Vacuum pyrolysis of waste tires with basic additives

Granules of waste tires were pyrolyzed under vacuum (3.5-10kPa) conditions, and the effects of temperature and basic additives (Na(2)CO(3), NaOH) on the properties of pyrolysis were thoroughly investigated. It was obvious that with or without basic additives, pyrolysis oil yield increased gradually to a maximum and subsequently decreased with a temperature increase from 450 degrees C to 600 degrees C, irrespective of the addition of basic additives to the reactor. The addition of NaOH facilitated pyrolysis dramatically, as a maximal pyrolysis oil yield of about 48wt% was achieved at 550 degrees C without the addition of basic additives, while a maximal pyrolysis oil yield of about 50wt% was achieved at 480 degrees C by adding 3wt% (w/w, powder/waste tire granules) of NaOH powder. The composition analysis of pyrolytic naphtha (i.b.p. (initial boiling point) approximately 205 degrees C) distilled from pyrolysis oil showed that more dl-limonene was obtained with basic additives and the maximal content of dl-limonene in pyrolysis oil was 12.39wt%, which is a valuable and widely-used fine chemical. However, no improvement in pyrolysis was observed with Na(2)CO(3) addition. Pyrolysis gas was mainly composed of H(2), CO, CH(4), CO(2), C(2)H(4) and C(2)H(6). Pyrolytic char had a surface area comparable to commercial carbon black, but its proportion of ash (above 11.5wt%) was much higher.     

A GIS-based system for allocating municipal solid waste incinerator compensatory fund

To ease the NIMBY (not in my back yard) syndrome of constructing municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerators in Taiwan, compensatory funding is widely allocated to the impacted communities to gain the acceptance and support of residents living the impacted areas. This paper presents a spatial methodology for distributing a compensatory fund more logically based on the environmental impact on each neighborhood in Taipei City. This method integrates ten impact factors, which have been proposed by a local committee, to evaluate all neighborhoods using mathematical models combined with spatial analyses in an analytic hierarchy process. The compensatory fund is distributed according to the resulting final scores. A GIS (geographic information systems)-based system has been developed to assist in assigning the final scores to the neighborhoods impacted. Results on impact factors and fund distributions are combined; they are included in an information system and displayed in spatial scales. For Taipei City, the impact of air quality during the incinerator operating period is the item of greatest concern to the surrounding residents and thus, it receives a relatively higher weight of 0.2894. As a result, high impact scores were assigned to not only those neighborhoods hosting the incinerators, but also the neighborhoods where the maximum particulate air pollutants occurred. This approach could be applicable to other MSW incinerators with similar environmental impact problems and interest in compensation schemes.     

Determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes in water at sub-ng l-1 levels by solid-phase microextraction coupled to cryo-trap gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A trace analytical method of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) in water has been developed by using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled to cryo-trap gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The chromatographic peak shape for BTEX was improved by using cryo-trap equipment. The HS-SPME experimental procedures to extract BTEX from water were optimized with a 75 microm carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS)-coated fiber at a sodium chloride concentration of 267 g l(-1), extraction for 15 min at 25 degrees C and desorption at 290 degrees C for 2 min. Good linearity was verified in a range of 0.0001-50 microg l(-1) for each analyte (r(2)=0.996-0.999). The limits of detection (LODs) of BTEX in water reached at sub-ng l(-1) levels. LODs of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m/p-xylene and o-xylene were 0.04, 0.02, 0.05, 0.01 and 0.02 ng l(-1), respectively. The proposed analytical method was successfully used for the quantification of trace BTEX in ground water. The results indicate that HS-SPME coupled to cryo-trap GC-MS is an effective tool for analysis of BTEX in water samples at the sub-ng l(-1) level.     

Atmospheric peroxides over the North Pacific during IOC 2002 shipboard experiment

Atmospheric hydrogen peroxide and methyl hydroperoxide were determined onboard the Melville over the North Pacific from Osaka to Honolulu during May-June 2002. The concentrations of H(2)O(2) and CH(3)OOH increased from 0.64+/-0.57 ppbv and 0.27+/-0.59 ppbv in subpolar region (30-50 degrees N) to 1.96+/-0.95 ppbv and 1.56+/-1.3 ppbv in subtropical region (24-30 degrees N). The increase in concentrations towards the Equator was more pronounced for CH(3)OOH than H(2)O(2). In contrast, the levels of O(3) and CO were decreased at lower latitudes as air mass was more aged, denoted by the ratios of C(2)H(2)/CO and C(3)H(8)/C(2)H(6). CH(3)OOH concentrations showed a clear diurnal variation with a maximum around noon and minimum before sunrise. Frequently, the concentrations of peroxides remained over 1 ppbv in the dark and even gradually increased after sunset. In addition, the ratios of C(2)H(4)/C(2)H(6) and C(3)H(6)/C(3)H(8) were increased in aged subtropical air, which implies that these alkenes were emitted from the ocean surface. As a result, the reaction of these biogenic alkenes with O(3) was suggested to be a potential source for peroxides in aged marine air at lower latitudes.     

