On-road ultrafine particle concentration in the M5 East road tunnel,Sydney, Australia

The human health effects following exposure to ultrafine (<100 nm) particles (UFPs) produced by fuel combustion, while not completely understood, are generally regarded as detrimental. Road tunnels have emerged as locations where maximum exposure to these particles may occur for the vehicle occupants using them. This study aimed to quantify and investigate the determinants of UFP concentrations in the 4 km twin-bore (eastbound and westbound) M5 East tunnel in Sydney, Australia. Sampling was undertaken using a condensation particle counter (CPC) mounted in a vehicle traversing both tunnel bores at various times of day from May through July, 2006. Supplementary measurements were conducted in February, 2008. Over three hundred transects of the tunnel were performed, and these were distributed evenly between the bores. Additional comparative measurements were conducted on a mixed route comprising major roads and shorter tunnels, all within Sydney. Individual trip average UFP concentrations in the M5 East tunnel bores ranged from 5.53 × 10⁴ p cm^?3 to 5.95 × 10⁶ p cm^?3. Data were sorted by hour of capture, and hourly median trip average (HMA) UFP concentrations ranged from 7.81 × 10⁴ p cm^?3 to 1.73 × 10⁶ p cm^?3. Hourly median UFP concentrations measured on the mixed route were between 3.71 × 10⁴ p cm^?3 and 1.55 × 10⁵ p cm^?3. Hourly heavy diesel vehicle (HDV) traffic volume was a very good determinant of UFP concentration in the eastbound tunnel bore (R² = 0.87), but much less so in the westbound bore (R² = 0.26). In both bores, the volume of passenger vehicles (i.e. unleaded gasoline-powered vehicles) was a significantly poorer determinant of particle concentration. When compared with similar studies reported previously, the measurements described here were among the highest recorded concentrations, which further highlights the contribution road tunnels may make to the overall UFP exposure of vehicle occupants.     

LCA to Evaluate the Environmental Impact for Chemical Pre-treatment in Plastics Metallization

The life cycle assessment methodology was used to calculate the environmental impacts of the current chemical pre-treatment with chromium(VI) for electroplating acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. The inventory comprised: the procurement of chemicals; the manufacturing process with successive baths and rinses that requires, in addition to chemicals, energy to heat baths, air agitation, filtration, and so forth, wastewater treatment and air emissions; and also the treatment of sludges from wastewater treatment and exhausted baths. Chromic acid was almost the unique responsible of eco-toxicity (97.5 %) and human toxicity-cancer (99.8 %) and it was one of the highest contributor to climate change, cumulative energy demand, fossil fuel depletion, human toxicity non-cancer, and in abiotic depletion.     

I-C-SEA Change: A participatory tool for rapid assessment of vulnerability of tropical coastal communities to climate change impacts

We present a synoptic, participatory vulnerability assessment tool to help identify the likely impacts of climate change and human activity in coastal areas and begin discussions among stakeholders on the coping and adaptation measures necessary to minimize these impacts. Vulnerability assessment tools are most needed in the tropical Indo-Pacific, where burgeoning populations and inequitable economic growth place even greater burdens on natural resources and support ecosystems. The Integrated Coastal Sensitivity, Exposure, and Adaptive Capacity for Climate Change (I-C-SEA Change) tool is built around a series of scoring rubrics to guide non-specialists in assigning scores to the sensitivity and adaptive capacity components of vulnerability, particularly for coral reef, seagrass, and mangrove habitats, along with fisheries and coastal integrity. These scores are then weighed against threat or exposure to climate-related impacts such as marine flooding and erosion. The tool provides opportunities for learning by engaging more stakeholders in participatory planning and group decision-making. It also allows for information to be collated and processed during a “town-hall” meeting, facilitating further discussion, data validation, and even interactive scenario building.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-015-0652-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Use of two-surfactants mixtures to attain specific HLB values for assisted TPH-diesel biodegradation

