Pollution by nitrogen oxides: an approach to NO(x) abatement by using sorbing catalytic materials

This article summarises the abatement of NO(x) pollution by using sorbing catalytic materials with special relevance to the challenge presented in fixed installations sources. A general vision of the origins of the different pollutants, with emphasis on nitrogen oxides formation, is presented as introduction. The impact of NO(x) pollution comprises additionally a quick view of its toxicity and environmental effects. Actual solutions are presented especially the case of the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) process with its advantages and difficulties. The new concepts for NO(x) abatement are also analysed. In such a way, updated information on solid sorbents for NO(x) removal is provided by including metal oxides, spinelles, perovskites, double-layered cuprates, zeolites, carbonaceous materials, heteropolyacids (HPAs), and supported heteropolyacids. The possibility of reducing those sorbed NO(x) is also underlined. Sorption mechanisms are analysed and clarified by emphasising convergence and disagreement points.     

Environmental consequences of industrial-scale fuel-ethanol production

The environmental consequences of the construction and operation of a commercial-scale fuel-ethanol plant of conventional design are evaluated. The hypothetical facility was assumed to have a production capacity of 60 × 10⁶ L/yr of anhydrous ethanol, to use corn (dry milling) as a feedstock, to use benzene for dehydration, and to burn coal for process heat. Although there is potential for environmental degradation, this analysis indicated that careful siting of the plant and application of available pollution abatement techniques should reduce impacts to acceptable levels.     

经济发展与农业面源污染：分解模型与实证研究

借鉴Islam的研究思路,构建农业面源污染影响因素分解的理论模型。并利用1990～2010年省际面板数据进行实证研究,探讨农业面源污染演变的内在驱动机制,以期为农业面源污染控制和管理提供理论依据。主要研究结论如下：（1）农业面源污染演变受规模效应、结构效应和减污效应的共同影响;（2）规模效应对农业面源污染的影响为正,这说明农业生产规模和农村人口规模的扩大会增大农业面源污染的排放。结构效应的两个重要方面（经济作物比重的提高和畜禽养殖业产值比重的提高）都会导致农业面源污染的加剧。技术进步和经济发展的减污效应开始初步发挥,二者都能有效减少农业面源污染,这为实现农业生产与生态环境的协调发展提供了可能     

资源型城市环境规制的经济增长效应及其传导机制——基于创新补偿与产业结构升级的双重视角

对于中国多数资源型城市来说,改善生态环境与促进经济增长是当前面临的重要任务。一些研究认为治理环境污染可能加重"遵循成本",进而不利于经济增长;也有研究认为环境规制会通过"创新补偿"效应,增进当地产品竞争力,弥补企业成本负担并促进经济增长;此外,还有研究认为环境标准提高有助于区域产业结构升级,进而带动经济增长。为验证中国资源型城市环境规制对经济增长的影响及其传导机制,本文基于2004—2014年资源型城市数据,以样本城市GDP为被解释变量,以工业污染治理设备运行费用为解释变量,进行了面板数据实证分析,并观察了科技行业人员比重和第三产业比重的中介效应。结果显示:(1)资源型城市工业污染物治理对GDP总量和人均GDP的影响均显著为正;(2)在环境规制与GDP(或人均GDP)的正向关系中,科技行业人员比重的提升起到了部分中介作用,即存在显著的创新补偿效应;(3)除了传统观点看到的创新补偿效应,污染治理对产业结构的积极影响也在二者正向关系中有重要的中介作用,而且比创新补偿效应的作用更显著。本文的结论是,资源型城市环境规制未对经济增长造成不利影响,主要是由于经济资源从效益不佳的工业企业流向了第三产业,同时工业部门自身的创新潜力也已逐步凸显。因此,面对经济社会持续发展的压力,资源型城市要取得经济增长与生态环境的双赢,应当强化污染治理成本对企业技术进步的倒逼机制,进一步实现创新驱动发展,同时要构建多元产业体系,促进资源型行业与现代服务业的有效对接和深度融合。     

