Particulate n-alkanes and fatty acids in the Changjiang river system

Particulate samples were collected from the Changjiang river system during a flood period, in May 1997, and POC, stable isotope and lipids associated with particles were examined. Results showed the decrease （0.84% ～ 1.88%） of organic carbon content from the upper reaches to the estuary.δ^13 values of particulate organic carbon was in the range of -24.9×10^-3 to -26.6×10^-3, which were close to the isotopic signature of continental C3 vegetation. Total particulate n-alkanes concentrations varied from 1.4 to 10.1μg/dm^3,or from 23.7 to 107μg/g of total suspended matter. Fatty acids were present in all the samples, from 1.4 to 5.4μg/dm^3, with saturated and unsaturated straight-chain and branched compounds in the carbon number range from C12 to C30. Both δ^13 and the ratio of carbon content to nitrogen content indicate the predominance of terrestrial inputs （soil organic matter） among the particles. The biomarker approach has been used to identify the relative portion of terrigenous and autochthonous fraction in the particulate samples. The distribution of fatty acids suggests a striking phytoplanktonic and microbial signal in most particle samples. The terrestrial alkanes are used to estimate the contribution of terrestrial inputs along the mainstream.

Characteristics and source identification of fine particulate n-alkanes in Beijing, China

Ambient particulate n-alkanes were determined for fine particle （PM2.5） samples collected from Sep 2003 to July 2004 in Beijing, China. The average concentration of total n-alkanes （∑n-alkanes） from Cll to C34 was 425.72 ng/m^3, ranged from 7.02 to 2893.28 ng/m^3. The concentration distributions of n-alkanes homologues in this study exhibited peaks at C21 and C29 in heating season, and C29 in non-heating season. The average carbon preference index （CPI） value was 1.88 in the range of 1.18-3.88. The maximum CPI in summer indicated the contribution of biogenic origins such as plant wax; while the minimum CPI value in winter was probably a result of fossil fuel combustion. Preliminary estimation from these results showed that 59% of the n-alkanes in PM2.5 in Beijing summer originated from plant wax, while 74%-88% was from fossil fuel combustion in other three seasons. Source estimation was further performed using principal component analysis method. Two major components were yielded accounting for 57.3% and 30.9% of the total variance, which presented the fossil fuel and biogenic contribution, respectively.

Ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum pallidum extract attenuates particulate matter-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in keratinocytes and zebrafish

Objective:To evaluate the effect of the ethyl acetate fraction derived from Sargassum pallidum extract against particulate matter(PM)-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in HaCaT cells and zebrafish.Methods:HaCaT cells and zebrafish were used to evaluate the protective effects of the ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum pallidum extract against PM-induced oxidative stress and inflammation.The production of nitric oxide(NO),intracellular ROS,prostaglandin E_(2)(PGE_(2)),and pro-inflammatory cytokines,and the expression levels of COX-2,iNOS,and NF-κB were evaluated in PM-induced HaCaT cells.Furthermore,the levels of ROS,NO,and lipid peroxidation were assessed in the PM-exposed zebrafish model.Results:The ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum pallidum extract significantly decreased the production of NO,intracellular ROS,and PGE_(2) in PM-induced HaCaT cells.In addition,the fraction markedly suppressed the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibited the expression levels of COX-2,iNOS,and NF-κB.Furthermore,it displayed remarkable protective effects against PM-induced inflammatory response and oxidative stress,represented by the reduction of NO,ROS,and lipid peroxidation in zebrafish.Conclusions:The ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum pallidum extract exhibits a protective effect against PM-induced oxidative stress and inflammation both in vitro and in vivo and has the potential as a candidate for the development of pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical products.

