Tests of soil organic carbon density modeled by InTEC in China's forest ecosystems

The integrated terrestrial ecosystem C-budget model (InTEC) developed by Chen and co-workers has been used successfully to predict carbon dynamics of forests in Canada. It was tested here for forest soil organic carbon (SOC) density of China's northern temperate zone and southern subtropical zone. The results show that the simulated SOC density is highly correlated and in broad agreement with observations in Liping and in Changbaishan, representing the southern subtropical zone and the northern temperate zone in China, respectively. SOC density ranged from 2.2 to 11.2 kg/m(2) in Liping and from 3.4 to 14.8 kg/m(2) in Changbaishan. The correlation coefficients (r(2)) are 0.63 (N=16) and 0.76 (N=14) between the simulated and measured data in Liping and Changbaishan, respectively. The SOC densities under different vegetation types in Liping decrease in the order of mixed forest, broadleaf forest, Chinese fir, couch grass, and Chinese redpine, and in Changbaishan in the order of mixed forest, silver fir, larch forest, and birch forest.     

Accumulation of copper in brown rice and effect of copper on rice growth and grain yield in different rice cultivars

A pot experiment with 38 commonly cultured rice cultivars showed that the effect of Cu (100 mg kg(-1)) on rice growth, grain yield and accumulation of Cu in brown rice varied greatly with different cultivars. Although the average Cu concentration in brown rice of the 38 cultivars was significantly increased (P<0.01) compared with the control, in none of the cultivars did Cu concentration in brown rice exceed the maximum permissible limit of 10 mg Cu kg(-1). This suggests that rice grown in Cu-contaminated paddy soil (100 mg Cu kg(-1)) will not adversely affect human health through the food chain. Because of the significant negative correlation between grain weight and Cu concentration in brown rice with the soil Cu treatment, screening for cultivars with low Cu accumulation in brown rice and high grain yield for Cu-contaminated areas is feasible. The present research led to the recommendation of three such cultivars: Jiahua, Zhenxian 866, Zhe 733. The average grain yield under Cu treatment (100 mg Cu kg(-1) soil) was significantly (P<0.01) reduced compared with the control. The decreases or increases of grain yields mainly resulted from the combined effects of the panicles per pot, spikelets per panicle and filled spikelets per panicle under the soil Cu treatment. Furthermore, there were significant (r=0.869, P<0.01) positive correlations between the RC (relative changes) of spikelets per panicle and filled spikelets per panicle under the soil Cu treatment.     

Removal of SO2 from simulated flue gases using non-thermal plasma-based microgap discharge

The removal of sulfur dioxide (SO2) from simulated flue gases streams (N2/O2/H2O/SO2) was experimentally investigated using microgap discharge. In the experiment, the thinner dielectric layers of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) were used to form the microgap discharge. With this physical method, a high concentration of hydroxyl (OH*) radicals were produced using the ionization of O2 and H2O to further the conversion of SO2 into sulfuric acid (H2SO4) at 120 degrees C in the absence of any catalysts and absorbents, which were captured with the electrostatic precipitator (ESP). As a result, the increase of discharge power and concentrations of O2 and H2O increased the production of OH. radicals resulting in enhanced removal of SO2 from gas streams. With the test and analysis, a number of H2SO4 droplets were produced in experiment. Therefore, a new method for removal of SO2 in semidry method without ammonia (NH3) additive was found.     

Adverse health effects of outdoor air pollutants

Much research on the health effects of outdoor air pollution has been published in the last decade. The goal of this review is to concisely summarize a wide range of the recent research on health effects of many types of outdoor air pollution. A review of the health effects of major outdoor air pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur and nitrogen oxides, acid gases, metals, volatile organics, solvents, pesticides, radiation and bioaerosols is presented. Numerous studies have linked atmospheric pollutants to many types of health problems of many body systems including the respiratory, cardiovascular, immunological, hematological, neurological and reproductive/ developmental systems. Some studies have found increases in respiratory and cardiovascular problems at outdoor pollutant levels well below standards set by such agencies as the US EPA and WHO. Air pollution is associated with large increases in medical expenses, morbidity and is estimated to cause about 800,000 annual premature deaths worldwide [Cohen, A.J., Ross Alexander, H., Ostro, B., Pandey, K.D., Kryzanowski, M., Kunzail, N., et al., 2005. The global burden of disease due to outdoor air pollution. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 68: 1-7.]. Further research on the health effects of air pollution and air pollutant abatement methods should be very helpful to physicians, public health officials, industrialists, politicians and the general public.     

