PLANNING OF URBAN BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES1

ABSTRACT: A “user-friendly” computer program has been developed for application in personal computers for preliminary design, evaluation, and cost effectiveness analysis of various best management practice (BMP) measures to control stormwater quantity and quality. The algorithms utilize the SCS TR-55 method for calculating runoff hydrographs for a single storm event and a first order pollutant washoff equation to generate pollutographs. Sensitivity analyses based on different policy scenarios is performed on a hypothetical watershed for the purpose of illustration. Three types of BMP measures, namely detention ponds (dry, wet, and extended wet ponds), infiltration trenches, and porous pavements are considered. It is found that the extended wet ponds have the best cost effective performance of the measures evaluated.     

中国环境保护投资进展与展望

环保投资是环保工程项目实施的重要保障，为打好污染防治攻坚战、推进美丽中国和生态文明建设提供了有力支撑。本文回顾了近40多年来中国环保投资政策演进历程，将其划分为企业主体阶段（1979—2003年）、政企并重阶段（2004—2012年）、多元投资阶段（2013年至今）。从规模加大、构成丰富、渠道拓展及强化效益四个方面，总结了环保投资主要进展与成效。基于高质量发展不足、回报机制不健全、投资绩效待提高三个角度，识别当前环保投资存在的关键瓶颈。从强化气候投融资、鼓励投资机制创新、加大财政支出力度、促进多元投资、提高投资效益等五个方面，对未来环保投资政策优化方向进行了展望。     

Comparison of RBCA and CalTOX for setting risk-based cleanup levels based on inhalation exposure

Risk-based corrective action (RBCA) and CalTOX (California EPA) are often used to develop risk-based soil cleanup levels. The determination of the entry parameters, including slope factors, degradation assumption, methodologies, and dispersion models for these two approaches greatly affect the onsite/offsite cleanup levels, risk distribution, and ranking of the influential factors. The subsurface soil-to-ambient air was considered as the only significant exposure pathway in this study. RBCA and CalTOX apply analytical equations and multimedia fugacity model, respectively, to simulate the transport of contaminants from subsurface soil to ambient air. Nine carcinogenic organic contaminants were selected as the target compounds. Environmental monitoring data collected from a contaminated site in southern Taiwan was used as model inputs. In this study, degradation assumption had greater influence on CalTOX evaluation than slope factors. The cleanup soil levels of all target chemicals developed by both models were close under the same slope factors and degradation assumptions, except for vinyl chloride and hexachlorobenzene. Furthermore, RBCA generally had larger offsite dispersion ratios than CalTOX, especially for long distances. The risk distribution obtained by RBCA was much board than by CalTOX. When 95th percentile was considered as the starting point, the SSTLs derived by RBCA were much stricter than by CalTOX. The ranking of influential factors in the onsite risk assessment for these two models were completely different because of their distinct model methodologies.     

Biotransformation of p-toluic acid in anoxic estuarine sediments under a CO2 or N2/H2 atmosphere.

The composition of the headspace gas affected the growth dynamics of microbial populations and the biotransformation pattern of p-toluic acid in anoxic estuarine sediments. Under CO2 atmosphere, p-toluic acid was transformed by the sediment microorganisms without a lag period, while under N2/H2 atmosphere, p-toluic acid was transformed after a lag period of 55 days. Under the N2/H2 atmosphere, the methanogen population, following a rapid increase of almost two orders of magnitude, remained at a high level until just before the onset of biotransformation. We hypothesize that during the lag period, the hydrogenotrophic methanogens were removing the H2, a step which is essential before the reaction can be exergonic. Acetogenic bacteria did not initiate decarboxylation as the first step of biotransformation under either atmosphere. Neither the methanogens nor the acetogenic bacteria appeared to be directly involved in the biotransformation of p-toluic acid under either atmosphere. Under the CO2 atmosphere, biotransformation of p-toluic acid involved sulfate-reducing bacteria, while under N2/H2, both sulfate-reducing bacteria and other eubacteria were involved.     

