Acid generation upon thermal concentration of natural water: The critical water content and the effects of ionic composition

Thermal evaporation of a variety of simulated pore waters from the region of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, produced acidic liquids and gases during the final stages of evaporation. Several simulated pore waters were prepared and then thermally distilled in order to collect and analyze fractions of the evolved vapor. In some cases, distillates collected towards the end of the distillation were highly acidic; in other cases the pH of the distillate remained comparatively unchanged during the course of the distillation. The results suggest that the pH values of the later fractions are determined by the initial composition of the water. Acid production stems from the hydrolysis of magnesium ions, especially at near dryness. Near the end of the distillation, magnesium nitrate and magnesium chloride begin to lose water of hydration, greatly accelerating their thermal decomposition to form acid. Acid formation is promoted further when precipitated calcium carbonate is removed. Specifically, calcium chloride-rich pore waters containing moderate (10–20 ppm) levels of magnesium and nitrate and low levels of bicarbonate produced mixtures of nitric and hydrochloric acid, resulting in a precipitous drop in pH to values of 1 or lower after about 95% of the original volume was distilled. Waters with either low or moderate magnesium content coupled with high levels of bicarbonate produced slightly basic fractions (pH 7–9). If calcium was present in excess of bicarbonate, waters containing moderate levels of magnesium produced acid even in the presence of bicarbonate, due to the precipitation of calcium carbonate. Other salts such as halite and anhydrite promote the segregation of acidic vapors from residual basic solids. The concomitant release of wet acid gas has implications for the integrity of the alloys under consideration for containers at the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. Condensed acid gases at very low pH, especially mixtures of nitric and hydrochloric acid, are capable of corroding even alloys, such as nickel-based Alloy 22, which are considered to be corrosion-resistant under milder conditions.     

昌吉市高新技术产业开发区循环经济模式探索及研究

传统开发区内,资源的流动是一些相互不发生关系的线性物质流的叠加,出入系统的物质流远远大于内部交互的物质流,因而造成经济活动的＂高开采、低利用、高排放＂特征,即＂大量生产、大量消费和大量废弃＂[1]。而发展循环经济,是我国贯彻落实科学发展观、建设资源节约型和环境友好型社会的重大战略选择[。2]目前新型开发区产业发展,则要求按照循环经济的理念,积极探索发展循环经济之路。本文以昌吉市高新技术产业开发区为例,研究其循环经济模式,为其他开发区设计和发展提供有益的经验和建议。     

围垦后南汇东滩海三棱藨草的空间分布及其影响因子研究

2015年9月~10月期间对2012年底围垦后南汇嘴区域的海三棱藨草(Scirpus mariqueter)湿地系统进行了调研,运用主成分分析、典范对应分析(canonical correspondence analysis,CCA)方法,基于101个样地土壤的有机碳、总磷、总氮、硝酸盐氮、亚硝酸盐氮、氨氮、正磷酸盐、pH、含水率、粒径、盐度、滩涂高程等12个环境因子数据,探讨了围垦后海三棱藨草空间分布的关键影响因子。结果表明:海三棱藨草的分布与滩涂高程具有显著正相关(P0.05),海三棱藨草群落主要分布在南汇滩涂2.5~3.4 m高程范围内;海三棱藨草的密度、盖度与盐度呈显著正相关(P0.05)。结论认为滩涂高程和土壤盐度是影响海三棱藨草分布的主要环境因子。未来需要结合围垦后的水动力变化过程数值模拟,对海三棱藨草生态系统高时空分辨率的响应过程及机制进行研究,以进一步确立海三棱藨草对围垦工程响应的关键阈值。研究对围垦工程后的滨海湿地植被恢复及滩涂生态修复具有参考意义。     

Best Practices in Environmental Communication: A Case Study of Louisiana's Coastal Crisis

This mixed-method case study of environmental communication best practices in Louisiana, USA, identifies trends and approaches as informed by environmental psychology. The results provide key insights for environmental communicators, especially communicators in coastal regions. In-depth interviews with both environmental psychologists and environmental communicators showed that both groups emphasized knowing the audience, telling local stories, building relationships with target audiences and targeted messaging. Both psychologists and communicators also frequently mentioned general messaging concerns of source credibility, avoiding controversial terms and talking about issues, impacts and solutions to which the target audience can relate. A representative survey revealed that Louisiana residents are most interested in hearing about how environmental issues such as climate change, coastal land loss and flooding are affecting their own communities. This finding supports the idea that environmental communicators could do a better job tapping into strong place attachment and sense of community among coastal residents to promote action.     

