Tapping the leakages: Methane losses, mitigation options and policy issues for Russian long distance gas transmission pipelines

The Russian natural gas industry is the world's largest producer and transporter of natural gas. This paper aims to characterize the methane emissions from Russian natural gas transmission operations, to explain projects to reduce these emissions, and to characterize the role of emissions reduction within the context of current GHG policy. It draws on the most recent independent measurements at all parts of the Russian long distance transport system made by the Wuppertal Institute in 2003 and combines these results with the findings from the US Natural Gas STAR Program on GHG mitigation options and economics.With this background the paper concludes that the methane emissions from the Russian natural gas long distance network are approximately 0.6% of the natural gas delivered. Mitigating these emissions can create new revenue streams for the operator in the form of reduced costs, increased gas throughput and sales, and earned carbon credits. Specific emissions sources that have cost-effective mitigation solutions are also opportunities for outside investment for the Joint Implementation Kyoto Protocol flexibility mechanism or other carbon markets.     

Effect of depth of landfill on the characteristics of soil-like material of aged waste: a case study of Bhalswa dumpsite,India

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - This study characterizes the municipal solid waste (MSW) accumulated for more than 25 years at Bhalswa dumpsite, Delhi, India. 50...     

Nanostructured semiconducting materials for efficient hydrogen generation

Massive production of hydrogen by water decomposition triggered by a solar light active photocatalyst is a major objective in chemistry and a promising avenue to overcome the global energy crisis. The development of efficient, stable, economically viable and eco-friendly photocatalysts for hydrogen production is a challenging task. This article reviews the use of nanocomposite in three combinations: metal oxide–metal oxide semiconductor, metal–metal oxide semiconductor and metal chalcogenide–metal oxide core–shell nanostructures. These core–shell structures occur in two forms: a simple form where the photocatalyst is either in the core or the shell or in a more complex system where the core–shell structure comprises a co-catalyst deposited on a semiconducting material. We discuss the design, synthesis and development of semiconductor-based nanocomposite photocatalysts for hydrogen production. The major points are the role of catalytic active sites, the chemical nature of sacrificial agents, the effect of light sources, the variable light intensity and the energy efficiency calculation. For TiO₂-based nanocomposites, the metal oxide or metal co-catalyst loading of 1.0–3.0 wt% was optimal. TiO₂ nanotube–CuO hybrid nanocomposites produce 1,14,000 µmol h^?1 \({\text{g}}^{ - 1}_{\text{cat}}\), whereas TiO₂/Au nanocomposites display 1,60,000 µmol h^?1 \({\text{g}}^{ - 1}_{\text{cat}}\). For core–shell catalysts, a shell thickness of 2–20 nm was found for the best activity, and its performance is as follows: (a) CdS–NiO system produces around 19,949 µmol h^?1 \({\text{g}}^{ - 1}_{\text{cat}}\) and (b) CuO–Cr₂O₃ as co-catalyst immobilized on TiO₂ system produces around 82,390 µmol h^?1 \({\text{g}}^{ - 1}_{\text{cat}}\).     

锁磷剂联合好氧反硝化菌修复富营养化水体

氮磷是造成水体富营养化的主要原因,单一治理方法常常难以同时有效去除氮磷.本文利用1株分离自富营养化水体的好氧反硝化菌株（AD-19）构建固定化菌膜,并与锁磷剂Phoslock^®联合修复富营养化水体,研究了Phoslock^®的控磷效能和反硝化菌的脱氮性能及二者联合作用时对富营养化水体的修复效果.结果表明,在投加比例为80（Phoslock^®与PO₄^3--P的质量比）的条件下,Phoslock^®对模拟富营养化水体中PO₄^3--P去除率可达95%以上,并能有效抑制底泥中磷的释放.好氧反硝化菌AD-19具有较好的异养硝化-好氧反硝化功能,在以NH₄⁺-N或NO₃^--N为唯一氮源条件下生长良好并能去除97%以上的氮,经16S rDNA鉴定该菌株属于假单胞菌属（Pseudomonas sp.）.利用湖泊模拟装置论证了Phoslock^®联合固定化菌膜修复富营养化水体的可行性,进一步地,利用该技术对武汉市某公园内富营养化池塘进行修复治理,经过16 d的处理,氮磷等水质指标从劣Ⅴ类地表水提升至Ⅲ类,并持续稳定270 d以上,证明Phoslock^®联合固定化菌膜可快速和有效地修复富营养化水体,并保持水质长期稳定.     

