Leaching-induced migration and compositional form change of Cu,Zn, and Cd from sludge to loess

Land utilization of sewage sludge has become one of the major issues in environmental mitigation in China. This is particularly important in the Loess Plateau of Northwest China. Sludge enriched with organic matter and nutrients might effectively help to resolve the problems of silty loess soils as evidenced by porosity defect, structural alterations and absence of fertility. After sludge flows into the loess, irrigation water contains heavy metals that leach and migrate into sludge and consequently related human health risks may occur that raise concerns; and this situation needs to be rectified. The characteristics of the vertical migration and composition form change of Cu, Zn, and Cd from composted sludge to loess, and corresponding influencing factors, were investigated by performing a soil column simulation test under the leaching treatment of a one-year irrigation water capacity. Results demonstrated that: (1) composted sludge significantly improved loess fertility, and irrigation leaching transported only a small quantity of organic matter in sludge in the plough layer; (2) although some of the Cu, Zn, and Cd in composted sludge migrated to and concentrated in the middle and upper layers of the soil column during leaching, these metals were mostly retained in the plough layer; and (3) after the leaching treatment of the one-year irrigation water capacity, the compositions of Cu, Zn, and Cd (particularly Cu and Zn) in both plough layer and loess began to stabilize with low concentrations in the exudate. These findings confirmed the applicability of composted sludge in loess regions. This study provided a new insight into the sludge reuse in alkaline soils in arid and semi-arid region.     

设施农业土壤磷素累积迁移转化及影响因素

为了科学合理施用磷肥,减小对设施农业环境带来的污染风险,以北京市大兴区设施农业集中区为研究对象,通过对不同种植年限设施农业剖面土壤(0～100 cm)磷素含量的测定分析,探究磷素累积与迁移转化特征.结果表明,设施农业表层土壤全磷和有效磷含量变化范围大,显著高于周边粮田土壤,主要跟不同种植年限农户的施磷量相关,随着土层深度的增加,全磷和有效磷含量逐渐减小,呈现表聚特征,其中土壤ω(全磷)范围在0.38～2.58 g·kg^-1,ω(有效磷)范围在1.60～256.00 mg·kg^-1.随着种植年限的增加,土壤全磷和有效磷含量呈现先增加后减小的趋势,在15 a左右达到峰值,随后逐渐减少,趋于稳定,总体处于较高水平.无机磷主要集中在设施农业表层土壤,其中Ca-P占无机磷的比例最大,达到了98.38%,Ca₁₀-P是最主要的Ca-P形态,含量占Ca-P的78.70%,Ca₂-P占比最小,仅占9.50%.不同形态无机磷含量呈现表层土壤富集,向下减少的垂直分布特征;不同土层深度,不同形态无机磷占全磷比例变化存在差...     

‘Sea of blood’: the intended and unintended effects of criminalising humanitarian volunteers assisting migrants in distress at sea

This paper investigates the impact of the recent criminalisation of humanitarian actors engaged in the search for and rescue of migrants in distress in the Mediterranean Sea, focusing on the impact on the motivation and engagement of humanitarian volunteers in Greece. It argues that criminalisation is aimed at reducing search and rescue (SAR) activities and thus removing perceived ‘pull factors’ for migrants. The paper locates this phenomenon within the broader trend of policing and punishing those who assist migrants in order to deter them and prevent others from engaging in such endeavours. It finds that efforts to criminalise can have the unintended effects of encouraging and mobilising volunteers, as well as generating public attention and support for migrants. However, the negative consequences of criminalisation are far-reaching, including contributing to a high mortality rate among those crossing the Mediterranean without SAR capabilities and the heightened risk of violence against migrants and those who help them.     

Fate of Co at a sludge land application site

Vertical distributions of ⁶⁰Co are determined in soil cores obtained from a 10-ha grassland, where anaerobically digested sludge was applied by surface spraying from 1986 to 1995 on the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation. These results, along with historical application records, are used to estimate vertical-migration rates and perform a mass balance. The presence of ⁶⁰Co results solely from the sludge-application process. Soil, vegetation, and surface-water samples were collected. Eleven soil cores were sectioned into 3-cm increments and analyzed by gamma-ray spectrometry. No ⁶⁰Co was detected in the vegetation or water samples. The downward migration rate of ⁶⁰Co in the upper 15 cm of soil ranged from 0.50 to 0.73 cm/yr. About 98%, 0.020 ± 0.011 Bq/cm², of ⁶⁰Co remained in the upper 15 cm of soil, which compared favorably with the expected ⁶⁰Co activity based on historical records of 0.019 ± 0.010 Bq/cm².     

Development of a model to simulate soil heavy metals lateral migration quantity based on SWAT in Huanjiang watershed, China

Lateral transportation of soil heavy metals in rainfall events could significantly increase the scope of pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a model with high accuracy to simulate the migration quantity of heavy metals. A model for heavy metal migration simulation was developed based on the SWAT(Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model. This model took into consideration the influence of soil p H value, soil particle size, runoff volume, sediment amount,concentration of water-soluble heavy metals dissolved in runoff and insoluble absorbed to the soil particles. This model was reasonable in Huanjiang watershed, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China, covering an area of 273 km~2. The optimal drainage area threshold was determined by analyzing the effects of watershed subdivision on the simulation results to ensure the simulation accuracy. The main conclusions of this paper were:(1) watershed subdivision could affect simulation migration quantity of heavy metals;(2) the quantity of heavy metals transported by sediment accounted for 97%–99% of the total migration quantity in the study watershed. Therefore, sediment played the most important role in heavy metal migration;(3) the optimal drainage area threshold percentage to ensure high simulation accuracy was determined to be 2.01% of the total watershed;(4) with the optimal threshold percentage, this model could simulate the migration quantity of As, Pb and Cd accurately at the total watershed and subwatershed level. The results of this paper were useful for identifying the key regions with heavy metal migration.     

