Reactive uptake of NO2 on volcanic particles: A possible source of HONO in the atmosphere

The heterogeneous degradation of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) on five samples of natural Icelandic volcanic particles has been investigated. Laboratory experiments were carried out under simulated atmospheric conditions using a coated wall flow tube (CWFT). The CWFT reactor was coupled to a blue light nitrogen oxides analyzer (NO_x analyzer), and a long path absorption photometer (LOPAP) to monitor in real time the concentrations of NO₂, NO and HONO, respectively. Under dark and ambient relative humidity conditions, the steady state uptake coefficients of NO₂ varied significantly between the volcanic samples probably due to differences in magma composition and morphological variation related with the density of surface OH groups. The irradiation of the surface with simulated sunlight enhanced the uptake coefficients by a factor of three indicating that photo-induced processes on the surface of the dust occur. Furthermore, the product yields of NO and HONO were determined under both dark and simulated sunlight conditions. The relative humidity was found to influence the distribution of gaseous products, promoting the formation of gaseous HONO. A detailed reaction mechanism is proposed that supports our experimental observations. Regarding the atmospheric implications, our results suggest that the NO₂ degradation on volcanic particles and the corresponding formation of HONO is expected to be significant during volcanic dust storms or after a volcanic eruption.     

Factors influencing Aerosol Characteristics over Urban Environment

Atmospheric aerosols are an important contributing factor to turbidity in urban areas besides having impact on health. Aerosol characteristics show a high degree of variability in space and time as anthropogenic share of total aerosol loading is quite substantial and is essential to monitor the aerosol features over long time scales. In the present study extensive observations of columnar aerosol optical depth (AOD), total columnar ozone (TCO) and precipitable water content (PWC) have been carried over a tropical urban city of Hyderabad, India. Significant variations of AOD have been observed during course of the day with low values of AOD during morning and evening hours and high values during afternoon hours. Spectral variation of AOD exhibits high AOD at smaller wavelengths and vice versa except a slight enhancement in AOD at 500 nm. Anomalies in AOD, particulate matter and black carbon concentrations have been observed during May, 2003. Back trajectory analysis of air mass during these episodes suggested variation in air mass trajectories. Analysis of the results suggests that air trajectories from land region north of study area cause high loading of atmospheric aerosols. The results are discussed in the paper.     

A Study on Transfer Factors of 60Co and 65Zn from Soil to Plants in the Tropical Environment of Bangladesh

Soil to plant transfer factor (TF) of⁶⁰Co and ⁶⁵Zn was determined fromradioisotope experiments on plants grown in pots underoutdoor ambient tropical conditions for three growingseasons (1995–1998). The TFs were obtained fordifferent plants/crops such as, rice, bean, peanutspineapple, cabbage, tomato, spinach and grass. Theaverage TF values of ⁶⁰Co are found to be 0.087,0.15, 0.12, 0.67, 0.28, 0.79, 1.03 and 0.34respectively for the above mentioned plants/crops. Incase of ⁶⁵Zn, the average TF values are found tobe 2.24, 1.17, 0.89, 1.09, 0.78, 1.34, 2.92 and 1.78,respectively, for the above mentioned plants/crops. Thedata will be useful to assess the radiation exposureto man associated with the releases of radionuclidesfrom nuclear facilities by means of radiologicalassessment models that require transfer factors asinput parameters to predict the contamination ofradionuclides in foodchain.     

烃类化合物气相色谱保留指数与其分配系数关系研究

报道了从烃类化合物气相色谱保留指数预测其正辛醇水分配系数的公式，研究了以不同极性相上测得的烃类化合物保留指数预测其分配系数的准确性，得出弱极性柱上测得的化合物保留指数能更准确的预测其分配系数，从而为烃类化合物分配系数的测定和预测提供了一种简便易行的新方法。     

Laws of annual nutrient uptake in a Paulownia plantation

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Differential N uptake by maize cultivars and soil nitrate dynamics under N fertilization in West Africa

