Characteristics of carbonyls and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in residences in Beijing,China

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbonyl compounds were measured both indoors and outdoors in 50 residences of Beijing in heating (December, 2011) and non-heating seasons (April/May, 2012). SUMMA canisters for VOCs and diffusive samplers for carbonyl compounds were deployed for 24 h at each site, and 94 compounds were quantified. Formaldehyde, acetone and acetaldehyde were the most abundant carbonyl compounds both indoors and outdoors with indoor median concentrations being 32.1, 21.7 and 15.3 μg·m⁻³, respectively. Ethane (17.6 μg·m⁻³), toluene (14.4 μg·m⁻³), propane (11.2 μg·m⁻³), ethene (8.40 μg·m⁻³), n-butane (6.87 μg·m⁻³), and benzene (5.95 μg·m⁻³) showed the high median concentrations in indoor air. Dichloromethane, p-dichlorobenzene (p-DCB) and toluene exhibited extremely high levels in some residences, which were related with a number of indoor emission sources. Moreover, isoprene, p-dichlorobenzene and carbonyls showed median indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios larger than 3, indicating their indoor sources were prevailing. Chlorinated compounds like CFCs were mainly from outdoor sources for their I/O ratios being less than 1. In addition, indoor concentrations between two sampling seasons varied with different compounds. Carbonyl compounds and some chlorinated compounds had higher concentrations in the non-heating season, while alkanes, alkenes, aromatic compounds showed an increase in the heating season. Indoor concentration of VOCs and carbonyls were influenced by locations, interior decorations and indoor activities, however the specific sources for indoor VOCs and carbonyls could not be easily identified. The findings obtained in this study would significantly enhance our understandings on the prevalent and abundant species of VOCs as well as their concentrations and sources in Beijing residences.     

Chemical speciation and anthropogenic sources of ambient volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during summer in Beijing, 2004

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured at six sites in Beijing in August, 2004. Up to 148 VOC species, including C₃ to C₁₂ alkanes, C₃ to C₁₁ alkenes, C₆ to C₁₂ aromatics, and halogenated hydrocarbons, were quantified. Although the concentrations differed at the sites, the chemical compositions were similar, except for the Tongzhou site where aromatics were significantly high in the air. Based on the source profiles measured from previous studies, the source apportionment of ambient VOCs was preformed by deploying the chemical mass balance (CMB) model. The results show that urban VOCs are predominant from mobile source emissions, which contribute more than 50% of the VOCs (in mass concentrations) to ambient air at most sites. Other important sources are gasoline evaporation, painting, and solvents. The exception is at the Tongzhou site where vehicle exhaust, painting, and solvents have about equal contribution, around 35% of the ambient VOC concentration. As the receptor model is not valid for deriving the sources of reactive species, such as isoprene and 1,3-butadiene, other methodologies need to be further explored.     

Response of organic aerosol characteristics to emission reduction in Yangtze River Delta region

● The emission reduction causes significant change in organic aerosol composition. ● The atmospheric oxidizing capacity improved during emission reduction. ● The mixed oxygenated organic aerosol contributed higher during emission reduction. Organic aerosol (OA) is a major component of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) with complex composition and formation processes influenced by various factors. Emission reduction can alter both precursors and oxidants which further affects secondary OA formation. Here we provide an observational analysis of secondary OA (SOA) variation properties in Yangtze River Delta (YRD) of eastern China in response to large scale of emission reduction during Chinese New Year (CNY) holidays from 2015 to 2020, and the COVID-19 pandemic period from January to March, 2020. We found a 17% increase of SOA proportion during the COVID lockdown. The relative enrichment of SOA is also found during multi-year CNY holidays with dramatic reduction of anthropogenic emissions. Two types of oxygenated OA (OOA) influenced by mixed emissions and SOA formation were found to be the dominant components during the lockdown in YRD region. Our results highlight that these emission-reduction-induced changes in organic aerosol need to be considered in the future to optimize air pollution control measures.     

Influence of ozone on the sampling and storage of volatile organic compounds in canisters

A dynamic dilution system was used for the study of the influence of ozone on the sampling and storage of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at 0, 4, 7 and 14 days in “TO-Can” canisters at two ozone concentrations, 60 and 150 ppbv. Among the 31 ozone precursors VOCs, a representative mixture containing five alkenes, five aromatics, acetylene and 1,3 butadiene was selected using the Clausius–Clapeyron equation. Here, we demonstrate that the presence of ozone have no influence on the concentrations of VOCs after 14 days storage period and consequently no problem of representativity of the sampling appears after 14 days of storage. The main explanation is the degradation of ozone in contact with deactivated walls of canisters.     

