Using improved neural network model to analyze RSP,NOx and NO2 levels in urban air in Mong Kok,Hong Kong

As the health impact of air pollutants existing in ambient addresses much attention in recent years, forecasting of airpollutant parameters becomes an important and popular topic inenvironmental science. Airborne pollution is a serious, and willbe a major problem in Hong Kong within the next few years. InHong Kong, Respirable Suspended Particulate (RSP) and NitrogenOxides NO_x and NO₂ are major air pollutants due to thedominant diesel fuel usage by public transportation and heavyvehicles. Hence, the investigation and prediction of the influence and the tendency of these pollutants are ofsignificance to public and the city image. The multi-layerperceptron (MLP) neural network is regarded as a reliable andcost-effective method to achieve such tasks. The works presentedhere involve developing an improved neural network model, whichcombines the principal component analysis (PCA) technique and theradial basis function (RBF) network, and forecasting thepollutant levels and tendencies based in the recorded data. Inthe study, the PCA is firstly used to reduce and orthogonalizethe original input variables (data), these treated variables arethen used as new input vectors in RBF neural network modelestablished for forecasting the pollutant tendencies. Comparingwith the general neural network models, the proposed modelpossesses simpler network architecture, faster training speed,and more satisfactory predicting performance. This improvedmodel is evaluated by using hourly time series of RSP, NO_x and NO₂ concentrations collected at Mong Kok Roadside Gaseous Monitory Station in Hong Kong during the year 2000. By comparing the predicted RSP, NO_x and NO₂ concentrationswith the actual data of these pollutants recorded at the monitorystation, the effectiveness of the proposed model has been proven.Therefore, in authors' opinion, the model presented in the paper is a potential tool in forecasting air quality parameters and hasadvantages over the traditional neural network methods.     

Benchmarking for best practice environmental management

Benchmarking of environmental performance to demonstrate theachievement of best practice environmental management is acomponent of a new form of licensing of industrialdischarges in Western Australia. The paper describes theapproaches to benchmarking for the critical environmentalissues for an alumina refinery and wastewater treatmentplant. It also describes the lessons learnt from thebenchmarking process on appropriate methods, the benefitsand difficulties in the benchmarking process, and changesthat would assist benchmarking for best practiceenvironmental management.     

Optimal Timing to Adopt an Environmental Policy in a Strategic Framework

In this paper, the problem of optimal timing, when to adopt an environmental policy in a strategic framework is considered. Using real options theory and some basic tools of game theory, we show that, under certain assumptions, a country behaving strategically should wait longer before adopting such a policy than if it behaves unstrategically or within a larger entity. Such a postponed decision is sub-optimal as regards to the environment protection.     

Determining Ecoregions for Environmental and GMO Monitoring Networks

A representative environmental monitoring network at the regional scale cannot use raster-based or random sampling designs, but requires a stratified sampling procedure integrating different information layers, and it has to occur in ecologically differing homogeneous regions (ecoregions). These we have determined using a set of spatial strata with ecological variables which we analysed with classification and regression trees (CART). We present a framework for environmental monitoring, that covers different scales, and we transfer the framework to a potential GMO (genetically modified organisms) monitoring network. We use ecoregion and other environmental strata together with existing environmental monitoring networks to determine GMO monitoring sites more precisely.     

IMPACTS OF VISITORS ON SOIL AND VEGETATION OF THE RECREATIONAL AREA “NACIMIENTO DEL RÍO MUNDO” (CASTILLA-LA MANCHA, SPAIN)

This study examines the effects of recreational use on the soil and vegetation at a site of ecological importance (Nacimiento del Río Mundo, Albacete, Spain). The most visited sites showed increased soil compaction of approximately 50%, bare ground increase to 61 ± 10% and a decrease in richness (from 25 ± 2 to 15 ± 2 species), diversity (from 4.0 ± 0.1 to 2.7 ± 0.4) and stratification of plant species (from 80 ± 11 to 21 ± 4%). The most visited sites had 90% less plant species as compared to the least visited. Intense use was associated with the presence of nitrophilous plant and vegetal species with a morphology adapted to heavy trampling. The recreational areas showed a distribution pattern of impact radiating outwards from the most used and degraded point. At the most visited point, Los Chorros (the spring of the river), the impact radiated outwards for about 20 m. A pilot experiment examining the effects of one-year restriction to visitors for access to a formerly impacted area showed a plant cover increase by anthropic and not by native species of 57 percent units.     