Changes on Stroke Burden Attributable to Ambient Fine Particulate Matter in China

Objective In recent decades,China has implemented a series of policies to address air pollution.We aimed to assess the health effects of these policies on stroke burden attributable to ambient fine particulate matter(PM_(2.5)).Methods Joinpoint regression was applied to explore the temporal tendency of stroke burden based on data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study.Results The age-standardized rates of disability-adjusted life year(DALY)for stroke attributable to ambient PM2.5 in China,increased dramatically during 1990-2012,subsequently decreased at an annual percentage change(APC)of-1.98[95% confidence interval(CI):-2.26,-1.71]during 2012-2019.For ischemic stroke(IS),the age-standardized DALY rates doubled from 1990 to 2014,and decreased at an APC of-0.83(95%CI:-1.33,-0.33)during 2014-2019.Intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH)showed a substantial increase in age-standardized DALY rates from 1990 to 2003,followed by declining trends,with APCs of-1.46(95%CI:-2.74,-0.16)during 2003-2007 and-3.33(95%CI:-3.61,-3.06)during 2011-2019,respectively.Conversely,the age-standardized DALY rates for subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH)generally declined during 1990-2019.Conclusion Our results clarified the dynamic changes of the ambient PM_(2.5)-attributable stroke burden in China during 1990-2019,highlighting the health effects of air quality improvement policies.

Factors controlling the phytoplankton crops,taxonomic composition,and particulate organic carbon stocks in the Cosmonaut Sea,East Antarctica

The ecosystems in Southern Ocean(SO)are undergoing significant changes in the context of climate change.To identify environment-phytoplankton feedbacks in SO,seawater samples were collected in the Cosmonaut Sea(CS)during the 37 th China Antarctic Research Expedition(Jan.2021)(CHINARE-37)and subjected to analysis of particulate organic carbon(POC)and phytoplankton pigments.The remote sensing data,CHEMTAX community compositional modeling analysis,and physicochemical measurements were combined to explore the spatial variation of phytoplankton crops,taxonomic composition,and their environmental drivers.Historical phytoplankton community data from the area were also compared against those of this study to investigate inter-annual community differences and their potential causes.The column-integrated POC and chlorophyll-a(Chl-a)concentrations were 12.0±4.9 g/m^(2) and 73.8±50.5 mg/m^(2),respectively.The two most dominant taxa were haptophyte that are adapted to high Fe availability(Hapt-HiFe,mainly Phaeocystis antarctica)and Diatoms-A(Phaeodactylum tricornutum)that contributed to 33%±25%and 24%±14%to the total phytoplankton crops,respectively.Through cluster analysis,the study area was divided into two regions dominated by Hapt-HiFe and Diatoms-A,respectively.Spatially,Hapt-HiFe was mainly concentrated in the southwest coastal area that featured low temperatures,low salinity,and shallow euphotic zones.The coastal region southwest of the southern boundary of the Antarctic circumpolar current was experiencing a bloom of Hapt-HiFe during the study period that significantly contributed to the POC pool and Chl-a concentrations(R=0.46,P<0.01;R=0.42,P<0.01).Besides,the dominance of Hapt-HiFe in the CS suggests a high biological availability of dissolved Fe that is primarily associated with inputs from sea ice melt and upwellings.

Retention of harvest residues promotes the accumulation of topsoil organic carbon by increasing particulate organic carbon in a Chinese fir plantation

Background As commonly used harvest residue management practices in subtropical plantations,stem only harvesting(SOH)and whole tree harvesting(WTH)are expected to affect soil organic carbon(SOC)content.However,knowledge on how SOC and its fractions(POC:particulate organic carbon;MAOC:mineral-associated organic carbon)respond to different harvest residue managements is limited.Methods In this study,a randomized block experiment containing SOH and WTH was conducted in a Chinese fir(Cunninghamia lanceolata)plantation.The effect of harvest residue management on SOC and its fractions in topsoil(0–10cm)and subsoil(20–40cm)was determined.Plant inputs(harvest residue retaining mass and fine root biomass)and microbial and mineral properties were also measured.Results The responses of SOC and its fractions to different harvest residue managements varied with soil depth.Specifically,SOH enhanced the content of SOC and POC in topsoil with increases of 15.9%and 29.8%,respectively,compared with WTH.However,SOH had no significant effects on MAOC in topsoil and SOC and its fractions in subsoil.These results indicated that the increase in POC induced by the retention of harvest residue was the primary contributor to SOC accumulation,especially in topsoil.The harvest residue managements affected SOC and its fractions through different pathways in topsoil and subsoil.The plant inputs(the increase in fine root biomass induced by SOH)exerted a principal role in the SOC accumulation in topsoil,whereas mineral and microbial properties played a more important role in regulating SOC dynamics than plants inputs in subsoil.Conclusion The retention of harvest residues can promote SOC accumulation by increasing POC,and is thus suggested as an effective technology to enhance the soil carbon sink for mitigating climate change in plantation management.

