Air-flow geometry in air sparging of fine-grained sands

Laboratory visualization experiments in fine- to very fine-grained sands (grain diameter <0.21 mm) reveal a previously unrecognized air-flow geometry. This air-flow geometry is termed "chamber flow" and is characterized by: (1) a significant horizontal component, (2) pervasive air-flow coverage within a region demarcated by a distinct, irregular boundary, and (3) the presence of predominantly vertical inlet and outlet channels. The attributes of chamber flow differ significantly from channelized flow and pervasive/bubbly flow, which occur at larger grain sizes and have been described in the literature by several researchers. Previous research, which indicates a dramatic increase in contaminant removal time in sediments <0.2 mm, indirectly corroborates the phenomena observed in this study. The extent of sediment column affected by chamber flow of sparge air ranges from 4–54% on an area basis, and is approximately 28% on a volume basis. These values indicate that chamber air flow has the potential to affect a much larger percentage of the sediment column than either channelized or pervasive/bubbly flow. Because of the irregularity of air-flow chambers, in terms of both form and frequency, a detailed knowledge of stratigraphy is important to maximize air-sparging efficiency at sites where chamber flow is likely to occur. Electronic Publication     

Surfactant-enhanced remediation of contaminated soil: a review

Extracting aqueous solutions with or without additives are employed to solubilize contaminants in soil. Since water solubility is the controlling removing mechanism, additives are used to enhance efficiencies. These additives can reduce the time to treat a site compared to the use of water alone. Additives must be of low toxicity and biodegradable. The research in this area has focussed mainly on halogenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and is still quite limited for metal removal. Additives include surfactants, organic and inorganic acids, sodium hydroxide, which can dissolve organic soil matter, water-soluble solvents such as methanol, displacement of cations with nontoxic ones, complexing agents such as EDTA, acids in combination with complexing agents or oxidizing/reducing agents. Cationic, anionic and nonionic surfactants are particularly used for soil washing or flushing. They contain both hydrophobic and hydrophilic portions, making them ideal for solubilization of hydrophobic compounds. Numerous studies have indicated that surfactants enhance recoveries of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). There have also been indications that pretreatment of soil with surfactant washing to solubilize hydrophobic compounds such as PAHs enhances biodegradation of these contaminants. A few in situ field studies have been performed with surfactants. Large-scale treatment has been done mostly for organic removal. Soil pH, soil type, cation exchange capacity (CEC), particle size, permeabilities and contaminants all affect removal efficiencies. High clay and organic matter contents are particularly detrimental. Understanding the chemistry of the binding of the contaminant and the hydrogeology of the site are very important. Once the water is pumped from the soil, it must be extracted and then treated to remove the hydrocarbons and metals. Several technologies exist such as sodium hydroxide or sodium sulfide precipitation, ion exchange, activated carbon adsorption, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, electrodialysis and biological processes. Recycling of the surfactants is desired to decrease treatment costs.

This paper will provide an overview of the laboratory research, field demonstration and full-scale application of surfactants for the remediation of contaminated soil. The majority of pilot scale in situ flushing tests, particularly in the United States, have involved the use of surfactants and co-solvents. There are only a few full-scale projects however. Recent laboratory scale efforts by the authors concerning the use of biosurfactants, biologically produced surfactants, to enhance the removal of copper, cadmium and zinc from contaminated soils and sediments are discussed. Three types of biosurfactants were evaluated for their effectiveness. They included a lipopeptide called surfactin from Bacillus subtilis, a rhamnolipid from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a sophorolipid from Torulopsis bombicola. The results indicated the feasibility of removing the metals with the anionic biosurfactants even though the exchangeable fractions were not significant.     

