Review on water leakage control in distribution networks and the associated environmental benefits

Water supply is the primary element of an urban system. Due to rapid urbanization and water scarcity, maintaining a stable and safe water supply has become a challenge to many cities, whereas a large amount of water is lost from the pipes of distribution systems. Water leakage is not only a waste of water resources, but also incurs great socio-economic costs. This article presents a comprehensive review on the potential water leakage control approaches and specifically discusses the benefits of each to environmental conservation. It is concluded that water leakage could be further reduced by improving leakage detection capability through a combination of predictive modeling and monitoring instruments, optimizing pipe maintenance strategy, and developing an instant pressure regulation system. The environment could benefit from these actions because of water savings and the reduction of energy consumption as well as greenhouse gas emissions.     

Enhanced struvite recovery from wastewater using a novel cone-inserted fluidized bed reactor

The feasibility of struvite recovery at low （12.5 mg/L） and high （120 mg[L） phosphorus concentrations was studied by constructing a novel fluidized bed reactor with cones （FBRwc） and without cones （FBRwoc）. The crystallization process was continuously operated for 133 days under different hydraulic retention times （HRT = 1-10 hr）, pH （7.5-10）, and molar ratios of Mg/P （0.75-1.75）, N/P （1-10） and Ca/Mg （0-2）. The optimum operating conditions of HRT, pH, Mg/P and N/P molar ratios were found to be 2 hr, 9, 1.25, and 7.5, respectively. Under these optimum conditions, the phosphorus precipitation efficiencies of FBRwc were 93% for low and 98% for high phosphorus influent; however, the efficiencies were 78% and 81% for FBRwoc, respectively. Due to crystal losses at each junction （17%-31%）, the crystal recovery efficiency of FBRwoc was relatively low （47%-65%） for both influent concentrations. However, the losses were minimal in FBRwc, which showed 75% and 92% crystal recovery for low and high phosphorus concentrations, respectively. At low calcium concentration, crystal chemical analysis showed the product to be pure struvite （〉 99%）. The scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction results further confirmed that the crystal recovered from FBRwc contained pure struvite, which could be considered a high quality fertilizer. Except HRT, all parameters （pH, Mg/P, N/P and Ca/Mg） were found to be influencing factors for FBRwc performance. Overall, inserting cones in each part of the reactor played a significant role in enhancing struvite recovery from a wide range of phosphorus-containing wastewater.     

Molecular characterization and developmental expression patterns of thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) and their responsiveness to TR agonist and antagonist in Rana nigromaculata

Considering some advantages of Rana nigromaculata as an experimental species, we propose that this species, like Xenopus laevis, could be used to assay thyroid hormone（TH） signaling disrupting actions. To validate the utilizability of R. nigromaculata, we investigated the responsiveness of R. nigromaculata to a TH receptor（TR） agonist（T3） and antagonist（amiodarone） by analyzing expression, based on characterizing TR cDNA and developmental expression patterns. With high levels of identity with the corresponding genes in X. laevis, both TRα and TRβ in R. nigromaculata exhibited roughly similar developmental expression patterns to those of X. laevis, in spite of some species-specific differences. Both TRα and TRβ expression had greater changes in the liver and intestine than in the tail and brain during metamorphosis. T3 exposure for 2 days induced more dramatic increases of TRβ expression in stage 27 than in stage34 tadpoles but not in stage 42 tadpoles, showing that the responsiveness of R. nigromaculata to TH decreased with development and disappeared at the onset of metamorphic climax.Corresponding to greater changes of TRβ expression in the liver and intestine than in the tail and brain during metamorphosis, the liver and intestine had higher responsiveness to exogenous T3 than the tail and brain. Amiodarone inhibited T3-induced TRβ expression. Our results show that R. nigromaculata can be used as a model species for assaying TH signaling disrupting actions by analyzing TRβ expression, and intestine tissues at stage 27 are ideal test materials due to high responsiveness and easy accessibility.     

Primary neuronal-astrocytic co-culture platform for neurotoxicity assessment of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

Plastics such as polyvinyl chlorides （PVC） are widely used in many indoor constructed environments; however, their unbound chemicals, such as di-（2-ethylhexyl） phthalates （DEHP）, can leach into the surrounding environment. This study focused on DEHP＇s effect on the central nervous system by determining the precise DEHP content in mice brain tissue after exposure to the chemical, to evaluate the specific exposure range. Primary neuronal-astrocyte co-culture systems were used as in vitro models for chemical hazard identification of DEHP. Oxidative stress was hypothesized as a probable mechanism involved, and therefore the total reactive oxygen species （ROS） concentration was determined as a biomarker of oxidative stress. In addition, NeuriteTracer, a neurite tracing plugin with ImageJ, was used to develop an assay for neurotoxicity to provide quantitative measurements of neurological parameters, such as neuronal number, neuron count and neurite length, all of which could indicate neurotoxic effects. The results showed that with 1 nmol/L DEHP exposure, there was a significant increase in ROS concentrations, indicating that the neuronal-astrocyte cultures were injured due to exposure to DEHP. In response, astrocyte proliferation （gliosis） was initiated, serving as a mechanism to maintain a homeostatic environment for neurons and protect neurons from toxic chemicals. There is a need to assess the cumulative effects of DEHP in animals to evaluate the possible uotake and effects on the human neuronal system from exoosure to DEHP in the indoor environment.     

