Seismic anisotropy of the mantle beneath Eastern Asia based on <Emphasis Type="Italic">ScS</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis> waves from deep-focus earthquakes

The seismic anisotropy of the mantle is studied based on the data of S and ScS waves from earthquakes occurred in the mantle transition zone over the period of 2007–2013 and recorded by seismic stations in the continental margin of Asia, on Sakhalin Island, and in the southern part of the Kamchatka Peninsula. The measurements of the azimuths of polarization of the fast S and ScS waves in the continental margin of Asia show that they are predominantly oriented in the E–SE directions. Based on the distribution of the shear wave splitting parameters, the symmetry of the medium can be described in terms of a transversely isotropic model with a horizontal symmetry axis and may correspond to horizontal flow in the upper mantle beneath the Amur Plate. The fast azimuths of polarization of ScS wave, which were determined to be of N–NE directions in the northern area of Sakhalin Island and in the continental part of Asia, may correspond to an inclined flow under the conditions of oblique subduction and complex geometry of the downgoing Pacific Plate. In the south of the Kamchatka Peninsula, the S- and ScS-wave azimuths of polarization from the M 8.4 Sea of Okhotsk earthquake are determined to be oriented along the direction of the Pacific Plate motion. The fast-S-wave azimuths of polarization from the aftershocks of the Sea of Okhotsk earthquake and from other large events of 2008–2009 are determined to be nearly parallel to the motion trend of the Pacific Plate, but orthogonal to it for the events of 2008–2009. On the basis of the distribution of azimuths of polarization of the fast S waves, the symmetry of the medium can be described in terms of a transversely isotropic model with the symmetry axis inclined orthogonally to the plane of downgoing plate and oriented westward orthogonally to the trench strike.     

Problems of Paleogene–Neogene stratigraphy of the Zerkal’naya depression,East Sikhote Alin

The Paleogene–Neogene stratigraphic scale of the Zerkal’naya River basin is modified with account for new isotopic and paleobotanical data. It is established that the Tadushi Formation and underlying volcanics, which were previously considered as representing transitional Cretaceous–Paleocene strata, are separated in the section of the Ustinovka quarry by a significant stratigraphic hiatus. According to the new data, the volcanics and the Tadushi Formation are established as Campanian and Late Paleocene in age, respectively. The Bogopol Formation in the type section is dated back to the Middle–Late Paleocene. The Svetlyi Formation is now considered to be Early Eocene in age, rather than Late Eocene–Oligocene as previously thought. A new variant of the stratigraphic scale is proposed for the Paleogene–Neogene deposits of the Zerkal’naya depression.     

Petrophysical features of the tectonic structures of the Okhotsk continent–ocean transition zone

Petrophysical characteristics are determined for the rock complexes of the Okhotsk margin within the continent–ocean transition zone. Petrophysical maps showing the major inhomogeneities of the main tectonic elements of the studied area are constructed. Petrophysical inhomogeneities and the corresponding geophysical field anomalies are compared. A relationship between the magnetic field anomalies and subsurface rock complexes is revealed. The gravity field anomalies are related to deep inhomogeneities and are almost independent of the subsurface rock complexes of relatively low thickness.     

Tectonics and metallogeny of the Khakandzha ore district in the Okhotsk–Chukotka volcanic belt

The data on the structure, geodynamics, and metallogeny of the Khakandzha ore district in northwestern Okhotsk region are analyzed and the two main factors responsible for the localization of ore deposits are defined. The magmatic factor controls the confinement of the ore district to the tectono-magmatic structure of the central type (source of ore matter), which determines the concentric zoning patterns in the distribution of ore mineralization. The tectonic factor determines the confinement of the ore districts, deposits, and ore occurrences of the region to the meridional left-lateral shear structure, which controls the magma and fluid distribution. Local extension (transtension) in this structure against the background of general lateral compression (transpression) provided tectonic environments most favorable for ore accumulation.     

