Competing pathways of cresol formation in toluene photooxidation: OH-toluene adducts react with NO2 or with O2?

Methyl-hydroxy-cyclohexadienyl radicals (OTAs) are the key products of the photooxidation of toluene, with implications for the fate of toluene. Hence, we investigated the photooxidation mechanisms and kinetics of three main OTAs (o-OTA, m-OTA, and p-OTA) with NO₂ using quantum chemical calculations as well as the fate of OTAs under the different concentration ratios of NO₂ and O₂. The mechanism results show that the pathway of H-abstraction by NO₂ to anti-HONO (anti-H-abstraction) is more favorable than the syn-H-abstraction pathway, because the strong interaction between OTAs and NO₂ is formed in the transition states of the anti-H-abstraction pathways. The branching ratios of the anti-H-abstraction pathways are more than 99% in the temperature range of 216−298 K. The total rate constant of the OTA-NO₂ reaction is 9.9 × 10⁻¹² cm³/(molecule∙sec) at 298 K, which is contributed about 90% by o-OTA + NO₂, and the main products are o-cresol and anti-HONO. The half-lives of the OTA-NO₂ reaction in some polluted areas of China are 35 times longer than those of the OTA-O₂ reaction. In the atmosphere, the NO₂- and O₂- initiated reactions of OTAs have the same ability to form cresols as [NO₂] is up to 142.1 ppmV, which is impossible to achieve. It implies that under the experimental condition, the [NO₂]/[O₂] should be controlled to be less than 7.8 × 10⁻⁵ to simulate real atmospheric oxidation of toluene. Our results reveal that for the photooxidation of toluene, the yield of cresol is not affected by the concentration of NO₂ under the atmospheric environment.     

Remediation of preservative ethylparaben in water using natural sphalerite: Kinetics and mechanisms

As a typical class of emerging organic contaminants(EOCs), the environmental transformation and abatement of preservative parabens have raised certain environmental concerns. However, the remediation of parabens-contaminated water using natural matrixes(such as, naturally abundant minerals) is not reported extensively in literature. In this study, the transformation kinetics and the mechanism of ethylparaben using natural sphalerite(NS) were investigated. The results show that around 63% of ethy...     

聚苯乙烯微塑料和纳米塑料对萼花臂尾轮虫有性生殖的毒性影响

为探索不同粒径聚苯乙烯微塑料和纳米塑料对轮虫繁殖的影响规律,以萼花臂尾轮虫(Brachionus calyciflorus)为受试生物,探究了3种粒径(100 nm、0.5 μm和1 μm)聚苯乙烯塑料对轮虫有性生殖的影响. 结果表明:①暴露于粒径较小的聚苯乙烯纳米塑料对轮虫的急性毒性较大. ②与对照组相比,暴露于20 mg/L的100 nm聚苯乙烯纳米塑料和0.01、0.1、1、10和20 mg/L的1 μm聚苯乙烯微塑料均导致轮虫种群增长率显著降低(P<0.05). ③聚苯乙烯微塑料和纳米塑料暴露对萼花臂尾轮虫混交率和受精率均有显著影响. ④暴露于10和20 mg/L的100 nm聚苯乙烯纳米塑料均显著抑制萼花臂尾轮虫7 d休眠卵产量(P<0.05),而暴露于0.1 mg/L的1 μm聚苯乙烯微塑料以及0.01、0.1、1、10和20 mg/L的0.5 μm聚苯乙烯微塑料均显著增加轮虫7 d休眠卵产量(P<0.05). 研究显示,在评价聚苯乙烯微塑料和纳米塑料对萼花臂尾轮虫有性生殖影响时,轮虫混交率和休眠卵产量可以作为合适的毒性测试指标.      

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).