Environmental impacts of asphalt mixes with electric arc furnace steel slag

Electric arc furnace (EAF) steel slag can be used as an alternative high-quality material in road construction. Although asphalts with slag aggregates have been recognized as environmentally acceptable, there is a lack of data concerning the potential leaching of toxic Cr(VI) due to the highly alkaline media of EAF slag. Leaching of selected water extractable metals from slag indicated elevated concentrations of total chromium and Cr(VI). To estimate the environmental impacts of asphalt mixes with slag, leachability tests based on diffusion were performed using pure water and salt water as leaching agents. Compact and ground asphalt composites with natural aggregates, and asphalt composites in which the natural aggregates were completely replaced by slag were prepared. The concentrations of total chromium and Cr(VI) were determined in leachates over a time period of 6 mo. After 1 and 6 mo, the concentrations of some other metals were also determined in the leachates. The results indicated that chromium in leachates from asphalt composites with the addition of slag was present almost solely in its hexavalent form. However, the concentrations were very low (below 25 μg L) and did not represent an environmental burden. The leaching of other metals from asphalt composites with the addition of slag was negligible. Therefore, the investigated EAF slag can be considered as environmentally safe substitute for natural aggregates in asphalt mixes.     

聚酰胺及其改性材料自然老化行为研究及预测

在自然环境(武汉)下进行了两年半的老化曝晒实验,随着老化时间的增长,聚酰胺材料的吸水率逐渐增加,力学性能下降,表面出现了不同程度的裂纹.通过吸水率测试和力学性能的比较,发现环境湿度影响聚酰胺老化过程中力学性能变化,湿度越大,材料力学性能下降越快;改性后,即添加了玻璃纤维后的聚酰胺,能够在一定程度下减缓材料老化行为.对材...     

不连续和含水材料阴燃及向明火转化过程研究

聚氨酯泡沫材料是阴燃火灾中常见的可燃物之一,对变化的聚氨酯泡沫材料的阴燃过程进行了研究.材料变化主要包括连续材料前后部分含水率变化,以及不连续材料前后部分含水率变化.观测各次不同试样试验现象并用热电偶组记录内部的温度变化.结果显示,对于连续材料,当后部含水率小于7.4％时,阴燃稳定传播;后部含水率在10.3％-13.8％时,发生气相反应并形成明火;后部含水率为17.4％时,不能形成明火,后部含水率大于20.9％时,阴燃停止传播.对于不连续材料,在阴燃过程中不易出现明火,当含水率为17.4％时阴燃就会熄灭.材料热分析的TG和DSC数据可清楚显示阴燃反应的各个温度区间和特点.阴燃过程的传热分析也表明,莲续材料比不连续材料更有利于阴燃的传播和明火的形成.     

A new method of simultaneous determination of atmospheric amines in gaseous and particulate phases by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

As more attention is being paid to the characteristics of atmospheric amines, there is also an increasing demand for reliable detection technologies. Herein, a method was developed for simultaneous detection of atmospheric amines in both gaseous and particulate phases using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The amine samples were collected with and without phosphoric acid filters, followed by derivatization with benzenesulfonyl chloride under alkaline condition prior to GC-MS analysis. Furthermore, the method was optimized and validated for determining 14 standard amines. The detection limits ranged from 0.0408-0.421 µg/mL (for gaseous samples) and 0.163-1.69 µg/mL (for particulate samples), respectively. The obtained recoveries ranged from 68.8%-180% and the relative standard deviation was less than 30%, indicating high precision and good reliability of the method. Seven amines were simultaneously detected in gaseous and particulate samples in an industrial park using the developed method successfully. Methylamine, dimethylamine and diethylamine together accounted for 76.7% and 75.6% of particulate and gaseous samples, respectively. By comparing the measured and predicted values of gas-particle partition fractions, it was found that absorption process of aqueous phase played a more important role in the gas-partition of amines than physical adsorption. Moreover, the reaction between unprotonated amines and acid (aq.) in water phase likely promoted water absorption. Higher measured partition fraction of dibutylamine was likely due to the reaction with gaseous HCl. The developed method would help provide a deeper understanding of gas-particle partitioning as well as atmospheric evolution of amines.     

Spatial and temporal variations of two cyanobacteria in the mesotrophic Miyun reservoir, China

Spatial variations in phytoplankton community within a large mesotrophic reservoir （Miyun reservoir, North China） were investigated in relation to variations in physico-chemical properties, nutrient concentrations, temperature and light conditions over a 5 month period in 2009. The dynamics of phytoplankton community was represented by the dominance of cyanobacteria through summer and fall, following with a short term dominance of chlorophyta in late fall, and a relatively high abundance of diatom in October; on the other hand, maximum phytoplankton biomass was recorded in the north shallow region of Miyun reservoir with a higher nutrients level. Particular attention was paid to the impacts of environmental conditions on the growth of two cyanobacteria genera, the toxin-producing Microcystis and the taste ＆ odor-producing Oscillatoria. Microcystis biomass was in general greatly affected by water temperature and mixing depth/local water depth ratio in this reservoir, while the Oscillatoria biomass in the surface and middle layers was greatly affected by total dissolved phosphorus, and that in the bottom layer was related with the Secchi depth/local water depth ratio. Abundant Oscillatoria biomass was observed only in late September when Microcystis biomass decreased and allowed sufficient light go through.     

