Modes of selenium occurrence and LCD modeling of selenite desorption/adsorption in soils around the selenium-rich core,Ziyang County,China

Studying the modes of selenium occurrence in high-Se soils and its behaviors can improve understanding and evaluating its cycling, flux, and balance in geo-ecosystems and its influence on health. In this paper, using a modified sequential chemical extraction technique, seven operationally defined selenium fractions and Se valence distribution were determined about five soils in which paddy was planted (W1, W2, W3, W4, W5) and five soils in which maize was planted (H1, H2, H3, H4, H5) around the selenium-rich core, Ziyang County, Shaanxi Province, China. The results show that selenium fractions in the soils mainly include sulfide/selenide and base-soluble Se, and ligand-exchangeable Se is also high for five soils in which paddy was planted. For water-soluble Se, Se (IV) is main Se valence and almost no Se (VI) was determined about five soils in which paddy was planted, while almost 1:1 of Se (IV) and Se (VI) coexist about five soils in which maize was planted. For exchangeable Se, similar results were found. For the first time, two typical high-Se soils (W1 soil and H1 soil) were chosen to measure the pH-dependent solid-solution distribution of selenite in the pH range 3–9, and the results were explained using LCD (ligand and charge distribution) adsorption modeling. The desorbed selenite concentrations from the two soils are in general underestimated by the model due to a comparable binding affinity of phosphate and selenite on goethite and much lower amount of total selenite than total reactively adsorbed phosphate. The pH dependency of adsorption of selenite added to the soil can be successfully described with the LCD model for W1 soil. Whereas considering the influence of Al-oxides, by lowering selenite adsorption affinity constant K of Se adsorption on goethite by 16 times, the LCD model can describe the adsorption much better. The results can help to understand selenium cycling, flux, and balance in typical high-Se soils.

     

A Small‐Scale Land‐Sparing Approach to Conserving Biological Diversity in Tropical Agricultural Landscapes

Two contrasting strategies have been proposed for conserving biological diversity while meeting the increasing demand for agricultural products: land sparing and land sharing production systems. Land sparing involves increasing yield to reduce the amount of land needed for agriculture, whereas land‐sharing agricultural practices incorporate elements of native ecosystems into the production system itself. Although the conservation value of these systems has been extensively debated, empirical studies are lacking. We compared bird communities in shade coffee, a widely practiced land‐sharing system in which shade trees are maintained within the coffee plantation, with bird communities in a novel, small‐scale, land‐sparing coffee‐production system (integrated open canopy or IOC coffee) in which farmers obtain higher yields under little or no shade while conserving an area of forest equal to the area under cultivation. Species richness and diversity of forest‐dependent birds were higher in the IOC coffee farms than in the shade coffee farms, and community composition was more similar between IOC coffee and primary forest than between shade coffee and primary forest. Our study represents the first empirical comparison of well‐defined land sparing and land sharing production systems. Because IOC coffee farms can be established by allowing forest to regenerate on degraded land, widespread adoption of this system could lead to substantial increases in forest cover and carbon sequestration without compromising agricultural yield or threatening the livelihoods of traditional small farmers. However, we studied small farms (<5 ha); thus, our results may not generalize to large‐scale land‐sharing systems. Furthermore, rather than concluding that land sparing is generally superior to land sharing, we suggest that the optimal approach depends on the crop, local climate, and existing land‐use patterns. Un Método para Reservar Tierras a Pequeña Escala para Conservar la Biodiversidad en Paisajes Agrícolas Tropicales     

Sources of anthropogenic radionuclides in the environment: a review

Studies of radionuclides in the environment have entered a new era with the renaissance of nuclear energy and associated fuel reprocessing, geological disposal of high-level nuclear wastes, and concerns about national security with respect to nuclear non-proliferation. This work presents an overview on sources of anthropogenic radionuclides in the environment, as well as a brief discussion of salient geochemical behavior of important radionuclides. We first discuss the following major anthropogenic sources and current developments that have lead, or could potentially contribute, to the radionuclide contamination of the environment: (1) nuclear weapons program; (2) nuclear weapons testing; (3) nuclear power plants; (4) uranium mining and milling; (5) commercial fuel reprocessing; (6) geological repository of high-level nuclear wastes that include radionuclides might be released in the future, and (7) nuclear accidents. Then, we briefly summarize the inventory of radionuclides ⁹⁹Tc and ¹²⁹I, as well as geochemical behavior for radionuclides ⁹⁹Tc, ¹²⁹I, and ²³⁷Np, because of their complex geochemical behavior, long half-lives, and presumably high mobility in the environment; biogeochemical cycling and environment risk assessment must take into account speciation of these redox-sensitive radionuclides.     

An examination of the effect of landscape pattern, land surface temperature, and socioeconomic conditions on WNV dissemination in Chicago

This paper developed an approach by the synthesis of remote sensing, landscape metrics, and statistical methods to examine the effects of landscape pattern, land surface temperature, and socioeconomic conditions on the spread of West Nile virus (WNV) caused by mosquitoes and animal hosts in Chicago, USA. Land use/land cover and land surface temperature images were derived from Terra’s Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer imagery. An analytical procedure using landscape metrics was developed, applying configuration analysis of landscape patterns in the study area. The positive reports of mosquitoes and animal hosts for WNV in fall, 2001–2006, were collected from the Cook County Public Health Department. Forty-nine municipalities were found to have WNV-positive records in mosquitoes and animal hosts in fall 2004. Socioeconomic data were obtained from the 2000 US Census. Statistical analysis was applied to WNV data in fall 2004 to identify the relationship between potential predictors and WNV spread. As a result, landscape factors, such as landscape aggregation index and the urban areas and areas of grass and water, showed strong correlations with the WNV-positive records. Socioeconomic conditions, such as the population over 65 years old, also showed a strong correlation with WNV-positive records. Thermal conditions of water showed a less but still considerable correlation to WNV-positive records. This research offers an opportunity to explore the effects of landscape pattern, land surface temperature, and socioeconomic conditions on the spread of WNV caused by mosquitoes and animal hosts. Results can contribute to public health and environmental management in the study area.     

