The interaction between physical and social-psychological factors in indoor environmental health

Indoor environmental health is now recognized as an important factor in preventing respiratory health problems in the United States. It is also a concern in Canada due to the amount of time that Canadians spend indoors because of cold weather and the potential for increased time indoors during the summer if theclimate warms. The negative health effects are often labeled assick building syndrome, but diagnosing a building or itsoccupants as sick is complicated by the variety of symptoms, thepresence of chronic versus acute symptoms and social andpsychological (socio-psychological) factors that may reduce theeffectiveness of an engineering solution. As a case study, thecontribution of various factors to indoor environmental health,in three buildings at the University of Toronto, was examinedusing five different methods. The results indicate that theinhabitants of the buildings consider features other than airquality in considering building health such as design,maintenance, funding cuts and socio-psychological factors.     

Biotreatability and kinetics of UASB reactor to mixtures of chlorophenol pollutants

In most natural ecosystems heterotrophic microorganisms encountercomplex mixtures of carbon sources, each of which is present at aconcentration of few micrograms per litre. This study examined the biotreatability and kinetics of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor to complex mixtures of chlorophenols encountered in environmental conditions using on-line and off-line experimental studies. Results indicate that (1) steady-state concentration was quite lower (98.3 mg L^-1) with complex mixture of chlorophenols than steady-state concentration achieved when only 2.4 dichlorophenol (124 mg L^-1) was studied alone on the same reactor; (2) that toxiceffects of chlorophenols increase with increasing concentrationsof toxicant. (Onset of the inhibitory effect occurred at a lowerconcentration in multi-substrate than in single substrate utilization); (3) addition of alternative utilizable substrate can mitigate toxic effects and enhance degradation; (4) the relative concentration of substrate was critical in determiningutilization patterns. HPLC analysis of off-line experimental samples resulted in a steady-state treatment efficiency of68% for COD, 36% for 2-hlorophenol, 40.5% for 4-chlorophenol, 70.7% for 2,4-dichlorophenol, 53.2% for 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and 42% for pentachlorophenol in presence of glucose. Kinetic constant in terms of V _max and K _s were determined. K _s for the five chlorophenols ranged between 0.016 and 0.117 kg m^-3 day^-1 while V _max ranged between 0.056 and 0.244 kg m^-3 day^-1.     

IMPACTS OF VISITORS ON SOIL AND VEGETATION OF THE RECREATIONAL AREA “NACIMIENTO DEL RÍO MUNDO” (CASTILLA-LA MANCHA, SPAIN)

This study examines the effects of recreational use on the soil and vegetation at a site of ecological importance (Nacimiento del Río Mundo, Albacete, Spain). The most visited sites showed increased soil compaction of approximately 50%, bare ground increase to 61 ± 10% and a decrease in richness (from 25 ± 2 to 15 ± 2 species), diversity (from 4.0 ± 0.1 to 2.7 ± 0.4) and stratification of plant species (from 80 ± 11 to 21 ± 4%). The most visited sites had 90% less plant species as compared to the least visited. Intense use was associated with the presence of nitrophilous plant and vegetal species with a morphology adapted to heavy trampling. The recreational areas showed a distribution pattern of impact radiating outwards from the most used and degraded point. At the most visited point, Los Chorros (the spring of the river), the impact radiated outwards for about 20 m. A pilot experiment examining the effects of one-year restriction to visitors for access to a formerly impacted area showed a plant cover increase by anthropic and not by native species of 57 percent units.     

Pool of Dust Particles over the Asian Continent: Balloon-borne Optical Particle Counter and Ground-based Lidar Measurements at Dunhuang, China

Measurements of aerosols were made in 2001 and 2002 at Dunhuang (40 degrees 00'N, 94 degrees 30'E), China to understand the nature of atmospheric particles over the desert areas in the Asian continent. Balloon-borne measurements with an optical particle counter suggested that particle size and concentration had noticeable peaks in super micron size range not only in the boundary mixing layer but also in the free troposphere. Super-micron particle concentration largely decreased in the mid tropopause (from 5 to 10 km; above sea level, a.s.l.). Lidar measurements made during August 2002 at Dunhuang suggested the possibility that mixing of dust particles occurred from near the ground to about 6 km even under calm weather conditions, and a large depolarization ratio of particulate matter was found in the aerosol layer. The top of the aerosol layer was found at heights of nearly 6 km (a.s.l.). It is strongly suggested that nonspherical dust particles (Kosa particles) frequently diffused in the free atmosphere over the Taklamakan desert through small-scale turbulences and are possible sources of dust particles of weak Kosa events that have been identified in the free troposphere not only in spring but also in summer over Japanese archipelago. Electron microscopic experiments of the particles collected in the free troposphere confirmed that coarse and nonspherical particles observed by the mineral particle were major components of coarse mode (diameter larger than 1 microm) below about 5 km over Dunhuang, China.     

