Biodiesel, a mixture of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) derived from animal fats or vegetable oils, is rapidly moving towards the mainstream as an alternative source of energy. However, the behavior of biodiesel, or blends of biodiesel with fossil diesel, in the marine environment have yet to be fully understood. Hence, we performed a series of initial laboratory experiments and simple calculations to evaluate the microbial and environmental fate of FAMEs. Aerobic seawater microcosms spiked with biodiesel or mixtures of biodiesel and fossil diesel revealed that the FAMEs were degraded at roughly the same rate as n-alkanes, and more rapidly than other hydrocarbon components. The residues extracted from these different microcosms became indistinguishable within weeks. Preliminary results from physical-chemical calculations suggest that FAMEs in biodiesel mixtures will not affect the evaporation rates of spilled petroleum hydrocarbons but may stabilize oil droplets in the water column and thereby facilitate transport. 相似文献
The middle Jurassic Coast Range Ophiolite (CRO) is one of the most important tectonic elements in western California, cropping
out as tectonically dismembered elements that extend 700 km from south to north. The volcanic and plutonic sections are commonly
interpreted to represent a supra-subduction zone (SSZ) ophiolite, but models specifying a mid-ocean ridge origin have also
been proposed. These contrasting interpretations have distinctly different implications for the tectonic evolution of the
western Cordillera in the Jurassic. If an SSZ origin is confirmed, we can use the underlying mantle peridotites to elucidate
melt processes in the mantle wedge above the subduction zone. This study uses laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass
spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) to study pyroxenes in peridotites from four mantle sections in the CRO. Trace element signatures
of these pyroxenes record magmatic processes characteristic of both mid-ocean ridge and supra-subduction zone settings. Group
A clinopyroxene display enriched REE concentrations [e.g., Gd (0.938–1.663 ppm), Dy (1.79–3.24 ppm), Yb (1.216–2.047 ppm),
and Lu (0.168–0.290 ppm)], compared to Group B and C clinopyroxenes [e.g., Gd (0.048–0.055 ppm), Dy (0.114–0.225 ppm), Yb
(0.128–0.340 ppm), and Lu (0.022–0.05 ppm)]. These patterns are also evident in orthopyroxene. The differences between these
geochemical signatures could be a result of a heterogeneous upper mantle or different degrees of partial melting of the upper
mantle. It will be shown that CRO peridotites were generated through fractional melting. The shapes of REE patterns are consistent
with variable degrees of melting initiated within the garnet stability field. Models call for 3% dry partial melting of MORB-source
asthenosphere in the garnet lherzolite field for abyssal peridotites and 15–20% further partial melting in the spinel lherzolite
field, possibly by hydrous melting for SSZ peridotites. These geochemical variations and occurrence of both styles of melting
regimes within close spatial and temporal association suggest that certain segments of the CRO may represent oceanic lithosphere,
attached to a large-offset transform fault and that east-dipping, proto-Franciscan subduction may have been initiated along
this transform. 相似文献
Alluvial groundwater from springs and bore wells, used as the major source of water for drinking and other domestic purposes
in the semi-urban informal settlements of Douala, Cameroon, has been studied. Six representative springs, four bore wells
and two hand dug wells, situated in the Phanerozoic basin were selected, from which a total of 72 water samples were analyzed
for chemical characteristics and indicators of bacterial contamination. The results showed anthropogenic pollution, evident
from high concentrations of organic (up to 94.3 mg NO3/l nitrate) fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus detected in the springs and bore wells (with values of 2,311 and 1,500 cfu/100 ml,
respectively). The pH ranged from 3.4–6.5, which is lower than the guidelines for drinking water. Groundwater samples from
background upstream inland natural areas W1 and W2 had low electrical conductivity (54.2 and 74.8 μs/cm, respectively) and
major ions, which increased downstream in the valleys, peaking in the more densely settled areas. An acceptable concentration
of solutes was observed for the bore wells except for a single sample from B4. The bore-well sample B4 registered the highest
microbial content (2,130 cfu/100 ml) and nitrate level(26 mg/l), which could be due to the bottom of this well lying just
at or close to the zone of mixing between sewage and groundwater. The absence of a direct correlation between nitrate and
fecal matter suggests multiple sources of contamination. The shallow alluvial aquifer consists of unconsolidated deposits
of gravel, sand, silt and clay. The springs, therefore, receive direct recharge from the ground surface with limited contaminant
attenuation, which leads to water quality deterioration, especially during the rainy season. This shows the urgent need to
put basic service infrastructures in place. The local population should be sensitized to the importance of chlorinating and
boiling drinking water to prevent health hazards. 相似文献
