How does population structure affect pollutant discharge in China? Evidence from an improved STIRPAT model

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - China is the most populous country in the world, and the pollution caused by the excessive population should not be underestimated. In recent years,...     

Difference in the net value of ecological services between natural and artificial forests in China

Land degradation is a global problem that seriously threatens human society. However, in China and elsewhere, ecological restoration still largely relies on a traditional approach that focuses only on ecological factors and ignores socioeconomic factors. To improve the effectiveness of ecological restoration and maximize its economic and ecological benefits, a more efficient approach is needed that provides support for policy development and land management and thereby promotes environmental conservation. We devised a framework for assessing the value of ecosystem services that remain after subtracting costs, such as the opportunity costs, costs of forest protection, and costs for the people who are affected by the program; that is, the net value of ecosystem services (NVES). To understand the difference between the value of a resource and the net value of the ecosystem service it provides, we used data on VES, timber sales, and afforestation costs from China's massive national afforestation programs to calculate the net value of forest ecosystem services in China. Accounting for the abovementioned costs revealed an NVES of ¥6.1 × 10¹² for forests in 2014, which was 35.9% less than the value calculated without accounting for costs. As a result, the NVES associated with afforestation was 55.9% less than the NVES of natural forests. In some regions, NVES was negative because of the huge costs of human-made plantations, high evapotranspiration rates (thus, high water opportunity costs), and low forest survival rates. To maximize the ecological benefits of conservation, it is necessary to account for as many costs as possible so that management decisions can be based on NVES, thereby helping managers choose projects that maximize both economic and ecological benefits.     

A fragment constant QSAR model for evaluating the EC50 values of organic chemicals to Daphnia magna.

The quantitative relationship between the median effective concentration (EC50) of organic chemicals to Daphnia magna and the number of molecular fragments was investigated based on experimental EC50 values for 217 chemicals derived from the literature. A fragment constant model was developed based on a multivariate linear regression between the number of fragments and the logarithmically transformed reciprocal values of EC50. Functional correction factors were introduced into the model. The model was verified using an independent set of randomly selected data. The mean residual of the final model was 0.4 log-units. The robustness of the model was discussed based on the results of three jackknife tests.     

Long-term effects of silver nanoparticles on performance of phosphorus removal in a laboratory-scale vertical flow constructed wetland

Silver nanoparticles(AgNPs) have been widely used in many fields,which raised concerns about potential threats to biological sewage treatment systems.In this study,the phosphorus removal performance,enzymatic activity and microbial population dynamics in constructed wetlands(CWs) were evaluated under a long-term exposure to Ag NPs(0,50,and 200 μg/L) for 450 days.Results have shown that Ag NPs inhibited the phosphorus removal efficiency in a short-term exposure,whereas caused no obviously negative effects from a long-term perspective.Moreover,in the coexisting CW system of Ag NPs and phosphorus,competition exhibited in the initial exposure phase,however,cooperation between them was observed in later phase.Enzymatic activity of acid-phosphatase at the moderate temperature(10–20°C) was visibly higher than that at the high temperature(20–30℃) and CWs with Ag NPs addition had no appreciable differences compared with the control.High-throughput sequencing results indicated that the microbial richness,diversity and composition of CWs were distinctly affected with the extension of exposure time at different Ag NPs levels.However,the phosphorus removal performance of CWs did not decline with the decrease of polyphosphate accumulating organisms(PAOs),which also confirmed that adsorption precipitation was the main way of phosphorus removal in CWs.The study suggested that Ag NPs and phosphorus could be removed synergistically in the coexistence system.This work has some reference for evaluating the influences of Ag NPs on the phosphorus removal and the interrelation between them in CWs.     

Advanced molecular-fingerprinting analysis of dissolved organic sulfur by electrospray ionization-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry using optimal spray solvent

Molecular level characterization of dissolved organic sulfur (DOS) by electrospray ionization-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI-FTICR MS) is necessary for further understanding of the role of DOS in the environment. Here, ESI spray solvent, a key parameter for ion production during ESI process, was investigated for its effect on the molecular characterization of DOS by ESI-FTICR MS. 100% MeOH as spray solvent was found for the first time to remarkably enhance the ionization efficiency of the majority of CHOS-molecules in NOM, which facilitated a total of 1473 CHOS-molecular formulas with one sulfur atom to be detected. The number of CHOS-molecular formulas obtained using 100%MeOH as spray solvent increased notably over 740 in comparison with those using 50% MeOH aqueous solution (731) or 50% ACN aqueous solution (653). Moreover, due to the enhancement of ionization efficiency of DOS during ESI processes, the tandem mass spectra of the NOM CHOS-molecules could be easily obtained using 100% MeOH as spray solvent, which were hardly obtained using 50% MeOH aqueous solution as spray solvent. The results of the tandem mass spectra suggested the first discovery of organosulfates or sulfonic acids in Suwannee River NOM sample. A simple method based on 100% MeOH as ESI spray solvent for advanced molecular characterization of DOS by ESI-FTICR MS was proposed and applied, and the results revealed more molecular information of DOS in sea DOM samples.     

