Urinary arsenic,cadmium, manganese,nickel, and vanadium levels of schoolchildren in the vicinity of the industrialised area of Asaluyeh,Iran

Asaluyeh is one of the most heavily industrialised areas in the world where gas, petrochemical, and many downstream industries are located. This study aims to survey the biomonitoring of four metals and one metalloid in children living in the vicinity of Asaluyeh area. To do this, we analysed the creatinine-adjusted urinary levels of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), and nickel (Ni) in 184 elementary schoolchildren (99 boys and 85 girls) living in Asaluyeh and compared them with a reference population. The comparisons were done for two seasons (spring and fall). The results showed that in the case area (Asaluyeh), the levels of As, V, Mn, and Ni were significantly higher and that of Cd was not significantly higher than the reference city for both seasons. The mean concentration of metal(loid)s in Asaluyeh (case) and Sadabad (reference) area as μg g^?1 creatinine was As 2.90 and 2.24, V 0.06 and 0.03, Mn 0.28 and 0.25, Ni 0.54 and 0.29, and Cd 0.31 and 0.28 in spring and As 3.08 and 2.28, V 0.07 and 0.03, Mn 0.30 and 0.26, Ni 0.91 and 0.30, and Cd 0.36 and 0.31 in the fall. Seasonal variations played a key role in determining urinary metal(loid) concentration, as we saw the significant level of As, Cd, V, and Ni in fall than in spring. With regard to the impact of gender on the absorption and accumulation of urinary metal(loid)s, boys showed higher levels of the studied elements, especially for As, than girls as outdoor activities are more popular among boys. Due to the values being lower than those reported in literature, more research is needed on various population groups and other exposure sources in order to judge whether living in the vicinity of the gas and petrochemical industries in Asaluyeh is a threat to nearby residents.     

Rapid urban growth,land-use changes and air pollution in Santiago,Chile

This paper is a contribution to the understanding of the topoclimatic and environmental geography of the basin where Santiago — one of the most polluted Latin American city – is located. In the first part, land-use change is analysed looking at the climatic transformation caused by the rapid transit from natural semiarid surface to urban areas. In the second part, seasonal weather and daily cycles of slope winds and the available ventilation are described trying to relate those patterns with the spatial distribution of air pollution. A combination of meteorological, geographical and cultural factors explain extreme air pollution events: meteorologically, Santiago is under permanent subsidence inversion layers. Geographically, the city is located in a closed basin surrounded by mountains. Culturally, the urban area has the highest population concentration (40% of the national total), industries (near 70% of the total) and vehicles, which are the main sources of smog. The urban and suburban transport system is based on a large number of buses (diesel) and private cars, both experiencing a rapid growth from the past few years. The city and specially the transport system generates high emissions of pollutant, but the natural semiarid deforested soils and slopes are also important sources. The local wind system can explain the differential spatial distribution on the concentration of air pollutants in the city and its periphery. In winter (rain season) concentrations of particulate matter are higher at the centre and the SW part of the city. The andean piedmont area (E part of the city) shows minimum values, suggesting major ventilation effects of slope and valley winds. Ozone exceeds air quality standards in summer (dry season) at all sites in the centre and periphery. However, the O₃-concentrations are higher on preferred residential areas located at the piedmont area (E part of the city), suggesting air pollution transport effects. Currently, there is no consideration of these local climatic features in the process of urban planning.     

UF-RO-NF应用于电镀镍漂洗废水回用中试研究

采用“UF-RO-NF”中试装置处理电镀镍漂洗废水,在周期运行的工况下,考察其浓淡水回用效果以及膜通量变化情况。研究表明,该套系统淡水COD、Ni离子、电导率的平均值为70.6 mg/L、2.93 mg/L、91.1μs/cm^2,远低于该生产车间镀镍漂洗水,可以回用。浓水COD、Ni离子、电导率相对于漂洗水均有4倍以上的浓缩效果,具有一定的回用价值。整个系统在试验运行10个周期内膜通量保持不变。     

Effects of oxidant air pollution on Pinus maximartinezii Rzedowski in the México City region

