Changes in manganese and lead in the environment and young children associated with the introduction of MMT in gasoline

This is a 4-year longitudinal study to evaluate changes to the environment and exposure of young children associated with the introduction of methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl （MMT） into Australia in 2000. The cohort includes 57 females and 56 males; age range of 0.29 to 3.9 years. Samples are collected every 6 months from children in residences located at varying distances from major traffic thoroughfares in Sydney. Environmental samples： air, house and day care dustfall, soil, dust sweepings and gasoline. Samples from children： blood, urine, handwipes prior to and after playing outdoors, and a 6-day duplicate diet. All samples are analyzed for a suite of 20 elements using ICP-MS. Results are presented for the first three 6-month sampling periods for Pb and Mn. For dustfall accumulation, there was no significant change over the 3 sampling periods （time） for Pb or Mn, and a positive relationship between ‘traffic exposure＇ （traffic volume and proximity to the road） and Pb but not Mn. For handwipes, Pb and Mn in wipes taken from children after playing outdoors were usually significantly greater than for wipes taken prior to playing. There was no significant association between Pb or Mn in handwipes with traffic exposure. Dustfall accumulation was a significant predictor for Pb in the handwipes, and dust sweepings were a significant predictor of Mn in handwipes.     

Environmental geohydrochemistry and health of the high altitude population in Ladakh

Background： Radiographic signs of Pneumoconiosis found in farming Ladakhi despite absences of mines and industries were believed to be due to exposure to frequent dust storms and domestic fire pollutions. Seasonal Koilonychia （spoon nail） occurring predominantly in farming women in absences of iron deficiency anaemia was thought to arise from exposure to water made alkaline by weathering of hornblende minerals. The relation of these health conditions to environmental geohydrochemistry is postulated as the source of irrigation water in the affected population originates from glaciers in trans-Himalaya range of sedimentary geology and steep landscape favouring flushing of silica/silicate containing silts. Methods and results： Survey in two central Ladakh villages revealed radiographic evidence of silicosis in all middle aged women and half in middle aged men. In a large-scale study of 3105 subjects aged over 30 years from three villages; 101 （22.5%） of the 449 radiographed showed signs of pneumoconiosis （ILO 1980 criteria） including eggshell calcification of hilar gland and progressive massive fibrosis. Indoor dust analyzed using Philips 400T electron microscope with energy dispersive analysis system attached showed SiO2 levels upto 53.27% with particle size of 0.5 to 5.0 microns and the concentration during cooking period in the worst affected area was 7.495 mg/m^3. Microscopy and histopathology from the subject was characteristic of pneumoconiosis. Analysis of the inorganic dust in the lung showed 40.2% muscovite, 37.3% quartz with the extracted dust wt 147.9 mg/gm of dry tissue. Prevalence of chronic cough with chronic phlegm and percentage of villagers with FEV1/FVC ratio of less than 65% rose with age. Of 70 subjects studied 19 women and 2 men had Koilonychia with incidence being highest in summer. Absence of seasonal Koilonychia in villages fed by water derived from northern mountain range glaciers with mainly igneous geology supports our hypothesis.     

Mitigation of municipal solid waste leachate contamination at Payatas, Metro Manila, Philippines： A technical proposal

The gross environmental condition of the Payatas Disposal Facility in Metro Manila, Philippines, implores the need for sustainable technologies to control and abate toxic municipal solid waste leachate and protect public health. A team of environmental engineers recognized this need by selecting the site as a design project for the Mondialogo Worldwide Engineering Award, sponsored by the United Nations and Daimler Chrysler. The project culminated in a technical proposal that highlighted the following design features： an impermeable dumpsite cap to control leachate generation; vertical impermeable barriers for containment and isolation of leachate; a drainage system to divert clean, surface water from the cap and prevent its contamination prior to discharge; a leachate recirculation system to enhance stabilisation of the waste deposit; and a facultative lagoon and constructed wetland system to treat excess leachate.     

重力取样器取样技术研究

在湖泊环境研究中，淤泥质沉积物取样是一项很重要的工作，样品的取心率和原状性直接影响了环境研究的结果。重力取样器是获取湖泊、水库等水域浅层湖泊沉积物的一种经济有效、操作简单的常用工具。因此研究重力取样器的取样技术对环境研究具有积极的意义。研究了重力取样器的取样技术，并在此基础上成功设计了一种便携式的重力式取样器，非常适合环境研究机构的沉积物取样工作。     

温地公园概览

湿地公园（Wetland Park）的概念类似于小型保护区．但又不同于自然保护区和一般意义公园的概念。根据国内外目前湿地保护和管理的趋势．兼有物种及其栖息地保护．生态旅游和生态环境教育功能的湿地景观区域都可以称之为“湿地公园”，     

