Organic matter and concentrated nitrogen removal by shortcut nitrification and denitrification from mature municipal landfill leachate

An UASB＋Anoxic/Oxic （A/O） system was introduced to treat a mature landfill leachate with low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and high ammonia concentration. To make the best use of the biodegradable COD in the leaehate, the denitrifieation of NOx^--N in the reeireulation effluent from the elarifier was carried out in the UASB. The results showed that most biodegradable organic matters were removed by the denitrifieation in the UASB. The NH4^＋-N loading rate （ALR） of A/O reactor and operational temperature was 0.28- 0.60 kg NH4^＋-N/（m^3-d） and 17-29℃ during experimental period, respectively. The short-cut nitrification with nitrite accumulation efficiency of 90%-99% was stabilized during the whole experiment. The NH4^＋-N removal efficiency varied between 90% and 100%. When ALR was less than 0.45 kg NH4^＋-N/（m^3.d）, the NH4^＋-N removal efficiency was more than 98%. With the influent NH4^＋-N of 1200-1800 mg/L, the effluent NH4^＋-N was less than 15 mg/L. The shortcut nitrification and denitrifieation can save 40% carbon source, with a highly efficient denitrifieation taking place in the UASB. When the ratio of the feed COD to feed NH4^＋-N was only 2-3, the total inorganic nitrogen （TIN） removal efficiency attained 67%-80%. Besides, the sludge samples from A/O reactor were analyzed using FISH. The FISH analysis revealed that ammonia oxidation bacteria （AOB） accounted for 4% of the total eubaeterial population, whereas nitrite oxidation bacteria （NOB） accounted only for 0.2% of the total eubaeterial population.     

环洱海地区气候变化特征研究

环洱海地区是云南省具有高原湖泊生态脆弱区、民族文化多元融合区和乡村经济发展活跃区等多重叠合特征的典型区域,是全球气候变化影响的敏感区和脆弱区。以环洱海地区1951~2014年6个基本站点的逐年平均气温、极端最高气温、极端最低气温、降水量、最大日降水量和日降水量≥0.1 mm日数资料为基础。采用线性倾向估计、Mann-Kendall趋势检验、Morlet小波分析和R/S分析等方法,研究了环洱海地区气候变化规律。结果发现:自1951年以来,环洱海地区年均气温和极端最低气温呈现出升高的趋势,而极端最高气温则呈现降低的趋势,变化速率分别为0.07℃/10 a、0.03℃/10 a和–0.14℃/10 a,对于年降水量、最大日降水量和降水日数而言,三者均为减少趋势,速率分别为–12.85 mm/10 a、–1.09mm/10 a和–1.73 d/10 a;环洱海地区年均气温、极端最高和极端最低气温均没有发生突变,年降水量和降水日数在2010年发生了一次减少突变,而最大日降水量则没有检测到突变的年份;环洱海地区年平均气温和年降水量在长时间尺度上的周期性变化最为显著,分别存在30 a和33 a左右的周期变化,并贯穿整个研究时段,而短时间尺度上的周期变化局域性特征突出;从未来演变趋势来看,年平均气温和极端最低气温将维持升温趋势,而极端最高气温则将持续降低趋势,年降水量继续减少的趋势未来将会逆转,但最大日降水量和降水日数两者将持续减少的概率更大。     

天津市工业行业全要素能源效率变动的影响因素分析

天津市作为一个典型的工业城市,工业行业能源效率水平决定了其能否完成"十二五"期间单位生产总值能耗比"十一五"末下降18%的国家节能降耗考核目标。正确把握影响工业行业能源效率变动的因素是天津市寻求节能降耗途径的关键。本文以1998-2008年天津市工业行业的能源消耗面板数据为样本,通过引入非参数Malmquist生产率指数,从技术进步、纯技术效率和规模效率指数角度分析天津市工业行业全要素能源效率变化情况,并运用Tobit模型估计工业化水平、工业内部结构、技术进步、产权结构、政府影响力、进出口贸易和能源消费结构等要素对工业行业全要素能源效率变化的影响程度。研究表明:1998-2008年期间,天津市工业行业间的能源效率差异显著,整体全要素能源效率不断提高,技术进步是其提高的主要原因,但技术效率表现为负增长;工业化水平、技术进步、进出口贸易和能源消费结构的调整对工业行业能源效率的提升具有不同程度的促进作用,但重工业和国有经济比重的增加及政府对能源市场的干预对能源效率的提升起负向作用。因此,天津市工业行业能源效率的进一步提高,需要大力开发、推广和使用先进技术及设备,加强对外开放力度,降低重工业和国有经济比重,充分发挥市场调节能源配置的优势。     

