Developing the interaction matrix technique as a tool assessing the impact of traffic on air quality

This paper develops a technique which can be used as a preliminary tool for assessing air quality related to urban traffic. It combines a Geographic Information System (GIS) with an interaction matrix-type methodology based on a system analysis approach. The matrix identifies and quantifies interactions between all selected variables involved in a system as well as their interaction with the system as a whole. This matrix is used to determine the weightings to apply to spatial datasets within a GIS to develop a pollution vulnerability map. The focus of the paper is to introduce and assess a more versatile coding of the interaction matrix with respect to previously used coding. A case study is presented in which the modified interaction methodology is applied to data for a busy urban location. The resulting vulnerability map, in terms of pollution vulnerable hot spots, was compared to a pollution map derived from an advanced dispersion model. The interaction matrix technique with GIS can be used as a tool complementary to sophisticated numerical modelling and has potential as an analytical tool to evaluate multidisciplinary systems.     

Environmental Equity and the Role of Public Policy: Experiences in the Rijnmond Region

This Φ Ψ study of environmental equity uses secondary quantitative data to analyze socioeconomic disparities in environmental conditions in the Rijnmond region of the Netherlands. The disparities of selected environmental indicators—exposure to traffic noise (road, rail, and air), NO₂, external safety risks, and the availability of public green space—are analyzed both separately and in combination. Not only exposures to environmental burdens (“bads”) were investigated, but also access to environmental benefits (“goods”). Additionally, we held interviews and reviewed documents to grasp the mechanisms underlying the environmental equity situation, with an emphasis on the role of public policy. Environmental equity is not a priority in public policy for the greater Rotterdam region known as the Rijnmond region, yet environmental standards have been established to provide a minimum environmental quality to all local residents. In general, environmental quality has improved in this region, and the accumulation of negative environmental outcomes (“bads”) has been limited. However, environmental standards for road traffic noise and NO₂ are being exceeded, probably because of the pressure on space and the traffic intensity. We found an association of environmental “bads” with income for rail traffic noise and availability of public green space. In the absence of regulation, positive environmental outcomes (“goods”) are mainly left up to market forces. Consequently, higher-income groups generally have more access to environmental “goods” than lower-income groups.     

苏南快速城镇化区域典型河道入河污染物调查分析与估算

针对快速城镇化区域产业快速发展、人口高度密集与排水设施建设滞后间的突出矛盾,以苏州官渎里区域的典型重污染河道——官渎花园内河为研究对象,在分析区域排污特征的基础上,系统总结点污染源、面污染源和内污染源在该类区域的具体表现形式和影响因素,对各类污染物入河量进行调查测算.根据测算结果,官渎花园内河的CODcr、NH3-N、TN和TP年入河量分别为222.54、11.16、16.63和2.56t·a-1.对各污染源贡献率的分析结果表明,工业污染和生活污染为主要污染源,其次为降雨径流污染.在上述测算分析的基础上,结合苏南快速城镇化区域发展特点,提出了若干河道污染控制的对策与建议.     

In vivo endocrine effects of naphthenic acids in fish

Oil pollution from various sources, including exploration, production and transportation, is a growing global concern. The highest toxicity of hydrocarbon pollutants is associated with the water-soluble phase compounds, including naphthenic acids, a known component found in all hydrocarbon deposits. Recently, naphthenic acids (NAs) have shown estrogenic and anti-androgenic effects in vitro. For this reason we investigated the potential effects of two commercial mixtures of naphthenic acids on fish in vivo, using the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) as a model species.     

飞灰螯合剂中挥发性污染物的释放

采集了4个市售飞灰螯合剂样品，分析其在20，40℃下挥发性污染物的释放规律.结果表明，释放的挥发性污染物主要有甲醛、乙醛、苯、异戊醛/异丙醇、甲硫醇、乙硫醇等；其中3个螯合剂样品甲醛的释放浓度在20℃为748~1325 μg/L-螯合剂，占释放的易挥发污染物的68%~96%（质量比），在40℃为4282~6822 μg/L-螯合剂，占释放的易挥发污染物的87%~95%（质量比）.随着温度升高，释放的挥发性污染物种类变多，部分污染物浓度增加，40℃时，4个螯合剂样品释放的易挥发污染物浓度比20℃时增加了142%~444%.元素分析、拉曼光谱和热重分析结果表明，4个螯合剂的主要有效成分相似，为二硫代氨基甲酸盐类物质.因此，推测这种飞灰螯合剂在稀释和飞灰稳定化过程中，对工作人员的健康可能有潜在的危害风险，应收集释放的气体并进行处理；且在飞灰填埋过程中，可能会导致渗滤液中NH₄⁺-N等物质的浓度升高，增加渗滤液的处理难度.     

