992 resultados para Frozen water fraction
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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to study the interactions of sedimentary humic substances (SHS) from a sugarcane cultivation area with Cu(II) and Cr(III) and to evaluate the occurrence of these metals in the pore water and SHS. Materials and methods: For this study, the northwestern region of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, which is considered the region with the highest production of sugar cane in the state, was selected. Samples of sediment were collected from four sampling sites in the Preto, Turvo, and Grande rivers. The SHS and pore water were extracted from the sediment using the method suggested by the International Humic Substances Society and centrifugation, respectively. The complexing capacity (CC) of the SHS for Cu(II) and Cr(III) was determined by individually titrating these metals with an ultrafiltration system using tangential flow. The total concentrations of Cr and Cu were determined for the pore water, sediments, and humic substances with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and Zeeman background correction after an acid digestion, according to the methods described in US EPA Method 3050B. Results and discussion: The SHS from a site in the Turvo River, which is typically cultivated with sugarcane, possessed the highest concentration of Cu bound to SHS (25.0%), the largest CC (0.63 mmol Cu g-1 HS) and the highest concentration of this metal in the pore water (1.38 mg Cu Kg-1 sed.). For Cr, the SHS collected from a location on the Preto River dam had the largest CC (0.90 mmol Cr g-1 HS) and the lowest Cr content in the pore water (0.29 mg Cr Kg-1 sed.), indicating that there was an inverse relationship between the CC and the concentration of metal available in the pore water. Conclusions: Sedimentary humic substances might be one of the regulatory factors controlling the availability of Cu and Cr in the sediments found in a typical region that has been planted with sugarcane. Distinct behaviors were observed between the two elements investigated; higher CC and a larger fraction of Cu(II) were found in the pore water of samples originating from sugarcane crops. The opposite behavior was observed for the Cr(III) species. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
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Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a serious environmental problem that creates acidic solution with high Mn concentrations. The speciation of residual Mn from AMD after an active treatment involving the addition of a neutralizing agent can reliably evaluate the treatment efficiency and provide knowledge of the Mn species being inputted into the environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in situ lability and speciation of Mn using the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique with treated drainage water from a uranium mine (TAMD). DGT devices with different binding phases (Chelex-100 and P81 and DE81membranes) were used to perform the in situ speciation of Mn. A comparison of the results from deploying DGT in the laboratory and in situ shows that the speciation of Mn in TAMD should be performed in situ. Linear deployment curves (from in situ experiments) indicate that the DGT device containing the Chelex-100 binding phase can be used to evaluate Mn lability in TAMD. The labile Mn fraction (from in situ measurements) obtained using the device containing the Chelex-100 resin ranged from 63 to 81% of the total Mn concentration and, when compared to the speciation obtained using the CHEAQS software, indicated that this device was capable of uptaking the free Mn2+ and a portion of the MnSO4(aq). The values obtained using the DGT technique were compared to those from on site solid phase extraction, and a good agreement was found between the results. The amount of negative Mn species sampled by DE81 device was insignificant (<1.5%) for all of the sites. Sites containing a relatively small amount of Ca (<40mgL-1) and measured using devices containing the P81 membrane agreed with the concentration predicted by the CHEAQS software for positive Mn species (Mn2+ and Mn(OH)+). Nevertheless, the speciation obtained using the CHEAQS software indicated that the concentrations of positive Mn species were underestimated for sites with relatively high Ca concentrations (>150mgL-1), which take place due to the saturation of binding sites in the P81 membrane. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.
