Volatile halogenated organics in swimming pools

This survey undertaken in Greece (Mytilene town) has shown that Volatile halogenated organics (VHO) are present in swimming pool water. Analysis was performed by purge‐and‐trap (PAT) gas chromatographic (GC) technique and samples from two public indoor swimming pools in Mytilene were analyzed for VHO. Water samples were collected every week for a period of three months, and have shown the occurrence of chloroform, dichlorobromomethane, chlorodi‐bromomethane, bromoform (all four are trihalomethanes [THMs]), as a result of the chlorination and the occurrence of tetrachloroethylene and 1,1,1,2‐tetrachloroethane is assigned to their introduction as impurities during the process treatment of water. The levels of concentrations ranged from 4.0 to 26.0 μg/1 for chloroform, from 0.26 to 7.0 μg/1 for dichlorobromomethane, from 0.5 to 3.0 μg/1 for chlorodibromomethane, from 0.07 to 0.9 μg/1 for bromoform, from no detectable levels to 0.07 μg/1 for tetrachloroethylene and from no detectable levels to 0.2 μg/1 for 1,1,1,2‐tetrachloroethane.     

Concentration levels of disinfection by-products in 14 swimming pools of China

Swimming has become a popular exercising and recreational activity in China but little is known about the disinfection by-products (DBPs) concentration levels in the pools. This study was conducted as a survey of the DBPs in China swimming pools, and to establish the correlations between the DBP concentrations and the pool water quality parameters. A total of 14 public indoor and outdoor pools in Beijing were included in the survey. Results showed that the median concentrations for total trihalomethanes (TTHM), nine haloacetic acids (HAA9), chloral hydrate (CH), four haloacetonitriles (HAN4), 1,1-dichloropropanone, 1,1,1-trichloropropanone and trichloronitromethane were 33.8, 109.1, 30.1, 3.2, 0.3, 0.6 µg∙L⁻¹ and below detection limit, respectively. The TTHM and HAA9 levels were in the same magnitude of that in many regions of the world. The levels of CH and nitrogenous DBPs were greatly higher than and were comparable to that in typical drinking water, respectively. Disinfection by chlorine dioxide or trichloroisocyanuric acid could substantially lower the DBP levels. The outdoor pools had higher TTHM and HAA9 levels, but lower trihaloacetic acids (THAA) levels than the indoor pools. The TTHM and HAA9 concentrations could be moderately correlated with the free chlorine and total chlorine residuals but not with the total organic carbon (TOC) contents. When the DBP concentration levels from other survey studies were also included for statistical analysis, a good correlation could be established between the TTHM levels and the TOC concentration. The influence of chlorine residual on DBP levels could also be significant.     

Effect of treated swimming pool water on the levels of trihalomethanes in swimmer's urine

Swimming pools are considered to be the prime source for public exposure to trihalomethanes (THMs), mainly chloroform, because of their use for hygienic purposes. High doses of chlorine are easily perceptible by smell. The aim of this study was to measure simultaneously the THM levels in urine and blood of swimmers and in pool water itself (from city and university swimming pool), in order to investigate further the relationship between substances in different matrices at known environmental levels with uptake of these substances in indoor swimming pools. Volatile analytes were isolated and preconcentrated from the samples by thin layer headspace analysis (TLHS) with autogenous generation of the liquid sorbent. Chloroform, bromodichloromethane and dibromochloromethane were detected in the urine of all persons attending a swimming pool. Concentrations of THM compounds varied in the case of each swimmer. The research confirmed that approximately 10% of the volatile haloorganic compounds are excreted in urine in the unchanged form.     

Catalytic ozonation of organic compounds in water over the catalyst of RuO2/ZrO2-CeO2

This research investigates the performances of RuO₂/ZrO₂-CeO₂ in catalytic ozonation for water treatment. The results show that RuO₂/ZrO₂-CeO₂ was active for the catalytic ozonation of oxalic acid and possessed higher stability than RuO₂/Al₂O₃ and Ru/AC. In the catalytic ozonation of dimethyl phthalate (DMP), RuO₂/ZrO₂-CeO₂ did not enhance the DMP degradation rate but significantly improved the total organic carbon (TOC) removal rate. The TOC removal in catalytic ozonation was 56% more than that in noncatalytic ozonation. However this does not mean the catalyst was very active because the contribution of catalysis to the overall TOC removal was only 30%. The adsorption of the intermediates on RuO₂/ZrO₂-CeO₂ played an important role on the overall TOC removal while the adsorption of DMP on it was negligible. This adsorption difference was due to their different ozonation rates. In the catalytic ozonation of disinfection byproduct precursors with RuO₂/ZrO₂-CeO₂, the reductions of the haloacetic acid and trihalomethane formation potentials (HAAFPs and THMFPs) for the natural water samples were 38%–57% and 50%–64%, respectively. The catalyst significantly promoted the reduction of HAAFPs but insignificantly improved the reduction of THMFPs as ozone reacts fast with the THMs precursors. These results illustrate the good promise of RuO₂/ZrO₂-CeO₂ in catalytic ozonation for water treatment.     

