Fertilization in a suite of coastal marine invertebrates from SE Australia is robust to near-future ocean warming and acidification

Climate change driven ocean acidification and hypercapnia may have a negative impact on fertilization in marine organisms because of the narcotic effect these stressors exert on sperm. In contrast, warmer, less viscous water may have a positive influence on sperm swimming speed and so ocean warming may enhance fertilization. To address questions on future vulnerabilities we examined the interactive effects of near-future ocean warming and ocean acidification/hypercapnia on fertilization in intertidal and shallow subtidal echinoids (Heliocidaris erythrogramma, H. tuberculata, Tripneustes gratilla, Centrostephanus rodgersii), an asteroid (Patiriella regularis) and an abalone (Haliotis coccoradiata). Batches of eggs from multiple females were fertilized by sperm from multiple males in all combinations of three temperature and three \textpH/P_\textCO2 {\text{pH}}/P_{{{\text{CO}}_{2} }} treatments. Experiments were placed in the setting of projected near-future conditions for southeast Australia, an ocean change hot spot. There was no significant effect of warming and acidification on the percentage of fertilization. These results indicate that fertilization in these species is robust to temperature and \textpH/P_\textCO2 {\text{pH}}/P_{{{\text{CO}}_{2} }} fluctuation. This may reflect adaptation to the marked fluctuation in temperature and pH that characterises their shallow water coastal habitats. Efforts to identify potential impacts of ocean change to the life histories of coastal marine invertebrates are best to focus on more vulnerable embryonic and larval stages because of their long time in the water column where seawater chemistry and temperature have a major impact on development.     

Interfacial solar steam generation by wood-based devices to produce drinking water: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Freshwater supply is declining in the context of climate change, pollution, and soil salinization, calling for sustainable methods to produce drinking water. For...     

香港及珠三角地区MODIS高分辨率气溶胶光学厚度的反演

为了有效解决地区性和城市范围内的气溶胶分布并反演陆地上气溶胶的性质,一种针对中分辨率成像光谱辐射计(MODIS)的气溶胶反演新算法应运而生.本文首先通过改良的最小反射率技术(MRT)来确定季节性的地表反射率和利用瑞利通道辐射率中解析出大气上气溶胶的反射率来估计气溶胶的反射系数.结果表明,MRT地表反射率的图像和MODIS地表反射系数的产品(MOD09)有很好的契合度.两者的相关系数高达0.9.此外,考虑到不同气溶胶的光学性质和太阳观测组合对计算辐射传输的影响,本研究还制定了全面广泛的差算表(LUT).由此产生的卫星500m分辨率的气溶胶光学厚度(AOT)和香港太阳光度计(AERONET)及MicrotopsⅡ观测资料的相关系数r分别为0.96和0.87(相伴概率值P<0.0001).该研究证明了城区高分辨率气溶胶反演的可行性,还能帮助研究气溶胶的分布和城区大气瞬态污染的影响.此外,MODIS 500m分辨率的气溶胶光学厚度图像还可用于研究跨境气溶胶,使定位珠江三角洲区域污染源变得可行.     

Free amino acids and osmoregulation in the intertidal pulmonate Onchidium tumidium

The aim of this study is to elucidate the osmoregulatory capabilities of the intertidal pulmonate Onchidium tumidium. Our results indicate that O. tumidium could tolerate hyperosmotic stress more effectively than hypoosmotic stress. In 10% seawater (SW), it was capable of maintaining its plasma hyperosmotic and hyperionic to the external medium. However, it rapidly gained weight in 10% SW, and no restoration of body weight was observed. In contrast, in 90% SW it was able to recover its body weight partially. In a hyperosmotic medium, accumulation of intracellular free amino acids (FAA) was responsible for cell volume regulation. The accumulated FAA might originate from protein catabolism, which occurred in the internal organs (IO). In contrast, the relatively smaller amination:deamination ratio of glutamate dehydrogenase in the body wall (BW) and IO of specimens exposed to hypoosmotic stress might lead to a higher rate of amino acid catabolism. This was supported by the greater ammonia contents in the BW and IO of, and higher rate of ammonia excretion by, specimens exposed to 10% SW. Received: 11 March 1998 / Accepted: 2 May 1999     

Characterization of controlled-release KMnO4 (CRP) barrier system for groundwater remediation: a pilot-scale flow-tank study

Release and spreading of permanganate (MnO(4)(-)) in the well-based controlled-release potassium permanganate (KMnO(4)) barrier system (CRP system) was investigated by conducting column release tests, model simulations, soil oxidant demand (SOD) analyses, and pilot-scale flow-tank experiments. A large flow tank (L x W x D=8m x 4m x 3m) was constructed. Pilot-scale CRP pellets (OD x L=0.05 m x1.5m; n=110) were manufactured by mixing approximately 198 kg of KMnO(4) powders with paraffin wax and silica sands in cylindrical moulds. The CRP system (L x W x D=3m x 4m x 1.5m) comprising 110 delivery wells in three discrete barriers was constructed in the flow tank. Natural sands (organic carbon content=0.18%; SOD=3.7-11 g MnO(4)(-)kg(-1)) were used as porous media. Column release tests and model simulations indicated that the CRP system could continuously release MnO(4)(-) over several years, with slowly decreasing release rates of 2.5 kg d(-1) (day one), 109 g d(-1) (day 100), 58 g d(-1) (year one), 22 g d(-1) (year five), and 12 g d(-1) (year 10). Mean MnO(4)(-) concentrations within the CRP system ranged from 0.5 to 6 mg l(-1) during the 42 days of testing period. The continuously releasing MnO(4)(-) was gradually removed by SOD limiting the length of MnO(4)(-) zone in the porous media. These data suggested that the CRP system could create persistent and confined oxidation zone in the subsurface. Through development of advanced tools for describing agent transport and facilitating lateral agent spreading, the CRP system could provide new approach for long-term in situ treatment of contaminant plumes in groundwater.     