Attitudes towards relocation following Hurricane Sandy: should we stay or should we go?

This study explores the dilemma of whether to rebuild or relocate from the areas devastated by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Since disasters represent the discernible manifestation of other complex coastal hazards, they offer a window of opportunity to engage residents in the dialogue on relocation as sometimes the most effective risk reduction strategy. The following research evaluates attitudes towards relocation and willingness to consider buyout among 46 surveyed households located in highly‐affected communities five months after Sandy. It also gauges perceptions of coastal risks and recovery concerns as drivers of relocation, the level of support for different adaptation strategies, and preferences related to the relocation process itself on how and where to relocate and with what type of assistance. Responses indicate that, even though residents prefer structural solutions to address coastal hazards, they are not fully opposed to the possibility of relocation mostly for personal health and safety reasons.     

Trace element content in soils of the King George and Elephant islands,maritime Antarctica

Trace element concentrations were studied in soils of the King George and Elephant islands in the maritime part of West Antarctica. The lowest concentrations of Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni and Mn were typical for the pristine soil of Elephant Island. The highest concentrations of these elements were found in the Fildes Peninsula and revealed the influence of human activities in the area of the Bellingshausen station and adjacent waste disposal sites. Ornithogenic soils of the Fildes Peninsula have shown low concentrations of Cd and As. Using geoaccumulation indexes, all the pristine soils of King George and Elephant islands and ornithogenic soils of the Fildes Peninsula were classified as unpolluted; the human-affected soils were mainly identified as moderately polluted. Obtained data can be used as background concentration levels for further researches.     

黄、渤海滨海带大气颗粒物时空分布与来源特征

PM10作为大气污染物监测的主要指标之一,探究大气PM10浓度对大气环境质量和人体健康评价具有重要意义。黄、渤海滨海带包括京、津和辽、冀、鲁、苏等工、农业大省,区域大气PM10污染的时空分布和来源特征具有复杂性和典型性。在锦州、北京、天津、烟台、青岛、连云港和盐城7个城市布设10个采样点,含7个城市点和3个农村点,开展为期一年的大气颗粒物的采样;同时,于冬季1月和夏季7月在锦州、天津和烟台进行合计60 d的加密采样,藉以确定研究区域大气PM10的时空分布和来源特征。结果表明,黄、渤海滨海带大气年均PM10总浓度为(129’18)"g·m~(-3),单月最低值出现在2015年7月盐城农村样点15"g·m~(-3),最高值为2015年3月北京城市点307"g·m~(-3)。盐城大气PM10浓度(城市点(85’27)"g·m~(-3)和农村点(66’35)"g·m~(-3))显著低于其他样点大气PM10浓度。渤海滨海带中西部的京(140’68"g·m~(-3))、津(169’60"g·m~(-3))两市大气PM10年均浓度显著高于东部的锦州(125’41"g·m~(-3))和烟台(109’31"g·m~(-3));而且黄海滨海带大气PM10年均浓度(114"g·m~(-3))显著低于渤海滨海带年均浓度(136"g·m~(-3)),总体上表现出西高东低、北高南低的特征。黄、渤海滨海带城市点和农村点年均浓度分别为(129’18)"g·m~(-3)和(112’30)"g·m~(-3);农村点春冬季大气PM10浓度和城市点浓度相当,无显著差异,夏秋季大气PM10浓度略低于城市浓度,表明农村地区大气颗粒物污染情况也较为严重,需受到关注。区域内PM10浓度季节变化整体表现为春冬高、夏秋低。利用多元回归分析初步判断黄、渤海滨海带PM10属于复合来源,大气PM10浓度约30%的变化与降水、人均能耗和沙尘天气相关。黄、渤海滨海带大气PM10浓度的昼夜变化不大,大气PM10浓度与气温呈现正相关,与风速和降水呈现负相关,表现为受各种气象因素综合作用的影响。     

Understanding local community attitudes toward industrial development in the Great Barrier Reef region World Heritage Area: are environmental impacts perceived to overshadow economic benefits?