Evaluate HAA removal in biologically active carbon filters using the ICR database

The effects of biologically active carbon (BAC) filtration on haloacetic acid (HAA) levels in plant effluents and distribution systems were investigated using the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Information Collection Rule (ICR) database. The results showed that average HAA5 concentrations in all locations were 20.4 μg·L^-1 and 29.6 μg·L^-1 in ICR plants with granular activated carbon (GAC) and ICR plants without GAC process, respectively. For plants without GAC, the highest HAA levels were observed in the quarters of April to June and July to September. However, for plants with GAC, the highest HAA levels were observed in the quarters of April to June and January to March. This HAA level profile inversely correlated well with water temperature, or biologic activity. For GAC plants, simulated distribution samples matched well with distribution system equivalent samples for Cl₃AA and THMs. For plants with and without GAC, simulated distribution samples overestimated readily biodegradable HAAs in distribution systems. The study indicated that through HAA biodegradation, GAC process plays an important role in lowering HAA levels in finished drinking water.     

Environmental and energy-related challenges to sustainable tourism in the United States and China

This article examines the relationship between tourism, energy, and environment. This article approaches tourism as a complex adaptive system composed of consumers, transportation providers, travel intermediaries, and destinations composed of multiple tourism-related companies and other stakeholder groups. Environmental and energy-related challenges of components to the system are examined as well as various units – the system as a whole, enterprises and individuals – within the system. A total of 92 peer-reviewed articles were studied that address ‘energy’ and ‘tourism’ published between 1974 and 2011. Also addressed are the impacts of social and cultural differences between the United States and China concerning responses to environmental and energy-related challenges. This article concludes with recommendations for addressing the challenges associated with such challenges, including building system capacity, technology development and adoption, support of individual behavior change, increasing understanding of the trade-offs and interactions within the system, and adoption of multidisciplinary approaches to these challenges within the tourism system.     

The effects of exposure to zinc and cadmium separately and jointly on the free amino acid pool of Gammarus pulex (L.)

Effects of the heavy metals zinc and cadmium on the free amino acid (FAA) pool of Gammarus pulex were studied at different metal concentrations and combinations as well as different exposure times. The dominant effect of these two metals was the reduction of most free amino acids and the whole FAA pool, except in the 10‐day low zinc and cadmium concentration exposures which resulted in a rise of free amino acid pool.

Among the free amino acids, the most sensitive to zinc exposure, were alanine, glutamic acid, arginine, and taurine; valine, leucine, asparagine, and isoleucine were among the most sensitive to cadmium. No predictable changes of individual free amino acids were shown in the mixed metals exposures. Elevation of taurine concentration was constant in seven of the eight treatments, it is suggested that this elevation may be related to the hepatopancreatic damage observed and induced synthesis of metallothioneins.     

Effects of productivity on biodiversity in forest ecosystems across the United States and China

In the global campaign against biodiversity loss in forest ecosystems, land managers need to know the status of forest biodiversity, but practical guidelines for conserving biodiversity in forest management are lacking. A major obstacle is the incomplete understanding of the relationship between site primary productivity and plant diversity, due to insufficient ecosystem‐wide data, especially for taxonomically and structurally diverse forest ecosystems. We investigated the effects of site productivity (the site's inherent capacity to grow timber) on tree species richness across 19 types of forest ecosystems in North America and China through 3 ground‐sourced forest inventory data sets (U.S. Forest Inventory and Analysis, Cooperative Alaska Forest Inventory, and Chinese Forest Management Planning Inventory). All forest types conformed to a consistent and highly significant (P < 0.001) hump‐shaped unimodal relationship, of which the generalized coefficients of determination averaged 20.5% over all the forest types. That is, tree species richness first increased as productivity increased at a progressively slower rate, and, after reaching a maximum, richness started to decline. Our consistent findings suggest that forests of high productivity would sustain few species because they consist mostly of flat homogeneous areas lacking an environmental gradient along which a diversity of species with different habitats can coexist. The consistency of the productivity–biodiversity relationship among the 3 data sets we examined makes it possible to quantify the expected tree species richness that a forest stand is capable of sustaining, and a comparison between the actual species richness and the sustainable values can be useful in prioritizing conservation efforts.     

