The vertical hydraulic conductivity of an aquitard at two spatial scales

Aquitards protect underlying aquifers from contaminants and limit recharge to those aquifers. Understanding the mechanisms and quantity of ground water flow across aquitards to underlying aquifers is essential for ground water planning and assessment. We present results of laboratory testing for shale hydraulic conductivities, a methodology for determining the vertical hydraulic conductivity (K(v)) of aquitards at regional scales and demonstrate the importance of discrete flow pathways across aquitards. A regional shale aquitard in southeastern Wisconsin, the Maquoketa Formation, was studied to define the role that an aquitard plays in a regional ground water flow system. Calibration of a regional ground water flow model for southeastern Wisconsin using both predevelopment steady-state and transient targets suggested that the regional K(v) of the Maquoketa Formation is 1.8 x 10(-11) m/s. The core-scale measurements of the K(v) of the Maquoketa Formation range from 1.8 x 10(-14) to 4.1 x 10(-12) m/s. Flow through some additional pathways in the shale, potential fractures or open boreholes, can explain the apparent increase of the regional-scale K(v). Based on well logs, erosional windows or high-conductivity zones seem unlikely pathways. Fractures cutting through the entire thickness of the shale spaced 5 km apart with an aperture of 50 microns could provide enough flow across the aquitard to match that provided by an equivalent bulk K(v) of 1.8 x 10(-11) m/s. In a similar fashion, only 50 wells of 0.1 m radius open to aquifers above and below the shale and evenly spaced 10 km apart across southeastern Wisconsin can match the model K(v).     

Reliably estimating the effect of toxicants on fertilization success in marine broadcast spawners

Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of ecotoxicological studies examining the effects of toxicants on fertilization success in marine broadcast spawners and it appears that this life-history stage is one of the most vulnerable to toxicants. Most of the studies examining this issue use single sperm concentrations in their assays. Here, I discuss recent advances in fertilization ecology that suggest this technique has some severe limitations resulting in unreliable estimations of the size and direction of toxicant effects. I present an alternative assay technique and two metrics (F(max) and [Sperm](max)) that will reliably estimate the size of a toxicant's effect on fertilization success. This technique has the added advantage of making comparisons among species and studies easier without an impractical increase in effort.     

河南省某高校校园土壤重金属污染及其防治

在河南省某高校校区内的规模绿地上采集21个土壤样品,在郊区农田采集2个对照样品。按照国家标准方法,测定了土壤Cu、Zn、Ni、Pb和Cr的含量。结果发现:校园土壤中Ni、Zn和Cr发生了不同程度的富积;土壤重金属含量空间变异明显;校园土壤普遍发生了Zn污染,平均污染分指数达2.48,中度和重度污染样点占总样点的57.14%;绝大部分样点的综合污染指数均大于1,其中轻度污染样点13个,中度污染样点5个,重度污染样点2个。根据校园土壤的实际,应从严格控制污染物排放、翻土和客土改良、增施有机肥料、植物修复等方面防治校园土壤重金属污染。     

污染场地健康风险评价述评

首先介绍了污染场地（场地是一定范围内的土壤、地下水、地表水、大气和生物的总和）健康风险评价产生的背景;然后从风险评价理论与方法、重金属与有机物污染及健康风险评价实例、污染场地环境管理等方面综述了国内外研究现状;最后系统分析了目前我国污染场地健康风险评价中存在的5大问题,并对其未来的发展趋势进行了展望。     

Lithium isotope geochemistry and origin of Canadian shield brines

Hypersaline calcium/chloride shield brines are ubiquitous in Canada and areas of northern Europe. The major questions relating to these fluids are the origin of the solutes and the concentration mechanism that led to their extreme salinity. Many chemical and isotopic tracers are used to solve these questions. For example, lithium isotope systematics have been used recently to support a marine origin for the Yellowknife shield brine (Northwest Territories). While having important chemical similarities to the Yellowknife brine, shield brines from the Sudbury/Elliot Lake (Ontario) and Thompson/Snow Lake (Manitoba) regions, which are the focus of this study, exhibit contrasting lithium behavior. Brine from the Sudbury Victor mine has lithium concentrations that closely follow the sea water lithium-bromine concentration trajectory, as well as delta6Li values of approximately -28/1000. This indicates that the lithium in this brine is predominantly marine in origin with a relatively minor component of crustal lithium leached from the host rocks. In contrast, the Thompson/Snow Lake brine has anomalously low lithium concentrations, indicating that it has largely been removed from solution by alteration minerals. Furthermore, brine and nonbrine mine waters at the Thompson mine have large delta6Li variations of approximately 30/1000, which primarily reflects mixing between deep brine with delta6Li of -35 +/- 2/1000 and near surface mine water that has derived higher delta6Li values through interactions with their host rocks. The contrary behavior of lithium in these two brines shows that, in systems where it has behaved conservatively, lithium isotopes can distinguish brines derived from marine sources.