Effects of land cover changes induced by large physical disturbances on hydrological responses in Central Taiwan

This study analyzes the significant impacts of typhoons and earthquakes on land cover change and hydrological response. The occurrence of landslides following typhoons and earthquakes is a major indicator of natural disturbance. The hydrological response of the Chenyulan watershed to land use change was assessed from 1996 to 2005. Land use changes revealed by seven remote images corresponded to typhoons and a catastrophic earthquake in central Taiwan. Hydrological response is discussed as the change in quantities and statistical distributions of hydrological components. The land cover change results indicate that the proportion of landslide relative to total area increased to 6.1% after the Chi-Chi earthquake, representing the largest increase during the study period. The study watershed is dominated by forest land cover. Comparisons of hydrological components reveal that the disturbance significantly affects base flow and direct runoff. The hydrological modeling results demonstrate that the change in forest area correlates with the variation of base flow and direct runoff. Base flow and direct runoff are sensitive to land use in discussions of distinction. The proposed approach quantifies the effect of typhoons and earthquakes on land cover changes.     

Night-sky brightness monitoring in Hong Kong

Results of the first comprehensive light pollution survey in Hong Kong are presented. The night-sky brightness was measured and monitored around the city using a portable light-sensing device called the Sky Quality Meter over a 15-month period beginning in March 2008. A total of 1,957 data sets were taken at 199 distinct locations, including urban and rural sites covering all 18 Administrative Districts of Hong Kong. The survey shows that the environmental light pollution problem in Hong Kong is severe—the urban night skies (sky brightness at 15.0 mag arcsec^− 2) are on average ~ 100 times brighter than at the darkest rural sites (20.1 mag arcsec^− 2), indicating that the high lighting densities in the densely populated residential and commercial areas lead to light pollution. In the worst polluted urban location studied, the night-sky at 13.2 mag arcsec^− 2 can be over 500 times brighter than the darkest sites in Hong Kong. The observed night-sky brightness is found to be affected by human factors such as land utilization and population density of the observation sites, together with meteorological and/or environmental factors. Moreover, earlier night skies (at 9:30 p.m. local time) are generally brighter than later time (at 11:30 p.m.), which can be attributed to some public and commercial lightings being turned off later at night. On the other hand, no concrete relationship between the observed sky brightness and air pollutant concentrations could be established with the limited survey sampling. Results from this survey will serve as an important database for the public to assess whether new rules and regulations are necessary to control the use of outdoor lightings in Hong Kong.     

盐沼枯落物碳氮和有色溶解有机物淋溶过程研究

盐沼枯落物的短期淋溶过程对东滩沿岸的水质有重要影响.采用东滩3种典型盐沼植物的茎和叶的枯落物为材料进行为期48h的室内浸泡模拟实验.利用有机碳探测分析仪测定不同时间的可溶性有机碳(DOC)和总可溶性氮(TDN)浓度然后转换为累积释放量,通过紫外可见光光谱参数表征有色溶解有机物(CDOM)浓度,结合三维荧光光谱(EEMs)和平行因子(PARAFAC)分析推断CDOM的荧光组分的变化特征.结果 表明在淋溶释放的最初48 h,DOC、TDN、CDOM、两个类腐殖质荧光组分和两个类蛋白荧光组分的释放过程呈对数曲线状,最初8h增长迅速,8～48 h则增幅减缓或出现小幅下降趋势.不同种类的植物以及同种植物的不同部位的初始基质对枯落物的DOC和TDN释放量有显著影响.TDN最大累积释放量与初始基质有机碳和氮含量呈显著的正相关.枯物体中的氮比有机碳更容易淋失.各个荧光组分的贡献率变化不大,但不同植物种类之间存在显著差异,由此可以推断枯落物的初期淋溶以物理性过程为主.我们的研究结果表明,盐沼枯落物的淋溶对潮滩水水质有着显著的影响.     

臭氧洗消化学战剂模拟剂DPCP试验研究

用臭氧对神经性化学战剂的模拟剂氯磷酸二苯酯（DPCP）进行洗消,试验考察了初始酸度、O₂流量、放电功率、放电室压力、反应温度、初始浓度和O₃流量等因素对DPCP降解率的影响。碱性条件下DPCP降解率高于酸性条件下的降解率;反应温度、O₃流量、放电功率的增加,DPCP降解率上升;初始浓度增加,DPCP降解率下降;氧气流量和放电室压力增加,DPCP降解率先上升,后下降。在最佳反应条件下,50 mg/L的DPCP处理16 min降解率达到98%,矿化率40.1%。     

Environmental analysis of groundwater in Mecosta County, Michigan

Groundwater withdrawal has major economic, social, and environmental implications. In Michigan, recent legislative activity has begun to address the issue of groundwater sustainability. However, more hydrologic data are needed to help inform policy and legislation. A study was conducted in Mecosta County, Michigan to: (1) determine if a relationship could be established between land use/land cover and groundwater quality; and (2) develop a conceptual model for the shallow groundwater system of the study region. In general, groundwater quality was good, with below detection levels of E. coli, low total bacterial counts, and relatively low nutrient concentrations. No statistically significant associations were found between the bacterial numbers and either land use or the physical/chemical attributes measured, which may be because the scale of our spatial analysis was too coarse to detect patterns. Finer-scale, localized processes may have a greater influence on microorganism growth and abundance than coarser-scale, regional processes in this area. Our groundwater analysis suggested that shallow groundwater flow paths are generally consistent with regional surface water flow networks, and that shallow groundwater levels in most of the region have fluctuated within 1–2 m over the past 30 years, with no obvious increasing or decreasing trend.     