美国露天采矿环境保护标准及其对我国的借鉴意义

概述了美国露天采矿环境保护标准并总结其特点:(1)一般性和特殊性相结合;(2)采矿破坏地生态恢复涵义广,涉及矿区内所有受扰地区;(3)管理当局可针对具体矿山更改某些要求;(4)有完善的配套法规保障标准的执行。基于美国在采矿环境保护方面的经验,提出了我国矿产开发生态保护与恢复标准制定的4点设想:(1)涵盖矿产开发造成生态影响的每一个环节和所有的受扰地区;(2)尽量考虑各种具体情况;(3)体现生态恢复的全面性;(4)完善相关法规,保障标准实施。     

Vascular plant extinction in the continental United States and Canada

Extinction rates are expected to increase during the Anthropocene. Current extinction rates of plants and many animals remain unknown. We quantified extinctions among the vascular flora of the continental United States and Canada since European settlement. We compiled data on apparently extinct species by querying plant conservation databases, searching the literature, and vetting the resulting list with botanical experts. Because taxonomic opinion varies widely, we developed an index of taxonomic uncertainty (ITU). The ITU ranges from A to F, with A indicating unanimous taxonomic recognition and F indicating taxonomic recognition by only a single author. The ITU allowed us to rigorously evaluate extinction rates. Our data suggest that 51 species and 14 infraspecific taxa, representing 33 families and 49 genera of vascular plants, have become extinct in our study area since European settlement. Seven of these taxa exist in cultivation but are extinct in the wild. Most extinctions occurred in the west, but this outcome may reflect the timing of botanical exploration relative to settlement. Sixty-four percent of extinct plants were single-site endemics, and many occurred outside recognized biodiversity hotspots. Given the paucity of plant surveys in many areas, particularly prior to European settlement, the actual extinction rate of vascular plants is undoubtedly much higher than indicated here.     

华北平原冬小麦季化肥氮去向及土壤氮库盈亏定量化探索

为提高华北平原冬小麦种植体系的氮肥利用率、减少氮肥对环境的污染,本研究对前人的试验数据进行整理核算,分析肥料氮、作物氮和土壤氮三者之间的关系,探索冬小麦季化肥氮的去向及土壤氮库的盈亏情况.结果表明:华北平原冬小麦当季化肥氮的吸收量随施氮量的增加而升高,对土壤氮素的吸收随施氮量的增加而降低;在秸秆50%还田和100%还田两种情况下,土壤氮库盈亏量与施氮量之间均呈线性极显著正相关,且土壤氮库达到平衡时的施氮量分别是 N 192和166 kg·hm-2;冬小麦对氮肥的吸收利用率推荐施氮远高于传统施氮,过量施氮不仅不会提高作物产量,还会降低氮肥利用率,增加土壤残留和损失;3种秸秆处理方式下的冬小麦氮肥各去向绝对量与施氮量(N 75~375 kg·hm-2)之间均呈显著线性相关关系,秸秆不还田条件下的地上部吸收率、秸秆吸收率和秸秆50%还田下的地上部吸收率及秸秆100%还田下的0~100 cm土壤残留率均与施氮量(N 75~375 kg·hm-2)之间呈显著相关关系.     

Species Imperilment and Spatial Patterns of Development in the United States

Abstract:  Conservation biologists and others hypothesize that humankind's "ecological footprint" is affected not only by the sheer intensity of human activity but also by its spatial arrangement. We used a multivariate statistical model and state-level data to evaluate correlations between species imperilment and the level and spatial distribution of human settlement and infrastructure development in the United States. The level of human activity—measured by the number of people and households, incidence of roads, and intensity of nighttime lights—was significantly correlated with the ecological imperilment of species. Our regression models consistently showed that a 1% increase in the level of human activity across the United States was associated with about a 0.25% increase in the proportion of plant and animal species considered at risk of extinction by The Nature Conservancy. The distribution of human activity did not affect species imperilment. Our results point to rising levels of human activity—and not some particular (e.g., sprawling) distribution of human activity—as the most relevant anthropogenic factor explaining biodiversity loss in the United States.     

Climate change, humidity, and mortality in the United States

This paper estimates the effects of humidity and temperature on mortality rates in the United States (c. 1973-2002) in order to provide an insight into the potential health impacts of climate change. I find that humidity, like temperature, is an important determinant of mortality. Coupled with Hadley CM3 climate-change predictions, I project that mortality rates are likely to change little on the aggregate for the United States. However, distributional impacts matter: mortality rates are likely to decline in cold and dry areas, but increase in hot and humid areas. Further, accounting for humidity has important implications for evaluating these distributional effects.     

