Article
Environmental Sciences
Qiyuan Liu, Wenhao Zhao, Jin Ma, Yongzhang Zhou, Yihang Wu, Yajing Qu, Yi Sun
Summary: This study measured the pollution of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils and analyzed their spatial clustering and source-specific health risks. The high pollution clusters were mainly found in certain towns and urban areas. Industrial emissions were identified as the common source of both pollutants. The health risks posed by the combined pollution were found to be relatively serious, emphasizing the need for emission control. The results provide a basis for effective pollution management and control.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ying Zhu, Huijing Huang, Yunhui Zhang, Guannan Xiong, Qinghua Zhang, Yujun Li, Shu Tao, Wenxin Liu
Summary: This study developed a vegetation-advanced multimedia model to assess the uptake pathways and health risks of PAHs in vegetables, highlighting the role of soil as the main source of PAHs in vegetables. Females may face a slightly higher health risk of exposure to PAHs in local vegetables compared to males.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ze Li, Qiyan Feng, Jinhua Dang, Yanqing Rong, Xueqiang Zhu, Lei Meng, Xin Zhang
Summary: This study investigated the impact of coking industry activities on the occurrence of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil and groundwater. A typical coking site in Shanxi Province was studied, and soil and groundwater samples were collected for analysis. The results showed high levels of PAHs in the tar processing area, with potential migration to the southwest. Four primary sources of PAHs were identified, including coking production, coal and petroleum combustion, atmospheric deposition, and residents' activities. The study also calculated the health risks of PAHs and found potential risks in both soil and groundwater. This research provides valuable information for pollution control and site restoration of similar coking sites.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Thiloka Kariyawasam, Gregory S. Doran, Julia A. Howitt, Paul D. Prenzler
Summary: PAHs are harmful pollutants in the environment. Extraction and quantification are important steps to understand contamination and implement remediation. Traditional extraction methods have limitations and newer, more environmentally friendly methods are being explored.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hao Zhang, Chau-Thuy Pham, Bin Chen, Xuan Zhang, Yan Wang, Pengchu Bai, Lulu Zhang, Seiya Nagao, Akira Toriba, Trung-Dung Nghiem, Ning Tang
Summary: This study systematically investigated the levels of particulate matter-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-PAHs (NPAHs) in different areas of Hanoi, Vietnam in winter and summer from 2019 to 2022. The PAHs and NPAHs concentrations showed seasonal variations, with higher levels in winter. Biomass burning was identified as a major source of PAHs and NPAHs, and motor vehicles, especially motorcycles, were dominant in the summer. The study also assessed the cancer risks associated with exposure to PAHs and NPAHs, and found higher risks for females through ingestion and dermal absorption pathways.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Shiyu Bao, Likun Zhao, Yuanwen Liu, Lewei Yang, Peng Liu, Chaoqi Chen, Xuhui Mao
Summary: In this study, a newly isolated strain, Aeromonas sp. BCP-3, was inoculated into contaminated soils to remove PAHs through slurry bioreactors. The removal efficiency of PAHs was significantly influenced by various factors, including aeration rate, water-soil mass ratio, stirring rate, temperature, and Tween-80 concentration. Under optimal conditions, 96.3 % and 97.2 % of initially spiked fluoranthene and pyrene were successfully removed within 12 days.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yusuke Nakakuki, Takashi Hirose, Hikaru Sotome, Min Gao, Daiki Shimizu, Ruiji Li, Jun-Ya Hasegawa, Hiroshi Miyasaka, Kenji Matsuda
Summary: Helically twisted conductive nanocarbon materials are suitable for optoelectronic and electromagnetic molecular devices on the nanometer scale, showing a large effective conjugation length and ultrafast decay dynamics. The extended π-helicenes achieved a large effective conjugation length through helical fusion, leading to an absorption edge in the near-infrared region.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yuxin Zhang, Haiyang Chen, Chang Liu, Ruihui Chen, Yeyao Wang, Yanguo Teng
Summary: A new integrated methodology framework was proposed for source apportionment and source-oriented risk evaluation of PAHs in soils of a typical cold region in Northeastern China. Two advanced receptor models, PMF and MCR-WALS, were employed to identify the main sources of soil PAHs and assess the health risks posed by them. The results showed that coal combustion and gasoline engine were the main contributors to soil PAHs, with negligible health risks for both adults and children. Source-oriented risk assessment indicated that coal combustion had the highest contribution to the total risk of PAHs in soils.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiushang Xu, Amy L. Vonder Haar, Rengo Yoshioka, Qizheng Zhang, Serhii Vasylevskyi, Andrew J. Musser, Akimitsu Narita
