两类微生物燃料电池治理硝酸盐废水的实验研究

采用二氧化铅阴极单室微生物燃料电池(MFC)和双室MFC,以葡萄糖为唯一电子供体,系统研究了两类微生物燃料电池的产电性能和去除硝酸盐的情况.结果表明,双室MFC闭合后,阳极室降解葡萄糖产生的电子可通过外电路传递到阴极,在生物的作用下,NO3--N得到电子被还原,平均反硝化速率达3.77 mg·L-1·d-1.双室MFC...     

利用PCR-DGGE溯源典型农村塘坝饮用水中的污染

以华南地区典型农村塘坝饮用水为研究对象,采用基于大肠杆菌的两种特异性基因(β-D-葡萄糖苷酶编码基因uidA和膜外周磷通道蛋白编码基因phoE)的群体差异分析(PCR-DGGE),对饮用水中的污染情况进行了溯源研究.结果表明,采用富集培养的混合菌体DNA作为模板扩增大肠杆菌特异性基因更加实用.uidA和phoE的引物均...     

An abbreviated alternatives assessment process for product designers: a children’s furniture manufacturing case study

Alternatives assessment is becoming increasingly popular to evaluate the potential environmental and human health hazards of materials. A three step process was used to identify and evaluate alternative products for a children's furniture manufacturer. An alternatives assessment framework was developed to analyze alternative mattresses. The framework specifically addresses those environmental and safety attributes applicable to the product and the product components in accordance with the product’s intended use. The result of the assessment allowed the manufacturer to select the most environmentally friendly alternative and eliminate polyvinyl chloride from their product.     

ISO 14001 certification and financial performance: selection-effect versus treatment-effect

The paper explores the bi-directional relationship between ISO 14001 certification and financial performance with the aim of shedding light on whether better performance is due to the beneficial effects of ISO 14001 or due to selection-effects where better performance precedes accreditation. The study uses a five year longitudinal analysis to compare the financial performance of firms in Spain before and after certification. The results of a multivariate panel data analysis find that firms with better than average performance have a greater propensity to pursue accreditation but there is no evidence that improvements in performance follow certification. This suggests that the inference that environmental variables cause improved financial performance may be unwise in research studies that can only measure association.     

An environmental impact assessment of quantum dot photovoltaics (QDPV) from raw material acquisition through use

Some emerging technologies are expected to be pivotal for solving many of the environmental challenges faced today, especially those related to energy. However, many of these technologies may incur significant environmental impacts over their life cycle, while having environmental benefits during their use. This paper presents results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a proposed type of nanophotovoltaic, quantum dot photovoltaic (QDPV) module. The LCA is confined to the stages of raw materials acquisition, manufacturing, and use. The impacts of QDPV are compared with other types of PV modules and energy sources - both renewable and nonrenewable. To provide a comprehensive comparative assessment, QDPV modules were compared with mature as well as emerging PV types for which data are available. Comparative assessment with other types of energy sources includes coal, oil, lignite, natural gas, diesel, nuclear, wind, and hydropower.QDPV modules may have the potential to overcome two current barriers of solar technology: low efficiencies and high manufacturing costs. If higher efficiencies are realized, QDPV modules could pave the way to large scale implementation of solar energy, helping nations move toward greater energy independence. On the other hand, candidate materials as quantum dots for solar cell applications are mostly compound semiconductors such as cadmium selenide, cadmium telluride, and lead sulfide which may be toxic and for which renewable options are limited. Toxic effects of these materials may be exacerbated by their nanoscale features.The LCA was carried out using the software SimaPro, and the Ecoinvent Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database supplemented with available literature and patent information. Our results indicate that while QDPV modules have shorter Energy PayBack Time (EPBT), lower Global Warming Potential (GWP), SO_x and NO_x emissions than other types of PV modules, they have higher heavy metal emissions, underscoring the need for investigation of emerging technologies, especially nano-based ones, from a life cycle perspective. QDPV modules are better in all impact categories assessed than carbon-based energy sources but they have longer EPBT than wind and hydropower and higher GWP.     

