Limits Of China Research Articles

Identification and screening of priority pollutants in printing and dyeing industry wastewater and the importance of these pollutants in environmental management in China

At present, priority pollutants in printing and dyeing wastewater have attracted increasing attention, but their types and limits in the wastewater discharge standards for China's dyeing and finishing industry are still lacking. This study selected 9 printing and dyeing enterprises in a region of Zhejiang Province as the research objects. Through literature collection, field investigations, and chemical analysis, combined with industry priority pollutant screening technology, 103 and 21 characteristic pollutants were selected as preliminary and supplementary lists of priority pollutants, respectively. The results of the pollutant category analysis revealed that 55% of the pollutants on the preliminary list included carcinogens, and 29% of the pollutants on the supplementary list included alcohols. According to the four rules for in-depth screening, a total of 23 indicators (excluding those in GB 4287-2012 and its revised versions) were selected as the final list of priority pollutants, most of which were polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) but also included a small number of lipid substances, such as bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. The screening of these indicators not only provides data support for the expansion of water pollution control indicators and the determination of their limits in China's printing and dyeing industry, but also promotes the supplementation and improvement of the sewage discharge standard system in related industries.

Methylmercury in commercial fish species from the Erhai Lake Basin, Southwest China: concentrations, health risk assessment, and implications for future monitoring.

Erhai Lake, a highland lake situated in Southwest China, provides critical aquatic protein sources for the local community, and its preservation is vital due to the sensitivity of alpine freshwater ecosystems to disturbance. However, there is a lack of research on the contamination status of methylmercury (MeHg) in aquatic organisms of the Erhai Lake Basin. MeHg concentrations in important commercial fish species from the Erhai Lake were examined, and the potential health risks associated with human consumption were assessed. Our results showed significant inter-species differences in fish muscle MeHg: the carnivorous S. asotus exhibited the highest level (303ng/g; ww), while that of the detritivorous R. ocellatus was the lowest (3.86ng/g). Moreover, MeHg concentrations in P. fulvidraco and C. auratus collected from the Luoshi River (a major tributary of Erhai Lake) were significantly higher compared to those from the Erhai Lake, indicating possible river-based input of MeHg into the Erhai Lake. Additionally, our study revealed a significant positive correlation between the MeHg levels and the length as well as weight of the examined fish species. All the fish species analyzed in our study had MeHg concentrations within the limits of China's food safety standard. Nevertheless, a relatively low consumption quantity of 16g per day of certain species (i.e., S. asotus) may still pose potential health risks especially for children. The present study provides baseline data for MeHg monitoring and risk assessment in the Erhai Lake Basin, and warrants continued monitoring and source investigation.

Arsenic Bioaccessibility in Rice and Its Application to Derive Health-Based Limits in China.

Arsenic (As) contamination in rice is a global public health concern, particularly in Asian countries where rice is the staple food. Current health-based limits for As in rice are typically derived from total As concentrations, resulting in overly stringent values. This study aimed to determine As bioaccessibility in rice, estimate dietary intakes of inorganic As (iAs) at different consumption rates, evaluate the cancer and non-cancer risks associated with iAs exposure through rice consumption, and assess the feasibility of deriving more accurate health-based limits for As in rice after incorporating rice As bioaccessibility. Bioaccessibility of As ranged from 60.7% to 104.5% in rice samples. Estimated iAs intake varied from 0.04 to 1.40 μg/kg BW/day at rice consumption rates of 100-300 g/day. Incorporating rice As bioaccessibility resulted in lower iAs intake estimates of 0.03-1.18 μg/kg BW/day. The non-cancer and cancer risks associated with iAs exposure are concerning for populations with higher rice consumption rates and elevated rice iAs concentrations. Health-based limits for iAs in rice for different regions across China are discussed after incorporating rice As bioaccessibility. This study contributes to the development of regional or national safety limits for As in rice, based on As bioaccessibility in rice.

