Resource Potentials and Limitations of A Nicaraguan Agricultural Region

Food production has to be increased in a sustainable way to meet the future global demand. A key position is attributed to developing countries. A deepened understanding of their agricultural regions with specific resource endowments and constraints is therefore crucial. In this study we propose a methodology based on material flux analysis (MFA) to assess the resource potentials and limitations of a Nicaraguan agricultural region. We focus on current regional and farm resource management and explore them under two scenarios. Indicators are nitrogen and the degrees of self-sufficiency (DSS) for energy, and the staples maize and beans. As data is scarce, most information is based on interviews with farmers of four categories and key persons, and on literature. The results show that nitrogen management does not differ considerably among categories. Nitrogen is mined mostly from staple plots. Self-sufficiency for beans is given in an average year. Yet, landless and small farmers neither produce enough maize for autoconsumption, nor are they self-sufficient for firewood. Energy supply is also the core problem of the region, since the DSS is 70%. Soil nitrogen stocks last at most for three more generations. Analyses with the scenario technique show that: (a) Unlimited population growth has serious consequences in the near future e.g. severe shortage of energy and food. (b) Alternative farming systems are possible, but they require reducing the population by a factor 2, and thus the creation of jobs in a Hinterland. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Anthropogenic nitrogen sources and exports in a village-scale catchment in Southeast China

An experimental village-scale catchment was selected for investigation of nitrogen (N) sources and exports. The mean N application rate over the catchment was 350.2 kg N ha⁻¹, but this rate varied spatially and temporally. The N leaching loss rate varied from 8.1 to 52.7 kg N ha⁻¹ under different land use regimes. The average N leaching loss rate was 13.4 kg N ha⁻¹ over the whole catchment, representing about 3.8% of the total N inputs. The N export rate through stormflows was 28.8 kg N ha⁻¹, about 8.2% of the total N inputs. Seasonal patterns showed that 95% of N exports through stormflows occurred during July to September in 2002. Overall, the maximum riverine N exports were 12.1% of total N inputs and 15.5% of the inorganic fertilizer N applied. Understanding N sources and exports in a village-scale catchment can provide a knowledge base for amelioration of diffuse agricultural pollution.     

Effect of natural organic matter on arsenic release from soils and sediments into groundwater

Arsenic (As) contamination in groundwater has received significant attention recently. Natural and anthropogenic sources contribute to the worldwide occurrence of As contamination. As speciation is an important factor related to its toxic and mobile behavior. The release of As from soils and sediments into groundwater is governed by several geophysicochemical processes, of which, As sorption behavior is of principle significance. This review paper summarizes existing information regarding the effects of natural organic matter (NOM) on the fate and mobility of As species in the environment. NOM may enhance the release of As from soils and sediments into the soil solution, thereby facilitating As leaching into the groundwater. The main influencing mechanisms include competition for available adsorption sites, formation of aqueous complexes, and/or changes in the redox potential of site surfaces and As redox speciation. NOM may also serve as binding agents, thereby reducing As mobility. However, comparably little research has been performed on this aspect. Since most investigations have been done on purified minerals under laboratory conditions, further research involving various geological materials under natural environmental conditions is required. Development of proper geochemical conceptual models may provide means of predicting the role of NOM in arsenic leaching and/or immobilization.     

不同氮源和曝气方式对淡水藻类生长的影响

利用水族箱微宇宙研究了2种氮源水体中不同曝气条件对藻类生长的影响.试验使用铵态氮(NH₄⁺-N)和硝态氮(NO₃^--N)作为氮源,每种氮源水体分别设置不曝气、连续曝气、昼间曝气和夜间曝气4个处理.结果显示:试验初期以NH₄⁺-N为主要氮源的水体中藻类生长明显好于以NO₃^--N为主要氮源的水体.试验后期则以NO₃^--N为主要氮源的藻类生长情况更好.连续曝气对于2种氮源水体中藻类生长有着不同的影响;昼间曝气对2种氮源的藻类生长影响不大;而夜间曝气对藻类生长有明显的抑制作用.NH₄⁺-N含量较高的水体中蓝藻容易成为优势种,而NO₃^--N含量高的水体中则以绿藻为主.不同曝气条件下藻类优势种没有明显差别.     

固定源稀释通道的设计和外场测试研究

为研究固定源产生的颗粒物的污染情况,自行设计了固定源稀释通道采样装置以便模拟颗粒物在大气中的稀释扩散过程.该装置采用不同尺寸的采样嘴,以保证对烟道内的颗粒物等速采样,采样烟气与洁净空气在稀释腔内混合,腔内雷诺数典型值可以达到10000,保证了采样烟气和洁净空气能够稀释混合均匀.颗粒物在停留室中的停留时间达到90s,保证了颗粒物有足够的时间长大成核.将该装置应用于国内的9个燃煤、燃油固定源,取得了颗粒物的质量浓度、OC、EC组成、排放因子等数据.     