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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)
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The diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique has shown enormous potential for labile metal monitoring in fresh water due to the preconcentration, time-integrated, matrix interference removal and speciation analytical features. In this work, the coupling of energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) with paper-based DGT devices was evaluated for the direct determination of Mn, Co. Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb in fresh water. The DGT samplers were assembled with cellulose (Whatman 3 MM chromatography paper) as the diffusion layer and a cellulose phosphate ion exchange membrane (Whatman P 81 paper) as the binding agent. The diffusion coefficients of the analytes on 3 MM chromatography paper were calculated by deploying the DGT samplers in synthetic solutions containing 500 mu g L-1 of Mn. Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb (4 L at pH 5.5 and ionic strength at 0.05 mol L-1). After retrieval, the DGT units were disassembled and the P81 papers were dried and analysed by EDXRF directly. The 3 MM chromatographic paper diffusion coefficients of the analytes ranged from 1.67 to 1.87 x 10(-6) cm(2) s(-1). The metal retention and phosphate group homogeneities on the P81 membrane was studied by a spot analysis with a diameter of 1 mm. The proposed approach (DGT-EDXRF coupling) was applied to determine the analytes at five sampling sites (48 h in situ deployment) on the Piracicaba river basin, and the results (labile fraction) were compared with 0.45 mu m dissolved fractions determined by synchrotron radiation-excited total reflection X-ray fluorescence (SR-TXRF). The limits of detection of DGT-EDXRF coupling for the analytes (from 7.5 to 26 mu g L-1) were similar to those obtained by the sensitive SR-TXRF technique (3.8 to 9.1 mu g L-1). (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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The evapotranspiration (E) from a sugarcane plantation in the southeast Brazil was measured by the eddy-covariance method during two consecutive cycles. These represented the second (393 similar to days) and third year (374 similar to days) re-growth (ratoon). The total E in the first cycle was 829 similar to mm, accounting for 69% of rainfall, whereas in the second cycle, it was 690 similar to mm, despite the total rainfall (1353 similar to mm) being 13% greater. The ratio of E to available energy, the evaporative fraction, exhibited a smaller variation between the first and second cycles: 0.58 and 0.51, respectively. The estimated interception losses were 88 and 90 similar to mm, respectively, accounting for approximately 7% of the total rainfall. The sugarcane yield in the second cycle (61.5 similar to +/-similar to 4.0 similar to t similar to ha-1) was 26% lower than the first cycle, as well as lower than the regional average for the third ratoon (76 similar to t similar to ha-1). The below average yield was associated with less available soil water at the beginning of the cycle, with the amount of rainfall recorded during the first 120 similar to days of re-growth in the second cycle being 16% of that recorded in the first (203 similar to mm).
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An experimental study on drag-reduction phenomenon in dispersed oil-water flow has been performed in a 26-mm-i.d. Twelve meter long horizontal glass pipe. The flow was characterized using a novel wire-mesh sensor based on capacitance measurements and high-speed video recording. New two-phase pressure gradient, volume fraction, and phase distribution data have been used in the analysis. Drag reduction and slip ratio were detected at oil volume fractions between 10 and 45% and high mixture Reynolds numbers, and with water as the dominant phase. Phase-fraction distribution diagrams and cross-sectional imaging of the flow suggested the presence of a higher amount of water near to the pipe wall. Based on that, a phenomenology for explaining drag reduction in dispersed flow in a flow situation where slip ratio is significant is proposed. A simple phenomenological model is developed and the agreement between model predictions and data, including data from the literature, is encouraging. (c) 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012