Source apportionment and ozone formation potential of volatile organic compounds in Lagos (Nigeria)

Concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of the city air in Oba Akran road, Lagos were investigated. The chlorinated VOCs and xylene in Oba Akran were high. The average benzene/toluene ratio in Oba Akran was 1.7 suggesting that vehicular emission was a possible VOC source in most areas of Oba Akran. The toluene/(m+p-xylene) ratio also suggests a common source of toluene and xylene at these sites, presumably organic solvent used by industries located at Oba Akran. Our results showed that 7.10 tons of CO ₂ equivalents of VOCs are being emitted per year from Oba Akran. Xylenes were found to be the largest contributor to the ozone formation followed by trichloroethylene. A multivariate statistical analysis (Factor analysis extracted with Principal Component Analysis) has been applied to a set of data, and it was found that the main principal components, extracted from the air VOC pollution data, were related to gasoline and oil combustion/industrial activities.     

预浓缩/柱箱制冷GCMS/FID法测定大气中117种挥发性有机物

建立了罐采样、吸附剂辅助电子制冷预浓缩-柱箱制冷GCMS/FID同时测定大气中117种挥发性有机物(VOCs)的方法.样品经填充吸附剂的电子制冷预浓缩系统除水、除CO2、浓缩和热脱附后,采用柱箱制冷及GCMS/FID的多维切割单元,将5种C2-C3组分切到二维色谱柱进行分离并进入FID检测,甲醛及其他111种VOCs组...     

Target the neglected VOCs emission from iron and steel industry in China for air quality improvement

● Haze formation in China is highly correlated with iron and steel industry. ● VOCs generated in sinter process were neglected under current emission standard. ● Co-elimination removal of sinter flue gas complex pollutants are timely needed. Recent years have witnessed significant improvement in China’s air quality. Strict environmental protection measures have led to significant decreases in sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), and particulate matter (PM) emissions since 2013. But there is no denying that the air quality in 135 cities is inferior to reaching the Ambient Air Quality Standards (GB 3095–2012) in 2020. In terms of temporal, geographic, and historical aspects, we have analyzed the potential connections between China’s air quality and the iron and steel industry. The non-target volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from iron and steel industry, especially from the iron ore sinter process, may be an underappreciated index imposing a negative effect on the surrounding areas of China. Therefore, we appeal the authorities to pay more attention on VOCs emission from the iron and steel industry and establish new environmental standards. And different iron steel flue gas pollutants will be eliminated concurrently with the promotion and application of new technology.     

Effects of Cr(III) organic compounds on Lactobacillus plantarum

Biotransformation of Cr(VI) to less toxic Cr(III) has been known to produce insoluble Cr(III) compounds and soluble Cr(III) organic complexes. However, recent research reports have indicated that Cr(III) organic complexes are relatively stable in the environment. Little has been reported on the fate and toxic effects of Cr(III) organic compounds on organisms. In this study, the toxic effects of the soluble Cr(III) organic complexes [Cr(III) citrate, Cr(III) histidine, Cr(III) lactate and Cr(III) glutamate] to a local strain of Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from sauerkraut was investigated. Growth inhibition, viable cell count and lactic acid inhibition were measured to determine the toxicity potential of the test compounds. The EC₅₀ values of Cr(III) citrate, Cr(III) histidine, Cr(III) lactate, and Cr(III) glutamate, calculated from the percent growth inhibition were found to be 56 mg L^?1, 70 mg L^?1, 81 mg L^?1, and 85 mg L^?1, respectively. Similar trend was observed in the viable cell counts and lactic acid production. Cr(VI) was observed to be more toxic than the Cr(III) organic compounds, while inorganic Cr(III) was the least toxic. The severity seemed to increase with increase in chromium compounds’ concentration. The results showed that Cr(III) citrate was the most toxic Cr(III) organic compound, while Cr(III) glutamate was the least.     