Emergy evaluation of the environment and economy of Hong Kong

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过去全球变化的海洋记录(IUGS过去全球变化专题讨论会第一工作组的报告)

论述了海洋沉积物岩心记录在过去全球变化中的作用,按大、中、小三个时间尺度考虑了海洋记录,提出了与这三个时间尺度有关的目标,指出了实现这些目标的战略,列出了对今后研究工作的建议。     

土耳其西南部安迭士利克-捷姆巴拉利克地区的铬铁矿和高铁铬铁矿的电子显微探针研究

土耳其西南部的橄榄岩可分为北部单元和南部单元。从达特查半岛向东延伸,每一单元的面积超过700平方公里。安迭士利克-捷坶巴拉利克(Andizlik-Zimparalk)位于北部单元东,端弗提耶之北40公里处。本区是一个铬矿经济资源地。橄榄岩体总的走向为NW-SF。岩体南北与沉积围岩以倾向橄榄岩的冲断层带相接触。沉积岩未变质,主要由古生代和中生代灰岩及中新世复理层所组成。     

北大西洋区域的环境变化:SCANNET作为记载、认识和预测变化的合作途径

北大西洋周边区域(SCANNET区域)涵盖了广泛的气候区、自然环境和可用自然资源范围.除了最北部地区,至少自最后一次冰期结束以来,这里就有人和多种文化存在.然而,该区在大的地理尺度上也是非常重要的,因为它影响着全球气候并支撑着在北极地区和世界其它大陆之间迁徙的动物.这一区域的气候、环境和土地利用正在发生急剧变化,预测显示,全球变暖在这里的表现会更强,而土地利用的增加会使剩余的野地急剧减少.因为本区大部分地方人口稀疏(如果有人居住的话),过去环境变化及其影响方面的观测记录也都是很少而且时段很短的.然而,记录现在正在进行的变化、认识这些变化的驱动力和预测这些变化的后果变得非常重要了.为了促进认识全球变化对北大西洋区域陆地的影响的研究,同时也为了实时监测这种变化,2000年欧共体资助成立了一个研究站点网络及其下设机构,命名为SCANNET--斯堪的纳维亚(半岛)(瑞典、挪威、丹麦、冰岛的泛称)/北欧陆地野外基础网络.SCANNET目前包括9个核心站及当地网络里面的5个站,它们一起覆盖了该区当前气候和预测的变化的广泛区域.气候指标在网络内部是共同的,而每个站点都选择特殊的环境和生态主题进行精细观测.这既保证了主题覆盖面的多样性又保证了专门技术的多样性.我们总结了SCANNET到目前为止的发现,并概述其资料基础,以增加对北大西洋环境变化数据的了解.同时我们也总结我们在理解方面的重要缺陷以及SCANNET已经存在机构和行动在促进今后的研究、监测和野外实证行动方面的作用.     

Gold mining in Siberia and the Far East as a source of mercury contamination of the environment

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＳｉｂｅｒｉａａｎｄｔｈｅＦａｒＥａｓｔａｒｅｔｈｅｏｌｄｅｓｔａｎｄｔｈｅｒｉｃｈｅｓｔｇｏｌｄ ｍｉｎｉｎｇａｒｅａｓｏｆＲｕｓｓｉａ .Ｉｎｔｅｎｓｉｖｅｇｏｌｄ ｍｉｎｉｎｇｈｅｒｅｓｔａｒｔｅｄｉｎｔｈｅｂｅｇｉｎｎｉｎｇｏｆｔｈｅ 19ｔｈｃｅｎｔｕｒｙ(Ｖｙａｚｅｌｓｈｃｈｉｋｏｖ ,1963) .Ｆｏｒｔｈｅｍｏｓｔｐａｒｔｇｏｌｄ ｂｅａｒｉｎｇｏｒｅｓａｎｄｓａｎｄｓｗｅｒｅｐｒｏｃｅｓｓｅｄｗｉｔｈｔｈｅｕｓｅｏｆａｍａｌｇａｍａｔｉｏｎｍｅｔｈｏｄｆｏｒｇｏｌｄｅ…     

海水中氰化物的直接测定

为直接测定氰化物,本文提出了一种快速而又准确的方法,即在其它未污染的海水中使用一种氰离子选择电极法直接测定氰化物。当氰化物的含量很低时,氯化物的干扰较大,但是用测定低于20μg/l的氰化物时而得到的适当选择性校正值,几乎可以完全消除其影响。氰离子电极也适用于连续监测毒理学研究中氰化物的含量。