17β-Estradiol mineralization under field and laboratory incubations

Mineralization studies of natural steroid hormones (e.g., 17β-estradiol, E2) are performed in environmental incubators, usually under a constant temperature such as 20°C. In this paper, we present a microcosm protocol that quantified the mineralization of E2 in soils under field temperatures. The nine agricultural soils tested had a wide range of soil organic carbon (1.1 to 5.2%) and clay (9 to 57%) contents. The calculated time over which half of the applied E2 was mineralized (E2-½) ranged from 299 to 910 d, and total E2 mineralization at 48 d (E2-TOT48) ranged from 4 to 13%. In subsequent laboratory incubations, the same soils were incubated under a constant temperature of 20°C, as well as under cyclic temperatures of 14.5°C (14 h) and 11.5°C (10h), which was within the temperature extremes observed in the field microcosms. E2-½ ranged from 157 to 686 d at 20°C and from 103 to 608 d at the cyclic temperatures, with the E2-TOT48 ranging from 6 to 21% at 20°C and from 7 to 30% under cyclic temperatures. Despite the overall 6.75°C lower mean temperatures under the cyclic versus constant temperatures, E2 mineralization was stimulated by the temperature cycles in three soils. Regardless of the incubation, the same loamy sand soil always showed larger E2 mineralization than the other eight soils and this loamy sand soil also had the smallest E2 sorption. Current modeling approaches do not take into consideration the effects of temperature fluctuations in the field because the input parameters used to describe degradation are derived from laboratory incubations at a constant temperature. Across the eight soils, E2-½ was on average 1.7 times larger and E2-TOT48 was on average 0.8 times smaller under field temperatures than under a constant 20°C. Hence, we conclude that incubations at 20°C give a reasonable representation of E2 mineralization occurring under field conditions to be expected in a typical Prairie summer season.     

不同种植方式蔬菜中农药残留的差异及污染控制研究

采集了陕西地区不同种植方式的瓜果类、叶菜类蔬菜样品,研究了其中各种农药的残留情况,并分析了农药残留对环境的污染及其控制措施。结果表明:露地种植蔬菜与设施种植蔬菜相比,无论是农药残留检出率还是超标率都略高,两者的农药残留检出率分别为42.0%、36.5%,超标率分别为12.0%、8.2%;叶菜类蔬菜与瓜果类蔬菜相比,无论是农药残留检出率还是超标率都较高,两者的农药残留检出率分别为52.6%、29.6%,超标率分别为17.3%、5.4%;设施种植的瓜果类蔬菜和叶菜类蔬菜的农药残留检出率基本接近,而叶菜类蔬菜的农药残留超标率明显高于瓜果类蔬菜,露地种植的叶菜类蔬菜的农药残留检出率和超标率都远高于瓜果类蔬菜;设施种植蔬菜与露地种植蔬菜相比,甲胺磷、对硫磷、甲基对硫磷、毒死蜱、三氟氯氰菊酯和氰戊菊酯的残留检出率更高;瓜果类蔬菜与叶菜类蔬菜相比,毒死蜱、甲氰菊酯、三氟氯氰菊酯、氰戊菊酯的残留检出率更高;叶菜类蔬菜的农药施用浓度较高,施用农药后要间隔一定时间后再上市销售,并应采用更科学的施药方式,以减少农药在蔬菜中的残留和降低对环境的危害;一方面要开发并积极倡导使用高效、低毒、低残留的无公害农药,另一方面则要开发能够高效、快速降解残留农药的物质,同时还要进行农产品的清洁生产,以提高农产品的安全性,并降低环境中农药的残留危害。     

