Effects of biofilm growth on flow and transport through a glass parallel plate fracture

The effects of biofilm growth on flow and solute transport through a sandblasted glass parallel plate fracture was investigated. The fracture was inoculated using soil microorganisms. Glucose, oxygen and other nutrients were supplied to support growth. The biomass initially formed discrete clusters attached to the glass surfaces, but over time formed a continuous biofilm. From dye tracer tests conducted during biofilm growth, it was observed that channels and low-permeability zones dominated transport. The hydraulic conductivity of the fracture showed a sigmoidal decrease with time. The hydraulic conductivity was reduced by a factor of 0.033, from 18 to 0.6 cm/s, corresponding to a 72% decrease in the hydraulic aperture, from 500 to 140 microm. In contrast, the mass balance aperture, determined from fluoride tracer tests, remained relatively constant, indicating that the impact of biomass growth on effective fracture porosity was much less than the effect on hydraulic conductivity. Analyses of pre-biofilm tracer tests revealed that both Taylor dispersion and macrodispersion were influencing transport. During biofilm growth, only macrodispersion was dominant. The macrodispersion coefficient alpha(macro) was found to increase logarithmically with hydraulic conductivity reduction.     

Mobilizing environmental sentiment through the media

ABSTRACT

Recent research into the best ways to mobilize people to act on climate change suggests that careful, and relatively positive, emotional framing is critical. However, environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) need to not only mobilize publics, but also attract media coverage. If the media prefers negativity or is skeptical of ENGOs’ emotive appeals, are ENGOs’ emotional frames damaging their ability to gain media attention? Quantitative sentiment analysis is used to identify emotional framing in a targeted case study of 350.org’s public press releases and their subsequent media coverage. The results suggest that appropriate emotional frames for mobilization are not necessarily detrimental to gaining media attention, and that ENGO press releases influence media coverage, when they are used. Several concrete suggestions emerge for how ENGOs might use press releases more effectively, if they seek to influence the media’s emotional tone on climate change.     

Surfactant enhanced recovery of tetrachloroethylene from a porous medium containing low permeability lenses. 1. Experimental studies

A matrix of batch, column and two-dimensional (2-D) box experiments was conducted to investigate the coupled effects of rate-limited solubilization and layering on the entrapment and subsequent recovery of a representative dense NAPL, tetrachloroethylene (PCE), during surfactant flushing. Batch experiments were performed to determine the equilibrium solubilization capacity of the surfactant, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (Tween 80), and to measure fluid viscosity, density and interfacial tension. Results of one-dimensional column studies indicated that micellar solubilization of residual PCE was rate-limited at Darcy velocities ranging from 0.8 to 8.2 cm/h and during periods of flow interruption. Effluent concentration data were used to develop effective mass transfer coefficient (Ke) expressions that were dependent upon the Darcy velocity and duration of flow interruption. To simulate subsurface heterogeneity, 2-D boxes were packed with layers of F-70 Ottawa sand and Wurtsmith aquifer material within 20-30 mesh Ottawa sand. A 4% Tween 80 solution was then flushed through PCE-contaminated boxes at several flow velocities, with periods of flow interruption. Effluent concentration data and visual observations indicated that both rate-limited solubilization and pooling of PCE above the fine layers reduced PCE recovery to levels below those anticipated from batch and column measurements. These experimental results demonstrate the potential impact of both mass transfer limitations and subsurface layering on the recovery of PCE during surfactant enhanced aquifer remediation.     

A triple-continuum approach for modeling flow and transport processes in fractured rock

This paper presents a triple-continuum conceptual model for simulating flow and transport processes in fractured rock. Field data collected from the unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain, a repository site of high-level nuclear waste, show a large number of small-scale fractures. The effect of these small fractures has not been considered in previous modeling investigations within the context of a continuum approach. A new triple-continuum model (consisting of matrix, small-fracture, and large-fracture continua) has been developed to investigate the effect of these small fractures. This paper derives the model formulation and discusses the basic triple-continuum behavior of flow and transport processes under different conditions, using both analytical solutions and numerical approaches. The simulation results from the site-scale model of the unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain indicate that these small fractures may have an important effect on radionuclide transport within the mountain.     

降流式厌氧悬浮填料床工艺特性分析

厌氧生物技术能在无氧条件下,通过厌氧微生物的新陈代谢将废水中的有机物转化为无机物,同时产生具有能源回收价值的甲烷,并减少温室气体(CO2)的排放,符合节能环保的原则和发展趋势.在回顾厌氧技术以及厌氧反应器发展的基础上,从现代厌氧反应器的发展理念角度分析了新型厌氧反应器-降流式厌氧悬浮填料床(DASB)的工艺特性.降流式厌氧悬浮填料床在生物量的保持、微生物的多级多相和推流流态等方面较好地符合了新型现代厌氧反应器的发展要求,结构、运行简单,具有较好的处理效果,是中国农村污水处理或预处理的较佳选择.     

