Management and environmental risk study of the physicochemical parameters of ballast water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nosrati-Ghods, Nosaibeh; Ghadiri, Mehdi; Früh, Wolf-Gerrit

2017-01-01

Shipping is a vital industry for the global economy. Stability of ships, provided by ballast water, is a crucial factor for cargo loading and unloading processes. Ballast water treatment has practical significance in terms of environmental issues, ecosystem, and human health, because ships discharge this water into the environment before loading their cargos. This study reviews the common methods for ballast water management – exchange, heating, filtration, ultrasonic treatment, ultraviolet irradiation, chemicals, and gas supersaturation – to select the best one. This study compares water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals (Co, Cr, Ni, Pb) for ballast tanks of selected ships with the recipient port environment in the Persian Gulf as a case study. The exchange of ballast water in the ocean and/or its treatment on board to prevent inadvertent effects on the environment's physicochemical conditions is related to vessel characteristics, legislation, and the environmental condition. Ecological risk study showed that the salt content in ballast water is close to that of seawater, but the values of Cr (2.1 mg/l) and Ni (0.029 mg/l) in ballast water are higher than those in seawater (1 and 0.004 mg/l, respectively). - Highlights: • Description of ballast water management methods. • Experimental investigation of ballast water and seawater. • Differences of physiochemical characteristics of ballast water and seawater. • Selection of the best ballast water management method.

Development of an ATP assay for rapid onboard testing to detect living microorganisms in ballast water

Science.gov (United States)

Hyun, Bonggil; Cha, Hyung-Gon; Lee, Nayoung; Yum, Seungshic; Baek, Seung Ho; Shin, Kyoungsoon

2018-03-01

Ballast water is a principal pathway for the introduction of pathogens and non-indigenous species to ports worldwide. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) have adopted ballast water management regulations that require, e.g., the installation of shipboard ballast water management systems (BWMS). Rapid and simple analytical methods are needed to monitor whether ballast water disinfection ensures compliance with the discharge standards. In this study laboratory and full scale land-based testing was used to investigate the suitability of an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) assay for quantifying living organisms (≥ 10 and land-based testing the ATP assay also showed a good correlation with the presence of living natural plankton cells in control samples, but the ATP concentration (137 pg mL- 1) was much lower than the ATP guideline. The low ATP concentration in natural plankton cells may reflect a decline in their biological activity because of extended exposure to dark conditions. Although our results need further validation, the ATP assay is a suitable tool for monitoring compliance of ballast water treatment.

Electrochemical disinfection of simulated ballast water on PbO2/graphite felt electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Shuiping; Hu, Weidong; Hong, Jianxun; Sandoe, Steve

2016-01-01

A novel PbO 2 /graphite felt electrode was constructed by electrochemical deposition of PbO 2 on graphite felt and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The prepared electrode is a viable technology for inactivation of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Artemia salina as indicator organisms in simulated ballast water treatment, which meets the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Regulation D-2. The effects of contact time and current density on inactivation were investigated. An increase in current density generally had a beneficial effect on the inactivation of the three species. E.faecalis and A.salina were more resistant to electrochemical disinfection than E. coli. The complete disinfection of E.coli was achieved in <8 min at an applied current density of 253 A/m 2 . Complete inactivation of E. faecalis and A.salina was achieved at the same current density after 60 and 40 min of contact time, respectively. A. salina inactivation follows first-order kinetics. - Highlights: •A novel PbO 2 /graphite felt anode was developed for the electrochemical treatment of the simulated ballast water. •The technology meets the IMO D‐2 regulation and provides a high degree of removal of the microorganisms of ballast water without any additional chemical substances. •E.faecalis, E.coli, and A.salina cells in simulated ballast water were completely inactivated after 60, 8 and 40 min of contact time at 253 A/m 2 of current density, respectively.

The challenges and promises of genetic approaches for ballast water management

Science.gov (United States)

Rey, Anaïs; Basurko, Oihane C.; Rodríguez-Ezpeleta, Naiara

2018-03-01

Ballast water is a main vector of introduction of Harmful Aquatic Organisms and Pathogens, which includes Non-Indigenous Species. Numerous and diversified organisms are transferred daily from a donor to a recipient port. Developed to prevent these introduction events, the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments will enter into force in 2017. This international convention is asking for the monitoring of Harmful Aquatic Organisms and Pathogens. In this review, we highlight the urgent need to develop cost-effective methods to: (1) perform the biological analyses required by the convention; and (2) assess the effectiveness of two main ballast water management strategies, i.e. the ballast water exchange and the use of ballast water treatment systems. We have compiled the biological analyses required by the convention, and performed a comprehensive evaluation of the potential and challenges of the use of genetic tools in this context. Following an overview of the studies applying genetic tools to ballast water related research, we present metabarcoding as a relevant approach for early detection of Harmful Aquatic Organisms and Pathogens in general and for ballast water monitoring and port risk assessment in particular. Nonetheless, before implementation of genetic tools in the context of the ballast water management convention, benchmarked tests against traditional methods should be performed, and standard, reproducible and easy to apply protocols should be developed.

Ballast Water Treatment, U.S. Great Lakes Bulk Carrier Engineering and Cost Study. Volume 2: Analysis of On-Board Treatment Methods, Alternative Ballast Water Management Practices, and Implementation Costs

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-01

on discharge 3 CleanBallast Ballast Water Management System RWO Marine Water Technology 55 μm automatic back-flushing disc filter, electrolysis ...did not independently validate manufacturers’ claims. BWT technologies which apply electric current to ballast water ( electrolysis ) are affected by low...salinity prior to electrolysis , and the feed water must be preheated when the ballast water temperatures drop below 15 ºC. 1. Power Consumption

The Usage of Crumb Rubber Filtration and UV Radiation for Ballast Water Treatment

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Trika Pitana

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This research is aimed to build ship’s ballast water treatment prototipe that used to inactivate microbial water patogen in ballast water to produce unpolluted ballast water that can be standardised by IMO Ballast Water Management Convention. A simple concept that used in the development of this prototype is by draining ballast water with capacity at 5 lpm, 10 lpm and 20 lpm into alternative filtration crumb rubber and UV reactor. In the filtration process using crumb rubber, ballast water will be filtered with the precision filtration up to 50 micron, while in the UV reactor ballast water will be illuminated by UV-C with maksimum dose 16,58 mW/cm2. Finally,the study shows the performance of alternative filtration of crumb rubber and UV-C irradiation on microbial water phatogen, and at what UV-C dose ballast water treatment prototipe can inactivate  microbial water phatogens, which are complying with IMO Ballast Water Management Convention ANNEX D. This research is aimed to build ship’s ballast water treatment prototipe that used to inactivate microbial water patogen in ballast water to produce unpolluted ballast water that can be standardised by IMO Ballast Water Management Convention. A simple concept that used in the development of this prototype is by draining ballast water with capacity at 5 lpm, 10 lpm and 20 lpm into alternative filtration crumb rubber and UV reactor. In the filtration process using crumb rubber, ballast water will be filtered with the precision filtration up to 50 micron, while in the UV reactor ballast water will be illuminated by UV-C with maksimum dose 16,58 mW/cm2. Finally,the study shows the performance of alternative filtration of crumb rubber and UV-C irradiation on microbial water phatogen, and at what UV-C dose ballast water treatment prototipe can inactivate  microbial water phatogens, which are complying with IMO Ballast Water Management Convention ANNEX D. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X

Effectiveness of a Barge-Based Ballast Water Treatment System for Multi-Terminal Ports

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Lovro Maglić

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The paper presents outcomes of the discrete event simulation of the ballast water management in a multi-terminal port. The simulation includes ship’s manoeuvring, cargo and ballast operations and a barge-based ballast water treatment system operating within all terminal areas. The barge-based ballast water treatment system is used by ships unable to use their own equipment, not equipped with an appropriate ballast treatment system or non-compliant with the Ballast Water Management (BWM Convention 2004 for whatever reason. The main goal is to estimate the productivity and cost effectiveness of such systems as an option to support ships not able to comply with the BWM Convention, once it enters into force. The model was built and tested in Arena simulation software. Process parameters are based on real traffic data for the port of Rijeka. The results indicate that barge-based ballast treatment facility will be heavily underutilized, and that such systems are cost-effective only in ports where large volumes of ballast water need to be delivered to shore treatment systems.

Study on the killing of oceanic harmful micro-organisms in ship's ballast water using oxygen active particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, C; Meng, X Y; Bai, M D; Tian, Y P; Jing, Y

2013-01-01

Global Environment Facility has identified that the spread of marine invasive alien species is one of the four major risk factors threatening the safety of global marine environments. Ballast water discharge is the main cause of biological invasion. With physical methods of strong electric field ionization discharge at atmospheric pressure, O 2 and sea water (gaseous) were ionized, and then dissociated to a number of oxygen active particles (ROS) such as ·OH, O 2 + , H 2 O + , etc. ROS was injected into 0.6 t h −1 ballast water treatment system to form high concentration ROS solution in order to kill the harmful micro-organisms in ballast water. According to the land-based test standard of International Maritime Organization (IMO) Guidelines for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems (G8), this paper concludes that single-cell algae of 3.0 × 10 4 cell ml −1 and bacteria of 2.0 × 10 4 cfu ml −1 were killed by ROS solution of 2.0 ppm. Death rate could reach almost 100%. The results meet the requirements of Regulation D-2 of International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments completely.

[Verification of ballast water exchange for international ships anchored in Xiamen Port by CDOM tracer].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chao; Zhang, Yan-po; Guo, Wei-dong; Zhu, Yue; Xu, Jing; Deng, Xun

2010-09-01

Fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) and absorption spectroscopy were applied to study the optical properties of 29 CDOM samples collected from different ballast tanks of nine international route vessels anchored in Xiamen Port between October 2007 and April 2008. The purpose was to examine the feasibility of these spectral properties as a tracer to verify if these vessels follow the mid-ocean ballast water exchange (BWE) regulation. Using parallel factor analysis, four fluorescent components were identified, including two humic-like components (C1: 245, 300/386 nm; C2: 250, 345/458 nm) and two protein-like components (C3: 220, 275/306 nm; C4: 235, 290/345 nm), of which C2 component was the suitable fluorescence verification indicator. The vertical distribution of all fluorescent components in ballast tank was nearly similar indicating that profile-mixing sampling was preferable. Combined use of C2 component, spectral slope ratio (SR) of absorption spectroscopy and salinity may provide reasonable verification if BWE carried out by these nine ships. The results suggested that the combined use of multiple parameters (fluorescence, absorption and salinity) would be much reliable to determine the origin of ballast water, and to provide the technical guarantee for fast examination of ballast water exchange in Chinese ports.

Numerical Investigation of a Liquid-Gas Ejector Used for Shipping Ballast Water Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xueguan Song

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Shipping ballast water can have significant ecological and economic impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Currently, water ejectors are widely used in marine applications for ballast water treatment owing to their high suction capability and reliability. In this communication, an improved ballast treatment system employing a liquid-gas ejector is introduced to clear the ballast water to reduce environmental risks. Commonly, the liquid-gas ejector uses ballast water as the primary fluid and chemical ozone as the secondary fluid. In this study, high-pressure water and air, instead of ballast water and ozone, are considered through extensive numerical and experimental research. The ejector is particularly studied by a steady three-dimensional multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD analysis with commercial software ANSYS-CFX 14.5. Different turbulence models (including standard k-ε, RNG k-ε, SST, and k-ω with different grid size and bubble size are compared extensively and the experiments are carried out to validate the numerical design and optimization. This study concludes that the RNG k-ε turbulence model is the most efficient and effective for the ballast water treatment system under consideration and simple change of nozzle shape can greatly improve the ejector performance under high back pressure conditions.

Temporal modelling of ballast water discharge and ship-mediated invasion risk to Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Cope, Robert C; Prowse, Thomas A A; Ross, Joshua V; Wittmann, Talia A; Cassey, Phillip

2015-04-01

Biological invasions have the potential to cause extensive ecological and economic damage. Maritime trade facilitates biological invasions by transferring species in ballast water, and on ships' hulls. With volumes of maritime trade increasing globally, efforts to prevent these biological invasions are of significant importance. Both the International Maritime Organization and the Australian government have developed policy seeking to reduce the risk of these invasions. In this study, we constructed models for the transfer of ballast water into Australian waters, based on historic ballast survey data. We used these models to hindcast ballast water discharge over all vessels that arrived in Australian waters between 1999 and 2012. We used models for propagule survival to compare the risk of ballast-mediated propagule transport between ecoregions. We found that total annual ballast discharge volume into Australia more than doubled over the study period, with the vast majority of ballast water discharge and propagule pressure associated with bulk carrier traffic. As such, the ecoregions suffering the greatest risk are those associated with the export of mining commodities. As global marine trade continues to increase, effective monitoring and biosecurity policy will remain necessary to combat the risk of future marine invasion events.

Microprocessor control unit of thyristor regulator of microhydroelectric power station ballast load

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nomokonova, Yu; Bogdanov, E

2014-01-01

The operational principle of microhydroelectric power station ballast load is presented. The comparative overview of the mathematical modeling methods is performed. The ranges of thyristors optimal work are shown as a result of the regulator regimes analysis. Shows the necessity of regulation the ballast load in microhydroelectric power station with help of developed algorithm of the program for microprocessor control

Ballast water: a review of the impact on the world public health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CK Takahashi

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Since the nineteenth century ships have been using ballast water (BW for safety, stability, propulsion and maneuverability, as well as to redress loss of fuel weight and water consumption, and to maintain structural stress at acceptable levels. Ballast water has been spreading many non-native species around the globe, but little is known about the extent and potential significance of ship-mediated transfer of microorganisms. The global movements of ballast water by ships create a long-distance dispersal mechanism for human pathogens that may be important in the worldwide distribution of microorganisms, as well as for the epidemiology of waterborne diseases. Only a few studies have been carried out on this subject, most of them involving ballast water containing crustacean larvae and phytoplankton. Specialized microbiological studies on these waters are necessary to avoid a repeat of what happened in 1991, when epidemic cholera was reported in Peru and rapidly spread through Latin America and Mexico. In July of 1992, Vibrio cholerae was found in the USA and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA determined that it came from ballast water of ships whose last port of call was in South America. In Brazil, just a few studies about the subject have been performed. An exploratory study by the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária - ANVISA found in ballast water different microorganisms, such as fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Clostridium perfringens, coliphages, Vibrio cholerae O1 and Vibrio cholerae non-O1. Until now, Brazil has been focusing only on organisms transported to its territory from other countries by ballast water, to avoid their establishment and dissemination in Brazilian areas. Studies that can assess the probability that water ballast carries pathogenic microorganisms are extremely important, as is the examination of ships that arrive in the country

77 FR 33969 - Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-08

...-10486] RIN 1625-AA32 Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters... Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters.'' Six technical errors were.... Waters.'' Six technical errors were inadvertently published in the final rule that require correction...

33 CFR 151.2035 - What are the required ballast water management practices for my vessel?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... water management practices for my vessel? 151.2035 Section 151.2035 Navigation and Navigable Waters...) must employ at least one of the following ballast water management practices: (1) Perform complete... SUBSTANCES, GARBAGE, MUNICIPAL OR COMMERCIAL WASTE, AND BALLAST WATER Ballast Water Management for Control of...

Development of a protocol for sampling and analysis of ballast water in Jamaica

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Achsah A Mitchell

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The transfer of ballast by the international shipping industry has negatively impacted the environment. To design such a protocol for the area, the ballast water tanks of seven bulk cargo vessels entering a Jamaican port were sampled between January 28, 2010 and August 17, 2010. Vessels originated from five ports and used three main routes, some of which conducted ballast water exchange. Twenty-six preserved and 22 live replicate zooplankton samples were obtained. Abundance and richness were higher than at temperate ports. Exchange did not alter the biotic composition but reduced the abundance. Two of the live sample replicates, containing 31.67 and 16.75 viable individuals m-3, were non-compliant with the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments. Approximately 12% of the species identified in the ballast water were present in the waters nearest the port in 1995 and 11% were present in the entire bay in 2005. The protocol designed from this study can be used to aid the establishment of a ballast water management system in the Caribbean or used as a foundation for the development of further protocols.

A shipboard comparison of analytic methods for ballast water compliance monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Bradie, Johanna; Broeg, Katja; Gianoli, Claudio; He, Jianjun; Heitmüller, Susanne; Curto, Alberto Lo; Nakata, Akiko; Rolke, Manfred; Schillak, Lothar; Stehouwer, Peter; Vanden Byllaardt, Julie; Veldhuis, Marcel; Welschmeyer, Nick; Younan, Lawrence; Zaake, André; Bailey, Sarah

2018-03-01

Promising approaches for indicative analysis of ballast water samples have been developed that require study in the field to examine their utility for determining compliance with the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments. To address this gap, a voyage was undertaken on board the RV Meteor, sailing the North Atlantic Ocean from Mindelo (Cape Verde) to Hamburg (Germany) during June 4-15, 2015. Trials were conducted on local sea water taken up by the ship's ballast system at multiple locations along the trip, including open ocean, North Sea, and coastal water, to evaluate a number of analytic methods that measure the numeric concentration or biomass of viable organisms according to two size categories (≥ 50 μm in minimum dimension: 7 techniques, ≥ 10 μm and scientific approaches (e.g. flow cytometry). Several promising indicative methods were identified that showed high correlation with microscopy, but allow much quicker processing and require less expert knowledge. This study is the first to concurrently use a large number of analytic tools to examine a variety of ballast water samples on board an operational ship in the field. Results are useful to identify the merits of each method and can serve as a basis for further improvement and development of tools and methodologies for ballast water compliance monitoring.

A unique aspect of ballast water management requirements – The same location concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gollasch, Stephan; David, Matej

2012-01-01

Under certain circumstances vessels do not need to meet ballast water management requirements as stated in the International Convention for the Management and Control of Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention). Besides exceptions to ensure e.g., (a) the safety of a ship, (b) discharge of ballast water for the purpose of avoiding or minimizing pollution incidents, (c) uptake and discharge on high seas of the same ballast water, the same location concept comes into play as ballast water discharges from a ship at the same location where it was taken up is also excepted from BWM requirements. The term same location was not defined in this instrument, hence it is exposed to different interpretations (e.g., a terminal, a port, a larger area where two or more ports may be located). As the BWM Convention is an instrument with biological meaning, the authors recommend a biologically meaningful definition of the same location in this contribution.

The ships' ballast water impact on the Black Sea marine environment

Science.gov (United States)

Acomi, Nicoleta; Acomi, Ovidiu

2015-04-01

Ships use ballast water to provide stability during voyages. This type of seawater loaded on board from one geographical area and discharged in very different port areas as ballasting practice, turned into a vector for spreading the non-native sea life species. The reduction and limitation of invasive species is a problem that the modern world addresses. Thus, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) developed the BWM 2004 Convention. Adopting international regulations influences the socio-economic sector and this is the reason why the ballast water, the subject of this paper, has been on the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee's agenda for more than 10 years, while the Convention has not yet been ratified and enforced. Although the Black Sea was subject to incidents regarding the invasive species the Romanian Government, as member of the IMO, did not ratify the Convention. The Black Sea was the subject of four major incidents regarding the ships' ballast water. One of them refers to the North American Comb Jelly, native from the Eastern Seaboard of America, introduced in the Black, Azov and Caspian Seas and seriously affecting the Romanian coastal environment in the 1990's. This invasive species has negative impacts: it reproduces rapidly under favourable conditions, it feeds excessively on zooplankton, it depletes zooplankton stocks, altering the food web and the ecosystem functionality, and contributed significantly to the collapse of Black and Azov Sea fisheries in the 1990s, with massive economic and social impact. There are studies for identifying the invasive species for the Black sea, structured in a database for marine species - the Black Sea Red Data Book. For these invasive species, there have been identified and developed charts to emphasize their ways of migration into the Black Sea. This paper aims to analyse the marine traffic in Romanian ports, broken down according with seasons and types of vessels, and to assess its relationship with

How to approach ballast water management in European seas

Science.gov (United States)

David, Matej; Gollasch, Stephan

2018-02-01

The latest research continues to show that the ballast water issue is very complex, which makes it very challenging to manage. In 2004, the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) was adopted to globally harmonize action against the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens via ships' ballast water and related sediments. Analyses of the BWM Convention requirements, conducted through different research projects mainly aiming to provide support for the implementation of the BWM Convention, have shown that there are different steps countries need to take and that there are still some open issues which need to be solved. This paper presents some of the main issues identified and the core theoretical and applied measures required to solve these issues, with the aim to support more efficient and coordinated implementation of the BWM Convention requirements in EU seas. The approaches recommended here for the EU may be universally interesting for similar application in other areas of the world.

A Comparison of Microbial Water Quality and Diversity for Ballast and Tropical Harbor Waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Charmaine; Le, Thai-Hoang; Goh, Shin Giek; Liang, Liang; Kim, Yiseul; Rose, Joan B; Yew-Hoong, Karina Gin

2015-01-01

Indicator organisms and antibiotic resistance were used as a proxy to measure microbial water quality of ballast tanks of ships, and surface waters in a tropical harbor. The survival of marine bacteria in ballast tanks appeared to diminish over longer water retention time, with a reduction of cell viability observed after a week based on heterotrophic plate counts. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes showed distinct differences in microbial composition of ballast and harbor waters. The harbor waters had a higher abundance of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) assigned to Cyanobacteria (Synechococcus spp.) and α-proteobacteria (SAR11 members), while marine hydrocarbon degraders such as γ-proteobacteria (Ocenspirillaes spp., Thiotrchales spp.) and Bacteroidetes (Flavobacteriales spp.) dominated the ballast water samples. Screening of indicator organisms found Escherichia coli (E. coli), Enterococcus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) in two or more of the ballast and harbor water samples tested. Vibrio spp. and Salmonella spp. were detected exclusively in harbor water samples. Using quantitative PCR (qPCR), we screened for 13 antibiotic resistant gene (ARG) targets and found higher abundances of sul1 (4.13-3.44 x 102 copies/mL), dfrA (0.77-1.80 x10 copies/mL) and cfr (2.00-5.21 copies/mL) genes compared to the other ARG targets selected for this survey. These genes encode for resistance to sulfonamides, trimethoprim and chloramphenicol-florfenicol antibiotics, which are also known to persist in sediments of aquaculture farms and coastal environments. Among the ARGs screened, we found significant correlations (Pwater quality survey, quantitatively assessing indicators of antibiotic resistance, potentially pathogenic organisms and a broad-brush description of difference in microbial composition and diversity between open oceans and tropical coastal environments through the use of next generation sequencing technology.

Verification of mid-ocean ballast water exchange using naturally occurring coastal tracers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murphy, Kathleen; Boehme, Jennifer; Coble, Paula; Cullen, Jay; Field, Paul; Moore, Willard; Perry, Elgin; Sherrell, Robert; Ruiz, Gregory

2004-04-01

We examined methods for verifying whether or not ships have performed mid-ocean ballast water exchange (BWE) on four commercial vessels operating in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. During BWE, a ship replaces the coastal water in its ballast tanks with water drawn from the open ocean, which is considered to harbor fewer organisms capable of establishing in coastal environments. We measured concentrations of several naturally occurring chemical tracers (salinity, six trace elements, colored dissolved organic matter fluorescence and radium isotopes) along ocean transects and in ballast tanks subjected to varying degrees of BWE (0-99%). Many coastal tracers showed significant concentration changes due to BWE, and our ability to detect differences between exchanged and unexchanged ballast tanks was greatest under multivariate analysis. An expanded dataset, which includes additional geographic regions, is now needed to test the generality of our results.

Verification of mid-ocean ballast water exchange using naturally occurring coastal tracers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murphy, Kathleen; Boehme, Jennifer; Coble, Paula; Cullen, Jay; Field, Paul; Moore, Willard; Perry, Elgin; Sherrell, Robert; Ruiz, Gregory

2004-01-01

We examined methods for verifying whether or not ships have performed mid-ocean ballast water exchange (BWE) on four commercial vessels operating in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. During BWE, a ship replaces the coastal water in its ballast tanks with water drawn from the open ocean, which is considered to harbor fewer organisms capable of establishing in coastal environments. We measured concentrations of several naturally occurring chemical tracers (salinity, six trace elements, colored dissolved organic matter fluorescence and radium isotopes) along ocean transects and in ballast tanks subjected to varying degrees of BWE (0-99%). Many coastal tracers showed significant concentration changes due to BWE, and our ability to detect differences between exchanged and unexchanged ballast tanks was greatest under multivariate analysis. An expanded dataset, which includes additional geographic regions, is now needed to test the generality of our results

Difficulties in obtaining representative samples for compliance with the Ballast Water Management Convention

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Carney, K.J; Basurko, O.C; Pazouki, K.; Marsham, S.; Delany, J; Desai, D.V.; Anil, A.C; Mesbahi, E.

water, the shape, size and number of ballast tanks and the heterogeneous distribution of organisms within tanks. These factors hinder efforts to obtain samples that truly represent the total ballast water onboard a vessel. A known cell density...

Assessing the viability of microorganisms in the ballast water of vessels transiting the North Atlantic Ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Steichen, Jamie L; Quigg, Antonietta

2015-12-15

Testing phytoplankton viability within ballast tanks and receiving waters of ballast water discharge remain understudied. Potentially harmful dinoflagellates and diatoms are transported via ballast water to Galveston Bay, Texas (USA), home to three major ports: Houston, Texas City and Galveston. Ballast water from vessels transiting the North Atlantic Ocean was inoculated into treatments representing low and high salinity conditions similar to the Ports of Houston and Galveston respectively. Phytoplankton in ballast water growout experiments were deemed viable and showed growth in low and mid salinities with nutrient enrichment. Molecular methods identified several genera: Dinophysis, Gymnodinium, Gyrodinium, Heterocapsa, Peridinium, Scrippsiella, Chaetoceros and Nitzschia. These phytoplankton genera were previously identified in Galveston Bay except Scrippsiella. Phytoplankton, including those capable of forming harmful algal blooms leading to fish and shellfish kills, are transported to Galveston Bay via ballast water, and are viable when introduced to similar salinity conditions found in Galveston Bay ports. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of Microbial Water Quality and Diversity for Ballast and Tropical Harbor Waters.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charmaine Ng

Full Text Available Indicator organisms and antibiotic resistance were used as a proxy to measure microbial water quality of ballast tanks of ships, and surface waters in a tropical harbor. The survival of marine bacteria in ballast tanks appeared to diminish over longer water retention time, with a reduction of cell viability observed after a week based on heterotrophic plate counts. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes showed distinct differences in microbial composition of ballast and harbor waters. The harbor waters had a higher abundance of operational taxonomic units (OTUs assigned to Cyanobacteria (Synechococcus spp. and α-proteobacteria (SAR11 members, while marine hydrocarbon degraders such as γ-proteobacteria (Ocenspirillaes spp., Thiotrchales spp. and Bacteroidetes (Flavobacteriales spp. dominated the ballast water samples. Screening of indicator organisms found Escherichia coli (E. coli, Enterococcus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa in two or more of the ballast and harbor water samples tested. Vibrio spp. and Salmonella spp. were detected exclusively in harbor water samples. Using quantitative PCR (qPCR, we screened for 13 antibiotic resistant gene (ARG targets and found higher abundances of sul1 (4.13-3.44 x 102 copies/mL, dfrA (0.77-1.80 x10 copies/mL and cfr (2.00-5.21 copies/mL genes compared to the other ARG targets selected for this survey. These genes encode for resistance to sulfonamides, trimethoprim and chloramphenicol-florfenicol antibiotics, which are also known to persist in sediments of aquaculture farms and coastal environments. Among the ARGs screened, we found significant correlations (P<0.05 between ereA, ermG, cfr and tetO genes to one or more of the indicator organisms detected in this study, which may suggest that these members contribute to the environmental resistome. This study provides a baseline water quality survey, quantitatively assessing indicators of antibiotic resistance, potentially pathogenic organisms and a

Tiny Stowaways: Analyzing the Economic Benefits of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Permit Regulating Ballast Water Discharges

Science.gov (United States)

Lovell, Sabrina J.; Drake, Lisa A.

2009-03-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed permitting ballast water discharges—a benefit of which would be to reduce the economic damages associated with the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species. Research on ship-borne aquatic invasive species has been conducted in earnest for decades, but determining the economic damages they cause remains troublesome. Furthermore, with the exception of harmful algal blooms, the economic consequences of microscopic invaders have not been studied, despite their potentially great negative effects. In this paper, we show how to estimate the economic benefits of preventing the introduction and spread of harmful bacteria, microalgae, and viruses delivered in U.S. waters. Our calculations of net social welfare show the damages from a localized incident, cholera-causing bacteria found in shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico, to be approximately 706,000 (2006). On a larger scale, harmful algal species have the potential to be transported in ships’ ballast tanks, and their effects in the United States have been to reduce commercial fisheries landings and impair water quality. We examine the economic repercussions of one bloom-forming species. Finally, we consider the possible translocation within the Great Lakes of a virus that has the potential to harm commercial and recreational fisheries. These calculations illustrate an approach to quantifying the benefits of preventing invasive aquatic microorganisms from controls on ballast water discharges.

The Brazilian dilution method for ballast water exchange; O metodo de diluicao brasileiro para troca de agua de lastro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mauro, Celso Alleluia [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas. Avaliacao e Monitoramento Ambiental]. E-mail: celso@cenpes.petrobras.com.br; Land, Claudio Goncalves [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Abastecimento, Logistica e Planejamento]. E-mail: cgland@petrobras.com.br; Pimenta, Jose Maria Hollanda Alvares; Barreto, Francisco Carlos Peixoto [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Engenharia; Brandao, Marcus Vinicius Lisboa; Marroig, Nilton Lemos [Transpetro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Frota Nacional de Petroleiros. Inspetoria Geral; Tristao, Maria Luiza Braganca [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas. Quimica; Fadel, Andre Luiz da Fonseca [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Financas Corporativa e Tesouraria; Villac, Maria Celia; Fernandes, Lohengrin; Paranhos, Rodolfo; Dias, Cristina; Bonecker, Sergio; Denise Tenenbaum [Universidade Federal, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Biologia; Persich, Graziela; Garcia, Virginia; Odebrecht, Clarisse [Fundacao Universidade do Rio Grande, RS (Brazil). Dept. de Oceanografia

2002-12-01

In a precautionary approach and dealing with the coming International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations on ballast water, PETROBRAS developed a new method for ballast water exchange in tankers. Differently from ordinary methods PETROBRAS method which have been called Brazilian Dilution Method (BDM) or Dilution Method involves ballast loading through the top with simultaneous unloading from the bottom of the tanks. The method proposal was firstly presented to IMO, which encouraged PETROBRAS to carry out a field trial. PETROBRAS in June 1998 carried out a trial in the product carrier M/V Lavras. A simulation study was useful to plan the trial assessing the theoretical efficiency of the method, establishing the best sampling points and comparing the BDM with the Tank Overfilling Method (TOM). Simulation showed that for the same tank shape, the water renewal in BDM is more effective than in TOM and that 90 % of water renewal could be obtained by BDM. A dye concentration variation monitoring and a biological assessment were performed and the results confirmed that over than 90 % of the ballast water was renewed after three exchanges. The method was proved safe, practical, economical and suitable to minimize the risk of exotic species transport between ports. (author)

A comparison of six different ballast water treatment systems based on UV radiation, electrochlorination and chlorine dioxide

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stehouwer, P.P.; Buma, A.; Peperzak, L.

2015-01-01

The spread of aquatic invasive species through ballast water is a major ecological and economical threat. Because of this, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) set limits to the concentrations of organisms allowed in ballast water. To meet these limits, ballast water treatment systems

Ecosystem under pressure: ballast water discharge into Galveston Bay, Texas (USA) from 2005 to 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Steichen, Jamie L; Windham, Rachel; Brinkmeyer, Robin; Quigg, Antonietta

2012-04-01

Ballast water exchange processes facilitate the dispersal and unnatural geographic expansion of phytoplankton, including harmful algal bloom species. From 2005 to 2010, over 45,000 vessels (≈ 8000 annually) travelled across Galveston Bay (Texas, USA) to the deep-water ports of Houston (10th largest in the world), Texas City and Galveston. These vessels (primarily tankers and bulkers) discharged ≈ 1.2 × 10(8) metrictons of ballast water; equivalent to ≈ 3.4% of the total volume of the Bay. Over half of the ballast water discharged had a coastwise origin, 96% being from US waters. Galveston Bay has fewer non-indigenous species but receives a higher volume of ballast water discharge, relative to the highly invaded Chesapeake and San Francisco Bays. Given the magnitude of shipping traffic, the role of Galveston Bay, both as a recipient and donor region of non-indigenous phytoplankton species is discussed here in terms of the invasibility risk to this system by way of ballast water. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Review of interdisciplinary devices for detecting the quality of ship ballast water.

Science.gov (United States)

Bakalar, Goran

2014-01-01

The results of the ship ballast water treatment systems neutralization need to be verified in a transparent and trustful way before the ship enters a port. Some researches and results, explained in this article, confirm a need for a good verification. If there is no good methodology agreed, then it would not be accepted the solution that the BWMC (Ballast Water Management Convention) 2004 did protect the sea environment in full meaning. The main problem of ballast neutralization are remaining microorganisms (algae blooms, bacteria) ≥10 and PROMETHEE II (Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations) and results were shown by D-Sight software projections.

Modeling the distribution of colonial species to improve estimation of plankton concentration in ballast water

Science.gov (United States)

Rajakaruna, Harshana; VandenByllaardt, Julie; Kydd, Jocelyn; Bailey, Sarah

2018-03-01

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set limits on allowable plankton concentrations in ballast water discharge to minimize aquatic invasions globally. Previous guidance on ballast water sampling and compliance decision thresholds was based on the assumption that probability distributions of plankton are Poisson when spatially homogenous, or negative binomial when heterogeneous. We propose a hierarchical probability model, which incorporates distributions at the level of particles (i.e., discrete individuals plus colonies per unit volume) and also within particles (i.e., individuals per particle) to estimate the average plankton concentration in ballast water. We examined the performance of the models using data for plankton in the size class ≥ 10 μm and test ballast water compliance using the above models.

Possible Ballast Water Transfer of Lionfish to the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

MacIsaac, Hugh J; De Roy, Emma M; Leung, Brian; Grgicak-Mannion, Alice; Ruiz, Gregory M

2016-01-01

The Indo-Pacific Red Lionfish was first reported off the Florida coast in 1985, following which it has spread across much of the SE USA, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. Lionfish negatively impact fish and invertebrate assemblages and abundances, thus further spread is cause for concern. To date, the fish has not been reported on the Pacific coast of North or Central America. Here we examine the possibility of ballast water transfer of lionfish from colonized areas in the Atlantic Ocean to USA ports on the Pacific coast. Over an eight-year period, we documented 27 commercial vessel-trips in which ballast water was loaded in colonized sites and later discharged untreated into Pacific coast ports in the USA. California had the highest number of discharges including San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles-Long Beach. A species distribution model suggests that the probability of lionfish establishment is low for the western USA, Colombia and Panama, low to medium for Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala, medium to high for mainland Ecuador, and very high for western Mexico, Peru and the Galapagos Islands. Given the species' intolerance of freshwater conditions, we propose that ballast water exchange be conducted in Gatún Lake, Panama for western-bound vessels carrying 'risky' ballast water to prevent invasion of the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Possible Ballast Water Transfer of Lionfish to the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hugh J MacIsaac

Full Text Available The Indo-Pacific Red Lionfish was first reported off the Florida coast in 1985, following which it has spread across much of the SE USA, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. Lionfish negatively impact fish and invertebrate assemblages and abundances, thus further spread is cause for concern. To date, the fish has not been reported on the Pacific coast of North or Central America. Here we examine the possibility of ballast water transfer of lionfish from colonized areas in the Atlantic Ocean to USA ports on the Pacific coast. Over an eight-year period, we documented 27 commercial vessel-trips in which ballast water was loaded in colonized sites and later discharged untreated into Pacific coast ports in the USA. California had the highest number of discharges including San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles-Long Beach. A species distribution model suggests that the probability of lionfish establishment is low for the western USA, Colombia and Panama, low to medium for Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala, medium to high for mainland Ecuador, and very high for western Mexico, Peru and the Galapagos Islands. Given the species' intolerance of freshwater conditions, we propose that ballast water exchange be conducted in Gatún Lake, Panama for western-bound vessels carrying 'risky' ballast water to prevent invasion of the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Ballast Water Treatment Corrosion Scoping Study

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-01

NANPCA Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act NaCl Sodium Chloride NIOZ Nederlands Instituut voor Onderzoek der Zee NISA National...Based Testing Report on the Ecochlor System performed by Nederlands Instituut voor Onderzoek der Zee (NIOZ) (Veldhuis, 2008), ballast water treated...and the Relevant IMO Guideline. Nederlands Instituut voor Onderzoek der Zee (NIOZ). Den Burg: Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research. Volkening

Effects of various ballast water treatment methods on the survival of phytoplankton and bacteria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stehouwer, P.P.

2016-01-01

Aquatic invasive species are among the worst threats to marine biodiversity. The main vector for the spread of these aquatic invasive species is ships’ ballast water. Because of this, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the Ballast Water Convention. Part of this convention is the

Examination of an indicative tool for rapidly estimating viable organism abundance in ballast water

Science.gov (United States)

Vanden Byllaardt, Julie; Adams, Jennifer K.; Casas-Monroy, Oscar; Bailey, Sarah A.

2018-03-01

Regulatory discharge standards stipulating a maximum allowable number of viable organisms in ballast water have led to a need for rapid, easy and accurate compliance assessment tools and protocols. Some potential tools presume that organisms present in ballast water samples display the same characteristics of life as the native community (e.g. rates of fluorescence). This presumption may not prove true, particularly when ships' ballast tanks present a harsh environment and long transit times, negatively impacting organism health. Here, we test the accuracy of a handheld pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometer, the Hach BW680, for detecting photosynthetic protists at concentrations above or below the discharge standard (< 10 cells·ml- 1) in comparison to microscopic counts using fluorescein diacetate as a viability probe. Testing was conducted on serial dilutions of freshwater harbour samples in the lab and in situ untreated ballast water samples originating from marine, freshwater and brackish sources utilizing three preprocessing techniques to target organisms in the size range of ≥ 10 and < 50 μm. The BW680 numeric estimates were in agreement with microscopic counts when analyzing freshly collected harbour water at all but the lowest concentrations (< 38 cells·ml- 1). Chi-square tests determined that error is not independent of preprocessing methods: using the filtrate method or unfiltered water, in addition to refining the conversion factor of raw fluorescence to cell size, can decrease the grey area where exceedance of the discharge standard cannot be measured with certainty (at least for the studied populations). When examining in situ ballast water, the BW680 detected significantly fewer viable organisms than microscopy, possibly due to factors such as organism size or ballast water age. Assuming both the BW680 and microscopy with FDA stain were measuring fluorescence and enzymatic activity/membrane integrity correctly, the observed discrepancy

Inactivation of Heterosigma akashiwo in ballast water by circular orifice plate-generated hydrodynamic cavitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Daolun; Zhao, Jie; Liu, Tian

2016-01-01

The discharge of alien ballast water is a well-known, major reason for marine species invasion. Here, circular orifice plate-generated hydrodynamic cavitation was used to inactivate Heterosigma akashiwo in ballast water. In comparison with single- and multihole orifice plates, the conical-hole orifice plate yielded the highest inactivation percentage, 51.12%, and consumed only 6.84% energy (based on a 50% inactivation percentage). Repeating treatment, either using double series-connection or circling inactivation, elevated the inactivation percentage, yet consumed much more energy. The results indicate that conical-hole-generated hydrodynamic cavitation shows great potential as a pre-inactivation method for ballast water treatment.

Pandemic serotypes of Vibrio cholerae isolated from ships' ballast tanks and coastal waters: assessment of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes (tcpA and ctxA).

Science.gov (United States)

Dobbs, Fred C; Goodrich, Amanda L; Thomson, Frank K; Hynes, Wayne

2013-05-01

There is concern that ships' ballasting operations may disseminate Vibrio cholerae to ports throughout the world. Given evidence that the bacterium is indeed transported by ships, we isolated pandemic serotypes O1 and O139 from ballast tanks and characterized them with respect to antibiotic resistance and virulence genes ctxA and tcpA. We carried out concurrent studies with V. cholerae isolated from coastal waters. Of 284 isolates, 30 were serotype O1 and 59 were serotype O139. These serotypes were overrepresented in ballast tanks relative to the coastal waters sampled. All locations, whether coastal waters or ballast tanks, yielded samples from which serotype O1, O139, or both were isolated. There were three groups among the 62 isolates for which antibiotic characterization was conclusive: those exhibiting β-lactamase activity and resistance to at least one of the 12 antibiotics tested; those negative for β-lactamase but having antibiotic resistance; those negative for β-lactamase and registering no antibiotic resistance. When present, antibiotic resistance in nearly all cases was to ampicillin; resistance to multiple antibiotics was uncommon. PCR assays revealed that none of the isolates contained the ctxA gene and only two isolates, one O139 and one O1, contained the tcpA gene; both isolates originated from ballast water. These results support the bacteriological regulations proposed by the International Maritime Association for discharged ballast water.

Global ballast water management and the "same location" concept: a clear term or a clear issue?

Science.gov (United States)

David, Matej; Gollasch, Stephan; Pavliha, Marko

2013-03-01

The United Nations recognized the transfer of harmful organisms and pathogens across natural barriers as one of the four greatest pressures to the world's oceans and seas, causing global environmental changes, while also posing a threat to human health, property, and resources. Ballast water transferred by vessels was recognized as a prominent vector of such species and was regulated by the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship's Ballast Water and Sediments (2004). Permanent exceptions from ballast water management requirements may apply when the uptake and discharge of ballast water occur at the "same location." However, the "same location" concept may be interpreted differently, e.g., a port basin, a port, an anchorage, or a larger area even with more ports inside. Considering that the Convention is nearing the beginning of enforcement, national authorities all around the world will soon be exposed to applications for exceptions. Here we consider possible effects of different interpretations of the "same location" concept. We have considered different possible extensions of the same location through environmental, shipping, and legal aspects. The extension of such areas, and the inclusion of more ports, may compromise the Convention's main purpose. We recommend that "same location" mean the smallest practicable unit, i.e., the same harbor, mooring, or anchorage. An entire smaller port, possibly also including the anchorage, could be considered as same location. For larger ports with a gradient of environmental conditions, "same location" should mean a terminal or a port basin. We further recommend that IMO consider the preparation of a guidance document to include concepts, criteria, and processes outlining how to identify "same location," which limits should be clearly identified.

Operational efficiency of ballast water biocides at low water temperatures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kaag, N.H.B.M.; Sneekes, A.C.

2015-01-01

In the period 2013-2015 the effect of two biocides used for the treatment of ballast water has been evaluated at low ambient temperatures. Peraclean® Ocean and sodium hypochlorite were used as biocides. Most of the tests were conducted during winter and early spring at the laboratories of IMARES in

International dissemination of epidemic Vibrio cholerae by cargo ship ballast and other nonpotable waters.

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, S A; Khambaty, F M

1994-07-01

In 1991 and 1992, toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1, serotype Inaba, biotype El Tor, was recovered from nonpotable (ballast, bilge, and sewage) water from five cargo ships docked in ports of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Four of these ships had taken on ballast water in cholera-infected countries; the fifth took on ballast in a noninfected country. Isolates examined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis were indistinguishable from the Latin American epidemic strain, C6707; however, they differed significantly from the endemic Gulf Coast strain (VRL 1984), the sixth-pandemic strain (569-B), and a V. cholerae non-O1 strain isolated from a ship arriving from a foreign port. On the basis of our findings, the Food and Drug Administration recommended that the U.S. Coast Guard issue an advisory to shipping agents and captains requesting that ballast waters be exchanged on the high seas before entry of ships into U.S. ports.

A low-energy intensive electrochemical system for the eradication of Escherichia coli from ballast water: Process development, disinfection chemistry, and kinetics modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nadeeshani Nanayakkara, K.G.; Khorshed Alam, A.K.M.; Zheng Yuming; Paul Chen, J.

2012-01-01

The invasion of biological organisms via ballast water has created threats to the environment and human health. In this study, a cost-effective electrochemical disinfection reactor was developed to inactivate Escherichia coli, one of the IMO-regulated indicator microbes, in simulated ballast water. The complete inactivation of E. coli could be achieved within a very short time (150, 120, or 60 s) with an energy consumption as low as 0.0090, 0.0074 or 0.0035 kWh/m 3 for ballast water containing E. coli at concentrations of 10 8 , 10 7 and 10 6 CFU/100 mL, respectively. Electrochemical chlorination was the major disinfection mechanism in chloride-abundant electrolytes, whereas oxidants such as ozone and free radicals contributed to 20% of the disinfection efficiency in chloride-free electrolytes. Moreover, a disinfection kinetics model was successfully developed to describe the inactivation of E. coli.

33 CFR 151.2037 - If my vessel cannot conduct ballast water management practices because of its voyage and/or...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... ballast water management practices because of its voyage and/or safety concerns, will I be prohibited from... is inoperable must employ one of the other ballast water management practices stated in § 151.2035(b). If the vessel cannot employ other ballast water management practices due to voyage or safety concerns...

Discrete/PWM Ballast-Resistor Controller

Science.gov (United States)

King, Roger J.

1994-01-01

Circuit offers low switching loss and automatic compensation for failure of ballast resistor. Discrete/PWM ballast-resistor controller improved shunt voltage-regulator circuit designed to supply power from high-resistance source to low-impedance bus. Provides both coarse discrete voltage levels (by switching of ballast resistors) and continuous fine control of voltage via pulse-width modulation.

Monitoring of Radionuclides in Ship Ballast Water Following the Fukushima Nuclear Accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdul Kadir Ishak; Wo, Y.M.; Muhamat Omar

2011-01-01

Ballast water is the waters taken into the ship compartment to provide stability. It is taken on board at the port before the voyage begins and discharged at the port of call (arrival) while loading cargoes. Ballast is primarily composed of water and is full of stones, sediment, and thousands of living species. The quantity of water taken depends on the size of the ship and it can reach up to 10,000 tonnes. As a well known fact, Daiichi nuclear plant in Fukushima had released radioactive contaminated water into its surrounding sea and being dispersed by currents and tides. Therefore, ships travel between Malaysia and Japan in particular those from the affected regions and travel to Malaysia without cargoes will have a risk of transporting back radioactive contaminated water from Japan and released it at local ports. Malaysian Marine Department with the cooperation of Malaysian Nuclear Agency have been analysing the concentrations of several radionuclides in the ship's ballast water and sediment. This is to ensure the effective dosage is safe to the crews and general public as well to fulfill the permissible limit of 1 mSv/yr gazetted by the authorities. It is also to monitor that the contaminated water is not discharged into our marine environment. (author)

Comparative feasibility study on retrofitting ballast water treatment system for a bulk carrier.

