Formation and Transport of Atmospheric Aerosol over Athens, Greece

The effects of meteorology on ambient aerosol concentrations and aerosol transport, within the Greater Athens Area during the summer period, was investigated. Measurements of size fractionated anions and cations were made at two sites (inland at Ag. Stefanos and on the coast at Pireas) within the Greater Athens Area. The wind regime exhibited a distinctinfluence such that the sea-breeze circulation strongly enhanced the formation of secondary aerosols. For sulphate the difference in concentration between the two sites was,on average, 8 times greater on sea-breeze days compared with Etesian days (warm days with NE winds). During `normal' days,any differences in concentrations were possibly due to localemissions. Elevated concentrations in the fine mode were detectedat both sites during the sea-breeze days. The sea-breezecirculation enhances the development of secondary aerosolswhich was clearly shown at the inland site. Nitrous acid,hydrochloric acid and particulate nitrate, sulphate andammonium increase during sea-breeze days. Elevated levelsof nitrate, 4 m diameter, were particularly observedon the days with a strong sea-breeze circulation. Sulphatewas well correlated with both sulphur dioxide and ammoniumsuggesting the production of NH₄HSO₄/(NH₄)₂SO₄ aerosols, formedthrough the neutralisation of NH₃ with sulphuric acids.Ammonium sulphate was found to be the major ammoniumcomponent in Athens.     

Assessment of the Ecological Integrity of Traunsee (Austria) Via Analysis of Sediments and Benthic Microbial Communities

Since nearly one hundred years Traunsee experiences the import of tons of liquid and solid waste originating from salt and soda production. Today, the lake exhibits chloride concentrations of up to 170 mg L^-1 and 19% of the lake floor are directly or indirectly influenced by industrial deposits (ID). Based on the comparison of several microbial parameters in unaffected, directly affected and intermediate lake bottom sediments, the ecological integrity of the lake was evaluated. The highly alkaline ID, which were exclusively colonized by microorganisms, harbored a bacterial community reduced by a factor of 10 in abundance and biomass compared to undisturbed sediment areas within the lake. The bacterial community of ID was furthermore characterized by a reduced content of actively respiring cells (INT-formazan reduction), a lower frequency of dividing cells (FDC) and a significantly reduced cell and biomass production. A 80 to 90% reduction in carbon recycling is estimated for the area exclusively covered by ID. Protists, although occasionally absent from the industrial sediments, were in general found to be less sensitive to the contaminant stress. Differences in alkalinity and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations of sediment porewaters as well as the total organic content and C/N ratios of sediments partly explain the microbial pattern observed at the various sampling sites. Possible consequences of the continuous industrial tailings for the whole lake ecosystem and the validation of the ecological integrity are discussed.     

充装条件对水基热气溶胶灭火剂燃速影响规律的研究

水基热气溶胶灭火剂是以替代哈龙为目的而研制的新一代灭火制；主要论述了充装量，充装密度，燃烧器结构等充装条件对水基热气溶胶灭火剂燃烧速度的影响规律，并分析了充装量，充装密度，燃烧器结构影响燃烧速度的原因。     

电热原子吸收法测定大气中微量元素镉

用HNO_3—HClO_4硝解聚氯乙烯膜,用石墨炉原子吸收法直接测定大气颗粒物中的镉,方法准确度使用标准物质,在选定的条件下,相对误差0.011％,变异系数为10.83％,回收率在90.2～101.6％,方法操作简便测定速度快。     

FECAL COLIFORM RELEASE FROM CATTLE FECAL DEPOSITS1

ABSTRACT: Cowpies molded to a standard configuration and size were subjected to simulated rainfall, and the fecal coliform counts were determined using the most probable number (MPN) method of enumeration. The standard cowpie deposits were exposed to simulated rainfall once at ages 2 through 100 days. The effects of rainfall intensity and recurrent rainfall were also tested. Naturally-occurring fecal deposits were also tested to compare their results with those from the standard cowpies. A log-log regression was found to describe the decline in peak fecal coliform release with fecal deposit age. The 100-day-old fecal deposits produced peak counts of 4,200 fecal coliform per 100 milliliters of water. This quantity of release is minimal compared to the release from fresher fecal material. Rainfall intensity had little effect on peak fecal coliform release from fecal deposits that were 2 or 10 days old. At age 20 days the effect of rainfall intensity was significant; the highest intensity gave the lowest peak counts, and the lowest intensity gave the highest peak counts. The effect of rainfall intensity appears to be related to the dryness of the fecal deposits. Peak fecal coliform counts were significantly lowered when the fecal deposits were rained on more than once. This decline was thought to be produced by the loss of bacteria from the fecal deposits during the previous wettings. Standard cowpies produced a peak release regression that was not significantly different from the regression for the natural fecal deposits. Apparently, grossly manipulating the fecal deposits did not significantly change the release patterns.     

