Identifying the major fluorescent components responsible for ultrafiltration membrane fouling in different water sources

Three-dimensional fluorescence excitation–emission matrix(EEM) coupled with parallel factor analysis(PARAFAC) was performed for a total of 18 water samples taken from three water sources(two lakes and one wastewater treatment plant(WWTP) secondary effluent),with the purpose of identifying the major ultrafiltration(UF) membrane foulants in different water sources. Three fluorescent components(C1, C2 and C3) were identified,which represented terrestrially derived humic-like substances(C1), microbially derived humic-like substances(C2), and protein-like substances(C3). The correlations between the different fluorescent components and UF membrane fouling were analyzed. It was shown that for the WWTP secondary effluent, all three components(C1, C2 and C3) made a considerable contribution to the irreversible and total fouling of the UF membrane.However, for the two lakes, only the C3 exhibited a strong correlation with membrane fouling, indicating that the protein-like substances were the major membrane foulants in the lake waters. Significant attachment of C1, C2 and C3 to the UF membrane was also confirmed by mass balance analyses for the WWTP secondary effluent; while the attachment of C1 and C2 was shown to be negligible for the two lakes. The results may provide basic formation for developing suitable fouling control strategies for sustainable UF processes.     

Analysis of risk factors affecting driver injury and crash injury with drivers under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and non-DUI

Objective: The objective of this research was to study risk factors that significantly influence the severity of crashes for drivers both under and not under the influence of alcohol.

Methods: Ordinal logistic regression was applied to analyze a crash data set involving drivers under and not under the influence of alcohol in China from January 2011 to December 2014.

Results: Four risk factors were found to be significantly associated with the severity of driver injury, including crash partner and intersection type. Age group was found to be significantly associated with the severity of crashes involving drivers under the influence of alcohol. Crash partner, intersection type, lighting conditions, gender, and time of day were found to be significantly associated with severe driver injuries, the last of which was also significantly associated with severe crashes involving drivers not under the influence of alcohol.

Conclusions: This study found that pedestrian involvement decreases the odds of severe driver injury when a driver is under the influence of alcohol, with a relative risk of 0.05 compared to the vehicle-to-vehicle group. The odds of severe driver injury at T-intersections were higher than those for traveling along straight roads. Age was shown to be an important factor, with drivers 50–60 years of age having higher odds of being involved in severe crashes compared to 20- to 30-year-olds when the driver was under the influence of alcohol.

When the driver was not under the influence of alcohol, drivers suffered more severe injuries between midnight and early morning compared to early nighttime. The vehicle-to-motorcycle and vehicle-to-pedestrian groups experienced less severe driver injuries, and vehicle collisions with fixed objects exhibited higher odds of severe driver injury than did vehicle-to-vehicle impacts. The odds of severe driver injury at cross intersections were 0.29 compared to travel along straight roads. The odds of severe driver injury when street lighting was not available at night were 3.20 compared to daylight. The study indicated that female drivers are more likely to experience severe injury than male drivers when not under the influence of alcohol. Crashes between midnight and early morning exhibited higher odds of severe injury compared to those occurring at other times of day.

The identification of risk factors and a discussion on the odds ratio between levels of the impact of the driver injury and crash severity may benefit road safety stakeholders when developing initiatives to reduce the severity of crashes.     