Barriers to the adoption of proactive environmental strategies

This study contributes to the knowledge of the difficulties or barriers found by firms when adopting proactive environmental strategies, providing empirical evidence from 240 Spanish industrial firms. A set of 25 barriers are initially evaluated by the managers of the sample firms and are grouped into four types of difficulties facing firms: external barriers, endemic limitations of the firm, limited environmental motivation and limited preparation of employees and operational inertia. The estimation of a structural equation model leads us to conclude that only the barriers identified as endemic limitations of the firm can be characterized as “effective barriers”, defined as problems preventing firms from progressing toward proactive environmental behavior.     

LCA of eucalyptus wood charcoal briquettes

This paper sets out to describe the environmental impact assessment for wood charcoal briquettes produced from eucalyptus wood in Brazil, with specific reference to those impacts associated with Global Warming Potential. To achieve that objective, the work was undertaken in accordance with ISO 14040 "Environmental management - Life cycle assessment - Principles and framework" which describes essential LCA characteristics and good practices. Charcoal briquettes are produced from two basic raw materials, charcoal fines and starch. The fines result from the production of charcoal from sustainably managed eucalyptus plantations. Starch is extracted from babaçu pulp in the Amazon region. Multi-output processes were allocated based on income from the different by-products. The results showed that more than 90% of incoming CO₂ was due to biomass production for charcoal, and the remainder to starch biomass production. Based on Brazilian data, as well as information provided by the GaBi4.3 database, it turned out that supplying the energy content of 1 kg of briquettes resulted in the sequestration of 3.9690 kg of CO₂, i.e. around 4 kg of CO₂ per kg of briquettes produced. CO₂ emissions throughout the briquette production process are totally compensated for by the environmental quality of the raw materials used.     

粗粒子气溶胶远距离输送造成华南严重空气污染的分析

2009年4月末,发生了一次罕见的粗粒子气溶胶远距离输送造成华南地区出现严重的空气污染事件,其特征主要是气溶胶质量浓度超标,而能见度没有明显恶化,对这次空气污染事件进行分析的结果表明.在过程中,粗细粒子质量比(PM2.5/PM10)有明显的3次下降,最低达到0.3,即PM2.5仅占PM10的30%,这与珠江三角洲地区通常以细粒子为主的污染特征有很大不同,反映了外来粗粒子的侵入特征.长江流域浮尘天气的沙尘粒子变性后,长距离输送污染物叠加本地污染物,造成这次严重空气污染事件.     

长期暴露于全氟十三酸的青鳉鱼体内分布和生物富集

研究了将青鳉鱼长期暴露于不同浓度的全氟羧酸类物质全氟十三酸(PFTriDA)后的器官分布和富集系数.结果显示, PFTriDA最高富集在性腺;其次是卵、肝脏;浓度最低的部分是残体.除了性腺之外,该器官分布与野生中华鲟的一致.在相同暴露浓度下,雄鱼体内各器官的PFTriDA的含量高于雌鱼,机理模型计算进一步表明高母子传递系数是造成雌雄差异的可能原因.随着PFTriDA暴露浓度的升高,鱼体内同一器官的生物富集系数(BCF)呈现下降趋势.     

石漠化山地复合生态系统评价——以广西平果县龙何屯生态重建示范区为例

以广西平果县龙何生态重建示范区的石漠化山地复合生态系统为例,依据试验研究及专家咨询的结果,构建了一个基于自然子系统、社会子系统、经济子系统的评价指标体系,采用层次分析法对指标体系中各指标的权重值进行了分析,应用指数评价模型对石漠化山地复合生态系统进行综合评估。层次分析结果表明,植被覆盖率、人类活动强度、物种多样性、物质生活指数、石漠化程度、水土流失程度等指标的权重值较大,是石漠化山地复合生态系统的重要影响因子;指数评价模型的评价结果表明,石漠化山地复合生态系统的总体质量较差,但通过生态示范区建设,改善复合生态系统中的植被状况,改善农业生产条件和推广先进农业技术,提高系统中人类的生活水平,可以使复合生态系统中社会、经济、环境3个子系统的转运功能逐渐趋于协调,总体质量逐渐好转。