Conflicts between industrial development and environmental conservation can be particularly acute when such development occurs in the vicinity of World Heritage sites. A key example is the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA) in northeastern Australia, where a 2012 review by the World Heritage Council found that rapid port development inshore of the coral reef posed significant risks to local marine ecosystems. Such instances pose pressing challenges for decision‐makers seeking to manage World Heritage sites for multiple values and needs, including those of key stakeholder groups, such as local communities. There is increasingly a societal expectation that public decision‐making takes into account local views and priorities, and that companies seek a ‘social license to operate’. This research explored local community attitudes toward port development associated with the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal through the GBRWHA. Using data drawn from a survey and interviews, the research examined how a range of geographical factors, including proximity to gas infrastructure and the perceived impacts and risks of development to the local community, economy and environment shape community perceptions of the industry. Findings suggest that local attitudes toward gas and coal terminal development inshore of the GBRWHA are shaped predominantly by community perceptions of environmental impacts and risks associated with such infrastructure, in contrast to a broader public narrative that focuses largely on economic benefits. A complex combination of other factors, including social impacts, personal environmental values, community trust in industry, and equity in decision‐making and distribution of the risks and benefits of industrial development also contribute. Placed in a broader, global context, the findings have important implications for public decision‐making processes in Australia and elsewhere as they suggest that, for local communities, the perceived impacts of gas development on the environment may overshadow the benefits of industry.     

Impact of Sea Level Rise on Groundwater Salinity in a Coastal Community of South Florida1

Guha, Hillol and Sorab Panday, 2012. Impact of Sea Level Rise on Groundwater Salinity in a Coastal Community of South Florida. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(3): 510-529. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00630.x Abstract: Freshwater resources of coastal communities in the United States and world over are threatened by the rate of sea level rise. According to recent estimates by various governmental agencies and climate researchers, the global sea level rise is likely to be between 0.6 and 2.1 m by the year 2100. South Florida is a coastal community and much of its coastline is subject to sea level rise and potential impacts to wetlands and the water resources of the area. To understand what the impact of sea level rise would cause to the groundwater level and salinity intrusion, an integrated groundwater and surface water model was developed for North Miami-Dade and Broward Counties of South Florida. The model was calibrated against daily groundwater heads, base flows in canals, and chloride concentrations for a period of one year and six months. Three separate sensitivity analyses were conducted by increasing the sea level by 0.6, 0.9, and 1.22 m. Results of the simulations shows increase of groundwater heads in some areas from 4 to 15%; whereas the average relative chloride concentrations increased significantly by 100-600% in some wells. The increase in groundwater elevations and chloride concentrations varies from location of the wells and its proximity to the coast. The model results indicate that even a 0.6 m increase in sea level (which is the conservative estimate) is likely to impair the vital freshwater resources in many parts of South Florida.     

石油类污染物自然衰减能力现场试验验证研究

在北京地区某加油站开展的前期石油类污染物自然衰减现场试验的基础上,进一步开展了验证试验,结果表明本次试验得到的挥发性有机物(VOCs)变化趋势及O2、CO2含量沿土壤深度分布和前期试验结果呈现相同的规律,说明基于自然衰减法设计实施的加油站现场试验检测分析结果可靠,试验方法具有合理性、可操作性及可重复性.进一步的理论分析对前期试验结果进行了验证,得出以下结论:(1)通过氧平衡和碳平衡计算对加油站土壤内的自然衰减方式进行评价,验证了该加油站地下土壤中实际发生的微生物降解既有需氧降解也有厌氧降解;(2)利用有机物的一级衰减模型对该污染现场土壤中石油类污染物的降解速率和半衰期进行计算表明,2次试验计算得到的石油类污染物的半衰期基本一致,该污染现场石油类污染物的半衰期为50 d左右;(3)在此基础上,对该加油站包气带土壤的自然衰减能力和环境质量进行评价,2次试验结果均表明该污染现场在自然衰减的作用下已经不存在环境风险.