Development and experience in the monitoring,assessment and control of environmentalpollutants in Hong Kong

The late start of environmental protection in Hong Kong was discussed in the light of problems encountered during the development of environmental protection legislation in Hong Kong for the past 20 years. The collaboration in monitoring and assessment of environmental pollutants between the University of Hong Kong and various governments were descrbed in parallel with the progress in environmental protection in Hong Kong. The developments of new analytical techniques for environmental monitoring and analysis is given and their application in environmental control described. The joint projects in assessment and control of environmental pollutants carried out in collaboration with local industries and other organizations within and without the university are given and discussed. The problems and possible solution facing Hong Kong in development control equipment for small scale industries are discussed and areas of development identified. The development and experience in the monitoring assessment and co     

Application of recording films of solar radiation for environmental and ecological research

Global solar radiation is recorded by fading of the colored film into which azo-dye is impregnated with use of organic solvent. Oil Red O, Sudan I, Sudan IV and Pyridylazonaphthol are used as the azo dye. These films can be applied to measure the solar radiation in many kinds of environmental or ecological conditions. The merits of the film compared with usual measurements are to be: unnecessary of any electric sources; cheap and mass-productive easily; suitable to integrate solar radiation for long time; easy dealing in out-door or underwater conditions; possible to use on leaves of any plants because of light weight; possible to use in a lot of points at the same time.     

Environment and cancer in Shanghai

Shanghai is the biggest industrial city in China, and the problem of environmental pollution is rather serious. This article, taking Shanghai as an example, is to discuss: a general view of Shanghai's environment; the present situation and characteristics of cancer in Shanghai; analyses of the environmental factors of some kinds of cancers. The paper emphasizes the relationship between the environment and cancer in Shanghai, especially the environmental pollution and cancer. The aim of the article is not only to call people's concern to the pollution , but also to study the causes of some cancers.     

Prospects for the continued development of environmentally-realistic toxicity test susing microorganisms

The focus of environmental regulations has changed significantly since the introduction of the bioassay as a standard means of assessing environmental impact. Prominent in this change is an increasing emphasis on protecting the integrity of natural ecosystems, which incorporate community- and system-level properties as well as organismal and population processes. Consequently, support for the use of multispecies testing has widened to include not only ecologists in academia but environmental scientists in the regulatory and industrial sector as well. The reason for this trend is clear: the additional environmental realism gained from tests utilizing communities of organisms allows for greater insight into the potential hazard of chemicals and other forms of human activity to natural ecosystems that cannot be obtained from single species tests alone. Many of the problems cited for multispecies testing early in their evolution as a hazard assessment tool have been refuted or overcome. In particular, the u     

Introduction to the State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry

State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry （SKLEAC） is a member of the State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, responsibly constructed by Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS） with a loan from the World Bank and financial input from CAS. SKLEAC was founded based on several laboratories in the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences （RCEES） in the field of water quality sciences and technologies. SKLEAC is a multi disciplinary basic research center including environmental aquatic chemistry as core, geography, biology, ecology, hydrology, as well as environmental engineering and technology.     

Functions and behaviors of activated sludge extracellular polymeric substances (EPS): a promising environmental interest

Extracellular polymeric substances （EPS） are the predominant constituents of activated sludge and represent up to 80% of the mass of activated sludge. They play a crucial role in the flocculation, settling and dewatering of activated sludge. Furthermore, EPS also show great efficiency in binding heavy metals. So EPS are key factors influencing reduction in sludge volume and mass, as well as activity and utilization of sludge. EPS are of considerable environmental interest and hundreds of articles on EPS have been published abroad, while information on EPS in China is limited. In this paper, results of over 60 publications related to constituents and characteristics of EPS and their influences on flocculation, settling and dewatering of sludge are compiled and analyzed. Metal-binding ability of EPS is also discussed, together with a brief consideration of possible research interests in the future.     

JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (JES)

The objective To report on the latest research achievements and developments; To strengthen academic exchanges; To promote cooperation in science and technology;and To contribute to the progress in environmental sciences. About the journal The journal is an international journal started in 1989 and sponsored by the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences,the Chinese Academy of Sciences.The journal publishes original,peer-reviewed research papers on main aspects of environmental sciences,such as environmental chemistry,environmental biology,ecology,geosciences and environmental physics.Appropriate subjects include basic and applied research on atmospheric,terrestrial and aquatic     

Biochar-based materials as remediation strategy in petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil and water: Performances,mechanisms, and environmental impact

Petroleum contamination is considered as a major risk to the health of humans and environment. Biochars as low-cost and eco-friendly carbon materials, have been widely used for the removal of petroleum hydrocarbon in the environment. The purpose of this paper is to review the performance, mechanisms, and potential environmental toxicity of biochar,modified biochar and its integration use with other materials in petroleum contaminated soil and water. Specifically, the use of biochar in oil-contam...     

JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES （JES）

The objective To report on the latest research achievements and developments; To strengthen academic exchanges; To promote cooperation in science and technology; and To contribute to the progress in environmental sciences. About the journal The journal is an international journal started in 1989 and sponsored by the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The journal publishes original, peer-reviewed research papers on main aspects of environmental sciences, such as environmental chemistry, environmental biology, ecology, geosciences and environmental physics. Appropriate subjects include basic and applied research on atmospheric, terrestrial and aquatic environments, pollution control and abatement technology, and conservation of natural resources, environmental health and toxicology. Announcements of international environmental sciences meetings and other recent information are also included.     

A profile of environmental science in China

This paper concisely introduced the eco-environmental survey in China and the Chinese scientific programme for environmental research which is being practiced or being planned. China has established a nation-wide system relating to environmental scientific research and environmental administration and has taken the following strategies for solving the environment problems: (1) a series of laws and regulations for environmental protection has been promulgated so as to strengthen the legal administration and economic punishment. (2) the idea of ecological construction has been proposed for the purpose of taking the environmental protection work into the consideration of the national and provincial (or regional) economic construction planning. (3) spreading ecological engineering and ecological technologies have reduced the pollutant sources and have increased the industrial and agricultural economic profit.