Subterranean freshwater gastropod biodiversity and conservation in the United States and Mexico

Many taxonomic groups successfully exploit groundwater environments and have adapted to a subterranean (stygobiotic) existence. Among these groups are freshwater gastropods (stygosnails), which represent a widespread and taxonomically diverse component of groundwater ecosystems in North America. However, owing to sampling difficulty and lack of targeted study, stygosnails remain among the most understudied of all subterranean groups. We conducted a literature review to assess the biodiversity and geographic associations of stygosnails, along with the threats, management activities, and policy considerations related to the groundwater systems they inhabit. We identified 39 stygosnail species known to occur in a range of groundwater habitats from karst regions in the United States and Mexico. Most stygosnails exhibit extreme narrow-range endemism, resulting in a high risk of extinction from a single catastrophic event. We found that anthropogenically driven changes to surface environments have led to changes in local hydrology and degradation of groundwater systems inhabited by stygosnails such as increased sedimentation, introduction of invasive species, groundwater extraction, or physical collapse of water-bearing passages. Consequently, 32 of the 39 described stygosnail species in the United States and Mexico have been assessed as imperiled under NatureServe criteria, and 10 species have been assessed as threatened under International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria. Compared with surface species of freshwater snails, stygosnail conservation is uniquely hindered by difficulties associated with accessing subterranean habitats for monitoring and management. Furthermore, only three species were found to have federal protection in either the United States or Mexico, and current laws regulating wildlife and water pollution at the state and federal level may be inadequate for protecting stygosnail habitats. As groundwater systems continue to be manipulated and relied on by humans, groundwater-restricted fauna such as stygosnails should be studied so unique biodiversity can be protected.     

Latent Extinction and Invasion Risk of Crayfishes in the Southeastern United States

Abstract: Crayfishes are both a highly imperiled invertebrate group as well as one that has produced many invasive species, which have negatively affected freshwater ecosystems throughout the world. We performed a trait analysis for 77 crayfishes from the southeastern United States in an attempt to understand which biological and ecological traits make these species prone to imperilment or invasion, and to predict which species may face extinction or become invasive in the future. We evaluated biological and ecological traits with principal coordinate analysis and classification trees. Invasive and imperiled crayfishes occupied different positions in multivariate trait space, although crayfishes invasive at different scales (extraregional vs. extralimital) were also distinct. Extraregional crayfishes (large, high fecundity, habitat generalists) were most distinct from imperiled crayfishes (small, low fecundity, habitat specialists), thus supporting the “two sides of the same coin” hypothesis. Correct classification rates for assignment of crayfishes as invasive or imperiled were high (70–80%), even when excluding the highly predictive but potentially confounding trait of range size (75–90%). We identified a number of species that, although not currently listed as imperiled or found outside their native range, possess many of the life‐history and ecological traits characteristic of currently invasive or imperiled taxa. Such species exhibit a high latent risk of extinction or invasion and consequently should be the focus of proactive conservation or management strategies. Our results illustrate the utility of trait‐based approaches for taxonomic groups such as invertebrates, for which detailed species‐specific data are rare and conservation resources are chronically limited.     

Uncovering the evolution of tin use in the United States and its implications

• US tin use decreases as the GDP value added by manufacturing sector increases. • Global and China’s tin use increases as the GDP added by manufacturing increases. • A sigmoid curve can fit the US tin use data well. • US tin use patterns is not due to the finite tin reserves or resources. • Policies, substitutions, etc. play key roles in the changing tin use patterns. Tin is of key importance to daily life and national security; it is considered an essential industrial metal. The United States (US) is the world’s largest economy and consumer of natural resources. Therefore, the analysis of historical tin use in the US is helpful for understanding future tin use trends in the world as a whole and in developing countries. Time series analysis, regression analysis with GDP or GDP/capita, and historical data fitted with logistic and Gompertz models are employed in this study. Historical tin use in the US shows three stages—increase-constant-decrease, as GDP per capita has increased. Tin use in the US is negatively correlated with the GDP value added by the manufacturing sector, while the use of tin worldwide and in China continues to increase along with the GDP value added by the manufacturing sector. Although a sigmoid curve can fit the US tin use data well, that use is not directly related to the limited tin reserves or resources. Rather, policies, economic restructuring, substitutions, new end-use markets, etc. have played key roles in the changing tin use patterns. This work contributes to understanding future tin use at both the global and national levels: tin use will continue to increase with GDP at the global level, but use patterns of tin at the national level can be changed through human intervention.     