Multi-Pollutant Formation and Control in Pressurized Oxy-Combustion:SO_(x),NO_(x),Particulate Matter,and Mercury

Oxy-combustion is a promising carbon-capture technology,but atmospheric-pressure oxy-combustion has a relatively low net efficiency,limiting its application in power plants.In pressurized oxycombustion(POC),the boiler,air separation unit,flue gas recirculation unit,and CO_(2)purification and compression unit are all operated at elevated pressure;this makes the process more efficient,with many advantages over atmospheric pressure,such as low NO_(x)emissions,a smaller boiler size,and more.POC is also more promising for industrial application and has attracted widespread research interest in recent years.It can produce high-pressure CO_(2)with a purity of approximately 95%,which can be used directly for enhanced oil recovery or geo-sequestration.However,the pollutant emissions must meet the standards for carbon capture,storage,and utilization.Because of the high oxygen and moisture concentrations in POC,the formation of acids via the oxidation and solution of SO_(x)and NO_(x)can be increased,causing the corrosion of pipelines and equipment.Furthermore,particulate matter(PM)and mercury emissions can harm the environment and human health.The main distinction between pressurized and atmospheric-pressure oxy-combustion is the former’s elevated pressure;thus,the effect of this pressure on the pollutants emitted from POC—including SO_(x),NO_(x),PM,and mercury—must be understood,and effective control methodologies must be incorporated to control the formation of these pollutants.This paper reviews recent advances in research on SO_(x),NO_(x),PM,and mercury formation and control in POC systems that can aid in pollutant control in such systems.

Chemical Determination of Base Status Metals in Soil Sediments and Particulate Matter in Wellington Industrial Estate Location

This research study explored the levels of base status metals in soil sediments and particulate matter in the wellington industrial estate location;the main objectives were to: 1) determine sodium and potassium, 2) determine calcium and magnesium, 3) determine available iron. The following hypotheses were put forward;H0a: there is no significant difference in the concentration levels between Ca and Mg in the study area, H1a: there is significant difference in the concentration levels between Ca and Mg in the study area, H0b: there is no significant difference in the concentration levels between Na and K in the study area, H1b: there is significant difference in the concentration levels between Na and K in the study area. Six locations were used to collect samples with the aid of scoop and gravel free auger (at varying depths of 0 - 5 cm and 5 - 10 cm) which are Wellington Industrial Estate Area 1 (WIEL 1), (WIEL 2), (WIEL 3), (WIEL 4), (WIEL 5), (WIEL 6);the samples were given laboratory treatment. Flame photometer, EDTA, and Spectrophotometer were used in the determinations of sodium and potassium, calcium and magnesium, and available iron respectively. The results indicated that levels of potassium were in medium range (moderately high);sodium levels were generally low when compared to Brook’s classification table. Levels of calcium were generally low and those of magnesium were moderate based on Brook’s table of classification. Levels of available iron which fall within the range of Quijano-Guerta (2003) were high;this implies such levels can lead to toxicity. In all locations, there was decrease in the levels of each metal in the samples with (5 - 10 cm) depth.