Methane emissions of rice increased by elevated carbon dioxide and temperature

Methane (CH4) effluxes by paddy-culture rice (Oryza sativa L.) contribute about 16% of the total anthropogenic emissions. Since radiative forcing of CH4 at current atmospheric concentrations is 21 times greater on a per mole basis than that of carbon dioxide (CO2), it is imperative that the impact of global change on rice CH4 emissions be evaluated. Rice (cv. IR72) was planted in sunlit, closed-circulation, controlled-environment chambers in which CH4 efflux densities were measured daily. The CO2 concentration was maintained at either 330 or 660 micromol mol(-1). Air temperatures were controlled to daily maxima and minima of 32/23, 35/26, and 38/29 degrees C at each CO2 treatment. Emissions of CH4 each day were determined during a 4-h period after venting and resealing the chambers at 0800 h. Diurnal CH4 effluxes on 77, 98, and 119 d after planting (DAP) were obtained similarly at 4-h intervals. Emissions over four-plant hills and over flooded bare soil were measured at 53, 63, and 100 DAP. Emissions were negligible before 40 DAP. Thereafter, emissions were observed first in high-CO2, high-temperature treatments and reached a sustained maximum efflux density of about 7 mg m(-2) h(-1) (0.17 g m(-2) d(-1)) near the end of the growing season. Total seasonal CH4 emission was fourfold greater for high-CO2, high-temperature treatments than for the low-CO2, low-temperature treatment, probably due to more root sloughing or exudates, since about sixfold more acetate was found in the soil at 71 DAP. Both rising CO2 and increasing temperatures could lead to a positive feedback on global warming by increasing the emissions of CH4 from rice.     

Solid-state Al-air battery with an ethanol gel electrolyte

Hydrogel electrolyte is especially suitable for solid-state Al-air batteries targeted for various portable applications, which may, however, lead to continuous Al corrosion during battery standby. To tackle this issue, an ethanol gel electrolyte is developed for Al-air battery for the first time in this work, by using KOH as solute and polyethylene oxide as gelling agent. The ethanol gel is found to effectively inhibit Al corrosion compared with the water gel counterpart, leading to stable Al st...     

Relationship between carbon dioxide/methane emissions and the water quality/sediment characteristics of Taiwan's main rivers

River and sediment have unique carbon dynamics and are important sources of the dominant greenhouse gases (GHG), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). To understand the relationship between CO2/CH4 emissions and water quality/sediment characteristics, we have investigated critical parameters in the river water. Eight parameters of water quality (dissolved oxygen, oxidation-reduction potential [ORP], chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand [BOD5], suspended solid, nitrate [NO3-], NH4+, and bacteria) and four sediment characteristics (total organic carbon [TOC], total nitrogen [T-N], NO3-, and ammonium [NH4+]) were measured in two of the larger rivers in Taiwan, and relevant environmental conditions were recorded. The experimental results indicated that CO2 emissions from the river were mainly affected by BOD5 concentrations and the levels of bacteria. CH4 emissions, on the other hand, were greatly affected by the ORP in the river. The correlation between CO2 emissions and sediment characteristics was insignificant (R2 < 0.3). However, TOC and T-N in the sediment may lead to increases in CH4 emissions into the atmosphere. A deeper analysis of the relationship between the different parameters and GHG emissions by ANOVA and the multiple regression method revealed that CO2 emission (y) was significantly related to bacteria number (x1) and BOD concentration (X2). The regression equation takes the form y = 0.00032x1 + 3.18089x2 + 25.37304. Also, the regression relationship between CH4 emission (y) and ORP (x) in the river can be described as y = -0.825216x + 169.02257. The relationship between CH4 emission and sediment characteristics may be described as y = 5.073962x1(TOC) + 2.871245x2(T-N) - 12.3262. Extra sampling data were collected to examine the feasibility of the developed multiple regression equations. The experimental results suggest that the emissions of such GHGs as CO2 and CH4 from rivers can be predicted using the regression equations developed here. Moreover, the emissions may be reduced by manipulating the proper factors.     

