Carbon isotope fractionation of Thermoanaerobacter kivui in different growth media and at different total inorganic carbon concentration

Chemolithotrophic homoacetogenic bacteria apparently express a characteristic stable carbon isotope fractionation and may contribute significantly to acetate production in anoxic environments. However, fractionation factors (ε) in bacterial cultures have rarely been determined and the effect of substrate availability has not been assessed. We therefore studied the kinetic carbon isotope effect in cultures of Thermoanaerobacter kivui grown at 55 °C. The fractionation factor in HCO₃⁻ buffered medium was ca. 15‰ more negative than that in PO₄³⁻ buffered medium. To test whether the difference was caused by the initial substrate ratio of H₂ and total inorganic carbon (TIC; 0.5 in HCO₃⁻ vs. 4.0 in PO₄³⁻ buffered medium), T. kivui was grown in either [3-(N-morpholino) propanesulfonic acid, MOPS] buffered or PO₄³⁻ buffered media with different HCO₃⁻ concentration. Indeed, the fractionation factor became more negative with increasing HCO₃⁻ concentration and decreasing H₂/TIC ratio. While pH had only a small effect, the fractionation was generally more negative in MOPS buffered than in phosphate buffered media, indicating that the buffer system also affected fractionation. Collectively, the results show that substrate availability and other environmental factors affect the magnitude of isotope fractionation during acetate production by chemolithotrophic homoacetogenesis.     

Sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to northwestern Saskatchewan lakes east of the Athabasca oil sands

The past several decades have witnessed a significant expansion of mining activities in the Athabasca oil sands region, raising concerns about their impact on the surrounding boreal forest ecosystem. To better understand the extent to which distal sites are impacted by oil sands-derived airborne contaminants, we examine sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments and dated sediment cores from Saskatchewan lakes situated ∼100–220 km east–northeast of the main area of bitumen mining activities. The concentrations and fluxes of both parent and alkylated PAHs are low and show considerable variability over the past 70–100 years. Small yet discernible increases in PAH concentrations and fluxes occurred over the past 30 years, a trend which coincides with the rapid growth in bitumen production. However, several lines of evidence point to wildfires as the principal source of PAHs to these lakes: (1) the significant co-variations in most cores between retene (1-methyl-7-isopropyl phenanthrene) and other groups of parent and alkylated PAHs, (2) the similarity in compound specific δ¹³C signatures of the parent PAHs phenanthrene and pyrene in recently deposited surficial sediments and those corresponding to time intervals considerably pre-dating the large scale development of the oil sands and (3) the discernible up-core increases in the proportion of refractory carbon (i.e., char) in Rock-Eval 6 data. The collective evidence points to softwood combustion from boreal forest fires as the principal source of retene in sediments and the general increase in forest fire activity in this region over the past several decades as the source of refractory carbon. Mining activities associated with the Athabasca oil sands are thus not considered a major source of PAHs to these lakes.     

Methodological comparison for quantitative analysis of fossil and recently derived carbon in mine soils with high content of aliphatic kerogen

In mine soil, quantification of soil organic carbon (OC) derived recently from biomass decomposition is complicated by the presence of fossil (geogenic) C derived from coal, oil shale, or similar material in the overburden. The only reliable method for such measurement is ¹⁴C analysis (i.e. radiocarbon dating) using instrumentation such as accelerator mass spectrometry, which is too expensive for routine laboratory analysis. We tested two previously used and two new methods for recent C quantification and compared them with ¹⁴C AMS radiocarbon dating as a reference using a set of soil samples (n = 14) from Sokolov, Czech Republic: (i) ¹³C isotope ratio composition, (ii) cross polarization magic angle spinning ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (CPMAS ¹³C NMR) spectroscopy, (iii) near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) coupled with partial least squares regression and (iv) Rock–Eval pyrolysis. Conventional methods for OC determination (dry combustion, wet dichromate oxidation, loss-on-ignition) were also compared to quantify any bias connected with their use. All the methods provided acceptable recent carbon estimates in the presence of mostly aliphatic fossil C from kerogen. However, the most accurate predictions were obtained with two approaches using Rock–Eval pyrolysis parameters as predictors, namely (i) S₂ curve components and (ii) oxygen index (OI). The S₂ curve approach is based on the lower thermal stability of recent vs. fossil organic matter. The OI approach corresponded well with ¹³C NMR spectra, which showed that samples rich in recent C were richer in carboxyl C and O-alkyl C. These two methods showed the greatest potential as routine methods for recent C quantification.     

