Non-woven polypropylene fabric modified with carbon nanotubes and decorated with nanoakaganeite for arsenite removal

Due to its harmful impact on human health, the presence of heavy metals, metalloids and other toxic pollutants in drinking or irrigation water is a major concern. Recent studies have proved that nanosized adsorbents are significantly more effective than their microsized counterparts. Particular attention has been given to nanocomposites with nanoadsorbents embedded in matrixes that could provide stability to the material and contribute to eliminating problems that may appear when using conventional granular systems. This study presents the preparation of a novel hybrid filter from a commercially available polypropylene (PP) non-woven fabric matrix modified with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and iron oxy(hydroxide) nanoparticles, and its use in the removal of As(III). A Box–Behnken statistical experimental design has been chosen to explore relevant variables affecting the filter performance: (1) As(III) concentration, (2) pH and (3) sorbent dose. From an As(III) concentration of 10 mg L^?1, at pH 6.5 and with a sorbent dose of 5 g L^?1, the PP filter modified with MWCNT removes 10% of the initial metalloid concentration, reaching a capacity of 0.27 mg g^?1. After modification with iron oxy(hydroxide), the performance of the material is largely enhanced. The filter, under the same conditions, removes 90% of the initial As(III) concentration, reaching a capacity almost tenfold higher (2.54 mg g^?1). This work demonstrates that the developed hybrid filter is effective toward the removal of As(III) in a wide range of pHs. A cubic regression model to compute the removal of the filter as a function of pH and sorbent dose is provided.     

Exploratory Factor Analysis of Wireline Logs Using a Float-Encoded Genetic Algorithm

In the paper, a novel inversion approach is used for the solution of the problem of factor analysis. The float-encoded genetic algorithm as a global optimization method is implemented to extract factor variables using open-hole logging data. The suggested statistical workflow is used to give a reliable estimate for not only the factors but also the related petrophysical properties in hydrocarbon formations. In the first step, the factor loadings and scores are estimated by Jöreskog’s fast approximate method, which are gradually improved by the genetic algorithm. The forward problem is solved to calculate wireline logs directly from the factor scores. In each generation, the observed and calculated well logs are compared to update the factor population. During the genetic algorithm run, the average fitness of factor populations is maximized to give the best fit between the observed and theoretical data. By using the empirical relation between the first factor and formation shaliness, the shale volume is estimated along the borehole. Permeability as a derived quantity also correlates with the first factor, which allows its determination from an independent source. The estimation results agree well with those of independent deterministic modeling and core measurements. Case studies from Hungary and the USA demonstrate the feasibility of the global optimization based factor analysis, which provides a useful tool for improved reservoir characterization.     

Mg-enriched erythrite from Bou Azzer,Anti-Atlas Mountains,Morocco: geochemical and spectroscopic characteristics

Mineralogy and Petrology - Supergene Mg-enriched erythrite, with an average composition (Co2.25Mg0.58Ni0.14Fe0.04Mn0.02 Zn0.02) (As1.97P<0.01O8)·8H2O, accompanied by skutterudite,...     

湖北宜昌重要地质遗迹资源特征及发展模式探讨

本文系统总结了湖北宜昌地区省级及省级以上地质遗迹资源,认为该地区地质遗迹分布规律主要可概括为两个方面,一是受控于地形和河流的综合作用,以各类地貌景观遗迹为特点;二是各个地质时代地层剖面齐全,古生物化石产地聚集。其中可归类为世界级地质遗迹点为5个,均以“古生物化石”为核心,分别为三峡地区埃迪卡拉生物群、长阳寒武纪清江生物群、黄花场中奥陶统大坪阶“金钉子”、王家湾上奥陶统赫南特阶“金钉子”和远安三叠系南漳—远安动物群。立足于此,文中首次详细总结了这些地质遗迹点的化石代表、科学及科普意义,并从地质遗迹自身保护和应用方式、地质遗迹载体、地学研学、地质文化的传播和文创科普产品5个方面对古生物地质遗迹资源的发展模式进行了详细探讨,从而为宜昌地区全域地质遗迹开发和旅游提供新思路。     

Influence of grain size gradation of sand impurities on strength behaviour of cement-treated clay

In nature, soils are often composed of varying amounts of clay, silt and sand. Variation of the percentage of these compositions can affect the final strength of the soils when stabilised with cement. In this study, focus was placed on clayey soils with different gradation of sand impurities up to 40% in mass. An extensive study of such clayey soils treated with cement was investigated. For the results, it is noted that water:cement ratio was a major influence of strength development of cement-treated clayey soils. In contrast, the soil:cement ratio was found to have minor effects on the strength development. The presence of sand impurities has a significant reduction on the strength development of the cement-treated clayey soil mixture due to more free water available for hydration. The use of free-water:cement ratio is adopted which was shown to be capable of adjusting for such change in amount of free water and water holding capacity of the clay which is determined with Atterberg’s liquid limit tests. The effects of gradation (fine, coarse and well-graded) of the sand impurities were found to affect strength development minimally, owing to similarities in their liquid limits when mixed with clay. Ordinary Portland cement (OPC)-treated clayey soils produced a more rapid gain in strength but lower final strength at 28 days of curing as compared with Portland blast furnace cement (PBFC). This is found to be persistent for different gradation of sand impurities. A linear correlation can be established based on the log of the unconfined compressive strengths developed at different curing age, with slopes of these linear trends found to be similar for PBFC and OPC-treated clayey soil specimens. Finally, a strength prediction model comprising of these findings is developed. The parameters adopted in this model coincide with values proposed by past studies, thereby validating the robustness of the model. The practical benefits from this study offer a quality control scheme to forecast long-term performance of cement-treated clayey soils as well as optimise cement dosage in cement stabilisation to produce a more cost-effective and less environmental-invasive usage of the technology in geotechnical applications.

