Marine aquaculture regulates dissimilatory nitrate reduction processes in a typical semi-enclosed bay of southeastern China

Marine aquaculture in semi-enclosed bays can significantly influence nutrient cycling in coastal ecosystems. However, the impact of marine aquaculture on the dynamics of dissimilatory nitrate reduction processes (DNRPs) and the fate of reactive nitrogen remain poorly understood. In this study, the rates of DNRPs and the abundances of related functional genes were investigated in aquaculture and non-aquaculture areas. The results showed that marine aquaculture significantly increased the denitrification (DNF) and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) rates and decreased the rate of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANA), as compared with non-aquaculture sites. DNF was the dominant pathway contributing to the total nitrate reduction, and its contribution to the total nitrate reduction significantly increased from 66.72% at non-aquaculture sites to 78.50% at aquaculture sites. Marine aquaculture can significantly affect the physicochemical characteristics of sediment and the abundances of related functional genes, leading to variations in the nitrate reduction rates. Although nitrate removal rates increased in the marine aquaculture area, ammonification rates and the nitrogen retention index in the aquaculture areas were 2.19 and 1.24 times, respectively, higher than those at non-aquaculture sites. Net reactive nitrogen retention exceeded nitrogen removal in the aquaculture area, and the retained reactive nitrogen could diffuse with the tidal current to the entire bay, thereby aggravating N pollution in the entire study area. These results show that marine aquaculture is the dominant source of nitrogen pollution in semi-enclosed bays. This study can provide insights into nitrogen pollution control in semi-enclosed bays with well-developed marine aquaculture.     

京津冀及周边地区“2+26”城市空气质量特征及其影响因素

京津冀及周边地区“2+26”城市为京津冀大气污染传输通道城市,也是我国空气污染最严重的区域之一.针对京津冀及周边地区“2+26”城市,利用中国环境监测总站公布的PM_2.5、PM₁₀、SO₂、NO₂、O₃和CO数据,对2013—2019年京津冀及周边地区“2+26”城市大气污染特征进行分析,并探讨影响其空气质量变化的因素.研究表明:①2013—2019年京津冀及周边地区“2+26”城市空气质量总体向好,2019年ρ（PM_2.5）、ρ（PM₁₀）、ρ（SO₂）、ρ（CO）和ρ（NO₂）比2013年分别下降了50%、41%、79%、49%和20%,ρ（O₃-8 h-90per）（臭氧日最大8 h平均值第90百分位数）比2013年升高了21%.②2013—2019年京津冀及周边地区“2+26”城市重污染天数持续减少,2019年比2013年下降67%,严重污染天数下降尤为明显,降幅达90%.优良天数比例虽然增加,但2016年以后基本稳定在50%左右,没有持续增加的趋势.③ρ（PM₁₀）、ρ（SO₂）、ρ（NO₂）和ρ（CO）的最大值均出现在1月,ρ（O₃-8 h）（臭氧日最大8 h平均值）的最大值出现在6月.ρ（PM_2.5）越高,PM_2.5/PM₁₀和SO₂/NO₂越大,表明二次污染源和燃煤源的贡献越大.④就空间分布而言,ρ（PM_2.5）和ρ（PM₁₀）高值区主要集中在区域中南部太行山脉山前的平原地区,低值区主要集中在区域北部.⑤地理位置、气象条件、产业结构、能耗消耗以及减排政策是影响2013—2019年京津冀及周边地区“2+26”城市空气质量变化的重要因素.研究显示,随着大气污染防治减排措施实施的力度逐渐加大,政策影响已成为京津冀及周边地区“2+26”城市空气质量持续改善的最重要手段.      

氯灭活地下水源中3种优势真菌的效能与机制

地下水源中真菌大量繁殖会产生嗅味,引发毒性反应以及产生大量肉眼可见的絮状物,严重影响供水水质.以地下水源中3种优势真菌木霉属、青霉属、枝孢属为研究对象,以氯为消毒剂,通过研究真菌孢子胞内物质泄漏,胞外三磷酸腺苷(ATP),脱氧核糖核酸(DNA)和蛋白质增加及孢子形态变化,探明了氯灭活3种真菌孢子的效能与机制.结果表明,氯灭活真菌孢子符合一级动力学,满足Chick模型,3种真菌的耐氯性为:木霉属青霉属枝孢属,真菌孢子尺寸越大,亲水性越强,灭活效果越好.氯灭活后,胞内物质泄漏,胞外特征物质(ATP、DNA、蛋白质)显著增加;氯对细胞表面破坏严重,灭活后真菌孢子凹陷,表面褶皱.综上所述,氯首先作用于孢子表面,降低孢子的可培养性,进一步作用使细胞的通透性屏障受损,导致胞内特征物质释放,以致孢子死亡.     