珠三角地区POPs农药的污染现状及控制对策

概述了中国及国际社会对持久性有机污染物（Persistent Organic Pollutants,POPs）的关注情况。并通过对POPs农药在珠江三角洲地区（Pearl River Delta Area,PRD）使用情况的调查，以及对珠江三角洲地区POPs农药在各环境介质中的污染现状的文献综述，结合环境污染数据以及POPs农药污染调查工作中得到的数据和信息，对该地区POPs污染的可能原因和环境中可能存在的新近污染源进行了初步探讨。同时也指出了当前珠江三角洲地区在POPs农药削减与淘汰工作中所遭遇到的缺乏完善的管理体系等困难，并针对问题提出了包括加大科研投入，加强基础研究，掌握污染物来源和去向，加强替代药物的研究，建立和实施更严格的环境法规以及标准，加强环境监测能力建设，建立POPs农药污染的信息公开机制等一系列的控制对策。     

Characterization of submicron aerosols in the urban outflow of the central Pearl River Delta region of China

Submicron aerosol particles (with aerodynamic diameters less than 1 μm, PM₁) were sampled and measured in Heshan, an urban outflow site of Guangzhou megacity in Pearl River Delta in South China, using an Aerodyne High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) in November 2010 during 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. The mean PM₁ mass concentration measured was 47.9±17.0 μg·m^-3 during the campaign, with organic aerosol (OA) and sulfate being the two dominant species, accounting for 36.3% and 20.9% of the total mass, respectively, followed by black carbon (17.1%, measured by an aethalometer), nitrate (12.9%), ammonium (9.6%) and chloride (3.1%). The average size distributions of the species (except black carbon) were dominated by an accumulation mode peaking at ~550 nm. Calculations based on high-resolution organic mass spectrum showed that, C, H, O and N on average contributed 58.1%, 7.3%, 30.7%, and 3.9% to the total organic mass, respectively. The average ratio of organic mass over organic carbon mass (OM/OC) was 1.73±0.08. Four components of OA were identified by the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) analysis, including a hydrocarbon-like (HOA), a biomass burning (BBOA) and two oxygenated (SV-OOA and LV-OOA) organic aerosol components, which on average accounted for 18.0%, 14.3%, 28.8% and 38.9% of the total organic mass, respectively.     

Engineering practice of mechanical soil aeration for the remediation of volatile organic compound-contaminated sites in China: Advantages and challenges

In recent years, many industrial enterprises located in the urban centers of China have been relocated owing to the rapid increase in urban development. At the sites abandoned by these enterprises, volatile organic compounds have frequently been detected, sometimes at high concentrations, particularly at sites abandoned by chemical manufacturing enterprises. With the redevelopment of sites and changes in land-use type associated with these sites, substantial amounts of contaminated soils now require remediation. Since China is a developing country, soil remediation warrants the usage of techniques that are suitable for addressing the unique challenges faced in this country. Land shortage is a common problem in China; the large numbers of contaminated sites, tight development schedules, and limited financial resources necessitate the development of cost-effective methods for land reclamation. Mechanical soil aeration is a simple, effective, and low-cost soil remediation technique that is particularly suitable for the remediation of large volatile organic compound-contaminated sites. Its effectiveness has been confirmed by conducting laboratory studies, pilot tests, and full-scale projects. This study reviews current engineering practice and developmental trends of mechanical soil aeration and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of this technology for application in China as an emerging soil remediation market. The findings of this study might aid technology development in China, as well as assist other developing countries in the assessment and implementation of costeffective hazardous waste site soil remediation programs.

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Effect of the addition of organic carbon sources on nitrous oxide emission in anaerobic-aerobic (low dissolved oxygen) sequencing batch reactors

The effect of additional organic carbon sources on the production of nitrous oxide (N₂O) in anaerobic-aerobic (low dissolved oxygen) real wastewater treatment system was investigated. In this paper, three laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) (SBR-1, SBR-2 and SBR-3) were operating under an anaerobic-aerobic (low dissolved oxygen, 0.15–0.45 mg·L^-1) configuration. The SBRs were ‘long-term cultured’ respectively with a single municipal wastewater sample, sodium acetate, and a waste-activated sludge alkaline fermentation liquid as the additional carbon sources of real wastewater. Off-gas analysis showed that N₂O was emitted into the atmosphere during the aerobic (low dissolved oxygen) period in the three SBRs, and the order of N₂O emission rate was SBR-2>SBR-1>SBR-3. It was observed that the higher poly-β-hydroxyvalerate fraction of polyhydroxyalkanoates, the lower glycogen transformation and less nitrite accumulation was in SBR-3, while the opposite behavior was observed in SBR-2. Further research indicated that the interaction of the factors above potentially affected the N₂O emission in the anaerobic-aerobic (low dissolved oxygen) system.     