中国高质量发展阶段最优环境保护税率研究

中国开始实施环境保护税法的时间位于从高速增长向高质量发展过渡的时期。环境保护税法规定了大气和水污染物的税率区间,因此实际执行的税率存在优化的空间。虽然征收环境保护税是为了达成环境目标,但是该项税收同样可以服务于经济和社会目标。本文拟对环境保护税这一市场化的环境政策价格工具进行优化,从这一崭新研究视角切入,探讨协调经济与环境关系的原则,以期为实现高质量发展提供理论依据。本文的研究方法基于一个包括企业、政府和消费者的世代交替模型,各经济主体进行分散化决策。企业在生产过程中排放污染,政府向企业征收环境保护税并且治理污染,消费者的内生寿命受到污染存量和人均产出的共同影响。根据市场均衡条件,本文得到描述物质资本和污染存量动态变化的非线性差分方程,在此基础上进行解析证明和数据模拟。研究得到以下三点结论:第一,同一个环境保护税率无法同时实现经济产出最大化和社会福利最大化的目标,这意味着在高质量发展阶段政府需要抛弃以经济增长为中心的政策思路,转而以社会福利最大化为目标确定最优的环境保护税率。政府提高环境保护税率,可以实现由经济产出最大化向社会福利最大化的转变。第二,相较于最大化经济产出的税率,最大化社会福利的环境保护税率在转移路径上会造成各主要变量较小的波动,并用一定的经济产出换取更多的物质资本、更优的环境质量、更长的人均寿命、以及更高的社会福利水平,因此支持了前述政府需要以社会福利最大化为目标确定最优环境保护税率的结论。第三,最大化社会福利的环境保护税率在基准模型中的数值为1.96,但污染物的异质性会影响最优税率的数值。污染物较低的自然扩散速度、较严重的健康损害程度、较高的治理技术水平都会提高最优的环境保护税率。本文提出三点政策建议:第一,通过征收环境保护税最大化社会福利水平。第二,通过提高环境保护税率体现发展理念的转变。第三,促进医疗卫生和污染治理技术进步。     

我国技术变迁对环境影响的计量分析

为了促进技术变迁因素在我国环境保护中发挥更大的作用,需要分析其以往对环境的影响,为我国的技术政策提供支持。使用动态基期,用统计方法定量计算了 1994~2004年各年度技术变迁因素对我国主要空气和水污染物排放量的影响。按是否以削减污染为直接目标,可将技术变迁分为2类：(1)生产工艺的变化。这种技术变化不以污染削减为直接目标,但会影响到生产投入物的数量和种类、生产过程中污染物的产生量并因此影响到最终的污染强度和排放量。(2)污染削减技术的变化。这种技术变化以污染削减为直接目标。利用环境统计年鉴中的污染削减量数据将技术效应分解为2部分：源自污染削减技术和源自生产工艺,发现从总体上看技术变迁降低了所有污染物的排放量,其中污染削减技术对所有污染排放量的下降都起了积极作用,但伴随较大的年度变化。生产工艺变化对不同污染物的影响方向不同。可见中国目前的污染削减主要依靠“末端”污染削减技术,“过程控制型”生产工艺没有充分发挥应有作用,也反映出目前技术变迁尚未向“环境友好型”演进。因此,要促使我国技术变迁向“环境友好型”演进,特别需要促进清洁生产技术的开发和推广,在生产过程中减少污染物的产生.     

