Impacts of Climate Change on Hydrology and Water Resources in the Boise and Spokane River Basins1

Jin, Xin and Venkataramana Sridhar, 2012. Impacts of Climate Change on Hydrology and Water Resources in the Boise and Spokane River Basins. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(2): 197‐220. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00605.x Abstract: In the Pacific Northwest, warming climate has resulted in a lengthened growing season, declining snowpack, and earlier timing of spring runoff. This study characterizes the impact of climate change in two basins in Idaho, the Spokane River and the Boise River basins. We simulated the basin‐scale hydrology by coupling the downscaled precipitation and temperature outputs from a suite of global climate models and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), between 2010 and 2060 and assess the impacts of climate change on water resources in the region. For the Boise River basin, changes in precipitation ranged from ?3.8 to 36%. Changes in temperature were expected to be between 0.02 and 3.9°C. In the Spokane River region, changes in precipitation were expected to be between ?6.7 and 17.9%. Changes in temperature appeared between 0.1 and 3.5°C over a period of the next five decades between 2010 and 2060. Without bias‐correcting the simulated streamflow, in the Boise River basin, change in peak flows (March through June) was projected to range from ?58 to +106 m³/s and, for the Spokane River basin, the range was expected to be from ?198 to +88 m³/s. Both the basins exhibited substantial variability in precipitation, evapotranspiration, and recharge estimates, and this knowledge of possible hydrologic impacts at the watershed scale can help the stakeholders with possible options in their decision‐making process.     

Evidence for the inhibitory effects of silver nanoparticles on the activities of soil exoenzymes

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are well known to have antimicrobial ability, but very little is known about the effect of AgNPs on soil exoenzyme activities, which reflect the potential of a soil to support biochemical processes. This study provides evidence of the inhibitory effects of AgNPs on the activities of soil exoenzymes. Six exoenzymes related to nutrient cycles (urease, acid phosphatase, arylsulfatase, β-glucosidase) and the overall microbial activity (dehydrogenase, fluorescein diacetate hydrolase) were tested in soils treated with AgNPs (1, 10, 100 and 1000 μg g(-1)) and silver ion (0.035, 0.175, 0.525, 1 and 1.5 μg g(-1)). AgNPs were capable of inhibiting the activities of all the exoenzymes tested in this study. Especially, the urease and dehydrogenase activities were significantly related to the presence of AgNPs. The effects of silver ions dissolved from the AgNPs were not significant, indicating the adverse effects caused by AgNPs themselves. This study suggested that AgNPs negatively affect soil exoenzyme activities, with the urease activity especially sensitive to AgNPs.     

Degradation of o-toluidine by fluidized-bed Fenton process: statistical and kinetic study

Background, aim, and scope  

The optimal conditions of o-toluidine degradation by fluidized-bed Fenton process were determined using Box–Behnken designs (BBD). The BBD can be used to find the optimal conditions in multivariable systems. The optimal conditions obtained by the design were further applied in the kinetic analysis of o-toluidine oxidation in fluidized-bed Fenton process.     

聚环氧琥珀酸萃取锰泥残渣中铬的研究

聚环氧琥珀酸(PESA)是一种具有无磷及非氮结构、环境友好型水溶性聚合物,且具有螯合多价金属阳离子的性能和可生物降解性的特征,选取其作为锰泥残渣中铬的螯合萃取剂,研究了不同pH、螯合萃取剂剂量、搅拌时间下PESA对铬的萃取率。结果表明:(1)最佳萃取条件为pH=4、PESA剂量30mg/g、搅拌时间60min;在最佳萃取条件下,铬的萃取率可达95%。(2)从结构上看,PESA是由醚基和羧基基团组成的高分子聚合物,羧基基团是与金属离子作用的主要官能团,它对Ca2+、Mg2+、Zn2+、Cr(Ⅲ)、Cr(Ⅵ)和Pb2+等有较强的螯合能力;从溶液的配位角度看,PESA与金属有较强的结合能力。因此,PESA对锰泥残渣中的铬有萃取作用。     

垃圾渗滤液发酵产氢和产甲烷特性研究

以实际垃圾渗滤液作为厌氧发酵基质,研究了初始pH为7.0、中温(37℃)条件下的发酵产氢、产甲烷特性。结果表明,利用垃圾渗滤液作为基质发酵产氢或甲烷时,氢气的最大累积产量为24.33mL(以每克COD计,下同),甲烷的最大累积产量为91.59mL,产氢发酵在初期存在明显的迟滞期,但是产甲烷发酵不存在明显迟滞期;产氢发酵的液相末端产物中含有大量的挥发性有机酸和乙醇,乙醇、乙酸、丁酸质量浓度分别为487.23、1 175.21、1 225.78mg/L,相比产氢发酵,产甲烷发酵的液相末端产物中乙醇、乙酸、丁酸质量浓度均较低,分别为256.38、106.73、107.42mg/L;产甲烷发酵的最终pH是6.32,接近中性,而产氢发酵的最终pH为4.21,呈明显酸性;产甲烷发酵对COD的去除率(41.78%)高于产氢发酵对COD的去除率(32.14%),可能是产氢发酵液相末端产物中的乙酸能被产甲烷菌利用,而被进一步降解。     

改性酚醛基炭泡沫的表面结构及脱硫脱硝

采用前驱体改性的方法,以CuCl2、FeCl2和MgCl2为改性剂,制备出改性酚醛泡沫,经炭化/活化得到改性酚醛基炭泡沫。研究了不同金属对酚醛基炭泡沫表面物理与化学特性的影响,并进行同时脱硫脱硝实验研究。通过研究发现,添加CuCl2的样品比添加FeCl2、MgCl2的样品的中孔孔容大接近10倍;比表面积和孔容是CFCu>CF0>CFFe>CFMg;金属改性剂主要以金属和金属氧化物的形式存在于酚醛基炭泡沫中,而表面其他官能团大体结构不变。经CuCl2、FeCl2和MgCl2改性后,脱硫效率分别提高了39%、11%和13%,脱硝效率分别提高了19%、10%和4%,其中以CuCl2改性的酚醛基炭泡沫的效率最高。     

