How does eliminating mercury from artisanal and small-scale gold mining lead to achieving sustainable development goals?

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the principal anthropogenic activity that globally contributes to overloading our environment with mercury. Although the Minamata Convention, led by the United Nations, is a crucial instrument to eliminate its use progressively, novel approaches to accelerate this difficult transition are welcome. This article proposes a framework for policy-making or improvement, fostering the enforcement of mercury elimination through the lens of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on the excluded artisanal and small-scale gold miners and their dependents. We move forward with a literature review of the Artisanal and Small Mining topic, taking each SDG as a unit of analysis. Understanding the problem as a puzzle of four sets of pieces, namely: (1) social, (2) environmental, (3) economic, and (4) institutional, the paper offers potential opportunities for the decision-makers and practitioners to accelerate the substitution of this heavy metal and develop sustainable futures for the ASGM communities. We conclude by proposing a pragmatic framework that synthesizes the means, actions, and ends to accelerate a sustainable transition.     

Spatial analysis of resources and environmental carrying capacity in Iran

Urbanization and mass movement of the population from rural areas and small cities to megacities have led to environmental, economic, and social problems in Iran. In dealing with these challenges, assessing resource and environmental carrying capacity (RECC) is considered an effective method to leverage space and capital to achieve sustainable development. This study aimed to rank the provincial RECC in Iran. Toward this purpose, environmental indices were generated from remotely sensed and statistical census data. Then, the provinces were scored in terms of environmental, economic, and infrastructural carrying capacities, and RECC using the mean variance analysis method. Results demonstrated that in most areas, there is no relationship between economic and infrastructural capacities and development. Statistically, a correlation coefficient of −0.53 between economic and environmental carrying capacities indicated excessive use of environmental capacities. Moreover, the spatial distribution pattern of environmental, economic, and infrastructural carrying capacity was entirely heterogeneous between the provinces; there was a northeast–southwest pattern in terms of infrastructural capacity and an economic pattern from north to south. The distribution pattern of RECC is most consistent with the environmental capacity, pointing at the high weight of the indicators of the RECC model. In conclusion, this research offers a new vision for policymakers and provides a theoretical and applicable framework for implementing sustainable strategies in land-use planning. It is recommended that the RECC concept and tools can be used not only for planning but also for measuring the efficiency of spatial development programs and establishing land balances in the region.     

北京首都机场绿色滑行时间估算

采用北京首都机场2014年实际CDM地面放行数据确定航空器的污染物排放量与离场排队飞机数量和落地滑入飞机数量的强关联性,构建包含这两个解释变量为影响因素的多元线性回归模型,用以估算几种常见机型在首都机场地面运行时的最小污染物排放量和绿色滑行时间。对比实际污染物排放量与最小污染物排放量,得出首都机场离场地面污染物排放量远远超过最小污染物排放量。     

压力容器制造监检中对若干问题的处理

针对压力容器制造监检中某些受检单位在法规标准的理解上存在误区或者疏忽、不知如何进行后续整改工作的现状,笔者结合多年压力容器监督检验的工作经验,提出自己的解决方案,以供参考,也希望广大读者在遇到类似情况时能够正确理解并执行相关法规标准。     

Zinc recovery from hazardous construction wastes via an integrated process of the air classification,alkaline leaching,and water washing

Zinc- and lead-containing wastes are often mixed with construction and demolition wastes in many factories, generating abundant of heavy metal-enriched hazardous waste. In the present study, a novel integrated process of air classification, alkaline leaching, and water washing dechlorination was proposed for the efficient recycling of Zinc (Zn) resources. The first air classification process was realized via venturi tube, wherein the content of Zn could increase by 20 wt.%. After that, the product underwent an alkaline leaching process. Results showed that Zn recovery rate increased with fine particle sizes, and a 65% recovery rate was obtained under the following conditions of 5 mol/L NaOH, liquid/solid 10:1, and leaching time 1 h. Finally, water washing associated with microwave and ultrasonic treatments could remove over 85% of Cl and other water-soluble salts. All the results indicated that the integrated method had an excellent recovery rate for Zn resources from construction and demolition wastes.     

