An application of the theory of kinematics of mixing to the study of tropospheric dispersion

The most common technique used for numerical simulations of tracer mixing is that of the numerical solution of the advection–diffusion equation with the unresolved fluxes parameterized using the similarity theory. Despite correct predictions of the overall directions of transport, models based on a numerical solution of the advection–diffusion equation lack sufficient accuracy to correctly reproduce the coupling of mixing with small scale processes which are sensitive to the microstructure of the tracer distribution. The objective of this paper is to revisit the basic formalism employed in numerical models used to investigate atmospheric tracers. The main mathematical method proposed here is the theory of kinematics of mixing which could be applied effectively for simulations of atmospheric transport processes. At the beginning of the paper, we introduce simple mathematical transformations in order to demonstrate how complex topological structures are created by mixing processes. These idealistic flow systems are essential to explain transport properties of much more complex three-dimensional geophysical flows. An example of the application of the kinematics of mixing to the analysis of tracer transport on a planetary scale is presented in the following sections. The complex filamentary structures simulated in the numerical experiment are evaluated using some commonly applied statistical measures in order to compare the results with the data published in the literature. The results of the experiment are also analysed with the help of simple conceptual models of fluid filaments. The microstructure of the tracer distribution introduced in the paper is essential to increase our understanding of atmospheric transport and to develop more realistic parameterizations of small-scale mixing. The presented results could also be used to improve calculations of the coupling between microphysical processes and tracer mixing.     

Impact of overexploitation of shellfish: northeastern coast of India

India has a very extensive coastline of about 7515 km, rich in diverse living resources. These resources continue to deteriorate with rampant harvesting or are altered for other uses such as aquaculture and fisheries. The present paper deals with degrading coastal habitats in northeastern India, and projects the intensity of the stress arising from the collection of tiger prawn seeds (Penaeus monodon) for aquacultural farms and molluskan shells for poultry feed and edible lime. Indiscriminate exploitation of these resources leads to a heavy reduction of the species concerned and other associated marine communities. The magnitude of such destruction has been quantified. The impacts of biodiversity loss and their after-effects on the ecobalance of this coastal system have become a matter of great concern to ecologists to maintain security and sustainability. The authors propose a public awareness program on themes relating to the importance of biodiversity for human livelihoods.     

Effects of bensulfuron-methyl and cinosulfuron on growth of four freshwater species of phytoplankton

The acute toxicity of sulfonylurea herbicides bensulfuron-methyl and cinosulfuron was tested on the five species of freshwater phytoplankton: Scenedesmus acutus, Scenedesmus subspicatus, Chlorella vulgaris and Chlorella saccharophila. Herbicide concentrations eliciting a 50% growth reduction over 96 h (EC50) ranged from 8 to 104 mg/l for cinosulfuron and from 0.015 to 6.2 mg/l for bensulfuron-methyl. The pesticides bensulfuron-methyl, atrazine and benthiocarb were more toxic than cinosulfuron, chlorsulfuron, molinate, fenitrothion and pyridaphenthion in a toxicity study with the same algal species. The transformation of effective concentrations of bensulfuron-methyl and cinosulfuron and other pesticides, obtained from toxicity measurements, into percent of the saturation level in water is used as a first evaluation of potential hazard to aquatic systems. The herbicides cinosulfuron, methyl-bensulfuron, atrazine and chlorsulfuron were more dangerous than the herbicides benthiocarb and molinate and than the insecticides fenitrothion and pyridaphenthion, in a study of hazard evaluation. The two species of Chlorella were more tolerant to both herbicides than the two species of Scenedesmus. A potential environmental hazard of sulfonylurea herbicides to aquatic systems has to be expected even at low environmental concentrations.     

