The Effect of Estrogens,River Water,and Treated Wastewater on Vitellogenin Induction of Japanese Medaka1

Abstract: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of estrogens on fish endocrine disruption in river water and treated wastewater. Endogenous estrogen estrone (E1), 17β‐estradiol (E2), river water, and treated wastewater were used for exposure tests on male Japanese medaka. Vitellogenin induction in male medaka was regarded as the endpoint of endocrine disruption. The effective concentrations of E1 and E2 on vitellogenin induction in medaka were evaluated by breeding medaka for 14 days in tanks with various concentrations of E1 or E2. Vitellogenin induction increased with elapse of time during exposure, with higher estrogen concentrations causing greater vitellogenin induction. According to the test results, the lowest observed effect concentrations (LOECs) of E1 and E2 were estimated to be 31.6 and 5.0 ng/l, respectively; and the E2 equivalent (EEQ) LOEC value of E1 was 5.2 ng‐E2/l, derived by multiplying the relative potency of E1 by that of E2 as estimated in this study. In continuous exposure tests using river water or treated wastewater, the estrogenic activity, an index of total estrogenic potential measured by yeast screen assay and expressed as EEQ, varied widely during the exposure tests, and significant vitellogenin induction was observed after several days of high levels of estrogenic activity in water. Vitellogenin concentration tended to significantly increase if EEQ exceeded the level of 5 ng‐E2/l. The threshold value was substantially the same as the results for E1 and E2 exposure tests of medaka. Consequently, EEQ over 5 ng‐E2/l was revealed to have the potential to cause endocrine disruption of male medaka. As estrogenic activity exceeding 5 ng‐E2/l was observed in some rivers in Japan, total estrogenic potential needs to be further decreased at wastewater treatment plants to prevent fish endocrine disruption.     

Air Quality Survey Carried Out by Schoolchildren: An Innovative Tool for Urban Planning

An educational project on biological monitoring of air quality was launched in 2004 to involve about 650 young students (age 6 to 16) from 21 schools of nine municipalities in Tuscany (Central Italy) in active detection of the crucial pollutant ozone with indicator sensitive tobacco seedlings. Results implied the reading of 9,300 raw biological figures and were fortified by the data captured by six photometric analysers. Under the guidance of their teachers, the students had several opportunities to practice with many basic and applied study areas and were initiated into the scientific method in a simple and absorbing manner. Curiosity and involvement were widespread; a sort of emotional and responsible relationship was developed by several pupils. Though primarily an educational exercise, the survey introduced a research element and the regional picture of air pollution that emerged has increased our knowledge of the air quality situation in the area. Biological monitoring of air quality is a powerful tool to improve the awareness and involvement in key topics of environmental education. In addition, it represents a crucial element for improving the awareness of problems and implies the active participation of citizens in the assessment of several indicators of the state of the environment. Its potential as a robust implement in landscape and urban planning is noteworthy.     

竹类植物的生态功能

中国是世界上竹类资源最丰富的国家.竹类植物分布广、生长快、产量高、用途广,一年种植可连年持续利用,具有极高的生态价值,其特殊的生物学特性对环境改善、水土保持具有不可忽视的重要作用.根据前人的研究成果,对竹类植物的生态功能作用进行了分类描述,以期对竹类植物的生态功能开发提供参考,进一步推动竹类植物的生态研究.     

Dissolution of different zinc salts and Zn uptake by Sedum alfredii and maize in mono- and co-cropping under hydroponic culture

Previous soil pot and field experiments demonstrated that co-cropping the hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii with maize increased Zn phytoextraction by S. alfredii and decreased Zn uptake by maize shoots. This hydroponic experiment was conducted to investigate whether the facilitation of Zn phytoextraction by S. alfredii resulted from improved dissolution in this co-cropping system and its relation to root exudates. S. alfredii and maize were mono-and co-cropped (without a root barrier) in nutrient solution spiked with four Zn compounds, ZnS, ZnO, Zn3(PO4)2 and 5ZnO·2CO3·4H2O (represented as ZnCO3 ) at 1000 mg/L Zn for 15 days without renewal of nutrient solution after pre-culture. The root exudates were collected under incomplete sterilization and analyzed. The results indicated that the difference in Zn salts had a greater influence on the Zn concentration in maize than for S. alfredii, varying from 210-2603 mg/kg for maize shoots and 6445-12476 mg/kg for S. alfredii in the same order: ZnCO3 > ZnO >Zn3(PO4)2 > ZnS. For the four kinds of Zn sources in this experiment, co-cropping with maize did not improve Zn phytoextraction by S. alfredii. In most cases, compared to co-cropped and mono-cropped maize, mono-cropped S. alfredii resulted in the highest Zn2+ concentration in the remaining nutrient solution, and also had a higher total concentration of low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOA) and lower pH of root exudation. Root exudates did partly influence Zn hyperaccumulation in S. alfredii.     

