Feeding ecology of the grooved tiger shrimp <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penaeus semisulcatus</Emphasis> De Haan (Decapoda: Penaeidae) in inshore waters of Qatar,Arabian Gulf

The feeding ecology of the green tiger shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus was studied in inshore fishing grounds off Doha, Qatar, using a combination of stable isotope (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) analysis and gut contents examination. Samples of post-larvae, juvenile and adult shrimp and other organisms were collected from intertidal and subtidal zones during the spawning season (January–June). Shrimp collected from shallow water seagrass beds were mostly post-larvae and juveniles and were significantly smaller than the older juveniles and adults caught in deeper macroalgal beds. Gut content examination indicated that post-larvae and juvenile shrimp in seagrass beds fed mainly on benthos such as Foraminifera, polychaetes, benthic diatoms and small benthic crustaceans (amphipods, isopods and ostracoda), whereas larger shrimp in the macroalgal beds fed mainly on bivalve molluscs and to a lesser extent polychaetes. In shrimp from both seagrass and algal beds, unidentifiable detritus was also present in the gut (18, 32%). δ¹³C values for shrimp muscle tissue ranged from −9.5 ± 0.26 to −12.7 ± 0.05‰, and δ¹⁵N values increased with increasing shrimp size, ranging from 4.1 ± 0.03 to 7.7 ± 0.11‰. Both δ¹⁵N values and δ¹³C values for shrimp tissue were consistent with the dietary sources indicated by gut contents and the δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values for primary producers and prey species. The combination of gut content and stable isotope data demonstrates that seagrass beds are important habitats for post-larvae and juvenile P. semisulcatus, while the transition to deeper water habitats in older shrimp involves a change in diet and source of carbon and nitrogen that is reflected in shrimp tissue stable isotope ratios. The results of the study confirm the linkage between sensitive shallow water habitats and the key life stages of an important commercially-exploited species and indicate the need for suitable assessment of the potential indirect impacts of coastal developments involving dredging and land reclamation.     

某化工园区废水处理工程设计实例

采用“分质调节—混凝沉淀—厌氧水解—缺氧生物处理—好氧生物处理”工艺处理某化工园区以氟化工和精细化工废水为主的工业废水。工程运行结果表明：废水经处理后,COD=35 mg/L,TN=5.2 mg/L,ρ（NH₃-N）=3.1 mg/L,TP=0.15 mg/L;COD,TN,NH₃-N,TP的去除率分别为91.1％,67.1％,70.5％,89.3％;出水达到DB 32/T1072—2007《太湖地区城镇污水处理厂及重点工业行业主要水污染物排放限值》中的排放标准。工程设计规模1.0×10⁴ m³/d,工程总投资约5 000 万元,直接运行费用1.50 元/m³。每年减少COD,TN,NH₃-N,TP的排放量分别约为1 324.6,38.69,11.05,4.56 t。该工程的实施明显改善了区域水环境,为太湖流域污染的治理提供了技术支撑。     

Evaluation of analytical strategies for the determination of metal concentrations to assess landfill leachate contamination

Due to the complex nature of landfill leachates, metal and metalloid analyses prove to be tricky and suffer from a lack of standard protocols. A complete approach has been adopted to investigate the influence of the different steps during the sample processing of French landfill leachates. The validation of the entire protocol has been achieved using a laboratory reference material. This material, which is a real landfill leachate, is representative of real samples. Its evaluation has allowed a quality control for metal and metalloid analyses in landfill leachates. Precautions concerning storage temperature, aeration and filtration are proposed to perform accurate metal analyses in these complex matrices. The sample processing has been applied to the seasonal monitoring of a French landfill. The assessment of major leachate metallic contaminants such as As, Cr, Sb, Sn, has been performed by evaluating the relative enrichment of metals and metalloids in comparison with rain water and groundwater. In addition, hydrological data are useful and complementary information for pointing out the main factors affecting metal concentrations and thus their potential remobilisation pathways.     

城市固体废弃物持水率的室内实验研究

垃圾土持水率是估算填埋场淋沥液高度和分析填埋体稳定性的重要参数。通过对高压固结仪的改造,研制垃圾土持水率的室内实验仪器,并在该仪器上对取自我国南方某填埋场3个不同深度的大直径垃圾土试样进行各级荷载下的持水率实验。研究结果表明,随填埋深度增大,垃圾年份增加,垃圾土可降解度降低,腐殖质含量增大,垃圾土的持水率减小;随上覆压力增大,干重和湿重持水率减小,当上覆压力增大到一定程度,减小趋势变缓;随上覆压力的增大,体积持水率一般呈减小的趋势,但对于疏松垃圾土,在较小的压力下,体积持水率有增大的趋势,当压力增大到一定程度,则随压力的增大而减小;随干密度的增大,垃圾土干重和湿重持水率均减小。提出的垃圾土持水率的室内实验方法和研制的仪器合理可行。     

Selective binding of uranyl cation by a novel calmodulin peptide

A 33-amino acid peptide corresponding to the helix-loop-helix motif of the calcium binding site I of the protein calmodulin from Paramecium Tetraurelia has been synthesized its binding properties with heavy metal ions have been studied. Herein, we demonstrate that two mutations of two aspartic acid residues in the peptide sequence gave access to a new peptide, which was selective for the uranyl ion UO₂ ²⁺. This new peptide can be useful for the development of selective uranyl biosensors to monitor the presence of uranium in contaminated environments.     

