Adsorption of Complex Pollutants from Aqueous Solutions by Nanocomposite Materials

In view of water pollutants becoming more complex, both anionic and cationic pollutants need to be removed. The multi‐pollutants simultaneous removal is paid more and more attention. Hence, development composite materials for treatment complex wastewater are the aim of this study. In this research, iron–nickel nanoparticles deposited onto aluminum oxide (α‐Al₂O₃) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to form nanocomposite materials Fe–Ni/Al₂O₃ and Fe–Ni/CNTs, respectively, were used as adsorbents. The adsorption capacities of Fe–Ni/Al₂O₃ and Fe–Ni/CNTs for AO7, HSeO, and Pb²⁺ were observed to be 5.46, 8.28, 27.02, and 25.6 mg/g, 15.29 and 17.12 mg/g, separately. The composite materials with negative charges were superior in adsorption of anionic pollutants. Using orthogonal experimental design and analysis of variance to co‐treat dye AO7, HSeO and Pb²⁺ in aqueous solutions, seven testing factors were included: (1) adsorbent types, (2) amount of iron, (3) solution pHs, (4) AO7 concentrations, (5) Pb²⁺ concentrations, (6) HSeO concentrations and (7) reaction time. The experimental results showed that the removal of complex pollutants AO7, HSeO, and Pb²⁺ on Fe–Ni/CNTs could reach up to 90% in the optimal treatment conditions. When using Fe–Ni/CNTs as the adsorbent, the sorption isothermals were well fitted in the Freundlich isotherm, and R² could reach up to 0.98.     

Heterogeneity influences on stream water–groundwater interactions in a gravel-dominated floodplain

ABSTRACT

Floodplains are composed of complex depositional patterns of ancient and recent stream sediments, and research is needed to address the manner in which coarse floodplain materials affect stream–groundwater exchange patterns. Efforts to understand the heterogeneity of aquifers have utilized numerous techniques typically focused on point-scale measurements; however, in highly heterogeneous settings, the ability to model heterogeneity is dependent on the data density and spatial distribution. The objective of this research was to investigate the correlation between broad-scale methodologies for detecting heterogeneity and the observed spatial variability in stream/groundwater interactions of gravel-dominated alluvial floodplains. More specifically, this study examined the correlation between electrical resistivity (ER) and alluvial groundwater patterns during a flood event at a site on Barren Fork Creek, in the Ozark ecoregion of Oklahoma, USA, where chert gravels were common both as streambed and as floodplain material. Water table elevations from groundwater monitoring wells for a flood event on 1–5 May 2009 were compared to ER maps at various elevations. Areas with high ER matched areas with lower water table slope at the same elevation. This research demonstrated that ER approaches were capable of indicating heterogeneity in surface water–groundwater interactions, and that these heterogeneities were present even in an aquifer matrix characterized as highly conductive. Portions of gravel-dominated floodplain vadose zones characterized by high hydraulic conductivity features can result in heterogeneous flow patterns when the vadose zone of alluvial floodplains activates during storm events.

EDITOR D. Koutsoyiannis; ASSOCIATE EDITOR X. Chen     

Controlling factors of gullying in the Maracujá Catchment,southeastern Brazil

Hundreds of gullies (‘voçorocas’) of huge dimensions (up to 400–500 m long, 150 m wide and 50 m deep) are very common in the small Maracujá Catchment in southeastern Brazil. These erosional features, which occur with an uneven intensity throughout the area, started due to bad soil management practices at the beginning of European settlement, at the end of the 17th century, and nowadays are still evolving, but at a slower rate. As surface soils are usually very resistant to erosion, the outcrop of the more erodible basement saprolites seems to be an essential condition for their beginning. An analysis of well known erosion controlling factors was performed, aiming to explain the beginning and evolution of these gullies and to understand the reasons for their spatial distribution. Data shows that geology and, mainly, geomorphology are the main controlling factors, since gullies tend to be concentrated in basement rock areas with lower relief (domain 2) of Maracujá Catchment, mainly at the fringes of broad and flat interfluves. At the detailed scale (1:10 000), gullies are more common in amphitheatre‐like headwater hollows that frequently represent upper Quaternary gullies (paleogullies), which demonstrate the recurrence of channel erosion. So, gullies occur in areas of thicker saprolites (domain 2), in places with a natural concentration of surface and underground water (hollows). Saprolites of the preserved, non‐eroded hollows are usually pressurized (confined aquifer) due to a thick seal of Quaternary clay layer, in a similar configuration to the ones found in hollows of mass movement (mudflow) sites in southeastern Brazil. Therefore, the erosion of the resistant soils by human activities, such as road cuts and trenches (‘valos’), or their mobilization by mudflow movements, seem to be likely mechanisms of gullying initiation. Afterwards, gullies evolve by a combination of surface and underground processes, such as wash and tunnel erosion and falls and slumps of gully walls. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study of the air-sea interactions at the mesoscale: the SEMAPHORE experiment

