Functional traits of poplar leaves and fine roots responses to ozone pollution under soil nitrogen addition

Concurrent ground-level ozone（O₃） pollution and anthropogenic nitrogen（N） deposition can markedly influence dynamics and productivity in forests.Most studies evaluating the functional traits responses of rapid-turnover organs to O₃ have specifically examined leaves,despite fine roots are another major source of soil carbon and nutrient input in forest ecosystems.How elevated O₃ levels impact fine root biomass and biochemistry remains to be resolved.This study was...     

Development of a standardized in vitro approach to evaluate microphysical, chemical, and toxicological properties of combustion-derived fine and ultrafine particles

Ultrafine particles represent a growing concern in the public health community but their precise role in many illnesses is still unknown. This lack of knowledge is related to the experimental difficulty in linking their biological effects to their multiple properties, which are important determinants of toxicity. Our aim is to propose an interdisciplinary approach to study fine(FP) and ultrafine(UFP) particles, generated in a controlled manner using a mini CAST(Combustion Aerosol Standard) soot ...     

Biological Effects of Fine Sediment in the Lotic Environment

/ Although sedimentation is a naturally occurring phenomenon inrivers, land-use changes have resulted in an increase in anthropogenicallyinduced fine sediment deposition. Poorly managed agricultural practices,mineral extraction, and construction can result in an increase in suspendedsolids and sedimentation in rivers and streams, leading to a decline inhabitat quality. The nature and origins of fine sediments in the loticenvironment are reviewed in relation to channel and nonchannel sources andthe impact of human activity. Fine sediment transport and deposition areoutlined in relation to variations in streamflow and particle sizecharacteristics. A holistic approach to the problems associated with finesediment is outlined to aid in the identification of sediment sources,transport, and deposition processes in the river catchment. The multiplecauses and deleterious impacts associated with fine sediments on riverinehabitats, primary producers, macroinvertebrates, and fisheries are identifiedand reviewed to provide river managers with a guide to source material. Therestoration of rivers with fine sediment problems are discussed in relationto a holistic management framework to aid in the planning and undertaking ofmitigation measures within both the river channel and surrounding catchmentarea.KEY WORDS: Sedimentation; Fine sediment; Holistic approach; Ecologicalimpact; River restoration     

上海市微小颗粒物污染现状调查与分析

对上海市PM2.5的污染现状进行了调查与分析，在2000～2001年间对上海市7个采样点的PM2.5进行了样品采集，初步得到了上海市PM2.5浓度的时间变化规律。全市7个监测点的PM2.5年平均浓度值为60．1μg／m^3，其中市区6个监测点PM2.5的年平均浓度位为65．2μg／m^3，清洁对照点南汇监测点PM2.5的年平均浓度值为41．3μg／m^3；市区冬季的PM2.5月平均浓度值最高，达到80．2μg／m^3,夏季的PM2．5月平均浓度值最低，为35．9μg／m^3，春季和秋季的月平均浓度值分别为72．6μg／m^3，70．4μg／m^3。上海的年平均PM2.5浓度值与美国的标准值(15μg／m^3)相比，超标情况是相当严重的。     

电厂煤粉炉燃煤二氧化硫转化率研究

通过测定10台电厂煤粉炉出口烟气二氧化硫排放量，并根据物料衡算，得到了燃煤中硫转化为烟气中二氧化硫的转化率，结果表明，平均转化率为93．8％。可见，电厂煤粉炉燃煤中硫转化为烟气中二氧化硫的转化率选取90％是适宜的。同时，根据以上结果，得到了电厂煤粉炉二氧化硫排放量的估算式。     

PM2.5 exposure induces age-dependent hepatic lipid metabolism disorder in female mice

Particulate matter exposure has been described to elevate the risk of lung and cardiovascular diseases.An increasing number of recent studies have indicated positive correlations between PM_(2.5)(the fraction of airborne particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than2.5 μm) exposure and the risk of liver diseases.However,research on the effects of PM_(2.5)exposure on liver fat synthesis,secretion,and clearance mechanisms under normal diet conditions is limited,and whether these effects are age-dependent is largely unknown.Female C57BL/6 mice at different ages(4 weeks(4 w),4 months(4 m),and 10 months(10 m))were treated with 3 mg/kg body weight of PM_(2.5) every other day for 4 weeks.Subsequently,the ultrastructural changes of liver,the expression of genes involved in oxidative damage and lipid metabolism in the liver were examined.Observation of hepatic ultrastructure showed more and larger lipid droplets in the livers of 4-week-old and 10-month-old mice exposed to PM_(2.5).Further analysis showed that PM_(2.5) exposure increased the expression of genes related to lipid synthesis,but decreased the expression of genes involved in lipid transport and catabolism in the livers of 10-month-old mice.Our findings suggest that exposure to PM_(2.5) disrupts the normal metabolism of liver lipids and induces lipid accumulation in the liver of female mice in an age-dependent manner,with older mice being more susceptible to PM_(2.5).     

