Status and fuzzy comprehensive assessment of combined heavy metal and organo-chlorine pesticide pollution in the Taihu Lake region of China

The status of combined heavy metal and organo-chlorine pesticide (OCPs; i.e. HCH and DDT) pollution was investigated and the soil environmental quality of the Taihu Lake watershed, one of the most developed regions in China, was evaluated using a fuzzy comprehensive assessment. Statistical analyses showed the presence of combined pollution in the soil. At many sampling sites, heavy metal concentrations were above corresponding background values, indicating the effects of extraneous pollutants. It has been over 20 years since China banned the use of OCPs, but they can still be found in soil samples of this region. HCH levels at all investigated sites were below the Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for Soils. Fuzzy comprehensive assessment showed that the overall soil quality in this region could be categorized as class I. Nevertheless, the high coefficients of variation for levels of DDT, Cd and Hg indicated the existence of some point-source pollution. Continuous monitoring and further studies of the region are recommended to prevent pollution of farmland from these sources.     

Applicability of hybrid bionic optimization models with kernel-based extreme learning machine algorithm for predicting daily reference evapotranspiration: a case study in arid and semiarid regions,China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The accurate prediction of daily reference crop evapotranspiration (ETO) enables effective management decision-making for agricultural water...     

Heterogeneous Fenton degradation of ofloxacin catalyzed by magnetic nanostructured MnFe2O4 with different morphologies

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Magnetic nanostructured MnFe2O4 with different morphologies, synthesized via chemical co-precipitation and hydrothermal method, was assayed as...     

A comparative study on the raw chitin and chitosan yields of common bio-waste from Philippine seafood

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Bio-waste materials from aquatic species are alternative sources of chitin and chitosan—high-value natural biodegradable and biocompatible...     

Multifunctional rural transition along China’s Yangtze River Transect: Spatial differentiation and economic relevance

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - To understand rural sustainability, it is necessary to scrutinize the relationship between rural transition and economic growth. The article uses...     

温度对合成钛酸盐纳米材料的影响及其对水中Cd (Ⅱ)的去除效果

为有效去除水中Cd（Ⅱ）,以TiO₂纳米粉和NaOH为原料,调节水热反应温度分别为100、120、150和190℃,制备出了不同形貌的TNs（钛酸盐纳米材料）,分别记为TNs-100、TNs-120、TNs-150和TNs-190,并对其形貌、结构、比表面积、化学组成等物理化学性能进行了表征;通过对水中Cd（Ⅱ）的静态吸附试验,考察了TNs对Cd（Ⅱ）的吸附性能.结果表明:随着合成温度的升高,TNs的形貌逐渐从纳米片演变成纳米管,管长逐渐变长,最后变成纳米棒.TNs-100的晶型结构主要是锐钛矿型;随着温度升高,结晶度逐渐增强;TNs-190出现了部分金红石相.TNs-150对Cd（Ⅱ）的吸附能力最强,最大平衡吸附量为254.66 mg/g,最佳吸附pH为5.0.再生的TNs-150对Cd（Ⅱ）循环吸附6次的去除率和解吸率均可达93%以上.TNs-150对Cd（Ⅱ）的吸附过程符合准二阶动力学方程和Langmuir吸附等温模型,吸附机制主要是TNs层间Na+和H+与溶液中Cd（Ⅱ）的离子交换.研究显示,TNs的饱和吸附量均高于同类吸附剂,能有效去除水中Cd（Ⅱ）.      

美国市政污水处理排放标准制定对中国的启示

在概述美国市政污水处理排放标准制度体系的基础上,介绍了其制定基于技术的排放限值和基于水质的排放限值的方法,阐述了其制定的科学性,并指出了中国市政污水处理排放标准中存在的相应问题。最后,根据美国制定排放标准限值的经验,对我国污水处理排放标准进行了思考,并提出了科学制定排放标准的方法和建议。     

Effects of free ammonia on volatile fatty acid accumulation and process performance in the anaerobic digestion of two typical bio-wastes

The effect of free ammonia on volatile fatty acid(VFA)accumulation and process instability was studied using a lab-scale anaerobic digester fed by two typical bio-wastes:fruit and vegetable waste(FVW)and food waste(FW)at 35°C with an organic loading rate(OLR)of 3.0 kg VS/(m~3·day). The inhibitory effects of free ammonia on methanogenesis were observed due to the low C/N ratio of each substrate(15.6 and 17.2,respectively). A high concentration of free ammonia inhibited methanogenesis resulting in the accumulation of VFAs and a low methane yield. In the inhibited state,acetate accumulated more quickly than propionate and was the main type of accumulated VFA. The co-accumulation of ammonia and VFAs led to an "inhibited steady state" and the ammonia was the main inhibitory substance that triggered the process perturbation. By statistical significance test and VFA fluctuation ratio analysis,the free ammonia inhibition threshold was identified as 45 mg/L. Moreover,propionate,iso-butyrate and valerate were determined to be the three most sensitive VFA parameters that were subject to ammonia inhibition.     

Quantifying public health benefits of environmental strategy of PM2.5 air quality management in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, China

In 2013,China issued "Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan(Action Plan)" to improve air quality.To assess the benefits of this program in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei(BTH)region,where the density of population and emissions vary greatly,we simulated the air quality benefit based on Ben MAP to satisfy the Action Plan.In this study,we estimate PM_(2.5) concentration using Voronoi spatial interpolation method on a grid with a spatial resolution of 1 × 1 km~2.Combined with the exposure-response function between PM_(2.5) concentration and health endpoints,health effects of PM_(2.5) exposure are analyzed.The economic loss is assessed by using the willingness to pay(WTP) method and human capital(HC) method.When the PM_(2.5) concentration falls by 25% in BTH and reached 60 μg/m~3 in Beijing,the avoiding deaths will be in the range of 3175 to 14051 based on different functions each year.Of the estimated mortality attributable to all causes,3117 annual deaths were due to lung cancer,1924 – 6318 annual deaths were due to cardiovascular,and343 – 1697 annual deaths were due to respiratory.Based on WTP,the estimated monetary values for the avoided cases of all cause mortality,cardiovascular mortality,respiratory mortality and lung cancer ranged from 1110 to 29632,673 to 13325,120 to 3579,1091 to 6574 million yuan,respectively.Based on HC,the corresponding values for the avoided cases of these four mortalities were 267 to 1178,161 to 529,29 to 143 and 261 million yuan,respectively.