Pollutant emission reduction effect through effluent tax,concentration-based effluent standard,or both

There are numerous studies comparing different kinds of environmental taxes and standards. However, forms of environmental standards focused by former researchers are usually quantity-based limits/standards (e.g. pounds per day or pounds per unit of output). Concentration-based emission standard (e.g. milligrams per liter of wastewater) as one important form of environmental standard has not been given much attention. In this article, comparable estimates of their probable effect on enterprise pollution reduction will be developed for concentration-based effluent standards, effluent taxes, and a combination of both. A linear simulation model is used to clearly and obviously compare the effects of effluent taxes and concentration-based standards within the same figure. With one detailed application to the paper industry, some enlightenment and conclusions – as well as the general applicability of these principles – are then provided: Under the same effluent tax rate, enterprises, groups, and industries that are cleaner will reduce more pollutants than those that have higher pollutant abatement costs. It is recommended that effluent taxes are set by avoiding cutting it even at one stroke and considering the feasibility of pollution-reducing technology in various industries. It is necessary to reduce MAC of enterprises to better stimulate enterprises’ or industries’ emission reduction by preferential measures, such as high tax rate coordinated by speeding up the depreciation of environmental protection equipment.     

Biological activity and environmental impact of anionic surfactants

The newest results concerning the biological activity and environmental fate of anionic surfactants are collected and critically evaluated. The chemical and physicochemical parameters related to the biological activity and the field of application are briefly discussed. Examples on the effect of anionic surfactants on the cell membranes, on the activity of enzymes, on the binding to various proteins and to other cell components and on their human toxicity are presented and the possible mode of action is elucidated. The sources of environmental pollution caused by anionic surfactants are listed and the methods developed for their removal from liquid, semiliquid and solid matrices are collected. Both the beneficial and adversary effects of anionic surfactants on the environment are reported and critically discussed. It was concluded that the role of anionic surfactants in the environment is ambiguous: they can cause serous environmental pollution with toxic effect on living organisms; otherwise, they can promote the decomposition and/or removal of other inorganic and organic pollutants from the environment. The relationship between their chemical structure, physicochemical parameters, biological activity and environmental impact is notwell understood. A considerable number of data are needed for the development of new anionic surfactants and for the successful application of the existing ones to reduce the adversary and to promote beneficial effects.     

中国工业环境规制强度的行业差异及收敛性研究

针对不同行业环境规制强度的差异性,本文运用收敛理论研究了行业环境规制强度的敛散性。传统上利用单位成本或产出的污染治理费用表示的行业环境规制强度可能存在有偏性,本文基于单位污染排放的污染治理费用测算行业环境规制强度,利用Theil指数和收敛检验模型,分析了2001—2015年中国35个工业行业环境规制强度差异、收敛性质及收敛机制。研究发现:(1)一些行业的环境规制强度与其污染强度未表现出相应的强关联性。(2)中国工业行业环境规制强度差异呈现"M"型变化趋势,污染行业与清洁行业之间的环境规制强度差异呈现先发散后收敛的倒"U"型趋势。(3)泰尔指数及其分解还表明,污染行业内部的子行业间环境规制强度差异很大,且是造成工业行业环境规制强度差异的最主要来源。(4)工业行业环境规制强度存在较长时段的σ收敛和较短时长的俱乐部收敛的同时,还存在绝对β收敛和条件β收敛,即低规制行业向高规制行业看齐,不同行业环境规制强度向各自的稳态水平靠近,此外,污染行业环境规制强度收敛速度慢于清洁行业。(5)企业规模成长和市场化水平提升有利于促进企业提高环境规制水平。(6)对收敛机制的进一步研究表明,出口学习效应和进口技术溢出对行业环境规制强度变化的提升效应随着环境规制强度的提高而扩大,即两者对行业环境规制强度变化具有提升效应,但无促进其收敛的作用。扩大企业规模、提升市场化和对外开放水平,有利于提升企业应对环境规制的能力,并为下一阶段实施更为合理有效的环境规制政策提供支撑。     

