Physico-chemical characterization of Residual Household Waste for energy recovery in insular territories: Case study of Reunion Island

Waste-to-energy is a promising approach to face the current challenge of waste overproduction in Reunion Island, a French territory. In this particular context of an isolated and tropical territory, it is essential to study the properties of potential feedstocks to choose the most appropriate conversion process. This article reports on the composition of Residual Household Waste from Reunion Island and its physico-chemical parameters. Twelve representative samples of Residual Household Waste were subjected to thermal and elemental analysis. The results showed that their composition had a significant influence on the physico-chemical properties, including calorific value. Residual Household Waste from the selective sorting (rich in wood, plastic, and sanitary textiles) as well as dry mixed RHW are the most interesting for energy recovery. Due to their high volatile matter and high carbon content, and their low moisture content, these types of waste have a high calorific value exceeding 18 MJ/kg. Furthermore, the RHW sample comply with the environmental and health criteria applied by French regulations concerning halogen and heavy metal. Thus, it seems that Residual Household Waste can be an alternative to conventional fuels used in incineration or pyro-gasification processes. However, the study also points the need for a pre-treatment process for these wastes. Indeed, it is necessary to sort them correctly in order to avoid the risks of pollution and important maintenance. And more importantly, drying beforehand is unavoidable to improve combustibility and obtain optimal energy conversion.     

China’s carbon neutrality: an extensive and profound systemic reform

● China has pledged ambitious carbon peak and neutrality goals for mitigating global climate change. ● Major challenges to achieve carbon neutrality in China are summarized. ● The new opportunities along the pathway of China’s carbon neutrality are discussed from four aspects. ● Five policy suggestions for China are provided. China is the largest developing economy and carbon dioxide emitter in the world, the carbon neutrality goal of which will have a profound influence on the mitigation pathway of global climate change. The transition towards a carbon-neutral society is integrated into the construction of ecological civilization in China, and brings profound implications for China’s socioeconomic development. Here, we not only summarize the major challenges in achieving carbon neutrality in China, but also identify the four potential new opportunities: namely, the acceleration of technology innovations, narrowing regional disparity by reshaping the value of resources, transforming the industrial structure, and co-benefits of pollution and carbon mitigation. Finally, we provide five policy suggestions and highlight the importance of balancing economic growth and carbon mitigation, and the joint efforts among the government, the enterprises, and the residents.     

简述排污许可制下火电行业现状及发展

实施排污许可制度,是强化排污者责任、提高固定污染源环境管理效能、改善环境质量的重要制度保障。火电行业作为典型的高架固定源,先行试点实施排污许可制度。通过分析火电行业发展和环保现状,结合排污许可管理要点,简述排污许可制对火电行业发展的影响。     

Magnetotactic bacteria: Characteristics and environmental applications

• Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) synthesize magnetic nanoparticle within magnetosomes. • The morphologic and phylogenetic diversity of MTB were summarized. • Isolation and mass cultivation of MTB deserve extensive research for applications. • MTB can remove heavy metals, radionuclides, and organic pollutants from wastewater. Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are a group of Gram-negative prokaryotes that respond to the geomagnetic field. This unique property is attributed to the intracellular magnetosomes, which contains membrane-bound nanocrystals of magnetic iron minerals. This review summarizes the most recent advances in MTB, magnetosomes, and their potential applications especially the environmental pollutant control or remediation. The morphologic and phylogenetic diversity of MTB were first introduced, followed by a critical review of isolation and cultivation methods. Past research has devoted to optimize the factors, such as oxygen, carbon source, nitrogen source, nutrient broth, iron source, and mineral elements for the growth of MTB. Besides the applications of MTB in modern biological and medical fields, little attention was made on the environmental applications of MTB for wastewater treatment, which has been summarized in this review. For example, applications of MTB as adsorbents have resulted in a novel magnetic separation technology for removal of heavy metals or organic pollutants in wastewater. In addition, we summarized the current advance on pathogen removal and detection of endocrine disruptor which can inspire new insights toward sustainable engineering and practices. Finally, the new perspectives and possible directions for future studies are recommended, such as isolation of MTB, genetic modification of MTB for mass production and new environmental applications. The ultimate objective of this review is to promote the applications of MTB and magnetosomes in the environmental fields.     

