Gold Mining: Is It Worth Its Weight?

Gold (Au) accounts for only 0.004 g/ton of the earth's crust and is the most desired element. With an average annual world production of approximately 2,500 tons, the current methods of Au mining in developing countries cause major environmental issues. These issues vary from deforestation to cyanide and mercury (Hg) contamination. This article presents several cases of environmental catastrophes caused by Au mining in different regions of the world (Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South America). It discusses the currently available processes for the large-scale extraction of metallic Au grains and supports the need for an alternative sustainable process.     

Performance,combustion and emission characteristics of a single-cylinder,four-stroke,direct injection diesel engine operated on a dual-fuel mode using Honge oil methyl ester and producer gas derived from biomass feedstock of different origin

Renewable and alternative fuels have numerous advantages compared with fossil fuels, as they are renewable and biodegradable, and provide food and energy security and foreign exchange savings besides addressing environmental concerns and socio-economic issues. In this context, present work was carried out to investigate the feasibility of alternative and renewable fuels derived from biomass feedstock of different origin for engine applications. The present study was also extended to study the effect of producer gas composition derived from different biomass feedstock on the performance, combustion and emission characteristics of a single-cylinder, four-stroke, direct injection stationary diesel engine operated on a dual-fuel mode using Honge oil methyl ester (HOME) and producer gas induction. The performance of the engine was evaluated with a constant injection timing of 27° before top dead centre, an injection pressure of 205 bar for the diesel–producer gas combination and 230 bar for the HOME–producer gas combination and a compression ratio of 17.5. The results showed that the performance of the dual-fuel engine varies with the composition of the producer gas and depends on the type of biomass feedstock used in the gasifier. Experimental investigations on the dual-fuel engine showed that brake thermal efficiency values for the engine operated using HOME–producer gas derived from babul, neem and honge woods were found to be 17.2, 14.3 and 11.56% respectively, compared to 23.8% for diesel–producer gas operation at 80% load. However, the results showed better engine performance with lower exhaust emission levels for the operation of HOME–producer gas derived from the ordinary or babul wood compared with the operation of that derived from the neem and Honge woods. In view of this, present study reveals that use of alternative and renewable fuels for dual fuel engine can be considered as an immediate solution for the development of rural areas and emergency use in the event of severe diesel fuel shortage.     

用于石油污染土壤降解的高效降解菌的筛选及其降解条件优化

经过富集、分离优选出高效石油降解菌L-1,根据形态观察和生理生化特征初步鉴定为琼氏不动杆菌;采用单因素花盆实验模拟微生物原位修复并对其降解条件进行优化。结果表明,将高效石油降解菌应用于修复石油污染土壤,适宜接种量、表面活性剂浓度、CNP比、翻耕频率分别为15%、0.1%、100∶10∶1和1 d 1次;在该降解条件下修复28 d,可达到16.80%的石油降解率,远远高于土著微生物6.92%的降解率。     

降解SO2功能菌的16S rRAN基因测序及降解特性

用低浓度SO2诱导驯化方法获得高效脱硫菌群,并用分离培养与16S rRNA基因测序技术相结合的方法鉴定菌群种属,分析驯化过程中种群结构的动态变化,同时研究分离纯菌种的脱硫性能。结果表明,从诱导驯化7 d和14 d菌液中分别分离出23株菌和22株菌,16S rRNA序列分析发现这些菌归属于13个种,其中有6个种(Rhodococcus erythropolis、Pseudomonas putida、Microbacterium oxydans、Sphingomonas koreensis、Acinetobacter junii、Acinetobacter johnsonii)对SO2-3有较强的降解能力,并在持续驯化过程中稳定的生长传代,降解产物以硫酸根为主,还有极少量的单质硫。与含混合菌的驯化菌液降解SO2-3的能力相比,单一脱硫菌的脱硫性能较弱。脱硫功能菌株及其基本特性的研究为微生物处理SO2烟气提供了丰富的菌源信息和理论基础。     

干式厌氧消化过程挥发酸对硫酸盐还原菌的影响

在牛粪干式厌氧消化过程中,通过添加不同挥发酸(乙酸、丙酸、丁酸),考察消化稳定阶段,挥发性脂肪酸的分布特征,挥发性脂肪酸酸组成变化对硫酸盐还原菌(SRB)的影响,微生物种群组成和种群间关系。实验结果表明,挥发性脂肪酸对SRB还原速率的贡献依次为:丙酸丁酸乙酸。相比乙酸和丁酸,添加一定量的丙酸,更有利于激活SRB的活性,从而加强SRB与产甲烷菌(MB)的种间协同,保证厌氧系统的稳定运行。     

