Sorption behaviour of pentachlorophenol in sub-Saharan tropical soils: soil types sorption dynamics

In order to predict exposure risks as well as appropriate remediation strategies for pesticides in soils, knowledge of pesticides sorption processes onto various representative soils is vital. Hence, laboratory batch experiments were carried out to study sorption of a pesticide, pentachlorophenol (PCP), on five soils obtained from different sub-Saharan agro-ecological zones (AEZs) in order to understand sorption equilibrium, kinetics, and thermodynamics. Experimental data showed that sorption equilibrium was attained within 24 h. The fitting of kinetic results and equilibrium data to different models suggested partly surface adsorption and partly partitioning of PCP within voids of the various soil components. Sorption was mainly attributed to sharing or exchange of valence electrons between negatively charged PCP molecules and positively charged soil sorption sites. The sorption process was spontaneous and accompanied by decreased entropy, but was pH and temperature dependent, reducing with increase in pH and temperature. The various soils’ PCP sorption capacities were directly proportional to their cation exchange capacities. The low PCP sorption observed in these soils suggested high risk of PCP being present in soil water solution, especially at higher temperatures, which can lead to contamination of the aquifer. This risk may be higher for soils obtained from AEZs with warmer natural temperatures.     

Formation of the adakite-like granitoid complex and porphyry copper-gold deposit in Shaxi from southern Tancheng-Lujiang fault belt： A clue to the West Pacific plate subduction

On the basis of the geological and geochemical studies, including chemical analysis of bulk rocks, rare-earth and trace element studies, fluid inclusion, and S and O isotopic analyses, the authors described the geo-logical background of the deposit in detail and presented significant proofs for the conditions of formation of the Shaxi porphyry copper-gold deposit. Compared with other large and supper-large porphyry copper deposits in China and the adjacent Cu-Au mineralized areas, the ore-forming processes and conditions were analyzed; and the possibil-ity of forming large porphyry copper deposits in the Shaxi area was discussed. The present study indicated that the ore-forming fluid and material were mainly of magmatic origin, while meteoric water played a certain role in the ore-forming processes. Interactions between subducting and overriding plates provided a major driving force for the formation of igneous rocks and the deposition of metal elements in East China since Jurassic. Based on the geo-chemical data of the Shaxi intrusive, it is found that the copper (gold) mineralization is closely related to the genesis of adakite-like intrusive in the Shaxi area. This adakite-like intrusive was formed in the subduction environment as a result of the subduction of the West Pacific plate toward the East China continent, where there is a great potential-ity to form a large porphyry copper deposit.     

Raman spectroscopic study of K-lingunite at various pressures and temperatures

K-lingunite is a high-pressure modification of K-feldspar that possesses the tetragonal hollandite structure. Variations of the Raman spectra of K-lingunite were studied up to ~31.5 GPa at room temperature, and in the range 79–823 K at atmospheric pressure. The Raman frequencies of all bands were observed to increase with increasing pressure, and decrease with increasing temperature for K-lingunite. This behavior is in line with those observed for most of other materials. New sharp Raman bands appear at pressures greater than 13–15 GPa, suggesting a phase transition in K-lingunite with increasing pressure. The transition is reversible when pressure was released. The appearance of these new Raman bands may correspond to the phase transition revealed earlier at around 20 GPa by X-ray diffraction studies. Instead of transforming back to its stable minerals, such as orthoclase, microcline or sanidine, K-lingunite became amorphous in the temperature range 803–823 K at atmospheric pressure.     

Comparative analysis of contributing parameters for rainfall-triggered landslides in the Lesser Himalaya of Nepal

In the Himalaya, people live in widely spread settlements and suffer more from landslides than from any other type of natural disaster. The intense summer monsoons are the main factor in triggering landslides. However, the relations between landslides and slope hydrology have not been a focal topic in Himalayan landslide research. This paper deals with the contributing parameters for the rainfall-triggered landslides which occurred during an extreme monsoon rainfall event on 23 July 2002, in the south-western hills of Kathmandu valley, in the Lesser Himalaya, Nepal. Parameters such as bedrock geology, geomorphology, geotechnical properties of soil, and clay mineralogy are described in this paper. Landslide modeling was performed in SEEP/W and SLOPE/W to understand the relationship of pore water pressure variations in soil layers and to determine the spatial variation of landslide occurrence. Soil characteristics, low angle of internal friction of fines in soil, medium range of soil permeability, presence of clay minerals in soil, bedrock hydrogeology, and human intervention were found to be the main contributing parameters for slope failures in the region.     

