Anaerobic treatment of fresh leachate from a municipal solid waste incinerator by upflow blanket filter reactor

This paper describes the feasibility of fresh leachate treatment by an upflow blanket filter (UBF). Through dilution and partial effluent recycling, the organic loading rates increased from 0.51 to 14.56 kg COD/(m³·d), meanwhile the corresponding hydraulic retention time decreased from 9.0 to 3.6 d. The reactor was able to achieve steady-state within 80 d. Based on the distribution of COD fluxes in the process, it was concluded that anabolism was the main pathway of COD removal in the initial phase (1–33 d), accounting for 57%–85% of total COD removed. As the anaerobic consortium of bacteria reached steady-state (after 70–86 d), the majority of COD removed was transformed into methane, because the specific methane yield was close to the theoretical value (0.36 L CH₄/(g COD_deg)).     

Mercury contamination and health risk to crops around the zinc smelting plant in Huludao City,northeastern China

The Huludao zinc plant in Liaoning province, northeast China was the largest in Asia, and its smelting activities had seriously contaminated soil, water and atmosphere in the surrounding area. For the first time, we investigated the total mercury (THg) content in maize, soybean, broomcorn, 22 vegetables, and the soil around their roots from eight sampling plots near the Huludao zinc plant. THg contents of the seeds of maize, soybean, and broomcorn are 0.008, 0.006, and 0.057 mg kg⁻¹, respectively, with the broomcorn being the highest, exceeding the maximum level of contaminant in food (GB2762-2005) by 4.7 times. The edible parts of vegetables are also contaminated with a range of mercury contents of 0.001–0.147 mg kg⁻¹ (dry weight). THg contents in plant tissue decrease in the order of leaves > root > stalk > grain. Using correlation analysis, we show that mercury in the roots of these plants is mainly derived from soil, and the uptake of gaseous mercury is the predominant path by which the mercury accumulated in the foliage. The average and maximum mercury daily intake (DI) of adult around the Huludao zinc plant via consuming vegetables are 0.015 and 0.051 μg/kg/d, respectively, and those of children are 0.02 and 0.07 μg/kg/d, respectively. The average and maximum weekly intakes of total mercury for adult are 2.1 and 7.1%, respectively, of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), and 2.8 and 9.7%, respectively, of the PTWI for children.     

青岛近岸、东海海水CDOM特性及一氧化碳光产生研究

研究了青岛近岸和东海海水中CO的光化学产生,比较了两个不同水域海水中有色溶解有机物(CDOM)的光学特征和CO的表观量子产率.结果表明:青岛近岸海水和东海海水α(355)范围分别为0.381~0.868m-1和0.083~0.427m-1,平均值分别为0.622m-1和0.196m-1,青岛近岸海水α(355)大于东海.其中近岸海水α(355)和Sg表现出良好的相关性,而东海海水这两个参数之间无明显相关性,表现出α(355)和Sg关系的不确定性.α(355)与CO的光致产生速率呈现正相关(R2=0.8188),说明了CDOM光化学降解是CO产生的重要途径.青岛近岸海水CO的表观量子产率高于东海海水,与α(355)具有相同变化规律,说明含有高光学活性物质的CDOM发生光降解反应能更加有效地产生CO.     

施肥对不同肥力春玉米田土壤溶解性有机质的影响

选取辽河灌区不同肥力水平春玉米（Zea mays ssp. mays L.）农田土壤为研究对象,通过连续3年田间定位试验,采用三维荧光光谱法分析了不同层次土壤溶解性有机质组分含量,研究施肥对不同肥力农田土壤溶解性有机质组分（DOM、DOC、DON、DOP）的影响,分析土壤DOM及其组分的土壤肥力效应。结果表明,施肥使高（产量12.75±0.75 t·hm^-2）、中（产量10.50±0.75 t·hm^-2）、低（产量8.25±0.75 t·hm^-2）产田土壤DOM的∑Fex/em分别增加了2.84%、3.56%和-1.52%,平均增加了1.08%,土壤w（DOC）分别增加了20.43%、16.43%和-29.11%,平均增加了9.36%,土壤w（DOP）分别增加了-22.87%、10.30%和4.15%,平均增加了-3.39%,土壤 w（DON）分别增加了-20.63%、6.97%和-8.41%,平均增加了-7.54%。施肥显著增加中产田土壤中w（DOM）,中产田底层（20-40 cm）和高产田表层（0-10 cm）、中层（10-20 cm）土壤w（DOC）,中产田中层和低产田表层土壤w（DOP）,中产田中层土壤w（DON）。施肥增加了低产田土壤FI值（荧光指数）,降低了高产田土壤FI值,施肥增加了高产田土壤HIX（腐殖化指数）,降低了中低产田土壤HIX。施肥显著增加中产田土壤DOM组分含量,降低高、低产田土壤DOM组分含量。施肥主要增加10-20 cm土壤DOM组分含量,耗损20-0 cm土壤DOM组分。施肥促进高产田土壤DOM陆源化,低产田土壤DOM生物源化,施肥使中低产田土壤DOM腐殖化程度降低。施肥不仅是土壤DOM的重要来源,同时通过影响微生物及作物根系活力促进土壤DOM的耗损,因农田土壤质地的差异,施肥对土壤DOM的影响不同。DOM荧光强度与产量呈显著正相关,具有土壤肥力指示作用。     

