Emissions of CO2, CH4 and N2O from Southern European peatlands

Peatlands play an important role in emissions of the greenhouse gases CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O, which are produced during mineralization of the peat organic matter. To examine the influence of soil type (fen, bog soil) and environmental factors (temperature, groundwater level), emission of CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O and soil temperature and groundwater level were measured weekly or biweekly in loco over a one-year period at four sites located in Ljubljana Marsh, Slovenia using the static chamber technique. The study involved two fen and two bog soils differing in organic carbon and nitrogen content, pH, bulk density, water holding capacity and groundwater level. The lowest CO₂ fluxes occurred during the winter, fluxes of N₂O were highest during summer and early spring (February, March) and fluxes of CH₄ were highest during autumn. The temporal variation in CO₂ fluxes could be explained by seasonal temperature variations, whereas CH₄ and N₂O fluxes could be correlated to groundwater level and soil carbon content. The experimental sites were net sources of measured greenhouse gases except for the drained bog site, which was a net sink of CH₄. The mean fluxes of CO₂ ranged between 139 mg m⁻² h⁻¹ in the undrained bog and 206 mg m⁻² h⁻¹ in the drained fen; mean fluxes of CH₄ were between −0.04 mg m⁻² h⁻¹ in the drained bog and 0.05 mg m⁻² h⁻¹ in the drained fen; and mean fluxes of N₂O were between 0.43 mg m⁻² h⁻¹ in the drained fen and 1.03 mg m⁻² h⁻¹ in the drained bog. These results indicate that the examined peatlands emit similar amounts of CO₂ and CH₄ to peatlands in Central and Northern Europe and significantly higher amounts of N₂O.     

Studies on the Pathogenesis of Shimao Zheng (Fleece-eating) in Sheep and Goats

Research on the disease called shimao zheng, which had resulted in widespread fleece-eating and shedding by sheep and goats in the Haizi area of Akesa County of Gansu Province of China, was carried out by both laboratory studies and pathological observations. There was a marked deficiency of sulfur in the wool and tissues of the affected animals. The pathological changes were mainly loss of fleece, exposure of the skin, keratinization of the epidermal cells, narrowing and reduced numbers of the fleece follicles, and fewer sebaceous glands and sweat glands. Histologically, there was atrophy of the striated and cardiac muscles and of the epithelium of the convoluted tubules of the kidney, together with a glomerulonephritis. The disease was considered to be a local nutritional and metabolic disorder, probably mainly caused by sulfur deficiency.     

A high temperature/low oxygen pulse improves cold storage disinfestation

Short periods of elevated temperature under controlled atmospheres (CA) effectively control insect pests. Cold treatment is also an effective non-chemical disinfestation process. If synergistic effects can be found by combining treatments, these may provide opportunities for cost reduction. Tests were performed to evaluate the tolerance of Packham's Triumph pears (Pyrus communis L.) to a range of temperatures (30–40 °C) combined with low oxygen (O₂ < 1 kPa). Treatment duration was 16–48 h and was followed by 1 month storage at 0 °C under air. When held at 30 °C, pears withstood up to 30 h of hypoxia. After cold storage, pears ripened slightly faster than controls but were undamaged. A temperature of 35 °C induced slight skin browning, and 40 °C resulted in substantial skin blackening. Some treatments were also tested on survival of lightbrown apple moth (LBAM), Epiphyas postvittana (Walker). All developmental stages were subjected to either 16 h at 30 °C, or 16 h under hypoxia, or 1 month at 0 °C, or a combination of the three treatments. With all treatments combined, all eggs, larvae and adults were killed. Only 4% of the pupae produced adults and combined treatments led to an increase in pupa mortality of 38%. A combined treatment (tolerated by pears) consisting of 30 h at 30 °C under low O₂ plus 1 month cold storage under air, killed 100% of LBAM pupae, and 100% of 5th instar larvae of both codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), and oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Busck). Implementation of such treatments would not require substantial investments for fruit industries equipped with CA storage facilities.     

