Distribution of Hazardous Element in PM10 and PM2.5 Emitted by Coal Combustion in China

Chinese Academy of Sciences/ Chinese Academy of Environment SciencesChina University of GeosciencesScedule:17-18 March 2003, Vemue: Kanazawa, Japan, Kanazawa Citymonde Hotel, Project Leader : Hayakawa, Kazuichi, Symposium Secretariat: XO kamata, Naoto, Edited by:Kamata, Naoto

Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Late Permian Coals within the Tongzi Coalfield in Guizhou Province, Southwest China

first_pagesettings Open AccessArticle Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Late Permian Coals within the Tongzi Coalfield in Guizhou Province, Southwest China by Baoqing Li 1,*,Xinguo Zhuang 1,Xavier Querol 1,2,Natalia Moreno 2OrcID,Linjian Yang 3,Yunfei Shangguan 1 andJing Li 1 1 Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources (China University of Geosciences), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430074, China 2 Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, CSIC, C/Jordi Girona 18–26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain 3 No. 106 Geological Team of Guizhou Province Geology and Mineral Bureau, Zunyi 563000, China * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Minerals 2020, 10(1), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/min10010044 Received: 18 December 2019 / Revised: 29 December 2019 / Accepted: 30 December 2019 / Published: 31 December 2019 (This article belongs to the Collection Minerals in Coal and Coal Combustion Products) Download PDF Browse Figures Abstract The lowermost Late Permian coal seam (C4 Coal) in the Tongzi Coalfield offers an opportunity to investigate the influence of terrigenous detrital materials from the Qianbei Upland on the mineralogical and geochemical patterns of the C4 Coal. The minerals are mainly dominated by pyrite and, to a lesser extent, tobelite, kaolinite, and calcite, along with traces of Al-oxyhydroxide minerals. The various degrees of marine influence may have resulted in the variation in the amount of Fe-sulfides (e.g., pyrite) and elements having Fe-sulfides affinity. Furthermore, the abundant Fe ions involved in the formation of Fe-sulfides were most likely derived from the claystone on the Qianbei Upland. The tobelite identified in the C4 Coal probably originated from the interaction between pre-existing kaolinite and NH4+ from NH3 released from the thermally affected organic matter at least shortly after the highly volatile bituminous stage under NH4+-rich and K+-poor conditions. The terrigenous detrital materials were derived from two possible sediment-region sources—the Qianbei Upland and Kangdian Upland—which is different from Late Permian coals in Western Guizhou Province. The claystone on the Qianbei Upland may have served as parent rock, as indicated by the presence of the Al-oxyhydroxide minerals as well as low SiO2/Al2O3 ratio (0.66 on average) and low quartz content. Meanwhile, the detrital materials from the Kangdian Upland most likely originated from the erosion of the felsic rocks at the uppermost part of the Kangdian Upland, as evidenced by the high Al2O3/TiO2 ratio (36.0 on average) and the strongly negative Eu anomaly (0.61 on average).The authors would like to give their sincere thanks to No. 106 Geological Team of Guizhou Province Geology for assistance during sampling and Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, CSIC, Spain for assistance during the sample analysis. Also, many thanks are given to academic editor and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on the manuscript.Peer reviewe

Synthesis of merlinoite from Chinese coal fly ashes and its potential utilization as slow release K-fertilizer

This study focuses on the synthesis of merlinoite from Chinese coal fly ashes by KOH direct conversion method, with special emphasis on the application of synthetic merlinoite as fertilizer. These fly ashes were collected from two pulverized-coal combustion (PCC) power plants in Xinjiang, Northwest China. The synthesis results are influenced by fly ash characteristics and different synthesis conditions (KOH solution concentrations, activation temperature, time, and KOH/fly ash ratios). A high quality merlinoite-rich product was synthesized under optimal activation conditions (KOH concentration of 5 M, activation temperature of 150 °C, activation time of 8 h and KOH/fly ash ratio of 2 l/kg), with a cation exchange capacity (CEC) of 160 cmol kg−1. The synthetic merlinoite is proved to be an efficient slow release K-fertilizer for plant growth, indicating that it can be widely used for high-nutrient demanding crops growing in nutrient-limited soils and for large-area poor soil amendment in opencast coal mine areas around the power plants that will substantially grow with the increasing coal combustion in Xinjiang in the near future

