Cadmium-induced DNA damage and mutations in Arabidopsis plantlet shoots identified by DNA fingerprinting

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) test is a feasible method to evaluate the toxicity of environmental pollutants on vegetal organisms. Herein, Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) plantlets following Cadmium (Cd) treatment for 26 d were screened for DNA genetic alterations by DNA fingerprinting. Four primers amplified 20-23 mutated RAPD fragments in 0.125-3.0 mg L⁻¹ Cd-treated Arabidopsis plantlets, respectively. Cloning and sequencing analysis of eight randomly selected mutated fragments revealed 99-100% homology with the genes of VARICOSE-Related, SLEEPY1 F-box, 40S ribosomal protein S3, phosphoglucomutase, and noncoding regions in Arabidopsis genome correspondingly. The results show the ability of RAPD analysis to detect significant genetic alterations in Cd-exposed seedlings. Although the exact functional importance of the other mutated bands is unknown, the presence of mutated loci in Cd-treated seedlings, prior to the onset of significant physiological effects, suggests that these altered loci are the early events in Cd-treated Arabidopsis seedlings and would greatly improve environmental risk assessment.     

Can Labor Out-Migration Reduce Firewood Consumption by Rural Households in Western Mountainous China

The relationship between out-migration of labor in the Qinling mountain area and households’ firewood consumption is explored. Migration and remittances reduce households’ firewood consumption due to increases in both income and opportunity cost of firewood collection. Previous studies have been equivocal because they ignored uncertainty in household economy, which is widespread in forest areas of less developed countries. This study provides additional insight by considering vulnerability and subjective assessment of poverty generated by unstable income and an uncertain future. We provide evidence that the amount of firewood consumed depends on income and opportunity cost of firewood collection, but also on a prudent consumption strategy, due to farmers’ subjective assessment of their future possible poverty. We also find out-migration of labor can reduce per capita firewood consumption but subjective poverty also acts against reduction of firewood consumption.     

Optimal heat rejection pressure for transcritical CO2 refrigeration cycle with an expander

Heat rejection pressure plays an important role in designing a transcritical CO₂ refrigeration system, and it has an optimal value to maximize the system’s coefficient of performance (COP). With a thermodynamic simulation model, the optimal heat rejection pressure is studied in the paper for an expander cycle, as well as conventional throttle valve cycle. The effects of compressor efficiency, expander efficiency, gas cooler outlet temperature, and evaporation temperature on the optimal heat rejection pressure are analyzed. It is the first time for a transcritical CO₂ expander cycle that the optimal heat rejection pressure is correlated with the gas cooler outlet temperature and the evaporation temperature at given compressor efficiency and expander efficiency. The average deviation from the correlation to simulation results is less than 1.0%. The correlation provides a guideline to system development and performance optimization of a transcritical CO₂ expander cycle.     

重庆主城区建设用地扩展的时空特征及驱动因子分析

以多时相的遥感影像为基础,选用归一化裸露指数（NDBI）、重归一植被指数（RDVI）和改进的归一化水体指数（修改后的NDWI）,通过阈值分割、掩膜处理提取建设用地信息,结合重庆主城区的社会经济数据,利用扩展速度指数、扩展强度指数、扩展弹性指数、紧凑度指数、建设用地扩展系数及扩展方向分析研究了不同阶段建设用地扩展的时空动态特征,并运用灰色关联分析,对建设用地扩展的驱动因子进行探讨。结果表明：1988～2011年重庆主城区建设用地扩展了39332 km2,扩展速度和扩展强度呈现增大的趋势;扩展弹性系数、建设用地扩展系数波动变化,反映了重庆主城区建设用地逐渐由粗放型向集约型转变;建设用地扩展的空间分析表明重庆主城区的城市形态由非紧凑型向紧凑型发展,同时扩展方向具有明显的分异性,主要向正北和西北方向扩展;人口增长,尤其是城市人口的增长是重庆主城区建设用地扩展最主要的驱动因子;经济发展、产业结构变化与建设用地的扩展也有明显的相关性     

Residents’ concerns and attitudes toward a municipal solid waste landfill: integrating a questionnaire survey and GIS techniques

