Geographic Variability in Radon Exhalation at a Rehabilitated Uranium Mine in the Northern Territory, Australia

In this study, dry season radon flux densities and radon fluxes have been determined at the rehabilitated Nabarlek uranium mine in northern Australia using conventional charcoal canisters. Environmental background levels amounted to 31± 15 milli Becquerel per m² per second (mBq m⁻² s⁻¹). Radon flux densities within the fenced rehabilitated mine area showed large variations with a maximum of 6500 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹ at an area south of the former pit characterised by a disequilibrium between ²²⁶Ra and ²³⁸U. Radon flux densities were also high above the areas of the former pit (mean 971 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹) and waste rock dump (mean 335 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹). The lower limit for the total pre-mining radon flux from the fenced area (140 ha) was estimated to 214 kBq s⁻¹, post-mining radon flux amounted to 174 kBq s⁻¹.Our study highlights that the results of radon flux studies are vitally dependant on the selection of individual survey points. We suggest the use of a randomised system for both the selection of survey points and the placement of charcoal canisters at each survey point, to avoid over estimation of radon flux densities. It is also important to emphasize the significance of having reliable pre-mining radiological data available to assess the success of rehabilitation of a uranium mine site.2006 Springer. The Australian Government's right to retain a non-exclusive, royalty free licence in and to any copyright is acknowledged.     

燃烧过程颗粒物的形成及我国燃烧源分析

燃料燃烧会排放一次颗粒物和二次颗粒物,一次颗粒物中亚微米粒子主要是由于无机矿物质经蒸发-成核-凝结-凝并的途径形成的;超微米颗粒的产生不同于亚微米颗粒的形成,是由于破碎机理.二次颗粒物是由气态前驱体在大气中转化而成的.我国燃烧源主要是煤燃烧、燃油机动车和农村生活燃料等.深入认识颗粒物的形成及燃烧源的特征对有效控制颗粒物的排放是很有帮助的.     

Health and environmental assessment of mercury exposure in a gold mining community in Western Mindanao, Philippines

The small-scale gold mining activities using mercury began in the late 1980s in Sibutad, Western Mindanao. It is located very near the Murcielagos Bay with tailing ponds directly discharging into bodies of water. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the health and environmental effects of gold mining activities on the community. Residents were randomly selected and classified into two groups, namely, the directly exposed and indirectly exposed populations using a set inclusion criteria. Complete medical and laboratory examinations were performed. Environmental and biologic samples were collected for total mercury and methylmercury determinations. The results showed that the directly exposed group had significantly higher mean blood total mercury and methylmercury levels in comparison with the indirectly exposed population. Although there were no significant differences between hair total mercury and methylmercury levels, there was a trend for higher levels of these biomarkers among the directly exposed residents as compared with the unexposed group. The absence of statistically significant differences may be attributable to the small sample size. Ambient air quality monitoring for mercury exceeded the allowable levels. However, levels of mercury in drinking water and sediments were within allowable limits. Frequency of gastrointestinal complaints was significantly associated with elevated hair methylmercury levels (p=0.02). Also, there appears to be a trend towards higher blood total mercury levels and frequency of gastrointestinal complaints (p=0.09). An interesting finding in this study was the increasing incidence of elevated diastolic blood pressure with elevated hair total mercury levels (p=0.07). Mercury storage at home is a risk factor.     

Environmental assessment of mercury dispersion, transformation and bioavailability in the Lake Victoria Goldfields, Tanzania

Environmental dispersion and transformation of mercury discharged from gold mining operations has been investigated in field and laboratory studies in order to provide better understanding of the degree of mercury (Hg) pollution and bioavailability in the Lake Victoria goldfields (LVGF) ecosystems. This paper reviews results already published elsewhere and presents additional data on Hg dynamics in the LVGF. Studies conducted at the Mugusu and Rwamagaza artisanal mines indicated different degrees of Hg contamination and dispersion in environmental matrices. Mercury concentration in contaminated river sediments near the Mugusu mine varied from 6.0 to 0.5 mg/kg on a dry weight basis. The highest Hg contamination levels (165-232 mg/kg) were associated with mine tailings at the Rwamagaza mine. Mercury concentrations in fish representing different dietary habits on the southwestern shore of Lake Victoria at the Nungwe Bay were very low (2-35 microg/kg) and thought to represent background levels. These and other results suggested that the use of Hg in gold extraction in the LVGF has not caused high Hg levels in lake fish. The study of Hg in lichens showed Parmelia lichen to be an effective bioindicator for atmospheric Hg contamination due to Hg emissions from gold-amalgam firing and purification operations. The Hg levels in the lichens around the Mugusu mine ranged from 3.1 to 0.1 microg/g; the highest levels were recorded in the lichens sampled close to gold-amalgam processing sites. The regional background level in the Parmelia lichen was 0.05-0.10 microg/g, with a mean level of 0.07 microg/g. Studies of Hg transformation in the mine tailings revealed unexpectedly high methylmercury (MeHg) levels in the tailings (629-710 ng/g), which indicated that oxidation and methylation of metallic Hg in the tailings occurred at significant levels under tropical conditions. Re-equilibration of the tailings with freshwater (FW) indicated the MeHg was firmly bound in the tailings and therefore very little MeHg was released to the water column (0.2-1.5 ng/L). The methylation of Hg in tropical loamy clay soil contaminated with HgCl(2) (5 mg Hg/kg) yielded MeHg concentrations of 11 and 14 ng/g when inundated with seawater and FW, respectively, for 4 weeks. Little MeHg was transferred from the soil to the equilibrated water (< or = 0.4 ng/L). Atmospheric exposure of the soil pre-inundated with FW resulted in net degradation of MeHg during the 1st week of exposure, followed by net production and accumulation of MeHg in the soil (up to 15.5 ng/g) during atmospheric desiccation. Mercury uptake by fish from the Hg(0)-contaminated aquatic sediment-tailings system in the aquarium experiment was found to be low, suggesting the low availability of MeHg for bioaccumulation in the system. These and other results provide useful insights into Hg transformation, mobility and bioavailability in tropical aquatic systems affected by Hg pollution from gold mining operations.     

