Impacts of invasive plants on ecosystems in natural reserves in Jiangsu of China

To estimate the impacts of invasive plants on ecosystems, a survey has been conducted in three sites including both buffer zones and core zones. 13, 19 species are found in the Yuntai Mountain and Longchi Mountain natural reserve respectively, and 23 in the Purple Mountain Natural Park. Altogether 25 species belonging to 12 families, the majority of which are native to North America, some of them have set up stable reproducible populations. Among them, Solidago canadensis is found in Longchi Mountain and Purple Mountain. Communities of Galinsoga parviflora, Gynura crepidioides, Ageratum conyzoides, and Ambrosia artemisiifolia pose a serious threat to local biodiversity.     

室内空气中颗粒物污染特征研究

为获得室内空气颗粒物污染特征,2009年8月18～24日在某单位工作及生活区选取4个室内点和1个室外点进行颗粒物采样和成分分析.结果表明,室内粗颗粒(PM10)符合<室内空气质量标准>(GB/T 18883-2002),而细粒子(PM2.5)的浓度水平较高,表明室内PM2.5的污染较重;室内与室外PM2.5比值显示,P...     

Dissipation,residues, and risk assessment of imidacloprid in Zizania latifolia and purple sweet potato under field conditions using LC-MS/MS

A shortened version of Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe method (QuEChERS) for determining the dissipation and residue of imidacloprid present in Zizania latifolia and purple sweet potato was established by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The average recoveries of imidacloprid in the two crops ranged from 82.12 to 113.79%, with relative standard deviation (RSD) of <7.32%. The dissipation dynamics of imidacloprid in Z. latifolia plants and purple sweet potato plants followed first-order kinetics, with half-lives of 3.2–5.5?days in each of sampling locations. The terminal imidacloprid residues in Z. latifolia and purple sweet potato at each of location were <0.005–0.120?mg kg^?1. According to the risk assessment results, both the acute dietary risk quotient and chronic dietary risk quotient values were <1, indicating that imidacloprid is unlikely to pose health risks to humans with normal recommended use. The present study may serve as a valuable reference for the safe and reasonable use of imidacloprid in Z. latifolia and purple sweet potato fields.     

Supported Pd/Sn bimetallic nanoparticles for reductive dechlorination of aqueous trichloroethylene

A Pd/Sn bimetallic nanoparticles resin (nano-Pd/Sn/resin) was successfully synthesized for reductive transformation of aqueous trichloroethylene (TCE). The physicochemical properties of the prepared resin were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, N(2) isothermal sorption at and X-ray photospectroscopy. The surface-area-normalized rate constants (k(SA)) of Sn particles in the nanoscale range (50-100 nm) were 4.5 times larger than the k(SA) for powdered Sn (0.04 mm). After depositing 1 wt% Pd onto nano-Sn surface, k(SA) was further enhanced by about a factor of 2. Groundwater constituents such as sulfide nitrate and dissolved oxygen had significant negative effects on the rate of TCE degradation by the nano-Pd/Sn/resin. A wet-chemical method regeneration method was observed to effectively restore the reactivity of the poisoned nano-Pd/Sn/resin after dipping in sulfide solution for 2d. In all cases, less than 0.5% of the degraded TCE appeared as chlorinated byproducts including the three dichloroethene isomers. The nano-Pd/Sn/resin technique performs well in transforming TCE into nontoxic hydrocarbons, as compared with other published methods.     

Outlier identification and visualization for Pb concentrations in urban soils and its implications for identification of potential contaminated land

Outliers in urban soil geochemical databases may imply potential contaminated land. Different methodologies which can be easily implemented for the identification of global and spatial outliers were applied for Pb concentrations in urban soils of Galway City in Ireland. Due to its strongly skewed probability feature, a Box–Cox transformation was performed prior to further analyses. The graphic methods of histogram and box-and-whisker plot were effective in identification of global outliers at the original scale of the dataset. Spatial outliers could be identified by a local indicator of spatial association of local Moran's I, cross-validation of kriging, and a geographically weighted regression. The spatial locations of outliers were visualised using a geographical information system. Different methods showed generally consistent results, but differences existed. It is suggested that outliers identified by statistical methods should be confirmed and justified using scientific knowledge before they are properly dealt with.     

