Predicting photochemical pollution in an industrial area

In order to confront pollution events concerning the city of Elefsis, in the environmentally aggravated area of Thriassion Plain, an effort is undertaken to create a model forecasting maximal daily concentrations of NO(x) (NO(2)+NO), NO(2) and O(3). The data analyzed were obtained from the Bureau of Pollution Control and Environments Quality based in Elefsis. The model in question uses hourly values of the pollutants as well as meteorological data recorded at the center of the city of Elefsis from 1993 to 1999. Three fitting methods are utilized, namely ordinary least squares, piecewise, and quantile regression. The verification and reliability of the forecasting models are based on the measurements of the year 2000. The results are considered to be satisfactory, with the forecasted values following the general tendencies.     

Effects of industrial air pollution on the technical efficiency of agricultural production: Evidence from China

With the increase in industrial plants in the rural areas of developing countries, the effects of industrial air pollution on the technical efficiency of agricultural production have attracted considerable attention. However, although some studies have investigated the effects of air pollution on crops' yields, only few of them have focused on how industrial air pollution affects the relationships among production factors and their technical efficiency. Using survey data collected from southwestern China, this paper analyses the effects of point-source air pollution on rice production by incorporating air pollution as an input in a translog production function. Our findings indicate that industrial air pollution lowers the marginal products of factors, alters the relationships of labour-capital and chemical-capital from complementarity to substitution, and changes the seed-chemical relationship from substitution to complementarity. Furthermore, the complementary elasticities of labour-chemical and labour-seed are reduced, whereas that of capital-seed is improved. Without considering the changes in the production function, the technical efficiency estimated using the traditional stochastic frontier analysis method appears to be overestimated compared with that estimated using a modified measure. The understanding of the effects of industrial air pollution on technical efficiency will help researchers in making a sound estimation of agricultural loss and provide helpful insights for policy-makers.     

Experimental photochemical release of organically bound aluminum and iron in three streams in Maine, USA

In the present study, the BCR (Community Bureau of Reference) sequential procedure has been applied to determine the zinc partition in sediments taken from a river situated in the Southwest of Romania, in a region subject of intense mining activities. The sampling was performed during three sampling expeditions, organized in the spring, summer, and autumn, 2007. The zinc concentration in different fractions was normalized, its concentration being related to the concentrations of some metals (such as Al or Fe) that are naturally present in sediments. The zinc-contaminated sediments from the investigated area have been evaluated by means of combining the analysis data from the BCR sequential extraction with the normalization to the Al content. The most important zinc collector in the samples taken during the three sampling expeditions is the easily soluble fraction, next being amorphous iron and manganese hydrated oxides fraction, followed by organic matter fraction.     

提高乌鲁木齐市水磨沟区植被覆盖率的设想

通过对乌鲁木齐市水磨沟区植被的现状调查和对存在问题的分析,结合生态示范区建设指标体系,提出提高该区植被覆盖率及改善生态环境的设想。     

硝酸银沉淀－颗粒物返还法去除COD样品中的氯化物

将样品中的颗粒物分离出来后，向样品中加入适量硝酸银，除去生成的氯化银沉淀，再将预先分离的颗粒物合并到水样中，混匀后测定。经过这样处理，既去除了水样中的Ｃｌ－，又保留了水样中原来的组份，保证了ＣＯＤ测定结果的准确性。     

Major factors of industrial noise-induced hearing loss in Hong Kong

A tripartite participation of government, trade unions and university was formed in 1988 to study the situation of industrial noise and hearing acuity of workers. Since 1982, the six industries identified by the Noise Control Office were construction, electronics, metals, plastics, shipbuilding and repairing, and textiles. Safety-subcommittees were formed. With the help of these subcommittees, 21 out of 32 medium-size factories responded to the study. A total of 922 sound measurements were made and 1062 out of 10724 workers were examined. More than one third (37.5%) of workers worked in locations with noise level in excess of L _eq (8h) 90 dBA. Among examined subjects, 39.8% were exposed to L _eq (8) 90 dBA and above and 18.6% were found to have industrial hearing loss. Multiple logistic regression analyses adjusted for sex and age showed that for hearing loss, the important risk factors were duration of occupational noise exposure, noise intensity, floor vibration and military experience. Current legislation and measures in hearing conservation were inadequate despite the implementation of inspection by the Noise Control Office. Recommendations were directed at amending relevant legislation, increasing supervision of use of personal ear protection, and strengthening health education and audiometric surveillance of exposed workers.     

