Impact of urban water supply on energy use in China: a provincial and national comparison

To reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and help mitigate climate change, urban water systems need to be adapted so that electrical energy use is minimised. In this study, energy data from 2011 was used to quantify energy use in China’s urban water supply sector. The objective was to calculate the energy co-benefits of urban water conservation policies and compare energy use between China and other countries. The study investigated influencing factors with the aim of informing the development of energy efficient urban water infrastructure. The average energy use per cubic metre and per capita for urban water supply in China in 2011 was 0.29 kWh/m³ and 33.2 kWh/cap year, respectively. Total GHG emissions associated with energy use in the urban water supply sector were 7.63 MtCO₂e, or carbon dioxide equivalent. Calculations using these indicators showed significant energy savings could result from water conservation measures. A comparison between provinces of China showed a direct correlation between energy intensity of urban water supply and the population served per unit length of pipe. This may imply energy and emission intensity can be reduced if more densely populated areas are supplied by a corresponding pipe density, rather than by a low-density network operating at higher flow rates. This study also found that while the percentage of electrical energy used for urban water supply tended to increase with the percentage of population served, this increase was slower where water supply was more energy efficient and where a larger percentage of population was already supplied.     

Human and organizational factors in Chinese hazardous chemical accidents: a case study of the ‘8.12’ Tianjin Port fire and explosion using the HFACS-HC

Human and organizational factors have been proven to be the prime causes of Chinese hazardous chemical accidents (HCAs). A modified version of the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS), namely the HFACS-Hazardous Chemicals (HC), was developed to identify the human factors involved in Chinese HCAs. The ‘8.12’ Tianjin Port fire and explosion, the costliest HCA in recent years, was reanalyzed using this framework, and the results were compared with the official accident inquiry report to determine their differences related to the identification of human and organizational factors. The study revealed that interacting human factors from different levels in Ruihai Company led to this catastrophe, and the inquiry report had limitations in the identification of human factors and the guidance for similar accident prevention. This study showed the applicability of the HFACS-HC in HCA analyses as well as the necessity to recommend this approach for future HCA investigations.     

层次分析法在商场火灾风险评价中的应用研究

根据商场火灾的特点,并基于消防安全和系统安全的思想,从建筑、消防设施、商品、消防管理和外部环境5个方面建立了火灾风险评价指标体系;在此基础上通过层次分析法,计算得出各指标因子的权重值.并根据有关标准和规范,对各评价指标因子的风险分值进行划分.最后采用线性加权模型,计算商场的风险分值,得出火灾风险评价结果.     

Sustainable Development and Transition of Traditional Retailing Centers in Beijing from Consumers' Perspective

Based on the consumer questionnaires of the three traditional retailing centers,Qianmen,Wangfujing and Xidan in Beijing,this article analyzes the present features of consumer composition in the three retailing centers.What is more,the evolution course and function transition of traditional retailing centers is revealed based on the changing of consumer composition in different times.Lastly,the renewal method and development trends of traditional retailing centers are discussed based on the evaluation results in consumers' perspective.     

Ecological and economic impacts of green roofs and permeable pavements at the city level: the case of Corvallis,Oregon

A city's spatial footprint is covered by extensive impervious building roofs and paved surfaces, which contribute to greater storm-water runoff, more surface pollutants, and less carbon sequestration, hence, worse ecosystem services. This research conducts an empirical study on the ecological and economic impacts of a citywide adoption of green roofs and permeable pavements in Corvallis, OR. The effects on ecosystem services of using green roofs and pervious pavements for a low impact development are modelled using Integrated Value of Ecosystem Services Trade-offs and compared to those from the City's current conventional development without green roofs and pervious pavements. The differences are analysed for ecological impact by storm-water yield, storm-water purification, and carbon sequestration and economic impact by a cost-benefit comparison. The results indicate that low impact development, especially intensive green roofs on commercial/industrial buildings and permeable pavements for parking lots, plays a significant role, even with a higher initial implementation cost, for long-term urban sustainability.     

