An Air Quality Modeling Study Comparing Two Possible Sites for the New International Airport for Mexico City

Abstract

Using an air quality model, two future urban scenarios induced by the construction of the new international airport for Mexico City are compared at a regional level. The air quality model couples the meteorology model MM5 and state-of-the-art photochemistry. The air quality comparison is made using metrics for the criterion gases selected for the study. From the two urban scenarios compared, the option for Tizayuca is moderately better than the option for Texcoco, because relative reductions in O₃ and other photochemical pollutants are achieved over highly populated areas. Regardless of the site, the air quality for the central region of Mexico in the future will deteriorate. In the region of central Mexico, SO₂ and NO₂ will become important pollutants.     

Zinc tolerance and accumulation in the salt-marsh shrub Halimione portulacoides

The halophytic shrub Halimione portulacoides is known to be capable of growth in soils containing extremely high concentrations of Zn. This study evaluated in detail the tolerance and accumulation potential of H. portulacoides under moderate and high external Zn levels. A greenhouse experiment was conducted in order to investigate the effects of a range of Zn concentrations (0-130 mmol L⁻¹) on growth and photosynthetic performance by measuring relative growth rate, total leaf area, specific leaf area, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and photosynthetic pigment concentrations. We also determined the total zinc, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron and copper concentrations in the plant tissues. H. portulacoides demonstrated hypertolerance to Zn stress, since it survived with leaf concentrations of up to 2300 mg Zn kg⁻¹ dry mass, when treated with 130 mmol Zn L⁻¹. Zinc concentrations greater than 70 mmol L⁻¹ in the nutrient solution negatively affected plant growth, in all probability due to the recorded decline in net photosynthesis rate. Our results indicate that the Zn-induced decline in the photosynthetic function of H. portulacoides may be attributed to the adverse effect of the high concentration of the metal on photosynthetic electron transport. Growth parameters were virtually unaffected by leaf tissue concentrations as high as 1500 mg Zn kg⁻¹ dry mass, demonstrating the strong capability of H. portulacoides to protect itself against toxic Zn concentrations. The results of our study indicate that this salt-marsh shrub may represent a valuable tool in the restoration of Zn-polluted areas.     

Assessment of exposure to DDT and metabolites after indoor residual spraying through the analysis of thatch material from rural African dwellings

Introduction  

We report on the analysis of 4,4′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (4,4′-DDT) and its metabolites in thatch and branch samples constituting the wall materials of dwellings from South African subtropical areas. This approach was used to assess the exposure to DDT in the residents of the dwellings after indoor residual spraying (IRS) following recommended sanitation practices against malaria vectors.     

Contribution of sociodemographic characteristics, occupation, diet and lifestyle to DDT and DDE concentrations in serum and adipose tissue from a Bolivian cohort

The organochlorine pesticide p,p′-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) was widely used in the early 1960s-70s for vector control in tropical and subtropical areas of South America. Due to its persistence, DDT has a high potential to bioaccumulate in the food chain and living organisms and is a major public health concern, especially in South America.The main purpose of the present study was to investigate predictors of serum and adipose tissue concentrations of p,p′-DDT and its main metabolite, p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE), in an adult cohort (n = 112) from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, using multiple linear regression models. These models explained 29.3-47.8% of the variability in adipose tissue concentrations of p,p′-DDT and p,p′-DDE, respectively, and 32.9-47.0% of that in serum. Main exposure predictors included age, occupational class, residence, diet, smoking habit, and accumulated breastfeeding time.This is one of the few studies to explore predictors of human exposure to these chemicals using a multivariate approach in a South American population. Results show that predictors of human exposure to p,p′-DDT and p,p′-DDE in Santa Cruz de la Sierra may diverge from those found in other populations of the world, due to particular sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics of this region.     

乡村旅游的本质回归:乡村性的认知与保护

乡村旅游已成为国内旅游的一种重要模式。通过文献分析,从理论认知与游客感知两个层面认为乡村性与其所决定的乡村意象共同构成了乡村旅游的核心吸引力。而乡村性在快速的城市化、工业化进程中已经受损,过度强化经济功能的乡村旅游则可能加剧这一趋势。基于对"农家乐"及"景区化"两种不同乡村旅游开发模式的评价,认为不同开发模式中都存在着过度强化短期旅游经济利益,忽视乡村旅游核心吸引力的认知与保护,导致乡村性退化的共同特征,使得快速发展的乡村旅游在不断侵蚀着自我发展的根基,并逐渐背离了自身发展的宗旨,呈现出不可持续性。因而提出乡村旅游的可持续发展必须关注乡村性的保护,明确城乡规划中资源特色型乡村旅游地的功能地位及其未来用地发展方向,保护乡村居民参与旅游与分享旅游的权益,转变政府角色,注重乡村现代化发展中新的乡村意象的塑造,以使乡村旅游与乡村建设得以真正的可持续发展。     

MTBF保证试验技术方法分析与探讨

介绍了美军使用的MTBF保证试验法,并对进行MTBF保证试验的机理和经保证试验后使用方的风险进行了分析,认为保证试验在很短时间内验证长时间的MTBF值,却非加速试验。指出MTBF保证试验后,使用方风险比可靠性鉴定试验要小,并用具体试验方案举例说明其有效性,说明了MTBF保证试验可在工程上应用。     

微生物降解农作物秸秆生产SCP饲料的研究进展

人们开始研究微生物降解农作物秸秆问题已有50多年的历史,但迄今仍未实现大规模生产单细胞蛋白饲料。其原因在于,实际生产中缺乏纤维素酶系全且酶活力高的产纤维素酶菌种、性价比高的产SCP菌种,并缺乏工艺简单、投资低、耗能少的发酵技术,给中试带来了沉重的经济负担。对农作物秸秆的预处理方法、生产SCP饲料的微生物菌种、发酵工艺、该研究领域存在的主要问题及其解决途径进行了分析,为SCP饲料的规模化生产提供了理论依据。     

臭氧氧化法深度处理纤维板生产废水的研究

采用臭氧氧化法深度处理纤维板生产废水,探讨了臭氧投加量以及反应时间对COD和色度去除的影响,得到了最佳的工艺参数,并分析了这种处理方法的经济性。结果表明,当臭氧投加量为180mg/L、反应时间为30min时,纤维板生产废水的COD、色度去除率分别为58.3%、98.3%。采用臭氧氧化法深度处理纤维素废水的投资成本为600～700元/t,运行成本为0.8～1.2元/t,较Fenton氧化处理方法而言,在处理效率和经济成本上具有较大优势。     

吐曼河近5a水质变化浅析

通过单因子评价法对吐曼河水质现状及近期变化趋势进行了分析,揭示了近几年来吐曼河水质年内及年际变化的特点,以期对吐曼河水污染治理提供参考。     

在全省环境保护工作会议上的讲话

2010年2月2日,全省环境保护工作会议在西宁举行,会议传达了全国环保工作会议精神,全面总结了2009年的工作,安排部署了今年的重点任务。为方便大家全面了解和学习会议的内容和精神,现将会议有关材料予以选登,以供大家参阅。