Assessing sorbents for mercury control in coal-combustion flue gas

Sorbent injection for Hg control is one of the most promising technologies for reducing Hg emissions from power-generation facilities, particularly units that do not require wet scrubbers for SO2 control. Since 1992, EPRI has been assessing the performance of Hg sorbents in pilot-scale systems installed at full-scale facilities. The initial tests were conducted on a 5,000-acfm (142-m3/min) pilot baghouse. Screening potential sorbents at this scale required substantial resources for installation and operation and did not provide an opportunity to characterize sorbents over a wide temperature range. Data collected in the laboratory and in field tests indicate that sorbents are affected by flue gas composition and temperature. Tests carried out in actual flue gas at a number of power plants also have shown that sorbent performance can be site-specific. In addition, data collected at a field site often are different from data collected     

Application of the tracer-aerosol gradient interpretive technique to sulfur attribution for the big bend regional aerosol and visibility observational study

A simple data analysis method called the Tracer-Aerosol Gradient Interpretive Technique (TAGIT) is used to attribute particulate S and SO2 at Big Bend National Park in Texas and nearby areas to local and regional sources. Particulate S at Big Bend is of concern because of its effects on atmospheric visibility. The analysis used particulate S, SO2, and perfluorocarbon tracer data from six 6-hr sampling sites in and near Big Bend National Park. The data were collected in support of the Big Bend Regional Aerosol and Visibility Observational (BRAVO) Study; the field portion was conducted from July through October 1999. Perfluorocarbon tracer was released continuously from a tower at Eagle Pass, TX, approximately 25 km northeast of two large coal-fired power plants (Carbon I and II) in Coahuila, Mexico, and approximately 270 km east-southeast of Big Bend National Park. The perfluorocarbon tracer did not properly represent the location of the emissions from the Carbon power plants for individual 6-hr sampling periods and attributed only 3% of the particulate S and 27% of the SO2 at the 6-hr sites in and near Big Bend to sources represented by the tracer. An alternative approach using SO2 to tag "local" sources such as the Carbon plants attributed 10% of the particulate S and 75% of the SO2 at the 6-hr sites to local sources. Based on these two approaches, most of the regional (65-86%) and a small fraction (19-31%) of the local SO2 was converted to particulate S. The analysis implies that substantial reductions in particulate S at Big Bend National Park cannot be achieved by only reducing emissions from the Carbon power plants; reduction of emissions from many sources over a regional area would be necessary.     

Aerosol particle number concentration measurements in five European cities using TSI-3022 condensation particle counter over a three-year period during health effects of air pollution on susceptible subpopulations

In this study, long-term aerosol particle total number concentration measurements in five metropolitan areas across Europe are presented. The measurements have been carried out in Augsburg, Barcelona, Helsinki, Rome, and Stockholm using the same instrument, a condensation particle counter (TSI model 3022). The results show that in all of the studied cities, the winter concentrations are higher than the summer concentrations. In Helsinki and in Stockholm, winter concentrations are higher by a factor of two and in Augsburg almost by a factor of three compared with summer months. The winter maximum of the monthly average concentrations in these cities is between 10,000 cm(-3) and 20,000 cm(-3), whereas the summer min is approximately 5000-6000 cm(-3). In Rome and in Barcelona, the winters are more polluted compared with summers by as much as a factor of 4-10. The winter maximum in both Rome and Barcelona is close to 100,000 cm(-3), whereas the summer minimum is > 10,000 cm(-3). During the weekdays the maximum of the hourly average concentrations in all of the cities is detected during the morning hours between 7 and 10 a.m. The evening maxima were present in Barcelona, Rome, and Augsburg, but these were not as pronounced as the morning ones. The daily maxima in Helsinki and Stockholm are close or even lower than the daily minima in the more polluted cities. The concentrations between these two groups of cities are different with a factor of about five during the whole day. The study pointed out the influence of the selection of the measurement site and the configuration of the sampling line on the observed concentrations.     

