Spatial and temporal variations and possible sources of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites in rivers in Tianjin, China

Water, suspended solid (SS) and sediment samples were collected from nine water courses in Tianjin, China and analyzed for dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites (DDXs, including o,p'-,p,p'-DDT, DDD and DDE). The average DDX concentrations in water, SS and sediment were 59+/-30 ng l(-1), 2690+/-1940 ng g(-1)dry wt. and 340+/-930 ng g(-1)dry wt., respectively. Due to the termination of the extensive agricultural application and industrial manufacture, DDXs in river sediment decreased by one order of magnitude since 1970's and low DDT fractions in these sediments were observed. Still, DDXs in the sediments near the outlets of the major manufacturers remained relatively high attributed to the historic input. DDXs in sediment were also positively correlated with organic matter content. Spatial distributions of DDXs in SS and water was different from that in sediment. For SS, a negative correlation between DDX concentration and SS content indicated a dilution effect in many rivers. Dissolved organic carbon content was the major factor affecting DDX concentrations in water phase. Wastewater discharged from dicofol manufacturers and likely illegal agricultural application were the primary reasons causing high DDT (DDE+DDD) ratios in SS and water.     

Zinc and cadmium accumulation and tolerance in populations of Sedum alfredii

To investigate the variation of Zn and Cd accumulation and tolerance of Sedum alfredii (a newly reported Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator), field surveys and hydroponic experiments were conducted among three populations of this species: two originating from old Pb/Zn mines in Zhejiang (ZJ) and Hunan (HN) Provinces and one from a "clean" site in Guangdong (GD) Province, China. Under field conditions, up to 12,524 and 12,253 mg kg(-1) Zn, and 1400 and 97 mg kg(-1) Cd in shoots of ZJ and HN plants were recorded respectively. Under hydroponic conditions, ZJ and HN plants accumulated significantly higher Zn and Cd in their leaves and stems, and possessed significantly higher Zn and Cd tolerance than GD plants. Among the two contaminated populations, ZJ plants showed higher Cd tolerance and accumulation (in leaves) than HN plants. The present results indicate that significant differences in Zn and Cd accumulation and tolerance exist in populations of S. alfredii.     

Gas chromatographic methods for monitoring of wastewater chlorophenol degradation in anaerobic reactors

Wastewater samples from an anaerobic reactor were extracted with hexane and derivatized with diazomethane (method 1) and with acetic anidride (method 2). Gas chromatography with electron-capture detection (ECD) was employed for separating the parent compound and intermediates trichlorophenols (TCP) and dichlorophenols (DCP) which originated from the penta chlorophenol (PCP) degradation process. The relations between concentrations of PCP, TCP and DCP areas were linear in the range of concentrations of 0.2 to 8 mg/L and 0.025 mg/L to 5 mg/L for methods 1 and 2, respectively. The repeatability of the extraction methods was satisfactory, with variation coefficients lower than 11%. For method 1, at the fortification level of 0.2 mg/L, recovery of PCP, TCP, and DCP was 112%, 74% and 45%, respectively. For method 2, the corresponding recovery values at the fortification level of 0.1 mg/L were 91%, 93% and 103%, respectively. Storage of the frozen samples did not alter their PCP determination properties. The chromatographic methods adapted for chlorophenol determination in wastewater were suitable with relatively simple manipulation techniques. The obtained results were reproducible and allowed identification of intermediates formed during the PCP degradation process.     

Numerical simulation of hydrogen–air detonation for damage assessment in realistic accident scenarios

An accidental hydrogen release within an equipment enclosure may result in the presence of detonable mixture in a confined environment. From a safety standpoint, it is then useful to assess the potential for damage. In that context, numerical simulation of the sequence of events subsequent to detonative ignition provides a useful tool, although with obvious limitations. This article describes the procedure, summarizes two case studies, and reviews the limitations. First, a hydrogen dispersion pattern is obtained from numerical simulation of dispersion, using a commercial package designed primarily for incompressible flow. This dispersion cloud is then used as the initial condition in an inviscid, compressible, reactive flow simulation. To force detonative ignition, a sufficiently large amount of energy is deposited in a small region that corresponds to the ignition location. Chemistry is modeled using a single step Arrhenius model. Because the wave thickness is small compared with the computational domain, a fine mesh is needed, limiting the practicality of the process to two-dimensional geometries. This is the most significant limitation; it is conservative. The two cases described in the paper include an electrolyzer, in which a small release occurs, leading potentially to some damage to the enclosure, and a reformer, in which the consequences are potentially more serious.     

