Pollution Accidents Research Articles

Natural and Human Impacts on Coastal Areas

Coasts are the most densely populated regions in the world and are vulnerable to different natural and human factors, e.g., sea-level rise, coastal accretion and erosion processes, the intensification of sea storms and hurricanes, the presence of marine litter, chronic pollution and beach oil spill accidents, etc. Although coastal zones have been affected by local anthropic activities for decades, their impacts on coastal ecosystems is often unclear. Several papers are presented in this Special Issue detailing the interactions between natural processes and human impacts in coastal ecosystems all around the world. A better understanding of such natural and human impacts is therefore of great relevance to confidently predict their negative effects on coastal areas and thus promote different conservation strategies. The implementation of adequate management measures will help coastal communities adapt to future scenarios in the short and long term and prevent damage due to different pollution types, e.g., beach oil spill accidents, through the establishment of Environmental Sensitivity Maps.

Monitoring of insulator pollution discharge in overhead distribution network based on acoustic emission technology

Abstract During the continuous operation of the distribution network, dirt often accumulates on the surface of insulators. Once encountering a humid climate environment, it may cause accidental discharge, leading to the occurrence of flashover pollution accidents. In order to effectively monitor this issue, this study adopted a monitoring method based on acoustic emission technology. This article introduces the discharge process and acoustic emission phenomenon of insulators in overhead distribution networks under pollution conditions. By using emission signal detection devices, acoustic signals generated during insulator discharge are captured. And the wavelet denoising algorithm was used to process its signal, based on which the discharge characteristics of insulator pollution in the overhead distribution network were extracted. The emission amount of insulator pollution in the overhead distribution network was determined according to the set threshold, achieving monitoring of pollution emissions. The results indicate that the proposed method can accurately monitor the discharge of insulators in overhead distribution networks, provide scientific basis for timely maintenance measures, and improve the operational safety and reliability of distribution networks.

ANALISIS PENINGKATAN PENGGUNAAN SEPEDA MOTOR DI KOTA DENPASAR

Currently, the motorcycle population in big cities in Indonesia is increasing very rapidly. Motorcycles are the most popular mode of transportation in Denpasar City. The increase in the use of motorcycles (SPM) has an impact on congestion, air pollution and high traffic accidents involving SPM. This study aims to analyze the increase in the use of SPM in Denpasar City, involving the variables of Household Characteristics, Costs, and Advantages of SPM. Primary data collection was carried out by distributing questionnaires, as many as 400 copies distributed throughout the sub-districts in Denpasar City. The questionnaire contains a Likert scale, containing statements, where respondents provide their perceptions through the available answer choices. Analysis of public perception data was analyzed using multiple linear regression statistical methods. Based on the results of the analysis, the variables of Household Characteristics, Costs, and Advantages of SPM have a significant positive effect on the Increase in the use of SPM, each with tcount = 6.110; 6.847; and 7.865> ttable = 1.966; and all sig values. 0.000 < 0.05. The influence of the three variables together is Fcount = 209.162 > Ftable = 0.072. Sig. value = 0.000 < 005. The equation model obtained is: Y = 0.296X1 + 0.294X2 + 0.290X3 + e.

How environmental data enables intelligent navigation: Factors assessment of affecting the navigation in the Northeast Arctic Route

Due to the more favorable navigational environment and higher safety along Northeast Arctic Route, this route is being used more and more frequently for international shipping. In this research, the factor analysis method is applied to assess the navigational environment of each sea area in the Northeast Arctic Route, revealing the effects of Arctic navigation influence factor on the navigational environment, and analyzing the change trend of the navigational environment of different sea areas in different seasons. Further, the effects of multiple factors on the number of voyages are discussed through multiple stepwise regression model, including the navigational environment score, geopolitical risk, export & import trade and the probability of pollution accidents, then the Interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) method combined with seasonal decomposition is explored the effect of emergencies on the number of voyages on the Northeast Arctic Route. The number of voyages on the Northeast Arctic Route has been altered to varying degrees by the occurrence of various emergencies. Further, the Yamal LNG project and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict have a significant effect on the number of voyages, while the Covid-19 epidemic has a lesser effect on the number of voyages.

