Predicting sediment inputs to aquatic ecosystems across England and Wales under current environmental conditions

The awareness of water quality issues has never been higher. As part of its continuing strategic diffuse pollution policy support, ADAS recently undertook to identify catchments across England and Wales that could potentially fail recently proposed suspended sediment yield targets under current environmental conditions. The total suspended sediment loads (SSL) delivered to all rivers were assumed to comprise contributions from diffuse sources in the agricultural and urban sectors, as well as from eroding channel banks and point sources represented by sewage treatment works (STWs). Diffuse agricultural sediment loss to rivers was predicted using the PSYCHIC model. Corresponding inputs from diffuse urban sources were estimated on the basis of an Event Mean Concentration (EMC) methodology. Channel bank sediment inputs were calculated using a prototype national scale model, while point source sediment contributions were based on a register of consented effluent discharges. Modelled SSL were validated (r²=68%) against PARCOM data (1999–2003) for the delivery of sediment to different regions of the UK maritime area. The results of the validation were considered to be realistic for a national scale predictor. The modelling exercise suggested that those catchments currently at risk of exceeding proposed suspended sediment yield critical thresholds are largely confined to upland areas across Wales and northwest England and the chalklands of southern and eastern England.     

Mercury partition in the interface between a contaminated lagoon and the ocean: The role of particulate load and composition

After having estimated the patterns of flow to the ocean and found some seasonal and tidal differences, mainly with regard to the relative importance of dissolved and particulate fractions, mercury partitioning at the interface between a contaminated lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean was investigated during four tidal cycles in contrasting season and tidal regimes. Mercury was found to be located predominantely in the particulate fraction throughout the year, contributing to its retention within the system. Seasonal conditions, variations in marine and fluvial signals and processes affecting bed sediment resuspension influenced the character and concentration of suspended particulate matter in the water column. Variation in the nature, levels and partitioning of organic carbon in the particulate fraction affected levels of particulate mercury as well as mercury partitioning. These results highlight the dominant role of suspended particulate matter in the distribution of anthropogenic mercury and reinforce the importance of competitive behavior related to organic carbon in mercury scavenging.     

Wavelet and Neuro‐fuzzy Conjunction Approach for Suspended Sediment Prediction

Simulation approaches employed in suspended sediment processes are important in the areas of water resources and environmental engineering. In the current study, neuro‐fuzzy (NF), a combination of wavelet transform and neuro‐fuzzy (WNF), multi linear regression (MLR), and the conventional sediment rating curve (SRC) models were considered for suspended sediment load (S) modeling in a gauging station in the USA. In the proposed WNF model, the discrete wavelet analysis was linked to a NF approach. To achieve this aim, the observed time series of river flow discharge (Q) and S were decomposed to sub time series at different scales by discrete wavelet transform. Afterwards, the effective sub time series were added together to obtain a useful Q and S time series for prediction. Eventually, the obtained total time series were imposed as inputs to the NF method for daily S prediction. The results illustrated that the predicted values by the proposed WNF model were in good agreement with the observed S values and gave better results than other models. Furthermore, the WNF model satisfactorily estimated the cumulative suspended sediment load and produced relatively reasonable predictions for extreme values of S, while NF, MLR, and SRC models provided unacceptable predictions.     

医用CT在三维椭球颗粒随机堆积结构研究中的应用

颗粒随机堆积问题是物理和工程领域的热门问题。椭球颗粒随机堆积体系作为球形体系的拓展,增加了旋转自由度,从而表现出更复杂的性质,由于椭球颗粒比球形颗粒更类似于自然界中普遍存在的非规则颗粒,因此其研究具有重要的实用价值。研究三维颗粒堆积结构问题一般需要CT成像技术,本文介绍了如何利用医用CT对三维椭球随机堆积体系进行成像研究的技术细节,包括如何通过图像处理的方法获取椭球颗粒的空间位置、取向和体积,如何利用接触数标度函数拟合的方法得到近邻颗粒间的接触信息等。本文的研究内容和方法为利用各种X射线CT成像方法研究三维颗粒体系提供了技术参考。      

Vertical profiles of fluid velocity and suspended sediment concentration in nearshore

Based on the power function of velocity and the friction velocity,a velocity profile is obtained.By solving the Schmidt’s diffusion equation,an equilibrium suspended sediment concentration profile is further deduced.The profiles of velocity and suspended sediment concentration agree well with the field data,and the profile of suspended sediment concentration avoids the unreasonableness of the classical Rouse profile such as a zero value at the water surface.According to these profiles,an expression which is easy to use for calculating the suspended sediment transport rate is derived.     

