Analyzing farm households’ perception and choice of adaptation strategies towards climate change impacts: a case study of vulnerable households in an emerging Asian region

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Poor agricultural communities are particularly more disruptive to changes in climate. In southeast Asian countries, Pakistan is extremely vulnerable...     

Inter-Urban Comparison of Ambient Volatile Organic Compound Concentrations in U.S. Cities

Airborne particulate matter from three ferrous foundries was sampled in granulometric fractions and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDXA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to determine morphology and qualitative bulk and surface chemical compositions. Cluster and principal components analyses (PCA) were used as an aid for interpretation of results. A clear pattern of composition as a function of size emerges; in particular, trace metals accumulate in fine particles and volatile species on the surface of these. Chemical composition changes are also related to daily schedules where applicable: trace metals appear during pouring operations, silicon is generated during mold making and unmolding. Cluster and PCA greatly ease examination of data and offer pictorial representations of results; in particular, the chemical composition versus particle size relationship is very neatly illustrated by PCA graphs.     

广西会仙岩溶湿地典型抗生素污染特征及生态风险评估

为确定会仙岩溶湿地不同介质中抗生素的污染特征及来源,利用液相色谱串联质谱联用仪分析了磺胺类(SAs)、氟喹诺酮类(FQs)和四环素类(TCs)三大类20种抗生素的含量.结果表明,研究区内水土介质监测的抗生素中共检出12种,检出浓度范围为n.d～106 ng·L~(-1),其中,甲氧苄氨嘧啶(TMP)的浓度最高.各环境介质中,以养殖用水和地表河水中检出的抗生素种类相对较多,分别为10种和8种,溶潭水和土壤中则检出的抗生素种类较少.因子分析结果显示,会仙湿地水体中的典型抗生素来源可归为两类,一类以受外源污染为主,从而导致地表河水中磺胺氯达嗪(SCP)、磺胺嘧啶(SDZ)、磺胺甲恶唑(SMZ)、诺氟沙星(NOR)、氧氟沙星(OFL)检出浓度较高,一类受湿地内养殖污染,从而造成水土介质中磺胺二甲基嘧啶(SMD)、甲氧苄氨嘧啶(TMP)和金霉素(CTC)检出.水体中检出的抗生素主要受溶解氧(DO)影响,此外,甲氧苄氨嘧啶(TMP)、恩诺沙星(ENR)和强力霉素(DOX)与NH~+_4存在一定的协同污染关系.风险评估结果表明,恩诺沙星(ENR)处于高风险的范围内,磺胺甲恶唑(SMZ)、诺氟沙星(NOR)和氧氟沙星(OFL)处于中等风险,中等风险的抗生素主要集中在地表河水中,高风险抗生素则在养殖用水中.整体来看,研究区水体中抗生素存在一定的风险.因此,针对这一现象应减少存在生态风险抗生素的使用,并对有潜在风险的抗生素加以防范.     

Food,feed, and fuelwood resources of Nepal: A GIS evaluation

A GIS-based land evaluation model was developed to determine the food, feed, and fuelwood sufficiency of all districts in Nepal. Resource surpluses or deficits were calculated for each district for 1981, the year for which the national land resource data were available. Of the three resources, feed supplies were found to be the most critical. Feed deficits occurred in 57% of all districts in 1981, while food and fuelwood deficits occurred in less than 10% of all districts. Different scenarios were carried out for the year 2000 to estimate the magnitude of future resource deficits, assuming resource use and yields in Nepal remain constant in the face of growing population and livestock numbers. Linking resource data with spreadsheet and GIS systems provides a new way to understand and evaluate resources at the district and national levels. To more fully capture the usefulness of this approach, information on rates of change in productivity and land use is needed.     

A monitoring study of workers handling pesticides in warehouses and godowns.

Monitoring observations made on 60 operators involved in pesticide application work in godowns and warehouses and 60 matched control workers are reported. Occupational exposure history and medical history are noted. Biochemical investigations, plasma and RBC cholinesterase estimations are included along with medical examination of the workers. Workers were found to be mostly exposed to Celphos, DDVP, Malathion, Pyrethrum, etc, and the use of protective devices were very limited. Cases of significant reduction in plasma and RBC cholinesterase activity were found. Frequency of symptoms like dizziness, headache, lachrymation, burning sensation in eyes, nausea and anorexia, etc, were much more in the exposed workers. No cases of clinical poisoning attributable to occupational exposure to pesticides were reported by the workers.     

Distribution of lead in relation to size of airborne particulate matter in Islamabad, Pakistan

Airborne particulate matter (PM) collected from two sampling stations in Islamabad, Pakistan, was analyzed for lead content and size gradation. A high volume air sampler was used to trap particulates on glass fiber filters for 8-12 h on a daily basis. Lead was estimated using a nitric acid digestion based AAS method on 44 samples from station 1 and 61 samples from station 2. Particle size fractions were categorized as <2.5, 2.5-10, 10-100 and >100 microm. The correlation between lead concentration and particle size was investigated. The results from two stations indicated average airborne lead concentrations of 0.505 and 0.185 microg/m3. Enhanced levels of lead were measured at a maximum of 4.075 microg/m3 at station 1 and 4.000 microg/m3 at station 2. PM < 2.5 and PM > 100 were found to constitute the local atmosphere in comparable proportions. A comparison of the lead levels is made with the existing permissible levels of this element laid down by different international agencies.