The promise of Beijing: Evaluating the impact of the 2008 Olympic Games on air quality

To prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games, China adopted a number of radical measures to improve air quality. Using the officially reported air pollution index (API) from 2000 to 2009, we show that these measures improved the API of Beijing during and a little after the Games, but a significant proportion of the effect faded away by October 2009. For comparison, we also analyze an objective and indirect measure of air quality at a high spatial resolution – aerosol optimal depth (AOD), derived using the data from NASA satellites. The AOD analysis confirms the real but temporary improvement in air quality, it also shows a significant correlation between air quality improvement and the timing and location of plant closure and traffic control. These results suggest that it is possible to achieve real environmental improvement via stringent policy interventions, but for how long the effects of these interventions will last will largely depend on the continuation of the interventions.     

北京地区奥运会期间PM2.5对心脑血管疾病的影响

为了探讨2008年奥运会前后减排和限行措施对北京居民心脑血管健康的影响,调查了2006~2010年7~9月的空气质量状况及北京急救中心心脑血管疾病日入院人数,采用时间序列方法中的非参数广义相加模型(GAM),在控制了长期趋势、"星期几效应"及气象因素的影响后,分析了北京PM2.5浓度与心脑血管疾病日入院人数的暴露-反应关系,并按性别、年份建立了模型.结果表明,PM2.5对心脑血管疾病的影响具有一定的滞后效应,全人群、男性和女性滞后均为0~2d,在2006~2010年7~9月中,2008年3个人群的RR均最小,2009年RR最大.PM2.5日均浓度每增加10μg/m3,2008年男性、女性及全人群日入院人数风险分别增加0.18%、0.07%和0.00%,2009年男性、女性及全人群日入院人数风险分别增加3.43%、2.10%和2.97%.2008年7~9月采取的相关政策措施对降低了北京地区居民心脑血管疾病的发病风险具有重要作用.     

Overview of waste disposal and landfills/dumps in Asian countries

Many cities in developing Asian countries face serious problems in managing solid wastes. The annual waste generation increases in proportion to the rises in population and urbanization. Asian countries with greater rural populations produce more organic waste, such as kitchen wastes, and fewer recyclable items, such as paper, metals, and plastics. Reliable data on solid waste compositions are difficult to obtain, and even if available, they are often not updated. We report the most recent waste composition data in some developing Asian countries. We suggest that a better classification system for landfills is needed to address inconsistencies in data for sanitary landfill sites versus waste dumps. We also discuss the information on waste disposal trends and problems associated with general solid waste management in developing Asian countries.     

南京青奥保障环境监测工作机制分析研究

2014年8月南京青奥会的成功举办,留下了一笔丰富的物质遗产和精神遗产.青奥会环境保障目标全部实现,通过对筹备和运行期间环境监测工作的成功经验进行思考,总结出青奥环境监测保障:在组织架构上,四级监测保障团队要高效协作;在工作制度上,形成了例会制度、值班制度、协调制度和采访制度等;在保障管理上,确立工作程序、制定应急、统筹安排资源和落实保障经费.基于上述分析阐述了青奥保障期间南京市监测系统的工作机制,以期为其它城市举办大型国际赛事所借鉴.     

“十四运”期间西安PM2.5中水溶性无机离子污染特征

为探究中国第十四届运动会(简称“十四运”)期间西安大气PM_2.5中水溶性无机离子浓度水平及来源,利用高分辨率MARGA ADI 2080离子在线分析仪对西安“十四运”前、“十四运”期间和“十四运”后水溶性无机离子进行实时观测,分析了不同时段水溶性无机离子组分污染特征、pH变化及污染来源。结果表明,“十四运”前、“十四运”期间和“十四运”后PM_2.5质量浓度分别为13.4、11.9、32.6μg/m³,SNA(NO^-₃、SO₄^2-和NH⁺₄三者统称)质量浓度分别为5.8、5.4、13.3μg/m³,占总水溶性无机离子的91.6%～93.6%。“十四运”前和“十四运”期间NO^-₃与SO₄^2-质量浓度比分别为0.7和0.9,表明移动源的比例增加,主要受交通管控的影响。“十四运”后NO     

2022冬奥背景下京北地区绿色发展战略研究初探

随着经济的快速发展,人们逐步意识到依靠不断增加生产要素投入的粗放型经济发展模式已难以为继,绿色发展遂成为全球共识。作为北京生态涵养区的京北地区,在冬奥会和京津冀协同发展的机遇下,制定绿色发展战略,保护生态涵养功能,加快产业转型升级,促进经济、社会、环境协调发展,具有十分重要的意义。本文归纳总结了国际上绿色发展的借鉴经验,通过对京北地区经济发展现状和绿色发展SWOT的分析,设计出京北地区绿色发展基本框架,包括一个目标、三大战略、五项重点任务和五项保障措施。通过落实经济系统、社会系统和环境系统的三大战略措施,突破资源环境约束和共享绿色经济,最终实现京北地区的绿色跨越式发展。     

Children's behavioral traits and risk of injury: Analyses from a case-control study of agricultural households

Problem

Children on family agricultural operations have high risk of injury. The association between children's behavioral traits and their risk of injury is not well understood.

