Feasibility of vermicomposting dairy biosolids using a modified system to avoid earthworm mortality

A laboratory study was conducted to examine the feasibility of vermicomposting dairy biosolids (dairy sludge), either alone or with either of the bulking agents-cereal straw or wood shavings, using the epigeic earthworm-Eisinea andrei. Earthworms added directly to these three substrates died within 48 hours. A system was developed to overcome the toxic effect of unprocessed dairy biosolids. The substrates were placed over a layer of vermicomposted sheep manure into which the earthworms were inoculated. Within two weeks, all earthworms were within the upper layer of substrate. Compared to sheep manure which is a favourable substrate for vermicomposting, the three substrates containing dairy biosolids were more effective in supporting earthworm growth and reproduction. The final products obtained after 63 days of vermicomposting had 39-53% less organic carbon than the initial substrates. Organic fractionation indicated that vermicomposting increased the stability of the materials to biological decomposition. The vermicomposts obtained from the three substrates with dairy biosolids had low heavy metal contents and electrical conductivities, and did not inhibit plant growth when compared with a commercial vermicompost in a bioassay.     

中国环境保护相关电价政策效应与资金机制

本文从电价政策优化视角,分析了环保电价与可再生能源电价的目标、补贴率变化,首次核算了两类政策的资金总额,对比评估了两类政策的资金规模、微观作用机制、资金机制和决策机制.结果发现,环保电价长年稳定,为燃煤发电行业污染治理资金提供了稳定预期,实现了污染物的快速减排;可再生能源上网标杆电价多次下调,激励企业技术进步的同时,助长了企业投机行为.微观作用机制上,环保电价刺激了燃煤发电企业治污技术进步、企业私人成本下降,但社会承担了较高的污染治理成本;而可再生能源电价政策促进了发电社会成本的下降.可再生能源电价资金传导机制更为刚性,但存在附加征收率不高、资金缺口大等问题,政策设计未做到激励相容.2015年环保电价与可再生能源电价补贴资金总额分别为767.97亿元（不含税）和429.1亿元（供给侧）.环保电价资金总额超过可再生能源电价资金总额,强化了燃煤发电成本优势,制约了可再生能源发展,不利于电力结构的清洁化.     

钢渣改性研究进展及展望

我国钢渣产生量巨大,随着日益严格的环保要求,为使钢渣达到资源化利用的目的,钢渣改性成为需要迫切解决的工作。简述了我国钢铁行业产生的钢渣的组成特点、资源化利用存在的问题;重点综述了钢渣改性的研究进展。结合现存钢渣改性工艺的特点,指出热态钢渣碳酸化改性,不仅可以充分利用钢渣本身的巨大热能,实现钢厂内CO₂减排,还能够实现钢渣稳定性和胶凝性能的改善,是今后钢渣改性研究的重要方向。     

城市污水厂MCR-1基因及其携带菌的污染

研究了南京某城市污水处理厂MCR-1基因及其携带菌的污染特征,从MCR-1的分布特征、影响因素及MCR-1携带菌的耐药特征等方面综合评价.结果发现MCR-1随处理流程丰度下降,去除率达83.6%,但其相对丰度在出水中显著升高,剩余污泥中含有高浓度MCR-1,浓度达2.88×10¹²copies/L.粘菌素耐药菌同样沿处理流程逐渐降低,出水降至53CFU/mL,去除率达99.98%,但在剩余污泥中浓度高达2.04×10⁵CFU/mL.相关性分析发现MCR-1丰度与氨氮含量呈正相关,而相对丰度与COD、总氮和硝酸盐含量呈负相关.耐药特征分析表明曝气池（CAST、MSBR）和曝气生物流化池（ABFT）中MCR-1携带菌可耐受较高浓度粘菌素,且污水处理使MCR-1携带菌对粘菌素的耐受能力提高.表明污水处理流程不但无法完全去除MCR-1及其携带菌,且导致耐药性风险提高.本研究可为评价污水中以MCR-1为代表的超级抗性基因的环境风险提供参考.     

台北市生活垃圾管理经验及启示

台北市生活垃圾管理效果显著,人均生活垃圾日清运量年均减量7.3%、资源回收率年均增长28.3%并带动资源回收产业发展、居民负担仅为1998年的22.0%、社会成本较1998年减少30.7%。主要经验包括:明确的生活垃圾减量与资源回收目标;系统的管理模式设计,包括政府(环保局、地方清洁队、资源回收管理基金)、生产商、回收商、处理商、居民、垃圾焚烧厂和填埋场以及第三方等主要干系人。采取的主要政策手段包括强制源头分类、随袋征收垃圾处理费、建立资源回收管理基金、对资源回收行业的政策扶持以及信息公开与公众参与等。台北市先进的生活垃圾管理经验对中国大陆城市开展垃圾分类与资源化管理具有重要的参考价值。     

Using decision science to evaluate global biodiversity indices

Global biodiversity indices are used to measure environmental change and progress toward conservation goals, yet few indices have been evaluated comprehensively for their capacity to detect trends of interest, such as declines in threatened species or ecosystem function. Using a structured approach based on decision science, we qualitatively evaluated 9 indices commonly used to track biodiversity at global and regional scales against 5 criteria relating to objectives, design, behavior, incorporation of uncertainty, and constraints (e.g., costs and data availability). Evaluation was based on reference literature for indices available at the time of assessment. We identified 4 key gaps in indices assessed: pathways to achieving goals (means objectives) were not always clear or relevant to desired outcomes (fundamental objectives); index testing and understanding of expected behavior was often lacking; uncertainty was seldom acknowledged or accounted for; and costs of implementation were seldom considered. These gaps may render indices inadequate in certain decision-making contexts and are problematic for indices linked with biodiversity targets and sustainability goals. Ensuring that index objectives are clear and their design is underpinned by a model of relevant processes are crucial in addressing the gaps identified by our assessment. Uptake and productive use of indices will be improved if index performance is tested rigorously and assumptions and uncertainties are clearly communicated to end users. This will increase index accuracy and value in tracking biodiversity change and supporting national and global policy decisions, such as the post-2020 global biodiversity framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity.     

Time‐based differences in the effects of positive and negative affectivity on perceived supervisor support and organizational commitment among newcomers

Building on the broaden‐and‐build theory and research on the negativity bias, this study examines how trait affectivity, as a stable predisposition predicting the pattern of emotional responding, shapes newcomers' perceptions of supervisor support and experience of organizational commitment. Using latent growth modeling and data collected at four points in time from newcomers (N = 158), we found the initial level of perceived supervisor support to mediate a negative relationship between negative affectivity and the level of commitment. Moreover, although newcomers experienced a general decrease in perceived supervisor support and a related decrease in commitment, those with high positive affectivity experienced a weaker decrease in perceived supervisor support, which led to a weaker decrease in commitment. Incidentally, positive affectivity was also positively related to the initial level of commitment. Two post hoc studies indicated that positive and negative affectivity exerted their effects controlling for state affect and replicated the relationship between change in perceived support and commitment. We discuss how these findings inform our understanding of trait affectivity's influence on newcomers' work attitudes.     

“Würde der kreatur” and the common morality

If respect for the dignity of non-human creatures is to be an element of public policy it needs, as a first step, to be assimilated into the common morality. It is suggested that such respect may be based on several philosophical premises. Limiting the discussion to sentient animals, the paper reviews three of these: the concept of animal telos; the application of Rawlsian contractarianism to the case of non-human animals as moral patients; and human attitudes to animals in the light of virtue theory. Consideration is then given to the extent to which, by accommodating respect for the dignity of animals within the common morality, these principles might find more substantive expression in public policy.