Characteristics and fate behavior of environmentally persistent free radicals in atmospheric particulate matter

Background,aim,and scope Environmentally persistent free radicals(EPFRs)have received significant attention due to their longer lifetime and stable existence in various environments.The strong environmental migration ability of particulate matter allows EPFRs to migrate over long-distance transport,thereby impacting the quality of the local atmospheric environment.Additionally,EPFRs can also adhere to atmospheric particles and interact with typical gaseous pollutants to affect atmospheric chemical reactions.EPFRs can produce some reactive organic species,promoting oxidative stress in the human body,damaging biological macromolecules and ultimately affecting the organism health.EPFRs are considered as a novel type of pollutant that affects human health.Despite their significance,there are few literatures available on the characteristics and fate behaviors of EPFRs up to date.Therefore,supplemental reviews are crucial for providing comprehensive understanding of EPFRs.Materials and methods This review summarizes the characteristics of EPFRs in particulate matter,outlines the generation mechanism and influencing factors of EPFRs,and the impacts of EPFRs on environmental quality and organism health.Results The content of EPFRs in particulate matter ranges from 1017 to 1020 spins∙g−1.Due to the strong mobility of atmospheric particulate matter,the long-term exposure to high levels of EPFRs may aggravate the impact of particulate matter on human health.The interaction between EPFRs and typical gaseous pollutants can alter their fate and influence atmospheric chemical reactions.EPFRs are mainly produced by transition metal elements and substituted aromatic hydrocarbons through electron transfer.Additionally,the chemical bond rupture of organic substances through heat treatment or ultraviolet radiation can also produce EPFRs,and heterogeneous reactions are capable producing them as well.The production of EPFRs is not only influenced by transition metal elements and precursors,but also by various environmental factors such as oxygen,temperature,light radiation,and relative humidity.Discussion EPFRs in atmospheric particulates matters are usually rich in fine particulates with obvious seasonal and regional variations.They can easily enter the human respiratory tract and lungs with inhalable particulates,thereby increasing the risk of exposure.Additionally,EPFRs in atmospheric particulates can interact with some typical gaseous pollutants,impacting the life and fate of EPFRs in the atmosphere,and alter atmospheric chemical reactions.Traditionally,EPFRs are generated by transition metal elements and substituted aromatic hydrocarbons undergoing electron transfer in the post-flame and cool-zone regions of combustion systems and other thermal processes to remove HCl,H_(2)O or CO groups,ultimately produce semiquinones,phenoxyls,and cyclopentadienyls.Recent studies have indicated that EPFRs can also be generated under the conditions of without transition metal elemental.Organics can also produce EPFRs through chemical bond rupture during heat treatment or light radiation conditions,as well as through some heterogeneous reactions and photochemical secondary generation of EPFRs.The presence or absence of oxygen has different effects on the type and yield of EPFRs.The concentration,type,and crystal type of transition metal elements will affect the type,content,and atmospheric lifetime of EPFRs.It is generally believed that the impact of transition metal element types on EPFRs is related to the oxidation-reduction potential.The combustion temperature or heat treatment process significantly affects the type and amount of EPFRs.Factors such as precursor loading content,pH conditions,light radiation and relative humidity also influence the generation of EPFRs.EPFRs can interact with pollutants in the environment during their migration and transformation process in environmental medium.This process accelerates the degradation of pollutants and plays a crucial role in the migration and transformation of organic pollutants in environmental media.The reaction process of EPFRs may lead to the production of reactive oxygen species(ROS)such as∙OH,which can induce oxidative stress,inflammation and immune response to biological lung cells and tissues,leading to chronic respiratory and cardiopulmonary dysfunction,cardiovascular damage and neurotoxic effects,ultimately impacting the health of organisms.Conclusions The interaction mechanism between EPFRs in particulate matter and gaseous pollutants remains unclear.Furthermore,research on the generation mechanism of EPFRs without the participation of transition metals is not comprehensive,and the detection of EPFRs is limited to simple qualitative categories and lack accurate qualitative analysis.Recommendations and perspectives Further research should be conducted on the generation mechanism,measurement techniques,migration pathways,and transformation process of EPFRs.It is also important to explore the interaction between EPFRs in atmospheric particulate matter and typical gaseous pollutants.

