The Evaluation of Metals and Other Substances Released into Coal Mine Accrual Waters on the Wasatch Plateau Coal Field, Utah

Six sites on the Wasatch Plateau were chosen representing subsurface coal mines which were discharging or collecting accrual water on this coal field. Water samples were collected monthly at these sites for a period of 1 year (May 1981 to April 1982). Samples were taken before and after each mine\u27s treatment system. Water sampels were analyzed for major anions and cations, trace metals, physical properaties, nutrients, total organic carbon, oil and grease, trihalomethanes, and algal assay. Predictions were made as to the possible effects these coal mine accrual waters would have when used for drinking water, irrigation water, stock and wildlife watering, and as discharges into freshwater aquatic ecosystems. Compliance of the mine water discharges with NPDES regulations was also noted. Crushed coal samples were obtained from each of the six mine sites and evaluated with regard to their leaching characteristics in laboratory upflow leaching columns using an aqueous leaching medium characteristic of the area\u27s water supplies. Leachate samples were anlyzed for major anions and cations, trace metals, physical properaties, and total organic carbon. laboratory leaching characteristics were compared to the chemical nature of the actual mine water discharges. Mine water discharges were not found to be acidic in nature, the values for most parameters monitored during the field and laboratory portions of the study fell below the toxicity criteria for uses mentioned above, and were generally in compliance with NPDES regulations. Boron was present in the mine waters, but at levels which would be predicted to cause only minor or no damage to the most sensitive crops. The drinking water limit and the freshwater aquatic life bioaccumulation criterion for mercury were exceeded on several occasions in the coal mine accrual waters sampled. A comprehensive study of fish tissue samples and water samples taken from bodies of water near coal mines is recommended. Total suspended solids (TSS) and oil and grease were among the most frequently violated parameters with regard to NPDES regulations. Further studies are recommended with regard to the effects of these substances on stream biota, their sources and their rate in aquatic ecosystems. Coal leaching trends in the laboratory column experiments pralleled many of the trends observed in the field data collected. Trends for pH, aluminum, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, molybdenum, nickel, silver, zinc, boron, lithium, strontium, alkalinity, chloride, cluoride, potassium, sodium, and silica were generally consistent when these comparisons were made. Values for water hardness parameters were observed to be specific to the mine site involved and not always comparable to laboratory leachate column data. Generalizations with respect to leaching trends and origins of chemical substances in coal mine accrual waters must be made with caution due to the great potential variability in coal samples and the complexity of leaching phenomena

Landschappelijke effecten van ontwikkelingen in de landbouw

Ontwikkelingen in de land- en tuinbouw hebben gevolgen voor het Nederlandse landschap. Het Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving wil graag in beeld krijgen waar wat staat te gebeuren. Doel van dit onderzoek is om landsdekkend in kaart te brengen waar tot 2020 welke veranderingen in de landbouw zullen optreden en wat de effecten daarvan zijn op de kwaliteiten van het landschap. Voor het Nederlandse buitengebied is een onderscheid gemaakt naar in totaal 23 landschapstypen, agrarische cultuurlandschappen waarin stedelijke- en natuurgebieden buiten beschouwing zijn gelaten. De typering neemt de indeling naar fysisch geografische regio¿s als uitgangspunt. Verdere differentiatie heeft plaatsgevonden op basis van ontginningsgeschiedenis en schaalkenmerken van het landschap

Sepsis in cirrhosis: report on the 7th meeting of the International Ascites Club.

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response to the presence of infection, mediated via the production of many cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor ¿ (TNF-¿), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1, which cause changes in the circulation and in the coagulation cascade. There is stagnation of blood flow and poor oxygenation, subclinical coagulopathy with elevated D-dimers, and increased production of superoxide from nitric oxide synthase. All of these changes favour endothelial apoptosis and necrosis as well as increased oxidant stress. Reduced levels of activated protein C, which is normally anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic, can lead to further tissue injury. Cirrhotic patients are particularly susceptible to bacterial infections because of increased bacterial translocation, possibly related to liver dysfunction and reduced reticuloendothelial function. Sepsis ensues when there is overactivation of pathways involved in the development of the sepsis syndrome, associated with complications such as renal failure, encephalopathy, gastrointestinal bleed, and shock with decreased survival. Thus the treating physician needs to be vigilant in diagnosing and treating bacterial infections in cirrhosis early, in order to prevent the development and downward spiral of the sepsis syndrome. Recent advances in management strategies of infections in cirrhosis have helped to improve the prognosis of these patients. These include the use of prophylactic antibiotics in patients with gastrointestinal bleed to prevent infection and the use of albumin in patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis to reduce the incidence of renal impairment. The use of antibiotics has to be judicious, as their indiscriminate use can lead to antibiotic resistance with potentially disastrous consequences