In a surfactant assisted biodegradation process, the choice of surfactant(s) is of crucial importance. The question is: does the type of surfactant(i, e. chemical family) affect the biodegradation process at fixed hidrophillic-lypofillic balance(H/B) values? Microcosm assessments were developed using contaminated soil, with around of 5000 mg/kg of hydrocarbons as TPH-diesel. Mixtures of three nonionic surfactants were employed to get a wide range of specific HLB values. Tween20 and Span20 were mixed in the appropriate proportions to get HLB values between 8.6 and 16.7. Tween/Span60 mixtures reached HLB values between 4.7 and 14.9. Finally,Tween/Span80 combinations yielded HLB values between 4.3 and 1.5. TPH-diesel biodegradation was measured at the beginning, and after 8 weeks, as well as the FCU/grsod, as a measure of microorganisms‘ development during the biodegradation period. A second aim of this work was to assess the use of guar gum as a biodegradation enhancer instead of synthetic products. The conclusions of this work are that surfactant chemical family, and not only the HLB value clearly affects the assisted biodegradation rate. Surfactant‘s synergism was clearly observed. Regarding the use of guar gum, no biodegradation enhancement was observed for the three assessed concentrations,i.e., 2, 20, and 200 mg/kg, respectively. On the contrary, TPH-diesel removal was lower as the gum concentration increased. It is quite possible that guar gum was used as a microbial substrate.     

Modelling of geochemical and isotopic changes in a column experiment for degradation of TCE by zero-valent iron

Zero-valent iron (ZVI) permeable-reactive barriers have become an increasingly used remediation option for the in situ removal of various organic and inorganic chemicals from contaminated groundwater. In the present study a process-based numerical model for the transport and reactions of chlorinated hydrocarbon in the presence of ZVI has been developed and applied to analyse a comprehensive data set from laboratory-scale flow-through experiments. The model formulation includes a reaction network for the individual sequential and/or parallel transformation of chlorinated hydrocarbons by ZVI, for the resulting geochemical changes such as mineral precipitation, and for the carbon isotope fractionation that occurs during each of the transformation reactions of the organic compounds. The isotopic fractionation was modelled by formulating separate reaction networks for lighter ((12)C) and heavier ((13)C) isotopes. The simulation of a column experiment involving the parallel degradation of TCE by hydrogenolysis and beta-elimination can conclusively reproduce the observed concentration profiles of all collected organic and inorganic data as well as the observed carbon isotope ratios of TCE and its daughter products.     

Geochemical characterization and health risk assessment in two diversified environmental settings (Southern Italy)

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - An integrated approach using chemical and microbial indicators has been tested in two different sites of the Campania Plain (Southern Italy) with different...     

Brazilian Amazonia: Industrial development and environmental monitoring

After a critical analysis of the strategies for conservation of the environment in Latin America and of large-scale development projects (agriculture and livestock raising, mining and electrical power plants) in the Amazon region of Brazil, this paper deals with the use of high-resolution satellite imagery for environmental monitoring. Two areas were considered in the study, Tucurui and Altamira. Spot/XS and Landsat/TM multispectral images were used, together with color aerial photographs of these areas. A computer-assisted visual interpretation procedure was employed to analyze images, and linear multispectral transformation was applied in selected subscenes in order to improve information extraction. The results indicate that high-resolution satellite imagery is generally compatible with the scale of the environmental problems in Amazonia and is a very efficient source of detailed information at a local scale on many aspects of the environment, in particular for monitoring changes over time in selected areas. Therefore, commercial satellite imagery, processed by specialized software, can accommodate a variety of analysis needs for decision makers and can also be an effective means of verification of international agreements on conservation of the environment in Amazonia.     

Biomonitoring of chemical elements in an urban environment using arboreal and bush plant species

Purpose  

The aim of this work was to investigate the possibility of using several bush and arboreal plant species, usually present as ornamental plants in street and parks, as environmental indicators of pollution. This is a research paper that evaluates the real possibility of using a fast and low-cost procedure to evaluate the pollution degree through data obtained from plant species growing within an urban environment.     

