Co-hydrothermal carbonization of pretreated sludge and polyethylene terephthalate for the preparation of low-nitrogen clean solid fuels.

In this work, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and sewage sludge (SS) were co-hydrothermally carbonized to produce low-nitrogen solid fuels. To minimize the effect of nitrogen, this work introduces a co-hydrothermal carbonization method involving alkali (A), ultrasonic cell disruptor (UCC), and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) for both individual and combined pretreatment of SS and PET. Comparative analysis of the products shows that the combined pretreatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and alkali (A) effectively disrupts the SS cell structure, leading to the loosening of stable extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). This condition is conducive to the release and hydrolysis of proteins during hydrothermal carbonization. Moreover, under conditions where PET serves both as an acid producer and a carbon source, and through parameter optimization at a temperature of 240 °C, reaction time of 2 h, PET addition of 20 wt%, and water addition of 0.6 g cm-3, a high-quality, low-nitrogen clean solid fuel was produced (N: 0.51 wt%, C: 19.10 wt%).

Coupling of struvite crystallization and aqueous phase recirculation for hydrochar upgrading and nitrogen recovery during hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge.

Recycling of aqueous phase (AP) as a by-product after hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of sewage sludge (SS) has been of interest. The combination of magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) or the so-called struvite crystallization and aqueous phase (AP) recirculation has great potential for resource recovery and hydrochar enhancement. In this study, both the aqueous phase of HTC after MAP recovery of NH4+-N (AP-MAP) and the untreated aqueous phase of HTC (AP-HTC) were reused for HTC of fresh SS, and both aqueous phases were recycled four times. The effects of the two AP cycles on the properties of AP and hydrochar at 200, 230, and 260 °C were studied, and the effect of temperature on the two AP cycles was similar. The hydrochar produced by the AP-MAP cycle had lower nitrogen content than that of the AP-HTC cycle due to the low ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) content, and the combustion performance was improved. MAP recovery reduces the accumulation of NH4+-N in the AP cycle and MAP is also a high-quality fertilizer. Therefore, the combination of MAP recovery and AP recycling provides a feasible technical approach for resource utilization, eutrophic AP treatment, and production of high-quality hydrochar in the HTC process of SS.

Healthcare costs for patients with rare diseases: Evidence from China.

OBJECTIVE: Rare diseases cause a huge financial burden to countless patients and families. It is an important public health issue that requires widespread attention. This study analyzes medical expenses composition and the change in trends of out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses for patients with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and explores the factors influencing these changes. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Chinese Medical Insurance Department database from 2018 to 2020, including 857 patients with ALS in 60 cities across 30 provinces. We used descriptive methods to analyse the baseline characteristics and medical expenses of outpatients and inpatients with ALS. And we used quantile regression to analyse the differences in patient OOP ratio and the factors influencing them. RESULTS: In China, 80.3% of ALS patients chose tertiary hospitals, with an annual direct medical cost of 11,339.7 RMB per patient and an OOP ratio of 41.6%. The annual medical cost for outpatients was 345.1 RMB per patient, with an OOP ratio of 36.7%. The annual medical cost for inpatients was 28,139.8 RMB per patient, with an OOP ratio of 41.7%. Compared to outpatients, inpatients had higher medical costs but lower actual reimbursement rates. The OOP ratio of ALS patients decreased, then increased over time. And the OOP ratio was influenced by medical institution, medical insurance, and age (p < 0.05). Patients who chose tertiary hospitals, those who were covered by the urban resident basic medical insurance and younger patients had relatively higher OOP ratio. CONCLUSION: In recent years, although China has begun to pay attention to the rights and interests of patients with rare diseases, the government has provided some healthcare security to patients with rare diseases. However, the level of medical insurance coverage was still low, the equity of protection was still insufficient and the financial burden on patients was high. Therefore, the government should further improve the healthcare system to provide full life-cycle and affordable healthcare services to patients with rare diseases.

The construction of a biomass component interaction model based on research into the hydrothermal liquefaction of sewage sludge.

Sewage sludge (SS), a hazardous solid waste with a high water and pollutant content, should be disposed of correctly. Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) shows tremendous potential to treat organic matter with substantial water content like SS. In this paper, we examined the impact of key factors on the characteristics and yield of bio-oil during HTL of SS. We clarified the impacts of each component on the yield through model compounds based on that and constructed a component additivity model for forecasting the bio-oil yield from biomass with complex component composition. In the reactions of the model compounds, cellulose showed synergistic interaction with protein and alkali lignin in the bio-oil yield but lipids showed antagonistic effects with protein and alkaline lignin. The co-HTL results of these binary mixtures improved our model and further clarified the reaction mechanism of HTL of SS.

