Assessment of total urban metabolism and metabolic inefficiency in an Irish city-region

This paper aims to measure product and waste flows in an Irish city-region using the principles of metabolism and mass balance. An empirical indicator to measure resource efficiency, using a ratio of waste disposal as a function of product consumption, was developed and it was found that total materials metabolic inefficiency fell by 31% from 0.13 in 1996 to 0.09 in 2002. The paper concludes by analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of this indicator and its potential application in the field of sustainable consumption and resource efficiency as well as making suggestions to improve and strengthen the indicator.     

Lateral movement of soil fumigants 1,3-dichloropropene and chloropicrin from treated agricultural fields

The soil fumigants 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) and chloropicrin (CP) are often used for controlling soil-borne plant pathogens and parasitic nematodes before reestablishing new vineyards and orchards. To evaluate crop safety and environmental risks with the replant fumigation, four field experiments were performed over 2 yr to examine 1,3-D and CP lateral movement away from the treated fields. Shank injection with or without a virtually impermeable film (V1F) was used in two vineyard fumigation experiments, and spot drip application without tarp cover was used in two orchard experiments. Results showed that 1,3-D and CP gases moved laterally to 6 m from the treated fields when the fumigants were applied by shank injection. The maximum 1,3-D or CP soil gas concentration at 6 m was approximately 10 ng cm(-3) when the fumigated plot was not cover with a tarp. With VIF, the measured maximum concentration increased to approximately 100 ng cm(-3). In the spot drip application, maximum 1,3-D and CP gas concentrations reached approximately 100 ng cm(-3) but at 1.5 m radial distance from the point of fumigant injection.     

滑坡动态变形过程的综合研究方法

影响滑坡变形破坏过程的因素具有复杂性和多变性，要合理评价和预测滑坡的动态发展过程，深入的地质原型调查是基础，地质分析不仅能为其它分析方法的正确使用提供资料，而且能直接对滑坡的变形破坏发展过程作出定性的判断。在此基础上建立力学模型，采用数学力学理论进行定量计算和反演分析，可进一步从本质上去把握滑坡变形破坏的发展规律。本文通过介绍李家峡水电站Ⅱ号滑坡的研究实践，说明了采用定性地质分析与定量力学计算相结合的研究方法揭示滑坡变形破坏动态过程的有效性。     

Urban growth management in Jeddah

The towns and cities of Saudi Arabia have been subjected to sustained growth pressures since the transformation of the country's economy following the discovery of oil in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom. The rapid growth which has been experienced has created major problems for the central and local government agencies responsible for planning and managing urban growth. The experience of Jeddah, one of the major cities in Saudi Arabia, is described and the problems of planning and managing its growth are analysed. Weaknesses relating to the structure of the planning system are identified, as are major difficulties in relation to the quality and quantity of professional staff. Recent attempts to improve the operation of the planning system are described and evaluated.     

The potential of algae blooms to produce renewable gaseous fuel

Ulva lactuca (commonly known as sea letuce) is a green sea weed which dominates Green Tides or algae blooms. Green Tides are caused by excess nitrogen from agriculture and sewage outfalls resulting in eutrophication in shallow estuaries. Samples of U. lactuca were taken from the Argideen estuary in West Cork on two consecutive years. In year 1 a combination of three different processes/pretreatments were carried out on the Ulva. These include washing, wilting and drying. Biomethane potential (BMP) assays were carried out on the samples. Fresh Ulva has a biomethane yield of 183 L CH₄/kg VS. For dried, washed and macerated Ulva a BMP of 250 L CH₄/kg VS was achieved. The resource from the estuary in West Cork was shown to be sufficient to provide fuel to 264 cars on a year round basis. Mono-digestion of Ulva may be problematic; the C:N ratio is low and the sulphur content is high. In year 2 co-digestion trials with dairy slurry were carried out. These indicate a potential increase in biomethane output by 17% as compared to mono-digestion of Ulva and slurry.     

Impact of carbon nanomaterials on the behaviour of 14C-phenanthrene and 14C-benzo-[a] pyrene in soil

The impact of fullerene soot (FS), single-walled (SWCNTs) and multi-walled (MWCNTs) carbon nanotubes on the behaviour of two ¹⁴C-PAHs in sterile soil was investigated. Different concentrations of carbon nanomaterials (0, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.5%) were added to soil, and ¹⁴C-phenanthrene and ¹⁴C-benzo[a]pyrene extractability assessed over 80 d through dichloromethane (DCM) and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD) shake extractions. Total ¹⁴C-PAH activity in soils was determined by combustion, and mineralisation of ¹⁴C-phenanthrene was monitored over 14 d, using a catabolically active pseudomonad inoculum. No significant loss of ¹⁴C-PAH-associated activity from CNM-amended soils was observed over the ‘aging’ period. CNMs had a significant impact on HPCD-extractability of ¹⁴C-PAHS; extractability decreased with increasing CNM concentration. Additionally, ¹⁴C-phenanthrene mineralisation was inhibited by the presence of CNMs at concentrations of ≥0.05%. Differences in overall extents of ¹⁴C-mineralisation were also apparent between CNM types. It is suggested the addition of CNMs to soil can reduce PAH extractability and bioaccessibility, with PAH sorption to CNMs influenced by CNM type and concentration.     