珠江三角洲气溶胶云造成的严重灰霾天气

大气气溶胶的气候效应和环境效应研究是当今国际科技界的热门课题。近几年来，珠江三角洲地区的气溶胶污染日趋严重，气溶胶云一年四季都可以出现，造成空气质量和能见度下降。2003年10月底至11月初，珠江三角洲出现了一次空气质量和能见度均十分恶劣的灾害性极端气候事件。通过分析，发现其形成原因主要与台风在周边地区活动，形成该地区持续性下沉气流，使得混合层被明显挤压变薄有关。文章指出，系统认识珠江三角洲大气灰霾的形成机制、影响及其控制途径，建立和发展相应的预测、预报系统将为制定这一灾害性气候事件的控制标准和综合防治对策提供稳定的科学支持。     

Efficient degradation of lube off by a mixed bacterial consortium

A laboratory study was performed to assess the biodegradation of lube oil in bio-reactor with 304# stainless steel as a biofilm carrier.Among 164 oil degrading bacterial cultures isolated from oil contaminated soil samples, Commaonas acidovorans Pxl, Bacillus sp.Px2, Pseudomonas sp. Px3 were selected to prepare a mixed consortium for the study based on the efficiency of lube oil utilization.The percentage of oil degraded by the mixed bacterial consortium decreased slightly from 99% to 97.2% as the concentration of lube oil was increased from 2000 to 10,000 mg/L. The degradation of TDOC (total dissolved organic carbon) showed a similar tendency compared with lube oil removal, which indicated that the intermediates in degradation process hardly accumulated. Selected mixed bacterial consortium showed their edge compared to activated sludge. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photos showed that biofilms on stainless steel were robust and with a dimensional framework constructed by EPS (extracellular polymeric substances),which could promote the biodegradation of hydrocarbons. The increase of biofilm followed first-order kinetics with rate of 0.216 μg glucose/(cm~2·day) in logarithm phase. With analysis of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with removal of lube oil and TDOC, mixed bacterial consortium could degrade benzene and its derivatives, aromatic ring organic matters with a percentage over 97%.     

Eperimental study of photooxidation products of ethylbenzene

Smog chamber experiments were performed to investigate the composition of products formed from photooxidation of aromatic hydrocarbon ethylbenzene.Vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometer and aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer were used to measure the products in the gas and particle phases in real-time.Experimental results demonstrated that ethylphenol,methylglyoxal,phenol,benzaldehyde,and 2-ethylfurane were the predominant photooxidation products in both the gas and particle phases.However,there were some differences between detected gas phase products and those of particle phase,for example,2-ethylfurane,ethylglyoxylie acid,nitroethylbenzene,3,4-dioxopentanal and ethyl-nitrophenol were only existing in the particle-phase.The possible reaction mechanisms leading to these products were also discussed and proposed.     

Ecophysiological responses of winter wheat seedling to aerosol wet deposition of Xi’an area, China

Aerosol leads to 30% reduction in solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface, and a similar reduction in crops yield for both wheat and rice. To determine the effect of aerosol wet deposition on crops, aerosol samples were collected in September, 2006 at Xi’an urban suburb (34?44 N, 109?49 E), and wheat seedlings were treated with aerosol of different concentrations in laboratory conditions. Changes in physiological and biochemical parameters of wheat seedlings were measured. In comparison with the control, the activities of superoxide dismudase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and the concentration malondialdehyde (MDA) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) of wheat seedlings increased progressively with increasing concentrations of added aerosol, while the opposite trend was seen for the activities of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), the concentrations of glutathione (GSH) and nitric oxide (NO), and the ratio of GSH/GSSG. When the seedlings were treated with the aerosol of 1 and 2 mg/L, the coleoptile elongation, shoot elongation and biomass accumulation were increased, the effect at treatment of 2 mg/L was most significant. However, aerosol treatments with rates of 3 and 4 mg/L resulted in a decrease in coleoptile elongation, shoot elongation and biomass accumulation in seedlings, and significant effect was for the treatment of 4 mg/L. Hence, lower concentrations of aerosol wet deposition were in favor of crops growth, but its higher concentrations could result in deleterious effects for crops and decreased crops growth.     

沙漠地区沙尘气溶胶含量变化的原因分析

利用中国大陆气溶胶指数(TOMS AI)、太阳辐射、沙尘能见度、降水量等观测资料,对中国西北部沙漠地区沙尘气溶胶含量进行分析.结果表明,沙漠地区AI值不但取决于沙尘暴的发生,而且取决于太阳辐射.这表明沙尘暴起沙模型和尘卷风与干热对流的联合起沙模型互为补充,沙漠地区上空的沙尘气溶胶含量是它们共同作用的结果,而由太阳辐射引发的尘卷风与干热对流较沙尘暴过程更为重要.