An Environmental Application of Regional Geochemical Mapping in Understanding Enzootic Geophagia of Calves in the Reivilo Area, South Africa

A specific enzootic form of geophagia (the deliberate ingestion of soil) occurs in young cattle and sheep in restricted areas of the Barkley-West, Postmasburg and Vryburg Districts of the Northern Cape- and North West Provinces of the Republic of South Africa. It results in severe, subacute to chronic hepatitis and jaundice, with a high mortality rate in untreated cases. An association between the disease and high concentrations of manganese in soils was shown since all the affected farms are situated on outcrops of the Reivilo Formation of the Campbell Rand Subgroup, which consists mainly of manganiferous dolomite. Furthermore high concentrations of manganese were found in the analysis of liver specimens from affected calves and the characteristic microscopic pathological changes in the liver could be induced experimentally in a calf and lamb by oral administration of manganese sulphate. The highest incidence of geophagia occurs at 7 to 14 days, whereas calves older than about 2 months are rarely affected. The symptoms usually start with intermittent, progressive geophagia, followed by constipation, dehydration and death within ca. 7–10 days in untreated cases. Young calves and lambs display an insatiable appetite for soil and sometimes lick iron poles. The treatment of calves by the parenteral injection of commercial iron-dextran- and vitamin B₁₂ preparations at 1 to 2 days after birth, and at 14 days of age, at the registered therapeutic doses, appeared to have a marked preventative effect on the occurrence of geophagia and its complications. Regional geochemical maps show a northeast–southwest trending anomaly in MnO, Zn and Pb, visually correlating with the distribution of the affected farms. Anomalously high distributions of Pb and Zn are also spatially related to the Pering (Pb,Zn) Mine. In this study, two farms were selected for comparative purposes. Gam, a farm situated on the Reivilo Formation of the Campbellrand Subgroup was chosen where a high incidence of geophagia occurred, as well as the farm Holpan on the Lyttelton Formation of the Malmani Subgroup where the problem was not known to be present. The farm Holpan was chosen as a control area, and is situated close to an old manganese mine on dolomite with a high MnO content. Geographically, Holpan is situated in an area with a high rainfall, with leaching and the formation of deep red soils on the dolomite, together with a hilly relief and low soil pH_{H 2 O}. Gam is situated in an area with lower rainfall, where precipitation would be less than evapotranspiration. The dolomite of the Malmani Subgroup and the Reivilo Formation are significantly different in their soil geochemistry. The MnO, Fe₂O₃ ^T and Co contents are significantly higher in the soils of the Malmani Subgroup than in the Reivilo Formation. The MnO, Zn and Pb contents on Gam are higher than on Holpan, whereas the Fe₂O₃ ^T and Co contents are lower. Soil on Holpan contains iron-minerals such as haematite, while no iron minerals were detected in the soils of Gam. The concretions, found in the soils on both farms, differs remarkably in iron-contents. Concretions on both farms have similar high concentrations of MnO, whereas the FeO content are low for the concretions on Gam and high for Holpan. Preliminary comparative analytical results of the colostrum, sampled from cows with new born calves within three days of birth, do not entirely reflect the soil geochemistry of the different farms. Whereas the soils on Gam have higher MnO, Zn and Pb, and lower Fe₂O₃ ^T and Co than Holpan, the colostrum produced on Gam has lower Mn, Fe and Co than on Holpan. The Pb and Zn concentrations in the colostrum on both farms do not differ significantly. The comparative regional geochemical soil data, together with the colostrum data, suggest that young calves on the farm Gam probably suffer from Fe and Co deficiency. Conversely, it was illustrated that the Fe and Co content in the soils are high and the Fe is abundant in the concretions on the farm Holpan. These findings, together with the apparent absence of geophagia at Holpan, as well as the observed effect of iron and cobalt supplementation in the prevention of geophagia on the farm Gam, suggests an association of geophagia with iron and cobalt deficiencies on the farm Gam.     

A COMPARISON OF MODELS PREDICTING GROUND WATER LEVELS ON HILLSIDE SLOPES1

ABSTRACT: A comparative study of ground water level predictions on hillside slopes using two models is presented. The models are a simplified mass balance model that has components for evapotran-spiration, recharge, and drainage; and a two-dimensional finite difference model that employs kriging to estimate soil parameters and accounts for non-uniform thickness of the soil layer. These models are representative of a wide range of modeling capabilities and are used to illustrate the sensitivity of ground water level predictions to the sophistication of the modeling techniques. The drainage and recharge components of the two models are evaluated and the importance of unsaturated flow in recharge computations is underscored. Piezometric observations in a small drainage depression on the slope of Kennel Creek Valley in Tongass National Forest, Alaska, were used to evaluate the two models. The results show that, although the predictions differ from the field observations, the simple physically-based mass balance model predicts the ground water levels as well as the two-dimensional model. It is suggested that caution should be exercised in using complex models to validate simpler models.     

