Effects of pig manure containing copper and zinc on microbial community assessed via phospholipids in soils

Pig manure (PM) is widely used as an organic fertilizer to increase yields of crops. Excessive application of compost containing relatively great concentrations of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) can change soil quality. To clarify the effects of different rates of application and to determine the optimal rate of fertilization, PM containing 1,115 mg Cu kg^?1, dry mass (dm) and 1,497 mg Zn kg^?1, dm was applied to alkaline soil at rates of 0, 11, 22, 44, 88, and 222 g PM kg^?1, dm. Phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) were used to assess soil microbial community composition. Application of PM resulted in greater concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), NH₄ ⁺-N, NO₃ ^?-N, total carbon (TC), soil organic matter (SOM) but lesser pH values. Soils with application rates of 88–222 g PM kg^?1, dm had concentrations of total and EDTA-extractable Cu and Zn significantly greater than those in soil without PM, and concentrations of T-Cu and T-Zn in these amended soils exceeded maximum limits set by standards in china. Except in the soil with a rate of 11 g PM kg^?1, dm, total bacterial and fungal PLFAs were directly proportional to rate of application of PM. Biomasses of bacteria and fungi were significantly greater in soils with application rates of 44–222 g PM kg^?1, dm than in the soil without PM. SOM, TC and EDTA-Zn had the most direct influence on soil microbial communities. To improve fertility of soils and maintain quality of soil, rate of application should be 22–44 g PM kg^?1 dm, soil containing Cu and Zn.     

A novel approach to rapid detection of acute water toxicity and its policy implications for grassroots sustainable environmental monitoring

Unknown chemicals, emerging contaminants, and the resulting reactions among them make early detection and warning of acute water toxicity extremely challenging. The conventional approach using small fish for toxicity monitoring normally requires a designated species of fish and over a week's time to complete, including dilution of the wastewater, a pre-test, and a full test. It often increases chances for error and delays emergency management. This paper reports a novel approach, based on grassroots knowledge and field and lab experience in Jilin, China. This approach uses a combination of different species of aquarium fish to achieve fast and reliable monitoring. It tests the original source water directly without going through the dilution procedure, while paying attention to the time factor. The approach does not require a pre-test and may shorten the time needed for detecting acute toxicity to a few minutes, using a new classification of aquatic toxicity levels. It is inexpensive to use and may be easily adopted by grassroots organizations. The approach is "greener" and more financially and socially sustainable than traditional approaches. The wide use of the approach has the potential to encourage policy innovations for making toxicity monitoring grassroots based and more effective in reducing acute contamination emergencies.     

M3法测定土壤有效态Cd、Cr、Pb和Ni

通过M3法对耕地土壤重金属的联合测定,为土壤重金属污染监测应用提供快速联合测定的方法。用M3法测定北方耕地土壤的有效Cd、Cr、Pb和Ni,通过对M3法与其他方法进行有效重金属测定值差异性及其相关性比较,与全量的浸出率分析等探讨M3法对耕地土壤有效重金属测定的特征。结果表明,M3法在《土壤环境质量标准》(GB 15618—1995)的土壤重金属含量范围内可以测定土壤有效态重金属Cd、Cr、Pb和Ni,且呈线性极显著相关。M3法与其他方法有效Cd、Cr、Pb和Ni有较好的相关性,与DTPA法呈极显著相关;与NaNO₃法除有效Pb外,呈极显著和显著相关;与HCl法除褐土和潮土的有效Pb外,也呈极显著和显著相关。M3法的有效态Cd、Cr、Pb和Ni的测定值均为最大。M3法对4种耕地土壤有效Cd、Cr、Pb和Ni的浸出率,因土壤类型不同,有效重金属含量所占比率不同,但利用M3法测定的有效态Cd、Cr、Pb和Ni的浸出率最大。     

Development of a multi-criteria index ranking system for urban runoff best management practices (BMPs) selection

Low impact development best management practices (LID-BMPs) are considered to be cost-effective measures for mitigating the water quantity and quality impact of urban runoff. Currently, there are many types of LID-BMPs, and each type has its own intrinsic technical and/or economical characteristics and limitations for implementation. The selection of the most appropriate BMP type(s) for a specific installation site is therefore a very important planning step. In the present study, a multi-criteria selection index system (MCIS) for LID-BMP planning was developed. The selection indexes include 12 first-level indices and 26 second-level indices which reflect the specific installation site characteristics pertaining to site suitability, runoff control performance, and economics of implementation. A mechanism for ranking the BMPs was devised. First, each individual second-level index was assigned a numeric value that was based on site characteristics and information on LID-BMPs. The quantified indices were normalized and then integrated to obtain the score for each of the first-level index. The final evaluation scores of each LID-BMP were then calculated based on the scores for the first-level indices. Finally, the appropriate BMP types for a specific installation site were determined according to the rank of the final evaluation scores. In order to facilitate the application of the MCIS BMP ranking system, the computational process has been coded into a software program, BMPSELEC. A case study demonstrating the MCIS methodology, using an LID-BMP implementation planning at a college campus in Foshan, Guangdong Province, is presented.     