A Vehicular Traffic Flow Model Based on a Stochastic Acceleration Process

A new vehicular traffic flow model based on a stochastic jump process in vehicle acceleration and braking is introduced. It is based on a master equation for the single car probability density in space, velocity and acceleration with an additional vehicular chaos assumption and is derived via a Markovian ansatz for car pairs. This equation is analyzed using simple driver interaction models in the spatial homogeneous case. Velocity distributions in stochastic equilibrium, together with the car density dependence of their moments, i.e. mean velocity and scattering and the fundamental diagram are presented.Comment: 27 pages, 6 figure

Infiltration of meteoric water in the South Tibetan Detachment (Mount Everest, Himalaya): When and why?

Publisher's version/PDF must be used in Institutional Repository 6 months after publication

Isotopic analysis of faunal material from South Uist, Western Isles, Scotland

This paper reports on the results from stable isotope analysis of faunal bone collagen from a number of Iron Age and later sites on the island of South Uist, in the Western Isles, Scotland. This preliminary investigation into the isotopic signatures of the fauna is part of a larger project to model the interaction between humans, animals, and the broader environment in the Western Isles. The results demonstrate that the island fauna data fall within the range of expected results for the UK, with the terrestrial herbivorous diets of cattle and sheep confi rmed. The isotopic composition for pigs suggests that some of these animals had an omnivorous diet, whilst a single red deer value might be suggestive of the consumption of marine foods, such as by grazing on seaweed. However, further analysis is needed in order to verify this anomalous isotopic ratio

Carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios of urine and faeces as novel nutritional biomarkers of meat and fish intake

Purpose Meat and fish consumption are associated with changes in the risk of chronic diseases. Intake is mainly assessed using self-reporting, as no true quantitative nutritional biomarker is available. The measurement of plasma fatty acids, often used as an alternative, is expensive and time-consuming. As meat and fish differ in their stable isotope ratios, δ13C and δ15N have been proposed as biomarkers. However, they have never been investigated in controlled human dietary intervention studies. Objective In a short-term feeding study, we investigated the suitability of δ13C and δ15N in blood, urine and faeces as biomarkers of meat and fish intake. Methods The dietary intervention study (n = 14) followed a randomised cross-over design with three eight-day dietary periods (meat, fish and half-meat–half-fish). In addition, 4 participants completed a vegetarian control period. At the end of each period, 24-h urine, fasting venous blood and faeces were collected and their δ13C and δ15N analysed. Results There was a significant difference between diets in isotope ratios in faeces and urine samples, but not in blood samples (Kruskal–Wallis test, p < 0.0001). In pairwise comparisons, δ13C and δ15N were significantly higher in urine and faecal samples following a fish diet when compared with all other diets, and significantly lower following a vegetarian diet. There was no significant difference in isotope ratio between meat and half-meat–half-fish diets for blood, urine or faecal samples. Conclusions The results of this study show that urinary and faecal δ13C and δ15N are suitable candidate biomarkers for short-term meat and fish intake

Generalized Force Model of Traffic Dynamics

Floating car data of car-following behavior in cities were compared to existing microsimulation models, after their parameters had been calibrated to the experimental data. With these parameter values, additional simulations have been carried out, e.g. of a moving car which approaches a stopped car. It turned out that, in order to manage such kinds of situations without producing accidents, improved traffic models are needed. Good results have been obtained with the proposed generalized force model.Comment: For related work see http://www.theo2.physik.uni-stuttgart.de/helbing.htm

Assessment of pollution risk ascribed to Santa Margarida Military Camp activities (Portugal)

Santa Margarida Military Camp (S.M.M.C.) is the only one Portuguese military training area, including firing ranges for tactical military manoeuvres of mechanised divisions. For this reason, various negative effects on the environment were expected due to the military activities, as the Military Camp’s area is classified as a high vulnerability area to pollution of its multilayer porous aquifers. The aim of this study was to identify and characterise local/regional geochemical impacts caused by the continuing military training activities performed at S.M.M.C. in the course of 52 years. An overview of the geochemical research issues as a basis for risk assessment is presented. A special attention has been put on the quality of local and regional surface waters, shallow groundwaters and groundwaters. Local soils and sediments as well as fragments of shells and bullets were sampled and analysed. The results so far obtained, indicated that none pollution effects were a consequence of the military training activities. Till now, the geochemical signatures such as, high levels of K, Cl and NO3 in waters, detected in particular sites, should be faced as tracers of diffuse pollution ascribed to urban waste disposal and cattle breading