Population and water in the Middle East: the challenge and opportunity for law

Although it is commonplace today to argue that population growth drives many or most environmental problems, Jane Jacobs has questioned the prevailing view, noting that the empirical evidence for it is actually rather slim. This article presents a case study of the pressures that population places on water in the Middle East, concluding that the countries of the region suffer from inappropriate patterns of water use rather than from excessive population. Heavy reliance on agriculture for employment or to earn foreign exchange can only lead to environmental collapse in such an arid region. In particular, to develop export markets for agricultural products is really to export water from a water-poor region. With such short-sighted policies in place, the region has already entered upon a severe crisis of recurring and intensifying water shortages that are exacerbated by population growth. If more intelligent use were made of the waters of the region, a population considerably larger than found at present could be supported without excessive stress on water resources or the natural ecology. To accomplish this, the nations of the region must create legal institutions to enable them to undertake integrated (joint) management of their shared water resources.     

温室气体二氧化碳的回收与资源化

从温室效应的概念出发，介绍了6种典型温室气体的来源、含量及其对地球环境的影响。由于CO2含量日益增多，国际上作出了相应的对策以减少CO2的排放量。因此对削减二氧化碳的技术和发展方向作了概要评述，以废物资源化的原则，将分离回收的CO2进行综合利用，还对其应用的三个方面进行了归纳总结。     

Carbon Monoxide Levels in Kitchens and Homes with Gas Cookers

It always has been assumed that only a small amount of CO will be produced by a gas stove when mixture of air and gas are well adjusted and that that small amount will be dissipated by the home’s ventilation and by a combination of a fan and hood over the stove. However, preparation of meals may substantially increase CO. The immediate air supply may be progressively diminished when more than one burner is used and air supply may be partially cut off by vessels placed over the gas flame. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the amount of CO that may be expected to be produced during normal cooking. The experiment measured CO levels, using multiple burners with and without cooking vessels, and the rate of dissipation of the accumulated gas under various conditions of ventilation.     

The impact of age structure on carbon emission in the Middle East: the panel autoregressive distributed lag approach

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Rapid evolution in the population age structure of the Middle East countries has major economic, social, and environmental outcomes. Therefore, to...     

Sulfur and Carbon Cycling in a Flue Gas Desulfurization Sludge Disposal Site

Abstract

Products of a power plant flue gas desulfurization scrubber are discharged into a pond as sludge consisting of calcite (initial δ¹³C 3.2–3.8‰), gypsum (initial δ³⁴S 7.6–8.6‰), and aqueous solution. Reducing conditions exist below a boundary that appears to move vertically as a function of changes in pond water level. Under reducing conditions, bacteria partially reduce aqueous sulfate to low-δ³⁴S sulfide, consuming organic carbon and generating low-δ¹³C bicarbonate. Under oxidizing conditions, sulfide is converted to sulfate, leading to calcite dissolution, gypsum precipitation, and isotopic re-equilibration of remaining calcite with dissolved bicarbonate near the pond surface. The gypsum has δ³⁴S near 6‰, and calcite has δ¹³C as low as -1.7‰; the changes from initial values correspond to predictions based on isotopic balance and reaction stoichiometry. The pond largely contains the products of bacterial reduction. After the pond is abandoned, these products may adversely affect attempts to revegetate the site. Future bacterial reduction may be best controlled by dewatering and limiting the supply of organic matter in percolating surface water.     

Determination of Multiple Atmospheric Diffusion Coefficients Using the Carbon Hollow Tube Gas Chromatography Method

Gaseous organic species were collected by carbon hollow tube pairs. Diffusion coefficients (D_a) of anhydrous and hydrated organic species were then determined by measuring the ratio of each component that adsorbed in the collection tubes. In controlled experiments, the precision and accuracy of D_a determinations were 12 percent and 9.1 percent respectively. Ternary mixtures of airborne compounds were separated and quantified using gas chromatography. Observed D_as for each component of these mixtures were similar to those obtained for individual components. This method was applied to volatile organic species in marine air, soil air, and cigarette effluents.     

