Continuous biohydrogen production from diluted molasses in an anaerobic contact reactor

An anaerobic contact reactor (ACR) system comprising a continuous flow stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with settler to decouple the hydraulic retention time (HRT) from solids retention time (SRT) was developed for fermentative hydrogen production from diluted molasses by mixed microbial cultures. The ACR was operated at various volumetric loading rates (VLRs) of 20–44 kgCOD·m^-3·d^-1 with constant HRT of 6 h under mesophilic conditions of 35°C. The SRT was maintained at about 46–50 h in the system. At the initial VLR of 20 kgCOD·m^-3·d^-1, the hydrogen production rate dropped from 22.6 to 1.58 L·d^-1 as the hydrogen was consumed by the hydrogentrophic methanogen. After increasing the VLR to 28 kgCOD·m^-3·d^-1 and discharging the sludge for 6 consecutive times, the hydrogentrophic methanogens were eliminated, and the hydrogen content reached 36.4%. As the VLR was increased to 44 kgCOD·m^-3·d^-1, the hydrogen production rate and hydrogen yield increased to 42.1 L·d^-1 and 1.40 mol H₂·molglucose-consumed^-1, respectively. The results showed that a stable ethanol-type fermentation that favored hydrogen production in the reactor was thus established with the sludge loading rate (SLR) of 2.0–2.5 kgCOD·kgMLVSS^-1·d^-1. It was found that the ethanol increased more than other liquid fermentation products, and the ethanol/acetic acid (mol/mol) ratio increased from 1.27 to 2.45 when the VLR increased from 28 to 44 kgCOD·m^-3·d^-1, whereas the hydrogen composition decreased from 40.4% to 36.4%. The results suggested that the anaerobic contact reactor was a promising bioprocess for fermentative hydrogen production.     

新疆某油田企业两轮清洁生产审核效益分析

新疆某油田企业于2007年进行了第一轮清洁生产审核工作,确定了清洁生产方案14项,其中无／低费方案9项,中／高费方案5项,产生的直接、间接经济效益总计为4057．27万元／a。该企业于2011年完成了第二轮清洁生产审核,确定了清洁生产方案14项,其中无／低费方案6项,中／高费方案8项,总计清洁生产方案产生经济效益1954．142万元／a。通过两轮清洁生产审核工作,企业产生了较好的经济效益与环境效益。     

不同类型区农用地整治对农田生产能力的影响

以产能提高为核心的农用地整治已上升为国家层面的重要战略之一。通过建立农用地整治影响下的农田生产能力估算模型,定量评价湖北省内平原、丘陵及山地3种不同类型区农用地整治对农田生产能力的影响,结果表明:①农用地整治后,山地型整治区农田生产能力提高168.91%,丘陵型整治区提高57.78%,平原型整治区提高38.32%;②平原型整治区基础设施要素提高最大,为78.62%;丘陵型整治区水资源要素提高最大,为75%;山地型整治区基础设施要素提高最大,为199.12%;③总体上,基础设施要素对农田生产能力的贡献率都最大。建议国家农用地整治在政策上适当增加对山地型和丘陵型整治区的重视,项目区应合理配套农村居民点整治工程,并尽量避免生态损失。     

我国原铝冶炼行业温室气体排放模型

我国原铝冶炼行业产业集中度较低,生产水平参差不齐,随着国内原铝产量不断增加,原铝行业碳排放及其计算方法备受关注. 针对我国原铝冶炼过程原料类型、能源结构复杂的特点,对国内外已有碳排放核算框架进行细化,从物料、工序、工艺3个层面构建了复杂的原铝冶炼系统温室气体排放计算模型. 在广泛文献调研的基础上,选取典型原铝冶炼企业开展现场调研及专家咨询,进而形成模型的基础数据库. 利用上述模型对我国2011年原铝冶炼过程碳排放进行核算. 结果表明:综合考虑氧化铝生产工艺结构、电解铝行业分布区域的电网能源结构,我国原铝冶炼系统CO₂排放因子(以铝锭计)为14.70t/t. 电解铝生产过程电耗相关排放占70%,南方电网区域电解铝生产电耗相关CO₂排放分别比华中、华北地区低13%、30%. 原铝冶炼行业可通过优先选用碳排放因子较低的物料、淘汰落后氧化铝工艺、开发引进低温低电压工艺技术等手段,进一步实现物料、工序及工艺的多层次温室气体减排.      

Prices vs quantities with multiple pollutants

We examine the choice of policy instruments (price, quantity or a mix of the two) when two pollutants are regulated and firms' abatement costs are private information. Whether abatement efforts are complements or substitutes is key determining the choice of policies. When pollutants are complements, a mixed policy instrument with a tax on one pollutant and a quota on another is sometimes preferable even if the pollutants are identical in terms of benefits and costs of abatement. Yet, if they are substitutes, the mixed policy is dominated by taxes or quotas.     

