Adsorption of anionic dye on magnesium hydroxide-coated pyrolytic bio-char and reuse by microwave irradiation

Magnesium hydroxide-coated pyrolytic bio-char composite was prepared by chemical precipitation, and the adsorption behavior of anionic dye (directly frozen yellow) onto magnesium hydroxide-coated pyrolytic bio-char was investigated in the batch mode. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy of adsorbents were characterized. Adsorption studies were performed at different pH, salt concentration, contacting time and dye concentration. The pH value of the solution influenced the adsorption capacity significantly, and adsorption is favored of pH 6–8. Salt coexisted in solution increased slightly directly frozen yellow adsorption capacity. The isotherm data were analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm model, and Langmuir model was better to predict the equilibrium data. Thermodynamic calculations showed that the adsorption was a spontaneous and endothermic process. Exhausted magnesium hydroxide-coated pyrolytic bio-char was treated by microwave irradiation, and yield of regeneration was 98 % in the case of microwave irradiated time 5 min at 320 W. The magnesium hydroxide-coated pyrolytic bio-char can be reused.     

Simulating flow in karst aquifers at laboratory and sub-regional scales using MODFLOW-CFP

Groundwater flow in a well-developed karst aquifer dominantly occurs through bedding planes, fractures, conduits, and caves created by and/or enlarged by dissolution. Conventional groundwater modeling methods assume that groundwater flow is described by Darcian principles where primary porosity (i.e. matrix porosity) and laminar flow are dominant. However, in well-developed karst aquifers, the assumption of Darcian flow can be questionable. While Darcian flow generally occurs in the matrix portion of the karst aquifer, flow through conduits can be non-laminar where the relation between specific discharge and hydraulic gradient is non-linear. MODFLOW-CFP is a relatively new modeling program that accounts for non-laminar and laminar flow in pipes, like karst caves, within an aquifer. In this study, results from MODFLOW-CFP are compared to those from MODFLOW-2000/2005, a numerical code based on Darcy’s law, to evaluate the accuracy that CFP can achieve when modeling flows in karst aquifers at laboratory and sub-regional (Woodville Karst Plain, Florida, USA) scales. In comparison with laboratory experiments, simulation results by MODFLOW-CFP are more accurate than MODFLOW 2005. At the sub-regional scale, MODFLOW-CFP was more accurate than MODFLOW-2000 for simulating field measurements of peak flow at one spring and total discharges at two springs for an observed storm event.     

Application of Remote Sensing in Flood Management with Special Reference to Monsoon Asia: A Review

The conventional means to record hydrological parameters of aflood often fail to record an extreme event. Remote sensingtechnology along with geographic information system (GIS)has become the key tool for flood monitoring in recent years.Development in this field has evolved from optical to radarremote sensing, which has provided all weather capabilitycompared to the optical sensors for the purpose of flood mapping.The central focus in this field revolves around delineation of floodzones and preparation of flood hazard maps for the vulnerable areas.In this exercise flood depth is considered crucial for flood hazardmapping and a digital elevation model (DEM) is considered to bethe most effective means to estimate flood depth from remotelysensed or hydrological data. In a flat terrain accuracy of floodestimation depends primarily on the resolution of the DEM. Riverflooding in the developing countries of monsoon Asia is very acutebecause of their heavy dependence on agriculture but any floodestimation or hazard mapping attempt in this region is handicappedby poor availability of high resolution DEMs. This paper presents areview of application of remote sensing and GIS in flood managementwith particular focus on the developing countries of Asia.     

Numerical estimation of REV and permeability tensor for fractured rock masses by composite element method

The Monte Carlo method is used to generate parent stochastic discrete fracture network, from which a series of fractured rock samples of different sizes and orientations are extracted. The fracture network combined with a regular grid forms composite element mesh of the fractured rock sample, in which each composite element is composed of sub‐elements incised by fracture segments. The composite element method (CEM) for the seepage is implemented to obtain the nodal hydraulic potential as well as the seepage flow rates through the fractured rock samples. The application of CEM enables a large quantity of stochastic tests for the fractured rock samples because the pre‐process is facilitated greatly. By changing the sizes and orientations of the samples, the analysis of the seepage characteristics is realized to evaluate the variation of the permeability components, the existence of the permeability tensor and the representative element volume. The feasibility and effectiveness are illustrated in a numerical example. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of Impact Hammer Rebound to Estimate Rock Drillability

Summary ?In this paper, the piston rebound common to both the Schmidt Impact Hammer and down-hole hammer drills has been analyzed and calculated by means of stress wave theory and the energy conservation law. A quantitative relationship between the amount of rebound of the piston and the impact resistance index, or hardness of the rock, has been established. Those analytical results will not only be of benefit in acquiring a deep understanding of the usable range and condition of the Schmidt Impact Hammer, but also provide a definite answer to the feasibility of using the hammer rebound in drills with down-hole hammer tool to carry out a real time measurement of the nature of the formation under the bit.     

