Estimating Potential E. coli Sources in a Watershed Using Spatially Explicit Modeling Techniques1

Riebschleager, K.J., R. Karthikeyan, R. Srinivasan, and K. McKee, 2012. Estimating Potential E. coli Sources in a Watershed Using Spatially Explicit Modeling Techniques. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(4): 745‐761. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2012.00649.x Abstract: The Spatially Explicit Load Enrichment Calculation Tool (SELECT) was automated to characterize waste and the associated pathogens from various sources within a mixed land use watershed. Potential Escherichia coli loads in Lake Granbury watershed were estimated using spatially variable governing factors, such as land use, soil condition, and distance to streams. A new approach for characterizing E. coli loads resulting from malfunctioning on‐site wastewater treatment systems (OWTSs) was incorporated into SELECT along with the Pollutant Connectivity Factor (PCF) module. The PCF component was applied to identify areas contributing E. coli loads during runoff events by incorporating the influence of potential E. coli loading, runoff potential, and travel distance to waterbodies. Simulation results indicated livestock and wildlife are potential E. coli contributing sources in the watershed. The areas in which these sources are potentially contributing are not currently monitored for E. coli. The bacterial water quality violations seen around Lake Granbury are most likely the result of malfunctioning OWTSs and pet wastes. SELECT results demonstrate the need to evaluate each contributing source separately to effectively allocate site specific best management practices (BMPs) utilizing stakeholder inputs. It also serves as a powerful screening tool for determining areas where detailed investigation is merited.     

Tipping Points in the Arctic: Eyeballing or Statistical Significance?

Arctic ecosystems have experienced and are projected to experience continued large increases in temperature and declines in sea ice cover. It has been hypothesized that small changes in ecosystem drivers can fundamentally alter ecosystem functioning, and that this might be particularly pronounced for Arctic ecosystems. We present a suite of simple statistical analyses to identify changes in the statistical properties of data, emphasizing that changes in the standard error should be considered in addition to changes in mean properties. The methods are exemplified using sea ice extent, and suggest that the loss rate of sea ice accelerated by factor of ~5 in 1996, as reported in other studies, but increases in random fluctuations, as an early warning signal, were observed already in 1990. We recommend to employ the proposed methods more systematically for analyzing tipping points to document effects of climate change in the Arctic.     

Cytogenetic status of human lymphocytes after exposure to low concentrations of p,p'-DDT, and its metabolites (p,p'-DDE, and p,p'-DDD) in vitro

Despite that the use of DDT has been restricted for more than 40 years to malaria affected areas, low doses of this pesticide and its metabolites DDE and DDD can be found in the environment around the world. Although it has been shown that these pollutants induce cell and DNA damage, the mechanisms of their cytogenotoxic activity remains largely unknown. This study looks into their possible genotoxic effects, at doses that can be found in body fluids, on human lymphocytes using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay and the comet assay. After exposure for 1, 6, and 24 h compounds p,p′-DDT (0.1 μg mL⁻¹), p,p′-DDE (4.1 μg mL⁻¹), and p,p′-DDD (3.9 μg mL⁻¹) showed increase in DNA damage. The most significant results were observed at exposure period of 24 h where number of micronucleated cells increased from control 2.5 ± 0.71 to 23.5 ± 3.54, 13.5 ± 0.71, and 16.5 ± 6.36 for DDT, DDE, and DDD, respectively. Similar effect was observed using comet test where the percentage of DNA in comets tail increased from control 1.81 ± 0.16 to 17.24 ± 0.55, 11.21 ± 0.56 and 9.28 ± 0.50 for each compound, respectively. At the same time Fpg-comet assay failed to report induction of oxidative DNA damage of these pollutants. Additionally, the type of cell death was determined using diffusion assay and necrosis dominated. Our findings suggest that even at low concentrations, these pesticides could induce cytogenetic damage to human peripheral blood lymphocytes and in that manner have the impact on human health as well.     

