Performance of an electrochemical COD (chemical oxygen demand) sensor with an electrode-surface grinding unit

An electrochemical COD (chemical oxygen demand) sensor using an electrode-surface grinding unit was investigated. The electrolyzing (oxidizing) action of copper on an organic species was used as the basis of the COD measuring sensor. Using a simple three-electrode cell and a surface grinding unit, the organic species is activated by the catalytic action of copper and oxidized at a working electrode, poised at a positive potential. When synthetic wastewater was fed into the system, the measured Coulombic yields were found to be dependent on the COD of the synthetic wastewater. A linear correlation between the Coulombic yields and the COD of the synthetic wastewater was established (10-1000 mg L(-1)) when the electrode-surface grinding procedure was activated briefly at 8 h intervals. When various kinds of wastewater samples obtained from various sewage treatment plants were measured, linear correlations (r(2)> or = 0.92) between the measured EOD (electrochemical oxygen demand) value and COD of the samples were observed. At a practical wastewater treatment plant, the measurement system was successfully operated with high accuracy and good stability over 3 months. These experimental results show that the application of the measurement system would be a rapid and practical method for the determination of COD in water industries.     

Heavy metals in bark of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus massoniana</Emphasis> (Lamb.) as an indicator of atmospheric deposition near a smeltery at Qujiang,China

Goal, Scope and Background Rapid urbanization and the expansion of industrial activities in the past several decades have led to large increases in emissions of pollutants in the Pearl River Delta of south China. Recent reports have suggested that industrial emission is a major factor contributing to the damages in current natural ecosystem in the Delta area. Tree barks have been used successfully to monitor the levels of atmospheric metal deposition in many areas, but rarely in China. This study aimed at determining whether atmospheric heavy metal deposition from a Pb-Zn smeltery at Qujiang, Guangdong province, could be accurately reflected both in the inner bark and the outer bark of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.). The impact of the emission from smeltery on the soils beneath the trees and the relationships of the concentrations between the soils and the barks were also analyzed. Methods Barks around the bole of Pinus massoniana from a pine forest near a Pb-Zn smeltery at Qujiang and a reference forest at Dinghushan natural reserve were sampled with a stainless knife at an average height of 1.5 m above the ground. Mosses and lichens on the surface barks were cleaned prior to sampling. The samples were carefully divided into the inner bark (living part) and the outer bark (dead part) in the laboratory, and dried and ground, respectively. After being dry-ashed, the powder of the barks was dissolved in HNO₃. The solutions were analyzed for iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co) by inductively coupled plasmas emission spectrometry (ICP, PS-1000AT, USA) and Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS, ZEENIT 60, Germany). Surface soils (0–10 cm) beneath the sample trees were also collected and analyzed for the selected metals. Results and Discussion Concentrations of the selected metals in soils at Qujiang were far above their environmental background values in the area, except for Fe and Mn, whilst at Dinghushan, they were far below their background values, except for Cd and Co. Levels of the metals, in particular Pb and Zn, in the soils beneath the sample trees at Qujiang were higher than those at Dinghushan with statistical significance. The result suggested that the pine forest soils at Qujiang had a great input of heavy metals from wet and dry atmospheric deposition, with the Pb-Zn smeltery most probably being the source. Levels of Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni and Pb at Qujiang, both in the inner and the outer bark, were statistically higher than those at Dinghushan. Higher concentrations of Pb, Fe, Zn and Cu may come from the stem-flow of elements leached from the canopy, soil splash on the 1.5 m height and sorption of metals in the mosses and lichens growing on the bark, which were direct or indirect results from the atmospheric deposition. Levels of heavy metals in the outer barks were associated well with the metal concentrations in the soil, reflecting the close relationships between the metal atmospheric deposition and their accumulation in the outer bark of Masson pine. The significant (p<0.01) correlations of Fe-Cu, Fe-Cr, Fe-Pb, Fe-Ni, Pb-Ni, and Pb-Zn in the outer barks at Qujiang again suggested a common source for the metals. The correlation only occurred between Pb and Ni, Cd and Co in the outer barks at Dinghushan, which suggested that those metals must possibly have other uncommon sources. Conclusions Atmospheric deposition of the selected metals was great at Qujiang, based on the levels in the bark of Pinus massoniana and on the concentrations in the soils beneath the trees compared with that at Dinghushan. Bark of Pinus massoniana, especially the outer bark, was an indicator of metal loading at least at the time of sampling. Recommendations and Perspectives The results from this study and the techniques employed constituted a new contribution to the development of biogeochemical methods for environmental monitoring particularly in areas with high frequency of pollution in China. The method would be of value for follow up studies aimed at the assessment of industrial pollution in other areas similar with the Pearl River Delta.     

