Ionic liquids as lubricants or lubrication additives: An ecotoxicity and biodegradability assessment

This paper reports on the (eco)toxicity and biodegradability of ionic liquids considered for application as lubricants or lubrication additives. Ammonium- and pyrrolidinium-based cations combined with methylsulphate, methylsulphonate and/or (CF₃SO₂)₂N⁻ anions were investigated in tests to determine their aquatic toxicity using water fleas Daphnia magna, green algae Selenastrum capricornutum and marine bacteria (Vibrio fischeri). Additional test systems with an isolated enzyme (acetylcholinesterase) and isolated leukaemia cells from rats (IPC-81) were used to assess the biological activity of the ionic liquids. These compounds generally exhibit low acute toxicity and biological activity. Their biodegradability was screened according to OECD test procedures 301 B and 301 F. For choline and methoxy-choline ionic liquids ready biodegradability was observed within 5 or 10 d, respectively. Some of the compounds selected have a considerable potential to contribute to the development of more sustainable products and processes.     

含锰废渣的氧化-活化再生回用工艺

为实现紫苏醛生产过程中二氧化锰（氧化剂）的循环利用,采用一种新型的氧化-活化工艺再生得到活性二氧化锰,即以紫苏醇合成紫苏醛过程中产生的含锰废渣为原料,首先采用氯酸钠氧化含锰废渣得到初级二氧化锰,然后使用高锰酸钾对初级二氧化锰进一步活化得到活性二氧化锰。实验表明,制取初级二氧化锰的最佳工艺条件为：反应时间为4h,反应温度为90～95℃,硫酸摩尔浓度为1.5 mol/L,氯酸钠加量为理论量的130%。制取活性二氧化锰的合适条件为：反应温度在60℃时,反应时间为1.5 h;反应温度在50℃时,反应时间为2.5 h。采用氧化-活化法再生的活性二氧化锰氧化紫苏醇,紫苏醛的产率可达52.8%,与使用电解二氧化锰氧化得到的紫苏醛的产率53.1%相当,而使用初级二氧化锰,紫苏醛的产率仅为14.9%。     

Beyond savanna: An evolutionary and environmental psychology approach to behavioral effects of nature scenery in green advertising

Evolutionary psychology has been proposed as an analytic framework for the behavioral effects of landscapes displayed in advertising. In this study, an evolutionary and environmental psychology approach is used to analyze affective reactions to advertising depicting specific natural environments or urban scenes, both prominent ingredients of contemporary advertising imagery. The experimental field study exposed 750 participants at random to one advert of a set of 13 experimental green energy advertisements, each displaying a different biome. Six basic emotional responses (pleasure, arousal, happiness, freedom, safety, and interest) as well as attitude toward the ad and brand attitude were assessed subsequently. Anova and structural equation analysis were used for data analysis. Results of the study confirm the leading opinion on generalized more positive behavioral effects toward visual stimuli representing nature scenes with biospheric contents as opposed to pictures of urban environments or desert settings. In line with earlier empirical research, further findings do not support the hypothesis on an innate preference for savanna landscapes in adults but confirm preferences for images of lush green landscapes with water and familiar biomes. Overall results give significant support to the application of environmental and evolutionary psychology to advertising.     

