Prediction of the upper tail of concentration distributions of a continuous point source release in urban environments

The peak values observed in a measured concentration time series of a dispersing gaseous pollutant released continuously from a point source in urban environments, and the hazard level associated with them, demonstrate the necessity of predicting the upper tail of concentration distributions. For the prediction of concentration distributions statistical models are preferably employed which provide information about the probability of occurrence. In this paper a concentration database pertaining to a field experiment is used for the selection of the statistical distribution. The inverses of the gamma cumulative distribution function (cdf) for 75th–99th percentiles of concentration are found to be more consistent with the experimental data than those of the log-normal distribution. The experimental values have been derived from measured high frequency time series by sorting first the concentrations and then finding the concentration which corresponds to each probability. Then the concentration mean and variance that are predicted with Computational Fluid Dynamics-Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) methodology are used to construct the gamma distribution. The proposed model (“RANS-gamma”) is included in the framework of a computational code (ADREA-HF) suitable for simulating the dispersion of airborne pollutants over complex geometries. The methodology is validated by comparing the inverses of the model cdfs with the observed ones from two wind tunnel experiments. The evaluation is performed in the form of validation metrics such as the fractional bias, the normalized mean square error and the factor-of-two percentage. From the above comparisons it is concluded that the overall model performance for the present cases is satisfactory.     

Wind-induced pressure at a tunnel portal

In order to properly size the mechanical ventilation system of a tunnel, it is essential to estimate the wind-driven pressure difference that might rise between its two portals. In this respect, we explore here the pressure distribution over a tunnel portal under the influence of an incident atmospheric boundary layer and, in particular, its dependency on wind direction and on tunnel geometry. Reduced scale models of generic configurations of a tunnel portal are studied in an atmospheric wind tunnel. Pressure distributions over the front section of different open cavities are measured with surface taps, which allows us to infer the influence of the tunnel aspect ratio and wind direction on a pressure coefficient \(C_{P}\), defined as a spatially and time averaged non-dimensional pressure. Experiments reveal that the magnitude of the coefficient \(C_{P}\), as a function of the wind direction, is significantly influenced by the portal height-to-width ratio and almost insensitive to its length. The experimental data set is completed by hot-wire anemometry measurements providing vertical distribution of velocity statistics. The same configurations are simulated by numerically solving the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations, adopting the standard \(k - \varepsilon\) turbulence model. Despite some discrepancies between numerical and experimental estimates of some flow parameters (namely the turbulent kinetic energy field), the numerical estimates of the pressure coefficients \(C_{P}\) show very good agreement with experimental data. The latter is also compared to the predictions of an analytical model, based on the estimate of a spatially averaged velocity within an infinitely long street canyon. The results of the model, which takes into account varying canyon aspect ratios, are in reasonable agreement with experimental data for all cases studied. Notably, its predictions are significantly better than those provided by the simple analytical relations usually adopted as a reference in tunnel ventilation studies.     

Indoor particle dynamics in a school office: determination of particle concentrations,deposition rates and penetration factors under naturally ventilated conditions

Recently, the problem of indoor particulate matter pollution has received much attention. An increasing number of epidemiological studies show that the concentration of atmospheric particulate matter has a significant effect on human health, even at very low concentrations. Most of these investigations have relied upon outdoor particle concentrations as surrogates of human exposures. However, considering that the concentration distribution of the indoor particulate matter is largely dependent on the extent to which these particles penetrate the building and on the degree of suspension in the indoor air, human exposures to particles of outdoor origin may not be equal to outdoor particle concentration levels. Therefore, it is critical to understand the relationship between the particle concentrations found outdoors and those found in indoor micro-environments. In this study, experiments were conducted using a naturally ventilated office located in Qingdao, China. The indoor and outdoor particle concentrations were measured at the same time using an optical counter with four size ranges. The particle size distribution ranged from 0.3 to 2.5 μm, and the experimental period was from April to September, 2016. Based on the experimental data, the dynamic and mass balance model based on time was used to estimate the penetration rate and deposition rate at air exchange rates of 0.03–0.25 h^?1. The values of the penetration rate and deposition velocity of indoor particles were determined to range from 0.45 to 0.82 h^?1 and 1.71 to 2.82 m/h, respectively. In addition, the particulate pollution exposure in the indoor environment was analyzed to estimate the exposure hazard from indoor particulate matter pollution, which is important for human exposure to particles and associated health effects. The conclusions from this study can serve to provide a better understanding the dynamics and behaviors of airborne particle entering into buildings. And they will also highlight effective methods to reduce exposure to particles in office buildings.     

