EFFECTIVENESS OF POLYACRYLAMIDE (PAM) IN IMPROVING RUNOFF WATER QUALITY FROM CONSTRUCTION SITES1

ABSTRACT: Erosion from construction sites significantly affects water quality in receiving streams. A rainfall simulator was used to evaluate the effectiveness of different methods for controlling erosion from construction sites. Erosion control methods investigated included dry and liquid applications of polyacrylamide (PAM), hydroseed, and straw mulch. Fertilizer was also applied to each plot to examine the effectiveness of the methods in reducing nutrient losses in runoff. Runoff samples were analyzed for total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), ammonium, total phosphorus (TP), and orthophosphate. Among all treatments investigated, straw mulch was the most effective treatment for controlling TSS and nutrient losses during short term and long term simulations. The low liquid PAM (half the recommended PAM) treatment resulted in the highest reduction in runoff, TSS bound nitrogen, and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations and loadings. The study results indicate that a high application rate (twice the recommended rate) of PAM could actually increase runoff and TSS losses. At a low application rate, both liquid and dry PAM were effective in reducing TSS and nutrient losses in runoff. However, application of the liquid form of PAM to construction sites is more practical and perhaps more economical than applying the PAM in the dry form.     

用BaCl2滴定法快速测定硫酸盐的研究

用铬酸钡光度法、EDTA滴定法、间接原子吸收法、离子色谱法等方法测定SO42-检测上限都很低(12-200mg/L),且只适用于清洁水,若水样混浊则全引起较大的误差.有的地下水,SO42-浓度高达44000mg/L,用BaCl2滴定法测定SO42-:测试水样,以溴酚蓝做酸碱指示剂,加1∶50盐酸,调为pH=3.5,加入30ml异丙醇,以钍试剂做终点指示剂,滴加0.01mol/L BaCl2,砖红色为终点,根据BaCl2用量计算SO42-浓度.本方法快捷、准确、测定范围大,上限可达2000mg/L,克服了光度法测定浑浊水样引起误差大的缺点.     

用BaCl2滴定法快速测定硫酸盐的研究

用铬酸钡光度法、EDTA滴定法、间接原予吸收法、离子色谱法等方法测定SO4^2-检测上限都很低（12—200mg／L），且只适用于清洁水，若水样混浊则会引起较大的误差。有的地下水，SO4^2-浓度高迭44000mg／L，用BaCl2滴定法测定SO4^2-：测试水样，以溴酚蓝做酸碱指示剂，加1：50盐酸，调为pH=3．5，加入30ml异丙醇，以钍试荆做终点指示荆，滴加0．01mol／L BaCl2，砖红色为终点，根据BaCl2用量计算SO4^2-浓度。本方法快捷、准确、测定范围大，上限可迭2000mg／L，克服了光度法测定浑浊水样引起误差大的缺点。     

Designing Systematic Conservation Assessments that Promote Effective Implementation: Best Practice from South Africa

Abstract:  Systematic conservation assessment and conservation planning are two distinct fields of conservation science often confused as one and the same. Systematic conservation assessment is the technical, often computer-based, identification of priority areas for conservation. Conservation planning is composed of a systematic conservation assessment coupled with processes for development of an implementation strategy and stakeholder collaboration. The peer-reviewed conservation biology literature abounds with studies analyzing the performance of assessments (e.g., area-selection techniques). This information alone, however, can never deliver effective conservation action; it informs conservation planning. Examples of how to translate systematic assessment outputs into knowledge and then use them for "doing" conservation are rare. South Africa has received generous international and domestic funding for regional conservation planning since the mid-1990s. We reviewed eight South African conservation planning processes and identified key ingredients of best practice for undertaking systematic conservation assessments in a way that facilitates implementing conservation action. These key ingredients include the design of conservation planning processes, skills for conservation assessment teams, collaboration with stakeholders, and interpretation and mainstreaming of products (e.g., maps) for stakeholders. Social learning institutions are critical to the successful operationalization of assessments within broader conservation planning processes and should include not only conservation planners but also diverse interest groups, including rural landowners, politicians, and government employees.     

