, the Si-Fh adsorbents with many superiorities have potential for future applications in the removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) from wastewater.     

Ruthenium nanoclusters anchored on cobalt phosphide hollow microspheres by green phosphating process for full water splitting in acidic electrolyte

Transition metal phosphide(TMP) based electrocatalysts possessing special crystal and electronic structures attract broad attention in the field of electrocatalysis.Immense effort is made to optimize TMP catalysts aiming to satisfy the electrochemical catalysis performance.In this work,an environmentally friendly in situ green phosphating strategy and spatial limiting effect of the RuCo precursor is employed to fabricate the ruthenium nanoclusters anchored on cobalt phosphide hollow microspheres(Ru NCs/Co₂P HMs).The obtained Ru NCs/Co₂P HMs electrocatalysts exhibit high hydrogen evolution reaction(HER) activity at wide pH ranges,which require an overpotential of 77 mV to achieve the current density of 10 mA/cm² in 0.5 mol/L H₂SO₄ and 118 mV in 1.0 mol/L KOH.Besides,the multifunctional Ru NCs/Co₂P HMs exhibit good oxygen evolution reaction(OER) activity with an overpotential of 197 mV to reach the current density of 10 mA/cm² in 0.5 mol/L H₂SO₄,which is below that of the commercial RuO₂ electrocatalyst(248 mV).A two-electrode electrolyzer is assembled as well,in acid electrolyte,it achieves a current density of 10 mA/cm² at a voltage of 1.53 V,which is superior to that of the benchmark of precious metal-based electrolyzer(1.58 V).     

New insight into the effect of interface supercapacitance on the performance of titanium dioxide/carbon nanowire array for photoelectrochemical water oxidation

The electrode/electrlyte interface is of great signifance to photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation as the reaction mainly occur here. Herein, we focus on the effect of supercapactance of the electrode/electrlyte interface on the performance of PEC. It is discovered that the supercapacitor on the interface is crucial because it links the charge transport and solution ion adsorption on its two sides. In this study, we demonstrate an approach to promote the performance of TiO₂ nanowire array (TiO₂ NWs) photoanode in photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) by increasing its supercapacitance. A 2−5 nm carbon layer was coated and the interface supercapacitance increases by about 150 times. This enhances the separation rate of electron-hole pairs by collecting more holes. Meanwhile, it also promotes the water oxidation rate by adsorbing more OH⁻ on its surface. As a result, the photocurrent density of C-TiO₂ NWs was about 8 times higher than that of its carbon-free counterpart. This approach of increasing the supercapacitance of photoanodes would be attractive for enhancement of the efficiency of PECs and this work demonstrate the importance of supercapacitance of the interface for PECs.     

利用智能手机测定补铁药物中的铁含量*

为进一步提升图像比色法测定补铁药物中铁含量的准确性及普适性,考察了拍摄环境对结果的影响,确定了适用于图像比色分析的定量参数,比较使用不同容器来盛装溶液所获得的比色结果,在最优条件下测定了实际样品中铁的含量及加标回收率。结果显示,获得可靠数据的关键是将标准溶液、待测液以及空白溶液拍摄在同一张图片上;由溶液图像R值换算的吸光度值与浓度具有最佳的线性关系;分析以比色皿、试管、点滴板为容器获得的溶液图片,都能得到适合于定量比色分析的数据;测定的加标回收率大于95%。该方法操作简便,测定结果准确,可在各种条件下的高中化学实验室中开展。     

美国《科学教师培养标准(2020年版)》述评*

美国《科学教师培养标准(2020年版)》针对《新一代科学教育标准》的推行而修订,立足于科学教育最新研究成果,尤其突出学科内容知识的重要性,补充对科学本质和科学文化的要求,强化对工程和技术、交叉概念、学科观念的理解,突出学习进阶规律在科学教师培养中的应用。此外,在学科教学法、学习环境、安全、对学生学习的影响等维度做出相应的改动。该标准启示我国:借鉴国际改革趋势出台中国特色的科学教师培养标准,但科学教师培养也要本土化;学科内容知识对科学教师专业发展非常重要;科学教师的培养应立足于学习进阶的规律;职前科学教师培养需要注重学习环境建设。     

Preparation of Alum-borneol-PVP Drug-loaded Fibers by Electrospinning

The alum-borneol nanoemulsion(ABN), which combines the mineral medicine alum and the botanical medicine borneol, has been applied for approximately 40 years in the clinical treatment of burns, scalds, radiation dermatitis and shingles, and has a good curative effect. However, the current formula and dosage form of ABN pose problems of low borneol content and ease of precipitation, which greatly affects the efficacy of the drug. In this study, polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP) was selected as a carrier mixed with different proportions of alum and borneol to produce alum-borneol-PVP fibers(ABPF) by electrospinning. The results showed that the stable system with good drug dispersion was 2:3(alum:borneol). The dissolution content of borneol from the ABPF was about 80% in 4 h, which was much higher than that of the alum-borneol liquid(ABL) and ABN. The ABPF membrane showed a more significant inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus than the ABL and ABN. The composite fiber markedly increased the drug content of borneol, which was 800 times of that in ABN. The fiber had a higher solubility than the nanoemulsion in vitro, which is of great importance for the de-velopment of new forms for the clinical application of alum and borneol.