Pathways to urban sustainability

The concept of sustainable development has become very much in vogue in the past decade. We have also observed a shift in the interpretation of this concept from a global perspective to a meso perspective—that is, at a local, regional or sectoral level. This paper aims at highlighting the urban dimension of environmental issues. After a sketch of urban pollution problems and of tools for economic analysis, the notion of urban sustainability will be advocated as a meaningful analytical and policy concept. Next, the main focus of this paper will be on a typological approach to urban sustainability issues on the basis of three characteristic angles, viz. strong and weak sustainability, absolute and relative decoupling and the spatial ecological footprint. Various methodological issues will also be discussed, while the paper will conclude with some perspectives on policy issues. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Toxicity of the fungicide trifloxystrobin on tadpoles and its effect on fish-tadpole interaction

Contamination of aquatic systems is a major environmental stress that can interfere with predator-prey interactions, altering prey or predator behavior differentially. We determined toxicity parameters of the fungicide trifloxystrobin (TFS) and examined its effects on predation rate, using a fish predator (Synbranchus marmoratus) and four anuran tadpole species as prey (Rhinella arenarum, Physalaemus santafecinus, Leptodactylus latrans, and Elachistocleis bicolor). TFS was not equally toxic to the four tadpole species, E. bicolor being the most sensitive species, followed by P. santafecinus, R. arenarum, and L. latrans. Predation rates were evaluated using different treatments that combined predator and prey exposed or not to this fungicide. TFS would alter the outcome of eel-tadpole interaction by reducing prey movements; thus, prey detection would decrease and therefore tadpole survival would increase. In addition, eels preyed selectively upon non-exposed tadpoles avoiding the exposed ones almost all throughout the period evaluated. Predation rate differed among prey species; such differences were not due to TFS exposure, but to interspecific differences in behavior. The mechanism that would explain TFS-induced reduction in predation rates remains unclear; however, what is clear is that sublethal TFS concentrations have the potential to alter prey behavior, thereby indirectly altering predator-prey interactions. In addition, we consider that predator-prey relationships are measurable responses of toxicant exposure and provide ecological insight into how contaminants modify predator-prey interactions.     

Subcellular distribution and toxicity of cadmium in Potamogeton crispus L

The submerged macrophyte Potamogeton crispus L. was subjected to varying doses of cadmium (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 μM) for 7 d, and the plants were analyzed for subcellular distribution of Cd, accumulation of mineral nutrients, photosynthesis, oxidative stress, protein content, and ultrastructural distribution of calcium (Ca). Leaf fractionation by differential centrifugation indicated that 48-69% of Cd was accumulated in the cell wall. At all doses of Cd, the levels of Ca and B rose and the level of Mn fell; the levels of Fe, Mg, Zn, Cu, Mo, and P rose initially only to decline later. Exposure to Cd caused oxidative stress as evident by increased content of malondialdehyde and decreased contents of chlorophyll and protein. Photosynthetic efficiency, as indicated by the quenching of chlorophyll a fluorescence (Fv/Fm, Fo and Fm), decreased significantly, the extent of decrease being directly proportional to the concentration of Cd. Increased amounts of precipitates of calcium were noticed in the treated plants, located either outside the cell membrane or in chloroplasts, mitochondria, the nucleus, and the cytoplasm whereas control plants showed small deposits of the precipitates around surface of the vacuole membrane and in the intercellular space but rarely in the cytoplasm. Photosynthetic efficiency and oxidative stress could be used as indicators of physiological end-points in determining the extent of Cd phytotoxicity.     

生物接触氧化—复合人工湿地组合工艺对工业园区污水的处理效果研究

根据广州从化市玮思工业园排放的综合污水的特点,设计了生物接触氧化—复合人工湿地组合工艺对其进行处理,考察了该工艺运行一年来对COD、BOD5、TP、NH4+ -N、TN的去除效果.结果表明,该组合工艺对工业园区综合污水中的COD、BOD5、TP、NH4+ -N和TN都有较好的去除效果,出水COD、BOD5、TP、NH4+ -N、TN的平均去除率分别为86.07％、74.91％、60.73％、89.62％、46.01％;该组合工艺对各污染物的去除效果明显优于单一的生物接触氧化池和单一的复合人工湿地的去除效果,生物接触氧化池对COD、BOD5和NH4+ -N的去除贡献较大,但对TP和TN的去除能力有限;采用该组合工艺处理工业园区综合污水,具有运行费用低、处理效果好、操作方便、管理简单、景观效果良好等优点.     

