Adsorptive attenuation of ferrocyanide from seepage water in landfill clay liners

The spent potliner (SPL) landfill liner system provides the primary attenuation mechanism that blocks the leaching of ferrocyanide. If the seepage occurs, however, the off-site leaching potential of ferrocyanide will be enhanced, resulting in contaminant dispersion. In this study, the adsorptive attenuation of ferrocyanide by two common lining materials (kaolinite and montmorillonite) was investigated under various seepage settings, such as influent concentration, liner thickness, and seepage velocity. The attenuation of ferrocyanide through both lining materials was obvious by lowering the maximum concentration and retarding the peak arrival time and was greater than that expected from batch data, likely due to the high mass-volume ratio under seepage condition. In comparison, seepage of ferrocyanide through lining material layer was retarded when (1) influent concentration was halved, (2) liner thickness was 1.5-fold, and (3) seepage velocity was halved. These experimental results strongly support the concentration-specific and rate-limited adsorptive attenuation of ferrocyanide by lining materials during the seepage process. An extended desorption front was observed for all seepage conditions; it was particularly more apparent for montmorillonite with a slow seepage velocity, further supporting that the release of adsorbed ferrocyanide from adsorbent is energetically hysteretic. Among the factors investigated in this study, the greatest retardation of ferrocyanide movement from seepage water was achieved upon doubling liner thickness. Therefore, for the design of a SPL landfill liner to minimize the leaching potential and thus the environmental risk of ferrocyanide, optimization of the liner thickness should be considered foremost.     

Integrative assessment of sediment quality in terms of chemical contamination in Jinhae Bay,South Korea

The assessment of sediment quality by considering chemical contaminants is required for the effective management of coastal environments. In this study, complex data sets of heavy metals and organic pollutants were integrated to evaluate sediment quality. Thirty-two target pollutants were quantitatively determined in surface sediments from 80 stations in Jinhae Bay, South Korea. A sediment quality index (SQI) was derived by combining the functions of “scope” (the number of variables that do not meet guideline objectives) and “amplitude” (the magnitude by which these variables exceed the guideline objective). The SQI reflects the spatial gradient and differences in the contamination status with regard to heavy metals and organic pollutants in Jinhae Bay. Fifty-nine out of eighty stations surveyed (74%) were classified as being in “excellent” or “good” condition according to the SQI, and no stations were in a “poor” condition. The mean sediment quality guideline quotient (mSGQq) ranged from 0.06 to 0.31 (from nontoxic to marginally toxic). Acute sediment toxicity leading to amphipod mortality was recorded at 17 stations (21%) of the 80 surveyed, where the mortality rate was slightly over 20%. No significant relationship was observed between sediment toxicity and the concentration of each toxicant or mSQGq.     

Ulva and Enteromorpha (Ulvaceae, Chlorophyta) from two sides of the Yellow Sea: analysis of nuclear rDNA ITS and plastid rbcL sequence data

Ulvacean green seaweeds are common worldwide; they formed massive green tides in the Yellow Sea in recent years, which caused marine ecological problems as well as a social issue. We investigated two major genera of the Ulvaceae, Ulva and Enteromorpha, and collected the plastid rbcL and nuclear ITS sequences of specimens of the genera in two sides of the Yellow Sea and analyzed them. Phylogenetic trees of rbcL data show the occurrence of five species of Enteromorpha (E. compressa, E. flexuosa, E. intestinalis, E. linza and E. prolifera) and three species of Ulva (U. pertusa, U. rigida and U. ohnoi). However, we found U. ohnoi, which is known as a subtropical to tropical species, at two sites on Jeju Island, Korea. Four ribotypes in partial sequences of 5.8S rDNA and ITS2 from E. compressa were also found. Ribotype network analysis revealed that the common ribotype, occurring in China, Korea and Europe, is connected with ribotypes from Europe and China/Japan. Although samples of the same species were collected from both sides of the Yellow Sea, intraspecific genetic polymorphism of each species was low among samples collected worldwide.     