排污税能够提高环境质量吗

排污收费制度是我国主要的环境政策工具之一。然而,自1982年这一制度正式建立实施以来,经过2003年的制度改良,始终未能解决征收成本高、使用效率低、寻租行为盛行的问题,这一系列的问题导致该制度的减排效果不佳。因此,近年来,排污费改排污税的改革提上议事日程。这一改革是否能够收到设计者们预期的效果?为从理论上回答这些问题,从中国现实出发,借鉴环境库兹涅茨曲线的研究方法,通过设计一个包含政府征收排污税行为和政府污染治理技术投资行为的经济系统,考察动态条件下排污税对环境质量的长期影响,以及征收排污税对厂商行为和消费者行为的长期影响。根据本文的分析,单一的征收排污税并不一定能够改善环境质量,不一定能够促进环境库兹涅茨曲线拐点的出现,也不能减少企业污染物排放;同时,排污税降低了资本积累速度和经济增长速度,但对消费者消费路径的影响是不明确的。最后,本文建议,政府应投资于污染治理技术的改进能够持续的减少最终污染物排放,达到改善环境质量的目的。     

Remediation of water pollution caused by pharmaceutical residues based on electrochemical separation and degradation technologies: A review

In the last years, the decontamination and disinfection of waters by means of direct or integrated electrochemical processes are being considered as a very appealing alternative due to the significant improvement of the electrode materials and the coupling with low-cost renewable energy sources. Many electrochemical technologies are currently available for the remediation of waters contaminated by refractory organic pollutants such as pharmaceutical micropollutants, whose presence in the environment has become a matter of major concern. Recent reviews have focused on the removal of pharmaceutical residues upon the application of other important methods like ozonation and advanced oxidation processes. Here, we present an overview on the electrochemical methods devised for the treatment of pharmaceutical residues from both, synthetic solutions and real pharmaceutical wastewaters. Electrochemical separation technologies such as membrane technologies, electrocoagulation and internal micro-electrolysis, which only isolate the pollutants from water, are firstly introduced. The fundamentals and experimental set-ups involved in technologies that allow the degradation of pharmaceuticals, like anodic oxidation, electro-oxidation with active chlorine, electro-Fenton, photoelectro-Fenton and photoelectrocatalysis among others, are further discussed. Progress on the promising solar photoelectro-Fenton process devised and further developed in our laboratory is especially highlighted and documented. The abatement of total organic carbon or reduction of chemical oxygen demand from contaminated waters allows the comparison between the different methods and materials. The routes for the degradation of the some pharmaceuticals are also presented.     

An overview on the advanced oxidation processes applied for the treatment of water pollutants defined in the recently launched Directive 2013/39/EU

Environmental pollution is a recognized issue of major concern since a wide range of contaminants has been found in aquatic environment at ng L^− 1 to μg L^− 1 levels. In the year 2000, a strategy was defined to identify the priority substances concerning aquatic ecosystems, followed by the definition of environmental quality standards (EQS) in 2008. Recently it was launched the Directive 2013/39/EU that updates the water framework policy highlighting the need to develop new water treatment technologies to deal with such problem. This review summarizes the data published in the last decade regarding the application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to treat priority compounds and certain other pollutants defined in this Directive, excluding the inorganic species (cadmium, lead, mercury, nickel and their derivatives).The Directive 2013/39/EU includes several pesticides (aldrin, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, dicofol, dieldrin, endrin, endosulfan, isodrin, heptachlor, lindane, pentachlorophenol, chlorpyrifos, chlorfenvinphos, dichlorvos, atrazine, simazine, terbutryn, diuron, isoproturon, trifluralin, cypermethrin, alachlor), solvents (dichloromethane, dichloroethane, trichloromethane and carbon tetrachloride), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nonylphenol and octylphenol, as well as the three compounds included in the recommendation for the first watch list of substances (diclofenac, 17-alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) and 17-beta-estradiol (E2)). Some particular pesticides (aclonifen, bifenox, cybutryne, quinoxyfen), organotin compounds (tributyltin), dioxins and dioxin-like compounds, brominated diphenylethers, hexabromocyclododecanes and di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate are also defined in this Directive, but studies dealing with AOPs are missing.AOPs are recognized tools to destroy recalcitrant compounds or, at least, to transform them into biodegradable species. Diuron (a phenylurea herbicide) and atrazine (from the triazine chemical class) are the most studied pesticides from Directive 2013/39/EU. Fenton-based processes are the most frequently applied to treat priority compounds in water and their efficiency typically increases with the operating temperature as well as under UV or solar light. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is the second most used treatment to destroy pollutants defined in the Directive. Ozone alone promotes the partial oxidation of pollutants, and an increase in the effluent biodegradability, but complete mineralization of pollutants is difficult. To overcome this drawback, ozonation has been combined with heterogeneous catalysts, addition of H₂O₂, other AOPs (such as photocatalysis) or membrane technologies.     

