Long-term winter observation of nitrous acid in the urban area of Beijing

The particulate matter (PM) pollution has been significantly improved by carrying out various valid emission control strategies since 2013 in China. Meanwhile the variation trend of nitrous acid (HONO) is worthy to investigate due to its vital role in the atmospheric oxidation process. In this study, field observation in the winter is conducted to investigate the concentration of HONO in an urban area of Beijing. In the winter of 2019, the mean HONO concentration is 1.38 ppbV during the whole winter. Photo-enhanced NO₂ heterogeneous reactions on the ground and aerosol surfaces were found as the possible daytime sources of HONO. Compared to O₃, photolysis of HONO dominates the primary OH sources during the winter time. To understand the HONO pollution patterns by years variation, multi-year data is summarized and finds that primary pollutants including CO and NO decreased, but secondary pollutants i.e., HONO (mostly generated via secondary process) increased. Our study highlights the requirement to mitigate secondary pollution by control HONO concentration.     

洞庭湖南缘农田土壤重金属特征及源解析

基于网格布点法于2020年4～8月在洞庭湖南缘农田中采集了1 589件表层土壤样品,采用ICP-MS、 ICP-OES、 HG-AFS和ISE方法测定土壤中As、 Cd、 Pb、 Cu、 Zn、 Ni、 Cr、 Hg元素含量及pH,重点研究了区内土壤重金属含量、潜在生态风险、空间分布特征及其来源解析.结果表明,土壤重金属ω(Zn)、ω(Cr)、ω(Pb)、ω(Cu)、ω(Ni)、ω(As)、ω(Cd)和ω(Hg)平均值依次为：118.18、 82.21、 52.1、 33.76、 32.81、 18.25、 0.42和0.13 mg·kg^-1.各重金属均处于中、高度变异,土壤以弱酸性为主,pH介于3.96～7.90之间,Hg和Cd存在较高的生态风险.各重金属元素空间分布规律均呈西南高东北低的趋势.采用PMF和PCA方法对8种重金属元素进行来源解析及贡献率计算,PMF结果表明,研究区土壤重金属来源贡献率依次为：农业活动源(36.98%)、自然源(32.94%)、水土交换源(17.05%)和大气干湿沉降源(13.03%),而PCA结果表明研究区土壤重金属主要来源于农业...     

Characteristics of one-year observation of VOCs, NOx, and O3 at an urban site in Wuhan, China

A continuous online observation of ozone and its precursors(NOx, VOCs) was carried out in central urban Wuhan from September 2016 to August 2017. The concentration levels of ozone,NOx, VOCs and their variations in urban Wuhan were analyzed, as well as effects of VOCs on ozone photochemical generation and the main controlling factors for ozone production. During the observation period, the average concentrations of ozone and NOx in Wuhan was 22.63 and30.14 ppbv, respectively, and the average concentration of VOCs was 32.61 ppbv(42.3% alkanes,13.0% alkenes, 10.0% aromatics, 7.3% acetylene, 9.9% OVOCs, and 10.5% halohydrocarbons).Ozone concentration was higher in spring and summer as compared with autumn and winter,wheras VOCs and NOx concentratios were lower in spring and summer but higher in autumn and winter. Aromatics and alkenes, two of VOCs species, showed the highest contributions to ozone formation potential in Wuhan(35.7% alkenes, 35.4 aromatics, 17.5% alkanes, 8.6% OVOCs,1.6% halogenated hydrocarbons, and 1.4% acetylene). Among all VOCs species, those with the highest contribution were ethylene, m-xylene, toluene, propylene and o-xylene. The contribution of these five compounds to the total ozone formation potential concentration was 43.90%.Ozone-controlling factors in Wuhan changed within one day; during the early morning hours(6:00–9:00), VOCs/NOx was low, and ozone generation followed a VOCs-limited regime.However, during the peak time of ozone concentration(12:00–16:00), the ratio of VOCs/NOx was relatively high, suggesting that ozone generation followed a NOx-limited regime.     

生态保护红线在实践过程中的问题剖析——以湖北宜昌为例

宜昌市生态保护红线于2015年1月正式颁布实施,文章结合宜昌市生态保护红线的应用情况,剖析了生态功能红线、水环境质量红线及大气环境质量红线在实践过程中存在的主要问题,同时,对生态保护红线管理机制需要解决的重点问题进行了阐述。     

宜昌城区冬季大气污染的气象成因对比分析研究

2016年冬季,宜昌城区空气质量比上年冬季明显改善,通过采用对比分析、相关分析及后向轨迹分析等方法,诊断可能的原因.结果表明,宜昌城区冬季空气污染主要是由于细颗粒物导致,2016年冬季PM2.5、PM10、SO2浓度较2015年冬季明显降低,主要原因包括含硫燃料燃烧明显减少、外源性污染物的输入明显减少、降水清除以及减排措施有力等.后向轨迹分析结果显示,两年冬季污染最严重时段的污染物路径来源不同,2015年冬季最严重的污染过程主要是由于上游北方远距离的外源性污染的快速输入、在本地下沉导致,2016年冬季最严重的污染过程则是由于来自偏南路径近距离的气团叠加本地污染源,在垂直方向累积造成.     