太湖春季和秋季浮游植物的光合作用活性

应用Phyto-PAM浮游植物荧光仪对2012年太湖浮游植物群落光合作用活性的时空分布进行测定. 结果表明:春季蓝藻、绿藻和硅/甲藻的F_v/F_m(最大光量子产量)分别为0.35~0.49、0.34~0.68和0.09~0.56;秋季则分别为0.34~0.53、0.55~0.68和0.28~0.61. 春季蓝藻、绿藻和硅/甲藻的NPQ(非光化学淬灭)分别为0.012~0.165、0.085~0.201和0.104~0.281,秋季则分别为0.035~0.263、0.052~0.118和0.048~0.301. RLC(快速光响应曲线)的特征参数表明,太湖浮游植物群落光能利用效率和光合作用速率具有显著时空差异. 相关分析表明,绿藻和硅/甲藻的光合作用活性与环境因子没有显著相关性;而蓝藻的F_v/F_m与RLC的特征参数呈显著正相关,与ρ(Chla)呈显著正相关(P<0.05,R=0.49),与SD(透明度)呈极显著负相关(P<0.01,R=-0.56),说明太湖蓝藻的光合作用活性与富营养化水平具有一致性. 从空间分布来看,草型湖区蓝藻的光合作用活性和ρ(Chla)均显著低于藻型湖区,表明水草能抑制蓝藻的光合作用活性和生长,进而降低蓝藻水华强度.      

耕作深度调控秸秆还田对农田土壤呼吸的影响

秸秆还田和耕作深度处理是影响农田土壤呼吸最重要的农业管理措施之一,但二者交互作用影响农田土壤呼吸的机制尚不清楚.基于此,针对中国的旱地农田生态系统,利用已发表的116篇研究论文,借助Meta分析技术,探究秸秆还田和耕作深度处理及其二者交互作用对农田土壤呼吸的影响及其调控因素,为农田生态系统实现“碳中和”提供重要的数据支撑和理论依据.结果表明,免耕导致土壤呼吸减少了8.3%,而浅耕和深耕处理对土壤呼吸的影响不显著,但对土壤呼吸的增加量仍呈现出深耕>浅耕>免耕的趋势.虽然,浅耕和深耕对土壤呼吸和土壤有机碳（SOC）的影响均相对较小,但是免耕导致土壤呼吸减少了8.3%的同时却又导致SOC增加了7.05%,因此实施免耕措施对农田土壤固碳减排具有重要意义.此外,耕作深度会显著调控秸秆还田对土壤呼吸的影响,且土壤呼吸的增加量呈现出深耕秸秆还田>浅耕秸秆还田>免耕秸秆还田的趋势,整体平均增加了14.51%.秸秆还田后不同深度耕作处理下土壤呼吸的增加量与土壤容重、农作物产量、土壤有机碳、以及土壤温度和水分的改变量密切相关,且对土壤呼吸增加量的贡献呈现出土壤容重>农作物产量>土壤有机碳>土壤水分>土壤温度的趋势.虽然SOC在深耕秸秆还田、浅耕秸秆还田和免耕秸秆还田处理下分别增加了29.32%、10.12%和23.94%,但是土壤呼吸在深耕秸秆还田和浅耕秸秆还田处理分别增加了29.32%和18.92%,而在免耕秸秆还田处理下仅增加1.2%.所以,免耕秸秆还田也有利于农田土壤固碳减排.因此,在中国的旱地农田生态系统中,耕作深度会调控秸秆还田对土壤呼吸的影响程度,而这种调控主要与土壤理化性质有关,尤其与土壤容重关系最为紧密,且免耕和免耕秸秆还田均是有利于农田土壤固碳减排的重要农业管理措施.     

