Minimizing N2O fluxes from full-scale municipal solid waste landfill with properly selected cover soil

Municipal solid waste landfills emit nitrous oxide （N2O） gas. Assuming that the soil cover is the primary N2O source from landfills, this study tested, during a four-year project, the hypothesis that the proper use of chosen soils with fine texture minimizes N2O emissions. A full-scale sanitary landfill, a full-scale bioreactor landfill and a cell planted with Nerium indicum or Festuca arundinacea Schreb, at the Hangzhou Tianziling landfill in Hangzhou City were the test sites. The N2O emission rates from all test sites were considerably lower than those reported in the published reports. Specifically, the N2O emission rate was dependent on soil water content and nitrate concentrations in the cover soil. The effects of leachate recirculation and irrigation were minimal. Properly chosen cover soils applied to the landfills reduced N2O flux.     

Naphthalene emissions from moth repellents or toilet deodorant blocks determined using head-space and small-chamber tests

The present study investigated the emissions of naphthalene and other compounds from several different moth repellents(MRs) and one toilet deodorant block(TDB)currently sold in Korea,using a headspace analysis.The emission factors and emission rates of naphthalene were studied using a small-scale environmental chamber.Paper-type products emitted a higher concentration of the total volatile organic compounds(VOCs)(normalized to the weight of test piece)than ball-type products,which in turn emitted higher ...     

Long-Term Avifaunal Impoverishment in an Isolated Tropical Woodlot

Abstract:  Long-term (>50 years) extinction patterns and processes in isolated tropical forest patches are poorly understood. Considering that forest fragments are rapidly becoming the common feature of most tropical landscapes, data on the long-term conservation value of such fragments are urgently needed. We report on avifaunal turnover in a tropical woodlot (Bogor Botanical Gardens; 86 ha; 54% native and 46% introduced plants; mean 83,649 visitors/month) that has been surveyed several times before and after its isolation in 1936. By 2004 the original avifaunal richness of this woodlot declined by 59% (97 to 40 species) and its forest-dependent avifauna declined by 60% (30 to 12 species). Large-bodied birds were particularly prone to extinction before 1987, but following this time none of the species traits we studied could be considered predictive of extinction proneness. All seven forest-dependent bird species that attempted to colonize this woodlot by 1987 perished thereafter. Our results show that area reduction, isolation, intense human use, and perverse management (e.g., understory removal) of this patch have probably negatively affected the long-term sustainability of its forest avifauna.     

Planning for Climate Change: Identifying Minimum-Dispersal Corridors for the Cape Proteaceae

Abstract:  Climate change poses a challenge to the conventional approach to biodiversity conservation, which relies on fixed protected areas, because the changing climate is expected to shift the distribution of suitable areas for many species. Some species will persist only if they can colonize new areas, although in some cases their dispersal abilities may be very limited. To address this problem we devised a quantitative method for identifying multiple corridors of connectivity through shifting habitat suitabilities that seeks to minimize dispersal demands first and then the area of land required. We applied the method to Proteaceae mapped on a 1-minute grid for the western part of the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, to supplement the existing protected areas, using Worldmap software. Our goal was to represent each species in at least 35 grid cells (approximately 100 km²) at all times between 2000 and 2050 despite climate change. Although it was possible to achieve the goal at reasonable cost, caution will be needed in applying our method to reserves or other conservation investments until there is further information to support or refine the climate-change models and the species' habitat-suitability and dispersal models.     

A survey of arsenic and other heavy metals in vegetation from markets or mine tailings

This research includes two investigations. The first one is a market basket survey of the levels of arsenic （As） and trace elements in bracken fern （Pteridium aquilinum） originated from three countries： South Korea, China and North Korea. The results showed that the mean As concentrations in stems of samples were significantly higher than those in leaves. As concentrations in all samples did not exceed food safety limits for vegetables. Generally, concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn in leaves were higher than those in stems. The second investigation is a survey on the levels of As and other heavy metals in vegetation in the vicinity of Myoungbong mine tailings. The results demonstrated that As, Pb and Cu concentrations and bioaccumulation factors （BCF） in seedlings of the fern（A splenium achilleifolium） were the highest, whereas Marsh horsetail（Equisetum polustre） accumulated the highest levels of Zn. Concentrations of As, Pb, Zn and Cu in vegetable-cress （Lepidium sativum） and the edible herb-aromatic madder （Elasholtzia splendens） were higher than food safety limits. Therefore, a risk assessment of As and other heavy metals in vegetables and herbs on local human health should be conducted in the future.     

