Relating meteorological variables and trends in motor vehicle emissions to monthly urban carbon monoxide concentrations

A model which quantifies the relationship between the monthly time series for CO emissions, the monthly time series in ambient CO concentration, and meteorologically driven dispersion was developed. Fifteen cities representing a wide range of geographical and climatic conditions were selected. An eight-year time series (1984–1991 inclusive) of monthly averaged data were examined in each city. A new method of handling missing ambient concentration values which is designed to calculate city-wide average concentrations that follow the trend seen at individual monitor sites is presented. This method is general and can be used in other applications involving missing data. The model uses emissions estimates along with two meteorological variables (wind speed and mixing height) to estimate monthly averages of ambient air pollution concentrations. The model is shown to have a wide range of applicability; it works equally well for a wide range of cities that have very different temporal CO distributions. The model is suited for assessing long-term trends in ambient air pollutants and can also be used for estimating seasonal variations in concentration, estimation of trends in emissions, and for filling in gaps in the ambient concentration record.     

Evaluation of membrane bioreactor process capabilities to meet stringent effluent nutrient discharge requirements.

A six-stage membrane bioreactor (MBR) pilot plant was operated to determine and demonstrate the capability of this process to produce a low-nutrient effluent, consistent with the nutrient reduction goals for the Chesapeake Bay. Biological nitrogen removal was accomplished using a multistage configuration with an initial anoxic zone (using the carbon in the influent wastewater), an aerobic zone (where nitrification occurred), a downstream anoxic zone (where methanol was added as a carbon source), and the aerated submerged membrane zone. The capability to reliably reduce effluent total nitrogen to less than 3 mg/L as nitrogen (N) was demonstrated. A combination of biological (using an initial anaerobic zone) and chemical (using alum) phosphorus removal was used to achieve effluent total phosphate concentrations reliably less than 0.1 mg/L as phosphorus (P) and as low as 0.03 mg/L as P. Alum addition also appeared to enhance the filtration characteristics of the MBR sludge and to reduce membrane fouling. Aeration of the submerged membranes results in thickened sludge with a high dissolved oxygen concentration (approaching saturation), which can be recycled to the main aeration zone rather than to an anoxic or anaerobic zone to optimize biological nutrient removal. Biological nutrient removal was characterized using the International Water Association Activated Sludge Model No. 2d. The stoichiometry of chemical phosphorus removal was also consistent with conventional theory and experience. The characteristics of the solids produced in the MBR were compared with those of a parallel full-scale conventional biological nitrogen removal process and were generally found to be similar. These results provide valuable insight to the design and operating characteristics of MBRs intended to produce effluents with very low nutrient concentrations.     

Mate choice by female white-crowned sparrows in a mixed-dialect population

Summary It has been argued that the song dialects of white-crowned sparrows, Zonotrichia leucophrys, may function to restrict gene flow between dialect populations, thus promoting adaptation to local environmental conditions. One proposed mechanism whereby this may occur is if a female mates preferentially with males singing her natal dialect, typically the song type of her father. Previous field and laboratory studies of the role played by song differences in mate choice by female white-crowned sparrows have produced equivocal results. These investigations were conducted in populations in which a single song dialect was predominant. We examined mate choice in a population in which two song dialects are equally common. We found that songs of mates of individual females in successive years were no more likely to be of the same dialect than expected by chance. In addition, individual females did not mate preferentially with males whose songs matched those of their fathers. We conclude that, in this population, females choose mates on the basis of characteristics other than song type.     

Assessing the performance of motorcyclists’ impact protectors in simulated ATD knee and shoulder impacts

Objective: Fractures are a common injury among motorcycle riders and can have serious health implications. Impact protection (IP) has been designed to help prevent fractures, yet there are conflicting opinions as to whether this IP does in fact help prevent fractures in real-world crashes. This work aimed to (1) use simulated dummy impacts to examine whether existing types of IP could reduce the force transferred to the underlying bone to below fracture tolerance levels and (2) investigate whether current European Standard (EN 1621-1) test procedures for impact protectors designed for motorcyclists are sufficient to ensure fracture protection.

Method: Twenty-three shoulder and 7 knee IP specimens were tested using a 23-kg impactor contacting axially along the clavicle and femur of an anthropomorphic test device (ATD) at an energy level corresponding to the fracture tolerance of these bones. Sixteen IP specimens were the same as those worn by motorcycle riders involved in crashes where injury outcome was known (knee: n?=?3; shoulder: n?=?13) and the IP had been previously tested to EN 1621-1. Other IP tested represented a wide range of IP available for purchase at a motorcycle accessory store. Double and triple layers of IP were also tested. Energy attenuated during the dummy impacts was compared to energy attenuated when tested to EN 1621-1.

Results: Of the 23 shoulder IP tested, the average percentage reduction of transferred force to the shoulder from the baseline test was 7.6?±?4.8%. The percentage reduction of transferred force to the knee from the baseline was 43.9?±?7.5%. The entire group of knee IP tested reduced the transferred force to the knee to below the 10-kN injury threshold for the femur. There was a positive but nonsignificant correlation between the ATD test and the EN 1621-1 impact test performance, suggesting that the European standard test method likely provides a good indication of IP performance. However, given the low correlation coefficient, the relationship between IP performance in the European standard test method and injury protection remains unclear.