Early Warning of Sudden Water Pollution Accident Risks Based on Water Quality Models in the Three Gorges Dam Area

In recent years, sudden water pollution accidents have frequently occurred and seriously endangered people’s drinking water safety. Early warnings for water pollution accidents has become the core work for emergency response and sparked substantial research. However, risk assessments for different water receptors still needs to be solved for the early warning of water pollution accidents. This paper proposes a new early warning assessment method based on water quality models for different receptors, divided into the water source area (including drinking water source area and agricultural water use area) and the non-water source area. The constructed method was applied to the Three Gorges Dam area in China to simulate a phosphorus leakage accident caused by a traffic accident. Based on the EFDC model, the migration evolution process and the distribution change characteristics of phosphorus were simulated. Accordingly, the different risk levels of zones between the incident site and the downstream drinking water source area were obtained. The application results show that the risk warning system for sudden water pollution accidents based on the water quality model proposed in this paper can be applied to provide scientific support for the emergency response of sudden water pollution accidents.

Mechanism of emergency phytoremediation technology based on a 3D-QSAR pharmacological model.

The ability of transgenic plants to respond to sudden environmental pollution accidents has become viable. Nonetheless, there is a dearth of research regarding the mechanism by which transgenic plants degrade organic pollutants. Hence, this study aimed to elucidate the process of organic pollutant degradation by plants, offering theoretical support for the application of transgenic plant emergency phytoremediation technology. In this investigation, we developed a 3D-QSAR pharmacophore model to represent the collective impact of plant resistance and phytodegradation. This was achieved by employing integrated effect values following treatment with a sine function approach. Moreover, we have undertaken an inaugural exploration of the coregulatory mechanism involved in plant resistance and pollutant degradation within plants. Additionally, we applied virtual molecular modification techniques for analysis and validation, striving for a more indepth understanding of the molecular-level enhancement mechanism related to the degradation of pollutants within plant organisms. The mechanism analysis results of the Hypo 1 pharmacophore model were verified, indicating that hydrophobic characteristics affect the resistance and degradation of PCBs in plants, significantly affecting the degradation effect of pollutants in plants.

Decomposition of waterside plants greatly affects the transformation and mobility of sedimentary antimony in water–sediment systems after emergency treatment: A microcosm study

Polyferric sulfate (PFS) coagulation has proven to be effective in addressing antimony (Sb) water pollution accidents; however, the impact of waterside plant decomposition on its effectiveness has not been adequately elucidated. This study investigated the effects of Alternanthera philoxeroides (AP) and Digitaria sanguinalis (DS) decomposition on Sb cycling after PFS treatment. Without plant decomposition, the Fe(OH)3 hydrolysate-associated Sb remained stable, and the sediment continued to exhibit Sb sink properties. Plant residue decomposition facilitated sedimentary Sb release, and DS decomposition had a greater impact than AP decomposition. The strong decomposition phases triggered abiotic/biotic reduction processes, leading to Fe(OH)3 dissolution and subsequent Sb(V) release. Concurrently, sulfate reduction and dissolved organic matter (DOM) release regulated Sb mobility. In addition, Sb(V) reduction occurred, and Sb(III) was elevated in the overlying water. The Sb(III) levels gradually decreased during the later aerobic stages, however, did not completely disappear within a short timeframe. Furthermore, the role of the sediment as an Sb sink was significantly hindered, maintaining relatively high levels of dissolved Sb. Sedimentary Sb speciation analysis revealed that plant decomposition induced a shift in Fe-oxyhydroxide-bound Sb to more bioavailable and stable fractions. Our results indicate that plant residue decomposition easily deteriorates PFS efficiency and increases the risk of secondary Sb pollution in water–sediment systems.

