Solid state speciation and potential bioavailability of depleted uranium particles from Kosovo and Kuwait

A combination of synchrotron radiation based X-ray microscopic techniques (μ-XRF, μ-XANES, μ-XRD) applied on single depleted uranium (DU) particles and semi-bulk leaching experiments has been employed to link the potential bioavailability of DU particles to site-specific particle characteristics. The oxidation states and crystallographic forms of U in DU particles have been determined for individual particles isolated from selected samples collected at different sites in Kosovo and Kuwait that were contaminated by DU ammunition during the 1999 Balkan conflict and the 1991 Gulf war. Furthermore, small soil or sand samples heavily contaminated with DU particles were subjected to simulated gastrointestinal fluid (0.16 M HCl) extractions. Characteristics of DU particles in Kosovo soils collected in 2000 and in Kuwait soils collected in 2002 varied significantly depending on the release scenario and to some extent on weathering conditions. Oxidized U (+6) was determined in large, fragile and bright yellow DU particles released during fire at a DU ammunition storage facility and crystalline phases such as schoepite (UO₃·2.25H₂O), dehydrated schoepite (UO₃·0.75H₂O) and metaschoepite (UO₃·2.0H₂O) were identified. As expected, these DU particles were rapidly dissolved in 0.16 M HCl (84 ± 3% extracted after 2 h) indicating a high degree of potential mobility and bioavailability. In contrast, the 2 h extraction of samples contaminated with DU particles originating either from corrosion of unspent DU penetrators or from impacted DU ammunition appeared to be much slower (20–30%) as uranium was less oxidized (+4 to +6). Crystalline phases such as UO₂, UC and metallic U or U–Ti alloy were determined in impacted DU particles from Kosovo and Kuwait, while the UO_2,34 phase, only determined in particles from Kosovo, could reflect a more corrosive environment. Although the results are based on a limited number of DU particles, they indicate that the structure and extractability of DU particles released from similar sources (metallic U penetrators) will depend on the release scenarios (fire, impact) and to some extent environmental conditions. However, most of the DU particles (73–96%) in all investigated samples were dissolved in 0.16 M HCl after one week indicating that a majority of the DU material is bioaccessible.     

Spatial surrogates for the disaggregation of CORINAIR emission inventories

CORINAIR atmospheric emission inventories are frequently used input data for air quality models with a domain situated in Europe. In CORINAIR emission inventories, sources are broken down over 11 major source categories. This paper presents spatial surrogates for the disaggregation of CORINAIR atmospheric emission inventories for input of air pollutants and particulate matter to grid or polygon based air quality model domains inside Europe. The basis for the disaggregation model was the CLC2000 land cover data to which statistical weights were added. Weights were population census data for residential emissions, employment statistics for agricultural and industrial area emissions, livestock statistics for ammonia emissions and annual aircraft movements for emissions realized by air transport. Additional road and off-road network information was used to disaggregate emissions realized by traffic. A comparison of top down produced emission estimates with spatially resolved national emission data for The Netherlands and the United Kingdom gave confidence in the present spatial surrogates as a tool for the top down production of atmospheric emission maps. Explained variance at a spatial resolution of 5 km was >70% for CO, NMVOC and NO_x, >60% for PM10 and almost 50% for SO₂.     

Emissions from the copper–nickel industry on the Kola Peninsula and at Noril'sk,Russia

Published estimates for base metal emissions from the copper–nickel industry on the Kola Peninsula are re-examined in the light of (a) chemical data on the composition of the ores; (b) official emission figures for 1994; and (c) modelled emissions based on dry and wet deposition estimates derived from data for snow and rain samples collected in 1994. The modelled emissions, official emission figures and chemical data are mutually compatible for Ni, Cu and Co and show that previously published figures underestimated the emissions of the major elements, Ni and Cu (though within the same order of magnitude) and overestimated the emissions of As, Pb, Sb and Zn by up to several orders of magnitude, in some cases exceeding the calculated total input to the plants. Published estimates have neglected information on the nature and chemistry of the ores processed in metallurgical industries in the Noril'sk area of Siberia and the Urals. Revised emission estimates for 1994, using knowledge of the chemistry of the ores, are proposed: taken with published information on total emissions up to 2000 these data give an indication of emission levels in more recent years.     

