Plans to distribute the next billion computers by 2015 creates lead pollution risk

Major computer and software companies, along with governments and philanthropic organizations have embarked on ambitious plans to put computers in the hands of more than one billion new computer users over the next five to six years in untapped markets in emerging economies. The most frequently proposed solution to overcome the electricity shortfall in communities where new computer users will be located is to use rechargeable lead-acid batteries to provide primary and back-up power for computers. This paper calculates the lead emissions from battery manufacturing and recycling that will result if independent market projections to greatly expand the number, geographic, and socioeconomic distribution of computer users are realized. By examining several possible scenarios, we estimate that between 1250 and 2300 kt of lead – between four and seven times the weight of the Empire State Building – could be released into the environment in the developing world to provide power to computers sold through 2015. Increased lead exposure has a negative impact on children's neurological development as measured by reduced school performance and on standardized tests. In order to realize the educational achievement and economic development benefits of reducing the “digital divide” proponents will need to encourage improvements in lead battery production and recycling in targeted markets.     

黔江区供水水源地水质健康风险评价

以黔江区9个饮用水源地水质作为健康风险评价对象,选取2009年水质监测的部分资料,运用健康风险评价模型,对该地区9个饮用水源地经饮水途径造成的健康风险进行计算和评价。结果表明：饮用水源地健康风险主要来源于化学致癌物。其中以铬（六价）的风险值最大。     

黄河流域县域尺度生态系统服务供给和需求核算及时空变异

在核算黄河流域生态系统服务供给、需求及供需均衡度的基础上,分析国土空间格局演变与供需均衡度时空变化的共变趋势,采用相关分析和分位数回归方法测度各类国土空间对均衡度的影响及区域异质性。结果表明：（1）黄河流域国土空间格局及生态系统服务供需时空差异明显。下游和中上游沿河县域生活生产用地密集分布且2000—2015年增幅明显,生态系统服务供给增加与耕地和林地的分布一致,需求增加与人口密度和建设用地分布一致。（2）均衡度的时空变异受到国土空间格局演变的影响。不同均衡度水平下国土空间对均衡度的影响程度不同,且区域差异显著。（3）根据对均衡度产生影响的国土空间不同,不同区域应合理布局用地和发展政策以促进生态系统有效管理。     

Rain Water Harvesting in Bermuda1

Rowe, Mark P., 2011. Rain Water Harvesting in Bermuda. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(6):1219–1227. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00563.x Abstract: Roof‐top rain water harvesting is mandated by law for all buildings in Bermuda and is the primary source of water for domestic supply. The average rate at which rain water is harvested at the typical house with four occupants is, however, insufficient to meet average demand. While just over one‐third of households have access to supplementary water either from mains pipelines or private wells, the majority rely on deliveries from water “truckers” (tankers) to augment their rain water supply. Assuming a reasonably constant daily demand, there is a linear relationship between the “maximum optimum capacity” of a water storage tank and the size of the rain water catchment area, which depends on the characteristics of the rainfall at a given geographic location. A simple spreadsheet model was developed to simulate tank storage levels for various combinations of catchment area, tank capacity, and demand, with an input of actual daily rainfall data for a study period of nearly three years. It was found that for typical cycles of rainfall surpluses and deficits in Bermuda, the tank capacity which there is no benefit in exceeding — the “optimum maximum capacity”— is 0.37 m³ of storage capacity per 1 m² of catchment area. Furthermore, it was concluded that many domestic water storage tanks in Bermuda are larger than necessary, especially so where there is a significant imbalance between rain water supply and demand.     

Modeling the Potential Impact of Seasonal and Inactive Multi‐Aquifer Wells on Contaminant Movement to Public Water‐Supply Wells1

Johnson, R.L., B.R. Clark, M.K. Landon, L.J. Kauffman, and S.M. Eberts, 2011. Modeling the Potential Impact of Seasonal and Inactive Multi‐Aquifer Wells on Contaminant Movement to Public Water‐Supply Wells. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(3):588‐596. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00526.x Abstract: Wells screened across multiple aquifers can provide pathways for the movement of surprisingly large volumes of groundwater to confined aquifers used for public water supply (PWS). Using a simple numerical model, we examine the impact of several pumping scenarios on leakage from an unconfined aquifer to a confined aquifer and conclude that a single inactive multi‐aquifer well can contribute nearly 10% of total PWS well flow over a wide range of pumping rates. This leakage can occur even when the multi‐aquifer well is more than a kilometer from the PWS well. The contribution from multi‐aquifer wells may be greater under conditions where seasonal pumping (e.g., irrigation) creates large, widespread downward hydraulic gradients between aquifers. Under those conditions, water can continue to leak down a multi‐aquifer well from an unconfined aquifer to a confined aquifer even when those multi‐aquifer wells are actively pumped. An important implication is that, if an unconfined aquifer is contaminated, multi‐aquifer wells can increase the vulnerability of a confined‐aquifer PWS well.     

