Spatial and temporal variations in groundwater nitrate at an intensive dairy farm in south-east Ireland: Insights from stable isotope data

Achievement of at least “good ecological status” in all waterbodies under the EU Water Framework Directive by 2015 will in some cases be a challenge. The twin challenge is to manage expectations of policy makers for such waterbodies as to a realistic length of time required for improvement in water quality. Hence, understanding the source, transformation processes and residence time of nitrate in a hydrological system is an essential part of meeting such challenges. On a dairy farm with 24 shallow groundwater wells, the dual isotopic composition of nitrate (δ¹⁵N and δ¹⁸O) was used to clarify nitrate sources, to assess spatial and temporal variability in nitrate concentrations and to determine if and where denitrification was occurring. Vertical travel time was estimated to correlate nitrate concentrations with management practices. Organically derived nitrogen was the predominant source contributing to groundwater nitrate concentrations. Denitrification was identified as prevalent within specific regions of the study site. The distinct low temporal variability in the isotopic data suggests constancy among nitrate sources and processes over time across the study site. Vertical travel times of up to 3 years were estimated on site indicating the influence of recent management practices on nitrate concentrations. Very slow horizontal migration of groundwater (decades) indicates a legacy of older management practices. Stable isotope techniques, together with an understanding of time lag, provide an extra mechanism to test the efficacy of monitoring and mitigation programmes.     

ISO 14001 certification and financial performance: selection-effect versus treatment-effect

The paper explores the bi-directional relationship between ISO 14001 certification and financial performance with the aim of shedding light on whether better performance is due to the beneficial effects of ISO 14001 or due to selection-effects where better performance precedes accreditation. The study uses a five year longitudinal analysis to compare the financial performance of firms in Spain before and after certification. The results of a multivariate panel data analysis find that firms with better than average performance have a greater propensity to pursue accreditation but there is no evidence that improvements in performance follow certification. This suggests that the inference that environmental variables cause improved financial performance may be unwise in research studies that can only measure association.     

Barriers to the adoption of proactive environmental strategies

This study contributes to the knowledge of the difficulties or barriers found by firms when adopting proactive environmental strategies, providing empirical evidence from 240 Spanish industrial firms. A set of 25 barriers are initially evaluated by the managers of the sample firms and are grouped into four types of difficulties facing firms: external barriers, endemic limitations of the firm, limited environmental motivation and limited preparation of employees and operational inertia. The estimation of a structural equation model leads us to conclude that only the barriers identified as endemic limitations of the firm can be characterized as “effective barriers”, defined as problems preventing firms from progressing toward proactive environmental behavior.     

The water supply footprint (WSF): a strategic planning tool for sustainable regional and local water supplies

This paper introduces a new methodological approach of the ecological footprint explicitly addressing the sustainability of water supplies, which we call the water supply footprint (WSF). The WSF calculates the catchment area or water supply hinterland of a certain society and can serve as a strategic planning tool for local or regional water supplies linking the water demand with the water supply in a water supply footprint matrix. Based on regional water balances it estimates how much water can be appropriated for human use in an environmentally sustainable way.The proposed method is tested on the South East Queensland water supply in Australia, an area where water use restrictions are regularly imposed on the population. Applying the proposed method indicates that supply shortages may be avoided by considerably changing the organisation of water supply, thereby reducing and possibly even avoiding the necessity for large-scale supply side measures like additional sweet water reservoirs or desalination plants. In that way it is demonstrated that the WSF method is applicable at an early and strategic stage of water supply planning.     

土著微生物修复城市小型湖泊实验研究

利用生物制剂及生物修复技术对鞍山市英泽湖进行了净化治理.研究结果表明,经过8～30 d的生物净化,该湖水中的COD、植物营养元素浓度及浊度都有了大幅度的下降.其中COD降至20 mg/L以下,去除率达到70%以上;氨氮降至0.2 mg/L以下,去除率达97%;总磷降低至0.02 mg/L以下,去除率达到60%以上;浊度...     

工业废水中钡的排放限值研究

在查阅大量文献资料基础上,总结了环境中钡的来源和特性,采用电感耦合等离子原子发射光谱方法测定地表水及稀土废水中的钡元素含量.对仪器的工作参数和被测元素的分析谱线进行了优化和选择,结合钡的化学毒性,提出了废水中钡的标准是5mg/L的建议.     

环境监测人员培训效果评价的研究

为提高环境监测站人员培训质量,提升人员开发的水平,培训效果评价作为培训管理的重要环节,是培训活动长期有效开展的重要保证措施.就环境监测站人员培训效果评价的目的及意义、评价内容、评价的标准和方法等方面进行了探讨.     

环境监测质量管理与控制技术体系框架研究

为进一步规范我国的环境监测质量管理工作、系统化质量控制技术,参照国外先进的质量管理经验,结合我国环境监测体系的实际情况,搭建了我国环境监测质量管理与控制技术体系框架,在做了大量基础性研究的前提下,编写了一系列支持该体系正常运行的指导性文件.     

火焰原子吸收法测定水中的总铬

用火焰原子吸收光谱法测定水中总铬,乙炔流量100L/h、燃烧头高度为9mm、狭缝宽度0.2 nm时,灵敏度和重现性最好.1 mg/L铬溶液中盐酸含量5％、氯化铵含量0.5％时,吸光度较高,相对标准偏差最低.该方法操作简便,灵敏度好,精确度和准确度高,便于推广,适合水中总铬的测定.     

东胜区三台基水库水质细菌的鉴定

为了初步探索环境微生物的快速测定法,提升应对微生物污染突发事件的能力,本文运用美国BD公司的细菌鉴定系统对东胜区三台基水库水质细菌进行了鉴定。结果共鉴定出6种细菌,其可信度分别为95.7、99．1、94．3、98．7、98．5、和99．2。结果表明该系统快速、准确、可靠,可以作为环境微生物分类鉴定和微生物污染突发事件应急监测的依据。