稳定剂增强的土壤原位覆盖抑制河流底泥氮磷释放研究

采用添加稳定剂的方式增强土壤覆盖对氮磷营养盐的抑制效果。以河流黑臭底泥为试验对象,通过底泥培养试验研究了无覆盖层、土壤覆盖、土壤+H2O2覆盖和土壤+KMn O4覆盖对底泥氮磷释放的抑制效果。研究结果表明:与无覆盖组相比,3种材料覆盖都可抑制底泥氮磷的释放。KMn O4的添加会促进含氮有机物的分解,提高土壤中三价铁含量,H2O2会提高水体溶解氧水平;对于氮释放的抑制效果顺序为土壤+H2O2组>土壤组>土壤+KMn O4组,对于磷释放的抑制效果顺序为土壤+KMn O4组>土壤+H2O2组>土壤组。从抑制氮磷释放效果和环保角度综合考虑,土壤+过氧化氢是最佳的覆盖材料。     

铸铁管输配再生水铁溶出颗粒物特征研究

针对输配水过程中产生的"红水"现象及铁颗粒物溶出对水质的影响,开展了初步的模拟管网中试研究.实验采用内径为100 mm的铸铁管搭建了120 m长管网中试模拟系统,并以北京某再生水厂生产的再生水为水源,进行了单向连续流动和密闭循环流动模拟管网输配实验,并对管网出水水质进行了的连续跟踪监测.中试结果表明,两种方式的实验都发生了"红水"现象;出水水质的p H、总溶解性固体(TDS)、电导率及总铁都有明显升高;实验过程中得到的两种不同颜色颗粒物,它们都包括α-Fe OOH、γ-Fe OOH、Fe CO3、Fe2O3、Fe3O4及Fe O等矿物质;颗粒物颜色可能与颗粒中羟基氧化铁与碳酸亚铁的含量有关;水流速度对于管网中颗粒物的沉积和释放要一定影响;不带内衬的铸铁管不适合作为输配腐蚀性极强水质再生水的管材.     

沉积物金属迁移-转化的影响因素及其规律

沉积物金属的迁移-转化行为和污染风险一直是研究热点。金属污染物在人为或自然因素下进入水体,绝大部分通过沉降作用成为沉积物固定相,如此,底泥也成了河流生态系统中重要的污染源(汇)。受外界条件干扰,沉积物和上覆水体环境条件随之变化,固定的金属污染物很可能会被释放到水体中,对生态环境造成危害。通过文献研究,对金属在水环境中的主要形态,影响沉积物-金属结合物迁移-转化的环境要素及影响机制,金属的生物可利用性和污染风险进行了综述。最后提出应加强对环境参数的变化程度和金属释放的量化关系,沉积物再悬浮-金属释放的预测模型,具有长期稳定性和可持续性的底泥污染修复和控制技术方面的研究。     

Understanding traffic crash under-reporting: Linking police and medical records to individual and crash characteristics

Objective: This study aligns to the body of research dedicated to estimating the underreporting of road crash injuries and adds the perspective of understanding individual and crash factors contributing to the decision to report a crash to the police, the hospital, or both.

Method: This study focuses on road crash injuries that occurred in the province of Funen, Denmark, between 2003 and 2007 and were registered in the police, the hospital, or both authorities. Underreporting rates are computed with the capture–recapture method, and the probability for road crash injuries in police records to appear in hospital records (and vice versa) is estimated with joint binary logit models.

Results: The capture–recapture analysis shows high underreporting rates of road crash injuries in Denmark and the growth of underreporting not only with the decrease in injury severity but also with the involvement of cyclists (reporting rates of about 14% for serious injuries and 7% for slight injuries) and motorcyclists (reporting rates of about 35% for serious injuries and 10% for slight injuries). Model estimates show that the likelihood of appearing in both data sets is positively related to helmet and seat belt use, number of motor vehicles involved, alcohol involvement, higher speed limit, and females being injured.

Conclusions: This study adds significantly to the literature about underreporting by recognizing that understanding the heterogeneity in the reporting rate of road crashes may lead to devising policy measures aimed at increasing the reporting rate by targeting specific road user groups (e.g., males, young road users) or specific situational factors (e.g., slight injuries, arm injuries, leg injuries, weekend).     

Ecological knowledge and North Sea environmental policies

In an analysis of North Sea eutrophication science and policies, focusing on the period 1980–2005, it was investigated how scientific information was used in policy-making. The analysis focused on the central assumptions of the rational policy-making model, i.e. that scientific information can be used to formulate decisions, based upon objective scientific information (rational decision-making), and secondly, can support implementing these decisions (rational management). In general terms, the following was concluded:

• •More knowledge has increased rather than reduced uncertainty;
• •In order to handle the problem of dealing with complexity and uncertainty at the political level, a simplification of facts has occurred, in this case focusing on nutrients as the main cause of the problem, at the same time excluding other possible causes;
• •Both the limited scientific view (i.e. the nutrient view) and the exaggeration of the seriousness of the problem (impacts, scope) have been used as an authoritative basis for the justification of political decisions. Both were not supported by the majority of the scientific community;
• •New scientific knowledge, not in support of existing policies, has been excluded from the policy process;
• •The science–policy interface, mainly consisting of “civil-servant scientists”, that emerged and increased its influence over the period of investigation, has been the central element in the simplification and exclusion process.

