US exposure to multiple landscape stressors and climate change

Regional Environmental Change - We examined landscape exposure to wildfire potential, insects and disease risk, and urban and exurban development for the conterminous US (CONUS). Our analysis...     

Ecological literacy and beyond: Problem-based learning for future professionals

Ecological science contributes to solving a broad range of environmental problems. However, lack of ecological literacy in practice often limits application of this knowledge. In this paper, we highlight a critical but often overlooked demand on ecological literacy: to enable professionals of various careers to apply scientific knowledge when faced with environmental problems. Current university courses on ecology often fail to persuade students that ecological science provides important tools for environmental problem solving. We propose problem-based learning to improve the understanding of ecological science and its usefulness for real-world environmental issues that professionals in careers as diverse as engineering, public health, architecture, social sciences, or management will address. Courses should set clear learning objectives for cognitive skills they expect students to acquire. Thus, professionals in different fields will be enabled to improve environmental decision-making processes and to participate effectively in multidisciplinary work groups charged with tackling environmental issues.     

Twentieth century droughts and agriculture: Examples from impacts on soybean production in Kentucky,USA

Drought is a significant natural hazard that slowly evolves over time. Because of its character, drought is difficult to monitor and impacts are often poorly documented. Agriculture is one of the most sensitive sectors that are prone to drought. The objective of this research is to assess the impacts of drought on soybean production and revenue in Kentucky. Soybeans are one of Kentucky’s most important commodities. In this study, impacts of 1930–1931, 1940–1942, 1952–1955, 1987–1988, 1999–2000, and 2007 droughts were considered. It was found that over the recent years, up to 56 % of the revenue from soybeans was lost due to drought. During the first half of the twentieth century, revenue loss reached up to 77 %. This research is valuable to the general public as well as planners and policy makers. Proper documentation of impacts of past droughts will help identify drought vulnerabilities and results in better risk management and mitigation.     

某典型化工污染场地土壤修复方案研究

以典型化工污染场地为研究对象,构建适合该场地的修复技术筛选体系,筛选最佳修复方法。根据特征污染筛选结果、场地修复目标及业主需求等因素,通过室内模拟实验、施工现场微调等方法,确定污染场地最优修复方案。结果表明,作为Cd、苯并[a]芘复合污染场地,根据筛选体系结合Topsis法进行评估,确定场地修复技术为异位化学淋洗。运用响应曲面法,采用BoxBehnken设计多因素实验进行室内模拟,确定最佳修复条件。采用0.6mol/L柠檬酸与20g/Lβ-环糊精进行复配的淋洗剂,在pH=3.0、淋洗温度35.00℃、液固比(淋洗剂与土壤的体积质量比)6.00mL/g、搅拌强度320.00r/min下,淋洗4次,每次淋洗3.4h,对某化工污染场地进行修复,修复后土壤中Cd、苯并[a]芘的去除量分别为69.88、39.20mg/kg,去除率分别达80.14%、70.50%,达到预期修复目标。     

分子筛吸附法脱除废水中的聚丙烯酰胺

聚丙烯酰胺(PAM)用于油田驱油产生大量难处理的含聚废水。以分子筛为吸附剂处理含聚废水,研究分子筛类型(Y、Beta和ZSM-5,H型和Na型)和物化性质对其吸附PAM性能的影响,并测定吸附等温线。结果表明,吸附性能顺序为BetaYZSM-5,H型优于Na型。H-Beta对PAM的吸附来自分子筛中阳离子与PAM中阴离子的静电作用,Si—O和Al—OH与PAM中酰胺基的氢键作用。H-Beta开放的通道结构,较高的介孔比例和表面积,较强的酸性和良好的酸中心可接近性使其具有优异的吸附性能。Si O2/Al2O3=26的H-Beta对浓度为200 mg/L的PAM溶液,PAM脱除率可达95.2%。在低PAM平衡浓度时,PAM在H-Beta上的吸附符合Langmuir单层吸附特征,饱和吸附量达70.2 mg/g,在高浓度区域则由于PAM疏水缔合作用加强呈现多层吸附。     

4种营养元素对水华鱼腥藻和四尾栅藻增殖的影响

以水华鱼腥藻和四尾栅藻分别作为蓝藻,绿藻代表藻种,采用均匀设计实验方法(uniform design experimentation,UDE)设计藻类AGP实验。采用通径分析法(Path Analysis,PA)对氮、磷、铁和锰在不同藻种增殖过程中的影响程度进行分析。结果表明,4种营养元素对水华鱼腥藻增殖影响的决策排序为FeTNTPMn,微量金属元素铁是影响水华鱼腥藻(蓝藻)增殖的主要因素;对四尾栅藻增殖影响的决策排序为TNTPFeMn,常量元素是影响四尾栅藻(绿藻)增殖的主要因素。联合通径分析法和逐步二次方回归分析法(QRA)建立的数学模型,可用于预判藻增殖。     

