Effects of aircraft noise and speech on prose memory: What role for working memory capacity?

Previous research indicates that aircraft noise and meaningful background speech are particularly detrimental to school adolescents' ability to remember what they read, but until now the effects from aircraft noise and speech have never been compared directly in an experiment. Furthermore, individual differences in susceptibility to these effects are not well understood. The present investigation addressed these two issues. Adolescents attending upper secondary school were recruited as participants and the data collection was made in their ordinary classrooms. The results from two experiments revealed that speech is more detrimental to prose memory than is aircraft noise, and individual differences in working memory capacity contributes more to individual differences in susceptibility to the effects of aircraft noise on prose memory than to the effects of speech. Some applied implications of those findings to noise abatement interventions are suggested.     

Urban stress and helping behavior: Effects of environmental overload and noise on behavior

The effects of environmental overload and noise on helping behavior is assessed through a 2 × 3 experimental design including two levels of environmental overload and three conditions on each site: without roadworks, roadworks without noise, and noisy roadworks.Results are analysed in terms of the cognitive appraisal of the situation and the narrowing of attention. The subject's behavior when confronted with explicit and implicit helping requests shows that noise appears to be the most important component of overload, affecting both the subjects' attentiveness in implicit helping demands, as well as the refusal to engage in verbal interaction.     

Utilization of waste product (tamarind seeds) for the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions: Equilibrium, kinetics, and regeneration studies

In the present study, an adsorbent was prepared from tamarind seeds and used after activation for the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions. The tamarind seeds were activated by treating them with concentrated sulfuric acid (98% w/w) at a temperature of 150 °C. The adsorption of Cr(VI) was found to be maximum at low values of initial pH in the range of 1–3. The adsorption process of Cr(VI) was tested with Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich–Peterson, Koble–Corrigan, Tempkin, Dubinin–Radushkevich and Generalized isotherm models. Application of the Langmuir isotherm to the system yielded a maximum adsorption capacity of 29.7 mg/g at an equilibrium pH value ranging from 1.12 to 1.46. The adsorption process followed second-order kinetics and the corresponding rate constants obtained were 2.605 × 10⁻³, 0.818 × 10⁻³, 0.557 × 10⁻³ and 0.811 × 10⁻³ g/mg min⁻¹ for 50, 200, 300 and 400 mg/L of initial Cr(VI) concentration, respectively. The regenerated activated tamarind seeds showed more than 95% Cr(VI) removal of that obtained using the fresh activated tamarind seeds. A feasible solution is proposed for the disposal of the contaminants (acid and base solutions) containing high concentrations of Cr(VI) obtained during the regeneration (desorption) process.     

Model prediction on the rise of pCO2 in uniform flows by leakage of CO2 purposefully stored under the seabed

A numerical study was conducted to predict pCO₂ change in the ocean on a continental shelf by the leakage of CO₂, which is originally stored in the aquifer under the seabed, in the case that a large fault connects the CO₂ reservoir and the seabed by an earthquake or other diastrophism. The leakage rate was set to be 6.025 × 10⁻⁴ kg/m²/sec from 2 m × 100 m fault band, which corresponds to 3800 t-CO₂/year, referring to the monitored seepage rate from an existing EOR field. The target space in this study was limited to the ocean above the seabed, the depth of which was 200 or 500 m. The computational domain was idealistically rectangular with the seabed fault-band perpendicular to the uniform flow. The CO₂ takes a form of bubbles or droplets, depending on the depth of water, and their behaviour and dissolution were numerically simulated during their rise in seawater flow. The advection–diffusion of dissolved CO₂ was also simulated. As a result, it was suggested that the leaked CO₂ droplets/bubbles all dissolve in the seawater before spouting up to the atmosphere, and that the increase in pCO₂ in the seawater was smaller than 500 μ atm.     

Batch and continuous biosorption of Cu by immobilized biomass of Arthrobacter sp.

