Temporal trends of mercury in marine biota of west and northwest Greenland

Temporal trends in mercury concentrations ([Hg]) during the last two to three decades were determined in liver of shorthorn sculpin, ringed seal and Atlantic walrus from northwest Greenland (NWG, 77 degrees N) and in liver of shorthorn sculpin and ringed seal from central west Greenland (CWG, 69 degrees N) during the last decade. Stable-nitrogen (delta(15)N) and carbon (delta(13)C) isotope values were determined in muscle of ringed seals to provide insight into potential trophic level changes through time. Log-linear regressions on annual median [Hg] did not reveal any temporal trend in shorthorn sculpin from CWG and NWG and walrus from NWG. In ringed seals from NWG, an increase in [Hg] of 7.8% per year was observed. When based on delta(15)N-adjusted [Hg] this rate increased to 8.5% but was still non-significant. In ringed seal from CWG no trend was found in [Hg] during the period 1994-2004. However, during the last part of the period (1999-2004) the [Hg] increased significantly. Including tissue delta(15)N values as a covariate had a marked effect on these results. The annual changes in delta(15)N-adjusted [Hg] was estimated to -5.0% for the whole period and 2.2% during the last 5 years compared to -1.3% and 12.4%, respectively, for the non-adjusted [Hg].     

Analysis of water seepage in a pavement system using the particulate approach

A particulate model has been developed to analyze the effects of transient and steady state seepage of water through a randomly-packed coarse-grained soil as an alternative to conventional seepage analysis based on continuum models. In this model, the soil skeleton and the pore water are volumetrically coupled in the transient and steady-state conditions. The concept of relative density has been used to define different compaction levels of the soil layers forming a pavement filter system and observe the seepage response to compaction. First, Monte–Carlo simulation is used to randomly pack discrete spherical particles from a specified particle size distribution (PSD) to achieve a desired relative density based on the theoretical minimum and maximum void ratios. Then, a water pressure gradient is applied across one two-layer unit to trigger water seepage. The interstitial pore water motion is idealized using Navier–Stokes (NS) equations with provision to incorporate the drag forces acting between the pore fluid and soil particles. The NS equations are discretized using finite differences and applied to discrete elements in a staggered, structured grid. The model predicted hydraulic conductivities are validated using widely used equations.     

Maintenance of estuarine water quality by mangroves occurs during flood periods: A case study of a subtropical mangrove wetland

Seasonal changes in water quality were measured in samples taken at various distances from shallow water across mudflat to mangroves during flood period and from mangroves across mudflat to shallow water during ebb period in a subtropical mangrove estuary (Zhangjiang Estuary, Fujian, China). The TN (total dissolved nitrogen), TP (total dissolved phosphorus), COD (chemical oxygen demand), and DOC (dissolved organic carbon) contents during the flood period were significantly higher than those during the ebb period. In contrast, the opposite was true for the POC (particulate organic carbon) content and transparency. The mangroves at Zhangjiang Estuary may trap nutrients at rates of 90.5 g N/m²/yr, 2.2 g TP/m²/yr, and 13.7 g C/m²/yr in the form of DOC, and export POC at a rate of 81.8 g/m²/yr. Our results support the hypothesis that the maintenance of estuarine water quality by mangroves occurs during flood periods.     

The Light Regime Effect on Triacylglycerol Accumulation of Isochrysis zhangjiangensis

Stress state of microalgal cells is caused under unfavorable conditions such as disordered light regime and depleted nitrogen. The stress state can impair photosynthetic efficiency, inhibit cell growth and result in the accumulation of triacylglycerol(TAG) from protective mechanisms. Continuous light or nitrogen starvation was applied on microalgae and performed effectively on inducing TAG production. To evaluate the light regime effect on inducing TAG production, the effect of different light regimes on nitrogen-starved Isochrysis zhangjiangensis was investigated in this work. The continuous light and nitrogen starvation elevated TAG content of biomass by 73% and 193%, respectively. Furthermore, the TAG accumulation of I. zhangjiangensis cell under nitrogen starvation decreased under aggravated stress from continuous illumination. Our results demonstrated that culturing the cells with 14 L: 10 D light regime under nitrogen starvation is the optimal mode to achieve maximal accumulation of TAG. A recovery in light regime was necessary for I. zhangjiangensis cultivation.     

黔北地区牛蹄塘组海相页岩孔隙结构及其非均质性特征

马查拉煤系地层是昌都赋煤带主要煤系地层之一。为明确风化对西藏马查拉煤系地层孔隙结构特征的影响,本文以西藏早石炭世马查拉组剖面不同类型风化岩石为研究对象,利用氮气吸附试验及分形理论对微观孔隙结构及其复杂程度进行研究。试验结果表明：岩石的吸脱附等温线都呈现反“S”型,孔隙结构呈现同质化发展趋势。相对压力(P/P₀)可以根据岩样吸脱附曲线的上升趋势分为小于0.1、0.1~0.45及大于0.45 3个阶段。岩样孔径结构集中分布在1~5 nm范围内,其中泥质碎屑灰岩、粉矿质泥岩、粉砂岩、泥岩和灰岩在1~2 nm范围内孔隙体积较大,煤层的比表面积和孔体积与相邻岩层相比较低。风化煤岩大孔分形维数明显高于小孔,孔隙结构复杂程度更高,煤层及碳质泥岩的孔隙分形维数相较其他类型岩石更低。研究结果可服务于昌都地区开发和灾害防治。     

