Indoor- and outdoor-derived contaminants in urban and rural homes in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Indoor and outdoor air contaminants have largely been treated separately in studies of their respective effects on respiratory and nonrespiratory health. In this paper, we report the results of a comprehensive study of key contaminants in 10 urban and 10 rural homes in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The analyses included house dust mite and cat allergens along with the fungal inflammatory polysaccharide beta1,3-D-glucan in settled dust and fine particulate matter, coarse particulate matter, ergosterol, glucan, and endotoxin from air samples. In addition, black carbon was continuously measured for 7 days. A detailed physical assessment of the house and patterns of use were undertaken, including a careful inspection for mold and water damage, as well as measurements of air leakage. The performance of the houses and the range and distribution of the contaminants measured were largely similar to that of previous Canadian studies. For certain combinations, it is thought that the presence of both allergen and inflammatory materials increases asthma symptoms. House-by-house comparisons of airborne concentrations of inflammatory compounds measured (endotoxin, fine particulate matter, and fungal glucan) with dust mite allergens indicated that certain houses had relatively higher amounts of both kinds of materials.     

Metabolic responses of weeping willows to selenate and selenite

Goal, Scope and Background Selenium (Se) is one of the most widely distributed elements of the earth’s crust at low concentrations. The extensive use of Se-containing chemicals due to anthropogenic activities has increased the ecological risk to environmental compartments. Plants, under unfavorable environmental conditions, often increase the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and consequently plant antioxidant enzymatic systems have been proposed to be important in plant stress tolerance. The goal of this study was to find out the metabolic responses of plants to Se, to provide quantitative information whether exogenous Se has a beneficial role in plants, and to investigate the potential of vegetation management of Se for potential phytoremediation. Material and Methods Pre-rooted plants of weeping willows (Salix babylonica L.) were grown hydroponically in growth chambers and treated with Na₂SeO₄ or Na₂SeO₃ at 24.0 ± 1°C for 168 h. Five different treatment concentrations were used, ranging from 0.44 to 8.72 mg Se/L for the treatments exposed to SeO₄²⁻ and from 0.50 to 10.0 mg Se/L for the treatments exposed to SeO₃²⁻, respectively. Transpiration rates, soluble protein contents and antioxidative enzyme activities of the plants were monitored to evaluate toxicity from exogenous Se exposure. At the end of the study, total Se in the hydroponic solution was analyzed by hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS). Results Both chemical forms of Se at low concentrations showed growth-promoting effects on plants. A significant decrease of transpiration rates and of soluble protein contents of plants was observed at higher Se concentrations after 168 h of exposure. Measurable change of superoxide dismutases (SOD) activity in leaves was only detected under high Se treatments. Catalase (CAT) activity was significantly affected by the Se application. Slight change of peroxidase (POD) activity was measured in all treatments, whereas significant inhibition of POD activity was detected for the plants exposed to SeO₃²⁻ of 10.0 mg Se/L. Se-induced stress appeared in all treatments, thus resulting in measurable increase of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity of the plants. Although both chemical forms of Se were taken up by weeping willows efficiently, their uptake rates were different. Discussion Of all measured parameters, POD and CAT activities in leaves were noted the most sensitive indicator for the plants exposed to SeO₄²⁻ and SeO₃²⁻, respectively. Deleterious effects on plant physiological functions due to Se application were not observed over 168 h of exposure. This is largely due to the fact that well-established antioxidant enzymatic systems in plants and higher activities of GSH-Px largely reduced the negative effects on plants; SeO₃²⁻ caused much more severe stress to plants than SeO₄²⁻ at higher Se application rates. The uptake mechanisms between the two chemical species were quite different. Conclusions Neither visible toxic symptoms nor metabolic lesions were observed at low concentrations of Se, probably due to the effective established enzymatic systems in weeping willows. All selected parameters for toxicity determination were significantly correlated to Se application, but metabolic responses of plants to SeO₄²⁻ and SeO₃²⁻ were quite different. GSH-Px in leaves was probably the principle enzyme responsible for stress reduction from Se exposure. Due to their different chemical properties, weeping willows showed a faster uptake rate for SeO₄²⁻ than for SeO₃²⁻. Recommendations Exogenous Se has a beneficial role in plants and vegetation management of Se is a potential remediation strategy in cleaning up Se-contaminated sites. Further investigation on the biochemical mechanism of Se metabolism will provide insight to the specific interactions between Se and plants on the molecular level. Perspectives Weeping willow has a sound potential for phytoremediation of Se-contaminated sediment and groundwater because the tree is not only tolerant to Se but also uptakes chemical species from the environment.     