Formation and growth of indoor air aerosol particles as a result of d-limonene oxidation

Oxidation of d-limonene, which is a common monoterpene, can lead to new aerosol particle formation in indoor environments. Thus, products containing d-limonene, such as citrus fruits, air refresheners, household cleaning agents, and waxes, can act as indoor air aerosol particle sources. We released d-limonene into the room air by peeling oranges and measured the concentration of aerosol particles of three different size ranges. In addition, we measured the concentration of d-limonene, the oxidant, and the concentration of ozone, the oxidizing gas. Based on the measurements we calculated the growth rate of the small aerosol particles, which were 3–10 nm in diameter, to be about , and the losses of the aerosol particles that were due to the coagulation and condensation processes. From these, we further approximated the concentration of the condensable vapour and its source rate and then calculated the formation rate of the small aerosol particles. For the final result, we calculated the nucleation rate and the maximum number of molecules in a critical cluster. The nucleation rate was in the order of and the number of molecules in a critical-sized cluster became 1.2. The results were in agreement with the activation theory.     

外源性污染对太湖梅梁湾水质影响的定量化

通过太湖的水量水质数学模型,模拟了梅梁湾内主要的入湖污染源———直湖港、武进港和梁溪河排入的污染物质的迁移、转化规律;分析了梅梁湾中梅园、小湾里、闾江口、拖山4个监测点水质浓度受直湖港、武进港和梁溪河排污影响程度的大小;并分别建立了监测点污染物浓度与排污口排污量的响应关系曲线和响应关系表达式。通过这些结论可以方便的定量的计算出在排污口排污量发生变化的情况下监测点水质浓度的变化量,为合理控制外源污染物质的入湖量提供了技术支持。     

碳源对微生物硝酸盐异化还原成铵过程的影响

微生物通过异化性硝酸盐还原成铵(DNRA)途径,硝态氮转化为仍可生物再利用的铵盐。以琥珀酸钠、柠檬酸钠、酒石酸钾钠为碳源,研究碳源的差异对有氧条件下微生物通过DNRA途径产铵的影响。结果显示,以琥珀酸钠和柠檬酸钠为碳源,初始浓度为20 mmol/L是较佳的实验条件,此时C/N约为1.5～2.0,NH4+-N质量浓度30.0～45.0 mg/L,最高产铵率分别为29.9%和27.0%;以酒石酸钾钠为碳源则在初始浓度为30 mmol/L,C/N约为2.0,NH4+-N质量浓度为40.0～45.0 mg/L时,最高产铵率为30.7%。反硝化和DNRA过程是同时存在的,培养液中NO3--N浓度的下降伴随着中间产物NO2--N的积累和NH4+-N浓度的升高。     

LEC-M法在升船机施工安全评价中的应用

在升船机施工过程中,由于建筑物多为高坝垂直型,致使上下施工、内外施工和不同性质的施工同时进行,增加了作业条件的危险性,这给升船机施工中的安全管理带来很大困难.以升船机施工为出发点,分析升船机施工中的作业单元流程.按照事故分类的标准,将升船机施工的危险源按照高处坠落、物体打击、垮塌三类事故进行风险辨识.运用LEC-M法确定升船机施工各类危险源的安全风险等级评价,依据危险源评价所涉及到的具体条款,提出降低危险源风险的有效措施.该方法在三峡升船机筒体工程上得到具体应用,并取得良好效果.     

南方典型水源地及水产养殖区抗生素的复合污染特征及生态风险

抗生素作为生长促进剂和疾病预防控制药物在水产养殖领域得到广泛应用,目前在许多环境水体中检测到不同类型的抗生素。环境中抗生素的残留问题也是目前环境研究的热点问题之一。本研究选择南方某市8个水源地和5个典型水产养殖区作为研究对象,采用固相萃取、高效液相色谱串联三重四级杆质谱联用仪方法,调查了32种常用抗生素在水体中的含量水平和空间分布特征,揭示了抗生素的来源,并对其生态风险进行了评价。水源地共检出12种抗生素,浓度范围为0.12～44.6 ng·L~(-1),以磺胺甲噁唑含量最高;水产养殖区检出14种抗生素,浓度范围为0.95～716 ng·L~(-1),以氯四环素检出浓度最高。整体上水产养殖区抗生素的浓度高于水源地。抗生素浓度与环境因子的冗余分析表明,水产养殖和生活污水排放是水体中抗生素的主要来源。对检出的13种抗生素进行生态风险评价,单一抗生素而言,环丙沙星、氧氟沙星、磺胺嘧啶、氯四环素和脱水红霉素的风险商值大于0.01而小于0.1,表现为低风险。总抗生素风险商值加和在大部分水源地大于0.01而小于0.1,表现为低风险;总抗生素风险商值加和在2个水产养殖区大于0.1,表现为中等风险,水产养殖区抗生素的长期生态风险应该引起关注。