Oil Spill Modeling towards the Close of the 20th Century: Overview of the State of the Art

The state-of-the-art in oil spill modeling is summarized, focusing primarily on the years from 1990 to the present. All models seek to describe the key physical and chemical processes that transport and weather the oil on and in the sea. Current insights into the mechanisms of these processes and the availability of algorithms for describing and predicting process rates are discussed. Advances are noted in the areas of advection, spreading, evaporation, dispersion, emulsification, and interactions with ice and shorelines. Knowledge of the relationship between oil properties, and oil weathering and fate, and the development of models for the evaluation of oil spill response strategies are summarized. Specific models are used as examples where appropriate. Future directions in these and other areas are indicated     

On the Methods for the Delimitation of Seasons

It is well known that air pollution is one of the major factors affecting human health and the activities in a town. Among the various air pollutants an interesting one, especially for sunny climates, is the reactive O₃. O₃ varies significantly through the year; it is therefore very important to know the onset and the duration of the warm period of the year since at that time O₃ concentrations increase significantly. In this work, an attempt was made to determine the onset of warm season of the year as well as its duration in various sites located in Northeastern Mediterranean. For this purpose, a fuzzy clustering method is used. The method was applied on the isobaric thickness between 1000 and 500 hPa for the period from 1974 to 1997. The results were compared to conventional methods based on synoptic classification and were found to be in good agreement.     

Monitoring of the Degradation Activities and the Diversity of the Microbial Community Degrading Refinery Waste Sludge

The biodegradation of n-alkanes and branched alkanes from waste sludge were observed in landfarming soils of Motor Oil Hellas (a petroleum refinery) and changes in the bacterial communities in the soils were monitored during the remediation. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene (rDNA)-based community fingerprint patterns were obtained from soil samples by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis. Changes in T-RFLP fingerprints, as well as in the petroleum contaminant composition of the polluted soil, correlated with degradation activities in field tests.     

Pyrolysis of tyres. Influence of the final temperature of the process on emissions and the calorific value of the products recovered

A study was made of the pyrolysis of tyre particles, with the aim of determining the possibilities of using the products resulting from the process as fuel. Three final temperatures were used, determined from thermogravimetric data. The design of the experiment was a horizontal oven containing a reactor into which particles of the original tyre were placed. After the process, a solid fraction (char) remained in the reactor, while the gases generated went through a set of scrubbers where most of the condensable fraction (oils) was retained. Finally, once free of this fraction, the gases were collected in glass ampoules. Solid and liquids fractions were subjected to thermogravimetric analyses in order to study their combustibility. The gas fraction was analysed by means of gas chromatography to establish the content of CO, CO2, H2 and hydrocarbons present in the samples (mainly components of gases produced in the pyrolysis process). A special study was made of the sulphur and chlorine content of all the fractions, as the presence of these elements could be problematic if the products are used as fuel. Tyre pyrolysis engenders a solid carbon residue that concentrates sulphur and chorine, with a relatively high calorific value, although not so high as that of the original tyre. The liquid fraction produced by the process has a high calorific value, which rises with the final temperature, up to 40 MJ/kg. The chlorine content of this fraction is negligible. Over 95% of the gas fraction, regardless of the final temperature, is composed of hydrocarbons of a low molecular weight and hydrogen, this fraction also appearing to be free of chlorine.     

Adapting the Speciation of the VOCs Emission Inventory in the Greater Athens Area

An adaptation procedure of a new emission inventory of theGreater Athens Area is attempted, based on a sensitivityanalysis on the treatment of the VOC emissions. Throughthis procedure the impact that a more detailed treatment ofthe VOCs emissions might have on the atmospheric chemistrysimulations, is examined. For this analysis three differentchemical mechanisms were applied for two differentlocations (urban and city plume) with different VOC andNO_x mixture characteristics. Finally, this studyrecommends new carbon fractions, reflecting the localconditions in Athens basin.     

Interconnectivity between the Superficial Aquifer and the Deep Confined Aquifers of the Gnangara Mound, Western Australia

Perth groundwater resources are obtained from three major aquifers that occur beneath the Perth metropolitan area: the Superficial aquifer, Leederville aquifer and Yarragadee aquifer. Each aquifer has a unique seasonal water level pattern controlled by soils, geomorphology and geology. Landuse is mainly responsible for variations in recharge; however, the hydraulic properties control aquifer response and water level pattern to a greater degree. Groundwater in the three aquifers is generally of very good quality except in localised areas. Salinity increases with depth and in direction of groundwater flow in the three aquifers. The best water quality is in the Superficial aquifer in the Wanneroo well field area. The geochemistry and stable isotope signatures from the three major aquifers revealed distinct water types that suggest very little hydraulic connection or mixing of waters between these aquifers at the present abstraction and recharge regimes. The results also show that the Leederville and Yarragadee aquifers were recharged during earlier cooler times while the Superficial aquifer is being recharged at present.     