Exploring the long-term impact of a cadmium pollution accident on microbial communities in river ecosystems

The large leakage accidents of heavy metals from industrial facilities pose a serious environmental problem; however, not enough studies have been conducted to assess the long-term ecological risk associated with such accidents. This study evaluated changes in the bacterial communities within river sediment and identified the key functional microorganisms responding to the 2012 cadmium contamination incident in the Long River, Guangxi Province, China. Results revealed that after a prolonged period of pollution accidents, cadmium pollution still had a discernible effect on the bacterial communities of the river sediment. In comparison to the control site (S1), the bacterial α-diversity in sediments from the accident area (S3) and its downstream (S5) showed a significant increase following the incident. In the control site, Burkholderiaceae was dominant, while in S3 and S5, Pedosphaeraceae, Nitrosomonadaceae, Nitrospiraceae and Geobacteraceae were significantly increased. Sulfur bacteria were found to be more responsive to this cadmium contamination than other bacteria. At site S3, the abundances of Sulfuricurvum, Sulfurifustis, Thioalkalispira, Desulfobacteraceae and Desulfarculaceae were hundreds of times higher than at site S1, indicating an intensification of sulfur cycling processes. The functional prediction implied that cadmium pollution may promote methane oxidation coupled with sulfate reduction reactions and altered the processes of nitrification and denitrification. Environmental factors influencing the microbial community included the levels of metals (cadmium, arsenic, iron) in sediment, as well as other sediment characteristics like temperature and electrical conductivity. These findings contribute to our understanding of the long-term ecological consequences of environmental pollution in river ecosystems.Graphical abstract

Intelligent Water Quality Testing Device based on Internet of Things Technology

Water quality testing is an important environmental testing standard. However, at present, Internet of Things water quality testing products generally have problems such as single function, complex interface, and short sensor life. The design of this paper is a device with intelligent water quality detection technology, including the independent design of the sensor interface standard, the sensor automatic recognition, plug and play; The sensor is equipped with a lifting mechanical structure to avoid long-term soaking of the sensor and increase the service life of the sensor by 35%. At the same time, combined with intelligent Internet of Things, big data analysis and other technologies, help relevant departments to grasp water quality information in a timely and accurate manner, early warning and forecasting of major regional water pollution accidents, supervision of pollutant discharge, and implementation of control systems to provide help. It is mainly used to monitor the water quality data of small and medium-sized reservoirs, rivers and lakes to achieve intelligent management within the jurisdiction.

Adsorption performance and fitting of thermal runaway gases in power batteries on CuO-doped SnS monolayer: A DFT study

Thermal runaway failure of power batteries will release a large amount of thermal runaway gas (TRG), causing serious environmental pollution and safety accidents. Therefore, monitoring TRG is crucial to battery safety. In this paper, the adsorption capacity of TRG on SnS monolayer and SnS-CuO monolayer are compared based on DFT. SnS-CuO monolayer exhibits strong adsorption for C2H4 and CO. Compared with the SnS monolayer, the Eads are improved by 285.10 % and 527.24 %, respectively. Meanwhile, the electron affinity of TRG strongly correlates with adsorption properties (SSE < 0.06, R-square > 0.9, and RMSE < 0.2), indicating that it plays a significant role in explaining the adsorption characteristics of different TRG. Furthermore, the dielectric constant of the solvent exhibits a stronger correlation with the adsorptive properties of TRG (R-square > 0.96 and RMSE < 0.004), indicating the environmental tunability of TRG adsorption. In general, this research reveals the potential of SnS-CuO monolayer as a gas sensor for C2H4 and CO and provides theoretical guidance for exploring the impact of various TRG and solvent environments on the adsorption performance of SnS-CuO monolayer. It is expected to be widely used in TRG monitoring of power batteries in the future.

A Novel Approach for the Analysis of Ship Pollution Accidents Using Knowledge Graph

Ship pollution accidents can cause serious harm to marine ecosystems and economic development. This study proposes a ship pollution accident analysis method based on a knowledge graph to solve the problem that complex accident information is challenging to present clearly. Based on the information of 411 ship pollution accidents along the coast of China, the Word2vec’s word vector models, BERT–BiLSTM–CRF model and BiLSTM–CRF model, were applied to extract entities and relations, and the Neo4j graph database was used for knowledge graph data storage and visualization. Furthermore, the case information retrieval and cause correlation of ship pollution accidents were analyzed by a knowledge graph. This method established 3928 valid entities and 5793 valid relationships, and the extraction accuracy of the entities and relationships was 79.45% and 82.47%, respectively. In addition, through visualization and Cypher language queries, we can clearly understand the logical relationship between accidents and causes and quickly retrieve relevant information. Using the centrality algorithm, we can analyze the degree of influence between accident causes and put forward targeted measures based on the relevant causes, which will help improve accident prevention and emergency response capabilities and strengthen marine environmental protection.