Science.gov (United States)

Jee, Jaehoon; Lee, Sangick

2017-06-30

Use of ballast water in ships causes harmful effects on marine environment accompanied by economic loss and negative impact on ecosystem and human health. To solve these problems, the international convention on ballast water management will take into force in September 2017. In this study, a comprehensive feasibility of retrofitting the ballast water treatment system for an ocean-going bulk carrier was conducted. The technologies involved, installation and operational aspects of direct flow and side stream electrolysis, UV, and ozone type BWTS are described in detail. The principal concept of each BWTS is explained and probable arrangements of retrofitting in engine room are suggested. The cost analysis is carried out for retrofitting 4 types of BWTS onboard the target ship by examining each processes of installation and operation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Which Ballast Water Management System Will You Put Aboard? Remnant Anxieties: A Mini-Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William R. Batista

2017-08-01

Full Text Available An accepted solution to the environmental problems related to a ship’s ballast water has been the adoption and proper utilization of approved onboard ballast water plans and management systems (BWMS. On 8 September 2017, the International Maritime Organization Ballast Water Management Convention comes into force, and under this Convention, ships engaged in international trade must have an approved BWMS aboard to discharge ballast water, reducing species transfer. In response to enormous global concern about this problem, the overwhelming majority of the BWMS, approved currently for use by International Maritime Organization (IMO and United States Coast Guard, utilize two main technologies (electro-chlorination or ultraviolet irradiation as their principle mode of disinfection, often used in combination with filtration. However, both technologies have been questioned regarding their practically, efficiency, and possible environmental impacts upon discharge. This review article aims to explore some questions about these two technologies, drawing attention to some current uncertainties associated with their use. Also, it draws attention to some technical obstacles and regulatory impediments related to the new development of green biocide technology, which largely has been ignored, despite its potential as a simpler, cleaner and effective technology.

Evaluating efficacy of filtration + UV-C radiation for ballast water treatment at different temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Casas-Monroy, Oscar; Linley, Robert D.; Chan, Po-Shun; Kydd, Jocelyn; Vanden Byllaardt, Julie; Bailey, Sarah

2018-03-01

To prevent new ballast water-mediated introductions of aquatic nonindigenous species (NIS), many ships will soon use approved Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS) to meet discharge standards for the maximum number of viable organisms in ballast water. Type approval testing of BWMS is typically conducted during warmer seasons when plankton concentrations are highest, despite the fact that ships operate globally year-round. Low temperatures encountered in polar and cool temperate climates, particularly during the winter season, may impact treatment efficacy through changes in plankton community composition, biological metabolic rates or chemical reaction rates. Filtration + UV irradiance is one of the most common ballast water treatment methods, but its effectiveness at low temperatures has not been assessed. The objective in this study was to examine the efficacy of filtration + UV-C irradiation treatment at low temperatures for removal or inactivation of phytoplankton and zooplankton populations during simulated ballast water treatment. Organisms from two size classes (≥ 10 to < 50 μm and ≥ 50 μm) were identified and enumerated using microscope and culture techniques. The response of organisms in both size categories to UV-C irradiation was evident across a range of temperatures (18 °C, 12 °C and 2 °C) as a significant decrease in concentration between controls and treated samples. Results indicate that filtration + UV-C irradiation will be effective at low temperatures, with few viable organisms ≥ 10 to < 50 μm recorded even 21 days following UV exposure (significantly lower than in the control treatment).

Catch me if you can: Comparing ballast water sampling skids to traditional net sampling

Science.gov (United States)

Bradie, Johanna; Gianoli, Claudio; Linley, Robert Dallas; Schillak, Lothar; Schneider, Gerd; Stehouwer, Peter; Bailey, Sarah

2018-03-01

With the recent ratification of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004, it will soon be necessary to assess ships for compliance with ballast water discharge standards. Sampling skids that allow the efficient collection of ballast water samples in a compact space have been developed for this purpose. We ran 22 trials on board the RV Meteor from June 4-15, 2015 to evaluate the performance of three ballast water sampling devices (traditional plankton net, Triton sampling skid, SGS sampling skid) for three organism size classes: ≥ 50 μm, ≥ 10 μm to Natural sea water was run through the ballast water system and untreated samples were collected using paired sampling devices. Collected samples were analyzed in parallel by multiple analysts using several different analytic methods to quantify organism concentrations. To determine whether there were differences in the number of viable organisms collected across sampling devices, results were standardized and statistically treated to filter out other sources of variability, resulting in an outcome variable representing the mean difference in measurements that can be attributed to sampling devices. These results were tested for significance using pairwise Tukey contrasts. Differences in organism concentrations were found in 50% of comparisons between sampling skids and the plankton net for ≥ 50 μm, and ≥ 10 μm to < 50 μm size classes, with net samples containing either higher or lower densities. There were no differences for < 10 μm organisms. Future work will be required to explicitly examine the potential effects of flow velocity, sampling duration, sampled volume, and organism concentrations on sampling device performance.

Stratification of living organisms in ballast tanks: how do organism concentrations vary as ballast water is discharged?

Science.gov (United States)

First, Matthew R; Robbins-Wamsley, Stephanie H; Riley, Scott C; Moser, Cameron S; Smith, George E; Tamburri, Mario N; Drake, Lisa A

2013-05-07

Vertical migrations of living organisms and settling of particle-attached organisms lead to uneven distributions of biota at different depths in the water column. In ballast tanks, heterogeneity could lead to different population estimates depending on the portion of the discharge sampled. For example, concentrations of organisms exceeding a discharge standard may not be detected if sampling occurs during periods of the discharge when concentrations are low. To determine the degree of stratification, water from ballast tanks was sampled at two experimental facilities as the tanks were drained after water was held for 1 or 5 days. Living organisms ≥50 μm were counted in discrete segments of the drain (e.g., the first 20 min of the drain operation, the second 20 min interval, etc.), thus representing different strata in the tank. In 1 and 5 day trials at both facilities, concentrations of organisms varied among drain segments, and the patterns of stratification varied among replicate trials. From numerical simulations, the optimal sampling strategy for stratified tanks is to collect multiple time-integrated samples spaced relatively evenly throughout the discharge event.

A Study of Ballast Water Treatment Using Engine Waste Heat

Science.gov (United States)

Balaji, Rajoo; Yaakob, Omar; Koh, Kho King; Adnan, Faizul Amri bin; Ismail, Nasrudin bin; Ahmad, Badruzzaman bin; Ismail, Mohd Arif bin

2018-05-01

Heat treatment of ballast water using engine waste heat can be an advantageous option complementing any proven technology. A treatment system was envisaged based on the ballast system of an existing, operational crude carrier. It was found that the available waste heat could raise the temperatures by 25 °C and voyage time requirements were found to be considerable between 7 and 12 days to heat the high volumes of ballast water. Further, a heat recovery of 14-33% of input energies from exhaust gases was recorded while using a test rig arrangement representing a shipboard arrangement. With laboratory level tests at temperature ranges of around 55-75 °C, almost complete species mortalities for representative phytoplankton, zooplankton and bacteria were observed while the time for exposure varied from 15 to 60 s. Based on the heat availability analyses for harvesting heat from the engine exhaust gases(vessel and test rig), heat exchanger designs were developed and optimized using Lagrangian method applying Bell-Delaware approaches. Heat exchanger designs were developed to suit test rig engines also. Based on these designs, heat exchanger and other equipment were procured and erected. The species' mortalities were tested in this mini-scale arrangement resembling the shipboard arrangement. The mortalities realized were > 95% with heat from jacket fresh water and exhaust gases alone. The viability of the system was thus validated.

Ship board testing of a deoxygenation ballast water treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

McCollin, Tracy; Quilez-Badia, Gemma; Josefsen, Kjell D; Gill, Margaret E; Mesbahi, Ehsan; Frid, Chris L J

2007-08-01

A ship board trial of a deoxygenation method for treating ballast water was carried out during a voyage from Southampton (United Kingdom) to Manzanillo (Panama). A nutrient solution added to two ballast tanks encouraged bacterial growth, resulting in a gradual change to an anoxic environment. Samples were taken from two treated tanks and two untreated tanks to assess changes in the abundance and viability of zooplankton, phytoplankton and bacteria. The work was carried out before the International Maritime Organization (IMO) standard was agreed so only a broad indication of whether the results achieved the standard was given. For the zooplankton, the standard would have been achieved within 5 or 7 days but the phytoplankton results were inconclusive. The biological efficacy was the result of the combination of several factors, including the treatment, pump damage and an increase in the water temperature during the voyage.

Toxicity evaluation of ballast water discharged at The Onne Port ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The discharge of these ballast water poses a major environmental threat to the water quality and Port infrastructures at the Onne Port complex as contaminants may find their way into the food chain/food web and bioaccumulate in the tissues of indigenous biota (microorganisms, crabs, mangrove oysters and fin-fishes).

Nucleic acids-based tools for ballast water surveillance, monitoring, and research

Science.gov (United States)

Darling, John A.; Frederick, Raymond M.

2018-03-01

Understanding the risks of biological invasion posed by ballast water-whether in the context of compliance testing, routine monitoring, or basic research-is fundamentally an exercise in biodiversity assessment, and as such should take advantage of the best tools available for tackling that problem. The past several decades have seen growing application of genetic methods for the study of biodiversity, driven in large part by dramatic technological advances in nucleic acids analysis. Monitoring approaches based on such methods have the potential to increase dramatically sampling throughput for biodiversity assessments, and to improve on the sensitivity, specificity, and taxonomic accuracy of traditional approaches. The application of targeted detection tools (largely focused on PCR but increasingly incorporating novel probe-based methodologies) has led to a paradigm shift in rare species monitoring, and such tools have already been applied for early detection in the context of ballast water surveillance. Rapid improvements in community profiling approaches based on high throughput sequencing (HTS) could similarly impact broader efforts to catalogue biodiversity present in ballast tanks, and could provide novel opportunities to better understand the risks of biotic exchange posed by ballast water transport-and the effectiveness of attempts to mitigate those risks. These various approaches still face considerable challenges to effective implementation, depending on particular management or research needs. Compliance testing, for instance, remains dependent on accurate quantification of viable target organisms; while tools based on RNA detection show promise in this context, the demands of such testing require considerable additional investment in methods development. In general surveillance and research contexts, both targeted and community-based approaches are still limited by various factors: quantification remains a challenge (especially for taxa in larger size

Effects of Hydroxyl Radicals on Introduced Organisms of Ship's Ballast Water Based Micro-Gap Discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai Mindong; Zhang Zhitao; Bai Mindi; Yang Bo; Bai Xiyao

2007-01-01

With the physical method of micro-gap gas discharge, OH· radicals were produced by the ionization of O 2 in air and H 2 O in the gaseous state, in order to explore more effective method to treat the ship's ballast water. The surface morphology of Al 2 O 3 dielectric layer was analysed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), where the size of Al 2 O 3 particles was in the range of 2 μm to 5 μm. At the same time, the biochemical effect of hydroxyl radicals on the introduced organisms and the quality of ship's ballast water were studied. The results indicate that the main reasons of cell death are lipid peroxide and damage of the antioxidant enzyme system in Catalase (CAT), Peroxidase (POD) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD). In addition, the quality of the ballast water was greatly improved

A New Treatment Strategy for Inactivating Algae in Ballast Water Based on Multi-Trial Injections of Chlorine.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Jinyang; Wang, Junsheng; Pan, Xinxiang; Yuan, Haichao

2015-06-09

Ships' ballast water can carry aquatic organisms into foreign ecosystems. In our previous studies, a concept using ion exchange membrane electrolysis to treat ballast water has been proven. In addition to other substantial approaches, a new strategy for inactivating algae is proposed based on the developed ballast water treatment system. In the new strategy, the means of multi-trial injection with small doses of electrolytic products is applied for inactivating algae. To demonstrate the performance of the new strategy, contrast experiments between new strategies and routine processes were conducted. Four algae species including Chlorella vulgaris, Platymonas subcordiformis, Prorocentrum micans and Karenia mikimotoi were chosen as samples. The different experimental parameters are studied including the injection times and doses of electrolytic products. Compared with the conventional one trial injection method, mortality rate time (MRT) and available chlorine concentration can be saved up to about 84% and 40%, respectively, under the application of the new strategy. The proposed new approach has great potential in practical ballast water treatment. Furthermore, the strategy is also helpful for deep insight of mechanism of algal tolerance.

Characterization of Bacteria in Ballast Water Using MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Emami, K.; Askari, V.; Ullrich, M.; Mohinudeen, K.; Anil, A.C.; Khandeparker, L.; Burgess, J.G.; Mesbahi, E.

To evaluate a rapid and cost-effective method for monitoring bacteria in ballast water, several marine bacterial isolates were characterized by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Since...

Application of Ion Torrent Sequencing to the Assessment of the Effect of Alkali Ballast Water Treatment on Microbial Community Diversity

Science.gov (United States)

Fujimoto, Masanori; Moyerbrailean, Gregory A.; Noman, Sifat; Gizicki, Jason P.; Ram, Michal L.; Green, Phyllis A.; Ram, Jeffrey L.

2014-01-01

The impact of NaOH as a ballast water treatment (BWT) on microbial community diversity was assessed using the 16S rRNA gene based Ion Torrent sequencing with its new 400 base chemistry. Ballast water samples from a Great Lakes ship were collected from the intake and discharge of both control and NaOH (pH 12) treated tanks and were analyzed in duplicates. One set of duplicates was treated with the membrane-impermeable DNA cross-linking reagent propidium mono-azide (PMA) prior to PCR amplification to differentiate between live and dead microorganisms. Ion Torrent sequencing generated nearly 580,000 reads for 31 bar-coded samples and revealed alterations of the microbial community structure in ballast water that had been treated with NaOH. Rarefaction analysis of the Ion Torrent sequencing data showed that BWT using NaOH significantly decreased microbial community diversity relative to control discharge (pbased principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) plots and UPGMA tree analysis revealed that NaOH-treated ballast water microbial communities differed from both intake communities and control discharge communities. After NaOH treatment, bacteria from the genus Alishewanella became dominant in the NaOH-treated samples, accounting for alkali ballast water treatment in reducing ballast water microbial diversity and demonstrated the application of new Ion Torrent sequencing techniques to microbial community studies. PMID:25222021

Ship traffic and the introduction of diatoms and dinoflagellates via ballast water in the port of Annaba, Algeria

Science.gov (United States)

Cheniti, Radhia; Rochon, André; Frihi, Hocine

2018-03-01

We present here the first study on the role of ship traffic in the introduction of potentially harmful and/or non-indigenous species in the port of Annaba (Algeria). A total of 25 ships of two different types (general cargo and bulk carriers) were sampled and separated into two categories: oceanic and Mediterranean ships. We estimated propagule pressure of high-risk coastal phytoplankton delivered in ballast water to the port of Annaba. We identified 40 diatom and 38 dinoflagellate taxa, among which, 11 harmful/toxic taxa: Pseudo-nitzschia spp., Alexandrium tamarense, Alexandrium sp., Dinophysis acuminata, Dinophysis rotundata, Dinophysis sp., Gonyaulax spinifera, Gymnodinium catenatum, Lingulodinium polyedrum, Protoceratium reticulatum and cyst of Alexandrium sp. In addition, 8 taxa (5 diatoms, 1 dinoflagellate and 2 dinoflagellate cysts) never observed in the Annaba region were considered as potentially non-indigenous: Actinoptychus splendens, Coscinodiscus asteromphalus, Coscinodiscus lineatus, Odentella granulata, Thalassiosira cf. decipiens, Prorocentrum scutellum, cyst of Polykrikos kofoidii and Islandinium minutum. Several factors were examined, including ship routes, ballast water age and the volume of ballast water discharged. Our analyses revealed that diatom and dinoflagellate abundances decreased with ballast water age, possibly as a result of mortality of species due to voyage length and lack of light in ballast tanks. Estimates of actual propagule pressure, diatoms and dinoflagellates abundances varied from 1 to 4 × 108 cells/ship. The results of this study could serve as the baseline for the development and implementation of monitoring and ballast water management programs in ports of Algeria.

Inactivation characteristics of ozone and electrolysis process for ballast water treatment using B. subtilis spores as a probe.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Youmi; Yoon, Yeojoon; Hong, Eunkyung; Kwon, Minhwan; Kang, Joon-Wun

2013-07-15

Since ballast water affects the ocean ecosystem, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) sets a standard for ballast water management and might impose much tighter regulations in the future. The aim of this study is to evaluate the inactivation efficiency of ozonation, electrolysis, and an ozonation-electrolysis combined process, using B. subtilis spores. In seawater ozonation, HOBr is the key active substance for inactivation, because of rapid reactivity of ozone with Br(-) in seawater. In seawater electrolysis, it is also HOBr, but not HOCl, because of the rapid reaction of HOCl with Br(-), which has not been recognized carefully, even though many electrolysis technologies have been approved by the IMO. Inactivation pattern was different in ozonation and electrolysis, which has some limitations with the tailing or lag-phase, respectively. However, each deficiency can be overcome with a combined process, which is most effective as a sequential application of ozonation followed by electrolysis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ballast Water Treatment Test Facility

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — FUNCTION: Provides functionality for the full-scale testing and controlled simulation of ship ballasting operations for assessment of aquatic nuisance species (ANS)...

Treating PCB contaminated light ballasts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Day, B.

1995-01-01

Development and salient features of CON TECH PCB, a light ballast reduction process to allow PCB waste owners to best utilize storage space for the long-term regulated storage of PCBs, or to prepare them for final destruction and to reduce destruction costs, was reviewed. The essence of the process is ballast splitting, i.e. the breaking of the ballast and removing the capacitor containing the toxic PCBs. The work is done in a specially fitted mobile processing unit, thus reducing the storage requirements by better than 50 per cent. Details of the process and some cost and storage facility estimates were provided

Is the aquatic environment sufficiently protected from chemicals discharged with treated ballast water from vessels worldwide? - A decadal environmental perspective and risk assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

David, Matej; Linders, Jan; Gollasch, Stephan; David, Jan

2018-05-24

Ballast water managements systems (BWMS) installed on vessels may use active substances to inactivate or kill organisms in the ballast water. This paper provides new insights in this global issue - discharge of hazardous disinfection by-products with ballast water and related risk assessment for the environment. Considering the possible extent of this issue, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) engaged the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP)-Ballast Water Working Group (BWWG) to oversee the evaluation process of BWMS that make use of active substances to prevent negative effects. We analysed all BWMS that received IMO final approval over a decade until 2017 and provide an overview of active substances used for ballast water treatment and disinfection by-products in the discharged ballast water. A risk assessment was conducted using the GESAMP-BWWG methodology for two very different commercial ports (Koper, Slovenia and Hamburg, Germany). Some relevant chemicals (chloropicrin, monochloroacetic acid, and dibromoacetonitrile) and other chemicals (isocyanuric acid and sodium thiosulphate) reached levels of concern, indicating a risk for aquatic organisms after discharge of that ballast water. From this analysis, it became clear GESAMP-BWWG worst-case scenario assumptions do not fully account for the potential environmental risks. We provide recommendations how to make this risk assessment more robust, recommend further research, and urge for policy as well as regulatory responses. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Guidance for a harmonized emission scenario document (ESD) on ballast water discharge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zipperle, Andreas [BIS - Beratungszentrum fuer integriertes Sedimentmanagement, Hamburg (Germany); Gils, Jos van [DELTARES, Delft (Netherlands); Hattum, Bert van [Amsterdam Univ. (Netherlands). IVM - Institute for Environmental Studies; Heise, Susanne [BIS - Beratungszentrum fuer integriertes Sedimentmanagement, Hamburg (Germany); Hamburg Univ. of Applied Sciences (Germany)

2011-05-15

The present report provides guidance for a harmonized Emission Scenario Document (ESD) for the exposure assessment as part of the environmental risk assessment process which applicants seeking approval of a ballast water management system (BWMS) need to perform prior to notification and authorisation procedures. Despite the global variability of the marine environment, ballast water discharges and treatment methods, exposure assessments need to be comparable between different applications. In order to achieve this, this ESD points out the following aspects: - Applicants should use standardized scenarios in order to predict mean exposure. These should reflect generic situations, independent of region or port so that results are widely applicable. In addition to a harbour scenario, a standardized shipping lane scenario should be considered, - During or right after ballast water discharge, high concentrations may persist in a water body for a certain length of time until extensive mixing results in mean concentrations. Not taking exposure to peak concentrations within gradients into account could lead to an underestimation of risk, especially for rapidly degrading substances. Efforts have been made to approximate maximum exposure concentration with simple dilution factors. Their applicability was checked by near-field-evaluations. - Chemical properties determine the environmental fate of substances. If they are ambiguous, selection of a specific set of data strongly influences the result of an exposure assessment. Guidance is given on what to do about lacking data. - In order to harmonize the exposure assessments, reliable chemical model software should be used. A discussion on the requirements of suitable software and an evaluation of MAMPEC is given in this report. (orig.)

Time and concentration dependency in the potentially affected fraction of species: the case of hydrogen peroxide treatment of ballast water

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, M.G.D.; Ebbens, E.; Jak, R.G.; Huijbregts, M.J.A.

2008-01-01

Transport of large volumes of ballast water contributes greatly to invasions of species. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can be used as a disinfectant to prevent the spread of exotic species via ballast water. Instead of using environmental risk assessment techniques for protecting a certain fraction of

Application of ion torrent sequencing to the assessment of the effect of alkali ballast water treatment on microbial community diversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujimoto, Masanori; Moyerbrailean, Gregory A; Noman, Sifat; Gizicki, Jason P; Ram, Michal L; Green, Phyllis A; Ram, Jeffrey L

2014-01-01

The impact of NaOH as a ballast water treatment (BWT) on microbial community diversity was assessed using the 16S rRNA gene based Ion Torrent sequencing with its new 400 base chemistry. Ballast water samples from a Great Lakes ship were collected from the intake and discharge of both control and NaOH (pH 12) treated tanks and were analyzed in duplicates. One set of duplicates was treated with the membrane-impermeable DNA cross-linking reagent propidium mono-azide (PMA) prior to PCR amplification to differentiate between live and dead microorganisms. Ion Torrent sequencing generated nearly 580,000 reads for 31 bar-coded samples and revealed alterations of the microbial community structure in ballast water that had been treated with NaOH. Rarefaction analysis of the Ion Torrent sequencing data showed that BWT using NaOH significantly decreased microbial community diversity relative to control discharge (pPCoA) plots and UPGMA tree analysis revealed that NaOH-treated ballast water microbial communities differed from both intake communities and control discharge communities. After NaOH treatment, bacteria from the genus Alishewanella became dominant in the NaOH-treated samples, accounting for microbial community structure between PMA-processed and non-PMA samples occurred in intake water samples, which exhibited a significantly higher amount of PMA-sensitive cyanobacteria/chloroplast 16S rRNA than their corresponding non-PMA total DNA samples. The community assembly obtained using Ion Torrent sequencing was comparable to that obtained from a subset of samples that were also subjected to 454 pyrosequencing. This study showed the efficacy of alkali ballast water treatment in reducing ballast water microbial diversity and demonstrated the application of new Ion Torrent sequencing techniques to microbial community studies.

THE PRECAUTIONARY PROCEDURES IN THE CASE OF NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT CON-VENTION’S STANDARDS – POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR POLISH PORTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdalena Klopott

2016-12-01

Full Text Available On September 8, 2017 the International Convention for the Control and Manage-ment of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWMC adopted in 2004 will enter into force. It imposes a lot of requirements on shipowners and port states. The aim of this article is to elaborate on the possible solutions that may be adopted in Polish ports as precau-tionary measures in the case of non-compliance with the provisions of BWMC. The article starts with a brief overview of BWMC and ballast water quality stand-ards. Further, it discusses the possible implications of not meeting the ballast water quality standards under BWMC. The elaboration of potential solutions and mitigation measures in the event of non-compliance with the BWMC constitutes the main part of the article. These are crucial to developing a port contingency plan and include, for example, shore-based reception facility for ballast water, mobile ballast water treatment systems, and using potable water. The article ends with a brief analysis of a possible fee systems for reception of ballast water. The research was based on a comprehensive analysis of the Convention and related legal documents, interviews with ports’ representatives as well as e-mail interviews with maritime authorities in the Baltic Sea countries.

Recolonization by heterotrophic bacteria after UV irradiation or ozonation of seawater; a simulation of ballast water treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Hess-Erga, Ole-Kristian; Blomvågnes-Bakke, Bente; Vadstein, Olav

2010-10-01

Transport of ballast water with ships represents a risk for introduction of foreign species. If ballast water is treated during uptake, there will be a recolonization of the ballast water by heterotrophic bacteria during transport. We investigated survival and succession of heterotrophic bacteria after disinfection of seawater in the laboratory, representing a model system of ballast water treatment and transport. The seawater was exposed to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, ozone (2 doses) or no treatment, incubated for 16 days and examined with culture-dependent and -independent methods. The number of colony-forming units (CFU) was reduced below the detection level after disinfection with UV and high ozone dose (700 mV), and 1% of the initial level for the low ozone dose (400 mV). After less than 3 days, the CFU was back or above the starting point for the control, UV and low ozone treatment, whereas it took slightly more than 6 days for the high ozone treatment. Disinfection increased substrate availability and reduced cell densities. Lack of competition and predation induced the recolonization by opportunistic bacteria (r-strategists), with significant increase in bacterial numbers and a low diversity (based on DGGE band pattern). All cultures stabilized after the initial recolonization phase (except Oz700) where competition due to crowding and nutrient limitation favoured bacteria with high substrate affinity (K-strategists), resulting in higher species richness and diversity (based on DGGE band pattern). The bacterial community was significantly altered qualitatively and quantitatively and may have a higher potential as invaders in the recipient depending on disinfection method and the time of release. These results have implications for the treatment strategy used for ballast water. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of chemical additives on the production of disinfection byproducts and ecotoxicity in simulated ballast water

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Chul; Cha, Hyung-Gon; Lee, Ji-Hyun; Choi, Tae Seop; Lee, Jungsuk; Kim, Young-Hee; Bae, Minjung; Shin, Kyoungsoon; Choi, Keun-Hyung

2017-11-01

The management of ship ballast water is essential to stemming the introduction of non-indigenous species. Approval for onboard installation of a system to treat ballast water requires rigorous land-based testing as dictated in the G8 guideline by the International Maritime Organization. However, this testing lacks standardization-most notably augmentation of organic carbon for influent water by adding chemical additives. Electrochlorination is a popular treatment method for ballast water, in which chlorinated oxidants react with organisms and organic matter in water. The additives could thus affect the treatment efficacy of the ballast water. Here, we examined the effects of several candidates of organic carbon additives on the consumption of total residual oxidant (TRO), the production of disinfection byproducts (DBPs), plankton survival, and ecotoxicity. The TRO consumption over five days of storage was higher in electrochlorinated seawater amended with lignin and Metamucil when compared with seawaters with other organic carbon compounds. DBP production varied by almost two orders of magnitude as a function of the various additives. This was largely attributed to the production of tribromomethane and dibromoacetic acid. The survival of Artemia franciscana was significantly different across waters of different organic carbon additives. Algal toxicity testing with the marine haptophyte Isochrysis galbana significantly reduced growth in lignin- and Metamucil-treated seawaters, but not with other organic carbon compounds. Bioluminescence in Vibrio fischeri sharply declined in electrochlorinated seawaters with all types of organic carbon compounds, but no toxicity was manifested once the electrochlorinated seawaters were neutralized with sodium thiosulfate. The varying degrees of outcome suggest that it might be better to eliminate the requirements of adding organic carbon to test water as long as natural water was used for land-based testing of BWMS. If needed, the

Bromination of Marine Dissolved Organic Matter following Full Scale Electrochemical Ballast Water Disinfection.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonsior, Michael; Mitchelmore, Carys; Heyes, Andrew; Harir, Mourad; Richardson, Susan D; Petty, William Tyler; Wright, David A; Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe

2015-08-04

An extensively diverse array of brominated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) were generated following electrochemical disinfection of natural coastal/estuarine water, which is one of the main treatment methods currently under consideration for ballast water treatment. Ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry revealed 462 distinct brominated DBPs at a relative abundance in the mass spectra of more than 1%. A brominated DBP with a relative abundance of almost 22% was identified as 2,2,4-tribromo-5-hydroxy-4-cyclopentene-1,3-dione, which is an analogue to several previously described 2,2,4-trihalo-5-hydroxy-4-cyclopentene-1,3-diones in drinking water. Several other brominated molecular formulas matched those of other known brominated DBPs, such as dibromomethane, which could be generated by decarboxylation of dibromoacetic acid during ionization, dibromophenol, dibromopropanoic acid, dibromobutanoic acid, bromohydroxybenzoic acid, bromophenylacetic acid, bromooxopentenoic acid, and dibromopentenedioic acid. Via comparison to previously described chlorine-containing analogues, bromophenylacetic acid, dibromooxopentenoic acid, and dibromopentenedioic acid were also identified. A novel compound at a 4% relative abundance was identified as tribromoethenesulfonate. This compound has not been previously described as a DBP, and its core structure of tribromoethene has been demonstrated to show toxicological implications. Here we show that electrochemical disinfection, suggested as a candidate for successful ballast water treatment, caused considerable production of some previously characterized DBPs in addition to novel brominated DBPs, although several hundred compounds remain structurally uncharacterized. Our results clearly demonstrate that electrochemical and potentially direct chlorination of ballast water in estuarine and marine systems should be approached with caution and the concentrations, fate, and toxicity of DBP need to be further characterized.

Application of ion torrent sequencing to the assessment of the effect of alkali ballast water treatment on microbial community diversity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masanori Fujimoto

Full Text Available The impact of NaOH as a ballast water treatment (BWT on microbial community diversity was assessed using the 16S rRNA gene based Ion Torrent sequencing with its new 400 base chemistry. Ballast water samples from a Great Lakes ship were collected from the intake and discharge of both control and NaOH (pH 12 treated tanks and were analyzed in duplicates. One set of duplicates was treated with the membrane-impermeable DNA cross-linking reagent propidium mono-azide (PMA prior to PCR amplification to differentiate between live and dead microorganisms. Ion Torrent sequencing generated nearly 580,000 reads for 31 bar-coded samples and revealed alterations of the microbial community structure in ballast water that had been treated with NaOH. Rarefaction analysis of the Ion Torrent sequencing data showed that BWT using NaOH significantly decreased microbial community diversity relative to control discharge (p<0.001. UniFrac distance based principal coordinate analysis (PCoA plots and UPGMA tree analysis revealed that NaOH-treated ballast water microbial communities differed from both intake communities and control discharge communities. After NaOH treatment, bacteria from the genus Alishewanella became dominant in the NaOH-treated samples, accounting for <0.5% of the total reads in intake samples but more than 50% of the reads in the treated discharge samples. The only apparent difference in microbial community structure between PMA-processed and non-PMA samples occurred in intake water samples, which exhibited a significantly higher amount of PMA-sensitive cyanobacteria/chloroplast 16S rRNA than their corresponding non-PMA total DNA samples. The community assembly obtained using Ion Torrent sequencing was comparable to that obtained from a subset of samples that were also subjected to 454 pyrosequencing. This study showed the efficacy of alkali ballast water treatment in reducing ballast water microbial diversity and demonstrated the application of new

Simulation of gamma irradiation system for a ballast water treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faez, T. P.; Sarkar, S.

2006-01-01

Invasion by different kinds of ballast the water microorganisms is one of the most important marine environment problems around the world therefore preventing the invasion of these unwanted and harmful stowaways is one of the main strategies of responsible agencies. Some of these methods such as ocean exchange, heating, filtration, hydro cyclones, UV irradiation and chemical treatment, have various problems such as technical deficiency, high costs, lack of safety and environmental side effects. Materials and Methods: A novel system of treatment by Gamma irradiation is designed to irradiate the blast water uniformly and effectively. To determine the dose distribution as a function of distance from the irradiation source, the MCNP code was used. The systems used for source implant in this simulation were Paterson-Parker, Paris and Network systems. In each system, Sivert-integral and inverse square law were used in MATLAB program to determine the dose distribution. Results: Results of initial laboratory tests on offshore water samples of Siri Island indicated that the appropriate dose for deactivation of organisms of water samples is approximately one kGy. It has been demonstrated that the dose can be provided by twenty five 100,000 Ci line sources of ' 60 Co in a triangle implant arranged in a 1*1*1 m3 cubic shape water pipe. In order to increase efficiency and radiation safety, water passed from two other coaxial and bigger cubes, after passing from the first cube. A one meter thick wall of concrete around the cubes was adequate to shield the system completely. Conclusion: The main advantages of this system such as high efficiency, safety, reliability, minimum environmental adverse effects, proves that this novel method not only can be used for ballast water treatment, but is also effective for drinking water purification

Ballast water as a vector of coral pathogens in the Gulf of Mexico: the case of the Cayo Arcas coral reef.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguirre-Macedo, M Leopoldina; Vidal-Martinez, Victor M; Herrera-Silveira, Jorge A; Valdés-Lozano, David S; Herrera-Rodríguez, Miguel; Olvera-Novoa, Miguel A

2008-09-01

The discharge of nutrients, phytoplankton and pathogenic bacteria through ballast water may threaten the Cayo Arcas reef system. To assess this threat, the quality of ballast water and presence of coral reef pathogenic bacteria in 30 oil tankers loaded at the PEMEX Cayo Arcas crude oil terminal were determined. The water transported in the ships originated from coastal, oceanic or riverine regions. Statistical associations among quality parameters and bacteria were tested using redundancy analysis (RDA). In contrast with coastal or oceanic water, the riverine water had high concentrations of coliforms, including Vibrio cholerae 01 and, Serratia marcescens and Sphingomona spp., which are frequently associated with "white pox" and "white plague type II" coral diseases. There were also high nutrient concentrations and low water quality index values (WQI and TRIX). The presence of V. cholerae 01 highlights the need for testing ballast water coming from endemic regions into Mexican ports.

Developing and testing an Early Warning System for Non Indigenous Species and Ballast Water Management

Science.gov (United States)

Magaletti, Erika; Garaventa, Francesca; David, Matej; Castriota, Luca; Kraus, Romina; Luna, Gian Marco; Silvestri, Cecilia; Forte, Cosmo; Bastianini, Mauro; Falautano, Manuela; Maggio, Teresa; Rak, Giulietta; Gollasch, Stephan

2018-03-01

This paper describes the methodological approach used for the development of an Early Warning System (EWS) for Non Indigenous Species (NIS) and ballast water management and summarizes the results obtained. The specific goals of the EWS are firstly to warn vessels to prevent loading of ballast water when critical biological conditions occur in ports and surrounding areas i.e. mass development or blooms of Harmful Aquatic Organisms and Pathogens (HAOP). Secondly, to warn environmental and health authorities when NIS or pathogens are present in ports or surrounding areas to enable an early response and an implementation of remediation measures. The EWS is designed to be used for implementing various parallel obligations, by taking into consideration different legal scopes, associated information and decision-making needs. The EWS was elaborated, tested in the Adriatic Sea and illustrated by two case studies. Although the EWS was developed with an Adriatic Sea focus, it is presented in a format so that it may be used as a model when establishing similar systems in other locations. The role of the various actors is discussed and recommendations on further developments of the EWS are presented. It was concluded that the EWS is a suitable tool to reduce the spread of potentially harmful and ballast water mediated species.

Potential use of an ultrasound antifouling technology as a ballast water treatment system

Science.gov (United States)

Estévez-Calvar, Noelia; Gambardella, Chiara; Miraglia, Francesco; Pavanello, Giovanni; Greco, Giuliano; Faimali, Marco; Garaventa, Francesca

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate, at a laboratory scale, the potentialities of an ultrasound-based treatment initially designed to eliminate fouling, as a ballast water treatment system. Therefore, early life stages of three different zooplanktonic species (Amphibalanus amphitrite, Brachionus plicatilis and Artemia salina) were exposed to ultrasound waves (20-22 kHz). The experimental set up included static assays with variations of time exposure (30 s, 60 s and 30 s on/60 s off/30 s on), material of tanks (stainless steel, galvanized steel and plastic) and position of the ultrasound source. Results showed that the treatment efficacy increased from 30 to 60 s and no differences were registered between 60 s-continuous exposure and pulse exposure. The highest efficacy was observed in Experiment I (metal-to-metal contact assay) with a mortality value of 93-95% for B. plicatilis and A. salina. It consisted of organisms located inside stainless steel tubes that were located in direct contact with the ultrasound source and treated for 60 s. Further, we found that, generally, A. amphitrite and B. plicatilis were the most resistant species to the ultrasound treatment whereas A. salina was the most sensitive. We further discuss that US may unlikely be used for commercial vessels, but may be used to treat ballast water in smaller ballast tanks as on board of mega yachts.

Developing Molecular Methods to Identify and Quantify Ballast Water Organisms: A Test Case with Cnidarians

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kreiser, Brian R

2004-01-01

.... Furthermore, biological invasions mediated by ballast water transport have led to some rather severe economic and ecological consequences as seen in the examples of the zebra mussel and green crab...

Improvement of railway ballast maintenance approach, incorporating ballast geometry and fouling conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Sadeghi, J.; Motieyan-Najar, M. E.; Zakeri, J. A.; Yousefi, B.; Mollazadeh, M.

2018-04-01

Ballast plays an important role in the stability of railway track systems. The effectiveness of the ballast in maintaining the track stability is very much dependent on its mechanical conditions. The available ballast maintenance approaches are mainly based on only track geometry conditions (such as track profile) which do not sufficiently reflect the ballast mechanical behaviors. That is, the ballast potential of degradation (i.e., ballast long term behaviors) has been omitted. This makes the effectiveness of the current ballast maintenance approach questionable, indicating a need for a more comprehensive and effective ballast conditions assessment technique. In response to this need, two ballast condition indices based on ballast geometry degradation (BGI) and the level of ballast fouling (BFI) as the main indicators of ballast mechanical behavior were developed. The BGI is a function of the standard deviations of track alignment, unevenness and twist. The BFI was developed based on the data obtained from the ground penetration radar (GPR). Making use of the new indices, a more reliable maintenance algorithm was developed. Through illustrations of the applicability of the new maintenance algorithm in a railway line, it was shown that the new algorithm causes a considerable improvement in the maintenance effectiveness and an increase in the life cycle of railway tracks by making more effective allocation of resources and more accurate maintenance planning.

Ballast Water Treatment, U.S. Great Lakes Bulk Carrier Engineering and Cost Study. Volume 1: Present Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-01

There are two U.S. cement plants (Charlevoix and Alpena ) that supply all U.S. ports on the lakes. Ballast Water Treatment, U.S. Great Lakes...Marquette, MI Brevort, MI Buffington, IN Alpena , MI Bay City, MI Cleveland, OH Ashtabula, OH Duluth, MN Munising, MI Charlevoix, MI Burns Harbor, IN...Manitowoc Pathfinder Calumet Alpena Total shown: 40,699,415 mt Total, all U.S. Vsls: 42,508,108 mt % ballast moved by top 5 vsls

Generic Protocol for the Verification of Ballast Water Treatment Technology. Version 5.1

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-01

and to build the scientific knowledge base needed to manage our ecological resources wisely, to understand how pollutants affect our health, and to...occurring in the water at the TF location. Ballast Water Treatment System (or System): Prefabricated , commercial-ready, treatment systems designed to...pathway to begin the development of technical procedures for approving BWTSs for installation on ships. EPA’s interest includes the ecological , economic

Rapid molecular detection of invasive species in ballast and harbor water by integrating environmental DNA and light transmission spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Egan, Scott P; Grey, Erin; Olds, Brett; Feder, Jeffery L; Ruggiero, Steven T; Tanner, Carol E; Lodge, David M

2015-04-07

Invasive species introduced via the ballast water of commercial ships cause enormous environmental and economic damage worldwide. Accurate monitoring for these often microscopic and morphologically indistinguishable species is challenging but critical for mitigating damages. We apply eDNA sampling, which involves the filtering and subsequent DNA extraction of microscopic bits of tissue suspended in water, to ballast and harbor water sampled during a commercial ship's 1400 km voyage through the North American Great Lakes. Using a lab-based gel electrophoresis assay and a rapid, field-ready light transmission spectroscopy (LTS) assay, we test for the presence of two invasive species: quagga (Dreissena bugensis) and zebra (D. polymorpha) mussels. Furthermore, we spiked a set of uninfested ballast and harbor samples with zebra mussel tissue to further test each assay's detection capabilities. In unmanipulated samples, zebra mussel was not detected, while quagga mussel was detected in all samples at a rate of 85% for the gel assay and 100% for the LTS assay. In the spiked experimental samples, both assays detected zebra mussel in 94% of spiked samples and 0% of negative controls. Overall, these results demonstrate that eDNA sampling is effective for monitoring ballast-mediated invasions and that LTS has the potential for rapid, field-based detection.

Fate of Enteromorpha flexuosa (Wulfen) J. Agardh and its spores in darkness: Implications for ballast water management

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Kolwalkar, J.P.; Sawant, S.S.; Dhargalkar, V.K.

of Enteromorpha flexuosa (Wulfen) J. Agardh and its spores in darkness: Implications for ballast water management Janhavi P. Kolwalkar, Subhash S. Sawant* and Vinod K. Dhargalkar National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa. 403004 ? India... is controlled by natural events. However, once in the dark ballast tanks, their ambient environment is altered. The information on the fate of such organisms during extended incubation in dark and their potential to thrive in new environment is of great...

Optimization of hydrocyclone geometry for ballast water treatment of crude oil ships; Otimizacao da geometria de hidrociclones para o tratamento de aguas de lastro de navios petroleiros

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, Andre G.; Medronho, Ricardo A. [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Escola de Quimica

2004-07-01

An oil ship when discharge its load, pumps water of the sea for its ballast tanks. This water has the function of maintaining balance, stability and the structural integrity, especially when the oil tank is empty of cargo. Thus, organisms and sediments presents in the water are pumped for the interior of the ballast tanks, being transferred from its natural habitat to another one. This may cause serious ecological unbalances. Hydrocyclone are very efficient and, as they produce high capacities, they seem to be appropriated for ballast water treatment. In this work, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to optimize the geometry of a hydrocyclone, aiming to maximize the separation of the suspended solids present in seawater. A oil ship of 150,000 tons of gross cargo was used as a model. This ship has a ballast capacity of 45,000 m{sup 3} and requires 10 h for filling its ballast tanks. To ballast this ship it would be necessary a battery of 795 hydrocyclones in parallel, having each hydrocyclone a diameter of 8,5 cm. The simulation produced an total efficiency of 99% when treating suspended solids with sizes ranging from 10 to 2500 {mu}m, with a 1.06 g cm-3 density. (author)

On board short-time high temperature heat treatment of ballast water: a field trial under operational conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Quilez-Badia, Gemma; McCollin, Tracy; Josefsen, Kjell D; Vourdachas, Anthony; Gill, Margaret E; Mesbahi, Ehsan; Frid, Chris L J

2008-01-01

A ballast water short-time high temperature heat treatment technique was applied on board a car-carrier during a voyage from Egypt to Belgium. Ballast water from three tanks was subjected for a few seconds to temperatures ranging from 55 degrees C to 80 degrees C. The water was heated using the vessel's heat exchanger steam and a second heat exchanger was used to pre-heat and cool down the water. The treatment was effective at causing mortality of bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) standard was not agreed before this study was carried out, but comparing our results gives a broad indication that the IMO standard would have been met in some of the tests for the zooplankton, in all the tests for the phytoplankton; and probably on most occasions for the bacteria. Passing the water through the pump increased the kill rate but increasing the temperature above 55 degrees C did not improve the heat treatment's efficacy.

Relative invasion risk for plankton across marine and freshwater systems: examining efficacy of proposed international ballast water discharge standards.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oscar Casas-Monroy

Full Text Available Understanding the implications of different management strategies is necessary to identify best conservation trajectories for ecosystems exposed to anthropogenic stressors. For example, science-based risk assessments at large scales are needed to understand efficacy of different vector management approaches aimed at preventing biological invasions associated with commercial shipping. We conducted a landscape-scale analysis to examine the relative invasion risk of ballast water discharges among different shipping pathways (e.g., Transoceanic, Coastal or Domestic, ecosystems (e.g., freshwater, brackish and marine, and timescales (annual and per discharge event under current and future management regimes. The arrival and survival potential of nonindigenous species (NIS was estimated based on directional shipping networks and their associated propagule pressure, environmental similarity between donor-recipient ecosystems (based on salinity and temperature, and effects of current and future management strategies (i.e., ballast water exchange and treatment to meet proposed international biological discharge standards. Our findings show that current requirements for ballast water exchange effectively reduce invasion risk to freshwater ecosystems but are less protective of marine ecosystems because of greater environmental mismatch between source (oceanic and recipient (freshwater ecoregions. Future requirements for ballast water treatment are expected to reduce risk of zooplankton NIS introductions across ecosystem types but are expected to be less effective in reducing risk of phytoplankton NIS. This large-scale risk assessment across heterogeneous ecosystems represents a major step towards understanding the likelihood of invasion in relation to shipping networks, the relative efficacy of different invasion management regimes and seizing opportunities to reduce the ecological and economic implications of biological invasions.

Algae viability over time in a ballast water sample

Science.gov (United States)

Gollasch, Stephan; David, Matej

2018-03-01

The biology of vessels' ballast water needs to be analysed for several reasons, one of these being performance tests of ballast water management systems. This analysis includes a viability assessment of phytoplankton. To overcome logistical problems to get algae sample processing gear on board of a vessel to document algae viability, samples may be transported to land-based laboratories. Concerns were raised how the storage conditions of the sample may impact algae viability over time and what the most appropriate storage conditions were. Here we answer these questions with a long-term algae viability study with daily sample analysis using Pulse-Amplitude Modulated (PAM) fluorometry. The sample was analysed over 79 days. We tested different storage conditions: fridge and room temperature with and without light. It seems that during the first two weeks of the experiment the viability remains almost unchanged with a slight downwards trend. In the continuing period, before the sample was split, a slightly stronger downwards viability trend was observed, which occurred at a similar rate towards the end of the experiment. After the sample was split, the strongest viability reduction was measured for the sample stored without light at room temperature. We concluded that the storage conditions, especially regarding temperature and light exposure, have a stronger impact on algae viability compared to the storage duration and that inappropriate storage conditions reduce algal viability. A sample storage time of up to two weeks in a dark and cool environment has little influence on the organism viability. This indicates that a two week time duration between sample taking on board a vessel and the viability measurement in a land-based laboratory may not be very critical.

Alternative, indirect measures of ballast water treatment efficacy during a shipboard trial: a case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wright, D.A.; Welschmeyer, N.A.; Peperzak, L.

2015-01-01

A shipboard study was conducted aboard the cruise ship Coral Princess during a scheduled cruise from San Pedro, CA, USA to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The investigation involved three members of the global TestNet group, with experience in certification testing of ballast water treatment

Conference on Ballast Water and Waste Water Treatment Aboard Ships and in Ports. Held in Bremerhaven, Germany on 11-13 June 2003

Science.gov (United States)

2003-06-13

test guidelines. Residual PERACLEAN® OCEAN in ballast water decomposes to water, acetic acid (e.g., vinegar ) and oxygen. The half-life is in the...membrane bioreactors (Figure 1), the combination of high cell density fermentation with ultrafiltration in compact modularI plants /2/. I! I I i Figure

Ballast water management that adapts to climate changes and reduces harmful bio-invasions in marine eco-systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Lauge Baungaard; Hansen, Mette Sanne

2015-01-01

food-webs and eco-systems. Economic impacts include reductions in fisheries production and algae blooms harmful for fish farms, tourism and human health. Due to the rising temperatures of the Oceans, organisms that prefer a warm climate may take roots in marine ecosystems that were previously too cold...... in marine ecosystem of changed factors in the shipping sector, for instance change of number, size, and design of vessels as well as treatment technologies of ballast water. New areas for shipping due to climate changes are also included. Our study would contribute to improve decision support tools, usable...... for them. In addition, future changes of temperature, storm patterns and sea-currents may also change shipping routes and ballast water management practices. Based on methods like stock taking, trend tracking and scenario modeling the paper aims to evaluate possible ecological and economic impacts...

