China Environmental Science is supervised by China Association for Science and Technology and sponsored by Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences. It aims to reflect the development direction, research level, the latest achievements and breakthrough progress of Chinese environmental science. Its scope covers environmental science, such as environmental science, environmental chemistry, environmental ecology, environmental medicine, environmental engineering. It also reports monitoring, analysis and control of environmental pollution, as well as the comprehensive management and planning of regional environment and global environmental issues.
The journal is included in EI, CA, SA, JST, Pж(AJ) and CSCD.
This study focused on the elucidation of the mechanisms of nitrogen and phosphorus removal in simultaneous nitrification-denitrification and phosphorus removal (SNDPR) systems enriched with phosphorus accumulating organisms(PAOs). An extended anaerobic (aeration duration: 180 min)/low aerobic (dissolved oxygen: 0.5–1.0 mg/L) sequencing batch reactor (SBR) fed with domestic wastewater was studied for SND (simultaneous nitrification-denitrification) efficiency of SNDPR under different C/N ratios (3, 4, 8, and 11) adjusted by adding sodium acetate into the domestic wastewater. The experimental results showed that the phosphorus removal efficiency was not affected by influent C/N ratios with an effluent PO43−-P concentration lower than 0.3 mg/L, which might be caused by the enriched PAOs capable of achieving a simultaneous aerobic phosphorus uptake and denitrifying phosphorus uptake at the low aerobic phase. In contrast, effluent NH4+-N concentration increased with the C/N ratio and the effluent NO3−-N concentration increased with the decrease of C/N ratio. The consumption of chemical oxygen demand (COD) for exogenous denitrification increased with the decrease in C/N ratio. The storage capacity of poly-hydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) for SND was reduced, but its utilization of PHV was increased. SND efficiency reach the peak value of 50.8% at the C/N ratio of 4–8, and total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency reached 80.8% at the C/N ratio of 8.
A derivatization UPLC-MS-MS method was used to analyze bisphenol A(BPA) and its chlorinated derivatives, including monochloro-BPA, dichloro-BPA, tricholro-BPA, and tetrachloro-BPA, in 40 urine samples of Beijing women. The detection frequencies of BPA, monochloro-BPA, dichloro-BPA, tricholro-BPA, and tetrachloro-BPA were 90 %, 96 %, 90 %, 52 %, and 45 % with average concentrations of (1.30±1.24),(0.40±0.37), (0.41±0.51), (0.18±1.49), (0.46±0.35) ng/m L, respectively. While the total concentration of four chlorinated BPA was 1.45 ng/m L, which was similar with that of BPA in urine, their BPA toxic equivalent quantity (TEQBaP) in urine was calculated to be 4.84 ng/m L, which was 2.2 fold higher than that of BPA. The TEQBPA concentration was log-normally distributed, and the probability higher than Benchmark Dose (BMDL0.05), corresponding to the increasing risk of diabetes by 0.05 % due to exposure to BPA, was 19.2 %. Our results indicated that chlorinated BPA might pose a relatively high risk.
The CNT/TiO2 composite electrode prepared by coating method was activated with radio frequency inductively coupled air-plasma. The surface morphology, wetting ability and surface elements of the plasma activated electrode were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. It was found that the pore ratio, hydrophilic property, contents of TiO2 and oxygen containing groups on the surface of the electrode increased after the activation, which facilitated the adsorption of phenol. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) result indicated that its specific capacity also increased by 54% with the plasma treatment. Further, phenol removal efficiency for the activated electrode was enhanced by 45% compared to that of the raw electrode, and the removal of phenol increased as the increase of applied voltage and initial concentration. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the equilibrium adsorption isotherm well fitted the Langmuir model.
The surface character of a 11-year-old DN300 ductile cast iron pipes of main pipelines in drinking water distribution system was investigated by atomic absorption spectrometry, GC-MS, EDS, and XRD, and the content of pollutants, such as metals and organic compounds, also detected. Results showed that, the limescales of the lower part had the maximum amount and the maximum average particle size. The spatial distribution of heavy metals was significantly different. The concentration of iron, manganese, zinc, lead, copper and chromium was highest in the upper limescales. While the highest content of aluminum was detected in the lower limescales. The distribution was closely related with its resource in limescales. Beside some common types of hydrocarbons formed by microbial metabolites, there were also some microalgae metabolites and exogenous contaminant accumulated in limescales. And types of organic pollutants varied in different spatial locations. The finding put forward higher requirements on the research method about drinking water distribution system biochemical safety, and provided a theoretical basis for the drinking water safety.
