Enhanced recycling through a materials tax

This article attempts to evaluate whether an appropriate consumption-based tax is likely to be successful in reducing demand for certain exhaustible resources, thereby curtailing their rate of depletion and increasing the demand for, and utilization of, secondary materials. The nature of such a tax and anticipated effects (including environmental impact) of its imposition on certain primary materials are considered, concentrating here on one metal, aluminium. The study concludes that a tax based on the exhaustible resources and energy used in the production of a good is likely to create more savings for fossil fuels than for other exhaustible resources.     

建设资源节约型农业的途径与模式

建设资源节约型农业的根本途径是提高农业生产力。其中主要的措施有:科学利用气候资源,充分发挥气候生产潜力;十分珍惜每寸土地,努力提高土地生产率;大力推行节水措施,扩大农田灌溉面积;科学合理施肥,持续提高单产;提高能源利用率,解决农村能源短缺;实现人畜分粮,缓解人地关系;促进农产品商品流通,提高农业经济效益等。立体农业是发展资源节约型农业的最佳模式,也是中国式的高效益资源节约型农业的重要模式之一。     

控制人口 保护资源 为子孙留下蓝天碧水绿地

建国40多年来,淄博市的国民经济和社会事业迅速发展,已经成为一个以重工业为主体的重要工业城市。同时,随着经济规模的迅速扩大,人口、资源与环境三大问题越来越突出。面对这样的市情,淄博市采取各种措施,突出重点,集中力量主攻薄弱环节,严格控制人口增长,保护资源,综合整治污染,取得了很大成效,初步走上了经济和社会事业与人口、资源、环境协调发展的轨道。     

合理征收煤炭资源税的方法研究

本文在借鉴西方主要矿产国家资源有偿使用及征税办法的基础上，运用计量经济学原理，建立了各主要产煤矿区资本费用模型，对全国82个矿务局及所属402个矿井的煤炭资源进行了经济评价，提出了合理征收煤炭资源税及相关的政策建议。     

Methylmercury, total mercury and total selenium in four common freshwater fish species from Ya-Er Lake, China

Snakehead fish (Ophiocephalus argus cantor), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrtix), crucian carp (Carassius carassius), and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) are four common freshwater fish species in China. In this study, the level of methylmercury (MeHg), total mercury (T-Hg), and total selenium (T-Se) in muscle samples of these four fish species from Ya-Er Lake, China, were analyzed using atomic fluorescence spectrometry coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The concentrations of MeHg in all the fish species were significantly correlated with those of T-Hg. Higher T-Hg and MeHg concentrations had accumulated in the snakehead fish, which is a strongly predatory fish, than in the other three species. The concentration ratios of MeHg and T-Hg in the muscles of these four fish species were almost equal. Conversely, there was negative correlation between the concentrations of T-Hg and T-Se, which implies that there is a competition between these two elements with respect to bioaccumulation. It is noteworthy that of all the muscle samples tested, the level of T-Hg exceeded the maximum allowable limit in fish [0.4 mg kg⁻¹ (w/w) recommended by the World Health Organization] in 38.46% of those of the silver carp, 18.18% of those of the crucian carp, and 100% of those of snakehead fish. These results show that the consumption of contaminated fish is a potential threat to human health and that necessary preventive measures to safeguard public health should be emphasized.     

Seasonal variation of the distribution of PCBs in sediments and biota in a PCB-contaminated estuary

To elucidate the effects of seasonal variation of precipitation on the distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in estuarine sediments and benthic feeders, PCB concentrations of river surface sediments and mullet fish (Liza macrolepis) were investigated in the estuary of Er-Jen River near former PCB contamination sites before and after each wet season from 2002 to 2004. Analyses of grain size distribution and organic matter revealed that the pre-existing surface sediments were covered by and mixed with the soil particulates brought by surface runoff after each wet season. Obvious increment of PCB content and significantly elevated fraction (p < 0.005) of light PCBs of the river mouth’s sediments after each wet season indicated that the invading particles were rich in unweathered PCBs. PCBs previously buried in the surface soil of heavily contaminated sites were flushed into this estuary through surface runoff. The precipitation altered the PCB patterns in sediment organic matter, the dietary source of mullet, and consequently changed that of mullets accordingly, which all possessed significant greater fraction of light PCBs. In this study, it was demonstrated that seasonal summer precipitation affected the distribution of PCBs on surface sediments and the mullets of this estuary. PCB residuals retained in this region still pose potential threats to biota resided here.     

pp´DDT and pp´DDE Accumulation in a Food Chain of Lake Maggiore (Northern Italy): Testing Steady-State Condition

- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1065/espr2006.01.010 Background, Aims and Scope Although pp'DDT usage was strongly limited or banned in most parts of the world during the last three or four decades, the parent compound, its homologues and their metabolites still occur at levels which might pose a risk for many ecosystem components. A case of DDT pollution of industrial origin was discovered in 1996 in Lake Maggiore, the second largest (212 km2) and deepest (370 m) lake in Italy, causing concern for wildlife and human health. The extensive monitoring of many biotic and abiotic compartments which followed from 1998 in order to assess the pollution level and its trend in time, provided a great availability of data referring to DDT contamination of the different fish species of the lake. In this study, the recent contamination levels in selected fish species were compared to those measured in 1998 to evaluate the temporal pollution trend of the lake and its natural recovery, given that no remediation measures were carried out on the contaminated soils and sediments in this time span. Moreover, a modelling approach to test the equilibrium condition between water and pelagic fish species was used. Analytical results of pp'DDT and pp'DDE concentrations in lake water were used as input data in the bioenergetic model by Connolly & Pedersen (1988) to calculate concentrations in two fish species and to compare the predicted and the measured contamination. Methods Sampling and analytical determination of DDT homologues in lake water: Five water sampling campaigns were carried out from May 2002 to February 2004 in three sampling sites of Lake Maggiore. Suspended and dissolved pollutants were determined separately. Quantitative DDT homologue analyses were performed by HRGC coupled with ECD detection by the external standard method. Single water extracts were put together in correspondence with the stratification zones of the water column inferred on the basis of the temperature profile to improve analytical sensitivity. Selection of fish data: Concentrations of DDT and DDE in fishes were selected from recent literature (CIPAIS 2003, 2004). Bioaccumulation model: The bioenergetic model proposed by Connolly & Pedersen (1988) was used to assess the bioaccumulation of pp'DDT and pp'DDE of Alosa fallax (landlocked shad) and Coregonus spp. (whitefish), selected among the different species as representative of a secondary consumer level. Results and Discussion The average concentrations of pp'DDT and pp'DDE in water to be used as input data in the bioenergetic model were obtained considering all the concentrations measured at the three sampling stations in the epylimnion where the fish species considered in this study spend most of their life. The resulting values were 0.05 and 0.16 ng/L for pp'DDT and pp'DDE, respectively. Average measured pp'DDT and pp'DDE concentrations in landlocked shad were 0.81 +/- 0.39 and 1.69 +/- 0.71 mg/kg lipids, respectively, and were 0.29 +/- 0.12 and 1.06 +/- 0.41 mg/kg lipids for the whitefish. Calculated and measured values turned out to be in quite good agreement for pp'DDT, while measured pp'DDE concentrations were higher than expected on the basis of the bioenergetic model in both species. Probably metabolic transformations of pp'DDT accumulated in fish tissues in the past are responsible for the observed differences between calculated and expected pp'DDE concentrations in fish. Conclusions Pelagic fishes of Lake Maggiore seem to maintain the DDT accumulated during their life time and the most efficient mechanism responsible for the fish population recoveries is probably their generation changes; for this reason, equilibrium models cannot be used until negligible pp'DDT concentrations are reached in fish tissues. Recommendations and Outlook The limit proposed for pp'DDT in water by the EU Directive 2000/60, which will come in force in 2008, is 0.2 ng/L, four times higher than the average concentration measured in Lake Maggiore waters. Nevertheless, concentrations measured in Lake Maggiore fish were very close and sometimes exceeded the Maximum residue limits (MRLs) settled by the Italian legislation for foods (0.1 mg/kg w.w. for fish containing 5–20% lipid). It seems, therefore, that the 'environmental quality standard' of 0.2 ng/L cannot guarantee the suitability of fish for human consumption.     

海洋油气资源开发技术发展战略研究

开辟深水油气勘探开发领域、实现边际油田的高效和经济开发是提高油气后续发展能力。保障油气资源安全的重要途径之一。我国在深水油气勘探开发技术方面基础较薄弱．在“十一五”期间尚不具备开发深水油气的条件。因此“十一五”期间需针对我圈海域特点选择部分关键技术进行重点攻关。实现我国海洋油气开发由近海向深水的技术转移。为实现全海域资源开发提供高技术支撑。本文以海洋油气资源开发技术为对象．从海洋油气资源及其勘探开发状况、国内外技术发展现状和趋势、图象及社会经济需求筹方面进行内外部环境条件分析．提出了我国海洋油气资源技术领域所面临的挑战以及与国际水平的差距。并对制约我国该技术领域和相关油气产业发展的瓶颈技术、国外垄断技术进行了分析．最终提出我国海洋资源开发技术发展的战略目标和战略模式。     

水资源量与城市人口规模

城市发展与水资源息息相关。为保证城市规模的合理性,应综合考虑城市的水资源储量。通过城市水资源量估算城市人口规模的方法,以广西钦州水源工程为例,从钦州现有的几个水资源量分析钦州城市可能达到的人口规模,说明城市水资源是影响城市发展规模的主要因素之一。     

浅论新疆资源的开发与环境保护

开发西部地区已经成为我国一项跨世纪的战略任务,搞好西部地区的生态环境保护是西部大开发的首要任务。新疆地处祖国西北边陲,其国土面积、资源储备和战略地位都在西部开发中占有重要地位。本文针对长期以来新疆在开发自然资源、发展经济的同时产生的环境问题,提出了建议和对策。