Cr(VI) Immobilization Process in a Cr‐Spiked Soil by Zerovalent Iron Nanoparticles: Optimization Using Response Surface Methodology

The response surface methodology involving the five‐level central composite design (CCD) was employed to model and optimize the Cr(VI) immobilization process in a Cr‐spiked soil using starch‐stabilized zerovalent iron nanoparticles (ZVIn). ZVIn were synthesized via a borohydride reduction method and characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All Cr(VI) immobilization experiments were conducted in a batch system. The variables for the CCD optimization were the ZVIn dosage (% w/w), reaction time (min), and initial Cr(VI) concentration in soil (mg/kg). The predicted response values by the second‐order polynomial model were found to be in good agreement with experimental values (R² = 0.968 and adj‐R² = 0.940). The optimization result showed that the Cr(VI) immobilization efficiency presented the maximal result (90.63%) at the following optimal conditions: ZVIn dosage of 1.5% w/w, reaction time of 60 min, and an initial Cr(VI) concentration of 400 mg/kg.     

Influences of Environmental and Operational Factors on Dark Fermentative Hydrogen Production: A Review

Hydrogen (H₂) is one of renewable energy sources known for its non‐polluting and environmentally friendly nature, as its end combustion product is water (H₂O). The biological production of H₂ is a less energy intensive alternative where processes can be operated at ambient temperature and pressure. Dark fermentation by bacterial biomass is one of multitude of approaches to produce hydrogen which is known as the cleanest renewable energy and is thus receiving increasing attention worldwide. The present study briefly reviews the biohydrogen production process with special attention on the effects of several environmental and operational factors towards the process. Factors such as organic loading rate, hydraulic retention time, temperature, and pH studied in published reports were compared and their influences are discussed in this work. This review highlights the variations in examined operating ranges for the factors as well as their reported optimum values. Divergent values observed for the environmental/operational factors merit further exploration in this field.     

Petrology,geochemistry, radioactivity,and M–W type rare earth element tetrads of El Sela altered granites,south eastern desert,Egypt

Acta Geochimica - The southern part of the Eastern Desert of Egypt—about 30 km southwest of Abu-Ramad city—is mainly covered by ophiolitic rocks (Sul Hamed), island arc...     

Seismic Diagnostics on Stellar Convection Treatment from Oscillation Amplitudes of p-modes

The excitation rate P of solar p-modes is computed with a model of stochastic excitation which involves constraints on the averaged properties of the solar turbulence. These constraints are obtained from a 3D simulation. Resulting values for P are found 4.5 times larger than when the calculation assumes properties of turbulent convection which are derived from an 1D solar model based on Gough (1977)'s formulation of the mixing-length theory (GMLT). This difference is mainly due to the assumed values for the mean anisotropy of the velocity field in each case.Calculations based on 3D constraints bring the P maximum closer to the observational one.We also compute P for several models of intermediate mass stars (1 M 2 M).Differences in the values of P _max between models computed with the classical mixing-length theory and GMLT models are found large enough for main sequence stars to suggest that measurements of P in this mass range will be able to discriminate between different models of turbulent convection.     

Kinetics of DTPA extraction of Zn,Pb, and Cd from contaminated calcareous soils amended with sewage sludge

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of sewage sludge (SLU) amendment on the desorption characteristics of zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) in contaminated calcareous soils. Three levels of SLU (0, 1, and 3% w/w) were added to the two calcareous contaminated soils. Samples were incubated for 30 days and equilibrated with 0.005 M DTPA for 0.25 to 240 h. The addition of SLU significantly increased the amount of DTPA-extractable Zn in soils. While the amounts of Cd, Pb, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and pH showed a significant increase only in 3% w/w of SLU, with the exception of Cd desorption in 1% w/w of SLU, kinetics of Zn, Pb, and Cd extraction increased together with an increase in the level of applied SLU. The best models for describing desorption data were explicitly power function and Elovich. The rate constants of Zn and Pb had significant correlations with DTPA-extractable Zn and Pb, DOC and pH, which affect Zn and Pb desorption. Also, the rate constants of Cd had significant correlations with CEC that can be deemed as equivalent to the fact that Cd desorption is controlled by surface adsorption, particularly in the lower sludge application amount. These results can be used for management of sewage sludge application in contaminated calcareous soils.     

