Incorporating greenhouse gas effects to evaluate energy efficiency in China

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions without hampering economic growth is a significant issue for China. Taking into account environmental sustainability principles, this study analysed the energy efficiency of 30 regions of China for the period 2002–2007. By employing a data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach, this study included undesirable CO₂ and SO₂ outputs and the desirable GDP output in the model. Empirical outcomes demonstrated that the overall average technical efficiency (TE) of China is 0.843, indicating a 15.70% input inefficiency. Among three geographic areas, the east has the highest technical efficiency, with the highest ability to set up clean-burning power plants based on best technology available. Performance in the west is less good because of much inefficient technology. Finally, the study demonstrates detailed management implications of the BCG matrix. The most important contribution of this paper is a detailed demonstration of an energy performance evaluation mechanism for China. The valuable results and insights gained can be equally effectively applied to studies in other developing countries facing the same gaseous emissions.     

广东典型湿地环境沉积物及鱼体中多环芳烃的污染特征及风险评估

为了解广东典型湿地环境表层沉积物及鱼体中多环芳烃(PAHs)的污染特征,分别于2014年10月和2015年4月采集沉积物及鱼类样品,分析其中16种US EPA优控多环芳烃的主要来源和风险。结果表明,广东典型湿地环境表层沉积物中多环芳烃的含量范围为139.4～1 134.3 ng·g~(-1)干重,鱼类肌肉中多环芳烃含量范围为11.1～33.9 ng·g~(-1)湿重。表层沉积物中有机碳与不同环数的多环芳烃含量均呈现显著的正相关关系。来源分析的结果表明,研究区域表层沉积物中多环芳烃的主要来源为石油排放及燃烧来源的混合。风险评估的结果表明,该区域表层沉积物中多环芳烃存在一定的生态风险,需引起重视;通过食用鱼类造成的致癌风险为2.25×10~(-6)～4.23×10~(-6),略高于美国环保局(US EPA)推荐的可接受风险(10~(-6)),存在一定的潜在致癌风险。对于成年人来说,研究区域鱼类肌肉中多环芳烃产生致癌风险允许的最大日食用量(CR_(lim))范围为124.5～234.6 g·d~(-1),尽管食用这几种鱼的致癌风险不大,居民摄入时仍应加以控制。     

Duckweed Landoltia punctata purifies micro-polluted surface water and produces starch北大核心CSCD

Aquatic plant duckweed has remarkable potential in nutritional water purification and starch accumulation; at present, it has received increasing attention. This study aimed to investigate the ability of duckweed in nutrient recovery from micro-polluted surface water; further, the starch accumulation capacity of duckweed was evaluated. The results showed that duckweed can achieve better depth treatment of the micro-polluted surface water, within 1-day treatment, by duckweed. Ammonia nitrogen and total phosphorus status of Class V and worse than class V water was improved to a superior level; moreover, the nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates were 98.5% and 82.9%, respectively. In addition, duckweed can rapidly accumulate starch during water treatment. The starch content of duckweed was 28.38% and 21.57% (dry weight) in Class V and worse than class V wastewater after 3 days of treatment, respectively, and reached 52.15% and 49.58% on day 15. Moreover, additional carbon dioxide (CO2) supplementation promoted the starch production. The starch content increased by 55.7% compared with that of control, and the average starch accumulation rate increased by 2.72 times in 3 days. Therefore, duckweed can not only rapidly purify micro-polluted water, but also accumulate a large amount of starch. This study forms the basis for wastewater treatment and post-treatment utilization of duckweed biomass. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.     

4种烟嘧磺隆多元复配除草剂对意大利蜜蜂和玉米螟赤眼蜂的急性毒性及初级风险评估

为明确4种烟嘧磺隆复配除草剂对意大利蜜蜂和玉米螟赤眼蜂的急性毒性影响并评估其初级风险。采用饲喂法、点滴法和玻璃管药膜法,分别测定了8%烟嘧·氯吡嘧磺隆、16%烟嘧·硝磺·氯吡嘧磺隆、36%烟嘧·莠去津和22%烟嘧·氯吡·氯氟吡氧乙酸异辛酯对意大利蜜蜂成年工蜂和玉米螟赤眼蜂的急性毒性,并分别采用危害商值和安全系数进行初级风险评估。结果表明,上述4种制剂对意大利蜜蜂成年工蜂的经口毒性48 h-LD_(50)(半致死剂量,median lethal dose)分别为68.03、1.60×10~2、1.40×10~2和100μg a.i.·蜂-1,接触毒性48 h-LD_(50)分别为18.53、53.01、89.98和100μg a.i.·蜂-1,危害商值均小于50,对意大利蜜蜂均为低毒且低风险。4种制剂对玉米螟赤眼蜂的急性毒性24 h-LR50(半致死用量,median lethal rate)分别为1.88×10~(-4)、5.46×10~(-4)、2.12×10~(-3)和1.68×10~(-3)mg a.i.·cm~(-2),安全系数分别为0.16、0.23、0.59和0.51,其中8%烟嘧·氯吡嘧磺隆和16%烟嘧·硝磺·氯吡嘧磺隆对玉米螟赤眼蜂为高风险性,36%烟嘧·莠去津和22%烟嘧·氯吡·氯氟吡氧乙酸异辛酯为中等风险性。因此,这4种复配制剂对蜜蜂成年工蜂的风险性较低,但对赤眼蜂的风险性较高,所以在喷洒防除期间应与赤眼蜂释放期错开。     