Climate Policy to Defeat the Green Paradox

Carbon dioxide emissions have accelerated since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol. This discouraging development may partly be blamed on accelerating world growth and on lags in policy instruments. However, it also raises serious question concerning whether policies to reduce CO₂ emissions are as effective as generally assumed. In recent years, a considerable number of studies have identified various feedback mechanisms of climate policies that often erode, and occasionally reinforce, their effectiveness. These studies generally focus on a few feedback mechanisms at a time, without capturing the entire effect. Partial accounting of policy feedbacks is common in many climate scenarios. The IPCC, for example, only accounts for direct leakage and rebound effects. This article attempts to map the aggregate effects of different types of climate policy feedback mechanisms in a cohesive framework. Controlling feedback effects is essential if the policy measures are to make any difference on a global level. A general conclusion is that aggregate policy feedback mechanisms tend to make current climate policies much less effective than is generally assumed. In fact, various policy measures involve a definite risk of ‘backfiring’ and actually increasing CO₂ emissions. This risk is particularly pronounced once effects of climate policies on the pace of innovation in climate technology are considered. To stand any chance of controlling carbon emissions, it is imperative that feedback mechanisms are integrated into emission scenarios, targets for emission reduction and implementation of climate policy. In many cases, this will reduce the scope for subsidies to renewable energy sources, but increase the scope for other measures such as schemes to return carbon dioxide to the ground and to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases from wetlands and oceans. A framework that incorporates policy feedback effects necessitates rethinking the design of the national and regional emission targets. This leads us to a new way of formulating emission targets that include feedback effects, the global impact target. Once the full climate policy feedback mechanisms are accounted for, there are probably only three main routes in climate policy that stand a chance of mitigating global warming: (a) returning carbon to the ground, (b) technological leaps in zero-emission energy technology that make it profitable to leave much carbon in the ground even in Annex II countries and (c) international agreements that make it more profitable to leave carbon in the ground or in forests.     

利用城市污泥堆肥及建筑弃土种植麦冬研究

将污泥堆肥产品分别与建筑弃土按0%、10%、20%、30%、40%和50%(湿重)的比例配制营养土,以麦冬为例进行180 d的栽培实验,分析了营养土对麦冬生长特性、植物体内及栽培土壤中营养学指标和重金属含量的变化规律,并通过模糊综合评价方法选择营养土较佳配制方案。实验结果表明:堆肥比例在50%时麦冬生物量增加率、新生芽数及地表部分比重为最大值,在30%时纺锤体肉质数减少率为最大值;随着营养土中堆肥比例增加,麦冬体内养分含量、重金属积累量随之增加,均在50%时达到最大值;栽培土壤养分越多损失量越多,各指残留率越低,同时全磷、全氮及K含量降低率较有效磷、碱解氮小得多,Cr降低率在5.20%～8.34%之间,Zn降低率在3.27%～17.35%之间;堆肥比例在40%以上的营养土对麦冬生长效果好,但较佳配制方案为堆肥产品占20%。     

Inverse modeling of Asian Rn flux using surface air Rn concentration

When used with an atmospheric transport model, the ²²²Rn flux distribution estimated in our previous study using soil transport theory caused underestimation of atmospheric ²²²Rn concentrations as compared with measurements in East Asia. In this study, we applied a Bayesian synthesis inverse method to produce revised estimates of the annual ²²²Rn flux density in Asia by using atmospheric ²²²Rn concentrations measured at seven sites in East Asia. The Bayesian synthesis inverse method requires a prior estimate of the flux distribution and its uncertainties. The atmospheric transport model MM5/HIRAT and our previous estimate of the ²²²Rn flux distribution as the prior value were used to generate new flux estimates for the eastern half of the Eurasian continent dividing into 10 regions.The ²²²Rn flux densities estimated using the Bayesian inversion technique were generally higher than the prior flux densities. The area-weighted average ²²²Rn flux density for Asia was estimated to be 33.0 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹, which is substantially higher than the prior value (16.7 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹). The estimated ²²²Rn flux densities decrease with increasing latitude as follows: Southeast Asia (36.7 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹); East Asia (28.6 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹) including China, Korean Peninsula and Japan; and Siberia (14.1 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹). Increase of the newly estimated fluxes in Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and the southern part of Eastern Siberia from the prior ones contributed most significantly to improved agreement of the model-calculated concentrations with the atmospheric measurements. The sensitivity analysis of prior flux errors and effects of locally exhaled ²²²Rn showed that the estimated fluxes in Northern and Central China, Korea, Japan, and the southern part of Eastern Siberia were robust, but that in Central Asia had a large uncertainty.     

