Connecting the Dots: Public Engagement with Environmental Data

Air pollution and other environmental hazards are often imperceptible and need to be made publicly visible. The paper argues for the importance of visualizations in drawing public attention to imperceptible hazards and in providing the public with access to empirical data describing the risks. It also argues for critical inquiry into hazards’ selective visibility as it is produced by visualizations. The impact of visualizations and their selective visibility are considered through the example of a public art project called Particle Falls installed in 2014 in Pittsburgh, a city with a long history of both ignoring air pollution and working to ameliorate this problem. I examine the impact and selective visibility of Particle Falls by considering the underlying production of data, as well as context and support systems for this visualization, and by comparing it with other visualizations of local air quality.     

长三角典型村域次降雨条件下氮素非点源输出特征

研究长三角典型都市农业村镇不同土地利用下的氮素非点源输出特征,以期为治理该区域的面源污染提供科学依据.通过典型次降雨径流事件中氮形态和输出负荷变化的研究发现:监测点总氮(TN)的事件平均浓度(EMC)为20.01～22.83mg/L,其中溶解态氮(DN)占TN的比例最大;研究区非点源氮流失以溶解态为主,DN又以溶解态有机氮(DON)为主.耦合各形态氮浓度与径流量特征,发现非点源氮素输出呈现2个峰值,且出现在径流峰值之前4～55min;TN、DN和硝态氮(NO3--N)浓度随降雨时间增加呈现减少趋势;氮素负荷受其浓度和径流量的共同作用,基本上呈现与氮素浓度相同的变化特征,但起伏变化较为平缓.氮素污染负荷积累曲线分析表明,村域地表径流各形态氮素均存在初期冲刷效应.     

Low-carbon transition of iron and steel industry in China: Carbon intensity, economic growth and policy intervention

As the biggest iron and steel producer in the world and one of the highest CO₂ emission sectors, China's iron and steel industry is undergoing a low-carbon transition accompanied by remarkable technological progress and investment adjustment, in response to the macroeconomic climate and policy intervention. Many drivers of the CO₂ emissions of the iron and steel industry have been explored, but the relationships between CO₂ abatement, investment and technological expenditure, and their connections with the economic growth and governmental policies in China, have not been conjointly and empirically examined. We proposed a concise conceptual model and an econometric model to investigate this crucial question. The results of regression, Granger causality test and impulse response analysis indicated that technological expenditure can significantly reduce CO₂ emissions, and that investment expansion showed a negative impact on CO₂ emission reduction. It was also argued with empirical evidence that a good economic situation favored CO₂ abatement in China's iron and steel industry, while achieving CO₂ emission reduction in this industrial sector did not necessarily threaten economic growth. This shed light on the dispute over balancing emission cutting and economic growth. Regarding the policy aspects, the year 2000 was found to be an important turning point for policy evolution and the development of the iron and steel industry in China. The subsequent command and control policies had a significant, positive effect on CO₂ abatement.     

Laboratory scale studies on removal of chromium from industrial wastes

Chromium being one of the major toxic pollutants is discharged from electroplating and chrome tanning processes and is also found in the effluents of dyes,paint pigments,manufacturing units etc.Chromium exists in aqueous systems in both trivalent(Cr^3 )and hexavalent (Cr^6 )forms.The hexavalent form is carcinogenic and toxic to aquatic life,whereas Cr^3 is however comparatively less toxic.This study was undertaken to investigate the total chromium removal from industial effluents by chemical means in order to achieve the Pakistan NEQS level of 1 mg/L by the methods of reduction and precipitation.The study was conducted in four phase Ⅰ,the optimum pH and cost effective reducing agent among the four popular commercial chemicals was selected.As a result,pH of 2 was found to be most suitable and sodium meta bisulfate was found to be the most cost effective reducing agent respectively.Phase Ⅱ showed that lower dose of sodium meta hisulfate was sufficient to obtain 100% efficiency in reducing Cr^6 to Cr^3 ,and it was noted that reaction time had no significance in the whole process.A design curve for reduction process was established which can act as a tool for treatment of industrial effluents.Phase Ⅲ studies indicated the best pH was 8.5 for precipitation of Cr^3 to chromium hydroxide by using lime.An efficiency of 100% was achievable and a settling time of 30 minutes produced clear effluent.Finally in Phase Ⅳ actual waste samples from chrome tanning and electroplating industries,when precipitated at pH of 12 gave 100% efficiency at a settling time of 30 minutes and confirmed that chemical means of reduction and precipitation is a feasible and viable solution for treating chromium wastes from industries.     

宁夏总量减排与环境质量改善的相关性分析

利用SPSS统计软件分析宁夏“十一五”期间主要污染物总量控制指标与环境质量数据的关联程度,并建立回归模型.结果表明:宁夏总量减排与环境质量改善存在高度关联,拟合曲线均为一元线性回归曲线.随着SO2排放总量降低,重点城市空气质量稳步改善,两者呈现同向变化的趋势;随着COD排放总量降低,黄河宁夏段水环境质量稳步改善,两者亦呈现同向变化的趋势.宁夏总量减排在环境质量改善上成效已显现,污染防治政策较为成功,环保成绩显著.     

