Application of the Regional Mercury Cycling Model (RMCM) to Predict the Fate and Remediation of Mercury in Onondaga Lake,New York

Onondaga Lake exhibits elevated concentrations of total mercury (HgT) and methyl-mercury (MeHg) in the water column, sediments and fish tissue due to industrial inputs, wastewater discharge and urban runoff. The steady-state Regional Mercury Cycling Model (RMCM) was calibrated to Onondaga Lake and applied to evaluate various remediation scenarios. Because of detailed data available for Onondaga Lake, the RMCM was effectively calibrated. Model predictions of water column and fish concentrations of Hg generally agreed with measured values. The model underestimated concentrations of Hg in sediments. Mass balance calculations show that inputs of HgT largely originate from tributary and wastewater inflows to the lake. In contrast, MeHg is largely derived from internal production. Model calculations suggest that elimination of Hg inputs from wastewater effluent and of drainage from a former chlor-alkali facility could greatly decrease Hg concentrations in fish tissue.     

Equine castration: review of anatomy, approaches, techniques and complications in normal, cryptorchid and monorchid horses

Complications associated with equine castration are the most common cause of malpractice claims against equine practitioners in North America. An understanding of the embryological development and surgical anatomy is essential to differentiate abnormal from normal structures and to minimise complications. Castration of the normal horse can be performed using sedation and regional anaesthesia while the horse is standing, or under general anaesthesia when it is recumbent. Castration of cryptorchid horses is best performed under general anaesthesia at a surgical facility. Techniques for castration include open, closed and half-closed techniques. Failure of left and right testicles to descend occurs with nearly equal frequency, however, the left testicle is found in the abdomen in 75% of cryptorchid horses compared to 42% of right testicles. Bilateral cryptorchid and monorchid horses are uncommon. Surgical approaches described for the castration of cryptorchid horses include an inguinal approach with or without retrieval of the scrotal ligament, a parainguinal approach, or less commonly a suprapubic paramedian or flank approach. Laparoscopic castration of cryptorchid horses has recently been described but the technique has limited application in practice at this time. A definitive diagnosis of monorchidism can only be made after surgical exploration of the abdomen, removal of the normal testis and hormonal testing. Hormonal assays reported to be useful include analysis of basal plasma or serum testosterone or oestrone sulphate concentrations, testosterone concentrations following hCG stimulation, and faecal oestrone sulphate concentrations. Reported complications of castration include postoperative swelling, excessive haemorrhage, eventration, funiculitis, peritonitis, hydrocele, penile damage and continued stallion-like behaviour.     

Osmium isotopic evidence for ancient subcontinental lithospheric mantle beneath the kerguelen islands, southern indian ocean

Upper mantle xenoliths found in ocean island basalts are an important window through which the oceanic mantle lithosphere may be viewed directly. Osmium isotopic data on peridotite xenoliths from the Kerguelen Islands, an archipelago that is located on the northern Kerguelen Plateau in the southern Indian Ocean, demonstrate that pieces of mantle of diverse provenance are present beneath the Islands. In particular, peridotites with unradiogenic osmium and ancient rhenium-depletion ages (to 1.36 x 10(9) years old) may be pieces of the Gondwanaland subcontinental lithosphere that were incorporated into the Indian Ocean lithosphere as a result of the rifting process.     

美国特殊农药市场机会

1前言在美国,特殊农药(special pesticide或specialty)又称非农用化学品(non-agrochemi-cal或Non Ag),主要包括家居和花园护理产品、草坪专用护理产品、害物专用护理产品、公共卫生产品、杀鼠剂、园艺及花卉产品。众所周知,美国化学农药登记费用高,费时长,所以很多中国企业不敢     

Suspension of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) in Freshwaters: Examining the Effect of CNT Size

Global demand for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is increasing dramatically. As CNTs become commonplace, the range of uses is expected to expand as will the potential for release into ecosystems. Recent research suggests that CNTs display increased suspension in water in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM), thus increasing their ability for transport and dispersion. However, it remains unclear how CNT size will affect the suspension of CNTs in natural waters. Here we examine the effect of CNT diameter (10–500 nm) and CNT length (1–40 μm) in the presence of 1% sodium docecyl sulfate (SDS), and two different freshwater NOM extracts on suspension of CNTs in water. Absorbance spectrometry (UV-VIS) was used to determine CNT concentration in solutions over a 68 h period in the dark. Seventy to ninety-five percent of the CNTs settled out of the 1% SDS solution as compared to 23–54% in each of the NOM solutions. The half-life of suspension in solution increased with decreasing CNT diameter (from 13.9 to 138.8 h^?1 for solutions containing NOM). These results demonstrate that settling rates are strongly determined by NOM presence in solution as well as CNT size.     

