Monday, June 2, 2008
Technical paper on organic contaminants in Guangzhou rivers released.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/n7135xq111x669n1/
Size and resin fractionations of dissolved organic matter and trihalomethane precursors from four typical source waters in China
Journal Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Publisher Springer Netherlands
ISSN 0167-6369 (Print) 1573-2959 (Online)
Issue Volume 141, Numbers 1-3 / June, 2008
DOI 10.1007/s10661-007-9901-1
Pages 347-357
Subject Collection Earth and Environmental Science
SpringerLink Date Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Size and resin fractionations of dissolved organic matter and trihalomethane precursors from four typical source waters in China
Qunshan Wei1, 2, Dongsheng Wang1 Contact Information, Qia Wei1, 3, Chunguang Qiao1, Baoyou Shi1 and Hongxiao Tang1
(1) State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
(2) Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361003, China
(3) Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang Institute of Aeronautical Technology, Nanchang, 330063, China
Received: 27 December 2006 Accepted: 27 August 2007 Published online: 13 September 2007
Abstract Dissolved organic matter (DOM) and its potential to form disinfection by-products (DBPs) during drinking water treatment raise challenges to water quality control. Understanding both chemical and physical characteristics of DOM in source waters is key to better water treatment. In this study, the DOM from four typical source waters in China was fractionated by XAD resin adsorption (RA) and ultrafiltration (UF) techniques. The trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP) of all fractions in the DOM were investigated to reveal the major THM precursors. The fraction distributions of DOM could be related to their geographical origins in a certain extent. The dominant chemical fraction as THM precursors in the DOM from south waters (East-Lake reservoir in Shenzhen and Peal rivers in Guangzhou) was hydrophobic acid (HoA). The size fraction with molecular weight (MW) <1 kDa in both south waters had the highest THMFP. The results of cluster analysis showed that the parameters of fractions including DOC percentage (DOC%), UV254%, SUVA254 (specific UV254 absorbance) and THMFP were better for representing the differences of DOM from the studied waters than specific THMFP (STHMFP). The weak correlation between SUVA254 and STHMFP for either size or XAD fractions suggests that whether SUVA254 can be used as an indicator for the reactivity of THM formation is highly dependent on the nature of organic matter.
Keywords Dissolved organic matter - Disinfection by-products - Fractionation - Trihalomethane formation potential - Ultrafiltration - UV absorbance - XAD resin
Contact Information Dongsheng Wang
Chinese water: June 2, 2008: Quake victims buried to avoid water contamination.
A terrible tragedy.
Posted without further comment.
Peter Huston
===
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/02/content_8299921.htm
Burial of quake victims not contaminate water sources
www.chinaview.cn 2008-06-02 11:32:54 Print
Special report: Reconstruction After Earthquake
BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A Ministry of Health spokesman said here Monday that deep burial of earthquake victims in Sichuan had been "scientifically handled" and would not contaminate water sources.
Mao Qun'an said in an online interview with netizens at the central government's portal, www.gov.cn, quarantine task forces dug pits deeply under surface and sterilized dead bodies before burying them.
The 8.0-magnitude quake jolted southwest China's Sichuan, claiming at least 69,016 lives, leaving 18,830 missing, injuring 368,545 and displacing 15 million people, up-to-date official statistics said.
The debris left over by the major quake and several big after-shocks impeded roads to the outside, which made it difficult to move the dead who resided in remote villages out for cremation, Mao said.
Mao said the ministry had tried all out to prevent water sources, particularly those for drinking, from possible contamination.
Editor: Du Guodong
Posted without further comment.
Peter Huston
===
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/02/content_8299921.htm
Burial of quake victims not contaminate water sources
www.chinaview.cn 2008-06-02 11:32:54 Print
Special report: Reconstruction After Earthquake
BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A Ministry of Health spokesman said here Monday that deep burial of earthquake victims in Sichuan had been "scientifically handled" and would not contaminate water sources.
Mao Qun'an said in an online interview with netizens at the central government's portal, www.gov.cn, quarantine task forces dug pits deeply under surface and sterilized dead bodies before burying them.
The 8.0-magnitude quake jolted southwest China's Sichuan, claiming at least 69,016 lives, leaving 18,830 missing, injuring 368,545 and displacing 15 million people, up-to-date official statistics said.
The debris left over by the major quake and several big after-shocks impeded roads to the outside, which made it difficult to move the dead who resided in remote villages out for cremation, Mao said.