预应力锚索抗滑桩治理滑坡应用研究

预应力锚索抗滑桩与普通抗滑桩相比,其受力状态更加合理。从将预应力锚索抗滑桩作为支程支挡结构的地质与物理模型出发,建立了力学与数学模型,得到该模型的内力分布的解析解,为其结构设计奠定了基础。将双参数法引入到土抗力模数或地基系数的计算并贯穿到整个结构计算中。分别按刚性桩和弹性桩两种物理模式,将锚索视为弹性绞支座,利用抗滑桩和锚索位移变形协调条件,计算出锚索的设计拉力及桩身的内力分布。结合三峡工程库区地质灾害治理的一个工程进行了应用,并将其与采用普通抗滑桩进行了技术与经济对比分析后,体现出这种抗滑结构的优越性。     

Remediation of TCE-contaminated groundwater using zero valent iron and direct current: experimental results and electron competition model

The objectives of this study are to design an optimal electro-enhanced permeable reactive barrier (E2PRB) system for the remediation of trichloroethylene (TCE)-contaminated water using zero valent iron (ZVI) and direct current (DC) and to investigate the mechanisms responsible for TCE degradation in different ZVI-DC configurations. A series of column experiments was conducted to evaluate the effect of different arrangements of electrodes and ZVI barriers in the column on the TCE removal capacity (RC). In twelve different combinations of ZVI and/or DC application in the test columns, the rate of reductive dechlorination of TCE was improved up to six times with simultaneous application of ZVI and DC compared to that using ZVI only. The most effective arrangement of electrode and ZVI for TCE removal was the column set with ZVI and a cathode installed at the down gradient. Based on the electrokinetic study for the column systems with only DC input, single acid front movement could explain different RCs. An enhanced dechlorination rate of TCE using E2PRB systems, compared to a conventional PRB system, was observed, and is considered to be attributed to more electron sources: (1) external DC, (2) electrolysis of water, (3) oxidation of ZVI, (4) oxidation of dissolved Fe²⁺, (5) oxidation of molecular hydrogen at the cathode, and (6) oxidation of Fe²⁺ in mineral precipitates. Each of these electron sources was evaluated for their potential influencing the TCE RC through the electron competition model and energy consumption. A strong correlation between the quantity of electrons generated, RC, and the energy-effectiveness was found.     

A techno-economic model for optimum regeneration of surface mined land

The recent global scenario in the mineral sector may be characterized by rising competitiveness, increasing production costs and a slump in market price. This has pushed the mineral sector in general and that in the developing countries in particular to a situation where the industry has a limited capacity to sustain unproductive costs. This, more often than not, results in a situation where the industry fails to ensure environmental safeguards during and after mineral extraction. The situation is conspicuous in the Indian coal mining industry where more than 73% production comes from surface operations. India has an ambitious power augmentation projection for the coming 10 years. A phenomenal increase in coal production is proposed from the power grade coalfields in India. One of the most likely fall-outs of land degradation due to mining in these areas would be significant reduction of agricultural and other important land-uses. Currently, backfilling costs are perceived as prohibitive and abandonment of land is the easy way out. This study attempts to provide mine planners with a mathematical model that distributes generated overburden at defined disposal options while ensuring maximization of backfilled land area at minimum direct and economic costs. Optimization has been accomplished by linear programming (LP) for optimum distribution of each year’s generated overburden. Previous year’s disposal quantity outputs are processed as one set of the inputs to the LP model for generation of current year’s disposal output. From various geo-mining inputs, site constants of the LP constraints are calculated. Arrived value of economic vectors, which guide the programming statement, decides the optimal overburden distribution in defined options. The case example (with model test run) indicates that overburden distribution is significantly sensitive to coal seam gradient. The model has universal applicability to cyclic system (shovel–dumper combination) of opencast mining of stratified deposits.     

Alcohol’s effect on the hydraulic conductivity of consolidated clay

Centrifuge tests were carried out to determine the effect of different alcohols and one glycol on a thin consolidated disc of clay. The evolution of changes in the clay hydraulic conductivity with time was investigated and other structural changes due to chemical attack were monitored. The findings presented here demonstrate that the hydraulic conductivity of the clay appear to be generally related to the polarity of the chemicals and the dielectric constant, with the exception of butanol. In the case of butanol at low flow rate and low stress level, the action of the chemical caused the clay to crack, with a consequent large increase in flow. This effect on the clay hydraulic conductivity could be used for improving pollution remediation especially when alcohols are associated with gasoline.     