PM2.5 and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ambient air: a focus on the effect of meteorology

PM(2.5) and VOCs (benzene, toluene, m-p-o-xylenes) concentrations were measured in an urban and a suburban site in Athens, Greece, during the period between April and November 2004. This period, which is considered to be the warmer period in Greece, is characterized by the development of sea-breeze over the Attica Basin. Additionally strong Northern, North-eastern winds called "The Etesians", predominate during the summer months (July-August), acting positively to the dispersion of pollutants. In this campaign, 24 days with sea-breeze development were observed, 15 days with northern winds, 6 days with southern winds while the rest of the days presented no specific wind profile. Maximum concentrations of PM(2.5), VOCs and nitrogen oxides, were detected during the days with sea-breeze, while minimum concentrations during the days with northern winds. Ozone was the only pollutant that appeared to have higher concentrations in the background site and not in the city centre, where benzene presented strong negative correlation with ozone, indicating the photochemical reaction of hydrocarbons that lead to the ozone formation. The BTX ratios were similar for both sites and wind profiles, indicating common sources for those pollutants. T/B ratio ranged in low levels, between 3-5 for site A and 2-5 for site B, suggesting vehicles emissions as the main sources of volatile compounds. Finally, the strong correlations of PM(2.5) and benzene concentrations, between the two sampling sites, indicate that both the city centre and the background site, are affected by the same sources, under common meteorological conditions (sea-breeze, northern winds).     

Municipal solid waste management and short-term projection of the waste discard levels in Taiwan

Industrialization and urbanization result in significant changes in lifestyle. These lifestyle changes seem to lead to unsustainable consumption patterns and increase the generation of various kinds of environmental loads, especially the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW). Taiwan is a small island with scarce natural resources. The economic development in Taiwan has resulted in the generation of large amounts of MSW. As a result, the Taiwan Environmental Pollution Administration (TEPA) has produced regulations for waste minimization and has imposed several important policy measures that have successfully reduced the MSW discard rate in recent years and have established a public recycling network as a part of the MSW collection. Nowadays, the objective of the MSW policies in Taiwan is to develop a “zero-waste society.” This article aims to review the MSW management progress in Taiwan and to project future MSW discards up to 2011 based on the national plan and assumed scenarios for socioeconomic variables. According to the analysis results, a more sustainable consumption pattern can be proposed and the corresponding MSW management system can be planned so as to develop a low-waste-discard society.     

Application of integrated micro sensor in internal measurement of high temperature fuel cell

This study developed an integrated (flow, voltage, and temperature) micro sensor using the micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology. It was inserted into the high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) for local real-time measurement. The integrated micro sensor is made of 40 µm thick stainless steel base material, and its protective layer is formed by polyimide (PI) that has better temperature resistance. The integrated micro sensor has three functions, and is favorably characterized by small size, good acid resistance and temperature resistance, quick response, real-time measurement, and being able to be put in any place for measurement. After calibration, and its reliability confirmed, the integrated micro sensor is inserted into the HT-PEMFC for local microcosmic measurement.     

Sustainability of rice production systems: an empirical evaluation to improve policy

An evaluation is needed to monitor the progress of sustainable development (SD) in rice production systems. The purpose of this study is to provide policy inputs, examine the sustainability of rice production, and determine major policy areas. A requisite set of 12 indicators of three dimensions of SD, namely economic, was generated by employing an assemblage of top–down and bottom–up approaches. The data were gathered from farm households’ survey as well as in-depth discussion with stakeholders from the regions that represent irrigated, rain-fed lowland, rain-fed upland, flood-prone, and saline-prone rice-growing ecosystems in Bangladesh. By constructing composite indicators, the results revealed that 44 % of rice growers were economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially developed. The irrigated rice production system was found to be the most sustainable. The path analysis measured the contribution of the indicators to the index, and results highlighted that rice growers’ knowledge, skills, and social networks development, improving land productivity, and integrated nutrient management were essential for promoting sustainable rice production. However, the study findings suggest that pluralistic (i.e., government and non-government) agricultural advisory services can serve as an engine of transition to rice production sustainability in which a multi-year planning and strategy formulation are crucial besides investing in the modernization of extension services. Overall and ecosystem-specific policy implications that emerged from the findings of this study are outlined.     

Levels, sources, and health risks of carbonyls in residential indoor air in Hangzhou, China

Concentrations of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, propionaldehyde, i-pentanal, and butyraldehyde in residential indoor air in Hangzhou were determined. The mean concentration of the total carbonyl compounds in summer was 222.6 μg/m³, higher than that in winter (68.5 μg/m³). The concentration of a specific carbonyl in indoor air was higher than the outdoor air measurement, indicating the release of carbonyls from the indoor sources. Formaldehyde and acetone were the most abundant carbonyls detected in summer and winter, respectively. Multiple regression analysis indicated that carbonyl concentrations in residential indoor air depended on the age of decoration and furniture, as well as their concentrations in outdoor air. In addition, a primary estimation showed that the health risks of carbonyls in summer were higher than those in winter.