酸碱度对生活垃圾焚烧厂沥滤液蒸发处理效果的影响

采用蒸发法处理城市生活垃圾焚烧厂垃圾沥滤液,着重考察了不同沥滤液初始pH值对蒸发去除COD和氨氮效果的影响,并采用GC-MS对蒸发冷凝液中有机物成分进行了分析鉴定.结果表明,生活垃圾沥滤液的初始pH对冷凝液中COD、氨氮含量及有机污染物分布产生了决定性的影响.沥滤液在酸性条件下(pH≤6)蒸发,随着pH的增加,冷凝液中COD的含量线性降低,而氨氮的含量线性增加.当沥滤液的初始pH值从6增加到11,冷凝液中COD的含量呈对数函数降低,而氨氮的含量表现出显著增加趋势.从冷凝液中鉴定出38种有机污染物,多为沸点较低的醇、酸、酚和酯类.在酸性条件下(pH=3),冷凝液中挥发性有机酸和低碳醇的相对丰度接近90％.在近中性条件下(pH=6.2),冷凝液中的有机污染物以酚、酸和杂环类化合物为主.在碱性条件下(pH =11),冷凝液中酚和杂环类化合物占比较高,而酸的含量极少.     

A Systematic Approach to the Evaluation of RCRA Disposal Facilities Under Future Climate‐Induced Events

The ability of near‐surface disposal facility cover designs to meet percolation performance criteria can be influenced by naturally occurring climatic mechanisms as well as anthropogenic forcing. This study was conducted to determine the effect of climate‐induced events on percolation based, probabilistic distributions derived from historical climate data. Water balance predictions were evaluated using the HELP model, employing several variations of degradation in a traditional RCRA disposal facility cover design over a 100‐year simulation period. Results demonstrated that changes in precipitation and temperature can influence performance. The analysis also revealed that when both precipitation and temperature are increased, warmer temperatures tend to offset some of the impact from greater precipitation. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Optimal Treatment Zone Moves During Enhanced Reductive Dechlorination in Fractured Bedrock

An enhanced bioremediation pilot test was implemented to study the efficacy of enhancing in situ reductive dechlorination of tetrachloroethene (PCE) in shallow bedrock where some intrinsic degradation to cis‐1,2‐dichloroethene (cis‐1,2‐DCE) was observed without further degradation to vinyl chloride or nontoxic ethene. Limited Dehalococcoides spp. cell concentrations were present within the study area prior to the gravity‐fed injection of an injectate of fermentable carbon substrates in native anaerobic groundwater. Direct connectivity between the injection well screen and performance monitoring well was evidenced and resulted in the degradation of nearly all PCE to cis‐1,2‐DCE, significant decrease in pH, and apparent inhibited Dehalococcoides spp. growth in the study area groundwater in the first six months. After 24 months, nearly all cis‐1,2‐DCE had degraded to nontoxic ethene, pH rebounded to more optimal levels, and abundant growth of Dehalococcoides spp. (6.8E05 cells/mL) and its functional gene expressions responsible for complete dechlorination were evident. The observations indicated initial poor dechlorination within the injection zone did not preclude effective treatment, allowing sufficient monitoring time showed the effective treatment zone (or more‐optimal fringe) first moved outward from the injection zone beyond the monitoring point and then receded back toward the point of injection over a period of two years. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

磁场对酪氨酸酶活性及其催化降解酚类有机物影响的研究

研究了恒磁场对酪氨酸酶(TYR)活性及其催化降解酚类有机物的影响.结果显示,不同磁场强度(10～350 mT)处理下TYR酶活性均有提高,最佳磁场强度150mT下酶活力提高了27.1%.不同磁化时间下TYR酶活都有上升,但磁化60min后酶活上升幅度有所下降.酶经磁场处理后对温度、pH值稳定性增强,在温度为20～35 ℃、pH为5.0～10.0时均能保持较高活性,最佳温度为25℃,最佳pH为7.0;磁化后TYR酶的Michaelis常数Km为3.83 mmol·L-1,未磁化的Michaelis常数Km为2.65 mmol·L-1.磁场作用可促进TYR对酚类有机物邻苯二酚、苯酚、2,4-二氯酚的转化,反应速度依次递减,磁化处理对邻苯二酚反应的促进作用尤其明显;磁化处理后的酶对不同浓度苯酚和2,4-二氯酚的去除率均明显高于未磁化处理的酶,且随着酶用量增加,酚去除率提高.荧光发射光谱分析表明,磁化酪氨酸酶的荧光强度增强,构像发生了变化.