Fragmentation during Rock Falls: Two Italian Case Studies of Hard and Soft Rocks

In recent years, rock fall phenomena in Italy have received considerable attention for risk mitigation through in situ observations and experimental data. This paper reports the study conducted at Camaldoli Hill, in the urban area of Naples, and at Monte Pellegrino, Palermo, Italy. The rocks involved are volcanic Neapolitan yellow tuff (NYT) in the former area and dolomitic limestone in the latter. Both rocks, even though with different strength characteristics, have shown a significant tendency towards rock fragmentation during run out. This behavior was first investigated by comparing the volumes of removable blocks on the cliff faces (V ₀) and fallen blocks on the slopes (V _f). It was assumed that the ratio V _f/V ₀ decreases with the distance (x _f) from the detachment area by an empirical law, which depends on a coefficient α, correlated with the geotechnical properties of the materials involved in the rock fall. Finally, this law was validated by observation of well-documented natural rock falls (Palermo) and by in situ full-scale tests (Naples). From the engineering perspective, consideration of fragmentation processes in rock fall modeling provides a means for designing low-cost mitigation measures.     

武汉东湖不同营养型子湖的水生生物与水域功能

于１９９１－１９９３年研究了武汉东湖４个营养型不同的子湖中水生生物与水域功能,表明各子湖之间各类水生生物的生态特征存在明显差异,茶港湾的ＨＢＣ和ＦＣ的数量,藻类的细胞密度和初级生产量,浮游动物和底栖动物的个体密度等均居４个子湖之首,其水质已达到了超富营养水平,将该湖区的作为污水天然净化区进行管理,可望对东湖的主体湖区起到缓冲和保护作用,郭郑湖的水质状况仅次于茶港湾湖区,处于富营养阶段,该湖区多项生     

三峡水库蓄水后上荆江不同河床组成江心洲的演变过程及其机制

三峡及上游梯级水库群运用后,大坝下游江心洲以冲刷为主,直接影响分汊河段河势条件及航道边界的稳定性。本文采用卫星遥感影像、实测水沙及固定断面床沙级配等资料,分析上荆江枝江、沙市河段中不同河床组成江心洲的演变过程及其机理。结果表明:(1)三峡水库蓄水后(2003—2019年),沙市段沙质江心洲较枝江段卵石夹沙质江心洲萎缩更为显著,出露面积的减幅分别达31%和24%。(2)以关洲和金城洲分别代表卵石夹沙质和沙质江心洲,三峡工程运用后关洲洲头形态较为稳定,受无序采砂的影响其沙质组成的洲尾面积显著减小,而金城洲面积萎缩程度更大。(3)床沙组成对江心洲冲刷程度差异具有重要影响,关洲洲头较金城洲抗冲性更强,与其床沙在年内达到起动条件的数量更少、时长更短有关;建立了江心洲面积与水流冲刷强度及相对水深的定量关系,该关系能综合考虑水沙变化与床沙组成调整的影响,能更好地反演近期江心洲的面积变化特点。     

编者按

<正>三峡工程举世瞩目,是长江流域大保护与流域水安全保障的关键性枢纽工程。自2003年三峡工程蓄水以来,在防洪、发电、航运、供水等方面产生了巨大的经济、社会及生态环境等综合效益。同时,水库建成后,重庆至宜昌600多km的自然河道变成了人为控制的大型河流型深水水库,不仅在库区形成了诸如消落带、干-支流往复交融的独特生境,而且由于下泄水流、泥沙、营养盐等水文及生物地球化学要素的时空变化,     

云南滇池微生物对磷循环与沉积作用的实验研究

对滇池磷的现代沉积作用的研究中发现,滇池微生物种群和数量繁多,但能对磷溶解、转化、迁移、聚集、沉积的微生物主要有解磷菌和聚磷菌两类。在底泥磷高含量区域,解磷菌的种群和数量与底泥磷含量成负相关关系,与水体磷含量成正相关关系,而聚磷菌的种群和数量与底泥磷含量成正相关关系,与水体磷含量成负相关关系;在底泥磷低含量区域,上述相关性则相反。表明当解磷菌的种群与繁衍量大于聚磷菌的种群和繁衍量时,底泥中的磷向水体迁移,反之,水体中的磷向底质迁移、聚集。这个事实令人信服的证明了微生物对磷循环的重要作用。滇池这种活着的微生物在自然环境条件下对磷的溶解、转化、迁移、聚集和沉积的作用,对古磷块岩微生物成矿说提供了可靠的证据,且对以磷为限制性因子的湖、海、江河环境污染的防治提供了理论资料。     

Climatic change and Chinese population growth dynamics over the last millennium

The climate–population relationship has long been conceived. Although the topic has been repeatedly investigated, most of the related works are Eurocentric or qualitative. Consequently, the relationship between climate and population remains ambiguous. In this study, fine-grained temperature reconstructions and historical population data sets have been employed to statistically test a hypothesized relationship between temperature change and population growth (i.e., cooling associated with below average population growth) in China over the past millennium. The important results were: (1) Long-term temperature change significantly determined the population growth dynamics of China. However, spatial variation existed, whilst population growth in Central China was shown to be responsive to both long- and short-term temperature changes; in marginal areas, population growth was only sensitive to short-term temperature fluctuations. (2) Temporally, the temperature–population relationship was obscured in some periods, which was attributable to the factors of drought and social buffers. In summary, a temperature–population relationship was mediated by geographic factors, the aridity threshold, and social factors. Given the upcoming threat posed by climate change to human societies, this study seeks to improve our knowledge and understanding of the climate–society relationship.