Emergency monitoring layout model for sudden water pollution accidents in water distribution networks

ABSTRACT The layout of emergency monitoring points (EMPs) in water distribution networks is one of the main measures to ensure the water safety of residents and preserve the sustainable development of cities and society. The impact factors on the layout of EMPs are first analyzed. Then, a new emergency monitoring layout model is presented with the goal of maximizing the number of the excluded possible sources and minimizing the formulated time of emergency response. Finally, taking EPANET Network 3 as a simulation case to verify the proposed model. The results show the new layout model can effectively exclude 60% of the number of possible sources, and shorten 18% of the formulated time of emergency response measure. There are many factors that affect the layout of EMPs, which mainly include the time of arranging EMPs, the latest time to formulate the emergency response measure, the number of emergency monitoring equipment available, and the relative error criteria of pollutant concentration, from apparently to slightly. It provides a new idea for emergency decision-makers to deal with sudden water pollution accidents in water distribution networks.

Compulsory environmental pollution liability insurance and corporate risk taking: a difference-in-difference approach

PurposeMany developing countries have encountered frequent pollution accidents during their rapid development, while the previously weak environmental insurance systems could seriously undermine the progress of sustainable development. Some developing countries like China has initiated and strengthened environmental pollution liability insurance, so how effective this system would be in resolving enterprises environmental risks need to be further revealed.Design/methodology/approachThis research identifies the possible consequence that compulsory environmental pollution liability insurance pilot (CEPLIP) policy would bring to the risk-taking capacity of heavy-polluting corporations of China by the Differences-in-Differences (DID) approach.FindingsThe result supports the implementation of CEPLIP policy in increasing corporate risk-taking capacity. Furthermore, the CEPLIP policy can promote the corporate’s risk-taking capacity by reducing financial distress constraints and enhancing trade credit, supporting its dual role of “fallback effect” as well as “external supervision effect” of environmental insurance. As a result of heterogeneity test, the policy is more pronounced in enterprise samples with mature life cycle stage or lower industrial concentration degree. Similarly, it is more significant in enterprise samples owned better environmental management capabilities or greater strategic deviance.Originality/valueThis paper verifies the effectiveness of the CEPLIP policy by strengthening its supervision mechanism and restraining opportunistic behavior tendency and provides implications for alleviating increasing environmental risk pressure and building more sustainable environmental protection management systems.

Photoreduced Ag+/sodium alginate supramolecular hydrogel as a sensitive SERS membrane substrate for rapid detection of uranyl ions

BackgroundIn the fields of environmental monitoring and nuclear emergency, in order to obtain the relevant information of uranyl-induced environmental pollution and nuclear accident, it is necessary to establish a rapid quantitative analytical technique for uranyl ions. As a new promising technique, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is hopeful to achieve this goal. However, uranyl ions are easily desorbed from SERS substrates under acidic conditions, and the structures of SERS substrates will be destroyed in the strong acidic aqueous solutions. Besides, the quantitative detection ability of SERS for uranyl ions needs to be promoted. Hence, it is necessary to develop new SERS substrates for accurate quantitative detection of trace uranyl in environmental water samples, especially in acidic solutions. ResultsIn this work, we prepared silver ions/sodium alginate supramolecular hydrogel membrane (Ag+/SA SMH membrane), and the Ag+ ions from the membrane were transformed into Ag/Ag2O complex nanoparticles under laser irradiation. The Raman signal of uranyl was strongly enhanced under the synergistic interaction of electromagnetic enhancement derived from the Ag nanoparticles and charge transfer enhancement between uranyl and Ag2O. Utilizing the peak of SA (550 cm−1) as an internal standard, a quantitative detection with a LOD of 6.7 × 10−9 mol L−1 was achieved due to a good linear relation of uranyl concentrations from 1.0 × 10−8 mol L−1 to 2 × 10−6 mol L−1. Furthermore, foreign metal ions hardly affected the SERS detection of uranyl, and the substrate could determine trace uranyl in natural water samples. Particularly, the acidity had no obvious effect on SERS signals of uranyl ions. Therefore, in addition to the detection of uranyl ions in natural water samples, the proposed strategy could also detect uranyl ions in strong acidic solutions. Significance and noveltyA simple one-step method was used to prepare an Ag+/SA SMH membrane for rapid quantitative detection of uranyl ions for the first time. The proposed substrate successfully detected uranyl ions under acidic conditions by immobilizing uranyl ion in hydrogel structure. In comparison with the previous studies, a more accurate quantitative analysis for uranyl ions was achieved by using an internal standard, and the proposed strategy could determine trace uranyl in either natural water samples or strong acidic solutions.