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Aerosol particles and water vapour are two important constituents of the atmosphere. Their interaction, i.e. thecondensation of water vapour on particles, brings about the formation of cloud, fog, and raindrops, causing the water cycle on the earth, and being responsible for climate changes. Understanding the roles of water vapour and aerosol particles in this interaction has become an essential part of understanding the atmosphere. In this work, the heterogeneous nucleation on pre-existing aerosol particles by the condensation of water vapour in theflow of a capillary nozzle was investigated. Theoretical and numerical modelling as well as experiments on thiscondensation process were included. Based on reasonable results from the theoretical and numerical modelling, an idea of designing a new nozzle condensation nucleus counter (Nozzle-CNC), that is to utilise the capillary nozzle to create an expanding water saturated air flow, was then put forward and various experiments were carried out with this Nozzle-CNC under different experimental conditions. Firstly, the air stream in the long capillary nozzle with inner diameter of 1.0~mm was modelled as a steady, compressible and heat-conducting turbulence flow by CFX-FLOW3D computational program. An adiabatic and isentropic cooling in the nozzle was found. A supersaturation in the nozzle can be created if the inlet flow is water saturated, and its value depends principally on flow velocity or flow rate through the nozzle. Secondly, a particle condensational growth model in air stream was developed. An extended Mason's diffusion growthequation with size correction for particles beyond the continuum regime and with the correction for a certain particle Reynolds number in an accelerating state was given. The modelling results show the rapid condensational growth of aerosol particles, especially for fine size particles, in the nozzle stream, which, on the one hand, may induce evident `over-sizing' and `over-numbering' effects in aerosol measurements as nozzle designs are widely employed for producing accelerating and focused aerosol beams in aerosol instruments like optical particle counter (OPC) and aerodynamical particle sizer (APS). It can, on the other hand, be applied in constructing the Nozzle-CNC. Thirdly, based on the optimisation of theoretical and numerical results, the new Nozzle-CNC was built. Under various experimental conditions such as flow rate, ambient temperature, and the fraction of aerosol in the total flow, experiments with this instrument were carried out. An interesting exponential relation between the saturation in the nozzle and the number concentration of atmospheric nuclei, including hygroscopic nuclei (HN), cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), and traditionally measured atmospheric condensation nuclei (CN), was found. This relation differs from the relation for the number concentration of CCN obtained by other researchers. The minimum detectable size of this Nozzle-CNC is 0.04?m. Although further improvements are still needed, this Nozzle-CNC, in comparison with other CNCs, has severaladvantages such as no condensation delay as particles larger than the critical size grow simultaneously, low diffusion losses of particles, little water condensation at the inner wall of the instrument, and adjustable saturation --- therefore the wide counting region, as well as no calibration compared to non-water condensation substances.
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Pharmaceuticals are useful tools to prevent and treat human and animal diseases. Following administration, a significant fraction of pharmaceuticals is excreted unaltered into faeces and urine and may enter the aquatic ecosystem and agricultural soil through irrigation with recycled water, constituting a significant source of emerging contaminants into the environment. Understanding major factors influencing their environmental fate is consequently needed to value the risk, reduce contamination, and set up bioremediation technologies. The antiviral drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir carboxylate, OC) has received recent attention due to the potential use as a first line defence against H5N1 and H1N1 influenza viruses. Research has shown that OC is not removed during conventional wastewater treatments, thus having the potential to enter surface water bodies. A series of laboratory experiments investigated the fate