Nitrous oxide flux from landfill leachate-sawdust nitrogenous compost

Composted nitrogenous waste has the potential to produce excessive amounts of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas that also contributes to stratospheric ozone depletion. In this laboratory study, sawdust was irrigated with varying amounts of landfill leachate with high NH4+-N content (3950 mg l(-1)). Physicochemical properties, including the amount of N2O produced, were monitored during the composting process over 28 days. A rapid decline in NH4+-N in the first 4 days and increasing NO3--N for 11 days was followed by lower but stabilized levels of available-N, even with repeated leachate irrigation. Less than 0.03% of the leachate-applied N was lost as N2O. Higher leachate applications as much as tripled N2O production, but this represented a lesser proportion overall of the total nitrogen. Addition of glucose to the composting process had no significant effect on N2O production. The derived sawdust-leachate compost supported healthy growth of Sesbania rostrata. It is concluded that compost can be produced from sawdust irrigated with landfill leachate without substantial emission of N2O, although excessive flux of N2O remains about high application rates over longer time periods.     

An unconventional approach to studying the reaction kinetics of the Fenton's oxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

The Fenton's oxidation kinetics of herbicide 2,4-D at various [Fe(II)] and [H(2)O(2)] combinations was investigated and modelled through an unconventional approach. The reaction kinetics of 2,4-D degradation demonstrated a two-stage pattern of decay, where a very fast reactive stage was followed by a retardation stage due to the depletion of oxidants and to the competitive side-reactions of the intermediates (including 2,4-dichlorophenol, chlorohydroquinone and 2,6-dichlororesorcinol). A model characterized by two newly established constants, the initial decay rate and the maximum oxidative capacity, was proposed and proven capable of describing the two-stage process, which cannot easily be described by conventional first- or second-order kinetics approaches.     

Impact of meteorology and energy structure on solvent extractable organic compounds of PM2.5 in Beijing, China

Twenty-eight PM2.5 samples collected in Summer (July 2002) and Winter (November 2002) at two sites in Beijing, China were analyzed using GC/MS to investigate the impact of meteorology and coal burning on the solvent extractable organic compounds (SEOC). The characteristics and abundance of the n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), n-fatty acids and n-alkanols were determined. Source identification was made using organic species as molecular markers. Semi-volatile compounds of alkanes and PAHs had much higher concentrations in winter than summer because of the large difference in the temperature between the seasons. Plant wax emission was a major contributor to n-alkanes in summer, but fossil fuel residue was a major source (>80%) in winter. The seasonal differences in the distribution of pentacyclic triterpanes clearly shows the impact of coal burning for space heating in winter. The yield of PAHs in winter (148 ng m(-3) at the urban site and 277 ng m(-3) at the suburban site) was six to eight times higher than that in summer and was found to be mainly from coal burning. Higher pollutant concentrations were measured at the suburban site than the urban site in winter due to the rapid expansion of the city limit and the relocation of factories from urban to suburban areas over the last two decades.     

消费观念的绿色嬗变

高消费刺激高生产，高生产导致资源高索取，高索取导致资源的高消耗、环境的高污染和生态系统的高破坏。对此，一个以“环保、节能、健康”为主题的绿色消费行动值得期待……[编者按]     

西藏之水怎么救中国

引来西藏的水,润泽干渴的中国.这是军旅作家李伶在其报告文学《西藏之水救中国--大西线“再造中国”战略内幕详录》一书的主题.     

Evaluation of a prenatal screening procedure for β-thalassaemia carriers in a chinese populationbased on the mean corpuscular volume (MCV)

Haemoglobin A₂ (HbA₂) levels were determined on 25 β-thalassaemia carriers by the microcolumn method and were found to range from 4.5–7.2 per cent (mean 5.2±0.82 S.D.). The haemoglobin level (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), plasma ferritin and HbA₂ levels were measured on a further 299 cconsecutive Chinese pregnant women at a gestation of less than 24 weeks. 18 patients (6 per cent) had HbA₂ level greater than 4.5 per cent and were diagnosed to be β-thalassaemic carriers. It was observed that all these patients had a MCV below 75 fl. If this level is selected in a screening procedure based on measurement of MCV alone all β-thalassaemia carriers could be detected and 11 per cent of the population screened would require HbA₂ estimation. At a lower cut-off level of 70 fl, 8 per cent of the population screened wouid require HbA₂ measurement (a decrease of 27 per cent) but the detection rate will be lowered considerably (83 per cent). The high false positive rate at all cut-off levels of MCV was largely due to the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in the population. Estimation of plasma ferritin level in patients with low MCV will reduce this false positive rate, but there will be a considerable delay in diagnosis in patients with concomitant iron deficiency and β-thalassaemia. The presence of iron deficiency in β-thalassaemia carriers did not reduce their HbA₂ level below the diagnostic range in this study. Measurement of Hb level did not appear to be useful as a screening method since one third of the β-thalassaemia carriers had a Hb level over 11 g/dl. The validity of the MCV cut-off levels derived from the first part of the study was assessed in screening a larger population. 61 β-thalassaemia carriers (6 per cent) were detected out of 1166 patients screened. This incidence was not significantly different from the first part of the study. All these 61 patients had a MCV less than 75 ml. It was concluded that a two-step screening policy, based on MCV measurement followed by HbA₂ estimation when the MCV value is less than 75 fl, is suitable for our population. It is efficient, straight forward with excellent sensitivity and required less time and effort for both laboratory staff and clinicians.     

曲霉HD_1的分离及其对染料脱色特性的研究

曲霉ＨＤ１的分离及其对染料脱色特性的研究李孱白景华文艺辉陈怀新（湖北大学生命科学系，武汉４３００６２）李林（华中农业大学微生物系，武汉４３００７０）关键词虎红；偶氮染料；曲霉；脱色；降解．高效的染料脱色菌是解决染料对环境污染的基础和关键．虽然已有许...     

Ultrasound evaluation of pregnancies at risk for homozygous α-thalassaemia-1

Twenty-six pregnant Chinese women who were at risk of giving birth to a fetus affected with homozygous α-thalassaemia-1 were examined serially by ultrasound. Six of these 26 pregnancies were affected. In one third of the affected pregnancies progressive fetal ascites appeared before 24 weeks gestation and these pregnancies were terminated. In the remaining two thirds abnormal estimated fetal weight-placental volume (EFW-PV) ratio and fetal growth retardation as evidenced by a falling biparietal diameter (BPD), femur length (FL) but a normal abdominal circumference (AC) was apparent by 28 weeks gestation. Increased transverse cardiac (TC) diameter was another consistent finding but appeared late. All these features appeared before the onset of fetal ascites. A normal EFW-PV ratio and fetal growth until 28 weeks gestation was a reassuring sign of normality. Abnormal EFW-PV ratio was the earliest sign to appear in affected pregnancies and a normal ratio until 28 weeks gestation had a 100 per cent predictive value.