Mercury source zone identification using soil vapor sampling and analysis

Development and demonstration of reliable measurement techniques that can detect and help quantify the nature and extent of elemental mercury (Hg(0)) in the subsurface are needed to reduce uncertainties in the decision-making process and increase the effectiveness of remedial actions. We conducted field tests at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA, to determine if sampling and analysis of Hg(0) vapors in the shallow subsurface (<0.3 m depth) can be used to as an indicator of the location and extent of Hg(0) releases in the subsurface. We constructed a rigid polyvinyl chloride push probe assembly, which was driven into the ground. Soil gas samples were collected through a sealed inner tube of the assembly and were analyzed immediately in the field with a Lumex and/or Jerome Hg(0) analyzer. Time-series sampling showed that Hg vapor concentrations were fairly stable over time, suggesting that the vapor phase Hg(0) was not being depleted and that sampling results were not sensitive to the soil gas purge volume. Hg(0) vapor data collected at over 200 push probe locations at 3 different release sites correlated very well to areas of known Hg(0) contamination. Vertical profiling of Hg(0) vapor concentrations conducted at two locations provided information on the vertical distribution of Hg(0) contamination in the subsurface. We conclude from our studies that soil gas sampling and analysis can be conducted rapidly and inexpensively at large scales to help identify areas contaminated with Hg(0).     

Mapping the economic costs and benefits of Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) and Mangrove Rehabilitation Projects (MRP) in Solomon Islands: a study of two MPAs and one MRP

This paper reports a study of costs and benefits of Coral Triangle Initiatives (CTI) and Mangrove Rehabilitation Projects (MRP) in the Solomon Islands. It was observed that the communities have different attitudes and perceptions toward climate change challenges. The different scales and magnitudes of climate change impacts that are perceived at these sites, and the different subsistence realities make them have varied responses and points of view regarding such impacts. For instance, respondents from Oibola experienced the most adverse impacts from climatic change events compared to those living in the Naro and Sairaghi sites. Introduction of CTI and MRP has driven the villagers to travel out far from their traditional fishing grounds to catch enough fish to sell and support their families. This implies higher fishing costs and time for commute. From a social perspective, this weakens the communal bond in the community. In spite of these trade-offs, the respondents expressed satisfaction with the level of benefits received from the projects, which included the rehabilitation of the ecosystems and breeding grounds for fish and habitats around the area. We mapped the costs and benefits of these projects to the villagers, and although no amounts or figures were disclosed, the benefits are compared against corresponding costs. One key factor for the success of the initiatives was the cooperation and involvement of recipient villagers, and even including the management MPAs.     

Mapping cultural vulnerability in volcanic regions: The practical application of social volcanology at Mt Merapi,Indonesia

Protecting at-risk communities from geological hazards requires both knowledge of the physical hazard and an understanding of the community at risk. Interdisciplinary disaster research therefore explores the interface between hazards and society in order to improve disaster risk reduction strategies. At this interface there exist disaster sub-cultures that are produced through hazard experience and can be developed as a coping mechanism for the at-risk communities. Therefore, disaster sub-cultures could contribute to either social resilience or vulnerability. The fluid nature of the term culture and the difficulty in quantifying these important human traits mean that the local sub-cultures are complex and often not included within conventional risk management tools such as risk maps. However, this paper demonstrates how a disaster sub-culture found at Mt Merapi volcano, Indonesia, can be examined using interdisciplinary methods. The distinctive Mt Merapi sub-culture influences local community actions during the frequent eruptions. The findings from ethnographic studies completed on Mt Merapi in 2007 and 2009 have been translated and mapped in order to be incorporated within a holistic risk assessment. The key findings, methods of translation and maps are presented here, and demonstrate the potential for interdisciplinary research applications in disaster risk reduction.     