简单芽孢杆菌产高效微生物絮凝剂

通过从绿化植物根际土壤和污水处理厂的活性污泥中分离筛选絮凝剂产生菌,得到一株稳定高效的微生物絮凝剂产生菌PS1,根据形态学特征、生理生化实验以及16S rDNA序列分析将其鉴定为简单芽孢杆菌(Bacillus simplex)。对菌株PS1产生絮凝剂的最佳培养时间、絮凝活性分布以及pH、CaCl2、絮凝剂投量对絮凝效果的影响进行了研究,并考察了其对实际废水的絮凝效果。结果表明,菌株PS1产絮凝剂的最佳培养时间为36 h,产生的絮凝活性物质全部存在于发酵液离心后的上清液中;当pH为7.0～8.5、CaC12投量为0.25～0.35 g/L、发酵液投加量的体积分数为1.5%～2.5%时,菌株PS1发酵液对4 g/L的高岭土悬浊液的絮凝效果最佳,絮凝率达到97%。菌株PS1所产絮凝剂对城市污水、啤酒废水、淀粉废水、医院废水的絮凝率可达90%以上。     

“地球工程”作为减缓气候变化手段的几个关键问题

减缓气候变化可以在大的地理尺度上以工程技术手段来实施。地球工程包括所有能源生产和消费以外的、不涉及工业生产过程管理的,在较大的地球尺度或规模上,去除大气中的CO2或直接控制太阳辐射而降温的各种人为的工程技术手段,主要包括三大类:绿色生物技术手段、碳捕获与埋存技术和太阳光辐射额度控制管理技术。这一类地球工程手段有着一系列经济、技术、环境、伦理、安全和不确定性含义。本文就近年来国际上关于地球工程作为减缓气候变化可能技术选择的几个关键问题开展了分析和讨论,涉及概念界定、技术特点、可能影响、治理构架等。作者认为,对于直接作用于碳的地球工程手段,如绿色生物技术手段和碳捕获与埋存技术,风险小、可操控;太阳光辐管理技术,通过人为排放到大气的SO2和气溶胶等的降温效应,来控制地球气温的上升,尽管使用的经济成本可能不高,具有实际操作可能,但其巨大的不确定性和可能的安全含义,需要引起足够的重视。从伦理上看,当代人是否有权来开展太阳光辐管理技术这类具有巨大科学不确定性的地球工程存在争议,在科学不确定的情况下采取任何行动,就失去了伦理学基础。从法律上看,人工干预太阳辐射,即使是科学实验或研究,由于其影响超出了国界,超出了当代人,也超出了人类社会,如果有人采取行动,也存在法律依据上的质疑。人工干预太阳辐射的研究和实施,需要一个国际治理构架。为了防止其他国家单独行动,需要"相互约束"的治理构架——"自我约束"以换取他国同意"自我约束"。鉴于气候变化和光辐管理在科学上的不确定性,目前不宜实施,短期内也不会提上议事日程。太阳光辐管理技术影响的复杂性和气候变化风险的迫切性,需要我们加大科学研究力度,为科学决策提供依据。中国作为一个新兴经济体,世界第一大CO2排放国,地域空间气候条件存在巨大差异性。从减排成本的角度,从气候影响的空间差异性,开展地球工程的科学研究,有着科学、政策和国际气候外交的积极意义。但是,相关的科学研究需要国际制度构架。由于气候变化框架公约及其谈判尚未涉及,需要开展系统科学、技术、经济、法律和国家安全等方面的相关研究,提高科学认知度,为国际谈判和政策选择提供决策依据。     

三元乙丙橡胶超细纤维复合膜的制备及其截留性能

以四氢呋喃和N,N-二甲基甲酰胺为溶剂,配制三元乙丙橡胶(EPDM)纺丝液,通过静电纺丝技术制备了EPDM超细纤维,进而以聚偏氟乙烯(PVDF)微滤膜为基膜制备了EPDM超细纤维复合膜。采用红外光谱(FTIR)和扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对EPDM超细纤维的结构和形态进行了表征。考察了复合膜对苯乙烯废水的截留效果和复合膜通量的变化情况。实验结果表明:EPDM超细纤维具有类似无纺布形式的多孔纤维网状结构,其直径在0.2~2.0μm之间;复合膜在操作压力为0.1MPa的条件下,处理质量浓度为100μg/mL的模拟苯乙烯废水,膜通量约为5.90mL/(cm2.h),苯乙烯去除率可达89.7%。     

Properties of alkali-activated systems with stone powder sludge

This article investigates the effects of stone powder sludge on the microstructure and strength development of alkali-activated fly ash and blast furnace slag mixes. Stone powder sludge produced from a crushed aggregate factory was used to replace fly ash and granulated blast furnace slag at replacement ratios of 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% by mass. The unit weight and compressive strength of the samples were measured, and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were performed. The test results indicated that the compressive strength of alkali-activated blast furnace slag mixes using stone powder sludge was higher than that of the alkali-activated blast furnace slag control mix, but the compressive strength of alkali-activated fly ash mixes decreased with increasing replacement ratio of stone powder sludge. Microscopy results indicated that for alkaliactivated blast furnace slag samples, broken surfaces were more evident than for the alkali-activated fly ash samples. For all XRD diagrams, broad and diffuse peaks were observed around 2θ = 35° (d = 2.96–3.03 Å), implying amorphous or short-ordering structure phases.