Elimination and accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban stormwater wet detention ponds

The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS) in water and sediments of seven wet detention ponds receiving urban stormwater were investigated. The ponds comprised traditional wet detention ponds with a permanent wet volume and a storage volume as well as ponds that were expanded with sand filters and other means to improve the removal of micropollutants. The concentrations of sigmaPAH in the sediments varied between 6 +/- 5 and 2,222 +/- 603 ng g(-1) dry weight (mean +/- standard deviation), and were highest in the ponds with lower pond volume per catchment area and did not clearly reflect different activities in the catchments. In general, the concentrations of PAHS in the sediments decreased from inlet to outlet, especially in the systems with good conditions for sedimentation such as systems with flow perpendicular sand dikes and extensive submerged vegetation. High molecular weight PAHs were predominant in the sediments indicating the pyrogenic origin of the PAHS. There was no correlation between PAH species concentrations in water or sediments and their hydrophobicity (log K(ow)). PAH concentrations in water fluctuated in response to intensity and frequency of rain events, whereas concentrations in the sediments integrated the pollutant load over time. Pond systems expanded with sand filters and other technologies to enhance removal of micropollutants consistently had concentrations of PAHS in the effluents below the detection level.     

On simple methods for calculating ELF shielding of infinite planar shields

Simple approximate methods are developed and described for calculating the extremely low-frequency magnetic-shielding effectiveness for single- and double-layer infinite planar shields. In addition, exact expressions are given and "nearly exact" expressions are derived. Each expression has been compared to the exact expression in order to determine the range of parameters over which it is valid. Each approximate expression can be calculated rapidly and has a simple physical interpretation that leads to physical insight into the shielding process.     

A simple hybrid method for ELF shielding by imperfect finite planar shields

A simple method is described for calculating the shielding performance of a two-dimensional (2-D) thin finite-width shield made of imperfect material in the presence of the magnetic field from line source conductors. First, solutions to two canonical problems with closed-form simple analytic formulas are presented; shielding by reflection from and absorption in thin planar shields of infinite extent and shielding by perfect conductor shields of finite width. Then the method for calculation of magnetic-field shielding by perfect conductor finite-width shields is extended using the simple interpolation method, to thick shields made of imperfect material. Finally, the hybrid solution is developed by adding the two results in quadrature. The result is a simple theory for shielding by finite-width shields made of any real shielding material of arbitrary thickness. Its accuracy has been validated by comparison to finite-element method solutions and existing measurements.