Mao said the ministry had tried all out to prevent water sources, particularly those for drinking, from possible contamination.
Editor: Du Guodong
China Water: June 2, 2008: Visit by Indian foreign minister, rivers to be discussed.
China competes with many of its neighboring states over water access. In this case discussions will center on the Brahmaputra or the Sang Po river.
Peter Huston
===
http://news.indiainfo.com/2008/06/02/0806021229_pranab-china_visit.html
News HomeIndiaNational
Water, trade focus of Pranab’s China visit
Monday, June 02, 2008 12:28 [IST]
Seema Guha
New Delhi: Foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to China this week comes at an interesting time, ahead of the controversial Beijing Olympics. It is also the first high level visit to China after the crackdown in Tibet, underlying the fact that despite the recent hiccups, the engagement between the two Asian giants remains on track.
This is not all. On Saturday, the Indian air force took the first step to operationalise an airbase in Ladakh which overlooks the strategic Karakoram pass and is located 8km south of the Chinese border.
A few years ago this would have been seen as a sign of hostility but today, with a more mature relationship with a former foe, the visit will not be affected. After all the airstrip is in Indian territory and meant to service the forward posts.
The minister will be in China from June 4-7, at the invitation of his counterpart Yang Jiechi.
“The visit will be the first high-level political exchange between the two countries after the prime minister’s visit to China in January,” the foreign ministry statement said.
River water is sure to come up for discussion during the meeting and an agreement for exchange of data on Brahmaputra or the Sang Po as it is known in China is likely to be finalised.
Though Tibet is not in the agenda for talks, it is likely to come up during Mukherjee’s discussions with Yang Jiechi. The fact that Tibet’s spiritual leader Dalai Lama is based here and the majority of the Tibetans in exile are in India, makes it an important and sensitive issue for both countries.
While in Beijing he will honour professor Ji, the 97-year-old scholar who had specialised in Sanskrit and translated the Ramayana and other Indian works to Chinese.
Trade and investment will be high on the agenda. With two way trade between the India and China doing so well the revised estimate now is to make it $60 billion by 2010.
Source : DNA
Peter Huston
===
http://news.indiainfo.com/2008/06/02/0806021229_pranab-china_visit.html
News HomeIndiaNational
Water, trade focus of Pranab’s China visit
Monday, June 02, 2008 12:28 [IST]
Seema Guha
New Delhi: Foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to China this week comes at an interesting time, ahead of the controversial Beijing Olympics. It is also the first high level visit to China after the crackdown in Tibet, underlying the fact that despite the recent hiccups, the engagement between the two Asian giants remains on track.
This is not all. On Saturday, the Indian air force took the first step to operationalise an airbase in Ladakh which overlooks the strategic Karakoram pass and is located 8km south of the Chinese border.
A few years ago this would have been seen as a sign of hostility but today, with a more mature relationship with a former foe, the visit will not be affected. After all the airstrip is in Indian territory and meant to service the forward posts.
The minister will be in China from June 4-7, at the invitation of his counterpart Yang Jiechi.
“The visit will be the first high-level political exchange between the two countries after the prime minister’s visit to China in January,” the foreign ministry statement said.
River water is sure to come up for discussion during the meeting and an agreement for exchange of data on Brahmaputra or the Sang Po as it is known in China is likely to be finalised.
Though Tibet is not in the agenda for talks, it is likely to come up during Mukherjee’s discussions with Yang Jiechi. The fact that Tibet’s spiritual leader Dalai Lama is based here and the majority of the Tibetans in exile are in India, makes it an important and sensitive issue for both countries.
While in Beijing he will honour professor Ji, the 97-year-old scholar who had specialised in Sanskrit and translated the Ramayana and other Indian works to Chinese.
Trade and investment will be high on the agenda. With two way trade between the India and China doing so well the revised estimate now is to make it $60 billion by 2010.
Source : DNA
Sunday, June 1, 2008
China in Africa: The Water connection.
Although I am not familiar with the source of this story and cannot vouch completely for its contents, it is a fascinating story.
Not only does it depict China as an exporter of water technologies, but it also deals with China's role in Africa. Periodically, people ask me about the future of China's economic growth and just how far can it go. I respond by telling them that it is my personal belief that China's economic growth depends on two factors. The first is whether or not China can sustain its own ecology, as it has taxed its own resources to the limit, and the second is whether or not China will be able to gain access to sufficient external resources, particularly African resources, to provide for its economic growth.
