Influence of agricultural activities, forest fires and agro-industries on air quality in Thailand

Annual and monthly-based emission inventories in northern, central and north-eastern provinces in Thailand, where agriculture and related agro-industries are very intensive, were estimated to evaluate the contribution of agricultural activity, including crop residue burning, forest fires and related agro-industries on air quality monitored in corresponding provinces. The monthly-based emission inventories of air pollutants, or, particulate matter (PM), NOx and SO₂, for various agricultural crops were estimated based on information on the level of production of typical crops: rice, corn, sugarcane, cassava, soybeans and potatoes using emission factors and other parameters related to country-specific values taking into account crop type and the local residue burning period. The estimated monthly emission inventory was compared with air monitoring data obtained at monitoring stations operated by the Pollution Control Department, Thailand (PCD) for validating the estimated emission inventory. The agro-industry that has the greatest impact on the regions being evaluated, is the sugar processing industry, which uses sugarcane as a raw material and its residue as fuel for the boiler. The backward trajectory analysis of the air mass arriving at the PCD station was calculated to confirm this influence. For the provinces being evaluated which are located in the upper northern, lower northern and northeast in Thailand, agricultural activities and forest fires were shown to be closely correlated to the ambient PM concentration while their contribution to the production of gaseous pollutants is much less.     

Reviews of emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in Asia

Biogenic volatile organic compounds(BVOCs) in the atmosphere play important roles in the formation of ground-level ozone and secondary organic aerosol(SOA) in global scale and also in regional scale under some condition due to their large amount and relatively higher reactivity.In places with high plant cover in the tropics and in China where air pollution is serious,the effect of BVOCs on ozone and secondary organic aerosols is strong.The present research aims to provide a comprehensive review ...     

Field monitoring of volatile organic compounds using passive air samplers in an industrial city in Japan

Highly portable, sensitive, and selective passive air samplers were used to investigate ambient volatile organic compound (VOC) levels at multiple sampling sites in an industrial city, Fuji, Japan. We determined the spatial distributions of 27 species of VOCs in three campaigns: Mar (cold season), May (warm season), and Nov (mild season) of 2004. In all campaigns, toluene (geometric mean concentration, 14.0microg/m3) was the most abundant VOC, followed by acetaldehyde (4.76microg/m3), and formaldehyde (2.58microg/m3). The spatial distributions for certain VOCs showed characteristic patterns: high concentrations of benzene and formaldehyde were typically found along major roads, whereas high concentrations of toluene and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) were usually found near factories. The spatial distribution of PCE observed was extremely consistent with the diffusion pattern calculated from Pollutant Release and Transfer Register data and meteorological data, indicated that passive air samplers are useful for determining the sources and distributions of ambient VOCs.     

Identification of relevant micropollutants in Austrian municipal wastewater and their behaviour during wastewater treatment

The European Union has defined environmental quality standards (EQSs) for surface waters for priority substances and several other pollutants. Furthermore national EQSs for several chemicals are valid in Austria. The study investigated the occurrence of these compounds in municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents. In a first screening of 15 WWTPs relevant substances were identified, which subsequently were monitored in 9 WWTPs over 1 year (every 2 months). Out of 77 substances or groups of substances (including more than 90 substances) 13 were identified as potentially relevant in respect to water pollution and subjected to the monitoring, whereas most other compounds were detected in concentrations far below the respective EQS for surface waters and therefore not further considered. The preselected 13 compounds for monitoring were cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), diuron, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), di(ethyl-hydroxyl)phthalate (DEHP), tributyltin compounds (TBT), nonylphenoles (NP), adsorbable organic halogens (AOX) and the complexing agents ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as well as nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA). In the effluents of WWTPs the concentrations of the priority substances Cd, NP, TBT and diuron frequently exceeded the respective EQS, whereas the concentrations for DEHP and Ni were below the respective EQS. The effluent concentrations for AOX, EDTA, NTA, Cu, Se and Zn frequently are in the range or above the Austrian EQS for surface waters. Besides diuron and EDTA all compounds are removed at least partially during wastewater treatment and for most substances the removal via the excess sludge is the major removal pathway. For the 13 compounds which were monitored in WWTP effluents population equivalent specific discharges were calculated. Since for many compounds no or only few information is available, these population equivalent specific discharges can be used to assess emissions from municipal WWTPs to surface waters as well as to make a first assessment of the impact of a discharge on surface waters chemical status. Comparing discharges and river pollution on a load basis, the influence of diffuse sources becomes obvious and therefore should also be taken into consideration in river management.     

