Understanding the impact of climate change on the dwindling water resources of South Africa,focusing mainly on Olifants River basin: A review

In this paper, consideration has focused mainly on the extent and usefulness of the existing literature available so far on the understanding of the impact of climate change on water resources in Africa, focusing mainly on the Olifants River basin in South Africa. Here, the existing literature on the impact of climate change on the hydrological cycle (particularly the hydrological processes like temperature, precipitation and runoff) has been reviewed. The uncertainties, constraints and limitations in climate change research have been discussed at great length. A detailed discussion has been highlighted on the remaining knowledge gaps in climate change research, especially in Africa. In addition to the research gaps highlighted here, the emphasis on the need of climate change research by African scientists is included as part of lessons learnt. Overall, the importance of conducting further research in climate change, understanding the potential impact of climate change on our lives, and taking actions to effectively meet the adaptation needs of the people, emerge as an important theme in this review.     

驱动数据对流域水文模拟中不同结果要素的影响

流域水循环中各要素之间高度的非线性关系,使得驱动数据对模拟结果的影响研究变得复杂。结合站点实测和遥感的降水、温度和潜在蒸散发驱动数据,构建了叶尔羌河流域的8个MIKE SHE模型;根据方差分析模型（ANOVA）对模型“输入”与“输出”之间显著性影响检验的结果,以积融雪过程为例,剖析了驱动数据影响的具体表现。结果表明：相比站点数据,TRMM降水驱动的模型导致积雪输出的空间分布差异性更加明显;MODIS温度数据驱动的模型导致了中低山区的永久性薄层积雪覆盖更广,而高山区的储雪量更少;遥感蒸散发驱动的模型在积雪模拟方面并无显著差异。ANOVA对水文系统中要素之间的显著性假设检验,可为明晰驱动数据对水文过程的具体影响方式提供重要前提。     

Characterizing oxygenated volatile organic compounds and their sources in rural atmospheres in China

Oxygenated volatile organic compounds(OVOCs) are important precursors and products of atmospheric secondary pollution. The sources of OVOCs, however, are still quite uncertain,especially in the atmosphere with much pollution in China. To study the sources of OVOCs in rural atmospheres, a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry(PTR-MS) was deployed at a northern rural site(WD) and a southern rural site(YMK) in China during the summer of 2014 and 2016, respectively. The continuous observation showed that the mean concentration of TVOCs(totally 17 VOCs) measured at WD(52.4 ppbv) was far higher than that at YMK(11.1 ppbv), and the OVOCs were the most abundant at both the two sites. The diurnal variations showed that local sources of OVOCs were still prominent at WD, while regional transport influenced YMK much. The photochemical age-based parameterization method was then used to quantitatively apportion the sources of ambient OVOCs. The anthropogenic primary sources at WD and YMK contributed less(2%–16%) to each OVOC species. At both the sites, the atmospheric background had a dominant contribution(～ 50%) to acetone and formic acid, while the anthropogenic secondary formation was the main source(～ 40%) of methanol and MEK. For acetaldehyde and acetic acid, the biogenic sources were their largest source(～ 40%) at WD, while the background(39%) and anthropogenic secondary formation(42%) were their largest sources at YMK, respectively. This study reveals the complexity of sources of OVOCs in China, which urgently needs explored further.     

重庆市不同粒径颗粒物中水溶性离子污染特征

于2010年3月~2011年2月和2017年1~12月在重庆主城区连续采集PM_1.0、PM_1.0~2.5和PM_2.5~10样品,采用离子色谱测定了样品中9种水溶性无机离子（WSIIs）含量,研究了近年来不同粒径颗粒物中主要离子的污染特征.结果表明,2017年重庆市PM_1.0、PM_1.0~2.5和PM_2.5~10中WSIIs年均浓度和占比分别为24.10,32.89,39.11μg/m³和41.8%、40.3%、38.6%,较2010年均有所下降（39.85,47.84,57.12μg/m³和49.2%、46.6%、36.2%）,但NO₃^-浓度和占比呈上升趋势（分别上升12.3%~27.8%和53.1%~78.2%）,且成为2017年冬季首要离子.SO₄^2-、NO₃^-、NH₄⁺、Cl^-、K⁺和Na⁺主要分布在细粒子中,F^-、Mg²⁺和Ca²⁺主要分布在粗粒子中.重庆颗粒物呈弱碱性,其中粗粒子碱性强于细粒子,NH₄⁺主要以（NH₄）₂SO₄和NH₄NO₃的形式存在.与2010年不同,2017年细粒子中SO₄^2-和NO₃^-浓度均随相对湿度增大而快速上升,非均相反应已成为2017年SO₄^2-和NO₃^-形成的重要途径,且在PM_1.0中尤为突出.随污染加重,不同粒径下各类WSIIs演化特征各异,其中2017年细粒子中NO₃^-浓度及其对WSIIs贡献大幅升高,并成为重污染形成的主因,而SO₄^2-和扬尘源示踪物（Mg²⁺、Ca²⁺）贡献呈下降趋势.与2010年相比,2017年各粒径中NO₃^-/SO₄^2-比值随污染加重大幅升高,且重污染日比值均大于1.0.细粒子中WSIIs主要来源于二次转化,粗粒子主要来源于扬尘.2017年扬尘污染较2010年有所减缓,但二次源对WSIIs贡献上升明显,尤其是NO₃^-的二次生成,因此对NOx排放源的管控是WSIIs减排的重要途径.研究结果对了解近年来重庆市大气颗粒物污染来源及形成机制研究具有重要参考价值.     