Implementation of a Far-Field Water Quality Model for the Simulation of Trace Elements in an Eastern Mediterranean Coastal Embayment Receiving High Anthropogenic Pressure

Water quality modeling is a key element for the support of environmental protection and policymaking. The aim of this work is to describe the application of a far-field water quality model for the simulation of marine pollution occurring from heavy metals (cadmium, lead, nickel, copper, and zinc). The highly stressed marine area of the Saronikos Gulf (Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean) was chosen for investigation. Major pollution sources were identified, loads were estimated, and the model was parameterized to reproduce the local seawater conditions. The distribution of the pollutants between the dissolved and particulate phases was examined. The performance of the model set-up was evaluated using field concentration measurements. The described implementation succeeded in reproducing the observed levels of pollution and therefore can be used as a baseline configuration to examine the cumulative impact of future pollution sources; for example, accidental pollution events.

Review of Optimized Feeder Vehicle Systems in Developing Countries

With the population growth and changes in travel patterns, transportation demand in urban cities continue to increase rapidly. Since it is a cause for higher traffic densities, poor parking facilities, air pollution and road accidents, transport planners have to provide a system, which can ensure safe and comfortable mobility to all users as well as suppliers’ perspectives. Therefore, developing an affordable and efficient public transportation network is a critical goal for developing countries seeking to address urban mobility challenges. Feeder vehicle systems, which provide the first and last mile connectivity to the passengers, offers an opportunity for creating a system capable of meeting multiple needs of users and operators. It is an effective public transportation system that already operates in developed countries. It offers immense potential for improving accessibility and reducing congestion. However, the implementation of effective feeder system in developing countries is fraught with challenges due to uncoordinated transit networks, infrastructure limitations, and budget constraints. This paper presents a critical review of recent planning methodologies and selected decision support systems for optimizing feeder transport services.

An Investigation of Contaminant Transport and Retention from Storage Zone in Meandering Channels

Contaminant trapping by recirculation zones occurring at the apex of natural meandering channels induces a long tail in the contaminant cloud, thereby complicating the prediction of mixing behaviors. Thus, the understanding of the interaction between solute trapping and recirculating flow is important for responding to and mitigating water pollution accidents. In this research, the EFDC model was employed to reproduce three-dimensional flow structures of recirculating flow at the channel apex and investigate the influence on contaminant mixing. To investigate the contaminant transport characteristics from the storage zone in meandering channels, simulations were conducted using various discharge values to assess the impact of storage zone development on the concentration–time curves. The analysis of the relationship between the storage zone size and mixing behaviors indicates that an increase in discharge could result in a shorter tail and larger longitudinal dispersion even with the larger storage zone size. On the other hand, the enlarged recirculation zone size contributes to reducing transverse dispersion, evidenced by flatter dosage curves under lower flow rate conditions. These findings suggest that the increase in longitudinal dispersion with a larger flow rate is primarily caused by the reduction in transverse dispersion resulting from the formation of the recirculation zone.