Comparative performance of fluorescent iron-core ballasts and electronic ballasts. Rendement comparatif des ballasts a noyau de fer et des ballasts electroniques pour eclairage fluorescent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pasini, I

1987-01-01

Commercially available one- and two-lamp fluorescent luminaires were tested, and a number of electrical parameters were measured using varying combinations of lamps and either iron-core or electronic ballasts. Comprehensive photometric tests and thermal measurements were also conducted. The test results were tabulated and compared. The performance of the iron-core ballasts was found to be sufficiently close to nominally rated values to not raise concerns. Results from testing the electronic ballasts showed that the user has to be careful when selecting these ballasts, as they far exceed standard specification limits for current and voltage crest factors. All other electrical, photometric and thermal parameters are within accepted levels. An economic analysis was undertaken to determine cost benefits and payback periods for using electronic ballasts, the use of which will result in higher efficiency and lower power consumption. A project life of 20 years was assumed, and analysis was run for a power cost of $0.04/kWh. A unit made by Fyrnetics showed the lowest total annual owning and operating costs and had a payback period of 12.1 years. 13 figs., 13 tabs.

Inerting ballast tanks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baes, Gabriel L.; Bronneberg, Jos [SBM Offshore, AA Schiedam (Netherlands); Barros, Maria A.S.D. de [Universidade Estadual de Maringa (UEM), PR (Brazil)

2012-07-01

This report expands upon the work conducted by SBM Offshore to develop a tank preservation treatment, which is intended to achieve a service life of 30 years. This work focuses on the corrosion problems, in the ballast tanks, based on new built hulls, both for the Gas Exploration Market, the FLNG - Floating Liquefied Natural Gas, and for the Oil Exploration market - FPSO's - Floating Production Storage and offloading Units. Herein, the corrosion rate input comes from the various references related to the process of nitrogen injection, which is expected to extend the vessel's time life. The essential elements of this solution comprise the deoxygenation process, corrosion models, coating effects, tests from laboratory, shipboard tests, corrosion institutes and regulations applicable to the operation. The best corrosion protection system for ballast tanks area combines a coating system and an inert gas system. The condition of the tanks will be dependent upon the level of protection applied to the steel structure, including, but not limited to coating, cathodic protection, etc. There is a need for products which extend the life time. It is not sufficient, only have good theoretical base for the corrosion and an excellent treatment system. In addition, the design of the ships structure must also eliminate the presence of local stress concentrations which can result in fatigue cracking and rupture of the protective coating barrier starting the corrosion. As a direct result of this, more problems in corrosion can be mitigated, vessels can have a better corrosion performance with less maintenance and repairs to coating systems in ballast tanks. Furthermore ships will be positively impacted operationally due to less frequent dry docking. There is a huge potential in the application of inert gas to combat the corrosion rate inside the ballast tanks, one of the most corrosive environments on earth. This application can have a direct impact on vessel structure

Potential ballast water transfer of organisms from the west to the east coast of India: Insights through on board sampling

Science.gov (United States)

Desai, Dattesh V.; Narale, Dhiraj; Khandeparker, Lidita; Anil, Arga Chandrashekar

2018-03-01

The possibility of translocation of organisms via ship's ballast water (BW) during a voyage from Hazira on the west coast to Visakhapatnam on the east coast of India was assessed. Samples of BW during the voyage and discharge and sediment collected subsequent to discharge of BW were collected and analyzed for different abiotic and biotic components. It was observed that the salinity did not change, whereas temperature and pH of BW increased marginally during the voyage. A marginal increase in the dissolved oxygen is observed during rough-very rough sea conditions. A sharp decline in the phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance observed in the initial ballast tank sample compared to natural seawater indicates the impact of ballast water pumping on the plankton community. Changes in the sea state during the voyage (slight-moderate to rough-very rough) resulted in a higher sediment suspension rate and suspended particulate matter and this coincided with higher bacterial abundance followed by increase in phytoplankton. An increase in the phytoplankton abundance in the discharge water could be attributed to the inoculum from the sediment. The abundance of zooplankton decreased from the start till the end of the voyage, with high numbers of dead zooplankton in the discharge sample.

Development and optimization of a matrix converter supplying an electronic ballast - UV lamp system for water sterilization

Science.gov (United States)

Bokhtache, Aicha Aissa; Zegaoui, Abdallah; Aillerie, Michel; Djahbar, Abdelkader; Hemici, Kheira

2018-05-01

Electronic ballasts dedicated to discharge lamps allow improving the quality of radiation by operating at high frequency. In the present work, the use of a single-phase direct converter with a matrix structure for supplying a low-pressure mercury-argon UVC lamp for water sterilization is proposed. The structure of the converter is based on two switching cells allowing the realization of a fully controllable bidirectional switches. The advantages of such a matrix topology include the delivered of a sinusoidal waveform current with a controllable power factor close to unity, variable in amplitude and frequency. In order to obtain the desired amplitude and frequency, a PWM control was associated in the current realization. Finally, a linear adjustment of the lamp arc current was warranted by using of a PI regulator.

Electrochemical disinfection of simulated ballast water on PbO2/graphite felt electrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shuiping; Hu, Weidong; Hong, Jianxun; Sandoe, Steve

2016-04-15

A novel PbO2/graphite felt electrode was constructed by electrochemical deposition of PbO2 on graphite felt and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The prepared electrode is a viable technology for inactivation of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Artemia salina as indicator organisms in simulated ballast water treatment, which meets the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Regulation D-2. The effects of contact time and current density on inactivation were investigated. An increase in current density generally had a beneficial effect on the inactivation of the three species. E.faecalis and A.salina were more resistant to electrochemical disinfection than E. coli. The complete disinfection of E.coli was achieved in <8min at an applied current density of 253A/m(2). Complete inactivation of E. faecalis and A.salina was achieved at the same current density after 60 and 40min of contact time, respectively. A. salina inactivation follows first-order kinetics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 182.540 - Ballast systems.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Ballast systems. 182.540 Section 182.540 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) SMALL PASSENGER VESSELS (UNDER 100 GROSS TONS) MACHINERY INSTALLATION Bilge and Ballast Systems § 182.540 Ballast systems. (a) Ballast piping must not be...

The effects of prolonged darkness on temperate and tropical marine phytoplankton, and their implications for ballast water risk management

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Carney, K.J.; Delany, J.E.; Sawant, S.S.; Mesbahi, E.

seawater promoted the highest levels of growth. Seasonality had a significant influence on species survival. Understanding the effects of all these factors can aid the development of effective risk assessments in ballast water management....

Data on metals (Zn, Al, Sr, and Co and metalloid (As concentration levels of ballast water in commercial ships entering Bushehr port, along the Persian Gulf

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farshid Soleimani

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this article, we determined the concentration levels of metals including Zn, Al, Sr, and Co and metalloid of As of ballast water in commercial ships entering Bushehr port, along the Persian Gulf. Ballast water samples were taken from commercial ships entering Bushehr port from 34 ports around the world during 15 February and 25 August 2016. The concentration levels of metals and metalloid were determined by using a graphite furnace absorption spectrometer (AAS.

Amplicon-Based Pyrosequencing Reveals High Diversity of Protistan Parasites in Ships' Ballast Water: Implications for Biogeography and Infectious Diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Pagenkopp Lohan, K M; Fleischer, R C; Carney, K J; Holzer, K K; Ruiz, G M

2016-04-01

Ships' ballast water (BW) commonly moves macroorganisms and microorganisms across the world's oceans and along coasts; however, the majority of these microbial transfers have gone undetected. We applied high-throughput sequencing methods to identify microbial eukaryotes, specifically emphasizing the protistan parasites, in ships' BW collected from vessels calling to the Chesapeake Bay (Virginia and Maryland, USA) from European and Eastern Canadian ports. We utilized tagged-amplicon 454 pyrosequencing with two general primer sets, amplifying either the V4 or V9 domain of the small subunit (SSU) of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene complex, from total DNA extracted from water samples collected from the ballast tanks of bulk cargo vessels. We detected a diverse group of protistan taxa, with some known to contain important parasites in marine systems, including Apicomplexa (unidentified apicomplexans, unidentified gregarines, Cryptosporidium spp.), Dinophyta (Blastodinium spp., Euduboscquella sp., unidentified syndinids, Karlodinium spp., Syndinium spp.), Perkinsea (Parvilucifera sp.), Opisthokonta (Ichthyosporea sp., Pseudoperkinsidae, unidentified ichthyosporeans), and Stramenopiles (Labyrinthulomycetes). Further characterization of groups with parasitic taxa, consisting of phylogenetic analyses for four taxa (Cryptosporidium spp., Parvilucifera spp., Labyrinthulomycetes, and Ichthyosporea), revealed that sequences were obtained from both known and novel lineages. This study demonstrates that high-throughput sequencing is a viable and sensitive method for detecting parasitic protists when present and transported in the ballast water of ships. These data also underscore the potential importance of human-aided dispersal in the biogeography of these microbes and emerging diseases in the world's oceans.

Model SM-1 ballast density gauge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Weixiang; Fang Jidong; Zhang Xuejuan; Zhang Reilin; Gao Wanshan

1990-05-01

The ballast density is one of the principal parameters for roadbed operating state. It greatly affects the railroad stability, the accumulation of railroad residual deformation and the amount of work for railroad maintenance. SM-1 ballast density gauge is designed to determine the density of ballast by using the effect of γ-ray passed through the ballast. Its fundamentals, construction, specifications, application and economic profit are described

CMOS based image cytometry for detection of phytoplankton in ballast water.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, J M; Jofre, M; Martínez, P; Yáñez, M A; Catalan, V; Parker, A; Veldhuis, M; Pruneri, V

2017-02-01

We introduce an image cytometer (I-CYT) for the analysis of phytoplankton in fresh and marine water environments. A linear quantification of cell numbers was observed covering several orders of magnitude using cultures of Tetraselmis and Nannochloropsis measured by autofluorescence in a laboratory environment. We assessed the functionality of the system outside the laboratory by phytoplankton quantification of samples taken from a marine water environment (Dutch Wadden Sea, The Netherlands) and a fresh water environment (Lake Ijssel, The Netherlands). The I-CYT was also employed to study the effects of two ballast water treatment systems (BWTS), based on chlorine electrolysis and UV sterilization, with the analysis including the vitality of the phytoplankton. For comparative study and benchmarking of the I-CYT, a standard flow cytometer was used. Our results prove a limit of detection (LOD) of 10 cells/ml with an accuracy between 0.7 and 0.5 log, and a correlation of 88.29% in quantification and 96.21% in vitality, with respect to the flow cytometry results.

Economic study of replacing conventional ballast with electronic ballast for high pressure sodium lamps used in public lighting in Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osama M. Arafa

2015-05-01

Full Text Available High pressure sodium lamp is widely used for street and public lighting in many countries including Egypt. It is traditionally connected to the AC mains through electromagnetic ballast. Electronic ballast for high pressure sodium lamp has reached a matured technological state and it is outperforming electromagnetic ballast in almost all operational aspects. Differentiating both ballasts from a technical perspective has been presented in great detail by the authors in a previous paper. Due to the current critical shortage of electrical energy supply in Egypt; top executives seek alternatives to mitigate the crisis of electricity shortage. Among these alternatives is a national plan to replace magnetic ballasts with electronic ballasts for public lighting applications. Replacing conventional electromagnetic ballast with electronic ballast is associated with high capital investment due to high cost of such devices. The objective of this study is to outlay a systematic approach to define the threshold price of electronic ballast which assures the economical feasibility of such plan. In doing this, the economical aspects of replacing electromagnetic ballasts with electronic ballast on a national scale in Egypt are analyzed and presented.

The Maritime Environment - International Conference and Exhibition on Ballast Water, Waste Water and Sewage Treatment on Ships and in Ports Held in Bremerhaven, Germany on 12-14 September 2001. Conference Proceedings

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2001-01-01

The Maritime International Conference on Ballast Water, Waste Water and Sewage Treatment on Ships and in Ports held in Bremerhaven, Germany on 12-14 September 2001 was cosponsored by Deerberg-Systems...

Assessment of variable fluorescence fluorometry as an approach for rapidly detecting living photoautotrophs in ballast water

Science.gov (United States)

First, Matthew R.; Robbins-Wamsley, Stephanie H.; Riley, Scott C.; Drake, Lisa A.

2018-03-01

Variable fluorescence fluorometry, an analytical approach that estimates the fluorescence yield of chlorophyll a (F0, a proximal measure of algal concentration) and photochemical yield (FV/FM, an indicator of the physiological status of algae) was evaluated as a means to rapidly assess photoautotrophs. Specifically, it was used to gauge the efficacy of ballast water treatment designed to reduce the transport and delivery of potentially invasive organisms. A phytoflagellate, Tetraselmis spp. (10-12 μm) and mixed communities of ambient protists were examined in both laboratory experiments and large-scale field trials simulating 5-d hold times in mock ballast tanks. In laboratory incubations, ambient organisms held in the dark exhibited declining F0 and FV/FM measurements relative to organisms held under lighted conditions. In field experiments, increases and decreases in F0 and FV/FM over the tank hold time corresponded to those of microscope counts of organisms in two of three trials. In the third trial, concentrations of organisms ≥ 10 and protists) increased while F0 and FV/FM decreased. Rapid and sensitive, variable fluorescence fluorometry is appropriate for detecting changes in organism concentrations and physiological status in samples dominated by microalgae. Changes in the heterotrophic community, which may become more prevalent in light-limited ballast tanks, would not be detected via variable fluorescence fluorometry, however.

Magnetic fluorescent ballasts: Market data, market imperfections, and policy success

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koomey, J.G.; Sanstad, A.H.; Shown, L.J.

1995-12-01

Many economists have strongly questioned engineering-economic studies aimed at demonstrating anomalously slow diffusion of energy-efficient technology and the benefits of regulations to promote such technology. One argument against such studies is that standard techniques of engineering-economics are either inappropriate for or are routinely misapplied in assessing the performance of the market for energy efficiency. This paper presents engineering-economic evidence on the diffusion of energy efficiency improvements that takes account of such critiques. The authors examine the engineering and economic characteristics of standard and energy-efficient magnetic ballasts for fluorescent lighting. Efficient magnetic ballasts represented an excellent investment for 99% of the commercial building floor stock, and a moderately good investment for 0.7% of the commercial floor stock. Still, these ballasts were only being adopted in the 1980s at a rate commensurate with the enactment of appliance efficiency standards in various states. In this case, there is solid empirical evidence for skepticism about the effectiveness of the market mechanism in promoting cost-effective energy efficiency improvements as well as evidence of the benefits of regulation to counteract this shortcoming.

Molecular detection of native and invasive marine invertebrate larvae present in ballast and open water environmental samples collected in Puget Sound

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, J.B.J.; Hoy, M.S.; Rodriguez, R.J.

2009-01-01

Non-native marine species have been and continue to be introduced into Puget Sound via several vectors including ship's ballast water. Some non-native species become invasive and negatively impact native species or near shore habitats. We present a new methodology for the development and testing of taxon specific PCR primers designed to assess environmental samples of ocean water for the presence of native and non-native bivalves, crustaceans and algae. The intergenic spacer regions (IGS; ITS1, ITS2 and 5.8S) of the ribosomal DNA were sequenced for adult samples of each taxon studied. We used these data along with those available in Genbank to design taxon and group specific primers and tested their stringency against artificial populations of plasmid constructs containing the entire IGS region for each of the 25 taxa in our study, respectively. Taxon and group specific primer sets were then used to detect the presence or absence of native and non-native planktonic life-history stages (propagules) from environmental samples of ballast water and plankton tow net samples collected in Puget Sound. This methodology provides an inexpensive and efficient way to test the discriminatory ability of taxon specific oligonucleotides (PCR primers) before creating molecular probes or beacons for use in molecular ecological applications such as probe hybridizations or microarray analyses. This work addresses the current need to develop molecular tools capable of diagnosing the presence of planktonic life-history stages from non-native marine species (potential invaders) in ballast water and other environmental samples. ?? 2008 Elsevier B.V.

46 CFR 56.50-50 - Bilge and ballast piping.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... or in the boiler or machinery space, including spaces in which oil settling tanks or oil pumping... pumping from and draining any watertight compartment except for ballast, oil and water tanks which have... the suction pipes. Efficient means shall be provided for draining water from all tank tops, other...

Application of geocomposite placed beneath ballast bed to improve ballast quality and track stability

Science.gov (United States)

Horníček, Leoš; Břešt'ovský, Petr; Jasanský, Petr

2017-09-01

The article deals with the application of a stabilization hexagonal geocomposite for the improvement of poor stability of railway tracks caused by undesirable migration of fine soil particles from the subgrade into the ballast bed. The establishment of a test railway section on a single-line track situated near Domazlice and its long-term monitoring programme are described. Evaluation is aimed especially at track geometry parameters, the load-bearing capacity of the ballast bed, elastic rail deflection during train passages and the durability of geocomposite’s physical properties. The data taken from the test section during five measurement campaigns are compared with both adjacent sections. In one of them, only the ballast bed renovation was carried out, whereas in the second one no intervention was performed at all. The usage of a pioneering geosynthetic product in combination with new trends in ballast bed restoration seems to be an innovative as well as effective solution to analogous problematic spots on railway tracks in the Czech Republic.

Risk assessment of human health from exposure to the discharged ballast water after full-scale electrolysis treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Nahui; Wang, Yidan; Xue, Junzeng; Yuan, Lin; Wang, Qiong; Liu, Liang; Wu, Huixian; Hu, Kefeng

2016-06-01

The presence of disinfection by-products (DBPs) releasing from ballast water management systems (BWMS) can cause a possible adverse effects on humans. The objectives of this study were to compute the Derived No Effect Levels (DNELs) for different exposure scenarios and to compare these levels with the exposure levels from the measured DBPs in treated ballast water. The risk assessment showed that when using animal toxicity data, all the DNELs values were approximately 10(3)-10(12) times higher than the exposure levels of occupational and general public exposure scenarios, indicating the level of risk was low (risk characterization ratios (RCRs) < 1). However, when using human data, the RCRs were higher than 1 for dichlorobromomethane and trichloromethane, indicating that the risk of adverse effects on human were significant. This implies that there are apparent discrepancies between risk characterization from animal and human data, which may affect the overall results. We therefore recommend that when appropriate, human data should be used in risk assessment as much as possible, although human data are very limited. Moreover, more appropriate assessment factors can be considered to be employed in estimating the DNELs for human when the animal data is selected as the dose descriptors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing ballast treatment standards for effect on rate of establishment using a stochastic model of the green crab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cynthia Cooper

2012-03-01

Full Text Available This paper describes a stochastic model used to characterize the probability/risk of NIS establishment from ships' ballast water discharges. Establishment is defined as the existence of a sufficient number of individuals of a species to provide for a sustained population of the organism. The inherent variability in population dynamics of organisms in their native or established environments is generally difficult to quantify. Muchqualitative information is known about organism life cycles and biotic and abiotic environmental pressures on the population, but generally little quantitative data exist to develop a mechanistic model of populations in such complex environments. Moreover, there is little quantitative data to characterize the stochastic fluctuations of population size over time even without accounting for systematic responses to biotic and abiotic pressures. This research applies an approach using life-stage density and fecundity measures reported in research to determine a stochastic model of an organism's population dynamics. The model is illustrated withdata from research studies on the green crab that span a range of habitats of the established organism and were collected over some years to represent a range of time-varying biotic and abiotic conditions that are expected to exist in many receiving environments. This model is applied to introductions of NIS at the IMO D-2 and the U.S. ballast water discharge standard levels designated as Phase Two in the United States Coast Guard'sNotice of Proposed Rulemaking. Under a representative range of ballast volumes discharged at U.S. ports, the average rate of establishment of green crabs for ballast waters treated to the IMO-D2 concentration standard (less than 10 organisms/m3 is predicted to be reduced to about a third the average rate from untreated ballast water discharge. The longevity of populations from the untreated ballast water discharges is expected to be reducedby about 90% by

Optimal Control of a Ballast-Stabilized Floating Wind Turbine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Søren; Knudsen, Torben; Bak, Thomas

2011-01-01

Offshore wind energy capitalizes on the higher and less turbulent wind speeds at sea. The use of floating structures for deeper waters is being explored. The control objective is a tradeoff between power capture and fatigue, especially that produced by the oscillations caused by the reduced...... structural stiffness of a floating installation in combination with a coupling between the fore–aft motion of the tower and the blade pitch. To address this problem, the present paper models a ballast-stabilized floating wind turbine, and suggests a linear quadratic regulator (LQR) in combination with a wind...... estimator and a state observer. The results are simulated using aero elastic code and analysed in terms of damage equivalent loads. When compared to a baseline controller, this controller clearly demonstrates better generator speed and power tracking while reducing fatigue loads....

Optimisation of bitumen emulsion properties for ballast stabilisation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D’Angelo, G.; Lo Presti, D.; Thom, N.

2017-01-01

Ballasted track, while providing economical and practical advantages, is associated with high costs and material consumption due to frequent maintenance. More sustainable alternatives to conventional ballasted trackbeds should therefore aim at extending its durability, particularly considering ongoing increases in traffic speed and loads. In this regard, the authors have investigated a solution consisting of bitumen stabilised ballast (BSB), designed to be used for new trackbeds as well as in reinforcing existing ones. This study presents the idea behind the technology and then focuses on a specific part of its development: the optimisation of bitumen emulsion properties and dosage in relation to ballast field conditions. Results showed that overall bitumen stabilisation improved ballast resistance to permanent deformation by enhancing stiffness and damping properties. Scenarios with higher dosage of bitumen emulsion, higher viscosity, quicker setting behaviour, and harder base bitumen seem to represent the most desirable conditions to achieve enhanced in-field performance. [es

Dimmable Electronic Ballast for a Gas Discharge Lamp

Science.gov (United States)

Raducanu, Marius; Hennings, Brian D.

2013-01-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is the most efficient photocatalyst for organic oxidative degradation. TiO2 is effective not only in aqueous solution, but also in nonaqueous solvents and in the gas phase. It is photostable, biologically and chemically inert, and non-toxic. Low-energy UV light (approximately 375 nm, UV-A) can be used to photoactivate TiO2. TiO2 photocatalysis has been used to mineralize most types of organic compounds. Also, TiO2 photocatalysis has been effectively used in sterilization. This effectiveness has been demonstrated by its aggressive destruction of microorganisms, and aggressive oxidation effects of toxins. It also has been used for the oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, and ammonia to nitrogen. Despite having many attractive features, advanced photocatalytic oxidation processes have not been effectively used for air cleaning. One of the limitations of the traditional photocatalytic systems is the ballast that powers (lights) the bulbs. Almost all commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) ballasts are not dimmable and do not contain safety features. COTS ballasts light the UV lamp as bright as the bulb can be lit, and this results in shorter bulb lifetime and maximal power consumption. COTS magnetic ballasts are bulky, heavy, and inefficient. Several iterations of dimmable electronic ballasts have been developed. Some manifestations have safety features such as broken-bulb or over-temperature warnings, replace-bulb alert, logbulb operational hours, etc. Several electronic ballast boards capable of independently lighting and controlling (dimming) four fluorescent (UV light) bulbs were designed, fabricated, and tested. Because of the variation in the market bulb parameters, the ballast boards were designed with a very broad range output. The ballast boards can measure and control the current (power) for each channel.

Economical weight loss program for PCB-contaminated ballasts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Day, B.

1995-01-01

A PCB (Polychlorinated Biphenyls) reduction process for PCB-contaminated ballasts was described. The process was developed by such organizations and programs as PCB Containment Technology Inc, and the Contech Ballast Reduction Program, and was claimed to include waste reduction of lighting ballasts down to their smallest PCB contaminated components. Particular attention was paid to the two most contaminated main components, i.e. the capacitor and the tar potting material. Development of the process and the government's role and participation therein was explained. The process of ballast reduction was said to utilize the old 'Reduce, Reuse and Recycle' theory; it was considered to be a cost effective waste reduction, recycling, and auditing alternative to incineration of PCBs

Effects of sonication and advanced chemical oxidants on the unicellular green alga Dunaliella tertiolecta and cysts, larvae and adults of the brine shrimp Artemia salina: a prospective treatment to eradicate invasive organisms from ballast water.

Science.gov (United States)

Gavand, Meghana R; McClintock, James B; Amsler, Charles D; Peters, Robert W; Angus, Robert A

2007-11-01

Uptake and release of ship-borne ballast water is a major factor contributing to introductions of aquatic phytoplankton and invasive macroinvertebrates. Some invasive unicellular algae can cause harmful algal blooms and produce toxins that build up in food chains. Moreover, to date, few studies have compared the efficacy of ballast water treatments against different life history phases of aquatic macroinvertebrates. In the present study, the unicellular green alga Dunaliella tertiolecta, and three discrete life history phases of the brine shrimp Artemia salina, were independently used as model organisms to study the efficacy of sonication as well as the advanced oxidants, hydrogen peroxide and ozone, as potential ballast water treatments. Algal cells and brine shrimp cysts, nauplii, and adults were subjected to individual and combined treatments of sonication and advanced oxidants. Combined rather than individual treatments consistently yielded the highest levels of mortality in algal cells (100% over a 2 min exposure) and in brine shrimp (100% and 95% for larvae and adults, respectively, over a 2 min exposure). In contrast, mortality levels in brine shrimp cysts (66% over 2 min; increased to 92% over a 20 min exposure) were moderately high but consistently lower than that detected for larval or adult shrimp. Our results indicate that a combination of sonication and advanced chemical oxidants may be a promising method to eradicate aquatic unicellular algae and macroinvertebrates in ballast water.

Laboratory evaluation of the emulsifying characteristics of pumps. [Bilge and ballast water oily wastes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harvey, A.C.; Guzdar, A.R.; Fiswell, D.R.

1973-10-01

The program was devoted to a laboratory investigation of the emulsifying characteristics of different pumps suitable for shipboard pumping of bilge and ballast water oily wastes. The tests were designed to investigate the effect of several parameters, such as oil type, input oil concentration, detergent, pump operating characteristics (pressure and flow rate), and salt versus fresh water, on emulsification. Tests were conducted on the Foster-Miller tests loop. No. 2 fuel oil, lubricating oil and No. 6 fuel oil were the oils tested at concentrations ranging from 1 to 10%. The oils were tested with and without the addition of 10% Gamlen D surfactant. The pumps used were a Parker Diaphragm pump, a Blackmer Sliding Vane pump, an Ingersoll Rand Centrifugal pump and a Deming Centrifugal pump. Pump pressure ranged from 10 to 60 psi and flow rate from 10 to 100 gpm. A total of 270 tests were conducted covering 198 different operating points, 108 concerning pump comparison, 54 concerning oil concentration and surfactant, and 45 concerning salt water.

Design and Simulation of Automatic Ballast System on Catamaran Ship Based on Programmable Logic Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Indra Ranu Kusuma

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Characteristics of catamaran ship which has deficiency to ship stability during maneuvering. to that end, this paper concerns about ballast system design in support of the safety and comfort of passengers on the catamaran boat. the discussion is done by creating a mathematical model of each component in the block diagram of the ballast system. then determine the pid value of the system and add the compensator for the system to run stable. further analyzed with the help of matlab software to get transient system response. with the automation system on the ballast system, it is expected that the motion of the ship can work automatically and provide a better response in the stability of the catamaran type ship. the ballast system begins to work against the tilt of the ship at 6.7 seconds at a certain angle, and will continue to work during the vessel maneuvering. judging from the 6.7 second system response time, the convenience of the passengers is not disturbed (the system response is not too fast. one way to reduce the rolling that occurs on the ship is to optimize the performance of the ballast system. performance optimization is done by using programmable logic controller (plc. plc used is omron cpm1a-30cdr-a-v1. the process is done by making the installation plant model of the ballast system as a control medium. followed by creating a control circuit consisting of wiring i / o, limit switch circuits, power supplies and programming languages associated with plcs. the result of the control is expected to regulate fluid flow in the ballast system automatically resulting in a rapid response to the stability of the ship.

Effects of UV/Ag-TiO2/O3 advanced oxidation on unicellular green alga Dunaliella salina: implications for removal of invasive species from ballast water.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Donghai; You, Hong; Du, Jiaxuan; Chen, Chuan; Jin, Darui

2011-01-01

The UV/Ag-TiO2/O3 process was investigated for ballast water treatment using Dunaliella salina as an indicator. Inactivation curves were obtained, and the toxicity of effluent was determined. Compared with individual unit processes using ozone or UV/Ag-TiO2, the inactivation efficiency of D. salina by the combined UV/Ag-TiO2/O3 process was enhanced. The presence of ozone caused an immediate decrease in chlorophyll a (chl-a) concentration. Inactivation efficiency and ch1-a removal efficiency were positively correlated with ozone dose and ultraviolet intensity. The initial total residual oxidant (TRO) concentration of effluent increased with increasing ozone dose, and persistence of TRO resulted in an extended period of toxicity. The results suggest that UV/Ag-TiO2/O3 has potential for ballast water treatment.

Statistical analysis of cone penetration resistance of railway ballast

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saussine Gilles

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Dynamic penetrometer tests are widely used in geotechnical studies for soils characterization but their implementation tends to be difficult. The light penetrometer test is able to give information about a cone resistance useful in the field of geotechnics and recently validated as a parameter for the case of coarse granular materials. In order to characterize directly the railway ballast on track and sublayers of ballast, a huge test campaign has been carried out for more than 5 years in order to build up a database composed of 19,000 penetration tests including endoscopic video record on the French railway network. The main objective of this work is to give a first statistical analysis of cone resistance in the coarse granular layer which represents a major component of railway track: the ballast. The results show that the cone resistance (qd increases with depth and presents strong variations corresponding to layers of different natures identified using the endoscopic records. In the first zone corresponding to the top 30cm, (qd increases linearly with a slope of around 1MPa/cm for fresh ballast and fouled ballast. In the second zone below 30cm deep, (qd increases more slowly with a slope of around 0,3MPa/cm and decreases below 50cm. These results show that there is no clear difference between fresh and fouled ballast. Hence, the (qd sensitivity is important and increases with depth. The (qd distribution for a set of tests does not follow a normal distribution. In the upper 30cm layer of ballast of track, data statistical treatment shows that train load and speed do not have any significant impact on the (qd distribution for clean ballast; they increase by 50% the average value of (qd for fouled ballast and increase the thickness as well. Below the 30cm upper layer, train load and speed have a clear impact on the (qd distribution.

Power supply improvements for ballasts-low pressure mercury/argon discharge lamp for water purification

Science.gov (United States)

Bokhtache, A. Aissa; Zegaoui, A.; Djahbar, A.; Allouache, H.; Hemici, K.; Kessaissia, F. Z.; Bouchrit, M. S.; Aillerie, M.

2017-02-01

The low-pressure electrical discharges established in the mercury rare gas mixtures are the basis of many applications both in the field of lighting and for industrial applications. In order to select an efficient high frequency power supply (ECG -based PWM inverter), we present and discuss results obtained in the simulation of three kinds of power supplies delivering a 0.65 A - 50KHz sinusoidal current dedicated to power low pressure UV Mercury - Argon lamp used for effect germicide on water treatment thus allowing maximum UVC radiation at 253.7 nm. Three ballasts half-bridge configurations were compared with criteria based on resulting germicide efficiency, electrical yield and reliability, for example the quality of the sinusoidal current with reduced THD, and finally, we also considered in this analysis the final economic aspect.

Detection of Ballast Damage by In-Situ Vibration Measurement of Sleepers

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, H. F.; Wong, M. T.; Keefe, R. M.

2010-05-01

Ballasted track is one of the most important elements of railway transportation systems worldwide. Owing to its importance in railway safety, many monitoring and evaluation methods have been developed. Current railway track monitoring systems are comprehensive, fast and efficient in testing railway track level and alignment, rail gauge, rail corrugation, etc. However, the monitoring of ballast condition still relies very much on visual inspection and core tests. Although extensive research has been carried out in the development of non-destructive methods for ballast condition evaluation, a commonly accepted and cost-effective method is still in demand. In Hong Kong practice, if abnormal train vibration is reported by the train operator or passengers, permanent way inspectors will locate the problem area by track geometry measurement. It must be pointed out that visual inspection can only identify ballast damage on the track surface, the track geometry deficiencies and rail twists can be detected using a track gauge. Ballast damage under the sleeper loading area and the ballast shoulder, which are the main factors affecting track stability and ride quality, are extremely difficult if not impossible to be detected by visual inspection. Core test is a destructive test, which is expensive, time consuming and may be disruptive to traffic. A fast real-time ballast damage detection method that can be implemented by permanent way inspectors with simple equipment can certainly provide valuable information for engineers in assessing the safety and riding quality of ballasted track systems. The main objective of this paper is to study the feasibility in using the vibration characteristics of sleepers in quantifying the ballast condition under the sleepers, and so as to explore the possibility in developing a handy method for the detection of ballast damage based on the measured vibration of sleepers.

Asbestos quantification in track ballast, a complex analytical problem

Science.gov (United States)

Cavallo, Alessandro

2016-04-01

Track ballast forms the trackbeb upon which railroad ties are laid. It is used to bear the load from the railroad ties, to facilitate water drainage, and also to keep down vegetation. It is typically made of angular crushed stone, with a grain size between 30 and 60 mm, with good mechanical properties (high compressive strength, freeze - thaw resistance, resistance to fragmentation). The most common rock types are represented by basalts, porphyries, orthogneisses, some carbonatic rocks and "green stones" (serpentinites, prasinites, amphibolites, metagabbros). Especially "green stones" may contain traces, and sometimes appreciable amounts of asbestiform minerals (chrysotile and/or fibrous amphiboles, generally tremolite - actinolite). In Italy, the chrysotile asbestos mine in Balangero (Turin) produced over 5 Mt railroad ballast (crushed serpentinites), which was used for the railways in northern and central Italy, from 1930 up to 1990. In addition to Balangero, several other serpentinite and prasinite quarries (e.g. Emilia Romagna) provided the railways ballast up to the year 2000. The legal threshold for asbestos content in track ballast is established in 1000 ppm: if the value is below this threshold, the material can be reused, otherwise it must be disposed of as hazardous waste, with very high costs. The quantitative asbestos determination in rocks is a very complex analytical issue: although techniques like TEM-SAED and micro-Raman are very effective in the identification of asbestos minerals, a quantitative determination on bulk materials is almost impossible or really expensive and time consuming. Another problem is represented by the discrimination of asbestiform minerals (e.g. chrysotile, asbestiform amphiboles) from the common acicular - pseudo-fibrous varieties (lamellar serpentine minerals, prismatic/acicular amphiboles). In this work, more than 200 samples from the main Italian rail yards were characterized by a combined use of XRD and a special SEM

The advanced EctoSys electrolysis as an integral part of a ballast water treatment system.

Science.gov (United States)

Echardt, J; Kornmueller, A

2009-01-01

A full-scale 500 m(3)/h ballast water treatment system was tested according to the landbased type approval procedure of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The system consists of disc filters followed by the advanced EctoSys electrolysis as an integral part for disinfection. The test water quality exceeded by far the minimum requirements for type approval testing. Due to the properties of the special electrodes used together with the striking disinfection effect, the disinfectants assumed to be produced inline by the EctoSys cell in river water were hydroxyl radicals, while in brackish water additionally chlorine and consequently the more stable bromine were formed. In river water, no residual oxidants could be detected in accordance with the assumed production of not responding, highly-reactive and short-living hydroxyl radicals. Accordingly, disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation was very low and close to the limit of quantification in river water. While in brackish water, initial residual oxidant concentrations were maximum 2 mg/L as chlorine and mostly brominated DBP (especially bromoform and bromate) were found. Overall considering this worst case test approach, the DBP concentrations of the treated effluents were below or in the range of the WHO Drinking Water Guideline values and therefore evaluated as acceptable for discharge to the environment. The stringent discharge standard by IMO concerning viable organisms was fully met in river and brackish water, proving the disinfection efficiency of the EctoSys electrolysis against smaller plankton and bacteria.

Single-stage unity power factor based electronic ballast

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

This paper deals with the design, modeling, analysis and implementation of unity power factor (UPF) based electronic ballast for a fluorescent lamp (FL). The proposed electronic ballast uses a boost AC–DC converter as a power factor corrector (PFC) to improve the power quality at the input ac mains. In this singlestage ...

Association of bacteria with marine invertebrates: Implications for ballast water management

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Khandeparker, L.; Anil, A.C.

stream_size 36739 stream_content_type text/plain stream_name EcoHealth_10_268a.pdf.txt stream_source_info EcoHealth_10_268a.pdf.txt Content-Encoding UTF-8 Content-Type text/plain; charset=UTF-8 1 Author version: EcoHealth... transportation, can have direct impact on society and human health. Ship’s ballast tanks hold different non-indigenous vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, microscopic algae, bacteria etc. (Williams et al. 1988; Carlton and Geller 1993; Smith et al. 1996...

Compact Fluorescent Plug-In Ballast-in-a-Socket

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rebecca Voelker

2001-12-21

The primary goal of this program was to develop a ballast system for plug-in CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) that will directly replace standard metal shell, medium base incandescent lampholders (such as Levition No. 6098) for use with portable lamp fixtures, such as floor, table and desk lamps. A secondary goal was to identify a plug-in CFL that is optimized for use with this ballast. This Plug-in CFL Ballastin-a-Socket system will allow fixture manufacturers to easily manufacture CFL-based high-efficacy portable fixtures that provide residential and commercial consumers with attractive, cost-effective, and energy-efficient fixtures for use wherever portable incandescent fixtures are used today. The advantages of this proposed system over existing CFL solutions are that the fixtures can only be used with high-efficacy CFLs, and they will be more attractive and will have lower life-cycle costs than screw-in or adapter-based CFL retrofit solutions. These features should greatly increase the penetration of CFL's into the North American market. Our work has shown that using integrated circuits it is quite feasible to produce a lamp-fixture ballast of a size comparable to the current Edison-screw 3-way incandescent fixtures. As for price points for BIAS-based fixtures, end-users polled by the Lighting Research Institute at RPI indicated that they would pay as much as an additional $10 for a lamp containing such a ballast. The ballast has been optimized to run with a 26 W amalgam triple biax lamp in the base-down position, yet can accept non-amalgam versions of the lamp. With a few part alterations, the ballast can be produced to support 32 W lamps as well. The ballast uses GE's existing L-Comp[1] power topology in the circuit so that the integrated circuit design would be a design that could possibly be used by other CFL and EFL products with minor modifications. This gives added value by reducing cost and size of not only the BIAS, but also possibly other

Effect and mechanism of a High Gradient Magnetic Separation (HGMS) and Ultraviolet (UV) composite process on the inactivation of microbes in ballast water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren, Zhijun; Zhang, Lin; Shi, Yue; Leng, Xiaodong; Shao, Jingchao

2016-01-01

The patented technology of a High Gradient Magnetic Separation (HGMS)-Ultraviolet (UV) composite process was used to treat ballast water. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was selected as the reference bacteria. After treatment by the HGMS-UV process, the concentration of S. aureus on the log 10 scale was lower than 2 at different flow rates, S. aureus suffered the most serious damage, and K + leakage of the bacteria was 1.73 mg/L higher than separate 60 min UV irradiation (1.17 mg/L) and HGMS (0.12 mg/L) processes. These results demonstrated that the HGMS-UV composite process was an effective approach to treat ballast water. Further, the HGMS process had synergistic action on the subsequent UV irradiation process and accelerated cell membrane damage. Meanwhile, the results of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities of bacteria and DNA band analyses indicated that the inactivation mechanisms were different for HGMS and UV irradiation. - Highlights: •The HGMS process had synergistic action on the subsequent UV irradiation process. •HGMS directly influenced the active center of a metal enzyme and did not cause damage to DNA. •UV irradiation was found to depend on the production of free radicals to affect the bacterial DNA and enzyme activity.

Recent changes in federal PCB regulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ewing, H.

1995-01-01

An overview of the federal regulations dealing with PCBs, the draft PCB Transformer Decontamination Standards and Protocols, and the Practice of Ballast Splitting was given. Answers were provided to practical questions concerning the regulations, specifically, responsibility for storage, labelling requirements, waste export regulations, treatment and destruction standards, transformer decontamination, decontamination standards, and the practice of ballast splitting into PCB and non-PCB materials. Details of sampling procedures and sample handling were also described

Piezoelectric Transformer Characterization and Application of Electronic Ballast

OpenAIRE

Lin, Ray-Lee

2001-01-01

The characterization and modeling of piezoelectric transformers are studied and developed for use in electronic ballasts. By replacing conventional L-C resonant tanks with piezoelectric transformers, inductor-less piezoelectric transformer electronic ballasts have been developed for use in fluorescent lamps. The piezoelectric transformer is a combination of piezoelectric actuators as the primary side and piezoelectric transducers as the secondary side, both of which work in longitudinal o...

Efficacy of pH elevation as a bactericidal strategy for treating ballast water of freight carriers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clifford E. Starliper

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Treatment of ship ballast water with sodium hydroxide (NaOH is one method currently being developed to minimize the risk to introduce aquatic invasive species. The bactericidal capability of sodium hydroxide was determined for 148 bacterial strains from ballast water collected in 2009 and 2010 from the M/V Indiana Harbor, a bulk-freight carrier plying the Laurentian Great Lakes, USA. Primary culture of bacteria was done using brain heart infusion agar and a developmental medium. Strains were characterized based on PCR amplification and sequencing of a portion of the 16S rRNA gene. Sequence similarities (99+ % were determined by comparison with the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI GenBank catalog. Flavobacterium spp. were the most prevalent bacteria characterized in 2009, comprising 51.1% (24/47 of the total, and Pseudomonas spp. (62/101; 61.4% and Brevundimonas spp. (22/101; 21.8% were the predominate bacteria recovered in 2010; together, comprising 83.2% (84/101 of the total. Testing was done in tryptic soy broth (TSB medium adjusted with 5 N NaOH. Growth of each strain was evaluated at pH 10.0, pH 11.0 and pH 12.0, and 4 h up to 72 h. The median cell count at 0 h for 148 cultures was 5.20 × 106 cfu/mL with a range 1.02 × 105–1.60 × 108 cfu/mL. The TSB adjusted to pH 10.0 and incubation for less than 24 h was bactericidal to 52 (35.1% strains. Growth in pH 11.0 TSB for less than 4 h was bactericidal to 131 (88.5% strains and pH 11.0 within 12 h was bactericidal to 141 (95.3%. One strain, Bacillus horikoshii, survived the harshest treatment, pH 12.0 for 72 h.

Efficacy of pH elevation as a bactericidal strategy for treating ballast water of freight carriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Starliper, Clifford E; Watten, Barnaby J; Iwanowicz, Deborah D; Green, Phyllis A; Bassett, Noel L; Adams, Cynthia R

2015-05-01

Treatment of ship ballast water with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is one method currently being developed to minimize the risk to introduce aquatic invasive species. The bactericidal capability of sodium hydroxide was determined for 148 bacterial strains from ballast water collected in 2009 and 2010 from the M/V Indiana Harbor, a bulk-freight carrier plying the Laurentian Great Lakes, USA. Primary culture of bacteria was done using brain heart infusion agar and a developmental medium. Strains were characterized based on PCR amplification and sequencing of a portion of the 16S rRNA gene. Sequence similarities (99+ %) were determined by comparison with the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) GenBank catalog. Flavobacterium spp. were the most prevalent bacteria characterized in 2009, comprising 51.1% (24/47) of the total, and Pseudomonas spp. (62/101; 61.4%) and Brevundimonas spp. (22/101; 21.8%) were the predominate bacteria recovered in 2010; together, comprising 83.2% (84/101) of the total. Testing was done in tryptic soy broth (TSB) medium adjusted with 5 N NaOH. Growth of each strain was evaluated at pH 10.0, pH 11.0 and pH 12.0, and 4 h up to 72 h. The median cell count at 0 h for 148 cultures was 5.20 × 10(6) cfu/mL with a range 1.02 × 10(5)-1.60 × 10(8) cfu/mL. The TSB adjusted to pH 10.0 and incubation for less than 24 h was bactericidal to 52 (35.1%) strains. Growth in pH 11.0 TSB for less than 4 h was bactericidal to 131 (88.5%) strains and pH 11.0 within 12 h was bactericidal to 141 (95.3%). One strain, Bacillus horikoshii, survived the harshest treatment, pH 12.0 for 72 h.

Mechanics of Ballast Compaction. Volume 3 : Field Test Results for Ballast Physical State Measurement

Science.gov (United States)

1982-03-01

The important mechanical processes which influence the ballast physical state in track are tamping, crib and shoulder compaction and train traffic. Three methods of assessing physical state were used at four railroad sites to obtain needed data on th...

Practical Considerations Concerning the Interleaved Transition Mode Single-stage Ballast

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Teodorescu, Remus; Kjær, Søren Bækhøj; Munk-Nielsen, Stig

2002-01-01

The aim of this paper is to present a novel single-stage interleaved ballast focusing on practical design aspects like: key current expression, overall losses, harmonic analysis of the differential-mode EMI current and preheating ballast function. A new preheating method is also presented. A PSPICE...

Survey on germination and species composition of dinoflagellates from ballast tanks and recent sediments in ports on the South Coast of Finland, North-Eastern Baltic Sea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pertola, Sari . E-mail sari.pertola@fimr.fi; Faust, Maria A.; Kuosa, Harri

2006-01-01

Cyst beds in ships and ports in Finland have previously been unstudied. Therefore, sediments from ships' ballast water tanks and four Finnish ports were sampled for dinoflagellate cysts and other phytoplankton. Untreated sediments were incubated at 10 o C and 20 o C in the local 6 psu salinity for 1, 4 and 7 days, and vegetative cells were examined with light and scanning electron microscope. Sediments were inhabited by various dinoflagellates, diatoms, chlorophytes, cyanophytes and small flagellates. Germinated dinoflagellates were found in 90% of ballast tanks and in all ports. Gymnodiniales spp. and Heterocapsa rotundata formed a major proportion of the proliferating dinoflagellate cells. One species, Peridinium quinquecorne, not previously reported from the Baltic Sea, was identified with SEM. The study emphasises that ships are potential transport vehicles for dinoflagellate cysts even in the low salinity Finnish waters, and small-sized dinoflagellates should be focused upon in ballast water studies

Pilot-scale study of ballasted-flocculation technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liem, L.E.; Brant, W.H.; Gagne, B.; Michaud, J.; Beaudet, J.-F.; Landry, D.; Braden, K.; Campbell, D.