and the removal of OC in surface water systems in Italy and Japan and in a municipal wastewater treatment plant. A preliminary laboratory study investigated the persistence of the active antiviral drug in water samples from an irrigation canal in northern Italy (Canale Emiliano Romagnolo). After an initial rapid decrease, OC concentration slowly decreased during the remaining incubation period. Approximately 65% of the initial OC amount remained in water at the end of the 36-day incubation period. A negligible amount of OC was lost both from sterilized water and from sterilized water/sediment samples, suggesting a significant role of microbial degradation. Stimulating microbial processes by the addition of sediments resulted in reduced OC persistence. Presence of OC (1.5 μg mL-1) did not significantly affect the metabolic potential of the water microbial population, that was estimated by glyphosate and metolachlor mineralization. In contrast, OC caused an initial transient decrease in the size of the indigenous microbial population of water samples. A second laboratory study focused on basic processes governing the environmental fate of OC in surface water from two contrasting aquatic ecosystems of northern Italy, the River Po and the Venice Lagoon. Results of this study confirmed the potential of OC to persist in surface water. However, the addition of 5% of sediments resulted in rapid OC degradation. The estimated half-life of OC in water/sediment of the River Po was 15 days. After three weeks of incubation at 20 °C, more than 8% of 14C-OC evolved as 14CO2 from water/sediment samples of the River Po and Venice Lagoon. OC was moderately retained onto coarse sediments from the two sites. In water/sediment samples of the River Po and Venice Lagoon treated with 14C-OC, more than 30% of the 14C-residues remained water-extractable after three weeks of incubation. The low affinity of OC to sediments suggests that the presence of sediments would not reduce its bioavailability to microbial degradation. Another series of laboratory experiments investigated the fate and the removal of OC in two surface water ecosystems of Japan and in the municipal wastewater treatment plant of the city of Bologna, in Northern Italy. The persistence of OC in surface water ranged from non-detectable degradation to a half-life of 53 days. After 40 days, less than 3% of radiolabeled OC evolved as 14CO2. The presence of sediments (5%) led to a significant increase of OC degradation and of mineralization rates. A more intense mineralization was observed in samples of the wastewater treatment plant when applying a long incubation period (40 days). More precisely, 76% and 37% of the initial radioactivity applied as 14C-OC was recovered as 14CO2 from samples of the biological tank and effluent water, respectively. Two bacterial strains growing on OC as sole carbon source were isolated and used for its removal from synthetic medium and environmental samples, including surface water and wastewater. Inoculation of water and wastewater samples with the two OC-degrading strains showed that mineralization of OC was significantly higher in both inoculated water and wastewater, than in uninoculated controls. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and quantitative PCR analysis showed that OC would not affect the microbial population of surface water and wastewater. The capacity of the ligninolytic fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium to degrade a wide variety of environmentally persistent xenobiotics has been largely reported in literature. In a series of laboratory experiments, the efficiency of a formulation using P. chrysosporium was evaluated for the removal of selected pharmaceuticals from wastewater samples. Addition of the fungus to samples of the wastewater treatment plant of Bologna significantly increased (P < 0.05) the removal of OC and three antibiotics, erythromycin, sulfamethoxazole, and ciprofloxacin. Similar effects were also observed in effluent water. OC was the most persistent of the four pharmaceuticals. After 30 days of incubation, approximately two times more OC was removed in bioremediated samples than in controls. The highest removal efficiency of the formulation was observed with the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. The studies included environmental aspects of soil contamination with two emerging veterinary contaminants, such as doramectin and oxibendazole, wich are common parasitic treatments in cattle farms.
