The kinetic stability of colloid-associated plutonium: settling characteristics and species transformation

The colloid-associated plutonium-239, as the dominant species of Pu in natural environment, was formed through sorption of Pu onto in situ colloids. In case of chemical perturbations present in pore water, the fate and transport of Pu would be therefore impacted by changes in sorption affinity of Pu for the colloid surfaces. The present study reveals that colloidal ²³⁹Pu exhibited the kinetic stability in two respects. First, in situ colloids isolated from the vadose zone sediments at Lop Nor, when in contact with solutions of high ion concentrations or low pH, were significantly aggregated and then exhibited fast settling. Kinetics settling characteristics were described by the parameters, including settling index and characteristic time. Second, Pu dissociation from colloid surfaces occurred immediately after the introduction of Na⁺. However, the dissolved species was still unstable and had the potential for re-association with the fraction of colloids that had not settled out from the suspensions due to small size and then remained in suspension. This implies that Pu sorption sites on initial colloids were changed to the sites of suspended colloids.     

山地农业种植结构演变特征及其调控途径分析——以贵州省为例

为分析山地农业种植结构的演变特征及其主要驱动因子,制定种植结构的调控途径,采用C-PCA耦合模型(典型主成分分析)对贵州省1949~2013年种植结构演变的15个驱动因子进行分析。结果表明:(1)贵州省1949~2013年种植结构逐渐向市场导向型转变,经济作物比重上升,粮食作物比重下降,粮食作物和经济作物产量分别以7.24%和2.95%的速率增长;(2)通过C-PCA耦合模型的贡献率得出种植结构演变的主要驱动因子为总人口、城市化水平、仓储运输业比重、年均气温、年降水量和农业人口比重,其对应累计贡献率达86.04%;(3)调控山地农业种植结构,不仅需要发展山地高效复合型农业,提高种植系统抗灾能力,还需借助农产品生产、加工、销售云平台实现农业的可持续发展,从而为山地农业经济的发展提供重要支撑。     

Transport and humification of dissolved organic matter within a semi-arid floodplain

In order to understand the transport and humification processes of dissolved organic matter(DOM) within sediments of a semi-arid floodplain at Rifle,Colorado,fluorescence excitation–emission matrix(EEM) spectroscopy,humification index(HIX) and specific UV absorbance(SUVA) at 254 nm were applied for characterizing depth and seasonal variations of DOM composition.Results revealed that late spring snowmelt leached relatively fresh DOM from plant residue and soil organic matter down into the deeper vadose zone(VZ).More humified DOM is preferentially adsorbed by upper VZ sediments,while non-or lesshumified DOM was transported into the deeper VZ.Interestingly,DOM at all depths undergoes rapid biological humification process evidenced by the products of microbial by-product-like(i.e.,tyrosine-like and tryptophan-like) matter in late spring and early summer,particularly in the deeper VZ,resulting in more humified DOM(e.g.,fulvic-acid-like and humic-acid-like substances) at the end of year.This indicates that DOM transport is dominated by spring snowmelt,and DOM humification is controlled by microbial degradation,with seasonal variations.It is expected that these relatively simple spectroscopic measurements(e.g.,EEM spectroscopy,HIX and SUVA) applied to depth-and temporally-distributed pore-water samples can provide useful insights into transport and humification of DOM in other subsurface environments as well.     

Numerical simulation of benzene transport in shoreline groundwater affected by tides under different conditions

● An approach for assessing the transport of benzene on the beach was proposed. ● The behavior of benzene in the subsurface of the beach was impacted by tide. ● Tidal amplitude influenced the travel speed and the benzene biodegradation. ● Hydraulic conductivity had the impact on plume residence time and biodegradation. ● Plume dispersed and concentration decreased due to high longitudinal dispersivity. The release and transport of benzene in coastal aquifers were investigated in the present study. Numerical simulations were implemented using the SEAM3D, coupled with GMS, to study the behavior of benzene in the subsurface of tidally influenced beaches. The transport and fate of the benzene plume were simulated, considering advection, dispersion, sorption, biodegradation, and dissolution on the beach. Different tide amplitudes, aquifer characteristics, and pollutant release locations were studied. It was found that the tide amplitude, hydraulic conductivity, and longitudinal dispersivity were the primary factors affecting the fate and transport of benzene. The tidal amplitude influenced the transport speed and percentage of biodegradation of benzene plume in the beach. A high tidal range reduced the spreading area and enhanced the rate of benzene biodegradation. Hydraulic conductivity had an impact on plume residence time and the percentage of contaminant biodegradation. Lower hydraulic conductivity induced longer residence time in each beach portion and a higher percentage of biodegradation on the beach. The plume dispersed and the concentration decreased due to high longitudinal dispersivity. The results can be used to support future risk assessment and management for the shorelines impacted by spill and leaking accidents. Modeling the heterogeneous beach aquifer subjected to tides can also be further explored in the future study.     

