Producing Cu-loaded algae for feeding experiments: effects of copper on Parachlorella kessleri

Microalgae require several essential metals for optimum growth, which at elevated concentrations may interfere with biochemical and physiological processes, one of them being copper (Cu). The aim of this study is to raise Cu-loaded Parachlorella kessleri as feed for mussels. In order to spike the algae with Cu without lowering their nutritional quality, it is important to know the highest Cu-concentration at which the main parameters remain unaffected, especially in respect to proteins and polysaccharides. The dependence of growth rate, biomass, chlorophyll-a and -b, pheophytin-a, protein, and polysaccharide contents on Cu concentrations are determined. The tests show that P. kessleri is largely unchanged in its nutritional value when exposed to Cu at levels of up to 6?µmol?L^?1. Above 10?µmol?L^?1, toxic effects become obvious, with chlorophyll contents and growth rate being the most sensitive indicators.     

Effects of the level of dietary protein on the toxicity of hexachlorocyclohexane in rats

Male albino rats were fed for 28 days from weaning on diets containing 5% (group 1), 10% (group 2) and 21% (group 3, normal protein) protein as casein. At the end of dietary period, HCH was administered daily for 30 days to investigate the interaction between protein deficiency and pesticide toxicity. The results indicated that rats fed a lower protein diet and HCH had a higher mortality, lower rate of growth, increased liver weight and deposition of the pesticide in blood and tissues in larger amounts. Blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) was significantly increased and the heart rate showed tachycardia in low protein exposed animals. A significant increase of total lipids, cholesterol, triglycirides, free fatty acids in serum and tissues of animals exposed to low protein was observed. A close correlation existed between lipid accumulation and storage of HCH in tissues and dietary protein seemed to play an important role in detoxification.     

多基质时厌氧氨氧化菌、异养反硝化污泥活性及抑制特征

以厌氧氨氧化污泥(AAOB)和各种有机物混合,AAOB分别与异养甲醇反硝化菌和城市污水处理厂活性污泥相混合为研究对象,考察了多种基质(醇类、糖类)时自养、异养反硝化菌群的活性及其相应的抑制特征.结果表明,醇类有机物对AAOB的活性有明显抑制作用,甲醇的抑制性最强,当甲醇为5.48mmol/L时,AAOB活性了损失2/3.而乙酸钠对AAOB有一定的促进作用,另外,葡萄糖、乳糖和蔗糖等糖类有机物对AAOB的影响较小.此外,试验发现经驯化的甲醇反硝化菌能利用各种醇类完成异养短程反硝化.对于活性污泥,利用乙酸钠实现短程反硝化的能力优于甲醇、乙醇、葡萄糖和乳糖.混合试验中,正丙醇导致AAOB和甲醇反硝化菌混合菌群中AAOB活性下降,并且在与甲醇反硝化菌的竞争中处于劣势.乙酸钠对于AAOB和活性污泥混合菌群中AAOB的影响较小.     

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.      

复合矿物吸附剂处理模拟含油废水性能研究

采用共混合法制备复合矿物吸附剂,通过矿物粉末对模拟含油废水COD的去除效果及复合矿物吸附剂质量散失率确定其组分的最佳配比。考察了吸附时间、振荡速率、废水pH、吸附剂用量等因素对模拟含油废水COD去除效果的影响。结果表明:制备复合矿物吸附剂最佳焙烧温度为600℃,最佳焙烧时间3 h,对模拟含油废水中COD的去除率可达90%以上。     

A comprehensive model to estimate the simultaneous release of acidic and basic gaseous pollutants from swine slurry under different scenarios

Swine slurry is a source of atmospheric pollutants. Emissions of basic and acidic compounds from slurry are largely dependent on the surface pH. In a storage system, the pH at the surface layers changes over time due to the volatilisation of ammonia (NH₃), carbon dioxide (CO₂) and acetic acid (HAc). In this article, a comprehensive gas emission–pH (GE–pH) coupled model is proposed to describe the simultaneous release of acidic and basic gaseous pollutants from swine slurry. The model was applied to describe the release of NH₃, CO₂, HAc and hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) from standard slurries stored in animal houses, outside storage tanks and lagoons. The modelled results agreed well with values reported in the literature and could be reasonably interpreted. The key parameters affecting the release of gases were: initial pH, initial concentration of total ammonium nitrogen and inorganic carbon, slurry temperature and air velocity. This study suggests that future modelling studies on gas emissions from animal slurry should consider the concentration of inorganic carbon and the frequency in which the slurry surface is mixed or altered, because they affect the surface pH and the release of gaseous pollutants from slurry.     

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.     

Thermodynamic investigation of the effect of oxygen and hydrogen chloride potential upon generation and decomposition behavior of dioxins

The thermodynamic equilibrium of the C‐H‐O‐Cl system has been calculated to elucidate the generation and decomposition behavior of dioxins, and is discussed from the viewpoint of the oxygen and hydrogen chloride potential. The dioxins behavior is greatly dependent on the oxygen potential, i.e. higher temperature and oxygen potential lead to the complete decomposition of dioxins, while low hydrogen chloride potential under insufficient oxygen condition leads to an increase of multi‐chlorine displacement of dioxins.     

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.