贵州汞矿矿区不同位置土壤中总汞和甲基汞污染特征的研究

为了深入理解汞矿矿区土壤中总汞和甲基汞的污染特征,应用AAS、GC-CVAFS方法,分别对贵州万山、务川和滥木厂汞矿矿区不同位置土壤以及对照区土壤中的总汞(THg)和甲基汞(MeHg)进行了测定.结果表明,万山汞矿区土壤THg和MeHg含量范围分别为1.1～790 mg·kg^-1和0.19～15μg·kg^-1,务川汞矿区土壤THg和MeHg含量范围分别为0.33～317mg·kg^-1和0.41～20μg·kg^-1,滥木厂汞矿区土壤THg和MeHg含量范围分别为0.41～610 mg·kg^-1和0.70～8.8μg·kg^-1.对照区土壤汞含量明显低于矿区土壤,其THg和MeHg含量范围分别为0.14～1.2 mg·kg^-1和0.09～0.23μg·kg^-1;对照区土壤THg含量接近或稍高于全球背景土壤THg含量0.01～0.5 mg·kg^-1.研究表明,汞矿区稻田土壤具有较强的汞甲基化能力,其MeHg含量明显高于菜地和旱田土壤;万山汞矿区土壤汞污染程度明显高于滥木厂和务川汞矿区土壤汞污染.     

郑州市土壤与绿色植物中汞的分布特征

汞污染具有生物积累性,因而得到社会广泛关注。研究监测和评估了郑州市城区土壤和绿色植物叶片中汞浓度、分布、污染水平等。研究发现郑州市主城区土壤总汞浓度为0. 150～0. 958 mg/kg,平均浓度为0. 448 mg/kg;郑州市主城区绿色植物叶片总汞浓度为0. 017～0. 249 mg/kg,平均浓度为0. 107 mg/kg;土壤和叶片中汞浓度按功能区排序为交通枢纽区工业区商业区行政区高教区住宅区。采用地累积指数法对郑州市80个土壤样品的汞污染水平进行评估,结果显示60%受到轻度污染,35%受到偏中度污染,5%受到中度污染。研究较为全面地分析了土壤汞污染的现状及浓度,为郑州市土壤汞污染防治提供参考。     

典型工业半焦的孔隙分形结构分析

工业半焦是一种具有复杂的微观孔隙拓扑结构的多孔物质.基于分形理论,引入分形维数对工业半焦不规则孔隙结构的粗糙、复杂程度进行了定量表征和描述.选取具有典型煤种和工艺代表性的工业半焦样品,用孔隙度分析仪对其孔隙结构特征进行了测量,并利用其测量数据进行了分形维数的分析计算.计算结果表明,工业半焦的孔隙结构符合分形特征,在样品颗粒尺寸为2.36～3.35mm的测量条件下,样品的分形维数在2.7982～2.9154之间,其可决系数在0.9157～0.9614之间;样品的分形维数与煤种和半焦热解工艺过程均有一定的关系.通过对工业半焦分形维数的计算分析,可以更加全面准确地了解其孔隙结构特征,以期为分析评价其吸附和活化潜力、制定恰当的活化工艺提供更加可靠的依据.     

合流制排水系统溢流污染就地调蓄处理控制技术研究

在对高效混合絮凝斜板沉淀工艺进行现场中试的基础上,将化学强化处理工艺与调蓄池相结合,针对上海市某合流制排水系统,进行调蓄/沉淀池的概念设计,提出主要设计参数,利用计算流体力学(CFD)模型对调蓄/沉淀池进行优化设计.试验和模拟结果表明,调蓄/沉淀池与单纯的调蓄池相比具有更好的溢流污染控制效果和效益/造价比.     

潮间带沉积物/大气Hg的释放的模拟研究

研究了潮间带沉积物中的Hg向大气的释放,结果表明光照造成沉积物中的Hg快速向大气释放.光照8 h后,海泊河口和黄河口沉积物释放到大气中的Hg分别占58%和51%,其释放通量总体上遵循先升高后降低的规律,前者在13:00～14:00达到最大值2 830μg/(m2·h),后者在12:00～13:00达到最大值73μg/(m2·h);海泊河口沉积物Hg的释放通量与大气温度、沉积物温度和光照强度的相关系数分别为0.83(P＜0.05)、0.98(P＜0.01)和0.73(P＜0.05),黄河口沉积物Hg的释放通量与大气温度、沉积物温度和光照强度的相关系数分别为0.73(P＜0.05)、0.80(P＜0.05)和0.81(P＜0.01),温度、光照对沉积物Hg的释放有重要的影响.     

煤炭行业推行安全生产责任保险作用及问题探讨

为了减少事故及其造成的损失,使企业不致因灾后赔付而陷人困境和摆脱“企业赚钱,政府发丧”的怪圈,在煤炭行业推行安全生产责任保险,把商业保险模式引入安全生产领域,分散转移风险,并运用保险行业风险管理方法,规避、控制和管理风险,强化事故预防,以达到安全发展、可持续发展的目标。笔者在认真研究有关政策法规,搜集整理相关资料,实地凋研考察的基础上,结合我国煤炭行业安全生产以及煤炭行业责任风险管理现状,对我国煤炭行业推行安全生产责任保险的作用以及试点省市安全生产责任保险实施过程中遇到的问题进行了分析探讨。