Identification of key factors governing chemistry in groundwater near the water course recharged by reclaimed water at Miyun County, Northern China

Reclaimed water was successfully used to recover the dry Chaobai River in Northern China, but groundwater may be polluted. To ensure groundwater protection, it is therefore critical to identify the governing factors of groundwater chemistry. Samples of reclaimed water, river and groundwater were collected monthly at Chaobai River from January to September in 2010. Fifteen water parameters were analyzed. Two kinds of reclaimed water were different in type (Na-Ca-Mg-Cl-HCO3 or Na-Ca-Cl-HCO3 ) and concentration of nitrogen. The ionic concentration and type in river were similar to reclaimed water. Some shallow wells near the river bed had the same type (Na-Ca-Mg-Cl-HCO3 ) and high concentration as reclaimed water, but others were consistent with the deep wells (Ca-Mg-HCO3 ). Using cluster analysis, the 9 months were divided into two periods (dry and wet seasons), and all samples were grouped into several spatial clusters, indicating different controlling mechanisms. Principal component analysis and conventional ionic plots showed that calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate were controlled by water-rock interaction in all deep and some shallow wells. This included the dissolution of calcite and carbonate weathering. Sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfate in river and some shallow wells recharged by river were governed by evaporation crystallization and mixing of reclaimed water. But groundwater chemistry was not controlled by precipitation. During the infiltration of reclaimed water, cation exchange took place between (sodium, potassium) and (calcium, magnesium). Nitrification and denitrification both happened in most shallow groundwater, but only denitrification in deep groundwater.     

快速溶剂萃取技术(ASE)在水环境监测中的比较研究及展望

萃取技术是一种样品前处理方法,可以用于水环境等领域的监测。其中较为受推崇的主要是快速萃取技术和固相萃取技术。本文通过快速萃取技术原理的简单分析,重点将其与传统的几种萃取技术进行了比较,并对未来的发展趋势作了简要展望。     

燃煤电厂电-袋复合式除尘器优化控制的仿真运行研究

以电-袋复合式除尘器为仿真研究对象,在Windows界面下利用Visual Basic6．0编程语言开发出燃煤电厂电-袋复合式除尘器优化控制的仿真运行软件。该软件通过建立数学模型,进行仿真实验,模拟工况变化、优化运行参数等对电-袋复合除尘系统进行整体的优化控制,并综合分析电-袋复合除尘器运行过程中的能耗以及运行费用,对运行电压、电流、运行阻力、喷吹周期等参数进行了优化。该仿真软件达到了电一袋除尘系统的节能降耗的目的,同时也降低了电～袋复合除尘器的运行成本。     

天津市＂十二五＂大气污染联防联控规划分析解读研究

天津市作为京津冀地区重要城市之一,经济迅速发展,环境空气质量保持稳定形势不容乐观。研究分析了‘‘十一五”期间天津市大气污染防治工作进展和环境空气质量变化趋势,探讨了未来天津市经济持续发展带来的能源消耗、机动车保有量及施工面积等的增加与大气复合污染防治面临的压力与挑战,提出了“十二五”期间大气污染防治对策与建议,重点涉及控煤、控尘、控车、加强保障等方面,为促进天津市经济可持续发展、持续改善环境空气质量起到指导作用。     

蚂蚁扰动对青海湖北岸高寒草甸草原群落结构影响

蚂蚁的筑丘活动是草地生态系统中不可忽视的生物干扰因子。本文针对青海湖北岸高 寒草甸草原,调查了不同大小的蚁丘及其周围对照草地的土壤理化性质和植被状况。结果表明： 蚂蚁筑丘活动显著地降低了土壤容重和土壤湿度,增加土壤温度,但对土壤pH 值的影响较小。 蚂蚁扰动改变了群落组成,增加了大部分禾本科和豆科物种的重要值而降低了杂类草的重要值。 以莎草科的矮嵩草（Kobresia humilis）和禾本科的异针茅（Stipa aliena Keng）、赖草（Leymus secalinus）、溚草（Koeleria cristata）等为主的群落逐步演替为以禾本科的异针茅和赖草为主的 群落。植物群落的盖度降低但其地上、地下生物量增加;植物群落丰富度指数降低但均匀度指 数增加。     

燃煤、燃气锅炉综合效益模糊评价及分析结果——以乌鲁木齐市集中供热锅炉为例

以乌鲁木齐市某集中供热站锅炉节能减排方案为例,通过建立供热锅炉实施方案综合评价指标体系,运用层次分析法确定方案各项指标权重,利用模糊综合评判法分别从锅炉燃煤、燃气情况下的环境效益、经济效益以及设施能耗、物耗等指标着手,进行综合评价,并对集中供热锅炉燃煤与燃气方案综合评判结果进行分析,最终评选出较优实施方案。评选结果表明:燃气方案综合效益较好,可有效实现节能减排,为今后燃气锅炉建设提供一定的参考作用。     