The response of Pinus maximartinezii Rzedowski to photochemical oxidant air pollution was examined using 100 trees, during a 1 year cycle, at Vivero de Coyoacán, a tree nursery located in the south central part of México City, where exposure to polluted air masses has been continuous. The tree response assessment method was based upon documented symptoms of pollutant injury on the foliage. The results showed a homogeneous pattern of health and vigor and only medium sensitivity (based on foliar injury) to photochemical oxidants, although the trees maintained their needles through a three and not the normal 5 year period as at its geographic location of origin (different habitat or environment). Nevertheless, these data suggest that this species of pine could be proposed as good planting material for reforestation in the urban metropolitan area of México city.     

Relative roles of emissions and meteorology in the diurnal pattern of urban PM10: analysis of the daylight saving time effect

Daylight saving time (DST) is a common practice in many countries, in which Official Time (OT) is abruptly shifted 1 hour with respect to solar time on two occasions every year (in fall and spring). All anthropogenic emitting processes tied to OT like job and school commuting traffic, abruptly change in this moment their timing with respect to solar time, inducing a sudden shift between emissions and the meteorological factors that control the dispersion and transport of air pollutants. Analyzing 13 years of hourly particulate matter (PM10) concentrations measured in Santiago, Chile, we demonstrate that the DST practice has observable non-trivial effects in the PM10 diurnal cycle. The clearest impact is in the morning peak of PM10 during the fall DST change, which occurs later and has on average a significant smaller magnitude in the days after the DST change as compared to the days before it. This decrease in magnitude is most remarkable because it occurs in a period of the year when overall PM10 concentrations increase due to generally worsening of the dispersion conditions. Results are shown for seven monitoring stations around the city, and for the fall and spring DST changes. They show clearly the interplay of emissions and meteorology in conditioning urban air pollution problems, highlighting the role of the morning and evening transitions of the atmospheric boundary layer in shaping the diurnal pattern of urban air pollutant concentrations.     

Evaluating the risks of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) pollution of urban groundwater

MTBE, a fuel oxygenate added to gasoline in parts of the USA, appears to have imposed significant adverse impacts on groundwater. In the UK, the impacts of MTBE are not well known in part because insufficient data has been presented to allow an accurate assessment. With the recognition of urban groundwater as a potentially valuable resource due to the growing pressure on rural groundwater, there is need for pollution risks to urban groundwater to be evaluated for contaminants such as MTBE. This paper presents the application of a risk-based water management tool called Borehole Optimisation System (BOS) in the evaluation of the risk of MTBE to urban groundwater at city scale using Nottingham city as our case study. The risk model was validated by comparison of its predictions with observations of MTBE detections for about 1100 boreholes in England and Wales. The output of the risk analysis was the production of a map showing the predicted MTBE concentration at all locations in the city. The results indicate that MTBE does not currently pose a major risk to urban groundwater although there may be a potential risk to groundwater in the southern part of the city where most industries are concentrated.     

Toxic heavy metal contamination and risk assessment of street dust in small towns of Shanghai suburban area, China

The aims of this paper were to quantify the heavy metal concentrations in street dust of small towns in Shanghai suburban area compared with those in urban area, and examine their seasonal and spatial variations, and to assess their risks to water environment and local populations. Street dust samples were collected from three small towns and urban area in Shanghai in different seasons. Levels of heavy metals were determined by atomic adsorption spectrophotometer analyzer. The method of potential ecological risk index and the health risk assessment model were used to evaluate the potential risks to water bodies and local residents, respectively. The mean metal concentrations in street dust of small towns were far above soil background values but still lower than those in the urban area. No significant seasonal change was observed except for Cr, Ni, and Zn concentrations. Higher metal concentrations tended to be located in central area of towns and township roads. The integrated metal contamination was high and posed a strong potential ecological risk. Children had greater health risk than adults. The carcinogenic risk probabilities were under the acceptable level. The hazard index values to children were close to the safe level. Street dust from the studied area has been contaminated by heavy metals. The contamination of these elements is related more to the pollution source than seasonal change. The combination of the six metals may threaten the water environment and has non-cancer health risk to children, but not to adults.     