Utilization of Boiler Slag from Pulverized-Coal-Combustion Power Plants in China for Manufacturing Acoustic Materials

número del art. 5705The potential utilization of boiler slag generated in large amounts from pulverized-coalcombustion (PCC) power plants has recently drawn much attention due to the serious problems caused to ecosystems. In order to make maximal use of the boiler slag and reduce the environmental risk it poses, this study focused on manufacturing acoustic materials using boiler slag from Chinese PCC power plants. Three promising acoustic materials were successfully manufactured from up to 80% boiler slag with different grain sizes, with the addition of 20% Portland cement. The density and compressive strength of the products were inversely proportional and the sound absorption coefficient was positively proportional to the grain size of the boiler slag. The best sound absorption coefficient was obtained in products made from the coarsest fraction of the boiler slag (MS-C). Nonetheless, all the boiler-slag-based acoustic products still demonstrated compressive strength and densities comparable to those of other acoustic materials made of Spanish bottom ash or other conventional/recycled materials. The acoustic products made from the coarsest fraction (MS-C) and medium fraction (MS-M) of the boiler slag presented good noise absorption characteristics, like those of the commercial coarse porous cement that is traditionally used as an acoustic product. Furthermore, the acoustic products were characterized by very low leach ability of potentially hazardous elements. Consequently, the manufacture of acoustic materials is a very promising application for boiler slag. On the one hand, it consumes huge amounts of boiler slag that is generated in large amounts in China. On the other hand, the acoustic products can be used extensively to produce road acoustic barriers with a high sound absorption efficiency, no significant physical or mechanical limitations and no environmental implicationFoundation of China 41972179Foundation of China 41972180National Key R&D Program of China 2018YFF0215400Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) CUGCJ181

Expression of Claudin-9 (CLDN9) in breast cancer, the clinical significance in connection with its subcoat anchorage proteins ZO-1 and ZO-3 and impact on drug resistance

(1) Introduction: Claudin-9 (CLDN9) is a member of the claudin protein family, a critical transmembrane protein family for tight junctions that are implemented in the progression of numerous cancer types. The present study investigated the role that CLDN9, along with the subcoat proteins, Zonula Occludens (ZOs), plays in clinical breast cancer and subsequent impact on drug response of patients. (2) Methods: CLDN9 protein and CLDN9 transcript were determined and correlated with clinical and pathological indicators, together with the status of hormonal receptors. The levels of CLDN9 transcript were also assessed against the therapeutic responses of the patients to chemotherapies by using a dataset from the TCGA database. Breast cancer cell models, representing different molecular subtypes of breast cancer, with differential expression of CLDN9 were created and used to assess the biological impact and response to chemotherapeutic drugs. (3) Results: Breast cancer tissues expressed significantly higher levels of the CLDN9, with the high levels being associated with shorter survival. CLDN9 was significantly correlated with its anchorage proteins ZO-1 and ZO-3. Integrated expression of CLDN9, ZO-1 and ZO-3 formed a signature that was significantly linked to overall survival (OS) (p = 0.013) and relapse-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.024) in an independent matter. CLDN9 transcript was significantly higher in patients who were resistant to chemotherapies (p < 0.000001). CLDN9 connection to chemoresistance was particularly prominent in patients of ER-positive (ER(+)), Her-2-negative((Her-2(−)), ER(+)/Her-2(−) and triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), but not in patients with HER-2-positive tumors. In Her-2-negative MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells, loss of CLDN9 significantly increased sensitivity to several chemotherapeutic drugs including paclitaxel, gemcitabine and methotrexate, which was not seen in Her-2(+) SKBR3 cells. However, suppressing Her-2 using neratinib, a permanent Her-2 inhibitor, sensitized cellular response to these chemodrugs in cells with CLDN9 knockdown. (4) Conclusions: CLDN9 is an important prognostic indicator for patients with breast cancer and also a pivotal factor in assessing patient responses to chemotherapies. Her-2 is a negating factor for the treatment response prediction value by CLDN9 and negating Her-2 and CLDN9 may enhance breast cancer cellular response to chemotherapeutic drugs

Comprehensive evaluation of potential coal mine dust emissions in an open-pit coal mine in Northwest China

Coal mining in China is continually increasing, and the associated emitted coal mine dust is of growing environmental and occupational concern. In this study, deposited coal mine dust (DD) was analysed in three different regions of an active, highly-volatile bituminous open-pit coal mine in the Xingjian Province, Northwest of China: coal working fronts, tailings handling sites, and road traffic sites. Samples were analysed for particle size, and geochemical and mineralogical patterns, and then compared with the respirable DD fractions (RDDs, <4 μm) separated from DD samples. Online measurements of ambient air concentrations of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), black carbon (BC) and ultrafine particles (UFP) were performed in the same mine zones where DD was sampled. Furthermore, the RDD samples were subjected to analysis of specific biological response or toxicological indicators (oxidative potential, OP). The results demonstrated: i) large differences in particle size and composition among DD from tailings handling, road traffic and coal working front sites, ii) a strong influence of the DD moisture contents and ash yields on particle size, and, accordingly, on the potential dust emissions, iii) an enrichment of multiple elements (such as Nb, Th, Cr, Sr, Li, As, Pb, Cu, Zr and Ni) in the RDD from coal working fronts compared with their contents in the worked parent coal seams, mostly attributed to mining machinery, tyre and brake wear emissions and to deposition of dust emitted from gangue working zones, iv) low OP values of the RDD emitted from the studied mine, which works a high-quality coal, with OP being influenced by Mn, sulphate and anatase (TiO2) contents, and v) the impact of specific mining operations and mine areas on the levels of air pollutants, such as high PM from tailings handling in the upper parts of the mine or the high UFP levels in the bottom of the mine (due to vehicle and machinery emissions and lower dispersive conditions). The data presented here demonstrate the necessity of extracting the more deeply respirable size fraction of coal mine dusts in future studies on the health effects of these materials because this finer fraction is mineralogically and geochemically different from the parent rocks.This study was supported by Generalitat de Catalunya (AGAUR 2017 SGR41), Spain; by the National Science Foundation of China (grant 41972180); the Program of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities (grant B14031) and Overseas Top Scholars Program for the Recruitment of Global Experts, China and by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Excelencia Severo Ochoa, Project CEX2018-000794-S). Pedro Trechera is contracted by the ROCD (Reducing risks from Occupational exposure to Coal Dust) project supported by the European Commission Research Fund for Coal and Steel; Grant Agreement Number-754205.Peer reviewe