An investigation on the potential of metal recovery from the municipal waste incinerator in Taiwan

This study aimed to identify distribution of metals and to estimate the amount of these metals that can be potentially recovered from incineration residues. First, the partitioning behavior of Cr, Cu, Fe, Cd, Al, Zn, and Pb in bottom ash and fly ash was investigated in one large municipal waste incinerator in Taiwan. In addition, the material flow analysis (MFA) method was used to estimate the material flux of metals within incinerator plant, and to calculate the amount of metal recovery. According to the findings of this study, six metals (Fe, Al, Cu, Zn, Cr, and Pb) concentrated in bottom ash mostly, while Cd existed primarily in fly ash. The weight percentages of Fe (4.49%), Al (5.24%), Cu (1.29%), Zn (2.21%), and Pb (0.58%) in incinerator ash are high, and even higher than the compositions of natural minerals. Finally, the amount of Cr, Cu, Fe, Cd, Al, Zn and Pb that can be potentially recovered from incineration residues will reach 2.69 x 10(2), 1.46 x 10(4), 4.91 x 10(4), 6.92 x 10(1), 5.10 x 10(4), 1.85 x 10(4) and 4.66 x 10(3) ton/yr, respectively.     

故障树法和改进PSO-PNN网络的电梯故障诊断模型

针对电梯故障问题,提出一种将故障树分析法、改进的粒子群优化算法和概率神经网络相结合的方法用于电梯的故障诊断。以电梯的安全回路系统为例,用故障树法对回路进行分析,获得训练样本与故障类型;使用粒子群算法对概率神经网络的平滑因子进行优化,在优化过程中,针对粒子群算法存在易陷入局部最优的缺陷,提出对惯性权重的改进策略;采用相对误差对诊断效果做出评估,并与传统的概率神经网络和基本粒子群算法优化的概率神经网络在各种故障类型输出和最大相对误差等方面进行比较,结果表明:该模型能够有效诊断电梯故障。     

Study on safe air transporting velocity of nanograde aluminum,iron, and titanium

The process of delivering nanograde metal powders by a high-speed carrier gas is often subject to high explosion risks. This study adopted initial flow rates of 13.1, 8.5, 6.5, and 3.5 m/s for air transporting 30-nm titanium powder, 35-nm iron powder, and 35-nm aluminum powder to gauge the impact on a pipe bend in a 20-l-apparatus. The test results revealed that the 30-nm titanium powder caused an explosion at all initial flow rates; the 35-nm iron powder also caused an explosion, but dust explosion and sintering were eliminated when the flow rate was adjusted to less than 3.5 m/s; and the 35-nm aluminum powder exhibited no explosion or sintering at all flow rates. When pure nitrogen was used for transporting nanograde metal powders, no explosions occurred for all the three types of metal powders. The minimum ignition energy for these three types of nanograde metal powders was less than 1 mJ.     

Influence of solution acidity and CaCl2 concentration on the removal of heavy metals from metal-contaminated rice soils

