Monitoring Air Quality in Mountains: Designing an Effective Network

A quantitatively robust yet parsimonious air-quality monitoring network in mountainous regions requires special attention to relevant spatial and temporal scales of measurement and inference. The design of monitoring networks should focus on the objectives required by public agencies, namely: 1) determine if some threshold has been exceeded (e.g., for regulatory purposes), and 2) identify spatial patterns and temporal trends (e.g., to protect natural resources). A short-term, multi-scale assessment to quantify spatial variability in air quality is a valuable asset in designing a network, in conjunction with an evaluation of existing data and simulation-model output. A recent assessment in Washington state (USA) quantified spatial variability in tropospheric ozone distribution ranging from a single watershed to the western third of the state. Spatial and temporal coherence in ozone exposure modified by predictable elevational relationships ( 1.3 ppbv ozone per 100 m elevation gain) extends from urban areas to the crest of the Cascade Range. This suggests that a sparse network of permanent analyzers is sufficient at all spatial scales, with the option of periodic intensive measurements to validate network design. It is imperative that agencies cooperate in the design of monitoring networks in mountainous regions to optimize data collection and financial efficiencies.     

Cumulative impact assessment in environmental planning: A coastal wetland watershed example

Several theoretical, analytical, and institutional difficulties have impeded the development and application of the assessment of cumulative environmental impacts. Watershed development on coastal wetlands offers an ideal context for evaluating the land disturbance target approach to cumulative impact assessment. A model land use planning system involving a time series approach was developed for Elkhorn Slough in California. The approach included four major components: evaluation of erosion susceptibility, measurement of land disturbance, establishment of a land disturbance target, and a comparison of existing and target land disturbance values. Further research is needed to test the transferability of the approach in a wide range of coastal watersheds and to verify the applicability of the methods to other cumulative impact problems.     

苏州河氨化菌分布及生理生化研究

对苏州河氨化菌进行了生态调查,并对其进行了生理生化分析。研究结果表明,苏州河水体中氨化菌数量普遍较高,上游至下游氨化菌数量逐步增多。氨化菌数量与水体中总氮和氨氮呈正比,与硝酸盐成反比。     

离子色谱分析中的几个问题探讨

在掌握离子色谱技术最新发展动态的基础上,对离子色谱的新进展、前处理新技术、常用的改善分离度方法、若干注意事项、常遇到的问题等进行了分析探讨,以期用离子色谱技术更多更好地解决实际问题.     

科技论文的写作

本文介绍了科技论文的写作步骤和基本格式,指出科技论文写作中应注意的事项。     

从城市规划角度浅议城市道路噪声污染问题解决途径

对兰州市近三年来交通噪声的特征在城市空间结构的背景上,以公众反映为尺度进行了分析评价,研究表明,(1)公众对不同城市空间结构上道路噪声反映均为起伏大、吵闹和一般不可接受;(2)部分区域噪声污染指标超标与早期规划有关;(3)近期道路规划和建设是噪声下降的主要原因;最后指出,基于规划基础上的环境问题规律性的研究和基于环境保护理念下的规划设计模式的研究将是今后环保专业和规划专业人员共同探讨的课题。     

近年来宁夏对沙尘天气的监测及对沙漠化防治对策

宁夏在全区范围内建立沙尘暴监测网络,开展对沙尘天气的应急监测。宁夏作为沙源区和沙尘过往的主要通道,2002年全区共监测沙尘天气12次,沙尘粒径多分布在大于2 1μm。为防治沙漠化,宁夏积极寻求国际间合作,采取退耕还林还草、划管封育、禁牧、把握人工降雨时机等一系列措施,加大对沙漠化的防治力度。     

肿瘤病房医用直线加速器对周围环境电离辐射的调查分析

通过对医院肿瘤病房医用直线加速器机房周围环境的电离辐射监测调查 ,并计算分析各相关人群的年有效剂量当量 ,结果低于《辐射防护规定》(GB870 3- 88)中的标准限值。表明医用直线加速器机房的辐射防护设施设计是安全合理的 ,具有重要的现实意义 ,该辐射防护设施具有推广价值。     

Economic development and environmental protection: an ecological economics perspective

This paper argues on both theoretical and empirical grounds that, beyond a certain point, there is an unavoidable conflictbetween economic development (generally taken to mean 'materialeconomic growth') and environmental protection. Think for a moment of natural forests, grasslands, marine estuaries, salt marshes, and coral reefs; and of arable soils, aquifers, mineraldeposits, petroleum, and coal. These are all forms of 'natural capital' that represent highly-ordered self-producing ecosystemsor rich accumulations of energy/matter with high use potential (low entropy). Now contemplate despoiled landscapes, eroding farmlands, depleted fisheries, anthropogenic greenhouse gases,acid rain, poisonous mine tailings and toxic synthetic compounds.These all represent disordered systems or degraded forms of energy and matter with little use potential (high entropy). The main thing connecting these two states is human economic activity. Ecological economics interprets the environment-economyrelationship in terms of the second law of thermodynamics. The second law sees economic activity as a dissipative process. Fromthis perspective, the production of economic goods andservices invariably requires the consumption of available energy and matter. To grow and develop, the economynecessarily 'feeds' on sources of high-quality energy/matter first produced by nature. This tends to disorder and homogenizethe ecosphere, The ascendance of humankind has consistently been accompanied by an accelerating rate of ecological degradation, particularly biodiversity loss, the simplificationof natural systems and pollution. In short, contemporary political rhetoric to the contrary, the prevailing growth-oriented global development paradigm is fundamentally incompatible with long-term ecological and social sustainability. Unsustainability is not a technical nor economic problem as usually conceived, but rather a state of systemic incompatibilitybetween a economy that is a fully-contained, growing, dependent sub-system of a non-growing ecosphere. Potential solutions fly inthe face of contemporary development trends and cultural values.     

Water Quality Evaluation and Trend Analysis in Selected Watersheds of the Atlantic Region of Canada

Water quality indices (WQIs) have been developed to assess the suitability of water for a variety of uses. These indices reflect the status of water quality in lakes, streams, rivers, and reservoirs. The concept of WQIs is based on a comparison of the concentration of contaminants with the respective environmental standards. The number, frequency, and magnitude by which the environmental standards for specific variables are not met in a given time period are reflected in WQIs. Further, the water quality trend analysis predicts the behavior of the water quality parameters and overall water quality in the time domain. In this paper, the concept of WQI was applied to three selected watersheds of Atlantic region: the Mersey River, the Point Wolfe River, and the Dunk River sites. To have robust study, two different water quality indices are used: Canadian Water Quality Index (CWQI), and British Columbia Water Quality Index (BWQI). The complete study was conducted in two steps. The first step was to organize and process the data into a format compatible with WQI analysis. After processing the input data, the WQI was calculated. The second step outlined in the paper discusses detailed trend analysis using linear and quadratic models for all the three sites. As per the 25 years trend analysis, overall water quality for agriculture use observed an improving trend at all the three sites studied. Water quality for raw water used for drinking (prior to treatment) and aquatic uses has shown improving trend at Point Wolfe River. It is further observed that pH, SO₄, and NO₃ concentrations are improving at Dunk River, Mersey River, and Point Wolfe River sites. To ascertain the reliability and significance of the trend analysis, a detailed error analysis and parametric significance tests were also conducted It was observed that for most of the sites and water uses quadratic trend models were a better fit than the linear models.