Effect of heavy metal stress on antioxidative enzymes and lipid peroxidation in leaves and roots of two mangrove plant seedlings (Kandelia candel and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza)

The effects of multiple heavy metal stress on the activity of antioxidative enzymes and lipid peroxidation were studied in leaves and roots of two mangrove plants, Kandelia candel and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, grown under control (10 per thousand NaCl nutrient solution) or five levels of multiple heavy metal stress (10 per thousand NaCl nutrient solution containing different concentration of Pb2+, Cd2+, and Hg2+). Leaves and roots of control and heavy metal-stressed plants were harvested after two months. In leaves of heavy metal-stressed plants superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities fluctuated in different stress levels compared to the control, while catalase (CAT) activity increased with stress levels in K. candel, but remained unchanged in leaves of B. gymnorrhiza. In comparison with the control, the dynamic tendency of SOD, CAT, and POD activities in roots of heavy metal-stressed plants all ascended, and then declined. The increase in enzyme activities demonstrated that K. candel is more tolerant to heavy metals than B. gymnorrhiza. Lipid peroxidation was enhanced only in leaves of heavy metal-stressed B. gymnorrhiza. These results indicate that in heavy-metal stress antioxidative activities may play an important role in K. candel and B. gymnorrhiza and that cell membrane in leaves and roots of K. candel have greater stability than those of B. gymnorrhiza. For pollution monitoring purposes, POD activity in roots and leaves maybe serve as a biomarker of heavy metal stress in K. candel, while lipid peroxidation maybe serve as biomarker in B. gymnorrhiza.     

A technical, economic, and environmental analysis of energy production from newspaper in Ireland

The production of newspaper corresponds to 37 kg per person per annum in Ireland. Newspaper becomes a waste product in a short period of time; only 13% of domestic waste paper is recycled (data on newspaper is not available). Four scenarios, which generate energy from newspaper, are analysed. These scenarios may be summarised as follows: lignocellulosic biomass conversion to ethanol (transport fuel); co-digestion with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and production of CH4-enriched biogas (transport fuel); co-firing with the residue of municipal solid waste in an incinerator; and gasification of newspaper as a sole fuel. Two of the scenarios involve transport fuel production; two involve the production of electricity and heat. Two of the scenarios involve newspaper as the sole ingredient; two involve co- utilisation of newspaper with another waste stream. Assuming no economic market for heat, then only the transport scenarios have the potential to be economic; indeed the biogas scenario is shown to be extremely competitive generating a potential profit of euro 227/t newspaper. A greenhouse-gas analysis indicates that the biogas scenario generated the best net greenhouse-gas savings. However when a market for heat is available, gasification was shown to be most advantageous.     

沸石负载纳米零价铁去除水中Sb(Ⅲ)和Sb(Ⅴ)的研究

锑矿开采和含锑化合物的应用在一定程度上会造成环境锑污染的加重,对人体健康和生态系统带来风险,为缓解这一现象,采用液相还原负载的方式制备沸石负载纳米零价铁(Z-ZVI)复合材料,探究其对Sb(Ⅲ)和Sb(Ⅴ)的去除效果;采用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、X射线衍射(XRD)和X射线光电子能谱(XPS)对反应前后复合材料进行表征,并探究不同材料配比、溶液初始pH及无机阴离子对Sb(Ⅲ)和Sb(Ⅴ)吸附效率的影响.结果表明：(1)沸石负载后的纳米零价铁(Z-ZVI)具有较高的比表面积(54.54 m²/g)和反应活性,能够有效吸附、还原高价锑.(2)在pH=7、1.0 g/L Z-ZVI的条件下,反应4 h对20 mg/L Sb(Ⅲ)和Sb(Ⅴ)的吸附率分别达到88%和62%,吸附过程符合准二级动力学方程和Freundlich等温吸附模型.(3)Sb(Ⅲ)的去除率受pH变化的影响不大,但Sb(Ⅴ)的去除率随初始pH的升高而下降,溶液反应终点pH相比初始pH均有所上升.(4)XRD和XPS表征发现,Sb的去除过程中同时存在吸附和还原作用,Fe⁰氧化过程中...     

