Characteristics of atmospheric non-methane hydrocarbons during haze episode in Beijing, China

This study firstly focused on non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) during three successive days with haze episode (16–18 August 2006) in Beijing. Concentrations of alkanes, alkenes, aromatic hydrocarbons, and ethyne all peaked at traffic rush hour, implying vehicular emission; and alkanes also peaked at non-traffic rush hour in the daytime, implying additional source. Especially, alkanes and aromatics clearly showed higher levels in the nighttime than that in the daytime, implying their active photochemical reactions in the daytime. Correlation coefficients (R ²) showed that propane, n-butane, i-butane, ethene, propene, and benzene correlated with ethyne (R ²?=?0.61–0.66), suggesting that their main source is vehicular emission; 2-methylpentane and n-hexane correlated with i-pentane (R ²?=?0.61–0.64), suggesting that gasoline evaporation is their main source; and ethylbezene, m-/p-xylene, and o-xylene correlated with toluene (R ²?=?0.60–0.79), suggesting that their main source is similar to that of toluene (e.g., solvent usage). The R ² of ethyne, i-pentane, and toluene with total NMHCs were 0.58, 0.76, and 0.60, respectively, indicating that ambient hydrocarbons are associated with vehicular emission, gasoline evaporation, and solvent usage. The sources of other hydrocarbons (e.g., ethane) might be natural gas leakage, biogenic emission, or long-range transport of air pollutants. Measured higher mean B/T ratio (0.78?±?0.27) was caused by the more intensive photochemical activity of toluene than benzene, still indicating the dominant emission from vehicles.     

A comparison of radiometric correction techniques in the evaluation of the relationship between LST and NDVI in Landsat imagery

Atmospheric corrections for multi-temporal optical satellite images are necessary, especially in change detection analyses, such as normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) rationing. Abrupt change detection analysis using remote-sensing techniques requires radiometric congruity and atmospheric correction to monitor terrestrial surfaces over time. Two atmospheric correction methods were used for this study: relative radiometric normalization and the simplified method for atmospheric correction (SMAC) in the solar spectrum. A multi-temporal data set consisting of two sets of Landsat images from the period between 1991 and 2002 of Penang Island, Malaysia, was used to compare NDVI maps, which were generated using the proposed atmospheric correction methods. Land surface temperature (LST) was retrieved using ATCOR3_T in PCI Geomatica 10.1 image processing software. Linear regression analysis was utilized to analyze the relationship between NDVI and LST. This study reveals that both of the proposed atmospheric correction methods yielded high accuracy through examination of the linear correlation coefficients. To check for the accuracy of the equation obtained through linear regression analysis for every single satellite image, 20 points were randomly chosen. The results showed that the SMAC method yielded a constant value (in terms of error) to predict the NDVI value from linear regression analysis-derived equation. The errors (average) from both proposed atmospheric correction methods were less than 10%.     

An investigation of arsenic contamination in Peninsular Malaysia based on Centella asiatica and soil samples

The first objective of this study was to provide data of arsenic (As) levels in Peninsular Malaysia based on soil samples and accumulation of As in Centella asiatica collected from 12 sampling sites in Peninsular Malaysia. The second objective was to assess the accumulation of As in transplanted C. asiatica between control and semi-polluted or polluted sites. Four sites were selected which were UPM (clean site), Balakong (semi-polluted site), Seri Kembangan (semi-polluted site) and Juru (polluted site). The As concentrations of plant and soil samples were determined by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. The As levels ranged from 9.38 to 57.05 μg/g dw in soils, 0.21 to 4.33 μg/g dw in leaves, 0.18 to 1.83 μg/g dw in stems and 1.32–20.76 μg/g dw in roots. All sampling sites had As levels exceeding the CCME guideline (12 μg/g dw) except for Kelantan, P. Pauh, and Senawang with P. Klang having the highest As in soil (57.05 μg/g dw). In C. asiatica, As accumulation was highest in roots followed by leaves and stems. When the As level in soils were higher, the uptake of As in plants would also be increased. After the transplantation of plants to semi-polluted and polluted sites for 3 weeks, all concentration factors were greater than 50 % of the initial As level. The elimination factor was around 39 % when the plants were transplanted back to the clean sites for 3 weeks. The findings of the present study indicated that the leaves, stems and roots of C. asiatica are ideal biomonitors of As contamination. The present data results the most comprehensive data obtained on As levels in Malaysia.     