STREAM PHOSPHORUS EXPORTS FROM WATERSHEDS WITH CONTRASTING LAND USES IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO1

: The export of dissolved molybdate reactive phosphorus (DMRP) from 22 watersheds in the Duffin Creek drainage basin near Toronto Ontario was measured over a 25-month period. The annual average loss varied from 0.027 to 2.11 kg P/ha. Phosphorus levels in a number of watersheds were strongly influenced by effluent from a sewage treatment plant which contributed about 68 percent of the annual DMRP input to Duffin Creek. An analysis of 12 watersheds which did not contain major point pollution sources revealed that DMRP concentration and losses had a significant positive correlation with crop area and a strong negative association with forest, abandoned farm land, and area of sand + sandy loam soils. The causal relationships underlying these simple correlations are difficult to evaluate because of considerable multicollinearity between land use, soil, and topographic variables. Analysis of a mass balance for the downstream reaches of Duffin Creek indicated that there was considerable retention of phosphorus in the river channel particularly during summer low flows.     

GROUND WATER SOLUTE TRANSPORT,OPTIMAL REMEDIATION PLANNING,AND DECISION MAKING UNDER UNCERTAINTY1

ABSTRACT: A groundwater quality modeling advisory system has been developed for the U.S. Air Force for use in investigating remediation alternatives for the cleanup of subsurface contamination. The system is capable of accounting for uncertainty, not only in the prediction of solute transport but also in the optimization of the remediation scheme through chance constraints. The system guides users in the selection of appropriate transport models through an algorithm independently tested with machine learning codes. An application to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is presented for which different pump-and-treat strategies are considered: the results are evaluated in terms of the cumulative distribution of the contaminant concentration for each case and the tradeoff relationship between the cost of remediation and the probability that the remediation strategy exceeds an established maximum allowable contaminant concentration.     

高阶振型在山地掉层结构中的影响研究

设置不同掉层层数、掉层跨数和坎上楼层层数的模型,对比分析各模型在不同振型数下结构响应值的误差,根据分析结果来验证常用振型数量控制方法的适用性和差异性。结果表明,高阶振型对山地结构中掉层部分的内力响应影响显著。不同的掉层结构布置对振型数的选择有重要影响,掉层层数的增加使层剪力误差超限的楼层位置从顶层转移到掉层部分,致使掉层部分对高阶振型更加敏感。伴随着掉层跨数的减少,最大层剪力误差及误差超限的楼层数均呈先增大后减小趋势,即存在最不利的掉层跨数比,此时各内力响应误差均最大。坎上楼层的增加会提高掉层部分的剪力误差值。相对于层剪力,层间位移更易于通过提高振型数来控制精度。振型位移控制法的精度较高,但会增加大量结构计算和分析成本。振型质量参与系数法仅在个别结构中的层间剪力误差较小,总体来说其控制效果较差。解决这一问题,还需进一步研究以便提出一种新的振型控制方法。     

采场前方支承压力分布规律数值模拟研究

采煤工作面前方移动支承压力在矿压显现中起主导作用,往往是矿井复杂动力现象的力源。结合矿井具体地质条件,采用FLAC数值模拟研究煤层厚度、开采深度、煤体强度对支承压力分布特征的影响,得出在其它地质和生产技术条件一定的情况下,采场前方支承压力分布的基本规律,为确定采面前方支承压力影响区范围、回采巷道超前支护范围以及优化支护方案提供了参考。     

中国典型城市大气污染物浓度时空变化特征分析

利用2014年3月1日至2015年2月28日北京、广州和南京三市6种污染物浓度(PM_(2.5)、PM_(10)、SO_2、CO、NO_2、O_3)的日平均数据,统计分析了三市各污染物浓度的变化特征及其与气象条件的关系。结果表明:(1)3个城市中,广州空气质量最好,南京次之,北京最差。广州优、良出现的天数最多,分别为98和222天,占全年的26.8%和60.8%,没有出现重度污染和严重污染的现象。北京优出现的天数为55天,高于南京的29天,但是中度污染、重度污染和严重污染天数要高于南京,分别为61、34和8天;南京则为30、14和0天,南京没有出现过严重污染。(2)整个1年间,北京PM_(2.5)、PM_(10)、SO_2、NO_2、O_3年平均浓度分别为80.5、112.9、16.8、53.4和57.3μg/m~3,广州平均浓度分别为45.9、67.2、16.6、45.7和47.9μg/m~3,南京平均浓度分别为70.6、120.1、21.5、50.3和54.9μg/m~3,北京、广州和南京CO年平均浓度分别为1.2、1.0和0.9mg/m~3。(3)上述三个城市PM_(2.5)日均值超标率分别为42.7%、7.9%和38.4%,而PM_(10)日均值超标率分别为23.0%、1.6%和25.2%,NO_2日均值超标率分别为14.0%、3.8%和7.1%,CO浓度仅北京超标,超标率为1.4%,3个城市SO_2无超标现象。(4)3个城市SO_2和NO_2均随风速的增大而减小。风速对广州CO浓度影响不大,而北京和南京CO浓度则随风速的增大而减小。风速越大,南京PM_(2.5)和PM_(10)浓度越小,但当风速≥4m/s时,北京PM_(10)和广州PM_(2.5)与PM_(10)浓度增加。此外,风向对污染物的传输也有影响。     