Spatial variability of biochemical responses in resident fish after the M/V Hebei Spirit Oil Spill (Taean, Korea)

This study describes the spatial variation and the duration of the impacts from the Hebei Spirit oil spill using specific biochemical indices in resident benthic fish. Enzymatic activities and biliary PAHs metabolites were higher at the site closer to the spill area in four months after spill incident. Regarding our results of detoxification response, markers of Phase I followed a similar trend in accordance with levels of biliary metabolites, while markers of phase II and GST appeared relatively unchanged.     

Exploring the spatial and temporal relationships between mosquito population dynamics and dengue outbreaks based on climatic factors

Identifying the impact of climatic factors on mosquito population dynamics is of great importance for dengue outbreak control. The purpose of this study is to develop an approach to predict spatial/temporal mosquito reproduction and disease outbreaks. The prediction of a dengue outbreak is only possible if the temporal relationship between mosquito replication and the weather is known. At present, this is unclear and needs to be examined. Moreover, because the development of mosquito density is a dynamic process in the course of time, it should be observed as closely as possible, in this study in a 1-day timeframe. This paper makes a thorough study of the situation in southern Taiwan and analyzes a large amount of data from 1999 to 2004 related to dengue cases and larval density. We first use the method, k-means, to conduct data clustering and derive representative larvae replication patterns. Then, we propose mathematical models to approximate the development of larval density, describe the expansion of mosquito activity areas, and construct a surveillance system to raise alerts based on real-time input of weather data and larval indices. Analysis of historic data reveals some new information on the spatial and temporal relationships between larval density and dengue outbreaks. In Taiwan, if the weather becomes or remains warm and humid for 6?days after a bout of rain, there can be a sharp increase in the larval mosquito population. About 7?days after the Breteau index begins to rise, larval density reaches its climax; and, about 12?days after the climax of larval density, cases of dengue may be reported. The system is tested using subsequent data from 2005 to 2009 and shows satisfactory accuracy. Numerous data support these findings, and this new knowledge is thus validated and can be used to assist public health professionals to take effective dengue control measures.     

A statistical description on the wind-coherent responses of sea surface heights off the US West Coast

Local and remote wind-coherent responses of sea surface heights (SSHs) off the US West Coast (USWC) are described with statistical and analytical models. The wind transfer functions are statistically derived from surface wind stress at National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) buoys, located within 50 km from the shoreline, and detided SSHs (SSH anomalies; SSHAs) at shoreline tide gauges for 15 years (1995 to 2009) using linear regression in the frequency domain. A two-dimensional analytical model constrained by the coastal boundary provides a dynamical framework to interpret the data-derived statistical model. Although both transfer functions agree well at low frequency [σ ≤ 0.4 cycles per day (cpd)], they appear to be inconsistent at high frequency (σ ≥ 0.8 cpd; e.g., diurnal and its harmonic frequencies) because of incoherent signals between wind stress and SSHAs as well as their low signal-to-noise ratios. A multivariate regression analysis using wind stress at multiple wind buoys is implemented with a modified expectation maximization. The cross-validated skill increases and becomes saturated as the number of regression basis functions increases, demonstrating the influence of local and remote winds. The skill computed from all available winds off the USWC has a maximum as 0.1 in southern California, 0.2 to 0.3 in central California, and 0.3 to 0.5 in northern California, Oregon, and Washington. The residual SSHAs, incoherent components with all available coastal wind stress off the USWC, still contain poleward propagating signals, considered as components forced by remote winds outside of the domain.     

Stability of the time‐domain analysis method including a frequency‐dependent soil–foundation system

A number of methods have been proposed that utilize the time‐domain transformations of frequency‐dependent dynamic impedance functions to perform a time‐history analysis. Though these methods have been available in literature for a number of years, the methods exhibit stability issues depending on how the model parameters are calibrated. In this study, a novel method is proposed with which the stability of a numerical integration scheme combined with time‐domain representation of a frequency‐dependent dynamic impedance function can be evaluated. The method is verified with three independent recursive parameter models. The proposed method is expected to be a useful tool in evaluating the potential stability issue of a time‐domain analysis before running a full‐fledged nonlinear time‐domain analysis of a soil–structure system in which the dynamic impedance of a soil–foundation system is represented with a recursive parameter model. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pyrosequencing reveals specific associations of bacterial clades Roseobacter and Flavobacterium with the harmful dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides growing in culture