Insights and Guidance for China’s Offshore CO2 Storage Development: Evidence from Global Experience

Through extensive data research and analysis, this paper comprehensively summarizes the status and key insights of global carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) development. It aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of the relevant policies, technologies, and security measures adopted by major countries in their CCS development processes. Furthermore, it explores the existing status and limitations of China’s offshore development efforts, while providing valuable recommendations for enhancing China’s offshore CCS initiatives, as well as serving as a reference for other nations worldwide. Offshore CCS plays a crucial role for China to achieve the development target of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, due to its energy structure and industrial distribution. While China possesses significant offshore CCS potential, achieving commercialization still requires substantial efforts. To facilitate the process and draw insights from successful experiences in other countries, this paper illustrates the characteristics and generalizes the experience of offshore CCS industry practices in America, Europe and Japan, respectively. Furthermore, it is recommended that a new round of investigation into offshore CCS potential be conducted, while promoting integrated collaboration between geological surveying and marine scientific research. Additionally, further research on industrial policies and green financial strategies should be undertaken.

Experimental study on the emission characteristic of a methanol engine based on transient cycle WHTC

The emission characteristics of regulated emissions and unregulated emissions were studied under the full loads and the cold/hot transient cycle (WHTC) on a six-cylinder, multi-point injection, and spark ignition methanol engine. The results show that the emissions of THC and CO for the methanol engine is at a high level without three-way catalyst (TWC) and the emission of NOX could be controlled at a lower level than 400 mg/kW·h with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). The emissions of THC, CO and NOX are low with TWC, whose weighted results under WHTC could be kept at a lower level than the limits in China VI Standard. It is a technical difficulty to control the emissions of methanol (CH3OH) and formaldehyde (HCHO) for methanol engines, especially under the cold WHTC, there has a high risk for the emission of CH3OH exceeding the limit of standard.

Environmental cadmium pollution and health risk assessment in rice-wheat rotation area around a smelter.

Cadmium (Cd) pollution induced by smelting process is of great concern worldwide. However, the comprehensive risk assessment of Cd exposures in smelting areas with farming coexist is lacking. In this study, atmospheric deposition, soil, surface and drinking water, rice, wheat, vegetable, fish, pork, and human hair samples were collected in rice-wheat rotation area near nonferrous smelter to investigate smelting effect on environmental Cd pollution and human health. Results showed high Cd deposition (0.88-2.61mgm-2year-1) combined with high bioavailability (37-42% totality) in study area. Moreover, 90%, 83%, 57%, and 3% of sampled soil, wheat, rice, and vegetable of Cd were higher than national allowable limits of China, respectively, indicating smelting induced serious environmental Cd pollution. Especially, higher Cd accumulation occurred in wheat compared to rice by factors of 1.5-2.0. However, as for Cd exposure to local residents, due to rice as staple food, rice intake ranked as main route and accounted for 49-53% of total intake, followed by wheat and vegetable. Cd exposure showed high potential noncarcinogenic risks with hazard quotient (HQ) of 0.63-4.99 using Monte Carlo probabilistic simulation, mainly from crop food consumption (mean 94% totality). Further, residents' hair Cd was significant correlated with HQ of wheat and rice ingestion, highlighting negative impact of cereal pollution to resident health. Therefore, smelting process should not coexist with cereal cultivating.

Price limits hitting effect and cross-sectional stock returns: Evidence from China

We propose a firm-level measurement which relates the strength of stocks affected by the upper or lower price limits in China. Stocks that frequently hit the upper limit generate substantially lower future stock returns. This effect is significant when we control common factors of asset pricing models. The negative relationship between price limits and expected returns is stronger among micro, growth, and state-owned firms, and is also stronger during bull markets. Moreover, we find this effect could be explained by behavioral mispricing such as overreacted trading.

