Management of radioactive waste

The safe management of the solid radioactive waste material generated by the various operations that make up the rapidly growing nuclear electric power industry, the nuclear reactors themselves, and the plants which provide new fuel for these reactors and process the spent fuel which results from reactor operations are discussed.     

Investigation of Lake Ontario water quality near Port Granby radioactive waste management site

The concentrations of²²⁶Ra, As, and NO ₃ ^? have been measured in Lake Ontario waters off Eldorado Nuclear Limited's Port Granby radioactive waste management site. Only one sample gave a²²⁶Ra value higher than the Ontario criterion for public surface water supplies. The highest levels of As and NO ₃ ^? were below the Ontario criteria. The leachate plume appears to move parallel to the shoreline in the direction of the prevailing wind but disperses rapidly reaching ambient levels within 150 m of the source. The leaching of these pollutants has only a minor effect on the lake water quality.     

Toxicity reduction of Ontario hydro radioactive liquid waste

The radioactive liquid waste (RLW) system in Ontario Hydro's pressurised heavy water reactors collects drainage from a variety of sources ranging from floor drains to laundry waste. RLW effluent was intermittently toxic to rainbow trout andDaphnia magna during the first phase of Ontario's Municipal Industrial Strategy for Abatement (MISA) Program, apparently as a result of the interaction of a variety of known and unknown organic and inorganic compounds. Accordingly, we employed a tmatment-based approach to reducing its toxicity, supplemented by chemical analysis. Two series of toxicity reduction tests were conducted. The fast series explored the potential for sorption of the possible toxicants, while the accord series incorporated a wider variety of treatments. Of the 24 samples in the first test series, 17 were toxic (D. magna mortality ≥ 50%). Of the toxic samples, only 7 of 17 were still toxic after passage through an activated carbon column, but 5 of 6 samples tested remained toxic after passage through a metal chelating resin column. In the second series, at least one of the treatments was effective in reducing toxicity of all samples which were initially toxic (16 of 24 samples), but no one treatment was effective for all toxic samples. Three treatments (UV/H₂O₂ photo-oxidation with prior pH adjustment, or passage through a column of either a non-functioalized (N-F) resin or a mixture of N-F resin and a weak base (W-B) anion exchange rain), were effective in reducing the toxicity of more than 50% of the toxic samples; yet roughly 25% of these samples remained toxic after treatment O₂ sparging, UV/H₂O₂ photo-oxidation without prior pH adjustment, and passage through a column of the W-B Resin were less effective, as more than 50% of the samples remained toxic after treatment. Filtering was not effective, as all of the treated samples (9/9) retained their toxicity. There was no obvious correspondence between toxicity and the concentrations of metals (Cu, Zn, Fe, Al and Cd) nor were any simple relationships apparent between toxicity and Total Organic Carbon or NH₃ concentrations. At stations where radioactive liquid wastes are segregated, toxicity was also segregated, suggesting that we may be able to address the problem at source through a combination of Best Management Practices and smaller scale treatment facilities.     

Treatment of radioactive laboratory waste for mercury removal

Routine analyses of Savannah River Laboratory wastes at the Savannah River Site occasionally reveal Hg concentrations in the waste in excess of the 0.200 mg L⁻¹ RCRA limit. An ion exchange resin was demonstrated to be effective for the removal of dissolved Hg from experimental waste in a special, permitted decontamination project. The ion exchange material is Duolite^™ GT-73, a polystyrene/divinylbenzene resin with thiol (S-H) functional groups. As a result of the resin's demonstrated effectiveness in that decontamination project, it has been placed in use or is under consideration for use with several other Site radwaste streams as a reliable medium for Hg removal.     

Plastics waste handling practices in solid waste management

In order to see the impact of plastics on the overall solid waste picture, the sources and nature of wastes generated by that industry will be defined. At one end of the spectrum are industrial wastes resulting from plastics formation and from packaging and transfer. Fabrication follows and then the intermediate markets. Finally, there is the consumer. Each step generates a waste stream. The options for disposal or recycle are discussed for each waste source and the economics included are reviewed. The fate of plastics in the environment has been of concern to some, principally because plastics generally do not disappear very fast. Activity in this sector will be discussed. Engineering and other technical input for all waste handling follows economic reality and higher scrap values are resulting in new market potentials for waste plastics. The emergence of energy as a key decision point in environmental concern has highlighted the energy value of waste plastics as fuel. Current activity in this area will be discussed. An increased legislative role in solid waste management is needed. Some of the currently considered legislative practices that help and that hurt the industry's ability to assist in managing the solid waste problem will be reviewed.     