Sediment flux in a small gravel-bed stream: Response to channel remediation works

Abstract:  Sediment transfers in a short reach of the Kiwitea Stream, near Fielding, lower North Island, New Zealand, are assessed using morphological budgeting based on repeat digital elevation model (DEM) differencing. Field data were acquired using high-precision GPS in October 2004, May and November 2005. Two interpolation methods to construct DEMs were compared. Universal kriging and Triangulation with Linear Interpolation produced consistent results and mean errors of between 4 and 14 mm. DEM error increases where relief changes rapidly. Sediment transfers are derived only from the low-relief active channel and indicate a rapidly changing environment. Remediation works following 2004 flood impacts have reduced bank erosion. A highly mobile bed renders the channel system sensitive to small and frequent flood events.     

含砷地下水的治理技术现状与进展

【研究目的】 全世界有70多个国家的上亿人口面临高砷地下水的威胁,长期饮用高砷地下水会导致慢性砷中毒,诱发癌症,严重危害身体健康。地下水中砷的浓度分布和变化是受到沉积环境、气象水文、矿物环境、人类活动影响等多种因素共同作用的结果,因此需要从砷的不同理化性质特征进行着手,选择适当且有针对性的治理技术。【研究方法】 基于现阶段含砷地下水的污染现状,综合考虑去除量、处理成本、修复速率、可逆性等多种因素,分析含砷地下水的治理现状与进展。【研究结果】 本文全面地介绍含砷地下水治理技术,涵盖了化学氧化、混凝沉淀、吸附、离子交换、膜技术和生物修复等修复方式的研究成果,展现了不同类型处理方式对地下水中砷的去除效果,总结各技术发挥除砷效果的内在机理及最新优化措施,并对含砷地下水治理技术的发展趋势进行了展望,以期为含砷地下水的综合整治提供有意义的参考。【结论】 目前的砷污染水处理技术存在诸多缺陷,产生的废物或污泥可能成为二次污染的潜在来源。因此,为了更好地保护环境免受As的影响,需要新的混合技术以及对 As 负载废物/污泥的安全处置方法。缺乏饮用水安全意识和偏远地区的适用性也给砷的治理带来了挑战,因此需要一种价格合理、易于构建、在社区或家庭层面运行的技术来解决这个问题。     

牡蛎壳改性及联合释氧复合材料修复地下水氨氮污染实验研究

为研究以牡蛎壳-释氧复合材料为填料的渗透反应格栅去除地下水氨氮污染的效果及其经济实用性,开展了相关室内实验:采用高温加热方式对牡蛎壳进行改性,通过测定牡蛎壳改性后的比表面积判定其吸附效果;以过氧化钙为释氧化合物,将其与水泥、石英砂/牡蛎壳粒、钙基膨润土以一定比例混合制成粒径约1.8 cm球型释氧材料,采用静态实验研究不同原料配比的释氧材料的释氧性能;最后研究了两种不同粒径牡蛎壳粒-释氧复合材料修复地下水氨氮的效果及不同供氧方式下不同吸附材料修复地下水氨氮的效果及其经济实用性。结果表明:对牡蛎壳粒进行高温改性,牡蛎壳粒高温条件下会产生团聚现象,比表面积随煅烧温度升高呈下降趋势,高温改性方式并不能有效改善牡蛎壳粒吸附性能;实验中制作的释氧材料在95天的实验期间,各实验柱的溶解氧量可以保持在18 mg/L左右,且在嗜碱菌作用下pH值得以有效降低,所制作的释氧材料可为硝化细菌长期在溶解氧低的地下水环境中生长提供氧气;以牡蛎壳-释氧复合材料为填料的渗透反应格栅通过耐碱硝化细菌的硝化作用可以将氨氮浓度从50 mg/L降至约35 mg/L,不同粒径牡蛎壳粒修复效果差异不明显。使用牡蛎壳-释氧复合材料渗透反应格栅长期修复地下水氨氮,不仅可以达到活性炭及沸石作为骨架的修复效果,而且更加具有经济实用性。     

土地整理三维信息系统研究与实现

为保证土地整治项目管理信息系统科学有效,本研究采用三维可视化技术构建交互式应用环境,开发出土地整理三维信息系统,应用于土地整治项目管理和国土资源管理,为土地综合整治及国土基础数据管理的信息化、可视化提供技术支撑和服务。