Results from a hydrodynamical mathematical model of the Irish Sea

Results are recorded from an integrated hydrodynamical numerical model of the Irish Sea using, as boundary conditions, first current meter data and secondly sea elevations from the 1971 BISOP exercise. These data are utilised at time intervals of less than a tidal cycle.When current meter data were used as boundary conditions the comparison between the calculated results and observed current meter vectors, averaged over a tidal period, showed discrepancies in both magnitude and direction. This comparison was much improved when the northern open boundary conditions were replaced by sea elevations.The significance of these results to the process of modelling marine ecosystems is discussed.     

Theoretical modeling of suspended grain-size distribution in fluvial environment by stratification and secondary current approaches

Here we propose a theoretical model to compute the suspended grain-size distribution in fluvial environment. We derive the model based on the Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes equation and the continuity equation of sediment phase. The model includes the effects of secondary current and stratification which are the cause of complex interaction between turbulence and grain-size distribution in the sediment-laden flow. Due to an immense importance of particle–particle and particle-turbulence interactions near the channel bed, we include their impacts in the boundary condition of the model. The present model has noteworthy contribution to demonstrate the phenomena of suspended grain-size distribution in the real world. Reported experimental data in literature shows well agreement with the numerical solution computed from the suggested model. The better computational accuracy of the present model is ascertained when the upper bound of calculated error between observed experimental data and computed values is found to be lowest for our model in comparison to a large number of existing models developed from different mathematical viewpoints.     

天津市地表水体与沉积物中7种高关注酚类化合物的污染特征与生态风险分析

为探究地表水体与沉积物中酚类化合物的污染分布特征和生态风险,选择天津市3个水源地与6条主要河流,采集了26个地表水样与6个沉积物样品,利用固相萃取与超声萃取、高效液相色谱-串联质谱法(HPLC-MS/MS)测定了水样及沉积物中1-萘酚(1-naphthol)、壬基酚(nonylphenol, NP)、双酚A(bisphenol A, BPA)、2-苯基苯酚(biphenyl-2-ol)、3,4-二氯酚(3,4-dichlorophenol)、四溴双酚A(tetrabromobisphenol A, TBBPA)和对叔丁基苯酚(p-tert-butylphenol, PTBP)等7种高关注酚类化合物的浓度水平,并应用物种敏感性分布(species sensitivity distribution, SSD)法和熵值法(ecological risk quotient, RQ)评估7种酚类化合物水环境和沉积物的生态风险。结果表明,地表水样中7种酚类化合物均全部检出;其中壬基酚的检出浓度最高,其次为四溴双酚A、对叔丁基苯酚、1-萘酚、2-苯基苯酚、3,4-二氯酚和双酚A。沉积物中酚类化合物的污染分布规律与水样相似,除双酚A外的目标物全部检出。其中,壬基酚浓度比其他物质浓度高2个数量级。风险评估结果显示,壬基酚对水环境与沉积物存在不可接受的风险;而四溴双酚A、对叔丁基苯酚、1-萘酚、2-苯基苯酚、3,4-二氯酚和双酚A则对环境具有较低风险或者存在一定的风险。     

