Pressure-assisted cyclic washing of heavy-metal-contaminated sediments

Remediation of heavy-metal-contaminated sediment is often hampered by the availability of heavy metals to the added chemical agents because the heavy metals are often shielded by the sediment matrix. Effective heavy-metal extraction technique becomes an important factor in enhancing the treatment efficiency. A novel extraction/washing technique utilizing chelating agent and elevated pressure in consecutive cycles of compression and decompression has been developed for heavy-metal-contaminated sediment washing in the presence of chelating agent. In this study, the optimal operational conditions of pressure-assisted cyclic washing of Cu-contaminated sediments (initial Cu concentration = 23.177 mg/kg) were determined in a laboratory-scale system. The control factors included applied pressure level, washing time, applied chelant [ethylenediamine-tertraacetic (EDTA)] concentration (0.01–0.5 M), pressure times, and application of consecutive batches washing. Results from the bench-scale study showed that up to 70 % of Cu can be removed from the sediments when 10 atm of pressure was applied for washing. The efficiency dropped to 55 % when the pressure dropped to 6 atm. Under the same operational conditions, the optimal cyclic washing time was 60 min. Results from the particle size analyses indicate that the mean particle size dropped from 100 to 50 μm after the pressure-assisted cyclic washing. Thus, cyclic pressure caused the fracture of sediment aggregates resulting in the exposure of Cu to chelating agents. With the assistance of pressure cyclic system, the total washing time and the amount of added chemical agent used can be significantly reduced.     

Defining physico-chemical variables, chlorophyll-a and Secchi depth reference conditions in northeast eco-region lakes, China

Establishing reference conditions for regional lakes is necessary to assess human impact on aquatic ecosystems, protect water quality and biotic integrity. The northeast eco-region lakes often present a marked seasonal variability in hydrological, biological and geochemical processes, which could affect physico-chemical variables, chlorophyll-a and Secchi depth reference conditions. Reference conditions were calculated using two different methods: lake population distribution method and trisection method. General physico-chemical reference conditions (pH, conductivity, BOD and nutrients) and chlorophyll-a, and Secchi depth reference conditions were established using the two approaches combined with the analysis of seasonal variability for each parameter for shallow and deep lake types in the northeast eco-region lakes. The results indicated that depth was an important factor affecting physico-chemical variables, chlorophyll-a and Secchi depth reference values. Moreover, the seasonal differences in parameters were also assessed using a non-parametric repeated measure ANOVA (Friedman test) in the shallow and deep lakes. Some parameters showed a seasonal variability for shallow and deep lakes. The least restrictive reference values of the four seasons were proposed to simplify the water quality assessment for regional lake management goals. These results indicated that the 50th percentile (median) value from the best one-third of the nutrient-concentration data distributions is more appropriate for the northeast eco-region lakes.     

Accumulation and risk of heavy metals in relation to agricultural intensification in the river sediments of agricultural regions

The enrichment characteristics and risk of heavy metals were studied in the sediments of Liucha River in Chao Lake Valley, where agricultural intensification has developed rapidly since the 1980s. The results revealed that Cd, Pb and Zn showed the lowest levels in the upper reaches and peak values in the lower reaches, increasing from 0.064, 7.75 and 59.75 mg/kg to 0.176, 12.33 and 96.82 mg/kg on average, respectively. Enrichment factor (EF) analysis showed that the EF values of Cd, Pb and Zn (maximum 4.76, 2.51 and 2.74, respectively) all increased from the upper reaches to the lower reaches (>1.5), while correlation analysis and cluster analysis showed that they primarily originated from the extensive use of phosphate fertilizer. In addition, the comprehensive potential ecological risk due to Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the sediments showed low degree, but Cd showed moderate and high risk at some sites. Therefore, heavy metal pollution due to agricultural intensification in the agricultural regions of Chao Lake Valley should be given great attention during management of the water environment.     

