Experimental investigations on the stability of riprap layers on overtoppable earthdams

In Germany small dams (<10 m) on flood retention reservoirs are often provided with an overtoppable dam section for flood relief. In case of overtopping a protection of the dam body is absolutely mandatory as the mainly cohesive dam material is not capable to withstand the affecting erosive forces of the flow. There is a big number of possibilities how to protect the dam whilst overtopping. Some of the most common construction types of slope protection layers for a sufficient dam protection such as riprap and placed stones, have been tested in large scale physical models at the Hydraulic Laboratory at Universität Stuttgart. Thereby different experiments for the failure scenarios “erosion of single stones”, “sliding of the protection layer” as well as “disruption of the protection layer” have been conducted and analysed aiming to find some design criteria for the construction of such dams.     

Energy dissipation, flow resistance and gas-liquid interfacial area in skimming flows on moderate-slope stepped spillways

With the re-evaluation and revision of a number of design floods, several embankment overtopping protection systems have been developed and a common technique is the construction of a stepped spillway on the downstream slope. For such moderate slope stepped channels, detailed air–water flow measurements were performed in a large facility with a focus on the rate of energy dissipation, flow resistance, air–water interfacial areas and re-aeration rates. Past and present experimental results showed a significant aeration of the flow. The median dimensionless residual head was about 3 × d_c for the 21.8° sloping chute and smaller than that for flatter slopes (θ = 3.4° and 15.9°). The flow resistance results yielded an equivalent Darcy friction factor of about 0.25 implying a larger flow resistance for the 21.8° slope angle than for smaller slope angles. The re-aeration rate was deduced from the integration of the mass transfer equation using measured air–water interfacial areas and air–water flow velocities. The results suggested an increasing re-aeration rate with increasing rate of energy dissipation. The stepped invert contributed to intense turbulence production, free-surface aeration and large interfacial areas. The experimental data showed however some distinctive seesaw pattern in the longitudinal distribution of air–water flow properties with a wave length of about two step cavities. While these may be caused by the interactions between successive adjacent step cavities and their interference with the free-surface, the existence of such “instabilities” implies that the traditional concept of normal flow might not exist in skimming flows above moderate-slope stepped spillways.     

Clonal architecture in an intertidal bed of the dwarf eelgrass <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zostera noltii</Emphasis> in the Northern Wadden Sea: persistence through extreme physical perturbation and the importance of a seed bank

Genotypic structure and temporal dynamics of the dwarf seagrass, Zostera noltii, were studied in an intertidal meadow that has persisted since prior to 1936 near the Wadden Sea island of Sylt. Samples were collected from two 10 × 10 m plots separated by 250 m from May 2002 to June 2005 and from four 1 × 1 m plots from June 2003 to September 2004. All the samples were genotyped with nine microsatellite loci. No genotypes were shared between the plots separated by 250 m. Genetic diversity was higher in the Wadden Sea than in the other regions of its geographic range. The average clone size (genets) (SD) in the two plots was 1.38 (0.26) and 1.46 (0.4) m2, respectively, with a range up to 9 m2 and <20% persisted for >4 years. A high genetic and genotypic diversity was maintained by annual recruitment of seedlings despite a dramatic decrease in ramet density that coincided with the severe heat stress event of 2003. Fine-scale (1 m2) analysis suggested that extensive loss of seagrass cover precluded space competition among the genets, while a persistent seed bank prevented local extinction. Long-term persistence of Z. noltii meadows in the intertidal Wadden Sea was achieved by high genet turnover and frequent seedling recruitment from a seed bank, in contrast to the low diversity observed in large and long-living clones of Z. noltii and other seagrasses in subtidal habitats.     

