Factors in offshore planning that affect the risk for major accidents

The purpose of this paper is to systematically analyse a typical planning process in the offshore industry from the perspective of causes of major accidents, with the ultimate aim of identifying factors that affect the risk for major accidents occurring. We first study and describe a typical planning process for offshore oil and gas operations in Norway. Then we analyse a number of theories of major accidents, to see how the different theories and their explanations of causes and contributing factors can be of relevance for future plans and planning processes. Finally, we review accident investigations to search for evidence of how weaknesses in planning processes can contribute to major accidents through the above identified factors. Also, we try to identify any additional factors that have not been recognised through the theoretical review. This provides empirical support for the theoretical basis. Thirteen factors which directly or indirectly can influence the planning process causing a major accident potential are identified. These are exemplified through a review of investigation reports. The paper suggests that planning process should focus more on increasing quality in the plans at an early phase, with examples from incidents, and illustrate the relation between planning quality and potential for major accidents.     

Habitat Improvements and Fish Community Response Associated with an Agricultural Two‐Stage Ditch in Mower County,Minnesota

Water quality and stream habitat in agricultural watersheds are under greater scrutiny as hydrologic pathways are altered to increase crop production. Ditches have been traditionally constructed to remove water from agricultural lands. Little attention has been placed on alternative ditch designs that are more stable and provide greater habitat diversity for wildlife and aquatic species. In 2009, 1.89 km of a conventional drainage ditch in Mower County, Minnesota, was converted to a two‐stage ditch (TSD) with small, adjacent floodplains to mimic a natural system. Cross section surveys, conducted pre‐ and post‐construction, generally indicate a stable channel with minor adjustments over time. Vegetation surveys showed differences in species composition and biomass between the slopes and the benches, with changes ongoing. Longitudinal surveys demonstrated a 12‐fold increase in depth variability. Fish habitat quality improved with well‐sorted gravel riffles and deeper pool habitat. The biological response to improved habitat quality was investigated using a Fish Index of Biological Integrity (FIBI). Our results show higher FIBI scores post‐construction with scores more similar to natural streams. In summary, the TSD demonstrated improvements in riparian and instream habitat quality and fish communities, which showed greater fish species richness, higher percentages of gravel spawning fish, and better FIBI scores. This type of management tool could benefit ditches in other regions where gradient and geology allow.     

Climate and Land Use Effects on Hydrologic Processes in a Primarily Rain‐Fed,Agricultural Watershed

Anticipating changes in hydrologic variables is essential for making socioeconomic water resource decisions. This study aims to assess the potential impact of land use and climate change on the hydrologic processes of a primarily rain‐fed, agriculturally based watershed in Missouri. A detailed evaluation was performed using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool for the near future (2020–2039) and mid‐century (2040–2059). Land use scenarios were mapped using the Conversion of Land Use and its Effects model. Ensemble results, based on 19 climate models, indicated a temperature increase of about 1.0°C in near future and 2.0°C in mid‐century. Combined climate and land use change scenarios showed distinct annual and seasonal hydrologic variations. Annual precipitation was projected to increase from 6% to 7%, which resulted in 14% more spring days with soil water content equal to or exceeding field capacity in mid‐century. However, summer precipitation was projected to decrease, a critical factor for crop growth. Higher temperatures led to increased potential evapotranspiration during the growing season. Combined with changes in precipitation patterns, this resulted in an increased need for irrigation by 38 mm representing a 10% increase in total irrigation water use. Analysis from multiple land use scenarios indicated converting agriculture to forest land can potentially mitigate the effects of climate change on streamflow, thus ensuring future water availability.     

