Enhancing urban infrastructure investment planning practices for a changing climate.

Climate change raises many concerns for urban water management because of the effects on all aspects of the hydrological cycle. Urban water infrastructure has traditionally been designed using historical observations and assuming stationary climatic conditions. The capability of this infrastructure, whether for storm-water drainage, or water supply, may be over- or under-designed for future climatic conditions. In particular, changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events will have the most acute effect on storm-water drainage systems. Therefore, it is necessary to take future climatic conditions into consideration in engineering designs in order to enhance water infrastructure investment planning practices in a long time horizon. This paper provides the initial results of a study that is examining ways to enhance urban infrastructure investment planning practices against changes in hydrologic regimes for a changing climate. Design storms and intensity-duration-frequency curves that are used in the engineering design of storm-water drainage systems are developed under future climatic conditions by empirically adjusting the general circulation model output, and using the Gumbel distribution and the Chicago method. Simulations are then performed on an existing storm-water drainage system from NE Calgary to investigate the resiliency of the system under climate change.     

Ecophysiology and niche differentiation of Nitrospira-like bacteria, the key nitrite oxidizers in wastewater treatment plants.

Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria of the genus Nitrospira are key nitrifiers in wastewater treatment plants. Pure cultures of these organisms are unavailable, but cultivation-independent molecular methods make it possible to detect Nitrospira-like bacteria in environmental samples and to investigate their ecophysiology. Comprehensive screening of natural and engineered habitats and of public databases for 16S rRNA sequences of Nitrospira-like bacteria revealed a surprisingly high biodiversity in the genus Nitrospira, which comprises at least four phylogenetic sublineages. All Nitrospira-like bacteria detected in wastewater treatment plants belonged to the sublineages I and II. Subsequently, the population dynamics of different Nitrospira-like bacteria were monitored, by quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization with rRNA-targeted probes, confocal laser scanning microscopy and digital image analysis, during incubation of nitrifying activated sludge in media containing different nitrite concentrations. These experiments showed that Nitrospira-like bacteria, which were affiliated with the phylogenetic sublineages I or II of the genus Nitrospira, responded differently to nitrite concentration shifts. Previously unknown properties of Nitrospira-like bacteria were discovered in the course of an environmental genomics project. Implications of the obtained results for fundamental understanding of the microbial ecology of nitrite oxidizers as well as for future improvement of nutrient removal in wastewater treatment plants are discussed.     

Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) treatment of supernatant of cow manure by thermal pre-treatment.

Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) methane fermentation treatment of cow manure that was subjected to screw pressing, thermal treatment and subsequent solid-liquid separation was studied. Conducting batch scale tests at temperatures between 140 and 180 degrees C, the optimal temperature for sludge settling and the color suppression was found to be between 160-170 degrees C. UASB treatment was carried out with a supernatant obtained from the thermal treatment at the optimal conditions (170 degrees C for 30 minutes) and polymer-dosed solid-liquid separation. In the UASB treatment with a COD(Cr) loading of 11.7 kg/m3/d and water temperature of 32.2 degrees C, the COD(Cr) level dropped from 16,360 mg/L in raw water to 3,940 mg/L in treated water (COD(Cr), removal rate of 75.9%), and the methane production rate per COD(Cr) was 0.187 Nm3/kg. Using wastewater thermal-treated at the optimal conditions, also a methane fermentation treatment with a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was conducted (COD(Cr) in raw water: 38,000 mg/L, hydraulic retention time (HRT): 20 days, 35 degrees C). At the COD(Cr) loading of 1.9 kg/m3/d, the methane production rate per COD(Cr), was 0.153 Nm3/kg. This result shows that UASB treatment using thermal pre-treatment provides a COD(Cr), loading of four times or more and a methane production rate of 1.3 times higher than the CSTR treatment.     

Differentiation of Romashkino crude oils according to biomarker hydrocarbon parameters

The trends in composition of higher biomarker hydrocarbons (steranes and tri-, tetra-, and pentacyclic terpanes) in crude oils from diachronous producing complexes of deposits of the Romashkino oil field, which occurs in the central part of the South Tatarian arch, were studied. On the basis of variations in molecular biomarker parameters that reflect the type of source organic matter and the facies conditions of its accumulation and early diagenesis, the oils are classified with three groups.     