Also of interest is the discussion of micro hydro-dams in the story.
Peter Huston
===
http://www.ecoworld.com/home/articles2.cfm?tid=460
China, Water & Africa
CHINA'S APPROACH TO THE AFRICAN WATER CRISIS
by D. Gordon Feller
Africa, vast and varied, is on the
verge of extraordinary development.
Editor's Note: China's breathtaking transformation of their own country over the past couple of decades is accompanied by robust new Chinese enterprises all over the world. In this report on China's activities in Africa, the Chinese are seen to be involved in infrastructure projects across this vast continent.
Everything about Africa is writ large - during the past twenty years, as China's economy exploded, Africa's population doubled. There are now over 900 million people living in Africa, and collectively the Africans have lower per capita wealth than the peoples of any other continent. But the potential in this vast land mass of over 3.0 million square kilometers - over 20% of the total land surface on earth and second only to Asia in size - is immense.
China brings to the Africans infrastructure projects that are, arguably, at lower cost and with fewer conditions than any other nation. They are now 2nd only the the United States as Africa's largest trading partner, and according to Columbia University economist Jeffery Sachs, "China gives fewer lectures and more practical help and thus offers Africa something new, a straightforward business relationship between equals based on mutual interest and non-interference in the internal affairs of its allies."
Whether or not Africa will ultimately benefit more from rapid establishment of more railroads and power stations, for example, with other concerns such as the human rights records of the local governments coming later - has no simple answer. As Zulu Chief Buthelezi once said, "we cannot fight for freedom if we have no bread." Civil engineering infrastructure is the backbone of wealth, and with wealth inevitably comes the desire and the means to build democracy.
Similarly, environmental challenges are more easily met when there is wealth. Build an aquaduct tunnel north from the Ubangi River to Lake Chad? Some environmentalists might find this horrifying - but if the local nations asked the Chinese to build such a conveyance, they would do it, and they wouldn't require decades of legal briefs to get it done, either. If water were shipped from the Congo Basin to Lake Chad, all along the way people would have bread, and the failing aquifers of the Sahel could replenish at last. And with full bellies, people might more easily consider the challenges of planetary stewardship, and the allure of peaceful coexistance. - Ed "Redwood" Ring
China's Approach to the African Water Crisis
by Gordon Feller, May 31st, 2008
Sticks note the locations of sunken wells in a
dried-up pond in Filtu Woreda, Southern Ethiopia.
In January 2008 China's CGC Overseas Construction Company was to start work on a project to increase water production and distribution in Cameroon's economic capital, Douala.
The company signed the deal for the project last December. It involves construction of pipe networks, wells and a potable water treatment plant and aims to boost Douala's water production capacity from 115,000 to 260,000 cubic meters in a year.
The Cameroon project of CGC is just the latest in a series of water projects that companies from China are carrying out in African countries. While some of the companies are engaged in providing clean drinking water in African cities and villages, several others are assisting in building dams and water supply and distribution networks across resource-rich Africa. Though Africa as a whole has plenty of water, a number of cities in various countries across the continent lack direct access to potable water for their populations. The continent's topography, too, poses a serious challenge in getting water to thousands of villages and communities.
Water is being treated by several countries as a vital commodity for not only ensuring proper sanitation but also for a whole range of socio-economic activities.
The Chinese were not, of course, the first to spot an opportunity here. Many companies from the developed world as well as local firms have established a presence in the water sector. But with the coming of the Chinese, they seem to be losing ground.
Chinese companies may not bring the latest technologies, but they offer a critical cost and labor advantage. They also seem not to be bothered by the rather small sizes of some of the water-related projects in Africa. Political support from Beijing has also played an important role in softening the entry of Chinese companies in Africa.
Western organizations and companies often come in with investments and expertise tied to development and human rights stipulations. Chinese firms are building dams and water treatment plants across Africa, guided more by revenue and diplomatic influence than environmental or human rights concerns.
ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER
PERCENT OF POPULATION 2004
Source: UNDP Development Report 2006
The Columbia University economist Jeffery Sachs, in a conference in Beijing in late 2006, may have summed it up best: "China gives fewer lectures and more practical help and thus offers Africa something new, a straightforward business relationship between equals based on mutual interest and non-interference in the internal affairs of its allies."
As a result, many African governments prefer to work with Chinese companies, who maintain a hands-off approach in the countries where they operate. There are also reports of Chinese firms offering ultra-small, cheap "micro-hydro" dams, which appeal to water-rich but power-short African nations. The Chinese have technical mastery over these micro-dams, which can generate tiny amounts of electricity from mere trickles of water. Hundreds of such systems are operating in China.
