Is Municipal Solid Waste Recycling Economically Efficient?

It has traditionally been argued that recycling municipal solid waste (MSW) is usually not economically viable and that only when externalities, long-term dynamic considerations, and/or the entire product life cycle are taken into account, recycling becomes worthwhile from a social point of view. This article explores the results of a wide study conducted in Israel in the years 2000–2004. Our results reveal that recycling is optimal more often than usually claimed, even when externality considerations are ignored. The study is unique in the tools it uses to explore the efficiency of recycling: a computer-based simulation applied to an extensive database. We developed a simulation for assessing the costs of handling and treating MSW under different waste-management systems and used this simulation to explore possible cost reductions obtained by designating some of the waste (otherwise sent to landfill) to recycling. We ran the simulation on data from 79 municipalities in Israel that produce over 60% of MSW in Israel. For each municipality, we were able to arrive at an optimal method of waste management and compare the costs associated with 100% landfilling to the costs born by the municipality when some of the waste is recycled. Our results indicate that for 51% of the municipalities, it would be efficient to adopt recycling, even without accounting for externality costs. We found that by adopting recycling, municipalities would be able to reduce direct costs by an average of 11%. Through interviews conducted with representatives of municipalities, we were also able to identify obstacles to the utilization of recycling, answering in part the question of why actual recycling levels in Israel are lower than our model predicts they should be.     

Initial Screening of Contaminated Land: A Comparison of US and Swedish Methods

Preliminary surveys are used to prioritize between contaminated sites to select those to be investigated more thoroughly. The data-gathering steps are almost identical between countries; however, the assessment procedures differ significantly. In this study, we have investigated 21 contaminated sites assessed as belonging to the high-risk or the very high-risk class using the Swedish Methods for Inventories of Contaminated Sites (MICS). We then applied the US Preliminary Assessment (PA) method to the same sites and compared the results and conclusions from the two screening procedures. In both cases, all sites were recommended for further investigation and the two approaches seem to corroborate one another; however, the PA assessment scores and the preliminary MICS classifications did not correlate. The results obtained with the PA method were easier to explain than the final MICS classification. The PA method also seems more transparent and easier to standardize, although objections could be made regarding the weighting scheme, because the outcome in this study was entirely dependent on the surface exposure pathway. However, to examine this in greater detail, it is necessary to include sites with less contamination: The importance of preliminary surveys in the overall risk management process gives a strong motivation for such an evaluation. Generally, the lack of research and scientific support for the various assessment procedures in use suggests that there is a need for method development, standardization, and validation.     

樊庆生红球菌菌剂制备优化及其重金属修复促进效果研究

目前,土壤重金属污染形势严峻,而微生物辅助植物修复的措施以其绿色友好的特性备受关注,其中,研发高效的微生物菌剂对提高修复效率至关重要.针对一种能代谢植物激素脱落酸（ABA）的微生物—樊庆生红球菌（Rhodococcus qingshengii）进行菌剂制备研究,并验证其对超积累植物东南景天提取重金属镉（Cd）、铜（Cu）、镍（Ni）和锌（Zn）能力的强化效果.结果表明,该菌种制备优化条件为：80%麦麸∶15%锯末∶5%活性炭;料水比1∶2、pH=9;接菌量40%;培养温度30℃、培养时间3 d、烘干温度40℃.优化后,固体菌剂有效活菌数可达2×10¹²CFU·g^-1,与土壤混合后其有效活菌数峰值达1×10¹¹CFU·g^-1,是接种相同活菌数液体菌剂的4倍,30 d保有的有效活菌数是液体菌剂的23倍.与未配施的空白相比,该菌剂配施于不同重金属污染土壤中,可使东南景天的Cd含量提高110%～260%,Ni和Zn含量分别提高约100%和90%;生物富集因子（BCF）则提高50%～500%,转运系数（TF）...     

