Short-term effects of gaseous pollutants on cause-specific mortality in Wuhan, China

In Asia, limited studies have been published on the association between daily mortality and gaseous pollutants of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Our previous studies in Wuhan, China, demonstrated long-term air pollution effects. However, no study has been conducted to determine mortality effects of air pollution in this region. This study was to determine the acute mortality effects of the gaseous pollutants in Wuhan, a city with 7.5 million permanent residents during the period from 2000 to 2004. There are approximately 4.5 million residents in Wuhan who live in the city's core area of 201 km2, where air pollution levels are highest, and pollution ranges are wider than the majority of the cities in the published literature. We used the generalized additive model to analyze pollution, mortality, and covariate data. We found consistent NO2 effects on mortality with the strongest effects on the same day. Every 10-microg/m3 increase in NO2 daily concentration on the same day was associated with an increase in nonaccidental (1.43%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.87-1.99%), cardiovascular (1.65%; 95% CI: 0.87-2.45%), stroke (1.49%; 95% CI: 0.56-2.43%), cardiac (1.77%; 95% CI: 0.44-3.12%), respiratory (2.23%; 95% CI: 0.52-3.96%), and cardiopulmonary mortality (1.60%; 95% CI: 0.85-2.35%). These effects were stronger among the elderly than among the young. Formal examination of exposure-response curves suggests no-threshold linear relationships between daily mortality and NO2, where the NO2 concentrations ranged from 19.2 to 127.4 microg/m3. SO2 and O3 were not associated with daily mortality. The exposure-response relationships demonstrated heterogeneity, with some curves showing nonlinear relationships for SO2 and O3. We conclude that there is consistent evidence of acute effects of NO2 on mortality and suggest that a no-threshold linear relationship exists between NO2 and mortality.     

Phosphorus Load Reduction Goals for Feitsui Reservoir Watershed, Taiwan

The present paper describes an effort for developing the total maximum daily load (TMDL) for phosphorus and a load reduction strategy for the Feitsui Reservoir in Northern Taiwan. BASINS model was employed to estimate watershed pollutant loads from nonpoint sources (NPS) in the Feitsui Reservoir watershed. The BASINS model was calibrated using field data collected during a 2-year sampling period and then used to compute watershed pollutant loadings into the Feitsui Reservoir. The simulated results indicate that the average annual total phosphorus (TP) loading into the reservoir is 18,910 kg/year, which consists of non-point source loading of 16,003 kg/year, and point source loading of 2,907 kg/year. The Vollenweider mass balance model was used next to determine the degree of eutrophication under current pollutant loading and the load reduction needed to keep the reservoir from being eutrophic. It was estimated that Feitsui Reservoir can becoming of the oligotrophic state if the average annual TP loading is reduced by 37% or more. The results provide the basis on which an integrated control action plan for both point and nonpoint sources of pollution in the watershed can be developed.     

Partitioning of hydrogen peroxide between the gas and liquid phases in the presence of surfactant

Gas-liquid phase partitioning is a key physical property that can predict the environmental fate of a compound between two phases. Several environmental factors have been known to affect the gas-liquid phase partitioning. We investigated the influence of surfactant on the gas-liquid phase partitioning of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)). The surfactant used was ammonium perfluorooctanoate (APFO). H(2)O(2) solution containing the surfactant was equilibrated in a closed system and gas phase H(2)O(2) concentration was measured by the peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence (PO-CL) method. Gas phase H(2)O(2) concentrations remained constant below the critical micelle concentration (CMC) and increased linearly with surfactant concentration above the CMC, which indicated that surfactant micelles influenced the gas-liquid phase partitioning of H(2)O(2). This result showed that H(2)O(2)-micelle interactions are less favorable than H(2)O(2)-H(2)O interactions. Surfactant monomers did not affect the gas-liquid phase partitioning of H(2)O(2) due to the absence of micelles. Solvent (methanol) effect was also investigated and showed that gas phase H(2)O(2) concentrations increased with the addition of solvent. This indicated the unfavorable interaction of H(2)O(2) with hydrophobic medium compared to hydrophilic one. It is consistent with the result that H(2)O(2)-micelles has a weaker interaction than H(2)O(2)-water because surfactant micelles are hydrocarbon-like organic phase rather than aqueous phase.     

Characteristics of Carbonaceous Aerosol at Taichung Harbor, Taiwan during Summer and Autumn Period of 2005

In recent years, suspended particle pollution has become a serious problem in Taiwan. The carbonaceous materials EC and OC are play important roles in various atmospheric processes. The primary OC/EC ratio approach is applied to assess the contribution of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) to the PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ mass at the Taichung harbor sampling site. The results indicated that the average EC and OC concentration were 1.06 and 6.50 μg m⁻³, respectively, in fine particulate. And the average EC and OC concentration were 4.04 and 40.32 μg m⁻³, respectively, in coarse particulate at Taichung Harbor sampling site. In addition, and the average EC/OC rations was 8.72 in fine particle, respectively, at Taichung Harbor, Taiwan during summer and autumn period of 2005. The fine particle exhibited high particulate concentrations in October, and lower concentration particulate occurred in August. And in this study OC and EC concentrations in this study are compared with those in other cities. The results of EC and OC concentration in this study are also compare with those other cities.     