Aquatic habitat modifications in La Plata River basin, Patagonia and associated marine areas

This paper describes the environmental characteristics and situation of aquatic habitats and communities in southern continental and maritime areas of southeastern South America (Patagonian Shelf GIWA Subregion), resulting from an overall assessment carried out within the framework of a GIWA project, mostly on the basis of publicly available data. The main focus of the analysis was on the current situation of transboundary water resources and anthropogenic impacts. In the inland waters, habitat and community modifications result, principally, from dams and reservoirs built in the main watercourses for hydroelectric power generation and other uses. The transformation of lotic environments into lentic ones have affected habitats and altered biotic communities. In the La Plata River basin, invasive exotic species have displaced native ones. Habitats in the ocean have been degraded, as their biodiversity becomes affected by overfishing and pollution. This article includes a discussion on the causal chain and the policy options elaborated for the Coastal Ecosystem of Buenos Aires province and the Argentinean-Uruguayan Common Fishing Zone, where fishing resources are shared by both countries.     

Monitoring Long-Term Ecological Changes Through the Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network: Science-Based and Policy Relevant

Ecological monitoring and its associated research programshave often provided answers to various environmental management issues. In the face of changing environmental conditions, ecological monitoring provides decision-makers with reliable information as they grapple with maintaining a sustainable economy and healthy environment. The EcologicalMonitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN) is a national ecological monitoring network consisting of (1) about 100 casestudy sites across the country characterized by long-term multi-disciplinary environmental work conducted by a multitudeof agencies (142 partners and counting); (2) a variety of lesscomprehensive yet more extensive monitoring sites; (3) a network where core monitoring variables of ecosystem change aremeasured; and (4) geo-referenced environmental observations. Environment Canada is the co-ordinating partner for the network through the EMAN Co-ordinating Office. EMAN's mission is to focus a scientifically-sound, policy-relevant ecosystem monitoring and research network based on (a) stabilizing a network of case-study sites operated by a varietyof partners, and (b) developing a number of cooperative dispersedmonitoring initiatives in order to deliver unique and needed goods and services. These goods and services include: (1) an efficient and cost-effective early warning system which detects,describes and reports on changes in Canadian ecosystems at a national or ecozone scale; and (2) cross-disciplinary and cross-jurisdictional assessments of ecosystem status, trends and processes. The early warning system and assessments of ecosystem status, trends and processes provide Environment Canada and partner organizations with timely information thatfacilitates increasingly adaptive policies and priority setting. Canadians are also informed of changes and trends occurring in Canadian ecosystems and, as a result, are betterable to make decisions related to conservation and sustainability.     

Case study I: application of the divalent cation bridging theory to improve biofloc properties and industrial activated sludge system performance-direct addition of divalent cations.

The objectives of this study were to examine the application of the divalent cation bridging theory (DCBT) to improve settling, dewatering, and effluent quality in pilot-scale reactors and a full-scale system treating an industrial wastewater. This was accomplished by lowering the monovalent-to-divalent (M/D) cation ratio by direct divalent cation addition. Research has shown that the M/D ratio is a potential indicator for settling and dewatering problems at wastewater treatment plants, and M/D ratios above 2 have been associated with poor settling, dewatering, and effluent quality. The M/D ratio of the wastewater in this study ranged from 6 to 20. The cations studied were calcium and magnesium. Results showed that the addition of calcium improved floc properties compared to control reactors with no calcium addition. The reductions in sludge volume index, effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD), and effluent total suspended solids (TSS) were approximately 35, 34, and 55%, respectively, when the M/D ratio was decreased to approximately 2:1. In addition, the cake solids from a belt filter press simulator increased by 72% and the optimum polymer dose required for conditioning was reduced by 70% in the reactor fed the highest calcium concentration when compared to control reactors with no calcium addition. The addition of calcium also decreased the negative effect of high filamentous organism numbers. In general, the addition of magnesium (Mg2+) had similar effects on effluent quality and dewatering properties, although some differences were measured. A full-scale test using calcium addition was performed. Measurements of effluent quality and floc properties were performed before, during, and after the calcium (Ca2+) addition period. The average M/D ratio during these periods was 6.2, 4.6, and 14.0, respectively. The addition of Ca2+ decreased the effluent five-day biochemical oxygen demand, effluent TSS, and effluent COD. The increased Ca2+ concentration also improved dewatering measured by a decrease in specific resistance to filtration and capillary suction time. Overall, the addition of divalent cations to the pilot- and full-scale activated sludge systems improved floc properties and the data fit well with the DCBT.     