Detection Method for Avian Influenza Viruses in Water

Recent events have shown that humans may become infected with some pathogenic avian influenza A viruses (AIV). Since soil and water, including lakes, rivers, and seashores, may be contaminated by AIV excreted by birds, effective methods are needed for monitoring water for emerging viruses. Combining water filtration with molecular methods such as PCR is a fast and effective way for detecting viruses. The objective of this study was to apply a convenient method for the detection of AIV in natural water samples. Distilled water and lake, river, and seawater were artificially contaminated with AIV (H5N3) and passed through a filter system. AIV was detected from filter membrane by real-time RT-PCR. The performance of Zetapor, SMWP, and Sartobind D5F membranes in recovering influenza viruses was first evaluated using contaminated distilled water. SWMP, which gave the highest virus recoveries, was then compared with a pre-filter combined GF/F filter membrane in a trial using natural water samples. In this study, the cellulose membrane SMWP was found to be practical for recovery of AIVs in water. Viral yields varied between 62.1 and 65.9% in distilled water and between 1 and 16.7% in natural water samples. The borosilicate glass membrane GF/F combined with pre-filter was also feasible in filtering natural water samples with viral yields from 1.98 to 7.33%. The methods described can be used for monitoring fresh and seawater samples for the presence of AIV and to determine the source of AIV transmission in an outbreak situation.     

Prevalence of Norovirus Infection in Children and Adults with Acute Gastroenteritis,Tehran, Iran, 2008–2009

Noroviruses are one of important agents that cause acute viral gastroenteritis worldwide. These viruses are belonging to Caliciviridae family and are genetically diverse. To date, there is no valuable data about prevalence of norovirus infection and the dominant genogroup/genotype among Iranian population. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of norovirus infection in Iranian patients with gastroenteritis referred to three hospitals of Tehran and to specify the dominant genogroup/genotype of this virus among our study population. A total of 293 patients with acute gastroenteritis were included in the study. Detection of norovirus was performed using RT-PCR method and confirmed by direct sequencing with specific designed primers for capsid region of norovirus genome. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using the neighbor-joining method. Norovirus strains identified in our study were subsequently categorized according to previously defined genogroup/genotypes. Of these, norovirus GII was dominant genogroup. Sixty-five percent (17 of 26) of positive samples were determined as GII and 35% (9 of 26) were determined as GI, respectively, in 2008–2009. And among 8 sequenced strains of genogroup II the most frequent genotype was GII.3. The results of this study indicated that norovirus must be considered as one of the infectious causes of acute gastroenteritis among Iranian population. We also found that GII.3 is more prevalent in our study population. To the best of our knowledge there is limited data about the role of noroviruses in children and adults’ acute gastroenteritis among Iranian patients and this prevalence and genotyping report of norovirus infection could be remarkable for further studies.     

A framework for analyzing climate change adaptations as actions

Developing generalized theories about adaptation to climate change requires common concepts to map different adaptation situations. The paper aims to contribute to this endeavor by presenting a novel framework that conceptualizes adaptations to climate change as actions. The framework is intended to systematically analyze the actor relations involved in adaptations and the barriers to their implementation. By combining established scientific action theories with terminology from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in an innovative way, it can be used to clarify the notion of adaptation used in adaptation assessments. The framework’s potential is illustrated by a case study on cooling water management in the river Rhine catchment and by the elucidation of some prominent concepts in adaptation research. We show that by framing adaptations as actions, the purpose of adaptations and how they tend to connect up in means-ends-chains becomes crucial. Actors can take different functional roles as exposure unit, operator and receptor of adaptation. A mismatch of these roles can lead to barriers to adaptation, of which we deduce four types: complex actor relations, missing operators, missing means and unemployed means. The case study yields a complex bundle of adaptations, and shows that the potential barriers involved are quite diverse. There is thus no blueprint solution. Although we identify entry points for adaptation, the analysis leads to a skeptical conclusion for adapting cooling water management in the whole Rhine catchment.     

Coastal flooding,climate change and environmental justice: identifying obstacles and incentives for adaptation in two metropolitan Boston Massachusetts communities

We explored the possible future impacts of increased coastal flooding due to sea level rise and the potential adaptation responses of two urban, environmental justice communities in the metropolitan Boston area of Massachusetts. East Boston is predominantly a residential area with some industrial and commercial activities, particularly along the coastal fringe. Everett, a city to the north of Boston, has a diversified industrial and commercial base. While these two communities have similar socioeconomic characteristics, they differ substantially in the extent to which residents would be impacted by increased coastal flooding. In East Boston, a large portion of residents would be flooded, while in Everett, it is the commercial/industrial districts that are primarily vulnerable. Through a series of workshops with residents in each community, we found that the target populations do not have an adaptation perspective or knowledge of any resources that could assist them in this challenge. Furthermore, they do not feel included in the planning processes within their communities. However, a common incentive for both communities was an intense commitment to their communities and an eagerness to learn more and become actively engaged in decisions regarding climate change adaptation. The lessons that can be applied to other studies include 1) images are powerful tools in communicating concepts, 2) understanding existing cultural knowledge and values in adaptation planning is essential to the planning process and 3) engaging local residents at the beginning of the process can create important educational opportunities and develop trust and consensus that is necessary for moving from concept to implementation.