Modelling geochemical and microbial consumption of dissolved oxygen after backfilling a high level radiactive waste repository

Dissolved oxygen (DO) left in the voids of buffer and backfill materials of a deep geological high level radioactive waste (HLW) repository could cause canister corrosion. Available data from laboratory and in situ experiments indicate that microbes play a substantial role in controlling redox conditions near a HLW repository. This paper presents the application of a coupled hydro-bio-geochemical model to evaluate geochemical and microbial consumption of DO in bentonite porewater after backfilling of a HLW repository designed according to the Swedish reference concept. In addition to geochemical reactions, the model accounts for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) respiration and methane oxidation. Parameters for microbial processes were derived from calibration of the REX in situ experiment carried out at the Asp? underground laboratory. The role of geochemical and microbial processes in consuming DO is evaluated for several scenarios. Numerical results show that both geochemical and microbial processes are relevant for DO consumption. However, the time needed to consume the DO trapped in the bentonite buffer decreases dramatically from several hundreds of years when only geochemical processes are considered to a few weeks when both geochemical reactions and microbially-mediated DOC respiration and methane oxidation are taken into account simultaneously.     

Differential Sensitivity of a Coccal Green Algal and a Cyanobacterial Species to Dissolved Natural Organic Matter (NOM) (8 pp)

Background

and Aim. In non-eutrophicated freshwaters, humic substances (HS) pose chemical stresses on aquatic organisms and, hence, separating sensitive from less sensitive or even tolerant species. One of the stresses, identified so far, is the reduction of photosynthetic oxygen production and reduction in growth in freshwater macrophytes and algae. In a previous paper, it has been shown that even closely related coccal green algae responded differently upon identical stress by HS, which is consistent with the hypothesis above. Due to their much simpler cellular ultrastructure, cyanobacteria are supposed to be more sensitive to HS exposure than eukaryote should be. One coccal green algal species (Desmodesmus communis) and one cyanobacterium (Chroococcus minutus) were exposed to four natural organic matter (NOM) isolates. One NOM has been isolated from a brown water lake (Schwarzer See) in Brandenburg State; three were obtained from a comprehensive Scandinavian NOM research project and originated from Norway (Birkenes), Finland (Hietajärvi), and Sweden (Svartberget).

Methods

Cultures of D. communis and C. minutus were obtained from the Culture Collection of Algae, Göttingen, and maintained in a common medium. The cultures were non-axenic. The algae and cyanobacteria were exposed under identical conditions to environmentally realistic NOM concentrations. Cell numbers were counted microscopically in Neugebauer cuvettes in triplicates. To avoid limitation by nutrient depletion, the experiments were terminated after 14 to 15 days. Until culture day 12, no growth limitation has been observed in the controls.

Results

All NOM isolates modulated the growth of the algae and cyanobacteria. During the early culture days, there was a slight growth promotion with the coccal green alga and to a much lesser degree with the cyanobacterium. Yet, the major effect were significant reductions in cell yield in both primary producer cultures. C. minutus was much more affected than D. communis. This applies particularly to the three tested Scandinavian NOM isolates, which were effective at concentrations even below 1 mg L-1 DOC.

Discussion

The growth promoting effect may be due to an increase in bioavailability of some trace nutrients in the presence of NOM, the release of some growth promoting substances by microbial or photochemical processing of the NOM, and/or a hormetic effect. The growth reducing effect can be explained as a herbicide-like mode of action that affects the photosystem II most prevalent by blocking the electron transport chain, absorption of electrons, or production of an internal oxidative stress after processing the bioconcentrated HS. Furthermore, it may be postulated that also photo-toxicity of these HS in the algal cells contributes to the overall toxicity; however, experimental evidence is lacking so far.

Conclusions

Upon exposure to HS, cyanobacteria appear to be much more sensitive than coccal green algae and respond in growth reduction. This high sensitivity of cyanobacteria to HS may explain phytoplankton patterns in the field. Eutrophic, humic-rich lakes do not support the cyanobacterial blooms characteristic of eutrophic, but humic-poor lakes. In the humic-rich systems, raphidophytes or, less frequent, specific coccal greens are more common. Obviously, cyanobacteria appear to be unable to make advantage of their accessory pigments (phycocyanin) to exploit the reddish light prevailing in humic-rich lakes.

