Observations of H2O2 and PAN in a rural atmosphere

Measurements of gaseous H2O2 and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) concentrations in air are given for a site in rural southern England over an approximately 4-year period. In both cases the data show both diurnal and seasonal patterns. Temperature and wind direction had clear influences on the recorded concentrations of both species. There was an indication of increasing H2O2 concentrations with time. The use of a two-dimensional global model confirmed that this would be expected to occur alongside growth in ozone formation. It is suggested that, during photochemical episodes, the sequential build-up of ozone, PAN and H2O2 could be important in influencing the ability of vegetation to resist the effects of aggressive pollutants.     

Cadmium availability to the cyanobacterium Synechocystis aquatilis in solutions containing chloride

Availability of cadmium to Synechocystis aquatilis (estimated by 109Cd sorption and cadmium toxicity-14C method) in solutions containing cadmium and complexing (KCl) or non-complexing (KNO3) salts, in the range of 0-0.5 m was investigated. Both cadmium surface adsorption and transport into the cells were lower in solutions containing cadmium chloride complexes (CdCl+, CdCl2, CdCl3-) than in those containing cadmium in the form of Cd2+. Also, cadmium toxicity in solutions of higher KCl concentrations, in which CdCl+ and CdCl2 forms predominated, was significantly limited.     

Impacts of afforestation on water quality trends in two catchments in mid-Wales

The impact of afforestation on stream-water chemistry for two catchments in central Wales is investigated. Trends in water chemistry are evaluated with forest age progressing at 8-15 years and 20-27 years. To assess the possible exacerbating effect of afforestation on surface-water acidification two moorland catchments are used as controls. Absolute differences in inter-catchment streamwater chemistry are evident. Differences in acidity between the moorland and the young forest site reflect site preparation and modifications to water pathways. Differences in the observed present day chemistry between the young and old forest result from past interactions between deposition changes during forest development. An estimate of the future impact of forest growth was attained from model predictions. The model was calibrated to present day stream-water chemistry and incorporates, cation uptake, evapotranspiration/ concentration effect and increased scavenging of occult and dry deposition. Predictions suggest the pH will decline to 5.3 when the young forest progresses to 20 years of age, which is still much higher than the pH recorded at the older forest site at the age of 20 years.     

Trace metals in interstitial waters from sandstones: acidic inputs to shallow groundwaters

There is some evidence from southern Britain that shallow groundwaters in non-carbonate lithologies may be affected by acidic deposition. To investigate this, interstitial water profiles down to 12 m have been obtained from unsaturated sands or semi-consolidated sandstones from the Folkestone Beds (Lower Greensand) of Surrey and the Sherwood Sandstone of the West Midlands. The pH of the interstitial waters generally increased with depth and reflected an increase in the base saturation of the exchange complex. Beneath the highly acidic surface soil horizons (pH 3.0-3.5), interstitial waters with a pH of 4.0-4.5 were found down to depths of several metres. The pH progressively increased to around pH 5.5 because of base cation desorption and the weathering of silicate minerals. High concentrations of aluminium (10-20 mg litre(-1)) and other metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, Co, Zn, Be) were found in the interstitial water in the upper unsaturated zone. Most metal concentrations were strongly pH-dependent but also reflected the geochemical characteristics of the parent sands or sandstones. H+ and trace element concentrations were slightly higher beneath areas of afforestation than beneath heathland. The downward fluxes of solutes have been estimated using rainfall-derived chloride as a non-reactive solute. The profiles retain a record of 10-20 years input allowing the past inputs from SO4 and other species to be estimated using solute/chloride ratios. Cation exchange sites are probably depleted over a period of decades and there can be a significant decrease in the unsaturated zone pH as a result of increased or sustained acidic deposition. The shallow groundwater environment (0-15 m) in non-carbonate terrains is therefore a sensitive environment where high metal concentrations may be generated and may ultimately lead to water quality problems in shallow water supplies.     

Response of the Plastic Lake catchment, Ontario, to reduced sulphur deposition

As a consequence of decreases in the emission rate of sulphur in eastern North America in the late 1970s and early 1980s, sulphate deposition in central Ontario declined by about 40%, but has remained constant for about six years. Plastic Lake, a small, dilute lake on the Precambrian shield that the authors have studied since 1979, acidified between the start of the study and about 1986, but since then has not changed. The authors also monitored the chemistry of streamwater draining the Plastic Lake catchment. Water quality of runoff from an upland site improved rapidly (pH and alkalinity increased, SO4(2-) and Al decreased), but two factors offset these improvements. A small wetland area downstream reversed most of these changes, resulting in a constant output of strong acid from the catchment. In addition, in extremely dry years (1983, 1987, 1989) there were very high concentrations of SO4(2-) in the streamwater, suggesting substantial re-oxidation of reduced S in the catchment.     

Food aid and food crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa: Statistical trends and implications*

This paper documents the rapid expansion and changes in food aid flows to Sub-Saharan Africa up to mid-1985. Trends for Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole and for the more seriously affected countries are examined, as are the comparative experiences of food aid of individual countries in the region. Table 11 lists the Sub-Saharan African countries and indicates the most seriously affected food-short countries, as defined by the WFP/FAO task force. It should be borne in mind that some practical problems exist in compiling data on food aid. These include lack of availability of reliable data, especially of most recent data; lack of common terminology and definitions; and different accounting systems. These data problems are sometimes a source of confusion. However, the basic facts are clear: food aid gradually emerged during the early 1980s as a resource too often of considerable significance to many countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. These trends were only accelerated with the crisis of 1984-1985. These facts provide a point of reference for further analysis of the sources of the crisis, its actual dimensions and consequences.     

