Potential of Eucalyptus globulus for the phytoremediation of metals in a Moroccan iron mine soil—a case study

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The contamination left by abandoned mines demands sustainable mitigation measures. Hence, the aim of this study was to examine the phytoremediator...     

Prevalence and perspectives of illegal trade in cacti and succulent plants in the collector community

Although illegal wildlife trade (IWT) represents a serious threat to biodiversity, research into the prevalence of illegal plant collection and trade remains scarce. Because cacti and succulents are heavily threatened by overcollection for often illegal, international ornamental trade, we surveyed 441 members of the cacti and succulent hobbyist collector community with a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach. We sought to understand collector perspectives on the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) and on the threats IWT poses to cactus and succulent conservation. Most respondents (74% of 401 respondents) stated that illegal collection in cacti and succulents represents a “very serious problem” and that the problem of wild plant collection is increasing (72% of 319 respondents). Most forms of illegal collection and trade were seen as very unacceptable by respondents. Self-reported noncompliance with CITES rules was uncommon (11.2% of 418 respondents); it remains a persistent problem in parts of the cacti and succulent hobbyist community. People engaging in rule breaking, such as transporting plants without required CITES documents, generally did so knowingly. Although 60.6% of 381 respondents regarded CITES as a very important tool for conservation, sentiment toward CITES and its efficacy in helping species conservation was mixed. Collectors in our survey saw themselves as potentially playing important roles in cactus and succulent conservation, but this potential resource remains largely untapped. Our results suggest the need for enhanced consultation with stakeholders in CITES decision-making. For challenging subjects like IWT, developing evidence-based responses demands deep interdisciplinary engagement, including assessing the conservation impact of species listings on CITES appendices.     

Incorporating stakeholder decision support needs into an integrated regional Earth system model

A new modeling effort exploring the opportunities, constraints, and interactions between mitigation and adaptation at regional scale is utilizing stakeholder engagement in an innovative approach to guide model development and demonstration, including uncertainty characterization, to effectively inform regional decision making. This project, the integrated Regional Earth System Model (iRESM), employs structured stakeholder interactions and literature reviews to identify the most relevant adaptation and mitigation alternatives and decision criteria for each regional application of the framework. The information is used to identify important model capabilities and to provide a focus for numerical experiments. This paper presents the stakeholder research results from the first iRESM pilot region. The pilot region includes the Great Lakes Basin in the Midwest portion of the United States as well as other contiguous states. This geographic area (14 states in total) permits cohesive modeling of hydrologic systems while also providing strong gradients in climate, demography, land cover/land use, and energy supply and demand. The results from the stakeholder research indicate that, for this region, iRESM should prioritize addressing adaptation alternatives in the water resources, urban infrastructure, and agriculture sectors, including water conservation, expanded water quality monitoring, altered reservoir releases, lowered water intakes, urban infrastructure upgrades, increased electric power reserves in urban areas, and land use management/crop selection changes. For mitigation in this region, the stakeholder research implies that iRESM should focus on policies affecting the penetration of renewable energy technologies, and the costs and effectiveness of energy efficiency, bioenergy production, wind energy, and carbon capture and sequestration.     

Management strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on sea turtle’s terrestrial reproductive phase

Climate change poses a serious threat to sea turtles (Cheloniidae) as their terrestrial reproductive phase is only successful within a limited range of environmental and physical conditions. These conditions are likely to become less optimal as climate change progresses. To date, management and conservation of sea turtles has focused almost entirely on non-climatic stressors, due at least in part to practitioners not knowing what strategies to take and the feasibility and risks of potential strategies. To aid the management of sea turtles in a changing environment, we identified management strategies via a focus workshop and surveys to mitigate the impacts of climate change to the terrestrial reproductive phase of sea turtles. The effectiveness, ecological risks and potential social and logistical constraints associated with implementing each of the identified management strategies is discussed. Twenty management strategies were identified; strategies varied from habitat protection to more active and direct manipulation of nests and the nesting environment. Based on our results, we suggest a three-pronged approach to sea turtle conservation in light of climate change, where managers and researchers should: 1) enhance sea turtle resilience to climate change by mitigating other threats; 2) prioritise implementing the ‘no regret’ and ‘reversible’ management strategies identified here; and 3) fill the knowledge gaps identified to aid the trial and implementation of the potential strategies identified here. By combining these three approaches our collective toolkit of sea turtle management strategies will expand, giving us an array of viable approaches to implement as climate change impacts become more extreme.     

