Atmospheric transport of atrazine: a simple device for its detection

Thin-layer chromatography plates were exposed at three different locations in Bavaria for 3-week periods during the growing season of maize. The adsorption of traces of atrazine was detected by thin-layer chromatography, GC-MS, and by an enzyme immunoassay. It was restricted to the sowing season, which coincides with the application of atrazine. The herbicide could not be detected after this time. The simplicity of the adsorption device, combined with a serological assay, render this procedure suitable for detecting airborne organic pollutants.     

水圈中化学物质的生物浓缩机理

1.生物浓缩的热函 生物浓缩怎样用热力学理论来解释?本文即来论述这一有趣的问题。 1979年Veith等选用虹鳟(salmo gairdneri)鱼试验PCB(Aroclor 1254)的生物浓缩随温度变动而变化。表1记述了     

旅游业:对气候敏感的行业

1988年,世界气象组织与联合国环境规划署共同成立一个政府间气候变化专家委员会（IPCC）来评价气候变化（全球变暖）的潜在影响。世界气象组织也协调了特别适用于旅游业社会经济规划与运行的、与气候有关的方法的大气研究与开发。在国家层次上,已经出现几项关于气候变化潜在影响的研究与评价。国家气象服务部门通过提供一般信息和专门天气预报,有助于缓解气候变化的潜在有害影响。本文第二部分评论了加拿大大气环境服务局（AES）的工作。     

声和热试验设备

提出了将高级半人马号最终飞行构型暴露在强烈的声和高热环境中的要求。为满足这一要求,建造了一台大型的声和热试验设备。该设备由一个1840.8m~3的混响室和一台安放在单净化环境设备中的1316.9m~3热箱组成。     

Anthropogenic nitrogen sources and exports in a village-scale catchment in Southeast China

An experimental village-scale catchment was selected for investigation of nitrogen (N) sources and exports. The mean N application rate over the catchment was 350.2 kg N ha⁻¹, but this rate varied spatially and temporally. The N leaching loss rate varied from 8.1 to 52.7 kg N ha⁻¹ under different land use regimes. The average N leaching loss rate was 13.4 kg N ha⁻¹ over the whole catchment, representing about 3.8% of the total N inputs. The N export rate through stormflows was 28.8 kg N ha⁻¹, about 8.2% of the total N inputs. Seasonal patterns showed that 95% of N exports through stormflows occurred during July to September in 2002. Overall, the maximum riverine N exports were 12.1% of total N inputs and 15.5% of the inorganic fertilizer N applied. Understanding N sources and exports in a village-scale catchment can provide a knowledge base for amelioration of diffuse agricultural pollution.     

Accumulation and phytoavailability of benzo[a]pyrene in an acid sandy soil

Effects of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) on ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) growth, plant accumulation and dissipiation of B[a]P in a red sandy soil (Hapli-Udic Argosol) were studied in a pot experiment. The plants were grown for 61 days in soil spiked with B[a]P at 0, 12.5, 25 and 50 mg kg⁻¹. Control pots without plants were also set up. Soil extractable B[a]P, plant shoot and root biomass, and concentrations of B[a]P in plant shoots and roots were determined. Ryegrass biomass was increased by addition of B[a]P and root B[a]P concentrations were significantly correlated with B[a]P application rate, but no such correlation was found for shoot B[a]P concentrations. This indicates that B[a]P enhanced the growth of the ryegrass. The extractable B[a]P concentration in the planted soil was significantly lower than that in the unplanted control soil at the rate of 50 mg B[a]P kg⁻¹. This indicates that ryegrass may help to dissipate B[a]P in soil at concentrations over 50 mg kg⁻¹ soil although the mechanism for this is not understood.     