Characterization of hydrocarbons, halocarbons and carbonyls in the atmosphere of Hong Kong

Ambient air quality measurements of 156 species including 39 alkanes, 32 alkenes, 2 alkynes, 24 aromatic hydrocarbons, 43 halocarbons and 16 carbonyls, were carried out for 120 air samples collected at two sampling stations (CW and TW) in 2001 throughout Hong Kong. Spatial variations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere were investigated. Levels of most alkanes and alkenes at TW site were higher than that at the CW site, while the BTEX concentrations at the two sites were close. The BTEX ratios at CW and TW were 1.6:10.1:1.0:1.6 and 2.1:10.8:1.0:2.0, respectively. For major halogenated hydrocarbons, the mean concentrations of chloromethane, CFCs 12 and 22 did not show spatial variations at the two sites. However, site-specific differences were observed for trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene. Furthermore, there were no significant differences for carbonyls such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone between the two sites. The levels of selected hydrocarbons in winter were 1-5 times that in summer. There were no common seasonal trends for carbonyls in Hong Kong. The ambient level of formaldehyde, the most abundant carbonyl, was higher in summer. However, levels of acetaldehyde, acetone and benzaldehyde in winter were 1.6-3.8 times that in summer. The levels of CFCs 11 and 12, and chloromethane in summer were higher than that in winter. Strong correlation of most hydrocarbons with propene and n-butane suggested that the primary contributors of hydrocarbons were vehicular emissions in Hong Kong. In addition, gasoline evaporation, use of solvents, leakage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas leakage and other industrial emissions, and even biogenic emissions affected the ambient levels of hydrocarbons. The sources of halocarbons were mainly materials used in industrial processes and as solvents. Correlation analysis suggested that photochemical reactions made significant contributions to the ambient levels of carbonyls in summer whereas in winter motor vehicle emissions would be the major sources of the carbonyls. The photochemical reactivity of selected VOCs was estimated in this study. The largest contributors to ozone formation were formaldehyde, toluene, propene, m,p-xylene, acetaldehyde, 1-butene/i-butene, isoprene and n-butane, suggesting that motor vehicles, gasoline evaporation, use of solvents, leakage of LPG, photochemical processes and biogenic emission are sources in the production of ozone. On the other hand, VOCs from vehicles and gasoline evaporation were predominant with respect to reactions with OH radical.     

Heat transfer of vapor chamber with different types of microchannels

Two 40-mm × 35-mm × 1.525-mm micro vapor chambers were fabricated by inductively coupled plasma etching on silicon substrates and tested in this study. One vapor chamber exhibited convergent microchannels, whose widest and narrowest width were 0.3 mm and 0.1 mm, respectively, and the other exhibited discontinuous microchannels having width of 0.3 mm. Those micro vapor chambers that were filled with deionized water in a filling ratio of approximately 48% were tested with various titled angles and input powers. The results showed that the thermal performance of the vapor chamber having discontinuous microchannels was inferior because the spacing between microchannelend and the micropostin both condensing and evaporating sections was too far to return the condensed fluid from condensing section to the evaporating section of the vapor chamber. On the contrary, the convergent microchannel in the other vapor chamber enhanced capillary force, so that the condensed liquid could be successfully forced from the condensing section to the evaporating section even with top heating mode (–90°). The thermal resistance of the vapor chamber having convergent micro channels with top heating mode was 2.08°C/W at 22 W, while the thermal resistance of the vapor chamber with horizontal heating mode was 1.46°C/W at 28 W.     

The influences of recycle effect on double-pass V-corrugated solar air heaters

The study of the heat transfer enhancement for the recycling double-pass V-corrugated solar air heaters, which implement the external recycle of flowing air, was investigated experimentally and theoretically. The comparison among different designs of V-corrugated, baffled and fins attached, and flat-plate collectors was made to show the device performance improvement with various operating parameters under the same working dimensions. The recycling double-pass V-corrugated device developed here was proposed in aiming to strengthen the convective heat-transfer coefficient and enlarge the heat transfer area. The error analysis of experimental results deviate by 0.85–2.46% from the theoretical predictions with the fairly good agreement, and both results show that the device performance of the recycling double-pass V-corrugated operation is better than those of the other configurations under various recycle ratios and mass flow rates. The suitable selections were obtained for operating recycling double-pass V-corrugated devices while considering with an economic viewpoint by both the collector efficiency enhancement and the power consumption increment.     

韩国农村排水系统的建设和管理

农村排水系统是农村建设发展的重要基础设施.结合韩国农村排水系统建设和管理.介绍了韩国相关的政策措施的制定、排水系统的特点、污水处理工艺和设施管理等,同时对韩国农村排水系统目前存在的问题进行了分析.