Risk assessment and prioritisation of contaminated sites on the catchment scale

Contaminated sites pose a significant threat to groundwater resources worldwide. Due to limited available resources a risk-based prioritisation of the remediation efforts is essential. Existing risk assessment tools are unsuitable for this purpose, because they consider each contaminated site separately and on a local scale, which makes it difficult to compare the impact from different sites. Hence a modelling tool for risk assessment of contaminated sites on the catchment scale has been developed. The CatchRisk screening tool evaluates the risk associated with each site in terms of its ability to contaminate abstracted groundwater in the catchment. The tool considers both the local scale and the catchment scale. At the local scale, a flexible, site specific leaching model that can be adjusted to the actual data availability is used to estimate the mass flux over time from identified sites. At the catchment scale, a transport model that utilises the source flux and a groundwater model covering the catchment is used to estimate the transient impact on the supply well. The CatchRisk model was tested on a groundwater catchment for a waterworks north of Copenhagen, Denmark. Even though data scarcity limited the application of the model, the sites that most likely caused the observed contamination at the waterworks were identified. The method was found to be valuable as a basis for prioritising point sources according to their impact on groundwater quality. The tool can also be used as a framework for testing hypotheses on the origin of contamination in the catchment and for identification of unknown contaminant sources.     

Semi-analytical solution of two-dimensional sharp interface LNAPL transport models

In this paper, we present semi-analytical solutions for two-dimensional equations governing transport of Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (LNAPL) in unconfined aquifers. The proposed model is based on sharp interface displacement and steady groundwater flow assumptions, where both the water–LNAPL interface and the LNAPL–air interface are represented as sharp interfaces. In the case of steady groundwater flow, these equations can be reduced to a two-dimensional nonlinear solute transport equation, with the LNAPL thickness in the free product lens being the primary unknown variable. The linearized form of this solute transport equation falls into the category of two-dimensional transport equation with time-dependent dispersion coefficients. This equation can be solved analytically for an infinite domain region. In this paper, the general form of the analytical solution for the transport equation, as well as the solutions for some specific cases are presented. To demonstrate the utility of the proposed solution, numerical results obtained for two example problems are discussed and presented comparatively with a finite-element solution and other more restrictive solutions available in the literature. Although the solutions discussed in this paper have some simplifying assumptions, such as sharp-interfaces between fluid phases, steady groundwater flow and homogeneous aquifer properties, the semi-analytical solutions presented in this study may be used effectively as bench mark solutions in evaluating LNAPL migration in the subsurface. These solutions are simple and cost effective to implement and may be used in the calibration of other more complex numerical solutions that can be found in the literature.     

Solution-oriented global environmental assessments: Opportunities and challenges

This article provides an introduction to the Special Issue dedicated to “Solution-oriented Global Environmental Assessments: Opportunities and Challenges”. In the follow-up to the Paris climate agreement and the adoption and early implementation of the global Sustainable Development Goals involving many synergies and trade-offs, the need to shift the focus from environmental problem analysis towards the exploration of specific solution options can be observed in international environmental governance debates. To remain policy-relevant, credible and legitimate, global environmental assessments (GEAs) must carefully adapt to a rapidly evolving governance landscape. This Special Issue sheds light on the potential utility and implications of increased solution-orientation of GEAs. It builds on the research project “The Future of Global Environmental Assessment Making” that was jointly initiated in 2013 by UN Environment and the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change. The article collection includes research on the coevolution of GEAs and the increasingly solution-oriented governance context; conditions of success for contemporary GEAs; the treatment of divergent viewpoints, stakes and stakeholders in solution-oriented GEAs; knowledge aggregation; and the enhanced measurement of GEA effectiveness in the emerging governance landscape.     

Elimination of Methanol and Ethanol by Biofiltration: An Experimental Study

This study presents the experimental results obtained during long-term operation of two biofilters treating two alcohols: methanol and ethanol. The biofilters used for this purpose were previously packed with a compost material made from tobacco processing residues. The alcohols concentrations tested lay between 0.40 and 3.20 g/m³ for methanol, and 0.55 and 5.05 g/m³ for ethanol. The empty bed residence time in each biofilter was 60 s. Biofilter inlet loads of less than 190 and 300 g/m³/h for the methanol and ethanol additions respectively, were thereafter evaluated. In addition, the concentrations of nutrient nitrogen were also varied, from 0.1 to 2.0 g-N/l and from 0.3 to 11.3 g-N/l for the ethanol and the methanol, respectively. The results thus obtained have made it possible to select the optimal nitrogen concentrations which, for the cases examined, turn out to be 0.3 g-N/l and between 2 and 3.8 g-N/l for the ethanol and methanol substrates, respectively. The maximum elimination capacities obtained in this study were 82 and 150 g/m³/h, respectively for the methanol and ethanol cases. It was therefore concluded that, for a readily biodegradable compound such as ethanol, the nitrogen requirement is substantially lower than that needed for the methanol degradation, the latter appearing to be more difficult to degrade biologically under similar operating conditions. The production rate of the co-product carbon dioxide during methanol and ethanol biofiltration was also investigated. Also, a good correlation was found to exist between the temperature and the conversion achieved in the biofilter.     

