Toxic contributions of specific drilling mud components to larval shrimp and crabs

We investigated the toxicities of six drilling muds, toxicities of mud fractions (supernatants and suspensions) and the toxicities of common mud components—barite and bentonite (particulates) and ferrochrome lignosulfonate (soluble)—to the stage I larvae of six species of shrimp and crab. The drilling muds we tested were not very toxic to these larvae: LC₅₀'s for supernatants ranged from 0·6 to 82% (vol/vol). Shrimp larvae were slightly more sensitive than crab larvae.Drilling muds were not rapidly toxic, in contrast to toxicants such as the water-soluble fractions of oil. Supernatants, prepared by centrifuging whole muds, were mildly toxic. Suspensions were more toxic than supernatants and toxicity was greatest when particulates remained suspended: for example, used Cook Inlet mud suspensions were about seven times more toxic than supernatants. The toxicity of used Cook Inlet mud was therefore primarily due to suspended solids (88%) rather than chemical toxicity: ferrochrome lignosulfonate was relatively toxic alone, but accounted for only about 6% of the toxicity of used Cook Inlet mud suspensions. Contributions of particulates to mud toxicities varied considerably. Barite and bentonite were not very toxic when tested alone. The toxicity of one mud was caused by its high alkalinity.     

Coping with Complexity: Adaptive Governance in Desert Australia

Governance in Aboriginal settlements in desert Australia is changing at an unprecedented rate. Aboriginal leaders and community managers describe the change as bewildering, with ever-revolving agents and agencies and increasing quantities of administration. Governments are preoccupied with finding linear ‘solutions’ to new conceptualisations of the ‘problem’ and packaging these for top-down implementation. However, governance in practice involves multi-dimensional interactions of a complex system, which are difficult to predict, let alone to control for outcomes. Through the lens of complex adaptive systems (CAS) theory, this paper argues that there is potential to improve governance as an adaptive system through three principles that enhance local feedback: (1) application of the subsidiarity principle to different levels in the governance system would realise a better match between decentralised functions and local capacity; (2) connectivity would improve information flows and relationships between agents in the system, as a necessary precursor for informed decision-making; and (3) accountability, when taken beyond simplistic notions of financial reporting, would identify power relationships across the system and indicate where agents may exercise greater influence in the system. Consideration of these principles will help promote a shift from the perspective that assumes the system to be linear and manageable from the top-down to a perspective that embraces the notion of adaptive governance as a means of recognising the capacity of agents to influence the system that they inhabit.     

An integrated approach to environmental risk assessment of cumulatively impacted drainage basin from mining activities in southwestern Ghana

Acid rock/mine drainage and metal leaching constitute major environmental management risks in the mining industry. This paper assesses the environmental risks due to acid rock/mine drainage, and the metal leaching potential of multiple mines of gold and manganese on the Ankobra River Drainage Basin in Southwestern Ghana. The basin is a hub of mining activity in Ghana, hosting several mines. A combination of mineralogical, and static geochemical acid drainage predictive investigation of overburden of varied geological units, complimented with hydrochemical drainage quality analysis was used to assess potential environmental risks posed by acid-generating lithologies and mine spoil. Mineralogical investigations revealed sulphide-bearing lithological units with profound compositional variations due to the incorporation of potentially toxic heavy metals and metalloids, in association with carbonates and silicates. Accounting Base Accounting (ABA) and Net acid generation potential pH (NAGpH) tests delimited two tailing sites as potentially acid generating with NAGpH of 3.5 and 4.8, respectively. Five other samples, representing specific lithological units in the stratigraphic sequence, with net acid neutralization potential ratio (NNPR) less than 5.0, were classified as being potentially acid generating according to the categorization requirement of the US Forestry Service. The rest of the samples exhibited moderate to very strong buffering capabilities. The assessment also evaluated drainage quality of the network of streams and rivers constituting the basin and identified sources of drainage contaminants. Acidic waters emanate from identified acid generating sources, while high metal load regimes were identified with both low pH waters and high pH regimes, coincident with high sulphide and carbonate alteration sites, respectively. The study results show that Zn, Cu, Ni, As, Co, Sb, SO₄ ²⁻, pH, alkalinity and conductivity are essential and adequate parameters in routine environmental risk monitoring programmes of mines in the area. Sites characterized by low pH (<5.5) with high sulphate and metal ions are suggestive of acid mine drainage, while sites with high pH (>7.5), metal ions and sulphate are suggestive of net acid neutralizing.     