Conclusion: Though the energy attenuation test method in the European standard may be an appropriate approach, distinct differences in injury protection performance observed between knee and shoulder IP indicate that there may be a need for different performance criteria for IP designated to protect different body regions.     

The movements and submergence behaviour of male green turtles at Ascension Island

The movements and submergence behaviour of two male green turtles (Chelonia mydas) on their mating grounds at Ascension Island were investigated by satellite telemetry. During the mating season, males tended to conduct much shorter dives (typically <15 min) than those recorded previously for females during the internesting period at this rookery. This suggests that throughout the mating season males maintained relatively high activity levels, presumably associated with locating and mating with as many females as possible to maximise their reproductive output. At the end of their residence at the mating ground, the two males conducted longer dives (48 min and 21 min, respectively), suggesting that they rested before their migration away from the island. Although very few locations were obtained during this migration, those obtained showed that males migrate to South America, as has been shown previously for females from this population.     

Sustained Yield Forestry in Sweden and Russia: How Does it Correspond to Sustainable Forest Management Policy?

This paper analyzes how sustained yield (SY) forestry is defined and implemented in Sweden and Russia, two countries with different forest-industrial regimes. We first compare definitions of SY forestry in national legislation and policies. Then we study forest management planning in two large forest management units with respect to: delivered forest products and values, how the harvest level of timber is defined, where the harvest takes place, and what treatments are used to sustain desired forest products and values. In Sweden SY forestry is maximum yield based on high-input forest management, and in Russia it is forestry based on natural regeneration with minimum investments in silviculture. We conclude that how SY forestry contributes to SFM depends on the context. Finally, we discuss the consequences of SY forestry as performed in Sweden and Russia related to its ability to support diverse forest functions, as envisioned in sustainable forest management policy.     

Cost analysis of composite sampling for classification

When an environmental sampling objective is to classify all the sample units as contaminated or not, composite sampling with selective retesting can substantially reduce costs by reducing the number of units that require direct analysis. The tradeoff, however, is increased complexity that has its own hidden costs. For this reason, we propose a model for assessing the relative cost, expressed as the ratio of total expected cost with compositing to total expected cost without compositing (initial exhaustive testing). Expressions are derived for the following retesting protocols: (i) exhaustive, (ii) sequential and (iii) binary split. The effects of both false positive and false negative rates are also derived and incorporated. The derived expressions of relative cost are illustrated for a range of values for various cost components that reflect typical costs incurred with hazardous waste site monitoring. Results allow those who are designing sampling plans to evaluate if any of these compositing/retesting protocols will be cost effective for particular applications.     

In situ bioremediation of an aniline spill in an industrial setting

In situ remediation of aniline from soils and groundwater using biological and physical treatments was conducted at the BASF Corporation facility in Geismar, Louisiana. To mitigate the migration of aniline, remediate contaminated soil and groundwater, and determine concentrations, 24 immobilized microbe bioreactors were fixed in the subsoil, and a horizontal recovery well and 7 monitoring wells were installed. Soil and monitoring wells were sampled quarterly to assess bioplug impact on the aniline concentrations. The recovery well was sampled monthly to estimate the pounds of aniline removed from groundwater. Soil pH, composition, and microbial counts were used to estimate the fate and transport. Aniline levels were lowered significantly after remediation and total cancer risk was below levels for industrial sites, as established by State of Louisiana Risk Evaluation/Corrective Action Program guidelines. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Costs and carbon emissions for geopolymer pastes in comparison to ordinary portland cement

Geopolymer concrete is seen as a potential alternative to standard concrete, and an opportunity to convert a variety of waste streams into useful by-products. One key driver in geopolymer development is the desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the production of concrete products. This paper presents an examination of the lifecycle cost and carbon impacts of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and geopolymers in an Australian context, with an identification of some key challenges for geopolymer development. The results of the examination show that there is wide variation in the calculated financial and environmental “cost” of geopolymers, which can be beneficial or detrimental depending on the source location, the energy source and the mode of transport. Some case study geopolymer concrete mixes based on typical Australian feedstocks indicate potential for a 44–64% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions while the financial costs are 7% lower to 39% higher compared with OPC.     

Testing of a GIS model ofEucalyptus Iargiflorens health on a semiarid,saline floodplain

Irrigated agriculture has resulted in substantial changes in water flows to the lower reaches of the River Murray. These changes have led to large-scale occurrences of dieback inEucalyptus largiflorens (black box) woodlands as well as increased inputs of salt to the river. Management options to address problems of this scale call for the use of spatial data sets via geographic information systems (GIS). A GIS exists for one floodplain of the River Murray at Chowilla, and a simple model predicted six health classes ofEucalyptus largiflorens based on groundwater salinity, flooding frequency, and groundwater depth.To determine the usefulness of the model for vegetation management, the quality of both the model and the GIS data sets were tested. Success of the testing procedure was judged by the degree of spatial matching between the model's predictions of health and that assessed from aerial photographs and by field truthing. Analyses at 80 sites showed that tree health was significantly greater where groundwater salinity was less than 40 dS/m or flooding occurred more frequently than 1 in 10 years or depth to groundwater exceeded 4 m. Testing of the GIS data sets found that vegetation was misclassified at 15% of sites. Association was shown between GIS-predicted values and field-truthed values of groundwater salinity but not groundwater depth. The GIS model of health is a useful starting point for future vegetation management and can be further improved by increasing the quality of the data coverages and further refining of the model to optimize parameters and thresholds.