Increased metal concentrations in exhaled breath condensate of industrial welders

It was the aim of this study to evaluate the effect of different devices on the metal concentration in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and to prove whether working conditions in different welding companies result in diverse composition of metallic elements. The influence of two collection devices (ECoScreen, ECoScreen2) on detection of metallic elements in EBC was evaluated in 24 control subjects. Properties of ECoScreen and a frequent use can alter EBC metal content due to contamination from metallic components. ECoScreen2 turned out to be favourable for metal assessment. Concentrations of iron, nickel and chromium in EBC sampled with ECoScreen2 were compared between non-exposed controls and industrial welders. Metal concentrations in EBC were higher in 36 welders recruited from three companies. Exposure to welding fumes could be demonstrated predominantly for increased iron concentrations. Concentrations of iron and nickel differed by working conditions, but chromium could not be detected in EBC.     

对环境空气氯化氢浓度限值的探讨

通过对环境空气中氯化氢的毒理作用,各类标准比较、标准来源、评价标准的计算方法等,对现有的环境空气质量标准进行了探讨,提出了需要对现行标准进行修订的建议.     

Mutagenicity assessment of contaminated soil in the vicinity of industrial area

In the industrial area of Chinhat, Lucknow (India) wastewater coming from pesticide manufacturing and other industries is used to irrigate the agricultural crops. This practice has been polluting the soil and pollutants might reach the food chain. Gas chromatographic analysis revealed the presence of certain organochlorine pesticides in soil samples. Samples were extracted using different solvents, i.e., hexane, acetonitrile, methanol, chloroform, and acetone (all were HPLC-grade, SRL, India). Soil extracts were assayed for mutagenicity using Ames Salmonella/mammalian microsome test. Mutagenicity was observed in the test samples and TA98 was the most responsive strain for all the soil extracts (irrigated with wastewater) in terms of mutagenic index in the presence (+S9) and absence (−S9) of metabolic activation. In terms of slope (m) of linear dose–response curve for the most responsive strain TA98 exhibited highest sensitivity against the soil extracts in the presence and absence of S9 fraction. Hexane-extracted soil sample (wastewater) exhibited maximum mutagenicity in terms of net revertants per gram of soil in the presence and absence of S9 mix as compared to the other soil extracts. Groundwater-irrigated soil extracts displayed low level of mutagenicity as compared to wastewater-irrigated soil. The soil is accumulating a large number of pollutants due to wastewater irrigation and this practice of accumulation has an adverse impact on soil health.     

Statistical source identification of metals in groundwater exposed to industrial contamination

Levels of selected metals Na, Ca, Mg, K, Fe, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cd, Pb and Mn were estimated by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry in groundwater samples from Kasur, a significant industrial city of Pakistan. Salient mean concentration levels were recorded for: Na (211 mg/l), Ca (187 mg/l), Mg (122 mg/l), K (87.7 mg/l), Fe (2.57 mg/l) and Cr (2.12 mg/l). Overall, the decreasing metal concentration order was: Na > Ca > Mg > K > Fe > Cr > Zn > Co > Pb > Mn > Ni > Cd. Significantly positive correlations were found between Na–Cr (r = 0.553), Na–Mn (r = 0.543), Mg–Fe (r = 0.519), Mg–Cr (r = 0.535), Pb–K (r = 0.506) and Pb–Ni (r = 0.611). Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis identified tannery effluents as the main source of metal contamination of the groundwater. The present metal data showed that Cr, Pb and Fe levels were several times higher than those recommended for water quality by WHO, US-EPA, EU and Japan. The elevated levels of Cr, recorded as 21–42 fold higher compared with the recommended quality values, were believed to originate from the tanning industry of Kasur.     

Measurements of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at an industrial site in India

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations were measured in Total Suspended Particulate Matter (TSPM) from December 2005 to August 2006 at Nunhai, an industrial site in Agra (India). Particulate matter samples were collected on glass fibre filters using High Volume Sampler (HVS-430) and were extracted using dichloromethane with ultrasonication and analyzed by GC. Total PAH concentration varies between 0.04 to 2.5 microg m(-3) accounting only 1.6 x 10(-3)% of TSPM. The mass distribution in air was dominated by high molecular weight DbA, BghiP, BaP, BkF and IP. Combustion PAH (CPAH) except BeP represents 58% of the total PAH mass and IARC classified total carcinogenic PAH accounting 63% of TPAH concentration. Correlation studies between PAH revealed the contribution of low molecular weight PAH was mainly due to primary emission from diesel exhaust while high molecular weight PAH were formed during combustion. The presence of specific tracers and calculation of characteristic molecular diagnostic ratios Fla/(Fla + Pyr), BaP/(BaP + Chy), BaA/(BaA + Chy), IP/(IP + BghiP), BaP/BghiP and IP/BghiP) were used to identify the sources of the emissions of PAHs in the atmospheric samples. Seasonal variation in atmospheric PAH showed four fold increase in winter concentration than summer. The BaP and relative BaP amount calculated from the measurements suggested that photo-oxidation may also be responsible for the variation in PAH concentrations during winter and summer. Seasonal trends in atmospheric PAH concentration in the study area were influenced by fossil fuel usage for domestic heating, boundary height and temperature.     

