Seasonal to sub-seasonal variations of the Asian Tropopause Aerosols Layer affected by the deep convection, surface pollutants and precipitation

The Asian Tropopause Aerosols Layer (ATAL) refers to an accumulation of aerosols in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere during boreal summer over Asia, which has a fundamental impact on the monsoon system and climate change. In this study, we primarily analyze the seasonal to sub-seasonal variations of the ATAL and the factors potentially influencing those variations based on MERRA2 reanalysis. The ability of the reanalysis to reproduce the ATAL is well validated by CALIPSO observations from May to October 2016. The results reveal that the ATAL has a synchronous spatiotemporal pattern with the development and movement of the Asian Summer Monsoon. Significant enhancement of ATAL intensity is found during the prevailing monsoon period of July–August, with two maxima centered over South Asia and the Arabian Peninsula. Owing to the fluctuations of deep convection, the ATAL shows an episodic variation on a timescale of 7–12 days. Attribution analysis indicates that deep convection dominates the variability of the ATAL with a contribution of 62.7%, followed by a contribution of 36.6% from surface pollutants. The impact of precipitation is limited. The ATAL further shows a clear diurnal variation: the peak of ATAL intensity occurs from 17:30 to 23:30 local time (LT), when the deep convection becomes strongest; the minimum ATAL intensity occurs around 8:30 LT owing to the weakened deep convection and photochemical reactions in clouds. The aerosol components of the ATAL show different spatiotemporal patterns and imply that black carbon and organic carbon come mainly from India, whereas sulfate comes mainly from China during the prevailing monsoon period.     

Effectiveness of Disinfectants Suitable for Inactivating SARS-CoV-2 at Cold-Chain Temperature

Food and Environmental Virology - To prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in cold-chain transportation in China, we developed specific cryogenic disinfectants. Carrier tests were performed against...     

Temporal–spatial distribution and diastereoisomer pattern of hexabromocyclododecane in the vicinity of a chemical plant

Hexabromocyclododecane(HBCD) is an effective brominated flame-retardant additive, which is mainly produced in the coastal area of China. This study collected soil samples from a HBCD production plant and its surrounding area in Weifang, Shandong Province, China, and analyzed the temporal–spatial distribution of HBCD and its diastereoisomers in soil. The analysis results showed that the concentration of HBCD in soil near the plant was much higher than normal values, with an annual average concentration reaching 5405 ng/g. Soils 1,2 and 4 km away from the plant were also analyzed, showing that the concentration of HBCD in soil decreased accordingly with the distance from the pollution sources. In order to investigate the effect of the season on HBCD content, the soil samples were collected in all four seasons of the year 2017–2018. According to variations in the wind direction, the concentration of HBCD in soil was also changed. The distribution trend showed that the concentration of HBCD in soil in the downwind direction of the prevailing wind was higher than that in the upwind direction. In addition, this work analyzed the distribution of HBCD in vertical soil sections. It was found that the concentration of HBCD decreased with depth in the soil vertical profile. Finally, the various diastereoisomer patterns in the soil compartments were examined, finding that α-HBCD and γ-HBCD were the predominant diastereoisomers in the soil of the study area.     

