Analysis of foundation installation for old buildings in downtown Saint Petersburg

Basic types of foundations supporting old buildings in Saint Petersburg are reviewed. Fundamental relationships between the width and depth of embedment of the foundations and the number of stories are analyzed on the basis of field observations. Average pressures against the lower surfaces of the foundations are compared with design strengths adopted from modern standards for bed soils.Translated from Osnovaniya, Fundamenty i Mekhanika Gruntov, No. 5, pp. 13–15, September–October, 2004.     

Particle-size distribution and phosphorus levels in soil, sediment, and urban dust and dirt samples from the Menomonee River Watershed, Wisconsin, U.S.A.

Soil, bottom sediment, suspended sediment, and urban street dust and dirt samples from the Menomonee River Watershed, Wisconsin, were dispersed by ultrasound, fractionated and analyzed for the P content of each of three particle-size fractions. The major soil types in the watershed were used as a reference for comparing particle-size distribution and P content in urban street dust and dirt, and in sediments.Phosphorus level was found to be greater in the clay-sized particles than in the sand- or silt-sized particles of urban street dust and dirt samples, but 48% of the P was in the sand-sized fraction because of the predominance of sand-sized particles in these samples. The highest P level in the clay-sized fraction of the bottom sediments occurred at the site below a sanitary treatment plant (STP) outfall with secondary treatment capability. The P level found below a tertiary STP outfall was equal to the level found in agricultural areas. When using P level in sediment for locating areas of possible P input to the river, the clay-sized fraction of bottom sediments was more precise than P levels in unfractionated samples.     

Eating to your hearts delight

Food and knowledge of food is an essential part of life. Knowledge about how to get enough and how to get it right is an essential part of all cultures. Since food is vital, nutrition policy is critical. Nutrition policy is about who should eat what, why, when and how in order to promote better health. This article deals with the politics of nutrition, which is about who eats what, why, when, how, and with what impact on their lives. For food, whether it is scarce or abundant, affects people unequally, hence food has always been a social concern. Regulating its supply has been a source of civilization. The state of nutrition is one of the most potent indicators of the state of society. Hence, food is also one of the oldest objects of politics--indeed, one cannot think of politics without it. This is the first issue I will address: by offering a capsule history of humanity from the perspective of the politics of nutrition. Next, I will address, in a similarly compressed history, the development of the science of nutrition, as nutrition policy has become based on research--particularly on medical science. Finally, I will address nutrition policy as a subpart of the politics of nutrition--how it has been defined and how it has developed, its changing agendas and current concerns.     

ASSESSING AND MANAGING THE RISKS OF PATHOGEN TRANSFER FROM LIVESTOCK MANURES INTO THE FOOD CHAIN

A review was undertaken of (a) the levels and prevalence of Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli 0157. Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia intestinalis in livestock manure, and (b) factors which affect their survival during storage and following land application. Pathogens are commonly present in livestock manures and can survive in soil for several months or years after spreading or excretion onto land. Temperature was identified as being the most important factor influencing pathogen survival, although pH, UV light and drying were also important. Various practical measures to minimise the risk of pathogen transfer into the food chain were identified, including treatment, extended storage and no/harvest periods following land spreading. Guidelines are being developed on managing farm manures to minimise the risks of microbiological contamination of ready-to-eat crops.     

Detection of enteric viruses, Giardia and Cryptosporidium in two different types of drinking water treatment facilities

