Bioclimate and city planning – open space planning

The planning and using of open spaces in urban areas very much depend on the shading of the surrounding building structures. This article presents a method for the investigation of the sunlight and the bioclimatic conditions in dependence on the surrounding buildings. It is illustrated for typical courtyards in Berlin, Germany, as one type of open spaces. The programme HelioDat determines the shading of any spot of an open space. It gives the possible duration of direct sunlight for the selected spot for each day of the year. The sunlight conditions in the courtyards differ from one another a lot in dependence on their size the tallness of the surrounding buildings. The calculation of the PMV on the basis of the results of the programme HelioDat determine the bioclimatic situation in the discussed courtyards. Although the results of HelioDat are only one input among the weather conditions and the personal characteristics of the test-person, the bioclimatic conditions correlate very much with the sunlight conditions. In a projected building structure, the sunlight conditions vary a lot between the present situation and the two architectural alternatives. Since the bioclimatic situation is correlated to the sunlight conditions, this example demonstrates the importance for the investigation of the sunlight conditions and the bioclimate already during the planning process of buildings.     

Fluorine in the soils of the White Sea Basin and bioindication of pollution

Assessment of the pollution level of soils and vegetation by fluorine and heavy metals and also of the state of the soil microflora in the impact zone of Kandalaksha aluminium factory is discussed. The significant pollution of natural media by fluorine in the basin of the White Sea is established. Concentration of the total fluorine in the organogenic horizon of the Al-Fe-humus podzol soil at a distance of 20 km in the northern direction from the source of emission exceeds the background level by a factor of 3. In the epicentre of emission the amount of total fluorine in the soil exceeds the background level by a factor of 7-8 (Tolerable Amount: 4-5-fold). It is noted that the soil becomes more alkaline under the influence of fluorine and the increased content of chromium along the soil profile exceeds PC by a factor of 3 in the vicinity of the factory. The differences in the dimensions of bacterial and fungi biomass along the gradient of pollution were not revealed in the impact zone. But the changes in the taxonomic structure of fungi and in the level of their domination along the gradient of pollution were estimated. Floristic composition of the soil algae is represented mainly by unicellular green algae with Chlamydomonas elliptica and Bracteacoccus minor predominating.     

A model for prediction of product distributions for the reactions of phenol derivatives with hydroxyl radicals

In this study, with the intention of estimating the photocatalytic or photodegradation rates and finding certain predictors to be used for the determination of the most probable reaction path and the primary intermediate, the reactions of (*)OH radicals with 11 phenol derivatives including benzene were modeled. For 43 possible reaction routes, calculations of the geometric parameters, the electronic and thermodynamic properties of the reactants, the product radicals and the transition state complexes were performed with the semiempirical PM3 and DFT/B3LYP/6-31G(*) methods. The solvation effects were computed using COSMO as the solvation model. Based on the results of quantum mechanical calculations, the rate constants, the branching ratios and the product distributions of all the possible reaction paths were calculated by means of the transition state theory. Three predictors were determined for the prediction of the most probable transition state and the reaction path. The differences in the reaction rates were explained in terms of the presence of hydrogen bonds in the transition state complexes and the entropy effects. Finally the results obtained were compared with the available experimental data in order to assess the reliability of the proposed model.     

Field comparison of disjunct and conventional eddy covariance techniques for trace gas flux measurements

A field intercomparison experiment of the disjunct eddy covariance (DEC) and the conventional eddy covariance (EC) techniques was conducted over a grass field. The half-hourly water vapor fluxes measured by the DEC were within the estimated uncertainty from the fluxes measured by the EC. On the average there was a slight overestimation (<10%) of the fluxes measured by the DEC during the day and underestimation during the night as compared to the fluxes measured by the EC. As this bias does not appear in the simulated DEC measurements it is likely to be due to instrumental problems. The insensitivity of the quality of the fluxes measured by the DEC method to the deficiencies in the gas analysis shows the robustness of this new approach for measuring the surface-atmosphere exchange of trace gases.     