Influence of thermally activated paper sludge on the behaviour of blended cements subjected to saline and non-saline environments

Background, aim and scope  One of the problems to affect Portland cement matrices is low resistance to aggressive agents, due principally to the presence of a high content of portlandite in the hydrated cements. Pozzolanic materials have played an important role in the improving the durability of cement-based materials for decades. This work studies the behaviour of cement mortar matrices blended with 10% calcined paper sludge (source for metakaolinite) and exposed to different environmental conditions (saline and non-saline environments) after 6 and 12 months of exposure. Materials and methods  Two cements were studied: an ordinary Portland cement (CEM 1, 42.5R), acting as reference cement, and a blended cement formulated by mixing 90% (by mass) of CEM 1, 42.5R with 10% (by mass) of paper sludge calcined at 700°C for 2 h. The specimens were exposed 1 year to saline and non-saline environments. All the mineralogy samples were studied through X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray analyser. The in-depth study on ionic mobility was performed on samples subjected to natural exposure (coast and tableland) for 6 and 12 months. Results  Portland cement was composed of quartz, calcite, calcium hydroxide and tobermorite gels. The pozzolanic cement (10% calcined paper sludge) is of the same composition but a high calcite concentration and barium carbonate. SEM analysis from coastline show deposits of variable composition. The deposits are identified on the surface of different mineral components. The minerals from tableland are much fractured, i.e. calcite and feldspars. Inside the fractures, the deposits and the ions are located and trapped superficially. Discussion  SEM analysis of control cement Portland and 10% calcined paper sludge shows deposits on quartz and calcite with a very high concentration of Pb, Zn, Cl and barium sulphate. A very porous aspect is due to the presence of the different aggregate types. This porous configuration permits retention of the ion environment. The pozzolanic cement in environments subject to the saline mist favours the retention and transport of ions observed. Something similar also happens with the increase in exposure to outdoor weather. Non-saline samples show temperature changes (ice or thaw cycles). Barium retention is kept on the surface in fracture lines by the gelification processes. In general, it may be inferred that an increase in exposure time increases the diffusion of ions towards test piece interiors. The chemical composition profiles show that the ions present different penetration speeds. Conclusions  The results indicate the better vulnerability of pozzolanic cements from calcined paper sludge in saline and non-saline environments. The cements with a 10% addition of calcined paper sludge favour retention and transport of ion has been observed. Recommendations and perspectives  Today, projects are centred on a new recycling line for industrial waste of this kind, with special attention on its incorporation in cement manufacture as a pozzolanic material, setting the most appropriate activation conditions of the mineralogical compound in this waste (kaolinite and metakaolinite) and taking them as a starting point for this project. The use of pozzolanic cement with 10% addition of calcined paper sludge is a system which favours ionic retention.     

机动车细微颗粒物及气体污染物排放的隧道实测研究

利用隧道实验法对澳洲Vulturestreet公交专用隧道的细微颗粒物和气体污染物进行连续4d实测,分析了自然通风和纵向通风下隧道内NOX、细微颗粒物数目浓度以及细微颗粒物粒度分布特征。结果表明,隧道内细微颗粒物粒径谱呈双峰分布,峰值区段细微颗粒物粒径分别在19～25、70～105nm,判定为低硫柴油公交车和CNG公交车共同作用结果。隧道内NO2/NOX比值与NOX具有很强的相关性(R2=0.8320),当NOX大于1.000×10-6时,NO2/NOX渐进于(0.088±0.001),同时,NOX与细微颗粒物数目浓度、细微颗粒物总体积(VFP)呈明显的线性相关关系。柴油公交车和CNG公交车的混合条件下,细微颗粒物数目浓度、NOX平均排放因子分别为(2.48±1.53)×1014个/km、(12.8±5.1)g/km,柴油车和CNG公交车细微颗粒物数目浓度排放因子和NO排放因子没有明显差异。