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Wasserlösliche organische Verbindungen (WSOCs) sind Hauptbestandteile atmosphärischer Aerosole, die bis zu ~ 50% und mehr der organischen Aerosolfraktion ausmachen. Sie können die optischen Eigenschaften sowie die Hygroskopizität von Aerosolpartikeln und damit deren Auswirkungen auf das Klima beeinflussen. Darüber hinaus können sie zur Toxizität und Allergenität atmosphärischer Aerosole beitragen.In dieser Studie wurde Hochleistungsflüssigchromatographie gekoppelt mit optischen Diodenarraydetektion und Massenspektrometrie (HPLC-DAD-MS und HPLC-MS/MS) angewandt, um WSOCs zu analysieren, die für verschiedene Aerosolquellen und -prozesse charakteristisch sind. Niedermolekulare Carbonsäuren und Nitrophenole wurden als Indikatoren für die Verbrennung fossiler Brennstoffe und die Entstehung sowie Alterung sekundärer organischer Aerosole (SOA) aus biogenen Vorläufern untersucht. Protein-Makromoleküle wurden mit Blick auf den Einfluss von Luftverschmutzung und Nitrierungsreaktionen auf die Allergenität primärer biologischer Aerosolpartikel – wie Pollen und Pilzsporen – untersucht.rnFilterproben von Grob- und Feinstaubwurden über ein Jahr hinweg gesammelt und auf folgende WSOCs untersucht: die Pinen-Oxidationsprodukte Pinsäure, Pinonsäure und 3-Methyl-1,2,3-Butantricarbonsäure (3-MBTCA) sowie eine Vielzahl anderer Dicarbonsäuren und Nitrophenole. Saisonale Schwankungen und andere charakteristische Merkmale werden mit Blick auf Aerosolquellen und -senken im Vergleich zu Daten anderen Studien und Regionen diskutiert. Die Verhätlnisse von Adipinsäure und Phthalsäure zu Azelainsäure deuten darauf hin, dass die untersuchten Aerosolproben hauptsächlich durch biogene Quellen beeinflusst werden. Eine ausgeprägte Arrhenius-artige Korrelation wurde zwischen der 3-MBTCA-¬Konzentration und der inversen Temperatur beobachtet (R2 = 0.79, Ea = 126±10 kJ mol-1, Temperaturbereich 275–300 K). Modellrechnungen zeigen, dass die Temperaturabhängigkeit auf eine Steigerung der photochemischen Produktionsraten von 3-MBTCA durch erhöhte OH-Radikal-Konzentrationen bei erhöhten Temperaturen zurückgeführt werden kann. Im Vergleich zur chemischen Reaktionskinetik scheint der Einfluss von Gas-Partikel-Partitionierungseffekten nur eine untergeordnete Rolle zu spielen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die OH-initiierte Oxidation von Pinosäure der geschwindigkeitsbestimmende Schritt der Bildung von 3-MBTCA ist. 3-MBTCA erscheint somit als Indikator für die chemische Alterung von biogener sekundärer organischer Aerosole (SOA) durch OH-Radikale geeignet. Eine Arrhenius-artige Temperaturabhängigkeit wurde auch für Pinäure beobachtet und kann durch die Temperaturabhängigkeit der biogenen Pinen-Emissionen als geschwindigkeitsbestimmender Schritt der Pinsäure-Bildung erklärt werden (R2 = 0.60, Ea = 84±9 kJ mol-1).rn rnFür die Untersuchung von Proteinnitrierungreaktionen wurde nitrierte Protein¬standards durch Flüssigphasenreaktion von Rinderserumalbumin (BSA) und Ovalbumin (OVA) mit Tetranitromethan (TNM) synthetisiert.Proteinnitrierung erfolgt vorrangig an den Resten der aromatischen Aminosäure Tyrosin auf, und mittels UV-Vis-Photometrie wurde der Proteinnnitrierungsgrad (ND) bestimmt. Dieser ist definiert als Verhältnis der mittleren Anzahl von Nitrotyrosinresten zur Tyrosinrest-Gesamtzahl in den Proteinmolekülen. BSA und OVA zeigten verschiedene Relationen zwischen ND und TNM/Tyrosin-Verhältnis im Reaktionsgemisch, was vermutlich auf Unterschiede in den Löslichkeiten und den molekularen Strukturen der beiden Proteine zurück zu führen ist.rnDie Nitrierung von BSA und OVA durch Exposition mit einem Gasgemisch aus Stickstoffdioxid (NO2) und Ozon (O3) wurde mit einer neu entwickelten HPLC-DAD-¬Analysemethode untersucht. Diese einfache und robuste Methode erlaubt die Bestimmung des ND ohne Hydrolyse oder Verdau der untersuchten Proteine und ernöglicht somit eine effiziente Untersuchung der Kinetik von Protein¬nitrierungs-Reaktionen. Für eine detaillierte Produktstudien wurden die nitrierten Proteine enzymatisch verdaut, und die erhaltenen Oligopeptide wurden mittels HPLC-MS/MS und Datenbankabgleich mit hoher Sequenzübereinstimmung analysiert. Die Nitrierungsgrade individueller Nitrotyrosin-Reste (NDY) korrelierten gut mit dem Gesamt-Proteinnitrierungsgrad (ND), und unterschiedliche Verhältnisse von NDY zu ND geben Aufschluss über die Regioselektivität der Reaktion. Die