BED含氧燃料在不同海拔下对柴油机PM和NOx排放的影响

为研究生物柴油-乙醇-柴油(简称为BED)含氧燃料在不同海拔下对柴油机微粒(PM)和氮氧化物(NO_x)排放的影响,在一台高压共轨柴油机上分别燃用纯柴油和BED含氧燃料,在两种大气压力(81和100 k Pa)下进行了排放试验研究.结果表明,燃用纯柴油和B15E5(15%生物柴油+5%乙醇+80%柴油,体积比)燃料后,在中、低负荷时的PM排放在高气压下基本高于低气压下,最高增幅分别达到26.2%和19.0%;在全负荷时的PM排放在高气压下降低,最高降幅分别达到6.1%和17.0%.燃用B25E5(25%生物柴油+5%乙醇+70%柴油,体积比)燃料后,PM排放在高气压下降低.燃用纯柴油后,柴油机在高气压下的NO_x排放低于低气压下;燃用B15E5和B25E5含氧燃料后,在中、低负荷下的NO_x排放在高气压下降低,在全负荷下的NO_x排放在高气压下升高.在中、低负荷下NO_x排放最高降幅分别达到12.1%和15.3%;在全负荷下,NO_x排放最高增幅分别达到6.5%和5.8%.在不同大气压力下,柴油机燃用纯柴油和BED含氧燃料后,PM与NO_x排放均呈现明显的trade-off关系.相比于在低气压下,随负荷增加引起的PM排放降幅和NO_x排放增幅在高气压下增加.     

微囊藻毒素对不同生育期水稻生长的影响

灌溉水中的微囊藻毒素不仅会影响作物生长与产量,还可能沿食物链传递而威胁人类健康。以水稻为试材,研究了不同质量浓度(1μg/L、100μg/L、1 000μg/L、3 000μg/L)微囊藻毒素(MCs)对幼苗期和孕穗期水稻生长与成熟期水稻产量的影响,以及MCs在3个生育期水稻中的积累。结果表明:处理7 d后,1μg/L MCs处理对幼苗期水稻生长有一定促进作用,而对孕穗期水稻生长没有影响,高质量浓度MCs(≥100μg/L)抑制幼苗期和孕穗期水稻的生长;胁迫结束且恢复7 d后,100μg/L处理组孕穗期水稻根长、根表面积恢复能力强于幼苗期,株高、叶面积低于幼苗期,而1 000μg/L和3 000μg/L MCs组水稻各指标不仅未恢复,且劣于胁迫期,水稻产量下降92.4%和95.2%。用酶联免疫法检测发现,胁迫后MCs均在水稻体内富集。对于相同质量浓度MCs处理,幼苗期水稻各器官富集能力最大,孕穗期次之,成熟期最小。3 000μg/L MCs处理组的水稻谷粒中MCs质量比达21.2μg/kg,使人体每天摄入MCs的量可能高于世界卫生组织规定的人体每天吸收MCs的上限值。     

喀斯特坡地土壤流失监测结果简报

在贵州普定岩溶地质与生态研究综合试验站陈旗小流域内,采用全坡面大型径流场的方法,对6种不同土地利用条件下喀斯特坡地径流场次降雨地表径流量和土壤流失进行了监测。2007年7月到2008年12月期间的监测结果表明:6个径流场土壤流失量均非常小,年土壤流失量和年悬沙产沙量变化范围分别为0.05~62.25 t/km2和0.03~8.68 t/km2,最大的为中度石漠化的稀疏灌丛径流场。喀斯特坡地土壤流失集中发生在降雨量超过60mm的降雨事件中,不同类型坡地间次降雨土壤流失量差异显著,最主要控制因素为地表径流量,同时也受到降雨特征和植被状况的影响。此外,前期降雨对坡地产流和土壤流失的影响也是客观存在的。前期降雨丰沛的条件下,坡耕地、稀疏灌丛径流场的地表径流量、次降雨土壤流失量相对复合植被、火烧迹地、灌草和幼林径流场均出现明显增长。     

Comparative study of microbial community structure in di erent filter media of constructed wetland

Comparisons of microbial community structure, in eight filter media of zeolites, anthracite, shale, vermiculite, ceramic filter media, gravel, steel slag and bio-ceramic, were undertaken by analyzing the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) composition. A total of 20 fatty acids in the range of C11 to C20 were determined but only 13 PLFAs were detected in steel slag. They consist of saturated fatty acids, branched fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The variation of fatty acids was revealed in the relative proportions of these fatty acids in di erent media. The aerobic prokaryotes were the predominant group in all media. The PLFA composition showed significant di erences among the eight di erent media by Tukey’s honestly test. It was found that steel slag was significantly di erent in the microbial community as compared to other filter media, probably due to its alkaline e uent. Steel slag alone is probably not a good choice of substratum in constructed wetlands. The principle components analysis (PCA) showed that zeolites, bio-ceramic, shale and vermiculite had a similar microbial community structure while steel slag and ceramic filter media were distinct from other media.     

基于不同土壤数据单元法的DNDC模型对太湖地区水稻土CH4排放模拟研究

利用农业土壤痕量气体排放模型DNDC(DeNitrification-DeComposition),以整个太湖地区37个县234万hm2水稻土为例,分析了3种不同土壤数据单元法对CH4排放模拟的影响.其中,1∶5万图斑单元法土壤属性来自1∶5万土壤数据库,图斑为最小模拟单元;1∶5万"县级"单元法土壤属性也取自1∶5万土壤数据库,"县"为最小模拟单元;1∶1 400万"县级"单元法土壤属性取自国内同类研究使用最多的1∶1 400万土壤图和《中国土种志》,"县"为最小模拟单元.结果表明,虽然1∶5万图斑单元法大多数县的CH4排放量都在1∶5万"县级"单元法最大与最小值范围之间,但整个地区总排放量(以C计,下同)相差达到1 680 Gg;而1∶1 400万"县级"单元法CH4排放量与1∶5万图斑单元法相比,尽管整个地区总排放量只相差180 Gg,但各"县级"单元之间的估算差异却很大,这一方面说明了土壤数据的详细程度是保证地球生物化学模型模拟精度的重要因子,另一方面也说明在区域CH4排放量估算模拟中使用更详细的土壤资料是非常必要的.