The main lesson learned is that work at the interface of science and policy must be subject to democratic principles, i.e. be transparent and involving all parties with a stake in the issue under consideration.     

The national biological impact assessment program∗

The need to safely field test genetically modified organisms is a critical step in the sequence of research leading to the commercialization of biotechnology in agriculture. To address this need the United States Department of Agriculture has established the National Biological Impact Assessment Program (NBIAP) to facilitate the safe field testing of genetically modified organisms. NBIAP fosters safe field testing of genetically modified organisms through a computerized network for information exchange, facilitation of biological monitoring techniques and by providing support for research in biosafety to develop new field testing methods and better predictive models.     

Preparation of controlled nano-MgO and investigation of its bactericidal properties

Nano-MgO is a good bactericide but with strong alkalinity in water due to its rapid hydrolysis. To control its hydrolysis rate and keep its bactericidal properties, we synthesized nano-MgO microspheres using chitosan-alginate system in this study. The synthesized nano-MgO release-controlled microspheres (nMgO-RCM) were with 0.98-1.20 mm of particle sizes. Also, their embedding ratio and loading percentage was 63.52% and 12.27%, respectively. Based on the characterization results, nano-MgO was only observed on surface of the nMgO-RCM. Its release rate from the nMgO-RCM could be controlled by the chitosan-alginate system, and the observed rate constant (k_obs) increased from 0.0289 h⁻¹ to 0.0358 h⁻¹ with the increment of the dosage from 10 mg L⁻¹ to 80 mg L⁻¹. Furthermore, the nMgO-RCM could maintain pH value lower than 8.5 and colony counts less than 20 CFU mL⁻¹ for at least 120 h.     

Application of chemometric analysis based on physicochemical and chromatographic data for the differentiation origin of plant protection products containing chlorpyrifos

The aim of this study was to investigate the similarities and dissimilarities between the pesticide samples in form of emulsifiable concentrates (EC) formulation containing chlorpyrifos as active ingredient coming from different sources (i.e., shops and wholesales) and also belonging to various series. The results obtained by the Headspace Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry method and also some selected physicochemical properties of examined pesticides including pH, density, stability, active ingredient and water content in pesticides tested were compared using two chemometric methods. Applicability of simple cluster analysis and also principal component analysis of obtained data in differentiation of examined plant protection products coming from different sources was confirmed. It would be advantageous in the routine control of originality and also in the detection of counterfeit pesticides, respectively, among commercially available pesticides containing chlorpyrifos as an active ingredient.     

How the DPSIR framework can be used for structuring problems and facilitating empirical research in coastal systems

As pressures on coastal zones mount, there is a growing need for frameworks that can be used to conceptualize complex sustainability challenges and help organize research that increases understand about interacting ecological and societal processes, predicts change, and supports the management, persistence, and resilience of coastal systems. The Driver–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR) framework is one such approach that has been adopted in some coastal zones around the world. Although the application of the DPSIR framework has considerable potential to bridge the gap between scientific disciplines and link science to coastal policy and management, current applications of DPSIR in coastal environments have been limited and new innovations in the application of the DPSIR model are needed. We conducted a structured review of literature on the DPSIR framework as applied to the function, process and components of complex coastal systems. Our specific focus was on how the DPSIR framework has been used as a tool to organize sophisticated empirical scientific research, support transdisciplinary knowledge at a level appropriate for building understanding about coastal systems, and how adopting a DPSIR approach can help stakeholders to articulate and structure challenges in coastal systems and use the framework to support policy and management outcomes. The review revealed that DPSIR models of coastal systems have been largely used to support and develop conceptual understanding of coastal social–ecological systems and to identify drivers and pressures in the coastal realm. A limited number of studies have used DPSIR as a starting point for semi-quantitative or quantitative analyses, although our review highlights the continued need for, and potential of, transformative quantitative analyses and transdisciplinary applications of the DPSIR framework. The DPSIR models we reviewed were predominantly single sector, encompassing ecological or biophysical factors or focusing primarily on socio-cultural dimensions rather than full integration of both types of information. Only in eight of 24 shortlisted articles did researchers actively engage decision-makers or citizens in their research: given the potential opportunity for using DPSIR as a tool to successfully engage policy-makers and stakeholders, it appears that the DPSIR framework has been under-utilized in this regard.     

Silver-Russell syndrome as a cause for early intrauterine growth restriction

The diagnosis of Silver–Russell syndrome is based on the characteristic growth restriction and the presence of typical dysmorphic features. We present the prenatal and postnatal findings of a case that was treated at our perinatal center. The suspected diagnosis Silver–Russell syndrome was confirmed after delivery by our medical genetic and neonatology services. The authors want to point out that SRS should be considered in the differential diagnosis of early asymmetric intrauterine growth restriction. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.