A preliminary methods comparison for measurement of dissolved organic nitrogen in seawater

Routine determination of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is performed in numerous laboratories around the world using one of three families of methods: UV oxidation (UV), persulfate oxidation (PO), or high temperature combustion (HTC). Essentially all routine methods measure total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and calculate DON by subtracting the dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN). While there is currently no strong suggestion that any of these methods is inadequate, there are continuing suspicions of slight inaccuracy by UV methods.This is a report of a broad community methods comparison where 29 sets (7 UV, 13 PO, and 9 HTC) of TDN analyses were performed on five samples with varying TDN and DIN concentrations. Analyses were done in a “blind” procedure with results sent to the first author. With editing out one set of extreme outliers (representing 5 out of 145 ampoules analyzed), the community comparability for analyzing the TDN samples was in the 8–28% range (coefficient of variation representing one standard deviation for the five individual samples by 28 analyses). When DIN concentrations were subtracted uniformly (single DIN value for each sample), the comparability was obviously worse (19–46% cv). This comparison represents a larger and more diverse set of analyses, but the overall comparability is only marginally better than that of the Seattle workshop of a decade ago. Grouping methods, little difference was seen other than inconclusive evidence that the UV methods gave TDN values for several of the samples higher than HTC methods. Since there was much scatter for each of the groups of methods and for all analyses when grouped, it is thought that more uniformity in procedures is probably needed. An important unplanned observation is that variability in DIN analyses (used in determining the final analyte in most UV and PO methods) is essentially as large as the variability in the TDN analyses.This exercise should not be viewed as a qualification exercise for the analysts, but should instead be considered a broad preliminary test of the comparison of the families of methods being used in various laboratories around the world. Based on many independent analyses here, none of the routinely used methods appears to be grossly inaccurate, thus, most routine TDN analyses being reported in the literature are apparently accurate. However, it is not reassuring that the ability of the international community to determine DON in deep oceanic waters continues to be poor. It is suggested that as an outgrowth of this paper, analysts using UV and PO methods experiment and look more carefully at the completeness of DIN conversion to the final analyte and also at the accuracy of their analysis of the final analyte. HTC methods appear to be relatively easy and convenient and have potential for routine adoption. Several of the authors of this paper are currently working together on an interlaboratory comparison on HTC methodology.     

Total nitrogen inflow and outflow from a large river swamp basin to the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

River corridor wetland restoration and freshwater diversion from the lower Mississippi River are being considered as two major options to reduce nitrogen input to the Gulf of Mexico. However, it is largely uncertain how much nitrogen can actually be retained from the overflowing waters by these wetland systems. This study quantified the nitrogen inflow and outflow for the largest distributary basin of the Mississippi River, the Atchafalaya River Swamp basin. The goal of the study was to seek answers to three critical questions: (a) Does the Atchafalaya River Swamp remove a significant amount of nitrogen from the overflowing water, or is it releasing more nitrogen into the Gulf? (b) How do the nitrogen removal or release rates fluctuate seasonally and annually? (c) What are the relationships between the nitrogen removal capacity and the hydrological conditions in the basin such as river stage and discharge? By utilizing the long-term (1978–2002) river discharge and water quality data, monthly and annual nitrogen fluxes were quantified, and their relationships with the basin hydrological conditions investigated. A total nitrogen—sum of the total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and nitrate plus nitrite nitrogen (NO₃+NO₂)—mass input—output balance between the upstream (Simmesport) and downstream (Morgan City and Wax Lake Outlet) locations was established to examine the nitrogen removal potential for this, the largest freshwater swamp basin in North America. The results from this study showed that, over the past 25 years, the Atchafalaya River Swamp basin acted as a source for NO₃+NO₂ nitrogen, although the average annual output of NO₃+NO₂ nitrogen (174 584 Mg) was only slightly higher (2.3%) than the average annual input of NO₃+NO₂ nitrogen (170 721 Mg). The higher NO₃+NO₂ mass outflow occurred throughout summer and autumn, indicating an active role of biological processes on nitrogen in the overflowing waters of the Atchafalaya. However, this swamp basin has served as a major sink for organic nitrogen: the annual averages of TKN mass input and output were 200 323 and 145 917 Mg year^?1, respectively, presenting a 27.2% removal rate by the basin. This large TKN reduction appeared high during springs and low during late summers, corresponding with the fluctuation of the hydrological conditions of the river.     