Soil washing is considered a useful technique for remediating metal-contaminated soils. This study examined the release edges of Cd, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cu or Pb in two contaminated rice soils from central Taiwan. The concentrations exceeding the trigger levels established by the regulatory agency of Taiwan were Cu, Zn, Ni and Cr for the Ho-Mei soil and Pb for the Nan-Tou soil. Successive extractions with HCl ranging from 0 to 0.2 M showed increased release of the heavy metals with declining pH, and the threshold pH value below which a sharp increase in the releases of the heavy metals was highest for Cd, Zn, and Ni (pH 4.6 to 4.9), intermediate for Pb and Cu (3.1 to 3.8) and lowest for Fe (2.1), Al (2.2) and Cr (1.7) for the soils. The low response slope of Ni and Cr particularly for the rice soils make soil washing with the acid up to the highest concentration used ineffective to reduce their concentrations to below trigger levels. Although soil washing with 0.1 M HCl was moderately effective in reducing Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd, which brought pH of the soils to 1.1+/-0.1 (S.D.), the concurrent release of large quantities of Fe and Al make this remediation technique undesirable for the rice soils containing high clay. Successive washings with 0.01 M HCl could be considered an alternative as the dissolution of Fe and Al was minimal, and between 46 to 64% of Cd, Zn, and Cu for the Ho-Mei soil and 45% of Pb in the Na-Tou soil were extracted after four successive extractions with this dilute acid solution. The efficacy of Cd extraction improved if CaCl2 was added to the acid solution. The correlation analysis revealed that Cr extracted was highly correlated (P < 0.001) with Fe extracted, whereas the Cu, Ni, Zn, Cd or Pb extracted was better correlated (P < 0.001) with Al than with Fe extracted. It is possible that the past seasonal soil flooding and drainage in the soils for rice production was conducive to incorporating Cr within the structure of Fe oxide, thereby making them extremely insoluble even in 0.2 M HCl solution. The formation of solid solution of Ni with Al oxide was also possible, making it far less extractable than Cd, Zn, Cu, or Pb with the acid concentrations used.     

Analysis of herbicide Krovar I by liquid chromatography with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry

A simple, very efficient method is presented for routine analysis of herbicide Krovar I (active components bromacil and diuron) in water and soil samples. Water samples were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction with dichloromethane (DCM) as extraction solvent. For soil samples two different extraction techniques were compared: microwave-assisted solvent extraction and a shaking technique using a platform shaker. Extracts were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography using a water:methanol gradient. Liquid chromatography was coupled with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (LC-APCI-MS) for quantification of bromacil and diuron. Optimization of the APCI-MS was done by using standards in the flow injection analysis mode (FIA). Method detection limit for liquid samples for bromacil is 0.04 microg L(-1) and for diuron 0.03 microg L(-1). Method detection limit for soil samples is 0.01 microg g(-1) dry weight for both compounds. Results of analysis of field samples of water and soil are also presented.     

Determination of levoglucosan and its isomers in size fractions of aerosol standard reference materials

The present study tested the extraction efficiency and quantification reproducibility of anhydrosugars in a series of NIST SRMs using two extraction protocols and isotopically-labeled (d₇-levoglucosan) vs. chemically analogous (sedoheptulosan) surrogates. In both instances, levoglucosan concentrations in the different versions of the Washington, D.C. urban dust standard (SRM 1649, 1649a, 1649b, and RM 8785) were similar. The present test also showed that levoglucosan concentrations were not affected by long-term shelf storage of dry material. Variability of analyses were similar for both surrogates and averaged <5%. Surrogate recoveries were shown to average 103 ± 7% and 97 ± 7% for d₇-levoglucosan and sedoheptulosan, respectively. The choice of solvent was shown to affect recoveries the most (but not variability). Levoglucosan concentrations were either seriously underestimated or overestimated with ethyl acetate extraction when d₇-levoglucosan or sedoheptulosan was used as surrogate, respectively. These results point to the need to use some fraction of polar solvent (i.e. methanol) in the solvent mixture. Anhydrosugar concentrations in the urban dust from the Czech Republic (candidate SRMs 2786 and 2787) were characterized by 3- to 7-fold higher anhydrosugar concentrations than those observed in the Washington, D.C. urban dust. The internal anhydrosugar signatures (i.e. levoglucosan/mannosan ratio: L/M) confirm the predominance of biomass combustion sources in both SRM series with mixed inputs from hardwood and softwood combustion in the Washington, D.C. urban dust and a predominantly softwood source in the Prague urban dust. The uniform distribution of anhydrosugars, across the particle size distribution of both SRM series, confirms earlier studies that low temperature charred materials contribute significant inputs to atmospheric ultrafine particles with long atmospheric residence time and transport ranges.