Future methane emissions from the heavy-duty natural gas transportation sector for stasis,high, medium,and low scenarios in 2035

Today’s heavy-duty natural gas–fueled fleet is estimated to represent less than 2% of the total fleet. However, over the next couple of decades, predictions are that the percentage could grow to represent as much as 50%. Although fueling switching to natural gas could provide a climate benefit relative to diesel fuel, the potential for emissions of methane (a potent greenhouse gas) from natural gas–fueled vehicles has been identified as a concern. Since today’s heavy-duty natural gas–fueled fleet penetration is low, today’s total fleet-wide emissions will be also be low regardless of per vehicle emissions. However, predicted growth could result in a significant quantity of methane emissions. To evaluate this potential and identify effective options for minimizing emissions, future growth scenarios of heavy-duty natural gas–fueled vehicles, and compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas fueling stations that serve them, have been developed for 2035, when the populations could be significant. The scenarios rely on the most recent measurement campaign of the latest manufactured technology, equipment, and vehicles reported in a companion paper as well as projections of technology and practice advances. These “pump-to-wheels”(PTW) projections do not include methane emissions outside of the bounds of the vehicles and fuel stations themselves and should not be confused with a complete wells-to-wheels analysis. Stasis, high, medium, and low scenario PTW emissions projections for 2035 were 1.32%, 0.67%, 0.33%, and 0.15% of the fuel used. The scenarios highlight that a large emissions reductions could be realized with closed crankcase operation, improved best practices, and implementation of vent mitigation technologies. Recognition of the potential pathways for emissions reductions could further enhance the heavy-duty transportation sectors ability to reduce carbon emissions.

Implications: Newly collected pump-to-wheels methane emissions data for current natural gas technologies were combined with future market growth scenarios, estimated technology advancements, and best practices to examine the climate benefit of future fuel switching. The analysis indicates the necessary targets of efficiency, methane emissions, market penetration, and best practices necessary to enable a pathway for natural gas to reduce the carbon intensity of the heavy-duty transportation sector.     

The growth and Cu and Zn uptake of pakchois (Brassica chinesis L.) in an acidic soil as affected by chicken or pig manure

In a pot experiment, pig manure (PM) and chicken manure (CM) were applied to an acidic soil at application rates of 2%, 4% and 8% (W/W) to evaluate their effects on the growth, Cu and Zn uptake and transfer of five cultivars of pakchoi (Brassica chinesis L.). The results showed that alkaline manures significantly increased the biomass of pakchois, and also pH and electrical conductivity of the soil. Both 0.01 M CaCl₂ and 1.0 M NH₄NO₃ salt solutions predict the Zn transfer from soil to pakchois well, but not for Cu. For the cultivar Siyueman, the transfer factors of Cu (or Zn) in the PM treatments were higher than that in the CM treatments. In our experiment the Cu and Zn concentrations in pakchois did not exceed the Chinese Food Hygiene Standard, but more attention should be paid to heavy metals risk on pakchois at lower soil pH and salt impairment by manures application.     

Physico-chemical characterization and source tracking of black carbon at a suburban site in Beijing

Particles from ambient air and combustion sources including vehicle emission, coal combustion and biomass burning were collected and chemically pretreated with the purpose of obtaining isolated BC (black carbon) samples. TEM (transmission electron microscopy) results indicate that BC from combustion sources shows various patterns, and airborne BC appears spherical and about 50 nm in diameter with a homogeneous surface and turbostratic structure. The BET (Barrett–Emmett–Teller) results suggest that the surface areas of these BC particles fall in the range of 3–23 m²/g, with a total pore volume of 0.03–0.05 cm³/g and a mean pore diameter of 7–53 nm. The nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms are indicative of the accumulation mode and uniform pore size. O₂-TPO (temperature programmed oxidation) profiles suggest that the airborne BC oxidation could be classified as the oxidation of amorphous carbon, which falls in the range of 406–490°C with peaks at 418, 423 and 475°C, respectively. Generally, the BC characteristics and source analysis suggest that airborne BC most likely comes from diesel vehicle emission at this site.     