Assessing the Effectiveness of Winter Cover Crops for Controlling Agricultural Nutrient Losses

A nutrient loss reduction strategy is necessary to guide the efforts of improving water quality downstream of an agricultural watershed. In this study, the effectiveness of two winter cover crops, namely cereal rye and annual ryegrass, is explored as a loss reduction strategy in a watershed that ultimately drains into a water supply reservoir. Using a coupled optimization-watershed model, optimal placements of the cover crops were identified that would result in the tradeoffs between nitrate-N losses reduction and adoption levels. Analysis of the 10%, 25%, 50%, and 75% adoption levels extracted from the optimal tradeoffs showed that the cover crop placements would provide annual nitrate-N loss reductions of 3.0%–3.7%, 7.8%–8.8%, 15%–17.5%, and 20.9%–24.3%, respectively. In addition, for the same adoption levels (i.e., 10%–75%), sediment (1.8%–17.7%), and total phosphorus losses (0.8%–8.6%) could be achieved. Results also indicate that implementing each cover crop on all croplands of the watershed could cause annual water yield reduction of at least 4.8%, with greater than 28% in the months of October and November. This could potentially be detrimental to the storage volume of the downstream reservoir, especially in drought years, if cover crops are adopted in most of the reservoir's drainage area. Evaluating water yield impacts, particularly in periods of low flows, is thus critical if cover crops are to be considered as best management practices in water supply watersheds.     

基于TVR的腐蚀油气管道失效概率及安全寿命研究

为避免因腐蚀导致油气管道失效，针对因管道特性和腐蚀尺寸的不确定性使得管道剩余强度成为概率模型的特点，建立了腐蚀管道强度损失随机模型；借助可靠性理论，通过分析管道腐蚀进程的时变性特点，将管道系统由损伤积累和抗力衰减导致的剩余强度随机化；提出基于穿越率的腐蚀油气管道失效评定及安全寿命预测方法。研究结果表明:腐蚀速率和运行压力对管道失效概率及安全寿命影响显著,管道尺寸影响适中，而相关系数和拉伸强度影响较小；若腐蚀速率Va=0.2 mm/a，VL=10 mm/a或局部腐蚀缺陷半径达到管道壁厚的0.5倍时，建议作为重点风险段监测并检修。所建方法是对腐蚀油气管道运营监控和风险评估的有益补充。     

三峡库区消落带农用坡地磷素径流流失特征

消落带是三峡库区重要的生态交错带，但自发农用和无序开发可能会造成更多的氮磷流失，进而加剧三峡库区水体富营养化。通过对库区连续3 a的定位监测（2011~2013年），研究了三峡库区消落带农用坡地的磷素流失特征。结果表明：次降雨事件中常规施肥处理的地表径流、壤中流总磷平均浓度分别为0.848±0.153、0.140±0.006 mg/L，其中地表径流中磷的形态以颗粒态为主，壤中流以溶解态的生物可利用磷为主。常规施肥下，地表径流、壤中流磷素年均流失通量分别为0.236±0.004、0.100±0.003 kg·hm 2，地表径流、壤中流磷素流失通量分别占总流失通量的70.2%、29.8%，地表径流是坡地磷素流失的主要途径，但壤中流也是不可忽视的重要途径。与常规施肥处理相比，减量施肥处理地表径流、壤中流磷素流失量分别降低了45.3%、40.0%。建议采取减量施肥的方式，以降低营养盐负荷，保护水环境。     

臭氧氧化—湿式钙法吸收工艺对烟气的同时脱硫脱硝

采用臭氧氧化—湿式钙法吸收工艺对模拟烟气进行同时脱硫脱硝处理。O₃于150 ℃下具有较高的热稳定性,可将NO氧化为高价态氮氧化物,且NO氧化率随n（O₃）∶n（NO）的增大而逐渐提高。烟气中SO₂和H₂O的存在对NO氧化率的影响不大。O₃对SO₂的氧化率较低,约为5%。3%（w）石灰石浆液对SO₂的吸收率接近100%,NO_x吸收率随n（O₃）∶n（NO）的增大而逐渐提高,当n（O₃）∶n（NO）为1.6时NO_x吸收率可达约65%。SO₂能促进吸收液对NO_x的脱除。石灰石浆液中加入0.2%（w）的（NH₄）₂SO₃或Na₂SO₃后NO_x吸收率可达约85%或82%,且吸收率随添加剂加入量的增加而提高,添加（NH₄）₂SO₃的NO_x吸收率略高于添加Na₂SO₃。     

A comparative study of vocational education and occupational safety and health training in China and the UK

In order to enhance Chinese workers’ occupational safety awareness, it is essential to learn from developed countries’ experiences. This article investigates thoroughly occupational safety and health (OSH) in China and the UK; moreover, the article performs a comparison of Chinese and British OSH training-related laws, regulations and education system. The following conclusions are drawn: China’s work safety continues to improve, but there is still a large gap compared with the UK. In China a relatively complete vocational education and training (VET) system has been established. However, there exist some defects in OSH. In the UK, the employer will not only pay attention to employees’ physiological health, but also to their mental health. The UK’s VET is characterized by classification and grading management, which helps integrate OSH into the whole education system. China can learn from the UK in the development of policies, VET and OSH training.