Training refugees as primary health care workers: Past imperfect, future conditional

Many problems have been encountered in the planning and implementation of health care in refugee camps, and more specifically in the training of refugees as primary health care workers. A review of the published literature and a "survey" of the opinions and experiences of refugee, national and international health personnel regarding training has therefore been undertaken to provide an overview of what has been done and to make recommendations for future work.
The review highlights the need to reallocate resources away from high visibility emergency aid to development activities, such as training, that will create an infrastructure for primary health care and promote self-reliance.     

组态视角下协同创新驱动城市土地绿色利用效率提升的路径选择北大核心CSCDCSSCI

创新驱动发展战略下协同技术创新是提升城市土地绿色利用效率的重要手段。在理论层面从环境、投入、产出和互动四个维度构建协同创新影响城市土地绿色利用效率的整合性框架后,以中国284个城市为案例,运用模糊集定性比较分析法探讨协同创新驱动城市土地绿色利用效率提升的多元实现路径。研究表明:①单个协同创新条件的一致性水平位于0.4928~0.8388范围内,表明单个条件均不构成影响城市土地绿色利用效率的必要条件。②条件组合的充分性分析显示,创新环境、创新投入、创新产出和协作互动条件“多重并发",形成协同创新驱动城市土地绿色利用效率提升的4种路径,具体归纳为投入主导型、区域互动支撑下的资本赋能型及环境和投入连接下的主体互动转化型3种差异化模式。③条件因素的普适性和替代性分析显示,经济软环境、人力资本投入和物质资本投入是影响高水平城市土地利用效率最具有普遍性的因素,成果市场化和区域互动之间存在替代关系。④囿于各地区经济发展水平和资源稟赋,中国东、中、西部地区协同创新对城市土地绿色利用效率的驱动路径呈现出显著异质性特征。地方政府应根据自身发展特点和资源禀赋,从组态视角着力于多重协同创新条件的适配以“因地制宜"地制定城市土地绿色高效利用政策和措施。     

碳达峰约束下减污降碳的协同增效及其路径北大核心CSCDCSSCI

2030年高质量碳达峰是如期实现2060年碳中和的根本基础。该研究以中国280个地级市为研究对象,样本截取时间为2006—2019年。以2030年前实现碳达峰为刚性约束,提出“共生-共治-共享”的分析逻辑,聚焦碳排放与大气污染共生排放特征,在碳达峰年度目标量化分解、碳排放与大气污染双重损益偏离识别的基础上,考察了碳达峰目标对碳排放损益偏离、大气污染损益偏离的减污降碳协同增效的共治效应及共享路径。研究发现:①碳达峰目标发挥了显著的减污降碳协同增效作用,能够促进城市发展由损益偏离-损益均衡-精益降损的方向优化,发挥推动城市“劣者趋良、良者趋优、优者更优”的作用。②碳达峰减污降碳协同增效作用呈明显的异质性选择效应,在西部城市、资源型城市、环保重点城市、先发城市中能够发挥更高作用与更强影响。③碳达峰目标发挥减污降碳协同增效的共享路径在于双视角下“调内”“匹外”式源头治理-过程控制-末端阻断的全流程发力与外部环境政策不确定性的动态匹配。需在“双碳”目标持续推进中紧抓“降碳”,优化设计多措并举、全程发力的多重共享路径,增强碳达峰减污降碳增效的多赢共治效果。具体包括:①强化源头治理,在源头上控制化石能源消费总量,调整产业结构,节能降耗。②严控过程管理,破解环境规制级差引致的污染转移现象及损益偏离后果,推动绿色交通体系建设,多轮驱动。③突出末端阻断,采取全过程治理、监控、减排措施,提升绿色创新水平,减碳增汇。④动态调整实现内外匹配,环境政策要因时施策、因境而异、因地制宜,做到因事适时调整、因效精准调控。     

用能权交易制度是否实现了环境和经济的双赢?北大核心CSCDCSSCI

用能权交易制度是中国基于源头控制的市场型环境规制政策,实施目的在于助力能源消耗总量和强度“双控”目标的实现和推动绿色发展。文章基于2012—2019年的中国地级市面板数据,从理论层面分析用能权交易制度的作用机理,运用多期PSM-DID方法实证检验用能权交易制度是否实现了环境和经济的双赢,并采用更换变量设定、增加控制变量和安慰剂检验等方法检验结论的稳健性。此外,分别对用能权交易制度产生环境与经济效应的短期和长期影响路径进行理论分析与实证检验。研究发现:①用能权交易制度的实施有效降低了污染物的排放总量与排放强度,且对污染物排放强度的抑制作用更为显著,产生了环境红利;②用能权交易制度不仅具有经济发展水平上的促增作用,还具有经济增长速度上的拉升作用,产生了经济红利;③动态效应分析结果显示,用能权交易制度对污染排放总量和强度均未产生持续性的影响,而对经济发展速度和水平的影响更为显著和持久;④在用能权交易制度早期试点阶段,其主要通过提升能源效率这一短期路径实现环境与经济红利,而未能通过产业结构升级和能源结构调整的长期路径产生环境与经济效益。基于此,应进一步建设和完善中国用能权交易市场,完善用能权交易制度方案设计以强化各环节操作的规范性、便捷性、透明性,并增强用能权交易市场化程度;加快培育新能源、新技术、新业态,推进能源行业绿色转型和能源体系脱碳;构建全面协调的环境政策体系,推进用能权交易制度与末端治理的环境规制工具协同实施,发挥“1+1>2”的效用。