For flood control purpose, the water level of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) varies significantly. The annual reservoir surface elevation amplitude is about 30 m behind the dam. Filling of the reservoir has created about 349 km(2) of newly flooded riparian zone. The average flooding period lasts for more than 6 months, from mid-October to late April. The dam and its associated reservoir provide flood control, power generation, and navigation, but there are also many environmental challenges. The littoral zone is the important part of the TGR, once its eco-health and stability are damaged,which will directly endanger the ecological safety of the whole reservoir area and even the Yangtze River Basin. So, understanding the great ecological opportunities which are hidden in littoral zone of TGR (LZTGR) and putting forward approaches to solve the environmental problems are very important. LZTGR involves a wide field of problems, such as the landslides, potential water pollution, soil erosion, biodiversity loss, land cover changes, and other issues. The Three Gorges dam (TGD) is a major trigger of environmental change in the Yangtze River. The landslides, water quality, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, dam operation, and challenge for land use are closely interrelated across spatial and temporal scales. Therefore, the ecological and environmental impacts caused by TGD are necessarily complex and uncertain. LZTGR is not only a great environmental challenge but also an ecological opportunity for us. In fact, LZTGR is an important structural unit of TGR ecosystem and has special ecosystem services function. Vegetation growing in LZTGR is therefore a valuable resource due to accumulation of carbon and nutrients. Everyone thinks that the ecological approach to the problem is needed. If properly designed, dike-pond systems, littoral woods systems, and re-created waterfowl habitats will have the capacity to capture nutrients from uplands and obstruct soil erosion. Ecological engineering approaches can therefore reduce environmental impacts of LZTGR and optimize ecological services. In view of the current situation and existing ecological problems of LZTGR, according to function demands such as environmental purification, biodiversity conservation, and vegetation carbon sink enhancement, we should explore the eco-friendly utilization mode of resources in LZTGR. Ecological engineering approaches might minimize the impacts or optimize the ecological services. Natural regeneration and ecological restoration in LZTGR are valuable for soil erosion decrease, pollutant purification, biodiversity conservation, carbon sink increase, and ecosystem health maintenance in TGR.

In this research, in order to develop technology/country-specific emission factors of methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O), a total of 585 samples from eight gas-fired turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power plants were measured and analyzed. The research found that the emission factor for CH₄ stood at “0.82 kg/TJ”, which was an 18 % lower than the emission factor for liquefied natural gas (LNG) GTCC “1 kg/TJ” presented by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The result was 8 % up when compared with the emission factor of Japan which stands at “0.75 kg/TJ”. The emission factor for N₂O was “0.65 kg/TJ”, which is significantly lower than “3 kg/TJ” of the emission factor for LNG GTCC presented by IPCC, but over six times higher than the default N₂O emission factor of LNG. The evaluation of uncertainty was conducted based on the estimated non-CO₂ emission factors, and the ranges of uncertainty for CH₄ and N₂O were between −12.96 and +13.89 %, and −11.43 and +12.86 %, respectively, which is significantly lower than uncertainties presented by IPCC. These differences proved that non-CO₂ emissions can change depending on combustion technologies; therefore, it is vital to establish country/technology-specific emission factors.

Coupled Bi₂O₃/TiO₂ photocatalysts were fabricated by sol–gel and hydrothermal methods and characterized using various spectroscopy techniques. Photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) in aqueous solution, together with the synergistic effect of photodegradation of bisphenol A (BPA), was investigated using these coupled Bi₂O₃/TiO₂ under visible-light irradiation. Coupling of Bi₂O₃ inhibited the phase transformation from anatase to rutile and extended absorption region to visible light. Bi ions did not enter TiO₂ lattice and were more likely to bond with oxygen atoms to form Bi₂O₃ on the surface of TiO₂. Photovoltage signals in visible range revealed the effective interfacial charge transfer between Bi₂O₃ and TiO₂. Two percent Bi₂O₃/TiO₂ exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity of visible-light-induced reduction of Cr(VI). The addition of BPA effectively increased the photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI). Simultaneously, the presence of Cr(VI) promoted the degradation of BPA, which was demonstrated by the investigation of TOC removal yield and generated intermediates. A possible mechanism of photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) and degradation of BPA in Bi₂O₃/TiO₂ system was proposed. The synergistic effect, observed between reduction of Cr(VI) and degradation of BPA, provides beneficial method for environmental remediation and purification of the complex wastewater.