Diffraction imaging of sub‐vertical fractures and karst with full‐resolution 3D Ground‐Penetrating Radar

Vertical fractures with openings of less than one centimetre and irregular karst cause abundant diffractions in Ground‐Penetrating Radar (GPR) records. GPR data acquired with half‐wavelength trace spacing are uninterpretable as they are dominated by spatially undersampled scattered energy. To evaluate the potential of high‐density 3D GPR diffraction imaging a 200 MHz survey with less than a quarter wavelength grid spacing (0.05 m × 0.1 m) was acquired at a fractured and karstified limestone quarry near the village of Cassis in Southern France. After 3D migration processing, diffraction apices line up in sub‐vertical fracture planes and cluster in locations of karstic dissolution features. The majority of karst is developed at intersections of two or more fractures and is limited in depth by a stratigraphic boundary. Such high‐resolution 3D GPR imaging offers an unprecedented internal view of a complex fractured carbonate reservoir model analogue. As seismic and GPR wave kinematics are similar, improvements in the imaging of steep fractures and irregular voids at the resolution limit can also be expected from high‐density seismic diffraction imaging.     

地震各向异性流体检测技术在胜利油田垦71井区的应用(英文)

根据Chapman理论模型,在各向异性介质(如HTI介质)中,当入射角在0-45。范围内,慢横波会发生较大的衰减和频散,且对流体粘度敏感,而P波和快横波则比较小。对于沿裂隙法向传播的慢横波,其振幅受流体影响很大。因此,在P波响应对流体不敏感的情况下,可利用慢横波来获得裂隙型油气藏的流体信息。本文分析了胜利油田垦71地区三维三分量地震数据,检测出的慢横波振幅和旅行时异常与该区的测井资料十分吻合。分析结果还发现,与含油区相比,含水区会产生更高的横波分裂。在含水区,慢横波振幅会产生明显变化,而在含油区则几乎没有变化。     

The molar volume of FeO–MgO–Fe2O3–Cr2O3–Al2O3–TiO2 spinels

We define and calibrate a new model of molar volume as a function of pressure, temperature, ordering state, and composition for spinels in the supersystem (Mg, Fe²⁺)(Al, Cr, Fe³⁺)₂O₄ ? (Mg, Fe²⁺)₂TiO₄. We use 832 X-ray and neutron diffraction measurements performed on spinels at ambient and in situ high-P, T conditions to calibrate end-member equations of state and an excess volume model for this system. The effect on molar volume of cation ordering over the octahedral and tetrahedral sites is captured with linear dependence on Mg²⁺, Al³⁺, and Fe³⁺ site occupancy terms. We allow standard-state volumes and coefficients of thermal expansion of the end members to vary within their uncertainties during extraction of the mixing properties, in order to achieve the best fit. Published equations of state of the various spinel end members are analyzed to obtain optimal values of the bulk modulus and its pressure derivative, for each explicit end member. For any spinel composition in the supersystem, the model molar volume is obtained by adding excess volume and cation order-dependent terms to a linear combination of the five end-member volumes, estimated at pressure and temperature using the high-T Vinet equation of state. The preferred model has a total of 9 excess volume and order-dependent parameters and fits nearly all experiments to within 0.02 J/bar/mol, or better than 0.5 % in volume. The model is compared to the current MELTS spinel model with a demonstration of the impact of the model difference on the estimated spinel-garnet lherzolite transition pressure.     

