Measurement of air exchange rates in different indoor environments using continuous CO2 sensors

A new air exchange rate (AER) monitoring method using continuous CO₂ sensors was developed and validated through both laboratory experiments and field studies. Controlled laboratory simulation tests were conducted in a 1-m³ environmental chamber at different AERs (0.1-10.0 hr^-1). AERs were determined using the decay method based on box model assumptions. Field tests were conducted in classrooms, dormitories, meeting rooms and apartments during 2-5 weekdays using CO₂ sensors coupled with data loggers. Indoor temperature, relative humidity (RH), and CO₂ concentrations were continuously monitored while outdoor parameters combined with on-site climate conditions were recorded. Statistical results indicated that good laboratory performance was achieved: duplicate precision was within 10%, and the measured AERs were 90%-120% of the real AERs. Average AERs were 1.22, 1.37, 1.10, 1.91 and 0.73 hr^-1 in dormitories, air-conditioned classrooms, classrooms with an air circulation cooling system, reading rooms, and meeting rooms, respectively. In an elderly particulate matter exposure study, all the homes had AER values ranging from 0.29 to 3.46 hr??1 in fall, and 0.12 to 1.39 hr^-1 in winter with a median AER of 1.15.     

Ammonium-dependent regulation of aerobic methane-consuming bacteria in landfill cover soil by leachate irrigation

The impacts of landfill leachate irrigation on methane oxidation activities and methane-consuming bacteria populations were studied by incubation of landfill cover soils with leachate and (NH₄)₂SO₄ solution at different ammonium concentrations. The community structures and abundances of methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were examined by PCRDGGE and real-time PCR. Compared with the pure (NH₄)₂SO₄ solution, leachate addition was found to have a positive effect on methane oxidation activity. In terms of the irrigation amount, ammonium in leachate was responsible for the actual inhibition of leachate. The extent of inhibitory effect mainly depended on its ammonium concentration. The suppression of the predominant methaneconsuming bacteria, type I MOB, was responsible for the decreased methane oxidation activity by ammonium inhibition. Methaneconsuming bacteria responded diversely in abundance to ammonium. The abundance of type I MOB decreased by fivefold; type II MOB showed stimulation response of fivefold magnification upon the first addition but lessened to be lower than the original level after the second addition; the amount of AOB was stimulated to increase for 20-30 times gradually. Accumulated nitrate from nitrification strengthened the ammonium inhibition on type I and type II MOB, as a result, repetitive irrigation was unfavorable for methane oxidation.     

Absorption characteristics of new solvent based on a blend of AMP and 1,8-diamino-p-menthane for CO2 absorption

Aqueous 1,8-diamino-p-menthane (KIER-C3) and commercially available amine solutions were tested for CO₂ absorption. A 2-amino- 2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) solution with an addition of KIER-C3 showed 9.3% and 31.6% higher absorption rate for CO₂ than the AMP solution with an addition of monoethanolamine (MEA) and ammonia (NH₃), respectively. The reaction rate constant for CO₂ absorption by the AMP/KIER-C3 solution was determined by the following equation: k_2,AMP/C3 = 7.702×10⁶ exp (-2248.03/T). A CO₂ loading ratio of the AMP/KIER-C3 solution was also 2 and 3.4-times higher than that of the AMP/NH3 solution and the AMP/MEA solution, respectively. Based on the experimental results, KIER-C3 may be used as an excellent additive to increase CO₂ absorption capability of AMP.     

Rapid decolorization of Acid Orange II aqueous solution by amorphous zero-valent iron

Some problems including low treatment capacity, agglomeration and clogging phenomena, and short working life, limit the application of pre-treatment methods involving zero-valent iron (ZVI). In this article, ZVI was frozen in an amorphous state through a melt-spinning technique, and the decolorization effect of amorphous ZVI on Acid Orange II solution was investigated under varied conditions of experimental variables such as reaction temperature, ribbon dosage, and initial pH. Batch experiments suggested that the decolorization rate was enhanced with the increase of reaction temperature and ribbon dosage, but decreased with increasing initial solution pH. Kinetic analyses indicated that the decolorization process followed a first order exponential kinetic model, and the surface-normalized decolorization rate could reach 2.09 L/(m². min) at room temperature, which was about ten times larger than any previously reported under similar conditions. Recycling experiments also proved that the ribbons could be reused at least four times without obvious decay of decolorization rate and efficiency. This study suggests a tremendous application potential for amorphous ZVI in remediation of groundwater or wastewater contaminated with azo dyes.     

Ultrafine particle emission characteristics of diesel engine by on-board and test bench measurement

This study investigated the emission characteristics of ultrafine particles based on test bench and on-board measurements. The bench test results showed the ultrafine particle number concentration of the diesel engine to be in the range of (0.56-8.35) × 10⁸ cm^-3. The on-board measurement results illustrated that the ultrafine particles were strongly correlated with changes in real-world driving cycles. The particle number concentration was down to 2.0 × 10⁶ cm^-3 and 2.7 × 10⁷ cm^-3 under decelerating and idling operations and as high as 5.0 × 10⁸ cm^-3 under accelerating operation. It was also indicated that the particle number measured by the two methods increased with the growth of engine load at each engine speed in both cases. The particle number presented a "U" shaped distribution with changing speed at high engine load conditions, which implies that the particle number will reach its lowest level at medium engine speeds. The particle sizes of both measurements showed single mode distributions. The peak of particle size was located at about 50-80 nm in the accumulation mode particle range. Nucleation mode particles will significantly increase at low engine load operations like idling and decelerating caused by the high concentration of unburned organic compounds.     