Protecting the Habitats of Endangered Species Through Environmental Public Interest Litigation in China: Lessons Learned from Peafowl Versus the Dam

Abstract Green Peafowl stands as a landmark lawsuit in China where environmental NGOs successfully halted a project threatening habitat of endangered species. By examining this case, this analysis evaluates the promise and limitations of China’s civil environmental public interest litigation (EPIL) in protecting habitat. Under civil EPIL’s broad and flexible framework, environmental NGOs can convince the courts that a government-approved project would destroy the ‘biological habitat’ for endangered species and hold project developers accountable. By arguing that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) institution is jointly liable by preparing a flawed report, environmental NGOs can also use civil EPIL as an alternative avenue to challenge the quality of an approved EIA report. However, the timing of judicial intervention, uncertainties of litigation outcomes, the scope of protection, and the court’s attitude towards EIA claims limit the effectiveness of civil EPIL. This analysis highlights the need to address regulatory failures revealed by Green Peafowl.

The occurrence and probabilistic risk assessment of 3-MCPDEs and GEs in infant formulas from Chinese market employing Monte Carlo simulation technique.

3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol esters (3-MCPDEs) and glycidyl esters (GEs) are food contaminants and have arisen continuous attention due to their toxicity, especially towards infants. Current risk assessment of these contaminants was mostly employing deterministic approaches, lacking quantitative characterization of the likelihood, incidence, or severity of the risks involved. Herein, 3-MCPDE and GE levels in 46 representative infant formulas (IFs) from Chinese market were determined by GC-MS/MS. Then, combining the occurrence data and consumption data from China National Food Consumption Survey, the Monte Carlo simulation-based probabilistic model for risk assessment of 3-MCPDEs and GEs in IFs from Chinese market was established. The results showed that all P90 (90th percentiles) hazard quotient values were below 1, demonstrating 3-MCPDEs didn't pose health risks to most populations aged 0-36 months old. However, for 0-12 months old groups, P10 (10th percentiles) margin of exposure values were all below 25000, indicating GEs may pose potential risks to 10% of this group. Uncertainty analysis revealed that the probabilistic model had considered uncertainties of model input and distribution, and realized refined assessment. This study is the first report on probabilistic assessment of 3-MCPDEs and GEs in IFs, which also provided references for the formulation of related regulatory limits in China.

Chinese Perspectives on Sustainable Development

Abstract Growing multipolarity in international affairs together with the rise of non-state actors do require us to re-think what constitutes sustainable development, in general, but also how economic growth can be respectful of the environment and individual rights. The People’s Republic of China (China) does constitute an important part of that story. This paper aims to analyse China’s discourse, laws, and policies on sustainable development at both national and international levels. It situates sustainable development in the broader context of China’s current development policy; addresses the ways in which China engages with multilateral and bilateral institutions (i.e. legal instruments) in the area of sustainable development; as well as assesses the scope and limitations of China’s focus on sustainable development in the context of Outward Foreign Direct Investment in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Effectiveness of price limits: Evidence from China's ChiNext market.

Starting from August 24, 2020, the daily stock price limits in China's ChiNext market have been adjusted from 10% to 20%. We use this reform to study the effectiveness of price limits in China's stock market. We test four hypotheses about price limits: delayed price discovery, volatility spillover, trading interference, and magnet effect. Using the event study method, we examine the differences in the behavior of stock price, trading volume, and volatility before and after the reform. We confirm the delayed price discovery, volatility spillover and trading interference hypothesis of price limits, and find that these negative effects of price limits are more serious when lower limits are hit. In addition, we examine the distribution of large price movements before and after the reform and find no evidence of the magnet effect of price limits. The present research has important implications for policymakers and investors in China's stock market.

