Toxicity of Water-Soluble Fractions of Four Fuels for Metamysidopsis insularis, an Indigenous Tropical Mysid Species

The toxicity of the water-soluble fraction (WSF) of four fuels (leaded gasoline, unleaded gasoline, diesel, Jet A-1) to Metamysidopsis insularis, an indigenous tropical mysid species was determined. Approximately 10 000 barrels (bbl) of fuel are consumed daily in Trinidad and Tobago, and about 50 000 bbl are exported. Accidental discharges at points of transfer as well as from inadequate storage facilities, can pose a significant contamination risk to the environment. Organisms were assayed with the WSF under both UV and fluorescent lights. The WSF was prepared using different fuel/seawater (v/v) mixtures. It was found that organisms exposed to diesel, Jet A-1 and unleaded gasoline showed similar toxicological responses under both light regimes, and were more toxic than the leaded gasoline. The results also showed that none of these fuels show photo-induced toxicity. The WSF of the 0.1% mixtures of unleaded gasoline, diesel and Jet A-1 were acutely toxic to M. insularis. However, for the leaded gasoline, only the 0.5% mixture was acutely toxic. The high toxicity of these fuels may be due to the presence of light, more soluble fractions. It is therefore likely that these fuels will have significant impacts in our local environment, if any spills occur.     

城市化与国民经济发展之关系的理论分析

城市化水平与人均国民生产总值的统计关系在８０年代被建立,从理论上分析这个统计关系能加深对城市与经济发展之关系的理解。从经济学的要素替代和需求收入弹性原理概括了城市化的发展机制,认为任何一个国家或地区的城市化都遵从它。并构造了全国人均国民生产总值与城市人均国民生产总值、乡村人均国民生产总值、城市化水平的关系,它是普适的。如果假设城市、乡村人均国民生产总值的增长分别引起的全国人均国民生产总值的增长总是占据了一个不变的份额,同时,城市人均国民生产总值与乡村人均国民生产总值之差与全国人均国民生产总值成正比,那么,就可以据此演绎出这个统计关系。第二个前提暗示了一个城乡发展差距的倒“Ｕ”字型过程     

MERCK公司COD试剂的替代品开发

德国MERCK公司制造的COD测定仪器在我国环保行业、科研院所的水质监测工作中应用广泛,但配套试剂价格昂贵,限制了该仪器的使用。实验设计了高量程(100～1500mg/L)和低量程(25～100mg/L)COD替代试剂的开发方案。通过实验,确定了两个量程下COD替代试剂中K2Cr2O7、H2SO4-Ag2SO4、HgSO4的浓度和投加量以及测试方法。实验结果表明,在高量程和低量程范围内,使用COD替代试剂的测试结果与MERCK公司配套试剂的测试结果比较相符,反应时间也可缩短至30min。     

Life cycle analysis and choice of natural gas-based automotive alternative fuels in Chongqing Municipality,China

Road transport produces significant amounts of emissions by using crude oil as the primary energy source. A reduction of emissions can be achieved by implementing alternative fuel chains. The objective of this study is to carry out an economic, environmental and energy (EEE) life cycle study on natural gas-based automotive fuels with conventional gasoline in an abundant region of China. A set of indices of four fuels/vehicle systems on the basis of life cycle are assessed in terms of impact of EEE, in which natural gas produces compressed natural gas (CNG), methanol, dimethylether (DME) and Fischer Tropsch diesel (FTD). The study included fuel production, vehicle production, vehicle operation, infrastructure and vehicle end of life as a system for each fuel/vehicle system. A generic gasoline fueled car is used as a baseline. Data have been reviewed and modified based on the best knowledge available to Chongqing local sources. Results indicated that when we could not change electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles into commercial vehicles on a large scale, direct use of CNG in a dedicated or bi-fuel vehicle is an economical choice for the region which is most energy efficient and more environmental friendly. The study can be used to support decisions on how natural gas resources can best be utilized as a fuel/energy resource for automobiles, and what issues need to be resolved in Chongqing. The models and approaches for this study can be applied to other regions of China as long as all the assumptions are well defined and modified to find a substitute automotive energy source and establish an energy policy in a specific region.     

Wood materials used as a means to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs): An examination of wooden utility poles

There has been growing concern over the build-up of greenhouse gase(GHGs) in the atmosphere, particularly carbon dioxide (CO₂), as acause of global warming. The IPCC Third Assessment Report (2001) suggests two ways in which the choice of materials could berelevant. First, some materials, particularly wood, have the advantage thatthey continue to hold carbon (C)in their cells even after being convertedto products. The implications of this feature are well researched. Second,an area that is not well researched relates to the different energyrequirements for producing similar products made with different materials. Using the findings of recent research, this paper compares the energyrequirements and C emissions of manufacturing a product using wood withthat of other materials. The case study of utility poles demonstrates thepositive C and global warming consequences of the lower energyrequirements of wood in the U.S., compared to other materials such assteel or concrete. It demonstrates that GHG emissions associated withutility poles are a small but significant percent of total US annual emissions. Wood utility poles are associated with GHG emission reductions of 163Terragrams (Tg) of CO₂ when compared with steel poles. This isabout 2.8 percent of US annual GHG emissions, which are estimated atabout 5.28 Petragrams (Pg) of CO₂ annually. Thus, the use ofwooden utility poles rather than steel results in a small but significantreduction in total US emissions.     