Recommendation

. At present, no effective structure can be figured out which may be responsible for the adverse effect on the cyanobacterial species. It is reserved to future research whether or not HS may be applied more specifically (for instance, with elevated moieties of the effective structures) as a natural geochemical to combat cyanobacterial blooms.

     

The influence of organic acids in relation to acid deposition in controlling the acidity of soil and stream waters on a seasonal basis

Much uncertainty still exists regarding the relative importance of organic acids in relation to acid deposition in controlling the acidity of soil and surface waters. This paper contributes to this debate by presenting analysis of seasonal variations in atmospheric deposition, soil solution and stream water chemistry for two UK headwater catchments with contrasting soils. Acid neutralising capacity (ANC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and the Na:Cl ratio of soil and stream waters displayed strong seasonal patterns with little seasonal variation observed in soil water pH. These patterns, plus the strong relationships between ANC, Cl and DOC, suggest that cation exchange and seasonal changes in the production of DOC and seasalt deposition are driving a shift in the proportion of acidity attributable to strong acid anions, from atmospheric deposition, during winter to predominantly organic acids in summer.     

堆肥处理过程中猪粪有机物的动态变化特征

为了解猪粪堆肥过程中各种有机物的变化特征,并为判断猪粪堆肥腐熟度提供参考指标,进行42d的高温好氧堆肥.结果表明,堆体中的有机质含量呈下降趋势;水溶性有机碳(DOC)含量在第10d达到最大值,之后呈下降趋势;易分解有机质含量呈下降趋势,但在高温开始阶段呈上升趋势;腐殖质含量呈上升趋势.说明堆肥过程中有机物不断向腐殖化方向转化.在研究H/F变化时发现,它与判断堆肥腐熟度常用的化学指标(有机质、DOC)呈一定的相关性,而且与易分解有机质和腐殖质也有较好的相关性.     

不同施肥措施对土壤活性有机碳的影响

采用田间试验,研究了不同施肥措施下,华北冬小麦-夏玉米轮作体系中潮土土壤活性有机碳含量及组分的变化特征.结果表明,施肥显著增加土壤水溶性有机碳和易氧化有机碳含量,与不施肥相比,增加幅度分别为24.92～38.63 mg·kg-1和0.94～0.58 g·kg-1,其中单施有机肥对土壤水溶性有机碳含量增加作用大于配施化肥和化肥单施,单施有机肥或与化肥配施对土壤易氧化有机碳的提升效果优于单施化肥.有机肥或化肥单施对土壤微生物量碳没有显著促进作用,而有机肥与化肥配施土壤微生物量碳含量分别增加36.06%和20.69%;土壤易氧化有机碳、水溶性有机碳和微生物量碳占总有机碳的比例变化范围分别为8.41%～14.83%、0.47%～0.70%和0.89%～1.20%,施肥显著提高了土壤水溶性有机碳和易氧化有机碳比例,不同施肥措施对水溶性有机碳的提升效应没有显著差异.有机肥与化肥配施对易氧化有机碳的比例提升作用大于有机肥或化肥单施,同时显著增加土壤微生物量碳比例,但有机肥或化肥单施对土壤微生物量碳比例没有显著作用.可见,在试验地条件下,有机肥与化肥的适当配施对于增加土壤活性有机碳含量和有效调控其关键组分具有重要作用.     

Modeling the seasonal autochthonous sources of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in the upper Chesapeake Bay

In this paper we investigate the seasonal autochthonous sources of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) in the euphotic zone at a station in the upper Chesapeake Bay using a new mass-based ecosystem model. Important features of the model are: (1) carbon and nitrogen are incorporated by means of a set of fixed and varying C:N ratios; (2) dissolved organic matter (DOM) is separated into labile, semi-labile, and refractory pools for both C and N; (3) the production and consumption of DOM is treated in detail; and (4) seasonal observations of light, temperature, nutrients, and surface layer circulation are used to physically force the model. The model reasonably reproduces the mean observed seasonal concentrations of nutrients, DOM, plankton biomass, and chlorophyll a. The results suggest that estuarine DOM production is intricately tied to the biomass concentration, ratio, and productivity of phytoplankton, zooplankton, viruses, and bacteria. During peak spring productivity phytoplankton exudation and zooplankton sloppy feeding are the most important autochthonous sources of DOM. In the summer when productivity peaks again, autochthonous sources of DOM are more diverse and, in addition to phytoplankton exudation, important ones include viral lysis and the decay of detritus. The potential importance of viral decay as a source of bioavailable DOM from within the bulk DOM pool is also discussed. The results also highlight the importance of some poorly constrained processes and parameters. Some potential improvements and remedies are suggested. Sensitivity studies on selected parameters are also reported and discussed.     

