Applications of particle-tracking techniques to bank infiltration: a case study from El Paso,Texas, USA

This paper presents results of a small scale study that utilized particle-tracking techniques to evaluate transport of river water through an alluvial aquifer in a bank infiltration testing site in El Paso, Texas, USA. The particle-tracking survey was used to better define filtration parameters. Several simulations were generated to allow visualization of the effects of well placement and pumping rate on flow paths, travel time, the size of the pumping influence zone, and proportion of river-derived water and groundwater mixing in the pumping well. Simulations indicate that migration of river water into the aquifer is generally slow. Most water does not arrive at the well by the end of an 18-day pumping period at 0.54 m³/min pumping rate for a well located 18 m from the river. Forty-four percent of the water pumped from the well was river water. The models provided important information needed to design appropriate sampling schedules for bank filtration practices and ensured meeting adequate soil-retention times. The pumping rate has more effect on river water travel time than the location of the pumping well from the river. The examples presented in this paper indicate that operating the pumping well at a doubled distance from the river increased the time required for the water to travel to the well, but did not greatly change the capture zone.     

Filtration and Clogging Behavior of Geotextiles with Roorkee Soils

Geotextile filters are rapidly replacing graded granular filters as the standard of practice in geotechnical design. The objective of the present study is to predict the behavior of the geotextile filter for the locally (Roorkee—India) available soils using three different geotextiles (two nonwoven and one woven). Nonwoven geotextiles are commonly used in filtration applications. This paper evaluates the long-term performance of two needle-punched nonwoven geotextiles and one woven geotextile. Filtration tests on soil–geotextile filter systems were conducted in the laboratory in order to evaluate the filtration and clogging behavior. Laboratory test program, include evaluation of performance of two different nonwoven and one woven geotextile filters in combination with locally available Solani River Sand and Clayey Soil. The paper describes the concept and details of the Fine Fraction Filtration (F³) test and presents data on three different geotextiles, which were evaluated using three different soil types. It is deduced that in all filtration applications, the non-woven geotextile would perform better than the woven geotextile.     

MTBE in Drinking Water Production – Occurrence and Efficiency of Treatment Technologies

In Germany, the gasoline additive methyl tert‐butyl ether (MTBE) is almost constantly detected in measurable concentrations in surface waters and is not significantly removed during riverbank filtration. The removal of MTBE from water has been the focus of many studies that mostly were performed at high concentration levels and centred in understanding the mechanisms of elimination. In order to assess the performance of conventional and advanced water treatment technologies for MTBE removal in the low concentration range further studies were undertaken. Laboratory experiments included aeration, granulated activated carbon (GAC) adsorption, ozonation and advanced oxidation processes (AOP). The results show that the removal of MTBE by conventional technologies is not easily achieved. MTBE is only removed by aeration at high expense. Ozonation at neutral pH values did not prove to be effective in eliminating MTBE at all. The use of ozone/H₂O₂ (AOP) may lead to a partly elimination of MTBE. However, the ozone/H₂O₂ concentrations required for a complete removal of MTBE from natural waters is much higher than the ozone levels applied nowadays in waterworks. MTBE is only poorly adsorbed on activated carbon, thus GAC filtration is not efficient in eliminating MTBE. A comparison with real‐life data from German waterworks reveals that if MTBE is detected in the raw water it is most often found in the corresponding drinking water as well due to the poor removal efficiency of conventional treatment steps.     

Neoglacial gelifluction in the Jostedalsbreen Region,Western Norway: Evidence from dated buried palaeopodsols

Radiocarbon dating of thin palaeopodsols buried beneath turf-banked gelifluction lobes at four localities in the low alpine mountain zone in the Jostedalsbreen region, western Norway, show that gelifluction processes were initiated subsequent to the late Subboreal Chronozone. Although large age-depth gradients have been demonstrated from buried palaeosols in southern Norway, evidence is presented that the palaeosols in this study show only moderate age-depth gradients. The age estimates from these buried palaeosols give maximum dates of burial, but the error is not thought to be large. Gelifluction processes were probably initiated close to the time of the climatic deterioration, which led to the formation of the present glaciers during the Subatlantic Chronozone. The processes may have been most active during the peak of the Little Ice Age, during which a periglacial climate was established to low levels in this mountainous region.     

