Anthropogenic nitrogen sources and exports in a village-scale catchment in Southeast China

An experimental village-scale catchment was selected for investigation of nitrogen (N) sources and exports. The mean N application rate over the catchment was 350.2 kg N ha⁻¹, but this rate varied spatially and temporally. The N leaching loss rate varied from 8.1 to 52.7 kg N ha⁻¹ under different land use regimes. The average N leaching loss rate was 13.4 kg N ha⁻¹ over the whole catchment, representing about 3.8% of the total N inputs. The N export rate through stormflows was 28.8 kg N ha⁻¹, about 8.2% of the total N inputs. Seasonal patterns showed that 95% of N exports through stormflows occurred during July to September in 2002. Overall, the maximum riverine N exports were 12.1% of total N inputs and 15.5% of the inorganic fertilizer N applied. Understanding N sources and exports in a village-scale catchment can provide a knowledge base for amelioration of diffuse agricultural pollution.     

Interactive effects of natural and human disturbances on vegetation dynamics across landscapes.

Accurate measures of human effects on landscape processes require consideration of both the direct impacts from human activities and the indirect consequences of the interactions between humans and the landscape. This is particularly evident in systems experiencing regular natural disturbances such as in the mountainous areas of southwestern China, where the remaining population of giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is supported. Here the spatiotemporal patterns of human impacts, forests, and bamboo episodic die-offs combine to determine the distribution of panda habitat. To study the complex interactions of humans and landscapes, we developed an integrated spatiotemporally explicit model of household activities, natural vegetation dynamics, and their impacts on panda habitat. Using this model we examined the direct consequences of local fuelwood collection and household creation on areas of critical giant panda habitat and the indirect impacts when coupled with vegetation dynamics. Through simulations, we found that over the next 30 years household impacts would result in the loss of up to 30% of the habitat relied on by pandas during past bamboo die-offs. The accumulation and spatial distribution of household impacts would also have a considerable indirect influence on the spatial distribution of understory bamboo. While human impacts influence both bamboo die-off and regeneration, over 19% of pre-existing low-elevation bamboo habitat may be lost following an episodic die-off depending on the severity of the impacts and timing of the die-offs. Our study showed not only the importance of the spatial distribution of direct household impacts on habitat, but also the far-reaching effects of the indirect interactions between humans and the landscapes they are modifying.     

Occurrence and distribution of polycyclic aromatic carbons in sludges from wastewater treatment plants in Guangdong, China

In this study, the occurrence and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in six sludge samples collected from Guangdong Province, China. Concentrations of PAHs varying from 2,534.1 to 6,926.6 μg kg^???1 (dry sludge) were observed in three municipal wastewater treatment plants with phenanthrene (Phe), fluoranthene, and pyrene being the main compounds. In addition, 682.6 μg kg^???1 PAHs were detected in one sludge sample from a food processing plant, with fluorene, Phe, and chrysene being the main components. No PAHs were detected in sludge samples obtained from two cosmetic plants. The levels and distributional characteristics of PAHs, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic musks (PMs) from the samples were also compared. The results of this comparison indicated that petrochemical refineries and road traffic played important roles in the PAH loads in sludge, while PMs primarily originated from domestic wastewater and industrial wastewater from cosmetic plants. Finally, the presence of 98.8 μg kg^???1 PCBs in sludge suggested diffusional emission sources from electrical components containing PCBs.     

好氧-缺氧-闲置运行模式处理生活污水

在3个序批式反应器中,利用好氧-缺氧-闲置的运行模式处理实际生活污水,比较了不同曝气时间（2、3和4h）条件下的处理效果,结果表明,在R2（2 h）反应器中成功实现了单级好氧除磷和内聚物驱动的短程硝化反硝化。采用此反应器运行模式,对实际生活污水进行长期处理,反应器的COD、TN和TP的平均去除率分别为85.29%、74.09%和87.97%。本研究表明,在好氧-缺氧-闲置的运行模式下处理生活污水,能成功地实现单级好氧除磷与内聚物驱动的短程硝化反硝化的结合,并且在长期运行的过程中,能稳定地取得较好的脱氮、除磷效率。     