基于电场测量的起重机防触电报警系统

本系统是一种便于在各种起重机设备上安装的距离监测防触电报警制动装置,按功能分为探测模块和接收模块两部分。基于简单可靠的测量方法,探测模块将高压场强信号转换为易处理的电压信号,再进行衰减、整形、滤波,得到与电场强度对应的直流信号。利用高效片上系统C8051F020进行A/D转换,再通过无线电通讯系统把监测到场强信息发送到安装在驾驶室的接收模块。该装置的接收模块能接收多个感应探头的信号,应用时将感应探头安装在起重机各凸出部位。接收模块分析处理接收到的各个感应探头的信息,在智能大液晶屏上,用红、黄、绿彩色矩状的变化,形象的显示起重机各突出部位离场源的距离。一旦起重机设备的某凸出部位与带电体距离小于国家规定的安全距离时,所感应到场强会超过设定值,装置会发出预警、报警信号,同时能控制继电器断开电源,强行制动停止起重设备作业。实现可靠的安全保护。本系统的探测部分采用了有效的屏蔽措施,经过测试,能在30—220kV的高压电场环境中正常工作。     

Geostatistical Analysis of data on AIR Temperature and Plant Phenology From Baden-Württemberg (GERMANY) as a Basis for Regional Scaled Models of Climate Change

The rise of the air temperature is assured to be part of the global climatic change, but there is still a lack of knowledge about its effects at a regional scale. The article tackles the correlation of air temperature with the phenology of selected plants by the example of Baden-Württemberg to provide a spatial valid data base for regional climate change models. To this end, the data on air temperature and plant phenology, gathered from measurement sites without congruent coverage, were correlated after performing geostatistical analysis and estimation. In addition, geostatistics are used to analyze and cartographically depict the spatial structure of the phenology of plants in spring and in summer. The statistical analysis reveals a significant relationship between the rising air temperature and the earlier beginning of phenological phases like blooming or fruit maturation: From 1991 to 1999 spring time, as indicated by plant phenology, has begun up to 15 days earlier than from 1961 to 1990. As shown by geostatistics, this holds true for the whole territory of Baden-Württemberg. The effects of the rise of air temperature should be investigated not only by monitoring biological individuals, as for example plants, but on an ecosystem level as well. In Germany, the environmental monitoring should be supplemented by the study of the effects of the climatic change in ecosystems. Because air temperature and humidity have a great influence on the temporal and spatial distribution of pathogen carriers (vectors) and pathogens, mapping of the environmental determinants of vector and pathogen distribution in space and time should be performed in order to identify hot spots for risk assessment and further detailed epidemiological studies.     

Inter-observer variation in habitat survey data: investigating the consequences for professional practice

Environmental assessments and land-use planning require reliable information on the botanical composition and distribution of habitats. There have been numerous academic studies of inter-observer variation in species-inventory and habitat mapping, but studies addressing the prevalence of inter-observer variation and consequences of poor quality data in professional practice are lacking. This paper addresses these questions via a questionnaire survey of environmental professionals, using the standard Phase 1 and National Vegetation Classification (NVC) survey methods in the United Kingdom. The survey revealed that misidentification of habitat types within survey reports was relatively common (approximating to 20% of all reports seen by respondents over the previous five years). Approximately 40% of respondents who had encountered erroneous reports stated that these had led to inaccurate initial site ecological assessments. Additional field surveys and discussions with surveyors were commonly used to resolve these issues, but for Phase 1 and NVC 26% and 34% of respondents, respectively, had encountered one or more cases where errors resulted in negative consequences for clients commissioning surveys (in terms of extra costs and project delays). Net loss of biodiversity arising from inaccurate reports was reported in at least one instance by 32% and 38% of respondents for Phase 1 and NVC surveys, respectively – results that may contribute to the attrition of natural capital within the UK. The study highlights the need to extend studies of inter-observer variation to consider impacts on environmental assessments and decision-making in professional practice. The potential benefits of introducing an accreditation scheme (favoured by the majority of respondents to the questionnaire) are discussed.     

An approach to improve the Austrian Radon Potential Map by Bayesian statistics

A Radon Potential Map as well as a mean indoor Radon Concentration Map is available from the Austrian National Radon Project (1992-2002). These maps are based on the average Radon Potential/Concentration within every municipality and they sort municipalities into three radon ‘risk’ classes. This is a convenient way for the administration, but it does not describe the real radon risk distribution within a municipality because of the often inhomogeneous geological situation. Therefore, a combination of indoor radon data with all relevant parameters such as house type, storey and ventilation rates along with geological information should be used to improve the existing radon maps. The method, described here, uses Bayes' theory to combine the Radon Potential derived from indoor radon measurements with information from geology. The existing Radon Potential Map was improved by using available soil gas radon data at certain geological units and extrapolated transfer factors. The modifications of the map are shown and several problems arising with the application of this technique are discussed.     