有效磷含量对硝酸铵溶液热安全性的影响

为了了解硝酸磷肥生产过程中,硝酸铵溶液中加入磷酸一铵的安全性,通过自制实验装置,研究了有效磷含量对质量分数为85%的硝酸铵溶液热分解的影响。结果表明,质量分数为85%的硝酸铵和磷酸一铵混合溶液的临界爆炸温度高于纯质量分数为85%的硝酸铵溶液,稳定性更好;磷酸一铵抑制硝酸铵的热分解,随着有效磷含量的增加,硝酸铵混合溶液临界爆炸温度升高;升温速率对硝酸铵混合溶液的临界爆炸温度影响很大,随着升温速率由2℃/min升高到3℃/min,质量分数为85%的硝酸铵混合溶液的临界爆炸温度升高,不易发生爆炸,安全性更好。研究结果对硝酸磷肥的生产安全有一定的指导意义。     

活性炭纤维对于离子的电吸附选择性能研究

通过循环伏安测试、交流阻抗测试、电吸附实验等方法研究了单组分和多组分溶液中不同离子在活性炭纤维电极表面的选择性电吸附性能。结果表明,电吸附选择性能与离子的水合半径、离子价态、离子浓度有关;增大初始浓度可以提高电吸附容量;并且,由于强烈的选择吸附作用,Ca2+离子可以吸附取代其它已经被吸附的离子。     

NaOH溶液吸收CO2的试验研究

为了满足国际海事组织对船舶CO2排放的要求,建立了一种针对船舶尾气CO2的循环吸收系统,利用NaOH溶液吸收CO2.NaOH溶液完成第一步吸收反应后在第二步反应中被还原,从而可以循环利用.分析了初始反应温度、NaOH浓度及溶液中的Na2CO3对CO2吸收率的影响,并计算了循环反应中NaOH的再生率和CaO的过量系数.结果表明,CaO过量系数为1.2时对CO2固化效果最佳,此时NaOH溶液再生率达79.31％.研究表明,NaOH溶液吸收船舶尾气中CO2的循环系统效率高、成本低.     

基于BP神经网络优化制备Cu-Ce/TiO_2及其光催化活性研究

采用Cu和Ce对TiO2进行改性,基于正交实验设计和BP神经网络研究了Cu-Ce/TiO2中Cu-Ce对TiO2的摩尔百分数、Cu-Ce/TiO2中CuCe摩尔比及Cu-Ce/TiO2烧结温度对Cu-Ce/TiO2光催化降解甲醛溶液性能的影响.同时,对Cu-Ce/TiO2制备方案进行了优化,并运用X射线衍射仪、扫描电子显微镜和紫外-可见分光光度计对最佳条件下制备的Cu-Ce/TiO2进行表征.结果表明,优化的制备条件为Cu-Ce/TiO2中Cu-Ce对TiO2的摩尔百分数为2.88%,Cu-Ce/TiO2中Cu-Ce的摩尔比为1∶1,Cu-Ce/TiO2的烧结温度为570℃.共掺杂Cu离子和Ce离子能有效避免掺杂TiO2晶格内部表层和近表层产生较多的位错,从而抑制晶格畸变增大;诱导TiO2中锐钛矿型晶体向金红石型晶体转变的能力增强,有效抑制电子-空穴对的复合,产生介电局域效应.     

Antimony leaching release from brake pads: Effect of pH,temperature and organic acids

Metals from automotive brake pads pollute water, soils and the ambient air. The environmental effect on water of antimony (Sb) contained in brake pads has been largely untested. The content of Sb in one abandoned brake pad reached up to 1.62 × 10⁴ mg/kg. Effects of initial pH, temperature and four organic acids (acetic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid and humic acid) on Sb release from brake pads were studied using batch reactors. Approximately 30% (97 mg/L) of the total Sb contained in the brake pads was released in alkaline aqueous solution and at higher temperature after 30 days of leaching. The organic acids tested restrained Sb release, especially acetic acid and oxalic acid. The pH-dependent concentration change of Sb in aqueous solution was best fitted by a logarithmic function. In addition, Sb contained in topsoil from land where brake pads were discarded (average 9 × 10³ mg/kg) was 3000 times that in uncontaminated soils (2.7 ± 1 mg/kg) in the same areas. Because potentially high amounts of Sb may be released from brake pads, it is important that producers and environmental authorities take precautions.     

NaClO_2/氨水溶液同时脱除SO_2和NO的热力学研究

利用化学热力学基本原理分别对NaClO2/氨水溶液同时脱除SO2、NO的反应过程中摩尔反应吉布斯自由能变、摩尔反应焓变、化学反应平衡常数以及化学反应达到平衡时的SO2和NO的分压力进行了计算,结果表明：利用NaClO2/氨水溶液同时脱除SO2、NO是可行的,且SO2和NO的脱除效率几乎可以达到100%。