Yakchi chert–volcanogenic Formation—fragment of the Jurassic accretionary prism in the Central Sikhote-Аlin,Russian Far East

The Yakchi chert–volcanogenic formation is differentiated at the base of the stratigraphic succession in the Khor-Tormasu subzone of the Central Sikhote-clin structural–formational zone or the Samarka terrane of the Jurassic accretionary prism. The paper considers the results of biostratigraphic study of its deposits and petrogeochemical studies of its basalts. A tectonically disrupted sequence of the Yakchi Formation is restored on the basis of fossil conodonts and radiolarians, and its Late cermian–Middle Jurassic age is determined. The authors interpret the resulting stratigraphic succession in terms of changing depositional settings on the moving oceanic plate and recognize events of the ocean history recorded in it. Chert accumulated on the oceanic plate in pelagic canthalassa/caleopacifica from the Late cermian through to the Middle Jurassic. Deposition of siliceous claystone in the Late cermian–Early Triassic reflects the decline in productivity of radiolarians and a long anoxic event in Panthalassa. Chert accumulation resumed in the Triassic and persisted in the Jurassic, and it was interrupted by the eruption of basalts of different nature. Formation of the Middle–Late Triassic oceanic intraplate basalts likely occurred on the thick and old oceanic lithosphere and that of the Jurassic basalts on the thin and newly created lithosphere. In the Middle Jurassic, chert accumulation was replaced by accumulation of tuffaceous siltstone at a subduction zone along the csian continental margin. The middle Bathonian–early Callovian age of this siltstone closely predates accretion of the Yakchi Formation. The materials of the upper layer of the oceanic plate that formed over 100 million years in different parts of the ocean and on the lithospheric fragments of different ages were accreted to the continental margin. The bulk of the accreted material consists of oceanic intraplate basalts, i.e., fragments of volcanic edifices on the oceanic floor. accretion of this western part of the Khor-Tormasu subzone occurred concurrently with accretion of the southeastern part of the Samarka subzone in Primorye, which clarifies the paleotectonic zonation of the Central Sikhote-Alin accretionary prism. The cataclastic gabbroids and granitoids, as well as the clastic rocks with shallow-marine fossils in the Khor-Tormasu subzone, are considered as possible analogues of the Okrainka-Sergeevka allochthonous complex.     

Can excellence management models encompass “cleaner production” and “sustainable business” revolution? (European Foundation for Quality Management as a case study)

“Environmental issues” along with raising awareness of people about the value of ecological systems and the growth of environmentalism have affected businesses systems and models by introducing new concepts and models for business such as sustainable business model. European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model provides a clear path for a company to follow in order to achieve its planned results which can be called sustainable business. The purpose of this study is to explore whether the mentioned model is suitable for the businesses that are based on cleaner production and sustainable business models. The method used in this study is an explorative one based on the literature review and exploration of the adaptability of EFQM Excellence Model (2013), including its fundamental concepts and its criteria, to eight archetypes of sustainable business. The results showed that out of eight fundamental concepts of this model, four are aligned with sustainable business model and four need redefining. Moreover, it was found that environmentalism should be added to the five enablers of the model, and results criteria of it needed to be restructured and redefined. In conclusion, it was shown that despite adoptability of the fundamental concepts of EFQM Excellence Model, there were some lacking criteria for adapting them to sustainable business model. Having this in mind, a modified type of model with the new defined criteria was proposed in this study.     

Degradation of dimethyl sulfoxide through fluidized-bed Fenton process: kinetic analysis

In this study, fluidized-bed Fenton process (FBF) was used to degrade dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), one of the most widely used solvents. Oxidation by Fenton’s reagent, Fe⁺² and H₂O₂, is one of the cheapest advanced oxidation processes due to the high availability of the reagents. FBF is a modified approach that reduces the large amount of iron oxide sludge formed in conventional Fenton process. The optimal treatment efficiencies by FBF with 2 h of reaction were 95.22 % of DMSO degradation and 34.38 % of COD removal at the conditions of 5 mM DMSO, 68.97 g/L SiO₂ carrier, pH_initial 3.0, 5 mM Fe²⁺, and 32.5 mM H₂O₂. The kinetic study was also done to investigate the two stages involved in the oxidation. The first stage fitted the zero reaction order with overall initial rate’s apparent rate constant, k ₁, of ?0.099. The second stage fitted the first order of DMSO degradation, with rate constant, k ₂, of ?0.0005.     