The use of oxyhalogen in photocatalytic reaction to remove o-chloroaniline in TiO2 dispersion

Photodecay of o-chloroaniline (o-ClA) in various combinations of UV sources, TiO2, and oxyhalogens was investigated. To improve the conventional photocatalytic process by using UV/TiO2, the addition of oxyhalogens (ClO3(-), BrO3(-) and IO3(-)) into UV/TiO2 system was studied and the effect in such addition is very encouraging for all the selected additives. Oxyhalogens are capable of deferring the electron-hole recombination of TiO2 which significantly improved its catalytic performance. The presence of IO3(-) in UV/TiO2 resulted in the fastest o-ClA decay among three oxhalogens at the same dosage. The decay of o-ClA in UV/TiO2/oxyhalogen process is characterized by a two-stage pseudo-kinetics, where a faster initial decay was followed by a retardation state. A mathematics model was successfully established for the prediction of the two-stage decay of o-ClA in UV/TiO2/IO3(-) with any designed [IO3(-)] concentration.     

Removal of phenylurea herbicide monuron via riboflavin-mediated photosensitization

Photodegradation of the phenylurea herbicide monuron by using riboflavin (Rf), a sensitizer, was investigated by varying the doses of monuron and Rf in this work. An enhanced photochemical effect was observed in the process compared with the direct photolysis by using UV irradiation only. The reaction time was greatly shortened from more than 60 min (direct photolysis) to 8-30 min depending on the doses of initial concentration of monuron ([M]0) and Rf. A modified hyperbola model was found to be useful to determine the reaction kinetics and thereafter the performance on the photodegradation of monuron sensitized by Rf. Two measurable characteristic constants (initial decay rate and total removal index) were used to quantify the reaction. The maximum removal difference compared with the direct photolysis and Rf-sensitization was investigated. It was found that the improvement of the process depended on both the [M]0 and the doses of Rf.     

Dacthal and chlorophenoxy herbicides and chlorothalonil fungicide in eggs of osprey (Pandion haliaetus) from the Duwamish-Lake Washington-Puget Sound area of Washington state, USA

Current-use chlorophenoxy herbicides including 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, dicamba, triclopyr, dicamba, dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA or dacthal), and the metabolite of pyrethroids, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), and the fungicide, chlorothalonil, were investigated in the eggs of osprey (Pandion haliaetus) that were collected from 15 sites from five study areas Puget Sound/Seattle area of Washington State, USA. DCPA differs from acidic chlorophenoxy herbicides, and is not readily hydrolyzed to free acid or acid metabolites, and thus we developed a new method. Of the 12 chlorophenoxy herbicides and chlorothalonil analyzed only DCPA could be quantified at six of these sites (2.0 to 10.3 pg/g fresh weight). However, higher levels (6.9 to 85.5 pg/g fresh weight) of the unexpected DCPA structural isomer, dimethyl tetrachlorophthalate (diMe-TCP) were quantified in eggs from all sites. diMe-TCP concentrations tended to be higher in eggs from the Everett Harbor area. As diMe-TCP is not an industrial product, and not commercially available, the source of diMe-TCP is unclear. Regardless, these findings indicate that DCPA and diMe-TCP can be accumulated in the food chain of fish-eating osprey, and transferred in ovo to eggs, and thus may be of concern to the health of the developing chick and the general reproductive health of this osprey population.     

Dissipation of carbofuran and carbaryl on Oolong tea during tea bushes, manufacturing and roasting processes

Carbofuran (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranol-N-methylcarbamate) and carbaryl (1-naphthyl-N-methylcarbamate) are insecticides widely used in tea plantations. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the dissipation of carbofuran and carbaryl during the growth periods of Oolong tea, processing and roasting. Analysis of the residual insecticides was carried out using high-pressure liquid chromatography with a post-column fluorescence detector. Results showed that in the tea field carbofuran dissipated faster then carbaryl. Manufacturing processes of Oolong tea further reduced the carbofuran and carbaryl contents. The persistence of carbofuran and carbaryl was decreased with increasing roasting temperature. From the results, we conclude that the presence of carbofuran and carbaryl in tea can be reduced by proper field management, manufacturing and roasting processes.     

镧积累对红壤有效养分的影响

通过室内培养和盆栽试验 ,研究了镧积累对红壤有效养分的影响。结果表明 ,镧积累降低了土壤有效氮、有效磷含量 ,有效氮、有效磷含量与镧浓度呈显著的负相关 ,镧对土壤有效钾的影响不明显。