Trace metal concentration in Great Tit (Parus major) and Greenfinch (Carduelis sinica) at the Western Mountains of Beijing, China

We examined the concentrations of 11 trace metals in tissues from 10 body parts of Great Tits and Greenfinches collected at Badachu Park in the Western Mountains of Beijing, China to assess the metal accumulation level, distribution among body parts, and species and gender related variations. The highest concentrations of Hg, Ni, Zn, and Mn were found in the feather; Pb and Co in the bone; Cd, Cr, and Se in the kidney, and Cu in the liver and heart. Metal concentrations had substantial interspecific variation with Great Tits showing higher levels of Hg, Cr, Ni, and Mn than Greenfinches in tissues of most body parts. Gender related variations were body part and species specific. Meta-analyses using data from this study and other studies suggested that metal concentrations of Great Tits at our study site were relatively low and below the toxic levels.     

Assessment of the relative toxicity of Cu2+ by measuring structural changes of supercoiled DNA

A method for the measurement of the relative toxicity of Cu2+ in aquatic environments is proposed. It is based on the quantitative measurement on the shape change of the supercoiled DNA after it is contacted with different levels of Cu2+ for various time intervals. In the absence of any redox reagents, all supercoiled DNA degraded into other forms of DNA after 24h incubation in the presence of 5.13 x 10(-3), 5.08 x 10(-4) and 5.35 x 10(-5)mol/L Cu2+. At a lower Cu2+ concentration (10(-6)mol/L), 44% of supercoiled DNA retained its original supercoiled form after 24 h, and 29% after 48 h. The concentration of RC50, i.e. concentration of pollutants at which 50% of the supercoiled DNA was relaxed compared to control samples, can be obtained from the does-response curves at different exposure time, which may provide a rapid and convenient approach to assess the relative toxicity of environmental pollutants.     

淮安市农产品中重金属及有机氯、有机磷农药残留量调查

淮安市环境监测中心站于1999年－2000年对淮安市农产品中重金属以及有机氯、有机磷农药残留量进行了调查。结果表明，粮食和蔬菜作物中，六六六的4种同分异构体只有γ－六六六能检出，检出率分别为24．0％和51．7％，都未超标；DDT的4种同分异要体均未检出；有机磷农药的检出率分别为5％和25％，其中蔬菜中敌敌畏含量出现个别超标现象，倍硫磷、乐果和杀螟松在粮食和蔬菜作物中的含量都不超标。重金属中金属“五毒”在粮食和蔬菜作物中，只有Cr和Pb能检出，Cd、Hg和As都未检出，Cu、Zn和Mn能检出，但不超标。提出，应严格按照农牧渔业部和卫生部颁发的《农药安全使用规定》用药，多使用高效低残留量的“绿色农药”；农业、环保和卫生部门必须加强合作，对蔬菜生产销售的全过程进行监督监测，以确保生产无公害蔬菜。     

外源锌对镉胁迫下玉米幼苗生长及根系构型分级的影响

为探究不同浓度锌（Zn）对镉（Cd）胁迫条件下玉米幼苗生长及根系构型分级的影响,通过水培试验,以玉米品种郑单958为试验材料,研究Cd胁迫条件下（50 μmol·L^-1）,外源施加不同浓度Zn（0、10、25、50、100、200和400 μmol·L^-1）对玉米幼苗生长、根系构型及其分级特征、Cd含量及根系Cd吸收能力、光合系统的影响,并通过主成分分析和隶属函数法进行综合评价.结果表明,50 μmol·L^-1 Cd胁迫对玉米幼苗具有明显的毒害作用,使叶绿素含量和光合参数显著降低,主根长、株高、生物量、根分枝数和根尖数,包括Ⅰ~Ⅲ级径级区间的根长、根表面积及Ⅰ~Ⅱ级径级区间的根体积显著下降,阻碍了玉米幼苗的正常生长发育.施用100 μmol·L^-1和200 μmol·L^-1 Zn与不施Zn相比,降低了玉米幼苗对Cd的吸收,显著降低了Cd含量和Cd吸收效率,缓解了对玉米幼苗的毒害作用,使地上地下部鲜重、地上部干重、地上地下部耐受指数和根分枝数均显著升高;显著增强了玉米幼苗的光合作用,促使幼苗光合速率和总叶绿素含量显著升高;Ⅰ级径级区间的RL、Ⅰ~Ⅱ级径级区间的SA和RV在100 μmol·L^-1 Zn时达到最大,Ⅲ级径级区间的RL、SA和RV在200 μmol·L^-1 Zn时达到最大,均显著高于不施Zn处理;玉米幼苗生长耐受性综合评价表明,100 μmol·L^-1和200 μmol·L^-1 Zn缓解Cd毒害作用效果较好.综合分析可知,施加适宜浓度的Zn可以降低玉米幼苗植株内Cd含量、根系Cd吸收能力及Cd吸收效率,提高玉米幼苗生物量的积累,减轻Cd毒害对根系构型的影响,减少对光合系统的影响,提高玉米幼苗对Cd的耐受性.     

静电放电电磁辐射模式的建立与仿真

介绍了静电放电电磁辐射场的理论模型;针对长导体模型分析了其数学模型的建立方法;讨论了长导体模型实验仿真方法与结果.