城市天然气管道风险特征与肯特法的改进

根据城市高压天然气管道特点,将适合于城市天然气管道风险分析的肯特评分法加以改进,包括调整评分项目和事故因素权重,使其成为适于城市天然气管道的风险分析法。将改进后的肯特评分法应用于常州21km高压天然气管道的风险评价,得出8个相对高风险管段,其分析结果可作为安全管理人员合理分配维护资源的理论依据。工程应用实例证明:改进后的肯特法具有较强的可行性,是城市高压天然气管道风险评估的有效工具。     

人工湿地系统植被构建方式探讨

植物是人工湿地系统的核心之一,不但有助于污水净化,还能产生一定的生态环境效益.湿地运行初期植物的生长好坏直接影响到今后植物的生长和污染物的去除效率.面对新建的人工湿地,如何快速高效的构建植被系统,是工程建设中必须面对的一个重要问题.湿地植被构建方式的改进有助于提高湿地建设效率,改善系统处理效果.本文从工程角度探讨植物种植方式、种植时间、种植密度及湿地启动对湿地植被构建的影响.     

可变模糊评价法在洪涝灾情评价中的应用

灾情评价实质上是一个模式识别问题.以往的灾情评价模型,虽解决了各单项指标灾情等级评估结果的不相容问题,但往往不能检验所给结果的准确性.基于可变模糊集理论,采用可变模糊评价模型可以科学、合理地确定样本指标对各级指标标准区间的相对隶属度和相对隶属函数,并且能够通过变换参数(α与P)变化模型进行评价.通过对多个评价结果进行比较分析,可以合理地确定出样本的评价等级.同时,由于该模型确定的灾级是连续的实数值,因而提高了灾情等级评价的灾级分辨率.最后将该方法应用于河南省洪涝灾情的综合评价中.应用实例表明,该模型计算简便,评价结果可信度高,可推广应用到其它灾情等级评估中.     

The impact of motorcycle traffic on soil and vegetation of stabilized coastal dunes, Israel

This study aimed to assess the response of soil and annual plant vegetation of stabilized coastal dunes in Israel, to varying intensities of off-road motorcycle (ORM) traffic, and to assess their resistance and resilience to such a disturbance. A standard experimental procedure that included 0, 20, 50, 100 and 200 ORM straight passes and 150 ORM turn passes was used. Plant ground cover, mean plant height, species richness, species diversity, soil penetrable depth, organic matter and moisture contents were measured on several dates within a period of 372 days after the experiment. Results have shown that: (1) ORM passes had a significant immediate impact on annual plants that increased with traffic intensity. The impact on the soil was detected only as an increase of penetrable depth. (2) The maximum impact on annual plants was observed in the wheel ruts and turn areas. The impact on the area between the wheel ruts and on the margins outside the wheel ruts was indirect and smaller. (3) Annual plant ground cover and mean plant height were less sensitive parameters than species richness and species diversity for determining the impact of ORM traffic on the area. (4) One year after the experiment, soil and annual plant vegetation in all passes were very similar to their pre-experimental condition. This indicates high resilience and recovery potential of the Mediterranean stabilized coastal dune ecosystem to ORM disturbance.     

中国内陆流域地表水体光电化学特征研究

太阳辐射是自然界中最主要的能量来源.目前人们对自然界利用太阳能途径的认识主要集中于具有生物光采集系统(如叶绿体)的光合作用,而对于非生物光采集系统是否广泛存在于地表水体中仍不清楚.本研究通过测定全国范围内151个地表水样光生电子的能力,绘制了中国内陆流域地表水体光电化学特征图谱.通过利用XPS、XRD和EEM等手段表征水样悬浮态和溶解态物质组成,揭示了地表水体光电化学活性来源及其影响因素.结果显示,我国地表水体普遍存在光电化学活性.按生物质换算,我国地表水体光生电子每年可转化生物质当量约为1.4×10³～1.1×10⁴万t葡萄糖,相当于光合作用固碳总量的0.51%～4.02%.地表水体的光电流大小与光强和光敏物质浓度呈正相关,相关系数分别达到0.99和0.99.水体的光电化学活性主要来源于悬浮态物质,其贡献度大于60%,与含Ti或含S的半导体矿物丰度呈正相关;而溶解态物质贡献较小(<40%),其光电化学成分主要为溶解性有机质,并与腐殖酸类或富里酸类物质浓度呈正相关.本研究为自然界微生物光电能营养作用的发生提供线索,同时也为量化自然地表水...