Uptake of uranium and thorium by native and cultivated plants

Large part of available literature on biogeochemistry of uranium and thorium refers to the studies performed either in highly contaminated areas or in nutrient solutions that have been artificially ‘spiked’ with radionuclides. Effects of background levels of natural radioactivity on soil-grown plants have not been studied to the same extent. In this paper, we summarised results of greenhouse and field experiments performed by the author from 2000 to 2006. We examined some of the factors affecting transfer of U and Th from soil to plants, differences in uptake of these radionuclides by different plants, relationships between U and Th in soil and in plants, and temporal variations of U and Th in different plant species. Concentrations of radionuclides (critical point for experimental studies on biogeochemistry of U and Th - rare trace elements in non-contaminated regions) and essential plant nutrients and trace elements were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis.     

Chemical plant innovative safety investments decision-support methodology

Introduction

This article examines the extent to which investing in safety during the creation of a new chemical installation proves profitable.

Method

The authors propose a management supporting cost-benefit model that identifies and evaluates investments in safety within a chemical company. This innovative model differentiates between serious accidents and less serious accidents, thus providing an authentic image of prevention-related costs and benefits. In classic cost-benefit analyses, which do not make such differentiations, only a rudimentary image of potential profitability resulting from investments in safety is obtained.

Results

The resulting management conclusions that can be drawn from such classical analyses are of a very limited nature. The proposed model, however, is applied to a real case study and the proposed investments in safety at an appointed chemical installation are weighed against the estimated hypothetical benefits resulting from the preventive measures to be installed at the installation.

Conclusion

In the case-study carried out in question, it would appear that the proposed prevention investments are justified.

Impact on industry

Such an economic exercise may be very important to chemical corporations trying to (further) improve their safety investments.     

钢筋混凝土矩形梁在实际火灾下正截面承载力数值计算

为了正确评估钢筋混凝土矩形梁在实际火灾条件下的承载力,以一般室内火灾轰燃后的房间平均温度-时间曲线为火作用,以建筑结构耐火理论为基础,采用数值计算方法研究钢筋混凝土矩形梁的正截面承载力.研究结果表明:梁的承载力随火灾房间温度升高而变小,在温度达到最大值后承载力达到最小值.火灾房间火灾荷载越大,开口因子越小,火作用越大,梁的最小承载力越小;反之相反.相同条件下梁支座截面的承载力要大于跨中截面.     

Municipal solid waste management and short-term projection of the waste discard levels in Taiwan

Industrialization and urbanization result in significant changes in lifestyle. These lifestyle changes seem to lead to unsustainable consumption patterns and increase the generation of various kinds of environmental loads, especially the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW). Taiwan is a small island with scarce natural resources. The economic development in Taiwan has resulted in the generation of large amounts of MSW. As a result, the Taiwan Environmental Pollution Administration (TEPA) has produced regulations for waste minimization and has imposed several important policy measures that have successfully reduced the MSW discard rate in recent years and have established a public recycling network as a part of the MSW collection. Nowadays, the objective of the MSW policies in Taiwan is to develop a “zero-waste society.” This article aims to review the MSW management progress in Taiwan and to project future MSW discards up to 2011 based on the national plan and assumed scenarios for socioeconomic variables. According to the analysis results, a more sustainable consumption pattern can be proposed and the corresponding MSW management system can be planned so as to develop a low-waste-discard society.     

基于AIC准则优选AR模型研究我国生产事故

目前,由于生产力水平低,安全投入不足,安全监管体制不健全等因素,国内生产安全事故仍然居高不下.将基于AIC准则进行 AR 模型优选的方法应用到我国工矿死亡人数预测中,为事故预测统计提供一种新方法,预测结果将为预防生产安全事故提供依据.     

在役长输管道动态数据源组件(ADO)技术在剩余强度安全评定系统中的实现

采用Borland C++builder6.0开发工具,以英国标准BS7910剩余强度评价规范为蓝本,并结合实际应用特点,提出动态数据源组件(ADO)技术在该案例的应用,开发适用于以平面型缺陷为主的剩余强度安全评价系统。解决在役长输管道剩余强度安全评定系统中复杂数据的科学转换,实现软件接口的高效、通用性数据访问。根据评定结果与实际实验数据对比表明,该应用与实际误差达到工程检测设计标准。     

新疆艾比湖流域平原区景观土壤属性特征研究

以新疆艾比湖流域平原区为对象,在对研究区进行景观生态分类及野外调查验证的基础上,利用＂3S＂技术将1∶100×104的新疆土壤类型图与研究区景观类型图叠加,从土壤属性层次上对研究区各类景观的生态土壤类型进行确认,并分析其在研究区内分布的特征。结果表明：研究区主要土壤类型为26类,以石膏灰棕漠土所占比例最大,占研究区总面积的19.03%,棕钙土、荒漠风沙土、草甸盐土、盐化草甸土、和灌耕灰漠土等面积也较大。     

我国工业SO2排放趋势及影响因素分析

分析了我国工业SO2排放量的变化趋势,以及其与GDP、工业产值、火电厂发电量等指标的变化关系;利用50个省市1998—2007年的有关数据建立了SO2排放量的影响因素面板数据模型,力求通过定量分析识别影响我国工业SO2排放量的关键因素。研究表明,我国工业SO2排放量与第二产业比重、火力发电比重并无明显关系,而GDP、发电量、一次能源转化效率、SO2去除率存在显著关系,对SO2工业实际排放量起决定作用的是SO2的去除率。     

膨润土复合新型吸附剂处理含Mn~(2+)废水

针对废水中Mn2+难去除问题,利用经高温焙烧制备的膨润土-粉煤灰复合新型吸附剂对废水中的Mn2+进行吸附处理实验研究。研究了新型吸附剂在不同的吸附时间、pH、初始Mn2+浓度条件下对Mn2+的吸附去除效果影响、Fe2+、Mn2+共存时竞争吸附特性以及吸附Mn2+的吸附性能和反应动力学。实验结果表明,新型吸附剂处理Mn2+浓度为35 mg/L的废水,在温度25℃、转速100 r/min、投加量20 g/L、吸附时间120 min、pH≥7时反应条件最佳,Mn2+的去除率均可达到90%以上;Fe2+、Mn2+共存时,存在竞争吸附,Fe2+会被优先选择吸附去除,Fe2+的存在会影响Mn2+的去除效果;膨润土复合新型吸附剂对Mn2+的吸附行为符合Langmuir等温吸附模型和准二级动力学模型。新型吸附剂对废水中的Mn2+有很好的去除效果,而且能有效解决膨润土不易固液分离问题,可作为含Mn2+废水高效、廉价、环保的水处理吸附剂。     

地下水曝气修复技术现场试验与应用研究进展

结合近年来国内外地下水曝气修复现场工程实践,对原位曝气的设计、操作和监测技术进行了全面的综述。对原位设计中的相关参数进行了整理分析,给出了合理取值范围,并探讨了不同场地条件下的应对方法。发展新的监测技术(如示踪技术、新型传感器等)能使曝气系统的工作性能得到更有效的监测,对于曝气修复工程现场监测新技术进行了系统的归纳和总结。此外,对现场曝气修复效果影响因素如污染物类型、曝气方式、曝气井数量、最大生物降解速率、土体孔隙率和含水层有机碳含量等进行了分析,以利于实际操作工艺的优化。最后对未来地下水曝气修复现场试验研究需开展的工作进行了展望。