The role of price expectations and legal uncertainties in ocean mineral,exploration activities

In this paper, a standard exploration activities model is modified and applied to time series, data from deep seabed mining of a group of minerals where the number of patents is used as a proxy, for the level of mineral exploration activities. In addition to the rational expectations model, price, expectations formation for mineral prices is decomposed into trend and cyclical components using the, HP-filter method. Estimated parameters from the supply and cost functions are used to determine the, shadow price of the minerals. The non-linear instrumental variables estimator is employed to estimate, the exploration activities function. While the rational expectations model shows the importance of, current prices on exploration efforts, the HP-filter model suggests that firms concentrate on the trend, in prices rather than the short-run cyclical fluctuations. Also, while the U.S. refusal to ratify the LOSC, has increased the legal uncertainties surrounding the management of ocean resources and reduced the, incentive to engage in exploration activities, the passage of the ISA's main legislative accomplishment, regarding regulation of the explorations for polymetallic nodules appear to have made a positive effect.     

GIS based ArcPRZM-3 model for bentazon leaching towards groundwater

Groundwater contamination due to pesticide applications on agricultural lands is of great environmental concern. The mathematical models help to understand the mechanism of pesticide leaching in soils towards groundwater. We developed a user-friendly model called ArcPRZM-3 by integrating widely used Pesticide Root Zone Model version 3 (PRZM-3) using Visual Basic and Geographic Information System (GIS) based Avenue programming. ArcPRZM-3 could be used to simulate pesticide leaching towards groundwater with user-friendly input interfaces coupled with databases of crops, soils and pesticides. The outputs from ArcPRZM-3 could be visualized in user-friendly formats of tables, charts and maps. In this study we evaluated ArcPRZM-3 model by simulating bentazon leaching in soil towards groundwater. ArcPRZM-3 was applied to 37 sites in Woodru County, Arkansas, USA to observe the daily average dissolved bentazon concentration for soybean, sorghum and rice at a depth of 1.8 m for a period of two years. Nineteen ranks of bentazon leaching potential were obtained using ArcPRZM-3 for all sites having di erent soil and crop combinations. ArcPRZM-3 simulation results for bentazon were compatible with the field monitored data in term of relative ranking and trend, although some uncertainties exist. This study indicated that macropore flow mechanism would be important in analyzing the e ect of irrigation on groundwater contamination due to pesticides. Overall, ArcPRZM-3 could be used to simulate pesticide leaching towards groundwater more e ciently and e ectively as compared to PRZM-3.     

Modeling and Mapping of Soil Salinity and Alkalinity Using Remote Sensing Data and Topographic Factors: a Case Study in Iran

Environmental Modeling & Assessment - Soil salinity and alkalinity seriously threaten crop production, soil productivity, and sustainable agriculture, especially in arid and semi-arid areas,...     

Lead redistribution in a mine soil treated with three manures and incubated at two different temperatures

The study of heavy metals’ redistribution between different fractions allows to know their bioavailability and mobility in soils. Soil samples were collected from a lead mine in Hamadan provinces, NW Iran. In a factorial experiment soil was treated with cow, sheep and poultry manures (20?g?kg^?1 soil) separately and incubated near field capacity at 10°C and 37°C. An untreated soil (as control) was also incubated at the same temperatures. After 0 and 120 days, a sequential extraction scheme was used to fractionate Pb of incubated samples into soluble-exchangeable (Sol-Exch), organic matter associated (AOM), carbonates associated (ACar), and residual (Res) forms. Soil Pb in Sol-Exch and AOM fractions were increased by manure application significantly. The AOM and ACar forms of Pb were higher in soils treated with the manures and incubated in lower temperature. In contrast, the Sol-Exch and Res chemical forms of Pb were higher in the soils incubated at 37°C. These results may be related to the higher calcium carbonate dissolution and organic matter decomposition because of better biological activity in the soils incubated in higher temperature. The increase of the Res fraction (stable form) in this condition may resulted in lower toxicity and mobility in soil environment.     

Cytotoxicity of single-walled carbon nanotubes,multi-walled carbon nanotubes,and chrysotile to human lung epithelial cells

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have found numerous applications in various industries. Recently, adverse effects of these materials on human and animal cells in vitro have been reported. In the present study, the cytotoxicity of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and chrysotile asbestos in human lung epithelial cells has been studied using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The cells were exposed for 6 h and 24 h to between 0.97 and 1500 μg mL^?1 of CNTs and chrysotile fibers prepared in two culture media containing 5% serum and 0.5% dimethylsulfoxide. Dose–response curves were obtained to determine the nonobservable adverse effect concentration and the half-maximum inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀). The way of dispersion affects the cytotoxicity of CNTs. For MWCNT, the toxicological indexes were lower than for SWCNT. Chrysotile fibers were even less cytotoxic than CNTs. Therefore, workplace control measures are recommended as priority for occupational and environmental conditions.     