气体中雾状物质的采样效率探讨

发生增塑剂 DEP雾 ,粒径主要分布在 0 .48～ 3 .4μm。使用不同容积、不同类型的吸收瓶 (管 )在不同的采样条件下进行 DEP雾样品采集 ,将采样效率和采样过程发生的现象进行比较 ,选择出合适的采样方法和采样条件     

Emission of mercury to the atmosphere from industrial sources in Poland

The emission factors of mercury and calculation of annual emission into the atmosphere from different industrial sources in Poland are presented. The emission factors in turn depend on mercury concentration in raw materials, as well as on the character of a technological process. The combustion of hard coal and lignite was found to be the major emission source of mercury into the atmosphere.     

无汞开管法快速测定工业废水中的COD

采用无汞开管法测定 COD。方法使用硫酸 -磷酸介质、重铬酸钾氧化体系 ,以硫酸银作催化剂 ,其他试剂包括硝酸银和硫酸铬钾以排除氯离子的干扰。样品在玻璃试管中进行消化 ,用一台恒温器加热样品 ,反应温度 1 65℃ ,加热时间只需 1 0 min,消解后剩余的重铬酸盐用分光光度法或滴定法测定。试验结果表明 ,本法的检出限为 1 0 .9mg/ L,测定范围为 3 0～ 1 5 0 0 mg/ L。由于方法不使用剧毒的汞盐 ,也就避免了汞对环境的污染。应用本法测定了大批量工业废水样品 ,结果令人满意     

Release studies of benzalkonium chloride from hydrogel in a freshwater environment

The use of underwater optical sensors to monitor pollution and climate change processes has led to the development of robust instruments able to be deployed in lakes and seas for months at a time. However, despite this improvement in their durability they are subject to biofouling on their optical ports resulting in erroneous readings. The use of hydrogel coatings containing the cationic surfactant benzalkonium chloride (BAC) has been shown to prevent the development of biofouling for up to 12 weeks in the marine environment. In this study the use of hydrogel coatings in the freshwater environment was less successful with fouling visible at 2 weeks. In both field and laboratory studies a rapid initial loss of BAC from the hydrogel film was observed. The loss is a combination of diffusive and mass flow but the period from 12 to 50 h appeared to fit to diffusion kinetics and a diffusion coefficient of 7.3 x 10(-8) cm2 s(-1) (13 degrees C) was calculated, an order of 10 times greater than that found in seawater. Subsequently the rate of loss of the residual BAC, for which a diffusion coefficient of 5.7 x 10(-10) cm2 s(-1) (15 degrees C) was measured, was too low to prevent the early stages of biofouling.     

高氯离子废水化学需氧量分析方法的研究

提出一种测定高氯离子废水 COD的新方法。其消解条件与现行国标法基本相同 ,消解过程产生的氯气用Na OH吸收并测定出氯离子的 COD校正值。由表观 COD值减去氯离子的 COD校正值 ,即为水样的真实 COD值。标样的相对误差在 -1.5 %～ 5 %之间 ,RSD%≤ 5 .5 %。高氯废水的 RSD%≤ 8.0 %。     

Monitoring of toxic elements present in sludge of industrial waste using CF-LIBS

Industrial waste is one of the main causes of environmental pollution. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was applied to detect the toxic metals in the sludge of industrial waste water. Sludge on filter paper was obtained after filtering the collected waste water samples from different sections of a water treatment plant situated in an industrial area of Kanpur City. The LIBS spectra of the sludge samples were recorded in the spectral range of 200 to 500 nm by focusing the laser light on sludge. Calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF-LIBS) technique was used for the quantitative measurement of toxic elements such as Cr and Pb present in the sample. We also used the traditional calibration curve approach to quantify these elements. The results obtained from CF-LIBS are in good agreement with the results from the calibration curve approach. Thus, our results demonstrate that CF-LIBS is an appropriate technique for quantitative analysis where reference/standard samples are not available to make the calibration curve. The results of the present experiment are alarming to the people living nearby areas of industrial activities, as the concentrations of toxic elements are quite high compared to the admissible limits of these substances.     