Arsenic removal from groundwater by acclimated sludge under autohydrogenotrophic conditions

Arsenic in the environment is attracting increasing attention due to its chronic health effects. Although arsenite(As(III)) is generally more mobile and more toxic than arsenate(As(V)), reducing As(V) to As(III) may still be a means for decontamination, because As(III) can be removed from solution by precipitation with sulfide or by adsorption or complexation with other metal sulfides. The performance of As(V) bio-reduction under autohydrogenotrophic conditions was investigated with batch experiments. The results showed that As(V) reduction was a biochemical process while both acclimated sludge and hydrogen were essential. Most of the reduced arsenic remained in a soluble form, although 20% was removed with no addition of sulfate, while 82% was removed when sulfate was reduced to sulfide. The results demonstrated that the reduced arsenic was re-sequestered in the precipitates, probably as arsenic sulfides. Kinetic analysis showed that pseudo first-order kinetics described the bio-reduction process better than pseudo second-order. In particular, the influences of pH and temperature on As(V) reduction by acclimated sludge under autohydrogenotrophic conditions and total soluble As removal were examined. The reduction process was highly sensitive to both pH and temperature, with the optimum ranges of pH 6.5–7.0 and 30–40°C respectively. Furthermore, Arrhenius modeling results for the temperature effect indicated that the As(V) reduction trend was systematic. Total soluble As removal was consistent with the trend of As(V) reduction.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal phylogenetic groups differ in affecting host plants along heavy metal levels

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi（AMF） are important components of soil microbial communities,and play important role in plant growth. However, the effects of AMF phylogenetic groups（Glomeraceae and non-Glomeraceae） on host plant under various heavy metal levels are not clear. Here we conducted a meta-analysis to compare symbiotic relationship between AMF phylogenetic groups（Glomeraceae and non-Glomeraceae） and host plant functional groups（herbs vs. trees, and non-legumes vs. legumes） at three heavy metal levels. In the meta-analysis, we calculate the effect size（ln（RR）） by taking the natural logarithm of the response ratio of inoculated to non-inoculated shoot biomass from each study. We found that the effect size of Glomeraceae increased, but the effect size of non-Glomeraceae decreased under high level of heavy metal compared to low level. According to the effect size, both Glomeraceae and non-Glomeraceae promoted host plant growth, but had different effects under various heavy metal levels. Glomeraceae provided more benefit to host plants than non-Glomeraceae did under heavy metal condition, while non-Glomeraceae provided more benefit to host plants than Glomeraceae did under no heavy metal. AMF phylogenetic groups also differed in promoting plant functional groups under various heavy metal levels.Interacting with Glomeraceae, herbs and legumes grew better than trees and non-legumes did under high heavy metal level, while trees and legumes grew better than herbs and non-legumes did under medium heavy metal level. Interacting with non-Glomeraceae, herbs and legumes grew better than trees and non-legumes did under no heavy metal. We suggested that the combination of legume with Glomeraceae could be a useful way in the remediation of heavy metal polluted environment.     

Space-time analysis of the changing patterns of population pressure on the ecological environment in China

This paper examines the temporal change and spatial variation of population pressure on the ecological environment in China. We have collected sufficient data from the statistical yearbooks of 31 provincial administrative areas in 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010. Using a geographic information system (GIS) and relevant models, we analyzed the trend of the population pressure on ecological environment and the change of the gravity center of ecological environment quality. We conclude that: (1) generally, population pressure on the ecological environment in China was becoming higher during 1990–2010, especially in some areas where the population and environment were in serious imbalance and the ecological environment experienced severe pollution; (2) during a certain period, population pressure on the ecological environment was becoming lower in some areas, but the ecological environment was getting worse; (3) the areas with super-high population pressure on the ecological environment were Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai; (4) the gravity center of population pressure on the ecological environment and the center of ecological environment quality move differently during the study time period, but the general trend was similar – both of them were moving from west to east. Based on the analysis, this paper also provides some policy suggestions on the control of ecological environment quality.     

TiO2/粉煤灰光催化降解双氯芬酸钠研究

以燃煤电厂外排的废弃物粉煤灰(CFA)为载体,采用混合泥浆法将TiO2负载在CFA的表面,得到一种新型的复合光催化剂TiO2/CFA.对TiO2/CFA进行了扫描电镜分析、X射线衍射分析和氮吸附测试,并以双氯芬酸钠的光催化降解为评价手段,研究了TiO2负载量对TiO2/CFA光催化性能及重复使用性能的影响.结果表明,TiO2负载量的增加有助于提高TiO2/CFA的光催化性能,但当TiO2负载量过高时,CFA上的TiO2在水处理过程中容易脱落,对TiO2/CFA光催化剂的重复使用性能不利.本研究中,最佳的TiO2负载量约为50%,循环使用6次,其光催化降解效率没有明显降低,双氯芬酸钠的降解率均可达70%以上.     

两种方法测定固定污染源废气中铅的对比研究

以石英纤维滤筒采样,采用硝酸-氢氟酸消解体系,建立了火焰原子吸收光谱法和电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法测定固定污染源废气中铅的分析方法。分别对两种方法的波长选择、干扰因素、标准曲线、检出限、准确度和精密度等方面进行了对比研究,并对两种方法的测定结果进行t检验。结果表明,两种方法无显著性差异,均可用于固定污染源废气中铅的含量测定。     

衡水市道路交通环境颗粒物污染特性及控制对策研究

针对衡水市机动车污染问题,本文选择衡水市代表性路段,对其进行了实验,如采样点的确定、采样时间和频率、监测方法及标准和使用的实验仪器,得到了结果与分析,如交通环境中PM10和TSP的变化特征、PM10/TSP比值和交通环境中PM10和TSP的影响因素分析,并提出衡水市道路交通环境空气污染控制措施,主要是完善城市交通和城市规划、城市绿化、发展清洁能源、完善管理体制和加强交通管理宣传教育,给出了切实可行的改善和控制措施.