Identification of sources,characteristics and photochemical transformations of dissolved organic matter with EEM-PARAFAC in the Wei River of China

• The source of DOM in surface water and sediment is inconsistent. • The DOC content changes differently in surface water and sediment. • The content of DOC in the surface water is lower than that in the sediment. • The DOM in the surface water had higher photodegradation potentials than sediment. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in rivers is a critical regulator of the cycling and toxicity of pollutants and the behavior of DOM is a key indicator for the health of the environment. We investigated the sources and characteristics of DOM in surface water and sediment samples of the Wei River, China. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration and ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (UV₂₅₄) increased in the surface water and were decreased in the sediment downstream, indicating that the source of DOM in the water differed from the sediment. Parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis of the excitation-emission matrices (EEM) revealed the presence of terrestrial humus-like, microbial humus-like and tryptophan-like proteins in the surface water, whereas the sediment contained UVA humic-like, UVC humic-like and fulvic-like in the sediment. The DOM in the surface water and sediment were mainly derived from microbial metabolic activity and the surrounding soil. Surface water DOM displayed greater photodegradation potential than sediment DOM. PARAFAC analysis indicated that the terrestrial humic-like substance in the water and the fulvic-like component in the sediment decomposed more rapidly. These data describe the characteristics of DOM in the Wei River and are crucial to understanding the fluctuations in environmental patterns.     

A comparison study of aerosol emissions sources in two receptor sites in Salvador (Brazil) city

Total suspended particles (TSP) and metal concentrations were determined in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil at two sites: a residential area and a residential‐commercial‐industrial neighborhood. The determined metals associated with atmospheric aerosols include Al, Ca, Cr, Cd, Fe, Mg, Mn, V, Zn and Na. Factor analysis was employed to identify the major atmospheric deposition sources. At one site the data were best represented by two sources: resuspended soil + marine aerosol and vehicular emissions, which represents 93% of the total system variance. In the second one the data were best represented by three sources: resuspended soil, metallurgy and building construction, which represents 79% of the total system variance.     

Important organic matter sources and trophic pathways for the nutrition of Hilsa kelee (Cuvier, 1829) and Valamugil buchanani (Bleeker, 1853) in Pangani macro-tidal estuary,Tanzania

The study investigated the spatial variation in the main sources of organic matter (OM) and trophic pathways for zooplanktivorous Hilsa kelee and phytodetritivorous Valamugil buchanani in fresh-water-influenced zone versus sea-water-dominated zone of Pangani estuary. The findings indicated significant inter-specific variations in δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values (ANOVA, F?≥?84.3, p?F?≥?9.4, p?=?0.001) in both estuarine zones. Results also showed significant zonal-intraspecific variations in stable isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N), FA profile and marginal differences in diet for the V. buchanani while no considerable differences were observed for H. kelee from two estuarine zones. The isotope mixing models and FA biomarkers revealed that the most important carbon sources to the nutrition of H. kelee were derived from microphytobenthos, macro-algae and sea grasses transferred through phytoplankton and detrital trophic pathways. In contrast, C₃ terrestrial plants and microphytobenthos were the main carbon source to the diet of V. buchanani; and were transferred via the benthic and detrital trophic pathways. Therefore, both terrestrial and in-situ OM sources were the main trophic resources base fuelling the planktonic and benthic food webs in Pangani estuary.     

不同生态类型富营养化湖泊沉积物中有机质赋存形态

以藻型湖泊(太湖)、草藻型湖泊(南四湖)、草型湖泊(白洋淀)湖泊沉积物为研究对象,采集了11个表层沉积物样品,测定沉积物中总氮(TN)和总磷(TP)含量并利用物理分组方法,研究了3种不同生态型湖及同一湖泊不同区域沉积物中总有机质(OM)、轻组有机质(LFOM)和重组有机质(HFOM)的赋存特征.结果表明,南四湖沉积物中总氮、总磷和总有机质含量显著高于太湖和白洋淀;尽管太湖、南四湖和白洋淀沉积物中总有机质含量较高,但是轻组有机质(LFOM)含量较低,分别占总有机质的0.95%—1.08%、0.21%—1.37%和1.4%—1.78%;重组有机质(HFOM)含量较高,分别占总有机质的83.83%—87.4%、94%—98.98%和88.2%—98.3%,表明3种不同生态型湖泊沉积物中所含有机质绝大部分为难分解的重组有机质,轻组有机质基本矿化分解.相关性分析表明,轻组有机质(LFOM)、重组有机质(HFOM)与总有机质(OM)之间均呈现显著正相关关系.     