Modeling and Characterization of Fine Particulate Matter Dynamics in Bujumbura Using Low-Cost Sensors

Air pollution is a result of multiple sources including both natural and anthropogenic activities. The rapid urbanization of the cities such as Bujumbura, economic capital of Burundi, is one of these factors. The very first characterization of the spatio-temporal variability of PM2.5 in Bujumbura and the forecasting of PM2.5 concentration have been conducted in this paper using data collected during a year, from August 2022 to August 2023, by low-cost sensors installed in Bujumbura city. For each commune, an hourly, daily and seasonal analysis was carried out and the results showed that the mass concentrations of PM2.5 in the three municipalities differ from one commune to another. The average hourly and annual PM2.5 concentrations exceed the World Health Organization standards. The range is between 28.3 and 35.0 μg/m3. In order to make a prediction of PM2.5 concentration, an investigation of Recurrent Neural Networks with Long Short-Term Memory has been undertaken.

Monitoring of Air Quality for Particulate Matter (PM2.5, PM10) and Heavy Metals Proximate to a Cement Factory in Ewekoro, Nigeria

A cement factory nearby communities raise pollution concerns. This study assessed air pollution levels for respirable particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and heavy metals (lead, chromium, nickel, cadmium, zinc and copper) adjacent to a cement factory in Ewekoro and neighbouring communities (Papalantoro, Lapeleko and Itori) in Ogun State, Nigeria. Respirable particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and heavy metals were measured using an ARA N-FRM cassette sampler. Each location sampled was monitored for eight continuous hours daily for 12 days. The PM2.5, PM10 and heavy metals results were compared with different standards, including those of the World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria’s National Environmental Standard and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS). The PM levels fell within 11 - 19 μg/m3 of the air management level of CAAQS, which signifies continuous actions are needed to improve air quality in the areas monitored but below the NESREA standard. The mean Cd, Cr and Ni concentrations in the cement factory area and the impacted neighbourhoods are higher than the WHO/EU permissible limits, while Zn and Cu were below the WHO/EU permissible limit. A risk assessment hazard quotient (HQ) for Cr was above the WHO/EU safe level (=1) in adults and children throµgh ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact at all the monitoring sites. The HQ for Ni and Cd was higher than the safe level in the cement factory area and Papalantoro, while Zn was at safe levels.

湛江湾柱状沉积物n-alkanes和PAHs组合分子特征及其环境指示作用

本文对湛江湾湾内、湾口和湾外柱状沉积物n-alkanes和PAHs的空间分布、成分谱特征和排放源进行调查分析。结果表明：（1）n-alkanes和PAHs的空间分布一致,浓度水平由高到低依次为：湾内、湾口、湾外,垂直变化不明显;（2）n-alkanes和PAHs的成分谱和L/H、CPI、Ant/（Ant＋Phe）、Flu/（Flu＋Pyr）、BaA/（BaA＋Chry）、IP/（IP＋BghiP）等特征参数比值以及主成分分析结果表明C25～C35高碳数n-alkanes的高等植物贡献具有绝对优势,C14～C24中低碳数的n-alkanes和PAHs则有共同的石油、化石燃料燃烧和生物质燃烧等人为源;（3）C14～C24中低碳n-alkanes与PAHs的源解析结果相同,其线性相关系数在0.67以上,表明两者具有较好的相关性,但两者之间的定量关系还需进一步的研究。本研究表明n-alkanes和PAHs对人为源的指示具有一致性,两者具有良好的相关性,能够较好地反映城市的社会经济状况,在进一步的研究中可以建立两者之间的定量关系并形成新的参数,提高人为源解析结果的准确性,深入反映人类活动对海洋环境的影响。

Source profiles of particulate organic matters emitted from cereal straw burnings

