Substantial reductions in black carbon from both fossil fuels and biomass burning during China's Clean Air Action.

Black carbon (BC) aerosols exacerbate air pollution and climate warming, but their climatic impacts and sources are poorly constrained by bottom-up emission inventories (EIs). China's Clean Air Action (CAA), which was launched in 2013, provides an excellent opportunity for investigating interannual variations in source contributions and validate the accuracy of EIs. Here, we present an 11-y (2008-2018) record of the BC concentration and its source-diagnostic radiocarbon (C) and stable carbon isotope (C) signatures at a receptor site in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, South China.

Development and validation of an intraoperative hypothermia nomograph model for patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy: a retrospective study.

This study aimed to develop and internally validate a nomogram model for assessing the risk of intraoperative hypothermia in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lobectomy. This study is a retrospective study. A total of 530 patients who undergoing VATS lobectomy from January 2022 to December 2023 in a tertiary hospital in Wuhan were selected.

Provenance of Aerosol Black Carbon over Northeast Indian Ocean and South China Sea and Implications for Oceanic Black Carbon Cycling.

Aerosol black carbon (BC) is a short-lived climate pollutant. The poorly constrained provenance of tropical marine aerosol BC hinders the mechanistic understanding of extreme climate events and oceanic carbon cycling. Here, we collected PM samples during research cruise NORC2016-10 through South China Sea (SCS) and Northeast Indian Ocean (NEIO) and measured the dual-carbon isotope compositions (δC-C) of BC using hydrogen pyrolysis technique.

Source Diversity of Intermediate Volatility -Alkanes Revealed by Compound-Specific δC-δD Isotopes.

Intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) are important precursors of secondary organic aerosols, and their sources remain poorly defined. -alkanes represent a considerable portion of IVOCs in atmosphere, which can be well identified and quantified out of the complex IVOC pool. To investigate the potential source diversity of intermediate volatility -alkanes (IVnAs, C-C), we apportioned the sources of IVnAs in the atmosphere of four North China cities, based on their compound-specific δC-δD isotope compositions and Bayesian model analysis.

Large contribution of fossil-derived components to aqueous secondary organic aerosols in China.

Incomplete understanding of the sources of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) leads to large uncertainty in both air quality management and in climate change assessment. Chemical reactions occurring in the atmospheric aqueous phase represent an important source of SOA mass, yet, the effects of anthropogenic emissions on the aqueous SOA (aqSOA) are not well constrained. Here we use compound-specific dual-carbon isotopic fingerprints (δC and ΔC) of dominant aqSOA molecules, such as oxalic acid, to track the precursor sources and formation mechanisms of aqSOA.

Biomass burning organic aerosols significantly influence the light absorption properties of polarity-dependent organic compounds in the Pearl River Delta Region, China.

Atmospheric brown carbon (BrC) is an important constituent of light-absorbing organic aerosols with many unclear issues. Here, the light-absorption properties of BrC with different polarity characteristics at a regional site of Pearl River Delta Region during 2016-2017, influenced by sources and molecular compositions, were revealed using radiocarbon analysis and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Humic-like substance (HULIS), middle polar (MP), and low polar (LP) carbon fractions constitute 46 ± 17%, 30 ± 7%, and 7 ± 3% of total absorption coefficient from bulk extracts, respectively.

Triple Isotopes (δC, δH, and ΔC) Compositions and Source Apportionment of Atmospheric Naphthalene: A Key Surrogate of Intermediate-Volatility Organic Compounds (IVOCs).

Naphthalene (NAP), as a surrogate of intermediate-volatility organic compounds (IVOCs), has been proposed to be an important precursor of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). However, the relative contribution of its emission sources is still not explicit. This study firstly conducted the source apportionment of atmospheric NAP using a triple-isotope (δC, δH, and ΔC) technique combined with a Bayesian model in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region of China.

Occurrence and sources of PCBs, PCNs, and HCB in the atmosphere at a regional background site in east China: Implications for combustion sources.

Multiple types of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), can be unintentionally released from combustion or thermal industrial processes, which are speculated to be the main sources of these contaminants, as they were banned on production and use since several decades ago. In this study, concentrations and sources of 40 PCBs, 39 PCNs, and HCB were analyzed in air samples collected during the period 2012-2015 at a background site in east China. ΣPCBs, ΣPCNs, and HCB were in the range of 9-341 pg/m, 6-143 pg/m, and 14-522 pg/m, respectively.

Spatiotemporal variations of chlorinated paraffins in PM from Chinese cities: Implication of the shifting and upgrading of its industries.

To highlight the levels and distributions and to assess the risk of human exposure of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) in PM in China, the concentrations and homologue patterns of short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) in PM from 10 cities in China were studied in 2013 and 2014. The mean concentrations of ΣSCCPs and ΣMCCPs were 19.9 ± 41.

Atmospheric deposition and air-soil exchange of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in a background site in Central China.

Jinsha (JSH) is one of the regional background sites in Central China. In this study, eight polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in atmospheric deposition samples (dry particle, wet particle, and wet dissolved), air (gaseous and particle) samples, and soil samples that were collected from March 2012 to March 2013. Of all eight PBDEs, BDE-209 was the most abundant congener in both deposition samples and air/soil samples.

High Abundance of Unintentionally Produced Tetrachlorobiphenyls (PCB47/48/75, 51, and 68) in the Atmosphere at a Regional Background Site in East China.

