Results of hydrological and geological investigations in Benin

Focus of this study is the analysis of a local hydrogeological system in the subhumid outer tropics in the western African country of Benin. The aim was to characterize, qualify and quantify the hydrogeological and hydrological properties of the approx. 30 km2 big study area and to develop a conceptual hydrogeological model. This model should provide the basis for further studies on a regional scale. The main goal was to obtain the process knowledge of the hydrogeological system and to determine the process and the quantity of the groundwater recharge in the working area. According to the objectives, a broad hydrogeological approach was chosen. In a spacious network on the local scale TDR probes, suction cups and groundwater observation bores were installed. Also in a multidisciplinary cooperation with hydrology, geography, soil science, biology, meteorology and plant nutrition sciences, instruments like discharge gauging stations, tensiometers, lysimeter, climate stations, runoff plots and erosion pins were installed in the test site for the investigation of the relevant parameters of the hydrological cycle.

Sobre la forma de garantizar la trazabilidad metrológica en los sistemas hospitalarios

Dentro del equipamiento que existen en los hospitales, se realizan muy diversas actuaciones para el correcto funcionamiento de los equipos que se destinan, tanto a medir sobre el paciente o para tratamiento sobre estos mismos, el abanico de equipos que existen es muy grande, sin contar con los que directamente se instalan o, más correctamente, se implantan en el paciente. Los hospitales tienen establecidas pautas de mantenimiento tanto correctivo como preventivo, también de verificación relativa a seguridad y, en algunos casos, acciones que van destinadas a comprobar las magnitudes en los equipos. Esto último no es lo normal, de hecho, en muchos casos, la mayoría, se desconoce cómo poder comprobar que las magnitudes de un equipo se pueden trazar a un patrón de medida nacional. La investigación se ha desarrollado para determinar, siendo algo que esta patente hasta en la normalización ISO, que no existen para muchos equipos principios establecidos para garantizar la trazabilidad metrológica da las magnitudes físicas en las que trabaja durante su vida útil. Debido a la amplitud de este campo, el desarrollo de investigación se ha llevado en un formato piramidal, desde las necesidades para poder llegar a un estudio concreto de equipos concretos (Termómetros Clínicos, Tensiómetros, Ultrasonidos y Onda Corta). Para llegar a estos se ha realizado un estudio de cómo se encuentra la trazabilidad metrológica en todo el espectro, desde la gestión hasta llegar a casos particulares. Estudiando la gran cantidad de documentación existente y llegando a determinar el campo de trabajo en la metrología hospitalaria, clasificando los equipos y determinando como se encuentran definidos los métodos que llevan a realidad la trazabilidad metrológica, en la normalización. Un grupo no muy trabajado de los equipos electromédicos son los que se encuentran dentro de los tratamientos de Rehabilitación de traumatología, siendo equipos de uso muy habitual en los centros de salud para las lesiones musculares y óseas. A este asunto se ha dedicado un esfuerzo extra, con un reporte histórico de su origen y en qué punto se encuentran ahora. Se han estudiado dentro de estos equipos los de tratamiento de ultrasonidos, de diatermia y onda corta, que son los más representativos de los equipos destinados a electro terapia, pero hay que tener en cuenta que hay campos que se han mencionado globalmente de la rehabilitación, como son la terapia o la biomecánica, de forma similar a otras tecnologías sanitarias de otras especialidades (radiología o análisis clínico). Hay, también, dentro de la terapia, todos esos tratamientos propios de gimnasio, como son poleas, pesas, mesas de masajes, balones, etc… Que su metrología es sencilla, son equipos que existen medios de comprobación de las magnitudes que utilizan por la existencia en otras actividades de la industria (balanzas, pesas, etc). La investigación realizada ha pretendido evaluar todo el global y llegar a casos concretos para determinar cómo está la situación. Llegando a desarrollar una clasificación de equipos y de normas, que permiten vislumbrar las necesidades metrológicas y permitiría establecer una Gestión de la Trazabilidad Metrológica, concluyendo en el estudio para los equipos que se han mencionado. ABSTRACT Within the equipment that exist in the hospitals, there are very diverse performances for the correct operation of the equipment that is intended both to measure on the patient or for treatment on these same, the range of equipment available is very large, without which directly are installed or, more correctly, are implanted in the patient. The hospitals have established patterns of maintenance both corrective and preventive, also of verification of security and, in some cases, actions which are intended to check the magnitudes in the equipment. This last is not normal, in fact, in many cases, the majority, it is not known as to be able to check that the magnitudes of a computer can be traced to a pattern of national measure. The research has been developed to determine, is something that this patent up to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), that do not exist for many teams established principles to ensure the metrological traceability gives the physical quantities in which they work during its useful life. Due to the breadth of this field, the development of research has been conducted in a pyramid format, from the needs to be able to reach a specific study of specific equipment (Clinical Thermometers, Tensiometers, Ultrasound, and Short Wave). To reach theme, has been carried out a study of how is the metrological traceability across the entire spectrum, from the management to individuals cases. Considering the large amount of existing documentation and arriving to determine the labor camp in the metrology hospital, sorting equipment and determining how are defined the methods that lead to reality the metrological traceability, in the standardization. A group not too worked for medical electrical equipment are found within the rehabilitation treatment of traumatology, being equipment of very common use in the health centers for muscle injuries and bone. In this matter has been dedicated an extra effort, with a report history of its origin and where they are now. We have studied within these teams about the treatment of ultrasound, diathermy, short wave, which are the most representative of the equipment that is destined to electro therapy, but it must be borne in mind that there are fields that have been mentioned globally of rehabilitation, as are the therapy or the biomechanics, similar to other health technologies from other specialties (radiology or clinical analysis). There is, also, within the therapy, all these treatments own gym, such as pulleys, weights, tables of massages, balls, etc… that its metrology is simple, are computers that there are means of verification of the magnitudes that used by the existence in other activities of the industry (scales, weights, etc). The research carried out has tried to assess the entire global and reach specific cases to determine the situation as it is. Arriving in the development of a classification of equipment and standards, which give us a glimpse of the metrological needs and establish a Management of the Metrological Traceability, concluding in the study for computers that have been mentioned.