Economic aspects of the rehabilitation of the Hiriya landfill

The Hiriya landfill, Israel's largest, operated from 1952 to 1998. The landfill, located in the heart of the Dan Region, developed over the years into a major landscape nuisance and environmental hazard. In 1998, the Israeli government decided to close the landfill, and in 2001 rehabilitation activities began at the site, including site investigations, engineering and scientific evaluations, and end-use planning. The purpose of the present research is to perform a cost-benefit analysis of engineering and architectural-landscape rehabilitation projects considered for the site. An engineering rehabilitation project is required for the reduction of environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions, slope instability and leachate formation. An architectural-landscape rehabilitation project would consider improvements to the site to make it suitable for future end uses such as a public park. The findings reveal that reclamation is worthwhile only in the case of architectural-landscape rehabilitation of the landfill, converting it into a public park. Engineering rehabilitation alone was found to be unjustified, but is essential to enable the development of a public park.     

区域特性分析在广东烟气脱硫工艺优选中的应用

电厂优选烟气脱硫工艺时必须进行切合实际的区域特性分析。石灰石—石膏湿法烟气脱硫工艺成熟、稳定、高效，且具有适应广东区域特点的诸多优势，故存在着广阔的发展前景。     

Revisiting the elemental composition and the calorific value of the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes

In this work, the elemental content (C, N, H, S, O), the organic matter content and the calorific value of various organic components that are commonly found in the municipal solid waste stream were measured. The objective of this work was to develop an empirical equation to describe the calorific value of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste as a function of its elemental composition. The MSW components were grouped into paper wastes, food wastes, yard wastes and plastics. Sample sizes ranged from 0.2 to 0.5 kg. In addition to the above individual components, commingled municipal solid wastes were sampled from a bio-drying facility located in Crete (sample sizes ranged from 8 to 15 kg) and were analyzed for the same parameters. Based on the results of this work, an improved empirical model was developed that revealed that carbon, hydrogen and oxygen were the only statistically significant predictors of calorific value. Total organic carbon was statistically similar to total carbon for most materials in this work. The carbon to organic matter ratio of 26 municipal solid waste substrates and of 18 organic composts varied from 0.40 to 0.99. An approximate chemical empirical formula calculated for the organic fraction of commingled municipal solid wastes was C₃₂NH₅₅O₁₆.     

A comparison of the comprehensive municipal solid waste management systems of the region of Prague and the principality of Asturias. the influence of collection systems and municipality size on the waste collection and the recycling rates

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The correct management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a critical factor in the protection of the environment, as well as a source for the...     

欧盟电子电器产品生态设计新法中的责任规范研究

当前,快速升级更新的电子电器产品极大地便利和丰富了人们的生活,但随之而来的是数量庞大的电子废弃物,造成严重的资源浪费和环境污染。为解决电子废弃物难题,各国纷纷制定法律和政策形成相应的管理制度,而生态设计逐步成为其中的核心环节。欧盟颁布的电子电器产品生态设计指令将多个主体纳入责任制度框架,体现了科学合理的生产者延伸责任、销售者补充责任和监管部门核查验证责任,对于各国未来建立和完善电子产品生态设计责任条款,全面发展循环经济有着重要的借鉴意义。     

Measuring the success of the federal government's Brownfields Program

In 1995, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) initiated the Brownfields Program to help local governments clean up and reuse hundreds of thousands of contaminated former factories and transportation and other commercial sites in cities and industrialized suburbs. By the end of 2002, the Brownfields Program had distributed grants of about $200,000 each to 436 local governments. Program grants have diffused through federal, state, regional, and local levels of government and private and not‐for profit organizations, and have reached into economically distressed neighborhoods. As expected, grant recipients disproportionately had a legacy of contaminated industrial sites and relatively large African American and/or Latino populations. But abandoned factories and environmental justice concerns do not completely explain the geographical distribution of recipients. Award winners tended to be larger cities with more capacity to compete for grants and were likely to be connected to sources of information about the grant opportunity and to decision makers. With a few exceptions, recipients consider the program to be highly successful at stimulating entrepreneurs to remediate and redevelop sites and, sometimes, surrounding neighborhoods. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Study of the effect of political measures on the citizen participation rate in recycling and on the environmental load reduction

Obtaining the cooperation of citizens to participate in separate waste collection is essential to create a recycling-oriented society. In this research, the degree of change in the citizen participation rate, which occurs when the contents of political measures such as the raising of awareness, provision of information, and the conditions of collection services were changed, was estimated together with the effect on the reduction in environmental load. A questionnaire survey was conducted, targeted at residents of Itabashi Ward, while logistic regression analyses were also conducted to create predictive models for recycling behavior, and sensitivity analyses of the models were carried out to estimate the increase in citizen participation rate achievable through the implementation of various political measures. It was found that the effect of "thorough perception of information" was the largest, followed by "minimization of evaluation of trouble" and "thorough perception of efficacy of measures." The effect of the improvement in the citizen participation rate on the reduction in environmental load was also evaluated quantitatively by life cycle inventory analyses. It was indicated that "maximization of perception of information" had the greatest effect. However, the reduction effect with "paper packs" and "PET bottles" was relatively small compared with that of "bottles/cans."     