NO和ClO_2处理对采后伽师瓜抗氧化酶活性的影响

将伽师瓜置于密闭的气调箱内,分别采用NO(60μL/L)、缓释型固体Cl O2保鲜剂(60 mg/L)及两者结合熏蒸处理12 h后,于4℃条件下贮藏82 d,研究三种处理对伽师瓜贮藏期间抗氧化酶活性的影响。结果表明,三种处理均可诱导伽师瓜贮藏过程中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、过氧化物酶(POD)和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)活性的增加;抑制丙二醛(MDA)含量的升高,提高果实清除自由基的能力,延缓成熟衰老进程。其中NO+Cl O2处理的效果最佳。     

生物电化学系统还原二氧化碳产甲烷研究进展

生物电化学系统还原CO2合成燃料或有机化工产品近年来已成为环境微生物学的研究热点。首先就生物电化学系统的工作原理、生物电化学系统还原CO2产甲烷的阴极功能微生物、生物电化学系统还原CO2产甲烷的机制、生物电化学系统的反应器及影响生物电化学系统还原CO2产甲烷的因素等方面的研究进展进行了综述,然后分析了生物电化学系统还原CO2产甲烷存在的问题,并讨论了其今后的重点研究方向,以期为生物电化学系统还原CO2产甲烷研究提供参考。     

砖筒仓充二氧化碳安全储麦技术研究

二氧化碳被导入一管道系统并使其在砖筒仓的粮堆内逐渐均匀分布，直到其在粮堆中的浓度达70％以上，试验其间通过该管道系统进行二氧化碳环流，经过14天停止操作，仓内粮堆中二氧化碳气体浓度保持35％以上，该气控方法储存小麦可达保鲜、无虫霉损害，安全储粮目的。     

SO_2排放对葫芦岛地区土壤的影响

在葫芦岛地区 ,由于锌厂常年 (尤其是近期 )排放SO2 已使该区土壤性质受到了严重的影响 .测定结果 :土壤表层 ( 0～ 2 0cm)有效S提高 1～ 5倍 ,全S含量提高 2 1 .38%～ 87.86% ,在严重影响区 pH值已下降至 5 .0 5～ 5 .0 3.锌厂排放的SO2 所形成的酸雨危害不可忽视     

纳米二氧化硅/纳米纤维素复合材料制备及性能分析

使用造纸方法快速成功的制备了纳米纤维素,纳米二氧化硅复合材料,对并材料的力学性能,热性能和吸湿性能进行了分析。研究结果表明:随着纳米二氧化硅的添加量逐步提高,纳米复合材料的理论密度逐渐下降,材料的拉伸性能和模量值都有大幅度的下降。材料热解的初始降解温度和热解活化能随着纳米二氧化硅质量分数的增多提升,当纳米二氧化硅质量分数为20%时,材料初始热解温度为280℃。纳米复合材料的含水率随着吸湿时间的延长而增加,且随着纳米二氧化硅添加量的增多,材料的最终含水率不断提高,当纳米二氧化硅质量分数为20%时,纳米复合材料的最终含水率约26%,纳米复合材料的表面接触角值仅为40.4°。该研究结果可为制备了纳米纤维素/纳米二氧化硅复合材料提供参考。     

Effects of ambient air pollution on wheat and rice yield in Pakistan

Open-top chambers ventilated with ambient or chiarcoal-filtered air were used to assess the impact of air pollution on the yield of local cultivars of wheat and rice, at a site on the outskirts of Lahore. At this location, 6-h mean O₃ concentrations reach 60 ppb in certain months, and annual mean NO₂ concentrations are 20–25 ppb. The experiments showed significant yield reduction in two successive seasons which ranged from 33% to 46% in wheat and from 37% to 51% in rice. The major yield parameter affected was the number of ears or panicles per plant, although there was also evidence of small effects on 1000 grain weight and on the number of grains per ear/panicle. These results have significance in terms of the maintenance of agricultural yields as pollution emissions rise in south and south-east Asia.