In this study, two types of drinking water treatment facilities (two conventional drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) and two compact units (Cus)) were compared referring to their production capacity. Water samples were collected from three main points: (a) different water treatment steps (b) washings of sand filters and (c) distribution system at different distances from the water treatment plants. Both viruses and protozoa were concentrated from each water sample by adsorption and accumulation on the same nitrocellulose membrane filters (0.45 microm pore size). Enteroviruses were detected by plaque infectivity assay in BGM cells and HAV, HEV and Norovirus were detected by RT-PCR. Giardia and Cryptosporidium were detected by conventional staining methods and PCR. The results revealed that enterovirus load at the intake ranged between 10-15 PFU/L for the two compact units and between 4.5 and 75 PFU/L for the two conventional DWTPs. The virus load in distribution system of the first type DWTPs at 1 km from the plant was the same as that of the intake. Viruses in the other type of treatment plants CUs at 1, 5 and 7 km, were much reduced. Investigation of raw water sediments of the two DWTPs showed enterovirus counts between 12 and 17.5 PFU/L. Virus count was reduced in sand of filters after washing. Giardia cysts were equally detected by microscopy and PCR in only intake samples of EL-Hawamdia CU (33.3%) and Meet Fares DWTP (50%). Cryptosporidium oocysts were equally detected by microscopy and PCR in intake samples of Abo EL-Nomros CU (100%), EL-Hawamdia CU (66.7%) and Fowa DWTP (50%). At Meet Fares DWTP three positive intake samples for Cryptosporidium were detected by PCR, compared with only two positive samples by microscopy. Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in raw water sediment and sand of filters before washing. Only one sample from Meet Fares DWTP sand of filters after washing was positive for both Giardia and Cryptosporidium. It can be concluded that the poor microbial quality of the water may be due to improper operational skills and management of the various water treatment plants (especially at the two high capacity treatment plants).     

Role of phosphorus in eutrophication and diffuse source control

Many lakes and some streams and estuaries are showing signs of excessive fertilization due to the input of aquatic plant nutrients from man-associated sources. The key element often found limiting aquatic plant populations is phosphorus. The attempt to control phosphorus input to natural waters as the overall approach for controlling excessive fertilization is technically sound and economically feasible for many natural waters. However, a much better understanding of the relationship between the phosphorus input to a lake and the excessive growths of aquatic plants within the lake must be developed. This development will require a combined biological and chemical approach toward assessing the role of phosphorus in eutrophication for a specific water body. The biological approach will use tissue content, enzymatic and kinetic uptake analysis of phosphorus limitations as well as bioassays of phosphorus availability in order to determine the limiting nutrient for a body of water. The chemical aaproach will utilize amounts of each of the forms of phosphorus present in the lake and the rates of interchange of phosphorus between these various forms.There will be some waters where control of phosphorus from treatment of domestic waste water input and removal of phosphorus from detergents will not result in significant improvement in water quality. This is because these waters derive their phosphorus from diffuse sources, such as urban and rural stormwater drainage, the atmosphere, and ground waters. In these instances, it may be necessary to initiate in-lake control of phosphorus by the addition of alum or iron salts.     

Use of driven piles in rammed holes during construction in soils prone to slump-type settlement

Conclusions The experiment with the use of piles cast in rammed holes in lieu of continuous foundations placed on a bed compacted by tamping produced positive results and will be expanded upon further, since the strength properties of the materials in the foundations and the soils in the foundation beds can be more fully utilized, the reliability of the structure increased, the volume of earthwork reduced, labor and material outlays diminished, and the rate of construction and the level of the industrial nature of the work increased.State Institute for the Projection of the Greenhouse Industry. Translated from Osnovaniya, Fundamenty i Mekhanika Gruntov, No. 2, p. 10, March–April, 1977.     

社区环境管理取得成果的要素:美国酸性矿物废水治理的经验教训

1980年代,社区环境管理(CBEM:community-based environmental management)作为处理棘手环境问题的创新途径在美国开始出现.CBEM指的是地方团体采用与各类代理机构、地方政府或其他组织以合作方式处理环境问题.为更好地理解这一流行的环境管理手段,本文首先回顾环境管理制度的演变以及影响CBEM过程的资源变化,在此基础上,本文建构了关于CBEM过程的评估框架,并列举了两个通过发起CBEM来治理酸性矿物废水对流域污染的案例.