Aldehyde and Monocyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Mixing Ratios at an Urban Site in Las Vegas,Nevada

ABSTRACT

Linhong Jing completed a master's degree in chemistry at UNLV and is currently enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Purdue University. Her address is Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907. Dr. Spencer Steinberg is an associate professor of chemistry at UNLV. His address is UNLV Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 454003, Las Vegas, NV 89154-4003. Dr. Brian Johnson is an associate professor of chemistry at UNLV. His address is UNLV Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 454003, Las Vegas, NV 89154-4003.

Oxidation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) in air, of significance due to, for example, the potential for O₃ formation, is believed to be initiated by OH attack on the ring (addition) or on the alkyl side chain (H abstraction). A series of ring-breaking reactions follows, with major products predicted to be a-dicarbonyls, simple aldehydes, and organic acids. To test this prediction, ambient air mixing ratios of aldehydes (formaldehyde, ac-etaldehyde, benzaldehyde, glyoxal, and pyruvaldehyde), along with some supporting BTEX data, were measured at an urban site in Las Vegas, NV. Samples were collected on sorbents and determined by chromatographic methods; mixing ratios were compared to ambient levels of CO, O₃, and NO_x. A meteorological analysis (temperature, wind speed, and wind direction) was also included. Statistically significant relationships were noted among the BTEX hydrocarbons (HCs) and among the photochemi-cally derived species (e.g., O₃, NO₂, and some of the aldehydes), although there was seasonal variation. The observations are consistent with a common primary source (i.e., vehicular exhaust or fuel evaporation) for the BTEX compounds and a common secondary source (e.g., OH attack) for glyoxal and pyruvaldehyde.     

Crystallization and Mechanical Properties of Recycled Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Toughened by Styrene–Ethylene/Butylenes–Styrene Elastomer

Recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) (R-PET) was blended with 15–30 wt% of styrene–ethylene/butylenes–styrene (SEBS) block copolymer and maleic anhydride grafted SEBS (SEBS-g-MA). Effects of nucleation and toughening of the elastomers were evaluated systematically by study of morphology, crystallization, thermal and mechanical properties of the blend. The addition of 30 wt% SEBS promoted the formation of co-continuous structure of the blend and caused the fracture mechanism to change from strain softening to strain hardening. Addition of SEBS-g-MA resulted in significant modification of phase morphology and obviously improved the impact strength. The compatibilization reaction of PET with SEBS-g-MA accelerated the crystallization of PET and increased the crystallinity. The shifts in glass transition temperature of PET towards that of SEBS-g-MA and the higher modulus for R-PET/SEBS-g-MA (70/30) blend found by DMA are also indications of better interactions under the conditions of compatibilization and interpenetrating structure.     

Nutrient release from bisulfate-amended phytase-diet poultry litter under simulated weathering conditions

Poultry litter generated on the Delmarva Peninsula is from phytase-modified bird diet and bisulfate amendment. To establish agronomic application rates in conservation tillage systems, bisulfate-amended phytase-diet poultry litter was investigated for its nutrient release kinetics and supply capacity under simulated weathering conditions. Delmarva poultry litter was packed in PVC columns (15 cm i.d. × 25 cm height) to a depth of 5 cm and leached intermittently with 600 mm of water for 190 days. Concentrations of various nutrients in leachate were analyzed and nutrient release kinetics were modelled. Poultry litter leachate contained high contents of dissolved organic carbon (DOC, 35–11,800 mg L^?1), nitrogen (N 6–2690 mg L^?1), phosphorus (P 45–225 mg L^?1), potassium (K 20–6060 mg L^?1), and other nutrients. Release of the nutrients occurred primarily in the starting 5 weeks and mostly followed a first order Exponential-Rise-to-Maximum model. Under the specified conditions, the poultry litter demonstrated a nutrient supply capacity of 11.7 kg N Mg^?1, 5.4 kg P Mg^?1, and 36.8 kg K Mg^?1. Release of the potentially plant-available N and K was nearly finalized within 190 days of leaching/weathering, but it would require two years for full release of the leachable P. The results indicate that with consideration of field conditions, surface application of bisulfate-amended phytase-diet Delmarva poultry litter at recommended 6.6 Mg ha^?1 to conservation tillage systems would largely provide P 25.0 kg ha^?1, N 106.6 kg ha^?1, and K 245.5 kg ha^?1 to seasonal crops.     

The drivers of risk to water security in Shanghai

Big cities are often said to have big water problems, and Shanghai is no exception. In this paper, we examine and compare the influence of the major factors that give rise to the risk of water insecurity in Shanghai. There is an extensive and diverse literature on these issues, dealt with in isolation, and here, we provide a synthesis of the literature, together with our own assessments and calculations, to assess what are the risks to Shanghai’s water supply and what is our degree of confidence in this assessment. We describe the systems that supply water to the city, and past and future changes in the systems, including changes in the glaciers that supply some water to the river, changes in climate, changes in land use, the construction of dams, and water diversions. We show how, at the same time as Shanghai is increasing its dependence on the Yangtze river, water diversions and sea level rise are increasing the risk that this water will be too saline to consume at certain times of the year. This analysis suggests that most of the major drivers of the risk to water security in Shanghai are within the power of environmental managers to control.     

