Removal of aqueous lead by poorly-crystalline hydroxyapatites

The use of a phosphorus amendment in altering Pb to a chemically less mobile phase is a promising strategy based on minimizing ecotoxicological risk and improving time and cost efficiency. This study evaluated crystalline and poorly-crystalline hydroxyapatite sorbents on removal of aqueous Pb in response to reaction time, solution pH, and Pb concentration. Batch experiments were conducted using a commercially-available crystalline hydroxyapatite (HA), and two poorly-crystalline hydroxyapatites synthesized from gypsum waste (CHA) and incinerated ash of poultry waste (MHA). Poorly-crystalline hydroxyapatites had greater capacity for Pb removal from a solution with a wider pH range as compared to a crystalline hydroxyapatite. The maximum sorption capacity of Pb determined by the Langmuir model was 500 mg g⁻¹ for CHA, 277 mg g⁻¹ for MHA and 145 mg g⁻¹ for HA. Removal of aqueous Pb by CHA was not dependent on solution pH, with a 98.8% reduction throughout the solution pH range of 2–9, whereas aqueous Pb removal by HA and MHA was pH-dependent with less removal in the neutral solution pH. Poorly-crystalline hydroxyapatites may provide an effective alternative to existing remediation technologies for Pb-contaminated sites.     

Evaluation of Point and Diffuse Sources of Nutrients in a River Basin on Base of Monitoring Data

The methodology of materials accounting is presented and applied to developing nutrient balance (nitrogen and phosphorus) in a river basin. The method is based on the balance principle: inputs and outputs of each nitrogen and phosphorus related sub-systems were balanced. The application of the methodology strategies was illustrated by means of a case study of the Krka river, Slovenia. Different pathways of emission to surface waters were taken into account: WWTP discharges, direct discharges, erosion/runoff and baseflow. Total annual emission into the river Krka was estimated to be 362 tonnes N/year and 73.3 tonnes P/year. The main sources of nitrogen are diffuse sources, emitted via baseflow (52%). Other important sources are effluents from WWTP, which account for 36% of total emissions. Other sources like erosion and direct discharges to surface water (animal manure, industry, households) are of lower magnitude. Erosion is main source of phosphorus emission (55% of total emission), WWTP effluents account for 37% of total emission, while other sources are less important. Besides reduction of point sources by means of wastewater collection and implementation of nutrient removal technology, managing agricultural nitrogen and phosphorus to protect water quality should become a major challenge in the Krka river basin.     

A method to estimate the impact of clear-cutting on nutrient concentrations in boreal headwater streams

Large-scale forestry operations, like clear-cutting, may impair surface water quality if not done with environmental considerations in mind. Catchment and country level estimates of nutrient loads from forestry are generally based on specific export values, i.e., changes in annual exports due to the implemented forestry operations expressed in kg ha⁻¹. We introduce here a specific concentration approach as a method to estimate the impact of clear-cutting on nutrient concentrations and export in headwater streams. This new method is potentially a more dynamic and flexible tool to estimate nutrient loads caused by forestry, because variation in annual runoff can be taken into account in load assessments. We combined water quality data from eight boreal headwater catchment pairs located in Finland and Sweden, where the effect of clear-cutting on stream water quality has been studied experimentally. Statistically significant specific concentration values could be produced for total nitrogen, nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate. The significant increases in the concentrations of these nutrients occurred between 2 and 6 years after clear-cutting. Significant specific concentration values could not be produced for total phosphorus and total organic carbon with the whole dataset, although in some single studies significant increases in their concentrations after clear-cutting were observed. The presented method enables taking into account variation in runoff, temporal dynamics of effects, and the proportional size of the treated area in load calculations. The number of existing studies considering large site-specific variation in responses to clear-cutting is small, and therefore further empirical studies are needed to improve predictive capabilities of the specific concentration values.     

Screening risk areas for sediment and phosphorus losses to improve placement of mitigation measures

Identification of vulnerable arable areas to phosphorus (P) losses is needed to effectively implement mitigation measures. Indicators for source (soil test P, STP), potential mobilization by erosion (soil dispersion), and transport (unit-stream power length-slope, LS) risks were used to screen the vulnerability to suspended solids (SS) and P losses in two contrasting catchments regarding topography, soil textural distribution, and STP. Soils in the first catchment ranged from loamy sand to clay loam, while clay soils were dominant in the second catchment. Long-term SS and total P losses were higher in the second catchment in spite of significantly lower topsoil STP. A higher proportion of areas in the second catchment were identified with higher risk due to the significantly higher risk of overland flow generation (LS) and a significantly higher mobilization risk in the soil dispersion laboratory tests. A simple screening method was presented to improve the placement of mitigation measures.     

玄武湖沉积物中磷的形态分布特征

利用分级提取法分析了玄武湖的沉积磷形态,在玄武湖沉积物中,铝结合态磷的含量较低,平均值为64 mg/kg,其余形态磷中,铁结合态磷为241 mg/kg,有机磷为335 mg/kg,钙结合态磷为394 mg/kg.在环境变化的条件下,铁结合态磷可以释放到间隙水和上层水体中,是湖泊产生富营养化的重要因素;铝结合态磷由于含量少,对湖泊富营养化影响很小;钙结合态磷相对稳定且很难被生物利用,对湖泊富营养化影响不大;有机磷对水体有机负荷影响较大,并影响水体富营养化程度.     

