Assessing Respiratory Morbidity Through Pollution Status and Meteorological Conditions for Delhi

The study focuses on assessing the status of respiratory morbidity in Delhi over a four years period from 2000–2003. An attempt was made to investigate the role of important pollutants (SO₂, NO₂, SPM and RSPM) and various meteorological factors (temperature minimum & maximum, relative humidity at 0830 and 1730 hrs. and wind speed) in being responsible for respiratory admissions on account of COPD, asthma and emphysema. The study showed that winter months had greater exposure risk as pollutants often get trapped in the lower layers of atmosphere resulting in high concentrations. Statistical analysis revealed that two pollutants have significant positive correlation with the number of COPD cases viz., SPM (r = 0.474; p < 0.01) and RSPM (r = 0.353; p < 0.05), while a meteorological factor temperature (minimum) has a significant negative correlation (r = −0.318; p < 0.05) with COPD. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed for COPD as dependent variable and R² value of 0.33 was obtained indicating that SPM and RH(1730) were able to explain 33 percent variability in COPD. The partial correlation of SPM and RH(1730) on COPD was higher than any other combination and therefore they can be regarded as important contributing variables on COPD.     

An Analogy on Assessment of Urban Air Pollution in Turkey Over the Turn of the Millennium (1992–2001)

Rapid industrialization and urbanization in Turkey, especially over the last twenty five years, has provided better living standards to its residents, but it also caused a decrease in environmental quality. In late 1970's, air quality monitoring activities were started in some major cities by individual researchers in Turkey. It was just around the 1990's that a countrywide program on continuous air pollution monitoring in major province centers and selected large towns was launched. The impact of air pollution on people depend on various factors, such as existence and magnitude of coal powered energy generation plants, type of urban heating and their efficiency, and the numbers and specifications of vehicles. In this study, current Turkish urban air quality over the turn of the Millennium (1992–2001) is studied in the light of the country's worst cities in terms of outdoor air quality, the number of upper respiratory diseases, sinusitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia cases in these provinces reported by the state medical treatment facilities in 2001. The population that is under outdoor urban air pollution hazard was computed. A comparative analysis between the provinces that use natural gas and others that use fossil fuels was also completed in order to project monetary gains if the studied provinces will transform their indoor heating and industrial operations to be run by natural gas or other cleaner energy sources. If natural gas use in air polluted urban centers could be realized in the near future, approximately 212 to 350 million US dollars per annum could to be saved just by reducing health related problems caused by outdoor air pollution.     

A Screening Test for the Determination of Ethylene Sensitivity

Ethephon, which releases ethylene within plant tissues after application, was chosen to perform assessments of the relative sensitivity of crops to ethylene and to determine which stages of plant development were most sensitive. The species chosen were: barley, wheat, oats, canola and field pea, all of which are important crops in the province of Alberta, Canada. Plants were treated with ethephon at one of 7 different stages. Plants were assessed for their vegetative and reproductive growth, including height, biomass, yield and seed quality. Visual symptoms were photographed and documented to compare them with symptoms caused by ethylene applied as a gas. It was concluded that in barley, wheat and canola the late vegetative and early reproductive stages were most sensitive, at least when sensitivity was defined as reductions in yield and quality. As for field pea, ethephon had no effect on yield but did cause increased numbers of pods, which in certain conditions could lead to increased yields. Significant effects on vegetative growth were only observed in the early vegetative stages of development but with no effects on yield. The screening protocol successfully identified sensitive cultivars and growth stages for further investigation of the effects of ethylene exposure.     

乌鲁木齐市采暖季空气质量变化趋势分析

为了定量评价乌鲁木齐市采暖季空气污染近五年的治理成效,给环境治理决策提供科学依据,运用回归分析方法,对乌鲁木齐市采暖季空气质量的浓度、级别和变化规律进行回归分析。分析结果表明,PM10、SO2、NO2三项污染物的浓度都有所下降,空气质量级别的污染天数呈现明显的月变化规律。乌鲁木齐市采暖季空气的重污染状况有所遏制,但SO2污染凸现,在下一步的治理工作中,加强尘污染治理的同时要加大对SO2的治理力度。     

