Intrinsic bioremediation of MTBE-contaminated groundwater at a petroleum-hydrocarbon spill site

An oil-refining plant site located in southern Taiwan has been identified as a petroleum-hydrocarbon [mainly methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX)] spill site. In this study, groundwater samples collected from the site were analyzed to assess the occurrence of intrinsic MTBE biodegradation. Microcosm experiments were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of biodegrading MTBE by indigenous microorganisms under aerobic, cometabolic, iron reducing, and methanogenic conditions. Results from the field investigation and microbial enumeration indicate that the intrinsic biodegradation of MTBE and BTEX is occurring and causing the decrease in MTBE and BTEX concentrations. Microcosm results show that the indigenous microorganisms were able to biodegrade MTBE under aerobic conditions using MTBE as the sole primary substrate. The detected biodegradation byproduct, tri-butyl alcohol (TBA), can also be biodegraded by the indigenous microorganisms. In addition, microcosms with site groundwater as the medium solution show higher MTBE biodegradation rate. This indicates that the site groundwater might contain some trace minerals or organics, which could enhance the MTBE biodegradation. Results show that the addition of BTEX at low levels could also enhance the MTBE removal. No MTBE removal was detected in iron reducing and methanogenic microcosms. This might be due to the effects of low dissolved oxygen (approximately 0.3 mg/L) within the plume. The low iron reducers and methanogens (<1.8×10³ cell/g of soil) observed in the aquifer also indicate that the iron reduction and methanogenesis are not the dominant biodegradation patterns in the contaminant plume. Results from the microcosm study reveal that preliminary laboratory study is required to determine the appropriate substrates and oxidation-reduction conditions to enhance the biodegradation of MTBE. Results suggest that in situ or on-site aerobic bioremediation using indigenous microorganisms would be a feasible technology to clean up this MTBE-contaminated site.     

松辽盆地南部地区营城组典型火山机构地质特征

在松辽盆地地质背景研究的基础上,根据盆地南部地区营城组火山岩地质特征对火山机构进行分类,描述其地质特征,并讨论其储层特征。将研究区火山机构分成3类9种,即熔岩类火山机构、碎屑岩类火山机构和复合火山机构3类;熔岩类火山机构包括粗面质熔岩火山机构、玄武质熔岩火山机构、安山质熔岩火山机构、英安质熔岩火山机构和流纹质熔岩火山机构,碎屑岩类火山机构包括玄武质碎屑岩火山机构、安山质碎屑岩火山机构和流纹质碎屑岩火山机构,以及复合火山机构共计9种。并统计了不同类型流纹质火山机构储层的储集空间类型及孔隙度,结果表明：流纹质复合火山机构储集空间类型复杂,储层溶蚀孔缝十分发育,储层物性最好;流纹质碎屑岩火山机构储层溶蚀孔缝较为发育,储层物性中等;流纹质熔岩火山机构储集空间类型单一,储层物性最差。将长岭断陷火山机构内部储层分为高孔-高渗型、中孔-中渗型和低孔-低渗型3类,且有利储层受岩性影响较小,受岩相影响较大。     

Terrain attributes of earthquake‐ and rainstorm‐induced landslides in orogenic mountain Belt,Taiwan

Landsliding induced by earthquakes and rainstorms in montane regions is not only a sculptor for shaping the landscape, but also a driver for delivering sediments and above‐ground biomass downstream. However, the terrain attributes of earthquake‐ and rainstorm‐induced landslides are less discussed comprehensively in Taiwan. As part of an island‐wide inventory, we here compare and contrast the landslide terrain attributes resulting from two catastrophic events: the Chi‐Chi earthquake (M _w = 7.6, September 1999) and typhoon Morakot (rainfall >2500 mm, August 2009). Results show that the earthquake‐induced landslides are relatively small, round‐shaped and prone to occur primarily in middle and toe of slopes. In contrast, the rainstorm‐induced landslides are larger, horseshoe‐shaped and preferentially occurring in slope toes. Also, earthquake‐induced landslides, particularly large landslides, are usually found at steeper gradients, whereas rainstorm‐induced landslides aggregate at gradients between 25° and 40°. Lithologic control plays a secondary role in landsliding. From an island‐wide perspective, high landslide density locates in the region of earthquake intensity ≥ VI or one‐day rainfall ≥600 mm day^?1. Through the landslide patterns and their terrain attributes, our retrospective approach sheds light on accessing the historical and remote events for close geophysical investigations. Finally, we should bear in mind that the landslide location, size, and terrain attributes varying with triggers may affect the landscape evaluation or biogeochemical processes in landslide‐dominated regions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Responses of phytoplankton and its satellite bacteria to exogenous ethanol

Journal of Oceanology and Limnology - The response of phytoplankton and its satellite bacteria to various concentrations (0.01%–10% v/v) of ethanol is studied. To elucidate the effect of...     

