Evaluation of ambient air quality in Guangzhou, China

On the basis of the reported air quality index （API） and air pollutant monitoring data provided by the Guangzhou Environment Monitoring Stations over the last twenty-five years, the characteristics of air quality, prominent pollutants, and variation of the average annual concentrations of SOE, NOE, total suspended particulate （TSP）, fine particulates （PM10）, CO and dustfall in Guangzhou City were analyzed. Results showed that TSP was the prominent pollutant in the ambient air environment of Guangzhou City. Of the prominent pollutants, TSP accounted for nearly 62%, SOE 12.3%, and NOx 6.4%, respectively. The average API of Guangzhou over 6 years was higher than that of Beijing, Tianjin, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai, and lower than that of Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Shantou. Concentrations of air pollutants have shown a downward trend in recent years, but they are generally worse than ambient air quality standards for USA, Hong Kong and EU. SOE and NOx pollution were still serious, impling that waste gas pollution from all kinds of vehicles had become a significant problem for environmental protection in Guangzhou. The possible causes of worsening air quality were also discussed in this paper.     

Pollutant loads of surface runo inWuhan City Zoo, an urban tourist area

The pollutant loads of surface runoff in an urban tourist area have been investigated for two years in the Wuhan City Zoo, China. Eight sampling sites, including two woodlands, three animal yards, two roofs and one road, were selected for sampling and study. The results indicate that pollutants ranked in a predictable order of decreasing load （e.g. animal yard〉roof〉woodland〉road）, with animal yards acting as the key pollution source in the zoo. Pollutants were transported mainly by particulate form in runoff. Particulate nitrogen and particulate phosphorous accounted on average for 61%, 78% of total pollutant, respectively, over 13 monitored rainfall events. These results indicate the treatment practices should be implemented to improve particulate nutrient removal. Analysis of the M（V） curve indicate that no first flush effect existed in the surface runoff from pervious areas （e.g. woodland, animal ground yard）, whereas a first flush effect was evident in runoff from impervious surfaces （e.g. animal cement yard, roof, road）.     

A forest pathogen drives change in plant functional trait composition in the Southwest Australian Floristic Region

Plant functional traits weighted by cover-abundance have been used to measure change across a wide range of temperature, moisture and grazing gradients. We use this approach along a chronosequence of disease infestation (Phytophthora cinnamomi) in the species-diverse Banksia woodlands of the Southwest Australian Floristic Region (SWAFR). We compare the use of absolute (community-weighted totals-CWT) and relative cover data (community-weighted means-CWM) to demonstrate the importance of total cover change in reference to the Mass Ratio Hypothesis.Plant species cover-abundance was recorded along a space-for-time disease chronosequence, and functional trait data collected for the 48 dominant species from healthy vegetation. Six traits with deduced links to key ecosystem functions were measured for each species and values for two indices (CWT and CWM) compared along the disease chronosequence. Trait data was collected on plant height, growth form, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, root pattern and carbohydrate storage.Despite substantial shifts in individual species cover and a reduction in total species cover, the majority of CWM values did not change significantly following disease infestation. The use of relative cover-abundance data disregards important changes in total species cover, apparent from our comparative analysis. In contrast to CWMs, all CWT values were reduced following disease infestation, suggesting a potential reduction in productivity, reduced capacity as a carbon sink and altered site water balance. Verification of these potential changes in ecosystem functions is required using fine-scale quantitative techniques. The CWT index is complementary to traditional CWMs and useful when analysing changes in plant trait data where total species cover changes have been detected. In relation to P. cinnamomi infestation, shifts in CWT trait values indicate the ability of an introduced plant pathogen to have substantial indirect impacts beyond substantial floristic change.     

Nutrient distribution within and release from the contaminated sediment of Haihe River

We assessed nutrient characteristics, distributions and fractions within the disturbed and undisturbed sediments at four sampling sites within the mainstream of Haihe River. The river sediments contained mostly sand (> 60%). The fraction of clay was < 3%. Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations ranged from 729 to 1922 mg/kg and from 692 to 1388 mg/kg, respectively. Nutrient concentrations within the sediments usually decreased with increasing depth. The TN and TP concentrations within the fine sand were higher than for that within silt. Sediment phosphorus fractions were between 2.99% and 3.37% Ex-P (exchangeable phosphorus), 7.89% and 13.71% Fe/Al-P (Fe, Al oxides bound phosphorus), 61.32% and 70.14% Ca-P (calcium-bound phosphorus), and 17.03% and 22.04% Org-P (organic phosphorus). Nitrogen and phosphorus release from sediment could lead to the presence of 21.02 mg N/L and 3.10 mg P/L within the water column. A river restoration project should address the sediment nutrient stock.     