侧入式搅拌槽中多相流流场特性的数值模拟

运用计算流体力学(CFD)技术对不同安装偏角的侧入式搅拌反应器中单相及多相流场进行了数值模拟。模拟结果表明,典型安装偏角下,搅拌槽内流场是由内部围绕搅拌槽中心的高速环形上升流和外部沿搅拌槽壁面的低速下降流组成的大循环流。水平偏角既增加了整个搅拌槽流场的平均速度,有利于固体颗粒在整个搅拌槽内的悬浮性能,又增大了槽底高速流体区域的面积,因而改善了槽底固相沉积状况。竖直偏角增大了槽底高速流体区域的面积,并对槽底施加一定的冲刷作用,从而进一步降低了槽底固相沉积的可能性。无安装偏角时槽底固含率最多的地方主要积聚在搅拌器下方区域。搅拌器在水平偏角θ=10°,竖直偏角φ=5°时槽底大部分区域的固含率分布较均匀,仅在槽底搅拌器右侧的壁面区域存在小面积的固含率较高区域,在该安装偏角下整个搅拌槽的固液悬浮性能及防止底部固相沉积性能达到最佳。     

雪貂和旱獭作为胃癌病因研究的实验模型

本项研究是以雪貂（Ｆｅｒｒｅｔ）和旱獭（Ｗｏｏｄｃｈｕｃｋ）作为实验动物模型，由于这两种动物的某些器官特征在解剖学上和生理学上与人类有其相似之处，试图通过雪貂和旱獭体内生物合成亚硝胺，说明人类暴露于化学致场物亚硝胺的另外一个来源是生物体内合成。同时，用烷基化学致癌物二甲基亚硝胺对旱獭进行ＤＮＡ烷基化的研究，发现由于被旱獭肝炎病毒（ＷＨＶ，ＷｏｏｄｃｈｕｃｋＨｅｐａｔｉｔｉｓＶｉｒｕｓ）感染的旱獭，不仅体内易于合成亚硝胺，而且其肝脏组织ＤＮＡ烷基化的水平高于对照组。以ＤＮＡ烷基化反应产生的烷化核酸碱基作为生物标志（Ｒｉｏｍａｒｋｅｒｓ），对于胃癌高发区人群尿中的烷化核酸碱基进行定量测定，并与低发区相对照，显示两者之间有差异性。本项研究为从动物实验外推到人群的设想提供了启示，还提出了以生物标志作为建立分子流行病学的依据。     

利用计算流体力学模拟技术对某水解酸化池的改进

利用计算流体力学模拟技术,采用三维、稳态、k-ε紊流模型,结合多重参考系模型、弥散相模型及组分输运和化学反应模型,对江苏某污水处理厂水解酸化池进行了模拟。结果表明：水解酸化池内流速分布很不均匀;池内存在大片回流区域以及流速几乎为零的区域,区域总体积占池容的50%以上;平均水力停留时间约为1 480 s,远达不到设计值。结合模拟结果,提出了改进方案。改进后的模拟结果表明：水解酸化池内水流流速分布均匀性大大提高;大片的回流区域消失,速度几乎为零的区域面积也大大减小;水解酸化池的空间得到充分利用,水下推进器的作用也更加明显;平均水力停留时间约为15 340 s,和设计值十分接近。但是仍存在一些不足：水流流速分布的均匀性仍存在一定缺陷;只考虑了单相流,没有考虑池中污泥的作用。     

Note: steps taken to optimise probe specificity and signal intensity prior to field validation of the MIDTAL (Microarray for the Detection of Toxic Algae)

A microarray for the detection of toxic algal species was developed in the European Union 7th Framework project MIDTAL. We initially tested all available fluorescence in situ hybridisation probes for toxic algae, which are normally designed to a length of 18 nt, and found that in most cases the signal was rather weak or all probes designed from the second half of the molecule were inaccessible in a microarray format because of secondary structure of the ribosomal RNA molecule We modified the length of the probes, the fragmentation of the rRNA, the stringency of the washing buffers and the length of the spacer molecules linking the probes to the glass surface of the microarray. Because of the secondary structure of the rRNA molecule, regions of the molecule can be difficult to access by the probes. Each of these modifications has improved probe accessibility and probe specificity to reduce false positives.     

干电池中重金属的浸出特性及危害研究

所有的家用干电池中都或多或少含有不同种类的重金属。这些重金属进入环境并达到一定含量后 ,其毒性对人体健康和生物圈会造成潜在危害。而电池进入填埋场后是否会发生壳体破损并造成重金属污染 ?本文针对废干电池进入填埋场后 ,重金属的释放和污染情况进行了试验研究。结果表明 ,电池壳体可有效阻止电池中重金属的释放 ,即便是在破损后对渗滤液中重金属的贡献也是微乎其微的。     

汽车尾气净化催化剂涂层改性研究

汽车尾气净化催化剂的净化转化效果及其耐久性,与催化剂涂层的涂覆量以及涂层和载体的结合强度密切相关.本文研究了几种不同类型表面活性剂对浆料固体含量、涂层涂覆量以及涂层结合强度的影响.研究结果表明,不使用表面活性剂时,30%为最佳的固体含量;在使用表面活性剂的情况下,浆料的固体含量可以提高至35%.非离子型表面活性剂有助于提高催化剂涂层涂覆量,而使用离子型表面活性剂的浆料球磨过程中产生大量泡沫,无法涂覆.使用非离子型表面活性剂的催化剂涂层的结合强度最好.     

