The social impact of natural hazards: a multi‐level analysis of disasters and forms of trust in mainland China

This study aimed to assess the multi‐level effects of natural hazards on trust in Chinese society. Drawing on the Chinese General Social Survey conducted in 2012 and provincial disaster damage records, it examined the association between individuals’ past experiences of disasters and province‐level damage (measured by the number of affected people, deaths, and economic loss) and various forms of trust: in‐group; out‐group; generalised; and political. The findings indicate that Chinese individuals with experience of disasters have higher levels of out‐group trust but lower levels of political trust. Similarly, at the province level, damage owing to disasters over the past three years (2009–11) positively impacted on residents’ out‐group trust while negatively affecting their political trust. However, when provincial damage was aggregated for disasters over the past five years (2007–11), which included the devastating Sichuan earthquake on 12 May 2008, only total deaths had a positive effect on generalised trust.     

农村沼气在北方农业源减排中的应用浅析

农村沼气作为一种特殊的清洁能源,在沈阳市农村节能减排、应对气候变化和发展低碳经济、促进新农村建设方面发挥了巨大的作用。本文通过对沼气工程在北方地区应用的阐述,力图推动北方农村沼气在农业源减排工作中的应用。     

我国古代排水、排污设施的变化及发展

本文针对当前城镇主要环境问题之一——排水和污水处理问题,介绍了我国古代在城市排水和污水处理设施建设、管理和规划方面的丰富经验和杰出成就,回溯了从原始社会末期,早期城市雏形出现到城市排水、排污设施的发展、完善,使我们得到启迪,以便更好地解决城镇环境问题,做好排水、排污处理工作。     

冬季东海、南黄海中DMS和DMSP浓度分布及影响因素研究

于2011年12月~2012年1月现场测定了东海、南黄海表层海水中二甲基硫(DMS)及其前体物质二甲巯基丙酸内盐(DMSP分为溶解态DMSPd和颗粒态DMSPp)的含量,研究了它们的浓度分布规律及其影响因素,并对DMSPp的粒级分布和DMS的海-气通量进行了探讨.结果表明,表层海水中DMS、DMSPd和DMSPp的浓度分别在0.58~4.14、0.37~7.86和4.29~25.76 nmol·L-1之间,平均值分别为(2.20±0.82)、(2.12±1.66)和(11.98±6.23)nmol·L-1.DMS、DMSPp与叶绿素a(Chl-a)呈现明显的正相关关系,并且它们的周日变化趋势基本一致,说明浮游植物生物量是影响研究海域内DMS和DMSP生产分布的关键因素.另外,DMSPd浓度和总细菌丰度表现出一定的负相关,这可能是在细菌释放的DMSP裂解酶的作用下DMSPd会发生裂解生成DMS.研究发现,5~20μm的微型浮游植物是海区内Chl-a和DMSPp的主要贡献者.此外,冬季东海、南黄海表层海水DMS的海-气通量在0.61~25.52μmol·(m2·d)-1之间,平均值为(8.30±5.92)μmol·(m2·d)-1.     

需求视角的中国能源消费氮氧化物排放研究

基于经济投入产出生命周期评价(EIO-LCA)模型构建了中国1990—2010年能源消费氮氧化物完全排放矩阵,从需求的角度分析了氮氧化物排放在部门和不同需求间的分布结构,并通过情景模拟深入探讨了最终需求结构变化对氮氧化物排放的综合影响和拉动效应,以期探索中国氮氧化物减排的多元化途径.研究结果显示,1990—2010年中国氮氧化物排放总量从878万t上升到2398万t,历年来由工业部门拉动产生的氮氧化物占总量的比重高达70%左右;由最终消费拉动的氮氧化物排放比重逐年下降,资本形成和出口拉动的氮氧化物排放比重逐年上升.氮氧化物排放强度则从47.0 kg·万元-1降至6.0 kg·万元-1,其中,能源和交通部门的排放强度最高.通过情景模拟可以看出,提高最终消费比重,扩大内需有利于氮氧化物总量减排,尤其是对工业部门的减排效果显著.实现氮氧化物总量减排目标,要求在技术进步之外,积极寻求多元减排措施,以强化减排效果,突出能源和交通等重点部门的氮氧化物防治体系建设,并通过扩大内需优化最终需求结构以促进工业部门氮氧化物减排.     