煤气发生站洗冷废水治理研究

研究了以活性炭作为吸附剂处理煤气发生站废水工艺，并摸索出一整套的工艺参数。实验结果表明，采用活性炭吸附工艺使出水水质得到明显改观，硫化物、氰化物和挥发酚的去除效率均达９０％以上，对ＣＯＤｃｒ、氨氮的去除也收到了明显的效果。     

基于生态足迹模型的浙江省可持续发展研究

基于废弃物处理技术与土地面积之间的关系,对Wackernagel等提出的生态足迹模型中废弃物账户的核算方法作了补充,并以浙江省为实例,分析了2003年浙江省可持续发展状况.结果表明,2003年浙江省人均生态足迹为1.70 hm2,人均生态承载力为0.42 hm2,人均生态赤字为1.28 hm2,生态需求与供给之间存在一定差距.     

Human impact on the fish diversity in the four largest lakes of Sweden

The four largest Swedish lakes, V?nern, V?ttern, M?laren, Hj?lmaren, host important commercial fisheries for char, salmon, trout, whitefish, vendace (cisco), perch, pike-perch, pike and eel, i.e. highly diverse biological resources. Case studies illustrate physical, chemical and biological impacts on some of these commercial species caused by constructions of dams and ship canals, eutrophication, and overexploitation. Although some original species have been lost and a few new species have been added, the recent human interference has basically caused major shifts in dominance of the fish community structures because of eutrophication, alterations in the abundance of eel or crayfish, and due to overfishing. The latter is in some cases caused by the Great Lake Fishery Paradox--in an environment with several predators and competitors, but with ample food resources, especially salmonid fish but also species like pike-perch may adapt a life history favoring growth over sexual maturation. If harvested at a conventional size these populations will decline rapidly due to too small spawning stocks.     

Lung function among residents from the largest coal region in Brazil

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Coal mining and burning activities in coal-fired power plants are among the most polluting activities in developing countries. In Brazil, the Candiota...     

Estimating the carbon footprint of household activities in Japan from the time-use perspective

The household sector is a major driver of energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, most existing studies have only estimated households’ carbon footprint from their expenditures. Households’ daily activity time, a scarce resource that limits and determines their consumption behavior, has rarely been integrated into the estimation. Incorporating the daily time-use patterns should thus provide a more practical perspective for mitigation policies aiming at promoting sustainable household lifestyles. In this study, by linking household time-use data and expenditure data of Japan, the carbon footprint and the GHG intensity of time of 85 daily household activities constituting the 24 hours in a day are estimated. Compared to the maximal 20-activity disaggregation in existing studies, our detailed 85-category disaggregation of daily time enables unprecedented details on the discrepancies between the carbon footprint from daily activities, many of which have previous been treated as one activity. Results indicate significant carbon mitigation potential in activities with a high GHG intensity of time, such as cooking, bathing, and mobility-related and activities. Average daily GHG emissions were also found to be higher on weekends as time-use patterns shift from paid work to free-time activities, highlighting the need for mitigation strategies on a weekly scale.

     

Absorption and Reaction Kinetics of Amines and Ammonia Solutions with Carbon Dioxide in Flue Gas

Abstract

The removal system for the absorption of CO₂ with amines and NH₃ is an advanced air pollution control device to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Absorption of CO₂ by amines and NH₃ solutions was performed in this study to derive the reaction kinetics. The absorption of CO₂ as encountered in flue gases into aqueous solutions of monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and NH₃ was carried out using a stirred vessel with a plane gas-liquid interface at 50 °C. Various operating parameters were tested to determine the effect of these variables on the absorption kinetics of the reactants in both gas and liquid phases and the effect of competitions between various reactants on the mass-transfer rate.

The observed absorption rate increases with increasing gas-liquid concentration, solvent concentration, temperature, and gas flow rate, but changes with the O₂ concentration and pH value. The absorption efficiency of MEA is better than that of NH₃ and DEA, but the absorption capacity of NH₃ is the best. The active energies of the MEA and NH₃ with CO₂ are 33.19 and 40.09 kJ/mol, respectively.     

