Reactive transport of uranium(VI) and phosphate in a goethite-coated sand column: an experimental study

The migration of uranium(VI) in subsurface environments is strongly influenced by its adsorption/desorption reactions at the solid/solution interface. Phosphate is often present in subsurface systems and was shown to significantly affect U(VI) adsorption in previous batch experiments. In this study, column experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of phosphate on U(VI) adsorption and transport under flow conditions. The adsorption of U(VI) and phosphate was very low on pure quartz sand with negligible effects on U(VI) and phosphate transport. However, U(VI) and phosphate transport was retarded in a column packed with goethite-coated sand. The presence of phosphate, either as a co-solute with U(VI) or pre-adsorbed, greatly increased U(VI) adsorption and retardation. U(VI) and phosphate adsorption in our column experiments were rate-limited, and the adsorption of U(VI) and phosphate was not reversible, with kinetic limitations more pronounced for desorption than for adsorption. This study demonstrated the importance of phosphate in controlling U(VI) mobility in subsurface environments and helped illustrate some phenomena potentially applicable to U(VI) adsorption and transport in natural systems, especially where U(VI) adsorption is rate-limited.     

The landscape pattern characteristics of coastal wetlands in Jiaozhou Bay Under The Impact Of Human Activities

In this study, we interpreted coastal wetland types from an ASTER satellite image in 2002, and then compared the results with the land-use status of coastal wetlands in 1952 to determine the wetland loss and degradation around Jiaozhou Bay. Seven types of wetland landscape were classified, namely: shallow open water, inter-tidal flats, estuarine water, brackish marshes, salt ponds, fishery ponds and ports. Several landscape pattern indices were analysed: the results indicate that the coastal wetlands have been seriously degraded. More and more natural wetlands have been transformed into artificial wetlands, which covered about 33.7% of the total wetlands in 2002. In addition, we used a defined model to assess the impacts of human activities on coastal wetlands. The results obtained show that the coastal wetlands of Jiaozhou Bay have suffered severe human disturbance. Effective coastal management and control is therefore needed to solve the issues of the coastal wetland loss and degradation existing in this area.     

Determination of naphthalene by competitive fluorescence immunoassay

A reliable and sensitive competitive fluorescence immunoassay for the quantitative determination of naphthalene (NA) was developed. 2-naphthoxy acetic acid (NAA) was selected as the hapten of naphthalene. Active ester method (AEM) was used to couple the NAA to carrier proteins (bovine serum albumin) to form artificial immune antigen. Male New Zealand white rabbits were immunized with this antigen to obtain polyclonal antibodies, with which, a novel fluorescence immunoassay for detection of NA was described. Under best conditions, NA can be determined in the concentration range of 0.1-100 microg/L with a detection limit of 0.05 microg/L. The cross-reactivities of the anti-NA antibody to seven structurally related compounds were below 15%. Some environmental samples were analyzed with satisfactory results. It shows a good accuracy and suitability to analyze NA in environmental water.     

Evaluating Phosphorus Loss for Watershed Management: Integrating a Weighting Scheme of Watershed Heterogeneity into Export Coefficient Model

The identification of critical source areas (CSAs) and critical source periods (CSPs) are essential prerequisites for cost-effective practices of non-point source (NPS) pollution control. A simple empirical tool combining Export Coefficient Model (ECM) and a Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based weighting scheme of watershed heterogeneity was proposed to estimate annual and monthly phosphorus loss, to identify critical source areas and periods, and to assess pollution control practices. The GIS-based weighting scheme was developed to represent the transport potential of runoff to move phosphorus from the land surfaces to waters, as a supplement to the source-based ECM. The empirical tool was applied to the Dianchi Lake watershed of China. The results showed that the total phosphorus loss from NPS in 2008 was 352.3 tons. The agricultural land was recognized as the largest and the most spatially various source type. The lakeside plain and the terraces of the watershed were identified as CSAs, which generated more than 90 % of non-point phosphorus. The early part of wet season (from May to August) was the CSPs, when about 70 % of non-point phosphorus was lost. The reduction of phosphorus fertilizers and the vegetated buffer strips (VBS) were effective in controlling phosphorus loss from NPS in the watershed. A reduction of 20 % in phosphorus fertilizer application combined with the set-up of VBS in both riparian area of the main watercourses and the lakeside areas would decrease 25 % of phosphorus loss.     

