CITY OF TUCSON WASTE WATER EFFLUENT DELIVERY FACILITY1

ABSTRACT: The Tucson area is totally dependent on ground water, which is in increasingly short supply due to excessive overdrafts. Tucson area waste water treatment plants discharge material quantities of secondary effluent downstream, which is lost to evapotranspiration and recharge of the ground water basin. The city and the four large mining companies who share the common Santa Cruz basin ground water, recognized the common water supply problem and agreed to fund a feasibility study for mining process use of the effluent to partly alleviate the overdraft of ground water. The study analyzed the projected waste water effluent resources, potential mining company demand for waste water effluent and possible interface of an effluent delivery facility with the proposed Central Arizona Project. The effluent resources were analyzed with respect to potential demand. An optimum alignment was selected. An optimum system was detailed through design schematics, amortized cost and finance requirements, and an implementation schedule. It was concluded that a waste water effluent delivery facility could be implemented which would utilize reclaimed effluent in quantities approximating 35 percent of basin overdraft and which would provide revenue for full cost recovery over a 20 year operation period. The mining companies are studying the internal economic impacts of the project.     

固体微粒气溶胶灭火剂的改性研究

固体微粒气溶胶灭火剂作为一种新型灭火剂具有优越的抑制火灾的性能,但其应用和推广的关键在于降低灭火气溶胶形成时的温度.本文利用TG方法分析了灭火剂的热分解过程,并通过测定固体微粒气溶胶灭火剂的释放速度、释放区温度分布及灭火性能,研究了固体微粒气溶胶灭火剂的降温消焰技术.同时对气溶胶的成分和固体粒子粒度分布进行了分析.     

大气中多环芳烃气固相分配与颗粒物粒径的关系

采集了2005年5月16日～6月3日上海市桃浦地区气相样品、TSP样品及不同粒径的颗粒物样品.用GC-MS对各样品中美国EPA规定优先控制的16种多环芳烃(PAHs)做了定量分析.结果表明,大气中PAHs的气固相分配系数(KP)和各物质的过冷饱和蒸气压(pl⁰)呈良好的线性相关.多元线性回归分析表明,PAHs的气固相分配受颗粒物粒径大小的影响,粒径越大,对PAHs的气固相分配影响越大;过冷饱和蒸气压越高,气固相分配越易受到粒径大小的影响.     

Why do not all workers work? Colony size and workload during emigrations in the ant Temnothorax albipennis

Here, we study distribution of workload and its relationship to colony size among worker ants of Temnothorax albipennis, in the context of colony emigrations. We find that one major aspect of workload, number of items transported by each worker, was more evenly distributed in larger colonies. By contrast, in small colonies, a small number of individuals perform most of the work in this task (in one colony, a single ant transported 57% of all items moved in the emigration). Transporters in small colonies carried more items to the new nest per individual and achieved a higher overall efficiency in transport (more items moved per transporter and unit time). Our results suggest that small colonies may be extremely dependent on a few key individuals. In studying colony organisation and division of labour, the amount of work performed by each individual, not just task repertoire (which tasks are performed at all), should be taken into account.     

Time stress,predation risk and diurnal–nocturnal foraging trade-offs in larval prey

Insect larvae increase in size with several orders of magnitude throughout development making them more conspicuous to visually hunting predators. This change in predation pressure is likely to impose selection on larval anti-predator behaviour and since the risk of detection is likely to decrease in darkness, the night may offer safer foraging opportunities to large individuals. However, forsaking day foraging reduces development rate and could be extra costly if prey are subjected to seasonal time stress. Here we test if size-dependent risk and time constraints on feeding affect the foraging–predation risk trade-off expressed by the use of the diurnal–nocturnal period. We exposed larvae of one seasonal and one non-seasonal butterfly to different levels of seasonal time stress and time for diurnal–nocturnal feeding by rearing them in two photoperiods. In both species, diurnal foraging ceased at large sizes while nocturnal foraging remained constant or increased, thus larvae showed ontogenetic shifts in behaviour. Short night lengths forced small individuals to take higher risks and forage more during daytime, postponing the shift to strict night foraging to later on in development. In the non-seasonal species, seasonal time stress had a small effect on development and the diurnal–nocturnal foraging mode. In contrast, in the seasonal species, time for pupation and the timing of the foraging shift were strongly affected. We argue that a large part of the observed variation in larval diurnal–nocturnal activity and resulting growth rates is explained by changes in the cost/benefit ratio of foraging mediated by size-dependent predation and time stress.     

Lead particle size and its association with firing conditions and range maintenance: implications for treatment

Six firing range soils were analyzed, representing different environments, firing conditions, and maintenance practices. The particle size distribution and lead (Pb) concentration in each soil fraction were determined for samples obtained from the backstop berms. The main factors that were found to influence Pb fragment size were the type of soil used to construct the berms and the type of weapon fired. The firing of high velocity weapons, i.e., rifles, onto highly angular soils induced significant fragmentation of the bullets and/or pulverization of the soil itself. This resulted in the accumulation of Pb in the finer soil fractions and the spread of Pb contamination beyond the vicinity of the backstop berm. Conversely, the use of clay as backstop and the use of low velocity pistols proved to be favorable for soil clean-up and range maintenance, since Pb was mainly present as large metallic fragments that can be recovered by a simple screening process. Other factors that played important roles in Pb particle size distribution were soil chemistry, firing distance, and maintenance practices, such as the use of water spray for dust suppression and deflectors prior to impact. Overall, coarse Pb particles provide much easier and more cost-effective maintenance, soil clean-up, and remediation via physical separation. Fine Pb particles release Pb more easily, pose an airborne Pb hazard, and require the application of stabilization/solidification treatment methods. Thus, to ensure sustainable firing range operations by means of cost-effective design, maintenance, and clean-up, especially when high velocity weapons are used, the above mentioned factors should be carefully considered.     

