Metal bioaccumulation and metallothionein concentrations in larvae of Crassostrea gigas

Larval stages of bivalve molluscs are highly sensitive to pollutants. Oysters from a hatchery from Normandy (English Channel) were induced to spawn, and fertilized eggs were exposed to copper or cadmium for 24 h. Metal accumulation (from 0.125 to 5 microg Cu L(-1) and from 25 to 200 microg Cd L(-1)) and MT concentrations were measured in larvae. Compared to controls, larvae accumulated copper and cadmium with an increase in MT concentrations particularly with cadmium (i.e. 130.96 ng Cu (mg protein)(-1) and 12.69 microg MT (mg protein)(-1) at 1 microg Cu L(-1) versus 23.19 ng Cu (mg protein)(-1) and 8.92 microg MT (mg protein)(-1) in control larvae; 334.3 ng Cd (mg protein)(-1) and 11.70 microg MT (mg protein)(-1) at 200 microg Cd L(-1) versus 0.87 ng Cd (mg protein)(-1) and 4.60 microg MT (mg protein)(-1) in control larvae). Larvae were also obtained from oysters of a clean area (Arcachon Bay) and a polluted zone (Bidassoa estuary) and exposed to copper in the laboratory, their MT concentration was measured as well as biomarkers of oxidative stress. Biomarker responses and sensitivity to copper for the larvae from Arcachon oysters were higher than for those from Bidassoa.     

Performance-based earthquake evaluation of a full-scale petrochemical piping system

Assessment of seismic vulnerability of industrial petrochemical and oil & gas piping systems can be performed, beyond analytical tools, through experimental testing as well. Along this line, this paper describes an experimental test campaign carried out on a full-scale piping system in order to assess its seismic behaviour. In particular, a typical industrial piping system, containing several critical components, such as elbows, a bolted flange joint and a Tee joint, was tested under different levels of realistic earthquake loading. They corresponded to serviceability and ultimate limit states for support structures as suggested by modern performance-based earthquake engineering standards. The so called hybrid simulation techniques namely, pseudo-dynamic and real time testing with dynamic substructuring, were adopted to perform seismic tests. Experimental results displayed a favourable performance of the piping system and its components; they remained below their yielding, allowable stress and allowable strain limits without any leakage even at the Near Collapse Limit State condition for the support structure. Moreover, the favourable comparison between experimental and numerical results, proved the validity of the proposed hybrid techniques alternative to shaking table tests.     

Misoperation monitoring and early warning during startup and shutdown of petrochemical units

Most petrochemical units run under extreme conditions, such as high temperatures, pressures, and speeds. Consequently, the equipment operators may commit errors because the startup and shutdown processes usually involve complicated operation steps; moreover, the operators may lack experience in handling abnormal situations. Misoperation can lead to accidents, including fires and explosions. Thus, risk analysis for process operations and the development of preventive measures have become an effective means of avoiding misoperation-related accidents. However, it is challenging to ensure the comprehensiveness of risk-analysis results. In this paper, we present a method for misoperation monitoring and early warning in the startup and shutdown processes of petrochemical units. The mechanisms of misoperation occurrence are summarized based on investigations of serious accidents in the recent past. Knowledge regarding the mechanisms of misoperation is crucial for the risk analysis of petrochemical units. The potential risk information, such as causes, adverse consequences, key monitoring parameters, and prevention control solutions, should be acquired and be employed to construct an early-warning knowledge database. Furthermore, misoperation judgment rules need to be formulated to identify misoperations. The data obtained from the monitoring module, misoperation judgment rules, and analysis results can aid in developing schemes to avoid possible abnormal situations. This paper reports a misoperation monitoring and early-warning system for a hydrogenation unit. As demonstrated, conducting risk analysis to determine the potential operational risks and formulating misoperation judgment rules to analyze the process data are essential for enabling early warning. The application of this method will contribute to operational guidance, economic loss reduction, and accident avoidance.     

Application of a ‘bio-engineering’ technique to protect ghoramara island (Bay of Bengal) from severe erosion

Ghoramara Island is located ca. 150 km south of Kolkata, Bay of Bengal, India, in the Sundarban Delta complex. This sparsely populated island is suffering from severe coastal erosion and areal reduction for the last three decades, which results in the loss of major areas on the northwest coast. Both numerous households and a significant area of agricultural land and coastal stretches for fish drying have been lost. This has rendered thousands of people homeless as ‘environmental refugess’. In the present paper an attempt is made to study the erosion and accretion process through time series analysis using a GIS technique. Also, a study of remedial measures to protect the island using a ‘bio-engineering’ technique is reported in this paper. It has been shown that, in the absence of protection measures, the eastern shore will merge with the Indian mainland during the next 25 years, while the western part will be completely washed off.     