对环境评价中替代方案编写的几点看法

阐述了环境影响评价中有关替代方案应当包括的内容 ,并对替代方案编写的原则和方法做了说明 ,最后 ,列举厂址选择的替代方案的编写实例。     

成都市城市环境与经济协调发展分析

从城市环境与经济发展的协调度方面分析了成都市１９９０－１９９７年间协调度的变化趋势,评估了成都市城市环境与经济协调发展的类型,得出了成都市属于总体协调发展类环境滞后型的结论。     

毛竹林各组分能量估算模型的研究

在建瓯设置40块毛竹林标准地,分别测定了毛竹单株各部分干重与能量,建立了各部分生物量模型,并在此基础上,运用人工神经网络方法对毛竹林各组分能量进行估测.结果表明毛竹林各组分秆、枝叶和地下部分的平均能量依次为4.23225×10     

城市园林绿化用地土壤肥力诊断与综合评价——以广州市长虹苗圃为例

以广州市长虹苗圃为例,在实地调查与采样分析的基础上,首先对土壤肥力各单项指标进行诊断分析,然后采用修正的内梅罗指数对各地块进行土壤综合肥力评价。结果表明长虹苗圃土壤pH值偏低,有机质以及其它主要养分含量缺乏,各地块综合肥力系数大都属于贫瘠水平,其中南区、北区综合肥力明显低于东区。     

湖北农村降水中SO_4~(2-)浓度变化研究

在湖北农村 10个地点 ,利用澳大利亚集雨器自 1996年 1月至 1998年 6月 ,按季度采集大气降水样品测定SO2 - 4浓度 ,并对数据进行统计分析。研究结果表明 ,各地 1997年降水中SO2 - 4浓度年均值比 1996年显著升高 ;大多数地点 1996、1997、1998年 1季度和 2季度降水中SO2 - 4浓度呈逐年升高趋势 ;大多数地点每年 1、4季度降水中SO2 - 4浓度高 ,2、3季度降水中SO2 - 4浓度低 ,说明湖北农村降水中的硫对秋冬作物影响比对春夏作物影响大 ;湖北农村降水中SO2 - 4浓度近两年不仅有时间变化规律 ,而且同一季度内的地区差异也很明显 ,在 1996年和 1997年 8个季度 10个点的降水SO2 - 4浓度最大值中 ,有 4个最大值出现在襄樊 ,它是目前湖北继宜昌市区、恩施市区之后又一个酸雨发展较快的地区     

抗灾减灾效益估计方法探讨

从综合角度阐述减灾效益的概念,进而以减灾效益内容为基础,提出了估计减灾效益的方法。     

地表水环境遥感监测关键技术与系统

介绍了地表水环境遥感监测的关键技术与系统及其典型应用,其代表性机理模型和应用示范成果主要来自于中国科学院遥感与数字地球研究所的高光谱遥感团队在最近几年中取得的一些研究进展,主要包括建立了基于改进双峰法的水体分布自动化遥感提取方法,实现了简单、高效和高精度的水体提取;提出了大型湖泊长时序水量估算方法,并以青藏高原湖区为例,重建了典型湖泊面积、水位和水量序列;发展了基于“软分类”的典型内陆水体叶绿素a浓度反演方法,构建了基于生物光学模型的高度浑浊水体悬浮物浓度遥感反演半解析方法,提高了反演方法的区域和季节适用性;构建了基于水色指数的大范围湖库营养状态和透明度遥感监测方法,实现了全球大型湖库营养状态遥感监测,以及全国大型湖库透明度遥感监测;在此基础上,开发了地表水环境遥感监测系统,提高了水环境遥感监测效率,促进了卫星遥感在水环境监测中的高精度业务化应用。     

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。