Solving Problems in Social–Ecological Systems: Definition, Practice and Barriers of Transdisciplinary Research

Translating policies about sustainable development as a social process and sustainability outcomes into the real world of social–ecological systems involves several challenges. Hence, research policies advocate improved innovative problem-solving capacity. One approach is transdisciplinary research that integrates research disciplines, as well as researchers and practitioners. Drawing upon 14 experiences of problem-solving, we used group modeling to map perceived barriers and bridges for researchers’ and practitioners’ joint knowledge production and learning towards transdisciplinary research. The analysis indicated that the transdisciplinary research process is influenced by (1) the amount of traditional disciplinary formal and informal control, (2) adaptation of project applications to fill the transdisciplinary research agenda, (3) stakeholder participation, and (4) functional team building/development based on self-reflection and experienced leadership. Focusing on implementation of green infrastructure policy as a common denominator for the delivery of ecosystem services and human well-being, we discuss how to diagnose social–ecological systems, and use knowledge production and collaborative learning as treatments.     

Green manure plants for remediation of soils polluted by metals and metalloids: Ecotoxicity and human bioavailability assessment

Borage, white mustard and phacelia, green manure plants currently used in agriculture to improve soil properties were cultivated for 10 wk on various polluted soils with metal(loid) concentrations representative of urban brownfields or polluted kitchen gardens. Metal(loid) bioavailability and ecotoxicity were measured in relation to soil characteristics before and after treatment. All the plants efficiently grow on the various polluted soils. But borage and mustard only are able to modify the soil characteristics and metal(loid) impact: soil respiration increased while ecotoxicity, bioaccessible lead and total metal(loid) quantities in soils can be decreased respectively by phytostabilization and phytoextraction mechanisms. These two plants could therefore be used for urban polluted soil refunctionalization. However, plant efficiency to improve soil quality strongly depends on soil characteristics.     

利用废弃物衍生燃料的热化学处理法制富含氢气合成气

为了探讨利用热化学方式从城市垃圾中制取富含氢气合成气过程的要素影响,解析氢气发生特性及其与主要影响要素之间的关系。在分析了城市生活垃圾组分特性的基础上,将其加工成组分均一的废弃物衍生燃料(refuse de-rived fuel,RDF),并在700、800和900℃等3个温度条件下,分别开展了RDF的热解、气化及水蒸汽气化等实验。研究表明,RDF的加工不但可有效降低垃圾含水率,还可将垃圾热值提高近1倍。温度和添加水蒸汽是从RDF中制取富含氢气合成气过程中的关键影响要素。其中,温度对氢气生成起到至关重要的决定作用,温度的提高对促进H2浓度的提高有利,同时,在气化过程中添加水蒸汽,可有效促进CO和H2等有价气体组分生成。在900℃的高温水蒸汽气化处理过程中,可获得H2浓度最高为34.13%的合成气。另外,800℃热解过程所产生的合成气热值最高,达到14 509 kJ/Nm3。     

蒽醌修饰石墨毡电极预处理头孢合成废水

以钛涂钌电极为阳极、自制蒽醌修饰石墨毡电极为阴极,对头孢合成废水(COD=25 000~30 000 mg/L、ρ(NH3-N)=850~1 300 mg/L、色度为2 300~2 680度)进行了电化学氧化预处理,优化了电解条件,并对电化学体系的动力学和稳定性进行了分析。实验结果表明:蒽醌的存在可改善电化学氧化降解效果;在电解时间50 min、电流密度0.14 A/cm2、Na2SO4浓度0.1 mol/L、极板间距2 cm、初始废水p H 7.0的条件下,废水的COD、色度、NH3-N的去除率分别可达45.3%,66.9%,33.6%;BOD5/COD由处理前的0.27增至0.40,可生化性得到改善;COD、色度、NH3-N的电化学氧化降解过程均近似符合一级动力学方程;且该电化学体系的应用稳定性良好。