Solid waste management in Santa Barbara county

Santa Barbara County commenced to modernize its solid waste system in 1960 by passage of an ordinance by the Board of Supervisors assuming the responsibility for waste disposal and regulation of refuse collection. Private collectors were licensed, with collection service, equipment and rates controlled by the County. Transfer facilities were put in service in the populous south coast area in 1967 with a sanitary fill site planned to become a future recreation area. After several years of operation, costs of transfer and disposal are four dollars per ton. Although totally funded by the County plus revenues up to this year, the refuse disposal operation became an ‘enterprise fund’ on July 1, 1974 and will thereafter operate essentially as a private business. Financial planning for refuse disposal in Santa Barbara County has assumed continuation of the sanitary fills and transfer system until 1980, but the new Solid Waste Management Plan for the County now required by the State will evaluate resource recovery, power generation and other possible alternatives. Based on these studies, the plan may lead to a new phase in improvement of solid waste management in the County.     

Genotoxic potential of waste waters from a leather industry

The genotoxic potential of tannery waste water was evaluated by means of the induction of gene conversion and point mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae D7 strain. Neither a toxic nor a genotoxic response was obtained after a 2 hr incubation of raw water samples with the strain. A dose-related increase in the induced gene conversion and mitotic reversion was obtained when dilutions of the raw effluent were incubated for 24 hr. Samples of the waste water were also passed through an XAD2 resin column. The column was sequentially eluted with ethyl ether, chloroform and methanol. The ether and methanol fractions showed a positive genotoxic response.     

Environmental impact of energy crop cultivation

Crops cultivated as feedstock for energy conversion processes (energy crops) could cover about 5% of the total energy demand of the European Union. Therefore, cultivation, harvest, processing, and finally utilisation of feedstock are required to be sustainable minimising environmental pressures and maximising environmental benefits. This contribution will give a comprehensive view on the environmental impacts of cultivating conventional energy crop species like cereals, rape seed and maize and of the hitherto uncommon species such as willow and poplar. Generalisations of environmental relevant parameters are deduced based on literature surveys as well as on results from own long-term experiments at Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik institute. These parameters include biomass yield and energy yield, demand for water, fertiliser and pesticides as well as other environmentally relevant substances, emission of nitrous oxide and depletion and enrichment of soil carbon. In addition, recent results regarding energy balances and CO₂-balances are presented and discussed. It can be concluded that energy crops specified for ligno-cellulose utilisation are preferable to oil, sugar and starch containing crops. In the first case the whole plant biomass can be used. Furthermore, biodiversity is increased and nitrogen demand and nitrous oxide emissions are decreased. Finally, in context with conventional and especially future energy technologies it is possible to obtain high CO₂-mitigation potentials.

Energiepflanzen, also für die energetische Nutzung angebaute Kulturpflanzen, können ca. 5% des Energiebedarfs der Europäischen Union decken. Voraussetzung ist, dass Anbau, Ernte, Aufbereitung und die anschließende Nutzung dieser Pflanzen umweltverträglich erfolgen, d.h. negative Umweltwirkungen minimiert und positive maximiert werden. Der vorliegende Beitrag gibt einen Überblick über die Umweltwirkungen von konventionellen Energiepflanzen wie Getreide, Raps und Mais sowie bisher eher selten angebauten Arten wie Pappel und Weide. Auf Basis von Literaturrecherchen und langjährigen eigenen Untersuchungen werden verallgemeinerungsfähige Aussagen zu Biomasse- und Energieerträgen, zu Wasser-, Düngemittel- und Pflanzenschutzmittelbedarf sowie zu umweltrelevanten Inhaltsstoffen, Lachgasemissionen und Entzug bzw. Anreicherung von Kohlenstoff im Boden getroffen. Darüber hinaus werden die Ergebnisse aktueller Energie- und CO₂-Bilanzen vorgestellt und diskutiert. Zusammenfassend wird festgestellt, dass für Ligno-Zellulose-Nutzung vorgesehene Energiepflanzen i. allg. vorteilhafter sind als die Öl, Zucker und Stärke liefernden Pflanzen, weil von ihnen die gesamte oberirdische Pflanzenmasse genutzt werden kann, die Artenvielfalt größer und Stickstoffbedarf und Lachgasemissionen häufig geringer sind, und weil in Zusammenhang mit konventionellen und insbesondere mit künftigen Energietechnologien hohe CO₂-Minderungsraten je Hektar erreicht werden.     