Study on the dynamics of algal bloom and its influence factors in Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong.

In this paper, the semi-enclosed bay named Tolo Harbour and Channel in Hong Kong, which was frequently attacked by red tides, was used as a case study. Data sets related to marine water quality, river nutrients, and meteorological conditions recorded between 1988 and 1999 were chosen for statistical analysis. A multivariate analysis showed that algal growth, represented by the chlorophyll a concentration, had obvious spatial and temporal variations in the study area. The chlorophyll a concentration had a consistently decreasing trend from the inner part of the Harbour and surface waters to the outer part and bottom waters. The temporal variations had a markedly seasonal variation with high bioproductivity in spring and winter. There were long-term fluctuations in the chlorophyll a concentration with a high-low-high pattern in the study period. Nutrients and hydrological and meteorological conditions were important factors of algal bloom. Besides nitrogen, which was the most critical factor of algal bloom for the whole water body, total phosphorus in the surface waters and phosphate (PO4) and silica (SiO2) in the bottom waters also showed strongly positive or negative correlations with the chlorophyll a level. For the meteorological conditions, global solar radiation was the key factor of massive algal bloom in the study period, while rainfall and wind direction were the most important factors of seasonal variation.     

Evaluating exposure of pedestrians to airborne contaminants associated with non-potable water use for pavement cleaning

Climate change and increasing demography press local authorities to look after affordable water resources and replacement of drinking water for city necessities like street and pavement cleaning by more available raw water. Though, the substitution of drinking by non-drinking resources demands the evaluation of sanitary hazards. This article aims therefore to evaluate the contribution of cleaning water to the overall exposure of city dwellers in case of wet pavement cleaning using crossed physical, chemical and biological approaches. The result of tracer experiments with fluorescein show that liquid water content of the cleaning aerosol produced is about 0.24 g m^?3, rending possible a fast estimation of exposure levels. In situ analysis of the aerosol particles indicates a significant increase in particle number concentration and particle diameter, though without change in particle composition. The conventional bacterial analysis using total coliforms as tracer suggests that an important part of the contamination is issued from the pavement. The qPCR results show a more than 20-fold increase of background genome concentration for Escherichia coli and 10-fold increase for Enterococcus but a negligible contribution of the cleaning water. The fluorescence analysis of the cleaning aerosol confirms the above findings identifying pavement surface as the major contributor to aerosol organic load. The physical, chemical and microbiological approaches used make it possible to describe accurately the cleaning bioaerosol and to identify the existence of significantly higher levels of all parameters studied during the wet pavement cleaning. Though, the low level of contamination and the very short time of passage of pedestrian in the zone do not suggest a significant risk for the city dwellers. As the cleaning workers remain much longer in the impacted area, more attention should be paid to their chronic exposure.     

On relationships between heat island and sky view factor in the cities of Tama River basin,Japan

This study aims at firstly identifying heat island phenomena, secondly relating heat island intensity to city size, and thirdly providing basic urban climatic information to city planners or ordinary citizens. Horizontal distributions of dry- and wet-bulb temperature were measured seasonally in small to medium sized cities by mobile observers. Also, at a fixed station, wind speed and wind direction in addition to temperature were observed.The cities selected for this were Tachikawa, Fuchu, Fussa, Higashimurayama and Akikawa, which are suburban cities in the W part of Tokyo. This area is part of the middle basin of Tama River. Observations were made both during the day and at night in winter (February and December), spring (March and May), summer (July and August) and autumn (October and November) over a period of maximum duration of 1.5 h. In all cities heat islands were observed to develop to some extent. Their intensities were largely dependent on weather conditions.Cities in Japan have been growing rapidly and randomly, and merging into neighbouring small cities or towns. This expansion is called sprawl. Due to these factors it is very difficult to determine a good indicator of city sizes, i.e. population or DID (Densely Inhabited District) population does not represent the effect of city size on heat island intensity. Sky view factors were determined using a fish-eye lens and a calculation chart.We therefore examined central urban area and sky view factor as a cause factor for heat islands. It is concluded that sky view factor is a very useful indicator of the effect of urbanization on heat island intensity.     

