Bioindication of volatile elements emission by the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle (North Patagonia) volcanic event in 2011

The emission of volatile pollutants from the volcanic eruption of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle complex (North Patagonia Andean Range) that started in June 4th, 2011, was investigated by bioindication means with the epyphytic fruticose lichen Usnea sp. The elemental composition of pooled samples made up with 10 lichen thalli were analysed by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. Eleven sampling sites were selected within the impacted region at different distance from the volcanic source. Five sites were selected as they were already sampled in a previous study prior to the eruption. Two other new sampling sites were selected from outside the impacted zone to provide non-impacted baseline sites.The elements associated with the lichen incorporation of particulate matter (PM) of geological origin were identified by linear correlation with a geochemical tracer (Sm concentrations). The elements associated with PM uptake were Ce, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Na, Nd, Sb, Sc, Se, Ta, Tb, Th, U, and Yb. Arsenic and Cs concentrations showed contributions exceeding the PM fraction in sites near the volcanic centre, also higher than the baseline concentrations, which could be associated with permanent emissions from the geothermal system of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle complex. The lichen concentrations of Ba, Ca, Co, Hg, K, Rb, Sr, and Zn were not associated with the PM, not showing higher concentrations in the sites nearby the volcanic source or respect to the baseline values either. Therefore, there is no indication of the emission of volatile forms of these elements in the lichen records. The lichen records only identified Br volatile emissions associated with the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle complex eruption in 2011.     

Visualization and localization of bromotoluene distribution in Hedera helix using NanoSIMS

Some plants are known as indoor air purifiers. A large number of studies report kinetic purification results for an extensive panel of plants, i.e. the pollutant concentration (volatile organic compounds, as known as VOC, most of the time) is continuously monitored by gas chromatography. However, only a few papers describe the mechanisms involved in such processes. This study deals with the use of secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging as an efficient tool to locate atmospheric pollutant as bromotoluene within the Hedera helix plant (leaf, roots) and the substrate on which it was previously grown. Hedera helix plants have been placed in a pollution chamber with control of the exposure parameters. Plant and soil samples excised were transferred into a fixative solution of glutaraldehyde and paraformaldehyde for a few days, were dehydrated using ethanol and were embedded with resin. Cross sections were made from the pale brown solids obtained. Then, a device using a cathodic pulverization device capable of depositing a few nanometers of gold atoms over the sample was used to make the surface electronically conductive for the NanoSIMS. Hence, polluted and unpolluted samples of Hedera helix and substrates were obtained following a careful procedure that allowed for the discrimination between polluted and nonpolluted ones. Nanoscale spatial resolution was an invaluable tool (NanoSIMS) to achieve this, and proved that VOCs, such as bromotoluene, were actually trapped by plants such as Hedera helix.     

Multi-step approach for comparing the local air pollution contributions of conventional and innovative MSW thermo-chemical treatments

In the sector of municipal solid waste management the debate on the performances of conventional and novel thermo-chemical technologies is still relevant. When a plant must be constructed, decision makers often select a technology prior to analyzing the local environmental impact of the available options, as this type of study is generally developed when the design of the plant has been carried out. Additionally, in the literature there is a lack of comparative analyses of the contributions to local air pollution from different technologies. The present study offers a multi-step approach, based on pollutant emission factors and atmospheric dilution coefficients, for a local comparative analysis. With this approach it is possible to check if some assumptions related to the advantages of the novel thermochemical technologies, in terms of local direct impact on air quality, can be applied to municipal solid waste treatment. The selected processes concern combustion, gasification and pyrolysis, alone or in combination. The pollutants considered are both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic. A case study is presented concerning the location of a plant in an alpine region and its contribution to the local air pollution. Results show that differences among technologies are less than expected. Performances of each technology are discussed in details.     

西安市城市主干道路面径流初期冲刷效应

以西安市城市主干道南二环太白路高架桥为路面径流采样区域,采用人工等时间间隔采样方法,在桥梁排水立管对2010年9—11月的3场径流事件进行全程采样,测试径流过程SS、COD、溶解性COD、NH3-N、Pb、溶解性Pb、Zn和溶解性Zn的浓度变化,研究路面径流的初期冲刷效应及其影响因素。结果表明,西安市城市主干道路面径流污染严重,降雨数小时后的末期径流仍具有较高的污染水平;径流过程污染物浓度变化规律与其赋存形态有关,SS、COD、Pb等以颗粒态为主的污染物的浓度随雨强变化剧烈波动,NH3-N、溶解态COD、溶解态Zn等以溶解态为主的污染物浓度变化受雨强影响较小,随径流过程呈逐渐减小趋势;路面径流初期冲刷现象并非普遍存在,与污染物的赋存状态和场次降雨特征密切相关,溶解态污染物易于出现初期冲刷现象,颗粒态污染物是否出现初期冲刷与场次降雨特征有关;测试的3场径流事件初期30%的径流携带的SS、COD、溶解性COD、NH3-N、Pb、Zn和溶解性Zn的负荷占场次径流总负荷的比例分别为21.8%～50.0%、25.5%～49.3%、36.3%～52.6%、52.6%～66.7%、26.8%～45.0%、27.2%～63.4%和36.2%～62.6%,表明仅对初期径流进行治理无法实现对西安市路面径流污染的有效控制。     

