Ecological indicator organisms for environmental protection policy

Environmental protection policy strives to maintain an environment favourable to human health, agriculture, and the preservation of natural heritage. Infringements upon the environment have been either by sudden deliberate action of man (construction, land reclamation, dams, etc.) or by gradual, insipid stress of chemical and physical agents (chemical substances, heat, noise, radiation, etc.). Indeliberate unwanted stress upon the environment may be measured either by observing biological effects on indicator organisms or by chemically analyzing contaminants in these organisms. In this respect the author pleads for modest, cost-efficient monitoring programmes of limited duration and providing policy related information in a direct way. Biological effect monitoring programmes show limited prospects at this moment.     

POLICIES FOR RESOLVING THE CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE STRATOSPHERIC OZONE DEPLETION ISSUES: ANTAGONISTIC OR RE-ENFORCING?

Unlike the past, anthropogenic activities have begun to have greaterand greater impact on the environment. Policy formulation is no longerconfined to just responding to an existing set of environmentalconditions, but involves taking into account how the decision mightaffect the original set of environmental conditions to which the originalpolicy was formulated as a response.We discuss how certain policies could be developed, using the resultsfrom two integrated scientific models which incorporate parametersreflecting two air issues: (1) climate change, and (2) stratospheric ozonedepletion. Model results suggest very clearly that these two air issuesare not scientifically independent from each other. Following asingle-issue policy would lead to inconsistencies and undesirableconsequences in other related issues. Thus, the policy decision processhas now become complex.One of the sources of this complexity is the uncertainty in the responseof the environmental system to certain policy decisions, complexityarising from the fact that the environmental system is highly nonlinearand evolving. Model results indicate that it is essential for the policyformulation process to be flexible enough to take into account thenonlinear evolutionary nature of the environmental system. A policymust reflect, and be tailored to, the dynamical history and present stateof the system, if it is to be effective in influencing the future evolution of the system.     

Measuring strategies and monitoring of the indoor environment

This paper presents key elements on which to base the design of a strategy for a particular indoor environment measurement task. Starting from a general strategy for responding to occupant complaints and conducting epidemiological and intervention studies the paper concentrates on selected key elements, with focus on air contaminants. Strategies for grouping of occupants with the purpose of exposure assessment should aim at optimising exposure contrast between groups, and grouping according to buildings may not be the proper choice. Occupant exposure can be measured by personal sampling or constructed from measured concentrations in microenvironments and activity patterns. The cause of temporal and spatial variability is discussed and guidance is given on the number of samples needed to detect a given change in true concentration level. The sick building syndrome (SBS) is defined as those situations where a high proportion of building occupants are complaining about mucous membrane or skin irritation, general symptoms. When investigating SBS, questionnaires should be used to collect structured information from occupants on perception of environmental conditions, psychosocial factors and symptoms. There is as yet no consensus on choice of length of reference period for reporting symptoms and for estimating exposure. Finally, methods for identifying and quantification of sources of air contaminants are discussed, including lab-scale or full-scale simulation, on-site measurement of source emission, air monitoring, surface sampling, and modelling.     

上海市环境空气质量监测体系规划设计

简述了上海市环境空气质量监测的历史和现状,指出了环境空气质量监测发展需求,构建了上海市空气质量监测系统规划框架;提出应构建上海市环境综合信息和公共数据平台,建设发展地基遥感探空、空基和天基遥感反演技术,建立长三角区域大气复合污染监测体系。     

城市环境空气质量指数范围预报方法初探

城市环境空气质量指数预报是环境信息公众服务的重要内容,以城市24 h空气质量指数预报为例,探讨了其范围预报方法,并通过均方差的数理统计方法,分析典型城市每日空气质量指数实况数据的波动范围以及预报与实况偏差,针对不同空气质量级别提出建议性的空气质量指数预报变化幅度修正范围,并对预报过程中的质量控制技术进行了初步讨论。     

Empirical evaluation of spatial and non-spatial European-scale multimedia fate models: results and implications for chemical risk assessment

Multimedia environmental fate models are commonly-applied tools for assessing the fate and distribution of contaminants in the environment. Owing to the large number of chemicals in use and the paucity of monitoring data, such models are often adopted as part of decision-support systems for chemical risk assessment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of three multimedia environmental fate models (spatially- and non-spatially-explicit) at a European scale. The assessment was conducted for four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and compared predicted and median observed concentrations using monitoring data collected for air, water, sediments and soils. Model performance in the air compartment was reasonable for all models included in the evaluation exercise as predicted concentrations were typically within a factor of 3 of the median observed concentrations. Furthermore, there was good correspondence between predictions and observations in regions that had elevated median observed concentrations for both spatially-explicit models. On the other hand, all three models consistently underestimated median observed concentrations in sediment and soil by 1-3 orders of magnitude. Although regions with elevated median observed concentrations in these environmental media were broadly identified by the spatially-explicit models, the magnitude of the discrepancy between predicted and median observed concentrations is of concern in the context of chemical risk assessment. These results were discussed in terms of factors influencing model performance such as the steady-state assumption, inaccuracies in emission estimates and the representativeness of monitoring data.     

