Conditional effect of governance quality on the finance-environment nexus in a multivariate EKC framework: evidence from the method of moments-quantile regression with fixed-effects models

This paper investigates the mitigating effect of governance quality on the finance-environment nexus in a multivariate EKC framework in 123 selected countries during the 1990–2017 period. We mainly employ the method of moments-quantile regression (MM-QR) with the fixed-effects model, among others. First, the MM-QR estimator reveals that financial development reduces environmental quality more significantly in countries with initially higher levels (the 75^th and 90^th quantiles) of CO₂ emissions than in other countries (the 25^th and 10^th quantiles). Second, the attenuating effect of governance quality on the finance-environment nexus is more remarkable in nations with low initial levels (the 25^th and 10^th quantiles) of CO₂ emissions. Third, we find that the marginal positive effect of financial development on CO₂ emissions is smaller under a good regulatory framework than under corruption control and the rule of law, especially in the top emitters (the 75^th and 90^th quantiles). Fourth, unlike oil, which has a considerable negative impact on the environmental quality of the major emitters, renewable energy usage reduces CO₂ emissions in countries in all quantiles, primarily in the lowest quantiles. Fifth, the findings also show that urbanization dramatically worsens environmental quality in all economies, particularly those in the lowest quantiles. Finally, we confirm that the EKC hypothesis holds in all countries across different quantiles. The study’s final section discusses policy implications for sustainable development in all countries.

     

SDG-oriented multi-scenario sustainable land-use simulation under the background of urban expansion

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - With the continuous improvement of urbanization level and the continuous expansion of city scale, there are some unreasonable land development and...     

利用城市污泥堆肥及建筑弃土种植麦冬研究

将污泥堆肥产品分别与建筑弃土按0%、10%、20%、30%、40%和50%(湿重)的比例配制营养土,以麦冬为例进行180 d的栽培实验,分析了营养土对麦冬生长特性、植物体内及栽培土壤中营养学指标和重金属含量的变化规律,并通过模糊综合评价方法选择营养土较佳配制方案。实验结果表明:堆肥比例在50%时麦冬生物量增加率、新生芽数及地表部分比重为最大值,在30%时纺锤体肉质数减少率为最大值;随着营养土中堆肥比例增加,麦冬体内养分含量、重金属积累量随之增加,均在50%时达到最大值;栽培土壤养分越多损失量越多,各指残留率越低,同时全磷、全氮及K含量降低率较有效磷、碱解氮小得多,Cr降低率在5.20%～8.34%之间,Zn降低率在3.27%～17.35%之间;堆肥比例在40%以上的营养土对麦冬生长效果好,但较佳配制方案为堆肥产品占20%。     

剩余污泥减量化工艺条件优化研究

运用超声处理连续流活性污泥系统中不同种类的污泥,并将其回流至原系统中,研究其剩余污泥减量化效果。按正交实验设计并进行试验,确定最优工艺条件。结果表明:当声能密度为0.6 W/mL,作用时间为5 min,超声污泥为混合污泥,回流比为7∶120时,减量效果最佳。且在该条件下经一周期的运行,污泥减量效果达到96.24%,COD由进水的830 mg/L降至44 mg/L,NH4+-N和TN分别由进水的62.43 mg/L和103.19 mg/L,降解到2.31 mg/L和6.52 mg/L,达到《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》(GB18918-2002)一级排放标准。     

A multi-biomarker approach to assess the impact of farming systems on black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon)

