Binhai New Research Articles

Extracting Meso- and Microscale Patterns of Urban Morphology Evolution: Evidence from Binhai New Area of Tianjin, China

Understanding and recognizing urban morphology evolution is a crucial issue in urban planning, with extensive research dedicated to detecting the extent of urban expansion. However, as urban development patterns shift from incremental expansion to stock optimization, related studies on meso- and microscale urban morphology evolution face limitations such as insufficient spatiotemporal data granularity, poor generalizability, and inability to extract internal evolution patterns. This study employs deep learning and meso-/microscopic urban form indicators to develop a generic framework for extracting and describing the evolution of meso-/microscale urban morphology. The framework includes three steps: constructing specific urban morphology datasets, semantic segmentation to extract urban form, and mapping urban form evolution using the Tile-based Urban Change (TUC) classification system. We applied this framework to conduct a combined quantitative and qualitative analysis of the internal urban morphology evolution of Binhai New Area from 2009 to 2022, with detailed visualizations of morphology evolution at each time point. The study identified that different locations in the area exhibited seven distinct evolution patterns: edge areal expansion, preservation of developmental potential, industrial land development pattern, rapid comprehensive demolition and construction pattern, linear development pattern, mixed evolution, and stable evolution. The results indicate that in the stock development phase, high-density urban areas exhibit multidimensional development characteristics by region, period, and function. Our work demonstrates the potential of using deep learning and grid classification indicators to study meso-/microscale urban morphology evolution, providing a scalable, cost-effective, quantitative, and portable approach for historical urban morphology understanding.

The effect of anthropogenic activities on the behavior of novel brominated flame retardants in surface soil of Northern China urbanized zone

Novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) have emerged as an alternative to traditional brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and may pose risks to the environment and human health. However, the distribution pattern of NBFRs in urbanized zones and their association with multiple socioeconomic variables have not been adequately explored. Herein, seven NBFRs were investigated in surface soil samples from Tianjin, China, a typical urbanized area. The ∑7NBFRs ranged from n.d. to 101 ng/g, dry weight (dw) (mean: 12.6 ± 17.6 ng/g dw), which exhibited a relatively elevated level compared to NBFRs in soils from other regions worldwide. Decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) was the main contaminant, and its concentration ranged from 0.378 to 99 ng/g, dry weight (dw) (mean: 11.4 ± 17.0 ng/g dw), accounting for 81 % of the ∑7NBFRs. Notably, NBFRs exhibited peak concentrations within residential zones, significantly surpassing those recorded in the remaining four regions (green, farmland, water environment and other) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the concentration of NBFRs in the soil of the Binhai New District within Tianjin was the highest, significantly exceeding that of other administrative areas, which was closely related to the intensive industrial activities in this region. The above results indicate that human activities are a key factor affecting the concentration of NBFRs in the soil. Moreover, a variety of statistical methods were employed to investigate the correlation between socioeconomic variables and the distribution of NBFRs. The concentration of NBFRs showed a significant correlation with population density and the gross domestic product (GDP) (p < 0.05), and the incorporation of administrative regional planning into structural equation models demonstrated an indirect influence on the spatial distribution of NBFRs concentration, mediated by its impact on population density. These results emphasize the association between NBFRs contamination and the degree of urbanization, thereby providing valuable insights for assessing the exposure risk of NBFRs among urban residents.

Feasibility Research on Surface Water Reinjection into the Sandstone Geothermal Reservoir of the Guantao Formation in Tianjin Based on Laboratory Experiments