Visualisation of the complexity of EUSES

The interdependencies of parameters applied in the models of EUSES are visualised in a directed connectivity graph. The parameters (inputs, defaults, state variables, outputs) are represented by boxes (nodes) and their relations by lines (edges). The visualisation, on the one hand, clarifies the complexity of the models in EUSES and, on the other hand, creates an overview and transparency. The parameters’ relations to each other can be recognised faster, and the models can be better understood. The complexity was quantified by the number (variety), kind (substance parameter, physico-chemical parameter, concentration, other parameters), and depth (dimension) of the parameter and the number of relations (connectivity). The variety of EUSES (without the modelsSimple Treat andSimple Box whose interior structure is not documented and without the effect and risk characterisation) amounts to 466, the connectivity to 961, and the maximal dimension is 21.     

An investigation of the in vivo formation of octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

The in vivo formation of dioxins from chemical precursors was investigated in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed pentachlorophenol or a predioxin in peanut oil for 14 days. Mass balance calculations indicated that pentachlorophenol was not converted to dioxins; however, the predioxin, nonachloro-2-phenoxyphenol, was converted to OCDD. Conversion of the predioxin ranged from 0.5% to 153% and depended on the amount of predioxin and OCDD present in the diet. The analytical procedures used for sample preparation did not appear to cause conversion of the predioxin to OCDD. The mechanism for biological conversion may be enzymatic or spontaneous.     

Evaluation of fecal pollution of river sediment by detection of urobilin

In this study, we attempted to establish a new indicator for fecal pollution of river sediment using a sensitive detection method for urobilin. Urobilin contained in sediment was extracted with an alkaline buffer solution. The suitable buffer solution for extraction of urobilin consisted of 0.1 M Tris-HCl buffer (pH 10.0) containing 0.1 m sodium chloride. The ratio of sediment to buffer was 1:10. The distribution of urobilin in river sediment was studied by this method. The amount of urobilin in the river sediment of Tokyo (urban) and the Miura peninsula (rural) area was surveyed. Large quantities of urobilin were detected in the sediments of the urban rivers, but it was scarce in the rural rivers. Urobilin showed a higher content in sediment than in water. Urobilin in river sediment is distributed in large amounts in the lower reaches, where the water is polluted with domestic sewage and industrial waste, but is scarce in the upper streams. The amount of urobilin decreases to the lower layers.     

Application of ground-based Lidar for studies of the dynamics of ozone in a mountainous basin

A ground-based Differential Absorption Lidar was employed to study the dynamics of atmospheric O3 within the planetary boundary layer of a basin in the 'Fichtelgebirge' mountains, NE Bavaria. In particular, the night-time dynamics of O3 linked to the ground were investigated. The Lidar system measured vertical profiles of O3 up to 1 km above ground. For detailed analysis of the night-time dynamics of ozone, supplementary data from three ground-based stations (measuring mixing ratios of O3 and NO(x), as well as meteorological parameters) are essential. The Lidar results could be evaluated with these data from various altitudes above the basin floor. For the station with the largest (vertical) distance to the ground-based Lidar, the agreement was very good at all times. The Lidar method proved to be useful for examining the spatial distribution of O3. The observed night-time decrease of O3 at the bottom of the basin was due to deposition and to advection of air masses containing less O3 from the mountain slopes.     

Effect of Plantings on Radiation of Highway Noise

The body of information presented in this paper is directed to those individuals concerned with the location of highways relative to either existing or planned residential communities. The paper treats in depth the expected attenuation of automobile and particularly diesel tractor-trailer generated hoise by the interposition of extensive and dense planting of trees and shrubs between the highway and the community. The results of research, by the author and others cited in the paper, gives clear indication that a belt of dense man-made growth of tall trees and underbrush can give as much as 5 to 8 dB truck/car noise reduction per 100 ft of planting depth. Natural growth of deep forests were measured to give from 3 to 5 dB attenuation per 100 ft of planting depth. Planting depth of at least 100 ft is required to give reliable results, with tree heights of 40-50 ft desirable and densities of 50-70 ft visibility needed for good effect.