The influence of long-term fertilization on cadmium (Cd) accumulation in soil and its uptake by crops

Continuous application of organic and inorganic fertilizers can affect soil and food quality with respect to heavy metal concentrations. The risk of cadmium (Cd) contamination in a long-term (over 20 years) experimental field in North China with an annual crop rotation of winter wheat and summer maize was investigated. The long-term experiment had a complete randomized block design with seven fertilizer treatments and four replications. The seven fertilizer treatments were (1) organic compost (OM), (2) half organic compost plus half chemical fertilizer (OM?+?NPK), (3) NPK fertilizer (NPK), (4–6) chemical fertilizers without one of the major nutrients (NP, PK, and NK), and (7) an unamended control (CK). Soil samples from 0 to 20 cm were collected in 1989, 1999, and 2009 to characterize Cd and other soil properties. During the past 20 years, various extents of Cd accumulation were observed in the soil, and the accumulation was mainly affected by atmospheric dry and wet deposition and fertilization. In 2009, the average Cd concentration in the soil was 148?±?15 μg kg^?1 and decreased in the order of NPK?≈?OM?+?NKP?≈?PK?>?NP?≈?NK?>?OM?≈?CK. Sequential extraction of Cd showed that the acid-soluble fraction (F1, 32?±?7 %) and the residual fraction (F4, 31?±?5 %) were the dominant fractions of Cd in the soil, followed by the reducible fraction (F2, 22?±?5 %) and oxidizable fraction (F3, 15?±?6 %). The acid-soluble Cd fraction in the soil and Cd accumulation in the crops increased with soil plant available K. Fraction F3 was increased by soil organic C (SOC) and crop yields, but SOC reduced the uptake of soil Cd by crops. The long-term P fertilization resulted in more Cd buildup in the soil than other treatments, but the uptake of Cd by crops was inhibited by the precipitation of Cd with phosphate in the soil. Although soil Cd was slightly increased over the 20 years of intensive crop production, both soil and grain/kernel Cd concentrations were still below the national standards for environmental and food safety.     

Profiling of the assembly of RecA nucleofilaments implies a potential target for environmental factors to disturb DNA repair

Double-strand breaks (DSBs), one class of the most harmful DNA damage forms that bring elevated health risks, need to be repaired timely and effectively. However, an increasing number of environmental pollutants have been identified to impair DSB repair from various mechanisms. Our previous work indicated that the formation of unsaturated RecA nucleofilaments plays an essential role in homology recombination (HR) pathway which can accurately repair DSBs. In this study, by developing a benzonase cutting protection assay and combining it with traditional electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) analysis, we further investigated the assembly patterns of four RecA mutants that display differential DSB repair ability and ATPase activity. We observed that the mutants (G204S and S69G) possessing both ATP hydrolysis and DSB repair activities form unsaturated nucleofilaments similar to that formed by the wild type RecA, whereas the other two ATP hydrolysis-deficient mutants (K72R and E96D) that fail to mediate HR form more compacted nucleofilaments in the presence of ATP. These results establish a coupling of ATPase activity and effective DSB repair ability via the assembly status of RecA nucleofilaments. This linkage provides a potential target for environmental factors to disturb the essential HR pathway for DSB repair by suppressing the ATPase activity and altering the assembly pattern of nucleofilaments.     

2004~2013年安徽省县域畜禽养殖环境风险时空特征及调控规划

为掌握安徽省近十年来畜禽养殖业对生态环境的潜在污染影响,本文基于2004~2013年安徽省县域畜禽养殖统计数据及耕地数据,以耕地畜禽粪便氮、磷负荷为评价指标,对安徽省县域畜禽养殖环境风险时空特征进行评估,并对高环境风险县市区进行调控规划研究。结果表明,安徽省各县市区的耕地畜禽粪便氮、磷负荷结果相互之间差异较大;2004~2013年安徽省大部分区域都属于无环境风险区域,高环境风险区域主要集中在合肥市的市辖区、肥西县、长丰县等县市区,低环境风险区域主要集中在灵璧县、全椒县等县市区;十年间存在环境风险的县市区数量以2005年最多,为28个;其次是2006和2013年,为26个;数量最少的年份是2007年,为11个;安庆市太湖县、合肥市长丰县、宣州市广德县等6个县市区的畜禽粪便能在其所属地级市的范围内进行畜禽养殖产业转移消化,以达到减排的目的。宿州市砀山县、蚌埠市固镇县、六安市寿县等5个县市区的畜禽粪便中的氮也能进行畜禽养殖产业转移实现消化减排,但部分磷无法通过产业转移实现消化减排。研究结果可为该省畜禽养殖业持续健康发展提供科学依据。     

