Human health effects of residual carbon nanotubes and traditional water treatment chemicals in drinking water

The volume of industrial and domestic wastewater is increasing significantly year by year with the change in the lifestyle based on mass consumption and mass disposal brought about by the dramatic development of economies and industries. Therefore, effective advanced wastewater treatment is required because wastewater contains a variety of constituents such as particles, organic materials, and emulsion depending on the resource. However, residual chemicals that remain during the treatment of wastewaters form a variety of known and unknown by-products through reactions between the chemicals and some pollutants. Chronic exposure to these by-products or residual chemicals through the ingestion of drinking water, inhalation and dermal contact during regular indoor activities (e.g., showering, bathing, cooking) may pose cancer and non-cancer risks to human health. For example, residual aluminium salts in treated water may cause Alzheimer's disease (AD). As for carbon nanotubes (CNTs), despite their potential impacts on human health and the environment having been receiving more and more attention in the recent past, existing information on the toxicity of CNTs in drinking water is limited with many open questions. Furthermore, though general topics on the human health impacts of traditional water treatment chemicals have been studied, no comparative analysis has been done. Therefore, a qualitative comparison of the human health effects of both residual CNTs and traditional water treatment chemicals is given in this paper. In addition, it is also important to cover and compare the human health effects of CNTs to those of traditional water treatment chemicals together in one review because they are both used for water treatment and purification.     

Indoor metallic pollution related to mining activity in the Bolivian Altiplano

The environmental pollution associated with mining and metallurgical activities reaches its greatest extent in several Andean cities and villages. Many locations in this area have accumulated through centuries a large amount of mining wastes, often disregarding the magnitude of this situation. However, in these naturally mineralized regions, there is little information available stating the exact role of mining and metallurgical industries in urban pollution. In this study, we demonstrated that the various metallic elements present in indoor dust (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, Sn, Zn) had a common origin and this contamination was increased by the proximity to the mines. Lead dust concentration was found at concerning levels for public health. In addition, wrong behaviors such as carrying mining workwear home contributed to this indoor dust pollution. Consequently, the constant exposure of the population could represent a potential health hazard for vulnerable groups, especially children.     

On-site and off-site atmospheric PBDEs in an electronic dismantling workshop in south China: gas-particle partitioning and human exposure assessment

Gas samples and total suspended particle during work and off work time were investigated on-site and off-site electronic waste dismantling workshop (I- and O-EWDW), then compared with plastic recycling workshop (PRW) and waste incineration plant (WIP). TSP concentrations and total PBDE were 0.36-2.21 mg/m³ and 27-2975 ng/m³ at different workshops, respectively. BDE-47, -99, and -209 were major ∑PBDE congeners at I-EWDW and WIP, while BDE-209 was only dominant congener in PRW and control sites during work time and all sites during off work time. The gas-particle partitioning result was well correlated with the subcooled liquid vapor pressure for all samples, except for WIP and I-EDWD, at park during work time, and residential area during off work time. The predicted urban curve fitted well with measured φ values at O-DEWD during work time, whereas it was slightly overestimated or underestimated for others. Exposure assessment revealed the highest exposure site was I-EDWD.     

低温等离子体处理废液技术研究概述

低温等离子体技术包括热等离子体技术和冷等离子体技术。该技术处理废液具有范围广、快速、高效、无二次污染等优点,尤其对难降解有毒废液的处理,其先进性和优越性更为突出,被认为是21世纪环境污染物处理领域中最有发展前途的新技术之一。综述了低温等离子体处理废液技术的研究和进展,重点分析了冷等离子体技术处理难降解有机废液的作用机理,探讨了其现存的主要问题,并指出了今后需要研究的方向。     

Flora and Vegetation of Tasiilaq,Formerly Angmagssalik,Southeast Greenland: A Comparison of Data Between Around 1900 and 2007

The changes in the vascular plant flora of Tasiilaq, low arctic Southeast Greenland, between around 1900 and 2007 were studied by comparing the data from historical literature with those of the field observations performed between the late 1960s and 2007. Since 1900, the percentage of widely distributed arctic species distinctly decreased, whereas that of the low arctic species somewhat increased, and boreal species hardly increased. Vegetation monitoring revealed minor changes and showed that several thermophilous and xerophilous species increased between 1968/1969 and 2007, whereas some hygrophilous species decreased. Repeated vegetation mapping of a shallow pond revealed conspicuous changes suggesting increased evaporation/precipitation ratios associated with environmental warming up and decreasing snow accumulation in winter, in line with results of previous investigations. In spite of climate warming, expansion of the town and increasing human impact, flora and vegetation on the whole appeared rather stable during the last 40 years without invading species or introductions.     

