Determination of specific gravity of municipal solid waste

This investigation was conducted to evaluate experimental determination of specific gravity (G_s) of municipal solid waste (MSW). Water pycnometry, typically used for testing soils was adapted for testing MSW using a large flask with 2000 mL capacity and specimens with 100–350 g masses. Tests were conducted on manufactured waste samples prepared using US waste constituent components; fresh wastes obtained prior and subsequent to compaction at an MSW landfill; and wastes obtained from various depths at the same landfill. Factors that influence specific gravity were investigated including waste particle size, compaction, and combined decomposition and stress history. The measured average specific gravities were 1.377 and 1.530 for as-prepared/uncompacted and compacted manufactured wastes, respectively; 1.072 and 1.258 for uncompacted and compacted fresh wastes, respectively; and 2.201 for old wastes. The average organic content and degree of decomposition were 77.2% and 0%, respectively for fresh wastes and 22.8% and 88.3%, respectively for old wastes. The G_s increased with decreasing particle size, compaction, and increasing waste age. For fresh wastes, reductions in particle size and compaction caused occluded intraparticle pores to be exposed and waste particles to be deformed resulting in increases in specific gravity. For old wastes, the high G_s resulted from loss of biodegradable components that have low G_s as well as potential access to previously occluded pores and deformation of particles due to both degradation processes and applied mechanical stresses. The G_s was correlated to the degree of decomposition with a linear relationship. Unlike soils, the G_s for MSW was not unique, but varied in a landfill environment due both to physical/mechanical processes and biochemical processes. Specific gravity testing is recommended to be conducted not only using representative waste composition, but also using representative compaction, stress, and degradation states.     

The electron density distribution in pyridinium and bipyridylium compounds and its relevance to their adsorption by expanding lattice clays

Abstract

Charge distributions in 1, 1'‐ethylene‐2, 2'‐bipyridylium (diquat), 1,1'‐dimethyl‐4,4'‐bipyridylium (paraquat) and 1‐methylpyridinium organocations were calculated by a Complete Neglect of Differential Overlap semi‐empirical quantum mechanical procedure. The data show that the positive charges in the organocations are distributed around the molecules and are greatest in the positions ortho and para to the heterocyclic nitrogen atoms. Earlier interpretations of the mechanisms of adsorption of paraquat and diquat by soils and clays assumed that the charges were located in the heterocyclic nitrogen atoms. Here some consideration is given to the influence of the charge delocalizations on the processes of adsorption by montmorillonite and vermiculite clay preparations.     

Impact of Sea Level Rise on Groundwater Salinity in a Coastal Community of South Florida1

Guha, Hillol and Sorab Panday, 2012. Impact of Sea Level Rise on Groundwater Salinity in a Coastal Community of South Florida. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(3): 510-529. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00630.x Abstract: Freshwater resources of coastal communities in the United States and world over are threatened by the rate of sea level rise. According to recent estimates by various governmental agencies and climate researchers, the global sea level rise is likely to be between 0.6 and 2.1 m by the year 2100. South Florida is a coastal community and much of its coastline is subject to sea level rise and potential impacts to wetlands and the water resources of the area. To understand what the impact of sea level rise would cause to the groundwater level and salinity intrusion, an integrated groundwater and surface water model was developed for North Miami-Dade and Broward Counties of South Florida. The model was calibrated against daily groundwater heads, base flows in canals, and chloride concentrations for a period of one year and six months. Three separate sensitivity analyses were conducted by increasing the sea level by 0.6, 0.9, and 1.22 m. Results of the simulations shows increase of groundwater heads in some areas from 4 to 15%; whereas the average relative chloride concentrations increased significantly by 100-600% in some wells. The increase in groundwater elevations and chloride concentrations varies from location of the wells and its proximity to the coast. The model results indicate that even a 0.6 m increase in sea level (which is the conservative estimate) is likely to impair the vital freshwater resources in many parts of South Florida.     

