Characterization of particulate matter concentrations during controlled indoor activities

Indoor sources have been identified as a major contributor to the increase of particle concentration in indoor environments. The work presented here is a study of the characteristics of particulate matter number size distribution and mass concentration under controlled indoor activities in a laboratory room. The objective is to characterize particulate matter concentrations indoors resulted under the influence of specific sources. Measurements were performed in an empty laboratory (period September–October 2006) using a GRIMM SMPS+C system (particle size range between 11.1 and 1083.3 nm), a DustTrak Aerosol Monitor (TSI) and a P-Trak Ultrafine Particle Counter (TSI). The studied indoor activities included candle burning, hot plate heating, water boiling, onion frying, vacuuming, hair drying, hair spraying, smoking and burning of incense stick. The AMANpsd computer algorithm was used to evaluate the modal structure of measured particle number size distribution data. Furthermore, the change of the particle number size distribution shape under the influence of different emission sources was studied versus time. Finally the particle emission rates were computed. High particle number concentrations were observed during smoking, onion frying, candle burning and incense stick burning. The highest particle mass concentrations were measured during smoking and hair spraying. The shift of the particle size distribution to larger diameters suggests the presence of strong coagulation effect during candle burning, incense stick burning, smoking and onion frying. The size distribution was mainly bimodal during onion frying and candle burning, whereas the size distribution remained unimodal during incense stick burning and smoking experiments.     

Urinary stones as a novel matrix for human biomonitoring of toxic and essential elements

Monitoring of body burden of toxic elements is usually based on analysis of concentration of particular elements in blood, urine and/or hair. Analysis of these matrices, however, predominantly reflects short- or medium-term exposure to trace elements or pollutants. In this work, urinary stones were investigated as a matrix for monitoring long-term exposure to toxic and essential elements. A total of 431 samples of urinary calculi were subjected to mineralogical and elemental analysis by infrared spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The effect of mineralogical composition of the stones and other parameters such as sex, age and geographical location on contents of trace and minor elements is presented. Our results demonstrate the applicability of such approach and confirm that the analysis of urinary calculi can be helpful in providing complementary information on human exposure to trace metals and their excretion. Analysis of whewellite stones (calcium oxalate monohydrate) with content of phosphorus <0.6 % has been proved to be a promising tool for biomonitoring of trace and minor elements.

     

The effect of humic acid in chronic deoxynivalenol intoxication

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The most common mycotoxin found in European foodstuffs, especially unprocessed grains, is deoxynivalenol (DON), which inhibits proteosynthesis and...     

Experimental research of oily sawdust air gasification

This article shows oily sawdust gasification research on countercurrent installation. Experimental research was on a laboratory scale. The main purpose of the experiment was combustible gas production with higher CH₄ concentration. Gas concentrations like CO, CO₂, CH₄, H₂, and C_nH_m determine syngas composition. The technological parameter’s value defines experimental conditions. Value of this was fuel to air ratio. With fuel to air ratio change, syngas composition was a differential phenomenon where it depended on the process parameters like temperature. Additionally, evaluation of methane formation from CO, H₂, and CO₂ was done. Methanization coefficients were based on CO and CO₂ hydrogenation reactions. Component’s activity was in analogs way to syngas components changed.

     

Insight into selected emerging micropollutant interactions with wastewater colloidal organic carbon: implications for water treatment and analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study reports how adding a membrane filter (0.45-μm cellulose nitrate filter) between a glass fibre filter and the solid phase extraction...     

广西"十三五"环境保护和生态建设规划指标体系研究

生态环境保护目标指标是环境保护和生态建设规划中的核心内容,制定科学合理的规划指标体系,能够确保规划各项重点任务顺利实施.通过回顾分析"十一五"、"十二五"环境保护和生态建设规划指标体系,结合广西环境现状和发展趋势,在与国家和广西同期规划、计划、方案等衔接基础上,研究提出广西"十三五"环境保护和生态建设规划指标体系,设置了环境质量改善、总量控制、污染治理、风险防范、生态保护和生态公共服务等6个方面共29个指标,以期更好地指导"十三五"环境保护和生态建设工作.     

