1.　The Environment and Environmental Engineering
环境和环境工程学
Simply said, the environment can be defined as one's surroundings. In terms of the environmental engineer's i nvolvement, however, a more specific definition is needed. To the environmental engineer, t he word environment may take on global dimensions, may refer to a very localized area in which a specific problem must be addressed, o r may, in the case of contained e nvironments, refer to a small volume of liquid, gaseous, or solid materials within a treatment plant reactor.
简单的说，环境可以定义为我们的周围。但是就环境工程师参与的角度来说，需要一个
更加明确的定义。对于环境工程师来说，环境这个词可能包含全球范围；也可能专指非常局
部的一个地区，在这个地区中涉及到一些具体要解决的问题；或者也可能在密闭的环境中，
指处理厂反应器内的一小块液体、气体或固体。
The global environment consists of the atmosphere, the h ydrosphere a nd the lithosphere in which the life-sustaining resources of the earth are contained. The atmosphere, a mixture of gases extending outw
ard from the surface of the earth, evolved from elements o f the earth that were gasified during its formation and metamorphosis. The hydrosphere consists of the oceans,the lakes and streams and the shallow groundwater bodies that interflow with the surface water.The lithosphere is the soil mantle that wraps the core of the earth.
全球环境由大气圈、水圈和岩石圈所组成，其中包含了维系地球上生命的资源。大气圈，
从地球表面向外延伸的一种混合气体，它从地球的形成和变化过程中气化产生的元素演变而
来。水圈由海洋、湖泊、溪流以及与地表水互通的浅层地下水体所组成。岩石圈是指包围地
核的土质地幔。
The biosphere, a thin shell that encapsulates the earth, is made up of the atmosphere a nd lithosphere adjacent t o the surface of the earth, together with the hydrosphere. I t is within the biosphere that the life forms of earth, including humans, live.Life-sustaining materials in gaseous, liquid, and solid forms are cycled through the biosphere, providing sustenance t o all living organisms.
生物圈是包裹住地球的薄薄的外壳，是由大气圈和地表附近的岩石圈，以及水圈组成的。
地球上的生命形式，包括人类、动物存在于生物圈内。气态、液态和固态形式的生命维持物
在生物圈内循环，向所有生命体提供营养物质。
Life-sustaining resources¡ª¡ªair, food, and water¡ª¡ªare withdrawn from the biosphere. It is also into the biosphere t hat waste products in gaseous, liquid, and solid forms are discharges. From the beginning of time, the biosphere h as received and assimilated the wastes generated by plant and animal life. Natural systems have been ever active, dispersing smoke from forest fires, diluting animal wastes washed into streams and rivers, and converting debris, of past generations of plant and animal life into soil rich enough to support future populations.
维持生命的资源¡ª¡ª空气、食物和水¡ª¡ª是从生物圈内提取的。废物也是以气态、液态
和固态形式排放到生物圈中的。从刚开始的时候起，生物圈就接受和消化植物和动物产生的
废弃物。自然生态系统已经空前活跃，将森林大火产生的烟扩散，稀释冲入小溪和河流中的
动物排泄物以及把过去几代植物和动物的残骸转化成足以供养后续生物的肥沃土壤。
biological characteristics o f the environment, for every incident that eroded the quality of the immediate, or local environment, there were natural actions that restored that quality. Only in recent years has it becomes apparent that the sustaining and assimilative capacity of the biosphere, though tr
emendous, is not, after all, infinite.Though the system has operated for millions of years,
it has begun to show signs of stress, primarily because o f the impact of humans upon the environment.
对于每种自然行为的污染，对于环境在每种物理、化学、生物特性上不可取的变化，对
于每种侵蚀当下或当地环境质量的事件，有自然行为会恢复那种质量。只是到了近几年，生
物圈的维持和消化能力尽管巨大，但毕竟不是无限的这一事实才变得明显。尽管系统运行了
几百万年，但它开始发出有压力的信号，主要是由于人类对环境的影响。
Environmental engineering has been defined as the branch of engineering that is c oncerned
with protecting the environment from the potential, deleterious effects of human activity, protecting human population from the effects of adverse e nvironmental factors, and improving environmental quality for human health and well-being.
环境工程被定义为工程学的一个分支，其主要关注保护环境不受人类活动的潜在有害影
响，保护人类不受不利环境因素的影响以及为人类的健康和幸福而改善环境质量。
As the above definition implies, humans interact with their environment¡ª¡ªsometimes adversely impacting the environment and sometimes being adversely impacted by pollutants in the environment. An understanding of the nature of the environment and of human interaction with it
is a necessary prerequisite to understanding the work of the environmental engineer.
上述定义表明，人类与环境相互影响¡ª¡ª有时对环境造成不利影响，有时受到环境污染
物的不利影响。了解环境的本质以及人类与环境的相互作用，是了解环境工程师工作的一个
必要的先决条件。
2.　Ecology
生态学
The recognition that all life forms are inextricably dependent o n one another and on the physical environment is a fairly recent phenomenon. The word ¡°ecology¡± was not even invented until the mid-
1800s, and the study of ecology as a branch of natural sciences was not widespread until a few decades ago.
