Sustainability: a Dissent

Abstract:  Broadly conceived and considered in its many usages, sustainability has grave defects as a planning goal, particularly when used by conservationists: it confuses means and ends; it is vague about what is being sustained and who or what is doing the sustaining; it is uninspiring; it is little more than Pinchot-era conservation (and thus ignores the many lessons learned since then); it need not be linked to land, to the land's functioning, or to any ecological science; it need not include a moral component; it is consistent with the view of humans as all-powerful manipulators of the planet; and, in general, it is such a malleable term that its popularity provides only a facade of consensus. When sustainability is defined broadly to include the full range of economic and social aspirations, it poses the particular risk that ecological and biodiversity concerns will be cast aside in favor of more pressing human wants. Given these many defects, the conservation movement should discard the term in favor of a more alluring goal, attentive to nature and its ecological functioning. A sound goal would incorporate and distill the considerable ecological and moral wisdom accumulated since Pinchot's day while giving conservationists the rhetorical tools needed to defend the land against competing pressures. In our view, conservation would be well served by an updated variant of "land health," Aldo Leopold's ecologically grounded goal from the 1940s. Land health as an independent understanding should set the essential terms of how we live and enjoy the earth, providing the framework within which we pursue our many social and economic aims.     

The study of biological activity of transformation products of diclofenac and its interaction with chlorogenic acid

In the present work we compared the biological activity of DCF, 4′-OHDCF and 5-OHDCF as molecules of most biodegradation pathways of DCF and selected transformation products (2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid; 2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and 2,6-dichloroaniline) which are produced during AOPs, such as ozonation and UV/H₂O₂. We also examined the interaction of DCF with chlorogenic acid (CGA). CGA is commonly used in human diet and entering the environment along with waste mainly from the processing and brewing of coffee and it can be toxic for microorganisms included in activated sludge. In the present experiment the evaluation of following parameters was performed: E. coli K-12 cells viability, growth inhibition of E. coli K-12 culture, LC₅₀ and mortality of Chironomus aprilinus, genotoxicity, sodA promoter induction and ROS generation. In addition the reactivity of E. coli SM recA:luxCDABE biosensor strain in wastewater matrices was measured. The results showed the influence of DCF, 4′-OHDCF and 5-OHDCF on E. coli K-12 cells viability and bacteria growth, comparable to AOPs by-products. The highest toxicity was observed for selected, tested AOPs by-products, in comparison to the DCF, 4′-OHDCF and 5-OHDCF. Genotoxicity assay indicated that 2,6-dichloroaniline (AOPs by-product) had the highest toxic effect. The oxidative stress assays revealed that the highest level of ROS generation and sodA promoter induction were obtained for DCF, 4′-OHDCF and 5-OHDCF, compared to other tested compounds. We have also found that there is an interaction between chlorogenic acid and DCF, which resulted in increased toxicity of the mixture of the both compounds to E. coli K-12, comparable to parent chemicals. The strongest response of E. coli SM biosensor strain with recA:luxCDABE genetic construct in filtered treated wastewaters, comparable to control sample was noticed. It indicates, that E. coli SM recA:luxCDABE biosensor strains is a good tool for bacteria monitoring in wastewater environment. Due to toxicity and biological activity of tested DCF transformation products, there is a need to use additional wastewater treatment systems for wastewater contaminated with pharmaceutical residues.     

珠江口夏季海陆源有机碳的模拟研究——分布特征、贡献比重及其迁移转化过程

基于经过验证的三维水动力-水质模型,对珠江口夏季有机碳进行海陆源区分,并对海陆源有机碳的分布特征、贡献比重及其通量过程进行研究.结果表明,水平方向上,珠江口夏季陆源（海源）有机碳浓度从口门到外海逐渐降低（升高）,在表、底层海水中平均浓度分别为1.45和0.87mg/L（0.97和1.05mg/L）;垂直方向上,在层化水域陆源（海源）有机碳浓度从上到下逐渐递减（升高）,在非层化水域海陆源有机碳浓度垂向分布较为均匀.珠江口夏季海源有机碳贡献率表层海水低于底层海水,平均贡献率为48.26%,沿向海方向海源有机碳贡献率逐渐增加--从内伶仃洋水域的4.43%逐渐提升到外伶仃洋东侧水域的81.20%.珠江口水动力条件复杂,在径流、潮汐、季风等因素的作用下陆源有机碳向海输送且向海输送量逐渐递减;海源有机碳在不同水域动力输送特征不同,西南水域向海输送,向海输送量逐渐递增;东北水域向岸输送,向岸输送量逐渐递减.陆源有机碳生化反应活性较弱,只有小部分被生化过程消耗,其迁移转化主要由沉降过程控制,而海源有机碳的迁移转化,则由口门的动力输送过程主控向外海的生化耗碳过程主控过渡.此外,海源有机碳沉降作用明显低于陆源有机碳,生化作用明显高于陆源有机碳.     