Past atmospheric trace metal deposition in a remote lake (Lake Ngoring) at the headwater areas of Yellow River,Tibetan Plateau

A complete record derived from a core dated both by ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs chronologies from Lake Ngoring at the headwater areas of the Yellow River provides new insight into the changing atmospheric deposition of trace metals including Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. This study showed that there was an inflection in the early 1960s, before which both fluxes and contents of Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn remained relatively steady or slowly increased, and thereafter continued increases both in fluxes and contents were found. Taking Pb as an example, the flux increased from 0.13 (before 1960) to 0.25 mg m^?2 a^?1 (averaged 1963–2006). According to atmospheric flux calculations using Al as a reference element, atmospheric fluxes of trace metals generally showed a rapid increase and peaked in recent years, closely following the historical economic development of the neighboring region, mainly for Qinghai and Gansu provinces. The atmospheric inventory for Zn was the highest, reaching 1.068 g m^?2, while the lowest was for Cd, at only 0.079 gm^?2. The percentage proportions of atmospheric deposition for Cd, Ni, and Zn were 37, 12, and 8.7 %, respectively. Hence, the atmospheric contribution to the trace metal content via long range transport is not negligible when considering input of materials to lake ecosystems.     

Site selection in municipal solid waste management with extended VIKOR method under fuzzy environment

Nowadays, selection of the suitable disposal site in municipal solid waste (MSW) management has become a challenge task for the municipal authorities, especially in fast-growing areas. Site selection can be viewed as a complicated multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem requiring consideration of multiple alternative solutions and conflicting quantitative and qualitative criteria. In this paper, linguistic variables, which can be expressed as trapezoidal fuzzy numbers, are used to assess the ratings and weights for the selection criteria. The ordered weighted averaging operator is utilized to transform the fuzzy decision matrix into crisp values considering the decision maker’s attitudinal character. For selecting the best site, the extended VIsekriterijumska optimizacija i KOmpromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method is applied to determine the priority ranking of alternatives. As a result, a hierarchy MCDM model based on fuzzy set theory and VIKOR method is proposed to deal with the site selection problems in the MSW management system. An empirical study in Shanghai, China, is provided and comparison with the existing approach is conducted to illustrate the applicability and benefits of the proposed method.     

藏北商旭造山型金矿床的发现及意义

西藏双湖县商旭金矿床位于班公湖-怒江缝合带中段。矿体赋存于中-下侏罗统木嘎岗日群浅变质复理石中,受北西西向断裂构造控制,呈透镜体状、脉状,或者似层状产出;矿石矿物以自然金为主,矿石类型为石英脉型和蚀变岩型,围岩蚀变特征明显。该矿床主要受地层及构造因素控制,矿区的构造、围岩蚀变、矿物、地球化学异常等可作为找矿标志。野外地质调查和矿床对比研究显示,商旭金矿床在矿物共生组合、蚀变类型、构造类型等方面,与典型的造山型金矿床相似,其成因类型属于造山型金矿床。商旭金矿床的发现为班公湖-怒江成矿带金等贵金属矿产的地质找矿工作开辟了新的方向。     

内蒙古卓资县大苏计斑岩型钼矿床辉钼矿Re-Os同位素年龄及流体包裹体研究

内蒙古卓资县大苏计钼矿床位于华北克拉通北缘中段的凉城断隆内,是近年来在华北克拉通北缘发现的一个大型斑岩钼矿床,矿体主要产于印支期石英斑岩和正长花岗斑岩中。成矿过程可以划分为石英_钾长石_黄铁矿±辉钼矿±磁铁矿阶段(早阶段)、石英_绢云母_辉钼矿_黄铁矿阶段(中阶段)和石英_方解石_黄铁矿±闪锌矿±方铅矿阶段(晚阶段)。矿石中5件辉钼矿的Re_Os同位素模式年龄介于(223.6±3.1)Ma~(224.2±3.4)Ma之间,其加权平均值为(223.9±1.4)Ma(MSWD=0.017),等时线年龄为(223.5±5.5)Ma(MSWD=0.026),表明大苏计钼矿床形成于印支期。大苏计钼矿床发育富液型、富气型、H2O_CO2型、含子矿物型和纯气相包裹体。成矿早阶段主要发育富液型、富气型包裹体,另有少量H2O_CO2型包裹体,其均一温度介于342~430℃之间,盐度w(Na Cleq)介于3.4%~11.0%之间;中阶段主要发育富液型、富气型、H2O_CO2型和含子矿物型包裹体,另有少量纯气相包裹体,其均一温度为234~380℃之间,盐度w(Na Cleq)介于6.2%~34.9%之间;晚阶段仅发育富液型包裹体,其均一温度介于202~280℃之间,盐度w(Na Cleq)介于1.2%~11.7%之间,指示该阶段有大气降水的加入。成矿流体从早、中阶段的H2O_Na Cl_CO2体系演化为晚阶段的H2O_Na Cl体系。早、中阶段流体均为不混溶流体,流体沸腾是成矿物质沉淀的主要机制。集宁地区钼矿床主要为斑岩型,至少存在晚三叠世和晚侏罗世2期钼成矿事件。     