Modelling individual preferences for environmental policy drivers: Empirical evidence of Italian lifestyle changes using a latent class approach

Degraded air quality severely affects the health of citizens worldwide. The design of effective policies requires exploring public preferences for environmental and air quality policy instruments. Within the EC-FP7 SEFIRA project, using a choice experiment that stresses the trade-offs between attributes, this study investigates public preferences for environmental policy drivers in Italy. The main objective is to investigate the role played by selected policy drivers in determining policy preferences, complemented by elasticity and willingness to pay estimations. Preference heterogeneity and the role of socio-economic and attitudinal variables are explored with a latent class model over 2400 respondents sampled across Italy. The results allow identifying the different role played by the policy drivers across the classes. It emerged that most of the respondents (43%) are particularly sensitive to the cost components (cost sensitive respondents). The remaining respondents instead show an important sensitivity towards personal engagement in term of changes in the mobility and eating habits (lifestyle-change sensitive respondents). However, while 29% of them perceive these habits’ changes as negatively impacting on the personal utility, the other 28% of respondents translate the potential changes in the habitual behaviour of driving and eating as environmental and health benefits. Based on the modelling results, potential policies are simulated reporting respondents’ reaction to selected scenarios. It shows the crucial role played by reduction of premature deaths due to atmospheric pollution and measure cost.     

浅议新大气排放标准发布后火电厂竣工验收监测

2011年7月29日《火电厂大气污染物排放标准》发布后,现有火电厂的“三同时”竣工验收监测需执行新标准中的相关规定。新标准还增加了敏感点环境空气的监测,敏感点的确定可参照环评,根据实际情况布设。新标准中未明确指明“重点地区”指哪些行政区划,为此,本文建议需要在新标准中进一步明确“重点地区”指哪些省等行政区域,以利于新标准的执行。     

藻类对有机污染物生物吸附的研究进展

随着工业的迅猛发展,越来越多的有毒有机污染物被排放到环境中,进而引起一系列环境问题。大量研究表明,生物吸附已经成为去除有毒有机污染物的重要方法,而藻类作为一种理想的生物吸附剂,具有良好的吸附和降解有机污染物的能力。概述了藻类对染料、酚类、多环芳烃三种具有代表性的有毒有机污染物的生物吸附。     

微生物和酶在降解环境有机污染物中的应用

介绍了生物修复有机污染的土壤和水体的研究进展,对微生物和酶处理的技术进行了详细讨论。降解有机物的微生物以白腐真菌为代表,可有效降解多环芳烃;降解有机物的酶以过氧化物酶和水解酶为代表,分别能够降解芳香族化合物和有机农药。     

光助芬顿反应催化降解气体中甲苯

以甲苯作为挥发性有机污染物(VOCs)的代表,利用连续进气动态实验装置,研究光助芬顿反应降解气体中甲苯的作用.考察了芬顿试剂溶液初始p H、H2O2浓度、Fe2+浓度以及甲苯初始浓度对降解甲苯的影响,并利用在线质谱和色谱对产物进行了定性、定量分析.结果表明,紫外光照加快了羟基自由基的生成,显著提高了气体中甲苯的去除率;p H=3.0、H2O2浓度为20 mmol·L-1、Fe2+浓度为0.3 mmol·L-1的条件下,甲苯去除率最高;当甲苯初始浓度为260 mg·m-3时,去除率能够达到98%;光助芬顿反应催化降解气体中甲苯实验未检测到CO2之外的中间产物,CO2产率分析表明去除的甲苯全部转化为CO2.