Tianjin possesses abundant geothermal resources, and geothermal reinjection is an effective strategy for maintaining the sustainable development and utilization of these resources. However, several issues have arisen in the reinjection of sandstone geothermal reservoirs in the Tianjin area, including a mismatch between the reinjection capacity and effluent capacity, as well as challenges related to continuous reinjection. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the reinjection of exogenous water into sandstone pore-type geothermal reservoirs. This study focuses on the geothermal reservoir of the Guantao Formation in the Binhai New Area. The surface water treatment process for reinjection into sandstone geothermal reservoirs was determined through water treatment simulation experiments. Additionally, experiments examining the interaction between the reinjected water and reservoir rock were conducted to assess the feasibility of using treated surface water for reinjection into sandstone geothermal reservoirs. The hydrogeochemical response mechanisms and the impact on the reservoir under reinjection conditions were also investigated. The results indicate that a nanofiltration module and tubular microfiltration membrane are essential to ensure the stability of the system. The pH and TDS of water samples decreased after reinjecting mixed water (HHS) into the sandstone reservoir. The hydrochemical type consistently remained Cl-Na. The conventional water chemistry components and trace elements were influenced by the corresponding water–rock reactions. The reservoir minerals exhibited minimal precipitation, primarily consisting of K-feldspar and Fe-dolomite. The minerals produced during the experiment accounted for only 0.08% of the total cuttings’ mass, indicating a negligible impact on the reservoir structure. PHREEQC was employed to simulate the changes in mineral saturation index before and after the reinjection of mixed water and geothermal water, respectively. Notably, similar hydrogeochemical changes were observed in the geothermal fluids. Thus, this study demonstrates the feasibility of reinjecting treated surface water into sandstone geothermal reservoirs from a hydrogeochemical perspective. This research provides valuable insights for the development of external water reinjection projects in hot spring health care units, contributing effectively to the achievement of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals.

Super absorbent polymer (SAP) on water‐salt transport in saline alkali soil: Effects of dosage, height and thickness

AbstractSoil salinisation is a pervasive form of land degradation posing a significant threat to the global environment. Saline soil, covering roughly 10% of the total land area, represents a crucial reserve of land resources. The use of super absorbent polymer (SAP) impacts capillary water movement through the soil because of its exceptional water absorption and retention capabilities. SAP is expected to influence the intricate water‐salt migration processes and their redistribution within soil. This study employed soil column experiments to investigate the impacts of varying SAP dosages (A), heights (B) and thicknesses (C) on soil water and salt transport in the Tianjin Binhai New Area, China. The main findings showed that: (1) average capillary water rise rate decreased with SAP dosage increase. The groundwater recharge trend in time was like that of capillary water rise height; (2) SAP usage increased water and salt content on the application layer and reduced surface soil salt accumulation; (3) the best SAP combination for application was 1.1% SAP at 17–18 cm from the groundwater level. This study provides basic effective SAP application strategies for preventing soil salinisation.

Detection Ground Deformation Characteristics of Reclamation Land with Time-Series Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar in Tianjin Binhai New Area, China

In order to alleviate the conflict between populations and land resource, Tianjin adopted multi-phase reclamation projects to the formed large-scale artificial reclamation land. The reclamation areas, however, are prone to subsidence, which poses a significant threat to infrastructure as well as the safety and assets of the residents. The SBAS-InSAR was used to acquire surface deformation of Tianjin Binhai New Area from January 2017 to December 2022, analyze in depth the response relationship between land subsidence, reclamation project time, and land-use type. There is a strong correlation between surface deformation and reclamation time. Severe land subsidence occurred over newly reclaimed areas. In the offshore direction, the deformation values of the Nangang Industrial Zone, the Lingang Industrial Zone, and Hangu Harbor were −98 mm to −890 mm, 45 mm to −580 mm, and −140 mm to −290 mm, respectively. Significant differences in deformation were detected among different land-use types where reclamation projects were completed in the same time. Subsidence was positively correlated with surface load; in areas with higher surface loads, the surface settlement was also more severe. The average surface settlement for the heavy shipyard, with 67 grain storage tanks and 27 grain storage tanks, road, and bare land were −201 mm, −166 mm, −107 mm, −64 mm, and −43 mm, respectively. This study reveals significant differences of surface deformation in the reclamation completed at different times, and determines that the load is the main driving factor of settlement difference in the reclamation land completed at the same time. This has important guiding significance for preventing and controlling geological disasters in the reclamation area and later development planning.

The Resource Potential and Zoning Evaluation for Deep Geothermal Resources of the Dongying Formation in Tianjin Binhai New Area

The Dongying geothermal resources are an important part of the deep geothermal resources in Tianjin Binhai New Area, and these resources will determine whether the demand target can be met. There is an urgent need to find favorable target areas for Dongying geothermal resources and to develop Dongying geothermal resources safely, stably and efficiently. The recoverable potential of the Dongying geothermal reservoir in different positions is calculated by simulating and predicting the water level, which is as an important index of zoning evaluation. By using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), the comprehensive indexes of geothermal exploration and development regionalization are quantified. A grade-two evaluation system, which considers the development constraints, has been established for the delineation of deep geothermal resources’ exploration and development prospect target areas. The zoning evaluation results show that the excellent prospect target area of Dongying geothermal resources, for their exploration and development, is 314.33 km2, the general prospect target area is 745.77 km2, and the bad prospect target area is 879.31 km2. The quantitative zoning evaluation method can provide references for the optimization of the exploration and development target area of deep geothermal resources with low prospecting accuracy in key areas of China.