Cereal straw is one of the most abundant biomass burned in China but its contribution to fine particulates is not adequately understood. In this study, three main kinds of cereal straws were collected from five grain producing areas in China. Fine particulate matters （PMzs） from the cereal straws subjected to control burnings, both under smoldering and flaming status, were sampled by using a custom made dilution chamber and sampling system in the laboratory. Element carbon （EC） and organic carbon （OC） was analyzed. 141 compounds of organic matters were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrum （GC-MS）. Source profiles of particulate organic matters emitted from cereal straw burnings were obtained. The results indicated that organic matters contribute a large fraction in fine particulate matters. Levoglucosan had the highest contributions with averagely 4.5% in mass of fine particulates and can be considered as the tracer of biomass burnings. Methyloxylated phenols from lignin degradation also had high concentrations in PM2.5, and contained approximately equal amounts of guaiacyl and syringyl compounds. 13-Sitostrol also made up relatively a large fraction of PMz5 compared with the other sterols （0.18%-0.63% of the total fine particle mass）. Normal alkanes, PAHs, fatty acids, as well as normal alkanols had relatively lower concentrations compared with the compounds mentioned above. Carbon preference index （CPI） of normal alkanes and alkanoic acids showed characteristics of biogenic fuel burnings. Burning status significantly influenced the formations of EC and PAHs. The differences between the emission profiles of straw and wood combustions were displayed by the fingerprint compounds, which may be used to identify the contributions between wood and straw burnings in source apportionment researches.

Atmospheric particulate pollution of Lanzhou using magnetic measurements

To differentiate between natural and anthropogenic particulate sources in the atmosphere in Lanzhou City, samples were collected in different sites. The dust flux was calculated and magnetic measurements were conducted. Results show a distinct pattern of variation of dust flux within a year and it agrees with the shifts of atmospheric circulation regime. The magnetic parameters indicate that natural sources are the major components of atmospheric particulate during late spring and early summer, while anthropogenic sources contribute much more during winter months. The data also support the earlier findings that magnetic parameters are effective for differentiating between particulate arising from natural sources such as soil erosion and from anthropogenic sources such as coal combustion.

Numerical simulation on trapping efficiency of steady filtration process in diesel particulate filter and its experimental verification

Taking wall-flow diesel particulate filter(DPF) as the research objective and separately assuming its filtering wall to be composed of numerous spherical or cylindrical elements, two different mathematical models of steady filtration for wall-flow diesel particulate filter were developed and verified by experiments as well as numerically solved. Furthermore, the effects of the macroand micro-structural parameters of filtering wall and exhaust-flow characteristic parameters on trapping efficiency were also analyzed and researched. The results show that: 1) The two developed mathematical models are consistent with the prediction of variation of particulate size; the influence of various factors on the steady trapping efficiency is exactly the same. Compared to model 2, model 1 is more suitable for describing the steady filtration process of wall-flow diesel particulate filter; 2)The major influencing factors on steady trapping efficiency of wall-flow diesel particulate filter are the macro-and micro-structural parameters of filtering wall; and the secondary influencing factors are the exhaust-flow characteristic parameters and macro-structural parameters of filter; 3)The steady trapping efficiency will be improved by increasing filter body volume, pore density as well as wall thickness and by decreasing exhaust-flow, but effects will be weakened when particulate size exceeds a certain critical value; 4) The steady trapping efficiency will be significantly improved by increasing exhaust-flow temperature and filtering wall thickness, but effects will be also weakened when particulate size exceeds a certain critical value; 5) The steady trapping efficiency will approximately linearly increase with reducing porosity, micropore aperture and pore width.