Minimal pesticide-primed soil inoculum density to secure maximum pesticide degradation efficiency in on-farm biopurification systems

Addition of pesticide-primed soil containing adapted pesticide degrading bacteria to the biofilter matrix of on farm biopurification systems (BPS) which treat pesticide contaminated wastewater, has been recommended, in order to ensure rapid establishment of a pesticide degrading microbial community in BPS. However, uncertainties exist about the minimal soil inoculum density needed for successful bioaugmentation of BPS. Therefore, in this study, BPS microcosm experiments were initiated with different linuron primed soil inoculum densities ranging from 0.5 to 50 vol.% and the evolution of the linuron mineralization capacity in the microcosms was monitored during feeding with linuron. Successful establishment of a linuron mineralization community in the BPS microcosms was achieved with all inoculum densities including the 0.5 vol.% density with only minor differences in the time needed to acquire maximum degradation capacity. Moreover, once established, the robustness of the linuron degrading microbial community towards expected stress situations proved to be independent of the initial inoculum density. This study shows that pesticide-primed soil inoculum densities as low as 0.5 vol.% can be used for bioaugmentation of a BPS matrix and further supports the use of BPS for treatment of pesticide-contaminated wastewater at farmyards.     

西安市城市主干道路面径流初期冲刷效应

以西安市城市主干道南二环太白路高架桥为路面径流采样区域,采用人工等时间间隔采样方法,在桥梁排水立管对2010年9—11月的3场径流事件进行全程采样,测试径流过程SS、COD、溶解性COD、NH3-N、Pb、溶解性Pb、Zn和溶解性Zn的浓度变化,研究路面径流的初期冲刷效应及其影响因素。结果表明,西安市城市主干道路面径流污染严重,降雨数小时后的末期径流仍具有较高的污染水平;径流过程污染物浓度变化规律与其赋存形态有关,SS、COD、Pb等以颗粒态为主的污染物的浓度随雨强变化剧烈波动,NH3-N、溶解态COD、溶解态Zn等以溶解态为主的污染物浓度变化受雨强影响较小,随径流过程呈逐渐减小趋势;路面径流初期冲刷现象并非普遍存在,与污染物的赋存状态和场次降雨特征密切相关,溶解态污染物易于出现初期冲刷现象,颗粒态污染物是否出现初期冲刷与场次降雨特征有关;测试的3场径流事件初期30%的径流携带的SS、COD、溶解性COD、NH3-N、Pb、Zn和溶解性Zn的负荷占场次径流总负荷的比例分别为21.8%～50.0%、25.5%～49.3%、36.3%～52.6%、52.6%～66.7%、26.8%～45.0%、27.2%～63.4%和36.2%～62.6%,表明仅对初期径流进行治理无法实现对西安市路面径流污染的有效控制。     

道路车辆电气及电子设备在振动试验中的应力循环和试验设计原则

本文试从振动试验的特点和受试样品承受振动激励的应力循环切入分析,为把握试验方案的拟订提供支持。同时也简要介绍了应力循环的计算方法,供试验人员参考使用。     

二氧化碳水合物储气特性的实验研究

利用二氧化碳水合物小型实验装置分别在恒容和恒压条件下,研究了机械搅拌对二氧化碳气体溶解的影响以及温度与水-气比对二氧化碳水合物形成和储气密度的影响。通过实验结果发现,机械搅拌对二氧化碳的溶解有非常明显的促进作用,可以在3 min内完成溶解过程,促进溶解作用好于添加剂SDS。研究还发现,反应温度越低,二氧化碳水合物的生成速率越快,总的储气量越大,而水-气比越大,储气密度越小。在实验压力3 MPa、反应温度273.55 K的条件下,1体积的水生成水合物后可储存157体积的二氧化碳。     