Mediating an invisible policy problem: Nottingham’s rejection of congestion charging

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a qualitative case study of community participation in local air quality management in Nottingham (UK). We analyse Nottingham’s response to a “clean air zone” mandate: despite national government and local community support of this congestion charging policy, the City Council rejected the measure. We focus on the policy framing, with data from policy documents, interviews with government and non-government actors, and observation in local activities. We found that community groups build links with local government in two ways: (1) as a coalition against the national government and austerity measures, and (2) as “neutral”, non-expert communicators of air pollution as an “invisible” policy problem. We show how this invisibility plays a significant role in factors such as trust, risk, responsibility, and policy communication. This research has theoretical implications for the communication of air pollution and practical implications for cities looking to implement similar transport-oriented strategies.     

Buccal micronucleus cytome assay of populations under chronic heavy metal and other metal exposure along the Santiago River,Mexico

The Santiago River is one of the most contaminated rivers in Mexico, with heavy metal levels above the allowed limits. Scientific evidence indicates that chronic heavy metal exposure leads to cytogenotoxic effects. The aims of this study were to evaluate the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of such exposure in buccal mucosa cells by micronucleus (MN) assay and to identify other nuclear abnormalities (NAs), such as nuclear buds (NBUDs), binucleated cells (BNs), pyknotic nuclei (PNs), karyorrhexis (KX), karyolysis (KL), and abnormally condensed chromatin (CC). Assays were performed on samples from four populations located alongside the Santiago River that are under chronic exposure to heavy metals and other metals (HMMs), and the results were compared with those of a population without exposure to HMMs. The exposed group showed increased frequencies of NAs (KX, CC, and KL), which are associated with cytotoxic damage, and NBUDs, which are associated with genotoxic damage. Increased frequencies of NBUDs and CC were observed in subjects from El Salto/Juanacatlán, Ocotlán, and Paso de Guadalupe, and an increase in KX frequency was observed in subjects from El Salto/Juanacatlán. Significant differences in KL frequency were observed in subjects from La Barca, El Salto/Juanacatlán, Paso de Guadalupe, and Ocotlán. Predictors for increased development of MNs and NBUDs were high concentrations of Al, Zn, and Cu. In conclusion, chronic exposure to HMMs, especially Al, Cu, and Zn, in the studied population could be related to increased frequencies of NAs, such as NBUDs, KX, CC, and KL, in the buccal mucosa cells.     

杭州市区大气能见度变化趋势及其与主要污染物相关性分析

利用2004-2006年地面气象观测资料和同期环境空气质量自动监测数据,分析了杭州市区大气能见度变化趋势及其与主要污染物的相关性.结果表明,杭州市区能见度的日分布特征为14时最好,8时最差;季节变化特征为夏季>春季>秋季>冬季,全年仅7月能见度超过10 km;SO2、NO2、PM10浓度均随能见度增高而逐渐降低;影响能见度的首要因子为相对湿度和PM2.5,能见度与PM2.5浓度具有较好的相关性.     

Evaluation of the Mesoscale Meteorological Model (MM5)-Community Multi-Scale Air Quality Model (CMAQ) performance in hindcast and forecast of ground-level ozone

This paper presents the first attempt to apply the Mesoscale Meteorological Model (MM5)-Community Multi-Scale Air Quality Model (CMAQ) model system to simulate ground-level ozone (O3) over the continental Southeast Asia (CSEA) region for both hindcast and forecast purposes. Hindcast simulation was done over the CSEA domain for two historical O3 episodes, January 26-29, 2004 (January episode, northeast monsoon) and March 24-26, 2004 (March episode, southwest monsoon). Experimental forecast was done for next-day hourly O3 during January 2006 over the central part of Thailand (CENTHAI). Available data from 20 ambient monitoring stations in Thailand and 3 stations in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, were used for the episode analysis and for the model performance evaluation. The year 2000 anthropogenic emission inventory prepared by the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research at the University of Iowa was projected to the simulation year on the basis of the regional average economic growth rate. Hourly emission in urban areas was prepared using ambient carbon monoxide concentration as a surrogate for the emission intensity. Biogenic emissions were estimated based on data from the Global Emissions Inventory Activity. Hindcast simulations (CSEA) were performed with 0.5 degree x 0.5 degree resolution, whereas forecast simulations (CENTHAI) were done with 0.1 degree x 0.1 degree hourly emission input data. MM5-CMAQ model system performance during the selected episodes satisfactorily met U.S. Environmental Protection Agency criteria for O3 for most simulated days. The experiment forecast for next-day hourly O3 in January 2006 yielded promising results. Modeled plumes of ozone in both hindcast and forecast cases agreed with the main wind fields and extended over considerable downwind distances from large urban areas.