Retrospective assessment of air quality management practices in Taiwan

In 1995, Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration (EPA/TW) instituted a policy of levying emission taxes on polluters in order to combat the rampant national issue of pollution. Since that time, pollution control strategies, tightening exhaust emission standards for industry, improvements in fuel quality, and new stricter vehicle emission standards, etc., have been implemented. This study evaluates the effectiveness of these measures and examines the improvement of Taiwan's air quality. In this paper, we conduct a detailed analysis of change in the concentrations of pollutants (SO₂, NO_x and particulate matter [PM]) between two three-year periods (from 1996 to1998 and from 2000 to 2002). The pollution levels were generally lower in the latter period. Concentrations at 14 EPA/TW stations in central Taiwan were simulated and source apportionment analyses in three of Central Taiwan's largest cities were conducted using a trajectory transfer-coefficient air quality model. Correlation coefficients (r) between simulations and observations for the monthly means of the concentrations of SO₂, NO_x, PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ during the study periods at the 14 stations are 0.56, 0.63, 0.70 and 0.31, respectively. The sulfur control policy greatly reduced SO₂ concentration island-wide, a stringent emission standard put into place for gasoline vehicles reduced NO_x concentration along highways, and an emissions tax placed on construction sites, as well as a regular program for road-dust sweeping, reduced primary particulate matter. Among all of the pollution abatement policies implemented, the most effective method for reducing PM_2.5 concentrations in the three largest cities involved the reduction of fine ammonium sulfate aerosols from point sources (56–63% of net PM_2.5 reduction). The next largest reduction was attributed to a diminishment in primary PM_2.5 emanating from point sources (27–56% of net PM_2.5 reduction). Secondary particulate matter, especially sulfate, was reduced from distances up to 150 km leeward of major pollution point sources such as Taichung Power Plant.     

Ca(II)在活性污泥生物絮凝中的作用研究

采用4个平行的序批式反应器(SBR),研究了进水Ca²⁺浓度对活性污泥絮体表面特性和结构稳定性的影响,并由此来确定Ca²⁺在生物絮凝中的作用。结果表明：随着进水Ca²⁺浓度的增加,污泥中的Ca含量逐渐增大。进水中Ca²⁺的加入,增大了污泥絮体的粒径和密度,进而改善了污泥的沉降性能;Ca²⁺的加入,使可供结合的蛋白质数量最高增至近1倍,污泥表面疏水性也相应增强;污泥絮凝性能的改善,主要和可供Ca²⁺结合的蛋白质含量增加有关,而非多糖;EDTA通过络合污泥絮体中的Ca²⁺,破坏了由Ca²⁺架桥形成的污泥絮体结构,这说明Ca²⁺可通过和胞外聚合物（extracellular polymeric substances, EPS）中的负电官能团架桥来促进污泥絮体的形成并维持絮体结构的稳定性。     

基于ANP和模糊证据理论的应答器系统风险评估方法研究

针对应答器系统风险评估过程中存在较大模糊性和主观性的问题,提出了基于网络分析法(ANP)和模糊证据理论的风险评估模型。首先,识别评估对象的风险因素,建立相应的ANP评价模型,采用专家均值置信法改进传统ANP,确定风险因素权重;然后利用模糊数学理论确定专家评语基本信度分配(BPA)函数,并运用折扣系数法修正证据理论,合成专家意见得到各风险因素的BPA函数;最后通过加权平均函数实现风险综合评判,依据最大隶属度原则确定风险等级。利用该评估模型对应答器系统功能失效进行了风险评估,验证了模型的可行性和有效性。     