Dissolved organic carbon concentrations and fluxes in forest catchments and streams: DOC-3 model

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in south-western Nova Scotia streams, sampled at weekly to biweekly intervals, varied across streams from about 3 to 40 mg L⁻¹, being highest mid-summer to fall, and lowest during winter to spring. A 3-parameter model (DOC-3) was proposed to project daily stream DOC concentrations and fluxes from modelled estimates for daily soil temperature and moisture, year-round, and in relation to basin size and wetness. The parameters of this model refer to (i) a basin-specific DOC release parameter “k_DOC^”, related to the wet- and open-water area percentages per basin, (ii) the lag time “τ” between DOC production and subsequent stream DOC emergence, related to the catchment area above the stream sampling location; and (iii) the activation energy “Ea”, to deal with the temperature effect on DOC production. This model was calibrated with the 1988-2006 DOC concentration data from three streams (Pine Marten, Moosepit Brook, and the Mersey River sampled at or near Kejimkujik National Park, or KNP), and was used to interpret the biweekly 1999-2003 DOC concentrations data (stream, ground and lake water, soil lysimeters) of the Pockwock-Bowater Watershed Project near Halifax, Nova Scotia. The data and the model revealed that the DOC concentrations within the streams were not correlated to the DOC concentrations within the soil- and groundwater, but were predictable based on (i) the hydrologically inferred weather-induced changes in soil moisture and temperature next to each stream, and (ii) the topographically inferred basin area and wet- and open-water area percentages associated with each stream (R² = 0.53; RMSE = 3.5 mg L⁻¹). Model-predicted fluxes accounted 74% of the hydrometrically determined DOC exports at KNP.     

预压力混凝沉淀除藻工艺中DOC变化规律研究

为了探讨预压力混凝沉淀除藻工艺是否会使藻细胞破裂,导致水中溶解性有机物(DOC)增加,进而优化压力作用方式,得到安全、高效的预压力除藻工艺,实验研究了预压力、预氧化技术处理含藻水时DOC的变化,以及水中相对分子质量分布,并研究了混凝沉淀后藻类、浊度、DOC的去除效果.结果表明,在0.5~0.8 MPa压力作用后,水中DOC没有增加,反而减少,且有机物相对分子质量减小.而高锰酸钾与次氯酸钠预氧化均会导致DOC增加,相对分子质量分布没有明显变化.预压力混凝沉淀后藻类去除率96.23%;DOC去除率29.11%,高于预氧化混凝沉淀工艺10%~30%.     

利用CDOM吸收系数估算太湖水体表层DOC浓度

溶解有机碳(DOC)是水体中最大的有机碳库,在水体碳循环中起着重要作用.有色溶解有机物(CDOM)是DOC的重要组成部分,其吸光作用改变着水下光场结构,是水色遥感监测的重要因子之一,建立两者的联系为利用遥感技术估算湖泊水体表层DOC浓度提供有效的技术方法.基于2010年5月、2011年1月、2011年3月和2011年5月的太湖4期实验数据(183个采样点),利用CDOM特征波长吸收系数[ag(250)和ag(365)]建立多元线性模型估算太湖水体DOC浓度,同时利用2011年8月29日～9月2日的数据(n=27)对模型进行验证评价,并构建了湖泊水体DOC浓度的遥感反演模式.结果表明,该模型能够有效估算太湖水体的DOC浓度;2011年1月DOC和CDOM的源和汇有较大差异,估算效果较差;其他3期数据的模型估算效果显著(R2=0.64,RMSE=14.31%,n=164),并在201108期数据中得到了验证(R2=0.67,RMSE=10.58%,n=27).模型形式虽具有一定的通用性,但系数在不同的水域中有所差异,模型系数的区域化成为下一步研究的重点.     

Keep swimming but stop peeing in the pools

正Swimming is excellent exercise and offers many health benefits.However,the"chlorine smell"in swimming pools may be a turn-off for some people.Although this smell is often thought to be of chlorine,it actually comes from volatile compounds that are produced from unintended reactions between disinfectants(e.g.,chlorine)and organic matter in