Thiocyanate-induced labilization of schwertmannite: Impacts and mechanisms

Schwertmannite is an amorphous iron(III)-oxyhydroxysulfate that forms in acid mine drainage(AMD) environments. The characteristic of high heavy metal adsorption capability makes schwertmannite a potentially useful, environmentally friendly material in wastewater treatment. Unstable schwertmannite is prone to recrystallization.Understanding the mechanisms that induce schwertmannite labilization and affect its capacity to remove heavy metals are of great environmental and geochemical significance.Thiocyanate(SCNˉ) is a hazardous pseudohalide that is also normally found in AMD.However, little is known about the impact of Fe(III)-binding ligand SCNˉ on schwertmannite stability and its subsequent capacity to bind trace elements. Here, we investigated the adsorption of SCNˉ on schwertmannite and subsequent mineral transformation to characterize this little-known process. The appearance of Fe2+indicated that the interactions between schwertmannite and SCNˉ may involve complexation and reduction reactions. Results showed that the majority of the adsorbed-SCNˉ was immobilized on schwertmannite during the 60-days transformation. The transformation rates of schwertmannite increased with increasing concentrations of SCNˉ. Goethite was detected as the dominant transformation product with or without SCNˉ. The mechanisms of SCNˉ-promoted dissolution of schwertmannite can be described as follows:(1) formation of Fe(III)–NCS complexes on the schwertmannite surface and in solution, a process which increases the reactivity of solid phase Fe(III);(2) the extraction of Fe(III) from schwertmannite by SCNˉ and subsequent schwertmannite dissolution; and(3) the formation of secondary minerals from extracted Fe(III). These findings may improve AMD treatment strategies and provide insight into the use and potential reuse of schwertmannite as a trace element sorbent.     

Brominated dioxins and furans in a cement kiln co-processing municipal solid waste

A field study and theoretical calculations were performed to clarify the levels, profiles, and distributions of polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans(PBDD/Fs) in a cement kiln co-processing solid waste, with a focus on the PBDF formation mechanism.The raw materials contributed greatly to input of PBDD/Fs into the cement kiln. The PBDD/F concentrations in the raw materials were much higher than those in particle samples from different process stages in the cement kiln. The PBDD/F concentrations in the clinkers were1.40% of the concentrations in the raw materials, which indicated that the high destruction efficiencies for PBDD/Fs by cement kiln. PBDD/F distribution patterns in particle samples collected from different process stages indicated the cement kiln backend was a major site for PBDD/F formation. PBDFs with high levels of halogenation, such as heptabrominated furans(Hp BDF), were the dominant contributors to the total PBDD/F concentrations and accounted for 42%–73% of the total PBDD/F concentrations in the particle samples. Our results showed that co-processing of municipal solid waste in a cement kiln may influence the congener profile of PBDD/Fs, especially for the higher halogenated PBDD fraction. In addition, there were significant correlations between the decabromodiphenyl ether and heptabrominated furan concentrations, which is an indicator of transformation from polybrominated diphenyl ethers to PBDD/Fs. Theoretical calculations were performed and demonstrated that elimination of HBr and Br_2 from polybrominated diphenyl ethers were the dominant formation pathways for PBDD/Fs. These pathways differed from that for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans(PCDD/Fs).     

Evaluation of bacterial pathogen diversity, abundance and health risks in urban recreational water by amplicon next-generation sequencing and quantitative PCR

The microbial quality of urban recreational water is of great concern to public health.The monitoring of indicator organisms and several pathogens alone is not sufficient to accurately and comprehensively identify microbial risks.To assess the levels of bacterial pathogens and health risks in urban recreational water,we analyzed pathogen diversity and quantified four pathogens in 46 water samples collected from waterbodies in Beijing Olympic Forest Park in one year.The pathogen diversity revealed by 16 S r RNA gene targeted next-generation sequencing(NGS) showed that 16 of 40 genera and 13 of 76 reference species were present.The most abundant species were Acinetobacter johnsonii,Mycobacterium avium and Aeromonas spp.Quantitative polymerase chain reaction(q PCR) of Escherichia coli(uid A),Aeromonas(aer A),M.avium(16S r RNA),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(oaa) and Salmonella(inv A) showed that the aer A genes were the most abundant,occurring in all samples with concentrations of 10~(4–6) genome copies/100 m L,followed by oaa,inv A and M.avium.In total,34.8% of the samples harbored all genes,indicating the prevalence of these pathogens in this recreational waterbody.Based on the q PCR results,a quantitative microbial risk assessment(QMRA) showed that the annual infection risks of Salmonella,M.avium and P.aeruginosa in five activities were mostly greater than the U.S.EPA risk limit for recreational contacts,and children playing with water may be exposed to the greatest infection risk.Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of bacterial pathogen diversity and pathogen abundance in urban recreational water by applying both NGS and q PCR.     