Megafaunal-habitat associations at a deep-sea coral mound off North Carolina,USA

Deep-sea corals provide important habitat for many organisms; however, the extent to which fishes and other invertebrates are affiliated with corals or other physical variables is uncertain. The Cape Fear coral mound off North Carolina, USA (366–463 m depth, 33° 34.4′N, 76° 27.8′W) was surveyed using multibeam sonar and the Johnson-Sea-Link submersible. Multibeam bathymetric data (2006) were coupled with in situ video data (2002–2005) to define habitat associations of 14 dominant megafauna at two spatial scales. Results suggested greater habitat specificity of deep-reef fauna than previously documented, with fishes showing greater affinity for certain habitat characteristics than most invertebrates. High vertical profile, degree of coral coverage, and topographic complexity influenced distributions of several species, including Beryx decadactylus, Conger oceanicus, and Novodinia antillensis on the smaller scale (30 × 30 m). On the broad scale (170 × 170 m), several suspension feeders (e.g., N. antillensis, anemones), detritivores (Echinus spp.), and mesopelagic feeders (e.g., Beryx decadactylus, Eumunida picta) were most often found on the south-southwest facing slope near the top of the mound. Transient reef species, including Laemonema barbatulum and Helicolenus dactylopterus, had limited affiliations to topographic complexity and were most often on the mound slope and base. Megafauna at deep-water reefs behave much like shallow-water reef fauna, with some species strongly associated with certain fine-scale habitat attributes, whereas other species are habitat generalists. Documenting the degree of habitat specialization is important for understanding habitat functionality, predicting faunal distributions, and assessing the impacts of disturbance on deep-reef megafauna.     

Flow aeration, cavity processes and energy dissipation on flat and pooled stepped spillways for embankments

The design floods of several reservoirs were recently re-evaluated and the revised spillway outflow could result in dam overtopping with catastrophic consequences for some embankment structures. Herein a physical study was performed on flat and pooled stepped spillways with a slope typical of embankments $(\uptheta = 26.6^{\circ })$ and four stepped configurations were tested: a stepped spillway with flat horizontal steps, a pooled stepped spillway, and two stepped spillways with in-line and staggered configurations of flat and pooled steps. The focus of the study was on the flow aeration, air–water flow properties, cavity flow processes, and energy dissipation performances. The results demonstrated the strong aeration of the flow for all configurations. On the in-line and staggered configurations of flat and pooled steps, the flow was highly three-dimensional. The residual head and energy dissipation rates at the stepped chute downstream end were calculated based upon the detailed air–water flow properties. The results showed that the residual energy was the lowest for the flat stepped weir. The data for the stepped spillway configuration with in-line and staggered configurations of flat and pooled steps showed large differences in terms of residual head in the transverse direction. Altogether the present results showed that, on a $26.6^{\circ }$ slope stepped chute, the designs with in-line and staggered configurations of flat and pooled steps did not provide any advantageous performances in terms of energy dissipation and flow aeration, but they were affected by three-dimensional patterns leading to some flow concentration.     

Risk remaining from fine particle contaminants after vacuum cleaning of hard floor surfaces

In the indoor environment, settled surface dust often functions as a reservoir of hazardous particulate contaminants. In many circumstances, a major contributing source to the dust pool is exterior soil. Young children are particularly susceptible to exposure to both outdoor derived soil and indoor derived dust present in the indoor dust pool. This is because early in life the exploratory activities of the infant are dominated by touching and mouthing behavior. Inadvertent exposure to dust through mouth contact and hand-to-mouth activity is an inevitable consequence of infant development. Clean-up of indoor dust is, in many circumstances, critically important in efforts to minimize pediatric exposure. In this study, we examine the efficiency of vacuum cleaner removal of footwear-deposited soil on vinyl floor tiles. The study utilized a 5 × 10 foot (c. 152.5 × 305 cm) test surface composed of 1-foot-square (c. 30.5 × 30.5 cm) vinyl floor tiles. A composite test soil with moderately elevated levels of certain elements (e.g., Pb) was repeatedly introduced onto the floor surface by footwear track-on. The deposited soil was subsequently periodically removed from randomly selected tiles using a domestic vacuum cleaner. The mass and loading of soil elements on the tiles following vacuuming were determined both by wet wipe collection and by subsequent chemical analysis. It was found that vacuum cleaner removal eliminated much of the soil mass from the floor tiles. However, a small percentage of the mass was not removed and a portion of this residual mass could be picked up by moistened hand-lifts. Furthermore, although the post-vacuuming tile soil mass was sizably reduced, for some elements (notably Pb) the concentration in the residual soil was increased. We interpret this increased metal concentration to be a particle size effect with smaller particles (with a proportionately higher metal content) remaining in situ after vacuuming.     

