Assessment of mutagenic potency of source water treated by ozone and adsorption processes

This research utilized the Ames test to determine the mutagenicity of water treated by advanced processes, including ozonation and granular activated carbon (GAC). Raw water samples for this research included those obtained from the Pan Hsin waterworks as well as samples containing humic acids. Treated samples were collected from the pilot‐scale advanced treatment plant. The Ames test was used to measure the mutagenicity of the water after each treatment process. For the Pan Hsin raw water samples treated with ozone or GAC, it was indicated that, regardless of whether samples were preozonated or not, they all showed a mutagenic potency less than 2 once the S9 enzyme was added. This level of mutagenicity is insignificant. The prepared humic acid samples, on the other hand, demonstrated a significant reduction in mutagenicity after the pre‐ozonation process, indicating that preozonation can lower the degree of mutagenicity. Furthermore, the mutagenicity of the prepared humic acid samples gradually decreased after the advanced treatment process. However, when chlorine was added later to these samples, the mutagenicity increased again. This research shows that the use of O3/GAC processes to treat water can successfully lower mutagenicity, indicating a great potential for applications in the treatment of drinking water.     

Renewable energy consumption and its environmental impacts: A meta-regression analysis

This study involves a meta-analytical review of several articles, using the closest assumptions for the independent variable (renewable energy consumption), to determine the relationship with its environmental impacts. Furthermore, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) in 2015 pays attention to related problems in both developing and developed countries. The effects of carbon emissions, natural resources, renewable energy consumption, and non-renewable energy on the environment are also reviewed. Following the separation of studies, the closest assumption was observed for the independent variable (energy source applications) of renewable energy. The meta-analysis was obtained using OpenMEE and JASP, and the results show the observed outcome, which was expressed in percentage. Based on the analysis, the Renewable Energy model has a value of 0.15, with the largest forest plots of 0.73, 0.69, and 0.80, recorded for studies 13, 19, and 23, respectively, while the least forest plots were recorded for studies 6, 11, 12, 15, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26, and 28. Therefore, renewable energy consumption, specifically in the mining industry, has the capacity to influence global warming. The respective industry has a unique influence on the processes that require renewable energy, for instance, the coal mining industry produces a smaller forest plot value, compared to oil and gas, or other mineral industries.     

The social side of spatial decision support systems: Investigating knowledge integration and learning

Spatial decision support systems (SDSS) represent a step forward in efforts to account for the spatial dimension in environmental decision-making. The aim of SDSS is to help policymakers and practitioners access, interpret and understand information from data, analyses and models, and guide them in identifying possible actions during a decision-making process. Researchers, however, report difficulties in up-take of SDSS by the intended users. Some suggest that this field would benefit from investigation of the social aspects involved in SDSS design, development, testing and use. Borrowing insights from the literature on science-policy interactions, we explore two key social processes: knowledge integration and learning. Using a sample of 36 scientific papers concerning SDSS in relation to environmental issues, we surveyed whether and how the selected papers reported on knowledge integration and learning. We found that while many of the papers mentioned communication and collaboration with prospective user groups or stakeholders, this was seldom underpinned by a coherent methodology for enabling knowledge integration and learning to surface. This appears to have hindered SDSS development and later adoption by intended users.     

Geomorphic and Ecological Consequences of Riprap Placement in River Systems

Riprap, consisting of large boulders or concrete blocks, is extensively used to stabilize streambanks and to inhibit lateral erosion of rivers, yet its effect on river morphology and its ecological consequences have been relatively little studied. In this paper, we review the available information, most of it culled from the “grey” literature. We use a simple one‐dimensional morphodynamic model as a conceptual tool to illustrate potential morphological effects of riprap placement in a gravel‐bed river, which include inhibition of local sediment supply to the channel and consequent channel bed scour and substrate coarsening, and downstream erosion. Riprap placement also tends to sever organic material input from the riparian zone, with loss of shade, wood input, and input of finer organic material. Available information on the consequences for the aquatic ecosystem mainly concerns effects on commercially and recreationally important fishes. The preponderance of studies report unfavorable effects on local numbers, but habitat niches created by openings in riprap can favorably affect invertebrates and some small fishes. There is a need for much more research on both morphological and ecosystem effects of riprap placement.     

Emissions of fluorides from welding processes

The levels of fluoride airborne particulates emitted from welding processes were investigated. They were sampled with the patented IOM Sampler, developed by J. H Vincent and D. Mark at the Institute of Occupational Medicine(IOM), personal inhalable sampler for simultaneous collection of the inhalable and respirable size fractions. Ion chromatography with conductometric detection was used for quantitative analysis. The efficiency of fluoride extraction from the cellulose filter of the IOM sampler was examined using the standard sample of urban air particle matter SRM-1648 a. The best results for extraction were obtained when water and the anionic surfactant N-Cetyl-N-N-Ntrimethylammonium bromide(CTAB) were used in an ultrasonic bath. The limits of detection and quantification for the whole procedure were 8 μg/L and 24 μg/L, respectively The linear range of calibration was 0.01–10 mg/L, which corresponds to 0.0001–0.1 mg of fluorides per m3 in collection of a 20 L air sample. The concentration of fluorides in the respirable fraction of collected air samples was in the range of 0.20–1.82 mg/m3, while the inhalable fraction contained 0.23–1.96 mg/m3 of fluorides during an eight-hour working day in the welding room.     

