An examination of temporal/spatial variations in landfill-generated methane gas

The experimental findings of a data-intensive in situ landfill monitoring study are described. Particular attention is given to the methodology employed in collecting the data, analyses of the spatial/ temporal variability of the gas percentages, by volume and the extent to which the variability in collected results is explained by variations in exogenous independent variables. Measurable gas flow rates from the soil could not be detected through the probe system employed in the field study.     

Effects of biochar application on soil methane emission at different soil moisture levels

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of biochar application on soil methane (CH₄) emission. Experiments were conducted over an 84-day incubation period with the following treatments: each of two soils (a paddy soil and a forest soil) was treated with or without biochar at three soil moisture levels (35, 60, and 100 % water-filled pore space (WFPS) for the paddy soil; 35, 60, and 85 % WFPS for the forest soil). Biochar application (P?<?0.05) significantly increased soil pH and stimulated C mineralization at the early incubation stage. The effects of biochar application on CH₄ emission were related to the soil moistures, with reduction of CH₄ emission at 35 and 60 % WFPS and stimulation at the highest soil moisture. While both soils changed from CH₄ sinks to sources by increasing soil moisture regardless of biochar addition, the effect was enhanced with biochar application. At lower soil moistures, the CH₄ oxidation activity in soils was higher with biochar than without biochar, while the trend became opposite at higher soil moistures. Therefore, the CH₄ production and consumption processes were influenced by different soil moisture levels and microbial communities of different soils.     

Oxygen and methane depletion in soil affected by leakage of natural gas

As part of a study to simulate plant responses to leaks from pipelines, we injected natural gas into soil at a depth of 1 m in plots of grass, wheat and beans. Measurements of oxygen and methane in soil exposed to gas show that oxygen is depleted significantly to values less than would be caused by simple displacement by natural gas, indicating consumption within the soil by methanotrophic bacteria. Gas concentrations were clustered into two groups: 18% of the oxygen values were less than 1% by volume and 52% of the methane values were less than 5% by volume, indicating a tendency towards either oxygen‐limiting or methane‐limiting conditions. Oxygen depletion was significantly greater in summer. Depletion rates were greatest under grass, and least under wheat. In grass, 36% of the variation in depletion is explained by soil temperature at 10 cm with Q₁₀ = 2.0 over the 0–20°C range. We developed a model that accounts for three gas exchange mechanisms: soil‐air displacement by the injected gas; gas consumption by bacteria; and re‐infusion of the soil atmosphere to account for a net loss of gas volume by consumption. Using this model, we calculate that an average of 37% of the methane was consumed. At initial methane concentrations less than 10% by volume, as much as 100% of the gas was consumed, but consumption efficiency decreased rapidly thereafter. These findings indicate that the soil sink for methane is dynamic and adaptive, acting as a significant constraint on underground methane sources, limited primarily by oxygen availability.     

The impact of extraction methodologies on the toxicity of sediments in the zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo test

Purpose

Traditionally, methods for sediment extractions are characterised using chemical analyses. However, in order to evaluate sediment extracts with regard to biological effects and, thus, bioaccessibility, extraction methods have to be compared to effect data obtained from experiments with in situ exposure scenarios, i.e., sediment contact tests. This study compares four extraction methods and sediment contact test data from a previous project with respect to predictive power in the fish embryo test with zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Materials and methods

A natural and an artificial sediment spiked with a mixture of six organic pollutants (2,4-dinitrophenol, diuron, fluoranthene, nonylphenol, parathion and pentachlorophenol) were extracted using (a) membrane dialysis extraction (MDE), (b) a Soxhlet procedure, (c) hydroxypropyl-??-cyclodextrin (HPCD) or (d) Tenax^®-TA. Whereas the former two are regarded being exhaustive with respect to non-covalently bound contaminants, the latter two are considered to predict bioaccessibility. Resulting extracts were tested in the fish embryo assay with D. rerio for embryotoxic and teratogenic potential.

Results and discussion

Mortalities caused by organic extracts from Soxhlet extraction and MDE were high. However, HPCD extracts turned out to be at least as effective as extracts obtained with these two methods. One possible reason might be short ageing time of the spiked sediments. Only Tenax^®-TA extracts gave results comparable to the sediment contact assay for natural sediment, but revealed low reproducibility. Significant differences between natural and artificial sediment were found for extracts obtained with techniques using native (i.e., non-freeze-dried) sediments, i.e., HPCD and Tenax^®-TA. In contrast, MDE and Soxhlet extracts used freeze-dried sediment and did not differentiate between natural and artificial sediment. Therefore, freeze-drying has likely altered and equalised sediment properties that influence accessibility, such as composition of bacterial communities and organic matter quality.

