轨道交通列车内空气质量研究现状与展望

城市轨道交通因其运量大、效率高、能耗低等诸多优点,成为城市公共交通的主要方式,其中主要以地铁为主。虽然通勤者在地铁内停留时间短,但因列车及乘客的活动,其内自然通风不足,空气质量差,影响出行人员身体健康。研究表明：颗粒物（PM）、挥发性有机物（VOCs）和细菌是主要的空气污染物。其中,轨道交通颗粒物主要来源于列车与轨道之间的磨损,且颗粒物中金属元素含量丰富,遗传毒性较强。VOCs主要来源于地铁装饰物的挥发,细菌与真菌等主要受客流量、通风、温度等因素影响。此外,文章综合叙述了暴露于PM以外的各种空气污染物的健康风险。最后,指出进一步优化列车运行条件、开发先进的空气净化装置,是未来轨道列车空气质量研究与控制的方向。     

无排泥条件下的膜-生物反应器系统处理焦化废水可行性研究

小试规模浸没式厌氧/缺氧/好氧-膜-生物反应器(A1/A2/O-MBR)系统用于处理实际焦化废水,在无排泥条件下连续运行160 d.考察了长期运行条件下系统对不同污染物的去除性能,并通过亲疏水组分分离和三维荧光光谱法,对进出水焦化废水中溶解性有机物(DOMs)特征进行分析.结果表明,A1/A2/O-MBR系统能稳定去除88.0%±1.6%的COD,99.9%的挥发酚,99.4%±0.2%的浊度和98.3%±1.9%的NH4+-N,相应的平均出水浓度分别为249 mg/L±44 mg/L、0.18 mg/L±0.05 mg/L、1.0NTU±0.2 NTU和4.1 mg/L±4.3 mg/L;最大TN去除率可达到74.9%.在系统160 d运行过程中,MLVSS/MLSS维持在90.2%±1.0%,没有出现无机物的积累;污泥的表观产率(MLVSS/COD)逐渐降低并最终稳定在0.035 kg/kg.在焦化废水DOMs的疏水酸性、疏水中性、疏水碱性和亲水物4种组分中,疏水酸性物是进出水中最主要的溶解性有机碳(DOC)和色度组分,分别占进出水总DOC的70%和67%,总色度的75%和76%.三维荧光光谱分析表明腐殖质类物质是系统出水中残留的主要难降解有机物和致色物质.     

生物炭在新疆棉田的应用效果研究

农业是新疆经济和社会的基础,维系着全疆广大农牧民的生计,也关系到民族团结、边疆稳定和各族人民生活水平。寻求新技术提高绿洲农业生产力是新时期新疆经济和社会发展的要求。我们将小麦秸秆生物炭应用于喀什绿洲的灌淤土,研究了其对土壤pH和土壤水分的影响以及对棉花生长和产量的促进作用。结果显示,10%生物炭施用量可以倍增田间持水量,并提高土壤pH值0.36。但后一作用会随土壤灌溉和淋滤作用的增加而降低;在混合施用方式下,生物炭显著提高棉花产量,5%的施用量提高皮棉产量26%。这种增产效果产生的原因是生物炭的施用增加了土壤的营养成分和供水能力,从而增强了植株的株高、果枝数和单株铃数等。但条施方式对棉花的增产效果不显著,其施用过程会伤及作物根系和/或纯生物炭的高碱性影响植株的生理作用,从而造成棉株的枯萎、迟滞作物的生长。上述结果表明生物炭技术是提高绿洲农业生产力很有潜力的一条途径,但施用方式是一个很重要的影响因素。本研究结果不仅可以直接指导新疆绿洲的棉花生产,还可以为我国北方广大干旱区农业生产和管理提供借鉴。     

元素-锶同位素技术在农产品原产地溯源中的应用

农产品质量安全及其产地溯源是当今世界共同关注的问题。国际上,将元素-同位素技术应用到农产品溯源领域正受到极大关注。通过研究农产品原产地土壤、岩石、降水及地表水等环境因子中元素-同位素组成与农产品之间的对应关系,可定位农产品原产地及其生长地域环境地球化学特征。目前,追溯农产品产地的技术方法存在同位素分馏效应,人为干扰因素...     

