Effectiveness of centralized bilge water treatment — a field study

Instrumentation and procedures were developed for gross and detailed characterization of oily wastewaters. The methodology was applied to the assessment of effectiveness of a centralized oily waste treatment facility. Generated data included total, dissolved, and suspended organic content and detailed chemical characteristics of oily water samples.The usefulness of the methodology was demonstrated in a real-life field study involving operation of a centralized oily waste treatment facility operated by the U.S. Army at Fort Eustis, Virginia, in 1976. It was found that the concentration of suspended organics ranged between 5 and 335 ppm and dissolved organics between 14 and 156 ppm in untreated bilge water.Treated bilge waste effluents contained essentially no suspended oil, but rather high (769–1262 ppm) amounts of dissolved organic matter.It was determined that physical methods of waste treatment based on gravity separation and coalescence are effective in removal of suspended petroleum, and that prolonged contact between an oil film and water results in water solubilization of petroleum, leading to very high concentrations of dissolved organic material in the treated effluent.     

Is it possible to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in pastoral ecosystems of the tropics?

Climate change science has been discussed and synthesized by the world's best minds at unprecedented scales. Now that the Kyoto Protocol may become a reality, it is time to be realistic about the likelihood of success of mitigation activities. Pastoral lands in the tropics hold tremendous sequestration potential but also strong challenges to potential mitigation efforts. Here we present new analyses of the global distribution of pastoral systems in the tropics and the changes they will likely undergo in the next 50 years. We then briefly summarize current mitigation options for these lands. We then conclude by attempting a pragmatic look at the realities of mitigation. Mitigation activities have the greatest chance of success if they build on traditional pastoral institutions and knowledge (excellent communication, strong understanding of ecosystem goods and services) and provide pastoral people with food security benefits at the same time.     

Estimated effects of climate change on flood vulnerability of U.S. bridges

We assessed the potential impacts of increased river flooding from climate change on bridges in the continental United States. Daily precipitation statistics from four climate models and three greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions scenarios (A2, A1B, and B1) were used to capture a range of potential changes in climate. Using changes in maximum daily precipitation, we estimated changes to the peak flow rates for the 100-year return period for 2,097 watersheds. These estimates were then combined with information from the National Bridge Inventory database to estimate changes to bridge scour vulnerability. The results indicate that there may be significant potential risks to bridges in the United States from increased precipitation intensities. Approximately 129,000 bridges were found to be currently deficient. Tens of thousands to more than 100,000 bridges could be vulnerable to increased river flows. Results by region vary considerably. In general, more bridges in eastern areas are vulnerable than those in western areas. The highest GHG emissions scenarios result in the largest number of bridges being at risk. The costs of adapting vulnerable bridges to avoid increased damage associated with climate change vary from approximately $140 to $250 billion through the 21st century. If these costs were spread out evenly over the century, the annual costs would be several billion dollars. The costs of protecting the bridges against climate change risks could be reduced by approximately 30% if existing deficient bridges are improved with riprap.     

Estimating the Carbon Content of Russian Forests; A Comparison of Phytomass/Volume and Allometric Projections

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change - As increased attention is being paid to the role Russian forests play in the global carbon budget, the desirability of being able to...     

Algae: the world��s most important ��plants����an introduction

Early in the history of life, algae changed the planet??s atmosphere by producing oxygen, thus paving the way for the evolution of eukaryotic organisms. In an era in which the consumption of fossil fuels is a prime topic of concern, few people realize that the oil we currently exploit comes mostly from Cretaceous deposits of marine algae. Moving from ancient times to the present, the algae remain more important than most people realize. Today, the production of oxygen by algae (ca. 50% of all oxygen production) is another reason for saying ??our lives depend on algae.?? Those who love seafood should thank the algae because algae are the primary producers upon which aquatic ecosystems depend. Thanks should come from all who are vegetarians or omnivores, because all land plants derive from a freshwater class of green algae and all land-animals??including the cows that provide the steaks for meat-lovers??depend directly or indirectly on land plants for food and often for shelter as well. As we use up the oil deposits provided by the ancient algae, we are turning to the modern algae for help. Given the photosynthetic abilities of the algae, they are one of the major focuses for sustainable biofuel production and CO₂ consumption. Finally, the algae that give us the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the fuel for our cars (past and, perhaps, future), are also a source of active pharmaceutical compounds that can be used against drug-resistant bacterial strains, viruses (including Herpes Simplex and AIDS), and cancers. Roses are pretty and oak trees are impressive, but no other groups of ??plants?? have done so much, for so long, and, for so many as have the algae!