The Impact of Urbanization and Protection of Water Resources in Owerri and Environs SE, Nigeria

Untreated sewage and agriculture are the most important sources of contamination. The study was carried out by conducting a short-term surface water and groundwater pollution survey of the Owerri Urban area and its environs, in order to establish the current levels of pollution. An attempt has been made to show the relationships between pollution levels, population density, industrial and agricultural activities. The spatial distribution of pollutants due to a poor land use system and to human activities was investigated. This emphasises integrated planned development as a preventive measure for arresting pollution levels in fast growing urban centres. The total groundwater stored in the area amounts to 7.87 × 10⁹ m³. Twenty five percent of this is released as base flow into the adjacent rivers (Otamiri and Nworie). The annual groundwater recharge is 3.4 × 10⁹ m³. The enormous volume of groundwater stored and the comparatively low cost of development makes groundwater an excellent alternative supply source for the area (Uma et al., 1984).     

Acute exposure to chemicals during ‘do-it-yourself’ activities: survey of enquiries to the Swedish Poisons Information Centre in 1996

In 1996 the Swedish Poisons Information Centre performed a follow-up study concerning poisonings related to ‘do-it-yourself’ activities. The study was supported by the National Institute of Public Health in Sweden. The objectives were to investigate and define monthly variations, route of exposure, type of products and, in particular, exposures to corrosives, age and sex groups, place of treatment, severity of symptoms, place of the accident, special risk products and risk situations. The Poisons Information Centre was contacted concerning 1609 cases, with a peak during the summer months. There was no or uncertain connection between exposure and symptoms in 117 cases. This means that 1492 cases were left to study. Inhalation and eye exposure were the predominant routes, followed by skin exposure and ingestion. Cleaning agents were the most common type of products involved. Of the 1492 cases included in the study 1033 were possible to follow up. Among these, 20–29 year olds and 30–39 year olds predominated, and there was a dominance for men. In total, 28% of those exposed were subject to medical attention, either in hospital or in outpatient clinics. According to the Poisoning Severity Score 78% had mild (grade 1) and 7% moderate (grade 2) symptoms. There were no severe intoxications and no deaths. Severity grade 2 occurred 3.6 times more often among those with exposures involving risk of corrosive damage than among others in the study population. Most accidents occurred in the home. Special risk products and risk situations were exposure to corrosive products, release of chlorine when mixing hypochlorite and acid, ‘fire-eating’, siphoning gasoline and diesel fuel, welding, and inhalation of carbon monoxide from exhaust gases. The Swedish Poisons Information Centre registered 1609 cases of poisoning accidents during ‘do-it-yourself’ activities, which means an average of four to five cases per day. Although this type of accidents is not uncommon, significant poisoning seems to be rare. Some special risk situations were identified.     

镧及其配合物对鱼体肝脏中酶活性的影响

以鲫鱼（Ｃａｒａｓｓｉｕｓ ａｕｒａｔｕｓ）为实验对象，研究了镧（Ｌａ）及其配合物（Ｌａ－ＥＤＴＡ）对鱼体肝脏中过氧化氢酶和超氧歧化酶的早期作用过程。结果表明：在实验浓度下Ｌａ＾３＋与Ｌａ－ＥＤＴＡ对鱼肝中过氧化氢酶有激活作用，但最终表现为强烈抑制：而对超氧歧化酶最初显著抑制，最后表现为激活作用。     

浸水冷应激对雏鸡某些酶活性及消化道粘膜充血的影响

以海兰雄性雏鸡为试验对象，研究急性浸水冷应激对健康雏鸡某些酶活性消化道粘膜充血的影响。结果表明：雏鸡在浸水冷应激后血清肌酸激酶（CrK）呈一致性升高趋势；而丙氨酸氨基转肽酶（ALT）的活性则在冷应激后15min明显升高（P＞0.05），而后降低，至120min时又恢复致冷应激前水平，雏鸡血清乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）在冷应激后15－60min呈渐进性升高,而后降低；血清γ－谷氨酰转肽酶（γ－GT）的变化趋势为，在冷应激后15min稍升高，而后则逐渐下降；血清尿素氮（BUN)的变化无是,在冷应激后60min降低，浸水应激后不同时间对海兰雏鸡消化道粘膜充血的结果表明：雏鸡在浸水应激后即刻观察造成消化道充血现象并不严重；而浸水应激后不同时间却对雏鸡消化道产生相对较强的影响，特别是冷应激后1－2h胃肠道充血比较严重。     

Scientists as Stakeholders in Conservation of Hydrothermal Vents

Abstract: Hydrothermal vents are deep‐sea ecosystems that are almost exclusively known and explored by scientists rather than the general public. Continuing scientific discoveries arising from study of hydrothermal vents are concommitant with the increased number of scientific cruises visiting and sampling vent ecosystems. Through a bibliometric analysis, we assessed the scientific value of hydrothermal vents relative to two of the most well‐studied marine ecosystems, coral reefs and seagrass beds. Scientific literature on hydrothermal vents is abundant, of high impact, international, and interdisciplinary and is comparable in these regards with literature on coral reefs and seagrass beds. Scientists may affect hydrothermal vents because their activities are intense and spatially and temporally concentrated in these small systems. The potential for undesirable effects from scientific enterprise motivated the creation of a code of conduct for environmentally and scientifically benign use of hydrothermal vents for research. We surveyed scientists worldwide engaged in deep‐sea research and found that scientists were aware of the code of conduct and thought it was relevant to conservation, but they did not feel informed or confident about the respect other researchers have for the code. Although this code may serve as a reminder of scientists’ environmental responsibilities, conservation of particular vents (e.g., closures to human activity, specific human management) may effectively ensure sustainable use of vent ecosystems for all stakeholders.     