The paper provides considerable experimental verification by an analysis of the current literature. The types of noise sources in cars and trucks are briefly treated as are community reactions to noise from such sources. The dBA is used as the accepted measure for characterizing truck and automobile noise. Both spherical and cylindrical radiation of sound are discussed for low density and high density traffic, respectively.

The paper concludes with an example of attenuation of a typical truck noise by spherical and cylindrical radiation for low- and high-density traffic and a 200-ft deep planting of dense, mature forest. It is concluded that a mature belt of either coniferous or deciduous forest with underbrush can produce barely acceptable noise levels in the community which is separated by such a noise barrier from a heavily traveled highway.     

An evaluation of global QSAR models for the prediction of the toxicity of phenols to Tetrahymena pyriformis

This study presents an analysis of the ability of a two-parameter response surface, a multiple linear regression and a neural network model to produce global quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) to predict the toxic potency of phenols to Tetrahymena pyriformis. The phenolic toxicity data set analysed is characterised by multiple mechanisms of toxic action. The study aimed to evaluate the confidence that can be applied to the modelling of the differing mechanisms of action. Assessment of confidence was decided in terms of whether the statistics for the global models reflect the ability of the QSARs to model the individual mechanisms of toxic action present in the data set. The results showed that the global statistics only reflected the ability of models to predict the two non-covalent mechanisms (polar narcosis and respiratory uncoupling), with the metabolically transformed and electrophilic mechanism (pre-electrophiles and soft electrophiles) being modelled poorly by all three model building methods. The results confirm the difficulty in modelling electrophilic mechanisms of toxic action. The results also highlight the fact that this poor predictivity is often 'hidden' in good statistical fit of some global models. In particular these results emphasise that for practical predictive purposes the mechanistic applicability domain is required to give confidence to estimated toxicity values.     

Prediction of Flue Gas Composition of an Incinerator Based on a Nonequilibrium-Reaction Approach

A nonequilibrium-reaetion model is developed to predict the flue gas composition of an incinerator for solid waste combustion and gasification. The model may also be effectively utilized to predict the composition of exit gas from the primary chamber of an incinerator where invariably substoichiometrie combustion conditions exist The model assumes that the drying and pyrolysis of waste occurs in sequence followed by combustion of devolatilized gas and residue separately. The model is applied to the combustion of pine wood, and the flue gas compositions are computed as a function of operating parameters such as temperature (1100 to 1500 K), initial moisture content (0 to 40 percent), and percentage excess air (up to 100 percent). The model is extended to include substoichiometric combustion (to simulate the gasification process without steam injection) to compare its predictions with the available experimental data. The general agreement of theory and experiment is good.     

Application of Markov model to environmental fate of phenanthrene in Lanzhou Reach of Yellow River

The theory of Markov Chain is used scientifically to describe the transfer/transformation of phenanthrene in Lanzhou Reach of Yellow River. In Markov Model (MM), the states of phenanthrene in Lanzhou Reach are divided into six different states, namely being degraded, leaving the system with the addvective flow, being in air, being in water, being adsorbed on suspending substances (SS), and being in bottom sediment (BS). The MM is simulated by using Matlab6.5 to reveal the temporal changes and environmental fate of phenanthrene in Lanzhou Reach. It is shown that the environmental system will be steady in 30,000-35,000 h, the final distributions of phenanthrene in air, water, SS, and BS are 23,033 kg, 1961 kg, 800 kg, and 2824 kg respectively, with the corresponding percent of 80%, 7%, 3%, and 10%.The results of MM are approximate to the results of Fugacity Model (FM), so Markov Chain can be used to evaluate the environmental fate of pollutants in multimedia environment. The outputs of MM include the following aspects: (1) The residual time of pollutant in different environmental media and the transiting time of pollutant between different environmental media; (2) The response time of the environmental system; (3) The total mass of pollutant transferred or degraded during a given time interval; (4) The time needed for the environmental system to be steady and the final steady distributions of pollutant in the environmental system.     