The ability of free and polysulphone immobilized biomass of Arthrobacter sp. to remove Cu²⁺ ions from aqueous solution was studied in batch and continuous systems. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied to the data. The Langmuir isotherm model was found to fit the sorption data indicating that sorption was monolayer and uptake capacity (Q^o) was 175.87 and 158.7 mg/g for free and immobilized biomass respectively at pH 5.0 and 30 °C temperature, which was also confirmed by a high correlation coefficient, a low RMSE and a low Chi-square value. A kinetic study was carried out with pseudo-first-order reaction and pseudo-second-order reaction equations and it was found that the Cu²⁺ uptake process followed the pseudo-second-order rate expression. The diffusivity of Cu²⁺ on immobilized beads increased (0.402 × 10⁻⁴ to 0.435 × 10⁻⁴ cm²/s) with increasing concentration from 50 to 150 mg/L. The maximum percentage Cu²⁺ removal (89.56%) and uptake (32.64 mg/g) were found at 3.5 mL/min and 20 cm bed height. In addition to this the Bed Depth Service Time (BDST) model was in good agreement with the experimental data with a high correlation coefficient (>0.995). Furthermore, sorption and desorption studies were also carried out which showed that polysulphone immobilized biomass could be reused for up to six sorption–desorption cycles.     

Comparison of Function of Created Wetlands of Two Age Classes in Central Pennsylvania

Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) functional assessment models were used to assess whether function in created wetlands of two ages (1 year old and >12 years old) was equivalent to that of natural (reference) mainstem floodplain wetlands. Reference wetlands scored higher than both created age classes for providing energy dissipation and short-term surface water storage. Reference wetlands scored higher in maintaining native plant community and structure than 1-year-old sites, and 12-year-old wetlands scored higher than reference sites for providing vertebrate habitat structure. Analysis of individual model variables showed that reference wetlands had greater vegetative biomass and higher soil organic matter content than both created wetland age classes. Created wetlands were farther from natural wetlands and had smaller mean forest patch sizes within a 1-km-radius circle around the site than did the reference sites, indicating less hydrologic connectivity. Created wetlands also had less microtopographic variation than reference wetlands. The 1-year-old created sites were placed in landscape settings with greater land use diversity and road density than reference sites. The 12-year-old sites had a higher gradient and a higher percentage of their surrounding area in urban land use. These results show that the created wetlands were significantly structurally different (if not functionally so) from reference wetlands even after 12 years. The most profound differences were in hydrology and the characteristics of the surrounding landscape. More attention needs to be focused on placing created wetlands in appropriate settings to encourage proper hydrodynamics, eliminate habitat fragmentation, and minimize the effects of stressors to the site.     

Response to environmental flows in the Lower Tarim River, Xinjiang, China: an ecological interpretation of water-table dynamics

Increased water-dependent development and utilization have led to significant environmental and hydrological degradation of the Tarim River in western China and its dependent ecosystems. Between the 1950s and 1970s, 350 km of the lower reaches were drained and between 1960 and 1980 the water-table fell from between −2 and −3 m to between −8 and −10 m. Subsequently, riparian ecosystems were seriously degraded. In 2000, the Chinese government launched a program to restore the lower reaches of the river. Four environmental flows of 1034×10⁶ m³ were released from 2000 to 2002. This paper interprets and discusses the ecological significance of changes following the releases and identifies the relationship between water-table dynamics and vegetation responses. Short-term objectives for river restoration are proposed with possible monitoring parameters suggested.     