Feasibility of thermal disposal masks in domestic waste incinerators: a study on the combustion characteristics, gaseous pollutant emissions characteristics and control of masks

ABSTRACT Discarded disposable medical masks generated due to the COVID−19 epidemic are overwhelming the current medical waste disposal facilities. Thermal disposal masks in domestic waste incinerator can both utilize the heat energy released by their combustion and dispose of the headache-inducing masks in a harmless manner. The masks are divided into 6 parts: white inside (WI), filter (FI), blue outside (BO), bonding of 3 parts (BP), ear strap (ES) and nose wire (NW). The highest burnout temperature (Tb) of each part of the mask was only 481.2°C and had a high HHV of 40.47 MJ/kg, which has a high energy potential as an energy source. The NOx, SO2, and HCl emission characteristics of each part of the masks were evaluated in a fixed-bed reactor. BP, BO, and ES contradict SO2 and HCl emission limits in China. The SO2 and HCl emission peaks of the masks with the addition of 10 wt% Ca(OH)2 did not exceed 60 mg/m3, which made the combustion emissions of the masks comply with GB 18,485–2014. Considering subsidies for disposal of masks and power generation, blending masks with a 1%−5% ratio enhances the subsidy revenue of waste incineration power plants by 12.63%−63.13%.

From the Perspectives of Pollution Governance and Public Health: A Research of China's Fiscal Expenditure on Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection.

Improving the scale and effectiveness of China's energy conservation and environmental protection fiscal expenditure is crucial to enhancing the capacity of ecological and environmental governance of China, considering the dual perspectives of pollution governance and public health. This article first explains the mechanism by which national energy conservation and environmental protection fiscal expenditure can improve pollution control and promote public health. Secondly, this article scrutinizes the current status and limitations of China's fiscal expenditure, highlighting the contribution of fiscal expenditure in the construction of ecological civilization from the standpoints of environmental governance and public health. Additionally, this study empirically uses DEA to measure the efficiency of the government's fiscal expenditure. Conclusions found that: First, environmental protection fiscal expenditure is mainly focused on technological transformation and pollution control, while relatively little is spent on public health protection. Second, the efficiency of environmental protection fiscal funds is relatively low. These suggestions aim to optimize the positive impact of energy conservation and environmental protection fiscal expenditure for improving pollution governance and promoting public health.

Improved integrated anaerobic–anoxic–oxic system for landfill leachate treatment using domestic wastewater as carbon source: Performance study and optimization

Landfill leachate has been treated by using an anaerobic–anoxic–oxic (A2/O) system at Datansha Wastewater Treatment Plant in Guangzhou, South China for nearly five years. Through the pilot-scale testing and engineering experiments, the impulse loads of the wastewater treatment systems were successfully reduced. The results showed that the highest removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium-nitrogen (NH4+-N), and total nitrogen (TN) for the combined treatment of domestic wastewater and landfill leachate were achieved under the operating conditions of hydraulic retention time = 11 h, dissolved oxygen = 3 mg/L, mixed liquid return ratio = 200%, and sludge return ratio = 80%. Compared with the data obtained from the previous operating A2/O system, the removal efficiencies of COD, NH4+-N, and TN increased by 5.6%, 9.8%, and 5.3%, respectively, under the optimal operating conditions for one year. The average effluent concentrations of BOD5, COD, NH4+-N, TN, and total phosphorus were 12.4, 29.9, 2.5, 18.0, and 0.5 mg/L, respectively, and these values could be kept below standard discharge limits in China.

Cranes among chickens: The general-attention‐grabbing effect of daily price limits in China's stock market

This paper examines the general-attention-grabbing effect of daily price limits in China's stock market. We show that stocks with large exposure to daily price limits attract more investor attention and have lower future returns. The exposure is measured empirically through the absolute beta with respect to the daily proportion of stocks that hit price limits. The general-attention-grabbing effect is not solely caused by stocks that recently hit price limits, is not subsumed by market volatility exposure, and does not reflect other stock market characteristics. Moreover, the effect is stronger among stocks that are heavily invested in by retail investors.