Interlaboratory study for the polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs): phase 1 results

An interlaboratory study was initiated to investigate consistency in reported concentrations of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs). Results are reported from the first phase of a study that examined the variability associated with different quantification methodologies, instrumentation and standards. Nine participating labs from seven countries quantified individual homolog groups, summation operator PCN (the sum of 2-8 chlorinated homologs), and selected congeners in two test solutions derived from Halowax 1014. The means of the reported summation operator PCN values were within less than 15% of the known concentrations of the two test solutions and the relative standard deviation among laboratories was 11%. However, the among laboratory variability was in the range 20-40% for individual PCN homologs and individual PCN congeners. These results suggest the need for additional interlaboratory studies and for the development of reference materials for PCN analysis. Future PCN interlaboratory comparison exercises are discussed that will utilize control materials and unknowns consisting of suitable environmental matrices.     

Priority volatile organic compounds in surface waters of the southern North Sea

The occurrence of 25 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was studied from April 1998 to October 2000 in the southern North Sea. Target VOCs were selected from lists of priority pollutants for the marine environment and included, e.g., chlorinated short-chain hydrocarbons (CHCs), monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs), and chlorinated monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (CMAHs). Water samples were taken from the Channel, the Belgian Continental Shelf, the mouth of the Scheldt estuary and the Southern Bight, and were analysed by purge-and-trap and high-resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. All data were produced by analyses deemed 'in control' by a rigorous quality assurance/quality control program provided by QUASIMEME (Quality Assurance of Information for Marine Environmental Monitoring in Europe). Chloroform and trichloroethene were commonly detected at concentrations up to 1900 and 270 ng l(-1), respectively. The other CHCs were generally found below 5 ng l(-1), and rarely exceeded 10 ng l(-1). Concentrations of MAHs were at least one order of magnitude higher than those of the CHCs. The higher levels were attributed to anthropogenic emissions from oil-related activities in coastal areas. CMAHs, except chlorobenzene and 1,4-dichlorobenzene, were hardly detected in North Sea waters. The levels of several CHCs and MAHs were shown to decrease compared to previous investigations in 1994-1995, probably as a result of on-going emission reduction efforts. The occurrence of 1,1,1-trichloroethane, for instance, was substantially reduced since the Montreal Protocol was implemented in 1995.     

A large Cretaceous theropod from Patagonia, Argentina, and the evolution of carcharodontosaurids

The Cretaceous Carcharodontosauridae is the latest clade of carnosaurs, including the largest predatory dinosaurs yet recorded. Albeit spectacular for their size, the skeletal anatomy of these theropods remains poorly-known, and their diversity was until recently restricted to two Cenomanian species: the highly derived Giganotosaurus carolinii, from southern South America, and the incompletely known Carcharodontosaurus saharicus, from northern Africa. Here we describe an older and basal member of the group, Tyrannotitan chubutensis gen. et sp. nov., from Aptian strata of Patagonia, Argentina. The new taxon gives new insights into the systematics and evolution of carcharodontosaurids and offers a better understanding of the evolution of Southern theropod faunas. We suggest that carcharodontosaurids radiated in Gondwana sharing with spinosaurids the role of top-predators until their extinction in Cenomanian–Turonian times. During this interval, the diplodocoid sauropods and giant titanosaurians went extinct (probably as part of a global-scale crisis), and the smaller abelisaurid theropods took dominance, reigning until the end of the Cretaceous. Electronic Supplementary Material is available.Electronic Supplementary Information  Supplementary material is available for this article at