Reproductive health in female patients with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the status of reproductive health and related factors in female patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among female patients from the Chinese Organization for Scleroderma through a questionnaire. Data on the status of reproductive health including fertility condition and menstrual status were obtained. The clinical and laboratory data of SSc were collected. For patients with pregnancies after disease onset, each pregnancy was matched with a healthy control. Associations between clinical characteristics and the status of reproductive health were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 342 female patients with SSc were included, and 31.8% (108/342, 95% CI 26.9%-36.7%) of them presented problems with reproductive health. Compared with the national data, the menopausal age of patients with disease onset before menopause was earlier (45.2 ± 6.1 vs 48.2 ± 4.4, P＜ 0.001). Age of disease onset (p = 0.018) and digital ulcer (p = 0.020) had statistically significant effects on menopausal age. Although the infertility rate of patients was not increased, the rate of spontaneous abortions was higher compared with the national data (9/74, 12.2% vs 4.3%, P＜ 0.001). Compared with the healthy control group, the rate of premature infants (12/55, 21.8% vs 7/110, 6.4%, p = 0.003), low birth weight infants (15/55, 27.3% vs 6/110, 5.5%, P＜ 0.001), and cesarean section (27/55, 49.1% vs 21/110, 19.1%, P＜ 0.001) increased significantly. CONCLUSION: The impairment of reproductive health is common and in many quarters in patients with SSc. Further action should be taken to improve reproductive health in patients with SSc, especially in maternal care.

The effect of work stress on turnover intention amongst family doctors: A conditional process analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore describe the mechanism between work stress, job satisfaction, perceived organizational support and turnover intention amongst family doctors in China, and to provide reference for improving the brain drain of family doctors. METHOD: Using convenience sampling, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 2358 family doctors in 13 provinces in eastern, central and western China. Pearson correlation analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were used to explore the effects of job stress, job satisfaction and perceived organizational support on family doctors' turnover intention. RESULTS: Family doctors' work stress was positively correlated with turnover intention (ß = 0.631, p＜0.001), job satisfaction played a partial mediating role in the influence path of work stress on turnover intention (ß = 0.9175, p＜0.001), perceived organizational support played a moderating role in the relationship between work stress, job satisfaction, and turnover intention (ß = 0.124, p＜0.05; ß = -0.022, p＜0.05). CONCLUSION: Hospital managers should take corresponding measures to reduce the work stress of family doctors, improve their job satisfaction, and provide more support and attention to family doctors to ensure the stable development of family doctors in China.

Electrochemical Co-reduction of N2 and CO2 to Urea Using Bi2S3 Nanorods Anchored to N-Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide.

Producing "green urea" using renewable energy, N2, and CO2 is a long-considered challenge. Herein, an electrocatalyst, Bi2S3/N-reduced graphene oxide (RGO), was synthesized by loading the Bi2S3 nanorods onto the N-RGO via a hydrothermal method. The Bi2S3/N-RGO composites exhibit the highest yield of urea (4.4 mmol g-1 h-1), which is 12.6 and 3.1 times higher than that of Bi2S3 (0.35 mmol g-1 h-1) and that of N-RGO (1.4 mmol g-1 h-1), respectively. N-RGO, because of its porous and open-layer structure, improves the mass transfer efficiency and stability, while the basic groups (-OH and -NH2) promote the adsorption and activation of CO2. Bi2S3 promotes the absorption and activation of inert N2. Finally, the defect sites and the synergistic effect on the Bi2S3/N-RGO composites work simultaneously to form urea from N2 and CO2. This study provides new insights into urea synthesis under ambient conditions and a strategy for the design and development of a new material for green urea synthesis.

Coupling influences of organic components and temperature on nitrogen transformation and hydrochar characterization during hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge.

