Environmental decentralization,environmental public service,and public health: evidence from 289 cities in China

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - Effective supply of environmental public services (EPS) is important to guarantee the mitigation of residential pollution exposure risk. This study analyzes...     

Recycling sewage sludge into ceramic materials: A review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Huge amounts of unwanted sewage sludge are generated in the process of wastewater treatment, calling for methods to recycle sewage sludges into value-added...     

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.     

Less attention paid to waterborne SARS-CoV-2 spreading in Beijing urban communities

• A survey on individual’s perception of SARS-CoV-2 transmission was conducted. • Waterborne transmission risks are far less perceived by individuals. • Precautions of preventing wastewater mediated transmission are implemented. • The precautions for wastewater transmission are less favored by the public. • Education level differs the most regarding to waterborne transmission perception. SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in various environmental media. Community and individual-engaged precautions are recommended to stop or slow environmentally-mediated transmission. To better understand the individual’s awareness of and precaution to environmental dissemination of SARS-CoV-2, an online survey was conducted in Beijing during March 14–25, 2020. It is found that the waterborne (especially wastewater mediated) spreading routes are far less perceived by urban communities. The precautions for wastewater transmission are less favored by the public than airborne and solid waste mediated spreading routes. Such risk communication asymmetry in waterborne transmission will be further enlarged in places with fragile water system. Furthermore, education level is the most significant attribution (Sig.<0.05) that causes the difference of awareness and precautions of the waterborne transmission among the respondents, according to the variance analysis results. Our survey results emphasize the urgent need for evidence-based, multifactorial precautions for current and future outbreaks of COVID-19.     

Personal exposure to PM2.5-bound heavy metals associated with cardiopulmonary function in general population

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - To better understand the cardiopulmonary alterations associated with personal exposed PM2.5-bound heavy meals, we conducted a cross-sectional study in...     

Aerosol transmission,an indispensable route of COVID-19 spread: case study of a department-store cluster

• Aerosol transmission is an indispensable route of COVID-19 spread. • Different outbreak sites have different epidemiologic feature. • SRAS-CoV-2 can exist for a long time in aerosol. • SRAS-CoV-2 RNA can be detected in aerosol in diverse places. • Some environmental factors can impact SARS-CoV-2 transportation in aerosol. Patients with COVID-19 have revealed a massive outbreak around the world, leading to widespread concerns in global scope. Figuring out the transmission route of COVID-19 is necessary to control further spread. We analyzed the data of 43 patients in Baodi Department Store (China) to supplement the transmission route and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in a cluster outbreak. Incubation median was estimated to endure 5.95 days (2–13 days). Almost 76.3% of patients sought medical attention immediately upon illness onset. The median period of illness onset to hospitalization and confirmation were 3.96 days (0–14) and 5.58 days (1–21), respectively. Patients with different cluster case could demonstrate unique epidemiological characteristics due to the particularity of outbreak sites. SRAS-CoV-2 can be released into the surrounding air through patient’s respiratory tract activities, and can exist for a long time for long-distance transportation. SRAS-CoV-2 RNA can be detected in aerosol in different sites, including isolation ward, general ward, outdoor, toilet, hallway, and crowded public area. Environmental factors influencing were analyzed and indicated that the SARS-CoV-2 transportation in aerosol was dependent on temperature, air humidity, ventilation rate and inactivating chemicals (ozone) content. As for the infection route of case numbers 2 to 6, 10, 13, 16, 17, 18, 20 and 23, we believe that aerosol transmission played a significant role in analyzing their exposure history and environmental conditions in Baodi Department Store. Aerosol transmission could occur in some cluster cases when the environmental factors are suitable, and it is an indispensable route of COVID-19 spread.     

基于IFS-动态加权的地下综合体深基坑施工风险评价

为控制地下综合体深基坑施工风险,提出了一种基于直觉模糊集(IFS)-动态加权的风险评价方法.从地质条件、建筑环境、岩土设计、施工方案和偶然风险5个方面分析地下综合体深基坑施工风险因素,构建了综合风险评价指标体系.采取施工风险5级划分方法,利用IFS理论确定指标风险;以偏大型正态加权函数确定指标权重,得到系统综合风险.以西安市某地下综合体深基坑施工实际为背景,进行方法应用.结果表明,该西安市地下综合体深基坑施工系统风险等级为显著风险.其中,指标"邻近建筑""地下管网"的风险等级为高度风险,"道路交通""基坑边坡稳定性""降排水实施"为显著风险,对此提出了相应的安全措施.     