Forest Insect Pest Management and Forest Management in China: An Overview

According to the Seventh National Forest Inventory (2004–2008), China’s forests cover an area of 195.45 million ha, or 20.36% of the total land area. China has the most rapidly increasing forest resources in the world. However, China is also a country with serious forest pest problems. There are more than 8,000 species of potential forest pests in China, including insects, plant diseases, rodents and lagomorphs, and hazardous plants. Among them, 300 species are considered as economically or ecologically important, and half of these are serious pests, including 86 species of insects. Forest management and utilization have a considerable influence on the stability and sustainability of forest ecosystems. At the national level, forestry policies always play a major role in forest resource management and forest health protection. In this paper, we present a comprehensive overview of both achievements and challenges in forest management and insect pest control in China. First, we summarize the current status of forest resources and their pests in China. Second, we address the theories, policies, practices and major national actions on forestry and forest insect pest management, including the Engineering Pest Management of China, the National Key Forestry Programs, the Classified Forest Management system, and the Collective Forest Tenure Reform. We analyze and discuss three representative plantations—Eucalyptus, poplar and Masson pine plantations—with respect to their insect diversity, pest problems and pest management measures.     

Distribution, sources, and potential toxicological significance of PAHs in drinking water sources within the Pearl River Delta

The Pearl River Delta (PRD) region is one of the most population-dense areas in China. The safety of its drinking source water is essential to human health. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have attracted attention from the scientific community and the general public due to their toxicity and wide distribution in the global environment. In this work, PAHs pollution levels from the drinking source water in nine main cities within the PRD were investigated. ∑15 PAHs concentrations during the wet season varied from 32.0 to 754.8 ng L(-1) in the dissolved phase, and from 13.4 to 3017.8 ng L(-1) in the particulate phase. During the dry season, dissolved PAHs ranged from 48.1 to 113.6 ng L(-1), and particulate PAHs from 8.6 to 69.6 ng L(-1). Overall, ∑15 PAHs concentrations were extremely high in the XC and ZHQ stations during the wet season in 2008 and 2009. In most sites, PAHs originated from mixed sources. Hazard ratios based on non-cancerous and cancerous risks were extremely higher in XC compared with the others during the wet season, though they were much less than 1. Nevertheless, risks caused by the combined toxicity of ∑15 PAHs and other organics should be seriously considered. PAHs toxic equivalent quantities ranged from 0.508 to 177.077 ng L(-1).     

Occurrence of odor problems in drinking water of major cities across China

A comprehensive investigation into the occur-rence of odor problem at 111 drinking water treatment plants （DWTPs） in major cities across China was undertaken using both flavor profile analysis （FPA） and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS）. Eighty percent of source water samples exhibited odor problems, characterized by earthy/musty （41%） and swampy/septic （36%） odors, while the occurrence rate was lower （45%） in the finished water. Source water from rivers exhibited more pollution-origin odors, such as the swampy/septic odor, while that from lakes and reservoirs exhibited more algae- origin odors, such as earthy/musty odors. The occurrence rate of 2-methylisoborneol （2-MIB） in the surface source water samples was 75%, with 7% of samples containing 2- MIB concentrations of over 10 ng.L-1. The earthy/musty odor in the lake/reservoir water samples was mainly caused by 2-MIB （linear regression coefficient, R2= 0.69）, while the correlation between 2-MIB concentration and the earthy/musty odor intensity samples was weak （R2= 0.35） in the river-source water These results will be useful for the management of odor-quality problems in drinking water of China.     

Distribution,possible sources,and health risk assessment of SVOC pollution in small streams in Pearl River Delta,China

The pollution levels of typical semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) consisting of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 20 organic chlorinated pesticides (OCPs), and 15 phthalate esters (PAEs) were investigated in small rivers running through the flourishing cities in Pearl River Delta region, China. The concentrations of ∑15PAHs were 2.0–48 ng/L and 29–1.2?×?10³ ng/g in the water and sediment samples, respectively. The ∑20OCPs were 6.6–57 ng/L and 9.3–6.0?×?10² ng/g in the water and sediment samples, respectively. The concentrations of ∑15PAEs were much higher both in the water and sediments. The partition process of the detected SVOCs between the water and sediment did not reach the equilibrium state at most of the sites when sampling. The combustion of petroleum products and coal was the major source of the detected PAHs. The OCPs were mainly historical residue, whereas the new inputs of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), chlordane, and endosulfan were possible at several sites. The industrial and domestic sewage were the major source for the PAEs; storm water runoff accelerated the input of PAEs. No chronic risk of the SVOCs was identified by a health risk assessment through daily water consumption, except for the ∑20OCPs that might cause cancer at several sites. Nevertheless, the integrated health risk of the SVOCs should not be neglected and need intensive investigations.     

Numerical simulation of benzene transport in shoreline groundwater affected by tides under different conditions

● An approach for assessing the transport of benzene on the beach was proposed. ● The behavior of benzene in the subsurface of the beach was impacted by tide. ● Tidal amplitude influenced the travel speed and the benzene biodegradation. ● Hydraulic conductivity had the impact on plume residence time and biodegradation. ● Plume dispersed and concentration decreased due to high longitudinal dispersivity. The release and transport of benzene in coastal aquifers were investigated in the present study. Numerical simulations were implemented using the SEAM3D, coupled with GMS, to study the behavior of benzene in the subsurface of tidally influenced beaches. The transport and fate of the benzene plume were simulated, considering advection, dispersion, sorption, biodegradation, and dissolution on the beach. Different tide amplitudes, aquifer characteristics, and pollutant release locations were studied. It was found that the tide amplitude, hydraulic conductivity, and longitudinal dispersivity were the primary factors affecting the fate and transport of benzene. The tidal amplitude influenced the transport speed and percentage of biodegradation of benzene plume in the beach. A high tidal range reduced the spreading area and enhanced the rate of benzene biodegradation. Hydraulic conductivity had an impact on plume residence time and the percentage of contaminant biodegradation. Lower hydraulic conductivity induced longer residence time in each beach portion and a higher percentage of biodegradation on the beach. The plume dispersed and the concentration decreased due to high longitudinal dispersivity. The results can be used to support future risk assessment and management for the shorelines impacted by spill and leaking accidents. Modeling the heterogeneous beach aquifer subjected to tides can also be further explored in the future study.