TBT toxicity on the marine microalga Nannochloropsis oculata

Commercial antifouling formulations containing TBT are the major source of organotin contamination in coastal waters. In view of the persisting TBT residues (13 ng Sn l⁻¹) in the coastal waters of South Korea, an attempt has been made to evaluate the growth response and biochemical composition of laboratory-cultured Nannochloropsis oculata to TBT toxicity. It is evident that the persisting concentration level of TBT is high enough to cause adverse effect on the microalgal species. The EC₅₀ (24 h) was found to be at 0.89 nM level of TBT for this marine eustigmatophyte N. oculata. Photosynthetic pigment content was significantly affected. At elevated TBT concentrations of 1.0 nM, especially pronounced changes in biochemical composition was found. TBT tolerance of N. oculata and its growth as well as biochemical responses are discussed.     

Let-It-Rain: a web application for stochastic point rainfall generation at ungaged basins and its applicability in runoff and flood modeling

We present a web application named Let-It-Rain that is able to generate a 1-h temporal resolution synthetic rainfall time series using the modified Bartlett–Lewis rectangular pulse (MBLRP) model, a type of Poisson stochastic rainfall generator. Let-It-Rain, which can be accessed through the web address http://www.LetItRain.info, adopts a web-based framework combining ArcGIS Server from server side for parameter value dissemination and JavaScript from client side to implement the MBLRP model. This enables any desktop and mobile end users with internet access and web browser to obtain the synthetic rainfall time series at any given location at which the parameter regionalization work has been completed (currently the contiguous United States and Republic of Korea) with only a few mouse clicks. Let-It-Rain shows satisfactory performance in its ability to reproduce observed rainfall mean, variance, auto-correlation, and probability of zero rainfall at hourly through daily accumulation levels. It also shows a reasonably good performance in reproducing watershed runoff depth and peak flow. We expect that Let-It-Rain can stimulate the uncertainty analysis of hydrologic variables across the world.     

The effect of land cover change on duration and severity of high and low flows

Land cover has been increasingly recognized as an important factor affecting hydrologic processes at the basin and regional level. Therefore, improved understanding of how land cover change affects hydrologic systems is needed for better management of water resources. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of land cover change on the duration and severity of high and low flows by using the Soil Water Assessment Tool model, Bayesian model averaging and copulas. Two basins dominated by different land cover in the Ohio River basin are used as study area in this study. Two historic land covers from the 1950s and 1990s are considered as input to the Soil Water Assessment Tool model, thereby investigating the hydrologic high and low flow response of different land cover conditions of these two basins. The relationships between the duration and severity of both low and high flow are defined by applying the copula method; changes in the frequency of the duration and severity are investigated. The results show that land cover changes affect both the duration and severity of both high and low flows. An increase in forest area leads to a decrease in the duration and severity during both high and low flows, but its impact is highest during extreme flows. The results also show that the land cover changes have had significant influences on changes in the joint return periods of duration and severity of low and high flows. While this study sheds light on the role of land cover change on severity and duration of high and low flow conditions, more studies using various land cover conditions and climate types are required in order to draw more reliable conclusions in the future. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optimal seismic retrofit model for steel moment resisting frames with brittle connections

Based on performance-based seismic engineering, this paper proposes an optimal seismic retrofit model for steel moment resisting frames (SMRFs) to generate a retrofit scheme at minimal cost. To satisfy the acceptance criteria for the Basic Safety Objective (BSO) specified in FEMA 356, the minimum number of upgraded connections and their locations in an SMRF with brittle connections are determined by evolutionary computation. The performance of the proposed optimal retrofitting model is evaluated on the basis of the energy dissipation capacities, peak roof drift ratios, and maximum interstory drift ratios of structures before and after retrofitting. In addition, a retrofit efficiency index, which is defined as the ratio of the increment in seismic performance to the required retrofitting cost, is proposed to examine the efficiencies of the retrofit schemes derived from the model. The optimal seismic retrofit model is applied to the SAC benchmark examples for threestory and nine-story SMRFs with brittle connections. Using the retrofit efficiency index proposed in this study, the optimal retrofit schemes obtained from the model are found to be efficient for both examples in terms of energy dissipation capacity, roof drift ratio, and maximum inter-story drift ratio.     

