Experimental field estimation of organic nitrogen formation in tree canopies

The content of organic N has been shown in many studies to increase during the passage of rain water through forest canopies. The source of this organic N is unknown, but generally assumed to come from canopy processing of wet or dry-deposited inorganic N. There have been very few experimental studies in the field to address the canopy formation or loss of organic N. We report two studies: a Scots pine canopy exposed to ammonia gas, and a Sitka spruce canopy exposed to ammonium and nitrate as wet deposition. In both cases, organic N deposition in throughfall was increased, but only represented a small fraction (<10%) of the additional inorganic N supplied, suggesting a limited capacity for net organic N production, similar in both conifer canopies under Scottish summertime conditions, of less than 1.6 mmol N m⁻² mth⁻¹ (equivalent to 3 kg N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹).     

Comparison of community composition and species diversity of understorey and overstorey tree species in a dry tropical forest of northern India

The study focuses on understorey-overstorey plant community dynamics in a dry tropical forest to facilitate appropriate management decisions. We compare community composition and species diversity of the understorey vegetation among five dry tropical forest sites in northern India. A total of 1500 quadrats distributed over 15 one-ha permanent plots in five sites differing in the degree of disturbance, were used to enumerate the understorey tree species and the results were compared with overstorey tree layer. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination revealed that human disturbance intensity, as well as the overall disturbance regimes, and soil water holding capacity controlled the organisation of dry tropical forest understorey composition through effects on soil organic matter. The alpha-diversity and its components decreased with increasing human disturbance intensity, reflecting utilisation pressure and decreased soil fertility, as also revealed by the analysis of overstorey tree layer. There was a significant positive relationship between overstorey and understorey diversity. Results suggest that in the future, the existing understorey tree communities may replace the current dry tropical forest communities under prevailing environmental conditions. The study also asserts that the rate of species accumulation will be greater in more disturbed sites as well as at small spatial scale within each disturbance level.     

Elemental concentrations in air, water, and aquatic biota in two rural provinces in northern Vietnam

The present study on environmental pollution in northern Vietnam investigates elemental concentrations in fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), freshwater, and aquatic biota at two sites with differing levels of industrial activities. An Thin is situated 47 km east of Hanoi in the neighbourhood of a coal combustion power plant, whereas the reference site, Duy Minh, is situated in the agricultural province of Ha Nam, 40 km south of Hanoi. Elemental concentrations were analysed using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence, total reflection X-ray fluorescence, and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectro-metry. All investigated elements in fine particles (PM_2.5) had significantly higher concentrations in An Thin, thus identifying the air at this site as polluted. In contrast to the aerosol samples, elemental concentrations as well as quantitative differences between the sampling sites were low in freshwater and biota, indicating that the impact of atmospheric deposition was limited.     

Atmospheric deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons near New England coastal waters

Wet and dry deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was measured at Nahant, Massachusetts, a peninsula jutting into Massachusetts Bay and Wolf Neck, a peninsula jutting into Casco Bay, Maine. Wet deposition (rain and snow) was collected in a funnel which drains into a shielded, temperature controlled receiving bottle. Dry deposition of gaseous and particulate PAHs was collected onto an exposed water surface. PAHs were analyzed by solid phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Sixteen PAH species were analyzed, ranging from acenaphthylene to coronene. The mean wet deposition rate of the sum of the 16 species is 720 ng m⁻² cm⁻¹ precipitation at Nahant, and 831 ng m⁻² cm⁻¹ precipitation at Wolf Neck. Wet deposition is attributed to regional PAH emitting sources. Storm patterns appear to bring somewhat higher wet deposition of PAHs to Wolf Neck than to Nahant. The mean dry deposition rate is 95 ng m⁻² h⁻¹ at Nahant and 9.3 ng m⁻² h⁻¹ at Wolf Neck. The large difference is attributed to the fact that Nahant is close to the urban-industrial metropolitan Boston area and Logan International Airport, whereas Wolf Neck has no major PAH-emitting sources nearby. Individual measurements have an error bracket of ±30%. The Chemical Mass Balance model was used to apportion the dry deposition to source categories. At Nahant, nine samples gave valid statistical attributes with a mean apportionment: jet exhaust 35%, gasoline fueled vehicles 32%, diesel fueled vehicles 17%, wood combustion 13%, others 3%. At Wolf Neck, six samples yielded a mean apportionment: jet exhaust 30%, gasoline vehicles 28%, diesel vehicles 18%, wood combustion 16%, others 8%. There is a considerable variation between the samples. The apportionment is greatly dependent on the quality and selection of the model inputs, i.e. source signatures, which for PAHs are questionable.     

微环境新风量的检测原理及方法研究

新风量是评价室内微环境空气卫生质量的主要卫生指标之一,也是计算室内某种气体单位时间排放量的重要参数。以CO2作为示踪气体,利用于冰升华和人体呼吸产生CO2示踪气体两种测量方法对室内和车内微环境进行了检测,并考虑室内人呼出CO2量的影响,运用箱子模式的各种推导公式（稳态法、解析解法和差分法）对新风量进行了计算,并对结果进行了讨论。结果表明,没有人存在下,用箱子模式的解析解法和差分法计算的新风量值没有明显的统计差异;微环境内有人时必须考虑人释放的影响,这样箱子模式的各种推导公式都可以计算新风量值,且结果准确,准确度高。利用人体呼吸产生CO2示踪气体法,用差分法计算结果不理想,偏差很大;用稳态法计算重现性高,结果可靠。     

