Geochemistry of some rare earth elements in groundwater,Vierlingsbeek, The Netherlands

Groundwater samples were taken from seven bore holes at depths ranging from 2 to 41m nearby drinking water pumping station Vierlingsbeek, The Netherlands and analysed for Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm and Eu. Shale-normalized patterns were generally flat and showed that the observed rare earth elements (REE) were probably of natural origin. In the shallow groundwaters the REEs were light REE (LREE) enriched, probably caused by binding of LREEs to colloids. To improve understanding of the behaviour of the REE, two approaches were used: calculations of the speciation and a statistical approach.For the speciation calculations, complexation and precipitation reactions including inorganic and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) compounds, were taken into account. The REE speciation showed REE(3+), REE(SO(4))(+), REE(CO(3))(+) and REE(DOC) being the major species. Dissolution of pure REE precipitates and REE-enriched solid phases did not account for the observed REEs in groundwater. Regulation of REE concentrations by adsorption-desorption processes to Fe(III)(OH)(3) and Al(OH)(3) minerals, which were calculated to be present in nearly all groundwaters, is a probable explanation.The statistical approach (multiple linear regression) showed that pH is by far the most significant groundwater characteristic which contributes to the variation in REE concentrations. Also DOC, SO(4), Fe and Al contributed significantly, although to a much lesser extent, to the variation in REE concentrations. This is in line with the calculated REE-species in solution and REE-adsorption to iron and aluminium (hydr)oxides. Regression equations including only pH, were derived to predict REE concentrations in groundwater. External validation showed that these regression equations were reasonably successful to predict REE concentrations of groundwater of another drinking water pumping station in quite different region of The Netherlands.     

Stability analysis of simply-supported rectangular plates under non-uniform uniaxial compression using rigorous and approximate plane stress solutions

The non-classical problem of buckling of a simply-supported rectangular plate due to various types of non-uniform compressive edge loads is analysed here. For each case, the elasticity solution for the internal in-plane stress field is obtained rigorously using a superposition of Airy's stress functions and also approximately using extended Kantorovich method. Subsequently, the convergent buckling loads are obtained using Galerkin's method. Results are presented to highlight the dependence of the total buckling load and the corresponding buckled shape on the edge load distribution, as well as to illustrate the applicability of the approximate plane stress solutions.     

Method of Determining Strength and Deformation Characteristics of Soils from Results of Deep Impression of Rod Plates

The possibility of determining strength and deformation characteristics of soils under field conditions using rod plates is discussed. The mutual relationship between these characteristics is established from results of deep impression of these rods.     

Chloroaromatic formation in incineration processes

The high-temperature reactions of chlorinated hydrocarbons are reviewed with a primary focus on the gas-phase molecular growth chemistry and elementary reaction mechanisms leading to the formation of chlorinated benzenes and chlorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Recent heterogeneous mechanistic studies of the chlorination and condensation of aliphatic hydrocarbons at lower temperatures are also summarized. Copper(II) valent species play an important role as catalyst and reagent. The main thermal pathways for chlorinated dibenzodioxins and furans have been deduced by these laboratory experiments, which try to model the complex reality of the post-incineration zone of municipal and hazardous waste incinerators.     

Use of toxicity test results and confrontation of some toxicity test methods with fire scenarios

The enormous, world wide research activity in the field of combustion toxicology has given rise to an impressive amount of toxicity data.

The first part of this paper discusses the problems which arise when such results are used to rank materials in an order of the relative toxicity of their combustion products or in attempting to relate them to toxicological hazard evaluation.

In the second part, after introducing the notion of fire scenarios and describing two such possible situations, existing test methods are compared in relation to their relevance to the scenario parameters. It is shown that none of the evaluated methods completely fulfills the considered conditions.

It is concluded by the authors that agreement on thoroughly described scenarios is necessary for further trials towards international harmonisation and development of test methods.     

Circular footings resting on geotextile-reinforced sand bed

The note pertains to an experimental study made on circular footings resting on semi-infinite layer of sand reinforced with geotextiles. Using the concept of homogenization of such soils, both analytical and numerical analyses have also been conducted to predict the load-settlement behavior and compared with experimental observations. The study highlights the effect of the footing size, number of reinforcing layers, reinforcement placement pattern and bond length and the relative density of the soil on the load-settlement characteristics of the footings.     