2002-01-01

A ballasted-flocculation pilot-scale study was undertaken to treat a wide-range river water turbidity (17 to 2,608 NTU). The pilot-scale unit was operated at flowrates of 30 to 63 m 3 /h, which corresponded to loading rates of 40 to 84 m/h. Coagulants, polymers, and microsand were added to enhance the floc agglomeration. The weighted flocs settled rapidly resulting in excellent turbidity removals of 94.7 to 99.9%. At the peak turbidity, the unit had a 99.9% removal performance (2.7 from 2,608 NTU) at a loading rate of 40 m/h. In this case, polyaluminum silicosulfate and anionic polymer dosages were 82 and 1 mg/L, respectively. The microsand recycle rate was kept constant at 4.5 m 3 /h, and 1mg microsand was added for each liter of water treated. (author)

IMPROVING THE STABILITY OF TONAL TRACK CIRCUITS UNDER FLUCTUATIONS OF BALLAST RESISTANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. V. Honcharov

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Purpose.The purpose of investigation is the development of method for improving the stability of tonal track circuits that takes into account the actual insulation resistance (ballast resistance of rail line.Methodology. To achieve the research purpose it was proposed to automatically determine the insulation resistance of rail line, and depending on this value to adjust the output voltage of track generator. Ballast resistance is determined by the value of input resistance the rail line, which at high frequencies practically is equal to the wave impedance. To implement the proposed method it is necessary to connect to the track circuit additional high-frequency generators, high-frequency filters, unit for finding the ballast resistance and adjusting the output voltage of track generator. Findings. As a result of research it was found that at low values (less than 2 Ohms*km the change of ballast resistance causes significant change of voltage at the track receiver input, which may cause malfunction of the track circuit. Increasing the length of rail line leads to the reducing of its input resistance, raising the measuring frequency causes increasing the input resistance. In both cases, the input resistance tends to the value of the wave impedance. The measuring frequency should be chosen taking into account the length of rail line and the upper limit of ballast resistance, the value 5 Ohms*km can be taken as that limit. At higher values of ballast resistance its changes insignificantly influence the input voltage of track receiver. In this case, the adaptive adjustment of voltage at the track generator output is not performed. Originality. The method for measuring the insulation resistance of rail line has been improved that allows one to determine the ballast resistance automatically. The dependence between measuring frequency, length of rail line and ballast resistance have been determined. Practical value. The proposed method allows one to

Selection and testing of ballast stones for underground railway tracks

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ballast is broken pieces of hard rocks such as sandstones, schist, etc. approximately 25- 60 mm size, over which the railway tracks are laid. The function of the ballast is to transfer the applied load over a large surface, provide adequate elasticity, prevent creep and hold the sleepers in position. Also under wet conditions, ...

Survey on germination and species composition of dinoflagellates from ballast tanks and recent sediments in ports on the South Coast of Finland, North-Eastern Baltic Sea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pertola, Sari [Finnish Institute of Marine Research, Department of Biological Research, P.O. Box 2, FI-00561 Helsinki (Finland)]. E-mail sari.pertola@fimr.fi; Faust, Maria A. [Department of Botany, US National Herbarium, Smithsonian Institution, 4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, Maryland 20746 (United States); Kuosa, Harri [Tvaerminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, FI-10900 Hanko (Finland)

2006-08-15

Cyst beds in ships and ports in Finland have previously been unstudied. Therefore, sediments from ships' ballast water tanks and four Finnish ports were sampled for dinoflagellate cysts and other phytoplankton. Untreated sediments were incubated at 10 {sup o}C and 20 {sup o}C in the local 6 psu salinity for 1, 4 and 7 days, and vegetative cells were examined with light and scanning electron microscope. Sediments were inhabited by various dinoflagellates, diatoms, chlorophytes, cyanophytes and small flagellates. Germinated dinoflagellates were found in 90% of ballast tanks and in all ports. Gymnodiniales spp. and Heterocapsa rotundata formed a major proportion of the proliferating dinoflagellate cells. One species, Peridinium quinquecorne, not previously reported from the Baltic Sea, was identified with SEM. The study emphasises that ships are potential transport vehicles for dinoflagellate cysts even in the low salinity Finnish waters, and small-sized dinoflagellates should be focused upon in ballast water studies.

Analysis of Bridge Transition Zones in Railways Considering the Moisture Condition of the Ballast and Subballast

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, Haoyu; Silvast, Mika; Markine, V.L.; Wiljanen, Bruce

2017-01-01

Transition zones in railway tracks are the locations with considerable changes in vertical support structures, e.g., near bridges. Due to possible water flow constrictions in transition zone structures, there is frequently an increased moisture level in the ballast/subballast layers, which is a

Ballasting pipeline moving in horizontal well as method of control sticking phenomenon

Science.gov (United States)

Toropov, V. S.; Toropov, E. S.

2018-05-01

The mechanism of the phenomenon of sticking a pipeline moving in a well while pulled by the facility horizontal directional drilling is investigated. A quantitative evaluation of the force arising from sticking is given. At the same time, the working hypothesis takes a view of the combined effect of adhesion and friction interactions as the reasons that cause this phenomenon. As a measure to control the occurrence of sticking and to reduce the resistance force to movement of the pipeline in the well, several methods of ballasting the working pipeline are proposed, depending on the profile of the well and the ratio of the length of the curved sections of the inlet and outlet and the straight horizontal sections of the profile. It is shown that for crossings, which profile contains an extended horizontal section, it is possible to partially fill the pipeline with water to achieve zero buoyancy, and for crossings with curvature along the entire profile, the ballasting efficiency will be minimal.

Pollution characteristics and ecological risk of heavy metals in ballast tank sediment.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Daolun; Chen, Xiaofei; Tian, Wen; Qian, Qun; Shen, Hao; Liao, Dexiang; Lv, Baoyi

2017-02-01

This study was conducted to illustrate the contents and potential ecological risk of heavy metals in ballast tank sediment. Ballast sediment samples were collected from six ships during their stay in shipyard, and the heavy metals were determined by inductive coupled plasma emission spectrometer. Results showed that high concentrations of heavy metals were detected in all six sediment samples following the order: Zn > Cu > Pb > Cr > As > Cd > Hg. The geoaccumulation index explained the average pollution degree of heavy metals decreased as the following: Zn > Pb > Cu > As > Cr > Hg, and the environmental risk indices suggested that concentration found of Zn, Pb, and Cu might be highly toxic to aquatic organisms. Principal component and correlation analysis indicated the metal pollution in ballast tank sediment was affected by complex and different contamination mechanisms, and the corrosion of ballast tank played an important role in this process. In conclusion, this study is very useful for comprehensive consideration and efficient management of ballast tank sediment in order to protect the marine environment.

Backfilling with mixtures of bentonite/ballast materials or natural smectitic clay?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pusch, R.

1998-10-01

Comparison of the performance of backfills of mixed MX-80 and crushed rock ballast, and a natural smectitic clay, represented by the German Friedland clay, shows that the latter performs better than mixtures with up to 30 % MX-80. Considering cost, Friedland clay prepared to yield air-dry powder grains is cheaper than mixtures of 30 % MX-80 and crushed ballast. Both technically and economically it appears that the Friedland clay is a competitive alternative to mixtures of 30 % MX-80 and crushed ballast. However, it remains to be demonstrated on a full scale that Friedland clay ground to a suitable grain size distribution can be acceptably compacted on site

Ballast Load Control of Turbine-Generator Sets in the Micro-Hydro Range with a Turbine that has no Flow Regulating Value

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentin Nedelea

2011-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the effects of voltage and frequency variation on users load supplies from electrical supply system generated from small micro-hydro plants. Induction generators operate as stand-alone self excited by capacitors and turbine has no flow regulating valve. Many conventional and non conventional approaches are described to govern turbine-generator set to ensure a steady frequency and voltage level. A load controller increases or decreases a ballast load connected across the generator as the user load varies, to keep frequency and voltage variation in standard limits. To design a controller for self excited induction generator, researches were performed on asynchronous generator with double winding stator to analyse steady state open loop behaviour. The results on the behaviour of the unregulated turbine (DC motor – generator system was presented.

Low-watt lamps seen bad in many retrofits: said to burn out pre-1978 standard ballasts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cohn, L.

1982-06-21

The standard ballasts used in early energy-efficient fluorescent lamps are vulnerable to premature burnout. Retrofitting expensive new ballasts will eliminate any savings from the lamps. GTE/Sylvania, Norelco, and Westinghouse acknowledged the problem, while General Electric had no comment. Ballasts made in the last four years have been made compatible with energy-efficient lamps. The vendors claim it is the ballast manufacturers' responsibility to inform users that their product risks early burnout. (DCK)

UV spectrophotometry for monitoring the performance of a yeast-based deoxygenation process to treat ships' ballast water.

Science.gov (United States)

Veilleux, Éloïse; de Lafontaine, Yves; Thomas, Olivier

2016-04-01

This study assessed the usefulness of UV spectrophotometry for the monitoring of a yeast-based deoxygenation process proposed for ships' ballast water treatment to prevent the transfer of aquatic invasive species. Ten-day laboratory experiments using three treatment concentrations and different water types were conducted and resulted in complete oxygen depletion of treated waters. The treatment performance and quality of treated waters were determined by measuring the UV-visible absorbance spectra of water samples taken over time. Samples were also used for laboratory analysis of water quality properties. The UV absorbance spectra values were strongly correlated (r = 0.96) to yeast cell density in treated waters. The second-order derivative (D (2)) of the spectra varied greatly over time, and the spectrum profiles could be divided into two groups corresponding to the oxygenated and anoxic phases of the treatment. The D (2) value at 215 nm was strongly correlated (r = 0.94) to ammonia levels, which increased over time. The D (2) value at 225 nm was strongly correlated (r > 0.97) to DO concentration. Our results showed that UV spectrophotometry may provide a rapid assessment of the behavior and performance of the yeast bioreactor over time by quantifying (1) the density of yeast cells, (2) the time at which anoxic conditions were reached, and (3) a water quality index of the treated water related to the production of ammonia. We conclude that the rapidity of the technique confers a solid advantage over standard methods used for water quality analysis in laboratory and would permit the direct monitoring of the treatment performance on-board ships.

Backfilling with mixtures of bentonite/ballast materials or natural smectitic clay?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pusch, R. [Geodevelopment AB, (Sweden)

1998-10-01

Comparison of the performance of backfills of mixed MX-80 and crushed rock ballast, and a natural smectitic clay, represented by the German Friedland clay, shows that the latter performs better than mixtures with up to 30 % MX-80. Considering cost, Friedland clay prepared to yield air-dry powder grains is cheaper than mixtures of 30 % MX-80 and crushed ballast. Both technically and economically it appears that the Friedland clay is a competitive alternative to mixtures of 30 % MX-80 and crushed ballast. However, it remains to be demonstrated on a full scale that Friedland clay ground to a suitable grain size distribution can be acceptably compacted on site 14 refs, 32 figs, 6 tabs

Study on the Elasticity-Plasticity-Stickiness of the Railway Crushed Stone Ballast

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Gao Liang

2004-01-01

This paper is mainly aimed at the mechanics characteristic elas of ticity-plasticitystickiness existed in the CWR (continuously welded rails) track plane of the railway crushed stone ballast. As an important mechanics parameter of the CWR track plane, the ballast resistance is mainly influenced by this mechanics characteristic. Through the systematic experimental research and the theoretical analysis, this mechanics characteristic of the ballast resistance is revealed and a reasonable theoretical model is built for it. This study set a sound foundation for further studying the CWR track deformation property. It will be beneficial to the development of high-speed railway in China.

Laser cutting of concretes with various ballasts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamasaki, Masanobu; Katsumura, Munehide; Utsumi, Hiroaki

1985-01-01

The biological shield concrete and the radiation shield concrete which construct a part of the atomic reactor must be demolished with the decommissioning of the atomic reactor plants. In a case, the demolition using a laser is expected as one of excellent method for the decommissioning of these radioactive concretes. The fundamental cuttings of a mortar, the concretes with andesite, lime stone and gray wacke as ballast and a concrete reinforced with mild steel rods were therefore carried out using a 5 kW output CO 2 laser. As the results of experiment, it was cleared that cutting results varied with ballasts, 100 mm thick reinforced concrete could be cut, safety was high because few dross and few fume were produced. (author)

10 CFR 431.322 - Definitions concerning metal halide lamp ballasts and fixtures.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... high intensity discharge fixture, the efficiency of a lamp and ballast combination, expressed as a... lamps. Metal halide lamp means a high intensity discharge lamp in which the major portion of the light... 10 Energy 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Definitions concerning metal halide lamp ballasts and...

75 FR 14287 - Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-24

... uses the same measurement techniques as the existing test procedure. In any rulemaking to amend a test...; and (3) appearing on page 29 of the transcript. \\6\\ Ballast type refers to a grouping of ballasts that... grouping of lamps that have the same length, lumen package, base type, and diameter. In the ongoing...

Comparison of mass and energy balances for air blown and thermally ballasted fluidized bed gasifiers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lysenko, Steve; Sadaka, Samy; Brown, Robert C.

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to compare the mass and energy balances for a conventional air blown fluidized bed gasifier and a ballasted fluidized bed gasifier developed at Iowa State University. The ballasted gasifier is an indirectly heated gasifier that uses a single reactor for both combustion and pyrolysis. Heat accumulated in high-temperature phase change material during the combustion phase is released during the pyrolysis phase to generate producer gas. Gas composition, tar and char contents, cold gas efficiency, carbon conversion, and hydrogen yield per unit biomass input were determined as part of these evaluation. During the pyrolysis phase of ballasted gasification, higher volumetric concentrations of hydrogen and methane were obtained than during air blown gasification. Hydrogen yield for ballasted gasification was 14 g kg −1 of biomass, which was about 20% higher than that obtained during air blown gasification. The higher heating value of the producer gas also reached higher levels during the ballasted pyrolysis phase than that of air blown gasification. Heating value for air blown gasification was 5.2 MJ m −3 whereas the heating value for the ballasted pyrolysis phase averaged 5.5 MJ m −3 , reaching a maximum of 8.0 MJ m −3 . The ballasted gasifier was expected to yield producer gas with average heating value as high as 15 MJ m −3 but excessive use of nitrogen to purge and cool the fuel feeder system greatly diluted the producer gas. Relatively simple redesign of the feeder system would greatly reduce the use of purge gas and may increase the heating values to about 17.5 MJ m −3 . Higher char production per kilogram of biomass was associated with the ballasted system, producing 140 g kg −1 of biomass compared to only 53 g kg −1 of biomass during air blown gasification. On the other hand, tar concentrations in the producer gas were 6.0 g m −3 for ballasted gasification compared to 11.7 g m −3 for air blown gasification. On

Effect of a ballast zone on the hydraulic stability of a single-pass steam generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belyakov, I.I.; Kvetnyj, M.A.; Loginov, D.A.

1985-01-01

A new mechanism of hydraulic instability of boiling channels with convection heating which reveals in the presence of a developed ballast zone at decreased loads of a counterflan steam generator operation is considered. It is shown that for the certain combinations of thermal and technical parameters pulsation regimes caused by the ballast zone displacement over the heating surface are possible. The parameter relation at which the ballast zone position becomes unstable is obtained. The effect of the ballast zone on the statis steam generator stability is established. A mechanism of whole-circuit pulsations revealed when developing start regimes of single-pass steam generator heated with liquid sodium is explained from the positions of the instability

Modeling Ballasted Tracks for Runoff Coefficient C

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-01

In this study, the Regional Transportation District (RTD)s light rail tracks were modeled to determine the Rational Method : runoff coefficient, C, values corresponding to ballasted tracks. To accomplish this, a laboratory study utilizing a : rain...

33 CFR Appendix D to Part 157 - Example of a Procedure for Dedicated Clean Ballast Tanks Operations

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Example of a Procedure for... ENVIRONMENT RELATING TO TANK VESSELS CARRYING OIL IN BULK Pt. 157, App. D Appendix D to Part 157—Example of a Procedure for Dedicated Clean Ballast Tanks Operations 1. Source. The example procedure for dedicated clean...

Atomization in a graphite furnace with ballast - a method of improvement of reliability of atomic absorption analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katskov, D.A.; Grinshtejn, I.L.

1978-01-01

For the purpose of improving the reliability with which elements are determined in atomic absorption analysis with atomization in a graphite furnace, a method is proposed based on the use of a furnace with an extra ballast body. A small cylinder of graphite or refractory metal (Ta) placed in the central part of the furnace, is used as ballast. When in poor heat contact with the wall the ballast is heated by ray emission at a somewhat slower rate than the furnace. It is shown that the kinetics of evaporation of the substance being analysed in the ballast furnace is determined by the rate of change of temperature of the ballast body. As a result of the lag in evaporation, vapour from the analysed substance reaches a zone of a much higher temperature than with evaporation in the usual type furnace, leading to an increase in the degree of atomization. Theoretical analysis establishes the temperature of the ballast, and conditions for the determination of elements (Cd) are optimized. The experiments conducted indicate a considerable decrease in the effect of the composition of the sample on the results of the analysis and a lower molecular interference in the ballast furnace. With high evaporation lag the vapours of the sample reach the zone of practically constant temperature, thus making it possible to use the integral method of absorption registration with absolute accuracy. With fractionated distillation of volatile components of the sample, fractionation is considerably more accurate in a ballast furnace than in the usual type furnace

Obstacles and opportunities in the commercialization of the solid-state-electronic fluorescent-lighting ballast

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, D.R.; Marcus, A.A.; Campbell, R.S.; Sommers, P.; Skumatz, L.; Berk, B.; Petty, P.; Eschbach, C.

1981-10-01

The Solid State Ballast (SSB) Program, aimed at improving the efficiency of fluorescent lights, is described. The first generation of solid state electronic ballasts has been developed and the technology has been transferred to the private sector. This report examines the opportunities for rapid dissemination of this technology into the marketplace. It includes a description of product characteristics and their influence on the commercialization of the SSB, a description of the technology delivery system presently used by the ballast industry, an analysis of the market for SSB, and identification of some high-leverage opportunities to accelerate the commercialization process. (MCW)

On the use of the serial dilution culture method to enumerate viable phytoplankton in natural communities of plankton subjected to ballast water treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Cullen, John J; MacIntyre, Hugh L

2016-01-01

Discharge standards for ballast water treatment (BWT) systems are based on concentrations of living cells, for example, as determined with vital stains. Ultraviolet radiation (UV) stops the reproduction of microorganisms without killing them outright; they are living, but not viable, and ecologically as good as dead. Consequently, UV-treated discharge can be compliant with the intent of regulation while failing a live/dead test. An alternative evaluation of BWT can be proposed based on the assessment of viable, rather than living, cells in discharge water. In principle, the serial dilution culture-most probable number (SDC-MPN) method provides the appropriate measure for phytoplankton. But, the method has been criticized, particularly because it is thought that many phytoplankton species cannot be cultured. A review of the literature shows that although SDC-MPN has been used for more than 50 years-generally to identify and count phytoplankton species that cannot be preserved-its application to enumerate total viable phytoplankton seems to be new, putting past criticisms of the method in a different light. Importantly, viable cells need to grow only enough to be detected, not to be brought into sustained culture, and competition between species in a dilution tube is irrelevant as long as the winner is detectable. Thorough consideration of sources of error leads to recommendations for minimizing and quantifying uncertainties by optimizing growth conditions and conducting systematic comparisons. We conclude that with careful evaluation, SDC-MPN is potentially an effective method for assessing the viability of phytoplankton after BWT.

Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of ballast life-cycle cost and payback period

OpenAIRE

Mcmahon, James E.

2000-01-01

The paper introduces an innovative methology for evaluating the relative significance of energy-efficient technologies applied to fluorescent lamp ballasts. The method involves replacing the point estimates of life cycle cost of the ballasts with uncertainty distributions reflecting the whole spectrum of possible costs, and the assessed probability associated with each value. The results of uncertainty and sensitivity analyses will help analysts reduce effort in data collection and carry on a...

Identification of high-speed rail ballast flight risk factors and risk mitigation strategies - final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-04-01

The phenomenon of flying ballast is well-documented in high-speed rail operations. Displaced ballast particles from the track bed : may cause damage to rolling stock as well as the track infrastructure, and wayside structures close to the right of wa...

Model track studies on fouled ballast using ground penetrating radar and multichannel analysis of surface wave

Science.gov (United States)

Anbazhagan, P.; Lijun, Su; Buddhima, Indraratna; Cholachat, Rujikiatkamjorn

2011-08-01

Ballast fouling is created by the breakdown of aggregates or outside contamination by coal dust from coal trains, or from soil intrusion beneath rail track. Due to ballast fouling, the conditions of rail track can be deteriorated considerably depending on the type of fouling material and the degree of fouling. So far there is no comprehensive guideline available to identify the critical degree of fouling for different types of fouling materials. This paper presents the identification of degree of fouling and types of fouling using non-destructive testing, namely seismic surface-wave and ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey. To understand this, a model rail track with different degree of fouling has been constructed in Civil engineering laboratory, University of Wollongong, Australia. Shear wave velocity obtained from seismic survey has been employed to identify the degree of fouling and types of fouling material. It is found that shear wave velocity of fouled ballast increases initially, reaches optimum fouling point (OFP), and decreases when the fouling increases. The degree of fouling corresponding after which the shear wave velocity of fouled ballast will be smaller than that of clean ballast is called the critical fouling point (CFP). Ground penetrating radar with four different ground coupled antennas (500 MHz, 800 MHz, 1.6 GHz and 2.3 GHz) was also used to identify the ballast fouling condition. It is found that the 800 MHz ground coupled antenna gives a better signal in assessing the ballast fouling condition. Seismic survey is relatively slow when compared to GPR survey however it gives quantifiable results. In contrast, GPR survey is faster and better in estimating the depth of fouling.

Effect of particle breakage on cyclic densification of ballast: A DEM approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thakur, P K; Vinod, J S; Indraratna, B

2010-01-01

In this paper, an attempt has been made to investigate the effect of particle breakage on densification behaviour of ballast under cyclic loading using Discrete Element Method (DEM). Numerical simulations using PFC 2D have been carried out on an assembly of angular particles with and without incorporation of particle breakage. Two-dimensional projection of angular ballast particles were simulated using clusters of bonded circular particles. Degradation of the bonds within a cluster was considered to represent particle breakage. Clump logic was used to make the cluster of particles unbreakable. DEM simulation results highlight that the particle breakage has a profound influence on the cyclic densification behaviour of ballast. The deformation behaviour exhibited by the assembly with breakage is in good agreement with the laboratory experiments. In addition, the evolution of particle displacement vectors clearly explains the breakage mechanism and associated deformations during cyclic loading.

Influence of an additional ballast volume on a pulsed ICP discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogdanov, E A; Jr, C A DeJoseph; Demidov, V I; Kudryavtsev, A A; Serditov, K Yu

2007-01-01

A spatial and temporal numerical simulation has been carried out of a pulsed (100% modulated), rf inductively coupled plasma discharge in argon, connected to an additional (ballast) diffusion chamber of much larger volume. It is demonstrated that during the active phase, the presence of the large ballast volume has a small impact on the parameters of the plasma in the smaller discharge chamber. In this case the plasma parameters in the discharge chamber can be estimated separately from the diffusion chamber by a standard method using the characteristic ambipolar diffusion time (for example, using a global model). However, during the afterglow phase, the situation is changed significantly. In the afterglow, the densities of charged particles in the discharge chamber become lower than in the large ballast chamber due to more rapid diffusion loss. As a result, the reverse of the active phase situation occurs, namely, the plasma does not flow from the small to the large chamber, but in the opposite direction, from diffusive to discharge volume, and both the plasma density gradient and the self-consistent ambipolar electric field in the small chamber change directions. This phenomenon leads to new effects in the discharge volume, in particular a decreasing rate of decay of densities of charged particles and electron temperature. Thus, in the afterglow the presence of a large additional ballast volume has a significant impact on the plasma transport. In this case, a simple treatment of the plasma in the discharge chamber in the framework of a spatially averaged model (for example, the global model) is inadequate

Abundance of pollution indicator and pathogenic bacteria in Mumbai waters

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ramaiah, N.; Kolhe, V.; Sadhasivan, A

As a part of environmental assessment in the Mumbai Harbour region, where large numbers of ships either take in ballast from- or discharge their ballast, many groups of indicator and human pathogenic bacteria were quantified. Samples (water...

The occurrence of pathogenic bacteria in some ships' ballast water incoming from various marine regions to the Sea of Marmara, Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Altug, Gulsen; Gurun, Sevan; Cardak, Mine; Ciftci, Pelin S; Kalkan, Samet

2012-10-01

The composition and frequency of antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria, the abundance of heterotrophic aerobic bacteria (HPC) and possible in-situ use of chromogenic agar were investigated in the ships' ballast water coming from different regions of the world to the Sea of Marmara, Turkey for the first time. The samples that were taken from 21 unit ships coming from various marine environments of the Southern China Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, Turkey in 2009 and 2010 were tested. 38 bacteria species, 27 of them pathogenic bacteria belonging to 17 familia, were detected. Vibrio cholera was not detected in the samples. However, the presence of a high number of HPC, including a cocktail of pathogenic bacteria showed that the ships carry a potential risk for the Sea of Marmara. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the Dynamic Wheel Loads in Railway Transition Zones Considering the Moisture Condition of the Ballast and Subballast

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haoyu Wang

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Transition zones in railway tracks are the locations with considerable changes in vertical support structures, e.g., near bridges. Due to possible water flow constrictions in transition zone structures, there is frequently an increased moisture level in the ballast/subballast layers, which is a potential source of track degradation. This paper presents results of the moisture condition measured in three transition zones using ground penetrating radar, where the ballast/subballast are analyzed. The relationship between the moisture condition and track degradation in the transition zones is studied by comparing it to the longitudinal track level that is measured by the track inspection coaches. A strong connection is found between the high moisture condition and track degradation in the transition zones. The dynamic behavior of the transition zones with high moisture condition is analyzed using the Finite Element method. Differential stiffness and settlement are taken into consideration in the transition zone model, which is also coupled with a vehicle. The ballast/subballast layers are modelled as solid elements. Increased moisture conditions are considered as a reduction of elastic modulus, according to laboratory findings. Results show that high moisture leads to an increase of dynamic wheel loads in the transition zone, which explains the connection and confirms that the high moisture condition is a source of transition zone problems.

Ballast minerals and the sinking carbon flux in the ocean: carbon-specific respiration rates and sinking velocity of marine snow aggregates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. H. Iversen

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Recent observations have shown that fluxes of ballast minerals (calcium carbonate, opal, and lithogenic material and organic carbon fluxes are closely correlated in the bathypelagic zones of the ocean. Hence it has been hypothesized that incorporation of biogenic minerals within marine aggregates could either protect the organic matter from decomposition and/or increase the sinking velocity via ballasting of the aggregates. Here we present the first combined data on size, sinking velocity, carbon-specific respiration rate, and composition measured directly in three aggregate types; Emiliania huxleyi aggregates (carbonate ballasted, Skeletonema costatum aggregates (opal ballasted, and aggregates made from a mix of both E. huxleyi and S. costatum (carbonate and opal ballasted. Overall average carbon-specific respiration rate was ~0.13 d⁻¹ and did not vary with aggregate type and size. Ballasting from carbonate resulted in 2- to 2.5-fold higher sinking velocities than those of aggregates ballasted by opal. We compiled literature data on carbon-specific respiration rate and sinking velocity measured in aggregates of different composition and sources. Compiled carbon-specific respiration rates (including this study vary between 0.08 d⁻¹ and 0.20 d⁻¹. Sinking velocity increases with increasing aggregate size within homogeneous sources of aggregates. When compared across different particle and aggregate sources, however, sinking velocity appeared to be independent of particle or aggregate size. The carbon-specific respiration rate per meter settled varied between 0.0002 m⁻¹ and 0.0030 m⁻¹, and decreased with increasing aggregate size. It was lower for calcite ballasted aggregates as compared to that of similar sized opal ballasted aggregates.

Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of ballast life-cycle cost and payback period

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McMahon, James E.; Liu, Xiaomin; Turiel, Ike; Hakim, Sajid; Fisher, Diane

2000-06-01

The paper introduces an innovative methodology for evaluating the relative significance of energy-efficient technologies applied to fluorescent lamp ballasts. The method involves replacing the point estimates of life cycle cost of the ballasts with uncertainty distributions reflecting the whole spectrum of possible costs, and the assessed probability associated with each value. The results of uncertainty and sensitivity analyses will help analysts reduce effort in data collection and carry on analysis more efficiently. These methods also enable policy makers to gain an insightful understanding of which efficient technology alternatives benefit or cost what fraction of consumers, given the explicit assumptions of the analysis.

Numerical simulation on stir system of jet ballast in high level liquid waste storage tank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Yingchun

2012-01-01

The stir system of jet ballast in high level liquid waste storage tank was simulation object. Gas, liquid and solid were air, sodium nitrate liquor and titanium whitening, respectively. The mathematic model based on three-fluid model and the kinetic theory of particles was established for the stir system of jet ballast in high level liquid waste storage tank. The CFD commercial software was used for solving this model. The detail flow parameters as three phase velocity, pressure and phase loadings were gained. The calculated results agree with the experimental results, so they can well define the flow behavior in the tank. And this offers a basic method for the scale-up and optimization design of the stir system of jet ballast in high level liquid waste storage tank. (author)

Chamber study of PCB emissions from caulking materials and light ballasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiaoyu; Guo, Zhishi; Krebs, Kenneth A; Stinson, Rayford A; Nardin, Joshua A; Pope, Robert H; Roache, Nancy F

2015-10-01

The emissions of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners from thirteen caulk samples were tested in a micro-chamber system. Twelve samples were from PCB-contaminated buildings and one was prepared in the laboratory. Nineteen light ballasts collected from buildings that represent 13 different models from five manufacturers were tested in 53-L environmental chambers. The rates of PCB congener emissions from caulking materials and light ballasts were determined. Several factors that may have affected the emission rates were evaluated. The experimentally determined emission factors showed that, for a given PCB congener, there is a linear correlation between the emission factor and the concentration of the PCB congener in the source. Furthermore, the test results showed that an excellent log-linear correlation exists between the normalized emission factor and the vapor pressure (coefficient of determination, r(2)⩾0.8846). The PCB congener emissions from ballasts at or near room temperature were relatively low with or without electrical load. However, the PCB congener emission rates increased significantly as the temperature increased. The results of this research provide new data and models for ranking the primary sources of PCBs and supports the development and refinement of exposure assessment models for PCBs. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Chemical and mineralogical characterization of silicon manganese iron slag as railway ballast

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, Ralph Werner Heringer; Barreto, Rairane Aparecida, E-mail: ralph@em.ufop.br, E-mail: rairanebarreto@hotmail.com [Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP), MG (Brazil); Fernandes, Gilberto, E-mail: gilberto@unicerp.edu.br [Centro Universitário do Cerrado Patrocínio (UNICERP), Patrocínio, MG (Brazil); Sousa, Fabiano Carvalho, E-mail: fabiano.carvalho.sousa@vale.com [Vale, Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2017-10-15

In nature, metal ores such as iron, lead, aluminum and others are found in an impure state, sometimes oxidized and mixed with silicates of other metals. During casting, when the ore is exposed to high temperatures, these impurities are separated from the molten metal and can be removed. The mass formed by these compounds is slag. Slag is the co-product of the smelting of ore to purify metals. It may be considered a mixture of metal oxides, but may also contain metal sulphites and metal atoms in their elemental form. After it is reprocessed to separate the metals contained, the co-products of this process can be used in cement, rail ballast, road paving and various other purposes. The objective of this research work is the presentation of the chemical and mineralogical characterization tests of the silicon-manganese iron slag with the purpose of reusing the coproduct as rail ballast. X-ray diffraction tests, quantitative chemical analyzes, scanning electron microscopy and free lime content were prepared for these characterizations. The results of these tests showed the technical feasibility of using slag as rail ballast. (author)

Chemical and mineralogical characterization of silicon manganese iron slag as railway ballast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, Ralph Werner Heringer; Barreto, Rairane Aparecida; Fernandes, Gilberto; Sousa, Fabiano Carvalho

2017-01-01

In nature, metal ores such as iron, lead, aluminum and others are found in an impure state, sometimes oxidized and mixed with silicates of other metals. During casting, when the ore is exposed to high temperatures, these impurities are separated from the molten metal and can be removed. The mass formed by these compounds is slag. Slag is the co-product of the smelting of ore to purify metals. It may be considered a mixture of metal oxides, but may also contain metal sulphites and metal atoms in their elemental form. After it is reprocessed to separate the metals contained, the co-products of this process can be used in cement, rail ballast, road paving and various other purposes. The objective of this research work is the presentation of the chemical and mineralogical characterization tests of the silicon-manganese iron slag with the purpose of reusing the coproduct as rail ballast. X-ray diffraction tests, quantitative chemical analyzes, scanning electron microscopy and free lime content were prepared for these characterizations. The results of these tests showed the technical feasibility of using slag as rail ballast. (author)

Continuously forced ballast resistor model for superconducting hot spots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ausloos, M.

1981-01-01

To neglect the Thomson effect in the ballast resistor theory is an incorrect assumption since it measures the velocity of the thermal grain boundaries. Due to the constant rate of heating or cooling, large oscillations are predicted in dR/dT near Tsub(c). (orig.)

Ballast Water Self Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

Hydrogen peroxide  Menadione /Vitamin K The efficacy of these processes varies by water conditions such as pH, temperature and, most significantly...Hydrocyclone power consumption, voltage and current Hydrocyclone power consumption, voltage and current Menadione /Vitamin K Menadione Chemical analysis...and treatment monitoring - Menadione /Vitamin K concentration at injection - Menadione /Vitamin K dosage and usage - Menadione /Vitamin K

Design and fabrication of carbon nanotube field-emission cathode with coaxial gate and ballast resistor.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yonghai; Yeow, John T W; Jaffray, David A

2013-10-25

A low density vertically aligned carbon nanotube-based field-emission cathode with a ballast resistor and coaxial gate is designed and fabricated. The ballast resistor can overcome the non-uniformity of the local field-enhancement factor at the emitter apex. The self-aligned fabrication process of the coaxial gate can avoid the effects of emitter tip misalignment and height non-uniformity. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Indirectly heated biomass gasification using a latent-heat ballast-part 3: refinement of the heat transfer model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cummer, Keith; Brown, Robert C.

2005-01-01

An indirectly heated gasifier is under development at Iowa State University. This gasifier integrates a latent-heat ballast with a fluidized-bed reactor. The latent heat ballast is an array of stainless-steel tubes filled with lithium fluoride, which is a high-temperature phase-change material (PCM). Previous studies have presented experimental results from the gasifier and described a mathematical model of the pyrolysis phase of the cyclic gasification process. This model considers both heat transfer and chemical reactions that occur during pyrolysis, but discrepancies between model predictions and experimental data have demonstrated the need to refine the model. In particular, cooling curves for the ballasting system are not well predicted during phase change of the lithium fluoride. A reformulated model, known as the Receding Interface (RI) model, postulates the existence of a receding liquid phase within the ballast tubes as they cool, which progressively decreases the rate of heat transfer from the tubes. The RI model predicts behavior that is more consistent with experimental results during the phase-change process, while retaining accuracy before and after the process of phase change

Model of discharge lamps with magnetic ballast

OpenAIRE

Molina, Julio; Sainz Sapera, Luis; Mesas García, Juan José; Bergas Jané, Joan Gabriel

2013-01-01

Magnetic ballast discharge lamp modeling has been extensively studied because these lamps can be an important source of harmonics. Discharge lamp models usually represent the arc voltage by a square waveform. However, this waveform can be far from actual arc voltages, which affects the accuracy of the lamp models. This paper investigates the actual arc voltage behavior of discharge lamps from laboratory measurements and proposes a novel characterization of these voltages to reformulate the co...

18 CFR 410.1 - Basin regulations-Water Code and Administrative Manual-Part III Water Quality Regulations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Code and Administrative Manual-Part III Water Quality Regulations. 410.1 Section 410.1 Conservation of... CODE AND ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL-PART III WATER QUALITY REGULATIONS § 410.1 Basin regulations—Water Code and Administrative Manual—Part III Water Quality Regulations. (a) The Water Code of the Delaware River...

A physical based equivalent circuit modeling approach for ballasted InP DHBT multi-finger devices at millimeter-wave frequencies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Midili, Virginio; Squartecchia, Michele; Johansen, Tom Keinicke

2016-01-01

equivalent circuit description. In the first approach, the EM simulations of contact pads and ballasting network are combined with the small-signal model of the intrinsic device. In the second approach, the ballasting network is modeled with lumped components derived from physical analysis of the layout...

77 FR 17253 - Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-23

... meant ``best available technology'' as a term of art under the Clean Water Act or merely the best... Guard is also amending its regulations for engineering equipment by establishing an approval process for.... Unfunded Mandates Reform Act G. Taking of Private Property H. Civil Justice Reform I. Protection of...

Alien invasive species and biological pollution of the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem[Great Lakes Water Quality Board : Report to the International Joint Commission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-05-01

The displacement of important native species in the Great Lakes is a result of an invasion by a succession of non indigenous aquatic species. These invasion also resulted in interference with the proper human water uses and cost billions of dollars. The problem was considered serious enough that the International Joint Commission asked the Great Lakes Water Quality Board in 1999 to review the regulations in place and make recommendations, if necessary, for the implementation of additional measures that could be considered to keep control over the introduction of alien invasive species. Escapes from aquaria, aquaculture, research and educational facilities, canal and diversion water flows, and release of live bait are all sources of this invasion. The effectiveness of alternative technologies to control the invasion was to be examined by the Board. Other efforts taking place to address the situation in the basin are being complemented by the publication of this report. It is considered that the most important source of alien invasive species (AIS) to the Great Lakes is the discharge of ballast water from shipping vessels coming from outside the United States and Canada. A major concern is the role played by vessels reporting no ballast on board (NOBOB) upon entering the basin. A number of recommendations were made concerning: (1) implementation and enforcement of the ballast water discharge standards agreed upon by both countries, (2) the evaluation of the effectiveness of alternative technologies to achieve ballast water discharge standards over the long term, combined with the use of chemical treatment while the evaluation is being performed, (3) the implementation of optimal management practices to control sediments in shipping vessels, (4) modifications to the design of shipping vessels, and (5) the monitoring and contingency plans in the event of a repeat scenario in the future. Composed of an equal number representatives from the United States and Canada, at

Evaluation of bituminous sub-ballast manufactured at low temperatures as an alternative for the construction of more sustainable railway structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Pirozzolo

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Hot bituminous mixtures are becoming widely used in modern railway tracks in the sub-ballast layer. The reason is that these materials allow for both an increase in bearing capacity and greater protection of the substructure respect the traditional granular sub-ballast. Despite these advantages, the fact that these materials are manufactured at a temperature of 160°C means that their application can lead to an important increase in construction costs, pollution and energy consumption. This paper aims to study the possibility of using WMA manufactured at lower temperatures, as bituminous sub-ballast, in order to save energy and reduce emissions throughout the production process, as well as diminish the global costs of this layer. To this end, this study focuses on a comparison of the mechanical behaviour of warm and hot bituminous mixtures as sub-ballast under various loading conditions. The results indicate that WMA offers mechanical behaviour that is comparable to conventional HMA.

A New Cross-Shaped Graphite Furnace with Ballast Body for Reduction of Interferences in Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Asweisi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available A new crossed graphite furnace for atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS was designed and installed in heated graphite atomizer (HGA500 combined with Perkin-Elmer spectrometer (AAS1100. The Tungsten ballast body was inserted inside one part of the crossed furnace in a way perpendicular to light path. The analyzed sample was injected manually on the ballast body inside the cross and pushed into the measuring zone using the original inner and additional purge gas. The sample was adsorbed strongly on the ballast and evaporated and transferred with different rates at different temperatures during the temperature program allowing the separation of analyte and matrix signals. Analysis of middle volatile element such as copper and manganese in standard urine sample (seronorm 2525 showed complete separation of analyte and background signals with good sensitivity and repeatability.

Drinking Water Contaminants -- Standards and Regulations

Science.gov (United States)

... and Research Centers Contact Us Share Drinking Water Contaminants – Standards and Regulations EPA identifies contaminants to regulate ... other partners to implement these SDWA provisions. Regulated Contaminants National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) - table of ...

Regulation Development for Drinking Water Contaminants

Science.gov (United States)

To explain what process and information underlies regulations including how the Safe Drinking Water Act applies to regulation development i.e. how does the drinking water law translate into regulations.

Consequences of using crushed crystalline rock as ballast in KBS-3 tunnels instead of rounded quartz particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Push, R [Clay Technology AB (Sweden)

1995-02-01

The basic question has been whether such replacement alters the hydraulic conductivity and compressibility as well as expandability and also if the physical and chemical stabilities are altered. The key factor is the microstructural constitution of the bentonite/ballast mixtures, which is primarily controlled by the grain size distribution of the ballast. The compact ability of backfills with quartz sand (SB) is higher than that of backfills with crushed rock as ballast (RB). The physical stability of RB backfills in terms of piping and erosion resistance will be somewhat lower than that of SB backfills. The chemical stability is practically independent of whether the ballast is pure quartz or rock with K-bearing minerals because the temperature in the backfill will be too low to yield significant smectite to illite conversion in the short heating period. In order to reach the same densities of SB and RB backfills, which turn out to give fairly similar physical properties, the latter backfills need more effective compaction or, alternatively, a higher bentonite content. It is estimated that if the bentonite content in RB backfills is not increased while the density is enhanced to what is achievable, these backfills will serve equally well as SB backfills with the densities implied by the basic KBS-3 concept. 23 refs, 27 figs, 7 tabs.

Consequences of using crushed crystalline rock as ballast in KBS-3 tunnels instead of rounded quartz particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Push, R.

1995-02-01

The basic question has been whether such replacement alters the hydraulic conductivity and compressibility as well as expandability and also if the physical and chemical stabilities are altered. The key factor is the microstructural constitution of the bentonite/ballast mixtures, which is primarily controlled by the grain size distribution of the ballast. The compact ability of backfills with quartz sand (SB) is higher than that of backfills with crushed rock as ballast (RB). The physical stability of RB backfills in terms of piping and erosion resistance will be somewhat lower than that of SB backfills. The chemical stability is practically independent of whether the ballast is pure quartz or rock with K-bearing minerals because the temperature in the backfill will be too low to yield significant smectite to illite conversion in the short heating period. In order to reach the same densities of SB and RB backfills, which turn out to give fairly similar physical properties, the latter backfills need more effective compaction or, alternatively, a higher bentonite content. It is estimated that if the bentonite content in RB backfills is not increased while the density is enhanced to what is achievable, these backfills will serve equally well as SB backfills with the densities implied by the basic KBS-3 concept. 23 refs, 27 figs, 7 tabs

The method of the atomic-absorption analysis in a graphite furnace with the metallic collector-ballast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katskov, D.A.; Vasil'eva, L.A.; Grinshtejn, I.L.; Savel'eva, G.O.

1987-01-01

New method of atomic-absorption analysis in a graphite furnace with the metallic collector-ballast (tungsten were) is suggested. It enables to widen the number of analyzed objects of liquid products wetting readily graphite and metals. It is shown that application of metallic collector-ballast enables to improve sensitivity and reproducibility of analysis, increase the volume of dosed samples as well as to suppress effectively the influence of excess of mineral and organic substrate on results of atomic-absorption analysis of several elements, including Cd, Sr, In, Te

Three-dimensional laser scanning technique to quantify aggregate and ballast shape properties

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Anochie-Boateng, Joseph

2013-06-01

Full Text Available methods towards a more accurate and automated techniques to quantify aggregate shape properties. This paper validates a new flakiness index equation using three-dimensional (3-D) laser scanning data of aggregate and ballast materials obtained from...

INVESTIGATION OF INNER SHEAR RESISTANCE OF GEOGRIDS BUILT UNDER GRANULAR PROTECTION LAYERS AND RAILWAY BALLAST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sz. Fischer

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Using adequate granular materials and layer structures in the railway super- and substructure is able to stabilise railway track geometry. For this purpose special behaviour of above materials has to be determined, e.g. inner shear resistance. Inner shear resistance of granular media with and without geogrid reinforcement in different depths is not known yet. Methodology. The author developed a special laboratory method to measure and define inner shear resistance of granular materials, it is called «multi-level shear box test». This method is adequate to determine inner shear resistance (pushing force vs. depth (distance from the «zero» surface. Two different granular materials: andesite railway ballast (31.5/63 mm and andesite railway protection layer material (0/56 mm, and seven different types of geogrids (GG1…GG7 were used during the tests. Findings. Values of inner shear resistance functions of andesite railway ballast without geogrid reinforcement and reinforced with different types of geogrids and andesite granular protection layer in function of the vertical distance from the geogrid plane were determined with multi-layer shear box tests when the material aggregation is uncompacted and compacted. Only the compacted sample was tested in case of the 0/56 mm protection layer. Cubic polynomial regression functions fitted on the mean values of the measurements are described graphically. Determination coefficients with values of R2>0.97 were resulted in all the cases of regression functions. Based on the polynomial regression functions fitted on the mean values of the test results, three increasing factors were determined in function of the distance measured from the geogrid. Increasing factor «A», «B» and «D». Originality. Multi-level shear box test, developed by the author, is certified unequivocally adequate for determining inner shear resistance of reinforced and unreinforced granular materials, e.g. railway ballast

Treatment of heavy metal polluted industrial wastewater by a new water treatment process: ballasted electroflocculation.

Science.gov (United States)

Brahmi, Khaled; Bouguerra, Wided; Harbi, Soumaya; Elaloui, Elimame; Loungou, Mouna; Hamrouni, Béchir

2018-02-15

This laboratory study investigated the parameters efficiency of the new technology: ballasted electro-flocculation (BEF) using aluminum (Al) electrodes to remove cadmium and zinc from industrial mining wastewater (MWW). The principle of the BEF process is based on the use of micro-sand and polymer together to increase the weight of the flocs and the rate at which they settle is radically changing the electrocoagulation-electroflocculation settling methodology. Based on the examination of the operation parameters one by one, the best removal percentage was obtained at a current intensity of 2A, a the flow rate of 20L/h, a micro-sand dose of 6g/L, a polyéthylèneimine (PEI) polymer dose of 100mg, the contact times of 30min, a stirring speed of 50 RPM, a monopolar configuration of the electrodes, and an electrodes number of 10. The results showed that the flow rate and the current density have a preponderant effect on the variability of the quality of the settled water. In comparison, filterability was found to be more sensitive to number of electrodes, micro sand dosages and current density. It was dependent on the ratio of microsand to PEI polymer dosage, and improved when this ratio increased. Response surface methodology was applied to evaluate the main effects and interactions among stirring speed, polymer dose, current intensity, and electrodes number. The removal of Cd and Zn from industrial MWW was done for very low cost of 0.1TND/m 3 equivalent to 0.04€/m 3 . The investigation of BEF process proposes a highly cost-effective wastewater treatment method if compared to Actiflo TM and electrocoagulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New storm water regulations impact industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gemar, C.

1991-01-01

In November 1990, new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations aimed at governing the discharge of storm water from industrial facilities became effective. Because some industrial runoff contains toxics and other pollutants, the EPA considers storm water a major source of water contamination. The new regulations will have a profound impact on the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements for industry. This paper summarizes the new storm water regulations, focusing on the requirements for industrial facilities. It also presents suggestions for compliance

A method for handlebars ballast calculation in order to reduce vibrations transmissibility in walk behind tractors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelo Fabbri

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Walk behind tractors have some advantages over other agricultural machines, such as the cheapness and the easy to use, however the driver is exposed to high level of vibrations transmitted from handles to hand-arm system and to shoulders. The vibrations induce discomfort and early fatigue to the operator. In order to control the vibration transmissibility, a ballast mass may be added to the handles. Even if the determination of the appropriate ballast mass is a critical point in the handle design. The aim of this research was to study the influence of the handle mass modification, on the dynamic structure behaviour. Modal frequencies and subsequent transmissibility calculated by using an analytical approach and a finite elements model, were compared. A good agreement between the results obtained by the two methods was found (average percentage difference calculated on natural frequencies equal to 5.8±3.8%. Power tillers are made generally by small or medium-small size manufacturers that have difficulties in dealing with finite element codes or modal analysis techniques. As a consequence, the proposed analytical method could be used to find the optimal ballast mass in a simple and economic way, without experimental tests or complex finite element codes. A specific and very simple software or spreadsheet, developed on the base of the analytical method here discussed, could effectively to help the manufacturers in the handlebar design phase. The choice of the correct elastic mount, the dimensioning of the guide members and the ballast mass could be considerably simplified.