谈高效节能的褐煤应用技术

褐煤,一种煤化程度较低的易燃化石,在全球的煤炭储量中占据40％。在目前全球以化石能源为主体的结构下,褐煤的综合利用越来越受到世界能源专家的重视。本文主要讨论褐煤在发电、深加工等方面的节能利用技术。     

不同生长期暴马丁香叶中活性成分分析

通过对不同采收期暴马丁香叶中主要活性成分和微量元素含量的分析,研究活性成分与微量元素对暴马丁香叶质量的影响.采用高效液相色谱法测定暴马丁香叶中紫丁香苷的含量,紫外分光光度法测定其总黄酮和多糖的含量,原子吸收分光光度法测定其铁、锰、锌、铜的含量,再采用SPSS16.0软件对测定结果进行统计分析.暴马丁香叶中紫丁香苷和总黄酮在5月2日含量较高,4月20日含量较低;总多糖和4种微量元素在5月2日含量较低,4月20日含量较高.与不同采收期紫丁香苷和总黄酮含量上升或下降趋势对比,总多糖和微量元素的含量变化总体上却与其相反.暴马丁香叶中紫丁香苷、总黄酮与Fe、Mn、Zn元素间呈现一定的拮抗作用,而多糖与Fe、Zn、Cu元素间呈协同作用,微量元素对暴马丁香叶的质量有一定的影响.     

水稻幼苗镉积累特征和离体叶片耐镉性的基因型差异

水稻根系对镉(Cd)的富集能力和向地上部的转运效率直接决定着水稻地上部的Cd积累量,是影响稻米中镉含量的关键因素。提高水稻根系对Cd的阻控能力有助于降低南方稻区大米镉含量超标的风险。以水稻核心种质资源中的高Cd积累品种‘齐头白谷’和低Cd积累品种‘27760’的幼苗和离体叶片为材料,对其Cd吸收转运特性和耐镉能力进行了比较研究。结果表明,根系细胞壁和原生质体的Cd吸收动力学特征都符合米氏方程,‘齐头白谷’的Cd最大吸收速率F_(max)显著大于‘27760’,Km值无显著差异。当根际环境中的Cd浓度高于0.89μmol·L~(-1)时,‘齐头白谷’的细胞壁和原生质体的Cd积累速率显著高于‘27760’。地上部细胞壁和原生质体的Cd吸收速率与根系可溶性组分中的Cd浓度呈显著的线性正相关。当根系可溶性组分中的Cd浓度相近时,‘齐头白谷’地上部细胞壁和原生质体的Cd积累速率显著高于‘27760’。在0.89~8.9μmol·L~(-1)的Cd溶液中,‘齐头白谷’离体叶片的失绿速度明显低于‘27760’。‘齐头白谷’具有耐Cd能力强、Cd积累速率快和转运效率高的特点。水稻离体叶片的耐Cd能力和幼苗根系的Cd积累能力以及幼苗的Cd转运能力高度相关,它们都可作为快速鉴定低Cd积累品种的生理指标。     

Assessment of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in 10 samples of Iranian and foreign consumed tea leaves and dissolved beverages

The tea bush (Comellia sinensis) is grown commercially in a large number of countries. Tea is a beverage, which consists of processed and dried tea leaves and is one of the most popular global drinks. Tea contains some heavy metals, such as Pb and Cd, which exert adverse effects on human health. The aim of this study was to determine the Pb and Cd levels in tea leaves and in the solution following dissolution in boiling water. In order to assess Pb and Cd in Iranian consumed tea, 10 tea samples were analyzed for metal concentration in tea leaves and boiled water solutions. For tea leaf analysis, the samples (5 g) were oven dried, ash dried in a cold oven, cooled at room temperature and then 2 mL nitric acid were added to the samples and the acid were evaporated on hot plate. For tea solution analysis, tea (5 g) was added to 250 mL of boiling distilled water and after filtering, the liquid was collected as tea solution. The results show that the average concentration of Pb and Cd in Iranian tea leaves was 9.73 and 0.67 mg kg^?1 and in foreign tea leaves 2.5 and 0.53 mg kg^?1, respectively. Shariat and Golkis representing Iranian, and Red Shahrzad and Ahmad representing foreign tea, showed the highest and lowest concentration respectively of Pb. Bamdad and Shariat representing Iranian, and Black Sedaghat and Ahmad representing foreign tea, showed the highest and lowest levels of Cd, respectively. The results showed that the longer the time of dissolution of the tea, the higher concentration of Pb and Cd in tea solution. In order to control Pb and Cd levels in tea, the type of water used in agriculture and quality of soil needs to be regulated.     

Solid phase extraction of trace metals from environmental samples using Amberlite XAD-7 loaded with 2-hydroxy-propiophenone-4-phenyl-3-thiosemicarbazone and determination by inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry

A method for the solid phase extraction of trace metals, namely Co, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn, from environmental and biological samples using column Amberlite XAD-7 loaded with 2-hydroxy-propiophenone-4-phenyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (HPPPTSC) and determination by inductively coupled spectrometry (ICP–AES) has been developed. The reagent has the capacity to form chelate complexes with the metals because of three binding sites in the reagent molecule. The optimum experimental conditions for the quantitative sorption of five metals, pH, effect of flow rate, concentration of eluent, sorption capacity and the effect of diverse ions on the preconcentration of analytes have been investigated. The sorption capacity of the resin has 83, 127, 35, 88 and 85?µmol?g^?1 for Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Pb²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Zn²⁺, respectively. The preconcentration factors for Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Pb²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Zn²⁺ were 100, 110, 120, 140 and 150, respectively. The accuracy of the proposed procedure was evaluated by standard reference materials. The achieved results were in good agreement with certified values. The proposed method was applied for the determination of trace metals in river water and plant leaves.