Atmospheric dispersal and deposition of radioactive material from Chernobyl

This paper reports on the results of studies undertaken in the wake of the fire at the Chernobyl nuclear power station. Published upper air charts and the findings of scientists engaged in monitoring the fallout are used to reconstruct the clouds' trajectories. The results reveal the role of the various features of weather systems in determining the dispersal, transportation and ultimate fallout of radioactive matter. Most importantly, the situation over Europe at the time of the fire was such as to disperse the radioactive clouds northwards to Scandinavia and later westwards to Britain; directions counter to the dominant westerlies of these latitudes. However, eastwards global dispersal took place rapidly in the weeks following the fire. The paper also emphasizes the importance of rainfall in explaining the geographical variation in the deposition of radioactive material.     

应用电声换能超声波雾化方法提高超细颗粒捕集效率

针对大气环境污染控制中超细颗粒难以捕集的问题,提出了一种高效、经济的新方法.其核心思想是将经电声换能超声波雾化得到的相对湿度过饱和雾气喷入含尘气体中,在“云”物理学、碰撞团聚等原理共同作用下,饱和水蒸汽在颗粒表面凝结,使超细颗粒的粒径增大,增加其捕集效率.为了证明这种方法的有效性,建立了小型电声换能超声波雾化捕尘实验台并在旋风除尘器中进行实验研究.实验结果表明,随着雾气浓度的增加,总除尘效率与超细颗粒的分级效率均有明显提高,并且旋风除尘器的压降(能耗)明显降低.     

TiO2薄膜气相光催化氧化低浓度三氯甲烷和三氯乙烯的研究

自行设计了气固相光催化实验系统,以铝材为担载体,TCM和TCE为模拟污染物,在常温、常压下,对辐射光源、气体相对湿度、污染物反应浓度等因素对TCM和TCE的光催化降解反应的影响进行了研究.结果表明,在研究所采用的实验条件下,辐射光源采用254 nm时的降解效率要比采用365 nm时高10%左右;气体相对湿度为40%时光催化降解效率最高;随着污染物反应浓度的增加,TCM的降解效率降低,而TCE的降解效率增加.初步的反应动力学研究结果表明,TCM和TCE在二氧化钛表面的光催化降解反应可采用Langmuir-Hinshelwood动力学方程来表征.     

Cold War and the environment: the role of Finland in international environmental politics in the Baltic Sea region

The Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area signed in 1974 in Helsinki is probably the most important environmental agreement consummated in the Baltic Sea region. This article is the first study that explores the history of this agreement, also known as the Helsinki Convention, by using primary archival sources. The principal sources are the archives of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. We examine the role of Finland in the process that led to the signing of the Helsinki Convention from the perspective of international politics. The study focuses primarily on Finnish, Swedish, and Soviet state-level parties from the end of the 1960s to 1974. We show that Cold War politics affected in several ways negotiations and contents of the Helsinki Convention. We also argue that the Soviet Union used the emerging international environmental issues as a new tool of power politics.     

Modeling sorbent injection for mercury control in baghouse filters: I--model development and sensitivity analysis

A two-stage mathematical model for Hg removal using powdered activated carbon injection upstream of a baghouse filter was developed, with the first stage accounting for removal in the ductwork and the second stage accounting for additional removal caused by the retention of carbon particles on the filter. The model shows that removal in the ductwork is minimal, and the additional carbon detention time from the entrapment of the carbon particles in the fabric filter enhances the Hg removal from the gas phase. A sensitivity analysis on the model shows that Hg removal is dependent on the isotherm parameters, the carbon pore radius and tortuosity, the C/Hg ratio, and the carbon particle radius.     

On the Evaluation of Predictions from a Gaussian Plume Model

The performance of a CRSTER equivalent Gaussian plume model (CEQM) is examined using data from the EPRI Plume Model Validation study at the Klncaid, Illinois site. Four-way comparisons are made on the ordered statistics or the cumulative frequency distribution (CFD) of maximum hourly observed and predicted concentrations. Using the uniform random distribution and the lognormal random distribution as simple predictive schemes without any physical context, it Is found that the CEQM predicts a concentration CFD which matches the observed CFD significantly closer than the CFD predicted by the uniform random distribution. The two-parameter lognormal random distribution predicts the concentration CFD better than the CEQM over all concentration ranges; however, the CEQM fits the upper range of the concentration distribution better than the lognormal random distribution,, despite the fact that the predictions are generated using dispersion conditions entirely different from those of the observations. The nature of this ergodicity of distribution is probed by exercising CEQM using randomized input based on the observed frequency distributions of the Input parameters instead of feeding the hour-by-hour model input matched by time into CEQM as is customarily done. The exercise of the model by uncoupling the time linkage in model Input has no systematic effect on the predicted cumulative frequency distribution of concentrations. Only at the highest concentration range (99.5% or higher) do the two sets of predictions begin to diverge.     