长三角秋冬季典型区域霾天气特征及对比

为总结出霾天气发生时的相关影响因子、特征共性,选取长三角地区8个主要城市,2016~2019年秋冬季发生的7次典型霾天气过程,对比分析了3次霾天气过程中AQI、PM_2.5浓度、气象要素、天气形势、边界层特征的变化以及污染物来源.结果表明：不利的气象条件及高低空配置的静稳天气型导致霾天气的形成.3次过程AQI指数峰值分别为247、306及272,与PM_2.5浓度变化趋于一致.PM_2.5浓度和能见度呈明显负相关关系,且污染过程发生时能见度普遍偏低,2、3次过程能见度谷值均低于50m.高相对湿度、稳定的气温及静风与霾过程的形成有着紧密的联系.总体上混合层高度与AQI呈现负相关关系,混合层高度较低抑制垂直对流,从而使污染物在低空区域性积聚,3次污染过程混合层高度最低值均小于100m.逆温层的出现利于霾污染过程中污染物的累积,近地层的贴地逆温将污染物集聚在地表,第1次过程贴地逆温强度高达8.2℃;脱地逆温导致污染物在边界层内堆积并抑制其扩散,均易导致高浓度污染发生,第2次过程脱地逆温为主,强度高达4.8℃.气溶胶类型多为沙尘、大陆型污染物、污染型沙尘及烟粒.污染发生通常受局地排放、区域输送及长距离输送的共同影响,气团携带的因人为产生的细粒子也是造成污染的主要原因之一.     

辽河三角洲土地利用变化轨迹、驱动过程及生态系统服务时空演变

辽河三角洲位于"辽宁沿海经济带",拥有重要的自然保护区和保存完好的大面积芦苇沼泽和以盐地碱蓬为主的潮间带盐沼,栖息着多种濒危物种.1980年以来,农业开发、水产养殖、油气开采活动加剧,使得该区域生态环境发生巨变.本研究分析了1980—2010年,辽河三角洲土地利用时空变化轨迹及驱动过程,并应用InVEST模型模拟了碳储存、生境质量、水质净化3种生态系统服务的时空变化,在此基础上进一步分析了土地利用变化与生态系统服务的关系.研究结果表明:辽河三角洲地区土地利用变化以围垦、修复、淤积3种驱动为主,社会经济驱动主导,自然驱动明显.碳储量和生境质量呈下降趋势,而水质净化功能波动变化.土地利用和生态系统服务相关性表明湿地可以提供较高水平的3种生态服务功能,而生态服务功能低的区域则多与建设用地重合.在规划保护区或实施保护性修复措施时,应优先考虑3种生态系统服务的高价值区域,以实现高效、经济的生态环境保护.     

Testing the impact of social forces on the evolution of Sahelian farming systems: A combined agent-based modeling and anthropological approach

This article presents the results of a methodology based on an extensive sociological fieldwork in three different sites settled along a gradient of aridity in Nigerien Sahel. This fieldwork led to build a set of rules for the behaviour of individuals in non-pastoralist villages. We implemented these rules into an agent-based model simulating three village archetypes. Each archetype includes biophysical, economical, social agricultural and livestock modules. Results from simulations with no social transition processes show that villages specialize themselves into different economic activities according to natural resource specificities: A decreasing intensification gradient is observed from the most favoured site, with more local productions and good ecological indicators, to the less-favoured site, with a growing proportion of the population wealth coming from migration remittances and “off-shore” livestock. Two family transition processes were implemented, following field observations and literature-based hypotheses: family organizations evolve between a patriarchal mode and a non-cooperative mode following tensions due to income redistribution. Family inheritance systems evolve from a “customary” one-heir mode to a “local Muslim” mode in which all males inherits land. This evolution depends on family tensions due to land availability. Once introducing these processes, the population of each site differentiates itself into specialized groups according to size, assets and social status. Meanwhile, the group proportions and specializations strongly vary according to the sites but they are all characterized by the emergence of individualistic family types and the increase of the village populations’ robustness.     