混凝试验搅拌器的研制

影响混凝效果的因素众多,混凝沉淀烧杯试验是进行水的混合、絮凝、沉淀工艺研究、设计和生产指导的最有效方法之一,阐述了智能型混凝试验搅拌器的设计原理和技术性能.     

Prediction of adsorption rate of phosphate removal from wastewater with gas concrete

Gas concrete, a conventional structural material, is used to remove phosphate from wastewater. A batch study of phosphate removal from wastewater with waste particles of gas concrete has been performed. The concentration-time graphs were plotted against pH, temperature, and agitation speed, and the reaction rate equation was adapted to adsorption. The differential method was used to define reaction rate. The adsorption rates, reaction rate constants, and reaction rates were determined by tangent lines of drawn curves at different concentrations, depending on pH, temperature, and agitation speed. The adsorption rate increased with pH and temperature. The maximum effect of agitation speed on the adsorption rate was observed at 150 rpm. The activation energy of reaction and the pre-exponential factor were calculated using the Arrhenius equilibrium equation. The zeta potentials of waste gas concrete were determined at various pH values. The surface area of gas concrete was obtained using BET apparatus as 22 m2/g. The composition of gas concrete was determined by X-ray diffractometry. The results indicate that gas concrete is an effective adsorbent to remove phosphate from wastewater.     

Variability of enzyme system of Nocardioform bacteria as a basis of their metabolic activity

The present review describes some aspects of organization of biodegradative pathways of Nocardioform microorganisms, first of all, with respect to their ability to degrade aromatic compounds, mostly methylbenzoate, chlorosubstituted phenols, and chlorinated biphenyls and the intermediates of their transformation: 4-chlorobenzoate and para-hydroxybenzoate. Various enzyme systems induced during degradation processes are defined. The ability of microorganisms to induce a few key enzymes under the influence of xenobiotics is described. This ability may increase the biodegradative potential of strains allowing them to survive in the changing environment or demonstrate to some extent the unspecific response of microorganisms to the effect of toxicants. Nocardioform microorganisms responsible for degradation of such persistent compounds as polychlorinated biphenyls, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated benzoates and phenols and other xenobiotics are characterized. The possibility of using Nocardioform microorganisms in some aspects of biotechnology due to their ability to produce some compounds important for industry is also estimated.     

SO2的气相光催化氧化及催化剂的失活和再生研究

在模拟大气环境中,紫外光照射以及纳米TiO2光催化剂的作用下,气相无机污染物SO2被完全氧化为SO3或H2SO4。本文提出了SO2的非均相光催化氧化机理,并得出光催化反应速率符合一级动力学过程;经过连续使用之后,TiO2的光催化活性降低,最后活性消失;经过水洗之后,失活的TiO2可以得到再生。失活的TiO2和新鲜的TiO2的IR和XPS光谱差异表明,失活的TiO2表面存在H2SO4,其被认为是使催化剂失活的成分。     

Effect of biopolymer on the dewatering characteristics of autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion of sludges.

Autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion of sludge is known to produce poorly dewatering sludges. Laboratory studies were conducted to investigate the reasons for the poor dewatering. It was found that, during digestion, proteins and polysaccharides were released into solution, and that these could be linked to the deterioration in dewatering. The biopolymer release was accompanied by an increase in the monovalent-to-divalent (M/D) cation ratio. The degree to which the M/D caused deterioration of the sludges depended on the presence of iron in sludge. When the iron content was high, the release of protein and polysaccharides was low. When iron was low, the release of protein and polysaccharides increased linearly with the M/D ratio. The dose of conditioning chemicals, cationic polymer or ferric chloride, was related to the amount of colloidal biopolymer present in solution. The findings suggest that the addition of iron during the digestion process has the potential to produce better dewatering sludges.     