Laboratory culture of the aeolid nudibranch <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spurilla neapolitana</Emphasis> (Mollusca,Opisthobranchia): life history aspects

Spurilla neapolitana from the Eastern Mediterranean was cultured in a self-sustained, temperature-controlled laboratory culture system, and its life cycle is described. Adults were collected from three field sites situated 120 km apart, along the Israeli Mediterranean coastline, between March 2006 and August 2007. Cultures of the life-cycle stages were raised at 24°C. S. neapolitana deposited white, coiled, spiral egg masses containing zygotes. Veliger larvae hatched 3.0 ± 0.4 days post oviposition. The veliger larvae are obligatory planktotrophs, with a minimal larval phase of 22 days. In the lab, larvae settled and metamorphosed following exposure to metabolites derived from distinct prey sea anemone species. Reproductive maturity was reached 42 ± 5 days post metamorphosis, resulting in a laboratory generation time of 67 days (egg to egg). The average life span of reproductive specimens in this study was 157 ± 13 days post-oviposition and they reached a length of 7–10 cm. During this period, an average adult deposited ca. 40 × 10⁶ zygotes. This species has several characteristics that suggest it will be a useful model for laboratory-oriented research. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Distribution and trophic links of gelatinous zooplankton on Dogger Bank,North Sea

The ecology of small, gelatinous zooplankton is not integrated into management of Dogger Bank (54° 00′ N, 3° 25′ E to 55° 35′ N, 2° 20′ E). In pursuit of this goal, gelatinous zooplankton and their potential prey were sampled along a transect across the bank on June 10–16, 2007. Eleven species of small medusae and ctenophores were collected, with six abundant taxa occurring in greater numbers below the thermocline and in the shallower, southeastern portion of the bank. There were no statistically significant diel changes in distribution. In contrast, potential prey were distributed more evenly across the bank and throughout the water column. Isotopic analyses revealed that gelatinous zooplankton fed on both smaller (100–300 μm) and larger (>300 μm) mesozooplankton, but also potentially on each other. These ecological insights suggest that small medusae and ctenophores should be integrated into sustainable management of Dogger Bank.     

论我国水生态的保护与修复:任务与对策

本文聚焦我国水生态保护与修复工作,结合长期实践,分析当前的形势和任务,指出了当前要着力解决的水生态问题主要是:在大坝上游,河流变湖库,生境变化导致生物物种变化;水库水流流速变缓,水体自净能力降低,导致富营养化及藻类水华。在大坝下游,清水下泄,冲刷下游河道导致局部河道河势变化较大;水库蓄水使坝下游春季水温下降、秋季水温升高,水温变化过程滞后;水库蓄水导致大坝下游的水文过程改变,水的流量、流速、流态发生变化。在河道(航道)整治工程中,裁弯取直,缩短水流在河道中的停留时间,河岸衬砌和硬化,减少水向沿河堤岸的渗透,在大降水和洪水时易造成涝灾和洪灾。在涉湖工程中,阻隔河湖,填湖造地。在明确存在问题和迫切需求的基础上,提出了切实可行的对策建议。当前水生态保护与修复要围绕一条主线,即"人要发展,鱼要生存"的"人鱼线",要采取"调、控、退、通、改、拆"的综合措施,即生态调度,控制水污染,退建还水、退田还湖,河湖连通,对已建涉水工程进行生态化改造,对在保护区、重点风景名胜区、特有鱼类栖息地修建的小型工程要采取坚决措施拆除,恢复原貌。     

Risk to humans of consuming metals in anchovy (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Coilia</Emphasis> sp.) from the Yangtze River Delta

Concentrations of metals were determined in four species of anchovy (Coilia sp.) from the Yangtze River, Taihu Lake, and Hongze Lake in Jiangsu Province, China. Concentrations of Cr in anchovy fish muscle ranged from 2.6 × 10⁻² to 5.0 mg/kg ww, and Coilia nasus taihuensis in Jiaoshan, Taihu Lake contained the highest concentrations of Cr, which was almost 111-fold higher than the mean value at other locations. Concentrations of Pb ranged from 1.5 × 10⁻² to 1.3 × 10⁻¹ mg/kg ww. Comparisons of concentrations of lead (Pb) among the four species indicated that anadromous species contained higher concentrations of Pb than did freshwater species. However, concentrations of Pb in C. nasus from the Nanjing and Haimen locations in the Yangtze River were not significant higher than those of two freshwater species: C. nasus taihuensis from Taihu Lake and C. brachygnathus from Hongze Lake (Duncan’s test, α = 0.05). While concentrations of Cd and Zn ranged from 7.0 × 10⁻⁴ to 3.6 × 10⁻³ mg/kg ww and 3.4 to 4.8 mg/kg ww, respectively, there were no significant differences in concentrations among the eight locations. The only concentration of the metals studied that exceeded the Chinese National Standard was Cr in Coilia from Jiaoshan, Taihu Lake, which was 2.5-fold higher than the standard. These results indicate that people who consume the genus Coilia are not at risk due to concentrations of metals, except Cr in C. nasus taihuensis from Jiaoshan in Taihu Lake. Concentrations of all of the metals studied except for Cr were similar to or less than those of metals in most other areas in the world.     