爱尔兰海岸夏季空气颗粒物水溶性离子粒径分布研究

研究了爱尔兰西海岸国际海洋大气研究站夏季（2002年8月12～22日）大西洋气团颗粒物中水溶性无机离子的含量与其粒径关系.海盐成分（Cl^-、SO4^2-、Na^＋、Ca2＋、Mg^2＋、K^＋）含量在粗颗粒物中随粒径呈双峰分布（0.8～30 μm）,但Ca^2＋和K＋受陆域源影响,在亚微米颗粒区间出现另一分布峰（0.1～0.8 μm）.二次颗粒物成分在所有颗粒物中均有检出;NO^3-呈广域宽带分布,其中大部分出现在海盐主峰区（0.8～8 μm,存在Dp 1.4 μm和Dp 4.4 μm两种模态）;nss-SO4^2-（非海盐硫酸根）和NH^4＋呈相关三峰分布（Dp 0.44 μm、Dp 1.4 μm和Dp 4.4 μm）,CH3SO3-也呈相似三峰分布（Dp 0.44 μm、Dp 1.4 μm和Dp 8 μm）,三者在亚微米颗粒区间同位出现主峰.二次颗粒物成分Dp 1.4 μm模态在海岸空气颗粒物研究文献中尚少见报道.讨论了亚微米区间二次颗粒物盐类的化学形态.TSP中nss-SO4^2-、NO^3-、NH^4＋和CH3SO^3-的日均浓度分别为0.279、0.171、0.158和0.041 μg/m^3.     

Economies of size and density in municipal solid waste recycling in Portugal

The recycling of municipal solid waste has a remarkable importance in the preservation of the environment and the welfare of the society. However, it is also important that this service can be provided with efficient costs. This paper aims to search for economies of output density and economies of size in the selective collection and recycling activities in Portugal and to identify the size the utilities should have to become more cost efficient. The sample comprises all Portuguese recycling utilities operating in the wholesale segment in the period 2006–2010. The results show that the Portuguese recycling utilities should increase the quantities of municipal solid waste for recycling (especially glass and paper) and also become larger to dimensions corresponding to a supply of 400–550 thousand inhabitants. With the increasing amount of glass collected, utilities are simultaneously struggling to fulfill the targets established by the European legislation and explore the existing economies of output density. The results also show that the management of these services carried out by private companies and the use of incineration (by utilities) seem to reduce the costs of utilities while the regulation of these services and the composting of waste held by utilities tend to increase costs.     

Predicting Extinction Risk of Brazilian Atlantic Forest Angiosperms

Understanding how plant life history affects species vulnerability to anthropogenic disturbances and environmental change is a major ecological challenge. We examined how vegetation type, growth form, and geographic range size relate to extinction risk throughout the Brazilian Atlantic Forest domain. We used a database containing species‐level information of 6,929 angiosperms within 112 families and a molecular‐based working phylogeny. We used decision trees, standard regression, and phylogenetic regression to explore the relationships between species attributes and extinction risk. We found a significant phylogenetic signal in extinction risk. Vegetation type, growth form, and geographic range size were related to species extinction risk, but the effect of growth form was not evident after phylogeny was controlled for. Species restricted to either rocky outcrops or scrub vegetation on sandy coastal plains exhibited the highest extinction risk among vegetation types, a finding that supports the hypothesis that species adapted to resource‐limited environments are more vulnerable to extinction. Among growth forms, epiphytes were associated with the highest extinction risk in non‐phylogenetic regression models, followed by trees, whereas shrubs and climbers were associated with lower extinction risk. However, the higher extinction risk of epiphytes was not significant after correcting for phylogenetic relatedness. Our findings provide new indicators of extinction risk and insights into the mechanisms governing plant vulnerability to extinction in a highly diverse flora where human disturbances are both frequent and widespread. Predicción del Riesgo de Extinción de Angiospermas del Bosque Atlántico Brasileño     

生物炭配施磷肥对土壤养分、酶活性及紫花苜蓿养分吸收的影响

生物炭作为一种既能单独施用,又能与化肥共同施用的土壤改良剂,在农业生产实践中被广泛施用.然而,关于不同粒径生物炭与磷肥联合施用对土壤和植物的影响研究较少.采用盆栽试验,研究在两个磷水平下,不同粒径生物炭对土壤养分、酶活性以及紫花苜蓿养分吸收的影响[生物炭根据直径分为：C1(>1 mm)和C2(<0.01 mm)这两种处理].结果表明,生物炭和磷联合施用显著提高了土壤养分、酶活性和苜蓿养分吸收;其中,C2处理显著提高了土壤有效磷含量(P<0.05)和磷酸酶活性(P<0.01),而C1处理对铵态氮、硝态氮、脲酶和过氧化氢酶活性有显著影响(P<0.05).并且,不同粒径生物炭处理间的养分及酶的差异受到土壤磷水平的影响,P0水平下,C1和C2处理的铵态氮和硝态氮含量并没有显著差异;而在P1水平下,C1处理的铵态氮和硝态氮含量比C2处理高24.19%和18.68%(P<0.05),但C1和C2处理的有效磷之间并无显著差异;磷添加显著提高了苜蓿地上和地下部的N和P含量(P<0.05),但是不同粒径生物炭之间苜蓿养分含量并没有显著影响.综上所述,生物炭与磷肥...