Nitrogen (N) in sewage sludge (SS) should be reduced if it is to be used to produce clean solid fuels. However, the N transformation during hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of SS is not yet fully understood. Since the composition of SS is complex, it is wise to study a model compound, which should have typical functional groups of organic components. Hence, in this study, six model components (protein, lipid, cellulose, hemicellulose, humic acid, and lignin) representing the main organic components in SS were mixed with SS and treated at 150-270 °C for 1 h. The influence of the organic component and reaction temperature on hydrochar yield, hydrochar characterization, and N distribution in the products was investigated. Except for proteins and lipids, all the other components were found to contribute to the N content and aromatization of the hydrochar. Humus shows the best comprehensive performance in terms of both reducing the N content and increasing the aromaticity. The strongest effects of hemicellulose and cellulose on N retention in hydrochar are found to occur at 210 °C and 240 °C, respectively. The N retention caused by lignin is correlated with the Mannich reaction at 240 °C, while humus significantly promotes N transformation at 240 °C. For carbohydrates, lignin, and humus, the temperatures required for increasing the N content and aromaticity maintain a high degree of consistency. Although protein pulls down the energy recovery (ER) and yield of the hydrochar, observations indicate that it favors the carbonization process. This finding can be used for estimating the N content and quality of hydrochar and provides references for future research targeting the upgrading of hydrochar.

Development of a Diagnostic Model Focusing on Esophageal Dysmotility in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: Esophageal dysmotility is a common and neglected complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc) associated with poor prognosis, while the assessment remains a challenge. We aimed to develop a diagnostic model for esophageal dysmotility in SSc patients that provides individualized risk estimates. METHODS: Seventy-five SSc patients who underwent high-resolution manometry (HRM) were included in the study. Esophageal widest diameter (WED) was measured on a chest CT scan. Esophageal parameters between patients with and without esophageal dysmotility were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression were used to fit the model. The diagnostic model was evaluated by discrimination and calibration. Internal validation was estimated using the enhanced bootstrap method with 1000 repetitions. RESULTS: Sixty-one systemic sclerosis patients (81.3%) were diagnosed with esophageal dysmotility according to the Chicago Classification v 3.0. The diagnostic model for evaluating the probability of esophageal dysmotility integrated clinical and imaging features, including disease duration, ILD, and WED. The model displayed good discrimination with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.923 (95% CI: 0.837-1.000), a Brier score of 0.083, and good calibration. A high AUC value of 0.911 could still be achieved in the internal validation. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic model, which combines the disease duration, ILD, and imaging feature (WED), is an effective and noninvasive method for predicting esophageal dysmotility in SSc patients.

Three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide decorated with cobalt metaphosphate as high cost-efficiency electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction.

The development of cost-effective non-noble metal electrocatalysts is critical for the research of renewable energy. Transition metal cobalt metaphosphate-based materials have the potential to replace the noble metal Pt. Hence, in this work, we synthesize three-dimensional graphene-supported cobalt metaphosphate (Co(PO3)2-3D RGO) for the first time through the one-step hydrothermal synthesis method at low temperature with the aid of PH3 phosphating. In a 0.5 mol L-1 H2SO4 solution, the obtained electrocatalyst exhibits excellent electrochemical activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with a small overpotential of 176 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 and a Tafel slope of 63 mV dec-1. Additionally, in a 1 mol L-1 KOH solution, the electrocatalyst also shows outstanding HER activity with a small overpotential of 158 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 and a Tafel slope of 88 mV dec-1. Co(PO3)2-3D RGO can maintain its catalytic activity for at least ten hours whether in acid or alkali. This work not only demonstrates an excellent electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction, but also provides an extremely convenient preparation technology, which provides a new strategy for the development and utilization of high-performance electrocatalysts.

Concentrations and isotopic analysis for the sources and transfer of lead in an urban atmosphere-plant-soil system.

Lead pollution has attracted significant attention over the years. However, research on the transfer of lead between urban atmospheric particles, soils, and plants remains rare. We measured lead concentrations and lead isotope ratios in total suspended particles (TSP), soil, and plants in an urban wetland in Beijing. The study period was September 2016-August 2017- covering all four seasons. The concentrations of lead in the atmospheric particles vary from 3.13 to 6.68 mg/m3. It is significantly higher in autumn than that in spring and summer (P < 0.05). There is also a significant difference between summer and winter (P < 0.05). The soil lead concentrations range from 57 to 114 mg/kg, with the highest concentration in spring, followed by summer, winter and autumn. The lead concentrations are 1.28-7.75 mg/kg in plants. The concentration was highest in spring and significantly higher than in summer. The bioaccumulation factor of Phragmites australis was 0.064 (<0.1), indicating that lead is not easily transferred to plants. Unlike the bioaccumulation factors, translocation factors have much higher values, indicating a higher transfer within the plants. Results also indicate an interesting seasonal pattern with almost 97% of lead in plants during spring being of atmospheric origin, whereas in autumn, soilborne sources contribute almost 94%. The isotopic compositions of lead in the urban atmosphere-soil-plant system show that lead pollution results from the mixing of geogenic and anthropogenic materials. Vehicle exhaust, crustal rocks and ore deposits are likely primary sources of lead pollution within the study domain.

