Using environmental stressor information to predict the ecological status of Maryland non-tidal streams as measured by biological indicators

In Maryland, U.S., an interim framework has recentlybeen developed for using biologically based thresholds, or `biocriteria', to assess the health of nontidal streams statewide at watershed scales. The evaluation of impairment is based on indices of biological integrity from the Maryland Biological Stream Survey (MBSS). We applied logistic regression to quantify how the biotic integrity of streams at a local scale is affected by cumulative effects resulting from catchment land uses, point sources, and nearby transmission line rights-of-way. Indicators for land use were developed from the remote sensing National Land Cover Data and applied at different scales. We determined that the risk of local impairment in nontidal streams rapidly increases with increased urban land use in the catchment area. The average likelihood of failing biocriteria doubled with every 10% points increment in urban land, thus an increase in urban land use from 0 to 20% quadruples the risk of impairment. For the basins evaluated in this study, catchments with more than 40–50% urban land use had greater than 80% probability of failing biocriteria, on average. Inclusion of rights-of-way and point sources in the model did not significantly improve the fit for this data set, most likely because of their low numbers. The overall results indicate that our predictive modeling approach can help pinpoint stream ecosystems experiencing or vulnerable to degradation.     

Temperature and Concentration Effects in Biomonitoring of Organic Air Pollutants

Up to now only very few studies in biomonitoring of organic air pollutants have been published taking into account the strong influence mean temperatures have on the accumulation process into plants during the course of the exposition. Temperature governed sorption as well as the plants vitality pose a major source of uncertainty making inter-study comparisons difficult. Different surface-to-volume ratios of plant foliage lead to strongly varying concentration effects in different plant species. Moreover a plants content of waxes and lipids must be considered in order to relate xenobiotic concentrations to the compounds being most efficient in the bioaccumulation process. Some of these factors are evaluated in regard to the use of plants as biomonitors for organic air pollutants. Another aim is to deduce the mean ambient gas phase concentrations from PAH concentrations determined in the biomonitor plants using vegetation-air partitioning coefficients which have been corrected for temperature dependent sorption as well as the plants lipid content. Restrictions of such approaches and methods of biomonitoring in general are discussed.     

Biodegradability: An assessment of commercial polymers according to the Canadian method for anaerobic conditions

The degradation of several biodegradable polymers was measured as a result of exposure to an anaerobic medium. The polymers investigated included materials based upon polylactic acid, polylactone, and poly(hydroxy butyrate/valerate) as well as those incorporating starch-based materials. The degradation was monitored by methane and carbon dioxide evolution. In addition, the physical and chemical changes were noted as a result of exposure. These measurements included changes in mass, dimension, and molecular weight. FTIR, UV-vis, proton, and¹³C NMR spectra were also recorded prior to and after exposure. The results clearly indicated that several biological and chemical degradation processes were occurring with the biodegradable polymers studied.Paper presented at the Bio/Environmentally Degradable Polymer Society—Second National Meeting, August 19–21, 1993, Chicago, Illinois.Issued as NRCC No. 37549.     

Effects of lead , cadmium , mercury chlorides and aquaticenvironmental samples on the growth of Escherichia coli

In this paper it was reported that PbCl₂ , CdCl₂ , HgCl₂, and aquatic environmental samples containing Al, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sr, Zn and other heavy metal ions as well as organic chemicals suppressed thegrowth of E. coli only at higher exposed concentrations. The stimulative effects of PbCl₂ and HgCl₂ on thegrowth of E. coli were clearly showed at lower concentrations and longer time. It suggested that the toxic effects of heavy metal ions and other pollutants on the growth of E. coli are variable according to the differentexposed levels.     

直流输电线路对环境影响探究

随着科学技术的发展,许多领域在提高工效、节约资源、降低能耗和保护环境方面得到很大的提高.在国内直流输电线路应用就是之一.本文回顾了直流输电线路这项技术发展史,分析了该项技术在技术上和经济上等方面的优缺点,以及直流输电线路对环境和人的影响因素,通过实际工程估算结果说明了直流输电线路的环境影响,为今后开展该项工作提供借鉴.     