Besides undertaking water projects, Chinese companies are also building railways, telecommunication systems, highways and port facilities. The influence of the Chinese is growing by the day in Africa. According to reports, China has become Africa's second largest aid donor and trading partner, behind the United States. At the moment, there could be as many as 700 Chinese companies active across the continent.
Among the firms well entrenched in Africa is China International Water and Electric Corporation, a state-owned enterprise under the direct jurisdiction of the central government. The company, which has a presence in several African countries, has undertaken projects in Cameroon, Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan and Ghana, where it carried out the rehabilitation of water supply systems in the Volta region.
It has been working in Sudan since 1998, building pumping stations. China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic & Technical Cooperation, which began working in Zambia in 2004, has sunk over 1,500 wells there.
China Geo-Engineering Company, has been working on the Kabwe water and sanitation project in Zambia, even in the wake of delays by the local government in disbursing its portion of the project funding. The government recently moved to pay some of the outstanding amount it owes to the company in counterpart funding for the project, which runs up to 2010.
China Geo Engineering in late 2005 won a tender to build the water supply network in Mozambique's southern cities of Xai-Xai and Chokwe. Ten companies or consortia had bid for the conract. Similarly, China Henan International won a tender to supply water in two other Mozambican cities, Inhambane and Maxixe, beating out eight companies. Several Chinese companies working in Africa are importing material, equipment and accessories from back home, helping other firms in China to extend their business. But the growing might of the Chinese firms is causing resentment among its local competition.
In some countries, local industry players have been expressing concern over the ways Chinese firms are dislodging them as preferred contractors, especially for social projects including water systems. They accuse the Chinese firms of resorting to price undercutting to win contracts. But ultimately, China is building infrastructure that is helping to transform Africa.
The mighty Ubangi River, northern tributary of the Congo.
Just a trickle north from this huge river could refill Lake Chad.
(Photo: Pete Chirico, USGS, Wikipedia Commons)
Additional EcoWorld reports on China:
Not only does it depict China as an exporter of water technologies, but it also deals with China's role in Africa. Periodically, people ask me about the future of China's economic growth and just how far can it go. I respond by telling them that it is my personal belief that China's economic growth depends on two factors. The first is whether or not China can sustain its own ecology, as it has taxed its own resources to the limit, and the second is whether or not China will be able to gain access to sufficient external resources, particularly African resources, to provide for its economic growth.
Also of interest is the discussion of micro hydro-dams in the story.
Peter Huston
===
http://www.ecoworld.com/home/articles2.cfm?tid=460
China, Water & Africa
CHINA'S APPROACH TO THE AFRICAN WATER CRISIS
by D. Gordon Feller
Africa, vast and varied, is on the
verge of extraordinary development.
Editor's Note: China's breathtaking transformation of their own country over the past couple of decades is accompanied by robust new Chinese enterprises all over the world. In this report on China's activities in Africa, the Chinese are seen to be involved in infrastructure projects across this vast continent.
Everything about Africa is writ large - during the past twenty years, as China's economy exploded, Africa's population doubled. There are now over 900 million people living in Africa, and collectively the Africans have lower per capita wealth than the peoples of any other continent. But the potential in this vast land mass of over 3.0 million square kilometers - over 20% of the total land surface on earth and second only to Asia in size - is immense.
China brings to the Africans infrastructure projects that are, arguably, at lower cost and with fewer conditions than any other nation. They are now 2nd only the the United States as Africa's largest trading partner, and according to Columbia University economist Jeffery Sachs, "China gives fewer lectures and more practical help and thus offers Africa something new, a straightforward business relationship between equals based on mutual interest and non-interference in the internal affairs of its allies."
Whether or not Africa will ultimately benefit more from rapid establishment of more railroads and power stations, for example, with other concerns such as the human rights records of the local governments coming later - has no simple answer. As Zulu Chief Buthelezi once said, "we cannot fight for freedom if we have no bread." Civil engineering infrastructure is the backbone of wealth, and with wealth inevitably comes the desire and the means to build democracy.