Simulation of substrate degradation in composting of sewage sludge

To simulate the substrate degradation kinetics of the composting process, this paper develops a mathematical model with a first-order reaction assumption and heat/mass balance equations. A pilot-scale composting test with a mixture of sewage sludge and wheat straw was conducted in an insulated reactor. The BVS (biodegradable volatile solids) degradation process, matrix mass, MC (moisture content), DM (dry matter) and VS (volatile solid) were simulated numerically by the model and experimental data. The numerical simulation offered a method for simulating k (the first-order rate constant) and estimating k₂₀ (the first-order rate constant at 20 °C). After comparison with experimental values, the relative error of the simulation value of the mass of the compost at maturity was 0.22%, MC 2.9%, DM 4.9% and VS 5.2%, which mean that the simulation is a good fit. The k of sewage sludge was simulated, and k₂₀, k_20s (first-order rate coefficient of slow fraction of BVS at 20 °C) of the sewage sludge were estimated as 0.082 and 0.015 d^?1, respectively.     

Inexact fuzzy-stochastic mixed integer programming approach for long-term planning of waste management–––Part B: Case study

In this study, a solid waste decision-support system was developed for the long-term planning of waste management in the City of Regina, Canada. Interactions among various system components, objectives, and constraints will be analyzed. Issues concerning planning for cost-effective diversion and prolongation of the landfill will be addressed. Decisions of system-capacity expansion and waste allocation within a multi-facility, multi-option, and multi-period context will be obtained. The obtained results would provide useful information and decision-support for the City's solid waste management and planning. In the application, four scenarios are considered. Through the above scenario analyses under different waste-management policies, useful decision support for the City's solid waste managers and decision makers was generated. Analyses for the effects of varied policies (for allowable waste flows to different facilities) under 35 and 50% diversion goals were also undertaken. Tradeoffs among system cost and constraint-violation risk were analyzed.Generally, a policy with lower allowable waste-flow levels corresponded to a lower system cost under advantageous conditions but, at the same time, a higher penalty when such allowances were violated. A policy with higher allowable flow levels corresponded to a higher cost under disadvantageous conditions. The modeling results were useful for (i) scheduling adequate time and capacity for long-term planning of the facility development and/or expansion in the city's waste management system, (ii) adjusting of the existing waste flow allocation patterns to satisfy the city's diversion goal, and (iii) generating of desired policies for managing the city's waste generation, collection and disposal.     

新疆乡镇企业经济与生态环境保护协调发展战略的探讨（二）

文中论述了新疆地区乡镇企业发展与生态环境有关的产业结构特点和分布,分地区、分行业计算了乡镇工业1985—1988年的“三废”污染和生态破坏状况,并对1995年和2000年“三废”污染控制数量及生态—经济规划指标作了综合评述。提出了新疆乡镇企业经济与生态环境保护协调发展战略的主要对策和建议。     

由三个地震模式讨论1995年日本阪神大震的预报问题

本文由我们已往提出的三个地震模式讨论了１９９５年日本阪神大震（Ｍ７．２）的预报问题。这些模式是立交模式、组合模式和调制模式。此外还用柯里奥利力（Ｃｏｒｒｉｏｌｉ）的效应讨论了主震３年后最强余震的预报。     

A WATER QUALITY‐BASED APPROACH FOR WATERSHED WIDE BMP STRATEGIES1

ABSTRACT: Watershed management strategies generally involve controlling nonpoint source pollution by implementing various best management practices (BMPs). Currently, stormwater management programs in most states use a performance‐based approach to implement onsite BMPs. This approach fails to link the onsite BMP performance directly to receiving water quality benefits, and it does not take into account the combined treatment effects of all the stormwater management practices within a watershed. To address these issues, this paper proposes a water quality‐based BMP planning approach for effective nonpoint source pollution control at a watershed scale. A coupled modeling system consisting of a watershed model (HSPF) and a receiving water quality model (CE‐QUAL‐W2) was developed to establish the linkage between BMP performance and receiving water quality targets. A Monte Carlo simulation approach was utilized to develop alternative BMP strategies at a watershed level. The developed methodology was applied to the Swift Creek Reservoir watershed in Virginia, and the results show that the proposed approach allows for the development of BMP strategies that lead to full compliance with water quality requirements.     

磷对环境的污染及防治对策

我国水体富营养化严重，其主要控制因子是磷。在分析磷污染的污染状况，污染源的基础上，介绍了防治对策，采用低磷循环冷却水处理剂，减少磷排放，是防止工业磷污染的有效方法。