Summary: A benzo[rst]pentaphene derivative, BPP-MeOPA, was synthesized and characterized by NMR and single-crystal X-ray analysis. Investigation of its photophysical properties, including transient absorption spectroscopy, revealed improved absorption and emission features from an S-1 state with excitonic and charge-transfer character by introducing MeOPA groups.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Evgeny Lodygin, Evgeny Abakumov, Timur Nizamutdinov
Summary: The study examines the levels and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Antarctic soils, revealing that the contamination of pristine Antarctic soils is relatively low while transported former agrosoils show extremely high levels of PAHs. The data could potentially be used as background levels for setting threshold concentrations in the internationally managed region of Antarctica.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Justyna Szerement, Adam Kowalski, Jakub Mokrzycki, Lidia Marcinska-Mazur, Monika Mierzwa-Hersztek
Summary: Agricultural practices are a major cause of soil degradation, and adding carbon-rich materials to the soil is an effective solution for soil ecosystem sustainability and climate change mitigation. The study found that adding zeolite composites to fertilizers significantly reduced PAH levels in contaminated soils without compromising crop yields.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Meng Qiao, Weixiao Qi, Huijuan Liu, Jiuhui Qu
Summary: Oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OPAHs) have higher concentrations and toxicity in water environments, posing significant ecological risks to surface water ecosystems.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Meng Qiao, Lujing Fu, Damia Barcelo
Summary: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) widely exist in aquatic environment and pose significant ecological risks to aquatic species. This study investigated the removal of a typical PAH, phenanthrene (PHE), using a non-metallic photocatalyst g-C3N4 under visible light irradiation. The results showed that g-C3N4-nano sheet achieved 100% removal efficiency of PHE within 10 minutes under visible light. Reactive oxygenated species, such as center dot O2-, 1O2, and center dot OH, were generated in the g-C3N4/visible light system, with center dot O2- and 1O2 identified as the primary active species. The study also examined the effects of co-existing substances, including humic acid (HA), Cl-, and NO3-, on the removal process.
PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Yushi Ohno, Shogo Ando, Daisuke Furusho, Ryoyu Hifumi, Yuuya Nagata, Ikuyoshi Tomita, Shinsuke Inagi
Summary: Here, a facile and selective synthesis of cationic azatriphenylene derivatives was achieved through electrochemical intramolecular cyclization, where the key step involves atom-economical C-H pyridination without a transition-metal catalyst or an oxidant. This proposed strategy provides a practical approach for introducing cationic nitrogen (N (+)) into pi-electron systems, thus expanding the molecular design of N (+)-doped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Huimin Zhong, Cong Jiang, Jiahui Zou, Guancheng Zhu, Yanyan Huang
Summary: In this study, CeO2-based porous carbonaceous frameworks (CeO2 PCFs) were used as antioxidant nanozymes to scavenge reactive oxygen species and absorb benzo[a]pyrene. CeO2 PCFs exhibited excellent superoxide dismutase-like and catalase-like activity, effectively eliminating superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical, and hydrogen peroxide. The 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) free radical scavenging assay confirmed the free radical scavenging ability of CeO2 PCFs. Furthermore, CeO2 PCFs with large surface area and porous structure efficiently adsorbed benzo[a]pyrene. The designed CeO2 PCFs can serve as new antioxidant nanozymes for scavenging reactive oxygen species and adsorbing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Qiyuan Liu, Yihang Wu, Wenhao Zhao, Jin Ma, Yajing Qu, Haiyan Chen, Yuxin Tian, Fengchang Wu
Summary: Soil pollution is a global issue, and establishing soil environmental criteria is essential for contaminated land management. Research on soil environmental criteria is mostly focused on developed countries, providing experiences for other countries in establishing their own criteria. This paper systematically describes the development of soil environmental criteria in the USA, the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and compares and analyzes the process of deriving criteria in terms of human health risk and ecological risk.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qiyuan Liu, Wenhao Zhao, Jin Ma, Yongzhang Zhou, Yihang Wu, Yajing Qu, Yi Sun