First report of Fusarium solani causing wilt disease on Gleditsia sinensis in Tianjin, China.

The Gleditsia sinensis Lam. widely grown in China is a perennial plant with medicinal properties (Zhang et al. 2016). Since 2019, the leaves of G. sinensis have exhibited yellowing and wilting, and the plants have gradually become stunted and dead in Taifeng park of Binhai New Area in Tianjin (39.02° N; 117.65° E). In this park, there are two types of G. sinensis, one is with round branch thorns, the other is with flat branch thorns. The G. sinensis with round branch thorns did not grow well and almost all plants had disease symptoms. The samples were collected on October, 2021 and deposited in Plant Disease Laboratory of Tianjin Agricultural University under accession no. PATAU211018. The disease symptoms consisted of foliage wilt (Figure 1A), plant drying and vascular tissue discoloration (Figure 1B). The stem sections from different plants were surface-disinfested in 0.6% NaClO, wiped with 75% ethanol and rinsed with sterile water. Thirty tissue samples were placed on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium and cultured at 28℃ for 7 days (Uppala et al. 2013). Thirty fungal isolates with the same morphological characteristics were obtained from the samples. Five representative isolates (PATAU211018-05, PATAU211018-07, PATAU211018-10, PATAU211018-12 and PATAU211018-21) were collected and purified using the single-spore method (Li et al. 2022). Colonies of the five isolates on PDA grew in a circular shape and showed abundant white densely fluffy aerial mycelium (Figure 1C). Morphological characteristics included septate and hyaline hyphae, long cylindrical monophialides (Figure 1D), macroconidia (Figure 1E) and microconidia (Figure 1F). Macroconidia were falcate, 2-5-septate, hyaline, 18-40 × 4-6 μm (n = 50). Microconidia were hyaline, oblong, 0-1-septate, 5-14 × 2-6 μm (n = 50). These morphological characteristics were consistent with the description of Fusarium solani. (Chitrampalam et al. 2018). PATAU211018-12 was randomly chosen for molecular analysis as the representative isolate given the similarity of these isolates. For further identification, the genomic DNA of isolate PATAU211018-12 was extracted. The fragments of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1α (EF1α) gene and RNA polymerase II subunit (RPB2) were amplified and sequenced (O'Donnell et al. 2008; Carbone et al. 1999). The sequences of ITS, EF1α, and RPB2 of PATAU211018-12 were deposited in GenBank under the accession no. of OP735578, ON630412 and OP746032, respectively. Phylogenetic trees were constructed in MAGA X (Kumar et al. 2018) using the neighbor-joining (NJ) method based on the concatenated sequences of ITS, EF1α, and RPB2 (Figure 2). The isolate (PATAU211018-12) grouped with F. solani (JS-169) with a bootstrap value of 100 in the phylogenetic tree. The morphology and multi-gene phylogenetic analysis indicated that the new isolate is F. solani. Pathogenicity tests were carried out on one-year-old G. sinensis seedlings with round branch thorns (n=6). The F. solani isolate PATAU211018-12 was cultured in Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB) at 28°C on a shaker at 150 rpm for 5 days. Mycelia were filtered through four layers of sterilized lens paper and the conidia were obtained for pathogenicity tests. G. sinensis was infected by F. solani through root soaking method. The roots were inoculated by dipping in conidial suspension with the concentration of 107 conidia/mL for 30 minutes. Control plants (n=6) were treated with distilled water. Plants were in pots indoors at 25℃. At 20 days after inoculation, the leaves of inoculated plants were chlorotic and wilted (Figure 1G), symptoms similar to those observed in the park. In contrast, the leaves of control plants were symptomless (Figure 1H). The pathogenicity assay was repeated three times. The fungal isolate was re-isolated from the disease tissues and verified as F. solani based on morphology and molecular character (ITS, EF1α and RPB2). F. solani has been reported as pathogens on many plants, such as Eriobotrya japonica (Wu et al. 2021), Fragaria × ananassa (Pastrana et al. 2014), Gastrodia elata (Li et al. 2022) and Hedysarum boreale (Uppala et al. 2013). To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. solani causing disease on G. sinensis in China. Identification of F. solani as a disease agent in G. sinensis will assist in disease management for this important tree crop.

