ZnO-based heterostructures as photocatalysts for hydrogen generation and depollution: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Energy shortage and escalating pollution are major challenges globally. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is one of the most cost-effective methods for producing...     

Enhanced organic phosphorus detection in sediments by foam separation and 31P-NMR

Phosphorus (P) is both a nutrient and a pollutant. For instance, excess P induces water eutrophication followed by death of fishes and other water life. Determination of organic P content in sediments is therefore important to study P cycling and environmental pollution. The most widely used method to determine organic P in sediments is NaOH–EDTA extraction followed by ³¹P-NMR detection. However, some organic P compounds are difficult to extract using NaOH–EDTA due to the low solubility, thus can not be detected by ³¹P NMR. Here, we used foam separation to determine organic P in sediment of North Canal of Tianjin City, China. Organic P was first enriched using foam separation coupled with NaOH extraction. The enriched organic P was then analyzed with ³¹P NMR. The results showed that, compared with the traditional extraction method, foam separation coupled with NaOH extraction enriched more P compound because ³¹P NMR detected an extra signal of teichoic acid at chemical shift 1.14. This teichoic acid signal was not detected in the extract prepared using only NaOH–EDTA. Our finding demonstrates that determination using foam separation followed by ³¹P NMR is feasible.     

Enhancement of the CO(2) retention capacity of X zeolites by Na- and Cs-treatments

Adsorption of carbon dioxide on alkaline modified X zeolites was investigated by temperature programmed desorption (TPD) analysis of these materials previously saturated with CO(2) at 50, 100 and 200 degrees C. Parent X zeolite (in its sodium form) was treated with different sodium and cesium aqueous solutions, using both carbonates and hydroxides as precursors. The resulting materials were characterised by nitrogen physisorption, XRD, and NH(3)-TPD, in order to determine their morphological, crystallographic and chemical properties. Slight desilication phenomena were observed using hydroxides as precursors, whereas the treatment with Cs salts lead to higher crystallinity losses. Several successive adsorption-desorption cycles were carried out in order to check the regenerability of the adsorbents. Cesium-treated zeolites present higher carbon dioxide retention capacities than the sodium treated and than the parent material. When working with these Cs-modified materials, the desorption takes place mainly at temperatures between 250 and 400 degrees C, results of great practical interest, since it allows the use these kinds of materials for adsorption-desorption cycles. The evolution of the retention capacity with temperature is also markedly more positive for Cs-treated zeolite, especially when carbonate is used as the precursor. These materials maintain high retention capacities at 100 degrees C (10mg g(-1)) and even at 200 degrees C (3mg g(-1)), temperatures at which the most of the adsorbents are inactive.     

Mercury biomethylation assessment in the estuary of Bilbao (North of Spain)

The relationship between the microbial methylation of mercury and the microbial activities in sediments and water collected from the estuary of Bilbao (North of Spain) was studied in three different sampling points and in two different seasons. Three different cultures were prepared with a sediment slurry to distinguish between biotic and abiotic methylation pathways and the variations of the methylmercury concentration and the variations of the population of total number of bacteria (TDC), anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria (AHB), sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and Desulfovibrio were measured. From this work, it can be concluded that the variation of MeHg concentrations is a result of the methylation/demethylation processes in the sediments, and that the abiotic processes have a negligible contribution to those processes. According to the statistical analysis of the results (partial least squares analysis) a significant statistical correlation was established between methylmercury and the SRB counts.     

Eier der Flußseeschwalbe (Sterna hirundo) als Indikator für die aktuelle Belastung von Rhein, Weser und Elbe mit Umweltchemikalien

In 1995, common tern (Sterna hirundo) eggs from the big German rivers, the Rhine, Weser and Elbe were collected to study the contamination with organochlorines and mercury. We found distinct differences between the rivers: common tern eggs from the Rhine had higher concentrations of PCBs and HCHs, while eggs from the Elbe had higher residues of DDT, HCB and mercury. Also toxic PCB congeners had higher residue levels in the Rhine. Considering all organochlorines, samples from the Rhine also had the highest concentrations, while those from the Elbe were the lowest. With 5.7 μg×g^?1 fresh weight, the ΖCBs had a level endangering breeding success. Fish eating birds should be used as indicators of the contamination of the rivers with environmental chemicals and should be included in monitoring programmes.     