A paddy field is typical constructed wetland, where mercury (Hg) is easily methylated to methylmercury (MeHg). Due to long-term wastewater irrigation, a large area of farmlands, including paddy fields in Tianjin City, has been seriously contaminated with Hg. There is therefore an important question to be answered in our understanding as to the characteristics of total Hg (THg) and/or MeHg accumulations in rice from wastewater-irrigated areas and risk assessment for evaluation Hg exposure for the population by rice consumption. In this study, a field survey of mercury pollution in 29 paddy fields (soil and rice) from wastewater-irrigated areas around north discharged river in Tianjin City was conducted to evaluate the health risks of mercury to residents by rice consumption. The results showed that: 1. THg and MeHg concentrations in surveyed paddy fields were (367.04 ± 129.36) μg/kg and (0.87 ± 0.77) μg/kg, respectively, and the background value of total mercury content in soil was 73 μg/kg. Analyses of the distribution of Hg species in different parts of rice plants from selected sampling locations shown that grain contained the lowest THg concentrations (12.80 ± 5.14) μg/kg, followed by stem < root < leaf. Contrary to THg, the highest concentration of MeHg was in grain (2.09 ± 1.20 μg/kg, %MeHg > 10%), followed by root > stem > leaf. This suggests that rice grain may preferentially accumulate MeHg compared to other parts of the plant. Observations clearly show that MeHg in the paddy soil could be more easily taken up and transferred to rice grain compared to THg. The probable weekly intake (PWI) of THg and MeHg for an adult population based on 60 kg body weight (bw) in studied wastewater-irrigated area was 0.068–1.25 μg/(kg·bw) and 0.0095–0.49 μg/(kg·bw), respectively, which were all well below reference dose established by WHO (FAO) or U.S. EPA. However, it was clearly manifested that there was a great concern of MeHg exposure risk for rice consumption around some highly Hg-contaminated areas. There were positive and significant correlations between soil MeHg concentrations and soil THg concentration, or clay content in the collected soil samples. Similarly, significant positive correlations were also found between MeHg concentrations in brown rice and soil THg concentrations, or soil MeHg concentrations and soil clay content. This study highlights the potential health risks of MeHg associated with cultivation and consumption of rice on the wastewater-irrigated areas.
Land use/cover change (LUCC) has direct or indirect effects on particulate matter pollution. To quantitatively evaluate the correlation between particulate matter pollution and land use in terms of temporal variation and spatial distribution, long-term meteorological data, land use data, measured particulate concentration data and remote sensing images, as well as the GIS spatial analysis methods and canonical correlation analysis methods were used to perform quantitative evaluation of the correlation between the number of haze days and land use change in Beijing, as well as the effects of local land use types on spatial distribution of particle pollution. The results showed that: (1) In respect of temporal variation, from 1996 to 2008, the number of haze days in Beijing presented a significant negative correlation with ecological land and agricultural land, with the correlation coefficients being −0.574 and −0.592 respectively, but presented a significant positive correlation with construction land, residential settlements and industry and mining, and transportation land, with the correlation coefficients being 0.595, 0.609, and 0.590 respectively; from 1989 to 2012, the number of haze days in urban areas of Beijing presented good responding relationship with the variation trend of ecological land, agricultural land, and construction land, in which the expansion of urban areas had significant effect on the number of haze days, and the coverage of built-up areas presented a significant positive correlation with the number of haze days, with the correlation coefficient being 0.876. (2) In terms of spatial distribution, the concentration of particulates at underlying surface including construction sites, roads, and bare land was obviously higher than that at land of other types; within the 0.5 km and 1 km buffer area, the area of green land presented a significant negative correlation with the PM1.0 concentration, with the correlation coefficients being −0.542 and −0.507 respectively, and the area of construction land presented a significant positive correlation with the PM1.0 concentration, with the correlation coefficients being 0.469 and 0.537 respectively. As a whole, the pollution level and spatial distribution pattern of particulate matter were closely related to the land use/cover status.
Rural sewage treatment is an important task of the New Rural Construction in China, which also plays a key role in improving the rural ecological environment. In this study, using system dynamic (SD) model and Powell optimization model, a SD-Powell coupled model with simulation and optimization function was set up to simulate and predict the amount of pollutant discharge, and to establish the functional relationship of pollutant reduction and cost. Taking Changzhou City in Jiangsu Province as a case study, the calculated results indicate that COD and ammonia emissions will reach up to 16 583 t and 2 551 t in 2020 respectively, increased by 4.60% and 4.59% compared to 2008. The 51 towns in Changzhou City were divided into four categories of control units using clustering method. The treatment cost functions for COD and ammonia in different control units were obtained, with the treatment cost in four units varying from 348 kg to 413 kg per ten thousand yuan RMB for COD, and 54 kg to 65 kg per ten thousand yuan RMB for ammonia. The total cost will be 168.7 million yuan RMB if the pollutant reduction rate in the whole area reaches 100%. The results show that the pollutant reduction rate by cost optimization was better than the cost average allocation. Compared to average allocation results, the method used in this study could increase reduction effectiveness of the two pollutants COD and ammonia by 6.4% and 7.4%, respectively. The optimal treatment cost was between 10 and 168.7 million RMB per year under different reduction rates and the treatment cost for priority unit was in the order of I > IV > II > III.