Environmental monitoring within the Slovak Republic

In the Slovak Republic (SR) there has not been a complete and coordinated monitoring system for environment until now. The object of environmental monitoring in the SR has been to evaluate certain areas, e.g. components of the environment and the influences affecting it: atmosphere, water, soil, biota (fauna and flora), geological factors, physical fields, forest, wastes, settlement, landuse, contaminants of the food chain and human stress caused by environmental factors. Individual monitoring systems are being built on the basis of these projects.The Monitoring System for the Environment in the SR has been formed by linkage to the Information System on the Environment in the SR which is a basic source of the data on the state of the environment in the SR and the factors affecting it.The guarantor of both these systems is the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic.     

风对环境噪声自动监测的影响分析

结合大量监测数据及相关资料,对环境噪声监测中声级-风速相关性进行分析,提出进行环境噪声自动监测时,为保证监测数据的科学性和准确性,应同步进行风速测量,参考风速监测数据对噪声监测数据进行有效取舍。     

噪声地图在环境噪声监测中的应用

以青岛理工大学新校区为例,采用变网格划分法,研究了基于地理信息系统(GIS)的噪声地图在区域环境噪声评价方面的应用。结果表明,噪声预测系统结合GIS,以数字与渲染图的方式能够直观地展现噪声污染在环境区域的分布状况,可用于指导区域的规划和环境噪声评价。     

基于GIS云平台的环境监测数据三维表征设计与应用初探

三维可视化是描绘和理解模型的一种手段,是数据体的一种表征形式。环境监测数据是空间数据场,可实现三维可视化的科学表达。监测数据的表征,可结合相关环境要素共同还原场景,以直观形象地表达环境状况的空间分布特征。不同的监测数据具有不同的特征,可分别进行表征方式的设计。通过研究水体污染、大气污染、噪声污染等数据场的三维表征设计,探索了三维可视化在深度数据挖掘、说明环境问题等方面的应用价值。     

关于总站历史性转型的几点意见

2008年9月以来,深入学习实践科学发展观活动在中国环境监测总站开展得如火如荼并不断深入.特别是环境保护部新设立环境监测司之后,总站面临着从管理到技术的历史性转型,如何做好这一重大转型是当前需要解决的最紧迫的问题.     

重庆市环境质量自动监测(控)系统网络集成设计

针对目前重庆市环境空气质量自动监测现状,结合自动监控系统设计先进技术和国内部分省市已建成的环境信息监控网络的先进经验,对重庆市环境空气自动监测监控系统的建设进行设计,并介绍了环境空气质量自动监测监控系统的组成和实现的功能.现有的自动监测系统存在不同类型设备、通讯方式落后等问题,建设重庆市环境质量自动监控系统的思路是采用GPRS/CDMA/ADSL为主的数据通信传输技术,建立通信控制和信息集成系统,把重庆市环境空气、水、噪声自动监测系统进行系统化的集成,设计成一个完善的环境信息自动化动态监控平台.     

A small subsurface ion mobility spectrometer sensor for detecting environmental soil-gas contaminants

A small subsurface ion mobility spectrometer (SS-IMS) was constructed and tested with several environmental contaminants to determine its potential for monitoring gaseous volatile organic compounds in the vadose zone. Trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) were detected and separated in IMS for the first time. Detection limits as low as 1 part per billion volume-to-volume (ppb(v)) were observed. Reduced mobility (K(0)) values were reported for 11 environmental contaminants. These data demonstrated the potential of ion mobility spectrometry as a viable technology for detecting and separating environmental soil-gas contaminants in the field, which may lead to a practical and simple approach for long-term monitoring of contaminated soils.     

Air Quality Monitoring and Management in Lisbon

The environmental decision-making process is related with the interpretation of data both in spatial and temporal dimensions. This paper presents a methodology that integrates the time-space framework of air quality data to infer the temporal pattern and spatial variability that could be interpreted for environmental decision purposes. Variograms that accommodate time and space lags were used for the analysis and proved to be effective. Its environmental meaning, in particular its relationship with traffic patterns is discussed. Data from air quality monitoring stations located in the central part of Lisbon were used in this study. It describes a strategy to identify the type of vehicles responsible for certain pollutant levels, particularly for nitrogen oxides, and discusses the application of new air quality European legislation to the city of Lisbon, Portugal.     