沈阳市环保产业市场发展需求与发展策略研究

总结沈阳市环保产业发展的历程和特点,结合环保产业发展的市场需求状况,提出了沈阳市环保产业市场发展途径及策略,以期为环保产业规划编制、政策制定及环保企业发展提供参考。     

垃圾填埋场区域氨氮污染地下水的修复方案比选

早期建设的简易生活垃圾填埋场的防渗措施不足,易发生渗漏,造成填埋场周围地下水的氨氮浓度升高。文章针对华中地区某垃圾填埋场区域氨氮污染地下水,提出抽取处理加异位生物修复、空气注入加原位生物修复两种修复方案,并采用AHP-TOPSIS(层次分析法-逼近理想排序)方法进行方案的比选。在建立合适的比选指标体系基础上,采用AHP-TOPSIS方法进行综合比选研究。结果表明,空气注入+原位生物修复技术更适合于该区域地下水的修复。TOPSIS方法由于缺乏确定评价指标权重的过程,在层次多元分析中的应用受到限制,而AHP是多层次多因素权重确定的有效工具,将二者结合起来,先由AHP确定指标权重,再运用TOPSIS对备选地下水修复方案进行排序,从而弥补了二者各自的不足。AHP-TOPSIS方法可作为环境工作者进行场地修复方案比选的有效工具。     

水力负荷对生物沉淀池污染物净化性能的影响特性

本研究将生物转盘和平流式沉淀池设计理念相结合,开发出对水中致浊物质、有机组分、氨氮和总磷具有同步去除性能的一体式生物净化-沉淀池,考察了进水水力负荷对其污染物净化性能的影响规律.结果表明,在特定转盘转速和水质条件下,浊度、有机组分和氨氮的平均去除率随水力负荷的增大均呈先相对稳定后下降趋势,浊度和有机组分与氨氮平均去除率分别在0.036 g·(m~2·d)~(-1)与0.064 g·(m~2·d)~(-1)时达到最大.与浊度、有机组分和氨氮不同,水力负荷对总磷的去除效果影响较大,进水水力负荷在0.064 m~3·(m~2·d)~(-1)时,总磷平均去除率最差,适当减小或增大水力负荷,均有助于除磷过程的进行.进一步研究发现,硝化和除磷过程对水相中的有限碳源及溶解氧存在竞争关系.沿水流方向,盘片表面的微生物具有良好的种群配合和沿程分布特点,保证了在不利水力负荷条件下,工艺仍具有一定的去污效果,在微污染水体的强化净化处理中具有一定的应用前景.     

酸性矿山废水对稻田土壤微生物菌群结构的影响

为探究酸性矿山废水(AMD)对稻田土壤微生物群落结构的影响,通过取自矿区受AMD污染和未受污染的稻田土壤进行微宇宙灌溉模拟实验,研究了AMD污染过程中土壤理化性质和微生物群落的变化,同时建立环境条件变化引起土壤微生物群落结构改变的相关性关系.结果表明,受AMD污染的土壤中SO_4~(2-)、Cd、Zn含量显著上升,土壤酸化且土壤中细菌群落的多样性下降;而恢复清洁水灌溉可提高土壤细菌群落的多样性,有利于修复AMD的污染.采用高通量测序技术分析了不同处理稻田土壤中微生物群落在门和属分类水平上的相对丰度分布变化,冗余分析(RDA)表明,土壤pH和重金属(Pb、Cu)含量是影响稻田土壤微生物群落结构的主要环境因子.研究结果不仅有助于进一步揭示AMD污染、土壤因子与土壤微生物群落的相互关系,同时可为恢复AMD污染农业土壤提供理论依据.