环氧乙烷存储单元寿命周期动态风险分析与预测

为了保证工艺过程的安全性,工程师们使用多种定量风险评价方法对整个过程进行评估。但定量风险评价方法无法随着化工工艺寿命周期的进行而实时更新数据。基于南京化工园区某公司环氧乙烷存储装置,借助@Risk软件,分别应用确定性概率方法和不确定性概率分布方法对装置进行了风险概率分析。在此基础上,应用贝叶斯理论更新概率分布参数,基于设定的事件累积次数对环氧乙烷存储装置进行了动态风险评估。结果表明,24个终态事件的发生概率是变化的,装置整体的安全状态概率随着运行时间的推移而减小,并逐渐趋近0.612 86,事故概率减小,并逐渐趋近0.023 72,未遂事件概率增加,并逐渐趋近0.334 57。通过Origin拟合得到的事故概率和未遂事件概率函数与海因里希法较为吻合。     

Unraveling prevalence and public health risks of arsenic,uranium and co-occurring trace metals in groundwater along riverine ecosystem in Sindh and Punjab,Pakistan

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - The current study focuses on the understanding of contamination status, distribution, source apportionment and health perspectives of arsenic (As), uranium...     

长程高脂肪膳食对大鼠空腹血糖及糖耐量的影响

研究了单纯高脂膳食喂养对大鼠空腹血糖(Fasting plasma glucose,FPG)及葡萄糖耐量(Glucose tolerancetest,GTT)的影响,旨在模拟与现代人生活饮食结构及发病情况更为接近的糖调节异常动物模型.取正常SD大鼠100只喂以普通饲料或高脂饲料14mo,动态监测动物体重及空腹血糖的变化,并分别在第5、8、10、14mo时用糖耐量试验观察葡萄糖耐量减退(IGT)的情况.结果显示,高脂喂养第1~14个月过程中,雄性大鼠的体重较普食组均未出现显著增加,而雌性大鼠体重仅在喂养第5~8个月期间较普食组增加了10%~15%;与普食组相比,在喂养高脂膳食第1~5个月中雌雄两性大鼠空腹血糖均显著升高,在喂养第5~10个月中雄性葡萄糖耐量显著减退,但雌性动物则未出现明显的IGT,至第14个月时雄性IGT与普食组的差异消失.研究表明,单纯高脂膳食虽不能诱发糖尿病,但可出现较典型的IFG空腹血糖受损和IGT现象,且以雄性动物造模更为适宜,喂养时间以10mo以内为宜.由于单纯高脂喂养更接近自然人群发病过程,因此,此种模型将为糖调节受损发生机制及其早期干预的研究提供新的动物模型.图2表1参12     

沉水植物对水-沉积物界面各形态氮含量的影响

在室内模拟条件下研究沉水植物对水-沉积物界面的上覆水、不同层次的间隙水和沉积物中不同形态氮含量的影响.结果表明:总体上,上覆水和间隙水中不同形态氮含量的顺序为有机氮＞氨氮＞硝态氮;沉积物中可交换态无机氮以氨氮为主,沉水植物的存在并没有改变这一格局.不同处理不同层次的间隙水中,各形态氮含量均为下层＞中层＞上层,但沉积物中氨氮和硝态氮含量变化规律不明显.水-沉积物界面氨氮和硝态氮含量呈现明显季节性变化.总之,水-沉积物界面氨氮是沉积物向上覆水扩散的主要氮组分,沉水植物降低了氨氮和硝态氮的扩散通量.     