The SEMAPHORE (Structure des Echanges Mer-Atmosphère, Propriétés des Hétérogénéités Océaniques: Recherche Expérimentale) experiment has been conducted from June to November 1993 in the Northeast Atlantic between the Azores and Madeira. It was centered on the study of the mesoscale ocean circulation and air-sea interactions. The experimental investigation was achieved at the mesoscale using moorings, floats, and ship hydrological survey, and at a smaller scale by one dedicated ship, two instrumented aircraft, and surface drifting buoys, for one and a half month in October-November (IOP: intense observing period). Observations from meteorological operational satellites as well as spaceborne microwave sensors were used in complement. The main studies undertaken concern the mesoscale ocean, the upper ocean, the atmospheric boundary layer, and the sea surface, and first results are presented for the various topics. From data analysis and model simulations, the main characteristics of the ocean circulation were deduced, showing the close relationship between the Azores front meander and the occurrence of Mediterranean water lenses (meddies), and the shift between the Azores current frontal signature at the surface and within the thermocline. Using drifting buoys and ship data in the upper ocean, the gap between the scales of the atmospheric forcing and the oceanic variability was made evident. A 2 °C decrease and a 40-m deepening of the mixed layer were measured within the IOP, associated with a heating loss of about 100 W m⁻². This evolution was shown to be strongly connected to the occurrence of storms at the beginning and the end of October. Above the surface, turbulent measurements from ship and aircraft were analyzed across the surface thermal front, showing a 30% difference in heat fluxes between both sides during a 4-day period, and the respective contributions of the wind and the surface temperature were evaluated. The classical momentum flux bulk parameterization was found to fail in low wind and unstable conditions. Finally, the sea surface was investigated using airborne and satellite radars and wave buoys. A wave model, operationally used, was found to get better results compared with radar and wave-buoy measurements, when initialized using an improved wind field, obtained by assimilating satellite and buoy wind data in a meteorological model. A detailed analysis of a 2-day period showed that the swell component, propagating from a far source area, is underestimated in the wave model. A data base has been created, containing all experimental measurements. It will allow us to pursue the interpretation of observations and to test model simulations in the ocean, at the surface and in the atmospheric boundary layer, and to investigate the ocean-atmosphere coupling at the local and mesoscales.     

Recent glacial retreat in High Asia in China and its impact on water resource in Northwest China

There are about 46298 glaciers in the High Asiain China, the total glacial area is about 59406 km , andtotal glacial volume about 5590 km3. These glaciersmainly concentrate around the Himalayas Mountains,Nyainqentanglha Mountains, Kunlun Mountains,Karakoram Mountains and Tianshan Mountains. Theglaciers in the Tibetan Plateau are the major compo-nent of the glaciers in the High Asia in China. Theseglaciers extend north to the arid and desert regions,and become the main water resource in …     

Statistical modeling of relative variations in the critical frequencies of the ionospheric F region

Relative variations in the critical frequency of the ionospheric F, region are considered as one of the main sources of information about the characteristics of plasma inhomogeneities in the region of the main ionization maximum and as a substantial factor responsible for the statistics of the decameter signal parameters on radio paths with different lengths. The functions defined on finite intervals are also used in statistical modeling in addition to the available methods. Such a consideration made it possible to remove a restriction, peculiar to previous models, in the form of the requirement that the fourth statistical invariant—excess— should be positive. This makes the generalized statistical model more universal, which is of special importance for high4atitude radio paths. The specified mo del more adequately corresponds to the experimental data, which are characterized by finite intervals where the quantities are measured.     

Geothermal energy release at the Solfatara of Pozzuoli (Phlegraean Fields): Phreatic and phreatomagmatic explosion risk implications

The H₂O, CO₂ and H₂S outputs at the Solfatara of Pozzuoli have been measured and a map of the exhaling areas has also been made. The energy released at the surface by the fluids has been estimated to be 10¹⁹ ergs/day.The presence of aquifers at Phlegraean Fields increases the phreatic and phreatomagmatic explosion risk.Our results suggest that even if an uprising magma may interact with water at depth, an explosion could occur only at the shallow levels of a few hundred meters. Since the transfer of energy toward the surface is favoured by the presence of fractures, a detailed analysis of the deep fracture network would help to evaluate the risk levels of the various areas of Phlegraean Fields.     

新冠疫情期间武汉樱花的情感效应

运用大数据文本挖掘和分析工具,对比新冠疫情期间武汉和非武汉地区居民所发布的微文,探究了武汉樱花在不同居民群体间情感效应的作用机制,研究发现：1）本地居民樱花微文的关注点多而分散,非本地居民的关注点少而集中;2）武汉樱花对不同地区居民情感的影响与疫情发展状况紧密相关;3）武汉樱花在疫情期间对武汉居民具有情感支持效应,对非武汉地区居民具有情感凝聚效应;4）疫情改变人的情感和景观解读背景,并赋予景观新的意义,新的景观意义反作用于居民,构成情感闭合回路。最后提出建议,抗疫恢复工作应多关注居民心理层面的缺失,从居民与城市、景观的情感关系入手,向武汉居民传达城市美好生活理念。     

影响南极海洋石油烃低温降解菌希瓦氏菌NJ49生长和降解率的环境因素研究

以柴油为唯一碳源和能源,从南极海水海冰微生物资源库中筛选到一株石油烃低温降解菌希瓦氏菌NJ49,并对影响其生长和降解率的环境因素(pH、温度、盐度、营养盐和表面活性剂)进行了初步研究。结果表明:希瓦氏菌NJ49可作为低温海域石油烃污染生物修复的菌源,其生长和降解的最适条件为:初始pH7.5,温度15℃,盐度6%,摇瓶装量80ml,最佳氮源硝酸铵,最佳磷源为磷酸二氢钾和磷酸氢二钾的混合物,添加表面活性剂可促进希瓦氏菌NJ49的生长和生物降解率。