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The application of phase change material (PCM) and cool paint (CP) to building envelope is one of the effective solutions to improve thermal comfort of passive buildings. Therefore, the thermal performance of buildings in Hefei, China in autumn is compared and analyzed by integrating PCM and CP into the building envelope. According to the comprehensive analysis of indoor thermal environment and the ability to maintain indoor thermal comfort, it is concluded that the combined application of PCM and CP is better than the application of PCM or CP alone. And the combination of PCM and CP laid on the south wall and roof respectively is the best. It is more suitable for commercial buildings, which can prolong indoor air temperature (T i) in the thermal comfort zone for more than 10 h during the day. The combination of PCM and CP laid on the roof can prolong T i in the thermal comfort zone for more than 8.05 h, which is more suitable for residential buildings. The purpose is to explore the best combination mode of residential and commercial buildings according to the characteristics of temperature change and building types (according to people's main use time) in the real environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The input of pollutants caused by human activities induces the deterioration of surface water quality. To reveal the characteristics of surface water quality in Chaohu Lake Basin and the influence of human activities, the hydrochemistry and stable isotope composition of hydrogen and oxygen in lake water and inflow river water were analyzed. The results show that the hydrochemical type of lake water is the Na–Cl type,while river water is the Na–Cl, Ca–Cl and mixed types. The ion proportional coefficient method and principal component analysis show that surface water is controlled by weathering of evaporated salt rocks and silicate rocks, in which Cl- and SO 4 2- are affected by fertilizers and sewage to some extent. There is a strong correlation between conventional ions and nutrient indexes, which indicates that dissolved ions are affected not only by rock weathering but also by human activities (such as the discharge of domestic sewage or nitrogen-containing wastewater and the use of fertilizers). The stable isotope values of hydrogen and oxygen in surface water are distributed at the lower right portion of the local precipitation line and are close to it, indicating that surface water mainly originates from precipitation. The high value of d-excess values in surface water indicates that evaporation is weak. As pollution indicators, EC, Cl- and NO 3 - indicates that the Nanfei River, Dianbu River, Shiwuli River and Pai River flow in northwestern of Chaohu Lake Basin through Hefei urban city are severely polluted, NO 3 - originates from manure and sewage. Rivers flowing through farmland areas are less polluted, and the use of agricultural fertilizer contributes greatly to NO 3 -. [Display omitted] • The Cl− and SO 4 2− of Chaohu Lake basin are affected by fertilizers and sewage. • Conventional ions have a strong correlation with TN and NO 3 –N. • NO 3 − originates from manure and sewage in inflow river through the urban. • Fertilizers contribute greatly to NO 3 − in inflow river through the farmland area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: NH3–plasma treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (pn-MWCNTs) with cation traps for the detection of ultratrace quantities of Zn(II), Cd(II), Cu(II), and Hg(II) using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) is described. The pn-MWCNTs use their adsorption performance to enhance the sensitivity. It is found that under optimized conditions Zn(II), Cd(II), Cu(II) and Hg(II) were individually detected at potentials of −1.16, −0.78, −0.268 and 0.108V, respectively. The detection limit (3σ method) of 0.314, 0.0272, 0.2263, and 0.1439nM toward Zn(II), Cd(II), Cu(II), and Hg(II) is achievable, respectively. No interference could be seen during the simultaneous detection of Zn(II), Cd(II), Cu(II), and Hg(II). The pn-MWCNTs exhibit excellent selectivity owing to the different ability of adsorption. A study of the ability of pn-MWCNTs in practical application is carried out using a sample of water collected from Dongpu Reservoir in Hefei City, Anhui, China. It is found that the results were favorable when compared against inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]