The effects of soil properties and temperature on the adsorption isotherms of lead on some temperate and semiarid surface soils of Iran

Sorption of metal ions by soil and clay minerals is a complex process involving different mechanisms, and controlled by different variables that can interact. The aim of this work was to study the retention mechanisms of Pb ions on different soil samples. Surface soils were sampled from Guilan and Hamadan provinces in north and northwest of Iran with temperate and semiarid climates. The adsorption isotherms of Pb on the soils have been studied at 15, 27 and 37°C. The adsorption data for different soils were fitted into Langmuir and Freundlich models. Temperate soil samples had higher clay content, cation exchange capacity, dichromate (oxidable) organic carbon, total Kjeldahl-nitrogen, biological activity, amorphous and crystalline Fe and Al, but semiarid soil samples had higher sand content, pH, equivalent calcium carbonate, available P and K. Lead adsorption data obtained from semiarid soils against those obtained from temperate soils were better fitted in both Langmuir and Freundlich models. Langmuir constants Q ₀ for Pb adsorption in semiarid soils were considerably lower than those for Pb adsorption in temperate soils. However, the binding energy (K _L) of Pb and Freundlich constant n were higher for data of semiarid soils. The effect of temperature on the Pb adsorption was positive especially in temperate soils; however, soil properties had higher effects on Pb adsorption.     

Investigation of the Thermosensitive Nanosphere Polymer in Removing Organophosphorus Pesticides from Water and Its Isotherm Study (Case Study: Diazinon)

In this research, a novel thermosensitive nanosphere polymer (TNP) was synthesized by copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide with 3-allyloxy-1,2-propanediol for the removal of diazinon from water. The characterization of the synthesized adsorbent has been performed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, scanning electron microscopy and elemental analysis. Batch adsorption method was performed to investigate the influences of various parameters like pH, temperature and contact time on the adsorption of diazinon. The equilibrium adsorption data of diazinon by TNP was studied by Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Redlich–Peterson model. According to equilibrium adsorption results, the Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin constants were evaluated to be 0.912 (L/mg), 7.916 (mg/g) (L/mg)^1/n and 2.494 respectively at pH 7 and room temperature. Based on Redlich–Peterson model analysis, the equilibrium data for the adsorption of diazinon was conformed well to the Langmuir isotherm model. This method was successfully applied for removal of diazinon from environmental samples. Moreover, in reusing of TNP, the sorption capacity was maintained without any significant change after 10 cycles of sorption–desorption process.     

An uncertainty based multi-criteria ranking system for open pit mining cut-off grade strategy selection

Cut-off grade strategy (COGS) is a concept that directly influences the financial, technical, economical, and environmental issues in relation to the exploitation of a mineral resource. Despite the simple definition of cut-off grade, the COGS problem is one of the complex and complicated problems in the mine planning process. From the optimization point of view, the COGS with an objective of maximizing the present value of future cash flows is a non-linear and a non-convex problem that even in its deterministic form can be solved using approximate optimization methods. This optimization problem will also be more complex and complicated under uncertainty conditions. This paper proposes an uncertainty based multi-criteria ranking system to investigate the problem of COGS selection considering metal price and geological uncertainties. The proposed system aims at selection of the best COGS among technically feasible alternative COGSs under uncertainty circumstances. Our developed system is based on integrating metal price and geological uncertainties as well as operating flexibility to close the mine early. We incorporate this operating flexibility into the proposed system using a Monte Carlo based real options (RO) valuation model. For this purpose, in addition to the expected value, other risk criteria are considered to rank the alternatives. These risk criteria include abilities of strategies in producing extra profits, minimizing losses, and achieving the predefined goals of the production. In this study, the technically possible COGSs are generated using the Lane comprehensive algorithm. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed system, we utilize data of an Iranian gold mine. Results show that the proposed system outperforms conventional methods in the sense that it shows significantly lower average mis-ranking than the other methods and also selects a strategy with a higher value. The sensitivity analysis of the proposed system relative to the gold price shows that the system is highly dependent on the parameters of the stochastic process used to model the evolution of the metal price. Therefore, special consideration should be given in estimating stochastic process parameters.     

Insight into fluorescence properties of 14 selected toxic single-ring aromatic compounds in water: Experimental and DFT study

• The fluorescence peak location of 14 compounds interpreted at protein-like region. • The p-electron system inside aromatic ring contributes to the fluorophore region. • Functional group variation effects the emission spectra. • Decrease in quantum yield and increase in DE is due to atomic weight F>Cl>Br>I. • Theoretically results are in line with experimental ones. Various single-ring aromatic compounds in water sources are of great concern due to its hazardous impact on the environment and human health. The fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEMs) spectrophotometry is a useful method to identify organic pollutants in water. This study provides a detailed insight into the fluorescence properties of the 14 selected toxic single-ring aromatic compounds by experimental and theoretical analysis. The theoretical analysis were done with Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) and B3LYP/6-31G (d,p) basis set, whereas, Polarizable Continuum Model (PCM) was used to consider water as solvent. The selected compounds displayed their own specific excitation-emission (Ex/Em) wavelengths region, at Ex<280 nm and Em<340 nm, respectively. Whereas the theoretical Ex/Em was observed as, Ex at 240 nm–260 nm and Em at 255 nm–300 nm. Aniline as a strong aromatic base has longer Em (340 nm) than alkyl, carbonyl, and halogens substituted benzenes. The lone pair of electrons at amide substituent serves as a p-electron contributor into the aromatic ring, hence increasing the stability and transition energy, which results in longer emission and low quantum yield for the aniline. The fluorescence of halogenated benzenes illustrates an increase in the HOMO-LUMO energy gap and a decrease in quantum yield associated with atomic size (F>Cl>Br>I). In this study the theoretical results are in line with experimental ones. The understanding of fluorescence and photophysical properties are of great importance in the identification of these compounds in the water.     

Striving towards sustainable development: how environmental degradation and energy efficiency interact with health expenditures in SAARC countries

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The previous studies focused on environmental issues, identifying their root causes, urging prompt action to reduce environmental degradation. In this...