Earthworms in soil ecology and organic waste management

正Earthworms are important members of the soil macrofauna. Since C. Darwin (1881) described the important function of earthworms in pedogenesis and in maintenance of soil fertility, there has been continual interest in studying earthworm biology and ecology. Most of the attention in such studies is on earthworm functions in soil nutrient recycling. However,     

关于中国农地整理中预测性环境影响评价问题

农地整理作为中国现阶段土地整理的主要形式，对其进行环境影响评价是必要的。在此背景下，该文对农地整理中环境影响评价进行综合分析，指出了农地整理中环境影响评价现状及存在的问题等，并从景观、土壤、生物多样性、水资源、植被、大气等几个方面，对农地整理存在的潜在环境影响进行了分析，在此基础上提出了建立农地整理环境影响评价制度、农地整理环境影响评价的内涵和方法体系，以期对农地整理中环境影响评价有所借鉴。     

Environmental impact of quarries on natural resources in Lebanon

Years of unregulated mining activity have left hundreds of abandoned quarries across Lebanon. Satellite images show that the number of quarries and areas they cover increased, from 784 quarries covering 2897 ha in 1989, to 1278 quarries covering 5267 ha in 2005. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to assess the impact of quarrying activities on scarce Eastern Mediterranean natural resources. The assessment is based on the computation of spatial indicators such as rainfall, slope gradient, vegetation cover, soil erosion risk, and rock infiltration, using GIS to appraise critical impacts on the Lebanese ecosystem. Compared with the 1989 baseline, the area consumed by quarries in 2005 increased more than three times over former arable lands, one third for forest lands and doubled for pasture lands. Quarries additionally destroyed 676, 137, and 737 ha of productive lands, respectively. The comparison of quarry distribution with the land capability map revealed that quarries are found mainly on productive soils, consuming 1314 ha in 1989 and 2192 ha in 2005 of prime lands. A total of 87 per cent of studied quarries represent serious hazards to groundwater quality. In general, a total of 272 quarries have high impact, 657 quarries have moderate impact, and 349 quarries have low impact on natural ecosystems. Analyzed data revealed that around 62 per cent of the quarries are located in a highly unsuitable environment. This paper presents recent findings from the Eastern Mediterranean for territorial suitability assessment of quarries to be considered in the frame of natural resources and coastal ecosystems management. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

高放废物处置库预选场址包气带土壤渗透性研究

在高放废物地质处置库选址和性能评价过程中,水文地质条件是其中最要的因素之一,而包气带土壤渗透性又是水文地质研究中的核心问题之一。甘肃北山地区是我国高放废物地质处置库场址首选预选区,新场-向阳山地段是北山预选区的重点候选场址之一。为查明该地区包气带土壤渗透性特征,本文选用双环法和Guelph入渗仪法两种试验方法开展包气带土壤渗透性的研究并综合分析了影响土壤渗透性的主要因素。结果表明:(1)区内包气带土壤渗透性能差异较大。总体来看,沟谷地带的土壤饱和渗透系数(Kfs)大于缓坡地带,缓坡地带Kfs大于平滩地带;(2)构造影响带Kfs很大,不同构造影响带Kfs存在一定的差异;(3)研究区包气带土壤渗透性的最主要影响因素是粒径0.5 mm的粗砂与粒径0.1 mm的极细砂、粉粒及黏粒含量,而粒径为0.5~0.1 mm的中砂、细砂含量影响最小。     

Institutional and financial consideration in regional solid waste management

Lack of urban land for solid waste disposal and growing public pressures to increase recycling are forcing many urban areas to change traditional solid waste management practices. Development of regional solid waste management plans requires interrelated studies of technical, institutional, and financial alternatives. When the goal of the technical studies is to improve existing waste management practices and to emphasize resource recovery, the resulting physical program will require not only changes in existing practices but possibly substantial capital investment as well. Changes in solid waste management practices are bringing to light new political and organizational problems. Regional planning, regulation, and financing tends to conflict with the long history of local control. Technical solutions are erasing the political boundaries within which the problems were previously containable. The use of a separate regional agency to implement a regional solid waste program is one institutional alternative that may be justified under certain circumstances. In many cases, however, the joint powers agency offers a more flexible means of providing regional direction because it permits the broad political representation needed to deal with problems of site changes, waste transport over jurisdictional boundaries, and shifting priorities in waste management. In California, joint powers agencies have separate legal standing to sell revenue bonds on behalf of the area served. A prime consideration in resolving the political and organizational problems is to preserve and possibly to enhance the role of private industry by such means as reducing the costs of financing facilities and equipment, sharing the risk of investment in resource recovery facilities, and preserving an atmosphere of competition for solid waste franchises.     

Geochemical features of high and transitional moors under the impact of waste pits

Waste pits represent a significant ecological problem for oil–gas fields of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (Yugra) in Western Siberia. Drilling sludge contained in them results in chemical contamination of moors. Seven areas adjacent to waste pits were investigated. We determined the content of macro-, micro- and rare-earth elements in peat of undisturbed high moors in the middle taiga of the Middle Ob region and compared these data with their background contents and clarke values. The contents of macroand microelements in peat of the background areas of oilfields are higher for the Surgutskoe Poles’e deposit than for the Samotlor field. Waste pits increase in content of all investigated macro- and microelements in peat. The most intensively accumulated macroelements in the impact zones are typically chlorine, potassium, magnesium, and iron; the most intensively accumulated microelements are boron, strontium, nickel, and rubidium. Microelements accumulate in the top peat layer, while the accumulation of macroelements is more specific. Waste pits result in a one- to threefold increase in the pH of the peat water suspension, a threefold increase in the ash content in peat, and in sevenfold increase in the electric conductivity of peat water suspension. The impact of waste pits is stronger in the Samotlor oil-and-gas field than in the Surgutskoe Poles’e deposit, which can be explained by different histories of their development. Waste pits considerably alter the geochemical parameters of high moors, creating conditions for meso- and eutrophic vegetation.     

