Arsenic bioaccumulation in rice and edible plants and subsequent transmission through food chain in Bengal basin: a review of the perspectives for environmental health

Arsenic (As) is a metalloid that poses serious environmental threats due to its behemoth toxicity and wide abundance. The use of arsenic-contaminated groundwater for irrigation purpose in crop fields elevates arsenic concentration in surface soil and in the plants. In many arsenic-affected countries, including Bangladesh and India, rice is reported to be one of the major sources of arsenic contamination. Rice is much more efficient at accumulating arsenic into the grains than other staple cereal crops. Rice is generally grown in submerged flooded condition, where arsenic bioavailability is high in soil. As arsenic species are phytotoxic, they can also affect the overall production of rice, and can reduce the economic growth of a country. Once the foodstuffs are contaminated with arsenic, this local problem can gain further significance and may become a global problem, as many food products are exported to other countries. Large-scale use of rainwater in irrigation systems, bioremediation by arsenic-resistant organisms and hyperaccumulating plants, and the aerobic cultivation of rice are some possible ways to reduce the extent of bioaccumulation in rice. Investigation on a complete food chain is urgently needed in the arsenic-contaminated zones, which should be our priority in future researches.     

Life cycle assessment and environmental improvement of residential and drinking water supply systems in Hanoi,Vietnam

In many Asian cities the public water supply is characterised by low pressure, frequent interruptions and occasional contamination. Hence, private households have to store water and increase pressure individually to ensure an uninterrupted supply at sufficient pressure and water for drinking has to be boiled or supplied separately in bottles. In this study the present water supply system in Hanoi and a number of modification options were analysed from an environmental point of view through life cycle assessment (LCA) in order to identify the most sustainable solutions for future water supply. It was found that the boiling of water for drinking was the largest source of impacts in the present system. Impacts could be reduced significantly if the public supply network was improved and private pumping and storage could be avoided and if the water could be used directly for drinking. It was also found that impacts could be reduced if consumers used bottled water for drinking instead of boiling tap water. Finally, it was demonstrated that even if drinking water cannot be supplied directly through the public network, a reliable public water supply at high pressure is environmentally advantageous. Sensitivity analyses revealed that the conclusions of this study are likely to be applicable to other cities with similar water supply systems.     

生物质环保能源产业链发展探讨

简述了生物质概念及生物质利用技术的概况,介绍了生物质(竹、木剩余物)气、炭、液、油四联产生物质能源利用产业链的发展思路,对生物质利用的市场应用及发展进行了分析预测。     

BUFFER STRIPS TO PROTECT WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIRS: A MODEL AND RECOMMENDATIONS1

ABSTRACT: Buffer strips are undisturbed, naturally vegetated zones around water supply reservoirs and their tributaries that are a recognized and integral aspect of watershed management. These strips can be very effective in protecting the quality of public potable water supply reservoirs by removing sediment and associated pollutants, reducing bank erosion, and displacing activities from the water's edge that represent potential sources of nonpoint source pollutant generation. As part of a comprehensive watershed management protect for the State of New Jersey, a parameter-based buffer strip model was developed for application to all watersheds above water supply intakes or reservoirs. Input requirements for the model include a combination of slope, width, and time of travel. The application of the model to a watershed in New Jersey with a recommended buffer strip width that ranges from 50 to 300 feet, depending upon a number of assumptions, results in from 6 to 13 percent of the watershed above the reservoir being occupied by the buffer.     

远洋船员的机体功能状态与适航性研究

将远洋航行船员的内在和外在环境作为人因失效根原因和关键环节进行分析研讨,指出其对船员机体功能造成的负面影响,而产生失效行为,造成船舶事故.基于马尔可夫链原理,建立远洋船员的机体功能状态在航行链中的变化过程矩阵.根据对中远集团部分远洋船员统计数据,建立机体状态初始向量,结合过程矩阵进行仿真,结果显示船员从第5个月时,开始出现再适应期(休船期).考虑到航运业具体特点,远洋船员的航行时间以4个月为益,不要超过6个月.从船员机体状态适航性的角度,根据船员的状态向量的转换结果,分析和预测船员的适航性,对船员进行合理配置能有效提高船舶的航行安全.     

燃烧、爆炸过程复杂性行为的非线性动力学—突变燃烧学、突变爆炸学(Ⅱ)(上)

针对燃烧,爆炸学中存在的大量非连续性现象,提出了突变燃烧学和突变爆炸学的概念,指出了突变燃烧学和突变爆炸学的基本任务和主要研究内容。提出了单颗碳粒着火和熄火现象的突变机理。     

Fish Assemblage Responses to Water Withdrawals and Water Supply Reservoirs in Piedmont Streams

