Oil spill cleanup cost estimation—Developing a mathematical model for marine environment

The field of oil spill cost modelling is not as well explored as desirable. Generally speaking, the existing models have either low accuracy, in that their predictions are far from the real cost, or low applicability, in that they are only valid under very specific conditions; such as in one particular country. This work strives to construct a model that is functional in a global scope and still possess a high level of accuracy. The resulting attempt is in many ways superior to the publicly available competitors, not only because of its predictive capacity but also because the model is quick to use, and its input variables should be readily available to any informed user. The model is more accurate comparing with similar available models. However, further study is needed to modify it to obtain more realistic results.     

Leaching behavior of heavy metals from municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash and its geochemical modeling

With the increase in the number of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) plants constructed in China recently, great attention has been paid to the heavy metal leaching toxicity of MSWI residues. In this study, the effects of various parameters, including extractant, leaching time, liquid-to-solid ratio, leachate pH, and heavy metal content, on the release properties of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn from MSWI bottom ash were investigated. Partial least-squares analysis was employed to highlight the interrelationships between the factors and response variables. Both experimental research and geochemical modeling using Visual MINTEQ software were conducted to study the pH-dependent leaching behavior of these metals in fresh and weathered bottom ash, considering precipitation/dissolution and surface complexation reactions (adsorption by hydrous ferric oxide and amorphous aluminum oxide/hydroxide). The results showed that leachate pH was the predominant factor influencing heavy metal leachability. The leaching of Cu, Pb, and Zn was mainly controlled by precipitation/dissolution reactions, whereas surface complexation had some effect on the leaching of Cr, Cd, and Ni for certain pH ranges. The modeling results aggreed well with the experimental results. Part of this work was presented at the Fourth International Conference on Combustion, Incineration/Pyrolysis and Emission Control (i-CIPEC)     

Optimal Design of a Multi-Pollutant Air Quality Monitoring Network in a Metropolitan Region Using Kaohsiung, Taiwan as an Example

An air quality monitoring network (AQMN) usually performs the basic function of assessment of regional air quality and demonstration of compliance with ambient air quality standards in an urban area. Different pollutants, however, may present different characteristic variabilities due to their specific emission patterns, rates of diffusion, and transport and transformation behaviors. But the costs of siting in a pollutant-specific monitoring network would be higher than that for a common network with respect to several pollutants monitored simultaneously. This paper presents a survey of multi-pollutant design principles and optimal searches for siting patterns of an AQMN using both simulation and optimization models as a combined tool. While conservative, quasi-stable, and reactive pollutants are considered in the design principles, cost, coverage effectiveness, and spatial correlation characteristics are included in the multi-criteria decision making process. For illustrative purpose, a series of technical settings and two types of objectives were examined in the case study for the city of Kaohsiung in Taiwan.     

Agricultural Chemicals in the Alluvial Aquifer of a Typical County of the Arkansas Delta

Statistical methods and a Geographic Information System (GIS) were used to investigate potential indicators of ground water vulnerability to agricultural chemical contamination in a representative area of the Mississippi River alluvial aquifer. A total of 47 wells were sampled for analysis of nitrate, phosphorus, potassium, and 13 pesticides commonly-used in the area. Ten soil and hydrogeologic variables and five ground water vulnerability indices were examined to explain the variations of chemical concentrations. The results showed that no individual soil or hydrogeologic variables or their linear combinations could explain more than 25% of the variation of the chemical concentrations. A quadratic response surface model with the values of confining unit thickness, slope, soil permeability, depth to ground water, and recharge rate accounted for 62% of the variation of nitrate, 43% of P, and 83% of K, suggesting that the interactions among soil and hydrogeologic variables were significant. Observed trends of decreasing nitrate and P concentrations with increasing well depth and/or depth to ground water seemed to correlate with carbonate equilibrium in the aquifer and more reduced environment with depth. In view of uncertainties involved, it was recognized that the limitations associated with input data resolution used in GIS and the formulation of leaching indices limited their use for predicting ground water vulnerability. Misuse of pesticides could be another factor that would complicate the relationships between pesticide concentrations and the vulnerability indices.     

B—P网络逐步聚类法在环境测点优选中的应用

将Ｂ－Ｐ网络原理与逐步聚类分析思想相结合,用于环境测点聚类优选。该方法用于水清河几个监测断面的优选结果是符合客观实际的。     

南方土壤酸沉降敏感性研究Ⅷ.盐基离子淋溶的多因素分析

在模拟酸雨条件下土壤盐基离子淋溶特性研究的基础上,采用生成分分析及多元回归分析方法研究了土壤盐基淋溶的影响因子．结果表明,通过主成分分析方法可将选取的15个原始变量综合成为2个主成分,为进一步分析盐基释放量与土壤理化性质之间的关系提供了方便．影响盐基释放量的主要因子有土壤原始pH值、可交换性盐基含量、蒙脱石含量、活性氧化物、1.4nm矿物等,它们表现出效应,而高岭石和可交换性铝含量表现出负效应．利用主成分分析的结果进行多元回归分析,可得到土壤累积盐基释放量与2个主成分之间的回归方程．     

江苏数字地震台网台址噪声谱分析

江苏数字地震台网已建设改造了 8个台站。对 8个台站记录到的背景噪声进行定量分析 ,测定背景噪声的地动速度均方根值 (RMS)、有效测量动态范围 (D有效)和噪声功率谱。结果表明 :受台基和海潮等观测环境的影响 ,大部分台站的地动速度RMS值高于 2 × 1 0 -8m/s,降低D有效 值。背景噪声功率谱峰值频率为 2 5～ 3 0Hz。这些定量分析为了解数字地震台网的实际监测水平提供了可靠依据     

鸭绿江（丹东段）江水中未知有机污染物分析鉴定与有毒有机物名录筛选

采用美国惠普公司MC/GS联用仪,对鸭绿江（丹东段）江水中有机污染物种类、组成进行了分析鉴定,进而采用高压液相色谱法对多环芳烃类进行定量测定与评价,进行了该江段有毒有机物名录筛选,提出由27种有毒有机污染物组成的名单。     

影响马尾松毛虫虫灾发生类型因素的重要性分析

运用列联表分析方法探讨了小班的林地起源、优势树种、地理、生长等因素对小班的马尾松毛虫虫灾发生类型的影响。分析结果表明：小班的海拔高度和坡度是决定小班的马尾松虫灾发生类型的关键因素。小班的优势种结构、平均树高及郁闭度对小班的马尾松毛虫虫灾发生类型也有较大的影响。图12表1参2