Characterization of low-molecular-weight organic acids isolated from the Toarcian argillite pore water (Tournemire site,France)

Bacterial activity in the near-field environment of radioactive waste disposal facilities in deep argillaceous rocks is currently under investigation. Bacterial development could be enhanced by the availability of low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOA) dissolved in the pore water of clayey rocks. This study firstly aimed at isolating and characterizing the LMWOA of the Toarcian argillite from the Tournemire Underground Research Laboratory (France, Aveyron). It also aimed at assessing the disturbing effects that could be induced by a disposal facility on the type and release of LMWOA (exposure to oxygen, alkaline pH, temperature increase). Under the experimental conditions investigated at 60 °C, the mean dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is about 15 mg L⁻¹ with a LMWOA proportion of 35 %. The main LMWOA are composed of formate, fumarate, propionate, acetate, and lactate. DOC is mainly influenced by both temperature and pH increases, whereas the LMWOA type nature and release are more specifically affected by the exposure to oxygen.     

Refractory Black Carbon Results and a Method Comparison between Solid-state Cutting and Continuous Melting Sampling of a West Antarctic Snow and Firn Core

This work presents the refractory black carbon(rBC)results of a snow and firn core drilled in West Antarctica(79°55'34.6"S,94°21'13.3"W)during the 2014?15 austral summer,collected by Brazilian researchers as part of the First Brazilian West Antarctic Ice Sheet Traverse.The core was drilled to a depth of 20 m,and we present the results of the first 8 m by comparing two subsampling methods—solid-state cutting and continuous melting—both with discrete sampling.The core was analyzed at the Department of Geological Sciences,Central Washington University(CWU),WA,USA,using a single particle soot photometer(SP2)coupled to a CETAC Marin-5 nebulizer.The continuous melting system was recently assembled at CWU and these are its first results.We also present experimental results regarding SP2 reproducibility,indicating that sample concentration has a greater influence than the analysis time on the reproducibility for low rBC concentrations,like those found in the Antarctic core.Dating was carried out using mainly the rBC variation and sulfur,sodium and strontium as secondary parameters,giving the core 17 years(1998?2014).The data show a well-defined seasonality of rBC concentrations for these first meters,with geometric mean summer/fall concentrations of 0.016μg L^?1 and geometric mean winter/spring concentrations of 0.063μg L^?1.The annual rBC concentration geometric mean was 0.029μg L^?1(the lowest of all rBC cores in Antarctica referenced in this work),while the annual rBC flux was 6.1μg m^?2 yr^?1(the lowest flux in West Antarctica records so far).     

山东地区典型金属罐喷涂企业VOCs排放特征研究

了解涂装行业挥发性有机物（VOCs）的排放特征是制定山东地区臭氧（O₃）和PM_2.5防控策略的重要环节.本研究在山东地区测定了两家典型食品金属包装企业喷涂过程中VOCs的排放组成,企业产品以饮料罐和罐头为主.结果表明：两家企业排放的总VOCs质量浓度水平相当,质量浓度变化范围在50~1 500 μg/m³;但两家企业喷涂过程中VOCs的排放组成具有一定的差异,以生产铝罐和马口铁罐为主的企业中的含氧挥发性有机物（OVOCs）含量最多,占比89.71%（质量分数,下同）;而生产铝罐的企业芳香烃（56.15%）是首要的排放种类,其次是OVOCs （32.32%）.通过分析两家企业内外喷涂工艺的VOCs源成分谱,发现同一企业不同工艺之间有一定差异,多种罐生产企业的内、外喷涂中乙醇占比最高,分别为94.28%、84.46%;单铝罐生产企业的内喷涂2-丁酮（24.33%）是重要组分,外喷涂中甲苯（36.40%）含量较高.     