塔中地区奥陶系喜马拉雅山期S干气充注的证据

塔中地区奥陶系天然气成因多样;Ⅰ号坡折带中东部奥陶系天然气以高干燥系数、 甲烷同位素值重为特征;与塔深1井寒武系原油裂解气接近;应主要来自寒武系原油裂解气成因。寒武系贫H₂S、 高成熟原油裂解气在喜马拉雅山期时;气侵奥陶系油气藏;得到了以下主要证据的支持: 1）天然气甲烷δ¹³C值大多比Chung et al.（1988）天然气模式甲烷δ¹³C值计算值高3‰以上;2）干燥系数与甲烷δ¹³C值大体上具有正相关关系;3）天然气干燥系数与H₂S含量大体上具有负相关关系。这些特征表明;存在贫H₂S、 相对富¹³C甲烷为主的干气与富H₂S、 相对贫¹³C甲烷的湿气混合作用。奥陶系中H₂S-δ³⁴S 值为14‰～20‰;远低于中深1井寒武系原地热化学硫酸盐还原作用（TSR）成因的H₂S（33‰）;支持了奥陶系中H₂S并不是来源于寒武系古油气藏。于是提出;来自寒武系贫H₂S的干气在喜马拉雅山期对良里塔格组和鹰山组油气藏发生了气洗;油气藏的气/油比值增大、 导致了原油蜡含量增高、 甲烷δ¹³C值发生正偏移。     

Regional frequency analysis of extreme precipitation and its spatio-temporal characteristics in the Huai River Basin, China

With the increasing exposure of populations and economy to natural hazards, the spatio-temporal characteristics of extreme rainfall remain a key subject of study. Based on annual maximum rainfall (AM) and peaks over threshold rainfall series at 30 meteorological stations during 1960–2011 in the Huai River Basin (HRB), spatio-temporal characteristics of extreme rainfall are analyzed through regional frequency analysis method using L-moments. The accuracy and uncertainty analysis of quantile estimations are also carried out, and the regional and at-site frequency analyses are compared. Results indicate the following: (1) During 1960–2011, AM precipitation at 20 stations in the HRB shows an increasing trend, while at the other 10 stations, it shows a decreasing trend. And both the increased and decreased trends are not significant. (2) The HRB can be categorized into three homogeneous regions via cluster analysis. For both at-site and regional frequency analyses, the root mean square error values increase with the increase in return periods. The estimations are reliable enough for the return periods of less than 100 years. The quantile estimates of large return period from regional frequency analysis are more accurate and have smaller uncertainty than those from at-site frequency analysis. (3) Extreme precipitation in the HRB concentrates in the upstream of the Huai River and YiShuSi water system in the east of the HRB. Generally, the area with extreme precipitation, especially the upper reaches of the Huai River and Yimeng Mountain areas, also has large standard variations of extreme precipitation, which will increase the risk of natural hazards.     

新疆雅满苏铁矿床矽卡岩和磁铁矿矿物学特征及其地质意义

雅满苏铁矿床位于东天山中段,矿体赋存于下石炭统雅满苏组安山质火山碎屑岩中,受近EW向断裂及环形断裂构造控制。矿体主要呈层状、似层状、透镜状,近矿围岩蚀变强烈,形成石榴石矽卡岩及复杂矽卡岩。电子探针分析结果表明,石榴石为钙铁榴石-钙铝榴石系列,其化学组成可表示为And45.68~100Gro0.67~57.95(A1m+Sps)11~29.03,与典型的矽卡岩型铁矿中石榴石端员组分相似。在磁铁矿Ca+Al+Mn-Ti+V图解中,大部分样品落入矽卡岩型铁矿区;TiO2-Al2O3-MgO图解中,大多数的样品落入沉积变质接触交代磁铁矿趋势区,部分早期磁铁矿落在岩浆趋势区内。结合矿床地质特征和矿物学研究,认为大多数样品经过了一个热液交代作用过程,表明雅满苏铁矿的形成与岩浆热液交代作用有关。