Effects of UV/Ag-TiO2/O3 advanced oxidation on unicellular green alga Dunaliella salina: Implications for removal of invasive species from ballast water

The UV/Ag-TiO2/O3 process was investigated for ballast water treatment using Dunaliella salina as an indicator. Inactivation curves were obtained, and the toxicity of e uent was determined. Compared with individual unit processes using ozone or UV/Ag-TiO2, the inactivation e ciency of D. salina by the combined UV/Ag-TiO2/O3 process was enhanced. The presence of ozone caused an immediate decrease in chlorophyll a (chl-a) concentration. Inactivation e ciency and chl-a removal e ciency were positively correlated with ozone dose and ultraviolet intensity. The initial total residual oxidant (TRO) concentration of e uent increased with increasing ozone dose, and persistence of TRO resulted in an extended period of toxicity. The results suggest that UV/Ag-TiO2/O3 has potential for ballast water treatment.     

Atmospheric mercury over the marine boundary layer observed during the third China Arctic Research Expedition

TGM measurements on board ships have proved to provide valuable complementary information to measurements by a ground based monitoring network. During the third China Arctic Research Expedition (from July 11 to September 24, 2008), TGM concentrations over the marine boundary layer along the cruise path were in-situ measured using an automatic mercury vapor analyzer. Here we firstly reported the results in Japan Sea, North Western Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, where there are rare reports. The value ranged between 0.30 and 6.02 ng/m³ with an average of (1.52 ± 0.68) ng/m³, being slightly lower than the background value of Northern Hemisphere (1.7 ng/m³). Notably TGM showed considerably spatial and temporal variation. Geographically, the average value of TGM in Bering Sea was higher than those observed in Japan Sea and North Western Pacific Ocean. In the north of Japan Sea TGM levels were found to be lower than 0.5 ng/m³ during forward cruise and displayed obviously diurnal cycle, indicating potential oxidation of gaseous mercury in the atmosphere. The pronounced episode was recorded as well. Enhanced levels of TGM were observed in the coastal regions of southern Japan Sea during backward cruise due primarily to air masses transported from the adjacent mainland reflecting the contribution from anthropogenic sources. When ship returned back and passed through Kamchatka Peninsula TGM increased by the potential contamination from volcano emissions.     

水质总磷的现场应急监测

对过硫酸钾氧化-钼锑抗分光光度法测定水中总磷的方法进行了改进。于Hach公司COD消解管中加入水样和氧化剂后,在消解管中加热消解水样,冷却后加入显色剂,再在与之配套的分光光度计上比色测定。方法简便,试剂用量较少,适用于水质总磷的现场应急监测。该法最低检出限为0．01mg／L,相对标准偏差≤3．47％,加标回收率为92％～105％,与标准法基本一致。     

EDTA滴定法测定水中总硬度时缓冲溶液配制的改进

针对EDTA滴定法测定水中总硬度(简称标准法)时,缓冲溶液配制繁琐,耗时较长的情况,提出了对缓冲溶液配制的改进方法(简称改进法)。改进法很好地克服了标准法的不足。通过地表水、地下水以及总硬度标准样品的比对测定,两者的测定结果无显著差异。     

广州市主要污染物总量减排环境绩效评价

“十一五”期间,广州市主要污染物COD和SO2排放总量持续下降,经初步核算,2010年COD和S02排放量分别比2005年下降2．7万吨和6．5万吨,减排比例分别达到19．7％和43％,总量减排工作顺利完成。减排对环境改善明显,珠江广州河段主要污染指标浓度值均有所下降,COD年均浓度从2005的20．7毫克／升下降至2010年的13．6毫克／升,下降幅度达34．3％,整体水环境质量得到根本好转;空气环境质量优良率逐年上升,大气主要污染指标年均浓度值基本呈现逐年下降的态势,SO2从2005年年平均浓度为0．053毫克／立方米下降至2010年的0．033毫克／立方米,下降幅度达37．7％,空气质量持续得到好转。     

皇甫川流域不同水土治理方式下土壤钾含量的变化

本文采用NaOH熔融法,原子吸收分光光度法和NH4OAc浸提,原子吸收分光光度法,分别测定了皇甫川流域五分地沟试验区不同植被治理措施下土壤的全K和速效K含量,对测定结果的分析表明：①不同治理措施下,土壤中全K含量的大小次序是：人工草地〉农田〉人工灌木〉退化草地〉次生草地〉人工林地〉百里香草原,土壤中速效K含量的大小次序是：人工林地〉百里香草原〉人工灌木〉退化草地〉农田〉次生草地〉人工草地。②不同治理方式对土壤钾含量提高的差异明显,灌草类植被对土壤钾的提高效果较好,杨树林对土壤钾的恢复效果稍差。