Method

Data from the Regional Rural Injury Study-II were used to assess behavioral risk factors for injury to children ages six to < 20 years. A total of 379 injury events (cases) and 1,562 randomly selected controls were identified. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), calculated using logistic regression, were used to estimate injury risk in reference to behavioral traits.

Results

Injury risks were greater for children with high levels of depressive symptoms (OR = 1.9, CI = 1.0-3.7) and aggression (OR = 1.6, CI = 0.9-2.7), and low levels of careful/cautious behavior (OR = 1.8, CI = 1.1-2.9). Children with low levels of self-regulation had reduced risks (OR = 0.4, CI = 0.2-0.8).

Discussion

Results suggest that children's behaviors affect their risk of agricultural injury. Additional research could elucidate mechanisms and inform interventions.

Impact on industry

The development of multifaceted, sustainable approaches for prevention is necessary for this unique population. These findings suggest a need for interventions that incorporate specific behavior-related risk factors in the context of family farms and ranches.     

Role of Chinese wind-blown dust in enhancing environmental pollution in Metropolitan Seoul

A suite of rock magnetic experiments and intensive microscopic observations were carried out on Asian dust deposits in Seoul, Korea, collected on 19 and 23 March 2002, 9 April 2002 and 12 April 2003. Desert-sand and loess from the dust source regions in China were also analyzed as a comparison. Asian dust showed a higher magnetic concentration than the source region samples, indicating a significant influx of magnetic particles into Asian dust had occurred during its transportation. Electron microscopy identified carbon-bearing iron-oxides as the added material. These iron-oxides were likely to have been produced by anthropogenic pollution (fossil fuel combustion) while the wind-blown dusts passing across the industrial areas of eastern China and western Korea. Such wind-paths were confirmed by a simulation of the air-mass trajectories. The magnetic technique appears to be useful for determining the anthropogenic pollution of Asian dust.     

Molecular genetic and behavioral analysis of social organization in the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)

We report on the genetic evaluation and behavioral study of social organization in the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). Although Asian elephants and African elephants (Loxodonta africana) were previously thought to have similar social organizations, our results demonstrate a substantial difference in the complexity and structure of Asian elephant social groupings from that described for African savanna elephants. Photographic cataloging of individuals, radio telemetry, and behavioral observations in Ruhuna National Park, Sri Lanka, enabled us to assign associated females and young to four groups with overlapping ranges. Genetic sampling of individuals from the four groups in Ruhuna National Park and three other groups in surrounding areas, conducted through PCR amplification and sequencing of mitochondrial DNA from dung, supported the matriarchal nature of female groups and the lack of inter-group transfer of females. Behaviorally and genetically, the identified social groups were best described as ”family groups”. We did not find any evidence for the existence of social groups of higher complexity than family groups. Received: 25 March 2000 / Received in revised form: 28 March 2000 / Accepted: 1 April 2000     

南亚次大陆对中国大气传输影响及海螺沟背景站监测的指示效应

海螺沟背景站地处人烟稀少、远离工业带区域,颗粒物浓度水平与美国背景区域相当,通常情况下各项污染物浓度呈周期性缓慢变化,但通过实时自动监测发现,也有部分时段出现污染物浓度急剧升高的现象,对这种情况进行统计分析,2015年共有43 d因远距离传输导致背景站浓度急剧升高现象,其间PM_(2.5)平均质量浓度为19.4μg/m~3,比其年均质量浓度(8.3μg/m~3)高1倍多。通过对2015年背景站监测数据与年气象分析资料的联合分析,结合HSPLIT 4.8轨迹模式对污染物来源进行溯源,在海螺沟国家大气背景区域的200、3 700 m 2个高度都存在南亚次大陆向中国境内输送的气流路径。后向轨迹200 m高度聚类分析结果:海螺沟背景站PM_(2.5)监测值超"正常"浓度范围时段有84%的大气污染气团主要来自南亚次大陆方向,同时,常规6项其他监测项目的浓度水平也存在协同上升效应。