Application of Fair Trade certification for wild plants: lessons from a FairWild project in India

Based on a study of an experimental wild plant certification project implemented within a tribal community in India, this paper explores how wild plant collectors respond to two contradictory objectives of certification, namely, conserving a targeted plant species while promoting its sale. By providing economic incentives through certification, the project aimed to induce a shift from the collection of immature berries to mature berries from a targeted tree species. However, the majority of the collectors increased their harvests of mature berries while continuing to collect the same quantities of immature berries. This unanticipated project outcome can be attributed to the unique nature of wild plants as an uncertain income source that requires no investment. Evidently, collectors have developed their own concepts of ecological and economic sustainability derived from this unique income source endowed by nature, and have incorporated the new economic opportunity into their own natural resource management strategies.     

Detection of dioxygenase genes present in various activated sludge

GOAL, SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Activated sludge from refineries contains various microorganisms that could utilize aromatics under aerobic conditions due to the oxygenase enzymes. Dioxygenase enzymes are oxygenases, which are involved in the ring cleavage step of aromatic hydrocarbons. In this study, the selected catabolic loci involved in ring cleavage have been monitored in the activated sludge samples at different time intervals. The investigation of the dioxygenase genes in the Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) and evaluation of their presence at different time points provides a clue for the aromatic utilizing potential of the inherent microbial flora. METHODS: The catabolic gene loci pheB, xylE, tod-isp, bed and nahG responsible for the enzymes catechol 1,2-dioxygenase, catechol 2,3-dioxygenase, toluene dioxygenase-iron-sulphur protein component, benzene dioxygenase and naphthalene dioxygenase were used respectively. The time dependent change in eubacterial population was demonstrated by the amplification of 16S rDNA product, followed by restriction digestion. The template DNA was obtained from the activated sludge collected from ETPs. The supporting physiological data for the overall performance of sludge was developed using respirometric analysis. The on-site COD and MLSS analysis for ETP was used in final evaluation. The study was carried out with samples collected from three different ETPs and also from a selected ETP at different time intervals. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The respirometric studies were carried out with phenol, catechol, toluene, and naphthalene to arrive at the target genotypes for further study by PCR protocol. The respirometric analysis coupled with the COD and MLSS analysis represented the physiological capacity of the various sludges. Initially, the tracking protocol was optimized by using different sludge samples, which were collected from refineries. The selected genotypes were amplified and their presence has been confirmed using Southern analysis. The gene loci tod-isp, bed and xylE were commonly observed at various time intervals of the sludge from the same source. The gene loci pheB and nahG were found to be relatively rare. CONCLUSION: The 16S rDNA PCR products after restriction digestion produced different DNA fingerprint patterns, suggesting that the microbial community composition was diverse in the three sources. Similarly, the presence of the catechol 2,3-dioxygenase, benzene dioxygenase and toluene dioxygenase genes confirmed the aromatic degrading potential in the various sludges. The probes could not pick the nahG and pheB genes. However, the respirometeric assay suggested that the oxidative capacity to use naphthalene as a substrate exists. RECOMMENDATION AND PERSPECTIVE: Our study of the diversity at various time points from the ETP provided an overview of the shifts of the catabolic composition of the sludge. This also depends on the influential parameters like the incoming pollutant level and the environmental conditions that are prevailing and often changing from time to time. The results of direct DNA extraction and PCR amplification do reflect the relative abundance of a particular catabolic genotype, which could be used to monitor the efficiency of treatment.     

污水处理厂清洁生产评价指标体系的构建

运用层次分析法（AHP）根据污水处理厂自身的特点构建其清洁生产的评价指标体系模型,对于评价指标权重值的获得及考核的计算方法也作出了说明,期望能对污水处理厂的清洁生产起到推动作用。     

乌江梯级水库水陆交错区湿地植物群落分布格局及多样性初探

水库修建对湿地植物多样性和分布格局的影响是目前研究的热点。梯级水库由于开发时间的不同而成为理想的利用空间代替时间的研究平台,即可以通过不同开发时间水库植物群落结构的横向比较,从时间尺度上评估水电开发对水陆交错区湿地植物分布格局的影响。本研究选取乌江上游代表性的8座梯级水库,在其水陆交错区通过建立3条不同样带,比较分析不同水库间以及不同样带间湿地植物多样性和分布格局,探讨水库修建对湿地植物格局的影响。调查结果表明,乌江干流8个水库湿地植物共84科199属247种,其中物种最多的科为禾本科(Gramineae),共计24种,物种最多的属为蓼属(Polygonum)共计6种,优势物种分别为白茅(Imperata cylindrica)、盐肤木(Rhus chinensis)、金樱子(Rosa laevigata)、小白酒草(Conyza canadensis)和狗牙根(Cynodon dactylon)。就湿地植物分布格局而言,乌江梯级水库植物群落呈现出明显的带状分布格局,第一条样带即水库消落区植物多样性与非消落区(第二、第三条样带)差异明显,消落区不同样点间多样性与水库海拔、水库修建时间、水库坡度密切相关,后续湿地植物的研究将重点关注梯级水库的消落区。     