Similarly, environmental challenges are more easily met when there is wealth. Build an aquaduct tunnel north from the Ubangi River to Lake Chad? Some environmentalists might find this horrifying - but if the local nations asked the Chinese to build such a conveyance, they would do it, and they wouldn't require decades of legal briefs to get it done, either. If water were shipped from the Congo Basin to Lake Chad, all along the way people would have bread, and the failing aquifers of the Sahel could replenish at last. And with full bellies, people might more easily consider the challenges of planetary stewardship, and the allure of peaceful coexistance. - Ed "Redwood" Ring
China's Approach to the African Water Crisis
by Gordon Feller, May 31st, 2008
Sticks note the locations of sunken wells in a
dried-up pond in Filtu Woreda, Southern Ethiopia.
In January 2008 China's CGC Overseas Construction Company was to start work on a project to increase water production and distribution in Cameroon's economic capital, Douala.
The company signed the deal for the project last December. It involves construction of pipe networks, wells and a potable water treatment plant and aims to boost Douala's water production capacity from 115,000 to 260,000 cubic meters in a year.
The Cameroon project of CGC is just the latest in a series of water projects that companies from China are carrying out in African countries. While some of the companies are engaged in providing clean drinking water in African cities and villages, several others are assisting in building dams and water supply and distribution networks across resource-rich Africa. Though Africa as a whole has plenty of water, a number of cities in various countries across the continent lack direct access to potable water for their populations. The continent's topography, too, poses a serious challenge in getting water to thousands of villages and communities.
Water is being treated by several countries as a vital commodity for not only ensuring proper sanitation but also for a whole range of socio-economic activities.
The Chinese were not, of course, the first to spot an opportunity here. Many companies from the developed world as well as local firms have established a presence in the water sector. But with the coming of the Chinese, they seem to be losing ground.
Chinese companies may not bring the latest technologies, but they offer a critical cost and labor advantage. They also seem not to be bothered by the rather small sizes of some of the water-related projects in Africa. Political support from Beijing has also played an important role in softening the entry of Chinese companies in Africa.
Western organizations and companies often come in with investments and expertise tied to development and human rights stipulations. Chinese firms are building dams and water treatment plants across Africa, guided more by revenue and diplomatic influence than environmental or human rights concerns.
ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER
PERCENT OF POPULATION 2004
Source: UNDP Development Report 2006
The Columbia University economist Jeffery Sachs, in a conference in Beijing in late 2006, may have summed it up best: "China gives fewer lectures and more practical help and thus offers Africa something new, a straightforward business relationship between equals based on mutual interest and non-interference in the internal affairs of its allies."
As a result, many African governments prefer to work with Chinese companies, who maintain a hands-off approach in the countries where they operate. There are also reports of Chinese firms offering ultra-small, cheap "micro-hydro" dams, which appeal to water-rich but power-short African nations. The Chinese have technical mastery over these micro-dams, which can generate tiny amounts of electricity from mere trickles of water. Hundreds of such systems are operating in China.
Besides undertaking water projects, Chinese companies are also building railways, telecommunication systems, highways and port facilities. The influence of the Chinese is growing by the day in Africa. According to reports, China has become Africa's second largest aid donor and trading partner, behind the United States. At the moment, there could be as many as 700 Chinese companies active across the continent.
Among the firms well entrenched in Africa is China International Water and Electric Corporation, a state-owned enterprise under the direct jurisdiction of the central government. The company, which has a presence in several African countries, has undertaken projects in Cameroon, Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan and Ghana, where it carried out the rehabilitation of water supply systems in the Volta region.
It has been working in Sudan since 1998, building pumping stations. China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic & Technical Cooperation, which began working in Zambia in 2004, has sunk over 1,500 wells there.
China Geo-Engineering Company, has been working on the Kabwe water and sanitation project in Zambia, even in the wake of delays by the local government in disbursing its portion of the project funding. The government recently moved to pay some of the outstanding amount it owes to the company in counterpart funding for the project, which runs up to 2010.
China Geo Engineering in late 2005 won a tender to build the water supply network in Mozambique's southern cities of Xai-Xai and Chokwe. Ten companies or consortia had bid for the conract. Similarly, China Henan International won a tender to supply water in two other Mozambican cities, Inhambane and Maxixe, beating out eight companies. Several Chinese companies working in Africa are importing material, equipment and accessories from back home, helping other firms in China to extend their business. But the growing might of the Chinese firms is causing resentment among its local competition.
In some countries, local industry players have been expressing concern over the ways Chinese firms are dislodging them as preferred contractors, especially for social projects including water systems. They accuse the Chinese firms of resorting to price undercutting to win contracts. But ultimately, China is building infrastructure that is helping to transform Africa.