混合酶强化剩余污泥微生物燃料电池性能

为了提高剩余污泥为燃料的微生物燃料电池(SMFC)产电性能以及污泥减量化效果,在不同的温度(40、45和50℃)研究单室无膜微生物燃料电池中酶对SMFC产电特性的强化效果.加入单一酶(蛋白酶或α-淀粉酶)的结果表明,随着温度的上升,SMFC功率密度均上升,但40℃时强化效果最明显,与加入失活酶的对照组相比分别增加198％和130％.在40℃下,混合酶比(蛋白酶浓度:淀粉酶浓度)为2∶3时,SMFC最大功率密度为776 mW/m2.随着混合酶中淀粉酶的比例提高,SMFC库伦效率逐渐增加,当混合酶比为4∶1时,CE(库伦效率)可达18.3％,同时TCOD、TSS和VSS去除率分别为70.3％、66.7％和80.4％.因此,温度相对较低时,外加酶强化效果更明显;与单种酶相比,混合酶对SMFC产电性能和污泥减量化的强化效果更显著.     

丝素/SiO_2杂化膜固定化多酚氧化酶处理模拟含酚废水

粗马铃薯多酚氧化酶固定于丝素/SiO2杂化膜上,从而得到丝素/SiO2杂化膜固定化多酚氧化酶.并用于处理模拟含酚废水.丝素/SiO2杂化膜在水中的溶失率小于丝素膜在水中的溶失率.所得丝素/SiO2杂化膜固定化多酚氧化酶的最适宜pH为7.4.相对于游离多酚氧化酶.该酶具有较好的热稳定性、贮存稳定性及重复使用性.研究表明,丝素/SiO2杂化膜固定化多酚氧化酶有实际处理含酚废水的可能.     

珠江上游少数民族县域经济活动的累积环境效应研究--以贵州三都水族自治县为例

为了探索珠江上游少数民族区域经济活动的累积环境效应与生态安全，我们选择三都水族自治县作为定位研究基地．对建国以来区域内经济活动变迁进行历史、现状研究和综合评估，揭示历史时期发展政策、发展模式、重大经济活动等人为扰动因素在区域生态环境系统退化过程中的作用．评估少数民族经济活动的累积环境效应与生态安全。     

226Ra, 232Th and 40K analysis in soil samples from some areas of Malwa region, Punjab, India using gamma ray spectrometry

The activity concentrations of soil samples collected from thirty different locations of Malwa region of Punjab were determined by using HPGe detector based on high-resolution gamma spectrometry system. The range of activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in the soil from the studied areas varies from 18.37 Bq kg⁻¹ (Sangrur) to 53.11 Bq kg⁻¹ (Sitoguno), 57.28 Bq kg⁻¹ (Dhanola) to 148.28 Bq kg⁻¹ (Sitoguno) and 211.13 Bq kg⁻¹ (Sunam) to 413.27 Bq kg⁻¹ (Virk Khera) with overall mean values of 35 Bq kg⁻¹, 80 Bq kg⁻¹and 317 Bq kg⁻¹ respectively. The absorbed dose rate calculated from activity concentration of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K ranges between 8.47 and 24.48, 35.68 and 92.38, and 8.74 and 17.11 nGy h⁻¹, respectively. The total absorbed dose in the study area ranges from 58.08 nGy h⁻¹ to 130.85 nGy h⁻¹ with an average value of 79.11 nGy h⁻¹. The calculated values of external hazard index (H_ex) for the soil samples of the study area range from 0.35 to 0.79. Since these values are lower than unity, therefore, according to the Radiation Protection 112 (European Commission. Radiation Protection 112 1999) report, soil from these regions is safe and can be used as a construction material without posing any significant radiological threat to population.     

甲苯对土壤芳基硫酸酯酶活性的影响

甲苯作为土壤酶测定的前处理试剂及许多有机污染物在环境中降解的中间产物,有关其对土壤酶的影响研究在土壤酶学和环境科学领域具有重要意义.因此,采用模拟方法,较系统地研究了不同剂量甲苯和处理时间下芳基硫酸酯酶活性的变化规律.结果表明,甲苯对纯酶具有明显的抑制作用,酶活性降幅最大达到45.5%;灭菌土壤对溶液中的纯酶有很强的吸附能力;极微量的甲苯即可完成对土壤中酶活性的激活作用,酶活性增幅为109%～298%;随着甲苯剂量的增加,土壤酶活性的变化幅度逐渐趋缓,并可用Langmuir模型较好地拟合,由此获得了最大表观酶活性Umax,发现其与土壤性质显著相关,说明甲苯主要是通过杀死土壤中的微生物来影响土壤酶活性的.此外,初步探讨了不同土壤中胞外酶量与胞内酶量的关系,发现在供试土样中土壤芳香硫酸酯酶胞外酶和胞内酶分别占54.4%和45.6%.本研究可为后续土壤酶测定质量的完善和提高提供依据.