Post-larval development of two intertidal barnacles at elevated CO2 and temperature

Ocean acidification and global warming are occurring concomitantly, yet few studies have investigated how organisms will respond to increases in both temperature and CO₂. Intertidal microcosms were used to examine growth, shell mineralogy and survival of two intertidal barnacle post-larvae, Semibalanus balanoides and Elminius modestus, at two temperatures (14 and 19°C) and two CO₂ concentrations (380 and 1,000 ppm), fed with a mixed diatom-flagellate diet at 15,000 cells ml⁻¹ with flow rate of 10 ml⁻¹ min⁻¹. Control growth rates, using operculum diameter, were 14 ± 8 μm day⁻¹ and 6 ± 2 μm day⁻¹ for S. balanoides and E. modestus, respectively. Subtle, but significant decreases in E. modestus growth rate were observed in high CO₂ but there were no impacts on shell calcium content and survival by either elevated temperature or CO₂. S. balanoides exhibited no clear alterations in growth rate but did show a large reduction in shell calcium content and survival under elevated temperature and CO₂. These results suggest that a decrease by 0.4 pH_(NBS) units alone would not be sufficient to directly impact the survival of barnacles during the first month post-settlement. However, in conjunction with a 4–5°C increase in temperature, it appears that significant changes to the biology of these organisms will ensue.     

Foraging behaviour of larval cod (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gadus morhua</Emphasis>) at low light intensities

The ability to forage at low light intensities can be of great importance for the survival of fish larvae in a pelagic environment. Three-dimensional silhouette imaging was used to observe larval cod foraging and swimming behaviour at three light intensities (dusk ~1.36 × 10⁻³ W/m², night ~1.38 × 10⁻⁴ W/m² and darkness ~3.67 × 10⁻⁶ W/m²) at 4 different ages from 6 to 53 days post-hatch (dph). At 6 dph, active pursuit of prey was only observed under dusk conditions. Attacks, and frequent orientations, were observed from 26 dph under night conditions. This was consistent with swimming behaviour which suggested that turn angles were the same under dusk and night conditions, but lower in darkness. Cod at 53 dph attacked prey in darkness and turn angles were not different from those under other light conditions. This suggests that larvae are still able to feed at light intensities of 3.67 × 10⁻⁶ W/m². We conclude that larval cod can maintain foraging behaviour under light intensities that correspond to night-time at depths at which they are observed in the field, at least if they encounter high-density patches of prey such as those that they would encounter at thin layers or fronts.     

Evaluation on exposures to particulate matter at a junior secondary school: a comprehensive study on health risks and effective inflammatory responses in Northwestern China

Air pollutant measurement and respiratory inflammatory tests were conducted at a junior secondary school in Xi’an, Northwestern China. Hazardous substances including particulate matters (PMs), black carbon (BC) and particle-bounded polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were quantified both indoors and outdoors of the school. Source characterization with organic tracers and particle-size distribution demonstrated that the school’s air was mostly polluted by combustion emissions from the surrounding environment. The evaluation of health assessment related to air quality was conducted by two methods, including potential risk estimation of air pollutants and direct respiratory inflammatory test. The incremental lifetime cancer risks associated with PAHs were estimated and were 1.62 × 10⁻⁶ and 2.34 × 10⁻⁶, respectively, for indoor and outdoor fine PMs. Both the values exceeded the threshold value of 1 × 10⁻⁶, demonstrating that the carcinogenic PAHs are a health threat to the students. Respiratory inflammatory responses of 50 students who studied in the sample classroom were examined with a fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) test, with the aid of health questionnaires. The average FeNO concentration was 17.4 ± 8.5 ppb, which was slightly lower than the recommended level of 20 ppb established by the American Thoracic Society for children. However, a wide distribution and 6% of the values were > 35 ppb, suggesting that the potentials were still high for eosinophilic inflammation and responsiveness to corticosteroids. A preliminary interpretation of the relationship between air toxins and respiratory inflammatory response demonstrated the high exposure cancer risks and inflammatory responses of the students to PMs in the city.