Ecologically Functional Floodplains: Connectivity,Flow Regime,and Scale1

Opperman, Jeffrey J., Ryan Luster, Bruce A. McKenney, Michael Roberts, and Amanda Wrona Meadows, 2010. Ecologically Functional Floodplains: Connectivity, Flow Regime, and Scale. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(2):211-226. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00426.x Abstract: This paper proposes a conceptual model that captures key attributes of ecologically functional floodplains, encompassing three basic elements: (1) hydrologic connectivity between the river and the floodplain, (2) a variable hydrograph that reflects seasonal precipitation patterns and retains a range of both high and low flow events, and (3) sufficient spatial scale to encompass dynamic processes and for floodplain benefits to accrue to a meaningful level. Although floodplains support high levels of biodiversity and some of the most productive ecosystems on Earth, they are also among the most converted and threatened ecosystems and therefore have recently become the focus of conservation and restoration programs across the United States and globally. These efforts seek to conserve or restore complex, highly variable ecosystems and often must simultaneously address both land and water management. Thus, such efforts must overcome considerable scientific, technical, and socioeconomic challenges. In addition to proposing a scientific conceptual model, this paper also includes three case studies that illustrate methods for addressing these technical and socioeconomic challenges within projects that seek to promote ecologically functional floodplains through river-floodplain reconnection and/or restoration of key components of hydrological variability.     

珠江口夏季有机碳的分布特征及其收支模拟研究

基于三维水质模型对珠江口夏季有机碳的分布特征及其收支进行了研究,量化了各动力学过程对有机碳分布的影响,这对于深入了解珠江口碳循环过程有重要意义.同时,采用2006年7—8月观测数据对模型进行了验证,结果显示模型模拟效果良好.研究表明,珠江口夏季有机碳呈明显的空间变化,其浓度总体上从口门向外海逐步降低,底层递减幅度大于表层;表层平均浓度为2.42 mg·L~(-1),底层平均浓度为1.91 mg·L~(-1).此外,有机碳在垂向上的分布与水体层化紧密相关,层化水域中的有机碳浓度随水深迅速下降,非层化水域上、下层的浓度差异不大.有机碳收支结果则表明,珠江口不同水域有机碳的物理、生化过程差异明显.在内伶仃洋,有机碳分布由物理过程主控,其主要来源与消耗分别为径流输送和沉降,两者分别约占该区域有机碳输入总量的83.80%、83.18%;在中伶仃洋,有机碳分布受物理和生化因素共同调控,其来源以生化产碳为主,动力输送为辅,主要耗碳项为沉降;在外伶仃洋,其西侧水域的有机碳主要来源与消耗分别为径流输送和沉降,有机碳分布受物理和生化过程共同调控,其中,物理过程占优势,而在其东侧水域,有机碳主要来源与消耗分别为生化产碳和生化耗碳,有机碳分布由生化过程主控.另外,捕食产碳和氧化耗碳分别是珠江口各生化过程中最重要的产、耗碳过程.     

Removal of antibiotic-resistant genes during drinking water treatment: A review

Once contaminate the drinking water source, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) will propagate in drinking water systems and pose a serious risk to human health. Therefore, the drinking water treatment processes (DWTPs) are critical to manage the risks posed by ARGs. This study summarizes the prevalence of ARGs in raw water sources and treated drinking water worldwide. In addition, the removal efficiency of ARGs and related mechanisms by different DWTPs are reviewed. Abiotic and biotic factors that affect ARGs elimination are also discussed. The data on presence of ARGs in drinking water help come to the conclusion that ARGs pollution is prevalent and deserves a high priority. Generally, DWTPs indeed achieve ARGs removal, but some biological treatment processes such as biological activated carbon filtration may promote antibiotic resistance due to the enrichment of ARGs in the biofilm. The finding that disinfection and membrane filtration are superior to other DWTPs adds weight to the advice that DWTPs should adopt multiple disinfection barriers, as well as keep sufficient chlorine residuals to inhibit re-growth of ARGs during subsequent distribution. Mechanistically, DWTPs obtain direct and inderect ARGs reduction through DNA damage and interception of host bacterias of ARGs. Thus, escaping of intracellular ARGs to extracellular environment, induced by DWTPs, should be advoided. This review provides the theoretical support for developping efficient reduction technologies of ARGs. Future study should focus on ARGs controlling in terms of transmissibility or persistence through DWTPs due to their biological related nature and ubiquitous presence of biofilm in the treatment unit.     

