Characteristics of aerosols collected in central Taiwan during an Asian dust event in spring 2000

Aerosol samples for PM(2.5) and PM(2.5-10) were collected at four locations in central Taiwan from 26 to 31 March 2000, a period that experienced exceedingly high PM levels from 29 to 30 March due to the passage of an Asian dust storm. The samples were analyzed for mass, metallic elements, ions, and carbon. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of the dust storm on the characteristics of local ambient particulate matter. The results indicate that the concentrations of the crustal elements Ca, Mg, Al, Fe and the sea salt species Na+ and Cl- in PM(2.5-10) during the dust episode exceed the mean concentrations in the non-dust period by factors of 3.1, 2.9, 2.6, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.1 respectively. Enrichment factors of Ca, Fe, and Mg in PM(2.5-10) during the dust event are close to unity, indicating that these elements are from soil. Reconstruction of aerosol compositions revealed that soil of coarse particulates elevated approximately 50% in the dust event. It is noted that during the dust event, the ratio of Mg/Al in PM(2.5-10) ranged from 0.21 to 0.25 while that of Ca/Al ranged from 0.6 to 0.9, levels more constant than those obtained in non-dust period.     

The win-win pathway of economic growth and CO2 emission reduction: a case study for China

ABSTRACT

Continuously reducing the CO₂ intensity of GDP is the core strategy for developing countries to realize the dual targets of economic growth and CO₂ emissions reduction. The measures are twofold: one is to strengthen energy saving and decrease energy intensity of GDP and the other is to promote energy structural decarbonization and reduce CO₂ intensity of energy consumption. In order to control global temperature rise no more than 2°C, the decrease in CO₂ intensity of GDP needs surpass 4% before 2030, but it could be merely about 2% based on the current trend. Therefore, all countries ought to speed up the low-carbon transition in energy and economy. As for China, keeping a continuous decline in CO₂ intensity of GDP of 4%–5% will ensure the realization of the NDC objectives, and also promotes the early peaking of CO₂ emissions before 2030. China will play a positive leading role in realizing a win-win low-carbon development coordinating sustainable development and climate change mitigation.     

沿海城市风暴潮灾害风险评估研究述评

对风暴潮灾害形成机理、风暴潮灾害风险评估方法、灾害风险区划与等级评估、灾害损失评估等方面进行了梳理和分析,认为:①风暴潮灾害风险评估指标体系目前多为主要社会因子和经济损失因子,而忽视主要气象水文指标(最大增水、中心风速等)对风暴潮灾害的影响,研究发现,最大增水和风暴潮灾害呈正相关关系;可通过主成分分析等相关数学模型提取指标因子,避免指标选取主观随意性,又能够客观的确定指标因子的权重;②应建立统一的风暴潮灾害风险评估综合指标;提出建立灾害熵综合风险评估方法,定量的反映所研究区域灾害损失整体水平,灾害熵值也可作为划分灾害等级的分级量度。     

活性氧参与多壁碳纳米管诱导的RAW264.7细胞毒性

碳纳米管以其独特的结构和性能,在生物医药和电子等领域广泛应用,而其生态安全性也成为科学界关注的焦点。为探究多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs)诱导的细胞毒性机制,将小鼠肺泡巨噬细胞(RAW264.7)暴露于6个浓度梯度(0、25、50、100、150和200μg.mL-1)的MWCNTs中,应用噻唑蓝(MTT)法测定细胞存活率,用2’,7’-二氯荧光素二乙酸(DCFH-DA)荧光染色法测定细胞内活性氧的生产量,用流式细胞方法测定MWCNTs对细胞周期的影响。同时使用抗氧化剂氮乙酰半胱氨酸(NAC)验证MWCNTs诱导的细胞氧化损伤的作用机理。结果显示,MWCNTs对RAW264.7的细胞毒性呈剂量依赖性。暴露于不同浓度的MWCNTs(25、50、100、150和200μg.mL-1)下24h后,细胞活力分别为对照的74%、62%、59%、51%和45%。MWCNTs对RAW264.7的周期阻滞作用主要发生在G0/G1期。200μg.mL-1的MWCNTs处理3h后活性氧较对照组上升6.6倍。NAC对MWCNTs细胞毒作用有明显的抑制作用,且NAC能减弱MWCNTs对RAW264.7的细胞周期阻滞作用。研究表明,活性氧能够介导MWCNTs对小鼠巨噬细胞RAW264.7的损伤,并且MWCNTS通过细胞周期G0/G1期的阻滞,诱导细胞凋亡。     

聚乙烯及其废料油化技术中催化剂的研制与性能研究

本文研究了几种自制催化剂对聚乙烯热解产物的催化改质作用,催化反应温度与催化剂性质对催化改质所得气体收率及组成、汽油收率及辛烷值、柴油收率以及催化剂积碳的影响,探讨了适合聚乙烯及其废料热解产物催化改质的催化剂应具备的特性及热解产物在催化剂上反应的类型,同时探讨了本研究对废塑料油化技术的指导作用。应用此催化剂液体收率可达８０％以上,汽油辛烷值为８２（ＲＯＮ）。     

Impact of photosynthesis and transpiration on nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands

