Riparian rehabilitation planning in an urban–rural gradient: Integrating social needs and ecological conditions

In the present context of global change and search for sustainability, we detected a gap between restoration and society: local communities are usually only considered as threats or disturbances when planning for restoration. To bridge this gap, we propose a landscape design framework for planning riparian rehabilitation in an urban–rural gradient. A spatial multi-criteria analysis was used to assess the priority of riversides by considering two rehabilitation objectives simultaneously—socio-environmental and ecological—and two sets of criteria were designed according to these objectives. The assessment made it possible to identify 17 priority sites for riparian rehabilitation that were associated with different conditions along the gradient. The double goal setting enabled a dual consideration of citizens, both as beneficiaries and potential impacts to rehabilitation, and the criteria selected incorporated the multi-dimensional nature of the environment. This approach can potentially be adapted and implemented in any other anthropic–natural interface throughout the world.     

Examining adaptations to water stress among farming households in Sri Lanka’s dry zone

Climate change is increasing water scarcity in Sri Lanka. Whether these changes will undermine national-level food security depends upon the ability of the small-scale farmers that dominate rice production and the institutions that support them to overcome the challenges presented by changing water availability. Analyzing household survey data, this research identifies household, institutional, and agroecological factors that influence how water-stressed farmers are working to adapt to changing conditions and how the strategies they employ impact rice yields. Paralleling studies conducted elsewhere, we identified institutional factors as particularly relevant in farmer adaptation decisions. Notably, our research identified farmers’ use of hybrid seed varietals as the only local climate adaptation strategy to positively correlate with farmers’ rice yields. These findings provide insight into additional factors pertinent to successful agricultural adaptation and offer encouraging evidence for policies that promote plant breeding and distribution in Sri Lanka as a means to buffer the food system to climate change-exacerbated drought.     

Photocatalytic degradation of azo dyes by nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanocatalysts

This study examined the photocatalytic degradation of three azo dyes, acid orange 7 (AO7), procion red MX-5B (MX-5B) and reactive black 5 (RB5) using a new type of nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanocrystals. These newly developed doped titania nanocatalysts demonstrated high reactivity under visible light (lambda>390 nm), allowing more efficient usage of solar light. The doped titania were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Experiments were conducted to compare the photocatalytic activities of nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanocatalysts and commercially available Degussa P25 powder using both UV illumination and solar light. It is shown that nitrogen-doped TiO2 after calcination had the highest photocatalytic activity among all three catalysts tested, with 95% of AO7 decolorized in 1 h under UV illumination. The doped TiO2 also exhibited substantial photocatalytic activity under direct sunlight irradiation, with 70% of the dye color removed in 1h and complete decolorization within 3 h. Degussa P25 did not cause detectable dye decolorization under identical experimental conditions using solar light. The decrease of total organic carbon (TOC) and evolution of inorganic sulfate (SO4(2-)) ions in dye solutions were measured to monitor the dye mineralization process.     

Influence of metal oxides on PCDD/Fs formation from pentachlorophenol

Chlorophenols (ClPhs) are considered as important precursors for PCDD/Fs formation. The influences of series of metal oxides including MgO, Al2O3, CaO, BaO, TiO2, V2O5, MnO2, Fe2O3, Co3O4, CuO, Ag2O, ZnO, HgO, SnO, PbO, La2O3, CeO2, and Eu2O3 on PCDD/Fs formation from pentachlorophenol (PCP) were investigated in a laboratory-scale reactor. The results indicated that most of the above metal oxides have obvious suppressing effects on the total amount of PCDD/Fs formation from precursor PCP except for CuO, ZnO, MnO2, TiO2 and Co3O4 with promotion effects at 280 degrees C for 2 h. Although MgO, Al2O3, Fe2O3, PbO, La2O3 and Eu2O3 could reduce the amount of octachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD), they promote the formation of more toxic 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD at the same time. The total suppressing efficiencies of several metal oxides including CaO, BaO, PbO, Ag2O, HgO and SnO which have lower Z/r (charge to radius ratio) <2 are all over 90%. The theories of generalized acid-base and atomic parameter (Z/r) were used to speculate the effecting mechanisms. The factors including time and temperature on suppressing efficiencies of CaO, BaO and PbO have also been studied in the present paper. The results showed that the total suppressing efficiencies of CaO, BaO and PbO increase with the increase of heated time and temperature.     