降水量时间序列变化的小波特征

利用小波变换对降水量时间序列的多时间尺度变化及突变特征进行了探讨。小波变换不仅能将降水量时间序列的频率特征在时间域上展现出来，清晰地给出各种时间尺度的强弱和分布情况以及早涝变化趋势和突变点，而且还能分析出其主要周期。以新安江流域黄山地区主汛期(5—7月)和年降水量为例，计算表明，其年际及年代际时间尺度在时域中分布不均匀，具有明显的局部化特征；同时分析出主汛期降水具有8年、19年左右的周期，年降水存在6年、19年左右的周期；研究还表明，主汛期降水与年降水的时间尺度变化比较接近。     

一种新的汛期降水集中期划分方法

汛期降水集中期是近期气象学者提出的表征汛期气候的一种新的特征量,它在气候研究中体现了较好的灵活性、客观性,通过对其分析,可为汛期气候的诊断和预测提供依据。但现在普遍使用的降水集中期在计算方法和时间长度上存在缺陷,特别是运用到时间跨度较长时段的气候分析时,特征量表征作用就有所缺失,而且计算方法较为复杂。为更好地使用降水集中期这一特征量,提出了以15天作为时长,用滑动统计来划定汛期降水集中期的新方法,并运用统计方法、天气气候学方法进行了论证,同时在长江下游主雨季降水集中期分析和金华地区汛期分析两个实例中进行了应用检验。结果表明,汛期降水集中期新方法划定的特征量与汛期降水总量存在时间上的相对独立性和总趋势上的显著相关性,且在汛期气候极端灾害事件上有较强的描述能力。因此认为,15天滑动统计新方法划定的汛期降水集中期使用便捷,天气气候意义明确,在实际应用中更为客观有效。     

基于三阶段DEA与Malmquist指数分解的长江经济带水资源利用效率研究

长江经济带水资源的合理有效使用为经济的可持续发展提供了重要保障。以长江经济带11省市为研究对象,运用三阶段DEA模型和Malmquist对2010~2014年11省市水资源的利用效率进行了静态和动态分析。研究结果表明:在剔除了外部环境因素和随机误差因素以后,纯技术效率均值和综合技术效率均值被低估,规模效率均值被高估,投入规模不足是扼制我国水资源利用效率提升的瓶颈。同时,东中西部省份的水资源利用效率差异显著,呈现"东部中部西部"的格局。通过对Malmquist指数分解可知,全要素生产率指数与技术变化值的演变趋势基本一致,反映了全要素生产率指数对技术变化的严重依赖。因此,扩大生产规模,加大科技投入和知识创新,优化和升级产业结构是提高水资源利用效率的重要途径。     

Recent Changes in Stream Flashiness and Flooding,and Effects of Flood Management in North Carolina and Virginia

The southeastern United States has undergone anthropogenic changes in landscape structure, with the potential to increase (e.g., urbanization) and decrease (e.g., reservoir construction) stream flashiness and flooding. Assessment of the outcome of such change can provide insight into the efficacy of current strategies and policies to manage water resources. We (1) examined trends in precipitation, floods, and stream flashiness and (2) assessed the relative influence of land cover and flow‐regulating features (e.g., best management practices and artificial water bodies) on stream flashiness from 1991 to 2013. We found mean annual precipitation decreased, which coincided with decreasing trends in floods. In contrast, stream flashiness, overall, showed an increasing trend during the period of study. However, upon closer examination, 20 watersheds showed stable stream flashiness, whereas 5 increased and 6 decreased in flashiness. Urban watersheds were among those that increased or decreased in flashiness. Watersheds that increased in stream flashiness gained more urban cover, lost more forested cover and had fewer best management practices installed than urban watersheds that decreased in stream flashiness. We found best management practices are more effective than artificial water bodies in regulating flashy floods. Flashiness index is a valuable and straightforward metric to characterize changes in streamflow and help to assess the efficacy of management interventions.     