Atmospheric radon in Hong Kong

For the first time in Hong Kong, atmospheric radon concentration was continuously monitored between November 2007 and October 2008. This paper presents the results obtained during the 12-month period. The annual mean atmospheric radon concentration in Hong Kong was found to be 9.3 Bq m⁻³ which was close to the level at neighbouring places like Guangdong and Taiwan. An estimation of the dose arising from atmospheric radon to the Hong Kong population was made. The meteorological effects on the variation of atmospheric radon concentration were discussed. It was found that the origin of the airmass and stability of the local atmosphere played vital roles in the seasonal and diurnal variations respectively, whereas precipitation caused abrupt changes in rainy days. An attempt was also made to find out the contribution of atmospheric radon to the ambient gamma dose rate.     

Possible effect of solar tides on radon signals

Large temporal variations of radon (²²²Rn) are often encountered in air in the geologic environment, at time scales from diurnal to annual. Interpretations as to the nature of these variations, unique to ²²²Rn, often invoke either above surface atmospheric variations, or the influence of subtle active geodynamic processes. So far the eventual geophysical drivers of the variation of ²²²Rn as well as its specific qualities enabling this temporal variation are not known. New insight on the temporal variation of ²²²Rn is gained by experimental simulation in confined air. Two short laboratory experiments, and one external experiment lasting over 3 years, were performed inside closed canisters and using natural and commercial ²²²Rn sources. Internal and external gamma and alpha detectors recorded variations of the radiation, up to around 20% of the equilibrium level. Radon signals of different time scale occurred with: a) periodic annual and semi-annual signals; b) non-periodic multi-day signals; c) periodic daily signals. Similar, related, inversely-related and dissimilar temporal patterns were manifested in the measured time series of the different sensors. Diurnal periodicity was dominated by the solar tide components S1, S2 and S3, exhibiting unlike relative amplitudes and different phases at the different sensors. A compound association occurs among the amplitudes and phases of the diurnal and seasonal periodicities of the daily ²²²Rn signal, linking the periodic phenomena to the rotation of earth around its axis and around the sun. ²²²Rn variation patterns in the frequency-time domain cannot be driven by the corresponding atmospheric variation patterns. These results, obtained under static and isolated conditions, are in disagreement with the expected radioactive equilibrium and its spatially uniform expression within and around the experimental volume. The external influence which drives the daily signals evolving from ²²²Rn inside the canister is non-atmospheric and seemed to be from a remote source and traversed a 5-cm thick lead shield. The similarities with observations on ²²²Rn signals from upper crustal levels imply that such an external influence, possibly as a component of solar irradiance, drives the ²²²Rn signals to a depth of at least 100 m. New combined prospects for the research are indicated in terms of the radioactive behavior of ²²²Rn in air and in terms of an above surface geophysical driver for this behavior.     

Experimental study of effectiveness of four radon mitigation solutions, based on underground depressurization, tested in prototype housing built in a high radon area in Spain

The present paper discusses the results of an empirical study of four approaches to reducing indoor radon concentrations based on depressurization techniques in underground sumps. The experiments were conducted in prototype housing built in an area of Spain where the average radon concentration at a depth of 1 m is 250 kBq m⁻³.Sump effectiveness was analysed in two locations: underneath the basement, which involved cutting openings into the foundation, ground storey and roof slabs, and outside the basement walls, which entailed digging a pit alongside the building exterior. The effectiveness of both sumps was likewise tested with passive and forced ventilation methods.The systems proved to be highly efficient, lowering radon levels by 91-99%, except in the solution involving passive ventilation and the outside sump, where radon levels were reduced by 53-55%. At wind speeds of over 8 m/s, however, passive ventilation across an outside sump lowered radon levels by 95% due to a Venturi effect induced drop in pressure.