A three‐dimensional transmitting boundary formulated in Cartesian co‐ordinate system for the dynamics of non‐axisymmetric foundations

A three‐dimensional transmitting boundary is formulated in the Cartesian co‐ordinate system. It is developed for the dynamic soil–structure interaction problems of arbitrary shape foundations in laterally heterogeneous strata overlying rigid bedrock. Dynamics of a rectangular rigid surface foundation on a homogeneous stratum is analysed by a hybrid approach in which the finite region including foundation is modelled by the conventional finite element method and the surrounding infinite region by the newly developed transmitting boundary. To demonstrate its strength, the present method is applied to a rectangular foundation in a horizontally heterogeneous ground consisting of two distinct regions divided by and welded along a vertical plane. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Large temporal changes in contributions of groundwater-borne nutrients to coastal waters off a volcanic island

We examined the contribution of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to nutrient budgets in Hwasun Bay, Jeju Island, Korea in August 2009, October 2014, and May 2015. The concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) in fresh groundwater were in the range of 285?716 μM and 2.3?3.2 μM, respectively, which were each 1?2 orders of magnitude higher than those in the bay seawater. The outer-bay seawater flowing into the bay was oligotrophic (2.9 ± 1.9 μM for DIN and 0.2 ± 0.3 μM for DIP). Nutrient budget calculations were performed for each season by accounting for submarine fresh groundwater discharge (SFGD) and water residence times. In August 2009 (DIN = 1.8 μM and DIN:DIP ratio = 4.6 for the outerbay water), DIN inputs from SFGD accounted for approximately 40% of the DIN inventory in the bay seawater. In October 2014 (DIN = 1.1 μM and DIP < 0.05 μM for the outer-bay water), DIP from SFGD accounted for approximately 100% of the DIP inventory in the bay seawater. In May 2015, mean concentrations of DIN and DIP in the bay seawater were 8.6 ± 12 μM and 0.11 ± 0.04 μM, respectively, with conservative behaviors in the bay seawater in association with excessive groundwater inputs. These results imply that SGD plays a critical but different role in nutrient budgets and stoichiometry in coastal waters off a volcanic island depending on open-ocean nutrient conditions.     

Sources and distribution of allochthonous organic matter in surface sediment from the Seomjin River to the southern inner shelf of Korea

The spatial distributions of δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and n-alkanes were investigated to determine the source and transportation of allochthonous organic matter from the mouth of the Seomjin River to the southern inner shelf break of Korea. Total organic carbon (%) ranged from 0.3% to 1.6% (average = 0.80%, n = 81), and the C/N ratio varied from 2.4 to 12.4 (average = 6.76, n = 81). The δ¹³C values ranged from ?25.86 to ?20.26‰ (average = ?21.47‰, n = 81), and δ¹⁵N values ranged from 4.37‰ to 8.57‰ (average = 6.72‰, n = 81). The contribution of the terrestrial fraction of organic matter to the total ranged from 4.4% to 97.7% (average = 24.4%, n = 81), suggesting higher amounts around the catchment area and lower amounts in the offshore area. The concentration of total n-alkanes (nC₂₅ ? nC₃₅) was higher at the boundary between the outer bay and inner shelf break (BOBIS). Average chain length and the carbon preference index both indicated that major leaf wax n-alkanes accounted for the observed distribution of terrestrial organic matter, and were dominant in the inner shelf break (around BOBIS) and outer shelf break. Based on the spatial distribution of the total n-alkanes and the sum of nC₂₇, nC₂₉, and nC₃₁, the terrestrial organic matter distribution was considered to be controlled by local oceanographic conditions, especially at the center of the BOBIS. In addition to enabling the distribution and source of terrestrial organic matter to be identified, the n-alkanes indicated that minor anthropogenic allochthonous organic materials were superimposed on the total organic materials in the central part of Yeosu Bay and the catchment area. The n-alkane indices revealed weathered petroleum contamination, with contamination levels being relatively low at the present time.     