Nitrate is prone to leaching in the sandy soils of the West African moist savannas. Better management of nitrogen (N) resources and maize cultivars with enhanced genetic capacity to capture and utilize soil and fertilizer N are strategies that could improve N-use efficiency. In two field experiments conducted at Zaria, northern Nigeria, five maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars planted early in the season were assessed under various N levels for differences in N uptake, soil N dynamics, and related N losses. Cultivar TZB-SR accumulated more N in the aboveground plant parts in both years than the other cultivars. All, except the semi-prolific late (SPL) variety, met about 50–60% of their N demand by the time of silking (64–69 DAP). In both years, SPL had the greatest capacity to take up N during the grain filling period, and it had the highest grain-N concentration and the least apparent N loss through leaching in the second year. There were no significant differences in soil N dynamics among cultivars in both years. At harvest, the residual N in the upper 90 cm of the profile under all the cultivars ranged from 56 to 72 kg ha⁻¹ in the first year and from 73 to 83 kg ha⁻¹ in the second year. Apparent N loss from 0 to 90 cm soil profile through leaching ranged from 35 to 122 kg ha⁻¹ in both years. N application significantly increased N uptake by more than 30% at all sampling dates in the second year of the experiment, but had no effect on apparent N loss. Results indicate that the use of maize cultivars with high N uptake capacity during the grain filling period when maximum leaching losses occur could enhance N recovery and may be effective in reducing leaching losses of mineral N in the moist savanna soils.     

活性污泥数学模型中异养菌产率系数的测定研究

利用活性污泥数学模型预测污水生物处理系统,首先必须确定其参数和水质组分。采用间歇活性污泥法和呼吸计量法对活性污泥数学模型中异养菌产率系数γ_H进行测定研究。结果表明,间歇活性污泥法测定结果重现性较差,试验控制条件比较严格;呼吸计量法测定结果准确性较高,重现性良好,因而,呼吸计量法是比较可行的γ_H测定方法。     

活性污泥数学模型中进水易降解有机物的测定

ASM系列模型 (ASMs)自推出以来在欧美得到广泛应用。要想利用ASMs对特定污水处理过程进行准确的模拟 ,首先必须得到该过程污水的水质特性参数。介绍了连续式OUR计量法、序批式OUR计量法和絮凝过滤物理化学法等 3种测定ASMs中进水易降解有机物的方法 ,通过分析比较指出了各自的优缺点及适用情况。     

Elemental sulfur effects on Pb and Zn uptake by Indian mustard and winter wheat

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of elemental sulfur to contaminated soil on plant uptake by a heavy metal hyperaccumulator, Indian mustard( Brassica juncea ) and a field crop, winter wheat( Triticum. aestivum). Elemental sulfur(S) with different rates was carried out, they were 0(S0 ), 20(S20 ), 40(S40 ), 80(S80 ), and 160(S160 ) mmol/kg respectively. Extra pots with the same rates of S but without plants were used for soil sampling to monitor pH and CaCl2-extractable heavy metal changes. The results showed that S enhanced phytoextraction of Pb and Zn from contaminated soil. Application S effectively decreased soil pH down to 1.1 as the most at the rate of Sl60. The concentrations of CaCl2-extractable Pb and Zn in soil and uptake of Pb and Zn by the plants were increased with soil pH decreased. A good correlation between CaCl2-extractable Pb/Zn and soil pH was found( Rpb^2 = 0.847 and RZn^2 = 0,991, n = 25). With S application, soil CaCl2-extractable Pb and Zn concentrations, concentration of Pb and Zn in plants and the amount of removal by plant uptake were significanfly higher than those without S. Under the treatment of S160, the highest CaCl2-extmctable Pb and Zn were observed, they were 4.23 mg/kg and 0.40 mg/kg, 2.7 and 2.0 times as that of the control(So ) respectively. At the highest rates of S( Sl~0 ), both Indian mustard and winter wheat reached the highest uptake of Pb and Zn. The highest Pb concentrations in wheat and Indian mustard were 32.8 mg/kg and 537.0 mg/kg, all 1.8 times as that of the control, and the highest Zn concentrations in wheat and Indian mustard were 215.5 mg/kg and 404.0 mg/kg, 2.4 and 2.0 times as that of the control respectively. The highest removals of Pb and Zn from the contaminated soil were 0.41 rag/pot and 0.31 nag/pot by Indian mustard in the treatment of S160 through 50 days growth.