Trans-boundary air pollution over remote islands in Japan: observed data and estimates from a numerical model

Observations of air pollutants were conducted in remote Japanese islands (Oki Island and Okinawa Island) in early spring to clarify the extent of trans-boundary air pollution from the Asian continent. A three-dimensional Eulerian model calculation, which included parameters on emission, transport and transformation of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides and ammonia, was performed to compile sulfate isosurface concentrations over the observational sites. Concentrations of non-sea-salt sulfate (nss-SO₄²⁻) of greater than 10 μg m⁻³ were observed at Oki after the northeastward passage of low-pressure systems in the Sea of Japan. At these times, the weather showed a typical winter pattern and air pollutants over China were transported southeastward to Japan with the northwesterly wind. The model calculation reproduced the observed variations of nss-SO₄²⁻ concentration well, except for one case in which the model calculation could not reproduce the extremely low nss-SO₄²⁻ concentration observed on 8 March. In Hedo (Okinawa Island), we observed long-lasting (3 days) medium concentrations of nss-SO₄²⁻ (approximately 5 μg m⁻³). Although the model reproduced these observed medium concentrations well, in general the observed results were reproduced better for Oki than for Hedo. Under the synoptic weather conditions of early spring, high concentrations of nss-sulfate were sometimes transported to these remote Japanese islands from areas of continental Asia with a strong outflow of air pollutants.     

Hardening performance of reclaimed gypsums for stabilizing agent to improve soft clayey ground

For a prospective solution of effective recycling of gypsum board wastes, the present study was conducted to evaluate applicability of reclaimed gypsum as stabilizing agent for improvement of soft clayey ground. A series of unconfined compression tests and needle penetration tests were conducted to understand the fundamental properties of reclaimed gypsum and gypsum treated soils and the durability in water. An important finding was strength decrease in relation to mixing time of gypsum and soil. This may attribute to excessive mixing that caused breakage of the promptly hardened gypsum treated clay. In addition, from sounding and laboratory tests on the stabilized ground by shallow mixing method with different execution conditions, it was found that the strength of stabilized ground appeared in an early stage and that the hardening effect of cement that was used in combination with gypsum continued in a longer period. Regarding an environmental aspect, a specific amount of cement could have restrained leaching fluorine satisfactorily under the standard level in the field by adopting suitable mixing proportions based on the laboratory mixing test results. For practical application, the mixing procedure was a major factor of strength growth when hemihydrate gypsum was used to stabilize soft clayey ground.     

A DFT study on the carbamates formation through the absorption of CO2 by AMP

DFT calculations in gas and aqueous solution phases have been performed to study the mechanism of carbamate formation by the absorption of CO₂ in 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP). The results reveal the importance of considering the effect of water as solvent for the reaction to proceed. Furthermore water molecules play an important role as a basic reactant leading to stable intermediates formation. These results point at a single-step, third order reaction as the most probable mechanism for the formation of carbamate by the absorption process.     

Chronic effects of Cd on reproduction of Polypedilum nubifer (Chironomidae) through water and food

Chronic effects of Cd on reproduction of Polypedilum nubifer (Chironomidae) were investigated by Cd-exposure from the egg stage using a flow-through aquarium. No significant effect of Cd on reproduction was observed in the midge larvae which had been exposed to 10 or 20 microg Cd litre(-1). Emergence of the Cd-exposed larvae peaked several days before that of the control, although growth was impaired in 1st and/or 2nd instars. The percentage emergence success decreased to about 46% of the control at 40 microg Cd litre(-1). However, other reproductive processes (adult sex ratio, oviposition success and egg hatchability) were not impaired. The emergence success decreased to less than 3% of the control at 80 microg Cd litre(-1). The emergence success of midge larvae which had been fed Cd-contaminated food with 220 or 1800 microg Cd g(-1) decreased to nearly 60% of the control. However, other reproductive processes were not impaired. Emergence success of larvae exposed to food containing 22 microg Cd g(-1) was unaffected.     

Chemical recycling of polycarbonate in dilute aqueous ammonia solution under hydrothermal conditions

Polycarbonate (PC) pellets were subjected to dilute aqueous ammonia solution under hydrothermal conditions in a semi-batch reactor at temperatures ranging from 433 to 463 K and at a pressure of 10 MPa. The PC pellets were almost completely converted to bisphenol A (BPA). During an initial certain period, referred to as an induction time, neither BPA nor total organic carbon in solution were detected, and the BPA yield increased with time. The monomer yield was well represented by a surface reaction model, two-thirds-order reaction with respect to the mass of unreacted PC. The overall rate constant of the reaction in 0.6 mol/kg aqueous ammonia solution at 433 K was about 15 times greater than that in 0.6 mol/kg NaOH solution. The rate constant at 433 K was proportional to the ammonia or NaOH concentration. There was a correlation between the induction time and temperature, as well as the ammonia or NaOH concentration. By carrying out the reaction in aqueous mixtures of (NH₄)₂SO₄ and NaOH at various concentrations of NaOH, ammonia was confirmed not to function as an alkaline reagent, but as a nucleophile reagent.     