Nitrierungmuster von BSA und OVA nach Beahndlung mit TNM deuten darauf hin, dass die Nachbarschaft eines negativ geladenen Aminosäurerestes die Tyrosinnitrierung fördert. Die Behandlung von BSA durch NO2 und O3 führte zu anderend Nitrierungemustern als die Behandlung mit TNM, was darauf hindeutet, dass die Regioselektivität der Nitrierung vom Nitrierungsmittel abhängt. Es zeigt sich jedoch, dass Tyrosinreste in Loop-Strukturen bevorzugt und unabhängig vom Reagens nitriert werden.Die Methoden und Ergebnisse dieser Studie bilden eine Grundlage für weitere, detaillierte Untersuchungen der Reaktionskinetik sowie der Produkte und Mechanismen von Proteinnitrierungreaktionen. Sie sollen helfen, die Zusammenhänge zwischen verkehrsbedingten Luftschadstoffen wie Stickoxiden und Ozon und der Allergenität von Luftstaub aufzuklären.rn
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Die Flachwassergleichungen (SWE) sind ein hyperbolisches System von Bilanzgleichungen, die adäquate Approximationen an groß-skalige Strömungen der Ozeane, Flüsse und der Atmosphäre liefern. Dabei werden Masse und Impuls erhalten. Wir unterscheiden zwei charakteristische Geschwindigkeiten: die Advektionsgeschwindigkeit, d.h. die Geschwindigkeit des Massentransports, und die Geschwindigkeit von Schwerewellen, d.h. die Geschwindigkeit der Oberflächenwellen, die Energie und Impuls tragen. Die Froude-Zahl ist eine Kennzahl und ist durch das Verhältnis der Referenzadvektionsgeschwindigkeit zu der Referenzgeschwindigkeit der Schwerewellen gegeben. Für die oben genannten Anwendungen ist sie typischerweise sehr klein, z.B. 0.01. Zeit-explizite Finite-Volume-Verfahren werden am öftersten zur numerischen Berechnung hyperbolischer Bilanzgleichungen benutzt. Daher muss die CFL-Stabilitätsbedingung eingehalten werden und das Zeitinkrement ist ungefähr proportional zu der Froude-Zahl. Deswegen entsteht bei kleinen Froude-Zahlen, etwa kleiner als 0.2, ein hoher Rechenaufwand. Ferner sind die numerischen Lösungen dissipativ. Es ist allgemein bekannt, dass die Lösungen der SWE gegen die Lösungen der Seegleichungen/ Froude-Zahl Null SWE für Froude-Zahl gegen Null konvergieren, falls adäquate Bedingungen erfüllt sind. In diesem Grenzwertprozess ändern die Gleichungen ihren Typ von hyperbolisch zu hyperbolisch.-elliptisch. Ferner kann bei kleinen Froude-Zahlen die Konvergenzordnung sinken oder das numerische Verfahren zusammenbrechen. Insbesondere wurde bei zeit-expliziten Verfahren falsches asymptotisches Verhalten (bzgl. der Froude-Zahl) beobachtet, das diese Effekte verursachen könnte.Ozeanographische und atmosphärische Strömungen sind typischerweise kleine Störungen eines unterliegenden Equilibriumzustandes. Wir möchten, dass numerische Verfahren für Bilanzgleichungen gewisse Equilibriumzustände exakt erhalten, sonst können künstliche Strömungen vom Verfahren erzeugt werden. Daher ist die Quelltermapproximation essentiell. Numerische Verfahren die Equilibriumzustände erhalten heißen ausbalanciert.rnrnIn der vorliegenden Arbeit spalten wir die SWE in einen steifen, linearen und einen nicht-steifen Teil, um die starke Einschränkung der Zeitschritte durch die CFL-Bedingung zu umgehen. Der steife Teil wird implizit und der nicht-steife explizit approximiert. Dazu verwenden wir IMEX (implicit-explicit) Runge-Kutta und IMEX Mehrschritt-Zeitdiskretisierungen. Die Raumdiskretisierung erfolgt mittels der Finite-Volumen-Methode. Der steife Teil wird mit Hilfe von finiter Differenzen oder au eine acht mehrdimensional Art und Weise approximniert. Zur mehrdimensionalen Approximation verwenden wir approximative Evolutionsoperatoren, die alle unendlich viele Informationsausbreitungsrichtungen berücksichtigen. Die expliziten Terme werden mit gewöhnlichen numerischen Flüssen approximiert. Daher erhalten wir eine Stabilitätsbedingung analog zu einer rein advektiven Strömung, d.h. das Zeitinkrement vergrößert um den Faktor Kehrwert der Froude-Zahl. Die in dieser Arbeit hergeleiteten Verfahren sind asymptotisch erhaltend und ausbalanciert. Die asymptotischer Erhaltung stellt sicher, dass numerische Lösung das &amp;quot;korrekte&amp;quot; asymptotische Verhalten bezüglich kleiner Froude-Zahlen besitzt. Wir präsentieren Verfahren erster und zweiter Ordnung. Numerische Resultate bestätigen die Konvergenzordnung, so wie Stabilität, Ausbalanciertheit und die asymptotische Erhaltung. Insbesondere beobachten wir bei machen Verfahren, dass die Konvergenzordnung fast unabhängig von der Froude-Zahl ist.
