The combination of concentrated solar power–chemical looping air separation (CSP-CLAS) with an oxy-fuel combustion process for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture is a novel system to generate electricity from solar power and biomass while being able to store solar power efficiently. In this study, the computer program Advanced System for Process Engineering Plus (ASPEN Plus) was used to develop models to assess the process performance of such a process with manganese (Mn)-based oxygen carriers on alumina (Al2O3) support for a location in the region of Seville in Spain, using real solar beam irradiance and electricity demand data. It was shown that the utilisation of olive tree prunings (Olea europaea) as the fuel—an agricultural residue produced locally—results in negative CO2 emissions (a net removal of CO2 from the atmosphere). Furthermore, it was found that the process with an annual average electricity output of 18 MW would utilise 2.43% of Andalusia’s olive tree prunings, thereby capturing 260.5 k-tonnes of CO2, annually. Drawbacks of the system are its relatively high complexity, a significant energy penalty in the CLAS process associated with the steam requirements for the loop-seal fluidisation, and the gas storage requirements. Nevertheless, the utilisation of agricultural residues is highly promising, and given the large quantities produced globally (~?4 billion tonnes/year), it is suggested that other novel processes tailored to these fuels should be investigated, under consideration of a future price on CO2 emissions, integration potential with a likely electricity grid system, and based on the local conditions and real data.
Many administrative jurisdictions have authority over parts of the Great Lakes, sometimes with competing purposes as well as governance at differing scales of time and space. As demand increases for high quality information that is relevant to environmental managers, environmental and natural resource agencies with limited budgets must look to interdisciplinary, collaborative approaches for the collection, analysis and reporting of data. The State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conferences (SOLEC) were begun in 1994 in response to reporting requirements of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between Canada and the U.S. The biennial conferences provide independent, science-based reporting on the state of health of the Great Lakes ecosystem components. A suite of indicators necessary and sufficient to assess Great Lakes ecosystem status was introduced in 1998, and assessments based on a subset of the indicators were presented in 2000. Because SOLEC is a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional reporting venue, the SOLEC indicators require acceptance by a broad spectrum of stakeholders in the Great Lakes basin. The SOLEC indicators list is expected to provide the basis for government agencies and other organizations to collaborate more effectively and to allocate resources to data collection, evaluation and reporting on the state of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem. 相似文献
The degradation and corresponding product manifold for the pesticide fipronil was determined in three replicate estuarine mesocosms. Aqueous fipronil concentrations rapidly decreased over the 672 h timescale of the experiment (95% removal). Loss was apparently first-order in fipronil, although there appeared to be a change in the removal mechanism after 96 h that corresponded to a dramatic slowdown in its disappearance. The reduction product of fipronil, fipronil sulfide, was not detected in the water column; however, it formed rapidly in sediments and was identified as the major product of fipronil degradation in the system (20% yield at 672 h, with respect to initial fipronil concentration). Fipronil sulfone is thought to form primarily via biological oxidation; and, although it was generated rapidly in the water column (10% yield), only trace amounts were detected in the sediment (1% yield). The direct photolysis product of fipronil, fipronil desulfinyl, was present in all samples; it formed rapidly in the water column (4% yield) and partitioned into the sediment phase (7% yield) over the course of the experiment. The mass balance on fipronil and associated products was 42% at 672 h. 相似文献
The purpose of this studywas to determine status and long-term trends of dissolved oxygen concentrations (DO) in Corpus Christi Bay, Texas, U.S.A. A 20-year record of randomized stations was used to determine the trend of surface water DO, salinity, and temperature over space and time. A 13-year record of two fixed stations was used to determine the temporal nutrient trends. A 10-year record of fixed stations in the southeastern region of Corpus Christi Bay was used to determine the status of disturbance caused by low DO in bottom waters. From 1982 to 2002, there was a significant decrease in surface water DO at a rate of 0.06 mg L−1 yr−1 and a significant increase in surface water temperature at a rate of 0.07°C yr−1. The southeastern region of Corpus Christi Bay had the lowest average DO, and during July and August, DO are steadily declining at a rate of 0.09 mg L−1 yr−1. It is not likely that eutrophication is causing hypoxia, because freshwater inflow rates have significantly decreased since 1941 and nutrient levels have not changed from 1987 to 2000. Even though long-term trends indicate that average surface DO is decreasing, disturbance by hypoxia appears to be stable, but this may be due to just eight years of data. In fact, if the current trend continues, surface water DO will not meet exceptional aquatic life standards (≤5 mgL−1) in 2032. 相似文献