Source separation of household waste: a case study in China

A pilot program concerning source separation of household waste was launched in Hangzhou, capital city of Zhejiang province, China. Detailed investigations on the composition and properties of household waste in the experimental communities revealed that high water content and high percentage of food waste are the main limiting factors in the recovery of recyclables, especially paper from household waste, and the main contributors to the high cost and low efficiency of waste disposal. On the basis of the investigation, a novel source separation method, according to which household waste was classified as food waste, dry waste and harmful waste, was proposed and performed in four selected communities. In addition, a corresponding household waste management system that involves all stakeholders, a recovery system and a mechanical dehydration system for food waste were constituted to promote source separation activity. Performances and the questionnaire survey results showed that the active support and investment of a real estate company and a community residential committee play important roles in enhancing public participation and awareness of the importance of waste source separation. In comparison with the conventional mixed collection and transportation system of household waste, the established source separation and management system is cost-effective. It could be extended to the entire city and used by other cities in China as a source of reference.     

室内空气中挥发性有机物的释放特征分析

房屋装修后1周、1个月、3个月、6个月、12个月采集其室内空气样品进行甲醛、苯系物浓度的测定,分析释放规律;另选某处新居于装修后24 h、1周、1个月且密闭状态下采集室内空气中总挥发性有机化合物(TVOC)样品分析研究.结果表明,房屋装修后12个月内甲醛浓度随时间呈非线性递减,多项式回归方程为:y=0.277 13-0.199 72x+0.079 74x2-0.011 67x3+0.000 525 61x4,其中y为甲醛质量浓度,mg/m3;x为时间,月;各苯系物浓度也随时间呈逐渐下降趋势,且通过SPSS13.0软件进行Spearman相关性分析,发现各苯系物间显著相关;装修后不同时间段室内空气中TVOC组分发生变化,随着房屋封闭时间延长,TVOC浓度超标严重;TVOC组分的增多或减少是由于室内装修材料TVOC释放的增强或减弱,以及门窗缝隙所带来的微弱通风造成,无二次污染物的生成.     

中亚五国气溶胶光学厚度时空分布特征研究

气溶胶时空变化是影响气溶胶气候效应不确定性的主要因素之一.在生态环境脆弱的中亚五国(哈萨克斯坦、乌兹别克斯坦、土库曼斯坦、吉尔吉斯斯坦和塔吉克斯坦)研究气溶胶光学厚度(Aerosol Optical Depth,AOD)的时空变化对中亚地区及全球生态环境和气候变化具有重要意义.基于2002-2019年MODIS 04_...     

Spatial heterogeneity of greenhouse gas emissions from cereal crop production in China

Environmental Chemistry Letters - China is a major producer of wheat, maize and rice, which generates massive greenhouse gas emissions due to the consumption of elevated amounts of energy, land,...     

Spectroscopic characterization and photochemistry of the Criegee intermediate CF3C(H)OO

Criegee intermediates (CIs), also known as carbonyl oxide, are reactive intermediates that play an important role in the atmospheric chemistry. Investigation on the structures and reactivity of CIs is of fundamental importance in understanding the underlying mechanism of their atmospheric reactions. In sharp contrast to the intensively studied parent molecule (CH₂OO) and the alkyl-substituted derivatives, the knowledge about the fluorinated analogue CF₃C(H)OO is scarce. By carefully heating the triplet carbene CF₃CH in an O₂-doped Ar-matrix to 35 K, the elusive carbonyl oxide CF₃C(H)OO in syn- and anti-conformations has been generated and characterized with infrared (IR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. The spectroscopic identification is supported by ¹⁸O-labeling experiments and quantum chemical calculations at the B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) and MP2/6-311++G(2d,2p) levels. Upon the long-wavelength irradiation (λ > 680 nm), both conformers of CF₃C(H)OO decompose to give trifluoroacetaldehyde CF₃C(H)O and simultaneously rearrange to the isomeric dioxirane, cyclic-CF₃CH(OO), which undergoes isomerization to the lowest-energy carboxylic acid CF₃C(O)OH upon UV-light excitation at 365 nm. The O₂-oxidation of CF₃CH via the intermediacy of CF₃C(H)OO and cyclic-CF₃CH(OO) might provide new insight into the mechanism for the degradation of hydro-chlorofluorocarbon CF₃CHCl₂ (HCFC-123) in the atmosphere.