Conclusions

Four extraction methods were successfully characterised with respect to their stringency and predictiveness for bioaccessibility. MDE was confirmed as an alternative to Soxhlet extraction. High mortalities induced by HPCD extracts underline the need to include ageing into consideration when assessing sediments. Although Tenax^®-TA may basically be used to predict bioaccessibility in the fish embryo test, the high variability observed warrants further investigation of the relation between effect and extractability. Apparently, freeze-drying can severely affect sediment properties, potentially eliminating individual properties of natural sediments.     

适宜增压流化床操作参数提高生物质热气化气合成甲烷效率

生物质热化学气化制取甲烷是人工获取代用天然气的重要方式之一,其中生物质热气化气合成甲烷是该技术的关键步骤之一。在自行设计的增压流化床反应系统上,开展生物质气化气合成甲烷的试验,分别研究了反应温度、反应压力、空速和氢碳比对甲烷生成速率和CO转化率的影响。结果表明,在增压流化床反应器上可高效的合成甲烷,最大甲烷生成速率超过3.2 mol/(L·h),CO转化率超过80%。提高反应温度有利于甲烷生成速率和CO转化率的提高,且当反应温度在350℃左右时达到最大值;反应压力对甲烷化过程有很大影响,提高反应压力有利于甲烷化过程;随着空速的增大,甲烷生成速率增加,但是CO转化率会下降;而甲烷生成速率和CO转化率则随着氢碳比的增大而增大。为获得较高的甲烷生成速率和CO转化率,适宜的反应温度在350℃左右,空速在10 000 h-1,氢碳比在3附近,反应压力可取在0.3 MPa左右。该研究结果将为进一步研究生物质热化学气化制取甲烷奠定基础。     

The impact of long-term CO2 enrichment and moisture levels on soil microbial community structure and enzyme activities

Soil organic matter is the most important reservoir of terrestrial organic C and minor changes in the balance may have a significant impact on the climate. However, the response of microbial decomposers of soil C to global changes is not fully apprehended. This is particularly the case with regard to the interactive effects of the various climatic changes. Here, we present data from the Giessen Free Air CO₂ Experiment (Gi-FACE, University of Giessen, Germany) in which the CO₂ concentration at a grassland site was increased by 20% relative to atmospheric levels during a period of 10 years. The site included a slope that resulted in differences in average soil moisture. The effects of CO₂ and soil moisture on soil microbial community structure, measured by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE), PhosphoLipid Fatty Acids (PLFA) and enzyme activity profiles were determined. Total carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous contents were also determined. Soil moisture explained a large part of the variance in the microbial community structure data, by affecting fungi and bacteria. Furthermore, the CO₂ treatment had no significant effect on either overall PLFA or DGGE profiles, despite the fact that the fungal:bacterial PLFA ratio was altered. Overall enzyme activity profiles were also only affected by soil moisture levels, although the CO₂ treatment induced a significant increase of the acid phosphatase activity. Finally, neither soil moisture nor elevated CO₂ induced changes in the soil C stock.     

Longtime effects of deep groundwater extraction management on water table levels in surface aquifers

Purpose

A longtime monitoring (2003–2013) of groundwater levels and soil moisture was done in a plain tract surrounded by deposits from the Saale glacial stage in northern Germany. The purpose was to document the changes in the soil water regime over time in relation to changes in management of groundwater extraction and to evaluate if the hitherto management has been suitable for plant water supply for the local grassland production.

Materials and methods

Groundwater wells in the surface aquifer were monitored at 11 survey sites, and soil matric potentials were measured with tensiometers at five depths per site. Soil analyses also were done. This report contains the results from three of the 11 survey sites, which best represent the variability of the soils in the area.

Results and discussion

The monitoring showed that groundwater extraction from deep aquifers via individual wells altered the groundwater levels in the surface aquifer, even though there was a distance of several meters depth and a geological parting between the two aquifers. The impact of the groundwater extraction was shown by significant correlations between groundwater levels in the surveyed soils and groundwater extraction rates of individual wells. Climatic factors only affected groundwater levels in individual years. The management of the groundwater extraction from 1977 to 2006 severely lowered the groundwater level in the surface aquifer. Due to a limitation of the groundwater extraction rates and a shift in the degree of capacity utilization of the individual wells from 2006 onward, groundwater levels in the area are recovering. Correspondingly, the contribution of capillary rise to plant water supply has increased within the monitoring period.

