Lysimeter Experiments to Investigate the Fate of Chemicals in Soils – Comparison of Five Different Lysimeter Systems

Several lysimeter scenarios and approaches exist to study the fate of agro-chemicals or contaminants from deposition in soil columns. In many systems just transport and leaching of the parent compound is followed, in some systems the leaching and transport of the metabolites is investigated as well. In more sophisticated lysimeter systems the volatilization and also the mineralization of the applied chemicals can be additionally monitored. Depending on the lysimeter system used and on the fact whether the applied chemicals are ¹⁴C-labeled or not, different results and various interpretations of the results might be achieved. Different lysimeter systems are described in this paper and a real dataset of a specific lysimeter experiment was transferred and evaluated in a virtual approach in the different lysimeter systems in order to show the advantages and disadvantages of the various systems.     

Enhancement of turbulent scalar mixing and its application by a multihole nozzle in selective catalytic reduction of NOx

The mixing characteristics of a passive scalar in the turbulent flow of a selective catalytic reduction process were numerically and experimentally investigated, focusing especially on an injection nozzle with multiple holes for the reducing agent. The multihole injection nozzle studied has six holes that are perpendicular to the ambient flue gas flow and are located near the tip of the nozzle. Large eddy simulation was applied to the turbulent flow and mixing fields to elucidate the mixing mechanism of the proposed nozzle compared with the single-hole nozzle that is commonly used in the conventional selective catalytic reduction process. From the results, there exist broader regions of higher turbulent intensities for the multihole nozzle than for the conventional single-hole nozzle. These regions are well matched with the positions of high vorticity in the near upstream region of the jet flow issuing from the multiple holes of the nozzle. Consequently, the high turbulent intensities and vorticity magnitudes lead to intensified mixing between the flue gas and the reducing agent. Hence, the most suitable molar ratio between NOx and the reducing agent for the catalytic reaction can be easily obtained within a shorter physical mixing length as a result of the enhanced scalar mixing. Finally, the numerical results were applied to a trial design version of a multihole nozzle, and this nozzle was experimentally tested to confirm its mixing performance.     

Leaching behavior of heavy metals from municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash and its geochemical modeling

With the increase in the number of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) plants constructed in China recently, great attention has been paid to the heavy metal leaching toxicity of MSWI residues. In this study, the effects of various parameters, including extractant, leaching time, liquid-to-solid ratio, leachate pH, and heavy metal content, on the release properties of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn from MSWI bottom ash were investigated. Partial least-squares analysis was employed to highlight the interrelationships between the factors and response variables. Both experimental research and geochemical modeling using Visual MINTEQ software were conducted to study the pH-dependent leaching behavior of these metals in fresh and weathered bottom ash, considering precipitation/dissolution and surface complexation reactions (adsorption by hydrous ferric oxide and amorphous aluminum oxide/hydroxide). The results showed that leachate pH was the predominant factor influencing heavy metal leachability. The leaching of Cu, Pb, and Zn was mainly controlled by precipitation/dissolution reactions, whereas surface complexation had some effect on the leaching of Cr, Cd, and Ni for certain pH ranges. The modeling results aggreed well with the experimental results. Part of this work was presented at the Fourth International Conference on Combustion, Incineration/Pyrolysis and Emission Control (i-CIPEC)     

Modeling the Effects of Potential Salinity Shifts on the Recovery of Striped Bass in the Savannah River Estuary,Georgia–South Carolina,United States

Increased salinity in spawning and nursery grounds in the Savannah River estuary was cited as the primary cause of a 97% decrease in adult striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and a concomitant 96% decrease in striped bass egg production. Restoration efforts focused on environmental remediation and stock enhancement have resulted in restored salinity patterns and increased egg and adult abundances. However, future water needs or harbor development may preclude further recovery by reducing freshwater inflow or increasing salinity intrusion. To assess the effect of potential changes in the salinity regime, we developed models relating discharge, tidal phase, and salinity to striped bass egg and early larval survival and re-cast these in a quantitative Bayesian belief network. The model indicated that a small upstream shift (≤1.67 km) in the salinity regime would have the least impact on striped bass early life history survival, whereas shifts >1.67 km would have progressively larger impacts, with a 8.33-km shift potentially reducing our estimated survival probability by >28%. Such an impact could have cumulative and long-term detrimental effects on the recovery of the Savannah River striped bass population. The available salinity data were collected during average and low flows, so our model represents some typical and some extreme conditions during a striped bass spawning season. Our model is a relatively simplistic, “first-order” attempt at evaluating potential effects of changes in the Savannah River estuarine salinity regime and points to areas of concern and potential future research.     

陕西省雷电灾害易损性分析、评估及易损度区划

根据2002～2007年陕西省10个市的雷暴日和雷电灾害统计资料,结合陕西各市的经济和人口密度特征,提出了雷暴日数、雷电灾害频度、生命易损模数及经济易损模数作为各市雷电灾害易损性评估指标,并在此基础上,给出了陕西各市雷电灾害易损度评估结构.采用四级分区法对上述雷电灾害易损性评估指标进行了分级,并赋予各等级如下定值:极高级为1.0、高级为0.8、中级为0.5、低级为0.2.将陕西省10市按照四个雷电灾害易损性评估指标的所属等级获取相应等级值,将各市四个评估指标的等级值累加得到平均值作为雷电灾害易损性评估的评价指数,并利用上述四级分区法形成陕西省雷电灾害易损度区划.     

地震救灾过渡安置点避雷针的布设选点及安装要求

"5.12"汶川8级大地震波及范围很大,给陕西省部分地方造成了不小的损失.灾后,汉中、宝鸡的地震救灾过渡安置点由于缺乏防雷电保护,打雷时有遭受雷电灾害的可能,亟需要对其采取防雷电保护措施.对救灾过渡安置点采用独立避雷针进行防护,该措施安全可靠、简便易行,就成为首选,其布设选点要科学、规范,可使其效益最大化,避雷针的制作和安装应符合技术标准要求,做到牢固可靠,在施工中要因地制宜.综合考虑,始终把安全和牢靠放在首位.     

陕西省2000年天气气候异常变化与自然灾害

分析陕西省2000年天气气候变化发现,隆冬降雪明显增多,春旱异常严重,秋霖明显,沙尘暴天气明显增加,这是多年来未曾见到的现象。异常的天气气候使得多种自然灾害并发。     

Modelling the Balance of Metals in the Amended Soil for the Case of ‘Atmosphere–Plant–Soil’ System

Changing the concepts of economic development and introducing new amendments can hardly decrease the accumulation in the soil of such pollutants as metals, remaining there for a long time. The predictive models for describing the balance of metals in the soil, which are based on the ‘atmosphere–plant–soil’ system and reflect the complicated physical–chemical nature of the metals’ migration, expressed by coefficients obtained in long-term observations in natural conditions, allow for evaluating long-term concentration of metals in the soil. The model BALANS evaluates self-purification of soil, taking into account the uptake of metals of aerogenic origin by the soil together with amendments, their physical–chemical migration and the type of microrelief determining its intensity as well as the absorbed biomass of plants and the removal of metals with crops. In this model, the half-period of metals’ washing out from the soil, found for the microrelief characteristic of low places, exceeds 200 years for Ni, Cr and Pb and makes 90 and 150 years for Zn and Cu, respectively.