Global sensitivity analysis of a process-based model for ammonia emissions from manure storage and treatment structures

The development of process-based models to estimate ammonia emissions from animal feeding operations (AFOSs) is sought to replace costly and time-consuming direct measurements. Critical to process-based model development is conducting sensitivity analysis to determine the input parameters and their interactions that contribute most to the variance of the model output. Global and relative sensitivity analyses were applied to a process-based model for predicting ammonia emissions from the surface of anaerobic lagoons for treating and storing manure. The objectives were to compare global sensitivity analysis (GSA) to relative (local) sensitivity analysis (RSA) on a process-based model for ammonia emissions. Based on the first-order coefficient, both GSA and RSA showed the model input parameters in order of importance in process model for ammonia emissions from lagoon surfaces were: (i) pH, (ii) lagoon liquid temperature, (iii) wind speed above the lagoon surface, and (iv) the concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen in the lagoon. The GSA revealed that interactions between model parameters accounted for over two-thirds of the model variance, a result that cannot be achieved using traditional RSA. Also, the GSA showed that parameter interactions involving liquid pH had more impact on the model output variance than the single parameters: (i) temperature, (ii) wind speed, or (iii) total ammoniacal nitrogen. This study demonstrates that GSA provides a more complete analysis of model input parameters and their interactions on the model output compared to RSA. A comprehensive tutorial regarding the application of GSA to a process model is presented.     

采油废水的深度处理回用

采用溶气气浮—生物接触氧化—膜分离组合工艺深度处理采油废水。实验结果表明,出水水质满足热采锅炉进水要求。该法可年处理废水1.3×105m3,产水率按50%计,年节约新鲜水和废水回灌费用共计77.88万元,年节水效益为21.71万元。     

Visible-light-driven photocatalytic inactivation of bacteriophage f2 by Cu-TiO2 nanofibers in the presence of humic acid

Pathogenic viruses in drinking water are great threats to public health. Visible-light-driven photocatalysis is a promising technology for virus inactivation. However, the existing photocatalytic antiviral research studies have mostly been carried out in single-component systems, neglecting the effect of natural organic matter, which exists widely in actual water bodies. In this paper, electrospun Cu-TiO₂ nanofibers were prepared as photocatalysts, and their photocatalytic antiviral performance in the presence of humic acid (HA) was comprehensively studied for the first time. The properties of the reaction mixture were measured during the reaction. In addition, the safety, reliability and stability of photocatalytic disinfection in the mixed system were evaluated. The results showed that the virus removal efficiency decreased with the increase of the HA concentration. The type of reaction solution, such as PBS buffer solution or water, did not affect the removal efficiency noticeably. Under acidic conditions, the electrostatic forces between photocatalysts and viruses were strengthened, leading to higher virus removal efficiency. As the reaction time went on, the pH value in the solution increased first and then tended to be stable, the conductivity remained stable, and the dissolved oxygen increased first and then decreased. The safety test showed that the concentration of Cu ions released into the solution was lower than specified by the international standards. No photoreactivation was observed, and the addition of HA significantly reduced the reutilization efficiency of the photocatalysts.     

植物叶表尘及重金属对城市大气颗粒物污染的指示与评估

城市大气颗粒物污染问题日渐突出,目前主要依靠大气站点的直接观测数据反映污染的即时状况,而植物叶表尘及重金属的监测为评价大气颗粒物阶段性污染状况提供了新的途径.本研究通过分析北京交通带和公园共7个样点的臭椿(Ailanthus altissima)、槐(Sophora japonica)、北京杨(Populus beijingensis)、榆树(Ulmus pumila)、紫叶李(Prunus cerasifera f.atropurpurea)等5种常见绿化树种的叶表尘及重金属Cd、Cr、Cu、Mn、Ni、Pb、Zn含量,并计算尘金属综合累积指数(MAI),进而与邻近站点大气颗粒物观测数据对比并进行统计分析,尝试量化评价植物所处环境的大气颗粒物及尘重金属综合污染状况.结果表明:采用榆树叶表尘可量化评价大气可吸入颗粒物PM10的月均质量浓度,相对误差为1.2%~10.6%;臭椿叶表尘可量化评价大气细颗粒物PM2.5的月均质量浓度和月均空气质量指数(AQI),相对误差分别为0.18%~3.7%和0.26%~5.7%.MAI值可指示大气尘重金属综合污染状况,本研究中京承高速和朝阳公园大气尘重金属综合污染较重,其次为念坛公园、望京公园和玉蜓桥,最轻为岳各庄桥和麋鹿苑.     

