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.     

Polychlorinated dibenzo p-dioxins and dibenzofurans emissions in a primary copper smelter in China

Metallurgical production is the largest polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) emission source in China. However, PCDD/F monitoring and research are rarely conducted on primary metallurgical production. In this study, a demonstration primary copper smelter in China was selected to investigate PCDD/F characteristics and control. Samples were collected from major PCDD/F release points in the smelter process (fly ashes and waste water sludge). Specific analysis of PCDD/F congeners was carried out using a high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry method. The results showed that PCDD/Fs might be unintentionally produced in the primary copper smelter processes, with sample concentrations of 180–6110 pg/g dry wt; highly chlorinated PCDD/F homologues were predominant. The toxicity of all the samples was calculated to be 120 pg WHO TEQ/g, fly ashes from the refining process furnaces air pollution control device and sludge were hazardous waste with higher PCDD/F toxicity. Both precursor formation and de novo synthesis were found to contribute to PCDD/F formation in the smelter process. PCDD/F characteristics and formation were compared with reported secondary copper smelters. Life-cycle control of PCDD/F was proposed for retrofitting of this smelter and for similar plants in China's primary copper production sector, including control at the PCDD/F formation, removal and disposal stages.     

Acidity of machine-made snow and its effect on pH and aluminum speciation in New England streams during spring thaw

The pH of machine-made snow and its effect on an acid-sensitive watershed in Vermont were studied. Spring runoff from snowmaking was found to be less acidic and to contain less dissolved inorganic aluminum. Dissolved inorganic aluminum has been associated with damage to aquatic life. The extensive use of machine-made snow by the ski industry in most of the northeast region of the US may be beneficial to aquatic life.     

Desertification in the Sudan: causes,effects and policy options

Desertification is the spread of desert-like conditions in arid and semi-arid conditions. It is a result of pressure from both climatic and human factors. Desertification in the Sudan has been accelerating at a faster rate over the last two decades, leading to marginalization and the loss of arable land. The main factors contributing to desertification include drought, population growth, the spread of extensive agriculture, deforestation, rapid urbanization, the erosion of local political power, the lack of economic institutions and the absence of social institutions which have tended to reduce the capacity of the local people to cope with the resource degradation problem. Initiatives to arrest the desert encroachment must include improved cultivation methods, proper grazing management, reforestation and integration of livestock and crop production systems, coupled with good linkages to light processing industries.

This paper identifies the causal factors of desert encroachment, assesses its impact on the environment and humanity and concludes by recommending specific strategies to control the desert encroachment problem.     

A case study of flood control schemes for the Kakehashi river and their socio-cultural consequences

SUMMARY

This paper is concerned with a twenty-five year campaign against the relocation of the Komatsu-Tenmangu shrine as a result of the enlargement of the Kakehashi river. The Komatsu-Tenmangu shrine is an important cultural property of Japan, and was constructed by Toshitsune Maeda, the third dynasty of the Kaga clan in 1657. It is suggested that the primary reason why it took so long to settle this issue is a flaw in our social system for managing public works. It is concluded that preservation of cultural property is not always contrary to land development, and that the proposed procedures or something like them must be put into practice for the real expansion of our culture.     

酸胁迫对铜藻早期生长阶段的影响

为探究低pH胁迫对大型藻类早期生长的影响,以铜藻 Sargassum horneri 为研究对象,设置pH=3.5、4.5、5.5、6.5处理组和自然海水对照组,以不同处理时间分别对铜藻孢子和幼体进行胁迫实验。孢子实验中,于铜藻孢子附着前、后对其进行15、30、60、120 min的酸胁迫,以附着率和脱落率表征低pH对孢子附着的影响;幼体实验中,持续将铜藻幼体暴露于酸性条件下,以脱落死亡率表征pH对幼体的致死效应。结果显示,在短时间酸胁迫下,酸度对铜藻孢子附着的影响显著,附着率随pH值的下降而降低;胁迫时间对孢子的附着影响显著,附着率随胁迫时间的延长而降低,pH值与胁迫时间无交互作用;而当孢子已充分附着后,短期酸胁迫并没有显著影响孢子体的存活。在长时间酸胁迫下,与对照组相比,所有处理组铜藻幼体的存活率均显著降低。研究表明,低pH会对铜藻孢子、幼体的存活生长产生不利影响,并且这种影响在铜藻早期发育的不同阶段有所不同。     