Factors affecting the biodegradability of biodegradable polyester in soil

The biodegradabilities of two polyester, P(3HB-co-3HV) and PCL, in soil were studied to examine the factors affecting the biodegradability of biodegradable plastics in soil. The polymers were mixed with soil and the time course of the biodegradation of the polymer was measured by analyzing the residual polymer. The polymer biodegraded little in early period of the test, but did in the first-order kinetics after a certain time which was dependent on the test substance and soil used. The rate constant and the induction period of the biodegradation were determined from the residual curve. The rate constant and the induction period for P(3HB-co-3HV) increased and reached to the constant values with increasing the particle size of the test substance. Both values depended on the kind of test soil and on the sampling date for the same kind of soil. The variation in the biodegradability among the same kind of soil was primarily attributed to the variation in water content of the soil. The rate constant and the induction period of PCL were smaller and longer than P(3HB-co-3HV), respectively.     

Testing a comprehensive acid deposition model

This paper describes the development and evaluation of a comprehensive acid deposition model referred to as ADOM (Acid Deposition and Oxidant Model). The first part of the paper describes the general approach to the formulation of the model. The second part presents the evaluation of the model against observations collected during the OSCAR (April 1981) field study. Although the model performs well in explaining the magnitudes and variations of the observations, the discrepancies between model predictions and observations are not small. Because of the uncertainties in the data used to run and evaluate the model, these discrepancies do not necessarily suggest the need for modifications in the model. Therefore, we have supplemented the direct comparison of model predictions with observations with indirect methods that establish the correspondence between the model and reality. This paper describes one such technique that relies on the washout ratio, which is sometimes used to characterize scavenging of pollutants.     

The fate and behavior of mercury in coal-fired power plants

For the past 22 years in the Netherlands, the behavior of Hg in coal-fired power plants has been studied extensively. Coal from all over the world is fired in Dutch power stations. First, the Hg concentrations in these coals were measured. Second, the fate of the Hg during combustion was established by performing mass balance studies. On average, 43 +/- 30% of the Hg was present in the flue gases downstream of the electrostatic precipitator (ESP; dust collector). In individual cases, this figure can vary between 1 and 100%. Important parameters are the Cl content of the fuel and the flue gas temperature in the ESP. On average, 54 +/- 24% of the gaseous Hg was removed in the wet flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) systems, which are present at all Dutch coal-power stations. In individual cases, this removal can vary between 8% (outlier) and 72%. On average, the fate of Hg entering the power station in the coal was as follows: <1% in the bottom ash, 49% in the pulverized fuel ash (ash collected in the ESP), 16.6% in the FGD gypsum, 9% in the sludge of the wastewater treatment plant, 0.04% in the effluent of the wastewater treatment plant, 0.07% in fly dust (leaving the stack), and 25% as gaseous Hg in the flue gases and emitted into the air. The distribution of Hg over the streams leaving the FGD depends strongly on the installation. On average, 75% of the Hg was removed, and the final concentration of Hg in the emitted flue gases of the Dutch power stations was only -3 microg/m3(STP) at 6% O2. During co-combustion with biomass, the removal of Hg was similar to that during 100% coal firing. Speciation of Hg is a very important factor. An oxidized form (HgCl2) favors a high degree of removal. The conversion from Hg0 to HgCl2 is positively correlated with the Cl content of the fuel. A catalytic DENOX (SCR) favors the formation of oxidized Hg, and, in combination with a wet FGD, the total removal can be as high as 90%.     

内循环厌氧反应器多相流流场的三维数值分析

利用数值模拟的方法,引入欧拉双流体多相流模型及标准k-s紊流模型,模拟计算内循环厌氧反应器的三相流三维流场,并通过改变污泥颗粒密度及进水流量,针对固相流速及固含率的变化情况,分析条件的改变对流场的影响。研究结果表明,应用数值模拟方法可以获得内循环厌氧反应器内的流场特征;污泥颗粒密度及进水流量的改变对于反应器内污泥颗粒的流速及分布的均匀性有较为明显的影响。模拟结果对反应器的应用及优化设计具有一定的参考价值。