An alternative depth-integrated formulation for granular avalanches over temporally varying topography with small curvature

An alternative formulation is proposed for deriving depth-integrated equations for gravity-driven granular avalanches over a non-trivial topography with small curvature. The coordinate system of Bouchut and Westdickenberg (2004 Bouchut, F and Westdickenberg, M. 2004. Gravity driven shallow water models for arbitrary topography. Commun. Math. Sci., 2: 359–389. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]) is combined with the unified coordinate (UC) method, so that it can evolve in accordance with the entrainment–deposition processes at the basal surface. The resultant mass and momentum equations are formulated as a conservation system of the Cartesian components of the conservative physical variables. The motion of the flows is driven by the basal topography-induced pressure, pressure gradient, and resisted by the basal friction. The best benefit of this formulation is that it greatly simplifies the computation of the varying coordinate orientations. The features and advantages of this formulation are illustrated by the sliding-mass examples where we simulate the motion of a finite mass of granular material sliding down an inclined chute, running through a transition zone, and being deposited onto a horizontal plane.     

动床条件下粘性泥石流沟道淤积实验研究

泥石流淤积是危害建筑物的主要方式之一.为了探讨动床条件下泥石流沟道淤积规律,开展了不同泥石流重度、不同沟床物质重度、不同沟道坡度以及不同泥石流总量共4组单次淤积实验和1组不同沟道坡度下的泥石流连续淤积实验.实验结果表明,单次淤积时,泥石流淤积厚度随着沟道坡度的增加而减小,随着泥石流重度的增大而增大,随泥石流总量的增大而增大,受沟床物质重度变化的影响较小;连续淤积时,随着沟道坡度的增加,第2次淤积相对于第1次淤积结果依次表现为完全淤积、冲淤交替以及完全冲刷,且冲刷始于沟道前缘,逐渐向后缘发展.在分析泥石流淤积厚度的影响因素基础上,通过回归分析建立了动床条件下粘性泥石流沟道淤积厚度的经验预测公式:H=0.005x+ (1.63E-11)e(rc)-0.003ln(sinθ) +0.22V-0.02.     

Gender Differences in Chronic Exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollution—A Simulation Study of Working Females and Males

The objective of this study was to identify spatial variability in exposure to outdoor traffic-related air pollution with specific emphasis on comparing exposure estimates for working females and males across a metropolitan area. A spatial exposure simulation model was used to estimate annual average exposure to traffic-related nitrogen dioxide for males and females reporting regular work in census tracts other than that of their residence, in Vancouver, British Columbia. The model produced estimates of annual average exposure in six microenvironments (home indoor, work indoor, other indoor, outdoor, in-vehicle to work, and in-vehicle other) using time-activity patterns and work flow data, for males and females in each of 382 census tracts. This allowed for the identification of spatial variations in exposure estimates for each gender, due to mobility within the study region. Indoor sources of nitrogen dioxide were not included in the simulation. No significant differences in estimated total exposure were found between working females and males in general. Small but observable spatial differences, however, were found between working females and males at the 90th percentile of the exposure distributions associated specifically with the work indoor microenvironment. These were highest in suburban areas (+3 μ g/m³ for females, relative to total exposures in the range of 26 to 37 μ g/m³ annual average hourly nitrogen dioxide). These results identify specific geographic locations in the study area where personal monitoring studies might be warranted and suggest that the inclusion of workplace locations in multivariate modeling could be useful to further understand differences in estimated exposures.     