济宁南部区域耕作层土壤地球化学特征及其成因分析

济宁市南部区域是著名的国家商品粮、优质大蒜、优质稻米和有机蔬菜生产基地,由于土壤地球化学特征与农业生产、人类健康关系密切,所以对济宁南部区域耕作层土壤地球化学特征及其成因的研究具有十分重要的意义。本文以济宁南部煤田地区作为典型区域,以耕作层土壤为研究对象,采集了77件耕作层土壤样品,定量分析了As、B、Cd、Co、Cr、Cu、F、Hg、Li、Mn、Mo、Ni、Pb、Sr、Se、Zn、S、Corg、p H、Si O2、TFe2O3、Mg O、Ca O、Na2O、K2O、CEC等共计26项指标。经统计分析发现,济宁南部区域耕作层土壤中地球化学指标含量变异系数的大小顺序为HgCECSCdNa2OMoCa OCorgAsMnCuMg OCoLiNiTFe2O3SeZnFCrPbBSi O2SrK2Op H,其中Hg、CEC和S的变异系数较大,均超过了50%,这一特点与地球化学指标含量频率直方图及平均值与背景值的比对柱状图所显示的特征完全吻合。在摸清耕作层土壤地球化学特征的基础上,采用R型因子分析法对济宁南部区域耕作层土壤地球化学特征的成因进行了详细分析,提取了风化作用和淋溶作用复合因素、蒸发淀积作用和粘土物理化学吸附作用复合因素、植物根际富集因素作用、煤矿生产因素作用等四个因子,其方差贡献率分别为55.022%、12.753%、9.803%、8.009%,四个因子可以用于说明济宁南部区域表层土壤地球化学特征85.587%的形成原因。研究结果可以为研究区今后开展耕作层土壤环境质量评价,以及生态平衡研究奠定基础。     

贵州省主要森林类型土壤有机碳密度特征及其影响因素

森林土壤有机碳是全球土壤有机碳库的重要组成部分,研究森林土壤有机碳对于减缓大气中CO2浓度持续升高具有重要的意义。本研究采用野外调查和室内分析相结合的方法,以贵州桦木、栎类、柏木、云南松、杉木、马尾松、华山松等7种主要森林类型为主要对象,分析贵州主要森林类型土壤有机碳密度特征,探讨不同植被类型和环境因子对其的影响。结果表明:(1)贵州森林土壤有机碳密度约为180.62Mg/hm2,高于同纬度地区江西省森林土壤平均有机碳密度102.1Mg/hm2,表现出贵州森林土壤具有较高的固碳能力;(2)不同森林类型土壤有机碳密度变化范围为:114.52~388.29Mg/hm2,且差异显著(P0.05)。各种森林类型土壤有机碳密度大小为:华山松林杉木林柏木林栎类林马尾松林桦木林云南松林;(3)不同植被类型下各层土壤有机碳密度大小均以表层土壤为最大,且随土壤深度增加而降低;(4)在立地条件上,贵州森林土壤有机碳密度与海拔显著相关,与坡度、经度、纬度相关关系均不显著。     

土壤释汞通量影响因素研究进展

汞具有独特的物理化学性质和生物毒性,能在大气中长期滞留,对距离污染源较远的地区造成污染。土壤是一个巨大的汞库,土壤和大气界面汞的交换是汞的生物地球化学循环的重要组成部分,能够对周围环境产生显著的影响。土壤释汞通量受到很多环境因素的影响,如土壤中汞的形态、土壤和大气中汞含量、土壤温度、光照、土壤湿度、降雨和灌溉、土壤p H和Eh、植被、气象因素、微生物等。环境因素的变化可能会导致土壤释汞通量的昼夜变化和季节变化。环境因素通常对土壤释汞通量进行复合影响,而最终的影响结果可能表现为协同或是拮抗作用。本文对影响土壤释汞通量的主要因素及其影响机理进行了详细地介绍,提出了对各种环境因素的复合效应的结果的研究需要进一步开展。     

废弃物焚烧行业二噁英废气排放因子修正研究

二噁英是一类含氧芳香族化合物,具有生物毒性,被称为“世纪之毒”.文章简述了二噁英污染源企业及主要排放源,重点介绍了废弃物焚烧行业二噁英排放现状与历年排放趋势,根据2012年-2014年实际监测数据计算了二噁英废气排放因子,并进行了修正.修正结果显示,近年来废弃物焚烧企业落实规范化管理和污染治理设施改造的推进使得修正排放因子远低于原排放因子,在此基础上提出了废弃物焚烧行业二噁英排放控制建议.     