农业土地利用转变对土壤团聚体组成及碳、氮含量的影响

为探究农业土地利用转变对土壤团聚体组成、稳定性及有机碳（SOC）、全氮（TN）含量变化的影响,选取玉米地、玉米地转变为姜地、稻田和稻田转变为姜地4种农业土地利用类型为研究对象,对土壤水稳性团聚体的组成、稳定性及SOC、TN含量进行测定与分析.结果表明： ①玉米地转变为姜地后,>0.25 mm粒级的大团聚体减少21.48%（p<0.01）,>0.25 mm稳定性团聚体的含量（DR_0.25）显著降低53.39%;稻田转变为姜地后,大团聚体差异不显著,<0.053 mm粒级的粉黏团聚体增加8.93%（p<0.01）;冗余分析和相关分析表明,土壤含水量是团聚体组成和 稳定性的重要影响因素;②玉米地转变为姜地后,0.25~1 mm粒级团聚体中SOC、TN含量分别减少52.68%、50.98%,粉黏团聚体（<0.053 mm）中SOC和TN含量增加约2倍（p<0.01）;稻田转变为姜地后,>0.25 mm的大团聚体和0.053~0.25 mm的微团聚体中的SOC、TN含量均减少（p<0.05）,其中,大团聚体碳氮比与团聚体组成和稳定性存在相关关系（p<0.05）;③所有处理均为大团聚体SOC、TN贡献率最高,转变后的姜地较玉米地、稻田的土壤粉黏团聚体的SOC、TN贡献率显著增加,尤其是较玉米地的粉黏团聚体SOC、TN贡献率增加3倍（p<0.01）;④平均质量 直径（MWD）和几何平均直径（GMD）与大团聚体的SOC、TN含量呈显著正相关（p<0.05）,分形维数（D）与MWD及1~2 mm粒级大团聚体的SOC、TN含量呈显著负相关（p<0.01）,DR_0.25与大团聚体的SOC、TN含量呈显著正相关（p<0.01）.总体上,玉米地和稻田两种用地转变为姜地后,土壤团聚体的组成发生较大变化,团聚体稳定性变化虽不显著,但大团聚体中SOC、TN含量降低,粉黏团聚体中SOC、TN含量增加.本研究的开展对农田科学管理和可持续生产具有重要的指导意义.     

国际粮食贸易影响下东北黑土地生产压力变化与保护策略

黑土地是重要的农产品生产基地之一,承担着保障国家粮食安全和维护农业生态安全的重要责任,保护好黑土地对促进我国农业可持续发展至关重要。测算与分析2000—2020年东北黑土地粮食生产耕地压力的变化情况,研究国际贸易对东北黑土地粮食生产的耕地压力的影响,利用国际市场占有率指数和贸易竞争优势指数分析东北黑土地农产品在国内及国际两个市场的竞争优势。结果表明：近20年来东北黑土地粮食生产的耕地压力基本处于安全压力区并呈逐步下降的趋势,玉米、大豆、稻谷三种主要作物生产的耕地压力分别从2000年的1.94、1.09和0.63下降至2020年的0.69、0.26和0.54。国际粮食贸易对黑土地粮食生产耕地压力减缓的作用显著且呈现出逐年上升的趋势,2020年对黑土地粮食生产耕地压力减缓的贡献率达26.22%,其中对大豆生产的耕地压力减缓的贡献率达511.48%。农产品贸易优势度分析结果显示,东北黑土地农产品在国内市场具有明显的贸易竞争优势,但在国际贸易中的竞争优势不明显。为此,提出了国际贸易粮食贸易变化背景下黑土地保护的若干建议,为东北黑土地保护及其粮食产能保障相关决策提供参考。     

铁基硅盐对土壤环境镉砷赋存形态及转化影响

为探明铁基硅盐对土壤镉砷赋存形态影响及各形态间转化规律,采用室内长期淹水培养吸附实验,研究不同比例铁硅材料对土壤离子态镉砷活性影响;筛选适宜铁基硅盐(FS)配比同时添加腐殖酸(FSC)和金属氧化物(FSCa),明确复配处理土壤中镉砷分级形态转化程度.结果显示,铁:硅比值增加10%,土壤pH值平均降低0.35;F₂-S₈处理土壤离子态镉降幅71%;F₁₀-S₀处理土壤离子态砷降低59.9%,离子态镉砷含量与硅酸盐-铁盐施用量互呈反比;处理F₄-S₆和F₆-S₄之间镉、砷钝化率产生交点,约为25%~30%.土壤中镉主要以可溶态为主,占比58%;砷主要以铁铝氧化态和钙结合态为主,占比40%和23%.铁硅比例为5:5或5.5:4.5左右复配能有效将铝结合态砷和铁铝氧化态砷转变为钙结合态砷和残渣态砷,可溶态镉转化为碳酸盐结合态镉以及铁锰氧化态镉,同步降低土壤中镉砷的活性.     