Conclusions

The monitoring proves that the present management of groundwater extraction is more suitable for the groundwater situation than past management. However, groundwater levels have not yet obtained a new equilibrium, so continual monitoring is needed.

     

Water-soluble Al inhibits methane oxidation at atmospheric concentration levels in Japanese forest soil

The effect of aluminium on methane oxidation was examined from incubation experiments involving the addition of several concentrations of Al solution (0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 3 and 5 mM) to two soil samples that possessed different CH₄ oxidation potential. Atmospheric CH₄ oxidation activity was inhibited by the addition of as little as 0.1 mM Al solution (approximately 0.5 μg of Al per gram dry weight soil) to a forest soil that contained low water-soluble Al and possessed a high CH₄ oxidation potential. Our results indicate that Al inhibition of CH₄ oxidation activity is concentration-dependant after a certain time and the inhibition increases gradually over time until at least 96 h have elapsed. We also found that relatively small amounts of Al additions, such as 10-20 μg per gram dry weight of soil, halved the CH₄ oxidation rate compared to the control, regardless of the original CH₄ oxidation potential of the soil. Since the Al concentrations used in our experiment are often observed in forest soils, we can assume that Al acts as an important inhibitor of CH₄ oxidation in forest soils under natural conditions. The sharp falls and a continuous decrease in CH₄ oxidation rate in other forest samples with the addition of deionized water implies that the water-soluble Al contained in soils contributes to the inhibition of CH₄ oxidation rate. This result suggests that precipitation causes a relatively prolonged inhibition of CH₄ oxidation in soils containing a high concentration of water-soluble Al.     

基于LCA的秸秆沼气集中供气工程环境影响评价

为进一步研究秸秆沼气工程生命周期的环境影响,采用生命周期评价方法对秸秆沼气集中供气利用模式的环境影响进行分析,系统比较沼气系统不同单元的环境影响。将秸秆沼气工程建设单元的物质和能量投入及其环境排放纳入生命周期边界,以河南省安阳县西街村秸秆沼气工程为例进行实证分析,对秸秆沼气集中供气工程建设单元、运行单元和产物利用单元进行清单分析和环境影响评价。结果表明,该沼气工程运行1 a产出13.60万m~3沼气,系统环境影响综合值为129.94标准人当量。从沼气系统各阶段看,沼气工程建设单元、运行单元和产物利用单元的环境影响潜值分别占沼气系统生命周期环境影响的65.62%、32.76%和1.62%。从能源替代角度看,该秸秆沼气集中供气工程替代煤炭的全球环境影响负荷为–132.48标准人当量。与煤炭作为炊事用能相比,该沼气工程的环境影响负荷可降低50.50%,秸秆沼气作为可再生的清洁能源可以有效替代煤炭燃烧从而改善环境质量。沼气工程建设阶段的环境影响对秸秆沼气集中供气系统总环境影响的贡献最大,而产物利用阶段环境排放影响最小。秸秆沼气工程运行单元的煤炭增温和电力消耗是影响沼气工程环境排放的重要因素,选择低碳环保的沼气增保温方式和降低工程运行电耗是未来秸秆沼气集中供气工程工艺改进的重要内容。     

The impact of man on climate

In the past decade the realization has grown that (a) our society is becoming increasingly vulnerable to fluctuations in climate, and (b) human activities may have important influences on climate in coming years. The effects of steadily increasing use of fossil fuels seem likely to be most serious through increasing atmospheric concentration of CO₂ and raising the temperatures of the global atmosphere. Also, introductions of chlorofluoromethanes and NO_x into the stratosphere either by transport and diffusion from the surface or by jet or rocket exhaust in the stratosphere may lead to depleting the Earth's O₃ shield and to significant effects on climate and health. Regional influences on the large scale climate are highly uncertain but should not be dismissed lightly. Such influences include the effects of release of large quantities of heat from urban areas or from ‘power parks’, large irrigation or desalination projects, and extensive forest clearing. Injection into the atmosphere of particles and gases from industry, vehicles, and homes affects the atmosphere in a variety of ways and may result in regional changes in climate.     