To determine the impact of photosynthesis and transpiration on nitrogen removal in wetlands, an artificial wetland planted with reeds was constructed to treat highly concentrated domestic wastewater. Under different meteorological and hydraulic conditions, the daily changes of photosynthesis and transpiration of reeds, as well as nitrogen removal efficiency were measured. It was found that net photosynthesis rate per unit leaf area was maintained on a high level (average 19.0 μmol CO₂/(m²·s)) from 10:00 to 14:00 in July 2004 and reached a peak of 21.1 μmol CO₂/(m²·s) when Photon Flux Density was high during the day. Meanwhile, TN and NH₄ ⁺-N removal efficiency rose to 79.6% and 89.6%, respectively—the maximum values observed in the test. Correlation coefficient analysis demonstrated a positive correlation among photon flux density, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and TN and NH₄ ⁺-N removal efficiency. In contrast, there was a negative correlation between stomatal conductance and TN and NH₄ ⁺-N removal efficiency. Results suggest that the photosynthesis and transpiration of wetland plants have a great impact on nitrogen removal efficiency of wetlands, which can be enhanced by an increase in the photosynthesis and transpiration rate. In addition, the efficiency of water usage by reeds and nitrogen removal efficiency could be affected by the water level in wetlands; a higher level boosts nitrogen removal efficiency.     

Effect of alginate on the aggregation kinetics of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs): bridging interaction and hetero-aggregation induced by Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript>

The stability of CuO nanoparticles (NPs) is expected to play a key role in the environmental risk assessment of nanotoxicity in aquatic systems. In this study, the effect of alginate (model polysaccharides) on the stability of CuO NPs in various environmentally relevant ionic strength conditions was investigated by using time-resolved dynamic light scattering. Significant aggregation of CuO NPs was observed in the presence of both monovalent and divalent cations. The critical coagulation concentrations (CCC) were 54.5 and 2.9 mM for NaNO₃ and Ca(NO₃)₂, respectively. The presence of alginate slowed nano-CuO aggregation rates over the entire NaNO₃ concentration range due to the combined electrostatic and steric effect. High concentrations of Ca²⁺ (>6 mM) resulted in stronger adsorption of alginate onto CuO NPs; however, enhanced aggregation of CuO NPs occurred simultaneously under the same conditions. Spectroscopic analysis revealed that the bridging interaction of alginate with Ca²⁺ might be an important mechanism for the enhanced aggregation. Furthermore, significant coagulation of the alginate molecules was observed in solutions of high Ca²⁺ concentrations, indicating a hetero-aggregation mechanism between the alginate-covered CuO NPs and the unabsorbed alginate. These results suggested a different aggregation mechanism of NPs might co-exist in aqueous systems enriched with natural organic matter, which should be taken into consideration in future studies.

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Graphical abstract Hetero-aggregation mechanism of CuO nanoparticles and alginate under high concentration of Ca²⁺

     

Feeding and respiration rates of a planktonic copepod (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Calanus sinicus</Emphasis>) oversummering in Yellow Sea Cold Bottom Waters

The distribution, feeding and oxygen consumption of Calanus sinicus were studied in August 2001 on a transect across Yellow Sea Cold Bottom Waters (YSCBW) and two additional transects nearby. The distribution of C. sinicus adults and copepodites stage CV appeared to be well correlated with water temperature. They tended to concentrate in the YSCBW (>10,000 ind. m^–2) to avoid high surface temperature. Gut pigment contents varied from 0.44 to 2.53 ng chlorophyll a equivalents (chl a equiv.) ind.^–1 for adults, and from 0.24 to 2.24 ng chl a equiv. ind.^–1 for CV copepodites. We found no relationship between gut pigment contents and the ambient chl a concentrations. Although the gut evacuation rate constants are consistent with those measured for other copepods, their low gut pigment contents meant an estimated daily herbivorous ingestion of <3% of body carbon in the YSCBW and <10% outside the YSCBW. However, based on estimates of clearance rates, C. sinicus feeds actively whether in the YSCBW or not, so the low ingestion rates probably reflect shortage of food. Oxygen consumption rates of C. sinicus ranged from 0.21 to 0.84 l O₂ ind.^–1 h^–1, with high rates often associated with high temperature. From the oxygen consumption rates, daily loss of body carbon was estimated to be 4.0–13.7%, which exceeds our estimates of their carbon ingestion rates. C. sinicus was probably not in diapause, either within or outside the YSCBW, but this cold-water layer provides C. sinicus with a refuge to live through the hot, low-food summer.Communicated by T. Ikeda, Hakodate     

The influence on carbon,nitrogen recycling,and greenhouse gas emissions under different C/N ratios by black soldier fly

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Currently, sustainable utilization, including recycling and valorization, is becoming increasingly popular in waste management. Black soldier fly...     

Effects of reciprocal hybridization on cadmium accumulation in F1 hybrids of two Solanum photeinocarpum ecotypes

In this study, farmland and mining ecotypes of Solanum photeinocarpum (a potential cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulator plant) were reciprocally hybridized each other, and the Cd accumulation characteristics of the F1 hybrids were studied. In pot experiments, higher biomasses and Cd extraction abilities were found for two S. photeinocarpum F1 hybrids than for the parents, but the Cd contents in various organs were lower in the hybrids than the parents. However, the differences between the Cd contents in the two hybrids were not significant. The antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase and peroxidase) activities were higher for the S. photeinocarpum F1 hybrids than the parents. Less DNA methylation was found in the hybrids than the parents because more demethylation occurred in the hybrids than the parents. The biomass, Cd content, and Cd extraction ability effects in field experiments were similar to the effects in the pot experiments. It was concluded that reciprocally hybridizing different S. photeinocarpum ecotypes improved the ability of S. photeinocarpum to be used to phytoremediate contaminated land.