A multivariate approach for a comparison of big data matrices. Case study: thermo-hygrometric monitoring inside the Carcer Tullianum (Rome) in the absence and in the presence of visitors

In the last decades, the very fast improvement of the analytical instrumentation has led to the possibility of quickly and easily getting a lot of data; in turn, the need of advanced statistical methods suitable to extract the full information furnished by instruments has increased. Such kind of data treatments is particularly important in any case of continuous monitoring of one or more parameters, so the microclimate monitoring is a typical example for this application. Microclimate control is essential in the conservation of Cultural Heritage (CH), but decisions on optimal conservation parameters cannot base only on existing norms that do not take into account the environment’s history. Often CH has survived for many centuries in conditions that must be considered risky but also a stable state (equilibrium) resulting from a long adaptation process during which a more or less heavy damage occurred to the materials. Any successive change of microclimate parameters has interrupted this equilibrium conditions and has induced further damage to material until a new equilibrium is reached; dimension and frequency of changes are proportional to the expected damage. This thermodynamic consideration provides the background for a CH conservation project based on microclimate control and highlights the importance of environmental monitoring for the identification of equilibrium parameters to be maintained. In 2010, we monitored the microclimate of an important historical building in Rome, the Mamertino Carcer, before its opening to visitors. One year later, we repeated the monitoring in the presence of visitors, and here, we present a careful choice of multivariate data treatments adopted for an enough, simple and immediate evaluation of the microclimatic changes; this allows an easier understanding also for persons with not too deep scientific background, such as Superintendents and, in turn, really useful information to provide suggestions for a conservation project. Results evidenced the expected loss of isolation of the site that occurred by opening to visitors; this led to wider excursions of both temperature and relative humidity and, in turn, to a worsening of the conservative conditions. Surely, a monitoring of particulate matter, correlated to air fluxes and, in turn, to microclimate, is of fundamental importance for the conservation of frescoes and will be object of one of our future diagnostic interventions in the site.     

Arsenic uptake and speciation and the effects of phosphate nutrition in hydroponically grown kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum Hochst)

Background

This work focuses on the accumulation and mobility properties of arsenic (As) and the effects of phosphate (P) on its movement in Pennisetum clandestinum Hochst (kikuyu grass), grown hydroponically under increasing arsenate (As(V)) concentrations. The uptake of both ions and the relative kinetics show that phosphate is an efficient competitive inhibitor of As(V) uptake. The P/As uptake rate ratios in roots indicate that P is taken up preferentially by P/As transporters. An arsenite (As(III)) efflux from roots was also found, but this decreased when the arsenate concentration in the solution exceeded 5???M.

Methods

Increases in both arsenite and arsenate concentrations in roots were observed when the arsenate concentration in the solution was increased, and the highest accumulation of As(III) in roots was found when plants were grown at 5???M As(V). The low ratios of As accumulated in shoots compared to roots suggest limited mobility of the metalloid within Kikuyu plants.

Results

The results indicate that arsenic resistance in kikuyu grass in conditions of moderate exposure is mainly dependent on the following factors: 1) phosphate nutrition: P is an efficient competitive inhibitor of As(V) uptake because of the higher selectivity of membrane transporters with respect to phosphate rather than arsenate; and 2) a detoxification mechanism including a reduction in both arsenate and arsenite root efflux.

Conclusions

The As tolerance strategy of Kikuyu limits arsenate uptake and As translocation from roots to shoots; therefore, this plant cannot be considered a viable candidate for use in the phytoextraction of arsenic from contaminated soils or water.     

Environmental release and mass flux partitioning of PCDD/Fs during normal and transient operation of full scale waste to energy plants

The paper reports on global release and mass partitioning in the flux of residues of PCDD/Fs, evaluated with dedicated field campaigns at a municipal solid waste incineration plant during normal and transient operation. Results are compared with those obtained in other installations equipped with furnaces, energy recovery options and flue gas treatment technologies representative of most of the European incineration plants currently in operation. Levels of the pollutants of interest were determined in all the solid, liquid and gaseous residues produced by every single facility, and the results analysed in terms of the effects arising from the fed waste and the configuration of the plant. PCDD/Fs total release between 1.5 and 45 microg I-TEQ per ton of burned waste was evaluated, with lower values resulting from the adoption of catalytic conversion process for flue gas treatment. Most of the mass flux emitted is associated with solid residues deriving from activated carbon PCCD/F dry removal options, with significant contributions also from fly ash produced by particulate removal devices located immediately downstream the boiler and from scrubber blowdowns treatment sludge. During transient operating conditions the dioxin total release may increase by 50% with comparison to steady-state functioning.     

Degradation of cyprodinil, fludioxonil, cyfluthrin and pymetrozine on lettuce after different application methods

Degradation of two fungicides (cyprodinil and fludioxonil) and two insecticides (cyfluthrin and pymetrozine) applied on iceberg and romaine lettuce under field conditions with different methods (portable mistblower and chemigation) was studied field data showed that both distribution methods and lettuce cultivar affect the degradation trends of examined pesticides. In these trials the residues of all active ingredients after pre-harvest time were less than fifty's maximum residue levels; the values in the romaine cultivar were generally higher than those in iceberg lettuce. After pre-harvest time residues of pesticides applied on romaine lettuce by portable motor sprayer were always higher than those obtained by the chemigation system.     