东湖、汤逊湖和梁子湖沉积物磷形态及pH对磷释放的影响

文章采用淡水沉积物中磷形态标准测试程序(SMT)研究了东湖、汤逊湖和梁子湖沉积物中磷的形态分布,并比较了不同pH条件下沉积物磷释放特征的差异性。结果表明:东湖沉积物总磷质量分数最高,平均值1.232 mg.g-1,其次为汤逊湖(0.762mg.g-1),梁子湖沉积物总磷质量分数最低(0.572 mg.g-1);3个湖泊上覆水总磷质量浓度也表现出类似的变化规律,线性相关性分析显示上覆水中总磷质量浓度与沉积物总磷质量分数显著正相关。东湖和梁子湖沉积物总磷中无机磷和有机磷所占比例较接近,汤逊湖无机磷所占比例远低于有机磷。不同湖泊之间磷形态的分布并没有一定的规律性,湖泊的地理分布以及人为因素可能是造成磷形态差异的主要因素。当pH为2.0~7.0时,3个湖泊沉积物中溶解性活性磷(SRP)释放量均呈先增加后减小的趋势;当pH为7.0~12.0时,SRP释放量呈增加趋势。相关分析结果表明,SRP的释放与有机质的质量分数无显著相关性。方差分析结果显示3个湖泊沉积物在黏粒和粉粒组成上均没有显著差异(P>0.1),表明实验样品的粒径组成不是造成各个湖泊间磷释放差异的原因。不同pH条件下,SRP释放量与沉积物总磷质量分数显著正相关;酸性环境下,SRP释放量与酸式磷(HCl-P)的相关性优于碱式磷(NaOH-P),碱性环境下则刚好相反。     

The abatement of major pollutants in air and water by environmental catalysis

This review reports the research progress in the abatement of major pollutants in air and water by environmental catalysis. For air pollution control, the selective catalytic reduction of NO _x (SCR) by ammonia and hydrocarbons on metal oxide and zeolite catalysts are reviewed and discussed, as is the removal of Hg from flue gas by catalysis. The oxidation of Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by photo- and thermal-catalysis for indoor air quality improvement is reviewed. For wastewater treatment, the catalytic elimination of inorganic and organic pollutants in wastewater is presented. In addition, the mechanism for the procedure of abatement of air and water pollutants by catalysis is discussed in this review. Finally, a research orientation on environment catalysis for the treatment of air pollutants and wastewater is proposed.     

依据材料与构件的受弯性能综合评价ECC的控裂性

为了研究国产的工程水泥基复合材料(Engineered Cementitious Composites,ECC)和普通聚乙烯醇(Polyvi-nyl Alcohol,PVA)纤维混凝土对结构增韧和控裂的效果,分别采用材料试验和构件试验进行研究。通过四点弯曲试验,发现ECC的峰值荷载和峰值荷载对应的拉应变要远远大于普通混凝土、PVA纤维混凝土,而且ECC起裂以后,裂缝宽度较小,且发展较慢,控制较好;采用不同高度的ECC、PVA纤维混凝土作为钢筋混凝土梁底保护层,发现1/4h ECC对钢筋混凝土增韧的效果最好,且裂缝宽度为0.2mm时,1/4h ECC的承载能力比普通钢筋混凝土提高1.6倍,峰值荷载比普通钢筋混凝土提高约12%;同时发现,在相同荷载作用下,采用ECC作为梁底保护层时,裂缝宽度比钢筋混凝土小,且可以有效地控制裂缝宽度的快速增长,间接提高结构的耐久性。     

多室蓄热式有机废气焚烧炉工程应用研究

为了解决城市周边小企业挥发性有机物空气污染问题,研发了一种新型多蓄热室旋转换向蓄热式有机废气焚烧炉,对现有焚烧炉内不合理的流通截面积分配比例进行了改进,并在北京市郊某工厂建设了处理能力为3 000 m3/h的应用示范装置。通过对焚烧炉出口残留VOC和焚烧炉能量消耗数据的分析和计算,揭示了影响焚烧炉示范装置VOC处理效果和燃料消耗量的因素。应用情况表明:新型蓄热式有机废气焚烧炉对VOC的处理效率可达95%,同时比常规热力焚烧炉节能70%以上。