Evolution of unsaturated hydraulic properties of municipal solid waste with landfill depth and age

Successful modeling of liquid and air flow and hence designing of liquid and air addition systems in the landfills are constrained by the lack of key parameters of unsaturated hydraulic properties of municipal solid waste (MSW), which are strongly dependent on the depth of burial and the degree of decomposition. In this study, water retention curves (WRC) of MSW are measured using pressure plate method on samples repacked according to the in situ unit weight measured during borehole sampling, representing the MSW in shallow, middle, and deep layers. The measured WRC of MSW is well-reproduced by the van Genuchten-Mualem model, and is used to predict the unsaturated hydraulic properties of MSW, including water retention characteristics and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. The estimated model parameters are consistent with other studies, suggesting that the pressure plate method yields reproducible results. As the landfill depth and age increase, the overburden pressure, the highly decomposed organic matter and finer pore space increase, hence the capillary pressure increases, causing increases in air-entry values, field capacity and residual water content, and decreases in steepness of WRC and saturated water content. The unsaturated hydraulic properties of MSW undergo changes with landfill depth and age, showing more silt loam-like properties as the landfill age increases.     

九寨沟旅游设施非点源污染人工降雨实验

对九寨沟国家公园的旅游设施(栈道和公路)进行了人工降雨试验的设计、操作和测试数据分析.模拟试验选择6处公路和栈道试验区,采用人工降雨方法模拟历时30min的降雨.试验中按3 min间隔对各试验场降雨径流带出的总磷负荷进行现场监测.对公路和栈道降雨径流和浓度特征分别进行了相似性和异同性分析.     

市域建筑业碳排放与经济发展关系及影响因素研究——以西安市为例

以西安市建筑业为例,基于投入产出法构建碳排放核算边界与方法,利用环境库兹涅茨曲线(Environmental Kuznets Curve,EKC)、Tapio弹性脱钩模型对碳排放与行业经济发展之间关系及影响因素进行定量分析,进而与省域和全国建筑业碳排放情况进行对比。结果显示:西安市建筑业间接碳排放在行业排放总量中所占比例约为70%,显著低于其所在省域与全国建筑业;碳排放库兹涅茨曲线近年来总体呈上升趋势;节能弹性脱钩因素是目前行业低碳发展的重要推力,而能源利用与价值创造能力表现较弱;投入产出法、EKC曲线和弹性脱钩模型适用于市域建筑业碳排放研究。     

Parametric analysis of water electrolysis by dual electrolytes and cells

In this study, sulfuric acid and potassium hydroxide are used as the electrolytes, separated by proton exchange membrane, to produce hydrogen. The effects of electrolyte concentrations, applied voltage, single or dual cells, and temperature on the hydrogen production rate and energy efficiency are investigated. Experimental results show that the amount of hydrogen production increases with voltage, and the dual electrolytes and cells can yield the best hydrogen production rate and energy efficiency. With 1-M KOH plus 1-M H₂SO₄ as electrolytes in separated cells, the highest hydrogen production rate is about 0.95 L/hr. Results also show that the rise of electrolyte temperature can significantly increase the hydrogen production rate up to 50%, and the energy efficiency up to 20%. Keeping a low PH value in cathodeand high anode PH value in anode indeed enhances the efficiency of hydrogen production rate.     

Probabilistic ecological risk assessment for three chlorophenols in surface waters of China

Individual and combined assessment of risks of adverse effects to aquatic ecosystems of three chlorophenols (CPs), including 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) and pentachlorophenol (PCP), were conducted. A probabilistic approach based on the concentrations of CPs in surface waters of China was used to determine the likelihood of adverse effects. The potential risk of CPs in surface waters of China was determined to be of concern, especially PCP and mixtures of CPs. The risks of adverse effects were examined as the joint probabilities of exposure and response. The joint probability for PCP was 0.271 in the worst case and 0.111 in the median case, respectively. Based on the cumulative probability, 5% of aquatic organisms included in the assessment would be affected 21.36% of the time in the worst case and 5.99% of the time in median case, respectively. For the mixtures of CPs, the joint probability were 0.171 in the worst case and 0.503 in median case, respectively and 5% of species would be affected 49.83% of the time for the worst case and 12.72% in the median case, respectively. Risks of effects of the individual CPs, 2,4-DCP and 2,4,6-TCP were deemed to be acceptable with a overlapping probability of < 0.1 with 5% of species being affected less than 4% of the time.     