Tylosin sorption to silty clay loam soils, swine manure, and sand

The objectives of this study were to assess sorption and desorption of tylosin, a macrolide antimicrobial chemical used in swine, cattle, and poultry production, in three silty clay loam soils of South Dakota and compare soil sorption to sand and manure sorption. The silty clay loam soils, from a toposequence in eastern South Dakota, standardized sand samples, and swine manure were used in 24-h batch sorption studies with tylosin concentrations ranging from 25 to 232 micro mole/L. Desorption from soil was conducted over a four-day period. Partition coefficients, based on the Freundlich isotherm (K(f)) or K(d) values, were calculated. K(f) values for the silty clay loams were similar, not influenced by landscape position, and averaged 1,350 with isotherm slopes ranging from 0.85 to 0.93. K(f) values for sand were dependent on solution/sand ratios and pH, ranging from 1.4 to 25.1. K(d) values of manure were dependent on the solution type and ranged from 840 L/kg with urine to about 175 L/kg when sorbed from water. Desorption of tylosin from each soil over the four-day period was < 0.2% of the amount added. The soils' high K(f) values and low desorption amounts suggest that once tylosin is in these soils, leaching to lower depths may not occur. However, this does not preclude runoff with soil eroded particles. If tylosin reaches a sand aquifer, through bypass flow or other mechanism(s), movement in the aquifer most likely would occur.     

超声波技术处理微污染水的实验研究

通过实验,对使用超声波技术处理微污染水的效果、机理进行了初步研究,实验结果表明,超声波对微污染水的细菌和色度去除效果明显,细菌的去除符合一级反应动力学方程,对COD和浊度去除有一定效果,但不显著。结果还发现,水体pH值随时间呈上升趋势。     

湿式烟气脱硫喷淋塔内部流场数值模拟研究

以300MW机组湿法烟气脱硫喷淋塔为研究对象,利用计算流体力学通用软件对其内部两相流场进行模拟。气相湍流由标准k 模型描述,喷淋液滴由拉格朗日颗粒轨道模型描述。预测了无喷淋和有喷淋2种条件下的气相湍流流场分布、沿塔高方向不同截面上的气速分布以及喷淋液滴的轨迹。模拟结果表明,引入喷淋液后,出口截面气速分布明显均匀化,其最大值由无喷淋时的12m/s降至6m/s。该最大值出现在靠近塔壁处,是由塔壁附近喷淋密度较低造成的,可通过改进周边喷嘴的布置方式及喷嘴型式进行优化。     

生态滤池处理城市污水小试研究

生态滤池(MEEF)是利用由微生物和蚯蚓为代表的微型动物共同组成的人工生态系统,对城镇污水中的污染物进行降解处理的新型污水处理技术。采用单层滤池和复合床滤池进行实验,在相同的实验条件下,对生态滤池和无蚯蚓滤池的运行效果进行了比较。运行初期,生态滤池的出水水质稍优于无蚯蚓滤池,特别是悬浮物浓度低;运行半月后,无蚯蚓滤池表面积泥,出现厌氧情况,出水水质变差,而生态滤池至少正常运行1个月。复合床生态滤池连续进水运行,水力负荷达到2.0m3/m2·d,COD去除率达80%以上,出水SS浓度<5mg/L。结果表明,蚯蚓在维持滤池的正常运行起着重要作用。最后介绍了生态滤池中各种生物的作用及生态滤池的工作原理。     

基于可调二极管激光技术的汽车尾气遥感监测系统

汽车尾气排放已成为最主要的城市污染源之一。汽车尾气的遥感监测系统作为一种高效实时监测汽车正常运行状况下的尾气排放方法已越来越受到人们的广泛关注。本文主要介绍基于可调二极管激光(TDL)技术的汽车尾气遥感监测系统。首先介绍遥感监测系统的产生与发展以及TDL技术的基本原理,其次阐述遥感监测系统的组成、关键技术以及系统的优点,并分析遥感监测系统在国内外的应用现状,最后提出目前应用中尚待解决的若干关键技术问题。     

利用木素-SiO2凝胶制备稀土催化剂及对蒽醌废水处理的研究

探讨利用木质素-二氧化硅凝胶制备高比表面稀土催化剂的方法、性能及其在非均相催化体系中稀土催化剂对双氧水的催化行为与效果.结果表明,负载型稀土对双氧水产生羟基自由基氧化染料中间体废水具有明显的增效行为,并对该行为的机理进行了探讨.