环境保护部发布《2013年中国机动车污染防治年报》

环境保护部日前发布《2013年中国机动车污染防治年报》,公布了2012年全国机动车污染排放状况。本期“研究成果报道”专栏以七篇文稿形式连载该年报摘要和六部分主要内容。本文刊载《2013年中国机动车污染防治年报》摘要及其主要目录内容,以飨读者。     

车用燃料环保管理——《2013年中国机动车污染防治年报》（第V部分）

环境保护部日前发布《2013年中国机动车污染防治年报》,公布了2012年全国机动车污染排放状况。本期“研究成果展示”专栏以六篇形式连载。本文刊载关于车用燃料环保管理的内容,以飨读者。该年报指出。2012年,全国实施车用汽油国Ⅲ阶段标准,硫含量不超过150ppm。按照国家强制性标准《车用汽油》（GB17930—2011）要求,自2014年1月1日起,全国实施车用汽油国IV阶段标准,硫含量不超过50ppm。2012年,我国车用柴油生产和销售执行《车用柴油》（GB19147—2009）标准和《普通柴油》（GB252—2011）标准。按照规定,车用柴油硫含量不得超过350ppm,2013年7月1日后普通柴油硫含量将不得超过350ppm。在已发布第四阶段车用汽油标准（硫含量不大于50ppm）的基础上,由国家质检总局、国家标准委尽快发布第四阶段车用柴油标准（硫含量不大于50ppm）,过渡期至2014年底;2013年6月底前发布第五阶段车用柴油标准（硫含量不大于10ppm）,2013年底前发布第五阶段车用汽油标准（硫含量不大于10ppm）,过渡期均至2017年底。加快国内炼油企业升级改造,确保按照汽、柴油标准升级实施时间如期供应合格油品。2012年环境保护部发布的《关于加强储油库、加油站和油罐车油气污染治理工作的通知》指出,按照国务院批复的《重点区域大气污染防治“十二五”规划》要求,列入大气污染防治“重点控制区”的地区,应限时完成加油站、储油库、油罐车的油气回收治理;大气污染严重的地区可根据本地实际,提前完成油气污染治理工作。     

民国时期川东北灾荒严重的社会因素

民国时期川东北地区的干旱、洪水、滑坡、泥石流等灾害频发,范围广,灾情较严重,危害大。除自然因素外,各种社会因素对灾荒的严重程度也有直接影响。在军阀混战、赋税繁重、政治腐败、土匪横行的大背景下,政府防灾、救灾水平较为低下,民间赈灾杯水车薪,灾后恢复难度大。整体上防灾、救灾水平较低,人祸不亚于天灾。     

Trace elements and stable isotopes (delta13C and delta15N) in shallow and deep-water organisms from the East China Sea

Trace elements (22) and stable isotope ratios (δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C) were analyzed in marine organisms from shallow (SW) and deep-water (DW) of the East China Sea to understand biomagnification and prey source of trace elements. In the benthic marine organisms from DW, δ¹⁵N values were negatively correlated with Ba, Cu, Ag, Mo, Sr, As, and Co concentrations. This may be due to the specific accumulation in lower trophic animals and/or the biodilution through the food web in DW. Relationships between δ¹⁵N and concentrations of Co, Cr, Bi, and Tl in fish and Ag, Bi, V, Hg, and Tl in crustaceans showed positive correlations, suggesting that trophic position was affecting the concentrations of those elements in phyla, with higher trophic animals retaining higher concentrations than the lower trophic animals. Positive correlations between δ¹³C and Rb were observed in marine organisms. Therefore, Rb may be a possible substitute of δ¹³C as tracer of prey source in the East China Sea although further investigation is required.     