Ranging of songs with the song type on use of different cues in Carolina wrens: effects of familiarity

Male territorial song birds are usually spaced far apart and most often hear conspecific song after it has been degraded by propagation through the environment. Their ability to use the degradation of songs to assess the distance of a singing rival without approaching (called ranging) presumably increases the efficiency of defending a territory. In order to assess degradation in a song the receiver needs to compare the characteristics of the received song to its characteristics at the source or at different distances. Earlier experiments on ranging in species with song repertoires have suggested that prior familiarity with the particular song type is necessary for ranging. Here I show that male Carolina wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) can use either temporal or spectral characteristics for ranging song types which they were unlikely to have heard previously. Playbacks consisting of only one song prevented subjects' close-range experience with the loudspeaker, and flights beyond the loudspeaker provided direct evidence for over-assessment of distance when songs were degraded. Because ranging of songs was not affected by the degree of familiarity with the song type, this experiment provides no evidence that song repertoires hinder ranging in Carolina wrens, as suggested by Morton's ranging hypothesis. Instead, at least approximate ranging of songs is evidently possible by assessment of degradation in general features of a species' songs. Received: 9 August 1996 / Accepted after revision: 15 February 1997     

Simulation of 137Cs Migration over the Soil–Plant System of Peat Soils Contaminated after the Chernobyl Accident

A mathematical model was constructed to simulate the processes of ¹³⁷Cs migration in peat soils and its uptake by vegetation. Model parameters were assessed and the pattern of ¹³⁷Cs distribution over soil profile was predicted in case of peat soils, which are typical of the Russian regions contaminated after the Chernobyl accident. The ecological half-life of ¹³⁷Cs in the plant-root soil zone was calculated, and a long-term prognosis of the radionuclide uptake by plants was made.     

Dip-angle influence on areal DNAPL recovery by co-solvent flooding with and without pre-flooding

A two-dimensional (2D) laboratory model was used to study effects of gravity on areal recovery of a representative dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) contaminant by an alcohol pre-flood and co-solvent flood in dipping aquifers. Recent studies have demonstrated that injection of alcohol and co-solvent solutions can be used to reduce in-situ the density of DNAPL globules and displace the contaminant from the source zone. However, contact with aqueous alcohol reduces interfacial tension and causes DNAPL swelling, thus facilitating risk of uncontrolled downward DNAPL migration. The 2D laboratory model was operated with constant background gradient flow and a DNAPL spill was simulated using tetrachloroethene (PCE). The spill was dispersed to a trapped, immobile PCE saturation by a water flood. Areal PCE recovery was studied using a double-triangle well pattern to simulate a remediation scheme consisting of an alcohol pre-flood using aqueous isobutanol ( approximately 10% vol.) followed by a co-solvent flood using a solution of ethylene glycol (65%) and 1-propanol (35%). Experiments were conducted with the 2D model oriented in the horizontal plane and compared to experiments at the 15 degrees and 30 degrees dip-angle orientations. Injection was applied either in the downward or upward direction of flow. Experimental results were compared to theoretical predictions for flood front stability and used to evaluate effects of gravity on areal PCE recovery. Sensitivity experiments were performed to evaluate effects of the alcohol pre-flood on PCE areal recovery. For experiments conducted with the alcohol pre-flood and the 2D model oriented in the horizontal plane, results indicate that 89-93% of source zone PCE was recovered. With injection oriented downward, results indicate that areal PCE recovery was 70-77% for a 15 degrees dip angle and 57-59% for a 30 degrees dip angle. With injection oriented upward, results indicate that areal PCE recovery was 57-60% at the 30 degrees dip angle, which was similar to PCE recovery for injection in the downward flow direction. Lower areal PCE recovery at greater dip angles in either direction of flow was attributed to DNAPL swelling and migration, flood front instabilities and bypassing of the displaced fluid past the extraction wells during the alcohol pre-flood. Additional results demonstrate that the use of an alcohol pre-flood can be beneficial in improving DNAPL recovery in the horizontal orientation, but pre-flooding may reduce areal recovery efficiency in dip-angle orientations. This study also demonstrates the use of theoretical perturbation (fingering) analysis in predicting NAPL recovery efficiency for flooding processes in remediating aquifers with dip angles.     

连续起伏管道投产过程中的气相运移研究*

为应对山区液体管道在投产过程中可能出现的气阻、超压问题,从气相运移角度出发,建立液顶气模型,研究在1个U型单元内积气形成、压缩和破碎的全过程,在此基础上,提出连接各个U型单元的气相的传递函数,探讨背压累积因素下,连续起伏管道投产过程中各个U型管段的积气情况和压力的变化,进行动态的建模和计算。以国内某原油管道的现场投产数据与模型结果进行比对。结果表明:可以更加准确地预测山区液体管道投产过程中的气相传递和压力变化过程,能为未来连续起伏大落差液体管道投产的安全稳定运行提供理论指导和技术支持。     

丁坝对河流污染物迁移扩散的影响模拟研究

以深度平均的水流和污染物迁移扩散的通用微分方程为控制方程建立数学模型。设置上游丁坝,模拟分析丁坝长度占河宽的不同比例(10%、20%、40%)以及污水口在坝前2m的位置条件下,丁坝对水流流场及污染物迁移扩散的影响。结果表明:当丁坝长度达到河宽的40%的时候,污染带的宽度最大,而出口端面污染物浓度较低。通过设置合理的丁坝长度比例,可以在一定程度上降低沿程污染物的浓度。