Potential for rainwater use in high-rise buildings in Australian cities

Rainwater is a traditional but underutilized water resource that has today had a resurgence due to the worldwide water crisis. This paper demonstrates the outcomes of research on the feasibility of rainwater use in high-rise residential envelopes for four Australian cities of Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Darwin. Different climate patterns and various levels of water demand management were established for determination of storage dimensions; annual tank water use; reduction in both imported water flow and stormwater disposal; and water spillage from tanks. High level water demand management was a profoundly effective tool for reducing potable water supply, especially in combination with rainwater use. The economic feasibility of rainwater use systems were estimated; with Sydney having the shortest payback period compared to other cities either both with 3A rated appliances (8.6 years) or 5A ones installed (10.4 years). That was due to the higher and more consistent rainfall in Sydney. An outcome of this study was that Sydney was likely most suited to rainwater use, followed by Perth, Darwin, and then Melbourne. The objective of this study was to fill in the gap in estimating feasibility of rainwater use in various Australian cities. This investigation endeavors to provide assistance to water authorities and urban planners of Australian cities with the consideration of the potential of rainwater harvesting.     

化工储罐区空袭次生灾害危险性评价研究

根据化工储罐区及其遭空袭次生灾害的特点,以空袭次生灾害的影响范围作为危险性评价的标准,对化工储罐区的空袭次生灾害进行危险性评价。指出储罐遭空袭后的3种毁伤方式;给出储罐遭空袭发生的次生灾害及其扩散的形式与后果;阐述了化工储罐区空袭次生灾害的成灾机理;分别提出热辐射伤害、冲击波伤害和有毒有害物质扩散的危险性评价方法。以池火灾为例,建立了池火灾的危险性评价模型;论述了池火灾危险性评价的具体流程,并进行了案例分析,根据计算结果提出了相应的减灾对策。笔者认为,化工储罐区遭空袭后的次生灾害的危险性评价具有现实意义,对于化工园区、石化厂、危化品仓库等突发安全事故产生次生灾害的危险性评价同样具有重要的参考价值。     

城市工业化灾害及其综合减灾设计对策──兼论北京城市防灾减灾的规划编研思路

文章从城市减灾问题研究的实际出发 ,认为城市灾害系统中对于城市威胁最大的城市工业化灾害至今重视不够 ,甚至缺少必要评估。无论是大中城市发展 ,还是大力倡导的中国小城镇建设 ,城市工业化防灾应引起关注。因此提出不仅应研究城市减灾中的工业化致灾问题 ,还必须关注工业建筑及建设中的防灾规划及布局 ,这是一项极为重要的可持续发展战略。     

Sludge reduction with Tubificidae and the impact on the performance of the wastewater treatment process

To reduce excess sludge, a Tubificidae reactor was combined with an integrated oxidation ditch with vertical circle (IODVC), and a new integrated system was developed for wastewater treatment. A pilot-scale of this integrated system was tested to investigate the sludge reduction with Tubificidae and the impact on effluent quality and sludge production. The dominant worm was Branchnria Sowerbyi in the Tubificidae reactor after inoculation of Branchnria Sowerbyi and Limnodrilns sp., and the maximal volume density of wet Tubificidae in vessels of the Tubificidae reactor was 17600 g/m3. Two operational modes, treating the excess sludge (first mode) and the returned sludge (second mode) of IODVC by the Tubificidae reactor, were used in this experiment. The results showed that the excess sludge reduction rate was 46.4% in the first mode, and the average sludge yield of the integrated system was 6.19×10-5 kg SS/kg COD in the second mode. Though the sludge returned to IODVC via the Tubificidae reactor, it had little impact on the effluent quality and the sludge characteristics of the IODVC. No new type of recalcitrant substance in the supernatant was discharged into the environment when the sludge was treated by Tubificidae. The experimental results also indicated that no significant changes occurred on the viscosity, specific resistance, and the floc size distribution of the sludge.     

Sustainability and environmental enhancement in changing cirumstances

Natural environment has endured fast economic growth and population explosion sine the 20th century,which has soil erosion,land desertification,ozone layer depletion,bio-diversity reduction and persistent toxic and harmful pollutants are among the major environmental challenges.     

