美国自然灾害的社会学研究

研究起始美国著名地球科学家普瑞斯说过：无论何时何地发生破坏性大地震,美国整个社会和经济组织都能感受到它的巨大冲击。面对这种损失巨大、影响面广的地震灾害,美国政府在其减灾计划中,强调了必须采取强力措施,“加强对国民进行地震及其危险性教育,以减轻地震对家庭、社会和国家的影响”。     

可视化通风机性能测试程序设计

介绍了用通风机性能曲线测定可视化计算机程序的设计。该程序基于Windows环境，采用C Builder5．0开发，可以实现数据的自动保存、处理，及性能曲线、结果报表输出，同时具有可视化的人机界面。应用该程序可以使通风机性能曲线测定试验更加简便易行，还可以使试验结果更加精确。     

大型烧结厂房爆破拆除设计与施工

所爆厂房由主厂房、环冷、除尘器、抽风机房组成，建筑面积近2万m^2，最大标高为43．5m，东边主厂房与高架通廊连为一体，东南8．6m为高压变电所；南边1．8m为80m高烟囱，2．5m处为架空管道，地下和地表运料通廊东西贯穿厂房，周围环境复杂。提出了先爆环冷和除尘器再处理抽风机房，最后爆破主厂房的总体爆破方案，采用爆破切割技术分离主厂房保留部分及高架通廊。采用了原地坍塌、定向倒塌和折叠爆破技术和施工工艺。爆破达到了预期效果，可供类似工程参考。     

城市可降解生活垃圾的生物综合处理模式初探

针对现有城市生活垃圾处理方式的不足,结合垃圾生物处理特点,设计了集混合菌群降解、生物过滤除臭、污水回用及植被绿化于一体的立体处理体系。结果表明,该系统在城市生活垃圾的“三化”处理中具有显著的潜势:既使生活垃圾在食物链外形成安全的闭路循环,防止有害物质向人居环境入渗;同时,处理设施的立体化、终产物的生物转化以及即刻的市场效应,有效地增强了系统的消纳能力,缓解了传统处理方式对城市空间的压力。该系统对我国中小城市生活垃圾的综合利用具有积极的参考价值。     

甲基汞对大鼠脑一氧化氮合酶,丙二醛和即刻早期基因的影响

为了寻找甲基汞神经毒性检测和评价效应指标以及探讨甲基汞神经毒性分子机制,对大鼠进行氯化甲基汞(MMC)急性暴露(对照组为0.9％生理盐水、暴露组浓度为0.05mg/kg),20min后对大鼠进行生理生化指标和即早基因的检测,大鼠大脑中枢神经系统的神经递质一氧化氮合酶活力采用一氧化氮合酶(NOS)测定试剂盒检测;自由基脂质过氧化产物丙二醛含量采用硫代巴比妥酸(TBA)比色法检测;即刻早期基因c-fos表达的变化采用免疫组化方法检测。结果表明,在暴露氯化甲基汞(MMC)20min后,大鼠大脑中枢神经系统的一氧化氮合酶活力、自由基脂质过氧化产物丙二醛含量以及即刻早期基因(IEG)c-fos蛋白阳性表达数量都有提高。但其中一氧化氮合酶活力及自由基脂质过氧化产物丙二醛含量同对照组相比没有显著性差异;而即刻早期基因c-fos的阳性表达同对照组相比有极显著性差异(P<0.01)。据此可以推测,即刻早期基因能作为甲基汞神经毒性检测和评价效应指标,一氧化氮合酶、丙二醛和即刻早期基因在甲基汞神经毒性过程中具有重要作用。     

Application of tracer ratio and inverse dispersion methods with boat-based plume measurements to estimate ammonia emissions from seabird colonies

