Comparative equilibrium studies of sorption of Pb(Ⅱ) ions by sodium and calcium alginate

The absorption of Pb(Ⅱ) ions from aqueous solution by different alginate compounds was studied in a batch sorption system.Water soluble sodium alginate and insoluble calcium alginate beads were investigated.The lead-binding capacity of both alginate compounds was highest within the pH range 6-8.The binding capacities and rates of Pb(lI) ions by alginate compounds were evaluated.The Langmuir,Freundlich,and Bruneaur,Emmet and Teller (BET) sorption models were applied to describe the isotherms and isotherm ...     

Effects of changes in climate on landscape and regional processes, and feedbacks to the climate system

Biological and physical processes in the Arctic system operate at various temporal and spatial scales to impact large-scale feedbacks and interactions with the earth system. There are four main potential feedback mechanisms between the impacts of climate change on the Arctic and the global climate system: albedo, greenhouse gas emissions or uptake by ecosystems, greenhouse gas emissions from methane hydrates, and increased freshwater fluxes that could affect the thermohaline circulation. All these feedbacks are controlled to some extent by changes in ecosystem distribution and character and particularly by large-scale movement of vegetation zones. Indications from a few, full annual measurements of CO2 fluxes are that currently the source areas exceed sink areas in geographical distribution. The little available information on CH4 sources indicates that emissions at the landscape level are of great importance for the total greenhouse balance of the circumpolar North. Energy and water balances of Arctic landscapes are also important feedback mechanisms in a changing climate. Increasing density and spatial expansion of vegetation will cause a lowering of the albedo and more energy to be absorbed on the ground. This effect is likely to exceed the negative feedback of increased C sequestration in greater primary productivity resulting from the displacements of areas of polar desert by tundra, and areas of tundra by forest. The degradation of permafrost has complex consequences for trace gas dynamics. In areas of discontinuous permafrost, warming, will lead to a complete loss of the permafrost. Depending on local hydrological conditions this may in turn lead to a wetting or drying of the environment with subsequent implications for greenhouse gas fluxes. Overall, the complex interactions between processes contributing to feedbacks, variability over time and space in these processes, and insufficient data have generated considerable uncertainties in estimating the net effects of climate change on terrestrial feedbacks to the climate system. This uncertainty applies to magnitude, and even direction of some of the feedbacks.     

Dual oil concentration estimates in ecologically sensitive zones

Propagation of the oil spilling from a damaged oil tanker is considered in a limited sea area. Direct and adjoint estimates of the average oil concentration in special zones are derived by using solutions of the 2-D main and adjoint oil transport problems, respectively. The dual estimates complement each other nicely in studying the oil spill consequences. While the direct estimates are preferable to get a comprehensive idea of the oil spill impact on the whole area, the adjoint ones are specially useful and economical when the accident site-dependence or/and the oil spill rate-dependence of the oil concentration is/are studied only in a few ecologically sensitive zones. Indeed, each adjoint estimate explicitly relates the average oil concentration in a zone to the oil spill rate using the adjoint solution values at the accident site. Being independent of the two parameters (the accident site and oil spill rate), the adjoint solution can be found for each zone regardless of a concrete accident and used repeatedly for various possible values of these parameters. Several examples explain how to decide between two estimates.Thanks to special boundary conditions, the main and adjoint problems are both well-posed according to Hadamard (1923). The dual estimates can be generalized to the three dimensions. The balanced, absolutely stable and compatibie main and adjoint 3-D numerical algorithms by Skiba (1993) can easily be adapted to the problem discussed here.     

Biofuel production,hydrogen production and water remediation by photocatalysis,biocatalysis and electrocatalysis

The energy crisis and environmental pollution have recently fostered research on efficient methods such as environmental catalysis to produce biofuel and to clean water. Environmental catalysis refers to green catalysts used to breakdown pollutants or produce chemicals without generating undesirable by-products. For example, catalysts derived from waste or inexpensive materials are promising for the circular economy. Here we review environmental photocatalysis, biocatalysis, and electrocatalysis, with focus on catalyst synthesis, structure, and applications. Common catalysts include biomass-derived materials, metal–organic frameworks, non-noble metals nanoparticles, nanocomposites and enzymes. Structure characterization is done by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller isotherm, thermogravimetry, X-ray diffraction and photoelectron spectroscopy. We found that water pollutants can be degraded with an efficiency ranging from 71.7 to 100%, notably by heterogeneous Fenton catalysis. Photocatalysis produced dihydrogen (H₂) with generation rate higher than 100 μmol h⁻¹. Dihydrogen yields ranged from 27 to 88% by methane cracking. Biodiesel production reached 48.6 to 99%.

     

COVID-19 pandemic: environmental and social factors influencing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in São Paulo,Brazil

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has infected more than 14 million people worldwide so far. Brazil is currently the second leading country in number of...     

Industrial pollution transport. Part 1. Formulation of the problem and air pollution estimates

A pollution transport problem is formulated in a limited area. As the pollution sources we take emissions from industrial plants. Physically and mathematically suitable conditions are prescribed on the open boundaries. We show that the problem (as well as its adjoint) is well posed in the sense that a weak solution exists, is unique and depends continuously on its data. Direct and adjoint estimates of the average pollution concentration in an ecologically important zone are given, and the sensitivity of these estimates to perturbations in model parameters is analyzed.     

DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF A MODFLOW PREPROCESSOR USING PERCOLATION THEORY FOR FRACTURED MEDIA1

ABSTRACT: The discrete heterogeneity of fracture distribution and hydraulic discontinuity are the primary difficulties in the modeling of flow in fractured media. The equivalent porous medium (EPM) approach, however, which has been frequently applied to simulate flow in fractured media due to its ease of use, ignores this. This practice results in some severe limitations such as hydraulic head averaging and an inability to handle preferred fluid pathways. The PMF package (a Preprocessor to MODFLOW for Fractured media) was developed employing percolation theory to address these limitations and to utilize the simplicity of the EPM approach at the same time. This preprocessor was applied to a fractured rock aquifer around Cranberry Lake in northern New Jersey. The calibration using hydraulic head observations, validation using water balance, and evaluation using residuals show that the model generated by the PMF package can provide a superior simulation of ground water flow to the EPM approach.     

Effects of seismic intensity and socioeconomic status on injury and displacement after the 2007 Peru earthquake

Earthquakes are a major cause of displacement, particularly in developing countries. Models of injury and displacement can be applied to assist governments and aid organisations in effectively targeting preparedness and relief efforts. A stratified cluster survey was conducted in January 2008 to evaluate risk factors for injury and displacement following the 15 August 2007 earthquake in southern Peru. In statistical modelling, seismic intensity, distance to rupture, living conditions, and educational attainment collectively explained 54.9 per cent of the variability in displacement rates across clusters. Living conditions was a particularly significant predictor of injury and displacement, indicating a strong relationship between risk and socioeconomic status. Contrary to expectations, urban, periurban, and rural clusters did not exhibit significantly different injury and displacement rates. Proxies of socioeconomic status, particularly the living conditions index score, proved relevant in explaining displacement, likely due to unmeasured aspects of housing construction practices and building materials.