Chemical characteristics and sources of water-soluble organic aerosol in southwest suburb of Beijing

PM_2.5 filter sampling and components measurement were conducted in autumn and winter from 2014 to 2015 at a suburban site (referred herein as “LLH site”) located in the southwest of Beijing. The offline aerosol mass spectrometry (offline-AMS) analysis and positive matrix factorization (PMF) were applied for measurement and source apportionment of water-soluble organic aerosol (WSOA). Organic aerosol (OA) always dominated PM_2.5 during the sampling period, especially in winter. WSOA pollution was serious during the polluted period both in autumn (31.1 µg/m³) and winter (31.9 µg/m³), while WSOA accounted for 54.4% of OA during the polluted period in autumn, much more than that (21.3%) in winter. The oxidation degree of WSOA at LLH site was at a high level (oxygen-to-carbon ratio, O/C=0.91) and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) contributed more mass ratio of WSOA than primary organic aerosol (POA) during the whole observation period. In winter, coal combustion OA (CCOA) was a stable source of OA and on average accounted for 25.1% of WSOA. In autumn, biomass burning OA (BBOA) from household combustion contributed 38.3% of WSOA during polluted period. In addition to oxygenated OA (OOA), aqueous-oxygenated OA (aq-OOA) was identified as an important factor of SOA. During heavy pollution period, the mass proportion of aq-OOA to WSOA increased significantly, implying the significant SOA formation through aqueous-phase process. The result of this study highlights the concentration on controlling the residential coal and biomass burning, as well as the research needs on aqueous chemistry in OA formation.     

Nutrient transport through a Vegetative Filter Strip with subsurface drainage

The transport of nutrients and soil sediments in runoff has been recognized as a noteworthy environmental issue. Vegetative Filter Strips (VFS) have been used as one of the best management practices (BMPs) for retaining nutrients and sediments from surface runoff, thus preventing the pollutants from reaching receiving waters. However, the effectiveness of a VFS when combined with a subsurface drainage system has not been investigated previously. This study was undertaken to monitor the retention and transport of nutrients within a VFS that had a subsurface drainage system installed at a depth of 1.2 m below the soil surface. Nutrient concentrations of NO₃-N (Nitrate Nitrogen), PO₄⁻ (Orthophosphorus), and TP (Total Phosphorus) were measured in surface water samples (entering and leaving the VFS), and subsurface outflow. Soil samples were collected and analyzed for plant available Phosphorus (Bray P1) and NO₃-N concentrations. Results showed that PO₄⁻, NO₃-N, and TP concentrations decreased in surface flow through the VFS. Many surface outflow water samples from the VFS showed concentration reductions of as much as 75% for PO₄⁻ and 70% for TP. For subsurface outflow water samples through the drainage system, concentrations of PO₄⁻ and TP decreased but NO₃-N concentrations increased in comparison to concentrations in surface inflow samples. Soil samples that were collected from various depths in the VFS showed a minimal buildup of nutrients in the top soil profile but indicated a gradual buildup of nutrients at the depth of the subsurface drain. Results demonstrate that although a VFS can be very effective in reducing runoff and nutrients from surface flow, the presence of a subsurface drain underneath the VFS may not be environmentally beneficial. Such a combination may increase NO₃-N transport from the VFS, thus invalidating the purpose of the BMP.     

Assessment of Economic and Water Quality Impacts of Land Use Change Using a Simple Bioeconomic Model

The objective of this study is to assess the economic and water quality impact of land use change in a small watershed in the Wiregrass region of Alabama. The study compares changes in water quality and revenue from agricultural and timber production due to changes in land use between years 1992 and 2001. The study was completed in two stages. In the first stage, a biophysical model was used to estimate the effect of land use change on nitrogen and phosphorus runoff and sediment deposition in the main channel; in the second stage, farm enterprise budgeting tools were used to estimate the economic returns for the changes in land use condition. Both biophysical and economic results are discussed, and a case for complex optimization to develop a decision support system is presented.     

Concentration, sources and wet deposition of dissolved nitrogen and organic carbon in the Northern Indo-Gangetic Plain during monsoon

Precipitation represents an important phenomenon for carbon and nitrogen deposition. Here, the concentrations and fluxes of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) with their potential sources were analyzed in wet precipitation during summer monsoon from the Northern Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), important but neglected area. The volume-weighted mean (VWM) concentration of DOC and TDN were 687.04 and 1210.23 µg/L, respectively. Similarly, the VWM concentration of major ions were in a sequence of NH₄⁺ > Ca²⁺ > SO₄^2- > Na⁺ > K⁺ > NO₃^? > Cl^? > Mg²⁺ > F^? > NO₂^?, suggesting NH₄⁺ and Ca²⁺ from agricultural activities and crustal dust played a vital role in precipitation chemistry. Moreover, the wet deposition flux of DOC and TDN were 9.95 and 17.06 kg/(ha?year), respectively. The wet deposition flux of inorganic nitrogen species such as NH₄⁺-N and NO₃^?-N were 14.31 and 0.47 kg/(ha?year), respectively, demonstrating the strong influence of emission sources and precipitation volume. Source attribution from different analysis suggested the influence of biomass burning on DOC and anthropogenic activities (agriculture, animal husbandry) on nitrogenous species. The air-mass back trajectory analysis indicated the influence of air masses originating from the Bay of Bengal, which possibly carried marine and anthropogenic pollutants along with the biomass burning emissions to the sampling site. This study bridges the data gap in the less studied part of the northern IGP region and provides new information for policy makers to deal with pollution control.     