基于原代培养背角无齿蚌鳃细胞的镉毒性效应评价

为了探究淡水贝类背角无齿蚌鳃细胞的原代培养途径，并阐释其在评价水体Cd²⁺毒性效应上的潜力，本研究比较了不同酶分解方法（链霉蛋白酶、胰蛋白酶）的鳃细胞存活率差异，并分析了L-15培养基中不同血清浓度（10% FBS、20% FBS）对鳃细胞存活率的影响，细胞置于20℃生化培养箱中培养.进而根据Cd²⁺对鳃细胞的LC₂₅值设定0.0625、0.125、0.25、0.5和1.0 mg·L^-1 5个Cd²⁺理论浓度梯度，对原代培养的鳃细胞进行24 h暴露，分析了细胞活力、总超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）和酸性磷酸酶（AcP）的变化特征.结果表明：0.025%链霉蛋白酶在4℃分解16 h的鳃细胞存活率为98.2%±0.2%，显著高于0.25%胰蛋白酶在26℃分解30 min的89.4%±3.5%鳃细胞存活率（p<0.05）；L15培养基加入10% FBS的细胞存活率总体显著高于添加20% FBS的细胞存活率（p<0.05）.在上述较佳的分解和血清浓度组合条件下，细胞培养120 h后，其存活率仍高达90.1%±4.7%.鳃细胞活力随着Cd²⁺浓度的增加而降低，两者之间呈显著的线性负相关（p<0.05）；随着Cd²⁺浓度的增加，SOD和AcP含量总体增加，而CAT含量呈现出"诱导-抑制"的变化趋势.本研究初步建立了较为适宜的背角无齿蚌鳃细胞的原代培养方法，并揭示了其原代培养鳃细胞的细胞活力及SOD、CAT、AcP水平，具有作为评价水环境Cd²⁺毒性/污染的生物指标的潜力.     

冀西北黄土丘陵沟壑区梯田地埂植物篱的固埂作用与效益分析

经对张家口地区梯田地埂植物篱的研究表明 ,其固埂作用非常显著 ,且能够改善土壤的理化性状及水分状况 ,有效地拦蓄地表径流及泥沙 ,提高作物产量 ,具有明显的经济效益 ,在当地具有很广泛的推广应用价值     

Fluoride distibution and the effect of some ions along Alexandria coastal Mediterranean seawater of Egypt

The coastal seawater of Mediterranean of Alexandria receives large amount of discharged waters containing industrial wastes, sewage, and agricultural and domestic drainage. Fluoride and some parameters were(chemical and physical) determined. The data gave indication that the content and the amount of the discharged water largely affect the chemical composition of the coastal water. Stepwise regression analysis was highly significant and the model was very fruitful, where the observed and calculated values were mostly concordant. This may indicated that there was a relation between fluoride content in coastal seawater and its content in the discharged water.     

现阶段城市物流绿色化发展趋势的动因与对策研究

城市物流形成绿色化发展趋势的主要动因在于汽车运输业的迅速发展及其给城市环境与人们生活质量所造成的巨大影响上.二战以后,汽车运输业的迅速发展和在给社会提供迅速、便捷与准确服务的同时,也给城市的环境造成了严重的负面影响;尤其是由于城市路网和货物运输中心等基础设施既落后且缺乏科学的规划,无形中更加剧了城市物流与城市环境保护之间的矛盾.为实现城市物流的绿色化发展,实践中就有必要合理规划城市物流系统、通过多式联运以尽量降低卡车运输量的比例、积极应用信息技术以推进和实现物流管理的智能化、发展第三方物流实现共同配送.     

Parental response to mid-trimester therapeutic abortion following amniocentesis

This article reports the results of a retrospective study designed to examine the responses of couples to genetic amniocentesis and subsequent therapeutic abortions due to birth defects. Fourteen women and 12 men were interviewed by experienced interviewers using a structured format designed by the authors, and each interview was audiotaped for later rating. The 5 raters (all women) were instructed to independently rate each interview using forms designed by the authors to elicit information about many aspects of the participant's individual responses as well as perceptions of spouse's responses to the process of pregnancy, amniocentesis, therapeutic abortion, and sequelae. Ratings of all 5 raters were conjoined and an homogeneous narrative was constructed for each interview. Results indicate, in general, that the respondent couples coped well with this experience. In fact 70 per cent of the respondent couples described their marital relationships as becoming closer as a result of their experience. Only a few participants reported long-term deleterious effects. Most couples coped by relying on relatives, friends, and occasionally, professional counsellors. In addition, most participants in this study suggested ways to improve the medical and psychological aspects of this experience.