纳米零价铁耦合黏土修复污染土壤的研究进展

黏土负载型nZVI具有低成本、易制备、环境相容性好、综合性能优越的特点.本文在归纳nZVI改性策略的基础上,比较了黏土种类对nZVI形貌和性能的影响,提出了理想黏土载体的优选顺序,分析了复合材料的铁含量、比表面积、nZVI尺寸等与去除性能之间的关系,对nZVI耦合黏土在修复土壤重金属、卤代有机物、硝酸盐、新型污染物等方面的研究进行了总结,并概述了nZVI技术在土壤修复中的负面效应,最后对nZVI耦合黏土修复污染土壤的未来方向进行了展望.     

天山北坡经济带土壤重金属来源及污染评价

为定量识别与评价天山北坡经济带中奇台、吉木萨尔、阜康等地区土壤重金属来源与生态风险,对该区域171个表层土壤中Zn、Cu、Cr、Pb、Hg、As和Cd7种常见重金属的含量进行测定.运用统计学方法、主成分分析、正定矩阵因子分解（PMF）与潜在生态风险指数进行重金属污染程度评价以及来源分析.结果表明,研究区土壤Zn、Cu与Cr之外,Pb、Hg、As和Cd分别超过了新疆土壤背景值4.1、2.0、8.0和48.0倍;与国家土壤重金属风险筛选值相比,Zn、Cr和Hg浓度在安全范围内,Cu与Pb有少部分样点污染较严重,超出筛选值,As与Cd平均值分别超出筛选值的3.09倍与19.17倍.污染来源分析结果显示研究区土壤中的重金属元素主要来自于燃煤源、交通运输、大气降尘、农工业排放和自然因素.生态风险评价结果分析表明,Zn、Cu、Cr和Pb处于轻微风险状态;Cd处于极高风险水平;73.68%的Hg处于中等风险,18.71%处于高风险;43.86%的As生态风险处于中等风险,51.46%处于高风险.综合潜在生态指数介于472~2575.69,Cd对综合潜在生态指数贡献率达到了89.24%,其次是As与Hg,表明研究区Cd对土壤生态环境危害很大,As与Hg也需要特别引起重视.     

A novel approach to estimate and control denitrification performance in activated sludge systems with respirogram technology

Respirogram technology has been widely applied for aerobic process, however, the response of respirogram to anoxic denitrification is still unclear. To reveal such response may help to design a new method for the evaluation of the performance of denitrification. The size distribution of flocs measured at different denitrification moments demonstrated a clear expansion of flocs triggered by denitrification, during which higher specific endogenous and quasi-endogenous respiration rates (SOUR_e and SOUR_q) were also observed. Furthermore, SOUR_q increases exponentially with the specific denitrification rate (SDNR), suggesting that there should be a maximum SDNR in conventional activated sludge systems. Based on these findings, an index R_q/t, defined as the ratio of quasi-endogenous (OUR_q) to maximum respiration rate (OUR_t), is proposed to estimate the denitrification capacity that higher R_q/t indicates higher denitrification potential, which can be readily obtained without complex measurement or analysis, and it offers a novel and promising respirogram-based approach for denitrification estimation and control by taking measures to extend anoxic time to maintain its value at a high level within a certain range.     

Grazing greatly reduces the temporal stability of soil cellulolytic fungal community in a steppe on the Tibetan Plateau

Excessive livestock grazing degrades grasslands ecosystem stability and sustainability by reducing soil organic matter and plant productivity. However, the effects of grazing on soil cellulolytic fungi, an important indicator of the degradation process for soil organic matter, remain less well understood. Using T-RFLP and sequencing methods, we investigated the effects of grazing on the temporal changes of cellulolytic fungal abundance and community structure in dry steppe soils during the growing months from May to September, on the Tibetan Plateau using T-RFLP and sequencing methods. The results demonstrated that the abundance of soil cellulolytic fungi under grazing treatment changed significantly from month to month, and was positively correlated with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and soil temperature, but negatively correlated with soil pH. Contrastingly, cellulolytic fungal abundance did not change within the fencing treatment (ungrazed conditions). Cellulolytic fungal community structure changed significantly in the growing months in grazed soils, but did not change in fenced soils. Grazing played a key role in determining the community structure of soil cellulolytic fungi by explaining 8.1% of the variation, while pH and DOC explained 4.1% and 4.0%, respectively. Phylogenetically, the cellulolytic fungi were primarily affiliated with Ascomycota (69.65% in relative abundance) and Basidiomycota (30.35%). Therefore, grazing substantially reduced the stability of soil cellulolytic fungal abundance and community structure, as compared with the fencing treatment. Our finding provides a new insight into the responses of organic matter-decomposing microbes for grassland managements.