环胶州湾污水处理厂排放口溶解有机氮生物可利用潜力研究

溶解有机氮(DON)是陆源输入近海总溶解氮(TDN)的重要组成部分,其生物可利用性对探讨近海氮污染和富营养化形成机制具有重要意义.本研究根据2012年7月、2012年11月、2013年3月和2013年5月在胶州湾海域4个污水处理厂进行的4次调查,分析了直排胶州湾污水处理厂水体中总溶解氮(TDN)及其中总溶解氨基酸(TDAA)的含量和季节分布特征,并以溶解有机碳n(DOC)/溶解有机氮n(DON)和氨基酸的构成和丰度为指标,评价了直排胶州湾各污水处理厂排放口DON的生物可利用性.结果表明,TDN的变化范围为413.10~3 580.65μmol·L~(-1),并基本呈现3月和11月高,5月和7月低的变化趋势,其中,DON在TDN中所占摩尔分数变化范围为2.14%~88.75%.各污水处理厂排放口不同季节DOC/DON值较低,介于0.2~26.2 mol·mol~(-1)之间,平均值为(5.05±6.39)mol·mol~(-1),而TDAA中所含碳在DOC中的摩尔分数即TDAA/DOC值较高,分布在0.33%~3.02%之间,平均值为1.54%±0.78%,基于TDAA/DOC估算排入胶州湾各污水处理厂排放口污水中具有生物可利用溶解有机质所占摩尔分数为0.44%~46.97%.上述结果表明,直排胶州湾污水处理厂排放口DON具有较高的生物可利用性,对该海域富营养化贡献不容忽视.     

燃煤电厂烟气中SO_3控制技术及测试方法探讨

探讨了燃煤电厂烟气中SO_3控制技术及测试方法,旨在为我国相关技术的研究及测试标准的制定提供参考依据。详述了烟气中SO_3的燃烧前、燃烧中及燃烧后控制技术;燃煤烟气中SO_3的测定主要应用先采样后分析SO_4~(2-)的方法,SO_3的采样主要使用异丙醇吸收法和控制冷凝法,SO_4~(2-)则主要使用容量滴定法、分光光度法及离子色谱法进行分析。此外,分析了不同SO_3控制技术及测试方法的优缺点,提出了可行的燃煤电厂烟气中SO_3控制技术路线。     

南方稀土冶炼废水的特点及其处理技术研究

稀土冶炼分离过程产生大量的废水,废水中的主要污染物为氨氮、油类、COD和重金属离子等,如果不经处理直接排放,对水体会造成严重的污染.基于稀土冶炼分离工艺,阐述了稀土冶炼废水的特征,重点介绍了现有的稀土冶炼氨氮废水处理技术,包括蒸发浓缩结晶法、吹脱法、折点氯化法、化学沉淀法、离子交换法和膜分离法,分析了各种处理技术的适用性及优缺点,并对稀土冶炼分离废水处理技术进行了展望.     

国内外核电厂放射性流出物排放对标分析研究

核电厂流出物的受控排放是确保环境安全的重要手段.为了全面掌握中国核电厂在运压水堆、重水堆核电机组的实际排放水平,以加拿大、法国等国外核电厂流出物排放情况为参照,对标分析中国核电厂的环境排放现状,为核电厂流出物排放安全监管提供技术支持.对标分析结果表明,中国重水堆核电机组放射性流出物的平均归一化排放量低于加拿大重水堆的排放水平.中国压水堆液态流出物中氚的归一化排放量略超过法国外,其余排放水平较为接近.     

三峡库区消落带优势草本植物淹水后汞的释放特征

为研究三峡库区消落带植物淹水后汞的释放特征,选取狗牙根、酸模叶蓼、空心莲子草这3种优势草本植物在库区现场进行原位淹水试验,研究这3种植物淹水后总汞(THg)含量动态变化特征,分析其释放通量与速率,估算其THg释放负荷.结果表明,3种植物在淹水过程中THg浓度的下降速率呈现先快后慢的趋势,表明淹水前期植物中THg随植物腐解快速释放,随后释放基本稳定.3种植物的THg释放量存在显著差异,且表现为酸模叶蓼空心莲子草狗牙根.3种植物的THg释放量可能受植物初始C/N和THg浓度的影响.植物初始C/N越高,单位质量THg释放量越小.而植物初始THg浓度越高,单位质量植物THg释放量越大.结合3种植物在三峡库区消落带的分布权重和生物量,估算出酸模叶蓼、空心莲子草、狗牙根完全分解后的THg释放负荷分别为167.31、78.13、88.33 mg·hm~(-2).     

城市污水厂活性污泥中胞外聚合物与工艺运行及污泥沉降性能的相关性分析

胞外聚合物(Extracellular polymeric substance,EPS)的组分及含量是影响活性污泥性能的重要因素之一.本研究在测定不同城市污水处理厂活性污泥中EPS的基础上,分析水质情况与运行条件对EPS组分的影响.结果表明:蛋白质为EPS的主要组分,约占25%~63%;腐殖酸次之,占21%~50%;DNA和多糖的含量较少.同是A~2O工艺的2个污水厂的污泥沉降性能和粒径分布差异较大.根据Pearson分析结果,在污泥微膨胀和正常状态下,EPS总量与污泥体积指数(Sludge Volume Index,SVI)及粒径分布没有明显的相关性,但腐殖酸和DNA均与SVI呈正相关.处理工艺的水力停留时间与EPS总量负相关,但污水中有机物含量对EPS的含量及组分没有影响.EPS中多糖含量与脱氮除磷过程显著相关,多糖可以作为脱氮除磷过程的有机碳源.污泥龄影响EPS中蛋白质与多糖的比值.因此,污水水质、工艺类型及运行条件不同程度的影响EPS的组分及含量,进而影响处理效果.