石漠化治理区小尺度土地利用变化及其驱动机制分析——以花江石漠化治理区为例

研究石漠化治理区小尺度土地利用变化,将有助于深入分析和研究喀斯特地区土地利用变化的时空变化规律、驱动力及资源环境效应。运用逐步多元回归方法,分析石漠化治理区小尺度土地利用变化及其驱动机制。研究表明:(1)2005~2012年,研究区石漠化面积有所减少,由2 824.23 hm2减少到2 777.60 hm2,减少了46.63 hm2,占2005年石漠化面积的1.65%;石漠化程度呈现从重变轻的趋势,无石漠化和中度石漠化面积分别增加12.68%和3.08%,潜在石漠化、轻度石漠化和强度石漠化分别减少5.11%、2.07%和5.24%。其中,稳定型石漠化区域面积最大,占喀斯特面积的95.40%;土地利用变化面积比重为1.15%,土地利用较为稳定。恢复型石漠化区域面积占喀斯特面积的3.95%;土地利用变化面积比重为40.64%,土地利用变化剧烈。退化型石漠化区域面积最小,仅占喀斯特面积的0.65%;土地利用变化面积比重为22.21%,土地利用变化较明显。(2)土地利用变化以园地减少为主要特征,其变化主要由农户的劳动力文化程度变化、劳动力比重变化、本地务工收入变化和外出务工收入变化等4个因子驱动产生。其中,园地变化与本地务工收入变化指数呈显著的正相关关系,回归系数为0.691;与劳动力文化程度变化指数、劳动力比重变化指数和外出务工收入变化指数呈显著的负相关关系,回归系数分别为-0.472、-9.735和-0.443。劳动力比重变化指数是引起园地发生变化的最主要驱动因子。(3)国家因生态文明建设需求而施行退耕还林(草)政策和工业化、城镇化战略,农户因脱贫致富需要而提高文化素质和调整从业行为,分别从宏观和微观两个层面促进石漠化治理区的劳动力转移和产业转型,进而共同驱动了石漠化治理区的土地利用变化。     

Emission factors of particulate matter,polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,and levoglucosan from wood combustion in south-central Chile

In south-central Chile, wood stoves have been identified as an important source of air pollution in populated areas. Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), Chilean oak (Nothofagus oblique), and mimosa (Acacia dealbata) were burned in a single-chamber slow-combustion wood stove at a controlled testing facility located at the University of Concepción, Chile. In each experiment, 2.7–3.1 kg of firewood were combusted while continuously monitoring temperature, exhaust gases, burn rate, and collecting particulate matter samples in Teflon filters under isokinetic conditions for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and levoglucosan analyses. Mean particulate matter emission factors were 2.03, 4.06, and 3.84 g/kg dry wood for eucalyptus, oak, and mimosa, respectively. The emission factors were inversely correlated with combustion efficiency. The mean emission factors of the sums of 12 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in particle phases were 1472.5, 2134.0, and 747.5 μg/kg for eucalyptus, oak, and mimosa, respectively. Fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, and chrysene were present in the particle phase in higher proportions compared with other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that were analyzed. Mean levoglucosan emission factors were 854.9, 202.3, and 328.0 mg/kg for eucalyptus, oak, and mimosa, respectively. Since the emissions of particulate matter and other pollutants were inversely correlated with combustion efficiency, implementing more efficient technologies would help to reduce air pollutant emissions from wood combustion.