Design and manufacturing of femoral stems for the Indian population

Several researchers have stressed the need for a proper implant-patient match in hip joint replacements, in particular, for cementless femoral stems. Some of the complications of mismatch are aseptic loosening, improper load distribution, and discomfort. In this study, the differences in dimensions between femurs of elderly Indians and those of populations from other regions are compared in order to solve the problem of a possible geometric mismatch between a selected implant and the femurs of an Indian patients are concerned. This paper also describes a methodology for implant designing from measured anthropometric data, fit evaluation, finite element (FE) stress analysis and subsequently implant manufacturing using the CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) technique. The machining of the Titanium alloy femoral stem is usually performed on a 5 Axis CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining center. However, in this study the machining of the femoral stem was effectively performed on a 3 Axis CNC machining center to emphasize on economical benefits for low cost manufacturing strategy.     

浅析绿色建筑体系与低碳经济

通过查阅国内外相关资料,对绿色建筑体系从历史、定义及现状方面进行了简单论述,并结合日益受到重视的低碳经济,从经济与环保角度,对绿色建筑体系的标准、建材、设计等方面进行分析,阐明作为低碳经济发展重要组成部分的绿色建筑体系,将如何促进低碳经济的实现,使低碳经济这一概念更好地运用于现实,并对绿色建筑体系的发展进行了展望。     

中国金矿开采区环境汞污染

汞是金矿区环境的特征污染物。金汞同源性导致金矿床一般汞含量偏高,且在以混汞法为代表的提金过程影响下,导致了中国金矿区严重的环境汞污染问题。本文介绍了中国金矿分布与开采及选冶概况,研究了导致金矿区环境汞污染的原因,分析了金矿石选冶过程中汞的释放,并综述了金矿开采所致矿区土壤、水体、大气、生物体中汞污染状况,最后讨论了金矿区汞污染环境管理与生态修复。     

Investigation of the hydrodynamic behavior of diatom aggregates using particle image velocimetry

The hydrodynamic behavior of diatom aggregates has a significant influence on the interactions and flocculation kinetics of algae. However, characterization of the hydrodynamics of diatoms and diatom aggregates in water is rather difficult. In this laboratory study, an advanced visualization technique in particle image velocimetry (PIV) was employed to investigate the hydrodynamic properties of settling diatom aggregates. The experiments were conducted in a settling column filled with a suspension of fluorescent polymeric beads as seed tracers. A laser light sheet was generated by the PIV setup to illuminate a thin vertical planar region in the settling column, while the motions of particles were recorded by a high speed charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. This technique was able to capture the trajectories of the tracers when a diatom aggregate settled through the tracer suspension. The PIV results indicated directly the curvilinear feature of the streamlines around diatom aggregates. The rectilinear collision model largely overestimated the collision areas of the settling particles. Algae aggregates appeared to be highly porous and fractal, which allowed streamlines to penetrate into the aggregate interior. The diatom aggregates have a fluid collection efficiency of 10%-40%. The permeable feature of aggregates can significantly enhance the collisions and flocculation between the aggregates and other small particles including algal cells in water.     

镍掺杂二氧化钛光催化剂的制备与光催化性能研究

利用溶胶-凝胶法制备了镍掺杂的二氧化钛,采用紫外可见分光光度计、傅里叶红外分光光度计、X衍射仪(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)等测试手段对结果进行了表征。表征结果表明在550℃下煅烧的产物主要是锐钛型二氧化钛,镍的掺杂使得二氧化钛的紫外可见反射光谱明显红移,且镍掺杂二氧化钛的粒度减小,团聚程度下降。以活性艳蓝KN-R为模型降解目标物,通过比较镍掺杂二氧化钛、纯二氧化钛以及标准P25二氧化钛的光催化性能发现镍掺杂二氧化钛的光催化活性最好。当钛酸正丁酯/乙醇比为1:25;钛酸正丁酯/冰乙酸比为1:1;钛酸正丁酯/硝酸镍比为1 000:3;煅烧温度为550℃,煅烧时间为2 h时,镍掺杂二氧化钛的光催化效率最高,达到73.3%。     

垃圾焚烧灰性质分析及控制方法

随着焚烧技术在垃圾处理方式中普遍采用,焚烧产生的灰渣数量也日益增加。灰渣与飞灰中有毒的重金属及有机物质会污染土壤与地下水,对人类健康造成极大的影响。本文对各类垃圾焚烧灰渣的物理化学性质及重金属浸出特性进行了详细的阐述,介绍了灰渣的毒性分析与控制方法。通过分析可知:为了避免灰渣二次污染应该重点控制铬、镉、铍、铅等重金属和二恶英、呋喃等有机物的污染;处置后的灰渣有害离子浸出能力降低,根据灰渣物理和工程性质,可以成为再生资源充当填充材料和混凝土与沥青路面骨料等。