Concentrations of Mn,Fe, Cu,Zn and Cd in the mesopelagic decapod Systellaspis debilis from the East Atlantic Ocean

Specimens of the oceanic decapod Systellaspis debilis were collected from six sites in the East Atlantic Ocean between 1970 and 1984, and were analysed for Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn and Cd. The data confirm that there are small but significant differences in mean metal concentrations from some sites which showed no obvious pattern in relation to geographic location of the samples. As a result, ranges of site means are quoted as baseline levels for each metal (g g^-1 dry wt): 2.3 to 2.9 g Mn g^-1, 31.2 to 77.8 g Fe g^-1, 25.9 to 83.4 g Cu g^-1, 41.9 to 92.9 gZn g^-1, 11.1 to 31.8 g Cd g^-1. The concentration of cadmium in S. debilis from all sites was raised relative to cadmium concentrations reported for coastal decapods, perhaps as a result of dietary enrichment. Metal accumulation may provide useful information for understanding the complex feeding behaviour of many oceanic animals.     

Modeling methane oxidation in landfill cover soils as indicator of functional stability with respect to gas management

A performance-based method for evaluating methane (CH₄) oxidation as the best available control technology (BACT) for passive management of landfill gas (LFG) was applied at a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in central Washington, USA, to predict when conditions for functional stability with respect to LFG management would be expected. The permitted final cover design at the subject landfill is an all-soil evapotranspirative (ET) cover system. Using a model, a correlation between CH₄ loading flux and oxidation was developed for the specific ET cover design. Under Washington’s regulations, a MSW landfill is functionally stable when it does not present a threat to human health or the environment (HHE) at the relevant point of exposure (POE), which was conservatively established as the cover surface. Approaches for modeling LFG migration and CH₄ oxidation are discussed, along with comparisons between CH₄ oxidation and biodegradation of non-CH₄ organic compounds (NMOCs). The modeled oxidation capacity of the ET cover design is 15 g/m²/day under average climatic conditions at the site, with 100% oxidation expected on an annual average basis for fluxes up to 8 g/m²/day. This translates to a sitewide CH₄ generation rate of about 260 m³/hr, which represents the functional stability target for allowing transition to cover oxidation as the BACT (subject to completion of a confirmation monitoring program). It is recognized that less than 100% oxidation might occur periodically if climate and/or cover conditions do not precisely match the model, but that residual emissions during such events would be de minimis in comparison with published limit values. Accordingly, it is also noted that nonzero net emissions may not represent a threat to HHE at a POE (i.e., a target flux between 8 and 15 g/m²/day might be appropriate for functional stability) depending on the site reuse plan and distance to potential receptors.

Implications: This study provides a scientifically defensible method for estimating when methane oxidation in landfill cover soils may represent the best available control technology for residual landfill gas (LFG) emissions. This should help operators and regulators agree on the process of safely eliminating active LFG controls in favor of passive control measures once LFG generation exhibits asymptotic trend behavior below the oxidation capacity of the soil. It also helps illustrate the potential benefits of evolving landfill designs to include all-soil vegetated evapotranspirative (ET) covers that meet sustainability objectives as well as regulatory performance objectives for infiltration control.     

The concept of light intensity adaptation in marine phytoplankton: Some experiments with Phaeodactylum tricornutum

The historical background on adaptation of algae to various light intensities is analysed. It is argued that there is little evidence to suggest that previous growth at low light intensities enhances the ability of an alga to utilize these low light levels. Rather, the published evidence suggests that the most general response to growth at sub-optimal light intensities is a reduced ability to utilize saturating levels. The present experiments with Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin have tested this concept of light intensity adaptation. Changing photosynthetic abilities during batch growth depended on the light intensity used for growth and these changes affected interpretations of the data. When measurements were made intensities appeared to photosynthesize (at all intensities) better than did those grown at higher light levels. When the changes during batch growth were taken into account, or when the alga was grown in turbidostat cultures, a different picture was obtained. Growth at reduced light intensities was accompanied by (a) increased chlorophyll content, (b) decreased rate of light-saturated photosynthesis expressed on a chlorophyll, cell number or cell protein basis, and (c) decreased activity of RuDP carboxylase. One result suggested that growth at a suboptimal light intensity did enhance the ability to utilize lower light levels. The light-saturation curve of cells grown in batch culture at 0.7 klux showed higher slopes at the low light intensities than did those grown at 12 klux. This was most marked when photosynthesis was expressed per cell, but was also apparent when it was put on a per chlorophyll basis.     

Canadian Activities in Ambient Air Quality Criteria and Development of Standards

Within recent years, increasing attention has been directed to the determination of contaminant levels in urban and industrial areas involving particulate matter (dustfall, suspended matter and smoke), sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, fluorides, ozone or oxidant, oxides of nitrogen and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. However, with regard to criteria and evaluation of effects, none of these pollutants has been studied as thoroughly as sulfur dioxide. Presently, three provinces in Canada have adopted acts or regulations dealing with the control of air pollution. The Ontario Act, passed in 1958 and amended in 1963 and 1964, is the most comprehensive in scope. The Damage by Fumes Arbitration Act of Ontario provides for the awarding of compensation where crops, trees or other vegetation is damaged by sulfur fumes arising from the smelting or roasting of nickel-copper ore or iron ore or from the treatment of sulfides for the production of sulfur of sulfuric acid for commercial purposes. Regulations have also been enacted in Manitoba and Alberta. A provincial act is under consideration in Saskatchewan.     