Metastatic Lymph Node 64 (MLN64) expression in gastric cancer, the clinical and molecular implications in drug resistance

Background/Aim: Metastatic Lymph Node 64 (MLN64) is often co-amplified with ERBB2 (HER2) and plays a role in the progression of breast and prostate cancers. The present study explored the expression of MLN64 in clinical gastric cancer in association with the ERBB family and its impact on drug resistance in patients. Materials and Methods: Two independent gastric cancer cohorts (n=324; n=87) were used to explore the expression profile of MLN64 in con-junction with ERBB family members in clinical gastric cancer and its association with neoad-juvant chemotherapy responses. Gastric cancer AGS and HCG27 cells with MLN64 knock-down were generated to determine the function of MLN64 in cell behavioral changes. Results: Gastric tumor tissues expressed significantly increased levels of MLN64 compared with normal tissues (p<0.01); however, MLN64 alone was a weak prognostic indicator. An integrated co-expression of MLN64, ERBB4, and NRG4 was a significant factor in assessing overall survival in both cohorts. MLN64 was a profound indicator of patient response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In vitro studies indicated a significant contribution of MLN64 to the response of gastric cancer cells to chemodrugs and Her-2 inhibitors. MLN64 knockdown also contributed to the adhesiveness and migration and suggested a possible mechanism mediated by the in-teraction between MLN64 and ERBBs. Conclusion: MLN64 is an indicator for patient response to neoadjuvant chemotherapies in gastric cancer. Together with the expression pattern of ERBB4, it makes is a poor prognostic factor in gastric cancer patients

Geochemistry and oxidative potential of the respirable fraction of powdered mined Chinese coals

This study evaluates geochemical and oxidative potential (OP) properties of the respirable (finer than 4 μm) fractions of 22 powdered coal samples from channel profiles (CP4) in Chinese mined coals. The CP4 fractions extracted from milled samples of 22 different coals were mineralogically and geochemically analysed and the relationships with the OP evaluated. The evaluation between CP4/CP demonstrated that CP4 increased concentrations of anatase, Cs, W, Zn and Zr, whereas sulphates, Fe, S, Mo, Mn, Hf and Ge decreased their CP4 concentrations. OP results from ascorbic acid (AA), glutathione (GSH) and dithiothreitol (DTT) tests evidenced a clear link between specific inorganic components of CP4 with OPAA and the organic fraction of OPGSH and OPDTT. Correlation analyses were performed for OP indicators and the geochemical patterns of CP4. These were compared with respirable dust samples from prior studies. They indicate that Fe (r = 0.83), pyrite (r = 0.66) and sulphate minerals (r = 0.42) (tracing acidic species from pyrite oxidation), followed by S (r = 0.50) and ash yield (r = 0.46), and, to a much lesser extent, Ti, anatase, U, Mo, V and Pb, are clearly linked with OPAA. Moreover, OPGSH correlation was identified by organic matter, as moisture (r = 0.73), Na (r = 0.56) and B (r = 0.51), and to a lesser extent by the coarse particle size, Ca and carbonate minerals. In addition, Mg (r = 0.70), B (r = 0.47), Na (r = 0.59), Mn, Ba, quartz, particle size and Sr regulate OPDTT correlations. These became more noticeable when the analysis was done for samples of the same type of coal rank, in this case, bituminous.This study was supported by Generalitat de Catalunya (AGAUR 2017 SGR41), Spain; by the National Science Foundation of China (grant 41972180); the Program of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities (grant B14031) and Overseas Top Scholars Program for the Recruitment of Global Experts, China; and by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Excelencia Severo Ochoa, Project CEX2018-000794-S). Malvern Mastersizer Scirocco 2000 extension measurements were performed at the ICTS NANBIOSIS by the Nanostructured Liquids Unit (U12) of the CIBER in Bioengineering, Biomaterials & Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), located at the IQAC-CSIC (Barcelona, Spain). Pedro Trechera is contracted by the ROCD (Reducing risks from Occupational exposure to Coal Dust) project supported by the European Commission Research Fund for Coal and Steel; Grant Agreement Number 754205.Peer reviewe