This study examined the advantages of the use of biomarkers as an early warning system by applying it to different shrimp farming systems in Soctrang and Camau provinces, main shrimp producers in Mekong River Delta, Vietnam. Shrimp were collected at 15 different farms divided into four different farming systems: three farms were converted from originally rice paddies into intensive shrimp farming systems (IS1, IS2, IS3); three farms were rice-shrimp integrated farming systems (RS4, RS5, RS6); three farms were intensive farming systems (IS7, IS8, IS9); six farms were extensive shrimp farming systems (From ES1 to ES6). Lipid peroxidation (LPO) and total glutathione (GSH) were measured as well as catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and acetylcholinesterase activities (ACHE). Organ specificity was observed between gills and hepatopancreas with generally higher activity of GST in gills (GSTG) whereas the contrary was observed for LPO level in gills (LPOG). Hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis clearly indicated that shrimp reared in extensive culture system formed a distinct group from those reared in intensive or rice-shrimp integrated systems. CAT in gills (CATG), GPX in gills (GPXG) and hepatopancreas (GPXHP) and ACHE in muscle (ACHEM) of shrimp collected in extensive farms showed a general higher level than those in intensively farmed shrimp. On the contrary, we observed clear high levels of GSTG and GST in hepatopancreas (GSTHP) and LPOG and hepatopancreas (LPOHP) of shrimp sampled in intensive and rice-shrimp integrated systems. Thus, we propose that LPO and CAT, GPX, GST and ACHE can be used as a set of biomarkers for the assessment of health condition and can discriminate between shrimp cultivated in different farming systems. These findings provide the usefulness of integrating a set of biomarkers to define the health status of shrimp in different shrimp culture systems.     

中小型工业窑炉NOx废气的净化技术与应用

介绍了中小型工业窑炉生产过程中排放NOx的现状,并针对NOx的治理问题,从工程应用角度,简述了湿法和干法净化NOx的原理和化学反应过程。讨论了NOx排放特性和NOx废气中NO2/NOx比例的问题。提出了影响NOx治理的主要因素,包括吸收剂、吸附剂、催化剂和设备的部分应用参数,并结合工程实例指出工程需要注意的问题。介绍了多项采用湿法和干法净化NOx的工程应用项目,丰富了中小工业窑炉NOx废气的治理的实践经验,为中小工业窑炉排放NOx治理奠定了基础。     

Ground-level ozone in the Pearl River Delta region: Analysis of data from a recently established regional air quality monitoring network

The ambient air quality monitoring data of 2006 and 2007 from a recently established Pearl River Delta (PRD) regional air quality monitoring network are analyzed to investigate the characteristics of ground-level ozone in the region. Four sites covering urban, suburban, rural and coastal areas are selected as representatives for detailed analysis in this paper. The results show that there are distinct seasonal and diurnal cycles in ground-level ozone across the PRD region. Low ozone concentrations are generally observed in summer, while high O₃ levels are typically found in autumn. The O₃ diurnal variations in the urban areas are larger than those at the rural sites. The O₃ concentrations showed no statistically significant difference between weekend and weekdays in contrast to the findings in many other urban areas in the world. The average ozone concentrations are lower in urban areas compared to the sites outside urban centers. Back trajectories are used to show the major air-mass transport patterns and to examine the changes in ozone from the respective upwind sites to a site in the center of the PRD (Wanqingsha). The results show higher average ozone concentrations at the upwind sites in the continental and coastal air masses, but higher 1 h-max O₃ concentrations (by 8–16 ppbv) at the center PRD site under each of air-mass category, suggesting that the ozone pollution in the PRD region exhibits both regional and super-regional characteristics.     

Kinetics of the gas-phase reactions of NO3 radicals with ethyl acrylate,n-butyl acrylate,methyl methacrylate and ethyl methacrylate

The relative rate method has been used to determine the rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of NO₃ radicals with a series of acrylate esters: ethyl acrylate (k₁), n-butyl acrylate (k₂), methyl methacrylate (k₃) and ethyl methacrylate (k₄) at 298 ± 1 K and 760 Torr. The obtained rate constants are k₁ = (1.8 ± 0.25) × 10^?16 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, k₂ = (2.1 ± 0.33) × 10^?16 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, k₃ = (3.6 ± 1.2) × 10^?15 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, k₄ = (4.9 ± 1.7) × 10^?15 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. The experimental rate constants are in good agreement with theoretical rate constants calculated by an algorithm of the correlation between the rate constants and the orbital energies for the reactions of unsaturated VOCs with NO₃ radicals. In addition, the atmospheric lifetimes of the compound against NO₃ attack are estimated and the results show that NO₃ reactions contribute little to the atmospheric losses of acrylate esters except in polluted regions.     