CMC固定化灭活烟曲霉小球对活性艳蓝KN-R的吸附机理——吸附平衡、动力学和扩散传质过程

考察了羧甲基纤维素钠(CMC)固定化灭活烟曲霉小球吸附活性艳蓝KN-R的吸附平衡、吸附动力学和扩散传质过程.结果表明:CMC固定化灭活烟曲霉小球对活性艳蓝KN-R的吸附较易进行,吸附等温线能较好地用Langmuir模型和Freundlich模型来描述,而且用Langmuir模型更好,最大单分子层吸附量为66.7mg·g-1.吸附动力学很好地符合准二级动力学模型.小球内部扩散过程用Weber-Morris模型拟合的结果反映小球内部扩散过程是其吸附控制步骤,且染料从小球液相边界层向小球表面的扩散过程亦不能忽略.用外部传质模型Mathews and Weber (M & W)模型和Frusawa and Smith(F & S)模型分别计算得到的外部传质速度的表征值β1S值均小于0.1 h-1.初始染料浓度越大,染料从液相到固相的外部传质速度越慢,而在小球内部越易扩散.     

Experimental Study of Gas-Liquid Interfacial Properties in a Stepped Cascade Flow

Gas-liquid interface measurements were conducted in a strongly turbulent free-surface flow (i.e., stepped cascade). Local void fractions, bubble count rates, bubble size distributions and gas-liquid interface areas were measured simultaneously in the air-water flow region using resistivity probes. The results highlight the air-water mass transfer potential of a stepped cascade with measured specific interface area over 650 m^–1 and depth-average specific area up to 310 m^–1. A comparison between single-tip and double-tip resistivity probes suggests that simple robust single-tip probes may provide accurate, although conservative, gas-liquid interfacial properties. The latter device may be used in the field and in prototype plants. Notation a = specific interface area (m^–1); a _mean = depth-average specific interface area (m^–1): a _mean=frac1Y ₉₀limits sup> Y ₉₀ sup ₀(1–C)dy; C = local void fraction; C _gas = dissolved gas concentration (kg m^–3); C _mean = depth-average mean air concentration defined as: C _mean=1–d/Y ₉₀; C _s = saturation concentration (kg m^–3); D = dimensionless air bubble diffusivity (defined by [1]); d = equivalent clear-water flow depth (m): d=limits sup> Y ₉₀ sup ₀(1–C) dy; d_ab = air bubble diameter (m); d_c = critical flow depth (m); for a rectangular channel: d _c=sqrt[3]q _w ²/g; F = air bubble count rate (Hz); F _max = maximum bubble count rate (Hz), often observed for C=50%; g = gravity acceleration (m s^–2); h = step height (m); K _L = liquid film coefficient (m s^–1); K = integration constant defined as: K=tanh ^–1 sqrt0.1)+(2D)^–1 [1]; L = chute length (m); N = velocity distribution exponent; ———– ^*Corresponding author, E-mail: h.chanson@mailbox.uq.edu.au Q _w = water discharge (m³ s^–1); q _w = water discharge per unit width m² s^–1); t = time (s); V = local velocity (m s^–1); V _c = critical flow velocity (m s^–1); for a rectangular channel: V _c=sqrt[3]q _w g V _max = maximum air-water velocity (m s^–1); V ₉₀ = characteristic air-water velocity (m s^–1) where C = 90%; W = channel width (m); x = longitudinal distance (m) measured along the flow direction (i.e., parallel to the pseudo-bottom formed by the step edges); y = distance (m) normal to the pseudo-bottom formed by the step edges; Y₉₀ = characteristic distance (m) where C=0.90; Y ₉₈ = characteristic distance (m) where C=0.98; = slope of pseudo-bottom by the step edges; = diameter (m).