华北地区冬半年空气污染天气客观分型研究

利用2013—2016年冬半年ERA-interim再分析资料,以及同期空气污染资料、地面常规气象观测资料和探空资料,采用PCT (Principal Component Analysis in T-mode)客观分型方法对华北地区冬半年海平面气压场进行天气分型,并探究不同月份不同天气型对应的空气污染状况及污染气象参数分布特征,进而从污染气象学的角度揭示重污染潜势天气型的气候特征.结果表明:冬半年海平面气压场共对应9种天气类型,其中,5型(均压场型)、6型(高压内部型)和8型(高压后部型)为3种重污染潜势天气型,冬半年对应的PM_(2.5)均值浓度分别为144.11、136.99和148.26μg·m~(-3),而1型(T型高压前部型)和3型(低压底部型)为两种清洁天气型,冬半年对应的PM_(2.5)均值浓度分别为97.12和80.83μg·m~(-3);重污染潜势天气型对应的边界层结构呈现出稳定能量大、混合层厚度和通风系数小的大气层结稳定的静稳天气特征,其能够反映大气污染潜势;研究还发现,即使是同一天气型,其在不同月份对污染物的扩散影响也存在差异,因此,建议在今后的污染潜势天气型研究中分月份进行.本研究可为华北地区空气污染潜势预报及大气重污染预报预警的客观化、自动化提供科学依据和技术支持.     

表观遗传学机制与空气污染的健康效应

空气污染是一个全球性的问题,并且具有深远的环境影响。暴露于空气污染会对人体健康产生许多不同的影响,理解空气污染的健康效应又是一个复杂命题,既要考虑不同类型的污染物同时也要考虑相关疾病的复杂性。然而越来越多的研究表明,表观遗传学在空气污染相关疾病的发生、发展中发挥着重要的作用。空气污染物可引起DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰和miRNA表达等表观遗传学改变,这种改变往往发生在疾病产生的早期,因此相关研究不仅可以了解疾病的发病机制,而且还为疾病早期诊断和预防筛选可能的标志物。本文综述了表观遗传学的几种修饰方式和空气污染物造成不良健康损伤机制的一些研究进展。     

钛基修饰电极催化电解去除水中硝酸盐氮的研究

利用热分解法制备CuO修饰Ti基阴极和SnO2-Sb2O5修饰Ti基阳极,组成无隔膜电解体系,以模拟废水(NO3--N 50mg/L)为对象,进行了水中NO3--N去除实验研究.结果数据表明,CuO修饰Ti基阴极对水中NO3--N的去除率随电流密度、极板间距、搅拌强度和电解时间增加而增加,在电流密度10mA/cm2、极板间距9mm、中等搅拌强度下电解150min,NO3--N催化还原去除率可达93.8%.Cl-支持电解可使NO3--N催化还原产物NH4+-N氧化为N2-N去除.在电流密度10mA/cm2、极板间距9mm、NaCl添加量600mg/L、中等搅拌强度下电解120min后,NO3--N和TN的去除率达到89.3%和86.9%,NO2--N和NH4+-N未检出.分析认为NO3--N还原机制为NOx中O被阴极表面Cu吸附固定,N—O键受氢攻击破坏,逐步还原.阳极电解Cl-生成HOCl,HOCl氧化NH4+-N成N2-N.     

郑州市民运会期间大气PM2.5改善效果评估

利用2019年8月5日至9月30日大气污染物和颗粒物组分在线数据,评估郑州市少数民族运动会空气质量管控效果.根据政府管控措施的实施时间,将研究时期分为管控前(8月5～24日)、管控中(8月25日至9月18日)和解除管控后(9月19～30日).相较管控前,管控中PM_2.5平均浓度增加2.3μg·m^-3,解除管控后PM_2.5的浓度增加了11.7μg·m^-3,解除管控后PM_2.5浓度增幅高于管控中,表明管控措施对颗粒物有显著的减排效果.从颗粒物组分来看,研究期间郑州市主要组分依次是有机物、硝酸根、铵根、硫酸根和地壳元素.相比于管控前,管控期间PM_2.5组分中有机物和硝酸根占比分别上升3.9%和0.9%,硫酸根、铵根和地壳元素的占比下降了1.1%、 1.9%和2.2%.利用正定矩阵因子分解法解析颗粒物来源,结果表明二次硫酸、二次硝酸、二次有机气溶胶、机动车源、工艺过程源、扬尘和燃煤是PM_2.5主要来源.管控对一次源中的扬尘、燃煤和工业效果显著...     

我国长江流域中三角区域大气污染物排放特征研究

中三角区域已经是我国第四个国家级城市群,也将成为我国经济增长的"第四极"。在经济发展的同时,更需要以节能减排、资源环境等为重点,以实现经济建设与生态文明"双可持续"的协同发展。本文以二氧化硫、氮氧化物、烟(粉)尘为主要大气污染物,对我国中三角区域大气污染物排放进行了详细的分析,并与京津冀、长三角、珠三角、"三区十群"等进行了多方位比较。结果表明,2013年中三角区域二氧化硫排放量为151.7万t,其中工业二氧化硫排放量为140.1万t;氮氧化物排放量为147.2万t,其中工业氮氧化物排放量为93.6万t;烟(粉)尘排放量为81.8万t,其中工业烟(粉)尘排放量为71.4万t。中三角区域二氧化硫、氮氧化物、烟(粉)尘排放量均位于"四极"的第三。中三角区域二氧化硫、氮氧化物、烟(粉)尘单位GDP排放强度分别为25.03t/亿元、24.29 t/亿元、13.50 t/亿元,分别位于"四极"的第一、第二、第二。同时,本文还从经济发展模式、产业结构调整、煤炭消费方式等方面对我国中三角等经济"四极"提出了相关建议。