Quantifying and managing regional greenhouse gas emissions：Waste sector of Daejeon, Korea

A credible accounting of national and regional inventories for the greenhouse gas （GHG） reduction has emerged as one of the most significant current discussions. This article assessed the regional GHG emissions by three categories of the waste sector in Daejeon Metropolitan City （DMC）, Korea, examined the potential for DMC to reduce GHG emission, and discussed the methodology modified from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Korea national guidelines. During the last five years, DMC＇s overall GHG emissions were 239 thousand tons C02 eq./year from eleven public environmental infrastructure facilities, with a population of 1.52 million. Of the three categories, solid waste treatment/disposal contributes 68%, whilst wastewater treatment and others contribute 22% and 10% respectively. Among GHG unit emissions per ton of waste treatment, the biggest contributor was waste incineration of 694 kg CO2 eq./ton, followed by waste disposal of 483 kg CO2 eq./ton, biological treatment of solid waste of 209 kg CO2 eq./ton, wastewater treatment of 0.241 kg CO2 eq./m3, and public water supplies of 0.067 kg CO2 eq./m3. Furthermore, it is suggested that the potential in reducing GHG emissions from landfill process can be as high as 47.5% by increasing landfill gas recovery up to 50%. Therefore, it is apparent that reduction strategies for the main contributors of GHG emissions should take precedence over minor contributors and lead to the best practice for managing GHGs abatement.     

典型材料屋面积尘重金属形态分布与风险评估

以华南地区4种典型材料屋面(瓷砖、混凝土、金属和沥青)为研究对象,采用改进式BCR连续提取法对其屋面积尘中10种重金属(Ba、Co、Cr、Cu、Mn、Ni、Pb、Sb、Sr和Zn)进行形态分析与风险评估.结果表明,屋面积尘重金属平均含量明显高于道路积尘.形态分析表明,Zn的酸溶态比例明显高于其他重金属,Pb和Cu主要以可氧化态存在,其余重金属均以残渣态为主;屋面积尘重金属可移动态比例表现为PbZnCuMnCoSrSbNiBaCr,其中Pb、Zn、Cu、Mn和Co可移动态比例均超过50%.环境风险评估发现,污染指数(Cf)与风险评价编码指数(RAC)最大值均为Zn,其生态风险较高.健康风险评估表明,屋面积尘重金属对成人与儿童非致癌风险均表现为:PbCrSbZnMnCuBaNiCoSr,其对成人非致癌风险均小于安全限值,不构成威胁,但Pb对儿童的非致癌风险高于安全限值,形成威胁;屋面积尘中Cr、Co和Ni低于致癌风险阈值,对人体无致癌风险.     

Water quality assessment in Qu River based on fuzzy water pollution index method

A fuzzy improved water pollution index was proposed based on fuzzy inference system and water pollution index. This method can not only give a comprehensive water quality rank, but also describe the water quality situation with a quantitative value, which is convenient for the water quality comparison between the same ranks. This proposed method is used to assess water quality of Qu River in Sichuan, China. Data used in the assessment were collected from four monitoring stations from 2006 to 2010. The assessment results show that Qu River water quality presents a downward trend and the overall water quality in 2010 is the worst. The spatial variation indicates that water quality of Nanbashequ section is the pessimal. For the sake of comparison, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation and grey relational method were also employed to assess water quality of Qu River. The comparisons of these three approaches'' assessment results show that the proposed method is reliable.     

An overview of emissions of SO2 and NOx and the long-range transport of oxidized sulfur and nitrogen pollutants in East Asia

The long-range transport of oxidized sulfur(sulfur dioxide(SO_2) and sulfate) and oxidized nitrogen(nitrogen oxides(NO_x ) and nitrate) in East Asia is an area of increasing scientific interest and political concern. This paper reviews various published papers, including ground- and satellite-based observations and numerical simulations. The aim is to assess the status of the anthropogenic emissions of SO_2 and NO_x and the long-range transport of oxidized S and N pollutants over source and downwind region. China has dominated the emissions of SO_2 and NO_x in East Asia and urgently needs to strengthen the control of their emissions, especially NO_x emissions. Oxidized S and N pollutants emitted from China are transported to Korea and Japan, due to persistent westerly winds, in winter and spring.However, the total contributions of China to S and N pollutants across Korea and Japan were not found to be dominant over longer time scales(e.g., a year). The source–receptor relationships for oxidized S and N pollutants in East Asia varied widely among the different studies. This is because:(1) the nonlinear effects of atmospheric chemistry and deposition processes were not well considered, when calculating the source–receptor relationships;(2) different meteorological and emission data inputs and solution schemes for key physical and chemical processes were used; and(3) different temporal and spatial scales were employed. Therefore, simulations using the same input fields and similar model configurations would be of benefit, to further evaluate the source–receptor relationships of the oxidized S and N pollutants.