辽宁本溪大气颗粒物浓度特征

利用本溪大气成分监测站2008年3月至2009年2月大气颗粒物监测仪GRIMM180的连续监测资料,对该地区大气颗粒物的质量浓度变化、谱分布特征以及大气颗粒物与气象因素的关系进行分析研究.结果表明,本溪PM10和PM2.5平均质量浓度分别为0.086 mg.m-3和0.058 mg.m-3,其日平均质量浓度变化幅度较大;冬季和夏季质量浓度日变化均呈现明显的双峰双谷特征;数浓度谱分布较好地符合Junge分布;PM10日平均值超标率为8.7%,且大气颗粒物主要是以细粒子的形式存在;随风速的增大大气颗粒物质量浓度基本呈现逐渐减小的趋势,当风速〉0.6 m.s-1时,大气颗粒物质量浓度随风速增大下降明显,风速〉3.0 m.s-1时,下降的趋势减缓;降水过程对大气颗粒物有清除作用,其中对粗粒子的清除效果非常明显.     

水体沉积物中酸挥发性硫化物垂直分布模型的建立及应用

应用对流扩散理论，将沉积物固相、液相作为一个整体，建立并求解了沉积物中酸挥发性硫化物（AVS）的垂直分布模型，并应用于武汉东湖三个污染程度不同站点的AVS垂直分布研究。结果表明，所建立的模型能较好地描述沉积物中AVS的垂直分布，这种分布是非线性的，且时空分布不均匀。     

Assessment of nutrients and heavy metals enrichment in surface sediments from Taihu Lake,a eutrophic shallow lake in China

Concentrations of the nutrients (TN and TP), phosphorus fractions and heavy metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Ti, V, Zn and Hg) in 40 surface sediment samples collected from Taihu Lake, a eutrophic shallow lake in China, were determined. The results showed that the northwest region of the lake possessed higher concentrations of TN and TP, as well as the similar spatial distribution trend in the water column. This should be related to excessive anthropogenic input from industrial effluents and domestic sewage in surrounding areas. Similarly, the concentrations of P fractions exhibited significant regularity. In addition, except for Sr showing low concentration, the rest of the heavy metals in the surface sediments had two- to four-folds of magnitude of the concentrations compared with the reference values in earth's crust. In the past decade, concentrations of heavy metals had undergone different levels of variations. Principal component analysis (PCA) and enrichment factors (EFs) of the compositional data aiming at heavy metals showed that Taihu Lake was slightly exposing to heavy metal contamination except Sr. High concentrations of heavy metals were ascribed to the discharge of untreated and partially treated industrial waste water via rivers. Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn positively correlated with each other (R = 0.78–0.92), that indicated they had analogous sources and/or kindred geochemistry characteristics. Differing from nutrients, randomness in the space indicated that heavy metals had a complex distribution.     

沉积物中2,2',4,4'-四溴联苯醚(BDE-47)在铜锈环棱螺体内的毒代动力学及其繁殖毒性

多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)是一种全球性的新型持久性有毒污染物,沉积物中高浓度的PBDEs是水生态系统的巨大风险源,2,2’,4,4’-四溴联苯醚(BDE-47)在PBDEs同系物中,目前分布最广,生物毒性最强。为评价沉积物中BDE-47向底栖动物体内转移的潜力及其对底栖动物的潜在繁殖毒性,将实验室培养的铜锈环棱螺(Bellamya aeruginosa)暴露于BDE-47加标沉积物中,研究了BDE-47在铜锈环棱螺体内的毒代动力学特性及其对铜锈环棱螺潜在繁殖力的影响。结果表明,铜锈环棱螺对沉积物中BDE-47吸收较快,代谢速度相对较慢,BDE-47在铜锈环棱螺体内具有较强的生物积累性。生物积累达理论平衡时,铜锈环棱螺体内BDE-47浓度为1440.67ng·g-1(以样品干质量计)。BDE-47在铜锈环棱螺体内的生物积累和生物净化过程较好地符合一级动力学模型,摄入速率常数、清除速率常数和生物-沉积物累积因子分别为0.10、0.038和2.75,生物半衰期为18d。铜锈环棱螺体内BDE-47达到90%稳定状态所需的理论时间约为60d。低浓度BDE-47(160ng·g-1)暴露对铜锈环棱螺的潜在繁殖力没有影响,但当浓度≥640ng·g-1时,铜锈环棱螺的繁殖力下降50%,这表明BDE-47对铜锈环棱螺具有繁殖毒性。铜锈环棱螺可作为指示沉积物中底栖生物长期暴露于BDE-47的良好检测模型。     