海南岛近岸海域环境容量与纳污总量分析

通过对海南岛"十二五"期间近岸海域纳污总量、环境质量状况及环境容量比较分析,得出各主要排污区环境容量的剩余环境容量。结果表明,全省主要污染物化学需氧量入海量仅占环境容量的2.6%,氨氮占环境容量的26.6%,虽然全省近岸海域环境基本未受污染物入海量影响,仍有较大的纳污空间,可利用的环境容量非常充裕。为避免出现排污达标但环境质量下降的状况,提出建立近岸海域主要污染物总量控制制度,由浓度控制到总量和浓度控制并存。     

Removal of 2-ClBP from soil–water system using activated carbon supported nanoscale zerovalent iron

We explored the feasibility and removal mechanism of removing 2-chlorobiphenyl(2-Cl BP)from soil–water system using granular activated carbon(GAC) impregnated with nanoscale zerovalent iron(reactive activated carbon or RAC).The RAC samples were successfully synthesized by the liquid precipitation method.The mesoporous GAC based RAC with low iron content(1.32%) exhibited higher 2-Cl BP removal efficiency(54.6%) in the water phase.The result of Langmuir–Hinshelwood kinetic model implied that the different molecular structures between 2-Cl BP and trichloroethylene(TCE) resulted in more difference in dechlorination reaction rates on RAC than adsorption capacities.Compared to removing2-Cl BP in the water phase,RAC removed the 2-Cl BP more slowly in the soil phase due to the significant external mass transfer resistance.However,in the soil phase,a better removal capacity of RAC was observed than its base GAC because the chemical dechlorination played a more important role in total removal process for 2-Cl BP.This important result verified the effectiveness of RAC for removing 2-Cl BP in the soil phase.Although reducing the total RAC removal rate of 2-Cl BP,soil organic matter(SOM),especially the soft carbon,also served as an electron transfer medium to promote the dechlorination of 2-Cl BP in the long term.     

Enterobacter sp.CV-v对孔雀石绿的脱色特性及机理研究

采用单因素实验研究了各种操作因素对菌株Enterobacter sp.CV-v降解孔雀石绿的影响.结果表明,在供试碳源中,葡萄糖对脱色的促进效果最为显著,而供试氮源中,酵母粉对脱色的促进效果最优;同时,供试金属离子中,锰离子对脱色的促进效果最优.在p H=3.0~10.0、温度20~50℃之间时,菌株CV-v对孔雀石绿的12 h脱色率在90%以上.此外,该菌株可在6 h内完全脱色浓度低于500 mg·L-1的孔雀石绿.动力学实验结果表明,该菌株对孔雀石绿脱色的动力学数据与一级动力学模型拟合度最好(R2=0.9755).酶分析实验结果表明,锰过氧化物酶和孔雀石绿还原酶可能与菌株CV-v降解孔雀石绿相关.此外,代谢产物分析实验结果表明,菌株CV-v降解孔雀石绿的主要产物为二甲氨基二苯甲酮和4-羟基-N,N-二甲基苯铵.     

A life cycle comparison of greenhouse emissions for power generation from coal mining and underground coal gasification

Underground coal gasification (UCG) is an advancing technology that is receiving considerable global attention as an economic and environmentally friendly alternative for exploitation of coal deposits. UCG has the potential to decrease greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) during the development and utilization of coal resources. In this paper, the life cycle of UCG from in situ coal gasification to utilization for electricity generation is analyzed and compared with coal extraction through conventional coal mining and utilization in power plants. Four life cycle assessment models have been developed and analyzed to compare (greenhouse gas) GHG emissions of coal mining, coal gasification and power generation through conventional pulverized coal fired power plants (PCC), supercritical coal fired (SCPC) power plants, integrated gasification combined cycle plants for coal (Coal-IGCC), and combined cycle gas turbine plants for UCG (UCG-CCGT). The analysis shows that UCG is comparable to these latest technologies and in fact, the GHG emissions from UCG are about 28 % less than the conventional PCC plant. When combined with the economic superiority, UCG has a clear advantage over competing technologies. The comparison also shows that there is considerable reduction in the GHG emissions with the development of technology and improvements in generation efficiencies.     