HIGHER PLANT BIOMARKERS IN PALEOGENE CRUDE OILS FROM THE YUFUTSU OIL-AND GASFIELD AND OFFSHORE WILDCATS, JAPAN

Geochemical investigation of Paleogene oils from the onshore Yufutsu oil- and gasfield, southern Hokkaido, and from two nearby offshore wells, revealed the presence of numerous biomarkers of higher plant origin. Biomarkers in the oils belong to different groups of both angiosperm and gymnosperm origin; they include bicyclic sesquiterpanes, diterpanes, and triterpanes and their aromatized counterparts, which suggests a terrestrial origin for the oils. The oils were characterized as having a high wax content, a low content of organosulphur compounds, a high pristane/phytane ratio, and a low C₂₇/(C₂₇+C₂₉) sterane ratio.
Although the oils from on- and offshore Southern Hokkaido are similar in their geochemical composition, notable differences were observed in the biomarker signature of both saturate and aromatic fractions. The oils from the offshore wells appeared to have a greater abundance of higher plant biomarkers compared to those from the Yufutsu field, suggesting an enrichment in higher plant components. Differences in biomarker fingerprint could not be linked to the maturity effect, since the oils appeared to be of similar maturity levels, corresponding to the late stage of the oil window (0.9–1.2%, Rc). The differences in the biomarker signatures between the oils from the Yufutsu field and the offshore wells are likely to be due to facies variations in source organic matter, resulting from differences in the quantity and quality of land plant input.     

PETROLEUM POTENTIAL, THERMAL MATURITY AND THE OIL WINDOW OF OIL SHALES AND COALS IN CENOZOIC RIFT BASINS, CENTRAL AND NORTHERN THAILAND

Oil shales and coals occur in Cenozoic rift basins in central and northern Thailand. Thermally immature outcrops of these rocks may constitute analogues for source rocks which have generated oil in several of these rift basins. A total of 56 oil shale and coal samples were collected from eight different basins and analysed in detail in this study. The samples were analysed for their content of total organic carbon (TOC) and elemental composition. Source rock quality was determined by Rock‐Eval pyrolysis. Reflected light microscopy was used to analyse the organic matter (maceral) composition of the rocks, and the thermal maturity was determined by vitrinite reflectance (VR) measurements. In addition to the 56 samples, VR measurements were carried out in three wells from two oil‐producing basins and VR gradients were constructed. Rock‐Eval screening data from one of the wells is also presented. The oil shales were deposited in freshwater (to brackish) lakes with a high preservation potential (TOC contents up to 44.18 wt%). They contain abundant lamalginite and principally algal‐derived fluorescing amorphous organic matter followed by liptodetrinite and telalginite (Botryococcus‐type). Huminite may be present in subordinate amounts. The coals are completely dominated by huminite and were formed in freshwater mires. VR values from 0.38 to 0.47%R_o show that the exposed coals are thermally immature. VR values from the associated oil shales are suppressed by 0.11 to 0.28%R_o. The oil shales have H/C ratios >1.43, and Hydrogen Index (HI) values are generally >400 mg HC/g TOC and may reach 704 mg HC/ gTOC. In general, the coals have H/C ratios between about 0.80 and 0.90, and the HI values vary considerably from approximately 50 to 300 mg HC/gTOC. The HI_max of the coals, which represent the true source rock potential, range from ～160 to 310 mg HC/g TOC indicating a potential for oil/gas and oil generation. The steep VR curves from the oil‐producing basins reflect high geothermal gradients of ～62°C/km and ～92°C/km. The depth to the top oil window for the oil shales at a VR of ～0.70%R_o is determined to be between ～1100 m and 1800 m depending on the geothermal gradient. The kerogen composition of the oil shales and the high geothermal gradients result in narrow oil windows, possibly spanning only ～300 to 400 m in the warmest basins. The effective oil window of the coals is estimated to start from ～0.82 to 0.98%R_o and burial depths of ～1300 to 1400 m (～92°C/km) and ～2100 to 2300 m (～62°C/km) are necessary for efficient oil expulsion to occur.     

