Formation and Emission of N2O and CH4 from Compost Heaps of Organic Household Waster

Composting can be a source of N₂O andCH₄ production. In this investigation, differentcompost heaps of organic household waste weremonitored with the focus on potential formation ofCH₄ and N₂O in the heaps and emission ofthese gases from the heaps. The studied compost heapshad different compost ages, turning intervals andcompost sizes. The analysed compost gases containedbetween 1–3421 L of N₂O-N L^-1 and 0–470 mL of CH₄ L^-1. The emission rates ofN₂O and CH₄ from the compost heaps werebetween 1–1464 mg N₂O m^-2 day^-1 and0–119 000 mg CH₄ m^-2 day^-1. These verylarge differences in compost gas composition andemission indicate the importance of compostmanagement. The results also give an understanding ofwhere in the composting process an increasing emissionof N₂O and CH₄ can occur.     

An integrated assessment model for cross-country pipelines

The cross-country petroleum pipelines are environmentally sensitive because they traverse through varied terrain covering crop fields, forests, rivers, populated areas, desert, hills and offshore. Any malfunction of these pipelines may cause devastating effect on the environment. Hence, the pipeline operators plan and design pipelines projects with sufficient consideration of environment and social aspects along with the technological alternatives. Traditionally, in project appraisal, optimum technical alternative is selected using financial analysis. Impact assessments (IA) are then carried out to justify the selection and subsequent statutory approval. However, the IAs often suggest alternative sites and/or alternate technology and implementation methodology, resulting in revision of entire technical and financial analysis. This study addresses the above issues by developing an integrated framework for project feasibility analysis with the application of analytic hierarchy process (AHP), a multiple attribute decision-making technique. The model considers technical analysis (TA), socioeconomic IA (SEIA) and environmental IA (EIA) in an integrated framework to select the best project from a few alternative feasible projects. Subsequent financial analysis then justifies the selection. The entire methodology has been explained here through a case application on cross-country petroleum pipeline project in India.     

Nitrogen isotope ratios in pine bark as an indicator of N emissions from anthropogenic sources

The article describes the use of Scots pine bark to identifynitrogen sources in eastern Germany, as well as background areas in Russia and Bulgaria, by using natural isotope ratios of total nitrogen (N_t) and individual N compoundssuch as ammonium (NH₄ ⁺), nitrate (NO₃ ^-)and amid nitrogen (amide-N). The samples collected were analysed using an elemental analyser in connection with a gas isotope mass spectrometer (EA-IRMS). Natural ¹⁵N abundances in pine bark from impact areas suggest that the ammonium accumulated on the surface of the bark is releasedfrom livestock management. Bark of Scots pines growing near agricultural land had highly depleted ¹⁵N_t values (between –8 and –12), while bark from background areas (unpolluted areas) displayed slightly negative ¹⁵N_t values (mean ¹⁵N_t = –3.8). It is assumed that part of the N adsorbed on the bark surface is mainly derived from ammonia(mean ¹⁵N_t = –40.3) escaping from livestock housing and during the application of manure. This assumption is confirmed by experiments under controlled conditions in which manure samples were spread on soil. In addition, temporal and spatial variations of ¹⁵N_t abundances in pine bark from various locations in eastern Germany as wellas pine stands in Nature Park Dübener Heath are discussed.     

linking various aspects of atmospheric change through a systems analysis of food

Although interdisciplinary collaboration to address a singleenvironmental problem is more common than in the past, all toooften the significant atmospheric problems of our day such asstratospheric ozone depletion, acidic deposition or climaticchange are addressed on a single issue basis. Systems analysis isa way of looking at a problem in a holistic, integrated fashionthrough including as many as practicable of the importantcomponents, and the linkages among them. Systems analysisoften begins with a conceptual model which, even if lackingquantification, is a useful means of changing ones thinking to amulti-issue approach. If possible, conceptual models areoperationalized by quantification (using the best availablescientific knowledge) of the stocks and flows of the relevantcomponents of the problem, and the processes that are involved.In this paper, a systems approach to food production is used tolink various atmospheric issues such as regional acidification andclimatic change. A spreadsheet model of food demand andproduction in various world regions examined the possible effectof atmospheric change on how much food we can grow, andwhether or not we may be able to meet the increased demand inthe year 2025. Using relatively modest changes in factors ofagricultural production, the spreadsheet model calculated globalshortfalls by the year 2025 of the order of 10 to 20% in someimportant agricultural crops, despite the improvements in cropproduction factors that are envisaged by the Food andAgricultural Organization from now until the year 2010, and thatwere extrapolated in this paper to 2025. The model alsocalculated that climatic change in combination with eithertropospheric ozone or increased UV-B radiation caused bydepletion of the stratospheric ozone layer may in general makethe situation worse than in the case of climatic change alone.Given the large uncertainties in the input data, the results in thispaper should not be viewed as predictions but rather as anexample of taking a relatively simple systems approach to foodproduction using a spreadsheet model, and calculating the effectsthat various aspects of atmospheric change might have upon it.Therefore, it is extremely important to know the effects uponcrop production factors of climatic change, tropospheric ozoneand increased UV-B radiation not only as individual issues, butalso of their combined effect since it is probable that in manyregions they will occur in combination.     

