Optical Resilience of the Paraíba do Sul River (Brazil) during a Toxic Spill of a Wood-Pulping Factory: The Cataguazes Accident

This study investigates the inherent optical properties (IOP) of a Brazilian river during a non-natural, anthropogenically mediated, toxic spill of a wood-pulping factory (the ‘Cataguazes accident’). The results indicated an outstanding transformation in the river water chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) pools. For instance, increases in CDOM absorption coefficients, a _CDOM (λ), which were averaged at specific spectral intervals, , ranged from 58-fold at the UV-B and UV-A ranges to 95-fold at the PAR range. As a result, the water color expressed as CDOM absorption at 440 nm, a _CDOM (440), varied from 4.16 to 365.03 m^-1. For S-coefficient, the variations ranged from ∼1.1 to 5.6-fold, respectively, at the 300–650 nm and UV-B range. The variability of S as a proxy of dissolved chromophores was thus clearly influenced by the spectral range used. Optical proportions were also investigated through the use of and S ratios at the UV-B, UV-A, and PAR ranges and, in the case of , also at the NIR range. This approach also showed clear variations between the water samples, likely reflecting changes in the composition of optically active substances in the river system. As a whole, the findings obtained here indicated that both the quantity and quality of the chromophoric material dissolved in the river water were greatly altered by the toxic spill. The changes in the optical properties of the river water, although extreme and likely with no parallel in the literature, were quite rapid as indicated by the optical resilience of the system. Overall, this study indicates that IOP might be thought, and possibly used, as a metric tool for monitoring the state of waters and aquatic ecosystems.     

Reactive uptake of NO2 on volcanic particles: A possible source of HONO in the atmosphere

The heterogeneous degradation of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) on five samples of natural Icelandic volcanic particles has been investigated. Laboratory experiments were carried out under simulated atmospheric conditions using a coated wall flow tube (CWFT). The CWFT reactor was coupled to a blue light nitrogen oxides analyzer (NO_x analyzer), and a long path absorption photometer (LOPAP) to monitor in real time the concentrations of NO₂, NO and HONO, respectively. Under dark and ambient relative humidity conditions, the steady state uptake coefficients of NO₂ varied significantly between the volcanic samples probably due to differences in magma composition and morphological variation related with the density of surface OH groups. The irradiation of the surface with simulated sunlight enhanced the uptake coefficients by a factor of three indicating that photo-induced processes on the surface of the dust occur. Furthermore, the product yields of NO and HONO were determined under both dark and simulated sunlight conditions. The relative humidity was found to influence the distribution of gaseous products, promoting the formation of gaseous HONO. A detailed reaction mechanism is proposed that supports our experimental observations. Regarding the atmospheric implications, our results suggest that the NO₂ degradation on volcanic particles and the corresponding formation of HONO is expected to be significant during volcanic dust storms or after a volcanic eruption.     

Factors influencing Aerosol Characteristics over Urban Environment

Atmospheric aerosols are an important contributing factor to turbidity in urban areas besides having impact on health. Aerosol characteristics show a high degree of variability in space and time as anthropogenic share of total aerosol loading is quite substantial and is essential to monitor the aerosol features over long time scales. In the present study extensive observations of columnar aerosol optical depth (AOD), total columnar ozone (TCO) and precipitable water content (PWC) have been carried over a tropical urban city of Hyderabad, India. Significant variations of AOD have been observed during course of the day with low values of AOD during morning and evening hours and high values during afternoon hours. Spectral variation of AOD exhibits high AOD at smaller wavelengths and vice versa except a slight enhancement in AOD at 500 nm. Anomalies in AOD, particulate matter and black carbon concentrations have been observed during May, 2003. Back trajectory analysis of air mass during these episodes suggested variation in air mass trajectories. Analysis of the results suggests that air trajectories from land region north of study area cause high loading of atmospheric aerosols. The results are discussed in the paper.     

烃类化合物气相色谱保留指数与其分配系数关系研究

报道了从烃类化合物气相色谱保留指数预测其正辛醇水分配系数的公式，研究了以不同极性相上测得的烃类化合物保留指数预测其分配系数的准确性，得出弱极性柱上测得的化合物保留指数能更准确的预测其分配系数，从而为烃类化合物分配系数的测定和预测提供了一种简便易行的新方法。     

Effect of soil solids concentration in batch tests on the partition coefficients of organic pollutants in landfill liner-soil materials

 The effect of the soil solids concentration in batch tests on the measured values of the partition coefficient (K _p) of organic pollutants in landfill liner-soil material was investigated. Since this study was based on the results of batch and column tests conducted independently, there were limitations to the conclusions derived. The organic compounds tested were benzene, methylene chloride, toluene, trichloroethylene, and p-xylene. The results of this study showed that as soil solids concentrations increased, the measured K _p values of these organic compounds strongly decreased. The observed values of K _p stabilized when the soil solids concentration was above a certain value. Typical K _p values obtained from batch tests conducted under high soil solids concentrations were close to those obtained from column tests. It was concluded that the K _p values of organic compounds measured under low soil solids concentrations, i.e., less than 100 g/l, may not correctly simulate the field situation. Consequently, the values of K _p obtained with low soil solids concentrations can result in an overestimation of the retardation factor of the landfill liner material. Received: March 14, 2002 / Accepted: August 25, 2002     