Implications: Residential wood burning has been identified as a significant source of air pollution in populated areas. Local wood species are combusted for home cooking and heating, which releases several toxic air pollutants, including particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Air pollutant emissions depend on the type of wood and the technology and operational conditions of the wood stove. A better understanding of emissions from local wood species and wood stove performance would help to identify better biomass fuels and wood stove technologies in order to reduce air pollution from residential wood burning.     

Evaluating Environmental Parameters for Minimum Ammonium Losses during Composting of Trimming Residues

Abstract

A neural fuzzy system was used to investigate the influence of environmental variables (time, aeration, moisture, and particle size) on composting parameters (pH, organic matter [OM], nitrogen [N], ammonium nitrogen [NH₄ ⁺-N] and nitrate nitrogen [NO₃ ^--N]). This was to determine the best composting conditions to ensure the maximum quality on the composts obtained with the minimum ammonium losses. A central composite experimental design was used to obtain the neural fuzzy model for each dependent variable. These models, consisting of the four independent process variables, were found to accurately describe the composting process (the differences between the experimental values and those estimated by using the equations never exceeded 5–10% of the former). Results of the modeling showed that creating a product with acceptable chemical properties (pH, NH₄ ⁺-N and NO₃ ^--N) entails operating at medium moisture content (55%) and medium to high particle size (3–5 cm). Moderate to low aeration (0.2 L air/min · kg) would be the best compromise to compost this residue because of the scant statistical influence of this independent variable.     

低频超声波预处理污泥的实验研究

污泥水解是污泥厌氧消化过程中的限速步骤,为提高污泥厌氧消化效率,采用低频超声波技术对污泥进行预处理,考察超声波作用时间以及声能密度对污泥预处理效果的影响.结果表明,低频超声波预处理可分散污泥絮体,使污泥内有机物大量溶出,提高污泥的厌氧消化性能.延长超声波作用时间或增加声能密度均有助于污泥中有机物、氮、磷等物质的释放.当超声波声能密度为0.138 W/mL时,超声波作用20 min后,上清液溶解性COD(SCOD)、TN、TP分别为初始的11.7、4.1、9.9倍.挥发酸(VFA)的增加量取决于超声波频率,低频超声波对VFA无显著影响.超声波预处理对污泥絮体有很强的破碎作用,使胞外聚合物(EPS)溶解释放,当声能密度为0.034、0.069、0.138 W/mL时,超声波作用20 min后,污泥上清液中的蛋白质质量浓度由初始的28.3 mg/L分别增加到79.4、108.7、142.9 mg/L;糖类质量浓度由初始的41.2 mg/L增加到142.7、175.8、240.4 mg/L.     

洞庭湖湿地土壤持水能力及其影响因素研究

土壤持水能力是反映土壤调节水文和供给植物耗水的重要指标,受土壤有机质、容重、机械组成和植物地下生物量的直接或间接影响。与森林和农田生态系统相比,湿地土壤持水能力关注较少。于2010年12月,对洞庭湖湿地3种主要植被（苔草、芦苇和杨树）土壤持水能力、土壤理化性质和地下生物量进行了调查,并采用主成分分析对影响土壤持水能力的主要环境因子进行了分析。结果表明：除非毛管孔隙度外,3种植被上层土壤的总孔隙度、毛管孔隙度、田间持水量和含水量差异显著,均为苔草＞芦苇=杨树,而中、下层无显著差异。沙粒为苔草≥杨树≥芦苇,而粗粉粒、细粉粒和粘粒均为杨树≥芦苇≥苔草;容重为杨树≥芦苇＞苔草,有机质为苔草=芦苇＞杨树。各级别生物量在植被类型大小顺序不一：总地下生物量、0～1 mm和＞5 mm径级地下生物量均以芦苇最大,而1～5 mm径级地下生物量则以苔草最大。主成分分析表明,上层土壤,容重、有机质和1～5 mm径级地下生物量是影响其持水能力的主要因素,而中层土壤和下层土壤,环境因子对土壤持水能力的影响很小。此研究对于洞庭湖生物多样性保护和湿地管理政策的制定具有重要意义