环境友好行为、信息公开与庇古税研究

在信息传播迅速的现代社会,环境友好行为日益成为环境规制的重要考量因素,环境友好行为更将借助信息公开这一新型环境规制手段而发挥更大的作用。为了实现节能减排与低碳经济发展,当环境友好行为渗透于排污费等常规的环境规制工具的实际应用中,环境规制政策应当精心设计。当涉及环境友好行为时,庇古税有何不同?在包括外部性的古诺模型分析框架中对该问题进行研究,得到结论:①消费者对污染排放的反应越强烈,污染排放量越小;②给定环境友好行为,次优排污费在竞争性条件下等于污染边际损害,垄断条件下小于污染边际损害;③市场结构、污染治理成本不变时,环境友好行为是造成排污费小于污染边际损害的一个因素。     

税收竞争对环境污染的影响及传导机制分析

在中国经济高增长的背后,环境污染问题愈发凸显,不利于经济的可持续增长。税收竞争是影响环境污染的主要因素之一,但是学术界研究税收竞争对环境污染的影响及其作用机制的较少。本文按照污染物属性将其划分为外溢性污染物和非外溢性污染物,通过构建一个包含生产者、消费者、地方政府及中央政府的一般均衡模型,刻画了在税收竞争的背景下,地方政府的税收征管效率对不同属性污染物的影响及其传导机制。结果发现当污染物具有外溢性属性时,税收征管效率对该地环境污染的影响通过改变本地及周边地区资本存量渠道实现;当污染物具有非外溢性属性时,降低税收征管效率通过增加该地区资本存量而提高了环境污染。文章首先使用随机前沿模型测算了2007—2014年中国28个省份企业所得税的税收征管效率,并将其作为税收竞争的衡量指标,然后运用系统GMM法证实了所提的假说。研究显示:地方政府的税收竞争增加了本地区的资本存量;税收竞争是将本地资本存量作为其推高外溢性污染物(二氧化硫)及非外溢性污染物(固体废弃物)排放量的一个主要渠道,邻近地区资本存量则是推高外溢性污染物(二氧化硫)的次要渠道。这意味着,要想改善环境质量,中央政府应规范地方政府的税收竞争行为,尽快建立一套科学、有效的绿色GDP评价体系;完善地方转移支付制度;应针对各个地区的污染及经济发展情况利用财政激励手段引入环保、绿色的资本项目;地方政府应减少不利于环境改善的地方财政支出,增加环保投入比重。     

A model for positive environmental control

In the control of pollution, two apparently important facts are often negelected: (1) removal of a particular pollutant from a particular source and location may merely result in transforming it into a pollutant, or pollutants of different forms, in other locations; (2) the activity of pollution control itself requires inputs, the production of which may generate additional pollutants. In order to achieve positive environmental control, these two facts must be considered in selecting control processes and in determining optimum control standards. It is necessary that an integrated approach to pollution control be taken, making allowances for ecological inter-relations. As practiced today, pollution control is handled as separate problems of disposing gas, liquid and solid wastes. This paper proposes a model for evaluating the total environmental impact of a pollution control process or method. Theoretical criteria for determining an optimum control level with or without resource constraint are also derived.     