Effects of chlornitrofen, a herbicide, on reproduction of Brachionus urceolaris (Rotatoria) through water and food (Chlorella)

Chronic effects of chlornitrofen (CNP) on the reproduction of Brachionus urceolaris (Rotatoria) were investigated by exposure of individuals to CNP from the egg stage, which had been attached to the adult. The survivors of 12 neonates, which had been exposed to CNP100, 70 or 40 microg liter(-1) decreased to 50% at the age of c. 2, 4 and 6 days, respectively, compared to c. 6.5 days for those exposed to 0, 10 and 20 microg liter(-1) CNP. Release of offspring (mostly two individuals per day) started at two days old. At the peak, four days old, a control female produced 8.1+/-0.9 offspring per day compared with 4.5+/-1.3 (mean+/-SD, n=12) at 40 microg liter(-1). The cumulative numbers of offspring produced by a female were 25.8+/-1.2, 24.2+/-2.9, 22.3+/-3.6 and 13.6+/-3.1 (mean+/-SD, n=12) at control, 10, 20 and 40 microg liter(-1) CNP exposure, respectively. The 50% reproductive impairment concentration was calculated to be 37 microg liter(-1). Growth of neonates was barely detectable at 70 microg liter(-1), and the rapid increase in the effect of CNP from 40 to 70 microg liter(-1) was attributed to an increase in tolerance with growth of the neonates. The effects of CNP on reproduction were also tested by CNP exposure through food (CNP-accumulated Chlorella). The 50% reproductive impairment concentration of CNP in the alga was calculated to be c.60 microg g(-1) (wet weight) by the same method used to assess the dissolved CNP, although the effect of CNP which may have been released from the alga to the water could not be estimated precisely.     

Elevated water temperature reduces the acute toxicity of the widely used herbicide diuron to a green alga, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata

In the actual environment, temperatures fluctuate drastically through season or global warming and are thought to affects risk of pollutants for aquatic biota; however, there is no report about the effect of water temperature on toxicity of widely used herbicide diuron to fresh water microalgae. The present research investigated inhibitory effect of diuron on growth and photosynthetic activity of a green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata at five different temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C) for 144 h of exposure. As a result, effective diuron concentrations at which a 50 % decrease in algal growth occurred was increased with increasing water temperature ranging from 9.2 to 20.1 μg L^–1 for 72 h and 9.4–28.5 μg L^–1 for 144 h. The photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (F _v/F _m ratio) was significantly reduced at all temperatures by diuron exposure at 32 μg L^–1 after 72 h. Inhibition rates was significantly increased with decreased water temperature (P?<?0.01). Intracellular H₂O₂ levels as an indicator of oxidative stress were also decreased with increasing temperature in both control and diuron treatment groups and were about 2.5 times higher in diuron treatment groups than that of controls (P?<?0.01). Our results suggest water temperatures may affect the toxicokinetics of diuron in freshwater and should therefore be considered in environmental risk assessment.     

Closed-loop supply chain under different channel leaderships: considering different deposit–refund systems practically applied in China

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Different deposit–refund systems are being practically applied to promote the proper treatment of end-of-life products in China. One is...     

Measurement of hydrogen peroxide and organic hydroperoxide concentrations during autumn in Beijing, China

Gaseous peroxides play important roles in atmospheric chemistry. To understand the pathways of the formation and removal of peroxides, atmospheric peroxide concentrations and their controlling factors were measured from 7:00 to 20:00 in September, October, and November 2013 at a heavily trafficked residential site in Beijing, China, with average concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and methyl hydroperoxide (MHP) at 0.55 ppb and 0.063 ppb, respectively. H₂O₂ concentrations were higher in the afternoon and lower in the morning and evening, while MHP concentrations did not exhibit a regular diurnal pattern. Both H₂O₂ and MHP concentrations increased at dusk in most cases. Both peroxides displayed monthly variations with higher concentrations in September. These results suggested that photochemical activity was the main controlling factor on variations of H₂O₂ concentrations during the measurement period. Increasing concentrations of volatile organic compounds emitted by motor vehicles were important contributors to H₂O₂ and MHP enrichment. High levels of H₂O₂ and MHP concentrations which occurred during the measurement period probably resulted from the transport of a polluted air mass with high water vapor content passing over the Bohai Bay, China.     

A freshwater shrimp (Paratya compressa improvisa) as a sensitive test organism to pesticides

The susceptibility of 2-week-old individuals of the freshwater shrimp, Paratya compressa improvisa, to five kinds of insecticide and five kinds of herbicide was examined in comparison with that of two species of Cladocera, Daphnia magna and Moina macrocopa. The shrimp was especially sensitive to two organophosphorus insecticides. The 48-h LC50 values for fenitrothion and fenthion to the shrimp were 1.15 and 1.04 microg litre(-1) (mean value, n=2), in contrast with 37.8 and 35.3 microg litre(-1) in the case of M. macrocopa, and more than 50 microg litre(-1) with D. magna. The shrimp also showed the higher susceptibility to other insecticides, diazinon, carbaryl (NAC) and BPMC, apart from D. magna to diazinon and NAC. The shrimp also showed higher susceptibility to herbicides. The 48-h LC50 values of CNP, benthiocarb, oxadiazon, butachlor, and symetryne to the shrimp were two to eight times lower than those of two species of Cladocera, except for the LC50 value of oxadiazon to M. macrocopa, which was very slightly higher. However, the shrimp showed a somewhat lower susceptibility to heavy metals than the two species of Cladocera, especially to copper, and to cadmium and zinc in comparison with D. magna. A bioassay using the shrimp with river water, collected from the river adjacent to the paddy field, showed clearly the high mortality of the shrimp following the aerial spraying with pesticides.