Decomposition of CCl4 and CHCl3 on gliding arc plasma

Introduction C hlorinated volatile organic com pounds(C V O C s) w ere released to the atm osphere as flue gases from various industrial processes. C hlorinated hydrocar- bons have been w idely accepted as solvents and chem ical interm ediates in the m an…     

A reactor system combining reductive dechloirnation with cometabolic oxidation for complete degradation of tetrachloroentylene

A laboratory sequential anaerobic aerobic bioreactor system, which consisted of an anaerobic fixed film reactor and two aerobic chemostats, was set up to degrade tetrachloroethylene (PCE) without accumulating highly toxic degradation intermediates. A soil enrichment culture, which could reductively dechlorinate 900μM (ca. 150 mg/L) of PCE stoichiometrically into cis-1,2-dichloroethylene ( cis-DCE), was attached to ceramic media in the anaerobic fixed film reactor. A phenol degrading strain, Alcaligenes sp. R5, which can efficiently degrade cis-DCE by co metabolic oxidation, was used as inoculum for the aerobic chemostats consisted of a transformation reactor and a growth reactor. The anaerobic fixed film bioreactor showed more than 99 % of PCE transformation into cis DCE in the range of influent PCE concentration from 5μM to 35μM at hydraulic retention time of 48h. On the other hand, efficient degradation of the resultant cis-DCE by strain R5 in the following aerobic system could not be achieved due to oxygen limitation. However, 54% of the maximum cis-DCE degradation was obtained when 10 μmol of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was supplemented to the transformation reactor as an additional oxygen source. Further studies are needed to achieve more efficient co metabolic degradation of cis DCE in the aerobic reactor.     

生物炭对土壤氮素淋失的抑制作用

淋洗作用是土壤氮肥损失途径之一,也是环境水体氮素污染的重要途径。研发降低土壤氮素淋失的技术途径不仅有助于提高氮肥利用率和降低化肥的施用量,而且有助于防治水体污染和改善生态环境。本文通过淋滤实验研究了生物炭对我国两种重要土壤类型黒钙土和紫色土氮素淋失的影响。由玉米秸秆制成的生物炭按10 t/ha,50 t/ha,100 t/ha的比例施用于土壤,同时模拟田间尿素施用量240 kg.N/ha并用相当于每天10 mm的降水量用去离子水淋洗土壤。对淋滤液氮素组成和含量分析结果显示,在不施用生物炭的条件下,黒钙土和紫色土总氮的淋失量分别占土壤(土壤+尿素)总氮含量的7.5%和9.0%,氮素的淋失主要发生在前130 mm降水过程中,其淋失量占全部淋失量的96%。在淋失的成分中,除硝态氮外,有机氮也是重要的组成物质,二者均占淋失总氮量的48%。生物炭的施用可以大幅度地降低氮素的淋失作用。50 t/ha和100t/ha的生物炭施用量降低黑钙土氮素淋失分别为29%和74%,减少紫色土氮素淋失分别达41%和78%。但10 t/ha的生物炭施用量却增加黒钙土和紫色土氮素淋失量分别达到22%和2%。这表明较低的生物炭施用量会促进氮素的淋失。生物炭对有机氮淋失的抑制作用大于硝态氮。100 t/ha的生物炭施用量对有机氮和硝态氮淋失的降低率分别为88%和62%左右,因土壤类型不同而有所差异。上述研究结果为寻求防治土壤氮素淋失的技术方法提供了理论依据。     

生物炭对水体中铵氮的吸附特征及其动力学研究

以生物炭作为吸附剂,通过静态实验研究了生物炭对水体中铵氮的吸附特性,并从动力学角度探讨了其吸附机理。结果表明,生物炭对铵氮的吸附在60min内基本达到吸附平衡,其吸附量随着水溶液中铵氮的增加而增加,Langmuir方程能够更好的描述铵氮在生物炭上的等温吸附行为,最大吸附量为l.24mg／g,铵氮在生物炭上的吸附动力学数...     

莱州湾水体中有机磷农药的残留监测与风险影响评价

研究近年来莱州湾水体中有机磷农药残留情况及对环境的影响.于2005年5月采集了渤海莱州湾及其主要河口地区的水样,用气相色谱(GC-FPD)测定了样品中有机磷农药的含量,并运用化学污染物风险评价公式进行了风险概率评价.结果表明,莱州湾海域水体中有机磷农药的含量范围在0.2～79.1 ng/L,氧化乐果、甲胺磷、马拉硫磷、敌百虫、敌敌畏、乐果、甲基毒死蜱、甲基对硫磷等在研究海域占主要部分.对研究海域水体中有机磷农药的风险评价表明,莱州湾海域水体中的有机磷农药的含量与其他地区相比,污染水平居中,氧化乐果、甲胺磷、马拉硫磷、敌百虫、敌敌畏、乐果等农药对研究海域的生态环境安全已经构成了一定的威胁,应加强该地区该类农药的施用管理.