Effects of Coastal Lighting on Foraging Behaviorof Beach Mice

Abstract:  Introduction of artificial light into wildlife habitat represents a rapidly expanding form of human encroachment, particularly in coastal systems. Light pollution alters the behavior of sea turtles during nesting; therefore, long-wavelength lights—low-pressure sodium vapor and bug lights—that minimize impacts on turtles are required for beach lighting in Florida (U.S.A.). We investigated the effects of these two kinds of lights on the foraging behavior of Santa Rosa beach mice (  Peromyscus polionotus leucocephalus ). We compared patch use and giving-up densities of mice for experimental food patches established along a gradient of artificial light in the field. Mice exploited fewer food patches near both types of artificial light than in areas with little light and harvested fewer seeds within patches near bug lights. Our results show that artificial light affects the behavior of terrestrial species in coastal areas and that light pollution deserves greater consideration in conservation planning.     

Mesoporous WO3-graphene photocatalyst for photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue dye under visible light illumination

Advanced oxidation technologies are a friendly environmental approach for the remediation of industrial wastewaters. Here, one pot synthesis of mesoporous WO_3 and WO_3-graphene oxide(GO) nanocomposites has been performed through the sol–gel method. Then, platinum(Pt) nanoparticles were deposited onto the WO_3 and WO_3-GO nanocomposite through photochemical reduction to produce mesoporous Pt/WO_3 and Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites. X-ray diffraction(XRD) findings exhibit a formation of monoclinic and triclinic WO_3 phases. Transmission Electron Microscope(TEM) images of Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites exhibited that WO_3 nanoparticles are obviously agglomerated and the particle sizes of Pt and WO_3 are ~ 10 nm and 20–50 nm, respectively. The mesoporous Pt/WO_3 and Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites were assessed for photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue(MB) as a probe molecule under visible light illumination.The findings showed that mesoporous Pt/WO_3, WO_3-GO and Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites exhibited much higher photocatalytic efficiencies than the pure WO_3. The photodegradation rates by mesoporous Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites are 3, 2 and 1.15 times greater than those by mesoporous WO_3, WO_3-GO, and Pt/WO_3, respectively. The key factors of the enhanced photocatalytic performance of Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites could be explained by the highly freedom electron transfer through the synergetic effect between WO_3 and GO sheets, in addition to the Pt nanoparticles that act as active sites for O2 reduction, which suppresses the electron hole pair recombination in the Pt/WO_3-GO nanocomposites.     

Photocatalytic degradation of phenol

In this study photocatalytic degradation of phenol in thepresence of UV irradiated TiO₂ catalyst andH₂O₂was investigated. Effects of TiO₂ andH₂O₂concentrations and pH on photocatalytic degradation were examined. The rate constants for photocatalytic degradation wereevaluated as a function of TiO₂ and H₂O₂ concentrations and pH of the solution. It was found thatphotodegradation is an effective method for the removal of phenoland disappearance of phenol obeyed first order kinetics. The amount of CO₂h produced during photocatalytic degradation wascorresponding to the complete mineralization. Photodegradationcan be an alternative method for the treatment of phenol containing wastewaters.     

Seasonal characteristics of haze observed by continuous visibility monitoring in the urban atmosphere of Kwangju, Korea

Continuous visibility monitoring has been carried out inKwangju, Korea since May 1999. The total light extinctioncoefficient b _ext measured by a transmissometer andreveals seasonal trends in urban visual air quality,especially under hazy conditions with a visual range of lessthan 15 km. Seasonal atmospheric visibility under lowrelative humidity during the winter was observed to be betterthan during any other seasons. Summertime visibility wasseverely degraded due to highly increased light scattering byhygroscopic particles under high humidity atmosphericconditions. Visibility during spring and fall was alsomoderate. However, yellow sand in spring caused the lowestvisibility conditions over the measurement area for a fewdays. With continuous monitoring using the transmissometer,the daily average seasonal visual range was measured to be13.1, 9.2, 11.0, and 13.9 km in spring, summer, falland winter, respectively. Under the atmospheric humiditycondition less than 60%, visual range was observed tobe 16.1, 13.9, 15.1, and 16.6 km in spring, summer,fall, and winter, respectively. The mean light extinctionbudget by sulfate and nitrate aerosols was determined to bethe highest value of 63.71% during the summer and thelowest value of 27.08% during spring. During the `yellow sand dust' period, a mean light extinction budget by soil particles was estimated to be at an unusually high value of 44.22%.     