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Atmospheric aerosol water-soluble organic compounds (WSOC) exist in a complex mixture of thousands of organic compounds which may have a significant influence on the climate-relevant properties of the atmospheric aerosol. To understand the potential influences, the ambient aerosol was collected at a nonurban mountainous site near Steamboat Springs, CO. The WSOC fraction was analyzed using positive and negative electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Approximately 2400 and 4000 molecular formulas were identified from the detected positive and negative ions, respectively. The formulas contained carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), and sulfur (S) atoms over the mass range of 100-800 Da in both ionization modes. The number range of double bond equivalents (DBE), the mean O:C, H:C, and oxidation state of carbon for the positive ions were 0 – 18, 0.25 ± 0.15, 1.39 ± 0.29, and -0.89 ± 0.23, respectively. Comparatively, the negative ion values were 0 – 14, 0.53 ± 0.20, 1.48 ± 0.30, and -0.41 ± 0.45, respectively. Overall, the positive ion molecular formulas were less oxygenated than negative ions as seen with the lower O:C and OSc values. Molecular formulas of the positive ions classified as aliphatic, olefinic, and aromatic compound classes based on the aromaticity index values. Aliphatic compounds were the CHNO and CHO formulas that had mean DBE values of about 5 and 3, respectively. However, a majority of the CHOS, CHNOS, and CHS formulas were defined as olefinic compounds and had mean DBE values of about 12, 13, and 10, respectively. Overall, more than half of the assigned molecular formulas contained sulfur and were olefinic to aromatic compounds with a DBE range of 7-18. Source of the unsaturated sulfur containing compounds is currently unknown. Several nitrogen containing compounds were in common with the field and laboratory studies of the biomass burning aerosol and aged secondary organic aerosol products of the limonene ozonolysis.
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As continued global funding and coordination are allocated toward the improvement of access to safe sources of drinking water, alternative solutions may be necessary to expand implementation to remote communities. This report evaluates two technologies used in a small water distribution system in a mountainous region of Panama; solar powered pumping and flow-reducing discs. The two parts of the system function independently, but were both chosen for their ability to mitigate unique issues in the community. The design program NeatWork and flow-reducing discs were evaluated because they are tools taught to Peace Corps Volunteers in Panama. Even when ample water is available, mountainous terrains affect the pressure available throughout a water distribution system. Since the static head in the system only varies with the height of water in the tank, frictional losses from pipes and fittings must be exploited to balance out the inequalities caused by the uneven terrain. Reducing the maximum allowable flow to connections through the installation of flow-reducing discs can help to retain enough residual pressure in the main distribution lines to provide reliable service to all connections. NeatWork was calibrated to measured flow rates by changing the orifice coefficient (θ), resulting in a value of 0.68, which is 10-15% higher than typical values for manufactured flow-reducing discs. NeatWork was used to model various system configurations to determine if a single-sized flow-reducing disc could provide equitable flow rates throughout an entire system. There is a strong correlation between the optimum single-sized flow- reducing disc and the average elevation change throughout a water distribution system; the larger the elevation change across the system, the smaller the recommended uniform orifice size. Renewable energy can jump the infrastructure gap and provide basic services at a fraction of the cost and time required to install transmission lines. Methods for the assessment of solar powered pumping systems as a means for rural water supply are presented and assessed. It was determined that manufacturer provided product specifications can be used to appropriately design a solar pumping system, but care must be taken to ensure that sufficient water can be provided to the system despite variations in solar intensity.