     

Size distribution of free particles in soils: a geometric modelling approach

Acta Geotechnica - Suffusion is a typical form of internal erosion for gravel soils in which fine particles are detached by seepage and transport by water through pores. The prediction of erodible...     

Preliminary results of 4-D water vapor tomography in the troposphere using GPS

Slant-path water vapor amounts (SWV) from a station to all the GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites in view can be estimated by using a ground-based GPS receiver. In this paper, a tomographic method was utilized to retrieve the local horizontal and vertical structure of water vapor over a local GPS receiver network using SWV amounts as observables in the tomography. The method of obtaining SWV using ground-based GPS is described first, and then the theory of tomography using GPS is presented. A water vapor tomography experiment was made using a small GPS network in the Beijing region. The tomographic results were analyzed in two ways: (1) a pure GPS method, i.e., only using GPS observables as input to the tomography; (2) combining GPS observables with vertical constraints or a priori information, which come from average radiosonde measurements over three days. It is shown that the vertical structure of water vapor is well resolved with a priori information. Comparisons of profiles between radiosondes and GPS show that the RMS error of the tomography is about 1–2mm. It is demonstrated that the tomography can monitor the evolution of tropospheric water vapor in space and time. The vertical resolution of the tomography is tested with layer thicknesses of 600 m, 800 m and 1000 m. Comparisons with radiosondes show that the result from a resolution of 800m is slightly better than results from the other two resolutions in the experiment. Water vapor amounts recreated from the tomography field agree well with precipitable water vapor (PWV) calculated using GPS delays. Hourly tomographic results are also shown using the resolution of 800 m. Water vapor characteristics under the background of heavy rainfall development are analyzed using these tomographic results. The water vapor spatio-temporal structures derived from the GPS network show a great potential in the investigation of weather disasters.     

兰州市空中水汽含量和水汽通量变化研究

利用历年的高空和地面资料,深入分析了兰州市空中水汽含量和水汽通量的变化特征。结果表明:(1)夏季空中水汽含量和水汽输送相对较多,冬季相对较少;2~7月是水汽含量的增长期,9~1月是递减期,8月与7月持平;97%的水汽集中在400 hPa以下;(2)兰州市空中水汽变化与降水量、降水日数、气温的变化有明显的一致性,也存在一定的差别;(3)兰州市空中水汽输送强度中心接近500hPa高度;冬季水汽日变化最大层位于700~600 hPa,这与我国东部地区空中水汽输送高度和边界层水汽日变化特征有明显的区别。     

Variation in style of magmatism and emplacement mechanism induced by changes in basin environments and stress fields (Pannonian Basin,Central Europe)

The development of high‐resolution 3D seismic cubes has permitted recognition of variable subvolcanic features mostly located in passive continental margins. Our study area is situated in a different tectonic setting, in the extensional Pannonian Basin system (central Europe) where the lithospheric extension was associated with a wide variety of magmatic suites during the Miocene. Our primary objective is to map the buried magmatic bodies, to better understand the temporal and spatial variation in the style of magmatism and emplacement mechanism within the first order Mid‐Hungarian Fault Zone (MHFZ) along which the substantial Miocene displacement took place. The combination of seismic, borehole and log data interpretation enabled us to delineate various previously unknown subvolcanic‐volcanic features. In addition, a new approach of neural network analysis on log data was applied to detect and quantitatively characterise hydrothermal mounds that are hard to interpret solely from seismic data. The volcanic activity started in the Middle Miocene and induced the development of extrusive volcanic mounds south of the NE‐SW trending, continuous strike‐slip fault zone (Hajdú Fault Zone). In the earliest Late Miocene (11.6–9.78 Ma), the style of magmatic activity changed resulting in emplacement of intrusions and development of hydrothermal mounds. Sill emplacement occurred from south‐east to north‐west based on primary flow‐emplacement structures. The time of sill emplacement and the development of hydrothermal mounds can be bracketed by onlapped forced folds and mounds. This time coincided with the acceleration of sedimentation producing poorly consolidated, water‐saturated sediments preventing magma from flowing to the paleosurface. The change in extensional direction resulted in change in fault pattern, thus the formerly continuous basin‐bounding strike‐slip fault became segmented which could facilitate the magma flow toward the basin centre.     

中国省域广播电视业发展水平的空间计量研究

以2008~2014年中国31个省域的统计数据为基础,采用空间计量经济学方法对中国广播电视业发展水平的空间格局及其影响因素进行测算与分析。研究发现,中国省域广播电视业发展水平最高的集聚分布于东部沿海地区,部分东部地区和中部地区发展一般,西北、西南地区发展水平较低,总体呈现从东向西递减的梯度变化,但全国整体发展水平呈现显著上升趋势。经济发展水平、消费需求、财政投入和信息技术水平与中国广播电视产业呈现正相关,而产业结构与广播电视产业呈现负相关,且各省地理空间的邻接上未表现出溢出效应。