重庆市大气污染物的空间统计分析

利用空间统计分析方法(spatial statistics analysis),借助GIS,分析了重庆市3种主要大气污染物TSP,SO₂和NO_x质量浓度在空间上的分布特点.研究表明,在"九五"期间和2002年2个时期,重庆市大气污染物在空间上均呈不均衡分布.整体上,SO₂的空间自相关性很强,属集中分布模式;TSP的空间自相关性较弱,属于随机分布模式;NO_x处于二者之间.局部相关性分析表明,大部分区县的大气污染物之间相关性较弱.此外,利用缓冲区和内插浓度表面法分析了2个时期的污染物质量浓度随离行政中心距离变化的趋势,发现ρ(TSP)和ρ(SO₂)在各地带内均有明显削减,而ρ(NO_x)削减不显著;ρ(SO₂)和ρ(NO_x)随距行政中心距离增大下降,但ρ(TSP)随距离增大而增加.3种污染物质量浓度都在离行政中心50～60 km的地带发生明显变化,由此得出目前重庆市大气污染物空间分布的特征距离为50～60km.      

磷对云龙湖富营养化优势藻及混合藻生长的影响

氮磷等营养盐的增加和藻类的过度增殖是富营养化的主要标志。大多数湖泊水体富营养化受磷元素的制约。研究表明富营养化水体的不同藻类对磷含量的依赖性各不相同。通过研究在相同氮浓度,相同温度条件下,不同磷浓度对纯种小球藻和硅藻以及天然混合藻生长速度的影响,发现在氮浓度充足的情况下,磷含量高促进小球藻生长;对硅藻却没有明显的相关性;天然水体混合藻生长速度与磷浓度呈正相关。     

铁矿石对脱除烧结废气中NOx的催化效应

向混合料中加添加剂能够在烧结过程中脱除烧结废气中的NO。实验研究了铁矿石对NO脱除反应的催化效应。在900℃下,分别以5种不同铁矿石作为填料层,用2种标准气体和压缩空气配制的混合气体模拟烧结废气。试验结果表明,铁矿石种类对铁矿石的催化能力有重要影响。D型铁矿的催化能力最强而且不会发生弱化,NO转化率接近100%;其它几种铁矿石的催化能力较差,随着反应时间的延长有明显的弱化现象,但很快即基本趋于稳定状态,NO转化率达到了60%~70%。     

硫化物生物氧化脱硫技术研究现状

介绍了近年来国内外硫化物生物氧化为单质硫的各种脱硫技术.分析总结了硫化物生物氧化为单质硫工艺的各种影响因素,包括氧硫比、溶解氧浓度、硫化物浓度、化学氧化、微生物菌种、pH值、温度等因素.提出了生物氧化脱硫技术的发展前景.该技术将脱硫和单质硫的回收和为一体,是一种安全、低成本将含硫废液变废为宝的工艺技术.     

好氧颗粒污泥膜生物反应器的运行特性

以人工合成模拟废水对好氧颗粒污泥膜生物反应器(MBR)的运行特性和膜污染进行了研究.结果表明:在HRT为6h,溶氧浓度为4～6mg.L^-1,COD的容积负荷为7.24kg·(m³·d)^-1的条件下,COD的去除率可达96%以上.当NH₃-N的容积负荷为0.17kg·(m³·d)^-1时,NH₃-N的去除率可达60%.COD/N比的变化,对好氧颗粒污泥MBR的COD及NH₃-N去除率基本没有影响.稳定运行过程时,MBR中好氧颗粒污泥浓度(MLSS)基本维持在14～16mg·L^-1.较高的污泥浓度和颗粒污泥内部缺氧和厌氧环境的存在,使MBR中硝化和反硝化过程能同时存在.同时,比较了2种不同形态的活性污泥(颗粒污泥和絮状污泥)在MBR运行过程中膜通量的变化趋势,结果表明,颗粒污泥MBR膜通量的下降速度明显比絮状污泥MBR的下降速度慢很多,且通过空气反冲或用水清洗即可使通量基本恢复.     

青藏铁路用空气弹簧橡胶胶料耐紫外线老化试验研究

我国正在建设的青藏铁路是世界上海拔最高、线路最长的高原铁路.其气候特点对橡胶制品提出了新的技术要求,为适应在该气候条件下的运用需要,进行了针对空气弹簧胶囊用橡胶的耐紫外线老化试验研究工作,试验表明随着紫外线老化时间的增加,其硬度和300%定伸强度均提高,但拉伸强度和扯断伸长率随着紫外线老化时间的增加而降低;通过与胶料的耐臭氧试验和大气老化试验比较,基本可以认为引起空气弹簧胶囊表面龟裂的主要原因是受力状况、臭氧和大气老化的作用,而紫外线对橡胶的表面龟裂影响作用不大,因此,为提高空气弹簧胶囊的耐老化性能,主要考虑降低橡胶的受力,提高耐臭氧和耐大气老化性能.