An approach to evaluation of sustainability for Guangzhou's urban ecosystem

Guangzhou has ambitions to build itself into a world class metropolis by 2010. Sustainable development is the only way to achieve this magnificent goal. Based on the ecological perspective of sustainable development and the principles of ecosystem integrity, this paper develops an approach for evaluation of sustainable development in Guangzhou between 1986 and 1995. A hierarchical evaluation system of four tiers of sustainability indicators was established. Using the method of fuzzy multistage synthetic evaluation, sustainability development level index, QIx, was calculated for the indicators at the B, C, D, and E tiers. Development stages were identified based on these index values. The coordination degree among the economic, social, and natural subsystems was also computed. Further, an overall sustainability index for each year was computed by combining the development level index and the coordination degree. It was found that the urban ecosystem in Guangzhou had generally become more sustainable, in spite of fluctuations in coordination degree. The development level index of the economic subsystem has surpassed that of social and natural subsystems since 1995. Appropriate measures must be taken to ensure coordinated development among the subsystems for the purpose of sustainable development.     

Efficiency of mercapto flavor compounds in removing acrylamide under high temperature and low humidity conditions

Acrylamide (AA) is a potential human carcinogen, genotoxicant, and neurotoxicant. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the ability of mercapto flavor compounds to remove AA released from consumer packaging into food products. Four mercapto flavor compounds including 1,2-ethanedithiol, 1-butanethiol, 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, and 2-furanmethanethiol were employed to extract AA in model system using high temperature and low humidity. Our study showed that mercaptans were effective in eliminating AA in our model system. In order to remove 0.2 μmol AA, the optimal conditions in the reaction system were mercaptan flavor chemicals at 5 μmol, temperature 180 °C, and reaction time 25 min. In the presence of a higher pH, the greater was the amount of AA eliminated. Evidence indicates that employment of mercapto flavor chemicals under certain temperature and pH conditions is a reliable method to remove any unwanted AA from food products.     

长江中游近岸表层沉积物重金属污染特征分析及风险评估

为了探究长江中游近岸沉积物中重金属污染情况,2020年6月对长江中游14个采样断面的沉积物进行样品采集并测定沉积物中汞（Hg）、镉（Cd）、砷（As）、铜（Cu）、铅（Pb）、铬（Cr）和锌（Zn）等7种重金属元素的含量.首先分析了长江中游近岸表层沉积物重金属含量的空间分布特征,然后采用相关性分析方法（CA）、主成分分析法（PCA）和正定矩阵因子分解法（PMF）相结合的途径分析表层沉积物中重金属的来源,最后采用地累积指数法（I_geo）、潜在生态风险指数法（RI）和沉积物质量基准法（SQG）对重金属进行了风险评价.结果显示,Hg、Cd、As、Cu、Pb、Cr和Zn的平均含量分别为0.13、0.77、11.20、36.45、36.40、83.99和124.21 mg·kg^-1,其中Cd和Pb的平均含量超过背景值的1.72和1.35倍;PCA提取了前3个主成分（累积贡献率85.16%）,结合CA结果显示重金属Cd、As、Cu、Pb和Zn来源一致,Hg和Cr来源一致;PMF模型将7种重金属元素的污染源分成3个因子并得到因子的贡献率,并且工业和生活废水、煤炭燃烧、采矿业3个因子的综合贡献率为41.96%、32.48%和25.55%;地累积指数法（I_geo）评价结果显示,Cd是主要重金属污染物,处于轻度污染程度等级,Hg、As、Cu、Pb、Cr和Zn等6种重金属元素处于无污染等级;潜在生态风险指数法评价结果显示,Hg的最高风险等级为中等生态风险等级,位于城陵矶和新厂采样点,Cd的最高风险等级为强生态风险等级,位于牯牛沙水道和武汉上采样点,As、Cu、Pb、Cr和Zn在14个采样断面均属于低生态风险等级.综合潜在生态风险指数（RI）为62.59~138.59,其中处于低微和中度风险等级的采样点分别占总采样点的71.43%（10个采样点）和28.57%（4个采样点）,整体上长江中游干流污染不严重;沉积物质量基准法（SQG）评价结果显示,长江中游沉积物等级为Ⅰ级,定性评价为优,显示长江中游14个采样断面的沉积物对底栖生物没有毒性作用.综合以上结果,长江中游重金属污染不严重,Cd为重点防治的重金属元素.     