Inverse modeling of Asian Rn flux using surface air Rn concentration

When used with an atmospheric transport model, the ²²²Rn flux distribution estimated in our previous study using soil transport theory caused underestimation of atmospheric ²²²Rn concentrations as compared with measurements in East Asia. In this study, we applied a Bayesian synthesis inverse method to produce revised estimates of the annual ²²²Rn flux density in Asia by using atmospheric ²²²Rn concentrations measured at seven sites in East Asia. The Bayesian synthesis inverse method requires a prior estimate of the flux distribution and its uncertainties. The atmospheric transport model MM5/HIRAT and our previous estimate of the ²²²Rn flux distribution as the prior value were used to generate new flux estimates for the eastern half of the Eurasian continent dividing into 10 regions.The ²²²Rn flux densities estimated using the Bayesian inversion technique were generally higher than the prior flux densities. The area-weighted average ²²²Rn flux density for Asia was estimated to be 33.0 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹, which is substantially higher than the prior value (16.7 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹). The estimated ²²²Rn flux densities decrease with increasing latitude as follows: Southeast Asia (36.7 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹); East Asia (28.6 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹) including China, Korean Peninsula and Japan; and Siberia (14.1 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹). Increase of the newly estimated fluxes in Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and the southern part of Eastern Siberia from the prior ones contributed most significantly to improved agreement of the model-calculated concentrations with the atmospheric measurements. The sensitivity analysis of prior flux errors and effects of locally exhaled ²²²Rn showed that the estimated fluxes in Northern and Central China, Korea, Japan, and the southern part of Eastern Siberia were robust, but that in Central Asia had a large uncertainty.     

中国城镇建设用地经济密度的区位差异及影响因素——基于273个地级及以上城市的分析

以全国地级及以上城市中的273个样本城市为研究对象,分别从全国、沿海地区、内陆地区三个层次考察了样本城市城镇建设用地经济密度的区位差异。根据柯布-道格拉斯生产函数的理论与分析方法建立模型,分析了资本、劳动力、土地三大投入要素和城市全要素生产率等对城镇建设用地的影响,并在控制以上变量的条件下侧重考察了城市区位差异的影响。发现我国城镇建设用地经济密度的区位差异明显,具有区位优势的城市土地效益平均高于缺乏区位优势的城市;沿海水陆口岸的区位优势十分显著,建设用地经济密度相对较高,而内陆地区水陆口岸的区位优势有待发掘;航空口岸对提高城镇建设用地经济密度未发挥积极作用。分析结果表明,生产要素投入、科技水平、市场环境和城市发展阶段是影响土地效益的主要因素,但不同区位条件下城镇建设用地经济密度的影响因素有所不同,为提高城镇建设用地经济密度,不同区位条件的城市着力点应各有侧重。     

Is the bone tissue of ring-billed gulls breeding in a pollution hotspot in the St. Lawrence River,Canada, impacted by halogenated flame retardant exposure?

Bone metabolism is a tightly regulated process that controls bone remodeling and repair in addition to maintaining circulating calcium and phosphate levels. It has been shown that certain organohalogen contaminants may adversely impact bone tissue metabolism and structure in wildlife species. However, exceedingly few studies have addressed the bone-related effects of organohalogen exposure in birds. The objective of the present study was to investigate the associations between markers of bone metabolism and structural integrity, and concentrations of established and current-use halogenated flame retardants (FRs) in ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) nesting in a known FR hotspot area in the St. Lawrence River (Montreal, Canada). Bone metabolism was assessed using plasma calcium and inorganic phosphate levels, and alkaline phophatase activity, while bone (tarsus; trabecular and cortical sections) structure quality was examined using the percentage of bone tissue comprised in the total bone volume (Bv/Tv) and bone mineral density (BMD). Bv/Tv and BMD of the tarsus tended (not significant) to be positively associated with circulating calcium levels in male ring-billed gulls. Moreover, concentrations of FRs in male bird liver (brominated diphenyl ether (BDE)-154, -183, -201, and -209) and plasma (BDE-209) were negatively correlated with trabecular and cortical BMD of the tarsus. These correlative associations may suggest light demineralization of bone tissue associated with FR exposure in male ring-billed gulls. Present findings provide some evidence that bone (tarsus) metabolism and mineral composition may be impacted in high FR-exposed (mainly to PBDEs) ring-billed gulls breeding in the highly urbanized Montreal region.