Levels and speciation of heavy metals in soils of industrial Southern Nigeria

A knowledge of the total content of trace metals is not enoughto fully assess the environmental impact of polluted soils. Forthis reason, the determination of metal species in solution isimportant to evaluate their behaviour in the environment andtheir mobilization capacity. Sequential extraction procedure wasused to speciate five heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni and Zn) fromfour contaminated soils of Southern Nigeria into sixoperationally defined geochemical species: water soluble,enchangeable, carbonates, Fe-Mn oxide, organic and residual.Metal recoveries were within ± 10% of the independentlydetermined total Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni and Zn concentrations. The highest amount of Cd (avg. 30%) in the nonresidual fractionswas found in the exchangeable fraction, while Cu and Zn weresignificantly associated with the organic fraction. Thecarbonate fraction contained on average 14, 18.6, 12.6, 13 and11% and the residual fraction contained on average 47, 18, 33,50 and 25% of Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni and Zn respectively. Assuming thatmobility and bioavailability of these metals are related to thesolubility of the geochemical form of the metals, and that theydecrease in the order of extraction sequence, the apparentmobility and potential bioavailability for these five metals inthe soil were: Pb > Zn > Cu > Ni > Cd. The mobility indexes ofcopper and nickel correlated positively and significantly withthe total content of metals, while mobility indexes of cadmiumand zinc correlated negatively and significantly with the totalcontent of metals.     

Appraisal of work hazards and safety in the industrial estate of Jeddah

An environmental study for the appraisal of work hazards and safety in Jeddah Industrial Estate (JIE), Saudi Arabia has been conducted. The study is based upon a representative (stratified random) sample of 44 enterprises, including 52 plants and employing 5830 workers. Nearly 2/3 of the workers have heat exposure, orginating from climatic heat and heat dissipated from industrial operations, while exposure to noise is slightly less, and is attributed to noisy operations and machinery and to lack of meticulous maintenance; both exposures are mild in most of the plants and moderate in some. Mild exposures to nonionizing radiations (UV and IR) and to deficient illumination occur in 25% and 19.2% of the plants studied. Respiratory exposure to chemical agents (organic and inorganic dusts, metal fumes, gases and vapours — including asphyxiants, irritants, liver and nervous system offenders and acid and alkali mists) occurs in 75% of the plants, particularly in the medium-size enterprises plants; however, is mainly mild with a few moderate and severe exposures. Skin absorption contributes to absorption of chemical agents in 29% of the plants, and direct skin contact to chemicals (particularly to lubricating oils) occurs in 81% of the plants. Meanwhile, only eight plants, out of the 32 plants where controls for physical hazards are required (51.2%), apply engineering controls, and even in a few of these plants the efficiency of the control measures has been rated ‘bad’. A few of them provide personal protective equipment, and even no maintenance to this equipment is provided. The level of safety is better in the large plants than in the small and medium-size plants; the safety score is the best in the recently established plants, while is the worst in the plastic industry, which is relatively old. The appraisal of fire protection is better than that of the safety, due to efficient supervision of the General Directorate of Civil Defense (GDCD). However, most of the safety problems are managerial and are preventable. First aid is present in all enterprises, as required by the Saudi Labor Laws; however, an in-plant medical service is present in 75% of the large enterprises, in 31.6% of the medium-size and in only 17.6% of the small enterprises. Also, satisfactory medical, accidents and absenteeism records exist in only 15.9% of the enterprises; safety supervision exists in 27.3, and safety education exists in 91% of them, while no environmental monitoring is carried out in any enterprise. Sanitation facilities exist in satisfactory numbers in most of the enterprises; however, their maintenance is poor in most of them, due to lack of hygienic supervision. All enterprises dispose of their liquid wastes into the JIE sewerage system without any treatment, while the solid wastes are collected by the city authorities in 56.8% of them; both wastes are anticipated to cause environmental pollution problems.     

Speciative distribution and bioavailability of metals in agricultural soils receiving industrial wastewater

In order to assess the metal pollution status of agricultural lands of Mandi Bahauuddin receiving industrial wastewater, 35 top soil samples were investigated for the determination of selected metal levels, i.e., Fe, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ca, Ni, and Pb by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy under optimum analytical conditions. The distribution of these metals in different operationally defined chemical fractions was also determined by using the sequential extraction technique. The highest mean total concentration was found for Fe while the least one was observed for Pb. All the studied metals were found to be present at levels much enhanced than national and international standards. Moreover, most of the metals were distributed principally in residual fraction with the exception of Ni which was found to be associated mainly with oxidizable fraction. The significant correlations were observed between Fe-Mn oxide-bound and residual fractions and exchangeable and oxidizable fractions for most of the metals. The highest mobility was exhibited by Ni that evidenced its enhanced bioavailability in the soil. The multivariate statistical analyses in terms of principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) revealed multiple sources for various geochemical fractions of different metals. CA also revealed that the nonresidual fractions of most of the metals were very closely associated while PCA presented a distinctive behavior of Ca in the soil. It was therefore suggested that in order to avoid the metal contamination arising from industrial wastewater, appropriate remediation strategies must be adopted.