TOXICITY CHARACTERISTIC LEACHING PROCEDURE APPLIED TO RADIOACTIVE SALTSTONE CONTAINING TETRAPHENYLBORATE: DEVELOPMENT OF A MODIFIED ZERO-HEADSPACE EXTRACTOR

In order to assess the effect of extended curing times at elevated temperatures on saltstone containing Tank 48H waste, saltstone samples prepared as a part of a separate study were analyzed for benzene using a modification of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) method 1311 Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). To carry out TCLP for volatile organic analytes (VOA), such as benzene, in the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) shielded cells (SC), a modified TCLP Zero-Headspace Extractor (ZHE) was developed. The modified method was demonstrated to be acceptable in a side by side comparison with an EPA recommended ZHE using nonradioactive saltstone containing tetraphenylborate (TPB). TCLP results for all saltstone samples tested containing TPB (both simulant and actual Tank 48H waste) were below the regulatory limit for benzene (0.5 mg/L). In general, higher curing temperatures corresponded to higher concentrations of benzene in TCLP extract. The TCLP performed on the simulant samples cured under the most extreme conditions (3000 mg/L TPB in salt and cured at 95 C for at least 144 days) resulted in benzene values that were greater than half the regulatory limit. Taking into account that benzene in TCLP extract was measured on the same order of magnitude as the regulatory limit, that these experimental conditions may not be representative of actual curing profiles found in the saltstone vault and that there is significant uncertainty associated with the precision of the method, it is recommended that to increase confidence in TCLP results for benzene, the maximum curing temperature of saltstone be less than 95 C. At this time, no further benzene TCLP testing is warranted. Additional verification would be recommended, however, should future processing strategies result in significant changes to salt waste composition in saltstone as factors beyond the scope of this limited study may influence the decomposition of TPB in saltstone

THE IMPACT OF PARTIAL CRYSTALLIZATION ON THE PERMEATION PROPERTIES BULK AMORPHOUS GLASS HYDROGEN SEPARATION MEMBRANES

It is recognized that hydrogen separation membranes are a key component of the emerging hydrogen economy. A potentially exciting material for membrane separations are bulk metallic glass materials due to their low cost, high elastic toughness and resistance to hydrogen 'embrittlement' as compared to crystalline Pd-based membrane systems. However, at elevated temperatures and extended operation times structural changes including partial crystallinity may appear in these amorphous metallic systems. A systematic evaluation of the impact of partial crystallinity/devitrification on the diffusion and solubility behavior in multi-component Metallic Glass materials would provide great insight into the potential of these materials for hydrogen applications. This study will report on the development of time and temperature crystallization mapping and their use for interpretation of 'in-situ' hydrogen permeation at elevated temperatures

Waste status and transaction record summary for the southeast quadrant of the Hanford 200 Area

This supporting document contains a database of waste transactions and waste status reports for all the waste tanks in the southeast quadrant of the 200 Area of the Hanford Site

Waste status and transaction record summary for the northwest quadrant of the Hanford 200 Area

This supporting document contains a database of waste transactions and waste status reports for all the waste tanks in the northwest quadrant of the 200 West Area of the Hanford Site

Waste status and transaction record summary (WSTRS) for the northeast quadrant of the Hanford 200 area

This supporting document contains a database of waste transactions and waste status reports for all the waste tanks in the northeast quadrant of the 200 Area of the Hanford Site

Waste status and transaction record summary for the southwest quadrant of the Hanford 200 area

This supporting document contains a database of waste transactions and waste status reports for all the waste tanks in the southwest quadrant of the 200 Area of the Hanford Site

Controls of Initial Wood Decomposition on and in Forest Soils Using Standard Material