Enhanced cyanogen chloride formation after UV/PS and UV/H2O2 pre-oxidation and chlorination in natural river water

Ultraviolet/persulfate (UV/PS) and Ultraviolet/hydrogen peroxide (UV/H₂O₂) have attracted much attention in recent years as advanced oxidation processes for water treatment. However, it is not all clear how these two methods affect the formation of cyanogen chloride (CNCl) in the subsequent water chlorination process. In this study, it was found that both UV/H₂O₂ and UV/PS pre-oxidation promoted the formation of CNCl in six actual water samples collected from urban rivers. Glycine, uric acid, arginine and histidine were investigated as the model compounds to explore the effects of different methods on the production of CNCl. The results showed that compared with chlorination alone, pre-oxidation by UV/H₂O₂ and UV/PS can reduce the production of CNCl for glycine and uric acid by up to 95% during post-chlorination process. However, they can greatly promote the formation of CNCl for arginine and histidine by up to 120-fold. In a more detailed investigation, pre-oxidation of histidine formed highly reactive intermediates to chlorine, leading to increased CNCl formation and chlorine consumption. The results showed that the precursors of CNCl was altered after pre-oxidation, and need to be re-evaluated.     

紫外线消毒中的光复活作用

近年来，紫外线消毒技术在水处理中得到了越来越广泛的应用，它主要是利用短波紫外对微生物的伤害作用，通过在DNA中形成环丁烷嘧啶二聚体，阻碍基因的正常复制，从而导致细菌失活。但是细菌体内的光裂解酶在远紫外光和可见光作用下能够使失活的细菌重新获得活性，这就是光复活作用。低压消毒设备处理后大肠杆菌表现出了一定的光复活能力，但中压消毒设备能够有效的抑制其光复活作用；而噬肺军团菌在低压和中压设备处理后都表现出了很强的光复活能力。在应用紫外线消毒技术时光复活作用的影响不容忽视。     

强化混凝去除黄浦江水有机物的试验研究

强化混凝去除有机物的效果与水源的分子量分布特性有着密切的关系.由于黄浦江水中低分子量的溶解性有机物占多数,因此,强化混凝处理有机物效果有限.对于＜1k分子量区间的有机物.增加混凝剂投量可有效去除紫外吸光值(UV254),但去除溶解性有机碳(DOC)的效果很差.尽管增加混凝剂投量和降低pH都能有效地去除有机物,但决定强化混凝效果的主要因素是pH,去除黄浦江水有机物的最佳pH范围为6～5.     

哈尔滨市轨道交通一期工程电磁辐射环境影响分析及防护措施初探

在现代化城市建设与发展中,城市轨道交通引起的电磁辐射环境影响,越来越受到公众的关注,越来越受到各级政府的重视.本文以哈尔滨城市轨道交通工程为例,分析本工程的电磁辐射污染源,采用类比方法,预测和评价电磁辐射对环境的影响,提出了电磁辐射防护措施建议.     

In situ preparation of g-C3N4/Bi4O5I2 complex and its elevated photoactivity in Methyl Orange degradation under visible light

A graphite carbon nitride(g-C_3N_4) modified Bi_4O_5I_2 composite was successfully prepared insitu via the thermal treatment of a g-C_3N_4/Bi OI precursor at 400°C for 3 hr.The as-prepared g-C_3N_4/Bi_4O_5I_2 showed high photocatalytic performance in Methyl Orange(MO) degradation under visible light.The best sample presented a degradation rate of 0.164 min~(-1),which is 3.2 and 82 times as high as that of Bi_4O_5I_2 and g-C_3N_4,respectively.The g-C_3N_4/Bi_4O_5I_2 was characterized by X-ray powder diffractometer(XRD),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),Raman,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectra(DRS),electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS) and transient photocurrent response in order to explain the enhanced photoactivity.Results indicated that the decoration with a small amount of g-C_3N_4 influenced the specific surface area only slightly.Nevertheless,the capability for absorbing visible light was improved measurably,which was beneficial to the MO degradation.On top of that,a strong interaction between g-C_3N_4 and Bi_4O_5I_2 was detected.This interplay promoted the formation of a favorable heterojunction structure and thereby enhanced the charge separation.Thus,the g-C_3N_4/Bi_4O_5I_2 composite presented greater charge separation efficiency and much better photocatalytic performance than Bi_4O_5I_2.Additionally,g-C_3N_4/Bi_4O_5I_2 also presented high stability.·O_2~-and holes were verified to be the main reactive species.     

太湖梅梁湾水体中可见光的衰减、吸收及散射

对太湖梅梁湾沿岸带和敞水区的水体进行了光学特性研究。结果发现，沿岸带的水下光辐射衰减系数(Kd)值较敞水区小；400nm与500nm向上辐照度比值(Eu440／Eu550),沿岸带在1m左右最小,敞水区在0．5m左右最小;沿岸带的水面下向上辐照度与向下辐照度的比值(R)低于敞水区：440、550、670nm的后向散射与吸收的比值(b／a),在沿岸带的1m处最大,敞水区在0．5m处最大。这些结果说明,相对于敞水区而言,沿岸带的光衰减较弱,无机悬浮颗粒的含量较少,最大叶绿素a分布较深。