Preventing maritime transport of pathogens: the remarkable antimicrobial properties of silver-supported catalysts for ship ballast water disinfection.

Science.gov (United States)

Theologides, C P; Theofilou, S P; Anayiotos, A; Costa, C N

2017-07-01

Ship ballast water (SBW) antimicrobial treatment is considered as a priority issue for the shipping industry. The present work investigates the possibility of utilizing antimicrobial catalysis as an effective method for the treatment of SBW. Taking into account the well-known antimicrobial properties of ionic silver (Ag + ), five silver-supported catalysts (Ag/γ-Al 2 O 3 ) with various loadings (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, and 1 wt%) were prepared and examined for the antimicrobial treatment of SBW. The bactericidal activity of the aforementioned catalysts was investigated towards the inhibition of Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and Escherichia faecalis (Gram-positive) bacteria. Catalytic experiments were conducted in a three-phase continuous flow stirred tank reactor, used in a semi-batch mode. It was found that using the catalyst with the lowest metal loading, the inhibition of E. coli reached 95.8% after 30 minutes of treatment of an E. coli bacterial solution, while the inhibition obtained for E. faecalis was 76.2% after 60 minutes of treatment of an E. faecalis bacterial solution. Even better results (100% inhibition after 5 min of reaction) were obtained using the catalysts with higher Ag loadings. The results of the present work indicate that the prepared monometallic catalysts exert their antimicrobial activity within a short period of time, revealing, for the first time ever, that the field of antimicrobial heterogeneous catalysis using deposited ionic silver on a solid support may prove decisive for the disinfection of SBW.

76 FR 25211 - Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-04

...-government procurement policies that specify high efficiency ballasts. (CA IOUs, No. 19 at p. 2; NRDC, No. 21... luminous efficiency (BLE), which is measured directly using electrical measurements instead of the photometric measurements employed in the test procedure at Appendix Q. The calculation of BLE includes a...

Future directions in water quality regulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pontius, F.W.

1997-01-01

The Safe Drinking Water Act amendments of 1996 have imposed new requirements on the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to establish drinking water regulations. The regulatory process has been revised and now requires the use of sound science. Costs, benefits, and competing risks may also be considered. Current regulations for fluoride, volatile organic chemicals, total coliforms, surface water treatment, Phase 2 and Phase 5 synthetic organic and inorganic contaminants, and lead and copper remain basically unchanged. New deadlines are established for the regulation of arsenic, sulfate, radon, disinfectants and disinfection by-products, enhanced surface water treatment, and groundwater disinfection

76 FR 70547 - Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-14

... the term ``fluorescent lamp,'' which EPCA defines as ``a low pressure mercury electric-discharge... discharge into light,'' and as including the four enumerated types of fluorescent lamps for which EPCA... Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts; Final Rule #0;#0;Federal...

Bitumen stabilized ballast: a potential solution for railway track-bed

OpenAIRE

D'Angelo, Giacomo; Thom, Nicholas; Lo Presti, Davide

2016-01-01

Railway ballast degradation under dynamic loads progressively leads to loss of mechanical performance and geometry of the track, so that maintenance interventions are frequently needed. In order to systematically avoid this issue, recently solutions have been proposed to reinforce track-bed by using polyurethane and/or resins as well as asphalt layers among others. Nonetheless, their main limitations are related to the high initial cost and low productivity.\\ud To cope with these limitations,...

A General Water Resources Regulation Software System in China

Science.gov (United States)

LEI, X.

2017-12-01

To avoid iterative development of core modules in water resource normal regulation and emergency regulation and improve the capability of maintenance and optimization upgrading of regulation models and business logics, a general water resources regulation software framework was developed based on the collection and analysis of common demands for water resources regulation and emergency management. It can provide a customizable, secondary developed and extensible software framework for the three-level platform "MWR-Basin-Province". Meanwhile, this general software system can realize business collaboration and information sharing of water resources regulation schemes among the three-level platforms, so as to improve the decision-making ability of national water resources regulation. There are four main modules involved in the general software system: 1) A complete set of general water resources regulation modules allows secondary developer to custom-develop water resources regulation decision-making systems; 2) A complete set of model base and model computing software released in the form of Cloud services; 3) A complete set of tools to build the concept map and model system of basin water resources regulation, as well as a model management system to calibrate and configure model parameters; 4) A database which satisfies business functions and functional requirements of general water resources regulation software can finally provide technical support for building basin or regional water resources regulation models.

Dynamic modelling of high speed ballasted railway trakcs: Analysis of the behaviour

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gallego, I.; Rivas, A.; Sanchez-Cambronero, S.; Lajara, J.

2016-07-01

The aim of the paper is to present a numerical model for a ballasted railway track that includes the dynamic effect of a moving train load and predicts the values of the vertical stiffness of the infrastructure. This model is therefore deemed to be a tool for the evaluation of the state of the track during service situations as well as a predictive model of the behaviour of the system. Consequently, it will be very useful when sizing the cross section of a new railway line is required.The main modelling tool is the finite element method. In regard to this, the application of damping elements to avoid the elastic wave reflection on the boundaries of the numerical domain will be studied. The proposed dynamic analysis consider the change in time of the value of the train load, but not the change in position along the tracks.In the end, a set of suggestions for the numerical model with moving loads will be summarize aiming for the mitigation of the unusual behaviour of the contact surface between the ballast and the sleepers. (Author)

Development of Viscoelastic Multi-Body Simulation and Impact Response Analysis of a Ballasted Railway Track under Cyclic Loading

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daisuke Nishiura

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Simulation of a large number of deformable bodies is often difficult because complex high-level modeling is required to address both multi-body contact and viscoelastic deformation. This necessitates the combined use of a discrete element method (DEM and a finite element method (FEM. In this study, a quadruple discrete element method (QDEM was developed for dynamic analysis of viscoelastic materials using a simpler algorithm compared to the standard FEM. QDEM easily incorporates the contact algorithm used in DEM. As the first step toward multi-body simulation, the fundamental performance of QDEM was investigated for viscoelastic analysis. The amplitude and frequency of cantilever elastic vibration were nearly equal to those obtained by the standard FEM. A comparison of creep recovery tests with an analytical solution showed good agreement between them. In addition, good correlation between the attenuation degree and the real physical viscosity was confirmed for viscoelastic vibration analysis. Therefore, the high accuracy of QDEM in the fundamental analysis of infinitesimal viscoelastic deformations was verified. Finally, the impact response of a ballast and sleeper under cyclic loading on a railway track was analyzed using QDEM as an application of deformable multi-body dynamics. The results showed that the vibration of the ballasted track was qualitatively in good agreement with the actual measurements. Moreover, the ballast layer with high friction reduced the ballasted track deterioration. This study suggests that QDEM, as an alternative to DEM and FEM, can provide deeper insights into the contact dynamics of a large number of deformable bodies.

21 CFR 880.5560 - Temperature regulated water mattress.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Temperature regulated water mattress. 880.5560... Therapeutic Devices § 880.5560 Temperature regulated water mattress. (a) Identification. A temperature regulated water mattress is a device intended for medical purposes that consists of a mattress of suitable...

Use of rubber shreds to enhance attenuation of railway sub-ballast layers made of unbound aggregates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Hidalgo-Signes

2017-02-01

Full Text Available One of the approaches for solving the problem of induced vibrations in railways is by slightly modifying the materials that form the track. A study is presented of the attenuation capacity of mixes composed of granular soil and rubber shreds when used as sub-ballast (the layer located immediately below the ballast layer. Rubber shreds are obtained from scrap tyres, a troublesome waste material whose reuse and recycling is necessary. A series of mixes of granular soil and rubber shreds with rubber contents of between 1% and 10% are submitted to hammer impact tests to study their response to dynamic excitation. Results reveal that mixing rubber shreds with granular soil increases damping ratios, thus demonstrating the potential of the proposed mixes for attenuating vibration.

Use of rubber shreds to enhance attenuation of railway sub-ballast layers made of unbound aggregates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hidalgo-Signes, C.; Garzón-Roca, J.; Grima-Palop, J.M.; Insa-Franco, R.

2017-01-01

One of the approaches for solving the problem of induced vibrations in railways is by slightly modifying the materials that form the track. A study is presented of the attenuation capacity of mixes composed of granular soil and rubber shreds when used as sub-ballast (the layer located immediately below the ballast layer). Rubber shreds are obtained from scrap tyres, a troublesome waste material whose reuse and recycling is necessary. A series of mixes of granular soil and rubber shreds with rubber contents of between 1% and 10% are submitted to hammer impact tests to study their response to dynamic excitation. Results reveal that mixing rubber shreds with granular soil increases damping ratios, thus demonstrating the potential of the proposed mixes for attenuating vibration. [es

Ballast system for maintaining constant pressure in a glove box

Science.gov (United States)

Shlichta, Paul J.

1989-09-01

A ballast system is disclosed for a glove box including a fixed platform on which is mounted an inflatable bag on top of which resides a cover and a weight. The variable gas volume of the inflatable bag communicates with that of the glove box via a valved tube. The weight and the gas volume are selected to maintain a relatively constant pressure in the glove box despite variations in the glove box volume while avoiding the use of complicated valving apparatus.

76 FR 16285 - Amendments to the Water Quality Regulations, Water Code and Comprehensive Plan To Update Water...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-23

... DELAWARE RIVER BASIN COMMISSION 18 CFR Part 410 Amendments to the Water Quality Regulations, Water Code and Comprehensive Plan To Update Water Quality Criteria for Toxic Pollutants in the Delaware... or ``Commission'') approved amendments to its Water Quality Regulations, Water Code and Comprehensive...

Treatment of bilge and oily drain water of tankers and current measures against combustible oil gas discharge; Tanker no biruji yudakusui shori oyobi kanensei sekiyu gas haishutsu taiskau no genjo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agatsuma, Y.

1996-07-25

This paper describes the current actual conditions on treatment of bilge discharged from engine area and oily drain water from cargo area of tankers. Clean bilge among various bilges discharged from engine area such as vapor drain, fresh water, rainwater, seawater and condensed water is directly dumped into the sea after temporary storage in a clean tank. Oily bilge is produced mainly by mixing of clean bilge and leakage oil from main engines and various auxiliaries. Oily bilge is dumped into the sea under comparative monitoring of the bilge quality with the dumping standard by oil concentration monitoring and control equipment after the primary treatment in a treatment tank and the secondary treatment in a bilge separator. Oily drain water from cargo area contains water ballast for cargo oil tanks, wash water for tanks and lines, and bilge produced in pump room. The oily drain water is dumped under a specific condition. However, water ballast for specific ballast tanks is excluded from the oily drain water. 2 figs.

[Revision of the drinking water regulations].

Science.gov (United States)

Hauswirth, S

2011-11-01

The revision the Drinking Water Regulations will come into effect on 01.11.2011. Surveillance authorities and owners of drinking water supply systems had hoped for simplifications and reductions because of the new arrangements. According to the official statement for the revision the legislature intended to create more clarity, consider new scientific findings, to change regulations that have not been proved to close regulatory gaps, to deregulate and to increase the high quality standards. A detailed examination of the regulation text, however, raises doubts. The new classification of water supply systems requires different modalities of registration, water analyses and official observation, which will complicate the work of the authorities. In particular, the implementation of requirements of registration and examination for the owners of commercial and publicly-operated large hot-water systems in accordance with DVGW Worksheet W 551 requires more effort. According to the estimated 30 000 cases of legionellosis in Germany the need for a check of such systems for Legionella, however, is not called into question. Furthermore, the development of sampling plans and the monitoring of mobile water supply systems requires more work for the health authorities. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Innovative Ballasted Flat Roof Solar PV Racking System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peek, Richard T. [Cascade Engineering, Grand Rapids, MI (United States)

2014-12-15

The objective of this project was to reduce the cost of racking for PV solar on flat commercial rooftops. Cost reductions would come from both labor savings and material savings related to the installation process. The rack would need to accommodate the majority of modules available on the market. Cascade Engineering has a long history of converting traditional metal type applications over to plastic. Injection molding of plastics have numerous advantages including selection of resin for the application, placing the material exactly where it is needed, designing in features that will speed up the installation process, and weight reduction of the array. A plastic rack would need to meet the requirements of UL2703, Mounting systems, mounting devices, clamping/retention devices, and ground lugs for use with flat-plate photovoltaic modules and panels. Comparing original data to the end of project racking design, racking material costs were reduced 50% and labor costs reduced 64%. The racking product accommodates all 60 and 72 cell panels on the market, meets UL2703 requirements, contributes only 1.3 pounds per square foot of weight to the array, requires little ballast to secure the array, automatically grounds the module when the module is secured, stacks/nests well for shipping/fewer lifts to the roof, provides integrated wire routing, allows water to drain on the roof, and accommodates various seismic roof connections. Project goals were achieved as noted in the original funding application.

Jet-Suspended, Calcite-Ballasted Cyanobacterial Waterwarts in a Desert Spring

Science.gov (United States)

Pichel-Garcia, Ferran; Wade, Bman D.; Farmer, Jack D.

2002-01-01

We describe a population of colonial cyanobacteria (waterwarts) that develops as the dominant primary producer in a bottom-fed, warm spring in the Cuatro Cienegas karstic region of the Mexican Chihuahuan Desert. The centimeter-sized waterwarts were suspended within a central, conically shaped, 6-m deep well by upwelling waters. Waterwarts were built by an unicellular cyanobacterium and supported a community of epiphytic filamentous cyanobacteria and diatoms but were free of heterotrophic bacteria inside. Sequence analysis of genes revealed that this cyanobacterium is only distantly related to several strains of other unicellular teria Cyanothece, Waterwarts contained orderly arrangements of mineral made up of microcrystalline low-magnesium calcite with high levels of strontium and sulfur. Waterwarts were 95.9% (v/v) glycan, 2.8% cells, and 1.3% mineral grains and had a buoyant density of 1.034 kg/L. An analysis of the hydrological properties of the spring well and the waterwarts demonstrated that both large colony size and the presence of controlled amounts of mineral ballast are required to prevent the population from being washed out of the well. The unique hydrological characteristics of the spring have likely selected for both traits. The mechanisms by which controlled nucleation of extracellular calcite is achieved remain to be explored.

A Feasibility Study on the Application of Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF Steel Slag for Railway Ballast Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taehoon Koh

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Railway ballast, for which natural crushed stone aggregates have been generally used, is an essential track component for the distribution of train loads along the rails and sleepers to the roadbed. However, the use of natural crushed stone aggregate causes environmental destruction as well as dust production in train service. This paper evaluates the feasibility of using the basic oxygen furnace (BOF steel slag as railway ballast material. A series of physical and chemical quality tests are performed to investigate the characteristics of the materials associated with the effect of aging period due to the remaining free CaO and MgO in the BOF steel slag. Three different aging periods (i.e., 0, 3, and 6 months are used to compare with various standards and the properties of the crushed stone aggregates. It is demonstrated that the physical and chemical properties of the BOF steel slag with different aging periods satisfy all requirements of standards sufficiently. Especially, the BOF steel slag without aging (i.e., 0 month provides the similar physical and chemical properties, when compared to the BOF steel slag with aging (i.e., 3 and 6 months. Thus, it is possible to apply the BOF steel slag regardless of aging periods to the railway ballast materials instead of natural crushed stone aggregates.

Effect of type and concentration of ballasting particles on sinking rate of marine snow produced by the Appendicularian Oikopleura dioica

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lombard, Fabien; Guidi, L.; Kiørboe, Thomas

2013-01-01

Ballast material (organic, opal, calcite, lithogenic) is suggested to affect sinking speed of aggregates in the ocean. Here, we tested this hypothesis by incubating appendicularians in suspensions of different algae or Saharan dust, and observing the sinking speed of the marine snow formed...... by their discarded houses. We show that calcite increases the sinking speeds of aggregates by ~100% and lithogenic material by ~150% while opal only has a minor effect. Furthermore the effect of ballast particle concentration was causing a 33 m d-1 increase in sinking speed for a 5×105 μm3 ml-1 increase in particle...

There are Many Kinds and Brands of TL Lamp and Ballast Transformer in the Market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koes-Indrakoesoema; Yayan-Andryanto

2006-01-01

However, there is still a problem of how to determining the power factor (cos φ) for one of brand of lamp. Lamps with low power factor will consume relatively high reactive power, hence the active power that can be utilized decreases. One of the effort that can be done to improve the level of the lamp's power factor is to install a suitable capacitor with the lamp. The values of the lamp's power factor of a certain brand of lamp will be different if the lamp is connected with different brand of ballast transformer. Therefore, the value of the capacitor that have to be installed to the lamp also must be different depend on the brand of the transformer. This experiment using 2 (two) TL lamp i.e Chiyoda 40 Watt and Philip 36 Watt which has been installed with capacitor 3.6 μF and combination of ballast transformer Philips, National and Siemens and shows that increase the power factor until 0.95. (author)

Fluorescent lamp and ballast disposal-efficiency and the environment: Panel discussion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bleasby, P.

1996-01-01

This panel discussion looked at the present state of problems related to the disposal of fluorescent lamps and ballasts. EPA has not issued a ruling defining what is to be done, and as a result different areas of the country, and different users are treating the products differently. The authors review the history of the problem, where the environmental concerns are, possible alternatives for disposal, be it landfill, recycling, incineration, or treatment as hazardous wastes, and policy concerns with regard to this issue.

Peracids in water treatment:a critical review

OpenAIRE

Luukkonen, T. (Tero); Pehkonen, S. O. (Simo O.)

2017-01-01

Abstract Peracids have gained interest in the water treatment over the last few decades. Peracetic acid (CH₃CO₃H) has already become an accepted alternative disinfectant in wastewater disinfection whereas performic acid (CHO₃H) has been studied much less, although it is also already commercially available. Additionally, peracids have been studied for drinking water disinfection, oxidation of aqueous (micro)pollutants, sludge treatment, and ballast water treatment, to name just a few exampl...

Non-chemical water purification a Westinghouse/Wallenius product for nuclear power plant needs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goetberg, J.; Carlsson, M.

2014-01-01

Increasing demand for ecologically effective water treatment technologies has resulted in the development of several new oxidation methods. These technologies are generally labelled Advanced Oxidation Technologies (AOT) or Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) and currently represent the most widely recognized alternative for ecologically sound, high-tech water purification. Many years of intensive research have culminated in the innovative Wallenius-AOT technology, a patented method that is remarkable in several ways. It imitates nature's own water purification method. This means no chemical additives are needed. The technology utilizes the ability of light, together with photo-catalytic semiconductor surfaces, to produce free radicals, like nature does. These reactive radicals create an environment in which organic and inorganic substances oxidize, whereby a broad spectrum of organisms is rendered harmless more effectively than with conventional UV technology. The entire process takes just a few micro-seconds. A major advantage of the technology is that it can be adjusted according to the desired degree of purification. By altering the dynamics of the process, the purification can be designed for specific applications. In this way, AOT tackles precise problems, regardless of flow and whether the problem is chemical or biological. The product was originally introduced for ballast treatment in the shipping industry. Ballast water has created severe damages to the biology at many locations. By moving an organism from one ocean to another we have introduced a possible threat to the local ecosystem. This has been prevented by using the AOT water treatment units. During ballasting and de-ballasting, the units create radicals with the help of a catalyst and a light source. These radicals then destroy the cell membrane of microorganisms. The radicals, which never leave the unit, have a lifetime of only a few milliseconds and pose no risk to the environment or crew

Density determination of railroad ballast by means of gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mundt, M.

1983-01-01

Proceeding from the requirements of a measuring method for determining the degrees of densification and of soiling of railroad beds, conclusions are drawn for the use of a radiometric technique, considering measuring geometry, radiation energy, and instrumentation. Results obtained from laboratory experiments with a ballast pressure unit are presented. It is pointed out that the application of radiometric density measurements has to be linked with investigations of the behaviour of the rock species used, in order to obtain a valid interpretation of the measured density with regard to the properties and the composition of the railroad bed. (author)

Safe drinking water act: Amendments, regulations and standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calabrese, E.J.; Gilbert, C.E.; Pastides, H.

1989-01-01

This book approaches the topic of safe drinking water by communicating how the EPA has responded to the mandates of Congress. Chapter 1 summarizes what is and will be involved in achieving safe drinking water. Chapter 2 describes the historical development of drinking water regulations. Chapter 3 summarizes the directives of the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1986. Chapters 4 through 9 discuss each phase of the regulatory program in turn. Specific problems associated with volatile organic chemicals, synthetic organics, inorganic chemicals, and microbiological contaminants are assessed in Chapter 4 and 5. The unique characteristics of radionuclides and their regulation are treated in Chapter 6. The disinfection process and its resultant disinfection by-products are presented in Chapter 7. The contaminant selection process and the additional contaminants to be regulated by 1989 and 1991 and in future years are discussed in Chapters 8 and 9. EPA's Office of Drinking Water's Health Advisory Program is explained in Chapter 10. The record of public water system compliance with the primary drinking water regulations is detailed in Chapter 11. Chapter 12 offers a nongovernmental perspective on the general quality of drinking water and how this is affected by a wide range of drinking water treatment technologies. Separate abstracts are processed for 5 chapters in this book for inclusion in the appropriate data bases

European Communities (Drinking water) Regulations, 2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-12-01

These Regulations were adopted as Statutory Instrument No. 439 of 2000 on 18 December 2000 and come in to operation on 1 January 2004. The regulations give effect to provisions of EU Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption.. They prescribe quality standards to be applied in relation to certain supplies of drinking water. S.I. 439 of 2000 stipulates that the radiation dose arising from one year's consumption of drinking water should not exceed 0.1 mSv. It further stipulates that the dose calculation should include contributions from all natural and artificial radionuclides with the exception of tritium, potassium-40, radon and radon decay products

Numerical modelling of the reinforcing effect of geosynthetic material used in a ballasted railway tracks

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jiroušek, Ondřej; Jíra, J.; Hrdlička, Ondřej; Kunecký, Jiří; Kytýř, Daniel; Vyčichl, J.; Doktor, Tomáš

2010-01-01

Roč. 224, č. 4 (2010), s. 259-267 ISSN 0954-4097 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20710524 Keywords : railway track bed * reinforcing geogrid * finite-element modelling * settlement reduction * contact analysis * ballast material Subject RIV: JN - Civil Engineering Impact factor: 0.389, year: 2010 http://journals.pepublishing.com/content/k561040632411117/

Influence of a water regulation event on the age of Yellow River water in the Bohai

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhen; Wang, Haiyan; Guo, Xinyu; Liu, Zhe; Gao, Huiwang; Zhang, Guiling

2017-10-01

Abrupt changes in freshwater inputs from large rivers usually imply regime shifts in coastal water environments. The influence of a water regulation event on the age of the Yellow River water in the Bohai was modeled using constituent-oriented age and residence time theory to better understand the change in the environmental function of the hydrodynamic field owing to human activities. The water ages in Laizhou Bay, the central basin, and the Bohai strait are sensitive to water regulation. The surface ages in those areas can decrease by about 300 days, particularly in July, and the age stratification is also strengthened. A water regulation event can result in declines in the water age in early July ahead of declines in the water age under climatological conditions (without the regulation event) by about 1 and 5 months in the central basin and Laizhou Bay, respectively. The change in the coastal circulation due to the water regulation event is the primary reason for the change in the Yellow River water age. The high Yellow River flow rate can enhance the density flow and, therefore, reduce the age of the Yellow River water. The subsequent impact of a single water regulation event can last about 1.0 to 4.0 years in different subregions.

Dimmable electronic ballasts by variable power density modulation technique

Science.gov (United States)

Borekci, Selim; Kesler, Selami

2014-11-01

Dimming can be accomplished commonly by switching frequency and pulse density modulation techniques and a variable inductor. In this study, a variable power density modulation (VPDM) control technique is proposed for dimming applications. A fluorescent lamp is operated in several states to meet the desired lamp power in a modulation period. The proposed technique has the same advantages of magnetic dimming topologies have. In addition, a unique and flexible control technique can be achieved. A prototype dimmable electronic ballast is built and experiments related to it have been conducted. As a result, a 36WT8 fluorescent lamp can be driven for a desired lamp power from several alternatives without modulating the switching frequency.

Remotely Operated Vehicle for Surveilance Applications On and Under Water Surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahfuzh Shah Mustari

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the low cost hardware prototype of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV for surveilance applications. The vehicle is designed to make maneuvers under water and on surface of water, where its movement is guided remotely via a GHz-scale wireless communication system. The main electronic control unit (ECU of the vehicle is an 8-bit microcontroller, which is used to control 6 motor actuators. Two motors are embedded in a ballast tank used for pumping and draining in and out of the ballast tank. While, the other four motors are used for vehicle movements on water surface. One wireless transceiver is embedded in a joystick and the other is separately placed in the waterproof box mounted on the vehicle. The performance tests present that, in general, the ROV can be controlled well with limited performance. The total weight of the vehicle is 10.35kg with weight density of 0.89kg/ltr

Natural gas ballast requirement to allow participation of thermal plants in the new energy auctions: analysis and proposals; Requisito de lastro de gas natural para viabilizar a participacao de termeletricas nos leiloes de energia nova: analise e propostas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Avila, Pedro Luis de; Bezerra, Bernardo Vieira; Barroso, Luiz Augusto Nobrega; Pereira, Mario Veiga; Rosenblatt, Jose [PSR, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2012-07-01

Since the first New Energy Auction (LEN), held in December 2005, there has been a continuous process of improving the auction rules and mechanism. For the specific case of gas-fired plants, a significant change was observed between the LEN A-3/2011 and LEN A-5/2011, and refers to the need of natural gas ballast for candidate projects in the auction. This rule was introduced by ANP Resolution No. 52, which establishes that the gas supply agreements must be backed up by proven reserves (analogous to the requirement in the power sector contracts of physical guarantee backup), and Ordinance MME No. 21/2008, which deals with power plants qualification for the new energy auctions. The latter was amended by MME Ordinance No. 514, which requires proven natural gas reserves to support the GSA of all candidate projects in a LEN. In other words, the gas supplier now has to prove that there are sufficient gas reserves to meet requirements of all candidate project in an auction, regardless of the plausibility of their engagement in the auction. In this context, the present study discusses these issues and has as main contributions: (I) a review of current regulations on contract ballast in the Brazilian natural gas sector, (II) a proposal to conciliate the need of fuel supply contract ballast to the dynamics of the natural gas sector, and (III) a proposal to conciliate the need for fuel contract ballast to the contracting process of the thermoelectric power in the new energy auctions. These contributions aim at a better integration between the sectors of natural gas and electricity in Brazil, leading to a more efficient use of resources and infrastructure development. (author)

The efficiency of combined coagulant and ballast to remove harmful cyanobacterial blooms in a tropical shallow system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Miranda, Marcela; Noyma, Natalia; Pacheco, Felipe S.; de Magalhaes, Leonardo; Pinto, Ernani; Santos, Suzan; Soares, Maria Fernanda A.; Huszar, Vera L.; Lürling, Miquel; Marinho, Marcelo M.

We tested the hypothesis that a combination of coagulant and ballast could be efficient for removal of positively buoyant harmful cyanobacteria in shallow tropical waterbodies, and will not promote the release of cyanotoxins. This laboratory study examined the efficacy of coagulants [polyaluminium

The efficiency of combined coagulant and ballast to remove harmful cyanobacterial blooms in a tropical shallow system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Miranda, Marcela; Noyma, Natália; Pacheco, Felipe S.; Magalhães, de Leonardo; Pinto, Ernani; Santos, Suzan; Soares, Maria Fernanda A.; Huszar, Vera L.; Lurling, Miguel; Marinho, Marcelo M.

2017-01-01

We tested the hypothesis that a combination of coagulant and ballast could be efficient for removal of positively buoyant harmful cyanobacteria in shallow tropical waterbodies, and will not promote the release of cyanotoxins. This laboratory study examined the efficacy of coagulants

33 CFR 401.76 - In-transit cargo.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false In-transit cargo. 401.76 Section... TRANSPORTATION SEAWAY REGULATIONS AND RULES Regulations Toll Assessment and Payment § 401.76 In-transit cargo... the Seaway Transit Declaration Form, but is deemed to be ballast and not subject to toll assessment. ...

Technical support document: Energy efficiency standards for consumer products: Room air conditioners, water heaters, direct heating equipment, mobile home furnaces, kitchen ranges and ovens, pool heaters, fluorescent lamp ballasts and television sets. Volume 1, Methodology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-11-01

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (P.L. 94-163), as amended, establishes energy conservation standards for 12 of the 13 types of consumer products specifically covered by the Act. The legislation requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to consider new or amended standards for these and other types of products at specified times. DOE is currently considering amending standards for seven types of products: water heaters, direct heating equipment, mobile home furnaces, pool heaters, room air conditioners, kitchen ranges and ovens (including microwave ovens), and fluorescent light ballasts and is considering establishing standards for television sets. This Technical Support Document presents the methodology, data, and results from the analysis of the energy and economic impacts of the proposed standards. This volume presents a general description of the analytic approach, including the structure of the major models.

49 CFR 1242.15 - Roadway, tunnels and subways, bridges and culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Roadway, tunnels and subways, bridges and culverts, ties, rails, other track material, ballast, track laying and surfacing, and road property damaged... RAILROADS 1 Operating Expenses-Way and Structures § 1242.15 Roadway, tunnels and subways, bridges and...

Comparing the sensitivity of four bioassays for acrolein

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sneekes, A.C.; Kaag, N.H.B.M.

2009-01-01

Introduction of non-indigenous species is a risk associated with discharge of ballast water from ships transporting cargo between regions. The IMO has set out a mandatory framework for ballast water management on board ships. EnvioMar GmbH has developed a Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS) using

Investigation into the Distribution of Ballast Water Tracers in Coastal Waters

Science.gov (United States)

2009-11-01

photosynthesis within the water column. Natural CDOM concentrations from lakes to the deep ocean arise from input via the breakdown and dissolution of...3629. Stabenau, E.R., Zepp, R.G., Bartels, E. and Zika, R.G., 2004. Role of the seagrass Thalassia testudinum as a source of chromophoric dissolved

75 FR 41106 - Amendments to the Water Quality Regulations, Water Code and Comprehensive Plan to Update Water...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-15

... DELAWARE RIVER BASIN COMMISSION 18 CFR Part 410 Amendments to the Water Quality Regulations, Water Code and Comprehensive Plan to Update Water Quality Criteria for Toxic Pollutants in the Delaware... hold a public hearing to receive comments on proposed amendments to the Commission's Water Quality...

Scheme for analysis of oily waters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lysyj, I.; Rushworth, R.; Melvold, R.; Russell, E.C.

1980-01-01

A scheme is described for gross and detailed chemical characterization of oily waters. Total, suspended, and dissolved organic content and hydrocarbon levels of the sample are determined. Volatile and water-soluble fractions are characterized in greater detail. Lower aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons are separated from the water by nitrogen sparging and are collected in an activated carbon absorption column. They are then extracted into carbon disulfide and analyzed gas chromatographically. The water-soluble fraction is extracted into chloroform or adsorbed on Amberlite XAD type of resin. Class characterization of this fraction is performed using the HPLC procedure. GC-MS-C is used for detailed analysis. The methodology was used for studying the effectiveness of bilge and ballast water treatments.

Ecological roulette: the global transport of nonindigenous marine organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Cariton, J T; Geller, J B

1993-07-02

Ocean-going ships carry, as ballast, seawater that is taken on in port and released at subsequent ports of call. Plankton samples from Japanese ballast water released in Oregon contained 367 taxa. Most taxa with a planktonic phase in their life cycle were found in ballast water, as were all major marine habitat and trophic groups. Transport of entire coastal planktonic assemblages across oceanic barriers to similar habitats renders bays, estuaries, and inland waters among the most threatened ecosystems in the world. Presence of taxonomically difficult or inconspicuous taxa in these samples suggests that ballast water invasions are already pervasive.

Evaluating efficacy of an environmental policy to prevent biological invasions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, Sarah A; Deneau, Matthew G; Jean, Laurent; Wiley, Chris J; Leung, Brian; MacIsaac, Hugh J

2011-04-01

Enactment of any environmental policy should be followed by an evaluation of its efficacy to ensure optimal utilization of limited resources, yet measuring the success of these policies can be a challenging task owing to a dearth of data and confounding factors. We examine the efficacy of ballast water policies enacted to prevent biological invasions in the Laurentian Great Lakes. We utilize four criteria to assess the efficacy of this environmental regulation: (1) Is the prescribed management action demonstrably effective? (2) Is the management action effective under operational conditions? (3) Can compliance be achieved on a broad scale? (4) Are desired changes observed in the environment? The four lines of evidence resulting from this analysis indicate that the Great Lakes ballast water management program provides robust, but not complete, protection against ship-mediated biological invasions. Our analysis also indicates that corresponding inspection and enforcement efforts should be undertaken to ensure that environmental policies translate into increased environmental protection. Similar programs could be implemented immediately around the world to protect the biodiversity of the many freshwater ecosystems which receive ballast water discharges by international vessels. This general framework can be extended to evaluate efficacy of other environmental policies.

A scheme for regulating toxic substances to water quality of Chamsil upstream water system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Kang Suk; Kim, Jee Hoon [Korea Environment Institute, Seoul (Korea)

1998-12-01

This study asserts to reflect a concept of toxicity thoroughly in the present water quality concept. It presents an appropriate solution to control toxic substances flowing into the Chamsil upstream water system. Although a regulation of toxic substances into major rivers in Korea other than Han river is also required urgently, it will be studied in future. It is expected that this study on Chamsil upstream would be a cornerstone for establishing a national regulation policy of toxic substances into water system. 28 refs., 1 fig., 36 tabs.

Evaluation Of Biocides for Potential Treatment of Ballast Water

Science.gov (United States)

2004-10-01

gather data on toxicology and ecotoxicology ; (3) provide information on the processes used in the production of the new substance, as well as the...Data Bank 2004 Target Organism Treatment Dosage Citation algae reduced by 92% filamentous algae or common macrophytes (Potamogeton foliosus...Sea Nine 211; RH-25287 Citations Laws and Regulations Shipboard Use DEPA, , . 2000. Ecotoxicological Assessment of Antifouling Biocides and

Ship for the cleaning of water from oil, fuel oil, and other floating objects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nentvih, V

1969-12-31

The newly designed ship for the cleaning of water surface from floating pollution has its bow section built much lower than its main hull. A slanted platform leads to a channel guiding the water into a centrifuge which separates oil from water. Oil proceeds to a reservoir for reprocessing while water is discharged from the ship. A variable ballast controls the depth of submersion of the platform. The ship is equilibrated by means of a built-in air float.

Production, oxygen respiration rates, and sinking velocity of copepod fecal pellets: Direct measurements of ballasting by opal and calcite

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ploug, H.; Iversen, M.H.; Koski, Marja

2008-01-01

sp., T. weissflogii, and E. huxleyi, respectively. The average carbon-specific respiration rate was 0.15 d(-1) independent on diet (range: 0.08-0.21 d(-1)). Because of ballasting of opal and calcite, sinking velocities were significantly higher for pellets produced on T. weissflogii (322 +/- 169 m d...

Optimisation of bitumen emulsion properties for ballast stabilisation; Optimización de las propiedades de emulsión de betún para la estabilización de balasto.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D’Angelo, G.; Lo Presti, D.; Thom, N.

2017-07-01

Ballasted track, while providing economical and practical advantages, is associated with high costs and material consumption due to frequent maintenance. More sustainable alternatives to conventional ballasted trackbeds should therefore aim at extending its durability, particularly considering ongoing increases in traffic speed and loads. In this regard, the authors have investigated a solution consisting of bitumen stabilised ballast (BSB), designed to be used for new trackbeds as well as in reinforcing existing ones. This study presents the idea behind the technology and then focuses on a specific part of its development: the optimisation of bitumen emulsion properties and dosage in relation to ballast field conditions. Results showed that overall bitumen stabilisation improved ballast resistance to permanent deformation by enhancing stiffness and damping properties. Scenarios with higher dosage of bitumen emulsion, higher viscosity, quicker setting behaviour, and harder base bitumen seem to represent the most desirable conditions to achieve enhanced in-field performance. [Spanish] El balasto proporciona ventajas económicas y prácticas, sin embargo se asocia con altos costos y consumo de materiales. Las alternativas más sostenibles deben tener como objetivo extender la durabilidad del balasto, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta los actuales incrementos en la velocidad y las cargas del tráfico. Los autores presentan una solución que consiste en estabilizar el balasto con betún. Este estudio describe la tecnología y se centra en la optimización de las propiedades de la emulsión bituminosa y su dosis en función de las condiciones del balasto. Los resultados muestran que la stabilización con betún mejora la resistencia a la deformación permanente mediante la modificación de la rigidez y las propiedades de amortiguación. Pruebas con mayor dosis de emulsión bituminosa, mayor viscosidad, fraguado rápido y betún base más duro, representan las condiciones m

Modelling of Non-Linear Pilot Disinfection Water System: A Bond Graph Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naoufel ZITOUNI

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The ultraviolet (UV irradiations are used to solve the bacteriological problem of the drinking water quality. A discharge-gas lamp is used to produce this type of irradiation. The UV lamp is fed by photovoltaic (PV energy via electronic ballast composed by an inverter, a transformer and resonant circuit (RLC. The aim of this work is to give a useful global model of the system. In particular, we introduce the complicated UV lamp model and the water disinfection kinetics, where the radiant energy flux emitted by the discharge-gas lamp and the arc voltage are a complex functions of the current and time. This system is intended to be mainly used in rural zones, the photovoltaic modules as source of energy is an adequate solution. To optimise the power transfer from the PV array to ballast and UV lamp, a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT device may be located between PV array and the loads. In this paper, we developed a bond-graph model which gives the water quality from UV flow, gas type, pressure, lamp current and geometrical characteristic. Finally reliable simulations are established and compared with experimental tests.

Regulations for the peat production water pollution control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savolainen, M.; Heikkinen, K.; Ihme, R.

1996-01-01

The regulations for peat production water pollution control include the latest information on anti-pollution constructions applicable to peat production including field ditches, sedimentation basins, overland flow areas, forest soil saturation, evaporation basins, chemicalization, detention of runoff and artificial flood plains. Information on subsurface drainage in peat mining is also given. The regulations deal with environmental viewpoints, planning of water protection and information on how to build, use and maintain anti-pollution constructions. Special attention is given to the soil conditions, because they play an important role in the building of different constructions. (orig.) (48 refs.)

[Drinking water regulations in Ukraine and infectious morbidity rate with water pathway of transmission of causative agents].

Science.gov (United States)

Surmasheva, E V; Korchak, G I; Mikhienkova, A I; Nikonova, N A; Rosada, M A

2013-01-01

These are presented drinking water regulations in Ukraine on microbiological indices in the new state document "Hygienic Drinking water regulations intended for human consumption" (State sanitary regulations and standards (GsanPiN) 2.2.4-171-10). There is reported an analysis of both the open waterbodies water quality and water for centralized water supply in 2007-2011 and 1992-1996 also on sanitary-bacteriological indices for performance of comparative retrospective analysis. There has been shown water quality degradation for open waterbodies, the main sources of water supply for population. Against this background, a marked improvement of drinking water quality has been noted, the number of non-standard samples decreased to 3.6 % compared with 8.8% in the preceding 15 years. This index correlates with a decrease in the number of outbreaks of infections transmitted by water. There was noted unsatisfactory registration of viral infections with water pathway of transmission and the increase in morbidity rate of gastroenterocolitides of unknown etiology that may include acute viral intestinal infections. Expediency to keep "fermentation of glucose" test in bacteriological examination of water in the identification scheme of general coliforms has been substantiated.

75 FR 38710 - Special Local Regulation, Fran Schnarr Open Water Championships, Huntington Bay, NY

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-06

...-AA08 Special Local Regulation, Fran Schnarr Open Water Championships, Huntington Bay, NY AGENCY: Coast... Regulation on the navigable waters of Huntington Bay, New York due to the annual Fran Schnarr Open Water... ``Special Local Regulation, Fran Schnarr Open Water Championships, Huntington Bay, NY'' in the Federal...

Time to revisit arsenic regulations: comparing drinking water and rice.

Science.gov (United States)

Sauvé, Sébastien

2014-05-17

Current arsenic regulations focus on drinking water without due consideration for dietary uptake and thus seem incoherent with respect to the risks arising from rice consumption. Existing arsenic guidelines are a cost-benefit compromise and, as such, they should be periodically re-evaluated. Literature data was used to compare arsenic exposure from rice consumption relative to exposure arising from drinking water. Standard risk assessment paradigms show that arsenic regulations for drinking water should target a maximum concentration of nearly zero to prevent excessive lung and bladder cancer risks (among others). A feasibility threshold of 3 μg As l(-1) was determined, but a cost-benefit analysis concluded that it would be too expensive to target a threshold below 10 μg As l(-1). Data from the literature was used to compare exposure to arsenic from rice and rice product consumption relative to drinking water consumption. The exposure to arsenic from rice consumption can easily be equivalent to or greater than drinking water exposure that already exceeds standard risks and is based on feasibility and cost-benefit compromises. It must also be emphasized that many may disagree with the implications for their own health given the abnormally high cancer odds expected at the cost-benefit arsenic threshold. Tighter drinking water quality criteria should be implemented to properly protect people from excessive cancer risks. Food safety regulations must be put in place to prevent higher concentrations of arsenic in various drinks than those allowed in drinking water. Arsenic concentrations in rice should be regulated so as to roughly equate the risks and exposure levels observed from drinking water.

10 CFR Appendix Q to Subpart B of... - Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption... Appendix Q to Subpart B of Part 430—Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Fluorescent... reference; see § 430.3). The test for measuring standby mode energy consumption of fluorescent lamp ballasts...

76 FR 76716 - Draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permits for Discharges...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-08

...-0141 for the VGP or Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0150 for the sVGP, by one of the following methods... electronically is EPA's preferred method for receiving comments. Go directly to www.regulations.gov and follow... numeric technology-based effluent limitations that are applicable to vessels with ballast water tanks and...

76 FR 295 - Proposed Amendments to the Water Quality Regulations, Water Code and Comprehensive Plan To...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-04

... and development of water resources of the Delaware River Basin during the implementation of natural... states and Federal government work together to manage water resources in an integrated manner for the... new Article 7 of DRBC's Water Quality Regulations to protect the water resources of the Basin during...

Innovation in product and services in the shipping retrofit industry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hermann, Roberto Rivas; Köhler, Jonathan

regulation could create innovation in green products and services in the maritime retrofitting industry?” Our case study focus on business models for the development, installation and operation of ballast water management systems in Denmark. We engaged the perspectives of ship-owners, equipment manufacturers....... Similarly, given the deindustrialisation dynamics to regions with lower manufacturing costs, it is argued that a combination of knowledge intensive and service-based economy will eventually fill the gap left by manufacturing industries. To create added value to their products, some leading firms...... are increasingly developing product-service systems. It is however, argued that product-service systems are not always sustainable, and thus little evidence connect them with green growth. To fill in this gap, we are carrying a case study guided by the following research question: “How the ballast water treatment...

Overview of the current National Primary Drinking Water Regulations and regulation development process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cotruvo, J.A.; Regelski, M.

1989-01-01

The promulgation of the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) follows specific steps. First, the Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM) is published. Second, the EPA, as mandated by the SDWA Amendments, proposes maximum contaminant levels (MCLs), (enforceable standards) and maximum contaminant level goals (MCLGs) simultaneously. The Office of Drinking Water developed a six-phase schedule that has attempted to parallel the SDWA-specified deadlines: Phase I - Voltile organic chemicals - July 8, 1987; Phase II - Synthetic organic chemicals and inorganic chemicals - June 1989, microbials and surface water treatment - June 1989, and Lead/copper - December 1988; Phase III - Radionuclides - December 1988; Phase IV - Disinfectants and disinfection by-products - June 1989; Phase V - Other inorganic chemicals, synthetic organic chemicals, and pesticides - June 1989; and Phase VI - 25 additional chemicals - January 199. In selecting contaminants for regulation, the most relevant criteria are (1) potential health risk; (2) ability to detect a contaminant in the drinking water; and (3) occurrence or potential occurrence in drinking water. The EPA uses a three category approach for setting maximum contaminant level goals for carcinogens: Category I, strong evidence of carcinogenicity-zero; Category II, equivocal evidence - reference dose (RfD) approach or 0.00001 to 0.000001 cancer risk range; and Category III, inadequate or no evidence from animal studies - RfD approach. 10 refs., 5 tabs

Limit regulation system for pressurized water nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleite, W.; Bock, H.W.

1976-01-01

Described is a limit regulation system for a pressurized water nuclear reactor in combination with a steam generating system connected to a turbine, the nuclear reactor having control rods as well as an operational regulation system and a protective system, which includes reactor power limiting means operatively associated with the control rods for positioning the same and having response values between operating ranges of the operational regulation system, on the one hand, and response values of the protective system, on the other hand, and a live steam-minimal pressure regulation system cooperating with the reactor power limiting means and operatively connected to a steam inlet valve to the turbine for controlling the same

75 FR 13454 - Special Local Regulation, Fran Schnarr Open Water Championships, Huntington Bay, NY

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-22

...-AA08 Special Local Regulation, Fran Schnarr Open Water Championships, Huntington Bay, NY AGENCY: Coast... navigable waters of Huntington Bay, New York due to the annual Fran Schnarr Open Water Championships. The..., ``Special Local Regulation, Fran Schnarr Open Water Championships, Huntington Bay, NY'' (Docket number USCG...

78 FR 10269 - National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Revisions to the Total Coliform Rule

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-13

... Illness CWS--Community Water System DBP--Disinfection Byproduct DWC--Drinking Water Committee EA--Economic... 141 and 142 National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Revisions to the Total Coliform Rule; Final...-9684-8] RIN 2040-AD94 National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Revisions to the Total Coliform Rule...

Procedure manual: protocol for regulation of petroleum hydrocarbons in water under the special waste and contaminated sites regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, P.; Partridge, E.

2002-05-01

This document details the regulation governing numerical standards for petroleum hydrocarbons in water under the special waste and contaminated sites regulations of British Columbia. Groundwater containing benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene or xylenes in excess of the leachate standards is exempted from the regulatory regime of the Special Waste Regulation. The document contains a description of the conditions that apply to the management of petroleum hydrocarbons in water at contaminated sites. Some definitions are included, followed by an overview of the regulation. The third section deals with authorization and mandatory conditions, while additional requirements that might apply are enumerated in section four. This protocol directly affects the Environmental Management, and the Environmental Protection Regional Operations organizations. 1 tab

78 FR 47241 - Amendments to the Water Quality Regulations, Water Code and Comprehensive Plan To Revise the...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-05

... DELAWARE RIVER BASIN COMMISSION 18 CFR Part 410 Amendments to the Water Quality Regulations, Water Code and Comprehensive Plan To Revise the Human Health Water Quality Criteria for PCBs in Zones 2... hold a public hearing to receive comments on proposed amendments to the Commission's Water Quality...

Operational Management System for Regulated Water Systems

Science.gov (United States)

van Loenen, A.; van Dijk, M.; van Verseveld, W.; Berger, H.