Inorganic carbon measurements made in the late 1980s suggest that alkalinity in the waters surrounding the Hawaiian Archipelago is elevated relative to the oligotrophic waters of the North Pacific. These observations have been interpreted as evidence for a “halo” of elevated carbonate saturation state produced by the dissolution of highly soluble magnesium calcites and aragonite on the island platform or in the water column surrounding the islands. If present, this “halo” has implications for air–sea carbon dioxide exchange in Hawaiian waters and may impact the response of coral reef communities to the acidification of the surface waters of the global ocean. The purpose of this study was to assess the magnitude and extent of the elevated calcium carbonate saturation state observed on previous expeditions to this region. Transects were conducted near several atolls in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands from shallow water adjacent to the forereef to the open ocean 15 km from the island. Hydrographic profiles were collected at each station, and discrete water samples were collected for the measurement of carbon system parameters necessary to compute calcium carbonate saturation state. Our data were compared with observations made at the Hawaii Ocean Time-series site at Station ALOHA and with hydrographic data collected on the WOCE lines in the North Pacific around the archipelago. We did not detect a carbonate dissolution halo around the islands. We conclude that the previously observed halo was probably an analytical artifact, or possibly a result of extreme variability in carbon chemistry surrounding the islands. 相似文献
A horizontal flow multimedia stormwater filter was developed and tested for hydraulic efficiency and pollutant removal efficiency. Suitability of different natural fibres such as jute, sisal, hemp, coir and oil palm was studied as filter media. Furthermore, the efficacy of different fabric filter screens made up of both woven and nonwoven textiles was also assessed. A new terminology, Universal Performance Index, was introduced. Analysis of these indices showed that jute medium, nonwoven sisal screen and media proportion 1:1:1 performed better. All of the filter combinations exhibited 100 % sediment removal at lower sediment concentration in the inflow. Percentage of discarded flow versus reference flow for the stormwater filter combinations showed that the device performed better at lower flow rates. It was also observed that the hydraulic efficiency was directly proportional to the slope and inversely proportional to the cross-sectional area of the filter. Hydraulic efficiency showed a diminishing trend as the sediment level in inflow increases. By using matrix ranking method, the gravel–coir fibre–sand filter in 1:1:1 proportion with woven sisal hemp screens was selected as the best filter combination. The field evaluation of the filter showed 97.24 % efficiency in normalizing pH and 13.27 % efficiency in reducing electrical conductivity. The removal percentages of magnesium and sodium were 32 and 34 %, respectively. But higher removal efficiencies above 70 % were recorded for total solids, nitrates and sulphates. 相似文献
The multi‐objective land allocation problem is to optimize the selection of land for different uses based on a set of decision objectives. For most applications, a geographical information system (GIS) is either absent or loosely coupled through file exchange. In this article the evolutionary algorithm (EA), a heuristic solution method for optimization problems, is integrated with a raster GIS to form a spatial decision support system (SDSS) for multi‐objective conservation reserve design. The SDSS effectively combines the functions of a GIS for data management, analysis, and visualization, with the optimization capability of the EA; and provides a uniform way to solve conservation reserve design problems with different types of constraints and objectives. The SDSS is demonstrated through application to the creation of conservation reserves in Bolivia to protect 17 endemic mammals. 相似文献
We present photoelectric photometry of λ And never before published, obtained between February 1982 and December 1990 at 29
different observatories. Then we combine it with all other photometry available to us (previously published, contained in
the I.A.U. Commission 27 Archives, and obtained with the Vanderbilt 16-inch automatic telescope but not yet published), to
yield a 14.8-year data base. Analysis reveals a long-term cycle in mean brightness, with a full range of 0m.15 and a period of 11.4 ± 0.4 years. Because most of our new photometry was concentrated in the 1983-84 observing season,
we analyze that one well-defined light curve with a two-spot model. Spot A keeps a 0m.04 amplitude throughout four rotation cycles whereas the amplitude of spot B diminishes from 0m.09 down almost to 0m.03. The spot rotation periods were 55d.9 ± 0d.6 and 520d.8 ± 1d.0, respectively. 相似文献
In this paper, a novelty-free software to assess an efficient CIPW Norm (± 0.006 wt.% in differences between input and output data) is presented. The package is available in the official repository for user-contributed R packages (CRAN: Comprehensive R Archive Network). The software is able to handle big data sets and considers minor and trace element compositions. The algorithm can calculate odd minerals in igneous rocks, such as cancrinite and calcite, adjust the Fe+3/Fe+2 ratio in different standard approaches, and recalculate the compositions of the rocks in an anhydrous basis (100 ± 0.003 wt.% volatile-free adjusted). Furthermore, the package calculates several petrological parameters, and the graphical outputs are displayed following IUGS scheme standards. The prime aspect of shinyNORRRM is the symbiosis of native R functions with the R package’s shiny (Web Application Framework for R) to run the norm in a user-friendly interface. shinyNORRRM can be executed in any operating system and requires no previous programming knowledge, thus promising to be the universal computational program in this matter. The output data are printed in the standard comma-separated values (*.csv) format, which is highly compatible with general spreadsheet editors. In this work, the algorithm of our program is validated using already compiled whole-rock geochemical databases.