Dynamic subsurface explosive vapor concentrations: Observations and implications

Conventional vapor intrusion characterization efforts can be challenging due to background indoor air constituents, preferential subsurface migration pathways, sampling access, and collection method limitations. While it has been recognized that indoor air concentrations are dynamic, until recently it was assumed by many practitioners that subsurface concentrations did not vary widely over time. Newly developed continuous monitoring platforms have been deployed to monitor subsurface concentrations of methane, carbon dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, total volatile organic constituents, and atmospheric pressure. These systems have been integrated with telemetry, geographical information systems, and geostatistical algorithms for automatically generating two‐ and three‐dimensional contour images and time‐stamped renderings and playback loops of sensor attributes, and multivariate analyses through a cloud‐based project management platform. The objectives at several selected sites included continuous monitoring of vapor concentrations and related physical parameters to understand explosion risks over space and time and to then design a long‐term risk reduction strategy. High‐frequency data collection, processing, and automated visualization have resulted in greater understanding of natural processes, such as dynamic contaminant vapor intrusion risk conditions potentially influenced by localized barometric pumping. For instance, contemporaneous changes in methane, oxygen, and atmospheric pressure values suggest there is interplay and that vapor intrusion risk may not be constant. As a result, conventional single‐event and composite assessment technologies may not be capable of determining worst‐case risk scenarios in all cases, possibly leading to misrepresentation of receptor and explosion risks. While dynamic risk levels have been observed in several initial continuous monitoring applications, questions remain regarding whether these situations represent special cases and how best to determine when continuous monitoring should be required. Results from a selected case study are presented and implications derived. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Improved methodology to assess modification and completion of landfill gas management in the aftercare period

Municipal solid waste landfills represent the dominant option for waste disposal in many parts of the world. While some countries have greatly reduced their reliance on landfills, there remain thousands of landfills that require aftercare. The development of cost-effective strategies for landfill aftercare is in society’s interest to protect human health and the environment and to prevent the emergence of landfills with exhausted aftercare funding. The Evaluation of Post-Closure Care (EPCC) methodology is a performance-based approach in which landfill performance is assessed in four modules including leachate, gas, groundwater, and final cover. In the methodology, the objective is to evaluate landfill performance to determine when aftercare monitoring and maintenance can be reduced or possibly eliminated. This study presents an improved gas module for the methodology. While the original version of the module focused narrowly on regulatory requirements for control of methane migration, the improved gas module also considers best available control technology for landfill gas in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, and emissions of odoriferous compounds. The improved module emphasizes the reduction or elimination of fugitive methane by considering the methane oxidation capacity of the cover system. The module also allows for the installation of biologically active covers or other features designed to enhance methane oxidation. A methane emissions model, CALMIM, was used to assist with an assessment of the methane oxidation capacity of landfill covers.     

Innovative use of a pressure‐pulse injection tool to increase transmissivity in a collection trench

Pressure‐pulse injection tools are widely used in the oil and gas extraction industry to increase well production yields; however, they have been sparingly used in the environmental industry. These injection tools work by applying a pressure pulse to the subsurface that can open subsurface pore throats in unconsolidated material, increasing yields or increasing a radius of influence from a substrate injection. Collection trenches at an industrial site were installed to increase recovery of No. 2 fuel oil in the subsurface and maintain hydraulic control of the contaminant plume. However, after operating for seven years, significant reduction in recovery was observed. Diminished recovery was attributed to biofouling, iron fouling, and/or excessive scaling. A pilot test was conducted in 2009 to determine if a pressure‐pulse injection tool could be used to inject an antifouling agent and rehabilitate two of the site collection trenches. The pilot test was successful in increasing the transmissivity of both trenches, with an order‐of‐magnitude increase in groundwater recovery at Collection Trench 1 and a 50 percent increase in recovery at Collection Trench 2. The trench rehabilitation using the pressure‐pulse injection tool was conducted at two other site collection trenches in 2010 with similar success and is now proposed as part of regular maintenance of the trenches on an as‐needed basis. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Continuous Determination of Carbon Monoxide and Hydrocarbons in Air by a Modified Infrared Analyzer

The original goals of this project¹ were to establish the shape of a smoke curve for fine suspended particulates in New York City comparable to the International Smoke Curve used in British and other European practice, and to relate two commonly used reporting units of surface concentration, μg/m³ (European practice) and Coh/1000 lineal feet (United States practice), to each other. While not directly a goal of the project, it was essential in the course of work to study the relationship between particulate density readings taken for one hour and two hour sampling periods. Progress toward achievement of these goals is presented in the following pages.