典型环境内分泌干扰物的来源、环境分布和主要环境过程

内分泌干扰物(EDCs)作为一种新兴污染物,具有憎水性、低剂量效应和半衰期长等特征,在全球的土壤/沉积物中已被广泛检测到,并发现已给环境带来了严重的威胁。本文重点综合评述了近10年来土壤/沉积物中EDCs的来源、浓度水平、空间分布及吸附特性的研究。结果发现,EDCs来源涉及农业、工业和生活等多个方面;空间分布上,一般呈近海地区沉积物中EDCs浓度水平较河流底泥及土壤低,而高度工业化、城市化地区土壤/沉积物中EDCs浓度亦较高;EDCs的吸附受土壤/沉积物理化性质、EDCs自身性质和环境条件的共同影响,一般土壤有机质的含量和成熟度、土壤颗粒的比表面积与其吸附能力呈正相关,黏土矿物类型对EDCs的吸附也有重要的影响;EDCs的吸附能力与其自身的疏水性和结构特征有关;温度升高和溶液p H值增加都不利于EDCs的吸附,而溶液离子强度的增加对其吸附起着促进作用。土壤/沉积物对EDCs的吸附是一个复杂的过程,因此对其吸附特性需要进一步的探讨。     

A mathematical model for type II profile of concentration distribution in turbulent flows

This paper presents a mathematical model to investigate type II profile of suspension concentration distribution (i.e., the concentration profile where the maximum concentration appears at some distance above the bed surface) in a steady, uniform turbulent flow through open-channels. Starting from the mass and momentum conservation equations of two-phase flow, a theoretical model has been derived. The distribution equation is derived considering the effects of fluid lift force, drag force, particle inertia, particle–particle interactions, particle velocity fluctuations and drift diffusion. The equation is solved numerically and is compared with available experimental data as well as with other models existing in the literature. Good agreement between the observed value and computed result, and minimum error in comparison to other models indicate that the present model can be applied in predicting particle concentration distribution for type II profile for a wide range of flow conditions. The proposed model is also able to show the transition from type I profile to type II profile.     

Numerical study of wave–current–vegetation interaction in coastal waters

Research on interactions among wave, current, and vegetation has received increasing attention. An explicit depth-averaged hydrodynamic model coupled with a wave spectral model (CMS-wave) was proposed in this study in order to simulate the wave and wave-induced current in coastal waters. The hydrodynamic model was based on the finite volume method while the intercell flux was computed by employing the Harten–Lax–van Leer approximate Riemann solver to investigate the dry-to-wet interface, and the drag force of vegetation was modeled as the sink terms in the momentum equations. The CMS-wave model was used to investigate the non-breaking and the breaking random waves propagation in vegetation fields. Afterwards, an empirical wave energy dissipation term with plant effect was derived to represent the resistance induced by aquatic vegetation in the wave-action balance equation. The established model was calibrated and validated with both the experimental and field data. The results showed that the wave height decreased significantly along the wave propagation direction in the presence of vegetations. The sensitivity analysis for the plant density, the wave height, and the water depth were performed by comparing the numerical results for the wave height attenuation. In addition, wave and wave-induced current through a finite patch of vegetation in the surf zone were investigated as well. The strong radiation stress gradient could be produced due to the variation of the energy dissipation by vegetation effect in the nearshore zone, which impacted the direction and amplitude of the longshore current. The calculated results showed that the coupling model had good performance in predicting wave propagation and the current over vegetated water regions.     