室内火灾烟雾对微波衰减的影响研究

针对建筑室内火灾烟雾环境对微波信号的干扰问题,利用火灾标准实验间和微波实验装置,研究棉绳阴燃、聚氨酯明火等四种典型火灾烟雾对频率分别为600 MHz和2.7GHz微波衰减特性的影响规律。在有和无火灾烟雾环境下,对比分析入射波频率、烟雾浓度、烟雾类型对微波衰减的影响。实验结果表明,四种火灾烟雾对微波传播有明显衰减,且衰减量均随烟雾浓度的增加而增加,而衰减速率逐渐减小。频率以及不同特性类型的烟雾对微波衰减特性的规律不同。最后,计算并修正了室内火灾烟雾环境下微波衰减因子模型的衰减因子,提高了该模型在火灾烟雾环境下的适用性和准确性。     

外源Mo降低As(Ⅲ)和As(Ⅴ)对水稻的毒性及As的积累

通过溶液培养试验,研究外源添加Mo对2种价态砷(As(Ⅲ)和As(Ⅴ))胁迫下水稻吸收积累Mo和As的影响。结果表明,这2种价态的As对水稻生长均有抑制作用,As(Ⅲ)比As(Ⅴ)对水稻毒害更明显,添加Mo可缓解As对水稻的毒害。As添加可影响水稻根系和茎叶对Mo的吸收积累,但是不同价态As对Mo积累量的影响不一致。同时,Mo的添加也可以显著地降低水稻根系和茎叶对2个价态As的吸收积累。在100μmol·L~(-1)As(Ⅲ)处理下,添加0.1和0.5 mg·L~(-1)的Mo可导致水稻根系As积累量分别比对照处理降低38.8%和52.8%,茎叶As积累量分别降低5.1%和10.6%;当As(V)浓度为100μmol·L~(-1)时,添加0.1和0.5 mg·L~(-1)的Mo可导致水稻根系As积累量分别比对照处理降低15.4%和62.4%,茎叶As积累量分别降低11.9%和23.7%。Mo的添加还能显著地降低2种价态As在水稻根系和茎叶中的富集系数。因此,通过施用适量的Mo肥可以用来防治农田As污染,降低As对人体健康的危害。     

Evidence for bioamplification of nine polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in yellow perch (Perca flavascens) eggs during incubation

This study investigated bioamplification of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in yellow perch (Perca flavescens) eggs resulting from nutrient utilization by developing embryos during incubation. Newly fertilized eggs containing trace levels of PCBs via maternal deposition were collected from an aquaculture pond in which adult broodstock had been reared over their natural lives. The eggs were incubated using a flow through system that received the same pond water at in-situ temperatures from which they were spawned. Replicate samples of eggs were collected at six time points throughout incubation, ranging from day 0 (newly fertilized eggs) to post-hatch larvae (2-d old). Congener specific PCB fugacities in pooled egg samples showed increases over the incubation period. Just prior to hatching, incubated eggs averaged 2.7-fold higher PCB fugacities compared to fresh eggs. The increase in PCB fugacity with egg incubation time was independent of chemical K_OW. After hatching, PCB residues were lost from the larvae, attenuating the maximum chemical fugacity achieved in late-incubated eggs. However, the rate of PCB elimination in the early larvae stages was K_OW dependent such that a significant larvae/egg fugacity ratio was still evident for intermediate and highly hydrophobic compounds 2 d post-hatching. This study provides the first evidence of in-ovo PCB bioamplification in eggs of an aquatic species and suggests that incubating fish embryos are exposed to higher chemical fugacities in-ovo than would be predicted by maternal deposition alone.     

Organochlorine contaminants in different tissues from Platichthys flesus (Pisces,Pleuronectidea)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) are organic contaminants that tend to accumulate in fish. Estuaries are exposed to high anthropogenic activities, therefore tending to accumulate more contaminants than the adjacent coastal waters. Platichthys flesus, a fish with high economic value, was analysed for PCBs and HCB along its different age groups, in liver, gills, gonads and muscle. Younger fishes were caught in the estuary, whereas older fishes were caught in the adjacent coastal waters and acquired at Figueira da Foz Regional Office of Docapesca-Portos e Lotas, SA. Both contaminants concentrations follow the pattern: liver > gills > muscle. Hepatosomatic index had the lowest values in younger fishes and the highest values in older fishes. Condition factor values remain stable with age. Younger fishes had higher PCBs concentrations than the older fishes. In opposition HCB was only detected in fish from 3+ to 5+ and its concentration tended to increase with age. Overall P. flesus is considered safe for human intake.