Young driver risk in relation to parents' retrospective driving record

PROBLEM: Parents are an important potential influence on the driving safety of their children. This study examined the relationship of parental driving record on male and female offspring's at-fault collision risk. METHOD: Drivers aged 16-21 on the date of full licensure were selected from driver records and a matching process was used to identify putative parents in two-parent households. Poisson regression models were developed to predict at-fault collisions of male and female youth in the three years following full licensure from parents' at-fault collisions, speeding offenses, and other moving offenses in the four years prior to children's licensure. One set of models examined the relative risk associated with increasing numbers of maternal and paternal at-fault collisions and offenses. Other models examined the joint versus separate maternal and parental contributions. RESULTS: Controlling for region of residence, both mothers' and fathers' at-fault collisions were associated with an increased risk in both male and female youth at-fault collisions. Mothers' and fathers' speeding offenses were also associated with increased relative risk of at-fault collisions for both sons and daughters, while fathers' other moving offenses increased collision risk for sons but not daughters. DISCUSSION: Further research is required to identify how parental driving risk is transmitted to children. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: (a) Parents of young children should be informed of their role in influencing their children's future driving risk; (b) The results identify risk factors that could be of interest to licensing authorities and the insurance industry.     

Decomposition of silicate minerals by Bacillus mucilaginosus in liquid culture

The extraction of K⁺ and SiO₂ from silicate minerals by Bacillus mucilaginosus in liquid culture was studied in incubation experiments. B. mucilaginosus was found to dissolve soil minerals and mica and simultaneously release K⁺ and SiO₂ from the crystal lattices. In contrast, the bacterium did not dissolve feldspar. B. mucilaginosus also produced organic acids and polysaccharides during growth. The polysaccharides strongly adsorbed the organic acids and attached to the surface of the mineral, resulting in an area of high concentration of organic acids near the mineral. The polysaccharides also adsorbed SiO₂ and this affected the equilibrium between the mineral and fluid phases and led to the reaction toward SiO₂ and K⁺ solubilization. These two processes led to the decomposition of silicate minerals by the bacterium.     

Small-scale co-management for the sustainable use of Xilingol biosphere reserve, inner Mongolia

There exists a negative externality of livestock breeding due to the difference between private and social breeding cost in Xilingol Biosphere Reserve (XBR), Inner Mongolia, that has caused extensive ecological degradation of the grassland. The property rights regime, the household production responsibility system (HPRS), was adopted in the 1980s to increase livestock production in XBR. Although HPRS has successfully increased production by promoting private economic interests, it has led to grassland degradation due to inefficient enforcement of stock rate. Through interviews conducted with government representatives and herding families in all management units of XBR, we elucidate the shortfalls of the current management regime and the Fencing Grassland and Moving Users policy initiated in 2002 to restore grassland. We propose an alternative property rights regime, small-scale co-management, to concurrently promote both individual economic interests and grassland conservation by improving the enforcement of stock rate.     

Analysis of chemical compositions contributable to chemical oxygen demand (COD) of oilfield produced water

This work was to give a comprehensive estimation for the chemical compositions contributable to COD of the produced water treatment system. For this purpose, the wastewater samples were collected from an onshore wastewater treatment plant. The chemical compositions of the wastewater were investigated, and the COD contributed by each component was estimated. The results showed that the COD levels of O&G and SS presented decreasing trends during the whole process and achieved total removal percentages of 95.1% and 62.3%, respectively. The final COD of organic acids and low-molecular-weight carbonyl compounds were respectively lowered to nearly 64% and 35% of their initial levels, and no regular trends were found for the COD of these chemicals during the whole treatment process. The COD of inorganic components presented minor variations at all sampling spots. The majority of COD was originated from O&G in raw wastewater. The COD contributed by O&G decreased greatly with continuous treatment and finally was lower than 17% of measured COD. At each sampling spot, the ratios of COD contributed by SS did not exceed 7.6% of measured COD. Other measured chemicals, including organic acids, carbonyl compounds, volatile phenols, reductive anions, metals and TDP were not the main sources of COD during the whole treatment process, and the ratio of COD was below 9% at each sampling spot. Most of the soluble components contributable to residual COD were still unknown after biological treatment, and the COD contributed by these components was greater than 57% of measured COD.