应用神经网络方法优化垃圾焚烧模拟灰渣熔点的预测

采用SiO₂、Al₂O₃、CaO、Na₂CO₃、NaCl和Fe₂O₃等物质来模拟垃圾焚烧的真实灰渣组成,通过实验测定模拟灰渣熔点,建立神经网络模型进行熔点预测,由预测结果来指导进一步实验,得到修正的模型,最终预测出的半球温度（HT）平均误差低于5%。     

地质体材料剪切带内部的常剪切应变点及速度分布分析

对于峰后线性应变软化的地质体材料,剪切带内部的总剪切应变等于弹性剪切应变(由经典弹性理论描述)及由微结构效应而引起的局部塑性剪切应变(由非局部理论或梯度塑性理论描述)之和。若剪切应力—塑性剪切应变曲线的斜率的绝对值(称之为软化模量)小于剪切弹性模量的两倍,则在剪切带的任一剖面内存在两个总剪切应变不依赖于剪切应力的点,称之为常剪切应变点。在这两个点上,弹性剪切应变的降低和局部塑性剪切应变的增加处于平衡状态,总剪切速度达到它的最大值或最小值。在两个常剪切应变点之间,局部总速度随剪切应力率的降低而增加。剪切带内部的局部总速度分布是非线性的,这与通常采用的剪切带内部速度的线性分布假定(忽略微结构效应)不同。     

升温速率及氧浓度对长焰煤煤氧复合过程特性的影响

利用热重试验对粒径小于0.2 mm的长焰煤煤粉进行了不同氧体积分数(21%、40%、50%、60%和80%)和升温速率(20℃/min、30℃/min、40℃/min、50℃/min和60℃/min)的25种工况下煤氧复合过程中热解特性的测定,分析了两种因素对各特征值的影响。结果表明:以热失重速率为基准,长焰煤在含氧气氛下的热解过程可分为失水失重阶段、氧化增重阶段及着火、燃烧和炭化3个阶段;通用着火特性指标越大,煤样燃烧特性越好,自燃点越小,煤样工业分析结果应与其实际生产过程中的自燃危险性相结合;升温速率不变时自燃点随氧体积分数上升而下降,而煤氧复合时间随氧体积分数上升呈现先降低再微弱增加的趋势;氧体积分数一定时自燃点随升温速率上升而上升,煤氧复合时间则随之下降。对自燃点及煤氧复合时间进行均值无量纲化,并将其与无量纲化升温速率进行拟合,决定系数(R~2)约为1.0;提出了煤氧复合难易程度参数(D),计算结果表明,即使自燃点随升温速率上升发生滞后,煤氧复合难度仍然减弱。     

一个解析的面源浓度计算公式

利用级数展开的方法得到一个实用的解析面源公式,它不仅包括了显式源高项,还能计算面源烟羽横风向非轴线浓度,其精度远远高于其它有关模式。此外,利用该公式,研究了面源烟羽的半宽度,并证明,难以用一个固定的后退点源来描述整个面源烟羽,提出可用一移动点源来代替。     

焚烧炉烟气酸介质露点温度测定仪的研制

文章介绍了固体废弃物焚烧炉用烟气酸介质露点温度测定仪的研制,该仪器可以用于测量工业固体废弃物焚烧炉烟气酸介质露点形成和产生的温度区域范围,从而可依据实测的准确数据来研究并采取相适应的对策和措施,最大限度的减少和延缓腐蚀性酸露对设备的腐蚀。     

Identification of anthropogenic influences on water quality of rivers in Taihu watershed

Surface water bodies are progressively subjected to stress as a result of anthropogenic activities. This study assessed and examined the impact of human activities on spatial variation in the water quality of 19 rivers in the Taihu watershed. Concentrations of physicochemical parameters of surface water quality were determined at the mouth of each river during the period of 2000-2004. Multivariate statistical techniques were applied to identify characteristics of the water quality in the studied rivers. The results showed that rivers strongly influenced by household wastewater have the highest concentrations of nutrients （TN and TP）. Moreover, rivers in the vicinity of a metropolis presented low dissolved oxygen （DO） levels. However, organic-chemical pollution （petroleum and volatile phenolics） was identified with high localization. Two rivers influenced by sewage from industry and ships were distinguished from other rivers with high values of petroleum. The Taige channel, a river located in Changzhou City that is strongly influenced by wastewater from industry, was characterized with an extraordinarily high value of volatile phenolics. Rivers passing through countries, especially through hilly countries were characterized with high DO contents and low nutrient and organic-chemical pollution, suggesting that agriculture puts less pressure on water quality in adjacent rivers. Therefore, more effort should be made in controlling point pollution to restore water quality in rivers adjacent to cities.