Collateral geochemical impacts of agricultural nitrogen enrichment from 1963 to 1985: a southern Wisconsin ground water depth profile

In this study, we used chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) age-dating to investigate the geochemistry of N enrichment within a bedrock aquifer depth profile beneath a south central Wisconsin agricultural landscape. Measurement of N(2)O and excess N(2) allowed us to reconstruct the total NO(3)(-) and total nitrogen (TN) leached to ground water and was essential for tracing the separate influences of soil nitrification and ground water denitrification in the collateral geochemical chronology. We identify four geochemical impacts due to a steady ground water N enrichment trajectory (39 +/- 2.2 micromol L(-1) yr(-1), r(2) = 0.96) over two decades (1963-1985) of rapidly escalating N use. First, as a by-product of soil nitrification, N(2)O entered ground water at a stable (r(2) = 0.99) mole ratio of 0.24 +/- 0.007 mole% (N(2)O-N/NO(3)-N). The gathering of excess N(2)O in ground water is a potential concern relative to greenhouse gas emissions and stratospheric ozone depletion after it discharges to surface water. Second, excess N(2) measurements revealed that NO(3)(-) was a prominent, mobile, labile electron acceptor comparable in importance to O(2.) Denitrification transformed 36 +/- 15 mole% (mol mol(-1) x 100) of the total N within the profile to N(2) gas, delaying exceedance of the NO(3)(-) drinking water standard by approximately 6 yr. Third, soil acids produced from nitrification substantially increased the concentrations of major, dolomitic ions (Ca, Mg, HCO(3)(-)) in ground water relative to pre-enrichment conditions. By 1985, concentrations approximately doubled; by 2006, CFC age-date projections suggest concentrations may have tripled. Finally, the nitrification induced mobilization of Ca may have caused a co-release of P from Ca-rich soil surfaces. Dissolved P increased from an approximate background value of 0.02 mg L(-1) in 1963 to 0.07 mg L(-1) in 1985. The CFC age-date projections suggest the concentration could have reached 0.11 mg L(-1) in ground water recharge by 2006. These results highlight an intersection of the N and P cycles potentially important for managing the quality of ground water discharged to surface water.     

滨海软土中爆炸冲击对盾构隧道的影响研究∗

随着地下工程与城市管网的布设日益发展,在规划设计阶段往往需要考虑潜在发生的安全事故影响,确定安全距离。利用ANSYS/LS-DYNA有限元软件,结合天津滨海新区饱和软土特点,分析了可能发生的燃气管线爆炸所产生的冲击荷载对土中埋置盾构隧道的结构安全影响。运用有限元数值模拟,得到了隧道与管线的间距—隧道结构振速峰值的曲线关系;通过对标相关规范的振速限制,得到不同燃气压力下隧道—管线的安全避让距离关系。结果表明:随着燃气管道压强的增大,隧道—管线的安全避让距离呈现先增大后平稳的趋势。结论对于爆破与防护工程设计均具有重要的参考价值。     

澜沧江梯级水电站库区水环境时空差异性研究

根据2008年1—12月澜沧江下游的漫湾水电站、大朝山水电站库区的水质监测资料,对水环境时空差异性进行了分析,结果表明:两库区水质特征变化趋势比较相似,季节性变化明显,两库区水体有机污染程度小,水体氮磷含量较高,属于中—富营养水平,总氮在秋季最高,冬季最低,总磷在夏秋季最高,春季最低。梯级水坝的形成对水体中总氮含量、有机污染的累积效应不明显。     

脉冲激光发射模块电磁屏蔽效能仿真分析

目的 提高脉冲激光发射模块的电磁兼容性。方法 基于腔体的电磁屏蔽机理,使用HFSS软件,建立脉冲激光发射模块腔体模型,以电磁敏感度、电磁干扰2个方面对腔体电磁屏蔽效能进行仿真分析。结果 设计的双层屏蔽腔体在电磁波辐照频率为1~100 kHz时,屏蔽效能达到28 dB;电磁波辐照频率为0.2~18 GHz时,屏蔽效能达到47 dB。结论 当电磁波辐照频率在1~100 kHz时,腔体的屏蔽效能随频率的增加而增大。辐射源外部激励时,双层屏蔽腔体使用外层铁内层铜屏蔽效能较高。电磁波辐照频率在0.2～18 GHz时,腔体的屏蔽效能随频率的增大而减小,且发生了谐振效应。当腔体厚度相等时,双层屏蔽的屏蔽效能高于单层屏蔽。使用电缆连接器代替孔洞进行信号传输时,腔体屏蔽效能增加。