Summary: This study measured the pollution of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils and analyzed their spatial clustering and source-specific health risks. The high pollution clusters were mainly found in certain towns and urban areas. Industrial emissions were identified as the common source of both pollutants. The health risks posed by the combined pollution were found to be relatively serious, emphasizing the need for emission control. The results provide a basis for effective pollution management and control.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shuhui Yang, Yihang Wu, Jin Ma, Qiyuan Liu, Yajing Qu, Wenhao Zhao
Summary: Agricultural soil pollution in China poses a major threat to human health and food safety. This study compared the Generic Assessment Criteria (GAC) based on human health risk in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces using the Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment (CLEA) model. The results showed that there are differences in GAC between the two provinces due to variations in parameters. The derived GAC were generally less stringent than existing standards, but lower than the soil screening values for residential land in China. This research contributes to the development of regional soil environmental standards in China.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jin MA, Jian XU, Xiaoli ZHAO, Shouliang HUO, Xiaoli DUAN, Yunsong MU, Ying WANG, Yuan WEI, Jiang CHANG, Xiaowei JIN, Fengchang WU
Summary: This study focuses on the environmental transmission and risk prevention of SARS-CoV-2, investigating the impact of natural environment destruction and global changes on infectious disease outbreaks, the threat of zoonotic diseases to human health, virus diffusion and mutation in environmental media, mechanisms of transmission from animals and environmental media to humans, and environmental safety and control measures. It provides suggestions for future research directions and issues to be addressed, aiming to contribute to the prevention and control of COVID-19 and enhance response capabilities to major public health emergencies.
SCIENCE CHINA-EARTH SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Y. X. Tian, X. Guo, J. Ma, Q. Y. Liu, S. J. Li, Y. H. Wu, W. H. Zhao, S. Y. Ma, H. Y. Chen, F. Guo
Summary: The molecular characteristics of biochar-derived organic matter play a significant role in its application. This study used different solvents to extract organic matter from biochar and characterized the extracts using mass spectrometry. The organic matter extracted varied significantly depending on the solvent used, which was related to the polarity of the solvent and intermolecular forces. The findings of this study provide insights for selecting appropriate extraction solvents and contribute to the understanding of biochar-based soil remediation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhuling Chu, Chunye Lin, Kai Yang, Hongguang Cheng, Xiang Gu, Beibei Wang, Linlin Wu, Jin Ma
Summary: This study examined the speciation and bioaccessibility of toxic heavy metals in arid calcareous soils contaminated by nonferrous metal smelting. The results showed that the contamination of these metals was mainly concentrated in the downwind areas of smelting or mining, and a significant portion of them were present in the labile fractions. The bioaccessibility of these metals in the calcareous soil was lower compared to acidic soils. These findings provide important insights into the ecological and health risks of anthropogenic toxic heavy metals in arid calcareous soils.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yihang Wu, Wenhao Zhao, Jin Ma, Yaxi Liu, Tao Pei, Qiyuan Liu, Haiyan Chen, Yajing Qu, Yuxin Tian
Summary: Urban parks are important for urban residents to experience nature, but contamination of soil poses risks. This study explored the demographic characteristics and behavioral patterns of park visitors and used the findings to establish appropriate soil environment criteria. The results showed differences in visitors' characteristics and behaviors among different types of parks. The derived criteria were higher than existing soil screening values for some parks, indicating the need for revised standards.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yajing Qu, Qiyuan Liu, Wenhao Zhao, Hongguang Cheng, Haiyan Chen, Yuxin Tian, Saiyan Ma, Ying Chen, Jin Ma
Summary: This study quantifies and compares the importance of up to 15 human activities on soil bacterial communities in Beijing urban parks. The results indicate significant differences in soil bacterial community structure based on different park types and land use history. Human activities have a non-negligible impact on soil bacteria, with direct human interference being more influential than natural causes.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenhao Zhao, Jin Ma, Qiyuan Liu, Jing Song, Mats Tysklind, Chengshuai Liu, Dong Wang, Yajing Qu, Yihang Wu, Fengchang Wu
