Study on the effect of porous fence on air quality and traffic noise level around a double-decked road structure

Fence for traffic noise control sometimes causes adverse effect on air pollution. Thus in this study, performance of porous fence as a tool for control of both air pollution and noise pollution was evaluated. A two-dimensional numerical model for flow and pollutant concentration and an analytical model for traffic noise were utilized in the analysis of a double-decked road structure with fences only at ground (Case 1) and at both ground and upper deck (Case 2). Porous fences were assumed only at the ground level since the solid fences at the upper deck usually leads to desirable result on air pollution. Effects of the variable porosity on air quality and noise level near road were evaluated. Obtained results showed: (1) flow pattern in leeward of fence was drastically changed at 40–50% porosity in Case 1 and 50% in Case 2. The porosity larger than 40% excluded presence of a circulation behind the fence. (2) Effect of porous fence on air pollution was different in Cases 1 and 2. In Case 1, the porous fence generally resulted in the reduction of air pollution at the ground level; on the other hand, in Case 2, it rather led to increase of the concentration. (3) Traffic noise level was also largely changed by the porosity of the fence; an example of simultaneous evaluation of the effects of porous fence on both air and noise pollution in Case 1 showed that the fence of 60% porosity leads to reduction of air pollution by 20% compared with solid fence case, and reduction of noise pollution by 4–6% in dB compared with no fence case, at l m high and 10 m from the road.     

Linking Land Cover and Water Quality in New York City’S Water Supply Watersheds

The Catskill/Delaware reservoirs supply 90% of New York City’s drinking water. The City has implemented a series of watershed protection measures, including land acquisition, aimed at preserving water quality in the Catskill/Delaware watersheds. The objective of this study was to examine how relationships between landscape and surface water measurements change between years. Thirty-two drainage areas delineated from surface water sample points (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and fecal coliform bacteria concentrations) were used in step-wise regression analyses to test landscape and surface-water quality relationships. Two measurements of land use, percent agriculture and percent urban development, were positively related to water quality and consistently present in all regression models. Together these two land uses explained 25 to 75% of the regression model variation. However, the contribution of agriculture to water quality condition showed a decreasing trend with time as overall agricultural land cover decreased. Results from this study demonstrate that relationships between land cover and surface water concentrations of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and fecal coliform bacteria counts over a large area can be evaluated using a relatively simple geographic information system method. Land managers may find this method useful for targeting resources in relation to a particular water quality concern, focusing best management efforts, and maximizing benefits to water quality with minimal costs.The United States Environmental Protection Agency through its Office of Research and Development funded and managed the research described here. It has been subjected to Agency’s administrative review and approved for publication as an EPA document.     

Evaluation of Water Quality in the Chillán River (Central Chile) Using Physicochemical Parameters and a Modified Water Quality Index

The Chillán River in Central Chile plays a fundamental role in local society, as a source of irrigation and drinking water, and as a sink for urban wastewater. In order to characterize the spatial and temporal variability of surface water quality in the watershed, a Water Quality Index (WQI) was calculated from nine physicochemical parameters, periodically measured at 18 sampling sites (January–November 2000). The results indicated a good water quality in the upper and middle parts of the watershed. Downstream of the City of Chillán, water quality conditions were critical during the dry season, mainly due to the effects of the urban wastewater discharge. On the basis of the results from a Principal Component Analysis (PCA), modifications were introduced into the original WQI to reduce the costs associated with its implementation. WQI_DIR2 and WQI_DIR, which are both based on a laboratory analysis (Chemical Oxygen Demand) and three (pH, temperature and conductivity), respectively, four field measurements (pH, temperature, conductivity and Dissolved Oxygen), adequately reproduce the most important spatial and temporal variations observed with the original index. They are proposed as useful tools for monitoring global water quality trends in this and other, similar agricultural watersheds in the Chilean Central Valley. Possibilities and limitations for the application of the used methodology to watersheds in other parts of the world are discussed.     

南水北调东平湖水质变化趋势分析研究

采用了季节性肯达尔法水质趋势分析方法,分析了1984～2000年东平湖水质的变化情况,目前东平湖水质一般为Ⅴ类、Ⅵ类,个别年份为超Ⅴ类,氨氮平均值历年变化不大,一般均符合Ⅰ Ⅲ类水质,挥发酚和砷含量甚小,各年均符合Ⅰ类水。     

土壤重金属污染的灰色模糊评价

以灰色聚类为基础，提出了灰色模糊聚类分析法，并将其应用于土壤环境质量评价中，经实例分析表明，这是一种较为简便，合理、有效的评价方法。     

城市空气质量日报自动发布系统的研究与开发

详细介绍了“城市空气质量日报自动发布系统”的开发背景和开发过程 ,并对系统整体的架构和所用到的技术作了针对性的说明 ,阐明了作者对此类系统的前景和发展方向的看法。     

“入世”对我国环境监测工作的影响及对策初探

加入 WTO后 ,我国环境监测工作将面临重大的挑战和机遇 ,文章初步分析了入世对我国环境监测工作的正负面影响以及现存的若干问题 ,积极探索了环境监测工作的新战略和新思路 ,提出了创建新体制和适应新形势的对策。     

城市环境空气质量监测网格实测法优化布点研究质量保证

质量保证体系是网格实测法环境空气质量监测优化布点研究工作的重要组成 ,该体系可确保实测数据准确可靠和研究成果质量 ,具有可操作性并已在实践中应用 ,取得满意效果     

B-P网络应用于地下水水质监测点优选

以地下水水质评价分级标准作为训练样本,构造B-P网络模型对其进行训练,用训练好的B-P网络对某地的地下水水质监测点进行评判、优选。并与其它方法的结果进行比较,结果表明,B-P网络用于环境测点优选不仅原理直观,而且具有较好的客观性和实用性。     

基于B-P神经网络的环境质量评价方法

提出可将环境质量评价的无论是定量指标还是定性参数转化成"二进制"的"1"或"0",进而将这种二进制数引入B-P网络.通过实例探讨,这种新的B-P网络既适用于定量指标的水质参数又适用于定性指标的水质参数.