Digital disparities and vulnerability: mobile phone use,information behaviour,and disaster preparedness in Southeast Asia

This paper proposes an ecological view to investigate how disparities in mobile technology use reflect vulnerabilities in communities vis‐à‐vis disaster preparedness. Data (n=1,603) were collected through a multi‐country survey conducted equally in rural and urban areas of Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, and Vietnam, where mobile technology has become a dominant and ubiquitous communication and information medium. The findings show that smartphone users' routinised use of mobile technology and their risk perception are significantly associated with disaster preparedness behaviour indirectly through disaster‐related information sharing. In addition to disaster‐specific social support, smartphone users' disaster‐related information repertoires are another strong influencing factor. In contrast, non‐smartphone users are likely to rely solely on receipt of disaster‐specific social support as the motivator of disaster preparedness. The results also reveal demographic and rural–urban differences in disaster information behaviour and preparedness. Given the increasing shift from basic mobile phone models to smartphones, the theoretical and policy‐oriented implications of digital disparities and vulnerability are discussed.     

铁钛共掺杂氧化铝诱发表面双反应中心催化臭氧化去除水中污染物

多相催化臭氧化技术因能有效去除水中有机污染物而受到广泛关注.然而,基于单一位点氧化还原的金属氧化物催化臭氧化过程存在速率限制步骤,使活性受到抑制,极大地限制了多相催化臭氧化技术的实际应用.为解决这一瓶颈,以过渡金属物种Fe和Ti对金属氧化物γ-Al₂O₃基底进行晶格掺杂制备出新型双反应中心催化剂FT-A-1 DRCs.通过XRD、TEM和XPS等技术对其形貌结构和化学组成进行了表征分析,证明Fe和Ti对于Al的晶格取代,形成表面贫富电子微区（富电子Fe微中心和缺电子Ti微中心）.FT-A-1 DRCs被用于催化臭氧化过程,对布洛芬等一系列难降解有机污染物的去除表现出优异的活性和稳定性.利用EPR和电化学技术揭示了界面反应机制.发现在催化臭氧化过程中,O₃/H₂O在富电子微中心被定向还原产生·OH,而污染物可在缺电子微中心作为电子供体而被氧化,为反应体系持续提供电子.这一反应过程利用污染物自身的能量实现了污染物的双途径降解（·OH攻击和直接电子供体）,突破了金属氧化物催化臭氧化过程存在速率限制步骤.     

Washing of waste prior to landfilling

The main impact produced by landfills is represented by the release of leachate emissions. Waste washing treatment has been investigated to evaluate its efficiency in reducing the waste leaching fraction prior to landfilling. The results of laboratory-scale washing tests applied to several significant residues from integrated management of solid waste are presented in this study, specifically: non-recyclable plastics from source separation, mechanical-biological treated municipal solid waste and a special waste, automotive shredded residues. Results obtained demonstrate that washing treatment contributes towards combating the environmental impacts of raw wastes. Accordingly, a leachate production model was applied, leading to the consideration that the concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), parameters of fundamental importance in the characterization of landfill leachate, from a landfill containing washed wastes, are comparable to those that would only be reached between 90 and 220years later in the presence of raw wastes. The findings obtained demonstrated that washing of waste may represent an effective means of reducing the leachable fraction resulting in a consequent decrease in landfill emissions. Further studies on pilot scale are needed to assess the potential for full-scale application of this treatment.     

Optimizing biomass pathways to bioenergy and biochar application in electricity generation,biodiesel production,and biohydrogen production

The current energy crisis, depletion of fossil fuels, and global climate change have made it imperative to find alternative sources of energy that are both economically sustainable and environmentally friendly. Here we review various pathways for converting biomass into bioenergy and biochar and their applications in producing electricity, biodiesel, and biohydrogen. Biomass can be converted into biofuels using different methods, including biochemical and thermochemical conversion methods. Determining which approach is best relies on the type of biomass involved, the desired final product, and whether or not it is economically sustainable. Biochemical conversion methods are currently the most widely used for producing biofuels from biomass, accounting for approximately 80% of all biofuels produced worldwide. Ethanol and biodiesel are the most prevalent biofuels produced via biochemical conversion processes. Thermochemical conversion is less used than biochemical conversion, accounting for approximately 20% of biofuels produced worldwide. Bio-oil and syngas, commonly manufactured from wood chips, agricultural waste, and municipal solid waste, are the major biofuels produced by thermochemical conversion. Biofuels produced from biomass have the potential to displace up to 27% of the world's transportation fuel by 2050, which could result in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by up to 3.7 billion metric tons per year. Biochar from biomass can yield high biodiesel, ranging from 32.8% to 97.75%, and can also serve as an anode, cathode, and catalyst in microbial fuel cells with a maximum power density of 4346 mW/m². Biochar also plays a role in catalytic methane decomposition and dry methane reforming, with hydrogen conversion rates ranging from 13.4% to 95.7%. Biochar can also increase hydrogen yield by up to 220.3%.