Tourism: economic development without increasing CO2 emissions in Pakistan

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Globally, the national and cultural resources of a country are major sources of attraction for tourism. Pakistan is gifted with abundant natural and...     

Aerosol optical properties under different pollution levels in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region of China

To clarify the aerosol hygroscopic growth and optical properties of the Pearl River Delta(PRD)region,integrated observations were conducted in Heshan City of Guangdong Province from October 19 to November 17,2014.The concentrations and chemical compositions of PM_(2.5),aerosol optical properties and meteorological parameters were measured.The mean value of PM_(2.5) increased from less than 35(excellent) to 35-75 μg/m~3(good) and then to greater than 75 μg/m~3(pollution),corresponding to mean PM_(2.5) values of 24.9,51.2,and 93.3 μg/m~3,respectively.The aerosol scattering hygroscopic growth factor(f(RH = 80%)) values were 2.0,2.12,and 2.18 for the excellent,good,and pollution levels,respectively.The atmospheric extinction coefficient(σext)and the absorption coefficient of aerosols(σ_(ap)) increased,and the single scattering albedo(SSA)decreased from the excellent to the pollution levels.For different air mass sources,under excellent and good levels,the land air mass from northern Heshan had lower f(RH) and σ_(sp) values.In addition,the mixed aerosol from the sea and coastal cities had lower f(RH) and showed that the local sources of coastal cities have higher scattering characteristics in pollution periods.     

Influence of floc dynamic protection layer on alleviating ultrafiltration membrane fouling induced by humic substances

Cake layer formation is inevitable over time for ultrafiltration (UF) membrane-based drinking water treatment. Although the cake layer is always considered to cause membrane fouling, it can also act as a “dynamic protection layer”, as it further adsorbs pollutants and dramatically reduces their chance of getting to the membrane surface. Here, the UF membrane fouling performance was investigated with pre-deposited loose flocs in the presence of humic acid (HA). The results showed that the floc dynamic protection layer played an important role in removing HA. The higher the solution pH, the more negative the floc charge, resulting in lower HA removal efficiency due to the electrostatic repulsion and large pore size of the floc layer. With decreasing solution pH, a positively charged floc dynamic protection layer was formed, and more HA molecules were adsorbed. The potential reasons were ascribed to the smaller floc size, greater positive charge, and higher roughness of the floc layer. However, similar membrane fouling performance was also observed for the negative and positive floc dynamic protection layers due to their strong looseness characteristics. In addition, the molecular weight (MW) distribution of HA also played an important role in UF membrane fouling behavior. For the small MW HA molecules, the chance of forming a loose cake layer was high with a negatively charged floc dynamic protection layer, while for the large MW HA molecules it was high with a positively charged floc dynamic protection layer. As a result, slight UF membrane fouling was induced.     

Metabolomic modulations in a freshwater microbial community exposed to the fungicide azoxystrobin

An effective broad-spectrum fungicide, azoxystrobin (AZ), has been widely detected in aquatic ecosystems, potentially affecting the growth of aquatic microorganisms. In the present study, the eukaryotic alga Monoraphidium sp. and the cyanobacterium Pseudanabaena sp. were exposed to AZ for 7 days. Our results showed that 0.2–0.5 mg/L concentrations of AZ slightly inhibited the growth of Monoraphidium sp. but stimulated Pseudanabaena sp. growth. Meanwhile, AZ treatment effectively increased the secretion of total organic carbon (TOC) in the culture media of the two species, and this phenomenon was also found in a freshwater microcosm experiment (containing the natural microbial community). We attempted to assess the effect of AZ on the function of aquatic microbial communities through metabolomic analysis and further explore the potential risks of this compound. The metabonomic profiles of the microcosm indicated that the most varied metabolites after AZ treatment were related to the citrate cycle (TCA), fatty acid biosynthesis and purine metabolism. We thereby inferred that the microbial community increased extracellular secretions by adjusting metabolic pathways, which might be a stress response to reduce AZ toxicity. Our results provide an important theoretical basis for further study of fungicide stress responses in aquatic microcosm microbial communities, as well as a good start for further explorations of AZ detoxification mechanisms, which will be valuable for the evaluation of AZ environmental risk.     

黄河流域水污染排放特征及污染集聚格局分析

掌握污染源排放特征及其空间差异,是在流域尺度提升水污染治理水平的重要基础.该研究分别从污染源的活动水平（简称“活动水平”）、污染物产生、污染物去除和污染物排放4个方面选取了28个指标,对黄河流域60个市州主要水污染物排放特征开展了现状评价和聚类分析.采用污染分布的地理集中度指数表征各市州污染集聚格局,并利用空间分析模型Global Moran's I和G_i*指数判断污染排放的空间集聚趋势与冷热点地区.结果表明:按照水污染排放特征的差异,黄河流域不同地区在水污染格局上可划分为高排放强度区、高排放绩效区、污染集聚区和低排放绩效区;水污染物排放与经济发展格局分布一致,上游、中游到下游地区呈现明显的阶梯型分布,上游地区单位水资源利用效率和排放绩效低,下游地区区域性污染集聚效应明显;山西省、河南省和山东省沿黄城市在空间上表现为区域性连片污染集聚,集中分布在晋中城市群和中原城市群.针对当前黄河流域水污染排放特征和空间集聚格局,建议制定统一的生态环境保护与治理策略,加强中下游城市群的污染协同控制.      

