Use of 234U and 238U isotopes to evaluate contamination of near-surface groundwater with uranium-mill effluent: a case study in south-central Colorado, U.S.A.

The ²³⁴U/²³⁸U alpha activity ratio (AR) was determined in 47 samples of variably uraniferous groundwater from the vicinity of a uranium mill near Cañon City, Colorado. The results illustrate that uranium isotopes can be used to determine the distribution of uranium contamination in groundwater and to indicate processes such as mixing and chemical precipitation that affect uranium concentrations. Highly to moderately contaminated groundwater samples collected from the mill site and land immediately downgradient from the mill site contain more than 100?μg/l of dissolved uranium and typically have AR values in the narrow range of 1.0–1.06. Other samples from the shallow alluvial aquifer farther downgradient from the mill contain 10–100?μg/l uranium and plot along a broad trend of increasing AR (1.06–1.46) with decreasing uranium concentration. The results are consistent with mixing of liquid mill waste (AR≈1.0) with alluvial groundwater of small, but variable, uranium concentrations and AR of 1.3–1.5. In the alluvial aquifer, the spatial distribution of wells with AR values less than 1.3 is consistent with previous estimates of the probable distribution of contamination, based on water chemistry and hydrology. Wells more distant from the area of probable contamination have AR values that are consistently greater than 1.3 and are indicative of little or no contamination. The methodology of this study can be extended usefully to similar sites of uranium mining, milling, or processing provided that local geohydrologic settings promote uranium mobility and that introduced uranium contamination is isotopically distinct from that of local groundwater.     

US Geological Survey research on the environmental fate of uranium mining and milling wastes

Studies by the US Geological Survey (USGS) of uranium mill tailings (UMT) have focused on characterizing the forms in which radionuclides are retained and identifying factors influencing the release of radionuclides to air and water. Selective extraction studies and studies of radionuclide sorption by and leaching from components of UMT showed alkaline earth sulfate and hydrous ferric oxides to be important hosts of radium-226 (²²⁶Ra) in UMT. Extrapolating from studies of barite dissolution in anerobic lake sediments, the leaching of²²⁶Ra from UMT by sulfate-reducing bacteria was investigated; a marked increase in²²⁶Ra release to aqueous solution as compared to sterile controls was demonstrated. A similar action of iron(III)-reducing bacteria was later shown. Ion exchangers such as clay minerals can also promote the dissolution of host-phase minerals and thereby influence the fate of radionuclides such as²²⁶Ra. Radon release studies examined particle size and ore composition as variables. Aggregation of UMT particles was shown to mask the higher emanating fraction of finer particles. Studies of various ores and ore components showed that UMT cannot be assumed to have the same radon-release characteristics as their precursor ores, nor can²²⁶Ra retained by various substrates be assumed to emanate the same fraction of radon. Over the last decade, USGS research directed at offsite mobility of radionuclides from uranium mining and milling processes has focused on six areas: the Midnite Mine in Washington; Ralston Creek and Reservoir, Colorado; sites near Canon City, Colorado; the Monument Valley District of Arizona and Utah; the Cameron District of Arizona; and the Puerco River basin of Arizona and New Mexico.     

Potential environmental impact at São Domingos mining district (Iberian Pyrite Belt,SW Iberian Peninsula): evidence from a chemical and mineralogical characterization

São Domingos like other long-term activity mines of the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB) dating back to pre-Roman times, is supposed to produce considerable amounts of mining wastes which cause significant downstream negative environment impact related to the acid mine drainage (AMD) production and high content of potentially toxic metals and metalloids in Chanza and Guadiana Rivers. The AMD production of a given mining waste depends on the ratio of its acid production to neutralizing phases. In this work, a chemical and mineralogical characterization of the sulphide-rich wastes from São Domingos has been developed to discriminate which residues are the main sources of AMD generation. A total of 47 representative samples of the different residue types were collected to estimate their possible contamination hazards through detailed studies of (1) for a mineralogical characterization: reflected-light optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and XRD analysis; and (2) for a chemical characterization: bulk-rock analysis. AMD prediction by the standard acid-base accounting method (ABA) was used in order to determine the acidification potential of each residue type. This study also offers an estimation of the contribution of toxic elements to the environment, being thus, a base for future remediation actions at São Domingos and other abandoned massive sulphide mines within the IPB.     