Analysis of pesticides in honey by solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

An analytical method for the simultaneous determination of 51 pesticides in commercial honeys was developed. Honey (10 g) was dissolved in water/methanol (70:30; 10 mL) and transferred to a C(18) column (1 g) preconditioned with acetonitrile and water. Pesticides were subsequently eluted with a hexane/ethyl acetate mixture (50:50) and determined by gas chromatography with electron impact mass spectrometric detection in the selected ion monitoring mode (GC-MS-SIM). Spiked blank samples were used as standards to counteract the matrix effect observed in the chromatographic determination. Pesticides were confirmed by their retention times, their qualifier and target ions, and their qualifier/target abundance ratios. Recovery studies were performed at 0.1, 0.05, and 0.025 microg/g fortification levels for each pesticide, and the recoveries obtained were >86% with relative standard deviations of <10%. Good resolution of the pesticide mixture was achieved in approximately 41 min. The detection limits of the method ranged from 0.1 to 6.1 microg/kg for the different pesticides studied. The developed method is linear over the range assayed, 25-200 microg/L, with determination coefficients of >0.996. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of pesticides in honey samples, and low levels of a few pesticides (dichlofluanid, ethalfluralin, and triallate) were detected in some samples.     

Deforestation for oil palm: impact on microbially mediated methane and nitrous oxide emissions,and soil bacterial communities

Oil palm plantations, irreversibly claimed primarily from tropical forest, carpet the landscape in Malaysia and Indonesia, the largest global producers of palm oil. The impact of forest conversion...     

Matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction and gas chromatographic determination of chloramphenicol in muscle tissue

A method based on matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) was developed for the gas chromatographic (GC) determination of chloramphenicol (CAP) residues in animal muscle tissue. Muscle tissue was blended with octadecylsilyl-derivatized silica (C(18)). A column made from the C(18)/muscle tissue matrix was washed with n-hexane and acetonitrile/water (5 + 95), after which CAP was eluted with acetonitrile/water (50 + 50) and partitioned into ethyl acetate. The final extract was evaporated, and a trimethylsilyl derivative of CAP was prepared with Sylon HTP and detected by GC with an electron capture detector (ECD) and a mass spectrometer. For quantitation, the internal standard used was the meta isomer of CAP (m-CAP) for GC-ECD. Muscle tissue samples were fortified at three concentration levels. At 5, 10, and 15 microg/kg levels the respective mean recoveries were 93, 96, and 98%, and the repeatabilities were 13, 11, and 3%. The detection and quantitation limits with ECD were 1.6 and 4.0 microg/kg, respectively. No statistically significant difference was observed in the efficiency of CAP extraction from muscle tissue of various animals (bovine, porcine, and poultry) by the MSPD technique.     

Comparing laser-based open- and closed-path gas analyzers to measure methane fluxes using the eddy covariance method

Closed- and open-path methane gas analyzers are used in eddy covariance systems to compare three potential methane emitting ecosystems in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (CA, USA): a rice field, a peatland pasture and a restored wetland. The study points out similarities and differences of the systems in field experiments and data processing. The closed-path system, despite a less intrusive placement with the sonic anemometer, required more care and power. In contrast, the open-path system appears more versatile for a remote and unattended experimental site. Overall, the two systems have comparable minimum detectable limits, but synchronization between wind speed and methane data, air density corrections and spectral losses have different impacts on the computed flux covariances. For the closed-path analyzer, air density effects are less important, but the synchronization and spectral losses may represent a problem when fluxes are small or when an undersized pump is used. For the open-path analyzer air density corrections are greater, due to spectroscopy effects and the classic Webb-Pearman-Leuning correction. Comparison between the 30-min fluxes reveals good agreement in terms of magnitudes between open-path and closed-path flux systems. However, the scatter is large, as consequence of the intensive data processing which both systems require.     

长期定位试验对水稻田土壤甲烷氧化活性和甲烷排放通量的影响

通过对长期定位施肥的黄松稻田土的甲烷氧化活性和甲烷排放通量的研究表明,长期定位施肥对稻田土壤的好氧甲烷氧化活性和甲烷排放通量有显著性的影响(|t|t0.05,P0.05),而对稻田土壤的厌氧甲烷氧化活性有影响但未达显著性水平(|t|t0.05,P0.05)。施加有机肥能显著增加稻田土壤的甲烷氧化活性和甲烷排放通量;当有机肥和无机肥混合施用时,其促进作用明显大于单施有机肥或无机肥。施加尿素后,稻田土壤的甲烷氧化活性及甲烷排放量都有所下降,但钾肥和磷肥能缓解由尿素引起的抑制作用。施肥后耕作的稻田甲烷氧化活性和甲烷排放通量高于施肥后不耕作的稻田;耕作而不施肥的稻田甲烷氧化活性和甲烷排放通量要低于不施肥也不耕作的稻田。     