SI-traceable certification of Cu, Cr, Cd and Pb in sediment and fly ash candidate reference materials

Many fields in environmental analytical chemistry deal with very low limits and thresholds as set by governmental legislations or transnational regulations. The need for the accuracy, comparability and traceability of analytical measurements in environmental analytical chemistry has significantly increased and total uncertainties are even asked for by accreditation bodies of environmental laboratories. This paper addresses achieving these goals to guarantee accuracy, quality control, quality assurance or validation of a method by means of certified reference materials. The assessment of analytical results in certified reference materials must be as accurate as possible and every single step has to be fully evaluated. This paper presents the SI-traceable certification of Cu, Cr, Cd and Pb contents in geological and environmentally relevant matrices (three sediments and one fly ash sample). Certification was achieved using isotope dilution (ID) ICPMS as a primary method of measurement. In order to reduce significantly the number of analytical steps and intermediate samples a multiple spiking approach was developed. The full methodology is documented and total uncertainty budgets are calculated for all certified values. A non-element specific sample digestion process was optimised. All wet chemical digestion methods examined resulted in a more or less pronounced amount of precipitate. It is demonstrated that these precipitates originate mainly from secondary formation of fluorides (essentially CaF2) and that their formation takes place after isotopic equilibration. The contribution to the total uncertainty of the final values resulting from the formation of such precipitates was in general < 0.1% for all investigated elements. Other sources of uncertainty scrutinised included the moisture content determination, procedural blank determination, cross-contamination from the different spike materials, correction for spectral interferences, instrumental background and deadtime effects, as well as the use of either certified values or IUPAC data in the IDMS equation. The average elemental content in the sediment samples was 30-130 micrograms g-1 for Pb, 0.5-3 micrograms g-1 for Cd and 50-70 micrograms g-1 for Cu. Cr was measured in one sample and was about 60 micrograms g-1. The concentrations in the fly ash sample were up to 2 orders of magnitude higher. Expanded uncertainty for the investigated elements was about 3% (coverae factor k = 2) except for Cr, (measured by high resolution ICPMS), for which the expanded uncertainty was about 7% (k = 2).     

温压工艺中聚合物添加剂的加入方式

采用温压技术制备铁基粉末冶金材料,研究了干混和湿混两种聚合物添加剂加入方式及压制温度对生坯和烧结体性能的影响,并对其作用机理进行了探讨.试验结果表明,干混混合粉生坯及烧结体的性能略高于湿混混合粉生坯及烧结体的性能,但前者的最佳压制温度范围略高.     

环境物质拟除虫菊酯毒理学研究进展

拟除虫菊酯作为一种重要的合成杀虫剂,在人们的生产生活中有着广泛的应用,但同时其毒理学问题也越来越引起人们的注意,许多学者对此进行了深入的研究,在此研究基础上,从对动物的神经毒性、生殖毒性和生理生化毒性三个方面,对拟除虫菊酯的毒理学研究进展作一综述.     

城市生活垃圾场处理技术模糊综合评价

通过对一个待建的城市生活垃圾场处理技术的综合分析，建立一个相对完整的指标体系，然后用模糊数学的方法，对指标体系进行量化、归一化，得到一个通用的评价模型，并运用此模型对该垃圾的垃圾处理方式进行评价，最后提出卫生填埋是当前较为合理的处理方式。     

我国与南太平洋和加勒比海国家开展应对气候变化合作策略研究

南太平洋和加勒比海国家是我国开展应对气候变化南南合作的重点对象之一。目前我国已通过应对气候变化物资赠送、培训等方式与部分国家开展了气候变化合作,但总体来看尚处于探索阶段,对其合作需求了解得尚不够深入,且缺乏整体系统性的谋划和战略。通过调查问卷、面对面访谈和分析现有合作相结合的方式,发现南太平洋和加勒比海国家应对气候变化合作需求主要集中在资金支持、能力建设和基础设施建设等方面。未来,我国可通过在现有合作框架下与南太平洋和加勒比海国家展开气候合作,打造气候变化的战略共识;不断优化和深化目前开展的应对气候变化南南合作项目,提高合作的针对性;通过抓重点领域开展深度合作等方式不断加强合作,提升我国在全球气候治理方面的影响力;做好舆论宣传工作,加强在气候治理经验方面的交流;开展多方合作;鼓励私营部门交流,增强互信程度。