Isoprene emission from tropical trees in Okinawa Island, Japan

This study surveyed isoprene emission from 42 indigenous and exotic tropical trees in subtropic Okinawa, Japan. Of the 42 trees studied, 4 emitted isoprene at a rate in excess of 20 μg g⁻¹ h⁻¹, and 28 showed the rates of 1–10 μg g⁻¹ h⁻¹. The remainder emitted less than 1 μg g⁻¹ h⁻¹. The majority of trees in this study may therefore fall within the lower emitting species. However, species in Moraceae that is indigenous in Okinawa emitted isoprene at relatively higher rates with an average of 14.2 μg g⁻¹ h⁻¹. The highest emission rate of 107.1 μg g⁻¹ h⁻¹ for Ficus virgata yielded the area basis rate of 47.4 nmol m⁻² s⁻¹, which is almost equivalent to the rate of high emitting species. Furthermore, a linear relationship between light intensity and isoprene emission was noted with Ficus virgata up to 1700 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹. These findings may show the potential importance of subtropical areas as sources of isoprene to the atmosphere.     

日本二噁英减排控制的历程、经验与启示

二噁英减排控制是《关于持久性有机污染物的斯德哥尔摩公约》的重要任务,是履行公约义务的难点.对日本二噁英减排控制20年来的实践历程进行了回顾和分析,总结出了其协调管理机制设立、法律法规标准建立、监测能力建设以及宣传教育等八个方面的成功经验,对中国二噁英减排控制工作有重要的借鉴意义.     

汽车排气污染防治现状及对策分析

随着汽车保有量的剧增,汽车尾气已逐步成为城市环境空气污染的主要来源之一,本文依据我国对机动车污染防治实施的政策及措施,结合近年来现状,对汽车排气污染防治的思路、政策及措施等方面做了分析探讨。     

东北地区畜禽养殖业污染物总量减排对策分析

论述了东北地区畜禽养殖业的污染现状,针对东北地区畜禽养殖业污染物总量减排的需要,从政策引导、清洁生产和全过程控污等方面提出了相应的污染物总量减排对策,并推荐合理可行和适合当地实际情况的畜禽养殖废物综合处理与资源化利用技术,为环保和农业部门的畜禽养殖业污染物总量减排工作提供一定参考。     

电子受体类型对聚磷污泥胞外聚合物的影响研究

采用3种电子受体(硝氮、亚硝氮、氧),在SBR反应器中分别驯化了具有稳定除磷能力的聚磷污泥。对比研究了不同聚磷污泥胞外聚合物(EPS)的组分与含量,结合三维荧光光谱对EPS中有机物质进行分析。研究表明,以硝氮、亚硝氮为电子受体的聚磷污泥EPS平均浓度较为接近,分别为115.6mg/gVSS、133.5 mg/gVSS,由厌氧段至缺氧段,EPS总浓度有所下降。以氧为电子受体聚磷污泥的EPS平均浓度相对较高,为194.5 mg/gVSS,由厌氧段至好氧段,EPS总浓度略有升高。不同聚磷污泥的EPS组分均以胞外蛋白为主,占EPS总量的53%~65%,多糖与核酸占EPS总量28%~34%、5%~7%。三维荧光光谱显示3种聚磷污泥EPS均具有芳香结构蛋白质、可溶性代谢物的荧光峰,另外,以硝氮为电子受体的聚磷污泥还具有明显的腐殖酸类物质的荧光峰。研究结果表明电子受体对聚磷污泥EPS的组分、浓度、有机质类别有一定的影响。     

关于室内装修有害气体烘焙排风稀释技术数值研究

依据实测数据,应用数值计算手法,对烘焙排风稀释技术不同工况下总挥发性有机化合物的排除量、烘焙排风稀释阶段室内空气中总挥发性有机化合物的浓度变化进行计算并讨论烘焙温度、换气次数对去除效果的影响。