Spatiotemporal of ecosystem service values response to land use/cover change based on geo-informatic Tupu – A case study in Tianjin, China

Revealing the spatiotemporal evolution of ecosystem service value (ESV) is a prerequisite for regional ecosystem management. This paper integrates the Geo-informatic Tupu method, the Markov transfer model, and the Barycenter model to propose an analytical method for the spatiotemporal response of ESV to land use/cover change(LUCC). Taking Tianjin as the empirical study area, we estimated its ESV and spatiotemporal transfer, rise and fall changes, and migration of the barycenter. The results showed that: (1) The land use composite index of Tianjin increased, and land use changes tended to level off throughout the study period. (2) From 2000 to 2020, ESV rose and then fell, with a total decrease of 8.03 billion RMB. (3) The change of Tupu is most dramatic in Xiqing, Binhai New Area, and Dongli, where economic and social growth is rapid. The barycenter of transfer Tupu shifts from centralized distribution to decentralized distribution around Dongli, and the ESV tends to increase to the south. (4) LUCC, NDVI, and DEM mainly drive the spatial heterogeneity of ESV in Tianjin. This research offers new insights into the spatiotemporal evolution analysis of ESV and could provide scientific references for regional ecological management and policy formulation.

Calculation and influencing factors of the sustainable development of urban industries: a case study of China's state-level new districts.

China's state-level new districts (SNDs) have become the new growth poles for the economic development of the cities where they are located, and a reasonable industrial structure is crucial to industrial sustainable development of SNDs and urban economic growth. This study uses multi-dimensional indicators to measure the convergence level of industrial structure among SNDs and reveals its dynamic evolution trend and formation mechanism. In this context, this study uses dynamic panel model to test the effect of various factors on the convergence of industrial structure. The results are as follows: the advantageous industries in Pudong New District (PND) and Liangjiang New District (LND) are concentrated in capital-intensive and technology-intensive industries. The advantageous industries in Binhai New District (BND) are scattered, and its advantageous industries are distributed in resource-intensive, technology-intensive, and capital-intensive industries. There is an obvious convergence of industrial structure among SNDs, but the degree of convergence of industrial structure among SNDs is different. The result of the regression model shows that the convergence of industrial structure has a significant cumulative effect; investment scale (IS) and government intervention (GI) significantly increase the convergence level of industrial structure, while market demand (MD) and technology level (TL) significantly decrease it. Moreover, the effects of GI and MD on industrial structure convergence are stronger.

Research and Application of Thixotropy of Soft Soil in Tianjin Binhai New Area

Research and Application of Thixotropy of Soft Soil in Tianjin Binhai New Area

The transition characteristics and driving mechanisms of rural residential land in metropolitan areas-a case study of Tianjin, China.

Rural revitalization is the core decision for eradicating global poverty and achieving shared prosperity, and one of the most important works is to optimize and manage rural land space. A theoretical framework based on urbanization theory was built to reveal the rural residential land transition in the Tianjin metropolitan area, China from 1990 to 2020. The transition features are identified by computing the land-use conversion matrix and the rural residential land expansion index (RRLEI) and the influencing factors and mechanisms through a multiple linear regression model. The spatial distribution of rural residential land shows that it expands from the inner suburbs to the outer suburbs, then diminishes in the outer suburbs, and extends to the Binhai New Area. Low-level conflicts between rural residential land and urban construction land occurred during the rapid urbanization period, resulting in disorganized and wasteful growth. The inner suburbs have edge-expansion, dispersion, and urban encroachment patterns; the outer suburbs have edge-expansion, infilling, and dispersion patterns, with little urban encroachment; and Binhai New Area has just an edge-expansion pattern. During decelerated urbanization stage, a high-level conflict occurred between rural residential land and arable land, forestland, grassland, water, and urban construction land. Dispersion grew as urban encroachment reduced in the inner suburbs; dispersion increased while urban encroachment declined in the outer suburbs; dispersion, infilling expansion, and urban encroachment increased in the Binhai New Area. During the saturation stage of urbanization, rural residential land evolved in tandem with other forms of land use, with more efficient land use and diverse uses. The main pattern of rural residential land in a suburban region is still edge-expansion, dispersion has expanded in the Binhai New Area, and urban encroachment is the way of urban development in the inner suburbs. Economic factors and economic location strongly impact the dispersion pattern. Edge-expansion and infilling patterns are impacted by comparable variables, including geographical location, topography, population resources, and economic location. Furthermore, the amount of economic growth influences the edge-expansion pattern. It might be influenced by land policy, and the eight elements have no substantial relationship with urban occupancy. Based on resource endowment and pattern features, certain optimization techniques are given.