Study on degradation process of famotidine hydrochloride in aqueous samples

The kinetics of famotidine (FAM) transformation under the influence of various factors, important from the environmental point of view, was investigated in aqueous solutions. The degradation processes using UV, H₂O₂, UV/H₂O₂, H₂O₂/Fe²⁺, and UV/H₂O₂/Fe²⁺ were studied. Direct photolysis and H₂O₂-assisted photolysis showed a pseudo-first-order kinetics, while the Fenton and the photo-Fenton processes fit second-order kinetics. The provided experiments proved a high resistance of FAM to direct photolysis. Its stability depends highly on the pH of the reaction solutions. The rate of FAM direct photolysis in acidic solutions was almost negligible. The reaction rate of FAM photolysis at pH 8–9 was 3.7 × 10^?3 min^?1 with DT₅₀ about 3 h 7 min. It was found that the presence of H₂O₂ in the reaction environment enhances the rate of photolysis of FAM. The observed rates of reaction were 5.1 × 10^?3 min^?1 and 3.7 × 10^?3 min^?1 in acidic and basic solutions, respectively. The used Fenton systems appeared to be the most efficient in FAM removal. The rate of reaction depends on concentration of Fe²⁺ and H₂O₂. It was observed that the presence of UV-light enhances the reaction rate by two to six times in comparison to the classical Fenton system. Additionally, FAM behavior in natural water under solar irradiation was examined. The irradiation experiments were carried out in batch experiments with simulated sunlight.     

Humic substances. Part III. sorptive interactions with environmental chemicals†

The formation of covalent binding to DNA of a carcinogen is now widely accepted to represent a classical mechanism of tumour induction in mammals. This mechanism does not operate with metals since no covalent binding of these agents to DNA does occur. Nevertheless, somatic mutations as typical consequences of DNA‐damage have been reported to be induced by metals in various model systems. Beside DNA‐alkylation such damages can be caused by changes in the conformation of DNA or in the fidelity of DNA‐repair. The activity of the repair enzymes DNA‐polymerases is indeed impaired by many metal ions at least in vitro. It is not yet established whether these mechanisms are also important in the intact mammalian organism. Much evidence has accumulated during the last years that a disturbance of the balance of cations and especially metal ions represents another possible mechanism of tumour induction. The tumours found with high doses of chelating agents such as nitrilo‐triacetic acid (NTA) have to be discussed in this context. Since most—if not—all of the speculative mechanisms of metal carcinogenesis resemble classical pharmacological reactions the existence of a threshold level is likely. So metal carcinogenesis will not be a problem of the environmental contamination at trace levels but a problem of occupational medicine.     

Purification and characterization of Al13 species in coagulant polyaluminum chloride

Nano-Al₁₃ was separated and purified by four methods to investigate its characteristic, and was analyzed by Al-Ferron timed complexation spectrophotometer,²⁷ Al-NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Coagulation efficiency of nano-Al₁₃, polyaluminum chloride (PAC), and AlCl₃ in synthetic water were also investigated by jar test. The dynamic process and aggregation state of kaolin suspensions coagulating with nano-Al₁₃, PAC, and AlCl₃ were also investigated. The experimental results indicated that the efficiency of gel column chromatography method was the highest for separating PAC solution with low Al concentration. Ethanol and acetone method was simple and could separated PAC solution with different Al concentrations, while silicon alkylation white block column chromatography method could separate PAC solution only with low Al concentration. The SO₄²−/Ba²⁺ displacement method could separate PAC solution with high Al concentration, but extra inorganic cation and anion could be introduced into the solution during the separation. The coagulation efficiency and dynamic experimental results showed that nano- Al₁₃ with a high positive-charged species was the main species of electric neutralization in coagulation process, and it could reduce the turbidity and increase the effective particles collision rate efficiently in coagulation process. Its coagulation speed and the particle size of coagulant formed were of greatest value in this study.