Accumulation levels and characteristics of some pesticides in human adipose tissue samples from Southeast China

This paper presents a comprehensive study of pesticide levels and bio-accumulation characteristics in human adipose tissues among residents of Southeast China. A large number of adipose samples (n = 633) were selected for 58 pesticides and were analyzed by high sensitive Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The results showed that POPs pesticides were frequently detected, including 2,4′-DDD, 2,4′-DDE, 2,4′-DDT, 4,4′-DDD, 4,4′-DDE, 4,4′-DDT, α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH, δ-HCH, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and mirex. Other detected pesticide species were dicofol, methamidophos and chlordimeform, which have rarely been reported. Comparing to different countries, the concentrations of total DDT and HCH in these three Chinese southeastern sites were in the middle range, whereas the HCB and mirex were in the lower end. A significant correlation was observed between region as well as age and POPs pesticide levels. Some pesticide residue levels were also found significantly correlated to occupation. However, there was no significant correlation between gender and pesticides. Meanwhile, it is interesting to find that mortality of malignant tumors tends to associate with the pesticides levels in human adipose tissue. More importantly, the measured data presented in this study provide realistic information which is useful for assessing human exposure to pesticides in the general population of Southeast China.     

住宅小区人居环境评价指标体系的建立及应用——以常州市为例

根据我国工业城市住宅小区的实际情况,提出了具有4个层次的住宅小区人居环境评价指标体系,其中,一级指标包括住区自然环境、住区生态环境和室内环境,最底层指标有24个。利用统计分析法(Delphi)确定各指标的权值。根据该评价指标体系,采用科学的监测、调查分析方法,对常州市5个目标小区进行了多角度、多层次的监测调查分析。最终得出5个小区的评价结果,为城市规划和改善城市人居环境提供现状基础和技术支持。     

微波消解-ICP—MS测定土壤和水系沉积物中的重金属

建立了一种采用逆王水和氢氟酸的混合体系微波酸消解土壤与水系沉积物,电感耦合等离子体质谱法快速测定六种金属元素（As、Cd、Pb、Cu、Cr和Ni）含量的方法。本文研究了消解温度和消解时间对消解效果的影响。结果表明,在190℃下运行25分钟对土壤与水系沉积物中的六种金属元素均具有很好的消解能力,备元素的测定值与标准值相符。在对实际土壤与水系沉积物样品进行分析后得出采样区域的土壤与沉积物中这六种金属含量水平正常。     

等离子气化技术在固体废物处理中的应用

针对国内固体废物处理的经验和情况,从保证处理的无害化效果以及让固体废物的处理经济可行结合的角度,介绍了等离子气化技术的应用效果及优势,认为采用等离子气化技术进行固体废物处理的时机已经成熟。     

The Links Between Resource Dependency and Attitude of Commercial Fishers to Coral Reef Conservation in the Red Sea

The imperative to further constrain extractive uses of natural resources will strengthen as resources degrade through over-use or exposure to climate changes. Here, we explore an approach to increase the support for marine conservation among coral reef fishers. We explore the proposition that resource dependency in the Egyptian Red Sea can act as a barrier to conservation. We administered face-to-face surveys to 49% of the fishing industry to: (i) identify the level of compliance to the local marine protected area (MPA), (ii) assess the level of dependency on marine resources in the region and (iii) examine the relationship between resource dependency and conservation attitudes. Only 11.4% of fishers were aware of the MPA. Fishers were mostly limited in their social flexibility and livelihood options. Results suggest that resource dependency is highly and negatively correlated with conservation attitudes suggesting that management efforts need to seriously focus on reducing dependency if conservation goals are to be met.