Identification of key factors governing chemistry in groundwater near the water course recharged by reclaimed water at Miyun County, Northern China

Reclaimed water was successfully used to recover the dry Chaobai River in Northern China, but groundwater may be polluted. To ensure groundwater protection, it is therefore critical to identify the governing factors of groundwater chemistry. Samples of reclaimed water, river and groundwater were collected monthly at Chaobai River from January to September in 2010. Fifteen water parameters were analyzed. Two kinds of reclaimed water were different in type (Na-Ca-Mg-Cl-HCO3 or Na-Ca-Cl-HCO3 ) and concentration of nitrogen. The ionic concentration and type in river were similar to reclaimed water. Some shallow wells near the river bed had the same type (Na-Ca-Mg-Cl-HCO3 ) and high concentration as reclaimed water, but others were consistent with the deep wells (Ca-Mg-HCO3 ). Using cluster analysis, the 9 months were divided into two periods (dry and wet seasons), and all samples were grouped into several spatial clusters, indicating different controlling mechanisms. Principal component analysis and conventional ionic plots showed that calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate were controlled by water-rock interaction in all deep and some shallow wells. This included the dissolution of calcite and carbonate weathering. Sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfate in river and some shallow wells recharged by river were governed by evaporation crystallization and mixing of reclaimed water. But groundwater chemistry was not controlled by precipitation. During the infiltration of reclaimed water, cation exchange took place between (sodium, potassium) and (calcium, magnesium). Nitrification and denitrification both happened in most shallow groundwater, but only denitrification in deep groundwater.     

滨岸缓冲带控制农田氮磷流失的作用和机理研究

农田面源氮磷的流失是导致河流湖泊等水体产生富营养化的主要原因之一,其带来的环境、经济及社会问题已引起国内外广泛关注。近年来,关于滨岸缓冲带截留污染物的效率和机理已成为研究热点。文章介绍了滨岸缓冲带在农业面源污染防治上的功能和作用,论述了滨岸缓冲带对氮磷养分的截留转化机理以及稳定同位素技术在机理研究中的应用,讨论了影响滨岸缓冲带截留转化氮磷养分的调控因子,在此基础上就目前滨岸缓冲带控制农田氮磷流失研究中存在的问题提出了未来的研究展望。     

Types of Ectomycorrhiza as Pollution Stress Indicators: Case Studies in Slovenia

Mycorrhiza is the main spatial and temporal linkage between different constituents in a forest ecosystem. The functional compatibility and stress tolerance of ectomycorrhizal types is species specific, and therefore the information on the ectomycorrhizal community structure can add to the understanding of processes in forest ecosystems and can also be applied as tools for bioindication of pollution stress in forest soils. We have studied the effects of pollution (N and S) on trees and forest soils by: (1) quantification of ECM types diversity as in situ indicators in forest stands, (2) determination and quantification of pollution-sensitive or -insensitive ECM types as passive monitors, (3) root growth and development of ECM on nonmycorrhizal spruce seedlings, planted at the studied sites (active monitors), and (4) ECM infection (a bioassay based on mycorrhizal inoculum potential) of seedlings in an experimental set-up as ex situ testers. ECM species richness for Norway spruce trees (Picea abies) showed higher values in unpolluted sites than in polluted ones, while the differences were not significant for European beech trees (Fagus sylvatica). As pollution-sensitive or -insensitive ECM species in spruce forests, we suggest Hydnum rufescens (sensitive) and Paxillus involutus (unsensitive). Mycorrhizal potential in Norway spruce seedlings as a bioassay for soil N and S pollution was effective, and is suggested as an additional, standardized and widely comparable system in bioindication of soil pollution.     

Are seed and dispersal characteristics of plants capable of predicting colonization of post-mining sites?

Seed characteristics play an important role in the colonization and subsequent persistence of species during succession in disturbed sites and thus may contribute to being able to predict restoration success. In the present study, we investigated how various seed characteristics participated in 11 spontaneous successional series running in different mining sites (spoil heaps, extracted sand and sand-gravel pits, extracted peatlands, and stone quarries) in the Czech Republic, Central Europe. Using 1864 samples from 1- to 100-years-old successional stages, we tested whether species optimum along the succession gradient could be predicted using 10 basic species traits connected with diaspores and dispersal. Seed longevity, diaspore mass, endozoochory, and autochory appeared to be the best predictors. The results indicate that seed characteristics can predict to a certain degree spontaneous vegetation succession, i.e., passive restoration, in the mining sites. A screening of species available in the given landscape (regional and local species pools) may help to identify those species which would potentially colonize the disturbed sites. Extensive databases of species traits, nowadays available for the Central European flora, enable such screening.