Size Distributions and Elemental Compositions of Particulate Matter on Clear,Hazy and Foggy days in Beijing,China

Total suspended particulates （TSP） samples were collected using low pressure impactors （Andersen Series 20-800, USA） on typical clear, hazy and foggy days in Beijing in order to investigate the characteristics of size distributions and elemental compositions of particulate matter （PM） in different weather conditions. The concentrations of sixteen elements, including Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Ba, T1 and Pb were detected using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （ICP-MS）. The results showed that Ca, A1, Fe, Mg and Ba on foggy days were 2.0 2.6 times higher than on clear days, and 2.3-2.9 times higher than on hazy days. Concentrations of Cu, Zn, As, Se and Pb on foggy days were 163.5, 1186.7, 65.9, 32.0 and 708.2 ng m-3, respectively, in fine particles, and 68.1, 289.5, 19.8, 1.6 and 103.8 ng m-3, respectively, in coarse particles. This was 1.0~8.4 times higher and 1.4-7.4 times higher than on clear and hazy days, respectively. It is then shown that Mg, A1, Fe, Ca and Ba were mainly associated with coarse particles, peaking at 4.7~5.8 μm; that Cd, Se, Zn, As, T1 and Pb were most dominant in fine particles, peaking at 0.43-1.1 μm; and that Na, K, Ni, Cu and Mn had a multi-mode distribution, with peaks at 0.43-1.1 μm and 4.7-5.8 μm. The enrichment factors indicated that coal combustion along with vehicle and industry emissions may be the main sources of pollution elements.

Characteristics of air particulate matter and their sources in urban and rural area of Beijing, China

During October 1993 and March 1996, the samples of fine and coarse air particulate matter have been collected at representative urban and rural site of Beijing with the Gent Stacked Filter Unit Sampler. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and proton induced X ray emission (PIXE) method were used to determine the elemental composition of the particulate matter. Average elemental concentrations and enrichment factors were calculated for the fine and coarse size fractions. Based on the particulate matter data obtained at urban and rural site together with the chemical constituents of the aerosol from the different sources are discussed. The results show that the relative particulate mass and elemental concentrations of crustal and pollutant elements in the air particulate matter collected over the urban are higher than rural and winter heating period are higher than in ordinary season. Beijing atmosphere is polluted by aerosols from regional and faraway sources. It was noticed that the toxic or harmful elements such as As, Sb, Pb, Cu, Ni, S and Zn were mainly enriched in fine particles with diameter less than 2 μm. A receptor model was used to assess the relative contribution of major air pollution sources at receptor sites in Beijing. Trace elements were used as the markers for the above assessment. Factor analysis method was used to identify possible emission sources of air particles. The major sources of dust soil, coal burning, motor vehicle emission, industry emission and refuse incineration were identified.

Development of analytical methods for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in airborne particulates: A review

In the present work, the different sample collection, pretreatment and analytical methods for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons （PAHs） in airborne particulates is systematacially reviewed, and the applications of these pretreatment and analytical methods for PAHs are compared in detail. Some comments on the future expectation are also presented.

Establishment of Exposure-response Functions of Air Particulate Matter and Adverse Health Outcomes in China and Worldwide

Objective To obtain the exposure-response functions that could be used in health-based risk assessment of particulate air pollution in China. Methods Meta analysis was conducted on the literatures on air particulate matter and its adverse health outcomes in China and worldwide. Results For each health outcome from morbidity to mortality changes, the relative risks were estimated when the concentration of air particulate matter increased to some certain units. Conclusion The exposure-response functions recommended here can be further applied to health risk assessment of air particulate matter in China.

Chemical and Isotopic Characteristics of the Water and Suspended Particulate Materials in the Yangtze River and Their Geological and Environmental Implications