Co-hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge and polyvinyl chloride for the production of high-quality solid fuel with low nitrogen content.

Sewage sludge (SS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are typical solid wastes. Their co-hydrothermal carbonization behavior was investigated in this study. The low-nitrogen solid fuel (0.94 wt%) with high heating value (9.84 MJ·Kg-1) was prepared through parameter optimization at 240 °C for 1.5 h under water loading amount of 0.84 g·cm-3. In an acidic environment, the stubborn protein in SS could be converted into free amino acids, which were generated by the decomposition of PVC under hydrothermal conditions. The stubborn N could be translated into easy-to-remove N, such as nitrile-N and inorganic N, and the dehydration reaction was evidently promoted. The acidic environment at high temperatures caused the dissolution of ash in SS and improved the combustion performance of hydrochar. FT-IR results showed that, with increased PVC loading proportion, -C=N- was converted into -C=O-. Co-hydrothermal carbonization could effectively improve the combustion performance of hydrochar. The addition of PVC could lead to the generation of increased volatile matter, fixed carbon, and unsaturated CC, and the combustion temperature range shifted to a high range. However, the generation of graphite-like carbon was caused by further increasing the PVC loading proportion, which hindered the improvement of its combustion performance. In the parameter optimization study, the increased water loading amount (from 0.54 g·cm-3 to 0.84 g·cm-3) had the most evident effect on the N content in the hydrochar (from 1.50 wt% to 0.94 wt%), which promoted the denitrification efficiency (from 60.11% to 75.00%) and the conversion of -C=N- components, and prevented further polymerization of solid products.

Temporal and spatial changes of Pb in soils in Cuihu wetland, Beijing, China.

Protecting soil from Pb contamination has been a programme for a long time in China. However, research on lead pollution in wetlands remains rare. To understand the characteristics of Pb pollution in Beijing and the sources of contamination of different soil samples in wetlands, we collected samples during all four seasons from two soil horizons and analyzed their Pb concentrations and Pb isotope ratios. The average concentrations of Pb varied from 65.44 mg/kg in spring to 106.11 mg/kg in winter. Concentrations in autumn were significantly lower than those in spring and summer and were notably different between A and B Horizons (59.42 and 71.47 mg/kg, respectively). The Pb isotopic compositions show that Pb pollution results from a mixing of geogenic and anthropogenic materials. The ratios of 206Pb/207Pb and 206Pb/208Pb evidenced that coal combustion and vehicle exhaust are the main sources of lead contamination in the two horizons. These results will help in reducing lead contamination in soil by knowing the temporal and spatial variations and sources of lead in Beijing.

Nonenzymatic Electrochemical Sensor with Ratiometric Signal Output for Selective Determination of Superoxide Anion in Rat Brain.

There is still an urgent need to develop reliable analytical methods of O2•- in vivo for deeply elucidating the roles of O2•- playing in the brain. Herein, a nonenzymatic electrochemical sensor with ratiometric signal output was developed for an in vivo analysis of O2•- in the rat brain. Diphenylphosphonate-2-naphthol ester (ND) was designed and synthesized as a specific recognition molecule for the selective determination of O2•-. An anodic peak ascribed to the oxidation of 2-naphthol was generated via the nucleophilic substitution between ND and O2•- and was increased with the increasing concentration of O2•-. Meanwhile, the inner reference of methylene blue (MB) was co-assembled at the electrode surface to enhance the determination accuracy of O2•-. The anodic peak current ratio between 2-naphthol and MB exhibited a good linear relationship with the concentration of O2•- from 2 to 200 µM. Because of the stable molecule character of ND and its specific reaction with O2•-, the developed electrochemical sensor demonstrated excellent selectivity toward various potential interferences in the brain and good stability even after storage for 7 days. Accordingly, the present electrochemical sensor with high selectivity, high stability, and high accuracy was successfully exploited in monitoring the levels of O2•- in the rat brain and that of the diabetic model followed by cerebral ischemia.

Hydrological connectivity improves soil nutrients and root architecture at the soil profile scale in a wetland ecosystem.