填料塔吸附法去除海水中乳化石油的研究

海水中的乳化石油污水对海洋生态具有严重的威胁,用化学方法去除这些油污会产生严重的环境和生态问题。文章提出用装填三角形弹簧填料和θ网环填料2种小型填料的填料塔吸附海水中的分散油滴,用物理方法去除油污的思路,结果表明:在流速47 mL/min时,含油19.85 mg/L的人工海水,水中油浓度降低到3.10 mg/L,最高除油率达到84.38%。流速在35～80 mL/min之间时,除油率达到66%～84%,实验中平均除油率在70%左右。填料上吸附的石油用石油醚洗脱后,填料再生,除油效果稳定。     

污水处理厂挥发性硫化物释放特征与风险评价

对城市污水处理厂各处理单元释放的挥发性硫化物（VSCs）进行长期监测,评估VSCs带来的感官效应和健康风险.结果表明,从浓度上看,VSCs以H₂S为主（监测期间的H₂S浓度为N.D.~580μg/m³）,而甲硫醇（MT）的浓度占比最少（监测期间MT的浓度为N.D.~4.7μg/m³）,同时VSCs的浓度分布具有明显的季节性,即夏季>秋季>冬季.在感官方面,H₂S是所有VSCs中气味贡献最大的气体（贡献率为79%~93%）,除二沉池外,其在其他处理单元中均为关键性恶臭气体;虽然MT浓度水平低,但是其对气味的贡献不能被忽略;格栅、沉砂池混合气体气味活性值（SOAV）分别为2591.9、5494.8,预处理单元对该厂的气味贡献最大.在健康风险方面,春季和夏季时,格栅和沉砂池中的H₂S存在非致癌风险.     

Effects of limestone addition and sintering on heavy metal leaching from hazardous waste incineration slag

Hazardous waste incineration (HWI) in rotary kilns and the disposal of the residual slag on landfills play an important role in German waste treatment. In order to save disposal costs the elution behaviour of HWI-slag should be further optimised. Quality-improved slag may be disposed off on cheaper landfill sites still applying to landfill regulations. In a new process-integrated approach hazardous waste is mixed with limestone, which initiates chemical reactions with heavy metals in the rotary kiln yielding new compounds of different solubility. In this work HWI-slag/limestone mixtures are thermally treated and then examined by elution tests. Experimental data indicate that the heavy metals pertinent to landfill class assignment of a HWI-slag share a solubility minimum at a CaO-content of about 15%. Such improved HWI-slags are allowed to be disposed off on cheaper landfill sites. Furthermore, a new combination of thermodynamic calculation methods is applied to predict heavy metal solubility for different process conditions. Used models hold the opportunity to explain the tendencies of heavy metal leaching and propose plausible chemical reactions. With it, a new tool to examine the impact of temperature treatment and slag composition on heavy metal elution from HWI-slag is presented.     

渤海海域超大型船舶安全航速限定标准研究

为确保超大型船舶在渤海海域的航行安全,避免偏航和搁浅事故的发生,鉴于船舶安全航速限定标准的重要性,提出基于交通流要求(纵向)、航道尺度要求(横向)和富裕水深(UKC)要求(垂向)的船舶安全航速三维限定数学模型。研究在渤海海域通航条件下,以超大型油轮(VLCC)和散装船为代表船型的船舶在不同风流条件下的安全航速限定标准。结果表明,不同船舶的安全航速限定标准不同,该标准应考虑风流、航宽、水深等条件,并与船舶方形系数有直接关系。