小流域农业面源氮污染时空特征及与土壤呼吸硝化关系分析

土壤呼吸与硝化特性是控制土壤生态系统中氮素转化和面源氮流失的关键因子,也是土壤氮循环的重要组成部分.选取位于巢湖北部的柘皋河流域作为案例研究区,应用BaPS技术测定林地和农田土壤呼吸、硝化和反硝化特性,运用SWAT模型分析农业面源氮污染输出的时空特征,并初步探讨土壤呼吸和硝化特性与农业面源氮污染的相互作用关系.结果表明,由于土地利用和施肥量的变化,1996~2012年间的年均和月均面源氮污染负荷明显大于1980~1995年间的模拟结果,不同月份的面源氮污染输出负荷均存在显著性差异,月均氮负荷受降雨量影响密切.1996~2012年流域面源总氮流失平均负荷为10.40 kg·hm-2,明显大于1980~1995年的8.10 kg·hm-2,方差分析表明两个时期面源总氮流失负荷的空间分布存在一定的差异.林地的呼吸速率远大于农田的呼吸速率.农田较高的总硝化速率和反硝化速率导致土壤氮库中的氮素减少,从而在一定程度上使得面源氮污染的输出负荷减小.农田土壤的总硝化速率大于反硝化速率,导致农田硝态氮的面源污染流失量增加,而有机氮的流失量有所减少.因此,土壤呼吸与硝化特性的研究有利于从土壤生物学角度深入分析土壤氮循环,对农业面源氮污染的防治具有重要的理论和现实意义.     

汾河源区不同景观带水文过程研究

目前水源区景观带尺度水文过程机制研究还非常薄弱.针对山西汾河流域水环境恶化,迫切需要解决的水问题.应用同位素示踪、水文地质勘察、水化学信号等研究方法,揭示汾河源区景观带尺度水文过程机制.结果表明,汾河水源区亚高山草甸带与中高山森林带是汾河源区主要径流形成区,而疏林灌丛带与山地草原带在时间上滞后了雨季降水的汇集.源区径流主要由降雨、地下水、积雪和冻土融水混合补给.流域内降水很少直接产生地表径流补给河流,而是经过各景观带下渗,转换成壤中流、孔/裂隙水或地下径流,最终汇入河道,完成"补径排"水文过程.这一研究可为汾河流域水环境恶化的遏制提供科学依据与参考,以期实现山西清水复流和生态环境的全面修复.     

Measuring site-level success in brownfield redevelopments: a focus on sustainability and green building

This research has met the following four objectives within the broader research topic of characterizing and quantifying success in brownfield revitalization: (1) to define 40 total indicators that define and determine the success of brownfield redevelopments in four categories: environment-health, finance, livability, and social-economic; (2) to use these indicators to develop a partially automated tool that stakeholders in brownfield redevelopment may use to more easily assess and communicate success (or failures) in these projects; (3) to integrate "green" building as an important aspect of successful brownfield redevelopments; and (4) to develop this tool within the framework of a specific multi-attribute decision method (MADM), the analytical hierarchical process (AHP). Future research should include the operationalization and application of this tool to specific sites. Currently, no such indicator framework or automated tool is known to exist or be in use. Indicators were chosen because of their ability to reduce data into comprehensible measurements and to systematically measure success in a standardized fashion. Appropriate indicators were selected based on (1) interviews with prominent private developers and national leaders in brownfield redevelopment, (2) a review of the relevant literature, (3) objective hierarchies created in this project, and (4) the ability for each indicator to serve goals in more than one of the four categories described above. These were combined to form the Sustainable Brownfields Redevelopment (SBR) Tool. A survey was conducted to serve as a preliminary assessment and proposed methodology for judging the validity of the SBR Tool. Professionals in the academic, private, and public sector were asked to provide an evaluation of the management tool and a weighting of the relative importance of each indicator and each of the four categories listed previously. Experts rated the tool at 7.68 out of 10 suggesting that this framework will be useful in evaluating these redevelopments upon completion and in formulating initial site plans and building design.     

COST ANALYSIS OF WATER AND WASTE WATER TREATMENT PROCESSES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES1

ABSTRACT: Mathematical modeling techniques are used to develop predictive equations for cost of water and waste water treatment processes in developing countries utilizing socioeconomic, environmental, and technological indicators. Predictive equations are developed for each of the three regions (Africa, Asia, and Latin America) for construction, operation, and maintenance costs of slow sand filter, rapid sand filter, stabilization lagoon, aerated lagoon, activated sludge, and trickling filter. Data analysis indicated that cost of water treatment processes is a function of technological indicator (percentage of imported materials), population, and the design capacity. The variables which gave the best correlation for waste water treatment cost were population, design flow, and the percentage of imported waste water disposal materials.     

AN ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING CHANNEL MAINTENANCE FLOWS IN COLORADO1

ABSTRACT: An accounting procedure is developed which determines a flow regime that is capable of transporting an amount of bedload sediment necessary to ensure channel stability downstream. The method allows for sediment buildup in the channel within geomorphic threshold limits during low flow periods. During periods of high runoff, enough water is bypassed to transport the stored sediment. The procedure utilizes only those flows of sufficient magnitude to maintain channel stability over the long run (25–50+ years). An example is presented which determines the volume of water and frequency of release for channel maintenance purposes downstream from a hypothetical water diversion project. Of some 1,200,000 acre feet generated during a 59-year period, 86,500 acre feet was required for channel maintenance flows. Bypass flows were not required each year, but only during those years when average daily flow reached bankfull or greater. Such releases were made on 202 of the 411 days when average flows either equalled or exceeded bankfull discharge.