Research and Application Progress of DRAINMOD Model

Establishing an effective hydrological model is important for guiding the design of small-scale drainage systems. The simulation principle and the sensitivity of key parameters of DRAINMOD model were summarized from four aspects:Hydrological characteristics, nitrogen transport, salt transport and model cooperation. The research application progresses of DRAINMOD model and its coupled model at home and abroad were systematically reviewed, and the limitations and development trends of the model were discussed. It is pointed out that DRAINMOD model has good simulation performance in the fields of agricultural drainage, nitrogen removal and stain reduction. In the simulation of cold area or urban stormwater regulation, domestic research needs to reference from foreign research results. The research suggests that the key research directions of DRAINMOD model could be summarized as the following aspects:\mathrm{①}Simulating the migration of phosphorus, organic micro-pollutants and heavy metal elements and their impacts on soil and crops; \mathrm{②}Mechanism research on the freezing-thawing of snow and application in cold regions; \mathrm{③}Application in the construction of urban stormwater regulation facilities.     

太湖西部环湖河道污染物输移速率变化特征

阐明污染物出入湖输移速率对于湖泊陆域污染控制具有重要意义.本文研究了太湖西部主要环湖河道总氮（TN）、溶解性总氮（DTN）、总磷（TP）、溶解性总磷（DTP）和高锰酸盐指数（COD_Mn）输移速率变化特征.结果表明环湖河道上述指标净输入速率分别为707.9、727.0、28.8、18.2和700.9 g/s.城东港、百渎港、大浦港和沙塘港4条河道TN、DTN、TP、DTP和COD_Mn输入速率分别占西部河道总输入速率的62.7%、63.6%、67.1%、66.6%和64.8%.太浦河、长兜港和大钱港TN、DTN、TP、DTP和COD_Mn输出速率占总输出的86.5%、86.9%、85.0%、85.3%和80.6%.污染物净输入速率受水情影响,TN和DTN浓度汛前最大,而TP、DTP、COD_Mn浓度汛期增大,汛后分别降低44.2%、48.8%和39.8%.城东港氮、磷输入速率受浓度控制,其他河道各指标输移速率受流量控制.近岸湖体TN浓度与入湖速率呈显著正相关,而离岸湖体TN、TP、COD_Mn浓度对入湖速率的变化响应不明显.     

Characteristics of reactive nitrogen compounds and other relevant trace gases in the atmosphere at urban and rural areas of Korea during May–June, 2004

This study examines the general characteristics of reactive nitrogen oxides (NO_y) at urban and rural sites in terms of measurement- and modeling-based analyses. In this field study, NO_x at urban and rural sites were 92 and 89% of NO_y on average, respectively. HONO levels (e.g., 1.8 ppbv) at the urban site were significantly higher than those at the rural site by a factor of 4.5. HONO concentrations at the urban site during the night were clearly higher than those during the day, which were likely to result from heterogeneous reactions on the surfaces of airborne aerosols and/or grounds. In contrast, there were no significant differences of PAN concentrations in either the temporal or spatial distributions. The significantly low ratios of NO_z/NO_y at both sampling sites indicated a more limited chemical aging process in air mass. O₃ levels were weakly related to NO_x oxidation at both sites, especially at the rural site.     

Sources and transport of dissolved and particulate organic carbon in the Mississippi River estuary and adjacent coastal waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), stable carbon isotopic (δ¹³C) compositions of DOC and particulate organic carbon (POC), and elemental C/N ratios of POC were measured for samples collected from the lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers and adjacent coastal waters in the northern Gulf of Mexico during the low flow season in June 2000 and high flow season in April 2001. These isotopic and C/N results combined with DOC measurements were used to assess the sources and transport of terrestrial organic matter from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers to the coastal region in the northern Gulf of Mexico. δ¹³C values of both POC (−23.8‰ to −26.8‰) and DOC (−25.0‰ to −29.0‰) carried by the two rivers were more depleted than the values measured for the samples collected in the offshore waters. Strong seasonal variations in δ¹³C distributions were observed for both POC and DOC in the surface waters of the region. Fresh water discharge and horizontal mixing played important roles in the distribution and transport of terrestrial POC and DOC offshore. Our results indicate that both POC and DOC exhibited non-conservative behavior during the mixing especially in the mid-salinity range. Based on a simple two end-member mixing model, the comparison of the measured DOC-δ¹³C with the calculated conservative isotopic mixing curve indicated that there was a significant in situ production of marine-derived DOC in the mid- to high-salinity waters consistent with our in situ chlorophyll-a measurements. Our DOC-δ¹³C data suggest that a removal of terrestrial DOC mainly occurred in the high-salinity (>25) waters during the mixing. Our study indicates that the mid- to high- (10–30) salinity range was the most dynamic zone for organic carbon transport and cycling in the Mississippi River estuary. Variability in isotopic and elemental compositions along with variability in DOC and POC concentrations suggest that autochthonous production, bacterial utilization, and photo-oxidation could all play important roles in regulating and removing terrestrial DOC in the northern Gulf of Mexico and further study of these individual processes is warranted.