PSYCHIC – A process-based model of phosphorus and sediment mobilisation and delivery within agricultural catchments. Part 1: Model description and parameterisation

PSYCHIC is a process-based model of phosphorus (P) and suspended sediment (SS) mobilisation in land runoff and subsequent delivery to watercourses. Modelled transfer pathways include release of desorbable soil P, detachment of SS and associated particulate P, incidental losses from manure and fertiliser applications, losses from hard standings, the transport of all the above to watercourses in underdrainage (where present) and via surface pathways, and losses of dissolved P from point sources. The model can operate at two spatial scales, although the scientific core is the same in both cases. At catchment scale, the model uses easily available national scale datasets to infer all necessary input data whilst at field scale, the user is required to supply all necessary data. The model is sensitive to a number of crop and animal husbandry decisions, as well as to environmental factors such as soil type and field slope angle. It is envisaged that the catchment-scale model would provide the first tier of a catchment characterisation study, and would be used as a screening tool to identify areas within the catchment which may be at elevated risk of P loss. This would enable targeted data collection, involving farm visits and stakeholder discussion, which would then be followed up with detailed field-scale modelling. Both tiers allow the effects of possible mitigation options at catchment scale (Tier 1) and field scale (Tier 2) to be explored. The PSYCHIC model framework therefore provides a methodology for identifying critical source areas of sediment and P transfer in catchments and assessing what management changes are required to achieve environmental goals.     

Chronic toxicity of tributyltin on development and reproduction of the hermaphroditic snail Physa fontinalis: Influence of population density

Tributyltin (TBT) is toxic to aquatic organisms and occurs widely in sediments and surface waters of American and European rivers and lakes. This study investigated TBT effects on development and population growth rate (r) of the common, hermaphroditic European freshwater snail Physa fontinalis. Egg ropes of similar age (1-3 days old) were exposed to a control (solvent only) and nominal concentrations of 0.01, 1.0 and 10 microg TBT l(-1) in triplicate. Hatching and mortality were recorded during 0-40 days of exposure. At day 40, 18 juveniles were randomly selected from each concentration (i.e., six from each test vessel) and individually exposed to the same concentration of TBT in 50 ml beakers. A cohort of 20 juveniles was allowed to continue developing in the original test vessels, so that individual and grouped results could be compared. Mortality and reproduction were recorded at 48-h intervals throughout the study period (110 days). Abnormal embryonic development was observed at 1 and 10 microg TBT l(-1). Although 50% of eggs hatched at 10 microg TBT l(-1), all these hatchlings failed to survive. Survivorship of hatchlings was significantly reduced by TBT at 1 microgl(-1). In general, there was a delay in egg production in isolated snails when compared with the grouped snails. Survival, fecundity and population growth rate (r) were reduced in both individual and grouped P. fontinalis at 1.0 microg TBT l(-1). Only a decline in r was observed in snails exposed individually to 0.01 microg TBT l(-1).     

Microbial biogeochemistry and bioturbation in the sediments of Great Bay, New Hampshire

The influence of bioturbation on certain aspects of the biogeochemistry of sulfur and iron was examined in shallow-water sediments of Great Bay Estuary, New Hampshire. A bioturbated (JEL) and non-bioturbated (SQUAM) site were compared. Annual sulfate reduction measured with ³⁵S, was 4·5 times more rapid at JEL. A significant portion of this difference was attributed to rapid rates which occurred throughout the upper 12 cm of sediment at JEL due to infaunal reworking activities. Sulfate reduction decreased rapidly with depth at SQUAM. FeS in the upper 2 cm at JEL increased in concentration from 3 to 45 μmol ml⁻¹ from early May to late July while only increasing from 3 to 8 μmol ml⁻¹ at SQUAM. Infaunal irrigation and reworking activities caused rapid and continous subsurface cycling of iron and sulfur at JEL. This maintained dissolved iron concentrations at 160–170 μM throughout the summer despite rapid sulfide production. Therefore, dissolved sulfide never accumulated in JEL pore waters. Although dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was generated during sulfate reduction, bioturbation during summer caused a net removal of DOC from JEL pore waters. Sulfate reduction rates, decomposition stoichiometry and nutrient concentrations were used to calculate turnover times of nutrients in pore waters. Nutrient turnover varied temporally and increased three-to five-fold during bioturbation. A secondary maximum in the abundance of recoverable sulfate-reducing bacteria occurred at 10 cm in JEL sediments only during periods of active bioturbation, demonstrating the influence of macrofaunal activities on bacterial distributions.