Implications of spatial reservoir uncertainty for CO2 sequestration in the east Snake River Plain, Idaho (USA)

Basalt-hosted hydrogeologic systems have been proposed for geologic CO₂ sequestration based on laboratory research suggesting rapid mineralization rates. However, despite this theoretical appeal, little is known about the impacts of basalt fracture heterogeneity on CO₂ migration at commercial scales. Evaluating the suitability of basalt reservoirs is complicated by incomplete knowledge of in-situ fracture distributions at depths required for CO₂ sequestration. In this work, a numerical experiment is used to investigate the effects of spatial reservoir uncertainty for geologic CO₂ sequestration in the east Snake River Plain, Idaho (USA). Two criteria are investigated: (1) formation injectivity and (2) confinement potential. Several theoretical tools are invoked to develop a field-based approach for geostatistical reservoir characterization and their implementation is illustrated. Geologic CO₂ sequestration is simulated for 10?years of constant-rate injection at ~680,000 tons per year and modeled by Monte Carlo simulation such that model variability is a function of spatial reservoir heterogeneity. Results suggest that the spatial distribution of heterogeneous permeability structures is a controlling influence on formation injectivity. Analysis of confinement potential is less conclusive; however, in the absence of confining sedimentary interbeds within the basalt pile, rapid mineralization may be necessary to reduce the risk of escape.     

Sources, distribution and storage of heavy metals in the Río Pilcomayo, Bolivia

The Río Pilcomayo rises on the Cerro Rico de Potosí precious metal-polymetallic tin deposits of Bolivia, and flows in a southeasterly direction for ca. 600 km to Bolivia's southern border with Argentina. Mining of the Potosí deposits has occurred continuously since 1545, generating large quantities of waste materials in the headwater of the basin. In addition, a tailings dam breach at the Porco mine in 1996 released an estimated 235 000 m³ of tailings and fluid into the upper reaches of the Río Pilaya, the largest tributary to the Pilcomayo.Concentrations of As, Sb, Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ag, Tl and Zn in contemporary channel sediments upstream of the Pilaya confluence are significantly elevated above background values. Elevated levels appear to be associated with pyrite- and other sulphide mineral-bearing tailings materials transported more than 200 km downstream of the Potosí mines. Significant downstream declines in elemental concentrations occur within 15 km, and again between 150 and 200 km, from the mines. The initial decrease in concentrations is due to the rapid dilution of nearly pure tailings effluent released to the river from milling facilities near Potosí. The latter decrease results from a combination of geomorphic processes including the storage of sediment-borne metals within the channel bed and the influx of ‘clean’ sediment from several large tributaries. Downstream of the Pilaya confluence, concentrations of Cu, Pb, Hg and Zn are only slightly elevated above background values, and Ag, Cd, Sb and Tl cannot be distinguished from background levels. These data suggest that while the Porco tailings spill may have had a significant short-term impact on sediment and water quality along the lower reaches of the Río Pilcomayo, its longer-term impacts were limited. Metals stored and eroded from alluvial deposits of historical age in upstream reaches appear to be an important source of metals to the river today. An additional, and perhaps more significant source, is the release of tailings effluent to the river from modern milling operations. The transport of these contaminants downstream of Icla (203 km from Potosí) appears to be restricted by aggradational processes occurring in the vicinity of Puente Sucre. In addition, downstream of the confluence of the Río Pilaya, inputs of large amounts of ‘clean’ sediment have caused dilution of the metal contaminants. Data from other studies where similar geomorphic processes have occurred suggest that the metals in the upper Pilcomayo may eventually be moved downvalley as the aggradational processes are reversed and channel stabilisation occurs. Thus, the most significant impacts of metal contamination may not be realised in downstream areas for decades.