Assessment of Urban Source Metal Levels in Influent,Effluent, and Sludge of Two Municipal Biological Nutrient Removal Wastewater Treatment Plants of Bursa,an Industrial City in Turkey

Removal of Al, As, Cd, total Cr (Tot. Cr), Cu, Total Fe (Tot. Fe), Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, and Zn from urban effluent by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) operated under five‐stage Bardenpho® process were investigated and water soluble metals in the dewatered sludge were quantified. Samples were collected from two WWTPs on a weekly basis over an approximately 2.5‐year time span. Tot. Fe and Al were the most abundant, As, Pb, Ni, Cu, and Cd were the least abundant metals in the influents of both WWTPs. Removal efficiencies above 75% were achieved for Tot. Cr, Tot. Fe, Al, and Cu, whereas, no significant removal was observed for As, Cd, Pb, Sb, and Sn. Removal of Tot. Cr, Cu, Tot. Fe, Zn, Al, Mn, and Ni were influenced by influent suspended solids concentrations, and of Tot. Cr, Zn, and Cd were influenced by their initial content in the influent. Zn removal efficiency of biological nutrient removal (BNR) system in this study was higher and Cd removal efficiency was lower than that of conventional activated sludge reported in the literature. No remarkable difference for metals such as Cu, Mn, Ni, and Pb was observed between the removal efficiencies of conventional system and BNR system.     

Discharge and suspended sediment flux estimated along the mainstream of the Amazon and the Madeira Rivers (from in situ and MODIS Satellite Data)

Water and suspended sediment fluxes are considered during the period 2000–2008 in a region including the full Amazon River from the confluence of the Negro River to Santarém, the end part of the Solimões River, and the lower part of the Madeira River. Three types of data are used: water discharge estimated from field measurements, and suspended sediment obtained from field measurements and derived from MODIS satellite data. A generalized least square method including a propagating term is developed in order to propagate the signal upward and downward the river. The approach is introduced and tested. Several experiments are considered in order, first, to estimate the ability to propagate the signal from stations located before the confluences of Negro and Madeira Rivers to stations located on the Amazon River; second to investigate the possibility to propagate the signal along the Amazon River which dynamics is coupled with floodplains dynamics; and third to produce optimal solutions of water and sediment fluxes. For each experiment, the influence of field and satellite data is compared. The approach is efficient in the upper part of the region of study where the Solimões, the Negro and the Madeira Rivers meet and fails in the lower part of the region where interactions between Amazon River and floodplains play an important role on the fluxes’ dynamics. The optimal experiment includes in situ and satellite data from all the stations available and is used to analyse the recent evolution of suspended sediment flux along the Amazon River and its interaction with the large coupled floodplains. A high accumulation rate is observed during the 2000–2002 period, followed by decreasing rates until 2005 and by increasing values in 2006 and 2007. Our results suggest that floodplains extending along a river reach of 390 km-long between Itacoatiara and Óbidos trap about 15% of the suspended sediment flux passing at Óbidos. The simulated deposition rate is of about 0.3 Mt km⁻¹ yr⁻¹ corresponding to an accretion rate of about 27 mm yr⁻¹.     

基于HJ-1遥感数据的矿区水体污染监测与分析——以龙岩紫金山金铜矿为例

矿产资源的持续开采与加工利用使得矿区周边水资源受到的污染日趋严重,急需采用先进技术对水污染进行监测分析,遥感技术是水环境监测最为有效的技术之一。利用国产环境一号小卫星多光谱遥感影像数据,针对福建省龙岩市紫金山矿区不同时相的数据进行水质遥感监测。利用近红外单波段阈值分割法提取悬浮物浓度信息,基于矿区酸碱性水体光谱曲线特性采用342波段假彩色合成影像,采用SVM分类方法进行分类,判别矿区水体酸碱性以及分析水体受污染程度变化和污染源。结果表明,研究区汀江水体2008年呈现碱性,2010年呈现弱碱性,水质在研究时段内得到一定的改善,但在选矿厂与矿区附近的水体中仍含有大量重金属沉积物。