环境空气中汞的直接测定方法研究与应用

研究了环境空气中汞浓度的直接测定方法。利用金汞齐富集－便携式测汞仪对环境空气中的汞进行直接测定,具有简便、快捷、不使用化学试剂的优点。经测试,该方法在0～180 ng／m^3范围内具有良好的线性关系,最低检出浓度为5 ng／m^3。     

污染源自动监测数据异常诊断系统研究

简述了污染源自动监测数据异常诊断系统的概念以及异常数据的来源,以及系统的工作原理和基本功能结构。提出了系统模拟专家分析过程的信息处理工作方式,以期实现污染源自动监测数据质量自动诊断与故障识别。     

Simulation of soil loss processes based on rainfall runoff and the time factor of governance in the Jialing River Watershed,China

Jialing River is the largest tributary in the catchment area of Three Gorges Reservoir, and it is also one of the important areas of sediment yield in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. In recent years, significant changes of water and sediment characteristics have taken place. The "Long Control" Project implemented since 1989 had greatly changed the surface appearance of the Jialing River Watershed (JRW), and it had made the environments of the watershed sediment yield and sediment transport change significantly. In this research, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation was selected and used to predict the annual average amount of soil erosion for the special water and sediment environments in the JRW after the implementation of the "Long Control" Project, and then the rainfall–runoff modulus and the time factor of governance were both considered as dynamic factors, the dynamic sediment transport model was built for soil erosion monitoring and forecasting based on the average sediment yield model. According to the dynamic model, the spatial and temporal distribution of soil erosion amount and sediment transport amount of the JRW from 1990 to 2007 was simulated using geographic information system (GIS) technology and space-grid algorithm. Simulation results showed that the average relative error of sediment transport was less than 10% except for the extreme hydrological year. The relationship between water and sediment from 1990 to 2007 showed that sediment interception effects of the soil and water conservation projects were obvious: the annual average sediment discharge reduced from 145.3 to 35 million tons, the decrement of sediment amount was about 111 million tons, and decreasing amplitude was 76%; the sediment concentration was also decreased from 2.01 to 0.578 kg/m³. These data are of great significance for the prediction and estimation of the future changing trends of sediment storage in the Three Gorges Reservoir and the particulate non-point source pollution load carried by sediment transport from watershed surface.     

Comparison on surface properties and desulfurization of MnO2 and pyrolusite blended activated carbon by steam activation

In this study, MnO₂ and pyrolusite were used as the catalysts to prepare modified activated carbon, that is, AC-Mn and AC-P, respectively, from coals by blending method and steam activation. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) results indicated that the AC-P had higher surface areas and micropore volumes than the AC-Mn with the same blending ratio. The relative contents of basic functional groups (i.e., C = O, π-π*) on AC-P were slightly lower than those on AC-Mn, while both contained the same main metal species, namely, MnO. The desulfurization results showed that with 3 wt% of blending ratio, AC-Mn3 and AC-P3 had higher sulfur capacities at 220 and 205 mg/g, respectively, which were much higher than for the blank one (149.6 mg/g). Moreover, the AC-P had relatively higher sulfur capacity than the AC-Mn with the same contents of Mn, which might be attributed to the existence of other metals in pyrolusite. After the desulfurization process, MnO were gradually transferred into MnSO₄, and the relative contents of basic functional groups decreased evidently for both AC-Mn3 and AC-P3. The results demonstrated that pyrolusite could be one good alternative to MnO₂ to prepare modified activated carbon for desulfurization.

Implications: MnO₂ and pyrolusite were used as the additives to prepare modified activated carbon from coals by a blending method and by steam activation, that is, AC-Mn and AC-P, respectively. The AC-P had higher surface areas and micropore volumes than the AC-Mn with the same blending ratio. The AC-Mn and AC-P had higher sulfur capacities than a blank one. Moreover, the AC-P had relatively higher sulfur capacity than the AC-Mn with the same contents of Mn. The results demonstrated that pyrolusite could be one good alternative to MnO₂ to prepare modified activated carbon for desulfurizatio.     

火力发电企业排污自行监测质量提升

针对目前火力发电企业排污自行监测过程中存在的质量管理体系不完善、手工监测能力不足、对外委监测机构监督环节薄弱等突出问题,从质量管理体系建设、质量控制机制建立、第三方检测机构选择及智能化手段应用四个方面提出火力发电企业排污自行监测质量提升改进建议,为自行监测数据结果的科学性、准确性提供可靠的质量保证。