长江、嘉陵江(重庆段)源水有机提取物的致突变活性及其季节变化

为了确定并比较重庆主城区段长江、嘉陵江源水有机提取物的致突变性及其季节变化规律，分别于春、夏、冬季采用GDX－120大孔树脂，对位于城区上游、城区中段、城区下游以长江、嘉陵江源水的5个水厂的进厂水进行了有机物的浓缩提取。提取物的致突变活性采用经典的Ames试验平板掺入法评估，测试菌株为TA98及TA100，同时做加与不加S9的比较。结果显示，嘉陵江及长江源水的有机提取物均有不同程度的致突变活性。嘉陵江源水明显大于长江源水，城区中段源水明显大于上游段及下游段源水。多数断面显示平水期致突变活较为显著并且移码型致突变性大于碱基置换型致密变性。研究结果提示，城市污染源已导致长江、嘉陵江源水具备致突变活性，控制两江沿岸的各种水污染源已成为当务之急。     

A one year study of the seasonal variations of sDDT and PCB levels in fish from heated and unheated areas near a nuclear power plant

An investigation of the influence of excess heat discharge from a nuclear power plant on the residual levels of the sDOT and PCB in roach and perch has been made during a period of one year. A seasonal variation of the residual concentrations was observed, with the highest levels during spring and early summer and lower more stable levels in the autumn. Significantly higher levels of the sDDT and PCB was observed in perch from the cooling water recipient as compared to values in perch from the intake area. No significant differences could however be verified for roach. The result stress the importance that, in a monitoring program, a sampling period with stable ecological conditions is selected.     

An application and review of the critical load concept to the soils of northern England

In common with other member states of UN-ECE, maps of critical loads of transboundary air pollutants are to be produced in the UK for different receptor (waters, soils and vegetation) types. These maps will be used as a tool for assessing different deposition scenarios with proposed pollution abatement strategies. This paper presents the methodology, results and a discussion of the principles used in applying critical loads of sulphur as a pilot study for soils in northern England. For the study area, critical load classes for soils vary with geology, drift cover and slope/elevation. The area of soils in which the critical load is exceeded varies significantly according to the type of deposition data utilised.     

Analysing the nocturnal wind field in the city of Graz

The city of Graz is located in a basin southeast of the main ridge of the Alps. In wintertime during the night a weak southerly wind up to 100 m above ground level (a.g.l.) above which a relatively strong northwesterly low-level jet develops. Different authors have reported on this phenomenon but a sound physical explanation has still not been found. During the dispersion of atmospheric trace elements – Graz project (DATE) this wind shear has also been observed by the use of hourly tethered balloon soundings. Here a case study is presented performed with the Graz mesoscale model (GRAMM), where the main features of the observed complex flow field were simulated. We hypothesised that the observed wind shear has its origin in a flow separation, where a part of the nocturnal, northwesterly out-valley wind flows over the hill range located west of the city of Graz, and the rest flows around it. This hypothesis was tested with the help of the numerical simulations. Furthermore, sensitivity studies were made, which revealed that the choice of the initial “background” wind direction and the internal Froude number in the model exerted a strong influence on the flow field in the city area.     

Perceptions of the sustainable city and implications for fresh water resources management

Following the emergence of sustainable development as a key environmental management concept in the late 1980s, much discussion and debate has occurred on how the general concept can be understood in the context of particular resources, economic sectors and fields of academic study. This paper attempts to integrate two such particular areas of study, urban development and fresh water resources management. Following an overview of the concept of sustainable development, where the fresh water resource base is used to illustrate different interpretations of sustainability, the paper advances a number of perceptions of the sustainable city and the implications for fresh water management. Key concepts that emerge include a need to reduce the urban ecological sphere of influence, best understood in the context of a quasi-autonomous vision of the sustainable city, requiring a radical shift away from 'engineering-fix' water supply augmentation towards demand management and other approaches that sit more easily with the prime need to maintain the functional integrity of ecosystems.     