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The Continental porphyry Cu‐Mo mine, located 2 km east of the famous Berkeley Pit lake of Butte, Montana, contains two small lakes that vary in size depending on mining activity. In contrast to the acidic Berkeley Pit lake, the Continental Pit waters have near-neutral pH and relatively low metal concentrations. The main reason is geological: whereas the Berkeley Pit mined highly‐altered granite rich in pyrite with no neutralizing potential, the Continental Pit is mining weakly‐altered granite with lower pyrite concentrations and up to 1‐2% hydrothermal calcite. The purpose of this study was to gather and interpret information that bears on the chemistry of surface water and groundwater in the active Continental Pit. Pre‐existing chemistry data from sampling of the Continental Pit were compiled from the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology and Montana Department of Environmental Quality records. In addition, in March of 2013, new water samples were collected from the mine’s main dewatering well, the Sarsfield well, and a nearby acidic seep (Pavilion Seep) and analyzed for trace metals and several stable isotopes, including dD and d18O of water, d13C of dissolved inorganic carbon, and d34S of dissolved sulfate. In December 2013, several soil samples were collected from the shore of the frozen pit lake and surrounding area. The soil samples were analyzed using X‐ray diffraction to determine mineral content. Based on Visual Minteq modeling, water in the Continental Pit lake is near equilibrium with a number of carbonate, sulfate, and molybdate minerals, including calcite, dolomite, rhodochrosite (MnCO3), brochantite (CuSO4·3Cu(OH)2), malachite (Cu2CO3(OH)2), hydrozincite (Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6), gypsum, and powellite (CaMoO4). The fact that these minerals are close to equilibrium suggests that they are present on the weathered mine walls and/or in the sediment of the surface water ponds. X‐Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis of the pond “beach” sample failed to show any discrete metal‐bearing phases. One of the soil samples collected higher in the mine, near an area of active weathering of chalcocite‐rich ore, contained over 50% chalcanthite (CuSO4·5H2O). This water‐soluble copper salt is easily dissolved in water, and is probably a major source of copper to the pond and underlying groundwater system. However, concentrations of copper in the latter are probably controlled by other, less‐soluble minerals, such as brochantite or malachite. Although the acidity of the Pavilion Seep is high (~ 11 meq/L), the flow is much less than the Sarsfield Well at the current time. Thus, the pH, major and minor element chemistry in the Continental Pit lakes are buffered by calcite and other carbonate minerals. For the Continental Pit waters to become acidic, the influx of acidic seepage (e.g., Pavilion Seep) would need to increase substantially over its present volume.
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AIMS: Data on moderately cold water immersion and occurrence of arrhythmias in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients are scarce. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined 22 male patients, 12 with CHF [mean age 59 years, ejection fraction (EF) 32%, NYHA class II] and 10 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) without CHF (mean age 65 years, EF 52%). Haemodynamic effects of water immersion and swimming in warm (32 degrees C) and moderately cold (22 degrees C) water were measured using an inert gas rebreathing method. The occurrence of arrhythmias during water activities was compared with those measured during a 24 h ECG recording. Rate pressure product during water immersion up to the chest was significantly higher in moderately cold (P = 0.043 in CHF, P = 0.028 in CAD patients) compared with warm water, but not during swimming. Rate pressure product reached 14200 in CAD and 12 400 in CHF patients during swimming. Changes in cardiac index (increase by 5-15%) and oxygen consumption (increase up to 20%) were of similar magnitude in moderately cold and warm water. Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) increased significantly in moderately cold water from 15 +/- 41 to 76 +/- 163 beats per 30 min in CHF (P = 0.013) but not in CAD patients (20 +/- 33 vs. 42 +/- 125 beats per 30 min, P = 0.480). No ventricular tachycardia was noted. CONCLUSION: Patients with compensated CHF tolerate water immersion and swimming in moderately cold water well. However, the increase in PVCs raises concerns about the potential danger of high-grade ventricular arrhythmias.
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The marine aragonite cycle has been included in the global biogeochemical model PISCES to study the role of aragonite in shallow water CaCO3 dissolution. Aragonite production is parameterized as a function of mesozooplankton biomass and aragonite saturation state of ambient waters. Observation-based estimates of marine carbonate production and dissolution are well reproduced by the model and about 60% of the combined CaCO3 water column dissolution from aragonite and calcite is simulated above 2000 m. In contrast, a calcite-only version yields a much smaller fraction. This suggests that the aragonite cycle should be included in models for a realistic representation of CaCO3 dissolution and alkalinity. For the SRES A2 CO2 scenario, production rates of aragonite are projected to notably decrease after 2050. By the end of this century, global aragonite production is reduced by 29% and total CaCO3 production by 19% relative to pre-industrial. Geographically, the effect from increasing atmospheric CO2, and the subsequent reduction in saturation state, is largest in the subpolar and polar areas where the modeled aragonite production is projected to decrease by 65% until 2100.