Application of Greek lignite as an additive for controlling rheological and filtration properties of water–bentonite suspensions at high temperatures: A review

This review paper presents the results of an extensive study investigating whether addition of 3% w/w Greek lignite to 6.42% w/w water–bentonite suspensions, after being exposed to high temperatures, can prevent gelation and control filtration characteristics. Two different bentonites and eight lignites from different Greek basins have been used while a commercial lignite product has been used as standard. The lignite-free bentonite suspensions heated to 177 °C for 16 h (thermal aging) thicken considerably, increasing the yield stress and the yield point. Fluid consistency and flow behavior indices also change while no significant change is observed for plastic viscosity. Thermal aging of the suspensions results in unacceptably high fluid loss values.Addition of Greek lignite to water–bentonite suspensions, followed by thermal aging, provided the rheological stability of the suspensions by maintaining the low yield stress/point regardless of the type of bentonite. Some of the lignites performed as well as their commercial counterpart. No specific trends for rheological improvement have been identified with respect to various characteristics of lignites such as contents of humic, fulvic acids, humins and other parameters such as specific surface area and cation exchange capacity.Furthermore, addition of lignite in most cases provided very good filtration control of the water–bentonite suspensions after exposure to 177 °C, with some Greek lignites being superior to the commercial product. The same lignite parameters examined for rheological control, were also examined to determine their effect on fluid loss of these suspensions for both bentonites. The content of humic and fulvic acids of two groups of lignites showed weak inverse correlations with the fluid loss volumes for both bentonites, while all other parameters did not seem to directly correlate with the effectiveness of the lignites.     

包气带粘性土层的防污性能试验研究及其对地下水脆弱性评价的影响

大量文献资料分析表明,平原地区地下水脆弱性主控因素为地下水位埋深、包气带土层及其特征,而包气带粘性土层的截污性能及其厚度则又是脆弱性主要的影响因子。试验研究结果显示,粘性土的截污容量大小可以通过模拟淋滤实验测试得出,有效阻隔足额厚度也可计算得出。根据不同粘性土层的截污容量、有效阻隔厚度等,可以评判土层的污染防护能力,并可据此评价平原区地下水的脆弱性。     

以基线长度变化率为约束估算VLBI站的垂直形变率

基于NNR-NUVEL-1A地球板块运动模型和ITRF2000地球参考架的三维VLBI站速度矢量,采用实测的VLBI基线长度变化率作为约束,重新估计了部分国际VLBI站的局部或区域性地壳的垂直形变,并与国际地球参考架ITRFs解和VLBI全球解GLB2003,VTRF2003和VTRF2005的结果进行了比较。结果表明,欧亚板块的URUMQI站和太平洋板块的KWAJAL26站,南极OHIGGINS站的垂直形变率、ITRFs解和VLBI全球解存在6-15mm/a的差异,北美YUMA站可能有15-31mm/a 的垂直形变率,而美国西部太平洋板块的San Francisco(PRESIDIO)站的垂直形变率还有待进一步的研究。此外,SC-VLBA,CRIMEA和EFLSBERG站的垂直形变率、ITRFs解和VLBI全球解的差约为1-6mm/a。用不同方法得到的VLBI站的水平形变率解有较好的一致性。     

缢蛏滤除率与颗粒选择性的实验研究

利用4种不同大小的单细胞藻类作为饵料研究缢蛏（Sinonovacula constricta）的滤除率以及缢蛏对不同大小料颗粒的选择性。实验结果表明：3种规格缢蛏对4种单细胞藻类的滤除率表现出相同的变化规律，即随藻类规格的增大，缢蛏的滤除率亦逐渐变大，并且大规格缢蛏的滤除率变化最显著；在饵料颗粒选择性的实验中，小规格缢蛏对大规格（ESD＝8.83），藻类具有较高的选择性，中规格缢蛏对藻类的选择性不明显，而大规格缢蛏则对小规格（ESD＝4.46）藻类具较高的选择性。     

复合酶制剂对中国对虾消化率的影响

添加复合酶制剂，可以提高对虾内源酶的活性，增强肝胰脏的消化作用。 对虾饲料中添加１％。复合酶制剂可使对虾总消化率和蛋白质消化率分别提高 ４．８１％和２．４６％。