Research on the Sustainable Development of Big Health Industry in Binhai New Area, Tianjin

The big-health industry is an emerging industry with huge market potential, which plays an important role in economic growth and industrial structure adjustment. After years of development, the big-health industry in the Binhai New Area has begun to take shape and become an important force to promote the high-quality development of regional economy. This paper tries to use the SWOT and gray correlation degree analysis method to explore the correlation degree between the big-health industry and its sub-industries, so as to provide a reference for the Binhai New Area to create deep health resources, release the development potential of the big-health industry, and promote the sustainable development of the regional economy and its people. It is estimated that in the next five years, the per-capita GDP of Beijing and Tianjin will exceed USD 15,000, and the life expectancy of the population will exceed 80 years. The Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region will enter the high level of human development (human development index greater than 0.8). With the improvement of living standards, people’s demand for health will rise sharply, and the market prospects are broad. The Binhai New Area should seize this opportunity to accelerate the development of the big-health industry, to create momentum for regional sustainable development, and to create happiness for its people. The main objective of this study is to ascertain the sustainable development status of the big-health industry in the Tianjin Binhai New Area, as well as the direct relationship between the level of economic development and the development of the big-health industry, to lay a good economic foundation for the vigorous development of the big-health industry.

Groundwater vulnerability assessment using AHP-DRASTIC-GALDIT comprehensive model: a case study of Binhai New Area, Tianjin, China.

Binhai New Area (BHNA), as one of the most economically and industrially regions in the Haihe River Basin, China, is seriously affected by seawater intrusion and groundwater over-exploitation. Groundwater vulnerability assessment (GVA) is an effective tool to protect the groundwater resources from being polluted. In this study, vertical and horizontal groundwater conditional factors were first assessed separately by two different models. The AHP-DRASTIC model was used to evaluate the intrinsic groundwater vulnerability and the AHP-GALDIT model was used to evaluate the specific groundwater vulnerability to seawater intrusion. Then, a GIS-based overlaying approach was used to get the comprehensive shallow groundwater vulnerability. The results of the comprehensive model showed that the vulnerability areas of very low, low, medium, and high account for 1.37%, 11.36%, 60.56%, and 26.71%, respectively. Finally, to effectively manage the groundwater in the study area, two remediation areas, two control areas, and one protected area were determined based on the comprehensive groundwater vulnerability maps. This study can not only promote the development of rational exploitation of shallow groundwater and prevention of groundwater pollution in BHNA but also provide a framework for future research in the GVA on the coast.

Halomonas binhaiensis sp. nov., isolated from saline-alkali soil.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic and rod-shaped bacterium, strain Y2R2T, was isolated from a saline-alkali soil sample collected from Binhai New Area, Tianjin, PR China. Growth of strain Y2R2T was observed at 10-45 °C (optimum, 30 °C), at pH 6.0-11.0 (optimum, pH 9.0) and in the presence of 0-15 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 9.0 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain Y2R2T was affiliated with the genus Halomonas and showed the highest similarity to Halomonas huangheensis BJGMM-B45T (99.0%) and Halomonas cupida DSM 4740T (98.4%). The digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values of 21.0-22.8 % and 73.3-75.7 % with the closely related species H. huangheensis BJGMM-B45T, H. cupida DSM 4740T, H. ventosae AL12T, H. stenophila N12T and H. litopenaei SYSU ZJ2214T were lower than the threshold recommended for species discrimination.The major respiratory quinone of strain Y2R2T was Q-9 and the major cellular fatty acids consisted of C16 : 0, C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c). The DNA G+C content of strain Y2R2T was 57.0 mol%. On the basis of this polyphasic taxonomic study, strain Y2R2T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Halomonas, for which the name Halomonas binhaiensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Y2R2T (=CGMCC 1.16974T=KCTC 72578T).