The compositional variation of synthetic sodic amphiboles at high and ultra-high pressures

Sodic amphiboles in high pressure and ultra-high pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks are complex solid solutions in the system Na₂O–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O (NMASH) whose compositions vary with pressure and temperature. We conducted piston-cylinder experiments at 20–30?kbar and 700–800?°C to investigate the stability and compositional variations of sodic amphiboles, based on the reaction glaucophane=2jadeite+talc, by using the starting assemblage of natural glaucophane, talc and quartz, with synthetic jadeite. A close approach to equilibrium was achieved by performing compositional reversals, by evaluating compositional changes with time, and by suppressing the formation of Na-phyllosilicates. STEM observations show that the abundance of wide-chain structures in the synthetic amphiboles is low. An important feature of sodic amphibole in the NMASH system is that the assemblage jadeite–talc?±?quartz does not fix its composition at glaucophane. This is because other amphibole species such as cummingtonite (Cm), nyböite (Nyb), Al–Na-cummingtonite (Al–Na-Cm) and sodium anthophyllite (Na-Anth) are also buffered via the model reactions: 3cummingtonite?+?4quartz?+?4H₂O=7talc, nyböite?+?3quartz=3jadeite?+?talc, 3Al–Na-cummingtonite + 11quartz + 2H₂O=6jadeite + 5talc, and 3 sodium anthophyllite?+?13quartz?+?4H₂O=3 jadeite + 7talc. We observed that at all pressures and temperatures investigated, the compositions of newly grown amphiboles deviate significantly from stoichiometric glaucophane due to varying substitutions of Al^IV for Si, Mg on the M(4) site, and Na on the A-site. The deviation can be described chiefly by two compositional vectors: [Na^AAl^IV]<=>[□^ASi] (edenite) toward nyböite, and [Na^(M4)Al^VI]<=>[Mg^(M4)Mg^VI] toward cummingtonite. The extent of nyböite and cummingtonite substitution increases with temperature and decreases with pressure in the experiments. Similar compositional variations occur in sodic amphiboles from UHP rocks. The experimentally calibrated compositional changes therefore may prove useful for thermobarometric applications.     

用1999年集集地震序列建立台湾地区地震形变的三维模型及其特殊意义

编纂了台湾地区包括震源位置和震源参数的地震目录。选择的数据库用于建立与菲律宾海板块与欧亚板块俯冲和碰撞等各种构造运动有关的台湾地区三维地震形变模型。我们将整个台湾地区划分为10km间隔的三维网格,计算每个网格的地震矩释放量,即该网格内所有地震释放的地震矩总和。当一次地震的物理尺度超过网格尺寸10km时,相应的地震矩就分布在多个网格上。这种定量方法较好地描述了该地区地震矩释放的一级特征。值得注意的是,集集地震的发生,填充了震源区附近地震矩释放量在震前存在的明显不足。本文推测某个区域内地震矩分布的不足—填充模式可以应用于预测未来大地震的发生地点。根据这一观点,我们认为,集集地震可能会引起另外2次地震(北部的苗栗—新竹区和南部的嘉义区),这2次地震的破坏性及震级与集集地震类似,且靠近集集地震震源区。     

Water storage loss in central and south Asia from GRACE satellite gravity: correlations with climate data

Recent decrease of water supply in central Asia and south Asia affects billions of people here. By filtering the errors at higher frequency components and correcting for the contaminated components, we enhance the monthly GRACE gravity fields to improve the determination of change in equivalent water height (EWH). The water storage changes from GRACE and the GLDAS hydrology model all show decreasing trends in this region. At the annual and inter-annual time scales, significant correlations between the variations in EWH and the variations in temperature, precipitation and snow equivalent height are found, especially at high altitude stations, suggesting that climate change is the driving factor for the water depletion in central Asia and south Asia.     

Mineralogical and geochemical investigations of sediment-source region changes in the Okinawa Trough during the past 100 ka (IMAGES core MD012404)

We present a mineralogical and geochemical study of core MD012404, retrieved from the central Okinawa Trough (OT) of the East China Sea. Our studies reveal that the sediment sources of the core have been changed through time during the past 100 ka. Our mineralogical proxies indicate that the sediments source from the Yangtze River correlates well sea-level changes before 24 ka. Our Ti/Al ratios otherwise indicate an increase of sediment supply from eastern Taiwan after 26 ka. The cooler climate of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 23～19 ka) led to a reduction in fluvial sediments from the Yangtze River. However, subsequent climate warming (after ～19 ka) resulted in an abrupt increase in fluvial sediments. After the LGM, the Kuroshio intrusion flow into the OT may have increased. We also infer anomalous changes in eolian sources transported by winter monsoons during the LGM and at 80 ka based on an eolian mineralogical indicator (feldspar). We conclude that the sediment source of core MD012404 is primarily of terrestrial origins, but influenced by sea-level changes and variations in the East Asian monsoon.