     

Predicting water quality data in an unfilled reservoir using microcosm sediment-water simulation

The technique of microcosm sediment-water simulation was used to obtain predictive water quality data for the proposed Jordanelle Reservoir, Heber City, Utah. Sediment-water microcosms were prepared for four sites located in the north arm of the reservoir basin, including two sites located in an abandoned acid mine tailings pond. Data obtained from the tailings pond microcosms indicated that low pH water and high trace metal concentrations may exist in this area of the reservoir. These data suggested that the tailings material should be contained or removed prior to reservoir filling. Other sites in the reservoir basin exhibited water quality considered normal for reservoirs of similar elevation and basin geology. Near the proposed dam, anaerobic conditions could develop rapidly due to available concentrations of organic carbon, and the subsequent release of Zn, Fe, and Mn may pose a water quality problem. At the sampling site near Keetley, simulation data indicated that anaerobic conditions will not develop as quickly or be as severe as conditions expected near the dam. Overall, the availability of nitrogen and phosphorus in the Provo River and Jordanelle sediments indicated that problems with algal blooms may exist in the reservoir. Also presented is a brief discussion of the advantages and disadvantages associated with microcosm sediment-water simulation.     

Persistence of gemfibrozil, naproxen and mefenamic acid in natural waters

The occurrence of pharmaceuticals in natural waters is a potential threat to human nutrition and ecosystem quality. The persistence of the acidic pharmaceuticals gemfibrozil, naproxen and mefenamic acid was studied in surface waters of Maracaibo Lake and Tule reservoir (Venezuela) under laboratory conditions. A quick and easy analytical method was developed for the determination of the acidic drugs at microgram per liter levels using aqueous derivatization, liquid–liquid extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Pharmaceuticals degradation followed a pseudo first-order kinetic and their half-lives were calculated for every experimental condition. Under sunlight, naproxen and mefenamic acid were degraded at moderate rates with half-lives from 9.6 ± 0.5 to 27.0 ± 6.6 days, while gemfibrozil had a higher persistence (t _1/2 = 119.5 ± 15.6 − 288.8 ± 61.3 days).     

Redwood of the reef: growth and age of the giant barrel sponge Xestospongia muta in the Florida Keys

The growth of animals in most taxa has long been well described, but the phylum Porifera has remained a notable exception. The giant barrel sponge Xestospongia muta dominates Caribbean coral reef communities, where it is an important spatial competitor, increases habitat complexity, and filters seawater. It has been called the ‘redwood of the reef’ because of its size (often >1 m height and diameter) and presumed long life, but very little is known about its demography. Since 1997, we have established and monitored 12 permanent 16 m diameter circular transects on the reef slope off Key Largo, Florida, to study this important species. Over a 4.5-year interval, we measured the volume of 104 tagged sponges using digital images to determine growth rates of X. muta. Five models were fit to the cubed root of initial and final volume estimates to determine which best described growth. Additional measurements of 33 sponges were taken over 6-month intervals to examine the relationship between the spongocoel, or inner-osculum space, and sponge size, and to examine short-term growth dynamics. Sponge volumes ranged from 24.05 to 80,281.67 cm³. Growth was variable, and specific growth rates decreased with increasing sponge size. The mean specific growth rate was 0.52 ± 0.65 year⁻¹, but sponges grew as fast or slow as 404 or 2% year⁻¹. Negative growth rates occurred over short temporal scales and growth varied seasonally, significantly faster during the summer. No differences in specific growth rate were found between transects at three different depths (15, 20, 30 m) or at two different reef sites. Spongocoel volume was positively allometric with increasing sponge size and scaling between the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the sponge indicated that morphology changes from a frustum of a cone to cylindrical as volume increases. Growth of X. muta was best described by the general von Bertalanffy and Tanaka growth curves. The largest sponge within our transects (1.23 × 0.98 m height × diameter) was estimated to be 127 years old. Although age extrapolations for very large sponges are subject to more error, the largest sponges on Caribbean reefs may be in excess of 2,300 years, placing X. muta among the longest-lived animals on earth.     