Non-market valuation of off-highway vehicle recreation in Larimer County, Colorado: Implications of trail closures

Few economic studies are available to measure off-highway vehicle recreation benefits foregone when trails must be closed to protect the environment. This paper estimates the non-market benefits associated with off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation on National Forest lands in Larimer County, Colorado. We use a contingent valuation model (CVM) to estimate benefits to OHV users, which includes dirt bike riders, all terrain vehicle (ATV) riders, and 4-wheel drive (4 × 4) users. Using CVM we find the mean consumer surplus estimates to be $78 per person per day. These results are consistent with the few previous estimates of OHV recreation benefits. This equates to a per trail per summer consumer surplus of at least between $219,467 and $296,876, and a county level surplus per summer to be at least between $796,447 and $1,077,367. These benefits can be compared to environmental costs to obtain a more complete picture of the effects of trail closure, as well as the negative spillovers to non-motorized users.     

Open-plan office noise: Cognitive performance and restoration

The aim of the present study was to investigate cognitive, emotional, and physiological effects of two open-plan office noise conditions (high noise: 51 LAeq and low noise: 39 LAeq) during work in a simulated open-plan office, followed by four restoration conditions (river movie with sound, only river sound, silence, and office noise) after the work period. Students (N = 47) went through one practice session and two experimental sessions, one each with the low and high noise conditions. In each experimental session they worked for 2 h with tasks involving basic working memory processes. We also took physiological measures of stress (cortisol and catecholamines) and self-reports of mood and fatigue. Analyses indicate that the participants remembered fewer words, rated themselves as more tired, and were less motivated with work in noise compared to low noise. In the restoration phase the participants who saw a nature movie (including river sounds) rated themselves as having more energy after the restoration period in comparison with both the participants who listened to noise and river sounds. Remaining in office noise during the restoration phase also affected motivation more negatively than listening to river sounds or watching the nature movie. The findings bear on the appropriateness of open-plan office designs and the possibilities for restoration available in office settings.     

A Comparison of Three Federal Datasets for Thermoelectric Water Withdrawals in the United States for 2010

Historically, thermoelectric water withdrawal has been estimated by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) water‐use compilations. Recently, the USGS developed models for estimating withdrawal at thermoelectric plants to provide estimates independent from plant operator‐reported withdrawal data. This article compares three federal datasets of thermoelectric withdrawals for the United States in 2010: one based on the USGS water‐use compilation, another based on EIA data, and the third based on USGS model‐estimated data. The withdrawal data varied widely. Many plants had three different withdrawal values, and for approximately 54% of the plants the largest withdrawal value was twice the smallest, or larger. The causes of discrepancies among withdrawal estimates included definitional differences, definitional noise, and various nondefinitional causes. The uncertainty in national totals can be characterized by the range among the three datasets, from 5,640 m³/s (129 billion gallons per day [bgd]) to 6,954 m³/s (158 bgd), or by the aggregate difference between the smallest and largest values at each plant, from 4,014 m³/s (92 bgd) to 8,590 m³/s (196 bgd). When used to assess the accuracy of reported values, the USGS model estimates identify plants that need to be reviewed.     

Flue gas desulphurization for hot recycle Oxyfuel combustion: Experiences from the 30 MWth Oxyfuel pilot plant in Schwarze Pumpe

Significant differences exist in the flue gas composition in hot recycle Oxyfuel conditions as e.g. the high CO₂ partial pressure (>90 vol%, dry), the very high SO₂ concentration and the high water content (approx. 30 vol%). Therefore certain design and operation criteria have to be observed for the flue gas desulphurization with forced oxidation under Oxyfuel combustion conditions. Several performance tests have been executed at the 30 MW_th Oxyfuel pilot plant in Schwarze Pumpe to evaluate the main performance parameters and to assess the influence of the major operation parameters. The results show that there are no fundamental problems for the operation of the flue gas desulphurization unit under Oxyfuel combustion conditions. High removal rates could be reached and no negative impact of the high CO₂ partial pressure was observed under the tested operating conditions. No major differences in the gypsum quality have been observed between air firing and Oxyfuel conditions.     