The mighty Ubangi River, northern tributary of the Congo.
Just a trickle north from this huge river could refill Lake Chad.
(Photo: Pete Chirico, USGS, Wikipedia Commons)
Additional EcoWorld reports on China:
Taiwan Water: June 1, 2008: Upcoming study shows correlation between chlorine and birth defects.
Today seems to be a slow news day. This report from the United Kingdom says that a study that will be published next week in "Environmental Health" that shows a correlation between chlorine levels and rates of birth defects in Taiwan. Although
I'd like to see more evidence, for instance not only does the article state that other studies have not shown this correlation but it is my experience that few people in Taiwan drink water straight from the tap which makes me question what the study actually was studying, I am sure it will get attention in Taiwan and therefore the existence of the study itself is a newsworthy event.
Peter Huston
===
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1023340/Chlorine-tap-water-nearly-doubles-risk-birth-defects.html
Chlorine in tap water 'nearly doubles the risk of birth defects'
By JO MACFARLANE
Last updated at 11:47 PM on 31st May 2008
Pregnant women living in areas where tap water is heavily disinfected with chlorine nearly double their risk of having children with heart problems, a cleft palate or major brain defects, a new study has found.
Scientists say expectant mothers can expose themselves to the higher risk by drinking the water, taking a bath or shower, or even by standing close to a boiling kettle.
The danger comes from chemical by-products in chlorinated water known as trihalomethanes, or THMs, which can be absorbed through the skin. They can then pass into the womb.
At risk: Scientists have now linked chlorinated water to specific birth defects
THMs form because of a chemical reaction between chlorine and natural substances in the water.
They exist in mains water across Britain – but are highest in areas where more chlorine is added because the water quality is poor.
Earlier studies linked chlorinated water to an increased risk of stillbirth, miscarriage, birth defects and bladder cancer. But this is the first time that the risk has been narrowed down to specific birth defects.
Although a major study in 2007 by Imperial College, London, into birth defects and THM levels in Britain uncovered ‘little evidence’ of a link, the new research appears to contradict its findings.
A research team led by Professor Jouni Jaakkola of the University of Birmingham analysed the birth registry details of nearly 400,000 babies born in Taiwan between 2001 and 2003. Levels of chlorine found in water there are similar to those found in the UK.
Scientists compared the number of birth defects recorded by doctors to the level of THMs in the drinking water in different areas.
The proportions of certain specific defects were much higher in areas where levels of THMs were above 20 micrograms per litre.
The brain condition anencephalus, usually found in 0.01 per cent of births, rose to 0.17 per cent in high-THM areas.
Hole-in-the-heart defects also nearly doubled from 0.015 per cent to 0.024 per cent.
The number of cleft palates rose from 0.029 per cent to 0.045 per cent in high-THM areas.
Overall, the risks of having children with these three defects increased by between 50 per cent and 100 per cent.
There was also a slightly raised risk of urinary tract defects and Down’s syndrome.
The study appears in Environmental Health journal next week.
The number of defects could be much higher as some are not detected until later in childhood.
THM levels across Britain vary widely even within one water company area. They range from 92 micrograms per litre in south Staffordshire to just five in Hartlepool.
Most areas have levels way above the ‘high’ range in the Taiwan study. High levels were recorded in South-West England, Yorkshire and North-East Essex.
Prof Jaakkola said THMs should be cut because the biological reasons for the defects were unknown.
He said: ‘Our findings don’t just add to the evidence that water chlorination may cause birth defects but suggest that exposure to chlorination by-products may be responsible for some specific and common defects.’
Barrie Clarke, spokesman for Water UK, reassured consumers that water companies’ work was in line with the best existing information on THMs.
But he added: ‘There will be no closed minds about this new information.’
I'd like to see more evidence, for instance not only does the article state that other studies have not shown this correlation but it is my experience that few people in Taiwan drink water straight from the tap which makes me question what the study actually was studying, I am sure it will get attention in Taiwan and therefore the existence of the study itself is a newsworthy event.
Peter Huston
===
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1023340/Chlorine-tap-water-nearly-doubles-risk-birth-defects.html
Chlorine in tap water 'nearly doubles the risk of birth defects'
By JO MACFARLANE
Last updated at 11:47 PM on 31st May 2008
Pregnant women living in areas where tap water is heavily disinfected with chlorine nearly double their risk of having children with heart problems, a cleft palate or major brain defects, a new study has found.