污泥膜覆盖好氧发酵堆体流场模拟及应用研究简

运用Gambit软件建立了污泥好氧发酵堆体的多孔介质模型,通过自行设计的实验装置获得了堆体的通风粘性阻力系数和惯性阻力系数以及功能膜压差与透气量之间的关系,用Fluent软件分析了堆体不同截面形状及底部通风管数量对堆体通风均匀性的影响,为确定合理的通风管数量及截面几何形状提供理论依据。对上海奉贤区城镇污水厂污泥处理工程发酵仓进行堆体流场模拟,确定堆体采用小拱形截面形状,堆高2 m,宽8 m,底部设置4条通风管,实际运行效果良好。     

SCR脱硝系统烟道内流场优化

为了改善选择性催化还原法(SCR)催化剂上游烟气的流场、温度场和浓度场分布,基于CFD仿真分析技术,建立了整个脱硝系统三维模型,并通过优化导流板及整流格栅,使得速度标准偏差、浓度标准偏差、温度偏差、速度偏转角以及压降等性能指标都满足设计要求,在满足脱硝效率和氨逃逸率前提下,大大降低了烟气对催化剂层的冲刷,保证催化剂的使用寿命。最后,为了合理布置吹灰器,对优化结构下粉尘颗粒在烟道内的运动情况进行了仿真分析研究,为设计提供了依据。     

Effects of combinations of malathion and cypermethrin on survivability and time of metamorphosis of tadpoles of Indian cricket frog (Fejervarya limnocharis)

This study was undertaken to determine the effect of environmentally realistic concentrations of two commonly used pesticides viz., malathion and cypermethrin, using a fully 3 × 3 factorial experiments on the survivability and time of metamorphosis in a common rice paddy field frog (cricket frog) Fejervarya limnocharis under laboratory conditions. The results suggest that cypermethrin is more toxic than malathion and combinations of higher concentrations of cypermethrin (50 μg/L) with malathion (250 and 500 μg/L) are more deleterious to the survivability of tadpoles. With increasing cypermethrin concentration, the survivability of tadpole decreased (r = ?0.986, P = 0.108). But cypermethrin alone induced early metamorphosis among the surviving tadpoles. However, there was a delay in the time required for metamorphosis induced by malathion and its combination with cypermethrin. The delay in metamorphosis may indicate the altered physiological fitness of the individual. The emergent froglets will be subjected to environmental stressors like high temperature and less humidity of post-monsoon tropical climate that could enhance negative influence triggered by pesticides.     

Age-dating Diesel Fuel Spills: Using the European Empirical Time-based Model in the U.S.A.

In 1993, a paper was published by Christensen and Larsen that offered a method for determining the age of diesel oil spills in soil (Christensen and Larsen, 1993 Ground Water Mount. R . Fall , 142-149). It presented an empirical time-based model of the degradation of diesel fuel in soils using chemical data gathered at petroleum release sites in Denmark and the Netherlands. Now, evaluation of the validity of the application of this work to subsurface petroleum releases in other countries remains. In the U.S.A., investigations assessing date(s) of release of diesel fuel in soils, e.g. age dating of subsurface petroleum contamination, have considerable interest. Litigation-driven scientific investigations with accompanying expert testimony in a court of law are underway. The number of instances where application of the Christensen and Larsen empirical time-based model to petroleum-contaminated properties is growing in the U.S.A. This paper presents two case studies which evaluate the applicability of the Christensen and Larsen empirical time-based model to petroleum-contaminated properties in general. It illustrates the approach using gas chromatographic data from two recently-completed projects evaluating the applicability of the Christensen and Larsen model to a No. 2 fuel oil/diesel fuel surface spill in the U.S.A. Results showed that the application of the model to petroleum-contaminated soils was scientifically valid, provided its applicability was evaluated using hypothesis testing for specific changes in the characteristics of the petroleum hydrocarbon distribution in a number of soil samples collected over time at one site. The paper offers observations on the application of the Christensen and Larsen model to petroleum found in the light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) phase and groundwater.     