Sulfate Reduction and Sulfur Cycles at Two Seagrass Beds Inhabited by Cold Affinity <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zostera marina</Emphasis> and Warm Affinity <Emphasis Type="Italic">Halophila nipponica</Emphasis> in Temperate Coastal Waters

To evaluate the impact of invading seagrass on biogeochemical processes associated with sulfur cycles, we investigated the geochemical properties and sulfate reduction rates (SRRs) in sediments inhabited by invasive warm affinity Halophila nipponica and indigenous cold affinity Zostera marina. A more positive relationship between SRR and below-ground biomass (BGB) was observed at the H. nipponica bed (SRR = 0.6809 × BGB ? 4.3162, r ² = 0.9878, p = 0.0006) than at the Z. marina bed (SRR = 0.3470 × BGB ? 4.0341, r ² = 0.7082, p = 0.0357). These results suggested that SR was more stimulated by the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) exuded from the roots of H. nipponica than by the DOC released from the roots of Z. marina. Despite the enhanced SR in spring-summer, the relatively lower proportion (average, 20%) of acid-volatile sulfur (AVS) in total reduced sulfur and the strong correlation between total oxalate-extractable Fe (Fe_(oxal)) and chromium-reducible sulfur (CRS = 0.2321 × total Fe_(oxal) + 1.8180, r ² = 0.3344, p = 0.0076) in the sediments suggested the rapid re-oxidation of sulfide and precipitation of sulfide with Fe. The turnover rate of the AVS at the H. nipponica bed (0.13 day^?1) was 2.5 times lower than that at the Z. marina bed (0.33 day^?1). Together with lower AVS turnover, the stronger correlation of SRR to BGB in the H. nipponica bed suggests that the extension of H. nipponica resulting from the warming of seawater might provoke more sulfide accumulation in coastal sediments.     

A successful transformation of conventional SBR to MBR at Indian casino and facility: a case study of Chumash Casino and Resort Water Reclamation Facility (WRF), water reuse perspectives

A conventional sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was successfully transformed to a membrane bioreactor (MBR) at an Indian casino resort and hotel, Santa Ynez, California. The technical difficulties from the existing process at the site including a 3-mm screening unit, SBR biological tanks, and sand filtration were relieved of by new biological membrane technology. As the hotel and its vicinity expanded, the existing SBR was not able to treat an increased flow, which was major driving force for such membrane-upgraded project. In addition, as the area was in a high drought zone, without meeting the purpose of water reuse, new hotel expansion was not permitted. New membrane process was designed and built with new 2-mm screening unit, pre-anoxic, oxic (or aerobic), post-anoxic, and MBR tanks along with UV disinfection. The retrofitting work was conducted, minimizing a major revision on the existing SBR structure and its civil work. Therefore, the new packaged system has brought a number of benefits to the customer, thereby utilizing reclaimed water highly meeting the California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 22 requirements. The reclaimed water goes to toilet water, cooling tower, and irrigation. This study details how such process transformation was technically finished and would help other similar cases in terms of retrofitting exiting biological process to a membrane application without a major civil construction. The cost analysis including capital, operation and maintenance (O&M) costs was included so that it will be practical to ones who will conduct future similar projects.     

Impacts of land use change and groundwater management on long-term nitrate-nitrogen and chloride trends in groundwater of Jeju Island,Korea

Impacts of land use changes and groundwater management actions on groundwater quality were evaluated at the island scale with spatiotemporal trends of NO₃-N and Cl concentrations in groundwater of Jeju Island, Korea. The temporal trends from 1993 to 2012 in the concentrations of NO₃-N and Cl from more than 3900 wells were estimated using the Mann–Kendall trend test and Sen’s slope analysis and compared with the land use change trend for the period 1995–2009. The results indicate that the upward trends in NO₃-N were associated with the expansion of agricultural lands, whereas Cl trends were considered to be affected by other factors in addition to the land use changes. In the mid-mountainous region, the deterioration in the groundwater quality by the both NO₃-N and Cl was expected due to the continuous expansion of agricultural lands. In the lowland area, the NO₃-N and Cl components showed different trends depending on the regions. In the eastern area, increasing trends in NO₃-N were observed due to the development of new agricultural areas, while the Cl concentration was observed to decrease as a result of the regulation on groundwater extraction to reduce seawater intrusion. Our study highlights that a comprehensive interpretation of trends in NO₃-N and Cl and land use changes for long-term periods can provide useful insights to prepare for suitable groundwater management plans in the whole island perspective.