Dechlorination of carbon tetrachloride by the catalyzed Fe-Cu process

The electrochemical reduction characteristics of carbon tetrachloride (CT) were investigated using cyclic voltammetry in this study. In addition, the difference in reduction mechanisms of CT between Master Builders' iron and the catalyzed Fe-Cu process was discussed. The results showed that CT was reduced directly on the surface of copper rather than by atomic hydrogen produced at the cathode in the catalyzed Fe-Cu process. The reduction was realized largely by atomic hydrogen in Master Builders' iron. The entire CT in 350 ml aqueous solution with 320 mgL was reduced to trichloromethane and dichloromethane in 2.25 h when 100 g of scrap iron with FeCu ratio of 10:1 (ww) were used. Moreover, the reduction rate slowed with time. CT could be reduced at acidic, neutral and alkaline pH from solution by Fe-Cu bimetallic media, but the mechanisms were di?erent. The degradation rate was not significantly in?uenced by pH in the catalyzed Fe-Cu process; in Master Builders' iron it clearly increased with decreasing pH. The kinetics of the reductions followed pseudo-first order in both cases. Furthermore, the reductions under acidic conditions proceeded faster than that under the neutral and alkaline conditions. The catalyzed Fe-Cu process was superior to Master Builders' iron in treating CT-containing water and this advantage was particularly noticeable under alkaline conditions. The reduction was investigated in the cathode (Cu) and anode (Fe) compartments respectively, the results showed that the direct reduction pathway played an important role in the reduction by the catalyzed Fe-Cu process. The catalyzed Fe-Cu process is of practical value.     

Anaerobic biodegradation of benzene series compounds by mixed cultures based on optional electronic acceptors

A series of batch experiments were performed using mixed bacterial consortia to investigate biodegradation performance of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and three xylene isomers （BTEX） under nitrate, sulfate and ferric iron reducing conditions. The results showed that toluene, ethylbenzene, m-xylene and o-xylene could be degraded independently by the mixed cultures coupled to nitrate, sulfate and ferric iron reduction. Under ferric iron reducing conditions the biodegradation of benzene and p-xylene could be occurred only in the presence of other alkylbenzenes. Alkylbenzenes can serve as the primary subs＇rates to stimulate the transformation of benzene and p-xylene under anaerobic conditions. Benzene and p-xylene are more toxic than toluene and ethylbenzene, under the three terminal electron acceptors conditions, the degradation rates decreased with toluene 〉 ethylbenzene 〉 m-xylene 〉 o-xylene〉 benzene 〉 p- xylene. Nitrate was a more favorable electron acceptor compared to sulfate and ferric iron. The ratio between sulfate consumed and the loss of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene was 4.44, 4.51, 4.42, 4.32, 4.37 and 4.23, respectively; the ratio between nitrate consumed and the loss of these substrates was 7.53, 6.24, 6.49, 7.28, 7.81, 7.61, respectively; the ratio between the consumption of ferric iron and the loss of toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, m-xylene was 17.99, 18.04, 18.07, 17.97, respectively.     

城市社区防灾减灾工作机制研究

在组织论指导下,提出在区民防办下设街道防减灾办公室,负责社区防减灾的领导工作。根据灾害管理过程,设置下属机构包括:社区灾害预防组、应急救援组和灾后恢复组。明确各相关方在具体工作中的角色和责任,完善社区防减灾机制。按自愿原则组建志愿者队伍,建立良好的培养和激励机制,确保服务人员的长期化。扩大基层防减灾宣传教育的广度,特别是基层领导干部和青少年的宣教。将宣教和防灾演练结合,使得防灾演练制度化。同时,需要重视在现有"120"急救网络上,建立院前急救体系,配备相应的物资和人员。     

电化学法去除水中氯代有机化合物的研究进展

氯代有机化合物难降解、环境危害性极大,对氯代有机化合物的污染进行治理已成为水污染控制的重要课题。介绍了直接电化学氧化法、间接电化学氧化法、直接电化学还原法和间接电化学还原法用于水中氯代有机化合物处理的机理、研究现状;总结了电化学法去除氯代有机化合物的影响因素,同时指出电化学法在实际应用中存在的问题,并展望了氯代有机化合物电化学处理技术的应用前景。     

Heavy metal removal and cyanide destruction in the metal plating industry: an integrated approach from egypt

Wastewater produced from a metal plating is a major environmental problem. Industrial auditing revealed that the main source of pollution mainly originated from rinsing water. The characterization of final effluent showed that it is highly contaminated with hazardous heavy metals and cyanide. The concentration of copper, hexavalent chromium, nickel, and cyanide in the rinsing water of metal plating department was 14.8, 40.9, 13.3, and 19 mg/l, respectively. The concentration of cyanide and zinc from the galvanizing department reached 60 and 80 mg/l. The remediation scheme included the application of in-plant control measures via changing the rinsing process followed by the destruction of cyanide and reduction of hexavalent chromium bearing wastes. The pretreated wastes were then mixed with other industrial wastes prior to a combined chemical coagulation-sedimentation using lime and/or lime in combination with ferric chloride. The results indicated that, after applying the waste minimization measures alone at the source, prior to final treatment of industrial waste, removal rates of cyanide, copper, nickel, and chromium concentrations were 23.2%, 14.9%, 32.3%, and 55.3%, respectively in the rinse water from metal plating department. Furthermore, the removal rates of cyanide and zinc in the galvanizing department reached 59.7% and 24.3. The integrated control measures and treatment scheme led to more than 99% removal of copper, nickel, chromium, and zinc, while the complete removal of cyanide was achieved in the final effluent.