Combustion as the Principal Source of Carbonaceous Aerosol in the Ohio River Valley

Organic and elemental carbon and a number of carboxylic acids and n-alkanes were measured in aerosol samples collected at three sites in the Ohio River Valley between October 1980 and August 1981. Approximately 100 filters were analyzed for organic and elemental carbon for each site. For the 11-month period organic and elemental carbon comprised about 19 percent of the total aerosol mass with about two-thirds of the carbon as organic. Regression analysis showed that the principal source of organic carbon was combustion. The measurements of the specific organic compounds indicated a weak biogenic component to the organic aerosol.     

Mapping divergent concepts of sustainability: lay knowledge,local practices and environmental governance

This paper examines local sustainability concepts in Connemara, a predominantly rural region in the West of Ireland (in this paper, the term “Ireland” refers to the Republic of Ireland), to show how they are (re-)constituted through people's interactions with social and biophysical environments. We argue that these interactions produce diverse forms of lay environmental knowledge and expertise that encompass cognitive and emotional aspects, a fact that is frequently ignored in environmental policy-making which prioritises rational arguments over reactions rooted in people's sense of place and community. Local people's responses to this dominance of “official” rational-technical sustainability concepts are central to recent cases of environmental controversy and lack of compliance to environmental policies that have characterised the study area but that show many parallels to conflicts and disputes elsewhere. Drawing on rich qualitative evidence from interviews and ethnographic fieldwork, this paper demonstrates how communities' responses to environmental policies depend on how well (or poorly) sustainability concepts underpinning these policies match local people's social-ecological practices and related place-specific views of what should be sustained.     

Characterization of atmospheric particulate and metallic elements at Taichung Harbor near Taiwan Strait during 2004-2005

Air aerosol samples for TSP (total suspended particulate), coarse particulate (particle matter with aerodynamical diameter 2.5–10 μm, PM_2.5–10), fine particulate (particle matter with aerodynamical diameter <2.5 μm, PM_2.5) and metallic elements were collected during March 2004 to January 2005 at TH (Taichung Harbor) in central Taiwan. The seasonal variation average concentration of TSP (total suspended particulate), coarse particulate (particle matter with aerodynamical diameter 2.5–10 μm, PM_2.5–10) and fine particulate (particle matter with aerodynamical diameter <2.5 μm, PM_2.5) were in the range 132–171.1 μg m⁻³ and 43–49.5 μg m⁻³, respectively. Seasonal variation of metallic elements Cu, Mn, Zn and Fe in the TSP (total suspended particulate) shows that higher concentration was observed during spring. Seasonal variation of metallic elements Pb, Cr and Mg in the TSP (total suspended particulate) shows that higher concentration was observed during winter. The average metallic element TSP (total suspended particulate) concentration order was Fe > Zn > Mg > Cu > Cr > Mn > Pb in spring. In addition, at the TH sampling site, the average concentration variation of TSP (total suspended particulate) displayed the following order: spring > winter > autumn > summer. However, the average concentration variation of coarse particulate (particle matter with aerodynamical diameter 2.5–10 μm, PM_2.5–10) displayed the following order: spring > winter > summer > autumn. Finally, the average concentration variations of fine particulate (particle matter with aerodynamical diameter <2.5 μm, PM_2.5) were in the following order: winter > spring > summer > autumn at the TH sample site.     

UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR DEVELOPMENT

This preview examines the background of UNCSTD, its agenda and objectives. It previews some issues concerning the choice and transfer of technology, a substantive item on the Conference agenda, and highlights the role in the Conference of scientists in natural resources and other fields.     

Attracting retirees to apply: desired organizational characteristics of bridge employment

This research examined the impact of three organizational policies on applicant attraction of 120 older workers with an interest in bridge employment (i.e., work after formal retirement). Using a mock newspaper ad to manipulate policies, scheduling flexibility, and a targeted equal employment opportunity (EEO) statement positively influenced older workers' attraction to the organization, while opportunities to transfer knowledge had little impact. A significant and positive three‐way interaction suggested that older workers are sensitive to the strength of the overall message such that the effects of all three policies when seen together were greater than the sum of their individual effects. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dry deposition (downward, upward) concentration study of particulates and heavy metals during daytime, nighttime period at the traffic sampling site of Sha-Lu, Taiwan

Downward, upward dry deposition fluxes and total suspended particulate of particulate heavy metals (Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mg and Mn) were measured in daytime and nighttime period in Sha-Lu, a small city in the central Taiwan during summer period of 2003. The results showed that the total suspended particulate concentrations of particulate mass in the daytime period (averaged 996.2 g/m3) were higher than in nighttime period (averaged 560.7 g/m3). And the downward dry deposition fluxes (averaged 54.07 g/m2s) were about two times as that of upward dry deposition fluxes (averaged 26.48 g/m2s) in the daytime period. Furthermore, the average downward dry deposition fluxes (averaged 26.22 g/m2s) were also about two times as that of upward dry deposition fluxes (averaged 12.11 g/m2s) in the nighttime period. In addition, the average downward dry deposition fluxes are greater than the upward dry deposition fluxes for all the heavy metals in either daytime or nighttime period. The proposed reasons are that the wind speed and concentration difference for daytime and nighttime period lead to these results at the traffic sampling site of central Taiwan. In addition, the deposition velocity for mass, heavy metals (Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mg and Mn) during daytime and nighttime period were also calculated. The average daytime dry deposition velocity for downward particulate mass, upward particulate mass, Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mg and Mn were 5.56, 2.66, 1.71, 0.18, 1.06, 0.24, 0.47 and 0.11 (cm/s), respectively. And the average nighttime dry deposition velocity for downward particulate mass, upward particulate mass, Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mg and Mn were 4.70, 2.11, 1.66, 0.18, 0.86, 0.23, 0.32 and 0.07 (cm/s), respectively at traffic sampling site of central Taiwan.