大兴安岭5种乔木树种燃烧释放PM2.5中水溶性元素特性

采用自主设计的生物质燃烧实验装置,在不同燃烧状态（明燃、阴燃）下,对大兴安岭林区5种典型乔木树种的不同部位（枝、叶、皮）燃烧释放PM_2.5中的水溶性元素特性进行研究.结果显示,不同树种间PM_2.5的排放因子差异显著,排放范围为（2.408±0.854）~（9.227±1.172）g/kg.5种乔木树种燃烧释放PM_2.5中主要检测到Mg、Ca、K等16 种元素,其中Ca、K、Zn、Mg 4种元素的排放因子明显大于其它元素.不同树种间元素排放因子差异较大,针叶树的排放因子一般高于阔叶树.除Cd元素外,不同器官间排放的元素总量无明显差异.不同树种不同器官燃烧释放PM_2.5中水溶性元素的占比顺序较为一致,其中Ca、K、Zn和Mg 4种元素的排放因子在枝、叶、皮中均较高.此外,燃烧状态对元素排放特征影响较大,Li、Mg、Ca等7种元素的排放因子均表现为明燃显著高于阴燃.     

How and why is Aquatic Quality Changing at Nahanni National Park Reserve, nwt, Canada?

Nahanni National Park Reserve is located at southwestern NWT-Yukon border. One of the first UNESCO World Heritage sites, Nahanni lies within Taiga Cordillera and Taiga Shield Ecozones. Base and precious metal mining occurred upstream of Nahanni prior to park establishment. Nahanni waters, sediments, fish, and caribou have naturally elevated metals levels. Baseline water, sediment and fish tissue quality data were collected and analyzed throughout Nahanni during 1988–91 and 1992–97. These two programs characterized how aquatic quality variables are naturally varying in space and time, affected by geology, stream flow, seasonality, and extreme meteorological and geological events. Possible anthropogenic causes of aquatic quality change were examined. Measured values were compared to existing Guidelines and site-specific objectives were established.     

沈阳张士污灌区镉循环的分室模型与污染防治对策研究

对沈阳张士污灌区大气、水、土壤和生物各分室中Ｃｄ的库存量和各分室间Ｃｄ的循环通量进行了研究，建立了土壤－水稻系统中Ｃｄ流分室模型。该模型表明，Ⅱ闸和Ⅲ闸地区土壤分室中Ｃｄ的库存增量均为正值。可见，该污灌区近年来Ｃｄ污染程度由于污水灌溉仍然处于加剧的趋势。研究最后指出，该污灌区Ｃｄ的污染防治对策主要是减少污水灌溉量、进一步降低灌溉水中Ｃｄ的浓度和通过富Ｃｄ植物收获带走Ｃｄ．其中，以野生苋的收获带走Ｃｄ最有意义，它可使Ⅱ闸和Ⅲ闸地区Ｃｄ的下降速率分别依次达到２９．４９和２２．８１ｍｇ／（ｍ￣２·ａ）。     

泸沽湖沉积物－水界面扩散作用对上覆水体基本化学组成的影响

通过云南泸沽湖－－半封闭深水湖泊湖水和沉积物孔隙中Ｃａ＾２＋、Ｋ＾＋、Ｎａ＾＋、ＨＣＯ３等基本组分及ＰＨ等剖面分布的研究，结果表明，这些基本组分可以自底部沉积物向上覆体扩散迁移，定量地估算了扩散通量及其对上覆水体的影响程度，说明湖泊沉积物－水界面作用在控制整个水体水化学基本组成中的起着重要的作用。     

序批式活性污泥法及其发展

SBR及其发展工艺具有其它工艺无可比拟的优势，特别是其良好的除磷脱氮功能。本文介绍了SBR及其发展工艺各自的工艺特点、优势及不足之处，为它们在生产实践中的进一步推广应用提供技术参考。     

生物滤池和常规工艺对某地表水中不同分子量有机物的去除

采用生物滤池和常规处理对受污染的某地表水进行试验研究 ,用膜过滤法对其出水进行了分子量分析 ,考察了 2个处理单元对不同分子量区间有机物的去除效果。结果表明 :原水中分子量小于 1 0 0 0的有机物占总 DOC的 78.2 9% ;生物滤池对分子量小于50 0、50 0～ 1 0 0 0和 >60 0 0 0的有机物去除率分别为 54.9%、36.1 %和 2 0 .7% ;常规处理对以上分子量区间有机物的去除率分别为1 5.3%、- 2 0 %和 48.75%。     

宁夏盐池县社会经济与环境协调发展的策略分析

本文通过分析宁夏盐池县的自然条件、自然资源以及社会经济发展与环境的关系,应用权图影响结构模型对该县社会经济与环境系统进行了定量的分析与研究。建立了7个模型,并通过预测、比较实施不同发展策略后各模型的系统状态,找出了使系统优化运行的灵敏调控点,分析了各分项调整策略之间相互制约、相互促进的关系,提出了使该县社会经济与环境协调发展的策略。