Assessing Risk in Operational Decisions Using Great Lakes Probabilistic Water Level Forecasts

/ A method adapted from the National Weather Service's Extended Streamflow Prediction technique is applied retrospectively to three Great Lakes case studies to show how risk assessment using probabilistic monthly water level forecasts could have contributed to the decision-mak-ing process. The first case study examines the 1985 International Joint Commission (IJC) decision to store water in Lake Superior to reduce high levels on the downstream lakes. Probabilistic forecasts are generated for Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan-Huron and used with riparian inundation value functions to assess the relative impacts of the IJC's decision on riparian interests for both lakes. The second case study evaluates the risk of flooding at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the need to implement flood-control projects if Lake Michigan levels were to continue to rise above the October 1986 record. The third case study quantifies the risks of impaired municipal water works operation during the 1964-1965 period of extreme low water levels on Lakes Huron, St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario. Further refinements and other potential applications of the probabilistic forecast technique are discussed.KEY WORDS: Great Lakes; Water levels; Forecasting; Risk; Decision making     

Effects of Urbanization on the Distribution and Abundance of Amphibians and Invasive Species in Southern California Streams

Abstract:  Urbanization negatively affects natural ecosystems in many ways, and aquatic systems in particular. Urbanization is also cited as one of the potential contributors to recent dramatic declines in amphibian populations. From 2000 to 2002 we determined the distribution and abundance of native amphibians and exotic predators and characterized stream habitat and invertebrate communities in 35 streams in an urbanized landscape north of Los Angeles (U.S.A.). We measured watershed development as the percentage of area within each watershed occupied by urban land uses. Streams in more developed watersheds often had exotic crayfish ( Procambarus clarkii ) and fish, and had fewer native species such as California newts ( Taricha torosa ) and California treefrogs ( Hyla cadaverina ). These effects seemed particularly evident above 8% development, a result coincident with other urban stream studies that show negative impacts beginning at 10–15% urbanization. For Pacific treefrogs ( H. regilla ), the most widespread native amphibian, abundance was lower in the presence of exotic crayfish, although direct urbanization effects were not found. Benthic macroinvertebrate communities were also less diverse in urban streams, especially for sensitive species. Faunal community changes in urban streams may be related to changes in physical stream habitat, such as fewer pool and more run habitats and increased water depth and flow, leading to more permanent streams. Variation in stream permanence was particularly evident in 2002, a dry year when many natural streams were dry but urban streams were relatively unchanged. Urbanization has significantly altered stream habitat in this region and may enhance invasion by exotic species and negatively affect diversity and abundance of native amphibians.     

Influence of Agricultural Antibiotics and 17β-Estradiol on the Microbial Community of Soil

Agricultural pharmaceuticals are a major environmental concern because of their hazardous effects on human and wildlife. This study analyzed phospholipid ester-linked fatty acids (PLFAs) and quinones to investigate the effects of a steroid (17β-estradiol) and agricultural antibiotics (chlortetracycline and tylosin) on soil microbes in the laboratory. Two different types of soil were used: Sequatchie loam (0.8% organic matter) and LaDelle silt loam (9.2% organic matter). The soils were spiked with 17β-estradiol and antibiotics, alone or in combination. In Sequatchie loam, 17β-estradiol significantly increased the microbial biomass, especially the biomarkers for beta proteobacteria (16:1ω7c, 18:1ω7c, Cy17:0, and UQ-8). The coexistence of antibiotics decreased the stimulatory effect of 17β-estradiol on the microbial community. In LaDelle silt loam, there were no significant differences in total microbial biomass and their microbial community structure among the treatments. Overall, 17β-estradiol changed the microbial community of soil and the presence of antibiotics nullified the effect of 17β-estradiol. However, the effects of 17β-estradiol and antibiotics on soil microbes were sensitive to the soil properties, as seen in the LaDelle silt loam.     