珠江三角洲蔬菜基地蔬菜中邻苯二甲酸酯的含量特征

邻苯二甲酸酯是一类重要的环境激素类污染物。本文以气相色谱/质谱(GC/MS)联用检测技术,对珠江三角洲地区典型蔬菜生产基地蔬菜中6种邻苯二甲酸酯化合物进行测试分析。结果发现:(1)珠江三角洲地区典型蔬菜生产基地的蔬菜样品中,多数样品检测出6种邻苯二甲酸酯,总含量为0.46～12.02mg/kg。(2)基地蔬菜中单个邻苯二甲酸酯化合物的种类和含量因蔬菜种类、品种、部位和生长环境等因素而异。(3)同种类蔬菜在不同基地或同一基地不同种类蔬菜中邻苯二甲酸酯的含量分布不同。(4)大部分蔬菜中以邻苯二甲酸正二丁酯(DnBP)和邻苯二甲酸双(2-乙基己基)酯(DEHP)为主。     

Impact of Sea Level Rise on Groundwater Salinity in a Coastal Community of South Florida1

Guha, Hillol and Sorab Panday, 2012. Impact of Sea Level Rise on Groundwater Salinity in a Coastal Community of South Florida. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(3): 510-529. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00630.x Abstract: Freshwater resources of coastal communities in the United States and world over are threatened by the rate of sea level rise. According to recent estimates by various governmental agencies and climate researchers, the global sea level rise is likely to be between 0.6 and 2.1 m by the year 2100. South Florida is a coastal community and much of its coastline is subject to sea level rise and potential impacts to wetlands and the water resources of the area. To understand what the impact of sea level rise would cause to the groundwater level and salinity intrusion, an integrated groundwater and surface water model was developed for North Miami-Dade and Broward Counties of South Florida. The model was calibrated against daily groundwater heads, base flows in canals, and chloride concentrations for a period of one year and six months. Three separate sensitivity analyses were conducted by increasing the sea level by 0.6, 0.9, and 1.22 m. Results of the simulations shows increase of groundwater heads in some areas from 4 to 15%; whereas the average relative chloride concentrations increased significantly by 100-600% in some wells. The increase in groundwater elevations and chloride concentrations varies from location of the wells and its proximity to the coast. The model results indicate that even a 0.6 m increase in sea level (which is the conservative estimate) is likely to impair the vital freshwater resources in many parts of South Florida.     

超强静磁场对染料脱色菌Escheriehia coli的acpD基因的影响

将大肠杆菌E.coli ATCC8739置于12.0 T超强静磁场(ultra-strong static magnetic field,SMF)中进行处理,获得了磁场处理0.5、1、2、4和8 h的菌株E.coli-SMFn(n=0.5、1、2、4、8)。在37℃、pH 7、静置的条件下,菌株对偶氮染料AR14(I.C.Acid Red 14)的脱色结果指出,当反应进行到4、6和8 h时,E.coli-SMF8的脱色效率分别为18%、55%和96%,远高于E.coli ATCC8739的3%、19%和50%,表明SMF作用显著地增强了菌株的脱色效率。基因组DNA提取、PCR扩增、分子克隆以及基因测序的实验结果进一步表明,全部6例E.coli ATCC8739菌株的偶氮还原酶基因(acpD)序列均与GenBank中报道的完全一致;而E.coli-SMF8菌株的acpD-SMF8核酸序列中缺失了第99位的胞嘧啶。该缺失突变不仅使acpD-SMF8的核酸序列与acpD的存在显著不同,同时得到了具新活性中心的偶氮还原酶AzoR-SMF8。这个新的活性中心具有更强的黄素(FMN)结合能力,因此使该酶与偶氮染料的亲和力大大增加,促进了脱色效率的提高。     

Can oil prices help estimate commodity futures prices? The cases of copper and silver

There is an extensive literature on modeling the stochastic process of commodity futures. It has been shown that models with several risk factors are able to adequately fit both the level and the volatility structure of observed transactions with reasonable low errors.