Imaging of surface O2 dynamics in corals with magnetic micro optode particles

We present a new method for quantifying spatio-temporal O₂ distribution and dynamics at biologically active surfaces with a complex surface topography. Magnetized O₂ optode microparticles (~80–100?μm) containing the NIR-emitting luminophore platinum (II) meso-tetra(4-fluorophenyl) tetrabenzoporphyrin (PtTPTBPF; ex. max. 615?nm; em. max. 780?nm) were distributed across the surface tissue of the scleractinian coral Caulastrea furcata and were held in place with a strong magnet. The O₂-dependent luminescence of the particles was mapped with a lifetime imaging system enabling measurements of the lateral surface heterogeneity of the O₂ microenvironment across coral polyps exposed to flow. Mapping steady-state O₂ concentrations under constant light and O₂ dynamics during experimental light–dark shifts enabled us to identify zones of different photosynthetic activities within a single coral polyp linked to the distribution of coral host pigments. Measurements under increasing irradiance showed typical saturation curves of O₂ concentration and estimates of gross photosynthesis that could be spatially resolved at ~100?μm pixel resolution. The new method for O₂ imaging with magnetized optode particles has much potential to be used in studies of the surface microenvironment of other aquatic systems such as sediments, biofilms, plant, and animal tissue.     

Horizontal Distribution of Some Artificial Radionuclides in Sediments Collected Off the Rhone Mouth (Gulf of Lions-Mediterranean Sea)

Abstract

The Rhône delta is a typical microtidal estuary. River runoff spreads out into the Gulf of Lions as a surface plume influenced by the prevailing N or NW wind and the Liguro-Provençal-Catalan current. in the prodelta, sediments form a filter that traps radionuclides released by the different nuclear installations on the Rhône River and which are associated with fine particles. the horizontal distribution of various artificial radionuclides shows the highest concentrations at the Rhône River mouth. There,¹³⁷Cs reaches 86.6 and 94.4 Bq·kg^?1 dry wt. and is still present 10 miles away (32.5 Bq·kg^?1 dry wt.) in the southwestward direction (influence of the general circulation). Data obtained in the sediment at Roustan station between 1980 and 1990 show that in 1990, ¹³⁷Cs levels were similar to those found previous to the Chernobyl accident.     

Probability law of concentration in plumes dispersing in an urban area

The relationships between various normalized higher-order concentration moments in plumes dispersing in a built-up (urban) environment have been investigated using a large concentration data set obtained in a boundary-layer water channel. This data set consists of measurements of plume dispersion in a number of idealized obstacle arrays (e.g., cubical and non-cubical obstacles in aligned and staggered arrangements with uniform, random and alternating heights). A remarkably robust feature of all the concentration data was the observed collapse of the third- and fourth-order normalized concentration moments on the second-order normalized concentration moment. The data are shown to collapse to a series of universal curves (independent of the geometry of the obstacle array) and these curves were found to be identical to those observed previously for open-terrain plumes. The results imply that the probability law of concentration in a plume dispersing in either a built-up environment or open terrain has a universal form that can be specified by at most two independent parameters. The universal functions representing the relationships between the normalized concentration moments were found to be well modeled (approximated) using a two-parameter clipped-gamma probability law for the concentration. Finally, the clipped-gamma distribution was found to be in very good conformance with the measured probability distribution of concentration for plumes dispersing in a built-up environment.     

