Detection of a carcinogen, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4,5-b]pyridine, in airborne particles and diesel-exhaust particles

A carcinogen, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4,5-b]-pyridine (PhIP), has been measured in airborne particles, diesel-exhaust particles, and incineration ash from garbage-burning plants. PhIP was found in all kinds of samples. In the light of the present results, together with the previous findings that PhIP was present in cooked foods and cigarette smoke, PhIP is likely to be an ubiquitous environmental pollutant. These observations also suggest that PhIP may be formed through the combustion process.     

Assays of PCB congeners and organochlorine insecticides with the transgenic Arabidopsis and tobacco plants carrying recombinant guinea pig AhR and GUS reporter genes

Certain congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine insecticides are ligands of aryl hydrocarbon receptors (AhRs) in animals. A recombinant guinea pig (g) AhR, XgDV, was constructed by fusing the ligand-binding domain of gAhR, the DNA-binding domain of LexA, and the transactivating domain of VP16. Then, the expression unit of β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene regulated by XgDV was introduced into Arabidopsis and tobacco plants. When the transgenic Arabidopsis XgDV plants were cultured on Murashige-Skoog (MS) medium containing PCB congeners, the GUS activity in the plants increased toxic equivalent (TEQ)-dependently. The GUS activity in the transgenic Arabidopsis XgDV plants cultured on MS medium containing the organochlorine insecticide dieldrin was also induced. On the other hand, in the case of DDT, the GUS activity induced by 3-methylcholanthere in the plants decreased. The transgenic Arabidopsis XgDV plants detected 1000 ng g(-1) PCB126 in 1 g of soils. Thus the XgDV plants seemed to be useful for convenient assays of PCB congeners and organochlorine insecticides, without any extraction and purification steps.     

Catalytic degradation of PP with an Fe/activated carbon catalyst

We investigated the function of Fe and activated carbon (AC) as a catalyst by comparing Fe/AC with Fe/SiO₂ or AC, and also the effect of H₂ as a reaction gas on the product distribution in the catalytic degradation of polypropylene. Supported Fe promotes H₂ consumption to decompose solid residues, and AC support degrades heavy oil to produce light oil. As a result, using Fe/AC as a catalyst gives the maximum yield of the liquid product. For the reaction conditions, with a high reaction temperature or a long reaction time, the product distribution is more influenced by the thermal degradation than by the catalytic degradation. For the amount of Fe to load, 5wt% is the optimum condition in our reaction system. We demonstrated the mechanism of the degradation of polyolefins with hydrogen-capping catalysts.     

新疆南部地区盐渍化土壤的分布及性质特征

新疆土壤盐渍化程度日益严重,如何改良和利用盐渍土壤是新疆生态环境建设的一个重要方面。文章对新疆南部地区盐渍土的分类、分布规律、分布状况以及盐渍土的危害进行全面的论述,分析盐渍化土壤对南部地区农业经济发展和生态建设的影响,提出了盐渍土改良和利用的对策和措施。     

中国垃圾填埋场的问题与改善方法

全面地调查了中国的内陆城市北京(平地填埋)和西安(山沟填埋)及沿海城市上海(海面填埋)和广州(山沟填埋)的生活垃圾填埋场的情景,总结出了这些城市目前的生活垃圾填埋场存在的问题。在对填埋场渗滤液水质分析的基础上,讨论了各地填埋场的特点,提出了引进“半好氧填埋方式”、缩小填埋场作业面和扩大渗滤液收集管管径等向卫生填埋的改善方法。