The impact of data realities on conservation planning

Conservation planning decisions are typically made on the basis of species distribution or occurrence data, which ideally would have complete spatial and taxonomic coverage. Agencies are constrained in the data they can collect, often pragmatically prioritising certain groups such as threatened species, or methods, such as volunteer surveys. This mismatch between goals and realities inevitably leads to bias and uncertainty in conservation planning outputs, yet few studies have assessed how data realities affect planning outputs. We conducted a sensitivity analysis on the Protection Index, a method for assessing conservation progress and priorities, using an extensive dataset on species occurrences and distributions derived from the Florida Natural Areas Inventory. Analyses revealed a high proportion of occurrence records for threatened species and certain taxonomic groups, reflecting the agencies’ priorities. We performed a sensitivity analysis on conservation planning outputs, simulating a ‘data poor’ scenario typical of many real situations; we deleted increasing amounts of data in both a biased (exaggerating patterns observed) and unbiased (random) manner. We assessed the effects of data paucity and bias on the value of potential conservation sites, and planning priorities. Certain high value sites with only a few important species occurrences were more sensitive to data depletion than those with many occurrences. Data bias based on taxonomic bias was more influential to site value than threat rank. To maximise benefit from surveys from a planning perspective, it would be better to focus on poorly surveyed areas rather than adding occurrences in already well represented sites. This study demonstrates the importance of sensitivity analysis in conservation planning, and that the effects of uncertainty and data quality on planning decisions should not be ignored.     

Man's impact on atmospheric lead concentrations — pollution sources and baseline levels in western europe

A number of experiments have been performed to evaluate the concentrations of airborne particulate Pb, and their major sources in Belgium. Aerosol samples along a city street on a traffic-free period and on days with intense traffic evidence the strong influence of automotive exhaust gases. The influence of non-ferrous metallurgical industries is assessed by sampling simultaneously at 14 stations in the vicinity of a plant and by studying the concentrations on different days at one location as a function of the prevailing wind-direction. Depending on meteorological conditions and owing to the multiplicity of non-ferrous metallurgical plants in Belgium the industrial emissions are felt all over the country. A Pb concentration of 0.23 µg m^?3 can be considered as the Belgian background. The mean concentrations detected at real background locations such as the Jungfraujoch, Switzerland (3600 m height) and at Lakselv, Norway (70° lat.) are nearly two orders of magnitude lower, namely 0.0087 and 0.0056 µg m^?3. It is shown that the Pb concentration is a much more sensitive indicator for atmospheric pollution than the total suspended particulates.     

Degradability of black carbon and its impact on trace gas fluxes and carbon turnover in paddy soils

Rice paddy soils are characterized by anoxic conditions, anaerobic carbon turnover, and significant emissions of the greenhouse gas methane. A main source for soil organic matter in paddy fields is the rice crop residue that is returned to fields if not burned. We investigated as an alternative treatment the amendment of rice paddies with rice residues that have been charred to black carbon. This treatment might avoid various negative side effects of traditional rice residue treatments. Although charred biomass is seen as almost recalcitrant, its impact on trace gas (CO₂, CH₄) production and emissions in paddy fields has not been studied. We quantified the degradation of black carbon produced from rice husks in four wetland soils in laboratory incubations. In two of the studied soils the addition of carbonised rice husks resulted in a transient increase in carbon mineralisation rates in comparison to control soils without organic matter addition. After almost three years, between 4.4% and 8.5% of the black carbon added was mineralised to CO₂ under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively. The addition of untreated rice husks resulted in a strong increase in carbon mineralisation rates and in the same time period 77%-100% of the added rice husks were mineralised aerobically and 31%-54% anaerobically. The ¹³C-signatures of respired CO₂ gave a direct indication of black carbon mineralisation to CO_2. In field trials we quantified the impact of rice husk black carbon or untreated rice husks on soil respiration and methane emissions. The application of black carbon had no significant effect on soil respiration but significantly enhanced methane emissions in the first rice crop season. The additional methane released accounted for only 0.14% of black carbon added. If the same amount of organic carbon was added as untreated rice husks, 34% of the applied carbon was released as CO₂ and methane in the first season. Furthermore, the addition of fresh harvest residues to paddy fields resulted in a disproportionally high increase in methane emissions. Estimating the carbon budget of the different rice crop residue treatments indicated that charring of rice residues and adding the obtained black carbon to paddy fields instead of incorporating untreated harvest residues may reduce field methane emissions by as much as 80%. Hence, the production of black carbon from rice harvest residues could be a powerful strategy for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from rice fields.