2012-04-01

Most of the Dutch large rivers, canals and lakes are controlled by the Dutch water authorities. The main reasons concern safety, navigation and fresh water supply. Historically the separate water bodies have been controlled locally. For optimizating management of these water systems an integrated approach was required. Presented is a platform which integrates data from all control objects for monitoring and control purposes. The Operational Management System for Regulated Water Systems (IWP) is an implementation of Delft-FEWS which supports operational control of water systems and actively gives advice. One of the main characteristics of IWP is that is real-time collects, transforms and presents different types of data, which all add to the operational water management. Next to that, hydrodynamic models and intelligent decision support tools are added to support the water managers during their daily control activities. An important advantage of IWP is that it uses the Delft-FEWS framework, therefore processes like central data collection, transformations, data processing and presentation are simply configured. At all control locations the same information is readily available. The operational water management itself gains from this information, but it can also contribute to cost efficiency (no unnecessary pumping), better use of available storage and advise during (water polution) calamities.

Effect of material parameters on the compactibility of backfill materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keto, P.; Kuula-Vaeisaenen, P.; Ruuskanen, J.

2006-05-01

The effect of different parameters on compactibility of mixture of bentonite and ballast as well as Friedland-clay was studied in laboratory with two different types of compaction tests. The material parameters varied were grain size distribution of the ballast material, grain shape, water ratio and bentonite content (15/30%). The other parameters varied were salinity of the mixing water, mixing process and compaction method and energy. Ballast materials with varying grain size distributions were produced from Olkiluoto mica-gneiss with different type of crushing processes. In addition, sand was chosen for ballast material due to its uniform grain size distribution and rounded grain shape. The maximum grain size of the ballast materials was between 5-10 mm. When comparing the compactibility of ballast materials, the highest dry densities were gained for ballast materials with graded grain size distribution. The compaction behaviour of the tested bentonite ballast mixtures is dominated by the bentonite content. The other parameters varied did not have significant effect on the compactibility of the mixtures with bentonite content of 30%. This can be explained with the amount of bentonite that is higher than what is needed to fill up the volume between the ballast grains. The results gained with the two different compaction tests are comparable. Both the bentonite/ballast mixtures and the Friedland clay behaved similarly when compacted with three different compaction pressures (180, 540 and 980 kPa). (orig.)

Consideration on risk of drinking water. How was the regulation value in water decided?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami Michio

2011-01-01

This is an explanatory lecture record of the title subject, motivated by detection of radioactivity in tap water of Tokyo (I-131, 30 Bq/kg) in March 2011. The author explains the process of the detection in comparison with radioactivity in the vegetables and Fukushima spinach, and refers with temporary regulation values (March to April) of Cs-134, 137, U and Pu/transuranium elements as well as I-131 in drinking water and other foods. Also commented is that even water with satisfactorily less than the standard value cannot be said to be absolutely safe. Japan generally decides the standard value based on World Health Organization (WHO) guideline which assumes no threshold for radiation carcinogenesis. Relationship between low dose exposure in Hiroshima and carcinogenesis is obscure, of which situation is also similar in Chinese Guangdon where natural dose is always higher than other areas of the world. The regulation values above are derived from the index values decided by Nuclear Safety Committee of Japan (NSCJ) and Codex committee founded by FAO and WHO, and used at emergency, not at ordinary. Then explained are concept for calculation of regulation values, actual calculating equations of the value for water according to WHO, Codex and NSCJ, and of index values of I-131 and Cs by NSCJ. Exposure dose by I-131 in water and food in Tokyo is actually estimated in this paper to consider its risk (carcinogenic, 0.3/100 thousands people/year) by comparison with other matters like arsenic exposure (1.3) and traffic accident (deaths, 4.5). Lastly, the author warns with Sedgwick's words that Standards are devices to keep the lazy mind from thinking. (T.T.)

Marine air : shipping emissions in ports and their impact on local air quality. A case study on the ports of Delfzijl and Eemshaven.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meer van der, Ruurd

2012-01-01

Summary Ships translocate organisms across the world via on-board ballast water. When a ship releases its ballast water these organism are released as well. They might have the advantage of not having any natural enemies in their new environment and they

Data considerations for regulation of water contaminants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoeny, Rita; Haber, Lynne; Dourson, Michael

2006-01-01

There are several pieces of legislation based on human health assessment that set the framework for U.S. EPA's regulation of water contaminants, such as bromate. The Safe Drinking Water Act, for example, specifies that the best available science be used in support of regulation of drinking water contaminants, and highlights that regulations must provide protection to sensitive human populations. Recent EPA guidance, including the 2005 Cancer Guidelines, emphasize analyzing data, and using defaults only in the absence of adequate data. This represents a major shift from the former practice of invoking default methodologies or values unless it was judged that there were sufficient data to depart from them. The Guidelines further present a framework for assessing data in order to determine if a mode of action (MOA) can be established, based on a modification of the Bradford-Hill criteria for causality. A similar approach is used by the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS). To illustrate the application of the framework for evaluating animal tumors, three case studies are considered here. In the first example (chloroform carcinogenicity), sufficient data exist to identify the MOA in animals, and the data are used to illustrate the evaluation of the plausibility of the animal MOA in humans, taking into account toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics. In this case, the MOA was judged to be relevant to humans, and was used to determine the approach for the cancer quantitation. In the second example (naphthalene inhalation carcinogenicity), the key question is whether the weight of evidence (WOE) is sufficient to establish the MOA in animals. Atrazine-induced mammary tumors form the final example, illustrating the reasoning used to determine that the tumor MOA in animals was not considered relevant to humans; atrazine is therefore considered not likely to be a human carcinogen

Self Righting Life Raft

Science.gov (United States)

1982-01-01

The Givens Buoy Raft was designed and manufactured for inventor Jim Givens of Givens Marine Survival Co. Inc., by RPR Industries, Inc. The Raft consists of a canopied topside and an underwater hemispheric ballast chamber. It has a heavy ballast stabilization system, adopted from NASA technology, which negates the capsizing problem. A "flapper valve" admits large amounts of water to the hemisphere chamber providing ballast to keep the center of gravity constant; stabilization system compensates for changes in wave angle and weight shifting of raft occupants. Mr. Givens has an exclusive patent license for use of the NASA technology. Produced in various sizes, capacities range from six to 20 persons. Raft is housed in a canister, available in several configurations. A pull on a line triggers the automatic inflation process, which takes 12 seconds. The raft has been credited with saving 230 lives in the last five years. It has found wide acceptance with operators of fishing boats, pleasure craft and other vessels. The Coast Guard is purchasing the rafts for use on its rescue helicopters and the Navy has a development program to adapt the system. The Coast Guard last year announced a proposed amendment of its regulations that would require large ballast chambers on inflatable life rafts.

Plankton And Heavy Metal Correlation From Commercial Vessels In Port Of Tanjung Emas Semarang

Science.gov (United States)

Tjahjono, Agus; Bambang, Aziz Nur; Anggoro, Sutrisno

2018-02-01

The commercial vessels activity have a big role to increase the flow of number of cargoes from a port to another port. However, the impact of these activities are the disposal of ballast water from port area to the destination port. The purpose of this research was to analyze the correlation of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and heavy metal which were contained inside the ballast water of commercial vessel towards in waters of the port of Tanjung Emas Semarang. The concentration of heavy metal either from commercial vessels or the waters in port area analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The result showed that the correlation of zooplankton and phytoplankton in the water ballast at commercial vessels have a medium correlation to zooplankton and phytoplankton in waters of Port of Tanjung Emas Semarang (PTES) were 48.9% and 58.3%. Correlation of heavy metal Cd, Zn, Cu, Zn and Pb in ballast water of commercial vessel toward each metal in waters of PTES area has a strong correlation in contribution were 76.7%, 75.6%, 71.4% and 73.8%. It showed us that the loading activity of commercial vessels in port are contributed towards the pollution in waters.

Ergonomics evaluation of work posture in OWAS method in Ballast mines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasl Seraji J

1999-08-01

Full Text Available In this study, musculoskeletal disorders incidents have been found through NMQ. Then, with the OWAS method the results have been analysed. In this thesis, we have studied the case in two different workshops of Ballast Production Company. The jobs were classified according to static load caused by poor work posture and recommendations for reducing the hurmful load were made. The study of the questionnaire showe that there is meaningful relation between work experience and Low Back Pain (LBP (P<3%. Meanwhile BMI (Body Mass Index is closely related to LBP (P<2%. However a relation was found between low back and back and shoulder pain complaints during recent one year and last one week with that of the existence of the pains, respectively P<2% and P<5%. Jobs related with repair and maintenance rates the first as regards static load on the muscloskeletal system. Cooking, digging operations, driving bullodozer, operation of stone crushing device, loaders and lorries rank respectively in order.

Regulations for the peat production water pollution control; Turvetuotannon vesiensuojeluohjeisto

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Savolainen, M.; Heikkinen, K.; Ihme, R. [ed.] [VTT Communities and Infrastructure, Espoo (Finland)

1996-12-31

The regulations for peat production water pollution control include the latest information on anti-pollution constructions applicable to peat production including field ditches, sedimentation basins, overland flow areas, forest soil saturation, evaporation basins, chemicalization, detention of runoff and artificial flood plains. Information on subsurface drainage in peat mining is also given. The regulations deal with environmental viewpoints, planning of water protection and information on how to build, use and maintain anti-pollution constructions. Special attention is given to the soil conditions, because they play an important role in the building of different constructions. (orig.) (48 refs.)

Managing the environmental impacts of utility lighting retrofits programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cress, K.

1993-01-01

One of the most popular demand-side management (DSM) programs currently being sponsored by electric utilities is the removal of old fluorescent light ballasts and replacing them with more efficient models. This type of program, however, can produce a substantial waste stream of the old ballasts, many of which contain Polychlorinated Biphenyl(s) (PCBs), a regulated hazardous substance. The proper disposal of spent light ballasts should be an integral component of DSM programs. This paper will discuss the experience that New England Electric System (NEES) 1 has had with disposing of spent light ballasts resulting from the implementation of our Small Commercial ampersand Industrial Program (a direct install lighting program which provides for the installation of energy efficient lighting measures which include fluorescent fixtures, ballasts and lamps, specular reflectors, compact fluorescent systems, high intensity discharge fixtures, and occupancy sensors. This innovative program is one of the largest in the country and has achieved over 6,000 installations). In this paper, we will review why PCBs are classified as hazardous substances and what effect State and Federal regulations have on the transportation and disposal of ballasts that contain PCBs. Second, we will explain our ballast disposal process which includes collecting, processing, storing, shipping and ultimate disposal. Third, we will discuss our experiences with two different methods of disposal - incineration and recycling. And last we will report on program results

76 FR 6727 - Proposed Amendments to the Water Quality Regulations, Water Code and Comprehensive Plan To...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-08

... location. Written comments will be accepted through the close of business on March 16, 2011. Locations: The... Regulations, Water Code and Comprehensive Plan To Provide for Regulation of Natural Gas Development Projects... proposed rule containing tentative dates and locations for public hearings on proposed amendments to its...

Pressure regulation in the dry-boxes. Argon purification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pascard, R.; Fabre, R.

1958-01-01

Each dry-box is equipped with an autonomous installation for circulation and purification of argon and for pressure regulation. This installation consists essentially of a ballast tank, a compressor and two valves electromagnetically controlled by a contact manometer. The compressor and the valves are enclosed in the tank to form a system as compact as possible. The argon is purified by passing it over a furnace filled with titanium-zirconium turnings brought to about 800 deg. C, branching off the main system. With this set-up as well as the automatic maintenance of a constant depression in the box, a quality of argon is obtained whose oxygen contact is undetectable by the manganous hydroxide method. (author) [fr

Modeling regulated water utility investment incentives

Science.gov (United States)

Padula, S.; Harou, J. J.

2014-12-01

This work attempts to model the infrastructure investment choices of privatized water utilities subject to rate of return and price cap regulation. The goal is to understand how regulation influences water companies' investment decisions such as their desire to engage in transfers with neighbouring companies. We formulate a profit maximization capacity expansion model that finds the schedule of new supply, demand management and transfer schemes that maintain the annual supply-demand balance and maximize a companies' profit under the 2010-15 price control process in England. Regulatory incentives for costs savings are also represented in the model. These include: the CIS scheme for the capital expenditure (capex) and incentive allowance schemes for the operating expenditure (opex) . The profit-maximizing investment program (what to build, when and what size) is compared with the least cost program (social optimum). We apply this formulation to several water companies in South East England to model performance and sensitivity to water network particulars. Results show that if companies' are able to outperform the regulatory assumption on the cost of capital, a capital bias can be generated, due to the fact that the capital expenditure, contrarily to opex, can be remunerated through the companies' regulatory capital value (RCV). The occurrence of the 'capital bias' or its entity depends on the extent to which a company can finance its investments at a rate below the allowed cost of capital. The bias can be reduced by the regulatory penalties for underperformances on the capital expenditure (CIS scheme); Sensitivity analysis can be applied by varying the CIS penalty to see how and to which extent this impacts the capital bias effect. We show how regulatory changes could potentially be devised to partially remove the 'capital bias' effect. Solutions potentially include allowing for incentives on total expenditure rather than separately for capex and opex and allowing

Emergent Toxins in North Atlantic Temperate Waters: A Challenge for Monitoring Programs and Legislation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marisa Silva

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB are complex to manage due to their intermittent nature and their severe impact on the economy and human health. The conditions which promote HAB have not yet been fully explained, though climate change and anthropogenic intervention are pointed as significant factors. The rise of water temperature, the opening of new sea canals and the introduction of ship ballast waters all contribute to the dispersion and establishment of toxin-producing invasive species that promote the settling of emergent toxins in the food-chain. Tetrodotoxin, ciguatoxin, palytoxin and cyclic imines are commonly reported in warm waters but have also caused poisoning incidents in temperate zones. There is evidence that monitoring for these toxins exclusively in bivalves is simplistic and underestimates the risk to public health, since new vectors have been reported for these toxins and as well for regulated toxins such as PSTs and DSTs. In order to avoid public health impacts, there is a need for adequate monitoring programs, a need for establishing appropriate legislation, and a need for optimizing effective methods of analysis. In this review, we will compile evidence concerning emergent marine toxins and provide data that may indicate the need to restructure the current monitoring programs of HAB.

Emergent Toxins in North Atlantic Temperate Waters: A Challenge for Monitoring Programs and Legislation

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Marisa; Pratheepa, Vijaya K.; Botana, Luis M.; Vasconcelos, Vitor

2015-01-01

Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) are complex to manage due to their intermittent nature and their severe impact on the economy and human health. The conditions which promote HAB have not yet been fully explained, though climate change and anthropogenic intervention are pointed as significant factors. The rise of water temperature, the opening of new sea canals and the introduction of ship ballast waters all contribute to the dispersion and establishment of toxin-producing invasive species that promote the settling of emergent toxins in the food-chain. Tetrodotoxin, ciguatoxin, palytoxin and cyclic imines are commonly reported in warm waters but have also caused poisoning incidents in temperate zones. There is evidence that monitoring for these toxins exclusively in bivalves is simplistic and underestimates the risk to public health, since new vectors have been reported for these toxins and as well for regulated toxins such as PSTs and DSTs. In order to avoid public health impacts, there is a need for adequate monitoring programs, a need for establishing appropriate legislation, and a need for optimizing effective methods of analysis. In this review, we will compile evidence concerning emergent marine toxins and provide data that may indicate the need to restructure the current monitoring programs of HAB. PMID:25785464

Code of practice for the temporary diversion of water from hydrostatic testing of pipelines: Water Act - Water (Ministerial) Regulation No. 205

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

A series of administrative procedures are described in this regulation regarding the temporary diversion of water for hydrostatic testing of pipelines in Alberta. These include the notification and timing of the release of water, where the test will occur and the possible effect of water release on the environment. The requirements of a hydrostatic test plan are described in point form. In accordance with the regulation, a person responsible for the testing must ensure that the testing does not cause a significant adverse effect on the aquatic environment or on any household user. Should this occur, all adverse effects on the aquatic environment should be fully mitigated. The reporting schedule and record keeping information are also covered. 2 tabs., 1 figs

Griswold Tempered Water Flow Regulator Valves Used as Anti-Siphon Valves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MISKA, C.

2000-01-01

FCV-1*22 and 1*23 are Griswold constant flow regulators used as anti-siphon valves in the tempered water system, they fail closed but valve cartridge orifice allows minimum flow to prevent loss of water from the MCO/CASK annulus

Regulation of the water level in the steam generator using modal control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benoit, Guy.

1981-11-01

The nuclear power reactors type P.W.R. (900 MWe) have three steam generators (S.G.). The problem of the water level in the S.G. is analogous to that for a system with non-minimum phase. This causes a serious trouble for the stability of the regulation, which is actually realized by using the PID regulator. The first part of this study is devoted to construct a mathematical model which represents the S.G. This model is simulated on a digital computer, which order is six. The validity of this model is checked using actual measured signals which have been collected from the BUGEY III power reactor. In the second part, the mathematical representation for simulating the regulation of the level in the S.G. using the modal control is given. The simulation of the actual system is given in the third part. This actual system is composed from the S.G. as well as the PI and PID for regulating the water level. As results from this study, it can be concluded that, the modal control improves the regulation of the water level. The accuracy of the steam flow measurement at low rate is poor. So, the actual regulating system using the measurements has a reduced performance performance. The control modal which is represented in this study overcome this problem [fr

Regulating tritium in drinking water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fluke, R.

1994-01-01

This article incorporates an article by E. Koehl from an internal Ontario Hydro publication, and a letter from the Joint Committee of Health and Safety of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Engineering, submitted to the Ontario Minister of the Environment and Energy. The Advisory Committee on Environmental Standards had recommended that the limit for tritium in Ontario drinking water be reduced from 40,000 to 100 Bq/L, with a further reduction to 20 in five years. Some facts and figures are adduced to show that the effect of tritium in drinking water in Ontario is negligible compared to the effect of background radiation. The risk from tritium to the people of Ontario is undetectably small, and the attempt to estimate this risk by linear extrapolation is extremely dubious. Regulation entails social and economic costs, and the government ought to ensure that the benefits exceed the costs. The costs translate into nothing less than wasted opportunity to save lives in other ways. 3 refs

Electronic Dimmable Ballasts for High-Intensity Discharge Sodium Vapor and Metal Halide Lamps

Science.gov (United States)

Boulanger, Richard

2002-01-01

Two types of high-intensity discharge lamps were tested using dimmable ballasts. The main purpose for evaluating this lighting system was to determine its efficacy for saving power. Whereas previous variable level lighting systems for HID lamps in Advanced Life Support applications were adjustable in two or three steps using capacitive switching, this system allows for continuously adjustable lamp output. This type of lighting system when used as part of an Advanced Life Support biomass production system would provide only the amount of light energy a crop needed at any particular point in its growth cycle. Since most of the equivalent system mass in an ALS system is from the light energy required to grow the crops, controlling that light energy dynamically over a continuous range of operation would dramatically reduce the power consumption and reduce system mass.

Levantamento florístico das macroalgas da baía de Sepetiba e adjacências, RJ: ponto de partida para o Programa GloBallast no Brasil Floristic survey of the macroalgae from Sepetiba bay and surrounding area, Rio de Janeiro State: starting point for the GloBallast Programme in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Teresa Menezes de Széchy

2005-09-01

amostragem, em estudos futuros. Recomenda-se a padronização metodológica para o levantamento florístico de áreas portuárias como a baía de Sepetiba, e de outras áreas do litoral brasileiro sujeitas à interferência do homem, tomando por base o procedimento CRIMP.The Port of Sepetiba, State of Rio de Janeiro, was chosen as the Brazilian pilot area for the project "Global Ballast Water Management Programme" (GloBallast Programme. For comparative purposes, six countries were guided by the GloBallast Programme to follow the same methodology, emphasizing identification of organisms to the specific level during the preliminary biota survey. This study aimed to apply the methodology established by the Australian Centre for Research on Introduced Marine Pests (CRIMP procedures for the floristic survey of macroalgae of natural hard substrate of the area of Port of Sepetiba. Macroalgal samplings were carried out in November 2001 at nine sites situated in Sepetiba Bay and adjacent area, from the sublittoral fringe to ca. - 4 m deep. At each site, six 0.1 m² quadrates were scraped. Specimens were sent to the Herbarium of the "Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro" (RB. Ninety six species were identified (20 Chlorophyta, 16 Phaeophyta, and 60 Rhodophyta; 12 species have not been cited to the study area by the preceding studies. Cladophora pellucidoidea C. Hoek, Coelothrix irregularis (Harv. Boergesen, and Acrochaetium savianum (Menegh. Nägeli are recorded for the first time to the state of Rio de Janeiro. There are no evidences to conclude that the new records correspond to recently introduced species through the port activities. The methodological procedures proved to be efficient because they produced a species list to be comparable to those of taxonomic surveys with higher sampling effort. They also enlarged the existing information about the phycological flora of Sepetiba Bay. Nevertheless, for future studies, we point out the importance of a re

A semi-empirical model for the prediction of fouling in railway ballast using GPR

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchini Ciampoli, Luca; Tosti, Fabio; Benedetto, Andrea; Alani, Amir M.; Loizos, Andreas; D'Amico, Fabrizio; Calvi, Alessandro

2016-04-01

The first step in the planning for a renewal of a railway network consists in gathering information, as effectively as possible, about the state of the railway tracks. Nowadays, this activity is mostly carried out by digging trenches at regular intervals along the whole network, to evaluate both geometrical and geotechnical properties of the railway track bed. This involves issues, mainly concerning the invasiveness of the operations, the impacts on the rail traffic, the high costs, and the low levels of significance concerning such discrete data set. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) can represent a useful technique for overstepping these issues, as it can be directly mounted onto a train crossing the railway, and collect continuous information along the network. This study is aimed at defining an empirical model for the prediction of fouling in railway ballast, by using GPR. With this purpose, a thorough laboratory campaign was implemented within the facilities of Roma Tre University. In more details, a 1.47 m long × 1.47 m wide × 0.48 m height plexiglass framework, accounting for the domain of investigation, was laid over a perfect electric conductor, and filled up with several configuration of railway ballast and fouling material (clayey sand), thereby representing different levels of fouling. Then, the set of fouling configurations was surveyed with several GPR systems. In particular, a ground-coupled multi-channel radar (600 MHz and 1600 MHz center frequency antennas) and three air-launched radar systems (1000 MHz and 2000 MHz center frequency antennas) were employed for surveying the materials. By observing the results both in terms of time and frequency domains, interesting insights are highlighted and an empirical model, relating in particular the shape of the frequency spectrum of the signal and the percentage of fouling characterizing the surveyed material, is finally proposed. Acknowledgement The Authors thank COST, for funding the Action TU1208 "Civil

To What Extent is Drinking Water Tested in Sub-Saharan Africa? A Comparative Analysis of Regulated Water Quality Monitoring

OpenAIRE

Rachel Peletz; Emily Kumpel; Mateyo Bonham; Zarah Rahman; Ranjiv Khush

2016-01-01

Water quality information is important for guiding water safety management and preventing water-related diseases. To assess the current status of regulated water quality monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa, we evaluated testing programs for fecal contamination in 72 institutions (water suppliers and public health agencies) across 10 countries. Data were collected through written surveys, in-person interviews, and analysis of microbial water quality testing levels. Though most institutions did no...

Quantifying potential propagule pressure of aquatic invasive species from the commercial shipping industry in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Veronica B; Levings, Colin D; Chan, Kai M A

2012-02-01

We quantify and compare different measures of potential propagule pressure (PPP) of aquatic invasive species (AIS) from commercial vessels in Canada. We used ship arrivals and ballast water discharge volumes as proxies for PPP from ballast water organisms, and wetted surface area (WSA) as a proxy for hull fouling PPP, to determine their relative contributions to total PPP. For three regions studied, PPP proxies correlated significantly across ports and some vessel categories. Relative contributions of ship arrivals, ballast discharge, and WSAs to PPP, evidenced by non-significant correlations across these measures, varied across regions, ports, vessel types, and seasons. Flow-through (dominant on east and west coasts) and empty-refill (in Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region) were the major ballast water exchange methods employed by the vessels surveyed. These methods have different biological efficacy for AIS removal, influencing PPP. Our study illustrates benefits and limitations of using different PPP proxies to estimate invasion risk. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Productivity growth and price regulation of Slovenian water distribution utilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jelena Zorić

2010-06-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to analyse the price regulation method and performance of thewater industry in Slovenia. A stochastic cost frontier model is employed to estimate and decompose the total factor productivity (TFP growth of water distribution utilities in the 1997-2003 period. The main goal is to find out whether the lack of proper incentives to improve performance has resulted in the low TFP growth of Slovenian water distribution utilities. The evidence suggests that cost inefficiencies are present in water utilities, which indicates considerable cost saving potential in the analysed industry. Technical change is found to have positively affected the TFP growth over time, while cost inefficiency levels remained essentially unchanged. Overall, the average annual TFP growth in the analysed period is estimated to be only slightly above zero, which is a relatively poor result. This can largely be contributed to the present institutional and regulatory setting that does not stimulate utilities to improve productivity. Therefore, the introduction of an independent regulatory agency and an incentive-based price regulation scheme should be seriously considered in order to enhance the performance of Slovenian water distribution utilities.

Unintended consequences of regulating drinking water in rural Canadian communities: examples from Atlantic Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Kot, Megan; Castleden, Heather; Gagnon, Graham A

2011-09-01

Studies that explore social capital and political will [corrected] in the context of safe drinking water provision in [corrected] Canada are limited. This paper presents findings from a study that examines the capacity of rural Canadian communities to attain regulatory compliance for drinking water. Interviews were conducted with water operators and managers in ten rural communities across Atlantic Canada to identify the burden of compliance arising from the implementation of, and adherence to, drinking water regulations. This research identifies the operator as being particularly burdened by regulatory compliance, often resulting in negative consequences including job stress and a strained relationship with the community they serve. Findings indicate that while regulations are vital to ensuring safe drinking water, not all communities have the resources in place to rise to the challenge of compliance. As a result, some communities are being negatively impacted by these regulations, rather than benefit from their intended positive effect. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reproductive toxicity of a mixture of regulated drinking-water disinfection by-products in a multigenerational rat bioassay

Science.gov (United States)

BACKGROUND:Trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloaretic acids (HAAs) are regulated disinfection by-products (DBPs); their joint reproductive toxicity in drinking water is unknown.OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate a drinking water mixture of the four regulated THMs and five regulated HAAs ...

Fact sheet: National primary drinking water regulations for lead and copper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-05-01

The Fact Sheet contains a summary of what the regulations will do, establish, and provide; regulatory impact in regards to benefits and costs; treatment technique requirements; tap water monitoring for lead and copper; water quality monitoring (other than lead and copper); monitoring schedules, regulatory schedules for large, medium-sized, and small systems

Voyageurs National Park: Water-level regulation and effects on water quality and aquatic biology

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, Victoria G.; Maki, Ryan P.; LeDuc, Jaime F.

2018-01-01

Following dam installations in the remote Rainy Lake Basin during the early 1900s, water-level fluctuations were considered extreme (1914–1949) compared to more natural conditions. In 1949, the International Joint Commission (IJC), which sets rules governing dam operation on waters shared by the United States and Canada, established the first rule curves to regulate water levels on these waterbodies. However, rule curves established prior to 2000 were determined to be detrimental to the ecosystem. Therefore, the IJC implemented an order in 2000 to change rule curves and to restore a more natural water regime. After 2000, measured chlorophyll-a concentrations in the two most eutrophic water bodies decreased whereas concentrations in oligotrophic lakes did not show significant water-quality differences. Fish mercury data were inconclusive, due to the variation in water levels and fish mercury concentrations, but can be used by the IJC as part of a long term data set.

Oil-water separators for use in ships

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parry, G.; Nuttall, P.J.

1978-11-04

After ratification by the United Nations Assembly of the 15 ppm limit for the oil content in water discharges from ships, as recommended by the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization, all oil separating systems used to treat cargo tank washings, oil-contaminated ballast water from double-bottom tanks, engineroom bilge water, or oily sludge from self-cleaning fuel oil purifiers, will be subjected to a stringent test procedure specified by IMCO. This specification requires the use of centrifugal supply pumps capable of discharging at 1.5 times the separator capacity and operating at over 1000 rpm. To meet the 15 ppm standards, filtration or coalescence equipment must be added to conventional single-stage static separators. Tests by Alexander Esplen and Co. Ltd. showed that a two-stage Comyn coagulator incorporating elements specially designed by Vokes Ltd. meets the IMCO requirements. Separator system control and maintenance problems are discussed.

Water pollution - control of pollution regulations: water pollution from abandoned mines; pre-notification of mine abandonment consultation paper and draft regulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-02-01

The paper contains proposals to specify the content of the pre-abandonment notices which UK mine operators will be required to give in the future. The proposals are designed to enhance the Environment Agency`s ability to tackle water pollution from abandoned mines. They set out the precise contents of the notification, which mine operators will have to send to the Agency at least six months in advance of any intended abandonment. The regulations will cover coal and non-coal mines. Estimated compliance costs to business have been drawn up following consultation with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Health and Safety Executive, the Coal Authority and the Environment Agency. The regulations are due in late spring 1998.

Environmental factors related to water level regulation - a comparative study in northern Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellsten, S.K.

1997-01-01

The environmental conditions of the littoral zone were studied in the regulated Lake Ontojaervi and the unregulated Lake Lentua in northern Finland. The general aims of the study were to analyse the environmental factors related to water level regulation in the littoral zone and to produce information for assessing the effects of hydroelectric development in northern lakes. The study was basically carried out by comparing the littoral environments of the two study lakes. The most visible effects of water level regulation were related to the raised water level, which yielded erosion of sandy shores at the beginning of the regulation. Another effect of lake regulation was the altered fluctuation of the water level, which led to bottom instability and increased the size of the frozen and ice penetration zones. The effect of ice penetration was also easy to recognize on the shores of Lake Ontojaervi, where the surface sediment was frozen to a greater depth and across wider areas than in Lake Lentua. Below the freezing zone, the ice just pressed down on the sediment. The shores of Lake Ontojaervi were steeper than those of Lake Lentua, which affected the distribution of bottom types, with sandy bottoms being more common in Lake Lentua than in Lake Ontojaervi. The factors related to site exposure included effective fetch and the shape of the shoreline. The sedimentation level correlated only with the slope and was not predicted by the fetch or shape. The vertical reduction of light was estimated on the basis of water colour. The main environmental factors from the two lakes were used in a discriminant analysis to predict the bottom type distribution of the littoral (r 2 = 0.41). (orig.) 66 refs

Environmental factors related to water level regulation - a comparative study in northern Finland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hellsten, S K [VTT Communities and Infrastructure. Water Engineering and Ecotechnology, Oulu (Finland)

1998-12-31

The environmental conditions of the littoral zone were studied in the regulated Lake Ontojaervi and the unregulated Lake Lentua in northern Finland. The general aims of the study were to analyse the environmental factors related to water level regulation in the littoral zone and to produce information for assessing the effects of hydroelectric development in northern lakes. The study was basically carried out by comparing the littoral environments of the two study lakes. The most visible effects of water level regulation were related to the raised water level, which yielded erosion of sandy shores at the beginning of the regulation. Another effect of lake regulation was the altered fluctuation of the water level, which led to bottom instability and increased the size of the frozen and ice penetration zones. The effect of ice penetration was also easy to recognize on the shores of Lake Ontojaervi, where the surface sediment was frozen to a greater depth and across wider areas than in Lake Lentua. Below the freezing zone, the ice just pressed down on the sediment. The shores of Lake Ontojaervi were steeper than those of Lake Lentua, which affected the distribution of bottom types, with sandy bottoms being more common in Lake Lentua than in Lake Ontojaervi. The factors related to site exposure included effective fetch and the shape of the shoreline. The sedimentation level correlated only with the slope and was not predicted by the fetch or shape. The vertical reduction of light was estimated on the basis of water colour. The main environmental factors from the two lakes were used in a discriminant analysis to predict the bottom type distribution of the littoral (r{sup 2} = 0.41). (orig.) 66 refs.

Sinking rates and ballast composition of particles in the Atlantic Ocean: implications for the organic carbon fluxes to the deep ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, G.; Karakaş, G.

2009-01-01

The flux of materials to the deep sea is dominated by larger, organic-rich particles with sinking rates varying between a few meters and several hundred meters per day. Mineral ballast may regulate the transfer of organic matter and other components by determining the sinking rates, e.g. via particle density. We calculated particle sinking rates from mass flux patterns and alkenone measurements applying the results of sediment trap experiments from the Atlantic Ocean. We have indication for higher particle sinking rates in carbonate-dominated production systems when considering both regional and seasonal data. During a summer coccolithophorid bloom in the Cape Blanc coastal upwelling off Mauritania, particle sinking rates reached almost 570 m per day, most probably due the fast sedimentation of densely packed zooplankton fecal pellets, which transport high amounts of organic carbon associated with coccoliths to the deep ocean despite rather low production. During the recurring winter-spring blooms off NW Africa and in opal-rich production systems of the Southern Ocean, sinking rates of larger particles, most probably diatom aggregates, showed a tendency to lower values. However, there is no straightforward relationship between carbonate content and particle sinking rates. This could be due to the unknown composition of carbonate and/or the influence of particle size and shape on sinking rates. It also remains noticeable that the highest sinking rates occurred in dust-rich ocean regions off NW Africa, but this issue deserves further detailed field and laboratory investigations. We obtained increasing sinking rates with depth. By using a seven-compartment biogeochemical model, it was shown that the deep ocean organic carbon flux at a mesotrophic sediment trap site off Cape Blanc can be captured fairly well using seasonal variable particle sinking rates. Our model provides a total organic carbon flux of 0.29 Tg per year down to 3000 m off the NW African upwelling

[100 years of drinking water regulation. Retrospective review, current situation and prospects].

Science.gov (United States)

Rakhmanin, Yu A; Krasovsky, G N; Egorova, N A; Mikhailova, R I

2014-01-01

There is considered the history of the development of legislative requirements to the regulation of the quality of drinking water in different countries and international organizations during the period from 1912 to the present time. In terms of comparative analysis there is analyzed the current state of regulatory frameworks of the Russian Federation, WHO, EU, Finland, the UK, Singapore, Australia, Japan, China, Nigeria, the United States and Canada in the field of providing favorable conditions of population drinking water use. There has been noted the significant progress in standardization of the content of the biogenic elements and chemical pollution of drinking water in the absence of uniform requirements to the composition and properties of drinking water globally, that is bound to the need to take into account the national peculiarities of drinking water supply within the separate countries. As promising directions for improving regulation of drinking water quality there are noted: the development of new standards for prioritized water pollution, periodic review ofstandards after appearance of the new scientific data on the biological action of substances, the use of the concept of risk, the harmonization of the normative values and the assessment of the possibility of introduction into the practice the one more criterion of profitableness of population water use--the bioenergetic state of the water.

Physicochemical properties of macrogol ointment and emulsion ointment blend developed for regulation of water absorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Noda, Yasuhiro; Watanabe, Kazuya; Sanagawa, Akimasa; Sobajima, Yu; Fujii, Satoshi

2011-10-31

Pressure ulcers can form with excess pressure and shearing stress on skin tissue. Because pressure ulcer is often accompanies by exudates, selection of appropriate topical emulsion ointment is difficult. Blended ointments consisting of emulsion base and water-soluble base are clinically used for adjustment of wound moist environment. Because regulating the amount of wound exudates can enhance treatment efficacy, two new blended ointments were developed. LY-SL blended ointment consisted of lysozyme hydrochloride water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion (LY-cream) and sulfadiazine macrogol (polyethylene glycol) ointment (SL-pasta). TR-SL blended ointment consisted of tretinoin tocoferil oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion (TR-cream) and SL-pasta (TR-SL). LY-SL and TR-SL were applied to Franz diffusion cell with cellulose membranes for the evaluation of water absorption characteristics at 32 °C. Water absorption rate constants (mg/cm(2)/min(0.5)) were 12.5, 16.3 and 34.6 for LY-cream, TR-cream and SL-pasta, respectively. Water absorption rate constants for LY-SL and TR-SL (SL-pasta 70%) exhibited intermediate values of 21.2 and 27.2, as compared to each ointment alone, respectively. Because amount of water absorbed was linearly related to square root of time, it was suggested that water-absorbable macrogol was surrounded by oily ingredients forming matrix structure. This diffusion-limited structure may regulate water absorption capacity. This is the first report of physicochemical properties of macrogol ointment and emulsion ointment blend developed for regulation of water absorption. The blended ointment can properly regulate amount of exudates in wounds and may be useful for treatment of pressure ulcers. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of Thresholds and Exceedance Probabilities for Influent Water Quality to Meet Drinking Water Regulations

Science.gov (United States)

Reeves, K. L.; Samson, C.; Summers, R. S.; Balaji, R.

2017-12-01

Drinking water treatment utilities (DWTU) are tasked with the challenge of meeting disinfection and disinfection byproduct (DBP) regulations to provide safe, reliable drinking water under changing climate and land surface characteristics. DBPs form in drinking water when disinfectants, commonly chlorine, react with organic matter as measured by total organic carbon (TOC), and physical removal of pathogen microorganisms are achieved by filtration and monitored by turbidity removal. Turbidity and TOC in influent waters to DWTUs are expected to increase due to variable climate and more frequent fires and droughts. Traditional methods for forecasting turbidity and TOC require catchment specific data (i.e. streamflow) and have difficulties predicting them under non-stationary climate. A modelling framework was developed to assist DWTUs with assessing their risk for future compliance with disinfection and DBP regulations under changing climate. A local polynomial method was developed to predict surface water TOC using climate data collected from NOAA, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data from the IRI Data Library, and historical TOC data from three DWTUs in diverse geographic locations. Characteristics from the DWTUs were used in the EPA Water Treatment Plant model to determine thresholds for influent TOC that resulted in DBP concentrations within compliance. Lastly, extreme value theory was used to predict probabilities of threshold exceedances under the current climate. Results from the utilities were used to produce a generalized TOC threshold approach that only requires water temperature and bromide concentration. The threshold exceedance model will be used to estimate probabilities of exceedances under projected climate scenarios. Initial results show that TOC can be forecasted using widely available data via statistical methods, where temperature, precipitation, Palmer Drought Severity Index, and NDVI with various lags were shown to be important

A role for stomata in regulating water use efficiency in Populus x ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A role for stomata in regulating water use efficiency in Populus x euramericana and characterization of a related gene, PdERECTA. P Guo, X Xia, WL Yin. Abstract. The physiological mechanism of water use efficiency (WUE) remains elucidated, especially in poplar. We studied WUEi (instantaneous leaf transpiration ...

Vessel-Generated Ballast Water: Gray Water Investigation

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-01

attached copper wire sealed in epoxy ........................................................................................... 23...current IMO International Maritime Organization LBP Length between perpendiculars LCF Longitudinal center of flotation MBR Membrane...interest among the engineering community. In the corrosion process building materials such as steel, aluminum, copper , and cast iron give up ions

VECTORS of change in the marine environment: Ecosystem and economic impacts and management implications

Science.gov (United States)

Austen, M. C.; Crowe, T. P.; Elliott, M.; Paterson, D. M.; Peck, M. A.; Piraino, S.

2018-02-01

Human use of the European marine environment is increasing and diversifying. This is creating new mechanisms for human induced-changes in marine life which need to be understood and quantified as well as the impact of these changes on ecosystems, their structures (e.g. biodiversity) and functioning (e.g. productivity), and the social and economic consequences that arise. The current and emerging pressures are multiple and interacting, arising, for example, from transport, platforms for renewable and non-renewable energy, exploitation of living and non-living resources, agricultural and industrial discharges, together with wider environmental changes (including climate change). Anticipating the future consequences of these pressures and vectors of change for marine life and of adaptation and mitigation measures (such as the introduction of new technologies and structures, new ballast water practices, ocean and offshore wind energy devices and new fishing strategies) is a prerequisite to the development and implementation of strategies, policies and regulations to manage the marine environment, such as the IMO Convention on ballast water management and the EU Maritime Policy and Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

Radioactivity in drinking water: regulations, monitoring results and radiation protection issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Nuccetelli

2012-12-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Drinking waters usually contain several natural radionuclides: tritium, radon, radium, uranium isotopes, etc. Their concentrations vary widely since they depend on the nature of the aquifer, namely, the prevailing lithology and whether there is air in it or not. AIMS: In this work a broad overview of the radioactivity in drinking water is presented: national and international regulations, for limiting the presence of radioactivity in waters intended for human consumption; results of extensive campaigns for monitoring radioactivity in drinking waters, including mineral bottled waters, carried out throughout the world in recent years; a draft of guidelines for the planning of campaigns to measure radioactivity in drinking water proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (ARPA of Lombardia.

Quantitative analyses of pollution-indicator and pathogenic bacteria in Mumbai waters from ballast water exchange perspective

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ramaiah, N.; Kolhe, V.; Sadhasivan, A.

) periods We quantified total coliforms and eight other groups of known human pathogenic bacteria from water, sediment, marine plant and animal samples collected in and around Mumbai Harbor When compared with similar studies from other parts...

Sadhana | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Therefore, the proposed ballast maintains unity-power-factor and high efficiency with ripple-free input current over wide range of input line voltage in case of worst regulation. A symmetrical half-bridge inverter is used to drive the fluorescent lamps. The experimental results of the laboratory prototype ballast for 2 × 36 W ...

Local flow regulation and irrigation raise global human water consumption and footprint.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaramillo, Fernando; Destouni, Georgia

2015-12-04

Flow regulation and irrigation alter local freshwater conditions, but their global effects are highly uncertain. We investigated these global effects from 1901 to 2008, using hydroclimatic observations in 100 large hydrological basins. Globally, we find consistent and dominant effects of increasing relative evapotranspiration from both activities, and decreasing temporal runoff variability from flow regulation. The evapotranspiration effect increases the long-term average human consumption of fresh water by 3563 ± 979 km(3)/year from 1901-1954 to 1955-2008. This increase raises a recent estimate of the current global water footprint of humanity by around 18%, to 10,688 ± 979 km(3)/year. The results highlight the global impact of local water-use activities and call for their relevant account in Earth system modeling. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

33 CFR 165.1313 - Security zone regulations, tank ship protection, Puget Sound and adjacent waters, Washington

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Areas Thirteenth Coast Guard District § 165.1313 Security zone regulations, tank ship protection, Puget... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Security zone regulations, tank ship protection, Puget Sound and adjacent waters, Washington 165.1313 Section 165.1313 Navigation and...

Carbon sequestration and water flow regulation services in mature Mediterranean Forest

Science.gov (United States)

Beguería, S.; Ovando, P.

2015-12-01

We develop a forestland use and management model that integrates spatially-explicit biophysical and economic data, to estimate the expected pattern of climate regulation services through carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in tree and shrubs biomass, and water flow regulation. We apply this model to examine the potential trade-offs and synergies in the supply of CO2 sequestration and water flow services in mature Mediterranean forest, considering two alternative forest management settings. A forest restoration scenario through investments in facilitating forest regeneration, and a forestry activity abandonment scenario as result of unprofitable forest regeneration investment. The analysis is performed for different discount rates and price settings for carbon and water. The model is applied at the farm level in a group of 567 private silvopastoral farms across Andalusia (Spain), considering the main forest species in this region: Quercus ilex, Q. suber, Pinus pinea, P. halepensis, P. pinaster and Eucalyptus sp., as well as for tree-less shrubland and pastures. The results of this research are provided by forest land unit, vegetation, farm and for the group of municipalities where the farms are located. Our results draw attention to the spatial variability of CO2 and water flow regulation services, and point towards a trade-off between those services. The pattern of economic benefits associated to water and carbon services fluctuates according to the assumptions regarding price levels and discounting rates, as well as in connection to the expected forest management and tree growth models, and to spatially-explicit forest attributes such as existing tree and shrubs inventories, the quality of the sites for growing different tree species, soil structure or the climatic characteristics. The assumptions made regarding the inter-temporal preferences and relative prices have a large effect on the estimated economic value of carbon and water services. These results

Local Commune Administration as a Regulator of the Local Water Supply and Sewage Disposal Services Market

OpenAIRE

Małysko, Jacek

2012-01-01

In this article the author discusses problems related to the regulation of water and sewage disposal services market. In the beginning he describes the processes of water supply and sewage disposal taken by the local commune administration as a natural monopoly. Next he characterizes the structure of this market in Poland. Then he presents the role of local commune administration as a regulator. The author concludes by evaluating the existing Polish system of regulating wate...

Water ethics - a substitute for over-regulation of a scarce resource

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harremoës, Poul

2002-01-01

is problematic and no easy solutions are in sight, but attention and awareness are essential. The ethical community has been expanded from a human dimension to include an ecological dimension, which aggravates the dilemma. There have been too many surprises in water quality development, due to unforeseen......” and more recently by “economical instruments”. Water ethics is an important, but frequently ignored element in regulation. Equity in availability and applicability of water is the important ethical issue at all levels, from local community to the global scale. The distribution of rights and duties...

Trials and tribulations of a new regulation: coal bed methane water well testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lintott, D.; Swyngedouw, C.; Schneider, E. [Norwest Labs, Edmonton, AB (Canada); Lintott, D.; Swyngedouw, C.; Schneider, E. [Bodycote Testing Group, Toronto, ON (Canada)

2006-07-01

As of January 2006, coalbed methane (CBM) activity in Alberta was at 3600 producing wells with the potential for 25,000 to 50,000 wells. Coalbed methane risks and regulations were discussed. Regulatory initiatives, politics of coalbed methane, and a regulatory timeline was provided and the trials of a new regulation were presented. Other topics of discussion included: methane sampling and analysis; dissolved methane in water; gas isotopes; routine water potability; microbiology testing; and, sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB)/iron-related bacteria (IRB) method validation. The results of the microbial testing were presented. Although relatively few positive coliforms in wells were analyzed, most wells demonstrated positive presence for iron and sulfate bacteria. It was recommended that further research be conducted to evaluate the water sulfide concentration/turbidity, along with other parameters with presence and concentration of SRB and IRB bacteria as an indication of poor water quality. refs., tabs.

Impact of regulation on English and Welsh water-only companies: an input-distance function approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Molinos-Senante, María; Porcher, Simon; Maziotis, Alexandros

2017-07-01

The assessment of productivity change over time and its drivers is of great significance for water companies and regulators when setting urban water tariffs. This issue is even more relevant in privatized water industries, such as those in England and Wales, where the price-cap regulation is adopted. In this paper, an input-distance function is used to estimate productivity change and its determinants for the English and Welsh water-only companies (WoCs) over the period of 1993-2009. The impacts of several exogenous variables on companies' efficiencies are also explored. From a policy perspective, this study describes how regulators can use this type of modeling and results to calculate illustrative X factors for the WoCs. The results indicate that the 1994 and 1999 price reviews stimulated technical change, and there were small efficiency gains. However, the 2004 price review did not accelerate efficiency change or improve technical change. The results also indicated that during the whole period of study, the excessive scale of the WoCs contributed negatively to productivity growth. On average, WoCs reported relatively high efficiency levels, which suggests that they had already been investing in technologies that reduce long-term input requirements with respect to exogenous and service-quality variables. Finally, an average WoC needs to improve its productivity toward that of the best company by 1.58%. The methodology and results of this study are of great interest to both regulators and water-company managers for evaluating the effectiveness of regulation and making informed decisions.

Experimental study of the effect of high porewater salinity on the physical properties of a natural smectitic clay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pusch, Roland [Geodevelopment AB, Lund (Sweden)

2001-03-01

Natural smectitic clays for backfilling tunnels and shafts in deep repositories may be an alternative to mixtures of bentonite and ballast. Very salt groundwater is known to raise the hydraulic conductivity and reduce the expandability of clay materials in general and of bentonite/ballast mixtures in particular and the present study aimed at determining the impact of salt water on the major physical properties of natural smectitic clays, represented by the German Friedland Ton. The investigation showed that the compactability of the investigated clay is not significantly affected by the water content in contrast to bentonite/ballast fills, and that the conductivity and expandability are acceptable even at salt contents of up to 20 % if the bulk density at saturation is slightly higher than 2000 kg/m{sup 3} . For salt contents up to 3. 5 % the corresponding density is around 1900 kg/m{sup 3}. In general, the investigated clay offers better physical properties than mixtures of bentonite/ballast mixtures with up to 30 % bentonite content.