典型进口废物循环利用技术园区投资建设模式研究

随着社会经济的快速发展、资源及原材料需求量的不断增加,以进口废物为原料进行加工利用的循环经济园区也随之蓬勃发展。循环经济产业园区建设过程中有投资巨大、资本回收周期长、投资主体众多的特点。在考虑经济效益的同时,也要统筹考虑社会效益和环境效益,因此选择何种投资建设模式来指导园区建设具有十分重大的意义。本文通过对国内三省的四个园区投资建设模式的调查研究,分析对比了不同投资建设模式的典型特征,总结概括了不同模式之间的优缺点,为同类园区的开发建设提供了有益参考。     

进口废塑料环境保护管理研究

随着塑料资源的大量消耗,废塑料的利用引起了社会的高度重视。工艺简单,投入成本少,入行门槛低导致部分废塑料加工利用企业技术水平低、管理模式差、环境污染重。为规范进口废塑料行业,通过调研统计、实验分析、咨询论证和研究了进口废塑料环境保护管理规定,对进口废塑料企业的规模、设备、人员和管理等方面提出了要求,为进一步规范提升进口废塑料行业提供技术支撑。     

催化臭氧化降解技术中的两个问题

探讨了有机物特性及中间产物H2O2在催化臭氧化中的作用。结果表明,有机物在自由基链反应过程中的特性直接影响催化臭氧化的降解效率。当目标有机物是对链反应具有促进作用的甲酸时,自由基引发反应可以明显提高甲酸的臭氧化效率。当目标有机物是对自由基链反应具有抑制剂作用的乙酸时,O3和Fe^2＋/O3对乙酸有着相似的降解效率。以上结果表明,自由基引发反应并不是臭氧化降解效率提高的充分条件。另外,当臭氧化过程有H2O2产生时,必须考虑类Fenton反应对臭氧化效率的影响。     

Degradation of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) by Stenotrophomonas sp. YCJ1 isolated from farmland soil

In recent years, poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) has been widely used. However, PBAT-degrading bacteria have rarely been reported. PBAT-degrading bacteria were isolated from farmland soil and identified. The effects of growth factors on the degradation of PBAT and the lipase activity of PBAT-degrading bacteria were assessed. The degradation mechanism was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that Stenotrophomonas sp. YCJ1 had a significant degrading effect on PBAT. Under certain conditions, the strain could secrete 10.53 U/mL of lipase activity and degrade 10.14 wt.% of PBAT films. The strain secreted lipase to catalyze the degradation of the ester bonds in PBAT, resulting in the production of degradation products such as terephthalic acid, 1,4-butanediol, and adipic acid. Furthermore, the degradation products could participate in the metabolism of YCJ1 as carbon sources to facilitate complete degradation of PBAT, indicating that the strain has potential value for the bioremediation of PBAT in the environment.     

Reinforcing and Toughening Modification of PPC/PBS Blends Compatibilized with Epoxy Terminated Hyperbranched Polymers

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - Polypropylene carbonate (PPC)/polybutylene succinate (PBS) blends were prepared by melt-blending with terminal epoxy-based hyperbranched polymers (EHBP) as...     

Functional flax fiber with UV-induced switchable wettability for multipurpose oil-water separation

● A PAA-ZnO-HDTMS flax fiber with UV-induced switchable wettability was developed. ● The property of flax fiber could be switched from hydrophobicity to hydrophilicity. ● The mechanism of the acquired UV-induced switchable wettability was discussed. ● The developed flax fiber was successfully used for multipurpose oil-water separation. The large number of oily wastewater discharges and oil spills are bringing about severe threats to environment and human health. Corresponding to this challenge, a functional PAA-ZnO-HDTMS flax fiber with UV-induced switchable wettability was developed for efficient oil-water separation in this study. The developed flax fiber was obtained through PAA grafted polymerization and then ZnO-HDTMS nanocomposite immobilization. The as-prepared PAA-ZnO-HDTMS flax fiber was hydrophobic initially and could be switched to hydrophilic through UV irradiation. Its hydrophobicity could be easily recovered through being stored in dark environment for several days. To optimize the performance of the PAA-ZnO-HDTMS flax fiber, the effects of ZnO and HDTMS concentrations on its switchable wettability were investigated. The optimized PAA-ZnO-HDTMS flax fiber had a large water contact angle (~130°) in air and an extremely small oil contact angle (~0°) underwater initially. After UV treatment, the water contact angle was decreased to 30°, while the underwater oil contact angle was increased to more than 150°. Based on this UV-induced switchable wettability, the developed PAA-ZnO-HDTMS flax fiber was applied to remove oil from immiscible oil-water mixtures and oil-in-water emulsion with great reusability for multiple cycles. Thus, the developed flax fiber could be further fabricated into oil barrier or oil sorbent for oil-water separation, which could be an environmentally-friendly alternative in oil spill response and oily wastewater treatment.