Zinc and cadmium accumulation and tolerance in populations of Sedum alfredii

To investigate the variation of Zn and Cd accumulation and tolerance of Sedum alfredii (a newly reported Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator), field surveys and hydroponic experiments were conducted among three populations of this species: two originating from old Pb/Zn mines in Zhejiang (ZJ) and Hunan (HN) Provinces and one from a "clean" site in Guangdong (GD) Province, China. Under field conditions, up to 12,524 and 12,253 mg kg(-1) Zn, and 1400 and 97 mg kg(-1) Cd in shoots of ZJ and HN plants were recorded respectively. Under hydroponic conditions, ZJ and HN plants accumulated significantly higher Zn and Cd in their leaves and stems, and possessed significantly higher Zn and Cd tolerance than GD plants. Among the two contaminated populations, ZJ plants showed higher Cd tolerance and accumulation (in leaves) than HN plants. The present results indicate that significant differences in Zn and Cd accumulation and tolerance exist in populations of S. alfredii.     

塔里木河干流农田排水资源化研究

近几十年分析资料对比表明 ,农田排水对塔里木河干流水质盐化的影响不断加重。在塔里木河干流 ,农田排水资源化利用有如下几个有利条件 :( 1)农田排水有一定数量且渠网的延伸和改造难度不大 ;( 2 )荒漠可作为农田排水资源化利用的场所 ;( 3)农田排水仍可勉强适于耐盐植物生长。根据区域不同 ,利用农田排水拓展乔灌草防沙带、增加盐成土荒漠耐盐植被的盖度、使人工绿洲边缘的荒漠能够生长耐盐植物等都是农田排水资源化利用发展的方向     

固相萃取-气相色谱法测定水中硝基氯苯类化合物

建立固相萃取-气相色谱法测定水中15种硝基氯苯类化合物的方法。选用HLB柱为固相萃取柱,选用环己烷∶丙酮(3∶1,V∶V)混合溶剂作洗脱剂,得到方法检出限为0.011～0.040μg/L。空白水样加标回收率为73.6%～119%,相对标准偏差为6.1%～13.9%,精密度和准确度良好。对成分不复杂的实际水样进行测定,加标回收率为64.1%～118%,相对标准偏差为5.8%～15.6%,该方法能够基本满足成分不复杂的环境水体中痕量硝基氯苯类化合物的测定。     

企业环保信用评价的发展历史与现状思考

回顾了国内外企业环保信用评价发展历史,指出与国外相比,我国企业环保信用评价起步较晚,目前各地区评价标准主要以监管性指标和处罚决定为依据,其中以监管性指标评价较全面但操作繁琐,以处罚决定评价更为客观但对中小型企业监管力度较低。提出,我国企业环保信用评价体系还需要进一步优化,统一评价标准,完善动态评价机制,增强企业与责任人的关联,以促进社会信用体系向更为完备的方向发展。     

小尺度上蜜蜂传粉服务与耕地利用集约水平之间权衡关系研究

传粉作为重要的生态系统服务之一,对维持野生植物群落和粮食生产至关重要。近年来随着全球农业投入迅速增加,耕地利用集约化程度大幅提高,昆虫传粉能力受到严重影响。由于全世界约2/3的主要粮食作物依赖传粉服务,因此传粉服务的下降将威胁着全球粮食安全。然而,传粉服务与耕地利用集约水平的相互关系有待在全球各地区进行进一步验证,尤其在中国这种农业大国。以鄱阳湖滨湖区典型村落为研究对象,基于高精度土地利用数据、传粉蜜蜂生物物理数据、区域社会经济以及实地调研数据,采用InVEST模型、GIS分析工具、数理统计和回归分析方法。定量揭示小尺度上耕地集约利用与蜜蜂传粉服务之间的权衡关系。结果显示:(1)研究村落2000年和2013年蜜蜂传粉服务丰度平均值分别为0. 127和0. 108,期间下降幅度为15. 50%。总体上,研究村落蜜蜂传粉服务有较明显的削弱。(2)受退耕还林、退田还湖以及耕地撂荒等因素的综合影响,研究村落耕地利用区域减少了37. 66 hm~2,约占村落土地总面积的13. 55%。但由于农药、化肥、机械以及劳动力等投入的增加,该村各耕地利用类型的集约度分值均有大幅度提高,增幅均高达2倍以上。(3)耕地利用集约度变化与蜜蜂传粉服务变化回归系数为-0. 164,两者呈负相关关系,也即两者之间存在此消彼长的权衡关系。研究村落耕地利用集约度的提高削弱了蜜蜂传粉服务功能。     

生态工程建设背景下贵州高原的植被变化及影响因素分析

基于MODIS-NDVI和气象数据,运用趋势分析、偏相关分析和残差分析等方法,对生态工程建设背景下贵州高原的植被变化及影响因素进行分析,并定量探讨气候因素与人类活动对植被变化的影响。结果表明：(1)2000~2016年期间,贵州高原植被NDVI在空间上呈东高西低的分布特征,高值分布于野生动植物及自然保护区等,低值分布于湿地保护工程区。NDVI总体呈上升趋势,湿地保护工程区、退耕还林工程区等植被覆盖上升速率较快,野生动植物及自然保护区呈略微的下降趋势。(2)植被改善区域(83.74%)分布于研究区边缘及西北部,退化区域(16.26%)分布于研究区中部和东南部,其中退耕还林还草工程区植被改善最为明显,野生动植物保护及自然保护区和速生丰产工程区改善效果较差。(3)从气侯因素分析来看,气温和降水在总体上与NDVI均呈正相关,气温对贵州高原植被生长的影响大于降水。(4) 从人类活动分析来看,人类活动对植被的建设作用强于破坏作用,人类活动正作用（76.68%）主要分布于西北部,负作用（23.32%）集中分布于东南部。植被覆盖增加是气候因素和人类活动共同作用的结果,人类活动对植被的贡献率为75.53%,气候因素为24.47%。