区域性旱涝灾害的系统对策模型及其应用

依据一定区域内作物受旱涝 (包括连阴雨 )危害的系统可控性 ,提出一种旱涝灾害的对策模型 ,并阐明了模型建立的有关问题 ,且给出实例     

硝酸盐氮,亚硝酸盐氮总量紫外吸收快速测定

水体中尤其是海水中硝酸盐氮的测定较繁琐,干扰物质多,分析时间长,重现性差,准确性不高。文章通过实验介绍一种省时、省力、简便可行不消耗化学试剂且抗氯化物干扰、精度和准确度较高的硝酸盐氮、亚硝酸盐氮总量测定方法。     

莱州湾东岸地下水硝酸盐空间变异特征研究

应用经典统计学和地统计学对莱州湾东岸地下水NO3-质量浓度进行分析,采用Kriging方法对未观测点进行估值,分析研究区不同区域NO-3质量浓度的空间变异特征。同时,利用地理信息系统与Surfer软件分析研究区土地利用类型和NO-3质量浓度之间的关系。结果表明:1)莱州湾东岸地区地下水NO3-质量浓度平均值为118.51mg/L,变异系数为0.80,表现为中等强度变异;2)研究区地下水NO-3质量浓度的变异函数理论模型符合高斯模型,块金值/基台值为41.5%,表现为中等程度的空间相关性;3)不同土地利用类型中,耕地地下水中硝酸盐质量浓度平均值(136.09 mg/L)最高,其次是城镇用地(89.15 mg/L),水产养殖区(30.32 mg/L)最低,其中耕地超标率为81.25%,城镇用地超标率为76.92%,水产养殖区均未超标。农业生产过量使用化肥和城镇生活中的生活生产废水大量排放是造成地下水硝酸盐质量浓度过高的主要原因。而水产养殖区由于受人类生活、生产与耕作影响较少,地下水硝酸盐质量浓度相对较低。     

WS2对Fe2+/过氧化钙类芬顿体系降解双酚A的助催化作用

Fe²⁺/过氧化钙类芬顿体系(Fe²⁺/CaO₂)在实际应用中易受到铁离子循环缓慢的限制.因此,本研究利用商业WS₂作为Fe²⁺/CaO₂体系的助催化剂以促进Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺快速循环,进而高效降解双酚A(BPA).在最佳条件下,WS₂/Fe²⁺/CaO₂体系在15 min内对BPA(10 mg·L^-1)的降解率为99.7%.同时,该体系展示出良好的应用前景,可适用于多种水体,亦可高效降解多种难降解有机污染物.自由基淬灭实验和EPR分析表明,羟基自由基(·OH)、单线态氧(¹O₂)和超氧自由基(·O₂^-)是BPA降解的主要活性氧物种,其中·OH贡献最大.WS₂表面暴露的W⁴⁺还原性位点,促进了Fe...     

Enantiomer fractions instead of enantiomer ratios

The use of enantiomer ratios (ERs) to indicate the relative amounts of a pair of enantiomers in a sample has some disadvantages. Enantiomer fractions (EFs) are proposed as an alternative expression to eliminate the difficulties.     

河流水质综合评价方法的统一和改进

在分析我国河流水质综合评价方法存在的问题以及河流水质综合评价方法研究现状的基础上 ,以国家对全国水环境质量系统管理需要为目的 ,提出了对河流水质综合评价方法的要求 ,并针对综合污染指数法的缺陷 ,提出了改进的综合水质指数方法     

环境污染对生态危害经济损失评估模式的研究

定量评估环境污染对生态环境危害的经济损失,是环境科学研究的课题。本文从风险评价和环境经济学角度,提出环境污染对生态环境危害经济损失的评估模式。