呼吸法测定硝化菌产率系数实验研究

基于硝化过程中合成代谢和能量代谢耦合原理,分析硝化过程中的电子流,建立自养硝化菌细胞生长与氨氮氧化耗氧量之间的关系。采用间歇实验方法,通过电解质呼吸仪测定硝化过程的累积耗氧量和耗氧速率,使用M ann-Ken-dell趋势检验方法确定实验中硝化菌进入内源呼吸的时刻以及内源呼吸过程中的耗氧速率,估算出氨氮氧化的耗氧量。计算结果表明本实验中硝化菌产率系数为0.2345±0.0115 mg COD/mg NH4+-N。     

Overcoming growing water scarcity: Exploring potential improvements in water productivity in India

Improvements in water productivity (WP) are often suggested as one of the alternative strategies for overcoming growing water scarcity in India. This paper explores the potential improvements in WP of food grains at district level, which currently varies between 0.11 and 1.01 kilogram per cubic metre (kg/m³), in the 403 districts that account for 98% of the total production of food grains. The paper first finds the maximum yield function conditional on consumptive water use (CWU) and then explores the potential improvements in WP by: (a) bridging the gap between actual and maximum yield while keeping CWU constant; and (b) changing the maximum yield by adjusting the CWU using supplementary or deficit irrigation. Deficit irrigation in some areas may decrease yield but can increase production if land availability is not a constraint. A large potential exists for bridging the yield gap in irrigated areas with CWU between 300 and 475 mm. Of the 222 districts that fall under this category, a 50% reduction in yield gap alone could increase production by 100 million tonnes (Mt) without increasing CWU. Supplementary irrigation can increase yield and WP in rain‐fed and irrigated areas of 266 and 16 districts with CWU is below 300 mm. Deficit irrigation in irrigated areas of 185 districts with CWU above 475 mm could increase yield, WP and production. Decreasing CWU in irrigated areas with CWU between 425 and 475 mm reduces yield slightly, but if availability of land is not a constraint then the benefits due to water saving and production increases could exceed the cost.     

A laboratory study on risk assessment of microcystin-RR in cropland

The persistence time and risk of microcystin-RR (MC-RR) in cropland via irrigation were investigated under laboratory conditions. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the potential adsorption and biodegradation of MC-RR in cropland and the persistence time of MC-RR for crop irrigation, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to quantify the amount of MC-RR in solutions. Our study indicated that MC-RR could be adsorbed and biodegraded in cropland soils. MC-RR at 6.5mg/L could be completely degraded within 6 days with a lag phase of 1-2 days. In the presence of humic acid, the same amount of MC-RR could be degraded within 4 days without a lag phase. Accordingly, the persistence time of MC-RR in cropland soils should be about 6 days. This result also suggested the beneficial effects of the organic fertilizer utilization for the biodegradation of MC-RR in cropland soils. Our studies also demonstrated that MC-RR at low concentration (<10microg/L) could accelerate the growth of plants, while high concentration of MC-RR (>100microg/L) significantly inhibited the growth of plants. High sensitivity of the sprouting stage plants to MC-RR treatments as well as the strong inhibitory effects resulting from prolonged irrigation further indicated that this MC-RR growth-inhibition may vary with the duration of irrigation and life stage of the plants.     

OLIVERO: the project analysing the future of olive production systems on sloping land in the Mediterranean basin

From 2003 to 2006, a consortium of six European partners analysed the future of olive production systems on sloping land in the Mediterranean basin. Olive production on such land dates back to pre-Roman times, but the production systems (known by the acronym SMOPS, for "Sloping and Mountainous Olive Production Systems"), are under threat. Many are unsustainable environmentally (erosion hazard), socially (exodus of young people) or economically (high labour costs). The OLIVERO research project was possible thanks to a grant of euro1.5 million from the European Union, which gives out euro2.5 billion in subsidies annually for olive production. An extended survey conducted by the project in five sites in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece revealed the diversity and multifunctionality of SMOPS. Four main systems were identified as important for the future: traditional, organic, semi-intensive and intensive. The conceptual framework of OLIVERO involved six phases, ranging from the initial survey up to policy recommendations. In all phases there was intensive contact with stakeholders and institutions. End-users were identified at three levels: local, intermediate and regional, and national/international. This paper presents the highlights of the physical analysis of land and water resources, crop and land management, and economics and policies. Scenario studies gave insight into the possible future: some SMOPS will be gradually abandoned or transformed into nature conservation areas, others will exploit drip irrigation and follow the intensification patterns of agriculture in the valleys, and a third group will continue to be managed more extensively, perhaps augmenting their income with other activities (possibly off-farm) or turning to organic production systems. At the five international OLIVERO meetings held from 2003 to 2006, knowledge, experience and ideas on the future of olive production systems were intensively exchanged. A network was established for ongoing and future cooperation. Two end-user seminars were held in Matera (Italy) and Lisbon. Over 70 scientific papers have been published.