Development of a Grassland Integrity Index Based on Breeding Bird Assemblages

We utilized landscape and breeding bird assemblage data from three Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) routes sampled from 1965–1995 to develop and test a grassland integrity index (GII) in a mixed-grass prairie area of Oklahoma. The overall study region is extensively fragmented from long-term agricultural activity, and native habitat remnants have been degraded by recent encroachment of woody vegetation, namely eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L.). The 50 individual bird survey points along the BBS routes, known as stops, were used as sample sites. Our process first focused on developing a grassland disturbance index (GDI) as a measure of cumulative landscape disturbances for these sites. The GDI was based on five key landscape variables identified in an earlier species-level study of long-term avian community dynamics: total tree, shrub, and herbaceous vegetation cover indices, overall mean landscape patch size, and grassland patch core size. The GII was then developed based on breeding bird assemblage data. Assemblages were based on commonly used response guilds reflective of five avian life history parameters: foraging mode/location, nesting location, habitat specificity, migratory pattern, and dietary guild. We tested the response of 78 candidate assemblage metrics to the GDI, and eliminated those with no or poor response or with high correlations (redundant), resulting in 13 metrics for use in the final index. Individual metric scores were scaled to fall between 0 and 10, and the cumulative index to range from 0 to 100. Although broader application and refinement are possible, the avian-based GII has an advantage over labor-intensive, habitat-based monitoring in that the GII is derived from readily available long-term BBS data. Therefore, the GII shows promise as an inexpensive tool that could easily be applied over other areas to monitor changes in regional grassland conditions.     

Immobilizing a light,nonaqueous phase liquid

A new technique has been developed to immobilize organic chemicals at a Superfund site. In the course of predesign studies in preparing the Remedial Design for the Pioneer Sand Superfund site in Pensacola, Florida, a light, nonaqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) was discovered floating on the groundwater within the on-site landfill. The liquid, with a viscosity similar to SAE 20 motor oil, was made up of heavy organic chemicals and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), but no pesticides or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The volatiles present included toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes. Regulatory agencies expressed concern over the possibility of LNAPL migration and asked that a method of LNAPL immobilization be devised.     

AN OVERVIEW OF POROUS PAVEMENT RESEARCH1

ABSTRACT: This paper discusses the economics, advantages, potential applications, and status and future research needs of porous pavements. Porous pavements are an available storm water management technique which can be used on parking lots and low volume roadways in order to reduce both storm water runoff volume and pollution. In addition, ground water recharge is enhanced. Also, cost reductions result due to elimination of curbs, drains, and small sized storm sewers. Porous asphalt pavements consist of a relatively thin course of open graded asphalt mix over a deep base of large size crushed stones. Water can be stored in the crushed stone base until it can percolate into the subbase or drain laterally. Other porous pavement types include concrete lattice blocks and a porous concrete mix.     

PRINCIPLES FOR INTERNATIONAL GROUND-WATER LAW (I)

International ground-water resources have not received their full share of legal investigation. This paper outlines some principles applicable to the development of international co-operation concerning this important resource, bearing in mind that ground and surface waters are the same resource. In the absence of positive international law covering ground-water resources, national laws are investigated to examine their suitability for adaptation to the international level. In a second paper, to be published in the next issue of the Forum , the interjurisdictional experience among federated states and among independent states will be reviewed.     

Evidence that plant varieties respond differently to NO2 pollution as indicated by resistance to insect herbivores

The effects of NO(2) pollution on the performance of aphids feeding on different bean varieties were investigated by fumigation experiments. The susceptibility of the different genotypes dramatically changed as the concentration of atmospheric pollutant was increased. The direction of change was not constant between varieties. Our data suggest that resistance or susceptibility of a plant variety to insect herbivory can be significantly altered when subjected to pollutant stress, thus indicating that it may be difficult to predict the susceptibility of host plants in a polluted atmosphere.