The Influence of Synoptic-scale Air Flow and Local Circulation on the Dust Layer Height in the North of the Taklimakan Desert

The present study investigates the influences of synoptic-scale air flows and local wind circulations on the dust layer height (DLH) in the Taklimakan Desert, based on lidar observations performed in the north of the desert in March 2003. The DLH fluctuates approximately every three days between 2500 m (above sea level) and 5000 m, including diurnal variations. Meteorological analyses and numerical simulations show that the three-day fluctuation of DLH corresponds with variations in synoptic-scale air flows over the Taklimakan Desert, and the diurnal variations are linked to downdrafts and updrafts that are formed over the north of the desert as part of local circulations. When strong northerly winds prevail in the upper troposphere and a developed valley wind blows toward the Tienshan Mountains in the lower troposphere, the downdrafts strengthen in the middle troposphere over the north of the desert, lowering the DLH to about 2500 m. In contrast, the DLH rises to about 5000 m when the updrafts develop between strong southerly winds in the upper troposphere and a developed mountain wind blowing from the Tienshan Mountains. Simulations for the local circulation behavior without the presence of the Tienshan Mountains demonstrate that the valley and mountain winds on the southern slope of the Tienshan Mountains control the intensity of the downdrafts and updrafts, thereby influencing the DLH over the north of the Taklimakan Desert.     

Determination of the best appropriate management methods for the health-care wastes in Istanbul

Health-care waste management has been a significant problem in most economically developing countries as it is in Turkey. Most of the time, the main reason for the mismanagement of these wastes is the lack of appropriate legislation and effective control; other reasons are: financial strains and a lack of awareness. Being aware of the significance of the subject, in this paper the management of the health-care wastes in Istanbul, as a Metropolitan City of Turkey, was analyzed to create an integrated health-care waste management system in the city. Within the scope of the study, the existing situation and management practices such as the amount of the health-care wastes generated, segregation procedures, collection, temporary storage and transportation of the wastes within and outside of the institution were examined. Deficiencies, inconsistencies and improper applications were revealed. The existing Turkish Medical Wastes Control Regulation and institutional structure of the health-care waste management body were reviewed. After the evaluation and comparison with the requirements of other national and international organizations, items to be changed/added in the Regulation were identified. At the end of the study, the best management methods for the Istanbul City were determined and started to be applied at the institutions. After this study, the existing Regulation has been changed. The modified Regulation was published in 2005 and implementation has started. It is expected that by the application and implementation of the research outcomes, the management of health-care wastes in Istanbul and then in all over Turkey will be improved. The results obtained can also be used in most economically developing countries where there are similar environmental problems and strict budgets.     

SCR烟气脱硝技术及其在燃煤电厂的应用

SCR技术是目前国际上最成熟、应用最广泛的脱硝技术.介绍了SCR技术的脱硝原理,分析了SCR技术的各系统构成,对电厂加装SCR脱硝装置提出了几点建议.     

Study of the evaporation process of saline waste from the tanning industry.

The second and third steps of wastewater treatment in the tanning industry generate sludges that are rich in salts, organic matter and suspended solids. Since these are formally catalogued as industrial wastes by environmental legislation, they cannot be disposed of directly but need a final treatment. One of the problems with these wastes is their high water content, which has to be reduced. In the particular case of the concentrated streams from the secondary and tertiary treatment steps, the sludges are first concentrated by evaporation, and the evaporated water is used in other parts of the plant. This study, which preceded evaporator design, analysed the evaporation process (laboratory scale) of a saline residue produced in the reverse osmosis step of the treatment of tanning wastewaters by the company Aquagest Levante, S.A. in Lorca (Murcia, Spain), to ascertain its behaviour in the evaporation process and the evolution of its physical properties. The study served to determine the exact mineralogy and ionic composition as well as the characteristics of the waste in question. This information was used in the last step of the design of the evaporation equipment.     

Realising resource efficiency in the management of healthcare waste from the Cornwall National Health Service (NHS) in the UK

The quantities of waste generated by the healthcare sector in the United Kingdom (UK) have been shown to be amongst the highest in Europe. Based on a case study undertaken within the Cornwall NHS (National Health Service) in the UK, this paper reports on the results of waste minimisation trials. The schemes were able to achieve significant waste reductions in both clinical and domestic waste quantities. Indeed, a reduction in domestic bag waste in the range of 1.6-33.4%, with an average of 14.8% was realised. For clinical waste, the reduction ranged from 1.8% to 38.3%, at an average of 15.7%, with net cost benefits of nearly US$ 25,000 over the period of 1-3 years. The outcomes suggest that significant resource and financial efficiencies can be attained, but due to the many factors involved, there is a need to focus both on containment and logistics, as well as social factors for success.