The ever-growing industry of municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal appeals to the growing need for disposal facilities, and MSW treatment facilities are increasingly an environmental and public health concern. Residents living near MSW management facilities are confronted with various risk perceptions, especially odour. In this study, in an effort to assist responsible decision-makers in better planning and managing such a project, a structured questionnaire was designed and distributed to assess the nearby residents’ concerns and attitudes surrounding the Laogang Landfill in Shanghai. Geographic information system techniques and relevance analysis were employed to conduct the spatial analysis of physical perceptions, especially odour annoyance. The findings of the research indicate that a significant percentage of the responding sample was aware of the negative impacts of landfills on the environment and public health, and residents in close proximity preferred to live farther from the landfill. The results from the spatial analysis demonstrated a definite degree of correlation between odour annoyance and distance to the facility and proved that the benefits of the socially disadvantaged have been neglected. The research findings also direct attention to the important role of public participation, information disclosure, transparency in management, and mutual communication to avoid conflicts and build social trust.     

电解后处理法与传统后处理法生产人造金刚石对比分析

传统的金刚石生产中提纯工艺采用大量的硝酸、硫酸和盐酸进行处理,会产生大量的有害气体、含酸废水和含有大量镍等重金属离子的废弃物,既浪费资源义对环境造成严重污染.通过实验在生产工艺中增加了电解工序,把电解工序应用于酸煮去杂工序之前,用电化学的方法回收80%以上的金属镍,提高了后处理效率,达到在生产过程中控制和减少污染物的产生,从源头上减少化工原料的投入和使用.以年产18亿克拉人造金刚石企业为个案,对比了粉体触媒法合成高品级人造金刚石生产中用电解法后处理与传统的酸煮法后处理2种工艺中污染物产生、处理费用和效益.结果表明,与传统的酸煮法后处理2种工艺相比,电解法后处理工艺可使混合酸(硝酸、硫酸和盐酸)用量减少11 400 t/a,含镍污泥产生量减少2 250 t/a,生产废水排放量减少10.05万m3/a,氢氧化钠(30%)用量减少1 300 t/a,新鲜水用量减少16万m3/a,而用电量和柴油用量分别增加1 000万kWh/a和200 t/a,由此年创利润916万元.     

A novel model of organic waste composting in Taiwan military community

The relatively large quantities of waste generated daily in military barracks pose a significant impact on environments in this small island of Taiwan due to limited land and crowded populations. In order to find a suitable handling method to the barracks' characteristics in Taiwan, a comprehensive selection model for various barracks carrying out waste composting was established through personal interviews and questionnaire data analyses on the military barracks. From this, the basic data for this research was also built, to evaluate the experiences and management practices in these facilities. This study found that environmental responsibility and expertise are the primary concerns and considerations among all of the military units when doing waste composting. Support of the commander, organizational image and human resource/facilities are also concerns. To offer the military barracks a selection model and policy guidelines for the waste composting treatment, an itemized score evaluation standard and a selecting chart of composting recycling methods were designed by combining the practical experimental results with economic considerations, waste classification, and Delphi expert technique.     

凤眼莲净化含酚污水的研究——Ⅰ.盆栽和氧化塘试验及几种环境条件对除酚的影响

通过盆栽、模拟箱和氧化塘中凤眼莲净化含酚污水的试验表明:放养凤眼莲能使除酚过程加快,在0.6—10mg/L酚浓度范围内,植物净化速率为一般自然净化速率的2—3倍。在温度17—37℃范围内,凤眼莲均能明显加速酚水的净化。光照强度对凤眼莲净化酚水速率无显著影响。平衡地提高水中矿质营养元素的浓度,能加速除酚的过程。 水中含酚量小于1mg/L不造成植株中酚的残留;6mg/L以下酚含量增加亦不明显;10mg/L以上则随酚浓度的提高,植株中酚含量成倍增加。     

电子束烟气脱硫技术工业化示范

成都电厂电子束烟气脱硫示范工程处理该厂２００ＭＷ机组锅炉的３０万Ｎｍ＾２／ｈ烟气。其脱硫率及脱硝率均超过８０％及１０％设计值，处理过程为干法，无废水废渣，副产品硫铵可用作化肥，过程对烟气ＳＯ２浓度及烟气量的变化有较好的适应性和负荷跟踪性。