Scientists say expectant mothers can expose themselves to the higher risk by drinking the water, taking a bath or shower, or even by standing close to a boiling kettle.
The danger comes from chemical by-products in chlorinated water known as trihalomethanes, or THMs, which can be absorbed through the skin. They can then pass into the womb.
At risk: Scientists have now linked chlorinated water to specific birth defects
THMs form because of a chemical reaction between chlorine and natural substances in the water.
They exist in mains water across Britain – but are highest in areas where more chlorine is added because the water quality is poor.
Earlier studies linked chlorinated water to an increased risk of stillbirth, miscarriage, birth defects and bladder cancer. But this is the first time that the risk has been narrowed down to specific birth defects.
Although a major study in 2007 by Imperial College, London, into birth defects and THM levels in Britain uncovered ‘little evidence’ of a link, the new research appears to contradict its findings.
A research team led by Professor Jouni Jaakkola of the University of Birmingham analysed the birth registry details of nearly 400,000 babies born in Taiwan between 2001 and 2003. Levels of chlorine found in water there are similar to those found in the UK.
Scientists compared the number of birth defects recorded by doctors to the level of THMs in the drinking water in different areas.
The proportions of certain specific defects were much higher in areas where levels of THMs were above 20 micrograms per litre.
The brain condition anencephalus, usually found in 0.01 per cent of births, rose to 0.17 per cent in high-THM areas.
Hole-in-the-heart defects also nearly doubled from 0.015 per cent to 0.024 per cent.
The number of cleft palates rose from 0.029 per cent to 0.045 per cent in high-THM areas.
Overall, the risks of having children with these three defects increased by between 50 per cent and 100 per cent.
There was also a slightly raised risk of urinary tract defects and Down’s syndrome.
The study appears in Environmental Health journal next week.
The number of defects could be much higher as some are not detected until later in childhood.
THM levels across Britain vary widely even within one water company area. They range from 92 micrograms per litre in south Staffordshire to just five in Hartlepool.
Most areas have levels way above the ‘high’ range in the Taiwan study. High levels were recorded in South-West England, Yorkshire and North-East Essex.
Prof Jaakkola said THMs should be cut because the biological reasons for the defects were unknown.
He said: ‘Our findings don’t just add to the evidence that water chlorination may cause birth defects but suggest that exposure to chlorination by-products may be responsible for some specific and common defects.’
Barrie Clarke, spokesman for Water UK, reassured consumers that water companies’ work was in line with the best existing information on THMs.
But he added: ‘There will be no closed minds about this new information.’
China water technology: New crystals with solar energy applications allegedly developed.
It's my philosophy on this blog that when I see something of interest, yet am unsure as to what it really means, to share it and then wait and see what happens. News, and sometimes particularly news from China, occasionally seems to contradict itself. But if one reads and waits long enough, then patterns become clear.
When the state-run Xinhua news media announces a revolutionary, previously thought impossible discovery that might alter many things, including water purification, a second source would be desirable. However, in the absence of a second source, I'm going to share this and take a wait and see attitude.
Posted without further comment.
Peter Huston
===
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/29/content_8275909.htm
Australian, Chinese researchers make breakthrough in renewable energy materials
www.chinaview.cn 2008-05-29 12:44:29 Print
BRISBANE, Australia, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A group of Australian and Chinese researchers have made a ground-breaking discovery which could revolutionize solar energy.
Max Lu, professor at the University of Queensland (UQ)'s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), said here Thursday they were one step closer to the holy grail of cost-effective solar energy with their discovery.
"We have grown the world's first titanium oxide single crystals with large amounts of reactive surfaces, something that was predicted as almost impossible," Lu told Xinhua.
"Titania nano-crystals are promising materials for cost-effective solar cells, hydrogen production from splitting water, and solar decontamination of pollutants," he said.
He said what his team has done was to make such materials "easy and cheap."
Talking about the application of the highly efficient miniature crystals, Lu said it wasn't just renewable energy where this research could be applied.
"They are also fantastic for purifying air and water," he said," One could paint these crystals on to a window or a wall to purify the air in a room."
"The potential of applications of this technology in water purification and recycling are huge."
Lu said it would be about five years for the water and air pollution applications to be commercially available, and about five to 10 years for solar energy conversion using such crystals.
Professor Lu also said the work was the result of very fruitful land long-term international collaboration with Professor Huiming Cheng's group from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a world-class institution with which UQ has collaborated many times in productive research.
The research findings were published in the latest edition of scientific journal Nature Thursday.