Steady‐state field‐scale gas permeability estimation and pore‐gas velocity calculation in a domain open to the atmosphere

Field‐scale estimation of gas permeability and subsequent computation of pore‐gas velocity profiles are critical elements of sound soil venting design. It has been our experience, however, in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) technical assistance program, provided by the Office of Research and Development in support EPA regional offices, that many venting practitioners are unaware of equations and data interpretation methods appropriate for gas permeability estimation and pore‐gas velocity computation. To ameliorate this situation, we use data collected at a U.S. Coast Guard Station in Traverse City, Michigan, to demonstrate gets permeability estimation and pore‐gas velocity calculation for steady‐state, axisymmetric, two‐dimensional gas flow in a domain open to the atmosphere. For gas permeability estimation, we use random guesses constrained with decreasing intervals of radial and vertical permeabilityand analysis of root mean square errors to ensure attainment of a global versus local minimum. We demonstrate confidence in permeability estimation by providing plots of observed versus simulated pressure response. Finally, we illustrate how plots of pore‐gas velocity as a function of distance and flow rate can be helpful in venting design.     

Chronic exposure of arsenic via drinking water and its adverse health impacts on humans

Worldwide chronic arsenic (As) toxicity has become a human health threat. Arsenic exposure to humans mainly occurs from the ingestion of As contaminated water and food. This communication presents a review of current research conducted on the adverse health effects on humans exposed to As-contaminated water. Chronic exposure of As via drinking water causes various types of skin lesions such as melanosis, leucomelanosis, and keratosis. Other manifestations include neurological effects, obstetric problems, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, diseases of the respiratory system and of blood vessels including cardiovascular, and cancers typically involving the skin, lung, and bladder. The skin seems to be quite susceptible to the effects of As. Arsenic-induced skin lesions seem to be the most common and initial symptoms of arsenicosis. More systematic studies are needed to determine the link between As exposure and its related cancer and noncancer end points.     

Research trends and emerging physical processing technologies in mitigation of pesticide residues on various food products

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The application of pesticides enhances food production vastly, and it cannot be prevented; longer fresh produce is contaminated with...     

Climate-influenced hydrobiogeochemistry and groundwater remedy design: A review

The process of designing a remedy for contaminated groundwater historically has not commonly included climate-future, hydrologic, and biogeochemical aquifer characteristics. From experience, the remedy design process also has not consistently nor directly integrated or projected future hydrologic and biogeochemical effects of the human-induced or developed environment—aka the anthropogenic influence—on potential remedy performance. The apparent practice of (1) not regularly assessing anthro-influenced hydrological (termed here as anthrohydrology) or biogeochemical characteristics (collectively hydrobiogeochemistry) of a site and (2) rarely accounting for future climatic shifts as design factors in remedy design may be due, in part, to the general practice-level view that groundwater remediation systems (whether in situ or ex situ) have seldom been anticipated to last more than a few years (or one or two decades at the most). Second, methods to reliably and quantitatively estimate site-specific, climate-future shifts in groundwater conditions using global and/or regional climate models and the resultant impacts on contaminant plume characteristics have not been readily available. The authors here suggest that while the concept of remedy design resilience and durability, within an envelope of climate change and anthropogenic influence, has been discussed in some technical circles as a component of “sustainable remediation,” we have found that direct application of these technical concepts in quantifiable terms remains rare. By incorporating the potential influence of future hydrobiogeochemical scenarios into remedy design, however, the design process could account for reasonable climate-induced influence on the groundwater system for a given site. These scenarios could then be applied within the remedy selection process to assess performance durability under potentially changing hydrologic, biological, and chemical conditions.     

Investigation on Alamparai Fort by utilization of organic materials for improvement of stability of heritage structure

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Heritage structures are valuable monuments that describe the culture and tradition of the country. In today’s world, natural or artificial...     

Mechanical,durability and microstructural assessment of geopolymer concrete incorporating fine granite waste powder

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - This research investigation has mainly focused on the development of cementless concrete, i.e., geopolymer concrete, along with the reutilization...