Reducing Emissions from Refuse Disposal

Estimates indicate that approximately 2.6% of the total atmospheric pollution in this country may originate as a result of refuse disposal. Although this may appear to be a comparatively low figure, it is important to note that refuse disposal is a universal problem: wherever we go, be the area urban, or rural, waste must be disposed of and in most cases the methods of disposal produce air pollution. Tabulated data indicates that the per capita rate of production has been increasing annually. In the city of Hartford, the quantity of refuse that is being burned in the municipal incinerator has been increasing at a rate of 5%/year. A comparison of the air pollutants emitted from open burning at a refuse disposal area, backyard burning and incineration of refuse in a municipal multiple chamber incinerator indicates that the quantity of pollutants emitted from the latter source is much less than those emitted from the other sources. The effect of having legislation with, enforcement authority and a program for regular inspections, has resulted in marked improvements of refuse disposal operations in Connecticut since June, 1966. Most of the burning still being done at refuse disposal areas is limited to only brush and demolition material. A multi-purpose incinerator is presently under construction in the city of Stamford, Conn. It is planned to demonstrate that not only bulky wastes and auto bodies, but also liquid wastes can be burned in the same unit without creating any adverse effect on the environment. This incinerator will be provided with an electrostatic precipitator for removing particulate emissions.

New methods of refuse disposal which are being tried are briefly described in this paper. All these methods tend to reduce or eliminate air pollution along with eliminating the health hazards normally related with open face dump type of operations.

The continual technological progress and improvements in methods of manufacture, packaging, and marketing of consumer products along with the economic, population, and industrial growth of the nation has resulted in an ever-mounting increase and change in the characteristics of the mass of material being discarded by the purchaser. In May 1967, a Three-State Conference on Air Resource Management was held at the City College of the City University of New York. This conference consisted of a number of panels or committees which discussed specialized areas of the problem of air pollution and its control. A portion of the introductory remarks from the panel report of the Solid Waste Committee1 is as follows:     

Spatiotemporal dynamics of spring and stream water chemistry in a high-mountain area

The present study deals with the application of the self-organizing map (SOM) technique in the exploration of spatiotemporal dynamics of spring and stream water samples collected in the Chocho?owski Stream Basin located in the Tatra Mountains (Poland). The SOM-based classification helped to uncover relationships between physical and chemical parameters of water samples and factors determining the quality of water in the studied high-mountain area. In the upper part of the Chocho?owski Stream Basin, located on the top of the crystalline core of the Tatras, concentrations of the majority of ionic substances were the lowest due to limited leaching. Significantly higher concentration of ionic substances was detected in spring and stream samples draining sedimentary rocks. The influence of karst-type springs on the quality of stream water was also demonstrated.     

A comprehensive study on landfill site selection for Kolkata City,India

Kolkata is one of the four major metropolitan cities in India and the capital city of the state of West Bengal. With an area of 187.33 km² and a population of about 10 million (including a floating population of about 6 million), the city generates about 3500 Metric Ton (MT) of solid waste per day. Currently, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) disposes its waste at Dhapa (21.47 ha), where the disposal rate exceeds 3000 MT/day, and at Garden Reach (3.52 ha), where the disposal rate is 100 MT/day. Considering the exhaustion of Dhapa land space, city planners are urgently searching for an alternate disposal ground. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), under the sponsorship of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), has brought out literature developing the site selection criteria for municipal solid waste disposal ground to suit Indian conditions. The developed criteria encompass environmental conditions, accessibility, geological and hydrogeological conditions, and ecological and societal effects. This paper attempts to locate the most suitable site for disposal of KMC area solid waste using the multicriterion decision analysis as stipulated in CPCB 2003 guidelines and the overlay analysis of geographic information system (GIS).

Implications:The paper is based on landfill site selection for dumping of solid waste generated within Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area. The methodology uses GIS/remote sensing, Site Sensitivity Index (an offshoot of pairwise comparison technique developed in CPCB 2003 guidelines, Government of India), and the Delphi technique. Dhapa landfill site, where solid waste of KMC area is currently being disposed, is exhausted; the authors of this article thus found it relevant to carry out a research on the selection of an alternative landfill site. The study undertaken was comprehensive, yet presented in a lucid way so that policymakers will find easy to comprehend.