基于无人机多光谱影像的小微水域水质要素反演

总磷(TP)、悬浮物浓度(SS)、浊度(TUB)3种水质参数可以直接通过遥感反演得到,常用于评价区域水环境的污染状况.以浙江农林大学东湖为研究对像,使用无人机携带多光谱传感器(Mica Sense Red Edge)获取多光谱影像,进而提取16个光谱参数,分别构建东湖水域TP、SS、TUB的反演模型.结果表明:光谱参数V5(NIR 0.770～0.890μm)与TP、SS相关性显著(r分别为0.470、-0.537,p0.05),V4(0.670～0.760μm)与TUB相关性显著(r=0.486,p0.05).在建立的TP反演模型中,指数函数模型精度最高,决定系数R~2为0.7829;在建立的SS、TUB反演模型中,多项式函数模型精度最高,决定系数R~2分别为0.7503、0.7334.经检验,TP、SS、TUB模型估测值与实测值线性拟合曲线的决定系数R~2分别为0.7374、0.8978、0.6726,满足水质要素反演的精度要求.最后利用建立的模型,结合多光谱影像数据,建立了东湖水域各参数的空间分布图,实现了水质参数的可视化,可为小微水域的污染防治提供技术支撑.     

耕作方式对华北冬小麦田土壤微生物生物量碳分布特征的影响

土壤微生物生物量碳（SMBC）反映了土壤有机碳（SOC）情况,其值大小代表了土壤肥力的高低,研究不同耕作方式SMBC的变化特征及其影响因素具有重要意义。试验于2001年在中国科学院栾城农业生态系统实验站开始,试验设置翻耕（CT）、旋耕（RT）、免耕（NT）三个处理。利用熏蒸提取-容量分析法研究了不同耕作处理2007～2008年冬小麦生育期的SMBC分布特征及影响因素。结果表明SMBC具有时空变化特征：在冬小麦生育期中,各SMBC处理均随着时间波动起伏,并在小麦返青期和扬花期达到峰值;空间分布上SMBC含量随土壤深度的增加而降低。不同耕作处理间差异显著,0～5 cm土层SMBC以NT最高,CT最低;5～10 cm土层RT与CT相当,NT最低;10～20 cm土层以CT最高,NT最低;20～30 cm各处理均较低,NT亦为最低。对不同处理SMBC层化率分析显示：NT具有明显的表层富集现象;RT处理0～10 cm SMBC分布均匀;CT处理0～20 cm SMBC分布均匀。对SMBC的影响因素分析表明：土壤有机碳是SMBC空间分布的主要影响因素,二者呈显著正相关。而土壤温度和土壤含水量是影响SMBC季节变化的主要外界因素。     

轮耕对双季稻田土壤全氮、有效磷、速效钾质量分数及水稻产量的影响

针对南方稻田连续免耕存在的主要问题,选择双季稻区连续7年免耕稻田,设置免耕-免耕（NT-NT）、翻耕-翻耕（CT-CT）、翻耕-免耕（CT-NT）、旋耕-旋耕（RT-RT）和旋耕-免耕（RT-NT）5个耕作处理,以连续免耕（NT-NT）作为对照,研究了不同轮耕技术对双季稻田土壤全氮、有效磷、速效钾质量分数和水稻产量的影响。结果表明：长期连续免耕稻田土壤全氮、有效磷均呈现表层（0～5 cm）富集的现象;CT-CT、RT-RT处理较对照趋向于提高5～20 cm土壤全氮、有效磷质量分数。与CT-CT、RT-RT相比,CT-NT和RT-NT均有利于提高表层0～5 cm土壤全氮、速效钾质量分数,降低5～20 cm土壤全氮、有效磷质量分数。各处理早稻的有效穗均显著高于对照,分别比对照增加10.4×10^4、16.82×10^4、32.04×10^4和28.34×104 hm-2;产量分别比对照提高17.85%、21.58%、3.0%和19.38%。各处理晚稻的有效穗均显著高于对照,分别比对照增加43.46×10^4、9.12×10^4、17.13×10^4和27.34×104 hm-2;产量分别比对照增加9.98%、8.25%、4.69%和7.68%。CT-NT处理有利于增加早稻和晚稻的产量。     

Long-term monitoring and source apportionment of PM2:5/PM10 in Beijing, China

During 2001-2006,PM2.5 (particle matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 microns) and PM10 (particle matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 microns) were collected at the Beijng Normal University (BNU) site,China,and in 2006,at a background site in Duolun (DL).The long-term monitoring data of elements,ions,and black carbon showed that the major constituents of PM2.5 were black carbon (BC) crustal elements,nitrates,ammonium salts,and sulfates.These five major components accounted for 20%-80% of...