The solid-solution distribution or partition coefficient (Kd) is a measure of affinity of potentially toxic elements (PTE) for soil colloids. Kd plays a key role in several models for defining PTE guideline values in soils and for assessing environmental risks, and its value depends on edaphic and climatic conditions of the sites where the soils occur. This study quantified Kd values for Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn from representative soil samples from Brazil’s eastern Amazon region, which measures 1.2 million km². The Kd values obtained were lower than those set by both international and Brazilian environmental agencies and were correlated with the pH, Fe and Mn oxide content, and cationic exchange capacity of the soils. The following order of decreasing affinity was observed: Pb > Cu > Hg > Cr > Cd ≈ Co > Ni > Zn.

Fluoride concentrations were determined in PM10 samples collected in the urbanized coastal area of the Baltic Sea (Gdynia) in the period between 1 August 2008 and 8 January 2010. F(-) concentrations remained within the range of 0.4-36.6 ng · m(-3). The economic transformations which have taken place in Poland increasing ecological awareness have had an excellent effect on the levels of fluoride pollution in the air of the studied region. In our measurements, fluoride concentrations increased in wintertime, when air temperature dropped, at low wind speeds (<1 m · s(-1)) and with low dispersion of pollutants originating from local sources (traffic, industry, domestic heating). At times when wind speed grew to >10 m · s(-1), fluorides were related to marine aerosols or else brought from distant sources. Apart from wind speed and air temperature, other significant meteorological parameters which determined the variability of F(-) turned out to be air humidity and precipitation volume. Aerosols were washed out effectively, even with small precipitation (h = 4 mm), and if a dry period lasted for several days, their concentrations grew rapidly to over 30.0 ng · m(-3).

It is well known that adsorption is an efficient method of removal of various pollutants from wastewater. The present study examines the phenol removal from water by adsorption on a new material, based on zeolitic volcanic tuff. This compound contains zeolitic tuff and cellulose, another known adsorbent, in a mass ratio of 4 to 1. The performances of the new adsorbent composite were compared with those of a widely used adsorbent material, zeolitic volcanic tuff. The adsorbent properties were tested on batch synthetic solutions containing 1-10 mg L(-1) (1-10 ppm) phenol, at room temperature without pH adjustment. The influence of the adsorbent dose, pH and contact time on the removal degree of phenol from water was investigated. The experimental data were modeled using the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin adsorption isotherms. The Langmuir model was found to best represent our data revealing a monolayer adsorption with a maximum adsorption capacity between 0.12 and 0.53 mg g(-1) at 25 °C, for 2.00 g of adsorbent, depending on the initial phenol concentration. The adsorption kinetic study was performed using a pseudo-first- and pseudo-second-order kinetic models illustrating that phenol adsorption on zeolite composite is well described by pseudo-first kinetic equations. Our results indicated that phenol adsorption on the new adsorbent composite is superior to that on the classic zeolite.

Air particulate matter (PM) samples were collected in Singapore from 21 to 29 October 2010. During this time period, a severe regional smoke haze episode lasted for a few days (21–23 October). Physicochemical and toxicological characteristics of both haze and non-haze aerosols were evaluated. The average mass concentration of PM₂.₅ (PM with aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm) increased by a factor of 4 during the smoke haze period (107.2 μg/m³) as compared to that during the non-smoke haze period (27.0 μg/m³). The PM₂.₅ samples were analyzed for 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) listed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and 10 transition metals. Out of the seven PAHs known as potential or suspected carcinogens, five were found in significantly higher levels in smoke haze aerosols as compared to those in the background air. Metal concentrations were also found to be higher in haze aerosols. Additionally, the toxicological profile of the PM₂.₅ samples was evaluated using a human epithelial lung cell line (A549). Cell viability and death counts were measured after a direct exposure of PM₂.₅ samples to A459 cells for a period of 48 h. The percentage of metabolically active cells decreased significantly following a direct exposure to PM samples collected during the haze period. To provide further insights into the toxicological characteristics of the aerosol particles, glutathione levels, as an indirect measure of oxidative stress and caspase-3/7 levels as a measure of apoptotic death, were also evaluated.