所有生命形式不可避免的相互依赖且依赖自然环境是一个最近认识到的现象。¡°生态学¡±
这个单词直到19世纪中叶才发明，而直到几十年前生态学才作为一门自然学科流传开来。
The science of ecology defines ¡°ecosystems¡± as groups of organisms which interact with
each other and the physical environment, and which affect the population of the various species in the environment. For example, the simplest type of ecosystem consists of two animals such as the hare and the lynx. If the hare population in a specific locality is high, the lynx have an abundant food supply, procreate, and increase in population until they outstrip the availability of hares. As
the lynx population decreases due to the unavailability of food, the hares increase since the number of predators is fewer, and the cycle repeats. Such a system is dynamic in that the numbers of each population are continuously changing, but over a long time span is at a steady state
biological characteristics o f the environment, for every incident that eroded the quality of the immediate, or local environment, there were natural actions that restored that quality. Only in recent ye
ars has it becomes apparent that the sustaining and assimilative capacity of the biosphere, though tremendous, is not, after all, infinite.Though the system has operated for millions of years,
it has begun to show signs of stress, primarily because o f the impact of humans upon the environment.
对于每种自然行为的污染，对于环境在每种物理、化学、生物特性上不可取的变化，对
于每种侵蚀当下或当地环境质量的事件，有自然行为会恢复那种质量。只是到了近几年，生
物圈的维持和消化能力尽管巨大，但毕竟不是无限的这一事实才变得明显。尽管系统运行了
几百万年，但它开始发出有压力的信号，主要是由于人类对环境的影响。
Environmental engineering has been defined as the branch of engineering that is c oncerned
with protecting the environment from the potential, deleterious effects of human activity, protecting human population from the effects of adverse e nvironmental factors, and improving environmental quality for human health and well-being.
环境工程被定义为工程学的一个分支，其主要关注保护环境不受人类活动的潜在有害影
响，保护人类不受不利环境因素的影响以及为人类的健康和幸福而改善环境质量。
As the above definition implies, humans interact with their environment¡ª¡ªsometimes adversely impacting the environment and sometimes being adversely impacted by pollutants in the environment. An understanding of the nature of the environment and of human interaction with it
is a necessary prerequisite to understanding the work of the environmental engineer.
上述定义表明，人类与环境相互影响¡ª¡ª有时对环境造成不利影响，有时受到环境污染
物的不利影响。了解环境的本质以及人类与环境的相互作用，是了解环境工程师工作的一个
必要的先决条件。
2.　Ecology
生态学
The recognition that all life forms are inextricably dependent o n one another and on the physical environment is a fairly recent phenomenon. The word ¡°ecology¡± was not even invented until the mid-
1800s, and the study of ecology as a branch of natural sciences was not widespread until a few decades ago.
所有生命形式不可避免的相互依赖且依赖自然环境是一个最近认识到的现象。¡°生态学¡±
这个单词直到19世纪中叶才发明，而直到几十年前生态学才作为一门自然学科流传开来。
The science of ecology defines ¡°ecosystems¡± as groups of organisms which interact with
each other and the physical environment, and which affect the population of the various species in the environment. For example, the simplest type of ecosystem consists of two animals such as the hare and the lynx. If the hare population in a specific locality is high, the lynx have an abundant food supply, procreate, and increase in population until they outstrip the availability of hares. As
the lynx population decreases due to the unavailability of food, the hares increase since the number of predators is fewer, and the cycle repeats. Such a system is dynamic in that the numbers of each population are continuously changing, but over a long time span is at a steady state
成不利影响。例如，最脆弱的生态系统之一深海，但一些工程师极力主张用海洋来处理有害
的废物。把生态原理列入工程决策中是环境工程专业的一个重要组成部分。
3.　Environmental Problems
环境问题
1 Our Fragile World
Anyone who has had an opportunity to observe even a small fraction of the natural wonders of our planet would agree that we live in a marvelous world. The majesty of the Rocky Mountains, the beauty of the Maine coast o n a clear summer day, and the colors of a desert sunset a re all
¡¯s bounties by the smell impressive sights. On a more mundane level, we are reminded of the Earth
and feel of freshly plowed Iowa farmland, by a breath of fresh air on a brisk fall day, or the taste
of fresh, clean water on a hot summer day.
