Gas and particle emissions from Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, West Indies: characterization and health hazard assessment

 The Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, erupting since 18 July 1995, intensified its degassing in early 1996 with the continuing growth of the lava dome inside the summit crater. During this period of increased activity, between 11 and 18 March 1996, we measured gases and particles within the visible plume to determine whether at that time it posed a health risk to the population of Plymouth, the capital town, which is 5 km southwest (downwind) and was then still occupied. Gravimetric measurements were made of total suspended particles (TSP) and particles having an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 μm (PM₁₀). Measurements were made of sulphur dioxide (SO₂), hydrochloric acid (HCl), hydrofluoric acid (HF), nitric acid (HNO₃), acetic acid (CH₃COOH), formic acid (HCOOH), and particulate sulphate (SO₄ ^2–), chloride (Cl^–), nitrate (NO₃ ^–), fluoride (F^–), methanesulphonate (CH₃SO₃ ^–), acetate (CH₃COO^–), formate (HCOO^–), ammonium (NH₄ ⁺), sodium (Na⁺) and acidity (H⁺). Trace metals having human health implications [chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd), tin (Sn), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb)] were also determined. Mean concentrations of HCl, SO₂ and HF obtained in the town of Plymouth were 14.0, 5.9 and 0.8 ppbv, respectively. Corresponding concentrations in the mixed plume on the crater edge were 533, 168 and 22 ppbv. There were no direct emissions of HNO₃, although nitrate was detected in coarse particles at the source. Higher concentrations of CH₃COOH and HCOOH were measured close to the crater. Mean TSP and PM₁₀ were 64 and 15 μg m^–3 in Plymouth, and 455 and 47 μg m^–3 on the upper volcano slope. Aerosols were highly acidic at the source but rapidly neutralised during transport. Trace metals were enriched in the aerosol relative to crater surface material. The concentrations of the acid gases, sulphur dioxide in particular, and particles were found to be too small to pose a health hazard at the time of these measurements, when relatively modest volcanic activity was occurring. Received: 9 September 1998 / Accepted: 29 August 1999     

CO2泄漏停止后天然条件下浅层含水层的自我修复能力评价

由于盖层中可能存在未知断层和裂隙或被废弃井穿透,储存于深部地层的CO₂会发生向上运移泄漏影响浅层地下水水质,在天然流场的作用下,受影响含水层在泄漏停止后,可能表现出一定的自我修复能力。以美国某野外试验场地为例,以TOUGHREACT软件为平台,模拟分析当CO₂泄漏停止后含水层的自我修复能力。结果表明：CO₂泄露进入含水层会降低地下水中的pH值,从而引起地下水中碳酸盐矿物（本次研究中为方解石矿物）的溶解发生;当泄漏停止后,在天然流场的作用下,地下水中pH值逐渐回升,说明天然条件下的含水层对pH值具有一定的自我修复能力,但在修复过程中,由于沿途方解石矿物的溶解,使得地下水中Ca的浓度值逐渐升高,研究区天然流场对地下水中的Ca修复效果不佳。     

Photodegradation,Photocatalytic, and Aerobic Biodegradation of Sulfisomidine and Identification of Transformation Products by LC–UV‐MS/MS

Much attention has recently been devoted to the fate and effects of pharmaceuticals in the water cycle. Removal of antibiotics in effluents by photo‐treatment or biodegradation is a topic currently under discussion. Degradation and removal efficiencies of sulfisomidine (SUI) by photodegradation and aerobic biodegradability were studied. SUI behavior was monitored during photolysis and photocatalysis (catalyst titanium dioxide) using 150‐W medium‐pressure Hg lamp. Also an aerobic bacterial degradation test from the OECD series (closed bottle test (CBT, OECD 301 D)) was performed. The primary elimination of SUI was monitored. Structures of photo‐degradation products were assessed by chromatographic separation on a C18 column with ultraviolet detection at 270 nm and ion trap MS. The results demonstrate that SUI is not readily biodegradable in CBT. Photo catalysis was more is effective than photolysis. SUI underwent photodegradation and several SUI photoproducts were identified. Accordingly, the photodegradation pathway of SUI was postulated. When reaching the aquatic environment, SUI and its photo products can constitute a risk to the environment.     