To assess the concern over declining base cation levels in forest soils caused by acid deposition, input-output budgets (1990s
average) for sulphate (SO4), inorganic nitrogen (NO3-N; NH4-N), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K) were synthesised for 21 forested catchments from 17 regions in Canada,
the United States and Europe. Trend analysis was conducted on monthly ion concentrations in deposition and runoff when more
than 9 years of data were available (14 regions, 17 sites). Annual average SO4 deposition during the 1990s ranged between 7.3 and 28.4 kg ha−1 per year, and inorganic nitrogen (N) deposition was between 2.8 and 13.8 kg ha−1 per year, of which 41–67% was nitrate (NO3-N). Over the period of record, SO4 concentration in deposition decreased in 13/14 (13 out of 14 total) regions and SO4 in runoff decreased at 14/17 catchments. In contrast, NO3-N concentrations in deposition decreased in only 1/14 regions, while NH4-N concentration patterns varied; increasing at 3/14 regions and decreasing at 2/14 regions. Nitrate concentrations in runoff
decreased at 4/17 catchments and increased at only 1 site, whereas runoff levels of NH4-N increased at 5/17 catchments. Decreasing trends in deposition were also recorded for Ca, Mg, and K at many of the catchments
and on an equivalent basis, accounted for up to 131% (median 22%) of the decrease in acid anion deposition. Base cation concentrations
in streams generally declined over time, with significant decreases in Ca, Mg and K occurring at 8, 9 and 7 of 17 sites respectively,
which accounted for up to 133% (median 48%) of the decrease in acid anion concentration. Sulphate export exceeded input at
18/21 catchments, likely due to dry deposition and/or internal sources. The majority of N in deposition (31–100%; median 94%)
was retained in the catchments, although there was a tendency for greater NO3-N leaching at sites receiving higher (<7 kg ha-1 per year) bulk inorganic N deposition. Mass balance calculations show that export of Ca and Mg in runoff exceeds input at
all 21 catchments, but K export only exceeds input at 16/21 sites. Estimates of base cation weathering were available for
18 sites. When included in the mass balance calculation, Ca, Mg and K exports exceeded inputs at 14, 10 and 2 sites respectively.
Annual Ca and Mg losses represent appreciable proportions of the current exchangeable soil Ca and Mg pools, although losses
at some of the sites likely occur from weathering reactions beneath the rooting zone and there is considerable uncertainty
associated with mineral weathering estimates. Critical loads for sulphur (S) and N, using a critical base cation to aluminium
ratio of 10 in soil solution, are currently exceeded at 7 of the 18 sites with base cation weathering estimates. Despite reductions
in SO4 and H+ deposition, mass balance estimates indicate that acid deposition continues to acidify soils in many regions with losses of
Ca and Mg of primary concern.
The U.S. Government's right to retain a non-exclusive, royalty free licence in and to any copyright is acknowledged.
The Canadian Crown reserves the right to retain a non-exclusive, royalty free licence in and to any copyright. 相似文献
In 1988, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, along withthe University of Iowa, conducted the Statewide Rural WellWater Survey, commonly known as SWRL. A total of 686private rural drinking water wells was selected by use of aprobability sample and tested for pesticides and nitrate. A subsetof these wells, the 10% repeat wells, were additionally sampledin October, 1990 and June, 1991. Starting in November, 1991,the University of Iowa, with sponsorship from the United StatesEnvironmental Protection Agency, revisited the 10% repeat wellsto begin a study of the temporal variability of atrazine and nitratein wells. Other wells, which had originally tested positive foratrazine in SWRL but were not in the 10% population, wereadded to the study population. Temporal sampling for a year-long period began in February of 1992 and concluded in Januaryof 1993. All wells were sampled monthly, a subset was sampledweekly, and a second subset was sampled for 14 day consecutiveperiods. Of the 67 wells in the 10% population tested monthly,7 (10.4%) tested positive for atrazine at least once during theyear, and 3 (4%) were positive each of the 12 months. Theaverage concentration in the 7 wells was 0.10 µg/L. Fornitrate, 15 (22%) wells in the 10% repeat population monthlysampling were above the Maximum Contaminant Level of 10 mg/L at least once. This paper, the second of two papers on thisstudy, describes the analysis of data from the survey. The firstpaper (Lorber et al., 1997) reviews the study design, theanalytical methodologies, and development of the data base. 相似文献
This paper presents a review of the fast developing subject of environmental auditing with the authors proposing a series of definitions. Of particular concern is a move towards the development of an accepted vocabulary for environmental impact assessment, even though the international dimension of the subject makes this a difficult task. Use of the word audit has become an accepted part of EIA vocabulary, however there are several types of audits being undertaken today. Presently, there are no commonly accepted definitions, consequently this paper will attempts to address this issue. Definitions for seven types of environmental audits are suggested, derived from the experience of the authors and from a review of the current literature. It is hoped that by the presentation of these definitions that such terms will be advocated for future EIA work, and thereby reducing confusion that otherwise may occur. The paper concludes with a brief review of the status of auditing. 相似文献