2010年广州亚运会期间灰霾天气分析

使用广州地区气象资料,重点研究了 2010 年广州亚运会期间的灰霾天气特征. 结果发现,2010 年 11 月广州出现灰霾天气 5 d,较近年平均水平明显偏少,但 2008—2010 年的污染气象条件分析表明,2010 年的扩散条件较 2008 和 2009 年均较差,说明 2010 年广州亚运会前期的各项减排措施取得了明显成效. 作为对照,自 20 世纪 80 年代初开始,广州地区的能见度急剧恶化并导致灰霾天数增加,每年 10 月至次年 4 月的旱季灰霾天数较多,改革开放以来,每年 11 月份的灰霾天气大幅增加,并于 1994 和1999 年分别出现了最多的17 d. 2000 年以后,11 月份灰霾天气最多为 12 d,出现在 2005 年; 最少为 3 d,分别出现在 2002 和 2003 年. 广州市空气质量逐年恶化的趋势不容乐观,珠江三角洲复合型新型空气污染日趋严重的态势非常严峻; 且区域性特征明显,治理难度加大; 广州周边的佛山、清远、东莞、江门的灰霾天气都比广州多,对广州治理灰霾天气形成了压力. 因而 2010 年 11 月灰霾天气的明显减少,更说明区域联动、机动车单双号限行、重点工业污染源调控、严控垃圾秸秆焚烧等减排措施效果明显.     

北方地区潜流人工湿地冬季保温措施的研究

人工湿地作为一种造价较省,运行成本低的污水处理技术,目前已经得到了广泛的应用.但是在北方地区,人工湿地受到冬季气候影响,无法正常运行,降低了它的使用效率.试验针对北方冬季低温环境下,人工湿地无法正常运行的问题,对3种不同的保温措施进行历时两年的对比试验,通过对TP、TN、NH₄⁺-N和COD等4种主要污染物和人工湿地出水水温的跟踪监测,检验了不同保温措施的效果.试验结果表明:在冬季,使用薄膜法保温措施的处理系统中, COD、TN和NH₄⁺-N的去除率分别为30%~45%、40%~60%和35%~60%,比温棚法和冰封法的出水中污染物去除率高10%~20%.TP在出水中含量波动较大,去除率为19%~70%,伴有磷释放现象,但是在薄膜保温下TP的去除效果也要好于温棚和冰封.经过SPSS 16.0分析,薄膜保温的人工湿地出水水质与冰封和温棚法相比具有显著性差异.在对人工湿地曝气槽和出水口的污水水温进行监测发现,利用薄膜保温的人工湿地出水口水温高于冰封和温棚的水温,进一步证明薄膜保温可以有效提高人工湿地内的温度,为人工湿地正常运行提供了保证.而且薄膜保温措施的操作简便、造价低,适合推广应用.     

基于遥感资料的中国东部地区植被VOCs排放强度研究

本研究充分基于遥感资料获取中国东部地区叶面积指数和叶生物量的最新信息,并广泛调研了植被VOCs排放因子的最新研究进展,以2008—2010年的植被和气象的平均状态为背景,基于MEGAN排放模型,研究了中国东部地区植被VOCs(BVOCs)排放的时空分布特征.结果表明,我国东部地区BVOCs年排放总量为11.3×106t(以C计,下同),其中异戊二烯(ISOP)、单萜烯(MON)和其它VOC(OVOC)质量分数(下同),分别为44.9%、31.5%、23.6%.BVOCs排放呈现明显的季节变化特征,春、夏、秋、冬4个季节分别占全年的11.2%、71.8%、14.1%和3.0%.空间分布上,排放高值区主要分布于大小兴安岭、长白山脉、秦岭大巴山脉、东南丘陵、海南等植被茂密的区域,年均排放强度一般在1500～6000kg·km-·2a-1之间,福建、广东、江西、浙江、湖南、湖北等省份BVOCs的排放总量与平均排放强度均较高.本研究所得到的高时空分辨率的BVOCs排放清单,可以为区域环境与气候的数值模拟研究提供基础.     

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。     

济南市道路扬尘排放因子估算及其影响因素研究

以济南城市道路为研究对象,采用美国环保署AP-42模型和方法,通过道路分类、优化布点、样品采集、实地观测和计算分析,获得道路粉尘负荷及四种类型道路扬尘的排放因子,探讨了排放因子的主要影响因素。结果表明,路面粉尘负荷随车流量增大而逐渐降低,城市城区路面粉尘负荷多小于城市外围路面,且外围道路路面粉尘负荷随时间和空间变化大;支路和次干道排放因子相对较小,快速路排放因子较高,主干道排放因子最高,其TSP、PM10、PM2.5排放因子分别高达25.239 3 g/VKT、4.731 1 g/VKT、0.597 2 g/VKT;排放因子随平均车重增加呈现逐渐增大趋势;同种类型道路排放因子均随道路粉尘负荷的增加而增加;次干道和快速路排放因子随车流量增大而减小。所获结论可为城市道路扬尘排放估算提供参考。