Hydrological connectivity is an essential driver of the stability, structure, and function of wetland ecosystems. Small-scale hydrological connectivity restricts large-scale hydrological cycle processes. This study aimed to investigate the response of soil and root properties to hydrological connectivity at the soil profile scale. Tamarix chinensis, which is a typical plant of the Yellow River Delta wetland, was sampled for analysis. We investigated soil and root properties in the three study plots where T. chinensis distributed and compared them at different soil depths and under different hydrological connectivity conditions. We found that the soil organic carbon (SOC), soil organic matter (SOM), and soil total nitrogen (STN) were significantly higher in shallow soil (0-10 cm deep), and that root architecture parameters such as root length and width at soil depth of 0-10 cm were also significantly higher than at other soil depths. Both the soil nutrients and root architecture parameters were significantly influenced by hydrological connectivity. Specifically, SOC, SOM, and STN were significantly higher in regions of high hydrological connectivity than in regions of low hydrological connectivity. Additionally, root length, root surface area, root projected area, and root volume were markedly higher in regions of high hydrological connectivity. Furthermore, root length and width had significant positive correlations with both SOC and SOM in regions of high hydrological connectivity. Taken together, these results indicate that higher hydrological connectivity promotes soil nutrients and root architecture at the soil profile scale. In the process of wetland protection and restoration, we should not only pay attention to hydrological connectivity at a watershed scale, but also to improving hydrological connectivity at smaller scales so as to restore soil nutrients and promote plant growth.

Tides affect plant connectivity in coastal wetlands on a small-patch scale.

Coastal wetlands are ecologically and economically important; however, they are currently faced with fragmentation and loss. Plants are a fundamental element of wetlands and previous researches have focused on wetland plant connectivity; however, these researches have been conducted at the landscape but not species level. Here, given that tidal flats are important areas in coastal wetlands, we investigated the connectivity characteristics of typical plant species and environmental factors in different wetland regions influenced by various tidal conditions to reveal vegetation connectivity and its relationship with environmental factors on a small-patch scale. We found that tides negatively affect plant connectivity because both the Tamarix chinensis and Suaeda salsa have the highest connectivity on river banks, which are not influenced by tides. Of two tidal regions, different tides conditions have different influence on two plant species. T. chinensis had higher connectivity in the supratidal zone, whereas S. salsa had higher connectivity in the intertidal zone. Besides, the soil water content and soil salinity were significantly different in the three regions, but the soil total nitrogen and phosphorous were not. Soil water content and soil salinity were two factors that significantly affected plant connectivity. Specifically, soil water content positively affected the connectivity of T. chinensis and S. salsa, whereas soil salinity negatively affected the connectivity of T. chinensis. Taken together, these results indicate that tidal conditions affect plant connectivity on a small-patch scale. River banks and supratidal zone are beneficial for the recovery and growth of T. chinensis, intertidal zone and river banks are more conducive to the recovery and growth of S. salsa. Based on the above research, this study provides insights that could be applied to vegetation restoration in coastal wetlands.

Coexistence mechanisms of Tamarix chinensis and Suaeda salsa in the Yellow River Delta, China.

To examine how two dominant species coexist within a tidal wetland in the Yellow River Delta, we studied the spatial distribution patterns and ecological relationships of Tamarix chinensis and Suaeda salsa. We also analyzed the relationship between these two plant species and soil chemical properties. Nine quadrats were established, and aerial photography was carried out in July 2018 in the study area to investigate plants and soil. Results showed that T. chinensis showed an aggregation distribution at scales of 0-10 m, 0-30 m, and 0-50 m from the sea to inland. Unlike T. chinensis, S. salsa showed an aggregation distribution at approximately 0-50 m in the study area, which meant the aggregation distributions of T. chinensis and S. salsa were found at different scales and S. salsa tended to aggregate distribution compared with T. chinensis. Meanwhile, T. chinensis and S. salsa had negative correlations far from the sea at a scale of 0-20 m and at the offshore area at a scale of 0-30 m. However, in the intermediate area, S. salsa and T. chinensis showed a positive correlation at a scale of 0-30 m. In general, the relationship between the two groups tends to be negatively correlated in a small range. Given that the tidal action decreased from the sea to inland, the driving factors of population aggregation gradually changed from tidal flooding to an interspecific relationship. The different characteristics of the different species may also have had an effect. And the aggregation of adult plant species had a beneficial impact on the establishment and growth of seedlings and plants. Furthermore, soil properties comprised complex actions including environmental conditions and ecological processes. The soil chemical properties such as soil salinity and nutrients were also influenced by the species' canopy.

The size and distribution of tidal creeks affects salt marsh restoration.