综合物探在卢氏县夜长坪钼矿区勘查中的应用

本文作者通过高精度磁法、激电中梯物探方法查明了夜长坪隐伏花岗岩体及与岩体成因有关的矿床空间特征,为下一步找矿指明了方向。作者运用了先进的方法处理物探资料,取得了较好效果,可为勘查类似矿床起一定借鉴作用。     

Simulation on the spatio-temporal distribution and emission flux of dust aerosol over East Asia in 2000–2009

A regional climate model (RegCM3), coupled with an online dust module, is used to simulate the spatio-temporal distribution and emission flux of dust aerosol (smaller than 20 μm in diameter) over East Asia in the period from 2000 to 2009. The model performance is firstly evaluated against available observations. Simulation results show that the model can capture the characteristics of spatio-temporal distribution of dust aerosol very well over East Asia. There always exist two extremes of dust aerosol optical depth (AOD) and column burden (CB), one is in the Taklimakan Desert of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, and the other is in the Badain Jaran Desert of Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, China. The maximum value of CB appears in spring, secondary maximum in winter and minimum in autumn. To the east of 110°E, dust is transported eastward from a maximum center at a height of 700 hPa over the East Asian continent. Dust emission sources are mainly located in the Taklimakan Desert, Badain Jaran Desert, North Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and Southwest Mongolia. There is also an obvious seasonal variation of dust emission flux (EF). Annual mean dust EF is 1,015.34 mg/(m 2 ·d), of which 62.4% and 2.3% are re-deposited onto the East Asian continent through a dry and wet deposition process, respectively, and the remaining 35.3% is injected into the atmosphere or subject to long-range transport.     

城市环境大气降尘重金属研究进展

大气降尘重金属研究是对城市环境及其生态效应评估的重要手段之一。概述了大气降尘来源,对比了国内外降尘重金属含量及通量、重金属源的解析方法。同时指出了关于大气降尘重金属的国内外研究概况和进展,为今后城市环境大气降尘研究等相关领域提供借鉴。     

新构造运动影响下的雅鲁藏布江水系发育和河流地貌特征

雅鲁藏布江(雅江)水系发育和河流地貌演变受新构造运动的强烈影响。通过野外调查,结合SRTM(航天飞机雷达地形测绘使命)数据分析和Google Earth三维地图功能,对雅江河网形态及河流地貌特征进行了分析,并采用EH4电磁成像系统测量了雅江及其支流宽谷河道淤沙深度。研究发现,雅江河网呈现格状水系特点,同时具有枝状河网的拓扑性质,这主要是由于新构造运动的影响,河网发育过程中受到南北向挤压和东西向拉伸所至。青藏高原阶段性不均匀抬升形成了宽窄相间的藕节状河道形态,宽阔河段河道为辫状河型,而窄深河段为深切的V型河谷、单一顺直河型,纵剖面上构成裂点。裂点河段地块相对上升较快,阻滞了水流和泥沙,上游河段大量卵石和泥沙在河谷里淤积深达800多米,形成了平整而宽阔的U型河谷。整个雅江宽谷段泥沙淤积量约0.9万亿m³。     

不同氮浓度对红色赤潮藻(Akashiwo sanguinea)生长、孢囊形成和生源要素组成的影响

为阐明红色赤潮藻(Akashiwo sanguinea)对氮营养条件的适应机制,本研究在不同氮浓度条件下对红色赤潮藻进行一次性培养,系统研究了氮浓度对红色赤潮藻生长、休眠孢囊形成和细胞生源要素组成的影响。结果显示,红色赤潮藻生长率随着初始氮浓度的增加而增大, 200μmol/L氮添加组生长率最大,为0.79/d。不同氮处理组细胞形态存在差异,低氮条件下藻细胞个体变小。培养第6天,各氮处理组均观察到休眠孢囊,且随着培养时间的延长,孢囊数量逐渐增多;50μmol/L氮添加组孢囊形成率最高,为2.95%±0.16%。氮浓度对红色赤潮藻细胞生源要素组成有显著影响,红色赤潮藻胞内碳、氮含量随氮浓度的升高而增加,其C:N:P也随氮浓度的增加而增加。红色赤潮藻生长过程中,加氮处理组细胞在指数期碳、氮、磷含量较低,稳定期含量较高;相关性分析表明,红色赤潮藻胞内碳、氮、磷含量与藻生长率之间呈显著负相关关系(P 0.05)。不同氮浓度对红色赤潮藻的生长、休眠孢囊形成和藻细胞生源要素组成有显著影响,为揭示红色赤潮藻对氮营养条件的适应机制提供参考。