Experimental study of the effect of high porewater salinity on the physical properties of a natural smectitic clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pusch, Roland

2001-03-01

Natural smectitic clays for backfilling tunnels and shafts in deep repositories may be an alternative to mixtures of bentonite and ballast. Very salt groundwater is known to raise the hydraulic conductivity and reduce the expandability of clay materials in general and of bentonite/ballast mixtures in particular and the present study aimed at determining the impact of salt water on the major physical properties of natural smectitic clays, represented by the German Friedland Ton. The investigation showed that the compactability of the investigated clay is not significantly affected by the water content in contrast to bentonite/ballast fills, and that the conductivity and expandability are acceptable even at salt contents of up to 20 % if the bulk density at saturation is slightly higher than 2000 kg/m 3 . For salt contents up to 3. 5 % the corresponding density is around 1900 kg/m 3 . In general, the investigated clay offers better physical properties than mixtures of bentonite/ballast mixtures with up to 30 % bentonite content

The precautionary principle in environmental regulations for drinking water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crawford-Brown, Douglas; Crawford-Brown, Sean

2011-01-01

The precautionary principle has been proposed as a means of providing increased safety for consumers of drinking water. While the principle has received increased attention over the past 2 decades, it remains rather poorly defined both in law and practice. Hence, the implications for application in risk-based decisions on water quality are not fully developed. This paper examines a series of philosophical, practical and decision-theoretic issues related to the application of the principle in such decisions, highlighting areas where at least the intent of the principle is already well embedded in environmental regulation through margins of safety, and identifying residual issues. A conclusion is drawn that full application of the principle may be driven forward both by programmes such as REACH in the EU, and by the emerging Water Framework Directive and multi-stakeholder approaches to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Lake and wetland ecosystem services measuring water storage and local climate regulation

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Christina P.; Jiang, Bo; Bohn, Theodore J.; Lee, Kai N.; Lettenmaier, Dennis P.; Ma, Dongchun; Ouyang, Zhiyun

2017-04-01

Developing interdisciplinary methods to measure ecosystem services is a scientific priority, however, progress remains slow in part because we lack ecological production functions (EPFs) to quantitatively link ecohydrological processes to human benefits. In this study, we tested a new approach, combining a process-based model with regression models, to create EPFs to evaluate water storage and local climate regulation from a green infrastructure project on the Yongding River in Beijing, China. Seven artificial lakes and wetlands were established to improve local water storage and human comfort; evapotranspiration (ET) regulates both services. Managers want to minimize the trade-off between water losses and cooling to sustain water supplies while lowering the heat index (HI) to improve human comfort. We selected human benefit indicators using water storage targets and Beijing's HI, and the Variable Infiltration Capacity model to determine the change in ET from the new ecosystems. We created EPFs to quantify the ecosystem services as marginal values [Δfinal ecosystem service/Δecohydrological process]: (1) Δwater loss (lake evaporation/volume)/Δdepth and (2) Δsummer HI/ΔET. We estimate the new ecosystems increased local ET by 0.7 mm/d (20.3 W/m2) on the Yongding River. However, ET rates are causing water storage shortfalls while producing no improvements in human comfort. The shallow lakes/wetlands are vulnerable to drying when inflow rates fluctuate, low depths lead to higher evaporative losses, causing water storage shortfalls with minimal cooling effects. We recommend managers make the lakes deeper to increase water storage, and plant shade trees to improve human comfort in the parks.

77 FR 23120 - Special Local Regulations; Lowcountry Splash Open Water Swim, Wando River and Cooper River, Mount...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-18

...-AA08 Special Local Regulations; Lowcountry Splash Open Water Swim, Wando River and Cooper River, Mount... establishing special local regulations on the waters of the Wando River and Cooper River in Mount Pleasant... River and Cooper River along the shoreline of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The Lowcountry Splash...

Development of an electronic ballast with high power factor, using cd/cd conversion techniques for fluorescent lamps; Desarrollo de un balastro electronico con alto factor de potencia, utilizando tecnicas de conversion cd/cd para lamparas fluorescentes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortiz, Raul Antonio

1995-02-01

The recent advances and improvements in fluorescent lamps and ballasts technologies have resulted in substantial gain in efficiency, in illumination (lm/w), in the useful life of the lamp, in ballasts (electric characteristics), and consequently, an increase in energy saving in the fluorescent illumination systems. This thesis work was for the development of an electronic ballast that incorporates active correction of the PF for the handling of fluorescent lamps of the fast start type F4OW T-12. The prototype was implemented in two stages. In the first stage, for the Power Factor Correction (PFC) a converter CD/CD of the boost type in Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM) was chosen. The control technique that was used for this converter was the Average Current Mode (ACM) control. This thesis work comprised part of a collaboration project between the Electronics Department of the Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas (IIE) and the Centro Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo Tecnologico (National Center of Investigation and Technological Development (CENIDET)) named Technology Assimilation of the Power Factor Correction in the Electronic Equipment Design. In chapter 1 of this thesis the advantages of fluorescent illumination systems (IS) are mentioned, with respect to the traditional incandescent illumination systems. Also the most important characteristics of the fluorescent lamps and the operation (physical) principle will be presented, as well as the design aspects of electronic ballasts and their evolution. The proposal of the development of an experimental electronic prototype of ballast will be set forth. Chapter 2 mentions the evolution of the different schemes of fluorescent lamps ballasts, of electromagnetic, as well as electronic. Also some of the specifications that were taken into consideration for the design of the electronic prototype of the ballast presented in this thesis are mentioned. In chapter 3 the specifications of the electronic prototype of

Impact of environmental regulations on control of copper ion concentration in the DIII-D cooling water system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gootgeld, A.M.

1993-10-01

Tokamaks and industrial users are faced with the task of maintaining closed-loop, low conductivity, low impurity, cooling water systems. Operating these systems concentrates the impurities in the water requiring subsequent disposal. Environmental regulations are making this increasingly difficult. This paper will discuss the solution to the problem of removing and disposing of copper ions in the DIII-D low conductivity water system. Since the commissioning of the Doublet facility, the quality of the water in the 3000 gpm system that cools the DIII-D vacuum vessel coils, power supplies and auxiliary heating components has been controlled with mixed-bed ion exchangers. Low ion levels, particularly copper, are required to operate this equipment. In early 1992, the company that leases and regenerates DIII-D ion exchangers said they no longer can accept these resin beds for regeneration due to the level of copper ion on the resin. This change in policy, a change that has been adopted throughout their industry, was necessary to assure that the Metropolitan Sewerage System of the City of San Diego stays in compliance with State of California regulations and EPA-mandated national pretreatment standards and regulations. A cost effective solution was implemented which utilizes a reverse osmosis filtration system with the ion exchangers for make-up water. Levels of copper ion disposed to the sewer are in compliance with government standards. These measures have thus far proved effective in maintaining low conductivity and overall good quality cooling water. Specifically, this paper discusses DIII-D deionized cooling water quality requirements and an affective means to meet these requirements in order to be in compliance with government regulations for copper ion disposal. The problems discussed, the alternatives considered and the approach taken would be readily applicable to any deionized cooling water system containing copper where EPA standards and regulations are mandated

Regulating water pollution in China and the European Union in terms of agricultural pollution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dai, Liping

2015-01-01

Regulatory instruments, are the most commonly used policy instruments in both China and the EU. This article explores how China and the EU establish their water quality objectives by regulation and how they design implementation strategies, with a particular focus of agricultural water pollution

PAT Design Strategy for Energy Recovery in Water Distribution Networks by Electrical Regulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helena M. Ramos

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In the management of water distribution networks, large energy savings can be yielded by exploiting the head drop due to the network pressure control strategy, i.e., for leak reductions. Hydropower in small streams is already exploited, but technical solutions combining efficiency and economic convenience are still required. In water distribution networks, an additional design problem comes out from the necessity of ensuring a required head drop under variable operating conditions, i.e., head and discharge variations. Both a hydraulic regulation (HR—via a series-parallel hydraulic circuit- and an electrical regulation (ER—via inverter- are feasible solutions. A design procedure for the selection of a production device in a series-parallel hydraulic circuit has been recently proposed. The procedure, named VOS (Variable Operating Strategy, is based on the overall plant efficiency criteria and is applied to a water distribution network where a PAT (pump as a turbine is used in order to produce energy. In the present paper the VOS design procedure has been extended to the electrical regulation and a comparison between HR and ER efficiency and flexibility within a water distribution network is shown: HR was found more flexible than ER and more efficient. Finally a preliminary economic study has been carried out in order to show the viability of both systems, and a shorter payback period of the electromechanical equipment was found for HR mode.

ECDIS Possibilities for BWE Adoption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Srdjan ŽuŁkin

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS development and implementation have been linked primarily to the safety of navigation. Further development allows the implementation from other aspects of navigation. This primarily pertains to the Harmful Aquatic Organisms and Pathogens (HAOP from Ballast Water Exchange (BWE and the use of ECDIS system for improving environmental protection. The paper contains an overview of important legal aspects of sea environment protection related to the Ballast Water Management (BWM Convention on global as well as on local scale. Apart from enhancing the safety of navigation, integration of the proposed tool for sea environment protection in the ECDIS with onboard ballast water system can significantly contribute to sea and sea environment protection from harmful substances. In this paper, the architecture of such system is suggested. This approach also ensures a reduction of possible consequences on ecological incidents and human errors.

The regulation of diffuse pollution in the European Union: science, governance and water resource management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Hendry

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Reducing diffuse pollution is a perpetuating problem for environmental regulators. This paper will consider novel ways to regulate its impacts on the aquatic environment, with particular reference to rural landuse. It will look at the relationship between science, policy and law, and the contributions of integrated water resources management and governance at regional, national and river basin scales. Regulatory frameworks for water in the European Union will be explored, along with their implementation nationally in Scotland and at catchment scale in the Tweed river basin. It will conclude that regulation has a role to play, but that it is necessary to take a visionary holistic and integrated approach, nesting regulation within a governance framework that involves all stakeholders and takes full account of developing science and socio-economic drivers to meet environmental objectives.

36 CFR 3.2 - Do other boating laws and regulations apply to me when I operate my boat on park waters?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... regulations apply to me when I operate my boat on park waters? 3.2 Section 3.2 Parks, Forests, and Public... boating laws and regulations apply to me when I operate my boat on park waters? (a) In addition to the.... NPS applies the adopted laws and regulations to vessels and their operation on all waters (navigable...

REDUCTION OF HERBICIDE AND WATER STRESS IN SPRING BARLEY BY REGULATORS OF POLYAMINE BIOSYNTHESIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavol Trebichalský

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The experiment was carried out under artificial light of fluorescent lamps starting with 60 % full water capacity which was afterwards decreased on 40 % and finally the plants of barley were not watered. 30 plants of this cereal after plant emergence were thinned on 22 pieces. Experiment was treated by triazine herbicide, as well as its mixtures of regulators of polyamine synthesis: γ-aminobutyric acid, 1.3-propylenediamine dihydrochloride and salicyl acid. Solo application of triazine herbicide during water stress had negative balance on formation of root and above ground biomass. Addition of regulators of polyamine synthesis had positive effects on mentioned parameters, but not in comparison to control variant. These stress factors were eliminated most significantly only the application of GABA (100 g.ha-1 in mixture with herbicide.

Application of the regulations on pressurized components or light water reactor primary coolant circuits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barthelemy, F.; Menjon, G.

1977-01-01

This paper describes the philosophy and the provisions of the Order of 26 February 1974 concerning application of the regulations on pressurized components for light water reactor steam supply systems. The aim is to show how these regulations which differ from other regulations on pressurized components and is more detailed on many points, is applied in practice in France in the various stages of the design, construction and operation of PWRs. (NEA) [fr

Transpiration directly regulates the emissions of water-soluble short-chained OVOCs.

Science.gov (United States)

Rissanen, K; Hölttä, T; Bäck, J

2018-04-20

Most plant-based emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are considered mainly temperature dependent. However, certain oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) have high water solubility; thus, also stomatal conductance could regulate their emissions from shoots. Due to their water solubility and sources in stem and roots, it has also been suggested that their emissions could be affected by transport in xylem sap. Yet, further understanding on the role of transport has been lacking until present. We used shoot-scale long-term dynamic flux data from Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris) to analyse the effects of transpiration and transport in xylem sap flow on emissions of three water soluble OVOC: methanol, acetone and acetaldehyde. We found a direct effect of transpiration on the shoot emissions of the three OVOCs. The emissions were best explained by a regression model that combined linear transpiration and exponential temperature effects. In addition, a structural equation model indicated that stomatal conductance affects emissions mainly indirectly, by regulating transpiration. A part of temperature's effect is also indirect. The tight coupling of shoot emissions to transpiration clearly evidences that these OVOCs are transported in xylem sap from their sources in roots and stem to leaves and to ambient air. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Dynamic regulation and dysregulation of the water channel aquaporin-2: a common cause of and promising therapeutic target for water balance disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Noda, Yumi

2014-08-01

The human body is two-thirds water. The ability of ensuring the proper amount of water inside the body is essential for the survival of mammals. The key event for maintenance of body water balance is water reabsorption in the kidney collecting ducts, which is regulated by aquaporin-2 (AQP2). AQP2 is a channel that is exclusively selective for water molecules and never allows permeation of ions or other small molecules. Under normal conditions, AQP2 is restricted within the cytoplasm of the collecting duct cells. However, when the body is dehydrated and needs to retain water, AQP2 relocates to the apical membrane, allowing water reabsorption from the urinary tubule into the cell. Its impairments result in various water balance disorders including diabetes insipidus, which is a disease characterized by a massive loss of water through the kidney, leading to severe dehydration in the body. Dysregulation of AQP2 is also a common cause of water retention and hyponatremia that exacerbate the prognosis of congestive heart failure and hepatic cirrhosis. Many studies have uncovered the regulation mechanisms of AQP2 at the single-molecule level, the whole-body level, and the clinical level. In clinical practice, urinary AQP2 is a useful marker for body water balance (hydration status). Moreover, AQP2 is now attracting considerable attention as a potential therapeutic target for water balance disorders which commonly occur in many diseases.

Deep water challenges for drilling rig design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roth, M [Transocean Sedco Forex, Houston, TX (United States)

2001-07-01

Drilling rigs designed for deep water must meet specific design considerations for harsh environments. The early lessons for rig design came from experiences in the North Sea. Rig efficiency and safety considerations must include structural integrity, isolated/redundant ballast controls, triple redundant DP systems, enclosed heated work spaces, and automated equipment such as bridge cranes, pipe handling gear, offline capabilities, subsea tree handling, and computerized drill floors. All components must be designed to harmonize man and machine. Some challenges which are unique to Eastern Canada include frequent storms and fog, cold temperature, icebergs, rig ice, and difficult logistics. This power point presentation described station keeping and mooring issues in terms of dynamic positioning issues. The environmental influence on riser management during forced disconnects was also described. Design issues for connected deep water risers must insure elastic stability, and control deflected shape. The design must also keep stresses within acceptable limits. Codes and standards for stress limits, flex joints and tension were also presented. tabs., figs.

Hydrological and Meteorological Role of Forests: Implications for the Regulation of Water and Energy Balances

Science.gov (United States)

Salazar, J. F.; Villegas, J. C.; Bettin, D. M.; Molina, R.; Henao, J. J.; Rodríguez, E.; Rendón, A.; Hoyos, I.; Poveda, G.

2016-12-01

In last decades, there has been increasing debate about the hydrological and meteorological role of forests, particularly regarding its role in the regulation of the energy and water balances. Here we summarize results from an ongoing research program studying this problem. First, we introduce the notion of ecohydrological scaling to show the existence of two alternative states of regulated or unregulated streamflows in the main tributaries of the Amazon river basin. The transition between both states is associated with the loss of forest cover, with a potential critical threshold at around 40% forest loss in the Amazon. These results imply that large-scale forest loss can force the entire Amazon basin system beyond a critical threshold where its natural streamflow regulation is lost. More generally, our proposed framework provides insights for a physical interpretation of the scaling relations in river basins, as well as foundations and tools to develop early warnings of critical transitions in river basins. Second, we show that long-term rainfall-streamflow ratios converge to low values with low spatial variability in forested basins of the world, independent of location, climatic regime, basin size or forest type. We interpret this as evidence that high forest cover provides long-term regulation of the water balance. Third, we examine the linkage between the presence of tropical forests in South America and the long-term spatial distribution of continental precipitation, and found evidence suggesting that the Amazon forests enhance the atmospheric rivers flowing inland from the Atlantic ocean, particularly during the austral and boreal summers. The associated effects on precipitation may be highly relevant for water availability in river basins located downstream such atmospheric rivers, such as the La Plata and the Orinoco river basins. Finally, we explore the linkage between forest-induced temperature inversions and the vertical transport of atmospheric

Models for estimation of the presence of non-regulated disinfection by-products in small drinking water systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Guilherme, Stéphanie; Rodriguez, Manuel J

2017-10-23

Among all the organic disinfection by-products (DBPs), only trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) are regulated in drinking water, while most DBPs are not. Very little information exists on the occurrence of non-regulated DBPs, particularly in small water systems (SWS). Paradoxically, SWS are more vulnerable to DBPs because of a low capacity to implement adequate treatment technologies to remove DBP precursors. Since DBP analyses are expensive, usually SWS have difficulties to implement a rigorous characterization of these contaminants. The purpose of this study was to estimate non-regulated DBP levels in SWS from easy measurements of relevant parameters regularly monitored. Since no information on non-regulated DBPs in SWS was available, a sampling program was carried out in 25 SWS in two provinces of Canada. Five DBP families were investigated: THMs, HAAs, haloacetonitriles (HANs), halonitromethanes (HNMs), and haloketones (HKs). Multivariate linear mixed regression models were developed to estimate HAN, HK, and HNM levels from water quality characteristics in the water treatment plant, concentrations of regulated DBPs, and residual disinfectant levels. The models obtained have a good explanatory capacity since R 2 varies from 0.77 to 0.91 according to compounds and conditions for application (season and type of treatment). Model validation with an independent database suggested their ability for generalization in similar SWS in North America.

Life raft stabilizer

Science.gov (United States)

Radnofsky, M. I.; Barnett, J. H., Jr.; Harrison, F. L.; Marak, R. J. (Inventor)

1973-01-01

An improved life raft stabilizer for reducing rocking and substantially precluding capsizing is discussed. The stabilizer may be removably attached to the raft and is defined by flexible side walls which extend a considerable depth downwardly to one another in the water. The side walls, in conjunction with the floor of the raft, form a ballast enclosure. A weight is placed in the bottom of the enclosure and water port means are provided in the walls. Placement of the stabilizer in the water allows the weighted bottom to sink, producing submerged deployment thereof and permitting water to enter the enclosure through the port means, thus forming a ballast for the raft.

On-line measurement of oil contaminants in water by filter-based infrared analyzers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niemelae, P.

1994-01-01

The properties of a dedicated infrared analyzer for on-line measurement of the oil content of water, the Oili analyzer, are evaluated theoretically and with laboratory measurements. The analyzer was originally developed for controlling the discharge of ballast and bilge water from oil tankers and more than 200 such instruments have now been supplied for that purpose, representing about 10 % of the total market. Some technical improvements are suggested, and the improved instrument is shown to be capable of measuring oil in water to an accuracy of +- 20 % down to a detection limit of +5-10 ppm in the presence of high concentrations of interfering components and under varying environmental conditions. This opens up new potential applications for the instrument, e.g. the monitoring of water discharges from oil and gas production platforms. The infrared analyzer responds only to the dispersed oil fraction, and if the dissolved fraction is of interest as well, the instrument must be equipped with a UV option, as suggested here

To What Extent is Drinking Water Tested in Sub-Saharan Africa? A Comparative Analysis of Regulated Water Quality Monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Peletz, Rachel; Kumpel, Emily; Bonham, Mateyo; Rahman, Zarah; Khush, Ranjiv

2016-03-02

Water quality information is important for guiding water safety management and preventing water-related diseases. To assess the current status of regulated water quality monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa, we evaluated testing programs for fecal contamination in 72 institutions (water suppliers and public health agencies) across 10 countries. Data were collected through written surveys, in-person interviews, and analysis of microbial water quality testing levels. Though most institutions did not achieve the testing levels specified by applicable standards or World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines, 85% of institutions had conducted some microbial water testing in the previous year. Institutions were more likely to meet testing targets if they were suppliers (as compared to surveillance agencies), served larger populations, operated in urban settings, and had higher water quality budgets (all p water providers and rural public health offices will require greater attention and additional resources to achieve regulatory compliance for water quality monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa. The cost-effectiveness of water quality monitoring should be improved by the application of risk-based water management approaches. Efforts to strengthen monitoring capacity should pay greater attention to program sustainability and institutional commitment to water safety.

The temperature control and water quality regulation for steam generator secondary side hydrostatic test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Bo; Liu Dongyong

2014-01-01

The secondary side hydrostatic test for the steam generator of M310 unit is to verify the pressure tightness of steam generator secondary side tube sheet and related systems. As for the importance of the steam generator, the water temperature and water quality of hydrostatic test has strict requirements. The discussion on the water temperature control and water quality regulation for the secondary loop hydrostatic test of Fuqing Unit 1 contribute greatly to the guiding work for the preparation of the steam generator pressure test for M310 unit. (authors)

Controlling of water collection ability by an elasticity-regulated bioinspired fiber.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Sijie; Feng, Shile; Hou, Yongping; Zheng, Yongmei

2015-03-01

A special artificial spider silk is presented which is fabricated by using both an elastic polymer and a fiber, and the water collection behavior is investigated. Through exerting tension in varying degree, the length of the three-phase contact line (TCL) and the area of spindle knot can be regulated readily, which makes a great contribution to the improvement of collecting efficiency and water-hanging ability. The water-hanging ability can be predicted at a given stretching ratio according to the given expression of the TCL. As a result, liquid capture or release of distinct measure can be achieved via exerting tension. This research is helpful to design smart materials for developing applications in fogwater collection, dehumidification, high-efficiency humidity control, and controllable adhesion. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cold-water acclimation does not modify whole-body fluid regulation during subsequent cold-water immersion.

Science.gov (United States)

Stocks, J M; Patterson, M J; Hyde, D E; Jenkins, A B; Mittleman, K D; Taylor, N A S

2004-06-01

We investigated the impact of cold-water acclimation on whole-body fluid regulation using tracer-dilution methods to differentiate between the intracellular and extracellular fluid compartments. Seven euhydrated males [age 24.7 (8.7) years, mass 74.4 (6.4) kg, height 176.8 (7.8) cm, sum of eight skinfolds 107.4 (20.4) mm; mean (SD)] participated in a 14-day cold-water acclimation protocol, with 60-min resting cold-water stress tests [CWST; 18.1 (0.1) degrees C] on days 1, 8 and 15, and 90-min resting cold-water immersions [18.4 (0.4) degrees C] on intervening days. Subjects were immersed to the 4th intercostal space. Intracellular and extracellular fluid compartments, and plasma protein, electrolyte and hormone concentrations were investigated. During the first CWST, the intracellular fluid (5.5%) and plasma volumes were reduced (6.1%), while the interstitial fluid volume was simultaneously expanded (5.4%). This pattern was replicated on days 8 and 15, but did not differ significantly among test days. Acclimation did not produce significant changes in the pre-immersion distribution of total body water, or changes in plasma osmolality, total protein, electrolyte, atrial natriuretic peptide or aldosterone concentrations. Furthermore, a 14-day cold-water acclimation regimen did not elicit significant changes in body-fluid distribution, urine production, or the concentrations of plasma protein, electrolytes or the fluid-regulatory hormones. While acclimation trends were not evident, we have confirmed that fluid from extravascular cells is displaced into the interstitium during acute cold-water immersion, both before and after cold acclimation.

Analysis of mining-medicinal waters regulation. Possible treatments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María del Mar Corral Lledó

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The mineral waters have been a part of our lives for many centuries, since they are believe to be beneficial and to have therapeutic properties for the human health. This fact makes a key issue to provide an analyses od the current legislation on this issue ( Royal Decree-Law 743/1928, April 25th, that aproves the statute on exploitation of spring of mineral and medicinal water; Mining Law of 1973 and its regulations, in order to determine the treatments that may be applied to these watersm meanly in the case of Legionella appearance, or as preventive maesure of it. The results of this analysis shows that there is no limitation or prohibition in the treatments to what they may be subjected, as long as their physico-chemical characteristic remains altered. Contamination by Legionella bacterium, is nowadays an issue of concern, and that is reason why Public Health Authority has established the quidelines to apply for spas in order to avoid or fight a possible outbreak.

To What Extent is Drinking Water Tested in Sub-Saharan Africa? A Comparative Analysis of Regulated Water Quality Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel Peletz

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Water quality information is important for guiding water safety management and preventing water-related diseases. To assess the current status of regulated water quality monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa, we evaluated testing programs for fecal contamination in 72 institutions (water suppliers and public health agencies across 10 countries. Data were collected through written surveys, in-person interviews, and analysis of microbial water quality testing levels. Though most institutions did not achieve the testing levels specified by applicable standards or World Health Organization (WHO Guidelines, 85% of institutions had conducted some microbial water testing in the previous year. Institutions were more likely to meet testing targets if they were suppliers (as compared to surveillance agencies, served larger populations, operated in urban settings, and had higher water quality budgets (all p < 0.05. Our results indicate that smaller water providers and rural public health offices will require greater attention and additional resources to achieve regulatory compliance for water quality monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa. The cost-effectiveness of water quality monitoring should be improved by the application of risk-based water management approaches. Efforts to strengthen monitoring capacity should pay greater attention to program sustainability and institutional commitment to water safety.

Monitoring of heavy metals in selected Water Supply Systems in Poland, in relation to current regulations

Science.gov (United States)

Szuster-Janiaczyk, Agnieszka; Zeuschner, Piotr; Noga, Paweł; Skrzypczak, Marta

2018-02-01

The study presents an analysis of water quality monitoring in terms of the content of heavy metals, which is conducted in three independent water supply systems in Poland. The analysis showed that the monitoring of heavy metals isn't reliable - both the quantity of tested water samples and the location of the monitoring points are the problem. The analysis of changes in water quality from raw water to tap water was possible only for one of the analysed systems and indicate a gradual deterioration of water quality, although still within acceptable limits of legal regulations.

Research on evaluation methods for water regulation ability of dams in the Huai River Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Shan, G. H.; Lv, S. F.; Ma, K.

2016-08-01

Water environment protection is a global and urgent problem that requires correct and precise evaluation. Evaluation methods have been studied for many years; however, there is a lack of research on the methods of assessing the water regulation ability of dams. Currently, evaluating the ability of dams has become a practical and significant research orientation because of the global water crisis, and the lack of effective ways to manage a dam's regulation ability has only compounded this. This paper firstly constructs seven evaluation factors and then develops two evaluation approaches to implement the factors according to the features of the problem. Dams of the Yin Shang ecological control section in the Huai He River basin are selected as an example to demonstrate the method. The results show that the evaluation approaches can produce better and more practical suggestions for dam managers.

78 FR 17643 - Greater Mississippi River Basin Water Management Board; Engineer Regulation No. 15-2-13

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-22

... reorganized its command and control structure. This regulation revision reflects the current organizational structure and is aligned with water management activities during recent flood and drought events in the... inter- divisional coordination of water management activities within the Greater Mississippi River Basin...

Regulation of Water Balance of the Plant from the Different Geo-Environmental Locations

OpenAIRE

Astghik R. Sukiasyan

2016-01-01

Under the drought stress condition, the plants would grow slower. Temperature is one of the most important abiotic factors which suppress the germination processes. However, the processes of transpiration are regulated directly by the cell water, which followed to an increase in volume of vacuoles. During stretching under the influence of water pressure, the cell goes into the state of turgor. In our experiments, lines of the semi-dental sweet maize of Armenian population from various zones o...

Water Services in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area: How Does State Regulation Work?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariela Verónica Rocca

2014-08-01

Full Text Available This article deals with the State regulation of drinking water and sanitation services in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires. Its main objective is to identify the continuities and ruptures in State regulation during the transition from private management (1993-2006 to renationalisation and State management (2006 onwards. The concept of “State capacities” (both administrative and relational is used to assess regulatory performance. For the administrative capacities, the correspondence between the design and resources of the agencies, as well as the differences between their formal functions and actual practices, is examined. For the relational capacities, the policies of the National Government and its interaction with both the water and sanitation companies and the regulatory and control agencies are considered. The analysis is based on official documents, legislation and statistics, company balance sheets and reports, newspaper articles and semi-structured interviews.

Light Sources and Ballast Circuits

Science.gov (United States)

Yorifuji, Takashi; Sakai, Makoto; Yasuda, Takeo; Maehara, Akiyoshi; Okada, Atsunori; Gouriki, Takeshi; Mannami, Tomoaki

discharge models were reported. Further, studies on ultra high-pressure mercury lamps as light sources for projectors are becoming the mainstream of HID lamp related researches. For high-pressure sodium lamps, many studies on plant growing and pest control utilizing low insect attracting aspects were also reported in 2006. Additionally, for discharge lamps, the minimum sustaining electric power for arc tubes employed in electrode-less compact fluorescent lamps was investigated. For Hg-free rare-gas fluorescent lamps, a luminance of 10,000cd/m2 was attained by a 1 meter-long external duplex spiral electrode prototype using Xe/Ne barrier discharge. As to startup circuits, the commercialization of energy saving and high value added products mainly associated with fluorescent lamps and HID lamps are becoming common. Further, the miniaturization of startup circuits for self electronic-ballasted lamps has advanced. Speaking of the overall light sources and startup circuits in 2006 and with the enforcement of RoHS in Europe in July, the momentum toward hazardous substance-free and energy saving initiatives has been enhanced from the perspective of protecting the global environment. It is anticipated that similar restrictions will be globally enforced in the future.

Ambition, Regulation and Reality. Complex use of land and water resources in Luwu, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roth, D.

2003-01-01

In this book I present three case studies of the complex regulation of use of land and water resources in Luwu. Attention to the role of legalcomplexity -the existence of different sources and definitions of normative-legal regulation in

Compound Synthesis or Growth and Development of Roots/Stomata Regulate Plant Drought Tolerance or Water Use Efficiency/Water Uptake Efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Lai-Sheng

2018-04-11

Water is crucial to plant growth and development because it serves as a medium for all cellular functions. Thus, the improvement of plant drought tolerance or water use efficiency/water uptake efficiency is important in modern agriculture. In this review, we mainly focus on new genetic factors for ameliorating drought tolerance or water use efficiency/water uptake efficiency of plants and explore the involvement of these genetic factors in the regulation of improving plant drought tolerance or water use efficiency/water uptake efficiency, which is a result of altered stomata density and improving root systems (primary root length, hair root growth, and lateral root number) and enhanced production of osmotic protectants, which is caused by transcription factors, proteinases, and phosphatases and protein kinases. These results will help guide the synthesis of a model for predicting how the signals of genetic and environmental stress are integrated at a few genetic determinants to control the establishment of either water use efficiency or water uptake efficiency. Collectively, these insights into the molecular mechanism underpinning the control of plant drought tolerance or water use efficiency/water uptake efficiency may aid future breeding or design strategies to increase crop yield.

Ambition, Regulation and Reality. Complex use of land and water resources in Luwu, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roth, D.

2003-01-01

In this book I present three case studies of the complex regulation of use of land and water resources in Luwu. Attention to the role of legalcomplexity -the existence of different sources and definitions of normative-legal regulation in

Cardiovascular regulation during water immersion.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, K S; Choi, J K; Park, Y S

1999-11-01

Head-out water immersion at thermoneutral temperature (34-35 degrees C) increases cardiac output for a given O2 consumption, leading to a relative hyperperfusion of peripheral tissues. To determine if subjects immersed in water at a colder temperature show similar responses and to explore the significance of the hyperperfusion, cardiovascular functions were investigated (impedance cardiography) on 10 men at rest and while performing exercise on a leg cycle ergometer (delta M = approximately 95 W.m-2) in air and in water at 34.5 degrees C and 30 degrees C, respectively. In subjects resting in water, the cardiac output increased by approximately 50% compared to that in air, mainly due to a rise in stroke volume. The stroke volume change tended to be greater in 30 degrees C water than in 34.5 degrees C water, and this was due to a greater increase in cardiac preload, as indicated by a significantly greater left ventricular end-diastolic volume. Arterial systolic pressure rose slightly during water immersion. Arterial diastolic pressure remained unchanged in 34.5 degrees C water, but it rose in 30 degrees C water. The total peripheral resistance fell 37% in 34.5 degrees C water and 32% in 30 degrees C water. Both in air and in water, mild exercise increased the cardiac output, and this was mainly due to an increase in heart rate. Since, however, the stroke volume increased with water immersion, cardiac output at a given work load appeared to be significantly higher in water than in air. The arterial pressures did not decrease with water immersion, despite a marked reduction in total peripheral resistance. These results suggest that 1) during cold water immersion, peripheral vasoconstriction provides an additional increase in cardiac preload, leading to a further increase in the stroke volume compared to that of the thermoneutral water immersion, 2) the mechanism of cardiovascular adjustment during dynamic exercise is not changed by the persistent increase in cardiac

Improved gravitational search algorithm for parameter identification of water turbine regulation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Zhihuan; Yuan, Xiaohui; Tian, Hao; Ji, Bin

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We propose an improved gravitational search algorithm (IGSA). • IGSA is applied to parameter identification of water turbine regulation system (WTRS). • WTRS is modeled by considering the impact of turbine speed on torque and water flow. • Weighted objective function strategy is applied to parameter identification of WTRS. - Abstract: Parameter identification of water turbine regulation system (WTRS) is crucial in precise modeling hydropower generating unit (HGU) and provides support for the adaptive control and stability analysis of power system. In this paper, an improved gravitational search algorithm (IGSA) is proposed and applied to solve the identification problem for WTRS system under load and no-load running conditions. This newly algorithm which is based on standard gravitational search algorithm (GSA) accelerates convergence speed with combination of the search strategy of particle swarm optimization and elastic-ball method. Chaotic mutation which is devised to stepping out the local optimal with a certain probability is also added into the algorithm to avoid premature. Furthermore, a new kind of model associated to the engineering practices is built and analyzed in the simulation tests. An illustrative example for parameter identification of WTRS is used to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed IGSA, as compared with standard GSA and particle swarm optimization in terms of parameter identification accuracy and convergence speed. The simulation results show that IGSA performs best for all identification indicators

Regulation of Silk Material Structure by Temperature-Controlled Water Vapor Annealing

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Xiao; Shmelev, Karen; Sun, Lin; Gil, Eun-Seok; Park, Sang-Hyug; Cebe, Peggy; Kaplan, David L.

2011-01-01

We present a simple and effective method to obtain refined control of the molecular structure of silk biomaterials through physical temperature-controlled water vapor annealing (TCWVA). The silk materials can be prepared with control of crystallinity, from a low content using conditions at 4°C (alpha-helix dominated silk I structure), to highest content of ~60% crystallinity at 100°C (beta-sheet dominated silk II structure). This new physical approach covers the range of structures previously reported to govern crystallization during the fabrication of silk materials, yet offers a simpler, green chemistry, approach with tight control of reproducibility. The transition kinetics, thermal, mechanical, and biodegradation properties of the silk films prepared at different temperatures were investigated and compared by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), uniaxial tensile studies, and enzymatic degradation studies. The results revealed that this new physical processing method accurately controls structure, in turn providing control of mechanical properties, thermal stability, enzyme degradation rate, and human mesenchymal stem cell interactions. The mechanistic basis for the control is through the temperature controlled regulation of water vapor, to control crystallization. Control of silk structure via TCWVA represents a significant improvement in the fabrication of silk-based biomaterials, where control of structure-property relationships is key to regulating material properties. This new approach to control crystallization also provides an entirely new green approach, avoiding common methods which use organic solvents (methanol, ethanol) or organic acids. The method described here for silk proteins would also be universal for many other structural proteins (and likely other biopolymers), where water controls chain interactions related to material properties. PMID:21425769

Patterns, structures and regulations of domestic water cycle systems in China

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Junying; Wang, Hao; Wang, Jianhua; Qin, Dayong

2010-05-01

management efforts typically fail in China, because the approach is generally narrowly-focused and fragmented. This paper put forward a total-process control framework following the water and pollutants (or nutrients) flows along the dualistic domestic water cycle process. Five key objectives of domestic water cycle system regulation are identified including water use safety, water use equity, water saving, wastewater reduction and nutrient recycling. Comprehensive regulatory framework regarding administrative, economic, technical and social measures is recommended to promote sustainable domestic water usage and demand management. Considering the relatively low affordability in rural area, economic measures should be mainly applied in urban domestic water systems and metropolitan domestic water systems. Engineering or technological measures which are suitable to the three domestic water cycle systems are discussed respectively.

40 CFR 122.32 - As an operator of a small MS4, am I regulated under the NPDES storm water program?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... regulated under the NPDES storm water program? 122.32 Section 122.32 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... operator of a small MS4, am I regulated under the NPDES storm water program? (a) Unless you qualify for a... a petition to the NPDES permitting authority to require an NPDES permit for your discharge of storm...

78 FR 33700 - Special Local Regulations for Marine Events, Pleasantville Aquatics 15th Annual 5K Open Water...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-05

...-AA08 Special Local Regulations for Marine Events, Pleasantville Aquatics 15th Annual 5K Open Water Swim... Waterway for the Pleasantville Aquatics 15th Annual 5K Open Water Swim. The Captain of the Port, Sector..., Pleasantville Aquatics 15th Annual 5K Open Water Swim, Intracoastal Waterway; Atlantic City, NJ. (a) Location...

Hydrological Drought in the Anthropocene: Impacts of Local Water Extraction and Reservoir Regulation in the U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Wenhua; Zhao, Jianshi; Li, Hong-Yi; Mishra, Ashok; Ruby Leung, L.; Hejazi, Mohamad; Wang, Wei; Lu, Hui; Deng, Zhiqun; Demissisie, Yonas; Wang, Hao

2017-11-01

Hydrological drought is a substantial negative deviation from normal hydrologic conditions and is influenced by climate and human activities such as water management. By perturbing the streamflow regime, climate change and water management may significantly alter drought characteristics in the future. Here we utilize a high-resolution integrated modeling framework that represents water management in terms of both local surface water extraction and reservoir regulation and use the Standardized Streamflow Index to quantify hydrological drought. We explore the impacts of water management on hydrological drought over the contiguous U.S. in a warming climate with and without emissions mitigation. Despite the uncertainty of climate change impacts, local surface water extraction consistently intensifies drought that dominates at the regional to national scale. However, reservoir regulation alleviates drought by enhancing summer flow downstream of reservoirs. The relative dominance of drought intensification or relief is largely determined by the water demand, with drought intensification dominating in regions with intense water demand such as the Great Plains and California, while drought relief dominates in regions with low water demand. At the national level, water management increases the spatial extent of extreme drought despite some alleviations of moderate to severe drought. In an emissions mitigation scenario with increased irrigation demand for bioenergy production, water management intensifies drought more than the business-as-usual scenario at the national level, so the impacts of emissions mitigation must be evaluated by considering its benefit in reducing warming and evapotranspiration against its effects on increasing water demand and intensifying drought.

Nitrates in ground and drinking water: analysis of policies and regulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conrad, J

1986-05-01

On the societal level, risks are the result of collective processes of definition. Accepted risks are mainly the output and secondarily the (scientific) input of these processes. As a consequence, in this paper the question of risk management of the nitrate burden to ground and drinking water is analysed within the framework of comparative policy analysis. Various actors pursue their respective interests in different policy arenas within the given rules of the policy game. The impacts of the policy outputs on the policy addressees, namely farmers and water companies, (substantially) determine the level of actual risk. Different national regulatory styles and traditions towards nitrate regulation shape the policy outputs. Consequently, the assumption or normative postulate of a rational (scientific) risk assessment and risk management appears to be utterly heroic and, in the end, misleading.

ABA-Mediated Stomatal Response in Regulating Water Use during the Development of Terminal Drought in Wheat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renu Saradadevi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available End-of-season drought or “terminal drought,” which occurs after flowering, is considered the most significant abiotic stress affecting crop yields. Wheat crop production in Mediterranean-type environments is often exposed to terminal drought due to decreasing rainfall and rapid increases in temperature and evapotranspiration during spring when wheat crops enter the reproductive stage. Under such conditions, every millimeter of extra soil water extracted by the roots benefits grain filling and yield and improves water use efficiency (WUE. When terminal drought develops, soil dries from the top, exposing the top part of the root system to dry soil while the bottom part is in contact with available soil water. Plant roots sense the drying soil and produce signals, which on transmission to shoots trigger stomatal closure to regulate crop water use through transpiration. However, transpiration is linked to crop growth and productivity and limiting transpiration may reduce potential yield. While an early and high degree of stomatal closure affects photosynthesis and hence biomass production, a late and low degree of stomatal closure exhausts available soil water rapidly which results in yield losses through a reduction in post-anthesis water use. The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA is considered the major chemical signal involved in stomatal regulation. Wheat genotypes differ in their ability to produce ABA under drought and also in their stomatal sensitivity to ABA. In this viewpoint article we discuss the possibilities of exploiting genotypic differences in ABA response to soil drying in regulating the use of water under terminal drought. Root density distribution in the upper drying layers of the soil profile is identified as a candidate trait that can affect ABA accumulation and subsequent stomatal closure. We also examine whether leaf ABA can be designated as a surrogate characteristic for improved WUE in wheat to sustain grain yield under

Managing water use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unterberger, G.L.

1991-01-01

This article addresses meeting and maintaining water pollution controls while keeping up with the new regulations. The topics discussed in the article include discharge regulations, stormwater discharges, wetlands regulation, water use, water-related programs, and keeping an inventory of water pollution regulations, especially those involving pre-approvals, permits or registrations

Strategies for restoration of deep-water coral ecosystems based on a global survey of oil and gas regulations

Science.gov (United States)

Cordes, E. E.; Jones, D.; Levin, L. A.

2016-02-01

The oil and gas industry is one of the most active agents of the global industrialization of the deep sea. The wide array of impacts following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill highlighted the need for a systematic review of existing regulations both in US waters and internationally. Within different exclusive economic zones, there are a wide variety of regulations regarding the survey of deep-water areas prior to leasing and the acceptable set-back distances from vulnerable marine ecosystems once they are discovered. There are also varying mitigation strategies for accidental release of oil and gas, including active monitoring systems, temporary closings of oil and gas production, and marine protected areas. The majority of these regulations are based on previous studies of typical impacts from oil and gas drilling, rather than accidental releases. However, the probability of an accident from standard operations increases significantly with depth. The Oil & Gas working group of the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative is an international partnership of scientists, managers, non-governmental organizations, and industry professionals whose goal is to review existing regulations for the oil & gas industry and produce a best practices document to advise both developed and developing nations on their regulatory structure as energy development moves into deeper waters.

Pressure regulation in the dry-boxes. Argon purification; Regulation de pression dans les boites a gants. Purification d'argon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pascard, R; Fabre, R [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1958-07-01

Each dry-box is equipped with an autonomous installation for circulation and purification of argon and for pressure regulation. This installation consists essentially of a ballast tank, a compressor and two valves electromagnetically controlled by a contact manometer. The compressor and the valves are enclosed in the tank to form a system as compact as possible. The argon is purified by passing it over a furnace filled with titanium-zirconium turnings brought to about 800 deg. C, branching off the main system. With this set-up as well as the automatic maintenance of a constant depression in the box, a quality of argon is obtained whose oxygen contact is undetectable by the manganous hydroxide method. (author) [French] Chaque boite a gants est munie d'une installation autonome de circulation purification d'argon et de regulation de pression. Cette installation comprend essentiellement un reservoir tampon, un compresseur et deux vannes electromagnetiques commandees par un manometre a contact. Le compresseur et les vannes sont enfermes dans le reservoir de maniere a realiser un ensemble aussi compact que possible. L'argon est purifie par passage dans un four en derivation charge de tournure de titane-zirconium, porte a environ 800 deg. C. Avec ce dispositif, on obtient, outre le maintien automatique d'une depression constante dans la boite, un argon dont la teneur en oxygene est indecelable par la methode a l'hydrate manganeux. (auteur)

Adaptive Regulation of the Northern California Reservoir System for Water, Energy, and Environmental Management

Science.gov (United States)

Georgakakos, A. P.; Kistenmacher, M.; Yao, H.; Georgakakos, K. P.

2014-12-01

The 2014 National Climate Assessment of the US Global Change Research Program emphasizes that water resources managers and planners in most US regions will have to cope with new risks, vulnerabilities, and opportunities, and recommends the development of adaptive capacity to effectively respond to the new water resources planning and management challenges. In the face of these challenges, adaptive reservoir regulation is becoming all the more ncessary. Water resources management in Northern California relies on the coordinated operation of several multi-objective reservoirs on the Trinity, Sacramento, American, Feather, and San Joaquin Rivers. To be effective, reservoir regulation must be able to (a) account for forecast uncertainty; (b) assess changing tradeoffs among water uses and regions; and (c) adjust management policies as conditions change; and (d) evaluate the socio-economic and environmental benefits and risks of forecasts and policies for each region and for the system as a whole. The Integrated Forecast and Reservoir Management (INFORM) prototype demonstration project operated in Northern California through the collaboration of several forecast and management agencies has shown that decision support systems (DSS) with these attributes add value to stakeholder decision processes compared to current, less flexible management practices. Key features of the INFORM DSS include: (a) dynamically downscaled operational forecasts and climate projections that maintain the spatio-temporal coherence of the downscaled land surface forcing fields within synoptic scales; (b) use of ensemble forecast methodologies for reservoir inflows; (c) assessment of relevant tradeoffs among water uses on regional and local scales; (d) development and evaluation of dynamic reservoir policies with explicit consideration of hydro-climatic forecast uncertainties; and (e) focus on stakeholder information needs.This article discusses the INFORM integrated design concept, underlying

Reception and treatment facilities for waste oils and oil-polluted waters from marine and industrial activities in Gothenburg, Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, K.; Lexen, S.I.; Hell, M.

1992-01-01

At the beginning of the 1980s, comprehensive solutions were found to problems associated with the handling of oil-polluted water from marine and industrial sources in the Gothenburg area. The treatment plant in the oil harbour has permission to treat 700,000 m 3 /yr of sludge, ballast, slops and other oil-contaminated waters. Following treatment by chemical flocculation, flotation and dual-media filtration, the treated water must not contain more than 5 ppm of oil. Work to improve treatment results has been carried out from the start, in close co-operation with environmental authorities and with the waste generators themselves. Through increased consciousness, improvements in control, and greater source separation, it will be possible to bring about a significantly lower concentration of pollutants in the incoming waste streams. Recent plans include separate treatment of waste streams containing aromatic compounds and heavily polluted waters. Complementary treatment methods, such as activated carbon and air stripping, are under evaluation. (author). 10 figs

THE IMPACT OF URBAN RUN-OFF ON OGBOR RIVER

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr Obe

However, the water sample of the slaughter house, and the industrial ... The presence of this pollution in water is hazardous to health. Ballasted ... centers, car wash centers, etc., contribute to high grease .... Engineering Disposal and Reuse.