城镇化背景下中国长期低碳转型路径研究

在中国经济步入新常态之际,为了研究城镇化背景下的长期碳排放趋势,构建了人口变动与能源系统互动的综合分析框架与社会经济-能源系统模型。结果显示,从2014年至2050年,预计有3亿人口从农村流向城市,并呈现从中小型城市逐步向大型和特大型城市汇集的趋势。人口流动趋势与人民生活质量改善结合,推动中国基础设施建设、工业产品生产和能源服务需求增长。基准情景下,2050年中国一次能源消费总量达到84亿tce,能源相关CO₂排放达到176亿t,比2013年增长83%;而在低碳转型情景下,通过技术创新,2050年中国一次能源消费需求可以控制在61亿tce左右,CO₂排放在2020—2025年间达峰,2050年比基准情景降低78%。低碳转型过程中,非化石能源电力和能效技术的减排潜力最大,工业和电力部门率先在2020年达峰,建筑和交通 ^①（①按照国际通行的能源系统部门划分标准和能耗概念,工业、建筑、交通均属于终端能源消费部门,其中建筑部门能耗指建筑运行能耗,而非建筑建造过程中的能耗;交通部门能耗指所有交通活动能耗,既包括交通运输业营运类运输工具的交通能耗,也包括私人、公务非营运类运输工具的交通能耗 ^[1]。）将在2030年左右达峰。实现低碳转型所需新增固定投资占GDP的1.5%,不会给国民经济带来重大负担。中国实施新型城镇化战略具有技术和经济可行性。     

隐形碳关税:概念辨析与国际治理

碳关税是各国高度关注的贸易问题,因涉及各国经贸利益,南北国家在碳关税问题上分歧很大。任何有关碳关税的政策措施,都会引起发展中国家的强烈反对。因此,部分发达国家试图另辟蹊径,在国际贸易中通过增加生产标准、碳标签等技术要求,以比较隐蔽的方式实现执行碳关税的目的。文中将这些隐蔽的但能起到碳关税执行效果的政策措施归纳为隐形碳关税,并定义隐形碳关税是指那些虽然没有在边境环节征收碳关税,但与征收碳关税起到相同贸易壁垒作用的,对发展中国家出口产品和服务构成限制的政策和措施。隐形碳关税比较典型的表现形式包括生产标准、碳标签等措施。这些措施本身是政策中性的,并不构成隐形碳关税,但如果叠加了转移应对气候变化成本、限制发展中国家产业发展等目的,这些措施的性质便不再中性,而成为现实中的贸易壁垒。隐形碳关税的治理应该是国际气候治理进程的一个部分,《联合国气候变化框架公约》则应是隐形碳关税治理的主要国际平台。无论是在气候公约内还是气候公约外的治理机制,隐形碳关税的国际治理都应遵循气候公约的相关原则,尤其是共同但有区别责任原则,区别对待发达和发展中国家的责任和义务,充分发挥生产标准、碳标签等措施的积极环境效用,同时约束其不当使用,建立公平、互信、务实的国际合作模式,实现气候治理与经济发展的协同。     

黑龙江省闪电活动特征及其与地面相对湿度的响应关系

利用2006-2017年黑龙江省闪电定位资料和日平均地面相对湿度资料,采用数理统计、Pearson相关分析、GIS空间分析技术,研究了闪电密度和强度对地面相对湿度（R_H）的响应关系。结果表明：地面R_H过小或过大都不利于闪电活动产生;当R_H < 25%时,几乎无闪电发生,当R_H < 77%时,R_H增加有利于闪电活动发生,当R_H>79%时,随着R_H增加,闪电活动减少;当R_H < 77%时,闪电密度与之呈正相关,闪电强度与之呈负相关;当R_H>79%时,闪电密度与之呈负相关,闪电强度与之呈正相关;地面R_H的临界值域约为77%-79%;70%≤ R_H ≤ 90%区间为闪电易发湿度区间,在闪电密度与湿度相关度高的区域,闪电更趋于集中发生在闪电易发湿度区间。     

土壤有机质高光谱估算研究进展

土壤有机质是土壤的重要组成部分,对许多土壤属性有重要影响.利用光谱技术进行土壤有机质的快速测定是实现精细农业的基础.近几十年中,高光谱技术的发展为土壤研究提供了新的手段.受土壤有机质质量分数、组成以及土壤水分、土壤质地的影响,室内光谱的估算结果总体较好;受大气、地表植被等影响,航空或卫星的成像光谱估算精度较低.星载成像技术的进步将在一定程度上提高土壤有机质的估算精度,为快速、大范围土壤有机质质量分数的遥感制图提供技术支持.