中国北方干旱地区沙尘矿物特征研究

为了开展对我国沙暴传输规律的研究,了解我国北方干旱地区沙尘矿物特征有重要意义。本文对我国新疆塔克拉玛干沙漠区,内蒙腾格里沙漠区,贺兰山及银川等处的沙尘样品用X射线粉末衍射法进行矿物分析鉴定,并用原子吸收法作了特征元素的分析对比,根据矿物的X射线粉末衍射结果,结合元素分析,对沙漠源区及其以东地区沙尘矿物特征作了比较,判析了两个源区的矿物组成,讨论了它们的传输过程。     

绵阳市环境放射源分布规律

对绵阳市的环境放射源基本情况进行了分析，弄清了放射源的品种、数量。摸索出放射性核素及Ｘ射线装置在地域、行业和剂量方面的分布规律，揭示出环境放射性管理工作的重点。     

Application of CFD Methods for Modelling in Air Pollution Problems: Possibilities and Gaps

Different urban air pollution problems deal with complex structure of air flows and turbulence. For such problems the Computer Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods become widely used. However, this approach despite a number of advantages has some problems. Experience of use of CFD tools for development of models and suggestions of their applications for a local scale air pollution over a complex terrain and stable stratification are discussed in this paper, including: Topography and complex geometry: choose of the co-ordinate system and computer grid; Turbulence closure for air pollution modelling: modified k- model for stable stratified ABL; Boundary conditions for vertical profiles of velocity for stable-stratified atmosphere; Effects of the radiation and thermal budget of inclined surfaces to dispersion of pollutants; Artificial sources of air dynamics and circulation.Some examples of CFD applications for air pollution modelling for a flat terrain, mountainous area, mining open cast and indoor ventilation are discussed. Modified k- model for stably-stratified ABL is suggested. Due to the isotropic character of the k- model a combination of it in vertical with the sub-grid turbulence closure in horizontal can be more suitable for ABL. An effective scheme of boundary conditions for velocity profiles, based on the developed similarity theory for stable-stratified ABL, is suggested. Alongside with the common studies of atmospheric dispersion, the CFD methods have also demonstrated a good potential for studying anthropogenic and artificial-ventilation sources of air dynamic and circulation in local-scale processes of air pollution.     

中国对流层二氧化硫光化学氧化过程的数值研究

利用一个三维非静力区域大气化学输送模式与中尺度气象模式MM5相连接构成一个数值模拟系统，模拟了中国地区对流层臭氧与其前体物的分布以及二氧化硫转化为硫酸盐的过程，模式扬地面源排放、大气输送和扩散、干沉积、气相化学反应和云雨过程。结果表明：日间，O3浓度主要由NOx和NMHC的源排放和光化学反应过程支配，大气辐射是光化学反应强弱的决定因子，其强度可使SO2、O3和SO4^2-的生成浓度呈现不同的日变化和季节变化，结果表明高浓度的O3对二氧化硫转化为硫酸盐的化学过程有很大的促进作用，然而，这种作用受NMHC浓度的影响很大，较高浓度的NMHC使O3浓度上升，但同时增加了对OH等自由基的消耗，使SO2的转化率降低。     

黔中地区二级阶地堆积物边坡稳定性对工程建设的影响

结合在建工程清水河大花水电站实例,本文对黔中地区二级阶地堆积物边坡成因、堆积物物质成份、结构与其物理力学特性作了分析、总结,初步探讨了贵州省二级阶地堆积物边坡稳定性对工程建设的影响,望能给正在进行工程建设的同行以一定的参考,并对工程建设区的二级地堆积物边坡稳定性引起重视。     

对熏烟扩散模式应用的探讨

工程上应用的大气污染物扩散模式中 ,熏烟模式由于其非定常性而与其他扩散模式有很大的区别。正确处理模式中各参数及变量的相互关系才能客观地反映污染物对环境影响的结果。本研究通过对熏烟模式的非定常性和各参数、变量相互关系的分析 ,提出了正确使用该模式的方法