Characterizing effects of uncertainties in MSW composting process through a coupled fuzzy vertex and factorial-analysis approach

A coupled fuzzy vertex and factorial-analysis approach was developed in this study for systematically characterizing effects of uncertainties in a municipal solid waste composting process. A comprehensive composting process model was also embedded into the system framework and used to address substrate decomposition and biomass growth, as well as the interactions between moisture contents, temperatures, and oxygen concentrations. The applicability of the proposed method was verified through a custom-made pilot-scale composting system. Results from fuzzy simulation indicated that the fuzzy vertex method could effectively communicate implicit knowledge into dynamic simulations and thus provide valuable information for enhancing composting process control under uncertainty. The factorial analysis was effective in quantifying the proportion to which the uncertainty of each single or interactive effect of model parameters contributes to the overall uncertainty of the system outcomes. Thus, sensitive parameters that may lead to errors or unreasonable predictions can be determined. The proposed study system could not only be used in characterizing combined effects of uncertainties for composting processes, but was also applicable to many other environmental modelling systems.     

我国生物质废物污染现状与资源化发展趋势

我国的生物质废物具有产生量大、可降解有机物含量高的特点,如果能对其进行有效的利用,不但能减少污染,还将会有助于缓解我国能源短缺的现状。介绍了我国生物质废物的污染现状及生物质废物资源化的主要途径,指出我国生物质废物资源化中存在的问题,并提出今后的发展方向及发展对策。     

电子废弃物回收利用体系建设初探

电子废弃物是目前世界上增长最快的固体废弃物之一,其不合理处置会造成人体健康危害和环境污染,作为一种潜在可回收利用的二次资源,正日益引起人们的高度关注。概述了当前世界上一些发达国家电子废弃物回收利用体系现状,分析了我国目前的相关情况,提出了建设电子废弃物综合回收利用体系对于构建循环经济和和谐社会的必要性与重要性。     

吸烟室内污染对家庭成员呼吸系统健康的影响

应用“家庭健康问卷调查”的方法,对中国兰州,重庆,武汉,广州４城市８所小学中的儿童家庭进行“吸烟室内污染对家庭成员呼吸系统健康的影响”调查,结果表明,吸烟的家庭比不吸烟的家庭室内污染严重,对人体健康有明显影响,其儿童患感冒咳嗽咳痰,支气管等病症的发生率,父亲吸烟的家庭比不吸烟的家庭要高出２倍６倍。     

利辛M4.1地震前的流磁异常及其变化

安徽省利辛县张村镇 1 999 1 2 3 0发生M4 1地震 ,震前数日省流磁测量组在皖北进行了 1 999年第 4期流动地磁测量。运用Sδf方法分析此期流磁资料 ,可见明显异常。震后 ,异常恢复。分析认为 :Sδf方法在运用流磁资料作短期地震预报方面具有一定实用性。     

中国自然保护区可持续管理模式探讨——伦敦自然保护区管理模式借鉴

近年来,世界各地自然保护区迅速发展,如何有效持续地管理这些自然保护区成为一个重要的问题。文章分析了我国自然保护区现有管理模式的特点与存在的问题,简要介绍了伦敦自然保护区的管理模式现状,根据我国的实际情况,笔者认为中国的自然保护区应采用强制式和完全参与合作式相结合的管理模式,并提出了几点管理模式的改革建议。     

Investigations on boron levels in drinking water sources in China

To evaluate boron contamination of public drinking water in China, both dissolved and total boron contents in 98 public drinking water sources from 49 cities, 42 brands of bottled water samples from supermarkets in several cities, and 58 water samples from boron industrial area were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Our experimental results showed that boron existed in public drinking water sources mainly in dissolved status with total concentrations ranging from 0.003 to 0.337 mg/L (mean = 0.046 mg/L). The mean boron concentrations in mineral and pure bottled water were 0.052 and 0.028 mg/L, respectively. The results obtained in this work showed that there was no health risk on view of boron in public drinking water sources and bottled water. In boron industrial area, boron concentrations in surface water and ground water were 1.28 mg/L (range = 0.007–3.8 mg/L) and 18.3 mg/L (range = 0.015–140 mg/L), respectively, which indicated that boron industry caused boron pollution in local water system.     

Migration of natural estrogens around a concentrated dairy-feeding operation

Concentrated animal feeding operations have been recognized as one of the most important contributors of natural estrogens which show significant endocrine-disrupting properties in aquatic environments. In this study, the concentrations of 17α-estradiol (17α-E2), 17β-estradiol (17β-E2), estrone (E1), and estriol (E3) in several matrices, including soils (surface and deep), sediments (surface and deep), and groundwaters, around a typical dairy farm were surveyed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Of the two farmlands, surface and subsurface sediments in waste lagoon and along effluent drainage drench, the concentrations of 17α-E2, 17β-E2, and E1 ranged from below detection limit to the highest level of 6.60 μg/kg, except that E3 was not detectable. Three estrogens of 17α-E2, 17β-E2, and E1 with the concentrations of 3.18-31.61 ng/L were observed in two groundwater samples. The results clearly demonstrated the vertical migration and horizontal transport of estrogens in the investigated area. Within 750-m distance, it was observed the attenuation of 17α-E2, 17β-E2, and E1 along the effluent route and the horizontal migration of estrogens was less than 1,350 m in this survey.     

Molecular detection of three gastroenteritis viruses in urban surface waters in Beijing and correlation with levels of fecal indicator bacteria

To assess the presence of three gastroenteritis viruses responsible for human acute gastroenteritis in surface water, a 1-year study was carried out in the city of Beijing, China. A total of 108 urban surface water samples were collected from nine collection sites which were defined with a global positioning system in rivers or lakes from September 2006 to August 2007. The water samples were subjected to virus concentration using an HA electronegative filter, followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for rotavirus (RV) astrovirus (AV), and norovirus (NV). It showed that the number of viruses detected in water samples from different sites was variable, totaling 63 virus strains, with rotavirus (48.1%) verified as the most prevalent detected, followed by astrovirus (AV, 5.6%), and norovirus (NV, 4.6%). RV was also quantified by real-time PCR and the concentration of RV ranged from 0 to 18.27 genome copies·L(-1). And the distributions of RV in surface water were abundant in cold weather (from September to February) while less prevailing in warm weather (from March to August). The high detection rate of RV we encountered in this study provided convincing evidence that RV circulated at a certain frequency in the Beijing population. There was no statistically significant correlation between RV levels and both fecal coliform (R (2)?=?0.02) and Enterococcus faecalis (R (2)?=?0.02) densities. Our study suggests prolonged virus persistence in aquatic environments and emphasizes the enteric virus group as the most reliable for environmental monitoring.