炼锌固体废渣中重金属(Pb、Zn)的存在状态及环境影响

利用XRD、TEM/EDS和连续提取实验研究了土法炼锌固体废渣中重金属的矿物学特征及不同粒度中重金属的相态分布特征。与通常发现的重金属一般富集在小粒径废渣中的情况不同,本工作所研究的废渣样品中大粒径废渣与细粒径废渣相似,甚至有更高的金属含量。化学形态研究表明,冶炼过程形成的矿物(或玻璃质)集合体和堆积后的风化过程形成的次生矿物是废渣中重金属存在的主要化学相。同时发现Pb的残渣态很少(0.39%～15.75%),而Zn的残渣态较高(14.3%～46.2%),这可能与冶炼工艺所形成较多Zn的硅酸盐矿物有关。尽管可交换态Pb、Zn在不同相态中的相对比例非常小(Pb0.03%～1.30%;Zn0.03%～3.30%),但其绝对含量却比一般土壤或沉积物要高(Pb1.5～385μg/g;Zn3～590μg/g)。由于重金属可交换态有比其他化学相态更高的活动性和生物可利用性,因此,对环境有较大的潜在影响。废渣样品的微束分析表明,Pb在废渣中见有金属Pb存在形式或呈纳米金属Pb颗粒包裹于其他矿物或铁合金及熔球集合体中。同时不排除有Pb的碳酸盐矿物存在的可能。而以硅锌矿Zn2(SiO4)、锰硅锌矿(Zn,Mn)2犤SiO4犦和纤维状的丝锌铝石Zn8Al4犤(OH)8(SiO4)5犦·7H2O等矿物形式存在以及Fe、Mn等的铝硅酸盐形式存在的Zn,可能是导致Zn的残渣态较高的原因。与连续提     

青岛市城市垃圾处置对策探讨

通过对青岛市目前经济发展水平和技术条件的讨论，提出了青岛市城市垃圾的处置对策。卫生填埋应为主要处置方式，少量焚烧可用于处理医院及公共场所垃圾，堆肥法由于垃圾成分、成本、销路等因素的制约，近期内不能大规模发展。     

许昌市近年地下水水质污染状况及防治对策

在对许昌市2000～2004年地下水水质污染状况、危害、原因和途径分析的基础上,及时采取治理"三废"、限采停采、分层开采、引水补源等防治对策.     

旅游废弃物研究进展与启示

通过综述国内外有关研究文献,结果表明,旅游废弃物问题已经得到广泛关注,研究内容涉及到旅游开发、旅游活动和旅游产业的各个组成部门,研究范围遍及人类旅游和游憩活动的所有空间。目前国内研究正处于起步阶段,研究内容主要以描述性为主,研究方法和措施大多还处于理论探讨之中,对实践指导性不强。真正适合于我国旅游景区、景点废弃物处理的方法体系还没有建立。因此,重视生态脆弱旅游景区的废弃物研究,完善研究方法,提高废弃物处理的技术水平,加强废弃物管理,是我国旅游业可持续发展的重要基础。     

城市固体废弃物卫生填埋场选址评价的模糊集方法

针对固体废弃物卫生填埋场地适宜性评价具有多目标性和模糊性的特点,引入改进的层次分析法(AHP)确定评价指标的权重,在此基础上构造多目标模糊模式识别模型,发展了模糊模式识别模型和模糊综合评判模型相结合的多层次多目标复杂系统模糊集评价方法。利用该方法对某地固体废弃物卫生填埋场进行了选址评价,论证了固体废弃物卫生填埋场的场地适宜性。