Analysis of occupational health examination status of people exposed to vinyl chloride

Objective: To investigate the detection of occupational health for vinyl chloride workers in Tianjin. Methods: In this study, we have collected data from 7 companies with vinyl chloride hazards in 16 districts of Tianjin. Finally, the occupational health surveillance data of 478 vinyl chloride-exposed workers were included in the analysis. Quantitative data was tested for normality. If the data conforms to the normal distribution, using the Mean±SD for statistical description, and t test for statistical analysis. If the data does not conform to the normal distribution, using Median (Q(1), Q(100)) for statistical description, rank sum test for statistical analysis. The qualitative data was described by composition ratio, and the chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. The logistic regression was used to assess the impact on suspected occupational disease and occupational contraindication from personal general conditions, occupational history, company information. Results: The abnormal detection rate of vinyl chloride monomer workers in Binhai New Area was higher than that in other areas (χ(2)=5.20, P=0.023). The abnormal detection rate of vinyl chloride monomer workers in non manufacturing industries was higher than that in manufacturing industries (χ(2)=7.74, P=0.005). The abnormal detection rate of vinyl chloride monomer workers in domestic enterprises was higher than that in foreign invested enterprises (χ(2)=22.38, P<0.01). Compared with the normal group of vinyl chloride monomer workers, the abnormal group of workers was older and had longer working years, The difference was statistically significant (Z=-3.32, -3.54, P=0.001, <0.01). The employer of vinyl chloride monomer workers is in Binhai New Area, the economic type is domestic funded enterprise, the industry is classified as non manufacturing industry, the age is more than 40 years old, and the length of service is more than 20 years old, which is the influencing factor for workers to detect abnormalities (OR=1.875, 95%CI: 1.279~2.749; OR=1.657, 95%CI: 1.071~2.563; OR=3.562, 95%CI: 2.057~6.170; OR=2.166, 95%CI: 1.245~3.768; OR=1.968, 95%CI: 1.345~2.879, all P<0.05) . Conclusion: To protect the health of workers and prevent occupational diseases, the management of vinyl chloride exposure on production process, especially in domestic enterprise, should be improved. Also, better occupational health surveillance should be provided to female workers.

Evaluating the Applicability of High-Speed Air Flotation Technology for Water Supply: A Case Study in Tianjin Binhai New Area

The development and application of advanced water purification technology is crucial to guarantee a sufficient supply of clean water. However, conventional water purification technology consumes large amounts of coagulants, with the formation of intractable sludge. Herein, the applicability of high-speed air flotation technology for the purification of actual water sources was evaluated in Tianjin Binhai New Area. During a three-year survey, the raw water exhibited periodic pollution characteristics with algae cells as the main removal targets in all seasons. The raw water had both low temperatures and low turbidity in winter, another obstacle for water treatment. Based on the scientific analysis of the water’s quality, the water purification process was comprehensively optimized via regulating the dosage of agents and operating parameters and using high-speed air flotation equipment. The results showed that a dissolved air pressure of 0.40 MPa, reflux ratio of 8%, and SUEZ-1# dissolved air release head combined with pre-chlorination with PACl plus FeCl3 (PACl/FeCl3 ratio = 2:1) were suitable for attaining a good purification performance. High turbidity removal rates (80.9–86.2%) and algae cell removal rates (92.5–98.1%) were obtained even in the high algae period of summer and low turbidity period in the winter, proving the superior stability and applicability of the high-speed air flotation system.

Spatiotemporal mechanism of urban heat island effects on human health—Evidence from Tianjin city of China

The increasingly intensifying global warming and urban heat island (UHIs) are seriously damaging the physical and mental health of urban residents. However, the spatiotemporal evolution of how high temperatures affect human health in megacities remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, with Tianjin during 2006–2020 as an example, and based on data from meteorological stations, Landsat remote sensing images, and point of interest big data, this study applied hot- and cold-spot statistics and remote sensing retrieval in numerical modeling and established an appraisal system to assess how and to what extent UHIs affect resident health. The results showed that the overall influence of UHIs on respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and mental health increased to 373 km2 in area and two levels in intensity; the influence was mainly concentrated in the downtown area, with a rising influence level. Owing to the dual-core structure of the city, the influence was distributed along the main traffic lines in Binhai New District, having a strong influence in the area mainly concentrated in the southeastern part. Many cold spots clustered in the central urban area to cool the thermal environment: the cooled area was 6.5 times larger than the area of intense cooling influence. Our study provides a method for identifying health risks in urban spaces, lays a theoretical foundation to improve the planning of urban green space systems, and offers some decision-making guidance for the planning of healthy cities.