NUTGRANJA 2.0: a simple mass balance model to explore the effects of different management strategies on nitrogen and greenhouse gases losses and soil phosphorus changes in dairy farms

Farm nutrient management has been identified as one of the most important factors determining the economic and environmental performance of dairy cattle (Bos taurus) farming systems. Given the environmental problems associated with dairy farms, such as emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), and the complex interaction between farm management, environment and genetics, there is a need to develop robust tools which enable scientists and policy makers to study all these interactions. This paper describes the development of a simple model called NUTGRANJA 2.0 to evaluate GHG emissions and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses from dairy farms. NUTGRANJA 2.0 is an empirical mass-balance model developed in order to simulate the main transfers and flows of N and P through the different stages of the dairy farm management. A model sensitivity test was carried out to explore some of the sensitivities of the model in relation to the simulation of GHG and N emissions. This test indicated that both management (e.g. milk yield per cow, annual fertiliser N rate) and site-specific factors (e.g. % clover (Trifolium) in the sward, soil type, and % land slope) had a large effect on most of the model state variables studied (e.g. GHG and N losses).     

Monetary incentives to avoid deforestation under the Reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD)+ climate change mitigation scheme in Tanzania

The paper estimates and compares the level of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) payments required to compensate for the opportunity costs (OCs) of stopping the conversion of montane forest and miombo woodlands into cropland in two agro-ecological zones in Morogoro Region in Tanzania. Data collected from 250 households were used for OC estimation. REDD+ payment was estimated as the net present value (NPV) of agricultural rent and forest rent during land clearing, minus net returns from sustainable wood harvest, divided by the corresponding reduction in carbon stock. The median compensation required to protect the current carbon stock in the two vegetation types ranged from USD 1 tCO₂e^?1 for the montane forest to USD 39 tCO₂e^?1 for the degraded miombo woodlands, of which up to 70 % and 16 %, respectively, were for compensating OCs from forest rent during land clearing. The figures were significantly higher when the cost of farmers’ own labor was not taken into account in NPV calculations. The results also highlighted that incentives in the form of sustainable harvests could offset up to 55 % of the total median OC to protect the montane forest and up to 45 % to protect the miombo woodlands, depending on the wage rates. The findings suggest that given the possible factors that can potentially affect estimates of REDD+ payments, avoiding deforestation of the montane forest would be feasible under the REDD+ scheme. However, implementation of the policy in villages around the miombo area would require very high compensation levels.     

The vulnerability of hydropower production in the Zambezi River Basin to the impacts of climate change and irrigation development

The Zambezi River Basin in southern Africa is relatively undeveloped from both a hydropower and irrigated agriculture perspective, despite the existence of the large Kariba and Cahora Bassa dams. Accelerating economic growth increases the potential for competition for water between hydropower and irrigated agriculture, and climate change will add additional stresses to this system. The objective of this study was to assess the vulnerability of major existing and planned new hydropower plants to changes in climate and upstream irrigation demand. Our results show that Kariba is highly vulnerable to a drying climate, potentially reducing average electricity generation by 12 %. Furthermore, the expansion of Kariba generating capacity is unlikely to deliver the expected increases in production even under a favourable climate. The planned Batoka Gorge plant may also not be able to reach the anticipated production levels from the original feasibility study. Cahora Bassa’s expansion is viable under a wetting climate, but its potential is less likely to be realised under a drying climate. The planned Mphanda Nkuwa plant can reach expected production levels under both climates if hydropower is given water allocation priority, but not if irrigation is prioritised, which is likely. For both Cahora Bassa and Mphanda Nkuwa, prioritising irrigation demand over hydropower could severely compromise these plants’ output. Therefore, while climate change is the most important overall driver of variation in hydropower potential, increased irrigation demand will also have a major negative impact on downstream plants in Mozambique. This implies that climate change and upstream development must be explicitly incorporated into both project and system expansion planning.