Ambient levels of atmospheric carbonyls in Beijing during the 2008 Olympic Games

The measurements of atmospheric carbonyls concentrations in Beijing were conducted from 12 July to 8 October, 2008, covering the periods of the 2008 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Six carbonyls, including formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, butyraldehyde, valeraldehyde, and hexaldehyde, were identified in all air samples. The total average concentrations of these carbonyls before, during, and after traffic restriction were (48.1 ± 15.2), (36.6 ± 14.5) and (23.4 ± 12.3) μg/m3, respectively. Compared with the period after traffic restriction, the distinct high concentrations of the carbonyls before and during traffic restriction were primarily ascribed to the remarkable contribution of photochemical reactions. With respect to our previous investigation in the summer of 2005, the reductions of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone during traffic restriction period were about 64%, 47% and 27%, respectively, indicating that the air cleaning actions adopted by the Chinese government for the two games were efficient. The lowest levels of atmospheric carbonyls and the extremely high composition proportion of acetone after the traffic restriction were mainly attributed to the long-term effect of the control measures for the two games.     

中国生态用地及生态系统服务价值变化研究

生态用地具有重要的生态系统服务功能,在维护生态平衡、保障国土生态安全、应对全球气候变化中具有特殊地位。论文在总结国内研究学者有关生态用地研究成果的基础上,从生态系统服务功能入手,界定了生态用地的概念,根据生态干扰度构建了生态用地分类体系,并将生态用地分类与土地利用分类进行衔接,对全国生态用地的生态系统服务价值进行了评估,分析其特征及规律。研究表明：1）广义的生态用地是指能发挥供给、调节、支持生态系统服务功能,以及对维持区域生态平衡和调节全球气候具有重要作用的土地类型;2）依据“生态干扰度”构建了生态用地分类体系,将生态用地分为3个一级地类、5个二级地类和31个三级地类;3）2012年全国生态用地的生态系统服务价值为280 483.80亿元,呈现“西高、中次、东低”空间格局。2009—2012年全国生态用地的生态系统服务价值整体呈下降趋势,变化幅度空间分布差异较大,呈现“中增、东西减”的格局特点;2009—2012年全国生态用地各项生态系统服务功能受到损失,呈下降趋势,生态系统稳定性不容乐观。     

室内外空气污染暴露评价

介绍了国外对室内外空气污染暴露评价的各种方法，并运用微环境结合问卷调查的方法，选择了5种主要的空气污染物；甲醛、二氧化硫、氮氧化物，氮和氡作为检测评价的对象，初步评价了北京市各年龄层次人群的污染物暴露水平。结果表明，大部分暴露量源于室内环境，尤其是工作（或学习）场所及住宅；各年龄层次人群的甲醛日平均暴露量均超过相关环境标准，而其它污染物均不超标；室内空气污染特别是因装修引起的室内空气污染应得到重视。     

氧化亚氮在森林和草原中的地-气交换

采用箱式法,建立了一套完整的测定森林草原土壤Ｎ２Ｏ排放方法,并对我国北方的自然环境中Ｎ２Ｏ排放作了观测,得出其最大排放通量为２３μｇ／（ｍ＾２·ｈ）。并发现森林草原土壤当温度低于１５℃时对Ｎ２Ｏ有吸收行为,其最大吸收通量为１８．９８４μｇ（ｍ＾２·ｈ）。     

基于"3S"的南京市大气污染源清单网格化空间分配研究

基于GIS、RS、GPS集成技术,依据南京市10大类大气污染源排放和空间分布特征,采用合适的空间分配方法,根据各排放源的相关权重分配因子,构建了南京市2015年大气污染源排放清单1 km×1 km的网格化空间数据库,并基于GIS平台叠加显示形成了2015年南京市大气污染源1 km×1 km空间分布图.结果表明,此次空间分配结果与南京市GDP、路网、人口、农业等相关分布特征相互吻合,说明本研究网格化空间分配方法较为合理可靠,可满足后续空气质量模拟的需求.