我国华东地区污染土壤异位热脱附修复碳排放及减排策略

为探索我国污染土壤异位热脱附修复的碳减排路径,采用生命周期评价方法理论,确定污染土壤异位热脱附修复碳排放核算系统边界和清单。将异位热脱附修复划分为土壤开挖、运输、预处理、主处理、尾气处理、最终处置6个过程,基于华东区域5个典型工程的能源及物料调研数据,核算了异位热脱附修复过程碳排放水平,识别出碳排放的主要影响因素,提出针对性的减排策略。结果表明,异位热脱附修复1 m³污染土壤全过程碳排放为212.22 kgCO_2eq,碳排放集中在预处理、主处理和尾气处理3个过程,尾气处理过程最高,占比为54%。从碳排放源上看,主要为间接碳排放,占比达62%。生石灰、天然气、NaOH碱性溶液等物料投入量是碳排放的主要影响因素。同时,修复后土壤外运距离超过300 km后,将会对全过程碳排放产生较大影响,应提高物料使用率、控制土壤外运距离,以实现修复过程碳减排。本研究结果可为污染土壤异位热脱附修复技术的低碳应用提供参考。     

Determinants of exposure to mercury in hair from inhabitants of the largest mercury mine in the world

Mercury exposure of the local population was assessed in two areas of the Almadén mercury mining district, Spain, which has been the world’s largest producer of this element. Two groups, who are exposed to different sources of mercury, from a point source in Almadén and a diffuse source hundreds of kilometres away in the same region, were studied. Total mercury (THg) in human hair ranged from 0.20 to 9.35 mg kg⁻¹ and the mean value was 2.64 mg kg⁻¹. About 87% of subjects had THg levels in excess of the EPA reference dose (RfD = 1.0 mg kg⁻¹), while a high percentage (68%) of them live in Almadén. There was a clear increase in hair Hg with reported fish consumption and the highest mean hair mercury level was 4 times the RfD in a group who had reported the highest consumption of fish. For the whole group, there was a significant effect of age, gender and fish consumption in relation to Hg concentration in the hair. Nevertheless, when both groups were tested separately by means of a multivariate regression model, there was significant exposure in those living near the mine area. Several factors such as age, gender and fish consumption remained statistically significant and were associated with THg. The main conclusion is that people living close to the hot spot are more impacted by mercury than people living further away. The intake of Hg through consumption of fish is an important parameter for Hg exposure; however, in the case of people living close to the hot spot, their levels are related to the highly Hg-impacted living environment.     

Health impact assessment of air pollution in an area of the largest coal mine in Brazil

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Coal exploration and burning activities are among the activities with the greatest potential to cause atmospheric pollution due to the combustion...     

Kinetics of Catalytic Oxidation of Benzene,n-Hexane,and Emission Gas from a Refinery Oil/Water Separator over a Chromium Oxide Catalyst

ABSTRACT

With the advances made in the past decade, catalytic incineration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has become the technology of choice in a wide range of pollution abatement strategies. In this study, a test was undertaken for the catalytic incineration, over a chromium oxide (Cr₂O₃) catalyst, of n-hexane, benzene, and an emission air/vapor mixture collected from an oil/water separator of a refinery. Reactions were carried out by controlling the feed stream to constant VOC concentrations and temperatures, in the ranges of 1300–14,700 mg/m³ and 240–400 ° C, respectively. The destruction efficiency for each of the three VOCs as a function of influent gas temperature and empty bed gas residence time was obtained.

Results indicate that n-hexane and the oil vapor with a composition of straight- and branch-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons exhibited similar catalytic incineration effects, while benzene required a higher incineration temperature or longer gas retention time to achieve comparable results.

In the range of the VOC concentrations studied, at a given gas residence time, increasing the operating temperature of the catalyst bed increased the destruction efficiency. However, the much higher temperatures required for a destruction efficiency of over 99% may be not cost-effective and are not suggested. A first-order kinetics with respect to VOC concentration and an Arrhenius temperature dependence of the kinetic constant appeared to be an adequate representation for the catalytic oxidation of these volatile organics. Activation energy and kinetic constants were estimated for each of the VOCs. Low-temperature destruction of the target volatile organics could be achieved by using the Cr₂O₃ catalyst.     

The impacts of governance on environmental pollution in some countries of Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa: the evidence from panel quantile regression and causality

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Governance is one of the basic determinants of pollution levels through property rights, the effective judicial system, etc. it is accepted as that...