污水生物除磷若干影响因素分析

在系统阐述污水生物除磷机理的基础上,深入分析了微生物群体平衡、城市污水水质、环境因子以及工艺运行参数和运行方式等方面对生物除磷效果的影响.分析结果表明:生物除磷系统的溶解氧浓度不宜太高,一般好氧区DO＜2 mg/L,厌氧区DO＜0.2 mg/L;厌氧段存在硝酸盐对生物释磷有负面影响,缺氧段存在一定浓度的硝酸盐有利于生物聚磷;碳源必须充分、易降解;TKN/COD＜0.1的城市污水有利于生物除磷;pH偏碱性可提高生物除磷效率;低温对生物除磷效果影响不明显.     

Risk assessment and validation of farmland abandonment based on time series change detection

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Farmland abandonment, a widespread phenomenon during land-use transition, leads to a cycling or vanishing evolution of farmland resources. As...     

The health consequences of greenhouse gas emissions: a potential pathway

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - Excessive greenhouse gas emissions might be the major culprit for environmental degradation, which have direct and indirect adverse impacts in various ways....     

内分泌干扰物对核受体二聚化影响的研究进展

环境内分泌干扰物(endocrine disrupting chemicals,EDCs)可模仿或拮抗天然激素与核受体结合,干扰核受体的同源或异源二聚,进而通过共调节因子的招募调控转录活性,最终引起内分泌干扰效应.目前研究主要针对EDCs与核受体的结合过程,忽视了其对核受体二聚化过程的影响,而该过程的阻断可直接导致转录失活.EDCs对于不同核受体二聚化的影响不同,只有激动剂EDCs能够促进雄激素受体(androgen receptor,AR)的同源二聚化,而雌激素受体(estrogen receptor,ER)在与具有激动或拮抗活性的EDCs结合后都可诱导ER二聚体的形成,但二聚化类型不同.通过检索ToxCast和Tox21数据库发现多达227种EDCs可以诱导ER二聚化,相比于ERα-ERα同源二聚体(6.09％ ～7.38％的活性率),EDCs更易诱导ERα-ERβ异源二聚体(11.25％ ～12.22％的活性率)和ERβ-ERβ同源二聚体(10.02％ ～11.69％的活性率).EDCs也能够差异性诱导其他核受体如维生素D受体(vitamin D receptor,VDR)与维甲酸X受体(retinoid X receptor,RXR)形成的异源二聚体,不同类型的二聚体对于研究EDCs转录活性的生理学相关性具有重要意义.基于经济合作与发展组织(Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development,OECD)报告的参考化学品研究发现,相比于配受体结合活性,二聚活性与转录活性之间有着更好的相关关系.本文从EDCs介导的核受体二聚化转录机制、二聚化与转录活性间的关系以及二聚化研究方法三方面,总结EDCs对核受体二聚化的影响,以期为深入理解EDCs的分子作用机制,推进化合物的内分泌干扰风险评估提供参考.     

Laboratory investigation on high- and low-temperature performances of asphalt mastics modified by waste oil shale ash

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The objective of this study was to use two kinds of waste oil shale ash (OSA) as partial replacements of conventional mineral filler for evaluating...     

Preparation and uranium (VI) biosorption for tri-amidoxime modified marine fungus material

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The preparation, characterization, and uranium (VI) adsorption properties of tri-amidoxime modified marine fungus material (ZZF51-GPTS-EDA-AM/ZGEA)...