Although polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been banned for several decades, they are still detected with elevated levels due to their unintentional production from combustion and industrial thermal processes (UP-PCBs). To investigate the composition and current levels of UP-PCBs and understand which sources are controlling PCB burdens in ambient atmosphere, air samples were collected from August 2012 to August 2015 at a background site in east China. An unexpected high abundance of PCB47+48+75 was observed to be the predominant congener with an average concentration of 786 ± 637 pg/m.

Characterizing the antibiotic resistance genes in a river catchment: Influence of anthropogenic activities.

Previous studies on environmental antibiotics resistance genes (ARGs) have focused on the pollution sources such as wastewater treatment plants, aquaculture and livestock farms, etc. Few of them had addressed this issue in a regional scale such as river catchment. Hence, the occurrence and abundances of 23 ARGs were investigated in surface water samples collected from 38 sites which located from the river source to estuary of the Beijiang River.

Exploring the differences of antibiotic resistance genes profiles between river surface water and sediments using metagenomic approach.

To better understand the potential genic communication and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in different environmental matrices, the differences of ARG profiles between river surface water and sediments were explored. Metagenomic analysis was applied to investigate the comprehensive ARG profiles in water and sediment samples collected from the highly human-impacted catchment of the Beijiang River and its river source. A total of 135 ARG subtypes belonging to 18 ARG types were identified.

Sources, compositions, and optical properties of humic-like substances in Beijing during the 2014 APEC summit: Results from dual carbon isotope and Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry analyses.

Humic-like substances (HULIS) are a class of high molecular weight, light-absorbing compounds that are highly related to brown carbon (BrC). In this study, the sources and compositions of HULIS isolated from fine particles collected in Beijing, China during the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit were characterized based on carbon isotope (C and C) and Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) analyses, respectively. HULIS were the main light-absorbing components of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), accounting for 80.

Rhizospheric effects on the microbial community of e-waste-contaminated soils using phospholipid fatty acid and isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether analyses.

We performed the study of rhizospheric effects on soil microbial community structure, including bacteria, fungi, actinomycete, and archaea, at an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling site by analyzing the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) and isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) contents. By comparing PLFA and isoprenoid GDGT profiles of rhizospheric and surrounding bulk soils of 11 crop species, we observed distinct microbial community structures. The total PLFA concentration was significantly higher in rhizospheric soils than in non-rhizospheric soils, whereas no obvious difference was found in the total isoprenoid GDGT concentrations.

Concentration, source identification, and exposure risk assessment of PM2.5-bound parent PAHs and nitro-PAHs in atmosphere from typical Chinese cities.

Sixteen parent PAHs and twelve nitro-PAHs were measured in PM2.5 samples collected over one year (2013-2014) at nine urban sites in China. During the sampling period, concentrations of individual nitro-PAHs were one or two orders of magnitude lower than their parent PAHs.

Occurrence and air-soil exchange of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls at a CAWNET background site in central China: Implications for influencing factors and fate.

Ambient air and soil samples were collected between March 2012 and March 2013 at Jinsha, a regional background site in central China, to measure the concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The average concentrations of total OCPs and total PCBs were 191 ± 107 and 39.4 ± 27.

The influence of e-waste recycling on the molecular ecological network of soil microbial communities in Pakistan and China.

Primitive electronic waste (e-waste) recycling releases large amounts of organic pollutants and heavy metals into the environment. As crucial moderators of geochemical cycling processes and pollutant remediation, soil microbes may be affected by these contaminants. We collected soil samples heavily contaminated by e-waste recycling in China and Pakistan, and analyzed the indigenous microbial communities.

Experimental Study on the Role of Sedimentation and Degradation Processes on Atmospheric Deposition of Persistent Organic Pollutants in a Subtropical Water Column.

The goal of this study is to experimentally assess the role of vertical sinking and degradation processes of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in a subtropical water column. This was done by measuring the concentrations of selected typical organochlorine pesticides, including hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), trans-chlordane (TC), and cis-chlordane (CC), in atmosphere (gas phase), water (dissolved and particulate phases), and sedimentation samples simultaneously from October 2011 to April 2013 in a subtropical lake. The fugacity ratios suggested net deposition for α-HCH, γ-HCH, p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDE, o,p'-DDT, TC, and CC, indicating that the subtropical lake was acting as a "sink" for these chemicals.

Impacts of human activities on the spatial distribution and sources of polychlorinated naphthalenes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River.

The concentrations and compositions of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in sediments and suspended particulate matters (SPM) in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River were investigated. The mean concentrations of PCNs were 7.15 ± 19.

Occurrence and distribution of antibiotics in multiple environmental media of the East River (Dongjiang) catchment, South China.

The occurrence and distribution of 11 antibiotics in multiple environmental media including river water, suspended particle, sediment, and soil of the East River catchment, South China, were systematically characterized from multiple spatial (area and point) and temporal (seasonal variation and diurnal variation) scales. The results indicated that six to eight antibiotics were detected in these media. The predominant antibiotics and their concentrations varied with environment media because of the varied contamination sources, physicochemical properties of antibiotics, and media.

The Abandoned E-Waste Recycling Site Continued to Act As a Significant Source of Polychlorinated Biphenyls: An in Situ Assessment Using Fugacity Samplers.

The recycling of e-waste has attracted significant attention due to emissions of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other contaminants into the environment. We measured PCB concentrations in surface soils, air equilibrated with the soil, and air at 1.5-m height using a fugacity sampler in an abandoned electronic waste (e-waste) recycling site in South China.