Harmful algal blooms of the dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides are of worldwide environmental concern. Previous field studies have demonstrated the association of such algal blooms with free‐living bacteria (FLB) and particle‐associated bacteria (PAB). In the present study, we report evidence for bacterial association with C. polykrikoides in laboratory culture. Sampling was performed at different growth stages (lag, exponential and stationary) and pyrosequencing was used to identify taxa. As a result, the community structures of FLB and PAB were elucidated and significant differences between FLB and PAB were identified by hierarchical cluster analysis and the similarity profiles test (p = .05). The relative abundances of bacterial operational taxonomic units distinctly changed in response to the different phases of C. polykrikoides growth. The Roseobacter genus Marivita and the Flavobacterium genus Winogradskyella were dominant in the FLB and PAB associated with C. polykrikoides, respectively. The Roseobacter clade, which has also exhibited associations with C. polykrikoides blooms in field samples, may influence host cell growth through the provision of vitamins.     

Tectonic reconstruction of batholith formation based on the spatiotemporal distribution of Cretaceous–Paleogene granitic rocks in southwestern Japan

The spatiotemporal distribution of Cretaceous–Paleogene granitic rocks in southwestern Japan is investigated to understand the origin of the granitic batholith belt and to reconstruct the tectonic setting of emplacement. New U–Pb zircon ages for 92 samples collected from a region measuring 50 km (E–W) by 200 km (N–S) reveals a stepwise northward younging of granitic rocks aged between 95 and 30 Ma with an age‐data gap between 60 and 48 Ma. Based on the spatiotemporal distribution of granite ages, we examine two plausible models to explain the pattern of magmatic activity: (i) subduction of a segmented spreading ridge and subsequent slab melting (ridge‐subduction model), and (ii) subduction with a temporally variable subduction angle and corresponding spatial distribution of normal arc magmatism (subduction angle model). We optimize the model parameters to fit the observed magmatism in time and space, and compare the best‐fit models. As to ridge subduction model, the best‐fit solution indicates that the spreading ridge started to subduct at approximately 100 Ma, and involved a 45‐km‐wide section of the ridge segment, a subduction obliquity of 30°, and a slow migration velocity (～1.6 cm/y) of the ridge. These values are within the ranges of velocities observed for present‐day ridge subduction at the Chile trench. On the other hand, the best‐fit solution of subduction angle model indicates that the subduction angle decreases stepwise from 37° at 95 Ma, 32° at 87 Ma, 22° at 72 Ma, to 20° at 65 Ma, shifting magmatic region towards the continental side. These results and comparison, together with constraints on the geometry of the tectonic setting provided by previous studies, suggest that the ridge subduction model better explains the limited duration of magmatism, although both models broadly fit the data and cannot be ruled out.     

Raman microspectrometry, FT-IR and inclusion characteristics of gem garnets from Tanzania and Madagascar

Chemical composition, Raman microspectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and SEM-CL (Cathodluminescence) analyses are carried out for Tanzania and Madagascar garnets for locality identification. Inclusion study was sustained after electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Needle-like illmenites, apatites and zircons were the most common solid inclusions in Tanzania garnets. Madagascar garnets revealed rutile needles and apatites were also observed, but differences in size, shape and distribution patterns were noticed compared to Tanzania garnets. Tanzania garnets exhibited all types of observable fluid inclusions such as "fingerprint" pattern, called Type Ⅰ-A, liquid-only (L) single phase fluid inclusion, called Type Ⅰ-B and Type Ⅱ-A (L + S), Type Ⅱ-B (L + V) and Type Ⅲ-A (L + Sylvite +S), Type Ⅲ-B (L+S+V), while no more than two phase fluid inclusions found in both Madagascar and Korea garnets even if all examined garnets from three localities retained "fingerprint" features, so called, partially healed fractures, in common. Chemical composition, Raman microspectrometry and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis taken turned out to be useful methods for the purpose of this study. Using consequences of SEM-CL and inclusion study, accordingly,the locality identification of gem-quality garnets is capable of being available in further application for other kinds of gemstones.