The chemical and isotopic characteristics of the water and suspended particulate materials（SPM） in the Yangtze River were investigated on the samples collected from 25 hydrological monitoring stations in the mainsteam and 13 hydrological monitoring stations in the major tributaries during 2003 to 2007. The water samples show a large variation in both δD（ 30‰ to 112‰） and δ18O（ 3.8‰ to 15.4‰） values. Both δD and δ18O values show a decrease from the river head to the Jinsha Jiang section and then increase downstream to the river mouth. It is found that the oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions of the Yangtze water are controlled by meteoric precipitation, evaporation, ice（and snow） melting and dam building. The Yangtze SPM concentrations show a large variation and are well corresponded to the spatial and temporal changes of flow speed, runoff and SPM supply, which are affected by the slope of the river bed, local precipitation rate, weathering intensity, erosion condition and anthropogenic activity. The Yangtze SPM consists of clay minerals, clastic silicate and carbonate minerals, heavy minerals, iron hydroxide and organic compounds. From the upper to lower reaches, the clay and clastic silicate components in SPM increase gradually, but the carbonate components decrease gradually, which may reflect changes of climate and weathering intensity in the drainage area. Compared to those of the upper crust rocks, the Yangtze SPM has lower contents of SiO2, CaO, K2 O and Na2 O and higher contents of TFe2 O3 and trace metals of Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd. The ΣREE in the Yangtze SPM is also slightly higher than that of the upper crust. From the upper to lower reaches, the CaO and MgO contents in SPM decrease gradually, but the SiO2 content increases gradually, corresponding to the increase of clay minerals and decrease of the carbonates. The δ30SiSPM values（ 1.1‰ to 0.3‰） of the Yangtze SPM are similar to those of the average shale, but lower than those of the granite rocks（ 0.3‰ to 0.3‰）, reflecting the effect of silicon isotope fractionation in silicate weathering process. The δ30SiSPM values of the Yangtze SPM show a decreasing trend from the upper to the middle and lower reaches, responding to the variation of the clay content. The major anions of the river water are HCO 3, SO 4 2, Cl, NO 3, SiO 4 4 and F and the major cations include Ca2＋, Na＋, Mg2＋, K＋ and Sr2＋. The good correlation between HCO3-content and the content of Ca2＋may suggest that carbonate dissolution is the dominate contributor to the total dissolved solid（TDS） of the Yangtze River. Very good correlations are also found among contents of Cl, SO4 2, Na＋, Mg2＋, K＋and Sr2＋, indicating the important contribution of evaporite dissolution to the TDS of the Yangtze River. High TDS contents are generally found in the head water, reflecting a strong effect of evaporation in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. A small increase of the TDS is generally observed in the river mouth, indicating the influence of tidal intrusion. The F and NO3 contents show a clear increase trend from the upstream to downstream, reflecting the contribution of pesticides and fertilizers in the Chuan Jiang section and the middle and lower reaches. The DSi shows a decrease trend from the upstream to downstream, reflecting the effect of rice and grass growth along the Chuan Jiang section and the middle and lower reaches. The dissolved Cu, Zn and Cd in the Yangtze water are all higher than those in world large rivers, reflecting the effect of intensive mining activity along the Yangtze drainage area. The Yangtze water generally shows similar REE distribution pattern to the global shale. The δ30SiDiss values of the dissolved silicon vary from 0.5‰ to 3.7‰, which is the highest among those of the rivers studied. The δ30SiDiss values of the water in the Yangtze mainsteam show an increase trend from the upper stream to downstream. Its DSi and δ30SiDiss are influenced by multiple processes, such as weathering process, phytolith growth in plants, evaporation, phytolith dissolution, growth of fresh water diatom, adsorption and desorption of aqueous monosilicic acid on iron oxide, precipitation of silcretes and formation of clays coatings in aquifers, and human activity. The δ34SSO4 values of the Yangtze water range from 1.7‰ to 9.0‰. The SO4 in the Yangtze water are mainly from the SO4 in meteoric water, the dissolved sulfate from evaporite, and oxidation of sulfide in rocks, coal and ore deposits. The sulfate reduction and precipitation process can also affect the sulfur isotope composition of the Yangtze water. The87Sr/86Sr ratios of the Yangtze water range from 0.70823 to 0.71590, with an average value of 0.71084. The87Sr/86Sr ratio and Sr concentration are primary controlled by mixing of various sources with different87Sr/86Sr ratios and Sr contents, including the limestone, evaporite and the silicate rocks. The atmospheric precipitation and anthropogenic inputs can also contribute some Sr to the river. The δ11B values of the dissolved B in the Yangtze water range from 2.0‰ to 18.3‰, which is affected by multifactors, such as silicate weathering, carbonate weathering, evaporite dissolution, atmospheric deposition, and anthropogenic inputs.