Normalisation models for accounting for fat content in stable isotope measurements in salmonid muscle tissue

Stable isotope analysis is increasingly used in ecological studies. Because lipid content influences δ¹³C, lipids should be removed from lipid-rich samples before δ¹³C analysis. To account for differences in δ¹³C arising from differences in lipid content, relationships between lipid content, C:N ratio and Δδ¹³C with lipid removal can be used to normalise lipid content to uniform levels. We investigate these relationships for salmonid muscle and evaluate the suitability of previously published normalisation equations for these fish. Salmonids with a wide range of condition (muscle lipid content = 3–35% of dry weight) were considered. There were no consistent relationships between lipid content or C:N ratio and Δδ¹⁵N. There were linear relationships between C:N ratio and lipid content (L = −16.53 + 6.27 × C:N); C:N ratio and Δδ¹³C (Δδ¹³C = −1.87 + 0.65 × C:N); and lipid content and Δδ¹³C (Δδ¹³C = 0.01 + 0.10 × L), which should be used on salmonid stable isotope studies.     

A Reliability and Risk Analysis System for Multipurpose Reservoir Operation

This paper proposes a reliability analysis system, which can be widely applied to the cases in which a reservoir is operated to meet several purposes such as flood control, energy generation, irrigation, domestic and industrial water supply, etc. The presented system has a structure of three levels.1. Decision-making.2. Tradeoff analysis.3. The third level that mainly consists of three subsystems:i – The reservoir flood risk analysis subsystem by flood control simulation.ii – The benefit promotion subsystem of reservoir operation using Stochastic Dynamic Programming. In this subsystem, the Lagrange multipliers are introduced into the objective function to take into account the water supply failures. This method guarantees that each run of the SDP will necessarily derive a non-inferior policy for reservoir operation.iii – The reservoir operation simulation subsystem to derive the performance indices associated with the reservoir operation policies. With the input and feedback between the second level and the subsystems of the third level, a great deal of efficient operation policies and the associated performance indices can be obtained. Then the tradeoff relationships between different performance indices can be derived for the decision makers. With application to Yudong Reservoir in Yunnan province of China, the presented analysis system is practically tested.     

土工合成材料在三峡库区重庆市万州区库岸防护中的应用可行性研究

三峡水库建成后，库水位的消涨变化非常频繁且变化幅度比水库建造前有了明显提高．这势必会对库岸的稳定性产生影响，引起库岸堆积体沿深层基岩面滑动或发生塌岸，必须采取工程措施进行防治．而土工合成材料以其良好的整体性、抗变形能力、保土透水性能及施工简便、造价低等独特优势和兼具反滤、排水、防渗、隔离、防护、加筋等强大功能不失为一种上好的库岸防护材料．本文首先介绍了土工合成材料的种类及其功能，进而简单介绍了土工合成材料在库岸防护工程中的应用现状；然后在详细分析了重庆市万州区鞍子坝库岸段工程地质条件的基础上计算了堆积体沿基岩面滑动的稳定性，并分析了库岸的破坏形式；最后对库岸防护采用加筋土进行了初步设计并对设计从外部稳定性(地基承载力、抗滑稳定性、抗倾覆稳定性)和内部稳定性(土工格栅强度和抗拔稳定性)进行了验算．研究结果认为利用土工合成材料对库岸防护完全可行。     

Photolytical property of L(+)-α-phenylglycine in aqueous solution

A wide range of pharmaceutical compounds have been identified in the environment, and their existence is a topic of growing concern, both for human and ecological health. The work described here has investigated the photolytic properties of L(+)-α-phenylglycine (L-α-PG-H) in aqueous solution as it can be degraded by photo-catalysis. In 266 nm laser flash photolysis of aqueous solution of L-α-PG-H saturated with nitrogen, two transient absorption bands are observed at 280–330 nm and 450–800 nm, respectively, due to L-α-PG-H radical cation and hydrated electrons (e_aq⁻). Then e_aq⁻ reacts with L-α-PG-H to form the L-α-PG-H radical anion. Decaying rate constants of e_aq⁻ observed at 720 nm is to be 8.9 × 10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹. The rate constant for oxidation of L-α-PG-H by SO₄ ⁻ is calculated as 4.5 × 10⁸ and 4.3 × 10⁸ s⁻¹ mol⁻¹ dm³, respectively. The dissociation constants (pKa) of L-α-PG-H is 3. Excited triplet of L-α-PG-H in solution is formed by laser flash photolysis. The quench rate constant of L-α-PG-H excited triplet (k _s) is determined to be 1.3 × 10⁷ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ and k ₀ is equal to 1.7 × 10⁵ s⁻¹.