CVM研究中支付意愿问卷“内容依赖性”的实证研究——以上海城市内河生态恢复CVM评估为例

为检验意愿价值评估法(Contingent Valuation Method,CVM)中争论的焦点问题——支付意愿的问卷"内容依赖性",本文以上海城市内河生态修复为评估对象,构建CVM的假想市场,设计评估顺序、评估对象尺度、嵌套物品等四重方案,通过720份问卷平行调查对同一评估对象在不同问卷中获得的支付意愿,并进行估计值比较和t检验。研究结果显示:支付意愿的数值随评估尺度的增加并不显著增加;单独评估比作为嵌套物品评估具有更高的支付意愿值;在问卷中先被评估的物品居民给出的支付意愿较高;整体物品的支付意愿小于各部分的加总。研究结果验证了国外实证研究文献报道的"范围不敏感"、"嵌入效应"、"顺序效应"、"部分—整体效应"等现象的存在。对此现象的解释主要是收入效应和替代效应。因此,在将CVM研究结果应用于公共政策中应充分考虑上述因素引起的偏差。     

The living environment and children's fears following the Indonesian tsunami

The tsunami that struck South-east Asia on 26 December 2004 left more than 500,000 people in Aceh, Indonesia, homeless and displaced to temporary barracks and other communities. This study examines the associations between prolonged habitation in barracks and the nature of fears reported by school-age children and adolescents. In mid-2007, 30 months after the tsunami, the authors interviewed 155 child and parent dyads. Logistic regression analysis was used to compare the fears reported by children and adolescents living in barracks with those reported by their peers who were living in villages. After adjusting for demographic factors and tsunami exposure, the data reveals that children and adolescents living in barracks were three times more likely than those living in villages to report tsunami-related fears. The study demonstrates that continued residence in barracks 30 months after the tsunami is associated with higher rates of reporting tsunami-related fears, suggesting that barracks habitation has had a significant impact on the psychological experience of children and adolescents since the tsunami.     

基于DFA法的江苏省极端降水时空分布特征研究

为进一步掌握江苏省极端降水的时空分布特征,基于该省1961-2010年均一性较好的逐日降水数据,利用去趋势波动分析法确定了全省13个站点的极端降水阈值,并通过Morlet小波及Mann-Kendall法分析了江苏省极端降水频数的振荡周期及其突变。结果表明,江苏省极端降水年频数和夏季极端降水均呈现8～10 a的变化周期,且1998年和2006年分别为其突变增加年,而秋季极端降水主要呈2～3 a与5～7 a的变化周期;极端降水与降水总量的空间分布具有较好的一致性,均呈南部大、北部小的特征。     

河南省春季降水与温度变化的时空分布——基于地理信息系统的分析

春季的气候条件异常一直是制约河南省小麦生产的瓶颈之一,春旱作为河南省主要的气象灾害,严重影响了小麦的生长。近几十年来,极端天气事件随着全球气候变暖的加快而越发频繁。春季干旱发生的主要因子降水和温度的变异性显著变大。基于GIS及和河南省30年的气候整编资料,对河南省春季降水、温度及降水温度比的变化趋势及时空变化分布进行了研究。结果表明:豫南春季降水减少最为严重(南阳盆地除外),豫中次之,豫北春季降水稍有增加;从温度的变化分布来看,河南全省春季温度都呈上升趋势,其中,豫南的信阳、驻马店,豫西北的济源、焦作、洛阳、郑州及平顶山地区温度上升趋势较大,南阳盆地、豫东平原及豫北平原地带温度变化相对较小;反应春季气候异常的降水温度比豫南为负向变化最大,豫北为正向变化最大,空间分布与春季降水基本吻合。综合分析说明未来河南地区的气候变化将会更加不稳定。     

Research of the Response of Ecosystem to LUCC in Miyun County, Beijing： Based on Ecosystem Services Valuation

Miyun County,located in the northeast of Chinese capital Beijing,was underwent remarkable variations in land use in recent years.This paper aimed to detect changes in land use of Miyun from 1997 to 2005,and to qualify the response of ecosystem to LUCC based on ecosystem services valuation.With two-periods TM images,we got land use change data,and then ecosystem services values were calculated using ecosystem services valuation coefficients proposed by Chinese scholar Xie Gaodi.Results showed that water area,farm land and unused land decreased while residential land,forest land,grassland and orchard land increased during the study period.The loss of ESV was RMB 206 million and the main reason was the decrease of water area and farm land area.As for spatial variation,there were most dramatically land use change and ESV decline in reservoir ecological protection region.The coefficient sensitivity analysis indicates that valuation coefficients used in the study are suitable and results are reasonable.The driving forces of ESV loss were rapid population growth and economic development.More work should be done to make eco-environment stay healthy.