1.我们脆弱的世界
任何一个人只要有机会去见证我们的行星，哪怕只是自然奇观的一个小片段，他都会
认同我们正住在一个不可思议的世界。雄伟的落基山脉，清爽夏日里缅因州海岸的美丽，还
有沙漠里日落的彩都是能给人留下深刻印象的景观。在一个更为世俗的层次，我们会想起
地球的恩赐¡ª¡ª感受爱荷华州新耕土地的泥土清香，呼吸秋季凉爽的新鲜空气，在炎炎夏日
品尝甘甜、洁净的饮水。
It goes without saying that all of these things are threatened b y a broad range of human activities. In an effort to increase s hort-term agricultural production, farmland in many areas i s cultivated improperly, resulting in extreme erosion that threatens its v ery existence. Many urban dwellers would agree that a breath of fresh air is a rare commodity in the city. In many industrialized areas, ground water sources of drinking water are being threatened by the insidious movement of hazardous waste chemical leachates through ground water aquifers. The protection of our environment must be given the highest priority because on it d epends the p reservation of human kind, itself.
不用说，所有这些事物被大范围的人类活动所威胁着。努力去谋求农产品的短期增长，
农田在许多地区的不合理耕耘，导致了威胁其生存的极端侵蚀。很多城市居民都认为新鲜的
空气在城市里是稀有品。在许多工业地区，有害废物的化学沥滤液通过地下水潜移扩散，威
胁着地下水饮用水源。必须给予环境最优先的保护，因为人类自身的保护依赖于此。
In order to combat threats to our environment, it is necessary to understand the nature and magnitude of the problems involved. Before discussing t hese p roblems further, it is essential to recognize the fact that science and technology must play key roles in solving environmental problems. Only through the proper application of science and technology, u nder the direction of people with a strong environmental consciousness and a basic knowledge of the environmental sciences, can humankind survive on the limited resources of this planet.
为了应对那些对我们环境的威胁，我们有必要了解性质和所涉及的问题的大小。在进
一步讨论这些问题之前，必须承认科学技术在解决环境问题时起着关键作用这一事实。只有
通过科学技术的正确应用，在具有强烈环保意识和环境科学基本知识的人的指导下，人类才
能在这个资源有限的星球上生存。
2. Classifying Environmental Problems
Environmental problems are always interrelated. Sometimes a solution to one problem actually creates another problem. For example, when people are sick and dying from disease, it is natural to want to improve human health. When health is improved and infant mortality is reduced,
a population explosion may result. To feed this growing population, natural habitats are often destroyed by turning them into farmland. As natural habitats are destroyed, the wild plants, predatory animals, and parasites t hat once lived there are killed as well. Because of the lack of predators and parasites, outbreaks of insect pests become more common. Farmers use pesticides to control the pests and protect the crops, but in the process the environment becomes polluted. The development of this entire cycle in itself consumes fossil fuel supplies that are becoming scare. In addition, when fuels are burned, air pollutants are generated.
2.环境问题的分类
环境问题总是互相关联的。有时一个问题的解决实际上引起了另外一个问题的产生。例
如，当人们因为生病或因病死亡时，自然想到要改善人们健康状况。当人类健康得以改善及
婴儿的死亡率下降时，又可能会导致人口数量爆炸。为了养活这些不断增长的人口，自然栖
息地常常被破坏变成耕地。当自然栖息地被破坏，曾经生长在那里的野生植物、掠夺性动物
和寄生虫也被杀死。由于缺乏捕食者和寄生虫，病虫害的暴发变得越来越普遍。农民使用农
药去抑制虫害保护庄稼，但在这一过程中污染了环境。经历这一完整循环，本身要消耗日渐
不足的化石燃料供应。此外，燃料被燃烧的同时，空气污染产生了。
4.　The Impact of Humans upon the Environment
人类对环境的影响
In a natural state, earth¡¯s life forms live in equilibrium with their environment. The numbers
and activities of each species are governed by the resources available to them. Species interaction is common, with the waste product of one species often forming the food supply of another. Humans alone have the ability to gather resources from beyond their immediate surroundings and process those resources into different, more versatile forms. These abilities have made it possible for human population to thrive and flourish beyond natural constraints. But the natural and manufactured w astes generated a nd released i nto the biosphere b y these increased numbers of human beings have upset the natural equilibrium.
在一种自然状态下，地球上的生命体与所处的环境保持平衡.每个物种的数量和活动受
控于他们所能得到的资源。物种间普遍存在相互作用，往往一个物种的废弃物能成为另一个
的食物供应。唯独人类拥有从他们周围的环境之外收集资源的能力，并把那些资源加工成不
同的、更加多功能的东西。这些能力使人类人口的兴旺和蓬勃发展有可能超出自然的限制。
但是，由于增加的人口所产生和释放到生物圈的天然和人造的废物破坏了自然平衡。
Anthropogenic, or human-induced, pollutants have o verloaded the system. The overloading came relatively late in the course of human interaction with the environment ,perhaps because
early societies were primarily concerned with meeting natural needs, needs humans share in common with most of the higher mammals. These peoples had not yet begun to be concerned with meeting the acquired needs associated with more advanced civilizations.
人类产生的、人为引起的污染使系统超载。超载在人类与环境相互作用的过程中来的相
对较晚，或许因为早期社会主要关注满足自然需求，人类和大部分较高等的哺乳动物共同分
享的那些必需品。这些民族还没想到要把更先进的文明与所需求的联系起来。
>reactor 翻译

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