二氧化碳酸化对两种桡足类肌肉和卵母细胞超微结构的影响

利用实验生态学方法及透射电子显微镜技术对培养于CO₂酸化海水中的中华哲水蚤和刺尾纺锤水蚤肌肉和卵母细胞超微结构进行了观察。结果表明:两种桡足类肌丝排列的有序性均随酸化的加剧而降低,较高CO₂浓度海水会对桡足类产生一定程度的氧化损伤;桡足类卵母细胞的电子密度随酸化的加剧而降低,球形颗粒出现内缩或瓦解,酸化可能会导致桡足类卵母细胞发生过量凋亡,从而影响卵的质量。     

H-implantation in SO2 and CO2 ices

Ices in the solar system are observed on the surface of planets, satellites, comets and asteroids where they are continuously subordinate at particle fluxes (cosmic ions, solar wind and charged particles caught in the magnetosphere of the planets) that deeply modify their physical and structural properties. Each incoming ion destroys molecular bonds producing fragments that, by recombination, form new molecules also different from the original ones. Moreover, if the incoming ion is reactive (H⁺, Oⁿ⁺, Sⁿ⁺, etc.), it can concur to the formation of new molecules.Those effects can be studied by laboratory experiments where, with some limitation, it is possible to reproduce the astrophysical environments of planetary ices.In this work, we describe some experiments of 15-100 keV H⁺ and He⁺ implantation in pure sulfur dioxide (SO₂) at 16 and 80 K and carbon dioxide (CO₂) at 16 K ices aimed to search for the formation of new molecules. Among other results we confirm that carbonic acid (H₂CO₃) is formed after H-implantation in CO₂, vice versa H-implantation in SO₂ at both temperatures does not produce measurable quantity of sulfurous acid (H₂SO₃). The results are discussed in the light of their relevance to the chemistry of some solar system objects, particularly of Io, the innermost of Jupiter's Galilean satellites, that exhibits a surface very rich in frost SO₂ and it is continuously bombarded with H⁺ ions caught in Jupiter's magnetosphere.     

Establishment of an assessment method for site-scale suitability of CO2 geological storage

Geological storage of CO2 (known as geological sequestration) is increasingly seen as a viable strategy to reduce the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. China has become one of the largest emitters of CO2 in the world. Therefore, alongside other emissions reductions measures, the deployment of geological storage projects to capture CO2 in China is essential. This paper focuses on the establishment of qualitative and quantitative assessment methods for site-scale suitability of CO2 geological storage in deep saline formation systems. This is based on numerical modelling prior to the development a specific geological storage project, providing a more accurate selection of preferential sites from a list of potential storage locations. However, the detailed design of specific geological storage projects was not con?sidered.     

