Ten-year emission characteristics of atmospheric pollutants from incineration of sacrificial offerings in China

The incineration of sacrificial offerings is a significant widely practiced custom that is also a kind of neglected air pollution source in China. Our results showed that the emission factors of particulate matter, SO₂, CO, NO_x, and VOCs emitted from the incineration of sacrificial offerings with purification systems were reduced by 95%, 19%, 9%, 82%, and 42%, respectively, compared with those without a purification system, revealing a significant effect of the flue gas purification system on reducing particulate matter and gaseous pollutants. The emission level of air pollutants from the incineration of sacrificial offerings remained stable before 2013 and then showed a remarkable decrease after the implementation of China´s Air Pollution Prevention Action Plan in 2013. The emissions of TSP (total suspended particulate), PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and NO_x in 2009 were 8222, 6106, 5656 and 15,878 ton, respectively, obviously higher than 3434, 2551, 2305 and 8579 ton in 2019. Such trend was affected by both the quantity of incineration and the installation rate of purification systems after the Emission Standard of Air Pollutants for Crematory (GB 13801-2015) issued in China. Distinct spatial distribution of atmospheric pollutants from incineration of sacrificial offerings was found with higher in the east and south of China than the west and north of China, which is proportional to the regional economy and population. The maximum ground-level concentration typically occurred at 0.12-0.2 km from the pollution source, posing potential health risks to people entering and exiting funeral and burial sites and nearby residents.     

Effects of co-exposure to lead and manganese on learning and memory deficits

Lead (Pb) and manganese (Mn) are common neurotoxins. However, individuals are subject to co-exposures in real life, and it is therefore important to study these metals in combination. Weaning Sprague-Dawley rats were given ad libitum access to drinking water solutions containing Pb (100 mg/L), Mn (2.5 mg/mL) or a mixture, and each treatment had its own minocycline (50 mg/(kg•day)) supplement group. The results showed a significant difference in spatial memory and induction levels of hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) in all exposure groups when compared with controls. The combined-exposure group exhibited the most pronounced effect when compared with each of the single-metal exposure groups. Microglia displayed activation at day 3 after exposure alone or in combination, while astrocytes showed activation at day 5, accompanied by decreased expression levels of GLAST, GLT-1, and GS. Furthermore, the levels of glutamate in the synaptic cleft increased significantly. When microglial activation was inhibited by minocycline, the activation of astrocytes and the expression of GLAST, GLT-1, and GS were both reversed. In addition, upon minocycline treatment, hippocampal LTP impairment and cognitive injury were significantly alleviated in each of the exposure groups. These results suggest that combined exposure to Pb and Mn can cause greater effects on cognition and synaptic plasticity when compared to single-metal exposure groups. The reason may involve abnormal activation of microglia leading to excessive regulation of astrocytes, resulting in glutamate reuptake dysfunction in astrocytes and leading to perturbed cognition and synaptic plasticity.     

Formation of sulfur oxide groups by SO2 and their roles in mercury adsorption on carbon-based materials

The presence of SO₂ display significant effect on the mercury (Hg) adsorption ability of carbon-based sorbent. Yet the adsorption and oxidation of SO₂ on carbon with oxygen group, as well as the roles of different sulfur oxide groups in Hg adsorption have heretofore been unclear. The formation of sulfur oxide groups by SO₂ and their effects on Hg adsorption on carbon was detailed examined by the density functional theory. The results show that SO₂ can be oxidized into SO₃ by oxygen group on carbon surface. Both C-SO₂ and C-SO₃ can improve Hg adsorption on carbon site, while the promotive effect of C-SO₂ is stronger than C-SO₃. Electron density difference analyses reveal that sulfur oxide groups enhance the charge transfer ability of surface unsaturated carbon atom, thereby improving Hg adsorption. The experimental results confirm that surface active groups formed by SO₂ adsorption is more active for Hg adsorption than the groups generated by SO₃.     

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...     

The Stakeholder Preference for Best Management Practices in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region

A qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 92 farmers and 42 policy managers in Wuxi County, the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, was conducted to identify stakeholder preferences for alternative best management practices (BMPs) and to determine the factors that affect their acceptance. Policy manager support for most of the practices was relatively stronger than support by farmers, except for the grade stabilization structure (GSS), hillside ditch (HD) and constructed wetland alternative, owing to their perceptions of soil benefits, economic advantages and environmental advantages. Farmers opposed those practices that occupied cultivated lands or changed the conventional planting methods, such as field border, conservation tillage (CT) and contour buffer strips. They tended to accept the BMPs with off-farm pollution reduction, such as GSS, riparian forest buffer and HD, and the BMPs associated with soil benefits, such as nutrient management and Terrace. The result that almost all respondents did not accept CT differed from reports in the existing literature. There is a significant correlation between the acceptance of some BMPs and the townships where the farmers lived (P ≤ 0.05). The environmental conditions and social factors would affect farmer support for BMPs, including local soil conditions, farming methods, economic income, education level and age. The economic advantages of the BMPs were the main motivation for farmers to accept the practices. Furthermore, intensive education efforts, financial incentives or economic subsidies may promote the adoption of the BMPs in our study area.     