生物质液化燃油代用燃料的应用及展望

主要介绍了生物质液化燃油代用燃料的概念、特点及优势,分析了其它几种代用燃料优势与不足,并阐明了生物质液化燃油代用燃料发展的必然趋势.     

Impact of Human Activities on Carbon Dioxide (CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>) Emissions: A Statistical Analysis

Summary The balance of evidence suggests a perceptible human influence on global ecosystems. Human activities are affecting the global ecosystem, some directly and some indirectly. If researchers could clarify the extent to which specific human activities affect global ecosystems, they would be in a much better position to suggest strategies for mitigating against the worst disturbances. Sophisticated statistical analysis can help in interpreting the influence of specific human activities on global ecosystems more carefully. This study aims at identifying significant or influential human activities (i.e. factors) on CO₂ emissions using statistical analyses. The study was conducted for two cases: (i) developed countries and (ii) developing countries. In developed countries, this study identified three influential human activities for CO₂ emissions: (i) combustion of fossil fuels, (ii) population pressure on natural and terrestrial ecosystems, and (iii) land use change. In developing countries, the significant human activities causing an upsurge of CO₂ emissions are: (i) combustion of fossil fuels, (ii) terrestrial ecosystem strength and (iii) land use change. Among these factors, combustion of fossil fuels is the most influential human activity for CO₂ emissions both in developed and developing countries. Regression analysis based on the factor scores indicated that combustion of fossil fuels has significant positive influence on CO₂ emissions in both developed and developing countries. Terrestrial ecosystem strength has a significant negative influence on CO₂ emissions. Land use change and CO₂ emissions are positively related, although regression analysis showed that the influence of land use change on CO₂ emissions was still insignificant. It is anticipated, from the findings of this study, that CO₂ emissions can be reduced by reducing fossil-fuel consumption and switching to alternative energy sources, preserving exiting forests, planting trees on abandoned and degraded forest lands, or by planting trees by social/agroforestry on agricultural lands.     

Experimental investigation of the lower flammability limit of volatile liquid fuel-aluminum powder mixtures in air

Aluminum powder was always chosen as an additive to improve the explosive performance. In this work, experiments were performed to investigate the lower flammability limit (LFL) of volatile liquid fuel-aluminum powder mixtures using a 20 L closed spherical stainless steel vessel at a temperature of 20 °C (293 K) and 40 °C (313 K). The volatile liquid fuels tested in the work were diethyl ether (DEE), epoxypropane (PO), n-pentane and n-hexane. DEE, PO and n-pentane are in the liquid phase at room temperature and can easily transition to the gas phase at 40 °C (313 K). Through a series of experiments carried out, it was found that the change in phase would affect the interaction between the components. Aluminum powder always has an inhibitory effect on the flammability of the mixtures when it is mixed with gas-phase fuels. The inhibition effect was most obvious when the aluminum powder concentration reached 200 g/m³. While the interaction between aluminum powder and liquid-phase volatile fuels was promotion and was influenced by the component proportion and the type of the volatile fuels.     

Fenton试剂处理汽车油漆废渣

采用Fenton试剂处理汽车油漆废渣。考察了FeSO_4用量、H_2O_2用量、反应温度、反应时间对处理效果的影响。实验结果表明,在FeSO_4用量为20.5 mg/g、H_2O_2用量为0.6 g/g、反应温度为80 ℃、反应时间为3 h的最优条件下,清漆渣、色漆渣、底漆渣3种漆渣的干基减量率均为20%左右,湿基减量率分别为67.9%、48.2%和64.2%,3种产物的脱水性能均有不同程度的提高,处理后废液的COD均为2 000 mg/L左右。采用Fenton试剂处理后的清漆渣产物粒径与原料相似,产物颗粒球形度高,表面粗糙,内部为多孔结构,产物作为固体燃料时燃烧更充分。Fenton试剂处理未对漆渣中的树脂主体产生较大的破坏。     

新型汽车空调制冷剂CMR-O2与R12、R134a性能比较

介绍一种新型制冷剂CMR-02。为分析其应用于汽车空调的可行性,比较了CMR-02与R134a和R12三种制冷剂在热工性能、环境性能、安全性与共沸性等方面的优劣,并比较了CMR-02和R134a的压缩机性能,发现CMR-02的单位质量制冷量增加显著(68.10%),单位容积制冷量增加14.38%,符合环保要求,且成本低廉,可以作为R12的一种较好的过渡性替代物。