THE ORIGIN OF DOLOMITE IN THE ASMARI FORMATION (OLIGOCENE-LOWER MIOCENE), DEZFUL EMBAYMENT, SW IRAN

Dolomitisation is an important factor controlling reservoir quality in the Asmari Formation in many producing fields in SW Iran. Dolostones have higher average porosities than limestones. Petrographic and geochemical studies have been used to determine the causes of Asmari dolomitisation at the Bibi Hakimeh and Marun fields and at the Khaviz anticline. The formation is generally characterized by a large‐scale trend of upward‐decreasing accommodation. Basal strata were deposited under relatively open‐marine, high‐energy conditions, whereas the Middle to Upper Asmari succession was deposited in relatively protected settings with more frequent evidence of exposure and evaporitic conditions. There is a general upward increase in the abundance of both anhydrite (occurring as nodules and cement) and dolomite. Two main types of dolomite fabric are recognised, reflecting the textures of the precursor limestones: (1) finely crystalline pervasive dolomite (commonly <20μ) replacing mud‐rich facies; and (2) combinations of finely crystalline replacive dolomite and surrounding areas of coarser dolomite cement (crystals up to 100μ) in grain‐supported facies. Fluid inclusion data indicate that finely crystalline dolomites formed at low temperatures (ca. <50°C), while the coarser dolomite formed at higher temperatures (50–;140°C). Whole rock‐carbonate oxygen and carbon isotope analyses of pure dolostone samples show no apparent correlation with either depositional or diagenetic textures: δ¹⁸O is generally 0 to 2.7‰ PDB, and δ¹³C is ?1 to 4‰ PDB. The importance of evaporated seawater to Asmari dolomitisation is indicated by the ubiquitous occurrence of felty‐textured anhydrite nodules in dolostone beds and the presence of high‐salinity fluid inclusions in dolomite. The derivation of dolomitising fluids from contemporaneous seawater is supported by the general correspondence between age estimates derived from the strontium isotope composition of anhydrites and dolomites and those derived from stratigraphic considerations. This suggested synsedimentary dolomitisation. Dolomitisation of the upper half of the Asmari Formation may have occurred as a result of two syn‐sedimentary mechanisms: (1) by the reflux of evaporative brines concentrated in shallow lagoons or sabkhas, through immediately underlying strata (mainly during highstands); and (2) by the flushing of platform‐top carbonates by basinal evaporated waters during lowstand/early transgression. Continued dolomitisation during deeper burial is supported by the presence of high‐temperature fluid inclusions and iron‐rich crystal rims. Dolomite within the lower part of the Asmari Formation probably mostly formed during burial as a result of compaction of, and fluid exclusion from, the underlying Pabdeh marls and shales.     

Control of reactive distillation production of high-purity isopropanol

The process characteristics and control strategy of a high-purity IPA reactive distillation column were investigated. A robust nominal operation was found by maintaining an excess of propylene feed to the column and recycling the unreacted propylene to the feed instead of the top stage. Stage temperature and propylene composition with one-to-one relationship with reboiler duty and propylene feed are selected as controlled variables for maintaining bottom purity and feed ratio in the presence of possible measurement bias respectively. High nonlinearity between selected input–output pair was reduced by using variable transformation. Dynamic simulations demonstrated that such a control scheme with nonlinear transformed variable was capable of providing much superior control performance than the one using natural variable.     

Dissociating uncertainty responses and reinforcement signals in the comparative study of uncertainty monitoring.

Although researchers are exploring animals' capacity for monitoring their states of uncertainty, the use of some paradigms allows the criticism that animals map avoidance responses to error-causing stimuli not because of uncertainty monitored but because of feedback signals and stimulus aversion. The authors addressed this criticism with an uncertainty-monitoring task in which participants completed blocks of trials with feedback deferred so that they could not associate reinforcement signals to particular stimuli or stimulus-response pairs. Humans and 1 of 2 monkeys were able to make cognitive, decisional uncertainty responses that were independent of feedback or reinforcement history within a task. This finding unifies the comparative literature on uncertainty monitoring. The dissociation of performance from reinforcement has theoretical implications, and the deferred-feedback technique has many applications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)