From proposal to decision: Suggestions for tightening up the “NEPA process”

Although the process of documenting compliance with NEPA (the National Environmental Policy Act) requires no drastic revisions, it can be managed more rigorously. Suggestions for revision can be grouped under five major steps: 1) getting a complete proposal from the applicant; 2) getting the decision-making process onto the right decision-making path; 3) modifying the applicant's proposal 4) going down a shorter path through the EA/FONSI (environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact) or through categorical exclusion review; and 5) going down the longer path through the EIS. Step 2 is perhaps the most critical, because there a decision must be made whether to write an EA/FONSI or an EIS, on the basis of whether the proposal would “significantly affect … the … environment.” In the past, this decision has not always been made promptly or rigorously. Accordingly, we suggest that the agency responsible for NEPA compliance should develop a system (a “black box”), consisting of a core group of specialists working with an interdisciplinary team, using sophisticated techniques for modeling impacts and directing both their research and their writing according to the concept of significance. By determining more efficiently and reliably whether the impacts of a proposal would be significant, such an approach would improve management of the total process.     

Interpretation of roadside PM10 monitoring data from Sunderland,United Kingdom

Roadside PM₁₀ has been monitored by Partisol® at three sitesin Sunderland between August 1997 and February 1998. The sites chosen were an inner city kerbside site; a roadside site adjacentto a dual carriageway on the outskirts of Sunderland with an openaspect; and a rural site.The results indicate that there is a seasonal variation in the relationship between the sites in terms of monitored PM₁₀.In the winter there is a poor correlation between the sites whereas in the summer significant correlations are obtained. Of the sites monitored PM₁₀ is consistently highest at the inner city roadside site. During the summer, exceedances of theU.K. 50 g m^-3 standard (DETR, 2000) are associated with conditions suitable for the build-up of photochemical pollutionhowever during the winter period exceedances are recorded duringa variety of weather conditions.At the dual carriageway site PM_2.5 has also been recorded and contributions to measured PM₁₀ are 77% in summer and68% in winter. The results illustrate a number of inconsistencies between this study utilising the Partisol® andothers reporting results where PM₁₀ has been monitored by TEOM®.     

Effects of meteorological conditions on PM10 concentrations - A study in Macau

Review on the annual PM₁₀ concentrations over a 10-year period shows that Macau is subjected to severe fine particulate pollution. Investigations of its variation in monthly and daily time scales with the local meteorological records reveal further details. It is found that a distinct feature of the Asian monsoon climates, the changes of wind direction, mainly controls the general trend of PM₁₀ concentration in a year. The monsoon driven winter north-easterly winds bring upon Macau dry and particle enriched air masses leading to a higher concentration in that period while the summer south-westerly winds transport humid and cleaner air to the region leading to a lower PM₁₀ value. This distinct seasonal feature is further enhanced by the lower rainfall volume and frequency as well as mixing height in winter and their higher counterparts in summer. It is also found that the development of tropical cyclones near Macau could also impose episode like PM₁₀ concentration spikes due to the pre-typhoon induced stagnant air motion followed by the swing of wind direction to the northerly.     

乌鲁木齐市可吸入颗粒物(PM10)与总悬浮颗粒物(TSP)的相关性规律浅析

通过对乌鲁木齐市的PM10和TSP数据的对比分析，找出PM10在TSP中所占比率（分担率）在采暖季和非采暖季的变化范围，从而使过去采集的TSP数据与PM10数据有一定的可比性，保证监测数据的连续可比。     

The collection of PM10 for toxicological investigation: comparisons between different collecting devices

A positive correlation has been established between increased levels of airborne particulate pollution and adverse health effects, the toxicological mechanisms of which are poorly understood. For toxicologists to unambiguously determine thesemechanisms, truly representative samples of ambient PM₁₀ are required. This presents problems, as PM₁₀ collecting equipment commonly employed, such as the Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance (TEOM®), heat the inflow toexclude moisture or use fibrous filters, resulting in a PM₁₀sample that may have undergone significant chemical change on thefilter surface or is contaminated by filter fibres. Other systems(i.e. Negretti and Partisol) can successfully collect PM₁₀ without chemical alteration or filter contamination. Comparativecollections from Port Talbot, S. Wales suggest that TEOMs and Negretti/Partisol systems collect different PM₁₀'s; the principle difference arising from the TEOM's heating chamber, which precipitates water-soluble ions and volatilises some organic components. This results in both the mass and compositionof the PM₁₀'s being altered. Particle size distributionsfor Negretti and Partisol collections highlighted differences mainly attributed to different flow rates. The results of thiswork demonstrate that simple correlations between PM₁₀ massand adverse health effects are problematic. Furthermore, elucidation of the complex fractionation and chemical changes indifferent collectors is necessary.     

镉─邻菲啰啉配合物吸附波的研究与应用

在ｐＨ３．３的盐酸－醋酸钠介质中．镉－邻菲啉配合物在－０．６５Ｖ（ｖＳ．ＳＣＥ）处产生一灵敏的吸附波，其二次导数波高与镉浓度在０．０００６～０．１ｍｇ／Ｌ范围内呈良好的线性关系，检出下限达０．０００３ｍｇ／Ｌ。极谱波性质的研究表明该波具有配合物吸附波的特征。方法已用于环境水样中微量错的测定，结果与其它方法吻合。     

伊犁地区矿泉水资源及水化学特征

在介绍伊犁地区矿泉水资源与形成的水文地质条件的基础上，分析了矿泉水的化学组成及其特征，并给出了水化学类型。     

无机痕量分析中预富集技术的应用现状及前景

综述了预富集技术在无机痕量分析中的应用，概述了国内外最新进展，介绍了主要技术及方法的特点，大量文献表明预富集技术用于痕量分析取得满意的效果，降低了检测限，提高了灵敏度。     

我国海洋环境污染监测质量保证的回顾与展望

我国海洋环境污染监测质量保证的发展历史可大致分为三个阶段：孕育阶段（１９７２～１９７７年）起步阶段（１９７８～１９８３年）和发展阶段（１９８４～）。各个阶段有不同的特色和侧重点，１９７８年前主要探索与污染物质的分析方法，１９８４年后是监测质量保证工作进入管理时期。