中国耕地变化的空间格局与重心曲线动态分析

采用罗伦兹曲线、重心模型等G IS技术,利用1980 s和2000年两期覆盖全国跨度10多年的土地利用数据,构造耕地指数、耕地变化指数对中国耕地空间分布及其空间变化格局进行分析。主要结论:①中国耕地主要分布在黑、川、蒙、豫、鲁等北部和中部省份,其中苏、粤、冀、鲁、浙等19个省份的耕地有所减少,黑、蒙、吉、新等13个省份的耕地有所增加;②胡焕庸线之东南40%的国土面积分布着全国88%的耕地;西北60%的国土面积分布着全国12%的耕地,中国耕地空间分布可划分为高度稀疏区、低度稀疏区、一般过渡区、低度集聚、高度集聚区等5种类型;③中国耕地变化区域类型可适度划分为高度增长区、中度增长区、低度增长区、基本不变区、低度减少区、中度减少区、高度减少区等7大类型。顾及耕地质量背景下的中国耕地空间分布格局及变化特征等应进一步研究。     

经济发展与城市蔓延的Logistic曲线假说及其验证——基于华东地区典型城市的考察

经济发展与城市蔓延一直是学者研究的热点,其假说大都建立在发展与保护矛盾不断激化的基础之上,论文基于国内外城市发展轨迹的判断,提出新的研究假说:经济发展与城市蔓延存在Logistic曲线关系,并选择华东地区典型城市进行实证检验。结果表明:第一,国外(区域)经济发展由快速城市化、工业化初级阶段过渡到高级或后工业化阶段进程中,对城市蔓延扩张的依赖程度逐渐减弱;第二,中国1978—2003年间经济发展与城市蔓延增长具有周期性波动特征,2003年以后两者波动出现明显脱钩或分歧;第三,实证结果显示,上海、南京、无锡和徐州的第二三产业GDP在分别达到2.91×10¹¹、1.02×10¹¹、4.43×10¹⁰、9.42×10¹⁰元时,城市蔓延扩张出现拐点,验证了研究假说,其规模上限分别为8.99×10⁴、6.01×10⁴、2.20×10⁴、3.43×10⁴ hm²。研究结论能够为我国城市蔓延治理和公共政策调整提供科学依据和直接参考。     

水泥生产排放二氧化碳的人口经济压力分析

自1985年以来,中国水泥的生产量稳居世界第1位,在为我国基础设施建设提供保障的同时也排放出大量的二氧化碳.采用能揭示人为活动影响二氧化碳排放的定量分析模型——STIRPAT来探讨人口和经济增长对水泥行业排放二氧化碳的影响.结果表明:在能源消耗和工艺过程两大排放途径下,中国水泥行业32年(1971—2002年)内向大气排放了1.61×109t(碳当量)的二氧化碳;我国人口与经济(人均GDP)发展对二氧化碳排放的驱动作用分别为3.7, 2.5～2.7,远高于全球平均水平;人口压力比经济的压力大1.1～1.2,证实了人口增长是环境降级的关键因子,表明控制人口增长是减少二氧化碳排放的关键措施;回归模型分析表明,环境库兹涅茨倒U型曲线也适用于水泥生产排放二氧化碳,当人均GDP达到3 522美元时二氧化碳排放量才能逐步减少.      

A Nationwide Analysis of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Reservoir Performance in Meeting Operational Targets

The United States (U.S.) Army Corps of Engineers operates reservoirs across the U.S. with 89% of reservoirs constructed prior to 1980. Many reservoirs have experienced changes in environmental conditions (e.g., climate and sediment yield) and societal conditions (e.g., water/energy demand and ecological flows) since construction. These changes may challenge the potential for reservoirs to meet their operational targets (OTs) (management goals). Historic daily reservoir data and OTs were collected for 233 reservoirs. Analyses were developed to identify when and where reservoirs may be systematically departing from OTs in terms of the frequency and magnitude of departure. Fifty‐six percent of reservoirs consistently met operating targets, 30% were borderline, and 13% experienced frequent and large magnitude departures. Fifty‐two percent of reservoirs with large departures were due to shortages and were located in the South Pacific and Southwestern divisions. This work provides a framework to identify reservoir performance in relation to management goals, a necessary step for moving toward adaptive management under changing conditions. All individual reservoir analyses are provided via an interactive data visualization tool: https://nicholasinstitute.duke.edu/reservoir-data .     

Integrating Temporal Inequality into Conservation Planning to Improve Practice Design and Efficacy

In contrast to spatial inequality, there are currently no methods for leveraging information on temporal inequality to improve conservation efficacy. The objective of this study was to use Lorenz curves to quantify temporal inequality in surface runoff and tile drainage, identify controls on nutrient loading in these flowpaths, and develop design flows for structural conservation practices. Surface runoff (n = 94 site‐years) and tile drainage (n = 90 site‐years) were monitored on 40 fields in Ohio. Results showed, on average, 80% of nitrate‐nitrogen, soluble reactive phosphorus (P), and total P loads occurred between 7 and 12 days per year in surface runoff and between 32 and 58 days per year in tile drainage. Similar temporal inequality between discharge and load provided evidence that loading was transport‐limited and highlighted the critical role hydrologic connectivity plays in nutrient delivery from tile‐drained fields. Design flow criterion for sizing structural practices based on load reduction goals was developed by combining Lorenz curves and flow duration curves. Comparing temporal inequality between fields and the Maumee River, the largest tributary to the western Lake Erie Basin, revealed challenges associated with achieving watershed load reduction goals with field‐scale conservation. In‐field (i.e., improved nutrient and water management), edge‐of‐field (i.e., structural practices), and instream practices will all be required to meet nutrient reduction goals from tile‐drained watersheds.