Nitrogenous and carbonaceous aerosols in PM2.5 and TSP during pre-monsoon: Characteristics and sources in the highly polluted mountain valley

This study reports for the first time a comprehensive analysis of nitrogenous and carbonaceous aerosols in simultaneously collected PM_2.5 and TSP during pre-monsoon (March–May 2018) from a highly polluted urban Kathmandu Valley (KV) of the Himalayan foothills. The mean mass concentration of PM_2.5 (129.8 µg/m³) was only ~25% of TSP mass (558.7 µg/ m³) indicating the dominance of coarser mode aerosols. However, the mean concentration as well as fractional contributions of water-soluble total nitrogen (WSTN) and carbonaceous species reveal their predominance in find-mode aerosols. The mean mass concentration of WSTN was 17.43±4.70 µg/m³ (14%) in PM_2.5 and 24.64±8.07 µg/m³ (5%) in TSP. Moreover, the fractional contribution of total carbonaceous aerosols (TCA) is much higher in PM_2.5 (~34%) than that in TSP (~20%). The relatively low OC/EC ratio in PM_2.5 (3.03 ± 1.47) and TSP (4.64 ± 1.73) suggests fossil fuel combustion as the major sources of carbonaceous aerosols with contributions from secondary organic aerosols. Five-day air mass back trajectories simulated with the HYSPLIT model, together with MODIS fire counts indicate the influence of local emissions as well as transported pollutants from the Indo-Gangetic Plain region to the south of the Himalayan foothills. Principal component analysis (PCA) also suggests a mixed contribution from other local anthropogenic, biomass burning, and crustal sources. Our results highlight that it is necessary to control local emissions as well as regional transport while designing mitigation measures to reduce the KV's air pollution.     

Berberine-loaded liquid crystalline nanoparticles inhibit non-small cell lung cancer proliferation and migration in vitro

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is reported to have a high incidence rate and is one of the most prevalent types of cancer contributing towards 85%...     

Autoantibodies and autoimmune disorders in SARS-CoV-2 infection: pathogenicity and immune regulation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease associated with the respiratory system caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The aim of this...     

Enhancing Conservation,Ecosystem Services,and Local Livelihoods through a Wildlife Premium Mechanism

We propose the wildlife premium mechanism as an innovation to conserve endangered large vertebrates. The performance‐based payment scheme would allow stakeholders in lower‐income countries to generate revenue by recovering and maintaining threatened fauna that can also serve as umbrella species (i.e., species whose protection benefits other species with which they co‐occur). There are 3 possible options for applying the premium: option 1, embed premiums in a carbon payment; option 2, link premiums to a related carbon payment, but as independent and legally separate transactions; option 3, link premiums to noncarbon payments for conserving ecosystem services (PES). Each option presents advantages, such as incentive payments to improve livelihoods of rural poor who reside in or near areas harboring umbrella species, and challenges, such as the establishment of a subnational carbon credit scheme. In Kenya, Peru, and Nepal pilot premium projects are now underway or being finalized that largely follow option 1. The Kasigau (Kenya) project is the first voluntary carbon credit project to win approval from the 2 leading groups sanctioning such protocols and has already sold carbon credits totaling over $1.2 million since June 2011. A portion of the earnings is divided among community landowners and projects that support community members and has added over 350 jobs to the local economy. All 3 projects involve extensive community management because they occur on lands where locals hold the title or have a long‐term lease from the government. The monitoring, reporting, and verification required to make premium payments credible to investors include transparent methods for collecting data on key indices by trained community members and verification of their reporting by a biologist. A wildlife premium readiness fund would enable expansion of pilot programs needed to test options beyond those presented here. Mejora de la Conservación, Servicios del Ecosistema y Calidad de Vida Local Mediante un Mecanismo de Compensación de Vida Silvestre     

Occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in biosolids

Each year, large quantities of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are used worldwide. Once conveyed to wastewater treatment plants, PPCPs can remain unchanged or undergo partial or complete transformation during wastewater treatment processes before discharge into the environment via effluent and biosolids for land application. Biosolids can be a major sink for some PPCPs. Previous investigations have indicated that land application of biosolids may be a potential important route through which PPCPs enter the environment. However, no information is available on exactly how closely the concentrations of PPCPs in the environmental media are related to the land application of PPCP-containing biosolids. This paper reviews currently available information on the occurrence of PPCPs in biosolids, methods of analysis, the potential fate of PPCPs in biosolids-applied soils, and composting as a potential means for removal of PPCPs from biosolids.     

Effect of pH and Temperature on the Kinetics of Odor Oxidation Using Chlorine Dioxide

Abstract

Increasing public concerns over odors and air regulations in nonattainment zones necessitate the remediation of a wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) generated in the poultry-rendering industry. Currently, wet scrubbers using oxidizing chemicals such as chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) are utilized to treat VOCs. However, little information is available on the kinetics of ClO₂ reaction with rendering air pollutants, limiting wet scrubber design and optimization. Kinetic analysis indicated that ClO₂ does not react with hexanal and 2-methylbutanal regardless of pH and temperature and implied that alde-hyde removal occurs primarily via mass transfer. Contrary to the aldehydes, ethanethiol or ethyl mercaptan (a model compound for methanethiol or methyl mercaptan) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) rapidly reacted with ClO₂. The overall reaction was found to be second and third order for ethanethiol and DMDS, respectively. Moreover, an increase in pH from 3.6 to 5.1 exponentially increased the reaction rate of ethanethiol (e.g., k ₂ = 25– 4200 L/mol/sec from pH 3.6 to 5.1) and significantly increased the reaction rate of DMDS if increased to pH 9 (k ₃ = 1.4 × 10⁶ L²/mol²/sec). Thus, a small increase in pH could significantly improve wet scrubber operations for removal of odor-causing compounds. However, an increase in pH did not improve aldehyde removal. The results explain why aldehyde removal efficiencies are much lower than methanethiol and DMDS in wet scrub-bers using ClO₂.