Effects of Urban Spatial Structure,Sociodemographics, and Climate on Residential Water Consumption in Hillsboro,Oregon1

House-Peters, Lily, Bethany Pratt, and Heejun Chang, 2010. Effects of Urban Spatial Structure, Sociodemographics, and Climate on Residential Water Consumption in Hillsboro, Oregon. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(3):461-472. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2009.00415.x Abstract: In the Portland metropolitan area, suburban growth in cities such as Hillsboro is projected to increase as people seek affordable housing near a burgeoning metropolis. The most significant determinants for increases in water demand are population growth, climate change, and the type of urban development that occurs. This study analyzes the spatial patterns of single family residential (SFR) water consumption in Hillsboro, Oregon, at the census block scale. The following research questions are addressed: (1) What are the significant determinants of SFR water consumption in Hillsboro, Oregon? (2) Is SFR water demand sensitive to drought conditions and interannual climate variation? (3) To what magnitude do particular census blocks react to drought conditions and interannual climate variation? Using ordinary least squares multiple regression and spatial regression methods, we found that base use, representing indoor water use, is dependent on household size and that seasonal use, representing external water use is dependent on both education level and the size of the property’s outdoor space. Spatial analysis techniques determined that although the water demand of the study area as a whole is not sensitive to drought conditions, certain individual census blocks do respond with a higher magnitude of water use. The most climate-sensitive census blocks tend to contain newer and larger homes, and have higher property values and more affluent and well-educated residents.     

Characteristics of springtime profiles and sources of ozone in the low troposphere over northern Taiwan

To quantify the possible sources of the high ambient ozone concentration in the low troposphere over Taiwan, ozone sounding data from a two-year intensive field measurement program conducted in April and early May of 2004 and 2005 in northern Taiwan has been examined. We found that the vertical ozone distributions and occurrence of enhanced ozone in the lower troposphere (below 6 km) mainly resulted from (1)Type NE: the long-range transport of ozone controlled by the prevailing northeasterly winds below 2 km, (2)Type LO: the local photochemical ozone production process, and (3)Type SW: the strong southwest/westerly winds aloft (2–6 km). In the boundary layer (BL), where Asian continental outflow prevails, the average profile for type NE is characterized by a peak ozone concentration of nearly 65 ppb at about 1500 m altitude. For type LO, high ozone concentration with an average ozone concentration greater than 80 ppb was also found in the BL in the case of stagnant atmospheric and sunny weather conditions dominated. For type SW, significant ozone enhancement with average ozone concentration of 70–85 ppb was found at around 4 km altitude. It is about 10 ppb greater than that of the types NE and LO at the same troposphere layer owing to the contribution of the biomass burning over Indochina. Due to Taiwan's unique geographic location, the complex interaction of these ozone features in the BL and aloft, especially features associated with northeasterly and south/southwesterly winds, have resulted in complex characteristics of ozone distributions in the lower troposphere over northern Taiwan.     

新型材料淀粉微球对Cu2＋、Cr3＋和Pb2＋的吸附机理研究

以可溶性淀粉为原料,在反相悬浮体系中合成N,N′-亚甲基双丙烯酰胺交联淀粉微球为载体,研究了新型吸附材料淀粉微球（cross-linked starch microsphere,CSMs）对Mn＋（Cu2＋、Cr3＋、Pb2＋）的静态吸附行为。利用扫描电镜、X射线衍射仪和红外光谱仪对微球及其吸附产物进行表征,分析讨论了3种金属原子结构,研究了吸附机理。结果表明：308K时,Cu2＋、Pb2＋和Cr3＋的饱和吸附量分别是2.43、0.30和0.27 mmol/g,CSMs对Cu2＋离子吸附能力最强,并且其通过物理吸附、配位吸附方式吸附Mn＋,并得出引起微球吸附能力大小可能与金属离子电荷、离子半径和外层电子排布的差异因素有关。     

The influence of sampling protocol on nonmethane hydrocarbon mixing ratios

The effect of sampling protocol on ambient air hydrocarbon mixing ratios was examined on eight sampling days in Los Angeles during 2007 and 2008. Four protocols, which were based on previously published multi-city urban hydrocarbon studies in the United States, were compared and differences were quantified. Whole air canister samples were collected and analyzed for nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs). Differing sampling protocols resulted in large differences in mixing ratios, up to an order of magnitude, for certain NMHCs on the same sampling day. However, the magnitude of the variability between NMHC levels obtained by the four protocols was not consistent throughout the eight sampling days. It was found that sampling time, followed by sampling location, had the greatest influence on the magnitude of the mixing ratio. Ratios between hydrocarbons, often used in urban studies to gain information on emission sources, also varied depending on the protocol used. Comparison of absolute NMHC mixing ratios collected in urban environments using differing sampling protocols should be made with care.     

