Lead astray: scale,environmental justice and the El Paso smelter

Residents in Paso del Norte (El Paso, Texas; Sunland Park, New Mexico; and Juárez, Mexico) have been concerned about heavy metal contamination in their communities since the 1970s, when high blood lead levels were found in children living in Smeltertown – a company town for the local metals smelter. After the smelter's closure in 1999, and throughout onsite and offsite cleanup efforts, residents have continued to express concerns about these contamination issues. Using a politics of scale framework and analysing ethnographic data and government, media and scientific documents, this paper identifies a set of major disjunctures between the scales of heavy metal contamination and the scales at which that contamination is regulated. These disjunctures exacerbate regional environmental injustice by complicating public participation, neglecting vulnerability and displacing hazards to new communities. Consequently, applying a politics of scale framework to this case study highlights regulatory and policy failures to address environmental justice.     

The Potential of Using Solar Energy to Process Full-Fat Soybeans (Glycine max) to Reduce Urease Activity

The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of panel solar cookers in reducing urease activity in full-fat soybeans (Glycine max). Changes in urease activity of soaked (SM), coarse-milled (CM) and whole dry (WM) full fat soybeans were investigated by roasting for 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 min in multiple reflector panel solar cookers, in a 3 3 3 factorial experiment. Soaking soybeans for 14 h reduced (p<0.05) ^{1 1}P < 0.05 means that the probability (p) of falsely concluding significant difference between values obtained after statistical analysis was less than 5% (0.05). urease activity by 9%, from 6.58 meqNH₃/g DM to 5.98 meqNH₃/g DM. After 180 min of solar roasting, urease activity levels had declined by 81%, 67% and 23% in soaked, milled and whole dry soybeans respectively. Full fat soybean urease activity can be reduced faster in soaked than in dry soybeans. Findings suggest that there is potential in using multiple reflector panel solar cookers to reduce urease activity in full fat soybeans.     

区域经济发展与污水排放协调分析

选择了江苏3个典型的经济发展区域,就区域GDP与污水排放的关系,动态分析区域的水环境保护成效.苏州市经济发达、外资比重高,2005年人均GDP5.38万元,GDP与污水排放关系呈线性增长;南京市经济较为发达、国有大中型企业比重高,2005年人均GDP3.71万元,GDP与污水排放关系呈线性降低;徐州市经济相对欠发达、以煤炭重工业为主,2005年人均GDP1.32万元,GDP与污水排放关系呈波动状.根据各区域经济发展和污水排放特点,苏州市水环境保护重点应同时控制水污染物排放浓度和排放总量,南京市主要是调整产业结构、控制水污染物排放总量,徐州市主要应控制水污染物排放浓度,使各区域经济和环境协调发展.     

高效絮凝菌的培养条件优化

从呼和浩特市污水处理厂筛选分离了1株高效絮凝剂产生菌YS2,通过培养条件优化试验确定了该菌株产絮凝剂的最佳培养条件:碳源为蔗糖、氮源为脲、N/C为2.5∶1、初始pH值为6.0、培养温度为30℃。絮凝试验表明:该菌株产生的生物絮凝剂对高岭土悬浊液有良好的絮凝效果,絮凝率达到95%。絮凝活性分布试验表明其絮凝活性全部存在于离心沉降物中,而上清液没有絮凝活性。16S rDNA测序鉴定其为克雷伯氏菌G。     

Relation of hepatic EROD activity and cytochrome P4501A level in Sebastiscus marmoratus exposed to benzo[a]pyrene

