Water Consumption Habit in General Population of Shanghai and Beijing, China

饮用水是人体暴露于有毒物质的重要暴露源,为了定量描述饮用水中污染物对暴露人群所造成的危害,世界各国的科学家们对饮用水的健康风险评价做了大量的研究. 通常,健康风险评价需要污染物毒理学数据和暴露人群的暴露剂量数据. 目前,针对很多的有毒污染物,国际上已经建立了应用于健康风险评价的毒理学数据库,同时积累了大量可用的有效数据. 而对于暴露人群的暴露剂量数据,则是健康风险评价所要研究的重点. 正确估计暴露人群的暴露剂量需要消费者提供大量的消费信息. 例如,暴露人群每天消费的饮用水水量. 美国环保局(EPA)认为成人每天消耗的饮用水水量为2L·d-1,此外,饮用水的消耗量会随着暴露人群的身体活动状况和所处环境状况(温度,湿度等)的改变而改变. 目前,许多研究都是关于饮用水消费信息的,总体来讲这些研究结果基本上与美国环保局所采用的饮水消耗数据相一致. 需要说明的是中国居民有完全不同于西方人的饮用水消费方式,如果在进行中国居民饮用水健康风险评价过程中应用美国环保局的假设会带来较大的不确定性. 饮用水健康风险评价工作在我国开展并不多,尤其缺少中国居民饮用水消费习惯的数据库. 这些客观条件使得在我国进行饮用水健康风险评价时只能从基础做起,积累有效的数据. 本研究以北京和上海两座城市居民为研究对象,2002年到2004年分冬夏两季分别进行了4次饮用水消费习惯调查. 研究采用随机入户方式(2004年至2005年),与中央电视台-索福瑞联合调查有限公司合作进行. 参加调查的家庭从中央电视台入户收视率调查的基础数据库中随机抽取,在抽取过程中兼顾了不同城区、年龄结构、知识结构、收入水平等因素. 研究表明,北京和上海居民冬夏两季的日均饮水量分别为2.2L·d-1、1.7L·d-1、2.0L·d-1和1.8L·d-1,这一结果和美国环保局的假设基本一致. 同时本研究考察了性别、年龄、职业和季节对应用水消费习惯的影响. 研究表明,日均饮水量随年龄的增加有增加的趋势,这一趋势在北京的夏季调查中趋势明显(p=0.01);男性的日均饮用水量大于女性,在上海冬季和夏季调查中均存在显著的差异(冬季：p=0.01;夏季：p=0.04);季节也同样影响被访者的日均饮水量,但是在4次调查中均未发现显著性差异. 在北京冬季和夏季的调查中均发现了工作地点对饮用水消费习惯的显著影响(夏季p=0.01 和冬季p=0.00). 研究同样考察了居民饮用水消费类型,调查结果表明,煮沸后的自来水是中国居民最主要的日常饮品(上海夏季：58.3%;上海冬季67.9%;北京夏季：42.7%;北京冬季：60.0%). 同时消费桶装纯净水的被访者也占有相当的比重(上海夏季：36.2%;上海冬季：24.7%;北京夏季：30.7%;北京冬季：60.0%). 研究同时表明,在中国居民的日常生活中牛奶和豆奶已经成为重要的日常饮品. 极少量的居民(北京夏季：10.7%;北京冬季5.7%;上海夏季1.2%;上海冬季0.6%)有直接饮用自来水的习惯. 研究表明滞留水(在自来水水管中滞留6h以上的自来水)是对人体健康影响最大的水,而在我们的调查中,中国居民几乎不直接饮用滞留水. 当前,饮用水健康风险评价在世界范围内蓬勃展开,但是这一技术在我国还处于起步阶段. 本研究作为饮用水健康风险评价的前期工作,为其在中国的进一步发展提供了基础性的数据.     

Reduction of CO2 emission by optimally tracking a pre-defined target

The recent global financial crisis has highlighted the need for balanced and efficient investments in the reduction of the greenhouse effect caused by emissions of CO₂ on a global scale. In a previous paper, the authors proposed a mathematical model describing the dynamic relation of CO₂ emission with investment in reforestation and clean technology. An efficient allocation of resources to reduce the greenhouse effect has also been proposed. Here, this model is used to provide estimates of the investments needed in land reforestation and in the adoption of clean technologies for an optimum emission and abatement of CO₂, for the period of 1996–2014. The required investments are computed to minimize deviations with respect to the emission targets proposed in the Kyoto Protocol for European Countries. The emission target can be achieved by 2014 with investments in reforestation peaking in 2004, and a reduction of the expected GDP of 42%, relative to 2006. Investments in clean technology should increase between 2008 and 2010 with maximum transfer figures around 70 million American dollars. Total (cumulative) costs are, however, relatively high depending on the price of carbon abatement and the rate at which the expected CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere should be reduced. Results highlight the advantages for policy makers to be able to manage investments in climate policy more efficiently, controlling optimum transfers based on a portfolio of actions that tracks a pre-defined CO₂ concentration target.     

Removal of metal ions from aqueous solution by chelating polymeric hydrogel

Polysaccharide natural seed coat from the tree Magonia pubescens, in the form of hydrogel was used to remove metals in aqueous solution. Swelling tests indicate that seed coat presents hydrogel behavior, with maximum water absorption of 292 g water/g. Adsorption experiments performed using Na⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Cr³⁺, Fe³⁺ and Zn²⁺ demonstrated that the polysaccharide structure has a high capacity to extract these ions from the aqueous solution. Scanning electron microscopy revealed significant morphological changes of the material before and after water contact. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements indicate a signal shift of the water evaporation temperature in the material with adsorbed zinc. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis combined with theoretical studies by the density functional theory and on Hartree–Fock (HF) level evidence that the metallic ions were adsorbed through coordination with hydroxyl groups of polysaccharide. In the case of Zn²⁺ the lowest HF energy was observed for the tetracoordination mode, where Zn²⁺ is coordinated by two hydroxyl groups and two water molecules.     

Basic oxygen furnace sludge to treat industrial arsenic- and sulfate-rich acid mine drainage

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this study, four systems (S1, S2, S3, and S4) were evaluated to determine whether basic oxygen furnace sludge (BOFS), mainly composed of Fe (84%,...     

Wastewater treatment using bamboos in constructed wetlands: experiences and future perspectives

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Wastewater treatment using constructed wetlands (CWs) based on natural wetlands constitute a viable alternative with excellent cost and benefit,...     

Water reuse in industries: analysis of opportunities in the Paraíba do Sul river basin,a case study in Presidente Vargas Plant,Brazil

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In recent years, the demand for clean water has been growing all over the world despite the different threats posed, including increasing pollution,...     

Monitoring of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in a Colombian tropical reservoir

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Anthropogenic pollution and global climate change have resulted in favorable environmental conditions for increased frequency and duration of...     

Correction to: Basic oxygen furnace sludge to treat industrial arsenic- and sulfate‑rich acid mine drainage

Environmental Science and Pollution Research -