A model for evaluation of the phytoavailability of trace elements to vegetables under the field conditions

Currently, several single extraction methods are used for the evaluation of the phytoavailability of metals using pot experiments. A systematic comparison, however, is lacking. It is especially true for the field studies. This study was to investigate the phytoavailability of trace elements to vegetables grown on metal-contaminated soils under the field conditions. All soils collected were typical calcareous soils in northern China. Four frequently used methods using CaCl2, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), CH3COOH, and water as extractants were compared for phyto-availability. The concentrations of metals extracted by these four extraction methods ranged from 3.42 to 815, 1.51- 6965, 0.732-24473, 0.688-7863, 0.246-685, 1.99-5337 0.203-4649 ng/g for Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb and REEs, respectively. Simple correlation analysis indicated that a significant correlation (Cr: r = 0.5411**; Zn: r = 0.6352**; Cd: r = 0.6979**; Pb: r = 0.5537** and REEs: r = 0.5185** -0.6684**) was observed between the CaCl2-extractable metals in soil solution and that in Chinese cabbage. In addition, soil pH, organic matter (OM), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) also affect the phytoavailability. An empirical model was developed to express the combined effect of soil properties on the phytoavailability. The stepwise multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the phytoavailability of trace elements strongly correlated with the extractable fraction by CaCl2, total metal concentration in soils, and soil pH, OM, CEC. This model can describe approximately 75-95% of the variability of metal uptake and the r2 values ranged from 0.741** to 0.954**, which were much better than the single correlation analysis. For celery and cole, a strong correlation was obtained for Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cd, La, Ce, Pr and Nd. For spinach and Chinese cabbage, however, a positive correlation was only observed for 1 and 3 metals, respectively. Generally, the developed empirical model can integrate the combined effects of soil properties, extractable metal fractions in soil solutions and plant species on the phytoavailability of metals to vegetables in the field conditions.     

Acute toxicity and genotoxicity of two novel pesticides on amphibian, Rana N. Hallowell

Imidacloprid [1-(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-nitro-imidazolidin-2-ylideneamine] and RH-5849 [2'-benzoyl-l'-tert-butylbenzoylhydrazinel] are two pesticides used in China since 1992. In the present study we conducted acute toxicity test, micronucleus (MN) test and comet assay of the two pesticides on amphibian, Rana N. Hallowell, a sensitive organism suitable for acting as the bio-indicator of aquatic and agricultural ecosystems. The values of LC50-48 h of imidacloprid were found to be 165 mg l(-1) for tadpoles of Rana limnocharis and 219 mg l(-1) for tadpoles of Rana N. Hallowell. On the other hand, RH-5849 showed no acute toxicity to tadpoles during the 96 h exposure even it was saturated in the test solutions. There were significant differences in the MN frequencies between the negative controls and the treated groups at the dose of 8 mg l(-1) for imidacloprid (p < 0.05) and 40 mg l(-1) for RH-5849 (p < 0.01). Comet assay found significant differences (p < 0.01) in the distributions of DNA damage grades between the negative controls and groups treated in vitro with 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 mg l(-1) of imidacloprid and 5, 25, 50 and 100 mg l(-1) of RH-5849, respectively. DNA damage scores increased with the exposure levels of the two pesticides and dose-effect relationships were observed for both imidacloprid (r2 = 0.92) and RH-5849 (r2 = 0.98). The MN test and comet assay revealed potential adverse effects of the two pesticides on DNA in the erythrocytes of amphibians in aquatic and agricultural ecosystems.