Ammonia emissions from two contrasting seabird colonies in Scotland were measured, based on the determination of atmospheric concentrations downwind of the colonies. Atmospheric concentrations of ammonia (NH₃) across the downwind plume were compared with the inverse application of a Gaussian dispersion model (ID) to calculate the modelled NH₃ emission that would generate the measured cross-wind-integrated plume concentration. In parallel, a tracer gas (sulphur hexafluoride, SF₆) was released from the colonies with air samples taken to allow determination of SF₆ concentrations. On the basis of the known emission rate of SF₆, the magnitude of ammonia emissions was estimated by the cross-wind-integrated tracer ratio (TR) of NH₃/SF₆ concentrations. Coupled with data on annual bird attendance, the measurements indicate annual emissions from the Isle of May and the Bass Rock of 18 and 132 tonnes NH₃-N year^–1, respectively. The measured NH₃ emissions were compared with estimates of seabird nitrogen excretion to estimate the proportion of excreted N that is volatilised as NH₃ (F_Nr). The emission estimates of the two methods compared favourably, giving 4 and 6 kg NH₃-N h^–1 (F_Nr = 15%) for the Isle of May for the ID and TR methods, respectively, and 21 and 25 kg NH₃-N h^–1 (F_Nr = 50%) for the Bass Rock for the ID and TR methods, respectively. The results provide the first measurement-based estimates to allow regional up scaling of ammonia emissions from seabirds.     

The GaNE programme in a global perspective

This paper provides the background to this special issue, outlining the extent to which the global atmospheric nitrogen cycle has been modified by human activity and outlining the range of effects. The global total emissions of reduced and oxidized nitrogen, amount to 124 Tg N, and exceed those from natural sources (34 Tg N) by almost a factor of four showing the extent to which anthropogenic activity has taken over the global N cycle. Of the 124 Tg N, 70 Tg N is emitted in the oxidized form, largely as NO and 70% of which results directly from anthropogenic activity. The remaining 54 Tg N is emitted as NH₃, (66% anthropogenic). The enhanced nitrogen emissions are associated with a range of local, regional and global issues including, acidification, eutrophication, climate change, human health and tropospheric O₃. The paper also places the Global Nitrogen Enrichment (GaNE) research programme in the UK in a wider perspective.     

Modelling nitrogen fluxes at the landscape scale

The distribution and impacts of different nitrogen pollutants are inextricably linked. To understand the problem fully, the interactions between the different pollutants need to be taken into account. This is particularly important when it comes to abatement techniques, since measures to reduce emissions of one nitrogen pollutant can often lead to an increase in another. This project represents a step towards greater understanding of these issues by linking together new and existing nitrogen flux models into a larger framework. The modelling framework has been constructed and some of the nitrogen flows between fields, farms and the atmosphere have been modelled for a UK study area for typical farm management scenarios.     

Rapid amino acid cycling in arctic and antarctic soils

Amino acids constitute one of the largest inputs of organic nitrogen (N) to most polar soils and have been hypothesized to be important in regulating vegetational succession and productivity in Arctic ecosystems. Our understanding of amino acid cycling in these soils, however, is poor. The aim of this study was to investigate the size and rate of turnover of the amino acid pool in a range of Arctic and Antarctic soils. Our results indicate that in polar soils with either high or low ornithogenic inputs the amino acid pool is small in comparison to the inorganic N pool (NO^–₃ and NH⁺₄). The free amino acid pool constituted only a small proportion of the total dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) pool in these soils. Here we show that these low concentrations may be due to rapid use by the soil microbial community in both Arctic and Antarctic soils. The turnover of the amino acid pool in soil was extremely rapid, with a half-life ranging from 2 to 24 h, indicating that this N pool can be turned over many hundred times each summer when polar soils are frequently unfrozen. The implications of amino acids in N cycling and plant and microbial nutrition are discussed.     

Applying metabolic fingerprinting to ecology: The use of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy for the rapid screening of plant responses to N deposition

The potential for metabolic fingerprinting via Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to provide a novel approach for the detection of plant biochemical responses to N deposition is examined. An example of spectral analysis using shoot samples taken from an open top chamber (OTC) experiment simulating wet ammonium deposition is given. Sample preparation involved oven drying and homogenisation via mill grinding. Slurries of a consistent dilution were then prepared prior to FT-IR analysis. Spectra from control, 8 and 16 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1 treatments were then subjected to cross-validated discriminant function analysis. Ordination diagrams showed clear separation between the three N treatments examined. The potential for using Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull as a bioindicator of N deposition is further evident from these results. The results also clearly demonstrate the power of FT-IR in discriminating between subtle phenotypic alterations in overall plant biochemistry as affected by ammonium pollution.