Chemical speciation,transport and contribution of biomass burning smoke to ambient aerosol in Guangzhou,a mega city of China

Intensive measurements of aerosol (PM₁₀) and associated water-soluble ionic and carbonaceous species were conducted in Guangzhou, a mega city of China, during summer 2006. Elevated levels of most chemical species were observed especially at nighttime during two episodes, characterized by dramatic build-up of the biomass burning tracers levoglucosan and non-sea-salt potassium, when the prevailing wind direction had changed due to two approaching tropical cyclones. High-resolution air mass back trajectories based on the MM5 model revealed that air masses with high concentrations of levoglucosan (43–473 ng m^?3) and non-sea-salt potassium (0.83–3.2 μg m^?3) had passed over rural regions of the Pearl River Delta and Guangdong Province, where agricultural activities and field burning of crop residues are common practices. The relative contributions of biomass burning smoke to organic carbon in PM₁₀ were estimated from levoglucosan data to be on average 7.0 and 14% at daytime and nighttime, respectively, with maxima of 9.7 and 32% during the episodic transport events, indicating that biomass and biofuel burning activities in the rural parts of the Pearl River Delta and neighboring regions could have a significant impact on ambient urban aerosol levels.     

微波-过氧乙酸联合作用处理剩余污泥的研究

采用微波-过氧乙酸(PAA)联合作用处理剩余污泥,考察了微波辐照时间、微波功率、PAA投加量对剩余污泥分解效果的影响.同时以单独微波作用为对比,考察了微波-PAA联合作用下剩余污泥性质的变化.结果表明,当微波功率为600 W,PAA投加量为0.24 g/g(以干质量SS计)时,微波辐照60 s后剩余污泥分解率可达35%...     

OPTIMUM STORAGE VOLUME OF ROOFTOP RAIN WATER HARVESTING SYSTEMS FOR DOMESTIC USE1

ABSTRACT: Major parameters and optimum storage volumes of rooftop rain water harvesting systems (RRWHSs) have not been investigated in detail in Taiwan. Accordingly, the four major parameters of RRWHSs were herein identified and elucidated using a simulation method. Because the performance of the RRWHSs is sensitive to the runoff coefficient, a field experiment was conducted to determine the runoff coefficient more precisely for various types of roofs. A simulation model including production theory was developed and employed to estimate the most cost effective combination of the roof area and the storage capacity that best supplies a specific volume of water. Consequently, the expansion path of optimum solutions for different volumetric reliability of water supply can be determined. Additionally, the method based on the marginal rate of substitution can be used for determining the rational volumetric reliability. The procedures developed herein constitute an effective tool for preliminarily estimating the most satisfactory storage capacity of any specific roof area and for determining the rational reliability of a corresponding water supply.     

Generation rates and emission factors of particulate matter and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of incense sticks

The generation rates and emission factors of particulate matter and associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from incense burning were assessed in a laboratory setting. The differences among different segments of the same stick, among different sticks of the same kind of incense, and between two kinds of manually made Chih-Chen incense sticks (A and B) were evaluated. Joss sticks were burned inside a 44 cm long elutriator; personal environmental monitors fitted into the top of the elutriator were used to take PM2.5 and PM10 samples of incense smoke. Samples were analyzed for PAHs by gas chromatography-flame ionization Detector. It was found that particle and associated PAHs were generated approximately at 561 microg/min (geometric standard deviation (GSD) = 1.1) and 0.56 microg/min (GSD = 1.1) from Incense A, and at 661 microg/min (GSD = 1.7) and 0.46 microg/min (GSD = 1.3) from Incense B, respectively. One gram of Incense A emitted about 19.8 mg (GSD = 1.1) particulate matter and 17.1 microg (GSD = 1.2) particulate-phase PAHs, while one gram of Incense B produced around 43.6 mg (GSD = 1.1) of particles and 25.2 microg (GSD = 1.2) of particle-bound PAHs. There were significant differences in emissions between Incenses A and B, although they belong to the same class of incense. A 10-20% variability in emissions was observed in the main part of the manually produced stick, and a larger variation was found at both tips of the combustible part.     

Comparisons of the dust/smoke particulate that settled inside the surrounding buildings and outside on the streets of southern New York City after the collapse of the World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

The collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) on September 11, 2001, generated large amounts of dust and smoke that settled in the surrounding indoor and outdoor environments in southern Manhattan. Sixteen dust samples were collected from undisturbed locations inside two uncleaned buildings that were adjacent to Ground Zero. These samples were analyzed for morphology, metals, and organic compounds, and the results were compared with the previously reported outdoor WTC dust/smoke results. We also analyzed seven additional dust samples provided by residents in the local neighborhoods. The morphologic analyses showed that the indoor WTC dust/smoke samples were similar to the outdoor WTC dust/smoke samples in composition and characteristics but with more than 50% mass in the <53-microm size fraction. This was in contrast to the outdoor samples that contained >50% of mass above >53 microm. Elemental analyses also showed the similarities, but at lower concentrations. Organic compounds present in the outdoor samples were also detected in the indoor samples. Conversely, the resident-provided convenience dust samples were different from either the WTC indoor or outdoor samples in composition and pH, indicating that they were not WTC-affected locations. In summary, the indoor dust/smoke was similar in concentration to the outdoor dust/smoke but had a greater percentage of mass <53 microm in diameter.     