乌海市夏季臭氧污染特征及基于过程分析的成因探究

乌海市地形复杂,周边工业园区分布密集,近年来夏季O₃污染问题突出,且污染特征与形成机制尚不明确,分析乌海市O₃变化特征,探究O₃污染形成机制对该区域大气污染防治具有重要意义.本文在分析乌海市2018年6~8月3次持续O₃污染过程特征的基础上,利用WRF-CMAQ模式系统进行模拟并根据过程分析输出结果对污染的成因进行了深入分析,探讨了区域输送和局地光化学反应对乌海市O₃的影响.结果表明,乌海市夏季O₃呈现"单峰"的日变化特征,近地面O₃与向下短波辐射和气温显著呈正相关,与相对湿度呈负相关;空间分布上,乌海市3个工业园区白天和夜间均为O₃低值区,乌海西南部宁夏石嘴山地区、乌海城区和西北部乌兰布和沙漠地区白天为O₃高值区;过程分析结果表明,输送和化学过程及其相对大小对乌海市O₃有决定性影响,6月和7月的污染过程中局地光化学反应和输送共同导致O₃显著升高,且化学过程的影响是输送的两倍左右,8月O₃的升高主要为输送作用的贡献;进一步对输送作用进行分解可知偏南和西北方向的输送对O₃的升高有较大贡献,结合前体物的排放,可能的传输来源为宁夏银川、石嘴山及巴彦淖尔等区域,因此,乌海市应在控制本地排放的基础上,加强区域联防联控,减少区域传输对O₃的影响.     

城市地表系统POPs多介质循环过程与模拟研究进展

城市地表系统(USS)是陆地表层系统的重要组成部分,而以不透水面覆盖为主要特征的城市土地利用/覆被变化(LUCC)时空过程,打破了系统原有自然地理格局与过程,影响不同介质和界面间的物质循环与能量流动,改变POPs等污染物的循环过程与机理,是城市环境变化和人地相互作用的指示器与重要驱动力,是城市生态环境规划与管理保护的关键依据.本文总结了城市LUCC对POPs多介质分布迁移的影响,包括单介质中POPs的时空分布特征和POPs多介质迁移累积过程;从城市POPs多介质归趋模拟和基于GIS的城市多介质归趋模拟等方面,讨论了城市POPs多介质循环过程归趋模拟的主要进展;展望今后研究中需要重点解决的科学问题:基于不透水面的城市LUCC信息精确提取及与POPs排放输入等相关数据的同化集成; POPs多介质多界面迁移、转化过程与城市LUCC的耦合机理;城市LUCC背景下POPs循环过程、机制的关键模型参数的构建与获取;基于GIS和城市POPs循环过程与机理的、具有高时空分辨率的城市多介质归趋模型(UMFM)的构建与应用.     

序批式活性污泥法及其发展

SBR及其发展工艺具有其它工艺无可比拟的优势，特别是其良好的除磷脱氮功能。本文介绍了SBR及其发展工艺各自的工艺特点、优势及不足之处，为它们在生产实践中的进一步推广应用提供技术参考。     

莱特生物强化技术处理高浓度有机废水的中试

采用莱特生物强化技术(LTBR—Littoral BioReactor),对兰州石化公司化工园区高浓度有机废水进行了中试试验,进行了正常运行的常规标定、水量冲击标定、浓度冲击标定。结果表明:采用LTBR生物处理工艺,使用特效微生物和营养基质,可以在高COD、高含盐等不利条件下正常进行有机物降解,达到了必须将废水中的COD降至2000mg/L以下的试验要求,为处理高浓度有机化工废水的工程应用开辟了新思路。