Influences of adding easily degradable organic waste on the minimization and humification of organic matter during straw composting

To find a better composting process with low greenhouse gas emission and high humus production, the effect of adding kitchen waste on reduction and humification of organic matter during straw composting was studied. Three processes were compared, consisting of different ratios of straw and kitchen waste (1:2, 1:1, and 2:1). At four time points over a 62-d incubation, the reduction and humification of compost was evaluated by measuring the total mass, carbon content, and humic material content of the compost. Treatment 1 (straw/kitchen waste ratio of 1:2) reduced the total mass of compost the most. Treatment 2 (straw/kitchen waste ratio of 1:1) reduced the total carbon content the most, reflecting the highest emission of greenhouse gas. Treatment 3 produced the most humic acid material and released the lowest amount of carbon. Hence, from the point of view of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing stable organic matter such as humus and humic acid during composting, treatment #3 was optimal. The three treatments resulted in significant differences in microbial biomass and enzyme activity during composting. The highest amount of active microbial biomass was associated with the largest reduction in compost mass (treatment 1). Higher proportions of straw (treatments 2 and 3), which contains more lignin, were associated with greater β-glycosidase activity, which may generate more humus that can improve soil quality. Dehydrogenase activity seemed to be the most important microbial factor in organic carbon catabolism or humification.     

厌氧-局部循环供氧生物膜技术处理农村污水

通过模拟农村生活污水水质和间歇进水特点,利用“厌氧-局部循环供氧生物膜”技术,研究该工艺对有机物、氮、磷的去除效果.厌氧池和局部循环供氧池有效容积比为1∶1.6,曝气装置位于局部循环供氧池中间底部,环形导流板将局部循环供氧池分隔成中间好氧区和四周缺氧区,斜管沉淀池前置到厌氧池与局部循环供氧池之间,出水端设置循环水池.装置连续稳定运行12个月,平均进水量为140 L/d,生物反应区HRT为1.3d.监测结果表明,出水COD、BOD、NH3-N、TN和TP平均浓度分别在40.31、3.38、2.69、11.98和0.75 mg/L,达到了国家城镇污水处理厂污染物排放指标(GB-18918-2002)中的一级排放标准.研究表明,厌氧-局部循环供氧技术是一种适合农村分散污水处理的新工艺,可有效减轻农业面源污染.     

基于星座图法的湖北省农业功能分区

农业功能分区是准确把握县域农业功能定位、推动区域农业功能拓展和向现代农业转型的基础工作。旨在探索运用一种新的分类方法即星座图法在农业功能分区中的应用。剖析现代农业的功能定位问题，从农产品供应、就业与社会保障、生态调节和文化传承与休闲4大类综合功能选取30个定量指标和2个定性指标，构建了湖北省农业功能分区指标体系。采用星座图法，根据星座图中各星点的位置，确定各县（市）单项功能的分等类型；并以此为基础结合分区单元的实际地理位置和社会经济及环境现状，作出湖北省农业功能分区方案。分区结果以县级行政区域为分区单元，按照农业功能分区的基本原则，湖北省分4个农业主导功能区，各主导功能区分为3个二级区共12个二级农业功能区     

胶合竹材GluBam甲醛释放影响因素的气候箱实验与分析

胶合竹材GluBam的甲醛释放情况是现代竹结构住宅环保性的一个重要方面,也是竹结构住宅推广中最受关注的指标之一。采用1 m3气候箱对温度、相对湿度和封边情况与GluBam的甲醛释放量和释放速率的相关关系进行了测试,并以一阶单衰减模型为基础提出了GluBam的甲醛释放分析模型。测试和分析结果表明:GluBam板材在各模拟条件下甲醛浓度峰值均小于规范要求;初始甲醛释放量E0和衰减率常数k可以用来评价GluBam的甲醛释放特征;GluBam的醛释放量和释放速率随环境温度和湿度增加而显著增大,且温度因素的影响更大;封边处理可以有效降低GluBam板材的甲醛释放量。     

Quantifying air pollution attenuation within urban parks: an experimental approach in Shanghai, China

Parks with various types of vegetations played an important role in ameliorating air quality in urban areas. However, the attenuation effect of urban vegetation on levels of air pollution was rarely been experimentally estimated. This study, using seasonal monitoring data of total suspended particles (TSP), sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) and nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) from six parks in Pudong District, Shanghai, China, demonstrated vegetations in parks can remove large amount of airborne pollutants. In addition, crown volume coverage (CVC) was introduced to characterize vegetation conditions in parks and a mixed-effects model indicated that CVC and the pollution diffusion distance were key predictors influencing pollutants removal rate. Therefore, it could be estimated by regression analysis that in summer, urban vegetations in Pudong District could contribute to 9.1% of TSP removal, 5.3% of SO(2) and 2.6% of NO(2). The results could be considered for a better park planning and improving air quality.     

Transport of copper as affected by titania nanoparticles in soil columns

The effects of TiO₂ nanoparticles on the transport of Cu through four different soil columns were studied. For two soils (HB and DX), TiO₂ nanoparticles acted as a Cu carrier and facilitated the transport of Cu. For a third soil (BJ) TiO₂ nanoparticles also facilitated Cu transport but to a much lesser degree, but for a fourth soil (HLJ) TiO₂ nanoparticles retarded the transport of Cu. Linear correlation analysis indicated that soil properties rather than sorption capacities for Cu primary governed whether TiO₂ nanoparticles-facilitated Cu transport. The TiO₂-associated Cu of outflow in the Cu-contaminated soil columns was significantly positively correlated with soil pH and negatively correlated with CEC and DOC. During passage through the soil columns 46.6-99.9% of Cu initially adsorbed onto TiO₂ could be “stripped” from nanoparticles depending on soil, where Cu desorption from TiO₂ nanoparticles increased with decreasing flow velocity and soil pH.     