Summary: The study found that soil attributes and their environmental drivers show different patterns and distinct regional characteristics in different geographical directions, which have important effects on substance migration and transformation and the environmental impacts of pollutants. However, there is no comprehensive evaluation or systematic classification of the natural soil environment in China.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Wenhao Zhao, Jin Ma, Qiyuan Liu, Yajing Qu, Lei Dou, Huading Shi, Yi Sun, Haiyan Chen, Yuxin Tian, Fengchang Wu
Summary: In traditional soil heavy metal pollution assessment, spatial interpolation analysis is often carried out to evaluate the overall status of heavy metal pollution. However, machine learning algorithms often fail to capture the hierarchical heterogeneity of the study area. Therefore, this study introduced new spatial covariates based on interpolation techniques and demonstrated the improvement in prediction performance. The analysis also identified key factors affecting the spatial distribution of heavy metals and evaluated the pollution status in the Pearl River Delta region.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Y. X. Tian, H. Y. Chen, J. Ma, Q. Y. Liu, Y. J. Qu, W. H. Zhao
Summary: This paper reviews the research progress of organophosphate esters (OPEs) in soil through bibliometric analysis, providing a comprehensive understanding of their pollution status, potential sources, and environmental behaviors. OPEs are widely distributed in soil at concentrations ranging from several to tens of thousands of ng/g dw. Waste processing areas serve as important point sources of OPE pollution in soil. The transfer process of OPEs in soil is influenced by emission source intensity, physicochemical properties of compounds, and soil properties. Microbial degradation, particularly by Brevibacillus brevis, Sphingomonas, Sphingopyxis, Rhodococcus, and other microorganisms, holds potential for the remediation of OPE-contaminated soil. This review clarifies the pollution status of OPEs in soil and provides insights for future research.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Qiyuan Liu, Huading Shi, Yanfei An, Jin Ma, Wenhao Zhao, Yajing Qu, Haiyan Chen, Lingling Liu, Fengcheng Wu
Summary: Rare earth elements (REEs), considered as emerging pollutants, have been increasingly released into the environment due to their extensive use in industries, agriculture, and high-tech devices. However, limited research has been conducted on REEs in urban soils. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential sources and risks of REEs in the urban environment. The study analyzed the concentration and distribution of REEs in urban park soils and used microgeochemical and random forest methods to determine the pollution sources of REEs. The results showed that the high concentrations of REEs were mainly found in the western part of Beijing near an industrial area, confirming the anthropogenic pollution sources from industry and traffic. Risk assessment indicated that the daily intake of REEs for both children and adults was below the reference threshold, suggesting negligible health risks.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Y. X. Tian, Y. Wang, H. Y. Chen, J. Ma, Q. Y. Liu, Y. J. Qu, H. W. Sun, L. N. Wu, X. L. Li
Summary: Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are a new type of emerging contaminant in soil, attracting increasing attention due to their biological toxicity and potential threat to human health. This study investigated the pollution characteristics of two typical OPEs, tri-OPEs and di-OPEs, in soils of 104 urban parks in Beijing. The results indicate that consumer materials, traffic emissions, and reclaimed water irrigation may be critical sources of tri-OPEs, while di-OPEs mainly come from the degradation of parent compounds and industrial applications. Machine learning models were used to identify influencing factors and predict future changes in OPEs concentrations.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
H. Y. Chen, Y. X. Tian, Y. X. Cai, Q. Y. Liu, J. Ma, Y. Wei, A. F. Yang
Summary: This review examines the critical role of bioavailability in improving ecological risk assessment and environmental remediation efficiency in contaminated soil research. It highlights the lack of sufficient understanding of exposure pathways and action mechanisms of pollutants in current soil environmental quality standards and risk assessment procedures. The review analyzes a large number of publications from the Web of Science database and identifies emerging trends in bioavailability research, emphasizing the need for better integration of bioavailability concepts into soil environmental reference, risk assessment procedures, and environmental remediation strategies.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yi Sun, Jin Ma, Wenhao Zhao, Yajing Qu, Zilun Gou, Haiyan Chen, Yuxin Tian, Fengchang Wu
Summary: In this study, a digital mapping of soil organic carbon density (SOCD) in China was conducted using an ensemble machine learning model. The results showed that the ensemble model had high accuracy and could be used for future research. The spatial distribution of SOCD in China was predicted using the ensemble model.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