Assessment of Cadmium Concentrations in Foodstuffs and Dietary Exposure Risk Across China: A Metadata Analysis

Cadmium (Cd) is a persistent and toxic heavy metal widely present in the environment and can cause damage to a variety of human organs and systems. Based on published studies from 2000 to 2021, this study established a comprehensive database of Cd concentrations in Chinese foods, and described the spatial and temporal trends of Cd concentrations in foods across China. The average Cd concentration in total foodstuff was 0.078 mg/kg, with edible fungi and algae having the highest concentrations, followed by aquatic foods, nuts, cereals, beans, vegetables, meats, eggs, milk, and fruits. The average dietary Cd exposure of Chinese residents was 34.3 μg/day (varying from 22.6 to 54.5 μg/day across regions), with the highest exposures in South China. Cereals (46.2%), vegetables (19.2%), and aquatic food (18.4%) contributed the most to the dietary Cd exposure of Chinese residents. According to Monte Carlo simulations of the risk assessment of dietary exposure to Cd, approximately, 15.4% of the Chinese population exceeded the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives health-based guidance value. The hazard quotient and excess lifetime cancer risk indices of dietary Cd exposure indicated that the Chinese residents would not be at significant non-cancer and carcinogenic risk. In summary, this study obtained comprehensive and reliable results on Cd concentrations in Chinese food and dietary Cd exposure risk of Chinese residents, which can provide a data base for the development of dietary Cd exposure limits in China.

Doublespeak: Limits of China's Hard and Soft Propaganda During Political Crises

Doublespeak: Limits of China's Hard and Soft Propaganda During Political Crises

Residues and dietary risk assessment of beta-cyfluthrin and clothianidin in cabbage under Chinese cultivation conditions

The novel formulation, 42% beta-cyfluthrin • clothianidin suspension concentrate, is preparing for registration to control Phyllotreta striolata in cabbage fields in China, but the residue and dietary risk of beta-cyfluthrin and clothianidin in cabbage is still unclear. Here, the residual levels of beta-cyfluthrin and clothianidin in cabbage were detected by a modified QuEChERS method coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The average recoveries of the two insecticides ranged from 79.6% to 104.4%, with relative standard deviations ≤ 11.2%. The limits of quantification for both compounds were 0.01 mg/kg. The field trials were carried out at twelve presentative provinces in China, and the formulation was sprayed twice with a spraying interval of 10 days on cabbage at a dose of 94.5 g a.i./ha. At the preharvest interval of 7 days, the terminal residues of beta-cyfluthrin and clothianidin in cabbage were below 0.388 mg/kg and 0.298 mg/kg, respectively, which were lower than their maximum residue limits in China. The chronic and acute risk quotient of beta-cyfluthrin and clothianidin for different Chinese consumers ranged from 0.031% to 65.0%, indicating an acceptable dietary risk. Under Good Agricultural Practices, the novel formulation is safe to apply in cabbage fields in China.

Monte Carlo calculation of the exposure of Chinese female astronauts to earth’s trapped radiation on board the Chinese Space Station

With the development of China’s crewed space mission, the space radiation risk for astronauts is increasingly prominent. This paper describes a simulation of the radiation doses experienced by a Chinese female voxel phantom on board the Chinese Space Station (CSS) performed using the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) software. The absorbed dose, equivalent dose, and effective dose experienced by the voxel phantom and its critical organs are discussed for different levels of shielding of the Tianhe core module. The risk of space-radiation exposure is then assessed by comparing these doses with the current risk limits in China (the skin dose limit for short-term low-earth-orbit missions) and the NASA figures (National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements Report No. 98) for female astronauts. The results obtained can be used to guide and optimize the radiation protection provided for manned space missions.

The Role of Soft Power in China's Struggle for Hegemony

China’s political influence is growing in tandem with its economic and military might. The rise of China triggers significant changes in the regional and global order. As China’s material power increases, it poses a serious challenge to the global hegemony of the USA in almost every field. It is unclear whether China's advances in many kinds of power parameters will lead to a change in predominance. Although China has made significant progress in hard power, it has not shown the same success in soft power. This study focuses on the role of China's soft power in the struggle for global hegemony. The study aims to answer the question of how important soft power is in building hegemony. In the research, the effectiveness and limits of China's soft power are analyzed. The study argues that China's achievements in soft power are not enough for it to build a global hegemony. It is concluded that China's shortcomings in soft power are the biggest obstacle to the country's ability to build a regional and global order.