Editor: Amber Yao
When the state-run Xinhua news media announces a revolutionary, previously thought impossible discovery that might alter many things, including water purification, a second source would be desirable. However, in the absence of a second source, I'm going to share this and take a wait and see attitude.
Posted without further comment.
Peter Huston
===
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/29/content_8275909.htm
Australian, Chinese researchers make breakthrough in renewable energy materials
www.chinaview.cn 2008-05-29 12:44:29 Print
BRISBANE, Australia, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A group of Australian and Chinese researchers have made a ground-breaking discovery which could revolutionize solar energy.
Max Lu, professor at the University of Queensland (UQ)'s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), said here Thursday they were one step closer to the holy grail of cost-effective solar energy with their discovery.
"We have grown the world's first titanium oxide single crystals with large amounts of reactive surfaces, something that was predicted as almost impossible," Lu told Xinhua.
"Titania nano-crystals are promising materials for cost-effective solar cells, hydrogen production from splitting water, and solar decontamination of pollutants," he said.
He said what his team has done was to make such materials "easy and cheap."
Talking about the application of the highly efficient miniature crystals, Lu said it wasn't just renewable energy where this research could be applied.
"They are also fantastic for purifying air and water," he said," One could paint these crystals on to a window or a wall to purify the air in a room."
"The potential of applications of this technology in water purification and recycling are huge."
Lu said it would be about five years for the water and air pollution applications to be commercially available, and about five to 10 years for solar energy conversion using such crystals.
Professor Lu also said the work was the result of very fruitful land long-term international collaboration with Professor Huiming Cheng's group from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a world-class institution with which UQ has collaborated many times in productive research.
The research findings were published in the latest edition of scientific journal Nature Thursday.
Editor: Amber Yao
China Water: June 1, 2008: Water disinfection team works in quake zone.
A terrible tragedy.
Posted without further comment.
Peter Huston
===
http://www.cctv.com/english/20080530/103479.shtml
Water quality closely tested in Sichuan
WATCH VIDEO
Source: CCTV.com | 05-30-2008 13:40
Special Report: Strong quake jolts SW China
More than 66,000 public health personnel are working at the frontline to prevent the breakout of any major diseases in the quake zone.
An expert team from Hunan Province tested water quality as soon as they arrived in Pengzhou City.
One member of Hunan Epidemic Prevention Team said "For disasters of such magnitude, water disinfection must reach a certain standard, which has not yet been met here."
Most water resources in the quake zones are exposed to contamination. During disinfection rounds, experts from other provinces visit each household to ensure that everyone has access to safe drinking water. They also conduct workshops on public hygiene for local residents.
Tang Zhenzhu, Deputy Director of Guangxi Epidemic Prevention Center said "Leftover food must not be eaten even if it's well reheated. That's because some viruses cannot be killed this way."
Temporary shelters and re-settlement residences are also being taken care of.
One member of Chongqing Epidemic Prevention Team said "We spray two to three kilograms of disinfectant twice between 8am and 5pm."
Disinfectant powder is also put inside water tanks, bathroom drainage pipes and other exposed water resources to minimize contamination.
Editor:Xiong Qu
Posted without further comment.
Peter Huston
===
http://www.cctv.com/english/20080530/103479.shtml
Water quality closely tested in Sichuan
WATCH VIDEO
Source: CCTV.com | 05-30-2008 13:40
Special Report: Strong quake jolts SW China
More than 66,000 public health personnel are working at the frontline to prevent the breakout of any major diseases in the quake zone.
An expert team from Hunan Province tested water quality as soon as they arrived in Pengzhou City.
One member of Hunan Epidemic Prevention Team said "For disasters of such magnitude, water disinfection must reach a certain standard, which has not yet been met here."
Most water resources in the quake zones are exposed to contamination. During disinfection rounds, experts from other provinces visit each household to ensure that everyone has access to safe drinking water. They also conduct workshops on public hygiene for local residents.
Tang Zhenzhu, Deputy Director of Guangxi Epidemic Prevention Center said "Leftover food must not be eaten even if it's well reheated. That's because some viruses cannot be killed this way."
Temporary shelters and re-settlement residences are also being taken care of.
One member of Chongqing Epidemic Prevention Team said "We spray two to three kilograms of disinfectant twice between 8am and 5pm."
Disinfectant powder is also put inside water tanks, bathroom drainage pipes and other exposed water resources to minimize contamination.
Editor:Xiong Qu
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