燃煤电厂超低排放气态污染物监测技术综述

介绍了燃煤电厂超低排放气态污染物监测系统的采样系统和分析单元,分析了其各自的优缺点。对稀释抽取式、冷干抽取式和热湿抽取式3种采样方法,以及非分散红外吸收法(NDIR)、非分散紫外吸收法(NDUV)、紫外差分吸收法(DOAS)、紫外荧光法(UVF)和化学发光法(CL)5种分析方法进行对比。结果表明,冷干抽取式+紫外差分法以及稀释抽取式+紫外荧光法+化学发光法可以较好地符合燃煤电厂超低排放监测的要求。     

固定源排污许可证监测管理制度研究

依靠排污许可证管理,固定源执行由行业排放标准为主正逐步过渡到"国家行业排放标准——单一源排放标准"双层排放标准,并以执行更全面和精准的单一源排放标准为主,对应的监测要求及考核方式更加多样化。对监测管理制度进行设计,明确固定源制定自行监测方案和守法监测的主体责任,厘清许可证核发部门、属地监测、执法部门的监管职责。系统设计"固定源制定并提交自行监测方案-核发部门审核-方案纳入排污许可证中成为规定-依规定自行监测和记录-固定源提交执行报告-监管部门审计式审核-执法监测和执法检查"的全过程管理机制,设计标准化的监管计划程序落实证后监管与执法监测,明晰监管部门的有限责任。     

非平衡式双极性离子风消电技术与应用

为实现风送管道物料静电监测与控制，预防料仓静电燃爆事故，提高聚烯烃装置料仓安全水平，基于非平衡式双极性离子风消电技术，开发了双极性离子风消电器；基于离子风消电器和静电监测器，探讨了石化粉体料仓用离子风消电控制系统组成、电路、气路布局；对非平衡式双极性离子风消电系统进行现场应用测试。结果表明:基于此管道粉体消静电技术，合理调节正、负侧控制电压，可有效控制管道物料荷质比稳定在±0.3 μC/kg以内，保障聚烯烃装置料仓安全、稳定运行。     

我国污染物总量控制制度改革的思考

污染物总量控制制度是我国环境保护制度的重要组成部分。结合污染物总量控制制度的实施现状,分析实施过程中减排基数、核算体系、责任主体等方面存在的问题。提出,改革现行污染物总量控制制度,将总量控制与改革中的排污许可制相融合,落实企业主体责任,将总量指标与环境质量改善挂钩,建立差异化的减排核算体系,并加强日常监管,达到改善环境质量的目标。     

新型污染物风险防范国际实践及其对中国的启示

随着重化工业的快速发展和各类化学品的大量使用，一些新型污染物对中国居民和生态环境的危害正逐步显现并日趋严重。如何进一步完善中国新型污染物的风险防范体系，是中国生态环境治理面临的重要问题。发达国家新型污染物的风险防范工作启动较早，对中国完善新型污染物风险防范体系具有重要的借鉴意义。本文从制度建设、体制机制、评估监测、科学研究等方面比较国内外新型污染物风险防范实践的异同，立足我国国情，发现国内实践还需加强之处。在此基础上，提出国际新型污染物风险防范实践对中国的启示。     

Complex and nonlinear climate-driven changes in freshwater insect communities over 42 years

The ongoing biodiversity crisis becomes evident in the widely observed decline in abundance and diversity of species, profound changes in community structure, and shifts in species’ phenology. Insects are among the most affected groups, with documented decreases in abundance up to 76% in the last 25–30 years in some terrestrial ecosystems. Identifying the underlying drivers is a major obstacle as most ecosystems are affected by multiple stressors simultaneously and in situ measurements of environmental variables are often missing. In our study, we investigated a headwater stream belonging to the most common stream type in Germany located in a nature reserve with no major anthropogenic impacts except climate change. We used the most comprehensive quantitative long-term data set on aquatic insects available, which includes weekly measurements of species-level insect abundance, daily water temperature and stream discharge as well as measurements of additional physicochemical variables for a 42-year period (1969–2010). Overall, water temperature increased by 1.88 °C and discharge patterns changed significantly. These changes were accompanied by an 81.6% decline in insect abundance, but an increase in richness (+8.5%), Shannon diversity (+22.7%), evenness (+22.4%), and interannual turnover (+34%). Moreover, the community's trophic structure and phenology changed: the duration of emergence increased by 15.2 days, whereas the peak of emergence moved 13.4 days earlier. Additionally, we observed short-term fluctuations (<5 years) in almost all metrics as well as complex and nonlinear responses of the community toward climate change that would have been missed by simply using snapshot data or shorter time series. Our results indicate that climate change has already altered biotic communities severely even in protected areas, where no other interacting stressors (pollution, habitat fragmentation, etc.) are present. This is a striking example of the scientific value of comprehensive long-term data in capturing the complex responses of communities toward climate change.