低分子量有机化合物对MnO_2和土壤氧化锰的还原溶解作用

为考察土壤锰氧化物的还原溶解行为,本文选取常见的根系分泌的8种有机酸(抗坏血酸、香草酸、柠檬酸、草酸、酒石酸、水杨酸、半胱氨酸和邻苯二甲酸)和1种酚类化合物(邻苯二酚),人工合成的Mn O2和5种富含氧化锰的土壤(广东徐闻的砖红壤、海南澄迈的砖红壤、云南昆明的砖红壤、浙江嵊县的红壤和江苏南京的黄棕壤),研究了有机化合物对氧化锰的还原溶解作用.结果表明,较低p H和较高温度有利于有机化合物对Mn O2的还原溶解.在p H 4.5—5.5和温度5—45℃范围内,不同有机化合物还原溶解Mn O2能力的大小顺序为:邻苯二酚半胱氨酸抗坏血酸香草酸柠檬酸草酸≈酒石酸水杨酸≈邻苯二甲酸.邻苯二酚、半胱氨酸和抗坏血酸对土壤中氧化锰也有较强的还原溶解能力.当5种土壤比较时,徐闻砖红壤中还原溶解出的锰量最高,其次为昆明砖红壤,嵊县红壤中还原溶解出的锰量最小.当有还原性有机化合物存在时徐闻砖红壤、昆明砖红壤和澄迈砖红壤中的氧化锰容易发生还原溶解反应,增加土壤中可溶态和交换态Mn2+的含量,并可能对植物产生锰毒害.     

Photodegradation of chromophoric dissolved organic matters in the water of Lake Dianchi,China

Water samples were taken from Lake Dianchi, on the Yungui Plateau of southwest China, and experiments were conducted to simulate the photochemical degradation characteristic of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in the lake water. Three groups of experiments under different light conditions: ultraviolet (UV) light, visible light, and dark, were done and variations of fluorescence properties, UV absorbance, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations during the experiments were analyzed to study the photodegradation process of CDOM with time. The result showed that light irradiation led to significant photochemical degradation of CDOM, resulting in changes in florescent properties, absorbance losses, decreases in aromaticity and average molecular weight, as well as decline in DOC concentration in the water. It was also observed that UV irradiation had greater effect than visible light did. However, various fluorophores had different sensitivities to the same irradiation condition, that is, protein-like fluorophore at the low excitation wavelengths is more sensitive to UV irradiation than the other fluorophores, and is more readily to undergo photo-degradation. In addition, visible light irradiation did not have significant impact on DOC in the water, with DOC concentration decrease by 5.57% –59.9% during the experiment time. These results may provide new knowledge on the environment behavior of CDOM in the water of Lake Dianchi.     

威廉腔环蚓(Metaphire guillelmi)对~(14)C-土壤有机质转化的研究

土壤有机碳是全球碳循环的重要组成部分,而大型土壤动物对土壤碳库的稳定性起着重要的决定作用。利用14C示踪技术,以14C-葡萄糖制备微生物源的土壤有机质(Soil organic matter,SOM),以蚯蚓威廉腔环蚓(Metaphire guillelmi)为代表,研究了14C-SOM在含有蚯蚓的两种土壤、不含蚯蚓的对照土壤和不含蚯蚓的蚓粪中的矿化、残留物在土壤和蚓粪中分布以及蚯蚓对14C-SOM的吸收。结果显示,15 d的培育期内蚯蚓显著加快了14C-SOM的矿化,在土壤中的矿化量是不含蚯蚓的对照土壤中矿化量的1.5～1.7倍,然而当移出蚯蚓后,残留14C-SOM在两种土壤中40 d内的矿化都比对照土壤中低。大约有4.2%～4.8%的14C-SOM被蚯蚓吸收利用。在有蚯蚓存在的土壤中,14C-SOM残留物在胡敏素中的含量有所增高,而在溶解有机物(DOM)中的含量显著降低。14C-SOM在不含蚯蚓的蚓粪中55 d内的矿化量和矿化动力学以及残留分布与在对照土壤中均没有显著区别。这些结果表明,蚯蚓对微生物源14C-SOM转化的影响主要是蚯蚓的肠道作用,这种作用可表现在两个方面,即初期对14C-SOM矿化的促进作...     

Effect Of pH on the complexation of U(II) with organic matter dissolved in resh waters

In the present work we study the effect of pH on the complexation of copper with organic matter dissolved in fresh surface waters. Samples collected in rivers of Galicia (NW of Spain) were titrated with copper solution at pH values in the range 5.5–7.5. Copper concentration was measured by DPASV technique. The complexation parameters were obtained from the simple model of 1 : 1 complex formation. The obtained values show a linear increase of the logarithm of the conditional stability constant as the pH increases.