A new assessment method for water environment safety and its application

The Three Gorges Reservoir area is recognized by its vast size, dense population, bustling economic and social activities along its banks, and by the significant volume of waterway traffic. These factors make it with a high risk of water pollution accidents, posing a serious threat to water environmental safety. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct a water environmental safety assessment in this region to ensure the safety of the water environment. In the present work, the Driving-Pressure-State-Impact-Response-Risk Water Environmental Safety model was proposed, and a comprehensive water environmental safety assessment system was established. The Water Environment Safety Index was introduced to measure the degree of water environment safety. This model synthesized multiple factors and their interrelationships, enabling a more accurate assessment of water environment safety. By adopting scientifically rigorous evaluation criteria, this assessment method enhanced the reliability and credibility of the results obtained. The water environment safety in the 22 counties and districts of the Three Gorges Reservoir area of Chongqing region from 2017 to 2021 was assessed in terms of temporal changes and spatial differentiation. In general, the overall water environment safety situation in the Three Gorges Reservoir area of Chongqing region is relatively safe, but a few counties/districts (such as Wanzhou District, Jiangjin District, etc.) are still in Warning. Spatially, the water environmental safety condition was relatively better in the northeast compared to the southwest. The main factors threatening water environment safety include: 1) the consequence of the Three Gorges Project, 2) severe soil erosion, 3) industrial, agricultural, and domestic pollution, and 4) frequent water pollution accidents. The present work provided a new method for conducting water environment safety assessments, which is expected to positively contribute to further research in this field.

Development and application of early warning system for heavy metal pollution accident in drinking water source area

With increasing extreme weather events and urban development, drinking water source areas (DWSAs) face rising water quality pollution incidents. Timely and precise pollution incident early warning is critical. This study integrated the hydrodynamic model and water quality early warning model developed for the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA)'s DWSA, establishing a water pollution incident early warning system for the TGRA. Assuming a heavy metal zinc (Zn) pollution incident in the TGRA's Heshangshan drinking water source area (HDWSA), the study analyzed pollutant Spatio-temporal variations and the duration of early warning exceedance during different water periods. Results indicated varying durations for pollutant levels to return to background values across the four water periods: 123 min (dry), 115 min (falling), 106 min (storage), and 96 min (flood). Level I early-warning durations ranged from long to short: 68 min (dry), 63 min (falling), 57 min (storage), and 50 min (flood), respectively. The early warning system is scientifically reliable and supports decision-making for DWSA water pollution incidents.

A chemical accident cause text mining method based on improved accident triangle

BackgroundWith the rapid development of China’s chemical industry, although researchers have developed many methods in the field of chemical safety, the situation of chemical safety in China is still not optimistic. How to prevent accidents has always been the focus of scholars’ attention.MethodsBased on the characteristics of chemical enterprises and the Heinrich accident triangle, this paper developed the organizational-level accident triangle, which divides accidents into group-level, unit-level, and workshop-level accidents. Based on 484 accident records of a large chemical enterprise in China, the Spearman correlation coefficient was used to analyze the rationality of accident classification and the occurrence rules of accidents at different levels. In addition, this paper used TF-IDF and K-means algorithms to extract keywords and perform text clustering analysis for accidents at different levels based on accident classification. The risk factors of each accident cluster were further analyzed, and improvement measures were proposed for the sample enterprises.ResultsThe results show that reducing unit-level accidents can prevent group-level accidents. The accidents of the sample enterprises are mainly personal injury accidents, production accidents, environmental pollution accidents, and quality accidents. The leading causes of personal injury accidents are employees’ unsafe behaviors, such as poor safety awareness, non-standard operation, illegal operation, untimely communication, etc. The leading causes of production accidents, environmental pollution accidents, and quality accidents include the unsafe state of materials, such as equipment damage, pipeline leakage, short-circuiting, excessive fluctuation of process parameters, etc.ConclusionCompared with the traditional accident classification method, the accident triangle proposed in this paper based on the organizational level dramatically reduces the differences between accidents, helps enterprises quickly identify risk factors, and prevents accidents. This method can effectively prevent accidents and provide helpful guidance for the safety management of chemical enterprises.