[Concentration Characteristics and Assessment of Model-Predicted Results of PM2.5 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region in Autumn and Winter].

This paper discusses the concentration characteristics of PM2.5, as well as its relationship with meteorological factors in autumn and winter (from September to the following February), from 2013 to 2018 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region. The accuracy and uncertainty of the air quality forecast models NAQPMS(nested air quality prediction modeling system), CMAQ(community multiscale air quality modeling system), and CAMx (comprehensive air quality model with extensions) were analyzed based on the model-predicted and measured PM2.5 concentration in autumn and winter from 2015 to 2018. The accuracy of NAQPMS, CMAQ, and CAMx during typical heavy air pollution was also tested. Moreover, methods to improve the accuracy of the model forecast were discussed. The results showed that the mean concentrations of PM2.5 in the BTH region were 122, 98, 82, 99, and 65 µg·m-3 in the five autumn and winter periods, respectively. When the air quality index (AQI) exceeded 150 during each autumn and winter, it reached 229, 198, 210, 204, and 180 µg·m-3, respectively. There were 64 occurrences of heavy regional PM2.5 air pollution in autumn and winter from 2013 to 2018. The average duration was longest in the 2013 to 2014 period, and shortest in the 2017 to 2018 period. The peak concentration and average concentration of PM2.5 decreased year on year, except for the period from 2016 to 2017. In autumn and winter, PM2.5 concentration had a relatively close relationship with relative humidity, wind and sunshine duration, compared with a weak relationship with temperature and air pressure. Regional heavy air pollution always happened under the condition of low wind speed(less than 2 m·s-1),higher relative humidity(greater than 65%),and southwest and northeast wind direction. In addition, the heavy air pollution of PM2.5 in BTH in autumn and winter can be effectively forecasted by NAQPMS, CMAQ, and CAMx. The predicted and measured PM2.5 concentration showed a close relationship. The models performed well in forecasting Zhangjiakou, Chengde, and Qinhuangdao, but by contrast overestimated in Tangshan, Shijiazhuang, Baoding, Beijing, and Tianjin. The uncertainty of emission sources, measured and predicted meteorological data, and the atmospheric chemical reaction mechanism may be the main reasons for the overestimate.

[Form of the particulate matter ambient air standards in China].

Based on the principles from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States, an analysis was conducted to study the form of 24-hour standard of particulate matter in China by methods of statistical regression, proportional rollback and controlling contrast maps, using the monitoring data of inhalable particulate matter (PM10) from 120 cities in China during year 2005 to 2012. It was found that for cities in China, when the annual arithmetic mean of PM10 was equal to the national standard, the non-exceedance rates of daily average PM10 in most cities were higher than 95.0% , and the average rate for all cities was 97.1%. The average non-exceedance rate was 96.3% for cities in North China and Northwest China, 96.6% for Northeast China, 97.2% for East China and Central South China, and 98.1% for Southwest China. When the 97th percentile was chosen as the form of 24-hour standard of particulate matter for China, the 24-hour standard had an equal controlling strength with the annual standard. The 24-hour standard will become the controlling standard when larger percentiles were chosen, otherwise the contrary. By considering together the statistical characteristics of PM10 level in China, the robustness of the percentiles and protection of human health, the 95th percentile was suitable as the preferred form of the 24-hour standard of PM10 and PM2.5 in China.

[Effects of NaCl and Na2CO3 stresses on the growth and photosynthesis characteristics of Morus alba seedlings].

Taking 1-year old Morus alba variety 'Qinglong' seedlings as test materials, this paper studied their growth and photosynthetic characteristics under the stresses of different concentration neutral salt NaCl and alkali salt Na2CO3. Salt stresses decreased the plant height and the leaf number, biomass, and photosynthetic capacity of the seedlings markedly. With increasing concentration Na+, the leaf stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, net photosynthetic rate, actual photochemical efficiency, electron transport rate, and photochemical quenching (qP) decreased obviously, the energy dissipation rate increased, and the light use efficiency and photosynthetic capacity dropped down. At low concentrations Na+ (< 150 mmol x L(-1)), the seedlings growth and leaf photosynthetic capacity were slightly inhibited, and the adaptability of the seedlings to the salt stresses increased via the increase of root/shoot ratio. However, this protection mechanism was impaired by increasing salt concentration. Na2CO3 stress (Na+ concentration > 50 mmol x L(-)) had stronger inhibitory effects on the seedlings growth and leaf photosynthetic capacity, and the effect increased with increasing Na+ concentration. It was concluded that at Na+ concentration < 150 mmol x L(-1), the photosynthetic adaptability of M. alba to neutral salt stress was mainly dependent on the plant morphology and photosynthetic metabolism, but at Na+ concentration > 150 mmol x L(-1), the photosynthetic adaptability of M. alba to alkali salt stress was mainly dependent on the photosynthetic metabolism.

[Interaction between calcium and lead affects the toxicity to embryo of zebrafish (Danio rerio)].

This study tested the hypothesis that increased Ca2+ content increases the sensitivity of the developing embryos and larvae of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to Pb. And the aim of the study was to investigate the extent to which calcium can individually mitigate lead ion toxicity based on the concept of biotic ligand model (BLM). Embryos of the zebrafish were exposed to various Pb concentrations. Chemical characteristics of water and representative toxicological endpoints of zebrafish embryo were recorded. And general growth retardation as a major toxicological endpoint was used for analysis at 72 h due to its sensitivity and facility. The BLM software of Visual MINTEQ (Version 2.5.2) was employed to calculate the chemical speciation in the solution. The results showed that when Ca2+ concentration increased from 0.25 mmol/L to 2.00 mmol/L, the toxicity of lead on embryos of zebrafish (Danio rerio) decreased markedly after 72 h. And a large part of these decrease can be explained by the positive linear relations between EC50{Pb2+}/EC50[Pb]T (expressed as lead ion activity/dissolved total concentration) and activity/total concentration of Ca2+, through which the influence of Ca2+ on toxicity could be predicted. The results support the assumptions of the BLM and associated with competition between lead and calcium for binding on transport and toxic action sites on biological surfaces. However, when Ca2+ concentration increased from 2.00 mmol/L to 4.00 mmol/L, the toxicity of lead on embryos of zebrafish (Danio rerio) seemed to be constant at 72 h.