This study was designed to investigate the in vivo effects of benzo[a]pyrene （BaP） on hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase （EROD） activity and its correlation with cytochrome P4501A （CYP1A） protein levels in Sebastiscus marmoratus, which were exposed through a water column to BaP （10, 100, 1000 ng/L, respectively） or were treated with intraperitoneal injections of BaP （0.5, 1, 5, 10 mg/kg, respectively） every 7 d. The results showed that after 25 d of waterborne exposure to 1000 ng/L BaP, fish hepatic CYP1A levels and EROD activity were significantly induced. In contrast, EROD activity was not altered 7 d after second intraperitoneal injections, whereas, CYP1A protein levels were increased. Dose-dependent increase of biliary BaP metabolites demonstrated that the catalytic activity of CYP1A was induced by treatment with BaP. The lowest observable effect concentration with regard to biliary BaP metabolites （100 ng/L） was much lower than that with reference to EROD activity （1000 ng/L）. The results suggest that biliary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon （PAH） metabolites were shown to better reflect the contamination gradients of PAHs than EROD activity. It appeared to be necessary to measure CYP1A protein levels to complement the EROD activity in relevant toxicological assessments.     

城市生态系统承载机制初步研究

文章分析了城市生态系统组成、结构及功能流,立足于资源承载力、环境承载力的角度,探讨了城市生态系统内部资源、环境对人类社会经济活动的承载约束机制,从城市生态系统客观存在性、弹性与扩展性、递阶性及相对性等方面,总结了城市生态系统承载机制的特点,在建立承载机制评价指标框架的基础上,初步提出了承载机制的定量研究方法。     

包埋固定化微生物的特性研究

文章通过实验研究了PVA与海藻酸钠混合载体包埋固定化微生物系统降解有机物的过程,并对其特性进行了分析。结果发现运行初期凝胶体有凝胶溶出现象,第一天凝胶有机物溶出高达2 173 mg,随后溶出量减少,7～8天溶出停止;同时发现包埋后的微生物活性有损伤和恢复的过程,损伤时相对活性为0.27经过恢复可达到0.85;另外,凝胶的粒径和比重等物理特性也随时间变化,最后趋于稳定。一年多运行实验发现包埋凝胶体的抗持久性也较好。这些特性的探讨将为工程应用提供理论指导。     

Runoff variation affected by precipitation change and human activity in Hailiutu River basin,China

For recent years, runoff generation and hydrological processes in Hailiutu River basin have been greatly changed by climate change and human activity, especially water and soil conservation construction. In this study, the trends in precipitation, evapotranspiration (ET) and river runoff as well as the effects of precipitation change and human activity on runoff variation have been studied. The results showed that during 1960–2000, annual precipitation and river runoff, monthly precipitation and ET in September and October as well as monthly runoff in all months showed a significant decrease. In addition, peak flow and base flow had a large decrease. Under the joint influence of precipitation change and human activity, the mean annual runoff decreased by 35 million m³ from the baseline period (1960–1985) to the change period (1986–2000), which accounted for 60.9% and 39.1% of the total runoff decrease, respectively. Precipitation change played a primary role in the decrease of annual runoff whereas human activity, particularly water and soil conservation construction, also had remarkable impacts on runoff variation.     

Opportunities and challenges for development of urbanization in Western China

Urban and rural dual structure in Western China is obvious.The economic development of the central cities is relatively quick while that of the rural areas is lagging behind.The speeding up of urbanization contributes to the intensively uncoordinated development of urban and rural areas.Besides,the eco-fragile environment,shortage of available water resources,adverse geographic location,and relatively backward social economy restrict the development of urbanization in Western China.However,Western China also has the advantages of backwardness.This paper analyzes the present situation and development trend of urbanization in Western China.The results show that Western China has basically formed a development pattern with"industry promotes agriculture and urban leads to village".Therefore,combined with the present situation of Western China,this paper describes and analyzes the opportunities and challenges that may appear in the process of urbanization in Western China,puts forward the development pattern in which urban and rural areas can gain mutual support and co-development,and provides related recommendations.     

Analysis of Coupling between Soil and Water Conservation and Economic-social Development

Abstract

The coupling relation exists in water and soil conservation and economic-social development. The article analyses the relation of soil and water conservation and economic-social development stages as well as the coupling analytical method. Then calculates the expecting income by dispersing Markov decision and calculates the correlation coefficient and the relationship degree. The article obtains the relationship of soil and water conservation investments and all kinds of incomes. Finally, it analyzes the important meaning in socio-economic development of water and soil conservation.