Conservation state of two paintings in the Santa Margherita cliff cave: role of the environment and of the microbial community

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The conservation of ancient paintings sited in humid environments is an actual challenge for restorers, because it needs the knowledge of the...     

室内甲醛污染治理技术研究

鉴于室内空气甲醛污染的危害,使用市售的"家丁"牌甲醛消除剂,对其去除甲醛性能进行了测试研究.研究结果表明,甲醛消除剂可以快速、有效地消除室内空气中的甲醛,又可以减少室内装修材料中游离甲醛的释放,是治理室内空气甲醛污染的有效手段之一.     

Non-empirical closure of the plume equations

A plume model capable of predicting trajectories, dilution, width, and other important plume properties may be developed with very little empirical input, namely, common plume assumptions and the Taylor entrainment hypothesis. The Taylor hypotheses is necessary in cases of little or no current, but, as current increases, it decreases in importance until the point is reached where it may be omitted. In such instances the model may be practically non-empirical. An objective model of this nature is necessary because there is always some doubt that empirical models may be generalized—especially when known data, to which they are fitted, are subject to relatively large uncertainty as plume data are. The resulting model predicts a wide range of plume behavior and, far from being complex, is even easily adapted for use with personal computers.     

The iron catalyzed oxidation of sulfur: Reconciliation of the literature rates

We have measured three inhibiting effects in the iron(III) catalyzed oxidation of sulfur(IV) to sulfur(VI) in aqueous solution. The reaction is inhibited by ionic strength, sulfate ion, and it is self-inhibited. Consideration of these three effects makes it possible to reconcile several apparently disparate studies of this reaction in the literature. The implication for atmospheric chemistry is that this reaction may be more important in cloudwater than previously believed.     

The environmental significance of surface films II. Enhanced partitioning of Lindane in thin films of octanol on the surface of water

The log of the partition coefficient for Lindane between octanol and water at 22°C is 3.2; it is 3.9 if the octanol is in the form of a lens floating on the water, and it is 4.5 between an octanol monolayer and the underlying water.     

Applicability of the sequencing batch reactor for wastewater treatment

The sequencing batch reactor is a viable and flexible tool for the treatment of domestic and industrial wastewater. It removes not only carbonaceous matter, but also nitrogenous species and some biological nutrients. From the economic and operational points of view, it has advantages over the so-called conventional activated sludge system. Besides this, it can be used in various wastewater environments without any major problem. This paper explores the relative advantages of the reactor, its technical background, and its application in various fields. Some case studies in which it has been successfully adopted are described.     

Integration of the environment in product design by a learning process: proposal for a piloting tool

This paper examines the nature of ecological economics, arguing that it comprises two aspects, the qualitative framework within which it operates and the quantitative techniques which it uses to measure sustainability, evaluate policies and assist decision-making. The former is distinct to ecological economics, whereas the latter is largely shared with environmental economics. Although these have co-existed for some time, it is contended that the qualitative aspect needs to be developed if ecological economics is to realise its potential. The paper first offers a Schumpeterian 'pre-analytic' vision of ecological economics. Ecological economics, it is argued, necessarily implies a fundamental change in the way problems are perceived and in how they should be addressed. Second, the paper discusses the quantitative aspect of ecological economics, arguing that the overlap with environmental economics in the techniques used is one reason why the two have frequently not been seen as sufficiently distinct. The paper concludes that a development of the qualitative, procedural aspect of ecological economics is needed if its full potential for influencing policy-making is to be realised.     

Social perceptions of the impacts of Colombo water supply projects

The complexity of development activities, in which the interactions between various forces often mean that outcomes are unpredictable and unanticipated, highlights the importance of objective and comprehensive evaluations. In the specific case of the evaluation of towns east and south of Colombo water supply projects, the findings have major implications for the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, if the water-related objectives are to be fulfilled. The study found that 30% of the households of these towns that are receiving clean, piped water are not using it for drinking. Instead, they are continuing to drink contaminated well water. Whereas it is considered that the main beneficiaries of water supply projects have been women and people who are sick, elderly, or disabled, the general perception is that the health conditions of the families have not improved with the provision of clean water (in fact, many claim that their health conditions have deteriorated). In spite of the higher cost of the supplied water, people are willing to pay for it as long as the supply is reliable.     

Study of the effects of drinking water treatment sludge on the properties of Class F fly ash-based geopolymer

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Drinking water treatment sludge (DWTS) generated from water treatment plants is a global issue because of the environmental risks it imposes. Managing...     

