Biodegradation and environmental behavior of biodiesel mixtures in the sea: An initial study

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.     

Marine debris review for Latin America and the wider Caribbean region: from the 1970s until now, and where do we go from here?

The available literature on marine debris from Latin America and the Wider Caribbean Region was collected and linked, reviewing their methodologies and principal results (quantities, composition and spatial-temporal patterns). The study region comprises 52 coastal countries of which only 14 had registers of works on marine debris. A total of 70 works were available and 69 had their full contents accessed. Brazil dominated the available literature with 70% of the documents. Beaches were the most studied environment, and plastics the prevalent form of contamination in the whole region. The exposure of marine biota (species, type of contact, consequences) was highlighted. The studied region, although still little exploited by this sort of research, shows the same contamination patterns observed world-wide. We also contacted 40 researchers in the area, collecting scientific contributions, opinions and suggestions for improvement of this research field. Further advances and new (urgently needed) lines of research are also discussed.     

准噶尔盆地周缘造山带裂变径迹研究及其地质意义

通过对准噶尔盆地东西两侧造山带地质剖面观察、系统裂变径迹测年与热演化模拟结果分析,并结合前人研究结果,准噶尔盆地周缘造山带中,主要经历了中生代晚期构造热事件。通过裂变径迹分析对比,准噶尔盆地两侧造山带具有不同的隆升历史,盆地西北缘早于东部隆升,隆升速率亦大于东部。准噶尔盆地西北缘自白垩纪以来经历了由准噶尔盆地边缘向扎伊尔山先后依次隆升事件,表明了准噶尔西北缘逆冲断裂系向盆内后展式逆冲推覆。准噶尔盆地东西两侧造山带岩石裂变径迹数据均反映了白垩纪以来的冷却隆升事件,充分证实了燕山晚期构造运动在准噶尔地区的普遍存在,为详细研究燕山期新疆北部陆内构造活动提供了证据。     

基于DEM-GRA的岩溶区火龙果等土宜的研究

根据因地制宜的规划种植之理念,以GIS为技术平台,建立了数字高程模型(DEM),并运用灰色关联分析(GRA),对天等县峰丛洼地区仍屯基地的六个样地火龙果的土宜条件进行了综合分析。结果表明,坡度较缓、山影量小、坡麓土层较厚的后山2(样地2)、边界山4(样地4)和狭岭6(样地6)为火龙果种植的极度适宜土地,而土层较薄、山影量大的边界山(样地3)适宜性最差,坡度偏大、其它条件均适宜的后山1(样地1)和山影量偏大、其它条件均适宜的狭岭5(样地5)介于中间,为高度适宜土地。在样地2、样地4和样地6中,由于样地2与火龙果种植环境条件的关联度大于样地4、样地6,所以其土宜条件更好,最适宜火龙果种植。在此基础上,把土宜评价的方法拓宽于石漠化治理的布局设计,在团乐、独山、小山等小流域的封山育林区选择出最适宜的地段进行了人工补植,补植树苗成活率均在85%以上,且长势较好。     

爆管法的进展

本文简要介绍了爆管法的发展过程、爆管法的应用范围及管材的选用。     

菲尼克斯上水管修复方法

本文介绍了亚利桑那州菲尼克斯一道17英里长的总水管所采用的创新修复方法。     

如何更好地选择探测仪

本文介绍了如何在密集的地下管线设施区域对地下管线进行准确探测定位,并列举了具体方法。     

长石在高温高压条件下的物理化学行为

长石是地学上非常重要的矿物之一。它有可能随着板块俯冲而进入地球深部,因此它在高温高压条件下的相行为以及物理化学性质对地球深部地球动力学研究非常有意义。本文总结了长石端员组份(钾、钠、钙长石)以及其固溶体系列已知的高温、高压实验数据,并绘制成相图。已有的研究成果显示:这三种端员组份在高压下的相行为有较大差异,并产生了许多只在高温高压条件下稳定的相如K-Holl-I、K-Holl-II、CF、CAS及CaPv等。由这些高压相构成的具有长石成分的不同相组合的密度在约5~23GPa的压力范围内超过地幔岩的密度,因此这些相组合可以主动俯冲到上地幔的深处。另一方面,已有研究表明,这些高压相对碱金属及碱土金属在地幔中的赋存状态有着非常重要的影响。     

基于情景分析的天津市滨海新区地面沉降预测

鉴于地面沉降演化的地质系统渐变性特征,从主要致灾因子考虑建立地面沉降数值模型。设计3种地下水开采情景,编译计算机程序预测地下水位动态变化过程中的地面沉降值。至2020年,在最不利、适中和最理想3种情景下天津市滨海新区最大累计沉降量分别达640 mm、520 mm和150mm;全区平均累计沉降量分别达268 mm、177 mm和95 mm。