Can health feasibly be considered as part of the planning process in Scotland?

The planning system is significant because of its capacity to determine the quality of the built environment as well as the health, well-being and quality of life of the individuals and communities therein. Development planning is especially important because of the long-term impact of the decisions. This paper was developed in response to increasing recognition amongst HIA practitioners in Scotland of the importance of planning for health. It focuses on the relationship between the planning system in Scotland, specifically the Development Planning element of it, and population health and considers how the health impact assessment (HIA) approach can facilitate and support joint working with planners. In particular, consideration is given to the potential impact of the introduction of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on the linkages between health, HIA and planning.     

新版《环境空气质量标准》热点污染物PM2.5监控策略的思考与建议

随着工业化和城市化进程的加速,大气气溶胶污染日趋严重,由气溶胶细粒子PM2.5污染造成的能见度恶化事件越来越多,中国东部地区灰霾天气迅速增加.灰霾天气的本质是细粒子气溶胶污染,与光化学污染相关联,形成灰霾天气的气溶胶组成非常复杂.近年来由于灰霾天气日趋严重引发的环境效应问题,以及气溶胶辐射强迫引发的气候效应问题,已引起科学界、政府部门和社会公众的广泛关注,成为热门话题.在此背景下,国家出台了新版《环境空气质量标准》(GB 3095-2012),增设PM2.5浓度限值,对环境监测、环境管理和环境评价提出了新的要求.通过分析中国大气污染背景、国际组织和其他国家的PM2.5标准,及近期热点问题,提出在环境监测、环境管理和环境评价过程中实施新标准,监控PM2.5的策略.     

城市地表水环境质量排名方法研究

基于现行的国家水环境质量评价标准和方法,研究建立了综合反映城市地表水环境质量的城市水质指数CWQI。方法具有普适性、可操作性和可比性,可用于城市地表水环境质量排名。应用于长三角经济圈、珠三角经济圈和京津冀经济圈的相关城市进行排名测算,3个经济圈的城市水质指数呈现不同的分布规律,总体来说长三角经济圈的城市地表水环境质量优于珠三角经济圈和京津冀经济圈。     

隧道竖井外流场模拟及风塔外型结构优化研究

为提高长大隧道施工及运营通风过程中竖井通风效率,实现隧道节能通风。依托实际隧道工程,基于Fluent软件,选用RNG k-ε湍流模型,对无竖井风塔、圆柱风塔、矩形风塔和凸台状风塔4种结构、不同环境风速工况下的流场进行数值模拟,并对模拟结果进行交叉比对分析,提出最优化的竖井风塔结构形式。研究结果表明:采用风塔结构竖井出流量要远大于无风塔结构竖井出流量;对于不同竖井风塔外型结构,竖井出流量与环境风速关系呈多项式函数;当倾斜角为45°、圆心角为90°时,凸台结构对应竖井出流量最大,且受环境风影响波动较小,通风稳定性较好。建议竖井出口结构选用矩形或凸台状,实现对环境风的高效利用,提高竖井通风效率。     

半刚性路面基层环境影响评价研究

采用输人输出模型,通过清单分析和归一化处理对我国典型的路面基层材料水泥稳定粒料与石灰稳定粒料以及几种工业固体废弃物路面基层材料的环境影响进行了研究并和水泥混凝土进行了对比.结果表明,工业固体废弃物路面基层对资源能源消耗量少,生产过程中固体废弃物、温室气体、酸雨气体的排放量小.和我国目前广泛使用的水泥稳定粒料相比,其环境影响较小,而且可以被再循环用作水泥生产的混合材,是一类典型的生态建筑材料.