Numerical investigation concerning the impact of CO2 geologic storage on regional groundwater flow

Large-scale storage of carbon dioxide in saline aquifers may cause considerable pressure perturbation and brine migration in deep rock formations, which may have a significant influence on the regional groundwater system. With the help of parallel computing techniques, we conducted a comprehensive, large-scale numerical simulation of CO₂ geologic storage that predicts not only CO₂ migration, but also its impact on regional groundwater flow. As a case study, a hypothetical industrial-scale CO₂ injection in Tokyo Bay, which is surrounded by the most heavily industrialized area in Japan, was considered, and the impact of CO₂ injection on near-surface aquifers was investigated, assuming relatively high seal-layer permeability (higher than 10 microdarcy). A regional hydrogeological model with an area of about 60 km × 70 km around Tokyo Bay was discretized into about 10 million gridblocks. To solve the high-resolution model efficiently, we used a parallelized multiphase flow simulator TOUGH2-MP/ECO2N on a world-class high performance supercomputer in Japan, the Earth Simulator. In this simulation, CO₂ was injected into a storage aquifer at about 1 km depth under Tokyo Bay from 10 wells, at a total rate of 10 million tons/year for 100 years. Through the model, we can examine regional groundwater pressure buildup and groundwater migration to the land surface. The results suggest that even if containment of CO₂ plume is ensured, pressure buildup on the order of a few bars can occur in the shallow confined aquifers over extensive regions, including urban inlands.     

Determinants of noise annoyance in teachers from schools with different classroom reverberation times

A high proportion of school teachers report that they are disturbed by noise during teaching. The aim of the study was therefore to identify determinants of self-reported noise exposure and disturbance attributed to noise among secondary school teachers (n = 419) in 10 schools in Copenhagen, Denmark. The schools were selected to show contrasts in classroom reverberation times (RT), and were classified as “Short RT” (3 schools, mean RT 0.41–0.45 s), “Medium RT” (3 schools, mean RT 0.51–0.55 s) and “Long RT” (4 schools, mean RT 0.62–0.73 s). Significant determinants of self-reported noise exposure were a high number of children in the class, young age of the children, and low teacher seniority. “Long RT” classification was of borderline significance. Significant determinants of disturbance attributed to noise from children in the class were teacher seniority and “Long RT” acoustic classification of the school. The associations between work characteristics and noise disturbance measures were attenuated by low self-rated work capacity, suggesting that the consequences of noise and poor acoustics may not be limited to disturbance attributed to noise, but may have a wide negative impact on the perceived working environment.     

Monitoring of the microbial community composition in saline aquifers during CO2 storage by fluorescence in situ hybridisation

This study reveals the first analyses of the composition and activity of the microbial community of a saline CO₂ storage aquifer. Microbial monitoring during CO₂ injection has been reported. By using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH), we have shown that the microbial community was strongly influenced by the CO₂ injection. Before CO₂ arrival, up to 6 × 10⁶ cells ml⁻¹ were detected by DAPI staining at a depth of 647 m below the surface. The microbial community was dominated by the domain Bacteria that represented approximately 60% to 90% of the total cell number, with Proteobacteria and Firmicutes as the most abundant phyla comprising up to 47% and 45% of the entire population, respectively. Both the total cell counts as well as the counts of the specific physiological groups revealed quantitative and qualitative changes after CO₂ arrival. Our study revealed temporal outcompetition of sulphate-reducing bacteria by methanogenic archaea. In addition, an enhanced activity of the microbial population after five months CO₂ storage indicated that the bacterial community was able to adapt to the extreme conditions of the deep biosphere and to the extreme changes of these atypical conditions.     