Steady Shallow-Water Current and Solute Transport around a Semi-Conical Headland

Laboratory experiments have been carried out to investigate the effects of a sloping wall headland on the flow characteristics and the associated concentration distributions from a point source around the headland. A semi-conical headland with a slope of 1:2 was set up in a flow basin, 4.8 m long and 3.8 m wide. In this paper, the experimental results of a steady shallow-water current are reported. Three dimensional flow velocities in the basin were measured using Sontek-ADV instrument. The dye concentration levels in the basin were measured by two fluorometers. The experimental results showed a large-scale re-circulation region behind the semi-conical headland. The peak turbulence energy, at about 53% of the local kinetic flow energy, coincides with the region of high velocity gradient. Significant vertical flows were observed around the area near the downhill slope of the headland, with a maximum ratio of vertical to horizontal velocities being about 22%. Such relatively significant vertical scouring velocities, coupled with strong turbulence energy and high horizontal velocity gradients in the same region, could cause severe bed erosion. The experimental results have also been compared with the predicted results of a depth-averaged numerical model. The predicted eddy structure and the concentration distribution in the re-circulation area were found to compare favourably with the experimental results. However, the discrepancies in the flow velocities and the concentration levels near the headland were apparent. It was observed that the dye concentration continued to spread in the cross-stream direction after passing the headland, whereas only a limited extent of the lateral spreading was predicted by the numerical model further downstream of the headland.     

Fly ash content and distribution in lake sediments around a large power station: inferences from magnetic susceptibility analysis

The bulk magnetic susceptibility of sediments from artificial and natural lakes around a large coal-fired power station in NE Spain has been measured. Higher magnetic susceptibility values are found in lake sediments located SE of the power station. This distribution of susceptibility values is compatible with environmental and meterological studies of emissions from the power station, which indicate a dominant SE plume direction. Mineralogical studies, by means of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, show that the highest susceptibility values found in the sediments are caused by magnetic iron spinels in the fly ash that is transferred to the environment by the power station particulate emissions. After the quantitative mineralogical studies of fly ash, two different methods of fly ash content determination in the sediments have been devised, showing very similar results. The low background magnetic susceptibility of the sediments in the study area and the high susceptibility resulting from the input of magnetic fly ash particles allows both delimitation of the polluted area around the power station, and quantification of the fly ash input into the natural sediments.     

Modelling the diagenetic fate of persistent organic pollutants in organically enriched sediments

The fate of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in aquatic ecosystems is intimately linked to the cycling of organic matter. In this paper, we present a model of the effect of organic matter decomposition on the distribution of persistent organic pollutants in sediments. The model predicts a diagenetic (sediment-ageing) magnification of chemical concentrations in sediments enriched with labile organic matter. We predict two- to four-fold diagenetic magnification across a wide range of realistic parameter values, and higher levels (up to 20-fold) for labile organic matter in systems with low burial rates (i.e., residence times on the order of years). As an illustration, we apply our model to understand the fate of waste organic matter and associated PCBs discharged by marine fish farms. The available data support both the spatial pattern (as a function of burial rate) and the range of sediment PCB concentrations predicted by our model. This model explains why equilibrium models fail to predict the very high sediment-water partitioning coefficients often observed in the field. Effectively, diagenetic processes impose an additional biomagnification step at the bottom of the detritus-based food web, increasing the exposure to POPs of organisms at higher trophic levels.     

黄河沉积物对磷的吸附行为

研究了黄河流域9个沉积物对磷的吸附行为,用修改后的Langmuir等温吸附模型对吸附实验数据进行了拟合,得到最大吸附容量PAC、Langmuir吸附平衡常数k.利用所得拟合参数通过公式计算方法得到EPC_0,以此判断沉积物是磷"源"还是磷"汇",分析了沉积物组成及其理化性质与磷吸附特征的关系.结果表明,各沉积物的吸附,解吸平衡磷浓度EPC_0范围在0.0031～0.109 3 mg/L,,其值也较低,与可解吸的内源磷含量正相关,与地理位置没有表现出相关性.在本研究条件下,在壶口张家湾断面,沉积物对磷表现为"汇";而其他沉积物对磷表现为"源",但释放量和吸附量不大.黄河沉积物对磷的最大吸附容量PAC的范围为0.073～0.454 mg/L,吸附能力较弱,沉积物的最大吸附容量与沉积物的有机质有较好的正相关关系.此外,沉积物对磷的吸附存在明显的固体浓度C_S效应,吸附滞后角随着C_S的增加而增大,随着同体浓度的增加,沉积物对P的吸附量逐渐降低,但EPCC_0值却增大,体现了颗粒物在磷循环中的两性作用.