Effect of organic matter on phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge subjected to microwave hybrid pretreatment

Microwave (MW) hybrid processes are able to disrupt the flocculent structure of complex waste activated sludge, and help promote the recovery of phosphorus as struvite. In this study, to optimize struvite yield, (1) the characteristics of matter released in MW-hybrid treatments were compared, including MW, MW-acid, MW-alkali, MW-H₂O₂, and MW-H₂O₂-alkali. The results showed that selective release of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, Ca^2 +, and Mg^2 + achieved by sludge pretreatment using MW-hybrid processes. MW-H₂O₂ is the recommended sludge pretreatment process for phosphorus recovery in the form of struvite. The ratio of Mg^2 +:NH₄⁺-N:PO₄^3 −-P was 1.2:2.9:1 in the supernatant. (2) To clarify the effects of organic matter on struvite recovery, the composition and molecular weight distribution of organic matters were analyzed. Low molecular weight COD was found to facilitate the removal rate of NH₄⁺-N and PO₄³-P via crystallization, and the amorphous struvite crystals (< 1 kDa) from the filtered solutions had high purity. Therefore, the present study reveals the necessity of taking into consideration the interference effect of high molecular weight organic matters during struvite crystallization from sewage sludge.     

Mn-Cu-O负载型催化剂上CO氧化性能的研究

研究了ＺｒＯ２或Ａｌ２Ｏ３负载Ｍｎ－Ｃｕ－Ｏ体系催化剂ＣＯ催化氧化活性，以及物相结构，表面氧性能与活性的关系。结果表明，锆基催化剂的氧化活性明显优于铝基催化剂，起燃温度Ｔ５０低达５０℃，ＺｒＯ２载 利于活性组份形成高活性物相，并促进表面吸附氧的脱附，表现出催化剂表面吸附氧的脱附温度高低次序与其氧化活性有一致的对应关系。     

湘江株洲段丰水期镉污染负荷总量测算及分配

以2010年8月湘江干流株洲段代表性断面水质与底泥监测资料以及其他资料为基础,采用WASP7模型模拟该江段丰水期镉浓度,并进行镉污染负荷测算与分配。研究结果表明,WASP7模型较好地重现了镉浓度的变化规律,8月份该河段上游镉入流量2 446.33 kg,下游出流量3 076.44 kg,区间增量630.12 kg,其中点源负荷量241.67 kg,占38.4%,面源负荷量304.49 kg,占48.3%,内源负荷量为83.96 kg,占13.3%。     

Socio-environmental consideration of phosphorus flows in the urban sanitation chain of contrasting cities

Understanding how cities can transform organic waste into a valuable resource is critical to urban sustainability. The capture and recycling of phosphorus (P), and other essential nutrients, from human excreta is particularly important as an alternative organic fertilizer source for agriculture. However, the complex set of socio-environmental factors influencing urban human excreta management is not yet sufficiently integrated into sustainable P research. Here, we synthesize information about the pathways P can take through urban sanitation systems along with barriers and facilitators to P recycling across cities. We examine five case study cities by using a sanitation chains approach: Accra, Ghana; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Beijing, China; Baltimore, USA; and London, England. Our cross-city comparison shows that London and Baltimore recycle a larger percentage of P from human excreta back to agricultural lands than other cities, and that there is a large diversity in socio-environmental factors that affect the patterns of recycling observed across cities. Our research highlights conditions that may be “necessary but not sufficient” for P recycling, including access to capital resources. Path dependencies of large sanitation infrastructure investments in the Global North contrast with rapidly urbanizing cities in the Global South, which present opportunities for alternative sanitation development pathways. Understanding such city-specific social and environmental barriers to P recycling options could help address multiple interacting societal objectives related to sanitation and provide options for satisfying global agricultural nutrient demand.

     

Between Active Seekers and Non-Users: Segments of Science-related Media Usage in Switzerland and Germany

ABSTRACT

Citizens’ attitudes toward science are related to their use of science-related information from various sources. Evidence is scarce regarding citizens’ individual media repertoires for staying informed about science as segmentation studies so far have primarily focused on scientific attitudes. In this paper, we explore audience segments regarding their science-related information behavior and whether such segments are comparable or vary between two countries with similar information environments. Based on two surveys in Switzerland and Germany, we identify national audience segments that differ in their science-related information repertoires, and analyze their sociodemographic characteristics and science-related attitudes. In both countries, we find very comparable information user segments ranging from those who inform themselves frequently about science (“Active Seekers”/“Science Consumers”) to those who hardly get in contact with any information about science and research (“Non-Users”). Those segments which get in contact with information about science frequently show generally more positive attitudes.     

Life cycle assessment tool of electricity generation in Portugal

This paper investigates multi-stakeholder arrangements initiated by businesses and NGOs from the North that aim to enhance a more sustainable agricultural production at specific localities in Southern countries. We aim to better understand the search for concerted action in multi-actor arrangements. Therefore, this paper presents a diagnostic framework with three strategic challenges the partnership projects are facing: linking global economic objectives to local needs, values and interests; bridging public and private interests and responsibilities; and seeking trade-offs between social, environmental and economic values. Starting from the partnerships’ Theory of Change, this diagnostic framework is applied to comparative case studies of partnership projects in the cocoa sector in Indonesia, which are part of a Northern-based public–private partnership to improve farmers’ prospective. It is concluded that the economic reality faced by the farmers differs from that of the Northern actors; collaboration with governments is difficult because of different organizational cultures; and the partnership projects underestimate the strength of vested social relations the smallholders are part of. Overall, the initiators of the partnerships seem to work with a too restricted economic interpretation of the local reality.