A preliminary study on the mechanism of harmful algal bloom mitigation by use of sophorolipid treatment

in order to investigate a new method of mitigating the deleterious effect of harmful algal blooms (HABs), the inhibition of the glycolipid biosurfactant sophorolipid on three common harmful algae Alexandrium tamarense, Heterosigma akashiwo and Cochlodinium polykrikoides was studied. The optimum preparation condition for sophorolipid, the inhibition capability of sophorolipid and the interaction mechanism of sophorolipid on the three algal species were investigated. Results showed that sophorolipid prepared by extraction with ethyl acetate exhibited the most prominent inhibition effect and that storage time of one year had little influence on the inhibition effect of sophorolipid. The optimum concentration of 10-20 mg/l sophorolipid inhibited the motility of about 90% of the tested harmful algal cells without recovery. Investigation of the algicidal process revealed that sophorolipid induced ecdysis of A. tamarense, quick lysis of H. akashiwo and swelling of C. polykrikoides in a relatively short time. Investigation of the nucleotides showed that more than 15% of the nucleotides were released from the cytoplasm under the effect of 10-20 mg/l sophorolipid, indicating the irreversible damage on the cellular membrane, which resulted in the disintegration of the harmful algal cells. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Screening of surfactants for harmful algal blooms mitigation

Screening experiments were conducted in order to find promising synthetic surfactants for harmful algal blooms (HABs) mitigation. The chemically synthesized surfactant cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) showed characteristics of relatively high inhibition efficiency, high biodegradability and low cost. The motility inhibition ratios of 10 mg/L CAPB on Cochlodinium polykrikoides and Alexandrium tamarense were about 60% after 5 min. The biodegradation test indicated that the half-life of CAPB in seawater was shorter than one day and 90% was biodegraded after five days under the initial concentration of 100 mg/L at 25degreesC. Further cell lysis experiments revealed the selective lysis effect of CAPB on different HAB organisms. More than 90% of C. polykrikoides lysed at the concentration of 10 mg/L CAPB after 24 h and at 15 mg/L CAPB after 4 h, whereas the lysis effect of CAPB on A. tamarense was slight, no more than 10% after 2 h interaction with 50 mg/L CAPB. This research provided preliminary data for CAPB as a candidate in harmful algal blooms mitigation and pointed out unresolved problems for its practical application in the meantime. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synergistic effect of sophorolipid and loess combination in harmful algal blooms mitigation

The inhibition effect of sophorolipid and removal efficiency of loess on Cochlodinium polykrikoides and Alexandrium tamarense was investigated separately in the laboratory. Based on this, the combination of sophorolipid and loess for harmful algal bloom mitigation was proposed. Algal sedimentation tests in the laboratory and in the field revealed that the combination of sophorolipid and loess showed synergistic effects both on the removal efficiencies and on the mitigation cost. The concentration of 1 g/l loess and 5 mg/l sophorolipid was determined as the optimum ratio for C polykrikoides mitigation. In the field test, the effective concentration of loess and sophorolipid in the combination group was reduced to 10% and 25%, respectively, compared to the non-combination group, and the cost decreased more than 60%. The combination of loess and sophorolipid was considered as a promising novel method in harmful algal bloom mitigation. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

中国地下工程氡污染健康影响与防护研究-以内蒙古自治区为例

由于对人体健康的危害，氡越来越受到世界各国的广泛关注。经济的发展，使我国地下公共场所大量涌现，但其空气中氡浓度的大规模调查及系统研究还属空白。本论文采取瞬时法（美国SUN公司的1027型连续测氰仪）与累积法（CR一39SSNTD）相结合的测量方法，对我国23个城市的地下工程进行了为期一年的监测，获得了实测数据700多个。在监测的同时，收集了每个测点的各种相关情况资料。论文以内蒙古自治区的呼和浩特、包头、集宁、鄂尔多斯四个城市为例，从环境地球化学角度出发，在研究了各个测点的各种情况之后，探讨了氧在不同类型工程和不同城市的浓度规律。对长期有人在内工作的地下工程内氛所致工作人员的有效剂量当量进行了估算。最后对氨异常的测点进行了原因分析，并提出了地下工程内氰污染的治理和防范措施。本次研究主要得出以下结论：1、地下工程中氰浓度的季节变化规律为：从总平均值看，夏高冬低。与前人对坑道的调查结果一致，与地上氨浓度的变化规律相反。从两季浓度差来看，两季浓度差从大到小依次为：隧道类工程）单建式铜室类工程＞结建式嗣室类工程。2、总体来看内蒙三类工程的氰浓度值：隧道类工程）结建式铜室类工程）单建式铜室类工程。不管是单季还是年平均值，各城市三类工程的氧浓度都遵循隧道类．工程远大于结建式铜室工程和单建式铜室工程的规律。通过对结建式桐室工程和单建式铜室工程的对比分析，发现在地下工程内工程上部有无建筑物阻隔，并不是影响氨浓度高低的重要因素，即氰的纵向扩散作用小于横向扩散作用。3、呼和浩特、包头、集宁、鄂尔多斯四个城市的氛浓度年平均值分别为：190Bq／m3、700Bq／m3、190Bq／m3、270Bq／m3。去掉仅有一季结果的侧点值，包头、鄂尔多斯的氨浓度年平均值为：62oBq／m3、250Bq／m3。呼和浩特、包头、集宁、鄂尔多斯四个城市的氛浓度单季值的范围分别为：31-830Bq／m3、57-3500Bq／m3、26一65oBq／m，、64一69OBq／m'，；年平均值的范围分别为：39一580Bq／m：'、94一210oBq／m：，、35-460Bq／m3、110-390Bq／m3。呼和浩特、包头、集宁、鄂尔多斯四个城市分别有30.0%、44.4%、33.3%、50.0%的工程年平均氧浓度在200Bq／时以上。四个城市氦浓度的普遍水平：包头）鄂尔多斯）集宁）呼和浩特。4、对所有单建式铜室类地下工程和结建式铜室类工程内工作人员所受剂量当量进行了估算。单建式地下工程内工作人员所受剂量当量的范围是1.247mSv-6．SOgmsv，平均值是2.610Sv。结建式地下工程内工作人员所受剂量当量的范围是1．195Sv-8.531mSv，平均值是2.572mSv。两类地下工程内工作人员所受氨照射剂量当量都很高，有一半的工程剂量当量是地面上公众人员剂量当量0.924mSv的两倍以上。5、不管是从浓度角度还是从剂量估算角度分析，地下工程内的氛水平都比较偏高，需要采取一定防护措施，对现有状况进行改善。6、通风是地下工程防治氡污染最简便易行、见效最快的措施。使用防氡涂料是最经济的措施。