Modulation of steroidogenesis by coastal waters and sewage effluents of Hong Kong, China, using the H295R assay

BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE: The presence of a variety of pollutants in the aquatic environment that can potentially interfere with the production of sex steroid hormones in wildlife and humans has been of increasing concern. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of extracts from Hong Kong marine waters, and influents and effluents from wastewater treatment plants on steroidogenesis using the H295R cell bioassay. After exposing H295R cells to extracts of water, the expression of four steroidogenic genes and the production of three steroid hormones were measured. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Water samples were collected during the summer of 2005 from 24 coastal marine areas and from the influents and effluents of two major waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) in Hong Kong, China. Samples were extracted by solid phase extraction (SPE). H295R cells were exposed for 48 h to dilutions of these extracts. Modulations of the expression of the steroidogenic genes CYP19, CYP17, 3betaHSD2, and CYP11beta2 were determined by measuring mRNA concentrations by real-time polymerase chain reaction (Q-RT-PCR). Production of the hormones progesterone (P), estradiol (E2), and testosterone (T) was quantified using enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). RESULTS: Extracts from samples collected in two fish culture areas inhibited growth and proliferation of H295R cells at concentrations greater or equal to 10(5) L equivalents. The cells were exposed to the equivalent concentration of active substances in 10,000 L of water. Thus, to observe the same level of effect as observed in vitro on aquatic organisms would require a bioaccumulation factor of this same magnitude. None of the other 22 marine samples affected growth of the cells at any dilution tested. Twelve of the marine water samples completely inhibited the expression of CYP19 without affecting E2 production; inhibition of CYP17 expression was observed only in one of the samples while expression of CYP11beta2 was induced as much as five- and ninefold after exposure of cells to extracts from two locations. The expression of the progesterone gene 3betaHSD2 was not affected by any of the samples; only one sample induced approximately fourfold the production of E2. Although more than twofold inductions were observed for P and T production, none of these values were statistically significant to conclude effects on the production of these two hormones. While influents from WWTPs did not affect gene expression, an approximately 30% inhibition in the production of E2 and a 40% increase in P occurred for the exposure with influents from the Sha Tin and Stonecutters WWTPs, respectively. Effluents from WWTPs did not affect the production of any of the studied hormones, but a decrement in the expression of the aldosterone gene CYP11beta2 was observed for the Sha Tin WWTP exposure. No direct correlation could be established between gene expression and hormone production. DISCUSSION: Observed cytotoxicity in the two samples from fish culture areas suggest the presence of toxic compounds; chemical analysis is required for their full identification. Although effluents from WWTPs did not affect hormone production, other types of endocrine activity such as receptor-mediated effects cannot be ruled out. Interactions due to the complexity of the samples and alternative steroidogenic pathways might explain the lack of correlation between gene expression and hormone production results. CONCLUSIONS: Changes observed in gene expression and hormone production suggest the presence in Hong Kong coastal waters of pollutants with endocrine disruption potential and others of significant toxic effects. The aromatase and aldosterone genes seem to be the most affected by the exposures, while E2 and P are the hormones with more significant changes observed. Results also suggest effectiveness in the removing of compounds with endocrine activity by the WWTPs studied, as effluent samples did not significantly affect hormone production. The H295R cell showed to be a valuable toll in the battery required for the analysis of endocrine disrupting activities of complex environmental samples. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: Due to the intrinsic complexity of environmental samples, a combination of analytical tools is required to realistically assess environmental conditions, especially in aquatic systems. In the evaluation of endocrine disrupting activities, the H295R cell bioassay should be used in combination with other genomic, biological, chemical, and hydrological tests to establish viable modes for endocrine disruption and identify compounds responsible for the observed effects.