Aircraft and road traffic noise exposure and children's mental health

There have been few studies examining noise and psychological disorders in children and the results are equivocal. The objective of this study was to examine exposure–effect relationships between aircraft and road traffic noise exposure and children's mental health. We conducted a cross-national, cross-sectional study assessing 2844 pupils, aged 9–10, from 89 schools around three major airports in the Netherlands, Spain and United Kingdom matched within country for socio-economic position. We selected children on the basis of exposure to external aircraft and road traffic noise exposure. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) assessed child mental health, including emotional problems, conduct disorder, hyperactivity, peer problems and prosocial behaviour. Aircraft noise exposure was significantly associated with an increased score on the hyperactivity subscale (pooled B estimate 0.013 CI 0.007–0.019) after full adjustment. Road traffic noise was significantly associated with lower scores on the conduct problems subscale maintained after full adjustment (pooled B estimate 0.010 95%CI −0.020 to −0.001). There was no association between either aircraft or road traffic noise exposure and the SDQ total score. The hyperactivity results have been found in a previous UK study and may indicate that high aircraft noise exposure exacerbates hyperactivity symptoms in children although this finding requires further replication.     

Effects of Spatial and Temporal Data Aggregation on the Performance of the Multi‐Radar Multi‐Sensor System

The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the performance of the Multi‐Radar Multi‐Sensor (MRMS) system in capturing precipitation compared to gauge data, and (2) assess the effects of spatial (1–50 km) and temporal (15–120 min) data aggregation scales on the performance of the MRMS system. Point‐to‐grid comparisons were conducted between 215 rain gauges and the MRMS system. The MRMS system at 1 km spatial and 15 min temporal resolutions captured precipitation reasonably well with average R², root mean square error (RMSE), and percent bias (PBIAS) values of 0.65, 0.5 mm, and 11.9 mm; whereas Threat Score, probability of detection, and false alarm ratio were 0.57, 0.92, and 0.40, respectively. Decreasing temporal resolution from 15 min to two hours resulted in an increase in R² and a decrease in RMSE, whereas PBIAS was not affected. Reducing spatial resolution from 1 to 50 km resulted in increases in R² and PBIAS, whereas RMSE was decreased. Increasing spatial aggregation scale from 1 to 50 km resulted in an R² increase of only 0.08. Similarly, improvement in R² was only modest (0.17) compared to an eightfold reduction in temporal resolution (from 15 min to two hours). While aggregating data at coarser temporal resolutions resolved some of the under/overestimation issues of the MRMS system, it was apparent even at coarser spatial and temporal resolutions the MRMS system inherently overestimated smaller precipitation events while underestimated bigger events.     

Performance of the National Water Model in Iowa Using Independent Observations

This paper explores the performance of the analysis‐and‐assimilation configuration of the National Water Model (NWM) v1.0 in Iowa. The NWM assimilates streamflow observations from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), which increases the performance but also limits the available data for model evaluation. In this study, Iowa Flood Center Bridge Sensors (IFCBS) data provided an independent nonassimilated dataset for evaluation analyses. The authors compared NWM outputs for the period between May 2016 and April 2017, with two datasets: USGS streamflow and velocity observations; Stage and streamflow data from IFCBS. The distribution of Spearman rank correlation (r_s), Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (E), and Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE) provided quantification of model performance. We found the performance was linked with the spatial scale of the basins. Analysis at USGS gauges showed the strongest performance in large (>10,000 km²) basins (r_s = 0.9, E = 0.9, KGE = 0.8), with some decrease at small (<1,000 km²) basins (r_s = 0.6, E = ?0.25, KGE = ?0.2). Analysis with independent IFCBS observations was used to report performance at large basins (r_s = 0.6, KGE = 0.1) and small basins (r_s = 0.2, KGE = ?0.4). Data assimilation improves simulations at downstream basins. We found differences in the characterization of the model and observed data flow velocity distributions. The authors recommend checking the connection of USGS gauges and NHDPlus reaches for selected locations where performance is weak.     