Green supply chain initiatives among certified companies in Malaysia and environmental sustainability: Investigating the outcomes

The relationship between green supply chain initiatives and performance outcomes has been subject to numerous studies but the results are not conclusive. This study tries to assess the actual environmental, economic and intangible outcomes resulting from the adoption of green supply chain initiatives. This study used a structured questionnaire derived from the literature and employing a mail survey to collect responses form a group of 569 ISO 14001 certified firms in Malaysia. The results of testing the hypotheses that predicted that green supply chain initiatives have positive effect on the outcomes showed that eco-design have significant positive effect on the four types of outcomes (environmental outcomes, economic outcomes, cost reductions, and intangible outcomes). Reverse logistics was found to have significant positive effect on cost reductions only. However, green purchasing was not found to have significant effect on any of the four types of outcome. Through designing environmentally friendly products and taking back products and packaging, business organizations can generate benefits to the environment, in the form of reduced waste and better resource utilization, in addition to economic benefits and cost reductions to the organizations.     

资源性供给紧约束条件下居民消费模式的构建

人类社会从农业文明时代的崇俭消费模式到工业文明时代的高消费、浪费型消费、过度消费等不合理消费模式的发展过程中产生了严重的全球性环境污染和破坏,能源、土地、淡水等资源性产品供给日益趋紧约束.生态文明型消费模式所具有的适度消费、公平消费和责任消费等内在规定性及其发挥的重要作用说明它是资源性供给紧约束条件下有利于能源资源节约和生态环境保护的居民消费模式.为了适应21世纪生态文明时代人与自然和谐发展的客观要求,突破消费增长、经济发展与资源性供给紧约束之间的发展困境要求我们必须从政府、企业和消费者等三个层面构建生态文明型消费模式.     

集多项新技术的高效节能电除尘器的研究和应用

在当今环保新标准即将出台的大背景下,综合应用各种新技术是电除尘器应对挑战的有效方法之一。本文介绍了一种采用新一代控制系统和机电一体化技术的高效节能型电除尘器,介绍了多项新技术包括新型电晕线、新型双区、新型结构、节能技术以及新型高频电源等,并介绍了它们的应用情况。这些研究和讨论有助于广大用户对电除尘器新技术的综合应用加深理解。     

基于供应链和可拓决策的食品安全预警模型及其应用

为提高食品安全预警能力,改善食品安全状况,以食品原料供应环境质量、生产加工、流通加工、销售食品质量、食品安全管理与监测作为食品安全预警的关键因素,提出一种基于供应链和可拓决策的食品安全预警模型。从供应链的角度建立食品安全预警指标体系,确定食品安全的经典域、节域和预警对象;建立食品安全预警模型并给出食品安全预警的方法和步骤;结合A省2010年的食品安全数据,定量评价A省食品安全预警状态,结合模型评价结果进行单指标和综合安全预警分析,验证该模型的合理性和适用性。研究结果表明:针对食品安全状况与预警特征,运用基于供应链和可拓决策的食品安全预警模型,能够对食品安全状态进行快速判断并有效预警。     

外源物质添加对东北黑土氨基酸矿化的影响

采用间歇淋洗好气培养法研究了东北黑土中氨基酸的矿化过程以及添加葡萄糖和葡萄糖与氮肥配施对其质量分数的影响。结果表明：土壤中氨基酸质量分数的变化受到外源物质添加的影响。与对照处理相比,葡萄糖以及葡萄糖与氮肥配施均能促进土壤氨基酸质量分数的积累,并且2种外源物质对氨基酸质量分数的影响相差不多。土壤不同种类的氨基酸具有不同的矿化特征,其中异亮氨酸的矿化速率最快,其次是赖氨酸、缬氨酸、组氨酸和亮氨酸,而精氨酸、甘氨酸和酪氨酸矿化速率较低。此外,土壤中每种氨基酸矿化对总氨基酸矿化的贡献与其在土壤中的质量分数有关,一般来说,氨基酸质量分数高则其矿化的贡献也大。