Metal-contaminated soil, from the El Arteal mining district (SE Spain), was remediated with organic (6 % compost) and inorganic amendments (8 % marble sludge) to reduce the mobility of metals and to modify its potential environmental impact. Different measures of metal bioavailability (chemical analysis; survival, growth, reproduction and bioaccumulation in the earthworm Eisenia andrei), were tested in order to evaluate the efficacy of organic and inorganic amendments as immobilizing agents in reducing metal (bio)availability in the contaminated soil. The inorganic amendment reduced water and CaCl2-extractable concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn, while the organic amendment increased these concentrations compared to the untreated soil. The inorganic treatment did not significantly reduce toxicity for the earthworm E. andrei after 28 days exposure. The organic amendment however, made the metal-contaminated soil more toxic to the earthworms, with all earthworms dying in undiluted soil and completely inhibiting reproduction at concentrations higher than 25 %. This may be due to increased available metal concentrations and higher electrical conductivity in the compost-amended soil. No effects of organic and inorganic treatments on metal bioaccumulation in the earthworms were found and metal concentrations in the earthworms increased with increasing total soil concentrations.

In this study, a SYBR green quantitative real-time PCR was developed to quantify and detect the Legionella spp. in various environmental water samples. The water samples were taken from watershed, water treatment plant, and thermal spring area in Taiwan. Legionella was detected in 13.6 % (24/176), and the detection rate for river water, raw drinking water, and thermal spring water was 10, 21.4, and 16.6 %, respectively. Using real-time PCR, concentration of Legionella spp. in detected samples ranged between 9.75 × 10(4) and 3.47 × 10(5) cells/L in river water, 6.92 × 10(4) and 4.29 × 10(5) cells/L in raw drinking water, and 5.71 × 10(4) and 2.12 × 10(6) cells/L for thermal spring water samples. The identified species included Legionella pneumophila (20.8 %), Legionella jordanis (4.2 %), Legionella nautarum (4.2 %), Legionella sp. (4.2 %), and uncultured Legionella sp. (66.6 %). The presence of L. pneumophila in aquatic environments suggested a potential public health threat that must be further examined.

Transition-metal is known to catalyze peroxymonosulfate (PMS) decomposition to produce sulfate radicals. Here we report reactions between PMS and chloride, without a need of transition metals, also can be used to degrade organic dye pollutant (Rhodamine B, (RhB)). Some important operating parameters, such as dosages of PMS and Cl(-), pH of solution, temperature, ionic strength, and several common cations, were systematically investigated. Almost complete decoloration of RhB was achieved within 5 min ([PMS] = 0.5 mM, [Cl(-)] = 120 mM, and pH 3.0), and RhB bleaching rate increased with the increased dosages of both PMS and chloride ion, following the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. However, the total organic carbon (TOC) removal results demonstrated that the decoloration of RhB was due to the destruction of chromophore rather than complete degradation. RhB decoloration could be significantly accelerated due to the high ionic strength. Increasing of the reaction temperature from 273 K to 333 K was beneficial to the RhB degradation, and the activation energy was determined to be 32.996 kJ/mol. Bleaching rate of RhB with the examined cations increased with the order of NH4 (+) < Na(+) < K(+) < Al(3+) < Ca(2+) < Mg(2+). Some major degradation products of RhB were identified by GC-MS. The present study may have active technical implications for the treatment of dyestuff wastewater in practice.