Understanding effects of flow alteration on stream biota is essential to developing ecologically sustainable water supply strategies. We evaluated effects of altering flows via surface water withdrawals and instream reservoirs on stream fish assemblages, and compared effects with other hypothesized drivers of species richness and assemblage composition. We sampled fishes during three years in 28 streams used for municipal water supply in the Piedmont region of Georgia, U.S.A. Study sites had permitted average withdrawal rates that ranged from < 0.05 to > 13 times the stream’s seven-day, ten-year recurrence low flow (7Q10), and were located directly downstream either from a water supply reservoir or from a withdrawal taken from an unimpounded stream. Ordination analysis of catch data showed a shift in assemblage composition at reservoir sites corresponding to dominance by habitat generalist species. Richness of fluvial specialists averaged about 3 fewer species downstream from reservoirs, and also declined as permitted withdrawal rate increased above about 0.5 to one 7Q10-equivalent of water. Reservoir presence and withdrawal rate, along with drainage area, accounted for 70% of the among-site variance in fluvial specialist richness and were better predictor variables than percent of the catchment in urban land use or average streambed sediment size. Increasing withdrawal rate also increased the odds that a site’s Index of Biotic Integrity score fell below a regulatory threshold indicating biological impairment. Estimates of reservoir and withdrawal effects on stream biota could be used in predictive landscape models to support adaptive water supply planning intended to meet societal needs while conserving biological resources.     

基于BP神经网络与马尔可夫链的污水处理厂脱氮效果模拟预测

在实际污水处理厂运行过程中,其最终出水水质会受多种因素影响制约,而基于生物反应机理的活性污泥数学模型(ASM)并未将这些生物反应以外的因素考虑在内,由此带来一些不足.对此,本文提出可通过基于数据挖掘技术的黑箱模型对污水厂处理效果进行模拟预测.结合具体实际分析,提出可将BP神经网络与马尔可夫链组合应用于污水处理脱氮效果预测中.首先,通过BP神经网络模型对北京某大型污水处理厂实际进出水数据和工艺参数进行粗略拟合;其次,利用马尔可夫链对拟合结果及误差进行状态划分以进一步提高预测精确度;最后,运用基于BP神经网络与马尔可夫链的组合模型预测分析了该厂的实际出水水质.试验结果表明,BP神经网络适用于污水处理脱氮过程的拟合计算,而通过与马尔可夫链组合,可以提高模拟预测的精度和可靠性.     

森林经营主体的碳汇供给潜力差异及影响因素研究

增加森林碳汇已成为应对气候变化的重要举措。论文基于浙江、江西和福建三省农户和林场的调研数据,以杉木为案例树种,引用生长模型、修正的Faustmann 模型碳密度和价格数据,对单一和碳汇木材复合经营目标下的杉木最佳轮伐期和林地期望值进行了分析,并基于此比较了不同森林经营主体碳汇供给潜力的差异,同时模拟了不同营林成本和利率水平下对森林经营主体碳汇供给差异造成的影响。可以发现,在可能的碳汇林经营模式下,基于目前杉木市场价格远高于碳价格的现实,森林经营主体的经营采伐决策并不会发生明显改变,从而导致在大范围的碳价格变动下碳汇的供给也没有显著增加,这也说明木材收益和碳收益的两个不同经营目标是协调的;林场凭借着规模、技术和资金等资源禀赋优势将成为今后碳汇林的适宜经营和供给主体;从影响因素来看,目前市场利率处于低位徘徊的前提下,即碳汇林地的潜在投资价值巨大,尤其对劣等土地的投资效果明显;理论上营林成本会提升继而导致碳汇供给增加,这反而对于森林固碳有显著正面影响。     

Willingness to pay to improve domestic water supply in rural areas of Central Tanzania: Implications for policy

This analysis estimates willingness to pay to improve community-based rural water utilities in the Dodoma and Singida Regions of Central Tanzania, using Multinomial Logit functions. An estimate of willingness to pay provides an indication of the demand for improved services and potential for them being sustainable. Surveys were conducted in a total of 30 villages in the two regions. In the Dodoma Region, about 14% of respondents indicated that they were satisfied with the status quo, 64% suggested increasing water discharge and watering points, and 22% proposed other improvements relating to water quality. In the Singida Region, 31% of the respondents were satisfied with the status quo, 59% wanted deeper boreholes and watering points, and 10% indicated other types of improvement relating to water quality. The Multinomial Logit functions indicated that the interaction between the water quality variable and proposed bids were important in making choices with reference to the type of improvement desired. Respondents who wanted to increase water supply in Dodoma Region were willing to pay 32 Tsh above the existing tariff of 20 Tsh/bucket. In the Singida Region, the analogous amount was 91 Tsh per household per year above the existing user fee of 508 Tsh per household per year. If the tariff or user fees have to be increased, the estimated average potential revenue for the surveyed villages was 252 million Tsh/year (US$265 263) in the Dodoma Region, and 5.2 million Tsh/year (US$5474) in the Singida Region. In the future, strategic planning is needed to ensure that improvements proposed potentially improve cost recovery initiatives and increase the level of consumer satisfaction. Also, care will be needed to ensure that more disadvantaged community members do not suffer unduly from increases in tariff or user fees.