Assessment of daily intake of organochlorine pesticides from milk in different regions of Poland

The common occurrence of organochlorine compounds in the environment, food and human tissues may constitute a serious threat to human health. The method of gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy was used to determine the content of pesticides in 15 samples of raw cow's milk from different regions of Poland. The results revealed high levels of p,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDT, heptachlor and aldrin. The studied milk contained lindane in average concentrations within the maximum limits. Although in 20% of all samples tested, the concentration of lindane exceeded permissible limits, while in 15% of samples the content of Σ DDT was too high. But the average daily consumption of milk containing organochlorine pesticides poses no direct threat to human health, because daily intake (DI) for all compounds were below the acceptable daily intake (ADI). Attention should be paid to the exposure of consumers to pesticide residues from other dairy foods.     

Ca(II)在活性污泥生物絮凝中的作用研究

采用4个平行的序批式反应器(SBR),研究了进水Ca²⁺浓度对活性污泥絮体表面特性和结构稳定性的影响,并由此来确定Ca²⁺在生物絮凝中的作用。结果表明：随着进水Ca²⁺浓度的增加,污泥中的Ca含量逐渐增大。进水中Ca²⁺的加入,增大了污泥絮体的粒径和密度,进而改善了污泥的沉降性能;Ca²⁺的加入,使可供结合的蛋白质数量最高增至近1倍,污泥表面疏水性也相应增强;污泥絮凝性能的改善,主要和可供Ca²⁺结合的蛋白质含量增加有关,而非多糖;EDTA通过络合污泥絮体中的Ca²⁺,破坏了由Ca²⁺架桥形成的污泥絮体结构,这说明Ca²⁺可通过和胞外聚合物（extracellular polymeric substances, EPS）中的负电官能团架桥来促进污泥絮体的形成并维持絮体结构的稳定性。     

蔬菜与餐厨垃圾厌氧发酵启动阶段微生物分析

为了研究厌氧发酵启动阶段微生物菌群结构、数量变化情况与沼气产量的关系,分别对蔬菜废弃物和餐厨垃圾单一物料发酵进行分析,并测定pH值、挥发性脂肪酸（VFA）、氧化还原电位。结果表明,餐厨垃圾比蔬菜废弃物的启动时间长,但产气持久。蔬菜废弃物中细菌达峰值的时间早于餐厨垃圾,说明蔬菜废弃物中的有机质更利于微生物降解利用。两种原料中的微生物群落结构变化一致,启动阶段初期好氧和兼性厌氧细菌属优势菌,其中产酸菌增殖速率高于氨化细菌,是启动阶段降解有机质的主要菌群。随后厌氧细菌快速增殖,13增殖速率由不足20％增长到近100％并保持稳定。厌氧纤维素降解菌在启动阶段增殖较慢,原料中纤维素降解在厌氧发酵后期。原料液VFA中丁酸含量最多,最高浓度4．7mg／mL以上,占有机酸总量总量的46％以上,厌氧发酵类型为丁酸发酵型。     

Critique of the Article: Effectiveness of Odor Counteractants for the Treatment of Stack Gases

In the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto which covers 240 square miles there are over 600,000 automobiles, 350,000 domestic and industrial oil and coal-burning installations, 5000 apartment and industrial incinerators, and other numerous sources of air pollution, many of which create serious problems and contribute to the total air pollution level. The area includes 13 municipalities comprising Metropolitan Toronto and 13 additional surrounding urban and rural localities in an area of 720 square miles. The population of the planning area is 1,965,000 and is expected to increase to 2,800,000 by 1980. The Planning Board showed its recognition of the problem by a statement of policy designed to reduce pollution from fuel-burning equipment and incinerators, to develop a coordinated transportation system, to encourage central heating plants, and to control apartment development in mixed commercial areas. The Board advises and assists the individual planning boards, and building and property departments.