Spatial Heterogeneity of Water Quality in a Highly Degraded Tropical Freshwater Ecosystem

Awareness of environmental heterogeneity in ecosystems is critical for management and conservation. We used the Xochimilco freshwater system to describe the relationship between heterogeneity and human activities. This tropical aquatic ecosystem south of Mexico City is comprised of a network of interconnected canals and lakes that are influenced by agricultural and urban activities. Environmental heterogeneity was characterized by spatially extensive surveys within four regions of Xochimilco during rainy and dry seasons over 2 years. These surveys revealed a heterogeneous system that was shallow (1.1 m, SD = 0.4 ), warm (17°C, SD = 2.9), well oxygenated (5.0 mg l⁻¹, SD = 3), turbid (45.7 NTU SD = 26.96), and extremely nutrient-rich (NO₃–N = 15.9 mg l⁻¹, SD=13.7; NH₄–N = 2.88 mg l⁻¹, SD = 4.24; and PO₄–P =  8.3 mg l⁻¹, SD = 2.4). Most of the variables were not significantly different between years, but did differ between seasons, suggesting a dynamic system within a span of a year but with a high resilience over longer periods of time. Maps were produced using interpolations to describe distributions of all variables. There was no correlation between individual variables and land use. Consequently, we searched for relationships using all variables together by generating a combined water quality index. Significant differences in the index were apparent among the four regions. Index values also differed within individual region and individual water bodies (e.g., within canals), indicating that Xochimilco has high local heterogeneity. Using this index on a map helped to relate water quality to human activities and provides a simple and clear tool for managers and policymakers.     

Effect of modulated microwave radiation on human EEG asymmetry

This study is aimed to investigation of the effect of modulated 450 MHz microwave radiation on the EEG inter-hemispheric asymmetry. Ten cycles of the microwave exposure (1 min off and 1 min on) at fixed modulation frequency were applied on two groups of healthy volunteers. The first group of 13 subjects was exposed to microwave radiation modulated at 14 Hz and the second group of 15 subjects at 40 Hz frequency. The peak specific absorption rate (SAR) average over 1 g was 0.303 W/kg. Differences in SAR between hemispheres were up to 20 dB. Rod antenna was located from the left side of the head. Differences of relative changes in EEG energy between symmetric channels FP1–FP2, T3–T4, P3–P4 and O1–O2 in exposed and sham conditions were analysed. The results showed increase in EEG energy from the left side caused by microwave exposure. Statistical analysis done for the whole group of subjects didn’t reveal significant differences in inter-hemispheres asymmetry between exposed and sham conditions. However, statistical analysis performed for individual subjects detected significant differences in asymmetry caused by exposure for 15–35% of individuals.     

Kinetics of carbon dioxide absorption into mixed aqueous solutions of MDEA and MEA using a laminar jet apparatus and a numerically solved 2D absorption rate/kinetics model

New comprehensive numerically solved 1D and 2D absorption rate/kinetics models have been developed, for the first time, to interpret the experimental kinetic data obtained with a laminar jet apparatus for the absorption of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in CO₂ loaded mixed solutions of mixed amine system of methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) and monoethanolamine (MEA). Three MDEA/MEA weight ratios ranging from 27/03 to 23/07, over a concentration range of 2.316–1.996 kmol/m³ for MDEA and of 0.490–1.147 kmol/m³ for MEA were studied. The models take into account the coupling between chemical equilibrium, mass transfer, and the chemical kinetics of all possible chemical reactions involved in the CO₂ reaction with MDEA/MEA solvent. The partial differential equations of the 1D model were solved by two numerical techniques; the finite difference method (FDM) based on in-house coded Barakat–Clark scheme and the finite element method (FEM) based on COMSOL software. The FEM comprehensive model was then used to solve the set of partial differential equations in the 2D cylindrical coordinate system setting. Both FDM and FEM produced very accurate results for both the 1D and 2D models, which were much better than our previously published simplified model. The reaction rate constant obtained for MEA blended into MDEA at 298–333 K was k_MEA = 5.127 × 10⁸ exp(−3373.8/T). In addition, the 2D model, for the first time, has provided the concentration profiles of all the species in both the radial and axial directions of the laminar jet, thereby enabling an understanding of the correct sequence in which the reaction steps involved in the reactive absorption of CO₂ in aqueous mixed amines occur.