Forest ecosystems sequester approximately half of the world’s organic carbon (C), most of it in the soil. The amount of soil C stored depends on the input and decomposition rate of soil organic matter (OM), which is controlled by the abundance and composition of the microbial and invertebrate communities, soil physico-chemical properties, and (micro)-climatic conditions. Although many studies have assessed how these site-specific climatic and soil properties affect the decomposition of fresh OM, differences in the type and quality of the OM substrate used, make it difficult to compare and extrapolate results across larger scales. Here, we used standard wood stakes made from aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) to explore how climate and abiotic soil properties affect wood decomposition across 44 unharvested forest stands located across the northern hemisphere. Stakes were placed in three locations: (i) on top of the surface organic horizons (surface), (ii) at the interface between the surface organic horizons and mineral soil (interface), and (iii) into the mineral soil (mineral). Decomposition rates of both wood species was greatest for mineral stakes and lowest for stakes placed on the surface organic horizons, but aspen stakes decomposed faster than pine stakes. Our models explained 44 and 36% of the total variation in decomposition for aspen surface and interface stakes, but only 0.1% (surface), 12% (interface), 7% (mineral) for pine, and 7% for mineral aspen stakes. Generally, air temperature was positively, precipitation negatively related to wood stake decomposition. Climatic variables were stronger predictors of decomposition than soil properties (surface C:nitrogen ratio, mineral C concentration, and pH), regardless of stake location or wood species. However, climate-only models failed in explaining wood decomposition, pointing toward the importance of including local-site properties when predicting wood decomposition. The difficulties we had in explaining the variability in wood decomposition, especially for pine and mineral soil stakes, highlight the need to continue assessing drivers of decomposition across large global scales to better understand and estimate surface and belowground C cycling, and understand the drivers and mechanisms that affect C pools, CO2 emissions, and nutrient cycles

Body mass index and dental caries in children and adolescents : a systematic review of literature published 2004 to 2011

The objectiveThe authors undertook an updated systematic review of the relationship between body mass index and dental caries in children and adolescents.MethodThe authors searched Medline, ISI, Cochrane, Scopus, Global Health and CINAHL databases and conducted lateral searches from reference lists for papers published from 2004 to 2011, inclusive. All empirical papers that tested associations between body mass index and dental caries in child and adolescent populations (aged 0 to 18 years) were included.ResultsDental caries is associated with both high and low body mass index.ConclusionA non-linear association between body mass index and dental caries may account for inconsistent findings in previous research. We recommend future research investigate the nature of the association between body mass index and dental caries in samples that include a full range of body mass index scores, and explore how factors such as socioeconomic status mediate the association between body mass index and dental caries.<br /

Forestry for a low carbon future. Integrating forests and wood products in climate change strategies

Following the introduction, Chapter 2 provides an overview of mitigation in the forest sector, addressing the handling of forests under UNFCCC. Chapters 3 to 5 focus on forest-based mitigation options – afforestation, reforestation, REDD+ and forest management – and Chapters 6 and 7 focus on wood-product based options – wood energy and green building and furnishing. The publication describes these activities in the context of UNFCCC rules, assessing their mitigation potential and economic attrac tiveness as well as opportunities and challenges for implementation. Chapter 8 discusses the different considerations involved in choosing the right mix of options as well as some of the instruments and means for implementation. Chapter 8 also highlights the co-benefits generated by forest-based mitigation and emphasizes that economic assessment of mitigation options needs to take these benefits into account. The concluding chapter assesses national commitments under UNFCCC involving forest miti gation and summarizes the challenges and opportunities

Forest carbon sequestration:the impact of forest management

In this chapter, we describe alternative ways in which forests and forestry can help to mítigate climate change, along with the potential impact of these activities. The three carbon storage compartments should be considered inall impact estimates. Carbon content in living biomass is easily estimated via species-specific equations or by applying factors to oven-dry biomass weights (e.g.,lbañez et al.,2002, Herrero et al.,2011,Castaño and Bravo, 2012).Litter carbon content has been analysed in many studies on primary forest productivity, though information regarding the influence of forest management on litter carbon content is less abundant (Blanco et al., 2006). In the last decade,efforts have been made to assess soil carbon in forests, but studies on the effect of forest management on soils show discrepancies (Lindner and Karjalainen,2007).Hoover (2011), for example,found no difference in forest floor carbon stocks among stands subjected to partial or complete harvest treatments in the United States.Instituto Universitario de Gestión Forestal Sostenibl