A new intelligent electronic nose system for measuring and analysing livestock and poultry farm odours

This paper introduces a new portable intelligent electronic nose system developed especially for measuring and analysing livestock and poultry farm odours. It can be used in both laboratory and field. The sensor array of the proposed electronic nose consists of 14 gas sensors, a humidity sensor, and a temperature sensor. The gas sensors were especially selected for the main compounds from the livestock farm odours. An expert system called “Odour Expert” was developed to support researchers’ and farmers’ decision making on odour control strategies for livestock and poultry operations. “Odour Expert” utilises several advanced artificial intelligence technologies tailored to livestock and poultry farm odours. It can provide more advanced odour analysis than existing commercially available products. In addition, a rank of odour generation factors is provided, which refines the focus of odour control research. Field experiments were conducted downwind from the barns on 14 livestock and poultry farms. Experimental results show that the predicted odour strengths by the electronic nose yield higher consistency in comparison to the perceived odour intensity by human panel. The “Odour Expert” is a useful tool for assisting farmers’ odour management practises. Supported by Ontario Pork, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) of Canada.     

Metal release from stainless steel particles in vitro-influence of particle size

Human inhalation of airborne metallic particles is important for health risk assessment. To study interactions between metallic particles and the human body, metal release measurements of stainless steel powder particles were performed in two synthetic biological media simulating lung-like environments. Particle size and media strongly influence the metal release process. The release rate of Fe is enhanced compared with Cr and Ni. In artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF, pH 4.5), the accumulated amounts of released metal per particle loading increase drastically with decreasing particle size. The release rate of Fe per unit surface area increases with decreasing particle size. Compared with massive sheet metal, fine powder particles (<4 microm) show similar release rates of Cr and Ni, but a higher release rate of Fe. Release rates in Gamble's solution (pH 7.4), for all powders investigated, are significantly lower compared to ALF. No clear trend is seen related to particle size in Gamble's solution.     

Source attribution for mercury deposition in the contiguous United States: regional difference and seasonal variation

Quantifying the contribution of emission sources responsible for mercury deposition in specific receptor regions helps develop emission control strategies that alleviate the impact on ecosystem and human health. In light of the maximum available control technology (MACT) rules proposed by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the ongoing intergovernmental negotiation coordinated by United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) for mercury, the Community Multiscale Air Quality Modeling System (CMAQ-Hg) was applied to estimate the source contribution in six subregions of the contiguous United States (CONUS). The considered source categories include electric generating units (EGU), iron and steel industry (IRST), other industrial point sources excluding EGU and IRST (OIPM), the remaining anthropogenic sources (RA), natural processes (NAT), and out-of-boundary transport (BC). It is found that, on an annual basis, dry deposition accounts for two-thirds of total annual deposition in CONUS (474 Mg yr(-1)), mainly contributed by reactive gaseous mercury (about 60% of total deposition). The contribution from large point sources can be as high as 75% near the emission sources (< 100 km), indicating that emission reduction may result in direct deposition decrease near the source locations. Out-of-boundary transport contributes from 68% (Northeast) to 91% (West Central) of total deposition. Excluding the contribution from out-of boundary transport, EGU contributes to about 50% of deposition in the Northeast, Southeast, and East Central regions, whereas emissions from natural processes are more important in the Pacific and West Central regions (contributing up to 40% of deposition). This suggests that the implementation of the new EPA MACT standards will significantly benefit only these three regions. Emission speciation is a key factor for local deposition. The source contribution exhibits strong seasonal variation. Deposition is greater in warm seasons due to stronger Hg0 oxidation. However, the contribution from anthropogenic sources is smaller in warm seasons because of larger emissions from natural processes and stronger vertical mixing that facilitates transport.