Controls on Nutrients Across a Prairie Stream Watershed: Land Use and Riparian Cover Effects

Nutrient inputs generally are increased by human-induced land use changes and can lead to eutrophication and impairment of surface waters. Understanding the scale at which land use influences nutrient loading is necessary for the development of management practices and policies that improve water quality. The authors assessed the relationships between land use and stream nutrients in a prairie watershed dominated by intermittent stream flow in the first-order higher elevation reaches. Total nitrogen, nitrate, and phosphorus concentrations were greater in tributaries occupying the lower portions of the watershed, closely mirroring the increased density of row crop agriculture from headwaters to lower-elevation alluvial areas. Land cover classified at three spatial scales in each sub-basin above sampling sites (riparian in the entire catchment, catchment land cover, and riparian across the 2 km upstream) was highly correlated with variation in both total nitrogen (r² = 53%, 52%, and 49%, respectively) and nitrate (r² = 69%, 65%, and 56%, respectively) concentrations among sites. However, phosphorus concentrations were not significantly associated with riparian or catchment land cover classes at any spatial scale. Separating land use from riparian cover in the entire watershed was difficult, but riparian cover was most closely correlated with in-stream nutrient concentrations. By controlling for land cover, a significant correlation of riparian cover for the 2 km above the sampling site with in-stream nutrient concentrations could be established. Surprisingly, land use in the entire watershed, including small intermittent streams, had a large influence on average downstream water quality although the headwater streams were not flowing for a substantial portion of the year. This suggests that nutrient criteria may not be met only by managing permanently flowing streams.     

硫化物生物氧化脱硫技术研究现状

介绍了近年来国内外硫化物生物氧化为单质硫的各种脱硫技术.分析总结了硫化物生物氧化为单质硫工艺的各种影响因素,包括氧硫比、溶解氧浓度、硫化物浓度、化学氧化、微生物菌种、pH值、温度等因素.提出了生物氧化脱硫技术的发展前景.该技术将脱硫和单质硫的回收和为一体,是一种安全、低成本将含硫废液变废为宝的工艺技术.     

土壤渗滤处理系统运行控制的模拟研究

通过建立地下水数学模型,回答了土壤渗滤工程运行控制中的两个难点问题:(1)工程运行水力负荷.当工程地块周边存在河流时,河流水位低时,有助于增加水力负荷,反之则降低水力负荷;实际土壤运行面积的增加和独立运行单元之间的间距增加也能够增加工程运行水力负荷.(2)地下水水质监测井的优化布设.模拟工程运行后地下水水质空间分布特征,在地下水水质最不利的位置和其他特别关注的位置布置监测井,从而能够以具有典型代表性且数目较少的监测井达到准确评估工程对地下水水质影响的目的.     

岩土破坏过程声发射特征的实验研究

通过对重庆黄泥包滑坡处采集的岩土试样进行单轴压缩和拉伸实验,测试了岩土破坏过程的声发射信号,得出了岩土破坏过程声发射的基本特征:在单轴压缩实验中,声发射能量信号随着压力的增加呈现连续增加的趋势,在主破裂时刻有较强声发射能量信号产生;在蠕变实验中,AE在压力上升阶段信号增强,在恒定压力下,AE信号有所减弱,整体趋势较为平缓;在拉伸实验中,岩土的破坏方式呈主震型和群震型;AE信号能够反映岩土受载过程;岩土的抗压强度与声发射能量最大值呈正相关性;加载速率越大,声发射能量最大值也越大。     

Validation of a booted finite element model of the WIAMan ATD lower limb in component and whole-body vertical loading impacts with an assessment of the boot influence model on response

Objective: A novel anthropomorphic test device (ATD) representative of the 50th percentile male soldier is being developed to predict injuries to a vehicle occupant during an underbody blast (UBB). The main objective of this study was to develop and validate a finite element (FE) model of the ATD lower limb outfitted with a military combat boot and to insert the validated lower limb into a model of the full ATD and simulate vertical loading experiments.

Methods: A Belleville desert combat boot model was assigned contacts and material properties based on previous experiments. The boot model was fit to a previously developed model of the barefoot ATD. Validation was performed through 6 matched pair component tests conducted on the Vertically Accelerated Loads Transfer System (VALTS). The load transfer capabilities of the FE model were assessed along with the force-mitigating properties of the boot. The booted lower limb subassembly was then incorporated into a whole-body model of the ATD. Two whole-body VALTS experiments were simulated to evaluate lower limb performance in the whole body.

Results: The lower limb model accurately predicted axial loads measured at heel, tibia, and knee load cells during matched pair component tests. Forces in booted simulations were compared to unbooted simulations and an amount of mitigation similar to that of experiments was observed. In a whole-body loading environment, the model kinematics match those recorded in experiments. The shape and magnitude of experimental force–time curves were accurately predicted by the model. Correlation between the experiments and simulations was backed up by high objective rating scores for all experiments.

Conclusion: The booted lower limb model is accurate in its ability to articulate and transfer loads similar to the physical dummy in simulated underbody loading experiments. The performance of the model leads to the recommendation to use it appropriately as an alternative to costly ATD experiments.