The potential risk from 222radon posed to archaeologists and earth scientists: reconnaissance study of radon concentrations, excavations and archaeological shelters in the Great cave of Niah, Sarawak, Malaysia

Gillmore, G. Gilbertson, D. Grattan, J. Hunt, C. McLaren, S. Pyatt, B. Banda, R. Barker, G. Denman, A. Phillips, P. Reynolds, T. The potential risk from 222radon posed to archaeologists and earth scientists: reconnaissance study of radon concentrations, excavations and archaeological shelters in the Great cave of Niah, Sarawak, Malaysia. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 2005. 60 pp 213-227.

Radon and King Solomons Miners: Faynan Orefeild, Jordanian desert

Grattan, J. Gilmore, G. Gilbertson, D. Pyatt, F.B. HUnt, C. McLaren, S. Phillips, P. Denman, A. Radon and King Solomons Miners: Paynan Orefield, Jordanian Desert. The Science of the Total Environment. 2004 319 pp 99-113

Environmental and technology policies for climate mitigation

We assess different policies for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and promoting innovation and diffusion of renewable energy. We evaluate the relative performance of policies according to incentives provided for emissions reduction, efficiency, and other outcomes. We also assess how the nature of technological progress through learning and research and development (R&D), and the degree of knowledge spillovers, affects the desirability of different policies. Due to knowledge spillovers, optimal policy involves a portfolio of different instruments targeted at emissions, learning, and R&D. Although the relative cost of individual policies in achieving reductions depends on parameter values and the emissions target, in a numerical application to the U.S. electricity sector, the ranking is roughly as follows: (1) emissions price, (2) emissions performance standard, (3) fossil power tax, (4) renewables share requirement, (5) renewables subsidy, and (6) R&D subsidy. Nonetheless, an optimal portfolio of policies achieves emissions reductions at a significantly lower cost than any single policy. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Designing Climate Mitigation Policy

This paper provides an exhaustive review of critical issues in the design of climate mitigation policy by pulling together key findings and controversies from diverse literatures on mitigation costs, damage valuation, policy instrument choice, technological innovation, and international climate policy. We begin with the broadest issue of how high assessments suggest the near and medium term price on greenhouse gases would need to be, both under cost-effective stabilization of global climate and under net benefit maximization or Pigouvian emissions pricing. The remainder of the paper focuses on the appropriate scope of regulation, issues in policy instrument choice, complementary technology policy, and international policy architectures.

Carbon mitigation costs for the commercial building sector: Discrete-continuous choice analysis of multifuel energy demand

We estimate a carbon mitigation cost curve for the U.S. commercial sector based on econometric estimation of the responsiveness of fuel demand and equipment choices to energy price changes. The model econometrically estimates fuel demand conditional on fuel choice, which is characterized by a multinomial logit model. Separate estimation of end uses (e.g., heating, cooking) using the U.S. Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey allows for exceptionally detailed estimation of price responsiveness disaggregated by end use and fuel type. We then construct aggregate long-run elasticities, by fuel type, through a series of simulations; own-price elasticities range from -0.9 for district heat services to -2.9 for fuel oil. The simulations form the basis of a marginal cost curve for carbon mitigation, which suggests that a price of $20 per ton of carbon would result in an 8% reduction in commercial carbon emissions, and a price of $100 per ton would result in a 28% reduction. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.