嘉兴地区农村生活污水时空分布及处理设施现状分析

研究选取嘉兴市下辖农村的160座生活污水处理设施进出水为研究对象,分析了区域农村生活污水污染物时空分布特征及其处理设施现状,以期提高处理设施效率。结果表明:嘉兴市农村生活污水中氮、磷污染较有机污染更严重,ρ（COD）、ρ（TP）、ρ（TN）、ρ（NH₄+-N）年均值分别为142.23,4.02,44.19,27.74 mg/L,各污水处理设施处理效果有很大优化空间,COD、TP、TN、NH₄+-N年均去除率分别为50.5%、29.7%、36.8%、51.7%。农村生活污水空间上呈自西向东、由北至南逐渐减小的分布特征,时间上表现为冬季 > 春季 > 秋季 > 夏季。相关性分析表明,COD、TP、TN、NH₄+-N之间呈极显著正相关（P<0.01）,相关系数为0.688±0.946。设施进水C/N、NH₄+-N/TN年均值分别为3.21、68.9%,传统的单一A2/O处理工艺对低碳源污水处理效果不理想,可通过组合工艺设计、规范运营管理、加强后期监测等有效措施来进一步加强污水处理设施处理效果。     

以牺牲阳极强化的电化学联用方法修复铬污染土壤

为解决重金属污染土在电动法修复过程中存在的聚焦效应问题,提出了牺牲铁阳极的电化学联用修复技术。在传统电动修复方法基础上增加电解液净化循环装置,优化Cr（Ⅵ）还原及沉淀所需技术参数,并与传统电动修复技术进行对比,探讨其修复效果及适用性。结果表明:迁出的Cr（Ⅵ）可在Fe2+作用下被还原为Cr（Ⅲ）并沉淀,pH、电压梯度、电流密度、电极面积均会影响其反应速率,电极距离对反应速率无直接影响,主要影响电解功率。Cr（Ⅵ）还原-沉淀反应的最佳技术参数为:pH值5~6.5,电压梯度0.8 V/cm,电流密度>6.67 mA/cm2,电极面积90 cm2,电极距离15 cm;较传统电动修复技术,以牺牲阳极强化铬污染土的电化学联用修复技术中,土壤室不同点位的去除率波动范围在10%,最高点位的去除率提高近24%,达93.4%。靠近阳极附近土体中Cr（Ⅵ）去除率从0.24%提高到80.38%。以牺牲阳极强化污染土的电化学联用修复方法不仅有效解决了重金属迁移的聚焦问题,而且有助于促进土中重金属污染物的整体性迁出。     

亚铁添加条件下潜流湿地中氮和化学需氧量的去除效应

为了强化水平潜流人工湿地脱氮和去除化学需氧量的效果,文章利用模拟实验开展了不同浓度的亚铁(Fe~(2+))添加对其去除效果的影响研究,并初步探讨了其作用机理。研究结果表明,添加Fe~(2+)影响了水平潜流人工湿地脱氮和去除化学需氧量的能力,而且各形态的氮素和化学需氧量的去除率随水力停留时间的延长而增大。添加高浓度Fe~(2+)(≥50 mg/L)促进了湿地系统总氮和硝态氮的去除,其去除率分别超过67.7%和72.6%;而对铵态氮去除效果的影响不明显;添加低浓度Fe~(2+)(≤10 mg/L)限制了硝态氮和铵态氮的去除,而对总氮的去除效果的影响较弱。添加高浓度Fe~(2+)(≥50 mg/L)显著促进水平潜流人工湿地化学需氧量的去除,水力停留时间为24 h,其去除率均高于91%,而添加低浓度Fe~(2+)(≤10 mg/L)对促进化学需氧量的去除效果不明显,但其去除率略高于对照组,表明添加Fe~(2+)可以提高水中易降解有机物的去除能力。Fe~(2+)进入湿地系统后,水中可溶性总铁、Fe~(2+)和Fe3+浓度迅速下降,5 h后基本保持平稳,其中可溶性总铁浓度低于3.2 mg/L。添加Fe~(2+)明显降低了人工湿地出水的pH和氧化还原电位,并发生了显著变化。因此,添加适宜浓度Fe~(2+)(50 mg/L)可促进水平潜流湿地对氮素和化学需氧量的去除,可以为人工湿地强化技术研发提供理论依据。     

Seasonal variation and size distribution of biogenic secondary organic aerosols at urban and continental background sites of China

Size-resolved biogenic secondary organic aerosols(BSOA) derived from isoprene and monoterpene photooxidation in Qinghai Lake, Tibetan Plateau(a continental background site) and five cities of China were measured using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(GC/MS). Concentrations of the determined BSOA are higher in the cities than in the background and are also higher in summer than in winter. Moreover, strong positive correlations(R2= 0.44–0.90) between BSOA and sulfate were found at the six sites,suggesting that anthropogenic pollution(i.e., sulfate) could enhance SOA formation,because sulfate provides a surface favorable for acid-catalyzed formation of BSOA. Size distribution measurements showed that most of the determined SOA tracers are enriched in the fine mode( 3.3 μm) except for cis-pinic and cis-pinonic acids, both presented a comparable mass in the fine and coarse( 3.3 μm) modes, respectively. Mass ratio of oxidation products derived from isoprene to those from monoterpene in the five urban regions during summer are much less than those in Qinghai Lake region. In addition, in the five urban regions relative abundances of monoterpene oxidation products to SOA are much higher than those of isoprene. Such phenomena suggest that BSOA derived from monoterpenes are more abundant than those from isoprene in Chinese urban areas.