Cause of PM2.5 pollution during the 2016-2017 heating season in Beijing, Tianjin, and Langfang, China

To investigate the cause of fine particulate matter (particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm, PM_2.5) pollution in the heating season in the North China Plain (specifically Beijing, Tianjin, and Langfang), water-soluble ions and carbonaceous components in PM_2.5 were simultaneously measured by online instruments with 1-hr resolution, from November 15, 2016 to March 15, 2017. The results showed extreme severity of PM_2.5 pollution on a regional scale. Secondary inorganic ions (SNA, i.e., NO₃^?+SO₄²+ NH₄⁺) dominated the water-soluble ions, accounting for 30%-40% of PM_2.5, while the total carbon (TC, i.e., OC + EC) contributed to 26.5%-30.1% of PM_2.5 in the three cities. SNA were mainly responsible for the increasing PM_2.5 pollution compared with organic matter (OM). NO₃^? was the most abundant species among water-soluble ions, but SO₄^2- played a much more important role in driving the elevated PM_2.5 concentrations. The relative humidity (RH) and its precursor SO₂ were the key factors affecting the formation of sulfate. Homogeneous reactions dominated the formation of nitrate which was mainly limited by HNO₃ in ammonia-rich conditions. Secondary formation and regional transport from the heavily polluted region promoted the growth of PM_2.5 concentrations in the formation stage of PM_2.5 pollution in Beijing and Langfang. Regional transport or local emissions, along with secondary formation, made great contributions to the PM_2.5 pollution in the evolution stage of PM_2.5 pollution in Beijing and Langfang. The favourable meteorological conditions and regional transport from a relatively clean region both favored the diffusion of pollutants in all three cities.     

Agglomeration and removal characteristics of fine particles from coal combustion under different turbulent flow fields

Turbulent agglomeration is a promising pretreatment technology for improving the removal of fine particles in industrial flue gas, which can improve the particle removal effect of dust removal equipment safely and economically. However, due to the complexity of turbulence mechanisms, the relationship between turbulent flow fields and the agglomeration of fine particles is not known with precision, resulting a weak promotion effect for particle removal with this pretreatment technology. In this work, three kinds of turbulent agglomerators were constructed to investigate the agglomeration and removal characteristics of fine particles under different turbulent flow fields. The results demonstrated that the turbulent agglomerator with small-scale and three-dimensional vortexes in the flow field had the best effect in improving the agglomeration and removal of fine particles. Two kinds of agglomeration modes in turbulent agglomeration were proposed, one being agglomeration between fine particles in the vortex area, and the other the capture of fine particles by coarse particles. Furthermore, the motion trajectory, relative velocity and residence time of fine particles of different sizes in different flow fields were calculated by numerical simulation to investigate the interaction mechanism of particle agglomeration and turbulent flow fields. The results showed that a flow field with small-scale and three-dimensional vortexes can reduce the Stokes number (St_K) and the relative velocity of particles of different sizes, and extend their residence time in a turbulent flow field, so as to obtain a better agglomeration effect for fine particles.     

Book review

Environmental Management, (3 Volumes) Editors B. Nath, L. Hens and D. Devuyst (Brussels, Vubpress: 1993. Approx. 890 Pp. Paperback) (£25 Per Volume) Isbn 90 5487 035 4-6

The Chemistry and Deposition of Nitrogen Species in the Troposphere, Editor A. T. Cocks, Publisher Royal Society of Chemistry, 1993, X + 134pp., Isbn 0 85186 355 8, Price £35.00.     

A preliminary study on pollution characteristics of surfactant substances in fine particles in the Beibu Gulf Region of China

The pollution characteristics of surfactant substances in fine particles (PM_2.5) in spring were studied in the Beibu Gulf Region of China, 68 samples of PM_2.5 were collected at Weizhou Island in Beihai City from March 12 to April 17, 2015. The Anionic Surfactant Substances (ASS) and Cationic Surfactant Substances (CSS) in the samples were analyzed using Byethyl Violet Spectrophotometry and Disulfide Blue Spectrophotometry, respectively. Combined with the data from backward trajectory simulation, the effects of air pollutants from remote transport on the pollution characteristics of surfactant substances in PM_2.5 in the Beibu Gulf Region were analyzed and discussed. The results showed that the daily mean concentrations of ASS and CSS in spring in the Beibu Gulf Region were 165.20 pmol/m³ and 8.05pmol/m³, and the variation ranges were 23.21–452.55 pmol/m³ and 0.65–31.31 pmol/m³, accounting for 1.82‰ ± 1.65‰ and 0.12‰ ± 0.11‰ of the mass concentration of PM_2.5, respectively. These concentrations were lower than those in comparable regions around the world. There was no clear correlation between the concentrations of ASS and CSS in PM_2.5 and the mass concentrations of PM_2.5. Tourism and air transport had a positive contribution on the concentrations of ASS. The concentration of surfactant substances in PM_2.5 was significantly impacted by wind speed and wind direction. Atmospheric temperature, air pressure and precipitation had little effect on the concentrations of surfactant substances. Surfactant substances in PM_2.5 significantly impacted visibility. Results also showed that the main sources of surfactant substances were from the southern China and Southeast Asia.