Land‐Cover Change and Avian Diversity in the Conterminous United States

Abstract: Changes in land use and land cover have affected and will continue to affect biological diversity worldwide. Yet, understanding the spatially extensive effects of land‐cover change has been challenging because data that are consistent over space and time are lacking. We used the U.S. National Land Cover Dataset Land Cover Change Retrofit Product and North American Breeding Bird Survey data to examine land‐cover change and its associations with diversity of birds with principally terrestrial life cycles (landbirds) in the conterminous United States. We used mixed‐effects models and model selection to rank associations by ecoregion. Land cover in 3.22% of the area considered in our analyses changed from 1992 to 2001, and changes in species richness and abundance of birds were strongly associated with land‐cover changes. Changes in species richness and abundance were primarily associated with changes in nondominant types of land cover, yet in many ecoregions different types of land cover were associated with species richness than were associated with abundance. Conversion of natural land cover to anthropogenic land cover was more strongly associated with changes in bird species richness and abundance than persistence of natural land cover in nearly all ecoregions and different covariates were most strongly associated with species richness than with abundance in 11 of 17 ecoregions. Loss of grassland and shrubland affected bird species richness and abundance in forested ecoregions. Loss of wetland was associated with bird abundance in forested ecoregions. Our findings highlight the value of understanding changes in nondominant land cover types and their association with bird diversity in the United States.     

Trends in biodiversity and habitat quantification tools used for market-based conservation in the United States

Market-based conservation mechanisms are designed to facilitate the mitigation of harm to and conservation of habitats and biodiversity. Their potential is partly hindered, however, by the quantification tools used to assess habitat quality and functionality. Of specific concern are the lack of transparency and standardization in tool development and gaps in tool availability. To address these issues, we collected information via internet and literature searchers and through conversations with tool developers and users on tools used in U.S. conservation mechanisms, such as payments for ecosystem services (PES) and ecolabel programs, conservation banking, and habitat exchanges. We summarized information about tools and explored trends among and within mechanisms based on criteria detailing geographic, ecological, and technical features of tools. We identified 69 tools that assessed at least 34 species and 39 habitat types. Where tools reported pricing, 98% were freely available. More tools were applied to states along the U.S. West Coast than elsewhere, and the level of tool transferability varied markedly among mechanisms. Tools most often incorporated conditions at numerous spatial scales, frequently addressed multiple risks to site viability, and required 1–83 data inputs. Most tools required a moderate or greater level of user skill. Average tool-complexity estimates were similar among all mechanisms except PES programs. Our results illustrate the diversity among tools in their ecological features, data needs, and geographic application, supporting concerns about a lack of standardization. However, consistency among tools in user skill requirements, incorporation of multiple spatial scales, and complexity highlight important commonalities that could serve as a starting point for establishing more standardized tool development and feature-incorporation processes. Greater standardization in tool design may expand market participation and facilitate a needed assessment of the effectiveness of market-based conservation.     

Taxonomic and Geographic Patterns of Decline for Threatened and Endangered Species in the United States

Abstract: Species listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (i.e., listed species) have declined to the point that the probability of their extinction is high. The decline of these species, however, may manifest itself in different ways, including reductions in geographic range, number of populations, or overall abundance. Understanding the pattern of decline can help managers assess extinction probability and define recovery objectives. Although quantitative data on changes in geographic range, number of populations, and abundance usually do not exist for listed species, more often qualitative data can be obtained. We used qualitative data in recovery plans for federally listed species to determine whether each listed species declined in range size, number of populations, or abundance relative to historical levels. We calculated the proportion of listed species in each state (or equivalent) that declined in each of those ways. Nearly all listed species declined in abundance, and range size or number of populations declined in approximately 80% of species for which those data were available. Patterns of decline, however, differed taxonomically and geographically. Declines in range were more common among vertebrates than plants, whereas population extirpations were more common among plants. Invertebrates had high incidence of range and population declines. Narrowly distributed plants and invertebrates may be subject to acute threats that may result in population extirpations, whereas vertebrates may be affected by chronic threats that reduce the extent and size of populations. Additionally, in the eastern United States and U.S. coastal areas, where the level of land conversion is high, a greater percentage of species’ ranges declined and more populations were extirpated than in other areas. Species in the Southwest, especially plants, had fewer range and population declines than other areas. Such relations may help in the selection of species’ recovery criteria.     

美、日、英、法等国的环境管理体制概况及其对我国的启示

本文简要介绍了美日英法四环境管理体制的状况，分析了四国在环境管理体制建设方面的有益经验及其对我国的启示。