Co-metabolic transformation of the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid by the new soil isolate Pseudoxanthomonas indica CGMCC 6648

A new imidacloprid (IMI) degrading bacterium Z-9 (deposited number CGMCC 6648) was isolated and identified as Pseudoxanthomonas indica by 16S rRNA gene analysis. Two metabolites were identified as olefin and 5-hydroxy IMI by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. P. indica CGMCC 6648 degraded 70.1% of IMI (1.22 mmol L^?1) and formed 0.93 mmol L^?1 5-hydroxy IMI and 0.05 mmol L^?1 olefin IMI in 6 days and in the presence of 100 mmol L^?1 glucose. The half-life of IMI degradation was 3.6 days. P. indica CGMCC 6648 transforms IMI via a co-metabolism mechanism and different carbohydrates have significant effects on 5-hydroxy IMI formation, whereas different organic acids have substantial effects on olefin IMI production. Lactose is the best co-substrate for IMI degradation and 5-hydroxy IMI formation with 0.77 mmol L^?1 degraded and 0.67 mmol L^?1 formed in 48 h, respectively. Pyruvate is the best co-substrate for olefin IMI formation with 0.17 mmol L^?1 produced in 96 h for all carbon sources tested. Pyruvate significantly stimulates the conversion of 5-hydroxy IMI to olefin IMI, whereas glucose slightly inhibits this reaction. P. indica CGMCC 6648 rapidly degrades IMI and forms olefin IMI, which may enhance its potential for biodegradation of IMI and increase its insecticidal activity, which can decrease the IMI dosage required.     

Spatial character of polychlorinated biphenyls from soil and respirable particulate matter in Taiyuan, China

As one of China’s great metropolises, Taiyuan is affected by heavy chemical industry and manufacture of chemical products, and faces pollution from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the PCB concentrations in various environmental media in Taiyuan. We collected 15 soil samples, 34 respirable particulate matter (PM) samples (17 of PM_2.5 and 17 of PM₁₀) from urban areas of Taiyuan, and measured a total of 144 PCB congeners (including some coeluting PCB congeners). The total PCB concentrations were 51–4.7 × 10³ pg g⁻¹ in soil, 27–1.4 × 10² pg m⁻³ in PM_2.5 and 16–1.9 × 10² pg m⁻³ in PM₁₀. Of the PCB homologues, the dominant PCBs detected in the various media were all tri-CBs. Soil was relatively the most polluted media. Furthermore, principal-component analysis revealed that the major PCB source in Taiyuan may be associated with the main commercial PCB through long-range transmission. Toxic equivalency (TEQ) concentrations (based on ten dioxin-like PCBs) ranged from N.D. to 5.9 × 10⁻³ pg-WHO TEQ g⁻¹ in soil, 2.0 × 10⁻⁴–3.4 × 10⁻³ pg-WHO TEQ m⁻³ and 1.0 × 10⁻⁴–1.2 × 10⁻³ pg-WHO TEQ m⁻³ in PM_2.5 and PM₁₀, respectively. In previous studies, PCBs were not a severe component of contaminant in Taiyuan; however, this study suggested there is a potential threat of human exposure to PCBs for residents of Taiyuan.     

Removal of 2-chlorophenol from water using rice-straw derived ash

Removal of 2-chlorophenol from water using rice-straw derived ash (RSDA) was evaluated in this study to compare with commercial activated carbon. RSDA was obtained by burning rice-straw at 400 °C and 700 °C for 1 h. This ash can provide a better adsorbent for 2-chlorophenol. The adsorption capacities of RSDA at 400 °C and 700 °C are 37 and 52 mg g?1 at pH 4, respectively, and decrease to 9.0 and 40 mg g?1 at pH 10. Adsorption of either neutral or anionic 2-cholorphenol by the RSDA are shown as L-shaped nonlinear isotherms, suggesting surface adsorption rather than partitioning is occurring. At higher-burning temperatures, the surface area, porosity, point of zero charge and aromaticity of the resultant RSDA increase, but the oxygen content and surface acidity decrease. The combined effects result in a higher 2-chlorophenol adsorption of RSDA at 700 °C, which shows a slight pH effect on the adsorption of 2-chlorophenol, due to the lower content of oxygen-containing functional groups. Oxygen-containing functional groups contribute to surface acidity and H-bonding sites for adsorbed water, which compromises the interaction between 2-chlorophenol and the adsorbents. Thus, it suggests that rice-straw derived carbon (RSDC) can be used as an effective low-cost substitute material for activated carbon for removal of chlorophenols from wastewater.     

Does participative leadership enhance work performance by inducing empowerment or trust? The differential effects on managerial and non‐managerial subordinates

We examined whether participative leadership behavior is associated with improved work performance through a motivational process or an exchange‐based process. Based on data collected from 527 employees from a Fortune 500 company, we found that the link between superiors' participative leadership behaviors and subordinates' task performance and organizational citizenship behavior toward organizations (OCBO) was mediated by psychological empowerment (motivational mediator) for managerial subordinates. Yet, for non‐managerial subordinates such as supporting and front‐line employees, the impact of participative leadership on task performance and OCBO was mediated by trust‐in‐supervisor (exchange‐based mediator). Implications for theories and practices are discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.