Filtering with a drill pump: an efficient method to collect suspended sediment

Water quality monitoring programs across multiple disciplines use total suspended solids (TSS), and volatile suspended solids (VSS), to assess potential impairments of surface water and groundwater. While previous methods for instream filtering have been developed, the need for rapid, cost‐effective, high volume sampling has increased with the need to verify and supplement data produced by sondes and instantaneous data loggers. We present an efficient method to filter water instream with a portable drill pump that results in reduced sample processing time, and potentially reduced error associated with sample transportation, preservation, contamination, and homogenization. This technical note outlines the advantages of filtering instream vs. in the laboratory. It also compares TSS and VSS concentrations filtered with a drill pump vs. standard filtration methods with a vacuum pump as outlined by USEPA methods 160.2 and 160.4. Samples were collected at 4 sites and filtered in the field, or transported to the laboratory and filtered within 12 or 24 h of collection. Overall TSS and VSS samples filtered instream with a drill pump vs. in the laboratory produced similar concentrations with a similar range in variability for each method. Sample filtering with a drill pump decreased processing time by five minutes per sample.     

Robustness of Meteorological Droughts in Dynamically Downscaled Climate Simulations

We examine the robustness of a suite of regional climate models (RCMs) in simulating meteorological droughts and associated metrics in present‐day climate (1971‐2003) over the conterminous United States (U.S.). The RCMs that are part of North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP) simulations are compared with multiple observations over the climatologically homogeneous regions of the U.S. The seasonal precipitation, climatology, drought attributes, and trends have been assessed. The reanalysis‐based multi‐model median RCM reasonably simulates observed statistical attributes of drought and the regional detail due to topographic forcing. However, models fail to simulate significant drying trend over the Southwest and West. Further, reanalysis‐based NARCCAP runs underestimate the observed drought frequency overall, with the exception of the Southwest; whereas they underestimate persistence in the drought‐affected areas over the Southwest and West‐North Central regions. However, global climate model‐driven NARCCAP ensembles tend to overestimate regional drought frequencies. Models exhibit considerable uncertainties while reproducing meteorological drought statistics, as evidenced by a general lack of agreement in the Hurst exponent, which in turn controls drought persistence. Water resources managers need to be aware of the limitations of current climate models, while regional climate modelers may want to fine‐tune their parameters to address impact‐relevant metrics.     

Impacts of Changes in Precipitation Amount and Distribution on Water Resources Studied Using a Model Rainwater Harvesting System

Water supply reliability is expected to be affected by both precipitation amount and distribution changes under recent and future climate change. We compare historical (1951‐2010) changes in annual‐mean and annual‐maximum daily precipitation in the global set of station observations from Global Historical Climatology Network and climate models from the Inter‐Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI‐MIP), and develop the study to 2011‐2099 for model projections under high radiative forcing scenario (RCP8.5). We develop a simple rainwater harvesting system (RWHS) model and drive it with observational and modeled precipitation. We study the changes in mean and maximum precipitation along with changes in the reliability of the model RWHS as tools to assess the impact of changes in precipitation amount and distribution on reliability of precipitation‐fed water supplies. Results show faster increase in observed maximum precipitation (10.14% per K global warming) than mean precipitation (7.64% per K), and increased reliability of the model RWHS driven by observed precipitation by an average of 0.2% per decade. The ISI‐MIP models show even faster increase in maximum precipitation compared to mean precipitation. However, they imply decreases in mean reliability, for an average 0.15% per decade. Compared to observations, climate models underestimate the increasing trends in mean and maximum precipitation and show the opposite direction of change in reliability of a model water supply system.