Lake and watershed neutralization strategies

The Experimental Watershed Liming Study (EWLS) evaluated the application of CaCO₃, to a forested watershed to mitigate the acidification of surface water. During October 1989, 6.9 Mg CaCC₃/ha was applied by helicopter to two subcatchments of about 50% (102.5 ha) of the Woods Lake watershed area. The EWLS team investigated the response to treatment of soils (chemistry and microbial processes), vegetation, wetland, stream and lake waters, and phytoplankton and fish, and applied the Integrated Lake Watershed Acidification (ILWAS) model in predicting a watershed treatment duration of up to 50 years. Observations showed a gradual change in pH, acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) and Ca²⁺ in the water column; direct lake additions of CaCO₃ (three different times) were characterized by abrupt changes following base addition and subsequent rapid reacidification. Moreover, the watershed treatment eliminated the snowmelt acidification of the near-shore region of the lake observed during direct lake treatments. Positive ANC water in the tributary and near-shore area improved conditions for fish reproduction and for a viable fish population. Budgets for 12-month periods before and after the watershed treatment showed that the lake shifted from a source of ANC to a sink due to retention of elevated inputs of Ca²⁺ from the watershed CaCO₃ application.     

The chemical responses of acidic Woods Lake,NY to two different treatments with calcium carbonate

A study was conducted to compare and contrast two approaches to neutralize an acidic lake by CaCO₃ addition (Woods Lake, Adirondack Mountains, New York, U.S.A.; 42°52′ N, 71°58′ W); direct water column treatment and treatment of both the water column and sediment. The latter treatment strategy was designed to release a slow, diffusive Ca²⁺. flux across the sediment/water interface and thereby delay the rate of reacidification. Both applications satisfactorily increased the acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) and Ca²⁺ of the lake, temporarily buffering the water column pH against acidic inputs from the watershed. The water column/sediment application involved a greater (50% more) dose in order to accomplish sediment treatment and resulted in a prolonged period of positive ANC in the water column. However, both treatments neutralized approximately the same quantity of runoff and equivalence of acidic inputs. Water column/sediment treatment may be an effective approach to help delay reacidification in shallow lakes of moderate hydraulic retention times. Unfortunately, many acidic Adirondack lakes have very short hydraulic retention times (<0.5 yr) and may not be neutralized for adequate durations by either water column or water column/sediment CaCO₃ treatments.     

Gigahertz electron spin manipulation using voltage-controlled g-tensor modulation

We present a scheme that enables gigahertz-bandwidth three-dimensional control of electron spins in a semiconductor heterostructure with the use of a single voltage signal. Microwave modulation of the Landé g tensor produces frequency-modulated electron spin precession. Driving at the Larmor frequency results in g-tensor modulation resonance, which is functionally equivalent to electron spin resonance but without the use of time-dependent magnetic fields. These results provide proof of the concept that quantum spin information can be locally manipulated with the use of high-speed electrical circuits.     

Soluble aluminum silicates: stoichiometry, stability, and implications for environmental geochemistry

Soluble aluminum silicate (Al-Si) complexes are critical species for the development and application of geochemical models. A fluorescence probe technique was used to show that Al-Si complexes account for up to 95% of the total inorganic mononuclear Al in natural waters. The presence of these soluble Al-Si species affects the solubility of Al-Si minerals. Soluble Al-Si species may be important intermediates in the weathering reactions of primary Al-Si minerals and should be considered in dissolution models. Soluble Al-Si species may be key components controlling the formation of metastable and new stable minerals during interactions between water and rocks or soils.