Causation analysis of fire explosion in the port's hazardous chemicals storage area based on FTA‐AHP

AbstractAt 22:51 on August 12, 2015, a fire explosion accident occurred in the hazardous cargo warehouse of the Ruihai Company, which is located in Tianjin Port, Binhai New Area, Tianjin. This accident killed 165 people and caused direct economic losses of 6.866 billion yuan. In order to reduce the occurrence and harm of fire explosion accidents in the port's hazardous chemicals storage area, the main influencing factors were analyzed using the fault tree analysis‐analytic hierarchy process (FTA‐AHP) method, and each factor was quantitatively analyzed. Taking a hazardous chemicals storage yard in Shanghai as an example, the cause of fire explosion in a hazardous chemicals storage area was obtained by establishing a fault tree analysis (FTA) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Then, the AHP model was established to calculate the weight of each influencing factor, and finally, the total weight ratio of each influencing factor was obtained. The results showed that human factors were the main and direct factors, equipment and facilities factors were the secondary factors, and management factors were the fundamental factors in fire explosion accidents in the port's hazardous chemicals storage areas. According to the evaluation results, a prevention and control strategy for fire explosion accidents in hazardous chemicals storage areas is proposed, which has reference value for relevant management departments.

Joint exposure to outdoor ambient air pollutants and incident chronic kidney disease: A prospective cohort study with 90,032 older adults.

ObjectivesThere is paucity of studies to investigate the association between combined and long-term exposure to air pollution and the risk of incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) in older adults.MethodsA prospective cohort of 90,032 older adults who did not have CKD at baseline were followed up from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2019. Various pollutant data, including particulate matter with diameters ≤ 2.5 mm (PM2.5), ≤ 10 mm (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), Ozone (O3), and carbon monoxide (CO), from all monitoring stations in Binhai New Area, Tianjin were considered in calculating the mean exposure concentration of each pollutant over 2 years. By summing each pollutant concentration weighted by the regression coefficients, we developed an air pollution score that assesses the combined exposure of these air pollutants. Due to the strong correlation between air pollutants, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) score was also developed. The association between air pollutants and incident CKD in the elderly was analyzed.ResultsA total of 90,032 subjects participated in this study with a median follow-up of 545 days. Among them, 22,336 (24.8%) developed CKD. The HR (95% CI) for air pollution score and incidence of CKD was 1.062 (1.060-1.063) and p <0.001 after adjusting for all confounders. The adjusted HRs for the quartile subgroups of combined air pollution score were: Q2: 1.064 (1.013–1.117); Q3: 1.141 (1.088–1.198); and Q4: 3.623 (3.482–3.770), respectively (p for trend <0.001). The adjusted HRs for the quartile subgroups of air quality index (AQI) were: Q2: 1.035 (0.985–1.086); Q3: 1.145 (1.091–1.201); and Q4: 3.603 (3.463–3.748), respectively (p for trend <0.001). When the risk score was over 86.9, it significantly rose in a steep curve. The subgroup analysis showed that male, younger or exercise were more likely to develop CKD.ConclusionCombined air pollution score, AQI, and PCA score were associated with an increased risk of CKD in an exposure-response relationship. Our current results might also provide evidence for developing environmental protection policies.

Environmental Design and Sustainable Development of Ecological Environment by Big Data Analysis and Computing: A Case Study of Tianjin

Sustainable development, as a new idea of development, has become a source of worldwide concern. Many elements, such as society, economics, resources, and the environment, have a role in the long-term evolution of the ecological environment. It is an intricate mechanism. Based on previous research, this study investigates the relationship between environmental design and the long-term evolution of the ecological environment in the new age. The following are the specifics. First, the conceptual model of ecological sustainable development is constructed, and the “low-carbon idea” environmental design approach is addressed. Then, using Tianjin as an example, an assessment method for environmental sustainable development in environmental design is constructed based on summarizing past studies. The ecological features are included in the DPSIR model, and the “low-carbon concept” environmental design method is used in Tianjin Binhai New Area. The findings show that, with the continued development of Binhai New Area, the adjustment of industrial structure, and the gradual improvement of people’s awareness of urban sustainable development, the ecological environment’s sustainability index will improve, with per capita ecological carrying capacity rising from 2019 and the per capita ecological carrying capacity of agricultural and livestock products, which are 0.09 hm2 and 0.09 hm2, respectively, rising significantly. Since 2019, the per capita ecological footprint has also declined.