一次能源消费导致的二氧化碳排放量变化

从不同燃料和不同地区入手,分析了我国1995~2006年间一次能源消费导致的二氧化碳排放量变化情况。结果表明:1995~2006年间,我国一次能源消费导致的二氧化碳年总排放量呈现"先减少后增加"的发展态势,其拐点出现在2000年,而且2001年后各个省(区、市)的二氧化碳年排放量较前期均有大幅度的增加,总排放量由1995年的78678万t碳增长到2006年的146919万t碳,年均增长率5.84％,人均二氧化碳年排放量也由0.62t碳/人增加到1.12t碳/人;煤炭消费导致的二氧化碳排放量占全国二氧化碳年总排放量的79%~85％;我国七大区和大部分省(区、市)二氧化碳年排放量与全国总排放量有类似的发展态势,其中华北、华东地区二氧化碳排放量居全国首位,山西省的二氧化碳排放量位居全国第一。     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed is the article: Small-State Security in the Balkans . Aurel Braun. South American Development: A Geographical Introduction . Rosemary D. F. Bromley and Ray Bromley. Interregional Migration, National Policy and Social Justice . Gordon L. Clark. Marketing Architectural and Engineering Services . Weld Coxe. A Geography of the Third World . J. P. Dickenson, C. G. Clarke, W. T. S. Gould, R. M. Prothero, D. J. Siddle, C. T. Smith, E. M. Thomas-Hope, and A. G. Hodgkiss. Wildlife and Man in Texas: Environmental Change and Conservation . Robin W. Doughty. At the Sea's Edge . William T. Fox. Englewood Cliffs Geography and Ecology . I. P. Gerasimov. Urbanization in Contemporary Latin America. Critical Approaches to the Analysis of Urban Issues . Alan Gilbert in association with Jorge E. Hardoy and Ronaldo Ramírez, eds. The Coming of the Transactional City . Jean Gottmann. College Park Visions of City and Country: Prints and Photographs of Nineteenth-Century France . Bonnie L. Grad and Timothy A. Riggs. Worcester Soviet Geography Today: Physical Geography . N. A. Gvozdetskiy, ed. Adaptive Responses of Native Amazonians . Raymond B. Hames and William T. Vickers, eds. Urban and Regional Industrial Research: The Changing UK Data Base . Michael Healey, ed. Cuando se Acaban los Montes . Stanley Heckadon Moreno. A Panama Forest and Shore: Natural History and Amerindian Culture in Bocas del Toro . Burton L. Gordon. Pacific Grove Mozambique: From Colonialism to Revolution, 1900–1982 . Allen Isaacman and Barbara Isaacman. Soviet Natural Resources in the World Economy . Robert G. Jensen, Theodore Shabad, and Arthur W. Wright, eds. The Changing Geography of the United Kingdom . R. J. Johnston and J. C. Doornkamp, eds. Pluralism and Political Geography—People, Territory and State . Nurit Kliot and Stanley Waterman, eds. Landmarks Preservation and the Property Tax . David Listokin. Irrigation Horticulture in Highland Guatemala: The Tablón System of Panajachel . Kent Mathewson. Her Space, Her Place: A Geography of Women . Mary Ellen Mazey and David R. Lee. Man, A Geomorphological Agent . Dov Nir. Dordrecht The Book of America: Inside the 50 States Today . Neal R. Peirce and Jerry Hagstrom. Rivers . Geoffrey E. Petts. Proceedings, United States/Australia Workshop on Design and Implementation of Computer-Based Geographic Information Systems . Donna Peuquet and John O'Callaghan, eds. Outdoor Recreational and Resource Management . John Pigram. Remaking the City: Social Science Perspectives on Urban Design . John S. Pipkin, Mark La Gory and Judith R. Blau, eds. The Crust of Our Earth: An Armchair Traveler's Guide to the New Geology . Chet Raymo. Englewood Cliffs Concepts and Themes in the Regional Geography of Canada J. Lewis Robinson. Vancouver Secondary Cities in Developing Countries: Policies for Diffusing Urbanization . Dennis A. Rondinelli. Beverly Hills Legal Foundations of Environmental Planning , Vol 1. J. G. Rose. Can We Delay a Greenhouse Warming? Stephen Seidel and Dale Keyes. Mobilizing Human Resources in the Arab World . R. Paul Shaw. Prairie Mosaic: An Ethnic Atlas of Rural North Dakota . William C. Sherman. The Future of Conflict in the 1980s . William J. Taylor, Jr. and Steven A. Maaranen, eds. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information . Edward R. Tufte. U.S. 40 Today: Thirty Years of landscape Change in America . Thomas R. Vale and Geraldine R. Vale. Madison Silent Violence: Food, Famine and Peasantry in Northern Nigeria . Michael Watts. Readings in Historic Preservation: Why? What? How? Norman Williams Jr., Edmund Kellogg and Frank Gilbert, eds.