Recycling sewage sludge into ceramic materials: A review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Huge amounts of unwanted sewage sludge are generated in the process of wastewater treatment, calling for methods to recycle sewage sludges into value-added...     

Effects of prenatal exposure to bisphenols on newborn leucocyte telomere length: a prospective birth cohort study in China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Telomere length (TL) at birth is related to diseases that may arise in the future and long-term health. Bisphenols exhibit toxic effects and can cross...     

广西春旱的时空分布特征及成因分析

利用广西具有气候代表性的32个站点1961-2007年逐日降水量资料,引入季节无雨日作为划分干旱的标准,采用EOF分析等方法,分析了广西春旱的时空分布特征;并用NCEP再分析资料、NOAA海温资料、国家气候中心的74项环流特征量资料等,对广西春旱的成因进行了分析。结果表明:从时间变化看,广西春旱的趋势变化不明显,主要以年际、年代际变化为主,从空间分布看,广西春旱以全区一致性型为主要空间分布型;在春旱年,广西上空对流层低层出现偏南-西南气流距平强辐散异常,伴随有明显的水汽通量辐散异常,同时东亚大槽偏弱,阿留申低压明显减弱,中纬度大陆高压减弱,中高纬环流平直,不利于冷空气南下华南;广西春旱年前冬阿留申低压明显增强,大陆高压也增强,冷空气活动频繁,当前冬印缅槽偏弱时,广西春季发生干旱的可能性较大。     

Aerobic degradation of bisphenol A by Achromobacter xylosoxidans strain B-16 isolated from compost leachate of municipal solid waste

A novel bacterium designated strain B-16 was isolated from the compost leachate of the municipal solid waste (MSW) in a laboratory reactor. This strain was identified as a gram-negative bacterium, Achromobacter xylosoxidans that could grow on bisphenol A (BPA, a representative endocrine disruptor) as a sole carbon source under aerobic condition. BPA-degrading characteristics of strain B-16 were investigated in liquid cultures. The results show that BPA degradation was influenced by several factors (e.g. inoculum size, substrate concentration, temperature and pH, etc). The half-lives, optimum temperature and pH were found to be 0.58-3.1d, 35 degrees C and 7.0, respectively. BPA-degrading activity and cell growth were inhibited at high substrate concentration. Metabolic intermediates detected during the degradation process were identified as p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and p-hydroquinone, respectively. Metabolic pathway of BPA degradation was proposed in this study.     

Source analysis of particulate-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in an urban atmosphere of a northern city in China

Particle-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations were investigated at six sampling sites in the heating (February to March 2001) and nonheating (August to September 2001) periods in an industrial city in Northern China. Thirteen PAHs were measured. The total average concentrations (nanograms per meter cubed) of PAHs ranged between 78.93 and 214.63 during the heating period and from 31.48 to 102.26 in the nonheating period. Benzo(a)pyrene occurred at the highest level at a site near an industrial area but occurred at low concentrations far from the city center and industrial areas. In addition, ambient PAH profiles were studied. The five and six-ring species occurred in high fractions at the sampling site. By diagnostic ratio analysis, the major source at each sampling site in the city was coal combustion in the heating period; in the nonheating period, the major sources were relatively complex. Finally, the similarities among the six regions were assessed by principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and coefficient of divergence. These multivariate statistical analyses produced similar results, which agreed with the results from the diagnostic ratio analysis.     

高校思想政治工作新探

在新形势下，高校思想政治工作面临着新情况、新问题，如：大学生的思想观念和价值取向发生了新的变化；大学生生活方式发生了新变化；大学生接受信息的渠道发生了新的变化等。高校思想政治工作者要不断提高思想工作的创新性和实效性，研究工作对策和方法，开拓高校思想政治工作的新局面。     

NOx emission calculations for bulk carriers by using engine power probabilities as weighting factors

An important marine pollution issue identified by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is NO_x emissions; however, the stipulated method for determining the NO_x certification value does not reflect the actual high emission factors of slow-speed two-stroke diesel engines over long-term slow steaming. In this study, an accurate method is presented for calculating the NO_x emission factors and total amount of NO_x emissions by using the actual power probabilities of the diesel engines in four types of bulk carriers. The proposed method is suitable for all types and purposes of diesel engines, is not restricted to any operating modes, and is highly accurate. Moreover, it is recommended that the IMO-stipulated certification value calculation method be modified accordingly to genuinely reduce the amount of NO_x emissions. The successful achievement of this level of reduction will help improve the air quality, especially in coastal and port areas, and the health of local residents.

Implications: As per the IMO, the NO_x emission certification value of marine diesel engines having a rated power over 130 kW must be obtained using specified weighting factor (WF)-based calculation. However, this calculation fails to represent the current actual situation. Effective emission reductions of 6.91% (at sea) and 31.9% (in ports) were achieved using a mathematical model of power probability functions. Thus, we strongly recommend amending the certification value of NO_x Technical Code 2008 (NTC 2008) by removing the WF constraints, such that the NO_x emissions of diesel engines is lower than the Tier-limits at any load level to obtain genuine NO_x emission reductions.     

Cadmium distribution in rice plants grown in three different soils after application of pig manure with added cadmium

A glasshouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate Cd concentrations in the aboveground parts of two consecutive crops of rice and Cd availability in three different soils (loam, silt loam, and sandy loam) after application of pig manure with added Cd. Soil pH tended to increase with increasing application rate of pig manure from 1 to 3% (w/w, oven dry basis). Soil diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) extractable Cd showed a clear positive correlation with soil total Cd content and increased with increasing Cd amendment of the manure but showed no difference between the two manure application rates. Cd concentrations in the grain, husk, and straw were significantly and positively correlated with soil DTPA-extractable Cd (p < 0.001). Within each level of manure Cd, the higher rate (3%) of manure produced lower Cd concentrations in the grain, husk, and straw on all three soils than did the lower rate (1%) after the first crop, but this no longer occurred after the growth of the second crop. Grain Cd concentrations exceeded the Chinese National Food Quality Standard (0.2 mg kg(-1)) most often on the loam, with intermediate frequency on the silt loam, and least often on the sandy loam, the soil with the highest pH and lowest organic carbon content and cation exchange capacity.     

坡地赤红壤物理退化及其机理研究──Ⅲ.土壤物理退化机理分析

主要通过相关统计和综合分析,探讨坡地赤红壤物理退化的内部和外部环境的影响因素．指出养分贫瘠化,尤其是贫有机质化是坡地赤红壤物理性状退化的主要内部原因,植被破坏则是坡地赤红壤物理性状退化的外部因素、而人类活动的影响对坡地赤红壤的物理退化有重要作用。     

Heavy metal characteristics in porewater profiles,their benthic fluxes,and toxicity in cascade reservoirs of the Lancang River,China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The construction of cascade reservoirs on the Lancang River (the upper Mekong) has an important influence on the distribution and accumulation of...