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.     

Research progress and hot spots of hydrothermal liquefaction for bio-oil production based on bibliometric analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of biomass used HTL reaction under high temperature and pressure to produce bio-oil. This technology is considered as...     

基于变权灰色云模型的江苏省水环境系统脆弱性评价

水环境系统脆弱性是水资源利用与生态环境研究的热点问题，通过研究水环境系统的内在机理，综合考虑影响水环境系统脆弱性的资源、环境、经济、社会等因素，借助驱动力-压力-状态-影响-响应-管理（DPSIRM）框架构建水环境系统脆弱性评价指标体系。在此基础上，构建基于变权灰色云模型的评价方法，对2004~2014年江苏省水环境系统脆弱性进行评价。结果表明：2004~2014年水环境系统脆弱性指数由47.056提高到63.210，脆弱性等级由“重度脆弱”演化为“中度脆弱”，并长期维持在“中度脆弱的”等级，2014年出现了向“轻度脆弱”状态转变的趋势。分析各个子系统对水环境系统脆弱性影响程度可知，影响子系统和响应子系统对江苏省水环境脆弱性系统的影响程度逐年增加；而压力子系统和管理子系统对水环境系统脆弱性的影响程度逐年下降；其它子系统对水环境系统脆弱性的影响维持在一定水平小幅度波动。     

Heat dissipation characteristic in the intake grille and radiator of a fuel cell vehicle

ABSTRACT

In this study, a three-dimension (3D) computational model was proposed to investigate the flow and heat transfer characteristics of the intake grilles of two different fuel cell vehicles. The models of the intake grilles were constructed according to the actual sizes of two vehicles, namely, Roewe 950 and Toyota Mirai, considering the heat dissipation unit to simplify the heat transfer model of the vehicle. The results showed that relative to Roewe 950, Mirai intake air flow rate was approximately 10% higher, the heat transfer capacity was approximately 7% higher, and the intake grille area was larger. The coolant outlet temperature of Mirai was lower than that of Roewe 950, which was beneficial for the long term and stable operation of a fuel cell. This comparative study provided guidance for the intake grille and radiator design of fuel cell vehicles. The only difference between fuel cell vehicles on the market and conventional vehicles was that in the former, the internal combustion engine was replaced with a fuel cell stack, which had insufficient heat transfer capacity because of the reducing temperature difference. Increasing the intake grille area and the heat exchange capacity of the radiator were the key issues for the development of fuel cell vehicles. In this study, an optimal window opening angle of the radiator fin of 23° provided a maximal heat transfer coefficient.     

Health risk assessment of heavy metals in Cyprinus carpio (Cyprinidae) from the upper Mekong River

The purposes of this research are to quantify the concentration of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, As, Pb, Cd, and Hg) in the water and fish tissues of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in the upper Mekong River and to thereby elucidate the potential dietary health risks from fish consumption of local residents. Surface water and fish tissues (gill, muscle, liver, and intestine) from four representative sample areas (influence by a cascade of four dams) along the river were analyzed for heavy metal concentrations. Results revealed that the levels of heavy metals in fish were tissue-dependent. The highest Cu and As levels were found in the liver; the highest Zn and Pb levels occurred in the intestine, and the highest Hg level was found in the muscle. The total target hazard quotient (THQ) value for residents is > 1 for long-term fish consumption, and local residents are, therefore, exposed to a significant health risk. Results from the current study provide an overall understanding of the spatial and tissue distribution of heavy metals in water and fish body along the upper Mekong River under the influence of cascade dams and highlight the potential health risk of As for the local residents of long-term fish consumption.

     

Exogenously applied oxalic acid assists in the phytoremediation of Mn by Polygonum pubescens Blume cultivated in three Mn-contaminated soils

• The OA supply significantly increased the water-extractable Mn in all soils. • All OA supply levels promoted plant growth in unexplored soil. • Low OA supply level promoted plant growth in explored and tailing soils. • OA amendment increased the Mn concentrations and total Mn in P. pubescens. • P. pubescens experienced less Mn stress in unexplored soil than in the other two soils. The current study evaluated the effects of oxalic acid (OA) application on the growth and Mn phytoremediation efficiency of Polygonum pubescens Blume cultivated in three different manganese (Mn)-contaminated soils sampled from an unexplored area (US), an explored area (ES) and a tailing area (TS) of the Ertang Mn mine, South China. The supplied levels of OA were 0 (control), 1 (low level), 3 (medium level), and 9 (high level) mmol/kg, referred to as CK, OA1, OA3 and OA9, respectively. The results revealed that the average water-extractable Mn concentrations US, ES and TS amended with OA increased by 214.13, 363.77 and 266.85%, respectively. All OA supply levels increased plant growth and Mn concentrations in US. The low OA supply level increased plant growth in ES and TS; however, contrasting results were found for the medium and high OA supply levels. Plant Mn concentrations and total Mn increased in ES and TS in response to all OA supply levels. Total Mn in the aerial parts increased by 81.18, 44.17 and 83.17% in US, ES and TS, respectively; the corresponding percentages for the whole plants were 81.53, 108.98 and 77.91%, respectively. The rate of ·O₂⁻ production and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations increased in response to OA amendment, especially the medium and high OA supply levels in ES and TS. In general, antioxidant enzymes might play a vital role in alleviating Mn stress in plants cultivated in US, while non-enzymatic antioxidants might be the main factor for plants cultivated in ES and TS.     

Growth of Zostera japonica in different sediment habitats of the Yellow River estuary in China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The estuarine delta of the Yellow River is a region of strong land-ocean-human interactions that undergoes a unique evolutionary process. The delta is...     

The associations of air pollution exposure during pregnancy with fetal growth and anthropometric measurements at birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Fetal growth has been demonstrated to be an important predictor of perinatal and postnatal health. Although the effects of maternal exposure to air...     

半干法脱除球团烟气中的SO2及Hg0

采用钙基吸收剂及复合氧化剂半干法脱除模拟球团烟气中的SO_2及Hg~0,考察了多因素条件对吸收效果的影响。实验结果表明,在以NaClO和NaClO_2为复合氧化剂、 NaClO与NaClO_2体积比1∶0.5、复合氧化剂质量分数3%、反应温度110℃、钙基吸收剂质量3.0 g、模拟烟气进气流量1.2 L/min的条件下,SO_2和Hg~0的脱除率分别为98%和93%,证明钙基吸收剂与复合氧化剂对污染物球团烟气中的SO_2和Hg~0有良好的脱除作用。