Modeling toxic compounds from nitric oxide emission measurements

Determining the amount and rate of degradation of toxic pollutants in soil and groundwater is difficult and often requires invasive techniques, such as deploying extensive monitoring well networks. Even with these networks, degradation rates across entire systems cannot readily be extrapolated from the samples. When organic compounds are degraded by microbes, especially nitrifying bacteria, oxides or nitrogen (NO_x) are released to the atmosphere. Thus, the flux of nitric oxide (NO) from the soil to the lower troposphere can be used to predict the rate at which organic compounds are degraded. By characterizing and applying biogenic and anthropogenic processes in soils the rates of degradation of organic compounds. Toluene was selected as a representative of toxic aromatic compounds, since it is inherently toxic, it is a substituted benzene compound and is listed as a hazardous air pollutant under Section 12 of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Measured toluene concentrations in soil, microbial population growth and NO fluxes in chamber studies were used to develop and parameterize a numerical model based on carbon and nitrogen cycling. These measurements, in turn, were used as indicators of bioremediation of air toxic (i.e. toluene) concentrations. The model found that chemical concentration, soil microbial abundance, and NO production can be directly related to the experimental results (significant at P < 0.01) for all toluene concentrations tested. This indicates that the model may prove useful in monitoring and predicting the fate of toxic aromatic contaminants in a complex soil system. It may also be useful in predicting the release of ozone precursors, such as changes in reservoirs of hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen. As such, the model may be a tool for decision makers in ozone non-attainment areas.     

Exploring alternative states in ecological systems with a qualitative analysis of community feedback

Demonstrating and predicting the existence of alternative states in natural communities remains a challenge for ecologists and is essential for resource managers. Positive feedback is often presented as central in maintaining alternative ecosystem states, but no formal approach relates this part of theory to real world applications. Through qualitative modelling of community response to long-term perturbations, we define generic mechanistic links between positive feedback and the occurrence of alternative states. Positive feedback diminishes a system's overall resistance to change, and can create and maintain correlations in the relative abundance of variables that coincide with alternative states.Through specific models of the dynamics of Tasmanian rocky-reef communities, which are affected by climate and fishing and persist within alternative states, we demonstrate the ability of our theoretical framework to predict alternative states in ecosystems and inform management intervention. A qualitative knowledge of community structure permits a thorough analysis of system feedback and an assessment of the potential for an ecosystem to exhibit alternative states. We illustrate the usefulness of the approach to inform management priorities, and to focus monitoring and field research on the key drivers of ecosystem dynamics.     

The impacts of combustion emissions on air quality and climate – From coal to biofuels and beyond

Combustion processes have inherent characteristics that lead to the release in the environment of both gaseous and particulate pollutants that have primary and secondary impacts on air quality, human health, and climate. The emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels and biofuels and their atmospheric impacts are reviewed here with attention given to the emissions of the currently regulated pollutant gasses, primary aerosols, and secondary aerosol precursors as well as the emissions of non-regulated pollutants. Fuels ranging from coal, petroleum, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas, as well as the biofuels; ethanol, methanol, methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tertiary-butyl ether (ETBE), and biodiesel, are discussed in terms of the known air quality and climate impacts of the currently regulated pollutants. The potential importance of the non-regulated emissions of both gasses and aerosols in air quality issues and climate is also discussed with principal focus on aldehydes and other oxygenated organics, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and nitrated organics. The connection between air quality and climate change is also addressed with attention given to ozone and aerosols as potentially important greenhouse species.     

Economy-wide material input/output and dematerialization analysis of Jilin Province (China)

In this paper, both direct material input (DMI) and domestic processed output (DPO) of Jilin Province in 1990–2006 were calculated and then based on these two indexes, a dematerialization model was established. The main results are summarized as follows: (1) both direct material input and domestic processed output increase at a steady rate during 1990–2006, with average annual growth rates of 4.19% and 2.77%, respectively. (2) The average contribution rate of material input to economic growth is 44%, indicating that the economic growth is visibly extensive. (3) During the studied period, accumulative quantity of material input dematerialization is 11,543 × 10⁴ t and quantity of waste dematerialization is 5,987 ×10⁴ t. Moreover, dematerialization gaps are positive, suggesting that the potential of dematerialization has been well fulfilled. (4) In most years of the analyzed period, especially 2003–2006, the economic system of Jilin Province represents an unsustainable state. The accelerated economic growth relies mostly on excessive resources consumption after the Revitalization Strategy of Northeast China was launched.     

北京地区PM10和PM2.5质量浓度的变化特征

北京市区2003-01-16—04-30PM₁₀和PM2 5的监测结果表明,虽然ρ(PM₁₀),ρ(PM2 5)的变化幅度较大,但是其变化趋势非常相似。PM₁₀,PM2 5质量浓度的日变化呈双峰特征分布。ρ(PM2 5) ρ(PM₁₀)的平均值为56 6%,说明可吸入颗粒物(PM₁₀)中细粒子(PM2 5)的含量大于粗粒子(PM2 5～10)。      

改性膨润土对废水中六价铬的吸附过程研究

以广西宁明膨润土为原料,利用微波干法制备钠化膨润土和有机膨润土,并用制备的改性膨润土对含Cr（Ⅵ）模拟废水进行吸附实验。结果表明,在pH=5．6（为废水初始pH）,加土量为2g／L,吸附时间为30min的条件下,有机膨润土对含50mg／L的Cr（Ⅵ）废水的去除率达95％。有机膨润土吸附Cr（Ⅵ）的机理主要为离子交换吸附及络合物沉淀吸附,钠化膨润土对Cr（Ⅵ）主要为表面吸附。     

GC-MS法对垃圾渗滤液生物处理前后微量有机物的研究

运用GC—MS联用技术对吴江市生活垃圾填埋场的渗滤液及生物处理曝气池出水中的微量有机物进行了检测,测得进水主要有机污染物53种,出水主要有机污染物55种。微量有机物总去除率与CODCr去除率相近。     

北京地区大气颗粒物中有机物的分析

报告了一年四个季节组合样品中的有机成分分析结果。GC/MS定性分析表明,颗粒物有机物可抽提部分中,可分析识别的主要种类有正构烷烃、脂肪酸、多环芳烃等。其中正构烷烃有明显的奇数碳优先,而脂肪酸有明显的偶数碳优先。GC定量分析正构烷烃的结果和HPLC定量分析多环芳烃的结果均显示,天坛站点的有机物污染浓度大于十三陵站点。污染水平秋冬季高,春夏季低,这种季节变化趋势与有机碳总量相同。