Mapping Soil Gas Radon Concentration: A Comparative Study of Geostatistical Methods

Understanding soil gas radon spatial variations can allow the constructor of a new house to prevent radon gas flowing from the ground. Indoor radon concentration distribution depends on many parameters and it is difficult to use its spatial variation to assess radon potential. Many scientists use to measure outdoor soil gas radon concentrations to assess the radon potential. Geostatistical methods provide us a valuable tool to study spatial structure of radon concentration and mapping. To explore the structure of soil gas radon concentration within an area in south Italy and choice a kriging algorithm, we compared the prediction performances of four different kriging algorithms: ordinary kriging, lognormal kriging, ordinary multi-Gaussian kriging, and ordinary indicator cokriging. Their results were compared using an independent validation data set. The comparison of predictions was based on three measures of accuracy: (1) the mean absolute error, (2) the mean-squared error of prediction; (3) the mean relative error, and a measure of effectiveness: the goodness-of-prediction estimate. The results obtained in this case study showed that the multi-Gaussian kriging was the most accurate approach among those considered. Comparing radon anomalies with lithology and fault locations, no evidence of a strict correlation between type of outcropping terrain and radon anomalies was found, except in the western sector where there were granitic and gneissic terrain. Moreover, there was a clear correlation between radon anomalies and fault systems.     

Particulate matter characterization at a coastal site in south-eastern Italy

Several samples of airborne particulate matter (PM), collected from 6th November to 6th December 2003 at a coastal site in the south-east of Italy, have been analyzed by different techniques to characterize elemental composition and morphological properties of the inorganic PM fraction and obtain preliminary results on anthropogenic contributions. Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, V, Pb, Ti, Ca and Zn mass concentrations, evaluated by an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer, account for up to l% of the bulk PM mass in the investigated samples. According to geochemical calculations, Ca, Al, Fe and Mn are predominantly of crustal origin, while Cr, Cu, Pb, V, Ti and Zn heavy metals are of anthropogenic origin. Ion chromatography analyses have identified sulfate (SO(4)(2-)) nitrate (NO(3)(-)), sodium (Na(+)), and ammonium (NH(4)(+)) as the main ionic components accounting for up to 38% of the total PM mass and up to 90% of the total ionic mass. Besides ion chromatography, X-ray energy dispersive (EDX) microanalyses have revealed the high variability of Cl: its weight concentration varies from about 24% to below the detection limit (>or=0.5%) in the investigated samples. The marked anti-correlation between the excess of S and the Cl/Na ratio has allowed inferring that reactions between sea salt particles and acidic sulfates, which liberate HCl gas to the atmosphere leaving particles enriched in non-sea-salt sulfates, have significantly contributed to chloride depletion. Morphological analyses by scanning electron microscopy have shown that about 90% of the total sampled particles have a diameter 相似文献   

Augmented hydrogen production by gasification of ball milled polyethylene with Ca(OH)2 and Ni(OH)2

PE ball milling pretreatment induces higher H₂ production and purity by gasification. Ca(OH)₂ reacts at solid state with PE boosting H₂ and capturing CO₂. Ca(OH)₂ significantly reduces methanation side-reaction. Polymer thermal recycling for hydrogen production is a promising process to recover such precious element from plastic waste. In the present work a simple but efficacious high energy milling pre-treatment is proposed to boost H₂ generation during polyethylene gasification. The polymer is co-milled with calcium and nickel hydroxides and then it is subjected to thermal treatment. Results demonstrate the key role played by the calcium hydroxide that significantly ameliorates hydrogen production. It reacts in solid state with the polyethylene to form directly carbonate and hydrogen. In this way, the CO₂ is immediately captured in solid form, thus shifting the equilibrium toward H₂ generation and obtaining high production rate (>25 L/mol CH₂). In addition, high amounts of the hydroxide prevent excessive methane formation, so the gas product is almost pure hydrogen (~95%).     

First evidence of large-scale PAH trends in French soils

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread organic pollutants. Soils are a reservoir of PAHs because some soil constituents favour PAH accumulation. Therefore, soil is a key indicator of the degree of contamination. So far, studies mapping soil PAH levels over large territories are very rare. Here, we report the first nation-wide maps of soil PAHs in France. Results were obtained within the French National Soil Monitoring Network, which is the first European network monitoring systematically soil PAHs. We used advanced geostatistics to map PAH distribution over the whole French territory. Our results show clear trends of PAH levels at the nation scale. For instance, the highest PAH levels are found in Northern and Eastern France. This high contamination is explained by the intense industrial activity of these regions during the last century. High levels of PAH are also found near some coastlines. This observation could be explained by long-range atmospheric transportation. In addition, we found that light PAHs are rarely found in French topsoils.     

Lagrangian models of dispersion in marine environment

Turbulent dispersion can be studied successfully by using Lagrangian particle models. In general, the prediction of correct concentration fields is a complex issue when the turbulent field is inhomogeneous and non-stationary. Two classes of Lagrangian dispersion models have been considered in this work, which are based on the Wiener process and the so called “well-mixed” criterion. In order to test the performances of these models and shed light on the underlying physical processes and modeling assumptions, four different numerical models have been compared and tested by means of their long time behavior by considering several study cases concerning idealized marine environment. Furthermore, the coupling of the community model Princeton Ocean Model (POM) with the Lagrangian model LASEMOD (LAgrangian SEa MODel) is used to investigate the temporal and spatial evolution of a passive pollutant released in the vicinity of the coast in the Tyrrhenian Sea basin. The simulation shows with reasonable accuracy the time evolution of both the hydrodynamic and the concentration fields and provides a useful insight into the evaluation of the environmental impact of pollutant releases along the coast.