Coating effects on the glass adsorption of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners

The effects of coating materials on polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) adsorption in aqueous solution were assessed in an attempt to minimize PCB sorption loss during sampling processes. A coating material, which enhances PCB adsorption and allows adsorbed PCBs to be readily extracted by solvents, can act as a sampling concentrator to reduce PCB losses from both adsorption and evaporation. Several coating materials were evaluated, including paraffin oil, silicone oil, dimethyldichlorosilane (Sylon-CT), Prosil 28^® and polydimethylsiloxane (PDS) with viscosity 0.65, 50 (PDS 50), and 500 (PDS 500) cSt. PDS and silicone oil enhanced adsorption for all five congeners examined (IUPAC No. 28, 52, 101, 138, and 180). Sylon-CT, paraffin oil and Prosil 28^® had inconsistent effects on adsorption of different congeners. Desorption of adsorbed PCBs onto all coating types was assessed. The recovery efficiency of extracting PCBs with solvents was enhanced greatly with all coatings as opposed to non-coated surfaces, with the exception of paraffin oil. Coating with silicon oil, PDS 50, and 500 resulted in virtually 100% recovery of adsorbed PCBs. It was also found that Teflon containers were poor substitutes for glass containers and failed to minimize PCB losses. Among the materials studied, the best coating that could be used as a sampling concentrator was PDS 500.     

Conservation impacts of commercial cultivation of endangered and overharvested plants

Overharvesting is one of the greatest threats to species survival. Farming overharvested species is a conservation strategy that can meet growing market demand and conserve wild populations of the target species. This strategy is compatible with the international community's desire to uphold the right of local communities to use biological resources to support their livelihoods. However, studies investigating whether farming can alleviate poaching pressure have focused almost exclusively on animals. To address the shortfall in plant-focused studies, we compiled information on commercial cultivation of threatened plants to assess its conservation benefits. Because China's rising middle class has rapidly intensified demand for wildlife products, we searched the scientific literature published in Chinese (China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Baidu) and in English. We found 32 reports that contained data on 193 internationally or nationally threatened plant species that were under commercial cultivation. These reports showed that cultivations of 82% of the 193 species were sustained by collecting whole plants from the wild periodically or continuously. Although based on a small sample size, species that were maintained in cultivation only through artificial propagation or seeds collected in the wild were likely associated with a reported reduction in wild harvesting of whole plants. Even so, results of correlation analyses suggested that production system, scale, and when a species began being cultivated had little effect on conservation status of the species, either globally or in China. However, species brought into cultivation relatively recently and on a smaller scale were more likely to have undergone a reduction in collecting pressure. Farming of nonmedicinal plants was most problematic for species conservation because wild plants were laundered (i.e., sold as cultivated plants). For effective conservation, policy to guide cultivation operations based on the target species’ biological characteristics, cultural significance, market demand, and conservation status is needed.     

化工园区安全生产监管存在问题及对策

系统分析了我国现阶段化工园区的基本特点及其安全监管中存在的问题，提出了建立以政府为主导、社会中介机构技术支撑、企业落实一体化的化工园区综合管理体系。实现化：亡园区应急救援资源整合及资源共享，提高化工园区应急救援资源有效利用率。数字化管理对化工园区的整体安全性的提高将发挥巨大的作用。     

The relative contribution of visual and auditory cues to environmental perception

This study assesses the relative dominance of vision and hearing in judgments of environments, and examines whether the sound sensitivity of the judge alters relative sensory dominance. Six sets of four composite (auditory-plus-visual) videotaped environmental displays were created from unisensory visual and auditory components with known levels of evoked affect. These displays, in a 2 (high, low) × 2 (high, low) Pleasure and/or Arousal format, were presented to 70 participants. The results indicate that visual cues dominate auditory cues in judgments of Pleasure, but that the degree of dominance is highly variable. Arousal judgments were not consistently related to visual or auditory cues. Sound sensitivity does not appear to influence the relative dominance of vision.     

Biodegradation of an Epoxy-Based Thermoplastic Polyester, Poly(Hydroxy Ester Ether) in a Laboratory-Scale Compost System

An epoxy-based thermoplastic polyester, poly(hydroxy ester ether), was incubated under aerobic conditions in a laboratory-scale compost system for 168 days to evaluate its potential for biodegradation. Radiolabeled test polymer [uniformly ¹⁴C ring-labeled, poly(hydroxy ester ether)] was incorporated into a mature compost and a sludge-amended compost at a loading of 3 mg test polymer/g compost. ¹⁴C-Cellulose was used as the positive control and a biologically inhibited control reactor was used to assess abiotic degradation of the test polymer. Degradation of the test polymer was assessed by measuring the amount of ¹⁴C-CO₂ from each of the test reactors. In addition, at selected time intervals subsamples of the compost were collected and serially extracted with water, methanol, and dimethylformamide to monitor degradation of the ¹⁴C-test polymer and provide a partial characterization of the degradation intermediates. Extensive degradation of ¹⁴C-poly(hydroxy ester ether) was observed in the test reactors with degradation half-life of the parent polymer (t _1/2) of approximately 32 days. By the end of the study, only 2% of the total ¹⁴C activity in the test reactors was attributed to intact polymer, with most of the measurable ¹⁴C activity converted to either ¹⁴C-CO₂ (26% of total ¹⁴C activity) or nonextractable products (accounting for 60% of the total activity). In contrast to the test reactors, only 3% of the ¹⁴C-poly(hydroxy ester ether) added to the biologically inhibited control reactor was mineralized to ¹⁴C-CO₂. The results obtained from the microbially active and biologically inhibited compost systems indicate that the poly(hydroxy ester ether) polymer was degraded, at least in part, by a biologically mediated process.