Vinasse application to sugar cane fields. Effect on the unsaturated zone and groundwater at Valle del Cauca (Colombia)

Extensive application of vinasse, a subproduct from sugar cane plantations for bioethanol production, is currently taking place as a source of nutrients that forms part of agricultural management in different agroclimatic regions. Liquid vinasse composition is characterised by high variability of organic compounds and major ions, acid pH (4.7), high TDS concentration (117,416–599,400 mg L− 1) and elevated EC (14,350–64,099 μS cm− 1). A large-scale sugar cane field application is taking place in Valle del Cauca (Colombia), where monitoring of soil, unsaturated zone and the aquifer underneath has been made since 2006 to evaluate possible impacts on three experimental plots. For this assessment, monitoring wells and piezometers were installed to determine groundwater flow and water samples were collected for chemical analysis. In the unsaturated zone, tensiometers were installed at different depths to determine flow patterns, while suction lysimeters were used for water sample chemical determinations. The findings show that in the sandy loam plot (Hacienda Real), the unsaturated zone is characterised by low water retention, showing a high transport capacity, while the other two plots of silty composition presented temporal saturation due to La Niña event (2010–2011). The strong La Niña effect on aquifer recharge which would dilute the infiltrated water during the monitoring period and, on the other hand dissolution of possible precipitated salts bringing them back into solution may occur. A slight increase in the concentration of major ions was observed in groundwater (~ 5% of TDS), which can be attributed to a combination of factors: vinasse dilution produced by water input and hydrochemical processes along with nutrient removal produced by sugar cane uptake. This fact may make the aquifer vulnerable to contamination.

Pore water chemistry of samples near the sediment-water interface

Rhizon samplers were originally designed as micro-tensiometers for soil science to sample seepage water in the unsaturated zone. This study shows applications of Rhizons for porewater sampling from sediments in aquatic systems and presents a newly developed Rhizon in situ sampler (RISS). With the inexpensive Rhizon sampling technique, porewater profiles can be sampled with minimum disturbance of both the sediment structure and possible flow fields. Field experiments, tracer studies, and numerical modeling were combined to assess the suitability of Rhizons for porewater sampling. It is shown that the low effort and simple application makes Rhizons a powerful tool for porewater sampling and an alternative to classical methods. Our investigations show that Rhizons are well suited for sampling porewater on board a ship, in a laboratory, and also for in situ sampling. The results revealed that horizontally aligned Rhizons can sample porewater with a vertical resolution of 1 cm. Combined with an in situ benthic chamber system, the RISS allows studies of benthic fluxes and porewater profiles at the same location on the seafloor with negligible effect on the incubated sediment water interface. Results derived by porewater sampling of sediment cores from the Southern Ocean (Atlantic sector) and by in situ sampling of tidal flat sediments of the Wadden Sea (Sahlenburg/Cuxhaven, Germany) are presented.

Atrazine movement in a dark red latosol of the tropics.

Atrazine dissplacement was studied in a soll profile as function of water movement and time after herbicide application, taldng into account possible influences of preferential flow on keaching. The experiment consisted of two 7 x 7 m plots of a dark red latosol (Kanduidalfic Eutrudox), located at Pirecicaba, SP, Brazil (22o43'S and 47o25'W), 250 km inside continent, at an altitude of 580 m. One plot was previously treated with 1,000 kg/ha of lime, in order to increase saturation to 88%, and 500 kg/ha of gypsum. Each plot was instrumented with tensiometers, neutron probe acess tubes and soil solution extractors, in order to monitor water and atrazine flows. Atrazine was applied at the high rate of 6 kg/ha of active principllle. Results showed intensiive leaching of atrazine in the whole soil profile, up to the instrumented depth of 150 cm, alredy at the first sampling, seven days after herbicide application. The limed plot showed much higher atrazine leachinng losses than the other plot. The atrazine adsorption capacity of the soll is very low, its maximum value being of the order of 10%, for the 0-15 cm surface layer.