In situ biomass flocculation improves placement of Sporosarcina Pasteurii for microbially mediated sandy soil stabilization

Acta Geotechnica - Microbially induced carbonate precipitates (MICPs) through ureolysis-driven calcite precipitation have been investigated as a mean of improving the mechanical properties of soil...     

The spatial distribution of potassium status and clay mineralogy in relation to different land-use types in a calcareous Mediterranean environment

In order to investigate changes caused in clay mineralogy and potassium (K) status by different land-use types, 42 soils samples (0–30 cm) were monitored and analyzed. Soil samples belonging to Reference Soil Groups of Cambisols and Vertisols were collected from three neighboring land uses involving cropland (under long-term continuous cultivation), grassland, and forestland. The soils reflected an alkaline and calcareous aspect as were characterized by high pH (mean of 7.1 to 7.5) and calcium carbonate equivalent (mean of 35 to 97 g?kg^?1) in the three land-use types. X-ray diffraction patterns of the clay fraction showed that the soils were mainly composed of illite, smectite, chlorite, and kaolinite. Chlorite and kaolinite remained unweathered irrespective of land use and soil types, soil processes, and physicochemical attributes assessed. Some changes in the XRD diffractograms of illite and smectite (the intensity or the position of peaks) were observed in the cultivated soils compared to those of the adjoining grassland that may explain the dynamics of the K trapped in illite interlayer sites. Potassium issues reflected a heterogeneous response to changes in land-use types. In light of this, a pronounced variation in soluble K (4–22 mg?kg^?1), exchangeable K (140–558 mg?kg^?1), and non-exchangeable K (135–742 mg?kg^?1) appeared among the land-use types for both Cambisols and Vertisols, corresponding to variability in clay content, nature and type of clay mineral (mainly illite and smectite), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and soil organic carbon (SOC). In general, the largest amounts of soluble K and exchangeable K were recorded in the forestland, whereas the highest contents of non-exchangeable K were found in the grassland for both Cambisols and Vertisols. Exchangeable K, available K, CEC, and clay contents in the soils with higher smectite values (25–50 %) were significantly different (P?≤?0.05) compared to those of the lower smectite values (10–25 %). This suggests that smectite is a major source for surface sorption of K in the studied soils.     

A new daily weather generator to preserve extremes and low-frequency variability

This paper addresses deficiencies of stochastic Weather Generators (WGs) in terms of reproduction of low-frequency variability and extremes, as well as the unanticipated effects of changes to precipitation occurrence under climate change scenarios on secondary variables. A new weather generator (named IWG) is developed in order to resolve such deficiencies and improve WGs performance. The proposed WG is composed of three major components, including a stochastic rainfall model able to reproduce realistic rainfall series containing extremes and inter-annual monthly variability, a multivariate daily temperature model conditioned to the rainfall occurrence, and a suitable multi-variate monthly generator to fit the low-frequency variability of daily maximum and minimum temperature series. The performance of IWG was tested by comparing statistical characteristics of the simulated and observed weather data, and by comparing statistical characteristics of the simulated runoff outputs by a daily rainfall-runoff model fed by the generated and observed weather data. Furthermore, IWG outputs are compared with those of the well-known LARS-WG weather generator. The tested characteristics are a variety of different daily statistics, low-frequency variability, and distribution of extremes. It is concluded that the performance of the IWG is acceptable, better than LARS-WG in the majority of tests, especially in reproduction of extremes and low-frequency variability of weather and runoff series.     

Asteroseismology of δ Scuti stars: Problems and prospects

We briefly outline the state-of-the-art seismology of δ Scuti stars from a theoretical point of view: why is it so difficult a task? The recent theoretical advances in the field that these difficulties have influenced are also discussed.     

Investigation on the effect of inclined crest step pool on scouring protection in erodible river beds

Natural Hazards - One of the aquatic structures that are used for protect water channels against bed erosion is serial step-pool. These steps similarity of the vertical drops structure are exposed...