农药生产建设项目环境影响评价的探讨

分析了农药生产建设项目环境影响评价中存在的诸多问题。结合实际工作经验,就农药生产建设项目中的产业政策评价、环境影响的识别、环境风险评价、清洁生产评价和环保治理措施的确定进行了探讨。     

Accumulation and transportation of copper in different ecotypes of Leersia hexandra Swartz

ABSTRACT

This study used hydroponics with different copper (Cu) concentrations to assess metal accumulation and growth in two different populations of Leersia hexandra Swartz, one obtained from a contaminated area (CP) and the other from a non-contaminated area (NCP). Data demonstrated that Cu exerted a lesser effect on the biomass of CP than NCP. The root and shoot biomass measurements of CP were significantly higher than those noted at NCP. Copper concentration in the tissues of L. hexandra from CP increased markedly correlated with the concentration of metal in the culture solution, and this trend was stronger than that in NCP. Copper concentrations in roots and shoots were significantly higher in CP than NCP. As Cu stress levels in the culture solution rose, the transport coefficient of both populations decreased. Furthermore, the coefficient of CP was significantly higher than NCP. At a Cu concentration of 38.4 mg/L, the transfer factor value of CP is 40% higher than NCP. In summary, CP showed higher accumulation and resistance to Cu compared with NCP.     

Effects of sandy desertified land rehabilitation on soil carbon sequestration and aggregation in an arid region in China

The rehabilitation of sandy desertified land in semi-arid and arid regions has a great potential to increase carbon sequestration and improve soil quality. Our objective was to investigate the changes in the soil carbon pool and soil properties of surface soil (0–15 cm) under different types of rehabilitation management. Our study was done in the short-term (7 years) and long-term (32 years) desertification control sites in a marginal oasis of northwest China. The different management treatments were: (1) untreated shifting sand land as control; (2) sand-fixing shrubs with straw checkerboards; (3) poplar (Populus gansuensis) shelter forest; and (4) irrigated cropland after leveling sand dune. The results showed that the rehabilitation of severe sandy desertified land resulted in significant increases in soil organic C (SOC), inorganic C, and total N concentrations, as well as enhanced soil aggregation. Over a 7-year period of revegetation and cultivation, SOC concentration in the recovered shrub land, forest land and irrigated cropland increased by 4.1, 14.6 and 11.9 times compared to the control site (shifting sand land), and increased by 11.2, 17.0 and 23.0 times over the 32-year recovery period. Total N, labile C (KMnO₄–oxidation C), C management index (CMI) and inorganic C (CaCO₃–C) showed a similar increasing trend as SOC. The increased soil C and N was positively related to the accumulation of fine particle fractions. The accumulation of silt and clay, soil C and CaCO₃ enhanced the formation of aggregates, which was beneficial to mitigate wind erosion. The percentage of >0.25 mm dry aggregates increased from 18.0% in the control site to 20.0–87.2% in the recovery sites, and the mean weight diameter (MWD) of water-stable aggregates significantly increased, with a range of 0.09–0.30 mm at the recovery sites. Long-term irrigation and fertilization led to a greater soil C and N accumulation in cropland than in shrub and forest lands. The amount of soil C sequestration reached up to 1.8–9.4 and 7.5–17.3 Mg ha^?1 at the 0–15 cm layer over a 7- and 32-year rehabilitation period compared to the control site, suggesting that desertification control has a great potential for sequestering soil C and improving soil quality in northwest China.     

A simple and promising route for biodiesel production from low-quality lipids

High production cost is the key issue of biodiesel industry nowadays. To decrease the cost, using low-quality lipids feedstock is the most effective way. For low-quality lipids with high content of free fatty acids, a simple and promising route is proposed to produce biodiesel. Instead of the typical two-step procedure, the esterification and transesterification processes are performed continuously by simultaneously eliminating the formed water in the reaction system with CaO powder. Investigations were carried out on the synthesis of fatty acid methyl ester and fatty acid ethyl ester. The results showed that the esterification rate reached to 99.6% for fatty acid methyl ester and 99.4% for fatty acid ethyl ester within 3–4 h, and the transesterification rate reached to 89.1 and 86.2%, respectively. Over 93 w% of feedstock oil could be transformed to biodiesel. Besides, hydrophobic CaCO₃ nanorods were also synthesized as value-added by-product. Based on the new route, the production process of biodiesel could be simplified and the production cost could be reduced.     

起重机械作业人员职业适性检测指标研究

采用Ｄｅｌｐｈｉ法对起重机械作业人员职业适性指标进行了研究。咨询专家就各备择指标对工作重要性及发生事故的关系进行了评估。结果表明：专家积极程度与意见集中程度良好；事故重要性与工作重要性排序一致性良好，两者呈高度正相关。依据专家对“重要性”的排序，再通过专家会议与现场考证等方法，最终确定了起重机械作业人员职业适性检测指标体系。