氧化石墨烯存在下铜离子对大型溞的毒性研究

氧化石墨烯(graphene oxide,GO)作为一种具有独特物理化学性质的新型纳米材料被广泛应用,其进入环境后可能对传统污染物的毒性造成影响。选取大型溞为受试生物,研究了GO的存在对Cu在大型溞体内的富集、毒性和抗氧化系统的影响。结果表明,GO对Cu~(2+)具有良好的吸附效果,大幅降低了试验液中Cu~(2+)浓度。1 mg·L~(-1)和2 mg·L~(-1)GO存在下,大型溞暴露于19.2μg·L~(-1)Cu~(2+)溶液72 h后,体内的金属Cu富集量由360μg·g-1干重分别降低为308μg·g-1和215μg·g-1干重。GO的存在降低了Cu~(2+)对大型溞的毒性,Cu~(2+)对大型溞的72 h-LC50值由19.2μg·L~(-1)升高至56μg·L~(-1)。Cu~(2+)单独作用时,大型溞体内SOD活性和GSH含量表现为先诱导后抑制,而MDA含量逐渐升高;当GO存在时,大型溞体内酶活性的变化趋势与上述现象类似,但含量总体低于Cu~(2+)单独暴露时的活性和含量。研究表明GO的加入减少了大型溞体内Cu的富集量,降低了Cu~(2+)对大型溞的氧化损害,对Cu~(2+)的毒性存在一定的减轻效果。     

Indoor particle dynamics in a school office: determination of particle concentrations,deposition rates and penetration factors under naturally ventilated conditions

Recently, the problem of indoor particulate matter pollution has received much attention. An increasing number of epidemiological studies show that the concentration of atmospheric particulate matter has a significant effect on human health, even at very low concentrations. Most of these investigations have relied upon outdoor particle concentrations as surrogates of human exposures. However, considering that the concentration distribution of the indoor particulate matter is largely dependent on the extent to which these particles penetrate the building and on the degree of suspension in the indoor air, human exposures to particles of outdoor origin may not be equal to outdoor particle concentration levels. Therefore, it is critical to understand the relationship between the particle concentrations found outdoors and those found in indoor micro-environments. In this study, experiments were conducted using a naturally ventilated office located in Qingdao, China. The indoor and outdoor particle concentrations were measured at the same time using an optical counter with four size ranges. The particle size distribution ranged from 0.3 to 2.5 μm, and the experimental period was from April to September, 2016. Based on the experimental data, the dynamic and mass balance model based on time was used to estimate the penetration rate and deposition rate at air exchange rates of 0.03–0.25 h^?1. The values of the penetration rate and deposition velocity of indoor particles were determined to range from 0.45 to 0.82 h^?1 and 1.71 to 2.82 m/h, respectively. In addition, the particulate pollution exposure in the indoor environment was analyzed to estimate the exposure hazard from indoor particulate matter pollution, which is important for human exposure to particles and associated health effects. The conclusions from this study can serve to provide a better understanding the dynamics and behaviors of airborne particle entering into buildings. And they will also highlight effective methods to reduce exposure to particles in office buildings.     

Metal accumulation in the tissues of grass carps (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) from fresh water around a copper mine in Southeast China

Mining effluents are the main source of metals in the surrounding aquatic environment. The mining district of Purple Mountain has a history of copper mining for more than 30 years, but there is limited investigation of metal bioaccumulation in the aquatic creatures from the Tingjiang river catchment affected by the mining activities. In this study, we collected grass carps (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) from four sites, and analyzed the accumulation of chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) in ten tissues (scale, skin, muscle, gill, liver, kidney, fish maw, heart, stomach, and intestine) of the fish samples. Among all tissue samples, the highest concentrations (micrograms per gram wet weight) of Ni (0.263), Cu (69.2), Zn (84.0), As (0.259), Cd (0.640), Hg (0.051), and Pb (0.534) were noted in the liver, gill, and kidney tissues, whereas the highest concentrations of Cr (0.356) and Mn (62.7) were detected in the skin and intestine, respectively. These results gave a better understanding of the variability of metals distribution in different fish tissues. In comparison with the sample sites, metals (especially Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, and Pb) in liver, gill, kidney, stomach, and intestine showed more inter-site differences than other tissues. The inter-site differences also revealed that site 1 and 2 increased fish uptake of Cu, Zn, Ni, and Pb, which may indicate that the copper mine and urban effluents contributed to high levels of these metals in aquatic environments in site 1 and 2. A potential food safety issue may emerge depending on the mining activities in this region because some metals in a few tissue samples exceeded the guideline values for human consumption of fish.