Balancing the health benefits and environmental risks of pharmaceuticals: Diclofenac as an example

Pharmaceuticals are designed to improve human and animal health, but even the most beneficial pharmaceuticals might raise some questions concerning the consequences of exposure to non-target organisms. To illustrate this situation and using diclofenac as a case-study, we analyze global consumption and occurrence data to identify hot spots of consumption without occurrence data, review the scientific literature on the harmful environmental effects to determine whether the observed concentrations in freshwater are of environmental concern, summarize the current pharmaceutical and environmental policies to highlight policy gaps, and suggest a series of research and policy recommendations, which can be summarized as follows: we need to improve the current knowledge on occurrence in freshwaters to properly implement environmental policies (i), diclofenac might pose a risk to non-target organisms in freshwater (ii); the harmful effects that some pharmaceuticals may have on the environment are not always addressed by environmental policies (iii).     

CO2 emission driving forces and corresponding mitigation strategies under low-carbon economy mode: evidence from China’s Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region

On account of the background of China’s “new normal” characterized by slower economic growth, this paper analyses the low-carbon economy status quo in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region and empirically investigates the relationship between carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and its various factors for China’s Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region using panel data econometric technique. We find evidence of existence of Environmental Kuznets Curve. Results also show that economic scale, industrial structure, and urbanization rate are crucial factors to promote CO₂ emissions. However, technological progress, especially the domestic independent research and development, plays a key role in CO₂ emissions abatement. Next, we further analyze the correlation between each subregion and various factors according to Grey Relation Analysis. Thereby, our findings provide important implications for policymakers in air pollution control and CO₂ emissions reduction for this region.     

Industrial layout reconstruction,the role of local government and variation of pollution distribution in China

ABSTRACT

In recent years, high-polluting industries have been gradually shifted from the eastern developed regions to the central and western underdeveloped regions in China. Certain environmental regulations have been in place accordingly in various regions, but the pollution in the central and western regions has risen sharply. Based on the data of interprovincial panel in China from 2006 to 2015, this paper calculates high-pollution industry dynamic agglomeration index, environmental pollution agglomeration index and relative environmental regulation intensity index, and uses Generalized Method of Moments to carry out the regression analyses of the whole samples, regional heterogeneity and temporal heterogeneity. The results show that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between relative environmental regulation and environmental pollution concentration in China. The concentration degrees of industrial wastewater pollution and industrial waste gas pollution are deepened, which are mainly caused by the transfer of highly polluting industries. However, the concentration of industrial solid waste pollution caused by the transfer is not obvious. Furthermore, the deepening of industrialization intensifies the concentration of regional environmental pollution. Environmental Kuznets Curve does exist in China, but it is not significant. The increase of labor cost and quality will reduce the concentration of environmental pollution.     

经济增长、国际贸易与污染排放的关系研究——基于美国和中国SO2排放的实证分析

在世界经济一体化进程中,国际贸易成为影响各国环境污染变化的重要因素,将其纳入经济增长与环境污染间关系的分析框架是环境学界关注的一个重要问题。本文基于联立方程模型,从经济产出、污染排放、污染治理和国际贸易等四个方面探讨了经济增长与污染排放的相互作用机理,并以美国、中国SO2排放为例进行了实证研究。结果表明:污染排放对经济产出有影响,且对美国和中国分别为正作用和负作用。经济增长增加了两国国内污染排放,且中国增加的相对更多。而污染治理均减少了国内污染排放,美、中的污染减排弹性系数分别为-0.277和-0.417。国际贸易对美国起到污染减排作用,对中国的影响不显著,考虑到贸易对中国经济增长的拉动作用,其经济规模间接污染效应不容忽视。对于中国而言,加大污染治理投资、改善贸易进出口状况、降低经济发展过程中的污染排放是实现经济与环境协调发展的有效途径。