Impact and Dynamics of Disease in Species Threatened by the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Abstract:  Estimating disease-associated mortality and transmission processes is difficult in free-ranging wildlife but important for understanding disease impacts and dynamics and for informing management decisions. In a capture–mark–recapture study, we used a PCR-based diagnostic test in combination with multistate models to provide the first estimates of disease-associated mortality and detection, infection, and recovery rates for frogs endemically infected with the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the pandemic amphibian disease chytridiomycosis. We found that endemic chytridiomycosis was associated with a substantial reduction (approximately 38%) in apparent monthly survival of the threatened rainforest treefrog Litoria pearsoniana despite a long period of coexistence (approximately 30 years); detection rate was not influenced by disease status; improved recovery and reduced infection rates correlated with decreased prevalence, which occurred when temperatures increased; and incorporating changes in individuals' infection status through time with multistate models increased effect size and support (98.6% vs. 71% of total support) for the presence of disease-associated mortality when compared with a Cormack–Jolly–Seber model in which infection status was restricted to the time of first capture. Our results indicate that amphibian populations can face significant ongoing pressure from chytridiomycosis long after epidemics associated with initial Bd invasions subside, an important consideration for the long-term conservation of many amphibian species worldwide. Our findings also improve confidence in estimates of disease prevalence in wild amphibians and provide a general framework for estimating parameters in epidemiological models for chytridiomycosis, an important step toward better understanding and management of this disease.     

Decomposition of aqueous chlorinated contaminants by UV irradiation with H2O2

In the present study, the decomposition rates of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in water by the ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation alone and H₂O₂/UV were experimentally investigated. The detailed experimental studies have been conducted for examining treatment capacities of the two different ultraviolet light sources (low and medium pressure Hg arc) in H₂O₂/UV processes. The low or medium UV lamp alone resulted in a 60%–90% decomposition of 2,4-DCP while a slight addition of H₂O₂ resulted in a drastic enhancement of the 2,4-DCP decomposition rate. The decomposition rate of 2,4-DCP with the medium pressure UV lamp alone was about 3–6 times greater than the low pressure UV lamp alone. In the direct photolysis of aqueous CCl₄, the medium pressure UV lamp had advantage over the low pressure UV lamp because the molar extinction coefficient of CCl₄ at shorter wavelength (210–220 nm) is about 20 to 50 times higher than that at 254 nm. However, adding H₂O₂ to the medium pressure UV lamp system rendered a negative oxidation rate because H₂O₂ acted as a UV absorber being competitive with CCl₄ due to negligible reaction between CCl₄ and OH radicals. The results from the present study indicated significant influence of the photochemical properties of the target contaminants on the photochemical treatment characteristics for designing cost-effective UV-based degradation of toxic contaminants.     

Adsorption of methylene blue from aqueous solution by chemically treated water hyacinth

Water hyacinth (WH), an aquatic plant macrophyte, was investigated for its ability to perform as a suitable adsorbent for methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution. The non-living biomass of WH was subjected to several chemical treatments, namely, washing with hot water, washing with hot dilute HCl, soaking in NaOH, soaking in HNO₃, and sulfonation. The system variables studied also include pH and MB concentration. The Langmuir isotherm was found to represent the measured adsorption data well except for WH soaked in NaOH, which was found to be better represented by the Freundlich isotherm. Values of the dimensionless separation factor, K _R, indicated that the adsorption systems in this study are all favorable. Values of the first layer of adsorption were calculated by the non-linear multilayer adsorption model, and the specific surface area values were found to be high and comparable to commercially activated carbons.