生活垃圾重金属对环卫工人身体健康影响研究

以珠江三角洲5市（广州、深圳、佛山、惠州和肇庆）生活垃圾为研究对象,分析了55个生活垃圾样品的干基组分及典型重金属（As、Cd、Hg、Cr和Pb）的含量,采用主成分因子分析探论重金属的主要影响因素及可能来源,并结合人体健康风险评价模型,用蒙特卡洛模拟定量评价生活垃圾收运、分类及处理各环节环卫工人的健康风险.结果表明,珠江三角洲5市生活垃圾中As、Cd、Hg、Cr和Pb的浓度分别为（4.49±1.18）,（1.95±1.96）,（0.41±0.60）,（147.28±160.48）和（121.59±199.42） mg/kg;生活垃圾中Hg和Pb可能主要来源于金属制品和镀金材料;Cd和Cr可能主要来源于金属制品、镀金材料、快餐垃圾和包装垃圾;As可能主要来源于生活垃圾中的沙土和草木组分.生活垃圾的收运、分类及处理环节,街道清扫保洁工人、分类收运工人和填埋处理工人的非致癌风险基本不用考虑,但致癌风险很高,致癌风险指数最高可达安全阈值的6倍,主要风险暴露途径为手-口摄入（非食物途径）;垃圾焚烧处理工人的非致癌风险和致癌风险均很高,非致癌风险和致癌风险指数最高值分别约为安全阈值的11倍和90倍,主要风险暴露途径为手-口摄入和呼吸吸入;相同暴露环境下,女环卫工人的非致癌风险和致癌风险概率均略高于男环卫工人.因此,生活垃圾收运、分类及处理环节需做好安全防范措施,对重金属人体暴露途径进行阻隔.     

重庆市2015—2020年秋冬季PM2.5污染传输路径与潜在源贡献分析

2015—2020年成渝地区各城市PM_2.5浓度（国控点监测数据）下降显著,但重庆市、川东北城市群及川南城市群PM_2.5污染问题依然存在,且存在一定的传输影响关系.以重庆市为例,使用HYSPLIT模型计算了2015—2020年秋冬季PM_2.5污染期间气流后向轨迹,利用轨迹聚类和潜在源贡献算法,分析了不同年份的PM_2.5输送特征.结果表明：重庆市PM_2.5污染主要受西偏南方向（约占58%,长距离为主）、北偏西方向（约占26%,中距离为主）和南略偏西方向（约占16%,短距离为主）传输影响;川东北城市群和川南城市群对重庆市PM_2.5污染传输贡献较为显著,6年平均贡献率分别为23%和15%;不同年份的污染传输贡献差异明显,2015—2017年以川南城市群污染传输为主（平均贡献24%）,2018—2020年以川东北城市群污染传输为主（平均贡献37%）,川渝以外污染传输影响逐年减弱（平均贡献由33%降至5%）.在“成渝双城经济圈”背景下,重庆市与周边川东北城市群及川南...     

Energy efficiency and conservation for individual Americans

Americans make up only 4% of the world population, yet currently consume 25% of the world’s fossil fuels. The U.S. imports 63% of its oil and it is predicted that by 2020 the U.S. will be importing 95% of its oil resources. Over the past century, ample and affordable supplies of fossil fuels have powered the growth and prosperity of the economies of the US and other countries. Within this century, world oil supplies will decline while demand is projected to continue to increase, suggesting that we will have to transition to different fuels or become much more energy efficient or both. Looking ahead to the near decades, estimates are that consumers will have to reduce their energy use by at least 50%. This reduction will be necessary in large part due the decline in the availability of conventional oil and gas, but also because the U.S. population will continue to grow in number. Although government action is important, individuals too often discount their ability to make significant contributions to solving such major problems. This investigation identifies how informed and concerned individuals can collectively conserve fossil energy. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Transport and distribution of artificial gamma-emitting radionuclides in the River Yenisei and its sediment

Discharges from the Krasnoyarsk Mining and Chemical Industrial Complex (KMCIC) near Krasnoyarsk resulted in radioactive contamination of sediments of the River Yenisei. Between 1999 and 2006, 16 sediment cores were collected at different positions 15-1500 km downstream from the discharge point. The concentration of artificial gamma-emitting radionuclides (¹³⁷Cs, ⁶⁰Co, ¹⁵²Eu, and ²⁴¹Am) was determined with the objective to analyze the migration processes leading to the transport of these radionuclides along the river and to their vertical distribution within the sediment. In cores taken in the vicinity of the reactors, the average activity concentration of ¹³⁷Cs, ¹⁵²Eu, and ⁶⁰Co was about 1000 Bq kg⁻¹, and the activity concentration of ²⁴¹Am was about 20 Bq kg⁻¹. Contamination levels of artificial radionuclides were decreasing with increasing distance downstream the KMCIC: The fastest decrease of average activity by a factor of 10 over a distance of 300 km was observed for ²⁴¹Am, whereas for ¹³⁷Cs this decrease occurred over a distance of 1100 km. Sequential extraction experiments revealed that in all depths and at all distances the studied radionuclides were tightly bound to the sediment.To investigate the mechanisms of transport of the ¹³⁷Cs and ⁶⁰Co contamination, mathematical models have been used to describe the contamination in the river water and within the sediments.     

Eco‐efficiency,self‐sufficiency and sustainability in transport: The limits for Brazilian sugarcane ethanol policy

This paper examines the historic development of the Brazilian sugarcane ethanol sector and the largely successful attempt to create a sustainable, renewable fuel for the transport sector. The policy that resulted from this process is an example of meeting the need for sustainable transport through the consideration of location‐specific characteristics and appropriate policy. The paper then questions the current and expected trajectory of the sugarcane ethanol sector with the focus on one key question: can sustainability be exported? In this analysis, the paper identifies new threats to the sustainability of Brazilian sugarcane ethanol and potential “opportunity costs” incurred in further development and internationalization of the sector. The paper concludes that exporting sugarcane ethanol may bring unanticipated deleterious consequences, which in turn means that both policy and theory need to be more precise about how sustainable transport is defined and bounded by time and space.