Reuse of Fenton sludge as an iron source for NiFe2O4 synthesis and its application in the Fenton-based process

The potentially hazardous iron-containing sludge from the Fenton process requires proper treatment and disposal, which often results in high treatment cost. In this study, a novel method for the reuse of Fenton sludge as an iron source for the synthesis of nickel ferrite particles(NiFe_2O_4) is proposed. Through a co-precipitation method followed by sintering at 800°C, magnetic NiFe_2O_4 particles were successfully synthesized, which was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electronic microscopy(SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy. The synthesized NiFe_2O_4 could be used as an efficient catalyst in the heterogeneous Fenton process. In phenol degradation with H_2O_2 or NiFe_2O_4 alone, the phenol removal efficiencies within the reaction time of 330 min were as low as 5.9% ± 0.1% and 13.5% ±0.4%, respectively. However, in the presence of both NiFe_2O_4 and H_2O_2, phenol removal efficiency as high as 95% ± 3.4% could be achieved, indicating the excellent catalytic performance of NiFe_2O_4 in the heterogeneous Fenton process. Notably, a rapid electron exchange between_Ni II and_Fe III ions in the NiFe_2O_4 structure could be beneficial for the Fenton reaction. In addition, the magnetic catalyst was relatively stable, highly active and recoverable, and has potential applications in the Fenton process for organic pollutant removal.     

基于能值理论的三江源区生态系统服务物质当量研究

鉴于生态系统服务的多样性和评估方法的复杂性使得生态系统服务研究难于纳入到政府决策和政绩考核的问题,以三江源区为例,提出生态系统服务物质当量的概念,并发展了基于能值理论的物质当量估算方法;进而通过构建用于调节生态系统类型之间与生态系统内部差异的均衡因子和调整因子,发展了生态系统服务快速核算方法.结果表明:三江源区主导生态系统服务(包括水源涵养、土壤保持和生态系统固碳)所具有的能值量为2.74×1022sej/a,标准物质当量(即物质当量单位)的能值基准值为1.58×1017sej/(km~2·a),由此估算的物质当量为173 618.80当量/a,单位面积物质当量为0.56当量/(km~2·a),其中,水源涵养、土壤保持和生态系统固碳服务的物质当量所占比例分别为52.72%、28.14%和19.14%.三江源区主导生态系统服务物质当量的空间分布特征表现为从东南向西北逐渐递减的变化趋势;分县(乡)估算的主导生态系统服务物质当量的空间分布与其单位面积物质当量存在较大差异,前者的高值区主要位于治多县、曲麻莱县和杂多县,后者则主要位于尖扎县、同仁县、久治县和班玛县.基于直接评估法估算的各县(乡)单位面积物质当量与基于快速核算方法估算结果的决定系数为0.72,均方根误差为0.25当量/(km~2·a).研究结果有助于实现生态系统服务的快速评估.     

北天山东段阜康断裂吉木萨尔段古地震事件研究

阜康断裂带是北天山东段博格达弧形推覆构造一条重要的地质地貌构造分界线,吉木萨尔段位于阜康断裂带最东部,晚第四纪以来断裂活动性明显,地表形成一系列的地质地貌现象。通过在吉木萨尔段开展详细的地质地貌调查、断裂陡坎测量以及探槽剖面分析等工作,从探槽发现8次古地震事件,由老到新发生年代分别为:E1(257±24~376±22)ka B.P.;E2(2271±193~257±24)ka B.P.;E3(155±04~227±09)ka B.P.;E4(133±04~1359±116)ka B.P.;E5(87±05~133±04)ka B.P.;E6(65±15~675±057)ka B.P.;E7(20±10~35±08)ka B.P.;E8(?~20±10)ka B.P.。最新一次古地震为距今约(20±10)ka,古地震事件复发周期为(24-745)ka。吉木萨尔东南探槽有两条平行断层陡坎F1-7-1及F1-7-2。根据测年结果显示:最新活动时代分别为(87±05)ka和(20±10)ka,F_(1-7-1)早于F_(1-7-2)形成。     

2015年国庆期间我国城市空气污染特征及成因分析

本文基于我国31个省会城市283个环境监测站的实时观测数据,分析了2015年国庆期间我国城市空气污染特征,并结合MODIS/Terra数据、欧洲中期天气预报中心(ECMWF)气压场及风场数据对其成因进行了讨论。结果表明:本次区域性空气污染最先出现在华中和华东地区,但是在华北地区最为严重。不同城市的主要污染物具有显著的时空差异。除西安和乌鲁木齐以外,其他城市的颗粒物污染主要由细颗粒物主导。NO_2、CO和SO_2的变化趋势基本一致,而O_3仅在北京、天津和济南三个城市与其他污染气体同步变化;在其他城市则与NO_2和CO等呈现相反的变化趋势。由卫星影像、天气形势和风场变化分析得知:不考虑本地背景排放源的前提下,本次污染事件主要由我国秋季的秸秆燃烧和不利的气象条件共同作用造成的。     

碘吸附器的脉冲式氟利昂法泄漏检测技术实验研究

目前,国内核设施碘吸附器的非放射性泄漏检测主要采用连续式氟利昂气体法,在调研并对比国内外该领域应用现状的基础上,开展了碘吸附器的脉冲式氟利昂气体泄漏检测新技术实验研究,通过进行碘吸附器在泄漏、不泄漏、穿透等几种条件下的实验表明,脉冲式泄漏检测方法可以直观地判断碘吸附器的泄漏情况,并能准确计算其机械泄漏率;与连续式方法的对比发现,两种技术在泄漏率的判断上具有一致性,脉冲式氟利昂法的示踪剂用量少,仅为连续式氟利昂法的1/3.