Experimental investigation of a solar water distillation-cum-drying unit

In this communication, a new design of solar-energy-based water distillation cum drying unit with parabolic reflector has been designed, fabricated, and tested. Bitter gourd and potato slices are chosen as a drying commodity. Thermal performance of the developed system has been evaluated based on the experimental results and using linear regression analysis. Heat transfer coefficients (convective, evaporative, and radiative) for solar distillation system have been observed to be 2.48–4.09, 13.25–52.38, and 8.75–9.66 W/m²°C, respectively. Overall thermal efficiency and exergy efficiency for the distillation system has been found to be 18.77% and 1.2%, respectively. The convective heat transfer coefficient for potato slices are observed higher for initial hours and decreases as the day progresses. The average convective heat transfer coefficients for bitter gourd and potato slices have been observed as 2.18 and 5.04 W/m²°C, respectively. Experimental error in terms of percent uncertainty for bitter gourd and potato slices are found to be 42.93% and 37.06%, respectively. The present design of solar distillation and drying in a single unit could be beneficial for the development of remote, arid, and rural areas.     

长春市春季PM2.5中金属污染与潜在生态风险评价研究

2014年春季采集了长春市大气PM2.5样品,测定了PM2.5及其17种金属元素的含量.PM2.5质量浓度为175.2±75.1μg/m3,变异系数为0.44,环境重污染日与优良日空气质量差异较大.PM2.5中金属元素平均含量顺序为Ca>Fe>K>Mg>Al>Zn>Ti>Mn>Pb>As>Cu>V>Ni>Cr>Co>Ba>Cd.采用富集因子法和潜在生态风险指数法对PM2.5中金属进行了评价.其中Cd、As、Zn、Pb、Cu富集因子大于100.金属综合潜在生态风险等级为极强生态风险,Cd的贡献率为83.2%,受人类活动干扰严重.     

巢湖水体组分垂向分布特征及其对水下光场的影响

富营养化湖泊不同组分垂向分布及其对水下光场的影响是湖泊水环境遥感领域亟待开展的内容.利用巢湖野外实测数据,分析水体不同组分垂向分布特征,结合Hydrolight辐射传输模型模拟研究水体不同组分垂向分布对漫衰减系数Kd的影响.结果表明,巢湖水体悬浮物以及有色可溶性有机物CDOM垂向分布较为均一,水面未发生藻华现象时叶绿素a垂向分布符合高斯正态分布,漫衰减系数Kd受叶绿素a以及无机悬浮物的显著影响,其垂向变化复杂多样,以往以水体光学性质均一为前提计算得到的Kd仅仅表示其衰减的平均情况,不能精确反映水下光场的垂向变化,因此研究水体组分垂向分布特征及其对漫衰减系数Kd的影响是开展藻类垂向分布异质性对水下光场影响机制研究的前提和基础.     

北京雾霾天气生物气溶胶浓度和粒径特征

近年来北京雾霾天气频发,空气颗粒物聚集是导致雾霾天气发生的主要原因之一.作为一种重要的空气颗粒物,生物气溶胶对人体健康存在危害.本研究调查了雾霾天气时,生物气溶胶浓度和粒径分布规律;对其同空气质量指数PM2.5(AQI),环境温度和湿度间的Spearman’s相关性进行了研究;分析了冬夏两季重度雾霾天气时,生物气溶胶粒径分布规律.结果表明,生物气溶胶浓度与PM2.5(AQI)呈负相关,与环境温度呈正相关.环境湿度与细菌气溶胶浓度呈负相关而与真菌气溶胶浓度呈正相关.在冬季,最大浓度细菌和真菌气溶胶分别在4.5~7.0μm和2.1~3.3μm粒径范围内检测到,而夏季最高浓度细菌和真菌气溶胶均分布在3.3~4.5μm范围内.本研究结果将为不同雾霾天气下,评价生物气溶胶对人类健康造成的危害提供基础数据.     

Distributions of radionuclide sorption coefficients (Kd) in sub-surface sediments and the implications for transport calculations

The effect of the spatial variability of K_d on calculations of contaminant travel time in the vadose zone was determined. Depth discrete measurements of K_d were made for a suite of radionuclides (¹⁰⁹Cd, ⁵⁷Co, ⁶⁰Co, ⁸⁵Sr, ¹³⁷Cs, and ⁸⁸Y) utilizing a sediment core from the E-Area at the Savannah River Site. The K_d’s were ordered as ⁸⁵Sr²⁺ < ¹³⁷Cs⁺ < ¹⁰⁹Cd²⁺ < ⁵⁷Co²⁺ = ⁶⁰Co²⁺ << ⁸⁸Y³⁺ and the values generally fell below or near the lowest quartile of values reported in the literature. Correlations were generally weak between soil properties and K_d values. Most importantly, all of the K_d distributions could be reasonably approximated as log-normal. Deterministic and stochastic calculations of contaminant travel time to the water table were made. The deterministic calculations were based on each of three conceptual models of the vadose zone: complete stratification (17 strata, each with a different K_d), two strata (two sections of the vadose zone, each characterized by a single, average K_d), and unstratified (a single zone with an average K_d). Stochastic calculations were based on log-normal fits to the K_d data. The two strata model generally yielded travel times 2× greater than those in the completely stratified model. The unstratified model yielded travel times that were between 3 and 5 times greater than the completely stratified model. The stochastic mean travel times were comparable to those of the two strata model.