不同粒径零价铁（ZVI）对污水污泥H_2S和CH_4释放速率的影响

考察了不同粒径零价铁（ZVI）,包括200目普通铁粉（200m-ZVI）、800目超细铁粉（800m-ZVI）和纳米铁粉（nZVI,粒径=20 nm）,对污水污泥的硫化氢和甲烷释放速率的影响。研究发现：（1）在22 d内,添加0.1%的200m-ZVI使污泥的硫化氢释放速率提高48.0%,而添加0.1%的800-ZVI和nZVI,则使污泥的硫化氢释放速率分别降低33.1%和77.1%;（2）不同粒径ZVI均可以提高污泥沼气中的甲烷浓度,且依次为nZVI〉800m-ZVI〉200m-ZVI;（3）在23 d内,添加0.1%的200m-ZVI和nZVI使污泥的甲烷累计产生量分别提高了15.5%和40.6%,而添加0.1%800m-ZVI则使甲烷产生量降低了12.5%。nZVI可以有效控制污泥的硫化氢释放,并显著提升污泥在厌氧发酵过程的产甲烷速率。     

超声波促进城市生活污泥缺氧/好氧消化的研究

本研究将超声波预处理引入城市生活污泥缺氧/好氧消化工艺中,自主设计了容积为30 L的生活污泥超声波-缺氧/好氧消化中试系统并用以实验研究。超声波预处理的参数为超声频率28 kHz,声能密度0.15 W/mL,超声时间10 min,超声间隔12 h,污泥超声比例30%。结果表明,引入超声预处理后,缩短了污泥的稳定时间,提高了污泥的消化效率。污泥消化10 d就已经达到了稳定标准,比未引入超声预处理时缩短了12 d,而MLVSS最大去除率提高了11%,达到了55.10%。超声波的引入,对污泥缺氧/好氧消化系统中污泥上清液溶解性COD（SCOD）的变化趋势影响比较明显,而对上清液的pH、氨氮和TP的变化趋势没有明显影响。     

植物对潜流人工湿地净化微污染水效果的影响研究

以4种湿地植物为实验对象,在野外构建中试潜流人工湿地,研究了不同植物及植物连根收割对湿地运行效果的影响。结果显示,植物明显提升了湿地的去污效果;其中美人蕉湿地的TP和NH4+-N去除率最高,达到55.6%和78%;空心菜湿地的TN去除率最高,达到80.5%;芦竹湿地的COD去除率最高,为26.6%;植物连根收割后,湿地运行效果下降;其中TN去除率降至空白水平之下,而其他污染指标下降至略高于空白的水平。     

垃圾填埋场甲烷氧化菌及甲烷通量的研究

采用静态箱法、滚管计数法和气相色谱法,对6个不同封场时间填埋区的甲烷通量、覆土层甲烷氧化菌数量和甲烷氧化速率的变化趋势进行了测定,并分析了它们与封场时间、植被覆盖率等因素之间的相关性。结果发现6个填埋区甲烷通量的变化范围在-0.34～5.31 mg/(m2.h)之间;覆土层甲烷氧化菌的数量范围为3.10×107～20.77×107 cfu/g干土,甲烷氧化速率在1.65×10-8～4.34×10-8mol/(h.g)之间。覆土层甲烷氧化菌的数量与甲烷氧化速率呈正相关,但前者并不是后者的决定性因素;甲烷通量高时可刺激甲烷氧化菌数量及氧化速率的提高,且三者均与封场时间呈显著负相关,与植被覆盖率呈负相关;当含水率大于15%时,随着覆土层含水率的增加,甲烷氧化速率呈下降趋势;覆土pH、有机质和铵态氮与甲烷氧化速率等无明显相关性。提高覆土层的甲烷氧化速率可有效减少垃圾填埋场的甲烷排放。     

无砾石微孔管地下渗滤系统处理生活污水的中试研究

进行了无砾石微孔管地下渗滤系统处理生活污水的中试研究。基于不同土壤、不同管径、不同植物的协同效应,对比研究了不同系统处理污水中有机物、氮、磷和SS的去除效果及其影响因素。结果表明,不同土壤、不同管径及不同植物组成的系统,对生活污水中有机物、氮、磷和SS的去除效果差别较大。中试系统对COD、总磷、氨氮、总氮和SS的最佳去除率分别达到86.13%、90.20%、61.24%、65.49%和97.43%,对应的出水COD、总磷、氨氮、总氮和SS的平均浓度分别为64.29、0.69、22.13、26.19和5.56 mg/L。分析表明,进水SS浓度过高、外界温度下降等共同作用是导致系统对生活污水中NH4+-N和TN的去除率相对较低的主要原因。