Salt marshes are changeable and important ecosystems that currently face various threats, including global climate change and human activities. The influence of these factors can result in the degradation of salt marshes. Tidal creeks, which are an important source of nutrients and other substances for salt marsh vegetation, play an important role in the health of salt marshes. In this study, the morphological characteristics of tidal creeks and the characteristics of two typical plants, Suaeda glauca (SG) and Phragmites communis (PC), in the Yellow River Delta, China were investigated to determine the effect of tidal creeks on these plants. Aerial photography and field measurements of tidal creeks were carried out from May to July 2018 in the study area. At the same time, nine line-intercepts were set in the vertical direction of tidal creeks to investigate plants. The results showed that different grades of tidal creek exerted no significant influence on the growth of either S. glauca or P. communis. However, unlike grade, the size of a creek and the distance from it had marked effects on these plants. The cross-sectional area of a tidal creek had a significant positive impact on the density of S. glauca (r = 0.39, p = 0.02). For P. communis, the depth of a tidal creek had a strong correlation with this species' density (r = 0.51, p = 0.04) and height (r = 0.63, p = 0.01). Meanwhile, there was a negative relationship between the distance from tidal creeks and the height of S. glauca (r = -0.52, p = 0.02). Conversely, the height (r = 0 0.90, p = 0.00) and density (r = 0.62, p = 0.01) of P. communis were positively affected by its vertical distance from tidal creeks. We found that the subtidal zone near a tidal creek was more conducive to the recovery and growth of S. glauca, and that areas further away from a tidal creek, located in the intertidal and subtidal zones, were more conducive to the recovery and growth of P. communis. The parameters associated with tidal creeks in the subtidal zone (cross sectional area 4.55 m2, distance 0-10 m) were beneficial for the growth of S. glauca. For P. communis, relevant features in the intertidal and subtidal zones (depth 0.40-0.45 m, distance 20-60 m) are useful. Our results suggest that attention should be paid to the effects of size and distribution of tidal creeks during the process of salt marsh restoration. This work also provides practical guidance for the restoration of native salt marshes in China.

Catalytic hydrotreatment of kraft lignin into aromatic alcohols over nickel-rhenium supported on niobium oxide catalyst.

Direct hydrogenolysis of Kraft lignin was catalyzed over a series of supported Ni or Re catalysts in ethanol solvent. The best results showed that the oil yield of 96.70 wt% was obtained with less char formation at 330 °C for 3 h over 5Ni-5Re/Nb2O5 catalyst. Product analysis demonstrated that the monomer yield of 35.41 wt% was given under mild condition, and low-molecular-weight aromatic alcohols were the main component in the liquid products. Ethanol was found to be more effective in H2 production and facilitated the transformation of phenolic monomers to aromatic chemicals. The results confirmed that the optimal 5Ni-5Re/Nb2O5 catalyst had superior oxophilicity and appropriate acid sites, which improved the ability to directly remove the methoxyl and hydroxyl groups of lignin-derived phenolic compounds without aromatic ring hydrogenation. In addition, the temperature, time and solvent effects on the lignin depolymerization were also investigated.

Particle removal in polluted cities: Insights from the wash-off process dynamics for different wetland plants.

Particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere is a threat to human health. Wetland plants were confirmed to accumulate particles on the leaf surface; at the same time, rainfall could wash-off particles and accelerate the whole removal process, however, the dynamic processes occurring during rainfall events on wetland plants remain unclear. In order to provide sustainable strategies for authorities to take measures, we need to figure out how to reduce PM on leave surface by artificial rainfall efficiently. Four wetland species (Scirpus validus, Typha orientalis, Phragmites australis, and Iris wilsonii) were selected to examine for leave surface accumulation and simulate the experiment. We estimated the wash-off ability of rainfalls with three different intensities (15, 30, and 60 mm h-1) and determined the proportions of different PM size-fractions washed by the rains. The results showed that particles accumulated on the surface could be washed off efficiently (78% ∼ 89%) by the simulated rainfalls. The removal rates were high in the first 30 min and large particles comprised a large proportion of the removed particles. The rainfall with the intensity of 30 mm h-1 removed the most particles among three different rainfall intensities. When the rainfall intensity increased, fine particles (PM2.5) could be washed off more easily. Moreover, with a thinner wax layer, fine particles on wetland plants' leaf surfaces might be more easily removed by the rains. While wash off the plants, spraying rains with the intensity of 30 mm h-1 for about 30 min every time (high intensity with shorter time) may be particle removal efficiency.