Surface ozone measurements in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula (Huelva,Spain)

Introduction  

Photochemical ozone pollution of the lower troposphere (LT) is a very complex process involving meteorological, topographic emissions and chemical parameters. Ozone is considered the most important air pollutant in rural, suburban and industrial areas of many sites in the world since it strongly affects human health, vegetation and forest ecosystems, and its increase during the last decades has been significant. In addition, ozone is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. For these reasons, it is necessary to carry out investigations that determine the behaviour of ozone at different locations. The aim of this work is to understand the levels and temporal variations of surface ozone in an industrial-urban region of the Southwest Iberian Peninsula.     

Theoretical study of the dechlorination reaction pathways of octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

The dechlorination reaction pathways of 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9-octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD) by the hydrogen atom are investigated by the density-functional theory B3PW91 method. The dechlorination reactions have large exothermicity and small activation energies. The activation energies (approximately 5 kcal/mol) of the sigma-complex formation due to the hydrogen addition are lower than those (approximately 9 kcal/mol) of the direct chlorine abstraction. It is suggested that the sigma-complex plays an important role in the reactions, although it has scarcely been shown in previous studies of the dechlorination of dioxins. The sigma-complex formation is favored at low temperatures and the chlorine abstraction is favored at high temperatures. Furthermore, it is found that the lateral positions have a marginal preference over the longitudinal positions. The dechlorination of OCDD by the hydrogen atom is thus not likely to result in a dominant formation of the laterally substituted toxic congeners.     

An alternative for the nitrobenzylpyridine test for the description of the toxicity of alkylating agents

When correlating the biologic activity of alkylating agents with physicochemical parameters, the reaction rate constant of the reaction with 4-(p-nitrobenzyl) pyridine (NBP) is often used as a measure of the compounds chemical reactivity. Since the use of NBP suffers some drawbacks from an experimental point of view, it was decided to develop an alternative test method, using thiourea as a standard nucleophile.Reactivities obtained with both methods for six halogenated alkylating agents are compared, and the usefulness of the new experimental method is discussed.     

COVID-19 pandemic: the possible influence of the long-term ignorance about climate change

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In addressing the current COVID-19 pandemic and evaluating the measures taken by global leaders so far, it is crucial to trace back the circumstances...     

A classifier-combined method based on D-S evidence theory for the land cover classification of the Tibetan Plateau

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is a region with high altitudes and complicated terrain conditions. Due to the special conditions of this region, it is also...     

Mining, the environment and the treatment of mine effluents

The environmental impact of mining on the ecosystem, including land, water and air, has become an unavoidable reality. Guidelines and regulations have been promulgated to protect the environment throughout mining activities from start-up to site decommissioning, in particular, the occurrence of acid mine drainage (AMD), due to oxidation of sulfide mineral wastes, has become the major area of concern to many mining industries during operations and after site decommissioning. AMD is characterised by high acidity and a high concentration of sulfates and dissolved metals. If it cannot be prevented or controlled, it must be treated to eliminate acidity, and reduce heavy metals and suspended solids before release to the environment. This paper discusses conventional and new methods used for the treatment of mine effluents, in particular the treatment of AMD.     

Challenges on the recycling of cigarette butts

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Cigarette butt (CB) is a crucial litter in urban communities because it may contain various toxicants. Due to serious limitations on...     

Co-composting of fresh tobacco leaves and soil: an exploration on the utilization of fresh tobacco waste in farmland

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A large amount of fresh tobacco waste with high water content are produced in farmland, and it may cause environmental pollution if it is not properly...     

膜生物膜反应器研究进展

介绍了一种新型的水处理反应器———膜生物膜反应器 ,该反应器可获得 10 0 %氧利用率 ,可用于生物降解挥发性有机物 ,可同时高效去除有机碳和氨氮 ,是一种很有发展潜力的污水处理工艺     

Electrochemical wastewater treatment: influence of the type of carbon and of nitrogen on the organic load removal

Boron-doped diamond (BDD) and Ti/Pt/PbO₂ anodes were utilized to perform the electrodegradation of synthetic samples containing humic acid in the presence of different organic and inorganic carbon-containing and nitrogen-containing compounds. The influence of the chloride ion in the degradation process of the different synthetic samples was also assessed. The results showed that the anodic oxidation process can efficiently degrade recalcitrant compounds such as humic acid. The presence of carbonate in solution enhances the nitrogen removal, whereas it hinders the oxidation of the organic compounds. When organic nitrogen is present, it is converted to NH₄ ⁺, which in turn is oxidized to nitrate and to volatile nitrogen compounds. Hydroxyl radicals are more prone to oxidize the organic nitrogen than the ammonium nitrogen. The presence of chloride enhances the organic matter and nitrogen removal rates, BDD being the anode material that yields the highest removals.