沸石渗滤床在城市初期雨水径流污染控制的应用研究

根据城市初期雨水径流的污染负荷初始冲刷效应以及主要污染物COD和N/P与SS成线性相关性的污染特点,对初期雨水的主要污染物COD和N/P开展了控制技术研究。以示范工程为基础,研究城市初期雨水径流污染控制的强化处理技术即沸石渗滤床技术,运行结果表明,对NH3-N、TP、COD都有较好的去除效果,其中对NH3-N的去除效果较为明显,进水氨氮浓度在2～5 mg/L,出水都能达到地表IV类水标准(NH3-N≤0.5 mg/L)。     

基于GCM_CB模型的土壤重金属污染评价

灰色聚类法已经运用于土壤重金属污染评价中,然而此法在确定聚类权重时仅考虑重金属浓度,忽略了衡量重金属毒性强弱的重要指标生物毒性指数。为了更客观和准确地反映土壤重金属的污染程度,将生物毒性指数引入到聚类指标权重中,构建GCM_CB(grey clustering method_concentration and biotoxicity)土壤重金属污染评价模型。通过对华东某地区的10个区域土壤重金属污染进行分析评价,并与常用评价方法对比研究,表明:其多数样点的评价结果基本一致,但针对样品4和样品9中的元素Hg,因其强毒性,使得评价等级由I级定为II级,从而提高了评价方法的灵敏度,更加符合该区域的实际土壤污染情况。     

湘江株洲段丰水期镉污染负荷总量测算及分配

以2010年8月湘江干流株洲段代表性断面水质与底泥监测资料以及其他资料为基础,采用WASP7模型模拟该江段丰水期镉浓度,并进行镉污染负荷测算与分配。研究结果表明,WASP7模型较好地重现了镉浓度的变化规律,8月份该河段上游镉入流量2 446.33 kg,下游出流量3 076.44 kg,区间增量630.12 kg,其中点源负荷量241.67 kg,占38.4%,面源负荷量304.49 kg,占48.3%,内源负荷量为83.96 kg,占13.3%。     

Measuring combined exposure to environmental pressures in urban areas: an air quality and noise pollution assessment approach

This study presents a methodological scheme developed to provide a combined air and noise pollution exposure assessment based on measurements from personal portable monitors. Provided that air and noise pollution are considered in a co-exposure approach, they represent a significant environmental hazard to public health. The methodology is demonstrated for the city of Thessaloniki, Greece. The results of an extensive field campaign are presented and the variations in personal exposure between modes of transport, routes, streets and transport microenvironments are evaluated. Air pollution and noise measurements were performed simultaneously along several commuting routes, during the morning and evening rush hours. Combined exposure to environmental pollutants is highlighted based on the Combined Exposure Factor (CEF) and Combined Dose and Exposure Factor (CDEF). The CDEF takes into account the potential relative uptake of each pollutant by considering the physical activities of each citizen. Rather than viewing environmental pollutants separately for planning and environmental sustainability considerations, the possibility of an easy-to-comprehend co-exposure approach based on these two indices is demonstrated. Furthermore, they provide for the first time a combined exposure assessment to these environmental pollutants for Thessaloniki and in this sense they could be of importance for local public authorities and decision makers. A considerable environmental burden for the citizens of Thessaloniki, especially for VOCs and noise pollution levels is observed. The material herein points out the importance of measuring public health stressors and the necessity of considering urban environmental pollution in a holistic way.     

沼气农业复合生态系统能值分析

以沼气为纽带的农业综合利用系统对农村和偏远地区可持续发展具有重要意义。本文基于能值流图和指标体系,构建了沼气农业复合生态系统的综合评价框架,并以国家沼气农业示范区广西恭城县为案例,分析养殖-沼气-种植"三位一体"典型沼气农业复合系统的能值投入产出量及其结构,利用能值系统结构功能指标对该系统进行经济生态多元分析,评估其投资率、产出率、环境压力以及可持续性等系统综合表现,并与国内外其他农业系统进行比较分析。系统投入结果表明,恭城县沼气农业复合系统总投入中人类经济反馈在系统中所占比例最大,可更新环境资源次之,其中又以肥料、农药和劳工与管理的投入最大;系统产出表明,目前仍以种植业和养殖业为主导,水产业相对薄弱,而新兴的沼气产业因其低耗高产的特点,发展势头良好;而能值系统结构功能指标表明该农业系统整体具有环境负荷低、产出效率高、可持续性强等优势。依照能值分析各项结果,本文对沼气农业系统优化配置和进一步推广应用提出了参考建议。     

1990-2009年中国省际环境污染综合评价

本文以中国省级经济单元为分析对象,以环境污染为研究中心,基于"纵横向"拉开档次法的动态综合评价原理,通过构建具有"三维"特征的环境污染动态综合评价模型,计算了各省1990-2009年的环境污染综合指数,研究了影响环境污染变动的决定因素。结论认为,在样本考察期内,污染物排放最少(即环境质量最好)的省份依次为:青海、天津、北京、宁夏、新疆、甘肃、上海、吉林、福建、云南,这10个省份的环境污染综合指数都在1.50以下;要完成"十二五"主要污染物排放比2010年下降8%的减排目标,四川、河北、山东、辽宁、山西、江苏、河南、广东、湖南、广西是重点监控省份。分地区看,西部地区环境污染最小,依次为中部和东部。污染物排放变动的影响因素分析表明,提高经济发展水平、增加污染治理投资、加强企业环境管制能力对降低污染物排放具有一定的积极作用,第二产业所占比重、国有及国有控股工业所占比重及煤炭消费所占比重增加具有显著增加污染物排放的作用,外资进入对环境污染有一定的影响。据此提出了优化环境质量的对策建议。