The light transmission and seiche depth of Izmir Bay, western Turkey

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

tic and industrial waste-water, urban runoff, ship ballast ... Peru up-welling) for different basins other than the ..... The light transmission (solid lines) values changing with time (surface water, 5 m). .... the absorption and scattering process.

Chlorination or monochloramination: Balancing the regulated trihalomethane formation and microbial inactivation in marine aquaculture waters

KAUST Repository

Sanawar, Huma

2017-08-15

Disinfection methods like chlorination are increasingly used to sanitize the water, equipment, tools and surfaces in aquaculture facilities. This is to improve water quality, and to maintain a hygienic environment for the well-being of aquatic organisms. However, chlorination can result in formation of regulated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) that can be carcinogenic and toxic. This study aims to evaluate if an optimal balance can be achieved between minimal regulated DBP formation and effective microbial inactivation with either chlorination or monochloramination for application in the Red Sea aquaculture waters. Upon chlorination, the concentration of total trihalomethanes (THMs), primarily bromoform, exceeded the regulatory limit of 80μg/L even at the lowest tested concentration of chlorine (1mg/L) and contact time (1h). Comparatively, regulated THMs concentration was only detectable at 30μg/L level in one of the three sets of monochloraminated marine aquaculture waters. The average log reduction of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) by chlorine ranged from 2.3-log to 3.2-log with different contact time. The average log reduction of ARB by monochloramine was comparatively lower at 1.9 to 2.9-log. Although viable Staphylococcus aureus was recovered from monochloraminated samples as opposed to chlorinated samples, the abundance of S. aureus was not high enough to result in any significant microbial risks. Both chlorination and monochloramination did not provide any significant improvement in the reduction of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). This study demonstrates that a systematic evaluation is needed to determine the optimal disinfectant required to balance both microbial and chemical risks. Compared to chlorine, monochloramine may be a more appropriate disinfection strategy for the treatment of aquaculture effluents prior to discharge or for recirculatory use in the aquaculture facility.

MicroRNAs regulate the main events in rice drought stress response by manipulating the water supply to shoots.

Science.gov (United States)

Fard, Ehsan Mohseni; Bakhshi, Behnam; Farsi, Mohammad; Kakhki, Amin Mirshamsi; Nikpay, Nava; Ebrahimi, Mohammad Ali; Mardi, Mohsen; Salekdeh, Ghasem Hosseini

2017-10-24

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small endogenous regulatory RNAs that are involved in a variety of biological processes related to proliferation, development, and response to biotic and abiotic stresses. miRNA profiles of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. IR64.) leaves in a partial root zone drying (PRD) system were analysed using a high-throughput sequencing approach to identify miRNAs associated with drought signalling. The treatments performed in this study were as follows: well-watered ("wet" roots, WW), wherein both halves of the pot were watered daily; drought ("dry" roots, DD), wherein water was withheld from both halves of the pot; and well-watered/drought ("wet" and "dry" roots, WD), wherein one half of each pot was watered daily, the same as in WW, and water was withheld from the other part, the same as in DD. High-throughput sequencing enabled us to detect novel miRNAs and study the differential expression of known miRNAs. A total of 209 novel miRNAs were detected in this study. Differential miRNA profiling of the DD, WD and WW conditions showed differential expression of 159 miRNAs, among which 83, 44 and 32 miRNAs showed differential expression under both DD and WD conditions. The detection of putative targets of the differentially expressed miRNAs and investigation of their functions showed that most of these genes encode transcription factors involved in growth and development, leaf morphology, regulation of hormonal homeostasis, and stress response. The most important differences between the DD and WD conditions involved regulation of the levels of hormones such as auxin, cytokinin, abscisic acid, and jasmonic acid and also regulation of phosphor homeostasis. Overall, differentially expressed miRNAs under WD conditions were found to differ from those under DD conditions, with such differences playing a role in adaptation and inducing the normal condition. The mechanisms involved in regulating hormonal homeostasis and involved in energy production and consumption

Process for environmentally safe disposal of used fluorescent lamp potted ballast assemblies with component part reclamation and/or recycling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nardella, A.; Norian, B.

1993-07-27

A process is described for the environmentally safe and economical disposal of used fluorescent lamp potted ballast housing assemblies comprising removing from the housing the potted assembly with its embedded electrical component assemblies including a component capacitor containing environmentally hazardous material PCB's; after or before such removing, immersing the potted assembly in a cryogenic bath and freezing the same to reader the potting sufficiently brittle to fragment into small pieces upon being impacted; impacting the potting thoroughly to crush and fragment the same into small pieces and to cleanly remove substantially all traces of the potting from all the electrical components and parts embedded therein and without imparting damage to the components and parts; disconnecting the component containing the environmentally hazardous material; and incinerating only the component containing the environmentally hazardous material, leaving all other components and parts including the housing and potting fragments for salvage, re-use and/or recycling.

46 CFR 151.45-2 - Special operating requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... cargo into the water, voids, or cofferdams nor leaks water into the tanks, voids, or cofferdams; (ii... ballasting) substantially free of water. Periodic inspections and necessary pumping shall be carried out to insure maintenance of such water-free condition in order to minimize the free surface effects, both in...

A national approach to the regulation of water discharge from uranium mines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willis, J.L.

1985-09-01

This paper is concerned with outlining the development of a national approach to the regulation of water discharge from uranium mines in Australia. The history of the Australian uranium industry is briefly sketched to illustrate the changes that have taken place in environmental management, and more particularly water management, over this period. The main focus of the paper is on the requirements relating to the establishment of effluent discharge limits contained in the Code of Practice on the Management of Radioactive Wastes from the Mining and Milling of Radioactive Ores, 1982. The code adopts a site specific approach to the formulation of discharge limits rather than providing generic recommendations. This approach requires the application of a rigorous and disciplined methodology

Design and Application of a Solar Mobile Pond Aquaculture Water Quality-Regulation Machine Based in Bream Pond Aquaculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xingguo; Xu, Hao; Ma, Zhuojun; Zhang, Yongjun; Tian, Changfeng; Cheng, Guofeng; Zou, Haisheng; Lu, Shimin; Liu, Shijing; Tang, Rong

2016-01-01

Bream pond aquaculture plays a very important role in China's aquaculture industry and is the main source of aquatic products. To regulate and control pond water quality and sediment, a movable solar pond aquaculture water quality regulation machine (SMWM) was designed and used. This machine is solar-powered and moves on water, and its primary components are a solar power supply device, a sediment lifting device, a mechanism for walking on the water's surface and a control system. The solar power supply device provides power for the machine, and the water walking mechanism drives the machine's motion on the water. The sediment lifting device orbits the main section of the machine and affects a large area of the pond. Tests of the machine's mechanical properties revealed that the minimum illumination necessary for the SMWM to function is 13,000 Lx and that its stable speed on the water is 0.02-0.03 m/s. For an illumination of 13,000-52,500 Lx, the sediment lifting device runs at 0.13-0.35 m/s, and its water delivery capacity is 110-208 m(3)/h. The sediment lifting device is able to fold away, and the angle of the suction chamber can be adjusted, making the machine work well in ponds at different water depths from 0.5 m to 2 m. The optimal distance from the sediment lifting device to the bottom of the pond is 10-15 cm. In addition, adjusting the length of the connecting rod and the direction of the traction rope allows the SMWM to work in a pond water area greater than 80%. The analysis of water quality in Wuchang bream (Parabramis pekinensis) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) culture ponds using the SMWM resulted in decreased NH3(+)-N and available phosphorus concentrations and increased TP concentrations. The TN content and the amount of available phosphorus in the sediment were reduced. In addition, the fish production showed that the SMWM enhanced the yields of Wuchang bream and silver carp by more than 30% and 24%, respectively. These results

“Sapsan”-carriages defrosting station of Nizhniy Novgorod railway service enterprise and its surface waste water purification

Science.gov (United States)

Strelkov, Alexander; Teplykh, Svetlana; Gorshkalev, Pavel; Bystranova, Anastasia

2017-10-01

Surface water disposal is one of the most relevant problems for Nizhniy Novgorod railway service enterprises. Waste water must be quickly removed with special drainage devices and water drainage facilities (culverts, slope drains, pipes, ditches, etc.). During “Sapsan”-carriages defrosting watse water is aggregated on railroad tracks. It leads to track bed structure sagging, roadbed washaway and damages to point switches. In this paper the authors describe a concrete system of waste water disposal from railway service enterprises. This system is realized through culverts readjusted at the foot of ballast section. Thereafter, the collected water is pumped into a water collector and to local sewage waste-disposal plants. For railway stations with three or more tracks surface runoff diversion scheme depends on topography, railway tracks types, flow discharge and is compiled individually for each object. This paper examines “Sapsan”-carriages defrosting station of Nizhniy Novgorod railway service enterprise. It presents a technology scheme and equipment consisting of Sand catcher LOS-P, Oil catcher LOS-N, pressure-tight flotation unit; drain feed pump; solution-consuming tank of the coagulant, the solution-consuming tank of flocculant. The proposed technology has been introduced into the project practice.

Chlorination or monochloramination: Balancing the regulated trihalomethane formation and microbial inactivation in marine aquaculture waters

KAUST Repository

Sanawar, Huma; Xiong, Yanghui; Alam, Aftab; Croue, Jean-Philippe; Hong, Pei-Ying

2017-01-01

at the lowest tested concentration of chlorine (1mg/L) and contact time (1h). Comparatively, regulated THMs concentration was only detectable at 30μg/L level in one of the three sets of monochloraminated marine aquaculture waters. The average log reduction

Effect Mechanism of Penstock on Stability and Regulation Quality of Turbine Regulating System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wencheng Guo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper studies the effect mechanism of water inertia and head loss of penstock on stability and regulation quality of turbine regulating system with surge tank or not and proposes the construction method of equivalent model of regulating system. Firstly, the complete linear mathematical model of regulating system is established. Then, the free oscillation equation and time response of the frequency that describe stability and regulation quality, respectively, are obtained. Finally, the effects of penstock are analysed by using stability region and response curves. The results indicate that the stability and regulation quality of system without surge tank are determined by time response of frequency which only depends on water hammer wave in penstock, while, for system with surge tank, the time response of frequency depending on water hammer wave in penstock and water-level fluctuation in surge tank jointly determines the stability and regulation quality. Water inertia of penstock mainly affects the stability and time response of frequency of system without surge tank as well as the stability and head wave of time response of frequency with surge tank. Head loss of penstock mainly affects the stability and tail wave of time response of frequency with surge tank.

Strategies for the correction of the power factor in electronic ballasts with low crest factor; Estrategias para la correccion del factor de potencia en balastros electronicos con bajo factor de cresta

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinez Mata, Arturo Javier

2002-07-15

The goal in this work is to develop electronic ballast for fluorescent lamps with high power factor with the smaller number of components. With this aim it is looked for 1) to study the impact of the value of the filtrating capacitor used in a conventional rectifier on the harmonic content of the line current and the crest factor in the lamp, 2) to study resonant tanks commonly used in electronic ballasts with the purpose of observing the feasibility of implementing a control in frequency to vary the gain of the resonant tank and 3) to propose a strategy of frequency modulation that allows to reach low harmonic distortion of the line current maintaining a low crest factor. In chapter one the used theoretical concepts in illumination systems are presented, the justification for the use of electronic ballasts in fluorescent lamps, a revision of the state-of-the-art in the correction of the power factor in electronic ballasts and two strategies for the correction of this factor. In the next chapter the conventional resonant topologies used in the literature are presented, together with the analysis of resonant structures with high gain in steady state to compensate the variations of the instantaneous voltage of the DC bus that feeds the resonant inverter. Also simulations in PSpice are included to know the behavior of each one of the resonant structures and to be able to select, in that way, the most adequate resonant topology for this work. In the third chapter the strategy is presented for the correction of the power factor, eliminating the filtering capacitor. The effects of this elimination as far as the line current and the lamp current are shown. The characterization of the resonant tank in open loop and closed loop is presented. The method is described to control the gain of the resonant investor and its implementation. Experimental results obtained when reducing the filtering capacitor are included and the implementation of the proposed control loop to reduce

Regulation of water, salinity, and cold stress responses by salicylic acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenji eMiura

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Salicylic acid (SA is a naturally occurring phenolic compound. SA plays an important role in the regulation of plant growth, development, ripening, and defense responses. The role of SA in the plant-pathogen relationship has been extensively investigated. In addition to defense responses, SA plays an important role in the response to abiotic stresses, including drought, low temperature, and salinity stresses. It has been suggested that SA has great agronomic potential to improve the stress tolerance of agriculturally important crops. However, the utility of SA is dependent on the concentration of the applied SA, the mode of application, and the state of the plants (e.g., developmental stage and acclimation. Generally, low concentrations of applied SA alleviate the sensitivity to abiotic stresses, and high concentrations of applied induce high levels of oxidative stress, leading to a decreased tolerance to abiotic stresses. In this chapter, the effects of SA on the water stress responses and regulation of stomatal closure are reviewed.

Design and Application of Drought Indexes in Highly Regulated Mediterranean Water Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Castelletti, A.; Zaniolo, M.; Giuliani, M.

2017-12-01

Costs of drought are progressively increasing due to the undergoing alteration of hydro-meteorological regimes induced by climate change. Although drought management is largely studied in the literature, most of the traditional drought indexes fail in detecting critical events in highly regulated systems, which generally rely on ad-hoc formulations and cannot be generalized to different context. In this study, we contribute a novel framework for the design of a basin-customized drought index. This index represents a surrogate of the state of the basin and is computed by combining the available information about the water available in the system to reproduce a representative target variable for the drought condition of the basin (e.g., water deficit). To select the relevant variables and combinatione thereof, we use an advanced feature extraction algorithm called Wrapper for Quasi Equally Informative Subset Selection (W-QEISS). W-QEISS relies on a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm to find Pareto-efficient subsets of variables by maximizing the wrapper accuracy, minimizing the number of selected variables, and optimizing relevance and redundancy of the subset. The accuracy objective is evaluated trough the calibration of an extreme learning machine of the water deficit for each candidate subset of variables, with the index selected from the resulting solutions identifying a suitable compromise between accuracy, cardinality, relevance, and redundancy. The approach is tested on Lake Como, Italy, a regulated lake mainly operated for irrigation supply. In the absence of an institutional drought monitoring system, we constructed the combined index using all the hydrological variables from the existing monitoring system as well as common drought indicators at multiple time aggregations. The soil moisture deficit in the root zone computed by a distributed-parameter water balance model of the agricultural districts is used as target variable. Numerical results show that

Functional water flow pathways and hydraulic regulation in the xylem network of Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Joonghyuk; Kim, Hae Koo; Ryu, Jeongeun; Ahn, Sungsook; Lee, Sang Joon; Hwang, Ildoo

2015-03-01

In vascular plants, the xylem network constitutes a complex microfluidic system. The relationship between vascular network architecture and functional hydraulic regulation during actual water flow remains unexplored. Here, we developed a method to visualize individual xylem vessels of the 3D xylem network of Arabidopsis thaliana, and to analyze the functional activities of these vessels using synchrotron X-ray computed tomography with hydrophilic gold nanoparticles as flow tracers. We show how the organization of the xylem network changes dynamically throughout the plant, and reveal how the elementary units of this transport system are organized to ensure both long-distance axial water transport and local lateral water transport. Xylem vessels form distinct clusters that operate as functional units, and the activity of these units, which determines water flow pathways, is modulated not only by varying the number and size of xylem vessels, but also by altering their interconnectivity and spatial arrangement. Based on these findings, we propose a regulatory model of water transport that ensures hydraulic efficiency and safety. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Indications of marine bioinvasion from network theory. An analysis of the global cargo ship network

Science.gov (United States)

Kölzsch, A.; Blasius, B.

2011-12-01

The transport of huge amounts of small aquatic organisms in the ballast tanks and at the hull of large cargo ships leads to ever increasing rates of marine bioinvasion. In this study, we apply a network theoretic approach to examine the introduction of invasive species into new ports by global shipping. This is the first stage of the invasion process where it is still possible to intervene with regulating measures. We compile a selection of widely used and newly developed network properties and apply these to analyse the structure and spread characteristics of the directed and weighted global cargo ship network (GCSN). Our results reveal that the GCSN is highly efficient, shows small world characteristics and is positive assortative, indicating that quick spread of invasive organisms between ports is likely. The GCSN shows strong community structure and contains two large communities, the Atlantic and Pacific trading groups. Ports that appear as connector hubs and are of high centralities are the Suez and Panama Canal, Singapore and Shanghai. Furthermore, from robustness analyses and the network's percolation behaviour, we evaluate differences of onboard and in-port ballast water treatment, set them into context with previous studies and advise bioinvasion management strategies.

The asian decapod Hemigrapsus penicillatus (de Haan, 1835) (Grapsidae, Decapoda) introduced in European waters: status quo and future perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Gollasch, S.

1998-09-01

The Asian decapod Hemigrapsus penicillatus (de Haan, 1835) was first recorded in European waters in 1994. The first specimens were collected in the estuary of Charente Maritime on the west coast of France close to La Rochelle. The current range in Europe covers Spanish shallow water habitats of the Bay of Biscay to areas north of La Rochelle (France). Densities of up to 20 specimens per square metre occur. This species has a high temperature and salinity tolerace and will expand its distribution in European waters. It is not clear whether this crab was introduced by shipping in ballast water or as a fouling organism. Based on a study of ship hull fouling in German dry docks this account provides evidence that hull fouling is a likely vector for the introduction of this crab. In August 1993, six juvenile specimens of H. penicillatus were removed from the hull of a car-carrier. After its journey from Japan into European waters this vessel docked in the port of Bremerhaven (Germany) for a routine inspection and coating with antifouling paint.

Disinfection of Water by Ultrasound: Application to Ballast Water Treatment

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Brizzolara, Robert A; Holm, Eric R; Stamper, David M

2006-01-01

.... A contact time for one log kill of an E. coli pure culture of 0.6 minutes was measured when using higher average intensities resulting from reduced treatment cell diameters, a substantial improvement over previous work...

Efficiency of Artemia cysts removal as a model invasive spore using a continuous microwave system with heat recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Balasubramanian, Sundar; Ortego, Jeffrey; Rusch, Kelly A; Boldor, Dorin

2008-12-15

A continuous microwave system to treat ballast water inoculated with Artemia salina cysts as a model invasive spore was tested for its efficacy in inactivating the cysts present. The system was tested at two different flow rates (1 and 2 L x min(-1)) and two different power levels (2.5 and 4.5 kW). Temperature profiles indicate that the system could deliver heating loads in excess of 100 degrees C in a uniform and near-instantaneous manner when using a heat recovery system. Except for a power and flow rate combination of 2.5 kW and 2 L x min(-1), complete inactivation of the cysts was observed at all combinations at holding times below 100 s. The microwave treatment was better or equal to the control treatment in inactivating the cysts. Use of heat exchangers increased the power conversion efficiency and the overall efficiency of the treatment system. Cost economics analysis indicates that in the present form of development microwave treatment costs are higher than the existing ballast water treatment methods. Overall, tests results indicated that microwave treatment of ballast water is a promising method that can be used in conjunction with other methods to form an efficient treatment system that can prevent introduction of potentially invasive spore forming species in non-native waters.

Ambition, Regulation and Reality. Complex use of land and water resources in Luwu, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

OpenAIRE

Roth, D.

2003-01-01

In this book I present three case studies of the complex regulation of use of land and water resources in Luwu. Attention to the role of legalcomplexity -the existence of different sources and definitions of normative-legal regulation in the same socio-political space - is an important conceptual point of departure of this study. Each of the three case study sections contains specific conclusions pertaining to the issues involved. The last chapter of the book (chapter 11) is primarily a refle...

Water, Water Everywhere

Science.gov (United States)

Keeler, Rusty

2009-01-01

Everybody knows that children love water and how great water play is for children. The author discusses ways to add water to one's playscape that fully comply with health and safety regulations and are still fun for children. He stresses the importance of creating water play that provides children with the opportunity to interact with water.

Quantitative method to determine the regional drinking water odorant regulation goals based on odor sensitivity distribution: illustrated using 2-MIB.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jianwei; An, Wei; Cao, Nan; Yang, Min; Gu, Junong; Zhang, Dong; Lu, Ning

2014-07-01

Taste and odor (T/O) in drinking water often cause consumer complaints and are thus regulated in many countries. However, people in different regions may exhibit different sensitivities toward T/O. This study proposed a method to determine the regional drinking water odorant regulation goals (ORGs) based on the odor sensitivity distribution of the local population. The distribution of odor sensitivity to 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) by the local population in Beijing, China was revealed by using a normal distribution function/model to describe the odor complaint response to a 2-MIB episode in 2005, and a 2-MIB concentration of 12.9 ng/L and FPA (flavor profile analysis) intensity of 2.5 was found to be the critical point to cause odor complaints. Thus the Beijing ORG for 2-MIB was determined to be 12.9 ng/L. Based on the assumption that the local FPA panel can represent the local population in terms of sensitivity to odor, and that the critical FPA intensity causing odor complaints was 2.5, this study tried to determine the ORGs for seven other cities of China by performing FPA tests using an FPA panel from the corresponding city. ORG values between 12.9 and 31.6 ng/L were determined, showing that a unified ORG may not be suitable for drinking water odor regulations. This study presents a novel approach for setting drinking water odor regulations. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Evaluation of the Zone of Influence and Entrainment Impacts for an Intake Using a 3-Dimensional Hydrodynamic and Transport Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shwet Prakash

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Ballast water systems in large LNG carriers are essential for proper operations and stability. Water withdrawn from the surrounding environment to supply to the ballast can pose entrainment and impingement risk to the resident fish population. Quantification of these risks and the net effect on population is usually quite challenging and complex. Various methods over the last several decades have been developed and are available in the literature for quantification of entrainment of mobile and immobile lifestages of resident fish. In this study, a detailed 3-dimensional model was developed to estimate the entrainment of ichthyoplankton (fish eggs and larvae and fish from an estuarine environment during the repeated short-term operation of a ballast water intake for an LNG carrier. It was also used to develop a zone of influence to determine the ability of mobile life stages to avoid impingement. The ichthyoplankton model is an Equivalent Adult Model (EAM and assesses the number of breeding adults lost to the population. The EAM incorporates four different methods developed between 1978 and 2005. The study also considers the uncertainty in estimates for the lifestage data and, as such, performs sensitivity analyses to evaluate the confidence level achievable in such quantitative estimates for entrainment.

The mathematical model structural-parametric synthesis of working processes in an oxygen-methane steam generator with flow swirl

Science.gov (United States)

Timoshinova, T. S.; Shmatov, D. P.; Kretinin, A. V.; Drozdov, I. G.

2017-11-01

While formulating a mathematical model of the flow and interaction between oxygen-methane fuel combustion products with tangentially swirled ballast water injected in the end of the combustion chamber in CAE product Fluent, which integrated into the ANSYS Workbench platform, the problem of structural-parametric synthesis is solved for structure optimization of the model. Equations are selected from the catalogue of Fluent physical models. Also optimization helps to find “regime” model parameters that determine the specific implementation of the model inside the synthesized structure. As a result, such solutions which were developed during creation of a numerical algorithm, as the choice of a turbulence model and the state equation, the methods for determining the thermodynamic thermophysical characteristics of combustion products, the choice of the radiation model, the choice of the resistance law for drops, the choice of the expression which allows to evaluate swirling flows lateral force, determination of the turbulent dispersion strength, choice of the mass exchange law, etc. Fields of temperature, pressure, velocity and volume fraction of phases were obtained at different ballast water mass flows. Dependence of wall temperature from mass flow of ballast water is constructed, that allows us to compare results of the experiment and mathematical modeling.

Stomatal kinetics and photosynthetic gas exchange along a continuum of isohydric to anisohydric regulation of plant water status

Science.gov (United States)

Frederick C. Meinzer; Duncan D. Smith; David R. Woodruff; Danielle E. Marias; Katherine A. McCulloh; Ava R. Howard; Alicia L. Magedman

2017-01-01

Species’ differences in the stringency of stomatal control of plant water potential represent a continuum of isohydric to anisohydric behaviours. However, little is known about how quasi-steady-state stomatal regulation of water potential may relate to dynamic behaviour of stomata and photosynthetic gas exchange in species operating at different positions along this...

75 FR 61475 - Cameron LNG, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-05

... general headings: Land use; Water resources, fisheries, ballast water, and wetlands; Cultural resources... and agencies; elected officials; Native American Tribes; other interested parties; and local libraries... filing a request to intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are included in the User's Guide...

33 CFR 165.501 - Chesapeake Bay entrance and Hampton Roads, VA and adjacent waters-Regulated Navigation Area.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... eastern side of the Ocean View Avenue (U.S. Route 60) Bridge, Norfolk, Virginia. (xii) A line drawn across... other person on board with previous experience navigating vessels on the waters of the Regulated...

33 CFR 151.01 - Purpose.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... CARRYING OIL, NOXIOUS LIQUID SUBSTANCES, GARBAGE, MUNICIPAL OR COMMERCIAL WASTE, AND BALLAST WATER... implements the Antarctic Science, Tourism, and Conservation Act of 1996, and the Protocol on Environmental...

Water Reuse: Using Reclaimed Water For Irrigation

OpenAIRE

Haering, Kathryn; Evanylo, Gregory K.; Benham, Brian Leslie, 1960-; Goatley, Michael

2009-01-01

Describes water reuse and reclaimed water, explains how reclaimed water is produced, options for water reuse, water reuse regulations, and agronomic concerns with water reuse, and provides several case studies of water reuse.

Characterization and Analysis of Ionic Zinc Alloy Running a Potential Dynamic Polarization in Sea Water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaifol Samsu; Muhammad Daud; Siti Radiah Mohd Kamarudin

2011-01-01

Zinc is an active metal. The reactive nature of zinc allows it to be used for sacrificial anode in cathodic protection systems by electrically coupled to the protected metal. Zinc is especially well suited for cathodic protection on ships that move between salt water and harbors in brackish rivers or estuaries (1). Zinc anodes also are used to protect ballast tank, heat exchangers, and many mechanical components on ships, coastal power plants, and similar structures. Cathodic protective by zinc is used in sea water, brackish water, fresh water, and in some soil. The relative reactivity of zinc and its ability to attract oxidation to itself makes it an efficient sacrificial anode in cathodic protection (2). For example, cathodic protection of a buried pipeline can be achieved by connecting anodes made from zinc to the pipe. Zinc acts as the anode (negative terminus) by slowly corroding away as it passes electric current to the steel pipeline. When exposed to environment containing halide ions, of which the chloride (Cl-) is the most frequently encountered in service, the oxide film breaks down at specific points leading to the formation of pits on the zinc surface (3). (author)

Regulation, characterization and treatment of discharge waters from pipelines. Volume 1. Topical report, January 1989-April 1992. Executive summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tallon, J.T.; Fillo, J.P.

1992-04-01

The report examines environmental issues related to hydrostatic testing of discharge waters generated from integrity testing of natural gas pipelines. Hydrostatic testing, and proper environmental management of the discharge waters, can be required by DOT regulations. However, disposal of water used to conduct a hydrostatic pipeline test is regulated on a state-by-state basis. State-specific requirements vary widely, ranging from an authorization letter to a complete NPDES permit. Monitoring may be required before and during discharge, include a variety of analyses, have varying protocols for obtaining samples, and may be required either to obtain data or to ascertain compliance with stipulated discharge limits. The composition of the discharge and state-specific discharge limitations dictate treatment needs on a case-by-case basis. The volume consists of the Executive Summary of a five-volume report series

Fungal Contaminants in Drinking Water Regulation? A Tale of Ecology, Exposure, Purification and Clinical Relevance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Novak Babič

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Microbiological drinking water safety is traditionally monitored mainly by bacterial parameters that indicate faecal contamination. These parameters correlate with gastro-intestinal illness, despite the fact that viral agents, resulting from faecal contamination, are usually the cause. This leaves behind microbes that can cause illness other than gastro-intestinal and several emerging pathogens, disregarding non-endemic microbial contaminants and those with recent pathogenic activity reported. This white paper focuses on one group of contaminants known to cause allergies, opportunistic infections and intoxications: Fungi. It presents a review on their occurrence, ecology and physiology. Additionally, factors contributing to their presence in water distribution systems, as well as their effect on water quality are discussed. Presence of opportunistic and pathogenic fungi in drinking water can pose a health risk to consumers due to daily contact with water, via several exposure points, such as drinking and showering. The clinical relevance and influence on human health of the most common fungal contaminants in drinking water is discussed. Our goal with this paper is to place fungal contaminants on the roadmap of evidence based and emerging threats for drinking water quality safety regulations.

Fungal Contaminants in Drinking Water Regulation? A Tale of Ecology, Exposure, Purification and Clinical Relevance

Science.gov (United States)

Novak Babič, Monika; Gunde-Cimerman, Nina; Vargha, Márta; Tischner, Zsófia; Magyar, Donát; Veríssimo, Cristina; Sabino, Raquel; Viegas, Carla; Meyer, Wieland; Brandão, João

2017-01-01

Microbiological drinking water safety is traditionally monitored mainly by bacterial parameters that indicate faecal contamination. These parameters correlate with gastro-intestinal illness, despite the fact that viral agents, resulting from faecal contamination, are usually the cause. This leaves behind microbes that can cause illness other than gastro-intestinal and several emerging pathogens, disregarding non-endemic microbial contaminants and those with recent pathogenic activity reported. This white paper focuses on one group of contaminants known to cause allergies, opportunistic infections and intoxications: Fungi. It presents a review on their occurrence, ecology and physiology. Additionally, factors contributing to their presence in water distribution systems, as well as their effect on water quality are discussed. Presence of opportunistic and pathogenic fungi in drinking water can pose a health risk to consumers due to daily contact with water, via several exposure points, such as drinking and showering. The clinical relevance and influence on human health of the most common fungal contaminants in drinking water is discussed. Our goal with this paper is to place fungal contaminants on the roadmap of evidence based and emerging threats for drinking water quality safety regulations.

Automatic design of basin-specific drought indexes for highly regulated water systems

Science.gov (United States)

Zaniolo, Marta; Giuliani, Matteo; Castelletti, Andrea Francesco; Pulido-Velazquez, Manuel

2018-04-01

Socio-economic costs of drought are progressively increasing worldwide due to undergoing alterations of hydro-meteorological regimes induced by climate change. Although drought management is largely studied in the literature, traditional drought indexes often fail at detecting critical events in highly regulated systems, where natural water availability is conditioned by the operation of water infrastructures such as dams, diversions, and pumping wells. Here, ad hoc index formulations are usually adopted based on empirical combinations of several, supposed-to-be significant, hydro-meteorological variables. These customized formulations, however, while effective in the design basin, can hardly be generalized and transferred to different contexts. In this study, we contribute FRIDA (FRamework for Index-based Drought Analysis), a novel framework for the automatic design of basin-customized drought indexes. In contrast to ad hoc empirical approaches, FRIDA is fully automated, generalizable, and portable across different basins. FRIDA builds an index representing a surrogate of the drought conditions of the basin, computed by combining all the relevant available information about the water circulating in the system identified by means of a feature extraction algorithm. We used the Wrapper for Quasi-Equally Informative Subset Selection (W-QEISS), which features a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm to find Pareto-efficient subsets of variables by maximizing the wrapper accuracy, minimizing the number of selected variables, and optimizing relevance and redundancy of the subset. The preferred variable subset is selected among the efficient solutions and used to formulate the final index according to alternative model structures. We apply FRIDA to the case study of the Jucar river basin (Spain), a drought-prone and highly regulated Mediterranean water resource system, where an advanced drought management plan relying on the formulation of an ad hoc state index is used

Modeling wetland plant community response to assess water-level regulation scenarios in the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River basin

Science.gov (United States)

Hudon, Christiane; Wilcox, Douglas; Ingram, Joel

2006-01-01

The International Joint Commission has recently completed a five-year study (2000-2005) to review the operation of structures controlling the flows and levels of the Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River system. In addition to addressing the multitude of stakeholder interests, the regulation plan review also considers environmental sustainability and integrity of wetlands and various ecosystem components. The present paper outlines the general approach, scientific methodology and applied management considerations of studies quantifying the relationships between hydrology and wetland plant assemblages (% occurrence, surface area) in Lake Ontario and the Upper and Lower St. Lawrence River. Although similar study designs were used across the study region, different methodologies were required that were specifically adapted to suit the important regional differences between the lake and river systems, range in water-level variations, and confounding factors (geomorphic types, exposure, sediment characteristics, downstream gradient of water quality, origin of water masses in the Lower River). Performance indicators (metrics), such as total area of wetland in meadow marsh vegetation type, that link wetland response to water levels will be used to assess the effects of different regulation plans under current and future (climate change) water-supply scenarios.

Chitosan as coagulant on cyanobacteria in lake restoration management may cause rapid cell lysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mucci, Maira; Noyma, Natalia Pessoa; de Magalhaes, Leonardo; Miranda, Marcela; van Oosterhout, Frank; Guedes, Iame Alves; Huszar, Vera L. M.; Marinho, Marcelo Manzi; Lürling, Miquel

2017-01-01

Combining coagulant and ballast to remove cyanobacteria from the water column is a promising restoration technique to mitigate cyanobacterial nuisance in surface waters. The organic, biodegradable polymer chitosan has been promoted as a coagulant and is viewed as non-toxic. In this study, we show

Oil-tanker waste-disposal practices: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

In the spring of 1991, the Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 (EPA), launched an investigation into tanker waste disposal practices for vessels discharging ballast water at the Alyeska Pipeline Services Company's Ballast Water Treatment (BWT) facility and marine terminal in Valdez, Alaska. It had been alleged that the Exxon Shipping Company was transferring 'toxic wastes originating in California' to Valdez. In response, EPA decided to examine all waste streams generated on board and determine what the fate of these wastes were in addition to investigating the Exxon specific charges. An extensive Information Request was generated and sent to the shipping companies that operate vessels transporting Alaska North Slope Crude. Findings included information on cargo and fuel tank washings, cleaning agents, and engine room waste

Liquid filtration properties in gravel foundation of railroad tracks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strelkov, A; Teplykh, S; Bukhman, N

2016-01-01

Railway bed gravel foundation has a constant permanent impact on urban ecology and ground surface. It is only natural that larger objects, such as railway stations, make broader impact. Surface run-off waters polluted by harmful substances existing in railroad track body (ballast section) flow along railroad tracks and within macadam, go down into subterranean ground flow and then enter neighbouring rivers and water basins. This paper presents analytic calculations and characteristics of surface run-off liquid filtration which flows through gravel multiple layers (railroad track ballast section). The authors analyse liquids with various density and viscosity flowing in multi-layer porous medium. The paper also describes liquid stationary and non-stationary weepage into gravel foundation of railroad tracks. (paper)

Survey of Regulations Applicable to the Finned Containment in Korean Nuclear Power Plant for Light Water Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noh, Hyung Gyun; Kang, Hie Chan

2016-01-01

In severe accident, the molten corium would discharge into the reactor cavity and interact with water and concrete of cavity. Molten corium includes non-oxidation metals such as Zr, Fe and Cr. These metal species reacted with water emit hydrogen gas. In addition to this, a mount of steam can be emitted to the containment such as steam line break accident. As a result, steam and hydrogen gas can pressurize containment over the design pressure and threaten its integrity. For this reasons, a concept equipped with finned on the containment building was proposed for coping with prolonged accident. Finned containment can enhance heat transfer to the ambient, and the building itself is working as a heat sink. Multiple metal fins and metal rod are penetrated into containment wall, and the rods are working as an additional path of heat removal. To be accepted in the nuclear power plants, this configuration should satisfy the requirement of heat removal and follow all regulations related with containment also. For applying to Korean nuclear power plants, the finned containment should follow all regulations specialized in Korea such as Nuclear regulatory criteria for light water reactor and Guidelines of nuclear safety examination for light water reactor. A concept of containment as a passive cooling system has been proposed. Furthermore, the new containment concept can be applied on the real containment which satisfies the various regulations. Finned containment would be expected positive effects on heat removal from the containment. If the fins are properly welded to the liner, finned containment could satisfy the leak tightness and prevention of external influences. Finned containment could be favorable to protect external impact like aircraft crash because of the additional structural integrity by the fins

Survey of Regulations Applicable to the Finned Containment in Korean Nuclear Power Plant for Light Water Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noh, Hyung Gyun [Pohang University, Pohang (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Hie Chan [Kunsan University, Gunsan (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

In severe accident, the molten corium would discharge into the reactor cavity and interact with water and concrete of cavity. Molten corium includes non-oxidation metals such as Zr, Fe and Cr. These metal species reacted with water emit hydrogen gas. In addition to this, a mount of steam can be emitted to the containment such as steam line break accident. As a result, steam and hydrogen gas can pressurize containment over the design pressure and threaten its integrity. For this reasons, a concept equipped with finned on the containment building was proposed for coping with prolonged accident. Finned containment can enhance heat transfer to the ambient, and the building itself is working as a heat sink. Multiple metal fins and metal rod are penetrated into containment wall, and the rods are working as an additional path of heat removal. To be accepted in the nuclear power plants, this configuration should satisfy the requirement of heat removal and follow all regulations related with containment also. For applying to Korean nuclear power plants, the finned containment should follow all regulations specialized in Korea such as Nuclear regulatory criteria for light water reactor and Guidelines of nuclear safety examination for light water reactor. A concept of containment as a passive cooling system has been proposed. Furthermore, the new containment concept can be applied on the real containment which satisfies the various regulations. Finned containment would be expected positive effects on heat removal from the containment. If the fins are properly welded to the liner, finned containment could satisfy the leak tightness and prevention of external influences. Finned containment could be favorable to protect external impact like aircraft crash because of the additional structural integrity by the fins.

GPR Laboratory Tests For Railways Materials Dielectric Properties Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca De Chiara

2014-10-01

Full Text Available In railways Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR studies, the evaluation of materials dielectric properties is critical as they are sensitive to water content, to petrographic type of aggregates and to fouling condition of the ballast. Under the load traffic, maintenance actions and climatic effects, ballast condition change due to aggregate breakdown and to subgrade soils pumping, mainly on existing lines with no sub ballast layer. The main purpose of this study was to validate, under controlled conditions, the dielectric values of materials used in Portuguese railways, in order to improve the GPR interpretation using commercial software and consequently the management maintenance planning. Different materials were tested and a broad range of in situ conditions were simulated in laboratory, in physical models. GPR tests were performed with five antennas with frequencies between 400 and 1800 MHz. The variation of the dielectric properties was measured, and the range of values that can be obtained for different material condition was defined. Additionally, in situ GPR measurements and test pits were performed for validation of the dielectric constant of clean ballast. The results obtained are analyzed and the main conclusions are presented herein.

75 FR 8176 - Shipping Coordinating Committee; Notice of Committee Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-23

..., SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001. The primary purpose of the meeting is to prepare for the sixtieth... matters to be considered include: --Harmful aquatic organisms in ballast water --Recycling of ships...

Chitosan as coagulant on cyanobacteria in lake restoration management may cause rapid cell lysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nunes Teixeira Mucci, Maira; Noyma, Natalia Pessoa; Magalhães, de Leonardo; Miranda, Marcela; Oosterhout, van Frank; Guedes, Iamê Alves; Huszar, Vera L.M.; Marinho, Marcelo Manzi; Lürling, Miquel

2017-01-01

Combining coagulant and ballast to remove cyanobacteria from the water column is a promising restoration technique to mitigate cyanobacterial nuisance in surface waters. The organic, biodegradable polymer chitosan has been promoted as a coagulant and is viewed as non-toxic. In this study, we show

Regulation Effects of Water and Nitrogen on the Source-Sink Relationship in Potato during the Tuber Bulking Stage

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wenting; Xiong, Binglin; Wang, Shiwen; Deng, Xiping; Yin, Lina; Li, Hongbing

2016-01-01

The source-sink relationship determines crop yield, and it is largely regulated by water and nutrients in agricultural production. This has been widely investigated in cereals, but fewer studies have been conducted in root and tuber crops such as potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). The objective of this study was to investigate the source-sink relationship in potato and the regulation of water and nitrogen on the source-sink relationship during the tuber bulking stage. A pot experiment using virus-free plantlets of the Atlantic potato cultivar was conducted, using three water levels (50%, 70% and 90% of field capacity) and three nitrogen levels (0, 0.2, 0.4 g N∙kg−1 soil). The results showed that, under all water and nitrogen levels, plant source capacity were small at the end of the experiment, since photosynthetic activity in leaves were low and non-structural reserves in underground stems were completely remobilized. While at this time, there were very big differences in maximum and minimum tuber number and tuber weight, indicating that the sink tuber still had a large potential capacity to take in assimilates. These results suggest that the source-supplied assimilates were not sufficient enough to meet the demands of sink growth. Thus, we concluded that, unlike cereals, potato yield is more likely to be source-limited than sink-limited during the tuber bulking stage. Water and nitrogen are two key factors in potato production management. Our results showed that water level, nitrogen level and the interaction between water and nitrogen influence potato yield mainly through affecting source capacity via the net photosynthetic rate, total leaf area and leaf life span. Well-watered, sufficient nitrogen and well-watered combined with sufficient nitrogen increased yield mainly by enhancing the source capacity. Therefore, this suggests that increasing source capacity is more crucial to improve potato yield. PMID:26752657

The Hydraulic Mission and the Mexican Hydrocracy: Regulating and Reforming the Flows of Water and Power

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philippus Wester

2009-10-01

Full Text Available In Mexico, the hydraulic mission, the centralisation of water control, and the growth of the federal hydraulic bureaucracy (hydrocracy recursively shaped and reinforced each other during the 20th century. The hydraulic mission entails that the state, embodied in an autonomous hydrocracy, takes the lead in water resources development to capture as much water as possible for human uses. The hydraulic mission was central to the formation of Mexico’s hydrocracy, which highly prized its autonomy. Bureaucratic rivals, political transitions, and economic developments recurrently challenged the hydrocracy’s degree of autonomy. However, driven by the argument that a single water authority should regulate and control the nation’s waters, the hydrocracy consistently managed to renew its, always precarious, autonomy at different political moments in the country’s history. The legacy of the hydraulic mission continues to inform water reforms in Mexico, and largely explains the strong resilience of the Mexican hydrocracy to 'deep' institutional change and political transitions. While the emphasis on infrastructure has lessened, the hydrocracy has actively renewed its control over water decisions and budgets and has played a remarkably constant, hegemonic role in defining and shaping Mexico’s water laws, policies and institutions.

78 FR 14400 - Shipping Coordinating Committee; Notice of Committee Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-05

..., 2100 Second Street SW., Washington, DC, 20593. The primary purpose of the meeting is to prepare for the... ballast water; --Recycling of ships; --Air pollution and energy efficiency; --Reduction of GHG emissions...

77 FR 52105 - Shipping Coordinating Committee; Notice of Committee Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-28

... Building, 2100 Second Street SW., Washington, DC, 20593. The primary purpose of the meeting is to prepare... organisms in ballast water; --Recycling of ships; --Air pollution and energy efficiency; --Reduction of GHG...

77 FR 54648 - Shipping Coordinating Committee; Notice of Committee Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-05

... Building, 2100 Second Street SW., Washington, DC 20593. The primary purpose of the meeting is to prepare... organisms in ballast water; --Recycling of ships; --Air pollution and energy efficiency; --Reduction of GHG...

Balancing Water Uptake and Loss through the Coordinated Regulation of Stomatal and Root Development.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Hepworth

Full Text Available Root development is influenced by nutrient and water availabilities. Plants are able to adjust many attributes of their root in response to environmental signals including the size and shape of the primary root, lateral roots and root hairs. Here we investigated the response of roots to changes in the levels of leaf transpiration associated with altered stomatal frequency. We found that plants with high stomatal density and conductance produce a larger rooting area and as a result have enhanced phosphate uptake capacity whereas plants with low stomatal conductance produce a smaller root. Manipulating the growth environment of plants indicated that enhanced root growth is most likely a result of an increased demand for water rather than phosphate. Plants manipulated to have an increase or reduction in root hair growth show a reduction or increase respectively, in stomatal conductance and density. Our results demonstrate that plants can balance their water uptake and loss through coordinated regulation of both stomatal and root development.

33 CFR 151.1504 - Definitions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Ballast Water Management for Control of Nonindigenous Species in the Great Lakes and Hudson River § 151... organisms and ecosystems, and that emphasize integrated pest management techniques and non-chemical measures... water and suspended matter taken on board a vessel to control or maintain, trim, draught, stability, or...

What is the role of laminar cirrus cloud on regulating the cross-tropopause water vapor transport?

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, D. L.; Gong, J.; Tsai, V.

2016-12-01

Laminar cirrus is an extremely thin ice cloud found persistently inhabit in the tropical and subtropical tropopause. Due to its sub-visible optical depth and high formation altitude, knowledge about the characteristics of this special type of cloud is very limited, and debates are ongoing about its role on regulating the cross-tropopause transport of water vapor. The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) onboard the CALIPSO satellite has been continuously providing us with unprecedented details of the laminar cirrus since its launch in 2006. In this research, we adapted Winker and Trepte (1998)'s eyeball detection method. A JAVA-based applet and graphical user interface (GUI) is developed to manually select the laminar, which then automatically record the cloud properties, such as spatial location, shape, thickness, tilt angle, and whether its isolated or directly above a deep convective cloud. Monthly statistics of the laminar cirrus are then separately analyzed according to the orbit node, isolated/convective, banded/non-banded, etc. Monthly statistics support a diurnal difference in the occurring frequency and formation height of the laminar cirrus. Also, isolated and convective laminars show diverse behaviors (height, location, distribution, etc.), which strongly implies that their formation mechanisms and their roles on depleting the upper troposphere water vapor are distinct. We further study the relationship between laminar characteristics and collocated and coincident water vapor gradient measurements from Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) observations below and above the laminars. The identified relationship provides a quantitative answer to the role laminar cirrus plays on regulating the water vapor entering the stratosphere.

Ballast water risk assessment in the North Sea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meer, Ruurd van der

2012-01-01

Auteur: Ruurd van der Meer Centrum voor Energie en Milieukunde, IVEM Bèta 2012-03 EES-2012-134T ISBN (boek): 978-90-367-5528-3 ISBN (digitaal): 978-90-367-5529-0 Bèta Wetenschapswinkel Rijksuniversiteit Groningen Nijenborgh 4 9747 AG Groningen T: 050-363 41 32 E: c.m.ree@rug.nl W: www.rug.nl/wewi

Intercomparison of U.S. Ballast Water Test Facilities

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-01

protists . CSerotypes O1 and O139. DThe International Maritime Organization’s proposed standard allows this metric to be measured alternatively as < 1...process collected protists , which were often filaments or other colonial forms. The effective pore size of the net was quickly reduced as it became...at 10:06. After the piping system pressurized, one of the protist sample hoses came loose from its designated carboy. Within about thirty seconds

Regulation No. 100/2006 Coll. of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic dated as of February 6, 2006 laying down the requirements for natural healing water and natural mineral water, Balneology details of the report, distribution, extent of monitoring and content analysis of natural healing waters and natural mineral waters and their products and requirements for entry to the list of accredited laboratories maintained by the State Commission bathroom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

This Regulation provides: (a) requirements for natural healing water and natural mineral water; (b) requirements for the recognition of natural mineral water; (c) details of balneology report; (d) distribution of natural healing waters and natural mineral water; (e) the extent of tracking of natural healing waters and natural mineral waters and their products; (f) content analysis of natural healing waters and natural mineral waters and their products; (g) registration requirements for accredited laboratories in the list maintained by the State Commission bathroom. This Regulation came into force on March 1, 2006.