Natural and Anthropogenic Effects On Phytoplankton Primary Productivity in Mangroves

Abstract

Spatial and temporal variations and the factors influencing primary production have been studied in three different mangrove waters (Pichavaram, Ennore Creek and Adyar Estuary) of South India characterised by different anthropogenic impacts. the gross primary productivity in the unpolluted Pichavaram mangrove was 113 g Cm^?2yr^?1 exhibiting natural variability with the environmental forcing factors. Human activities have elevated primary productivity in the Ennore Creek mangrove (157g Cm^?2yr^?1) primarily through the direct discharge of fertilizer effluents. By contrast, a combination of domestic and industrial effluent discharges into the Adyar Estuary mangrove has considerably reduced phytoplankton primary productivity 83g Cm^?2yr^?1 the Redfield N: P ratio varies from 0.96 N: 1P at Ennore Creek, 1.75N: 1P at Adyar Estuary to 15.2 N: 1P at Pichavaram mangroves. This suggests that the Pichavaram mangroves represent a well equilibrated ecosystem with N: P ratio close to steady-state values in contrast to the anthropogenically altered mangrove ecosystems studied. Results show a significant temporal variability in nutrient concentration in the three mangrove areas. Distinct differences in nutrient concentrations between the dry and the wet seasons have been observed.     

基于SPI指数的1981—2010年内蒙古地区干旱时空分布特征

依据内蒙古地区47 个地面观测站1981—2010 年降水资料,采用标准化降水指数(SPI)作为干旱指标,分析了内蒙古地区年度和四季干旱发生的频率、干旱强度和站次比(发生干旱站数与总站数之比) 的演变特点。结果表明:年度、秋季和冬季干旱强度变化趋势不明显,春、夏季干旱强度呈显著上升的趋势;近30 a 来年尺度上干旱强度表现为轻度干旱,四季干旱强度以轻度干旱为主;年、季尺度上干旱发生的覆盖范围为局域性干旱和区域性干旱;内蒙古东北部呼伦贝尔盟是年度干旱、中旱、重旱与特旱发生频率最高地区,而西部阿拉善盟地区干旱、中旱、重旱和特旱发生的频率相对较低;从季节上来看,内蒙古全区春、冬季干旱(含中、重和特旱)发生频率较为一致,表现为西部及西南部地区干旱发生的频率较低,而东部、中部、北部地区干旱发生的频率相对较高。     

Regionalisation and sustainability in the field of industrial production

SUMMARY

Regional business concepts are said to have huge potential to support sustainable development in industrialised countries (e.g. Stransfeld, 1999). However, whereas efforts have been made to implement regional concepts within agriculture and forestry, empirical findings show that regional concepts are only of minor importance to managers within industrial production (Rentz et al., 2000). Considering this situation, the aim of the present article is to explain why regional business concepts have rarely been implemented in the field of industrial production. Therefore, in the course of the present article, a raster for the identification of relevant barriers on a personal, enterprise, inter-firm and macroeconomic level will be developed and applied. Subsequently, suggestions for a set of measures to overcome these barriers to regionalisation will be given. The results have been identified in the framework of a questionnaire to about 30 decision makers of industrial companies within research, a project promoted by the German Ministry of Education and Research.     

Assessment of land degradation and its impact on crop production in the Dry Zone of Myanmar

Land degradation in terms of soil degradation is a major environmental issue posing threat to sustainable livelihood in the semi-arid region of Central Myanmar. However, the studies on soil degradation status and its impacts in this region are very scanty. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of land degradation on crop production both in terms of area and yield in the Dry Zone of Myanmar. Remote sensing and geographic information system-based modelling was utilized to assess and map soil erosion rates. Household survey was conducted to understand the causes of land degradation and its impacts on crop productivity and livelihoods. It has been found out that the current rate of soil erosion ranged from 0 to 114 t ha^–1 yr^–1, and that the average rate of soil erosion increased from 14.2 to 54.6 t ha^–1 yr^–1 over a period from 2000 to 2012. The major types of land degradation were physical and chemical soil degradation. Farmers identified topographic condition, soil types, improper crop management practices and climatic factors as the main causes of soil erosion. The observed crop yields of monsoon rice, groundnut, sesame and cotton in the highly degraded area were 3–12 times lower compared with the yields of these crops grown in less degraded area. Livelihoods of the farmers in the high-degraded area were affected by crop yield reduction, increased cultivation cost and increased uncultivable land area. The impact of land degradation on crop production was dependent on the severity of degradation. This suggests that advanced conservation measures are immediately required and the supportive policy strategies need to be implemented to educate farmers and to strengthen extension services for sustainable land management in the Dry Zone of Myanmar.     

森林净生态系统生产力及其生物影响因子研究进展

在全球大气二氧化碳浓度上升的背景下,陆地生态系统碳循环及碳汇功能研究得到了广泛的关注,日益成为今后的政治和外交的重大议题之一.净生态系统生产力(net ecosystem production, NEP)是生态系统光合固定的碳与生态系统呼吸损失的碳之间的差值;或者为生态系统净的碳积累速率.NEP 的研究整合生态系统地上和地下部分,把生态系统碳循环的影响因子有机地联系了起来.当NEP为正值时,说明生态系统为碳汇,NEP为负值则表明生态系统为碳源.随着植物和土壤相互联系及其对生态系统过程研究的深入,NEP已经成为生态系统碳循环研究的核心概念之一.以森林NEP为出发点,综述了国内外的最近的 NEP 研究进展,分析了 NEP 研究的科学意义;探讨了植物群落组成/生物多样性、土壤微生物群落、大型/土壤动物和人为的管理或干扰等生物因子对NEP的影响.根据综述研究提出未来研究应在:(1)土壤生物过程、土壤食物网及其与地上部分植物/动物相互作用对NEP的影响;(2)自然林生物多样性的竞争/共存机制与生态系统碳吸存稳定性;(3)人工林固碳潜力和不同植物功能群(灌草层)对生态系统碳动态影响等方面加强,以期为全面认识生物因子对森林生态系统系统固碳现状、机制和潜力提供理论基础.