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。     

污水处理厂挥发性硫化物释放特征与风险评价

对城市污水处理厂各处理单元释放的挥发性硫化物（VSCs）进行长期监测,评估VSCs带来的感官效应和健康风险.结果表明,从浓度上看,VSCs以H₂S为主（监测期间的H₂S浓度为N.D.~580μg/m³）,而甲硫醇（MT）的浓度占比最少（监测期间MT的浓度为N.D.~4.7μg/m³）,同时VSCs的浓度分布具有明显的季节性,即夏季>秋季>冬季.在感官方面,H₂S是所有VSCs中气味贡献最大的气体（贡献率为79%~93%）,除二沉池外,其在其他处理单元中均为关键性恶臭气体;虽然MT浓度水平低,但是其对气味的贡献不能被忽略;格栅、沉砂池混合气体气味活性值（SOAV）分别为2591.9、5494.8,预处理单元对该厂的气味贡献最大.在健康风险方面,春季和夏季时,格栅和沉砂池中的H₂S存在非致癌风险.     

Energy neutrality potential of wastewater treatment plants: A novel evaluation framework integrating energy efficiency and recovery

• Framework of indicators was established based on energy efficiency and recovery. • Energy neutrality potential of 970 wastewater treatment plants was evaluated. • Analysis of characteristics and explanatory factors was carried out. • Pathways for improving the energy neutrality potential were proposed. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) consume large amounts of energy and emit greenhouse gases to remove pollutants. This study proposes a framework for evaluating the energy neutrality potential (ENP) of WWTPs from an integrated perspective. Operational data of 970 WWTPs in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) were extracted from the China Urban Drainage Yearbook 2018. The potential chemical and thermal energies were estimated using combined heat and power (CHP) and water source heat pump, respectively. Two key performance indicators (KPIs) were then established: the energy self-sufficiency (ESS) indicator, which reflects the offset degree of energy recovery, and the comprehensive water–energy efficiency (CWEE) indicator, which characterizes the efficiency of water–energy conversion. For the qualitative results, 98 WWTPs became the benchmark (i.e., CWEE= 1.000), while 112 WWTPs were fully self-sufficient (i.e., ESS≥100%). Subsequently, four types of ENP were classified by setting the median values of the two KPIs as the critical value. The WWTPs with high ENP had high net thermal energy values and relatively loose discharge limits. The explanatory factor analysis of water quantity and quality verified the existence of scale economies. Sufficient carbon source and biodegradability condition were also significant factors. As the CWEE indicator was mostly sensitive to the input of CHP, future optimization shall focus on the moisture and organic content of sludge. This study proposes a novel framework for evaluating the ENP of WWTPs. The results can provide guidance for optimizing the energy efficiency and recovery of WWTPs.     

Sustainability of wild plant use in the Andean Community of South America

Overexploitation is the second biggest driver of global plant extinction. Meanwhile, useful plant species are vital to livelihoods across the world, with global conservation efforts increasingly applying the concept of ‘conservation-through-use.’ However, successfully balancing conservation and biodiversity use remains challenging. We reviewed literature on the sustainability of wild-collected plant use across the countries of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia—a region of global importance for its biological and cultural richness. After applying defined search terms and a two-stage screening process, 68 articles were reviewed. The numbers which reported sustainable, unsustainable, or context-dependent outcomes were relatively even, but national differences emerged. Through narrative synthesis, we identified five key, reoccurring themes: plant biology; land tenure; knowledge, resource, and capacity; economics and market pressures; and institutional structures, policy, and legislation. Our results show the need for flexible, context-specific approaches and the importance of collaboration, with bottom-up management and conservation methods involving local communities and traditional ecological knowledge often proving most effective. Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01529-7.     

四川水力资源开发和长江上游水土保持的思考

四川具有丰富的水力资源，在西部大开发的形势下，将大力进行开发。根据四川境内的四大河流流域的水土流失及河道泥沙资料，经初步分析，认为水土流失与河道泥沙的关系非常密切，二者成正相关态势。然后，进一步探讨了长江上游水利工程在阻挡流失水土进入长江主河道过程中的地位和作用，探讨表明，这些水利工程有效地阻拦了流失水土进入长江河道；与此同时，水利工程，如电站，水库等的库容却大大减少,降低了工程效益发挥，缩短了使用年限。在此基础上，还探讨了控制水土流失，大力开发四川水力资源和进行长江上游生态屏蔽建设的措施。在四川水力资源开发过程中，对四川，对整个长江流域，必须工程效益和生态效益并重，故应当加强水土保持生态环境建设，而生物工程植物治沙措施在这一问题中具有特殊意义。