支撑京津冀区域大气污染联防联控的大气监测体系构建

京津冀区域已成为全国大气污染最严重的地区之一,并且呈现出明显的区域性污染特征,加强区域间的环境合作,实施区域联防联控是解决京津冀区域大气污染问题的有效手段。对照《生态环境监测网络建设方案》的要求,目前京津冀区域大气监测体系还存在着监测网络不健全、监测项目覆盖不全面、监测新技术应用不足、质控体系不完善、信息产品供给与公众需求有差距等问题,与京津冀区域大气污染联防联控的要求不相适应。为全面提升京津冀区域大气监测体系对区域联防联控的技术支撑能力,亟需进一步完善京津冀区域的监测网络,增设传输研究、污染监控等特殊监测点位;逐步拓展监测项目,开展颗粒物化学组分和O_3前体物监测;加快遥感监测等立体监测技术在大气监测中的应用,全面分析污染物时空分布特征与传输规律;加强空气质量预报预警能力建设,为重污染天气应对提供技术支持;规范监测事权上收后的全过程质控体系,建立颗粒物标准方法比对和O_3量值传递质控机制;构建环境监测大数据平台,加强数据分析应用与信息公开。     

深圳市环境噪声自动监测系统建设

简述了深圳市噪声自动监测系统的主要功能及运行、验收情况。该系统利用其他监测网络中的气象设备建立气象监测小区,通过一系列考核,确定了自动监测数据的有效性,安装了以太阳能优先和市电辅助供电的双供电系统,有效地节省了能源。     

环境空气质量监测数据采集与传输的标准化研究及设计

目前中国空气质量监测数据缺乏统一的数据采集及传输管理规范,导致数据集成困难,各监测网络间的数据无法充分共享,形成信息孤岛。该研究在深入分析中国环境空气质量监测数据采集与传输现状及问题的基础上,遵循已有的标准规定并结合实际业务需求,针对环境空气质量监测数据传输系统结构、通讯协议以及监测数据编码提出具有良好扩展性、通用性及规范化的设计方案,以期促进监测设备及系统集成工作的标准化,实现系统间信息数据高度集成,信息资源充分共享和互融互通,环境空气质量监测业务紧密互动。     

Integration of Remote Sensed and In-situ Data in an Analysis of the Air Pollution Effects on Terrestrial Ecosystems in the Border Areas between Norway and Russia

Transboundary air pollution from industries in Nikel and Zapolyarnij has caused severe damage to the environment in Southern-Varanger in Norway and in Pechenga municipality in Russia. The work presented in this paper focuses on the integration of in-situ air pollution data with remote sensing based land cover maps. Land cover maps have been utilised to detect changes in the major land cover types within the area. The major change in the environment was the decrease of the sensitive lichen-dominated land cover types, and the increase of bilberry-dominated land cover types and finally the increase of the land cover types with the greatest air pollution stress (industrial barren, barren, and partly damaged vegetation, defoliated forests, lichen removal). A GIS based method for assessing the relationship of the remotely sensed land cover maps with the environmental condition parameters was developed and applied. By comparing the results from this analysis we observed that the land cover types with the greatest stress had the largest concentrations of SO₂ in the ground air layer, while the land cover types with minor damage (the remaining lichen-dominated vegetation) had rather low concentrations of sulphur dioxide in the ground air layer. The area of the land cover types with the greatest stress (industrial barren, barren and partly damaged vegetation) has increased in the period 1973–1988, and the degradation is carried out in a such manner that sensitive mountain and lichen vegetation formations have been transformed into a more barren-like environment. The increase in the emissions has also transferred the natural barrens which also consisted of some sparse vegetation into a complete barren with little vegetation left. Also the epilitic lichens and mosses on bare rocks and stones were also removed by the high concentrations of SO₂. The land cover types with minor damage (with the remaining lichen-dominated vegetation) had rather low concentrations of the contaminants (SO₂, Ni and S), while the partly damaged and damaged land cover types had the highest concentrations of the contaminants. An exception was the Ni and S concentrations found in class 11 Industrial barrens which were lower than expected. Associations between the degradation and the SO₂ concentration in the air were also documented. The conclusion from this analysis is that the in-situ data support the observations of damaged vegetation and industrial barrens imaged by the Landsat satellites, especially in the surroundings of Nikel and Zapolyarnij.     

Environmental Specimen Bank in Ehime University (es-BANK), Japan for global monitoring

During the last 40 years, The Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University collected a variety of environmental and biological material comprising about 1000 species and 100,000 samples from many developing and developed countries and also open seas and oceans all over the world. They were categorically archived, catalogued and stocked in our Environment Specimen Bank (es-BANK) facility equipped with a -25 degrees C cold room. We have already exchanged specimens with many scientific institutions and are also eager to widen our collaboration with other specimen banks. In our survey using the air, water, wildlife and human samples, we found that the major emission sources for the industrial chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are in the developed nations while those of organochlorine (OC) pesticides like dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), etc. are located in developing countries. However, significant emission of modern environmental contaminants such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) also seems to occur predominantly in countries with high economic growth rates. Apart from the modern incinerators and other industrial installations in developed nations, the compounds, like dioxins and related compounds (DRCs), were also found to be released in significant levels from the municipal solid waste dumping sites of developing countries. By evaluating the distribution patterns of various persistent toxic substances (PTSs) in our studies, we could conclude that DRCs and DDTs are regional contaminants, while PCBs, PBDEs, HCHs and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) are global contaminants. We also found that the pollution by PBDEs has been increasing in the last two decades while that of the legacy OCs has been decreasing.