Anaerobic digested sludge: a new supplementary nutrient source for ethanol production

Effluent sludge from an anaerobic digester was used as a source of nitrogen, phosphate, sulfur, and other nutrients in the culture medium of ethanol production by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Several pretreatments (mechanical, chemical, thermal, and thermo-chemical) were performed on the anaerobic digested sludge (ADS) to make the nutrients accessible to the yeast cells. Preliminary experiments revealed that S. cerevisiae is not able to assimilate the carbon content of the ADS. However, when glucose was added to the medium, ethanol production was observed. The yield of ethanol using untreated ADS was only 10 % of the theoretical yield, but alkaline pretreatment improved it up to 43 %. By separating the hydrolysate of alkaline-treated ADS from the suspended solids, the ethanol yield from the supernatant was further improved up to 65 % of theoretical yield. Alkaline-treated ADS exhibited competitive performance with the mixture of yeast extract and mineral salts in ethanol fermentation.     

Effects of key components of <Emphasis Type="Italic">S. triqueter</Emphasis> root exudates on fractions and bioavailability of pyrene–lead co-contaminated soils

The key components of S. triqueter root exudates involved 4-oxo-pentanoic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, phthalate acid, citric acid, vanillic acid, myristic acid, pentadecanoic acid, decanoic acid, 14-methyl-pentadecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid and oleic acid, and the content of the water-soluble organic acids (citric acid, succinic acid and glutaric acid) significantly increased in pyrene and lead co-contaminated rhizosphere soil. These three water-soluble organic acids including citric acid, succinic acid and glutaric acid were detected as the specific root exudates of S. triqueter under stress of pollutants for pyrene and lead, so they were chosen as the research objects, and they were added into the bioremediation systems of pyrene and lead co-contaminated wetland soils. Compared with the control, the treatments added the three organic acids always improved the quantity of the bioavailable fraction of pyrene and lead in wetland soils and greatly influenced other chemical states of pyrene and lead fractions in the test concentration range. Under the 50 g kg^?1 of organic acids concentration, the amount of the bioavailable fraction of pyrene and lead increased 41.0 and 872.7 % by citric acid, respectively. The enhancement of bioavailability of pyrene and lead in the wetland soil by adding organic acids generally decreased in the following order: citric acid > succinic acid > glutaric acid. Enhancing effects of organic acids on the bioavailability improvement of pyrene and lead is remarkable.     

Role of bentonite adsorbent sub-layer in the photocatalytic-adsorptive removal of methylene blue by the immobilized TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/bentonite system

An immobilized clay composite (BEN–PVAG) on a glass plate (GP) was fabricated using bentonite powder (BEN) and glutaraldehyde cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol (PVAG) as the adsorbent and adhesive, respectively. The immobilized bentonite composite (BEN–PVAG) was characterized using SEM, EDX, FTIR, and BET analysis. The adsorption capacity of BEN–PVAG was examined using methylene blue (MB) as the model pollutant. The results indicated that the adsorption of MB onto BEN–PVAG obeyed pseudo-second-order kinetics. In addition, the adsorption of MB by the immobilized BEN–PVAG was controlled by intra-particle diffusion. In contrast, the adsorption of MB by the suspended BEN–PVAG composite was dominated by film diffusion. The immobilized BEN–PVAG was then applied as the adsorbent sub-layer for the fabrication of P-25TiO₂/BEN–PVAG/GP bilayer system where P-25TiO₂ was deposited as the top layer. The fabricated bilayer system exhibited synergistic photocatalytic-adsorptive removal of MB upon irradiation with a light source, while experiment in the dark yielded only adsorption process. The rate of the synergistic photocatalytic-adsorptive removal of MB by the P-25TiO₂/BEN–PVAG/GP was 5.3 times faster than the suspended P-25TiO₂. The result implied the positive impact of the BEN–PVAG adsorbent sub-layer on the immobilized P-25TiO₂ photocatalyst. Most important, the immobilized P-25TiO₂/BEN–PVAG/GP provided a convenient reuse of the catalyst over time where the treated water could be directly discharged without the need of filtration.