Combining a finite mixture distribution model with indicator kriging to delineate and map the spatial patterns of soil heavy metal pollution in Chunghua County, central Taiwan

This study identifies the natural background, anthropogenic background and distribution of contamination caused by heavy metal pollutants in soil in Chunghua County of central Taiwan by using a finite mixture distribution model (FMDM). The probabilities of contaminated area distribution are mapped using single-variable indicator kriging and multiple-variable indicator kriging (MVIK) with the FMDM cut-off values and regulation thresholds for heavy metals. FMDM results indicate that Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn can be individually fitted by a mixture model representing the background and contamination distributions of the four metals in soil. The FMDM cut-off values for contamination caused by the metals are close to the regulation thresholds, except for the cut-off value of Zn. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve validates that indicator kriging and MVIK with FMDM cut-off values can reliably delineate heavy metals contamination, particularly for areas lacking background information and high heavy metal concentrations in soil.     

Congener-specific accumulation and environmental risk assessment of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in diverse Korean sewage sludge types

Industrial, domestic wastewater, and livestock sludge samples were collected from 23 wastewater treatment plants in Korea and analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The concentrations of Σ₁₉PBDE ranged from 4.01 to 10,400 ng/g dry weight. The average Σ₁₉PBDE concentrations in industrial, domestic wastewater, and livestock sludge were 1,560?±?3,610, 402?±?148, and 27.6?±?50.4 ng/g dry weight, respectively. The composition of PBDEs differed according to the type of sludge. Among the PBDE congeners, BDE 209 was dominant in all sludge samples. After BDE 209, relatively high levels were found for BDE 28 and 47 from industrial sludge, BDE 47 and 99 from domestic wastewater sludge, and BDE 206, 207, and 208 from livestock sludge. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, sludges were divided into three groups according to PBDE congener composition. A risk assessment of PBDEs in sludge used for soil amendment was carried out. Preliminary results indicated that the potential risk of soil exposed to PBDEs in sludge was relatively low.     

Medium optimization for the production of anti-cyanobacterial substances by Streptomyces sp. HJC-D1 using response surface methodology

Bioremediation using isolated anti-cyanobacterial microorganism has been widely applied in harmful algal blooms (HABs) control. In order to improve the secretion of activated anti-cyanobacterial substances, and lower the cost, a sequential optimization of the culture medium based on statistical design was employed for enhancing the anti-cyanobacterial substances production and chlorophyll a (Chl a) removal by Streptomyces sp. HJC-D1 in the paper. Sucrose and KNO₃ were selected as the most suitable carbon and nitrogen sources based on the one-at-a-time strategy method, and sucrose, KNO₃ and initial pH were found as major factors that affected the anti-cyanobacterial ability of the isolated stain via the Plackett–Burman design. Based on the response surface and canonical analysis, the optimum condition of culture medium was obtained at 22.73 g l^-1 of sucrose, 0.96 g l^-1 of KNO₃, and initial pH 8.82, and the Chl a removal efficiency by strain HJC-D1 increased from 63?±?2 % to 78?±?2 % on the optimum conditions.     

西北干旱地区农宅雨水转化为可饮水技术

雨水集流工程对于解决干旱地区人民生活用水问题起着重要作用,甘肃省兰州市榆中县北山地区处于严重缺水的地区,人畜的饮用水为雨水、雪水直接沉淀后的水窖水。经过对北山饮用水进行水质检测,发现水中浊度、锰含量、微生物数量均超过《生活饮用水卫生标准》(GB5749-2006)的规定值。通过对传统滤池进行改造并结合阳光消毒研制出了一种新型水处理器——阳光消毒-生物砂滤池(SBF)家庭水处理设备,通过生物砂滤池中微生物对雨水中污染物的氧化分解及河砂的过滤使水浊度及锰得到有效地去除,日光高温灭活和光氧化降解综合作用杀灭水中致病微生物。用SBF家庭水处理设备对雨水进行处理,水中浊度、锰含量、微生物数量均达到标准的规定值。     

高铝粉煤灰提取氧化铝后硅钙渣用作水泥混合材

为了使高铝粉煤灰提取氧化铝后所产生的硅钙渣被大量的用作水泥混合材,通过水泥强度、水化放热和干缩性实验研究了原状硅钙渣和脱碱硅钙渣对水泥强度和稳定性的影响。结果表明,当硅钙渣掺量达30%时,硅钙渣水泥强度仍可满足P·C 32.5水泥要求。且随硅钙渣掺入量的增加,水泥早期水化放热速率增加的同时水泥累计水化放热量和干缩率还会显著降低。与原状硅钙渣相比,在同等掺量的情况下,脱碱硅钙渣更有利于保持水泥强度,降低其水化热和改善干缩性。