居民对泉州湾滨海湿地资源和环境的感知研究

中国的部分滨海湿地是资源、环境问题突出和人地矛盾非常尖锐的区域,在这些区域开展当地居民对资源、环境的感知研究有利于确定滨海湿地保护的宣传教育重点,引导新闻媒体、非政府组织和社区的积极参与。以中国东南沿海河口海湾重要湿地——泉州湾湿地为例,采用野外实地考察、抽样问卷调查和访谈等方法分析居民对滨海湿地资源和环境的感知,调查结果用SPSS软件进行处理。研究结果显示,当地居民因教育水平较低,环保意识较淡薄,对滨海湿地资源和环境感知状况存在不确定性。     

国内外旅游解说研究进展综述

本文对国外旅游解说系统研究从旅游解说的起源、原理、内涵、框架、功能、受众类型、解说方式、解说规划等方面进行了全面的总结,综合了国内旅游研究的研究现状与趋势。寻找出国内解说研究与国外解说研究的差距,借此推动国内的旅游解说系统研究,从而更好地为旅游规划、旅游业的可持续发展和游客管理服务。     

Hydrogen isotope of individual n-alkanes from modern sediments and their application to environments

Hydrogen isotopes are commonly fractionated to a much greater extent and as a result display larger variations in δ values, In terms of the hydrogen isotope ratios of individual n-alkanes of 16 samples of modern sediments selected from four different locations in the southern part of Gansu, China, the δD values for most of the n-alkanes varied from -150‰-300‰, Variations in δD also occurred between different ranges of n-alkanes, effects of environmental changes on the hydrogen isotopic compositions of individual n-alkanes have been detected. Besides the δD values of n-alkanes, the δD values of lipids including pristane （Pr）, phytane （Ph） were also examined, by the combination of D/H ratios with molecular fingerprinting, Our results further support the notion that hydrogen isotopes of n-alkanes from modern sediments can act as paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental proxies and provide invaluable new sources of information in the research of paleoenvironment reconstruction.     

Speciation of sulfate components in size-fractionated aerosol particles using sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure （XANES）

Sulfates are a main constituent of aerosols, which sulfate aerosols, it is necessary to determine what can cause various environmental problems sulfate ions are contained in these aerosols In the evaluation of the influence of In this study, sulfur K-edge XANES was used to determine sulfate species present in size-fractionated aerosol particles based on the post-edge structure after the main absorption peak in the XANES region. Aerosol samples were collected as part of the Japan-China joint project, ＂Asian Dust Experiment on Climate Impact＂ using a low-volume Andersen-type air sampler. XANES was measured at Beamline BL-9A at Photon Factory, Japan. A comparison of the XANES spectra of reference sulfate materials and aerosol samples collected in Tsukuba in Japan clearly showed that （NH4）2SO4 was the main sulfur species in particles with a smaller diameter and gypsum was the main sulfur species in particles with a larger diameter. A simulation of the XANES spectra by reference materials allows us to obtain the quantitative mixing ratios of the different sulfate species present in the aerosol samples. The presence of minor sulfur species other than （NH4）2SO4 and gypsum at the surface of mineral aerosols is suggested in our simulations and by a surface-sensitive conversion electron/He-ion yield XANES. In the absence of a contribution from a large dust event, the mole concentration of gypsum in the mineral aerosol fraction determined by XANES is similar to that of Ca which is determined independently using ion chromatography. This shows that the Ca and sulfate in the mineral aerosols are present only as gypsum. Considering that calcite is the main Ca mineral in the original material arising from an arid and semi-arid area in China, it is strongly suggested that gypsum is formed in aerosol during its long-range transportation by a reaction between calcite and sulfate ions.     

Effects of human activities on mercury in the environment in Xi＇an area, China

Effects of mercury on ecosystems and human health are well documented. Human activities have significant impacts on transport, transformation, and fate of mercury in the natural environment. In this study, a gold mining area （Tongchuan）, an urban area （Xi＇an）, and a historical site （Qinshihuan Tomb） in Shaanxi Province, China, was chosen to study the effects of human activities on the transport, transformation, and fate of mercury in the area. Samples of atmospheric precipitate, soil, sediment, pomegranate, corn and those from wells and the rivers that flow through or flow by the city and from the mining area were collected. The EPA methods were used for sample preparation and analysis of these samples. These methods combine acid digestion, chemical reduction, purge and trap with Cold Vapor Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry （CVAFS）. Preliminary results showed high total mercury concentrations in the water samples collected from a river in Tongguan County. The total mercury concentrations ranged from 133 to 188 ng/L in the water samples collected from the rivers flowing through Xi＇an City. The amount of total mercury in the soil/sediment samples which were collected in the vicinity of Xi＇an ranged from 31.8 to 83.2 ng/g. The total mercury concentrations in the samples of atmospheric precipitate （including rain and snow collected from Sep. 2005 to Jan. 2006） ranged from 106-298 ng/L.