Reviews

DROUGHT AND FAMINE IN ETHIOPIA Editor: Abdul Mejid Hussein. African Environment Special Report No. 2, The International African Institute, London, 1976,121 pp. £1.50.

HEDGING (A Practical conservation handbook) Alan Brooks, The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, The Zoological Gardens, Regents Park, London, 1975. 117 pp. £2.10 inc. postage.

THREE JOURNALS Habitat: Published by : The Council for Nature, The Zoological Gardens, Regents Park, NW1 4RY. At £2.50, or £5.00 per annum.

Recreation News: Published by: The Countryside Commission , John Dower House, Crescent Place, Cheltenham, Glos., GL50 3RA.

The International Journal of Environmental Studies: Published by : Gordon Breach Science Publishers Ltd., 42 William IV Street. London, W.C.2. £17.50 for individuals, £35.00 for Libraries. Habitat

A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE J.J. Bagley, Phillimore & Co. Ltd., London & Chichester 1976. 128 pp. £4.95.     

Assessment of nitrification in groundwater filters for drinking water production by qPCR and activity measurement

In groundwater treatment for drinking water production, the causes of nitrification problems and the effectiveness of process optimization in rapid sand filters are often not clear. To assess both issues, the performance of a full-scale groundwater filter with nitrification problems and another filter with complete nitrification and pretreatment by subsurface aeration was monitored over nine months. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) targeting the amoA gene of bacteria and archaea and activity measurements of ammonia oxidation were used to regularly evaluate water and filter sand samples. Results demonstrated that subsurface aeration stimulated the growth of ammonia-oxidizing prokaryotes (AOP) in the aquifer. Cell balances, using qPCR counts of AOP for each filter, showed that the inoculated AOP numbers from the aquifer were marginal compared with AOP numbers detected in the filter. Excessive washout of AOP was not observed and did not cause the nitrification problems. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea grew in both filters, but only in low numbers compared to bacteria. The cell-specific nitrification rate in the sand and backwash water samples was high for the subsurface aerated filter, but systematically much lower for the filter with nitrification problems. From this, we conclude that incomplete nitrification was caused by nutrient limitation.     

Toxicity, accumulation and elimination studies of α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) with freshwater organisms of different trophic levels

A short- and long-term toxicity study with α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) was carried out with freshwater organisms of different trophic levels (algae, crustaceae and fishes). In this study mortality, immobilization, growth, reproduction, histopathologic changes and enzyme activities were chosen as criteria.Furthermore accumulation and elimination processes were investigated in separate organisms as well as the uptake of α-HCH by one organism and through a food-chain.Finally a tentative method for deriving an “ecological limit” for χ-HCH in surface water is described.     

Lead,cadmium, and arsenic residues in animal tissues in relation to those in their surrounding habitat

The relationships of the residues of lead, cadmium, and arsenic in animal tissues to those in surrounding vegetation and soil were determined in a natural habitat representing a wide range of such residues. The samples studied were selected from 18 different locations. Analyses were performed on a total of 113 animals, 332 plant specimens (representing 33 species), and 408 soil samples (taken at different depths). For the purpose of evaluating relationships, the samples from each location were averaged and reported as parts per million on a dry weight basis. The average lead residues from different locations ranged from 1.4–9.2 ppm in the liver, 45–195 in bones, 4–283 in vegetation, and 15–1399 in soil samples. The cadmium contents ranged from 1–27 ppm in the liver, 3–77 in bones, 0.5–5 in vegetation, and 1–10 in soil. The arsenic contents in different components of the ecosystem varied with an average of 1–9 ppm in liver, 0.6–94 in vegetation, and 7–655 in soil samples. The soil residues varied considerably according to the depth of sampling. Little variation was noted in different species of vegetation or in soil and vegetation samples according to the time and year of sampling.Statistical analyses performed on the averages indicated a significant correlation between vegetation and soil residues for all three elements, and also between animal to vegetation and animal to soil cadmium residues. Multiple linear correlations for all elements in soil, vegetation, and animal tissues were determined. The results indicated a possibility of an increase in cadmium in animal tissues depending upon the increased residues of this metal in the environment.