Environmental change and its impact on the freshwater fishes of Iran

Factors affecting the distribution and abundance of freshwater fishes in Iran are described. These include climate, devegetation, irrigation, and natural water level fluctuations (termed pre-industrial) and such factors related to industrialisation and population increase as devegetation, water abstraction, fishing, pollution, and faunal introductions. Conservation schemes are outlined and commented on and a list of threatemed fishes is given.     

动物废弃物管理与畜牧业清洁生产技术

阐述了我国动物废弃物处理、利用和管理的研究进程,分析了动物废弃物产生的危害;结合清洁生产的概念和基本理论,阐明了我国畜牧业清洁生产的基本内涵、技术雏形及其发展前景.     

Evaluating the impact of soil management on soil loss in olive orchards

Abstract. The effects of soil management on soil losses from olive plantations in southern Spain were evaluated using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), a review of published experiments, and preliminary results of an on-going field trial. Experimental data were used to parameterize the RUSLE for olive orchards under various soil management regimes. The predictions agreed qualitatively with the data available, and the model provided a simple way to assess the effects of soil management on erosion. Our results showed that no-tillage caused the greatest soil loss, while cover crops showed the least. Tillage and planting following contours proved only partially effective and did not reduce soil erosion as much as protective crops. One scenario studied suggests that, on slight to moderate slopes, land transformed from row crops to olive orchards may remain below the maximum tolerable soil erosion limit, if a cover crop is included between the trees. A scenario for marginal olive orchards located on steep slopes suggests that effective erosion control could only be achieved with a cover crop system that would have the side-effect of reducing the yield of rain-fed olives. Quantifying the effects of soil management on soil erosion in olive orchards is uncertain because very few experimental results are available. Further research that monitors soil loss in carefully selected long-term experiments at different scales and follows the changes in key soil parameters is urgently required to develop effective erosion control policies.     

Whey liquid waste of the dairy industry as raw material for potable alcohol production by kefir granules

Kefir granular biomass was used in the fermentation of sweet whey and proved to be more effective compared to single-cell biomass of kefir yeast. The operational stability of the biocatalyst was assessed by carrying out 20 repeated batch fermentations. Levels of ethanol productivity reached 2.57 g L(-1) h(-1)), whereas the yield was 0.45 g/g. The fermentation time was only 8 h. Mixtures of sweet whey with molasses were fermented at initial densities ranging from 4.2 to 10.2 degrees Be and resulted in ethanol yield factors between 0.36 and 0.48 g of ethanol/g of utilized sugar. Lower degrees Be values led to an increase of percentages of ethyl acetate on total volatiles determined and a reduction of amyl alcohols. The addition of 1% black raisin extract to whey appears to promote whey fermentation, whereas the same was not observed in the case of white sultana extract addition. It was finally established that it is preferable to ferment mixtures of whey-molasses by adding molasses in whey after the completion of whey fermentation.     

Accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils and plants of the tundra zone under the impact of coal-mining industry

Thirteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds were identified in organic horizons of tundra surface-gleyed soils ( Histic Stagnosols (Gelistagnic) and plants. The total content of PAHs in contaminated soils exceeded the background values by three times. Concentrations of low-molecular weight hydrocarbons in soils at different distances from the coalmines were relatively stable. Concentrations of highmolecular weight hydrocarbons had a distinct maximum at a distance of about 0.5 km from the source of emission. The increased values of correlation coefficients were found between PAH concentrations in organic soil horizons, plants, and coal of the Vorkutinskaya mine. Mostly low-molecular weight structures predominated in the organic soil horizons and in the studied plant species. The maximum capacity for the biological accumulation of PAHs was displayed by Pleurozium schreberi and the minimum capacity was displayed by Vaccinium myrtillus. Mosses and lichens actively absorbed polyarenes from the surface; most of the PAHs were transported into the plants. This phenomenon was not observed for Vaccinium myrtillus Concentrations of PAHs on the surface and in plant tissues decreased with an increase in the distance from the mine. Distribution of polyarenes in plant organs was nonuniform. Insignificant excess of concentration of polyarenes was found in dead part of Pleurozium schreberi in comparison with its living part. The accumulation of polyarenes in the leaves of Vaccinium myrtillus was higher than that in its stems and roots.