Portuguese coastal zones and the new coastal management plans

Coastal zones in Portugal, as interface areas between land and sea, have problems related to the growing human pressure in terms of changes in land use associated with urban and industrial occupation, new accessibility (ports, motorways) and traffic flows, intensification of recreational use (beaches, water sports) and excessive fishing. Impacts include deterioration of water quality and sediments; alteration and degradation of natural habitats; new hydrodynamic situations; major landscape changes: and rapid changes in habits and way of life of the local populations and increased exposure of populations and assets to natural and induced risks (storms, accidents, spills, explosions). Plans for the Management of the Coastal Zone (POOC) have been developed and seven of them have been approved, while two similar plans are at a final stage of preparation. Together they cover the entire coast of Portugal. Their implementation and assessment could be a first step towards an integrated management of the Portuguese coastal zones. River Basin Management Plans (PBH) have been concluded and recently approved for the whole country. However, these plans do not consider estuarine systems and some other issues related to coastal systems. The National Water Plan (PNA) is under public presentation and discussion. Several ‘key messages’ are presented in this paper as a contribution for assessment of the proposals of this plan on issues related with coastal waters.     

Restoration of Some Parameters in the Development of Benthos After Reduction of Anthropogenous Loading in the Ecosystem of the Sevastopol Bay in the Black Sea

Research on benthic communities have been carried out in the Sevastopol Bay of the Black Sea for a hundred years. The anthropogenous influence began to have an effect already in the 20–30^th. In this period, all oyster-banks were lost and the mussel-silt and mellina-silt communities have begun to degrade and were not found during almost seventy years in the Bay. The worst state of benthic communities was observed in the 60–90^th, when species of bottom animals were not found over some parts of the sea. In this period, only 10 macrozoobenthic species were registered in the Bay. Mollusks: Nassarius reticulatus, Bittium reticulatum, Cerastoderma glaucum and polychaetes: Nephtys hombergii, Neanthes succinea have proved the most enduring at high anthropogenous loadings The faunistic complex of benthic species registered in 1913 had the greatest similarity to the benthic species complex of 2002. Return of mussel, Melinna palmata polychaete and Ascidiella aspersa sea squirt in benthic communities of the Sevastopol Bay are responsible for the similarity between these faunistic complexes. The restoration of local populations of these benthic species has followed the significant decrease of the anthropogenous loading on the sea ecosystems as a result of the significant reduction of the military naval base in the Bay during the last five to ten years.     

水资源约束下西北干旱区城市扩张特征与变动趋势分析——以西陇海兰新经济带城市为例

论文以西北干旱区陇海兰新经济带城市为例,分析了城市水资源利用状况及其短缺程度,认为绝大多数城市“缺水又费水”,城市发展具有明显的“旱生性”。在水资源约束下,西陇海兰新经济带城市的发育程度远远落后于东部地区城市,也落后于全国城市平均水平,略好于西部地区城市,但明显好于西北地区城市,城市扩张的总体特征表现为以总量扩张为主,“农转非”空间和用地拓展空间大,以高耗低效扩张为主,水土资源投入产出效益普遍低下,城市发展处在主要依靠资源开发拉动经济增长的低级阶段,扩张质量有待提高。城市发展具有明显的外部推动性。未来20a,在水资源短缺的继续约束下,经济带城市扩张步伐将比较缓慢,扩张幅度将不会有大的变化。表现为将净增城市非农业人口6.31×106人,城市化水平将提高到35.97%,20a共净增7.21%,特大城市数量将保持西安、兰州和乌鲁木齐3个不变;大城市从无到有,将建成宝鸡、咸阳、铜川、天水、石河子和库尔勒6个;中等城市数量将会显著增加,由2000年的10个增加到2020年的14个,在不考虑“县改市”的前提下,小城市的数量将会进一步减少。为了确保经济带沿线城市的有序扩张,建议在城市建设过程中以人为本,以水为生命线,以经济发展为动力,以城市规划为法定依据。     

芝罘湾沉积物中可提取相重金属研究

讨论了芝罘湾沉积物酸提取相中Ｐｂ、Ｃｕ、Ｃｒ、Ｆｅ、Ｍｎ、Ｌｉ、Ｋ的分特征，及其在环境中的赋存形式，并与其它海区资料相比，得出该湾沉积物已受到重金属污染的结论。     

石化污水回用于循环冷却水技术

以处理后的石油化工污水为水源，开展了回用于工业循环冷却水的试验研究。针对回用污水的特点，研究了预膜、阻垢、缓蚀、杀菌等技术。达到了中石化循环冷却水运行“好”的要求。     

王哥庄湾陆源硝酸盐氮输送通量研究

以汇水区域相对独立的崂山王哥庄地区为例 ,通过研究该区的水文地质条件、分析地表水和地下水中的硝酸盐氮 (NO3 N) ,采用流量法和断面法分别对河流和地下水向王哥庄湾的NO3 N输送量进行了计算。结果表明 ,1999年 5月下旬地下水向海洋输送的NO3 N占整个陆源输入量的 30 .0 6 % ,说明地下水向海洋的营养盐输送量是海洋环境评估的重要边界条件。