Joint chemical flushing of soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons

How to increase the efficiency of chemical flushing and decrease the remediation expenses of contaminated soils are two key scientific and technological issues to be solved. Joint chemical flushing was tested and compared with the water-flushing. The joint acid-flushing could effectively remove petroleum hydrocarbons in contaminated aquorizem and the dosage of washing powder as a flushing agent was greatly reduced, thereby, saving approximately 1200 US dollars of expenses relative to the water-flushing. The joint salt-flushing could be an optimal method for the cleanup of meadow burozem contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons under the experimental conditions. Moreover, the amount of surfactant remained in the two washed soils after the joint acid-flushing and the joint-salt-flushing was minimal.     

Identification of weed plants excluding the uptake of heavy metals

Using the field pot-culture and sample-analysis method, 54 weed species belonging to 20 families and 31 weed species belonging to 17 families were systematically examined as to whether they can exclude the uptake of heavy metals. After a systematic identification, it was determined that Oenothera biennis and Commelina communis were Cd-excluders and Taraxacum mongolicum was a Zn-excluder. O. biennis is a potential Cd-excluder, but also a potential Cu-excluder. The research raises the possibility of making a major breakthrough in the application of metal excluders for safe agro-production in the future.     

Investigation on road traffic safety of the mountain areas in southwest China based on Wulong County, Chongqing Municipality

OBJECTIVE: To study the present situation, characteristics, and main problems of the traffic safety in the mountain areas of Southwest China. METHODS: A study was done on the traffic status of Wulong County, Chongqing Municipality, by means of document review, field investigation, and inquiry. RESULTS: The traffic crashes and deaths in Wulong County were increasing since 1999. From 1997 to 2001, there occurred 126 severe and very severe traffic crashes resulting in 175 deaths and 411 serious injuries, which accounted for 9.4% of total crashes, 96.1% of total deaths, and 48.4% of total serious injuries, respectively. The severe and very severe traffic crashes were highest in 2000. One part for 83 km in length accounting for 3.0% of No. 319 National Highway was responsible for 54.5% of very severe traffic crashes, which closely related to conditions of the road itself and its environment and defective execution of traffic laws. CONCLUSIONS: Wulong County, one of the mountain counties in Southwest China, is now facing a complex and serious road traffic situation and serious traffic safety, with a high incidence of severe and very severe road traffic crashes. The crashes closely relate to imperfect road design, defective execution of traffic laws, imperfect management, and environmental factors.     

Adsorption of eosin dye on activated carbon and its surfactant based desorption

The performance of activated carbon has been investigated for the adsorption of eosin dye dissolved in water. Eosin is anionic in nature and highly toxic. The effects of initial dye concentration, contact time, pH and temperature on adsorption of eosin by a fixed amount of activated carbon (1.0 g/L) have been studied in batch and column mode. The equilibrium data are successfully fitted to the Freundlich adsorption isotherm. The adsorption rate data are successfully explained by a pseudo second-order kinetic model. Breakthrough curves for column adsorption have also been studied. The regeneration of spent carbon by desorbing the dye has been experimentally investigated applying a surfactant enhanced carbon regeneration (SECR) technique using both cationic and anionic surfactants. An empirical kinetic model for dye desorption from the commercial activated carbon (CAC) using different surfactant and desorption techniques, viz. change in pH, has been proposed. The comparison between the model and the experimental results is found to be satisfactory.     

Clonal variation in heavy metal accumulation and biomass production in a poplar coppice culture. II. Vertical distribution and phytoextraction potential

Short rotation coppice cultures (SRC) are intensively managed, high-density plantations of multi-shoot trees. In April 1996, an SRC field trial with 17 different poplar clones was established in Boom (Belgium) on a former waste disposal site. In December 1996 and January 2001, all shoots were cut back to a height of 5 cm to create a coppice culture. For six clones, wood and bark were sampled at the bottom, middle and top of a shoot in August and November 2002. No significant height effect of metal concentration was found, but for wood, metal concentrations generally increased toward the top of the shoot in August, and decreased toward the top of the shoot in November. Phytoextraction potential of a clone was primarily determined by metal concentration and by biomass production. Shoot size and number of shoots per stool were less important, as a high biomass production could be achieved by producing a few large shoots or many smaller shoots. Clone Fritzi Pauley accumulated 1.4 kg ha(-1) of Al over two years; Wolterson and Balsam Spire showed a relatively high accumulation of Cd and Zn, i.e. averaging, respectively 47 and 57 g ha(-1) for Cd and 2.4 and 2.0 kg ha(-1) for Zn over two years.     

Canopy profiles of photosynthetic parameters under elevated CO2 and N fertilization in a poplar plantation

A poplar plantation has been exposed to an elevated CO2 concentration for 5 years using the free air CO2 enrichment (FACE) technique. Even after such a long period of exposure, leaves of Populus x euramericana have not shown clear signs of photosynthetic acclimation. Only at the end of the growing season for shade leaves was a decrease of maximum velocity of carboxylation (Vcmax) observed. Maximum electron transport rate (Jmax) was increased by FACE treatment in July. Assimilation rates at CO2 partial pressure of 400 (A400) and 600 (A600) micromol mol(-1) were not significantly different under FACE treatment. Most notably FACE significantly decreased stomatal conductance (g(s)) both on upper and lower canopy leaves. N fertilization increased N content in the leaves on mass basis (Nm) and specific leaf area (SLA) in both CO2 treatments but did not influence the photosynthetic parameters. These data show that in poplar plantations the long-term effects of elevated CO2 on photosynthesis do not differ considerably from the short-term ones even with N deposition.     

基于WATER9模型的城镇污水处理中VOCs排放量研究

通过开展城镇污水处理模拟实验,与WATER9模拟结果比对和误差分析,使用优化后的WATER9模型模拟计算扬州汤汪污水处理厂一期工程的VOCs排放量,并分析各参数对VOCs排放量的影响.结果表明:WATER9模型满足城市污水处理厂污水处理过程中VOCs排放量的模拟要求,优化后的模拟值与实测值之间的相对偏差小于8％.实验结...