CNTs/TiO2/CS光降解苯的动力学

综合光催化氧化苯的动力学过程、光辐射场模型和质量守恒定律,采用平板型反应器建立了碳纳米管/二氧化钛/壳聚糖(CNTs/TiO2/CS)催化薄膜光催化氧化气相苯的数学模型;该模型考虑了光强、相对湿度、初始浓度与气体流速对气相苯光降解的影响。结果表明,建立的数学模型与实验结果吻合较好。     

利用污泥熟肥作为高含水率污泥堆肥调理剂

采用静态强制通风好氧堆肥的方法,以木屑作为对比,考察了利用污泥熟肥作为调理剂对污泥堆肥过程的影响。结果表明,与以木屑作为调理剂的污泥堆体(对照组)相比,以污泥熟肥作为调理剂的污泥堆体(实验组)升温快,高温阶段(>50℃)持续时间长达10 d,满足粪便无害化卫生标准的要求,而对照组仅持续了2 d;实验组腐熟的堆肥含水率从60%降到39%,下降了21%,pH维持在7.5～8.5范围内,微生物活性较强,而对照组含水率仅下降15%,pH始终低于7.5;实验组种子发芽指数(GI)在第14天就回升到80%以上,基本上去除了植物毒性,而对照组GI在第22天才回升到50%。总体而言,污泥熟肥能显著改善堆肥中微生物的微环境,促进有机物的降解,缩短堆肥腐熟时间,是一种优质的调理剂。     

Assessing heavy metal pollution in the surface soils of a region that had undergone three decades of intense industrialization and urbanization

Heavy metals in the surface soils from lands of six different use types in one of the world’s most densely populated regions, which is also a major global manufacturing base, were analyzed to assess the impact of urbanization and industrialization on soil pollution. A total of 227 surface soil samples were collected and analyzed for major heavy metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) by using microwave-assisted acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Multivariate analysis combined with enrichment factors showed that surface soils from the region (>7.2?×?10⁴ km²) had mean Cd, Cu, Zn, and As concentrations that were over two times higher than the background values, with Cd, Cu, and Zn clearly contributed by anthropogenic sources. Soil pollution by Pb was more widespread than the other heavy metals, which was contributed mostly by anthropogenic sources. The results also indicate that Mn, Co, Fe, Cr, and Ni in the surface soils were primarily derived from lithogenic sources, while Hg and As contents in the surface soils were controlled by both natural and anthropogenic sources. The pollution level and potential ecological risk of the surface soils both decreased in the order of: urban areas?>?waste disposal/treatment sites?～?industrial areas?>?agricultural lands?～?forest lands?>?water source protection areas. These results indicate the significant need for the development of pollution prevention and reduction strategies to reduce heavy metal pollution for regions undergoing fast industrialization and urbanization.     

Bioaccessibility of polychlorinated biphenyls in workplace dust and its implication for risk assessment

Human exposure to bioaccessible PCBs via indoor dust is limited around the world. In the present study, the workplace dust sample from commercial office, hospital, secondary school, shopping mall, electronic factory and manufacturing plant were collected from Hong Kong for PCBs analyses. Total PCBs concentrations ranged from 46.8 to 249 ng g⁻¹, with a median of 107 ng g⁻¹. Manufacturing plant showed the highest concentration among all of sampling sites. PCB 77 was found as the dominant congeners. The bioaccessibility of PCBs in small intestinal juice ranging from 8.3% to 26.0% was significantly higher than that in gastric condition, ranging from 4.8% to 12.4%. In addition, significant negative correlations (p < 0.05) were observed between K_OW and bioaccessibility for all workplace dust samples. Risk assessment indicated that the averaged daily dose of dioxin-like PCBs via non-dietary intake of workplace dust, considering the bioaccessibility of PCBs, were much lower than the TDI of dioxins (2.3 pg WHO-TEQ kg bw⁻¹ d⁻¹) established by Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.     

Precipitation of Charged Dust Particles on Electrostatic Screen

The purpose of this paper is to present collection performance dependence upon the parameters of channeled electrodes in a twostage precipitator. The practical channeled electrostatic screens are classified into two types and the respective theoretical collection efficiency equations are obtained by employing idealized models. It is shown that In normal operating conditions the most effective particle collection mechanism in the device is electrostatic precipitation rather than the Inertlal separation. It is also pointed out that the channeled electrode, in comparison with the plate-type, should be a narrow width. An empirical efficiency equation is recommended and the agreement between experimental data and empirical equation is within 6%.