Outsourcing: A Growing Trend in EHS Management

This article explores the recent growth and current trends in outsourcing EHS services. More and more organizations are recognizing that outsourcing can cut costs, save time, improve staffing flexibility, and enhance the overall quality of EHS programs. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Bioreduction of nitrate in groundwater using a pilot-scale hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor

A long-term pilot-scale H₂-based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) was tested for removal of nitrate from actual groundwater. A key feature of this second-generation pilot MBfR is that it employed lower cost polyester hollow fibers and still achieved high loading rate. The steady-state maximum nitrate surface loading at which the effluent nitrate and nitrite concentrations were below the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) was at least 5.9 g·N·(m²·d)^?1, which corresponds to a maximum volumetric loading of at least 7.7 kg·N·(m³·d) ^?1. The steady-state maximum nitrate surface area loading was higher than the highest nitrate surface loading reported in the first-generation MBfRs using composite fibers (2.6 g·N·(m²·d)^?1). This work also evaluated the H₂-utilization efficiency in MBfR. The measured H₂ supply rate was only slightly higher than the stoichiometric H₂-utilization rate. Thus, H₂ utilization was controlled by diffusion and was close to 100% efficiency, as long as biofilm accumulated on the polyester-fiber surface and the fibers had no leaks.     

Full‐scale in‐situ biobarrier demonstration for containment and treatment of MTBE

The Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center (NFESC), Arizona State University, and Equilon Enterprises LLC are partners in an innovative Environmental Security Technology Certification Program cleanup technology demonstration designed to contain dissolved MTBE groundwater plumes. This full‐scale demonstration is being performed to test the use of an oxygenated biobarrier at Naval Base Ventura County, in Port Hueneme, California. Surprisingly, few cost‐effective in‐situ remedies are known for the cleanup of MTBE‐impacted aquifers, and remediation by engineered in‐situ biodegradation was thought to be an unlikely candidate just a few years ago. This project demonstrates that MTBE‐impacted groundwater can be remediated in‐situ through engineered aerobic biodegradation under natural‐flow conditions. With respect to economics, the installation and operation costs associated with this innovative biobarrier system are at least 50 percent lower than those of a conventional pump and treat system. Furthermore, although it has been suggested that aerobic MTBE biodegradation will not occur in mixed MTBE‐BTEX dissolved plumes, this project demonstrates otherwise. The biobarrier system discussed in this article is the largest of its kind ever implemented, spanning a dissolved MTBE plume that is over 500 feet wide. This biobarrier system has achieved an in‐situ treatment efficiency of greater than 99.9 percent for dissolved MTBE and BTEX concentrations. Perhaps of greater importance is the fact that extensive performance data has been collected, which is being used to generate best‐practice design and cost information for this biobarrier technology. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Environmental reporting for global higher education institutions using the World Wide Web

Voluntary environmental reporting on the progress achieved against policy objectives is an emerging trend in industry and business and is recognized as a valuable aid in implementing policy and improving environmental management systems. Environmental reporting in the UK, has a whole range of formats including PERI, GEMI, WICE and EMAS, with the last, in particular, aiming to improve the level of environmental stewardship and to increase the flow of environmental information to audiences both internally and externally. Higher education institutions globally have been slow to respond in this respect and there is much that they can learn from corporate environmental reporting. An environmental policy is not sufficient proof of commitment for those institutions who have signed the global Talloires Declaration or the European COPERNICUS Charter: demonstrable progress in policy implementation is essential. The environmental management systems that higher education institutions adopt or create and the ways in which their environmental information is collated are of great significance, but the medium selected for the report is perhaps one of the most important aspects to consider. Those institutions such as the University of Sunderland, UK who are using the World Wide Web have been able to produce a flexible, hypertext-linked service on request with inbuilt feedback mechanisms containing varied, up-to-date, comprehensive and well-structured environmental information signposted to external pro-active institutions and agencies. These reports have unique educational angles and reveal links and networks that are naturally more pervasive and far-reaching in their scope and impact and could well provide a key way forward to practical and sustainable environmental reporting into the millennium.     

Impact of flood control reservoirs and pollution influx on the Sandy Creek Watershed,Mercer County,Pennsylvania, USA

A study of the impact of two flood control reservoirs and pollution influx was conducted on two streams within the Sandy Creek Watershed, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, USA. Fecal coliforms were significantly reduced in the outflows without affecting water chemistry, thereby improving the overall water quality. The size and composition of the aquatic communities as well as stream metabolism varied seasonably among the different sampling stations. Pollution influx primarily from communities and agricultural drainage had a greater impact on the stream ecosystem than did impounding of the streams. Natural wetlands and riparian vegetation were important factors in reducing the pollution load in these streams. The reestablishment and maintenance of riparian vegetation should therefore be an integral part of the land-use plan for watersheds in order to improve water quality and wildlife habitats. In the future, the maintenance of riparian vegetation should be given prime consideration in the development of watershed projects.     

货物集装箱扫描技术的发展

恐怖分子利用货物集装箱走私核武器或用于放射性频散装置(RDD)的放射性材料,美国和其他国家目前都在面临这一严重威胁.     

Bioreduction of vanadium (V) in groundwater by autohydrogentrophic bacteria: Mechanisms and microorganisms

As one of the transition metals, vanadium (V) (V(V)) in trace amounts represents an essential element for normal cell growth, but becomes toxic when its concentration is above 1 mg/L. V(V) can alter cellular differentiation, gene expression, and other biochemical and metabolic phenomena. A feasible method to detoxify V(V) is to reduce it to V(IV), which precipitates and can be readily removed from the water. The bioreduction of V(V) in a contaminated groundwater was investigated using autohydrogentrophic bacteria and hydrogen gas as the electron donor. Compared with the previous organic donors, H₂ shows the advantages as an ideal electron donor, including nontoxicity and less production of excess biomass. V(V) was 95.5% removed by biochemical reduction when autohydrogentrophic bacteria and hydrogen were both present, and the reduced V(IV) precipitated, leading to total-V removal. Reduction kinetics could be described by a first-order model and were sensitive to pH and temperature, with the optimum ranges of pH 7.5–8.0 and 35–40°C, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis by clone library showed that the dominant species in the experiments with V(V) bioreduction belonged to the β-Proteobacteria. Previously known V(V)-reducing species were absent, suggesting that V(V) reduction was carried out by novel species. Their selective enrichment during V(V) bioreduction suggests that Rhodocyclus, a denitrifying bacterium, and Clostridium, a fermenter known to carry out metal reduction, were responsible for V(V) bioreduction.