To study the atmospheric deposition in Shanghai, we have collected deposition samples in August, September and October in 2014. The concentration, spatial distribution and composition of sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed. Atmospheric deposition fluxes of ∑15PAHs at eight sampling sites were also calculated. The potential sources of PAHs were apportioned by positive matrix factorization (PMF) model, which could produce a quantitative interpretation. Our results indicated that the total concentrations of PAHs ranged from 0.458 μg/L to 21.013 μg/L in atmospheric deposition. Furthermore, the PAHs concentrations in dissolved phase varied from 0.174 μg/L to 0.625 μg/L, while in particulate phase from 0.275 μg/L to 20.455 μg/L. The atmospheric deposition flux of ∑15PAHs in sampling sites ranged from 0.24 μg/(m2⋅d) to 14.74 μg/(m2⋅d) and the mean deposition flux of ∑15PAHs was 2.77 μg/(m2⋅d). According to the apportionment results using PMF model, the first major sources of PAHs were categorized as mobile vehicle exhausts, such as gasoline car exhausts and diesel car exhausts, which constantly contribute 40.23% to the total PAHs pollution. Another four sources (residential cooking, coal combustion, oil spill and volatilization, coking and coal smelting) identified by PMF model account for 23.73%, 14.75%, 14.35% and 6.92% respectively.
The composition of PM2.5 was on-line monitored using MARGA IC Analyzer ADI 2080 on the top of ShijiazhuangMeteorological Bureau building from August 21 to September 23, 2014 continuously. These on-line data were analyzed conjointly with meteorological data and other routine environmental monitoring data. Sum of concentration of 8 water-soluble ions in aerosol was in consistent with that contained in PM2.5 in Shijiazhuang, of which SO42−, NH4+ and NO3− accounted for 88.4%, indicating that they are the major components of PM2.5. The proportion of soluble SO42− was the largest. Its abundance raised with the increasing temperature and decreasing humidity. On the contrary, the soluble NO3− raised with the increasing humidity. The proportion of NH4+ was relatively stable. Visibility declined in terms of power function with the increase of the water-soluble ions above. The concentration of SO42−, NH4+ and NO3− was affected by prevailing wind direction, industrial layout and mountain terrain, respectively. The largest contribution to the local concentration was northeast wind, while the west wind contributed the least. SOR and NOR of the precursor gases (SO2, NO2) of SO42−, NO3− increased along with humidity. SOR was more closely associated with humidity. NOR was in unimodal pattern due to daily radiation variation. The concentration of Ca2+, as an indicator of building material, was higher in dry sunny day especially with the influence of west wind, indicating that construction dust should be controlled during that kind of weather.
Available data of atmospheric nitrogen and phosphorous deposition during Sep, 2013 to Aug, 2014, were collected from three typical monitoring stations of HangJiaHu area, which are located at Hangzhou, Jiaxing andg Huzhou city respectively. The pollution characteristics of this area were discussed. Annual deposition fluxes of nitrogen and phosphorous were significantly high in range of 4 950.74–5 585.80 and 65.25–69.72 kg/ (km
2·a). Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen, phosphorus into the river was 6 038.4 and 77.8 tons, respectively, equivalent to 39.6% and 5.9% of input amount of nitrogen and phosphorus by agricultural. The principal deposition form of nitrogen was wet deposition, while for phosphorous, it was dry deposition. Wet deposition flux of nitrogen and phosphorous was mainly influenced by precipitation, and it increased with the increase of rainfall. Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen and phosphorus had temporal and spatial differences. Atmospheric dry deposition flux of nitrogen was much higher in Hangzhou and Jiaxing; atmospheric dry deposition flux of phosphorous was the highest in Jiaxing; atmospheric wet deposition flux of nitrogen was much higer high in Huzhou and Jiaxing, and atmospheric wet deposition flux of phosphorous was the highest in Huzhou. On the time scale, nitrogen deposition was much higher in summer and autumn, while phosphorus deposition was much higher in autumn and winter.