土地细碎化与农户环境友好型技术采纳决策——以测土配方施肥技术为例

利用湖北省1710份农户的微观数据,运用Double-hurdle模型,实证分析土地细碎化对农户环境友好型技术采纳决策的影响.研究表明:(1)总体来说,土地细碎化对农户是否采纳环境友好型技术,以及采纳密度(采纳环境友好型技术的面积/总农地经营面积)均产生负向影响;(2)对男性和低自我效能感知主体而言,土地细碎化对其是否采纳环境友好型技术决策和采纳密度决策均产生负向影响;而对女性和高自我效能感知主体,则未产生显著影响;(3)土地细碎化对强社会网络主体的是否采纳决策产生影响,对其采纳密度决策不产生影响,土地细碎化对弱社会网络主体的是否采纳和采纳密度决策均产生负向影响;(4)土地细碎化对低农业收入依赖主体的采纳密度决策以及高农业收入依赖主体的是否采纳决策产生负向影响,对低农业收入依赖主体的是否采纳决策以及高农业收入依赖主体的采纳密度决策不产生影响;(5)土地细碎化对平原地区农户的是否采纳决策不产生影响,对其采纳密度决策产生影响,土地细碎化对非平原地区农户的是否采纳和采纳密度决策均产生负向影响.据此,建议着力推进高水平良田建设,激励农户环境友好型技术采纳决策的政策制定需要充分考虑农户异质性影响,实施精准施肥政策,并充分考虑不同自然环境特征(如地形等)的影响,针对平原和非平原地区的农户,采取差异化的激励策略.     

Influence of pore structure on biologically activated carbon performance and biofilm microbial characteristics

• Pore structure affects biologically activated carbon performance. • Pore structure determines organic matter (OM) removal mechanism. • Microbial community structure is related to pore structure and OM removal. Optimizing the characteristics of granular activated carbon (GAC) can improve the performance of biologically activated carbon (BAC) filters, and iodine value has always been the principal index for GAC selection. However, in this study, among three types of GAC treating the same humic acid-contaminated water, one had an iodine value 35% lower than the other two, but the dissolved organic carbon removal efficiency of its BAC was less than 5% away from the others. Iodine value was found to influence the removal of different organic fractions instead of the total removal efficiency. Based on the removal and biological characteristics, two possible mechanisms of organic matter removal during steady-state were suggested. For GAC with poor micropore volume and iodine value, high molecular weight substances (3500–9000 Da) were removed mainly through degradation by microorganisms, and the biodegraded organics (soluble microbial by-products,<3500 Da) were released because of the low adsorption capacity of activated carbon. For GAC with higher micropore volume and iodine value, organics with low molecular weight (<3500 Da) were more easily removed, first being adsorbed by micropores and then biodegraded by the biofilm. The biomass was determined by the pore volume with pore diameters greater than 100 μm, but did not correspond to the removal efficiency. Nevertheless, the microbial community structure was coordinate with both the pore structure and the organic removal characteristics. The findings provide a theoretical basis for selecting GAC for the BAC process based on its pore structure.     

Preparation and Characterization of Collagens from the Skin of Northern Snakehead (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Channa argus)</Emphasis>

Channa argus, a type of snakehead fish native to China, is a popular food fish in certain Asian countries but is a known destructive invasive species in the US. In this study, the two collagens, i.e. acid-soluble collagen (ASC) and pepsin-solubilized collagen (PSC), were obtained from C. argus skin. The yield of ASC was 28.0% and that of PSC was 16.8% on the dry bases. The collagens were identified as the collagen of type I by SDS–PAGE patterns. The Tds were approximately 27.0?°C. Similar ultraviolet spectra of both collagens were observed. Fourier Transform infrared spectra indicated PSC structure had a little change due to the loss of terminal domains by pepsin digestion. The results of XRD proved that the two collagens retained their helical structures. The results suggest that the collagens isolated from C. argus can potentially be alternative sources of vertebrate collagens for use in the food and other industries.